Lithe black abyran'ra
A wreath of thirteen black serpents ring the abyran'ra's head, bestowing it a full crown of the twisting vipers as they writhe back and forth in an undulating, hypnotic fashion. Its pale, lidless eyes are devoid of pupils -- merely rippling with faint hints of color every few moments. Twin pairs of fangs peek out from beneath its thin lips, and the smoothness of its skin fades away into sleek scales below its abdomen, its lower body tapering into a massive, sinuous tail like that of a snake's. Its elongated, spindly fingers end in scythe-like black talons, their razored edges gleaming with the faintest light as they weave sinuous patterns in swift, slicing arcs
Background
While the abyran'ra are occasionally witnessed during invasions, they most commonly find their way to Elanthia from their natural habitat in the plane Lorae'tyr via a sorcerer's failed attempt at Planar Shift (740). At present, the lithe black abyran'ra are the only species of lesser demons so summoned; whether this is simply a limitation of game design (coding more demons takes more time) or intentional from the theoretical mechanics of planar shifting (owing to the strange time dilation found only in Lorae'tyr) is unknown, though both are plausible.
Hunting Stategies
Reliably killing an abyran'ra is no easy feat. Although they spawn around a nominal level of 110, it is likely they will be higher level by the time an adequately prepared adventurer turns up who can pose a significant threat to the abyran'ra, meaning by this time it is approaching level 120.
As they would frequently attempt to break a sorcerer's link with a minor demon of the abyran family (abyran'a or abyran'sa), a highly skilled demonologist has a distinct advantage if they have such a pet under their service. Namely, when the abyran'ra attempts to break the link, either the sorcerer or the abyran'ra will become stunned. With 200 ranks in demonology, careful testing has demonstrated that even the highest level abyran'ra can never succeed to break the link. As such, with the proper training, the clever summoner can take advantage of the abyrans' kinship causing the abyran'ra to repeated induce a stun on itself.
As with any other demons, a weapon must be enchanted at least eight times (8×) and blessed to successfully strike them. Although they are difficult to hit, most forms of attack will damage them. Spell casters are advised to avoid warding attacks, however, considering the abyran'ra's absurdly high TD; use bolts instead.
Repeated dispelling prior to attack is generally advised.
Other Information
Raising and Sanctuaries
As priests, they are able to raise the dead, although this would require two of them in the room which is unusual. Even if one abyran'ra is killed and looted, another can cast a perpetual sanctuary immediately. The sanctuary does not dissipate and appears to be impossible to break even with an abyran'sa. It is unknown at this time if interference by a minor demon would prevent the sanctuary from being manifested. Once in their peaceful sanctuary, the abyran'ra appear quite content and do not leave the room.
Despawning
When introduced to the game via a failed Planar Shift, abyran'ra do not appear to de-spawn normally. This can be considered a mechanic similar to a creature spawned via a dangerous creature bounty, where it is intended that the only recourse is for players to be forced to deal with the beast. To this end, they have been witnessed to stay in the game for days at a time (well...we'll know this is a fact in another few days...so far 12+ hours). If they have created a sanctuary, it is unclear if they would ever leave without manual GM intervention or a game reset.
Hominid Spine Weapons
Abyran'ra tend to arrive in Elanthia empty-handed, and so their only physical attacks are sinking their teeth into an adversary or a lash of the tail. However, once they achieve a kill (which is usually quite rapidly, considering their combat prowess), they can easily create a weapon from the fallen foe. They do this by ripping out a character's spine and setting it afire. The spines generally crumble, so it is difficult to determine their properties. It is possible to have a minor demon pick one up and give it to you. They appear to be 2x according to the Abandoned Inn crystal; oddly, the difference in the AS between a bite and a spine attack is +20 and not +10.
Messaging
Casting sanctuary when a comrade falls:
A lithe black abyran'ra rises high into the air on its coils and spreads its arms out from its chest, sending forth brilliant intertwined ribbons of incarnadine energy that seep into the ground in front of a dead black abyran'ra. A sense of peace and calm settles over the area. An eerie calm falls over the area like a suffocating blanket of heat.
Acquisition of a shiny new weapon, from yours truly:
A lithe black abyran'ra descends upon your corpse, its talons moving in swift, sweeping arcs across your back as its forked tongue darts in and out quickly. After a moment, the abyran'ra plunges its hand into the base of your neck and rips out your spine in one fluid movement! The black abyran'ra rises up on its coils and runs its scythe-like talons over the blood-drenched spine in a sinuous fashion, a faint webwork of incarnadine energy lacing across its surface. After a moment, it begins to grow longer and longer, its bony protrusions melding into razored blades that wreath it on all sides. With one swift, sharp *CRACK* of the whip-like bone, the blood drenching the bladed spine bursts into flames -- the rippling scarlet hue cast by the blaze washing over the abyran'ra's face in lurid waves.
They would carry this around and attack anyone still alive with it:
It has a bone-bladed halfling spine wreathed in a blazing halo of lurid scarlet flames.