Planar Bestiary
A divergent skull is a remnant of someone who was once native to—or later became trapped in—a dead or dying dimension. Divergent skulls manifest randomly on other planes of existence, possibly to escape their disintegrating plane, though if so, they make few friends in the still-extant dimensions they now stalk.
Divergent skulls once had names, purposes, and lives in an alternate reality completely unlike most planar locations. They had little use for "magic" but instead relied on technology of greater and greater magnitude. However, this very technology may have proved to be the precipitating factor that destroyed their dimension and all the bordering planes as well, creating an expanse of splintered, decaying dimensions. Something to do with "cosmic engineering gone wrong."
Divergent skulls have only limited memories of what their lives were like on the dead planes where they once lived. Like regular creatures trying to suppress bad dreams, divergent skulls don't like to think about their existence prior to their current form. Their minds are slightly broken, but they are hellishly smart.
Divergent skulls "eat" by erasing victims from extant planes and sending them through a dimensional fold into a null realm. Through some sort of symbolic cosmic equation, the transfer of energy enlivens and heals the divergent skull.
As an undead creature, a divergent skull doesn't require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Though rare, a given divergent skull could be an alternate-reality version of a still-living individual who exists elsewhere in the multiverse.
Motive: Hungers for energy (by transferring others to a null, dying realm)
Environment: Almost anywhere, usually encountered alone
Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Immediate; short when flying
Modifications: Speed defense as level 6 due to small size
Combat: A divergent skull attacks either by biting, inflicting a moderate wound (5 points), or firing a ray of necrotic energy at a creature in short range, inflicting a moderate wound (5 points) (ignores Armor).
A divergent skull can telekinetically move an object up to five pounds within short range, create an illusion no larger than a 5-foot cube, or once per day compel a creature in short range to obey a command for one minute.
About once a minute, the skull can tear a gap in reality, affecting an area a short distance across adjacent to them. Creatures in the area that fail a Might defense task begin to fade from existence, during which time they cannot move from their location and all their tasks are hindered. On the creature's next turn, they must attempt another Might defense task; if they succeed, they are freed from the effect, but failure means they are erased from their current dimension and banished to a null, dying realm from which they cannot escape until freed by powerful magic. Each transfer grants the skull 5 points of health.
A divergent skull is immune to poison.
Interaction: Most divergent skulls have picked up a few standard languages in their travels, allowing them to communicate with creatures in other planes. The most dangerous divergent skulls are those that erase victims. However, planar travelers have encountered less powerful varieties. Those that recall more of their old lives are given to constant weeping.
Use: A gang of criminals has been using a divergent skull to dispose of troublesome foes without leaving a trace. A divergent skull presents themself as a lich, demanding "souls" to consume.
Loot: A divergent skull might telekinetically carry or stow a couple of useful magical cyphers taken from their previous victims, such as a potion of controlled blinking or a curse bringer coin.
GM Intrusion: The divergent skull fires a necrotic ray as part of their attack, at the same character or a different one.