Squids

According to ancient texts, one of the most powerful races in the Universe never evolved by natural processes. Legends tell that the Old God Exala came to a long forgotten ocean world and discovered a tribal squid-like race, just beginning on its journey to societal development. Rather than allow this to happen naturally, the Old God intervened first with visitations and visions upon those squids with potential. Many of those who visited went mad, but Exala brought the few who did not to her domain. She integrated mind with machine, creating a race of master strategists to bring forth her wrath.

Those that survived this process went on to destroy their own world completely, reducing it to rubble, as a sacrifice to their maker. But they did not do so directly with weapons or war. Rather the Squids used weapons of the mind like trickery, obfuscation, strategy and more to create downfall from within. Then they ventured to the stars to carry Exala's word to all the worlds. Now the Squids are a star-spanning cult devoted to creating a universal apocalypse. On whichever worlds they land, they go on to destroy. Each world destroyed represents another victory for Exala, and another sacrifice to her ultimate vision.

Physically, the Squids still look like the cephalopod race from which they emerged, with squid-like tentacles and teeth. Within, however, they are masters of mind and calculation. They may look unassuming or weak, but they are anything but.

GOD: EXALA

Once the most beautiful of all of the Old Gods, Exala once fell into a great love with another, Herathon. However the other Old Gods grew jealous of their union and worked to destroy them in a great war. Herathon was killed, while Exala was left weakened, disfigured and devastated in grief. From her grief arose a desire for pure destruction, not to conquer but instead to wipe out the Universe itself. Exala is wrath incarnate. She stalks patiently from the shadows coiling in rage until her minions can destroy enough worlds that she may manifest in ultimate power and enact the final stroke.