TEXT: MICHAEL SURBROOK
  
  Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  The Asian Bestiary II © 2006 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Danger International, Western Hero 
  © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by 
  any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the 
  Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
  Printed in the Canada. First printing February 2006
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number:  DOJHERO510 • ISBN Number:  1-58366-086-0
  http://www.herogames.com
  A Book of Monsters for Fantasy Hero
  Author: Michael Surbrook
  Editing & Development:  Steven S. Long
  Layout & Graphic Design:  Andy Mathews
  Cover Illustration: Barrie James
  Interior Illustration:  Kurt Dinse, Dover Clipart, Brendon 
  and Brian Fraim, Derek Frost, Mack Sztaba, Tom Miskey
  
  CHAPTER ONE:  JAPAN
  AMIKIRI ....................................................... 6
  GAKI ............................................................ 8
  JINSHIN-MUSHI ............................................ 8
  JINSHIN-UWO ............................................ 10
  KAPPA ....................................................... 11
  KASHA ...................................................... 14
  KINO-O-BAKE ............................................ 16
  KITSUNE .................................................... 17
  KUMO ....................................................... 22
  MUKADE .................................................... 24
  NINGYO ..................................................... 25
  NUE ........................................................... 27
  NUKE-KUBI ................................................ 29
  NURE-ONNA .............................................. 31
  ONI ........................................................... 33
  ONMORAKI ................................................ 37
  OROCHI ..................................................... 38
  OTOROSHI ................................................. 40
  RAIJU ........................................................ 42
  ROKURO-KUBI ............................................ 43
  SAMEBITO ................................................. 45
  SHIRONKINAKATSUKAMI ............................. 46
  SHISHI ....................................................... 47
  SHOJO ...................................................... 49
  TANUKI ...................................................... 50
  TATSU ....................................................... 52
  TENGU ...................................................... 54
  WAIRA ....................................................... 56
  YAMATA-NO-OROCHI ................................. 58
  YASHA ....................................................... 60
  YUKI-ONNA ................................................ 62
  YUREI ........................................................ 64
  ZUNBERABOU ............................................ 66
  CHAPTER TWO:  THE PHILIPPINES
  ASWANG ................................................... 68
  BACONAUA ................................................ 73
  BANNOG .................................................... 74
  BEBARLANG .............................................. 75
  BUSO ........................................................ 76
  CATAO ....................................................... 78
  FILIPINO DWARF ........................................ 79
  FILIPINO ELF .............................................. 81
  FILIPINO GHOUL ......................................... 83
  FILIPINO GIANT .......................................... 85
  FILIPINO OGRE ........................................... 86
  FILIPINO VISCERA SUCKER ......................... 88
  GARUDA .................................................... 91
  IKUGAN ..................................................... 93
  MAMELEU ................................................. 94
  MARCUPO ................................................. 95
  MINOKAWA ................................................ 96
  PUGOT ...................................................... 97
  SEGBEN .................................................... 99
  TIANAK .................................................... 101
  TIKBALANG .............................................. 102
  CHAPTER THREE:   
  OTHER PARTS OF ASIA
  BURMA ...............................................106-13
  BILU ........................................................ 106
  NAT ......................................................... 108
  THAYE TASEI ............................................ 111
  KOREA ...............................................114-17
  DRAGON CARP ........................................ 114
  TOKKAEBI ................................................ 115
  MALAYSIA ..........................................118-29
  BAJANG .................................................. 118
  ENG BANKA ............................................. 120
  GERJIS .................................................... 121
  LANGSUIR ............................................... 122
  PENANGGALANA ...................................... 125
  POLONG .................................................. 127
  SANTU SANKAI ........................................ 129
  TIBET .................................................130-34
  ROLANG .................................................. 130
  YET-TEH (YETI) ......................................... 132
  APPENDIX:  RESOURCES .......................... 135
  BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................... 135
  CREATURES LISTED BY COUNTRY TABLE ... 136
  CREATURE LOCATIONS TABLE .................. 138
  INDEX ...................................................... 140
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  4 
  Hero System 5th Edition
  O
  ceangoing centipedes, dragon-hunting cen-
  tipedes a hundred feet long, dragons with 
  the heads of tigers, tiger-headed elephants, 
  lion-bodied elephants, ﬁsh-tailed elephants, 
  an eel-ﬁsh 700 miles in length.... Asian folklore 
  and mythology has plenty of strange and unusual 
  creatures just waiting to be featured in your cam-
  paign — be it Fantasy Hero, Ninja Hero, or even 
  Pulp Hero. Of course, ﬁnding information on the 
  diﬀerent monsters of Asian myth is no easy task. 
  While most gamers have heard of Chinese dragons, 
  Indian rakshasa, and Japanese oni, few have ever 
  comes across the Korean tokkaebi, the Mongolian 
  olgol-khorkhol, or the Filipino tikbalang — and in 
  many cases information about them in English is 
  hard to come by.
  To ﬁll this gap, The Asian Bestiary, Vol. II con-
  tains dozens of character sheets for a wide variety 
  of animals, monsters, supernatural entities, and 
  other beings from the folklore and myths of the 
  countries and regions of Japan, the Philippines, and 
  parts of Southeast Asia. They range from intelligent 
  beings, to monsters far more “bestial” in nature, to a 
  few unique creatures. Many of the character sheets 
  contain lists of optional powers and abilities, or 
  even variations of the creatures themselves, allow-
  ing you to create a creature to ﬁt nearly any charac-
  ter or scenario.
  Since many Westerners have little (if any) 
  familiarity with many of the creatures presented 
  in this book, The Asian Bestiary, Vol. II includes 
  culture- and location-speciﬁc information and 
  suggestions so you can understand them in their 
  proper context. The “Campaign Use” sections of the 
  character sheets often includes capsule descriptions 
  of well-known folktales dealing with the creature 
  in question to show you how it might appear or be 
  used in your game. But don’t let this stop you from 
  using the creature however you want to. The com-
  ments given with each entry are there to illustrate 
  the creature’s habits and to deﬁne its motivations, 
  not to force you into using it in one speciﬁc fashion. 
  Feel free to alter and/or revise the write-ups in this 
  book in any way you like, and to use the creatures 
  in whatever way seems best to you.
  How To Use This Book
  The obvious and natural use for the The Asian 
  Bestiary, Vol. II is to provide various beings and 
  creatures for the heroes in your game (whether 
  they’re a party of adventurers in an Asian-themed 
  section of your Fantasy Hero world, a group of 
  Ninja Hero warriors, a squad of Horror Hero ghost-
  hunters, a team of intrepid Pulp Hero explorers, or 
  something else) to encounter. The GM can base 
  his selections around a particular location (such as 
  creatures common to China) or environment (for 
  example, creatures that live in the water). Then all 
  he has to do is decide how and why his selection 
  come into contact (and/or conﬂict) with the PCs.
  For those who wish to go beyond the basics, 
  many of the character sheets have a variety of 
  optional powers, allowing you to customize an 
  individual creature to achieve the exact eﬀect you 
  want. In fact, some of the entries are nothing but 
  optional powers, as either the being in question has 
  no set or agreed upon powers or one basic template 
  is used to represent multiple versions of a particu-
  lar class of being (like the Aswang). At the bottom 
  of many of the character sheets you’ll also ﬁnd a 
  “Variants” section. It includes listings for creatures 
  similar to the base entry, but with slightly diﬀerent 
  powers and abilities. These variants are presented as 
  brief packages of abilities you can add to character 
  sheets from this book, The HERO System Bestiary, 
  or Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. Finally, in 
  the text and sidebars there are examples of even 
  more creatures. Due to space considerations, nor-
  mally just the name and brief description is given, 
  but sometimes suggestions about adapting a pub-
  lished creature or monster are provided.
  Even if you don’t use the creatures found in 
  this book, there’s still quite a bit of useful material 
  in here for the typical gamer to take advantage of. 
  Many of the creatures have magical powers you 
  can convert into spells, while others have magical 
  weapons you can use as the basis for similar objects 
  in your own campaign.
  VOLUME TWO OF TWO
  This volume of The Asian Bestiary is the 
  second of two. It covers Japan, the Philippines, and 
  some other regions of Southeast Asia. Volume I fea-
  tures China, India, and the rest of Southeast Asia. 
  Page citations to Volume I are often written “AB1” 
  (as in “see AB1 98”) for ease of reference.
  INTRODUCTION
  OTHER HERO  
  REFERENCES
  Although The Asian 
  Bestiary, Vol. II is a 
  stand-alone product, 
  it frequently refer-
  ences two other Hero 
  Games books besides 
  the rulebook and 
  Volume I. The ﬁrst is 
  the The HERO System 
  Bestiary, a sourcebook 
  for animals, fantastic 
  beasts, and other such 
  creatures. In many cases 
  the The Asian Bestiary 
  directs the reader to 
  apply one of the numer-
  ous templates found in 
  the “HSB” to a creature 
  in the Asian Bestiary. 
  In others, the reader is 
  given a set of Charac-
  teristics, abilities, and 
  Skills and told to apply 
  them to an animal or 
  creature found in the 
  Bestiary itself.
  The second is Monsters, 
  Minions, And Maraud-
  ers, a sourcebook of 
  Fantasy races and 
  monsters suitable for 
  any Fantasy Hero game. 
  Here, as with the “HSB,” 
  there are times where 
  the reader is told to 
  apply a list of powers to 
  a character sheet found 
  in “MMM” to create a 
  speciﬁc Asian monster.
  
  chapter one:
  chapter one:
  JAPAN
  
  6 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  A
  ccording to myth, Japan (Nippon or Nihon, 
  meaning “the origin of the sun”) was 
  founded in the seventh century BC by the 
  Emperor Jimmu, who created an Imperial 
  line that continues unbroken to the modern day. 
  The Imperial house also claims direct descent from 
  the sun goddess Amaterasu, although that claim 
  was revoked following Japan’s defeat by the United 
  States in World War II.
  For a long time, Japan was divided into 
  provinces ruled by daimyo (“great name”) who 
  answered to the shogun (“general”), with the 
  Emperor a mere ﬁgurehead. During the Sengoku 
  Period (1467-1615) Japan suﬀered from almost 
  constant civil war as various factions and families 
  fought to create their own independent domains. In 
  the late 1500s, Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquered all 
  of Japan. After his death in 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu 
  reuniﬁed Japan, had himself declared Shogun, and 
  founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled 
  Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The 
  Restoration in turn led to the creation of modern 
  Japan.
  RELIGION
  The original religion of Japan was Shinto, with 
  Buddhism arriving in the sixth century AD from 
  the kingdom of Baekje in Korea. Buddhism soon 
  replaced Shinto, at least oﬃcially, and for a time was 
  the state religion of Japan. Confucianism is said to 
  have been introduced in 285 AD (also from Korea), 
  eventually shaping many of the common laws of 
  Japan as well as its social values. After Tokugawa 
  Ieyasu become Shogun in 1600, he used a form of 
  Confucianism to create the underlying philosophy 
  of the government.
  Shinto
  Usually translated to mean “way of the kami,” 
  Shinto is a form of animism. It’s why Japan is given 
  the name of Yaoyorozu no Kami, or “[land of] eight 
  million kami.” Kami are spirits found in virtually 
  everything living thing, and even some unliving 
  things (such as mountains). The larger or greater 
  the object, the more powerful the kami, and the 
  more likely it is to manifest (usually in human 
  form) if threatened in some way. Some kami are 
  gods with control over aspects of nature such as 
  the sea, wind, or sun, while others are the spirits of 
  mundane objects like ﬂowers, trees, and swords.
  Shinto’s roots can be found in the spirit wor-
  ship of China. The word “shinto” itself has Chi-
  nese roots, while the kami Izanagi and Izanami, 
  who created Japan by dipping a great spear into 
  the ocean and letting the drops from the blade 
  form into a solid mass, are likened to the Chi-
  nese philosophical concept of yin and yang. As 
  for Shinto itself, it’s more a set of guidelines for 
  living in harmony with the kami than a hard-
  and-fast religion. It has no set scriptures, no 
  titular head, and no set prayers, although it does 
  have numerous rituals and practices.
  Major kami include:  Amaterasu, goddess of the sun 
  and the heavens;  Tsukiyomi, god of the night and 
  the moon; Susanowo, god of the ocean and storms, 
  slayer of Yamata-no-orochi, the “eight-forked ser-
  pent (page 58); and Inari, the god of fertility, rice, 
  and foxes, whose messengers are pure-white kitsune 
  (page 17). Other kami include tree-spirits (such 
  as the Kino-o-bake on page 16), an eater of bad 
  dreams (see the Shirokinakatsukami on page 46), 
  and even a 700-mile-long ﬁsh supporting all of 
  Japan in its back (see Jinshin-Uwo on page 10).
  Buddhism
  The arrival and rise of Buddhism caused 
  some problems in terms of reconciling Shinto 
  beliefs and Buddhist teachings, specifically the 
  role of the kami. The monk Kukai resolved this 
  dilemma by declaring the kami to be just another 
  aspect of the different Buddhas. For example, 
  he linked Amaterasu with Dainichi Nyorai, the 
  “Great Sun Buddha,” and thus incorporated the 
  Shinto kami directly into the Buddhist faith. 
  Japanese Buddhism also features a definitive hell, 
  known as Yomi, where the demoniacal Oni (page 
  33) torture sinners for their earthly misdeeds.
  JAPAN
  OBAKE AND  
  BAKEMONO
  In Japan all supernatural 
  beings fall under the 
  broad category of obake 
  or bakemono, meaning 
  “transforming thing.” 
  Virtually all the Japanese 
  creatures presented in 
  this book are bakemono 
  of one sort or another. 
  An even more speciﬁc 
  subcategory of obake is 
  the yokai, or “bewitching 
  apparitions.” This word 
  refers to a whole host of 
  goblins and monsters, 
  such the kappa, nue, 
  rokuro-kubi, and tengu.
  
  7 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  AMIKIRI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -10 STR 
  -20 
  7- 
  Lift 6.4 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   8 CON 
  -4 
  11-
   5 BODY -10 
  10-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  3
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   2 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  2 PD (1 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   3 REC 
  2
   20 END 
  2
   10 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -22
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Beak:  HKA 1 point (1 point with STR) 
  1
  10 
  Pincers:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  1 
  Armored Shell:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Nocturnal:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  15 
  Hard To Hit:  +3 DCV
  6 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  60
  Total Cost:  38
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (no larger than 
  about 1m; +3” KB) (Infrequently, Slightly 
  Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  105
  Ecology:  These small creatures are also known as 
  “net cutters” because of their tendency to cut apart 
  nets of all kinds. They’re most active during the 
  summer months, coming out on warm nights to 
  hunt for food and using their sharp pincers to slice 
  through anything that blocks their way.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motiva-
  tions. Amikiri seem to have a mischievous streak 
  and are well-known for they tendency to cut 
  and/or destroy fine mesh mosquito netting, fish 
  nets, cords, and clothing.
  Powers/Tactics:  Because of their small size, amikiri 
  tend to ﬂee from danger, hiding under large objects 
  and the like. But if cornered, an amikiri uses its 
  sharp claws to defend itself and can deliver a pain-
  ful bite to the unwary.
  Campaign Use:  This small creature is more of a 
  nuisance than any real threat. However, it makes 
  for an excellent wizard’s familiar/servant and could 
  cause a great deal of trouble if used appropriately. 
  A properly directed amikiri could cut the PC’s 
  armor cords (Japanese armor is especially suscep-
  tible to this), belts, bowstrings, and the like, leaving 
  the party virtually defenseless (at worst) or greatly 
  delayed (at best). A swarm of amikiri could cause 
  signiﬁcant trouble for even powerful heroes.
  Appearance:  An amikiri is roughly the size of a 
  large cat or a small dog. It’s vaguely prawn-shaped, 
  with a long narrow head and beak, large eyes, two 
  long arms ending in crab-like pinchers, and a long 
  tail. A bushy mane of long hair surrounds the crea-
  ture’s head and shoulders.
  
  8 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  GAKI
  Gaki are “hungry ghosts,” a malevolent sort 
  of spirit found in Japan. For Gaki, use the char-
  acter sheet for the Preta on AB1 86; the two are 
  very similar.
  Hungry Ghosts eat virtually anything, with 
  each gaki typically restricted to a single sub-
  stance. Examples include:  blood, excrement, 
  flesh, incense and incense smoke, mucous, paper, 
  sweat, tattoos, and tea.
  Japanese lore mentions 36 diﬀerent types of 
  gaki. Here are a few examples of the wide variety of 
  Hungry Ghosts you can choose from:
  Cho-kem-ju-jiki-netsu-gaki:  These gaki eat the ashes 
  from funeral pyres and the clay from graves.
  Fujo-ko-hyaku-gaki:  These gaki eat street refuse and 
  other garbage.
  Ghosts Who Receive Discards:  These ghosts 
  eat the food thrown away after being used as a 
  temple offerings.
  Ghosts Who Receive Lost Food:  These ghosts eat the 
  food discarded by the side of the road by travelers.
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling Hair
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling Mouths
  Ghosts With Large Ulcers
  Jiki-ketsu-gaki:  These gaki thirst for blood.
  Jiki-niku-gaki:  This is a ﬂesh-eating ghoul, a gaki 
  that devours the corpses of the freshly dead.
  Jiki-doku-gaki:  Eaters of poison.
  Jiki-ké-gaki:  Smell-eating gaki.
  Jiki-fu-gaki: Wind eaters.
  Jiki-kwa-gaki:  Fire-eating gaki.
  Jiki-ninki:  A “man-eating ghost” (actually more like 
  a zombie), forced by a curse to seek and eat human 
  corpses (and thus perhaps similar to the kasha on 
  page 14). It’s often remorseful, but cannot help itself. It 
  may have claws, glowing eyes, or other eerie features.
  Kwaku-shin-gaki:  These gaki are ﬁlled with ﬂames 
  that keep their bodily ﬂuids at a boil.
  Needle-Haired Ghosts:  The body of this ghost is 
  covered with needle-like hairs.
  Needle-Throated Ghosts:  This is the classic form of 
  Hungry Ghost, with a thin neck and a distended 
  belly. In Japan this is known as a Shin-ko-gaki.
  Powerful Ghosts:  These are beings such as the pisha-
  cha (see AB1 85) and the rakshasa (see AB1 88).
  Shikko-gaki:  These gaki eat corpses and spread 
  disease.
  Shinen-gaki:  These gaki appear only at night, 
  taking the form of a ﬂoating ﬁreball.
  Shin-ko-gaki:  A Needle-Throated Ghost (q.v.)
  Torch-mouthed Ghosts:  This form of Hungry Ghost 
  can breath ﬂame.
  JINSHIN-MUSHI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   25 BODY 30 
  14-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11- 
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   12 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  24 PD (12 rPD)
   12 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  24 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   15 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   63 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  155
    
   
   
  (+88 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  18”/36”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
   
  Tunneling:  9”/18”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  35 
  Head Of A Dragon:  HKA 2d6+1  
  (4½d6 with STR) 
  3
  36 
  Thick Scales:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  50 
  Kami Nature:  Life Support:  Total  
  (includes Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  24 
  Long Legs:  Running +12” (18” total) 
  2
  -2 
  Poor Swimmer:  -2” Swimming
  45 
  Burrow Through Anything:  Tunneling 9” 
  through 9 DEF material 
  4
  85 
  Cause Earthquakes:  Energy Blast 8d6,  
  Explosion (+½), MegaArea (each hex is  
  1 km wide and deep; +¼), Continuous  
  (+1), Indirect (+¾), Personal Immunity 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  No Range (-½), Only Aﬀects Targets On  
  The Ground (-¼), Linked (to Tunneling; -¼) 0
  8 
  Spider’s Claws:  Clinging (normal STR); 
  Cannot Resist Knockback (-¼) 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  6 
  Ten Legs:  Extra Limbs, Inherent (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  321
  Total Cost:  476
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (9m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap; can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Limiting)
  356 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  476
  
  9 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Ecology:  Jinshin-Mushi lives 
  deep underground, tunneling 
  its way through the length 
  and breadth of Japan. It’s also 
  known as the “earthquake 
  beetle” because of the tremors 
  it creates while burrowing 
  through the earth.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typi-
  cal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to its 
  huge size, Jinshin-Mushi is 
  fearless and aggressive. It 
  attacks with its fearsome 
  bite, knocking other foes 
  away with mighty blows of 
  its long legs.
  Campaign Use:  This character 
  sheet presumes Jinshin-Mushi 
  is a singular creature, much 
  like its close relative, Jinshin-
  Uwo, the earthquake ﬁsh 
  (see below). You can easily 
  convert it into an entire spe-
  cies by removing its Kami 
  Nature power and un-Link-
  ing the Cause Earthquakes 
  power from its Tunneling. 
  This makes the jinshin-mushi 
  a species of immense subter-
  ranean predators that feed 
  on anything they can catch, 
  such as giant worms, mukade 
  (Japanese giant centipedes, see page 24), and even 
  young dragons.
  Appearance:  Jinshin-Mushi is an enormous 
  beetle-like creature roughly the size of a full-
  grown elephant. It has ten spider-like legs ending 
  in claws, a body covered in thick scales, and the 
  head of a dragon.
  
  10 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  JINSHIN-UWO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   275 STR 
  265 
  64- 
  Lift 800 teratons; 55d6 [27]
   5 DEX 
  -15 
  10- 
  OCV:  2/DCV:  2
   100 CON 180 
  29-
   175 BODY 330 
  44-
   5 INT 
  -5 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   50 PRE 
  40 
  19- 
  PRE Attack:  10d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   60 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  60 PD (30 rPD)
   60 ED 
  40 
   
  Total:  60 ED (30 rED)
   2 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   75 REC 
  0
   200 END 
  0
   365 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  836
    
   
   
  (+802 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  225 
  Engulf:  HKA 10d6 (20d6 with STR),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (19” Radius; +1), Megascale  
  (1” = 1 km wide and deep; +¼); Extra  
  Time (Extra Segment; -½) 
  34
  308 
  Gigantic Tail:  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½) 
  for up to 275 STR), MegaScale (1” = 100 km; 
  +¾), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  43 
  Thrashing Its Tail:  Stretching 7”, MegaScale  
  (1” = 100 miles long; +1), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Noncombat 
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼), 
  Limited Body Parts (tail; -¼), Range  
  Modiﬁer Applies (-¼) 
  0
  30 
  Incredibly Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance 
  (30 PD/30 ED) 
  0
  120 
  Too Big To Hurt:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% 
  0
  60 
  Too Big To Move:  Knockback  
  Resistance -30” 
  0
  29 
  Single-Minded:  Mental Defense  
  (30 points total) 
  0
  50 
  Kami Nature: Life Support:  Total  
  (includes Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  -12 
  Pinned In Place:  Running -6”
  -2 
  Pinned In Place:  Swimming -2”
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  857
  Total Cost:  1,693
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Bigger Than You Can 
  Possibly Imagine (700 miles long, -37 DCV, 
  +37 to PER Rolls to see) (All The Time, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  1,563 Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,693
  Ecology:  Jinshin-Uwo is an enormous eel-ﬁsh (or 
  catﬁsh) 700 miles long who lies in the depths of the 
  ocean supporting the islands of Japan on its broad 
  back. Its head lies under the city of Kyoto, while its 
  tail is under Aomori (although some say this is the 
  other way around, due to the frequency of earth-
  quakes near Kyoto.). In the gardens of the shrine 
  of Kashima the hilt of a great granite sword (or the 
  head of a rivet) can be seen. This sword has been 
  thrust through the island of Japan and into the 
  body of Jinshin-Uwo, to keep the beast in place and 
  Japan ﬁrmly on its back. Jinshin-Uwo is also known 
  as Namazu, the earthquake catﬁsh.
  The Ainu (the original inhabitants of Japan) 
  call this creature moshiri-ikkwe-chep, or “world-
  backbone-trout.” They say it lives in the mud at the 
  base of the world, where it’s held down by two gods. 
  Its breathing causes the tides, and the shaking of its 
  body causes earthquakes and tsunamis.
  Personality/Motivation:  Jinshin-Uwo is a kami, 
  charged with carrying Japan on its back. This task is 
  the whole reason for its existence.
  Powers/Tactics:  From time to time, Jinshin-Uwo 
  becomes restless and either rolls its body or 
  thrashes its tail. When it does so, an earthquake 
  occurs somewhere in Japan. These earthquakes 
  will be of varying intensity and duration, and can 
  strike anywhere and at anytime. In game terms, 
  
  11 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  apply the Thrashing Its Tail power (combined 
  with its Gigantic Tail power, of course) to the 
  relevant area of Japan.
  Campaign Use:  Jinshin-Uwo’s sheer size and power 
  pushes it far beyond the scope of most campaigns, 
  though it would make a worthy foe for some High 
  Fantasy or Champions characters. In truth, it 
  shouldn’t be thought of as a threat that needs to be 
  fought, but more as a critical element of an adven-
  ture. Perhaps the PCs need to quell the ﬁsh before 
  it shakes its tail, ﬁnd a way to cause Jinshin-Uwo 
  to thrash about (to destroy an invader’s castle, for 
  example), or prevent a villain from removing the 
  sword that pins Japan to its back.
  Appearance:  Jinshin-Uwo is a gigantic eel-ﬁsh 
  some 700 miles long.
  KAPPA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   8 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  15 PD (7 rPD)
   5 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  12 ED (7 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  75
    
   
   
  (+11 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  6”/12””
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Sharp Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  0
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½) 7
  8 
  Armored Shell:  Armor (7 PD/7 ED);  
  Activation Roll 11- (covers Hit Locations  
  9-13; -1), Only Defends The Kappa’s  
  Back (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  4 
  Supernatural Vitality:  Healing BODY  
  1d6 (Regeneration; 1 BODY per Hour), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Extra Time + Increased 
  Time Increment (1 Hour; -2¼), Self  
  Only (-½), Only In Water (-1) 
  0
  4 
  Amphibious Form:  Swimming +4” (6” total) 1
  5 
  Eyes Of The Kappa:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  5 
  Climbing 13-
  5 
  Concealment 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  5 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  108
  Total Cost:  183
  
  12 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  virtually helpless if the 
  water is spilled from its head (is reduced to 
  STR 5, SPD 1, Running 1”) (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Honorable; Always 
  Keeps Its Word Once Given (Uncommon, 
  Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Cucumbers 
  Over All Other Foods (Uncommon, Total)
  63 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  183
  OPTIONS
  Cost Skills
  2 
  KS: Medicine 11-
  2 
  KS: Bone Setting 11-
  3 
  Paramedics 11-
  2 
  PS: Bone Setting 11-
  Ecology:  Kappa dwell in ponds, lakes, and streams 
  where they prey upon passersby. They drink blood 
  (sucking it out of the body through the anus) 
  and usually attack cows and horses, attempting to 
  drag the animals into the water before they feed. 
  When kappa come ashore, it’s often in search of 
  cucumbers and melons (which they love) or human 
  women (whom they assault and rape).
  Personality/Motivation:  Kappa primarily desire food, 
  be it blood or cucumbers. Thus, they can usually be 
  placated with oﬀerings of cucumbers, and charac-
  ters may be able to use cucumbers to bribe a kappa 
  and avoid being attacked. It’s customary to write the 
  names of loved ones the character wants the kappa 
  to avoid on such vegetables before tossing them into 
  a pool where a kappa is known to live.
  Powers/Tactics:  Kappa prefer to wait in quiet 
  pools and slow-moving sections of streams and 
  rivers, hoping to surprise a potential victim. Once 
  it locates a target, the kappa leaps out and tries to 
  overpower the victim with its great strength and 
  drag him into the water to be consumed later. It 
  uses its claws if closely pressed, slashing at anyone 
  who attacks it. If severely wounded or hard-pressed, 
  a kappa retreats to the safety of its watery home.
  The kappa’s main weakness is the water held in 
  the bowl-like depression in the top of its head. If this 
  water spills out, the kappa becomes weak and scarcely 
  able to move, leaving it at the mercy of its attacker. A 
  kappa in this condition often promises anything to 
  avoid being killed. Since kappa are creatures of their 
  word and keep any promises they make, a character 
  can drive a very hard bargain. But spilling the water 
  from a kappa’s head is no easy task. Kappa are very 
  strong and reasonably intelligent, so heroes usually 
  have to trick them into spilling the water. Since they’re 
  polite and honorable, in some situations bowing to 
  the kappa may work — unless it succeeds with an 
  EGO Roll at -5, the kappa bows in return, promptly 
  spilling its water. Other ways to spill the water include 
  wrestling with the kappa (almost any form of Martial 
  Throw will do), tripping or shoving the kappa, or 
  doing Knockback to the kappa.
  According to some legends, kappa are known 
  for their medical skills, especially the art of bone-
  setting. They sometimes teach this art to humans, 
  usually because the kappa makes a bargain with the 
  student to spare its life.
  Campaign Use:  You can use a kappa as either be a nui-
  sance (because knowledgeable characters will know 
  to trick it) or a true menace. To make the kappa even 
  more dangerous, increase its STR, DEX, SPD, defenses, 
  and movement abilities. Giving a kappa Martial Arts 
  (say, Sumo Wrestling) isn’t too far-fetched either. 
  But not all kappa are dangerous. Japanese folktales 
  mention several kappa who lived in peace with their 
  human neighbors. One was known to provide bowls 
  whenever a feast was planned. This arrangement 
  was obtained when the kappa lost an arm trying to 
  drag a horse into its pool. When it asked the owner 
  of the horse for its arm back, the kappa agreed not to 
  prey on the local population any more and to pro-
  vide bowls for any feasts the farmer gave. A second 
  kappa lost its head-water and was made to promise 
  not to attack anyone from a nearby village. It lived 
  by its word, and even warned the local villages when 
  another kappa — who hadn’t made such a promise 
  — was in the area.
  Appearance:  A kappa is a humanoid standing about 
  four feet in height. It has yellowish-green skin, 
  webbed ﬁngers, yellow eyes, and a dog-like nose. It’s 
  easily identiﬁed by the turtle shell on its back and 
  the water-ﬁlled bowl-shaped depression in its head. 
  Kappa are often described as looking like monkeys 
  or young children. They do not wear any clothing.
  
  13 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Kappa Variants
  The kappa isn’t the only aquatic humanoid said 
  to inhabit the lakes and streams of Japan.
  GANGIKOZO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   5 STR 
  -5 
  10- 
  Lift 50 kg; ½d6 [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   5 BODY -10 
  10-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   9 EGO 
  -2 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   2 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   3 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   13 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -6
  Movement: 
  Running:  4”/8”
   
  Swimming:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Sharp Claws:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  10 
  Sharp Teeth:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe  
  Environments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 0
  -4 
  Small Size:  Running -2”
  3 
  Amphibious Form:  Swimming +3” (5” total) 1
  5 
  Eyes Of The Gangikozo:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Easily Hidden:  +2 to Concealment; Self  
  Only (-½)
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  54
  Total Cost:  48
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Dependence:  must immerse self in water 
  once an hour or suﬀer Weakness (Very 
  Common)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (1m tall; +3” KB) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  95
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  8 
  Armored Shell:  Armor (7 PD/7 ED); Activa-
  tion Roll 11- (covers Hit Locations 9-13; -1), 
  Only Defends The Gangikozo’s Back (-½)
  Description:  The gangikozo is a child-sized human-
  oid creature known to haunt lakes and other large 
  bodies of water. They’re covered in thick hair, and 
  some have a kappa-like shell on their backs. Able to 
  survive out of the water for short periods of time, 
  gangikozo prey mostly on ﬁsh and other sea life, 
  and are equipped with sharp teeth and claws.
  HYOSUBE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  34
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  4 
  Amphibious Form:  Swimming +4” (6” total) 1
  5 
  Eyes Of The Hyosube:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Talent 
  s
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  2 
  PS: Dance 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  31
  Total Cost:  65
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  85
  Description:  Hyosube are bald-headed, ape-like 
  humanoids said to inhabit the island of Kyushu. 
  They’re thought to be related to the kappa some-
  how. Primarily water dwellers, they tend to move 
  with warm weather and migrate up and down the 
  coast as the seasons change. Normally content to 
  dwell in lakes, rivers, and streams, hyosube have 
  been known to take up residence in abandoned 
  homes and temples. Normally non-aggressive, 
  hyosube sometimes engage in strange dances when 
  spotted or surprised by humans.
  
  14 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Suiko
  A suiko (“water child”) is the same size as a 
  kappa, but lacks the signature shell and depres-
  sion in the head. They’re vicious hunters and drag 
  anyone they can catch into the water to drink their 
  blood. Once it’s done, a suiko hurls the drained 
  body back onto shore.
  Suiko are very agile in the water and nearly 
  impossible to catch. About the only way to get rid 
  of one is to place the corpse of someone killed 
  by a suiko on a board and let it decay in the open 
  air. This causes the suiko to fall ill and die. A 
  creature similar to the suiko is the kawasaru, or 
  “water monkey.”
  To create a suiko, make the following changes 
  to the kappa’s character sheet:
  Cost Power
  +10 Agile In Water:  +5 DEX; Only In Water (-½)
  -8 
  Remove Armored Shell
  +15 Remove Physical Limitation:  Virtually Help-
  less If The Water Is Spilled From Its Head
  -0 
  Add Susceptibility:  to their kills being 
  allowed to decay in the open air, takes 1d6 
  BODY damage per Day corpse is left in the 
  open air (Uncommon)
  Total cost:  17 points.
  Yamawaro
  These creatures dwell in the mountains. They 
  may be a winter form of kappa, or may be totally 
  unrelated. They have the same appearance as a 
  kappa but are covered in a thick coat of bristly hair 
  and only stand three feet tall. Yamawaro are fairly 
  friendly, and if fed rice balls will help woodcutters 
  and the like. If treated poorly, however, a yamawaro 
  runs away, returning later to lay traps for whoever 
  mistreated it. They can mimic the sound of a tree 
  falling with perfect accuracy, and often use this 
  talent to frighten people they don’t like. To create 
  a yamawaro, make the following changes to the 
  kappa’s character sheet:
  Cost Power
  -8 
  Remove Armored Shell
  7 
  Mimic The Sound Of A Falling Tree:  Images 
  versus Hearing Group, +4 to PER Rolls; Lim-
  ited Range (5”; -¼), Set Eﬀect (sound of a 
  tree falling; -1)
  3 
  Easily Hidden:  +2 to Concealment; Self Only 
  (-½)
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  4 
  Hard To Perceive:  +2 to Stealth
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Small (1m, +3” 
  Knockback) (Infrequently, Slight Impairing; 
  5 points)
  Total cost:  16 points.
  KASHA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  4 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  4 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0 
  30 
  STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  62
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  5”/12”
   
  Tunneling:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Fangs:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Long Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with  
  STR), Reduced Endurance (½ END; -¼) 
  1
  33 
  Clothed In Flame:  HKA 1d6, Continuous 
  (+1), Damage Shield (does damage in  
  HTH combat; +¾), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); No STR Bonus (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Yokai Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality, Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  1 
  Kasha’s Legs:  Leaping +1” (5” forward,  
  3” upwards) 
  1
  4 
  Digs Up Graves:  Tunneling 1” through  
  2 DEF material; Soil Only (-1) 
  1
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  105
  Total Cost:  167
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Dislikes/Driven 
  Oﬀ By Loud Noises (Uncommon, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys Causing 
  Panic And Confusion (Common, Strong)
  67 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  167
  Ecology:  Kasha are evil, ghoul-like creatures that 
  steal and devour corpses. They tend to be most active 
  during storms and interrupt funerals in an eﬀort to 
  get at a dead body before it’s cremated. Because of 
  this, people often maintain vigils over the bodies of 
  the recently deceased. Armed with bells, drums, and 
  gongs, family members keep up a constant racket of 
  loud noise to discourage the kasha from coming close.
  
  15 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. For the most part, kasha lust after the 
  ﬂesh of the dead and devote most of their eﬀorts to 
  securing fresh corpses to eat. They greet the birth of 
  an infant kasha with great joy not out of any paren-
  tal pride, but in the hope the infant will die so the 
  parents may feast upon its body.
  Powers/Tactics:  Kasha like to spread confusion 
  when they appear and often do so in a manner 
  calculated to create the maximum amount of panic. 
  With their power to cover themselves in ﬂames, 
  they can make for a fearsome sight leaping down 
  oﬀ a roof into the middle of a funeral procession. If 
  it succeeds in frightening everyone away, the kasha 
  snatches up the abandoned corpse and runs. If not, 
  it uses its teeth and claws to tear people to pieces.
  Campaign Use:  A single kasha is little more than a 
  pest to the typical group of PC adventurers. But if 
  encountered in larger numbers, kasha make tough 
  opponents. Use them as you would other types of 
  ghouls — as inhabitants of deserted graveyards and 
  desolate ruins, prowlers of recent battleﬁelds, and 
  the servants of Asian necromancers.
  Appearance:  Kasha are bestial humanoids covered 
  in thick fur. They have monstrous, animal-like 
  faces, pointed ears, bushy tails, sharp teeth, and 
  long talons. They may stink like rotting ﬁsh.
  KASHA VARIANTS
  Several other types of ghoul-like creatures 
  haunt the Japanese night.
  Kowai
  A kowai (literally, “fearful” or “scary”) is a sort of 
  cross between a gaki (Hungry Ghost) and a ghoul. If 
  while alive a person enjoyed food to the point where 
  he would eat another person’s meal, after death he 
  may rise as a kowai. These creatures have large, blood-
  shot eyes, an oversized mouth ﬁlled with fangs, short, 
  bristle-like hairs all over their head, and only two 
  ﬁngers on each hand. They come out at night to try 
  to satisfy their everlasting hunger — they break into 
  stores for their stocks of food, root through piles of 
  garbage and waste, and even dig up and eat corpses. 
  To create a kowai, use the Ghoul character sheet found 
  on page 121 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Kurote
  Kurote live in sewers, cesspools, and latrine 
  pits; they feed on human waste. Normally content 
  to remain unseen, they can become unruly and 
  troublesome if they feel insulted or neglected, and 
  will cause ﬂoods of sewage. They may seek fresh 
  meat to supplement their diet of ﬁlth by attacking 
  people who come to use the latrines or to dump 
  waste in their pools. To create a kurote, make the 
  following changes to the kasha’s character sheet:
  Cost Power
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Dis-
  likes/Driven Off By Loud Noises  and 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys Causing 
  Panic And Confusion
  -33 
  Remove Clothed In Flame
  73 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY 5d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at a 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual 
  Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾), Claw HKA 
  Must Do Body (-½)
  3 
  Contortionist 12-
  4 
  Talent:  Double-Jointed
  Total cost:  +95 points.
  Mouryou
  A mouryou (or mohryoh), is a small being 
  about the size of a three year-old child. It has a 
  dark red body, red eyes, long dangling ears, and 
  oily black hair that falls past its shoulders. It haunts 
  graveyards, opening up coﬃns to devour the brains 
  of the dead. Although fearsome to look at, mouryou 
  can be killed simply by striking them on the neck 
  with a stick of oak. To create a mouryou, make the 
  following changes to the Ghoul character sheet 
  found on page 121 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Power
  -4 
  Apply the Small Size/Weight Template and 
  Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Fears Tigers 
  (Uncommon, Strong; 10 points)
   
  Add Susceptibility:  being struck on the neck 
  with an oak twig, takes 4d6 BODY damage 
  instantly (Uncommon; 20 points)
  Total cost:  -4 points.
  
  16 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  KINO-O-BAKE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 11-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  81
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Tree Spirit Transformation:   
  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by magic or  
  any attack that aﬀects the kino-o-bake’s  
  tree while she’s in it), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Only To 
  Merge With Parent Tree (-1) 
  0
  45 
  Bakemono Form:  Life Support (Total) 
  0
  2 
  One With Her Tree:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  400-year life span) 
  0
  36 
  Assume Various Guises:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch 
  Groups, limited group of shapes [see  
  text]), Costs Endurance Only To Change 
  Shape (+¼) 
  4
  18 
  Shrinks Back Into Her Tree:  Teleport 20”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Only To Return To Her Tree (-2),  
  No Noncombat Multiple (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  Concealment 13-
  5 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  154
  Total Cost:  235
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Suﬀers Damage Its 
  Tree Suﬀers (see text) (Infrequently, Greatly 
  Impairing)
  5 
  Susceptibility:  takes any damage inﬂicted on 
  her tree; number of dice and interval varies 
  (Uncommon)
  145 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  235
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  5 
  Bakemono Nature:  Damage Resistance (5 
  PD/5 ED)
  60 
  Bakemono Nature:  Physical And Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%
  103 
  The Kino-O-Bake’s Revenge:  RKA 8d6, NND 
  (defense is Life Support [Longevity]; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Fully Invisible (+1), Indi-
  rect (always away from the kino-o-bake’s 
  tree, but can strike target regardless of inter-
  vening barriers; +½), Increased Maximum 
  Range (17,250” or about 21 miles; +¼), No 
  Range Modiﬁer (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Trigger (kino-o-bake dies; +¼); 
  Power May Only Be Used At Point Of Death 
  (-2), 1 Charge which Never Recovers (-4) 
  (Note:  this power should use the long-range 
  attack notes on page 211 of The Fantasy Hero 
  Grimoire.)
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Aversion 
  To Sunlight (or Only Comes Out At Night) 
  (Common, Total; 20 points)
   
  Add Reputation:  haunted and/or “goblin” 
  tree, 14- (15 points)
  Ecology:  The kino-o-bake is not just a tree spirit, 
  but the inner “soul” or “spirit” of a tree come forth 
  into the world. Much like the Greek dryad, the 
  lifespan of a kino-o-bake connects directly to the 
  condition of her parent tree. If the tree’s cut, the 
  kino-o-bake suﬀers injury and pain; if it’s cut down, 
  the kino-o-bake dies.
  Personality/Motivation:  Often shy and retiring, 
  kino-o-bake are normally only seen at night and 
  usually stay close to their parent tree. They rarely 
  speak, but often befriend anyone who shows 
  them (i.e., their tree) kindness and care. On the 
  other hand, the spirits of older trees, especially 
  KOJIN
  A kojin is a form of 
  kino-o-bake; they’re 
  goddesses of the kitchen. 
  They’re friendly and 
  good-natured and live 
  in enoki, or nettle trees. 
  Japanese custom dictates 
  old dolls shouldn’t be 
  thrown in the trash, but 
  instead placed amid the 
  roots of the kojin’s tree 
  and dedicated to her.
  
  17 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  ones that have been neglected, may become dan-
  gerous and troublesome.
  Powers/Tactics:  Kino-o-bake normally look like 
  beautiful women, but can assume other forms 
  (although folklore never exactly describes these 
  forms). You should select several suitable forms 
  for each individual kino-o-bake. Suggestions 
  include a handsome man, an insect (such as a 
  cricket or praying mantis), or an animal (such 
  as a bird, cat, or dog). You many want to give the 
  kino-o-bake additional powers to represent the 
  ability of its Shape Shifted forms, or redefine the 
  forms using Multipower.
  As a supernatural being, a kino-o-bake doesn’t 
  require food, drink, or sleep, and lives as long as her 
  tree remains alive. She can also merge with her tree 
  at will, and instantly disappears into its branches if 
  surprised or approached.
  Campaign Use:  Virtually any old tree (and even 
  some young ones) in Japan can have a resident 
  kino-o-bake. The enoki (hackberry/nettle) and 
  the yanagi (drooping willow) have a reputation 
  as housing wicked kino-o-bake and are normally 
  avoided if at all possible. On the other hand, the 
  higo (willow), matsu (pine), sakura (cherry), and 
  sumono (plum) trees have more positive reputa-
  tions — many tales speak of a resident kino-o-bake 
  from one of these trees aiding the person in whose 
  garden the tree sits. For example, one kino-o-bake 
  presented herself to a samurai and informed him of 
  a treasure hidden amid her roots. Another stepped 
  in front of a sword blow intended for the man who 
  tended the tree, while yet another kino-o-bake took 
  human form and married the man who spared her 
  from being cut down.
  Cutting down a kino-o-bake’s tree is not with-
  out its hazards. Those who do so may ﬁnd that 
  the kino-o-bake taking its revenge with its dying 
  breath, often on a family member of the attacker.
  Appearance:  In human form, a kino-o-bake resem-
  bles an attractive young woman who’s well-dressed 
  and soft-spoken.
  KITSUNE
  True Form
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -5 STR 
  -15 
  8- 
  Lift 12.5 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   5 BODY -10 
  10-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  2
   26 END 
  0
   18 STUN 
  6 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  40
  Movement: 
  Running:   8”/16”
   
  Leaping:   1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  105 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions 14d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  155 
  Possession:  Mind Control 18d6, Telepathic 
  (+¼), Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Lockout (kitsune 
  cannot use any other powers while  
  possessing a target; -½), Mandatory Eﬀect 
  (EGO +30; -¾), No Range (-½) plus  
  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by magic or any 
  attack that aﬀects possessed body), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (to Mind 
  Control; -½) Only To “Merge” With  
  Possessed Body (see text; -1) plus Clinging 
  (normal STR), Aﬀects Physical World (+2); 
  Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation; -½), Only To 
  Remain Merged With A Body If It’s Moved 
  Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  1 
  Leaping:  Leaping +1” (1” forward, ½” 
  upward) 
  1
  4 
  Supernatural Speed:  Running +2” (8” Total) 2
  6 
  Acute Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  2 
  Acute Hearing:  +1 PER with Hearing  
  Group 
  0
  5 
  At Home In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (change 
  shape into 205-point human form); Costs 
  Endurance (to activate; -½) 
  4
  5 
  Long-Lived:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  10 
  Kitsune-tsuki:  +5 OECV with Mind Control
  20 
  Hard To Hit:  +4 DCV
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  5 
  Concealment 15-; Self Only (-½)
  5 
  Mimicry 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  11 
  Stealth 16-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  
  18 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  383
  Total Cost:  423
  75+  Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Accompanied By Fox-
  ﬁre At Night (Not Concealable; Noticed And 
  Recognizable)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Diminutive (about .5m 
  long; +6” KB) (Frequently, Slightly Impair-
  ing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Amoral And 
  Mischievous; Malicious Trickster (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Ven-
  geance:  Must Avenge All Insults To Self And 
  Family (Common, Total)
  15 
  Reputation:  trickster, troublemaker, and 
  seducer of men 14- 
  253 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  423
  KITSUNE
  Human Form
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  10-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  68
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  88 
  Assume Any Human Form:  Shape Shift 
  (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste 
  Groups, any humanoid form), Imitation, 
  Makeover, Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½), Persistent (+½) 
  0
  4 
  Supernatural Speed:  Running +2” (8” total) 2
  5 
  At Home In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Long-Lived:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Conversation, Persuasion, and 
  Seduction
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Disguise 13-
  5 
  Mimicry 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  137
  Total Cost:  205
  75+  Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Unearthly Beauty 
  (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Causes Major 
  Reaction [desire])
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  Reﬂection (or shadow, 
  or other feature) Reveals True Form (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [fear, 
  hatred])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Amoral And 
  Mischievous; Malicious Trickster (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Of Ven-
  geance:  Must Avenge All Insults To Self And 
  Family (Common, Total)
  
  19 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as a kit-
  sune) (Frequently, Severe)
  35 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  205
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  60+ Kitsune Magic:  60 points’ worth of Magic 
  Skills and spells (or more)
  -7 
  Add OAF (human skull; -1) to Assume 
  Human Form
  -44 
  Add OAF (human skull; -1) to Assume Any 
  Human Form
  -22 
  Remove the Persistent Advantage from 
  Assume Any Human Form
  +20 Assume Any Form:  Add “any shape” to 
  Assume Any Human Form
  +6 
  Possess Inanimate Objects/Ride Inside A 
  Human Body:  Remove the Linked Limitation 
  from the Desolidiﬁcation part of the Kitsune-
  tsuki power
  7 
  Possess Inanimate Objects/Ride Inside A 
  Human Body:  Add Life Support (Self-Con-
  tained Breathing); Linked (Desolidiﬁcation; 
  -½)
  9 
  Kitsune-bi (“fox-ﬁre”):  Sight Group Images, 
  +3 to PER Rolls; Only To Create Light (-1)
  Ecology:  Kitsune, or spirit foxes, dwell nearly every-
  where men do, preferring forests and ﬁelds, although 
  some have been known to live in abandoned houses 
  or dig burrows under storage sheds and the like. In fox 
  form, kitsune eat oﬀerings left for them at shrines to 
  the god Inari as well as whatever they can acquire or 
  steal from their human neighbors. In human form, a 
  kitsune eats human foods. Regardless of form, kitsune 
  adore aburage (deep-fried tofu).
  Since they are kami (spirits), kitsune are very 
  long-lived. Lifespans of a thousand years or more are 
  considered typical, with the creature gaining more 
  and more magical powers the older he becomes. The 
  number of tails a kitsune has also increases with age, 
  with the ﬁrst tail growing in at age 100 (along with the 
  power to shape shift and possess people), while at the 
  age of 1,000 years a spirit fox gains its full nine tails 
  and becomes a “celestial fox.”
  Most kitsune dwell in family groups. The 
  younger kitsune seem to be the most active and often 
  cause trouble in local villages. Asking the older kitsune 
  to restrain and control their young family members 
  usually brings an end to any problems.
  Personality/Motivation:  Kitsune are, simply put, 
  tricksters. They’re fairly amoral and don’t adhere to 
  the human concepts of good and evil. They follow 
  their own code and don’t care for interference from 
  others. Since humans, they tend to be malicious, play-
  ing tricks and causing trouble. A common trick is to 
  assume human form (usually of a beautiful woman) 
  and seduce a human. Some can produce balls of fox-
  ﬁre and use them to lead humans traveling after dark 
  astray. Naturally, as tricksters, not all of their pranks 
  work out as planned; sometimes a kitsune becomes 
  the butt of his own joke. On the other hand, kitsune 
  can also be helpful, especially to humans who aid the 
  kitsune in some fashion, or otherwise act in a manner 
  which pleases them. Thus, kitsune are both feared 
  and worshipped, especially because some of them are 
  servants of Inari, god of foxes. These kitsune, known 
  as myobu, are said to dwell within certain Shinto 
  temples, protecting them from harm.
  Powers/Tactics:  Because of their small size, kitsune 
  do not engage in physical combat... but thanks to 
  their extensive supernatural powers, they don’t need 
  to. Most kitsune prefer to use their powers of illusion 
  to distract, confuse, and disrupt their opponents. If 
  he wishes to strike directly at someone, a kitsune will 
  possess the mind and body of someone close to his 
  intended target and use that form to attack.
  The kitsune’s possession power is known as 
  kitsune-tsuki (“fox madness”). To use kitsune-tsuki, 
  a kitsune must touch his intended target and make 
  an ECV Attack Roll (a DEX Roll may be required to 
  touch the victim, if appropriate). If the kitsune hits, 
  he makes an Eﬀect Roll, on which he must achieve an 
  EGO +30 or greater result. If the roll fails, the attack 
  fails, leaving the fox spirit vulnerable to attack. (This is 
  why most kitsune prefer to strike at sleeping targets or 
  one in the throes of a powerful illusion. They also like 
  to Haymaker their initial Mind Control attempt, going 
  all-out in an attempt to possesses a target.)
  If the attack succeeds, the kitsune’s Desolidiﬁca-
  tion activates and the fox “merges” with his intended 
  target. The Desolidiﬁcation and Clinging powers only 
  allow a kitsune to enter the target body and move 
  with it when it moves, he cannot use any other powers 
  (besides Mind Control) in this state. He can, however, 
  use any abilities the possessed body may have (such 
  as martial arts or spells). The possessed victim moves 
  and acts with either his SPD and DEX, or the kitsune’s, 
  whichever is lower. If the victim attacks, he does so 
  with either his DEX/EGO or the kitsune’s DEX/EGO, 
  whichever is lower.
  If at any point the kitsune fails an Eﬀect Roll, the 
  victim makes a Breakout Roll, or the kitsune ends its 
  possession of the victim (either voluntarily or not), 
  then the kitsune takes physical form right next to its 
  former victim. Once revealed as a kitsune or if exor-
  cised from his possessed host, a kitsune usually ﬂees, 
  as it has no special defenses from mortal weapons.
  Kitsune are master shapeshifters and can 
  assume virtually any human form. Some may be 
  able to assume any form, including inanimate 
  objects. Some kitsune apparently need to use a 
  human skull (worn atop the head) to turn into a 
  human, while others can be startled back into their 
  normal form by a sudden blow.
  Campaign Use:  There are many tales of kitsune 
  destroying the lives of mortal men. The most 
  famous of the kitsune legends is the story of 
  Tamamo-no-mae. Also known as Hua-yang, she 
  was a 1,000 year-old nine-tailed fox and the wife 
  of the Indian king Pan-Tsu. Through him she 
  caused the death of over 1,000 people. Afterward 
  she traveled to China, took the name Pau-ssu, 
  and became the wife of the Chou emperor Yu. 
  Willing to do anything to see Tamamo-no-mae 
  smile, Yu committed all sorts of despicable acts. 
  After the Chou dynasty fell, Tamamo-no-mae 
  
  20 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  flew through the air and came to Japan. There 
  she joined the court of the Emperor and caused 
  more people to be killed. Upon her discovery she 
  fled the court, finally landing on Nasuno moor 
  and becoming a large stone. As a stone she con-
  tinues to kill, instantly slaying anything — man, 
  animal, or plant — that comes too close.
  A kitsune can be a very powerful opponent 
  for any group of characters, regardless of the power 
  level and campaign setting. They’re highly intel-
  ligent, sly, and often ruthless. Just ﬁguring out who’s 
  a kitsune in disguise (or if there’s even a kitsune 
  present) can be an adventure in and of itself. How-
  ever, not all kitsune are harmful to humans; some 
  legends talk of kitsune going to great lengths to aid 
  a human who does them a kindness.
  This character sheet for the kitsune’s human 
  form represents a typical competent kitsune the 
  PCs might encounter in a situation where you need 
  a character sheet (i.e., combat or the like). You can 
  easily customize this character sheet (speciﬁcally 
  the human form of the kitsune) by applying one of 
  the templates found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders, such as Priest, Shaman, or 
  Wizard. Other kitsune, such as the very young and 
  the very old, would have diﬀerent characteristics as 
  well as diﬀerent Skills.
  Appearance:  A kitsune normally appears as a 
  red fox. It can change its shape, assuming almost 
  any form it wishes, although most kitsune prefer 
  to turn themselves into beautiful young women 
  to better seduce mortal men. As a kitsune ages, 
  it gains tails. A young kitsune has only a single 
  tail, while an older kitsune has three, five, or nine 
  tails. Upon achieving nine tails, a kitsune turns 
  gold, silver, or white in color. At this point, it’s 
  called a celestial fox and possesses unsurpassed 
  supernatural powers.
  Regardless of form, a kitsune often retains a 
  portion of its animal nature. This can include a fox’s 
  tail, a fur-covered body, slit or glowing eyes, pointed 
  or fox-like ears, a fox’s feet, claws, elongated canine 
  teeth, the smell of a fox (instantly recognizable to 
  dogs, who will often attack the kitsune), or the form 
  of a man-sized bipedal fox (often the result of the 
  kitsune making a mistake in transforming). Even 
  if the kitsune’s disguise is ﬂawless, its reﬂection in 
  a mirror or bowl of water, or its shadow, reveals its 
  true nature.
  KITSUNE VARIANTS
  The Japanese kitsune derives from the Chinese 
  hu-hsien; legend has it the ﬁrst kitsune immigrated 
  to Japan from China. The hu-hsien is also found in 
  Korea, where it’s known as the kumiho. Legends of 
  nine-tailed foxes also exist in Vietnam — Lac Long, 
  the legendary founder of Vietnam, is said to have 
  battled a nine-tailed fox, resulting in the creation of 
  “The Sea of the Fox’s Body” near Hanoi.
  Hu-hsien
  The hu-hsien, or “fox fairy,” is also known as 
  the huli jing. They’re found all over China, but have 
  a noted preference for graveyards and abandoned 
  homes/estates. A hu-hsien gains power as it ages 
  — it can assume a woman’s form at the age of 50, 
  while at the age of 100 it can take such forms as a 
  beautiful young girl, a shên-possessed wu (priest), 
  a handsome grown man, or an aged white-haired 
  man. In general, if a hu-hsien assumes female form, 
  she’s beautiful and seductive, while in male form 
  they’re handsome and learned scholars. At the age 
  of 1,000 years, the hu-hsien becomes a “celestial 
  fox” and ﬂies up to heaven.
  Hu-hsien are just a temperamental as their 
  Japanese relations, although they tend to be 
  more benevolent and usually only play tricks 
  on those who are greedy, mean, and/or deserve 
  such a fate. They have extensive magical powers, 
  including the ability to call upon the dead, and 
  can summon and command ghosts to do their 
  bidding. In addition, the hu-hsien are said to 
  know what’s occurring up to 1,000 miles away, 
  can poison a man with spells, possess men (see 
  kitsune-tsuki, above), and remove a man’s knowl-
  edge and memories. Some legends claim they 
  can foretell the future, grant either good or bad 
  fortune, and produce flames by slapping their 
  tails against the ground. Other powers ascribed 
  to the hu-hsien include being able to fly (and 
  carry someone along), walk through walls, pass 
  through closed windows, and become invisible.
  VARIOUS KITSUNE
  Depending on its exact coloration and nature, the name 
  for a speciﬁc spirit fox may vary, with “kitsune” being a 
  general term for the “species.” Some examples include:
  Bakemono-Kitsune:  An evil fox.
  Byakko:  A female white fox. Seeing one is considered a 
  good omen, since white foxes are servants of Inari and 
  act as the god’s messengers.
  Genko: A male black fox. Seeing one is considered a 
  good omen, since black foxes are servants of Inari and 
  act as the god’s messengers.
  Kiko:  A spirit fox.
  Koryo:  A “haunting” fox.
  Kuko:  A fox of the air. These are evil foxes, and thought 
  of in the same manner as the tengu (page 54).
  Myobu:  A servant of Inari. Usually called upon to catch 
  and punish nogitsune (see next entry).
  Nogitsune:  A wild fox. At one point “kitsune” meant 
  a messenger of Inari, while “nogitsune” was used to 
  describe any fox who played pranks and performed 
  mischief for his own amusement.
  Reiko:  A ghost fox.
  Shakko:  A red fox. Can be either good or evil.
  Tenko:  A celestial fox over 1,000 years old with nine 
  tails and white (or golden) fur. They’re either very 
  benevolent and wise, or very, very evil.
  Yako/Yakan:  A fox. In Chinese folklore, a yakan is a 
  fox-like creature capable of climbing trees and howling 
  like a wolf.
  FOX PEARLS
  According to the  
  Chinese, fox spirits keep 
  highly magical “bewitch-
  ing pearls” lodged in 
  their mouths. According 
  to one source, acquir-
  ing one of these pearls 
  makes a person “a favor-
  ite of the whole world.”
  Fox Pearl:  +30 PRE (30 
  Active Points);  IIF 
  (-¼), Only To 
  Befriend/Inspire/Per-
  suade Others (-1). 
  Total cost:  13 points.
  
  21 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  45 
  Become Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight Group, 
  No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  90 
  Bewilder Men:  Major Transform 4d6 
  (human into human without some or all of 
  his memories or Skills, heals back normally), 
  BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works 
  Versus EGO Not BODY (+¼); Limited 
  Target (humans; -½)
  52 
  Command Ghosts:  Mind Control 12d6, Tele-
  pathic (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Only Works On Ghosts And Similar 
  Spirits (-1)
  9 
  Create Flame:  RKA ½d6, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); Gestures (must slap tail 
  on the ground; -¼), No Range (-½)
  105 
  Fly Through The Air:  Multipower, 90-point 
  reserve, one slot Flight 20”, Usable Simultane-
  ously (+½), and one slot the same but with 
  MegaScale (1” = 100 km; +¾)
  9 
  Foretell The Future:  Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group), Precognition; Concentration (½ 
  DCV throughout; -½), Extra Time (5 min-
  utes; -2), Precognition Only (-1)
  108 
  Grant Good/Bad Fortune:  Major Transform 
  8d6 (human to human with Luck 3d6 or 
  Unluck 3d6), Improved Results Group (+¼), 
  Invisible To Sight And Hearing Groups (+¾), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); All Or 
  Nothing (-½), Limited Target (humans; -½), 
  No Range (-½)
  66 
  Know Distant Events:  Multipower, 56-point 
  reserve, one slot Clairsentience (Sight and 
  Hearing Groups), 8x Range (1,600”); Con-
  centration (½ DCV throughout; -½), Extra 
  Time (5 minutes; -2), and one slot the same 
  but with MegaRange (1” = 1 km; +¼)
  40 
  Pass Through Walls And Windows:  Desolidi-
  ﬁcation (aﬀected by magic)
  189 
  Poison Men With Spells:  RKA 8d6, NND 
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate Immu-
  nity]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Fully Invis-
  ible (+1), Indirect (always away from the 
  hu-hsien, but can strike target regardless of 
  intervening barriers; +½), No Range Modi-
  ﬁer (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual Eﬀect 
  (8 Days, 1d6/Day; -2) 
  20 
  Summon Ghosts:  Summon 405-Point Ghost; 
  Concentration (½ DCV throughout acti-
  vation; -½), Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), 
  Summon Being Must Inhabit Locale (-½)
  Hu Mei
  The hu mei is a form of hu-hsien. They’re also 
  known as “vulpine enchantresses” or “bewitch-
  ing were-vixens.” They take the form of beautiful 
  human females and seek out men to seduce and 
  destroy. They do so with the aid of powerful illu-
  sions — they’ve been known to make a human 
  skull appear as an expensive drinking vessel, and to 
  make cow urine look and smell like ﬁne wine.
  Cost Power
  +15 Powerful Illusions:  Increase Illusions to 
  Mental Illusions 16d6
  Total cost:  +15 points.
  Kumiho
  The kumiho, or “nine-tailed fox” is also known 
  as a goo mi ho. It’s a fox who’s lived for 1,000 years 
  and gained great supernatural powers. As a rule 
  they’re thoroughly evil and malicious — a kumiho’s 
  favorite tactic is to kill a human, eat the corpse (or 
  just the liver), and then take the victim’s place in 
  society. Once ﬁrmly established, it tries to kill and 
  devour everyone around itself, often starting with 
  the local livestock before moving on to servants 
  and family members.
  Kumiho like to take female form and often 
  seduce men this way, draining their life energy 
  (known in Japan as seki, or sexual energy) while 
  engaged in intense bouts of lovemaking. They tend 
  to have little in the way of ﬁghting skills, and once 
  detected normally ﬂee from a confrontation. Dogs 
  can easily smell the fox-scent of a kumiho, while a 
  sharp slap to the face usually breaks the kumhio’s 
  concentration and allows for a momentary glimpse 
  of its true form.
  Cost Power
  -7 
  Assume Human Form:  Increase the Costs 
  Endurance Limitation to (costs END 
  throughout; -1)
  8 
  Drain Life Force:  Drain BODY 1d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (5 Character Points per Hour; 
  +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Lim-
  ited Target (human males; -¼), Skin Contact 
  Required (-1), Only Versus Male With Whom 
  The Kumiho Is Engaged In Sexual Congress 
  (-1)
  Total cost:  +1 point.
  
  22 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  KUMO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   5 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  7 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  7 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   35 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  81
    
   
   
  (+9 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  10”/20”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Sharp Teeth Must Do BODY 
  First (-½) 
  7
  68 
  Venom:  Drain CON 4d6, Delayed Return 
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per  
  Hour; +1), NND (defense is Life Support 
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); HKA Must Do BODY  
  (-½), Extra Time (onset time begins 1 
  Minute after victim is bitten; -1½), Linked 
  (to RKA; -½), 4 Charges (-1) plus RKA  
  4d6, NND (defense is Life Support  
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Does  
  BODY (+1), Personal Immunity (+¼);  
  No Range (-½), HKA Must Do BODY  
  (-½), Extra Time (onset time begins 1 
  Minute after victim is bitten; -1½),  
  Gradual Eﬀect (4 Minutes; 1d6/1 Minute;  
  -½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  48 
  Sticky Webs:  Multipower, 97-point reserve;  
  4 Charges for entire Multipower (-1) 
  [4]
  3u 
  1) Standard Webs:  Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF,  
  Area Of Eﬀect (7” Radius; +1), Continuous 
  (-1), Personal Immunity (+¼); Extra Time 
  (takes about one Hour per hex to weave  
  web; -1½), Only To Form Barriers (-1)
  2u 
  2) Wrapping Up Prey:  Entangle 6d6,  
  6 DEF; Extra Time (1 Turn; -1¼),  
  No Range (-½)
  4u 
  3) Webspitting:  Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF;  
  Range Based On STR (-¼)
  6 
  Exoskeleton:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  12 
  Long Legs:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  2
  5 
  Leaper:  Leaping +5” (10” forward, 5” 
  upwards) 
  1
  -2 
  Cannot Swim:  Swimming -2”
  10 
  Digging:  Tunneling 2” through 2 DEF  
  material 
  1
  6 
  Eight Eyes:  +3 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  6 
  Spider Senses:  +3 PER with Touch Group 0
  5 
  Night Predator:  Nightvision 
  0
  8 
  Spider Legs:  Clinging (normal STR);  
  Cannot Resist Knockback (-¼) 
  0
  6 
  Eight Legs:  Extra Limbs, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  27 
  Assume Human Shape:  Multiform  
  (change shape into 200-point human  
  form); Costs Endurance (to change  
  shape only; -½) 
  4
   
  Skills
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (Urban) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  273
  Total Cost:  354
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3-4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Evil, Cruel, And 
  Malicious (Common, Strong)
  244 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  354
  OPTIONS
  Cost Kumo Powers
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. Kumo can be up to Gigantic  
  in size.
  43 
  Change Size At Will:  Shrinking (.032 m long, 
  .0004 kg mass, -12 to PER Rolls to perceive 
  the character, +12 DCV, takes +18” KB), 
  Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+¼); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), No Growth 
  Momentum (-¼)
  90 
  Illusions And/Or Terrible Dreams:   
  Mental Illusions 12d6, Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½)
  Ecology:  Kumo are giant Japanese spiders. They 
  dwell in old castles, ruined temples, or the wilder-
  ness. They can take human shape, and use this form 
  to prey on lone travelers.
  Personality/Motivation:  As intelligent as any human, 
  kumo are cruel and malicious, with some going 
  so far as to torment their prey with terrible night-
  mares night after night before ﬁnally moving in 
  for the kill. Others disguise themselves as priests 
  or servants, using this form to get close to a target 
  before striking.
  Powers/Tactics:  Kumo have two main weapons:  
  their sharp fangs and their ability to spin webs. 
  They use their fangs when attacking, biting prey 
  and either injecting a lethal dose of venom or 
  drinking their prey’s blood (and possibly leaving 
  the victim alive for a repeat visit). They use their 
  webs defensively most of the time, often spitting a 
  
  23 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  web at a target when attempt-
  ing to escape. And of course 
  they use webs to hold prey 
  until later; a kumo’s lair might 
  have tangled masses of sticky 
  webs hung all about.
  A kumo’s human form 
  should have the webspitting 
  slot from the kumo’s Sticky 
  Webs multipower, bought as 
  an Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF with 
  the Limitations of 4 Charges 
  (-1) and Range Based On STR 
  (-¼) (total cost:  22 points).
  Campaign Use:  You can use 
  the optional powers to create 
  larger spiders or ones with the 
  ability to confuse their prey 
  with bad dreams and illusions. 
  Some stories have the kumo 
  assuming a normal spider-
  sized form during the day, 
  becoming huge only when 
  night falls.
  Appearance:  A kumo is a 
  great hairy spider, larger than 
  a man, with eyes like dinner 
  plates, long sharp teeth, and 
  legs longer than a man’s. In 
  human form, the kumo looks 
  like a normal human being 
  with no distinguishing marks.
  JOROHGUMO
  One type of kumo is the jorohgumo, or “cour-
  tesan spider” (also known as a joro-kumo or zyor-
  ougumo). This creature has extremely long legs and 
  can turn into a beautiful geisha at will. They tend 
  to live near waterfalls or small streams. While not 
  actively inimical to men, crossing one is a good way 
  to end up the recipient of a lethal curse.
  TSUCHI-KUMO
  Tsuchi-kumo was an immense earth spider. 
  Immortal and virtually immune to any metal 
  weapon, it devastated the countryside until a group 
  of brave samurai trapped it in a cave and roasted 
  it to death by building an enormous bonﬁre at the 
  cavern’s mouth. You can create Tsuchi-kumo by 
  making the following alterations to the standard 
  Kumo character sheet:
  Cost Power
  -27 
  Remove Assume Human Shape
  +160 Increase Size from Large to Gigantic
  37 
  Immune To Metal Weapons:  Armor (30 PD/0 
  ED), Hardened (+¼); Only Works Against 
  Limited Type Of Attack (metal weapons; -½)
  40 
  Immune To Metal Weapons:  Physical 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Only 
  Works Against Limited Type Of Attack 
  (metal weapons; -½)
  5 
  Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:   
  Immortality)
  Total cost:  +215 points.
  
  24 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  MUKADE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  40 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   24 BODY 28 
  14-
   6 INT 
  -4 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   12 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  24 PD (12 rPD)
   12 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  24 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   16 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   64 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  155
    
   
   
  (+102 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
   
  Tunneling:  2”/4”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Mandibles:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR) 2
  68 
  Venom:  Drain CON 4d6, Delayed  
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of  
  5 per Hour; +1), NND (defense is Life  
  Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); HKA Must  
  Do BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 1 Minute after victim is bitten;  
  -1½), Linked (to RKA; -½), 4 Charges  
  (-1) plus RKA 4d6, NND (defense is  
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity];  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼); No Range (-½), HKA  
  Must Do BODY (-½), Extra Time (on  
  set time begins 1 Minute after victim is 
  bitten; -1½), Gradual Eﬀect (4 Minutes; 
  1d6/1 Minute; -½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  36 
  Plated Body:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  20 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -10” 
  0
  36 
  Scuttling:  Running +18” (24” total) 
  4
  10 
  Digging:  Tunneling 2” through 2 DEF  
  material 
  1
  4 
  Burning Eyes:  +2 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  8 
  Antennae:  +4 PER with Smell/Taste Group 0
  8 
  Mukade Legs:  Clinging (normal STR); 
  Cannot Resist Knockback (-¼) 
  0
  6 
  One Hundred Legs:  Extra Limbs,  
  Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  9 
  Tracking 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  238
  Total Cost:  393
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (32m; -8 DCV, 
  +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Instinctive Intelligence 
  (All The Time, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap; cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Limiting)
  15 
  Susceptibility:  to human saliva, takes 2d6 
  damage instantly when spit upon (Common, 
  since it’s a well-known weakness)
  248 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  393
  Ecology:  The mukade is a gigantic version of the 
  common Japanese centipede. Like its smaller rela-
  tive, the mukade can be found all over Japan, living 
  deep in tangled forests, high in the mountains, or in 
  inaccessible valleys. They eat nearly everything, and 
  even hunt down and kill tatsu, the Japanese dragon.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Mukade are aggressive, rushing 
  to attack and biting any prey-like object with their 
  powerful mandibles. Victims who aren’t killed 
  outright by a mukade’s jaws still have to deal with 
  the poison it injects with each bite. Fortunately, it 
  only has so much venom at any one time; unfortu-
  nately, that’s more than enough to kill most people. 
  Worse yet, the mukade’s segmented body is covered 
  by heavy plates, making it virtually immune to 
  most weapons. However, rumor has it that human 
  saliva has special properties when used against the 
  mukade.
  Campaign Use:  The mukade can either be used 
  as a threat all by itself, or as the agent of an even 
  greater evil — such as a wizard. You can also use 
  the mukade as the catalyst for an adventure. In one 
  story of the mukade, the Dragon King of Lake Biwa 
  asked a samurai to slay the mukade that had been 
  plaguing him and his family. The samurai did so 
  and was rewarded with the Ever-Full Rice Bag.
  Appearance:  A mukade can be anywhere from 
  20 to 100 feet in length (or even larger!). It has a 
  brownish or reddish body (although some have 
  black plates) and dozens upon dozens of legs.
  
  25 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  NINGYO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   15 CON 
  10 
  11-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  11-
   4 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   26 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  44
    
   
   
  (+7 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +1d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  3 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation 
  Roll 11- (or covers locations 13-18; -1) 
  0
  15 
  Bakemono Nature:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality, Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 0
  10 
  Fish’s Tail:  Swimming +10” (12” total) 
  1
  -10 
  Virtually Helpless On Land:  Running -5”  
  (1” total)
  5 
  See Underwater:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  2 
  AK  Coastal Territory 11-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  38
  Total Cost:  82
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  awkward on land (½ 
  DCV out of water) (Infrequently, Slightly 
  Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Reputation:  ﬂesh grants immortality, 11-
  Total Disadvantage Points:  90
  OPTIONS
  Cost Ningyo Powers
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  2 
  Reputation:  forewarns sailors of trouble  
  on land or sea (in Japan) 11- +1/+1d6
  2 
  Language:  Mollusk/Shellﬁsh (ﬂuent  
  conversation; Japanese is Native)
   
  Add Reputation:  appearance foretells civil 
  strife, 11- (10 points)
  Cost Human-Headed Ningyo
  -2 
  Replace Virtually Helpless On Land with Only 
  Swims:  Running -6”
  +5 
  Remove the Physical Limitation Awkward on 
  Land
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Very Limited 
  Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing; 
  15 points)
  Total cost:  -3 points.
  Ecology:  Ningyo are the mermaids (and mermen) 
  of Japan. They’re coastal dwellers, living in the thick 
  kelp beds and hunting ﬁsh and small crustaceans for 
  their food. Occasionally they come ashore to relax in 
  the sun and brush out their hair. This can be hazard-
  ous for the ningyo, because it’s said anyone who eats 
  the ﬂesh of the ningyo’s ﬁshtail becomes immortal. 
  But eating the ﬂesh of the ningyo has its risks. Some 
  legends state immortality (and great beauty) are only 
  granted to women, while any man who eats the ﬂesh 
  of the ningyo dies (or turns into a hideous monster).
  Personality/Motivation:  Ningyo are said to be 
  benevolent and peaceful beings who tend to avoid 
  human contact. Some people think that seeing a 
  ningyo is a sign of good luck to come, while others 
  say the arrival of a ningyo at the surface foretells 
  some form of civil strife or open war.
  Powers/Tactics:  Most ningyo live as simple groups 
  and have no natural weapons. Some have sharp 
  teeth and claws. It’s possible for the ningyo to use 
  hand-to-hand weapons, such as spears or tridents.
  
  26 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent ningyo the PCs might encounter 
  in a situation where you need a character sheet (i.e., 
  combat or the like). You can easily customize this 
  character sheet by applying one of the templates 
  found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter. Lesser 
  ningyo, such as the young, females, the elderly, and 
  so on, would have slightly lower Characteristics and 
  diﬀerent Skills.
  Appearance:  Ningyo appear either as traditional 
  mermaids, with a human head and torso atop a 
  ﬁsh’s tail, or as a large ﬁsh with a human’s head. In 
  either case the human portion has highly attractive 
  features. However, one description of the ningyo 
  presents a far less appealing picture. While it has 
  the same half-woman, half-ﬁsh shape of the regular 
  ningyo, the rest of the body is described thus:  long 
  red hair, eyebrows that connect in the middle, a 
  protruding lower jaw, a monkey-like mouth, ﬁsh-
  like teeth, golden scales, and a cry that sounds like 
  “[the] whistle of a lark.”
  MONSTERS OF THE JAPANESE OCEAN
  Here are a few more monsters your heroes 
  might encounter in the seas surrounding Japan:
  Awabi:  Awabi are immense abalone the size of a 
  man (or larger). They have thick armored shells, 
  can cling tightly to any rocky surface, and move 
  with all the swiftness of the average snail. They 
  glow brightly, live for more than 1,000 years, and 
  can control the weather, summoning storms to 
  punish unwise ﬁshermen who disturb them.
  Isohime:  An isohime (“sea-princess”) is similar 
  in many respects to the ningyo but much, much 
  larger (apply the Enormous  Size/Weight Template 
  and Physical Limitations from pages 574-75 of The 
  HERO System 5th Edition, Revised to the ningyo to 
  create one). They come out during storms, seeking 
  the survivors of shipwrecks to devour them.
  Mizuti:  These creatures are water-dwelling Giant 
  Snakes (see page 116-117 of The HERO System Bes-
  tiary). They’re capable of summoning vast storms if 
  they so desire.
  Namazu:  A namazu is a giant catﬁsh. They’re found in 
  lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, and even the ocean 
  (Jinshin-Uwo is a namazu of almost inconceivable 
  size). Highly intelligent, many namazu can speak 
  and even assume human form. Due to their great 
  size they’re highly prized by ﬁshermen. Ignoring the 
  warnings of the namazu and killing one has its perils 
  however, and the slayer of a namazu often falls under 
  a curse or disaster (such as a ﬂood or storm).
  Umibouzu:  Often seen during storms and rough 
  weather, the umibouzu are immense dark-bodied 
  giants with baleful red eyes and a mouth that 
  stretches from ear to ear. They rise out of the water 
  and overturn ships. They may have either arms or 
  tentacles, and might even be an immense form of 
  octopus or squid.
  Umi-nyobou:  Umi-nyobou looks like a human 
  woman covered in ﬁne ﬁsh scales. Her ﬁngers and 
  toes are webbed, while other ﬁns may run along her 
  arms and legs.
  Yofuné-Nushi:  Another sea-dwelling and water-
  breathing giant snake, Yofuné-Nushi demanded the 
  sacriﬁce of a young maiden every June 13. If refused 
  he summoned a great storm to smash the ﬁshing 
  ﬂeet. This continued until a woman named Tokoyo 
  armed herself with a long knife, leapt into the sea 
  and stabbed Yofuné-Nushi in the right eye. When he 
  reared back in pain, she put her blade in his heart.
  EATING THE NINGYO’S TAIL
  If a character eats meat from the tail of a ningyo 
  (either willingly or not), you need to decide which of 
  the legends (if any) are true. Even if the legends are 
  true, you might want to limit who can beneﬁt from 
  them — otherwise all of the ningyo would probably 
  have been hunted to extinction already. One way to 
  discourage wanton slaughter of the ningyo is to make 
  immortality a very rare result; instead, most people 
  who eat ningyo tail die (usually in great pain) or turn 
  into mindless monsters. Those who survive gain the 
  following powers:
  Great Beauty:  +10 COM. Total cost:  5 points.
  Immortality:  Life Support (Longevity:  Immortality). 
  Total cost:  5 points.
  Immortality:  Healing BODY 1d6 (Regeneration; 1 
  BODY per Minute), Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection 
  (others can stop resurrection by burning the body), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Extra Time + Increased Time Increment (1 BODY/1 
  Minute; -1½), Self Only (-½), Cannot Regrow Lost 
  Limbs, Must Reconnect Severed Limbs To Heal Them  
  (-0). Total cost:  23 points.
  According to Japanese legend, the Buddhist nun Yao-
  bikuni ate the ﬂesh of a ningyo, hence her name, which 
  translates to “nun of 800 years.”
  
  27 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  NUE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   9 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  2
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  103
    
   
   
  (+11 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  3
  16 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  58 
  Oppressive Dreams:  Mental Illusions  
  10d6, Continuous (+1), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only Aﬀects 
  Sleep/Dreaming Targets (-1), Stops  
  Working If The Nue is Knocked Out (-¼) 
  plus Drain END 1 point, Delayed Return 
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per  
  Day; +1½), Invisible To Sight Group (+½), 
  Ranged (+½); Linked (-½)  
  7
  37 
  Seeking The Sleepers And Dreamers:   
  Mind Scan 10d6, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Only Works Against Sleep/
  Dreaming Targets (-1) 
  0
  4 
  Roar:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼) 
  0
  3 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2” 
  0
  1 
  Immune To Its Own Venom:  Life Support 
  (Immunity:  Snake Tail Venom) 
  0
  24 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 12” 
  2
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  2
  13 
  Cloud Of Blackness:  Change Environment  
  2” radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls,  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); No Range (-½) 
  2
  9 
  Cat’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  30 
  Snake For A Tail:  Duplication (creates  
  190-point duplicate); Cannot Recombine  
  (-0), Feedback (snake dies if the base form  
  is killed; -¼) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Supreme  
  Balance
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  10 
  +2 with Mental Powers
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Camouflage Coloration:  +4 to  
  Concealment; Self Only (-½), Only In 
  Home Environment (-1)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  1 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +1 to Stealth; Only 
  In Home Environment (-1)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  275
  Total Cost:  378
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Mali-
  cious (Common, Strong)
  258 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  378
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  -8 
  Wings:  Add the Restrainable (-½) Limitation 
  to the Taking To The Air Power
  
  28 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  NUE SNAKE TAIL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   5 BODY -10 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (2 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  40
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”
   
  Leaping:  0”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  7 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6; No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  121 
  Venomous Bite:  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of  
  5 points per Hour; +1), NND (defense is  
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Bite Must Do 
  BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 1 Segment after victim is bitten;  
  -½), Gradual Eﬀect (5 Segments; 1d6/ 
  1 Segment; -¼), Linked (to RKA; -½),  
  4 Charges (-1) plus RKA 6d6, NND  
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1), Does BODY (+1),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); No Range (-½), 
  Bite Must Do BODY (-½), Extra Time  
  (onset time begins 1 Segment after victim 
  is bitten; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (6 Segments; 
  1d6/1 Segment; -¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  2 
  Scales:  Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2” 
  0
  1 
  Immune To Its Own Venom:  Life Support 
  (Immunity:  Snake Tail Venom) 
  0
  -12 
  Goes Where The Nue Body Goes:   
  Running -6” 
  0
  -2 
  Goes Where The Nue Body Goes:   
  Swimming -2” 
  0
  6 
  Serpent’s Tongue:  +3 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  4 
  Long Tail:  Stretching 1”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Bite
  5 
  Hard To Hit:  +1 DCV
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  145
  Total Cost:  185
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  85 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  185
  Ecology:  The nue is a solitary nocturnal creature, 
  known to dwell in forests and the wilderness. At 
  night it comes out to seek its prey, which often 
  includes humans.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  The nue can be a cruel beast, however, and has been 
  known to torment a single victim night after night, 
  apparently feeding on the target’s fears.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to the wide variety of powers 
  they possess, nue can be highly dangerous oppo-
  nents. Since they can ﬂy, they often lurk on the 
  peaks of roofs or high in the trees, dropping down 
  on unsuspecting passersby. In addition, a nue can 
  cause a black cloud of mist to form around its body, 
  disguising its shape and form. It will usually create 
  this cloud around itself before taking to the air.
  Nue have two major forms of attack:  the ﬁrst 
  is through dreams, the second physically, with 
  claws and teeth. While surrounded by its black mist 
  cloud the nue ﬂoats over a victim’s home, send-
  ing nightmarish dreams that leave the victim tired 
  and drained of energy. Those who seek to stop the 
  nue with force of arms must cope with its sharp 
  teeth and terrible claws. Worse yet, the nue’s tail is a 
  snake, complete with a head and venomous fangs. 
  Because of this, the nue likes to plunge into the 
  middle of its foes so it can attack in all directions. 
  The nue’s tail has no control over the actions of the 
  main body, and if the main body is killed, the tail 
  dies as well.
  Campaign Use:  Similar in some ways to the Greek 
  chimera, the nue makes a deadly foe for a troop of 
  unwary adventurers. Heroes should only encounter 
  one at a time, or perhaps two if they’re unlucky 
  (or suﬃciently powerful and skilled). A nue would 
  make a good servant for a sorcerer who could use 
  the creature’s powers of nightmare to extort money 
  and goods from his victims.
  Appearance:  Descriptions of the nue vary, but most 
  agree it has the head of a monkey or a tiger, the 
  body of a tiger, and a snake for a tail. Some describe 
  it as a form of bird, with a monkey’s head, a dog’s 
  body, the claws of a tiger, a snake for a tail, and an 
  eagle’s wings.
  
  29 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  NUKE-KUBI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  21 
  Head Separation:  Duplication (creates one 
  122-point Duplicate), Altered Duplicate 
  (100%; +1); Feedback (-1), Only At Night  
  (-½), Original Character Is Incapacitated 
  And Helpless While Duplicate Exists (-1), 
  Both Characters Die If They Do Not  
  Recombine At Sunrise (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Swift Runner: Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  KS: (varies by profession) 11-
  2 
  PS: (varies by profession) 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  4 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  67
  Total Cost:  96
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repelled by prayers and 
  sutras, cannot approach anyone praying or 
  chanting (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Deceitful And 
  Treacherous (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as a nuke-
  kubi) (Frequently, Severe)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  125
  NUKE-KUBI HEAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   3 BODY -14 
  9-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  6
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 10 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  31
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
   
  Flight  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Unbreakable Grip:  +20 STR, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Only For  
  Grabbing And Biting (-1) 
  0
  16 
  Biting And Gnawing:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR), Continuous (+1); Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  28 
  Take To The Air:  Flight 8”, Invisible to  
  Hearing Group (+¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  -12 
  Only Flies:  Running -6”
  -2 
  Only Flies:  Swimming -2”
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  20 
  Hard To Hit:  +4 DCV
  7 
  Concealment 16-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  11 
  Stealth 16-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  91
  Total Cost:  122
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  mystic kanji on neck 
  (Concealable, Major Reaction)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Diminutive (.5 m, +6” 
  KB) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repelled by prayers and 
  sutras, cannot approach anyone praying or 
  chanting (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Deceitful And 
  Treacherous (Common, Strong)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  150
  
  30 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Ecology:  A nuke-kubi is a dangerous and malignant 
  goblin whose name means “sliding neck.” By day, 
  they live quietly among normal humans, but at 
  night the nuke-kubi separate their heads from their 
  bodies (hence their name) and ﬂy forth in search of 
  food — usually insects and grubs, but they prefer 
  human meat if they can get it!
  Personality/Motivation:  To the casual viewer, a 
  nuke-kubi is simply a hardworking fellow citizen. 
  Well-mannered and polite, a nuke-kubi often 
  explains his excellent social skills as the result of 
  a noble upbringing, and his poor lower-class sur-
  roundings as stemming from the misfortunes of 
  war and intrigue. Always in search of prey, he’ll go 
  so far as to invite a lone traveler to spend the night 
  in his home, playing the part of a hospitable host... 
  at least until the victim falls asleep, at which point 
  the nuke-kubi tears his guest to pieces.
  Powers/Tactics:  At night-
  fall, a nuke-kubi lays his 
  body down and detaches his 
  head from his body, leaving 
  a smooth stump (on both 
  the head and the body). 
  The head flies off in search 
  of food, moving in virtual 
  silence through the air. Any-
  thing it can catch (such as 
  a human) it devours with 
  its sharp teeth and strong 
  jaws. In fact, the nuke-kubi’s 
  jaws are so strong his mouth 
  often cannot be forced open 
  even if the head is killed.
  As supernatural beings, 
  nuke-kubi can’t tolerate the 
  sound of prayer or of Bud-
  dhist sutras being chanted 
  and stay far away from 
  anyone making such noises. 
  They also must rejoin with 
  their bodies come sunup 
  — they die quickly if they 
  cannot, striking the ground 
  three times and panting in 
  fear before death.
  Campaign Use:  This charac-
  ter sheet represents a typical 
  competent nuke-kubi the 
  PCs might encounter in a 
  situation where you need a 
  character sheet (i.e., combat 
  or the like). You can easily customize this char-
  acter sheet by applying one of the templates 
  found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Minions, 
  And Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter. 
  Lesser nuke-kubi, such as the traders, craftsmen, 
  the young, some females, the elderly, and so on, 
  would have slightly lower Characteristics and 
  different Skills.
  Appearance:  A nuke-kubi can look like anyone 
  — man or woman, young or old. They wear 
  clothing and carry equipment appropriate to 
  their chosen occupation. A detached nuke-kubi 
  head has a smooth, bloodless stump of a neck; 
  there’s a matching stump on the body. Around 
  the base of the head’s neck is a series of mystical 
  kanji in red.
  
  31 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  NURE-ONNA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10- 
   12 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  12 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   56 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  157
    
   
   
  (+62 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Can Crush A Tree In Her Coils:  +20 STR, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Only  
  To Grab And Crush (-1) 
  0
  15 
  Fanged Mouth:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 1
  12 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  6 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  2
  10 
  Fast In The Water:  Swimming +10”  
  (12” total) 
  1
  15 
  Yokai Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (change 
  shape into 200-point human form); Costs 
  Endurance (to change form only; -½) 
  4
  17 
  Long Tail:  Stretching 4”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Noncombat 
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage  
  (-¼), Limited Body Part (tail only; -¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 with Hand-To-Hand Combat
  6 
  Coils:  +3 with Grab
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  178
  Total Cost:  335
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long; -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vain About Her 
  Hair (Common, Strong)
  230 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  335
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Larger/Smaller Nure-Onna:  Apply one of the 
  Size/Weight Templates and Physical Limita-
  tions from pages 574-75 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised. Nure-onna could be any-
  where from Large to Gargantuan.
  40 
  Drain Blood:  Drain BODY 2d6, Invisible to 
  Sight Group (+½), Ranged (+½)
  273 
  Enormously Long Tail:  Stretching 100”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Non-
  combat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage 
  (-¼), Limited Body Part (tail only; -¼), Can 
  Only Stretch A Distance Equal To Nure-
  Onna’s Running Per Phase (-1)
  21 
  Nure-Onna’s Child:  Sight, Hearing, and 
  Touch Group Images, -4 to PER Rolls, 1” 
  radius, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½); IAF (swaddling clothes;  
  -½), No Range (-½), Set Eﬀect (illusionary 
  baby; -1)
  72 
  Nure-Onna’s Child Revealed:  Entangle 3d6,  
  4 DEF, BOECV (+1), Takes No Damage 
  From Physical Attacks (+¼), Works Against 
  EGO, Not STR (+¼), Invisible To Sight 
  Group (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Trigger (oﬀending Nure-onna; +¼); 
  IAF (swaddling clothes; -½), No Range (-½) 
  plus Drain STR ½d6, Delayed Return Rate 
  (points return at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1), 
  Continuous (+1), Uncontrolled (+½), Invis-
  ible To Sight Group (+½), Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); IAF (swaddling clothes; 
  -½), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1¼), Linked (-½)
  121 
  Venomous Bite:  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 
  points per Hour; +1), NND (defense is Life 
  Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Per-
  sonal Immunity (+¼); Bite Must Do BODY 
  (-½), Extra Time (onset time begins 1 Seg-
  ment after victim is bitten; -½), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (5 Segments; 1d6/1 Segment; -¼), 
  Linked (to RKA; -½), 4 Charges (-1) plus 
  RKA 6d6, NND (defense is Life Support 
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Personal Immunity (+¼); No Range 
  (-½), Bite Must Do BODY (-½), Extra Time 
  (onset time begins 1 Segment after victim 
  is bitten; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (6 Segments; 
  1d6/1 Segment; -¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  8 
  Water Snake:  Life Support:  Expanded 
  Breathing (Breathe Underwater); Safe Envi-
  ronment (High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  3 
  Water Snake:  Talent:  Environmental  
  Movement:  Aquatic Movement (no  
  penalties in water)
   
  Northern Nure-Onna:  Add Reputation:  
  spirit of storms and bad luck, 11- (Extreme; 
  15 points)
  NURE-ONNA  
  OF THE NORTH
  In northern Japan nure-
  onna are said to dwell 
  along wind-swept coasts. 
  There they haunt the 
  beaches, picking among 
  the seaweed, driftwood, 
  and other wave-tossed 
  detritus for such edible 
  items as dead ﬁsh and 
  crabs. Often seen during 
  storms, they’re greatly 
  feared by ﬁshermen, 
  who avoid any spot 
  they’re even rumored 
  to haunt. In addition, 
  this form of nure-onna 
  may appear as a snake 
  topped with an attrac-
  tive woman’s head and 
  long ﬂowing hair.
  The northern nure-onna 
  is also known as iso-
  onna (iso = “seashore,” 
  onna = “woman”). 
  They’re described as 
  beautiful women with 
  long ﬂowing hair that 
  falls to the ground. 
  Eternally soaked to the 
  skin, their lower bodies 
  are misty and “dim.” 
  Iso-onna are far more 
  malicious than the nure-
  onna, capturing men 
  with their long hair and 
  drinking their blood.
  
  32 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Ecology:  A nure-onna (literally, “woman who 
  becomes wet”) is an immensely long snake-woman. 
  They’re normally encountered in human form as 
  they wash their long hair by the shore of any large 
  body of water. If approached she assumes her natu-
  ral form, which is usually enough to frighten oﬀ 
  any strangers and let her return to her task. When 
  not washing her hair, a nure-onna dwells in and 
  around rivers and lakes, often in remote areas. Since 
  they’re all (apparently) female, how they reproduce 
  is unknown.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies depending on the 
  individual. Some nure-onna are simply reclusive 
  and resent any attempt to disturb them; others 
  are more inimical, and actively hunt down and 
  feed on humans.
  Powers/Tactics:  All nure-onna have sharp claws 
  and fangs and can easily crush a tree in the coils 
  of their long tails (which may reach lengths of 
  300 meters!). Some are said to be able to drain 
  a person’s blood at a dis-
  tance — a power common 
  to those nure-onna who 
  feed on human flesh. Since 
  they can change their shape, 
  some remain in human form 
  if approached so they can 
  surprise a would-be attacker 
  if necessary.
  Occasionally nure-onna 
  carry a child-sized bundle 
  while traveling or washing 
  their hair. Anyone who, in 
  a moment of chivalry, asks 
  if he may carry the burden 
  for the nure-onna is allowed 
  to do so, and discovers the 
  bundle seems to contain a 
  child. But whoever carries the 
  bundle must do so with the 
  utmost care, or else the child 
  is revealed to be a simple illu-
  sion and the bundle will get 
  heavier and heavier, rendering 
  the person carrying it unable 
  to move. At this point, the 
  nure-onna, angered at the 
  disrespect shown her “child,” 
  moves in for the attack....
  Campaign Use:  A nure-onna 
  could be a powerful ally for 
  your heroes, or a terrible foe. 
  An evil nure-onna might 
  haunt a stretch of river to 
  prey on ﬁshermen, traders, and passersby, forcing 
  the heroes to ﬁght it to save the innocent folk. A 
  good one may be a repository of wisdom and magi-
  cal knowledge that she’ll pass on to the heroes in 
  appropriate circumstances. In keeping with the ser-
  pentine nature of the nure-onna, you might want to 
  make their bite venomous or allow them to breathe 
  water. You may also want to make your nure-onna 
  more like the orochi (page 38) or the naga (AB1 83) 
  by having them assume human form to fall in love 
  with (or simply seduce) mortal men.
  Appearance:  A nure-onna has the body of a great 
  serpent, a pair of human-like arms covered in ﬁne 
  scales, claws on her ﬁngers, and a narrow-featured 
  face with snakelike eyes and fangs. The scales can 
  be of any color, and may be patterned as well. Nure-
  onna have tresses of night-black hair that reach 
  lengths of ﬁve to six feet or more. In human form, 
  a nure-onna appears as an attractive female with 
  long, beautiful hair falling well past her waist.
  
  33 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  ONI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3 
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  9-
   12 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  12 PD (2 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  11 ED (2 rED
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  107
    
   
   
  (+32 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
   
  Flight:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  10 
  Fangs/Tusks:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 1
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  15 
  Creature Of Yomi:  Life Support  Life  
  Support (Longevity:  Immortality;  
  Immunity:  all terrestrial diseases and  
  biowarfare agents) 
  0
  8 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 10”; Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½) 
  8
  4 
  Long Legs:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  2
  5 
  Oni Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Oni Senses:  +1 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  4 
  Reach:  Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Interrogation 14-
  2 
  KS: Yomi 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (one environment) 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  4 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  92
  Total Cost:  199
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3m tall, -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  prone to intoxication 
  (-3 on CON Rolls to resist drunkenness) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel, Lecherous, 
  And Malicious (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Eat And 
  Drink To Excess (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  abductors and rapers of women, 
  11- (Extreme)
  69 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  199
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  +5 
  Larger Fangs:  Increase Fangs/Tusks to HKA 
  1d6 (2d6 with STR)
  +2 
  Thicker Hide:  Increase Thick Hide to Damage 
  Resistance (4 PD/4 ED)
  53 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, 
  any humanoid form), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½) plus Shrinking (about 2 m 
  tall, 100 kg mass, -2 to PER Rolls to perceive 
  character, +2 DCV, +3” Knockback), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (-½)
  var 
  Multiple Heads:  +1 PER with all Sense 
  Groups per extra head
  10 
  Multiple Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  5 
  Multiple Heads:  Extra Limbs (5 heads [or 
  more as desired]), Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  6 
  Three Or More Arms (or Legs): Extra Limbs 
  (varies), Inherent (+¼)
  40 
  Travel To Yomi:  Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment (any location in realm of Yomi cor-
  responding to the physical location in realm 
  the oni is currently in), x2 Increased Mass, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  30 
  Turn Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight Group, 
  No Fringe
  Ecology:  Oni are creatures of Yomi, the Japanese 
  underworld. They’re a form of supernatural spirit 
  that dwells either in Yomi tormenting sinners, or 
  on Earth causing trouble and wreaking havoc on 
  humans. Although otherworldly spirits, oni have 
  large appetites for many forms of earthly pleasures 
  and partake in food (such as people) and drink 
  (they especially love saké) to great excess.
  Personality/Motivation:  The prime purpose of an 
  oni is to cause trouble. They like to spread disease 
  and misery, and are always on the lookout for those 
  who have sinned against the Buddhist faith so they 
  can take them to Yomi to receive their just pun-
  ishments. Oni also have a great liking for human 
  women, and will bring any they catch back to their 
  lair to satisfy their perverse lusts.
  Powers/Tactics:  The traditional weapon of an oni 
  is a huge tetsubo, an iron-plated staﬀ some six or 
  seven feet long. With this they smash anything in 
  their path, be it a wall, door, or person. Instead of 
  the tetsubo, other oni carry giant-sized naginata, 
  nagamaki, no-dachi, or yari. Some may even wear 
  armor, such as a do (breastplate) or a kote (armored 
  sleeve). Due to their size and strength, oni tend to 
  be fearless, and won’t ﬂee from an encounter unless 
  greatly outnumbered or severely wounded.
  It’s said some oni can become invisible, while 
  others can assume human form to cause even 
  greater mischief and trouble. A few might even 
  ONIBI
  Often seen on rainy or 
  stormy days, onibi (“oni 
  ﬁre”) is a ball of ﬁre 
  ﬂoating in the air. An 
  onibi can appear in a 
  wide variety of colors, 
  and often meanders 
  aimlessly about, some-
  times vanishing silently, 
  other times with a loud 
  bang. Characters should 
  avoid touching one, as 
  some onibi place a curse 
  on anyone who dares 
  disturb their ﬂight.
  
  34 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  know spells. As spirits of the underworld, oni may 
  not be able to be killed in the normal manner. You 
  may wish to give some oni a form of Regeneration 
  to reﬂect this.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent oni the PCs might encounter in 
  a situation where you need a character sheet (i.e., 
  combat or the like). You can easily customize this 
  character sheet by applying one of the templates 
  found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter.
  Due to their size and strength, oni make fear-
  some foes in a Fantasy Hero campaign, a problem 
  magniﬁed by the fact that they like to travel in 
  groups. This advantage is counterbalanced by the 
  oni’s intelligence (which isn’t all that great) — many 
  oni of legend were outwitted more than outfought. 
  Their love of saké also works against them; getting 
  an oni drunk before disposing of it seems to be a 
  common tactic in Japanese tales.
  As a ﬁnal note, not all oni are evil, and some 
  proved capable of repenting their past ways and 
  converting to Buddhism, becoming pious monks. 
  Such an oni would make an intriguing NPC, or in 
  some campaigns perhaps even a PC.
  Appearance:  Oni are large humanoids standing some 
  nine feet tall. Their skin ranges from red to pink, blue, 
  gray, or green, while their hair is usually black and 
  tangled. They typically have three clawed ﬁngers, three 
  toes, and two long horns on their heads. Their cloth-
  ing is traditionally a tiger-skin loincloth, although they 
  also wear the hides of other animals as well as bits of 
  human clothing and armor (when possible). No two 
  oni look exactly alike; many have almost animalis-
  tic faces, while the exact number of horns and eyes 
  ranges from one to four.
  ONI VARIANTS
  Oni are just one of a large number of giants, 
  goblins, and ogres said to haunt the wilds of Japan.
  Daidara-bochi
  The daidara-bochi are humanoids of tremen-
  dous size. They live on their own in the moun-
  tains, often in caves they’ve dug themselves. Some 
  daidara-bochi like to build huge cairns of rock and 
  earth, and one such giant is credited with creating 
  Mt. Fuji (the hole created by excavating all that 
  earth became Lake Biwa). Use the Stone Giant 
  character sheet on page 47 of Monsters, Minions, 
  And Marauders for a daidara-bochi.
  Gyuki
  A gyuki is an oni with a the head of a bull. Like 
  many oni, they’re cruel and savage, and seek out 
  humans to feed on them. Aside from the standard 
  oni characteristics of great strength and toughness, 
  they have the power to assume the form of a beau-
  tiful woman (the better to get close to a potential 
  victim). Gyuki cannot help humans in any way — if 
  they do, they will melt into a noxious sludge. Make 
  the following changes to the oni character sheet to 
  create a gyuki:
  Cost Power
  5 
  Dwells Near Lakes And Rivers:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  46 
  Form Of A Beautiful Woman:  Shape Shift 
  (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste 
  Groups), Makeover, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½) plus Shrinking (about 2 m tall, 
  100 kg mass, -2 to PER Rolls to perceive 
  character, +2 DCV, +3” Knockback), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (-½)
   
  Add Susceptibility:  to helping a human, 
  takes 3d6 BODY damage per Phase (Uncom-
  mon; 25 points)
  Total cost:  +51 points.
  Hannya
  Women who are driven insane from jealousy or 
  who die while suﬀering from some form of mental 
  illness run the risk of being transformed into and/or 
  reborn as hannya. These monsters have faces twisted 
  in anger and rage, large fangs, long horns, and ice-
  blue burning eyes. But their most prominent feature 
  is their terrible claws. Capable of slashing through 
  armor, stone, and ﬂesh alike, these iron-hard ﬁnger-
  nails can be upwards of a foot long. Normally found 
  in Jigoku (i.e., one of the Buddhist hells), hannya often 
  venture to Earth in search of men who are unfaithful 
  to their wives (a hannya’s favorite prey), young chil-
  dren, and infants. When she ﬁnds a victim, a hannya 
  slashes him to ribbons with her claws, gores it with 
  her horns, and emits bone-shattering kiai (shouts). 
  Make the following changes to the oni character sheet 
  to create a hannya:
  
  35 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Cost Power
  -10 
  Remove Heavy, Reach
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Large, Physi-
  cal Limitation:  Prone To Intoxication, Love 
  Of Food And Drink To Excess (Common, 
  Strong), and Reputation:  abductors and 
  rapers of women
  +22 Long Claws:  Increase Clawed Fingers to HKA 
  1d6+1 (2d6+1 with STR), Armor Piercing 
  (+½)
  13 
  Horns:  HKA 1d6+1; No STR Bonus (-½)
  40 
  Travel To Jigoku:  Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment (any location in realm of Jigoku cor-
  responding to the physical location in realm 
  the oni is currently in), x2 Increased Mass, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  +22 Increase Taking To The Air to Flight 15” and 
  remove the Increased Endurance Cost
  43 
  Kiai:  RKA 2d6, +1 Increased STUN Multi-
  plier (+¼), Invisible to Normal Sight (+¼)
  Total cost:  +132 points.
  Kijo
  Kijo are ogres (and ogresses) found in the 
  woods of Japan. They’re covered in shaggy hair 
  and have ape-like faces with large teeth. They tend 
  to haunt the wooded mountainsides, often steal-
  ing food from villages. They also follow travelers, 
  watching from a distance and vanishing into the 
  forest if approached. Use the Ogre character sheet 
  on page 75 of Monsters, Minions, And Marauders to 
  create a kijo.
  Onibaba
  These creatures are female oni, much like the 
  hannya. They have the appearance of a gentle old 
  woman during the day, but assume their true form 
  at night. They live in mountains and remote villages 
  and go out at night to hunt down travelers and eat 
  them. Although they cannot ﬂy, onibaba can run 
  very fast. Make the following changes to the oni 
  character sheet to create an onibaba:
  Cost Power
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Prone To 
  Intoxication, Psychological Limitation:  Love 
  Of Food And Drink To Excess, and Reputa-
  tion:  abductors and rapers of women
  -8 
  Remove Taking To The Air
  +8 
  Fast Runner:  Increase Long Legs to Running 
  +6” (12” total)
  38 
  Form Of A Gentle Old Woman:  Shape Shift 
  (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste 
  Groups), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  plus Shrinking (about 2 m tall, 100 kg mass, 
  -2 to PER Rolls to perceive character, +2 
  DCV, +3” Knockback), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Linked (-½)
   
  Add Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as an 
  onibaba) (Frequently, Severe; 20 points)
  Total cost:  +38 points.
  Yagyou-san
  A Yagyou-san has a body covered with a thick 
  coat of bristly hair and only a single eye in his 
  face. He appears near midnight, riding on a head-
  less horse. Each New Year’s Eve he rides across the 
  countryside, kicking out at anyone he encounters 
  on the road. Anyone struck usually gets hauled oﬀ 
  to be devoured.
  Yama-onna
  These female mountain giants stand 12-14 feet 
  in height. Beautiful in face and ﬁgure, they have 
  skin so pale it appears white and hair so long it 
  reaches the ground. They’re dangerous to approach, 
  because they capture humans to drink their blood. 
  Make the following additions to the Forest Giant 
  character sheet on page 44 of Monsters, Minions, 
  And Marauders to create a yama-onna.
  Cost Power
  +5 
  +10 COM
  15 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Bite Must Do 
  BODY First (-½)
  Total cost:  +53 points.
  Yama-otoko
  Yama-otoko are male mountain-dwelling 
  humanoids similar in many respects to the kijo. 
  They stand well over seven feet tall with a body 
  covered in hair. Their clothing, if they bother to 
  wear any, consists of strips of bark and woven 
  leaves. Despite a frightening appearance, the yama-
  otoko are friendly, and have been known to assist 
  woodcutters with their loads. Although intelligent, 
  they cannot speak, communicating instead with 
  gestures. They often ask for drink (such as saké) as 
  payment for any assistance they render (although 
  it’s wiser to oﬀer rice instead). Use the Ogre char-
  acter sheet on page 75 of Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders to create a yama-otoko.
  
  36 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  YAMA-UBA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   21 CON 
  22 
  13-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   10 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  10 PD (2 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   42 END 
  0
   44 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  97
    
   
   
  (+23 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Flight:  15”/30”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  15 
  Mouth Stretches From Ear To Ear:  HKA  
  1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  10 
  Mouth Atop Her Head:  HKA ½d6  
  (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  5 
  Hair Into Snakes:  HKA 1 point (½d6  
  with STR) 
  1
  33 
  Hair Into Snakes:  Drain CON 3d6,  
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 points per Hour; +1), NND  
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1), Personal Immunity (+¼); 
  Snake Bite Must Do BODY (-½), Extra  
  Time (onset time begins 5 Minutes after 
  victim is bitten; -2), Gradual Eﬀect  
  (15 Minutes; 1d6/5 Minutes; -¾), 4 Charges 
  (-1) plus RKA 2d6, NND (defense is Life 
  Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1),  
  Does BODY (+1), Personal Immunity  
  (+¼); No Range (-½), Snake Bite Must Do 
  BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 5 Minutes after victim is bitten; -2), 
  Gradual Eﬀect (10 Minutes; 1d6/5  
  Minutes; -¾), Linked (-½), 4 Charges (-1) [4]
  39 
  Long White Hair:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF,  
  Stops A Given Sense (Sight Group),  
  Entangle Takes No Damage From  
  Attacks (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Cannot Form Barriers  
  (-¼), Entangle Can Only Target  
  Extremities (-½), No Range (-½) 
  6
  30 
  Long White Hair:  Stretching:  6”,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Fine Manipulation (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Larger Than A Man:  Knockback  
  Resistance -1” 
  0
  19 
  Nature Spirit:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; 
  Safe Environments:  Intense Cold, Intense 
  Heat) 
  0
  30 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 15” 
  3
  12 
  Fleet Of Foot:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  2
  5 
  Yama-Uba’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Yama-Uba Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  36 
  Form Of A Beautiful Woman:  Shape  
  Shift (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/ 
  Taste Groups), Makeover, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  2 
  PS: Brew Poison 11-
  2 
  SS: Alchemy 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  271
  Total Cost:  368
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gullible 
  (Common, Strong)
  278 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  368
  
  37 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Rendered Immo-
  bile By Sunlight (Infrequently, Fully; 15 
  points)
   
  Add Susceptibility:  to direct sunlight, takes 
  2d6 damage per Segment (Very Common; 35 
  points)
  Description:  The yama-uba, another type of oni, 
  are the “old women of the mountains.” They usu-
  ally appear as aged women with long, ﬂowing white 
  hair, bright blue eyes, and torn, tattered clothing. 
  A yama-uba’s mouth stretches from ear to ear (lit-
  erally) and she may have a second one on top of 
  her head, hidden under her hair. They live in huts 
  deep in the forests or up in the mountains, and are 
  said to dwell in Sabana near Mt. Nabekura, in the 
  Tohoku region of northern Honshu, and the Ashi-
  gara Mountains.
  Yama-uba are larger and stronger than any 
  man, can ﬂy, run at great speeds, transform their 
  hair into snakes, and change shape at will. They’re 
  also known for their magical skills, especially the 
  arts of alchemy and poison-brewing.
  Yama-uba are often encountered by travelers 
  who have become lost in the woods. Using their 
  ability to assume diﬀerent forms, the yama-uba 
  may seem to be a beautiful maiden (also lost in the 
  woods), or a kindly old crone who oﬀers the use of 
  her hut for the evening. Once the victim is comfort-
  able and oﬀ his guard, the yama-uba promptly kills 
  and eats him.
  Although physically powerful, yama-uba are 
  notoriously gullible. Quick-witted captives can 
  often trick a yama-uba into letting them go. Some 
  yama-uba are nocturnal, and can be harmed (or 
  rendered immobile) by sunlight. Others hide their 
  life in ﬂowers or other objects, rending themselves 
  virtually invulnerable (see page 107 for more infor-
  mation on this).
  Not all yama-uba are evil, however. The hero 
  Kintaro, who grew up to become a great warrior, 
  was raised by a yama-uba. Others act more as 
  nature spirits then ogres, wandering the mountains 
  and watching over the land.
  ONMORAKI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   7 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  7 PD (2 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  48
  Movement: 
  Running:  2”/4”
   
  Flight:   12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  12 
  Talons:  HKA 1d6 (1½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  24 
  Vomit Blue Flames:  RKA 2d6; Limited  
  Range (5”; -¼) 
  3
  2 
  Thick Feathers:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  -8 
  Short Legs:  Running -4” (2” total)
  30 
  Appear And Disappear At Will:  Invisibility  
  to Sight Group, No Fringe, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Only When  
  Not Attacking (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Yokai Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Vomit Blue Flames
  6 
  +2 with Grab, Grab By, and Move By
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  107
  Total Cost:  155
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  otoroshi 14- (Mo Pow, Kill, limited 
  to shrines only)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Saké 
  (Common, Strong)
  35 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  155
  Ecology:  Onmoraki are the reborn spirits of those 
  who have died holding a grudge or full of regret 
  for a past misdeed. Now they haunt sacred places, 
  such as shrines and temples, causing trouble. Since 
  they have an inordinate love for saké, they gleefully 
  tear into the great barrels of blessed saké found in 
  Shinto shrines and drink their ﬁll.
  Personality/Motivation:  Onmoraki enjoying drink-
  ing saké more than anything else, and go to great 
  
  38 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  lengths to get it. If denied their prize, they become 
  angry, disrupting religious ceremonies and vandal-
  izing or destroying shrines. They seem to be the 
  sworn enemies of otoroshi (page 40), which attack 
  onmoraki on sight.
  Powers/Tactics:  Onmoraki can appear and dis-
  appear freely, though they cannot attack while 
  invisible. They use this power to sneak inside a 
  shrine or other sacred place. If attacked, they lash 
  out with their sharp talons, often combining this 
  attack with blasts of blue flame vomited from 
  their mouths. If it feels especially destructive, an 
  onmoraki uses its flame to ignite silk wall hang-
  ings, paper scrolls, wooden furniture, and the 
  like. If hard pressed, an onmoraki flees, turning 
  invisible in an effort to escape.
  Campaign Use:  Onmoraki make excellent servants 
  for evil wizards in Asian fantasy settings. They may 
  be used by various gods to punishment mortals 
  who have wronged the god, or who have commit-
  ted gross misdeeds.
  Appearance:  An onmoraki is a bird the size and 
  general shape of a large heron. It has the distorted 
  head and face of a human with an extended beak-
  like mouth.
  OROCHI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [1]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  12 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  13 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   51 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  131
    
   
   
  (+49 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  6 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  2
  8 
  Aﬃnity For Water:  Swimming +8”  
  (10” total) 
  1
   
  Skills
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  71
  Total Cost:  202
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long; -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  82 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  202
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  7 
  Coils: +15 STR; Only Usable With Grab (-1)
  53 
  Summon/Dispel Rain:  Change Environment 
  (create or cancel rainstorms) 16” radius, -1 to 
  all Sight and Hearing Group PER Rolls, Long 
  Lasting, Multiple Combat Eﬀects, MegaArea 
  (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +¼), Varying Eﬀect 
  (create/stop rain; +¼); Extra Time (Full 
  Phase to activate; -¼), No Range (-½)
  121 
  Venom:  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed Return 
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 points 
  per Hour; +1), NND (defense is Life Sup-
  port [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Personal 
  
  39 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Immunity (+¼); Bite Must Do BODY (-½), 
  Extra Time (onset time begins 1 Segment 
  after victim is bitten; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (5 
  Segments; 1d6/1 Segment; -¼), Linked (to 
  RKA; -½), 4 Charges (-1) plus RKA 6d6, 
  NND (defense is Life Support [appropriate 
  Immunity]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); No Range (-½), Bite Must 
  Do BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time 
  begins 1 Segment after victim is bitten; -½), 
  Gradual Eﬀect (6 Segments; 1d6/1 Segment; 
  -¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  8 
  Water Snake:  Life Support:  Expanded 
  Breathing (Breathe Underwater), Safe Envi-
  ronment (High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  3 
  Water Snake:  Talent:  Environmental Move-
  ment:  Aquatic Movement (no penalties in 
  water)
  6 
  Coils:  +3 OCV with Grab
  Ecology:  An orochi is a type of snake. It isn’t a spe-
  ciﬁc type of creature, but more of a general term 
  for a wide variety of giant Japanese snakes. Some 
  orochi are simply gigantic versions of normal Japa-
  nese snakes, while others (known as aodaisho) are 
  looked on as guardians of homes. Other orochi 
  were once humans; they were transformed into 
  snakes because of an extreme emotional state (such 
  as envy or lust), or were reincarnated as snakes after 
  death (usually to exact revenge for their death). 
  Finally, some snakes have the ability to assume 
  human form, and do so to pursue a human lover.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from snake to snake. 
  Giant snake orochi have typical animal motiva-
  tions, although most are fairly intelligent and 
  also act as guardians of various bodies of water. 
  Aodaisho desire only to protect the home in which 
  they dwell, and won’t leave it. Humans who have 
  become snakes are often consumed with a single 
  overwhelming emotional state, following the urg-
  ings of that emotion blindly. Snakes who assume 
  human form usually do so out of desire for a 
  human (either male of female) and can be danger-
  ous and destructive if denied their passions. Such 
  snakes tend to be very secretive about their true 
  nature and leave their lover if discovered.
  Powers/Tactics:  All orochi try to bite their prey 
  ﬁrst, holding it steady before injecting a dose of 
  venom or crushing it in their coils. Since orochi 
  are closely associated with water in much the same 
  manner as the tatsu (page 52), it’s thought they 
  can control the weather and rain. They’re also said 
  to protect mankind from the dangers of ﬁre and 
  pestilence, while snake charms will ward oﬀ attacks 
  from rats and ensure an easy and successful child-
  birth. Some humans who have become orochi are 
  so overwhelmed with emotion they literally burn 
  with heat and ﬂame.
  Campaign Use:  The original orochi was a giant 
  snake deity found dwelling in the mountains 
  (similar to the Yamata-no-Orochi on page 58), and 
  most Japanese giant snakes are considered to be 
  either of divine origin or messengers of the gods. 
  An aodaisho can become a Follower for a PC, 
  either as a guardian for the character’s home or as 
  a traveling companion. Since an orochi (usually a 
  female) can become so smitten with a male human 
  that she assumes human form to seduce him, you 
  can ensnare a PC this way. The danger isn’t in 
  the romance itself, but what might happen if the 
  female’s advances are rebuﬀed (or if the PC discov-
  ers his lover’s true nature). Finally, you can use the 
  whole concept of a human assuming snake form 
  as part of a larger plot. For example, the PCs could 
  be hired to defend an NPC from his ex-wife, who’s 
  turned into a giant snake due to overpowering envy 
  or jealousy.
  Appearance:  Orochi are simply giant snakes. They 
  have no set appearance, although pure-white snakes 
  are considered to be supernatural beings and are 
  treated as such.
  
  40 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  OROCHI TYPES
  Cost Aodaisho
  5 
  Insight Of The Kami:  +5 INT
  6 
  Wisdom Of the Kami: +3 EGO
  15 
  Divine Guardian:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial dis-
  eases and biowarfare agents)
  3 
  Divine Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups
  3 
  Ever Vigilant:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Sleep:  no need to sleep)
  1 
  Understanding Of The Kami:  Language:  
  Japanese (basic conversation) (It only under-
  stands speech; it cannot speak.)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of 
  Home/Family (Common, Total; 20 points)
  Total cost:  +33 points
  Cost Transformed Human-To-Snake Options
  30 
  The Fires Of Passion:  HKA 1d6, Continuous 
  (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); No STR Bonus (-½)
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  Pure White Snake 
  (Not Concealable, Causes Major Reaction; 20 
  points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Overwhelm-
  ing Emotion (envy, greed, jealousy, revenge, 
  and so on) (Common, Total; 20 points)
  Total cost:  +30 points
  Cost Transformed Snake-To-Human Options
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  200-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Fears Discov-
  ery (Common, Strong; 15 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Loves “X” 
  (Very Common, Strong; 20 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Uncommon, Total; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +27 points
  OTOROSHI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (4 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   32 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  96
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  60 
  Thick Hair:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  4 
  Thick Hair:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Hide In Shadows:  Invisibility to Sight  
  Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Requires Darkness Or  
  Shadows (-½) 
  0
  16 
  Can See Into The Hearts Of Men:  Detect  
  Disrespect For The Shrine 14- (no Sense 
  Group), Range, Discriminatory
  3 
  Ever Vigilant:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Sleep:  no need to sleep) 
  0
  15 
  Yokai Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  5 
  Yokai Awareness:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Yokai Awareness:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  3 
  Yokai Awareness:  Ultrasonic Perception 
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
  9 
  Reputation:  defender of Shinto shrines and 
  sacred places (in Japan) 14-, +3/+3d6
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  15 
  Wild And Swirly Hair:  +3 DCV
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  5 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  5 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  216
  Total Cost:  312
  
  41 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  
  Human Sized
  25 
  Psychological Limi-
  tation:  Devoted To 
  Guarding Its Shrine/
  Sacred Place (Very 
  Common, Total)
  212 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage  
  Points:  312
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Larger Otoroshi:  Apply 
  either the Large or 
  Enormous Size/Weight 
  Template and Physical 
  Limitation from pages 
  574-75 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, 
  Revised
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 
  (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration 
  (-¼)
  7 
  Long Hair:  Stretching 
  2”, Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Fine 
  Manipulation (-½), 
  Always Direct (-¼), Only 
  With Hair (-¼)
  Ecology:  Otoroshi are super-
  natural creatures who guard Shinto shrines and 
  sacred places. They normally dwell out of sight 
  and often hide themselves near the tops of the torii 
  (gates) that mark the entrance to such locations. 
  There they keep watch on all who pass by, springing 
  down to attack and devour anyone who harbors 
  ill-will or a lack of respect for the shrine.
  Personality/Motivation:  Otoroshi are utterly devoted 
  to guarding sacred places. To those who respect 
  the shrines they’re benevolent and protective, but 
  anyone who intends to harm the shrine ﬁnds him-
  self faced with an implacable enemy.
  Powers/Tactics:  In combat an otoroshi attacks by 
  biting. Since they tend to lurk near the top of torii, 
  a common tactic is for an otoroshi to leap down 
  on its target, performing a Move Through fol-
  lowed by a bite. Some otoroshi have claws, while a 
  few use their long hair to grapple with an enemy. 
  Since they’re charged with the sacred duty to guard 
  shrines, otoroshi rarely ﬂee from encounters and 
  usually ﬁght to the bitter end to protect a shrine 
  from desecration or damage.
  Campaign Use:  One of a number of such creatures 
  charged with guarding holy places (another is the 
  shishi on page 47), the otoroshi can be used to 
  supplement a party of PCs ﬁghting some great evil. 
  Player character priests might be able to Summon 
  an otoroshi and may need to do so to purify a 
  shrine corrupted by evil inﬂuences (such as an 
  attack of oni or onmoraki).
  Appearance:  Standing roughly ﬁve feet in height, 
  an otoroshi is humanoid in general form. Its body 
  is a thick mass of hair; its only visible features are 
  two eyes and a large pair of tusks.
  
  42 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  RAIJU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  4
   30 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  27
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  3 
  Kami Of Lightning:  +5 ED; Only  
  Works Against Limited Type Of Attack 
  (lightning; -½) 
  0
  3 
  Kami Of Lightning:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 ED); Only Works Against Limited  
  Type Of Attack (lightning; -½) 
  0
  50 
  Kami Nature: Life Support:  Total  
  (includes Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  2 
  Fast:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  4 
  Leaps From Tree To Tree:  Leaping +4”  
  (4” forward, 2” upward) 
  1
  9 
  Sharp Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  5 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  117
  Total Cost:  144
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (no larger than 1 
  m, +3” KB, Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Becomes Highly 
  Excited And Aggressive During Thunder-
  storms (Uncommon, Total)
  19 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  144
  Ecology:  Raiju is the “Thunder Beast,” a creature 
  known to run amok during thunderstorms and 
  wreak all sorts of havoc by leaping from tree to 
  tree tearing at the bark with its claws. They also like 
  to hide in the human navel, so people caught out-
  side in a storm lie ﬂat on their stomachs to avoid 
  the attentions of the raiju. After the storm is over, 
  people look for trees torn by the creature’s claws. 
  The bark of such trees is then removed and pre-
  served, since it’s an excellent remedy for toothaches.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  The raiju’s nature changes with the weather. When 
  skies are clear, the raiju is an extremely tame and 
  gentle creature, but when storm clouds gather it 
  becomes a wild and savage beast
  Powers/Tactics:  The raiju tends to slash at a foe 
  with its long sharp claws, and will Grab an oppo-
  nent to keep close to its prey.
  Campaign Use:  Since it’s a kami of storms, you 
  might want to give the raiju some additional 
  powers not mentioned in folklore, such as the abil-
  ity to generate lightning (an EB or RKA) or great 
  crashes of thunder (Flash versus Hearing Group). 
  As a humorous sideline to an adventure, you could 
  also have an unsuspecting PC adopt a raiju he 
  thinks is exceedingly tame and good-natured... 
  until the ﬁrst thunderstorm strikes!
  Appearance:  A raiju is described as having the appear-
  ance of either a large cat, badger, or weasel with black 
  fur and ﬁve very sharp claws on each paw.
  RAICHO, THE  
  THUNDER BIRD
  Aside from raiju, the 
  Japanese also speak of a 
  creature they call raicho, 
  the “Thunder Bird.” The 
  size of a rook, raicho 
  is a black-feathered 
  bird with a large spur 
  of ﬂesh on each leg. 
  It can strike the spurs 
  together to produce a 
  very loud and terrify-
  ing noise like booming 
  thunder. Raicho ﬂy 
  around during thunder-
  storms and feed upon 
  the tree-frog known as 
  rai (“thunder”). Both 
  raicho and raiju are said 
  to serve Raiden, the god 
  of thunder.
  China also has a thun-
  der beast. It’s described 
  as having the head of a 
  monkey, crimson lips, 
  eyes like mirrors (proba-
  bly used to create ﬂashes 
  of lightning), and two 
  claws on each paw.
  
  43 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  ROKURO-KUBI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   11 CON 
  2 
  11-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   22 END 
  0
   19 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  25
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  13 
  Extendable Neck:  Stretching 4”; No  
  Velocity Damage (-¼), Limited Body  
  Parts (neck; -¼) 
  2
  8 
  Frightening Aspect:  PRE +20; Only For Fear-
  Based Presence Attacks (-1), Linked  
  (to Extendable Neck; -½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  2 
  PS: (varies by profession) 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  30
  Total Cost:  55
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Prankster 
  (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as a 
  rokuro-kubi) (Frequently, Major)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  100
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  8 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  51 
  Soul Drain:  Drain BODY 6d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time (Full 
  Phase; -½), Only Works Against Beings Who 
  Have Souls (-¼)
  Ecology:  Rokuro-kubi (“stretching neck”) look like 
  normal women (or, rarely, men), and live unnoticed 
  among humans. At night they stretch their necks 
  out to great lengths, frightening any of their neigh-
  bors unlucky enough to see them.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, rokuro-kubi 
  tend to live as normal townsfolk and do little to draw 
  attention to themselves. Occasionally they feel the 
  need to play frightening pranks on their fellow city 
  dwellers and venture forth after dark with the idea of 
  scaring some unfortunate victim. For the most part 
  rokuro-kubi are harmless, although some ascribe 
  darker motives to their nocturnal visitations.
  Powers/Tactics:  If she so wishes, a rokuro-kubi can 
  stretch her neck out for great distances, winding it 
  sinuously about. At the same time, the rokuro-kubi 
  can transform her face into a more horriﬁc visage:  
  drooping eyes, tangled hair, and a slack jaw display-
  ing crooked and jutting teeth.
  There are rumors the rokuro-kubi stretch forth 
  their necks at night to consume the souls of sleep-
  ing men. If you wish to to use this form of rokuro-
  kubi in your campaign, include the optional powers 
  listed above.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents 
  a typical competent rokuro-kubi the PCs might 
  encounter in a situation where you need a charac-
  ter sheet (i.e., combat and the like). You can easily 
  customize this character sheet by applying one of 
  the templates found on pages 116-118 of Mon-
  sters, Minions, And Marauders, such as Skulker or 
  Wizard. Other rokuro-kubi — the extremely rare 
  males, the young, the elderly — would have slightly 
  diﬀerent characteristics and skills.
  You can use such beings as the rokuro-kubi 
  or the zunberabou (page 66) in many different 
  ways. They can be simple pranksters, frighten-
  ing people for their own inscrutable reasons, 
  or you can make them into malicious agents of 
  the supernatural who drain the souls of men 
  (rokuro-kubi) or drive them mad (zunberabou). 
  And perhaps ninja use various tricks to simulate 
  the powers of either monster to frighten people 
  away from a location they want kept secure!
  
  44 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Appearance:  A rokuro-kubi looks like any normal 
  human woman (or man) by day, with clothing and 
  other equipment beﬁtting her profession. At night, 
  she can stretch her neck out for great lengths and 
  mold her face into a far more frightening aspect.
  FUTAKUCHI-ONNA
  A futakuchi-onna (also hutakuti-onna) is a 
  woman with two mouths. From time to time, a 
  woman possessed of either a gluttonous nature or 
  an unfulﬁlled hunger grows another mouth in the 
  back of her head. This mouth is ravenously hungry 
  and never seems to stop eating. It uses the woman’s 
  hair in a tentacular fashion, gathering any food 
  in range and eating it. To create a futakuchi-onna 
  make the following changes to the rokuro-kubi’s 
  character sheet:
  Cost Power
  -21 
  Remove Extendable Neck and Frightening 
  Aspect
  1 
  Yet Another Mouth To Feed:  Duplication 
  (create one -25-point duplicate), Altered 
  Duplicate (100%, +1); Cannot Recombine 
  (-0), Feedback (-1)
  Total cost:  -20 points.
  FUTAKUCHI-ONNA’S SECOND MOUTH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -15 STR 
  -25 
  6- 
  Lift 3.2 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   11 CON 
  2 
  11-
   2 BODY -16 
  9-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   3 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   2 REC 
  0
   22 END 
  0
   8 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -26
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (1 point with STR) 
  1
  -12 
  Goes Where The Main Body Goes:   
  Running -6”
  -2 
  Goes Where The Main Body Goes:   
  Swimming -2”
  6 
  Tentacular Hair:  Extra Limbs (multiple 
  strands of hair), Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Grab
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  1
  Total Cost:  -25
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Tiny (.25m, +9 KB) 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ravenous Appetite 
  (Common, Strong)
  Total Disadvantage Points: 105
  
  45 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  SAMEBITO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   28 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  48
    
   
   
  (+2 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Shark’s Jaws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  19 
  Tears Of the Samebito:  Major Transform 
  3d6 (samebito tears to tiny rubies, heals 
  back through appropriate countermagics), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Limited Target (the samebito’s own tears;  
  -1), No Range (-½), Samebito Must Be In  
  The Proper Emotional State (-1) 
  0
  2 
  Shark-Like Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +5” (7” total) 
  1
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  5 
  Shark’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  60
  Total Cost:  108
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  33 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  108
  OPTIONS
  Cost Skills
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Ecology:  Samebito (literally, “a shark-person”) are 
  shark-men capable of living both in the sea or on 
  land. Normally found serving the Dragon King in 
  his palace, they’re rarely seen on the surface unless 
  they’re on a speciﬁc mission or were exiled due to 
  some breach of protocol.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. Contrary to their frightening appear-
  ance, most samebito are cultured and well-spoken.
  Powers/Tactics:  While equipped with a nasty set of 
  shark-like teeth, samebito prefer to ﬁght with weap-
  ons appropriate for their culture and environment, 
  such as polearms and spears. Samebito who serve 
  the Dragon King ﬁght in organized units and may 
  wear armor made from thick shells and the like.
  Samebito weep tears of blood that turn to rubies 
  (and other jewels) once they touch the ground.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent samebito the PCs might encoun-
  ter in a situation where you need a character sheet 
  (i.e., combat and the like). The optional skills repre-
  sent a samebito serving in the Dragon King’s court. 
  You can easily customize this character sheet by 
  applying one of the templates found on pages 116-
  118 of Monsters, Minions, And Marauders, such as 
  Chieftain or Fighter. Lesser samebito, such as trad-
  ers, craftsmen, the young, some females, the elderly, 
  and so on, would have slightly lower Characteristics 
  and diﬀerent Skills.
  Appearance:  A typical samebito stands about six 
  feet in height, with rough black skin, a thick drag-
  onish beard, and glowing green eyes. They appar-
  ently do not wear clothing, although a samebito 
  serving the Dragon King probably wears robes 
  appropriate to his station.
  
  46 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SHIROKINAKATSUKAMI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  6 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  99
    
   
   
  (+16 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  13”/26”
   
  Leaping:  16”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  22 
  Eat Bad Dreams:  Change Environment  
  1” radius (make target feel happy and  
  content), Long Lasting, Reduce Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  25 
  Lion’s Teeth:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 2
  12 
  Elephant’s Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  16 
  Tiger’s Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  4 
  Roar:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼) 
  0
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance (-3”) 
  0
  10 
  Catlike Leaper:  Leaping +10”  
  (16” forward, 8” upward) 
  1
  14 
  Swift Runner:  Running +7” (13” total) 
  3
  9 
  Sharp Senses:  +3 PER With All Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  At Home In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  30 
  Makes No Noise:  Invisibility to Hearing 
  Group, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  15 
  Kami Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
   
  Perks
  9 
  Reputation:  eater of bad dreams (in Japan) 
  14-, +3/+3d6
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  Language:  Japanese (Idiomatic)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  198
  Total Cost:  297
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  202 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  297
  Ecology:  A shirokinakatsukami is the Eater of 
  Dreams. Also known as the baku or the hakutaku, 
  the shirokinakatsukami can be called upon with 
  the cry of “Devour, o Baku! Devour my evil dream!” 
  Once called, the spirit arrives and eats a person’s 
  bad dreams and nightmares, leaving him with a 
  general feeling of well-being.
  Personality/Motivation:  The shirokinakatsukami are 
  well-disposed towards humans and gladly devour 
  their bad dreams. But they won’t eat dreams they 
  consider lucky, no matter how frightening they are 
  to the dreamer.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally a shirokinakatsukami 
  doesn’t engage in combat — it just devours the 
  dreams of those who call upon it. But it’s quite 
  capable of defending itself it attacked.
  Campaign Use:  Since the shirokinakatsukami 
  eats dreams, it might dwell in a “dream realm” 
  when not roaming the human world. If so, give 
  it an Extra-Dimensional Movement power and 
  Dimensional for its Hearing so it can respond to 
  calls from this world.
  Appearance:  A male shirokinakatsukami is a 
  bizarre composite monster with a horse’s body, a 
  lion’s face, an elephant’s trunk and tusks, a cow’s tail, 
  and a tiger’s feet. A female shirokinakatsukami is 
  said to look diﬀerent than its mate, but these diﬀer-
  ences are not described.
  KUDAN
  A kudan is a strange 
  composite monster 
  with the body of a giant 
  bull and the head of 
  a human. It has three 
  eyes along its ﬂanks 
  and a row of spike-like 
  horns along its spine. 
  It’s unable to tell a lie; it 
  always speaks the truth. 
  The Japanese consider 
  its presence an omen of 
  momentous happenings 
  in the near future. The 
  kudan is also known as 
  the takujui.
  To create a kudan, take 
  the Buﬀalo/Cattle char-
  acter sheet from page 
  141 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary, then apply a 
  Size Template to make it 
  larger and a Spikes Tem-
  plate for its horns.
  
  47 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  SHISHI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  6 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   10 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  10 PD (4 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   10 REC 
  2
   40 END 
  0
   37 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  116
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6 with STR) 
  2
  16 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  4 
  Roar:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations  
  (must roar; -¼) 
  0
  3 
  Terrify Spirits:  +10 PRE; Only For  
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1), Only 
  Versus Ghosts And Other Evil Spirits (-1) 0
  4 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Divine Form:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0 
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2”
  3 
  Ever Vigilant:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Sleep:  no need to sleep) 
  0
  15 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  9 
  Divine Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Divine Awareness:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Divine Awareness:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  3 
  Divine Awareness:  Ultrasonic Perception 
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  18 
  Divine Awareness:  Telescopic (+6 versus 
  Range for Sight and Hearing Groups) 
  0
  34 
  Sense Spirits:  Detect Spirits 14- (Sight 
  Group), Sense, Discriminatory, Analyze, 
  Range, Targeting 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
  9 
  Reputation:  protector from evil sprits, 
  defender of the good (in China, Japan, and 
  Korea) 14-,  +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  39 
  Detect Evil:  Danger Sense (sense, any danger, 
  general area) 14-
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  291
  Total Cost:  407
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Sworn Defender 
  Of Buddha And Buddhists (Common, Total)
  292 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  407
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  20 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  9 
  Koma-Inu:  Armor (9 PD/9 ED); Activation 
  Roll 8- (Hit Locations 3-5; -2)
  45 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 18”, Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  Ecology:  Shishi are divine animals who guard Bud-
  dhist shrines, temples, and holy places. They’re 
  almost always found in pairs (one male and one 
  female) and are the bane of evil spirits, ghosts, 
  demons, and other monsters. They also serve as 
  companions and mounts to various Buddhist dei-
  ties and saints.
  Shishi are also known as karashishi (“Chinese 
  lion”) or koma-inu (“Korean dog”). On the island of 
  Okinawa they’re called shisa (“lion dog”). The Chi-
  nese call the shishi Foo Dog or Foo Lion — the Dog 
  (or Lion) of Foo (the Chinese name for Buddha). 
  The people of Thailand refer to them as Singto Jean, 
  or “Chinese lion.” 
  Personality/Motivation:  As loyal followers of 
  Buddha, shishi uphold the law and defend the good 
  from all manner of evil. To ordinary, law-abid-
  ing folk, they’re benevolent, almost playful, but to 
  demons and their ilk they’re implacable enemies.
  Powers/Tactics:  A shishi generally attacks by biting, 
  often performing a Grab with its jaws so it can 
  follow up with repeated swipes with its claws. Male 
  shishi who have horns use them ﬁrst, then follow 
  up with a bite. When ﬁrst encountering a band of 
  evil spirits, a shishi roars, hoping to scare oﬀ as 
  many spirits as possible, before attacking the rest in 
  HTH Combat. In addition, some shishi may have 
  the power of ﬂight, while the skin of the koma-inu’s 
  head is said to be stronger than a helmet.
  Campaign Use:  You can use the shishi as a basic 
  template for modeling other holy and/or divine 
  animals. A pair of shishi would make excellent trav-
  eling companions for a party of PCs who are on a 
  mission to ﬁght a group of powerful demons (such 
  as oni). You could also use them as living guardians 
  
  48 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  of temples and shrines (as opposed to the stone 
  ones seen in the real world). Finally, you could give 
  a priest the ability to summon a pair of shishi to aid 
  him in times of need.
  Appearance:  A shishi looks something like a cross 
  between a dog and a lion. They have large eyes, 
  a thick curly mane and tail, a spotted coat, and a 
  ﬁerce expression on their faces. A male shishi usu-
  ally has a short horn on his head, while the female 
  does not. When placed outside of a temple, tomb, 
  or residence (or, in the modern era, a restaurant) in 
  statue form, a male shishi has one paw resting on 
  a sphere or ball (representing the tama, the scared 
  Buddhist jewel), while the female has her paw on 
  a shishi pup. In addition, the male has his mouth 
  open (to scare oﬀ evil spirits) while the female has 
  her mouth closed (to keep beneﬁcial spirits in). 
  This conﬁguration also symbolizes the breath of the 
  universe and/or the balance of yin and yang.
  SHARAMEYAS
  Found in India, the sharameyas are the sons of 
  Sharama, the giant dog of the dawn. Sharama her-
  self herds the cows of Surya (the god of the sun), 
  while her children guard the entrance to the under-
  world and the domain of Yama, god of death. The 
  sharameyas are of great size and fearsome aspect, 
  and keep a careful watch on the dead with their 
  four eyes. To create a sharameyas make the follow-
  ing changes to the Giant Wolf character sheet on 
  pages 129-130 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Cost Powers
  2 
  +2 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
   
  Reduce Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence to Near-Human Intelligence
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Poor Eyesight
  -6 
  Sharameyas Senses:  Combine Wolf’s Senses, 
  Wolf’s Nose, and Wolf’s Ears into +3 PER 
  with all Sense Groups
  60 
  Divine Form:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%
  19 
  Four Eyes:  Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group), Ultraviolet Perception (Sight 
  Group), Telescopic (+6 versus Range for 
  Sight Groups)
  50 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Total, including 
  Longevity:  Immortality)
  Total cost:  +135 points.
  
  49 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  SHOJO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4 
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   26 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  40
    
   
   
  (+1 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  4 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +4” (6” total) 
  1
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Under- 
  water) 
  0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Envir-
  onments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  5 
  Aquatic Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  2 
  PS: Brewing 11-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  27
  Total Cost:  67
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  Total Disadvantage Points:  75
  Ecology:  The shojo are ocean-dwelling beings. 
  Capable of breathing air as well as water, they come 
  ashore and relax on the beach, drinking saké and 
  generally enjoying themselves. When not at the sur-
  face, they live in villages near the Palace Of The Sea 
  Dragon. There they hunt, ﬁsh, and brew copious 
  amounts of sacred white saké, their favorite drink.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. Shojo, for the most part, seem to be 
  friendly beings and have been known to give gifts 
  of their sacred saké to those in need.
  Powers/Tactics:  Although normally nonvio-
  lent, shojo can defend themselves if necessary. If 
  unarmed and near water, a shojo tries to escape 
  by swimming away. Otherwise, it ﬁghts to the best 
  of its ability. Hunter or warrior shojo carry weap-
  ons appropriate to their culture and environment, 
  using such items as polearms, spears, short-bladed 
  swords, and daggers.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent shojo the PCs might encounter 
  in a situation where you need a character sheet (i.e., 
  combat and the like). He has no weapons skills, 
  although you can easily add some. You can easily 
  customize this character sheet by applying one of 
  the templates found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders, such as Chieftain or 
  Fighter. Lesser shojo, such as the traders, craftsmen, 
  the young, some females, the elderly, and so on, 
  would have slightly lower Characteristics and dif-
  ferent Skills.
  Appearance:  Shojo are humanoids with brilliant 
  red hair and light pink skin. They wear belts and 
  skirts of green seaweed. Based on one description, 
  they may have monkey-like tails as well.
  THE SACRED SHIRO 
  SAKÉ OF THE SHOJO
  The shiro saké of the 
  shojo has several won-
  drous qualities. Not only 
  is it of exceptional qual-
  ity and taste, but when a 
  shojo drinks it, the saké 
  “vanquishes death.” A 
  human who drinks it 
  not only is made young 
  again, but his total 
  lifespan is extended. 
  However, if a person 
  who is greedy, selﬁsh, 
  and evil drinks the saké, 
  he ﬁnds it to be a vile-
  tasting, poisonous brew. 
  Shojo normally store 
  their sacred saké in large 
  stone jars, but can pour 
  out seemingly unlimited 
  quantities of this won-
  drous liquid.
  In game terms, a good 
  person who drinks 
  shiro saké experiences 
  a Major Transform that 
  (a) restores him to his 
  more youthful, vigor-
  ous, healthy self, and 
  (b) grants him 2 points’ 
  worth of Life Support 
  (Longevity). An evil 
  person discovers that 
  he’s just drunk poison 
  (RKA 4d6, NND, Does 
  BODY, Gradual Eﬀect 
  [1d6 per 2 minutes]).
  
  50 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  TANUKI
   Val  Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -5 STR 
  -15 
  8- 
  Lift 12.5 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   7 BODY -6 
  10-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  2
   26 END 
  0
   18 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  34
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Enormous Scrotum:  Extra Limb, Inherent 
  (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  40 
  Enormous Scrotum:  Multipower,  
  40-point reserve
  1u 
  1) Enormous Scrotum:  HA 3d6, Area Of 
  Eﬀect (One Hex; +½); Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½), Only Usable With Extra  
  Limb (-½) 
  2
  1u 
  2) Strangling The Unwary:  Energy Blast  
  4d6, Continuous (+1); No Range (-½),  
  Must Target Hit Location 5 (-2), Only  
  Usable With Extra Limb (-½) 
  4
  1u 
  3) Hypnotic Drumbeat:  Hearing Group 
  Images, +6 to PER Rolls; Extra Time  
  (Full Phase; -½), Gestures (must pound  
  scrotum throughout; -½), Set Eﬀect  
  (drum beat; -1) 
  2
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  90 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  1 
  Leaping:  Leaping +1” (1” forward, ½” 
  upward) 
  1
  9 
  Acute Senses:  +3 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tanuki Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 0
  3 
  Tanuki Ears:  Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  49 
  Assume Any Form:  Shape Shift (Sight,  
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups,  
  any form), Imitation, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); OIF (any 
  [lotus] leaf of opportunity; -½), Gestures 
  (must place [lotus] leaf on head; -¼),  
  Incantations (must chant; -¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  5 
  Concealment 15-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  251
  Total Cost:  285
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (roughly 1m; +3” 
  KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Amoral And 
  Mischievous; Malicious Trickster (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Saké 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  dangerous trickster and trouble-
  maker 14- 
  140 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  285
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  200-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½)
  20 
  Kin-tama (Golden Balls):  Luck 4d6
  Ecology:  Often confused with the badger, a tanuki is 
  actually a form of dog, and in some areas is known by 
  the name of mujina. Tanuki live in small groups in the 
  forests, lowlands, and mountain valleys of Japan, lurk-
  ing on the fringes of human society. They eat a variety 
  of foods, and are known to be gluttons, consuming 
  anything and everything they can ﬁnd. They also have 
  a notable weakness for saké, which they’re known to 
  drink in great quantities.
  Personality/Motivation:  Much like the kitsune (page 
  17) and tengu, the tanuki are tricksters, prone to 
  playing practical jokes on humans. These pranks 
  can range from the simple (changing tree leaves into 
  money to buy saké) to the outright malignant (one 
  tanuki killed a farmer’s wife and then changed shape 
  to take her place, eventually feeding the farmer a 
  stew made from his now-dead spouse). As with the 
  tengu, tanuki like to play their tricks on priests, and 
  one of the most famous tanuki stories was of a man 
  who sold a tea kettle to a monastery only to have the 
  kettle sprout the head, legs, and tail of a tanuki, and 
  run about the temple, causing great confusion before 
  being captured. But the tanuki assumed the form of 
  a tea kettle speciﬁcally so the man could sell it — the 
  idea being to make him a little money as a reward for 
  saving the tanuki’s life.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to its small size, the tanuki pre-
  fers to use its powers of illusion and shape-shifting 
  to trick and confuse foes, rather then attack them 
  outright. When it does attack physically, it uses its 
  enormous scrotum to batter and throttle a foe, usu-
  ally attacking from behind or by surprise. A tanuki’s 
  scrotum can be enormous — up to the size of eight 
  tatami mats (144 square feet)! It can use its scrotum 
  as a kimono, wrapping it around its body, or as an 
  umbrella, by ﬂipping it over its head. The tanuki is 
  also known to beat on its scrotum as if it were a drum, 
  luring the unwary with the hypnotic sound. When on 
  the move, the tanuki simply slings its scrotum over 
  one shoulder, carrying it like a pack.
  The tanuki’s overly large scrotum is considered 
  by some a symbol of good luck, and tanuki statues 
  made to be placed outside of shops and drinking 
  
  51 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  establishments usually show the tanuki with a leaf 
  on its head (used to transform itself), a saké bottle 
  in one hand, money in the other (usually fake), and 
  enormous testicles. Of these items, many have sym-
  bolic means themselves. The leaf on its head is usu-
  ally of the lotus plant, which is sacred to Buddhists, 
  while the money in its hand is normally made from 
  leaves, altered by the tanuki’s powers of illusion.
  Campaign Use:  While similar in many respects 
  to the kitsune, tanuki seem to be far more malign 
  — more inclined to play cruel and dangerous 
  jokes. You can use them any way you see ﬁt in a 
  campaign, but keep the tanuki’s capricious spirit in 
  mind if one happens to befriend a group of PCs. To 
  truly represent the tanuki’s shape-shifting abilities, 
  you might want to give it a Variable Power Pool 
  with which to create additional powers suitable to 
  each of the tanuki’s various forms.
  Appearance:  The tanuki is normally a small dog 
  with dark brown fur, a long, furry tail, and a black 
  raccoon-like mask across the eyes. It might wear a 
  simple robe, left open in front to expose its over-
  sized scrotum. However, the tanuki can change 
  shape freely, and will assume any number of dis-
  guises as needed, often appearing as a priest or a 
  household implement.
  NEKO (CATS)
  Along with foxes (kitsune) and raccoon dogs 
  (tanuki), cats, or neko, are said to be shapeshifters 
  and tricksters.
  Kabuso
  Found in Ishikawa Prefecture, a kabuso is 
  a cat with a tail larger at the tip then at the root. 
  Quite intelligent and capable of understanding 
  human languages, they live near rivers and lakes, 
  close to human villages. They can assume the form 
  of a beautiful woman to play pranks on humans 
  (usually in an eﬀort to get food). They can also 
  create powerful illusions, often using them to 
  help humans make fools of themselves — such as 
  having a man challenge a rock or a tree to a sumo 
  wrestling match. Make the following changes to the 
  Domestic Cat character sheet on page 143 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary to create a kabuso:
  Cost Power
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence
  9 
  Apply the Smart (Cunning) Template
  90 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions: 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  200-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½)
  Total cost:  +126 points.
  HENGEYOKAI
  In Japan, animals with the ability to transform them-
  selves (usually into humans) are known as henge. 
  The word yokai is a general term for a monster or 
  monstrous being. Thus, hengeyokai are monstrous 
  shape-changing animals. The tanuki is one type of 
  hengeyokai; others include:
  Cat (neko):  Cat hengeyokai tend to be arrogant and 
  contemptuous of people. They usually assume the 
  form of beautiful geisha and use this shape to cause 
  a great deal of strife and trouble. There’s at least one 
  tale of a vampiric cat who assumed human form to 
  drain the life force of a human.
  Dog (inu):  Dog hengeyokai are very large in both 
  their natural and human forms. Since with normal 
  dogs, an inu is very loyal to its friends and family, 
  even if it’s not very bright.
  Flower (kashin):  Flowers tend to assume the forms 
  of slim, beautiful women, and often appear to artists 
  and poets.
  Rat (nezumi):  Rat hengeyokai are sly, stealthy, and 
  not to be trusted. They prey on humans both for 
  their riches and their ﬂesh.
  Spiders (kumo):  Also known as goblin spiders or 
  earth spiders, these creatures appear as huge spiders 
  with human-like faces. In human form, they tend to 
  be quite beautiful and handsome, but cold. Kumo 
  like to eat humans, and seduce victims with their 
  human form to trap them. See page 22.
  Trees (kodama):  Trees often take the appearance of 
  beautiful young women or handsome young men. 
  In either form, they’re strong and graceful, and like 
  ﬂowers tend to appear to artists and poets.
  This is only a small sampling of hengeyokai. Other 
  Japanese animals that can shape shift into human 
  form include carp, cranes, ducks, frogs, and monkeys.
  
  52 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Nekomata
  Nekomata, also known as bakeneko, are cats 
  the size of humans. Their tails are divided in two at 
  the base and they can stand, walk, and even dance 
  on their hind legs. Like the kabuso, the nekomata 
  understand the language of humans, can assume 
  human form (often of women), and have certain 
  necromantic abilities. Nekomata can be quite vin-
  dictive if harmed, and are said to curse anyone who 
  attacks them for a full seven generations (often 
  driving their would-be assailant insane). Old cats 
  sometimes become nekomata, as do pets who wish 
  to avenge their (usually murdered) masters. Make 
  the following changes to the Cheetah character 
  sheet on page 144 of The HERO System Bestiary to 
  create a nekomata:
  Cost Power
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence
   
  Reduce Physical Limitation:  Very Limited 
  Manipulation to Physical Limitation:  Lim-
  ited Manipulation
  9 
  Apply the Smart (Cunning) Template
  90 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions: 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  27 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  200-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½)
  112 
  Curse Of Madness:  Major Transform 6d6 
  (sane person into insane person with the 
  Psychological Limitation Utterly, Gibber-
  ing Insane [Very Common, Total]; heals 
  back through appropriate curative magics), 
  BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works 
  Against EGO, Not BODY (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Extra Time (Full 
  Phase; -½), Limited Range (50”; -¼), Limited 
  Target (sentient beings; -¼) 
  10
  var 
  Inﬂict Curse:  Instead of the Curse Of Mad-
  ness use one of the Curses found in either 
  The Fantasy Hero Grimore or The Fantasy 
  Hero Grimore II.
  7 
  Necromancy:  Clairsentience (Sight Group), 
  Precognition; Concentration (0 DCV 
  throughout; -1), Extra Time (5 Minutes 
  to activate; -1), Precognition Only (-1), 
  Requires A Dead Body (-1), Vague And 
  Unclear (-½)
  Total cost:  +245 points.
  TATSU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  40 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5]
   26 DEX 
  48 
  13- 
  OCV:  9/DCV:  9
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   25 BODY 30 
  13-
   23 INT 
  13 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   23 EGO 
  26 
  13- 
  ECV:  8
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   28 PD 
  18 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   28 ED 
  22 
   
  Total:  28 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   16 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   80 STUN 15 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  301
    
   
   
  (+189 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
   
  Flight:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Swimming:  24”/48”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Breathe Forth Fog:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 12” radius, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Personal Immunity (+¼);  
  No Range (-½) 
  0
  69 
  Breath Forth Fire:  RKA 4d6, Area Of  
  Eﬀect (24” Line; +1); Extra Time  
  (Delayed Phase; -¼), No Range (-½) 
  12
  83 
  Create Storms And Control Rain:   
  Change Environment 8” radius, +/-10  
  Temperature Levels, Multiple Combat 
  Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects, Varying 
  Eﬀect (create or cancel any type of  
  weather; +1), MegaArea (1” = 1 km  
  broad and wide; +¼), Personal Immunity 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  No Range (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn to  
  activate; -¾) 
  0
  45 
  Weapons Of The Tatsu:  Multipower,  
  45-point reserve
  3u 
  1) Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR) 
  3
  2u 
  2) Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (3½d6 with STR) 
  2
  3u 
  3) Tail Lash:  HA +6d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  0
  12 
  Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (½ END;  
  +¼) on 50 STR 
  3
  60 
  Tatsu Toughness:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  20 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Great Mass:  Knockback Resistance -8” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  15 
  Virtually Immortal:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  53 
  Running On the Clouds:  Flight 24”,  
  x4 Noncombat 
  4
  
  53 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  8 
  Moves Like The Wind:  Running +4”  
  (10” total)  
  2
  34 
  Lord Of The Water:  Swimming +22” (24”  
  total), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  30 
  Turn Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight  
  Group, No Fringe 
  3
  40 
  Transformation:  Multiform (assume  
  300-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½) 
  6
  43 
  Become Tiny At Will:  Shrinking (.032 m 
  long, .0004 kg mass, -12 to PER Rolls to  
  perceive the character, +12 DCV, takes  
  +18” KB), Costs Endurance Only To  
  Activate (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase;  
  -½), No Growth Momentum (-¼) 
  9
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  9 
  Reputation:  bringer of rain, master of the 
  waters (in China and Japan) 14-, +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  9 
  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  3 
  Bureaucratics 17-
  3 
  Conversation 17-
  3 
  High Society 17-
  2 
  KS: Court Of The Dragon Kings 11-
  3 
  KS: Dragon Lore 14-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  771
  Total Cost:  1,072
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Mukade 11- (As Pow)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long, -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Reputation:  bringers of rain and masters of 
  the weather, 11-
  962 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,072
  Ecology:  The tatsu is a close relative of the kioh-
  lung, and in many ways the two are virtually 
  identical. Like the kioh-lung, tatsu live in the sea, 
  rivers, or in deep lakes; they control the weather, 
  THE HAI RIYO
  This creature, also 
  known as the Tobo Tatsu 
  or the Schachi Hoko, is 
  a large bird, fully feath-
  ered, with a bird’s wings 
  and claws but the head 
  of a dragon. Found on 
  screens in the Chi-on-in 
  monastery of Kyoto, it 
  might be an attempt to 
  depict the winged Chi-
  nese dragon known as 
  the Ying Lung.
  
  54 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  summoning or dismissing clouds and rain at will. 
  Under the surface of the ocean Ryujin, the dragon 
  king of the sea, lives in a vast and beautiful palace. 
  There are ﬁve other dragon kings as well, each asso-
  ciated with a speciﬁc color and cardinal direction:  
  the Yellow Dragon of the Middle (i.e., China), who 
  introduced writing to the world; the Black Dragon 
  of the north, who represents courage and honor; 
  the Red Dragon of the south, who represents 
  summer, life, love, and peach blossoms; the Blue 
  Dragon of the east, who represents marriage and 
  scholarship; and the White Dragon of the west, who 
  represents virtue, but might bring famine.
  Personality/Motivation:  Tatsu tend to keep to 
  themselves for the most part, although there are 
  exceptions. For example, every 50 years the white 
  dragon of Ukisima pond transforms itself into a 
  great white bird named O-Goncho and spreads 
  famine and disease. On the other hand, some men 
  have married female dragons, such as Hoori, who 
  married the beautiful daughter of Ryujin and is the 
  legendary ancestor of the emperors of Japan.
  Powers/Tactics:  Aside from their great size, numer-
  ous teeth, and sharp claws, tatsu have numerous 
  powers relating to their command of wind and 
  water. They can summon (or dismiss) rain at will, 
  and can produce a raging tempest out of a clear sky. 
  If they wish, they can breathe out clouds of mist, 
  rain, or ﬁre, vanish from sight, or shrink down so 
  small as to be virtually undetectable. Tatsu can also 
  assume human form, and often do so to speak with 
  men without arousing suspicion or raising a fuss.
  Campaign Use:  You can use a tatsu the same way as 
  the kioh-lung — as a local deity, a messenger of the 
  gods, or the like. A tatsu can even be the catalyst for an 
  adventure — such as in the case of the Dragon King 
  of Lake Biwa who asked the samurai Hidesato to slay 
  the gigantic mukade (page 24) threatening him and 
  his family. Hidesato did so and was rewarded with 
  an ever-full bag of rice. Another example is the story 
  of the Dragon Carp (page 114) who was caught by a 
  Korean ﬁsherman. The Carp informed the man he 
  was the son of the Dragon King and would reward the 
  ﬁsherman if he released him. The ﬁsherman did so 
  and went home a rich man.
  Of course, not all adventures with tatsu work out 
  so well in the end. Several Japanese tales have dragons 
  (in human form) telling their human spouses not to 
  look at them at certain times. Eventually, the human 
  spouse violates this taboo, sees his beloved in the form 
  of a dragon, and the dragon leaves forever.
  This character sheet (as well as that of the 
  kioh-lung) can be used to represent the riong, or 
  Korean dragon.
  Appearance:  A tatsu looks virtually identical to the 
  kioh-lung, although it usually has a more serpen-
  tine body, a thick beard along the bottom of the 
  lower jaw, and long whiskers. In addition, the tatsu 
  only has three claws as opposed to the kioh-lung’s 
  normal compliment of ﬁve, while the riong has four 
  claws on each foot.
  TENGU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 3d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6 / DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12- 
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4 d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  10-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts:  Kenjutsu
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Bind 
  +1 
  +0 
  25 STR Bind
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  25 STR Disarm
  4 
  Evade 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge All 
  Attacks, Abort
  4 
  Lightning 
   
  Stroke 
  +2 
  +0 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Sacriﬁce Stroke +1 
  -2 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Slashing Stroke -2 
  +1 
  Weapon +4 DC 
  Strike
  5 
  Takeaway 
  +0 
  +0 
  Grab Weapon, 
  25 STR To Take 
  Weapon Away
  1 
  Use Art Barehanded
  8 
  Sharp Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  15 
  Bakemono Nature:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of the Tengu:  Nightvision 
  0
  43 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste 
  Groups, any humanoid form), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  12 
  Master Of The Sword:  +4 with Kenjutsu
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Iaijutsu:  Fast Draw 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  5 
  KS: Kenjutsu 15-
  8 
  PS: 8 points’ worth of assorted courtly skills 
  (Calligraphy, Dance, Go, Shogi, and so on)
  2 
  PS: Instructor 11-
  5 
  SS: Kenjutsu 15-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  WF:  Blades, Oﬀ Hand, Thrown Sword
  
  55 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  173
  Total Cost:  266
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoy Playing 
  Tricks And Causing Trouble (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  troublemakers and harbingers 
  of war, 11- (Extreme)
  161 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  266
   OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  83 
  Control Weather:  Change Environment 8” 
  radius, +/-10 Temperature Levels, Multiple 
  Combat Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects, 
  Varying Eﬀect (create or cancel any type of 
  weather; +1), MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad 
  and wide; +¼), Personal Immunity (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range 
  (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn to activate; -¾)
  90 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  73 
  Mind Over Matter:  Telekinesis (30 STR), 
  Fine Manipulation, Based On EGO Combat 
  Value (+1); Concentration (½ DCV through-
  out; -½)
  40 
  Mind Reading:  Telepathy 12d6; Receive Only 
  (-½)
  33 
  Nether Here Nor There:  Teleportation 20”, 
  Safe Blind Teleport (+¼); Increased Endur-
  ance Cost (x2 END; -½)
  10 
  Voice Of Prophecy:  Clairsentience (Sight 
  Group), Precognition; Concentration (0 
  DCV throughout; -1), Extra Time (5 Minutes 
  to activate; -1), Precognition Only (-1)
  30 
  Turn Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight Group, 
  No Fringe
  10 
  Yadome-jutsu:  Missile Deﬂection (arrows/
  projectiles), Range (adjacent hexes; +½); OIF 
  (katanas of opportunity; -½)
  2 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH) 13-
  Ecology:  Tengu are humanoid birds about the 
  same size and weight of a human. They inhabit 
  high mountains or thick forests, and guard their 
  domains closely. Tengu generally live alone or in 
  small, isolated communities, and associate with the 
  yamabushi (Shinto mountain priests). Interestingly, 
  there don’t seem to be female tengu, so how these 
  beings reproduce is unknown.
  Personality/Motivation:  Tengu delight in making 
  mischief and causing trouble. They’re fond of 
  pranks and have been known to steal items 
  from homes, hurl stones at homes in the middle 
  of the night, capture children and then return 
  them in a dazed state, and transform into the 
  likeness of Buddhist monks to confuse and trick 
  people. In fact, Buddhist monks are a favorite 
  target of the tengu, and both the monks and 
  their monasteries are frequent objects of harass-
  ment. Tengu also enjoy fighting and often try to 
  incite revolts and wars.
  Although they enjoy playing pranks on others, 
  tengu don’t like to have tricks played on them! 
  Anyone who tricks a tengu may ﬁnd the tengu’s 
  revenge to be lethal, such as in the case of a boy 
  who hid in a tall tree and pretended to be a tengu 
  to frighten others. While he was sitting in his tree 
  making sounds like a crow and convincing the vil-
  lagers to worship him, a strong wind came up and 
  hurled him from the tree to his death. Another 
  young man convinced a tengu to trade the tengu’s 
  cloak of invisibility for a worthless stick of bamboo. 
  Angered, the tengu hurled the youth into an icy 
  river, from which he barely escaped. On the other 
  hand, if someone treats a tengu with respect, there’s 
  a chance the tengu will be suitably impressed with 
  the human and possibly consent to gift him with 
  instruction in the arts of warfare and the sword, of 
  which the tengu are masters.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally the tengu are satisﬁed 
  with simple tricks and pranks, but if angered or 
  attacked they’re fearsome opponents. Tengu are 
  master swordsmen one and all and usually carry a 
  katana or tachi; many of them know powerful and 
  unusual sword techniques (see The Ultimate Mar-
  tial Artist and Ninja Hero for plenty of examples). 
  The magical powers of the tengu are said to be 
  vast, and may include the ability to become invis-
  ible, create illusions, and even control the weather. 
  Because they live in the mountains, tengu are asso-
  ciated with winds, rain, and the weather, and may 
  be masters of all three. They also may possess some 
  
  56 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  form of ﬁre magic, and are thought to be respon-
  sible for the glowing lights seen drifting through 
  thick forests and around mountains. If attacked, a 
  tengu ﬁghts ﬁercely but not foolishly, and ﬂees via 
  Flight if the encounter goes against it.
  Campaign Use:  Initially considered a fairly evil 
  creature, the tengu’s reputation as a fearsome goblin 
  of the mountains softened over time. Around the 
  fourteenth century, some tengu were considered 
  benevolent and were asked to assist in search-
  ing for lost children. But whatever its attitude, the 
  tengu was always known to be a master of warfare 
  and the sword, and many well-known warriors of 
  legend and history were said to have studied with a 
  tengu. One of Japan’s most famous samurai, Yoshit-
  sune Minamoto, was supposedly instructed by a 
  tengu named Sojobo.
  You can present a particular tengu however 
  you like:  malicious goblin, benevolent trick-
  ster, wise master, ﬁerce swordsman. He may try 
  to frighten oﬀ a party of PCs, or if suﬃciently 
  impressed or ﬂattered may deign to teach one or 
  two heroes a new sword technique. You may even 
  want to give the tengu powers beyond the ones 
  listed here — some were said to be able to possess 
  people and speak through them (much like the 
  kitsune).
  Appearance:  Tengu come in two varieties. There’s 
  the karasu, or “crow” tengu; and the dai-, or “great” 
  tengu. A karasu tengu looks like a human with the 
  head of a crow or raven. They have small, black-
  feathered wings and sharp claws on their ﬁngers 
  and toes. Dai-tengu are also known as a oo-tengu 
  or hanataka (long-nose) tengu. They resemble tall, 
  thin humans with red faces and extremely long 
  red noses. Both varieties of tengu tend to wear the 
  robes of the yamabushi, complete with tokin (a 
  combination cap and drinking cup) and shakujo 
  (seven-ring staﬀ). In addition, tengu are almost 
  always armed with a katana of high quality and 
  sometimes wear armor. Both forms of tengu can ﬂy 
  with ease, even though the dai-tengu lacks wings. 
  There may be other forms of tengu — for example, 
  some sources mention a konoha tengu, described as 
  having a red bird’s head, long hair, wings, and eagle-
  like talons on his feet.
  WAIRA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  11- 
  ECV:  2
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   8 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  8 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   54 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  104
    
   
   
  (+31 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  22 
  Sharp Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  2
  3 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  8 
  Long Legs:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  1
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Bite
  6 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  5 
  Stealth 14-; Home Environment Only (-½)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  91
  Total Cost:  195
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  80 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  195
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  4 
  Spider’s Legs:  Running +2” (12” total)
  8 
  Spider’s Legs:  Clinging (normal STR); 
  Cannot Resist Knockback (-¼)
  
  57 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  Ecology:  Waira are massive forest-dwelling animals 
  somewhat larger than oxen. They’re meat eaters, 
  preying on deer, boar, and the occasional horse or 
  cow. Solitary as a general rule, they’re somewhat 
  territorial and usually keep to themselves unless it’s 
  mating season. For all their size, they’re quite shy 
  and tend to retreat from human intrusion... unless 
  they’re cornered or wounded, in which case they 
  become aggressive.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Capable of great stealth despite 
  their size, waira tend to remain hidden in thick-
  ets and the like, springing out in a rush to attack 
  prey. Normally they bite, then use the jaws to 
  Grab, followed by raking blows from their sharp-
  clawed front legs. Spirited resistance may cause 
  the waira to drop its victim, although the animal 
  won’t go far as it waits for blood loss and weak-
  ness to do its prey in.
  Campaign Use:  Although normally a waira’s no 
  threat to a party of PCs, a wounded waira could 
  be another matter! In that situation, the heroes 
  many need to track the waira back to its forest 
  lair, remaining alert the whole time for a possible 
  ambush by their quarry. Of course, there’s noth-
  ing stopping you from making all waira danger-
  ous predators. You can easily use this character 
  sheet to model various other cattle-sized (and 
  -shaped) carnivores said to exist in various parts 
  of Asia (especially China).
  Appearance:  Waira have coarse hair all over their 
  bodies, a large mouth ﬁlled with sharp teeth, dog-
  like ﬂoppy ears, cow-like eyes, and a long tongue. 
  Their forelegs end in single sharp claw, while their 
  rear legs are so rarely seen that their existence is  
  open to speculation. There are some who say the 
  waira has legs like a great spider.
  OKURI-INU
  An okuri-inu (or okuri-ookami, meaning “a 
  sending dog” or “a sending wolf”) is a monstrous 
  dog or wolf. They’re usually found on lonely 
  mountain roads where they stalk travelers, wait-
  ing until the target stumbles or falls so they can 
  strike to kill. But some okuri-inu are far more 
  benevolent — they protect travelers from wild 
  dogs and wolves. Other versions include the 
  machi-inu (“a waiting dog”) and mukae-inu (“a 
  meeting dog”). You can represent an okuri-inu 
  with the Giant Wolf character sheet on pages 
  129-130 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  
  58 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  YAMATA-NO-OROCHI
  (The Eight-Forked Serpent Of Koshi)
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   100 STR 
  90 
  29- 
  Lift 25 ktons; 20d6 [10]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   50 CON 
  80 
  17-
   55 BODY 90 
  17-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   50 PRE 
  40 
  19- 
  PRE Attack:  10d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   40 PD 
  20 
   
  Total:  40 PD (20 rPD)
   40 ED 
  30 
   
  Total:  40 ED (20 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   30 REC 
  0
   100 END 
  0
   130 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  371
    
   
   
  (+329 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  16”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  125 
  Eight Heads:  Duplication (creates  
  seven 548-point duplicates); Cannot  
  Recombine (-0) 
  0
  70 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½), Armor  
  Piercing (+½) 
  7
  67 
  Eight-Tailed Smash:  Area Of Eﬀect  
  (21” Cone; +1) for STR; Only With  
  Extra Limb (-½) 
  10
  60 
  Reptilian Toughness:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  20 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  36 
  As Large As Eight Hills And Eight Valleys:  
  Knockback Resistance -18” 
  0
  36 
  As Large As Eight Hills And Eight Valleys:  
  Running +18” (24” total) 
  5
  14 
  As Large As Eight Hills And Eight Valleys:  
  Swimming +14” (16” total) 
  2
  15 
  Kami Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  6 
  Eight Tails:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  103 
  Long Neck:  Stretching 16”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); No Noncombat Stretching 
  (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼), Limited 
  Body Parts (neck; -¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  562
  Total Cost:  933
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  As Large As Eight 
  Hills And Eight Valleys (300 meters long, 
  -14 DCV, +14 to PER Rolls) (All The Time, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited  
  Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly  
  Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Prone To Intoxication 
  (-6 on CON Rolls to resist drunkenness) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  798 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  933
  
  59 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  YAMATA-NO-OROCHI HEAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   75 STR 
  65 
  24- 
  Lift 800 tons; 15d6 [7]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   35 CON 
  50 
  16-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   40 PD 
  25 
   
  Total:  30 PD (20 rPD)
   40 ED 
  33 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases  3, 9, 12
   22 REC 
  0
   70 END 
  0
   76 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  234
    
   
   
  (+152 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  70 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½), Armor  
  Piercing (+½) 
  7
  60 
  Reptilian Toughness:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  20 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Kami Nature:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  36 
  As Large As Eight Hills And Eight Valleys:  
  Knockback Resistance -18” 
  0
  103 
  Long Neck:  Stretching 16”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); No Noncombat Stretching 
  (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼), Limited 
  Body Parts (neck; -¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  314
  Total Cost:  548
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (8” long, -6 DCV, 
  +6 to PER Rolls) (All The Time, Greatly 
  Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Prone To Intoxication 
  (-6 on CON Rolls to resist drunkenness) 
  (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  418 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  548
  Ecology:  An eight-headed snake of epic propor-
  tions, Yamata-no-Orochi haunts the Japanese prov-
  ince of Idzumo, near the river Hi. There it feeds on 
  all it can catch, including people.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  Yamata-no-Orochi is driven primarily by hunger, 
  and greedily devours anything set before it.
  Powers/Tactics:  Because of its great size, Yamata-
  no-Orochi is virtually fearless and attacks anything 
  it perceives as prey. Most food is simply swallowed 
  whole (see page 33 of The HERO System Bestiary; it 
  does Very Strong swallow damage), while obstacles 
  (such as trees and homes) are ﬂattened under 
  its vast bulk with a simple Move By or a Move 
  Through.
  Campaign Use:  The original Yamata-no-Orochi 
  was encountered by the Shinto god Susano-o-no-
  mikoto. Told the creature had come every year and 
  devoured one of the daughters of the minor deity 
  Ashi-na-zuchi, Susano-o had a great fence built 
  with eight gates, and beyond each gate he placed 
  a platform. On each platform he put a huge vat of 
  saké. When the monster arrived, it smelled the saké 
  and greedily drank each vat dry, promptly falling 
  into a drunken slumber. Susano-o then took his 
  sword and cut each of the heads oﬀ, then each of 
  the tails. In the fourth tail he discovered a sword 
  that he named Murakumo-no-tsurugi (“Sword of 
  the Village of the Clustering Clouds”), and gave it 
  to his sister, the goddess Amaterasu. Amaterasu, in 
  turn, presented the sword to the Emperor of Japan 
  as a symbol of his divine heritage.
  Although a creature of ancient Japanese myth, 
  the Eight-Forked Serpent is reminiscent of any 
  number of gigantic snakes and dragons common to 
  legends the world over (such as Dhrana, the seven-
  headed king of the snakes in Hindu mythology). 
  It can easily be customized through the use of the 
  diﬀerent Creature Templates (see page 21 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary) and turned into any sort 
  of giant threatening beast your campaign needs. 
  Suggested alterations include:  removing the Dupli-
  cation power and giving the serpent a single head; 
  adding the Aquatic Template to make the serpent a 
  water dragon; adding either the Divine or Infernal 
  Template to make the serpent an agent of the gods; 
  giving the serpent the Smart Template (hopefully, 
  this version won’t drink itself into a stupor); adding 
  the Venom Template (typical of Greek dragons); 
  and ﬁnally, adding the Winged Template. In addi-
  tion, the character sheet for the kioh-lung (AB1 37) 
  contains numerous power constructs that would 
  work perfectly with this creature.
  Appearance:  Yamata-no-Orochi is an immense 
  snake said to be as long as eight hills and eight 
  valleys put together. Each of its eight heads has 
  bright cherry-red eyes, while its belly is a deep 
  reddish hue. The creature’s great back is covered 
  with moss, fir trees, and cryptomeria; its body 
  ends in eight long tails. (But note that in Japa-
  nese “eight” simply means “many,” so the Serpent 
  can have as many heads as you wish and can be 
  even bigger if you so desire.)
  KUZURYU
  If you increase the The 
  Eight-Forked Serpent’s 
  heads to nine, you 
  can create Kuzuryu, 
  an immense serpent 
  dragon who sleeps 
  under a mountain. 
  Also add in the Jin-
  shin-Mushi’s Burrow 
  Through Anything power 
  found on page 8, since 
  Kuzuryu’s movements 
  can set oﬀ landslides.
  
  60 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  YASHA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (4 rPD)
   4 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  4 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   31 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  101
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Fangs:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  60 
  Yokai Nature:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  4 
  Yokai Nature:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Yokai Swiftness:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  47 
  Yokai Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except Diminished Eating; including  
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  20 
  20 points’ worth of Skills and Talents (abili-
  ties and interests from former life)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  177
  Total Cost:  278
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  eerily beautiful  (Con-
  cealable With Diﬃculty; Causes Major Reac-
  tion [desire])
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of various talismans and wards (Infre-
  quently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Consumed By  
  A Singularly Strong Emotion (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vain (Common, 
  Moderate)
  143 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  278
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  36 
  Bakemono Nature:  Shape Shift (Sight, Hear-
  ing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, any 
  humanoid form), Costs Endurance Only To 
  Change Shape (+¼)
  24 
  Bat-Like Wings:  Flight 12”, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½)
  36 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 12”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  17 
  Drain Life Energy:  Drain BODY 1d6, Con-
  tinuous (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Bite Must Do BODY First (-½)
  35 
  Drink Blood: RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No 
  Range (-½)
  22 
  Long Hair:  Stretching 6”, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), Lim-
  ited Body Parts (hair; -¼), No Fine Manipu-
  lation (-½)
  Ecology:  Yasha are humans who’ve become mon-
  sters due to an excess of certain negative emotions, 
  such as anger, hate, or jealousy. More often than 
  not a yasha is female, apparently due to a woman’s 
  great capacity for emotion and/or a natural disposi-
  tion for assuming monstrous forms (according to 
  certain Buddhists, anyway). Once transformed, the 
  yasha preys on humans, sometimes going so far as 
  to drink their blood or consume their life energies.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part yasha 
  are consumed by anger and hate. They’re cruel and 
  malicious, and delight in causing trouble for anyone 
  they come across. At ﬁrst a yasha may reserve its 
  spite for the person responsible for its transforma-
  tion, but later it extends its ire to anyone it meets. 
  About the only way to “cure” someone who has 
  transformed into a yasha is to resolve the situation 
  that made him become a yasha in the ﬁrst place. 
  For example, if the transformation was caused by 
  jealousy, then the person the yasha is jealous of 
  needs to welcome the yasha home and acknowl-
  edge his needs. If successful, this makes the yasha 
  resume his normal, human, state.
  Powers/Tactics:  The transformation from human 
  to monster gives the yasha sharp fangs and claws 
  along with supernatural strength and agility. Some 
  may be able to drink blood directly, while others 
  simply tear a body apart and feast on the spilled 
  blood. A few yasha can consume a person’s life 
  energy, leaving withered victims in its wake. As 
  supernatural beings, many yasha can ﬂy (some 
  via batlike wings, others taking to the air directly). 
  In keeping with their status as bakemono, yasha 
  can change shape, and may do so to get close to a 
  victim. Since they’re transformed humans, yasha 
  may retain certain skills from their previous lives, 
  such as weapons use or martial arts techniques.
  Campaign Use:  Similiar in many respects to the 
  classical European vampire, a yasha can be used 
  in much the same way:  as a nighttime predator of 
  innocent travelers and villagers. You can have yasha 
  
  61 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  haunt lonely stretches of roads, bridges, abandoned 
  shrines, and ruined homes and compounds. Or you 
  could have a yasha torment a great lord, with the 
  adventure requiring the PCs to both ﬁnd out why 
  this is happening and try to resolve the situation.
  Appearance:  A yasha is almost always inhumanly 
  beautiful with pale white skin and faces often 
  likened to porcelain masks. Its long black hair 
  is fine and silky (and at times seems to have a 
  life of its own), its mouth small and dainty, and 
  its eyes are often marked with blue or red eye 
  shadow. (Blue eye shadow is an indicator of the 
  supernatural nature of the yasha, while red is 
  often found on yasha who are hungry.) Other 
  yasha may have fine lines running from the 
  bottom of the eye to the edge of the jaw. In keep-
  ing with their strong sense of vanity, most yasha 
  wear expensive formal clothing.
  YASHA VARIANTS
  The yasha is only one of a number of creatures 
  who go abroad at night to prey on luckless travelers 
  and those who have stayed out too late. The follow-
  ing three creatures can be used in much the same 
  way as yasha and share the yasha’s vampiric habits.
  Nobusuma
  If a bat lives for a thousand years it transforms 
  into a nobusuma. A nobusuma has a lithe and 
  muscular body similar in size and shape to a ﬂying 
  squirrel, a narrow, beak-like mouth, hairy brown 
  skin, four clawed legs, and wings stretching from 
  limb to limb. Going abroad at night, nobusuma 
  lands on a sleeping individual, taps on his chest, 
  and sucks his breath away. If no one sees this hap-
  pening, the victim dies in three days, but if some-
  one witnesses the nobsuma’s attack the victim will 
  have a long lifespan. Make the following changes to 
  the Giant Vampire Bat character sheet on page 42 
  of The HERO System Bestiary to create a nobusuma:
  Cost Power
  -28 
  Remove Suck Blood
  69 
  Sucks Your Breath Away:  RKA 4d6, NND 
  (defense is Life Support [Self-Contained 
  Breathing]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Time Delay (3 
  Days; +¼); Extra Time (1 Turn; -1¼), No 
  Range (-½), No Eﬀect If Attack Witnessed By 
  Another Human (-½)
  5 
  1000 Years Old:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality)
  Total cost:  +46 points.
  Nodeppo
  The nodeppo is another bat-like creature. 
  Horriﬁc in face and form, it preys on lone travel-
  ers by exhaling a bat-like creature at them. This 
  bizarre manifestation then wraps its wings around 
  the intended victim, instantly killing him by suck-
  ing out his breath. Attacks from the nodeppo can 
  be avoided by carrying a few leaves of the nano-
  mani plant on one’s person. Make the following 
  changes to the Giant Vampire Bat character sheet 
  on page 42 of The HERO System Bestiary to create 
  a nodeppo:
  Cost Power
  +2 
  +4 COM
  -28 
  Remove Suck Blood
  168 
  Exhales A Bat-Like Creature:  RKA 4d6,  
  NND (defense is Life Support [Self-Con-
  tained Breathing]; +1), Does BODY (+1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Limited 
  Range (4”; -¼)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Repulsed By 
  Leaves Of The Nanomani Plant (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +142 points.
  
  62 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Tsutsuga Mushi
  Once found in the Yagami Mountains, the tsu-
  tsuga mushi were known to exist in great numbers 
  around 600 AD. They took the forms of diﬀerent 
  animals and entered into people’s homes during 
  the night, drinking the blood of anyone they found 
  asleep. The tsutsuga mushi’s reign of terror was 
  ﬁnally halted by the Empress Saimei Tenno, who 
  had one of her priests conﬁne them to a certain 
  stretch of wilderness. Although they’re no longer 
  seen, one still hears the term tsutsuga nashi (liter-
  ally, “without tsutsuga”), which means one who is 
  free of illness or disease. To build a tsutsuga mushi, 
  add the following powers to a small to medium-
  sized animal of your choice:
  Cost Powers
  +5 
  Great Cunning:  +5 INT
  +10 Inhuman Insight:  +5 EGO
  +5 
  Fearless:  +5 PRE
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½)
   
  Vulnerability:  2 x Eﬀect from the Presence 
  Attacks of holy men (Uncommon; 10 points)
  Total cost:  +58 points.
  YUKI-ONNA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV: 5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total PD:  4 (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total ED:  4 (0 rPD)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  51
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  42 
  Icy Breath:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing];  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Limited Range (1”; -¼) 
  0
  20 
  Immune To Cold:  Armor (0 PD/20 ED); 
  Only Works Against Limited Type Of  
  Attack (ice/cold; -½) 
  0
  40 
  Immune To Cold:  Energy Damage  
  Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Only Works 
  Against Limited Type Of Attack (ice/ 
  cold; -½ 
  0
  2 
  Immune To Cold:  Life Support (Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Cold) 
  0
  24 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight: 12” 
  2
  5 
  Comes Out At Night:  Nightvision 
  0
  4 
  At Home In The Snow:  +4 to Sight Group 
  PER Rolls; Only To See Through  
  Snowstorms And Similar Weather (-1) 
  0
  40 
  Frosty Vapor Form:  Desolidiﬁcation  
  (aﬀected by heat, ﬁre, or steam), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Cannot Pass 
  Through Solid Objects (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Yokai Form:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial  
  diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
   
  Talents
  1 
  Environmental Movement:  Icewalking (no 
  penalties on slippery surfaces)
   
  Skills
  5 
  Seduction 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  207
  Total Cost:  258
  
  63 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Casual Killer 
  (Very Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Reputation:  spirit of the snow, seducer and 
  killer of men, 11- (Extreme)
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Fire Attacks 
  (Common)
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from Fire Attacks 
  (Common)
  113 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  258
  Ecology:  The yuki-onna (literally, “snow woman”) 
  are spirits of the snow and snowstorms. They go 
  abroad during blizzards to seduce men and steal 
  their souls, leaving them frozen and dead for the 
  morning sun.
  Personality/Motivation:  These snow spirits seem to 
  delight in killing anyone foolish enough to be out 
  during a snowstorm. They apparently prey on men 
  exclusively, but spare those whose youth and beauty 
  impresses them.
  Powers/Tactics:  A yuki-onna attacks through the 
  use of stealth. It waits until its victim is tired and 
  steals on him quietly, breathing into the prey’s 
  face with its icy breath. If unable to take its target 
  by surprise, or resisted strongly, the yuki-onna 
  becomes a white misty vapor and escapes.
  Campaign Use:  This deadly spirit of frost and snow is 
  probably best known from the short story Yuki-onna 
  written by Lafcadio Hearn. In it, two woodcutters are 
  caught in a snowstorm and take refuge in a small hut. 
  In the middle of the night a yuki-onna comes into 
  the hut and kills one woodcutter, but taken with the 
  handsome features of the second allows him to live... 
  provided he never mentions the experience. Later this 
  same woodcutter meets a beautiful woman by the 
  name of Yuki ( “snow”) and marries her. They have 
  many children and a pleasant life until he mentions 
  how Yuki looks like a woman he encountered many 
  years ago. At this point Yuki turns on him and informs 
  him that if it weren’t for their children, she’d kill him 
  on the spot. She then becomes a cloud of frost and 
  ﬂies out the smoke-hole.
  You have a bit of leeway in how you present a 
  yuki-onna. She can be purely inimical, preying on 
  anyone she catches in the snow, or she can be of 
  more neutral temperament, and perhaps even capa-
  ble of being reasoned with. Her exact powers are 
  also subject to your discretion and needs. The ver-
  sion given here should be considered only a basic 
  template to which you can add powers. For a high-
  powered version of the yuki-onna, you may want 
  her to be able to summon snowstorms (Change 
  Environment), control the temperature (Change 
  Environment), and even hurl masses of snow at 
  enemies (Energy Blast). In addition, if you want a 
  far more lethal yuki-onna you may wish to con-
  sider replacing her Seduction with Mind Control.
  Appearance:  A yuki-onna looks like a beautifully-
  proportioned woman with long, ﬂowing black hair 
  and pale skin, dressed in a white kimono.
  ONE HUNDRED 
  RANDOM GHOSTS
  In Japan the general 
  term for ghosts is shiryo. 
  Shiryo include both 
  ancestral ghosts as well 
  as the spirits of the 
  dead. Yurei are but one 
  example; others include 
  the ghosts of dead sailors 
  (who demand a bucket 
  from a passing ship, and 
  if given one attempt to 
  ﬁll the ship with water 
  [which is why a clever 
  man gives them a bucket 
  with no bottom]); and 
  the ghosts of people who 
  died on mountain trails 
  (who seek to kill lone 
  travelers). Even inani-
  mate objects can become 
  “ghosts,” a prime example 
  being the karakasa, an 
  umbrella with one glaring 
  eye hopping about on a 
  single foot. Of course, it 
  doesn’t stop there:
  Betobeto-san:  Not 
  so much a ghost as a 
  ghostly noise, betobeto-
  san is the sound of foot-
  steps following a person 
  at night. Of course, no 
  one is there if you turn 
  to look, but if the person 
  being followed steps 
  aside and says “After 
  you, Betobeto-san” the 
  noise stops.
  Dorotabou:  This rather 
  odd ghost is created 
  when an old man’s rice 
  ﬁelds are sold soon after 
  he dies. Dorotabou has a 
  black, hairless body, one 
  eye, and three ﬁngers on 
  each hand. He haunts 
  the rice paddies crying, 
  “Give me back my rice 
  ﬁelds!” at the workers.
  Ikiryo:  Possibly the 
  most dangerous form 
  of ghost is the ikiryo, 
  or “living ghost.” An 
  ikiryo is created when a 
  person’s strong emotions 
  manifest into physical 
  form. Usually, ikiryo are 
  created by women as 
  a side eﬀect of intense 
  jealousy or anger. Unlike 
  the yurei, the ikiryo 
  is a solid entity and 
  Continued on next page
  
  64 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  YUREI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  69
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  43 
  Poltergeist Eﬀect:  Telekinesis (10 STR), 
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2), BOECV (+1), 
  Invisible To Sight Group (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Aﬀects Whole 
  Object (-¼), No Range (-½) 
  0
  60 
  Insubstantial Form:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent  
  (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Insubstantial Form:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Insubstantial Form:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  24 
  Floating About:  Flight 6”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) 0
  -12 
  Only “Flies”:  Running  -6”
  -2 
  Only “Flies”:  Swimming -2”
  50 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Skills
  20 
  20 points’ worth of Skills and Talents (abili-
  ties and interests from former life)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  208
  Total Cost:  277
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  susceptible to buddhist 
  sutras and shinto wards (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Singleminded 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  162 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  277
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  4 
  Fearful Wail:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based 
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  wail; -¼)
  210 
  Images Of The Floating World:  Mental Illu-
  sions 12d6, Aﬀects Physical World (+2), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  16 
  Single-Minded:  Mental Defense (20 points)
  60 
  Fading:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, and 
  Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
   
  Others Powers as you see ﬁt.
  Ecology:  Yurei are ghosts (yurei means “dim/
  hazy/faint spirit”) who usually arise when some-
  one dies in battle, by murder, or from an unex-
  pected accident. Most yurei are women, although 
  male yurei exist. They tend to appear during the 
  Greater Hour of the Ox (2:00 to 3:00 AM) at the 
  place of their death.
  Personality/Motivation:  As a rule, yurei are notable 
  for their singlemindedness. Female yurei are usu-
  ally driven by a need for revenge or to have a wrong 
  righted, while male yurei are unable to free them-
  selves from the place of their death. A female yurei 
  makes for an implacable foe who stops at nothing 
  in seeking vengeance. A male yurei, on the other 
  hand, may simply wish to inform a passerby of the 
  events that led to his death (usually in battle), thus 
  ensuring his name and history are remembered.
  Powers/Tactics:  Most yurei don’t attack foes 
  directly, but instead drive them to madness and 
  distraction by haunting their nights. Female yurei 
  tend to wail, crying out their pain and anguish into 
  the night, night after night, until the target of their 
  vengeance goes mad or commits suicide in shame. 
  Others may take a more active role, physically 
  assaulting their target or using illusions to make 
  them see things that aren’t really there.
  A yurei can be kept away from its intended 
  target by the use of Buddhist sutras or Shinto tal-
  ismans (known as ofuda). A yurei cannot touch 
  written sutras or ofuda, usually is unable to tolerate 
  even the sight of them, and in some cases can’t even 
  see something covered in written sutras. Thus, a 
  page of sutras (or an ofuda) placed on a door keeps 
  a yurei from entering a dwelling.
  Campaign Use:  The appearance of a yurei should 
  not be a random event. You should decide who 
  the yurei is (or was), why it exists, and what can be 
  done to put it to rest (aside from a forceful exor-
  cism, that is). These two classic Japanese ghost sto-
  ries should help illustrate how yurei can be used in 
  a campaign:
  The Ghost of Okiku:  Okiku was a maid in the home 
  of a samurai and the keeper of one of the samurai’s 
  most treasured possessions:  a set of ten ceramic 
  plates acquired from a Dutch trader. Since Okiku 
  was very beautiful, the samurai desired her as his 
  mistress, but she repeatedly refused. Frustrated, the 
  samurai hid one of the plates and then demanded 
  Okiku produce all ten. When she was unable, the 
  samurai told her he’d overlook her carelessness if 
  she agreed to become his mistress. When she once 
  again refused, he killed her in a ﬁt of rage and 
  dumped her body down a well. Every night thereaf-
  ter, her ghost rose from the well, slowly counted to 
  nine, and then wailed loudly. Driven nearly to mad-
  ness, the samurai was saved from Okiku’s haunting 
  looks exactly like the 
  person who created it. 
  However, the ikiryo is a 
  completely independent 
  being who acts of its 
  own accord — its cre-
  ator usually has no idea 
  what the ikiryo is doing 
  or that it even exists. You 
  might want to give an 
  ikiryo certain “ghostlike” 
  attributes, such as the 
  ability to disappear at 
  will (deﬁned as reunit-
  ing with its creator), 
  Full Life Support (as a 
  spiritual projection, the 
  ikiryo shouldn’t need 
  to eat, sleep, and so on), 
  and the ability to move 
  in utter silence (either 
  through a high Stealth 
  roll or by applying the 
  Invisible Power Eﬀects 
  Advantage to the ikiryo’s 
  Running).
  Gaki:  A Hungry Ghost. 
  See page 8.
  Gashadokuro:  Standing 
  fifteen times the height 
  of a man (roughly 25 
  meters [12”] in height), 
  the gashadokuro is an 
  immense skeleton com-
  posed of the spirits of 
  people who died from 
  starvation. It wanders 
  the land after midnight 
  biting the heads off of 
  its victims.
  Kerakera-onna:  A kera-
  kera-onna (“laughing 
  woman”) is the ghost 
  of a dead prostitute. 
  They tend to appear as 
  middle-aged women 
  with heavy makeup, 
  and startle passersby 
  with bursts of loud, 
  booming laughter. 
  Those who try to run 
  discover that the laugh-
  ter follows them, get-
  ting louder and louder.
  Konaki-jiji:  Said to be 
  the spirits of children 
  left to die in the woods, 
  a konaki-jiji appears as 
  a small child with an 
  old man’s face. Anyone 
  who picks up the “child” 
  (usually with the intent 
  Continued on next page
  Continued from last page
  
  65 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter One
  by a neighbor, who hid himself beside the well and 
  waited for Okiku to appear. Once she reached nine, 
  he shouted out “Ten!” and Okiku vanished with a 
  scream, never to return (An alternate version has 
  the samurai going insane instead.).
  Ghost of Oiwa:  The wife of a ronin (a masterless 
  samurai), Oiwa was murdered by her husband after 
  he fell in love with the granddaughter of a rich 
  neighbor. He poisoned Oiwa, disﬁguring her terri-
  bly before she died. Unfortunately for the ronin, his 
  servant Kohei knew what happened. To cover his 
  tracks, the ronin murdered Kohei, nailed him and 
  Oiwa to either side of a wooden door, and dumped 
  the door in the river. To justify his actions, he told 
  everyone he’d caught the two having an aﬀair.
  Now free to marry, the ronin took the grand-
  daughter as his wife... and saw the horrid visage 
  of Oiwa when he lifted the bridal veil! Drawing 
  his katana, the ronin slashed at the terrible appari-
  tion, only to ﬁnd he’d cut oﬀ the head of his new 
  wife. Appalled at what he’d done, he ran oﬀ to ﬁnd 
  the woman’s grandfather (who had encouraged 
  the ronin to murder Oiwa in the ﬁrst place), only 
  to ﬁnd the ghost of Kohei blocking his way. Once 
  again he struck out with his sword... only to kill the 
  grandfather instead.
  From that moment on, the ronin could not 
  escape the ghosts of either Kohei or Oiwa. He 
  went fishing and caught the door (with corpses 
  still attached) that he hurled into the river. A 
  paper lantern catches fire and assumed the dis-
  figured face of Oiwa. Voices called out to him 
  in the night. He fled to an isolated cottage and 
  discovered nearby vines and creepers became 
  snakes in the night. Finally, the ronin’s suffering 
  ended when Oiwa’s brother found him, giving 
  him the death he now desperately craved.
  As you can easily see from these two exam-
  ples, the appearance of a female yurei should be 
  a cry for justice, and can easily be used as the 
  starting point for a single adventure or even an 
  entire campaign.
  Appearance:  Typically, a yurei looks like a pale 
  human figure dressed in white funerary vest-
  ments. Its hair is often long and wild, its hands 
  are held loosely in front of the body, its eyes 
  seem unfocused, and its lower body simply fades 
  away to nothingness. Some yurei may look like 
  they did when they died — they wear whatever 
  clothing or armor they had on and exhibit ter-
  rible wounds or the signs of disease. In addition, 
  yurei are often accompanied by floating balls of 
  spirit fire known as hi no tama (better known in 
  the West as a will o’ the wisp).
  Continued from last page
  of rescuing him) quickly 
  ﬁnds the ghost getting 
  heavier and heavier until 
  the would-be rescuer 
  is crushed under the 
  konaki-jiji’s immense 
  weight.
  Onbu-obake:  This 
  creature is either some 
  form of spirit or the 
  creation of the kitsune 
  or tanuki. They appear 
  as children, old men, or 
  gold coins. If picked up 
  and carried, the onbu-
  obake becomes heavier 
  and heavier, in much 
  the same manner as the 
  konaki-jiji. However, 
  those who can bear the 
  great weight are granted 
  either riches or great 
  strength.
  Tukap:  This Ainu spirit 
  of the dead appears in 
  dreams, carrying mes-
  sages from the deceased 
  or from the deity Kamui 
  Fuchi (or other gods).
  Ubume:  These are the 
  ghosts of women who 
  were buried while preg-
  nant and have given 
  birth to a living child 
  while still enclosed in 
  their coﬃns. They ven-
  ture out at night to buy 
  milk or sweet syrup to 
  feed the infant. Some 
  ubume haunt cross-
  roads, and ask anyone 
  who passes by to hold 
  their child for them. The 
  child slowly gets heavier 
  over time. The ubume 
  rewards anyone who can 
  keep holding the child... 
  and devours anyone 
  who can’t.
  Zashiki-warashi:  The 
  ghosts of children who 
  sit on a sleeper’s chest, 
  stealing the sleeper’s 
  breath (a condition 
  known as kanashibari). 
  Another version of 
  the zashiki-warashi 
  describes them as mis-
  chievous house spirits.
  
  66 ■ Japan
  Hero System 5th Edition
  ZUNBERABOU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  47
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  37 
  Assume Any Humanoid Form:  Shape  
  Shift (Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste, and  
  Touch Groups, any humanoid form),  
  Imitation, Makeover, Costs Endurance  
  Only To Change Shape (+¼); Aﬀects  
  Body Only (-½) 
  4
  9 
  No Face:  PRE +20; Only For Fear-Based 
  Presence Attacks (-1), Gestures (must  
  wipe hand across face; -¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Interaction Skills
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  71
  Total Cost:  118
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Prankster/Practi-
  cal Joker (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as a zun-
  berabou) (Frequently, Major)
  18 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  118
  Ecology:  Zunberabou, also known as mujina, are 
  shapeshifters. They dwell whereever humans do 
  and often live among them, never giving any indi-
  cation as to their true nature.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. For the most part, zunberabou aren’t 
  malicious and don’t actively seek to scare people to 
  death, but they do seem to have a rather twisted sense 
  of humor. Occasionally, a zunberabou’s mischievous 
  nature takes hold and he ventures out in search of 
  entertainment — said entertainment usually resulting 
  in some unsuspecting passersby being frightened out 
  of their wits.
  Powers/Tactics:  Zunberabou like to meet travelers 
  on the road, strike up a conversation, ﬁnd out where 
  they’re headed, and then go there themselves and 
  assume the form of the person the traveler was plan-
  ning to visit. Once the traveler arrives, the zunberabou 
  engages his visitor in small talk before turning away 
  for some reason. When the visitor tries to see what’s 
  wrong, the zunberabou turns around to reveal an utter 
  lack of a face! Other zunberabou have been known to 
  work as noodle sellers and the like, and have pulled 
  similar stunts on lone patrons late at night.
  Zunberabou use the full range of tactics avail-
  able to sentient humanoids. The typical zunberabou 
  is probably armed with nothing more than a knife (if 
  that), but those of a more martial intent could carry 
  arms and armor appropriate to their time period and 
  setting. Regardless of their martial skills, however, all 
  zunberabou have the ability to assume the form of any 
  human (or humanoid, if the campaign has them) they 
  meet. Their shapeshifting is such they can become 
  almost perfect duplicates of anyone, though the zun-
  berabou only imitate a person’s ﬂesh, not their cloth-
  ing and other items.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a typi-
  cal competent zunberabou the PCs might encounter 
  in a situation where you need a character sheet (i.e., 
  combat and the like). You can customize it by applying 
  any one of the templates found on pages 117-119 of 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. Lesser zunbera-
  bou — craftsmen, traders, most females, the young, 
  the elderly — would have slightly lower Characteris-
  tics, no WFs, and so forth.
  Appearance:  A zunberabou looks and dresses just 
  like regular humans, except when he wipes his hand 
  across his face, leaving just a blank expanse of ﬂesh.
  
  chapter two:
  chapter two:
  THE PHILIPPINESA
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  68 ■ The Philippines
  THE  
  PHILIPPINES
  L
  ying north of Malaysian island of Borneo, with 
  the South China Sea to the west, the Philippine 
  Sea to the east, and Taiwan to the north, the 
  Philippines archipelago includes over 7,100 
  islands. It’s been inhabited for thousands of years — 
  the Chinese arrived around 800 AD, Muslims in the 
  1300s, and the Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan 
  in 1521. Spain colonized the islands in 1565, bringing 
  with them Roman Catholic priests who worked hard 
  to convert the population. Spain controlled the Philip-
  pines until 1898, at which point they were given over 
  to the United States. The Philippines ﬁnally gained full 
  independence in 1946.
  RELIGION
  Today the Philippines are overwhelmingly 
  Catholic as a result of over 300 years of Spanish rule. 
  Before that, the islands were ruled by Muslim rajahs; 
  before that, they were home to a number of Bud-
  dhist kingdoms. Prior to the arrival of Buddhism the 
  Philippines’ religious beliefs involved various forms 
  of animism. Interestingly, many animistic beliefs have 
  been incorporated into Filipino Christian and Islamic 
  practices; even today, beings such as the aswang (see 
  below) are believed to exist.
  ASWANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2 12d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  48
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  50 
  Supernatural Powers:  50 points’ worth  
  of Magic Skills and spells
  8 
  Protruding Teeth:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  2 
  Swift Of Foot:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  4 
  Digs Up Graves:  Tunneling 1” through  
  2 DEF material; Soil Only (-1)
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  Various Skills As Desired
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  114
  Total Cost:  162
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of assorted holy symbols and prayers. 
  Also the presence of assorted plants, seeds, 
  and objects that smell strongly (Frequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hunger For Flesh 
  And Blood (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as an 
  aswang) (Frequently, Severe)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from bubo (a form 
  
  69 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  of bamboo) spear attacks (Uncommon)
  22 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  162
  ASWANG PACKAGES
  Cost Ghoul Aswang Powers
  17 
  Listens For The Sound Of Mourners:  
  Clairsentience (Hearing Group), x8  
  Range (1,200”), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); IIF Immobile (shallow hole  
  in the ground, rice mortar, or well; -1¼), 
  Extra Time (1 Minute to activate; -¾)
  3 
  Changes A Corpse Into A Pig:  Cosmetic 
  Transform 3d6 (human corpse into pig 
  corpse); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2),  
  No Range (-½), Limited target (human 
  corpse; -1)
   
  May have other powers similar to those of 
  the Filipino Ghoul (page 83)
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Cost Vampire Aswang Powers
  3 
  Beautiful By Day:  +6 COM
  20 
  Hollow Tongue:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) plus 
  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) plus Stretching 
  2”, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Always 
  Direct (-¼), Limited Body Parts (tongue; 
  -¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No 
  Velocity Damage (-¼)
  33 
  Blood Drinking:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense 
  is not having blood or protective skin or 
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), 
  Hollow Tongue Must Do BODY First (-½)
  10 
  Giant Night Bird:  Multiform (assume 143-
  point giant bird form); OAF (vial of oil; 
  -1), Extra Time (1 minute to apply oil; -¾), 
  Washing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar,  
  And The Like Causes Reversion To Human 
  Form (-¼)
  Total cost:  +66 points
  Cost Viscera Eater Aswang Powers
  15 
  Divides The Body:  Duplication (creates one 
  146-point duplicate), Altered Duplicate 
  (100%; +1); Feedback (-1), Only At Night 
  (-½), Original Character Is Incapacitated 
  While Duplicate Exists (-1), Cannot Rejoin 
  Halves If Ashes Or Salt Are Placed On 
  Divided Body (-¼)
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  Foul And Unpleas-
  ant Smell (Not Concealable; Noticed And 
  Recognizable; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +15 points
  Cost Werewolf Aswang Powers
  26 
  Swift As The Wind:  Flight 25”; OAF (vial of 
  oil; -1), Extra Time (1 minute to apply oil; 
  -¾), Washing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar, 
  And The Like Ends Power (-¼) plus +10 
  DEX; OAF (vial of oil; -1), Extra Time (1 
  minute to apply oil; -¾), Linked (-½), Wash-
  ing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar, And The 
  Like Ends Power (-¼)
  or
  48 
  Swift As The Wind:  Flight 25”; Only At Night 
  (-½) plus +10 DEX; Linked (-½), Only At 
  Night (-½)
  plus
  50 
  Assume Any Animal Form:  Multiform (up 
  to 125 animals built on up to 200 Character 
  Points each); Costs Endurance (to change 
  form; -½)
   
  Add Dependence:  character must go out 
  every night to hunt or suﬀer Weakness (Very 
  Common; 0 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Won’t Attack 
  Anyone Who Knows Its Real Name (Uncom-
  mon, Total; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +76/98 points
  Cost Witch Aswang Powers
  180 
  Can Kill With A Look:  Drain BODY 6d6, 
  Ranged (+½), Line Of Sight (+½), Fully 
  Invisible (+1)
  (This power may require Gestures and/or Incanta-
  tions, although most stories say a single word or a 
  simple gesture is suﬃcient to strike someone dead. 
  In some cases the power activates on its own, kill-
  ing someone the witch merely glances or glares at 
  regardless of her desire to do that person harm.)
  45 
  Magic Oil:  Almost Tiny:  Shrinking (.125 
  meters tall [about 5 inches], .025 kg mass, -8 
  to PER Rolls to perceive character, +8 DCV, 
  +12” KB), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½); OAF (vial of oil; -1), Extra 
  Time (1 minute to apply oil; -¾), Character 
  Must Remain Shrunk Until Oil Is Removed 
  (-0), Washing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar, 
  And The Like Causes Reversion To Normal 
  Size (-¼) plus Exceptionally Strong:  +17 
  STR; OAF (vial of oil; -1), Extra Time (1 
  minute to apply oil; -¾), Linked (-½), Wash-
  ing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar, And The 
  Like Causes Reversion To Normal STR (-¼) 
  plus Exceptionally Fast:  +5 DEX; OAF (vial 
  of oil; -1), Extra Time (1 minute to apply oil; 
  -¾), Linked (-½), Washing Oﬀ Via Water, 
  Wine, Vinegar, And The Like Causes Rever-
  sion To Normal DEX (-¼) plus Exceptionally 
  Slippery:  +30 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); OAF (vial of oil; -1), Only To 
  Escape Entangles And Grabs (-1½), Extra 
  Time (1 minute to apply oil; -¾), Linked (-
  ½), Washing Oﬀ Via Water, Wine, Vinegar, 
  And The Like Causes Reversion To Normal 
  STR (-¼)
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  70 ■ The Philippines
  12 
  Enhanced Hearing And Vision:  +4 PER with 
  Sight and Hearing Groups
  50 
  Assume Any Animal Form:  Multiform (up 
  to 125 animals built on up to 200 Character 
  Points each); Costs Endurance (to change 
  form; -½)
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  No Philtral 
  Dimple In The Upper Lip/Transparent 
  Throat (Easily Concealed, Noticed And Rec-
  ognizable; 5 points)
  Total cost:  +287 points
  All forms can have additional powers as you see ﬁt.
  Ecology:  An aswang isn’t one individual type of 
  creature, but refers to a whole class of supernatural 
  beings. The name aswang may describe a being 
  with the general attributes of either a ghoul (see 
  the Filipino ghoul on page 83 for more), a vam-
  pire, a viscera eater (see page 88), a werewolf-like 
  creature, or a witch. “Witch” seems the most appro-
  priate deﬁnition of what an aswang is, since most 
  people believe a normal person becomes an aswang 
  through the use of magical rituals.
  An aswang can be either male of female, 
  though most aswang are women. A person can 
  become an aswang through any of several methods:
  1)  Tie a fertilized chicken’s egg to one’s stomach 
  with a strip of cloth. After a period of time, the 
  chick growing in the egg passes into the stomach 
  and stay there. At this point the person emits the 
  “kakak” or “kikik” sound of an aswang. The eggshell 
  is then placed in a bamboo tube ﬁlled with a mix-
  ture of coconut oil and chicken dung.
  2)  Take two fertilized chicken eggs into a cemetery 
  on the night of Good Friday. Standing erect, stare 
  at the moon without blinking, place the eggs under 
  the armpit, and chant a secret phrase three times. 
  Once the egg vanishes into the person’s stomach, he 
  becomes an aswang. The aswang must repeat this 
  ritual every year.
  3)  One aswang can pass on his status to another 
  person. An old aswang, near death, places his 
  mouth next to someone else’s and the chick inside 
  his body hops out of his stomach and into the 
  mouth of the new aswang, taking up residence in 
  the stomach.
  4)  Finally, one can involuntarily become an aswang 
  by having an aswang spit into one’s food or by 
  eating a bit of human ﬂesh unknowingly (usually 
  by having it secreted into one’s food).
  Regardless of how it’s formed, an aswang lives 
  a normal life during the day, seeming to be just 
  another villager. At night he transforms into his 
  monstrous form and goes out to hunt. Aswang of 
  a more witch-like nature usually live in secluded 
  locations and avoid their neighbors.
  A person can keep an aswang away through 
  a variety of methods. Blessed palms (from Palm 
  Sunday), displays of the cruciﬁx, holy water, and 
  burning incense all ward oﬀ the aswang. Repeating 
  the oracion, a jumbled mix of Latin phrases and 
  words, in the house of the ill wards oﬀ the attacks 
  of an aswang. A wide variety of fruits, leaves, seeds, 
  spices, and woods keep an aswang away, including 
  the bawang (allium sativum), the lemon, talampu-
  nay (datura metel) seeds, and the leaves of the gabi-
  gabi (bootia reniﬂora) plant. In addition, the smell 
  of chicken feathers, leather, rubber, and talampunay 
  leaves drives the aswang away. One can also keep a 
  ﬁre burning under one’s house or at a window, or 
  place ﬁsh hooks and sharp knives in the ﬂoor of 
  the house (to catch or cut any aswang who crawls 
  under the house). Finally, burning the shavings 
  of cattle horns, various leaves, or garlic keeps an 
  aswang away.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual to 
  individual. Most, if not all, aswang have a strong 
  hunger for fresh meat and blood, and seek them 
  out whenever possible. The ghoul carefully plans 
  his trips before leaving home, while the werewolf 
  will become ill if not allowed to go out at night and 
  hunt. Witches tend to be solitary and avoid people 
  for the most part, but are friendly to their neigh-
  bors and stay out of arguments and other conﬂicts. 
  They even go so far as to attend Mass, although it’s 
  just a ruse to hide their true nature.
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers ascribed to the aswang 
  are virtually endless. Each form of aswang has its 
  own unique abilities, although many of these seem 
  to carry over from one form to the other. A rough 
  breakdown by types is as follows:
  Ghoul:  At 6:00 PM the ghoul aswang listens for 
  the sound of mourners by putting his ear to a rice 
  mortar (or by standing on his head, lying down in 
  a shallow hole, or listening at the opening of a spe-
  ciﬁc listening well). Once he’s found them, he care-
  fully plans out his trip and at 8:00 PM leaves for the 
  night. Fresh corpses are the ghoul aswang’s favorite 
  food, and he eagerly digs up any recent burials. 
  He takes the corpse home, transforms it into the 
  likeness of a pig, and feeds it to his (possibly unsus-
  pecting) family.
  Vampire:  By rubbing oil on her body, the vampire 
  aswang transforms herself (the vampiric aswang 
  is always female) into a giant bird (see below for 
  a character sheet for this form). As a bird she ﬂies 
  through the night, calling out “kakak” or “kikik” 
  as she goes, before landing on the roof of a home 
  and letting her tongue down through a gap in the 
  shingles. She uses the hollow tongue to suck up all 
  the blood she can drink. Once sated, she ﬂies oﬀ, 
  usually to a river where she washes oﬀ the oil and 
  resumes her normal form.
  Viscera Sucker:  A viscera-sucking aswang divides 
  its body into two halves, leaving the lower half 
  hidden and ﬂying about with the upper half. The 
  upper half of the body lands on the roof of a house 
  and sucks out the liver and entrails of newborn 
  children.
  When a viscera sucker aswang divides, it leaves 
  it lower torso hidden (usually in its home) and 
  takes to the air with its upper torso (see below for a 
  character sheet). Wings may sprout from the back, 
  its arms may become wings, its hair may stiﬀen and 
  serve as wings, or it takes to the air without any 
  visible support at all. As with a penanggalan (see 
  
  71 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  page 125), the aswang’s inner organs usually dangle 
  from the torso. The body of a viscera sucker aswang 
  who’s recently fed becomes so swollen with blood 
  as to look eight months pregnant.
  Werewolf:  The werewolf aswang (a misnomer, since 
  there are no wolves in the Philippines) can assume 
  the form of any animal it wishes at night, although 
  this animal form is always male. In animal form the 
  werewolf hunts for a human victim (usually anyone 
  traveling alone). It attacks with its claws and teeth, 
  then eats the ﬂesh of the slain victim. The werewolf 
  also digs up gardens and destroys plants.
  A person attacked by a werewolf aswang 
  should try to strike its tail. Since the aswang holds 
  its tail in its hand, hitting the tail forces it to return 
  to human form, in which it can be killed easily. 
  It’s also said that calling out the real name of the 
  aswang forces it to stop attacking.
  Witch:  The witch form of aswang is usually active 
  between moonrise and moonset. During this time 
  they work great mischief, usually by casting spells 
  to inﬂict disease and death. In the daytime the 
  witch aswang remains away from other people.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet collects 
  together the most common powers attributed to 
  the aswang, but an aswang can be almost anything. 
  You can mix and match options to create just about 
  any being you desire, and can even borrow powers 
  from other character sheets (such as the Filipino 
  ghouls on page 83 or the Filipino viscera sucker on 
  page 88).
  Appearance:  An aswang looks like a normal human 
  during the day, although the witch-like aswang 
  can be detected by the lack of a notch (philtrim) 
  in the upper lip under the nose, or by having a 
  “transparent” throat. A viscera sucker may have an 
  all-black body. Due to their nocturnal activities, 
  some aswang are sickly-looking, with thin bodies, 
  pale skin, and tired faces. At night, however, they’re 
  strong and healthy. In any case, an aswang dresses 
  like any other person during the day.
  VAMPIRE ASWANG GIANT  
  NIGHT BIRD FORM
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   5 STR 
  -5 
  10- 
  Lift 50 kg; 1d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  2
   20 END 
  0
   16 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  33
  Movement: 
  Running:  2”/4”
   
  Flight:  18”/36”
   
  Leaping:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Beak:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Talons:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Hollow Tongue:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with  
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)  
  plus Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) plus  
  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Always Direct (-¼), Limited Body  
  Parts (tongue; -¼), No Noncombat  
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
  33 
  Blood Drinking:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense  
  is not having blood or protective skin or 
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), 
  Hollow Tongue Must Do BODY First (-½) 
  0
  24 
  Wings:  Flight 18”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  -8 
  Short Legs:  Running -4” (2” total)
  -2 
  Cannot Swim:  Swimming -2”
  5 
  Bird’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception  
  (240 Degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  110
  Total Cost:  143
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the  
  presence of assorted holy symbols and 
  prayers. Also the presence of assorted plants, 
  seeds, and objects that smell strongly  
  (Frequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hunger For Flesh 
  And Blood (Common, Strong)
  18 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  143
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  72 ■ The Philippines
  VISCERA SUCKER ASWANG UPPER BODY
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   6 BODY -8 
  10-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39
  Movement: 
  Flight:  12”/24”
   
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Long Nails:  ½d6 HKA (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  20 
  Hollow Tongue:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)  
  plus Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) plus  
  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼),  
  Limited Body Parts (tongue; -¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
  33 
  Blood Drinking:  RKA 1d6, NND  
  (defense is not having blood or protective  
  skin or equipment too thick to bite through; 
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite/Hollow Tongue Must Do 
  BODY First (-½) 
  0
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  -10 
  Virtually Helpless On The Ground:   
  Running -5”
  -2 
  Only Flies:  Swimming -2”
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  10 more points’ worth of Skills, chosen by  
  the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  107
  Total Cost:  146
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of assorted holy symbols and prayers. 
  Also the presence of assorted plants, seeds, 
  and objects that smell strongly (Frequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hunger For Flesh 
  And Blood (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as an 
  aswang) (Frequently, Severe)
  6 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  146
  
  73 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  BACONAUA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   80 STR 
  70 
  25- 
  Lift 1.6 ktons; 16d6 [8]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   38 CON 
  56 
  16-
   33 BODY 46 
  16-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   30 PD 
  14 
   
  Total:  30 PD (20 rPD)
   30 ED 
  22 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   24 REC 
  0
   76 END 
  0
   92 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  264
    
   
   
  (+195 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Leaping:  16”/32”
   
  Swimming:  22”/44”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  70 
  Mouth The Size Of A Lake:  HKA 2d6+1 
  (4½d6 with STR); Area Of Eﬀect  
  (3” Radius; +1) 
  7
  21 
  Shark’s Skin:  HKA ½d6, Continuous  
  (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½), No STR 
  Bonus (-¼) 
  0
  20 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -15” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  20 
  Dragon-Shark Body:  Swimming +20”  
  (22” total) 
  2
  40 
  Wings:  Multipower, 40-point reserve
  3u 
  1) Flying:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  1u 
  2) Wing Buﬀet:  HA +4d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  2
  -12 
  Only Flies Or Swims:  Running -6”
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Shark’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (240 degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
  5 
  Shark’s Eyes:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  6 
  Shark’s Sense Of Smell:  +3 PER with  
  Smell/Taste Group 
  0
  15 
  Shark’s Sense Of Smell:  Targeting and  
  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  256
  Total Cost:  520
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  74 ■ The Philippines
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gargantuan (32” long, 
  -10 DCV, +10 to PER Rolls) (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears Loud, Unex-
  pected Noises (Uncommon, Strong)
  390 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  520
  Ecology:  The baconaua (or bakunawa) is an 
  immense shark-dragon. It lives in the depths of the 
  sea, surfacing only to ﬁnd food. If there’s none to be 
  found at the water’s surface, the baconaua spreads 
  its wings and take to the air, looking for something 
  to satisfy its ravenous hunger. Popular legend 
  claims the baconaua can swallow the sun and the 
  moon whole.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  Loud, unexpected, or constant noise causes the 
  baconaua to drop its prey and ﬂee, so villagers who 
  see a baconaua often beat drums, gongs, and cym-
  bals in an eﬀort to drive it oﬀ.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to its immense size, the 
  baconaua simply surfaces under its prey and 
  engulfs it whole (see page 33 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary; it does Very Strong swallow damage). 
  Anything too large to be swallowed is be bitten to 
  death, or battered to a pulp with its great wings.
  Campaign Use:  The baconaua may or may not 
  be a singular creature. You could treat it as such 
  by giving it Life Support (Longevity) and Mental 
  Defense and Power Defense (to represent its 
  immortal nature). Or you could make the baconaua 
  a very rare form of dragon. In the latter case, use 
  this character sheet only for the largest baconauas, 
  scaling the others down as desired.
  Appearance:  The baconaua has the body of a great 
  shark. The mouth is enormous — “the size of a 
  lake” — with a red tongue and long whiskers. Its 
  body and wings are ash-grey in color; it has smaller 
  wings and ﬁns along the sides of its body.
  BANNOG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   11 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  98
    
   
   
  (+25 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Beak:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  20 
  Talons:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  3 
  Thick Feathers:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -5” 
  0
  27 
  Wings:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  36 
  Diving:  Flight +30”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½), Only To 
  Dive At Prey For Move Bys (-1) 
  0
  8 
  Long Legs:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  1
  -2 
  Cannot Swim:  Swimming -2”
  6 
  Sharp Eyed:  +3 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  15 
  Sharp Eyed:  +10 versus Range for Sight 
  Group 
  0
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  167
  Total Cost:  265
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  150 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  265
  
  75 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  Ecology:  Bannogs are carnivorous birds who feed 
  on buﬀalo, deer, pigs, and people. They lair in the 
  tops of huge trees or on the sides of cliﬀs, building 
  nests proportional to their size where they raise 
  three to four hatchlings at a time.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Bannogs hunt much like any other 
  bird of prey. They swoop down on their target, 
  catching their prey in their sharp claws, and then 
  deal a killing blow with their beaks. Some prey may 
  be dropped alive and kicking into the nest for the 
  young to kill. If this happens to a human victim 
  and he survives his initial wounds, the nest may be 
  large enough for him to hide in; he may be able to 
  survive on the scraps of previous meals while plan-
  ning his escape.
  Campaign Use:  You can use this character sheet 
  to simulate any giant bird seen in any number of 
  mythologies. See the character sheet for the garuda 
  (page 91) for a slightly smaller giant bird.
  Appearance: A bannog is an immense eagle, large 
  enough to catch and eat a water buﬀalo.
  BEBARLANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  13- 
  ECV:  5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  43
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  105 
  Consume Life Energy:  Drain BODY  
  and CON 2d6, two Characteristics  
  simultaneously (+½), Affects Physical 
  World (+2), Delayed Return Rate  
  (points return at a rate of 5 per Day;  
  +1½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  5
  60 
  Intangible:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic/other astral beings), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  53 
  Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight and Hearing 
  Groups, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent  
  (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  24 
  Can Fly:  Flight 12” 
  2
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Consume Life Energy
  5 
  +1 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  KS: Meditative Ritual 11-
  3 
  Power:  Magic 12- (EGO-Based)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  10 more points’ worth of Skills, chosen by  
  the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  274
  Total Cost:  317
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of certain charms (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  227 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  317
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  76 ■ The Philippines
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  20 
  Intrude Into A Sleeper’s Mind:  Telepathy 
  12d6; No Range (-½), Only If Target Is 
  Asleep (-1), Receive Only (-½)
  50 
  Protective Spells And Charms:  50 points’ 
  worth of Magic Skills and spells of a protec-
  tive/defensive nature
  var 
  Servants:  Followers (number and base point-
  value varies)
  Ecology:  Deep in the jungles of the Philippines live 
  the Bebarlangs, a tribe of sorcerers and/or psychics 
  with the power to travel astrally. At night, while most 
  people sleep, the Bebarlangs secure themselves in 
  their homes, guarded by loyal servants and protective 
  spells, and send out their astral selves. These otherwise 
  invisible and intangible bodies seek out nearby vil-
  lages, enter into the homes of sleeping humans, and 
  drain their life energies. The only defense against their 
  attacks is to have a charm crafted from drops of blood, 
  and ﬁngernail clippings, bits of hair (all from the 
  person to be protected) — mix these ingredients with 
  wax and mud from outside the home to be defended. 
  The mixture is then worked into an icon of a holy 
  person or an angel and is either worn around the neck 
  or hung over the sleeper’s bed.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. In general, the Bebarlangs look down 
  on other humans, seeing them as a food source and 
  not much more.
  Powers/Tactics:  In his physical body, a Bebarlang 
  uses the full range of tactics available to sentient 
  humanoids. In his astral form he finds a sleep-
  ing human and drains as much life energy as he 
  can (usually killing the victim in the process). 
  Certain Bebarlangs have telepathic powers and 
  try to learn any secrets they can before draining 
  a victim’s life energy.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical Bebarlang astral form. The physical form 
  should have similar stats, although you can custom-
  ize that character sheet by applying one of the tem-
  plates found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter. 
  If you do so, make sure the make the proper altera-
  tions to the astral form as well. Since the Bebarlang 
  is both invisible and intangible, just one may be 
  more than a match for a party of PCs. If using them 
  in a scenario, make sure at least one PC can both 
  detect and combat the Bebarlangs.
  The character sheet presented here is only for a 
  Bebarlang’s astral form. If desired, create a Bebarlang 
  as a more or less ordinary person with this power to 
  represent his ability to astrally project:  Duplication 
  (creates one 319-point astral form), Altered Duplicate 
  (100%; +1) (128 Active Points); Costs Endurance 
  (to activate; -¼), Extra Time (must enter trance and 
  meditate to allow the astral form to leave the body, 1 
  Hour; -1½), Feedback (-1), Original Character Is Inca-
  pacitated While Duplicate Exists (-1), Both Characters 
  Die If They Do Not Recombine Within 24 Hours 
  (-½). Total cost:  24
  Appearance:  Bebarlangs look like normal humans.
  BUSO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   7 INT 
  -3 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   11 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   47 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  91
    
   
   
  (+17 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; 
  +½) for up to 30 STR 
  1
  10 
  Long Pointed Teeth:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Sharp Fingernails:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  4 
  Long Legs:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  2
  6 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  10 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  Discriminatory  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  9 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +6 versus Range  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  4 
  Reach:  Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  5 
  Tracking 11-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  92
  Total Cost:  183
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3m tall, -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ravenous Appetite 
  (Common, Strong)
  88 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  183
  
  77 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. Buso can be up to Huge in size. 
  In addition, increase the buso’s Sweeping 
  Blow, Long Pointed Teeth, and Sharp Finger-
  nails powers accordingly.
  22 
  Ivory Horn:  HKA 1d6, Armor Piercing (+½)
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  3 
  Disguise 10-
  2 
  PS: Blacksmith 11-
  2 
  PS: Brewing 11-
  2 
  PS: Farming 11-
  4 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered HTH) 11-
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Cannot Tolerate 
  Daylight, driven back to their dwellings by 
  sunlight (Infrequently, Fully Impairing; 15 
  points)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  One Eye (Infre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing; 10 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Coward 
  (Uncommon, Strong; 10 points)
  Ecology:  A buso (or tigbanua) is a type of Filipino 
  ogre. They’re huge humanoids who dwell in large 
  villages of several thousand inhabitants far from 
  the dwellings of normal humans; there they raise 
  rice and vegetables and hunt for fresh meat (includ-
  ing men). They also brew rice beer and forge iron 
  tools, farming implements, and weapons. Busos 
  may also live in the tops of trees — they prefer the 
  thick-branched panaag tree, although they may also 
  inhabit the balete, liwa-an, magko, and sigmit trees 
  in the depths of the forests.
  Busos keep great orchards of fruit trees; they 
  will trade their fruit for infant male children. Often 
  the agreement is that the human may take any 
  fruit he needs, but the buso gets the human’s as-yet 
  unborn child — provided the child is male.
  Personality/Motivation:  Buso, like all Filipino ogres and 
  ghouls, have voracious appetites and brutal natures. 
  On the other hand, they’re also quite dimwitted, and 
  are usually out-thought more than outfought. For all 
  their power, some busos are utter cowards at heart and 
  quickly back down if seriously threatened.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to their size, most busos are 
  fairly fearless in battle (at least as long as they think 
  they have the upper hand) and simply wade into 
  the fray, striking out with their hands and claws. 
  Against a single foe, they usually attempt to grab 
  him, bind him securely, and take him home to 
  be cooked and eaten. Busos have been known to 
  gather into large armies, and it’s not unheard of for 
  several thousand to gather together to track down 
  and attack a troublesome foe.
  Campaign Use:  Due to their size and strength, even 
  a single buso can make a tough foe for a party of 
  PCs. However, they, like many giants and ogres, 
  aren’t very bright, and often can be tricked with 
  simple ruses. See the Campaign Use notes for the 
  Filipino Giant (page 85), Filipino Ghoul (page 83), 
  and the Filipino Ogre (page 86).
  Appearance:  The buso is usually described as a 
  “gigantic man of fearsome aspect.” They’re said to 
  have long bodies, with long feet and necks, large 
  feet and ﬁngers, short arms, black faces, long, 
  pointed teeth, ﬂat noses, a single large red or yellow 
  eye, and curly hair. They’re not a clean people, since 
  their hair is usually swarming with lice and worms. 
  Some buso, such as the chief of a tribe, have large 
  horns of pure ivory in their foreheads, while others 
  have great wings and can ﬂy.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  78 ■ The Philippines
  CATAO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  47
    
   
   
  (+7 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  41 
  Can Make The Water Rise:  Telekinesis  
  (30 STR), Aﬀects Porous, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (One Hex; +½); Only Works On Water (-1) 8
  3 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +1d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  3 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation  
  Roll 11- (or covers locations 13-18; -1) 
  0
  10 
  Fish’s Tail:  Swimming +10” (Total 12”) 
  1
  -10 
  Virtually Helpless On Land:  Running -5”
  5 
  See Underwater:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
   
  Skills
  2 
  AK:  Home Territory 11-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  PS: Singing 12-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  79
  Total Cost:  126
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Awkward On Land 
  (½ DCV when out of water) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Driven Away By Stab-
  bing The Water With A Steel Bolo (or other 
  blade) (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Gold And 
  Riches (Common, Strong)
  16 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  126
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  One variation of the catao can assume a totally 
  human shape. This form of catao has a full 6” of 
  Running and loses the Physical Limitation “Awk-
  ward On Land.” It also gains the following power:
  16 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight and 
  Touch Groups; single form), Costs Endur-
  ance Only To Change Shape (+¼)
  This version of the catao also adds the Limitation 
  Only In Heroic Identity (i.e., mermaid form) to it’s 
  Fish Tail Bash and Scaly Skin powers, reducing 
  the cost of these powers to 3 points and 3 points 
  respectively. Adding in the Assume Human Form 
  power, the Catao comes to 152 points in all.
  +2 
  Sirena:  The sirena (a relative of the catao) 
  can grant the ability to breathe water to 
  anyone she captures. Change Breathes Air 
  And Water to:  Life Support (Expanded 
  Breathing:  Breathe Underwater), Usable 
  Simultaneously (+½)
  
  79 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  Ecology:  The catao (and her sisters, the sirena 
  and the ugkoy) are mermaids (there are no 
  Filipino mermen). She dwells in the deep sea, 
  whereas the sirena lives in rivers or behind 
  waterfalls, and the ugkoy inhabits any body of 
  fresh water. They may feed on fish and other sea 
  life, or they may gather food from the shoreline 
  since some catao feel eating fish is akin to can-
  nibalism (due to their fish tails).
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies depending on the 
  individual. The catao, for example, swamps boats 
  and drowns sailors but also tries to seduce and 
  marry a human lover. Sirenas also drown their vic-
  tims (they’re said to collect a yearly tribute of lives), 
  and especially dislike those who eat both meat and 
  ﬁsh, since her body is both human (i.e., meat) and 
  ﬁsh. On the other hand, a sirena may give presents 
  of gold to anyone she likes (though this gold van-
  ishes in an instant if its source is revealed).
  Powers/Tactics:  To lure her victims in close, a catao 
  sings songs or provocatively displays her physical 
  beauty. The sirena can cause the water to suddenly 
  rise up, and uses this power to engulf her victims or 
  swamp boats. The ugkoy grabs her victim’s ankles 
  and drags him into the water by his feet.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet combines ele-
  ments of all three diﬀerent Filipino mermaids. For 
  all intents and purposes, the three are virtually 
  identical beings, with the only real diﬀerence being 
  where they’re found. Use them as you would any 
  Fantasy mermaid.
  Appearance:  The catao normally has the upper 
  body of a beautiful woman with long resplen-
  dent hair, and the lower body of a great fish (a 
  rare few are simply fish the size of a full-grown 
  woman). Some have the ability to assume a fully 
  human form.
  FILIPINO DWARF
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  30
  Movement: 
  Running:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Spirit Of The Woods:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  -2 
  Short Legs:  Running -1”
   
  Perks
  5 
  Gold And Gems:  Money:  Well Oﬀ
  6 
  Reputation:  spirit of the land (throughout 
  the Philippines) 14-, +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  20 
  Animal Friendship
   
  Skills
  10 
  Small Size:  +2 DCV
  5 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  2 
  Spirit Of The Land:  +2 to Concealment; Self 
  Only (-½), Only In Home Environment (-1)
  3 
  KS: Animal Husbandry 12-
  3 
  KS: Plant And Animal Lore 12-
  3 
  PS: Farmer 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  2 
  Spirit Of The Land:  +2 to Stealth; Self Only 
  (-½), Only In Home Environment (-1)
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  75
  Total Cost:  105
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (2’ tall, +3” KB; 
  Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of The 
  Land (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  spirits of the land to be honored 
  or else misfortune will follow, 11-
  Total Disadvantage Points:  105
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  33 
  Cause Painful Joints And Swellings:  Drain DEX 
  4d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), Ranged (+½), Line 
  Of Sight (+½), Fully Invisible (+1); Extra Time 
  (one hour’s onset time; -3), Gradual Eﬀect (4 
  Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  80 ■ The Philippines
  33 
  Cause Fever:  Drain CON and END 4d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1) 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (one hour’s onset time; -3), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (4 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  180 
  Cause Death:  Drain BODY 6d6, Ranged 
  (+½), Line Of Sight (+½), Fully Invisible (+1) 
  (see pages 211 and 216 of The Fantasy Hero 
  Grimoire for more information on death 
  spells and long-range spell attacks)
  105 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions 14d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  52 
  Cause Blindness:  Major Transform 7d6 
  (standard eﬀect:  21 BODY) (human to blind 
  human; heals back normally); Limited Target 
  (humans; -½), All Or Nothing (-½)
  20 
  Disﬁgure Children:  Drain COM 1d6, 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per 25 Years; +3); Only Works On 
  Children (-1)
  73 
  Assume Any Animal Form:  Variable Power 
  Pool, 50 base + 20 control cost, No Skill 
  Roll Required (+1); Only For Multiforms 
  Of Appropriate Animal Shapes (-¼), Costs 
  Endurance (to change shape; -½)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the 
  presence of iron, ginger root, bundle of ram-
  biyawa grass, and parayan tree branch (Fre-
  quently, Fully Impairing; 20 points)
  Ecology:  Filipino dwarves live in the ground, usu-
  ally in termite burrows or homes under large trees. 
  They may also live in rice ﬁelds, gold mines, or 
  the jungle. They’re known as the “People of the 
  Ground,” “Lice of the Ground,” or the “Spirits of the 
  Fields and Hills.” It’s said they’re the true owners of 
  the earth — humans can only rent portions of land 
  for a time to grow crops.
  Filipino dwarves protect the land. They grow 
  their own crops, dig for gold, watch over the ani-
  mals of the jungle, and must be placated with oﬀer-
  ings of ﬁsh, meat, rice, and vegetables before any 
  planting can be done for the season. In exchange, 
  the dwarves bless the year’s crops and ensure a 
  bountiful harvest, though they take their share 
  before the harvest is in.
    You can use this character sheet to represent 
  any of the many types of Filipino dwarves, such 
  as the calanget, caranget, carango, lakay, laman-
  lupa, lampong, matanda, mantanda sa punso, nuno, 
  omayan, and the tawong-lupa.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual to 
  individual. For the most part, Filipino dwarves tend 
  to have a neutral attitude towards humans; they 
  only become angry if mistreated or if not given 
  the proper oﬀerings before planting and harvest. 
  On the other hand, anyone who helps a dwarf will 
  ﬁnd himself rewarded with gifts of gold and may 
  be allowed to borrow the dwarves’ ﬁne bowls and 
  dishes before a party (provided he makes sure to 
  return them afterward).
  Powers/Tactics:  As protectors of the forest, some 
  Filipino dwarves can take the shape of any animal 
  (and do so to distract hunters); others misdirect 
  travelers. The more dangerous dwarves kidnap 
  children and disﬁgure their faces before return-
  ing them to their village. Other dwarves take out 
  their anger on humans by transforming body parts 
  (such as enlarging the toes of anyone unfortunate 
  enough to step on a dwarf), or causing blindness, 
  fevers, swelling of the joints, and even death. Some 
  dwarves can be driven away from a ﬁeld by plant-
  ing a bit of iron, a ginger root, a bundle of rambi-
  yawa grass, and a twig from the parayan tree.
  Campaign Use:  You can place Filipino dwarves 
  virtually anywhere humans live. People treat 
  them either like a fairy-folk to be honored (as 
  guardians of the land) or feared (if the dwarves 
  tend to express their displeasure for any minor 
  slights). A parent may ask a group of PCs to 
  find a child kidnapped by Filipino dwarves, or a 
  dwarf may ask them to complete some task (with 
  the promise of a gift of gold if they succeed). If 
  your campaign’s power level allows it, you could 
  even have a Filipino dwarf PC.
  Appearance:  The typical dwarf is around two feet 
  high and looks like a little old man. Most have gray 
  beards, while one form of dwarf is said to have one 
  eye and a single nostril in its large nose.
  
  81 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  FILIPINO ELF
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  38
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Dwells Within Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that  
  aﬀects the elf’s tree while he’s in it),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Only To Merge With  
  Parent Tree (-1) 
  0
  15 
  Supernatural Nature:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  KS: Forest Herbs 12-
  3 
  KS: Medicine 12-
  3 
  Paramedic 12-
  3 
  PS: Farming 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  75
  Total Cost:  113
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Elf (fair skin and/or 
  hair) (Concealable, Noticed And Recogniz-
  able)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  28 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  113
  OPTIONS
  Cost Aghoy or Encanto
  20 
  Find Lost Items:  Detect Lost Objects 14- (no 
  Sense Group), Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees), Range, Telescopic (+4 Versus 
  Range Modiﬁer)
  7 
  AK:  Local Area 16-
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  Sound Of Whis-
  tling (Easily Concealable; Noticed And Rec-
  ognizable; 5 points)
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  Smells Like The 
  Malvarosa Plant (Pelargonium graveolens) 
  (Not Concealable, Noticed And Recogniz-
  able; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +27 points
  Cost Kibaan
  -4 
  Size:  The kibaan is said to be as tall as a  
  two-year-old child. Apply the Small Size/
  Weight Template found on pages 574-75  
  of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised to 
  this character sheet, reducing all characteris-
  tics as needed.
  3 
  PS: Cooking 12-
  3 
  PS: Play Guitar 12-
  3 
  PS: Singing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  Total cost:  +8 points
  Cost Palasekan
  20 
  Foresight:  Clairsentience (Sight Group), Pre-
  cognition; Precognition Only (-1)
  60 
  Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight Group, No 
  Fringe, Persistent (+½), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½)
  35 
  Gives Success At Farming, Fishing, Hunting:  
  +4 Overall Levels, Uncontrolled (lasts for 1 
  Month; +½), Usable By Other (+¼); Levels 
  Only Usable For Farming, Fishing, Hunting, 
  And Similar Pursuits (-1)
  Total cost:  +115 points
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  82 ■ The Philippines
  Ecology:  The elves of the Philippines tend to dwell 
  in large trees. Most prefer the balete tree, although 
  the kibaan is known to dwell in the stands of ster-
  culia feotida, a tree noted for its foul smell. Other 
  elves live in large shrubs, the mountains, or on 
  farms far from human villages. They’re normally 
  nocturnal and only come out on moonlit nights.
  You can use this character sheet can be used 
  to represent any of the many types of Filipino elves, 
  such as the aghoy, annani, encanto, encantada, 
  kibaan, mahomanay, magtitima, mangmangkit, 
  palasekan, and the tahamaling.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual to 
  individual. For the most part, Filipino elves are 
  benevolent beings. The aghoy is known to visit 
  its human friends from time to time (whistling 
  to announce its arrival); it brings gifts of food or 
  medicinal herbs and helps ﬁnd lost items. The 
  encanto enter human villages to ﬁnd human 
  lovers,while the kibaan have been known to steal 
  yams cooking in the ﬁre. The only time the elves 
  become angry is if their homes are cut down. If 
  this happens, they request recompense and usually 
  try to recover the wood from their tree (even if the 
  wood has been made into something else — like 
  a piece of furniture). The one exception to this is 
  the tahamaling. This female elf is said to be half 
  benevolent and half malevolent, although her male 
  partner, the mahomany, is fully benevolent.
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers of the elves depend on 
  the type of elf. The aghoy make excellent guides, 
  can ﬁnd almost any lost item, and know a great deal 
  about the herbs of the forest. The kibaan are metic-
  ulous housekeepers, good cooks, and can sing and 
  play the guitar. The palasekan are invisible beings 
  who can see the future and warn people about 
  impending danger. They can also grant a person 
  success with his hunting, ﬁshing, or farming.
  Campaign Use:  Filipino elves are mostly harmless, 
  so you should use them more as sources of informa-
  tion then as opponents for a party of PCs. They may 
  pass on some of their herbal lore, act as guides for an 
  adventuring party, or ﬁnd an object lost by a PC. In 
  some campaigns you might even allow an PC elf.
  Appearance:  The typical elf is tall and fair-skinned, 
  with blonde hair and youthful, handsome features. 
  The encanto are said to be very attractive while 
  looking for a human lover, but revert to a far more 
  ugly form at home. The kibaan is about the size of 
  a two-year-old child and has fair skin, long hair, 
  and feet reversed at the ankle (i.e., they point back-
  wards). Finally, the female tahamaling has red skin, 
  while the male mahomanay is fair skinned.
  GIFTS OF THE ELVES
  The kibaan (and other elves) give gifts of a magical 
  nature to people they like. Some possible gifts include:
  Everfull Pot:  The Everfull Pot doesn’t actually take away 
  the character’s need to eat, it just means he always has a 
  hot meal ready when he needs one, regardless of where 
  he might be and what his surroundings are like.
  Life Support (Diminished Eating:  does not have to 
  eat) (3 Active Points); OAF (-1), Extra Time (char-
  acter must spend at least a minute to get a full meal; 
  -¾), Gestures (must eat food; -¼), Independent (-2). 
  Total cost:  1 point.
  Everfull Purse:  The Everfull Purse doesn’t automatically 
  make a character wealthy, but having one means he 
  always has a full pouch of coins when ever he needs it.
  Perk:  Money:  Well Oﬀ (5 Active Points); OAF (-1), 
  Independent (-2). Total cost:  1 point.
  Flying Chair:  Flight 20” (40 Active Points); OAF Bulky 
  (-1½), Independent (-2). Total cost:  9 points.
  Hat Of Invisibility:  Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe 
  (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total 
  cost:  7 points.
  Magic Whip:  The Magic Whip ﬁghts on its own and 
  chases after any target designated by its owner. It can 
  also be built as a Follower, complete with the power 
  of Flight (to allow it to move around on its own) and 
  assorted Senses so it can perceive its owner’s enemies.
  HKA 1d6, Continuous (+1), Ranged (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Uncontrolled (+½) (52 
  Active Points); OAF (-1), Independent (-2). Total 
  cost:  13 points.
  
  83 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  FILIPINO GHOUL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (3 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  35
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Tunneling:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Protruding Teeth:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  35 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY  
  5d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at a rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND  
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Extra Time (one day’s  
  onset time; -4), Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days,  
  1d6/Day; -1¾) 
  0
  18 
  Cause Accidents:  RKA 2d6, Trigger  
  (next time the target is in a situation  
  where he could be injured; +¼), Invisible  
  to Sight and Hearing Groups (+¾);  
  Limited Range (4”; -¼), 1 Charge (-2)   
  [1]
  3 
  Corpse Substitution:  Cosmetic Transform  
  3d6 (banana tree trunk into image of  
  corpse); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), No  
  Range (-½), Limited target (banana tree  
  trunk; -1) 
  1
  3 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  47 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Life Support:  Total 
  (except for Diminished Eating; including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  4 
  Digs Up Graves:  Tunneling 1” through  
  2 DEF material; Soil Only (-1) 
  1
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Can Smell Death:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  18 
  Can Smell Death:  +12 versus Range for 
  Smell Group 
  0
  40 
  Dwells Within Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that  
  aﬀects the ghoul’s tree while he’s in it), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Only To Merge With  
  Parent Tree (-1) 
  0
  60 
  Become Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight,  
  Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, No  
  Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  6 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  272
  Total Cost:  307
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  cannot tolerate daylight, 
  driven back to their dwellings by sunlight 
  (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of blumea balsamefera (Frequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lust For Flesh 
  (Common, Moderate)
  197 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  307
  GHOUL PACKAGES
  Cost Balbal
  20 
  Flies:  Flight 10”
  +4 
  Rips Up Thatch Roofs:  Remove “Soil Only” 
  from Tunneling
  13 
  Long Tongue:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  plus Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), Limited 
  Body Parts (tongue; -¼), No Noncombat 
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼)
  Total cost:  +37 points
  Cost Buso Ghoul
  -3 
  Reduce INT to 7
  -4 
  Reduce EGO to 8
  var 
  Great Size: Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. Ghouls can be up to Huge in 
  size. In addition, increase the ghoul’s bite and 
  claw HKAs accordingly.
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  One Eye (Infre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing; 10 points)
   
  Add Reputation:  dimwitted, 11- (10 points
  Total cost:  +6 points
  Ecology:  Filipino ghouls are ravenous creatures 
  who dwell in trees growing in cemeteries, under 
  rocks, or in deserted tracts of forest. Normally they 
  dig up graves, tearing open the coﬃns to get at the 
  rotting corpses inside, but sometimes they steal 
  corpses out of homes, substituting a banana trunk 
  made up to look exactly like the deceased (except 
  for a lack of ﬁngerprints). The only way to keep 
  a ghoul from a corpse is to hold a vigil over the 
  body, or to places branches of blumea balsamefera 
  (known locally as gabon, sambong, and sobosob) 
  around the body.
  This character sheet is meant to simulate a vari-
  ety of ghouls and ghoul-like Filipino monsters, such 
  as the balbal, the buso (which can also be an ogre 
  — see above), the calag, the ebwa, and the wirwir.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  84 ■ The Philippines
  Personality/Motivation:  Most ghouls are driven 
  by little more than a hunger for flesh to feast on. 
  Some, like the buso, aren’t very bright, and there 
  are many tales of people outwitting buso and 
  thus escaping the fate of being eaten. Although 
  ghouls rip open graves to get at the dead, only 
  the wirwir actually takes grave goods (it keeps 
  them in a cave in the forest).
  Powers/Tactics:  The balbal can “sail through the 
  air like a ﬂying squirrel,” rips up thatch houses 
  with its claws, and “licks up” corpses with its long 
  tongue. The buso attacks foes with claws and teeth, 
  and sometimes sneaks around villages making 
  people fall ill or causing dan-
  gerous accidents in the hope 
  of sending its victims to an 
  early grave. The ebwa lurks 
  near a corpse for nine days 
  and nights hoping to make 
  oﬀ with it, while the wirwir 
  spends all its time “looking 
  for the dead.” Female ghouls 
  can smell death from a long 
  way away, and seek out the 
  sick and dying to await their 
  passing.
  Campaign Use:  By adding in 
  the listed options, you can 
  use this character sheet to 
  simulate any number of Fili-
  pino ghouls. If you want to 
  create a buso ghoul, look at 
  the Buso ogre character sheet 
  for additional ideas, and don’t 
  forget the buso’s reputation 
  for stupidity. Folklore has 
  them being tricked and out-
  witted repeatedly, sometimes 
  with seemingly simple ruses. 
  For example, one story relates 
  how a buso desired to eat a 
  certain woman. The woman’s 
  cat agreed to let the buso 
  have her, provided the buso 
  counted all the hairs on the 
  cat’s tail before morning. The 
  buso diligently counted the 
  hairs, only to have the cat ﬂick its tail, forcing the 
  buso to start over. This went on until dawn, when 
  the light from the rising sun forced the buso to ﬂee.
  Appearance:  The balbal has a manlike form, 
  with large curved claws. A buso ghoul has been 
  described as a looking like a shadow, or as a tall, 
  thin humanoid figure, with dark curly hair, a flat 
  nose, one large yellow (or red) eye in the center 
  of its forehead, and two protruding teeth. Their 
  clothing is little more than rags. Other ghouls 
  have basically humanoid forms, usually with 
  sharp claws and teeth.
  
  85 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  FILIPINO GIANT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   7 INT 
  -3 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   14 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  14 PD (2 rPD)
   10 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  10 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   56 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  119
    
   
   
  (+65 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  18”/36”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; 
  +½) for up to 40 STR 
  2
  15 
  Pointed Teeth:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Sharp Nails:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  24 
  Long Legs:  Running +12” (18” total) 
  2
  6 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  10 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  Discriminatory  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  9 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +6 versus Range  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  13 
  Reach:  Stretching 3”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼),  
  No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  5 
  Tracking 11-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  132
  Total Cost:  251
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  leap only half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gullible 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  dimwitted 11-
  5 
  Unluck:  1d6 (sometimes more)
  131 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  251
  GIANT VARIANTS
  Cost General Powers
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised to make the giant even larger — 
  Filipino giants can be of any size. In addition, 
  increase the giant’s Sweeping Blow, Pointed 
  Teeth, and Sharp Nails powers accordingly.
  Cost Buringcantada
  20 
  Long Tusks: HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
   
  Add Physical Limitation: One Eye (Infre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing; 10 points)
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Cost Gawigawen
  var 
  Axe As Big As Half The Sky:  Add Area Of 
  Eﬀect (One Hex Accurate; +½) to the axe the 
  giant carries
  5 
  Six Heads:  Extra Limbs (6 heads), Inherent 
  (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
  18 
  Six Sets Of Eyes, Ears, And Noses:  +6 PER 
  with all Sense Groups
  10 
  Six Pairs Of Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Percep-
  tion (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  Total cost:  +33 points
  Ecology:  The average Filipino giant lives in a great 
  house near the dwellings of normal-sized humans. 
  They hunt for meat (such as buﬀalo, deer, and pig) 
  in the forest, although some have been known to 
  prey on humans. Others have a more benevolent 
  relationship with humans, and sometimes lend ﬁre 
  to someone who needs to cook dinner.
  Personality/Motivation:  Due to their great size, 
  giants tend to be arrogant and belligerent, taking 
  what they want by force. If lending out fire, for 
  example, they may demand the best cuts of meat 
  in return. Others have been known to follow 
  the smell of cooking meat and simply chase off 
  the people preparing the food and eat the meal 
  themselves. Besides capturing men to eat, some 
  of them kidnap beautiful women and keep them 
  as a sort of trophy or treasure.
  For all their great size and strength, Filipino 
  giants are notably slow of wit and can be easily 
  tricked and outwitted. A common tactic is for a 
  hidden human to convince a giant he’s really much 
  bigger than the giant by such tricks as dropping 
  a length of rope to represent one of his hairs, an 
  axe head to represent one of his teeth, or a duck 
  as one of his body lice, or representing the beating 
  of a drum (or a gunshot) as the thumping of his 
  chest. This usually scares the giant oﬀ, allowing the 
  human to escape safely.
  Filipino giants have equally giant-sized wives, 
  some of whom are as rapacious as their husbands. 
  Others, however, are far more kindly disposed to 
  humans; they’ll hide and protect a human from 
  their husbands.
  Powers/Tactics:  Giants use appropriately giant-
  sized weapons in combat, such as axes, clubs, and 
  spears (see Fantasy Hero, page 153, for rules for 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  86 ■ The Philippines
  gigantic weapons). Unarmed giants use their ﬁsts, 
  claws, and sharp teeth instead. Filipino giants have 
  an incredibly acute sense of smell that lets sniﬀ out 
  a human hidden in their house or discern the scent 
  of cooking meat from a great distance.
  Campaign Use:  Giants are common foes in Filipino 
  stories, with some being outwitted, while others 
  are outfought (and die in great numbers under the 
  swords of Filipino heroes). You can use them in 
  equally diverse ways — just remember that the typ-
  ical giant isn’t very bright and can be convinced of 
  nearly anything, not matter how absurd it sounds.
  Appearance:  The typical Filipino giant is a human-
  oid of great stature — most are at least 24 feet 
  tall. Speciﬁc types of giants are described thus:  a 
  bungisngis is said to have an upper lip large enough 
  to cover his entire face if it’s thrown back; a buring-
  cantada has one eye and huge tusks; a gawigawen 
  has six heads; a sumarang’s eyes are the size of 
  large plates and his nose is as large as two human 
  feet placed size by side. Other, unnamed, giants are 
  described as having two heads (or more), being 
  taller than houses, having sharply-pointed teeth 
  and claw-like ﬁngernails, and carrying spears made 
  from tree trunks. Some giants wear normal cloth-
  ing, others go around naked.
  FILIPINO OGRE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   7 INT 
  -3 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   11 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   47 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
    
   
   
  (+19 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect  
  (One Hex; +½) for up to 30 STR 
  1
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Long Sharp Nails:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  4 
  Long Legs:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  2
  6 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  10 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  Discriminatory  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  9 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +6 versus Range  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  4 
  Reach:  Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  PS: Blacksmith 11-
  2 
  PS: Brewing 11-
  2 
  PS: Farming 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  5 
  Tracking 11-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  95
  Total Cost:  188
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3m tall, -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gullible 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Ravenous Appetite 
  (Common, Strong)
  78 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  188
  
  87 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  OGRE VARIANTS
  Cost Powers Common To All Filipino Ogres
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised — Filipino ogres can be up to 
  Huge in size. Increase the ogre’s Sweeping 
  Blow, Bite, and Long Sharp Nails powers 
  accordingly.
  40 
  Dwells Within Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that aﬀects 
  the ogre’s tree while he’s in it), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only To Merge With Parent Tree (-1)
  10 
  Golden Treasure:  Money:  Wealthy
  Cost Alan
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  Total cost:  +13 points
  Cost Inlablabbuut
  54 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, 
  any humanoid form), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½) plus Shrinking (2 m tall, 100 kg 
  mass, -2 to PER Rolls to perceive character, 
  +2 DCV, takes +3” KB), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Linked (-½) plus +4 COM; 
  Linked (-½)
  Total cost:  +54 points
  Cost Kurita
  6 
  Many Limbs:  Extra Limbs (roughly 6-8 
  arms), Inherent (+¼)
  Total cost:  +6 points
  Cost Sir’Ing
  69 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, any 
  humanoid form), Imitation, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½) plus Shrinking (2 m tall, 
  100 kg mass, -2 to PER Rolls to perceive 
  character, +2 DCV, takes +3” KB), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (-½) plus 
  +4 COM; Linked (-½)
  Total cost:  +69 points
  Ecology:  Filipino ogres live far from humans in 
  small villages in the middle of the forest, in the 
  trees themselves, or in the mountains. There they 
  grow rice, brew rice wine, and hunt various animals 
  for their meat (and aren’t averse to supplementing 
  their diet with a little manﬂesh). Although most 
  ogres are vicious predators, some have kindly wives 
  who’ll hide a human from her husband.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, ogres 
  behave just like their larger counterpart, the Fili-
  pino Giants (see page 85), but have even more rav-
  enous appetites and can be far more brutal than 
  any giant. However, they’re no smarter than the 
  giants and can be outwitted and tricked by a victim 
  who keeps a level head.
  Powers/Tactics:  Most ogres are fairly fearless (at 
  least, as long as they think they have the upper hand) 
  and ﬁght using clubs, spears, and axes, although 
  they’re quite capable of using just their sharp claws. 
  Some try trickery — one ogre tried to get his foe 
  drunk on rice beer before ﬁnishing him oﬀ.
  Some ogres have magical powers, such as 
  Inlablabbuut, who could assume the form of a 
  handsome human, or the sir’ing, who can take the 
  form of a loved one to trick its victims.
  Campaign Use:  Filipino ogres are large, dangerous, 
  and brutal — the perfect foes for many Fantasy 
  heroes. They come in many diﬀerent varieties, 
  allowing you to customize them as you see ﬁt.
  Appearance:  Although Filipino ogres may vary in 
  appearance, most are huge humanoids with ugly, 
  coarse features. The alan is said to have a hide as 
  tough as a water buﬀalo, long arms, ﬁngers that 
  point back from the wrist, wings on their backs, 
  and toes at the back of their feet. The kumao looks 
  like a very tall man, while the kurita is known for 
  its multiple arms, and stories describe the sir’ing as 
  an “ugly man [with] long nails and curly hair.”
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  88 ■ The Philippines
  FILIPINO VISCERA SUCKER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2 12d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED) 
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  51
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Divides The Body:  Duplication (creates  
  one 146-point duplicate), Altered Duplicate 
  (+1); OAF (vial of oil; -1), Feedback (-1),  
  Extra Time (1 minute to apply oil; -¾), Oil  
  Can Be Washed Oﬀ Via Water, Wine,  
  Vinegar, And So On (-¼), Only At Night  
  (-½), Original Character Is Incapacitated  
  While Duplicate Exists (-1), Cannot Rejoin 
  Halves If Ashes, Salt, Or Vinegar Is Placed  
  On Divided Body (-¼) 
  0
  32 
  Cause Sickness And Death: Drain BODY  
  3d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at the rate of 5 per Month; +2), Line Of  
  Sight (+½), Ranged (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Extra Time  
  (Full Phase; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (6 Days, 
  ½d6/Day; -1¾), No Eﬀect Versus Garlic  
  (-¼), Only At Night (-½) 
  6
  24 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 12” 
  2
  2 
  Swift Of Foot:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  11 
  Healing Oil:  Simpliﬁed Healing 4d6; OAF 
  Fragile (container of oil; -1¼), Gestures 
  (must rub oil on wound; -¼), Eﬀects  
  Negated If Attacker Thrusts A Dagger  
  Into The Ground Before The Oil Is  
  Applied (-¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  3 
  No Longer Needs To Sleep:  Life Support 
  (Diminished Sleep:  no need to sleep) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  2 
  AK:  Local Area/Villages 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  10 more points’ worth of Skills, chosen by  
  the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  121
  Total Cost:  172
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of ashes, garlic, salt, and vinegar (Fre-
  quently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  cannot enter a church, 
  or other holy ground (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Afraid Of 
  Stingray Tails (Uncommon, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys The Taste 
  Of Human Flesh, Especially The Liver 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (as a vis-
  cera sucker) (Frequently, Severe)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from bubo (a form 
  of bamboo) spear attacks (Uncommon)
  2 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  172
  VISCERA SUCKER VARIANTS
  Cost Manananggal
  29 
  Assume Diﬀerent Forms:  Multiform (assume 
  164-point crocodile form, 106-point dog 
  form, or a 96-point cat form); Costs Endur-
  ance (to change form; -½)
  Total cost:  +29 points (plus see below)
  Cost Mangalok
  60 
  Turn Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, 
  and Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  3 
  Corpse Substitution:  Cosmetic Transform 
  3d6 (banana tree trunk into image of 
  corpse); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), No 
  Range (-½), Limited Target (banana tree 
  trunk; -1)
  Total cost:  +63 points
  Ecology:  Viscera suckers are cannibalistic predators 
  of the night. They may be either male or female, 
  although the most common form of viscera sucker 
  is an attractive young woman. During the day the 
  viscera sucker looks and acts like any other normal 
  person, but at night he divides his body at the waist 
  and hides the lower half. The upper part sprouts 
  wings and ﬂies oﬀ in search of prey. Viscera suck-
  ers prefer to hunt newborns and young children, 
  carrying them oﬀ to devour their hearts and livers. 
  However, they attack and kill anyone traveling or 
  sleeping alone — they either eat the victim’s entrails 
  on the spot or drag the body into the treetops to 
  feed. Viscera suckers may also eat unborn chil-
  dren, phlegm, and sputum, often lurking under the 
  houses of the ill to get at these substances.
  A person usually becomes a viscera sucker by 
  eating (either knowingly or not) human meat (usu-
  ally the liver) or food another viscera sucker has 
  spat into. A viscera sucker can be cured of its con-
  dition. One method is to spin the person around 
  until he vomits up a small chick from his stomach 
  (See the Aswang on page 68 for more on this.). 
  People can protect themselves from the attacks 
  of a viscera sucker in several ways. Since they 
  abjectly fear the tail of the stingray, whipping the 
  VISCERA SUCKERS 
  OF OTHER LANDS
  The character sheet 
  for the Filipino viscera 
  sucker can also be used 
  to simulate the arei ap 
  of Cambodia, the krasyy 
  of Laos and Thailand, 
  or the tanggal (“to draw 
  out”) of Indonesia. The 
  only real diﬀerence is 
  the tanggal doesn’t grow 
  wings, but ﬂies using its 
  ears or lungs instead.
  
  89 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  air and ground with one makes a viscera sucker ﬂee 
  the area quickly. A stingray tail hung from the ceil-
  ing ward a viscera sucker away from an expectant 
  mother, while placing a pomel fruit on the roof will 
  keep the wakwak away. Applications of salt, spices, 
  and vinegar will keep viscera suckers away as well.
  This character sheet simulates a variety of 
  viscera-sucking monsters, all with fairly similar 
  attributes. They include the abat, awok, boroka, 
  iqui, mansalauan, silagan, wakwak, and ustuang. 
  One, the manananggal, deserves special mention. 
  By day a beautiful woman (or a wild-eyed, long-
  haired woman), at night it divides its body in half 
  like other viscera suckers.  To kill it, one must ﬁnd 
  its lower half (which it hides while on the prowl for 
  victims) and smear it with bawang (crushed garlic) 
  — this prevents the two parts from rejoining, so the 
  manananggal dies at daybreak. (According to some 
  sources, a manananggal can be cured by binding 
  its hands and feet together. The manananggal is 
  then dipped into a large tub of perfectly clean and 
  clear water. At this point, a swarm of beetles, lizards, 
  and worms issues from the manananggal’s mouth 
  and nose. The manananggal is cured once these 
  creatures stop spilling out of its body.) See also the 
  Aswang on page 68 for a similar creature.
  Personality/Motivation:  Viscera suckers are driven 
  by their desire to feed. Although they’ll attack 
  anyone, they prefer the taste of children (especially 
  their livers), and will usually attack a child if given 
  the choice. Some viscera suckers are said to drool at 
  the sight of a pregnant woman.
  Powers/Tactics:  All viscera suckers can divide their 
  bodies in two, leaving the lower half (consisting of 
  the lower trunk and legs) behind, while the upper 
  half sprouts wings (or the arms turn into wings, or 
  its hair stiﬀens into wings) so it can ﬂy oﬀ into the 
  night in search of prey. But if ashes, salt, or vinegar 
  are placed on the lower half of the body (or the 
  lower half is hidden), the upper half cannot rejoin 
  the lower half and the monster dies at sunrise. The 
  division of the body usually requires a magical oil 
  made from chicken dung dissolved in coconut oil 
  and then blended with human ﬂesh and blood. The 
  monster keeps its oil in a hollow bamboo tube or a 
  clay jar.
  The viscera sucker devours entrails via a long 
  tongue it sticks down into a home. It uses its tongue 
  to suck out the victim’s liver and heart (in game 
  terms, the viscera sucker usually makes a Called 
  Shot against the target’s Vitals). The manananggal 
  instead sucks out the fetuses from the wombs of 
  pregnant women, in the process usually killing the 
  mother as well.
  Aside from sucking entrails, the viscera 
  sucker can use spells to cause a victim to fall 
  ill and die (although this power has no effect 
  on anyone holding garlic). The mangalok can 
  become completely invisible and is known to 
  ride on coffins being taken to the cemetery for 
  burial, laughing all the way. It also steals corpses, 
  replacing the body with a banana stalk. The 
  manananggal can change its shape into several 
  animal forms (such as a cat, crocodile, or a dog; 
  the point values listed assumes the animal form 
  has the manananggal’s 13 INT and 15 EGO). It 
  can also throttle victims with its long tongue.
  Campaign Use:  You can use the viscera sucker to set 
  up a sort of “murder mystery” adventure in which 
  a group of PCs must determine who’s attacking 
  and horribly killing the inhabitants of a village or 
  town. Since the viscera sucker is basically a normal 
  human, you should feel free to alter its basic char-
  acter sheet — the human side of it could be much 
  more competent, a powerful spellcaster or warrior, 
  or the like.
  Appearance:  A viscera sucker looks like any normal 
  human. His divided body looks like the upper torso 
  of a human, usually with large wings sprouting 
  from the back. Female viscera suckers usually have 
  long hair (which they use to help them ﬂy) and are 
  quite beautiful, if a bit tired looking (from their 
  nighttime hunts). The abat and awok have bulging 
  red eyes, disheveled hair, and clawed ﬁngers that are 
  long and bony. The boroka is said to have the head 
  of a woman and the wings of a bird, while the man-
  salauan is described as bird the size of a very large 
  bat. It has eyes like carbuncles, a head like a lizard, 
  large wings, and a long, sharp tongue. The manan-
  anggal is said to have long, sharp ﬁngernails, and a 
  tongue that is long, black, and “pliant as silk.”
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  90 ■ The Philippines
  VISCERA SUCKER UPPER BODY
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   6 BODY -8 
  10-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39
  Movement: 
  Flight:  12”/24”
   
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Long Nails:  ½d6 HKA (1d6+1 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  20 
  Hollow Tongue:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)  
  plus Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) plus  
  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼),  
  Limited Body Parts (tongue; -¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
  33 
  Viscera Sucking:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense 
  is not having internal organs, being “alive,” 
  or having skin/equipment too thick to bite 
  through; +1), Does BODY (+1), Continuous 
  (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No 
  Range (-½), Hollow Tongue Must Do BODY 
  First (-½) 
  0
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  -10 
  Virtually Helpless On The Ground:   
  Running -5”
  -2 
  Only Flies:  Swimming -2”
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  10 more points’ worth of Skills, chosen by  
  the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  107
  Total Cost:  146
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of ashes, garlic, salt, and vinegar (Fre-
  quently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Afraid Of 
  Stingray Tails (Uncommon, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys The Taste 
  Of Human Flesh, Especially The Liver 
  (Common, Strong)
  11 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  146
  VARIANTS
  Cost Manananggal
  14 
  Tongue Pliant As Silk:  Energy Blast 4d6, Con-
  tinuous (+1); No Range (-½), Must Be Aimed 
  At The Neck Location Or Has No Eﬀect (-¾), 
  Only Usable With Extra Limb (-½)
   
  Total cost:  +14 points (total cost 158 
  points, increasing base Viscera Sucker’s 
  Duplication to 11 points, and thus its over-
  all cost to 173 points)
  
  91 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  GARUDA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   11 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   52 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  110
    
   
   
  (+37 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  14”/28”
   
  Leaping:  3”/6”
   
  Swimming:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One  
  Hex; +½) for up to 40 STR 
  2
  15 
  Teeth Like Daggers:  HKA 1d6 (2d6  
  with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Fingernails Like A Wild Beast’s:  HKA  
  1d6 (2d6 with STR); Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  8 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -4” 
  0
  16 
  Long Legs:  Running +8” (14” total) 
  2
  3 
  Lives Under The Sea: Swimming +3”  
  (5” total) 
  1
  6 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  10 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  Discriminatory  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  9 
  Sharp Sense Of Smell:  +6 versus Range  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  81 
  Assume Bird Form:  Multiform (change  
  shape into 380-point giant eagle form), 
  Instant Change 
  0
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
  31 
  Life Index:  Healing BODY 3d6  
  (Regeneration; 3 BODY per Turn),  
  Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection (can be 
  stopped by breaking the container  
  holding the garuda’s life force),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Self Only (-½), Extra  
  Time (3 BODY/Turn; -1¼), Power Stops 
  Working If Container Is Opened Or 
  Broken (-1) plus Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality); Power Stops Working  
  If Container Is Opened Or Broken (-1) 0
   
  Perks
  25 
  Magniﬁcent Mansion(s):  Base of 125 points 
  (or more)
  10 
  Gold And Silver Furniture:  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  175
  Total Cost:  385
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  leap only half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Susceptible To 
  Flattery (Common, Strong)
  280 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  385
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  92 ■ The Philippines
  GARUDA EAGLE FORM 
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   33 STR 
  23 
  16- 
  Lift 2,400 kg; 6½d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   23 CON 
  26 
  14- 
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   10 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   47 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  105
    
   
   
  (+21 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
   
  Leaping:  3”/6”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  24 
  Talons Can Carry Six Men:  Area Of  
  Eﬀect (One Hex; +½) for 33 STR;  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  15 
  Beak:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Talons:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  47 
  Sweep Of Wings Pulls Down Houses:   
  Telekinesis (40 STR), Explosive (+½),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Gestures  
  (must ﬂap wings throughout; -½), No  
  Range (-½), Only To Blow Down/Over 
  Objects (-¼) 
  10
  2 
  Thick Feathers:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  27 
  Wings:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½) 
  4
  36 
  Diving:  Flight +30”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½), Only  
  To Dive At Prey For Move Bys (-1) 
  0
  8 
  Long Legs:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  1
  -2 
  Cannot Swim:  Swimming -2”
  6 
  Sharp Eyed:  +3 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  15 
  Sharp Eyed:  +10 versus Range for  
  Sight Group 
  0
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
  31 
  Life Index:  Healing BODY 3d6  
  (Regeneration; 3 BODY per Turn), Can  
  Heal Limbs, Resurrection (can be stopped  
  by breaking the container holding the  
  garuda’s life force), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Self Only  
  (-½), Extra Time (3 BODY/Turn; -1¼), 
  Power Stops Working If Container Is  
  Opened Or Broken (-1) plus Life  
  Support (Longevity:  Immortality);  
  Power Stops Working If Container Is  
  Opened Or Broken (-1) 
  0
   
  Perks
  25 
  Magniﬁcent Mansion(s):  Base of 125 points 
  (or more)
  10 
  Gold And Silver Furniture:  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  275
  Total Cost:  380
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  leap only half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Susceptible To 
  Flattery (Common, Strong)
  260 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  380
  Ecology:  The garuda are a race of highly magi-
  cal giants with the ability to assume the shape 
  of a massive eagle. They normally live in great 
  mansions and richly-appointed palaces far from 
  mankind. One story tells of a garuda who dwells 
  on a bare mountaintop surrounded by impen-
  etrable forest, while another lived in “the region 
  under the sea.” They prey on men and animals 
  equally, and their homes are often surrounded by 
  the bones of their victims.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual 
  to individual. For the most part, the garuda are 
  rapacious predators; sometimes they kidnap 
  beautiful princesses just to have them. On the 
  other hand, they’re quite well-mannered, and 
  usually welcome a visitor to their home (before 
  killing him, of course). Garudas are highly sus-
  ceptible to flattery, and can often be talked into 
  revealing sensitive information (such as the loca-
  tion of their Life Index) with smooth words.
  Powers/Tactics:  A garuda attacks in the form best 
  suited to his environment. If on land or in his 
  homes, he retains humanoid form; outside he pre-
  fers to stay in eagle form and attack from the air. 
  In addition to diving on prey, a garuda can beat his 
  wings and creating a windstorm powerful enough 
  to uproot trees and topple houses.
  Campaign Use:  The original Garuda is a half-man 
  half-eagle minor deity from Indian mythology who 
  serves as the mount of the god Vishnu. The Filipino 
  garuda is no longer a singular being, but instead 
  one of a number of dangerous ogres and giants. 
  Garudas’ predilection for kidnapping princesses 
  can lead to all sorts of quests for heroes... and per-
  haps a whirlwind royal romance after they rescue 
  the king’s daughter.
  Appearance:  In human form a garuda is much 
  larger than any man, with sharp ﬁngernails and a 
  mouthful of dagger-sharp teeth. In bird form he 
  looks like a giant eagle.
  
  93 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  IKUGAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   38 STR 
  28 
  17- 
  Lift 4,800 kg; 7 ½d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   22 BODY 24 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  12 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   54 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  137
    
   
   
  (+47 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  14”/28”
   
  Leaping:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  19 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One  
  Hex; +½) for up to 38 STR 
  2
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  2 
  Thick And Hairy Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  8 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -4” 
  0
  16 
  Long Legs:  Running +8” (14” total) 
  2
  5 
  Elongated Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); 
  Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
  3 
  Elongated Tail:  Stretching +1”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), Limited Body Parts (tail; -¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  +4 to Concealment; Self Only (-½), Only In 
  Home Environment (-1)
  8 
  Defense Maneuver III
  7 
  Stealth 15-
  1 
  +1 to Stealth; Only In Home Environment (-1)
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  123
  Total Cost:  258
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fierce And War-
  like (Common, Strong)
  158 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  258
  Ecology:  The ikugan are the “men with tails” (“ikug” 
  means “tail”) who dwell in the forests of the Philip-
  pines. They live in small groups and are considered 
  ﬁerce and implacable warriors.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient human-
  oid motivations. The ikugan are a race of warriors 
  known for their skill in battle. They’re also cunning 
  — far smarter than the average Filipino giant.
  Powers/Tactics:  An ikugan can attack a foe stand-
  ing in front of him while using his tail to strike 
  a foe coming up from behind (a form of Sweep). 
  Since they’re excellent climbers, they prefer to hide 
  in the branches of trees, hang down by their tails, 
  and attack unsuspecting foes who wander by below.
  Campaign Use:  If your PCs have become used to the 
  typical dimwitted and gullible Filipino giant, try intro-
  ducing a few ikugan. Although they’re not as strong 
  as as the typical giant, they’re faster, smarter, and far 
  more agile, making them more than a match for a 
  typical group of Heroic player characters.
  Appearance:  The ikugan are “colossal creatures 
  whose skin [is] covered with long, soft hair.” They 
  have large hands and feet and long prehensile tails.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  94 ■ The Philippines
  MAMELEU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   70 STR 
  60 
  23- 
  Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [7]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   35 CON 
  50 
  16-
   28 BODY 36 
  15-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   35 PRE 
  25 
  16- 
  PRE Attack:  7d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   14 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  26 PD (12 rPD)
   14 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  26 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   21 REC 
  0
   70 END 
  0
   81 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  201
    
   
   
  (+152 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  21”/42”
   
  Leaping:  0”
   
  Swimming:  18”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Horns:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  30 
  Long Teeth:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR) 
  3
  33 
  Long Tusks:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR)  
  plus Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), Only To  
  Cause Damage (-½) 
  0
  4 
  Sonorous Bellow:  +10 PRE; Only For  
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1),  
  Incantations (must bellow; -¼) 
  0
  36 
  Resistant Scales:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  28 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -14” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  30 
  Long Body:  Running +15” (21” total) 
  3
  16 
  Long Body:  Swimming +16” 
  2
  5 
  Can See Underwater:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  231
  Total Cost:  432
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gargantuan (23” long, 
  -10 DCV, +10 to PER Rolls) (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  307 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  432
  Ecology:  The mameleu, a species of gigantic snake, 
  lives on the ocean bottom. They often dwell in 
  desolate and secluded areas where ships have sunk 
  in the past. They eat almost anything; green spittle 
  often drips from their jaws when they’re hungry.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  As with any snake, the mameleu 
  usually strikes from ambush. Since it dwells on the 
  ocean’s bottom, it often attacks from below. Because 
  it has a head the size of a water buﬀalo’s, it’s large 
  enough to swallow a good-sized ﬁsh whole; it gores 
  larger prey with one of its tusks, and uses its horns 
  to tear open boats.
  Campaign Use:  As with other draconic Filipino 
  monsters (such as the baconaua), you can treat the 
  mameleu as either a singular creature or as distinct 
  species of giant snake. You may also want to give it 
  some of the optional giant snake powers found on 
  page 117 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Appearance:  The mameleu is an immense serpent. 
  Its thickly scaled body is as big around as a water 
  buﬀalo’s and is thirty fathoms long. The mameleu’s 
  head has two white horns, long tusks, and a mouth 
  with many sharp teeth. Its eyes look like a pair of lit 
  torches; stories liken them to “two jets of ﬁre.”
  
  95 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  MARCUPO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3200 kg; 7d6 [3] 
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13- 
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  12 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  16 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   51 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  113
    
   
   
  (+44 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  25 
  Tusks Sharp As A Punch:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 
  with STR), Armor Piercing (+½) plus 
  Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance (0  
  END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), Only To  
  Cause Damage (-½) 
  0
  162 
  Breathes Out Poison:  RKA 6d6, NND 
  (defense is Life Support [Self-Contained 
  Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Area Of Eﬀect (50”  
  Cone; +1), Continuous (+1), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Sticky (+½), Uncontrolled 
  (lasts until removed by wind, ﬁre, or rain,  
  as described in the text; +½); No  
  Knockback (-¼), No Range (-½),  
  1 Charge (-2) 
  [1]
  16 
  Long Tongue:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)  
  plus Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), Limited 
  Body Parts (tongue; -¼) 
  0
  10 
  Thorn-Like Hairs:  HKA 1 point,  
  Continuous (+1), Damage Shield  
  (does damage in HTH Combat; +¾), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼); No  
  STR Bonus (-½), Only Aﬀects Targets 
  Grabbed With Extra Limb (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  2
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  PS: Singing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  292
  Total Cost:  405
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long; -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  285 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  405
  Ecology:  A huge snake, the marcupo (or macupo) 
  lives on the highest mountains of the province of 
  Bulgas. It’s a solitary creature, known to sing loudly on 
  days when the skies are clear and the weather calm.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  The marcupo doesn’t bother to 
  hunt, but instead simply breathes out a large cloud 
  of virulent poison. This poison is so lethal it not 
  only kills the plants it touches, but also any birds 
  that land on the plants and any animals that walk 
  in the shadow of the plants. Rain and high winds 
  disperse the cloud, rain (or other large amounts of 
  water) washes the poison away, and people can use 
  ﬁre to purify the infected land.
  Campaign Use:  The marcupo’s lethal breath is remi-
  niscent of the breath of the European basilisk, and like 
  the basilisk it can easily kill an entire party of PCs, so 
  use the marcupo with great care in your campaign.
  Appearance:  The marcupo is an enormous serpent 
  with a ﬂamboyant red crest, a long tongue lined 
  with thorn-like hairs, sharp tusks, and a forked tail.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  96 ■ The Philippines
  MINOKAWA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   90 STR 
  80 
  27- 
  Lift 6.4 kton; 18d6 [9]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   35 CON 
  50 
  16-
   50 BODY 80 
  19-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   45 PRE 
  35 
  18- 
  PRE Attack:  9d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   18 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  34 PD (16 rPD)
   18 ED 
  11 
   
  Total:  34 ED (16 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   25 REC 
  0
   70 END 
  0
   115 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  281
    
   
   
  (+217 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  20”/40”
   
  Flying:  30”/60”
   
  Leaping:  9”/18”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  135 
  As Large As Two Islands:  Area Of Eﬀect  
  (9” Radius; +1) for 90 STR, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  67 
  Steel Beak:  HKA 3d6 (6d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  7
  72 
  Steel Talons:  HKA 4d6 (8d6 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing (+½); Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼) 
  9
  40 
  Feathers Like Swords:  HKA 1d6+1,  
  Continuous (+1), Damage Shield  
  (does damage in HTH Combat; +¾), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼); Always  
  On (-½), No STR Bonus (-½) 
  0
  48 
  Feathers Like Swords:  Armor  
  (16 PD/16 ED) 
  0
  40 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -20” 
  0
  50 
  Wings:  Flight 30”, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Restrainable (-½) 
  3
  28 
  Long Legs:  Running +14” (20” total) 
  3
  86 
  Reach:  Stretching 20”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Eyed:  +3 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  15 
  Sharp Eyed:  +10 versus Range for Sight 
  Group 
  0
  15 
  Opens Its Mouth To Hear Better:  +10 
  versus Range for Hearing Group
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  612
  Total Cost:  893
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Colossal (64” long, -
  12 DCV, +12 to PER Rolls) (All The Time, 
  
  97 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears Loud And 
  Unexpected Noises (Uncommon, Strong)
  753 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  893
  Ecology:  The minokawa is a huge bird who lives “out-
  side the sky” far to the east. There it lies in wait for the 
  moon and tries to seize it as soon as it emerges on its 
  nightly travel across the sky. Natives fear the mino-
  kawa will not only succeed in eating the moon, but 
  will devour the sun as well and then descend to the 
  earth to consume all the people of the world.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motiva-
  tions, although the minokawa is noted for having 
  a voracious appetite. Loud, jarring noises startle 
  the minokawa, making it drop its prey. This is why 
  Filipinos scream and beat brass gongs when the 
  minokawa is thought to be near.
  Powers/Tactics:  When hunting the moon, the 
  minokawa lies in wait and tries to ambush it as it 
  emerges from under the earth. When hunting other 
  prey the minokawa dives down out of the sky and 
  either snatches the target up in its giant claws or 
  strikes it dead with a blow or two of its beak. Then 
  it eats the remains at its leisure.
  Campaign Use:  Because of its sheer size and 
  powerful attacks, you should only use the mino-
  kawa as an opponent for a similarly high-pow-
  ered group of PCs. In an Epic or High Fantasy 
  setting, the moon could be a distinct individual 
  the PCs must protect from the attack of the 
  minokawa or rescue from the minokawa’s lair.
  Appearance:  The minokawa is a bird of almost incon-
  ceivable size, with some tales saying it’s as large as two 
  whole islands. It has a beak and talons of steel, eyes 
  like mirrors, and is feathered with sharp swords.
  PUGOT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   12 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  12 PD (4 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  12 ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   53 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  134
    
   
   
  (+45 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  17 
  Sweeping Blow:  Area Of Eﬀect (One  
  Hex; +½) for up to 35 STR 
  2
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  90 
  Changes Size Freely:  Multipower,  
  90-point reserve
  9u 
  1) Tall As An Acacia Tree:  Growth (up  
  to 15” tall and 400,000 kg in weight, as  
  well as +60 STR, +12 BODY, +12 STUN,  
  -12” KB, -8 DCV, +8 PER Rolls to  
  perceive character, and +8” reach),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  4u 
  2) Size Of A Newborn Babe:  Shrinking  
  (.45 m tall [about 18”], 1.5 kg mass, -6  
  to PER Rolls to perceive character, +6  
  DCV, takes +9” KB), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  45 
  Changes Shape Freely:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups; any 
  shape), Costs Endurance Only To  
  Change Shape (+¼) 
  3
  400 
  Changes Shape Freely:  Variable Power  
  Pool, 200 base + 100 control cost,  
  Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero- 
  Phase Action (+1), No Skill Roll  
  Required (+1); Linked (to Shape Shift;  
  -¼), Only For Abilities Of Shape Shifted 
  Forms (-¼) 
  var
  4 
  Supernaturally Tough Skin:  Damage  
  Resistance (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  50 
  Demonic Nature:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  8 
  Long Legs:  +4” Running (10” total) 
  2
  5 
  Nocturnal:  Nightvision 
  0
  4 
  Reach:  Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
  40 
  Dwells Within Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that  
  aﬀects the pugot’s tree while he’s in it), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Only To Merge With  
  Parent Tree (-1) 
  0
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  98 ■ The Philippines
  30 
  Vanish At Will:  Invisibility to Sight  
  Group, No Fringe 
  3
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment; Self Only (-½) 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  748
  Total Cost:  882
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (3m tall, -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  must return to and 
  merge with tree at daybreak (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Malevolent Trick-
  ster (Common, Strong)
  772 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  882
  PUGOT VARIANTS
  Cost Powers Common To All Demons
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. Demons can be up to Huge in 
  size.
  Cost Agta
  15 
  Can Knock Down Large Trees:  +15 STR
  Total cost:  +15 points
  Cost Batibat
  16 
  Paralyzing Fear:  Mind Control 12d6, Tele-
  pathic (+¼); No Range (-½), Set Eﬀect (stay 
  with me; -1), Mind Control Eﬀects Are 
  Automatically Dispelled If The Victim Moves 
  (-¼), 1 Charge (-2)
  17 
  Suﬀocation:  Energy Blast 2d6, NND (defense 
  is Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing]; 
  +1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Only Aﬀects 
  Victims Under Mind Control (-½)
  12 
  Huge Bulk:  Knockback Resistance -6” (9” 
  total)
  Total cost:  +45 points
  Cost Kapre
  Replace Slot 2 of the Multipower with:
  6u 
  2) Size Of A Mannikin:  Shrinking (.125 m 
  tall [about 6”], .25 kg mass, -8 to PER Rolls to 
  perceive character, +8 DCV, takes +12” KB), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  Total cost:  +2 points
  Cost Mantabungal
  20 
  Tusk-Like Incisors:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6  
  with STR)
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Cost Pugot
  20 
  Boar’s Tusks:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Ecology:  The pugot is just one of several Filipino 
  demons who are all closely related in appearance 
  and habits, such as the agta, batibat, bawo, binan-
  gunan, kapre, mantabungal, and ungo. They’re all 
  night-dwelling creatures, who tend to reside in 
  tall trees — such as the balete (ﬁcus indica, a.k.a. 
  the bayan or Indian ﬁg tree), as well as the bangar, 
  duhat (eugenia cumini), santol, and tamarind trees. 
  Some demons have more restricted dwelling places 
  (for example, they live in thick clumps of bamboo, 
  dark places, or deserted houses).
  The pugot and similar demons only seem to 
  come out at night. They lurk by trails and paths, 
  frightening travelers into insanity with their 
  appearance. Others prefer to sit beneath the tree 
  they call home and smoke large cigars (some as 
  thick as a banana tree trunk!) or large pipes.
  
  99 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual to 
  individual. For the most part, the pugot and its rela-
  tives spend their time wandering about after night-
  fall frightening people.
  Powers/Tactics:  Virtually all Filipino demons can 
  change size and shape freely. Many do so while 
  a person watches, becoming larger and smaller 
  almost at random. Often, the demon assumes 
  an animal form beforehand (usually appearing 
  as a dog or boar). Filipino demons can become 
  invisible at will, and disappear back to their tree 
  homes at sunrise.
  Although most demons are content to frighten 
  and scare, the batibat enters into a victim’s room 
  and sits on his chest in an eﬀort to suﬀocate the 
  victim. The only hope for escape from the batibat’s 
  attack is for the victim to bite his thumb, which 
  instantly drives the batibat oﬀ. In addition, the 
  bawo and ungo often steal clothing and ﬁrewood, 
  especially if they feel oﬀended.
  Campaign Use:  Aside from its role as night ter-
  rors, you can turn any of the Filipino demons into 
  servants of evil wizards or other villains. By adding 
  or removing abilities you can easily customize the 
  pugot and its kin so suit any particular need.
  Appearance:  A pugot normally looks like a tall, 
  black-skinned man. It might wear a loincloth or 
  nothing at all. Some descriptions give the pugot a 
  body the size of a water buﬀalo and the head of a 
  boar with enormous tusks. The agta, bawo, kapre, 
  and ungo all look similar, and are usually said to 
  stand twice as tall as a tall man (i.e., about 10-12 
  feet in height). They’re often found smoking large 
  pipes or huge cigars of pungent tobacco. The bati-
  bat is said to be huge in size, with a great, immov-
  able bulk of a body. The mantabungal has a cow-
  like body, a shaggy coat, and huge tusk-like incisors 
  capable of snapping a man in two. Any of the 
  demons may appear headless, with the neck stump 
  bubbling blood or spewing ﬁre and smoke.
  SEGBEN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (3 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  23
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  78 
  Hastens The Death Of The Sick:  Aid  
  Disease 2d6, Can Add A Maximum Of  
  24 Points, all Disease powers/ 
  Characteristics simultaneously (+2) 
  0
  3 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  47 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Life Support:  Total 
  (except for Diminished Eating; including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  12 
  Incredible Speed:  Running +6” (12” total) 1
  3 
  Leaper:  Leaping +3” (5” forward,  
  3” upward) 
  1
  6 
  Can Smell Death:  +3 PER with  
  Smell Group 
  0
  18 
  Can Smell Death:  +12 versus Range  
  for Smell Group 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  48 
  Invisible During The Day:  Invisibility  
  to Sight, Hearing, and Smell/Taste  
  Groups, No Fringe, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Only During The Day (-¼) 0
  5 
  Vanish With Incredible Speed:  +1 SPD;  
  Only To Flee An Area (-1) 
  0
   
  Skills
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  230
  Total Cost:  253
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Foul And Unpleasant 
  Smell (Not Concealable)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of blumea balsamefera (Frequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  113 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  253
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  100 ■ The Philippines
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  80 
  Shadow Bite:  Drain BODY 6d6, Indirect 
  (attack can use any portion of target’s 
  shadow; +½), Limited Range (length of a 
  person’s shadow; +¼), Reduced Endurance 
  (½ END; +¼); Must Target Victim’s Shadow 
  (-½)
  7 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Bite Must Do 
  BODY First (-½)
  20 
  Can Fly:  Flight 10”
  Ecology:  This forest dwelling 
  creature is a form of ghoul. 
  Like other ghouls it can sniﬀ 
  out the dying and lays in wait 
  under the house for upwards 
  of nine days, hastening the 
  death of the ill. When not 
  eating the dead, it’s thought to 
  drink blood and feed on pig-
  lets, infants, and the ﬂowers of 
  the squash plant.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typi-
  cal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally 
  a segben hides under an ill 
  person’s house for nine days, 
  speeding up the course of 
  a disease. However, some 
  segben can kill a person 
  simply by biting them or 
  their shadow. Biting segben 
  prefer to attack from sur-
  prise, ambushing their foes 
  and biting them before they 
  can escape. If its prey fights 
  back, the segben flees as fast 
  as it can.
  Campaign Use:  The segben is a 
  curious form of ghoul. Accord-
  ing to some tales it’s more of 
  a supernatural servant and/or 
  pet of a sorcerer than a form of 
  undead. You could use it either 
  way; adding the Shadow Bite power makes the segben 
  an excellent magical “assassin” a wizard could send out 
  to do his bidding.
  It’s possible the creature behind the stories 
  of the segben isn’t a supernatural being at all, but 
  instead a form of now-extinct kangaroo.
  Appearance:  Segben look like hornless goats 
  and are white in color. They have extremely 
  large ears (which they can clap like a pair 
  of hands), glowing eyes, and an utterly foul 
  stench. Some stories describe the segben as 
  having front legs shorter than the back ones, 
  giving it the appearance of standing upside 
  down (a sure sign of the supernatural).
  
  101 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  TIANAK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  30
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Leaping:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  4 
  Sharp Nails:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  25 
  Misdirection:  Sight Group and Bump  
  Of Direction Images, -4 to PER Rolls, 
  Increased Size (4” radius; +½), MegaArea  
  (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); Set Eﬀect  
  (only to alter and confuse landmarks  
  and other indicators of direction; -1) 
  5
  50 
  Spirit Of A Deceased Child: Life Support:  
  Total (including Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  -2 
  Right Leg Shorter Than The Left:  Running -5”
  4 
  Moves Around By Leaps:  Leaping +4”  
  (6” forward, 3” upward) 
  1
  30 
  Vanishes At Will:  Invisibility to Sight  
  Group, No Fringe 
  3
  43 
  Assume The Form Of A Newborn Babe:  
  Shape Shift (Sight and Touch Groups;  
  single form), Reduced Endurance (0  
  END; +½) plus Shrinking (decreases  
  normal two foot height to .45 m tall  
  [about 18”], 1.5 kg mass, -4 to PER Rolls  
  to perceive character, +4 DCV, takes  
  +6” KB), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); Linked (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  Small Size:  +2 DCV
  5 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  7 
  Mimicry 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  189
  Total Cost:  219
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (2’ tall, +3” KB; 
  Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Malicious And/Or 
  Mischievous (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  dangerous forest spirits, 11- 
  (Extreme)
  104 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  219
  Ecology:  The tianak are said to be the spirits of 
  children whose mothers died pregnant. They hide 
  in the woods and cry with the voices of babies, 
  waiting for someone to ﬁnd them and pick them 
  up. Once found the tianak assumes his true form 
  (that of an little old man with wrinkled skin) and 
  scratches his “rescuer” with his sharp ﬁngernails.
  The tianak is also known as the muntianak 
  (from the root “munti” meaning “little” and “anak” 
  meaning child) or patianak.
  Personality/Motivation:  The tianak are malign 
  beings who play dangerous pranks. Besides the 
  common trick described above, sometimes a group 
  of tianaks hide in the forest and misdirect any trav-
  eler they see to his doom, sending him deeper and 
  deeper in the woods.
  Powers/Tactics:  A tianak prefers to remain hidden, 
  using his powers of misdirection to confuse human 
  travelers and his shapechanging powers to lure vic-
  tims close to him. About the only way for a person 
  lost in the forest to escape from a tianak is to take 
  oﬀ his clothing and put it back on inside-out. 
  Hopefully this will so amuse the tianak he’ll burst 
  out laughing and scamper into the depths of the 
  forest. If this doesn’t work, the friends and relatives 
  of the lost person need to go ﬁnd him, making as 
  much noise and racket as possible while they search 
  in the hope of scaring oﬀ the tianak.
  Campaign Use:  Tianaks can be dangerous foes due 
  to their ability to misdirect people. On the other 
  hand, you could use this same power to redirect a 
  group of PCs into a scenario they might have oth-
  erwise missed.
  Appearance:  A tianak initially looks like an infant 
  due to its shapechanging powers, but its regular 
  form is that of a wrinkled old man, complete with 
  long beard and mustache. Some tianaks are said to 
  look like small humanoids with long ears, long legs 
  like a grasshopper, and goat-like hooves.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  102 ■ The Philippines
  TIKBALANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   9 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 PD (3 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
    
   
   
  (+17 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  13”/26”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  105 
  Misfortunes:  Multipower, 105-point reserve
  7u 
  1) Bewilderment:  Drain INT 3d6, Ranged 
  (+½), Line Of Sight (+½), Fully Invisible 
  (+1); All Drained Points Return Instantly  
  If Target Stabs A Tree With A Knife (-¼) 
  9
  5u 
  2) Blindness:  Major Transform 7d6  
  (standard eﬀect:  21 BODY) (human to  
  blind human; heals back normally);  
  Limited Target (humans; -½), All Or  
  Nothing (-½) 
  10
  33 
  Causes Fevers:  Drain CON and END  
  4d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at the rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND 
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1) Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Extra Time (one hour’s  
  onset time; -3), Gradual Eﬀect (4 Days,  
  1d6/Day; -1¾) 
  0
  10 
  Big Teeth:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Clawed Hands:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with  
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  3 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Heavy: Knockback Resistance -1” 
  0
  14 
  Very Long Legs: Running +7” (13” total) 
  2
  6 
  Sharp-Eared And Keen-Nosed: +2 PER  
  with all Sense Groups 
  0
  50 
  Supernatural Vitality:  Life Support:   
  Total (including Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  23 
  Shape Shifting:  Multiform (assume  
  170-point riding horse form); Costs  
  Endurance (-½) 
  3
  16 
  Assume The Form Of An Old Man:   
  Shape Shift (Sight and Touch Groups;  
  single form), Costs Endurance Only To 
  Change Shape (+¼) 
  1
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with Combat
  3 
  AK:  Local Forest 12-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  325
  Total Cost:  418
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Smells Strongly Of A 
  Horse And/Or Burning Hair (Not Conceal-
  able, Noticed And Recognizable)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (over 2m tall; -2 
  DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Malevolent Trick-
  ster (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  grants wishes and/or gold or 
  gifts to anyone who can “tame” him, 11-
  298 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  418
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  40 
  Dwells Within Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that aﬀects 
  the tikbalang’s tree while he’s in it), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only To Merge With Parent Tree (-1)
  25 
  Misdirection:  Sight Group and Bump 
  Of Direction Images, -4 to PER Rolls, 
  Increased Size (4” radius; +½), MegaArea 
  (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); Set Effect (only to alter 
  and confuse landmarks and other indica-
  tors of direction; -1)
  45 
  Take The Form Of Any Living Thing:  Shape 
  Shift (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups; any 
  shape), Costs Endurance Only To Change 
  Shape (+¼)
  400 
  Take The Form Of Any Living Thing:  Vari-
  able Power Pool, 200 base + 100 control cost, 
  Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase 
  Action (+1), No Skill Roll Required (+1); 
  Linked (to Shape Shift; -¼), Only For Abili-
  ties Of Shape Shifted Forms (-¼)
  25 
  Vanishes In A Cloud Of Dust And Falling 
  Stones:  Teleport 10”, MegaRange (1” = 1 
  km; +¼)
  
  103 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Two
  Ecology:  A forest-dwelling demon, the tikbalang 
  tends to live in (or on) the balete tree, groves of 
  nipa trees, or near hot springs. It may also live in 
  the foul-smelling takang demino tree (sterculia 
  foetida) or a pitcher plant. A creature of the night, 
  the tikbalang tends to lurk in forests, leading trav-
  elers astray or playing cruel tricks and dangerous 
  pranks upon them.
  Normally a dangerous, even murderous being, 
  the tikbalang can be “tamed” by riding upon its 
  shoulders until it collapses from exhaustion. The 
  tikbalang then gives its rider a mutya, a precious 
  stone of great monetary and magical power. It may 
  also grant wishes and give gifts of gold or magical 
  items.
  The tikbalang is also known as a binanginan, 
  tulung, or tuwung.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part tikbalangs 
  are malicious beings. They blind and bewilder trav-
  elers and may physically attack them, even going 
  so far as to kill and eat them. Anyone they don’t kill 
  they may kidnap and leave in a remote place. On 
  rare occasions a human can befried a tikbalang, 
  after which it cries “tik-tik” to announce its pres-
  ence (hence its name, since “balang” means “wild”).
  Powers/Tactics:  As with all Filipino demons, the 
  tikbalang can change its shape. Normally it can 
  only assume the form of a horse or an aged human, 
  but some can take the shape of any living being. 
  In altered form it gets close to its targets and then 
  either plays harmless practical jokes (or simply 
  frighten travelers with its strange appearance), or 
  tries to harm to its victims by blinding them or 
  Draining their INT. Stabbing a tree breaks the latter 
  spell, although GMs should require an INT Roll for 
  a bewildered character to remember this fact!
  Campaign Use:  You can make the tikbalang as 
  dangerous as you need, treating it as anything from 
  a harmless prankster to a murderous stalker of 
  the night. You could also give it armor and weap-
  ons and/or additional magical powers (such as 
  increased defenses).
  Appearance:  A tikbalang has the body of a very 
  tall man with a horse’s head, a large mouth ﬁlled 
  with sharp teeth, dark skin, and extraordinarily 
  large testicles. The tikbalang’s hair/mane is long and 
  ﬂowing and comes down past its shoulders. Its long 
  legs may be human or horse-like. The feet either 
  have hooves or claws; its hands are also clawed. It 
  may wear clothing, and has been described as being 
  dressed in a dark tunic and a long, ﬂowing cloak.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  104 ■ The Philippines
  If you’re looking for a particular type of monster suitable for an adventure or summoning spell, here’s a quick 
  guide to rough equivalents between familiar European or “generic Fantasy” monsters and the Asian monsters 
  found in the two Bestiaries.
  EUROPEAN MONSTER 
  ASIAN EQUIVALENT(S)
  Animal, Giant 
  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles (AB1 99), Gerjis (AB2 121), Orgoli (AB1 111)
  Animal-Men 
  Hsing-Hsing (AB1 29), Santu Sankai (AB2 129), Yet-teh (AB2 132)
  Chimera 
  Chiang-Liang (AB1 14), Elephant-Tiger (AB1 124), Nue (AB2 27), Yali (AB1 92)
  Bird, Giant 
  Bannog (AB2 74), Garuda (AB2 91)
  Demon/Devil 
  Ma Mien/Niu T’ou (AB1 50), Oni (AB2 33), Pugot (AB2 97), Tikbalang (AB2 102)
  Dragon 
  Baconaua (AB2 73), Dragon Carp (AB2 114), Hujiao (AB1 32), Jiao (AB1 33), 
  Kioh-Lung (AB1 38), Shan (AB1 54), Tatsu (AB2 52), Thuông-Luông (AB1 131), 
  Vritra (AB1 91)
  Dwarf 
  Filipino Dwarf (AB2 79)
  Elf 
  Filipino Elf (AB2 81)
  Faries 
  Celestial Maiden (AB1 7), ShLn (AB1 55)
  Ghost 
  Bhuta (AB1 64), Churel (AB1 72), Con-Tinh (AB1 128), Gaki K (AB2 8), K’uei 
  (AB1 34), Preta (AB1 86), Thaye Tasei (AB2 111), Yurei (AB2 64)
  Ghoul 
  Aswang (AB2 68), Filipino Ghoul (AB2 83), Kasha (AB2 14), Pishacha (AB1 85), 
  Segben (AB2 99)
  Giant 
  Filipino Giant (AB2 85), Ikugan (AB2 93)
  Griﬃn 
  Qiongqi (AB1 52)
  Harpy 
  Onmoraki (AB2 37), Tengu (AB2 54)
  Hippocampus 
  Makara (AB1 80)
  Hobgoblins 
  Chinese Hobgoblins (AB1 21)
  Homonculus 
  Bajang (AB2 118), Polong (AB2 127)
  Hydra 
  Kaliya (AB1 78), Longzhi (AB1 49), Yamata-no-Orochi (AB2 58)
  Insect, Giant 
  Kumo (AB2 22), Mukade (AB2 24)
  Lizard, Giant 
  Buru (AB1 69)
  Lycanthrope 
  Aswang (AB2 68), Chinese Were-Animals (AB1 22), Kitsune (AB2 17), Macan 
  Gadungan (AB1 103), Tanuki (AB2 50)
  Mermaid 
  Catao (AB2 78), Hai Nu (AB1 26), Ningyo (AB2 25), Samebito (AB2 45), Shojo 
  (AB2 49)
  Naga 
  Naga (AB1 83), Nure-Onna (AB2 31)
  Nymph 
  Apsarasas (AB1 7), Bonga (AB1 67), Gandharva (AB1 75), Kino-O-Bake (AB2  16)
  Ogre 
  Bilu (AB2 106), Buso (AB2 76), Filipino Ogre (AB2 86), Mangai (AB1 108), Tok-
  kaebi (AB2 115)
  Pegasus 
  Ma Peek (AB1 119)
  Phoenix 
  Feng Hwang (AB1 23)
  Rakshasa 
  Rakshasa (AB1 88)
  Roc 
  Minokawa (AB2 96)
  Satyr 
  Panorn Maruek (AB1 122), Thep Norasri (AB1 124)
  Sea Serpent 
  Con Rit (AB1 127)
  Snakes, Fantastic 
  Giant Chinese Snakes (AB1 17), Mameleu (AB2 94), Marcupo (AB2 95), Orochi 
  (AB2 38), Yamata-no-Orochi (AB2 58)
  Spirit, General 
  Gendruwo (AB1 101), Lelembut (AB1 102)
  Spirit, Guardian 
  Doc Cu’o’c (AB1 130), Otoroshi (AB2 40), Shishi (AB2 47)
  Spirit, Nature 
  Nat (AB2 108), Yuki-Onna (AB2 62)
  Unicorn 
  Ch’i-Lin (AB1 10)
  Vampire 
  Aswang (AB2 68), Chiang-Shih (AB1 15), Eng Banka (AB2 120), Kappa (AB2 11), 
  Langsuir (AB2 122), Penanggalan (AB2 125), Sundal Bolong (AB1 105), Yasha  
  (AB2 60)
  Wight 
  Celestial Stag (AB1 8), Rolang (AB2 130)
  Witch 
  Aswang (AB2 68), Chedipe (AB1 70)
  ASIAN-EUROPEAN MONSTER CONVERSION
  
  chapter three:
  chapter three:
  OTHER PARTS OF ASIA
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  106 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  BURMA
  B
  urma (a.k.a. Myanmar) is located between 
  India and Thailand. It has a long and 
  complex history, with the ﬁrst human 
  inhabitants arriving in the area in roughly 
  7,000 BC. The ﬁrst known civilization was the Mon, 
  who arrived around 3,000 BC. The Mon stayed in 
  Burma for centuries, eventually forming the king-
  dom of Suwarnabhumi in 300 BC. Soon after they 
  were met by a delegation of Buddhist monks from 
  India, leading to the Mon adopting many aspects 
  of Indian culture as well as the Buddhist religion. 
  The Mon were joined by the Pyu around 100 BC. 
  The Pyu were Buddhists as well, following Thera-
  vada Buddhism, and eventually forming nearly 
  20 city-states/kingdoms. The Pyu were eventually 
  replaced around 900 AD by the Burmese, a people 
  who came from China and Tibet to the north. They 
  formed the kingdom of Myanmar, which eventually 
  became the Burma of today.
  RELIGION
  Burma, like many countries of southeast Asia, 
  practices a mixture of Theravada Buddhist and ani-
  mist beliefs, with some Hinduism thrown in. Cen-
  tral to these country’s beliefs is the appeasement of 
  supernatural forces to avoid suﬀering and calamity. 
  Theravada Buddhism features a wide variety of 
  spirits and gods, all of whom dwell in one of six 
  diﬀerent heavens or eight hells. All of these beings 
  can be prayed to and/or given oﬀerings to win their 
  favor, avoid their attentions, or thank them for aus-
  picious occurrences. Animist beliefs are common as 
  well, with the strongest being a belief in the power 
  of the Nats (see page 108) to aid in everyday aﬀairs.
  BILU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (0 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   32 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  65
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
   
  Flight:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Long Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with  
  STR) 
  1
  8 
  Runs Very Fast:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  2
  16 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 8” 
  2
  2 
  Walks Atop The Waves:  Flight +2”  
  (10” total); Only In Contact With The  
  Water’s Surface (-1) 
  1
  5 
  Survive Underwater:  Life Support  
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  31 
  Assume Animal Form:  Multiform (change 
  shape into 124-point eagle or 212-point  
  tiger form); Costs Endurance (to change 
  forms; -½) 
  4
  42 
  Assume Attractive Human Form:  Shape  
  Shift (Sight, Touch, Hearing, and Smell/ 
  Taste Groups, any humanoid form),  
  Makeover, Costs Endurance Only To  
  Change Shape (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  5 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  148
  Total Cost:  213
  
  107 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Mali-
  cious (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  seducers and eaters of people, 
  11- (Extreme)
  108 Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  213
  Ecology:  A bilu (female:  bilumas) is a form of ogre 
  found in Burma. One can encounter them almost 
  anywhere, from the mountains to the beaches, 
  singly or in small groups of up to a dozen. Bilu like 
  to feast on human ﬂesh, and take human shape 
  to seduce a victim, devouring the poor soul raw 
  once they have him in their grasp. Bilumas take the 
  forms of beautiful women, luring men into the for-
  ests to be killed and eaten.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. However, bilu are cunning and cruel, 
  often using lies and deceit to lure their prey into 
  their lair.
  Powers/Tactics:  A bilu uses its ability to change its 
  shape to get close to a human target, adopting a form 
  that’s pleasing to the eye to better seduce their target. 
  Victims who try to escape are quickly hunted down 
  since a bilu can run faster than any man, and can even 
  run across water (or ﬂy, if need be).
  Campaign Use:  The bilu make excellent foes for a 
  low-powered group of Fantasy Hero PCs. However, 
  take care when using them, since the bilu can be far 
  more dangerous than their point total indicates due 
  to their tendency to remain in their transformed 
  state, giving no hint as to their true nature. For 
  example, in one story a group of bilumas appear as 
  beautiful nymphs bathing in a stream. They were 
  met by a party of sailors, and agreed to the sailor’s 
  oﬀers of marriage. They then cooked a wedding 
  feast and served the sailors drugged food, caus-
  ing all of them to fall into a deep sleep. Then the 
  bilumas dragged oﬀ three sailors, killed them with 
  clubs and ate the ﬂesh oﬀ of the bodies. If you use 
  such a set-up in a game, you might want to give one 
  of the PCs a PER roll to detect the drug in the ﬁrst 
  place, an immunity and/or antidote to the drug, or 
  a chance to wake up before the drug is supposed to 
  normally wear oﬀ.
  Appearance:  The bilu have glaring red eyes, large 
  bulbous noses, and long, sharp canines. They dress 
  in the fashions of men, and are always handsome 
  and/or beautiful in their transformed state.
  PLACING ONE’S  
  LIFE IN A STONE
  In one tale about a bilu, it placed its “life” in a pre-
  cious stone, which it then hid. As long as the stone 
  was safe and secure, the bilu could not die. Similar 
  concepts occur in legends and myths all over the 
  world; typically the creature (or sorcerer) removes 
  its heart, other vital organ, or soul and places it in a 
  sealed container. As long as the container remains 
  safe and sound, the person won’t age or die, cannot 
  be killed, and usually can’t even be harmed (often 
  regenerating any wounds quickly).
  To simulate this eﬀect, the character in question 
  should buy the following powers and Disadvantage:
  Immortal:  Healing BODY 3d6 (Regeneration; 3 
  BODY per Turn), Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection 
  (can be stopped by breaking the stone or con-
  tainer holding the character’s life force), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Self 
  Only (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1¼). Total cost:  
  40 points.
  Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:  Immortal). 
  Total cost:  5 points.
  Cannot Be Harmed:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED). Total 
  cost:  36 points.
  Suspectibility:  to life stone/container being 
  broken/opened, take 2d6 BODY damage every 
  Segment until dead (Uncommon):  25 Charac-
  ter Points
  The object holding the character’s life force is not a 
  Focus, since taking it away from him doesn’t deprive 
  him of any powers... but breaking or opening the 
  object kills him almost instantly.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  108 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  NAT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7 
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  8 PD (8 rPD)
   8 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  8 ED (8 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  109
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Spirit Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (8 PD/8 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Spirit Form:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  6 
  Swift Movement:  Running +3” (9” total) 2
  50 
  Spirit Form:  Life Support (Total,  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
   
  Skills
  20 
  20 points’ worth of Skills (chosen by the GM)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  147
  Total Cost:  256
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  181 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  256
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  60+ Spirit Magic:  60 points (or more) of Magic 
  Skills and spells related to the nature of the 
  Nat’s domain
  60 
  Disembodied Form:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½)
  60 
  Fading:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, and 
  Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  NAT TYPES
  Cost Deva
  35 
  Ascend To Heaven:  Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment (any location in the 26 abodes of Bud-
  dhist heaven)
  39 
  Cure Disease:  Major Transform 7d6 (sick 
  person into well person, heals back through 
  any normal means that would cause the 
  character to contract the same disease), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (5 Minutes; -2), Limited Target 
  (humans; -½), No Range (-½)
  42 
  Heal Wounds:  Simpliﬁed Healing 8d6, Can 
  Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2)
  240 
  Protection From Harm:  Force Wall (20 
  PD/20 ED), Fully Invisible (+1), Line Of 
  Sight (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Limited Shape (ring; -¼)
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  5 
  KS: Buddhist Scripture 15-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Devoted 
  Buddhist (Common, Total; 20 points)
  Total cost:  +370 points
  Cost Nature Nat
  40 
  Becomes One With Nature:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that aﬀects 
  the Nat’s home while he’s in it), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only To Merge With His Domain (-1)
  52 
  Call Animals:  Summon up to 32 animals 
  built on up to 300 Character Points each, 
  Expanded Class (animals; +½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time (1 
  Turn; -1¼), Arrives Under Own Power (-½), 
  Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-½)
  18 
  Cause Accidents:  RKA 2d6, Trigger (next 
  time the target is in a situation where he 
  could be injured; +¼), Invisible to Sight and 
  Hearing Groups (+¾); Limited Range (4”; 
  -¼), 1 Charge (-2)
  22 
  Misdirection:  Sight Group Images, -4 to 
  PER Rolls, Increased Size (4” radius; +½); 
  Set Eﬀect (can only change views of the sur-
  rounding forest and jungle; -½)
  2 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½), Only In 
  Home Environment (-1)
  2 
  Shadowing 14-; Only In Home Environ-
  ment (-1)
  2 
  Stealth 14-; Only In Home Environment (-1)
  5 
  Tracking 14-
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Easily 
  Oﬀended (Common, Tota; 20 points l)
  Total cost:  +143 points
  Cost 37 Chief Nat
  18 
  Cause Accidents:  RKA 2d6, Trigger (next 
  time the target is in a situation where he 
  could be injured; +¼), Invisible to Sight and 
  Hearing Groups (+¾); Limited Range (4”; 
  -¼), 1 Charge (-2)
  39 
  Cause Sickness And Death: Drain BODY 3d6, 
  Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the rate 
  of 5 per Month; +2), Line Of Sight (+½), 
  Ranged (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (6 Days, ½d6/Day; -1¾)
  37 
  Domestic Strife:  Mind Control 12d6, Tele-
  pathic (+¼); Only To Alter/Inﬂict Anger (-1)
  40 
  Nat’s Home:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic or any attack that aﬀects the Nat’s 
  home while he’s in it), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Persistent (+½); Only To Merge 
  With His Home (-1)
  
  109 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  5 
  Concealment 14-
  5 
  Shadowing 14-
  5 
  Stealth 14-
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Irascible And 
  Ill-Tempered (Common, Total; 20 points)
  Total cost:  +149 points
  All forms can have additional powers as you see ﬁt.
  Ecology:  Nats are supernatural beings of great 
  power. Roughly speaking, they’re divided into three 
  broad categories. The ﬁrst is the devas, who dwell 
  in the 26 abodes of Buddhist heaven. The second 
  are nature spirits who live in diﬀerent regions of 
  Burma, such as forests, hills, and rice paddies. 
  Finally, there are the thounze khunna min Nat, 
  or “37 Chief Nats,” a group of evil and malicious 
  beings who dwell in shrines near villages or in 
  homes. These 37 Nats are also known as the “inside” 
  Nats, while the others are “outside” Nats.
  The devas themselves are organized into 
  two groups, the byahma devas and the thamma 
  devas. Both live in one of the Buddhist heavens, 
  where they guard the sasana, or Buddhist scrip-
  ture. People regularly oﬀer prayers and food to 
  the devas, asking for their continued protection or 
  aid in times of strife. The food, called kadaw pwe 
  (“oﬀering to do homage”), consists of either a single 
  coconut and three bananas, or fruit, rice, vegetables, 
  sweets, and mineral water.
  Nature spirit Nats come in innumerable forms 
  (see accompanying text box). Since they’re easily 
  oﬀended, people make oﬀerings to them to ask for 
  their protection, both from the Nat itself and from 
  outside dangers (such as attacks by wild animals, ill-
  ness, injury, and becoming lost). Oﬀerings usually 
  include food and might consist of such things as betel 
  nuts, cooked rice, and pickled tea leaves. Other oﬀer-
  ings involve physical objects. The rice paddy Nat, for 
  example, is given combs, face powder, a mirror, rib-
  bons, and food in an eﬀort to placate her.
  The 37 Nats are the spirits of deceased people 
  (often historical personages) killed by acts of violence 
  who never had a chance to fully contemplate the 
  Buddha before death. They tend to be violent them-
  selves, and most people wisely leave them be. Many 
  of the 37 Nats live in shrines in peoples’ homes or 
  outside of villages. The residents give them oﬀerings 
  of food to keep them happy, since a content 37 Nat 
  protects the house or village he lives in. Otherwise he 
  becomes angry and harms people around him.
  Personality/Motivation:  Devas are benevolent beings 
  who protect anyone who lives according to the ﬁve 
  precepts of the Buddhist faith. The nature Nats keep 
  to themselves and only harm others if oﬀended... 
  but unfortunately they’re rather touchy. A forest 
  Nat, for example, takes oﬀense at the use of curses 
  or swear words in his presence or the act of urinat-
  ing on a tree. Anyone who oﬀends a Nat may ﬁnd 
  their cattle missing or be attacked by forest-dwell-
  ing animals. The 37 Nats have irritable dispositions, 
  are even quicker to take oﬀense than a nature Nat, 
  and can be totally amoral. At best they’re neutral 
  in their relations with mortals; at worst, they’re 
  extremely malevolent.
  As a rule, Nats like the colors red and white 
  and abhor pork, which is inimical to denizens of 
  the spirit world.
  Powers/Tactics:  As supernatural beings, Nats have 
  no real need to eat, drink, or sleep. They’re also 
  hard to injure and can easily shrug oﬀ most physi-
  cal attacks. Devas have the power to protect others, 
  either from direct damage or by curing disease, ill-
  ness, or injuries already suﬀered. A nature Nat often 
  summons creatures from the local area to attack 
  people who’ve oﬀended him. He may also cause his 
  victim to fall ill, or suﬀer from a harmful (or even 
  fatal) accident. The 37 Nats can cause illness, pov-
  erty, squabbling, and general misery to anyone who 
  doesn’t propitiate them.
  Campaign Use:  As with the shên (AB1 55), this 
  character sheet represents only the basic Nat abili-
  ties. Adding the optional powers lets you customize 
  each and every Nat according to your needs as GM. 
  In a campaign, Nats can challenge the PCs both 
  mentally and physically as they cope with an angry 
  Nat or the aftermath of its attack. Devas may serve 
  as divine messengers or a form of “guardian angel” 
  for a particularly devout PC.
  Appearance:  Nats resemble normal human beings 
  dressed in bright clothing. Devas may have a divine 
  aspect to their appearance, while nature Nats may 
  resemble the regions they dwell in (a forest Nat, for 
  example, may have leaves in his hair, while the rice 
  paddy Nat may have clothing made of rice stalks).
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  110 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  NAT VARIANTS
  Phi
  Phi (or Phii) is a general terms for a wide vari-
  ety of supernatural beings from Thailand. These 
  include the Thai versions of the Burmese Nat. Phi 
  dwell in the air, ground, and sea, as well as within 
  the forests, speciﬁc trees in the forest, and within 
  the mountains, hills, lakes, pools, rivers, streams, 
  waterfalls, and houses. If properly honored they 
  bring good weather, large harvests, excellent catches 
  of ﬁsh, and general fertility to the land and people. 
  If oﬀended, they bring down illness and misfortune.
  Phi Phum/Phra Phum:  This form of Phi is an earth 
  spirit as well as guardian of homes and households. 
  Both the 37 “inside” Nats, and the “outside” (or nature) 
  Nats have speciﬁc names and identities. Many of them 
  were real people at one time, people who were of royal 
  blood, and/or murdered by royalty. Not all the Nats are 
  Burmese, since there are Indian, Muslim, and even an 
  English Nat (an English soldier killed by the Japanese 
  during the Second World War). Some Nats are animals, 
  such as the buﬀalo Nat, Bago-Madaw.
  Akadazou:  A Nat of the sky.
  Akakasoh:  These forest-dwelling Nats live in the tops of 
  trees. They’re similar in may respects to Greek Hama-
  dryads (see the Dryad character sheet on page 72-73 of 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders).
  Bago-Madaw:  The spirit of a buﬀalo who was killed by 
  palace guards when she tried to rescue the three-year old 
  child she had been raising as her son.
  Boomasoh:  These forest-dwelling Nats live in the roots 
  of trees. They’re similar in may respects to Greek Hama-
  dryads (see the Dryad character sheet on page 72-73 of 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders).
  Boummazou:  A Nat of the earth.
  Bounmagyi:  An agriculture Nat.
  Chinün Way Shun:  The Nat of fertile soil. Also, the ﬁrst and 
  most important of the Nats, known to the Kachin people as 
  Ka. He formed many of the ﬁrst Nats (Chiton, Jan, Mbon, 
  Mu, Ponphyoi, Shitta, Sinlap, and Wawn), and together with 
  them created the ﬁrst humans from a pumpkin.
  Ein-Saun/Eingsaung:  A Nat who guards the house. He 
  dwells in the southern corner of the home and receives 
  oﬀerings of coconuts.
  Eindwin:  A Nat who lives in the house.
  Hkum Yeng:  This Nat guards villages and is known for his 
  aggression. Among the Wa people he’s called Tak-Keng. 
  Headhunters leave the spoils of their hunts at his shrine 
  to keep him happy.
  Hmin:  A tree-dwelling forest Nat. He shakes travelers 
  violently if he meets than, infecting them with malaria.
  Jan:  A Nat of the air and sky.
  Kaiuk:  A general term used by the Talang Buddhists for 
  a Nat.
  La:  A general name for a Nat. It’s also the name of the 
  human soul/spirit.
  Law-San:  The guardian Nat of the wet ﬁelds.
  Lo-Saun:  A Nat of the paddy ﬁelds.
  Mbon:  A Nat of the air who controls the winds.
  Min Mahagiri:  A house Nat who lives in a coconut 
  hung from a roof beam. Mahagiri is also known as 
  “The Lord of the Great Hill” and was king of the Nats 
  before Thanga Min.
  Mu:  A Nat of the sky.
  Myinbyushin:  “Lord of the White Horse.” A protective 
  house Nat.
  Nat-Kadaw:  The human “spouse” of a Nat (the word 
  means “nat-wife”). A Nat will visit a human in a dream 
  and oﬀer to marry the human. The nat-kadaw then 
  becomes a priest/priestess of the Nat in question and 
  oversees festivals, known as Nat-Pwe, designed to 
  honor the Nat.
  Nat-Thami:  Eleven Nat maidens who guard the eleven 
  royal umbrellas in Mandalay. They also look after boats 
  and various royal treasures.
  Nedoshin:  The Lord of the Field, a dry ﬁeld Nat.
  Phi:  A jungle Nat, known to inﬂict fevers and diseases on 
  those who trespass in his domain. A victim can be cured 
  by journeying to the last place he took shelter under a 
  tree and oﬀering up an apology for oﬀending the spirit.
  Ponphyoi:  A name of a Nat in the beliefs of the 
  Kachin people.
  Saba-Leippya:  According to the Taungthus, Taunhyos, 
  and Sawngtung Karen people, the Saba-Leippya are 
  guardians of the ﬁelds. They often appear in the form 
  of a butterﬂy and watch over the rice crops, a portion of 
  which is returned to the Saba-Leippya after each harvest.
  Shekkasoh:  A Nat of the trees and forests.
  Shitta:  According to the Kachin people, Shitta is the 
  benevolent Nat of the moon.
  Sinlap:  This benevolent Nat of the Kachin people is 
  the spirit of the air. He’s also the spirit of wisdom and 
  wise counsel.
  Tabindain Thakinma:  “Our Solitary Lady,” a wet ﬁeld Nat.
  Tabinsweethi, King:  King of Burma in the early 1500s, 
  Tabinsweethi was killed by his Portuguese mercenaries 
  and eventually turned into a Nat.
  Taung-Saun:  The guardian Nat of the hills.
  Taw-San:  The guardian Nat of the forest.
  Thanga Min/Thagyamin:  The king of the Nats. Unlike 
  most Nats, Thanga Min ranges freely across Burma, 
  doing good deeds and righting wrongs.
  Thien:  A general term for the rain Nats. These spirits 
  dwell in the stars and emerge during rain falls to engage 
  in mock battles, the clashing of their weapons creating 
  thunder and lightning. During droughts, villagers have a 
  tug-of-war to rouse the Thien into battle and deliver rain.
  Thurathati:  Nat of education and exams.
  Yeidigoun Taung Thakinma:  The Lady of Yeidigoun Hill, 
  a hill Nat.
  Youkhazou:  A forest Nat (“Youkhazou” means “to rule 
  [a] tree”).
  Ywa-Saun:  A village Nat.
  NAMES OF DIFFERENT NATS
  
  111 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  To ensure the family is healthy and prosperous, a 
  small home (sam) is built near the entrance to the 
  house. Within the sam are placed daily oﬀerings to 
  the Phra Phum.
  Zagwi
  Found throughout southeast Asia are Bud-
  dhist ascetics and hermits who live a life of 
  devout worship, meditation, and self-denial of 
  worldly goods and temptations. A hermit who 
  reaches moral “perfection” can then die and be 
  reborn as a zagwi, a being of great supernatural 
  power. Legend states a zagwi has great physical 
  strength, can fly through the air, lives for 80,000 
  years or more, and possesses great magical 
  powers. Since they’re enlightened beings, they 
  defend humanity from various demons, devils, 
  nats, and other supernatural forces of evil.
  When he becomes a zagwi, an ascetic’s former 
  body is left behind. It turns into a delicious smelling 
  (and tasting) substance that grants great powers to 
  anyone who eats it:  superhuman strength (enough 
  to uproot trees and topple buildings) and the ability 
  to leap higher than a tree is tall (roughly 9-12” of 
  vertical Leaping). Anyone, good or bad, who eats 
  the body of a zagwi gains these powers; a single 
  body is suﬃcient to empower up to four people.
  You can create a zagwi by using the accom-
  panying Package Deal (you could also add in ele-
  ments of the Divine Package Deal found on page 48 
  of Fantasy Hero).
  THAYE TASEI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (8 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (8 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   37 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  79
  Movement: 
  Running  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  33 
  Causes Minor Illness:  Drain CON and  
  END 4d6, two Characteristics  
  simultaneously (+½), Delayed Return  
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per  
  Week; +1¾), NND (defense is Life  
  Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1) 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (one hour’s onset time; -3), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (4 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾) 
  0
  15 
  Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  4 
  Maniacal Laughter:  +10 PRE; Only For  
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1),  
  Incantations (must giggle and laugh; -¼) 0
  8 
  Resilient Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (8 PD/8 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Resilient Body:  Physical Damage  
  Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  15 
  Resilient Body:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  2 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -1” 
  0
  2 
  Great Size:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  4 
  Digs Up Corpses:  Tunneling 1” through  
  2 DEF material; Soil Only (-1) 
  1
  90 
  Disembodied Form:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) plus Invisibility to Sight,  
  No Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Linked (-½) 
  0
  47 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Life Support:  Total 
  (except for Diminished Eating; including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  7 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  281
  Total Cost:  360
  ZAGWI PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  20 
  Great Strength:  +20 STR
  40 
  Flies Through The Air:  Flight 20”
  5 
  Lives For 80,000 Years:  Life Support (Longev-
  ity:  Immortal)
  5 
  KS: Buddhist Scripture 14-
  5 
  PS: Ch’i-Centering/Meditative Techniques 14-
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Buddhist Monk
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  76
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devoted Buddhist 
  (Common, Total)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  20
  Options
  Value Ability
  60 
  Magical Powers And Abilities:  60 points (or 
  more) of Powers and Talents reﬂecting the 
  zagwi’s complete control over his mind and 
  body, as well as other magical skills. Suggested 
  Powers and Talents include:  Combat Sense, 
  Damage Resistance, Find Weakness, Healing, 
  Leaping, Life Support, Mental Defense, Run-
  ning, Simulate Death, and so on. See Ninja 
  Hero, The Ultimate Martial Artist, and The 
  Ultimate Mystic for further suggestions.
  20 
  Hong Kong Cinema Zagwi:  20 (or more) 
  points’ worth of Martial Arts maneuvers, 
  Damage Classes, and Weapon Elements
  THE LEIKPYA
  Leikpya are souls who 
  were never properly 
  escorted to the afterlife. 
  They now remain near 
  the place of their death, 
  haunting the living and 
  generally causing trou-
  ble. Use either the k’uei 
  (AB1 34) or yurei (page 
  64) character sheets to 
  create a leikpya.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  112 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (over 2m tall, -2 
  DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Repulsed By A Lehpwe 
  (amulet of protection) (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cannot Stand 
  Loud Noises (Uncommon, Total)
  250 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  360
  Ecology:  Thaye tasei (also known as tase-thaye) 
  are the souls of those who have committed 
  great evil in a past life. Their punishment is to 
  be reborn as a form of preta, or “hungry ghosts” 
  (AB1 86). They live in Loka, the realm of the 
  preta, until their karmic obligations have been 
  fulfilled and they can be reborn anew. Until then, 
  the thaye tasei dwell on the outskirts of vil-
  lages, usually in cemeteries, and feed on corpses 
  by digging up the recently buried. If especially 
  hungry, in a malicious mood, or under the direc-
  tion of a magician, a thaye tasei will creep into 
  a village with the intent of killing and eating an 
  inhabitant.
  A proper burial can keep a tasei in its grave. 
  Another method to avoid tasei attacks is to not 
  place a marker at the grave, thus ensuring the risen 
  spirit won’t know who it is and where its home is. 
  Tasei can also be driven away by loud noises — the 
  racket created by ﬁrecrackers, drums, and pots 
  forces the tasei to ﬂee.
  Personality/Motivation:  The thaye tasei are, for 
  the most part, evil and malevolent beings. They 
  care little for the living and cackle madly at the 
  ill and sick.
  Powers/Tactics:  Thaye tasei are normally invis-
  ible and intangible, but occasionally assume solid 
  form. They normally become solid when they 
  enter human villages so they can spread minor 
  illnesses (such as fevers). But even when solid, 
  a thaye tasei is said to have a seemingly flimsy 
  and resilient body, responding to physical blows 
  “much like a pillow.”
  Campaign Use:  You can either present the thaye 
  tasei as solitary beings or confront a party of PCs 
  with an entire group of them, depending on your 
  needs and the power level of the campaign. The 
  thaye tasei also make excellent servants and/or 
  guards for a Burmese sorcerer.
  Appearance:  A thaye tasei stands over seven feet in 
  height and has dark, almost black, skin. They have 
  huge, ﬂapping ears, long, lolling tongues, tusk-like 
  teeth, and a generally repulsive look to them.
  THAYE TASEI VARIANTS
  The thaye tasei is just one of several forms of 
  tasei. There are at least two more:  the hminza tase 
  (a form of possessed animal) and the thabet tase (a 
  type of succubus).
  Hminza Tase
  The hminza tase are animals inhabited by evil 
  spirits and/or demons. These spirits prefer jungle 
  creatures like crocodiles, dogs, owls, raptors, and 
  tigers. To establish a hunting ground, a hminza tase 
  kills all the members of the same species as its host 
  body in the local area. It then lures humans into 
  its territory and tears them to pieces, drinking the 
  victim’s blood in the process. To create a hminza 
  tase, make the following changes to character sheets 
  from The HERO System Bestiary (Crocodile, page 
  149-150; Guard/Combat Dog, page 161; Owl, page 
  137-138; Eagle/Hawk, page 136; Tiger, page 147):
  Cost Powers
  +5 
  Demonic Cunning:  +5 INT
  +10 Demonic Insight:  +5 EGO
  +5 
  Fearless:  +5 PRE
  3 
  Demonic Understanding:  Language:  ﬂuent 
  conversation (but the animal can only under-
  stand speech, not speak)
  var 
  Minor increases to certain animal Character-
  istics and powers, such as increased STR (3-5 
  points) or  an added Damage Class (or two) 
  to the animal’s attacks.
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  repulsed by a 
  lehpwe (amulet of protection) (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing; 15 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Cannot Stand 
  Loud Noises (Uncommon, Total; 15 points)
  Total cost:  -7 points
  Thabet Tase
  A thabet tase is the ghost of woman who died 
  during childbirth. She returns from death to prey 
  on men, feeding on the energy expended during 
  sexual intercourse. Skilled in the art of seduction, 
  the thabet tase are said to be irresistible, especially 
  to a man who’s asleep and dreaming. To create 
  a thabet tase, make the following changes to the 
  Sundal Bolong character sheet on AB1 105.
  Cost Powers
  -38 
  Remove Bite and Drink Blood
  10 
  Seductive Mien:  +20 PRE; Only For  
  Friendly Presence Attacks (-1)
  8 
  Consume Sexual Energy:  Drain END  
  1d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Limited Target 
  (human males; -¼), Skin Contact Required 
  (-1), Only Versus Male With Whom She’s 
  Engaged In Sexual Congress (-1)
  26 
  No Man Can Resist Me:  Mind Control 12d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Men Only 
  (-½), Only To Inspire Lust For The Thabet 
  Tase (-1), Skin Contact Required (-1)
  7 
  ...Especially While Sleeping:  Mind Control 
  +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Men Only (-½), Only To Inspire Lust For  
  The Thabet Tase (-1), Skin Contact  
  Required (-1), Only If Target Is Asleep  
  And Dreaming (-1)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  repulsed by a 
  lehpwe (amulet of protection) (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing; 15 points)
  
  113 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Cannot Stand 
  Loud Noises (Uncommon, Total; 15 points)
  Total cost:  -17 points
  Additional Creatures Of 
  Burmese Folklore And 
  Mythology
  Burmese folklore and religion includes a 
  number of creatures already mentioned in the 
  Asian Bestiaries, such as the naga (AB1 83). They 
  also mention the keinnara (AB1 125), who come 
  in two forms:  the kinara (male) and the kinaree 
  (female). According to the Burmese, the keinnara 
  are a pair of lovers so devoted to each other they 
  remained true through 700 human lifetimes.
  Chinthe
  Also known as singha, these creatures are 
  guardian lions. You can create one by using any of 
  the lions found in the Himmapan Forest (AB1 114) 
  or the character sheet for the Shishi (AB1 47).
  Kaluks
  These are tree spirits who live in the forests of 
  Burma and Thailand. They’re normally invisible but 
  are thought to be nearby if tree leaves ﬂutter when 
  there’s no wind. As guardians and inhabitants of the 
  trees, the kaluks must be consulted and honored 
  before any trees are cut. Failure to do so with result 
  in the death of the woodsman. You can easily create 
  a kaluks by modifying the character sheet for the 
  kino-o-bake on page 16. Give the kaluks the Kino-
  O-Bake’s Revenge power, but remove the following 
  Advantages and Limitations:  Trigger (kino-o-bake 
  dies; +¼),  One Charge, Never Recovers (-4), and 
  Power May Only Be Used At Point Of Death (-2). 
  Replace them with such Limitations as Concentra-
  tion, Extra Time, Gestures, Incantations, and so on.
  Nak
  Naks (or ngueak) are river dragons with two to 
  ﬁve heads (or more). They dwell in rivers through-
  out Burma, Laos, and Thailand, and seem to be 
  related to the naga. Naks tunnel into the riverbanks 
  to make their homes, or dig them under cities and 
  mountains. They protect the local people and bring 
  rain. Naks are also fertility ﬁgures — the people of 
  Laos believe they’re the descendants of a giant nak 
  living in the Mekong River. To create a character 
  sheet for a nak, make the following changes to the 
  Hydra character sheet on page 87 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelli-
  gence and Psychological Limitation:  Greedy
  -22 
  Remove Cut Oﬀ A Head And Two Shall Take 
  Its Place, Regeneration
  -15 
  Two Heads:  Reduce Duplication to one 
  duplicate
  +5 
  Insightful:  +5 INT
  +3 
  Brave:  +3 PRE
  4 
  Language (GM’s choice; Idiomatic)
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  10 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +10” (12” total)
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  3 
  Divine Awareness:  Ultrasonic Perception 
  (Hearing Group)
  18 
  Divine Awareness:  Telescopic (+6 versus 
  Range for Sight and Hearing Groups)
  15 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  all terrestrial dis-
  eases and biowarfare agents)
  60 
  Divine Shield:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%
  53 
  Summon Rain:  Change Environment (create 
  rainstorms) 16” radius, -1 to Sight and Hear-
  ing Group PER Rolls, Long Lasting (1 Day), 
  Multiple Combat Eﬀects, MegaArea (1” = 1 
  km broad and wide; +¼), Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½), Varying Eﬀect (create/
  stop rain; +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), 
  No Range (-½)
  30 
  Tunnel Under Cities And Mountains:  Tunnel-
  ing 6” through 6 DEF material
   
  Psychological Limitation:  Sworn Defender 
  Of Buddha And Buddhists (Common, Total; 
  20 points)
  Total cost:  +172 points
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  114 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  KOREA
  P
  eople have lived on the Korean Peninsula 
  for some 70,000 years. Around 1200 BC, 
  these people began to form states, of which 
  the most important was Go-Joseon. Korean 
  mythology claims the people of Korea all descend 
  from the Dangun, the founder of Go-Joseon, who 
  himself is a descendant of the gods. Eventually, how-
  ever, Go-Joseon fell and was replaced by the three 
  kingdoms of Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla. These king-
  doms lasted from around 100 BC to roughly 700 AD, 
  combining Confucian and Buddhist concepts to form 
  their government and society. Eventually, Goguryeo’s 
  constant warring with China caused its fall, as well as 
  that of Baekje. Silla expanded in power to ﬁll the gap, 
  bringing about the rise of the ﬁrst hwarang (Korean 
  knights), and introducing a new form of Buddhism, 
  Seon (better known as “Zen” to the West). Eventually, 
  however, Silla fell as well, resulting in the formation 
  of a new kingdom, Goryeo, from which comes the 
  modern name of Korea.
  RELIGION
  Korean’s religions are a mixture of native beliefs, 
  Indian Buddhism, Chinese Confucianism, Taoism, 
  and Western Christianity. Mythologically speaking, 
  Korea’s primary inﬂuence is from China, and it in turn 
  has inﬂuenced some of the myths of Japan.
  DRAGON CARP
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   9 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  9 PD (6 rPD)
   7 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  7 ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   37 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
    
   
   
  (+14 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  14”/28”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Head Of A Dragon:  HKA 1d6+1  
  (2½d6 with STR) 
  2
  5 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/4 ED) 
  0)
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  4 
  Thousand-Year Lifespan:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  1000-year lifespan) 
  0
  12 
  Son Of The Dragon King:  Swimming  
  +12” (14” total) 
  1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Perks
  10 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  son of the Dragon King
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH 
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  KS: Court Of The Dragon King 11-
  2 
  KS: Dragon Lore 11-
  1 
  Language:  choice (literacy for native  
  language)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  74
  Total Cost:  167
  
  115 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  72 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  167
  Ecology:  The sons of the Dragon King under the 
  sea, dragon carp are enormous ﬁsh. They dwell in 
  the ocean shallows, feeding on ﬁsh and carrying 
  out whatever orders their father gives them. Occa-
  sionally they’re caught in a ﬁsherman’s nets and 
  use their their father’s inﬂuence and wealth in an 
  attempt to regain their freedom.
  Personality/Motivation:  The personality of a dragon 
  carp varies from individual to individual. For the 
  most part, they try to stay away from humanity.
  Powers/Tactics:  A dragon carp responds to attacks 
  by biting with its powerful jaws. If wounded or 
  outnumbered, it usually ﬂees into the depths of the 
  ocean to recover.
  Campaign Use:  You can use the dragon carp as a 
  basic template for a wide variety of dragon-headed 
  hybrid animals. Although the dragon carp is found 
  primarily in Korean folklore, both China and Japan 
  have their own dragon-headed beasts, such as the 
  “dragon-horse,” a creature with a horse’s body and 
  the head of a dragon (see the Ng-eye Sai on AB1 
  119). Most such creatures should be highly intelli-
  gent (use the Smart Template) and have some posi-
  tion within the Celestial Bureaucracy (if Chinese) 
  or some relation to the Dragon Kings (if Japanese).
  Appearance:  A dragon carp is an immense carp 
  measuring nine to twelve feet long. It has the 
  bearded and whiskered head of a dragon and is 
  capable of human speech.
  TOKKAEBI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   21 CON 
  22 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   10 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  10 PD (2 rPD)
   9 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  9 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   42 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
    
   
   
  (+18 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  15 
  Dagger-Like Teeth:  HKA 1d6  
  (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  15 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6, Armor Piercing (+½);  
  No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  22 
  Spiked Magic Club:  HKA 2d6 (3d6+1  
  with STR), Armor Piercing (+½); OAF (-1) 4
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Supernatural Vitality:  Life Support 
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity: 
  all terrestrial diseases and biowarfare 
  agents) 
  0
  40 
  Vanishes At Dawn:  Teleport 10”,  
  MegaRange (1” = 1 km; +¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Trigger  
  (dawn; +¼) 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Supernatural Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  2 
  PS: Dancing 11-
  2 
  PS: Singing 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (one environment) 11-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  158
  Total Cost:  251
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Eating, Drink-
  ing, Dancing, And Singing (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Mischievous 
  Trickster (Common, Strong)
  146 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  251
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  116 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  OPTIONS
  Cost General Tokkaebi Powers
  var 
  Larger Tokkaebi:  Apply desired elements of 
  the Large Size/Weight Template as well as the 
  appropriate Physical Limitation from pages 
  574-76 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised
  51 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, any 
  humanoid form), Makeover, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½)
  1 
  Can Leap Over Mountains And Rivers:  Give 
  the tokkaebi the naked Advantage of Mega-
  Range (1” = 1 km; +¼) on its base Leaping 6”
  3 
  Drive Oﬀ Evil Spirits +10 PRE; Only For 
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1), Only 
  Versus Ghosts And Other Evil Spirits (-1)
  90 
  Illusions:  Mental Illusions 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  28 
  Move Mountains, Create Ponds Or Fields:  
  Extra-Dimensional Movement (the tokkaebi 
  “travels” to the “dimension” where things are 
  as it wishes them to be, corresponding to the 
  tokkaebi’s location in “original” dimension), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (1 Turn; -1¼)
  -12 
  One Leg:  Running -6”
  var 
  Ssirum/Ssi-reum:  Give the tokkaebi at least 
  10 points of Martial Arts maneuvers from 
  either the Sumo or Wrestling packages.
  22 
  Taking To The Night Air:  Flight 15”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (length of 
  broomstick; -1)
  Cost Evil Tokkaebi Powers
  53 
  Brings Bad Luck:  Major Transform 8d6 
  (human to human with Unluck 3d6, heal 
  back through appropriate countermagics), 
  Invisible To Sight And Hearing Groups (+¾), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); All Or 
  Nothing (-½), Limited Target (humans; -½), 
  No Range (-½), 1 Charge (-2)
  86 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY 5d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at a 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual 
  Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  155 
  Possession:  Mind Control 18d6, Telepathic 
  (+¼), Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Lockout (tokkaebi 
  cannot use any other powers while possess-
  ing a target; -½), Mandatory Eﬀect (EGO 
  +30; -¾), No Range (-½) plus Desolidiﬁca-
  tion (aﬀected by magic or any attack that 
  aﬀects possessed body), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Linked (to Mind Control; -½) 
  Only To “Merge” With Possessed Body (see 
  text; -1) plus Clinging (normal STR), Aﬀects 
  Physical World (+2); Linked (to Desolidiﬁca-
  tion; -½), Only To Remain Merged With A 
  Body If It’s Moved Involuntarily (-2)
  10 
  Possession:  +5 OECV with Mind Control
  Ecology:  Tokkaebi are Korean goblins. They dwell in 
  abandoned houses or in caves. When night falls they 
  come out of their homes and spend their time eating, 
  drinking, dancing, and singing. Sometimes they 
  travel around and see what trouble they can get into, 
  although for the most part their pranks and tricks are 
  more directed at evil people than at good-natured 
  folk. Many Korean gods have armies of tokkaebi at 
  their beck and call — Hwangung Ch’nwang, the sky 
  god, has 3,000 under his command.
  Personality/Motivation:  The personalities of individual 
  tokkaebi vary greatly. For the most part they’re more 
  mischievous than harmful, and they tend to reward 
  the good and punish the evil. Those who befriend (or 
  marry) a tokkaebi receive gifts and riches... until the 
  human’s selﬁsh nature makes him greedy, at which 
  point the tokkaebi brings about his downfall. Some 
  tokkaebi like to teach boastful people a lesson. A 
  prime example is the story of a man who wrestled a 
  tokkaebi all night only to ﬁnd himself clutching an old 
  broomstick come the dawn.
  On the western coast of Korea, people make 
  oﬀerings to the tokkaebi to increase the ﬁsh catch. 
  Some parts of Jeollado province consider the tokkaebi 
  as a malign being who brings epidemics and ill luck. 
  To protect the population, women perform rituals to 
  drive the tokkaebi oﬀ. On Jejudo Island, women who 
  fall ill are thought to be possessed by a tokkaebi who 
  can only be made to leave if a mudang (exorcist) oﬀers 
  the goblin food and drink.
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers of the tokkaebi are many 
  and varied. They’re very strong, equipped with sharp 
  claws and teeth, and carry magical clubs (often with 
  spikes in them). They’re also credited with the power 
  to ﬂy (using a length of broomstick), to assume 
  human form (usually a pretty woman so they can 
  seduce foolish men), leap immense distances, change 
  the landscape in mere moments. They may be able to 
  create highly convincing illusions, drive oﬀ evil spirits, 
  and call upon the gods for help. Some stories attribute 
  to them mastery of ssirum, or Korean wrestling. They 
  hide come daybreak.
  Campaign Use:  Reminiscent in some ways of the Japa-
  nese oni, the tokkaebi doesn’t seem to be as actively 
  inimical to mankind. Instead, it’s more of a helpful 
  spirit, capable of bringing riches to the poor and 
  trouble to the wicked. By selecting from the various 
  optional powers, you can create many diﬀerent kinds 
  of tokkaebi for encounters ranging from the amus-
  ing (where the tokkaebi play tricks on the PCs) to the 
  downright dangerous (presuming the tokkaebi do 
  bring disease and bad luck).
  The powers of the tokkaebi’s magical club (other 
  than being a potent weapon) aren’t clearly speciﬁed. 
  You may wish to use the club as the focus for the tok-
  kaebi’s Flight, for example, or grant it the ability to cast 
  various spells from The Fantasy Hero Grimoire.
  Appearance:  The Chinese characters for tokkaebi 
  read “one-legged spirit,” so it’s possible this goblin 
  has only a single leg and travels by hopping about. 
  Another description says a tokkaebi stands around 
  eight or nine feet tall, with black and red skin, 
  frightening hair, large terrifying eyes, four dagger-
  
  117 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  like teeth, three ﬁngers and toes, a horn on its head, 
  and wears only a loincloth. Other tales claim they’re 
  more human sized, but all stories about the tok-
  kaebi stress their fearsome appearance.
  Additional Creatures Of 
  Korean Folklore And 
  Mythology
  Other creatures your PCs may encounter in 
  Korea include:
  Hongaek
  The hongaek’s name means “Red Disaster,” and 
  true to their name, these evil spirits like to spread 
  death and destruction. They’re often found near the 
  scene of some sort of human fatality, be it an acci-
  dent, murder, or suicide. The hongaek then attempts 
  to infect anyone who passes by, causing him to fall 
  victim to some form of fatal incident as well.
  You can create a hongaek by using either the K’uei 
  or Yurei character sheets as a basis, then add this power:
  Cost Powers
  18 
  Cause Accidents:  RKA 2d6, Trigger (next 
  time the target is in a situation where he 
  could be injured; +¼), Invisible to Sight and 
  Hearing Groups (+¾); Limited Range (4”; 
  -¼), 1 Charge (-2)
  Total cost:  +18 points
  Kamang
  This being is a guardian of the underworld. It 
  may be called upon to carry messages to and from 
  the dead.
  Sal
  Sal is a general term for a variety of malevolent 
  supernatural beings. They appear when a person is at a 
  transitional period in his life — being born, a birthday 
  feast, a wedding, a funeral, or the like. If things do not 
  run smoothly, the sal “shoots” its victim, usually some-
  one who’s fate has decreed this day to be an unlucky 
  one. The sal’s victim then has one of two reactions:  he 
  turns either blue or green in the face, then suﬀers a pos-
  sibly fatal illness; or he suﬀers great social diﬃculties 
  later in life, such as not meeting a possible spouse or 
  getting a much-needed job. See the sangmun for sug-
  gestions on how to create a sal character sheet.
  SANGMUN
  Similar in some respects to the sal, the sangmun 
  are also evil spirits. They gather at funerals and wait for 
  someone who doesn’t follow proper puriﬁcation rites 
  after visiting with the recently deceased. Once they 
  select a victim, they cause family members to engage in 
  drunkenness and ﬁghts, and spread convulsions, dis-
  ease, misfortune, and possibly even death. The services 
  of a mansin, a female shaman or exorcist (also known 
  as a mundang) are required to rid a house of a maraud-
  ing sangmun.
  To create a character sheet for a sangmun or 
  a sal, use the Nat on page 108 as the base. Select the 
  Disembodied Form and Fading powers from the list of 
  options, and add in the 37 Chief Nat package.
  Sin
  Sin is a general term for a variety of lesser 
  supernatural beings of all kinds.
  Tongbop
  These beings are a form of supernatural imp or 
  spirit. They’re known for their malice, and spread 
  disease and strife if not caught in time. They like 
  to sneak into houses by hiding inside recently pur-
  chased or manufactured objects being carried into 
  the house for the ﬁrst time. The only way to get rid 
  of one is to contract the services of a mansin to 
  drive it away.
  Tongbop come in several types:  the chisin 
  tongbop, or earth imps; the moksin tongbop, or 
  wood imps, who hide inside ﬁrewood or other 
  wooden objects; and nanggu moksin, another form 
  of wood imp, who appears when homes are being 
  built or trees felled.
  Tongbop are best built as a form of Nature 
  Spirit (found on pages 100-102 of Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders), with magical powers and 
  skills relating to their domain. In addition, give 
  them the following two powers:
  Cost Powers
  39 
  Cause Sickness And Death:  Drain BODY 
  3d6, Delayed Return Rate (points fade at the 
  rate of 5 per Month; +2), Line Of Sight (+½), 
  Ranged (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (6 Days, ½d6/Day; -1¾)
  37 
  Domestic Strife:  Mind Control 12d6, Tele-
  pathic (+¼); Only To Alter/Inﬂict Anger (-1)
  Total cost:  +76 points
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  118 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  MALAYSIA
  M
  alaysia sits just north of Indonesia on 
  the western end of the South China Sea. 
  It consists of two portions:  West Malay-
  sia on the Malay Peninsula; and East 
  Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It’s also a fairly 
  recent nation, having been formed in 1963 from the 
  Federation of Malaysia and various British crown 
  colonies. Early Malaysia was a hodgepodge of vari-
  ous Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms scattered across 
  the islands and the coasts until the arrival of Islam 
  in the fourteenth century. This led to the founding 
  of an Islamic sultanate that lasted until the arrival 
  of European traders.
  RELIGION
  Malaysia is a land of multiple ethnic groups, 
  including Chinese, Indians, and Malays, and thus 
  a wide variety of religions. Here one can ﬁnd Bud-
  dhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and 
  Taoists, with even a little shamanism. The mythol-
  ogy and folklore of Malaysia is an eclectic blend of 
  beliefs, similar in many respects to Indonesia.
  BAJANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -15 STR 
  -25 
  6- 
  Lift 3.125 kg; 0d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   5 BODY -10 
  9-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  12-
   2 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  4
   20 END 
  0
   12 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -8
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  2”/4”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  86 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY  
  5d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at a rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND  
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/
  Day; -1¾)
  57 
  Mewing:  RKA 2d6, NND (defense is  
  deafness, Hearing Group Flash Defense, 
  heavy ear covers, or otherwise not being  
  able to hear; +1), Does BODY (+1),  
  Indirect (+¼), Invisible To Sight Group  
  (+½), No Range Modiﬁer (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Incantations  
  (must “mew”; -¼), No Knockback (-¼),  
  Only Aﬀects Children (-1) 
  0
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (1 point with STR) 
  1
  2 
  Pounce:  Leaping +2” (2” forward,  
  1” upward) 
  1
  9 
  Bajang’s Senses:  +3 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Bajang’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Bajang’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell 0
   
  Skills
  15 
  Hard To Hit:  +3 DCV
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  10 
  Concealment 19-; Self Only (-½)
  7 
  Shadowing 13-
  15 
  Stealth 19-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  222
  Total Cost:  214
  
  119 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  restricted by certain 
  amulets, cannot approach or cross areas pro-
  tected by speciﬁc amulets (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Tiny (.25m; +9 KB) 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Bloodthirsty And 
  Vicious (Common, Strong)
  74 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  214
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Bite Must Do 
  BODY First (-½)
  Ecology:  A bajang (or badjang) is a creature created by 
  magic from the corpse of a stillborn child. Once cre-
  ated, it’s kept in a bamboo vessel known as a tabong. 
  The tabong is stoppered with leaves and sealed with 
  spells to keep the bajang imprisoned. The bajang is 
  given eggs and milk while sealed in its vessel, and 
  quickly turns on its owner if not well-fed.
  Personality/Motivation:  A sorcerer typically uses his 
  bajang to eliminate enemies. The bajang follows the 
  orders of its master, but isn’t especially loyal to him.
  Powers/Tactics:  A bajang is typically used to 
  kill people via a fatal illness. Its small size lets it 
  get close to its target so it can infect him with a 
  mysterious disease. The bajang is also a threat to 
  small children, and it can easily kill a child with its 
  mewing. Children are often given amulets to wear 
  to keep the bajang away.
  Campaign Use:  The bajang is similar to the pelesit 
  (page 128) and the polong (see page 127) and can 
  serve as the model for various types of wizard’s 
  familiars. Legends describe the bajang as a male, 
  while the langsuir (see page 122) is female. Both 
  can be enslaved by magicians.
  Supposedly, a bajang is treated as a sort of 
  family treasure, handed down from one generation 
  to the next. However, use of the creature to inﬂict 
  harm runs the risk of discovery and execution 
  — usually by drowning the wizard in a tub of pure 
  water. A wizard killed that way spills forth insects 
  and reptiles from his mouth and nostrils, with the 
  bajang escaping from the wizard’s mouth in the 
  form of a lizard.
  Appearance:  An active bajang takes the form of a 
  civet-cat (known as a musang in Malaysia).
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  120 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  ENG BANKA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -5 STR 
  -15 
  8- 
  Lift 12.5 kg; 0d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   11 CON 
  2 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   4 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  4
   22 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  6 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  24
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  90 
  Soul Stealing:  RKA 6d6, NND (defense  
  is Power Defense or not having a soul;  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Gradual Eﬀect (3 Days;  
  2d6/Day; -1¾), No Range (-½) 
  13
  1 
  Leaping:  Leaping +1” (1” forward,  
  ½” upward) 
  1
  9 
  Canine Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Canine Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 0
  3 
  Canine Ears:  Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  21 
  Returning Spirit:  Healing BODY 3d6  
  (Regeneration; 3 BODY per Day),  
  Resurrection (others can stop resurrection  
  by burning the body), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Self Only  
  (-½), Extra Time + Increased Time  
  Increment (3 BODY/Day; -2¾),  
  Resurrection Only (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  5 
  Concealment 13-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  158
  Total Cost:  182
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repelled by certain 
  charms (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (about 1 m long; 
  +3” KB) (Infrequently; Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  62 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  182
  Ecology:  The eng banka are dog-like creatures 
  who prey on humans, devouring their souls. They 
  inhabit the jungle, lurking on the edge of villages 
  in the hopes of catching someone out alone and 
  unaware. Although highly dangerous, eng banka 
  won’t approach certain charms and talismans, and 
  anyone with such an item on his person is safe 
  from their attacks.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  An eng banka is smarter and 
  faster than a normal dog of its size. It uses these 
  advantages to get close to its desired prey. Some 
  eng banka sneak up on an unsuspecting human, 
  while others act like a friendly dog. Once it’s close 
  enough, the eng banka steals its victim’s soul, 
  causing death in a few days. Killing an eng banka 
  is fairly easy (it’s no stronger or tougher than a 
  normal dog), but unless you burn the body and 
  scatter the ashes, it re-forms and returns to wreak 
  more havoc.
  Campaign Use:  The idea of an animal stealing a 
  man’s soul is common in myth and folklore. You 
  can give the eng banka’s Soul Stealing power to 
  various other animals (birds [especially crows and 
  owls], domestic cats, snakes, tigers) and monsters.
  Appearance:  An eng banka looks like a normal dog.
  ENG BANKA VARIANTS
  The eng banka’s soul-stealing power in eﬀect 
  makes it a form of vampire. Two other vampiric 
  animals of Malaysia are the bas and the maneden.
  Bas
  As described by the Chewong people of 
  Malaysia, the bas is a creature of the woods. It 
  avoids human habitations and can be kept at bay by 
  something as simple as a brightly-burning camp-
  ﬁre. It prefers to eat wild pig, but has been known 
  to attack lone humans. But it doesn’t eat ﬂesh, it 
  devours the victim’s ruwai, which loosely translates 
  as life-force, soul, or vitality.
  Exactly what the bas looks like is unclear, but 
  the best assumption is a form of jungle cat similar 
  in size and shape to a leopard. Some people believe 
  it might be a real animal, with its ruwai-draining 
  power explained as being the eﬀect of a disease-
  carrying bite. To create a bas make the following 
  changes to the Leopard character sheet on pages 
  145 of The HERO System Bestiary. To create a “real-
  world” bas, give the Leopard the Diseased (rabies) 
  Template instead.
  Cost Powers
  65 
  Devouring The Ruwai:  Drain BODY and 
  CON 2d6, two Characteristics simultane-
  ously (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points 
  return at a rate of 5 per Day; +1½), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  Total cost:  +65 points.
  
  121 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  Maneden
  These small animals live in pandan trees in the 
  forests of Malaysia. It’s very territorial and quickly 
  attacks anyone who disturbs its tree by leaping 
  from the tree and clinging tightly to foe, using its 
  bite to drink the target’s blood (usually from the 
  elbows of men and the nipples of women). Villag-
  ers can pacify an angry maneden with an oﬀering 
  of select nuts or tubers. The maneden usually takes 
  the oﬀering and retreats to its tree.
  Killing a maneden is possible, with the recom-
  mended method being to burn it. However, it’s very 
  fast and agile, making it diﬃcult to slay. An injured 
  maneden is sure to return, seeking to drink the 
  blood of anyone who attempted to kill it.
  The maneden isn’t clearly described anywhere, 
  but if you wish to create one, make the following 
  changes to the Diminutive Mammal character sheet 
  on pages 171-172 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Cost Powers
  +21 Add the Monkey Option
  6 
  Fast And Agile:  +2 DEX
  7 
  Fierce:  +7 PRE
  1 
  Fierce:  +3 PRE; Only To Protect Against 
  Presence Attacks (-1)
  22 
  Drink Blood:  RKA ½d6, NND (defense is 
  not having blood or protective skin or equip-
  ment too thick to bite through; +1), Does 
  BODY (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), 
  Bite Must Do BODY First (-½)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Strongly Ter-
  ritorial (Common, Strong; 15 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Common, Strong; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +57 points.
  GERJIS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   28 CON 
  36 
  15-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   14 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  14 PD (4 rPD)
   9 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases  3, 6, 9, 12
   15 REC 
  0
   56 END 
  0
   60 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  165
    
   
   
  (+67 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Swimming:  5”/10”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR) 
  3
  20 
  Claws:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  4 
  Roar:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼) 
  0
  4 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Great Mass:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  12 
  Long Legs:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  1
  3 
  Long Legs:  Swimming +3” (5” total)  
  1
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell 0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Camouflage Coloration:  +4 to  
  Concealment; Self Only (-½), Only In 
  Home Environment (-1)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  1 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +1 to Stealth; Only 
  In Home Environment (-1)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  128
  Total Cost:  303
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (9m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Voracious Hunger 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  devourer of all forest animals, 
  14-, extreme
  168 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  303
  Ecology:  A singular creature, Gerjis prowls the 
  jungles of Malaysia preying on all the animals of 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  122 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  the forest. His hunger is insatiable, and he eats any-
  thing he can ﬁnd, though he prefers the youngest of 
  animals because their ﬂesh is more tender.
  Personality/Motivation:  As the largest predator in 
  the forest, Gerjis treats all other animals as prey. 
  He’s driven by a voracious appetite, and often 
  gorges himself on on multiple kills and then sleeps 
  oﬀ his meal before going out to hunt again.
  Powers/Tactics:  For all his size, Gerjis is basically 
  an ambush predator. He positions himself amid a 
  thick stand of trees and then leaps out at a passing 
  animal, using his massive jaws to kill his prey in 
  a single bite. He holds down larger animals, such 
  as elephants, with his claws so he can Grab their 
  throat and choke them to death.
  Campaign Use:  As the terror of the forest, Gerjis (also 
  known as Gergasi) was feared by all other animals 
  until the great trickster-hero Kanchil the mousedeer 
  decided to destroy him. Digging a deep pit, Kanchil 
  convinced Gerjis the sky was going to fall soon and 
  the only way to be safe was to be buried in the pit. 
  Gerjis agreed and leapt into the pit, and was promptly 
  buried by Kanchil, who then called in all other crea-
  tures of the forest to show them what he’d done. Later, 
  the strongest of the elephants uprooted a tree and 
  used it to crush Gerjis’s skull. You can use Gerjis in a 
  similar manner, presenting him as a great threat to 
  be defeated by a party of PCs. If you feel Gerjis is too 
  weak to be a threat, increase his defenses so the PCs 
  have to use guile and deceit to defeat him instead of 
  brute force.
  Appearance:  Gerjis is a tiger large enough to prey 
  on an elephant with ease.
  LANGSUIR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  54
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½) 0
  84 
  Cause Miscarriage:  Major Transform 7d6 
  (pregnant female to non-pregnant female, 
  heals back through restorative magics),  
  Line Of Sight (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Limited Target (pregnant  
  human females; -1), All-Or-Nothing (-½) 
  0
  4 
  Ngilai:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations  
  (must wail; -¼) 
  0
  24 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 12” 
  2
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Diminished Eating, but  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  5 
  +1 with Agility Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  238
  Total Cost:  292
  
  123 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  can be “cured” by cut-
  ting her hair and nails and stuﬃng them in 
  the hole in the langsuir’s neck (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lust For Blood 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Men 
  (Common, Strong)
  172 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  292
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  17 
  Imitate The Cry Of A Lost Child:  Hearing 
  Group Images 1” radius, -4 to PER Rolls, Line 
  Of Sight (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Set Eﬀect (sounds like a baby’s cry; -1)
  Ecology:  A langsuir (or langsuyar) is the ghost of 
  a woman who has either died a virgin, died during 
  childbirth, or died within 40 days of giving birth. 
  Having a stillborn child can also create a langsuir; 
  the child’s ghost becomes a pontianak (see below). 
  Rising from the grave, the langsuir ﬂies among the 
  trees, drinking the blood of infants and children, 
  stealing ﬁsh from ﬁshermen, and seducing men to 
  emasculate them.
  A woman can be prevented from rising as 
  a langsuir by nailing her hair to the floor of her 
  coffin. A more extreme method calls for plac-
  ing glass beads in the corpse’s mouth (to prevent 
  screaming), placing eggs under the arms, and 
  pushing pins through the palms of the hands. A 
  man who encounters an active langsuir can save 
  himself and cure the woman of her condition by 
  cutting off the woman’s hair and fingernails and 
  stuffing them in the hole (or mouth) found in 
  the back of the woman’s neck (used by the lang-
  suir to drink blood). If this is done, the langsuir 
  becomes a normal woman; she can marry and 
  have children. However, care must be taken at 
  village dances, lest the langsuir join in, revert 
  to her undead form, and fly off into the jungle. 
  Women sacrifice chickens at the riverside to 
  langsuir to appease the fiends and keep them-
  selves (and their children) safe.
  Personality/Motivation:  A langsuir is driven by two 
  strong emotions — a lust for blood (taken from the 
  children denied to her) and a hatred for men.
  Powers/Tactics:  A langsuir often lurks in the for-
  ests, and when men enter the woods she seduces 
  them with their unearthly beauty. Once she has 
  a man in her embrace, she uses her sharp, claw-
  like nails to rip his genitals from his body. (Some 
  langsuirs also have the power to imitate the cry 
  of a lost child, the better to lure victims to them.) 
  Langsuirs also drink the blood of small children 
  and can cause any woman they see to suffer a 
  miscarriage with just a glance.
  Campaign Use:  The original langsuir was a 
  woman driven mad by the knowledge her child 
  had been stillborn. Later, the langsuir become 
  a more general blood-drinker and eater of 
  flesh (with a fondness for fish). You can use the 
  langsuir as a classic vampire, a form of ghoul, 
  or as a ghost in need of being put to rest.
  Appearance:  A langsuir is a woman of unearthly 
  beauty. She has long black hair that falls to her 
  ankles (hiding a hole in the back of her neck that 
  she uses to drink blood) and long fingernails. 
  Traditionally, the langsuir wears a green robe, but 
  sometimes she appears naked, with wild black 
  hair and blood flowing from her open womb.
  WHAT’S IN A NAME?
  In Java and Sumatra, the 
  langsuir is called a pon-
  tianak, while in certain 
  parts of Malaysia the 
  woman is called a pon-
  tianak and the child is 
  known as a langsuir.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  124 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  PONTIANAK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -10 STR 
  -20 
  7- 
  Lift 6.4 kg; 0d6 [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   5 BODY -10 
  10-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   3 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  4
   20 END 
  0
   18 STUN 
  8 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  10
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/5”
   
  Flying:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Beak:  HKA 1 point (1 point with STR) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Beak Must Do BODY  
  First (-½) 
  0
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  -10 
  Short Legs:  Running -5” (1” total) 
  1
  -2 
  Cannot Swim:  Swimming -2”
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Diminished Eating, but  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Owl:  Nightvision 
  0
  6 
  Eyes Of The Owl:  +3 PER with Sight Group
  4 
  Eyes Of The Owl:  +8 versus Range for 
  Normal Sight 
  0
  4 
  Ears Of The Owl:  +2 PER with Hearing 
  Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Beak
  20 
  Hard To Hit:  +4 DCV
  7 
  Easily Hidden:  Concealment 15-;  
  Self Only (-½)
  11 
  Stealth 16-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  147
  Total Cost:  157
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Diminutive (up to .6m; 
  +6” KB) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lust For Blood 
  (Common, Strong)
  42 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  157
  Description  A pontianak is the ghost of a langsuir’s 
  stillborn child. It takes the form of an owl or a black 
  crow, ﬂying about the trees at night and preying on 
  the blood of young children. As with the langsuir, 
  one can prevent a stillborn child from rising as a 
  pontianak by placing glass beads in the mouth, 
  thrusting pins through the palm of the hands, and 
  by placing eggs under the arms.
  The name “pontianak” or “puntianak” derives 
  from the word matianak, meaning “death of a 
  child.” These creatures are also known as mati-anak.
  
  125 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  PENANGGALAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   3 BODY -14 
  9-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   0 COM 
  -5 
  11-
   4 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  6
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 10 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Horriﬁc Appearance  PRE +20; Only For 
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 
  0
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood: RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½) 0
  81 
  Dripping Blood Causes Disease And Sores:  
  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed Return Rate 
  (points return at a rate of 5 per Week;  
  +1¾), NND (defense is Life Support  
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Nonselective 
  Area Of Eﬀect (22” Radius; +¾), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days,  
  1d6/Day; -1¾), Can Only Hit Targets  
  Actually Flown Over (-½), Linked  
  (to Flight; -0)
  24 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 12”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½) 0
  -12 
  Only Flies:  Running -6”
  -2 
  Only Flies:  Swimming -2”
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  20 
  Hard To Hit:  +4 DCV
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  2 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  173
  Total Cost:  212
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Diminutive (.5 m, +6” 
  KB) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lusts After The 
  Blood Of Children And Pregnant Women 
  (Common, Strong)
  97 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  212
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  9 
  Indonesian Penanggalan’s Animal Forms: 
  Multiform (assume 5-point bird form or 
  39-point mouse form; Costs Endurance (to 
  change form; -½)
   
  Distinctive Features:  faint smell of vinegar 
  (Easily Concealed; Causes Major Reaction 
  [suspicion and fear]; 10 points)
  Ecology:  A penanggalan (“the one who pulls out”) 
  is a form of witch who goes forth at night to drink 
  the blood of young children or of women who’ve 
  just given birth. She hunts by laying down on the 
  ground, separating her head and viscera from her 
  body, and sending the head-and-viscera ﬂying oﬀ 
  into the night in search of a victim.
  A penanggalan may have to soak her blood-
  swollen innards in a vat of vinegar before she’s able 
  to rejoin her head to her body. In this case the pres-
  ence of large quantities of vinegar in her home, or a 
  faint smell of vinegar to her (possibly a Distinctive 
  Feature) may give her away.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, a penang-
  galan acts like any normal woman, at least during 
  the day (though she may be a malicious, spiteful 
  person, or a sorceress). When night falls her hunger 
  for blood takes over, and she quickly hides her body 
  before sending her head oﬀ to ﬁnd prey.
  Powers/Tactics:  A penanggalan gains her ability to 
  separate her head from her body either through the 
  use of magic or by promising herself to a demon 
  of the underworld. In her normal human form she 
  typically has no special powers or abilities. Her 
  head, once separated, can ﬂy, deliver a painful bite, 
  and drink blood. In addition, the head of a penang-
  galan drips blood and other ﬂuids constantly, and 
  anyone hit by one of these drops falls gravely ill or 
  suﬀers from appalling sores.
  Since the penanggalan’s intestines and other 
  internal organs hang from her head as she flies, 
  she must take care to not entangle the dangling 
  viscera while flying. To defend themselves from 
  attacks by penanggalan, villagers hang branches 
  of thorny jeruju (thistle) over their doors and 
  windows to catch and entangle the entrails of a 
  penanggalan so they can kill her when the sun 
  rises. The Indonesian penanggalan, who flies 
  using either her ears or lungs, can change into a 
  bird or a mouse to enter a home.
  Campaign Use:  A ﬂying penanggalan has to be one 
  of the most disgusting creatures a party of adven-
  turers could ever encounter. The mere sight of a 
  BECOMING A  
  PENANGGALAN
  The character sheet 
  listed here is just for 
  the ﬂying head and not 
  for the penanggalan’s 
  combined body. Add the 
  following power to any 
  character to represent 
  the ability to become a 
  penanggalan.
  Head Separation:  Dupli-
  cation (creates one 212-
  point duplicate), Altered 
  Duplicate (100%; +1) 
  (84 Active Points); Feed-
  back (-1), Only At Night 
  (-½), Original Character 
  Is Incapacitated While 
  Duplicate Exists (-1), 
  Both Characters Die If 
  They Do Not Recom-
  bine At Sunrise (-½). 
  Total cost:  21 points.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  126 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  ﬂying head is bad enough, but the mass of trailing 
  innards dripping blood and ﬂuids should make 
  even the hardiest heroes pause. Malaysian myth 
  isn’t clear on what, if any, additional powers the 
  head might have. You could extrapolate additional 
  powers if you wish, such as dripping caustic stom-
  ach acid (1 point RKA, Linked to the Cause Disease 
  power) or wrapping the entrails around a foe (an 
  Entangle or strangulation HKA). If the human 
  form has learned to separate her head through the 
  use of magic, then perhaps she knows additional 
  spells (in which case you should buy the penangga-
  lan “form” as Duplication; see sidebar, page 125).
  Appearance:  During the day, a penanggalan looks 
  like a normal human woman. At night, when it 
  shows its true self, the penanggalan is a woman’s 
  head trailing her digestive tract, intestines, and 
  other internal organs, all of which drip blood and 
  other ﬂuids.
  PENANGGALAN VARIANTS
  While the penanggalan is found in Indonesia 
  and Malaysia, there are similar stories of ﬂying 
  heads from various parts of Southeast Asia.
  Aswang
  Native to the Philippines, aswang are a mixture 
  of ghoul, vampire, and witch. They come in many 
  forms, one of which can pull the head free of the 
  body and ﬂy about in the manner of a penanggalan. 
  See page 68 for more information.
  Kephn
  Burmese sorcerers make pacts with evil 
  spirits to gain vast supernatural powers. One 
  such ability is the power to separate the head and 
  stomach from the body and go about at night 
  in search of human souls to consume. Killing 
  a kephn is no harder than killing an otherwise 
  normal person, but the corpse must be burned to 
  keep it from rising from the grave.
  Use the following powers to create the kephn’s 
  primary body:
  Cost Powers
  50 
  Supernatural Powers:  50 points’ worth of 
  magic Skills and spells
  21 
  Head Separation:  Duplication (creates one 
  185-point duplicate), Altered Duplicate 
  (100%; +1); Feedback (-1), Only At Night 
  (-½), Original Character Is Incapacitated 
  While Duplicate Exists (-1)
  21 
  Kephn Regeneration:  Healing BODY 3d6 
  (Regeneration; 3 BODY per Day), Resurrec-
  tion (others can stop kephn by burning the 
  body), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½); Self Only (-½), Extra Time 
  + Increased Time Increment (3 BODY/Day; 
  -2¾), Resurrection Only (-½)
  Total Cost:  +92 points.
  Make the following changes to the Penangga-
  lan character sheet to represent the kehpn’s ﬂoating 
  head and stomach:
  Cost Powers
  -119 Remove Bite, Drink Blood, and Dripping 
  Blood Causes Disease And Sores
  71 
  Soul Consumption:  RKA 3d6, Penetrating 
  (+½), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (½ END; +¼); No Range (-½), Not Versus 
  Soulless Beings (-¼)
  21 
  Kephn Regeneration:  Healing BODY 3d6 
  (Regeneration; 3 BODY per Day), Resurrec-
  tion (others can stop resurrector by burning 
  the body), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½); Self Only (-½), Extra Time 
  + Increased Time Increment (3 BODY/Day; 
  -2¾), Resurrection Only (-½)
  Total Cost:  -27 points.
  Ma Ca Rông
  This Vietnamese vampire appears as a ﬂoating 
  head and dangling entrails (it doesn’t seem to have 
  a base body). It’s created when a person dies at a 
  speciﬁc time, or “sacred hour” known as than trung 
  (literally, “spirit coincidence”). The ma ca rông goes 
  
  127 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  abroad at night and devours cow dung. To create a 
  ma ca rông make the following changes to the Pen-
  anggalan character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  -114 Remove Drink Blood and Dripping Blood 
  Causes Disease And Sores
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total (except 
  for Diminished Eating, but including Lon-
  gevity:  Immortality)
  Total Cost:  -67 points.
  Phi Krasue
  Found in Thailand, the phi krasue (or phi 
  krasy) may be even more revolting in appearance 
  and habits than the penanggalan. By day it looks 
  like a normal human woman, but at night the head 
  and entrails rip free from the rest of the body and 
  crawl around using its supernaturally-long tongue 
  to pull itself along. The creature feeds on the excre-
  ment of sleeping humans, using its tongue to enter 
  the bowels and devour not only waste, but the 
  victim’s life energy as well. Supposedly, a phi krasue 
  is nigh-unkillable, although charms provided by a 
  Maw Du (a type of magician) can ward them oﬀ. To 
  create a phi krasue make the following changes to 
  the Penanggalan character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  -138 Remove Drink Blood, Dripping Blood Causes 
  Disease And Sores, and Taking To The Air
  6 
  Crawls:  Running +3” (3” total)
  20 
  Long Tongue:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) plus Extra 
  Limb, Inherent (+¼) plus Stretching 2”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Always 
  Direct (-¼), Limited Body Parts (tongue; 
  -¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No 
  Velocity Damage (-¼)
  8 
  Drain Life Energy:  Drain BODY 1d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at a rate of 5 per 
  Day; +1½); Exta Time (5 Minutes; -2)
  120 
  Nigh Impossible To Kill:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%
   
  Physical Limitation:  kept at bay by certain 
  charms (Infrequently, Fully Impairing;  
  15 points)
  Total Cost:  16 points.
  POLONG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -30 STR 
  -40 
  3- 
  Lift .4 kg; 0d6 [1]
   10 DEX 
  0 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   3 CON 
  -14 
  10-
   2 BODY -16 
  9-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   5 PRE 
  -5 
  10- 
  PRE Attack:  1d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   2 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   2 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   1 REC 
  0
   6 END 
  0
   5 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -76
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  33 
  Enter A Victim:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected  
  by magic), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½): Only To “Merge” With A Body (-1)  
  plus Clinging (normal STR); Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½), Only To Remain  
  Merged With A Body If It’s Moved  
  Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  117 
  Cause Madness And Death:  Major  
  Transform 7d6 (normal human to insane 
  human, heals back naturally once the  
  polong is removed from the victim),  
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2), BOECV  
  (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works  
  Against EGO, Not BODY (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual  
  Eﬀect (7 Days, 1d6/Day; -2), Limited  
  Target (humans; -½), Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -¼), No Range (-½)
  122 
  Cause Death:  Drain CON and BODY  
  5d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Aﬀects Physical World (+2),  
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at a  
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense  
  is Life Support [appropriate Immunity];  
  +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  -10 
  Tiny:  Running -5” (1” total)
   
  Skills
  50 
  Hard To Hit:  +10 DCV
  15 
  Easily Hidden:  Concealment 21-;  
  Self Only (-½)
  23 
  Hard To Spot:  Stealth 21-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  350
  Total Cost:  274
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  128 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Insectile (about 1 inch 
  tall; +18” KB) (All The Time; Greatly Impair-
  ing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repelled by certain 
  charms and incantations (Infrequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loyal To Its 
  Master (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  sorcerer’s servant 11-, (Extreme)
  109 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  274
  Ecology:  A polong is an evil spirit used by sorcerers 
  to bring madness and death to their enemies. It’s 
  created by placing the blood of a murdered man 
  in a bottle with a long narrow neck and repeat-
  ing prayers and incantations over the bottle. One 
  to two weeks later the sorcerer hears the sound of 
  a chirping bird coming from the bottle, at which 
  point he must cut his ﬁnger and place it in the neck 
  of the bottle, letting the polong drink the blood. 
  Once the polong is fully grown, the sorcerer can 
  send it out to attack anyone he wants.
  Personality/Motivation:  The polong follows the 
  orders of its creator.
  Powers/Tactics:  A polong attacks by entering into 
  its victim’s body, driving the victim insane and 
  causing him to contract a fatal illness (see the kit-
  sune on page 17 for more on how the Desolidiﬁca-
  tion power works). While under the inﬂuence of a 
  polong, victims rant and rave (usually about cats), 
  tear at their clothing, and bite anyone who comes 
  near. A trained medicine man can try to order the 
  polong out of its victim (or at least discover who 
  sent it); otherwise the victim’s probably doomed. 
  Certain charms and incantations drive a polong oﬀ, 
  neutralize its powers, or even destroy it.
  Campaign Use:  The polong is one half of a paired 
  set of creatures, the other being the pelesit. The 
  pelesit’s described as the polong’s pet or plaything 
  and looks like a small cricket. It travels with the 
  polong and enters into the victim’s body ﬁrst, pre-
  paring the way for the polong itself. Supposedly a 
  pelesit is created by placing the corpse of a child 
  in an anthill and then biting oﬀ the child’s tongue 
  when it starts to cry out. The tongue is then placed 
  in coconut oil and buried. Three days later the 
  tongue becomes a pelesit.
  Appearance:  A polong looks like a tiny female 
  ﬁgure no more than an inch tall.
  SUMMONING A POLONG
  The ritual used to create a polong is bought as follows:
  Create Polong:  Summon 274-point polong, Loyal 
  (+½) (82 Active Points); Extra Time (2 weeks; -
  4½), OAF Expendable (blood of a murdered man 
  placed in a buli-buli [bottle] Extremely Diﬃcult to 
  obtain; -2), Incantations (throughout; -½). Total 
  cost:  10 points.
  
  129 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  SANTU SANKAI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   18 STR 
  8 
  13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [2]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 PD (1 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  6 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  50
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Savage Fangs:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Swift:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  3 
  Sharp Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
  4 
  Acute Hearing:  +2 PER with  
  Hearing Group 
  0
  4 
  Acute Sense Of Smell:  +2 PER with  
  Smell/Taste Group 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Acute Sense Of Smell:  Tracking for  
  Normal Smell 
  0
  3 
  Acute Hearing:  Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Hunt In Packs:  Teamwork 12-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  70
  Total Cost:  120
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human-Sized
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  120
  Ecology:  The santu sankai (the name means “mouth 
  men”) are a savage race of wolf-like humanoids 
  found in the forests around the city of Kuala 
  Lumpur. They live in small packs and prey upon 
  animals and men alike, tearing their victims’ bodies 
  apart to get at the fresh meat and blood.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  The santu sankai have a reputation for aggressive 
  and ﬁerce behavior.
  Powers/Tactics:  A santu sankai ﬁrst rends its prey 
  with its long claws and then closes in for a killing 
  strike from its fanged mouth. A single santu sankai 
  usually attacks from concealment, while a pack 
  uses its superior numbers to run its prey to ground 
  before ﬁnishing it oﬀ with fang and claw. It’s pos-
  sible the santu sankai understand and use simple 
  tools, and thus may arm themselves with primitive 
  clubs and the like.
  Campaign Use:  Although a single santu sankai 
  shouldn’t present that much of a threat to a group 
  of adventurers, the fact they come in packs allows 
  you to scale them to almost any power level. They’re 
  perfect for a lethal game of cat-and-mouse, where a 
  group of santu sankai stalk a party of PCs through 
  the jungle, attempting to snatch away stragglers or 
  those who become separated from main group.
  Appearance:  A santu sankai is a man-sized creature 
  with a muscular humanoid torso, wolf-like legs, 
  ﬁngers tipped with sharp claws, and a horriﬁc face 
  combining elements of both man and beast. They 
  wear no clothing because their bodies are covered 
  in thick, black hair.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  130 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  TIBET
  T
  he history of Tibet is shrouded in mystery. 
  Set on the border between India and China, 
  Tibet lies in the middle of the Himalayan 
  Mountains and has an average elevation of 
  16,000 feet, giving it the well-deserved nickname 
  of “The Roof of the World.” The name “Tibet” 
  derives from the Sanskrit work trivistapa, mean-
  ing “heaven,” although Tibetans call their country 
  “Bod.” The nation itself was virtually unknown 
  until 700 AD, when Buddhism was introduced by 
  way of the Tang Chinese. The kingdom of Tibet 
  remained independent until the 1200s, when it was 
  conquered by Genghis Khan. He left the country 
  alone, merely installing a puppet government, 
  which managed the country’s aﬀairs until the 
  1500s, when the Mongols invaded again, making 
  the Dalai Lama (the leader of Tibetan Buddhism) 
  the oﬃcial leader of the country.
  The West didn’t enter Tibet until 1904, when a 
  British force reached the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, 
  seizing the city and turning Tibet into a British pro-
  tectorate. This lasted until 1910, when Tibet was given 
  to China. However, World War I and the civil wars in 
  China prevented any sort of takeover. Tibet remained 
  fairly independent (even closed to outsiders) until 
  1950, when the People’s Republic of China absorbed 
  the nation, creating the Tibet Autonomous Region.
  RELIGION
  According to tradition, the people of Tibet are 
  the descendants of sPyan-ras-gzigs, the monkey 
  god (an avatar of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of 
  compassion) and sGrolma, a rock ogress. They 
  had six children, who lacked tails and body hair, 
  and walked upright. Avalokiteshvara, known as 
  Chenrezi to the Tibetans, realized his children 
  were far too primitive to understand the concepts 
  of Buddhism, and worked with them to advance 
  their learning and culture until they could become 
  proper Buddhists.
  Before Tibet became a Buddhist nation, it 
  practiced an animistic and shamanistic form of 
  religion called Bon. The arrival of Buddhism even-
  tually replaced Bon, although Bon itself has not 
  totally died out and is still practiced today. Bud-
  dhism is Tibet is unique — it believes in the con-
  stant reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the leader 
  of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the manifestation 
  of Buddha in human form, often to help spread 
  Buddhism itself. Tibetan Buddhism also states that 
  only certain lamas (religious teachers) can properly 
  interpret the sutras (religious texts). However, the 
  path to enlightenment and Buddhahood can be 
  achieved by anyone through the use of meditation, 
  mudras (hand gestures), vajra (literally, “thunder-
  bolt”), prayer wheels, chanted mantras (such as 
  “om mani padme hum” meaning “hail the jewel in 
  the lotus”), and other rituals and objects. Finally, 
  Tibetan Buddhism follows Mahayana Buddhism 
  by having an elaborate cosmology of Buddhas, 
  bodhisattvas (Buddhas who remain on earth to help 
  others achieve enlightenment), and Dharmapala 
  (protectors of the Dharma, the laws and morals 
  that govern the universe).
  ROLANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   10 DEX 
  0 
  11- 
  OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   4 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 PD (4 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (4 rED)
   2 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases  6, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   26 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  21
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping  0”
   
  Swimming:  0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Powers Of The Rolang:  Multipower,  
  90-point reserve
  6u 
  1) Word Of Death:  Drain BODY 6d6, 
  Ranged (+½); Incantations (Ha!!!; -¼), 
  Reduced By Range (-¼) 
  9
  4u 
  2) Lethal Breath:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense  
  is Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing];  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Limited Range (1”; -¼) 
  0
  75 
  Rolang’s Touch:  Major Transform 10d6 
  (human into another rolang, heals back 
  through special exorcisms and holy  
  rituals), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); All Or Nothing (-½), Limited Target 
  (humans; -½), Skin Contact Required (-1) 
  0
  15 
  Awakened Corpse:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Awakened Corpse:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  4 
  Supernatural Vitality:  Damage  
  Resistance (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  50 
  Awakened Corpse:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  -2 
  Cannot Bend Its Knees:  Swimming -2”
  5 
  Awakened Corpse:  Nightvision 
  0
  
  131 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 OCV with Powers Of The Rolang
  3 
  Stealth 11-
  10 
  10 points’ worth of Skills, chosen by the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  276
  Total Cost:  297
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  only moves in a straight 
  line, cannot bend at the knees (Frequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  susceptible to various 
  sutras, talismans, and wards (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Only Desire Is To 
  Do Harm (Common, Total)
  162 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  297
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  120 
  Awakened Corpse:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%
  24 
  Flying:  Flight 12”
  40 
  Impossible To Kill:  Healing BODY 3d6 
  (Regeneration, 3 BODY per Turn), Can 
  Heal Limbs, Resurrection (can 
  be stopped by speciﬁc ritual, see 
  below), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Persistent (+½); Self 
  Only (-½), Extra Time (3 BODY/
  Turn; -1¼)
  -15 
  Add Physical Limitation:  Immobile 
  From Dawn To Dusk (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  Ecology:  A rolang is a human corpse ani-
  mated by an evil spirit. After it rises from 
  the dead, it tries to kill anyone it meets. 
  There are four types of rolang:  rülang 
  (“bone-rolang”), draklang (“blood-rolang”), 
  wülang (“breath-rolang”), and mewalang 
  (“mole-rolang”). According to legend, to 
  destroy a bone-rolang one must break its 
  leg bone; the blood-rolang must be made 
  to bleed (i.e., must take BODY from an 
  edged weapon); the breath-rolang must be 
  suﬀocated; and the mole-rolang must have 
  a mole on its body located and cut out.
  All four types of rolang can only 
  move in a straight line, and cannot 
  bend their knees. Thus, one of the best 
  defenses against rolang attack is a low 
  doorway and a tall step just beyond the 
  threshold:  the rolang can’t bend down to 
  go through the door and can’t step over 
  the threshold. Other forms of protection 
  against rolang attack include chanting 
  various incantations, pushing its head 
  back down before it can fully rise for the 
  ﬁrst time, burial, cremation, or a “severance” ritual 
  that forcibly ejects the possessing evil spirit back to 
  the afterlife.
  According to some legends, allowing a cat 
  to lick the heel of a corpse causes it to rise as 
  a rolang. Others say that if a man is killed by a 
  rolang, his wife and children become rolangs 
  upon death as well.
  Personality/Motivation:  The rolang has no other 
  desires beyond killing the living and creating 
  new rolang.
  Powers/Tactics:  The rolang can kill simply by 
  crying out “Ha!”. If its target survives this attack, 
  the rolang breathes on its foe (although if you 
  spit on a rolang before it breathes on you, it’s said 
  it can no longer hurt you) or strikes him with 
  his hands. A rolang can also turn a person into 
  another rolang with just a touch. Finally, some 
  stories say a rolang can fly.
  Campaign Use:  Stories of wandering rolang are 
  common throughout Tibet. You can have a party 
  of PCs encounter one virtually anywhere, or have 
  a rolang take up residence in a (now) abandoned 
  monastery or the like. If you need to make the 
  rolang tougher and more challenging, add some of 
  the optional powers.
  Appearance:  A rolang looks just like a normal 
  human, although its gait is very stiﬀ-legged due to 
  its inability to bend its knees.
  THE DÉLOG
  A far more benevolent 
  “awakened corpse” 
  is called the délog. It 
  means “one who has 
  returned from the dead” 
  and refers to anyone 
  who dies and then 
  comes back. A délog is 
  considered a holy being 
  since it’s seen the after-
  life and can describe it 
  to others. It often travels 
  around Tibet telling 
  the story of its death, 
  its journey through the 
  afterlife, and its eventual 
  return.
  THE OTHER ROLANG
  Aside from the zombie-
  like rolang, there’s also 
  the rolang ritual, which 
  creates “the corpse who 
  stands up.” A magician 
  who wants to create 
  a rolang must ﬁrst lie 
  full-length atop a fresh 
  corpse, pressing his 
  mouth to the corpse’s 
  mouth. The magician 
  then repeats a speciﬁc 
  incantation in his mind. 
  The corpse awakens 
  during this ritual and 
  tries to escape by strug-
  gling and jumping 
  about. The magician 
  must retain his hold 
  upon the corpse and 
  continue to mentally 
  chant his incantation. 
  Eventually, the tongue 
  of the corpse protrudes 
  out of its mouth, at 
  which point the magi-
  cian bites it oﬀ and the 
  rolang collapses. The 
  tongue is then kept as a 
  powerful magical object. 
  If the magician loses his 
  hold during this ritual, 
  the rolang will kill him 
  before ﬂeeing to haunt 
  the local area.
  For this form of rolang, 
  use the Zombie char-
  acter sheet on page 127 
  of The HERO System 
  Bestiary.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  132 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  YET-TEH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 34d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   10 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  10 PD (2 rPD)
   7 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  7 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases  4, 8, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   45 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  92
    
   
   
  (+22 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Arm Smash:  HA +2d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-to-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  5 
  Fearsome Appearance:  +10 PRE; Only  
  For Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 
  0
  2 
  Thick And Hairy Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -1” 
  0
  2 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Cold) 
  0
  4 
  Long Strides:  Running: +2” (8” total) 
  2
  -2 
  Poor Swimmer:  Swimming -2” 
  0
  3 
  Sharp Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Arm Smash
  5 
  Climbing 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  45
  Total Character Cost:  137
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (up to 3m tall 
  and weighing about 360 kg; -2 DCV, +2 to 
  PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly 
  Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Shy, Avoids 
  Human Contact (Common, Strong)
  22 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  137
  Ecology:  The yet-teh (a Sherpa word meaning “that 
  thing”) is a creature of the Himalayan mountains. 
  They’re found in Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Tibet. 
  They dwell high in the mountains, and are usu-
  ally solitary animals. Their diet seems to consist of 
  plants and small rock-dwelling mammals.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  In general the yet-teh only wishes to be left alone.
  Powers/Tactics:  For the most part, yet-teh are fairly 
  peaceful creatures and tend to ﬂee from threats. 
  However, cornering a yet-teh causes it to lash out 
  angrily, striking with its powerful ﬁsts and biting in 
  an eﬀort to ﬂee.
  Campaign Use:  The yeh-teh may be based on 
  reports of a real animal, and may be a form of 
  previously undiscovered bear or primate. Pulp-
  era PCs, or heroes in a monster hunting or “weird 
  conspiracy” campaign, may be hired to “bring one 
  back alive,” while more cinematic-minded GMs 
  may wish to ignore the yeh-teh’s timid nature and 
  make them far more dangerous to mountain travel-
  ers (see the kung-lu, below). You can also use the 
  yeh-teh as a guardian of mystic places and/or as a 
  servant to Tibetan holy men
  Appearance:  A yet-teh is a large, bipedal creature, with 
  a rough humanoid form and knee-length arms. It 
  stands anywhere from six to eight feet in height and 
  weighs upwards of 600 pounds. Its thick hair is dark 
  brown or black, its face ape like. Yet-teh leave ﬁve-toed 
  tracks in the snow, often of great size.
  YET-TEH VARIANTS
  The yet-teh is better known in the West by 
  the name “yeti” or “Abominable Snowman,” a name 
  derived from a mistranslation of its original name 
  (met-teh kangmi, or “man-sized snow creature”). In 
  reality, the yet-teh may be three diﬀerent creatures, 
  since the Sherpa mention such beings as the meh-teh 
  (“manlike thing that is not a man”), the dzu-teh (“big 
  thing”), and the tel-ima (“that there little thing”).
  Dzu-teh
  The dzu-teh is a large shaggy creature that 
  tends to walk on four legs, but can rise and walk on 
  two if needed. To create one, make the following 
  changes to the Grizzly Bear character sheet found 
  on page 134 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  1 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe Envi-
  ronment:  Intense Cold); Requires A Survival 
  Roll (-½)
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  Total cost:  +6 points
  Kung-lu
  The kung-lu (“great hulking thing”) is similar 
  in size and shape to the yet-teh, but not in tempera-
  ment. They sometimes invade villages, kill all the 
  inhabitants, and feast on the remains. Kung-lu are 
  also said to kidnap human women, mating with 
  them to produce more kung-lu. These creatures 
  are also known by the names dzu-teh, gin-sung, 
  
  133 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. Two ■ Chapter Three
  and tok. To create a kung-lu, make the following 
  changes to the yeh-teh character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  5 
  Great Strength:  +5 STR
  +5 
  Increase Bite to HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR)
  12 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  +6 
  Increase +2 OCV with Arm Smash to +2 
  HTH
   
  Replace Psychological Limitation:  Shy with 
  Psychological Limitation:  Aggressive Predator
  Total cost:  +28 points
  Meh-teh
  The meh-teh is similar to the yet-teh but is only 
  about ﬁve and a half feet tall. To create one, make the 
  following changes to the Gorilla character sheet found 
  on page 165 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Hunted:  poachers 8-
  1 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe Envi-
  ronment:  Intense Cold); Requires A Survival 
  Roll (-½)
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  Total cost:  +6 points
  Tel-ima
  The tel-ima is humanoid in shape, but only about 
  three and a half feet tall. To create one, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Chimpanzee character sheet 
  found on page 148 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -3 
  Remove Acrobatics 12-
  1 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe Envi-
  ronment:  Intense Cold); Requires A Survival 
  Roll (-½)
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  Total cost:  +0 points
  Additional Creatures Of 
  Tibetan Folklore And 
  Mythology
  Other creatures your PCs may encounter in 
  Tibet include the following. Many Tibetan demons 
  can be created by using the Lesser Demon charac-
  ter sheets found in The HERO System Bestiary. Add 
  the Disease Template to create a disease demon.
  bDud
  The bDud is a black-skinned demon who 
  dwells in a castle made of black stone. He guards a 
  well of milk and nectar and can be placated with 
  the sacriﬁce of a pig.
  bTsan
  The bStan are the demons of the air and live 
  in the high mountains. They appear as red-skinned 
  huntsmen mounted on equally red horses.
  MORE APE-MEN OF ASIA
  You can use the yet-teh character sheet to represent 
  a variety of other large “hairy bipeds” found in Asia. 
  These include:
  Gin-sung:  These creatures are the “bear-men” of 
  China. They’re also known as the kung-lu (see main 
  text) and are said to live in central China. The gin-
  sung are described as having long shaggy black or 
  gray hair, a ﬂat head, heavy brows, long arms ending 
  in huge hands, and large, human-like feet. The gin-
  sung is also called the dzu-teh by the Sherpas (see 
  main text).
  Kakli Besar:  Found in Malaysia, kakli besars stand 
  around eight feet in height. They haunt the forests, 
  preying on livestock and people, and are savage and 
  dangerous. People of the Johor region regard then as 
  a form of demon. Smoke, ﬁre, and loud noises drive 
  oﬀ a kakli besar, leading villagers to set piles of grass 
  and leaves alight, beat upon gongs, or string empty tin 
  cans along wires to rattle in the breeze in an eﬀort to 
  protect themselves from the monster.
  Nee-gued:  This is the name of the yet-teh in the 
  Indian state of Sikkim.
  Nyalmo:  A Tibetan name for the yeh-teh. These crea-
  tures may stand nearly thirteen feet high.
  Orang Dalam:  The “interior people” of Malaysia, who 
  are much larger than their close relatives, the orang-
  pendek, standing anywhere from six to nine feet in 
  height. Their smell has been likened to monkey urine.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  134 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Citipati
  These beings are the “Lords of the Grave-
  yard.” They dwell in cemeteries and look like 
  dancing skeletons.
  Dharmapala
  These beings, also known as Ch’ os-skyon, are 
  eight giants who protect the beliefs and traditions 
  of Buddhism. They’re immense and have mouths 
  ﬁlled with great fangs, the ability to breathe ﬁre, and 
  a third eye in the middle of the forehead. They can 
  kill with just a look and search constantly for the 
  enemies of Buddhism. One particular Dharmapala 
  is known as Hayagrive (or in Tibet, rTa-mgrin). 
  Described as a potbellied man with a horse’s head, 
  he guards humans from attacks by demons, and in 
  Mongolia protects the horse herds.
  You can create a Dharmapala by using any 
  of the Giant character sheets found in Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders. Add in such Templates 
  as Divine, Ferocious, and Size, as well as any 
  magic powers and spells you feel the Dharmapala 
  might need.
  dMu
  A servant of the sky god dMu-bdud-kam-po 
  sa-Zan, dMu and his brother rMu are corpulent, 
  purple-skinned demons of the skies.
  gNyan
  The gNyan are disease spirits. They lair in 
  the trees and stones and infect humans with any 
  number of lethal diseases.
  Kere
  The kere is a Tibetan unicorn. You can ﬁnd it, 
  and its two relatives, the serou and the tsopo, listed 
  on the Ch’i-Lin character sheet on AB1 10.
  Khyung
  Khyung is a magical bird-man, identical in 
  virtually all respects to a garuda (see page 91).
  Lha-mo
  Lha-mo is a female demoness of diseases and 
  the master of many lesser disease demons (such as 
  the gNyan). She wears clothing made from human 
  skin, eats human brains, drinks human blood from 
  a bowl carved from a skull, and rides about on a 
  white donkey. Her saddle is made from the ﬂayed 
  skin of a man, while the donkey is surrounded by 
  ﬁerce ﬂames. The people of Tibet give her oﬀerings 
  at the end of the year to try to persuade her to not 
  unleash her demons during the next year.
  Ma-mo
  The ma-mo are black-skinned and black-
  clothed female disease demons. They’re the wives of 
  the gNyan and other disease demons.
  Sa-bDag
  Sa-bDag are Bon nature spirits. Described as 
  “earth movers,” they dwell in the ground, homes, 
  lakes, and freshwater springs. They act as protectors 
  for the local area, and are honored at monasteries 
  and temples (where they’re given oﬀerings of wine).
  Sri
  Another Bon nature spirit, the sri live in the 
  dark places of the world, such as caves, under 
  rocks, and in tombs. They like to devour the ﬂesh 
  of the dead, and are often found near graveyards 
  and charnel houses. They aren’t above adding fresh 
  meat to their diet and sometimes lure small chil-
  dren away from their homes to devour them.
  Thags Yang
  A form of shape-changing demon, the thags 
  yang are found under the entry for the Rakshasa on 
  AB1 88.
  Wrathful Deities
  These beings are also known as the 58 Blood-
  Drinking Deities. They’re an assortment of vampiric 
  and/or ghoul-like gods and goddesses who appear to 
  a dead person on his journey to the afterlife, showing 
  him any crimes he committed while alive.
  Yamantaka
  Yamantaka (Lord Yama) is the Tibetan god of 
  the dead. He’s a horriﬁc ﬁgure — dark blue in color, 
  with eight buﬀalo heads, 34 arms, and 16 legs. He 
  holds weapons in each of his hands and wears a 
  necklace of human heads. At night he drinks the 
  blood of sleepers. Yamantaka is not an evil deity, 
  despite being the lord of death. He’s an avatar of 
  Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom, who became 
  death to overcome it.
  Yamantaka is similar in many respects to the 
  Nepalese Lord of the Dead and the Mongolian God 
  of Time. These deities drink blood as well, with 
  the Mongolian God of Time often sighted during 
  storms, standing over a sea of blood. The Nepalese 
  Lord of the Dead spouts ﬂames from his eyebrows 
  and snorts thunder and lightning from his nose.
  
  135 
  Masterminds And Madmen
  37 Chief Nats (type of nat) ..... 109
  58 Blood-Drinking Deities ..... 134
  Abat ..............................................89
  Abominable Snowman ........... 132
  Aghoy ...........................................82
  Agta ..............................................98
  Ainu ........................................10, 65
  Akadazou (type of nat) ........... 110
  Akakasoh (type of nat) ........... 110
  Alan ..............................................87
  Amaterasu ...............................6, 59
  Amikiri ...........................................6
  Annani .........................................82
  Aodaisho ......................................39
  Appendix .................................. 135
  Ashi-na-zuchi ..............................59
  Aswang .........................................68
  Avalokiteshvara ........................ 130
  Awabi ............................................26
  Awok ............................................89
  Baconaua .....................................73
  Badjang ..................................... 119
  Baekje .....................................6, 114
  Bago-Madaw (a nat) ................ 110
  Bajang ........................................ 118
  Bakemono-Kitsune ....................20
  Bakenoko .....................................52
  Baku..............................................46
  Bakunawa ....................................74
  Balbal ............................................83
  Bannog .........................................74
  Bas ........................................120-21
  Batibat ..........................................98
  Bawang .........................................89
  Bawo .............................................98
  bDud ......................................... 133
  Bebarlang .....................................75
  Betobeto-san ...............................63
  Bhutan ....................................... 132
  Bibliography ............................. 135
  Bilu ............................................ 106
  Bilumas ..................................... 107
  Binangunan .................................98
  Bod ............................................ 130
  Bodhisattvas ............................. 130
  Bon ............................................ 130
  Boomasoh (type of nat) .......... 110
  Boroka ..........................................89
  Boummazou (type of nat) ...... 110
  Bounmagyi (type of nat) ........ 110
  bTsan ......................................... 133
  Buddhism ....... 6, 68, 106, 114, 130
  Burma ..........................106-13, 126
  Buso ........................................76, 83
  Byahma devas (type of nat) .... 109
  Byakko .........................................20
  Calag .............................................83
  Calanget .......................................80
  Caranget .......................................80
  Carango ........................................80
  Catao ............................................78
  Catholicism .................................68
  Celestial Bureaucracy .............. 115
  Celestial fox .................................19
  Chenrezi .................................... 130
  Chewong people ...................... 121
  China ............6, 20, 47, 57, 114, 130
  Chinthe ..................................... 113
  Chinün Way Shun  
  (type of nat) ............................ 110
  Chisin Tongbop ....................... 117
  Chiton (a nat) ........................... 110
  Cho-kem-ju-jiki-netsu-gaki ........8
  Christianity ......................... 68, 114
  Citipati ...................................... 134
  Confucianism ........................... 114
  Creature Locations Table ........ 138
  Creatures Listed By Country  
  Table ........................................ 136
  Dai-tengu .....................................56
  Daidara-bochi .............................34
  Daimyo ..........................................6
  Dainichi Nyorai ............................6
  Dalai Lama ............................... 130
  Délog ......................................... 131
  Demons, Filipino ....97-98, 101-02
  Deva (type of nat) .................... 109
  Dharma ..................................... 130
  Dharmapala ...................... 130, 134
  Dhrana .........................................59
  dMu ........................................... 134
  Dorotabou ...................................63
  Dragon Carp ............................ 114
  Dragon King ....................... 45, 115
  Dragon King of Lake Biwa ..23, 54
  Dragons ............................52-53, 59
  Draklang ................................... 131
  Dwarf, Filipino ............................79
  Dzu-teh ................................132-33
  Earth Spiders ...............................51
  Ebwa .............................................83
  Ein-Saun/Eingsaung  
  (type of nat) ............................ 110
  Eindwin (type of nat) .............. 110
  Elf, Filipino ..................................81
  Encantada ....................................82
  Encanto ........................................82
  Eng Banka ................................. 120
  Filipino Dwarf ............................79
  Filipino Elf ...................................81
  Filipino Ghoul .............................83
  Filipino Giant ..............................85
  Filipino Ogre ...............................86
  Filipino Viscera Sucker ..............88
  Foo Dog/Foo Lion ......................47
  Fox pearls .....................................20
  Fujo-ko-hyaku-gaki ......................8
  Futakuchi-onna ..........................44
  Gaki ..........................................8, 64
  Gangikozo ...................................13
  Garuda .........................................91
  Gashadokuro ...............................64
  Genghis Khan .......................... 130
  Genko ...........................................20
  Gerjis ......................................... 121
  Ghost of Oiwa, the ......................65
  Ghost of Okiku, the ....................64
  Ghosts Who Receive Discards ....8
  Ghosts Who Receive Lost Food ..8
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling Hair ..8
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling  
  Mouths .........................................8
  Ghosts With Large Ulcers ............8
  Ghoul, Filipino ..............83, 99-100
  Giant, Filipino .............................85
  Gin-sung ..............................132-33
  gNyan ........................................ 134
  Go-Joseon ................................. 114
  Goblin Spiders ............................51
  Goguryeo .................................. 114
  Goo Mi Ho ..................................21
  Gyuki ............................................34
  Hai Riyo .......................................53
  Hakutaku .....................................46
  Hanataka tengu ...........................56
  Hannya .........................................34
  Hayagrive .................................. 134
  Hengeyokai ..................................51
  Hidesato .......................................54
  Himalayan Mountains ............ 130
  Hkum Yeng (type of nat) ........ 110
  Hmin (type of nat) .................. 110
  Hminza Tase ............................. 112
  Hongaek .................................... 117
  Hoori ............................................54
  Hu Mei .........................................21
  Hu-hsien ......................................20
  Hua-yang .....................................19
  Huli Jing .......................................20
  Hutakuti-onna ............................44
  Hyosube .......................................13
  Ikiryo ............................................63
  Ikugan ..........................................93
  Inari ..........................................6, 19
  India .........................48, 59, 132-33
  Indonesia .......................... 118, 125
  Inlablabbuut ................................87
  Introduction ..................................4
  Inu ................................................51
  Iqui ...............................................89
  Ishikawa Prefecture ....................51
  Islam .............................................68
  Iso-onna .......................................31
  Isohime ........................................26
  Izanagi and Izanami .....................6
  Jan (a nat) ................................. 110
  Jan (type of nat) ....................... 110
  Japan .........................................5-66
  Jeruju ......................................... 125
  Jiki-doku-gaki ...............................8
  Jiki-fu-gaki ....................................8
  Jiki-ké-gaki ....................................8
  Jiki-ketsu-gaki ...............................8
  Jiki-kwa-gaki .................................8
  Jiki-niku-gaki ................................8
  Jiki-ninki ........................................8
  Jimmu, Emperor ...........................6
  Jinshin-Mushi ...............................8
  Jinshin-Uwo ................................10
  Johor .......................................... 133
  Joro-kumo ...................................23
  Jorohgumo ...................................23
  Ka (a nat) .................................. 110
  Kabuso .........................................51
  Kachin people .......................... 110
  Kaiuk (type of nat) .................. 110
  Kakli Besar ............................... 133
  Kaluks ....................................... 113
  Kamang ..................................... 117
  Kami (spirits) ................................6
  Kanashibari .................................65
  Kanchil ...................................... 122
  Kappa ...........................................11
  Kapre ............................................98
  Karakasa ......................................63
  Karashishi ....................................47
  Karasu tengu ...............................56
  Karen people ............................ 110
  Kasha ............................................14
  Kashin ..........................................51
  Keinnara ................................... 113
  Kephn ........................................ 126
  Kerakera-onna ............................64
  Kere ........................................... 134
  Khyung ...................................... 134
  Kibaan ..........................................82
  Kijo ...............................................35
  Kiko ..............................................20
  Kinaree ...................................... 113
  Kino-o-Bake ................................16
  Kioh-lung ..............................53, 59
  Kitsune .........................................17
  Kitsune-tsuki ...............................19
  Kodama ........................................51
  Kojin .............................................16
  Koma-inu .....................................47
  Konaki-jiji ....................................64
  Konoha tengu ..............................56
  Korea ..........................6, 20, 114-17
  Koryo ...........................................20
  Kowai ...........................................15
  Kuala Lumpur .......................... 129
  Kudan ...........................................46
  Kuko .............................................20
  Kumao ..........................................87
  Kumiho ..................................20-21
  Kumo ......................................22, 51
  Kung-lu ..................................... 132
  Kurita ...........................................87
  Kurote ..........................................15
  Kuzuryu .......................................59
  Kwaku-shin-gaki ...........................8
  Kyoto ............................................10
  Kyushu .........................................13
  La (type of nat) ........................ 110
  Lac Long ......................................20
  Lakay ............................................80
  Laman-lupa .................................80
  Lamas ........................................ 130
  Lampong ......................................80
  Langsuir .................................... 122
  Langsuyar ................................. 123
  INDEX
  
  136 ■ Masterminds And Madmen
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Laos ........................................... 113
  Law-San (type of nat) .............. 110
  Leikpya ...................................... 111
  Lha-mo ..................................... 134
  Lhasa ......................................... 130
  Lo-Saun (type of nat) .............. 110
  Ma Ca Rông .............................. 126
  Ma-mo ...................................... 134
  Machi-inu ....................................57
  Macupo ........................................95
  Magellan, Ferdinand ..................68
  Magtitima ....................................82
  Mahayana Buddhism .............. 130
  Mahomanay ................................82
  Malaysia .......................118-29, 133
  Mameleu ......................................94
  Manananggal ...............................89
  Maneden ..............................120-21
  Mangalok .....................................89
  Mangmangkit ..............................82
  Mansalauan .................................89
  Mansin ...................................... 117
  Mantabungal ...............................98
  Mantanda Sa Punso ....................80
  Mantras ..................................... 130
  Marcupo ......................................95
  Matanda .......................................80
  Mati-anak ................................. 124
  Maw Du .................................... 127
  Mbon (a nat) ............................ 110
  Mbon (type of nat) .................. 110
  Meh-teh .................................... 132
  Meiji Restoration ..........................6
  Mekong River ........................... 113
  Met-teh kangmi ....................... 132
  Mewalang ................................. 131
  Min Mahagiri (a nat) .............. 110
  Minokawa ....................................96
  Mizuti ...........................................26
  Moksin Tongbop ...................... 117
  Mon ........................................... 106
  Mongolia ................................... 134
  Mongols .................................... 130
  Moshiri-ikkwe-chep ...................10
  Mouryou ......................................15
  Mu (a nat) ................................. 110
  Mu (type of nat) ....................... 110
  Mudras ...................................... 130
  Mujina ..........................................50
  Mukade ..................................24, 54
  Mukae-inu ...................................57
  Mundang .................................. 117
  Muntianak ................................ 101
  Murakumo-no-tsurugi ..............59
  Myanmar .................................. 106
  Myinbyushin (type of nat) ..... 110
  Myobu ..........................................20
  Naga .......................................... 113
  Nak ............................................ 113
  Namazu ..................................10, 26
  Nanggu Moksin ....................... 117
  Nat ............................................. 108
  Nat-Kadaw (type of nat) ......... 110
  Nat-Thami (type of nat) ......... 110
  Nature spirit (type of nat) ....... 109
  Nedoshin (type of nat) ............ 110
  Nee-gued .................................. 133
  Needle-Haired Ghosts .................8
  Needle-Throated Ghosts ..............8
  Neko .............................................51
  Nekomata ....................................52
  Nepal ................................. 132, 134
  Nezumi .........................................51
  Ngueak ...................................... 113
  Ningyo .........................................25
  Nippon, Nihon ..............................6
  Nobusuma ...................................61
  Nodeppo ......................................61
  Nogitsune ....................................20
  Nue ...............................................27
  Nuke-Kubi ...................................29
  Nuno ............................................80
  Nure-Onna ..................................31
  Nyalmo ...................................... 133
  O-Goncho ....................................54
  Ogre, Filipino ..............................86
  Oiwa, ghost of .............................65
  Okiku, ghost of ...........................64
  Okinawa .......................................47
  Okuri-inu .....................................57
  Okuri-ookami .............................57
  Omayan ........................................80
  Onbu-obake ................................65
  Oni ................................................33
  Onibaba .......................................35
  Onibi ............................................33
  Onmoraki ....................................37
  Oo-tengu .....................................56
  Orang Dalam ............................ 133
  Orochi ..........................................38
  Otoroshi .......................................40
  Palasekan .....................................82
  Pan-Tsu ........................................19
  Patianak .................................... 101
  Penanggalana ........................... 125
  Phi (type of nat) ....................... 110
  Phi Krasue ................................ 127
  Phi Krasy .................................. 127
  Phi Phum (type of nat) ........... 110
  Philippines, the ...................67-103
  Phra Phum (type of nat) ......... 110
  Polong ....................................... 127
  Ponphyoi (a nat) ...................... 110
  Pontianak .............................123-24
  Powerful Ghosts ............................8
  Pugot ............................................97
  Pyu ............................................. 106
  Raicho ..........................................42
  Raiju .............................................42
  Reiko ............................................20
  Rokuro-Kubi ...............................43
  Rolang ....................................... 130
  rTa-mgrin ................................. 134
  Rülang ....................................... 131
  Ruwai ......................................... 121
  Ryujin ...........................................54
  Sa-bDag .................................... 134
  Saba-Leippya (type of nat) ..... 110
  Sal .............................................. 117
  Samebito ......................................45
  Sangmun ................................... 117
  Santu Sankai ............................. 129
  Sasana ........................................ 109
  Sawngtung Karen people ........ 110
  Schachi Hoko ..............................53
  Segben ..........................................99
  Seki ...............................................21
  Sengoku Period .............................6
  Shakko ..........................................20
  Sharama .......................................48
  Sharameyas ..................................48
  Shekkasoh (type of nat) .......... 110
  Shikko-gaki ...................................8
  Shin-ko-gaki ..................................8
  Shinen-gaki ...................................8
  Shinto .......................................6, 41
  Shiro saké .....................................49
  Shironkinakatsukami .................46
  Shiryo ...........................................63
  Shisa .............................................47
  Shishi ............................................47
  Shitta (a nat) ............................. 110
  Shitta (type of nat) ................... 110
  Shogun ...........................................6
  Shojo .............................................49
  Sikkim ....................................... 133
  Silagan ..........................................89
  Silla ............................................ 114
  Sin .............................................. 117
  Singha ........................................ 113
  Singto Jean ...................................47
  Sinlap  (a nat) ........................... 110
  Sir’ing ...........................................87
  Sirena ............................................79
  Spirit foxes ...................................19
  sPyan-ras-gzigs ........................ 130
  Sri ............................................... 134
  Suiko .............................................14
  Surya ............................................48
  Susanowo .................................6, 59
  Sutras ......................................... 130
  Suwarnabhumi ......................... 106
  Tabindain Thakinma  
  (type of nat) ............................ 110
  Tabinsweethi, King (a nat) ...... 110
  Tahamaling ..................................82
  Takujui .........................................46
  Tamamo-no-mae ........................19
  Tanuki ..........................................50
  Taoism ....................................... 114
  Tatsu .......................................24, 52
  Taung-Saun (type of nat) ........ 110
  Taungthu Karen people .......... 110
  Taunhyo Karen people ............ 110
  Taw-San (type of nat) .............. 110
  Tawong-lupa ................................80
  Tel-ima ...................................... 132
  Tengu ............................................54
  Tenko ............................................20
  Thabet Tase ............................... 112
  Thags Yang ................................ 134
  Thailand ...................... 47, 113, 127
  Thamma devas (type of nat) .. 109
  Than Trung ............................... 126
  Thanga Min/Thagyamin  
  (type of nat) ............................ 110
  Thaye Tasei ............................... 111
  Theravada Buddhism .............. 106
  Thien (type of nat) ................... 110
  Thounze khunna min Nat  
  (type of nat) ............................ 109
  Thurathati (type of nat) .......... 110
  Tianak ....................................... 101
  Tibet .....................................130-34
  Tigbanua ......................................77
  Tikbalang .................................. 102
  Tobo Tatsu ...................................53
  Tok ............................................. 133
  Tokkaebi .................................... 115
  Tokoyo .........................................26
  Tokugawa Ieyasu ...........................6
  Tongbop .................................... 117
  Torch-mouthed Ghosts ................8
  Toyotomi Hideyoshi .....................6
  Tsuchi-kumo ...............................23
  Tsukiyomo .....................................6
  Tsutsuga Mushi ...........................62
  Tukap ............................................65
  Ubume .........................................65
  Ugkoy ...........................................79
  Ukisima Pond .............................54
  Umi-nyoubou ..............................26
  Umibouzu ....................................26
  Ungo .............................................98
  Ustuang ........................................89
  Vajras ......................................... 130
  Vietnam .............................. 20, 126
  Viscera Sucker, Filipino ..............88
  Waira ............................................56
  Wakwak .......................................89
  Wawn (a nat) ............................ 110
  Wirwir ..........................................83
  Wrathful Deities ...................... 134
  Wülang ...................................... 131
  Yagami Mountains ......................62
  Yagyou-san ..................................35
  Yako/Yakan ..................................20
  Yama-onna ..................................35
  Yama-otoko .................................35
  Yama-uba .....................................36
  Yamantaka ................................ 134
  Yamata-no-Orochi .....................58
  Yamawaro ....................................14
  Yaobikuni .....................................26
  Yasha ............................................60
  Yeidigoun Taung Thakinma  
  (a nat) ...................................... 110
  Yet-teh (Yeti) ............................ 132
  Yofuné-Nushi ..............................26
  Yomi (Hell, the Underworld) ...6, 33
  Youkhazou (type of nat) ......... 110
  Yuki-onna ....................................62
  Yurei .............................................64
  Ywa-Saun (type of nat) ........... 110
  Zagwi ......................................... 111
  Zashiki-warashi ..........................65
  Zunberabou .................................66
  Zyorougumo ................................23
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System Asian Bestiary Volume 2.pdf