Imps are diminutive creatures of an evil nature who roam the world and act as familiars for lawful evil wizards and priests.

The average imp is a 2’ humanoid with leathery, bat-like wings, a barbed tail, and sharp, twisted horns. Its skin is a dark red and its horns and jagged teeth are a gleaming white.

The imp can polymorph itself into two other animal forms. The most commonly encountered alternate forms are those of a large spider, raven, giant rat, or goat. In such forms the imp is physically identical to a normal animal.

Combat: In its natural form, the imp attacks with the wicked stinger on its tail. In addition to inflicting 1-4 points of damage, this stinger injects a powerful poison which is so deadly that those who fail their save versus poison are instantly slain by it. When it is polymorphed, the imp attacks with the natural weaponry of its adopted form, though the goat and raven forms lack damaging attacks.

The imp can use its special magical abilities no matter what its form. All imps are able to detect good, detect magic, or become invisible at will. Once per day they can use a suggestion.

Imps are immune to attacks based on cold, fire, or electricity and resist all other spell attacks as if they were 7 Hit Die creatures. They can be harmed only by silver or magical weapons and are able to regenerate one hit point per melee round.

Habitat/Society: Imps are beings of a very evil nature who originate on the darkest of evil planes. Their main purpose on the Prime Material plane is to spread evil by assisting lawful evil wizards and priests. When such a person is judged worthy of an imp’s service, the imp comes in answer to a find familiar spell.

Once they have contacted their new “master¨, imps begin at once to take control of his actions. Although imps maintain the illusion that the summoner is in charge, the actual relationship is closer to that of a workman (the imp) and his tools (the master).

Although an imp’s body can be destroyed on the Prime Material plane, it is not so easily slain. When its physical form is lost, its corrupt spirit instantly returns to its home plane where it is reformed and, after a time, returned to our world to resume its work.

While they are technically in the service of their master, imps retain a basic independence and ambition to become more powerful someday. They may acquire treasure from those they slay, and will often pilfer valuables encountered during their travels.

The imp confers some of its powers upon its master. A telepathic link connects the two whenever they are within one mile of each other. This enables the master to receive all of the imp’s sensory impressions, including its infravision. The master also gains the imp’s inherent 25% magical resistance and is able to regenerate just as the imp does. If the imp is within telepathic range, the master acts as if he were one level higher than he actually is. Conversely, if the imp is more than a mile away, the master acts as if he were one level of ability below his actual rank. If the imp is killed, the master instantly drops by four levels, though these can be regained in the usual manner.

Ecology: Imps are the errand boys of the powerful evil beings who command the darkest planes. They often act as emissaries and agents, but their primary task is to enhance the spread of evil in our world.

Quasit

Quasits are chaotic evil counterparts to imps. The chaotic evil priests and wizards which quasits “serve” gain the same benefits and disadvantages that an imp’s master does. Like imps, each quasit can assume two other forms. Those most commonly chosen by quasits are bats, giant centipedes, frogs, or wolves. They can use their magic in any of their forms.

The quasit attacks with its clawed hands (doing 1-2 points each) and its deadly bite (doing 1-4 points). The quasit’s claws are coated in a toxin which causes anyone struck by them to save versus poison or lose one point of dexterity for 2-12 (2d6) rounds. The effects of multiple wounds are cumulative.

Quasits can turn invisible, detect good, or detect magic at will. They regenerate 1 hit point per round and can unleash a blast of fear with a 30 foot range radius once per day. Once each week the quasit can commune with the lower planes (asking up to 6 questions).

Quasits can only be harmed by cold iron or magical weapons. They are able to resist magic 25% of the time, save as if they were 7 Hit Die monsters and are immune to cold, fire, and lightning.