[oWoD] How to simulate a Kuei-Jin?

[Jeivar]

Me and my group are in the planning stages for a character-driven game of Vampire: The Masquerade. Since the idea is they will be playing ignorant neonates or even Caitiff I thought it might be fun to throw a Kuei-Jin at them at some point. Y'know, something the players themselves are ignorant about and sidesteps the "Okay, he's a Lasombra, I should be vary of THESE disciplines..." issue.

Keep in mind that the only info I have on the Kuei-Jin comes from the Bloodlines video game and little snippets gleamed on tvtropes.
I don't want to buy Kindred of the East just for the sake of an NPC or two, but I also want to be fair towards the players regarding the KJ's powers.

So could some kind person give me a brief summary of how to simulate one of these guys?
I guess I just need to understand the basics of how they function: Physical attributes, needs and weaknesses, and how to simulate whatever powers would be relevant in hostile dealings with Cainites. Stealth, combat, healing, any augmented senses or travel-related abilities.

And for that matter, just what the heck are they doing in America and how might one come into contact with the Kindred? Do they involve in typical underworld/power play business?

[Driderman]

Me and my group are in the planning stages for a character-driven game of Vampire: The Masquerade. Since the idea is they will be playing ignorant neonates or even Caitiff I thought it might be fun to throw a Kuei-Jin at them at some point. Y'know, something the players themselves are ignorant about and sidesteps the "Okay, he's a Lasombra, I should be vary of THESE disciplines..." issue.

Keep in mind that the only info I have on the Kuei-Jin comes from the Bloodlines video game and little snippets gleamed on tvtropes.
I don't want to buy Kindred of the East just for the sake of an NPC or two, but I also want to be fair towards the players regarding the KJ's powers.

So could some kind person give me a brief summary of how to simulate one of these guys?
I guess I just need to understand the basics of how they function: Physical attributes, needs and weaknesses, and how to simulate whatever powers would be relevant in hostile dealings with Cainites. Stealth, combat, healing, any augmented senses or travel-related abilities.

And for that matter, just what the heck are they doing in America and how might one come into contact with the Kindred? Do they involve in typical underworld/power play business?

It's been a while, but as far as I remember Kuei-Jin doesn't necessarily feed on blood, but on "life-force". This could be blood, or flesh, or "other bodily fluids" (if you catch my meaning) and more experienced Kuei-Jin can draw nourishment from just breath. Also, depending on what the feed on, Kuei-Jin will often be Yin or Yang focused and with enough imbalance they migh even seem vibrantly alive, or much deader than their Cainite counterparts.

The thing with Kuei-Jin is that the aren't some random embrace, they are spirits returned to live again until they become enlightened enough to escape the Great Cycle. Imagine, if you will, a cross between a buddhist and a wraith.
As for why they would be in the States, California at least has a token presence of Kuei-Jin according to the splatbooks and, and more are coming every day. Much like their Cainite counterparts, Kuei-Jin involve themselves with various power structures, their reasons are just usually even more obscure than the Cainites.

[hiryuu]

They're trying to reach "enlightenment," though what that is happens to be different for different ones. Some are nice guys. Some believe that only by being absolute jerks can they find redemption.

Notable powers include: turning into a giant oni demon monster, shooting green fire from their eyes or mouth, their version of Celerity also lets them get bonuses to brawl, whip people with blood, extend their arms and legs, tell the Beast to sit down, and they can potentially learn Werewolf rites and feed by just standing in a Caern (from a werewolf perspective, they'd probably detect as banes, though in practice, it's more like they punched a bane until it agreed to let them come back to life).

[Jeivar]

It's been a while, but as far as I remember Kuei-Jin doesn't necessarily feed on blood, but on "life-force". This could be blood, or flesh, or "other bodily fluids" (if you catch my meaning) and more experienced Kuei-Jin can draw nourishment from just breath. Also, depending on what the feed on, Kuei-Jin will often be Yin or Yang focused and with enough imbalance they migh even seem vibrantly alive, or much deader than their Cainite counterparts.


So eating flesh makes them collect Yang and seem corpse-like?



Notable powers include: turning into a giant oni demon monster, shooting green fire from their eyes or mouth, their version of Celerity also lets them get bonuses to brawl, whip people with blood, extend their arms and legs, tell the Beast to sit down, and they can potentially learn Werewolf rites and feed by just standing in a Caern (from a werewolf perspective, they'd probably detect as banes, though in practice, it's more like they punched a bane until it agreed to let them come back to life).

Thanks, but do they power their abilities with chi points like Cainites use blood points? And how many points can they hold at a time?
Also, do they soak damage like Cainites and have a similar vulnerability to Aggravated damage?
And since you mentioned the Beast, do they frenzy when in danger or angry?
Could you maybe give me a rough description of what abilities they have in giant monster form? (it sounds like fun)
Like I said, I know nothing about them and this is the kind of stuff I need. :smallsmile:

[hiryuu]

Ok!

It shouldn't hurt anything to use blood points, but they can spend them it two ways. They can spend them on a "death" aspect that turns them pale like Kindred who aren't using Blush of Life, or a life aspect that lets them look like normal people and... walk around in the daylight with a parasol and sunglasses.

Kuei-jin have a "P'o" that is much more nuanced than the Kindred's beast. It turning on, rather than sending them into Frenzy, can make them super depressed and incapable of seeing the point in anything, or any other kind of extreme "negative" emotion, depending on the type - this is the dark part of their soul, the part that was being turned into a demon while they were in the underworld and that they had to steal in order to sneak back to the world of the living.

As you build your demon form, each dot gives you a "feature," like a tentacle, extra eyes, wings, or something like that. The section literally says "be creative." It's important to keep you P'o's nature in mind when building its appearance. Also, it can change as you change. Once fight with a Kuei-jin's demon form might be totally different if they undergo a major change or forward step in their Dharma (or put another dot in).

Some abilities cost more chi than others, but the amount of chi you can spend is limited per turn. This has the side effect of a Kueijin having the "charge up" powerful attacks or disciplines.

Now you gotta make me pull out the book. Kuei can't make blood bonds, nor can they be bonded. They soak damage just like Kindred and are even vulnerable to fire.

Ooh, at very high levels of Dharma they don't even have to drink anything anymore and can just suck chi right out of the ground. At low levels of Dharma they -have- to eat flesh. I would imagine they keep them secret until such time as they can drink blood. Also, there is no rapture in their kiss. It always feels like being violated.

[Jeivar]

*Snip*


Thanks. I also found a site with a summary of the Kuei-Jin disciplines, and I can use that to simulate the character/s I have in mind. But how much chi can a Kuei-Jin store at once and how quickly can they replenish it by feeding?
I realize the maximum points will vary depending on power, but I'm thinking of a character a coterie of neonates have a fair chance against, not an ancient deathmonster.

[Driderman]

Thanks. I also found a site with a summary of the Kuei-Jin disciplines, and I can use that to simulate the character/s I have in mind. But how much chi can a Kuei-Jin store at once and how quickly can they replenish it by feeding?
I realize the maximum points will vary depending on power, but I'm thinking of a character a coterie of neonates have a fair chance against, not an ancient deathmonster.

On average, a "neonate" Kuei-Jin is more powerful, but not exceedingly so, than a standard Cainite neonate.
Don't overcomplicate it for yourself though, if you just give the Kuei-Jin a pool of "Chi" roughly equal to a bloodpool and decide on a handful of powers that it can use and the stats/costs for those, you should be fine. Maybe give the powers funky, oriental sounding names (Flaming Oni Head Technique!) that the Kuei-Jin refer to in the heat of battle ;)

If you need more input, there should be a lot of inspiration here:
http://whitewolf.wikia.com/wiki/Kuei-jin

[comicshorse]

And for that matter, just what the heck are they doing in America and how might one come into contact with the Kindred? Do they involve in typical underworld/power play business?

By canon in OWoD the Kue-Jin were planning to invade america and wipe out the Kindred and I think occupied San Francisco and LA already. So Kue-Jin could range from occupying forces, spies or diplomats from more moderate Kue-Jin factions
And yes the Kue-Jin like taking control of mortal power structures as much as Kindred so they could be tied up with the Triads or the Yakuza or more subtly there as part of a corporation. Both of which options can easily lead to conflict with the PCs as they try to take business (wether legal or illegal) away from them