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2009-12-06, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
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Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
I'm thinking about playing a rakshasa (rakshasa 7/sorcerer 2/ initiate of the sevenfold veil 7/ AC 4 for anyone interested) but I'm having a hard time finding information about their culture, lifespan, traditional names etc besides the stuff in the monster manual. So if anyone knows where I can find anything, no matter how irrelevant, about rakshasa that would be great.
"Elephant trunks should be used for elephant things only. Nothing else."
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2009-12-06, 02:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Well...
They're demonic entities, yes? So in a real sense they're probably immortal, or at least unaging. If not, I bet they're very long lived.
Since they are demonic entities and are biologically based on cats, their culture is probably that of solitary predators: interactions between two rakshasa are very tense, and the only stable relationships in their society are dominance relationships where one party is much more powerful than the other and tells them what to do.
Names... as I recall they're derived from some type of demons in Indian mythology, so that gives you a good place to start looking.
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2009-12-06, 02:42 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Perhaps this will be of some use to you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rakshas...eons_&_Dragons)
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2009-12-06, 02:47 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2005
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
What setting? I know in eberron they are considered elder evils, manipulative bastards, belched forth from Khyber.
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2009-12-06, 02:51 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
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2009-12-06, 02:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2007
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2009-12-06, 03:05 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Read up on real-world Rakshasa.
In Hindu lore, Rakshasa are the equivalent of D&D's devil. They're lawful evil spirits in the form of men with beast-like features (normally apes and tigers) and inverted hands. Rakshasa exist in a structured but cruel society. They assume control and dominate lesser mortals, corrupt the righteous, and tempt priests.
Dragon #326 features the ecology of the Rakshasa so you might want to hunt that down. AD&D describes Rakshasa civilization as honorable and noble but with a cruel, rigid caste system. Rakshasa subsist on flesh (they're cannibals) and like a true feline their personalities vary depending on their wild mood swings. They can be war-like, conquering territories and capturing mortals for consumption, or they can be peaceful and apathetic enjoying luxuries, mind games, good food, good drink, and good company.
Regardless of how you portray them, rakshasa never reveal their true forms to humans if they can't help it. They use illusion and powers to blend in with society while ruling it from the shadows.Last edited by jmbrown; 2009-12-06 at 03:07 PM.
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2009-12-06, 03:06 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Mix of Greyhawk and homebrew.
How do you get 34 out of that, The Rakshasa 7 is the 7 LA from the monster manual and the rest of the levels ads to 13 levels.
Hmm this is really helpful I must go and find the issue of Dragon. Also wooo that last paragraph fits perfectly with my character concept.Last edited by pffh; 2009-12-06 at 03:09 PM.
"Elephant trunks should be used for elephant things only. Nothing else."
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2009-12-06, 03:07 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Apr 2007
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- Iowa
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2009-12-06, 03:09 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2009
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2009-12-06, 03:16 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2008
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Racial Hit Dice, but that would only make it 27 ECL. How do you get 7 more levels?
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2009-12-06, 03:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Maybe he counted the LA twice by mistake?
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2009-12-06, 03:27 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
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2009-12-06, 03:32 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Savage Species does have a 14 level monster class for them...and immunity to 8th level and lower spells is pretty big, though the no save insta-death from blessed bolts seems silly if the DM ever uses it on you...
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2009-12-06, 03:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Aug 2007
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- The Serpent's Throne
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
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2009-12-06, 03:46 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Well, I'd be interested to know how their families work, would a rakshasa be driven away from his mother at a certain age or would he be raised to take over and/or work for his mother/father?
Also if two rakshasas, both with true sight, would meet on an open road how would they react? Ignore each other? Attack?
If they would be openly hostile to each other if they met in a deserted place would that change if they met in a crowded city? What if the city is kinda the territory of one of the rakshasas (as in he's not the ruler but maybe a gang leader or a guild leader)?
If a rakshasa doesn't worship Ravanna is he hunted down by other rakshasas or is he just generally despised like say worshippers of Vhaerun are for drows of Lolth.Last edited by pffh; 2009-12-06 at 03:47 PM.
"Elephant trunks should be used for elephant things only. Nothing else."
Thank you Geomancer for the Death avatar.
My lets plays:
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2009-12-06, 03:51 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2008
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
I would think of them, role play wise, as a mix of Disney's Shere Khan and Jafar. Cultured, dignified, suave and sleek, and able to rip out your throat in an instant. That's my thoughts anyway.
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2009-12-06, 04:01 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jul 2008
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2009-12-06, 05:05 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
The point is, in my opinion, that every hint everyone on this forum or elsewhere can give you on Rakshasas is virtually useless, depending on your DM way to think about them.
I've seen Rakshasas and other mithological/religious/folkloristik ripped monsters handled with proper documentation, a great effort of research and, sometime, maniacal precision.
I've seen also DMs that handle this kind of monster as they are portrayed by stupid fictions etc. (Kevin Sorbo as Hercules? Any bell ringing?)
So the question is: does your DM sets Rakshasas in a Indian-like atmosphere? He thinks they're only big evil humanoid cats with reverse hands and magic? Where HE says the Rakshasas are born?
And the more important question... They clean themselves as the common felines? (Hairballs... Bleah... )
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2009-12-06, 05:14 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
"Elephant trunks should be used for elephant things only. Nothing else."
Thank you Geomancer for the Death avatar.
My lets plays:
Alien vs Predator: marine chapter - Completed
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2009-12-06, 05:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Nov 2007
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Rakshasas do not flop!
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2009-12-06, 05:26 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Dragon #326 has an article about Rakshasa, though it focusses mostly on their methods of obtaining power.
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2009-12-06, 05:30 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Rakshasa exist in a caste system which is more rigid but otherwise resembles the ancient Varna (Hindu society). I haven't read the Goodman Games book, but here's how I always handled it in my games:
Four Varnas (in order of importance)
Brahmins: clerics, priests, scholars, law makers, and religious instructors.
Kshatriyas: warriors who also had judicial power to enforce laws and administrate domains... basically knights in a Medieval feudal system.
Vaishyas: merchants, wealthy farmers, and skilled craftsmen. Think middle class in contemporary American society.
Shudras: servants and slaves.
Ruling above them is the Rajah (lord) and Rani (queen). The Maharaja (great lord) is basically the emperor who rules over all the Rajah. In Rakshasa society, the order of power by class basically goes cleric/sorcerer/monk -> fighter/noble/paladin of tyranny -> rogue/bard/expert -> commoner
To answer your question, the position a rakshasa is born in is the position he stays in. A Kshatriya will never be a Brahmin and so on. I can't say a Rakshasa will ever defy their fate because their essence is made from pure law. Those that do are surely cast out or killed.
Also if two rakshasas, both with true sight, would meet on an open road how would they react? Ignore each other? Attack?
If they would be openly hostile to each other if they met in a deserted place would that change if they met in a crowded city? What if the city is kinda the territory of one of the rakshasas (as in he's not the ruler but maybe a gang leader or a guild leader)?
If a rakshasa doesn't worship Ravanna is he hunted down by other rakshasas or is he just generally despised like say worshippers of Vhaerun are for drows of Lolth.
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2009-12-06, 05:48 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2009
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2009-12-06, 05:49 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Feb 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
They are tyrants, and from what I can tell, they don't enjoy each other's company that much.
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2009-12-06, 05:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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2009-12-06, 05:55 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Well it seems that rakshasa's will band together in small groups, but you probably will never see a metropolis filled populated mainly by them. If you do see a metropolis populated primarily by rakshasas, run far, far, far away.
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2009-12-06, 05:56 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jan 2009
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2009-12-06, 05:59 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
Also, may I ask how would the other two types of Rakshasa's mentioned in the third monster manual of 3.5e apply to your question? I am curious about this.
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2009-12-06, 08:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Jun 2009
Re: Rakshasa: The culture of kitty cats?
The inverted hands and cat body from the best of what I can tell are wholly invented by dnd.
And going by hindu myth i dont think the dnd idea of a demon is entirely acurate.
That said with a creature like the rakshasa you really need to see how your dm is placing them in the world.