here is another step towards a gazetteer for Myoshima.
I've collected (mostly from wikipedia, but also from Oriental Adventures and existing Mystaran sources) as many monsters from Japanese (and M-Japanese, for the Ebon Tiger and Bamboo Golem) lore, and I'm considering their equivalence to standard monsters (this is especially important for OD&D, as I'm not up to translating the AD&D OA MCA to OD&D, but it's also part of a preference of mine for economy of stats).
I'd like to hear your comments (especially your opinions on some points I mention in the list, but also on everything else), as well as any proposal for additions and changes.
Bye,
GP
Myoshiman monsters
Baba: hag
Bakemono: goblin (probably not present in Patera, the name is used in pre-migration histories)
Bakeneko: cat-shaped pooka
Baku: baku (from PS)
Daibakemono: hobgoblin/bugbear (probably not present in Patera, the name is used in pre-migration histories)
Gaki: nosferatu or ghoul?
Gashadokuro: bone golem
Hengeyoukai: werebeast (would these be present? -- would lycanthropy affect Rakasta at all?), or perhaps native fairies?
Hibagon: sasquatch (also PC race)
Hitodama: will o' the wisp
Hou-ou: phoenix
Ikiryo: disembodied souls of the living (trapped in Limbo after being petrified or the like)
Inugami: hound spirit of vengeance (yeth hound? yowler? hellhound? there is also a type of ethereal hound in Companion, coud this fit?)
Jikiniki: ghoul or ghast (if this is ghoul, then possibly Gaki should be reserved for nosferatu?)
Jubokko: killer tree
Kappa: snapper
Kirin: chinese unicorn
Kitsune: fox spirit (nogitsune), maybe fox-shaped pooka or animal spirit
Kodama: hamadryad
Kojin: shark-kin
Kumo: giant spider
Kurage-no-hinotama: jellyfish, flying
Mujina: mujina (I didn't know, but this monster was apparently drawn from Japanese lore!)
Mukade: giant centipede
Mushin: mujina
Nekomata: cat-shaped pooka, or animal spirit?
Ningyo: merrow
Nopperabou: mujina (these must be very common, given the number of aliases I've found for them! note that this name was used in AD&D for a type of lower Baatezu)
Nukenubi: vampire, penanngalan
Oni: ogre magi (may or may not be present, see Bakemono)
Oukuri-inu: barghest (not a typical mystaran monster, but the description seems to fit)
Raiju: thunder beast (some type of great cat, possibly a powerful animal spirit?)
Rokuro-kubi: skull druji?
Ryuu: dragon (blue, jade, green, sea and gold being most common)
Shachihoko: tiger/carp hybrid (a new monster is probably needed here)
Shikigami: familiar (any, but possibly some kinds of lesser spirits)
Shinnentai: revenant, corporeal ghost
Tako: giant octopus
Tanuki: shapeshifting raccoon-dog, tanuki-shaped pooka
Tengu: bird people (also PC race)
Tennin (f. Tennyo): celestial (any, including Archons and Planescape celestials)
Tora: tiger (sabertooth included)
Tora-youkai: Rakshasa (tiger demon, though Rakshasa can also appear as Monkey Folk)
Tsuchigumo: aranea (also PC race)
Tsukumogami: humptzeen
Ushi-oni: minotaur/bargdha (I'd say the latter)
Yamabito: mountain barbarians (Mountain Rakasta, PC race)
Youkai: demon (any, including Evil Spirits)
Yousei: any fairy
Yuki-onna: heat-draining female vampire variant
Yuurei: ghost
Zashiki-warashi: brownie
These two are just names made up for existing monsters known to come from or appear in Myoshima (I'd need Thorf or someone else with better knowledge of Japanese than me to go over these and possibly propose something better):
Takebokugou: Bamboo Golem
Kurai-tora: Ebon Tiger
Hengeyoukai: werebeast (would these be present? -- would lycanthropy affect Rakasta at all?), or perhaps native fairies?
I my Mystara, weretiger infected Rakastas became evil Rakshasas.
I think I found the idea somewere in pandius.
Alternately, we could make exceptions for the brands of lycantopy based on the animal corresponding to the race, like Arcanda's suggestion about Weretiger Rakastas. Similarly, Lupin Werewolves could be a strange mix. Or Pachydermion Were-Wooly Mamoths.... ;)
Havard
I think the easiest way of dealing with Lycantropes and Rakasta/Lupins is that it works the same with them as with humans.
Alternately, we could make exceptions for the brands of lycantopy based on the animal corresponding to the race, like Arcanda's suggestion about Weretiger Rakastas. Similarly, Lupin Werewolves could be a strange mix. Or Pachydermion Were-Wooly Mamoths.... ;)
I think Weretiger/Rakasta and Werewolf/Lupins would be quite odd -- for one, the character already is in a man-beast form. Also, some Lupins have a physiology that is incompatible with lycanthropy (Borzoi) and, in general, Lycanthropes are never found in Lupin societies -- it's too easy for the Lupins to detect a lycanthrope.
OTOH, a Rakasta lycanthrope with a non-feline phenotype would also be quite odd -- basically, the character would have two man-beast forms, and the lycanthropic one might have traits of two different animals.
So, maybe, it would be better to limit phenotypes to the natural one (Rakasta/Weretiger and possibly Ursine/Werebear), excluding Lupins.
That said, the Hengeyoukai name could fit any other type of animal shapeshifter (including the pooka).
GP
So, maybe, it would be better to limit phenotypes to the natural one (Rakasta/Weretiger and possibly Ursine/Werebear), excluding Lupins.
This would work but it raises the interesting question of what happens to these races if they are infected by another form of Lycantropy? Do they die from it, or will they become lycantropes of their natural type regardless of the origin of the infection? Ie, would a Rakasta bitten by a Were-bat become a Weretiger?
Lupin Werewolves would in theory be possible, though Lupins would likely kill or cure their fellow kinsman before he turns. Ofcourse there could be the odd Lupin community who has turned around and actively seek to become werewolves(?).
That said, the Hengeyoukai name could fit any other type of animal shapeshifter (including the pooka).
I like having the Pooka be the main representatives of the Hengeyoukai of Mystara.
Havard
This would work but it raises the interesting question of what happens to these races if they are infected by another form of Lycantropy? Do they die from it, or will they become lycantropes of their natural type regardless of the origin of the infection? Ie, would a Rakasta bitten by a Were-bat become a Weretiger?
I'd say they die.
Lupin Werewolves would in theory be possible, though Lupins would likely kill or cure their fellow kinsman before he turns. Ofcourse there could be the odd Lupin community who has turned around and actively seek to become werewolves(?).
Indeed, given the detection abilities of Lupins, a Lupin werewolf would have no chances of surviving. Also, some Lupins (the Borzoi, IIRC) have a saliva that acts as an allergen to lycanthropes at contact. If this is a trait shared to some extent with other Lupins, it may be that the immune system of a Lupin would go into a frenzy, killing him/her in the process.
I like having the Pooka be the main representatives of the Hengeyoukai of Mystara.
Good. As said, there could be other types of Wee Folk with similar shapechanging powers, but Pooka seem to fit in many cases.
GP