Homebrew Fire Imp Species Details

Physical Description

Fire Imps, like their unkindled counterparts, are small, although bright torches, their head permanently ablaze. Often, they're told to sit and stand still in the dark pits of the Nine Hells to provide their natural light. Their eyes are often glowing, too, and they may possess other glowing features, such as veins popping at the surface of their skin, showing the hot magma flowing through. The intensity of their flames may vary depending on their mood, brighter if they're angry or cheerful, or dimmer if they're feeling gloomy or mellow. Some higher ranking or more favored sprout wings that allow them to lift their little bodies.

History

Fire Imps are, unlike the common idea of the evil demons and devils, regarded as more or less nuisances to be dealt with. They are characteristically the mischievous troublemakers throughout history, playing pranks on humans by stealing children, cursing livestock, and making life harder than it has to be. They are created in the Nine Hells, where human souls go to be torn apart for their misdeeds. From the shreds of human soul matter, churning in magma, a lemure is born, void of anything resembling its former shape or mind. They usually remain this way until a greater archdevil declares it as his own property, giving it purpose and finding its use. It then becomes a Fire Imp. Fire Imps serve as the servants for all the castes of Hell, themselves being among the lowest rungs. They thus get their licks in when they can on humans.

Society

Originally promoted as battle fodder, imps who live beyond their use are often bullied by higher-level devils. Because of their ease to deal with compared to more powerful fiends, they are often summoned to the world of mortals to act as familiars for spellcasters. If the imp's summoner dies without dismissing the imp, or the summoner breaks any of the contract's rules, an imp will break the contract and psychic bond. In those cases, an imp may stay in the mortal world indefinitely and unchained, free to cause mischief. However, an imp's primary goal in contracts is to obtain the soul of a mortal, as the captured soul displays merit among other lesser devils. Some imps make contracts in exchange for souls to offer their earnings to the devils they serve, particularly any of the Lords of the Nine.

Fire Imp Names

The true names of imps are kept as less of a secret than those of other devils, as they tend to welcome any summons to the mortal plane. Some accrue a variety of names to conceal their true name, using them to play with humans and wanna-be summoners. Their names are often derived from Infernal and are not divided by gender.

Fire Imp Traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity and Charisma scores each increase by 1.

Age. Fire Imps reach maturity at around 5 and live until they are killed in their home plane.

Alignment. Fire Imps are brash and selfish, but are loyal to the hierarchy of the Nine Hells. Their unpredictability makes them often Chaotic, but most are Lawful or Neutral Evil.

Size. Fire Imps stand about 2-4 feet tall and average 20 pounds in weight. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision. Accustomed to the darkness of the lower planes, you have no problem seeing in darkness. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Infernal Ancestry. Your creature type is fiend, instead of humanoid. Therefore, spells that normally affect humanoids such as hold person or crown of madness won't work on you. 

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.

Blazing fury. You are resistant to fire damage, and melee attacks dealt with bodyparts like fists or feet deal 1d4 fire damage.

Living Torch. Wherever you go, you cast bright light in a controllable 5-20 foot radius with an additional 5-20 foot radius of dim light, equal to the bright light radius. Any light shone above a 5 foot radius provide a disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Aquaphobic. You can stay underwater only one quarter of the time any other creature could regularly stay. Furthermore, light cast from your Living Torch trait is half as efficient until you are dried off.

Hellish Wings. Firey wings sprout from your back. You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can’t use this flying speed if you’re wearing medium or heavy armor. You can use this feature for one hour at 1st level, then double the time at 5th (2 hours), 11th (4 hours) and 17th level (8 hours). The timer resets on a short rest. Also, starting at 11th level, you can fly while wearing medium armor at the cost of double the time being counted.

Fire Imp Traits

This is where you shine.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity and Charisma scores each increase by 1.

Size

Fire Imps stand about 2-4 feet tall and average 20 pounds in weight. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to the darkness of the lower planes, you have no problem seeing in darkness. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Infernal Ancestry

Infernal Ancestry. Your creature type is fiend, instead of humanoid. Therefore, spells that normally affect humanoids such as hold person or crown of madness won't work on you. 

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Infernal.

Blazing Fury

You are resistant to fire damage, and melee attacks dealt with bodyparts like fists or feet deal 1d4 fire damage.

Living Torch

Wherever you go, you cast bright light in a controllable 5-20 foot radius with an additional 5-20 foot radius of dim light, equal to the bright light radius, to a minimum of no bright light and a 5ft radius of dim light. Any light shone above a 5 foot radius provide a disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Aquaphobic

You can stay underwater only one quarter of the time any other creature could regularly stay. Furthermore, light cast from your Living Torch trait is half as efficient until you are dried off.

Hellish Wings

Firey wings sprout from your back. You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can’t use this flying speed if you’re wearing medium or heavy armor. You can use this feature for one hour at 1st level, then double the time at 5th (2 hours), 11th (4 hours) and 17th level (8 hours). The timer resets on a short rest. Also, starting at 11th level, you can fly while wearing medium armor at the cost of double the time being counted.