Rakshasa

Rakshasas were a type of evil outsider from the lawful evil regions of the Outer Planes, though most lived on the Material Plane. They were powerful sorcerers and, although they disdained physical fighting as ignoble, could be dangerous in close combat as well.

Description
A rakshasa could assume any humanoid form, so few ever saw their true faces. In its natural form, a rakshasa had a humanoid body and a tiger's head. Another physical characteristic of the rakshasa was that its hands were backwards: the palms faced out from the body when the arms were at rest. Rakshasas were capable of hiding their disturbing appearance at any time, as they could choose any humanoid form at will. Although most rakshasas had the head of a tiger, others were known to have the heads of other animals, such as apes. Rakshasas of higher standing were rumored to to possess multiple heads, each a different type of animal.

Rakshasas were cruel and wicked. They loved to pose as nobility, living a life of luxury and ease to hide their habit of devouring humanoid flesh and their evil schemes.

Subraces

 * Ak'chazar: These rakshasas had the heads of white tigers and were skinnier than the common breed. They were unusually powerful spellcasters and specialized in necromantic magic. To use their necromantic powers to their full potential, the ak'chazar rakshasas often used graveyards or old battlefields as their headquarters. When working on one of their dark schemes, they often let their undead do the physical work while they stayed behind the scenes themselves.
 * Naityan: These rakshasas were shapeshifters with the ability to utilize different supernatural combat styles based on their current forms.
 * Naztharune: Naztharune rakshasas had the heads of black tigers and were covered in black fur. They had few magical powers but compensated by being strong fighters, specializing in assassination. They lacked most rakshasas' need to be the leader of any organization that they were part of, often working for other rakshasas.

Tieflings
Tieflings who had cat eyes were descended from rakshasas, as were some of those who had fur.

Society
Rakshasas were solitary beings, although they did occasionally cooperate with each other.

Rakshasas worshipped Ravanna, a ten-headed lesser deity.

History
Rakshasas were thought to have originated as the result of a ritual conducted by devils from the Nine Hells in an attempt to acquire the ability to travel to the Material Plane.

Notable Rakshasas

 * Valantajar, an inhabitant of Waterdeep who worked as a private investigator under the disguise of Vincent Trench.

Appearances

 * Curse of the Azure Bonds
 * Waterdeep: Dragon Heist