| Demon Shintai |
| Quite simply, this Discipline allows the P'o to manifest itself in the Kuei-jin's body. When the Discipline is activated, the character assumes a monsterous form, appearing as nothing less than a demon-spirit from the Yomi World. * +1 str, dex, sta ** +1 str *** +1 sta **** +1 str ***** +1 dex ***** * +1 sta ***** ** +1 dex ***** *** +1 str ***** **** +1 str, sta Characteristics These are the sample characteristics of the Demon form. Claws: The individual grows claws inflicting Str +2 aggrivated damage. Demon Armor: The demon armor may appear as scales, ornate samurai armor, or anything else, and it gives +1 to soak (may be taken multiple times). Demon Armor soaks aggrivated damage. Demon Weapon: A mystical weapon appears in the individual's hand. Such a weapon blazes with Chi, emits frightful moans, is covered in leering faces, etc. This weapon may be and handheld weapon (no missles or firearms). Damage is per the weapon type and is aggrivated. Extra Arms: Two extra arms sprout from the individual's torso. The individual gains two extra dice when grappling or to simulate multiple attacks. Foulness: The demon form is exceedingly unclean: perhaps encrusted in dired blood and pieces of flesh, perhaps surrounded in a mephitic cloud, etc. Any opponents within five feet of the demon suffer a one-die penalty to all Dice Pools, unless they are also in Demon Shintai form. Horror: The shintai may afflict humans with effects similar to Delirium. This effect is constant. The Host: Fanged, demonic faces sprout from the individual's back, torso, and limbs. These faces can inflict automatic bite damage (Str +1 aggrivated) on grappling opponents. Huge Size: The individual gains three Bruised health levels. He is between 9 and 12 feet tall, and he resembles a Japanese oni or similar demon. Maw: The individual's mouth distends and sprouts terrible teeth, perhaps even tusks. The individual's bite inflicts Str +3 aggrivated damage. Spikes: The individual's body is covered with spikes (or perhaps nails, razors, barbs, etc.). Body-slams inflict aggrivated damage. Tail: The individual grows a tail. This tail is prehensile and can wield weapons; it can also bash opponents or perform appropriate Martial arts maneuvers (legsweeps, etc.), provided the person knows the manuever. The tail can even sprout a scorpion stinger if the character so desires. Third Eye: The individual sprouts a third eye in the middle of his forehead. This effect is not the Soul Discipline Chi'ih Muh, but a specific demonic investment. It grants better perception. Wings: Batlike pinions stretch from the individual's back. The individual can fly -- clumsily -- at a speed of 25 mph. Antennae: The individual grows insect-like antennae. This increases perception by 1. Enlarged Body Part: One of the individual's body parts is much larger then normal. It is terrifyingly swollen, and often covered with sores or shot through with ugly-looking veins. The exact part is up to the player; examples include head (+1 perception), torso (+1 to soak), and legs (+1 Str for jumping). Eyes of Horror: The individual's demonic eyes hold a suggestion of terror and madness for anyone who gazes into them. They can be any color the character wishes and any form but the effect is the same. Anyone with whom the character makes eye-to-eye contact with succumbs to the effects of extreme fear. Typically this means they will run (if possible) or cower or faint (if not). Form of the Yamamatsu(prerequisite: Demon Shintai ****): The Kuei-jin's demonic body becomes rubbery and flabby, almost fluid in places, giving him a horrifying distorted appearance. This form offers great stamina (+2 to soak for non-aggrivated damage). Furthermore, the individual may stretch his limbs (but not his neck) for up to one foot, and can squeeze through much smaller spaces than he could otherwise. Hive Body: Small sphincters on the demonic body release tiny, horrid animals. Snakes, spiders, bees and bats are all common manifestations of this bizarre power. Typically, the Kuei-jin with this power releases the equivalent of a small swarm of these creatures. Horns: The individual sprouts horms from his head. They can be short or long, smooth or jagged, straight or crooked, multi-pronged or single-pronged, as the character wishes. Reguardless of their form or nature, these horns inflict STR +1 aggrivated damage when the user performs headbutts, charges, or similar maneuvers. Mandibles: The individual has insect-like mandibles. His bite inflicts STR +3 aggrivated damage. Multiple Heads(prerequisite: Demon Shintai *****): The individual grows one or more extra heads, the limit being 7. For every extra head, the character gains +1 Perception. Poisoned Fangs(prerequisites: Mandibles or Maw, Demon Shintai ***** *): The fangs in the individual's mouth become especially large, sharp and caustic. The individual's bite now inflicts STR +4 aggrivated damage, and injects a poison into teh victim's body. To activate the venom, one Yin Chi must be spent. The poison does STR +1 lethal damage. The poison does not work on Kuei-jin or Kin-Jin due to the lack of a normal, living circulatory system, but other supernaturals can be affected. Spikes: Other suggestions for spikes (i.e. bodily growths or forms that cause damage upon impact) include body hair as stiff and sharp as barbed wire; abrasive skin like that of a shark; fiery-hot or icy-cold skin; broken glass or similar objects embedded into the body. Spurting Tendrils(prerequisite: Demon Shintai ****): Tentacles, tendrils, fingers, sphincters or other apparatus disgorge gouts of acid or poison. Such sprays count as ranged attacks, inflicting 4 lethal damage and spraying up to 20 feet. Suckers(prerequisite: Tentacles, Form of the Yamamatsu or Foulness; Demon Shintai ***** **): The individual's arms or other limbs are covered with suckers similar to tiny lamprey mouths. They can aid with climbing or grappling (+1 either way) and inflict one level of aggrivated damage per round to grabbed characters. (They latch on and leech blood; this requires skin-to-skin contact, however.) Suppurating Pustules(prerequisites: Foulness, Demon Shintai *****): The individual's demon body is covered with oozing sores and wounds. The pus that drips from them is acidic; it does two lethal damage to anyone or anything that touches it. Tentacles: The individual grows loathsome, slime-covered tentacles. At levels one through five of mastery, these tentacles replace the user's arms; at level six and above, the individual grows one tentacle for each level of mastery above fifth in addition to his arms. The tentacles are one foot long for each level of mastery and considered to have +2 STR for grabbing, squeezing, and crushing; however, their ability to handle small objects, manipulate levers, punch keys on a keyboard, and the like is much less than that of normal arms and hands. if the tentacles are in addition to the individual's arms (lvl 6+), he gains two extra dice for grappling (to simulate extra attacks). Wing Spines(prerequisites: Wings, Demon Shintai ***):The individual's wings sprout spiny, finger-like spurs. This has two effects. First, they can be used as crude claws, doing STR -1 aggrivated damage. Second, they can carry small objects (nothing bigger or heavier than, say, a pistol or a full can of beer). |