Oni

Oni are savage lesser spirits who use strength and magic to terrorize the lands they claim. A common oni is a hugely muscled humanoid 7 to 8 feet tall with coarse-haired limbs, grimy claws and hooked toenails. Skin is usually red, though purple, orange, black and green occur; blue ones are better known as ogre magi, as akin to western ogres as to oni. One to three bulging eyes, broad pointed ears, often one or two horns, and long golden or ivory fangs make a dreadful face, framed by shoulder-length black, green or silver hair, sometimes braided. They dress like local humans but filthier: peasant smocks near poor farms, or arm bands, armor scraps and insignia taken from slain soldiers near a garrison.

Common oni speak their own language plus the local human tongue and those of hengeyokai, bakemono and tengu. Their booming voices carry far; a snore rumbles like thunder and a laugh shakes leaves from trees.

Most are cruel and bloodthirsty, fighting for food and for the pleasure of bullying. A common oni typically swings two two-handed swords at once, though any large weapon serves, and can claw. At will it causes fear; three times daily it may fly or polymorph self; twice daily it turns invisible; once daily it uses cloud trapeze on itself. One in twenty can spit molten copper once a day at a target within 10 feet, needing a normal attack roll and dealing 4d6.

Hungry or angry, it charges like a mad beast, but bands can be sly: one polymorphs into a friendly farmer to chat with a traveler while invisible companions close from behind. If things go badly, one escapes by cloud trapeze to fetch goblin rats or other help. A group has a 10% chance of 2d10 lesser servants (1d6: goblin rats on 1-3, bakemono on 4-5, jiki-niku-gaki on 6), and every lair has 4d10 goblin rats or bakemono (even odds) attending the court.

Oni are proud and resent blame for crimes not theirs. One tale tells of an oni framed by a criminal gang; though it loved being feared, it refused to carry their guilt, allied with sympathetic humans to destroy the gang, parted from them honorably, then resumed its evil ways.

Most scholars think oni are corrupted spirits of wicked humans; others say the celestial court of heaven made them to test the virtuous and balance good and evil. They thrive in most temperate eastern lands, haunting mountains, ruins and reputedly haunted sites, lonely roads by a gate or shrine, or a city's empty buildings and worst slums. Rarely one rules a village, disguised as a human tyrant or openly if arrogant enough.

Bands of up to 100 are led jointly by the largest and wisest. Females equal males in strength and command, and males sometimes wed human women. Oni love music and dance, stomping and singing for hours to red and blue flutes after a victory or a rich find, and anyone who interrupts earns their fury. They covet all treasure, burying it in iron chests near the lair or swallowing it.

Rumor places, far out in the celestial sea, an island of elderly oni retired from strife, with black diamond mountains, molten silver rivers and crimson beaches, all ringed by an iron gate and guarded by thousands of foot-tall black oni as strong as full-sized ones. No visiting human has ever returned.

Huge eaters, oni consume any game or livestock, favoring deer, cattle, big birds and sheep, and humans and humanoids too. Legend says a thirsty oni once drank a whole lake, then coughed it back up laughing. Besides gaki, goblin rats and bakemono, they ally with any evil being that profits them, and they love black animals, often stopping to admire and talk to crows, black snakes or black cats.

The mightiest oni, go-zu are not masterless but loyal soldiers of the celestial court. Larger and bulkier than common oni, with dark orange, gray or purple skin, they have the heads of bulls, broad-snouted and small-eared, with a pair of long horns, and wear fine robes and gleaming armor befitting the heavenly emperor's servants. They speak every human tongue plus those of oni, tengu, bakemono, all animals and the heavenly court. Armed with naginata, halberds, spears, tridents or two-handed swords, they make two weapon or hand attacks and one gore. At will they fly, become invisible, polymorph self, cause fear and cast fire shuriken; twice daily they use cloud trapeze on themselves. They see invisible things automatically, have hill giant Strength and regenerate 3 hp per round. With the me-zu they form the bulk of the emperor's army against rebellion, and they also govern the realms of the departed, escorting unwilling souls there. Their homes are at the heavenly court, not on the Prime Material.

Me-zu outrank and command go-zu. Bigger still, with hornless horse heads, they understand and speak every language and always appear on a specific heavenly mission, tolerating no meddling from mortals or lesser beings. Besides go-zu weapons they wield lassos and whips. At will they fly, polymorph self, cause fear and become invisible; three times daily each they can go astral, go ethereal or use cloud trapeze on themselves. They cast as 10th-level eastern sorcerers, commonly using animate fire, creeping darkness, dancing blade, fiery eyes, fire breath, fire ruin, fire shuriken, hold person, melt, polymorph other, wall of fire and whip. True seeing is always active for them, they have stone giant Strength, and they too regenerate 3 hp each round.