Homebrew Yokai Species Details

Physical Description

Yokai are oddities formed with both magic and spiritual energies like ki. Sometimes they are related to undead or ghosts. They are not to be classified into any one of these things, but rather a category encompassing all of them. Yokai are as diverse as monsters in Faerun. They differ in origin, shape and size. Some are household objects bought to life by emotions while others gained immense magic through age. Some animals were never normal and knew magic all along, using it to play tricks on unwary passerby. Others are bloodthirsty, vengeful spirits of nature or those wronged in life, returning to haunt their oppressors. Yokai vary hugely in shape or size, some being humanoid and others more beastly or even just monsters. Just the main types presented will be described:

Kappa

Tsukumogami

Mujina

Ookami

Nuppeppo

History

Yokai haven't always been here, but they are suspected to have been around longer than most, as records date them having existed as servants to deities. They are believed to have been created when fiends attempted to, or did, enter the Material Plane. In doing so, they left behind much evidence of their marks on the world. One of these important markers was their power, which imprinted in slivers around all of matter. Some spread to seemingly innocuous animals, giving them sentience and a capacity for magic, ingenuity and mischief. Some power went to nature and gathered in rivers and ponds, spawning kappa from their murky depths. Other bits were attracted to humanoids and swirled around them like a black cloud, finally settling upon their things around their households. After enough time, strong emotions and power congregated within some of them to create the tsukumogami.

In history, stories of yokai are numerous like stars. Many serve as tales of caution for children, while others are believed as fact. Yokai are considered somewhat a pest kind of creature, but because they only have a small sliver of fiend in them, they are not early so evil. What is evil about them manifests mainly in jokes that end with broken bones at the very most. As they came from nature, some have the abilities to manipulate it, either to human's dismay or joy, for a yokai can bless a field harvest much like a lesser deity might. However, if one gathers the scorn of a yokai, they are likely to live and die in horrible ways.

Society

Yokai live in large bands of their own kind. The kappa do not lie with the mujina, and so forth. Yokai are numerous but compose only these small bands or groups rather than an encompassing society. One group of kappa may occupy one spot of a river and never know or meet those who occupy another track along the same body of water. Tsukumogami may haunt one house for the rest of their existence, convening among themselves at night. These groups are very informal and rarely have much structure. But in all circles, either strength or intelligence is the deciding factor of who leads a conversation. Mujina are highly intelligent and are known to boast a culture more robust than more bestially minded yoaki. As such, the old wise ones get first say. Yokai also practice the March of a Hundred Demons. This is at one night of the year, at the hour of the ox, when all yokai break from the mundaneness of their groups and come together in one big procession as yokai-kind. This can usually terrify a lot of people because it is essentially a bunch of monstrous beings walking down the street at night.

Yokai Names

Yokai generally take japanese names, regardless what type they may be.

Male: Takashi, Ootonomaru, Jin, Kintooki

Female: Anko, Kiyo, Haru, Yadarakahime

Yokai Traits

Creatures of a wild variety of spirits
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 2.
Age. Yokai live an extremely long time, even longer than elves in some cases. It's not unheard of for one to live for 1000 years or more.
Alignment. Yokai are generally neutral and chaotic due to their wild nature and living outside the usual civilization.
Size. Yokai can vary in size, but they are never too small to spot usually. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You get additional modes of movement from your subraces.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Hybrid Nature. Your creature type is both monstrosity and humanoid.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Subrace. Choose from the Kappa, Tsukumogami, Mujina, Ookami and Nuppeppo subraces.

Yokai Traits

no idea

Ability score increase

+2 to Wisdom

Alignment

Chaotic neutral, true neutral, or chaotic alignments.

Darkvision

Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray

Hybrid nature

Hybrid Nature. Your creature type is both monstrosity and humanoid.