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Hey everyone! I've had a few weeks off from DMing my group for multiple reasons, and in that time I've been working on fleshing out some of Minkai's history and some new oni for players to fight, and I felt like sharing! The first tab will be for the oni, who I made using the monster creation guidelines in the bestiary. Now, I have not playtested any of them, so they might be horribly unbalanced, being either too weak or too strong. Feel free to try em out though!
The second tab will cover a list of emperor's I made, going back to the fall of the Teikoku Shogunate. The rulers tab has definite spoilers for the Jade Regent story, so players should probably avoid it! I think I included all the mentioned rulers in the books, but I might have missed a couple. The format for the emperors and empresses is; their ruling years (using the Imperial Calendar), name, gender, cause of death, alignment, age when they died, what their class levels were, and any titles they may have gone by. I also included a non canon event for Minkai, a civil war from 6569 to 6577 where four of the five families felt they had the right to rule. 6571 is known to Minkaian scholars as The Year of Five Rulers. Hopefully these inspire people for some adventure ideas!
Metal Yai CR 12
CE Large outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +18
DEFENSE
AC 26, 10 touch, 26 flat-footed (+6 armor, +1 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 160 (16d10+80); regeneration 5 (acid or sonic)
Fort +15, Ref +5, Will +12
DR 5/Adamantine; SR 23
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee mwk katana +21/+16/+11 (2d6+12)
Ranged metal missile +13 touch (4d6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +13)
Constant—fly
At will—darkness, invisibility (self only), passwall (stone only)
3/day—heat metal (DC 12), chill metal (DC 12), keen edge
1/day—iron body, wall of iron
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +12; CMB +20; CMD 30
Feats Power Attack, Iron Will, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow, Improved Initiative, Cleave, Great Fortitude, Intimidating Prowess
Skills Appraise +17, Bluff +16, Fly +17, Intimidate +24, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Perception +18, Stealth +11, Survival +18
Languages Common, Giant
SQ change shape (Medium, or Large humanoid, alter self or giant form I)
ECOLOGY
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, band (1 plus 4–8 cave giants), or tribe (1 plus 10–20 cave giants)
Treasure standard (breastplate, other)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Amorphous Weapon (Su) A metal yai's blade is an extension of itself. It can form any type of metal weapon to use from its own body, and can change weapon types as a move action. Metal Yai often prefer to use weapons that can be affected by their Keen Edge spell like ability. Weapons formed this way are always masterwork, and disappear back into the oni once slain.
Metal Missile (Su) As a swift action, a metal yai can launch a hunk of metal from its third eye. This metal can deal any type of physical damage, be it slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning. The oni chooses which type when forming the metal.
Armor Master (Ex) Metal Yai are never encumbered by armor that is primarily metal, and take no speed penalties, dexterity penalties, or armor check penalties when wearing metal armor.
Metal Yai are slothful but powerful oni. They take the form of cave giants when they manifest in the world, and use their brute powers to intimidate those whom they wish to dominate. Metal Yai stand around 12 feet tall, but are much heavier than most, weighing 4000 pounds. Their skin is the silver of polished steel, and their eyes a surprisingly vibrant blue.
Metal Yai represent the least of the yai, but they are still terrifying and strong opponents. Like all oni, Metal Yai crave rulership and material wealth, but are perhaps the most lax about acquiring such. Metal Yai would much rather have minions go out and conquer than lift a finger themselves, and want wealth to come to them. Oni scholars suggest that metal yai manifest underground so they have less distance to travel to reach gems, their favorite type of treasure. Most Metal Yai have extensive gem hordes, and decorate themselves with jewelry embedded with rare gems. This lust for gems often puts them at odds with Crystal Dragons and Xorns, who Metal Yai consider their greatest enemies outside of Earth Yai. Earth Yai and Metal Yai never cooperate, each seeing the other as their greatest competitors for minions, treasure, and areas to rule. A surefire way to infuriate a Metal Yai is to suggest that it is weaker than an Earth Yai, as true as that fact may be.
Metal Yai lack the charisma to have any sort true diplomatic ability, and lead only through strength and fear. They rarely use their alter shape ability, believing their true form to be the most intimidating and powerful form they could take. When they do change form, they become exceptionally muscular cave giants, and always make sure they are the largest of the giants they are leading. Subterfuge is beneath Metal Yai, and they would rather have their minions destroy an opponent with power than anything else.
Wood Yai CR 15
NE Huge Outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +23
DEFENSE
AC 28, 12 touch, 24 flat-footed (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +10 natural, +1 dodge, -2 size)
hp 230 (20d10+120); regeneration 5 (fire and acid)
Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +15
SR 26
Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (good) 40 ft. without armor
Melee mwk greatclub +29/+24/+19/+14 (3d8+12)
Ranged +1 composite longbow +25/+20/+15/+10 (3d6+8)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks underbrush form
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +18)
Constant—fly
At will—darkness, invisibility (self only), tree stride
3/day—quickened freedom of movement, contagion (DC 16), phantasmal killer (DC 16)
1/day—horrid wilting (DC 20)
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +20; CMB +30; CMD 46
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (composite longbow), Deadly Aim, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (stealth), Flyby Attack, Improved Natural Armor, Quicken Spell-Like Ability, Dodge
Skills Bluff +12, Fly +19, Handle Animal +12, Intimidate +22, Perception +23, Stealth +18, Survival +23
Racial Modifiers
Languages Common, Giant
SQ change shape (Medium, Large or Huge humanoid, alter self or giant form II)
ECOLOGY
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, or hunting party (2-3)
Treasure standard (+2 hide, +1 composite longbow [+7 str], mwk greatclub, other)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Vine Missile (Su) As a swift action, a wood yai can fire a seed from its third eye. This seed deals 4d6 bludgeoning damage, then grows very rapidly over the target. A creature struck by the seed must make a DC 26 reflex save or become entangled for 2d4 rounds. A creature can make a DC 26 strength check to burst the vines, or deal 30 slashing damage to the vines to destroy them. This attack has a range of 180 feet and no range increment.
Underbrush Form (Sp) As a standard action, a wood yai can become a patch of tangling underbrush. In this form it is treated as being under the effects of gaseous form, but it cannot fly and instead has a move speed of 10 feet. Those who enter its space are treated as entering the area of an entangle spell. Those who fail the save in this area take 2d4 damage and must make a DC 26 fortitude save or be poisoned by sassone leaf residue. This poison is more virulent than normal, and has no onset period, as well as a frequency of 1/round for 6 rounds. The effect and cure are the same.
Vicious, cruel, and psychotic would be appropriate adjectives to describe a Wood Yai. Loners of deep forests and jungles, Wood Yai are obsessed with the darkest aspects of the nature they inhabit, such as rot and death. Wood Yai manifest as Jungle Giants, standing 19 feet tall and weighing 4500 pounds. Their skin is a dark green, and their eyes a pale yellow.
Wood Yai are unique among oni in that they don't wish to rule over anyone. Presumed to manifest from the maddest and most insane of oni spirits, Wood Yai still crave material wealth and dominions to rule over, but they have no desire to be worshipped. The point of a life is to be snuffed out, which a Wood Yai does with glee. They pick out an area to claim as their own, and stalk any creatures that enter and slay them. Unfortunately for travelers, Wood Yai do not care to actually mark what they consider their territory, and by the time most folks realize they are in a Wood Yai's domain it is far to late. Their hunting technique is rarely swift, and a Wood Yai goes out of its way to draw out a death when it can. A Wood Yai's home is a self built palace of death and despair, often built of bones, rotted wood and fungus. When it comes to acquiring wealth, Wood Yai primarily take what they can from those who they hunt, feeling that only they deserve wealth where everyone else deserves to die. On rare occasions they go out of their territories to kill and steal from woodland communities, and these times are the few when Wood Yai team up with others. These cooperations never last long and often end messily, with Wood Yai squabbling over treasure. The only other times Wood Yai work together are when they hunt a creature too powerful to kill alone, but still deserves to die for reasons unknown to anyone but the Yai themselves. Other oni dislike working with Wood Yai, as they usually kill too many valuable minions or playthings, but will occasionally attempt to use Wood Yai as assassins to murder opposition.
Another trait that separates Wood Yai from other oni is that they are often religious. While most worship the mere concept of death, worshippers or Cyth-V'sug, Fumeiyoshi, Lady Nanbyo, or Apollyon are not uncommon.
Hitokuchi CR 10
CE Large Outsider (giant, native, oni, shapechanger)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +24
DEFENSE
AC 23, 10 touch, 22 flat-footed (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 110 (13d10+39); regeneration 5 (fire and acid)
Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +11
Defensive Abilities ferocity SR 21
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee Bite +23 (2d6+12 plus grab/19-20), 2 claws +21 (1d6+8 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks swallow whole (6d6+9 plus 6d6 acid, 15 AC, 11 hp)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +11)
At will—invisibility (self only)
3/day—see invisibility, bull's strength, silence (DC 13), fly
1/day—waves of fatigue (DC 16), true strike
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 12
Base Atk +13; CMB +19 (+21 grapple); CMD 30 (32 vs. grapple)
Feats Improved Natural Attack, Weapon Focus (bite), Greater Weapon Focus (bite), Improved Critical (bite), Lightning Reflexes, Intimidating Prowess, Improved Grapple
Skills Bluff +4, Fly +12, Intimidate +22, Perception +24, Stealth +7, Survival +16
Racial Modifiers +8 perception
Languages Common, Giant
SQ change shape (Medium or Large humanoid, alter self or giant form I)
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate hills
Organization solitary, band (1 plus 2-4 cyclopses) or tribe (2-3 plus 5-8 cyclopses and 7-10 hill giants)
Treasure standard (studded leather, other)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Brutal Bite (Ex) Hitokuchi add 1.5 times their strength modifier to damage on bite attacks.
Bestial brutes, Hitokuchi are oni that manifest into cyclops forms. Instantly recognizable in its true form, it has ruddy red skin, large claws, a single golden eye, and a ravenous maw that almost constantly slavers. Hitokuchi stand 10 feet tall and weigh 1000 pounds.
The primary driving force of a hitokuchi is hunger. They crave all the world's food, and savor the taste of blood and the feeling of bones crunching between their teeth. This cruel beast's appetite is only sated after devouring a village, and even that doesn't last long. Though dull witted, a hitokuchi has a cruel cunning about it, and those who underestimate it often find themselves trapped inside its stomach. Hitokuchi truly enjoy the look of terror on a surprised victims face, and often use their invisibility and silence powers to sneak up on prospective meals at night, and eat unsuspecting meals one at a time. Alternatively, hitokuchi also enjoy disguising themselves as humans, gaining trust, then shattering that trust by transforming when alone with their dinner. In areas where hitokuchi are a known menace, people often have elaborate meal etiquette to root out a disguised oni, as a hitokuchi cannot tolerate waiting or manners when food is present.
Though it takes the form of a cyclops, a hitokuchi shares none of the cyclops' oracular powers. They tend to rule over tribes of cyclopses with power over anything else, and use these minions to terrorize countrysides and gather all meals to them. Just as there are greater cyclopses in the world, so too are there greater hitokuchi. These gargantuan monsters are hunger given flesh, and their ravenous tirades can bring countries to their knees. Thankfully, they are exceptionally rare, and are found only in the dark and truly wild places of the world, where there is enough prey to fulfill their unending appetites.
6083-6116- Shogun Teikoku Sokai, M, Killed in revolution, CE, 59, Wizard 15/Aristocrat 3
6116-6119- Setsuna Kuga, Regent, F, Gave up title, died of old age, LG, 108, Samurai 20/Champion 6, "The Perfect Swordswoman"
6119-6152- Amatastu Jiro, M, Old age, LG, 89, Aristocrat 5/Samurai 13
6152-6175- Amatastu Hime, F, Old Age, NG, 73, Aristocrat 8/Bard 5
6175-6180- Amatastu Nara, M, Died at sea, LN, 55, Samurai 7/Ranger 7
6180-6382- Amatatsu Maemi, F, Taken by devils, LE, 251, Cleric of Mahathallah 7/Diabolist 8, "The Barren Empress"
6382-6387- Sugimatu Yoshie, F, Disease, NG, 34, Aristocrat 7, "The Six Springs Empress"
6387-6390- Sugimatu Takamura, M, Killed in an avalanche, NG, 32, Aristocrat 9
6390-6433- Sugimatu Kojima, M, Old age, CG, 75, Fighter 5/Rogue 4/Aristocrat 4
6433-6445- Sugimatu Kairi, F, Heart Attack, CN, 57, Aristocrat 13, "The Empress of Pleasant Rains"
6445-6445- Sugimatu Taro, M, Suicide, N, 30, Aristocrat 10/Adept 2
6445-6525- Sugimatu Nobinoru, M, Old Age, NE, 110, Aristocrat 18, Originally "The Emperor of Eternal Peace", but revoked for genocide
6525-6530- Higashiyama Kansai, M, Old Age, LN, 72, Monk 5/ Aristocrat 11
6530-6544- Higashiyama Maru, M, Killed by Oni, CG, 46, Samurai 10/Aristocrat 3
6544-6566- Higashiyama Haruna, F, Heart Attack, NG, 67, Bard 8/Aristocrat 7
6566-6569- Higashiyama Cho, F, Killed by Amatatsu Daisuke N, 49, Oracle 9/Aristocrat 8, "The Mad Empress"
6569-6571- Amatatsu Daisuke, M, Killed by Shojinawa Shinju, LE, 28 Samurai 14, "The Thrice Damned Emperor"
6571-6571- Shojinawa Shinju, M, Assassinated by Shojinawa Sota, LN, 40, Samurai 15
6571-6571- Shojinawa Sota, F, Killed by Teikoku Kazuma, CE, 33, Ninja 14, "The Great Traitor"
6571-6571- Teikoku Kazuma, M, Killed in the Battle of the Burning Canals, CN, 29, Barbarian 14
6571-6574- Shojinawa Takehiko, M, Killed by Higashiyama Natsuko, NE, 31, Sorcerer 15, "The Dragon Emperor"
6574-6575- Higashiyama Natsuko, F, Killed by Teikoku Kiyoshi, NE, 59, Cleric of Lady Nanbyo 16
6575-6577- Teikoku Kiyoshi, F, Struck by lightning, LE, 31, Witch 15
6577-6602- Amatatsu Onoko, F, Old Age, LG, 70, Paladin of Shizuru 14/Aristocrat 3, "Handmaiden to the Goddess"
6602-6639- Amatatsu Satomi, F, Old Age, NG, 87, Aristocrat 9/Bard 7, "The Peach Empress"
6639-6649- Amatastu Yajirobe, M, Murdered by Yua, LE, 68, Aristocrat 8/Magus 8
6649-6656- Amatatsu Yuusuke, M, Old Age, NG, 70, Aristocrat 15
6656-6662- Amatatsu Jabura, M, Died on expedition to Darklands, CN, 41, Samurai 10/Aristocrat 7, "The Wandering Emperor"
6662-6668- Teikoku Mashiba, M, Killed by bandits, CG, 36, Bard 4/Aristocrat 13
6668-6687- Teikoku Kenshiro, M, Disease, CG, 31, Samurai 1/Aristocrat 11, "The Unprepared Heir"
6687-6712- Shojinawa Kohaku, M, Old Age, LN, 75, Aristocrat 16, "The Emperor in Silver"
6712-6740- Shojinawa Haruko, F, Old Age, LG, 80, Aristocrat 12/Wizard 3
6740-6747- Shojinawa Kenshiro, M, Killed by Anamurumon, LN, 35, Aristocrat 10/Samurai 6, "The Do-Nothing Emperor"
6747-6765- Shojinawa Doro, M, Poisoned by Ito, NG, 45, Aristocrat 13
6765-6871- Shojinawa Ito, M, Killed by Sovereign Dragon, NE, 131, Lich Sorcerer 14/Archmage 4, "The Dark Emperor"
6871-6873- Kinoshita Moru, Regent, F, NG, Aristocrat 3/Expert 6
6873-6887- Sugimatu Ippo, M, Old Age, LG, 95, Aristocrat 9/Cleric of Shizuru 7
6887-6910- Sugimatu Tatanga, M, Old Age, LG, 88, Aristocrat 12/Monk 4
6910-6917- Sugimatu Kobashi, M, Drank himself to death, CG, 66, Aristocrat 14/Bard 2, "The Emperor of the Sake Sea"
6917-6945- Sugimatu Kumi, F, Disappeared, NG, 48, Cleric of Shelyn 6/Evangelist 8, "Shelyn's Chosen"
6945-6958- Teikoku Yuri, F, Chemical Accident, CN, 27, Aristocrat 3/Alchemist 10
6958-7005- Teikoku Honjo, M, Old Age, LN, 67, Fighter 4/Aristocrat 10
7005-7056- Teikoku Kagome, F, Old Age, N, 96, Samurai 20, "Grandmother Judge"
7056-7095- Teikoku Osma, M, Old Age, LG, 78, Wizard 9/Aristocrat 8
7095-7106- Teikoku Takamura, M, Killed in storm, NE, 41, Rogue 4/Aristocrat 4/Shadowdancer 7, "The Hidden Lord"
7106-7127- Higashiyama Sakura, F, Killed in landslide, LG, 41, Aristocrat 14
7127-7139- Higashiyama Samae, F, Killed by Anamurumon, LN, 24, Oracle 11/Aristocrat 5, "The Child Empress"
7139-7168- Higashiyama Tenma, M, Heart Attack, CN, 59, Aristocrat 10/Fighter 7
7168-7208- Higashiyama Raijin, M old age LN 98 Aristocrat 18
7208-7208- Higashiyama Shigure, murdered, M, LN, 24, Aristocrat 14
7208-? - Soto Takahiro, Regent, M, LE, Samurai 15
Appreciate your work. Thanks a lot!
What are the sources for emperors list if I may ask? An impressive work.
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Those Oni will be useful in the JR campaign I'm going to start running again in a few months. Thank you! :)
Glad you guys like em! For a source, I wouldn't say there was anything in specific. Probably 7 or 8 of those rulers were mentioned in The Empty Throne, and other than that I just used names I've read before or randomly generated ones. For classes, I tried to cover all the base classes at least once, and it seems like the rulers of nations are generally between CR 10 and CR 15 so that was my area that I tried to work in. And with alignments, I aimed to have some balance, but mostly skewed towards LG, NG and LN. Other than those guidelines, I just kind of made up stuff that I thought would be cool and lead to potential adventures!
Probably the only tricky thing about the list was figuring out inheritance. While it's clear that when the ruler dies their oldest child inherits the throne, what happens if they don't have kids? When does a different imperial family take the throne? For the first question, I just assumed that if the ruler doesn't have kids, their younger sibling would inherit. For the second, I went with the fact that the Jade Throne is an artifact, so if it's displeased with the potential next ruler (or the current imperial family in general) it won't give it's powers to them, which is a signal to change things up. The families then go through rituals to determine the best possible candidate for the throne, and blessings are eventually given.
You're supposed to get the blessings of the ancestors of the five families before you can ascend to the throne - I assume this applies even if you're a direct heir. So this gives opportunities for the normal successor to be rejected, at which point rival candidates can make their claim.
True, the blessings are required for legitimacy of rule. That does lead to some potential complications in the list, and could lead to much higher variance of which families have ruled and for how long. That being said, this is more just for fun, and I made it running under the assumption that for most of history, blessings were given to the next in line.
KetchupKing
Rulers of Minkai:
Wow! Amazing! And very helpful. Thanx.