Japanese Critters for Shadowrun

Here are several Shadowrun critters from Japanese legends, written by native Japanese Shadowrun fans at NIFTY-SERVE FRPGM .
Now this page features several graphic images drawn by our wonderful illustrator, Miss PANIC (GCB01334@niftyserve.or.jp)!!

Index

Zashiki-Warashi

Image of Zashiki-Warashi

Size Comparison Chart for Zashiki-Warashi

Identification:

The Zashiki-Warashi is fairy of hearth which guards a house and its inhabitants.It often appears in fairy tale or native myth.
Once a Zashiki-Warashi inhabits a house,it brings the house and its other inhabitants prosperity and happiness,keep them from danger.In the other hand, however, if the Zashiki-Warashi left them,they would possibly fall.
The typical Zashiki-Warashi manifests as a little child,usually a little girl, wearing short bob style hair and kimono .

Reasons why,and how,the Zashiki-Warashi choose her residence are unknown. Some claims that the Zashiki-Warashi is a spirit of the inhabitant's ancestor.

Magic Capability:

Inate.Some of them are magically active.

Habits:

The Zashiki-Warashi usually resides in astral space.Only when something happens,i.e. inhabitants are meeting danger,threats come close,or else, it manifests to save the house and inhabitants.
The Zashiki-Warashi prefers an old house.Few new houses are exceptionary holding the Zashiki-Warashi,but no corp office or lab because it only inhabits with everyday life.
They tried holding the Zashiki-Warashi in corps,but all of their effort including constract a suburaban lodge are in vain.

Commentary:

To keep a Zashiki-Warashi in the house ,the Zashiki-Warashi must be noticed and cared properly.Too much care drives it out.The Zashiki-Warashi is essencially childlike and somtimes it causes trouble.When in such trouble,it is important to behave like do to a little child,i.e.talk and excuse gently.Anger drives it out,too.Because the Zashiki-Warashi just meant to serve,a little bit excessive.
In addition,some claim that the Zashiki-Warashi is not a fairy but a spirit from its nature.

Satori

Image of Satori

Size Comparison Chart for Satori

Identification:

Some say retired or hiding Sen-nin(a kind of shaman like druid.following ancient Chinese Tradition. for more, request China Soucebook) end up as the Satori.

The average Satori stands 1.7m, weighs 60kg ,and appears like a humble human with rather hairy skin.Closer look reveals an unnaturally deep sharp glow in its eyes.

In spite of its quiet appearance, the Satri is a horrible critter.The Satri reads all of its victim's thoughts and emotions out and indicates her next move. Victimes who recognize they are read-out are graduately driven insane(think of living without a minimum privacy,chummer). Insanities are followed by tragic end from a mental burn-out to a death.

Some claims that the Satri robbed its victim of her body and inhabitted it, but that's suspected.

Magic Capability:

Innate.Some of them are magically active.

Habits:

The Satori resides mainly in a remote mountain,sleeps in thick forest or in a cave,and hunts small animals for food.It sometimes come down to a nearby village.

The Satori doesn't have fertility and how can the Satori reproduct itself is unkown.However,Its life span is said to beyond a few hundred years.

Commentary:

The Satori resembles the humankind too much to make a distinction by the physical look. But,in the othe hand, aura of the Satori is different from human enough to find its nature relatively easy from astral perception. Of cause, Satori's dual nature gives astral perception some danger.

Additional Powers:

Here's additional powers for the Satori. Yes. More house rules.
They , especially 'Madness' , may spoil your game balance. Make yourself responsible for Installation. I don't want to drive you MAD.

Madness
This power sows seed of madness in victim's mind and destroy it.
For using this power,make opposed success test with the critter's essence and victim's willpower or intelligence (whichever is higher) .Comparing success,each of the critter's success exceeding the victim's reduces both of her willpower and intelligence by one.Tie goes to the victim,well,nothing happens.Take it easy.
This loss of attribute is usually temporal but if victim's intelligence or willpower goes less than zero(i.e. minus), victim will burn-out totally.At this moment,the victim is driven mad and dies instantly.
And if either victim's intelligence or willpower is boosted by cyber and/or biowares , first effect of this power (reduce two attributes by 1) results in loss of all the boost at the same time(cyber and/or biowares are destroyed!!).
In addition , while the victim's attributes are decreasing ,she is subject to the effect same as that of the Chaos spell.
This power works until the critter's death or [essence x D6] hours.
Mindlink
This power has the same effect as the Mindlink spell with a force rating of the critter's essence(see GrimoireII p.128).
Differences between spell version are ; the target is not specified and the critter needs eye-contact with the target.

Kappa (Lutra armatus)

Identification

The kappa is Awakened otter. The typical kappa is larger than normal otter,stands about 80cm with keratinized shell on its back.
It is a brown-furred except the top of its head (this saucer-like bald spot is very distinctive),upright biped.

Image of Kappa

Size Comparison Chart for Kappa

Habitat

river-side,lake-side

Magic Capability

Innate

Habits

Unlike normal otter,the kappa feeds on not only small fishes or animals but plants.And it is often observed a kappa drags rather big animal into water and eats the victim.

Powers:

Concealment,Confusion,Enhanced Sense/Termo vision, Enhanced Phsical attributes/Str, Accident,Hardened armor

Weakness

The kappa hates dry.Dry environment adds +2 target modifier to all of tests the kappa makes,and does L(Stun) damage for every one hour(Check one box on mental condition monitor).

GAME INFORMATION

               B    Q   S     C   I   W   E   R   Attacks
  Kappa       3/3  4x4  4(+6) -  3/4  3  (6)  5*  3L, -1 Reach
updated on 94/12/05
text written by AGE, NBB02052@niftyserve.or.jp
translated into English by JUN, MGH02010@niftysere.or.jp
translated into HTML by Gen-ichi NISHIO, nishio@io.com
illustrations by PANIC, GCB01334@niftyserve.or.jp