Red abishai

Red abishai were the most powerful type of the abishai devils. Like their true dragon counterparts, the red dragons, they had a supernatural affinity to fire and believed themselves to be Tiamat's chosen.

Personality
Red abishai were as fearsome to their enemies as they were inspiring to their allies. Those around them were imbued with a courage bordering on fanaticism, making them good at rousing not only their own kind, but baatezu in general.

Abilites
Red abishai were the bane of dragons, particularly chromatic dragons. They could supernaturally invoke Tiamat's authority to make any dragon bend to their wills, charming even powerful wyrms into viewing them as trusted friends. On the other hand, they emitted an aura of fright like those of powerful dragons that caused mortals to run in terror. Their barbed tails caused terrible burns to those that they struck and when unarmed they could fight tooth and claw. If needed, they could summon small teams of lemures to do their bidding or other abishai in the form of another red or blue abishai.

Combat
While capable of fighting unarmed, red abishai were known to use morningstars and long daggers when engaged in combat. The bravery they inspired in others was strong enough to crush any fear, making them excellent leaders.

Society
Unparalleled in terms of strength and authority, red abishai were responsible for leading not only devils but cults of Tiamat that had grown problematic. Powerful clerics of Tiamat could summon a single red abishai to come to their aid, and incredibly faithful could summon two. Red abishai could communicate with a large variety of beings, and were the only type of abishai to speak Celestial. In order to be given access to lemure forces to lead red abishai first had to prove their worth.

Notable Red Abishai

 * Arraka, the red abishai responsible for protecting the entrance of Tiamat's Lair from landbound intruders, and given the authority to call upon the practically limitless abishai living nearby. The excruciarchs working in the Maggot Pit that blocked the entrance were inconsistently protected by Arraka, more out of a desire to relieve her own boredom than any sense of loyalty to the pain devils.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Dungeon magazine 29, Ex Libris


 * Magazines:
 * Dragon magazine 75


 * Video games:
 * Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal • Icewind Dale II • Planescape: Torment