=====Subraces ("Families"):=====
(Yokai choose one subrace)
====Kitsune: ====
These fox-like Yokai are said to be imbued with inner wisdom. With each century that passes, they grow another tail, up to nine. When the ninth tail comes in, they often change colors, usually white or gold, but there have been reports of black and silver nine-tailed kitsune as well. The kitsune were the first race to figure out how to construct a Kagami form, and are often credited with being the ones who found the best ways to trick the Onmyoji into releasing trapped and imprisoned Yokai. Kitsune are clever, regal, and witty. However, their vicious wit and penchant for playing tricks often gets the better of them. It has left almost all Kitsune with some sort of curse that can not be removed from those who have become vindictive regarding the tricks played upon them. (Kitsune must list their curse upon creation. Because they are best with using the Kagami form, they can perfectly mimic another sentient person they have personally met, including their scent, voice, clothing, build, aura, blood taste and mannerisms. They will, of course, not have their magics. The form they mimic must be a human form. Kitsune may only hold this form until the next sunset.)
====Bakeneko: ====
It is said that when the silver cords for the Bakeneko were being braided, theirs came slightly unraveled. This unraveling is evident in the fact that most of them have two tails. Cat-like in nature, the bakeneko are said to represent a link to the world beyond, the mysterious Things Unseen in this world. When pleased, they purr, and when angered, their claws are sharp. They are often highly skilled in the occult but...also are known to be, most unfortunately, habitual kleptomaniacs. They generally will return items that are stolen, but only if asked directly to do so by the person they stole it from. Often, as a romantic token, they begin presenting their desired mate with the items they stole. The more valuable the object, the more esteem the Bakeneko holds for them. (Bakeneko may see and hear the Pale Realm, and those in the Pale Realm can easily see and interact with them. Bakeneko can sometimes see other adjacent realms. They can additionally see auras as well as, like mages, the flow and kind of magic around a person or object.)
====Inugami:====
A dog is typically a faithful, trusted friend. Inugami can be just that, a loyal and faithful friend, a protector and companion. Often Inugami could be found in the households of noble mortal families, where they took on the role of bodyguard or watch dog, in return for creature comforts and the dedication and kindness of a good companion. But living with a single family from generation to generation can turn bad. There's invariably someone who feels they can mistreat or take advantage of the Inugami's faithful nature. They often find themselves the targets of an Inugami's wrath, to the point where the eradication of several noble families were attributed to the Inugami. Wild Inugami are rare, and even after losing a family, Inugami rarely stay wild for long. To do so means they might become like the Hidden Yokai, too lost in madness to be of use to anyone. (The loyalty of an Inugami is such that they may pick up to three people to be bonded to, their 'family'. They know the emotional state and location of these three people at all times. However, if these people are injured, the Inugami will also feel their pain. Inugami get Biokinesis level 1 for free, in addition to their starting magics, and may always insta-cast level 1 Biokinesis. If they take Biokinesis as their starting magic, they may start at level 2.)
====Kirin: ====
Kirin, mythical dragon-like horses with horns or antlers, are some of the most peaceful creatures in existence. They come in a number of colors and shapes, but generally all have horns, often have feathers or scales instead of fur, and appear much like a horse in their true form. The problem with Kirin is that they were hunted by the servants of the Onmyoji almost to extinction. Now, there are only a few Kirin left. Every part of the Kirin is useful in magic. It's horns, scales, feathers, hooves, skin, blood, all is powerful reagents. It is believed that only a few Kirin remain. All Kirin are vegetarians, as eating meat will cause them to become ill, and most Kirin are pacifists. When the Itazura soul of a Kirin manifests, their true form often turns black, and their words can be so cruel in exposing a person's flaws that some targets of those words have been known to take their own lives. (Kirin may not start with any combat abilities (melee, hand-to-hand, throwing, archery, torture), nor may they learn them throughout the course of the game. They can not use their magics to willfully damage a person. However, they also exude an intense aura of peace in their true form, and almost no sentient being can muster the willpower to directly attack them with harmful intent. Only the Onmyoji ever figured out how to bypass this defense - knowledge that has been lost to time. In their Kagami form, this aura is weakened slightly, but it still takes intense willpower to attack them and is nigh impossible. Creatures of the Dark are immune to this aura, and a person must be within range of sight of the Kirin for the aura to work, which means that magic CAN work on them, from afar.) (Kirin are a restricted subrace, and a player who has played for at least 2 months must pre-apply to play one by submitting an ST ticket.)
====Kappa: ====
Whilst the Mer are creatures of the sea, Kappa are freshwater creatures. They range in color from yellow, to green, to blue, and often are depicted as having the features of salamanders or turtles in their true form. They are strict adherents to etiquette and are intensely polite. However, when rudeness crops up, or oaths are not fulfilled, Kappa can and will turn violent, and their usual form of violence tends to involve drowning their target. They are often depicted holding cups of water, or having a hole in the top of their head to contain water, though they do not actually have such a hole. They simply tend to carry a measure of water because they must drink a great deal of it to keep their skin from drying out. Because of their politeness, Kappa are often chosen to be negotiators among the Yokai, and indeed, one of the two Yokai ambassadors to the Consortium is a Kappa known as Old Man Hibiki. (Kappa can not drown. If they start with the first level of Elemental Water magic, they may insta-cast it for non-combat purposes, though the second level or casting for combat purposes takes the normal amount of time. If they take Elemental Water magic, they may start at level 2.)
====Oni: ====
If the Inugami are the protectors among the Yokai, then the Oni are the attackers. The goon squad. The people you send to do the dirty work. Often equated to trolls or ogres by westerners, Oni are often intensely strong. In true form they appear as red, black, or blue, with short horns and often yellow eyes, and highly muscular. They carry thick clubs rather than blades, because their attacks often lack precision despite the strength and thus -- they are prone to breaking swords. They are sometimes a bit crude and foul mouthed and for this reason, they often are at odds with the Kappa. In modern times, Oni have often taken to the inner cities, becoming members or leaders of gangs. This has brought them into the sights of Gojira, and more than one Oni has been mistaken for a strange mutant. As buff and crude as they nonetheless are, Oni have a soft spot for the truly weak and helpless, and will often begrudgingly come to their aid when in distress. (Oni have enhanced strength on par with an average shifter. If wielding their clubs, they can not be disarmed, nor can the club be made to break or become damaged. They are not immune to fire, but they are resistant to it.)
====Tengu: ====
Birdlike creatures of the remote mountains, Tengu are often associated with asceticism, and often ascetic Buddhism. In the early days, they were mistaken for the spirits of deceased monks or ronin samurai living in the mountains. And true, they share many qualities with these sorts of people. Tengu often have beaks or feathers, and birdlike feet in their true form, and can fly short distances. Many comparisons have been drawn between Tengu and Harpies, though where Harpies are more often female, Tengu are more often male. Though, one of the most famous Tengu is Ayumi-san, a talented female warrior who disguised herself as a samurai. They tend to be strict adherents to law and rules, but will deviate from these things should honor require it. Unlike samurai, who traditionally carried a katana and wakizashi, Tengu tend to carry only one or the other. (Tengu can draw on the calmness of the mountains to help resist magics that manipulate emotions, as long as they are not in combat at the time. They may also meditate, out of combat and away from others, to accelerate their healing of wounds.)
====Jorogumo: ====
Also known derogatively as "Spider Whores", the Jorogumo can be male or female, and usually have intense beauty in their upper body, though their lower body is often that of a spider. Though their form and seduction often is used to lead people to their doom, they also are often champions and defenders of abused women and children, often willingly agreeing to get vengeance for them if they agree to give the Jorogumo "a thing of beauty". They can not turn into tiny spiders, but they often have a handful of loyal spider pets that will do their bidding, including biting their target on their behalf. There's about a 50% chance this bite will go completely unnoticed (Stealth roll vs. target's Perception). (The venom of the Jorogumo (and their spiders) interacts with pheromones they release to make them highly appealing to their victim, and their words are given heavy weight and sway. This can be sexual in nature, but if the sexual orientation is wrong, can just mean the person becomes fascinated with the Jorogumo in some other way. This venom can last for up to two hours. Jorogumo can spin silk, which is extraordinarily tough, and which they can bind people with or suspend themselves from heights with, though they can't do popular-comicbook webslinger trick of shooting it out of their wrists to swing from building to building.)
====Spiritfolk: ====
Legends abound in Japan of humans “spirited away” by the Yokai; the Spiritfolk are these people. Yokai who become attached to a human may elect to steal them away to their local Han with permission of their Daimyo. Thereafter so long as they and their children continue to live within a Yokai han they will be Spiritfolk. Such humans are treated quite well instead of disparaged as ‘mortals’ once they prove themselves to the community at large. This is particularly true in the current era when they are increasingly relied on by the yokai as they die off - many Yokai wraiths share a body with a Spiritfolk who willingly offers themselves up. A Yokai can make an unwilling human into a Spiritfolk by attaching a particular Calligramancy charm to their back (though the charm can be made for the Yokai by another). The charm fuses to them, and can only be removed by the one who placed it, but must be re-charged every month or it dies. It makes the human unable to willingly leave the Han. Every time they try, they find themselves turning around and coming right back, and if they are forcibly removed, they will be unable to sleep until they manage to return. This is often meted out as a Night Parade punishment for foolish and meddlesome humans. Willing Spiritfolk who wish to no longer be such may choose to leave the Han permanently. (Willing Spiritfolk can enter and leave the actual village without loss of their powers.) They may also be forcibly ejected from the han by the daimyo. (Living within close proximity to so many Yokai grants them immunity to the Yokai memory barrier, slows the aging of an adult human to 1/3rd normal and grants them a single power from the Non-physical Mutations list on the mutants page (sans “Extended Lifespan”). The hair and eyes of Spiritfolk grow pale in color over time and they have a soft auric glow that all yokai can see. Those Spiritfolk cast out of Yokai society, typically through a Ritual 'banishment' performed at a Night Parade, or through a warding effect, will lose their powers in days and within a month age to their true age. Spiritfolk are ONLY humans. When applying for a Spiritfolk, use "Human" as the race and put "Spiritfolk" in the Special Requests box. Make sure to list your chosen ability.)