Movanic Deva (dNetHack)
| 9 Movanic Deva (No tile) | |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 13 |
| Attacks |
Weapon 4d6 fire, Cast 0d6 clerical spell |
| Base level | 8 |
| Base experience | 239 |
| Speed | 12 |
| Base AC | 0 |
| Base MR | 30 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 1 (Very rare) |
| Genocidable | No |
| Weight | 1450 |
| Nutritional value | 400 |
| Size | medium |
| Resistances | cold, sleep, shock, poison, acid, petrification
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A Movanic Deva:
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A Movanic Deva, 9, is a type of monster that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack. The Movanic Deva is a humanoid neutral angel that is the lowest-ranked of the devas, and is likely to be the first a hero will encounter. Movanic Devas are strong, capable of flight, can see invisible, can be seen via infravision, will seek out weapons and armor to pick up, and can follow a hero to other levels if they are adjacent.
A Movanic Deva has a weapon attack that inflicts fire damage and can burn or destroy items in the target's inventory, along with the ability to cast one clerical monster spell during each of their turns, with a 1⁄2 chance of favoring the mass cure spell and using it to heal all monsters within 3 squares of them that are friendly to the caster. Movanic Devas possess cold resistance, sleep resistance, shock resistance, poison resistance, acid resistance, and stoning resistance.
Generation
Randomly-generated Movanic Devas can generate in small groups, and may be created peaceful towards neutral heroes with a non-negative alignment record.
Movanic Devas can be generated as minions of Ishtar, Prince Nezha, Apollon, Vaire, Mandos, and Garl Glittergold, and are included among the standard neutral angels and minions that can serve as minions of Raijin, The Lady, and Lobon.
Movanic Devas can appear among the prisoners of a throne room ruled by any of the following: an orc of the ages of stars, a titan, an Aurumach Rilmani, an ogre king, the Avatar of Lolth, or the Necromancer.
Movanic Devas can be generated among the plague victims that are imprisoned by the Cyclops and carried in sacks by hill giants in the Healer quest, as well as those that lay on bedrolls in the Drow Healer quest.
Movanic Devas may appear among the crazed angels whose statues are placed within the iron bars throughout the lair of Dispater at level creation, if his dwelling is generated as the first Hell level.
Two Movanic Devas are randomly generated within the lair of Lamashtu at level creation if her dwelling appears as the third Abyss level.
Movanic Devas are always generated with a buckler, a robe, and a morning star—the morning star's enchantment is chosen from the higher of two values: the weapon's initially-generated enchantment, and a random enchantment rolled from +0 to +3.
Movanic Devas do not leave a corpse upon death.
Origin
Devas are derived from Dungeons & Dragons, where they debut in the AD&D Monster Manual II for the 1st Edition and were previewed in issue #63 of Dragon Magazine. These devas are named for the heavenly deities or deity-like figures of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, which were later adopted as nature spirits in New Age belief: though they share some traits of all three types, they also draw on common portrayals of angels from Western tradition and Abrahamic religions. The word deva (masculine, feminine form devi) is from Sanskrit, and is translated as "deity", "god", "exalted one", or "shining one". The devas of Dungeons & Dragons, are human-like beings of extraordinary beauty with two magnificent feathered wings emerging from their backs—from their debut up to the 3rd edition, there are three orders of deva, and the movanic devas are the weakest and most numerous order that oversee the Prime Material Plane, the Negative Energy Plane and the Positive Energy Plane; the devas of the 5th edition are not tied to any particular order.
Movanic devas have agile and very lithe frames, with milky white skin and silvery hair and eyes, and stand around 72 to 78 inches (1.8-1.98 meters) tall, with particularly mighty ones growing to much larger size. Like other devas, they are averse to clothing and don simple loincloths or other coverings in humanoid form, and are also skilled with many different weapons: each one carries a flaming two-handed sword that has a long and slender blade, wielding with enough skill to deflect missiles, projectiles, rays, and spells that target them alone (though this requires them to be aware of the attack, and they cannot deflect two simultaneous strikes). Movanic devas possess all the powers, protections and traits common to devas and other angels, along with many more of their own.
Strong-willed and fearless, movanic devas are seen as more worldly than their astral and monadic kin. Movanic devas travel to the Material Plane at will to aid prominent followers of the gods of good in times of great need, and while they more often appeared disguised as humanoids or animals, they could manifest in their winged angelic form if it suited their needs. Movanic devas fight as infantry in battles against the forces of darkness, and do so with pride (though not to the extent of their stronger kin); they usually work alone, but can also operate in pairs, trios, or squads of up to six members. No deva of any kind knowingly deals peacefully with evil beings, though non-lawful ones sometimes help neutral beings.
Encyclopedia entry
Devas are the descendants of plane-touched aasimon. They have
feathery wings that may be vestigial or functional.
Movanic devas are the most frequently seen by mortals. Their
milky skin and slender build distinguishes them from the
dark and muscular monadic devas. The latter are rarely encountered
except in the inner planes. It is said they are able to breathe
elements other than air.
[ adapted from Aasimar, by David Roberts and Brynn ]
