Yaoguai

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Yaoguai

(Creature)

Rare

Medium

Humanoid

Yaoguai

Level

Varies

Adjective

Yaoguai

Images of yaoguai

Source: Tian Xia Character Guide, pg(s). 82–87

This article covers the Pathfinder Second Edition ancestry. For the Pathfinder First Edition magical beast, which has significantly different properties and canon information, see yaoguai (legacy creature).

Yaoguai are an ancestry of beings who, through magic or other supernatural means, have cultivated their own transformation into a new form. Yaoguai can look wildly different from each other, but most have similar abilities.

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Appearance

As almost anything can become a Yaoguai, their now humanoid form retains some elements of their pre-awakened form.

Abilities

Most yaoguai can innately polymorph into a common humanoid ancestry from where they are from, having an appearance similar to their yaoguai form, such as hair color. This transformation is indefinite unless the yaoguai is unconscious for longer than one hour or one minute after death. This is an innate ability that most yaoguai meticulously train, some going further to hide all their pre-awakened traits or have more humanoid disguises. This form could be of any apparent age. Yaoguai may also learn how to temporarily transform back into something similar to their original form for combat utility, stealth or escape.

Ecology

Most yaoguai begin life as simple animals, plants, objects, or aspects of nature before obtaining sapience and shapeshifting powers, often through their original form, taking an influx of ambient energy. Practically anything can become a yoaguai under the right conditions, which usually can take thousands of years under those conditions before they transform. This is often done by the process of cultivation. Though cultivators are rare even in Tian Xia, with humanoids making up the majority, it is not common for non-humanoids to cultivate qi and transform into powerful yaoguai.

Transformations can happen over a shorter period. Some extraplanar beings or humanoids can become yaoguai by process of ritual, arcane mishaps, or pure circumstance. For example, when Bao Ting was suddenly awakened from the influx of Hao Jin’s sorcerous energies when she was resurrected., and may occur for humanoid like in the example of villagers suffering prolong and growing exposure to a haunted battlefield.

Many believe the power of the sun and moonlight are responsible for awakening most yaoguai. Though other forces can gift things enlightenment, soul, life, or mind. a Village belief, wild essences, or rain have also awaken yaoguai.

For extraplanar beings, Yaoguai can also create celestials that escaped or were punished, trapped in a mortal body with vague memories and limited power.

Most yaoguai are adults when born. The life span of a Yaoguai is usually reflective of their powers, with the strongest of their kind comparable to dragons, up to several thousands of years, if not becoming agelessly immortal

History

In the Age of Monsters in Northern Tian Xia yaoguai warlords and upstarts fought in duels for power that could last for a month. At the same time, celestials warred with the qlippoth until winning and guarding the last Outer Rifts portal in the region that would eventually become Tianjing. Later, at the start of Age of Dragons, Shizuru sent her herald Shinonome to gather many imperial dragons as possible at Solar Zenith Peaks, Showing them the future devastation of the land if the yaoguai continued to war and must prepare for humans as her designated rightful inheritors of Tian Xia in 10,000 years, in which the dragons must prepare the stage and then guard them for another 10,000. The dragons enlisted the celestials and slew the yaogaui lords; if not seal those they could not. They made the survivors of the conflicts swear a blood-binding oath to hunt yaoguai that misbehave, ending the yaoguai wars and the land began recovering. Some dragons, from impatience and entitlement as mortal caretakers, later founded their own empires, which included many ancestries like yaoguai, which lasted until the many wars broke out between dragons until finally Earthfall in -2793 IC.

As powerful yaoguai can live for thousands or years, if not be ageless immortal, it is only a rumor based on this trait that Yoaguai had once ruled most of Tian Xia in the past.

There are tales in Tian Xia about masters learning mystic and martial arts from animals. Though often dismissed by scholars as merely more powerful creatures in animal guises, more remarkable creatures, like the five-color mantis, in addition to the fact animals can become yaoguai, is a rebuttal to this dismissal.

Religion

Many yaoguai enclaves worship Shizuru and Tsukiyo as the light of the sun and moon is believed to be what awakens most yaoguai. Qi Zhong is believed and worshiped as the one who guided the first yaoguai, Sun Wukong, on ascending to divinity. Dispute the dubious ethics of how he ascended, most yaoguai know of the Monkey King, but not a popular god.

On Golarion

Yaoguai can be found in notable numbers on the Tian Xia, in the states of Chu Ye its oni Shogun, Tsuneni, marketing the nation as a tourist destination for “distinguished guests”, including Yaoguai adventures that want to obtain and spend wealth. Other nations include Goka,, Kwanlai, Quain, Shenmen, and Songbai.

References

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