Basan
Overview
Exclusive to the region of Suzaku, basan exemplify the region's affinity for both fire and birds. While they resemble chickens, basan are much larger (closer in size to a turkey), and their brilliant combs and colorful plumage resemble tongues of flame. These chicken-like yokai are entirely nocturnal and usually keep to the the region's bamboo forests, though large flocks also congregate around Suzaku's dormant volcano. Their name comes from the sound their wings make (described as "basabasa"), which is all most folk experience of them due to their shyness.
The most distinguishing feature of a basan is its breath: ghostly flame puffs from a basan's beak with each breath, and it can spew fire from its mouth in a stream or cone. However, this fire emits no heat and cannot ignite material; instead, a person touched by it is convinced they are experiencing a painful burning sensation and will often flee, only for the pain to fade soon after. If a person knows that a basan's fire cannot burn them, then the flame becomes harmless. Even then, the illusive power of a basan's fire is a potent defense, and one who has not encountered a basan in some time may still need to actively remember this quirk to defend against it.
