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
The true form of a rakshasa was almost never seen due to their ability to assume almost any humanoid figure, but their lavish taste ensured they were almost always wearing the finest garments and most precious jewelry. Their true forms were 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 could range from gold and black slits for felines to protruding, multifaceted spheres for insects but always contained a fiendish glimmer of disturbing, infernal intellect. However, their most unnerving and unique feature was their reversed hands. The palms of a rakshasa faced out from the body when the arms were at rest and the finger joints bent backwards to grasp and manipulate objects.

Rakshasas stood tall, with those of lower rank being shorter. Their build was typical for a human of their size and they weighed between.

Personality
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

 * Kalkan, nemesis and old enemy of Demascus the Deva.
 * 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