Aeons

Aeon	Balancing	CR
Agnoia	Knowledge and ignorance	14
Akhana	Life and death	12
Bythos	Space and time	16
Caen	Heat and cold	10
Lipika	Cause and effect	18
Othaos	Light and darkness	5
Paracletus	Mortal emotions	2
Pleroma	Creation and destruction	20
Synesis	Magic and technology	4
Theletos	Free will and predetermination	7

The Dualistic Keepers of Multiversal Laws

The aeons are enigmatic manifestations of cosmic balance, impartial beings that embody the dualities of existence—life and death, creation and destruction, knowledge and ignorance. Their forms are abstract and alien, and their philosophies are inscrutable and implacable. They do not exist to serve or benefot mortals; they are agents of the Monad, a mysterious entity or concept that apparently represents the sentience of the multiverse itself. Aeons act as extensions of the Monad’s will, ensuring that no force—be it moral, elemental, or metaphysical—gains dominance over its opposite.

Aeons are not bound by mortal concepts of morality or alignment; instead, they operate on a level of pure cosmic equilibrium, intervening in the multiverse to correct imbalances that threaten this harmony. To mortals, their actions often appear contradictory, for aeons are unconcerned with the lives of individuals, and focus solely on order on a multiversal scale. They do not act out of malice or compassion but rather an innate drive to ensure that the cycle of existence—or Kalpa—birth and death, creation and destruction, continue unimpeded. Each type of aeon has a specific domain within this grand purpose: Akhanas oversee life and death, bythos guard time and planar travel, lipikas record karmic causality, and pleromas embody the ultimate duality of creation and oblivion. Their singular focus often brings them into conflict with mortals or other planar entities whose actions disrupt the delicate equilibria aeons seek to maintain. Yet the aeons remain indifferent to such opposition, acting with an impersonal resolve that transcends mortal understanding.

Aeons occupy a unique role of impartiality amidst the planes’ chaotic interplay of belief and alignment. Their presence aligns most closely with Mechanus’ ideals of order but their influence extends far beyond rigid lawfulness to encompass infinite complexity of the multiverse. Aeons occasionally interact with other planar forces like rilmani (who pursue the balance of morals and ethics) or psychopomps (the guardians of souls), though their alien motivations often set them apart even from these entities. For planewalkers, encountering an aeon is both awe-inspiring and perilous; these beings may offer cryptic guidance, unexpected assistance, or mete out devastating consequences depending on whether one’s actions align with their cosmic purpose. In this way, aeons serve as reminders of the multiverse’s vastness and its intricate web of balance that transcends mortal comprehension.

The Society of the Aeons

Aeons do not have a society in the traditional sense, as their existence is fundamentally alien and detached from mortal concepts like cities, temples, or communal living. They are extensions of the Monad, the cosmic entity representing the sentience of the multiverse, and their actions are driven solely by their purpose to maintain balance across existence. Aeons do not require rest as mortals understand it; instead, they seem to exist in a state of perpetual activity, tirelessly carrying out their duties without the need for sustenance or reprieve.

Rather than congregating in specific locations, aeons are often found wherever their presence is required to address imbalances—whether sealing planar breaches, correcting temporal anomalies, or enforcing karmic equilibrium. Their connection to the Monad and the Akashic Record suggests that their “rest” may involve returning to a metaphysical state of unity with this greater consciousness when not actively engaged in their tasks. This could be seen as a form of reintegration into the Monad’s essence rather than a physical retreat to a specific location.

The Monad

If you thought the aeons were strange and alien, wait until you hear about the Monad. Graybeards can’t even agree on whether it is a power or not. At its most comprehensible, it is a transcendental entity or concept that represents the supreme oneness of all existence. It is simultaneously the void that predated creation, the essence of the cosmos, and the infinite potential of the future. The Monad is not a deity in the conventional sense but rather an omnipresent force that embodies the balance and continuity of the multiverse. It acts through its agents, the aeons, who are extensions of its will and tasked with maintaining cosmic equilibrium across concepts like life and death, creation and destruction, and time and space. Aeons are part of the Monad, much like ants within a colony or water droplets in a sea, and their energies are recycled back into it upon their destruction or completion of their tasks. The Monad’s focus on balance makes it detached from mortal concerns like morality or worship. It has no temples or organised religion, though rare mortal followers may choose to align themselves with its principles. It does not maintain a realm, and indeed some cutters question where it even exists inside the multiverse at all.

The Monad aligns most closely with Mechanus, as the source of stability and balance in the Outer Planes. However, its scope extends beyond Mechanus’ rigid laws to encompass a broader sense of neutrality that includes chaos as an essential counterbalance to order. It also reaches to the Inner Planes, where it represents the balance between opposing elements, and positive and negative energies. The aeons operate across all of the planes as impartial arbiters of balance, interacting occasionally with outsider races like the rilmani. You might expect they would be opposed to beings of chaos and entropy like the proteans or slaadi, or for that matter the Doomguard—but you’d be wrong. See, modrons, inevitables and Guvners exist—and the aeons love nothing more than opposites.

Other factions have opinions on the Monad too. Some in the Heralds of Dust approve of its disregard for emotions or ethics, and suggest it is aligned with the True Death. Similarly, some Athar ponder whether it might be the Great Beyond, or at least a minion of it. The Monad itself is beyond trivial concept like allies or enemies however, although it shares some goals with beings such as Primus and Pharasma in maintaining balance in life cycles or planar boundaries. If the Monad has ever had dealings with the equally enigmatic Lady of Pain is unknown, although it is notable that aeons are never encountered in Sigil. Perhaps as extensions of the Monad they are prevented from entering, or perhaps the City of Doors is somehow excluded from its purview.

Ten sefirot of nothingness, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven
—Aeon Creed

A Bestiary of Balance

Being the Sefirot—the Ten Emanations of the Monad

Paracletus

Who monitor the balance of emotion and logic

LN; CR 2 [PF1e] †

Paracletus aeons manifest as enigmatic clusters of shimmering lights surrounded by vibrant, orbiting crystals, embodying the duality of logic and emotion. As agents of the sefiroit, they study the influence of emotions on mortal behaviour, focusing particularly on individuals who are exceptionally intelligent or charismatic. Each paracletus represents a specific pair of opposing emotions, which it explores through its unique emotion aura, a mind-affecting ability that can either aid or hinder those within its reach. To mortals, the paracletus’ choices may seem random, but they are guided by the aeon’s incomprehensible logic. Preferring observation to combat, these beings avoid direct conflict when possible but can defend themselves with electrical jolts and their crystalline components if pressed. Paracletus aeons are sometimes chosen as familiars by spellcasters, and they continue their mission to observe the interplay of logic and emotion even while serving their master’s directives.

Stats: Bestiary 2 [PF1e] p11; D&D conversion here [5e]

More chant on paracletus here…

Synesis

Who monitor the balance of magic and technology

LN; CR 4 [PF1e] †

Synesis aeons are vortex-shaped dual beings composed of swirling cosmic starstuff. They embody the balance between magic and technology, aiming to ensure that neither of the forces predominates to upset the fabric of the planes. They influence the behaviour of mortals by enhancing either deliberate thoughts or instinctive intuition. If threatened, they are able to extend their size, stretch and attack unpredictably. Synesis aeons often act as intellectual muses, guiding thinkers and cultures toward discoveries that maintain techno-magical equilibrium—but they are ruthless and will swiftly eliminate berks whose ideas threaten cosmic balance. Concerned with the interplay of intellect and invention, synesis will align themselves with psychic spellcasters or other intellectual figures to subtly steer their actions toward preserving planar stability.

Stats: Occult Bestiary [PF1e] p3; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the synesis here…

Othaos

Who monitor the balance between light and dark

LN; CR 5 [PF1e] †

Othaos aeons are swirling vortices of pulsing light and deep darkness, with four limbs—two radiant white and two darkest black—that embody their role as the stewards of the balance between light and darkness. Tasked with correcting physical imbalances in illumination across the multiverse, they seek out supernatural sources of prolonged light or darkness that disrupt ecosystems, using their powers to banish light and darkness to restore equilibrium. Rarely encountered by mortals due to their specialised duties, othaoses are often found at old battlefields or sites of lingering magic, tirelessly working to undo the effects of prolonged enchanted light or shadow. They also serve as first responders to breaches between planes, such as rifts to the Shadowfell or the Positive and Negative Energy Planes, ensuring that such anomalies do not threaten to tear holes in the multiverse.

Stats: Bestiary 5 [PF1e] p10; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the othaos here…

Theletos

Who monitor the duality of freedom and fate

LN; CR 7 [PF1e], Creature 7 [PF2e] †

Theletos aeons are crystalline beings tasked with maintaining the delicate balance between freedom and fate. Their roughly spherical bodies are composed of shimmering crystals, from which extend four limbs that split at the elbows into three-fingered hands, as well as two retractable crystalline tentacles. These enigmatic entities work to ensure that neither absolute free will nor unyielding destiny dominates the multiverse, often intervening in societies where this balance is disrupted. Their actions are impartial and paradoxical—they might aid in freeing slaves in one region while enforcing obligations or subjugation in another, depending on what their interpretation of the balance demands. Theletoses communicate through psychic projections, conveying cryptic messages that transcend language, and they are able to impose disorienting effects that strip creatures of clarity and choice. Though their interventions may seem contradictory or even cruel, theletoses act solely to preserve equilibrium between choice and inevitability, indifferent to the personal consequences for those they affect.

Stats: Bestiary 2 [PF1e] p14; Bestiary 2 [PF2e] p8; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the theletos here…

Caen

Who monitor the balance between fire and ice

LN; CR 10 [PF1e] †

Caen aeons, also known as “frostfire aeons” or “manitres,” are serpentine entities that embody the universal balance of heat and cold, as well as the raw energies released when these opposites collide. Their shimmering serpentine forms are composed of equal parts fire and ice, with a featureless, spherical head that crackles with static patterns resembling a simple face. They glide smoothly over the ground on a trail of crystalline frost.

Stats: Wayfinder Bestiary [PF1e] p3 (Caen) and Creature Codex (Manitre)

More on the caen here…

Akhana

Who maintain the precarious balance between birth and death

LN; CR 12 [PF1e], Creature 12 [PF2e] †

The akhana are enigmatic beings who embody the cosmic duality of birth and death, and they seek to maintain a balance so that the River of Souls neither floods nor runs dry. They manifest as swirling giant eye, from which four gray arms and a tail-like appendage extend. Despite their ephemeral appearance, their bodies are unsettlingly solid and slimy to the touch. Akhanas perceive life as both vital and perilous to the cosmos, intervening when unchecked growth or decay threatens equilibrium. They may cull life or restore it without discernible patterns, often appearing arbitrary and dispassionate to mortal observers.

Stats: Bestiary 2 [PF1e] p9; Monster Core [PF2e] p10; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the akhana here…

Agnoia

Who maintain the balance between ignorance and knowledge

LN; CR 14 [PF1e] †

Agnoias are towering aeons of fog and shadow, standing sixteen feet tall with three clawed feet. They can also manifest three pale arms ending in long, black claws. Their forms roil with dark shadows and pale mist, neither obscuring the other, creating an unsettling interplay of light and dark. Despite their vaporous appearance, agnoias are solid and surprisingly heavy, weighing 900 pounds, yet they can compress their forms to navigate confined spaces or fly effortlessly. These beings embody the precarious balance between knowledge and ignorance but have recently abandoned their role as disseminators of truth to focus entirely on fostering ignorance. Viewing the multiverse’s rapid accumulation of knowledge as dangerously destabilising, agnoias now work to extinguish enlightenment wherever it spreads. Their philosophy is rooted in the belief that ignorance is essential for cosmic stability; they sabotage libraries, isolate scholars, and target planewalkers who disseminate information across worlds. Though they hoard knowledge themselves, they refuse to share it, fearing that even a single truth could spark a cascade of enlightenment they would later need to destroy.

Stats: Concordance of Rivals [PF1e] p52; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the agnoia here…

Bythos

LN; CR 16 [PF1e], Creature 16 [PF2e] †

Bythos aeons are towering, four-armed beings of swirling mist and shadow, guardians of time and planar stability who tirelessly patrol the multiverse to repair breaches in reality and correct abuses of temporal or dimensional magic. Despite their vaporous appearance, their bodies are solid as stone, and they communicate through psychic projections rather than speech. Bythos are relentless in their mission to prevent temporal paradoxes, seal planar rifts, and eliminate threats to cosmic balance, often aging offenders to death or displacing them from time entirely. They have no qualms about neutralising those who misuse time or planar magic, including reckless mortal chronomancers or chaotic entities like proteans. Though impartial and alien in mindset, one thing we do know is that they are unwavering defenders of interplanar order, embodying the aeons’ purpose to preserve the delicate fabric of existence.

Stats: Bestiary 2 [PF1e] p10; Monster Core [PF2e] p10; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the bythos here…

Lipika

LN; CR 18 [PF1e] †

Lipikas, or Lords of Karma, are towering aeons shrouded in flowing black cloaks, with eight arms ending in hands that each bear an all-seeing eye. As among the highest orders of aeons, they serve as recorders and manipulators of cosmic causality, inscribing the interconnected waves of actions and reactions into the Akashic Record, a universal repository of knowledge. Lipikas intervene in mortal lives and reincarnations to maintain karmic balance, often offering cryptic guidance that transcends morality and focuses on the ripple effects of actions. While lipikas prefer subtlety, they respond with overwhelming force if obstructed in their tasks, which often involve guiding reincarnated souls or observing significant events. Rarely encountered but profoundly impactful, their presence signals cosmic shifts that ripple across time and space, influencing even greater aeons like pleromas tasked with universal creation and destruction.

Stats: Bestiary 5 [PF1e] p8-9; D&D conversion here [5e]

More on the lipika here…

Pleroma

LN; CR 20 [PF1e], Creature 20 [PF2e] †

Pleromas are the most powerful of the aeons, embodying the duality of creation and destruction in their ever-shifting forms. They cloak themselves in shadowy veils which resemble a miniature multiverse, where galaxies and celestial bodies constantly form and dissipate. Manifesting the will of the Monad, the sentience of the multiverse, pleromas ensure the cyclical balance of creation and oblivion. They only intervene when this harmony is threatened to prevent cosmic stagnation or apocalypse. They wield devastating powers, including a Sphere of Creation, which generates new matter while absorbing creatures and objects into its substance, and a Sphere of Oblivion, a void that annihilates everything it touches. Their command mighty divine magics to further enforce balance, and their very touch inflicts vitality or void damage. Utterly indifferent to mortal concerns, pleromas focus solely on their tasks, heralding dramatic change wherever they appear. Interfering with a pleroma is perilous, as they retaliate with overwhelming force against any disruption to their mission, leaving little room for negotiation or survival for those who oppose them.

Stats: Bestiary2 [PF1e] p12-13; Monster Core [PF2e] p10

More on the pleroma here…

See Also: D&D 5e stats for aeons here

Source: Jon Winter-Holt. The Aeons are all from the Pathfinder game, either 1e or 2e.†

Links to the stats of aeon subtypes — off-mimir. † From a Pathfinder publication; ‡ internet homebrew.