Yokai

Yokai

Yokai are spirits judged by Judge Enma to be restless and have unsettled business in the material world and seek either revenge or to come to terms with their life's events. In some circumstances yokai might be former animals like kappa that have been corrupted by the dark Ki of evil humans or yokai. These yokai must either resolve their issues and pass on, or may be cursed to live an eternity trapped in their yokai form. Yokai live in the spirit world, which is a desolate version of a prehistoric material world. Yokai are able to cross between the seishin barrier that separates the spirit and material world under certain circumstances. These circumstances are different for each yokai, and it may be a certain time of day, or only at a certain place. Typically the weaker the yokai, the easier it is for them to slip through, but powerful yokai may have to plan around very specific circumstances and windows to cross

Shinigami - Typically a Shinigami is a spirit of a being of dark heart, dark deed, or with an extremely strong unfulfilled desire for vengeance or another unpleasant emotion. Shinigamis are amongst the most elusive and powerful yokai, but also have very limited ability to move across the seishin barrier that separates the material and spirit world. Shinigami will enter through a mortal's nightmares, and consume their soul, and occupy their body to blend in with other humans. Shinigami have an insatiable hunger for human souls, which they will collect with their reaper's weapons and consume to give themselves boosts of power. Shinigami can use the power of some of their harvested souls to return back to the spirit world after a short ritual. As some of the most powerful yokai, an elite group of Shinigami know as the Kage-Yubi collaborate to achieve their mutual ends.

Oni -large physically powerful demons that hide in the wilderness and feed on humans and livestock. Oni are the manifestation of violent, drunken, and overall hedonistic people. Oni's can cross the Seishin barrier during instances of dense "bad luck". Such instances of bad luck would include:

• North-easterly oriented things
• The number 4
• Whistling at night
• Upright chopsticks
• Writing your our own name in red ink or blood

Once an Oni has crossed the barrier, it is very difficult for them to return, so they often times become enduring threats or are killed. Oni also have a strong propensity for alcohol and drunkenness, and are warded off by soybeans. This allows peasants to have ways of deterring or tricking oni.

Kappa -Mischievous humanoid reptilian creatures that live in bodies of water. Mostly harmless in small numbers, but can be dangerous in mass, or to young or weak humans. Kappas can be subdued by spilling the water that resides in the indent on their head. Kappa are weak enough that they can typically cross over the barrier at any point that has water

Tsukumogami - Objects that become animate on their 100th birthday. Common in very old places full of very old things. These largely harmless but mischievous creatures are usually more of a nuisance than a threat. Here are some common items that become Tsukumogami:

• Umbrella
• Paper fan
• Paper screen
• Paper Lantern
• Shoes
• kettle
• Doll
• Bucket/Basket/Box
• Coins
• Instrument
• Bowl/Cup/Drinking Gourd

Onryo - A vengeful female spirit. An Onryo will manifest when a woman who died had a vendetta against a living person, and her spirit will linger around as long as her revenge is unfulfilled. Onryo are only able manifest around areas and people that relate to their grievance, and typically only at night.

Gashadokuro - A giant skeleton composed of the bones of people who were not given proper burials. These skeletons will appear after midnight, especially around the areas where masses of bodies were left unburied. Once dawn comes around, the skeletons will return back to the spirit world. The skeletons are sustained by the blood of people on the material plane. They can be warded off by special Shinto charms.

Tengu -Red skinned demons with long noses that act as guardians for mountains and forests. Whether these creatures are yokai or kami is often up to debate and perspective. Tengu are the post death incarnation of wild men who shunned civilization and lived monastic lives out in the wilderness. They are only able to move freely within their territory of protection, and can move between the material and spirit worlds freely within their territory. While their protection of places of nature makes some see them as kami, their propensity for violence against the incursions of civilization make others see them as yokai. Tengu are able to sprout wings, and are equipped with a feather that is able to stir up winds, a straw cloak of invisibility, and a magical gourd bottle.

Jorogumo -Giant spider demons who can take on the form of women, and will lure men, poison them and devour them. Jorogumo are able to use their webs as points of transport between the spirit and material worlds. Jorogumo are typically born from the spirits of wicked and deceitful women.

Jakotsu-babaa -An elderly woman who can control 2 giant snakes, a blue one that breathes ice, and a red one that breathes fire.

Raijin -A powerful spirit that controls storms, hurricanes, strong winds, and other similar calamities using a circular set of taiko drums. Raijins are angry and chaotic beings that take their anger out upon the world via natural disasters and weather.

Kitsune -Mischievous fox spirits with an additional tail for every 100 years they have lived (to a maximum of 9). The older the Kitsune, the more powerful they are. They are capable of shapeshifting and other strange magical powers. Their silver tongues and trickery are their biggest assets though.

Yuki Onna - A female ice spirit that can only appear during snow storms. The more fierce the storm, the more powerful they become. Yuki Onna form when a person is left to die out in the snow, and will endure on in the afterlife to doom others to their same fate. If you can evade their clutches long enough for the storm to pass, or manage to effectively utilize fire against them, you may survive.

Kuchisake Onna - A slit mouthed woman who carries a pair of scissors to pass along her misfortune. Kuchisake Onna were mutilated or abused in life, and live on to get revenge on anyone by unfortunate enough to cross their path. They will typically hide their disfigured face with a mask or fan.

Gaki - Eternally hungry humanoids that are only able to eat unclean "food" lest it erupt in flames and burn away. Gaki were gluttonous in their past life, so now they are perpetually focused on nothing but sating their endless appetite. Gaki are weak and ineffectual beyond their repulsive appearance and smell. They may manifest in places where food is stored, but it will all turn to ash.

Gozu and Mezu - Guardians of the afterlife. Gozu has a bull head, while Mezu has a horse head. Both are former serial killers from early in Japan's history, however the kami cursed them to spend the rest of eternity guarding the official entrance to the spirit world to prevent any spirits cursed to live either in the spirit world or hell to escape. Gozu and Mezu are much more powerful that almost all the yokai and other spirits that might try and escape.