Rakshasa

Intro

Rakshasha is an dual physical and astral being. Many consider them demons, but they are not true demons. Rakshasas are also called "man-eaters". A female rakshasa is known as a rakshasi. A rakshasi in human form is a rakshesha. The terms asura and rakshasa are sometimes used interchangeably. Rakshasas are most often depicted as shape-shifting, fierce-looking, enormous monstrous-looking creatures, with two fangs protruding from the top of the mouth and having sharp, claw-like fingernails. They are shown as being mean, growling beasts, and as insatiable man-eaters that could smell the scent of human flesh. Some of the more ferocious ones were shown with flaming red eyes and hair, drinking blood with their palms or from a human skull (similar to representations of vampires in later Western mythology). Generally they could fly, vanish, and had maya (magical powers of illusion), which enabled them to change size at will and assume the form of any creature.

The true form of a rakshasa is almost never seen becasue they can assume almost any humanoid figure. Their lavish taste ensures they are almost always wearing the finest garments and most precious jewelry. Their true forms are most commonly humanoids with the heads of Bengal tigers and luxurious fur to match their attire, although it was not unusual for them to possess the heads and features of carnivorous apes, crocodiles or mantises, with high ranking rakshasas being rumored to have multiple heads.

The eyes of a rakshasa can range from gold and black slits for felines to protruding, multifaceted spheres for insects but always contained a fiendish glimmer of disturbing, foreign intellect. However, their most unnerving and unique feature was their reversed hands. The palms of a rakshasa face out from the body when the arms were at rest and the finger joints bent backwards to grasp and manipulate objects.

Statistics

Stat	Level	Stat	Level
S	8	D	9	C	10
W	10	Q	10	M	10
Hgt	18-22	Wgt	22-32	HP	64-84
Skill	8+4 (melee) / 8 (Spellcasting)	AP	4	R	10
Ready	2	Init	14+8 (Melee) / 20+8 (spellcsting)	Damage	5 (Claws)

Special Qualities

• Psychic Spellcasting

Spells

Runes	Level	Details
Control Thoughts	8+8	This spell allows the caster to change a person's thoughts. It is a resisted by Will.
Sense Thoughts	8+8	This spell allows the Rakshasa to hear a person't thoughts. It is resisted by Will. Each 10 unresisted POW allows a +1 bonus die in combat and Initiative.
Form Illusory Object	8+8	Typical illusions are created with all sensory modalities and at least 5 Ss needed to disbelieve.
Transform Rakshasa to Other Form	8+8	Generally, this is very expensive for the Rakshasa and will need to rest for several hours (or will be at a large negative MF) after performing the feat. Often, they will simply illusion their appearance rather than actually changing it.

Personality

Their wickedness is rivaled by on only that of demons and their avarice surpasses them. Their animalistic appearance disguised a sophisticated personality with an unstoppable lust for influence and material wealth. They combine the habits of a predatory aristocrat with those of an indolent cat, savoring the finest art, music, literature, clothing, weapons and armor while spending large amounts of time lazily resting in their comforts and prowling unseen. Powerful magic, lost spells, arcane tomes and secret lore, particularly those of the evil variety, are of special interest to the born psychics. Slaves are collected the same as any other form of art, and were expected to indulge every whim of their cruel master. This serves to bolster the already overinflated ego of the rakshasa, a haughtiness they displayed to all who knew their true identity.

Rakshasas use their transformative abilities to appear as nobles, cardinals, merchant princes, crime lords and other beings rich in power. They use their natural charisma to form vast arrays of minions, lackeys, servitors and henchmen, and despite their pride were masters of deceit. Rakshasas disguise not only their forms, but their very involvement in events, pulling political strings, creating vast intrigues, and instigating government corruption to secure their safety. Their innate cleverness was enhanced by their supernatural abilities, and yet countered by their strange sense of honor, as like devils they would hold to the letter of an agreement while ignoring the spirit to double-cross their supposed allies.

Rather than steal from other powerful beings, rakshasas favor robbing the poor and needy, using their assumed authority to obtain riches and items from those that needed them most. Their ability to gain dominion and rise to power while causing others to fall is a source of pride and joy for them. They would rather plot the death of a mortal's family, take everything they had, and ruin their reputation through vicious slander, but nothing brought them more pleasure in this activity than turning a model citizen's society against them by exposing hidden truths.

Habitat/Society

Upon reaching independence, rakshasas usually attempt to establish their own territories as far away from any other rakshasas as possible, using their mastery of disguise to carefully investigate a region for years while staying insignificant. They instinctually seek out hideaways, safe houses and secret lairs from which to conduct their schemes and display their opulence. Their lives often shift between periods of hedonistic pleasure and unyielding discipline. Thieves' guilds, mercenary companies, business fronts or temples to minor deities are suitable covers and if no such thing could be found, the rakshasa could create one itself.

At the same time, they search for those of weak wills, dark secrets and crippling fears, collecting every possible detail about their hidden vices through their thought detection ability and preestablished connections. If bribery and temptation were not sufficient, they would use extortion and slander, threatening to ruin the target's life if they refused to comply. Spies and informants were monitored by more reliable and easily controlled servants and as their cruel criminal empires spread, subjects under their control, whether a victim of their greed or a knowing servitor, found the rakshasa's demands grow more unreasonable and time-consuming.

Ecology

Raskshasa are meat eaters and so consume flesh--and they prefer it raw. Meals are heavilty flavored with rare spices. They take great joy in consuming victims while still alive and often will take healing slaves to prolong the lives of their especially hated enemies.