Ouroboros ★

The Ouroboros is an angel of nature, sent to the material realm by the gods themselves, or conjured into being by the sacred rites of powerful hierophants. It appears as a magnificent feathered serpent that naturally levitates with divine grace, its scales scintillating like coiled rainbows. To clerics, an Ouroboros symbolizes the cycles of renewal in eternity, the act of resurrection, and the generation of life from nothing; for alchemists, it represents the unity of opposites held together in one continuous body. The creature has hypnotic eyes that reflect centuries-old wisdom, tempered by a fundamental knowledge of good and evil. The Ouroboros have been known by many names throughout time, among them Jörmungandr, Quetzalcoatl, and Ayida-Weddo. The metaphysical nature of an Ouroboros is such that its will is bound to the morality of its patron: balanced Ouroboros teach temperance and modesty; brave ones serve those bold enough to bring change into the world; and the faithful seek to uphold divine principles of justice at all costs. They are not a part of nature, and do not need sustenance to survive. As immortal cryptids brought into being to serve a divine purpose, Ouroboros act only to further their patron’s agenda, which could span lifetimes or even millennia. 

An Ouroboros rarely engages in combat, as its supernatural charisma assuages the hostility of all but the most powerful of foes. If forced to defend itself, the creature relies on its spellcasting to stay out of the fray, while etherealizing enemies into the Astral Veil. Those foolish enough to get within reach of the creature may receive the Ouroboros’s bite, which is lethal and instantly puts a victim on death’s door. Because its mind resides in the Astral Veil, the Ouroboros is resistant to psychic attacks and can see through all illusions with its natural True Sight. Less scrupulous adventurers may learn that the blood of an Ouroboros is called coagula, a priceless alchemical solvent that can be used to create Philosopher Stones, among other elemental treasures.