TEXT: MICHAEL SURBROOK
  
  A Book of Monsters for Fantasy Hero
  Author: Michael Surbrook
  Editing & Development:  Steven S. Long
  Layout & Graphic Design:  Andy Mathews
  Cover Illustration: Mark Sztaba
  Interior Illustration:  Kurt Dinse, David Duke, Derek 
  Frost, Barrie James, John Ridley, Greg Smith, Christophe 
  Swal, Mark Sztaba
  Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  The Asian Bestiary © 2006 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Danger International, Western Hero 
  © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by 
  any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the 
  Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
  Printed in the Canada. First printing January 2006
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number:  DOJHERO509 • ISBN Number:  1-58366-063-1
  http://www.herogames.com
  
  INTRODUCTION ............................................. 4
  CHAPTER ONE:  CHINA
  CHINA ............................................................ 6
  CELESTIAL MAIDEN ...................................... 7
  CELESTIAL STAG .......................................... 8
  CH’I-LIN .................................................... 10
  CHIANG-LIANG ........................................... 14
  CHIANG-SHIH ............................................. 15
  CHINESE GIANT SNAKES ............................ 17
  Bashe ..................................................... 18
  Changshe ............................................... 19
  Hook-snake ............................................ 20
  CHINESE HOBGOBLINS ............................... 21
  CHINESE WERE-ANIMALS ........................... 22
  FEI ............................................................ 22
  FENG HWANG ............................................ 23
  HAI HO SHANG ........................................... 25
  HAI NU ...................................................... 26
  HOH SHENG ............................................... 27
  HSING-HSING ............................................. 29
  HUI ............................................................ 30
  HUJIAO ...................................................... 32
  JIAO .......................................................... 33
  K’UEI ......................................................... 34
  KIOH-LUNG ................................................ 37
  THE LEGENDARY MEN OF CHINA ................ 40
  LONGZHI ................................................... 49
  MA MIEN AND NIU T’OU ............................. 50
  POH .......................................................... 51
  QIONGQI .................................................... 52
  SHAN ........................................................ 54
  SHLN ........................................................ 55
  CHAPTER TWO:  INDIA
  INDIA ........................................................... 60
  APSARASAS .............................................. 61
  ASIPATRA .................................................. 63
  BHUTA ....................................................... 64
  BONGA ...................................................... 67
  BURU ........................................................ 69
  CHEDIPE .................................................... 70
  CHUREL ..................................................... 72
  GANDHARVA .............................................. 75
  GHORMUHAS ............................................. 77
  KALIYA ...................................................... 78
  MAKARA .................................................... 80
  Antelope Makara ..................................... 81
  Crocodile Makara .................................... 81
  Elephant Makara ..................................... 82
  NAGA ........................................................ 83
  PISHACHA ................................................. 85
  PRETA ....................................................... 86
  RAKSHASA ................................................ 88
  VRITRA ...................................................... 91
  YALI .......................................................... 92
  Elephant Yali ........................................... 93
  Lion Yali .................................................. 93
  CHAPTER THREE:   
  OTHER PARTS OF ASIA
  CAMBODIA .................................................. 96
  INDONESIA .................................................. 98
  ATHOL ....................................................... 98
  FATHER-OF-ALL-THE-TURTLES ................... 99
  GENDRUWO ............................................. 101
  LELEMBUT ............................................... 102
  MACAN GADUNGAN ................................. 103
  SUNDAL BOLONG .................................... 105
  ADDITIONAL CREATURES OF INDONESIAN 
  FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY ................ 106
  MONGOLIA ................................................ 108
  MANGAI .................................................. 108
  OLGOL-KHORKHOL .................................. 110
  ORGOLI ................................................... 111
  THAILAND ................................................ 113
  CON TRAM NU’ O’ C ................................ 113
  CREATURES OF THE HIMMAPAN FOREST .. 114
  Birds .................................................... 114
  Canines ................................................ 116
  Cattle ................................................... 116
  Crab ..................................................... 116
  Crocodiles ............................................. 116
  Elephants .............................................. 117
  Fish ...................................................... 117
  Giants ................................................... 118
  Horses .................................................. 119
  Humans ................................................ 120
  Lions .................................................... 120
  Monkeys ............................................... 122
  Satyrs ................................................... 123
  ELEPHANT-TIGER ..................................... 124
  ADDITIONAL CREATURES OF THAI FOLKLORE 
  AND MYTHOLOGY ................................. 125
  VIETNAM ................................................... 127
  CON RIT .................................................. 127
  CON-TINH ................................................ 128
  DOC CU’O’C ............................................ 130
  THUÔNG-LUÔNG ...................................... 131
  APPENDIX:  RESOURCES ........................... 133
  BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................... 133
  CREATURES LISTED BY COUNTRY TABLE ... 134
  CREATURE LOCATIONS TABLE .................. 136
  INDEX ........................................................ 138
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  4 
  Hero System 5th Edition
  O
  ceangoing centipedes, dragon-hunting cen-
  tipedes a hundred feet long, dragons with 
  the heads of tigers, tiger-headed elephants, 
  lion-bodied elephants, ﬁsh-tailed elephants, 
  an eel-ﬁsh 700 miles long.... Asian folklore and 
  mythology has plenty of strange and unusual 
  creatures just waiting to be featured in your cam-
  paign — be it Fantasy Hero, Ninja Hero, or even 
  Pulp Hero. Of course, ﬁnding information on the 
  diﬀerent monsters of Asian myth is no easy task. 
  While most gamers have heard of Chinese dragons, 
  Indian rakshasa, and Japanese oni, few have ever 
  comes across the Korean tokkaebi, the Mongolian 
  olgol-khorkhol, or the Filipino tikbalang — and in 
  many cases information about them in English is 
  hard to come by.
  To ﬁll this gap, The Asian Bestiary, Vol. I 
  contains dozens of character sheets for a wide 
  variety of animals, monsters, supernatural enti-
  ties, and other beings from the folklore and myths 
  of the countries and regions of China, India, and 
  parts of Southeast Asia. They range from intel-
  ligent beings, to monsters far more “bestial” in 
  nature, to a few unique creatures. Many of the 
  character sheets contain lists of optional powers 
  and abilities, or even variations of the creatures 
  themselves, allowing you to create a creature to ﬁt 
  nearly any character or scenario.
  Since many Westerners have little (if any) 
  familiarity with many of the creatures presented in 
  this book, The Asian Bestiary, Vol. I includes cul-
  ture- and location-speciﬁc information and sugges-
  tions so you can understand them in their proper 
  context. The “Campaign Use” sections of the char-
  acter sheets sometimes include brief descriptions 
  of well-known folktales dealing with the creature 
  in question to show you how it might appear or be 
  used in your game. But don’t let this stop you from 
  using the creature however you want to. The com-
  ments given with each entry are there to illustrate 
  the creature’s habits and to deﬁne its motivations, 
  not to force you to use it in one speciﬁc fashion. 
  Feel free to alter and/or revise the write-ups in this 
  book in any way you like, and to use the creatures 
  in whatever way seems best to you.
  How To Use This Book
  The obvious and natural use for the The Asian 
  Bestiary, Vol. I is to provide various beings and 
  creatures for the heroes in your game (whether 
  they’re a party of adventurers in an Asian-themed 
  section of your Fantasy Hero world, a group of 
  Ninja Hero warriors, a squad of Horror Hero ghost-
  hunters, a team of intrepid Pulp Hero explorers, or 
  something else) to encounter. The GM can base 
  his selections around a particular location (such as 
  creatures common to China) or environment (for 
  example, creatures that live in the water). Then all 
  he has to do is decide how and why his selection 
  come into contact (and/or conﬂict) with the PCs.
  For those who wish to go beyond the basics, 
  many of the character sheets have a variety of 
  optional powers, allowing you to customize an 
  individual creature to achieve the exact effect 
  you want. In fact, some of the entries are noth-
  ing but optional powers, as either the being in 
  question has no set or agreed upon powers (such 
  as the Shên), or one basic template is used to 
  represent multiple versions of a particular class 
  of being. At the bottom of many of the charac-
  ter sheets you’ll also find a “Variants” section. It 
  includes listings for creatures similar to the base 
  entry, but with slightly different powers and abil-
  ities. These variants are presented as brief pack-
  ages of abilities you can add to character sheets 
  from this book, The HERO System Bestiary, or 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. Finally, in 
  the text and sidebars there are examples of even 
  more creatures. Due to space considerations, 
  normally just the name and brief description is 
  given, but sometimes suggestions about adapting 
  a published creature or monster are provided.
  Even if you don’t use the creatures found in 
  this book, there’s still plenty of useful material in 
  here for the typical gamer to take advantage of. 
  Many of the creatures have magical powers you can 
  convert into spells, while others have magical weap-
  ons you can uses as the basis for similar objects in 
  your own campaign.
  VOLUME ONE OF TWO
  This volume of The Asian Bestiary is the first 
  of two. It covers China, India, and some other 
  regions of Southeast Asia. Volume II features 
  Japan, the Philippines, and the rest of Southeast 
  Asia. Citations to Volume II are often written 
  “AB2” for ease of reference.
  INTRODUCTION
  OTHER HERO  
  REFERENCES
  Although The Asian 
  Bestiary, Vol. I is a 
  stand-alone product, 
  it frequently refer-
  ences two other Hero 
  Games books besides 
  the rulebook and 
  Volume II. The ﬁrst is 
  the The HERO System 
  Bestiary, a sourcebook 
  for animals, fantastic 
  beasts, and other such 
  creatures. In many cases 
  the The Asian Bestiary 
  directs the reader to 
  apply one of the numer-
  ous templates found in 
  the “HSB” to a creature 
  in the Asian Bestiary. 
  In others, the reader is 
  given a set of Charac-
  teristics, abilities, and 
  Skills and told to apply 
  them to an animal or 
  creature found in the 
  Bestiary itself.
  The second is Monsters, 
  Minions, And Maraud-
  ers, a sourcebook of 
  Fantasy races and 
  monsters suitable for 
  any Fantasy Hero game. 
  Here, as with the “HSB,” 
  there are times where 
  the reader is told to 
  apply a list of powers to 
  a character sheet found 
  in “MMM” to create a 
  speciﬁc Asian monster.
  
  chapter one:
  chapter one:
  CHINA
  
  6 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  C
  hina is home to the world’s oldest con-
  tinuous civilization. Legend claims it 
  was founded in 4754 BC. A more realis-
  tic estimate places the creation of what 
  would become modern China at 221 BC, when the 
  Emperor of Qin ﬁnally uniﬁed roughly a dozen 
  warring states and founded the Qin Dynasty. This 
  created the foundations of imperial China, which 
  lasted until 1912 and the fall of the Qing Dynasty. 
  The Qin Emperor also established a standardized 
  system of coinage, writing, law, and bureaucratic 
  procedure, and started construction on what 
  would eventually become the Great Wall of China. 
  Although the Qin Dynasty lasted less than twenty 
  years, it inﬂuenced the development of China for 
  the next two thousand.
  RELIGION
  Religion in China is a mixture of many forms. 
  There is the Chinese “folk religion” — a polytheistic 
  hierarchy of gods and goddesses arranged into a 
  “Celestial Bureaucracy” — Buddhism (imported 
  from India), Taoism, Islam, and even such philo-
  sophical doctrines as Confucianism. In the modern 
  era, Communist-run China is technically a nation 
  of atheists, although it seems most people ignore 
  this decree.
  Folk Religion
  The original religion of China is one of spirit 
  worship. According to this belief, spirits known 
  collectively as Shên (see page 55) inhabit rivers, 
  lakes, mountains, the sky, and so on. Priests (wu) 
  act as go-betweens, carrying petitions to the gods 
  and returning with various commands and man-
  dates from Heaven. The greatest of the gods is (or 
  was) Shang Ti, the “Lord of Heaven,” god of the 
  sky and agriculture. He was eventually replaced in 
  the ninth century by Yü-Huang, the August Per-
  sonage of Jade, patron of the Imperial family and 
  Emperor of the Celestial Bureaucracy, which over-
  sees all aspects of life on Earth. Other notable gods 
  include:  Kuan-Ti, the red-faced god of (averting) 
  war and the patron of police oﬃcers; Lei Kung, the 
  black-skinned and bat-winged Duke of Thunder; 
  and Yen-Wang, also black-skinned, the King of 
  Hell and the Judge of the Dead. Notable goddesses 
  include:  Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy (and to 
  Buddhists the bodhisattva of compassion); Tou Mu, 
  the three-eyed and eighteen-armed goddess of the 
  north star; and Xi Wangmu, the “Queen Mother of 
  the West,” ruler of the western paradise and guard-
  ian of the secrets of immortality. And then there’s 
  Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, who is not a god 
  — although he’s popular enough to be worshipped 
  as one — but more of a rabble-rousing trickster. 
  Possibly derived from the Hindu deity Hanuman, 
  he’s a central ﬁgure in the story Journey To The 
  West, a highly fanciful telling of a trip to India to 
  procure various Buddhist scriptures at the behest of 
  the Emperor of China.
  Buddhism
   Most Chinese follow a form of Buddhism 
  known as Mahayana (meaning “Great Vehicle”). 
  It came to China in the second century BC and 
  eventually spread to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. 
  Unlike the Buddhist faith of India, it has a far more 
  elaborate cosmology, with an assortment of divine 
  and/or supernaturally-empowered Buddhas and 
  Bodhisattvas, most of whom dwell in some sort of 
  celestial “paradise.”
  Confucianism
  Known as “The School of the Scholars,” Confu-
  cianism is a philosophical system for ethics, morality, 
  and political rule, not really a religion per se. It was 
  created by K’ung fu-tze, better known in the West 
  as Confucius. Developed in the fourth century BC, 
  Confucianism emphasizes excellence in one’s work 
  and life, virtue of character, and advancement based 
  on merit rather than social status. While banned 
  for a time by the Qin Dynasty, its teachings formed 
  the core of the Chinese bureaucracy for some 2,000 
  years, and even spread out to inﬂuence political 
  thought in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
  Taoism
  Traditionally said to have been set forth in 
  the Tao Te Ching, written by the philosopher Lao 
  Tzu in the fourth century BC, Taoism is more of a 
  state of being than a true religion. A Taoist seeks 
  the Tao, or “the way.” The Tao itself cannot really 
  be described, or even understood — it if could, 
  it wouldn’t be Tao. This analogy describes Tao:  
  “Imagine a person walking on a road. He carries 
  a bamboo pole resting on his shoulder. On each 
  end of the pole a bucket is suspended. The buckets 
  are likened to yin and yang [negative and positive 
  inﬂuences]. The pole is Taiji, the entity integrating 
  the two. The road is Tao.”
  Taoism has become mixed with the religions 
  of China over time — its inﬂuence can be found in 
  Chinese alchemy, magic, medicine, and the martial 
  arts. Taoists also freely adopted various local deities, 
  borrowing from the Chinese animist traditions as 
  well as Buddhist teachings.  In modern Hong Kong 
  cinema, Taoist monks and sorcerers are popular 
  characters who often ﬁght supernatural threats with 
  a wide assortment of ch’i and/or magical powers.
  CHINA
  
  7 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  CELESTIAL MAIDEN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   8 CON 
  -4 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   2 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   16 END 
  0
   16 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  34
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  6 
  Feathered Coat:  Multiform (change shape 
  into 60-point swan); OAF (feathered gar-
  ment; -1) 
  0
  10 
  Return To Heaven:  Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement (a single physical location in 
  Heaven); OAF (feathered garment; -1) 
  2
  15 
  Celestial Being:  Life Support (Immunity:  all 
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
   
  Skills
  5 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 11-
  10 
  10 points’ worth of additional Skills chosen 
  by the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  50
  Total Cost:  84
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  unearthly beauty (Con-
  cealable With Diﬃculty; Causes Major Reac-
  tion [desire])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Must Obey Anyone 
  Who Holds Her Feathered Coat (Infre-
  quently, Fully)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  105
  SWAN FORM
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   5 STR 
  -5 
  10- 
  Lift 50 kg; 1d6 HTH [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   8 CON 
  -4 
  11-
   6 BODY -8 
  10-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   2 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  2 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   3 REC 
  0
   16 END 
  0
   13 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  20
  Movement: 
  Running:  3”/6”
   
  Flight:  17”/34”
   
  Leaping:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Wing Buﬀet:  HA +1d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  28 
  Wings:  Flight 17”, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Restrainable (-½) 
  1
  -6 
  Short Legs:  Running -3”
  5 
  Bird’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception  
  (240 Degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  40
  Total Cost:  60
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (roughly 1m long, 
  +3” KB, Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  95
  Ecology:  Celestial Maidens are divine beings who 
  occasionally come to the Earth to bathe in tranquil 
  ponds and swim in clear lakes (usually in groups 
  of seven). They’re found throughout Asia. In India 
  they’re known as apsarasas (see page 61), in Indo-
  nesia as widadaris (“nymphs from heaven”), in Laos 
  as thewada, and in Japan as tenno.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. For the most part, Celestial Maid-
  ens avoid contact with mortals (speciﬁcally, 
  mortal men), and quickly ﬂee from anyone who 
  approaches. If captured by a human male, a Celes-
  tial Maiden makes a faithful and dutiful wife... 
  at least until she recovers her feathered coat and 
  abandons her husband.
  Powers/Tactics:  By donning their feathered coats 
  (or sometimes other articles of clothing, such as 
  cloaks, robes, or dresses), Celestial Maidens can 
  transform themselves into beautiful swans. They 
  may have other powers as well; see the write-up for 
  the Shên(see page 55) for suggestions.
  Campaign Use:  Celestial Maidens can be messen-
  gers of the gods, the daughters of the gods, or fairy-
  
  8 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  like beings. The “swan-maiden” legend is found all 
  over the world, so you can use them in almost any 
  setting. In all cases, a swan maiden will marry the 
  man who steals her feathered dress, but leave the 
  moment she can recover it (occasionally taking her 
  children with her).
  Appearance:  In human form, Celestial Maidens 
  possess unearthly beauty and grace. As swans 
  they’re of the purest white color.
  CELESTIAL STAG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   12 DEX 
  6 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   10 PRE 
  0 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   4 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 PD (4 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  8 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  27
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  63 
  Dissolves Into Lethal Liquid:  5d6 RKA, 
  NND (defense is Life Support [Self-Con-
  tained Breathing]; +1), Does BODY (+1), 
  Area Of Eﬀect (24” Radius; +1), Contin- 
  uous (+1), Trigger (exposure to the sun
   
  and air; +¼); Side Eﬀects (Celestial Stag 
  takes full damage [30 BODY] from the 
  attack; -2), 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 
  Turn which Never Recovers (cleared 
  away by high winds, rain, or the 
  like; -3¼) 
  [1]
  30 
  Undead Body:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 
  0
  4 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance 
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Undead Body:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  50 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Can See In The Dark:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  1 
  Interrogation 8-
  2 
  AK:  The Local Mine 11-
  2 
  KS: Mining 11-
  2 
  PS: Mining 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  1 
  WF:  Mining Tools
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  181
  Total Cost:  208
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Only Desire Is To 
  Return To the Surface (Common, Total)
  15 
  Reputation:  lethal ghost of the mines,11- 
  (Extreme)
  98 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  208
  
  9 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Ecology:  The celestial stag is a form of chiang-shih, 
  or “corpse demon,” found in the province of Hunan. 
  It’s created when a mine collapses and traps the 
  miners underground. If the miners are fed by the 
  essences of the earth and the metal they’re digging 
  for, they become a form of undead, able to move 
  and talk, although with bodies that are quite dead.
  When encountering a celestial stag, a wise man 
  agrees to take the stag to the surface, but only after 
  the stag has shown him where the richest veins of 
  gold and silver are. Afterwards, he needs to make 
  sure he rides the lift to the surface ﬁrst and has the 
  stag follow. When the stag mounts the lift, it should 
  be hauled only halfway up to the surface and then 
  dropped so it falls back down the shaft and is 
  destroyed. If not, then the moment the stag ascends 
  to the surface and feels the sun and air, it melts 
  down into a foul-smelling liquid that kill everyone 
  in the area.
  Personality/Motivation:  A celestial stag’s main desire 
  is to leave the mines and return to the surface. 
  When initially encountered, it’s glad to see a human 
  face and often asks for some tobacco and a pipe, 
  all the while complaining of the cold. Afterwards 
  he thanks his benefactor and then asks to be taken 
  to the surface. If denied this request, the celestial 
  stag can become violent, and if there are more stags 
  then men, they’ll torture the men to death. Miners 
  often wall celestial stags up in abandoned alcoves to 
  keep them from harming the workers.
  Powers/Tactics:  If celestial stags become violent, 
  they physically attack their intended target with 
  mining tools like hammers, picks, and shovels.
  Campaign Use:  This bizarre creature has the poten-
  tial to wipe out an entire group of PCs if you’re 
  not careful, so make sure the heroes have the right 
  KSs to ﬁgure out what’s going on, or some other 
  way to learn about the threat it poses (such as the 
  creature’s Reputation). You can also give clues as 
  to the stag’s undead nature, such as its constant 
  complaints about the cold, having it feel cool to the 
  touch, or having it display the wound that killed it.
  Appearance:  A celestial stag looks like a normal 
  human wearing whatever clothing it had on when 
  it died in a mine collapse.
  
  10 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CH’I-LIN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; [1]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  6 PD (3 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  6 ED (3 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  62
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  4 
  Scaled Body:  Armor (3 PD/3 ED);  
  Activation Roll 11- (Hit Locations 9-13; -1) 0
  16 
  Steps Gently:  Flight 12”; Only When In  
  Contact With A Level Surface (-½) 
  2
  -12 
  Only “Flies”:  Running -6”
  6 
  Ch’i-Lin Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
  14 
  1000-Year Lifespan:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  1000-year lifespan, Immunity:   
  all terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 0
  20 
  Celestial Luck:  Luck 4d6 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
  9 
  Reputation:  symbol of good fortune and 
  justice (in China and Japan) 14- +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  30 
  Cannot Be Trapped:  Danger Sense (self  
  only, any danger, sense) 14-
   
  Skills
  2 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  94
  Total Cost:  156
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gentle,  
  Won’t Knowingly Eat Any Living Thing 
  (Common, Total)
  46 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  156
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  15 
  Sharp Horn:  HKA 1d6 (1½d6 with STR)
  60 
  Magical Powers:  60 points’ worth of magical 
  powers and Skills
  Ecology:  The ch’i-lin (the name refers to both the 
  male and female of the species [ch’i = male, lin = 
  female]) is one of the four Celestial Beings, along 
  with the feng hwang (the Chinese phoenix), the 
  lung (dragon), and the tortoise. It’s also chief of the 
  360 “hairy creatures” found on land. An exceedingly 
  gentle creature, the ch’i-lin walks so softly it won’t 
  step on or harm any living creature, and it won’t eat 
  any living thing (even grass), only feeding on that 
  which is already dead. To see a living ch’i-lin is con-
  sidered an omen of good fortune, while to wound 
  one or ﬁnd a one dead is very unlucky.
  The ch’i-lin is also known by such names as 
  chiai tung, chi’i-lin, chio-tuan, k’i-lin, ki lin, qilin, 
  and in Japan, kirin.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  The ch’i-lin is a reclusive beast; it only appears 
  before men to announce the birth of a straightfor-
  ward and upright ruler.
  Powers/Tactics:  Although the ch’i-lin has a horn, 
  it’s a ﬂeshy growth and cannot be used as a weapon. 
  The creature’s primary form of defense, aside from 
  its light coat of scales, is to ﬂee. However, some ch’i-
  lin have a sharp horn they can use to impale any 
  attackers.
  Campaign Use:  In Fantasy campaigns the ch’i-lin 
  should be used as an omen — usually of good for-
  tune or good tidings, but also to announce the birth 
  of an individual who will go on to do great deeds 
  (for example, it’s said that Confucius’s birth was 
  announced by the appearance of a ch’i-lin).
  Appearance:  The ch’i-lin is a small animal with the 
  body of a deer, the hooves of a horse, and the tail 
  of an ox. Its scaly coat is a mixture black, blue, red, 
  white, and yellow, while its underbelly is black or 
  brown. In the center of the ch’i-lin’s forehead is a 
  thick, ﬂeshy horn.
  CH’I-LIN VARIANTS
  You can also use this character sheet as a 
  basic template to represent a whole host of simi-
  lar Asian animals.
  Abath
  The abath is a Malay animal with only one 
  horn on its head. Originally thought to be a female 
  unicorn, it’s in fact the Asian rhinoceros. As with 
  the unicorn (see page 128 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary), the abath’s horn is supposed protect one 
  from poison even if removed from the abath itself. 
  To create one, make the following changes to the 
  Rhinoceros character sheet found on page 173 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  
  11 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove the Disadvantages Hunted:  poach-
  ers, Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence, 
  Physical Limitation:  Poor Eyesight, Suscep-
  tibility:  to sharp, powerful blows to the horn, 
  and Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from sharp, 
  powerful blows to the horn
  +2 
  +2 INT
  +10 +5 EGO
  10 
  Horn:  Life Support (Immunity:  to all poisons)
  Total cost:  +22 points
  Chai Tung
  The chai tung is a Chinese unicorn similar in 
  size and shape to a sheep. To create one, make the 
  following changes to the ch’i-lin:
  Cost Powers
  -85 
  Remove Scaled Body, Steps Gently, Only 
  “Flies,” 1000 Year Lifespan, Celestial Luck, 
  Perk:  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celes-
  tial Bureaucracy, Reputation:  symbol of 
  good fortune and justice, Talent:  Danger 
  Sense, KS:  Celestial Bureaucracy
  5 
  +5 STR
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (2d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  10 
  Swift:  Running +5” (11” total)
  3 
  Leaper:  Leaping +3” (6” forward, 3” upward)
  4 
  +2 OCV with Move Through
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  Total cost:  -31 points
  Ghilen
  The Ghilen, found in the Himmapan Forest of 
  Thailand (see page 114), is virtually indentical to the 
  ch’i-lin. Like the ch’i-lin, the creature has the body of 
  a deer, scales, horse-like hooves, an ox’s tail, and the 
  head of a dragon topped by a single antler. However, 
  tradition states the male (Ghi) is horned but the 
  female (Len) is not. Formed from a combination of 
  the ﬁve primary elements (earth, ﬁre, metal, water, and 
  wood), Ghilen also have ﬁve skin/scale colors; (black, 
  blue, red, white, and yellow) and yellow fur along the 
  stomach. A Ghilen can live for thousands of years.
  Variations of the basic (or Chinese) Ghilen 
  exist. One replaces the dragon’s head with the head 
  of a dog. The Thai Ghilen has two antlers instead 
  of just one, and ox-like hooves. Finally, the Winged 
  Ghilen (or Ghilen Peek) has clawed feet, not antlers, 
  and large feathered wings. To create any of these 
  creatures, make the following changes to the ch’i-lin:
  Cost Chinese Ghilen
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Gentle
  5 
  +5 STR
  25 
  Dragon’s Head:  HKA 1½d6 (2½d6 with STR)
  7 
  Single Antler:  HKA ½d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  10 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception and 
  Ultraviolet Perception (both Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking with 
  Normal Smell
  +1 
  Lives For Thousands Of Years:  Increase 1000-
  Year Lifespan to Life Support:  Longevity 
  (Immortality)
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +63 points
  Cost Option:  Dog-Headed Ghilen
  -13 
  Dog-Headed Chinese Ghilen:  Reduce HKA to 
  1d6 (2d6 with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  Total cost:  +50 points
  Cost Option:  Thai Ghilen
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Gentle
  5 
  +5 STR
  25 
  Dragon’s Head:  HKA 1½d6 (2½d6 with STR)
  10 
  Antlers:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  10 
  Kick/Rear:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½)
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception 
  (Sight Group)
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking with 
  Normal Smell
  +1 
  Lives For Thousands Of Years:  Increase  
  1000-Year Lifespan to Life Support:   
  Longevity (Immortality)
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +76 points
  Cost Option:  Winged Ghilen
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Gentle
  -4 
  Remove Steps Gently and Only “Flies”
  5 
  +5 STR
  25 
  Dragon’s Head:  HKA 1½d6 (2½d6+1 with STR)
  12 
  Clawed Feet:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½)
  10 
  Swift:  Running +5” (11” total)
  10 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception and 
  Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking with 
  Normal Smell
  +1 
  Lives For Thousands Of Years:  Increase  
  1000-Year Lifespan to Life Support:  Longev-
  ity (Immortality)
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +90 points
  Hai Chai
  Also known as the kai tsu, this animal has 
  a reddish-yellow horse’s body and a single black 
  horn. To create one, make the following changes 
  to the Riding Horse character sheet on page 168 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence, Psychological Limitation:  Domesti-
  cated, Psychological Limitation:  Timid, and 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gentle
  2 
  +2 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  0 
  +2 PER now aﬀects all the Sense Groups.
  Total cost:  +42 points
  
  12 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Huan
  The huan is a mountain-dwelling deer. It has a 
  goat-like body with no mouth. To create one, make 
  the following changes to the Deer/Antelope charac-
  ter sheet on page 150 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  5 
  +5 STR
  5 
  Cannot Die:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality)
  10 
  Harmful Vapors Cannot Enter The Body:  Life 
  Support (Self-Contained Breathing)
  3 
  Has No Mouth:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Eating: no need to eat)
  2 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe Envi-
  ronment:  Intense Cold)
  5 
  Climbing 14-; Mountainsides Only (-½)
  3 
  Winter Coat:  +4 to Concealment; Self Only 
  (-½), Only In Snow/Ice (-1)
  2 
  Winter Coat:  +2 to Stealth; Only In Snow/
  Ice (-1)
  Total cost:  +35 points
  Kai Tsi
  Also known in Japan as the sin you, this 
  animal has either a lion-like body or the body of 
  a sheep with a single horn on its head. It’s capa-
  ble of determining the guilt or innocence of the 
  accused and is a symbol of justice. Tales are told 
  of judges asking a kai tsi to decide certain court 
  cases. The kai tsi fixes the suspect with a look, 
  and if he’s guilty runs him through with its horn. 
  To create one, make the following changes to the 
  Lion character sheet on page 145 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove the Disadvantage Physical Limita-
  tion:  Animal Intelligence
  5 
  +5 INT
  16 
  +8 EGO
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  10 
  Distinguish Between Right And Wrong:  
  Detect Good And Evil/Right Or Wrong 12- 
  (no Sense Group), Discriminatory
  var 
  As an option, you can add in the Perks for 
  either the ch’i-lin or the shishi (see AB2), and 
  add the the Divine template (see page 23 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary).
  Total cost:  +61 points
  King
  This is a single-horned stag with the tail of a 
  water buﬀalo. To create one, make the following 
  changes to the ch’i-lin:
  Cost Powers
  -85 
  Remove Scaled Body, Steps Gently, Only 
  “Flies,” 1000 Year Lifespan, Celestial Luck, 
  Perk:  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celes-
  tial Bureaucracy, Perk:  symbol of good for-
  tune and justice, Talent:  Danger Sense, KS:  
  Celestial Bureaucracy
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  10 
  Swift:  Running +5” (11” total)
  3 
  Leaper:  Leaping +3” (5” forward, 3” upward)
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  Total cost:  -40 points
  Kioh Twan
  Similar in appearance to the ch’i-lin, the kioh 
  twan has green hair, a horse’s tail, and a single horn 
  on its nose. It’s an extremely fast animal, said to be 
  able to travel 6,000 miles in a single day. To create 
  one, make the following changes to the ch’i-lin:
  Cost Powers
  -81 
  Remove Steps Gently, Only “Flies,” 1000 Year 
  Lifespan, Celestial Luck, Perk:  Fringe Beneﬁt:  
  Member of the Celestial Bureaucracy, Perk:  
  symbol of good fortune and justice, Talent:  
  Danger Sense, KS:  Celestial Bureaucracy
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  115 
  Speed Of The Kioh Twan: Running +36”, x4 
  Noncombat, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  Total cost:  +66 points
  Lu
  The lu is Chinese unicorn similar to a wild ass 
  in size and shape. To create one, make the following 
  changes to the Pony character sheet on page 167 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence, Psychological Limitation:  Domesti-
  cated, and Psychological Limitation:  Timid.
  2 
  +2 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
  
  13 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  0 
  +2 PER now aﬀects all the Sense Groups.
  Total cost:  +42
  Si
  This Chinese unicorn may be the same as 
  the sz (see below). It’s as large as a rhinoceros, 
  blue-green in color, with a thick hide often used 
  as armor by natives. Its horn is enormous, with 
  one recorded as weighing over 1,300 pounds! To 
  create one, make the following changes to the 
  Rhinoceros character sheet on page 173 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Hunted:  poachers, Physical Limita-
  tion:  Animal Intelligence, Physical Limita-
  tion:  Poor Eyesight, Susceptibility:  to sharp, 
  powerful blows to the horn, and Vulnerabil-
  ity:  2 x STUN from sharp, powerful blows to 
  the horn
  10 
  +10 STR
  2 
  +2 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
  +27 Increase Horn to HKA 2d6 (3½d6 with 
  STR), Armor Piercing (+½), Increased STUN 
  Multiplier (+¼)
  3 
  Thick Skin:  Armor (+2 ED)
  Total cost:  +52 points
  Sz
  The sz is Chinese unicorn similar in size and 
  shape to an ox. To create one, make the following 
  changes to the Buﬀalo/Cattle character sheet on 
  page 141 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove the  Disadvantages of Physical Limi-
  tation:  Animal Intelligence and Psychologi-
  cal Limitation:  Timid.
  2 
  +2 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
  +15 Increase Horns to HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with 
  STR), Armor Piercing (+½)
  Total cost:  +37 points
  Tibetan Unicorns
  The legends of Tibet mention three diﬀer-
  ent types of unicorn. They’re the kere, the serou, 
  and the tsopo (or tso’ po). All three are aggressive 
  and dangerous. To create one, make the following 
  changes to the ch’i-lin:
  Cost Powers
  -85 
  Remove Scaled Body, Steps Gently, Only “Flies,” 
  1000 Year Lifespan, Celestial Luck, Perk:  
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy, Perk:  symbol of good fortune 
  and justice, Talent:  Danger Sense, KS:  Celes-
  tial Bureaucracy
  5 
  +5 STR (15 STR total)
  30 
  Horn:  HKA 1d6+1 (1½d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½)
  10 
  Swift:  Running +5” (11” total)
  3 
  Leaper:  Leaping +3” (5” forward, 3” upward)
  2 
  Used To The Cold:  Life Support (Safe Envi-
  ronment:  Intense Cold)
  4 
  +2 OCV with Move Through
  5 
  Climbing 14-; Mountainsides Only (-½)
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Winter Coat:  +4 to Concealment; Self Only 
  (-½), Only In Snow/Ice (-1)
  2 
  Winter Coat:  +2 to Stealth; Only In Snow/
  Ice (-1)
   
  Psychological Limitation:  Aggressive 
  (Common, Strong; 15 points)
  Total cost:  -19 points
  Too Jou Shen
  This animal has the body of a lion, the legs 
  and hooves of a deer, and a short, rounded horn. It 
  guards the entrances to tombs. To create one, make 
  the following changes to the Lion character sheet 
  on page 145 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence
  -16 
  Remove Claws
  5 
  +5 INT
  16 
  +8 EGO
  7 
  Hooves Of A Deer:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-
  Hand Attack (-½)
  +8 
  Legs Of A Deer:  Increase Swift Runner to 
  Running +5” (11” total)
  var 
  As an option, you can add in the Perks for 
  either the ch’i-lin or the shishi (see AB2), and 
  add the the Divine template (see page 23 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary).
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Xi
  This animal resembles a large-bellied water 
  buﬀalo with pig’s feet. It has three horns:  one on 
  its nose, one on its forehead, and one atop its skull. 
  Because it enjoys chewing on prickly brambles, 
  it has the disconcerting habit of drooling blood. 
  To create one, make the following changes to the 
  Buﬀalo/Cattle character sheet on page 141 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Timid.
  +22 Triple Horn: Increase Horns to HKA 1½d6 
  (3d6+1 with STR), Armor Piercing (+½)
  Total cost:  +22 points
  Zouwu
  The zouwu is a horse the size of a tiger with a 
  tail longer than its body. Like the ch’i-lin, its coat is 
  a mixture black, blue, red, white, and yellow. A fast 
  runner, it can cover over 300 miles in a single day. 
  To create one, make the following changes to the 
  Riding Horse character sheet on page 168 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Domesti-
  cated and Psychological Limitation:  Timid
  +19 Speed Of The Zouwu:  Increase Horse’s Legs 
  to Running +12” (18” total), Reduced Endur-
  ance (½ END; +¼)
  Total cost:  +19 points
  
  14 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CHIANG-LIANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   31 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  68
    
   
   
  (+2 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  11”/22”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  7 
  Hooves:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  3 
  Snake Between Its Teeth:  HKA 1 point;  
  No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  140 
  Venomous Bite:  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 
  points per Hour; +1), NND (defense is  
  appropriate LS [Immunity]; +1), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); Snake Bite Must Do  
  BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 1 Segment after victim is bitten;  
  -0), Gradual Eﬀect (5 Segments, 1d6/1  
  Segment; -¼), Linked (to RKA; -½), 4  
  Charges (-1) plus RKA 6d6, NND (defense  
  is appropriate LS [Immunity]; +1), Does  
  BODY (+1), Personal Immunity (+¼); No 
  Range (-½), Snake Bite Must Do BODY  
  (-½), Extra Time (onset time begins 1  
  Segment after victim is bitten; -0), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (6 Segments, 1d6/1 Segment; -¼),  
  4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Very Long Legs:  Running +5” (11” total) 
  2
  9 
  Cat’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  5 
  Cat’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Camouflage Coloration:  +4 to Conceal-
  ment; Self Only (-½), Only In Home Envi-
  ronment (-1)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  1 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +1 to Stealth; Only 
  In Home Environment (-1)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  214
  Total Cost:  282
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  177 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  282
  Ecology:  These solitary animals are found in the 
  forests and grasslands of southern China, where 
  they hunt antelope, rabbits, and other small mam-
  mals. Nocturnal creatures, they’re quite fearless due 
  to their venomous nature.
  
  15 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Since it can run quickly on its long 
  legs, the chiang-liang slowly sneaks up on its prey 
  and then runs it down in a burst of speed. It tries to 
  Grab its prey with its jaws and then deliver a ven-
  omous bite with the snake between its teeth. It then 
  draws back and waits for the poison to ﬁnish oﬀ the 
  unfortunate victim.
  Campaign Use:  The chiang-liang is a good example 
  of how to can take an ordinary creature (in this 
  case a leopard) and make it monstrous by applying 
  some unusual features and enhancing its abilities 
  a bit. You can easily create additional hybrids by 
  combining elements of common Chinese animals 
  together, deﬁning them as either a natural part of 
  the local fauna or as magical or divine creations.
  Appearance:  The chiang-liang has the body of a 
  leopard with very long legs ending in hooves, the 
  head of a small tiger, the face of a man, sharp fangs 
  in its mouth, and a highly poisonous snake nestled 
  between its teeth.
  CHIANG-SHIH
   Val CHAR Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   25 CON 
  30 
  13- 
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  11- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10- 
   12 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  12 PD (6 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  12 ED (6 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  2
   50 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  114 
    
   
   
  (+30 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Claws: HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  7 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1),  
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½) 0
  24 
  Fly On The Winds:  Flight 12” 
  2
  40 
  Undead Body:  Physical Damage Reduction, 
  Resistant, 75%; Not Versus Bullets (-½)
  40 
  Undead Body:  Energy Damage Reduction, 
  Resistant, 75%; Not Versus Fire (-½)
  6 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Undead Body:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except Diminished Eating, but including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  25 
  Shape Shifting:  Multiform (assume  
  125-point wolf form) 
  0
  5 
  Chiang-Shih Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  5 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  20 
  Various Skills representing the chiang-shih’s 
  abilities and interests when alive
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  316
  Total Cost:  430
  75+ Disadvantages
  30 
  Enraged:  in combat (Very Common),  
  go 11-, recover 8-
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  cannot cross a line  
  of iron ﬁlings, red peas, rice, or running 
  water (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  VARIOUS BOOKS OF  
  CHINESE BEASTS
  The chiang-liang is just one of hundreds of bizarre 
  monsters said live beyond the borders of the Chinese 
  empire, many of which are mentioned in such books 
  as the Great Imperial Encyclopedia (known as Ku-chin 
  T’u-shu Chi-ch’eng, or the All-Embracing Illustrated 
  Volumes Of Things Then And Now), the Shan Hai 
  Ching (Hill And River Classic), the T’ai P’ing Kuang Chi 
  (Extensive Records Made In The Period Of Peace And 
  Prosperity), and the Shanhaijing (Guideways Through 
  Mountains And Seas). Several such creatures are given 
  full write-ups in this book, while others include the 
  following:
  Celestial Horse:  A white dog with a black head and 
  thick, ﬂeshy wings. It’s capable of ﬂight.
  Ch’ou-t’i:  This creature has a beast’s body with a head 
  at either end.
  Ch’uan-T’ou:  Humanoid beings with the heads of men 
  but the beaks of birds. They have bat-like wings and eat 
  raw ﬁsh taken from rivers and streams. They may be 
  the same as the Huantoumin (page 44).
  Hsiao:  The hsiao is a type of owl with a man’s face, 
  an ape’s body, and a dog’s tail. Its appearance fore-
  tells drought.
  Hsing-t’ien:  This humanoid monster has no head — its 
  mouth is in its belly and its eyes in its chest. Decapitated 
  in a battle with the gods, hsing-t’ien wanders the wastes 
  of China in search of its missing head. It’s highly belliger-
  ent, brandishing its ax and shield at all who approach.
  Hua Fish:  Also known as the ﬂying snakeﬁsh, this is a 
  ﬁsh with a bird’s wings. As with the hsiao, the appear-
  ance of the hua ﬁsh foretells drought.
  Ping-feng:  A black pig with a head at either end.
  Shang Yung:  This large bird has only one leg. It’s also 
  known as the Rainbird, and is said to bring rains with it 
  in times of drought.
  Ti-chiang:  A bird dwelling in the Mountains of the Sky, 
  the ti-chiang has six feet and four wings and is a bright 
  red in color. However, it lacks a face and eyes.
  HOPPING VAMPIRES
  China is the land of 
  hopping vampires. Why 
  they hop is unknown, 
  although some theories 
  say it might be due to 
  the custom of burying 
  the dead in a standing 
  position, or because the 
  burial clothing would 
  eﬀectively bind the 
  legs. Others claim it’s 
  because of the onset 
  of rigor mortis (which 
  keeps the leg joints 
  from working) or due 
  to the vampire being 
  rejected by the Earth.
  The chiang-shih pre-
  sented here does not 
  hop, as the sources 
  referenced never men-
  tioned hopping as part 
  of Chinese vampire 
  lore. However, hopping 
  vampires are extremely 
  common in Hong Kong 
  horror/martial arts 
  cinema. Anyone run-
  ning Ninja Hero or Pulp 
  Hero adventures set in 
  China might want to 
  use a hopping vampire 
  instead of the more 
  agile version presented 
  here. To transform a 
  chiang-shih into a hop-
  ping vampire, make 
  these changes:  increase 
  the STR to 35 or 40 and 
  CON to 30, decrease 
  DEX to around 12, 
  and raise the vampire’s 
  defenses (both PD, ED, 
  and Damage Resis-
  tance). Remove its Flight 
  and Running and give it 
  the Physical Limitation 
  Reduced Leap, can only 
  leap half as far as STR 
  indicates (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing).
  A hopping vampire usu-
  ally wears clothing of 
  the Ching Dynasty and 
  has greenish skin, red 
  eyes, yellowed fangs, and 
  long claws.
  
  16 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by the pres-
  ence of garlic (Frequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Strong Sexual 
  Desires And Urges (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vicious And 
  Bloodthirsty (Common, Strong)
  25 
  Susceptibility:  to salt, 1d6 per Segment 
  (Common)
  15 
  Susceptibility:  to thunder, 3d6 BODY 
  Instantly (Uncommon)
  220 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  430
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  36 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups), 
  Makeover, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  10 
  Can Smell Your Breath:  Targeting for Normal 
  Smell
  40 
  Glowing Ball Of Blue Light:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by ﬁre, light, and sonic attacks)
  6 
  Leap Great Distances:  Leaping +6” (or more)
  42 
  Poisonous Breath:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense 
  is Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing 
  or appropriate Immunity]; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Limited Range (2”; -¼)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Poor Eyesight, 
  suﬀers -3 to all Sight PER Rolls except in 
  dim light or at night (Infrequently, Greatly 
  Impairing; 10 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Compelled 
  To Count Rice/Seed Grains Found In Its Path 
  (Uncommon, Total; 15 points)
   
  Add Susceptibility:  to sunlight, 1d6 BODY 
  per Phase (Very Common; 25 points)
   
  Add Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from Fire 
  (Common; 20 points)
   
  Add Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Fire 
  (Common; 20 points)
  Ecology:  A chiang-shih (also known as a ch’ing-
  shih, his-hsue-k’uei [literally, “blood-suck demon”], 
  jiang-shi, kiang-shi, kyonshi, kyuketsuki [in Japan], 
  or qing-shi) is created when a corpse is animated by 
  the p’oh, or inferior soul. The p’oh tends to remain in 
  the body of the deceased while the han (or superior 
  soul) continues to the afterlife, leading to the corpse 
  becoming a vampire and preying on the living. A 
  chiang-shih can be created when a person dies by 
  
  17 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  drowning, hanging, suicide, or suﬀocation. The p’oh 
  can also possess someone who dies unexpectedly, 
  or who has not yet been buried. Finally, allowing an 
  animal (such as a cat) to leap over a corpse can also 
  cause it to rise as a chiang-shih.
  Personality/Motivation:  The chiang-shih is typically 
  compelled by strong homicidal urges, causing it 
  to attack any living people it encounters. Certain 
  chiang-shih also demonstrate a powerful sex drive, 
  leading the vampire to assault and rape women (or 
  men) before drinking their blood. If the chiang-
  shih was created due to being improperly buried 
  (or not buried at all) then it most likely directs its 
  anger at close relatives and other family members.
  Powers/Tactics:  A corpse risen as a chiang-shih 
  has a number of powers. It’s mostly invulnerable, 
  although ﬁre or bullets can kill it. Many chiang-
  shih demonstrate the ability to ﬂy and to transform 
  into wolves. They dislike loud noises; a loud crash 
  of thunder can kill one. The chiang-shih is only 
  active at night, and can’t cross running water. Iron 
  ﬁlings, red peas, and rice can be used to create 
  eﬀective barriers the vampire can’t cross, while 
  garlic automatically causes a chiang-shih to ﬂee. 
  Salt dissolves a chiang-shih.
  Chiang-shih prefer to attack by surprise and 
  ambush, especially if they have no powers other 
  than their great strength and long claws. A chiang-
  shih tends to be very violent in combat, often rip-
  ping its victims limb from limb. But their vicious-
  ness can be used against them, as shown in the 
  folktale “The Resuscitated Corpse,” where a charg-
  ing chiang-shih is tricked into impaling its claws 
  into a willow tree, trapping it until dawn.
  It’s said some chiang-shih have more powers 
  than those listed. Some are believed to have a poi-
  sonous (or icy) breath capable of killing anyone 
  they breathe on. Other chiang-shih can become 
  insubstantial, appearing as a glowing blue ball sur-
  rounded by a chill mist. Finally, it’s said rice (and 
  other grains or seeds) not only can be used to 
  create an impassible barrier to a Chinese vampire, 
  but some chiang-shih must stop and count each 
  and every grain thrown into its path, possibly “trap-
  ping” it there until the sun rises and kills it.
  Campaign Use:  The chiang-shih is an interest-
  ing vampire that can quite easily throw a party of 
  unsuspecting PCs for a loop. Unlike the stereotypi-
  cal cinematic Western vampire, the chiang-shih 
  isn’t harmed by being staked through the heart and 
  normally isn’t troubled by exposure to sunlight. It 
  can go where it pleases, not requiring an invitation 
  to enter a dwelling. It doesn’t even need to remain 
  in its coﬃn, although burying a Chinese vampire in 
  a proper grave can keep it from rising.
  This character sheet represents only a basic 
  chiang-shih. For campaign use, you may want to 
  increase the chiang-shih’s DEX, BODY, INT, and 
  SPD, add some Martial Arts, and perhaps give it 
  more relevant Skills and abilities retained from 
  its former life (such as Weapon Familiarities). To 
  further confuse the PCs, consider using some of 
  the optional powers and Disadvantages, especially 
  if they’ve encountered more than one chiang-shih 
  and feel they have a good understanding of the 
  vampire’s habits.
  Appearance:  A chiang-shih can have many forms, 
  depending upon how long it’s existed as a vam-
  pire. Normally a chiang-shih appears exactly as it 
  looked when it died and is not instantly recogniz-
  able for what it is. The chiang-shih can also assume 
  a more horriﬁc form, with a green glowing body, 
  serrated teeth, and long claws. Older, more power-
  ful, chiang-shih develop a thick covering of long 
  white hair. Depending on how long it’s been dead, 
  a chiang-shih may wear rich robes, simple funeral 
  clothing, or nothing at all.
  CHINESE GIANT SNAKES
  Ecology:  China is home to a wide variety of giant 
  snakes. Many of these creatures dwell in the moun-
  tains at the fringes of the empire, preying on any-
  thing big enough to feed their immense appetites. 
  Fortunately, Chinese giant serpents seem to be 
  fairly rare.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motiva-
  tions. Some snakes seem to have human intel-
  ligence and range in attitude from benevolent to 
  wicked and cruel.
  Powers/Tactics:  Giant snakes use tactics appro-
  priate to their form:  constrictors tend to Grab 
  prey with a bite and then crush it in their coils; 
  venomous snakes bite ﬁrst and then let their lethal 
  venom do its work. Some giant snakes have magi-
  cal powers, including near-immortality (one legend 
  tells of a pure white snake over 1,800 years old), the 
  ability to assume human form, and a degree of con-
  trol over rain, water, and the weather.
  Chinese myths mention other snakes as well. 
  One is said to have horns on its head and is capable 
  of breathing forth a cloud of deadly poison. Another 
  is eighty feet long, ten feet in circumference, and has 
  eyes two feet across; it dwells in a cave and demands a 
  yearly tribute of young maidens.
  Campaign Use:  You can incorporate Chinese giant 
  snakes into your world as guardians of mountain 
  passes, treasure-ﬁlled valleys, and the like. You can 
  also use them as a prey item for the pyong, a roc-
  like bird (page 24). As with the orochi (see AB2), 
  any white-colored snake is considered a supernatu-
  ral being worthy of veneration.
  
  18 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  BASHE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   90 STR 
  80 
  27- 
  Lift 6.4 ktons; 18d6 [9]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   45 CON 
  70 
  18-
   40 BODY 60 
  16-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   45 PRE 
  35 
  18- 
  PRE Attack:  9d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   30 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  30 PD (15 rPD)
   30 ED 
  21 
   
  Total:  30 ED (15 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   27 REC 
  0
   90 END 
  0
   108 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  283
    
   
   
  (+257 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming: 
  16”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  11 
  Coils:  +15 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Only To Grab And Crush (-1) 0
  70 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½), Armor  
  Piercing (+½) 
  7
  15 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (15 PD/15 ED) 
  0
  36 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -18” 
  0
  2 
  Diminished Appetite:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  only needs to eat  
  once every few months) 
  0
  36 
  Slithering:  Running +18” (24” total) 
  5
  14 
  Slithering:  Swimming +14” (16” total) 
  2
  6 
  Serpent’s Tongue:  +3 PER with Smell/Taste 
  Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Grab
  5 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  207
  Total Cost:  490
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Colossal (64” long, -
  12 DCV, +12 to PER Rolls) (All The Time, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  18 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  332 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  490
  Description:  Bashe, or ba-snakes (she means 
  “snake”), live in the mountains to the far west of 
  China. They prey on elephants, swallowing them 
  whole (they do Very Strong swallowing damage) 
  and then spitting out the bones after a period of 
  three years. Because of their great size — a full-
  grown bashe’s over 400 feet long with an immense 
  head and a maw large enough to swallow a bull 
  elephant — they’re solitary creatures, and rarely 
  seen. Bashe are black with a green head, although 
  some are said to be multicolored black, green, red, 
  and yellow.
  THE NYAN
  Giant snakes are found throughout Asian myth and 
  folklore. Few are as large as the bashe, although the 
  Nyan comes close. Also known by the names Avagráh, 
  Gara, Gráha, or Tantri-gáha, the Nyan is described as a 
  vast worm-like being known to inhabit rivers and estu-
  aries throughout India (speciﬁcally the Bengal region) 
  and Burma. Capable of crushing nearly anything in its 
  coils, the Nyan’s preferred prey is the elephant.
  
  19 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  CHANGSHE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   80 STR 
  70 
  23- 
  Lift 1.6 ktons; 16d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   40 CON 
  60 
  17-
   43 BODY 66 
  18-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   25 PD 
  9 
   
  Total:  22 PD (12 rPD)
   25 ED 
  17 
   
  Total:  25 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   24 REC 
  0
   80 END 
  0
   103 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  275 
    
   
   
  (+231 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  16”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  70 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½), Armor  
  Piercing (+½) 
  7
  140 
  Venomous Bite:  Drain CON 5d6,  
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at  
  the rate of 5 points per Hour; +1), NND 
  (defense is appropriate LS [Immunity];  
  +1), Personal Immunity (+¼); Snake  
  Bite Must Do BODY (-½), Extra Time  
  (onset time begins 1 Segment after  
  victim is bitten; -0), Gradual Eﬀect  
  (5 Segments, 1d6/1 Segment; -¼),  
  Linked (to RKA; -½), 4 Charges (-1)  
  plus RKA 6d6, NND (defense is  
  appropriate LS [Immunity]; +1), Does  
  BODY (+1), Personal Immunity (+¼);  
  No Range (-½), Snake Bite Must Do  
  BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 1 Segment after victim is bitten;  
  -0), Gradual Eﬀect (6 Segments, 1d6/ 
  1 Segment; -¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  10 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  36 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -18” 
  0
  2 
  Diminished Appetite:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  only needs to eat  
  once every few months) 
  0
  36 
  Slithering:  Running +18” (24” total) 
  5
  14 
  Slithering:  Swimming +14” (16” total) 
  2
  6 
  Serpent’s Tongue:  +3 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Bite
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  329
  Total Cost:  604
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Even Larger Than 
  Colossal (128” long, -14 DCV, +14 to PER 
  Rolls) (All The Time, Greatly Impairing)
  16 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  448 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  604
  Description:  The changshe, or Long Snake, lives on 
  the slopes of Greater Unity Mountain far to the 
  north of China. It’s an immense form of fu viper 
  (see text box) that measures upwards of 800 feet in 
  length with a body covered in scales and thick, pig-
  like bristles. They’re aggressive predators and eat 
  virtually anything and everything, killing prey with 
  a single bite and a dose of highly lethal poison.
  FU VIPERS
  A fu viper is a mountain-dwelling red snake with 
  thick bristles (or needles) on its nose; it can grow to 
  weigh than 130 pounds. You can create one by giving 
  the Black Mamba (page 178 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary) +16 STR to represent its greater mass and 
  proportional strength.
  
  20 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  HOOK-SNAKE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   13 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  13 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (6 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   53 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  116
    
   
   
  (+54 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  6 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  2 
  Diminished Appetite:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  only needs to eat  
  once every few months) 
  0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  2
  8 
  Aﬃnity For Water:  Swimming +8”  
  (10” total) 
  1
  6 
  Serpent’s Tongue:  +3 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group 
  0
  13 
  Long Forked Tail:   Stretching 4”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No 
  Velocity Damage (-¼), Limited Body Parts  
  (tail; -¼), Limited Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  Forked Tail:  +3 OCV with Grab
  3 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  98
  Total Cost:  214
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long; -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  8 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  81 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  214
  OPTIONS
  Cost Constrictor
  7 
  Constrictor: +15 STR; Only Usable With 
  Grab (-1)
  140 
  Venomous:  Drain CON 5d6, Delayed  
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of 
  5 points per Hour; +1), NND (defense is 
  appropriate LS [Immunity]; +1), Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); Snake Bite Must Do  
  BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset time  
  begins 1 Segment after victim is bitten;  
  -0), Gradual Eﬀect (5 Segments, 1d6/ 
  1 Segment; -¼), Linked (to RKA; -½),  
  4 Charges (-1) plus RKA 6d6, NND  
  (defense is appropriate LS [Immunity];  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Personal Immunity 
  (+¼); No Range (-½), Snake Bite Must  
  Do BODY (-½), Extra Time (onset  
  time begins 1 Segment after victim is  
  bitten; -0), Gradual Eﬀect (6 Segments,  
  1d6/1 Segment; -¼), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  10 
  Venomous:  +1 SPD
  Description:  The hook-snake, also known as the 
  “horse-stumbling snake,” is found in and around 
  the rivers of Yongchang. It’s said to be “several tens 
  of feet long” with a forked tail. It lurks either in 
  the river or along the shore, using its forked tail to 
  snatch horses, humans, and oxen oﬀ the roads and 
  trails and dragging them away to be devoured.
  It’s unclear if the hook-snake is a constrictor 
  or a venomous snake. You can apply the optional 
  powers to make it either one, or for a truly unpleas-
  ant surprise, give it both options.
  
  21 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  CHINESE HOBGOBLINS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; [1]
   12 DEX 
  6 
  11- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   12 CON 
  4 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   12 PRE 
  2 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (1 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  8 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   24 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  19
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  1 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Nighteyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 11-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 11-
  2 
  Survival (choice) 11-
  4 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  21
  Total Cost:  40
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of 
  Humans (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  danger to travelers, 11-
  Total Disadvantage Points:  100
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  var 
  Larger Or Smaller:  Apply either the Large 
  or Small Size/Weight Template and Physical 
  Limitation from pages 574-75 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised.
  5 
  Breathe Water:  Life Support (Expanded 
  Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6; Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  +1 
  Even Tougher Hide:  Increase Damage Resis-
  tance to (2 PD/2 ED)
  10 
  Fangs:  HKA ½d6
  3+ 
  Sharp Senses:  +1 PER (or more) with all 
  Sense Groups
  Other powers based on partial animal forms.
  Ecology:  Chinese hobgoblins are found in the 
  wilder and more forbidding regions of China. 
  They usually dwell in dark forests, dank marshes, 
  in and around mountains, and in the water. 
  They band together into tribes of different sizes, 
  known as the Chi, Mei, Meichi, Senchui, and 
  Wangliang (among others).
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. Chinese hobgoblins are noted for being 
  malicious and evil, attacking travelers (often from 
  ambush), slaying everyone they can, and then drag-
  ging oﬀ the corpses for a feast. They also take anything 
  of value they can ﬁnd, putting it to immediate use if 
  it’s a weapon or a tool, or caching it back at their vil-
  lage if not (such as gold, silks, or gems).
  Powers/Tactics:  Chinese hobgoblins use the full 
  range of tactics available to sentient humanoids. 
  They favor classic Chinese weapons, such as Chi-
  nese axes, darn do, jien, and various polearms, and 
  usually equip themselves with leather, scale, or 
  brigandine armor.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent Chinese hobgoblin the PCs might 
  encounter in a situation where you need a character 
  sheet (i.e., combat or the like). You can easily custom-
  ize this character sheet by applying one of the tem-
  plates found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Minions, 
  And Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter. Lesser 
  Chinese hobgoblins, such as the young, females, the 
  elderly, and so on, would have slightly lower charac-
  teristics, and diﬀerent skills.
  Appearance:  Chinese hobgoblins are usually ﬁve 
  to six foot-tall humanoids with a wide variety of 
  physical characteristics, although most wear their 
  hair very long. Their skin may be of any color, and 
  is often thick and hairy. In addition, they may have 
  sharp claws, large fangs, or the head of diﬀerent 
  beasts. They wear clothes and use weapons with a 
  distinct Asian cast to them.
  
  22 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CHINESE WERE-ANIMALS
  Ecology:  The origins of a Chinese were-animal can 
  vary widely. Some are the ghost of a slain animal or 
  murdered human. Some are instruments of divine 
  punishment sent by the Celestial Bureaucracy to 
  exact justice. Others are taken as a sign of some great 
  upcoming disaster. And still others are normal ani-
  mals with the power to assume human form. Dogs, 
  hares and rabbits, monkeys, rats, stags, tigers, and 
  wolves are among the animals who take human form; 
  so do some plants, such as trees.
  A Chinese were-animal usually haunts a speciﬁc 
  area, such as an abandoned or ruined home, an other-
  wise deserted bridge, or a lonely stretch of road. Most 
  appear at night, often with the intent of terrorizing 
  and/or killing unwary travelers (although some take 
  after their close cousins, the hu-hsien [see AB2], and 
  try to seduce travelers instead). Some are more ghoul-
  like, digging up corpses and spreading disease.
  Personality/Motivation:  The most basic reason many 
  animals assume human form is to seduce humans. 
  Dogs have been known to assume the shape of their 
  masters to sleep with their owner’s wife, as have pet 
  monkeys. Foxes assume human form to do the same, 
  but often have a more malicious agenda as well, seek-
  ing to ruin their victims ﬁnancially and socially. Some 
  animals take human form to gain something they want 
  from other humans, such as food, drink, medicine, or 
  wealth. Some animals seek revenge on men and react 
  accordingly when encountering a human traveler.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally only an animal 100 years 
  old or older can assume human form. Such animals 
  tend to have additional supernatural powers, and 
  all are capable of human speech. They also don’t 
  seem to be aﬀected by their great age, and are often 
  larger than a regular animal of the same species. 
  Ghosts and the agents of the Celestial Bureaucracy 
  will have additional powers suitable to either their 
  undead or divine forms.
  Campaign Use:  You can convert just about any con-
  ventional animal to a Chinese were-beast. Simply give 
  the animal Multiform (assume human shape) and 
  human-level INT and EGO, and remove its Animal 
  Intelligence Physical Limitation if necessary. You may 
  also want to give the were-animal powers similar to 
  the kitsune or the tanuki (see AB2).
  Chinese were-beasts can help, harm, or simply 
  delay a group of PCs as needed. One animal in 
  human form may ask for the PCs’ aid (to rescue its 
  young, for example), while another were-animal 
  may haunt a stretch of road and challenge one a 
  PC to ﬁght. A PC’s latest love interest many turn 
  out to be an animal in human form. Whether the 
  were-animal genuinely loves the hero or has a more 
  nefarious plan in mind is up to the GM....
  Appearance:  Chinese were-animals usually look 
  identical to their more mundane counterparts, 
  though they may be larger or handsomer than 
  normal — nothing about them tells an observer 
  they can assume human form. However, wounds 
  taken in animal (or human) form remain on the 
  other form, sometimes making it possible to iden-
  tify the creature in either shape.
  FEI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; [3]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   22 BODY 24 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   7 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  7 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  5 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   52 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  88
    
   
   
  (+25 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Evaporates Water:  RKA 3d6, Area Of  
  Eﬀect (14” Radius; +1), Continuous (+1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Always On (-½), No  
  Range (-½), Only Aﬀects Water (-1) 
  0
  40 
  Kills Grass:  RKA 2d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (9” Radius; +1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Always On (-½),  
  No Range (-½), Only Aﬀects Plants (-1) 
  0
  15 
  Horns:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  2
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -5” 
  0
  3 
  Supernatural Origins:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  need not eat)
  20 
  Symbol Of Plague:  Life Support (Immunity 
  to all terrestrial diseases, biowarfare agents, 
  poisons, and chemical warfare agents) 
  0
  8 
  Long Legs:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  2
  1 
  Charge:  Running +3” (13” total); Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x8 END; -3½) 
  8
  3 
  Heightened Senses:  +1 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Move Through
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  168
  Total Cost:  256
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Reputation:  symbol of plague, 11- (Extreme)
  126 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  256
  
  23 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Ecology:  A fei (or “fei-beast”) is a magical form of 
  cow with the power to dry up bodies of water and 
  kill living plants simply by walking past them. It’s 
  found mainly in the northeast of China, but can 
  conceivably appear anywhere. It’s greatly feared, 
  since the sighting of a fei is widely regarded (and 
  rightly so) as foretelling the arrival of terrible ill-
  nesses and plagues.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  As with most oxen, a fei usually 
  ﬂees if attacked, but can become quite aggressive if 
  cornered or wounded. Normally it charges a target, 
  attempting to hit with its horns, and then tramples 
  the fallen foe. Its ability to evaporate water and wither 
  grass is a natural one, requiring no eﬀort on the part 
  of the fei. Fortunately for humans, this power also 
  makes it easy to track the beast. (For purposes of the 
  fei’s powers, a single cubic hex of water has 0 DEF, 6 
  BODY. A single hex of grass and shrubs has 1 DEF, 2 
  BODY.)
  Campaign Use:  The fei is a good example of how to 
  can take an ordinary creature (in this case an ox) 
  and make it monstrous by applying some unusual 
  powers. You can use it as the basis of an adventure 
  in which a group of heroes must stop one (or a 
  whole herd!) before it ravages the countryside and 
  evaporates the region’s water. You could also allow a 
  spellcaster to summon a fei to send it out to devas-
  tate an enemy’s lands.
  Appearance:  A fei-beast has the body of a white-
  headed oxen with but one eye, and a snake’s tail.
  FENG HWANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  70
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  24”/48”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  7 
  Beak:  HKA ½d6; No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  40 
  Wings:  Flight 24”, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  15 
  Virtually Immortal:  Life Support  
  (Immunity:  all terrestrial diseases and  
  biowarfare agents; Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  -2 
  Does Not Swim:  Swimming -2”
  5 
  Eyes Of The Feng Hwang:  Increased Arc Of 
  Perception (240 Degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
  20 
  Celestial Luck:  Luck 4d6 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
  9 
  Reputation:  symbol of good fortune and 
  Celestial favor (in China and Japan) 14- 
  +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
   
  Skills
  2 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 11-
  5 
  PS: Singing 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  106
  Total Cost:  176
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Music And 
  Singing (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Won’t Knowingly 
  Eat Any Living Thing — Won’t Even Peck At 
  Living Grass (Common, Total)
  51 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  176
  
  24 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Ecology:  Commonly called the Chinese phoenix, 
  the feng hwang is one of the four Celestial Beings 
  (along with the ch’i-lin, the kioh-lung, and the 
  tortoise). It’s the foremost of all the 360 birds that 
  exist, and is often accompanied by enormous ﬂocks 
  of birds wherever it goes. Considered a symbol of 
  good fortune, the feng hwang only appears during 
  the reign of a just and wise ruler and hides during 
  times of war, famine, and drought.
  Much like the ch’i-lin, the name “feng hwang” 
  refers to both the male and female bird, with feng 
  being the male, and hwang being the female. It’s also 
  known as the feng huang, fung hwang, or fum hwang. 
  In Japan it’s called the ho-o, in Korea the bong hwang 
  (with the male being “bi,” the female “bong”), and in 
  Thailand the hong jean or hongsa, meaning “heav-
  enly swan.” A nearly identical creature is the hwa yih. 
  Described as looking like a pheasant, except larger 
  and more graceful, the hwa yih is also known as the 
  lwan, to fu, yin chu, and yu siang.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  The feng hwang has a great love of music and sing-
  ing, especially ﬂute music — nine times out of ten 
  it appears in the presence of someone playing the 
  ﬂute.
  Powers/Tactics:  For the most part, the feng hwang 
  is a nonviolent animal that ﬂees from threats. If 
  cornered it strikes out with its sharp beak.
  Campaign Use:  You should use the feng hwang in 
  the same manner as the ch’i-lin — a sign of peace 
  and prosperity for the land. Its appearance (or its 
  being in hiding) could inspire many adventures.
  Appearance:  Standing six feet in height, the feng 
  hwang has a swallow’s beak, the head of a cock, a 
  snakelike neck, the body of a swan, and 12 long 
  tail feathers. An alternate description states it 
  has the head of a pheasent, the beak of a swal-
  low, a turtle’s neck, and the outward semblance 
  of a Chinese dragon. It may have a fish’s tail as 
  well. In either case, the feng hwang’s feathers 
  are a mixture of the five colors:  azure, black, 
  red, white, and yellow. Its singing voice has been 
  described as like “music from heaven.”
  One description of the bong hwang, the 
  Korean counterpart, of the feng hwang, is “a duck’s 
  breast, snake’s neck, ﬁsh’s tail, crane’s forehead, 
  mandarin duck’s feathers, dragon’s patterns, tiger’s 
  back, swallow’s jaws, and chicken’s comb....” As with 
  the feng hwang, the bong hwang is a mixture of the 
  ﬁve colors.
  THE GIANT BIRDS OF ASIA
  Chinese legends mention a creature called the pyong, 
  a bird of immense size, while Indian myth speaks of 
  the gandabherunda (not to mention the minor deity 
  Garuda). A similar creature is the pheng of Japan, a bird 
  so huge it blocks out the sun when it ﬂies overhead and 
  is capable of devouring a camel in a single bite. For all 
  of these creatures, use the character sheet for the roc on 
  page 110 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  
  25 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  HAI HO SHANG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   10 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:   PD (4 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   48 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  101
    
   
   
  (+27 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  4 
  Scaled Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  8 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -4” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  -12 
  Only Swims:   Running -6” (0” total)
  8 
  Swift Swimmer:  Swimming +8” (10” total) 1
  5 
  See Underwater:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Bite
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  40
  Total Cost:  141
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Repulsed By The Smell 
  Of Burning Feathers (Frequently, Fully 
  Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Tends To Flee 
  From Ritual Dances (Uncommon, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  sinker of junks and drowner/
  eater of people, 14- (Extreme)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  145
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. The Hai Ho Shang can be up to 
  Huge in size.
  Ecology:  The Hai Ho Shang (literally, “Sea Bud-
  dhist Priest”), or sea bonze, dwells in the seas oﬀ of 
  southern China. It tends to inhabit the upper waters 
  of the ocean, feasting on ﬁsh of all sizes, but attacks 
  oceangoing junks, overturning them to drown (and 
  eat) the crew. The creature is so feared that if any 
  ﬁsherman catches an infant Hai Ho Shang in his 
  nets, he kills it immediately despite the Buddhist 
  postures of prayer the young sea bonze assumes 
  once released onto the deck.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient motiva-
  tions. Hai Ho Shang have a well-deserved reputa-
  tion for aggression and belligerence, and seem to 
  delight in wrecking ships and their crews.
  Because they fear this creature so, sailors often 
  take sacks of feathers with them and burn them 
  if they suspect there’s a Hai Ho Shang in the area 
  — the smell drives the sea bonze away. In addition, 
  at least one sailor on any ship knows a ritual dance 
  of protection. At the mere hint of a Hai Ho Shang’s 
  appearance, the sailor dresses in a long, black, full-
  sleeved robe and takes up a wand set with long 
  streamers of red cloth. Accompanied by another 
  sailor on a gong, the dancer performs the necessary 
  steps. Normally, this is suﬃcient to make the sea 
  bonze leave the area.
  Powers/Tactics:  Hai Ho Shang use the full range 
  of tactics available to sentient beings, adapted for 
  use underwater. They tend to strike from ambush, 
  usually by coming up from the depths to strike 
  their targets. If attacking a ship, the Hai Ho Shang 
  
  26 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  usually batters at it with its body, performs Strikes 
  with its tail, or uses Move Throughs and Move Bys. 
  It may also bite the boat and try to topple it with its 
  great strength.
  Campaign Use:  The Hai Ho Shang makes an excel-
  lent aquatic encounter for PCs who’ve grown com-
  placent with the far more benign water-dwellers 
  of China (such as the Hai Nu, Lung, or Shan). You 
  could also make the Hai Ho Shang guardians of the 
  Dragon King’s palace or companions of the Japa-
  nese Samebito or Shojo.
  Appearance:  A Hai Ho Shang has the body of an 
  enormous ﬁsh with the shaved human head of 
  Buddhist monk.
  HAI NU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; [1]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   11 CON 
  2 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   22 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  25
    
   
   
  (+1 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  2”/4”
   
  Swimming:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  4 
  Webbed Fingers And Toes:  Swimming  
  +4” (6” total) 
  1
  5 
  See Underwater:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic Move-
  ment (no penalties underwater)
   
  Skills
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  2 
  AK:  Yu-Shan And The Ladrone Islands 11-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  27
  Total Cost:  52
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  Webbed-Fingers And 
  Toes (Easily Concealable; Noticed And Rec-
  ognizable)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Mute (All The Time; 
  Slightly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  95
  Ecology:  The hai nu (“sea woman”) are Chinese 
  mermaids. They live primarily oﬀ the coast of the 
  Landrone and Yu-shan Islands, but may be found in 
  shallow seas all along the Chinese coast. Solitary in 
  their habits, they eat small ﬁsh and crustaceans, but 
  can consume human foods and survive out of the 
  sea almost indeﬁnitely.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. Generally, they’re benevolent beings; 
  common wisdom states “a man-ﬁsh does no injury 
  to humans.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Since they have no natural weapons, 
  the hai nu tend to ﬂee from attackers. It’s possible 
  some use simple weapons, such as knives and spears.
  MONSTERS OF  
  THE CHINESE OCEAN
  Kiau:  The kiau is described as a huge ﬁsh one hundred 
  feet long, ten feet high, and twenty feet wide. Another 
  kiau was said to be three hundred feet long with a 
  smooth black body. You can either use the sea serpent 
  or the sperm whale characters sheet found in The 
  HERO System Bestiary to represent the kiau. Increase 
  the Size Template to Colossal to represent the three 
  hundred foot version.
  Kun:  The kun (or kw’Ln) are gigantic ﬁsh known to 
  dwell in the northern ocean. They have the ability to 
  assume the form of immense birds known as peng (or 
  p’Lng). A peng can travel 3,000 miles with a single ﬂap 
  of its wings, covers the entire sky simply by unfurling 
  its wings, and can stay in the air for six months before 
  needing to rest. To create a kun use the sperm whale 
  character sheet on page 187 The HERO System Besti-
  ary, increasing the whale’s size to Colossal and adding 
  the ability to Multiform into a roc (see page 110 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary) at will.
  
  27 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Campaign Use:  Unlike the mermaid legends of 
  many other countries, the hai nu seems to be a 
  mostly peaceful being, with no stigma as a bringer 
  of storms or portent of ill omen attached to her 
  sightings. In fact, one hai nu was brought ashore by 
  a ﬁsherman after being found tangled in his nets 
  and became the man’s wife. She wore human cloth-
  ing and ate human food, but was unable to speak 
  — she could only smile.
  Appearance:  Hai nu have the appearance of slender 
  human women, except their ﬁngers and toes are 
  webbed. They wear no clothing; some have a layer 
  of ﬁne hair covering their bodies.
  HOH SHENG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   10 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 PD (10 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (10 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   38 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  125
    
   
   
  (+7 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Devours Adults And Infants:  HKA 2d6 
  (2d6+1 with STR), Aﬀects Physical  
  World (+2) 
  9
  47 
  Leaves Nearly Painless Wounds:  Drain  
  BODY 1d6, Delayed Return Rate (points 
  return at the rate of 5 per Day; +1½),  
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Invisible  
  to Touch Group (+¼) 
  5
  24 
  Hurls Stones And Tiles:  Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2) for up to 10 STR, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Aﬀects Whole Object (no squeezing or  
  the like; -¼) 
  0
  24 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Sight Group  
  Images, -3 to PER Rolls, Increased Size  
  (2” radius; +¼), Aﬀects Physical World  
  (+2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation; -½), No Range 
  (-½), Set Eﬀect (black fog/mist; -1) 
  0
  60 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Cosmetic  
  Transform 3d6 (air around someone into  
  a sprinkling of rancid blood, heals back  
  by cleaning/washing blood oﬀ), Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2), Area Of Eﬀect  
  (One Hex Doubled; +¾), Damage  
  Shield (does damage in HTH combat;  
  +¾), Continuous (+1), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½) 
  0
  10 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  50 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  12 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Flight 6”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½) 
  0
  
  28 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  100 
  Body Of Black Vapor:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent  
  (+¼), Variable Special Eﬀect (black peas, 
  black ink, mist, or sand; +¼) 
  0
  45 
  Assume Many Forms:  Shape Shift (Sight 
  Group, nearly any animal or humanoid 
  shape), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0
  5 
  Golden Eyes Of The Hoh Sheng:  Nightvision 0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  510
  Total Cost:  635
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Feature: foul stench (Not Con-
  cealable; Noticed And Recognizable)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Reputation:  sign of Heaven’s displeasure 
  with the Emperor, 14-
  20 
  Susceptibility:  to salt, takes 3d6 damage 
  instantly (Common)
  505 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  635
  Ecology:  A hoh sheng (“black calamity”) is a super-
  natural manifestation of the displeasure of Heaven 
  and the Celestial Bureaucracy with the actions of 
  the Emperor. Taking the form of various animals 
  or strangely-shaped humans, these beings can 
  appear anywhere and cause death and destruction 
  on a wide scale, killing and eating people and live-
  stock. Since hoh sheng are eﬀectively immune to 
  normal weapons, their attacks are especially feared, 
  although hurling handfuls of salt at a hoh sheng 
  drives it away.
  Personality/Motivation:  As a manifestation of 
  Celestial displeasure, the hoh sheng is not evil per 
  se, but is more a force of nature. That said, it’s cer-
  tainly inimical to humans and has been known to 
  inﬂict wounds on the sleeping, devour infants alive 
  (and then gruesomely killing their mothers), and 
  commit other heinous acts.
  Powers/Tactics:  A hoh sheng normally retains its 
  assumed form until it reaches its desired target. 
  At that point it transforms back into its normal 
  shape, a cloud of black vapor, and attacks without 
  hesitation. The vapor form lets the hoh sheng slip 
  into buildings virtually unnoticed, obscures vision, 
  and leaves a sprinkling of rancid-smelling blood 
  on anything it touches. Depending on the needs of 
  the Celestial Courts, the hoh sheng’s attacks may 
  be far more subtle. Some may inﬂict nearly painless 
  wounds on the sleeping, while others hurl cobble-
  stones, rooﬁng tiles, and other loose objects.
  Campaign Use:  A single hoh sheng can be more 
  than a match for a party of PCs... and oﬃcial histo-
  ries often record groups of hoh sheng appearing at 
  once. If you use a hoh sheng, make sure the heroes 
  are capable of combating it (either with spells and 
  enchanted weapons, or because they know about 
  its Susceptibility to salt). Of course, since a hoh 
  sheng only appears on the orders of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy, the PCs may not want to ﬁght it (after 
  all, who are they to doubt the will of the gods?). 
  Of course, if the PCs feel the hoh sheng’s attack is 
  justiﬁed they still have the problem of convinc-
  ing a reluctant Emperor to confess his faults in the 
  Temple of Heaven, lower taxes, and order the purg-
  ing of corrupt oﬃcials.
  Appearance:  A hoh sheng normally takes the shape 
  of a large black animal with golden eyes. Dog and 
  fox shapes are common, as are snakes. At least one 
  hoh sheng appeared as a man with a face of black 
  smoke and vapor, while others were “serpentine 
  beings rolling like cart-wheels, with eyes like light-
  ning” or tortoises. A hoh sheng’s “true form” is a 
  cloud of black mist, or a rain of black peas, ink, 
  or sand. Regardless of form, the hoh sheng always 
  emits a foul-smelling stench.
  
  29 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  HSING-HSING
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400kg; 4d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 PD (1 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   31 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  48
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Arm Smash:  HA +1d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-to-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  1 
  Thick Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -1” 
  0
  -2 
  Poor Swimmer:  Swimming -2”
  3 
  Sharp Senses:  +1 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Thrown Objects
  3 
  Breakfall 12-
  5 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Language:  Chinese (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  44
  Total Character Cost:  92
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  hunters seeking its blood (As Pow, 
  Capture) 8-
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (up to 3m tall 
  and weighing about 360 kg: -2 DCV, +2 to 
  PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly 
  Impairing)
  2 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  90
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  10 
  Add Physical Limitation:  Near-Human 
  Intelligence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Overly Fond 
  Of Wine (Common, Strong; 15 points)
  15 
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of 
  Young And Territory (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Shy, Avoids 
  Human Contact (Common, Moderate)
  Ecology:  The hsing-hsing (or sing-sing or xing-xing) 
  are jungle dwellers who live in south China near 
  Cambodia. They stay away from humans, who use 
  their blood to make dyes. They live alone or in small 
  tribes, and feed on leaves and other vegetation. They 
  walk upright and are quite skilled at climbing trees.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  If captured by hunters, a hsing-hsing bargains 
  with its captors, exchanging a measure of its blood 
  (which must be given voluntarily) for its freedom.
  Powers/Tactics:  Hsing-hsing use clubs and their 
  ﬁsts if attacked. If possible, they climb a tree, from 
  which vantage point they hurl branches, fruit, and 
  dung at their assailants. Hunters usually use wine to 
  lure hsing-hsing — they love it, and usually drink 
  enough to fall unconscious.
  Campaign Use:  The hsing-hsing may be based on 
  reports of a real animal, or be a form of previously 
  undiscovered orangutan. The character sheet mixes 
  equal parts of folklore and more realistic accounts, 
  so you should remove any elements you don’t want 
  to get the right feel for your campaign.
  Appearance:  A hsing-hsing resembles an ape or an 
  orangutan, with a white humanoid face and pointed 
  ears. It’s covered with thick hair (except on the head 
  and face) ranging in coloration from brown, to red-
  dish, to black.
  
  30 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  HUI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (1 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  31
    
   
   
  (+35 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  24”/48”
   
  Leaping:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Bite:  ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  45 
  Swift As An Arrow:  Running +18”  
  (24” total), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) 
  2
  5 
  Great Leaper:  Leaping +10” (12” forward);  
  Forward Movement Only (-1) 
  1
  6 
  Sharp Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  90
  Total Cost:  121
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited  
  Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Reputation:  appears before the arrival of a 
  typhoons, 11-
  6 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  121
  THE APE-MEN OF ASIA
  You can use the character sheet for the hsing-hsing to 
  represent a wide variety of ape-like humanoids from 
  Asia (some or all of which may be real animals). Most 
  of them are between six and eight feet tall.
  Almas:  These creatures are found on the border of 
  Mongolia (almas means “wildman” in Mongolian) and 
  Russia, although some have been seen in Northern 
  China. They’re ﬁve to six feet tall with reddish-black 
  hair. They’re nocturnal and eat mostly grasses, leaves, 
  roots, and the like.
  Bekk-bok:  Found in Nepal, this creature stands around 
  ﬁve feet tall with black hair, yellow eyes, and sharp 
  fang-like teeth. Apparently a monkey rather than an 
  ape, it has a long tail and is know to be highly aggres-
  sive, attacking people without provocation. A virtually 
  identical creature, the kra-dhan, is found in Indochina.
  Hibagon:  This Japanese ape-like being stands only 
  about ﬁve feet tall, has a snub nose and glaring eyes, 
  and is said to smell like a rotting corpse. Popular legend 
  has it being a mutated result of the atomic bombing of 
  Hiroshima.
  Nittaewo:  These beings, found on the island of Sri 
  Lanka, stand no more than four feet tall and have dark 
  hair all over their bodies. Their ﬁngers are clawed, and 
  they’re quite aggressive for their size.
  Nguoi Rung:  Seen in the forests where Cambodia, Laos, 
  and Vietnam converge, the nguoi rung (“forest people”) 
  stand about six feet tall and have long hair covering 
  their bodies. They steal ﬁsh out of ﬁsh traps and have 
  attacked and carried oﬀ humans to their homes in the 
  caves. They’re also known as khi trau (literally, “big 
  monkey” or “buﬀalo monkey”).
  Orang-pendek:  Found in Sumatra, the orang-pendek 
  (“little man”) is also called the sedapa. It’s usually 
  around ﬁve feet tall and covered with ﬂowing hair of a 
  variety of colors (yellow, tan, dark gray, or dark black). 
  Tree dwellers, they have long arms and very short legs.
  Sakai:  Seen in Malaysia, the sakai, also known as 
  “stinking ones,” stand about ﬁve and a half feet tall, 
  with black head hair and pale skins. Some of them wear 
  clothing made from bark, and unlike most apes they 
  have no fear of water. They’re also rather aggressive and 
  have been known to raid crops and attack humans.
  Satori:  This forest-dwelling ape-man is found in the 
  mountains of Japan. It’s reputed to be able to read 
  minds, and thus cannot be trapped (in game terms, this 
  may be a form of Danger Sense).
  Yeren:  The “wild men” of China, yeren stand over six 
  feet in height and are covered in thick reddish-brown 
  hair. They’re also called shangui, and may be related 
  to the gin-sung or “bear-man” or southern China and 
  Tibet (the gin-sung itself may be related to the yeh-teh).
  Other such creatures include the bir-sindic and olo-
  banda from Assam, and the iu-wuan from Burma. For 
  even more ape-men, see the Yeh-teh in AB2.
  
  31 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Ecology:  The hui dwells in the mountains of 
  China, either alone or in small groups. It preys 
  on small mammals, such as rabbits, and tends to 
  be active during the day. People tend to avoid the 
  hui, for to see one is a sure sign a typhoon will 
  soon strike the area.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  Hui have a curious reaction to seeing a human:  
  they laugh mockingly.
  Powers/Tactics:  Said to run as swift as an arrow 
  in flight and to be a great leaper, the hui can 
  chase down virtually any prey it desires. Groups 
  of hui use their numbers to bring down prey 
  larger than themselves.
  Campaign Use:  The hui is but one example of many 
  diﬀerent Chinese human-headed animal hybrids. 
  Others are the lin and the mafu (see below). For 
  added variety, you can make the hui intelligent by 
  giving it the Smart (Cunning) Template found on 
  page 27 of The HERO System Bestiary, as well as 
  being capable of speech.
  Appearance:  A hui has a dog’s body with the head 
  of a human.
  HUI VARIANTS
  Lin
  The lin has the body of a man-headed 
  dog with a scaled coat and a tiger’s claws. 
  Like the hui, it’s a great leaper. To create one, make 
  the following changes to the hui:
  Cost Powers
  -46 
  Remove Swift As An Arrow and Tough Skin
  12 
  Tiger’s Claws:  HKA 1d6 (1½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  4 
  Scaled Body:  Armor (3 PD/3 ED); Activation 
  Roll 11- (Hit Locations 9-13; -1) 
  0
  4 
  Swift:  Running +2” (total 8”)
  Total Cost:  -26 points
  Mafu
  The mafu is a mountain-dwelling beast with a 
  tiger’s body and a human’s face. It’s said to cry like a 
  baby and is known to devour people. To create one, 
  make the following changes to the Tiger character 
  sheet on page 147 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -19 
  Remove Cat’s Senses, Cat’s Eyes, and Cat’s Nose
  -10 
  Reduce Bite to HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR)
  17 
  Cry Like A Baby:  Hearing Group Images 1” 
  radius, -4 to PER Rolls, Line Of Sight (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Set Eﬀect 
  (sounds like a baby’s cry; -1)
  Total Cost:  -12 points
  
  32 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  HUJIAO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   21 BODY 22 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  12 PD (6 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  12 ED (6 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   48 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  110
    
   
   
  (+33 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Tiger’s Jaws:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 2
  6 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  10 
  Fast Swimmer:  Swimming +10” (12” total) 
  1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  10 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Targeting for Normal Smell 0
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Tiger’s Jaws
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  79
  Total Cost:  189
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (9m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  89 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  189
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  28 
  Assume A Tiger’s Form:  Multiform  
  (change shape into 212-point tiger); Costs 
  Endurance (-½)
  +4 
  Short Legs:  Running +2” (2” total)
  Ecology:  The hujiao, or tiger dragon, is an aquatic 
  dragon similar in some respects to the shan (page 
  54); it’s a relative of the jiao (page 33). Hujiao 
  inhabit many rivers, speciﬁcally the Yangtze (Chi-
  angjiang) River. They feed on ﬁsh and other aquatic 
  life, and despite their great size don’t seem particu-
  larly inimical to man.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  Like all Chinese dragons, the hujiao has a strong 
  aﬃnity for water, but doesn’t seem to have any 
  express control of it.
  Powers/Tactics:  Roughly the size of a large 
  great white shark, the hujiao has the same sort 
  of hunting tactics:  it lurks near the bottom of a 
  river, then uses a sudden burst of speed to come 
  up on its prey, disabling it with a crushing bite of 
  its jaws. It leaves large prey to bleed to death, but 
  eats smaller targets immediately.
  Campaign Use:  You can use a hujiao anywhere you 
  might normally use a large shark — in and around 
  wrecked ships, sunken castles and caves, or the 
  site of sunken treasure. Huijiao may also serve as 
  guardians for the underwater lairs of kioh-lung. By 
  exchanging the hujiao’s tiger’s head for the head of 
  another animal (such as a bear, fox, or wolf), you 
  could create other hybrid dragons.
  Appearance:  A hujiao has the head of a tiger, the 
  body of a great fish, and a long snakelike tail. Its 
  body is striped yellow and black. Some forms 
  may have short, stubby legs with webbed feet 
  instead of fins.
  
  33 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  JIAO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   23 BODY 26 
  14-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   20 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  20 PD (12 rPD)
   20 ED 
  15 
   
  Total:  20 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   56 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  168
    
   
   
  (+74 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  47 
  Weapons Of The Jiao:  Multipower,  
  47-point reserve
  5m 
  1) Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  3m 
  2) Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  4m 
  3) Tail Lash:  HA +3d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  0
  12 
  Scaled Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Jiao Toughness:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 
  0
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9”
  12 
  Swift:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  1
  10 
  At Home In The Water:  Swimming +8”  
  (10” total) 
  2
  5 
  Jiao’s Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Jiao’s Eyes:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Jiao’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Scent 
  0
  6 
  Jiao Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups 
  0
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  24 
  +3 with All Combat
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  200
  Total Cost:  368
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long, -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  263 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  368
   OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  8 
  At Home In The Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwa-
  ter, Safe Environments:  High Pressure, 
  Intense Cold)
  10 
  Burrows Under The Sand:  Tunneling 3” 
  through 3 DEF material; Sand And Soil  
  Only (-½)
  15 
  Six-Headed:  +5 PER with all Sense Groups
  5 
  Six-Headed:  Extra Limbs (5 heads), Inherent 
  (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
  10 
  Six Pairs Of Eyes:  Increased Arc Of  
  Perception (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  12 
  Six Sets Of Jaws:  +6 OCV with Bite
  Ecology:  The jiao is a type of dragon normally 
  found near large bodies of water or in the desert 
  wastelands of western and northern China. A car-
  nivore, it preys on virtually anything smaller than 
  itself, such as ﬁsh, horses, oxen, and even people.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motiva-
  tions. The jiao has a well-deserved reputation for 
  malice — it’s an aggressive predator, often attacking 
  suddenly and without warning. Large ones snatch 
  people oﬀ the decks of passing ships and barges or 
  from riverside roads. In the desert, the jiao buries 
  itself under the sand with only its eyes exposed, 
  then leaps out in a spray of dirt and dust to attack 
  its target.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally the jiao crunches up its 
  prey in its strong jaws, although a large prey item 
  (such as an oxen) may be gripped by the jiao’s teeth 
  and then raked by its sharp claws. It sometimes 
  uses its tail to stun a victim, or to sweep a foe into 
  
  34 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  the water (where the jiao has the advantage). (In 
  game terms, it can use any two of its Weapons Of 
  The Jiao as part of a multiple-power attack, or the 
  like.) A large jiao is capable of swallowing a man 
  whole (it does Average swallowing damage).
  Campaign Use:  Since the kioh-lung (page 37) is a 
  normally benevolent creature and far too power-
  ful for most adventuring parties to ﬁght, you can 
  use the jiao as a substitute when a group of heroes 
  wants to go dragon-hunting. You can make the 
  jiao into either a water-dweller or a creature of the 
  desert by adding optional powers. For a truly dan-
  gerous version of the jiao, give it the six additional 
  heads. For even more variation, give it some of the 
  powers listed for the kioh-lung.
  Appearance:  A jiao is a long, four-legged snakelike 
  dragon — the largest examples of the species are 
  more than “ten arms spans in width” (about 50 feet 
  long). The head is rather small and the neck narrow.
  K’UEI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   5 PD 
  3 
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  3 
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  55
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Already Dead:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Already Dead:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  33 
  Travel To The Spirit Realm:  Extra- 
  Dimensional Movement (any physical  
  location in the Spirit Realm corresponding  
  to the physical location in realm the k’uei  
  is currently in), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  60 
  Fading:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing,  
  and Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  50 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  6 
  K’uei Senses:  +4 PER with all Sense  
  Groups; Only To Perceive Images Created  
  By Means Other Than Necromancy (-1) 
  0
  5 
  K’uei Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  20 
  20 points’ worth of Skills representing  
  abilities and interests when alive
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  199
  Total Cost:  254
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  body casts no shadow, 
  clothing has no hems, face has no chin,  
  presence causes candle ﬂames to burn green 
  (Not Concealable; Causes Major Reaction)
  5 
  Hunted:  Yen-lo-hwang (Celestial Police) 8- 
  (Mo Pow; Watching)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  must always return  
  to the Spirit Realm at daybreak (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  only moves in a straight 
  line (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  susceptible to various 
  sutras, talismans, and wards (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Angry And Mali-
  cious (Common, Strong)
  
  35 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Dislikes Crossing 
  Running Water (Uncommon, Strong)
  84 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  254
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  122 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY 5d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Delayed Return 
  Rate (points return at a rate of 5 per Week; 
  +1¾), NND (defense is Life Support [appro-
  priate Immunity]; +1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/
  Day; -1¾)
  8 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with 
  STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  38 
  Create Cold Spots:  Change Environment 1” 
  radius, -3 Temperature Levels, Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½)
  81 
  Fearful Presence:  Change Environment 4” 
  radius, -5 PRE for purposes of resisting the 
  k’uei’s fearful Presence Attacks, Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½)
  90 
  Ghostly Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic or ﬁre), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼)
  94 
  Mysterious Noises And Smells:  Hearing and 
  Smell/Taste Group Images, -5 to PER Rolls, 
  Increased Size (2” radius; +¼), Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  43 
  Poltergeist Eﬀect:  Telekinesis (10 STR), 
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2), BOECV (+1), 
  Invisible To Sight Group (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Aﬀects Whole 
  Object (-¼), No Range (-½)
  155 
  Possession:  Mind Control 18d6, Telepathic 
  (+¼), Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Lockout (k’uei 
  cannot use any other powers while possess-
  ing a target; -½), Mandatory Eﬀect (EGO 
  +30; -¾), No Range (-½) plus Desolidiﬁca-
  tion (aﬀected by magic or any attack that 
  aﬀects possessed body), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Linked (to Mind Control; -½) 
  Only To “Merge” With Possessed Body (see 
  text; -1) plus Clinging (normal STR), Aﬀects 
  Physical World (+2); Linked (to Desolidiﬁca-
  tion; -½), Only To Remain Merged With A 
  Body If It’s Moved Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  Others Powers as you see ﬁt.
  Ecology:  K’uei are the spirits of those unable to 
  attain the afterlife and reincarnation. Typically, 
  k’uei arise when a person dies by violence (such 
  as drowning, murder, or suicide). A woman who 
  dies while pregnant or during childbirth can also 
  become a k’uei. Formed from the inferior soul (the 
  p’oh or p’ai), a k’uei can either be an insubstantial 
  ghost or a walking corpse (similar in some respects 
  to the chiang-shih).
  For ten days after its death, a k’uei tries to 
  pursue its normal life accompanied by one of the 
  Yen-lo-hwang, the Celestial Police. Afterward it’s 
  returned to the Underworld, although it can leave 
  at any time — provided it behaves itself.
  K’uei often act as agents of the Celestial 
  Courts sent to punish the wicked. Other k’uei 
  appear to family, friends, and even enemies to 
  ask that an unfinished task be completed, or a 
  duty fulfilled. They may also appear to encour-
  age those who are feeling despair, or to strike fear 
  into their foes.
  Suicide ghosts and the ghosts of the 
  drowned (known as gui xian) usually cannot 
  leave the place where they died (or reincarnate) 
  until someone else dies or drowns at the same 
  spot and takes their place. Often such ghosts 
  are not above “helping” someone to do so (usu-
  ally through strangulation). Suicides may live 
  in a part of town specifically meant to house 
  their spirits. There they must remain until their 
  intended life span (before they ended it prema-
  turely) has passed. Other k’uei include:  the thou-
  tzu k’uei (ghosts of women who died childless 
  and try to steal newborn infants for their own); 
  and the ch’ang k’uei (persons killed and eaten by 
  a tiger who become enslaved to the beast that 
  killed them until they can find another victim 
  for it to kill and devour). A ch’ang k’uei guides 
  its tiger and protects it while it sleeps. (Tigers 
  are also known to compel recently slain victims 
  to stand up and remove their clothing before the 
  tiger devours them.)
  The living can keep k’uei away by the use 
  of various talismans. Images and statues of the 
  Men Shen, or doorway deities, frighten off most 
  k’uei. Other defenses include living in a house 
  at the end of a street or next to a bridge (k’uei 
  have a noted dislike for crossing flowing water). 
  As most k’uei can only walk in a straight line, 
  screens inside a doorway are often enough to 
  keep them out of a home. For this same reason, 
  bridges often have right angle turns and a miss-
  ing rail at the point of the turn. A k’uei, who 
  cannot turn aside, walks off the bridge and into 
  the water. Firecrackers scare off many k’uei as 
  well — any large gathering or celebration fea-
  tures strings of small fireworks set off to keep 
  evil spirits away.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, a k’uei 
  usually appears to accomplish some speciﬁc goal 
  and is driven to see this task completed to its sat-
  isfaction. Other k’uei are angry and hateful spirits 
  who seek to take their aggressions out on the living. 
  Drowning ghosts, suicides, and the thou-tzu k’uei 
  are particularly dangerous, as the former two want 
  someone to take their place so they can roam free, 
  while the latter steal infants who are less than a 
  hundred days old. Some k’uei are almost benevo-
  lent, and many cities have an appointed “Cheng-
  hwang” or “ghost magistrate” who acts as a protec-
  tive spirit.
  
  36 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers of a k’uei vary, but 
  usually center around being able to appear and dis-
  appear instantly and become insubstantial at will. 
  They may have other powers, such as bony claws, 
  possessing living victims, causing illnesses, hurling 
  objects, making noises, or any other supernatural 
  abilities you might desire.
  Campaign Use:  By varying a k’uei’s powers and 
  motivations, you can create a wide variety of pos-
  sible opponents and threats for a group of PCs to 
  deal with. They can range from simple ghoul-like 
  creatures to powerful avenging spirits of the dead. 
  You can also use them as plot hooks. For example, 
  the attack of a k’uei could draw the PCs into 
  defending the k’uei’s target, after which they must 
  ﬁnd a way to put the k’uei to rest (And there’s the 
  chance the k’uei’s attack is justiﬁed in the eyes of 
  the Celestial Courts!).
  People are not the only beings who can 
  become k’uei. The ghosts of animals can appear 
  in your campaign, and both China and Japan 
  have stories of statues producing ghostly dupli-
  cates capable of moving about at night and caus-
  ing trouble.
  Appearance:  The appearances of k’uei vary wildly. 
  They’re often described as “shapeless” with body parts 
  coming and going almost at random. Popular folklore 
  states k’uei have no chins, and telling someone “You 
  have no chin” is tantamount to calling him a ghost. A 
  k’uei dresses as he did in life, but his clothes have no 
  hems. K’uei cast no shadows. Drowning ghosts may 
  appear soaked to the skin, while the ghosts of suicides 
  wear red handkerchiefs around their necks. Some 
  k’uei appear as skeletal ﬁgures with a horriﬁc faces. In 
  all cases, the mere presence of a k’uei makes candles 
  burn with green ﬂame.
  KIOH-LUNG
  In Europe, dragons are huge, scaly beasts with 
  ﬁery, noxious breath, bat-like wings, and an appe-
  tite for cows, elephants, and young maidens. The 
  Catholic Church quickly adopted the dragon as a 
  symbol of evil and made it a stand-in for Satan in 
  sermons, stories, and religious art. It was reviled, 
  feared, and never, ever, worshipped.
  In China, the dragon’s status was almost the 
  complete opposite. Legend has it Emperor Yao, 
  one of the nine mythical emperors of China, was 
  descended from a dragon, while in 3000 BC a 
  dragon presented Emperor Pa Kwa with the eight 
  celestial trigrams of the I-Ching. Benevolent 
  beings, dragons are responsible for the weather, 
  and as lords of water are revered as bringers of 
  rain. The Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne 
  while dressed in the Dragon Robes, and upon 
  death might become a dragon himself to better 
  watch over his people.
  The dragon was one of the four Celestial 
  Beings, a group that includes the Ch’i-Lin, the Feng 
  Hwang, and the tortoise. In addition, it’s one of 
  the four animals linked to the ﬁve directions, each 
  animal having a color, season, and speciﬁc element 
  associated with it. The Green Dragon represents the 
  east, springtime, and wood; the White Tiger repre-
  sents the west, autumn, and metal; the Red Phoenix 
  represents the south, summer, and ﬁre; while a tor-
  toise-like creature named Dark Warrior represents 
  the north, winter, and water. The ﬁfth direction is 
  the center, which is China itself. It’s associated with 
  the color yellow and the element of earth.
  
  37 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  KIOH-LUNG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  40 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [3]
   26 DEX 
  48 
  13- 
  OCV:  9/DCV:  9
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   25 BODY 30 
  13-
   23 INT 
  13 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   23 EGO 
  26 
  13- 
  ECV:  8
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   28 PD 
  18 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   28 ED 
  22 
   
  Total:  28 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   16 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   65 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  286
    
   
   
  (+174 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running: 10”/20”
   
  Flight:  24”/96”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Swimming:  24”/48”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Breathe Forth Fog:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 12” radius, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Personal Immunity (+¼);  
  No Range (-½) 
  0
  127 
  Water Fire:  Energy Blast 12d6, Area Of 
  Eﬀect (30” Cone; +1), Continuous (+1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Uncontrolled  
  (area aﬀected keeps burning until  
  counteracted with ordinary ﬁre, see  
  text; +½); No Range (-½), Only Works  
  If Liquid Water Is Present (-½) 
  0
  83 
  Create Storms And Control Rain:   
  Change Environment 8” radius, +/-10  
  Temperature Levels, Multiple Combat 
  Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects, Varying 
  Eﬀect (create or cancel any type of  
  weather; +1), MegaArea (1” = 1 km  
  broad and wide; +¼), Personal Immunity 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  No Range (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn to  
  activate; -¾) 
  0
  45 
  Weapons Of The Lung:  Multipower,  
  45-point reserve
  3u 
  1) Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR) 
  3
  2u 
  2) Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (3½d6 with STR) 
  2
  3u 
  3) Tail Lash:  HA +6d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  0
  12 
  Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (½ END;  
  +¼) on 50 STR 
  3
  60 
  Kioh-Lung Toughness:  Physical and  
  Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  20 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Great Mass:  Knockback Resistance -8” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  15 
  Virtually Immortal:  Life Support  
  (Immunity:  all terrestrial diseases and  
  biowarfare agents; Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  79 
  Chi’ih Muh:  Flight 24”, x4 Noncombat, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  8 
  Moves Like The Wind:  Running +4”  
  (10” total)  
  2
  34 
  Lord Of The Water:  Swimming +22” (24” 
  total), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  6 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  40 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform  
  (assume 300-point human form); Costs 
  Endurance (to change forms only; -½) 
  6
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
  9 
  Reputation:  bringer of rain, master of the 
  waters (in China and Japan), 14- +3/+3d6
   
  Talents
  9 
  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic Move-
  ment (no penalties in water)
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  3 
  Bureaucratics 17-
  3 
  Conversation 17-
  3 
  High Society 17-
  3 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 14-
  3 
  KS: Dragon Lore 14-
  2 
  Survival (Marine) 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  785
  Total Cost:  1,071
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Enraged:  if disturbed in its pool  
  (Uncommon), go  8-, recover 11-
  15 
  Hunted:  Tigers 14- (Less Pow)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m long, -6 
  DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive)  
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Dislikes, Despises, 
  And Hates Centipedes, Five-Colored Silk 
  Thread, Iron, And The Leaves Of The Lien 
  Tree And Wang Plant (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fondness For 
  Human Women (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fond Of Copper, 
  Gems, And Roasted Swallows (Common, 
  Moderate)
  916 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,071
  
  38 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  52 
  Assume Any Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups; any 
  human or animal form), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Must Have 
  The Right Emotional State (see text; -½)
  45 
  Incredible Eyesight:  +30 versus the Range 
  Modiﬁer for the Sight Group
  48 
  Poh Shan:  Flight 24”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); IAF (short staﬀ; -½)
  48 
  Ying Lung:  Flight 24”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Restrainable (-½)
  Ecology:  For all their power and prestige, Chinese 
  dragons have very mundane origins — they hatch 
  from eggs that resemble precious stones. The eggs 
  are normally laid in water, where they may remain 
  for as much as a thousand years. Water seeping 
  from a dragon’s egg indicates it’s ready to hatch, and 
  the arrival of a newborn dragon is often heralded 
  by darkness, thunder, lighting, and rain.
  A newly hatched dragon looks much like a 
  small water snake. After ﬁve hundred years, it grows 
  the head of a carp, and is known as a kiao. Over the 
  next thousand years, it grows scales, a long tail, four 
  legs ending in four-clawed feet, and a bearded face. 
  It’s now known as a kiao-lung or simply lung (liter-
  ally meaning “deaf,” since the dragon has ears but 
  cannot hear). Over the next ﬁve hundred years, the 
  lung grows horns (apparently allowing it to hear), 
  becoming a kioh-lung or “horned dragon.” After 
  another thousand years the kioh-lung grows wings, 
  becoming a ying-lung (“winged dragon”)
  Dragons are creatures of the water. They live 
  among the clouds, in the sea, or in deep lakes, 
  pools, and rivers. Sea dragons are thought to dwell 
  in magniﬁcent palaces under the water. Dragons 
  love precious stones and gladly eat copper, jade, and 
  pearls. In addition, dragons absolutely adore the 
  ﬂesh of the swallow, so people are advised not to 
  travel across water soon after consuming such fare.
  In Korea the kioh-lung is known as the riong, 
  while in Japan it’s the ryu, and in Vietnam the rông.
  Personality/Motivation:  In general, dragons are 
  benevolent beings... but they’re also quite ﬁerce and 
  not to be triﬂed with. Those who allow their yin 
  nature to take control are positively malignant and 
  bring storms and ﬂoods wherever they go.
  Normally, dragons provide rain according to 
  the instruction of the Jade Emperor, the head of 
  the Celestial Bureaucracy. However, a person can 
  request rain when none is forthcoming by per-
  forming the proper rituals. Prayers are one way, an 
  oﬀering of swallows another; a third is to remove 
  images of dragons from the local temples and place 
  them outside so they may see how dry it is. More 
  extreme measures call for placing an attractive 
  nude woman alone on an exposed hilltop. Dragons 
  are known for their lust and fondness for women, 
  and if they’re prevented from approaching the 
  woman their anger might create a much-needed 
  rainstorm. Similar methods involving throwing 
  ashes, toxic plants, stones, tiger bones, or pieces of 
  wood into the dragon’s pool, in hopes of angering 
  him into creating a thunderstorm in response.
  Dragons have a number of noted dislikes, 
  some of which can be used to drive one away if 
  necessary (if the dragon is causing too much rain, 
  for example). They despise things made from iron, 
  so throwing iron in a dragon’s pool is a sure-ﬁre 
  way to enrage him. They also hate centipedes, 
  ﬁve-colored silk thread, and the leaves of the lien 
  tree (melia azederach, also known as the “Pride of 
  India”) and wang plant. Finally, it’s said tigers and 
  dragons are mortal enemies and will ﬁght each 
  other if the occasion permits.
  ADDITIONAL DRAGON LORE
  Considering the size and age of China as a whole, 
  it’s not surprising that there’s a wealth of informa-
  tion about dragons, some of it contradictory. For 
  example, not every report claims dragons are born 
  from eggs. Some scholars believe dragons are born 
  to normal animals before assuming their true form. 
  Flying dragons are said to be the oﬀspring of birds, 
  while the winged ying-lung comes from a four-footed 
  beast called the mao-tuh, and the k’üh-lung from 
  seaweed. Fish and snakes were supposed to be able to 
  spontaneously transform into dragons since they’re so 
  closely related.
  According to other scholars, some dragons come from 
  gold. Blue dragons come from 800 year-old blue gold. 
  Black, red, and white, and yellow dragons come from 
  1000 year-old gold of the matching color.
  Despite being virtual deities in their own right, drag-
  ons occasionally fall prey to man’s desires. History 
  records several accounts of dragons being eaten by the 
  reigning Emperor, and as can be expected from such a 
  magniﬁcent creature, the taste was quite enjoyable.
  The bones and teeth of dragons are highly valued 
  for their medicinal properties. Although they’re 
  immortal, it’s thought dragons either die from time 
  to time (probably due to two dragons fighting), 
  or shed their skin and bones much like a snake. 
  (Historically, the “dragon bones” sold in historical 
  Chinese marketplaces are almost certainly the fossil 
  bones of various animals.).
  Dragon bones come in ﬁve colors (black, blue, red, 
  white, and yellow). Each color corresponds to a part 
  of the body (black:  bladder and kidneys; blue:  gall 
  bladder and liver; red:  heart and large intestine; 
  white:  lungs and small intestine; yellow:  stomach and 
  spleen). Doctors can use bones of that color dragon 
  to heal ailments occurring in the corresponding part 
  of the body. Bones to be used in medicine must be 
  heated over a ﬁre until hot, then powdered. Care must 
  be taken to not allow anything made of iron to con-
  tact the bone. Powdered dragon bone cures convul-
  sions, dysentery, fevers, gallstones, and a whole host 
  of other maladies. This healing power comes from 
  the strong yang element present in the dragon, which 
  counteracts the yin elements of sickness. Dragon’s 
  teeth (and horns) cure convulsions, epileptic ﬁts, 
  madness, spasms, and many other illnesses. The brain 
  or live of a dragon can cure dysentery.
  Dragon’s blood turns into amber upon striking the 
  ground. Dragon fat can be used to make brilliant lamps 
  or waterproof clothing.
  
  39 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Powers/Tactics:  As masters of rain and water, drag-
  ons tend to appear surrounded by rain, and can 
  cause a gentle rainfall to turn into a raging storm at 
  will — one whose high winds and driving rain can 
  devastate the countryside and cause terrible ﬂoods. 
  Dragons can also breathe forth thick fogs, which 
  they use to blind their foes. The dragon’s most 
  potent weapon, however, is its power of “watery 
  ﬁre.” This is created when the dragon breathes onto 
  an area of dampness and wet. Dampness results in 
  just a bright glow, but open water causes the drag-
  on’s breath to actually burst into ﬂame; the ﬂames 
  keep burning until put out with the application of 
  more normal ﬁre. Finally, dragons may also attack 
  in more mundane ways — biting with their teeth or 
  tearing with their sharp claws.
  Some dragons can transform themselves into 
  other shapes, provided they’re suﬃciently calm (i.e., 
  not angered, Enraged, or ﬁlled with lust or desire). 
  They favor the forms of aged men or beautiful 
  young women, but can also assume the shape of 
  cows, dogs, ﬁsh, rats, and snakes. Fishermen should 
  especially be aware of encountering transformed 
  dragons; a ﬁsh giving oﬀ light or speaking in a 
  human’s voice is almost certainly a dragon that has 
  changed its shape.
  Campaign Use:  Deity, protector, servant of the gods, 
  or even menace — Chinese dragons can play just 
  about any role you like in your Fantasy campaign. 
  However, there are few accounts of dragons ﬁght-
  ing either the heroes or the gods of Chinese myth, 
  and fewer still of dragons being slain by men; 
  they’re forces of nature more than monsters to be 
  slain. There’s a tale of a man who spent three years 
  and a thousand ounces of gold learning how to kill 
  a dragon... but for the rest of his life never had the 
  chance to try out his skills.
  Depending on the nature of your Fantasy 
  setting, a Chinese dragon might be simply local 
  color, with legends stating that a (rarely seen) 
  dragon lives in a specific river or deep lake, or 
  a dragon might have a much more prominent 
  role and actively interact with people in the area. 
  Some dragons were said to serve as guardians for 
  local castles, shrines, and temples, while Chinese 
  folklore records several instances of the Emperor 
  commanding dragons to do his bidding (usually 
  assisting in a great battle or the like). Chinese 
  dragons are also powerful enough to show up in 
  many Champions campaigns.
  If the PCs in your campaign are sufficiently 
  powerful, you might allow a PC to be the child 
  of a dragon. Dragon-children look like perfectly 
  formed humans with brilliant green eyes and are 
  near the peak of human development. They also 
  have many magical powers inherited from their 
  draconic parent.
  Appearance:  Physically, the Chinese dragon is the 
  largest of all scaled creatures, a group that includes 
  snakes and ﬁsh. It’s best described through the 
  “nine resemblances”:  “its horns resemble a stag’s, 
  its head resembles a camel’s, its eyes resemble a 
  demon’s (or a rabbit’s), its neck resembles a snake’s, 
  its belly resembles a clam’s, its scales resemble 
  a carp’s, its claws resemble an eagle’s, its soles 
  resemble a tiger’s, its ears resemble a cow’s.” The end 
  result is a long, thin, four-legged lizard-like creature 
  with a narrow head and a bearded face.
  On top of the head is an organ known as 
  the chi’ih muh, which allows flight. In addition, 
  male dragons have a large pearl under the chin 
  or in the throat. When they speak, dragons are 
  said to have voices like a great gongs (or “jan-
  gling copper pans”). They may be black, blue, 
  green, red, or yellow. Yellow dragons are held in 
  high esteem and considered superior to all other 
  forms of dragonkind.
  A dragon’s scales number either 81 or 117, with 
  diﬀerent reports oﬀering diﬀerent values. The confu-
  sion is due to attempts to balance the dragon’s yin and 
  yang. Yin is female, associated with the moon, dark-
  ness, wetness, cold, negative energy, and the number 
  six. Yang is male, associated with the sun, light, dry-
  ness, heat, positive energy, and the number nine. A 
  tiger is yin; a dragon is yang. Nine times nine equal 81 
  scales, while six times six equals 36 scales, leading to 
  the idea that the dragon has 81 yang scales and 36 yin 
  scales (for a total of 117).
  Numbers govern more than just a dragon’s 
  scales. They may have from three to five claws 
  on their feet. Five-clawed dragons are the prov-
  ince of the Emperor, and only he, or those of 
  his court, may bear the image of a five-clawed 
  dragon on their clothing.
  
  40 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  THE LEGENDARY  
  MEN OF CHINA
  All manner of beasts and monsters have been 
  recorded in various Chinese texts, but none are as 
  strange as legendary men of China. These peoples, 
  all reputed to live beyond the borders of the Chi-
  nese empire, are mentioned in such books as the 
  Great Imperial Encyclopedia (known as Ku-chin 
  T’u-shu Chi-ch’eng, or the All-Embracing Illustrated 
  Volumes Of Things Then And Now), the Shan Hai 
  Ching (Hill And River Classic), the T’ai P’ing Kuang 
  Chi (Extensive Records Made In The Period Of Peace 
  And Prosperity), and the Shanhaijing (Guideways 
  Through Mountains And Seas).
  Ecology:  The legendary men live all along the 
  fringes of the Chinese empire. Some inhabit sea 
  coasts, others islands; some are mountain dwellers. 
  Most eat rice and other grains or gather fruit, while 
  some ﬁsh and others hunt game. Many of the races 
  are organized into nations and dwell in small cities 
  and villages.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. For the most part, the diﬀerent races 
  are peaceful individuals, although some  be quite 
  violent (even cannibalistic).
  Powers/Tactics:  The diﬀerent legendary races use 
  tactics appropriate to their size, body type, and cul-
  ture. The more violent races often wear armor and 
  use weapons, while those of a more peaceful intent 
  may simply ﬂee from attackers.
  Campaign Use:  You can use these races in a wide 
  variety of ways. They could be distorted descriptions 
  of real people, foes for a party of PCs to encounter, 
  friends (even allies) against a common foe, or simple 
  NPCs providing a bit of background “color.” You may 
  wish to make some races for players to choose for 
  PCs. You can easily customize any member of the 
  diﬀerent races by adding in a Professional Package 
  Deal from pages 54-78 of Fantasy Hero or any one of 
  the Humanoid Templates found on pages 116-118 of 
  Monsters, Minions, And Marauders.
  Appearance:  See below.
  BUSIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Busimin, also known as the Never-
  Dying People, are a black-skinned race who eat 
  the fruit of the sweet tree (a.k.a. the never-dying 
  tree) to gain immortality.
  ADDITIONAL DRAGON 
  NAMES AND FORMS
  The dragons of China are known by a number of 
  names, with each name describing the dragon’s form 
  and function. A short list follows:
  Ao Chin, Ao Jun, Ao Kuang, Ao Shun:  The four great 
  Dragon Kings. Together they control the fall of rain and 
  the movement of the oceans. Each dwells in a magniﬁ-
  cent crystal and pearl palace at the bottom of the sea.
  Ao Ping:  The son of Ao Kuang, Ao Ping fought for the 
  Shang emperor Chou Wang at the Battle of Ten Thou-
  sand Spirits.
  Ch’i-Lung:  A “hornless” dragon.
  Chi Lung Wang:  The “ﬁre engine dragon king,” provider 
  of water for domestic uses.
  Dragon Horse:  A sea-dwelling creature, the dragon 
  horse has a horse’s body and a dragon’s head (or, the 
  front half of a horse and the hindquarters of a dragon).
  Fu-Hsi:  One of the ﬁrst emperors of China, both Fu-
  Hsi and his empress, Nu-Kwa, had the head and torso 
  of a human with the lower body of a great snake.
  Fu-Tsiang Lung:  This dragon is the guardian of hidden 
  treasures and deposits of precious metals.
  Gong Gong:  A gigantic black dragon with a horned head, 
  Gong Gong wanders China bring disease, ﬂoods, and 
  destruction wherever he goes. Gong Gong’s companion is 
  Xiang Yao, an immense serpent with nine human heads. 
  Xiang Yao is such a foul creature his excrement turns 
  clean lakes and rivers into foul-smelling swamps.
  Gou Mang:  This messenger of the god of the skies is asso-
  ciated with the east, longevity, and the return of spring.
  Kih Tau:  A sea-dwelling dragon, the Kih Tau’s spittle is 
  used to make perfumes. It’s collected either ﬂoating on 
  the surface of the water, or in lumps on the shore.
  Lung Wang:  The Dragon King, a human with a dragon’s 
  head. He lives under the sea in an imposing palace.
  P’an Lung:  An earth-bound dragon unable to ﬂy.
  Shien-Lung:  The Imperial or spirit dragon, the Shien-
  Lung is the keeper of rain and the wind. It’s a beauti-
  ful dragon, with multiple colors on its body and ﬁve 
  clawed toes on each foot. Because of this, only the 
  Emperor can only use the Shien-Lung’s image.
  T’ao T’ieh:  An enormous dragon living in the depths 
  of outer space, T’ao T’ieh is a symbol of gluttony, as it 
  has two bodies, but only one head. Its shape makes it a 
  popular image on bowls, plates, and other objects.
  T’ien Lung:  A celestial sky dragon, the T’ien Lung sup-
  ports the houses and temples of the gods.
  Ti-Lung:  This celestial water dragon guards the water in 
  streams and rivers. It spends springtime in the heavens 
  and autumn in the depths of the sea.
  Ying Lung:  The only dragon with wings, a Ying Lung 
  is at least 3,000 years old,and guards the water of the 
  earth and clouds.
  Yu Lung:  This dragon has the head and ﬁns of a gigan-
  tic ﬁsh. Formerly a Celestial Carp, the Yu Lung suc-
  cessfully leaped Lung Men, the Dragon’s Gate waterfall, 
  allowing it to transform into its present shape. It’s con-
  sidered an emblem of success in Civil Service examina-
  tions or literary endeavors.
  BUSIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  5 
  Busimin Longevity:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortal)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  5
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages: 0
  
  41 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  CHANGBIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Also known as the Long-Arms People, the 
  Changbimin are about 40 feet tall with arms that 
  hang all the way to the ground. They dwell far to 
  the east of the Eastern Sea, living on the coast and 
  gathering shellﬁsh from the ocean’s bottom with 
  their long arms. They dress in a style similar to the 
  Chinese. In Japan the Changbimin are called the 
  Tenaga (“long-armed”) and the more malevolent 
  among them have been known to pluck crewman 
  oﬀ of passing ships to eat.
  ADDITIONAL LEGENDARY MEN
  The sheer number of mythical races of men described 
  in various Chinese sources seems almost inﬁnite. Here 
  are a few more not detailed in the main text:
  The Armless People:  Found in the Mountains of the 
  Sun and Moon (a range located in the middle of the 
  Great Waste), these people have no arms. Their legs 
  grow from their shoulders and their toes are nimble 
  enough for them to pick ﬂowers.
  The Bofumin:  The people of Bofu are giants twice as tall 
  as normal men. They live near the Deng Forest.
  The Daren:  The Daren are a race of giants (no one 
  knows their exact height, but they’re much taller than 
  normal people). Their land is located near the Northern 
  Sea somewhere between China and the Korean Penin-
  sula. There they have a trading market called the Hall 
  of Giants.
  The Jiaojingmin:  The People With Crossed Shins. They 
  live to the east of Guanxiongmin (the Land of People 
  With Perforated Chests) in what’s now called Vietnam.
  The Land of White People:  The people of this race have 
  pure white skin and wear their hair long. Since white 
  skin is a sign of purity and mystical power, while long 
  hair signiﬁes a shaman, these people are reputed to be 
  masters of the mystic arts. They can command four 
  kinds of birds, as well as tigers, leopards, and bears.
  Nüzi:  This is the Land of Women (a.k.a. the Women’s 
  Kingdom), located to the far north. It’s inhabited only 
  by women and located in the middle of a sea that’s less 
  dense than normal water, so invading ships sink before 
  they can reach it. The woman of this land bathe in the 
  water to become pregnant, but their sons die suddenly 
  after three years.
  The Qishemin:  The People With Forked Tongues, whose 
  land lies to the east of the Busimin (Never-Dying People). 
  They’re also known as the people with reversed tongues, 
  and speak a language that outsiders cannot learn.
  The Shan-Shen Kou Yan:  These people have three 
  bodies connected to a single head, three arms, and two 
  legs. They live to the east of Chisel-Tooth Land. Similar 
  races of men include:  men with one arm and one leg 
  (either a single right leg and arm, or a single left, or a 
  mixture of the two); men with but a single arm and leg, 
  as well as one eye, one nostril, and so on; people with 
  three faces who live in the middle of the Great Waste 
  and are immortal; and a land where people have square 
  heads, wide shoulders, and three legs.
  The Shenmumin:  The Deep-Eyed People, who have 
  either very deep-set eyes, or just one eye. They mostly 
  eat ﬁsh.
  The Sushen:  These people live to the north of the 
  White People and wear clothing made from the Power-
  and-Constant tree.
  Yanhoumin:  Also known as the Fire-Gluttons, these are 
  black-furred monkeys and/or dogs with the ability to 
  breathe ﬁre.
  Zhangfu:  The Land of (Gentle)Men. This land lies 6,700 
  miles to the west, far beyond the Jade Gate. The inhab-
  itants, all men, wear proper Chinese robes and caps and 
  carry swords, thus proving their civilized state.
  The Zhimin:  These people have yellow skin and use 
  bows to hunt snakes. They live in a paradise where they 
  don’t need to farm the grain they eat or weave the cloth 
  they use to make clothing.
  CHANGBIMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  30 
  +30 STR
  20 
  +10 CON
  16 
  +8 BODY
  10 
  +10 PRE
  -1 
  -2 COM
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED)
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6”
  24 
  Long Stride:  Running +12” (18” total)
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No Noncom-
  bat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼)
  7 
  Incredibly Long Arms:  Stretching +2”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), 
  No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼), Limited Body Parts (arms; -¼)
  4 
  Long Arms:  +2 OCV with Grab
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  133
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m tall, -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can leap 
  only half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  
  42 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  CHANGGUMIN/CHANGJINGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  These people are also known as the Long-
  Thighs People and Long-Shins People respectively. 
  They each have legs 30 feet long and stand roughly 
  50 feet tall. The Long-Thighs People live in the 
  same country as the Long-Armed People, while 
  the Long-Shins People live beyond the Northwest 
  Sea and the Red River. Both of them are coastal 
  dwellers, living on ﬁsh taken from the ocean. The 
  Long-Thighs People are even known to carry the 
  Long-Arms People on their backs to better scoop 
  ﬁsh from the water. In Japan, these people are called 
  the Asinaga, meaning “long-legged.” 
  DANERMIN/NIEERMIN/NIE’ERMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  The Danermin are the Pendant Ears People, a 
  race with ears so large they hang to their shoulders 
  (or lower). They live on an island in the middle of 
  a wide sea and feed mainly on ﬁsh and grains. They 
  tattoo their bodies and can command the tigers 
  who dwell on the eastern half of their island. They 
  may also be known as the Tan-erh Chic Kou, or 
  “Loppy-eared People.”
  A similar race is the Nieermin (People Who 
  Hold Up Their Ears) or the Nie’ermin (Big-Ear 
  People). The Nie’ermin are also known as the 
  Nieh-erh Kou Yan, or the “People of the Whisper-
  ing Ears.” They have tiger-striped bodies and ears 
  that hang to their waists (or the ground); they 
  have to support their ears in their hands when 
  they walk, but can hear the faintest sounds. They 
  live far to the west, dwelling in mountain caves. 
  When they sleep they use one ear as a mattress 
  and the other as a blanket.
  DINGLINGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Also known as the Ting Ling Kou Yan, these 
  people live on the steppes far to the west of China, 
  near the Inner Sea. They herd horses and generally 
  live a nomadic existence. They have the bodies and 
  heads of normal humans, but the legs and hooves 
  of horses. They wear their hair very long, often let-
  ting it hang down to their knees, and dress like the 
  northern Chinese. The Dinglingmin possess great 
  speed and can easily cover 100 miles or more in a 
  single day.
  CHANGGUMIN/ 
  CHANGJINGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  30 
  +30 STR
  20 
  +10 CON
  16 
  +8 BODY
  10 
  +10 PRE
  -1 
  -2 COM
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED)
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6”
  36 
  Very Long Stride:  Running +18” (24” total)
  9 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No Noncom-
  bat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼)
  7 
  Incredibly Long Legs:  Stretching +2”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), 
  No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼), Limited Body Parts (legs; -¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  141
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m tall, -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can leap 
  only half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  DANERMIN/NIEERMIN/
  NIE’ERMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  12 
  Whispering Ears:  +6 PER with Hearing Group
  10 
  Command Tigers:  Animal Handler (Felines) 
  (PRE+4)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  22
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous Ears (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  5
  DINGLINGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  3 
  +3 STR
  9 
  +3 DEX
  6 
  +3 CON
  7 
  +1 SPD
  10 
  Horse’s Legs:  Running +5” (11” total)
  5 
  Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (½ END; -¼) on 
  11” Running
  2 
  Orienteering 11-
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  42
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  
  43 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  DIREN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Diren are human from the waist up and 
  have ﬁsh-bodies from the waist down. They live in 
  rivers far to the west near the land of the Firm Tree. 
  They feed mostly oﬀ of ﬁsh and other water life.
  GANJUREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Also known as the Giants of Gan, or simply 
  the Mountain Giants, these people live in either 
  southern or northeastern Asia in a series of moun-
  tain ranges several thousand miles long. They eat 
  only raw animal meat, including humans taken 
  captive in battle. They build great carts to ride in 
  and use strong iron gates to close oﬀ mountain 
  passes, thus keeping the armies of men out of their 
  homes. They stand 50 feet tall, with feet six feet long 
  and a body covered in long black hair. Some have 
  their feet reversed, with the heel to the front of the 
  body. All of the Ganjuren have claw-like ﬁngernails 
  and saw-like teeth, which they use to great eﬀect in 
  battle. The Giants of Gan resemble the Xiaoyang-
  min (page 47) in many respects.
  GUANXIONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These are the People With Perforated Chests, 
  also known as the Kuan-hsiung Kou, or “People 
  With Punctured Bodies.” They’re of normal human 
  shape and appearance, but have a large circular 
  hole through the middle of the chest. Thus, they 
  can be carried on a long pole, hung upon a peg, 
  or strung together on a line of rope. Quite often, 
  Guanxiongmin lords are carried about by their 
  inferiors by placing a bamboo pole through the 
  hole in the chest. They hunt snakes with bows, but 
  are otherwise harmless, and are known for their 
  long lifespans.
  DIREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  6 
  +2 DEX
  6 
  +3 CON
  2 
  +2 PD
  3 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +1d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½)
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  3 
  Scaly Skin:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation 
  Roll 11- (or Hit Locations 13-18; -1)
  -12 
  Fish’s Tail:  Running -6”
  4 
  Fish’s Tail:  Swimming +4” (6” total)
  5 
  See Underwater:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group)
  3 
  Talent:  Environmental Movement  
  (Aquatic Movement)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  28
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages: 0
  GANJUREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  45 
  +45 STR
  40 
  +20 CON
  30 
  +15 BODY
  20 
  +20 PRE
  -1 
  -2 COM
  4 
  +4 PD
  7 
  +7 ED
  25 
  Saw-Like Teeth:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  16 
  Fingernails Like Hooked Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 
  (2½6 with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  3 
  Thickly Furred Bodies:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED)
  18 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -9”
  36 
  Very Long Stride:  Running +18” (24” total)
  5 
  18,000 Year Lifespan:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  [virtually] Immortal)
  17 
  Long Arms:  Stretching 4”, Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No  
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  265
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (16m tall, -6 DCV, 
  +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can leap 
  only half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  GUANXIONGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  -2 
  -1 BODY
  1 
  Long Lifespan:  Life Support (Longevity:   
  lifespan of up to 200 years)
  1 
  WF:  Bow
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  0
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  
  44 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  HEIREN PACKAGE DEAL
  A black-skinned people, the Heiren dwell in 
  the south. They have tigers’ heads and birds’ feet 
  and eat snakes.
  HUANTOUMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These people have a bird’s beak in an other-
  wise human face; they also have wings. They subsist 
  mainly on ﬁsh. The Huantoumin resemble the 
  Yumin (page 48) in most respects.
  HUAN’GOU PACKAGE DEAL
  These people have a beast’s head on an other-
  wise human body. A similar race is the Quanrong, 
  or “dog people,” humanoid dogs dwelling in the 
  land of canines. Both races are carnivores.
  JIEXIONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Jiexiongmin are the People With Protrud-
  ing Chests — their chests are much larger than a 
  normal human’s and distend out from their bodies.
  JIGONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Jigongmin are a hermaphroditic race with 
  three eyes and a single arm in the center of their 
  chests. Mechanically adept, they’re known to build 
  and pilot great ﬂying carriages. They’re also known 
  as the Chi-kung Chic Kou, and are said to come 
  from The Land of Flying Carts, a place 13,000 miles 
  east of China and north of the Plain of Great Joy 
  (itself found between the lands of the Yibimin, or 
  One-Armed People, and the Sanshenmin, or Three-
  Bodies People).
  HEIREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  10 
  Tiger’s Jaws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  8 
  Taloned Feet:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  37
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  HUANTOUMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  10 
  Huantoumin Beak:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  11 
  Wings:  Flight 8”, Restrainable (-½)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  21
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages: 0
  HUAN’GOU PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  10 
  Dog’s Jaws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  9 
  Canine Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups
  5 
  Canine Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell
  3 
  Canine Ears:  Ultrasonic Perception (Hear-
  ing Group)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  27
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  JIEXIONGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  2 
  +1 CON
  1 
  Life Support (Expanded Breathing:  can breathe 
  normally in thin/high-altitude atmospheres)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  3
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  JIGONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  2 
  Three Eyes:  +1 PER with Sight Group
  3 
  Mechanically Adept:  Mechanics 11-
  1 
  TF:  Flying Cart
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  6
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  One Arm  
  (Frequently, Greatly)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  
  45 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  LAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These people are known as either the 
  Instructed People or the Laboring People and live 
  north of the Maomin, or Hairy People. Completely 
  black, from head to toe, they subsist mainly on 
  gathered fruits and vegetables and can command 
  the two-headed birds native to their country.
  MAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Found far to the north, the Maomin are the 
  “Hairy People.” Small in stature, they dwell naked 
  in caves and have thick, boar-like hair all over their 
  bodies. Their diet consists mainly of millet and they 
  can command four diﬀerent species of birds.
  MIAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The “Sprouts People” are a winged race of 
  meat-eaters. They live far beyond the Northwestern 
  Sea along the Black River.
  NIAOSHI PACKAGE DEAL
  Known as the Bird People, the Niaoshi live 
  in the land of the Supervisor of Salt far to the 
  northeast. They have the bodies of men and the 
  heads of birds.
  QIZHONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  This is a race of giants, known as either the 
  Big-Heel People or the Reversed Heels People 
  (their feet are turned back to front). Some say they 
  walk around on the tips of their toes at all times 
  and never let their heels touch the ground.
  NIAOSHI PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  10 
  Niaoshi Beak:  HKA ½d6 (up to 1d6+1 with STR)
  5 
  Bird’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception (240 
  Degrees) for Sight Group
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  15
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  LAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  10 
  Command Two-headed Birds:  Animal Handler 
  (Avians) (PRE+4)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  10
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  MAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  -2 
  Short Legs:  -1” Running
  10 
  Command Birds:  Animal Handler (Avians) 
  (PRE+4)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  8
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  MIAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  11 
  Wings:  Flight 8”, Restrainable (-½)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  11
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  QIZHONGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  30 
  +30 STR
  28 
  +14 CON
  20 
  +10 BODY
  10 
  +10 PRE
  -1 
  -2 COM
  6 
  +6 PD
  6 
  +6 ED
  2 
  Tough Skin: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED)
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6”
  24 
  Long Stride:  Running +12” (18” total)
  9 
  Long Arms:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No Noncombat 
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  146
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m tall, -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can leap 
  only half as far as STR indicates (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  
  46 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  RONG PACKAGE DEAL
  The Rong (also called the Lirong) have three 
  horns on their otherwise human heads. They live 
  near the Quanrong, and are considered one of the 
  “Dog Tribes.”
  ROULIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Also known as the Flexible People, the Rou-
  limin live to the east of the Yimumin, or one-eye 
  people. They have but one arm and hand, and a 
  single leg and foot. A Roulimin’s knee is reversed 
  and bends upwards, as opposed to a normal 
  humans, which bends downwards.
  SANSHENMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Sanshenmin have three bodies, each 
  with two arms and two legs, connected to a 
  single head. Their land is to the south in the 
  Great Wilds near Rebel Mountain, where the 
  Glorious River meets its end. They eat millet and 
  can command birds to do their bidding.
  SANSHOUMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These are the Tricephalous People, meaning 
  they have three heads on a single body. The heads 
  all breathe separately and all look in diﬀerent direc-
  tions, but since they connect to a single body only 
  one needs to eat a time. Also known as the San-
  Shou Kou Yan, the Sanshoumin are found north of 
  the land of the Xiaoren and to the east of the K’un-
  lun Mountains. It’s possible they’re immortal.
  XIAOREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Although they live in mountain ranges all 
  through China (or only in Hsiao-jen Kuo, “Little 
  People Land”), the Xiaoren (also known as the 
  Ching, or Mountain Pygmies) are rarely seen. 
  They dwell in homes of thatch and only venture 
  outside in groups of six or more, linking their 
  hands together to keep from being carried off 
  by birds or beasts. Most Xiaoren are workers of 
  gold, precious stones, silver, or wood, while a rare 
  few farm the land.
  The Xiaoren stand only nine inches tall. The 
  males have slight beards, while the females have 
  long hair, with tresses reaching ﬁve inches in some 
  cases. Their clothing is red, while their heads are 
  quite large and out of proportion for their bodies.
  RONG PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  9 
  Three Horns:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½), 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  9
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  ROULIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  4 
  Single Leg:  Leaping +4” (total 6”)
  -12 
  Running -6”
  4 
  Flexible People:  Double-Jointed
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  -4
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  One Arm And Leg (All 
  The Time, Greatly)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  20
  SANSHENMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  20 
  Two More Bodies:  +10 BODY
  -4 
  Running -2”
  6 
  Six Arms And Legs:  Extra Limbs (four more 
  arms and legs), Inherent (+¼)
  9 
  Six Arms:  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  10 
  Command Birds:  Animal Handler (Avians) 
  (PRE+4)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  41
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages: 0
  SANSHOUMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  6 
  Three Faces:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups
  10 
  Six Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 
  Degrees) for Sight Group
  5 
  Extra Heads:  Extra Limbs (3 heads), Inherent 
  (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  21
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  Options
  Value Ability
  5 
  Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:  Immortal)
  
  47 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  XIAOYANGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The cannibalistic Xiaoyangmin (sometimes 
  called the Fufu) have human faces with long lips, 
  black bodies covered with hair, and reversed feet 
  with the heels to the front. They live in the south, 
  near (or in) Vietnam. Some regard them as a form 
  of mountain spirit. They have the strange habit 
  of laughing when someone else laughs, causing 
  their upper lip to ﬂap over their face (a habit of the 
  Ganjuren on page 43 as well). A clever person can 
  sometimes use this trait to escape from them.
  XUAMYUANMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These people have the bodies of snakes with 
  the heads of humans. The live along the edges of 
  the Eternity Mountains and have 800 year lifespans.
  YIBIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  The Yibimin are also known as the One-Arm 
  People. They have a single eye, one arm, one nostril, 
  and so on — basically, they have half a body. They 
  dwell north of the three-bodied Sanshenmin, and 
  are also known as the “shared-shoulder people.”
  YIMUMIN/QIZHONGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These are the One-Eyed People, who live to the 
  east of Bell Mountain. As their name implies, they 
  have but one eye. A similar race is the Qizhongmin, 
  or “Demon People,” who also have only one eye.
  XIAOREN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  -15 
  -15 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  -10 
  -5 CON
  -18 
  -9 BODY
  -5 
  -5 PRE
  -1 
  -2 COM
  1 
  +1 PD
  -10 
  Tiny Size:  -5” Running 
  -1 
  Tiny Size:  -1” Swimming
  30 
  Hard To Hit:  +6 DCV
  10 
  Concealment 17-; Self Only (-½)
  15 
  Stealth 17-
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  2
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  15 
  Hunted:  birds and other mountain beasts 8- 
  (Mo Pow, Capture/Kill)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Tiny (.25m; +9 KB) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  25
  Options
  Value Ability
  3 
  PS: Worker Of Material Of Choice (gold, silver, 
  gems, and so on) 12-
  XIAOYANGMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  3 
  +3 STR
  6 
  +3 CON
  2 
  +1 BODY
  -2 
  -2 INT
  -2 
  -1 EGO
  -1 
  -2 COM
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  6
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Laugh When 
  Others Laugh (Uncommon, Total)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  Options
  Value Ability
  3 
  Climbing 11-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  XUAMYUANMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  3 
  Xuamyuanmin Longevity:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  lifespans of up to 800 years)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  3
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  20
  YIBIMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  -6 
  BODY -3
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  -6
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  half a body (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  YIMUMIN/QIZHONGMIN 
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  0
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  one eye (no depth per-
  ception, ½ OCV with Ranged attacks) (Infre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  10
  
  48 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  YINGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  This is a race of people with bird’s feet.
  YUMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Known as the Yü-min Kou Yan, or Feathered 
  People, the Yumin live far to the southeast. They’re 
  a timid people and almost never travel from their 
  land. They’re very tall, with bird’s beaks and bodies 
  covered in feathers. They have wings instead of 
  arms and small claws on the points of their wings 
  that serve them as hands. Their heads are white and 
  their eyes red. They’re known for their ﬁne voices 
  and ability to sing ballads.
  ZHOURAOMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  These people are from seven inches to three 
  feet in height. They live in caves, grow and eat ﬁve 
  diﬀerent grains, and dress in a civilized fashion 
  (meaning they wear sashes and caps in the Chi-
  nese style). Mechanically inclined, they devise and 
  build many wondrous devices, such as “underwater 
  wings” to assist in swimming (the Zhouraomin are 
  highly skilled at swimming and diving). A related 
  race is the Jiaoyaomin, who stand three feet tall and 
  eat ﬁne grains.
  YINGMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  8 
  Taloned Feet:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  8
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  YUMIN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  24 
  +8 DEX
  8 
  Clawed Fingers:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”, Restrainable (-½)
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  51
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Shy And Timid 
  (Common, Strong)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  15
  Options
  Value Ability
  3 
  PS: Singing 12-
  ZHOURAOMIN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  -4 
  -4 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  -4 
  -2 BODY
  -2 
  -2 PRE
  -4 
  -2” Running
  2 
  Adept At Swimming And Diving:   
  Swimming +2” (4” total)
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  3 
  Easily Hidden:  +2 to Concealment;  
  Self Only (-½)
  4 
  Hard To Perceive:  +2 to Stealth
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  11
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small, down to half 
  human size and/or mass (1m, or ½”)  
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  5
  Options
  Value Ability
  3 
  Mechanics 11-
  
  49 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  LONGZHI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   18 STR 
  8 
  13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [2]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 PD (1 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  3 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  48
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Tiger’s Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  17 
  Cry Like A Baby:  Hearing Group  
  Images 1” radius, -4 to PER Rolls, Line  
  Of Sight (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Set Eﬀect (sounds like a  
  baby’s cry; -1)
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Swift Runner:  Running +2” (8” total) 
  2
  24 
  Nine Heads:  +8 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  10 
  Nine Pairs Of Eyes:  Increased Arc Of  
  Perception (360 Degrees) for Sight Group 
  0
  5 
  Fox’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Fox’s Nose:  Tracking for Normal Smell 
  0
  3 
  Fox’s Ears:  Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  5 
  Nine Heads:  Extra Limbs (8 heads),  
  Inherent (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼) 0
   
  Skills
  16 
  Nine Sets Of Teeth:  +8 OCV with Bite
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  121
  Total Cost:  169
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  64 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  169
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Larger:  For a truly frightening version of the 
  longzhi, combine the multi-headed aspects 
  of this character sheet with the character 
  sheet for the Giant Wolf on page 129 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary.
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Teamwork 11-
  Ecology:  The longzhi is a mountain-dwelling 
  animal found far to the south of China near the 
  Nepal border. It’s mostly solitary, although small 
  packs may be found from time to time. They’re car-
  nivores with voracious appetites; they sometimes 
  attack and eat humans.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  The longzhi’s cry has been likened 
  to that of a baby or child, and it uses it to lure 
  humans into an ambush. Because it has multiple 
  heads, a common tactic for bringing down prey 
  is for one head to bite the target and hold on, fol-
  lowed by a second, a third, and so on. With a pack 
  of longzhi, one of them often fastens itself to a 
  victim this way, while the others attack the target’s 
  exposed ﬂanks.
  Campaign Use:  The longzhi’s nine tails mark it as a 
  form of Celestial Fox (see the hu hsien in AB2), so 
  if you want you could make the longzhi more intel-
  ligent (give it the Smart (Cunning) Template) or 
  give it magical powers. You could also exchange the 
  fox’s heads for the heads of other animals, such as 
  tigers or hyenas. Add in the optional Skills to make 
  the longzhi into a pack hunter.
  Appearance:  The longzhi is a large fox-like creature. 
  It has nine long bushy tails, nine fox-like heads, and 
  tiger-like claws.
  
  50 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  MA MIEN AND NIU T’OU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [0]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   21 CON 
  22 
  13-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   10 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  10 PD (5 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (5 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   42 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  108
    
   
   
  (+11 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  12 
  Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)  
  on 25 STR 
  0
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  60 
  K’uei Toughness:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  5 
  K’uei Toughness:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  50 
  K’uei Form:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  33 
  Return To The Realm Of The Yama Kings:  
  Extra-Dimensional Movement (any  
  location in realm of the Yama Kings  
  corresponding to the physical location  
  in realm the ma mien/niu t’ou is currently 
  in), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Ma Mien/Niu T’ou:  Nightvision 0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Servant of the Yama King 
  Yen-Lo
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH 
  5 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  2 
  KS: Court Of The Yama Kings 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  7 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Martial Arts Melee Weapons, Common Mis-
  sile Weapons, Whips
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  218
  Total Cost:  326
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Yen-Lo 14- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Yen-Lo’s Word Is 
  Law (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Subject To Orders (Very 
  Frequently, Major)
  191 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  326
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  10 
  Niu T’ou’s Horns:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  Ecology:  Ma mien and niu t’ou are two very similar 
  types of demons in the service of the Yama King 
  Yen-Lo, who presides over the dead in hell. They 
  attend to Yen-Lo’s needs, serving as personal ser-
  vants and guards, and also watch over the ghosts 
  and spirits sent to Yen-Lo for his attention. In addi-
  tion, these demons make up the bulk of Yen-Lo’s 
  army, and if equipped with the proper documents 
  may be sent to the world of the living to chase 
  down and capture errant k’uei, ghosts, and other 
  troublesome spirits.
  Personality/Motivation:  Although referred to as 
  “demons,” the ma mien and niu t’ou aren’t full of 
  malice and hate. Instead, they follow the mandates 
  of their oﬃce and Yen-Lo’s instructions — they’re 
  conduits for the will of a greater power.
  Powers/Tactics:  In battle ma mien and niu t’ou use 
  their strength to overpower a foe. Normally, they’re 
  armed with a variety of Chinese polearms; they 
  particularly favor the chai-dao, ghi, and tai-dao. 
  They’re also known to carry large knobbed clubs 
  as well. If pursuing an errant ghost, they’ll almost 
  certainly be armed with some sort of charm or 
  weapon capable of capturing and/or destroying it.
  
  51 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Campaign Use:  As messengers from the court of 
  the Yama Kings, ma mien and niu t’ou can convey 
  information of great import to the heroes, perhaps 
  directly involving them in an adventure that’s 
  important to the Kings. They can also be sum-
  moned by Chinese demonologists, or make them 
  the servants of evil eunuchs or sorcerers (often one 
  and the same in Chinese cinema and literature). 
  More cinematic demons might know some form of 
  martial arts as well as various special ﬁghting tech-
  niques and magic powers.
  Appearance:  Ma mien and niu t’ou have the bodies 
  of muscular humans topped with either a horse’s 
  (ma mien) or an ox’s (niu t’ou) head. The heads 
  have a notable demonic cast to them, with blazing 
  eyes, unkempt manes, and mouths full of exceed-
  ingly sharp teeth. Neither demon wears much in 
  the way of clothing, just leopard and tiger-skin 
  loincloths most of the time (but if they’re sent into 
  battle, they don armor).
  POH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   21 DEX 
  33 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  9 
   
  Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   38 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  97
    
   
   
  (+14 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  13”/26”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  16 
  Claws Like A Tiger:  HKA 1d6+1 (1d6+1  
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  30 
  Horn: HKA 1d6+1 (26d+1 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  3
  25 
  Teeth Like A Tiger:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1  
  with STR) 
  2
  4 
  Roar Like A Rolling Drum:  +10 PRE;  
  Only For Fear-Based Presence Attacks  
  (-1), Incantations (must roar; -¼) 
  0
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy: Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  14 
  Swift Runner: Running +7” (13” total) 
  2
  6 
  Sharp-Eared And Keen-Nosed: +2 PER with  
  all Sense Groups but Sight Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  117
  Total Cost:  214
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human Intelli-
  gence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  109 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  214
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  110 
  Safe From Weapons:  Armor (20 PD/20 ED), 
  Invisible To Sight Group (+½), Usable By 
  Other (+¼), Ranged (+½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only Aﬀects Weapon Attacks (-½)
  19 
  Saw-Like Teeth:  HKA 1d6, Increased STUN 
  Multiplier (+¼)
  WU CH’ANG K’UEI
  A wu ch’ang k’uei is another of hell’s messengers. The 
  spirit of a human who either died from grief or by 
  suicide, the wu ch’ang k’uei are sent out to collect the 
  souls of the dead. Accompanied on their missions by 
  ma mien and niu t’ou, the wu ch’ang k’uei come in two 
  types:  the yang wu-chang and the yin wu-chang. Yang 
  wu-chang is a male spirit, dressed all in white, with a 
  white-painted face. He collects the souls of those who 
  die before they’re ﬁfty. Yin wu-chang is a female spirit, 
  dressed all in black, with a black-painted face. She col-
  lects the souls of those who die after the age of ﬁfty.
  
  52 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Ecology:  The poh (or bo) is a horse-like animal 
  living in the Mongolian plains to the north of 
  China. They live in small groups and survive by 
  feeding on leopards, tigers, and other animals.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motiva-
  tions. It’s said poh can serve as soldiers, so it 
  seems they can be trained. At one point, six poh 
  came to the rescue of the magistrate of the King-
  dom of Peh Chi, devouring a number of fierce 
  beasts plaguing the kingdom as a reward for the 
  magistrate’s just rule.
  Powers/Tactics:  The poh has several natural weap-
  ons. It usually starts by attacking with its sharp 
  horn, hoping to impale its prey. Once it’s wounded 
  its prey, the poh ﬁnishes it oﬀ with its terrible teeth 
  and claws.
  Rumor has it that if a man can befriend a poh, 
  he will be safe from weapons of all kinds.
  Campaign Use:  The poh is a good example of how 
  to can take an ordinary creature (in this case a 
  horse) and make it monstrous by applying some 
  unusual features and enchancing its abilites a bit. 
  Aside from its use as a ﬁerce, ﬂesh-eating unicorn, 
  the poh could be a mount for equally ﬁerce and 
  warlike nomads. You could even allow your players 
  to capture and train poh to be their own mounts.
  Appearance:  Poh are large white horses with black 
  tails. They have tiger-like teeth and claws and a 
  single sharp horn in the middle of their foreheads. 
  Some are said to have saw-like teeth instead of 
  horns or claws.
  QIONGQI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   16 BODY 12 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   9 PD 
  4 
  Total:  9 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
  Total:  5 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   39 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  105
    
   
   
  (+9 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  16 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  2
  25 
  Spines Like A Hedgehog:  HKA 1d6,  
  Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼); Always  
  On (-½), Activation Roll 15- (-¼), No  
  STR Bonus (-½) 
  0
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations  
  (must roar; -¼) 
  0
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2” 
  0
  16 
  Eagle’s Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½) 2
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  2
  13 
  Knows Who Is Right And Who Is Wrong:  
  Detect Good And Evil/Right Or Wrong  
  14-, Discriminatory 
  0
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell 0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +4 to  
  Concealment; Self Only (-½), Only In  
  Home Environment (-1)
  3 
  Language:  Chinese (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  1 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +1 to Stealth; Only 
  In Home Environment (-1)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  160
  Total Cost:  265
  
  53 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (up to 11 feet 
  long and 600 pounds; -2 DCV, +2 PER  
  Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, Slightly 
  Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Near-Human  
  Intelligence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Morally Perverse 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  killer of the loyal and  
  trustworthy, 11-
  135 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  265
  OPTIONS
  Some versions of the qiongqi describe it as 
  having the body of an ox, instead of a tiger. To 
  create one, make the following changes to the 
  Buﬀalo/Cattle character sheet on page 141 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence and Psychological Limitation:  Timid.
  2 
  +2 INT (10 INT total)
  10 
  +5 EGO (10 EGO total)
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  25 
  Spines Like A Hedgehog:  HKA 1d6, Continu-
  ous (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Inherent 
  (+¼), Persistent (+½), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Always On (-½), Activation 
  Roll 15- (-¼), no STR Bonus (-½)
  13 
  Knows Who Is Right And Who Is Wrong:  
  Detect Good And Evil/Right Or Wrong 14-, 
  Discriminatory
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Near-Human 
  Intelligence (Frequently, Slightly Impairing; 
  10 points)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Morally Per-
  verse (Common, Strong; 15 points)
   
  Add Reputation:  killer of the loyal and trust-
  worthy, 11- (10 points
  Total Cost:  +75 points
  Ecology:  The qiongqi (“thoroughly-odd”) is a 
  mountain-dwelling carnivore with a taste for 
  human ﬂesh. It attacks almost any person it sees, 
  but has a marked preference for people with long 
  hair, such as magicians and shamans. These people 
  the qiongqi eats head ﬁrst (although some reports 
  say it does so feet ﬁrst). At any rate, the creature is 
  greatly feared wherever it’s rumored to be found.
  Personality/Motivation:  In keeping with the mean-
  ing of its name, the qiongqi eats the noses of those 
  who are faithful and dependable, and kills and eats 
  anyone who’s in the right in a disupute. In addition, 
  the qiongqi presents animals it has killed to those 
  who are evil and unruly. Finally, the qiongqi is a 
  rapacious predator that kills and devours just about 
  anything smaller than itself.
  Powers/Tactics:  The qiongqi prefers to attack from 
  the air. It swoops in with a roar and makes a Pres-
  ence Attack before performing either a Move By or 
  a Move Through. It may Grab small targets in its 
  jaws and then shake them into submission or pick 
  them up and drop them from a great height.
  Campaign Use:  Although not capable of tackling an 
  entire party of adventurers, a qiongqi could make 
  for a nasty surprise encounter, especially if one of 
  the PCs happens to be a long-haired martial artist, 
  sorcerer, or traveling swordsman.
  Appearance:  The qiongqi has a tiger’s body with 
  the wings of an eagle. Its hair consists of many rigid 
  needles, much like the spines of a hedgehog. Some 
  tales describe the qiongqi as a large ox instead of a 
  winged tiger.
  
  54 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  SHAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   18 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  18 PD (6 rPD)
   15 ED 
  10 
   
  Total:  15 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   47 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  156
    
   
   
  (+38 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6 ( with STR) 
  3
  15 
  Tail Lash:  HA +3d6, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  0
  20 
  Projecting Scales:  HKA ½d6, Continuous 
  (+1), Damage Shield (does damage in  
  HTH Combat; +¾), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent  
  (+¼); Always On (-½), No STR Bonus (-½) 0
  6 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -5” 
  0
  8 
  Water Dweller:  Life Support:  Expanded 
  Breathing (Breathe Underwater); Safe  
  Environments (High Pressure, Intense Cold) 0
  8 
  At Home In The Water:  Swimming +8”  
  (10” total) 
  2
  21 
  Misty Breath:  Change Environment 3” 
  radius, -3 to Sight Group PER Rolls,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½) 
  2
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  1 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 8-
  1 
  KS: Dragon Lore 8-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  141
  Total Cost:  297
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (up to 9m 
  long, -4 DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  192 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  297
  OPTIONS
  Cost Shan Powers
  40 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  300-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change form; -½)
  Ecology:  A shan (or shan kiao) is a form of serpent 
  born from the mating of a snake and a pheasant. 
  They dwell in bodies of water of all sizes, including 
  lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and even wells. There 
  they feed on ﬁsh and, if they can catch them, swal-
  lows.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, shan 
  are benign creatures who dwell peacefully in their 
  watery homes. However, some shan have been 
  known to ﬁght among themselves, usually over 
  possession of a choice waterway. Others have come 
  ashore and assumed the form of beautiful and/or 
  handsome youths, often marrying into noble fami-
  lies and siring children (who usually end up shan 
  as well).
  Powers/Tactics:  Aside from its powerful bite, the 
  shan also has a potent weapon in its scales. Unlike 
  on other reptiles, a shan’s scales don’t lay ﬂat against 
  the body, but project outward. They’re quite sharp 
  and can cut anyone striking the shan, or whom the 
  shan strikes with its tail.
  The breath of a shan takes the form of a great 
  cloud often described as looking like a tower. 
  Others have likened the cloud to a palace, city walls, 
  or even people, horses, and wagons.
  
  55 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  Campaign Use:  Shan are simply small water drag-
  ons. You can use them anywhere you’d like a resi-
  dent water guardian but don’t want a kioh-lung. By 
  giving a shan the ability to assume human form, 
  you could use it as a romantic interest for a female 
  PC, or an interesting NPC for the heroes to interact 
  with. Some Chinese tales speak of shan communi-
  cating to humans via dreams, so you might want to 
  give the shan some form of Mind Link or Telepathy.
  Appearance:  A shan looks like a legless lung 
  (dragon) with a long serpentine body, the ears and 
  horns of a dragon, and a red mane running down 
  its back. Its sharp scales don’t lay ﬂat against the 
  body, but project outward, giving it a somewhat 
  “prickly” appearance.
  SHÊN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  11-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  79
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  6 
  Live Upon The Air: Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  does not have to eat; 
  Diminished Sleeping:  does not sleep) 
  0
  5 
  Immortal:  Life Support (Longevity:   
  Immortality) 
  0
  6 
  Swift Movement:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  2
  60 
  Fading:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, and 
  Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Celestial 
  Bureaucracy
   
  Talents
  5 
  Breathe Inwardly:  Simulate Death 15-
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  KS: Celestial Bureaucracy 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  20 
  20 additional points’ worth of Skills chosen 
  by the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  118
  Total Cost:  197
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  unearthly beauty (Con-
  cealable With Diﬃculty; Causes Major Reac-
  tion [desire])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  susceptible to various 
  sutras, talismans, and wards (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  92 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  197
  THE CHAN
  Ssu-ma Ch’ien, the Grand Historian of China, 
  described a giant clam he called the chen or chan. For 
  the most part it seems to be similar to the Giant Clam 
  on page 149 of The HERO System Bestiary (although it 
  can be much larger then the size given there) and has 
  the Shen’s Misty Breath power.
  
  56 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Larger Or Smaller:  Apply either the Large 
  or Small Size/Weight Template and Physical 
  Limitation from pages 574-75 of The HERO 
  System 5th Edition, Revised.
  5 
  Unearthly Beauty:  +10 COM
  60 
  Shên Magic:  60 points’ worth of mystic Skills, 
  spells, and abilities
  87 
  Command Spirits And Demons:  Summon 
  500-point shên, any shên (+½), Friendly 
  (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gestures 
  (-¼), Incantations (-¼)
  70 
  Control The Weather:  Change Environment 
  4” radius, +/-10 Temperature Levels, Multiple 
  Combat Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects, 
  Varying Eﬀect (create or cancel any type of 
  weather; +1), MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad 
  and wide; +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); No Range (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn to 
  activate; -¾) 
  0
  27 
  Burrow Into The Earth:  Tunneling 6” 
  through 6 DEF material, Fill In; Soil And 
  Rock Only (-½)
  18 
  Dive Into The Sea:  Swimming +18”
  40 
  Fly Above The Clouds:  Flight 20”
  32 
  Take The Form Of Any Beast:  Shape Shift 
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups; any 
  animal form), Costs Endurance Only To 
  Activate (+¼)
  Other Powers as you see ﬁt
  Ecology:  The word “shên” can refer to a demon, 
  deity, elf/fairy, magician, or supernatural spirit. 
  They dwell all through China and usually keep to 
  themselves, living alone or in small groups, unless 
  they want or need something from mankind.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. Shên can range from benevolent and 
  helpful to evil and malicious in nature. Those shên 
  of a more evil nature have a noted fondness for 
  human women, and often capture and hold captive 
  any females who are to their liking.
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers of the shên are vast 
  and varied. In general, they’re immortal beings 
  who can come and go as they please, vanishing 
  from view instantly. They’re reputed to sustain 
  themselves only on air, assume the form of any 
  beast, bird, ﬁsh, or insect as desired, and can travel 
  though air, water, or the earth at will. Other shên 
  are said to be able to bring either rain or drought, 
  summon spirits or demons, and can cause illness 
  in their enemies. Some shên are helpful in nature, 
  and will harvest entire ﬁelds overnight in exchange 
  for a small amount of food. Humans, on the other 
  hand, should be wary of taking food from a shên. 
  Although it renders the eater immortal, time runs 
  diﬀerently in the otherworld — after spending what 
  seems like a few hours eating and drinking with 
  a shên he may discover that a few hundred years 
  have passed in the normal world.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents 
  the basic template on which all shên are built. 
  You can customize it to create whatever sort of 
  shên you want by applying some (or all) of the 
  optional powers as well as by applying any one of 
  the templates found on pages 117-119 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders. Much like the fairies of 
  English folklore, it seems no two shên are exactly 
  alike, with personalities to match. You can use them 
  as either friends or foes for a group of PCs, and 
  should be able to easily tailor the shên’s abilities to 
  the power level of your campaign.
  Appearance:  Shên are usually of human size and 
  are noted for their unearthly beauty. Some are 
  shorter, such as the shan sao, who stand only twelve 
  inches in height. Some shên appear as animals, or 
  have the features of animals, such as the shên of the 
  Chang River, who’s a man with a dragon’s head.
  MORE SHÊN
  Here are some brief descriptions of a few additional 
  shên:
  Bee Spirits:  Some shên resemble normal honey bees. 
  They enter dreams, take the form of well-dressed roy-
  alty, and make requests of sleeping humans.
  Garden Spirits:  The shên of the gardens ensure good 
  harvests and bountiful crops in exchange for a bit of 
  food and drink.
  Ink Spirits:  These tiny shên dress like Taoist priests and 
  dwell in containers of ink. Finding a dozen such spirits 
  in one’s ink is sign of literary cultivation.
  Kwei Mu:  The “mother of all specters,” Kwei Mu lives 
  in the Lesser Yü Mountains far to the south. She gives 
  birth to all the ghosts and monsters in the world, pro-
  ducing ten in the morning and then devouring another 
  ten every night. She’s said to have a tiger’s head, a 
  dragon’s feet, the eyes of a python, and the eyebrows of 
  a kiao dragon.
  Si Wang Mu:  The “fairy mother” who dwells on the 
  shores of the “Lakes of Gems” and tends to k’iung 
  shu, the tree of life. This tree is 15,000 feet tall and 
  1,800 feet in circumference, and bears fruit only 
  every 3,000 years. When eaten, this fruit (a form of 
  peach) confers immortality.
  Woo-tung-Shên:  This shên is an inimical invisible 
  spirit. It’s known to possess people, inducing in them a 
  maniacal dancing frenzy.
  
  57 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter One
  SHÊN VARIANTS
  These are a few of the shên described by name. 
  You can use them as examples for creating more 
  and diﬀerent types of shên.
  Ke-mung
  Ke-mung is the shên of Daylight Mountain. He 
  has the form of a man with the head of a dragon 
  and constantly wanders the depths of the Chang 
  River, bringing with him heavy rains and violent 
  thunderstorms. To create Ke-mung, add the follow-
  ing powers to the standard shên character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  5 
  +5 STR
  10 
  Bite Of The Dragon:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1  
  with STR)
  27 
  Create Rains:  Change Environment 4” 
  radius, -3 to Sight and Hearing Group  
  PER Rolls, Multiple Combat Eﬀects,  
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide;  
  +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  No Range (-½), Extra Time (1 Turn to  
  activate; -¾) 
  0
  8 
  Wanders The Chang River:  Swimming +4”
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception 
  (Sight Group)
  5 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Ultraviolet Perception 
  (Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking for Normal 
  Smell
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  1 
  Wanders The River Bottom:  Life Support 
  (Safe Environment:  High Pressure)
  Total Cost:  +71 points
  
  58 ■ China
  Hero System 5th Edition
  P’oh
  Standing a mere two to three feet in height, the 
  P’oh is described as either “the shên of drought” or 
  “the Mother of drought.” He looks like a naked man 
  with eyes in the top of his head, can run like the 
  wind, and brings dry weather with him where ever 
  he goes. To create a P’oh, add the following powers 
  to the standard shên character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  1 
  Apply the Small Size/Weight Template and 
  Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
  45 
  Runs Like The Wind:  Running +18” (24” 
  total), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)
  57 
  Cause Drought:  Change Environment  
  (create dry land and heat) 16” radius, +5 
  Temperature Levels, Long Lasting (1 Week  
  or longer), MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad  
  and wide; +¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Extra Time (Full Phase to  
  activate; -¼), No Range (-½)
  5 
  Eyes In The Top Of His Head:  Increased  
  Arc Of Perception (240 degrees) for Sight 
  Group
  2 
  Shên Of Drought:  Life Support (Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Heat)
  Total Cost:  +110 points
  Shan Sao
  These beings are also known as the Shan-
  Sao or the Shan-Sias. They’re roughly a foot 
  tall and live in the hills of Western China. They 
  can cause a man to become sick with alternat-
  ing chills and fever. They can only be frightened 
  away by burning bamboo or lighting firecrackers.  
  To create a Shan Sao, add the following powers to 
  the standard shên character sheet:
  Cost Powers
  1 
  Apply the Diminutive Size/Weight Template 
  and Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 
  of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
  57 
  Cause Chills And Fevers:  Drain CON 4d6, 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1) 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (1 Hour onset time; -3), Gradual Eﬀect 
  (4 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾) plus Drain END 
  4d6, Delayed Return Rate (points return at 
  a rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (1 Hour onset time; -3), Gradual Eﬀect 
  (4 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾) Linked (to Drain 
  CON; -½)
   
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Flees From 
  The Smell Of Burning Bamboo Or The 
  Sound Of Exploding Firecrackers (Uncom-
  mon, Total; 15 points)
  Total Cost:  +58 points
  White Monkey
  This shên is a white-haired monkey of great 
  size. It lives in the mountains of Chang-toh and 
  kidnaps human woman to make them its slaves. 
  The White Monkey has a prodigious appetite; it 
  once devoured ten dogs and two casks of wine in 
  a single sitting. To create a White Monkey, add 
  the following powers to the standard shên char-
  acter sheet:
  Cost Powers
  51 
  Apply the Large Size/Weight Template and 
  Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
  10 
  +10 STR
  7 
  Arm Swing:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½)
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR)
  4 
  Frightening Bellow:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-
  Based Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations 
  (must roar; -¼)
  3 
  Thick Skin:  Damage Resistance (3 PD/3 ED)
  3 
  Acrobatics 12-
  3 
  Breakfall 12-
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Cost:  +106 points
  
  chapter two:
  chapter two:
  INDIA
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  60 ■ India
  I
  ndia has one of the oldest known civilizations 
  on Earth. It can trace its origins back to settle-
  ments along the Indus River valley established 
  as early as 2600 BC. The name “India” itself  
  comes from Sindhu, the Persian word for the Indus 
  River. For much of its history, the Indian subcon-
  tinent has been divided up into various regional 
  kingdoms, with Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim 
  empires each seeking dominance. Modern India 
  was formed in the nineteenth century, when the 
  British combined the remnants of the Mughal 
  Empire with the Maratha Confederacy. India 
  achieved independence in 1947.
  India is home to several of the major religions 
  of the world, including Hinduism and Buddhism, 
  both of which have had a major inﬂuence on the 
  rest of southern and eastern Asia.
  HINDUISM
  Hinduism, also known as Sanatana Dharma 
  (“perennial faith”), is one of the oldest extant reli-
  gions in the world. It apparently originated around 
  2000 BC with the Indo-European Vedic peoples 
  and eventually evolved into several forms, such as 
  the Vedanta, Tantra, and Yogic schools. The primary 
  concepts of the faith are found in the Rig Veda, said 
  to be the “oldest religious scripture in the world.”
  At its core, Hinduism believes in a singu-
  lar Truth, understanding of which can only be 
  obtained by faith, love, and persistence in one’s 
  eﬀorts to seek enlightenment. In theory it’s an 
  amazingly tolerant religion, since it realizes no 
  one religion can claim to fully understand the all-
  encompassing Truth everyone must seek for. Hin-
  duism is simultaneously polytheistic and monothe-
  istic, with the various gods and goddesses actually 
  only diﬀerent aspects of a singular Supreme Being. 
  Major gods include Indra, the god of war and 
  weather, and the supreme god until the arrival of 
  Vishnu; Vishnu (also known as Krishna and Rama), 
  “The All-Pervading One,” the Maintainer, who’s 
  considered the one Supreme Being in most forms 
  of Hinduism; Shiva, “The Pure One,” also consid-
  ered a form of Supreme Being and identiﬁed with 
  the aspect of god as the Destroyer (in this case a 
  positive aspect, as creation always follows destruc-
  tion); and Brahma, the Creator, agent of Brahman, 
  and the third part of the Trimurti (trinity) formed 
  of himself, Shiva, and Vishnu. Major goddesses 
  include:  Devi, the Divine Mother, and the mother 
  of all living things; Kali, the destroyer, consort of 
  Shiva, and the symbol of the cycle of life and death; 
  and Lakshmi, Mother of the Universe, and god-
  dess of wealth, good fortune, and beauty. Other 
  major deities include Ganesha, the elephant-headed 
  “remover of obstacles,” and Hanuman, the monkey 
  god. Hinduism also includes a wealth of minor dei-
  ties, nymphs, celestial spirits, and demons —such 
  as Garuda, the Apsarasas, the Gandharva, and the 
  Rakshasas — described later in this chapter.
  Followers of Hinduism are found primarily 
  in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, 
  Sri Lanka, and Malaysia (in that order), with small 
  populations scattered over Southeast Asia and the 
  rest of the world. However, many countries with-
  out signiﬁcant numbers of Hindus (Thailand, for 
  example) still share some aspects of the religion, 
  such as diﬀerent names for the various deities and 
  other supernatural beings.
  BUDDHISM
  Buddhism has its roots in the teachings of 
  Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in Nepal in 
  the fifth century BC. A follower of Buddhism 
  seeks “enlightenment” — an awakening of the 
  mind that allows him to become aware of the 
  true nature of the universe. Enlightenment also 
  lets him escape the never-ending cycle of birth, 
  suffering, death, and rebirth. Achieving enlight-
  enment involves overcoming greed, ignorance, 
  lust, and other base desires. Upon achieving 
  enlightenment, a follower becomes a Buddha, or 
  “one who has become awake.”
  As a rule, Buddhism stresses moderation, 
  moral discipline, and not causing harm to any 
  living thing (Buddhists are normally vegetarians). 
  It does not conﬁrm or deny the existence of gods, 
  demons, heaven, or hell, although one story of the 
  Buddha (i.e., Siddhartha Gautama) has Indra tell-
  ing him to go forth and teach all who would listen, 
  and other stories have him interacting with various 
  supernatural creatures and beings. Practitioners, 
  especially those from countries other than India, 
  have tended to blend Buddhism with their native 
  faiths, often giving it far more supernatural aspects 
  in the process.
  Although it originated in India, Hinduism has 
  almost absorbed and incorporated Buddhism. But 
  it’s found all through Southeast and Central Asia, 
  and has spread to other parts of the world as well.
  INDIA
  
  61 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  APSARASAS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (5 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (5 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  5
   23 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  105
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  100 
  Instill Madness:  Major Transform 6d6  
  (sane person into insane person with the 
  Psychological Limitation Utterly,  
  Gibbering Insane [Very Common, Total]; 
  heals back through appropriate curative  
  magics), BOECV (Mental Defense applies; 
  +1), Works Against EGO, Not BODY  
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Limited  
  Normal Range (50”; -½), Limited Target 
  (sentient beings; -¼) 
  10
  45 
  Bestow Favors:  Major Transform 6d6 
  (person without at least Luck 4d6 into  
  person with Luck 4d6; heals back after 1  
  year or through application of this power  
  or an appropriate counter-power); Extra 
  Time (Full Phase; -½), Limited Range  
  (50”; -¼), Limited Target (sentient  
  beings; -¼) 
  9
  19 
  Luck At Dice:  Multipower, 28-point reserve;  
  all slots Extra Time (Full Phase; -½)
  1u 
  1)  Grant Good Luck At Dice:  +4 with  
  Gambling (Dice Games), Usable By Other 
  (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½) 
  0
  2u 
  2)  Inﬂict Bad Luck At Dice:  Change  
  Environment 1” radius, -4 on Gambling 
  (Dice Games) rolls, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Uncontrolled (lasts for 1  
  Day or until appropriate countermagics  
  are applied; +½); Extra Time (Full Phase; 
  -½), Only Aﬀects One Person (-¼) 
  0
  5 
  Divine Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Divine Form:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0 
  15 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Immunity  
  to all terrestrial diseases and biowarfare 
  agents; Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  7 
  Stands In Trees:  Flight 6”; Only Along  
  Reasonably Horizontal Surfaces (-½),  
  No Noncombat Movement (-¼) 
  1
  40 
  Dwells In Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected  
  by magic or any attack that aﬀects the 
  apsarasas’s tree while she’s in it), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only To Merge With Parent Tree (-1) 
  0
  40 
  Appear As A Bird:  Multiform (assume 
  the form of any 8 birds built on up to 225 
  points); Costs Endurance (to change  
  forms only; -½) 
  6
  54 
  Assume Diﬀerent Forms:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups, any  
  shape), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  9 
  Reputation:  “little love goddesses”  
  (in India) 14-, +3/+3d6
   
  Skills
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  2 
  Gambling (Dice Games) 12-
  3 
  KS:  Dance 12-
  3 
  KS:  Sexual Techniques 12-
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  3 
  PS: Dancing 13-
  3 
  PS: Sexual Techniques 13-
  13 
  Seduction 18-
  2 
  TF:  Chariots, Equines
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  438
  Total Cost:  543
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  unearthly beauty  
  (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Causes  
  Major Reaction [desire])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lecherous 
  (Common, Strong)
  438 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  543
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  50 
  Apsarasas Magic:  50 points’ worth of Magic 
  Skills and spells related to water
  35 
  Can Seduce An Ascetic:  Mind Control 14d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); No 
  Range (-½), Only To Seduce People (-1)
  6 
  Water Nymph:  Swimming +6” (8” total)
  Ecology:  The apsarases (singular apsarasas) were 
  born from the ocean when the gods churned 
  it in search of the Elixir of Life — hence their 
  name, which translates to “essence of the waters” 
  or “moving in/between the waters.” They’re also 
  known as the Suranganas, the “wives of the gods,” 
  and Sumad-atmajas, or “daughters of pleasure.” 
  Numbering some 35 million (1,060 of which 
  make up the apsarasas nobility), these divine 
  nymphs are ruled by Kamadeva, the god of love, 
  and take slain warriors and heroes to Indra’s 
  celestial paradise in brilliantly-colored chariots. 
  The gods sometimes send one of them to tempt a 
  man away from the path of enlightenment. When 
  not seducing mortal men, the apsarasas tend to 
  dwell in trees or cavort with their husbands, the 
  gandharvas (see page 75).
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  62 ■ India
  Personality/Motivation:  Lesser love goddesses, 
  the apsarases are noted for their promiscuity. 
  They willingly consort with mortal men, and will 
  even bear a man children, but as immortal god-
  desses they have little to no maternal feelings for 
  their offspring, abandoning them at the slight-
  est whim. The apsarases also seem to be a touch 
  temperamental, and while they tend to bless 
  married couples at weddings, they’re also known 
  to gift those who gamble at dice with luck both 
  good and bad, and aren’t above driving would-be 
  suitors mad.
  Powers/Tactics:  For the most part, an apsarasas 
  avoids combat if she can. If pressed, she tries to 
  drive her attacker insane, then leaves him to his 
  fate. If that doesn’t work, she assumes the form 
  of an aquatic bird in an effort to escape. She can 
  also use her shapechanging powers to assume 
  any shape necessary to seduce a man or get 
  close to a target, complementing her appearance 
  with her dancing skills (for apsarases are almost 
  unearthly graceful). As love goddesses apsarases 
  are phenomenally skilled lovers, matched in this 
  regard only by their husbands, the gandharvas.
  Campaign Use:  As representations of pure and 
  almost unrestrained sexuality, apsarases should 
  be handled with care in the game. Their primary 
  purpose is to carnally tempt and seduce mortal 
  men from a righteous path, which may be at 
  odds with the tone of some campaigns. If neces-
  sary, tone that aspect of the apsarases down and 
  emphasize their valkyrie nature as collectors 
  of slain warriors and consorts of heroes in the 
  afterlife (or simply make them more of a wood/
  water nymph). You could also use a dalliance 
  between a hero and an apsarasas as the origin for 
  an unusual and semi-divine PC.
  Appearance: Apsarases look like beautiful human 
  maidens with voluptuous ﬁgures. When appearing 
  as themselves, they tend to dress in court fash-
  ions with multi-pointed crowns atop their heads, 
  a highly-decorated belt, and multiple necklaces, 
  armlets, bracelets, and anklets. They wear their hair 
  loose or braided into looping strands, and their 
  only garment is a semitransparent skirt that falls 
  from the belt to about mid-calf.
  APSARASAS VARIANTS
  Dakini
  These female spirits are known by a variety of 
  names, including “celestial woman,” “cloud fairy,” 
  “sky-dancer,” and “space-goer.” In China they’re 
  called k’ung-hsing fo-mu, while in Tibet the name 
  is khandro or mKha-gro-ma. The male spirits are 
  daka (or pawo [“hero”] in Tibet).
  The dakini are divine beings, much like the 
  apsarases. They can ﬂy and have a reputation for 
  being frightening beings — some people call them 
  Ashrapa, or “drinkers of blood.” At least some of the 
  dakini serve as agents of the goddess Kali, doing 
  her bidding here on Earth, while others assist the 
  goddess Smashana Kali, and some, known as the 
  
  63 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  Yoginis, are soldiers in the armies of Durga (also 
  known as Chandi, goddess of the moon). Others 
  haunt battleﬁelds, either looking after the dead and 
  tending to their funerals, or devouring the corpses 
  and drinking their blood.
  To create a dakini, use the apsarasas char-
  acter sheet, remove most (if not all) of the “love 
  goddess” powers and skills, and then add in 
  whatever powers and skills seem appropriate. For 
  inspiration, take a look at the character sheets for 
  the bonga and gandharva in this book, as well as 
  the various nymphs in Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders. You may also wish to include powers 
  from the ghoul and vampire character sheets in 
  The HERO System Bestiary.
  Tree Spirits
  Buddhist and Hindu legends mention a variety 
  of beings who dwell within trees. Similar in many 
  respects to the Greek hamadyrads, these spirits 
  tend to be benevolent, although there are excep-
  tions. Some of them include:
  Dewas:  Buddhist tree spirits.
  Sankchinnis:  Hindu tree spirits. They appear near 
  their trees at midnight, taking the form of a beauti-
  ful women surrounded by a glowing white aura. 
  They’re considered malevolent to humanity; one 
  tale tells of a sankchinni that sealed a woman inside 
  an empty tree cavity.
  Vanadevatas:  Vedic tree spirits. Guardians of indi-
  viduals trees and the forest as a whole, they take 
  revenge on anyone who cuts down the tree they 
  personally inhabit (To simulate this ability, give the 
  vanadevatas this power:  RKA 8d6, NND (defense 
  is Life Support [Longevity]; +1), Does BODY (+1), 
  Fully Invisible (+1), Indirect (always away from the 
  vanadevatas’s tree, but can strike target regardless 
  of intervening barriers; +½), Increased Maximum 
  Range (17,250” or about 21 miles; +¼), No Range 
  Modiﬁer (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Trigger (vanadevatas dies; +¼); Power May Only 
  Be Used At Point Of Death (-2), 1 Charge which 
  Never Recovers (-4). Total cost:  103 points. This 
  power should use the long-range attack notes on 
  page 211 of The Fantasy Hero Grimoire.)
  Vriksakas:  Similar to the vanadevatas, the vriksakas 
  guard individual trees as well as entire forests. As 
  with other tree spirits, they appear as beautiful 
  women. The vriksakas associate with the apsarasas 
  and serve as Indra’s servants.
  You can use the Dryad character sheet on page 
  72 of Monsters, Minions, And Marauders to create 
  any of these tree nymphs.
  ASIPATRA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   6 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  6 PD (6 rPD)
   6 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  6 ED (6 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  8
   20 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  38
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Beak:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  15 
  Claws Like Knives:  HKA 1d6 (1d6 with  
  STR) 
  1
  15 
  Wings Like Swords:  HKA 1d6 (1d6  
  with STR), Armor Piercing (+½);  
  Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  25 
  Metal Feathers:  HKA ½d6, Continuous  
  (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Metal Feathers:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  50 
  Spirit Of The Underworld: Life Support 
  (Total, including Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  40 
  Wings:  Flight 20”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½) 
  0
  -10 
  Short Legs:  Running -5”
  -2 
  Metal Feathers:  Swimming -2”
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  3 
  Easily Hidden:  +2 to Concealment; Self  
  Only (-½)
  7 
  Stealth 15-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  179
  Total Cost:  217
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (about 1 m long; 
  +3” KB) (Infrequently; Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  107 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  217
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  64 ■ India
  Ecology:  Asipatra (“sword-wing bird”) dwell near 
  Yamaoura, the underworld city of death. There they 
  perch in a forest that consists of trees formed from 
  spears and wait for the spirits of condemned sin-
  ners to wander by. The moment the unlucky soul 
  strays into their domain, they take to the air, slicing 
  him with their razor sharp wings.
  Personality/Motivation:  As denizens of the under-
  world, the asipatra have one sole purpose:  to tor-
  ment sinners as punishment for past misdeeds.
  Powers/Tactics:  Armed with claws like knives and 
  wings made of sword blades, the asipatra are well-
  equipped to slash their enemies into ribbons. They 
  tend to dive down at their prey, often performing a 
  Move By before circling around for a more direct 
  attack. If in a group, several asipatra perform the 
  initial Move Bys in quick succession, while the rest 
  cut at the weakened foe with their wings.
  Campaign Use:  Many cultures have stories of 
  metal-feathered birds. In the Philippines there’s 
  the gigantic Minokawa (see AB2), while the 
  Greeks have the flesh-eating Stymphalian Birds. 
  The asipatra are less dangerous than either of 
  these creatures due to their small size and the 
  fact that they don’t normally inhabit mortal 
  realms. However, an entire flock can present 
  quite a challenge to a party of PCs.
  Appearance:  An asipatra appears as a large eagle-
  like bird with metal feathers, beak, and claws. The 
  feathers are all sharp and pointed; the ones forming 
  the wings have razor-sharp edges.
  BHUTA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   5 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  4
   20 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  56
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Visions:  Mental Illusions 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  20 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6, Aﬀects Physical World  
  (+2); Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation, must have 
  merged with corpse it can use to bite; -½) 
  3
  26 
  Corpse Claws:  HKA 1d6, Aﬀects Physi-
  cal World (+2); Reduced Penetration (-¼),  
  Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation, must have 
  merged with corpse whose ﬁngers it can 
  transform into claws; -½) 
  4
  51 
  Corpse Control:  Telekinesis (20 STR),  
  Fine Manipulation, Aﬀects Physical World 
  (+2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Aﬀects Whole Object (-¼), No Range  
  (must have merged with target corpse to  
  be aﬀected; -½), Only To Puppeteer  
  Target Corpse (see text; -1) 
  0
  60 
  Ghostly Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected  
  by magic or ﬁre), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent  
  (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Undead Form:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Undead Form:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Diminished Eating, and  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  24 
  Ghostwalking:  Flight 8”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  9 
  Corpse Possession:  Clinging (normal STR), 
  Aﬀects Physical World (+2); Linked (to 
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½), Only To Remain 
  Merged With Target Corpse If It’s Moved 
  Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  6 
  Bhuta’s Senses:  +4 PER with all Sense 
  Groups; Only To Perceive Images Created  
  By Means Other Than Necromancy (-1) 
  0
  5 
  Bhuta’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  13 
  Assume Diﬀerent Forms: Multiform  
  (assume 100-point bat/horse/pig/owl  
  form [pick one]); Costs Endurance (-½) 
  2
  
  65 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
   
  Skills
  2 
  Concealment 12-; Self Only (-½)
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  20 
  Various Skills (abilities and interests  
  when alive)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  404
  Total Cost:  460
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  speaks with a nasal 
  twang (Easily Concealable; Noticed And 
  Recognizable)
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  casts no shadow (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cannot Hurt Anyone 
  Lying Flat On The Ground (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Always Thirsty 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates And 
  Despises The Living (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears And Hates 
  Fire (Common, Strong)
  290 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  460
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  86 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY 5d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at a 
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense is 
  Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual 
  Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  Ecology:  Bhuta (also known as airi, bhutas, bhut, 
  or bhuts) are the ghosts of the insane, people 
  who were born deformed, those who have died 
  died by accident, execution, suicide, or violence, 
  or people buried without the proper funeral rites. 
  They dwell in cemeteries, crematoriums, ruins, 
  and other desolate places, where they lurk in 
  stands of trees and prey on the living, devour-
  ing their intestine and excreta. Bhuta are always 
  thirsty; they particularly love milk, and for this 
  reason attack recently fed children. They also 
  enter the corpses of the freshly dead, animate 
  them, and use them to attack and eat people.
  Personality/Motivation:  Driven by a constant 
  thirst and a hatred for the living, bhuta are 
  utterly malevolent and revel in tormenting 
  humans. But they can be appeased, and throwing 
  handfuls of grain to the four cardinal points of 
  the compass as well as to the center of the circle 
  keeps them away. They are also afraid of fire (due 
  to its purifying effect on the unclean) and avoid 
  both open flames and burning turmeric. Bhuta 
  cannot lay on the ground, so anyone laying flat 
  on bare earth is immune to their attacks.
  The living can placate bhuta through the use 
  of shrines known as bhandara or bhutastan. Of 
  varying sizes and styles, they allow the bhuta to rest 
  inside without touching the ground. Flowers are 
  placed inside the shrine on a monthly basis, and 
  many shrines contain such items as cradles, bells, 
  knives, and bowls of water. A bhutastan is a larger 
  form of shrine and usually contains a bronze statue 
  of the bhuta thought to reside within. The bhuta 
  are said to communicate to local villages through a 
  dancer whose otherwise naked body is painted red, 
  white, and yellow.
  Powers/Tactics:  Bhuta tend to hide in the treetops, 
  using their powers of illusion to mislead humans 
  into dangerous situations. They can also assume 
  physical form, and may appear as either a bat, 
  owl, horse, or pig (you may either select one form, 
  or allow the bhuta to assume any one of the four 
  forms as needed). If overcome by hunger, a bhuta 
  uses its Desolidiﬁcation to “enter” (merge with) 
  a fresh corpse. It then employs its Telekinesis to 
  cause the corpse to rise up and move about in a 
  halting, jerky fashion, killing and devouring people 
  wantonly. For game purposes, usually a corpse has 
  4 DEF and 10 BODY. Because the bhuta has to 
  devote much of its telekinetic STR to keeping the 
  corpse active, if the corpse wields weapons or picks 
  up objects, treat it as having only 10 STR.
  Campaign Use:  A bhuta makes for an excellent 
  adventuring challenge. Unlike most ghosts, the 
  bhuta cannot be laid to rest through the comple-
  tion of its “death task.” Instead, it’s an evil spirit that 
  must be fought and defeated, either through force 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  66 ■ India
  of arms or by frightening it oﬀ. Thus, bhuta make 
  excellent guardians of tombs, battleﬁelds, ruins, and 
  areas of great magical or supernatural importance.
  Appearance:  In ghost form, a bhuta appears as 
  either a dark shadow, a ﬂickering light, or a form-
  less mist. When one possesses a corpse, it can be 
  detected by its voice, which has a distinctive nasal 
  twang, or by the fact it casts no shadow.
  BHUTA VARIANTS
  The term “bhuta” can apply to an entire class 
  of undead spirits. A close relation of the bhuta is the 
  vetala, another corpse-possessing ghost. One form of 
  the vetala is the baital, a type of vampiric man-bat.
  Vetala
  Vetala are a form of evil spirit, and for the 
  most part exist only to cause trouble for human-
  ity. They tend to play cruel jokes on travelers by 
  animating corpses and using them to frighten 
  their unsuspecting victims (often with the intent 
  of causing a fatal accident). They haunt cemeteries 
  and crematoriums, occasionally possessing corpses 
  to commit various crimes or drink the blood of 
  the living. The vetala are also known by the names 
  baital (see below), baitala, or vetal.
  Normally, vetala are insubstantial spirits, 
  appearing as no more than drifting lights or mist. 
  When they enter a corpse, they take a more physi-
  cal form, causing the corpse’s hands and feet to turn 
  backwards on its limbs. It’s said a corpse inhabited 
  by a vetala will not decay.
  To create a vetala, make these changes to the 
  bhuta character sheet:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove all Disadvantages except for Physical 
  Limitation:  Human Size, and add Distinctive 
  Features:  Hands And Feet Are Turned Back-
  wards (Not Concealable; Causes Major Reac-
  tion; 15 points) and Psychological Limita-
  tion:  Malicious Trickster (Common, Strong; 
  15 points)
  -103 Remove Visions and Assume Diﬀerent Forms
  43 
  Drink Blood: RKA 1d6, Aﬀects Physical 
  World (+2), NND (defense is not having 
  blood or protective skin or equipment too 
  thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY (+1), 
  Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½); No Range (-½), Linked (to Deso-
  lidiﬁcation, must have merged with corpse 
  whose mouth it uses to drink blood; -¼), Bite 
  Must Do BODY Damage First (-½)
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  -50 points
  Baital
  The vetala is also known as the baital, and one 
  such creature is central to the story Vikram And 
  The Vampire. Here, the baital (or “baital-pachisi”) 
  is described as hanging head down from a tree 
  (which is engulged in ﬂames), clinging to a branch 
  by its toes. Shaped somewhat like a humanoid 
  ﬂying fox about four feet in height, the baital’s eyes 
  are greenish-brown, while the body — “thin and 
  ribbed like a skeleton or a bamboo framework” — 
  is covered in brown hair. The body is also tightly-
  muscled, with cold and clammy skin, and a short 
  goat-like tail. To create this type of baital, change 
  the Vetala character sheet as follows:
  Cost Ability
  -142 Remove Corpse Claws, Corpse Control, 
  Ghostly Form, Bhuta’s Senses
  30 
  Corpse Possession:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected 
  by magic), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Only To “Merge” With Corpses (-1)
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½)
  20 
  Can Wriggle Out Of Anyone’s Grasp:  Desol-
  diﬁcation (aﬀected by any attack); Does Not 
  Protect Against Damage (-1)
  60 
  Undead Body:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%
  5 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED)
  Total cost:  -9 points (from Vetala character sheet)
  
  67 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  BONGA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  11- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   24 COM 
  7 
  13-
   5 PD 
  2 
  Total:  5 PD (5 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
  Total:  5 ED (5 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  111
    
   
   
  (+2 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  86 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY  
  5d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points  
  return at a rate of 5 per Week; +1¾),  
  NND (defense is Life Support  
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual  
  Eﬀect (5 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾) 
  0
  30 
  Confusing Terran:  Sight Group and  
  Bump Of Direction Images, -4 to PER  
  Rolls, Increased Size (4” radius; +½),  
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide;  
  +¼), Personal Immunity (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Set Eﬀect  
  (only to alter and confuse landmarks  
  and other indicators of direction; -1) 
  2
  21 
  Make Dung Look Like Food:  Sight,  
  Smell/Taste, and Touch Group Images, -4  
  to PER Rolls, Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Uncontrolled (lasts for roughly 12 
  hours or until appropriate countermagics  
  are used; +½); Extra Time (Full Phase;  
  -½), No Range (-½), Set Eﬀect (-1) 
  0
  35 
  Enchant Mortals:  Mind Control 14d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); No  
  Range (-½), Set Eﬀect (“come with me”; -1) 4
  39 
  Dispel Illness:  Major Transform 7d6 (sick 
  person into well person, heals back  
  through any normal means that would  
  cause the character to contract the same  
  disease), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), Limited 
  Target (humans; -½), No Range (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Supernatural Nature:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Supernatural Nature:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0 
  5 
  Dwell In Springs And Rivers:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  15 
  Supernatural Nature:  Life Support  
  (Immunity to all terrestrial diseases and  
  biowarfare agents; Longevity:  Immortality) 0
  40 
  Travel To The Land Under The Water:   
  Extra-Dimensional Movement (a  
  single physical location in the Land  
  Under The Water), Area Of Eﬀect (One  
  Hex; +½), Continuous (+1), Usable  
  Simultaneously (bonga and companion  
  can both use gate; +½); Gate (-½) 
  6
  84 
  Assume Form Of Fire:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) plus Flight 12”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Linked (-½)
  30 
  Travel Unseen By Men:  Invisibility to  
  Sight Group, No Fringe 
  3
  39 
  Assume A Pleasing Form:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups, any 
  human male shape), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  11 
  Animal Handler (Felines, Reptiles) 17-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  4 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  519
  Total Cost:  630
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lecherous Nature 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  abductors of mortals, 11-
  530 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  630
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  1 
  Kisar Bonga:  Apply the Small Size/Weight 
  Template and Physical Limitations from 
  page 575 of The HERO System 5th Edition, 
  Revised rulebook
  -16 
  Bonga Female:  Reduce STR to 10, CON  
  to 15, BODY to 10, change Shape Shift to  
  any human female shape, remove Track-
  ing and WF; add KS:  Dance 13- and  PS:  
  Dancing 13-
  50 
  Bonga Magic:  50 points’ worth of Magic 
  Skills and spells, usually related to illusions
  30 
  Assume The Form Of A Snake:  Multiform 
  (assume choice of venomous snake built on 
  no more than 150 points)
  197 
  Death Curse:  RKA 8d6, NND (defense is 
  Life Support [Longevity]; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Fully Invisible (+1), Indirect (always 
  away from the bonga, but can strike target 
  regardless of intervening barriers; +½), 
  Increased Maximum Range (17,250”, or 
  about 21 miles; +¼), No Range Modiﬁer 
  (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual Eﬀect 
  (8 Days, 1d6/Day; -2)  (Note:  this power 
  should use the long-range attack notes on 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  68 ■ India
  page 211 of The Fantasy Hero Grimoire. In 
  addition, you may to give it the same Limi-
  tations as The Kino-O-Bake’s Revenge power 
  found in AB2, such as Power May Only Be 
  Used At Point Of Death (-2) and 1 Charge 
  which Never Recovers (-4).)
  40 
  Dwells In Trees:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic or any attack that aﬀects the bonga’s 
  tree while he’s in it), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½), Persistent (+½); Only To Merge 
  With Parent Tree (-1)
  100 
  Instill Madness:  Major Transform 6d6 (sane 
  person into insane person with the Psycho-
  logical Limitation Utterly, Gibbering Insane 
  [Very Common, Total]; heals back through 
  appropriate curative magics), BOECV 
  (Mental Defense applies; +1), Works Against 
  EGO, Not BODY (+¼), Reduced Endurance 
  (½ END; +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), 
  Limited Normal Range (50”; -½), Limited 
  Target (sentient beings; -¼)
  var 
  Fearsome Pets:  Various animal Followers 
  (such as leopards, snakes, and/or tigers)
  Ecology:  Highly magical spirits, bongas tend to 
  dwell near human villages. Many live in a land 
  reachable only by traveling though certain bodies 
  of water, while others live inside trees, or in caves in 
  the forest. They tend to keep leopards, snakes, and 
  tigers as pets, and often hunt humans in the forest, 
  using tigers as men would hunting dogs. Some 
  bonga, such as the Kisar Bonga, live in the homes 
  of humans, sneaking out at night to steal food and 
  riches for their adopted “master.”
  Personality/Motivation:  The personalities of bongas 
  vary from one individual to another, though many 
  of them seem to have little regard for humans as 
  anything other than prey to be hunted down, killed, 
  and eaten. Male bonga have a penchant for kidnap-
  ping human woman, while female bonga tend to be 
  less forceful and more seductive.
  Powers/Tactics:  Bonga have wide variety of magi-
  cal powers, including many centered around illu-
  sions, such as shifting the landscape about to keep 
  travelers from a certain objective (such as a source 
  of much-needed water), making dung and leaves 
  look like bread and rice, or changing their shape to 
  appear as an attractive human. They inﬂict illnesses 
  upon people, either at the request of sorcerers and 
  witches or out of spite. Female bonga have been 
  known to enchant men and take them to their 
  homes under the water and keep them there.
  Killing a bonga has its hazards, as the dying 
  bonga may curse his slayer with death as well. 
  Simply spurning a bonga’s attentions is just as risky 
  — some “ungrateful” men have been cursed with 
  insanity, while one female bonga assumed the form 
  of a poisonous snake and bit her victim to death.
  Campaign Use:  Found in the folklore of the Santal 
  Parganas, the bonga seem to be a variation of the 
  apsarasas (see page 61), but is far more inimi-
  cal. A bonga hunting party (armed and armored 
  bonga mounted on horses and accompanied by a 
  full-grown tiger or two) would make for a rather 
  memorable encounter in a Fantasy campaign. On 
  a somewhat lighter note, female bonga tend not to 
  reveal their true natures to their human lovers... at 
  least until the fateful day when the female bonga 
  asks her paramour to come with her to meet her 
  parents (who invariably live under a local pond and 
  have a home ﬁlled with leopards, tigers, and coiled 
  snakes acting as chairs...).
  Appearance:  Bonga usually appear as attractive 
  young men and woman dressed in ﬁne clothing.
  
  69 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  BURU
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   9 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   7 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   33 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  6
  Movement: 
  Running:  3”/6”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Tail Bash:  HA +2d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½), Only With Extra Limb (-½) 
  1
  6 
  Tough Hide:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  3 
  Armored Tail: Armor (2 PD/2 ED);  
  Activation Roll 11- (covers Hit Locations  
  13-18; -1) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  -6 
  Sluggish:  Running: -3” (3” total)
  4 
  Mostly Aquatic:  Swimming +4” (6” total) 1
  6 
  Buru Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  6 
  Long Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
  4 
  Long Tail:  Stretching 1”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  No Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Mostly Aquatic:  Environmental Movement:  
  Aquatic Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OCV with Tail Bash
  4 
  +2 OCV with Grab
  2 
  Concealment 11-; Self Only (-½)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  72
  Total Cost:  128
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Hibernates In Winter 
  (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (up to 5m long; 
  -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  130
  Ecology:  The buru live in and around the valley 
  of Apu Tanis, found in northern India in the foot-
  hills of the Himalayas. Apu Tanis is swampy, with 
  a great lake at its center. The buru live in this lake, 
  spending most of their time in the water, eating 
  plants and avoiding humans. In the warm summer 
  months, they come ashore to sun themselves, while 
  during the colder winters they hide in the mud at 
  the lake bottom.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Although it prefers to avoid 
  humans, a buru will defend itself if attacked. It usu-
  ally strikes out at foes with its long tail, but can also 
  use its tail to grab a human and drag him under the 
  water.
  Campaign Use:  The buru is one several creatures 
  in this book that might actually be a real animal. 
  Legend has it the buru were all killed when humans 
  drained their lake and drove them into several 
  small pools, hurling rocks into the pools to kill and 
  bury the remaining animals... but legends have 
  been wrong before, and the hunt for a living buru 
  could make for an interesting Pulp adventure.
  You can also use the buru’s character sheet can 
  also be used to represent the jhoor of India’s Gir 
  region, as well as any number of giant monitor liz-
  ards said to exist in both Bhutan and Burma.
  Appearance:  A buru is an immense lizard about 
  5 meters (15 feet) in length and so broad a grown 
  man can barely encircle one with his arms. It has a 
  triangular head, a forked tongue, four sharp fang-
  like teeth in its mouth (two in the top and two in 
  the bottom), thick claws on its short legs, and heavy 
  plated scales on its long tail. It has a blue-black hide 
  with a white underbelly.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  70 ■ India
  CHEDIPE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  45
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  7 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR),  
  Penetrating (+½) 
  1
  60 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First  
  (-½) plus Drain END 1d6, Delayed  
  Return Rate (points return at the rate  
  of 5 per Day; +1½), Continuous (+1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Linked (-½) 
  0
  53 
  Mass Hypnotism:  Mind Control 12d6,  
  Telepathic (+¼), Area Of Eﬀect (17” Radius; 
  +1), Continuous (+1), Invisible to Mental 
  Group (+½); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2),  
  Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-¼),  
  Set Eﬀect (fall sleep and stay sleep; -1) 
  22
  22 
  Tiger Form:  Multiform (change shape  
  into 223-point tiger); Costs Endurance  
  (-½), Only At Night (-½) 
  4
   
  Perks
  15 
  Follower:  200-point tiger (see page 147 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary)
   
  Skills
  8 
  +4 OECV with Mass Hypnotism
  5 
  +1 HTH
  2 
  Animal Handler (Felines) 12-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  PS: Prostitute 11-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  5 
  Stealth 13-
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  10 more points’ worth of Skills chosen by 
  the GM
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  198
  Total Cost:  243
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Repulsed By Incense 
  And Various Holy Objects (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Bloodthirsty 
  (Common, Strong)
  138 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  243
  Ecology:  A chedipe (literally, “prostitute”) is a 
  human woman who uses dark magics to terrorize 
  others in the Godavari area of India. She travels 
  about at night on the back of a large male tiger, 
  seeking out men to drink their blood. The chedipe 
  may also be known as a durga, a yellow-skinned 
  woman seen astride a large tiger.
  CHORDEWA PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  3 
  +3 INT
  8 
  +4 EGO
  64 
  Form Of A Black Cat:  Duplication (creates 
  322-point black cat form), Altered Dupli-
  cate (100%; +1); Feedback (-1) (note:  cost 
  may increase depending on relative cost of 
  Chordewa’s base character and the cost of the 
  Duplicate)
  13 
  Magic (INT +5)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  88
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  CHORDEWA’S CAT FORM
  Cost Powers
  3 
  +3 INT
  18 
  +9 EGO
  23 
  Life Stealing:  Drain BODY 1d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 
  Day; +1½), Fully Invisible (both source and 
  eﬀects are invisible; +2), Time Delay (Drain 
  occurs roughly 5 Minutes after the lick; +¼); 
  Skin Contact Required (-1)
  137 
  Licking The Shadow:  RKA 4d6, NND (defense 
  is various forms of mystic charms versus black 
  magic, the “evil eye,” and the like; +1), Does 
  BODY (+1), Indirect (attack can use any por-
  tion of target’s shadow; +½), Invisible to Sight 
  Group (source only is invisible; +¼), Time 
  Delay (roughly 2-4 hours after the target’s 
  shadow is licked; +¼); Limited Range (length 
  of a person’s shadow; -¼), Must Target Victim’s 
  Shadow (-½)
  7 
  Conquer With Cuteness:  Seduction 13-
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence and Psychological Limitation:  Lets 
  Humans Think They Own It, When It Really 
  Owns Them; add Distinctive Features:  mews 
  like a small child in pain (Easily Concealable; 
  Cause Major Reaction)
  Total cost:  +188 points
  
  71 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  Personality/Motivation:  The aims and desires of 
  each chedipe depend on the chedipe in question, 
  but all chedipe have a strong need and/or thirst 
  for blood. They also take great delight in wreck-
  ing households, feeding on the resulting misery 
  and sorrow.
  Powers/Tactics:  The chedipe’s sorcery allows 
  her to put an entire household to sleep before 
  entering to drink the blood of a select victim. 
  When she does drink blood, it’s from the toe of 
  a sleeping man, who awakens the next day feel-
  ing tired and ill. If not driven off, the chedipe 
  returns night after night until her victim dies of 
  blood loss. In addition, the chedipe can trans-
  form herself into a tiger, and may do so to attack 
  small groups of men traveling in the jungles of 
  India. (The point value listed for the Multiform 
  assumes the tiger has the chedipe’s 13 INT and 
  14 EGO.)
  Campaign Use:  The chedipe can harass PCs lost 
  in the jungle, or may prey on a single PC once 
  the heroes settle down for the night in a local 
  village. If you wish, you can make the chedipe 
  weaker by removing some abilities (such as 
  her Mass Hypnotism or Assume Animal Form 
  powers), or make her more powerful by giving 
  her additional spells and magical abilities.
  Appearance:  A chedipe appears as a normal, 
  albeit attractive, human woman. She often goes 
  about nude, especially at night when she enters 
  into homes to drink blood. In tiger form her 
  presence can be detected because one of the 
  tiger’s legs will be human.
  CHEDIPE VARIANTS
  There are a number of other vampiric witches 
  who appear in the folklore of India. Two speciﬁc 
  examples are the chordewa and the jigarkhwar.
  Chordewa
  The chordewa is a witch of the Oraons people 
  of western Bengal. She can transform her soul into 
  a black cat and send it out to do mischief. The cat 
  approaches a potential victim in a friendly fashion, 
  eventually moving into his home, eating his victim’s 
  food, and showing its aﬀection by licking people on 
  the lips. However, this lick is the cat draining the 
  victim’s life force, upon which the chordewa feeds. 
  Additionally, if the cat licks someone’s shadow, that 
  person dies within hours.
  You can identify the cat form of a chordewa by 
  the sound of the cat’s mewing — it sounds like the 
  cries of a small child. Injuries inﬂicted on the cat 
  appear on the chordewa as well, and killing the cat 
  slays the witch.
  Use the accompanying Package Deal to create 
  a chordewa. To create the chordewa’s black cat 
  form, add the abilities listed in the accompanying 
  text box to the Domestic Cat character sheet found 
  on page 143 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Jigarkhwar
  Found in the Sind region of southwest India, 
  the jigarkhwar captures her prey with a piercing 
  stare. She then removes her victim’s liver via a 
  spell, returns home, and throws a previously-
  enchanted pomegranate seed into a cookfire. 
  Once the seed opens it’s removed, allowed to 
  cool, and eaten. At this point the victim dies, 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  72 ■ India
  allowing the jigarkhwar to eat the liver in peace. 
  But if someone finds the jigarkhwar’s store of 
  pomegranate seeds before she eats one, the 
  victim can swallow a seed himself, regrowing his 
  liver. Some say the jigarkhwar uses her spells to 
  turn her victim’s liver into a pomegranate seed 
  while it’s still inside the body. The victim then 
  vomits this seed up, allowing the jigarkhwar to 
  collect, cook, and eat it.
  A known jigarkhwar can be cured of her con-
  dition. This requires branding her on both sides 
  of her head, ﬁlling her eyes with salt, and burying 
  her in the ground for forty days. Afterwards, the 
  jigarkhwar becomes a normal human woman, 
  albeit with the highly useful ability of detecting 
  other jigarkhwar on sight. Use the accompanying 
  Package Deal to create a jigarkhwar.
  CHUREL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  57
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Dry Up The Blood Of Men:  Drain BODY 
  1d6, Continuous (+1), Delayed Return  
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 
  Month; +2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½) 
  0
  26 
  Food Of The Churel:  Mind Control 14d6, 
  Telepathic (+¼), NND (defense is not  
  needing to eat, not being “alive,” or  
  speciﬁc immunity; +1), Trigger (target  
  eats food; +¼); OAF (meal prepared by  
  the churel; -1), Based On CON (-1),  
  Gestures (character must eat oﬀered  
  food; -¼), No Range (-½), Set Eﬀect  
  (stay with me; -1), 1 Charge (-2) 
  [1]
  28 
  Make Young Men Old:  Major Transform  
  8d6 (human into far older version of  
  himself; heals back by the churel  
  reversing the process or restoration  
  magics), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); Extra Time (1 Hour; -3), Gradual  
  Eﬀect (8 Hours; 1d6/Hour; -1½), Limited 
  Target (human males; -½), No Range (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Undead Form:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  50 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Churel’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  27 
  Assume A Beautiful Form:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight and Touch Groups), Makeover, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 11-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  20 
  Various Skills (abilities and interests  
  when alive)
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  216
  Total Cost:  273
  JIGARKHWAR  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  30 
  Piercing Stare:  Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, BOECV 
  (+1), Takes No Damage From Physical Attacks 
  (+¼), Works Against EGO, Not STR (+¼); Can 
  Be Dispelled (-¼), Cannot Form Barriers (-¼), 
  Eye Contact Required (-1)
  49 
  Removes The Liver:  RKA 4d6, NND (defense 
  is various forms of mystic charms versus black 
  magic, the “evil eye,” and the like, or swallowing 
  the one of the jigarkhwar’s pomegranate seeds; 
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Time Delay (takes eﬀect 
  when the pomegranate seed is cooked and 
  eaten; +¼); OAF (store of pomegranate seeds 
  plus cookﬁre and cooking tools; -1), Extra 
  Time (5 Minutes to properly cook the pome-
  granate seed; -2)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  79
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  Options
  Value Ability
  3 
  Jigarkhwar Cured Of Her Condition:  Detect 
  Jigarkhwar (Sight Group) (INT Roll)
  
  73 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  No Mouth, Feet Turned 
  Backwards (Concealable With Eﬀort; Causes 
  Major Reaction [fear])
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  cannot cross/must 
  count millet seeds, mustard seeds, thorns, or 
  iron nails (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  cannot tolerate daylight, 
  driven back to the grave by sunlight (Infre-
  quently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Angry With/
  Hatred For Her Relatives (Common, Strong)
  138 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  273
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  5 
  Long Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1 point (½d6  
  with STR)
  Ecology:  Found in the Gujarat province of India, 
  a churel is the ghost of a woman who died in 
  childbirth or while pregnant, or who broke certain 
  religious taboos before her death. If she was treated 
  poorly before she died, she might come back as a 
  vengeful, vampire-like ghost. If so, she harasses her 
  family nightly, targeting the men and draining their 
  blood. When not active, the churel dwells either in 
  her grave or in squalid and deserted places.
  To prevent a woman from rising as a churel, 
  Indians use several methods to keep her in her 
  grave. First is selecting the proper burial place. 
  The woman should be buried in a special place 
  (the exact location varies throughout India), 
  such as within the shadow of the house at noon-
  time. Second is how she’s buried. The body of 
  the deceased might be placed face-down (to pre-
  vent her from rising), or might have nails driven 
  through her hands and feet. She might have her 
  toes bound with an iron ring, have a chain wrapped 
  around her legs, her feet turned backwards, or her 
  legs broken. Iron nails, millet or mustards seeds, 
  or thorns can be scattered in or atop the grave, on 
  the road between the grave and her old home, or at 
  the threshold to the home to keep the churel from 
  escaping the grave or crossing a doorway — she’s 
  compelled to count them until the sun rises, driv-
  ing her back into her grave. Finally, a ball of thread 
  might be buried with the corpse, to keep her busy 
  unwinding it instead of rising to haunt her family. 
  In all cases, the body of the deceased is removed 
  from the home by a side door, since not using the 
  front door confuses the churel and may prevent her 
  from ﬁnding her way home.
  In western India the churel is known as an 
  alvantin, jakhin, jakhai, mukai, or nagulai.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, the churel 
  is an angry and vengeful ghost. She conﬁnes most 
  of her wrath to her former family, but preys on any 
  young man who strikes her fancy.
  Powers/Tactics:  Although fairly hideous in her 
  natural form, the churel can change her shape 
  into that of an attractive and beautiful woman. In 
  this form she entices young men to stay with her. 
  If a victim eats the food she offers, he becomes 
  compelled to remain with her throughout the 
  night, during which she drains his life energy. At 
  dawn she returns him to his village as a white-
  haired old man.
  Campaign Use:  The churel resembles the western 
  vampire in many respects and can be used the 
  same way. The “vengeful ghost” aspect is a great 
  plot hook, and you could build an entire adventure 
  around the eﬀorts of a group of PCs to locate and 
  put to rest a churel plaguing a village or town. See 
  the yurei in AB2 for more ideas on this.
  The legends are unclear about whether the 
  churel has a physical body. This version presumes 
  the churel, like the vampire, is a form of walking 
  corpse. A true ghost-bodied churel would require 
  the Incorporeal Undead Template (see page 28 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary, exchanging the Drain 
  STUN power for churel’s Drain BODY) and Aﬀects 
  Physical World on  her Food Of The Churel and 
  Make Young Men Old powers.
  Appearance:  A churel looks like a normal human 
  woman, except she lacks a mouth and her feet are 
  turned back-to-front (i.e., the heel is in the front 
  and the toes are in the back). Some churel have 
  an even more horrific form, with shaggy and 
  unkempt hair, thick lips, long sharp teeth, a black 
  tongue, and sagging breasts. Sometimes a churel 
  is colored white on the front of her body and 
  black on the back.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  74 ■ India
  CHUREL VARIANTS
  There are a number of angry ghosts said to 
  inhabit and haunt India, including the gayal and 
  the masan.
  Gayal
  The gayal (or ut) is the ghost of a man who 
  was buried without the proper rites. Angry at the 
  disrespect shown at his funeral, as well as the lack 
  of religious observation, he rises from the grave to 
  exact his revenge on his former family members. 
  Once he ﬁnishes killing all the male members of his 
  former family, he does the same to other families in 
  the area. You can create a gayal by using the Ghost 
  character sheet on page 120 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary. Simply replace the Chilling Touch power 
  with an HKA and use the “Hunger For Human Life” 
  Psychological Limitation.
  Masan
  A masan (or masand) is the ghost of a child 
  trapped on Earth because improper burial ritu-
  als were performed at its funeral. This causes it to 
  become a form of vampire that preys on children, 
  often by luring them into secluded areas where it 
  kills them and drinks their blood.
  Male masan tend to stay out in the open, living 
  in the city streets. They often select a victim by 
  waiting for a woman to cross their shadow, at which 
  point they will follow the woman home, befriend 
  her children, and then murder them. Female masan 
  sleep in dead funeral pyres, rising at night to attack 
  unwary travelers and livestock.
  Defeating a masan can be a daunting task 
  — they’re said to have a wide assortment of magical 
  powers, such as the ability to change shape into a 
  variety of human forms, hypnosis, and curses of all 
  sorts. You can create a masan by using the accom-
  panying Package Deal.
  MASAN PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  60 
  Masan’s Magic:  60 points’ worth of Magic 
  Skills and spells related to black magic, curses, 
  and witchcraft
  7 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Bite Must Do 
  BODY First (-½)
  70 
  Hypnosis:  Mind Control 12d6, Telepathic 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Eye 
  Contact Required (-½)
  60 
  Undead Body:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%
  2 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance (3 PD/1 
  ED)
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total (except 
  Diminished Eating; including Longevity:  
  Immortality)
  80 
  Ghostly Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½)
  39 
  Assume Various Human Forms:  Shape Shift 
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups, any human 
  shape), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  398
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred For Human 
  Life (Very Common, Strong)
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  20
  
  75 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  GANDHARVA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   18 STR 
  8 
  13- 
  Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [2]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   6 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 PD (6 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  6 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   29 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  111
    
   
   
  (+10 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  10”/20”
   
  Swimming:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  35 
  Power Over Women:  Mind Control 14d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); No 
  Range (-½), Set Eﬀect (only to seduce 
  women; -1) 
  3
  100 
  Instill Madness:  Major Transform 6d6  
  (sane person into insane person with the  
  Psychological Limitation Utterly, Gibbering 
  Insane [Very Common, Total]; heals back 
  through appropriate curative magics),  
  BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1),  
  Works Against EGO, Not BODY (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Extra  
  Time (Full Phase; -½), Limited Normal 
  Range (50”; -½), Limited Target (sentient 
  beings; -¼) 
  10
  6 
  Divine Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Divine Form:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0 
  15 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality; Immunity:  Disease) 
  0
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½) 
  2
  6 
  Spirit Of The Water:  Swimming +6”  
  (8” total) 
  1
  18 
  Expert In Medicine:  Simpliﬁed Healing 
  6d6; Concentration (½ DCV throughout; 
  -½), Extra Time (1 Turn; -1¼), Gestures 
  (throughout; -½) 
  6
  39 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups, any 
  human male shape), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  10 
  Suckled By The Goddess Of Speech:  +2 with 
  Interaction Skills
  10 
  Animal Handler (Equines) 17-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  KS: Music 12-
  3 
  KS: Sexual Techniques 12-
  3 
  Paramedic 12-
  3 
  PS: Musician (choice of instrument) 13-
  3 
  PS: Sexual Techniques 13-
  3 
  PS: Singing 13-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  9 
  Seduction 16-
  3 
  SS: Alchemy 12-
  3 
  SS: Medicine 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  370
  Total Cost:  481
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  unearthly handsome-
  ness (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Causes 
  Major Reaction [desire])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lecherous 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  abductors of women, 11-
  366 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  481
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  50 
  Gandharva Magic:  50 points’ worth of Magic 
  Skills and spells related to air
  Ecology:  The 6,333 gandharva are the sons of 
  Brahma, creator of the universe. Spirits of the air 
  and sky, they’re ruled by Chitratha, their king. 
  While they tend to dwell high in the mountains, 
  gandharva venture down from their aerial abodes 
  to lurk near forest pools in the hopes of waylaying 
  a woman coming to bathe or gather water (this 
  despite having the apsarases as wives!). Although 
  normally fairly benevolent, gandharva can become 
  dangerous in the evenings, and may gather with 
  rakshasa and yaksas in great packs to cause all sorts 
  of trouble.
  Personality/Motivation:  The gandharva are some-
  what capricious in nature. On the one hand, they’re 
  well-known for their skill at medicine, the brewing 
  of love potions, and making soma (the celestial 
  wine). On the other hand, they’re so enamored of 
  women that they think nothing of stealing one 
  away from her home and family, and freely associ-
  ate with the vile rakshasas and somewhat unpre-
  dictable yakshas (see page 90). They’re also known 
  for their dislike of the naga (see page 83), and at 
  one point an army of gandharva went so far as to 
  invade the subterranean city of the naga.
  Powers/Tactics:  More suited to combat then their 
  wives, the gandharva will lash out at a foe with their 
  taloned feet if attacked. If that doesn’t work, the 
  gandharva are also quite capable of driving men 
  mad with a glance, and won’t hesitate to do so. The 
  gandharva are also skilled in the arts, and are noted 
  for their singing voices and skill at various musi-
  cal instruments, their abilities as a healer, and their 
  impressive lovemaking skills.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  76 ■ India
  Campaign Use:  The gandharva are basically the 
  male version of the apsarases, and require the same 
  care when used in a game. If you wish, they can be 
  used as a more “normal” monster encounter, simply 
  by emphasizing the gandharva’s more predatory 
  nature. Of course, as with any creature with a pen-
  chant for kidnapping woman (especially beautiful 
  princesses), the campaign seeds are virtually end-
  less and almost write themselves.
  Appearance:  The gandharva normally appear as men 
  with the lower bodies of birds, and have wings sprout-
  ing from their shoulders. They can shape shift into a 
  fully human form, and are noted for being extremely 
  handsome (some say eﬀeminate) when appearing 
  like this. In human form, the gandharva will dress in 
  courtly garb, usually comprised of a crown, necklaces, 
  arm and wrist bands, a decorated belt, and a loose kilt-
  like garment about the waist.
  GANDHARVA VARIANTS
  The gandharva aren’t the only animal/human 
  hybrids to be found in the folklore and mythology 
  of India. Other beings include:
  Betikhân
  The betikhân are a form of nature spirit. 
  They’re described as looking like the Greek faun 
  (or satyr) and dwell in the Neilgherry Hills, where 
  they spend much of their time hunting. You can use 
  the Satyr character sheet on page 112 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary to simulate the betikhân.
  Kinnara
  These beings (also known as kimprushas) 
  are attendants to Kubera, god of the spirits 
  (and king of the gandharvas and yakshas), the 
  North, and guardian of wealth. They’re variously 
  described as birds with human heads or humans 
  with horses’ heads. Like gandharvas (to whom 
  they’re directly related), the kinnara are excellent 
  musicians and singers. While you can use the 
  standard Gandharva character sheet to simulate 
  the kinnara, you might also want to make the 
  kinnara more like the satyrs found in the Him-
  mapan Forest (see page 114).
  Kirata
  The kirata are a race of primitive peoples who 
  dwell in mountain forests in northeastern India. 
  The males have the bodies of men from the waist 
  down and tigers from the waist up. They tend to 
  live either near, or in, water, where they eat ﬁsh 
  raw... though some kirata aren’t above catching and 
  eating humans if they have the chance. The females 
  are especially beautiful, with golden skin and a 
  penchant for frolicking nude in the forest (and like 
  the apsarasas they’re more than willing to seduce 
  mortal men). You can create female kirata by using 
  the Dryad character sheet on page 72 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders; for males, using the 
  accompanying Package Deal.
  KIRATA PACKAGE DEAL
  Abilities
  Cost 
  Ability
  5 
  +5 STR
  9 
  +3 DEX
  4 
  +2 CON
  2 
  +1 BODY
  4 
  Running +2”
  2 
  Leaping +2”
  2 
  Swimming +2”
  20 
  Tiger’s Jaws:  HKA 1d6+1
  8 
  Tiger’s Claws:  HKA ½d6; Reduced  
  Penetration (-¼)
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based Presence 
  Attacks (-1), Incantations (must roar; -¼)
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell
  6 
  AK: Home Forest (INT +3)
  3 
  Climbing
  3 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +4 to Concealment; 
  Self Only (-½), Only In Woodland Environ-
  ments (-1)
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  4 
  Camouﬂage Coloration:  +4 to Stealth; Only In 
  Woodland Environments (-1)
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical Forests)
  3 
  Tracking
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Thicketmaster (no 
  penalties in undergrowth)
  Total Cost Of Package Abilities:  106
  Disadvantages
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package Disadvantages:  0
  
  77 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  GHORMUHAS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   27 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  42
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  10 
  Bite:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  1 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Swift:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  4 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Common 
  Missile Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  33
  Total Cost:  75
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  One Leg (Frequently, 
  Greatly)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can  
  leap only half as far as STR indicates  
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  95
  Ecology:  The Ghormuhas (the term is both singular 
  and plural) dwell in an isolated portion of India. 
  They live in small villages, building sturdy houses 
  that shelter multiple generations of one family, and 
  grow rice and other crops. They like to supplement 
  their diet with fresh meat and often form hunting 
  parties to go after their favorite prey:  men. Details 
  of their social organization are unknown, but they 
  may be tribal; ﬁghting among such tribes seems 
  possible, especially since the Ghormuhas aren’t 
  above feeding on their own kind.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. Ghormuhas are a cruel race, known 
  for boiling their victims alive in pots of oil. They 
  have no concept of ﬁlial piety — they may hurl 
  their own mothers and fathers onto the roofs of 
  their homes, waiting for the time when their par-
  ents fall oﬀ and die. Once this occurs, the Ghor-
  muhas summon other village members for a feast. 
  They’re only somewhat kinder to their captives. 
  Anyone captured by the Ghormuhas can expect 
  to be strung out over a smoky ﬁre to drive out any 
  vermin infesting his body or clothing. Afterwards 
  the Ghormuhas feed him rice and turmeric to 
  fatten him up, then eat him.
  Powers/Tactics:  Ghormuhas use the full range of 
  tactics available to sentient humanoids. If they wear 
  armor it’s usually quilted cloth or light chainmail. 
  They wield the weapons common to the Indian 
  subcontinent:  maces, swords, spears, and bows.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents 
  a typical competent Ghormuhas the PCs might 
  encounter in a situation where you need a charac-
  ter sheet (i.e., combat or the like). You can easily 
  customize this character sheet by applying one of 
  the templates found on pages 116-118 of Mon-
  sters, Minions, And Marauders, such as Chieftain 
  or Fighter. Lesser Ghormuhas (such as the young, 
  most females, and the elderly) would have slightly 
  lower Characteristics, diﬀerent Skills, and so forth.
  Appearance:  A Ghormuhas has the body and 
  arms of a large, strong, man atop a single human-
  like leg. The creature’s head resembles that of a 
  horse, except the teeth are sharp, pointed, and 
  suited for tearing meat.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  78 ■ India
  KALIYA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   60 STR 
  50 
  21- 
  Lift 100 tons; 12d6 [6]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   25 BODY 30 
  14-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   35 PRE 
  25 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6 
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   20 PD 
  8 
   
  Total:  20 PD (14 rPD)
   20 ED 
  14 
   
  Total:  20 ED (14 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   18 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   70 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  209
    
   
   
  (+111 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  11”/22”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  85 
  Five Heads:  Duplication (creates 5 349-point 
  Duplicates); Cannot Recombine (-0) 
  0
  51 
  Smoke:  Darkness to Sight Group 7”  
  Cone, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½), Personal Immunity  
  (+¼); No Range (-½), Does Not Work 
  Underwater Or In High Winds (-¼) 
  0
  30 
  Tail Lash:  HA +6d6, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  0
  22 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½) 
  2
  51 
  Fire:  RKA 3d6, Area of Eﬀect (18” Line;  
  +1); No Range (-½), Does Not Work In 
  Water (-¼)  
  9
  14 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (14 PD/14 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Huge:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  3
  9 
  River Dweller:  Swimming +9” (11” total) 2
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Dwells At The Bottom Of A River:  Life  
  Support (Safe Environments:  High  
  Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
   
  Perks
  65 
  Followers:  1,000 King Cobras (or other 
  snakes, as the GM sees ﬁt; all are built on  
  75 Base Points)
  10 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  King Of All Serpents
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Grab
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  395
  Total Cost:  604
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (8” long,  
  -6 DCV, +6 to PER Rolls) (All The Time, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Destructive And 
  Cruel (Common, Strong)
  484 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  604
  
  79 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  KALIYA HEAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   20 PD 
  12 
   
  Total:  20 PD (10 rPD)
   20 ED 
  15 
   
  Total:  20 ED (10 rED)
   4 SPD 
  15 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   13 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   48 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  149
    
   
   
  (+54 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  51 
  Smoke:  Darkness to Sight Group 7”  
  Cone, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½), Personal Immunity  
  (+¼); No Range (-½), Does Not Work 
  Underwater Or In High Winds (-¼) 
  0
  22 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), Armor 
  Piercing (+½) 
  2
  51 
  Fire:  RKA 3d6, Area of Eﬀect (18” Line;  
  +1); No Range (-½), Does Not Work In 
  Water (-¼)  
  9
  10 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  18 
  Huge:  Knockback Resistance -9” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Water:  Life Support:  Expanded 
  Breathing (Breathe Underwater) 
  0
  1 
  Dwells At The Bottom Of A River:  Life  
  Support (Safe Environment:  High Pressure) 0
  18 
  Slithering:  Running +9” (15” total) 
  3
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Grab
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  190
  Total Cost:  339
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Destructive And 
  Cruel (Common, Strong)
  229 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  339
  Ecology:  Kaliya is an immense multi-headed 
  snake who lives in the deepest part of the 
  Yamuna River. By day, he sleeps quietly, but at 
  night he rises from the water to lay waste to the 
  surrounding countryside.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, Kaliya 
  desires food, and his nightly ravagings serve mainly 
  to feed his vast bulk. He’s also strongly territorial; 
  he attacks anyone who disturbs him or his river.
  Powers/Tactics:  If Kaliya’s in the water, he usually 
  ensnares his foe in his many coils, squeezing him 
  to death or holding him underwater to drown. On 
  land, Kaliya uses his ﬁery breath to incinerate his 
  enemies, often combining blasts of ﬁre with thick 
  clouds of smoke to confuse and mislead attackers. 
  In close combat he can bite or lay about with his 
  tail. To make matters worse, Kaliya, as king of all 
  serpents, is attended by hundreds of lesser snakes 
  who swarm over any attackers. If wounded or 
  severely pressed, Kaliya ﬂees, returning to he depths 
  of his watery home.
  Campaign Use:  Similar in may respects to the 
  Yamata-no-Orochi (see AB2), Kaliya also battled 
  a god; in this case Krishna, who trapped the snake 
  under one of his immeasurably heavy feet before 
  banishing him forever.
  Although Kailya is technically a unique being, 
  you can easily change him into a more generic 
  serpent-monster (or species thereof). If you elimi-
  nate the extra heads (and the Followers), Kaliya 
  becomes a form of wingless dragon. Converting the 
  ﬁery RKA into a water-based Energy Blast makes 
  Kaliya a true water dragon (change the special 
  eﬀect for Kaliya’s Darkness from smoke to a cloud 
  of mist). You can adopt further modiﬁcations from 
  the kioh-lung character sheet on page 36, or the 
  character sheet for the Yamata-no-Orochi in AB2.
  If you wish to make Kaliya more powerful, 
  simply increase either his size or his number of heads. 
  At least one version of the myth describes the snake as 
  having “one thousand hoods” (i.e., heads).
  Appearance:  Kaliya is a ﬁve-headed snake of great 
  size. His heads are variously described as either 
  bejeweled or ugly (this version presumes the latter). 
  Kaliya’s back is deep blue, crisscrossed with darker 
  bands, while his belly is a pale white.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  80 ■ India
  MAKARA
  Ecology:  A makara is an Indian water monster or 
  “wonder beast.” They live in the ocean (known 
  as makaravasa, or “makara’s abode”) or in lakes 
  and rivers, where they act as guardians of sacred 
  waters. Due to their semi-divine nature, makara 
  are often used as mounts by various Indian gods. 
  Varuna, the Vedic god of the oceans, has as his 
  steed a makara with the head of an antelope and 
  the body of a fish. He’s also served by many other 
  makara of different types.
  Makara supposedly came about after the 
  Awakening of Buddha, when all hate vanished 
  from the world and many animals mated freely, 
  producing hybrid oﬀspring. They represent the 
  duality of nature and of good versus evil, as well 
  as the bringing of order out of chaos. Because of 
  their aquatic nature, they’re also called jala-rupa, or 
  “water form.” Other names for them include asita-
  dashtra (“black teeth”), kantaka, magar, makar, and 
  in Nepal, hitmangah. In Japan the makara is called 
  a makatsugyo, and is described as a clawed, fanged, 
  tusked, short-trunked water beast.
  Personality/Motivation:  As guardians of the water, 
  makara are supposed to bring life to the virtuous 
  while punishing evil. However, not all makara are 
  benevolent beings; some attack anyone they meet.
  Powers/Tactics:  The natural weapons of a makara 
  depend on its form. A makara with the head of an 
  antelope uses its horns in combat, while a croco-
  dile-headed makara bites; an elephant-headed 
  makara tries to gore a foe with its tusks, then 
  attacks with teeth and claws. Since all makara have 
  ﬁshtailed bodies, they can also bash foes with their 
  tail ﬁns. Finally, some makara are reputed to con-
  trol the source of life-giving water and can create or 
  stop rainstorms.
  Campaign Use:  You can use the makara character 
  sheet as a template for developing any number 
  of animal/ﬁsh hybrids. In your campaign setting, 
  makara can range from being a simple waterborne 
  menace, to the guardian of a sacred lake or river, 
  to a messenger of the gods. According to some 
  legends, a makara holds a priceless pearl in its 
  mouth, something adventurers may eagerly search 
  for — especially since this pearl supposedly gives 
  the holder the power to force anyone to fall in love 
  with him. As master of water, 
  a makara is said to be able 
  to give forth rasa (“water” or 
  “juice”) capable of granting a 
  man great virility and making 
  him irresistible to his beloved.
  Appearance:  “Makara” is a 
  generic term for any composite 
  animal with the body of a ﬁsh 
  and the head of a mammal. 
  Originally the makara was a 
  giant crocodile, later it became 
  a crocodile with a ﬁsh’s tail, and 
  then became any ﬁsh-bodied 
  creature with the head of either 
  a crocodile, dog, elephant, goat, 
  lion, or ram. Some makara 
  (especially those seen in Nepal) 
  replace the ﬁsh tail with a 
  plant-like structure (or have it 
  extending from the tail). If this 
  is the case, the plant portion 
  of the makara is made up of 
  lotus leaves, stalks, and ﬂowers 
  (the lotus is holy to Buddha). 
  The most extreme description 
  of a makara (which brings to 
  mind the “nine resemblances” 
  of the Chinese kioh-lung) is as 
  follows:  the jaws of a croco-
  dile, the scales of a ﬁsh, the tail 
  of a peacock, the trunk of an 
  elephant, the eyes of a monkey, 
  and the tusks of a boar.
  MORE MAKARA
  For additional Makara-
  like creatures, see the Pla 
  Kwai and the Pla Seua 
  on page 118. The former 
  has the head of a buﬀalo 
  on a ﬁsh’s body, while 
  the latter has the head 
  and forelimbs of a tiger 
  on the body of a ﬁsh.
  
  81 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  ANTELOPE MAKARA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   7 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  7 PD (1 rPD)
   5 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  5 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  4 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   33 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  65
    
   
   
  (+9 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  14”/28”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  7 
  Horns:  HKA ½d6; No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  10 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  1 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  3 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED);  
  Activation Roll 11- (or Hit Locations 7  
  and 13-18; -1) 
  0
  6 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -3” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe  
  Underwater) 
  0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  12 
  Fish Tail:  Swimming +12” (18” total) 
  1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  51
  Total Cost:  116
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (8m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  21 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  116
  CROCODILE MAKARA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   25 STR 
  15 
  14- 
  Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [2]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   10 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  14 PD (4 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  12 ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   10 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   43 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  92
    
   
   
  (+19 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  11”/22”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Crocodilian Maw:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with  
  STR) 
  1
  10 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +3d6; Hand-To- 
  Hand Attack (-½) 
  1
  12 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  9 
  Fish Tail:  Swimming +9” (11” total) 
  1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  6 
  Sharp Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Bite
  6 
  +3 OCV with Grab
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  70
  Total Cost:  162
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  62 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  162
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  82 ■ India
  ELEPHANT MAKARA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   30 BODY 40 
  15-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  12 PD (4 rPD)
   9 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12 
   15 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   68 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  158
    
   
   
  (+83 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Leaping:  5”/10”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  12 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  10 
  Fish Tail Bash:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  4 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  6 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (4 PD/4 ED);  
  Activation Roll 11- (or Hit Locations 7  
  and 13-18; -1) 
  0
  16 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -8” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  8 
  Fish Tail:  Swimming +8” 
  1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  6 
  Sharp Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  101
  Total Cost:  259
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (9m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap; can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Limiting)
  159 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  259
  Description:  In Thailand this creature is known as 
  Kunchorn Waree. It has the head and front two legs 
  of an elephant, and the rear body of an immense 
  ﬁsh. Capable of swimming quite swiftly, it dwells in 
  the lakes and rivers of the Himmapan Forest (see 
  page 114).
  OPTIONS
  You can add any of the following powers to 
  any type of makara.
  Cost Powers
  60 
  Makara Water Magic:  60 points’ worth of 
  Magic Skills and spells related to water
  53 
  Summon/Dispel Rain:  Change Environment 
  (create rainstorms) 16” radius, -1 to all Sight 
  and Hearing Group PER Rolls, Long Lasting 
  (an hour or more), Multiple Combat Eﬀects, 
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Varying 
  Eﬀect (create/stop rain; +¼); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase; -½), No Range (-½)
  
  83 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  NAGA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5 
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   12 BODY 4 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  81
  Movement: 
  Running:  7”/14”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  1 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED); Activation Roll 11-  
  (or Locations 13-18; -1) 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  15 
  Semi-Divine Form:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 0
  43 
  Assume Human Form:  Shape Shift (Sight, 
  Touch, Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups,  
  any humanoid form), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  2 
  Slithering:  Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
  2 
  Amphibious Form:  Swimming +2” (4” total) 1
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lower Nobility
   
  Talents
  3 
  Environmental Movement:  Aquatic  
  Movement (no penalties in water)
   
  Skills
  3 
  High Society 12-
  1 
  PS: Dancing 8-
  1 
  PS: Singing 8-
  3 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Bows
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  84
  Total Cost:  165
  75+ Disadvantages
  25 
  Hunted:  Garuda 14- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  60 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  165
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  var 
  Great Size:  Apply one of the Size/Weight 
  Templates and Physical Limitations from 
  pages 574-75 of The HERO System 5th Edi-
  tion, Revised. Naga should be no more than 
  Huge in size.
  60 
  Naga Magic:  60 points’ worth of Magic Skills, 
  spells, and abilities, usually related to nature 
  and/or water
  +5 
  Terrible Aspect:  +5 PRE
  57 
  Cause Drought:  Change Environment (create 
  dry land and heat) 16” radius, +5 Temperature 
  Levels, Long Lasting (1 Week or longer), Mega-
  Area (1” = 1 km broad and wide; +¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time (Full 
  Phase to activate; -¼), No Range (-½)
  77 
  Create Epidemic:  Drain 5d6, any Character-
  istic one at a time (+¼), Delayed Return Rate 
  (points return at the rate of 5 per Month; +2), 
  Ranged (+½), Line Of Sight (+½), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼), Sticky (+½); Extra 
  Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (5 
  Days, 1d6/day; -1¾)
  61 
  Summon Vast Rainstorms:  Change Environ-
  ment (create rainstorms) 16” radius, -1 to all 
  Sight and Hearing Group PER Rolls, Long 
  Lasting (1 Hour or longer), Multiple Combat 
  Eﬀects, MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide; 
  +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Vary-
  ing Eﬀect (create/stop rain; +¼); Extra Time 
  (Full Phase to activate; -¼), No Range (-½)
  10 
  Multiple Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  3+ 
  Multiple Heads:  +1 PER with all Sense 
  Groups per extra head
  5 
  Multiple Heads:  Extra Limbs (5 heads [or 
  more as desired]), Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  42 
  Poisonous Breath:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense 
  is Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing 
  or appropriate Immunity]; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Limited Range (1”; -¼)
  Ecology:  Nagas (female, naginis) are semi-
  divine beings descended from Kadru, wife of 
  the demigod Kasyapa. They dwell either in 
  underwater palaces in the city of Bhagavati, 
  or underground in the land of Nagaloka (also 
  known as Patala). They’re ruled by a king 
  named Anata-Shesha (or Shesha), a supporter 
  of the god Vishnu. Garuda, the immense bird 
  who serves as Vishnu’s mount, is the mortal 
  enemy of all naga and attacks them on sight.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies, depending on the 
  individual. In general, the naga are neutral in their 
  dealings with both gods and mortals. However, 
  some can be quite malevolent, while others  are 
  benign. Naginis be charming and witty, and many 
  minor families of Indian nobility boast of having 
  nagini ancestors.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  84 ■ India
  Powers/Tactics:  Naga use the full range of tactics 
  available to sentient beings. Those that have arms 
  often use human weapons such as swords, maces, 
  and bows. They may wear human armor and carry 
  shields. All naga can assume human form, and 
  great heroes have been known to marry the beauti-
  ful daughters of great naga kings. Rumors claim 
  the naga have various supernatural powers. For 
  example, the Nepalese believe naga can control 
  the weather, while others say the naga can kill with 
  their breath, cause droughts and epidemics, or 
  summon vast rainstorms.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent naga the PCs might encounter 
  in a situation where you need a character sheet 
  (i.e. combat and the like). You can customize it by 
  applying any one of the templates found on pages 
  117-119 of Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. 
  Other naga — such as some naginis, or the very 
  young — would have slightly lower characteristics, 
  no WFs, and so forth.
  Since nagas have no set personality, you can 
  use them in a wide variety of ways. They may guard 
  a scared treasure or location, haunt a certain area, 
  lurk in the jungle and prey on passersby, or the like. 
  In a Fantasy setting they might serve the gods as 
  messengers and agents, or even be a possible player 
  character race.
  Appearance:  A naga has either the face of a human 
  and the body of a great snake, or is human from 
  the waist up and snake from the waist down. Some 
  naga have multiple heads or are of great size. All 
  nagas are beautiful in face and form; humans con-
  sider them highly attractive.
  NAGA VARIANTS
  There are other versions of the naga besides 
  the ones of the Indian subcontinent. Naga are also 
  found in the folklore of Indonesia, Malaysia, and 
  Thailand.
  Indonesian Naga
  The Indonesian naga is a ﬁve-headed dragon 
  that guards temples. To create one, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Hydra character sheet found 
  on page 87 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelli-
  gence and Psychological Limitation:  Greedy
  -22 
  Remove Cut Oﬀ A Head And Two Shall Take 
  Its Place, Regeneration
  -5 
  Five Heads:  Reduce Duplication to four 
  duplicates
  5 
  Insightful:  +5 INT
  3 
  Brave:  +3 PRE
  4 
  Language (GM’s choice; Idiomatic)
  3 
  Divine Awareness:  Ultrasonic Perception 
  (Hearing Group)
  18 
  Divine Awareness:  Telescopic (+6 versus 
  Range Modiﬁer for Sight and Hearing 
  Groups)
  15 
  Divine Form:  Life Support (Immunity:  all 
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; 
  Longevity:  Immortality)
  60 
  Divine Shield:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%
   
  Psychological Limitation:  Sworn Defender 
  Of Buddha And Buddhists (Common, Total; 
  20 points)
  Total Cost:  +81 points
  Thai Naga
  A Thai naga looks like a long snake with a 
  dragonish beard and a crown atop of each of its 
  three (or more) heads. Half-brothers to Garuda, 
  they’re the giant bird-man’s sworn enemies, and 
  number a full thousand to his one. To create a Thai 
  naga, make the following changes to the Giant 
  Snake character sheet found on page 116-117 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal  
  Intelligence
  25 
  Add Giant Wise Snake Package
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  15 
  Semi-Divine Form:  Life Support ( Immunity:  
  all terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; 
  Longevity:  Immortality)
  9 
  Multiple Heads:  +3 PER with all Sense 
  Groups
  10 
  Multiple Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  5 
  Multiple Heads:  Extra Limbs (3 heads [or 
  more as desired]), Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  var 
  Any of the Optional Naga Powers
  Total Cost:  +72 points
  West Malaysian Naga
  This naga is a multi-headed ocean-dwell-
  ing dragon that preys on ﬁsh and ﬁshermen alike. 
  To create one, make the following changes to the 
  Hydra character sheet found on page 87 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -22 
  Remove Cut Oﬀ A Head And Two Shall Take 
  Its Place, Regeneration
  -5 
  Five Heads:  Reduce Duplication to ﬁve 
  duplicates
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
  10 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +10” (12” total)
  Total Cost:  -21 points
  THE FOUR TYPES  
  OF NAGA
  According to a Chi-
  nese writer, nagas can 
  be divided into four 
  groups. The ﬁrst, and 
  most important group, 
  are the celestial nagas, 
  who guard the Heav-
  enly Palace. The second 
  group are the divine 
  nagas, who create clouds 
  and regulate rainfall. 
  Then come the earthly 
  nagas, who manage the 
  world’s streams and 
  rivers. The last group 
  of naga live in hiding, 
  guarding treasures and 
  occasionally granting 
  gifts to humans.
  
  85 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  PISHACHA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (3 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  37
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Tunneling:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Fangs:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  73 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY 5d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Return Rate (points return at a  
  rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND (defense  
  is Life Support [appropriate Immunity]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Gradual 
  Eﬀect (5 Days,  1d6/Day; -1¾), Claw HKA 
  Must Do  Body (-½)
  3 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  47 
  Unnatural Vitality:  Life Support:  Total 
  (except for Diminished Eating, and  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Digging:  Tunneling 1” through 1 DEF  
  materials 
  1
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  160
  Total Cost:  197
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  repulsed by various 
  amulets, charms, and spells (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  sent oﬀ to reincarnation 
  if a holy man says the pishacha’s true name 
  (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Adores Human 
  Flesh (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears Fire 
  (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Vicious 
  And Evil (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  abductors and rapers of women, 
  11- (Extreme)
  22 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  197
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  48 
  Cure Disease:  Major Transform 7d6 (sick 
  person into well person, heals back through 
  any normal means that would cause the 
  character to contract the same disease), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (1 Turn; -1¼), Limited Target (humans; 
  -½), No Range (-½) 
  34 
  Knowledge Of Past, Present, Future:  Clairsen-
  tience (Sight Group), Precognition, Retro-
  cognition; One Sense Only (normal sight; 
  -¼), Vague And Unclear (-½)
  Ecology:  Reputed to be the most vicious creatures 
  on Earth, formed from the spirits of adulterers, 
  criminals, the insane, and liars, pishachas live in 
  charnel houses, graveyards, deep forests, and simi-
  lar deserted and forlorn places, where they devour 
  corpses and feed oﬀ of the remains of rakshasa kills 
  (see page 88). Their hunger for raw ﬂesh is such 
  that a pishacha eagerly attacks living prey. It espe-
  cially adores human ﬂesh.
  Pishacha are also known by the names of 
  kravyad (“eater of the dead”), paisacha, picacas, 
  pisacas, pisakas, pishaca, pishashas, and yaksha 
  (“speeder” [but see page 90]). A close relative of 
  the pishaca is the pey. Also known as alakai, iruci, 
  and picacu, the pey are shaggy-haired humanoids 
  known to haunt battleﬁelds so they can drink the 
  blood of wounded men.
  Personality/Motivation:  Utterly and irredeemably 
  evil, pishachas eagerly seek out humans to destroy 
  them and drive mad. Their favorite targets are 
  women; they often rape a sleeping woman instead 
  of just killing her. They fear ﬁre and can be kept 
  away with various amulets, charms, and spells. A 
  holy man can force a pishacha to die and reincar-
  nate by saying the pishacha’s true (i.e., human) 
  name.
  Powers/Tactics:  Pishachas tend to ambush their 
  prey, ripping at a target with their sharp claws. 
  They devour slain victims in short order, while 
  anyone lucky enough to get away soon ﬁnds him-
  self infected with a highly-lethal disease. Pishachas 
  possess their own language and may have suﬃcient 
  cunning to create a battle plan before attacking. As 
  a form of ghost, pishachas are said to be able to see 
  events in both the past and the future, and may use 
  this ability when planning an attack.
  Stories claim pishachas can cure disease as 
  well. To be cured by a pishacha, someone suﬀer-
  ing from an illness must arrive at a crossroads in a 
  disheveled condition just before dawn. Placing two 
  large handfuls of rice in the crossroads, he then 
  returns home without once looking back. He does 
  this day after day until he attracts a pishacha’s atten-
  tion and it appears to state that it will cure him. If 
  diseased person is courteous and accepts, the pisha-
  cha heals him of his illness.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  86 ■ India
  Campaign Use:  Pishachas are Indian ghouls, pure 
  and simple. You can place them in abandoned 
  ruins, desolate wilderness, or the sewers of a great 
  city. They can appear singly, in small groups, or in 
  great hordes, depending on the number and power 
  level of the PCs. You should be careful of using too 
  many pishacha in a single encounter, however, as 
  their Cause Disease power is quite potent.
  Appearance:  A pishacha (female:  pishachi) has a rot-
  ting and repellent humanoid form. It may or may not 
  wear clothing, but based on its life style, anything it 
  does have is probably dirty and ﬁlth-encrusted.
  PRETA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   2 COM 
  -4 
  9-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (5 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 ED (5 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  59
  Movement: 
  Running: 
  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Undead Form:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  10 
  Undead Form:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  20 
  Undead Body:  Physical Damage Reduction, 
  Resistant, 50%; STUN Only (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Undead Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Diminished Eating; including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Skills
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  20 
  Various Skills possessed in life
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  120
  Total Cost:  179
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Susceptible To Various 
  Sutras, Talismans, And Wards (Infrequently, 
  Fully Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Driven To Satisfy 
  Their Hunger (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x Eﬀect from the Presence 
  Attacks of Buddhist holy men (Uncommon)
  59 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  179
  THE CLASSES OF PRETA
  Vedic mythology lists nine diﬀerent classes of preta. 
  The Japanese go so far as to mention 36 diﬀerent 
  types of gaki, a similar monster. Here are a few 
  examples of the wide variety of Hungry Ghosts you 
  can choose from:
  Cho-kem-ju-jiki-netsu-gaki:  These gaki eat the ashes 
  from funeral pyres and the clay from graves.
  Fujo-ko-hyaku-gaki:  These gaki eat street refuse and 
  other garbage.
  Ghosts Who Receive Discards:  These ghosts eat the food 
  thrown away after being used as a temple oﬀerings.
  Ghosts Who Receive Lost Food:  These ghosts eat the 
  food discarded by the side of the road by travelers.
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling Hair
  Ghosts With Foul-Smelling Mouths
  Ghosts With Large Ulcers
  Jiki-ketsu-gaki:  These gaki thirst for blood.
  Jiki-niku-gaki:  This is a ﬂesh-eating ghoul, a gaki that 
  devours the corpses of the freshly dead.
  Jiki-doku-gaki:  Eaters of poison.
  Jiki-ké-gaki:  Smell-eating gaki.
  Jiki-fu-gaki: Wind eaters.
  Jiki-kwa-gaki:  Fire-eating gaki.
  Kwaku-shin-gaki:  These gaki are ﬁlled with ﬂames that 
  keep their bodily ﬂuids at a boil.
  Needle-Haired Ghosts:  The body of this ghost is covered 
  with needle-like hairs.
  Needle-Throated Ghosts:  This is the classic form of 
  Hungry Ghost, with a thin neck and a distended belly. 
  In Japan this is known as a Shin-ko-gaki.
  Powerful Ghosts:  These are beings such as the pishacha 
  (see page 85) and the rakshasa (see page 88).
  Shikko-gaki:  These gaki eat corpses and spread disease.
  Shinen-gaki:  These gaki appear only at night, taking the 
  form of a ﬂoating ﬁreball.
  Torch-mouthed Ghosts:  This form of Hungry Ghost can 
  breath ﬂame.
  Hungry Ghosts eat virtually anything, with each preta 
  restricted to a single substance. Examples include:  
  blood, excrement, ﬂesh, incense and incense smoke, 
  mucous, paper, sweat, tattoos, and tea.
  
  87 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  +20 Enormous Strength:  +20 STR
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  +3 
  Pig’s Face:  Increase Bite to HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  33 
  Blood Drain:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is not 
  having blood or protective skin or equipment 
  too thick to bite through; +1), Does BODY 
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); No Range (-½), Bite Must Do 
  BODY First (-½)
  12 
  Breathe Fire:  RKA 1d6; Reduced By Range 
  (-¼)
  25 
  Cause Disease:  Drain BODY 1d6, Delayed 
  Return Rate (points return at a rate of 5 per 
  Week; +1¾), NND (defense is Life Support 
  [appropriate Immunity]; +1), Aﬀects Physi-
  cal World (+2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); Gradual Eﬀect (6 hours; -1½)
  8 
  Claws/Sharp Fingernails:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  60 
  Fading:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, and 
  Smell/Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½)
  90 
  Ghostly Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic or ﬁre), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼)
  10 
  Needle-Like Hairs:  HKA 1 point, Continuous 
  (+1), Damage Shield (does damage in HTH 
  Combat; +¾), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Persistent (+½), Inherent (+¼); Always 
  On (-½), No STR Bonus (-½)
  155 
  Possession:  Mind Control 18d6, Telepathic 
  (+¼), Aﬀects Physical World (+2), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Lockout (preta 
  cannot use any other powers while possess-
  ing a target; -½), Mandatory Eﬀect (EGO 
  +30; -¾), No Range (-½) plus Desolidiﬁca-
  tion (aﬀected by magic or any attack that 
  aﬀects possessed body), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Linked (to Mind Control; -½) 
  Only To “Merge” With Possessed Body (see 
  text; -1) plus Clinging (normal STR), Aﬀects 
  Physical World (+2); Linked (to Desolidiﬁca-
  tion; -½), Only To Remain Merged With A 
  Body If It’s Moved Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  67 
  The Size Of A Thumb:  +8 DCV plus +8  
  to Concealment; Self Only (-½) plus +8  
  to Stealth
  Ecology:  According to Buddhist doctrine, those 
  who have lived a life ﬁlled with avarice, envy, glut-
  tony, or miserliness are fated to become a “Hungry 
  Ghost” upon death. In this state they’re tormented 
  by constant hunger and thirst until they can work 
  oﬀ their accumulated bad karma and reincarnate. 
  Preta  dwell at crossroads, in deserted buildings, 
  and along fences and walls. Many live oﬀ of ﬁlth 
  and waste, although they’re not adverse to adding 
  some fresh meat (such as an unwary traveler) to 
  their diet. Found all throughout Asia, the preta is 
  known by a wide variety of names. In Cambodia it’s 
  called a khmoch, in China o-kuei, in Japan gaki, in 
  Korea agwi, in Tibet yidak, and in Vietnam a quy.
  According to Hindu myth, a preta (female:  
  paret or pretni) is a tiny ghost of the dead, no 
  larger than a man’s thumb. They arise when a child 
  is stillborn, or is born crippled or deformed. The 
  preta remains either in the corpse or near the home 
  of the deceased for a year after burial. Although 
  normally harmless if left alone, a preta can become 
  violent if disturbed, spreading disease and drinking 
  the blood of sleeping victims. At the end of the year, 
  a special ritual is performed to send the preta on it 
  way into the afterlife.
  Personality/Motivation:  All preta are cursed with 
  perpetual hunger and will do whatever they can to 
  alleviate it. Since they can never get enough to eat, 
  they’re in a state of perpetual anguish.
  Powers/Tactics:  Preta with the ability to attack 
  physically use their teeth and claws to tear at a 
  foe, often devouring an opponent once he’s dead. 
  Others bite a foe and then begin drinking blood 
  from the wound. Some seek out living humans for 
  warmth and nourishment, but invariably cause 
  their hosts to fall ill.
  Campaign Use:  Due to the great variation in their 
  abilities, you can use preta in many ways in your 
  campaign. They may be a form of ghoul, lurking in 
  the back alleys of cities or near graveyards. Other 
  preta may haunt trash-heaps or sewer systems. 
  Some may present a threat to the living, while 
  others elicit sympathy from the kindhearted (one 
  can gain good karma by feeding a Hungry Ghost).
  Appearance:  Preta are thin and emaciated 
  humans with wispy hair, immense potbellies, 
  and needle-like necks. Some may have glaring 
  eyes, pig-like faces, and large prominent fangs 
  and claws. Their skin is always cold, clammy, and 
  apparently bloodless.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  88 ■ India
  RAKSHASA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  14- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   12 INT 
  2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  9-
   10 PD 
  7 
   
  Total:  10 PD (5 rPD)
   10 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  10 ED (5 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   9 REC 
  4
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  112
    
   
   
  (+4 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  3 
  Gains Strength At Twilight:  +5; Only  
  After Twilight (-¼), No Figured  
  Characteristics (-½) 
  1
  5 
  Full Strength At Night:  +10 STR; Only At  
  Night (-½), No Figured Characteristics (-½) 2
  25 
  Long Fangs:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 2
  12 
  Twisted Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  5 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Haunt Graveyards:  Life Support  
  (Immunity:  all terrestrial diseases and  
  biowarfare agents) 
  0
  81 
  Change Form:  Shape Shift (Sight,  
  Hearing, Smell/Taste, and Touch Groups, 
  any shape), Imitation, Makeover, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  73 
  Changed Form Powers:  Variable Power  
  Pool, 40 base + 20 control cost, Powers  
  Can Be Changed As A Half Phase Action 
  (+½), No Skill Roll Required (+1); Only  
  Powers Matching Shape Shifted Form (-½)
  5 
  Rakshasa’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Persuasion 13-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  238
  Total Cost:  350
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears Fire And 
  Sunlight (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy And  
  Lecherous (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Wicked And Cruel 
  (Common, Strong)
  225 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  350
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  var 
  Larger Or Smaller:  Apply one of the Size/
  Weight Templates and Physical Limitations 
  from pages 574-76 of The HERO System 5th 
  Edition, Revised. Rakshasa come in many 
  sizes, and ones from Small to Gargantuan in 
  size are not unheard of in Indian legends.
  4 
  Long, Grabbing Arms:  Stretching 1” (or 
  more), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Always Direct (-¼), No Noncombat  
  Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage (-¼)
  3 
  Long Tongue:  Stretching 1”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), 
  No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼), Limited Body Parts (tongue; -¼)
  24 
  Moves Faster Than The Wind:  Running +12” 
  (18” total)
  3+ 
  Multiple Heads:  +1 PER with All Sense 
  Groups per extra head
  10 
  Multiple Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) for Sight Group
  5 
  Multiple Heads:  Extra Limbs (5 heads [or 
  more as desired]), Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  6 
  Three Or More Arms (or Legs): Extra Limbs 
  (varies), Inherent (+¼)
  30 
  Turn Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight Group, 
  No Fringe
  var 
  Venomous Claws:  See the Venom Templates 
  on pages 28-30 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  -10 
  Add Psychological Limitation:  Despise The 
  Smell Of Mustard (Uncommon, Strong)
  -35 
  Add Susceptibility:  to direct sunlight, takes 
  2d6 per Segment (Very Common)
  -20 
  Add Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Fire 
  attacks (Common)
  -20 
  Add Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from Fire 
  attacks (Common)
  Ecology:  Rakshasas (“the injurer”) are a collec-
  tion of diverse beings of all shapes and sizes. They 
  were originally created by the god Brahma, birthed 
  from his foot. They were then charged with guard-
  ing the sacred primal waters and the Elixir of Life 
  (“raksh” means “to guard”). These days they dwell on 
  Sri Lanka, in a great kingdom ruled by their king, 
  Ravana (see sidebar, page 90). Other rakshasas tend 
  to inhabit wilderness areas, forests, and cemeteries 
  (although some stories give them wondrous jew-
  eled palaces for their homes), where they prey on 
  humans and animals. The rakshasas are also known 
  as rachhas or rakhas, while the females are rakshasi. 
  The bhuta and vetala (and possibly the pishacha) 
  can be considered a form of rakshasa as well.
  Personality/Motivation:  To each other rakshasas are 
  loyal and caring, but to the rest of the world they’re 
  quite evil. Greedy, lecherous, blasphemous, destruc-
  tive, and cruel, they delight in causing disease and 
  havoc. They steal oﬀerings left a temples, kill infant 
  children and pregnant women, lay in wait for 
  people trying to ford rivers and cross streams, and 
  attack holy men in the midst of their prayers. Male 
  rakshasas kidnap and rape women, while females 
  
  89 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  assume the form of a beautiful woman and seduce 
  and devour men. Both male and female rakshasas 
  drink the blood of their victims, saving the brains 
  to force feed to captive children so they can trans-
  form them into rakshasas themselves.
  Naturally, such a terrible creature fears very 
  little, although their weakened state in sunlight 
  means they avoid being active during the day. The 
  rakshasas have little liking for ﬁre as well, since it’s 
  one of the few things that can truly harm them. 
  Finally, it’s said they fear the smell of mustard and 
  most prefer the dark of the new moon to work their 
  terrible mischief.
  Powers/Tactics:  Rakshasas have two ways of ﬁght-
  ing. The more devious among them rely on their 
  shapechanging powers (usually allowing them to take 
  the shape of a dog, owl, or vulture — but some can 
  assume most any form) to get close to a victim, then 
  surprise him by changing back to their normal form 
  and ripping him to pieces. More martially inclined 
  rakshasas stay in their normal shape most of the time, 
  relying on their strength and natural weaponry to 
  defeat any foes. Rakshasis usually assume the form of 
  a beautiful woman and seduce their victims, attacking 
  when he least expects it. As creatures of the night, rak-
  shasas are weakened by sunlight, regaining a measure 
  of their strength at dusk and their full, supernatural 
  prowess in the dark of night.
  Campaign Use:  Rakshasas are normally are evil and 
  destructive, although a few may be peaceful, even 
  friendly. You should use them in the same manner 
  as you might use ogres or giants in a more European 
  setting — to cause destruction and wreck havoc.
  Appearance:  Male rakshasas are large (sometimes 
  gigantic) humanoids with fangs, claws (sometimes 
  on ﬁngers that bend backward from the hand), 
  bloated bellies, red hair and beards, and a generally 
  horriﬁc or bestial appearance (although a rare few 
  are handsome). Some have multiple heads or eyes, 
  or other hideous deformities (such as the head of 
  an animal). Rakshasis are somewhat less terrifying 
  in appearance. They can marry humans, and if they 
  do so are transformed into beautiful women.
  RAKSHASA VARIANTS
  The rakshasa, and variants thereof, are found 
  all through southeast Asia.
  Brahmaparush
  The brahmaparush is a vampiric demon of 
  India noted for its ferocity and hunger. These 
  beings gladly feast upon human ﬂesh, and eat a 
  man’s brain through a hole poked in the skull. Next 
  they remove the top of the skull and use the result-
  ing bowl-shaped piece of bone to drink the victim’s 
  blood. Afterwards, the brahmaparush disembowels 
  the corpse, winding the intestine about its head and 
  shoulders as it dances joyfully in the moonlight.
  To kill a brahmaparush, a warrior must refrain 
  from any sort of sin for 90 days, then fast for a 
  length of time and visit a series of nine temples. 
  The sword he will use to kill the brahmaparush 
  must be blessed by priests and then passed nine 
  times through sacred incense smoke.
  The brahmaparush is also known as a brah-
  maparusha or a neamma-parusha. You can create 
  any one of these horriﬁc beings by using the Ogre 
  character sheet on page 75 of Monsters, Minions, 
  And Marauders. Add in the Large-Fanged Ogre 
  and Claws options as well as the Infernal Form and 
  Infernal Shield powers from page 25 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary.
  Kabanda
  Kabanda, or “Barrel,” was once one of the 
  gandharva, but an argument with the god Indra 
  resulted in his striking Kabanda so hard Kabanda’s 
  head and legs vanished into his body. Now a rak-
  shasa, Kabanda has single eye and an immense 
  mouth in the middle of his cylindrical torso. Eight 
  long arms serve as his legs, allowing him to move 
  about like some vast, hairy spider. Apparently not 
  having learned his lesson from Indra, Kabanda 
  then argued with Rama, who struck down the rak-
  shasa with a blast from his vajra. Instead of killing 
  him, this caused Kabanda to return to his original 
  form. So pleased was Kabanda that he joined Rama 
  and helped him battle Ravana, the rakshasa king.
  To create Kabanda simply apply the Enor-
  mous Size/Weight Template and Physical Limita-
  tion found on pages 574-76 of The HERO System 
  5th Edition, Revised to the Rakshasa character 
  sheet. Remove the Change Form and Changed 
  Form Powers, and add in the Long Grabbing 
  Arms and Three Or More Arms (or Legs) (in this 
  case, eight arms) options.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  90 ■ India
  Reksoso
  The reksoso (female:  reksasi) are cannibalis-
  tic giants of the Indonesia jungles. They regularly 
  track, hunt down, and kill humans who trespass 
  in their domain. To create a rekoso, simply add an 
  HKA bite to the Forest Giant character sheet on 
  page 44 of Monsters, Minions, And Marauders.
  Thags Yang
  Native to Tibet, the thags yang are a form 
  of demon. They haunt mountain passes and the 
  edges of villages, preying on travelers. A thags 
  yang can assume three forms : human, man-tiger, 
  and a full tiger. It often uses its human form to 
  get close to a potential victim, then makes its 
  kill in man-tiger or tiger form. Normally a thags 
  yang eats its prey, but some may be more vam-
  piric in nature, consuming a person’s “life force” 
  instead (i.e., a BODY Drain). You can create a 
  thags yang by using the Rakshasa character sheet. 
  Simply replace any Shape Shift-related powers 
  with a Multiform allowing the thags yang to 
  become either a 150-point human or a tiger.
  Yaksha
  The yakshas are nature spirits, related to both 
  the rakshasa and the gandharva (although some 
  classify them as with the bhuta, jackals, and pisha-
  cha). They’re known by a variety of names, includ-
  ing yakho, yakkha, yaksa, itarajanah (“other folk”), 
  and punyajana (“sacred folk”). Females are yakshi 
  or yakshini. The males may appear as handsome 
  men or ugly, potbellied dwarves with black skin. 
  Yakshini normally look like beautiful women with 
  lusciously-proportioned bodies dressed in noth-
  ing more than expensive jewelry... but some have 
  the head of a horse and are known as ashvamukhi 
  (“horse-face”). The yaksha are ruled by a king, 
  Kubera, described as a dwarf with three legs and 
  eight teeth. Kubera guards all the treasures of the 
  earth, including gold, silver, and precious gems.
  Yakshas often live in sacred trees outside of 
  villages, where they stay safe from any harm and 
  ensure the prosperity of the village. Characters can 
  easily identify these trees by the garlands of ﬂowers 
  hung from the branches and oﬀerings of cakes and 
  other foods placed around the roots. Other yaksha 
  live deeper in the forests and often stand guard over 
  buried wealth. All yaksha can change shape and are 
  capable of assuming almost any form, from hand-
  some men and beautiful women to looking like a 
  tree. Females have been known to lead men astray, 
  either to seduce them or to slay them, and also steal 
  infants and devour them. More benevolent yakshas 
  can make a barren woman fertile, while the more 
  malicious among them cause insanity and spread 
  disease (although other yakshas can and will cure 
  the same aﬄictions). All in all, yakshas are some-
  what unpredictable.
  You can create a yaksha by simply mixing and 
  matching desired powers from the character sheets 
  for the Apsarasas, Gandharva, and Rakshasa. All 
  yakshas should have the rakshasa’s powers of Shape 
  Shift as well as the apsarasas’s Dwells In Trees power.
  Yatu-dhana
  A yatu-dhana is a form of sorcerer. It follows 
  a rakshasa about, scavenging the demon’s kills and 
  cooking the leftover meat and entrails over a ﬁre 
  before consuming the grisly fare. Although human, 
  yatu-dhanas are also thought of as a lesser form of 
  rakshasa. They’re reputed to have various magical 
  powers and are as dangerous as they’re cowardly. See 
  The Ultimate Mystic for ideas on Indian magic styles.
  RAVANA
  Ravana is the king of 
  the rakshasa. Virtu-
  ally invulnerable, this 
  demon is of immense 
  size, with ten heads and 
  twenty arms, ﬁery eyes, 
  and sharp teeth. He’s 
  said to be able to shatter 
  mountains, raise great 
  storms, stop the sun and 
  the moon in the sky, and 
  prevent the wind from 
  blowing. He can assume 
  any form he wishes, 
  ﬂy, and is utterly invul-
  nerable, regenerating 
  wounds as fast as they’re 
  caused. Nigh unstop-
  pable, Ravana survived 
  battles with several gods 
  and took great delight 
  in capturing and ravish-
  ing the wives of princes 
  and kings. He was slain 
  by Prince Rama, hero of 
  the Ramayana, who shot 
  him with an arrow cre-
  ated by the god Brahma 
  speciﬁcally for the pur-
  pose of killing him.
  
  91 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  VRITRA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   85 STR 
  75 
  26- 
  Lift 3.2 ktons; 17d6 [8]
   24 DEX 
  42 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   35 CON 
  50 
  16-
   35 BODY 50 
  16-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   24 EGO 
  28 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   30 PD 
  13 
   
  Total:  30 PD (20 rPD)
   30 ED 
  23 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  16 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   24 REC 
  0
   70 END 
  0
   96 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  342
    
   
   
  (+247 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  21”/42”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  14”/28”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  52 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  5
  75 
  Commands Weather:  Change  
  Environment 8” radius, +/-10  
  Temperature Levels, Multiple Combat 
  Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects,  
  Varying Eﬀect (any weather eﬀect; +1), 
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide;  
  +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Extra Time (1 Turn to activate; -¾), No 
  Range (-½) 
  0
  63 
  Commands The Mist:  Change  
  Environment 32” radius, -3 to Sight  
  Group PER Rolls, Personal Immunity  
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  120 
  Commands Lightning:  RKA 4d6, Indirect 
  (any angle from above; +½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  48 
  Commands Thunder:  Hearing Group  
  Flash 8d6, Explosion (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  20 
  Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Great Size:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant. 50% 
  0
  30 
  Great Size:  Knockback Resistance -15” 
  0
  30 
  Slithering:  Running +15” (21” total) 
  4
  12 
  Controls The Waters:  Swimming +12”  
  (14” total) 
  2
  50 
  Asura Nature:  Life Support (Total,  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Serpent Dragon:  Infrared  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Of The Serpent Dragon:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  6 
  Senses Of The Serpent Dragon:  +2 PER with 
  all Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  8 
  +4 OCV with Commands Lightning
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  KS: Vedic Gods And Heroes 14-
  3 
  KS: Vedic History And Mythology 14-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  628
  Total Cost:  970
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gargantuan (32” long, -
  10 DCV, +10 to PER Rolls to perceive Vritra) 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Greedy 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  cruel guardian of all the water, 
  14- (extreme)
  805 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  970
  Ecology:  Vritra (or Ahi) is an immense serpentine 
  dragon. True to his name, which translates to “one 
  who restrains,” he dwells at the top of a celestial 
  mountain encircling all the world’s water within 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  92 ■ India
  his mighty coils. Legend has it he was once a man 
  named Citraketu who happened to see the god-
  dess Parvati and the god Shiva lying together in 
  a garden. Angered by his spying, Parvati cursed 
  him, causing him to be reborn as Vritra, an asura 
  (demon). In return, Vritra enclosed all the word’s 
  water by coiling his body around it and kept it from 
  the world. Eventually, the god Indra killed him with 
  a thunderbolt, releasing the waters and bringing 
  new life to the world.
  Personality/Motivation:  As an asura, Vritra personi-
  ﬁes cruelty and greed. Having been punished for 
  spying Parvati and Shiva, he seeks his revenge by 
  keeping all the world’s water in his possession. He 
  cares nothing for the needs and wants of others and 
  is known as a demon of negativity and darkness.
  Powers/Tactics:  Since he holds all the world’s 
  water, Vritra can use it when ever he needs. He will 
  often start a battle by calling up a mist to blind his 
  enemies, or a great storm to simply sweep them 
  away. He also can call lightning out of the sky and 
  summon deafening claps of thunder. In battle he 
  uses these powers to delay, disable, and outright 
  destroy any enemy who dares approach. Anyone 
  who can survive this initial assault must face Vri-
  tra’s great jaws and thickly- scaled hide. Because of 
  his sheer size and strength, Vritra is utterly fearless; 
  he attacks relentlessly and without hesitation.
  Campaign Use:  As with any of the other unique 
  creatures in this book, you can use Vritra either 
  as a singular entity or make him the template for 
  a species. As a singular creature, Vritra could be 
  made the basis for an entire campaign in which the 
  heroes must save their village (or country) from 
  drought by ﬁnding and defeating him. If used as a 
  species, Vritra could be a form of “storm dragon,” 
  akin to the storm giants found in Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders.
  Appearance:  Vritra is a huge snakelike dragon, 
  limbless, with a large head and jaws. In keeping 
  with his aspect as a demon of negativity and dark-
  ness, Vritra is dark in color.
  YALI
  Ecology:  Yali are hybrid animals thought to be the 
  personiﬁcation of the elemental forces of nature as 
  well as the uncontrolled passions and appetites of 
  men. As such they’re associated with the gods Kali 
  and Vishnu. Yali also guard temples and sanctuar-
  ies; paired yali, one male and one female, are often 
  found carved into pillars and supports in the front 
  of such structures. They’re usually depicted stand-
  ing on the back of a makara (see page 80), their 
  mouths open to expose a long tongue and large, 
  sharp teeth.
  The yali is known as the vyala in southern 
  India. It’s also known as the sinha mukha (“lion’s 
  face/head”) or the yalaka (“horned lion”).
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations 
  for the “personiﬁcation of elemental forces” form 
  of yali, although they may be overly aggressive 
  or exhibit an insatiable appetite. A guardian yali 
  seeks to protect the temple under its care as well as 
  destroying any evil demons or spirits who dare to 
  come near.
  Powers/Tactics:  Yali are aggressive in combat, their 
  great size and nature making them fearless in battle. 
  Both forms usually strike with either tusks or horns 
  before biting a foe. A large opponent (one close to 
  the same size as the yali) will be Grabbed with the 
  jaws and then subjected to multiple claw attacks.
  Campaign Use:  Because of their variable nature, 
  a yali can either be a menace to be defeated by a 
  party of PCs, or a divine guardian protecting a 
  holy shrine. If you use them in the latter role, you 
  should have the yali be paired, with one male and 
  one female.
  Appearance:  The typical yali has a lion’s body and 
  the head of either a horned lion or an elephant. 
  They’re often depicted with bells, strings of pearls, 
  and other ornaments around their necks.
  VARIOUS FORMS OF YALI
  A yali can appear with any one of ﬁve diﬀerent heads, 
  with the horned lion and the elephant the most 
  common. These diﬀerent heads (and their names) are:  
  dog (shvana-vyala), elephant (gaja-vyala), horse (asha-
  vyala), human (nir-vyala), and lion (simha-vyala).
  
  93 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Two
  ELEPHANT YALI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   30 BODY 40 
  15-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  12 PD (1 rPD)
   9 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   15 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   68 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  168
    
   
   
  (+83 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR) 
  1
  12 
  Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Claws:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  1 
  Tough Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -8” 
  0
  12 
  Swift Runner:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  2
  3 
  Elephant’s Senses:  +1 PER with all Sense 
  Groups except Sight Group 
  0
  2 
  Elephant’s Nose:  +1 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group 
  0
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  102
  Total Cost:  270
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (8m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  150 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  270
  LION YALI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   19 BODY 18 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   11 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (1 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (1 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  124
    
   
   
  (+33 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  16 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  10 
  Horns:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½) 
  1
  4 
  Roar:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼) 
  0
  1 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  8 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -4” 
  0
  8 
  Swift Runner:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  2
  9 
  Lion’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups 0
  5 
  Lion’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Lion’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell 0
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  112
  Total Cost:  236
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (8m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  126 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  236
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence
  5 
  Divine Guardian:  +5 INT (or more)
  16 
  Divine Guardian:  +8 EGO (or more)
  3 
  Divine Guardian:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Sleep:  Does Not Have To Sleep)
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  94 ■ India
  15 
  Divine Guardian:  Life Support (Immunity:  
  all terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; 
  Longevity:  Immortality)
  -20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Sworn Defender 
  Of Hindu Temples And Sanctuaries 
  (Common, Total)
  YALI VARIANTS
  The yali is but one of a number of composite 
  creatures in Indian mythology.
  Bhainsasura
  As this creature’s name suggests, it’s an asura, 
  or demon, and seems to be a descendant of Mahi-
  sha, the demonic water buﬀalo who battled the 
  gods. A bhainsasura takes the form of an immense 
  elephant with the head of a water buﬀalo. It appears 
  at the time of the rice harvest and demands a por-
  tion. If ignored or refused it leaves, only to return 
  when the corn ripens and and smash the harvest 
  into the ground. Oﬀering the bhainsasura a pig 
  sates its hunger. To create a bhainsasura, make the 
  following changes to the Elephant character sheet 
  on page 164 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Hunted:  poachers and Physical 
  Limitation:  Poor Eyesight
   
  Change Physical Limitation:  Animal Intel-
  ligence to Near-Human Intelligence, and 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  to Very Limited Manipulation
  -20 
  Remove Tusks, Elephant’s Nose, and Trunk
  +55 Increase Size from Enormous to Huge
  0 
  +1 PER aﬀects Sight Group
  9 
  Add Smart Template
  +4 
  Increase Tough Skin to Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED)
  30 
  Horns:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR)
  4 
  Horns:  Armor (6 PD/6 ED); Only Protects 
  Location 3 (-3)
  Total Cost:  +82 points.
  Eight-legged Lion
  To create an eight-legged lion, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Lion character sheet on page 
  145 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  5 
  +5 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  4 
  +2 BODY
  10 
  Many Paws, Many Claws:  Autoﬁre (4 shots; 
  +½) for up to 1d6+1 HKA
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2”
  +4 
  Swift Runner:  Increase Running to +3”  
  (10” total)
  5 
  Eight Legs:  Extra Limbs (4 legs), Inherent 
  (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
  +5 
  Too Many Claws To Avoid:  +1 HTH (+4 
  total)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Large (roughly 12 
  feet long and 800 pounds; -2 DCV, -2 to PER 
  Rolls to perceive)
  Total Cost:  +43 points.
  Sharabha
  Sharabha is a creature with eight legs, sharp 
  claws, two bird’s wings, two human arms and 
  hands, a lion-like face, multiple horns, spikes 
  instead of hair, and a glowing body. It was a form 
  assumed by the god Shiva to punish the god 
  Vishnu. To create the Sharabha, make the following 
  changes to the Lion character sheet on page 145 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Animal  
  Intelligence
  10 
  +10 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  4 
  +2 BODY
  17 
  +17 INT
  40 
  +20 EGO
  17 
  Multiple Horns:  HKA 2d6; No STR Bonus 
  (-½), Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  25 
  Spikes Instead Of Hair:  HKA 1d6, Continu-
  ous (+1), Damage Shield (+½), Inherent 
  (+¼), Persistent (+½), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Always On (-½), Activation 
  Roll 15- (-¼), No STR Bonus (-½)
  4 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -2”
  +4 
  Swift Runner:  Increase Running to +3”  
  (10” total)
  27 
  Bird’s Wings:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½)
  5 
  Eight Legs, Two Arms:  Extra Limbs (6 legs), 
  Inherent (+¼); Limited Manipulation (-¼)
   
  Add Distinctive Features:  Glowing Body 
  (Not Concealable; Noticed And Recogniz-
  able; 15 points)
   
  Add Physical Limitation:  Large (roughly 12 
  feet long and 800 pounds; -2 DCV, -2 to PER 
  Rolls to perceive; 5 points)
  Total Cost:  +159 points
  
  chapter three:
  chapter three:
  OTHER PARTS OF ASIA
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  96 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  T
  he earliest permanent settlements in Cam-
  bodia (also called Kampuchea) date to 
  around 100 AD. Over the next few centuries, 
  these settlements became the nation states of 
  Chenla and Funan, both of which had close ties to 
  China and India. After they fell, the Khmer Empire 
  replaced them, and lasted from the ninth century to 
  the ﬁfteenth. The Khmer adopted much from India, 
  especially their politics and religion, including both 
  Hinduism and, after the rule of Jayavarman VII 
  (1181-1218), Mahayana Buddhism.
  The Khmer ruled from the city of Angkor, 
  the home of Angkor Wat, which means “City 
  Temple.” Angkor Wat is a huge sprawling com-
  plex, covered with carvings of both Hindu and 
  Buddhist gods, saints, diving beings, men, and 
  animals (such as apsarases, gandharva, naga, 
  and yali, see the chapter on India for more). The 
  Khmer also gave Cambodia its name, deriving 
  from the ancient kingdom of Kambujadesa.
  Creatures Of Cambodian 
  Folklore And Mythology
  Cambodian spirits must be shown the proper 
  respect by farmers, foresters, hunters, villagers, 
  and everyone else in the form of oﬀerings of food. 
  Those who do not give any food run the risk of suf-
  fering serious illness or other misfortune. Only the 
  mneang phteah and the mrenh kongueal are above 
  this sort of behavior.
  ÁRÁK
  The árák is a guardian spirit that dwells in 
  either the house of the family it protects or a nearby 
  tree. It’s normally the spirit of an ancestor, although 
  it can also be the spirit of a long-dead friend of the 
  family. A kru (shaman) invokes the árák in times 
  of household illness. The árák will enter into the 
  kru’s body and tell him how to cure the sick family 
  member. In return, festivals to honor the árák are 
  held in January and March.
  To create an árák, use the Nature Spirit char-
  acter sheet found on pages 100-102 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders. Also give it the follow-
  ing powers:
  Cost Powers
  40 
  Merge With Kru/Home/Tree:  Desolidiﬁca-
  tion (aﬀected by magic or any attack that 
  aﬀects the árák’s tree while it’s in it), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Only To Merge With Kru/House/Tree (-1)
  20 
  Speak To Kru:  Telepathy 6d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Communication 
  Only (-¼), Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation; -½), 
  No Range (-½)
  Total cost:  +60 points
  Mneang Phteah
  The mneang phteah is a household guardian, 
  similar to the árák.
  BESACH
  Besachs are the spirits of people who have died 
  violent, unnatural, or untimely deaths. They may 
  be the ghosts of murder victims, persons slain by 
  magic or the supernatural, or someone who died at 
  a young age. For the besach, use the Ghost charac-
  ter sheet on page 120 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  KHMÓC PRÂY
  Khmóc is a general term for various forms of 
  Cambodian ghosts and includes preta, or Hungry 
  Ghosts (see page 86). The khmóc prây itself is 
  the ghost of a woman who died in childbirth. 
  They normally dwell in the forest, where they 
  lair in trees and terrify passersby with horrific 
  laughter and hurl sticks and stones. If sufficiently 
  angry or motivated, the khmóc prây tries to kill 
  its target instead of just scaring him. An even 
  more dangerous form of khmóc prây is the ghost 
  of a woman who died while pregnant. That type 
  of khmóc prây is actively malign; she travels 
  about the land accompanied by the ghost of her 
  fetus, seeking out the living to kill them.
  A khmóc prây usually kills its victim by pos-
  sessing its target, causing the person to sicken 
  and die. To drive the khmóc prây away, a village 
  sorcerer sings and dances before the stricken 
  victim. Sorcerers also remove a miscarriage from 
  a home, wash it clean, blacken it with smoke and 
  cover it with varnish, and place the body in a 
  bag. The sorcerer then places a small amount of 
  food in the bag every day, eventually causing the 
  infant corpse to become a kôn prây, or “son of 
  the spirit.” With a kôn prây on hand, the sorcerer 
  becomes invulnerable and is successful at every-
  thing he attempts.
  CAMBODIA
  
  97 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  For the khmóc prây, use the Ghost character 
  sheet found on page 120 of the HERO System 
  Bestiary, or from the k’uei and yurei character 
  sheets (on page 34 of this volume and in AB2, 
  respectively). Having a kôn prây is a special 
  effect allowing a sorcerer to buy increased 
  defenses (such as Armor, Damage Reduction, 
  or Damage Resistance) and whatever (Combat) 
  Skill Levels he wants.
  MEBA
  The meba is ancestral spirit, the ghost of a 
  Cambodian’s forefathers.
  MRENH KONGUEAL
  These beings are “elf-like” guardians of the 
  forest and the animals within. Use the Nat character 
  sheet in AB2 to create a mrenh kongueal.
  NEAK-TA
  A neak-ta is a household or village guardian 
  spirit. It dwells in an inanimate object of some sort, 
  such as a small idol or shelter (which is also called 
  a neak-ta). You can create a neak-ta character sheet 
  just like an árák character sheet.
  PRÂY
  “Prây” is a general term for various evil spirits 
  and ghostlike supernatural beings.
  SREI AP
  The srei ap is a form of death spirit. It either 
  causes people to die (through illness of misfortune) 
  or it stays near the dying waiting for a chance to 
  feast upon the ﬂesh of the resulting corpse. You can 
  create a srei ap from the Filipino Ghoul character 
  sheet found in AB2 (include the Become Invisible 
  and Cause Disease powers from the list of options).
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  98 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  INDONESIA
  T
  he world’s largest archipelago, the nation of 
  Indonesia covers well over 18,000 islands  
  between the Indian and Paciﬁc Oceans. 
  Major islands include Java (home of the 
  nation’s capital, Jakarta), Borneo, Sulawesi, and 
  Sumatra. Its earliest civilization was the Hindu 
  kingdom of Dvipantara, founded on the islands of 
  Java and Sumatra around 200 BC. In 425 AD, Bud-
  dhism reached the islands, resulting in the Bud-
  dhist kingdom of Srivijaya on the island of Suma-
  tra. This kingdom lasted from the seventh to the 
  fourteenth centuries, ﬁnally replaced by the rise of 
  Islam. On Java, the Hindu kingdom Majapahit rose 
  to great power in the fourteenth century, result-
  ing in the epic poem Ramayana (“The Vehicle Of 
  Rama”). Islam arrived in Indonesia in the twelfth 
  century, and eventually replaced both Buddhism 
  and Hinduism. Today, Indonesia is the most popu-
  lous Muslim country in the world.
  RELIGION
  Indonesia’s culture is a mixture of Buddhism, 
  Hinduism, and Islam blended with a variety of 
  native beliefs. Thus, its mythology combines con-
  cepts and supernatural beings from all three reli-
  gions. Some of the smaller islands, such as Bali, still 
  follow various forms of Buddhism, Christianity, 
  and Hinduism, although they’re a distinct minority.
  ATHOL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   5 STR 
  -5 
  10- 
  Lift 50 kg; 1d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   4 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  4 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  0 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  25
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
   
  Swimming:  1”/2”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6 (1d6+1 with STR) 
  1
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Wings:  Flight 12”, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Restrainable (-½) 
  1
  -10 
  Awkward On The Ground:  Running -5”
  -1 
  Awkward Swimmer: Swimming -1”
  8 
  Sharp Eyes:  +4 PER with Sight Group 
  0
  2 
  Sharp Eyes:  +4 versus Range for  
  Normal Sight 
  0
  15 
  Echolocation:  Active Sonar 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 OCV with Claws, Grab By, Move By
  4 
  +2 with Flight
  10 
  Hard To Hit:  +2 DCV
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  80
  Total Cost:  105
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (no larger than 1 
  m, +3” KB) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  Total Disadvantage Points:  115
  
  99 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  Ecology:  Found in Java, the athol is an immense bat 
  with a 12-foot wingspan. It dwells in caves along 
  the banks of rivers, where it feeds on the ﬁsh it 
  catches near the water’s surface. It’s also known as 
  the ahool after its distinctive call (“ahOOOooool”).
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motiva-
  tions. The athol is a rare animal and tends to avoid 
  humans, although there are some reports of it 
  attacking and wounding people.
  Powers/Tactics:  When hunting, the athol ﬂies low 
  over the water’s surface, using its echolocation and 
  sharp eyes to spot ﬁsh at or near the surface of the 
  water. Once it sees its prey, it performs a Grab By, 
  seizing the ﬁsh in its claws and then ﬂying oﬀ to 
  devour its catch.
  Campaign Use:  Although fairly bland when compared 
  to some creatures rumored to be found in Java (such 
  as the makara on page 80), the athol provides a nice 
  bit of local “color.” It also makes a useful familiar or 
  companion for a Javanese sorcerer or the objective of 
  a Pulp-era zoological expedition.
  Appearance:  An athol is said to be about the size of 
  a one year old child with wings 12 feet across. It has 
  a ﬂat, monkey-like face, feet “turned backwards” (a 
  common feature of bats), and short grey fur.
   FATHER-OF-ALL-THE-TURTLES
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   55 STR 
  45 
  20- 
  Lift 50 tons; 11d6 [5]
   13 DEX 
  9 
  12- 
  OCV:  4/DCV:  4
   33 CON 
  46 
  16- 
   35 BODY 50 
  16-
   5 INT 
  -5 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   16 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  16 PD (3 rPD)
   13 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  13 ED (3 rED)
   3 SPD 
  7 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   18 REC 
  0
   66 END 
  0
   80 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  166
    
   
   
  (+111 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  1”/2”
   
  Leaping:  0”
   
  Swimming:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Sharp Beak:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR) 
  2
  16 
  Tough Shell:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED);  
  Activation Roll 10- (covers Hit Locations 
  9-12; -1¼) 
  0
  3 
  Scaled Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -15” 
  0
  1 
  Diving:  Life Support (Extended  
  Breathing:  1 END per Turn) 
  0
  8 
  Flippers:  Swimming +8” (10” total) 
  1
  -10 
  Slow On Land:  Running -5”
  7 
  Long Neck:  Stretching 2”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Always Direct  
  (-¼), Limited Body Parts (neck; -¼), No 
  Noncombat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity 
  Damage (-¼) 
  0
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 OCV with Sharp Beak
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  89
  Total Cost:  255
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Huge (18m long, 9m 
  wide, -6 DCV, +6 to PER Rolls to perceive) 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  135 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  255
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  100 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  OPTIONS
  Cost True Father-Of-All-The-Turtles
   
  Remove the Physical Limitation:  Animal 
  Intelligence
  13 
  +13 INT
  26 
  +9 EGO
  5 
  Deity:  Life Support (Longevity:  Immortal-
  ity)
  var 
  Followers:  Assorted sea turtles (as many as 
  desired)
  10 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles
   
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of His 
  Children (Common, Strong; 15 points)
   
  Other powers as you see ﬁt (such as Clairsen-
  tience through the eyes of any turtle in the 
  sea, or the ability to Summon sea turtles)
  Total cost:  +44 points
  Ecology:  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles is an immense 
  sea turtle who dwells in the warm seas around 
  Sumatra and Indonesia. For the most part he’s a 
  harmless creature who keeps to the upper layers of 
  the deep sea. He subsists on jellyﬁsh (and anything 
  else that wanders in range of his enormous beak).
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Father tends to stay near the sur-
  face, where the water is warm, only diving down 
  into the depths to search of his favorite prey:  jel-
  lyﬁsh. If attacked at the surface, his usual reaction is 
  to dive. If unable to dive, or pursued, he lashes out 
  with his massive, razor-sharp beak, which is strong 
  enough to shatter the hull of a small boat.
  Campaign Use:  Reports of immense sea turtles can 
  be found the world over. Medieval Europeans, for 
  example, believed in a creature they called “Aspido-
  chelone,” which was a turtle the size of a small island. 
  Campaign-wise, you can treat Father simply as gigan-
  tic turtle (as per the main character sheet), or as more 
  of a divine being by adding in the optional power set. 
  He’s large enough to carry roughly a dozen people on 
  his broad back if needed.
  Appearance:  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles is a gigan-
  tic leatherback turtle 60 feet (9”) long and 30 feet 
  (4.5”) wide.
  
  101 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  GENDRUWO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   3 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  3 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  41
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Become Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight,  
  Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, No  
  Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  100 
  Make Kidnapped Child Invisible:   
  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing, and Smell/ 
  Taste Groups, No Fringe, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Usable As  
  Attack (+1) 
  0
  5 
  Spirit Body:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality) 
  0
  45 
  Can Look Like Anyone:  Shape Shift  
  (Sight, Hearing, and Touch Groups; any 
  human form), Imitation, Costs Endurance 
  Only To Change Shape (+¼) 
  3
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 with Agility Skills
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Lockpicking 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  233
  Total Cost:  274
  75+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Archaic Forms Of 
  Speech (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Is 
  Noticed And Recognizable)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Dislikes To be 
  Talked About, Becomes Annoyed And/Or 
  Angry (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Prankster/Trick-
  ster (Common, Strong)
  159 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  274
  Ecology:  The gendruwo is a type of spirit, one of many 
  belonging to the group known as the memedi, or 
  “frighteners” (see sidebar, page 102). A gendruwo is a 
  male spirit; the female is called a wéwé, and is always 
  seen carrying a child on her hip. Both haunt deserted 
  places, such as empty ﬁelds and abandoned buildings, 
  and are almost always encountered at night.
  Personality/Motivation:  The gendruwo like to play 
  pranks and tricks on humans. They hurl sticks and 
  stones all night at homes, jump out from behind trees 
  to startle passersby, poke women kneeling down to 
  pray in the rear, steal clothing and throw it in the river, 
  and even kidnap children. They can take the appear-
  ance of a person’s relatives (both the living and the 
  dead) and are quite capable of assuming a man’s form 
  and sleeping with his wife while he’s away (the child of 
  such a union is always monstrous). But for the most 
  part, the gendruwo are basically harmless and prefer 
  to scare more than harm.
  Powers/Tactics:  A gendruwo’s main power is his 
  ability to assume the shape of any human. He uses 
  this power to confuse and frighten his victims. He 
  can also become invisible at will, often doing so to 
  kidnap a child. The child becomes invisible as well 
  while he’s with the gendruwo, and if the child eats 
  food given to him by the gendruwo while invisible, 
  the condition becomes permanent.
  Campaign Use:  The gendruwo are well-suited for use 
  as tricksters and troublemakers in any campaign. You 
  might want to give them additional powers such as 
  Flight, Mental Illusions, and Telekinesis to further 
  enhance their trouble-causing capabilities.
  Appearance:  A gendruwo looks like a normal 
  human being.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  102 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  LELEMBUT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  53
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  86 
  Cause Disease:  Drain CON and BODY  
  5d6, two Characteristics simultaneously 
  (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points return  
  at a rate of 5 per Week; +1¾), NND  
  (defense is Life Support [appropriate  
  Immunity]; +1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Gradual Eﬀect (5 Days,  
  1d6/Day; -1¾) 
  0
  155 
  Possession:  Mind Control 18d6,  
  Telepathic (+¼), Aﬀects Physical World  
  (+2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Lockout (lelembut cannot use any other 
  powers while possessing a target; -½),  
  Mandatory Eﬀect (EGO +30; -¾), No  
  Range (-½) plus Desolidiﬁcation  
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that  
  aﬀects possessed body), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Linked (to  
  Mind Control; -½) Only To “Merge”  
  With Possessed Body (see text; -1)  
  plus Clinging (normal STR), Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2); Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½), Only To Remain 
  Merged With A Body If It’s Moved  
  Involuntarily (-2) 
  0
  80 
  Become Invisible:  Invisibility to Sight,  
  Hearing, and Smell/Taste Groups, No  
  Fringe, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), 
  Persistent (+½) 
  0
  5 
  Spirit Body:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality) 
  0
  40 
  Taking To The Air:  Flight 20” 
  4
   
  Skills
  10 
  +5 OECV with Mind Control
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  388
  Total Cost:  441
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  appeased and/or 
  repulsed by prayers and/or sprinkled salt 
  (Infrequently, Fully Impairing)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  kept at bay by heating/
  washing the feet and/or various head oint-
  ments (see text; Infrequently, Fully Impair-
  ing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Malicious And 
  Cruel (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  causes illness and insanity, 14- 
  (Extreme)
  301 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  441
  Ecology:  Lelembut, also known as the “ethereal 
  ones,” are malicious spirits who possess human 
  victims, usually driving them insane in the pro-
  cess. Normally invisible, they enter the body 
  through either the head or the feet, and can only 
  be removed by a dukun, or Javanese doctor, who 
  must pull the lelembut up and out of victim’s body 
  — usually through the arm, foot, or small of the 
  back. One can keep a lelembut away through prayer 
  or by scattering salt outside on the ground. To keep 
  a lelembut from entering the body, a person should 
  wash his feet before entering a mosque to pray or 
  keep his feet facing a warm stove. Children should 
  wear a fontanel (head covering) of hot peppers, 
  mashed coconut, and onions, while someone who 
  faints while traveling on the road should rub a cut 
  lime on his forehead.
  Personality/Motivation:  Varies from individual to 
  individual. For the most part, lelembut are malevo-
  lent beings who delight in possessing unsuspecting 
  humans and causing harm.
  Powers/Tactics:  A lelembut possesses a human in 
  one of ﬁve diﬀerent ways (see the kitsune in AB2 
  for information on how to handle possession). 
  These ways are as follows:
  Kampir-Kampiran:  This means “to take a ﬂying 
  visit to someone” or “to come from a long distance 
  and stop brieﬂy at a friend’s house.” Kampir-Kampi-
  ran occurs when a lelembut travels a great distance 
  at speed and literally runs into his victim along the 
  way. For the most part, the possessed person acts 
  as he always does, but might have bouts of odd or 
  strange behavior. Fortunately, he can be cured with 
  a good hot bath.
  Kedjiman:  This form of possession is similar to 
  Kampir-Kampiran, although the victim can remain 
  possessed for a very long time. Along with bouts of 
  unusual behavior, the victim may eat vast quantities 
  of food or none at all, and may show great clever-
  ness or demonstrate supernaturally sharp senses.
  Kemomong:  This form of possession requires a 
  voluntary pact between the lelembut and a man. 
  The man asks the spirit to enter ito his body, thus 
  gaining great magical powers (such as the ability to 
  heal injury and illness) at the cost of his sanity.
  Kesurupan:  Meaning “to come in,” “to enter,” or 
  “sunset,” Kesurupan is the most common form 
  ADDITIONAL FORMS 
  OF MEMEDI
  Djims:  A Islamic spirit, 
  the djims prays ﬁve 
  times a day, chants in 
  Arabic, and dresses in 
  prayer robes.
  Djrangkong:  The “man 
  with his ﬂesh oﬀ” — in 
  other words, a skeleton.
  Panaspati:  The panas-
  pati is a man who walks 
  on his hands. His head is 
  located where his geni-
  tals would normally be 
  and is capable of breath-
  ing ﬁre.
  Pisatjis:  Known as 
  “wanderers,” these are 
  the spirits of small chil-
  dren who have no home 
  or even parents. They 
  travel about looking 
  for a suitable human to 
  dwell within.
  Se’tan Gundul:  Also 
  known as “Bald Devils,” 
  these spirits have no 
  hair on their bodies but 
  for a single topknot.
  Wedon:  This is an ani-
  mated white sheet. A 
  similar creature can be 
  found in Japan, where 
  it’s called an ittan-
  momen and looks like 
  an animated scarf.
  
  103 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  of possession. It occurs when a person “runs 
  into” an invisible lelembut. This can happen at 
  any time, but noon, sunset, and midnight are 
  the most dangerous times of the day, since that’s 
  when lelembut are the most active. The pos-
  sessed victim often spends his time drinking rice 
  wine and eating incense, and has no memory of 
  being possessed once the lelembut leaves.
  Sétanan:  Also similar to Kampir-Kampiran, this 
  form of possession requires the services of a dukun 
  to drive the lelembut oﬀ. The dukun makes oﬀer-
  ings of ﬂowers, incense, and various leaves to the 
  lelembut, asking it to leave the possessed victim in 
  peace.
  Campaign Use:  Since the lelembut is normally 
  invisible and inaudible, you might want to give 
  your players some warning about its abilities and 
  nature before using one in your game. On the other 
  hand, having a lelembut possess a PC (with the 
  player’s cooperation) could lead to an interesting 
  roleplaying situation where the rest of the party 
  needs to realize the character is possessed, and then 
  needs to ﬁnd out how to free him of his possession!
  Appearance:  Since lelembuts are invisible spirits, no 
  one is exactly sure what they look like. However, it’s 
  likely they look like normal humans and dress in 
  accordance with local customs.
  MACAN GADUNGAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  5 PD (0 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (0 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0 
   25 STUN 
  1 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  39
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  63 
  Ngelmu Gadungan:  Duplication  
  (creates 223-point tiger form), Altered  
  Duplicate (100%; +1); Costs Endurance  
  (-½), Feedback (-1), Only At Night (-½), 
  Original Character Is Incapacitated  
  (Asleep) While Duplicate Exists (-1) 
  25
  2 
  Quick Runner: Running +1” (7” total) 
  1
   
  Skills
  5 
  +1 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  1 
  KS: Magical Ritual 8-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 12-
  1 
  WF:  Knife
  10 
  Other Skills As Desired
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  90
  Total Cost:  129
  75+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  no philtral dimple in 
  the upper lip (Easily Concealed, Noticed And 
  Recognizable)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  20 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Fre-
  quently, Severe)
  29 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  129
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  30 
  Sarong:  Multiform (223-point tiger form); 
  OIF (sarong; -½)
  Ecology:  The macan gadungan is a sort of were-
  tiger from Java. It’s a man who can send his spirit 
  forth as a ﬁerce tiger when he sleeps. The tiger 
  ventures into the night to kill chickens, livestock, 
  and humans, returning home once sated. The only 
  way to identify a macan gadungan is the lack of a 
  “dimple” on the man’s upper lip. One can also watch 
  a man suspected of being a macan gadungan and 
  wait for him to cough up a feather or two (from all 
  the chickens he’s eaten as a tiger).
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  104 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Personality/Motivation:  The personality of a macan 
  gadungan depends on the individual. Some men do 
  not know they become a tiger at night, while others 
  have deliberately learned how to do so to prey on 
  their fellow villagers.
  Powers/Tactics:  The ability to send forth one’s spirit 
  as a tiger is called ngelmu gadungan (“ngelmu” 
  meaning “magic”), and generally is the only magic 
  power a macan gadungan has. The tiger has all the 
  powers and abilities of a full-sized tiger along with 
  the man’s intelligence. The macan gadungan’s tiger-
  self attacks with its claws and teeth and can usually 
  overpower and devour its victims quickly.
  Campaign Use:  Were-tigers are found in the folk-
  lore of Borneo, China, India, Japan, and Malaysia. 
  Usually the transformation is through a speciﬁc 
  charm or spell or an enchanted item. In Indonesia 
  and Java, some men can assume tiger form by don-
  ning a tiny sarong (waist wrapping) no larger than 
  a man’s big toe. This wrapping expands to cover the 
  body, transforming the wearer into a tiger.
  Appearance:  A macan gadungan looks like a 
  normal man (though he lacks the dimple in his 
  upper lip); his tiger-spirit self looks like a large 
  tiger, and only appears at night.
  MACAN GADUNGAN VARIANTS
  Asia has many stories of humans being able to 
  assume animal forms.
  Anjing Ajak
  Similar in many respects to the macan 
  gadungan, the Javanese anjing ajak is a man who 
  transforms into a wolf during the night. As a wolf 
  it hunts down, kills, and devours people. You can 
  create an anjing ajak by making the following 
  changes to the Ngelmu Gadungan power of the 
  macan gadungan:
  Cost Power
  11 
  Anjing Ajak:  Duplication (creates 107-point 
  wolf form), Altered Duplicate (100%; +1); 
  Costs Endurance (-½), Feedback (-1), Only 
  At Night (-½), Original Character Is Incapac-
  itated (Asleep) While Duplicate Exists (-1)
  Total cost:  -63 points.
  Phi Phu
  According to the Shan people of Thailand, 
  phi phu is a power found within certain people. It 
  grants them many magical abilities, including the 
  power to assume the form of an animal (usually a 
  tiger or a wolf) or to send a physical double vast 
  distances. The power of the phi phu can be inher-
  ited, but it can also infect others as well. One can 
  gain the power of the phi phu by sharing a number 
  of meals with someone who is already a phi phu, or 
  by marrying a phi phu. Other villagers don’t shun 
  persons who become phi phu as long as they con-
  form to the proper social customs. The only way 
  to “cure” someone of being a phi phu is for him to 
  become a Buddhist monk or nun. Use the following 
  powers to simulate the abilities of a phi phu:
  Cost Power
  50 
  Power Of The Phi Phu:  50 points’ worth of 
  Magic Skills and spells
  30 
  Phi Phu:  Multiform (assume up to a 225-
  point animal form); Costs Endurance (to 
  change form; -½)
  var 
  Physical Double:  Duplication (creates exact 
  duplicate of base character with all the same 
  
  105 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  powers and abilities, plus the next power)
  30 
  Send Double Vast Distances:  Teleport 10”, 
  MegaScale (1” = 1 km; +¼), Safe Blind Tele-
  port (+¼)
  Total cost:  +110+ points.
  Tiang Maleh Rupa
  In Indonesia some people use a spell known 
  as tiang maleh rupa to turn themselves into croco-
  diles. The were-crocodile lurks near the shores of 
  lakes and rivers, preying on other villagers and 
  passersby. Use the following to create someone with 
  the tiang maleh rupa power:
  Cost Power
  20 
  Tiang Maleh Rupa:  Multiform (assume 150-
  point crocodile form); Costs Endurance (to 
  change form; -½)
  Total cost:  +20 points.
  Were-dogs Of Timor
  On the island of Timor certain people 
  are were-dogs. While the person is asleep, his 
  physical body remains as-is while his spirit goes 
  abroad in the form of a dog. The dog-spirit has 
  the ability to steal the soul (sumangat) of a sleep-
  ing man and change it into a buffalo or goat with 
  a human head. The were-dog then cuts off the 
  human head and gives the rest of the body to 
  his (the were-dog’s) family. After they cook and 
  eat the flesh of the animal body, the man whose 
  soul was taken dies. Use the following powers to 
  create a Were-dog Of Timor:
  Cost Power
  11 
  Were-Dog:  Duplication (creates 107-point 
  wolf form), Altered Duplicate (100%; +1); 
  Costs Endurance (-½), Feedback (-1), Only 
  At Night (-½), Original Character Is Inca-
  pacitated (asleep) While Duplicate Exists (-1)
  84 
  Sumangat Stealing:  RKA 6d6, NND (defense 
  is various forms of mystic charms versus 
  black magic, the “evil eye,” and the like; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Time Delay (takes eﬀect 
  when the soul is cooked and eaten; +¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra 
  Time (it takes 20 Minutes to steal the soul, 
  transform it into an animal, and butcher it; 
  -2¼), No Range (-½), Only Versus Sleeping 
  Targets (-½)
  Total cost:  +95 points.
  SUNDAL BOLONG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   15 DEX 
  15 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   13 CON 
  6 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   30 COM 
  10 
  15-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  4 PD (4 rPD)
   4 ED 
  1 
   
  Total:  4 ED (4 rED)
   3 SPD 
  5 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   26 END 
  0
   21 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  57
    
   
   
  (+5 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR) 
  1
  33 
  Drink Blood:  RKA 1d6, NND (defense is  
  not having blood or protective skin or  
  equipment too thick to bite through; +1), 
  Does BODY (+1), Continuous (+1),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); No  
  Range (-½), Bite Must Do BODY First (-½) 0
  4 
  Undead Vitality:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Diminished Eating; including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  5 
  +1 with Shadowing, Stealth, Tracking
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  5 
  Seduction 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 11-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  2 
  Survival (Tropical Forests) 11-
  3 
  Tracking 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  123
  Total Cost:  180
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Ravishing Beauty 
  (Concealable With Diﬃculty; Causes Major 
  Reaction [lust])
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Men 
  (Common, Strong)
  75 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  180
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  106 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  5 
  Terrifying Appearance:  PRE +10; Only For 
  Fear-Based Presence Attacks (-1)
  12 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  39 
  Curse Of Wasting:  Drain STR and CON 3d6, 
  two Characteristics simultaneously (+½), 
  Delayed Recovery Rate (points return at the 
  rate of 5 per Year; +2½), Limited Range (5”; 
  +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Gradual 
  Eﬀect (3 Days, 1d6/Day; -1¾)
  Ecology:  The sundal bolong (literally, “hollowed 
  bitch” or “prostitute with a hole in her”) is a form 
  of Javanese vampire. She’s created when a woman 
  commits suicide after being raped. Rising from 
  the dead, the sundal bolong preys on young men, 
  luring them into the forest where she drinks their 
  blood and/or castrates them.
  Personality/Motivation:  The sundal bolong is pri-
  marily driven by a desire to drink the blood of men 
  in an eﬀort to get revenge for being raped. A few 
  sundal bolong revel in causing pain and suﬀering, 
  so they torture their victims before killing them
  Powers/Tactics:  A sundal bolong lurks near the 
  edge of the forest trying to catch the eye of any 
  young man who passes. She lures her victim deeper 
  into the woods, promising him sexual favors or just 
  a better glimpse of her nude body. Once she has the 
  man in her embrace she turns on him, drinking his 
  blood until he dies. Some men she simply frightens 
  into running away, and some she castrates instead 
  of killing. A particularly cruel sundal bolong may 
  inﬂict a terrible wasting disease on strong warriors 
  to weaken them, or slash her victim with her claws, 
  and leave them stranded alone in the jungle.
  Campaign Use:  The sundal bolong closely resem-
  bles the pontianak (see AB2). Both are women of 
  unearthly beauty who prey on men, and both have 
  a hole in their bodies (the pontianak’s hole is in the 
  back of her neck, while the sundal bolong’s is in her 
  back). But unlike the pontianak, a sundal bolong 
  cannot be cured of her condition. You can use the 
  sundal bolong as a form of vampire, or possibly 
  as the basis for an extended adventure in which 
  the PCs look for the man (or men) responsible for 
  raping her in the ﬁrst place.
  Appearance:  A sundal bolong looks like a woman 
  of incredible beauty... with a hideous hole in her 
  back. She may dress all in white, or go about com-
  pletely nude, but in either case her black hair falls 
  well past her waist, hiding the hole in her back.
  Additional Creatures Of 
  Indonesian Folklore 
  And Mythology
  Other creatures your PCs may encounter in 
  Indonesia include:
  Anantaboga
  Ananataboga is a dragon from Java. He’s the 
  king of the dragons and has a wife named Dewi 
  Nagagini. He seems to be the same being as Shesha, 
  found on page 83.
  Bujangga
  Bujangga is a huge winged dragon who dwells 
  deep in the forests. He’s very wise and knows a 
  great deal about the natural world. He also can 
  speak with any animal in the forests and serves as a 
  protector of woods and their inhabitants.
  Indonesian Demons
  Indonesian demons come in a wide variety of 
  shapes. They may appear as crocodiles, dragons, dogs, 
  owls, pigs, snakes, hair-covered men, or even severed 
  limbs. Snake-demons are especially feared, since 
  the sight of one may make a woman barren, while 
  a demonic python can cause painful cramps unless 
  oﬀered the head of a pig to devour. The jurik is a ﬂying 
  snake-demon seen as a ﬁery track in the night sky 
  over the island of Sunda. Sea snakes can be demons 
  as well, along with sea cows (dugongs) and sharks. 
  The jata are a form of sea demon known to the Dyak 
  headhunters of Borneo; they spread cholera and other 
  diseases and are served by crocodiles.
  Some demons are humanoid in appearance, 
  such as the little men of central Borneo. These 
  demons are noted for their oversized genitalia and 
  their power to turn invisible (leaving only their 
  genitalia showing). The demons of Kiser Island 
  look like half a person, having just one leg, arm, eye, 
  and ear. Hantu are either male or female and dress 
  
  107 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  in either red of white clothing. They dwell in the 
  mountains of Sumatra, where they use their super-
  natural strength to kidnap young men and woman, 
  taking them back to their lairs to keep as sex slaves. 
  Other hantu kidnap people and hold them for 
  ransom, maiming them if not paid in rich oﬀerings. 
  Another mountain dweller are the omang, gnome-
  like beings whose feet point backwards.
  You have a lot of leeway in creating an Indo-
  nesian demon. The easiest way to build one is to 
  add Templates like Ferocious, Infernal, and Smart 
  to an animal of your choice from The HERO System 
  Bestiary. Optional Templates include Aquatic, Battle-
  Trained, Diseased, Venom, and Winged. Humanoid 
  demons, such as the hantu, can be built using the 
  Lesser Demon or Succubus character sheet as a basic 
  template. Various humanoid beings in this book can 
  also be pressed into service as Indonesian demons, 
  especially the bonga, gandharva, and the nat.
  Jin
  The Jin are supernatural beings of Islamic origin. 
  They can be found in the earth, the water, and the sky, 
  and were originally created from the winds. They may 
  appear as humans (often of giant size) or monstrous 
  animals. Their magical powers are vast and include 
  great strength, ﬂight, invisibility, and the power to 
  cross vast distances quickly. In Indonesia, people “hire” 
  the services of a Jin, asking for the being’s protection 
  for a time. Use the Djinn or the Ifrit character sheets 
  found in Monsters, Minions, And Marauders to create 
  an Indonesian Jin. For the Jin of Malaysia, see AB2.
  Kuntilanak
  This is the ghost of a woman who died during 
  childbirth. She wanders about a night, looking 
  for her “lost child”... meaning any young men she 
  encounters. See the the Langsuir in AB2 for more.
  Kyai Belorong
  Also known as Kyai Blorong, Kyai Belorong is 
  a servant of the goddess of the sea according to the 
  people of East Java. He’s a humanoid ﬁgure with a 
  thousand arms and legs, a ﬁsh’s tail, and a covering 
  of golden scales. He’s served by mermaids in his 
  palace on the ocean ﬂoor. The roof of the palace is 
  made from the skeletons of the drowned, while the 
  support pillars are made of men who suﬀered from 
  excessive greed in life. Kyai Belorong has a limitless 
  supply of gold in his palace and will give a man as 
  much as he can carry, but that man dies in seven 
  years (possibly to become a new support pillar). 
  Deep in the forest is Kyai Belorong’s other palace, 
  where he makes gold from stones cast in a bonﬁre.
  Leyak
  Native to the island of Bali, a leyak is a shape-
  shifting sorcerer who can assume a vampiric form. 
  The leyak appears while the sorcerer sleeps; it looks 
  like a bird, a strange light, or a monkey. It destroys 
  crops, kills people, and generally causes chaos and 
  destruction. Some leyaks can take their shapeshift-
  ing powers to incredible extremes, assuming the 
  forms of diﬀerent animals, people, or even plants 
  (such as trees). True masters may be able to take the 
  shape of such modern devices as airplanes, build-
  ings, and computers. (A leyak may also wander the 
  night in human form to collect the entrails of the 
  dead to create a potion allowing him to assume a 
  tiger’s form.) Killing the leyak instantly kills the 
  sorcerer as well.
  The leyak isn’t so much a creature as a ritual. 
  In most cases it seems to be a form of Duplication, 
  similar to the power of the Macan Gadungan found 
  on page 83. Taking the form of a tiger may be either 
  Duplication (in which case the leyak is the same 
  as the Macan Gadungan), or Multiform, in which 
  case the leyak is more like a traditional lycanthrope. 
  Taking other shapes may require lots of Multiforms 
  or Shape Shift plus various other powers; see The 
  Ultimate Metamorph for suggestions about and 
  discussions of this sort of power.
  Naga Pahoda
  Naga Pahoda is the evil king of all serpents. He’s 
  of vast size and lives at the bottom of the ocean, which 
  is his domain. His writhing about in eﬀort to catch 
  and kill the daughter of the god Batara Guru created 
  the islands of Indonesia. Use the suggestions for cre-
  ating the serpent Shesha on page 83 to create Naga 
  Pahoda, or a creature like him.
  Nagasjatingarong
  A vampiric creature found on the island of 
  Sumatra. They drink blood and possess the living to 
  get at their human prey. This makes them similar in 
  some respects to Bhuta and Kitsune, both of which 
  can be used to create a nagasjatingarong, or you can 
  simply use the Vampire character sheet found in  
  The HERO System Bestiary.
  Pocong
  A white-hooded ghost normally found hop-
  ping about graveyards and other lonely places. 
  Create a pocong with the Ghost character sheet 
  found in The HERO System Bestiary.
  PONTIANAK
  This is the ghost of a woman who died during 
  or right after giving birth. They go about in the 
  night looking for pregnant woman. If she ﬁnds one, 
  she kills her and her unborn child with her long 
  sharp talons. See the Langsuir in AB2 for additional 
  information.
  TANGGAL
  A tanggal is an Indonesian witch. At night she 
  separates her head and internal organs from the 
  rest of her body and takes to the air, ﬂying either 
  with her large ears or her lungs, searching for 
  humans to prey on. See the Penanggalan in AB2 for 
  more information.
  Tuyul
  A tuyul is the ghost of an infant boy. It can ﬂy 
  and turn invisible and is often enslaved by Indone-
  sian sorcerers and used to steal money and other 
  goods from local villagers. The tuyul seems to be a 
  close relative of the Malaysian toyol in AB2.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  108 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  MONGOLIA
  M
  ongolia lies between China and Russia 
  and includes the famous Gobi Desert. 
  It was ﬁrst inhabited over 100,000 years 
  ago by Stone Age peoples. Bronze tools 
  and weapons appeared around 1000 BC, while 
  iron arrived around 300 BC. By this point, the 
  Mongolians were suﬃciently organized to form 
  large enough armies to attack China, leading to the 
  construction of the ﬁrst Great Wall of China. For 
  over the next thousand years, the Chinese fought 
  with various peoples in and around Mongolia; such 
  as the Tangut, the Tatars, the Türk, and ﬁnally, the 
  Mongols themselves.
  The year 1206 saw the birth of what would 
  eventually become the largest contiguous land 
  empire the world has ever seen — the Mongol 
  Empire founded by Genghis Khan (Temujin). It 
  covered most of Asia, stretching from the Paciﬁc 
  Ocean into Eastern Europe. The northern border 
  stopped somewhere in Siberia, the southern along 
  the Himalayas, reaching in places down into Cam-
  bodia and Vietnam. After the death of Genghis, this 
  empire slowly broke apart... but its impact on Asia 
  was enormous and long-lasting.
  RELIGION
  The religion of early Mongolia resembled ani-
  mism, in which supernatural spirits inhabited many 
  places, objects, plants, and animals. Shamans (“he 
  who knows”), priest-like ﬁgures who dealt directly 
  with the spirit world and were said to possess many 
  magical powers, communicated with (and some-
  times commanded) these spirits. Around 1100 AD 
  Mongolia’s shamanistic beliefs were absorbed and 
  replaced by Tibetan Buddhism (see AB2).
  MANGAI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   8 EGO 
  -4 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  9-
   11 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  11 PD (2 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  8 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  97
    
   
   
  (+24 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  17 
  Long Arms:  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex;  
  +½) for up to 35 STR 
  2
  12 
  Razor-Sharp Claws:  HKA 1d6 (2d6  
  with STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼) 
  1
  15 
  Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR) 
  1
  15 
  Feels No Pain:  Physical Damage  
  Reduction, 25%, Resistant 
  0
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -1” 
  0
  5 
  Mangai Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Mangai Senses:  +1 PER with all Sense 
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  2 
  Survival (Mountains) 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  86
  Total Cost:  183
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Sized
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Gullible 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  dimwitted 11-
  83 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  183
  POWERS OF THE SHAMAN
  The powers of a shaman depend on the culture from 
  which he comes. A short list of possible powers and 
  their HERO System equivalents include:  controlling the 
  weather (Change Environment); divination (Precogni-
  tive Clairsentience); dream interpretation (a Knowl-
  edge Skill); astral projection (see The Ultimate Mystic); 
  and travel to the upper and lower planes (Extra-
  Dimensional Movement). Shamans were also healers 
  and protectors, and should have knowledge of plant-
  based medicines and poisons. Other shamans may be 
  able to call upon animals for power, either by commu-
  nicating with them or in some cases transforming into 
  speciﬁc animals. (See The Fantasy Hero Grimoire II for 
  Fantasy versions of these abilities.)
  
  109 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  Ecology:  Mangai are ogres. 
  Normally they dwell up in 
  the hills and mountains, but 
  some have been known to 
  come down into the grass-
  lands and steppes. Their 
  dwellings range from a den 
  of fallen trees, to caves, to 
  ruined human buildings. 
  Normally solitary, mangai 
  rarely form anything larger 
  than a simply family group. 
  They can eat just about any-
  thing, but have a marked 
  preference for meat — espe-
  cially the flesh of humans 
  (the younger the better!).
  Personality/Motivation:  
  Normal sentient humanoid 
  motivations. Mangai have 
  some measure of cunning, 
  and occasionally attempt to 
  use guile and deception to 
  gain an easy meal. On the 
  other hand, they’re known 
  to be slow-witted and easy 
  to trick.
  Powers/Tactics:  Mangai use 
  the full range of tactics avail-
  able to sentient humanoids. 
  They’re so strong they don’t 
  bother with weapons, and 
  mangai in hot pursuit of a 
  meal have been known to smash aside small trees 
  with a single sweep of their arms. If that’s not bad 
  enough, their claws are exceedingly sharp, and their 
  fangs long and numerous.
  Campaign Use:  This character sheet represents a 
  typical competent mangai the PCs might encoun-
  ter in a situation where you need a character sheet 
  (i.e., combat and the like). He ha no weapons skills, 
  although you can easily add some. You can custom-
  ize this character sheet by applying one of the tem-
  plates found on pages 116-118 of Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders, such as Chieftain or Fighter. 
  Lesser mangai — the young, some females, the 
  elderly — would have slightly lower Characteristics 
  and diﬀerent Skills.
  Appearance:  Mangai are roughly six to eight foot 
  tall humanoids with darkish skin and thick black 
  hair. Their heavy jaws are ﬁlled with sharp teeth, 
  while razor-sharp claws adorn the ﬁngers at the 
  end of their knee-length arms. By all accounts, the 
  mangai are as ugly as they are stupid.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  110 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  OLGOL-KHORKHOL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   -10 STR 
  -20 
  7- 
  Lift 6.4 kg; 0d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   8 CON 
  -4 
  11-
   5 BODY -10 
  10-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   2 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  2 PD (1 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (1 rED)
   3 SPD 
  6 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  4
   16 END 
  0
   20 STUN 11 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  -8
  Movement: 
  Running:  2”/4”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
   
  Tunneling:  1”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (1 point with STR) 
  1
  153 
  Venom Spray:  RKA 6d6, NND (defense  
  is Life Support [appropriate Immunity]  
  or fully-sealed protective clothing [i.e., 
  having at least 1 rPD covering all of one’s 
  skin]; +1), Does BODY (+1), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼); RKA Must Hit Exposed 
  Skin (-0), Extra Time (onset time begins  
  one Segment after victim is sprayed; -½), 
  Limited Range (2”; -¼), 4 Charges (-1)  
  plus Drain CON 5d6, Delayed Return  
  Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per  
  Hour; +1), NND (defense is Life Support 
  [appropriate Immunity] or fully-sealed  
  protective clothing [i.e., having at least  
  1 rPD covering all of one’s skin]; +1),  
  Limited Range (2”; +¼), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼); Extra Time (onset time 
  begins one Segment after victim is  
  sprayed; -½), Gradual Eﬀect (5  
  Segments; 1d6/1 Segment; -¼), Linked  
  (to RKA; -½), Spray Must Do BODY  
  (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  1 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (1 PD/1 ED) 
  0
  2 
  Slow Metabolism:  Life Support  
  (Diminished Eating:  only needs to eat  
  once every few months) 
  0
  -8 
  Sluggish:  Running -4” (2” total)
  -2 
  Desert Dweller:  Swimming -2” (0” total)
  2 
  Burrowing:  Tunneling 1” though 1 DEF 
  material; Sand Only (-1) 
  1
  6 
  Sensitive Tongue:  +3 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group 
  0
   
  Skills
  15 
  Hard To Hit:  +3 DCV
  6 
  Concealment 14-; Self Only (-½)
  7 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  187
  Total Cost:  179
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Small (maximum 
  length of 1 m; +3” KB) (Infrequently; Slightly 
  Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Reputation:  killer of men, horses, and camels 
  11- (Extreme)
  39 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  179
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  45 
  Electrical Discharge:  RKA 6d6, Personal 
  Immunity (+¼); Limited Range (2”; -¼), No 
  Knockback (-¼), 4 Charges (-1)  
  
  111 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  Ecology:  The olgol-khorkhol (“intestine worm”) is 
  a sand-dwelling reptile found in the Gobi Desert. 
  Although it normally preys upon insects, small 
  reptiles, and small mammals, the “Mongolian death 
  worm” is feared for its ability to kill virtually any-
  thing that comes within range of its instantly lethal 
  poison spray.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  The olgol-khorkhol is fairly aggressive for such a 
  small animal.
  Powers/Tactics:  An olgol-khorkhol tends to lay 
  motionless as it waits for its prey, then subdues it 
  with a spray of super-lethal venom. It also sprays 
  venom at anything that disturbs it.
  Campaign Use:  The mysterious and bizarre olgol-
  khorkhol may actually be a real animal. If so, it’s 
  probably a relative of either the amphisbaenians 
  (legless burrowing reptiles) or a form of venomous 
  snake (such as the death adder or ringhals, both 
  of which spit venom). Regardless of what it is, the 
  people of Mongolia are deathly afraid of it, to the 
  point of virtually refusing to discuss it or its habits.
  If you want to make the olgol-khorkhol a 
  more fantastical creature, remove its Can Kill From 
  A Distance power and instead give it the Electrical 
  Discharge ability. Although this would certainly 
  push the creature from the realm of reality and into 
  myth, it does ﬁt certain descriptions of what the 
  animal is said to be able to do.
  Appearance:  The olgol-khorkhol is a worm-like 
  reptile that grows to a maximum length of about 
  three feet. It has a thick, dark red body and appears 
  to be headless.
  ORGOLI
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   70 STR 
  60 
  23- 
  Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [7]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   22 BODY 24 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  3
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   14 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  14 PD (4 rPD)
   14 ED 
  8 
   
  Total:  14 ED (4 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   20 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   72 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  176
    
   
   
  (+130 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  30”/60”
   
  Leaping:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Antlers:  HKA 2d6, Armor Piercing  
  (+½); No STR Bonus (-½) 
  4
  30 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR) 
  3
  4 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (4 PD/4 ED) 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  48 
  Swift:  Running +24” (30” total) 
  6
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  155
  Total Cost:  331
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (32m; -8 DCV, 
  +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap; can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Limiting)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Voracious Hunger 
  (Common, Strong)
  191 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  331
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  112 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Ecology:  Orgoli is a gigantic deer, the so-called 
  “master animal of the forest.” He eats just about 
  everything, be it animal, human, or plant; he’s 
  known to devour entire trees, down to the roots, 
  in a single sitting. At one point, he’s said to have 
  devoured 40 different people and 60 different 
  animals.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal motivations. 
  Orgoli seems to have an insatiable appetite, and 
  greedily devours anything that comes near.
  Powers/Tactics:  Due to his great size, Orgoli isn’t 
  much for tactics or subtlety. He chases down his 
  prey and devours it, often in a single bite (Orgoli 
  does Weak swallowing Damage). Very large targets 
  may get a head butt or two with his antlers (the 
  better to weaken them) before being ﬁnished oﬀ 
  with his teeth.
  Campaign Use:  A huge and terrifying deer, Orgoli 
  was killed by the Buryat Mongolian culture hero 
  Geser. After jamming his spear in Orgoli’s mouth, 
  Geser used his sword to cut Orgoli’s head oﬀ from 
  the inside, releasing a great number of people and 
  horses. In your campaign, Orgoli can be the goal 
  of an epic quest in which the PCs have to gather 
  several objects of power together so they can defeat 
  the monster deer. Or to really give your heroes a 
  hard time, you can make Orgoli an entire species 
  rather than a singular creature....
  Appearance:  Orgoli is an omnivorous deer large 
  enough to swallow an entire horse in a single bite. 
  His antlers and pointed teeth are quite sharp.
  
  113 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  THAILAND
  T
  hailand lies between Burma, Laos, and Cam-
  bodia, and is the only southeast Asian nation 
  never colonized by the West. Its history tra-
  ditionally dates to 1238 AD with the found-
  ing of the kingdom of Sukhothai. Sukhothai was 
  eventually absorbed by the kingdom of Ayutthaya 
  (founded 1350), which expanded over the next 
  400 years to form the kingdom of Siam, which had 
  nearly the same borders as modern Thailand.
  RELIGION
  One of the most important contributions of 
  the kingdom of Ayutthaya to Thailand culture 
  was the introduction of Theravada Buddhism as 
  the state religion — done to separate itself from 
  the neighboring Hindu kingdom of Angkor. 
  Despite this, Thailand shows a strong Hindu 
  influence; the national symbol of Thailand is the 
  Garuda, mount of Vishnu. In addition, one can 
  find many examples of gandharvas, makaras, and 
  nagas in Thai art and folklore. A small number of 
  Muslims live in Thailand, and many people still 
  practice various forms of animism.
  CON TRAM NU’ O’ C
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  12- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   22 BODY 24 
  13-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   7 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  7 PD (2 rPD)
   5 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  5 ED (2 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   52 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  98
    
   
   
  (+25 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Leaping:  4”/8”
   
  Swimming:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Horns:  1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  3 
  Horns:  Armor (4 PD/4 ED); Only  
  Protects Location 3 (-3) 
  0
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  10 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -5” 
  0
  33 
  Can Walk Across Any Surface:  Flight  
  20”, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Only Along Reasonably Horizontal  
  Surfaces (-½) 
  2
  14 
  Charge:  Flight +20”; Increased  
  Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), No  
  Noncombat Movement (-¼), Only Along  
  Reasonably Horizontal Surfaces (-½) 
  12
  -12 
  Doesn’t Need To Touch The Ground:   
  Running -6”
  -2 
  Doesn’t Need To Get Wet:  Swimming -2”
  3 
  Heightened Senses:  +1 PER with all  
  Sense Groups 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
   
  Skills
  6 
  Charge:  +3 OCV with Move Through
  9 
  AK: The Surrounding Countryside 18-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  94
  Total Cost:  192
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  114 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (4m; -2 DCV, 
  +2 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can 
  only leap half as far as STR indicates (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  77 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  192
  Ecology:  The con tram nu’ o’ c is a magical water 
  buﬀalo capable of crossing any form of terrain 
  quickly and easily. It apparently always knows the 
  easiest direction to take to get where it’s going. A 
  solitary creature, it dwells in the forests and jungle, 
  feeds on vegetation, and is rarely seen.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Normally a peaceful animal, the 
  con tram nu’ o’ c, like all buﬀalo, can be aggressive 
  if provoked. If suﬃciently aroused, it charges an 
  enemy, seeking to impale him on its horns (a Move 
  Through). It may also trample a fallen foe (deﬁned 
  as a STR Strike on a prone opponent).
  Campaign Use:  Supernatural cattle have been the 
  object of many quests in world mythology. You can 
  use the con tram nu’ o’ c to set up a similar adven-
  ture — the heroes have to capture one, rescue one 
  from its “kidnapper,” or recover one of the magic 
  buﬀalo’s hairs. Finding the con tram nu’ o’ c is only 
  be the start of the PCs’ worries, since there’s also 
  the terrain, hostile animals, monsters, rivals, and 
  natives to think about! 
  Appearance:  The con tram nu’ o’ c looks like an aver-
  age Asian water buﬀalo. Its magical nature is only 
  apparent when it uses its powers to walk eﬀortlessly 
  across marshy ground, water, or swamps.
  CREATURES OF THE  
  HIMMAPAN FOREST
  The forest of Himmapan is located somewhere 
  in the Himalayas (“abode of snow”) between Chom-
  putaweep (India) and Nepal. The mountain range 
  has 84,000 peaks covering over 30,000 square miles. 
  Within it are seven large lakes; one, Anodard, is sur-
  rounded by ﬁve mountains, and legends claim each of 
  them is 2,000 miles high. Himmapan Forest is located 
  directly beneath the Buddhist heaven and is home 
  to numerous strange and magical beings, many of 
  which have semi-divine origins. The heavenly nature 
  of the forest renders it invisible to mortal men, who 
  are unable to enter or even approach the Himmapan 
  without magical or divine assistance.
  Ecology:  The creatures dwelling in the Himma-
  pan Forest are a variety of chimerical animals and 
  satyr-like human-animal hybrids. Some are ground 
  dwellers, others live in the water, and some can ﬂy 
  and spend much of their time in the air. In addi-
  tion, the animals are a mixture of carnivores and 
  herbivores, with the former preying on the latter 
  (along with more mundane birds, deer, ﬁsh, rabbits, 
  squirrels, and the occasional human). For the most 
  part, the inhabitants of the Himmapan seem con-
  tent to remain within the boundaries of the forest, 
  although brave or curious individuals may venture 
  into the outside world from time to time.
  Personality/Motivation:  Normal animal or sentient 
  humanoid motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  Himmapan’s animals use tactics 
  and abilities appropriate for their body shape, size, 
  and general demeanor. Herbivores usually ﬂee 
  from danger, although large and powerful speci-
  mens stand and ﬁght. Carnivores tend either to be 
  ambush predators or sneaky predators.
  Campaign Use:  If a group of PCs venture into the 
  Himmapan Forest, the forest inhabitants can range 
  from dangerous threats to mystical allies/patrons. 
  In fact, having the PCs journey to the forest, ﬁnd 
  it, and locate a speciﬁc inhabitant could be an 
  entire story arc in of itself! (This works well if you 
  make the target of the quest a white elephant, see 
  page 117.) To further customize each creature, you 
  might want to apply some of the Creature Tem-
  plates found on pages 12-30 of The HERO System 
  Bestiary. Suggested Templates include:  Divine, 
  Ferocious, Infernal, and Smart (Cunning). You can 
  also give select individuals 25-75 points of magical 
  Talents, spells, and other powers.
  Appearance:  See each individual entry for a 
  description of the creature in question.
  To make it easier to ﬁnd a desired creature, the 
  various inhabitants of the Himmapan have been 
  sorted into categories based on commonly shared 
  characteristics.
  BIRDS
  Birds are probably the most common of all 
  the Himmapan’s inhabitants. There are dozens of 
  diﬀerent species to be found in the forest, many of 
  POWER OF A 
  SINGLE HAIR
  Anyone lucky enough 
  to come across even a 
  single hair of a con tram 
  nu’ o’ c gains the ability 
  to cross wet ground or 
  any body of water and 
  not get wet. Characters 
  who possess one of 
  these hairs can purchase 
  this power:
  Hair Of The Con tram nu’ 
  o’ c:  Flight 6” (or Flight 
  equal to the character’s 
  Running) (12 Active 
  Points); Only In Contact 
  With Marsh, Swamp, Or 
  The Surface Of Open 
  Water (-1). Total cost:  6 
  points.
  
  115 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  which have fairly unusual body forms, often of a 
  hybrid nature. Regardless of form, all birds swear 
  allegiance to Garuda, the king of birds.
  Kocha Puksa
  The Kocha Puksa is a strange mixture of 
  human, bird, and elephant. It has the torso and 
  arms of a man, the legs, wings, and tail of a hongsa 
  (the “heavenly swan,” see page 24), and the head of 
  an elephant. White in color, they seem to be a rela-
  tive of sorts of Garuda, and like the king of birds 
  have no love for nagas or other snakes. To create a 
  Kocha Puksa, make the following changes to the 
  Bird-Man character sheet found on page 191 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Limited 
  Manipulation
  -5 
  Remove Beak
  5 
  +5 STR
  4 
  +2 CON
  2 
  +1 BODY
  3 
  +3 PRE
  10 
  Tusks:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  2 
  Elephant’s Nose:  +1 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  5 
  +1 HTH
  Total cost:  +32 points
  Mayura Khon Tun
  A Mayura Khon Tun combines the physical 
  features of a peacock and a Khon Tun (see below). 
  An almost identical bird creature is the Mayura 
  Wane Tai. Both have the arms and torso of a 
  human plus the head, legs, and tail of a peacock. 
  The major diﬀerence is that the Mayura Khon Tun 
  has four arms instead of the Mayura Wane Tai’s 
  two. To create either creature, make the following 
  changes to the Bird-Man character sheet found on 
  page 191 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Limited 
  Manipulation
  -19 
  Remove Wings and +1 with Flight
  Total cost:  -19 points
  OPTIONS
  Cost Option
  6 
  Mayura Khon Tun:  Extra Limbs (two more 
  arms), Inherent (+¼)
  9 
  Mayura Khon Tun:  Talent:  Ambidexterity 
  (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  Mungkorn Sagunee
  The Mungkorn Sagunee has the head of a 
  dragon and the body of a large bird. It’s a solitary 
  predator that eats a wide variety of small animals, 
  including other birds. A similar creature is the Nak 
  Puksin, a red bird with the head of a naga (see page 
  83) and the body of a hongsa. To create either a 
  Mungkorn Sagunee or a Nak Puksin, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Bird-Man character sheet 
  found on page 191 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  +20 Head Of A Dragon:  Increase Beak to HKA 
  1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  +3 
  Wings:  Increase Wings to Flight 12”
  +2 
  Sharp Senses:  Increase Bird’s Eyes to include 
  all Sense Groups
  10 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception and 
  Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking with  
  Normal Smell
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +50 points
  Nok Hussadee
  This bird is said to be the size of a house (or 
  even larger). Enormously powerful, it has the head 
  of an elephant and can be quite aggressive if dis-
  turbed. To create a Nok Hussadee, make the follow-
  ing changes to the Bannog character sheet found 
  in AB2:
  Cost Powers
  -25 
  Remove Beak
  -21 
  Remove Sharp Eyed
   
  Reduce Physical Limitation:  Very Limited 
  Manipulation to Limited Manipulation
  10 
  +10 STR
  2 
  +2 PRE
  15 
  Bite:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  12 
  Tusks:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  6 
  Sharp Senses: +2 PER with all Sense Groups
  2 
  Elephant’s Nose:  +1 PER with Smell/Taste 
  Group
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  Total cost:  +7 points
  Nok Insee
  The Nok Insee is a type of eagle with a light 
  green body, brown wings, and an elaborately tufted 
  tail similar to a lion’s. To represent it, use the Eagle/
  Hawk character sheet found on page 136 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary.
  Payak Wane Tai
  This creature, and the very similar Suea Peek, 
  has the head of a tiger, a humanoid torso and arms, 
  and the wings, legs, and tail of a bird. In the case of 
  the Payak Wane Tai, it has a hongsa’s tail, while a 
  Suea Peek has a peacock’s tail. In addition, a Payak 
  Wane Tai’s wings are near the waist, while the Suea 
  Peek’s wings are at the shoulders. To create either a 
  Payak Wane Ti or a Suea Peek, make the following 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  116 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  changes to the Bird-Man character sheet found on 
  page 191 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Physical Limitation:  Limited 
  Manipulation
  -6 
  Remove Bird’s Eyes
  5 
  +5 STR
  +20 Tiger’s Jaws:  Increase Beak to HKA 1½d6 
  (2½d6 with STR)
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼)
  9 
  Tiger’s Sense’s:  +3 PER with all Sense Groups
  5 
  Tiger’s Eye’s:  Nightvision
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +52 points
  Sagoon Hayra
  This large predatory bird has the antlered head 
  of a naga and the body of a bird covered in scales. 
  It’s fearless and aggressive. To create a Sagoon 
  Hayra, make the following changes to the Bird-Man 
  character sheet found on page 191 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -6 
  Remove Bird’s Eyes
  5 
  +5 STR
  +15 Bite:  Increase Beak to HKA 1d6+1  
  (2d6+1 with STR)
  10 
  Antlers:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  5 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance (5 PD/5 ED)
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +39 points
  CANINES
  The only canine common to the Himmapan 
  is the Khi Mee. The size of a large dog, Khi Mee 
  have a yellow coat of fur with a thick ruﬀ or collar 
  around the neck and a bushy tail. They tend to hunt 
  in packs, and prey on mice, rabbits, squirrels, and 
  the like. To create a Khi Mee, make the following 
  changes to the Guard/Combat Dog character sheet 
  found on page 161 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (½d6 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  Total cost:  +8 points
  CATTLE
  Cattle aren’t common in the Himmapan 
  Forest, but there is one species:  the Mungkorn 
  Vihok. This rather bizarre animal has the head 
  of a dragon, a buffalo’s body, and clawed feet. Its 
  body is dark purple in color, with a bird’s wings 
  and a bird-like tail. Omnivorous in nature, it 
  tends to hunt near water. To create a Mungkorn 
  Vihok, make the following changes to the Buf-
  falo/Cattle character sheet found on page 141 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  15 
  +5 DEX
  5 
  +5 PRE
  5 
  +1 SPD
  20 
  Dragon’s Bite:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  12 
  Clawed Feet:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  16 
  Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½)
  Total cost:  +73 points
  CRAB
  Deep within the Himmapan Forest is Nong 
  Pu (Crab Pond), which is home to a crab so gar-
  gantuan it can attack and kill the elephants that 
  come to the pond to drink and bathe. To create a 
  crab such as this, apply the Enormous Size/Weight 
  Template and Physical Limitation from pages 574-
  75 of The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised to the 
  Giant Crab character sheet found on page 46 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary (costs 93 points).
  CROCODILES
  Thai crocodiles are reputed to have many 
  mystical powers, the most common of which is the 
  ability to assume the shape of a human being. To 
  create a Thai crocodile, add the following abilities 
  to the Crocodile/Alligator character sheet found on 
  page 149 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  5 
  +5 INT
  16 
  +10 EGO
  13 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform (assume 
  100-point human form); Costs Endurance 
  (to change forms only; -½)
  Total cost:  +34 points
  Hayra
  Hayra (also known as the Hayra Pod or Hera) 
  are serpentine-bodied creatures superﬁcially simi-
  lar to the Chinese kioh-lung. They’re thought to be 
  relatives of the nagas, and might even be the result 
  of dragon mating with a naga. Much like both 
  dragons and nagas, Hayra are aquatic in nature 
  and tend to dwell in rivers where they prey on ﬁsh, 
  crocodiles, and cattle who came to the water’s edge 
  to drink. To create a Hayra, make the following 
  changes to the Giant Lizard character sheet found 
  on page 95 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  8 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +8”
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  1 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ment:  High Pressure)
  Total cost:  +14 points
  
  117 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  ELEPHANTS
  Elephants are an integral part of Thai mythol-
  ogy and history, at one time appearing on both Thai 
  currency and the national ﬂag. Naturally, elephants 
  are to be found in the Himmapan Forest as well, 
  serving as the mounts of gods as well as symbols of 
  Buddha and sacred purity.
  Karin Puksa
  A Karin Puksa is a black-bodied elephant 
  with brilliant red wings and a bird-like tail. Aside 
  from its ability to ﬂy, it behaves much like a normal 
  elephant. To create a Karin Puksa, add the following 
  powers to the Elephant character sheet found on 
  page 164 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  20 
  Wings:  Flight 15”; Restrainable (-½)
  7 
  Reach:  Stretching 2”, Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); Always Direct (-¼), No Non-
  combat Stretching (-¼), No Velocity Damage 
  (-¼), Limited Body Parts (wings; -¼)
  Total cost:  +27 points
  Waree Kunchorn
  An aquatic elephant, the Waree Kunchorn 
  is easily confused with the Kunchorn Waree. The 
  Kunchorn Waree is a form of makara (see page 80) 
  with an elephant’s head and forelimbs and a ﬁsh’s 
  tail. The Waree Kunchorn is an elephant with ﬁns 
  on its back and legs with a ﬁsh-like frill for a tail. To 
  create a Waree Kunchorn, add the following powers 
  to the Elephant character sheet found on page 164 
  of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  8 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +8”
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  1 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ment:  High Pressure)
  Total cost:  +14 points
  White Elephant
  A pure white elephant is considered sacred, a 
  symbol of fertility, knowledge, and purity. Known 
  as the King of the Forest and the mount for various 
  war gods, white elephants are valued as a sign of a 
  prosperous kingdom, and are eagerly sought after 
  by the kings of Burma, Malaysia, and Thailand. To 
  create a White Elephant of this sort, add the follow-
  ing powers to the Elephant character sheet found 
  on page 164 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  8 
  Apply the Battle Trained Template
  14 
  Apply the Ferocious Template
  9 
  Apply the Smart (Cunning) Template
  9 
  Reputation:  sacred symbol of purity and 
  wisdom (southeast Asia) 14-, +3/+3d6
  Total cost:  +40 points
  FISH
  Many strange or monstrous species of ﬁsh 
  inhabit the streams, rivers, and lakes of the Him-
  mapan Forest.
  Mucha Naga
  A Mucha Naga has the head of a naga and the 
  body of a great ﬁsh. They typically dwell in rivers 
  and lakes where they prey on smaller ﬁsh, amphibi-
  ans, and the like. To create a Mucha Naga, make the 
  following changes to the Swordﬁsh character sheet 
  found on page 185 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -30 
  Remove Sword Multipower and +2 with 
  Sword Multipower
  20 
  Bite: HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  2 
  Scaled Body:  Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 
  ED)
  4 
  +2 OCV with Bite
  Total cost:  -4 points
  Mucha Wan
  “Mucha Wan” literally means “large ﬁsh.” While 
  it may be used to indicate whales and the like, it 
  also refers to a monstrous ﬁsh covered in thick 
  scales and equipped with many sharply-pointed 
  teeth. Mucha Wans are found only in the largest 
  and deepest lakes of the Himmapan. To create a 
  Mucha Wan, make the following changes to the 
  Sperm Whale character sheet found on page 95 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -24 
  Remove Tough Skin, Deep Water Swimmer, 
  Echolocation
   
  Replace Physical Limitation:  Near-Human 
  Intelligence with Physical Limitation:  
  Animal Intelligence
  +5 
  Bite: Increase Bite to HKA 2d6 (4d6 with 
  STR)
  10 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 
  ED)
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold)
  Total cost:  -6 points
  Nang Ng-uek
  The Nang Ng-Uek is the Thai mermaid (or 
  merman). They’re described as being beautiful 
  maidens from the waist up, with the scaled and 
  frilled tail of a ﬁsh from the hips down. To create 
  a Nang Ng-Uek, use the Mer-Folk character sheet 
  found on page 66 of of Monsters, Minions, And 
  Marauders. You also can add the following options:
  Cost Powers
  +5 
  Incredibly Beautiful:  +10 COM
  3 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation 
  Roll 11- (or covers locations 13-18; -1)
  Total cost:  +8 points
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  118 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Pla Kwai
  These creatures have the heads of buﬀalo 
  (kwai) on the bodies of great ﬁsh (pla). Normally 
  found in placid lakes and ponds, they browse on 
  water grasses and similar vegetation.  To create a 
  Pla Kwai, make the following changes to the Hip-
  pocampus character sheet found on page 84 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Replace Psychological Limitation:  Fears 
  Bright Lights And Loud Noises with Psy-
  chological Limitation:  Temperamental 
  (Common, Strong)
  5 
  +5 STR
  3 
  +3 PRE
  25 
  Horns:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  3 
  Horns:  Armor (4 PD/4 ED); Only Protects 
  Location 3 (-3)
  Total cost:  +36 points
  Pla Seua
  Similar in many respects to the Pla Kwai, 
  the Pla Seua has a tiger’s head and forelimbs on a 
  fish’s body. Some have scaled bodies, while others 
  are covered in striped fur. They’re carnivores 
  who prey on the Pla Kwai. To create a Pla Seua, 
  make the following changes to the Hippocampus 
  character sheet found on page 84 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:  Fears 
  Bright Lights And Loud Noises
  5 
  +5 STR
  15 
  +5 DEX
  5 
  +5 PRE
  5 
  +1 SPD
  20 
  Bite:  Increase Bite to HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 
  with STR)
  16 
  Claws:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼)
  Total cost:  +70 points
  GIANTS
  The giants found in the Himmapan tend to 
  be unique individuals as opposed to a distinct 
  race (of course, you can easily turn each one into 
  a species if you so desire). They dwell in great log 
  homes built to their scale and dress in well-made 
  clothes. Some wear armor if needed and carry 
  weapons (such as staves, swords, long-hafted 
  maces, or great bows).
  Asoon Puksa
  Asoon Puksa has the head, arms, and torso of 
  a human from the waist up, while from the waist 
  down he has the wings, legs, and tail of a rooster. A 
  carnivore by nature, his teeth are sharp and promi-
  nent, and he often surprises his prey (consisting of 
  cattle, deer, horses, and even humans) by dropping 
  down on them from the air. To create Asoon Puksa, 
  make the following changes to the Forest Giant 
  character sheet found on page 44 of Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders:
  Cost Powers
  20 
  Sharp Teeth:  HKA 1d6+1 (2½d6 with STR)
  18 
  Taloned Feet:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing; Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  27 
  Wings:  Flight 20”; Restrainable (-½)
  Total cost:  +65 points
  Asura Wayupuk
  Similar in appearance to Asoon Puksa, 
  Asura Wayupuk has the lower body of a great 
  eagle instead of a rooster. Ruler of city of Wich-
  ian, Asura Wayupuk is known for his malign 
  treatment of travelers. To create Asura Wayupuk, 
  make the following changes to the Forest Giant 
  character sheet found on page 44 of Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders:
  Cost Powers
  18 
  Taloned Feet:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR), 
  Armor Piercing; Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  33 
  Wings:  Flight 25”; Restrainable (-½)
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Lordship (“Viscount”)
   
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Domi-
  neering (Common, Strong; 15 points)
  Total cost:  +56 points
  Mareet
  This giant is a shape shifter who can assume 
  any number of forms. His true form has a human-
  oid head, torso, and arms with a deer’s legs and a 
  lion-like tail. He commonly carries an immense 
  staﬀ topped with a metal knob. To create Mareet, 
  make the following changes to the Forest Giant 
  character sheet found on page 44 of Monsters, Min-
  ions, And Marauders:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove the Physical Limitation:  Reduced 
  Leap.
  3 
  +3 INT
  10 
  +5 EGO
  7 
  Kick:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½), 
  Only With Kick (-½)
  +2 
  Deer’s Swiftness:  Running +7” (13” total)
  57 
  Assume Many Forms:  Multiform (assume the 
  form of any 32 diﬀerent animals or monsters 
  built on up to 300 points); Costs Endurance 
  (to change forms only; -½)
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  Total cost:  +89 points
  
  119 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  HORSES
  According to Hindu myth, the Wind God cre-
  ated four diﬀerent breeds of Ma, or horses:  the 
  Archanai, Sintop Mano Mai, Ussadron, and Vlahok. 
  These four horses were originally capable of ﬂight 
  until they trespassed into Lord Shiva’s garden in 
  an attempt to meet with two female horses given 
  to Shiva’s wife, Uma Thevi. Caught by a guard, the 
  horses had their tendons cut, removing their abil-
  ity to ﬂy. They were then sent down to Earth and 
  to serve as beasts of burden for humans. To create 
  one of these legendary horses, make the following 
  changes to any of the Horse character sheets found 
  on pages 167-171 of The HERO System Bestiary 
  (you can also use this power create the chonma, or 
  Korean “celestial horse”):
  Cost Powers
  24 
  Flight:  12”
  Total cost:  +24 points
  Durong Kraisorn
  These unusual horses have red bodies, black 
  hooves, black tails, and the head of a lion. Fast and 
  powerful, they feed on a variety of prey, including 
  cattle, deer, monkeys, pigs, and rabbits. To create 
  a Durong Kraisorn, make the following changes 
  to the Heavy Warhorse character sheets found on 
  pages 170-171 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:   
  Domesticated
  +20 Head Of A Lion:  Increase Bite to HKA  
  1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations (must 
  roar; -¼)
  +3 
  Lion’s Senses:  Increase Sharp-Eared And 
  Keen-Nosed to +3 PER with all Sense 
  Groups (including Sight Group)
  5 
  Lion’s Eyes:  Nightvision
  5 
  Lion’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +47 points
  Hemara Ussadorn
  The Hemara Ussadorn is a bird-headed horse, 
  with a long, narrow, almost crocodilian beak. They 
  have black bodies and white tails, and tend to dwell 
  in open grasslands near large bodies of water. There 
  they feed on grass, insects, frogs, and small ﬁsh. 
  To create a Hemara Ussadorn, make the following 
  changes to any of the Horse character sheets found 
  on pages 167-171 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:   
  Domesticated
  +10 Bird’s Jaws:  Increase Bite to HKA 1d6 (2d6 
  with STR)
  5 
  Bird’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception (240 
  Degrees) for Sight Group
  5 
  +1 HTH
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Ma Peek
  A Ma Peek is a winged horse, similar in 
  appearance to the Greek Pegasus. To create a 
  Ma Peek, simply use the Pegasus character sheet 
  found on page 106 of The HERO System Besti-
  ary. You can also use the Pegasus character sheet 
  to simulate the abilities of the Durong Puksin, 
  a pure white horse with a black mane, black 
  hooves, and a green bird-like tail. Both the Map 
  Peek and Durong Puksin are peaceful, social 
  herbivores, found in small herds throughout the 
  forest. Others winged horses include the nara 
  (found in India), the tipala (found in Thailand), 
  and the yongma (the Korean “dragon horse”).
  Ng-eye Sai
  This solitary, blue-bodied animal has a 
  dragon’s head (complete with beard and stag-like 
  antlers) atop a horse’s body. It hunts animals of all 
  sizes in the depths of the Forest, and even attacks 
  humans. Similar to the Ng-eye Sai is the To Thep 
  Ussadorn, which has a lion’s head atop an orange 
  body, a green mane, and red hooves and tail. To 
  create either a Ng-eye Sai or a To Thep Ussadorn, 
  make the following changes to the Heavy Warhorse 
  character sheet found on pages 170-171 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:   
  Domesticated
  +20 Head Of A Dragon:  Increase Bite to HKA 
  1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  10 
  Antlers:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  +0 
  Sharp Senses:  Increase Sharp-Eared And 
  Keen-Nosed to include Sight Group
  10 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception and 
  Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group)
  5 
  Nose Of The Dragon:  Tracking with Normal 
  Smell
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total cost:  +55 points
  Sinta Pakunchorn
  These horse-like animals have green bodies, 
  black hooves, and light yellow-green manes and tails. 
  Atop their necks is the head of an elephant, complete 
  with tusks, trunk, and small ears. Like elephants, the 
  Sinta Pakunchorn are gregarious by nature and feed 
  on a wide variety of plants. To create a Sinta Pakun-
  chorn, make the following changes to the Heavy War-
  horse character sheets found on pages 170-171 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:   
  Domesticated
   
  Reduce Physical Limitation:  Very Limited 
  Manipulation to Limited Manipulation
  10 
  Tusks:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  2 
  Elephant’s Nose:  +1 PER with Smell/Taste 
  Group
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  5 
  +1 HTH
  Total cost:  +23 points
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  120 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Sinta Panattee
  These animals look like normal horses except 
  that they have a bright red ﬁn instead of a mane, 
  with similar ﬁns along the back of each leg and a 
  large, ﬁsh-like tail. They live in lakes, ponds, and 
  rivers, where they feed on water plants. Inherently 
  magical, a Sinta Panattee can walk atop the surface 
  of the water by stepping from lotus blossom to 
  lotus blossom without disturbing a single leaf. To 
  create a Sinta Panattee, make the following changes 
  to the Heavy Warhorse character sheets found on 
  pages 170-171 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Remove Psychological Limitation:   
  Domesticated
  9 
  Steps From Lotus To Lotus:  Flight 8”; Only 
  Along Reasonably Horizontal Surfaces (-½), 
  No Noncombat Movement (-¼)
  8 
  Aquatic Body:  Swimming +8”
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater)
  1 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ment:  High Pressure)
  Total cost:  +23 points
  Ussadorn Vihok
  Similar in some respects to the Ma Peek, the 
  Ussadorn Vihok has a bird’s head and bird’s wings. 
  It has a red head, neck, and wings, a yellow body, 
  and a black tail and hooves. You can create a Ussa-
  dorn Vihok by making the following changes to the 
  Hippogriﬀ character sheet found on page 85 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -12 
  Remove Eagle’s Talons
  10 
  Kick/Rear:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½)
  Total cost:  -2 points
  HUMANS
  At least two races of semi-magical humans live 
  in the forest. 
  Khon Tun
  The Khon Tun is a race of four-armed 
  humans. They’re noted for their musical talent 
  and can play many instruments with skill and 
  artistry. (Like the various giants, Khon Tun may 
  be a singular individual, but is presented here as 
  a separate race.) You can use the accompanying 
  Package Deal to create one.
  Makalee Pon
  Makalee Pon are the “daughters” of certain 
  magical trees found in the Himmapan. They’re 
  either born from the fruit of the tree, or actually are 
  the fruit of the tree. Once they ripen (so to speak), 
  they separate from their parent tree and make their 
  way in the world. Legend has it they often end up as 
  the wives of hermits. You can use the accompany-
  ing Package Deal to create one.
  LIONS
  Lions are found all through the Himmapan 
  forest. Some are far larger than normal, others eat 
  grass and leaves instead of meat, while many are 
  hybrid creatures that combine attributes of other 
  animals with a lion’s body and general physique.
  Buntu Rajasri
  Also known as a Buntu Sura Mareu Kin, this 
  lion is as large as a water buﬀalo. It’s bright  yellow 
  in color and preys on cattle, deer, elephants, and 
  humans. To create a Buntu Rajasri, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Lion character sheet found 
  on pages 145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  46 
  Apply the Large Size/Weight Template and 
  Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
  Total cost:  +46 points
  Gaysorn Singha
  Also known as the Garsorn Singha, this 
  monstrous lion has the legs and hooves of an ox. 
  To create a Gaysorn Singha, make the following 
  changes to the Lion character sheet found on pages 
  145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -16 
  Remove Claws
  10 
  Kick/Rear:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½)
  +6 
  Longer Legs:  Increase Running to +4”
  Total cost:  +0 points
  Hemaraj
  The rather strange creature has the body 
  of a lion plus the head of either a large bird or 
  a crocodile. They tend to prey on smaller mam-
  mals, such as mice, rabbits, and squirrels, as well 
  MAKALEE PON  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  3 
  Climbing
  3 
  +4 to Concealment; Self Only (-½), Only  
  In Himmapan Forest (-1)
  6 
  AK:  Himmapan Forest (INT +3)
  4 
  +4 to Stealth; Only In Himmapan Forest (-1)
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical Forests)
  3 
  Talent:  Environmental Movement:  Thicket-
  master (no penalties in undergrowth)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  21
  KHON TUN PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  6 
  +2 DEX
  6 
  Four Arms:  Extra Limbs (two more arms), 
  Inherent (+¼)
  9 
  Talent:  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  10 
  Musical Talent:  PSs (10 points’ worth pertain-
  ing to music)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total cost Of Package:  31
  BODY TRAILING 
  FIRE
  Some accounts say 
  certain inhabitants of 
  the Himmapan Forest 
  trail ﬁre from their 
  heads, legs, tails, or other 
  parts of their bodies. 
  Examples include the 
  gilane, the loto, and the 
  rajasi, the royal lion of 
  Thailand. Here’s how to 
  add that ability:
  Body Of Fire:  HKA 
  1d6, Damage Shield 
  (does Damage in HTH 
  combat; +3/4), Con-
  tinuous (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; 
  +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), 
  Inherent (+1/4) (60 
  Active Points); No STR 
  Bonus (-1/2). Total cost:  
  40 points.
  
  121 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  as birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, and fish. To create 
  a Hemaraj, make the following changes to the 
  Lion character sheet found on pages 145-146 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -10 
  Reduce Bite to HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR)
  5 
  Bird’s Eyes:  Increased Arc Of Perception (240 
  Degrees) for Sight Group
  Total cost:  -5 points
  Kala Sriha
  As big as a water buﬀalo, this lion has black fur 
  and is a herbivore... but is still capable of defending 
  itself if necessary. Its roar is not only startling, but 
  actually capable of doing physical harm to other 
  animals. To create a Kala Sriha, make the following 
  changes to the Lion character sheet found on pages 
  145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  46 
  Apply the Large Size/Weight Template and 
  Physical Limitation from pages 574-75 of 
  The HERO System 5th Edition, Revised
  20 
  Roar:  Energy Blast 4d6, NND (defense is 
  deafness, ear coverings [such as earmuﬀs], 
  or making an EGO Roll at -3; +1); Increased 
  Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1)
  Total cost:  +66 points
  Kochasri
  This lion-bodied creature has the head of an 
  elephant and is very strong and powerful. A virtu-
  ally identical creature is the Tukkat Tor; the main 
  diﬀerence between the two is the Tukkat Tor has a 
  beard and fur that ﬂows forward, towards the head, 
  as opposed to away. To create either beast, make the 
  following changes to the Lion character sheet found 
  on pages 145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
   
  Reduce Physical Limitation:  Very Limited 
  Manipulation to Limited Manipulation
  5 
  +5 STR
  -17 
  Reduce Bite to HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); 
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  10 
  Tusks:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  2 
  Elephant’s Nose:  +1 PER with Smell/ 
  Taste Group
  6 
  Trunk:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  Total cost:  +6 points
  Kraisorn Jumlang
  The Kraisorn Jumlang is a dragon-headed 
  lion with a dark brown body, and is also known as 
  either a Kraisorn Mungkorn or a Srihara Mungkorn. 
  To create one of these hybrid lions, make the fol-
  lowing changes to the Lion character sheet found 
  on pages 145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  10 
  Antlers:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  10 
  Eyes Of The Dragon:  Infrared Perception and 
  Ultraviolet Perception (Sight Group)
  Total cost:  +20 points
  Kraisorn Karwee
  This hybrid lion has the head of a cow atop a 
  lion’s body with a horse’s tail. Since it has a cow’s 
  head, it’s presumably another type of herbivorous 
  lion. A similar creature is the Singha Karwee, which 
  looks identical to a Kraisorn Karwee but has a 
  more normal lion-like tail. To create either of these 
  creatures, make the following changes to the Lion 
  character sheet found on pages 145-146 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -39 
  Remove Bite, Roar, Cat’s Eyes, Cat’s Nose
  -6 
  Sharp Senses:  Reduced Cat’s Senses to +1 
  PER with all Sense Groups
  25 
  Horns:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR)
  3 
  Horns:  Armor (4 PD/4 ED); Only Protects 
  Location 3 (-3)
  Total cost:  -17 points
  Kraisorn Naga
  The Kraisorn Naga has the head and tail of a 
  naga, the body of a lion, and is covered with a coat 
  of scales. Unlike the lion, it’s a solitary predator, 
  with hunting habits reminiscent more of a tiger. To 
  create a Kraisorn Naga, make the following changes 
  to the Lion character sheet found on pages 145-146 
  of The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  +4 
  Scaly Skin:  Increase Damage Resistance to (5 
  PD/5 ED)
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  Total cost:  +10 points
  Kraisorn Puksa
  The Kraisorn Puksa is one of three closely related 
  lion-bird hybrids:  the Kraisorn Puksa, Sagoon Krai-
  sorn, and Tichakorn Jatubod. The Kraisorn Puksa has a 
  light green lion’s body covered in scales, a broad-tufted 
  tail, and the head and wings of a great bird of prey. The 
  Sagoon Kraisorn has a brownish lion’s body and the 
  head of an eagle. A Tichakorn Jatubod has a light green 
  lion’s body, bird’s wings, and a yellow-feathered bird’s 
  tail. To create either the Kraisorn Puksa or the Sagoon 
  Kraisorn, make a few changes to the Griﬃn character 
  sheet found on page 82 of The HERO System Besti-
  ary; to build a Tichakorn Jatubod, make the following 
  changes to the Lion character sheet found on pages 
  145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary.
  Cost Kraisorn Puksa
  +4 
  Scaly Skin:  Increase Damage Resistance to (5 
  PD/5 ED)
  Total cost:  +4 points
  Cost Sagoon Kraisorn
  -16 
  Remove Eagle’s Wings
  Total cost:  -16 points
  Cost Tichakorn Jatubod
  16 
  Eagle’s Wings:  Flight 12”; Restrainable (-½)
  Total cost:  +16 points
  Kraisorn Rajasri
  Aside from having a red mane, paws, and tail tip, 
  this lion is virtually identical to the lion presented on 
  CREATURES OF THE 
  HIMMAPAN FOREST 
  FOUND ELSEWHERE 
  IN THIS BOOK
  Some inhabitants of the 
  Himmapan are listed 
  under other creature 
  entries in this book or 
  AB2. These creatures, 
  and where to ﬁnd them, 
  are as follows:
  Ch’i-Lin (China)
  Erawan (Thailand)
  Feng Hwang (China)
  Maraka (India)
  Shishi (Japan)
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  122 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  pages 145-146 of The HERO System Bestiary. To fully 
  simulate the Kraisorn Rajasri’s size and power, however, 
  you might want to apply the Ferocious Template. Other 
  Himmapan lions that only require simple cosmetic 
  changes to The HERO System Bestiary lion include:  the 
  Loto, which is a lion with a brownish coat (even though 
  “loto” is a Chinese word meaning “camel”); the Payak 
  Kraisorn, which is a lion with a tiger’s head; the Sang 
  Prang (which may actually be an elephant or a tiger); 
  the Sinkh, a light purple lion; and the To Thep Singha 
  Nat, a brown-bodied lion-like animal.
  Singha Khak Kar
  Also known as the Sreeha Khak Kar, this 
  creature has a dark purple body covered in scales 
  with legs and feet similar to an elephant. To create 
  a Singha Khak Kar, make the following changes to 
  the Lion character sheet found on pages 145-146 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  +4 
  Scaly Skin:  Increase Damage Resistance to  
  (5 PD/5 ED)
  -16 
  Remove Claws
  Total cost:  -12 points
  Tinna Sriha
  A herbivorous lion, the Tinna Sriha has a 
  red body and a horse’s hooves. To create a Tinna 
  Sriha, make the following changes to the Lion 
  character sheet found on pages 145-146 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  -16 
  Remove Claws
  10 
  Kick/Rear:  HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½)
  Total cost:  -6 points
  To
  The To is a lion-like creature with two horns 
  (or antlers), on top of its head. The name “To” may 
  come from the name of a mythical creature of Laos. 
  To create a To, make the following changes to the 
  Lion character sheet found on pages 145-146 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary:
  Cost Powers
  10 
  Antlers:  HKA 1d6; No STR Bonus (-½)
  Total cost:  +10 points
  MONKEYS
  Monkeys are mentioned in many stories, and 
  play important roles in such epic poems as the 
  Ramayana (known in Thailand as the Ramakien). 
  The greatest of all the monkeys is Hanuman, the 
  general of Rama’s forces. Gigantic in size, he could 
  leap from India to Sri Lanka, ﬂy, and had extensive 
  knowledge of grammar, medicine, and poetry. To 
  best represent the mythical monkeys of the Him-
  mapan forest, each has a Racial Package Deal 
  (applied to a standard human character sheet).
  Gabil Puksa
  The Gabil Puksa is a hybrid with a monkey’s 
  body that has bird’s wings sprouting from its shoul-
  ders, plus a large, rooster-like tail.
  Mucha Nu
  Mucha Nu is one of the heroes of the 
  Ramayana. The son Hanuman and the mermaid 
  Suwanna Much (herself the daughter of a giant), he 
  has the body of a monkey and a ﬁsh’s tail. Although 
  Mucha Nu is a unique being, you can easily turn 
  him into an entire race of semi-aquatic monkeys by 
  using the Package Deal provided.
  Panorn Maruek
  A Panorn Maruek has a form reminiscent of a 
  Himmapan satyr (see below), with a greenish mon-
  key’s upper body and the lower body and legs of a 
  deer (although it retains a monkey’s tail). They’re 
  noted for having exceptional agility and excellent 
  hearing. Like all monkeys, they eat mostly fruit, 
  plus some leaves, insects, and the like.
  MUCHA NU PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  3 
  +3 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  2 
  Fish-Like Tail:  Swimming +2”
  6 
  Agile Feet:  Extra Limbs (legs and feet can 
  function almost as well as arms and hands), 
  Inherent (+¼)
  2 
  Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation 
  Roll 8- (or covers locations 17-18; -2)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  24
  GABIL PUKSA  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  2 
  +2 STR
  9 
  +3 DEX
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  6 
  Agile Feet:  Extra Limbs (legs and feet can 
  function almost as well as arms and hands), 
  Inherent (+¼)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  35
  PANORN MARUEK  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  2 
  +2 STR
  9 
  +3 DEX
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  10 
  Running +5”
  2 
  Leaping +2”
  6 
  Tail: Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  34
  
  123 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  Singha Panorn
  Similar in appearance to the Panorn Maruek, 
  the Singha Panorn has red fur, plus the legs of a 
  lion and the feet of a monkey. They tend to carry 
  long staves.
  SATYRS
  In the Himmapan Forest, the term “satyr” 
  means any humanoid being with the upper torso, 
  arms, and head of a human, and the lower torso 
  and legs of an animal. All Himmapan satyrs tend 
  to dress in elaborate and ornate clothing and often 
  wear extensive jewelry:  armbands, bracelets, neck-
  laces, even crowns.
  Kumpee Nimit
  These rather bizarre looking beings have the 
  head, arms, and torso of an angelically beautiful 
  human plus the heavily-scaled legs and tail of 
  either a crocodile or lizard. Armed with a guom 
  (sword) and clawed feet, a Kumpee Nimit makes 
  a fearsome opponent.
  Nok Tuntima
  A Nok Tuntima has a human torso and arms, 
  the head of a naga (or, more rarely, a human), and 
  the lower body, legs, and tail of a rooster. It’s also 
  winged, with the wings either at the shoulders or 
  hips. A fearless race, Nok Tuntima are often seen 
  in partial armor and normally carry a long staﬀ as 
  a weapon. You can also use this Package Deal to 
  create the Nak Puksee, which has the head, arms, 
  torso of a human atop the lower body, wings, legs, 
  and tail of a bird.
  Thep Kinna Norn
  Thep Kinna Norn have the body, wings, legs, 
  and tails of a hongsa (see page 24). Females (called 
  Thep Kinnaree) are known for their grace, beauty, 
  and skill at singing and dancing. A related being is 
  the Thep Puksee, who has human legs and a more 
  rooster-like tail. Finally, you can use the Thep 
  Kinna Norn Package Deal to simulate the Nak 
  Puksee, a human/bird hybrid with the crown of a 
  naga atop its head. These beings are also known 
  as kinnara in India, Indonesia, and other parts of 
  Thailand, and as keinnara in Burma. (The kein-
  nara is also known as a kimpurushas and may be a 
  human-headed horse. Conversely, the kinnara of 
  India and Indonesia may be horse-headed human.)
  KUMPEE NIMIT  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  3 
  +3 STR
  4 
  +2 CON
  2 
  +1 BODY
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  3 
  Scaly Skin:  Armor (2 PD/2 ED); Activation 
  Roll 11- (or covers locations 13-18; -1)
  1 
  Swimming +1”
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  1 
  WF:  Sword
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  27
  SINGHA PANORN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  3 
  +3 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  5 
  Bite:  HKA 1 point (½d6 with STR)
  2 
  Running +1”
  1 
  Leaping +1”
  6 
  Tail: Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼)
  1 
  WF:  Staﬀ
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  24
  NOK TUNTIMA  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  6 
  +2 DEX
  2 
  +1 BODY
  3 
  +3 PRE
  10 
  Fangs: HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR)
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR);  
  Reduced Penetration (-¼)
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  1 
  WF:  Staﬀ
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  43
  Options
  Cost 
  Option
  -10 
  Human-Headed Nok Tuntima:  Remove Fangs
  THEP KINNA NORN  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  6 
  +2 DEX
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  27
  Options
  Cost 
  Option
  -8 
  Thep Puksee:  Remove Claws
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  124 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Thep Norasri
  Found all throughout the Himmapan, these 
  beings have either lion or deer legs. The females, 
  known as Upsorn Srihas, always have the legs of a 
  deer. Both genders have long, tufted, tails.
  ELEPHANT-TIGER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   30 BODY 40 
  15-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  10- 
  ECV:  2
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  12 PD (2 rPD)
   9 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  9 ED (2 rED)
   4 SPD 
  14 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   15 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   68 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  160
    
   
   
  (+83 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  0”/0”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  4 
  Roar: +10 PRE; Only For Fear-Based  
  Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations  
  (must roar; -¼) 
  0
  2 
  Thick Hide:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -8” 
  0
  12 
  Swift Runner:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  2
  9 
  Tiger’s Senses:  +3 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Tiger’s Nose:  Tracking with Normal Smell 0
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  88
  Total Cost:  248
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (9m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Aggressive And 
  Bad-Tempered (Common, Moderate)
  118 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  248
  Ecology:  The elephant-tiger is a singular creature 
  who inhabits the depths of the Thailand forest. A 
  powerful and fearless predator, it preys on every-
  thing else in the forests — including men.
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations. 
  The elephant-tiger is known for its short temper 
  and ﬁerce nature.
  Powers/Tactics:  Because of its great size, the 
  elephant-tiger is an ambush predator:  it stands 
  motionless in the thick jungle and quickly pounces 
  THEP NORASRI  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  2 
  +2 STR
  6 
  +2 DEX
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  2 
  Running +1”
  1 
  Leaping +1”
  5 
  Tail: Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  24
  Options
  Cost 
  Option
  -8 
  Deer’s Legs:  Remove Claws
  THEP KINNAREE  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  9 
  +3 DEX
  3 
  +6 COM
  8 
  Claws:  HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); Reduced 
  Penetration (-¼)
  13 
  Wings:  Flight 10”; Restrainable (-½)
  3 
  PS: Dancing (DEX)
  3 
  PS: Singing (PRE)
  Value Disadvantage
  None
  Total Cost Of Package:  39
  UPSORN SRIHAS  
  PACKAGE DEAL
  Cost Ability
  9 
  +3 DEX
  10 
  Running +5”
  2 
  Leaping +2”
  5 
  Tail: Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼)
  Value Disadvantage
  None 
  Total Cost Of Package:  26
  
  125 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  on anything that wanders within range. It uses its 
  great jaws to inﬂict crippling wounds before drag-
  ging its prey back into the bush to be devoured.
  Campaign Use:  Although the elephant-tiger is 
  depicted in Thai folklore as a singular creature, you 
  can convert it into a species if you prefer. After all, 
  legends say the original elephant-tiger was bred 
  with normal Asian elephants to produce an entire 
  army of war-elephants!
  Appearance:  The elephant-tiger, since its name sug-
  gests, has the head of a great tiger and the body of 
  an elephant.
  Additional Creatures Of Thai 
  Folklore And Mythology
  Other creatures your PCs may encounter in 
  Thailand include:
  Jurua/Juruwin
  According to the people of the Andaman 
  Islands, these supernatural beings are invisible sea 
  spirits. They dwell on the ocean ﬂoor and happily 
  consume any human who enters the water. The 
  Jurura aren’t above hurling their (invisible) spears 
  at legs of ﬁshermen (causing them to fall into the 
  water) or swimmers (causing painful cramps), then 
  dragging the victim down to be devoured.
  Kaluks
  Kaluks are tree spirits found in forests of 
  Burma and Thailand. They’re normally invis-
  ible, but are said to be about if tree leaves flutter 
  when there’s no wind. They’re guardians and 
  inhabitants of the trees, and must be consulted 
  and honored before any trees are cut. Failure to 
  do so results in the death of the woodsman. You 
  can easily create a kaluks by modifying the char-
  acter sheet for the Kino-O-Bake in AB2. Give 
  the kaluks the Kino-O-Bake’s Revenge power, but 
  remove the following Advantages and Limita-
  tions:  Trigger (kino-o-bake dies; +¼),  1 Charge 
  which Never Recovers (-4), and Power May Only 
  Be Used At Point Of Death (-2). Replace them 
  with such Limitations as Concentration, Extra 
  Time, Gestures, Incantations, and so on.
  Keinnara
  The keinnara are supernatural beings with 
  birds heads atop human bodies. Also known as 
  the kinnara, they’re identical to the gandharvas 
  (see page 75). (See also the Thep Kinna Norn on 
  page 123.)
  Lau
  The lau are demonic inhabitants who live in 
  the jungles of the Andaman Islands. They’re horrid 
  in appearance, and are closely associated with death 
  and the dead, women trespassing into the male’s 
  quarters, and the arrival of strangers. They’re also 
  soul stealers who prey on anyone lost in the jungle. 
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  126 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  They can be fought using arrows, beeswax, ﬁre, human 
  bones, and red paint. They’re also known by the names 
  cauga, erem cauga, lao, and ti-miku.
  Nang Nak
  Nang Nak (“Miss Nak”) is the ghost of a woman 
  who died during childbirth. She rose from the grave 
  to be with her husband when he returned from mili-
  tary service, but became murderous when he learned 
  she had died while he was away. Eventually she was 
  banished by a Buddhist monk, but has reappeared 
  periodically.
  The story of Nang Nak is incredibly popular in 
  Thailand, to the point where it’s nearly impossible to 
  ﬁnd anyone in Thailand with the name “Nak.” Nang 
  Nak herself has become a sort of national “boogey-
  man,” used to frighten small children into behaving, 
  and her story has been made into numerous movies
  You can create Nang Nak by using the Yurei char-
  acter sheet in AB2 as a base. Among her powers is the 
  ability to extend her arms (she reached through the 
  kitchen ﬂoorboards to retrieve a wedge of lemon) and 
  the ability to summon powerful rainstorms.
  Phi
  The term phi is a general one, and used to refer to 
  a whole host of Thai ghosts, goblins, demons, and other 
  monsters. Many phi are nature spirits, similar in manner 
  to the Burmese nats (see AB2). Others range from 
  benevolent to outright harmful. Some of them include:
  Phi Am:  A ghost that sits on the chest of a sleeping 
  person, causing discomfort, shortness of breath, and 
  even death by suﬀocation.
  Phi Chamob:  The ghost of a woman who died in the 
  forest and jungle, the phi chamob remains at the place 
  of death and is harmless (albeit sometimes frighten-
  ing) to passersby.
  Phi Ha:  The ghosts of women who died in childbirth. 
  They’re considered very dangerous and violent. See 
  Nang Nak, above, for more information.
  Phi Hai:  Found where people have died unnatu-
  ral or violent deaths (such as murder scenes or 
  battleﬁelds), a phi hai tries to possess anyone who 
  encounters it. It can be made to leave its victim with 
  the right oﬀerings, but in some cases may have to 
  be forced out by an exorcist. The exorcist uses holy 
  water and sutras (recitations of Buddhist scripture) 
  to cause the phi hai to ﬂee, switching to a whip if 
  these methods prove insuﬃcient.
  Phi Ka:  These spirits dwell within women. Normally 
  raw eggs are used to keep them under control (no 
  mention is made of how), but if this treatment fails 
  they attack and possess people.
  Phi Khamod:  Taking the appearance of a small red star 
  or light, this spirit leads travelers astray.
  Phi Krahang:  This spirit looks like a man covered in 
  feathers with a bird’s tail. It glows in the dark and is 
  known to devour ﬁlth and waste.
  Phi Krasy:  This ghost is said to dwell inside of a witch. 
  It leaves the witch when she sleeps, exiting her body 
  via the mouth. A phi krasy has a reddish-orange body, 
  a tiny head, and a blue tail about eighteen inches long. 
  It devours dirt and ﬁlth, and has been known to eat 
  the entrails of humans. During the day, the host witch 
  looks sleepy, with unblinking eyes. She won’t look 
  someone in the face and doesn’t reﬂect in mirrors. The 
  witch can pass the Krasy on to someone else by having 
  that person consume some of her spittle.
  Phi Lok:  These ghosts frighten people by leading 
  them astray.
  Phi Nang Tani:  These tree spirits live in banana 
  groves. Sometimes they ﬁll the begging bowls of 
  wandering monks.
  Phi Pa:  A forest-dwelling spirit. Hunters leave a por-
  tion of their catch behind as an oﬀering to the phi pa.
  Phi Peta:  A hungry ghost. See the Preta on page 86.
  Phi Phrai:  Another spirit of a woman who died in 
  childbirth. The corpse of phi phrai is used to make 
  phi thai hong, a magical oil capable of attracting any 
  woman while driving men insane.
  Phi Poang Khang:  Found near salt licks, this spirit 
  appears in the shape of a black monkey. It will suck on 
  the big toe of people sleeping in the jungle, possibly 
  drinking the victim’s blood.
  Phi Pob:  Similar in some respects to the Penang-
  galan (see AB2), a phi pob has the face of a beautiful 
  woman, but no lower body. Instead, there’s a dangling 
  mass of intestines and other organs which the phi pob 
  disguises with by wearing long, ﬂowing dresses. These 
  ghosts are highly feared, since they’re highly dangerous 
  and actively malignant.
  Phi Song Nang:  A vampiric ghost, the phi song nang 
  is created when a person is buried without the proper 
  funeral rites, is killed by animals, or dies during child-
  birth. It rises from the grave to seek out the living and 
  drink their blood. Some phi song nang resemble beau-
  tiful women, seducing young men before attacking 
  them for their blood. A person attacked, but not killed, 
  by a phi song nang should contact a Maw Du (a type 
  of magician) to have certain rites performed. These 
  rites drive out any taint resulting from the phi song 
  nang’s attack.
  Phi Ta Ha:  The ghost of a woman who died from 
  malaria. The ghost is infected as well, and willingly 
  spreads the disease.
  Phra Phum:  An earth spirit, the phra phum guards house-
  holds. He lives in small shrine called a sam located near 
  the entrance to the house itself. Daily oﬀerings are made 
  here to ensure the phra phum’s protection as well as the 
  continued well-being of the family.
  You can easily create the various forms of phi 
  by adapting and modifying any number of creatures 
  found in the Asian Bestiaries, The HERO System Besti-
  ary, or Monsters, Minions, And Marauders. 
  Tipaka
  This magical winged horse is so fast it arrives at 
  the desired destination almost as soon as it’s told where 
  to go. It also has the power to travel to “the heavens.” 
  You can create Tipaka by using the Pegasus in The 
  HERO System Bestiary as a base. Give it Megascaled 
  Teleportation (so it can go anywhere in the world) 
  and Extra-Dimensional Movement to “the heavens.”
  
  127 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  VIETNAM
  T
  he recorded history of Vietnam stretches 
  back over 2,000 years. Vietnam was ruled 
  by China until 938 AD, when the Viet-
  namese defeated a Han army and declared 
  themselves independent — although the threat 
  of Chinese invasion was always imminent. 
  This lasted until the mid-1800s, when Vietnam 
  became a colony of France. True independence 
  had to wait until after World War II, when the 
  nation was divided into North and South Viet-
  nam. Following the bloody Vietnam War in the 
  Sixties and early Seventies, Vietnam became a 
  unified country in 1975.
  According to legend, the ﬁrst Vietnamese 
  peoples are descended from the union of the 
  dragon king Lac Long Quân and Åu Co, a spirit 
  of heaven. Together they had a hundred sons, the 
  eldest of whom was the ﬁrst king of Vietnam and 
  the founder of the Van Lang civilization. Vietnam 
  gained its name around 200 BC when a Qin Chi-
  nese general named Zhao Tuo formed the kingdom 
  of Nam Viet from the remnants of the Van Lang, 
  the kingdom of Åu Lac, and portions of Southern 
  China. The name was changed to Viet Nam in 1838 
  by the Emperor of China.
  RELIGION
  Most Vietnamese are Buddhists and Taoists 
  (although a small number are Hoa Hao Buddhists, 
  who reach enlightenment through farming); most 
  of the rest are Christians, or belong to a small 
  minority of Muslims. Several million Vietnamese 
  follow the Cao Dai faith, founded in 1926 from a 
  mixture of Eastern and Western religions.
  There’s a strong emphasis on ancestor wor-
  ship in Vietnam, and even Christianity shows the 
  inﬂuence of Chinese Confucian thinking, with the 
  Virgin Mary ranked as more important than her 
  son, Jesus. The Vietnamese also practice their own 
  form of feng shui (called Phong Thuy), talk with the 
  dead and spirits of nature, and tell fortunes before 
  deciding on courses of action.
  CON RIT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  11- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  11- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   30 CON 
  40 
  11-
   25 BODY 30 
  11-
   8 INT 
  -2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   5 EGO 
  -10 
  11- 
  ECV:  2
   20 PRE 
  10 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   8 COM 
  -1 
  11-
   12 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  20 PD (8 rPD)
   12 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  20 ED (8 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   14 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   60 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  133
    
   
   
  (+67 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”
   
  Leaping:  0”
   
  Swimming:  14”/28”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Bite:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR) 
  2
  18 
  Armor-Plated Body:  Armor (6 PD/6 ED) 0
  12 
  Great Size:  Knockback Resistance -6” 
  0
  3 
  Creature Of The Deep:  Life Support (Safe 
  Environment:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 0
  12 
  Fast Swimmer:  Swimming +12” (14” total) 1
  -12 
  Only Swims:  Running -6”
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  68
  Total Cost:  201
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence 
  (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Enormous (18m; -4 
  DCV, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Fre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  81 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  201
  Ecology:  This ocean-dwelling creature has been 
  described as either a “fabulously long and twisting 
  ﬁsh” with many feet and/or ﬁns, or as a “millipede.” 
  Con rits are normally content to prey on ﬁsh, but 
  at least one began attacking and sinking ﬁshing 
  vessels, eating both the ship’s catch and the unfortu-
  nate crewmen.
  SPIRITS OF THE  
  VIETNAMESE 
  JUNGLE
  The con-tinh is just one 
  of the types of spirits 
  said to dwell in the for-
  ests and jungles of Viet-
  nam. Some of the others 
  include:
  Co-Hon:  These evil 
  spirits are the souls of 
  people killed by violence 
  and left unburied. They 
  live in the forest under-
  growth and attack and 
  harm travelers.
  Con-Ion:  Another 
  form of evil spirit, the 
  con-ion causes miscar-
  riages and stillbirths. 
  Any woman suspected 
  of having a con-ion 
  inside her must not be 
  touched or even spoken 
  about. Instead, a dog 
  must be sacriﬁced and 
  buried under her bed to 
  drive the con-ion away.
  Con-Ma-Dau:  These are 
  the spirits of disease 
  thought to be responsible 
  for smallpox epidemics.
  You can write up these 
  spirits using the con-
  tinh character sheet, 
  the K’uei or Yurei 
  character sheets in the 
  Asian Bestiaries, or the 
  Ghost character sheet 
  on page 120 of The 
  HERO System Bestiary.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  128 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  Personality/Motivation:  Typical animal motivations.
  Powers/Tactics:  A con rit depends on its powerful 
  bite to disable is prey. If attacking a ship it usually 
  bumps it (a Move By or Move Through) in an attempt 
  to swamp, capsize, or smash the vessel. It then picks 
  among the wreckage, eating anything it can ﬁnd.
  Campaign Use:  The con rit presented here has been 
  developed from two sources. The ﬁrst is the Chich-
  Quai, a collection of Vietnamese folktales. The second 
  is from a reported ﬁnding of a con rit in Along Bay, 
  Hongay, Vietnam in 1883 by Tran Van Con. In the 
  former story, the con rit was eventually killed by by 
  King Lac Long Quân. Cut into pieces, the con rit’s 
  body became part of Cac-Ba Island (located in Along 
  Bay), while its head turned into Cau-Dau Mountain. 
  You could use the con rit in the same fashion — as 
  a great and terrible beast that must be defeated if a 
  kingdom and its people are to have peace. (As a side 
  note, the Malagasy people of Madagascar have legends 
  of a similar creature they call tomaondrano, or Lord-
  of-the-Sea.)
  Appearance:  The con rit is an immense serpent-like 
  creature big enough to wreck a ﬁshing boat. The crea-
  ture found by Tran Van Con was said to be sixty feet 
  long and three feet wide. The body was made up of 
  distinct segments, each two feet long and three wide, 
  with “appendages” two feet long, and a tail like that of 
  a shrimp. Each segment was covered with a shell that 
  rang like sheet metal when struck with a stick, and 
  was dark brown on top and light yellow below.
  CON-TINH
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 PD (5 rPD)
   5 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  5 ED (5 rED)
   3 SPD 
  2 
   
  Phases:  4, 8, 12
   4 REC 
  0
   20 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  65
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  107 
  Instill Madness:  Drain EGO 4d6,  
  Delayed Recovery Rate (points return  
  at the rate of 5 per Month; +2), Ranged  
  (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Incantations (must cackle; -¼), Only  
  Aﬀects Those Who Can Hear The  
  Con-tinh (-¼) 
  0
  35 
  Soul Stealing:  Drain BODY 2d6, Delayed 
  Recovery Rate (points return at the rate  
  of 5 per Month; +2), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Extra Time (Full Phase;  
  -½), Not Versus Soulless Beings/ 
  Objects (-½) 
  0
  81 
  Curse Of The Con-tinh:  RKA 8d6,  
  NND (defense is Life Support [Longevity];  
  +1), Does BODY (+1), Fully Invisible (+1), 
  Trigger (cutting down the con-tinh’s tree;  
  +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Power May Only Be Used When Con-tinh  
  Is At Point Of Death (-2), 1 Charge which 
  Never Recovers (-4) 
  [1]
  60 
  Undead Form:  Physical And Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  5 
  Undead Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (5 PD/5 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Undead Form:  Does Not Bleed 
  0
  50 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  16 
  Single-Minded:  Mental Defense (20 points) 0
  10 
  Undead Form:  No Hit Locations 
  0
  40 
  Resides In A Tree:  Desolidiﬁcation  
  (aﬀected by magic or any attack that  
  aﬀects the con-tinh’s tree while she’s in  
  it), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Only To Merge With  
  Her Tree (-1) 
  0
   
  Skills
  7 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  7 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
   
  Other Skills As Desired
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  439
  Total Cost:  504
  
  129 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  75+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human-Sized
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Aversion To  
  Sunlight/Only Comes Out At Night 
  (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of The 
  Living (Common, Total)
  5 
  Susceptibility:  takes any damage inﬂicted on 
  her tree; number of dice and interval varies 
  (Uncommon)
  384 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  504
  OPTIONS
  Cost Powers
  +26 Instill Madness Aﬀects All Who Can Hear It:  
  Add Area Of Eﬀect (16” Radius; +1) to Instill 
  Madness
  var 
  Curse Of The Con-tinh:  The con-tinh’s 
  curse can be more than a simple RKA. You 
  could make into a Drain (against either 
  STR, DEX, CON, and so on), a Major 
  Transform (human into cursed human; the 
  curse is Unluck, poverty, a susceptibility 
  to injury, or something more esoteric like 
  a lack of male heirs or the early death of 
  each first born child)
  4 
  Insane Cackling:  +10 PRE; Only For Fear-
  Based Presence Attacks (-1), Incantations 
  (must laugh; -¼)
  60 
  Insubstantial Form:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance (0 
  END; +½)
  18 
  Floating About:  Flight 6”, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½)
  28 
  Fly Away Home:  Teleportation 20”, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Only To Return To 
  Her Tree (-2), No Noncombat Multiple (-¼) 
  plus Lightning Reﬂexes:  +10 DEX to act ﬁrst 
  with Fly Away Home
  Ecology:  A con-tinh is the ghost of a young woman 
  who died (or was killed) before her time. She now 
  lives in the forest, residing in a tree and preying on 
  the sanity and souls of the living.
  Personality/Motivation:  Consumed with a hatred of 
  the living, a con-tinh waits in the forest for anyone 
  who comes near her tree. She may stalk a prospec-
  tive victim, seduce a handsome male and lure him 
  to a lonely spot so she can kill him, or simply attack 
  outright, depending on her mood.
  Powers/Tactics:  A con-tinh ﬁrst tries to drive her 
  prospective victim to madness by cackling loudly. 
  Once she’s driven her target insane (deﬁned as 
  Draining the character’s EGO to negative its start-
  ing total), she consumes his soul, leaving only a 
  withered corpse behind. If attacked, the con-tinh 
  ﬂees back to her tree, hiding deep within it. Anyone 
  who dares to cut down the con-tinh’s tree will suﬀer 
  her wrath, often with fatal results.
  Campaign Use:  Like many other ghosts, a con-tinh 
  makes for an excellent plot hook. A group of PCs 
  may be tasked with eliminating a local con-tinh 
  who is preying in a nearby village. Or, a PC many 
  be asked (or tricked) to help cut down a tree, be 
  cursed as a result, and now must go on a quest 
  to get the curse lifted. By adding in the optional 
  powers you can adjust the power level of the con-
  tinh, making her a threat to a wide variety of player 
  character groups.
  Appearance:  Con-tinh appear as young, attractive 
  women and wears native dress.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  130 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  DOC CU’O’C
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8 ED (6 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  113
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”/0”
   
  Flight:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Brandishes An Axe:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6  
  with STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½); OIF (-½) 
  0
  39 
  Cure Disease:  Major Transform 7d6  
  (sick person into well person, heals  
  back through any normal means that  
  would cause the character to contract  
  the same disease), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Extra Time (5 Minutes; -2), 
  Limited Target (humans; -½),  
  No Range (-½)
  75 
  Can Send Good Or Bad Weather:   
  Change Environment 8” radius, +/-10  
  Temperature Levels, Multiple Combat 
  Eﬀects, Varying Combat Eﬀects, Varying 
  Eﬀect (any type of weather; +1),  
  MegaArea (1” = 1 km broad and wide;  
  +¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Extra Time (1 Turn to activate; -¾), No 
  Range (-½) 
  0
  60 
  Supernatural Form:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  6 
  Supernatural Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (6 PD/6 ED) 
  0
  34 
  Swift As Lightning:  Flight 12”, No Turn  
  Mode (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); Only In Contact With A Surface (-¼) 
  0
  -12 
  Only “Flies”:  Running -6” (total 0”)
  3 
  Ever Vigilant:  Life Support (Diminished 
  Sleep:  no need to sleep) 
  0
  15 
  Supernatural Form:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  5 
  Supernatural Awareness:  Infrared  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Supernatural Awareness:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
  3 
  Supernatural Awareness:  Ultrasonic  
  Perception (Hearing Group) 
  0
  18 
  Supernatural Awareness:  Telescopic  
  (+6 versus Range for Sight and  
  Hearing Groups) 
  0
  17 
  Can See Evil Spirits:  Detect Spirits 14- 
  (Sight Group), Discriminatory, Analyze 
  0
   
  Perks
  6 
  Reputation:  protector from evil sprits, 
  defender of the good (in Vietnam) 14-, 
  +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  15 
  Swift As Lightning:  Lightning Reﬂexes:  +10 
  DEX to act ﬁrst in a Phase
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  340
  Total Cost:  453
  75+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  half a body (All The 
  Time, Greatly)
  0 
  Physical Limitation:  Human Size
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Despises Evil  
  Spirits (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of The 
  Land And Its Inhabitants (Common, Total)
  323 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  453
  
  131 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One ■ Chapter Three
  OPTIONS
  Cost Power
  +8 
  Ghost-Banishing Axe:  Add Aﬀects Desolidi-
  ﬁed (+½) to the Doc Cu’o’c’s axe.
  Ecology:  Doc Cu’o’c are Annamese spirits sworn 
  to protect the land and everything dwelling in it. 
  They’re venerated by the local villagers, who erect 
  shines and temples in honor of the local doc cu’o’c. 
  Villagers also create paper or shell charms and 
  consecrate them to the doc cu’o’c, using them as 
  talismans against ghosts, nightmares, barrenness in 
  women, and toothaches.
  Personality/Motivation:  For the most part, the 
  doc cu’o’c are highly protective of the lands they 
  watch over. They also actively seek out any evil 
  spirits that wander into their territory and either 
  drive them off (and into someone else’s territory) 
  or destroy them.
  Powers/Tactics:  The powers of a doc cu’o’c are fairly 
  expansive; they include the ability to see evil spirits 
  of all types and blindingly fast speed. In combat 
  they ﬁght with an eternally sharp axe that cannot 
  easily be taken from them; out of combat they 
  control the weather and cure the sick. Doc cu’o’cs 
  use the full range of tactics available to intelligent 
  humanoids and rarely attack without evaluating 
  the situation... but once they engage in combat they 
  make implacable foes.
  Campaign Use:  As a nominally good spirit, a doc cu’o’c 
  shouldn’t be used as a foe for a group of PCs, but as 
  either an ally against a common foe or the instiga-
  tor of an adventure (such as summoning a doc cu’o’c 
  to help repel an invasion of evil spirits). If you use 
  the idea of animated doc cu’o’c ﬁgures (see text box), 
  there’s always the chance of an Annamese priest of 
  sorcerer sending one against a party of PCs.
  Appearance:  A doc cu’o’c appears as one half of a 
  human being, divided down the middle — it has 
  only one leg, one arm, one eye, and so on. It dresses 
  in the fashion of the local people and always carries 
  an axe in its one hand.
  THUÔNG-LUÔNG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   70 STR 
  60 
  23- 
  Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [3]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6 
   33 CON 
  46 
  16-
   28 BODY 36 
  15-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   40 PRE 
  30 
  17- 
  PRE Attack:  8d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   30 PD 
  16 
   
  Total:  30 PD (12 rPD)
   28 ED 
  21 
   
  Total:  28 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   21 REC 
  0
   66 END 
  0
   80 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  269 
    
   
   
  (+169 with NCM)
  Movement: 
  Running:  0”
   
  Leaping:  0”
   
  Swimming:  26”/52”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  57 
  Raises The Waves:  Telekinesis (70 STR),  
  Aﬀects Porous; Only Works On Water (-1) 11
  35 
  Bite:  HKA 2d6+1 (4½d6 with STR) 
  3
  17 
  Tireless:  Reduced Endurance (½ END;  
  +¼) on 70 STR 
  3
  12 
  Thick Scales:  Damage Resistance  
  (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  24 
  Great Mass:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  5 
  Breathes Air And Water:  Life Support 
  (Expanded Breathing:  Breathe Underwater) 0
  3 
  Aquatic Body:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  High Pressure, Intense Cold) 
  0
  15 
  Virtually Immortal:  Life Support  
  (Longevity:  Immortality; Immunity:  all  
  terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents) 
  0
  -12 
  Waterbound:  Running -6”
  24 
  Lord Of The Water:  Swimming +24”  
  (26” total) 
  3
  6 
  Sharp Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense  
  Groups 
  0
  40 
  Assume Human Form:  Multiform  
  (assume 300-point human form); Costs 
  Endurance (to change form; -½) 
  6
  5 
  Eyes Of The Thuông-Luông:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  247
  Total Cost:  516
  75+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (32m; -8 DCV, 
  +8 to PER Rolls to perceive) (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, cannot 
  leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipula-
  tion (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Destructive And 
  Cruel (Common, Strong)
  DOC CU’O’C GOLEM
  Annamese priests and sorcerers are said to be able to 
  build a doc cu’o’c out of bamboo and wood and cast 
  spells to bring it to life. The animated being is then 
  sent to “take vengeance” on anyone believed to have 
  wronged the creator of the doc cu’o’c. To create a doc 
  cu’o’c golem, add the Automaton Nature power set 
  listed in the Undead Template on page 28 of The HERO 
  System Bestiary to the character sheet for the standard 
  doc cu’o’c. The creation spell is built this way:
  Create Doc Cu’o’c Figure:  Summon one 606-point Doc 
  Cu’o’c golem, Slavishly Loyal (+1) (242 Active Points); 
  OAF Expendable (materials needed to create the 
  golem, including various inscribed charms and spells; 
  Very Diﬃcult to obtain; -1½), Concentration (0 DCV 
  throughout casting; -1), Extra Time (1 Month; -5), Ges-
  tures (throughout casting; -½), Incantations (through-
  out casting; -½). Total cost:  25 points.
  MONSTERS OF THE 
  ASIAN OCEANS
  Apalala:  This enormous 
  snake lived in the River 
  Swat in the Peshawar 
  region of India and 
  Pakistan. It preyed on 
  everyone who passed, 
  until Buddha con-
  verted and tamed it. To 
  create Apalala, remove 
  the Raises The Waves 
  and Assume Human 
  Form powers from the 
  thuông-luông character 
  sheet.
  Anantaoga:  Found in 
  Indonesia and Java, 
  Anantaoga is the King 
  of the Dragons and the 
  Lord of the Underworld. 
  He’s similar in size, 
  station, and power to 
  Shesha, the King of the 
  Naga found on page 83.
  Barong:  This dragon of 
  Bali has hideous fea-
  tures:  goggle eyes, large 
  fangs, a lolling tongue, 
  and a long winding 
  body. Remove the Raises 
  The Waves power from 
  the thuông-luông char-
  acter sheet to create him.
  Bena:  A water dragon 
  found in Malaysia, 
  Bena haunts rivers and 
  coastal regions. Like 
  the thuông-luông it can 
  cause the water to rise 
  around it, and often 
  does so to swamp boats. 
  Remove the Assume 
  Human Form power 
  from the thuông-luông 
  character sheet to create 
  a bena.
  
  Hero System 5th Edition
  132 ■ Other Parts Of Asia
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lust For Human 
  Women (Common, Strong)
  376 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  516
  Ecology:  A thuông-luông is an immense sea ser-
  pent. Descended from a Chinese dragon, they 
  inhabit the coastal waters of Vietnam, demanding 
  tribute from sailors and ﬁshermen. They devour 
  nearly anything and attack ships to eat their crews.
  Personality/Motivation:  Thuông-luông are aggres-
  sive and dangerous creatures. They sink ships 
  that haven’t paid a tribute, then devour the crew 
  in the process. They also kidnap women from 
  passing ships, carrying them away to their under-
  sea homes where they’re raped and/or forced to 
  marry their captor.
  Powers/Tactics:  Aside from its great size and 
  gaping maw (the thuông-luông can swallow 
  a man whole, doing Very Strong swallowing 
  damage), the thuông-luông can “raise the waves” 
  and batter ships with masses of water. It uses this 
  tactic to sink ships and smash coastal villages. 
  The thuông-luông may be venomous as well, 
  and is said to be able to poison an entire river. 
  (Add the Lethal Venom template on page 30 of 
  The HERO System Bestiary to create this sort of 
  thuông-luông.)
  Campaign Use:  Many parts of Asia have stories 
  about giant sea serpents and sea dragons (see side-
  bar, page 131). You can adapt the thuông-luông to 
  represent such creatures by removing the Raises 
  The Waves and Assume Human Form powers and 
  adding Disadvantages like Animal Intellegence.
  Appearance:  A thuông-luông is a sea serpent 100 
  feet long. It looks much like a limbless kioh-lung, 
  with a red crest running on its head and down 
  its back.
  Additional Creatures Of 
  Vietnamese Folklore 
  And Mythology
  The traditional Vietnamese coat of arms 
  contains a dragon, a phoenix, a tortoise, and a 
  unicorn. All of these animals are derived from 
  their Chinese counterparts. The dragon is known 
  as a long (see the Kioh-Lung on page 36), the 
  phoenix as a phuong (see the Feng Hwang on 
  page 23), the tortoise as either quy or rua, and 
  the unicorn as either ly or lan (see the Ch’i-Lin 
  on page 10). Like the feng hwang, the phoung’s 
  name depends on its sex — phoung for the male, 
  and hoang for the female. The quy represents 
  Heaven and Earth, with the domed shell repre-
  senting heaven, while the plaque on the under-
  body is the Earth.
  You can create the spirits listed here using the 
  Nature Spirit character sheets found in Monsters, 
  Minions, And Marauders. Simply give the spirit in 
  question magical spells and powers appropriate to 
  the environment it controls.
  Chu’ngu
  These Annamese spirits are said to be the 
  original owners of the land. They’re jealous by 
  nature and dislike the fact their descendants have 
  all died out and no longer control the land. To 
  appease them and prevent strife, such as the loss 
  of cattle or crops, villagers make sacriﬁces to the 
  chu’ngu during the ﬁrst three months of the year. 
  Often imitation money is used to “buy” the land 
  from the chu’ngu.
  Chu-uhâ
  Also known as a chu-nha, this is an Annamese 
  household guardian. It lives in a jug used to hold 
  lime (used to prepare betel nuts for consumption). 
  If the jug is ever broken it means the death of a 
  family member unless the pieces are quickly set 
  under a nearby tree and the chu-uhâ can be enticed 
  to enter into a new jug.
  Dúc-Ba
  According to the Annamese, Dúc-Ba is one of 
  a trio of nature spirits known as the Three Mothers:  
  Ba-Dúc-Chúa, the Spirit of the Air; Dúc-Ba, the 
  Spirit of the Forest; and Dúc-Thánh Ba, the Spirit of 
  the Water. All three are said to have been created by 
  Yü-Huang, the August Personage of Jade, and have 
  shrines dedicated to them in Buddhist temples.
  
  133 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One
  To assist you in using the creatures from The 
  Asian Bestiaries in your campaign, this Appendix 
  includes:
  ■ an extensive bibliography, in case you want to 
  learn more about the wonderfully strange world of 
  Asian folklore, mythology, and the supernatural
  ■ an alphabetical list of the creatures in this and 
  AB2 by country
  ■ a list of the creatures in this book and AB2 by country
  BIBLIOGRAPHY
  Aldis, Stephen, ed. Japanese Ghosts & Demons
  Allan, Tony And Charles Phillips. Land Of The 
  Dragon:  Chinese Myth
  Allan, Tony, Michael Kerrigan, And Charles Phil-
  lips. Realm Of The Rising Sun:  Japanese Myth
  Andrew Forbes. “The Ghost People of Chiang Dao” 
  CPAMedia; http://www.cpamedia.com/history/
  ghost_people/
  Ashkenazi, Michael. Handbook Of Japanese Mythology
  Barber, Richard And Anne Riches. A Dictionary Of 
  Fabulous Beasts
  Birrell, Anne. The Classic Of Mountains And Seas
  Bompas, Cecil Henry. Folklore Of The Santal Parganas
  Bonnefot, Yves, ed. Mythologies
  Borges, Jorge Luis. The Book Of Imaginary Beings
  Bryant, Anthony And Mark Arsenault. Sengoku
  Bunson, Matthew. The Vampire Encyclopedia
  Burton, Sir Richard F. Vikram And The Vampire
  Christie, Anthony. Chinese Mythology
  Cohen, Daniel. The Encyclopedia Of Monsters
  Coleman, Loren And Jerome Clark. Cryptozoology 
  A To Z
  Coleman, Loren And Patrick Huyghe. The Field 
  Guide To Bigfoot, Yeti, And Other Mystery Primates 
  Worldwide
  Conway, D. J. Magickal Mystical Creatures
  Dallapiccola, Anna L. Dictonary Of Hindu Lore And 
  Legend
  David-Neel, Alexandra. With Mystics And Magi-
  cians In Tibet
  Davis, F. Hadland. Myths And Legends Of Japan
  De Groot, J. J. M. The Religious System Of China, 
  Volume VI
  Dennys, Nicholas B. The Folk-Lore Of China
  Encyclopedia Mythica. http://www.pantheon.org/
  mythica.html
  Geertz, Cliﬀord. Religon Of Java
  Gould, Charles. Mythical Monsters
  Grate, Lane. GURPS Blood Types
  Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia Of Ghosts 
  And Spirits, 2nd Edition
  — The Encyclopedia Of Vampires, Werewolves, 
  And Other Monsters
  Gygax, Gary And Francois Marcela-Froideval. Ori-
  ental Adventures
  Hackin, J, Cl ment Huart, Raymonde Linossier, H. 
  De Wilman-Grabowska, Charles Henry-Marchal, 
  Henri Maspero, Serge Eliseen. Asiatic Mythology:  
  A Detailed Description And Explanation Of The 
  Mythologies Of The Great Nations Of Asia
  Hardin, Terri, ed. Myths And Folktales From Around 
  The World
  Hearn, Lafcadio. “In A Japanese Garden” The Atlan-
  tic Monthly; January 1892; Volume LXX, No. 417; 
  Pp 14-31
  —Glimpses Of Unfamiliar Japan, Volumes I & II
  —Kotto:  Being Japanese Curios, With Sundry 
  Cobwebs
  —Kwaidan:  Stories And Studies Of Strange 
  Things
  Heuvelmans, Bernard. In The Wake Of Sea-Serpents
  Himmapan:  The Mythical Creatures Of The East. 
  http://www.himmapan.com/index.html
  Hogarth, Peter And Val Clery. Dragons
  Iwasaka, Michiko And Barre Toelken. Ghosts And 
  The Japanese
  Kane, Thomas M. GURPS China
  Kiej’e, Nikolas. Japanese Grotesqueries
  Knappert, Jan. Indian Mythology
  —Mythology And Folklore Of Southeast Asia
  —Paciﬁc Mythology
  Lagerfeld, Jospeh K. “The Dead Arise:  Cases Of 
  Death And Return In Tibet”; http://www.sit.edu/
  publications/sitops_03.html
  Leach, Maria, ed. Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dic-
  tionary Of Folklore, Mythology, And Legend
  Leeming, David. Asian Mythology
  Lu, Peter. Fabulous Beasts
  Macdonell, A. A. Vedic Mythology
  APPENDIX:  
  RESOURCES
  
  134 
  Hero System 5th Edition
  MacDougall, Shane. The Vampire Slayers’ Field 
  Guide To The Undead
  Mack, Carole K. And Dinah Mack. A Field Guide To 
  Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, And Other Subver-
  sive Spirits
  Mackal, Roy P. Searching For Hidden Animals
  Mackenzie, Donald A. Myths Of China And Japan
  Maxwell, Duane, ed. Jade Dragons & Hungry Ghosts
  Melton, J. Gordon. The Vampire Book
  Nepstad, Peter. “Supernatural Literature In China” 
  The Illuminated Lantern; August - September 2000; 
  Issue 4; http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/cinema/
  Nigg, Jospeh. The Book Of Fabulous Beasts
  O’Sullivan, Stephen. GURPS Fantasy Bestiary
  Page, Michael And Robert Ingpen. Encyclopedia Of 
  Things That Never Were
  Piggot, Juliet. Japanese Mythology
  Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/
  Ramos, Maximo D. The Creatures Of Philippine 
  Lower Mythology
  Reyes, Mai V. “The Country Spirits”
  Rose, Carol. Giants, Monsters, And Dragons:  An 
  Encyclopedia Of Folklore, Legend, And Myth
  —Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, And Goblins:  An 
  Encyclopedia
  Ross, Catrien. Supernatural And Mysterious Japan
  Sakai, Stan. Usagi Yojimbo
  Savill, Shelia. Pear’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Leg-
  ends:  The Orient
  Screech, Tim. “Japanese Ghosts.” Mangajin #40; 
  http://www.mangajin.com/mangajin/samplemj/
  ghosts/ghosts.htm
  Shucker, Karl. Dragons:  A Natural History
  Spengler, Egon. Tobin’s Spirit Guide
  Spiro, Melford E. Burmese Supernaturalism
  Steiger, Brad. The Werewolf Book
  Storm, Rachel. Eastern Mythology
  Stutley, Margaret And James. A Dictionary Of Hin-
  duism
  Turnbull, Don, ed. Fiend Folio
  Walker, Benjamin. Hindu World:  A Encylopedia Of 
  Hinduism, Volumes I & II
  Walters, Derek. Chinese Mythology
  Werner, E.T.C. Myths And Legends Of China
  Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
  Williams, George M. Handbook Of Indian Mythology
  Wilson, Robert. “Into The Burmese Supernatural” 
  Jade Dragon Online; October-December 2004; 
  http://www.jadedragon.com/toc.html
  Youkaimura Tea House. http://www.youkaimura.
  org/library.htm
  Various sites on the World Wide Web, including 
  www.google.com
  CREATURES LISTED BY 
  COUNTRY TABLE
  ASSAM
  Hsing-Hsing
  BALI
  Garuda
  Makara
  BHUTAN
  Buru
  Rolang
  Yet-teh
  BURMA
  Bilu
  Buru
  Hsing-Hsing
  Nat
  Penanggalan
  Thaye Tasei
  CAMBODIA
  Apsarasas
  Filipino Viscera Sucker
  Gandharva
  CHINA
  Bashe
  Celestial Maiden
  Celestial Stag
  Ch’i-Lin
  Changeshe
  Chiang-Liang
  Chiang-Shih
  Chinese Hobgoblins
  Chinese Were-Animals
  Fei
  Feng Hwang
  Hai Ho Shang
  Hai Nu
  Hoh Sheng
  Hook-Snake
  Hsing-Hsing
  Hui
  Hujiao
  Jiao
  K’uei
  Kioh-Lung
  Kitsune
  Legendary Men Of China
  Longzhi
  Ma Mien/Niu T’ou
  Poh
  Preta
  Qiongqi
  Shan
  Shên
  Shishi
  Yet-teh
  
  135 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One
  INDIA
  Apsarasas
  Asipatra
  Bhuta
  Bonga
  Buru
  Celestial Maiden
  Chedipe
  Churel
  Erawan
  Gandharva
  Ghormuhas
  Kaliya
  Makara
  Naga
  Pishacha
  Preta
  Rakshasa
  Vritra
  Yali
  INDONESIA
  Athol
  Celestial Maiden
  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles
  Garuda
  Gendruwo
  Langsuir
  Lelembut
  Macan Gadungan
  Makara
  Penanggalan
  Puntianak
  Sundal Bolong
  JAPAN
  Amikiri
  Celestial Maiden
  Ch’i-Lin
  Dragon Carp
  Feng Hwang
  Jinshin-Mushi
  Jinshin-Uwo
  Kappa
  Kasha
  Kino-O-Bake
  Kioh-Lung
  Kitsune
  Kumo
  Makara
  Mukade
  Ningyo
  Nue
  Nuke-Kubi
  Nure-Onna
  Oni
  Onmoraki
  Orochi
  Otoroshi
  Preta
  Raiju
  Rokuro-Kubi
  Samebito
  Shirokinakatsukami
  Shishi
  Shojo
  Tanuki
  Tatsu
  Tengu
  Waira
  Yamata-no-Orochi
  Yasha
  Yuki-Onna
  Yurei
  Zunberabou
  KOREA
  Dragon Carp
  Kioh-Lung
  Kitsune
  Preta
  Shishi
  Tatsu
  Tokkaebi
  LAOS
  Apsarasas
  Celestial Maiden
  Gandharva
  Makara
  Naga
  Rakshasa
  MALAYSIA
  Bajang
  Ch’i-Lin
  Filipino Viscera Sucker
  Gerjis
  Garuda
  Langsuir
  Makara
  Penanggalan
  Polong
  Puntianak
  Santu Sankai
  Yet-teh
  MONGOLIA
  Hsing-Hsing
  Mangai
  Olgol-Khorkhol
  Orgoli
  Yet-teh
  NEPAL
  Garuda
  Rolang
  Yet-teh
  OKINAWA
  Shishi
  PHILIPPINES
  Aswang
  Baconaua
  Bannog
  Bebarlang
  Buso
  Catao
  Filipino Dwarf
  Filipino Elf
  
  136 
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Filipino Ghoul
  Filipino Giant
  Filipino Ogre
  Filipino Viscera Sucker
  Garuda
  Ikugan
  Mameleu
  Marcupo
  Minokawa
  Pugot
  Segben
  Tianak
  Tikbalang
  SRI LANKA
  Yali
  THAILAND
  Apsarasas
  Ch’i-Lin
  Con tram nu’ o’ c
  Creatures of the Himmapan Forest
  Elephant-Tiger
  Garuda
  Gandharva
  Makara
  Nat
  TIBET
  Apsarasas
  Ch’i-Lin
  Garuda
  Preta
  Rolang
  Yet-teh
  TIMOR
  Macan Gadungan
  VIETNAM
  Ch’i-Lin
  Con Rit
  Con-Tinh
  Doc Cu’o’c
  Feng Hwang
  Hsing-Hsing
  Kioh-Lung
  Kitsune
  Penanggalan
  Preta
  Tatsu
  Thuông-luông
  Yet-the
  CREATURE  
  LOCATIONS TABLE
  The following table lists all the creatures described 
  in this book and AB2 as well as the different coun-
  tries they can be reasonably associated with. In 
  some cases, the country listed is for a variant of the 
  creature in question.
  CREATURE 
  LOCATION
  Amikiri 
  Japan
  Apsarasas 
  Cambodia, India, Tibet,  
  Thailand
  Asipatra 
  India
  Aswang 
  Philippines
  Athol 
  Indonesia
  Baconaua 
  Philippines
  Bajang 
  Malaysia
  Bannog 
  Philippines
  Bashe 
  China
  Bebarlang 
  Philippines
  Bhuta 
  India
  Bilu 
  Burma
  Bonga 
  India
  Buru 
  Bhutan, Burma, India
  Buso (Ogre) 
  Philippines
  Catao 
  Philippines
  Celestial Maiden 
  China, India, Indonesia, 
  Japan, Laos
  Celestial Stag 
  China
  Ch’i-Lin 
  China, Japan, Malaysia, Tibet, 
  Vietnam
  Changshe 
  China
  Chedipe 
  India
  Chiang-Liang 
  China
  Chiang-Shih 
  China
  Chinese Hobgoblin 
  China
  Chinese Were-Animals China
  Churel 
  India
  Con Rit 
  Vietnam
  Con Tram Nu’ O’ C 
  Thailand
  Con-Tinh 
  Vietnam
  Creatures of the 
    Himmapan Forest 
  Thailand
  Doc Cu’o’c 
  Vietnam
  Dragon Carp 
  Japan, Korea
  Elephant-Tiger 
  Thailand
  Eng Banka 
  Malaysia
  Father-Of-All-
    The-Turtles 
  Indonesia
  Fei 
  China
  Feng Hwang 
  China, Japan, Vietnam
  Filipino Dwarf 
  Philippines
  Filipino Elf 
  Philippines
  Filipino Ghoul 
  Philippines
  Filipino Giant 
  Philippines
  Filipino Ogre 
  Philippines
  Filipino Viscera Sucker Cambodia, Malaysia,  
  Philippines
  Gandharva 
  Cambodia, India, Thailand
  Garuda 
  Philippines
  Gendruwo 
  Indonesia
  Gerjis 
  Malaysia
  Ghormuhas 
  India
  Hai Ho Shang 
  China
  Hai Nu 
  China
  Hoh Sheng 
  China
  Hook-Snake 
  China
  Hsing-Hsing 
  Assam, Burma, China, Vietnam
  
  137 
  The Asian Bestiary, Vol. One
  CREATURE 
  LOCATION
  Hui 
  China
  Hujiao 
  China
  Ikugan 
  Philippines
  Jiao 
  China
  Jinshin-Mushi 
  Japan
  Jinshin-Uwo 
  Japan
  K’uei 
  China
  Kaliya 
  India
  Kappa 
  Japan
  Kasha 
  Japan
  Kino-O-Bake 
  Japan
  Kioh-Lung 
  China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam
  Kitsune 
  China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam
  Kumo 
  Japan
  Langsuir 
  Indonesia, Malaysia
  Legendary Men of China China
  Lelembut 
  Indonesia
  Longzhi 
  China
  Ma Mien/Niu T’ou 
  China
  Macan Gadungan 
  Indonesia, Timor
  Makara 
  Bali, India, Indonesia, Japan, 
  Nepal, Thailand
  Mameleu 
  Philippines
  Mangai 
  Mongolia
  Marcupo 
  Philippines
  Minokawa 
  Philippines
  Mukade 
  Japan
  Naga 
  India, Indonesia, Japan, 
  Malaysia, Thailand
  Nat 
  Burma, Thailand
  Ningyo 
  Japan
  Nue 
  Japan
  Nuke-Kubi 
  Japan
  Nure-Onna 
  Japan
  Olgol-Khorkhol 
  Mongolia
  Oni 
  Japan
  Onmoraki 
  Japan
  Orgoli 
  Mongolia
  Orochi 
  Japan
  Otoroshi 
  Japan
  Penanggalan 
  Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, 
  Philippines, Thailand, Viet-
  nam
  Pishacha 
  India
  Poh 
  China
  Polong 
  Malaysia
  Preta 
  China, India, Japan, Korea, 
  Tibet, Vietnam
  Pugot 
  Philippines
  Puntianak 
  Indonesia, Malaysia
  Qiongqi 
  China
  Raiju 
  Japan
  Rakshasa 
  India
  Rokuro-Kubi 
  Japan
  Rolang 
  Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet
  Samebito 
  Japan
  Santu Sankai 
  Malaysia
  Segben 
  Philippines
  Shan 
  China
  Shen 
  China
  Shirokinakatsukami 
  Japan
  Shishi 
  China, Japan, Korea, Okinawa
  Shojo 
  Japan
  Sundal Bolong 
  Indonesia
  Tanuki 
  Japan
  Tatsu 
  Japan, Korea, Vietnam
  Tengu 
  Japan
  Thaye Tasei 
  Burma
  Thuông-luông 
  Vietnam
  CREATURE 
  LOCATION
  Tianak 
  Philippines
  Tikbalang 
  Philippines
  Tokkaebi 
  Korea
  Vritra 
  India
  Waira 
  Japan
  Yali 
  India, Sri Lanka
  Yamata-no-Orochi 
  Japan
  Yasha 
  Japan
  Yet-teh 
  Bhutan, China, Malaysia, 
  Mongolia, Nepal, Tibet,  
  Vietnam
  Yuki-onna 
  Japan
  Yurei 
  Japan
  Zunberabou 
  Japan
  
  138 ■ Asian Bestiary, Volume 1
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Abath ............................................10
  Agwi .............................................87
  Ahi ................................................91
  Ahool ............................................99
  Airi ...............................................65
  Alakai ...........................................85
  Almas ...........................................30
  Alvantin .......................................73
  Anantaboga .............................. 106
  Anantaoga ................................ 124
  Anata-Shesha ..............................83
  Andaman Islands ..................... 125
  Angkor Wat .................................96
  Anjing Ajak ............................... 104
  Annam .................................131-32
  Antelope Makara ........................81
  Ao Chin ........................................40
  Ao Jun ..........................................40
  Ao Kuang .....................................40
  Ao Ping ........................................40
  Ao Shun .......................................40
  Apalala ...................................... 124
  Apsarasas ...........................7, 61, 76
  Apu Tanis .....................................69
  Árák ..............................................96
  Archanai ................................... 119
  Armless People ...........................41
  Asha-vyala ...................................92
  Ashrapa ........................................62
  Ashvamukhi ................................90
  Asinaga .........................................42
  Asipatra ........................................63
  Asita-dashtra ...............................80
  Asoon Puksa ............................ 118
  Aspidochelone ......................... 100
  Assam .................................. 30, 134
  Asura Wayupuk ........................ 118
  Asuras (Indian demons) ............92
  Athol .............................................98
  Cu Co ........................................ 127
  Cu Lac ....................................... 127
  Avagráh ........................................18
  Ayutthaya .................................. 113
  Ba-Dúc-Chúa ........................... 132
  Ba-snakes .....................................18
  Baital-pachisi ...............................66
  Baitala ...........................................66
  Bali ..................................... 107, 134
  Bannog ...................................... 115
  Barong ....................................... 124
  Bashe ............................................18
  Battle of Ten Thousand Spirits ....40
  Bee Spirits ....................................56
  Bekk-bok .....................................30
  Bell Mountain .............................47
  Bena ........................................... 124
  Besach ..........................................96
  Betikhân .......................................76
  Bhagavati .....................................83
  Bhainsasura .................................94
  Bhandara ......................................65
  Bhut ..............................................65
  Bhuta ............................................64
  Bhutan ....................................... 134
  Bhutas ...........................................65
  Bhutastan .....................................65
  Bhuts ............................................65
  Bibliography ............................. 133
  Big-Ear People ............................42
  Big-Heel People ..........................45
  Bir-sindic .....................................30
  Bird People ..................................45
  Birds of the Himmapan Forest ..114
  Black River ...................................45
  Bo ..................................................52
  Bofu ..............................................41
  Bofumin .......................................41
  Bong Hwang ................................24
  Bonga ...........................................67
  Borneo ...................................... 106
  Borneo ...........................98, 106-07
  Brahma .........................................60
  Brahmaparush ............................89
  Buddhism ................................6, 60
  Bujangga ................................... 106
  Buntu Rajasri ............................ 120
  Buntu Sura Mareu Kin ............ 120
  Burma and Burmese monsters ..... 
   .....30, 69, 117, 123, 125, 126, 134
  Buru ..............................................69
  Buryat Mongols ....................... 112
  Busimin ..................................40-41
  Cambodia ....................................96
  Canines of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 116
  Cattle of the Himmapan Forest .116
  Cauga ........................................ 125
  Celestial Beings ...............10, 24, 36
  Celestial Bureaucracy ...................6
  Celestial Horse ............................15
  Celestial Maiden ...........................7
  Celestial Nagas ............................84
  Celestial Stag .................................8
  Ch’ang K’uei ................................35
  Ch’i-lin .........................................10
  Ch’i-Lung .....................................40
  Ch’ing-shih ..................................16
  Ch’ou-t’i ........................................15
  Ch’uan-T’ou .................................15
  Chai Tung ....................................11
  Chan .............................................55
  Chandi .........................................63
  Changbimin ................................41
  Changgumin ...............................42
  Changjingmin .............................42
  Changshe .....................................19
  Chedipe ........................................70
  Chen .............................................55
  Cheng-hwang ..............................35
  Chenla ..........................................96
  Chi Lung Wang ...........................40
  Chi tribe .......................................21
  Chi’i-lin ........................................10
  Chi’ih Muh ..................................39
  Chi-kung Chic Kou ....................44
  Chiai Tung ...................................10
  Chiang-liang ................................14
  Chiang-shih .............................8, 15
  China ..........................................5-6
  Chinese Giant Snakes .................17
  Chinese Hobgoblins ...................21
  Chinese Were-Animals ..............22
  Ching ............................................46
  Chio-tuan ....................................10
  Chisel-Tooth Land .....................41
  Chitratha ......................................76
  Cho-kem-ju-jiki-netsu-gaki ......86
  Chonma .................................... 119
  Chordewa ..............................70-71
  Chou Wang ..................................40
  Chu’ngu ..................................... 132
  Chu-nha .................................... 132
  Chu-uhâ .................................... 132
  Churel ..........................................72
  Co-Hon ..................................... 131
  Con Rit ...................................... 127
  Con Tram Nu’ O’ C .................. 113
  Con-Ion .................................... 131
  Con-Ma-Dau ............................ 131
  Con-Tinh .................................. 128
  Confucianism ................................6
  Confucius ......................................6
  Crab of the Himmapan Forest ..116
  Creature Locations Table ........ 136
  Creatures Listed By Country  
  Table ........................................ 134
  Creatures of the Himmapan  
  Forest ............................82, 114-24
  Crocodile Makara .......................81
  Crocodiles of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 116
  Daka  ............................................62
  Dakini ..........................................62
  Danermin ....................................42
  Daren ............................................41
  Daylight Mountain .....................57
  Deep-Eyed People ......................41
  Demon People .............................47
  Deng Forest .................................41
  Devi ..............................................60
  Dewas ...........................................63
  Dewi Nagagini ......................... 106
  Dinglingmin ................................42
  Diren ............................................43
  Divine Nagas ...............................84
  Djims ......................................... 102
  Djrangkong .............................. 102
  Doc Cu’o’c ................................. 130
  Dog Tribes ...................................46
  Dragon Horse ..............................40
  Dragon King Lac Long Quân ....127
  Dragon Kings ..............................40
  Dúc-Ba ...................................... 132
  Dúc-Thánh Ba .......................... 132
  Dukun ..................................102-03
  Durga .....................................63, 70
  Durong Kraisorn ..................... 119
  Durong Puksin ......................... 119
  Dvipantara ...................................98
  Dyak Headhunters .................. 106
  Earthly Nagas ..............................84
  Eastern Sea ..................................41
  Eight-Legged Lion ......................94
  Elephant Makara ........................82
  Elephant Yali ................................93
  Elephant-Tiger ......................... 124
  Elephants of the Himmapan  
  Forest ................................. 82, 117
  Emperor of Qin ............................6
  Erem Cauga .............................. 125
  Eternity Mountains ....................47
  Father-Of-All-The-Turtles .........99
  Feathered People .........................49
  Fei .................................................22
  Feng Huang .................................24
  Feng Hwang ................................23
  Feng Shui .................................. 127
  Fire-Gluttons ...............................41
  Fish of the Himmapan Forest ....117
  Flexible People ............................46
  Fu vipers ......................................19
  Fu-Hsi ..........................................40
  INDEX
  
  139 
  Asian Bestiary, Volume 1
  Fu-Tsiang Lung ...........................40
  Fufu ..............................................47
  Fujo-ko-hyaku-gaki ....................86
  Fum Hwang .................................24
  Funan ...........................................96
  Fung Hwang ................................24
  Gabil Puksa .............................. 122
  Gaja-vyala ....................................92
  Gaki ..............................................87
  Gandabherunda ..........................24
  Gandharva .............................61, 75
  Ganesha .......................................60
  Ganjuren ......................................43
  Gara ..............................................18
  Garden Spirits .............................56
  Garsorn Singha ........................ 120
  Garuda .......................... 24, 83, 113
  Gayal ............................................74
  Gaysorn Singha ........................ 120
  Gendruwo ................................. 101
  Genghis Khan .......................... 108
  Geser ......................................... 112
  Ghilen ..........................................11
  Ghormuhas ..................................77
  Ghost Magistrate ........................35
  Ghosts Who Receive Discards .....86
  Ghosts Who Receive Lost Food ..86
  Ghosts with Foul-smelling Hair ..86
  Ghosts with Foul-smelling  
  Mouths .......................................86
  Ghosts with Large Ulcers ..........86
  Giants of Gan ..............................43
  Giants of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 118
  Gin-sung ......................................30
  Glorious River .............................46
  Gobi Desert .............................. 108
  Gong Gong ..................................40
  Gou Mang ....................................40
  Gráha ............................................18
  Great Wall of China ..............6, 108
  Great Waste, the ..........................41
  Great Wilds ..................................46
  Guanxiongmin ......................41, 43
  Gui Xian .......................................35
  Gujarat .........................................73
  Hai Chai .......................................11
  Hai Ho Shang ..............................25
  Hai Nu ..........................................26
  Hairy People ................................45
  Hall of Giants ..............................41
  Han (superior soul) ....................16
  Hantu ........................................ 106
  Hanuman .........................6, 60, 122
  Hayra/Hayra Pod ..................... 116
  Heiren ..........................................44
  Hemara Ussadorn .................... 119
  Hemaraj .................................... 120
  Hera ........................................... 116
  Hibagon .......................................30
  Hidden Nagas ..............................84
  Himmapan Forest, creatures  
  of .........................................114-24
  Hinduism .....................................60
  His-hsue-k’uei .............................16
  Hitmangah ...................................80
  Ho-o .............................................24
  Hoang ........................................ 132
  Hoh Sheng ...................................27
  Hong Jean ....................................24
  Hongsa .........................................24
  Hook-snake .................................20
  Hopping vampires ......................15
  Horses of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 119
  Hsiao ............................................15
  Hsiao-jen Kuo .............................46
  Hsing-hsing .................................29
  Hsing-t’ien ...................................15
  Hua Fish .......................................15
  Huan .............................................12
  Huan’gou ......................................44
  Huantoumin ................................44
  Hui ................................................30
  Hujiao ...........................................32
  Humans of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 120
  Hungry Ghosts ......................86-87
  Hwa Yih .......................................24
  India ...............................59-60, 135
  Indonesia .................... 98, 106, 135
  Indonesian Naga .........................84
  Indra .............................................60
  Ink Spirits ....................................56
  Inner Sea ......................................42
  Instructed People ........................45
  Introduction ..................................4
  Iruci ..............................................85
  Itarajanah .....................................90
  Ittan-momen ............................ 102
  Iu-wuan ........................................30
  Jakarta ..........................................98
  Jakhai ............................................73
  Jakhin ...........................................73
  Jala-rupa ......................................80
  Japan and Japanese  
  monsters ...............4, 7, 11, 13, 17,  
   .....................25, 27, 37, 39, 42, 43,  
   ..................... 81, 88, 102, 105, 135
  Jata ............................................. 106
  Java .................................98, 106-07
  Jayavarman VII ...........................96
  Jiang-shi .......................................16
  Jiao ................................................33
  Jiaojingmin ..................................41
  Jiaoyaomin ...................................49
  Jiexiongmin .................................44
  Jigarkhwar ..............................71-72
  Jigongmin ....................................44
  Jiki-doku-gaki .............................86
  Jiki-fu-gaki ..................................86
  Jiki-ké-gaki ..................................86
  Jiki-ketsu-gaki .............................86
  Jiki-kwa-gaki ...............................86
  Jiki-niku-gaki ..............................86
  Jin ............................................... 107
  Jurik ........................................... 106
  Jurua/Juruwin .......................... 125
  K’i-lin ...........................................10
  K’iung Shu ...................................56
  K’uei .......................................34, 87
  K’üh-lung .....................................38
  K’un-lun Mountains ...................46
  K’ung fu-tze ...................................6
  K’ung-hsing Fo-mu ....................62
  Kabanda .......................................89
  Kai Tsi ..........................................12
  Kai Tsu .........................................11
  Kala Sriha ................................. 121
  Kali .........................................60, 62
  Kaliya ...........................................78
  Kaluks ....................................... 125
  Kamadeva ....................................61
  Kambujadesa ...............................96
  Kampir-kampiran .................... 102
  Kampuchea ..................................96
  Kantaka ........................................80
  Karin Puksa .............................. 117
  Ke-mung ......................................57
  Kedjiman .................................. 102
  Keinnara ........................... 123, 125
  Kemomong ............................... 102
  Kere ..............................................13
  Kesurupan ................................ 102
  Khandro .......................................62
  Khi Mee .................................... 116
  Khi Trau .......................................30
  Khmer Empire ............................96
  Khmóc Prây .................................96
  Khmoch .......................................87
  Khon Tun .................................. 120
  Ki Lin ...........................................10
  Kiang-shi .....................................16
  Kiao ..............................................38
  Kiao-lung .....................................38
  Kiau ..............................................26
  Kih Tau .........................................40
  Kimprushas .................................76
  Kimpurushas ............................ 123
  King ..............................................12
  Kinnara ....................... 76, 123, 125
  Kino-o-Bake ............................. 125
  Kioh Twan ...................................12
  Kioh-lung ....................................37
  Kirata ............................................76
  Kirin .............................................10
  Kisar Bonga ...........................67-68
  Kiser Island ............................... 106
  Kitsune .........................................22
  Kocha Puksa ............................. 115
  Kochasri .................................... 121
  Kôn Prây ......................................96
  Korea and Korean  
  monsters .......4, 24, 38, 87, 119, 135
  Kraisorn Jumlang .................... 121
  Kraisorn Karwee ...................... 121
  Kraisorn Mungkorn ................ 121
  Kraisorn Naga .......................... 121
  Kraisorn Puksa ........................ 121
  Kraisorn Rajasri ....................... 121
  Kravyad ........................................85
  Krishna .........................................60
  Kru ................................................96
  Kuan Yin ........................................6
  Kuan-hsiung Kou .......................43
  Kuan-Ti ..........................................6
  Kubera ..........................................76
  Kubera ..........................................90
  Kumpee Nimit ......................... 123
  Kun ...............................................26
  Kunchorn Waree .........................82
  Kuntilanak ................................ 107
  Kw’Ln ...........................................26
  Kwaku-shin-gaki .........................86
  Kwei Mu .......................................56
  Kyai Belorong/Blorong ........... 107
  Kyonshi ........................................16
  Kyuketsuki ...................................16
  Laboring People ..........................45
  Lac Long Quân ........................ 127
  Lakes of Gems .............................56
  Lakshmi .......................................60
  Lan ............................................. 132
  Land of (Gentle)Men .................41
  Land of Flying Carts ..................44
  Land of People With Perforated 
  Chests .........................................41
  Land of White People .................41
  Land of Women ..........................41
  Landrone Islands ........................26
  
  140 ■ Asian Bestiary, Volume 1
  Hero System 5th Edition
  Langsuir .................................... 107
  Lao ............................................. 125
  Laos and Laotian  
  monsters ............... 7, 30, 122, 135
  Lao Tzu ..........................................6
  Laomin .........................................45
  Lau ............................................. 125
  Legendary Men of China, the ......40
  Lei Kung .........................................6
  Lelembut ................................... 102
  Lesser Yü Mountains ..................56
  Leyak ......................................... 107
  Lien tree .......................................38
  Lin .................................................31
  Lion Yali .......................................93
  Lions of the Himmapan Forest .120
  Lirong ...........................................46
  Little People Land .......................46
  Long .......................................... 132
  Long-Arms People .....................41
  Long-Shins People ......................42
  Long-Thighs People ...................42
  Longzhi ........................................49
  Loppy-eared People ....................42
  Loto ........................................... 122
  Lu ..................................................12
  Lung Wang ...................................40
  Lwan .............................................24
  Ly ............................................... 132
  Ma .............................................. 119
  Ma Mien ......................................50
  Ma Peek..................................... 119
  Macan Gadungan .................... 103
  Mafu .............................................31
  Magar ...........................................80
  Mahayana Buddhism .............6, 97
  Majapahit .....................................98
  Makalee Pon ............................. 120
  Makar ...........................................80
  Makara .........................................80
  Makatsugyo .................................80
  Malaysia and Malaysian monsters .. 
   ...............31, 84, 104, 107, 117, 135
  Malaysian Naga ...........................84
  Mangai ...................................... 108
  Mao-tuh .......................................38
  Maomin .......................................45
  Maratha Confederacy ................60
  Mareet ....................................... 118
  Masan ...........................................74
  Masand .........................................74
  Maw Du .................................... 126
  Mayura Khon Tun ................... 115
  Mayura Wane Tai ..................... 115
  Meba .............................................97
  Mei tribe ......................................21
  Meichi tribe .................................21
  Memedi ..................................... 101
  Men Shen .....................................35
  Miaomin ......................................45
  Minokawa ....................................64
  MKha-gro-ma .............................62
  Mneang Phteah ...........................96
  Mongolia ................................... 108
  Monkeys of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 122
  Mountain Giants .........................43
  Mountain Pygmies .....................46
  Mountains of Chang-toh ...........58
  Mountains of the Sun  
  and Moon ..................................41
  Mrenh Kongueal .........................97
  Mucha Naga ............................. 117
  Mucha Nu ................................. 122
  Mucha Wan .............................. 117
  Mughal Empire ...........................60
  Mukai ...........................................73
  Mungkorn Sagunee ................. 115
  Mungkorn Vihok ..................... 116
  Naga .......................................76, 83
  Naga Pahoda ............................ 107
  Nagasjatingarong ..................... 107
  Nagini ...........................................83
  Nagulai .........................................73
  Nak Puksee ............................... 123
  Nak Puksin ............................... 115
  Nam Viet ................................... 127
  Nang Nak .............................125-26
  Nang Ng-uek ............................ 117
  Nara ........................................... 119
  Nats ............................................ 126
  Neak-ta ........................................97
  Needle-haired Ghosts ................86
  Needle-throated Ghosts .............86
  Neilgherry Hills ..........................76
  Nepal and Nepalese  
  monsters ............... 49, 80, 84, 135
  Never-Dying People .............40-41
  Ng-eye Sai ................................. 119
  Nguoi Rung .................................30
  Niaoshi .........................................45
  Nie’ermin .....................................42
  Nieermin ......................................42
  Nieh-erh Kou Yan .......................42
  Nir-vyala ......................................92
  Nittaewo .......................................30
  Niu T’ou .......................................50
  Nok Hussadee .......................... 115
  Nok Insee .................................. 115
  Nok Tuntima ............................ 123
  Nong Pu .................................... 116
  Northwest Sea .............................42
  Northwestern Sea .......................45
  Nu-Kwa ........................................40
  Nüzi ..............................................41
  Nyan .............................................18
  O-kuei ..........................................87
  Okinawa .................................... 135
  Olgol-khorkhol ........................ 110
  Olo-banda ....................................30
  One-Arm People ...................44, 47
  One-Eyed People ........................47
  Orang-pendek .............................30
  Oraons ..........................................71
  Orgoli ........................................ 111
  P’ai (inferior soul) ................16, 35
  P’an Lung .....................................40
  P’Lng .............................................26
  P’oh (inferior soul) ...............16, 35
  P’oh (monster) ............................58
  Paisacha .......................................85
  Panaspati ................................... 102
  Panorn Maruek ........................ 122
  Paret .............................................87
  Pawo .............................................62
  Payak Kraisorn ......................... 122
  Payak Wane Tai ........................ 115
  Penanggalan ............................. 107
  Pendant Ears People ...................42
  Peng ..............................................26
  People of the Whispering Ears ....42
  People Who Hold Up  
  Their Ears ......................................42
  People With Crossed Shins  ......41
  People With Forked Tongues ....41
  People With Perforated Chests ....43
  People With Protruding Chests ...44
  People With Punctured Bodies ...43
  Pey ................................................85
  Pheng ...........................................24
  Phi .............................................. 126
  Phi Am ...................................... 126
  Phi Chamob ............................. 126
  Phi Ha ....................................... 126
  Phi Hai ...................................... 126
  Phi Ka ........................................ 126
  Phi Khamod ............................. 126
  Phi Krahang ............................. 126
  Phi Krasy .................................. 126
  Philippines and Filipino  
  monsters ..................4, 64, 97, 135
  Phi Lok ...................................... 126
  Phi Nang Tani .......................... 126
  Phi Pa ........................................ 126
  Phi Peta ..................................... 126
  Phi Phrai ................................... 126
  Phi Phu ...................................... 104
  Phi Poang Khang ..................... 126
  Phi Pob ...................................... 126
  Phi Song Nang ......................... 126
  Phi Ta Ha .................................. 126
  Phi Thai Hong .......................... 126
  Phoenix, Chinese ........................24
  Phong Thuy .............................. 127
  Phra Phum ................................ 126
  Phuong ...................................... 132
  Picacas ..........................................85
  Picacu ...........................................85
  Ping-feng .....................................15
  Pisacas ..........................................85
  Pisakas ..........................................85
  Pisatjis ....................................... 102
  Pishaca .........................................85
  Pishacha .......................................85
  Pishashas ......................................85
  Pla Kwai .................................... 118
  Pla Seua ..................................... 118
  Plain of Great Joy ........................44
  Pocong ...................................... 107
  Poh ................................................51
  Pontianak .................................. 107
  Prây ...............................................97
  Preta .............................................86
  Pretni ............................................87
  Punyajana ....................................90
  Pyong ...........................................24
  Qilin .............................................10
  Qin Dynasty ..................................6
  Qing Dynasty ................................6
  Qing-shi .......................................16
  Qiongqi ........................................52
  Qishemin .....................................41
  Qizhongmin ..........................45, 47
  Quanrong ....................................46
  Quanrong ....................................44
  Quy ...............................................87
  Quy ............................................ 132
  Rakshasa ................................76, 88
  Rama ............................................60
  Ramakien .................................. 122
  Ramayana ........................... 98, 122
  Ravana ....................................88, 90
  Rebel Mountain ..........................46
  Red River .....................................42
  Reksasi .........................................90
  Reksoso ........................................90
  Reversed Heels People ...............45
  Rig Veda .......................................60
  Riong ............................................38
  Rong .............................................46
  
  141 
  Asian Bestiary, Volume 1
  Rông .............................................38
  Roulimin ......................................46
  Rua ............................................. 132 
  Ryu ................................................38
  Sagoon Hayra ........................... 116
  Sagoon Kraisorn ...................... 121
  Sakai .............................................30
  San-Shou Kou Yan ......................46
  Sanatana Dharma .....................60
  Sang Prang ................................ 122
  Sankchinnis .................................63
  Sanshenmin ...........................44, 46
  Sanshoumin .................................46
  Satori ............................................30
  Satyrs of the Himmapan  
  Forest ....................................... 123
  Se’tan Gundul ........................... 102
  Sea bonze .....................................25
  Senchui tribe ...............................21
  Serou ............................................13
  Sétanan ...................................... 103
  Shamans .................................... 108
  Shan ..............................................54
  Shan Kiao .....................................54
  Shan Sao .......................................58
  Shan-sao ......................................58
  Shan-Shen Kou Yan ....................41
  Shan-sias ......................................58
  Shang Ti .........................................6
  Shang Yung ..................................15
  Shangui ........................................30
  Sharabha ......................................94
  ShLn ..........................................6, 55
  Shenmumin .................................41
  Shesha ..........................................83
  Shien-Lung ..................................40
  Shikko-gaki .................................86
  Shin-ko-gaki ................................86
  Shinen-gaki .................................86
  Shiva .............................................60
  Shvana-vyala ...............................92
  Si ...................................................13
  Si Wang Mu .................................56
  Siam ........................................... 113
  Siddhartha Gautama ..................60
  Simha-vyala .................................92
  Sin You .........................................12
  Sind ...............................................71
  Sing-sing ......................................29
  Singha Karwee ......................... 121
  Singha Khak Kar ...................... 122
  Singha Panorn .......................... 123
  Sinkh ......................................... 122
  Sinta Pakunchorn .................... 119
  Sinta Panattee ........................... 120
  Sintop Mano Mai ..................... 119
  Smashana Kali .............................62
  Snakes, giant ................................17
  Sprouts People .............................45
  Sreeha Khak Kar ...................... 122
  Srei Ap ..........................................97
  Sri Lanka ....................... 30, 88, 136
  Srihara Mungkorn ................... 121
  Srivijaya ........................................98
  Ssu-ma Ch’ien .............................55
  Stymphalian Birds ......................64
  Suea Peek .................................. 115
  Sukhothai .................................. 113
  Sulawesi ........................................98
  Sumad-atmajas ...........................61
  Sumangat .................................. 105
  Sumatra ......................... 30, 98, 107
  Sun Wukong ..................................6
  Sunda ......................................... 106
  Sundal Bolong .......................... 105
  Supervisor of Salt ........................45
  Suranganas ..................................61
  Sushen ..........................................41
  Suwanna Much ........................ 122
  Sz ...................................................13
  T’ao T’ieh ....................................40
  T’ien Lung ...................................40
  Tan-erh Chic Kou .......................42
  Tanggal ...................................... 107
  Tanguts ...................................... 108
  Tantra School ..............................60
  Tantri-gáha ..................................18
  Tanuki ..........................................22
  Tao ..................................................6
  Tao Te Ching ..................................6
  Taoism ............................................6
  Tatars ......................................... 108
  Temujin ..................................... 108
  Tenaga ..........................................41
  Tenno .............................................7
  Thags Yang ...................................90
  Thai Naga .....................................84
  Thailand ............................ 113, 125
  Thep Kinna Norn .................... 123
  Thep Norasri ............................ 124
  Thewada .........................................7
  Thou-tzu K’uei ............................35
  Thuông-Luông ......................... 131
  Ti-chiang .....................................15
  Ti-Lung ........................................40
  Ti-miku ..................................... 125
  Tiang Maleh Rupa ................... 105
  Tibet and Tibetan  
  monsters ..........13, 62, 87, 91, 136
  Tibetan unicorns ........................13
  Tichakorn Jatubod ................... 121
  Timor ................................ 105, 136
  Ting Ling Kou Yan ......................42
  Tinna Sriha ............................... 122
  Tipaka ....................................... 126
  Tipala ........................................ 119
  To ............................................... 122
  To Fu ............................................24
  To Thep Singha Nat ................. 122
  To Thep Ussadorn ................... 119
  Tomaondrano ........................... 128
  Too Jou Shen ...............................13
  Torch-mouthed Ghosts ..............86
  Tou Mu ...........................................6
  Toyol .......................................... 107
  Tree Spirits, Indian .....................63
  Tricephalous People ...................46
  Trimurti, the ................................60
  Tsopo (Ttso’ po) ..........................13
  Tukkat Tor ................................ 121
  Türks .......................................... 108
  Tuyul ......................................... 107
  Upsorn Srihas ........................... 124
  Ussadorn Vihok ....................... 120
  Ussadron ................................... 119
  Ut ..................................................74
  Van Lang civilization ............... 127
  Vanadevatas .................................63
  Vedanta School ...........................60
  Vetal ..............................................66
  Vetala ............................................66
  Vietnam ............................ 127, 136
  Vishnu ..........................................60
  Vlahok ....................................... 119
  Vriksakas .....................................63
  Vritra ............................................91
  Wangliang  tribe .........................21
  Waree Kunchorn ...................... 117
  Wedon ....................................... 102
  Were-dogs of Timor ................ 105
  Wéwé ......................................... 101
  White Elephant ........................ 117
  White Monkey ............................58
  White People ...............................41
  Widadaris ......................................7
  Women’s Kingdom .....................41
  Woo-tung-Shên ..........................56
  Wu Ch’ang K’uei .........................51
  Xi ..................................................13
  Xi Wangmu ....................................6
  Xiang Yao .....................................40
  Xiaoren ........................................46
  Xiaoyangmin ...............................47
  Xing-xing .....................................29
  Xuamyuanmin ............................47
  Yakho ............................................90
  Yakkha ..........................................90
  Yaksa .............................................90
  Yaksha ....................................85, 90
  Yakshi ...........................................90
  Yakshini .......................................90
  Yali ................................................92
  Yama King ...................................50
  Yamata-no-Orochi .....................79
  Yang Wu-chang ...........................51
  Yangtze River ...............................32
  Yanhoumin ..................................41
  Yatu-dhana ..................................90
  Yeh-teh .........................................30
  Yen-Lo ..........................................50
  Yen-Wang ......................................6
  Yeren .............................................30
  Yibimin ..................................44, 47
  Yidak ............................................87
  Yimumin ................................46, 47
  Yin Chu ........................................24
  Yin Wu-chang .............................51
  Ying Lung ....................................40
  Ying-lung .....................................38
  Yingmin .......................................48
  Yogic School ................................60
  Yoginis ....................................62-63
  Yongma ..................................... 119
  Yu Lung ........................................40
  Yu Siang .......................................24
  Yü-Huang ......................................6
  Yü-min Kou Yan .........................49
  Yu-shan Islands ...........................26
  Yumin ...........................................49
  Yurei .......................................... 126
  Zhangfu ........................................41
  Zhao Tuo ................................... 127
  Zhimin .........................................41
  Zhouraomin ................................49
  Zouwu ..........................................13
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System - Asian Bestiary Volume 1.pdf