Original adventure used a yukka-onna – a type of white lady ghost undead. I replaced her with a Five Storm Wind/Ice oni named Rimiko. The fight had two phases with the second phase potentially triggering a dominated kami but my PCs stopped the ritual before that happened. This was the boss fight that ended the adventure. The combat zone I used is also included. Due to the discorporation trait she re-appears in the next adventure – Ruby Phoenix Tournament. I took some inspiration from Shiva from FFX for her abilities.
Part of the Hungry Storm adventure (a combination of Hungry Storm with Frozen Wind).
RIMIKO of the Five Storms (Phase I)
Wind/Ice Yai
Huge fiend (oni), neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (a gale)
Hit Points 123 (13d12 + 39) [scratch: 256]
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws DEX +3, CON +6, WIS +4, CHA +7
Skills arcana +5, deception +8, perception +4
Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t jade
Damage Immunities cold
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Draconic, Kami, Giant, Oni, Sylvan, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Demon Blood Magic. Rimiko’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). The wind yai can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: darkness, invisibility, detect magic, fog cloud, light
- 3/day each: feather fall, misty step, telekinesis
- 1/day each: charm person, breath of frost (cone of cold), control weather, gaseous form, meld into ice (as meld into stone, except it only works on ice), sleep
Cold Aura. Rimiko radiates an aura of intense cold. All creatures within 5 feet of the undead monster take 3 (1d6) points of cold damage.
Discorporation. Unless killed using a special weapon – like a mortal blade or a jade enchanted weapon – a destroyed wind yai turns into black smoke before dissipating. It gains a new body in 1d10 years, regaining all her hit points and becoming active again. However, Anumaramon may allow her to come back after 1d10 days.
Magic Resistance. Rimiko has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Rimiko’s weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. Rimiko regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Snow Vision. Rimiko can see perfectly well in snowy conditions and does not suffer any penalties to perception while in snow.
Heart of the Hungry Strom. Rumiko has invested much of her power over the years into her scheme to take over the monastery and create a permanent storm. This binds her to the frost gem. Attacking either damages Rumiko in phase I, and when Rumiko reaches 0 hit points or fewer, the gem is also destroyed. The gem’s defences (AC and saving throws) are identical to the spirit of winter’s, and the gem has resist all. Destruction of either triggers phase II as Rumiko sees her plans undone, she tires one desperate gambit – to take control of the monasteries kami and kill these samurai.
Actions
Multiattack. Rimiko makes two attacks with her kanabo.
Claw (Oni Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Quality Kanabo. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, or 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage in Small or Medium form.
Freezing Kiss. The wind yai kisses a creature charmed by it or a willing creature. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 32 (5d10 + 5) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Heavenly Strike (1/Day). Rimiko encases her target in ice. Any creature within line of sight up to 30 feet away must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified as they are incased in ice. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to freeze and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic. Once a creature is petrified Rimiko snaps her fingers and the ice explodes causing 7 (2d6) cold damage to the target and all creatures within a 10-foot sphere not encased in ice.
Change Shape. Rimiko magically polymorphs into a Small or Medium humanoid, into a Large giant, or back into its true form. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. The only equipment that is transformed is its glaive, which shrinks so that it can be wielded in humanoid form. If the wind yai dies, it reverts to its true form, and its glaive reverts to its normal size.
Reactions
Kiss of Death. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of Rimiko is charmed by her or incapacitated she may use her reaction to perform a Freezing Kiss.
Legendary Actions
Rimiko can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The wind yai regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
- Cast a Spell. Rimiko casts a spell.
- Shocking Missile. Rimiko can fire a bolt of electricity from her third eye. The target must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw (if the target is wearing metal armor, they have disadvantage on the die roll). This attack has a range of 180 feet and deals 14 (4d6) thunder and lightning damage. Upon being struck by this attack, the target must make a DC 15 Constitution save or be deafened for 1 minute and pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone. On a successful save the target is pushed by 5 feet, not deafened or knocked prone.
- Roaring Gale (Costs 2 Actions). Rimiko selects a point within sight on which to conjure a violent updraft, violently flinging her opponents into the air. Each creature in a 10 foot sphere must make a DC 18 Strength or Dexterity saving throw or be hurled 1d6 × 10 feet straight up, and lands prone in a spot 1d4 × 5 feet from its original position, on a success the targets only take 3 (1d6) cold damage. She selects the direction she wishes to throw her victims, and may select a different direction for each victim, though each must be thrown in a straight line. Creatures take falling damage for any impacts while traveling up or down in this way; if a creature collides with an object during its sideways movement, both the creature and the object take 1d6 points of damage and the creature is knocked prone in the space adjacent to the obstacle. If all targets, make their saving throw then the legendary actions are not used up.
RIMIKO of the Five Storms (Phase II)
Wind Yai
Huge fiend (oni), neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (a failing gale)
Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96) 400
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
27 (+8) 11 (+0) 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 18 (+4)
Saving Throws CON +10, WIS +7, CHA +7
Skills arcana +5, deception +8, perception +4
Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t jade
Damage Immunities cold
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Draconic, Kami, Giant, Oni, Sylvan, Telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Discorporation. Unless killed using a special weapon – like a mortal blade or a jade enchanted weapon – a destroyed wind yai turns into black smoke before dissipating. It gains a new body in 1d10 years, regaining all her hit points and becoming active again. However, Anumaramon may allow her to come back after 1d10 days.
Elemental Surge (1/Day). When Rimiko hits a target with frost kanabo it does maximum damage (32 cold damage).
Snow Vision. Rimiko can see perfectly well in snowy conditions and does not suffer any penalties to perception while in snow.
Actions
Multiattack. Rimiko makes two frost kanabo attacks.
Claw (Oni Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Frost Kanabo. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) cold damage and the target is pushed back 10 feet. The target is immobilized until the end of Rimiko’s next turn.
Bolt of Frost. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target.
Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) bludgeoning and cold damage and the target’s space and all adjacent spaces (within 5 feet) become difficult terrain until the end of Rimiko’s next turn.
Swirling Blizzard (1/Day). All creatures in a 20 foot sphere that Rimiko chooses within line of sight must make a DC 15 Dexterity or Constitution saving throw or take 16 (2d8 + 9) cold damage and lose 10 feet of movement until the end of their next turn or half damage on a successful save.
Change Shape. Rimiko magically polymorphs into a Small or Medium humanoid, into a Large giant, or back into its true form. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. The only equipment that is transformed is its glaive, which shrinks so that it can be wielded in humanoid form. If the wind yai dies, it reverts to its true form, and its glaive reverts to its normal size.
Reaction
Frost Shield. When hit by an attack that is not fire based, Rimiko may raise an icy shield that gives +4 to her AC until the end of her next turn.
Only use phase two version if phase 1 was too easy.
COMBAT ZONE – THE STORM’S HEART
Setup
This encounter takes place when the PCs first interact with the gemstone at the top of the ruined pagoda. The Rimiko comes forth from the gemstone to defend it.
- Rimiko of the Five Storms (Air/Ice)
When the PCs trigger the gemstone, read:
The gemstone pulses with blue light and a wave of energy knocks you back. A thin stream of white mist issues forth from the centre of the sapphire, coalescing into the form of a beautiful woman – despite the fact she has three eyes and fangs – the same woman depicted throughout the monastery. Thick mist rolls off her technicoloured robe, congealing the air into heavy frost that clings to everything nearby. She regards you with contempt and says “This is what Anumaramon fears – a half frozen boy and his ronin? A little bit of cold has almost killed them. Give me the boy and the Amatatsu seal and you are free to go. I promise you the boy will not be harmed while under my care”.
Assuming the PCs don’t agree.
She sighs as a storm begins to coalesce around her and she begins to rise into the air. “A pity, but you will all make fine ice sculptures if nothing else”. The sapphire continues to crackle with energy, the blue light pulsing rhythmically, as if it were the beating heart.
Tactics
Rimiko is now fool and stays in the air for most of the battle as needed. She does focus her attacks on anyone targeting the Heart of the Hungry Storm (sapphire). Perhaps the most dangerous tactic available to her is to try and position herself so that her shocking missile includes one or more characters who are within 10 feet of the tower’s edge. A fall from the top of the tower deals 3d6 bludgeoning damage.
Rimiko does not pursue PCs who retreat back into the tower – she is happy for the weather or her minions to kill them. However, if the PCs completely disengage, Rimiko may enter the gemstone, where she gains regeneration 20, meaning that she needs less than a minute to become fully healed. (She cannot use this tactic as long as there are PC combatants on the roof of the tower.)
Features of the Area
Illumination: Bright light.
Rubble: The indicated squares on the map are filled with broken shards of ice and stone. These squares are treated as difficult terrain.
Choke Frost: This light, white mist surrounds the gem out to 10 feet and congeals into thick ice as creatures or other sources of heat move through it. While a creature is in the choke frost their speed is halved. As a move action, a creature can negate this penalty. Creatures that are resistant or immune to cold are immune to this effect.
Development
Once the PCs have defeated Rimiko, the magical prison of ice shatters and collapses. Read the following:
Rimiko clutches her chest and howls in agony. A spiderweb of tiny cracks spreads across the sapphire’s surface. Moments later, the next pulse of blue energy surges forward from the gemstone, but its structure is no longer able to contain the elemental forces. The sapphire explodes, tiny shards scattering in all directions. Rimiko’s form wavers and blurs momentarily before she regains her composure, shoots you a baleful look and flees deeper into the monastery.
The sky above the tower begins to grow lighter as the grey clouds scatter and disperse. The swirling snow stops falling and the howling of the chill wind falls silent for the first time since you set foot on Kochiyama-san. The world appears suddenly peaceful, as if nature recognizes that its proper course has been restored.
Move to phase 2 when the PCs are ready – but be aware she will dominate the kami in 10 minutes.
Treasure
A bundled Jizu statue (wondrous item that can be used to cast raise dead once). “Small Shintao effigy bound in red cloth. Raise in prayer between one’s palms to restore a dead hero to life. To enswathe a Jizo statue is to express feelings of parental love. The bundle of cloth is to at least ensure that the little one goes on in peace.”
Description
Dressed all in white, with pale skin and hair of white, this enchantingly beautiful woman smiles wickedly into the snowy night.
The yuki-onna are ancient spirits of the snow and ice. Typically, evil and cruel, these creatures wear the form of a beautiful woman. Most yuki-onna are tied to a single geographic area, such as a forest or mountain. Some of these, in areas of lasting cold, employ lesser oni as minions and maintain small mountain estates, in imitation of human nobles. Others merely haunt their territories, working mischief as it suits them. While popular romances tell of yuki-onna who fall in love with mortal men, such occurrences are rare. More often, a yuki-onna spares a man only when she perceives she might gain some advantage. While the majority of yuki-onna are now evil, they were not always so. Some speculate they came under the power of yama-uba, mountain hags in league with the oni. Regardless of how it happened, the yukionna are allies of the oni and have, as a race, rejected their celestial roots. They actively work to torment their kami kin; at least until it is clear the oni truly have the upper hand in their war against humanity.