Races

Converted by "exempt" from Oriental Adventures by Gary Gygax. Available at The Wu Jen. D&D is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast. Distributed under the Open Gaming License.

• Korobokuru Stolid "wild men" from beyond civilization as sturdy as any.

• Hengeyokai "Human animals" that can shapeshift between three forms.

• Spirit Folk Natural creatures tied to a specific bamboo grove, river, or even the sea itself.

Korobokuru

General Korobokuru are a race of squat humanoids similar to their western cousins, they dwarves, except that they are not particularly attracted to mining and stone working. Usually living above the ground, most korobokuru live in tribes that wander desolate areas of the Asia. They are a stout race, able to fend for themselves and giving no quarter when pushed.

Personality Korobokuru are not especially dour like dwarves are. Rather, they generally distrust strangers but are faithful to a friend. Impulsive and quick to decide, korobokuru tend to be similar to the elves than the dwarves in this point.

Physical description Korobokuru are about three feet tall but not so rotund as a dwarf. Physically, there is little size difference between males and females, and both usually wear their long hair in black braids, the men doing the same with their beards. They usually have weathered skin and rough hands, scars from a lifetime of living in a harsh climate.

Relations To any stranger, korobokuru display a degree of distrust until given opportunity to judge otherwise. They thus get along well with most familiar humans, and korobokuru tribes occasionally trade with spirit folk and hengeyokai.

Alignment Most korobokuru are chaotic or neutral, though there are no alignment restrictions.

Lands This race finds most of its members in some of the harshest conditions of the Asian world - forgotten wastelands, frozen plateaus, infertile plains - korobokuru seem to thrive where others cannot.

Religion Korobokuru worship nature, and natural features play into their cosmology to a great extent. While not especially superstitious, they do honor the occasional spirit. Shamans often head the tribe.

Language Korobokuru speak their own language which has a crude writing system.

Names A korobokuru's name translated into common would become a description of natural features or deeds the individual had done in his life. As such, there are no distinctive female and male names. Examples and their meanings are: Alachae (Rough Land), Chel Lochken (Won't Fall), Chel Morbn (Sky Falls), Kroghhira (Has Taken Many Foes), Mvok Shuv (Can Carry Much), Shren Keel (Strong Eyes), and Ur Shef'han (Finds Water).

Family names Korobokuru society organizes itself into clans. The name of the clan is thus very important, and is usually stated along with a personal name as in, "Alachae of Chaer Ran (Tribe)." Some typical clan names are Chaer Ran, Kainuik, Ma'keer, Yoroke,

Adventures A korobokuru normal life is one full of dangers; adventuring seems to many to be little different. Nevertheless, most stay in the same area (wandering) with their tribes. An exception to this is when a leader arises among them, in which case the korobokuru may take it upon themselves to sweep over unexpecting lands, plundering. As for individuals, many younger males and females will wander for a time from tribe to tribe and place to place in search of adventure. While physical wealth may not be as important to a korobokuru as a western dwarf, the prestige and chance to combat traditional enemies of their tribes certainly is.

Favored class A korobokuru's harsh environment makes the ability to fight fiercely very important. Likewise, many of the creatures they encounter are larger in size than they - but perhaps not in spirit. As such, the korobokuru's favored class is barbarian.

Racial traits

• Vigor: Korobokuru are especially strong, and so enjoy a +2 Strength bonus. Unfortunately, they tend to suffer in the mental faculties, incurring a -2 penalty to both Intelligence and -2 Wisdom.
  
• Small-size: Korobokuru are Small size, and thus have a base movement rate of 20'. This also limits the size of the weapons they can wield.
  
• Darkvision: Able to see at night, korobokuru have darkvision, which extends to 60'.
  
• People of the wild: Most korobokuru grew up in the wild, living the life of a nomad. They thus have a +2 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore skill checks.
  
• Robustness: As a result of their harsh environment, korobokuru have a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
  
• Racial enemies: Constantly at battle with fell creatures, korobokuru gain a +1 racial attack bonus against bakemono, goblinoids, and goblin rats due to the constant wars their races wages against these beings. They also receive a +4 dodge bonus to AC when fighting giants as a result of their long-standing enmity with these large folk.
  
• Automatic languages: Korobokuru, Trade. Bonus languages: Spirit-folk, hengeyokai.

Hengeyokai

General Hengeyokai are a race of shapechangers that inhabit the border between the mundane and the mystical. There are many different kinds of these creatures, and although all can appear human, each has its own particular form that provides them a variety of advantages. The animals traditionally associated with hengeyokai are carp, cats, crabs, cranes, dogs, drakes (ducks), foxes, hares, monkeys, tanuki ("raccoon dogs"), rats, and sparrows.

Hengeyokai can assume human form, the natural form of their animal type, and a larger, Medium size variation of the animal type. For example, a hengeyokai with the tanuki form (an Asian "raccoon" known for its misleading ways) could slink around outside a village looking like a normal tanuki, encounter a few commoners and shift to a human-sized tanuki to scare them, then shapechange again into a human to carouse the town and listen to the stories of the "giant tanuki" some frightened farmers encountered.

Personality Hengeyokai are as varied as their animal forms, but they tend to emulate the natural traits of the animals forms they belong to. Carp tend to be good-hearted and pensive but not reliant on their physique, which suffers compared to normal. Cats are quick and impulsive. Crabs can be good, neutral, or evil, and tend to be strong but not quite so easy to get along with. Cranes, like carp, tend toward acts of goodness and are known for their wisdom, but their lanky bodies disallows them quicker movements. Dogs are predictably faithful and sturdy of body if not so bright. Drakes are also inclined toward good and are socially graced but again are not so quick on the foot or wing.

The fox is known for its tricky ways and cunning, but perhaps lack of better judgment plays a part in their dealings. Hares are reliably fast though not strong, but they have a tendency toward acts of kindness. Monkeys are almost always unpredictable and yet nimble, but like the fox tend to lack greater wisdom. The tanuki is a fabled creature known for its mischievousness and strength, though again lacking slightly in common sense. Rats are also creatures up to no good most of the time, and although this characteristic affects their interaction with others, they are particularly adept at living and thriving where others can't. Finally, sparrows don't have the most robust bodies, but they are graced in the social arts.

Physical description In human form a hengeyokai could pass all but the most detailed examination, although they display physical variations particular to their animal types. For example, in human form, dog hengeyokai have large eyes and a nose that always seems to sniff the air, roosters have dark-red hair, crabs smaller and beadier eyes with sharp and squat features, sparrows have a feather they weave into their hair, and so on. These particular characteristics are noted below in the descriptions of each type of hengeyokai, but the player should be free to dream up her own. Hengeyokai always have some such characteristic when in human form, though the average human would not recognize it as a mark of a shapeshifter.

In animal form the hengeyokai looks (and smells) exactly like any other normal animal of its type, though normal animals will generally sense the difference.

In biped form, where the character takes on the shape of her animal but as a medium-sized creature, the character usually walks on its hind "legs" but looks like an overgrown animal of its type.

Hengeyokai have different abilities according to what form they take. These are detailed below. They can eat normal human fare and any food that their animal form would consume regardless of what form they are in, although they refuse to eat meat from an animal form of their own kind. Such a situation would be considered cannibalism, and serving a hengeyokai meat of her type would be a veritable offense (though perhaps grudgingly overlooked if the host were unaware of the character's true form; such a person would surely not be trustworthy).

Relations Hengeyokai relate well with humans, though most of the latter species never realize their acquaintances are actually hengeyokai. Furthermore, they maintain good relations with agreeable spirit folk and often trade with the more predictable korobokuru.

Alignment A hengeyokai's alignment is often influenced by her animal form, though not limited by it. For example, monkeys tend to be evil, crabs neutral, and cranes good. The individual descriptions of each animal type include generally alignment tendencies, but these are merely tendencies and not restrictions. PCs can be of any alignment they wish.

Lands Hengeyokai live near but not too close to civilized lands. They enjoy the opportunities of trade but usually grudge banal intrusions. Hengeyokai live in the habitat type fitting to their animal form. Thus, a carp would all a single river or lake home, a fox the wooded hills near human settlement, and a dog may even live permanently in a village (of humans).

Religion Hengeyokai worship all the gods humans do, natural spirits, and a few of their own. Like most humans in the Asia, they are not exclusive, and one individual may pay homage to a variety of gods without conflict.

Language Hengeyokai speak their own language (regardless of what form they are in) and that of any humanoid race they commonly encounter and are on good terms with (i.e., humans, spirit folk, korobokuru). In biped and normal animal form they can converse with animals of their own type.

Names Hengeyokai adopt human names and so are not detailed here.

Adventures Hengeyokai venture for as many reasons as there are kinds of this species. Some roam for the fun of it (monkeys, tanuki), some to advance their moral point of view (cranes, sparrows), and some for the opportunity for fame and riches (nearly all).

Favored class Being a mystical race, a hengeyokai's favored class is wu jen.

Racial traits

• Shape changing
  A hengeyokai can change shape a number of times per day equal to 1 + Constitution modifier, but at least once per day. Every five levels she attains, she can shapeshift one more time per day. Thus at fifth level a hengeyokai could shapechange one more time per day, two more at tenth level, three at fifteenth, and four at twentieth. This is a supernatural ability. It also means hengeyokai fall under the Shapeshifter type as per the MM.
  
  The Hengeyokai Acumen feat allows the hengeyokai to increase the number of times she can shapeshift per day beyond this limit. It is described below, and only members of this species may take this feat.

Hengeyokai Acumen [Special]
You can shapeshift three more times per day than normal.
Prerequisite: Must be of the Hengeyokai
Benefit: You can shapeshift three more times per day than normal.
Special: Every time you take this feat you can shapechange three more times per day.

Hengeyokai also have access to the Hengeyokai Fortitude feat:

Hengeyokai Fortitude [Special]
You heal every time you shapeshift.
Prerequisite: Must be of the Hengeyokai race
Benefit: Every time you shapeshift, you recover a number of hp equal to your class level.  Your total hp is still limited by your form (e.g., half for animal form), however.

When a hengeyokai shapeshifts, her equipment does not change with her, though in bipedal and human form she may pick up items with her hands (or what pass as hands). Additionally, some hengeyokai have specially-made equipment (costing at least double the normal price) that they can wear in bipedal or animal form (but not both). Tanuki are especially fond of such things, often bearing backpacks and hats as they wander through the underbrush.

Human form: In human form the hengeyokai has no darkvision and cannot speak to animals but can understand them. She has all the restrictions (and abilities) a normal human would, such as wearing armor or using weapons (if allowed by her class).

Bipedal form: In bipedal form the hengeyokai appears like the normal animal of its type except that is size Medium, can usually walk upright (see the individual descriptions for each race), and has fore appendages that end in hands or gripping appendages. The hands may be used any way a human's can, but a hengeyokai in bipedal form cannot wear clothing or armor. Depending on the animal's form, a necklace might fit around the animal's neck. The remainder of the body appears like the normal animal type, complete with hair, feathers, fins, etc.

Hengeyokai in bipedal form can speak to and understand animals, and they have darkvision to 60'. Their base movement rate is usually 30', but they may be able to fly, swim, or branchiate (swing) according to the animal's form. They can speak and understand any language they know including the speech of animals.

Animal form: In animal form, the body size becomes Tiny (Small for dogs) and appears like any other normal animal of its type. They look exactly like any normal animal of their type, making them susceptible to hunters and the like. They also have half their base hp (round up), and a hengeyokai in bipedal or human form that is reduced to less than half her base hp cannot assume animal form. If a wounded character in bipedal or human form shapechanges into its animal form, the hp she lacks on account of damage are carried over; as a result, she cannot shapechange into animal form if she hast half or less of her base hp remaining.

For example, if a hengeyokai in bipedal form with 15 hp were reduced to 10 hp, she could still shapechange into animal form since her total current hp total is greater than half her hp. Nevertheless, she would have only 15/2 - 5 = 3 hp in animal form (round up). If she were to be wounded further to 2 hp, she could shapeshift into one of her larger forms, and have 8 hp remaining. Hengeyokai cannot shapeshift when the hp lost in the transformation would cause them to have 0 or fewer hp. They also retain the form of the body they were in when they die.

Hengeyokai in animal form can move and engage in combat like any other of its kind. They can speak and understand hengeyokai and the language of animals, but cannot speak any other language they know although they can understand it.

In animal form they also have darkvision to 120'. Movement rates, AC, and damage are described in the tables below.

Hengeyokai that are Tiny in animal form enjoy a +8 size bonus to Hide skill checks.

• Natural affinity
  Wilderness lore is a class skill for all hengeyokai.

Hengeyokai subraces, Table 1

* Adjustments listed in parentheses are sized-based changes to ability scores compared to the bipedal or human form of the creature. Strength affects the damage dealt while in animal form, but can never be less than 1. Higher Dexterity in animal form also results in an increased dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Since the hengeyokai is actually a character class, base attack bonus and such do not change. Constitution is also independent of size for hengeyokai.
** AC is a size bonus when in animal form. Dodge bonuses due to increased Dexterity also apply (but are not listed)
*** These skill and ability modifiers apply regardless of the hengeyokai's form.

Hengeyokai subraces, Table 2

* Damage is adjusted by the character's Strength modifier, which is in turn adjusted by the character's form. Bipedal forms use the character's normal Strength score. Animal forms subtract 12 from Strength if Tiny, 4 if Small.

Carp hengeyokai
Carp characters can swim when in animal and "bipedal" form but suffocate when out of water. They "drown" when out of water in these forms, but suffer no damage from simply poking their heads out of the water. When using equipment and weapons underwater, they suffer all the normal penalties for fighting with underwater (e.g., bludgeoning weapons do not work, etc.). Carp obtain the Scent, but it only functions underwater (see p. 10) and is affected by stream flow.
    In human form carp have rounded, bulging eyes and sleek hair usually swept back over the scalp. Male forms sport moustaches.
    Most are good in alignment.

Crabs hengeyokai
Crabs characters can breathe underwater when in bipedal or animal form, and they can survive on land for a number of hours equal to their Constitution modifier, if positive (or not at all, if the modifier is equal to 0 or less). They can double this time out of water if the surroundings are especially wet, such as during rainfall.
Crabs do not actually stand on their hind legs when in "bipedal" form, but rather scuttle around like normal. Crabs also gain a +2 natural armor bonus when in "bipedal" form on account of their carapace. Their claws do not change to hand-like appendages, but can still manipulate any items a pair of hands could
    In human form crabs are short and stout with darting eyes and sharp features.
    Crab hengeyokai display no tendency toward any particular alignment.

Crane hengeyokai
Cranes can fly with a maneuverability of Average. They can also "spear" opponents with their beaks. In bipedal or animal form they can fly with an average maneuverability rating.
    Crane hengeyokai assuming human form usually display their heritage in the form of a single gray or white feather that many fix to look like a simple adornment in their hair. They also have long legs.
    Cranes are often good in alignment.

Dog hengeyokai
Dogs obtain the Scent ability (MM, p. 10) when in bipedal or animal form. They can also add +8 to their Wilderness Lore ability when using scent to help them track quarry.
    Human-form dog hengeyokai predictably pant when hot, though not to the extent that an actual dog does. Many also have "puppy dog" eyes and are prone to scratching themselves. They have a distinctive smell when wet.
    Dogs are often good in alignment.

Drake hengeyokai
Drakes can make no natural attacks when in bipedal or animal form, but they can walk and fly, the latter with a good maneuverability rating. Furthermore, they can swim at the listed speed on top of the water and will never sink unless overly encumbered or held underwater.
    Drakes in human form usually sport a feather (colorful if male, gray or brown if female) in their hair, which is usually incorporated and thus disguised in their hairstyle. They also tend to ambulate in a peculiar fashion.
    Most drakes are good-aligned.

Fox hengeyokai
Fox hengeyokai are silent and smart. They also obtain the Scent ability (MM, p. 10) when in bipedal or animal form. This grants them a +8 bonus to their Wilderness Lore check when attempting to track using scent.
    Fox hengeyokai in human form either have pointed features and either reddish black hair or black hair with white tips. These white tips cannot be cut off, short of shaving the entire head, as they reappear shortly after being trimmed.
    Foxes tend toward evil in alignment.

Hare hengeyokai
Hares in bipedal or animal form can bludgeon with their feet, although the attack is usually ineffectual. They are particularly skilled at jumping and spotting however.
    In human form, hares have small noses that seem always to be twitching.
    Most hares tend toward goodness.

Monkey hengeyokai
Hengeyokai that are of the monkey race are usually mischievous in character. They are also adept at climbing and screeching to scare away enemies, in a pinch.
    Monkeys in human form have gangly arms longer than the average human.
    Monkey hengeyokai are often chaotic in alignment.

Pheasant hengeyokai
Pheasants tend to distinguish themselves according to sex.  Males are usually independent and ready to show off while females like to congregate in groups and be less "showy."  When in animal or bipedal form, they fly with an Average maneuverability.
    Male pheasants in human form usually prefer flashy clothing and sport a proud gait as well as a colorful (but short) feather in their hair.  Females dress rather drably and display their own interesting way of walking.
    Most pheasants tend favor the neutral alignments.
    This race is inspired by the Japanese folk tale of Momotaro, in which a boy born "from a peach" joined company with a monkey, dog, and pheasant to defeat a stronghold of oni.  Pheasant hengeyokai did not appear in the original Oriental Adventures, but it seems apparent that Momotaro was adventuring with hengeyokai.

Rat hengeyokai
Rat hengeyokai cannot transmit disease in bipedal or animal form unless they are actually infected by one. Although a rat in any form can contract a disease, he is allowed a second saving throw (if applicable) against nonmagical diseases (e.g., filth fever). If this saving throw is successful, the rat is merely a carrier of the disease but does not suffer its ill effects. He can then pass the disease onward. Rat hengeyokai will always know when they have a disease, though they may not know its type without further diagnosis through spells, etc.
    In human form they have small noses and beady eyes. Males often have moustaches.
    Rats are often evil in alignment.

Sparrow hengeyokai
Sparrow hengeyokai can fly at the listed speed while in animal or bipedal form with an Average maneuverability.
    Human-formed sparrows have telltale feathers in their hair like cranes and drakes. All forms are adept at singing.
    Sparrows tend toward the good alignments.

Tanuki hengeyokai
Tanuki look like a cross between a badger and a rat, with the size of the former. They are legendary in their exploits, as their cunning just tends to make up for their lack of good judgment.
    Tanuki in human form have moustaches if they are male and seem to smile even when they are not happy.
    Most tanuki are evil.

Spirit Folk

General Spirit folk are descendants of an ancient mixture of humans and spirits. As such, they appear to look exactly like humans but are actually the physical embodiment of a natural feature such as a bamboo grove or a body of water. Their life force is enhanced by this natural connection, although they suffer particularly when the specific feature to which they are connected is harmed.

Personality Spirit folks have personalities similar to that of their natural features. For example, river spirit folk are usually clam unless a flood is raging down their river, in which case they may become very excited and hard to calm. River spirit folk are similar in this way to those from the sea. Bamboo spirit folk are usually watchful and tend to be more reticent.

Physical description Most spirit folk are usually thin and rather beautiful in human eyes, although they display normal human diversity in body form. Men are always clean-shaven, and all have slender eyes and small mouths. They eyebrows are also thin, and they have pale or even golden complexions.

Relations Spirit folk are highly attuned to nature, and especially enamored by natural features similar to their own. They get along well with anyone who respects the natural world; and those that abuse it find themselves at the wrong end of a spirit folk's spear. In general however, spirit folk are on agreeable terms with hengeyokai, usually regardless of the latter's alignment. They also trade with korobokuru and humans.

Alignment Spirit folk have no restricted alignment, although most tend to be neutral or lawful.

Lands A spirit folk must be from an area that contains its natural feature. Each is specifically connected to a particular natural feature. Thus, a bamboo spirit folk must call as home a specific grove of bamboo and a river folk a specific river. Sea folk are usually at home in any saline body of water directly connected to their home sea or ocean, though if their body of water is huge, they usually have a specified locale in that ocean or sea from which they come.

Religion Spirit folk are very naturally inclined, and so worship deities of nature. Additionally, in the Asian world, the cosmos is split into a bureaucracy headed by various agents of the Celestial Emperor. For example, tigers are warded by a Tiger General, a monolithic-sized magical cat. Likewise, sea spirit folk pay homage to the Lord of the Sea. Bamboo folk revere the Lord of the Wood, and river folk the Lord of the Rivers. While they cannot gain in honor from the actions of their specific Lord, they are at his beck and call. Refusing such demands result in a loss of honor and natural disasters visited upon the character's family. Whenever conflicts exist between human and natural forces, spirit folk are expected to support the latter.

Language Spirit folk speak their own language (the same for all spirit folk), and that of humans. Bonus languages include korobokuru and hengeyokai. A spirit folk character may also be able to speak other languages, which are listed below in the individual descriptions for each spirit folk type.

Names Having at least a partly human ancestry, most spirit folk adopt human names, and so are not detailed here. Spirit folk do belong to a clan however, one which is tied to the specific natural feature from which the character comes.

Adventures Many larger spirit folk families ally among themselves and even with human samurai clans. As such, they are often called into service for one another. Furthermore, a threat to the natural feature from which a spirit folk is derived is extreme - its destruction kills all spirit folk connected to it. Thus, the family head may command members to venture forth and redress a wrong done to the family or natural feature, or prevent such a danger from manifesting. Besides these specific cases, spirit folk venture for all the normal reasons adventures take up their careers - honor, wealth, and so see beyond just the next bamboo grove.

Favored class A spirit folk's favored class is samurai, as most come from higher social classes.

Racial traits

• Darkvision: All spirit folk can see in the dark to 60'.
  
• Automatic languages: Spirit folk speak their own tongue (common to all spirit folk), and that of humans. Bonus languages include korobokuru and hengeyokai. According to their type, spirit folk may be able to choose among more languages; see below.
  
• Natural knowledge: Knowledge (Nature) is a class skill for all spirit folk.

Furthermore, each type of spirit folk has traits peculiar to it:

Bamboo spirit folk: Bamboo folk live near forests and jungles and are attuned to a specific grove of bamboo usually located deep within a forest.

Natural identity: Because of their magical nature, bamboo spirit folk obtain a +1 racial bonus when making saving throws against and magic that involves earth or wood; this includes, for example, flesh to stone, elemental burst (where the item bursting is made of stone or wood), and the like.

Natural knowledge: Spirit folk can add a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) skill checks when using it in regards to wooded and forested areas. This allows them to identify plants and animals peculiar to forests.

Natural step: A bamboo spirit folk can walk through a woods, forest, or grassland area and leave no trace (unless she specifically desires to do so). This makes any sort of tracking by sight or scent impossible. Additionally, any group including a spirit folk imposes a -4 penalty to track attempts.

Languages: Bamboo spirit folk speak their own and the human tongue. For bonus languages, they may also choose among hengeyokai, korobokuru, or any animal creature usually found in forests and woodlands. At fifth level and every five levels thereafter, a spirit folk can speak the languages of one more type of animal found in wooded areas.

Life force: The soul of a bamboo spirit folk is always secured by a specific grove of bamboo. If the grove is damaged, the character suffers a proportional amount of damage, and dies instantly if the grove is destroyed (she cannot be resurrected unless some remnant such as a seed of the grove is replanted and forms a new grove - a lengthy process). Normally, the grove can never be relocated, nor do shoots from the grove have any special effects, except in the extreme case of when a grove is (almost) entirely destroyed.

River spirit folk: These spirit folk are associated with a specific river or larger stream and usually live somewhere near it.

Aquatic identity: River spirit folk are highly aware of the forces of water; they obtain a +1 racial bonus to saving throws made against magic that involves water, such as elemental burst (where the item affected is a body of water), horrid wilting, and so on.

Aquatic knowledge: River spirit folk obtain a +2 racial bonus to Knowledge (nature) skill checks when the issue in question relates to freshwater and its immediate environs (e.g., identifying fish, rainfall patterns affecting a river, etc.).

Water affinity: A river spirit folk can swim at his normal movement speed normally. They are required to make Swim checks only in the most extreme of circumstances, such as when a normally aquatic creature would have to (e.g., to avoid being swept over a waterfall). Furthermore, river spirit folk can breathe any kind of fresh water, and when submerged in fresh water, all their equipment remains dry, although torches and lamps will be doused.

Masters of water: Once per day, a river spirit folk affect water with all the effects of a control water spell, although only it can only be used to lower water (not raise it). This spell is cast exactly as a sorcerer would cast it at the level of the character, although since it is a spell-like ability, it is not affected by an arcane spell chance from armor. The character needs no material component to use this ability, but must be able to vocalize and use somatic components normally.

Languages: River folk speak the spirit folk language and the tongue of humans. As for bonus languages, they can choose among hengeyokai, korobokuru, fishes, and the court language.

Life force: A river sprit folk has his life force tied to a specific flowing body of water. Water drawn from the river or diverted from its natural banks has no special effects on the character, but bathing in the body of water cures the character of all wounds and diseases instantly, albeit this ability can only be used once per day ("bathing" in this case means being immersed within). Droughts inflict 2d4 points of Constitution damage to the character per month, while raging floods actually raise his Constitution by 1d4, although Wisdom is reduced by 1d4 (minimum Wisdom in this case being 1) and alignment shifts one toward chaotic whenever in such a state (or one more step toward evil if already chaotic). Engineering projects like dams and diversion have the same effects as droughts. The effects of droughts, floods, and engineering cannot be alleviated until the body of water is restored in to its normal flow regime. A river spirit folk killed by one of these alterations to his home river cannot be returned to life (e.g., through a spell) until the body of water is restored.

Sea spirit folk: Sea spirit folk derive from large bodies of saline water. Although a sea folk character might call the entire ocean her "home," she usually frequents one specific locale of the whole. Most live on land near the sea, although there are tales of giant underwater palaces where the water is suspended overhead and all the denizens are sea spirit folk.

Aquatic identity: Due to the sheer size of the sea, sea spirit folk are not especially affected by fires and heat; as such, the obtain a +1 racial bonus to saving throws against magical and fire.

Water affinity: Sea spirit folk can swim at their normal movement rate. Only in extreme circumstances are they required to make Swim skill checks, such as would any normally aquatic creature trying to escape a whirlpool, for example. All their equipment on their person remains dry when submerged, but fires from torches and the like are extinguished. They can breathe any salt water.

Sea knowledge: Sea folk gain a +2 bonus to Knowledge (nature) skill checks when using it to answer questions relating to the sea, such as tidal schedules or types of fish.

Weather ken: Once per day a sea spirit folk can predict the weather for the next 24 hours. He must make a Wilderness lore skill check to do this with a DC equal to 10. Failed rolls result in no information. The character must be within 1 mile of the sea for this ability to work.

Languages: Sea spirit folk characters speak the spirit folk language and that of humans. They may choose among hengeyokai, korobokuru, the court language, and language of the sea lords (known by most intelligent creatures living in the sea) for bonus languages.

Life force: Owing to the vastness of their natural feature, sea spirit folk are not affected by storms, droughts, and the like. Once a year however (and no less than six months apart), each can make a specific request of the Lord of the Sea such as a violent storm or smooth sailing, or the return of a specific (unattended) item from the ocean's depths. The request must be specific (e.g., "a storm over the village Taidai Kaze," not "destruction of all the ships in the harbor"). If the appeal is opposed by a contrary request from another sea spirit folk, the effects cancel each other and the opportunity for requesting is "spent" for both characters.

The specific results of the request must be adjudicated by the DM, and owing to a contrary desire by the Lord of the Sea, may be refused entirely. Generally, characters with high honor and in good standing with the Lord are granted their favors, and those that are not lose their requests for the current year. If the honor of a sea spirit folk character ever reaches 85, the Lord of the Sea bestows a gift upon her. This gift can only be given when the character is close to the sea, but is usually a valuable magical item related to the ocean, such as a pearl of rising tide. Repayment is not expected.

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