Oni

Oni

Oni
NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1-6
SIZE: Medium (5-8')
HIT DICE: 10d8
MOVE: 40 
ARMOR CLASS: 16 
NO. of ATTACKS:  2
DAMAGE:  1d10 (fists); 1d12 (Iron Club), 1d8 (bite)
SPECIAL: Spells (cone of cold, burning hands, polymorph, stone spikes, gaseous form, sleet storm, speak with animals and various others)
SAVES:  Physical

INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil
TYPE:  Humanoid
ORGANIZATION: Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
EXPERIENCE: 2,500 

Though I have never met one in person (yet), I have heard many tales of the Oni, an Ogre-like creature from lands to the East. Kolobok himself spent many days in those lands, and the cudgel he carries is in fact the leg bone of one of these vicious creatures. According to him, an Oni is a fearsome foe, being well versed in the ways of barbaric combat. However, being more intelligent than the simple Ogres we know in Grayrealm, Oni make use of magicks as well. The novice adventurer beware! No two Oni looks exactly alike, but typically an Oni has horns (usually one or two, but some can have up to five or six), wield spiked iron clubs, and wear tiger skin loincloths. Also, Oni can have a variety of skin colors, though most are red or blue, with black, green, and purple Oni being more rare. I have been told by some that Oni have a curious fear, or at least dislike, of monkeys, and thus farmers who live on the border of the forest in lands to the East will erect monkey shrines and statues for good luck and warding the fierce things away. Some also carry small, monkey charms or medallions when encroaching on Oni territory for safety.

 Combat:
Oni combat strategies vary depending on such factors as the age, station, and number of Oni encountered. For instance, a young Oni fighting on its own will often charge into combat headfirst, attack with its fists and club first while saving spells such as cone of cold or burning hands for later. However, an older and wiser Oni may have access to the spell polymorph, which it may use to disguise itself as an old, human beggar, leading the party deeper into Oni territory with promise of riches. Oni that fight as a group however will usually lay traps, sometimes using stone spikes to surprise the party and ambush them from the thick forest. Oni in groups are usually lead by a leader or chieftain, with leaders receiving an additional dice of hit points and a +2 to their to hit score and damage, whereas a chieftain receives 3 additional dices of hit points and receives +4 to their to hit score and damage. Furthermore, leaders will usually attack predominantly with spells while the lesser warriors attack physically, and chieftains will make use of such spells as sleet storm and gaseous form to disorient the enemy.

Habit/Society:

Oni typically run in packs, having small tribal communities lead by respected older Oni warriors and sages. Oni are much more intelligent than their ogre cousins, and as such are somewhat more civilized, having a crude sense of honor and hierarchy in their communities. However, Oni are still fiercely territorial, and will react harshly to humans and other creatures that wander into their lands. However, there are some Oni who have a more benevolent relationship with mortals, granting them advice and passge through the wilderness (though usually for a fee), but such encounters are few and far between. The origin of the Oni is disputed, as some believe them to simply be Ogres who migrated East, while others believe them to be angry forest spirits that took a humanoid form to mock the mortals that were invading and destroying the forests of the East to build towns and cities. To further complicate matters, there some stories connecting them to the Demon Gate, a mysterious region to the North of Oni lands, which in turn has ties to local creation and underworld myths. Perhaps the Oni are simply immigrants from a dark and uncompromising realm, and their rough exterior and additude is simply their way of coping with our strange world. Whatever their origin, the Oni are complex and imposing creatures that should not be underestimated or trifled with without need.

[These stats have been adapted from the updated 1993 2nd Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monstrous Manual

and from the 2011 Castles & Crusades Monsters & Treasure manual for use in our campaign using the Castles & Crusades SIEGE engine.]Polymorph