Yokai
- See also: yaoguai
Yokai is a Minkaian term used throughout Tian Xia to refer to supernatural creatures linked to the spirit world, such as kami, oni, ghosts, and dragons. These creatures are associated with the dead or originate between the Universe and the Planes beyond.12345 Yokai are common and often considered a normal part of life in Tian Xia,5 and yokai spirits encompass those of the dead as well as nature, craft, and artwork.3
Monumental gates in Tian Xia known as torii are built, both in cities and in the wilds, to mark and guard borders between the Universe and the spirit-world origins of yokai. Such gates are typically made of mundane wood or stone, though they can be constructed from any material and infused with magic; some even serve as portals between locations or planes.6
The haunted nation of Shenmen is home to many yokai, and mediums of that nation known as spirit eaters are often called to defend its mortal residents from hostile yokai by consuming and containing them in their bodies.7
Syndara's island
The term yokai is also used by the unwilling inhabitants of Syndara's Island, part of a demiplane ruled by the axiomite Syndara the Sculptor, to refer to themselves. These yokai were unintentionally captured by Syndara while seeking combatants for his Hungry Ghost Tournament.4
References
For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.
- ↑ “The Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Primer, 3. Paizo Inc., 2012 .
- ↑ “Archetypes” in Dragon Empires Primer, 23. Paizo Inc., 2012 .
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 53. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 “Chapter 2: Fragments of the Fractal Jungle” in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix, 170. Paizo Inc., 2023 .
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 “Chapter 1: Common Races” in Inner Sea Races, 50. Paizo Inc., 2015 .
- ↑ “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 54. Paizo Inc., 2011 .
- ↑ “Heroes of Tian Xia” in Heroes of Golarion, 24. Paizo Inc., 2019 .
External links
- Yokai (Real-life category of mythical entities) on Wikipedia