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OA BESTIARY: GAKI

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GAKI

Gaki are minor undead spirits, the spirits of wicked mortals who return to the world of the living in the form of horrible monsters as punishment for their sins. Gaki come in four dis- tinct varieties: the vampiric jiki-ketsu-gaki, the ghoulish jiki- niku-gaki, the disease-ridden shikki-gaki, and the fiery shinen- gaki. Although they differ in appearance and abilities, they are all dangerously hateful and share a monstrous appetite.

All gaki speak the languages they knew in life (at least Common). With the exception of the jiki-ketsu-gaki, however, gaki generally communicate only in grunts and moans.

COMBAT

For all their differences, gaki have certain qualities in common.

Medium undead (shapechanger, yokai), chaotic evil
Armour Class 13
Hit Points 36 (8d8)
Speed 30 ft., fly (hover) 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)

Damage Resistances necrotic
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Any language known in life, at a minimum Spirit Tongue
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
TRAITS          

Alternate Form.  All gaki can transform themselves into the form of an insect.

Ethereal Sight. The yokai can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.

Innate Spellcasting. The gakki’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.

Regeneration.  The gaki regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn so long as it has at least 1 hit point.

ACTIONS          
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature.
Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

JIKI-NIKU-GAKI

Jiki-niku-gaki are the corrupted spirits of humanoids who were guilty of excessive avarice in their former lives. Greedy merchants and miserly moneylenders often become these ghoulish, repulsive monsters. A jiki-niku-gaki resembles a jiki-ketsu-gaki, but its skin is pallid, dry, and flaking. These ghoulish creatures feed on humanoid flesh.

Jiki-niku-gaki attack with their slashing claws and teeth, attempting to slay their victims as quickly as possible. They carry slain victims into the wilderness to eat them, often retreating from combat with their kills if possible. These foul creatures prefer to ambush victims under the cover of darkness, but their obsessive hunger compels them to attack virtually any opponent they encounter, regardless of circumstances.

SHIKKI-GAKI

Most shikki-gaki are the corrupted spirits of irresponsible healers or negligent servants. A few were once Small nature spirits that inhabited mushrooms or other fungi sprouting from the trunks of decaying trees. These nature spirits completely succumbed to their evil aspects, developing a taste for bluebirds or butterflies.  A shikki-gaki is a bony humanoid with pitted and decayed skin, the ghoulish facial features of a jikki-niku-gaki, and blunt, rotted teeth.

Mushroom Form.  Shikki-gaki that are transformed nature spirits spend daylight hours in the form of an oversize (1-foot-tall) mushroom. The mushroom conceals itself in a cave or other dark place where it sleeps all day, snoring loudly.  In mushroom form, the shikki-gaki cannot move, attack, or respond in any other way, and it is vulnerable to all attacks that normally affect gaki.  Additionally, it can be destroyed in this form by being doused with a dipper of hot soup or salt water.

SHINEN-GAKI

Often created from the spirit of a traitorous or cowardly soldier, a shinen-gaki is the spirit of a wicked humanoid. It resembles a hovering ball of flame, usually bright red, blue, white, or yellow. A dark spot near the center of the fiery ball’s surface serves as its eyes, but no other features distinguish it. The gaki burns and consumes any living creature it encounters. Shinen-gaki are most commonly encountered at night, on lonely roads or in woods. The strange light they give off attracts curious victims. When a victim draws close, the shinen-gaki ignites the surrounding area, attempting to trap the character in a circle of flame.

Burn. Those hit by a shinen-gaki’s tendril take an additional 1d6 fire damage and must succeed at a Dexterity save (DC 13) or catch fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move- equivalent action to put out the flame.  Creatures hitting a shinen-gaki with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the gaki’s attack, and also catch fire unless they succeed at a Dexterity save.

Fire Subtype. Fire immunity, cold vulnerability.

JIKI-KETSU-GAKI

Jiki-ketsu-gaki are the spirits of corrupted shamans, monks, or other holy individuals who were guilty of heresy in life. They are gaunt humanoids with dark and greasy flesh, sharp yellow fangs, clawed hands, and deep-set, bloodshot eyes. They are the most intelligent of all gaki, as well as the most talkative—they actually communicate in normal speech. They feed on humanoid blood.  Jiki-ketsu-gaki attack with clawed hands and sharp teeth, hoping to suck the blood from as many victims as possible.

Musical. The jiki-ketsu-gaki is a gifted performer it has double proficiency bonus granting a +4 to its Performance skill.

Vampiric Bite. In addition to its normal bite damage the jiki-ketsu-gaki does an additional 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the jiki-ketsu-gaki regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Hypnotism.  A jiki-ketsu-gaki often carries a biwa, a stringed instrument resembling a lute. It can use this instrument to cause creatures within 30 feet to become fascinated by the music. The creatures to be fascinated must be able to hear the gaki’s music, though they need not be able to see the gaki (a gaki often plays while invisible). The gaki makes a Perform check, and the target can negate the effect with a Wisdom saving throw equal to or greater than the check result. If any creature makes a successful saving throw, the gaki cannot attempt to hypnotise that creature again for 24 hours. Creatures that fail their saving throws stop, stare blankly, and listen to the song for as long as the gaki plays and concentrates, plus 2 additional rounds after the music stops.  While hypnotised, the target’s disadvantage on Perception checks. Any potential threat allows the hypnotised creature a second saving throw against a new Perform check result. Any obvious threat automatically breaks the effect. This is a spell-like, mind- affecting compulsion ability.

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