Kiseichuu Yuurei

The problem comes when the child comes back.

Originally Posted by Bhu of the Giant in the Playground Forums.

On this Thread

Most parents want to protect their children, and some of their offspring have learned to take advantage of this. Among them the so called ‘Parasite Singles’ of Japan, children who live with their parents until they get married or even well into their thirties. They don’t pay rent, or help with the chores, and many don’t even have jobs. Even those who do find employment usually fritter away their money. Some even become ‘Hikikomori’, shut-in’s who refuse to leave the house for any reason. Such people are a strain on their well meaning elders, and their insanity has a way of inspiring tragic decisions when a formerly well meaning parent has been driven over the edge by a parasitic child who seems hell-bent on draining the life from them. They murder their children in quiet ways, such as poison or a pillow over the face, and bury the body within the house somewhere to avoid suspicion. After all their child is already a mentally disturbed recluse, so initially no one suspects anything.

Our daughter Sadako does not see anyone, not even those she went to school with

But a letter arrived from her in our village some weeks ago saying she was in some sort of trouble. Is she home?”

You are mistaken somehow. Sadako does not live here anymore, and would see no one if she did.

But I was told she still resided here

Walk away.

What!

Walk away while the choice is still yours.

Who is at the door father?

The Yurei are the ghosts of those who have died suddenly, usually by violent means, and who can find no peace or closure. Unable to move on to the next life, they torment the living, in this case their parents. Eternally hungry the child now forces it’s parents to find it food, specifically the living. Initially it will be satisfied by small things like animals, but eventually it will want children, and then adults. And if the parents refuse, it can punish them by draining their life away. Being obsessed with revenge the ghost will torment them every night in some way, and make life for those nearby horrifying as well. At some point either an exorcist will successfully destroy it, or it will devour the whole village. Many will not ask for help as they will be terrified of the consequences should he exorcist fail. They will turn into traps, designed to feed any strangers to the ghost in an attempt to appease it. Most feel pressured to do it either by shame, or by fear. Regardless of which they end up bound to a dead tyrant
who becomes far worse in death than it was in life.

Kiseichuu Yuurei
Medium undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice	10d12 (65 hp)
Initiative	+4
Speed	Fly 80 ft (16 squares)
Armor Class	19 (+4 Dexterity, +5 Deflection), touch 19, flat-footed 15
Armor Class (Corporeal)	19 (+4 Dexterity, +5 Natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple	+5/-(+10 Corporeal)
Attack	Touch +9 melee touch (1d4 Constitution)
Attack (Corporeal)	Claw +10 melee (1d4+5)
Full Attack	Touch +9 melee touch (1d4 Constitution)
Full Attack (Corporeal)	2 Claws +10 melee (1d4+5)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Corporeal Manifestation, Terrifying Presence, Draining Touch, Bound by Death
Special Qualities	Dark Vision 60′, Rejuvenation, Life Sense 60’, Turn Immunity, Weaknesses
Saves	Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +12
Abilities	Strength – (20 Corporeal), Dexterity 18, Constitution -, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 20, Charisma 20
Skills	Bluff +18, Craft (any one) +15, Diplomacy +18, Hide +25, Intimidate +25, Listen +18, Move Silently +25, Search +15, Sense Motive +18, Spot +18
Feats	Ability Focus (Terrifying Presence), Flyby Attack, Necrotic Reserve*
Environment	Any
Organization	Solitary
Challenge Rating	8
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always Neutral Evil
Advancement	11+ HD (Medium) or by Class
Level Adjustment	—–

* See Libris Mortis.

Corporeal Manifestation (Su): Similar to the Manifestation ability used by Ghosts (see page 118 of the MM), except that the Kiseichuu Yuurei can Manifest as a physical being (temporarily giving up it’s Incorporeal Subtype).

Terrifying Presence (Su): As a Free Action at will a Kiseichuu can warp and bend perception around her causing hallucinations as well as magically generating waves of terror. Any being within 60′ of the Kiseichuu Yuurei must make a DC 22 Willpower Save (Save DC is Charisma Based) or be Panicked as long as they remain within range of this ability, and for 1d3 rounds after they leave. The Kiseichuu Yuurei often uses this ability while grappling with opponents to prevent them from fleeing, causing them to die from a heart attack. If the opponent rolls a natural 1 on their Saving Throw they must make a DC 22 Fortitude Save (Save DC is Charisma Base) or die instantly. If they succeed in the Save they take 3d6 damage instead.

Draining Touch (Su): A Kiseichuu Yuurei is compelled to feed upon the lives of living beings, and is rarely satisfied regardless of how many it kills. It may drain up to 1d4 Constitution with a Touch attack if it’s opponent fails a DC 20 Will Save (Save DC is Charisma Based). It only requires 1 Constitution per day to maintain it’s Lifelike Appearance, though this does not satisfy it, and the Kiseichuu Yuurei must make a DC 25 Willpower Save to avoid simply draining an opponent dry if it has the chance, or if it has gone more than a day without feeding. It is rare that they will murder their family in this manner, as it intends for them to live so it can torture them (Save DC to avoid killing opponents they want revenge on for their death is only DC 10).

Bound by Death (Ex): Anyone who participated or aided in the murder of the Kiseichuu Yuurei, or knew about it and stood by doing nothing receives no Saving throw against the monsters Special Attacks gained as Racial abilities (i.e. Terrifying Presence, Draining Touch and any abilities added by templates). If the Kiseichuu Yuurei learns any spells/powers/abilities gained via classes after dying, those Bound to it by death are -2 on their Saving throws against them.

Rejuvenation (Su): This is identical to the Ghost ability listed on page 118 of the MM. Since the Kiseichuu Yuurei wants it’s family and friends to suffer before dying, getting it to let go of this world will be difficult, and may require a wish spell or an Ofuda (see below). In some cases murdering the Kiseichuu Yuurei’s killers may be enough to drive it away, though few resort to such tragic circumstances.

Life Sense (Su): A Kiseichuu Yuurei can sense all living creatures within 60′ as if it had Blindsight, and may also determine the strength of their life force as if it had cast deathwatch.

Weaknesses (Ex): If an Ofuda is attached to the entrance of a building the Kiseichuu Yuurei may not enter it. An Ofuda is a mystic talisman made of paper, wood, cloth, or metal with the name of a Kami, a Shinto shrine, or a representative of the Kami inscribed on it (effectively it’s a form of Holy symbol). To place an Ofuda on the head of a Kiseichuu Yurei is normally a Dexterity check (your DC is 10 plus half the Kiseichuu Yuurei’s Hit Dice plus it’s Dexterity Modifier). If you successfully Feint the round before attempting this the DC does not include the Dexterity Modifier. The Ofuda will do 1d6 damage per round it remains on the Kiseichuu Yuurei, which must make a DC 25 Willpower Save to remove it. If a Kiseichuu Yuurei is brought to -10 hit points, and an Ofuda is placed upon it’s forehead it will be destroyed. Grappling a Kiseichuu Yuurei to make putting the Ofuda on it’s head easier is largely pointless, since it will dematerialize if it knows what you’re trying to do.

Lifelike (Su): When manifested Kiseichuu Yuurei appear to be alive and healthy. They are warm to the touch, and even appear to breathe. But this is illusion. Anyone who suspects them can make a Willpower Save ( DC is 10 plus half hit dice plus Charisma modifier) to see through it. In which case they see the Kiseichuu Yuurei as he was when she died, with pale skin, and an inhuman countenance. The Kiseichuu Yuurei cannot maintain this facade if it has been more than 2 weeks without feeding, or on Hallowed ground. If a Kiseichuu Yuurei has fed within the last hour it’s Lifelike Appearance cannot be seen through, and it can even sire children (said progeny have the Half Ghost Template). After that hour it may be seen though as normal. Spells that would detect it’s undead nature or health or alignment do not work upon it well. The Kiseichuu Yuurei gets a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus spell level plus appropriate attribute modifier) to control what information its opponent receives.

Skills: Kiseichuu Yuurei gain a +8 Racial Bonus on Hide, Intimidate and Move Silently checks.

Combat: The Kiseichuu Yuurei will pretend to be an ordinary (if very odd) villager while it scouts the abilities of the PC’s. If it thinks they are too powerful to cross, they will never encounter it if the Yurei can help it. Otherwise it will try to pick them off one by one in the middle of the night when they are sleeping, or bully the parents/townsfolk into murdering them. After all in all likelihood the PC’s will believe they have destroyed the Kiseichuu Yuurei only for it to reappear after they have left (and in a vengeful mood).

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (religion) may have heard the stories about the Kiseichuu Yuurei. When the character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

DC	Lore
20	Some children sponge off their parents long after they should have left the house, seeming to suffer from some sort of mysterious depression. Occasionally one is murdered after driving the parents out of their minds, and it returns as an undead..
25	The Kiseichuu Yuurei are incredibly difficult to get rid of, and trying to face one without Divine aid is almost impossible. Terror emanates from hem in waves, and even if you can get past it to get at them simply destroying it’s physical manifestation will not be enough to be rid of it..
30	The Kiseichuu Yuurei is bound to this world by the need for revenge on it’s murderers. Destroying them may get rid of it. If not an Ofuda placed on it’s head or a wish spell may be required to finally lay it to rest..

Plot Hook

• After many months away adventuring one of the PC’s returns home to find his family shattered. His parents are in very poor health, and his younger sister has changed, being a half insane recluse who viciously drives her mother and father out to work despite their condition. Eventually he finds his sister eating a small child before fleeing when she notices him, and he confronts his father to be told tearfully “We’re sorry…” before his father flings himself from the window without further explanation. Distraught at the funeral, his mother is little help in providing an explanation much like the other villagers who seem terrified of speaking.
• Stopping at an Inn the PC’s are waited on by an elderly couple who seem to ask a few too many personal questions in between slavishly waiting on their daughter hand and foot. Before retiring a village boy pulls one of them to the side and tells them to leave while they can, or the daughter of the Innkeeper will come for him in the night…
• The PC’s come upon a dead town. Seemingly deserted there are signs of former occupation everywhere, with valuables left behind, and obvious signs of occasional struggle. There are also a great many graves. Staying in the towns largest hall they come upon a stack of corpses in the basement that look like something just sucked them dry. Hiding in the same house is a young girl who appears to be mute and in shock. A young girl who seems particularly terrified of the parties priest.
• The PC’s have been defending a town from raiding brigands for weeks on end. They don’t seem interested in taking food or valuables, just people. Asked to help negotiate peace, the tearful leader of the raiders asks the PC’s to murder his daughter and he will gladly stop raiding. Should the PC’s say they don’t murder the innocent they will be informed that his daughter is neither innocent nor living…and the people they’ve been kidnapping are to feed to her to prevent her from devouring the whole clan.