Cambion [Lesser Tanar'ri]

A cambion is born when a tanar'ri fathers a child on a human woman, who never survives the birth. A lesser or greater tanar'ri sires a major cambion; a true tanar'ri sires a baron/marquis. Cambions are hideous humanoids with pitch-black, faintly scaly, pockmarked skin, sharply pointed ears and mouths full of crooked, diseased-looking fangs. They like spiked armor and weapons and communicate by telepathy.

They have ability scores like characters, with ranges set by type. One with Charisma above 18 counts as charming and can produce the effect of a charm person spell at will.

Their keen senses mean they are never surprised. They favor ornate arms and armor: 75% have a magical weapon and 75% magical armor, usually standard bonus items (+1, +2 and so on), each with a 15% chance of being special (GM's choice).

Besides the common tanar'ri powers, each cambion has between one and four of these powers: polymorph self three times daily, levitate seven times daily, a fear-causing touch, and detect magic. Any with Intelligence 16 or more are also wizards whose caster level matches their Hit Dice (4th for a major cambion, 6th for a baron/marquis), working from a randomly generated spellbook. Stealthy as any thief, they have 80% to move silently, 80% to hide in shadows and 95% to climb walls, and heavy metal armor imposes no penalty on these.

Like alu demons, cambions are misfits that humans always reject and barely tolerated in the Abyss, and they grow bitter and hateful toward everything. Cold detachment and a talent for stealth make them superb assassins, and balors use them as personal guards and advisors; most cambions get over their bitterness and take pride in serving such mighty masters.

One in ten is neutral or even good rather than chaotic evil, thanks to a good-aligned mother. These unfortunates are doomed to lonely lives, since good communities rarely accept them.

Evil cambions serve as assassins in the endless war between demons and devils.