Long ago, in the vast expanse of the cosmos, a cosmic event of unparalleled proportions took place. A dying star collapsed upon itself, creating a supernova that reverberated through the universe, scattering particles and energy in all directions. In the wake of this cataclysmic explosion, an anomaly formed, an entity birthed from the very essence of destruction and chaos. This being, a creature of unimaginable size and power, would come to be known as Galactophage, the World Devourer.
Galactophage's insatiable hunger was evident from the moment of its creation. The newborn cosmic entity began to feed on the residual energy of the dying star that birthed it, consuming its essence and growing in power. As its hunger grew, Galactophage set out on a journey across the cosmos, devouring celestial bodies in its path. Planets, moons, and even entire solar systems fell prey to the World Devourer, leaving nothing but lifeless space in its wake.
As Galactophage's appetite grew, so too did its intelligence. It became aware of the countless civilizations spread across the universe and the life that thrived upon their worlds. The cosmic entity found that these worlds, teeming with life and energy, were a far more satisfying meal than lifeless celestial bodies.
And so, the World Devourer turned its attention to the inhabited planets, its hunger driving it to extinguish entire civilizations in its quest for sustenance. Galactophage's appetite is not only physical but also metaphysical. The World Devourer consumes not only the matter of the planets it devours but also the collective spiritual energy of their inhabitants. This spiritual essence, the very life force that binds civilizations together, provides Galactophage with a power beyond the physical, allowing it to manipulate the very fabric of reality itself. Throughout the millennia, countless civilizations have fallen to the insatiable hunger of Galactophage, their planets reduced to lifeless husks, their people's souls forever bound to the cosmic entity. But there are those who have heard whispers of the World Devourer's existence, and they prepare for the day when Galactophage sets its sights on their home. Now, Galactophage's hunger brings it ever closer to Earth, and with it, Nova City. As the planet's heroes brace themselves for the arrival of this cosmic terror, they know that they must rally together like never before, for the fate of their world and all of existence hangs in the balance. Instead of Cosmic Heralds, let there be Betrayers, people in worlds about to be devoured that help the Galactophage because they believe their destruction will see them transformed into cosmic energy, unbound from the mortal body. This is a lie that the Galactophage has told them, one which they are all too happy to believe Galactophage: The World Devourer and The Betrayers
Galactophage's insatiable hunger drives it to extinguish entire civilizations in its quest for sustenance. As it approaches an inhabited world, the World Devourer employs a cunning and insidious strategy to ensure minimal resistance: the Betrayers.
The Betrayers are individuals from the worlds about to be devoured who have been deceived by Galactophage. These unfortunate souls are led to believe that by assisting the World Devourer in the consumption of their planet, they will be rewarded with a transformation into pure cosmic energy, unbound from their mortal bodies and granted an eternal existence within the fabric of the universe. Galactophage preys upon the desires and fears of these individuals, exploiting their greed, ambition, or despair to manipulate them into becoming its unwitting pawns. The Betrayers undermine their world's defenses, sabotaging any attempts to mount a resistance against the cosmic entity. They spread chaos and discord among their people, ensuring that when Galactophage arrives, it faces a weakened and divided world ripe for consumption. However, the promise of ascension into cosmic energy is nothing more than a cruel lie, a deception perpetrated by Galactophage to further its own ends. Once a world has been devoured, the Betrayers are discarded, their souls consumed along with those of their fellow inhabitants. The World Devourer cares nothing for the fates of these pawns, seeing them only as a means to an end. As Galactophage's hunger brings it ever closer to Earth and Nova City, heroes must be on the lookout for signs of the Betrayers' influence. They must not only prepare for the arrival of the cosmic terror itself but also contend with the treachery and deception of those who would betray their own kind in pursuit of a false promise. In the face of such insidious evil, the heroes of Earth and Nova City must stand united, for the fate of their world and all of existence hangs in the balance. Appearance The Galactophage is an immense, otherworldly being of cosmic proportions. Its body resembles a vast, amorphous mass of shifting, pulsating energy, perpetually emitting a low, dissonant hum that reverberates through the fabric of reality itself. Spanning hundreds of miles in diameter, its form constantly changes, with tendrils of energy extending outwards like the tentacles of a cosmic octopus.
Its color, an unnerving blend of dark purples, blues, and blacks, reflects the depths of the void from which it emerged. This swirling miasma of energy seems to absorb the very light around it, casting an eerie, unnatural darkness upon any world it approaches.
At the center of this colossal mass lies a single, enormous eye that serves as the focal point of the Galactophage's consciousness. The eye, which is several miles in diameter, is a mesmerizing vortex of swirling cosmic energy that appears to gaze into the very souls of those who meet its unblinking stare. It is said that looking into the eye of the Galactophage is akin to staring into the abyss, and many who have done so have been driven to madness by the sheer cosmic horror of what they have witnessed.
At the heart of the cloud is a pulsating sphere of energy, the Galactophage's consciousness. It is here that the being is most vulnerable, but it has created an array of defences stolen from the worlds it has consumed. The most powerful beings from devoured planets are kept as slaves, chained to floating rocks around the Galactophage's core, cursed to stand guard and fight any mortal that dares to come close to the great devourer's mind.
As it moves through the cosmos, the Galactophage leaves a trail of destruction and desolation in its wake. Its mere presence warps the fabric of reality, causing the very stars to flicker and dim as it passes. Worlds caught in its path are stripped of their life force, reduced to barren, lifeless husks as the World Devourer continues its endless journey through the universe, forever searching for its next meal.
Note to GMs - the Galactophage is too powerful to require stats, but its servants can all be thought of as PL 18 beings.
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