[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 11: Bonus Material

[Zeta Kai]

Deva

Mitrana Deva (Astral Deva)

Abilities & Racial Features

Spoiler

Show

• Strength +8, Dexterity +4, Constitution +6, Intelligence +8, Wisdom +10, Charisma +8.
• Outsider (Extraplanar): Mitrana devas are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, & resurrection, don’t work on them. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection, to restore it to life. They breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish).
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, mitrana devas have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Racial Hit Dice: A mitrana deva begins with 12 levels of outsider, which provide 12d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +12, & base saving throw bonuses of Fortitude +8, Reflex +8, & Will +8.
• Racial Skills: A mitrana deva’s outsider levels give it skill points equal to 15 × (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Concentration, Diplomacy, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, & Spot.
• Racial Feats: A mitrana deva’s outsider levels give it 5 feats.
• A mitrana deva’s base land speed is 50 feet.
• A mitrana deva’s base flight speed is 100 feet (good maneuverability).
• Darkvision out to 60 feet & low-light vision.
• Spell-Like Abilities
  • At Will: aid, continual flame, detect evil, discern lies (DC 19), dispel evil (DC 20), dispel magic, holy aura (DC 23), holy smite (DC 19), holy word (DC 22), invisibility (self only), plane shift (DC 22), remove curse (DC 18), remove disease (DC 18), remove fear (DC 16)
  • 7/Day: cure light wounds (DC 16), see invisibility
  • 1/Day: blade barrier (DC 21), heal (DC 21)
  • Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
• Celestial traits: All creatures with the Celestial subtype possess the following traits:
  • Immunity to acid, cold, & petrification.
  • Resistance to electricity 10 & fire 10.
  • +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
  • Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC & a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20’ of the celestial. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect & a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20’ (caster level equals celestial’s HD). (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in a celestial’s statistics block.)
  • Tongues (Su): All celestials can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to celestial’s Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
• Change Shape (Su): A mitrana deva can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid.
• Good traits: All creatures with the good subtype possess the following traits:
  • If the good creature’s alignment changes, then it will still retain this subtype.
  • Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has a good alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment.
  • A creature with the good subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons & any weapons it wields were good-aligned.
• Mace: A full-grown mitrana deva is almost always equipped with a +3 heavy mace of disruption. It takes a fierce joy in bashing evil foes with its powerful mace. A mitrana deva’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
• Stun (Su): If a mitrana deva strikes an opponent twice in one round with its mace, that creature must succeed on a DC22 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d6 rounds. The save DC is Strength-based.
• Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Mitrana devas can react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed, & they cannot be flanked except by a rogue of at least 16th level. They can flank characters with the uncanny dodge ability as if they were a 12th-level rogue.
• +15 natural armor bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Celestial. Bonus Languages: Archaic & Houri.
• Favored Class: Monk.
• Level Adjustment: +0.

Population: 1,340,000 worldwide
Height: 7’6” tall (average)
Weight: 250 lbs. (average)
Languages: Celestial, Houri

The Order of Mitrana is the First Host of the greater devas, the most powerful of all deva-kind. Long ago, they were known as the astral devas, for they were associated with the stars in the sky, but that name has fallen out of favor since the Great Calamity. Like all greater devas, they are tall, lithe, & beautiful, with large feathered wings & an aura of mystical power about them. This aura sets them apart from even the other hosts, & makes them difficult to look at directly. The rarest & least populous of the devas, they have a strong connection to the divine, & this close bond makes them aloof & difficult to communicate with easily. They tend to keep to themselves, moving about on errands that they will not discuss with others & staying airborne almost as often as they are on the ground. On the occasions in which they do speak with others, they are cryptic & mysterious, often leaving those they talk to with more questions than answers.

Biology
Mitrana devas are between 7’ & 8’ tall, weigh around 220 to 280 pounds, & usually have smooth reddish flesh, although some of them have bright blue skin instead, a sign of even greater spiritual power. The males & the females are of roughly equal height, & they are both are lean & well-muscled. They are stunningly attractive creatures, by human standards. Over half of them are naturally bald, including some females, but those mitrana devas with hair have pure white locks & matching wing feathers. Their eyes lack visible pupils, looking like featureless orbs, & can be either a glowing white or an inky black.

Diet
Greater devas do not need to eat to survive; although they can eat if they choose to do so, most of them refrain from it, finding the consequences of ingestion unpleasant. A few opt to eat regularly, on the premise that living as mortal beings do & dealing with their everyday concerns is a lesser-traveled path to wisdom, but these are rare individuals, & are often seen as strange by their brethren. On the occasions when they do eat food, they consume the same fair as other devas.

For more information, see Lesser Deva: Diet.

Reproduction
Devas do not reproduce sexually, like mortal beings do; instead, they increase their ranks in a somewhat circuitous fashion. When a sentient being dies on Siraaj, the mortal soul travels through the Pit of Fate on a journey that will test its worth. If the devas of the Terrace of Peace find the soul to be virtuous, then they will bid upon it, offering to let the rare soul join their ranks. If the soul accepts, then it will travel to Najmah, where it will form into a tiny sphere of luminous energy.

This little light, called a Murmur or a haasya, will be drawn to powerful devas (or groups of less-powerful devas), where they will flit about, whispering & waiting for the time when they will be born anew. The devas are unaware of the connection between haasyas & their reincarnated souls, but they do know that the lights are associated with a greater feeling of contentment & serenity. It is viewed as natural and not often discussed.

Once each month, when the moons are full, there is a ceremony performed by an elder priest in each deva community. The ceremony is carried out under an open sky, & must be done when the moons are at their zenith in the ever-night sky. The priest take a wing feather from a bird, set it alight, & then douse it in a small pool of fresh consecrated water. If it is done correctly (& if there are souls to incarnate), then the burnt feather will transmute into a deva, which will arise from the pool fully-grown. The newborn deva will need to be cared for & educated by the community, but it will already be instilled with a basic understanding of how to function. Typically, a mentor (called an aacaarya) or two will be assigned to guide the new deva for its first few years.

Devas are effectively immortal; they do not age or die of natural causes, & so their lifespans are indefinite. There are few diseases or poisons that can harm them, so sickness is almost unknown to them. They can die by accident, or be killed on purpose by another’s hand, but otherwise, they will live forever in theory. There are devas alive today who remember the God-War in the Age Before Time, although these ancient beings are few in number & worn in spirit. What happens when a deva finally dies is beyond anyone’s knowledge, but scholars & sages have debated this question since time immemorial, & countless theories abound.

Internal Relations
All devas live in harmony with one another, but they are socially divided into their different castes, known as jaatii. The common devas segregate themselves from the lesser devas, & both of them isolate themselves from the greater devas. The greater devas are further split into the three hosts (the Asurana, the Rudrana, & the Mitrana), which act in much the same way towards one another. This makes five separate factions of devas, all of which are somewhat alienated from each other. While mingling is allowed, & peaceful cooperation is assumed, close relations between members of different castes is kept to a minimum at all times. This is not a codified law anywhere, but it is an unspoken rule that all devas grow to understand & accept as the natural way of their people. They gain strength from their differences when needed, but they keep their castes divided to maintain those differences in perpetuity.

External Relations
Devas strive to live in harmony with all things, & that not only includes each other, but it applies to other beings as well. They do not seek to expand their territory or to convert others to their system of beliefs, so they rarely come into conflict with other races. While they are willing & able to defend themselves when necessary, their altruistic nature & serene demeanor preclude any act of violence or aggression that could foment such conflict.

Devas are closest to the houris, who are also a peaceful people with a strong emphasis on learning & cooperation; the devas are fascinated by the houris & their search for enlightenment. The devas feel sympathy & pity for the genies, for they had so much power & influence before the Great Calamity, & now they are a lost, vanishing people. They are fascinated by encounters with beings from “beyond the mists,” as they call the mortals that they meet, & they extend them every courtesy in exchange for any information that they may have about their homelands. The only peoples that the devas don’t get along with are the demons & the rakshasas, who have both proven themselves to be destructive, duplicitous, & working against everything for which the devas believe & hold dear.

Devas have cool relations with the devils; they often engage in minor disputes or skirmishes, but they have had a fragile truce for centuries, based on their shared fear & suspicion of the demons. There is great distrust between the two sides, & the armistice could collapse at a moment’s notice, but in the wake of the Great Calamity, both the devils & the devas understand that it is in their mutual best interests to work together.

Occupations
Devas perform all of the tasks that one would expect would be needed in an advanced civilization. Despite their great personal power & magical talents, a majority of labor is accomplished the mundane way: through muscle & sweat. Devas farm their fields, build their shelters, their water, & make their clothes, all in a manner much like how mortal beings do such things. Ships are rowed & messages are delivered by devas, all without magical aid; this is as much to build character & hone the body as it is a convenient allocation of energy. The young devas, those who have been newly made, do much of the work, & tend to work the hardest, but all devas lend a hand at least some of the time, regardless of seniority or station.

The devas, as a people, have been given a great deal of responsibility by the higher powers of the Kamala. They have been charged with protecting of the Three Gates, as well as to receive newly-born houris arriving on Najmah. Occasionally, a representative from one of the divinities will appear before the devas, tasking them with a mission that requires the utmost dedication & skill; these quests are often fatal to those who undertake them, but such duties are considered a great honor, & even those who fail in their charge are revered for their efforts.

Devas have also become intrepid explorers in recent times, out of necessity more than inclination. The Great Calamity caused the genie kingdoms to vanish overnight, & they left behind many great cities & valuable relics. The disasters wrought by the Pactspell also destroyed many of the historical records & killed many of the great scholars of their kind; as a result, they have lost much of the lore of the past, as well as all knowledge of Siraaj. In their current ignorance, myth & superstition have replaced facts, & some have taken it upon themselves to reverse this unfortunate trend. To counteract this loss, many devas have become explorers, wanderers, surveyors, & relic hunters, searching the abandoned genie cities & lost ruins for secrets, lore, & magic from the half-forgotten past.

Names
When a deva is first “born,” it is given a name by the elder priest that perform the Rite of the Ascended Moons. This name is usually just a convenient means of telling the newborns apart & granting them an identity to latch onto; little thought or care is put into the assignment of this first name. Later, as a deva matures & becomes an integrated part of its community, it is given a new name by the young deva’s friends & neighbors, usually on their seventh “birthday.” This second replaces the first name, & is much more representative of that individual’s personality & demeanor. Finally, during a celebratory ritual commemorating their fourteenth “birthday” (a rite that signifies that the young deva is considered fully mature), a deva chooses a name for themselves, a moniker that reflects their own idea of who they are & what they represent. This third name does not replace the second name, but it does precede it, so when addressing a deva by their full name, the third name always goes first.

Male Sample Names
Amrit, Bhima, Damodar, Govinda, Hari, Jyoti, Kiran, Lai, Mahesh, Narendra, Prasad, Rarna, Sankara, Shankar, Tarun, Varuna, Vyasa

Female Sample Names
Ananda, Bala, Chandi, Durga, Indira, Jaya, Kanti, Leela, Madhuri, Nalini, Purnima, Radha, Sarisha, Shakti, Usha, Veda, Vimala

Arts & Education
The devas have an advanced society, one that is devoted to artistic expression & creative endeavors. They value beauty & elegance in equal measure, placing a high value on the aesthetics of even the most common of items. In their minds, if an object, place, or person is unsightly, then it is incomplete or broken, & therefore should be fixed or made whole. This aspect of their psychology, combined with their natural drive to give back the world for blessing them, leads them to try to improve the world & everything in it, even at their own expense.

One area of expertise that the devas excel at is the use of architecture, which to them is an art as much as it is a practical concern. Using wide arches, large windows, & open terraces, their buildings are designed to accommodate the use of flight without mandating it. The greater & lesser devas can fly, but the common devas cannot (except through the use of magic, which not all of them possess), so their structures have ground-level entrances as well as upper balconies. As part of this airy design, they prefer to use cylindrical columns for support, instead of solid walls, even in places with inclement weather. They also like to integrate graceful sculptures & statuary into their buildings, & they favor the use of marble over almost any other building material.

The devas emphasize the importance of science & education, especially those with a more lawful bent. They revere nature & the natural world, & they seek to understand the laws & rules behind such natural beauty. This has led them to make great advances in mathematics, astronomy, physics, & alchemy. Nearly all devas are literate, as one of an aacaarya’s first duties is to teach the newborns in their charge how to read & write in the languages of the deva, including Archaic, Celestial, & Houri.

Unfortunately for the devas, many of their historical records have been lost, & so their understanding of the past is but a shadow of its former self. The Great Calamity (as they call the Pactspell) destroyed many buildings, including most of the libraries, with their delicate clay manuscripts & fragile scrolls. Countless lives were lost in the ensuing conflicts afterward, & so few remain who remember the past well enough to paint an accurate picture of it. Nowadays, many scholars devote their entire lives to the recovery & reconstruction of historical knowledge, but most of them fear that the monumental task is a futile one, & that they will never be able to fully restore what has been lost.

Relationships
Within one’s caste, a deva is free to associate with whomever they choose. As each deva is born from the Rite of the Ascended Moons, they do not have family members as mortal beings would understand them. All devas consider each other siblings, & they live together in mutual harmony. There is a loose hierarchy of sorts, based on an individual’s age, experience, & insight, but as they are prone to say, “Even the blind can see the stars.” Even among caste-mates, the devas do not engage in sexual behaviors or relationships. While devas do form close friendships (most commonly with their mentors) & even intimate bonds, they are asexual beings, & therefore sexuality is rather foreign to them.

Crime
As stated before, devas are inherently kind, selfless beings, who naturally strive for the greater good of all living beings. As such, most crimes are completely anathema to them, & it is difficult for a deva to grasp the concept of violating the law for one’s own personal gain. A deva will not commit an act of violence against a living being, unless it is in defense of themselves or others. This is as much a cultural norm as it is a part of their psychological makeup; they seem to be utterly incorruptible, incapable of even being tempted to act in a selfish or greedy manner. Contrary to popular belief, they are capable of lying, & some will do so if it will benefit others, but devas are generally honorable & forthright beings.

Devas are not always completely lawful, though, especially in situations in which the law conflicts with their own perceptions of Right & Wrong. More lawfully-minded devas will obey a law that seems unjust, working to enact change within the system & make the laws more fair. Other devas might simply ignore the unreasonable law, defying it in favor of what they see as the greatest good. This schism of thought can lead devas to oppose on another, & many a spirited debate has been caused by such differing viewpoints, although these arguments have never led to violence among the devas.

Because of their benevolent nature, there is little need for a police force to patrol deva settlements, enforcing laws & keeping the peace. Each settlement has at least one constable, but few of them have more than one, regardless of the town’s size, & most of their duties revolve around coordinating defense efforts against outside threats, settling disputes, & dealing with emergencies like fires, storms, accidents, & mist events. In these capacities, a constable serves as a roving vice-mayor, rescue worker, & civil judge. Devas often volunteer to serve a similar role in settlements of other races; they did this in many towns & cities in the genie realms before the Great Calamity, & they continue to do so in houri-dominant lands to this day.

Faith & Religion
Devas are mostly a devout people; they live in a world that is close to the divine, a place where wonders are commonplace & miracles happen almost every day. Unlike mortal societies, which are usually monotheistic, the devas believe in several deities simultaneously, & some even worship more than one. The Peacemaker (Sidaru) has by far the largest presence in deva culture, although there is some minor support for other deities, such as Qalima (Zaia), Dakhiel (Daq), & the Darshan trinity. Most devas choose a single parton god or goddess to venerate above all others, & it is their shrine which they will visit to pray, seek guidance, & make offerings.

There are few large temples dedicated to a single god or goddess in deva lands, but there are numerous small shrines liberally sprinkled across the landscape. One cannot travel for a whole day in the realms of the devas without encountering a shrine of some deity. These shrines are typically small structures, often just a 10’-20’ square stone altar with four column supporting a tiled roof & a large symbol or statue of the deity in question. These little shrines are attended by no one in particular, but every cleric that comes across a shrine of their patron is obligated to pray for a few minutes & help maintain the site, even if it is only to sweep away some leaves, mend some broken tiles, or replenish an incense bowl.

Genies
The devas may seem to be a race that is far beyond the concerns of mortal beings, & such an assessment is not an unfair one to make. But the devas are not infallible beings, & they are prone to some of the same flaws & quirks of any thinking people. Many of their faults can be traced back to the Great Calamity, & their reactions to such a cataclysmic event.

During the Great Calamity, the devas lost a great deal of their historical records, as fires & floods destroyed many libraries & killed their eldest brethren. As a result, what was once known as fact has become mired in legend, myth, & superstition. Efforts to regain the missing lore have been mixed, & so many stories have arisen to fill the gap, for good or ill. Many of these tales revolve around the fate of the genies, who disappeared en masse during the Pactspell.

Some say that the genies unlocked a way to ascend to a higher plane of existence, much as the houris aspire to do. Others believe that they were all slain by Sunya/Sidaru/another god for some terrible transgression. Still others think that they were taken to a strange alien realm, a place where they would serve to atone for their greed, vice, & ambition. There are even some who claim that the genies wanted to leave Najmah behind, & that their gambit paid off in ways that no one could have expected. The truth of the matter continues to elude the devas, although there are many explorers & scholars searching the abandoned ruins & forgotten settlements, scouring the land for some clue to this great mystery.

______________________________________________

Rudrana Deva

Abilities & Racial Features

Spoiler

Show

• Strength +6, Dexterity +8, Constitution +8, Intelligence +2, Wisdom +6, Charisma +6.
• Outsider (Extraplanar): Rudrana devas are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, & resurrection, don’t work on them. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection, to restore it to life. They breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish).
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, rudrana devas have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Racial Hit Dice: A rudrana deva begins with 10 levels of outsider, which provide 10d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +10, & base saving throw bonuses of Fortitude +7, Reflex +7, & Will +7.
• Racial Skills: A rudrana deva’s outsider levels give it skill points equal to 13 × (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Sense Motive, & Spellcraft.
• Racial Feats: A rudrana deva’s outsider levels give it 4 feats.
• A rudrana deva’s base land speed is 40 feet.
• A rudrana deva’s base flight speed is 90 feet (good maneuverability).
• Darkvision out to 60 feet & low-light vision.
• Spell-Like Abilities
  • At Will: aid, detect evil, protection from arrows (DC16), water breathing (DC17)
  • 3/Day: cure serious wounds (DC17), hallow (DC19), holy smite (DC18)
  • 1/Day: dispel evil (DC19), raise dead
  • Caster level 11th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
• Celestial traits: All creatures with the Celestial subtype possess the following traits:
  • Immunity to acid, cold, & petrification.
  • Resistance to electricity 10 & fire 10.
  • +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
  • Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC & a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20’ of the celestial. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect & a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20’ (caster level equals celestial’s HD). (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in a celestial’s statistics block.)
  • Tongues (Su): All celestials can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to celestial’s Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
• Deliverance from Death (Ex): Rudrana devas are immune to all death spells & magical death effects. They are likewise immune to ability damage, ability drain, & energy drain.
• Good traits: All creatures with the good subtype possess the following traits:
  • If the good creature’s alignment changes, then it will still retain this subtype.
  • Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has a good alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment.
  • A creature with the good subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons & any weapons it wields were good-aligned.
• Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Rudrana devas can react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
• +12 natural armor bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Celestial. Bonus Languages: Archaic & Houri.
• Favored Class: Paladin.
• Level Adjustment: +2.

Population: 2,691,000 worldwide
Height: 7’6” tall (average)
Weight: 250 lbs. (average)
Languages: Celestial, Houri

The Order of Rudrana is the Second Host of the greater devas, the most stoic & reserved of the three hosts. They are kind, caring, & beatific, but they almost never speak, even amongst each other. They will not discuss religious or existential matters, & they are reluctant to talk about anything that isn’t related to their objectives. When they do converse with others, they are fairly straightforward, but even then, they are beings of few words. They tend to be pensive, appearing to contemplate for long periods before taking decisive action, & they are known to meditate for days at a time. They are exceedingly patient beings, with a great appreciation of balance & harmony, & are utterly vigilant in their appointed tasks.

Biology
Rudrana devas are between 7’ & 8’ tall, weigh around 220 to 280 pounds, & usually have dark brown flesh, although some of them have deep blue skin instead, a sign of even greater spiritual power. The males & the females are of roughly equal height, & they are both are lean & well-muscled. They are stunningly attractive creatures, by human standards. Most rudrana devas have jet black hair with matching wing feathers, although other colors are possible, such as gray or white. Their eyes are invariably a piercing green, with the slit pupils of a cat. They are the most likely of all deva-kind to have multiple sets of limbs, with a full quarter of their ranks possessing 4 or 6 arms, & about one in ten of them have more than one face on their head.

For all other aspects of their culture, see Mitrana Deva.

______________________________________________

Asurana Deva

Abilities & Racial Features

Spoiler

Show

• Strength +2, Dexterity +6, Constitution +2, Intelligence +4, Wisdom +8, Charisma +6.
• Outsider (Extraplanar): Asurana devas are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, & resurrection, don’t work on them. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection, to restore it to life. They breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish).
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, asurana devas have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Racial Hit Dice: An asurana deva begins with 6 levels of outsider, which provide 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +6, & base saving throw bonuses of Fortitude +5, Reflex +5, & Will +5.
• Racial Skills: An asurana deva’s outsider levels give it skill points equal to 9 × (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Concentration, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Sense Motive, & Spellcraft.
• Racial Feats: An asurana deva’s outsider levels give it 3 feats.
• An asurana deva’s base land speed is 40 feet.
• An asurana deva’s base flight speed is 90 feet (good maneuverability).
• Darkvision out to 60 feet & low-light vision.
• Spell-Like Abilities
  • At Will: aid, create food & water, detect evil, protection from arrows (DC16)
  • 3/Day: bless weapon, cure serious wounds (DC17), holy smite (DC18)
  • 1/Day: raise dead
  • Caster level 9th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
• Celestial traits: All creatures with the Celestial subtype possess the following traits:
  • Immunity to acid, cold, & petrification.
  • Resistance to electricity 10 & fire 10.
  • +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
  • Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC & a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20’ of the celestial. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect & a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20’ (caster level equals celestial’s HD). (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in a celestial’s statistics block.)
  • Tongues (Su): All celestials can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to celestial’s Hit Dice). This ability is always active.
• Good traits: All creatures with the good subtype possess the following traits:
  • If the good creature’s alignment changes, then it will still retain this subtype.
  • Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has a good alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment.
  • A creature with the good subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons & any weapons it wields were good-aligned.
• Heavenly Deflection (Su): An asurana deva can deflect ranged attacks & certain spells by batting them away with its +1 flaming greatsword as an immediate action. When a ranged attack, ray, or single-target spell would ordinarily hit or affect the deva, the deva can make a Reflex saving throw (DC20). If the ranged weapon has an enhancement bonus, then the DC increases by that amount. If the attack is from a spell, then the spell level is added to the DC. If the deva succeeds the saving throw, then the attack is deflected, & therefore has no effect. Deflected spells are negated as if counterspelled. The deva must be aware of an attack in order to be able to deflect it.
• Soothing Presence of Nature (Ex): Asurana devas have a calm spirit that is pleasing to the inhabitants of the natural world. Unless magically compelled to do so, an animal or a plant (as per the creature types) will not attack an asurana deva unless attacked by it first.
• +8 natural armor bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Celestial. Bonus Languages: Archaic & Houri.
• Favored Class: Cleric.
• Level Adjustment: +3.

Population: 5,369,000 worldwide
Height: 7’6” tall (average)
Weight: 250 lbs. (average)
Languages: Celestial, Houri

The Order of Asurana is the Third Host of the greater devas, the most numerous of their kind. They are worldlier & more personable than the other hosts, & they the most likely to form social bonds with non-devas. While they are as reticent on certain sensitive topics as a rudrana deva, they always approachable & pleasant, deftly changing the subject with aplomb of a diplomat. They tend to be flexible & practical, seeking the simplest solution to any problem, even if it is unpleasant or difficult in the short term. It is they who brokered the truce between the devils & the devas, & it is they who often maintain the armistice with frequent envoys & negotiations. They sometimes chafe under rules & regulations, seeing some laws as getting in the way of the greater good, but they find some way to work within the system, for the harmony of their people.

Biology
Asurana devas are between 7’ & 8’ tall, weigh around 220 to 280 pounds, & usually have milky white flesh, although some of them have pale blue skin instead, a sign of even greater spiritual power. The males & the females are of roughly equal height, & they are both are lean & well-muscled. They are stunningly attractive creatures, by human standards. Most asurana devas have silvery hair with matching wing feathers, although other colors are possible, such as coppery or golden. Their eyes are always a swirling silver, with no visible pupils. They are the most likely of all deva-kind to have animal-like body parts; over a third of them have the head of an animal, such as a lion, an elephant, or a bull, & many of them have some other bestial feature like a tail or hooves.

For all other aspects of their culture, see Mitrana Deva.

______________________________________________

Lesser Deva (Half-Celestial)

Abilities & Racial Features

Spoiler

Show

Lesser Deva is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher & non-evil alignment (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A lesser deva uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here:

• Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to outsider. Do not recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is unchanged. Lesser devas are normally native outsiders.
• Speed: A lesser deva has feathered wings and can fly at twice the base creature’s base land speed (good maneuverability). If the base creature has a fly speed, use that instead.
• Armor Class: Natural armor improves by +1 (this stacks with any natural armor bonus the base creature has).
• Special Attacks: A lesser deva retains all the special attacks of the base creature and also gains the following special abilities.
• Daylight (Su): Lesser devas can use a daylight effect (as the spell) at will.
• Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a lesser deva can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against an evil foe.
• Spell-Like Abilities: A lesser deva with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has two or more spell-like abilities, depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table below. The abilities are cumulative. Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, & the save DC is Charisma-based.
• {table=head]HD|Abilities
  1-2|protection from evil 3/day, bless
  3-4|aid, detect evil
  5-6|cure serious wounds, neutralize poison
  7-8|holy smite, remove disease
  9-10|dispel evil
  11-12|holy word
  13-14|holy aura 3/day, hallow
  15-16|mass charm monster
  17-18|summon monster IX (celestials only)
  19-20|resurrection[/table]
• Special Qualities: A lesser deva has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities.
  • Darkvision out to 60 feet.
  • Immunity to disease.
  • Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and electricity 10.
  • Damage Reduction: 5/magic (if HD 11 or less) or 10/magic (if HD 12 or more).
  • A lesser deva’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
  • Spell resistance equal to creature’s HD + 10 (maximum 35).
  • +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves against poison.
• Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Dex +2, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +4.
• Skills: A lesser deva gains skill points as an outsider and has skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier) × (HD +3). Do not include Hit Dice from class levels in this calculation; the lesser deva gains outsider skill points only for its racial Hit Dice, & gains the normal amount of skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base creature’s list as class skills, and other skills as cross-class.
• Challenge Rating: HD 5 or less, as base creature +1; HD 6 to 10, as base creature +2; HD 11 or more, as base creature +3.
• Alignment: Always good (any).
• Level Adjustment: Same as base creature +4.

Population: 13,422,000 worldwide
Height: 7’0” tall (average)
Weight: 225 lbs. (average)
Languages: Celestial, Houri

The lesser devas are an intermediate step between the three hosts & the common devas. It was once thought that they were each merely the perfected form of a mortal soul, much like a houri, but it is now accepted that they are a type of deva. They all look like members of the mortal races, but with great downy wings & an aura of tranquility. They vary in power greatly; some are weaker than a common deva, while others are mightier than a mitrana deva. Many of them serve as the administrators of the deva society, orchestrating & facilitating the daily duties of their people. A few have more important or prestigious roles, but they often prefer to work behind the scenes, doing good deeds away from the spotlight. They are naturally humble & altruistic, wishing to give anonymously & make the world a better place from the veil of the shadows.

Biology
A lesser deva is usually 6”-12” taller than a mortal being, & more muscular as well. They each look like an ideal member of a mortal race, a paragon of beauty, strength, & grace without flaw or blight. The only major difference (aside from an air of serenity that is almost unknown to mortals) is a pair of large feathery wings on a lesser deva’s back. About half of the lesser devas are shaped like humans, but there are many who look like gnolls, kobolds, lizardfolk, & even aazlai or camelotaur. Their coloration is highly variable, with skin, hair, & eyes of nearly any shade or hue.

Diet
Unlike the greater devas, the lesser devas must eat in order to survive. They do not eat meat (unless they must to survive), preferring various fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, & grains. Najmah is home to many different varieties of exotic fruit, so the devas can live comfortably just living off the land or cultivating small orchards for themselves. Their most popular dish is kartapuura, a flatbread made from a coarsely-ground wheat-like grain, topped with a paste of mashed vegetables & rolled into a tube. They often chew a tasty mint-like leaf to clean their teeth & moisten their pallet. Most of their other dishes tend not to have many spices or other flavorings, as they favor simple dishes without a lot of ingredients. They also enjoy a rose-colored wine made from the fermented juice of the draakzaa fruit. They are unfamiliar with dairy products, like milk & eggs, as they do not have domesticated animals that provide such fare.

For all other aspects of their culture, see Mitrana Deva.

______________________________________________

Common Deva (Aasimar)

Abilities & Racial Features

Spoiler

Show

• Wisdom +2, Charisma +2.
• Outsider (Native): Common devas are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person. They also can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be, & they need to eat & sleep.
• Medium Size: As Medium creatures, common devas have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• A common deva’s base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• Racial Skills: Common devas have a +2 racial bonus on Spot & Listen checks.
• Racial Feats: A common deva gains feats according to its class levels.
• Daylight (Sp): A common deva can use daylight once per day as a 1st-level caster or a caster of his class levels, whichever is higher.
• Special Qualities: Resistance to acid 5, cold 5, & electricity 5.
• Automatic Languages: Celestial & Common. Bonus Languages: Archaic & Houri.
• Favored Class: Paladin.
• Level Adjustment: +1.

Population: 21,475,000 worldwide
Height: 6’6” tall (average)
Weight: 200 lbs. (average)
Languages: Celestial, Houri

The lowest caste of deva-kind, the common devas are just was wise & serene as their exalted brethren. In ancient times, members of this most numerous caste were known as aasimar, a word whose meaning has become lost over time, like much of the old lore. The common devas are tall & well-built, appearing much like the houris that often live among them. To those who can perceive the aura of one’s spirit, however, the two beings have a marked difference: whereas the aura of a houri is that of an earthly being that has been enlightened & crystallized into a more perfection version of itself, the aura of a deva is one of inhuman spiritual connection, mingled with an unmistakable spark of the divine. All devas, even the least of them, are innately linked to a power beyond the mortal realms, & this bond unites the devas even as it separates them from the mundane affairs of mortal beings.

Biology
The average common deva is between 6’ & 7’ tall, weighs around 160 to 240 pounds, & usually lack the feathered wings of their higher kin, although feather-filled hair is not uncommon. The males are generally taller & more muscular than the females, but both genders are lean & beautiful, by human standards. A homely aasimar is almost an oxymoron, as they are invariably attractive creatures. Their hair is usually a pale color, with blonde, ginger, & silver being the most common shades. Their eyes can be of almost any color, although golden-amber, icy-blue, & pearlescent are more prevalent than other colors. Their skin can be a deep shade of teal, a scintillating silver, or nearly anything in between.

Diet
For more information, see Lesser Deva: Diet.

For all other aspects of their culture, see Mitrana Deva.