Manasaputra, Twilight Pitri (Barhisad)Cerulean light surrounds this towering four-armed figure in a
vibrant corona.Twilight Pitri (Barhisad) CR 18Source Bestiary 5 pg. 168
XP 153,600
LG Large outsider (extraplanar, good, lawful, manasaputra)
Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +35
Aura frightful presence (60 ft., DC 23)DefenseAC 36, touch 32, flat-footed 27 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 shield,
–1 size, +14 Wis)
hp 300 (24d10+168)
Fort +15, Ref +22, Will +22; +2 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities cerulean nimbus; Immune calling, disease,
poison; Resist adaptive 15; SR 29OffenseSpeed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Melee unarmed strike +28/+23/+18/+13 (2d10+8/19–20/×3)
Ranged lunar rays +31/+26/+21/+16 touch (8d6 cold and 8d6
positive energy)
Space 10 ft., Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks anatomical undoing, lunar rays, stunning fist
(6/day, DC 18)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +26; Wisdom-based)
At will—greater teleport (self only), plane shift (self only)
Psychic Magic (Sp) (CL 18th; concentration +26; Wisdom-based)
45 PE—aversion (2 PE, DC 20), awaken (5 PE), awaken
construct (6 PE), babble (3 PE, DC 21), ego whip V
(7 PE, DC 25), greater synaptic pulse (5 PE, DC 23),
mind thrust VI (6 PE, DC 24), mindwipe (4 PE, DC 22),
psychic image (9 PE), psychic surgery (6 PE), synapse
overload (5 PE, DC 23)StatisticsStr 19, Dex 27, Con 24, Int 18, Wis 26, Cha 13
Base Atk +24; CMB +29; CMD 62
Feats Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Improved Critical
(unarmed strike), Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed
Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Mobility, Stunning Critical, Stunning Fist, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike)
Skills Acrobatics +32 (+36 when jumping), Fly +41, Intimidate +25,
Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, history, planes) +31,
Perception +35, Spellcraft +31, Stealth +31
Languages Aklo, Celestial, Common; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ no breath, positive energy affinity, third eyeEcologyEnvironment any (Positive Energy Plane)
Organization solitary
Treasure noneSpecial AbilitiesAnatomical Undoing (Ex) A twilight pitri adds its Wisdom
modifier instead of its Strength modifier to damage dealt by
its unarmed attacks, as it has an intuitive grasp of how to
unmake corporeal forms. On a critical hit with its unarmed
strike, it deals triple damage.
Cerulean Nimbus (Su) Twilight pitris are surrounded by an eerie
blue light said to be a reflection from a previous version of
the multiverse. While active, this light grants them a +4 shield
bonus to their AC. A twilight pitri can make use of its frightful
presence aura only while its cerulean nimbus surrounds it. The
pitri can dismiss the light as a free action, even when it is not
the pitri’s turn, to reroll any one saving throw or to negate a
critical hit. A dismissed nimbus returns in 1d3 rounds.
Lunar Rays (Su) A twilight pitri can shoot rays of moonlight
with a range of 100 feet. A twilight pitri can fire a single
ray as an attack action, or up to four rays as a full attack
action. Firing a ray does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
A twilight pitri can apply its Vital Strike feats to lunar rays.
Each ray deals 8d6 points of cold damage and 8d6 points of
positive energy damage. This positive energy does not harm
creatures that aren’t normally damaged by positive energy,
nor does it heal them.
Third Eye (Su) As a swift action, a twilight pitri can open
or close its third eye. While the eye is open, the twilight
pitri gains access to an additional pool of 45 PE and gains
a constant true seeing effect, but loses the benefits of its
cerulean nimbus. This pool of psychic energy is separate
from the twilight pitri’s regular pool, and is accessible only
while the third eye is open. Effects that blind a twilight pitri
prevent the use of this ability.DescriptionWhile clerics and oracles spin their own myths of creation,
manasaputras tout an occult truth behind these stories—
the current multiverse is not the first to exist and it
won’t be the last. Like the cycle of seasons and the moon,
existence itself waxes and wanes.
Similar to the highest caste of pitris, twilight pitris
are manasaputras whose existence predates the current
multiverse. Unlike the solar pitris, these creatures started
their path to enlightenment in the preceding multiverse,
not some more ancient one. During that indescribable
existence, twilight pitris were mortals who ascended to the
ranks of manus. Surviving the natural end of their native
reality, they endured and were incarnated into the current
multiverse as this higher caste of manasaputras. Though
they are in a higher form, it is one filled with tribulation
and challenge, as becoming a twilight pitri is among the
greatest trials in the path to absolute enlightenment.
This transition between multiverses has the effect of
cutting off the former manus’ souls from the Cosmic Fire
of creation. This “twilight” forces the new pitris to pursue
enlightenment without the fire’s guidance.
While these creatures can hover around the Cosmic Fire
on the Positive Energy Plane, they are barred from entering
it. Some occult scholars believe this is merely a taboo,
but the prohibition is more than a metaphysical barrier.
These pitris are incapable of the spiritual incorporeality
found among other types of manasaputras, which enables
communion with the flame.
While some occult scholars teach that this exile is some
form of punishment for actions in past incarnations,
both twilight and even solar pitris deny this explanation.
Instead, exile from the cosmic source is a test in spiritual
suffering and self-sufficiency. Without the benefit of the
Cosmic Fire, each twilight pitri must look within itself
or to others to achieve full enlightenment, which is both
challenging and spiritually taxing. Failure of this test
leads to either the destruction of a twilight pitri or its
continuance within lesser incarnations until the death of
this multiverse and the creation of the next. Those who gain
true enlightenment from this test become solar pitris when
the next multiverse ignites, though most achieve status
as a twilight pitri, fail the test, and are reincarnated
as lesser manasaputras many times before
succeeding and becoming solar pitris.
Because these pitris are disconnected
from the cosmic source, their wisdom
can sometimes seem imperfect, at least
compared to that of the solar pitris.
While all twilight pitris seek to expand
enlightenment in the multiverse,
their actions can accidently work
against enlightened truth.
During the earliest epochs of this
multiverse, the first twilight pitris
sought not only to shepherd the
fledgling races, but also to impart
knowledge and reason to those with
whom they formed the closest
bonds. The results of this effort still
haunt them, as the pitris’ imperfect
mastery of cosmic enlightenment
turned these races into beings
driven only by reason, logic,
and systematic philosophies.
As these beliefs opposed the
spiritual ascension touted by other
manasaputras, these early races
ascended to become other types of
outsiders, swelling the ranks of such
beings. In the end, the kumaras had to
intercede and right the wrongs inadvertently
spurred by the twilight pitris’ actions. Because
of this, many twilight pitris have chosen to be
more contemplative and intuitive in deciding on
their courses of action than other manasaputras,
while others become more active hoping to make
up for this early misstep.
In spite of their alien origins, twilight pitris seek to
aid and inspire mortals of the Material Plane. They take
great care to search for and study the individual mortals,
societies, and worlds that hold the greatest promise.
Mortals who show the best chance of becoming some
form of manu in their next incarnations are chosen and
taught the methods of contemplation, mindfully executed
action, and focused meditation necessary to achieve their
next stage of enlightenment. At the same time, such
visitations—either to mortals or others of their kind—
can be both a boon and a curse, for the twilight pitris
often act in unexpected ways—their minds inscrutable
to the denizens of the Material Plane—and their lack of
connection with the Cosmic Fire often makes them seem
disconnected from other manasaputras. A handful of
kumaras seek out the aid of twilight pitris when they do
leave the Positive Energy Plane, enjoying and finding
wisdom in their sometimes alien and unexpected
modes of thought.
Relationships between twilight pitris and
manus are complicated. Many manus have
at least one twilight pitri to thank for
their first steps of enlightenment and
acceptance into the manasaputra castes,
but upon ascension, the new manus
intuit how disconnected their former
teachers are from the cosmic source of
all things. They immediately find the
words and guidance of the twilight
pitris to be filled with half-truths
and blind paths, even though the
twilight pitri’s intentions are true
and honorable. These manus still
give members of this caste the
respect and reverence they deserve,
and understand the importance
of this test—especially since they
may face it themselves one day—
but often go to great pains to avoid
asking a twilight pitri for counsel.
Relationships between twilight
pitris and samsarans are even
more strained, as knowledgeable
members of that race blame the
twilight pitris for nearly damning the
entire samsaran race to a path outside of
reincarnation and enlightenment. While
they would never outwardly disrespect
these higher forms of being, they are often
suspicious of the twilight pitris’ guidance
and disregard twilight pitris’ advice. Some
samsarans outright refuse all aid coming from
one of these manasaputras.Creatures in "Manasaputra" CategorySource Bestiary 5 pg. 162
For most creatures, the path to self-perfection ends as all mortal pursuits do: in death. For a few, however, the path to self-perfection ends with fiery rebirth in the heart of the Positive Energy Plane, where the souls of those not yet born fuse with the potential of those who’ve learned from lifetimes of reincarnation to form wholly new entities—the manasaputras. These outsiders continue their path to perfection by striving to achieve oneness with the universe, further evolving and discovering new cosmic truths, as well as guiding mortals on their paths to similar ends.
Manasaputras are benevolent and compassionate entities that follow strict practices of contemplation, introspection, and meditation. Others often view their directness and disciplined nature as inflexible, yet in truth, manasaputras are accepting when presented with new ideas and challenges—adapting to accommodate these changes can simply take hundreds or thousands of years as the manasaputras gradually evaluate and reevaluate the slightest adjustment to their personal beliefs or ideals. The patience of manasaputras is legendary, and can make action seem like inaction from a mortal’s perspective of time.
Manasaputras belong to a complex hierarchy. While immortal beings known as kumaras ostensibly lead them, each manasaputra operates as an individual, free to pursue its own contemplation of the multiverse and its inhabitants. More powerful manasaputras mentor younger and less experienced ones, particularly when their paths to perfection align. These relationships are master and apprentice structures similar to the Material Plane’s monastic hierarchies. Lesser manasaputras have deep respect and reverence for the elders of their kind and the phenomenal—often godlike—power they wield.
When not contemplating reality in isolation at the heart of the Positive Energy Plane, manasaputras can be found drifting through the Astral Plane in search of wisdom, or drawn to the Material Plane when ignorance and chaos work hand in hand with cruelty and evil. Manasaputras do not often intervene in destructive events, preferring to instead aid mortals and teach them necessary skills that they can use to confront these challenges. Greater threats of a more cosmic nature can draw the direct intervention of dozens of manasaputras, especially when these threats concern the destruction of knowledge or foment disorder in the universe. To this end, manasaputras can sometimes be found working alongside aeons and inevitables on morally compatible agendas. Manasaputras respect the precious balance aeons bring to the planes, as well as inevitables’ unfaltering dedication to their assigned tasks. They are distant toward most good-aligned outsiders, unable to fully share the passions of agathions and azatas, and put off by the zeal of angels and archons. They share a special kinship with devas, who often also oversee mortal affairs. Among outsiders, their greatest rivals are the sahkils of the Ethereal Plane, who attempt to hold back mortal development and are thus sworn enemies of all manasaputras.
Manasaputras seldom interact with wicked mortal creatures of the Material Plane. Their charge is to nurture the spiritual development of those who walk the path of enlightenment, and thus have little concern for mortal creatures outside that path, except as obstacles their students must overcome.
While usually described as humanoid in form, most manasaputras are wholly incorporeal entities forged of the raw Cosmic Fire from the heart of the Positive Energy Plane. When a manasaputra chooses to become corporeal, it usually adopts a resplendent, idealized humanoid form, often with striking features such as a third eye, multiple arms, or other compelling physical characteristics that clearly set it apart from mortals.
Occult lore suggests the enormous wisdom of the eldest manasaputras derives from their mortal existence during a previous incarnation of the multiverse itself. Certainly the manasaputras themselves favor doctrines of cycles such as reincarnation. Some mortal followers believe that manasaputras from the previous multiversal cycle were the first to inhabit the soulless husks that would ultimately become mortals, but as usual the manasaputras themselves favor riddles over straight answers on the matter.
The Seven Kumaras, the most powerful of all manasaputras, exist at the heart of all creation, each exemplifying a facet of the multiverse. These enigmatic entities rarely leave the Cosmic Fire of the Positive Energy Plane, communing with this source of all life in the multiverse and witnessing events across all creation through psychic rapport with a consciousness they (and the like-minded aeons) refer to as the Logos.
The Seven KumarasSeven glory-clad kumaras lead the manasaputras on their spiritual journeys. Each occasionally acts as a personal messenger or spirit guide for mortals with profound psychic gifts or particularly promising souls. While spellings often differ depending on the esoteric source consulted, their number is thought to include the following. - Ameuritati, the First Immortal
- Ashavashitra, the Righteous Truth
- Asoshu Mana, the True Purpose
- Auramiti, the Holy Devotion
- Hourvetat, the Circle of Ages
- Ksathras, the Dominion
- Sraosha, the Cleansing Wings
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