Demon, Schir

A schir resembles a tall, muscular humanoid with the head and hooves of a demonic goat. A ragged hide covers patches of a schir’s body, usually around the forearms and lower legs, with a crestlike patch running down from the creature’s crown to the nape of its neck. Schir demons are 7 feet tall, though they usually stoop and so appear shorter, and weigh 300 pounds. Also known as spite demons, schirs are among the most violent and vile-tempered inhabitants of the Abyss. Schirs are formed from the souls of mortals who either committed or framed others for heinous crimes—acts committed for the sole purpose of petty retribution. Despite such origins, schirs occupy one of the lowest orders in the demonic hierarchy, often serving as front-line infantry in demonic armies or as guards for minor demonic commanders.

Although not especially intelligent, schirs are cunning warriors and able sentries. Although they prefer to charge into combat, a schir’s natural jumping ability makes it a nimble enemy, capable of using its surroundings astutely. A schir will often jump on top of rocks, crumbling walls, or any other high place to hack with its disease-ridden halberd. For all of schirs’ capabilities, their spitefulness makes them distrustful of any creature that has not proven its greater power and strength numerous times.

A schir set loose upon the Material Plane quickly seeks to set itself up as a leader of its own army—often, schirs seek out tribes of savage humanoids and attempt to replace the current leaders. They are particularly fond of infiltrating gnoll tribes.