Aasimon, Arthurea

Arthurea Aasimon

In the Multiverse many strange things can happen: a Dustman may found joy and love, a Hardhead might ease up persecuting Indeps or a tanar’ri might give sweeties to children. Few, however, ponder ask what might happen when a fiend falls in love with a celestial. One possible outcome when a non-evil succubus falls for a holy deva is the birth of an arthurea, a rare breed of planeborne creature.

Arthurea always spring from the union of a renegade succubus with a deva; they usually inherit the kind and compassionate nature of the deva (hence their good alignment) and the mischievousness and wildness of their fiendish blood (hence their chaotic alignment). Arthurea are unique in appearance; half of their hair is silver and the other half is black, the same goes with their wings. Even though they are considered celestials by most, other aasimon generally view them with suspicion, and archons are known to actively dislike them, probably due to their legendary disapproval or anything that can be traced back to the tanar’ri. Of all the celestial races, only eladrin and asuras really see eye-to-eye with arthurea.

From the high peak of Arcadia,
Where the orb reflects light and darkness,
A couple bask under its radience,
One reflects the darkness of
The other reflects the purity of innocence,
From the centre of wavering
The seed planted has blossmed into matuarity, Come forth creature of light and darkness,
Come forth World
Behold the creature of goodness, the Arthurea.

— From the Birth of Arthurea, an ancient Upper Planar lyric

COMBAT: Arthurea generally dislike fighting for they fear that they might lose control of themselves while in the midst of battle-lust. If pressed, however, they fight with daggers; about 30% of them carry daggers with no less than a +2 enchantment. Unlike other aasimon, arthurea have the ability to cast both priest and wizard elemental spells. In regards to the maximum levels and number of spells they can cast, they are treated as 10th-level casters, with regards to the damage and duration of the spell however, they are treated as 20th-level casters. When an arthurea is born they are blessed with the ability to cast one of the four elemental spells, (Earth, Fire, Air or Water), and it is only in this area they may use their magic.

Arthurea also posses powers similar to that of other aasimon, such powers include: ability to assume other forms once per day, (gain special attacks but maintaining own hp, HD, intelligence..etc), cure disease (3/day), cure serious wounds (7/day), heal (3/day), the following abilities are usable once per day: detect lie, detect good, remove curse and continual light. Arthurea can also use the reversed form of their abilities where this is possible.

[NB: DMs with access to the Dark Sun accessory book “Earth, Air, Fire, Water” may use the new spells found there to add flavour to the arthurea.]

HABITAT/SOCIETY: The arthurea live out with other aasimon on the Upper Planes but as mentioned above other celestials view these rare creatures with a modicum of suspicion due to the fraction of evil blood coursing through their veins. It is apparently this evil blood which causes the arthurea’s legendary tempers, fits of randomness, and general weird behaviour. Deep down the creatures believe in goodness but they are sometimes rather eccentric about promoting it. For example, an arthurea detect that a cutter is telling a lie, the might pick up a holy book and whack the poor sod’s head with it, screaming “Thou shall not lie!” This suits the Xaositects and the Sensates (the latter faction has the most arthurean members, although you can count them on one hand) just fine, but the Harmonium aren’t too happy about them. The arthurea are extremely passionate creatures and are renowned for their dalliances with mortal and planeborne being alike. This is their succuban heritage showing through, greybeards reckon. 

ECOLOGY: It’s estimated there are only some one hundred arthurea in existence, so the race generally does not have a part to play in the ecology. Individual arthurea, however, tend to be real movers and shakers; they aren’t content to sit back and watch events. Generally, arthurea are fairly gregarious beings, and love hanging out with other bashers, though at times they feel the pain of their fiendish heritage and often prefer to be alone with their own thoughts.

SPECIAL EFFECTS IN RAVENLOFT: Effects in Ravenloft: If an Arthurea should ever finds him/herself in Ravenloft their celestial heritage will physically disrupt the fabric of the land and over time cause many natives to die. Their fiendish heritage allows them to cross any borders in Ravenloft, even closed ones; Darklords cannot keep an arthurea imprisoned when it wishes to roam. However, exercising this power calls for a Powers Checks, starting at stage one and ending with stage six (see Ravenloft materials for more info). Nothing physically happen to them until stage six, when their souls rip into two, creating a good and evil version of the arthurea. A battle to death almost certainly would ensue.

Source: Shizumaru, inspired by World of Elegance picture from the manga comic Ah My Goddess Vol 16, by Fujisama Kosuke