Yokai

From PathfinderWiki
A procession of a hundred spirits walks the forest of Minkai, known as dancing night parade.
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.

  1. Colin McComb & Tim Hitchcock. “The Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Primer, 3. Paizo Inc., 2012
  2. Colin McComb & Tim Hitchcock. “Archetypes” in Dragon Empires Primer, 23. Paizo Inc., 2012
  3. 3.0 3.1 James Jacobs, et al. “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 53. Paizo Inc., 2011
  4. 4.0 4.1 James Case. “Chapter 2: Fragments of the Fractal Jungle” in Fists of the Ruby Phoenix (hardcover), 170. Paizo Inc., 2023
  5. 5.0 5.1 Benjamin Bruck, et al. “Chapter 1: Common Races” in Inner Sea Races, 50. Paizo Inc., 2015
  6. James Jacobs, et al. “Life in the Dragon Empires” in Dragon Empires Gazetteer, 54. Paizo Inc., 2011
  7. Saif Ansari, et al. “Heroes of Tian Xia” in Heroes of Golarion, 24. Paizo Inc., 2019

External links

  • Yokai (Real-life category of mythical entities) on Wikipedia