Parai

Paraii, also known as visilights, were a species of sentient light from the plane of Mechanus that adopted the form of hollow-bodied humanoids. Their entire existence involved the pursuit of ideal beauty and assimilating into their species, to bring order and perfection to the multiverse. Paraii could not be reasoned with or turned away from their singular focus and were wholly merciless in their never-ending hunt for perfection.

"To be subsumed is to become part of something greater than you can imagine. Give in to us and you will know comfort. Let go and you will be safe. It will be perfect. Mechanus is your destiny."

- The last thoughts of a paraii projected into the mind of its victim.

Description
A parai appeared as a tall humanoid figure, with a hollow body wrapped in a skin-tight black dress. Its stark white skin was only visible over its hands and face, each of which appeared unnaturally smooth and unblemished. Its face resembled a porcelain mask with metallic hair that stuck up on end, and hollow openings for its eyes and mouth. Vivid light poured outward from these openings, originating from the parai's true form: a mote of radiance that floated and bobbed behind its hollow mask.

Behavior
Paraii patrolled Mechanus alone or in units of two to five, hunting down beauty that could be melded into their race and in effect "made perfect". Paraii sought to rid the planes of existence of all forms of "ugliness", anything not deemed worthy of assimilation. They were solitary in their purpose and would not be dissuaded by discussion or coercion.

Units of paraii acted entirely in unison, as if guided by a greater consciousness. Sages speculated as to whether or not there was a singular parai intelligence that guided each of their species, but no evidence of such an entity has ever been recorded.

Abilities
"Do not be afraid. This is as it is meant to be."

- A parai preparing to meld with its victim.

Paraii possessed the prolific power to meld others into their species. Whenever they identified a being worthy of assimilation―one that was exceedingly beautiful, but also mighty or brilliant―a parai would isolate the target and envelop them in a smothering embrace. The parai's mask would transfer over the victim's face and its dress would bind over their entire body. Over the course of three days, the victim would slowly transform into a parai, while the first parai―the actual floating mote of light―would reform a new husk for itself.

If an individual was unable to slay the melding parai within a matter of moments, they were left with few options to reverse the process of transformation. The spells that were known to undo a melding included free action, limited wish, or wish.

Visilights also possessed the power to paralyze creatures with their gaze, and could feed on the personality of other creatures. For several hours after such a feeding, the visilight's mask resembled the face of the person they had fed upon, and their own force of personality was increased.

Combat
Paraii employed a variety of attacks when violence was required, including melee attacks with their bare hands and a devastating stare. Their fists were as strong as steel and could easily crush mundane items with force of impact. When they focused their gaze on an opponent, they could siphon away their life force and use that energy to regenerate their own form.

Ecology
There was recorded evidence of paraii society and each parai was exactly the same as every other of its kind. They did however share a collected hatred for the modron race, whose shared ideal of perfection differed from their own. Paraii regularly abducted modrons and melded them into their species, while more powerful modrons were directed to kill paraii upon first encounter.

History
In the late 15 century DR, the adventurer Delina of Baldur's Gate was nearly melded into the paraii race while traveling through the plane of Mechanus. She was somehow able to stop the melding process by some unknown means, focusing her will upon her strong sense of self.

Appearances

 * Comics
 * Evil at Baldur's Gate 3