Raktavarna

Tiny fiend (shapechanger), lawful evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 108 (24d4+48)
Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
7 (-2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)

Damage Vulnerabilities piercing from magic weapons wielded by good creatures
Skills Stealth +5
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Infernal
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Innate Spellcasting. The maharaja raktavarna’s spell casting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

ACTIONS

  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, taking 11 (2d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  • Shapechanger. A raktavarna rakshasa can take the shape of a handheld object, most often an ornamental light, a onehanded weapon, or a piece of treasure. If the raktavarna rakshasa remains stationary in such a form, it can attempt Dexterity (Stealth) checks even while being observed. It can remain motionless in object form indefinitely, but reverts to its true form as soon as it takes any action.

ABOUT

Made up of smoke, blood, and gold, raktavarnas are the least of the rakshasas-they are born not from humanoids, but from the souls of rakshasas who failed utterly in their previous incarnation and who are thus reborn from a serpent’s egg.

These terrors drift through society, passing from hand to hand as weapons or strange tokens from foreign lands, curiosities brought home by traders and emissaries and given to leaders as tribute. Rakshasas often give out raktavarnas as gifts to their minions, who do not even realize the weapon, trinket, or treasure they have received is a fiendish spy. In this manner, the raktavarnas gain entry into corridors of power throughout the world, and what they see, their foul masters know. A raktavarna’s servitude to a master ends only when its master decrees, or (more commonly) upon the master’s death.

Little disconcerts raktavarnas more than having no master, and when they are cast adrift in this manner, they seek a replacement as soon as they can.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Asian Monsters (5E) © 2021, Legendary Games; Authors Miguel Colon, Jason Nelson, Andrew Ha, Aurélien Lainé, Dan Dillon, Ismael Alvarez, James-Levi Cooke, Robert J. Grady, Jeff Ibach, Matt Kimmel, and Thurston Hillman

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