Empusa

Empusa are mighty demons, frightful to look at and foul-tempered. On their home plane they often run riot among the lesser and minor demons, clawing and mangling any that disobey them. They hate taking orders themselves, but an arch demon sometimes forces one into service, usually as a guard; since an empusa can never be surprised, it is well made for the job, if not well tempered, and ruthlessly effective.

In battle it usually attacks first with its strong claws, sometimes kicking or trampling with its sharp brass hooves. If hard-pressed it turns its magical gaze on its attackers, and everyone within sight of it becomes stone (the appendix limits the gaze to 20 feet and three uses a day). Gaze weapons do not affect an empusa itself, and it can see invisible beings. It has bat-like wings but flies poorly, slowly and clumsily.

A summoned empusa demands a living human, tied up and helpless so it can eat them without a struggle. Summoners whose alignment or conscience forbids this had better make it a very rich offer or compel it by force. Once bound by a pact, however obtained, it will perform any one task or grant a wish of limited power. Set to guard a building or object, it must remain on duty until it has attacked or driven off its first intruder, after which its bargain is fulfilled and it may go home, so an empusa guarding a remote labyrinth that no one ever enters might be trapped there for ages.