Oni

Oni

(Creature)

Common

Large

Giant

Humanoid

Oni

Level

Varies

Images of oni

Source: Monster Core, pg(s). 252–255

Oni were of evil alignments and had the

Fiend

trait in Bestiary 2 188–191.

Type

Outsider
(native, oni, shapechanger)

CR

varies

Environment

varies

Alignment

LG	NG	CG
LN	N	CN
LE	NE	CE

Images of oni

Source: Bestiary, pg(s). 221

Ⅰ

Ⅱ

Oni are large humanoids known for their strength and violence. All oni share the common traits of shapeshifting and a fear of beans.

History

Oni originated in Minkai in Tian Xia, where they are still most prevalent. Oni begin existence as kami who lost their wards while suffering traumatic events inflicted upon them, which transformed them into oni. Some believe oni can be restored to their kami forms through ritual worship; many such attempts fail.

In Minkai, spirit world creatures such as oni are collectively known as yokai.

Ecology

The supernatural nature of oni makes them wily shapeshifters. Because of their former incorporeal nature, oni are starved for physical sensation and revel in hedonism; individual oni often obsess over one sensation, such as the feeling of pain or a specific taste.

Society

Oni believe that mortals do not sufficiently appreciate the pleasures of the physical world and so "punish" them for this failure. Oni "philosophy" is built on three pillars: maekaga (dominance), kaedakaga (punishing the undeserving), and tezukaga (hedonism), with tezukaga taking precedence.

Kishin oni

Leaders of the oni are called kishin oni, or oni daimyo, and have ascended to demigod status.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.