#kami-kiri

[farewell-to-lorien]

The Bakemono Zukushi “Monster” Scroll (18th–19th century), unknown artist.

[thecreaturecodex]

Kami-kiri

Image from the Hyakki Zukan, by Sawaki Suushi. Accessed via the Yokai Wiki

[I have used the kami-kiri in game, albeit as a plot device and not a combat encounter. One was given as a pet to the PCs, with the intention of revealing that the kitsune in the party was a shapeshifter. Incidentally, when I described it as looking “like a cross between a bird and a crab”, everyone imagined a much cuter version than the one that actually appears in picture scrolls.]

Kami-kiri CR 1/2 N Aberration This bizarre little creature is roughly humanoid with a carapace like an insect’s. Its head is fringed with hair and bears a thin beak, and its arms end in scissor-like claws.

Kami-kiri are strange pests that feed on hair. Members of a household, their pets and livestock are all subject to humiliating attacks—the creature sneaks up on an unsuspecting victim, slices off their hair as close to the roots as it can get, and then makes off with its prize. Most kami-kiri feed mostly on sleeping prey, but especially audacious ones may attack at any time. Kami-kiri are not particularly violent creatures, and are more likely to run than fight back if their feeding activities are responded to with violence.

Kami-kiri have an unusual hatred for shapeshifters of any kind and go out of their way to thwart the efforts of these parasites on mortal society. Since they are relatively weak and cannot speak, however, such actions are typically limited to cutting things—hair, clothing, tapestries, anything that would get attention. A household that is especially prone to kami-kiri attacks may be one that hosts a guest in mortal guise.

A kami-kiri stands two feet tall and weighs 20 pounds. A kami-kiri can learn languages by spending ranks in the Linguistics skill. A 3rd-level spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat and at least one neutral component to her alignment can choose a kami-kiri as a familiar.

Ami-kiri Larger cousins of the kami-kiri, ami-kiri appear very similar, except that they possess a snake-like tail instead of lower legs and can soar through the air. Ami-kiri prefer the taste of fabric to that of hair, and are fond of cutting fishing nets and clothing off of drying lines. An ami-kiri is a kami-kiri with the giant simple template and a fly speed of 40 feet (good maneuverability) instead of a climb speed. Ami-kiri gain Flyby Attack as a bonus feat. Ami-kiri have a CR of 1

Kami-kiri CR ½ XP 200 N Small aberration Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +4, smell shapechangers Defense AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +2 natural) hp 9 (2d8) Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +3 Offense Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee 2 claws +2 (1d3) Statistics Str 10, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 11 Feats Stealthy Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +8, Escape Artist +7, Perception +4, Stealth +11 Languages Common (cannot speak) SQ metal claws Ecology Environment urban Organization solitary, pair or nest (3-8) Treasure half standard Special Abilities Metal Claws (Ex) A kami-kiri ignores hardness when attacking objects with a hardness of 5 or less. Objects with a hardness of 6 or higher are treated as having their full hardness against attacks made by a kami-kiri. Smell Shapechangers (Su) This functions as the scent ability, except that it only functions when used to detect creatures using magic of the polymorph subschool, the change shape special ability or a similar effect to have the shape of a body not their own. This does not detect creatures that have disguised themselves using illusion magic or mundane disguises.