Eastern Mythology: Name Dropping

[Crasical]

For a while, I've been considering making an Asian Totemist style character. I want to refluff the soulmelds to reference eastern legendary creatures instead of the normal assortment of DnD magical beasts, though.

Does anyone have a good resource for looking up such legends? a 'short list' for easily identifiable, interesting monsters? A few of your particular favorites? I'm especially looking for chinese monsters.

[Twilightwyrm]

Though they were made for 3.0, Oriental Adventures has quite a few of the classics. Others are in fact scattered throughout the various Monster Manuals and Fiend Folio (The Rakshasa from MM1, and the Kirin from Fiend Folio, come to mind), but as for a short list of Asian mythical creatures...well that is a bit more difficult. "Asia", as a term, is rather broad. Were you thinking just East Asia, a la Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea, etc.? Or were you also looking at India, Burma, Myanmar, and others from this region, or indeed, going so far as Pakistan and others from that region? Either way, you're liable to have trouble finding a comprehensive list of such creatures for "Asia", and then when you do, you are likely to notice a great deal of overlap from culture to culture (Especially in East Asia, where China was the hegemonic center of learning and influence for most of its history). A google search gives this website: http://www.himmapan.com/himmapan_creatures.html
But a truly comprehensive list would likely be difficult to find.

[Waker]

Easy lists? The lazy option would be to just list links to Wikipedia.
China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology#Mythical_creatures)
Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures_from_Japan)
Korea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Korean_legendary_creatures)
India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hindu_legendary_creatures)

Man, that was a lot easier than digging through my books and typing it up.

[Crasical]

Though they were made for 3.0, Oriental Adventures has quite a few of the classics. Others are in fact scattered throughout the various Monster Manuals and Fiend Folio (The Rakshasa from MM1, and the Kirin from Fiend Folio, come to mind), but as for a short list of Asian mythical creatures...well that is a bit more difficult. "Asia", as a term, is rather broad. Were you thinking just East Asia, a la Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea, etc.? Or were you also looking at India, Burma, Myanmar, and others from this region, or indeed, going so far as Pakistan and others from that region? Either way, you're liable to have trouble finding a comprehensive list of such creatures for "Asia", and then when you do, you are likely to notice a great deal of overlap from culture to culture (Especially in East Asia, where China was the hegemonic center of learning and influence for most of its history). A google search gives this website: http://www.himmapan.com/himmapan_creatures.html
But a truly comprehensive list would likely be difficult to find.

I did touch briefly on this in the opening post, but specifically East Asian, Especially Chinese, with some of the especially iconic Indian or Japanese creatures.

Yes, I am aware that I am bundling in 'the east' as one giant homogenous culture, and that does disrespect to the depth and variance of those nations, but often as not the far east -is- bundled together in fiction. Hell, look at Azure City, it's a messy blend of Chinese and Japanese with Korean and Vietnamese names. To an extent, I think I can get away with some creative blending, even though I'd like to go with Chinese as my primary inspiration.


Easy lists? The lazy option would be to just list links to Wikipedia.
China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology#Mythical_creatures)
Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_legendary_creatures_from_Japan)
Korea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Korean_legendary_creatures)
India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hindu_legendary_creatures)

Man, that was a lot easier than digging through my books and typing it up.

The 'short list' I was asking for was 'your particular favorites', basically. Any that you personally like or think are cool. Yes, obviously, I can pick through the Wikipedia lists and the list of soulmelds and try and match them up as best as I can, but I wanted to hear a gut instinct 'I know of these monsters and I think they are cool' reaction, if people had one.

[Honest Tiefling]

I think Azure City (and a few in a flashback) were purposefully vague to make fun of the idea. And you did specifically say Chinese.

But here's a question, why monsters? I am not good with Incarnum, but the Zodiac might be a good place to start, and has 12 (13 with the cat) bases to work from.

Personally, the only Chinese monsters/animals I'm really familiar with are:

The Jiangshi, which probably doesn't work. (Its undead-ish)
The dragon is well...Duh.
The phoenix also appears, but I'll be darned if I know the significance of it.
Pretty sure the turtle is important from ancient customs of using their shells for divination.

[Helluin]

Being Asian myself I do have a few monsters on the top of my head that, IMO, scream either "Chinese" or "Japanese". However I'm not that familiar with Incarnum so I'm not entirely sure if these monster are valuable in terms of refluffing your soulmelds.

First off, there is the Nine-tailed Fox from Asian mythology, one of my personal favorites. There are also particularly renown nine-tailed fox entities known as Daji and Tamamo-no-Mae in Chinese and Japanese mythology, respectively. Basically they are powerful enchantresses who (sometimes divinely ordained to) bewitch emperors and bring dooms to dynasties.

(And then there's the nine-headed snake and nine-headed bird...)

Another one of my favorite is the Taotie (which literally means gluttony) from Chinese mythology.

It should be pretty easy to find info regarding the above monsters on wikipedia

Edit:Last but not least there are the four symbols/sacred beasts:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Symbols_(China)

[Honest Tiefling]

Oh, and I forgot the Kirin!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin

[Red Fel]

Most of my specialization comes from Japanese folklore, so my help on a short-list will be limited.

Instead of a Chimera, you could use the Japanese Nue, which is very similar, an amalgamation of many monsters.

If you're looking for a spirit representing mischief or shapechanging, you could use the Tanuki (although be warned about its particular anatomical tendencies). The fox spirit Kitsune, as well as its previously-mentioned nine-tailed incarnations, makes a very good spirit of forests/mysticism/magic. For a river spirit, try the Kappa, a turtle-like creature known to bedevil travelers.

If you're looking for something more ethereal, try the Baku, a monstrous eater of nightmares. (Not to be confused with the Baku in MMII.) For something ice-related, try the Yuki-Onna, a specter of a wailing woman who leads men to death in the frost. For something spider-like, consider the Tsuchigumo, a monstrous spider demon which feeds on people.

For something more legendary, while still a monster, you could go for the Yamato-no-Orochi, a massive dragon-like serpent with nine heads and nine tails (representing the flood season).

I do have a few references outside of Japanese culture that you can borrow. In the Chinese classic Journey to the West, people were introduced to the iconic figure of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. If you don't want to use a single mythic figure for a soulmeld, you can make it a bit more generic - say the Stone Monkey, and describe it as the indefatigable curiosity and eagerness of the mountain monkeys, particularly epitomized by the Vanara. You could also easily employ the creatures of the Chinese Zodiac, simply by choosing the animal and a distinguishing characteristic, and then using its Chinese name. For instance, a soulmeld based on the Boar could give a bonus to bull rush and lend its stubbornness to help resist bull rush, and call it by its chinese name, "Steady Feet of Zhou."

You could also whip open a copy of OA and take your pick.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Wait... I thought the Yamato-no-Orochi had 8 heads :smallconfused:

[Red Fel]

Wait... I thought the Yamato-no-Orochi had 8 heads :smallconfused:

Whoops, yeah. Eight heads, eight tails, symbolizing the flooding of the Hii River region. The idea being that the eight heads/tails symbolized... I think it was eight branches of the river which caused great destruction during the floods (the heads) but great flourishing after they had passed (the tails) or something like that.

It's been awhile since I read this stuff.