Quasit

Quasits were demons with many noted similarities to imps, so much so they were thought to be their chaotic counterparts. Like glabrezus, they specialized in tempting mortals to acts of evil through promises of power, but rather than granting wishes, they gradually pushed mortal summoners towards depravity.

"What brings a mortal to accept a quasit's services is beyond me, but should you meet a quasit, give it the benefit of the doubt! Take it from Volo—not all Abyssal spawn are fit for the paladin's sword."

- Volo

Description
Quasits stood somewhere between tall and weighed around. Their tiny humanoid forms had green skin covered in warts and pustules. Their tails were covered in barbs while their horns were spiky. Both their hands and feet were slender, with long, claw-tipped digits. Some quasits had a pair of bat-like wings that marked their visual similarity to imps.

Personality
When not doing the bidding of a greater evil, quasits might entertain themselves with minor acts of malicious mischief such as curdling milk, or plotting wicked schemes of their own. Despite their personal desire for power and success, they were physically weak and cowardly beings that shied away from direct confrontation. Although they preferred to act alone, they normally familiarized themselves with the locations of other demons in case they found themselves in danger. While not particularly smart, they possessed enough cunning to make up for their lack of intellect.

Abilities
Quasits shared the imp's invisibility powers, and resistance to both non-magical weaponry, and pure magic. A minor regeneration power also made quasits somewhat hard to kill over an extended period of time, and if killed they would reform the in a year and a day. Winged quasits moved similarly to imps, but those without a means to fly scampered far faster on land than imps could. Both were capable of detecting good and evil at will.

The abilities of a quasit that distinguished them from those of imps were few but vital. Unlike imps, their talons were coated in an irritating toxin that caused those they struck to be consumed with a burning itch, as opposed to a more directly deadly poison delivered through a stinger. They could also polymorph into one or two other choice forms, but in the case of a quasit they were normally bats, toads, centipedes, or wolves. Most notable of these differences was that while imps could use supernatural suggestion once a day, quasits instead could send a wave of terror at those nearby.

Quasits also had the ability to contact the forces of the Lower Planes, normally a demon lord, for communion every week to aid in their decision-making process. Quasits in service to a master on the Material Plane bestowed several benefits. The two maintained a telepathic bond, breakable by the quasit at any time, allowing them to use the other's senses so long as they were within a mile of each other. So long as the two were only a few feet apart the summoner gained the quasit's resistance to magic.

Combat
Quasits preferred to strike in ambushes rather than in normal fights, either turning into an innocuous animal or turning invisible to avoid detection. A battle against a quasit was one of attrition as it used blinding speed to strike at their enemies before slinking away, allowing their poison to slowly debilitate their foe. If the need for retreat arose, they would strike fear into their enemies before running away. Their mode of behavior was slightly different however when around other demons or serving a master. Quasits would rather manipulate more powerful beings to fight for them than even make their presence known to others. Often they whispered temptations of power when adversaries made themselves apparent, coaxing their masters into doing their bidding. Such tactics often didn't work on larger demons and quasits would much prefer to merely let them fight without interfering.

Society
Quasits could be found infesting all but the most lawful of the Lower Planes, from Pandemonium and Carceri to Gehenna. They were versatile demons that assisted in many tasks throughout the Abyss, with jobs ranging from spies, messengers, counselors, emissaries, and domestic aids. They were normally created from soul larvae or manes, specifically for these purposes and so were nearly always in the employ of a higher power. Because of this quasits could normally only ascend the Abyssal hierarchy through serving their masters diligently. Not standing out or abject failure could result in eternal servitude, being eaten, killed for fun, or worst of all being demoted back to a mane or larvae.

The most well known duty of a quasit was being summoned to become the familiars of wizards and sorcerers who matched their chaotic evil alignment, or at least not lawful or good. Necromancers of sufficient experience could cast a variant of the find familiar spell and possibly get a quasit, while those who specifically practiced demonology were given quasit familiars that devoured any previous familiar the demonologist had. Nar demonbinders could acquire a quasit as a familiar. Some drow mages of sufficient experience could summon a quasit as a temporary ally. Despite their clear bias towards those who could use them as familiars, other beings like orcs, hobgoblins, and gnolls might also have quasits as advisers. When sent to the Material Plane, they weren't always expected to follow a diligent plan, instead being set loose to cause minor miseries with souls found along the way being a bonus.

The quasit's job was to serve their master well and help them succeed in their endeavors, but this was merely a pretense to their true goal. In truth, quasits sought out arcane magic users with weak wills and strong impulses in a bid to make them behave with greater moral abandon, and eventually turn them into a magical outlet of destruction. The greater havoc their masters wrought the better, although they preferred their malice to target those least likely to already be headed to the Abyss so as to steal their souls first. This rule especially applied to those of lawful evil alignments, so as to prevent Hell's forces from growing in power.

They would continue to serve their master as long as they believed that they could still grow more powerful and commit greater atrocities, only wishing them dead when it became evident they would only become weaker or morally stronger. After driving their masters to destroy themselves, a quasit would hurriedly drag their soul back to the Abyss and present it to their true master in the hopes of being promoted, along with any soul grabbed along the way. After evaluating their performance, based on the wickedness of the soul, a demon lord might send them back to try again if they'd justifiably failed, or else punish them. Those who furthered their master's cause enough could be promoted into a type I, or even type II demon as a reward. Promising to help a quasit ascend the demonic totem pole could garner their temporary allegiance. Not all quasits however desired to climb the demonic hierarchy, instead fleeing their tanar'ric masters at the first opportunity, and seeking to carve their own path in life.

Quasits were assigned genders at the whims of whoever their masters were, whether tanar'ri or mortal. Although they didn't have to rest, the constant orders they were normally given led many to relax on the Material Plane in the guise of an animal.

The Lyktion in Baphomet's Endless Maze was maintained by an army of quasit servants that acted as cooks and cleaners.

Notable Quasits
A quasit once terrorized the sewers of Waterdeep, riding on the back of a giant crocodile.

Laerekh, Chief Necromancer of the cult of Kiaransalee in Maerimydra, had a quasit familiar.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea