Monsters in the Usagi Yojimbo Rpg

USAGI YOJIMBO TM MONSTERS! An Usagi Yojimbo Role Playing Game Sourcebook This book contains material written for use with CREDITS the Usagi Yojimbo Author: Jared Smith Roleplaying Game Additional Material: Jason P. Prince and Mark and other Fuzion- Arsenault powered products. Cover Art: Stan Sakai This book also Cover Coloring: Tom Luth contains additional Cover Design: Mark Arsenault material written for Interior Illustrations: Stan Sakai use with the Editor: Mark Arsenault D20 System Editorial Contributions: Geoff Berman and Jason and FUDGE. P. Prince Layout: Mark Arsenault Author’s Dedication: For my brother Jason and the adventures we’ve shared. Copyright 2000 by Gold Rush Games. All rights reserved under International Copyright Convention. Gold Rush Games is a division of Gold Rush Entertainment, Inc. Usagi Yojimbo and all characters and their likenesses are trademarks owned by and/or copyright by Usagi Studios. Used under license; all rights reserved. Instant Fuzion and Fuzion are trademarks of The FUZION Labs Group. Used under license; all rights reserved. All situations, incidents and persons portrayed within are fictional and any similarity without satiric intent to individuals living or dead is strictly coincidental. “D20 System” and the “D20 System” Trademark logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission. The use of the D20 System Trademark and other copyrights and trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast is done according to the terms of the D20 System Trademark License Agreement version 1.0. A copy of this License can be found at www.wizards.com. Published and distributed by Gold Rush Games, PO Box 2531, Elk Grove, CA 95759-2531; (916) 684-9443 (Tel/Fax); [email protected]. Visit our web site at www.goldrushgames.com. Visit the Usagi Yojimbo Dojo, the official Usagi Yojimbo web site at www.usagiyojimbo.com. Stock # U101E 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................. 3 MONSTERS IN THE USAGI YOJIMBO RPG .................... 3 Reflections and Shadows ........... 4 Scriptures as Protection.............. 4 Fighting Monsters ........................ 5 GM Tips ......................................... 5 Notes for the GM .......................... 6 Format of This Book .................... 6 NEW SPECIES, JOBS AND SPECIAL ABILITIES ............. 7 New Species ................................. 7 Boar ............................................. 7 Ferret ........................................... 7 Goat ............................................ 8 Lion ............................................. 8 New Jobs ...................................... 9 Sohei ........................................... 9 Bonze/Ama (Priest/Nun) ........... 10 New Skills ................................... 10 Buddhism .................................. 10 Folklore ......................................11 Physician ....................................11 New Special Abilities ................. 12 Exorcism ................................... 12 THE MONSTERS .................13 Bakemono-sho ........................... 13 Beast, The ................................... 14 Hannya ........................................ 16 Hebi ............................................. 18 Jikininki ....................................... 21 Jikumo ......................................... 22 Kappa .......................................... 24 Mukade ........................................ 27 Nue .............................................. 29 Obakemono ................................ 30 Oni ............................................... 32 Tako-oni ...................................... 34 Tengu ........................................... 37 Yurei ............................................ 39 CONVERSION NOTES........... 42 UY: Monsters for FUDGE ........... 42 D20 System Stats ....................... 42 2 INTRODUCTION MONSTERS IN MONSTERS IN JAPAN THE USAGI Monsters of all sorts fill books and domi- nate children’s stories. Country peasants YOJIMBO RPG and townspeople alike have to deal with In the Usagi Yojimbo Roleplaying Game, monsters of one sort or another. Monsters monsters are as common as they are in “his- fill their night tales and appear with a dan- torical” Japanese myths. gerous regularity. Ghost stories are not only This book presents many of the monsters for children. that Miyamoto Usagi has encountered in his The original, “indigenous” gods of Japan, travels. Monsters are known to inhabit ar- called kami, are lumped together under the eas such as geographical boundaries heading Shinto, or “Way of the Gods.” These (gates, bridges, rivers, forests and such) as kami interact with many monsters, as leg- well as places of spiritual importance (like ends go. These monsters may be either ad- abandoned shrines and temples, places versaries or even servants of the kami. In- where a death has occurred, and so on). deed, some kami are considered monsters, Usagi has encountered several monsters in just as some monsters are regarded as one notoriously haunted forest, known as kami. the Tangled Skein. In Shinto belief, spirits inhabit most things, While a Usagi Yojimbo RPG adventure from mountains to people, filling the world works perfectly well without a single mon- with the supernatural. The introduction of ster in it, monsters and the supernatural add Buddhism to Japan in the 6th century added an unknown and dangerous element that many more monsters to Japanese mythol- can add mystery and horror. ogy. The many levels of Buddhist hell are If you do decide to use monsters, magic filled with ghosts suffering various punish- and the supernatural, please remember the ments for sins in their past life. The Japa- words from the Usagi Yojimbo RPG: “...over- nese version of Hell, called Yomi, is the exposure to the fantastic will make it mun- realm of the spirit Emma. Yomi is the place dane.” It is suggested that monsters and the where the spirits of evil people are punished. supernatural be used sparingly in your Evil demons called oni serve Emma in Yomi. games so this does not happen. This should As a rule, only spirits and kami can travel ensure that they are all the more forceful back and forth between Yomi and the sur- and mysterious when they are encountered. face world-our world. Ghosts from Yomi of- When portraying monsters in the Usagi ten visit the surface world, sometimes just Yojimbo RPG, remember that good story to cause mischief, and other times to inflict can come from allowing players to discover severe torment on some poor soul. and exploit monsters’ weaknesses. Chal- Monsters are often blamed for causing lenge players’ wits as opposed to their lucky earthquakes and other mysterious or unex- dice rolling. plained events, as well. In many of Usagi’s adventures it is discov- For an overview of the early history of the ering these weakness that leads him to vic- origins of Usagi’s world and kami see UY3 tory, even with his superb swordsmanship. #13 and #14 (RP UYB12). 3 In game terms, sutras must be written by a Priest. Writing sutras on an object requires 20 minutes for each limb, or a person’s head, or a sword, or any item of similar size. It takes two hours to write sutras over a person’s entire body. Reflections and The type of protection sought from the Shadows sutras must be declared to the GM before Reflections and shadows reveal the true the work begins. Sutras can be written to nature of supernatural beings, including spir- render a person invisible to spirits and su- its and legendary crea- pernatural monsters or tures (such as they can be written to kitsune). Any render the object or creature that person invisible to has changed them. Both types of its shape or is sutras prevent the otherwise dis- person or item from guised as a being possessed. normal person In order to receive will still cast a the protection of- shadow in the fered by sutras, they shape of the must be written on creature’s origi- the item or person/ nal form. creature to be pro- For example, tected. But the if a kitsune has sutras only protect that which shape-changed the form of a beautiful they are written on. young maiden, anyone viewing its shadow For instance, in the famous story Hoichi will see the shape of a small fox! Likewise, the Earless, Hoichi had sutras written on his any creature’s reflection will be seen as the body in order to be rendered invisible from creature’s true self. A hideous oni disguised ghosts that were haunting him. A priest as an old farmer would still cast a reflection wrote sutras all over Hoichi’s body, except appearing as an ugly demon. for his ears. When the ghost came for Hoichi again, he saw only Hoichi’s ears. Angry at not finding the rest of Hoichi, the ghost took Sutras as Protection Hoichi’s ears-tearing them right off Hoichi’s The sacred texts or scriptures of Buddha, head-and left. called sutras, have power over monsters. Weapons inscribed with sutras allow the Sutras can protect a person from physical weapon to inflict damage on spirits and harm and render one invisible to the mon- ghosts, even when they are non-corporeal sters. Sutras also serve as a shield against and immune to normal weapons or other possession. physical attacks. 4 scenery around them in their fights. Allow- ing players to discover and exploit monsters’ weaknesses during a fight can help build tension as the fight goes against the heroes, until they can turn the tables on their foes. The GM is encouraged to reward player ingenuity with bonuses to their attacks (+1 to +3 to the player’s die roll) if

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