Tanar'ri, Glabrezu

F
Ex 20		 A
Gd 10		 S
Gd 10		 E
Ex 20		 R
Ex 20		 I
Ex 20		 P
Rm 30		 Res
In 40		 Pop
n/a

Health:
Karma:		 60
70

Origin:

The solitary glabrezu are powerful demons of the Abyss. Considered 'true' members of their race, they possess a startling array of supernatural powers with which to tempt and slay mortal fools, and are partially immortal in that even death outside the Abyss may not stop them for long!

Known Powers:

Tanar'ri Physique: as true tanar'ri, glabrezu are incredibly dangerous demonic entities. They possess a large array of physical and supernatural powers, an inherent psionic potential, and even the ability to shrug off death! Their considerable powers include the following:

* Darkness: all tanar'ri have the ability to share the inherent darkness of their very souls with the world at large. This rudimentary power functions at but Poor (4) rank, but basically 'blacks out' the area a glabrezu currently occupies (it works within Near range).

* Damage Reduction / Physical, Magical and Cold Attacks: while not immune to magic, physical or cold attacks, glabrezu are considerably resistant to these attack forms. When exposed to such damage, a glabrezu may reduce its intensity by 2 CS - before other defenses apply.

* Dimensional Transit: in addition to being able to teleport, tanar'ri can transition themselves between planes of existence. They may do so with Good (10) ability, though on a failed FEAT roll dimensionally transiting tanar'ri may be subject to error, per a failed teleport. *

* Infravision: many of the Abyss' countless layers are dark beyond mortal ken, and have never seen the light (physically or otherwise). As such, all tanar'ri have evolved the ability to see by heat as well as by visible light, and can do so with Good (10) ability.

* Invulnerability to Corrosion, Fire, Electricity, Heat, and Poison: the tanar'ri are hardy creatures - they have to be to survive at all in the endless, horrific wastes of the Abyss. Glabrezu in particular possess immunity to corrosion, fire, electricity, heat, and poison.

* Portal Sense: planar beings all, glabrezu have the ability to perceive the various rifts that dot the planescape of the multiverse. Most of these doorways are invisible to the naked eye, but all glabrezu can spy them with ease, doing so with Excellent (20) ability.

* Telepathy: almost all tanar'ri are able to communicate directly from mind to mind - a vital skill when so few speak the same tongue. They can usually broadcast and receive thoughts at Typical (6) rank, enough to get their point across when necessary.

* Teleportation: chaotic creatures all, the tanar'ri can bend space itself to their will. All tanar'ri possess the power to teleport with Remarkable (30) ability, and can avoid teleportation's usual side effects while transporting themselves within the same plane of existence. *

Additional Limbs / Arms: glabrezu all possess four arms. Their front arms are seemingly normal (save for the claws) while the rear arms terminate in large, insect-like pincers. These superfluous limbs allow glabrezu to attempt one additional melee attack each turn.

Annulment: in addition to their considerable magic resistance, glabrezu have the ability to completely dispel magic in their vicinity as well. Functioning at Good (10) rank, this spell-like power allows glabrezu to easily counter weaker magic used against them.

Anti-gravity: entities of chaos, glabrezu can momentarily interrupt the laws of physics themselves! They may do this by negating gravity in their current area, and then reversing it with Good (10) ability. This most often causes unanchored objects to fly into the air!

Charm: glabrezu possess the ability to charm a single target, per the spell of the same name. This skill lets them make temporary 'friends' of those who fail a Psyche FEAT roll against this Good (10) ranked power, until it attacks or the target can break free of it.

Claws: on their front arms, glabrezu all possess long, razor-like claws. They may use these terrible implements to inflict Edged Attack damage in melee if they desire, though (should they feel the need) they can still strike a foe without wielding them if they wish.

Confusion: the chaotic glabrezu can douse an area in energies of that stripe, philosophical radiation which will affect the minds of those present. Those who fail a Psyche FEAT roll against this Good (10) ranked power will suffer one of these effects (roll a d10):

  1. The target has a seat, and contemplates his or her current existence.
  2. The target has an extreme emotional response. Uncontrollable laughter, inconsolable tears, etc.
  3. The target is seemingly lost. He or she wanders about, not knowing how they got there, or why.
  4. The target becomes obsessed with one action or item, which consumes them for the duration.
  5. The target attacks the nearest person - whoever it is.
  6. The target attacks everyone - one different person per turn.
  7. The target attacks the nearest object. Whether a car or building, they'll try to destroy it utterly.
  8. The target becomes enamored with the nearest person, and can't help but go on about how great him/her/it is.
  9. The target is disoriented; he or she can act as they wish, but suffers a -2 CS penalty.
  10. The target's mind is overloaded, and they fall asleep.

Dimensional Transit: in addition to the above ability to shift planes, glabrezu have the ability to cross the dimensions on their own, without the benefit of outside aid. They may do this at the same rank as is listed above, doing so to form dark pacts with foolish mortals.

Eldritch Palm: instead of slashing a foe with their claws, a glabrezu can instead deliver a gout of deathly, fiery energy on touch. These flames inflict only Typical (6) Energy damage, but also carry an insidious SD effect until they burn themselves out.

Fangs: like almost all tanar'ri, glabrezu possess sharp fangs in addition to their lethal claws. They can wield these needle-like objects to inflict Edged Attack damage, most likely done when attempting to rend their opponents - or even eat them alive!

Growth: the glabrezu are rather tall entities. They average out at around fifteen feet tall, which gives them this ability, as a general matter of course, at Typical (6) rank. This gives them a +1 size factor, applying that CS modifier in various ways against normal-sized foes.

Mind you, this is just the glabrezu in its 'natural' state. Using its supernatural power, a glabrezu can grow even further, doubling its size to thirty feet tall. This Excellent (20) ranked ability increases their size factor to +2, modifying their CS against normal-sized foes even further.

Imaginary Doubles: a way for them to easily counter a larger number of foes, glabrezu can generate their own, pretend posse. Glabrezu may wield this power at Poor (4) rank, allowing them to generate four imaginary friends to befuddle foes in both melee and ranged combat.

Magic Sense: all glabrezu have the ability to sense ambient magic in their environment. They may do so with Good (10) ability, which lets them spot magical items, beings, and other phenomena within Near distance of their person (four areas).

Nonapparent Vision: at will, glabrezu can activate this sensory capacity to see something as it truly is. This Good (10) ranked ability easily allows these creatures to pierce the veil of disguise, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or otherwise.

Paralysis: complementing their other mental powers, glabrezu can also paralyze a single foe with Good (10) ability, per the spell of the same name. They may wield this power upon any one target within Near distance of their person (four areas).

Pincers: on their back arms, glabrezu are equipped with large, insect-like pincers. They can't really use these limbs to hold or manipulate items, but can inflict Edged Attack damage with them - and can clamp onto a foe to hold them in place (inflicting like damage if it pulls away).

Revival: like other true tanar'ri, glabrezu can sometimes give death the laugh. Unless killed inside the Abyss or eaten, glabrezu may attempt to reconstitute themselves on their home plane with this Typical (6) ranked power. The difficulty involved, of course, depends on how they died.

Summoning: while their prowess is less than other true tanar'ri, glabrezu can also summon their fellows in a pinch. At Typical (6) rank, a glabrezu can attempt to call forth a greater tanar'ri once per day to do its bidding - not the best odds, but when one is in need...

Natural Psionics:

In addition to the above, considerable array of supernatural powers, glabrezu are also equipped with natural psionic abilities. These capabilities will vary from glabrezu to glabrezu, but will usually be of either a metapsi, psikinetic or psipathic bent, most often being destructive in nature.

Limitations / Enhancements:

Susceptibility: like all tanar'ri, glabrezu are weak against the use of cold-wrought iron weapons, as well as holy water and weapons. Their supernatural defenses are ineffective against such assaults, which inflict at least a quarter of their maximum Health in damage.

Equipment:

(none)

Quirks:

Unattractive 3: glabrezu are monstrous, dog-headed giants! Mortals react very negatively to a glabrezu, both for their appearance and demonic natures, and glabrezu are at a -6 CS to all NPC reactions when interacting with humanoid beings of any kind (save for other tanar'ri).

Talents:

Manipulation: while incredibly powerful, glabrezu excel at convincing others to do the tanar'ri's bidding of their own accord. All glabrezu, when not killing others outright, should receive a +1 CS to efforts intended to manipulate people without their realizing it.

Characteristics:

The countless glabrezu scattered throughout the Abyss tend to keep to themselves, holed up in solitary towers or fortifications while waiting for foolish mortals to summon them to the 'real' planes. This is because that is how glabrezu empower the Abyss - and thus, themselves.

While mariliths engage in open combat to seize lands for the tanar'ri, the glabrezu instead corrupt mortals, insinuating themselves into civilized societies. They do this to foment the belief that the Abyss is all-powerful, and are incredibly successful at doing just that.

Appearance:

Glabrezu are rather monstrous in aspect! They stand fifteen feet tall, have a dog-like head, and four arms - basically two growing out of the same spot a normal human's would. The front arms end in clawed digits, while the rear arms terminate in insectoid pincers.

The coloration of a glabrezu can vary, from a dull russet tone to pitch black. They possess piercing violet eyes and inexplicably bat-wing shaped ears. They attempt to look less menacing when going about the fleecing of mortal summoners, but their inherent appearance stymies this.

Ecological Niche:

Glabrezu are one of the forms of tanar'ri that frequents the mortal planes. While maurezhi may wind up there on an eating binge, and nabassu journey there to wreak untold havoc, the glabrezu practice their silver tongues upon foolish and presumptuous mortals, turning their hearts towards evil.

They have the ability to travel there directly, but prefer to be summoned, such that foolish mages assume they have the upper hand in tanar'ric dealings. They prefer to win over the minds of others with guile, but if a deal goes sour glabrezu have no problem slaying their trading partners.

In this capacity, glabrezu act to expand the influence and power of the Abyss - and by extension, their own. They are diametrically opposed to the mariliths, both in their actions and in their strategies, and these true tanar'ri despise each other almost as much as they do the baatezu.

Almost.

In the Abyss proper, glabrezu are unnatural beings. They are not a result of natural selection. They do not come about through breeding or even spontaneously, as can happen with lesser tanar'ri in the Abyss. No, glabrezu are instead a product of the suffering in their environment.

A glabrezu can only form as a result of countless eons of violence and misery, inflicted upon and received by lesser tanar'ri over the ages. When one of the endless, lesser demons gain enough power, they might ultimately transform their minds and bodies into the form of a glabrezu.

Notes:

* Depending on which version of the Planescape lore you wish to use, glabrezu (along with the rest of the tanar'ri) may not have access to teleportation any longer, having lost that power due to yugoloth meddling. Its presence is at the discretion of the individual Judge.

Mind you, glabrezu have the ability to dimensionally transit regardless of which version of lore you accept.

Extra Goodies:

Tanar'ri, Glabrezu Universal Heroes Text File Download

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