((Chronicle: Mage 2: The Dethroned Queen
Venue: Mage: The Awakening
Chronicle Storyteller: Jerad Sayler
Authored by Alanna Keith))
Youkai:
Separating Fact from Myth
By Talon Indra
What they are:
Trying to come up with a concise,
manageable definition for youkai is difficult - it is like trying to describe
what animals are to someone who has no idea.
There are many different kinds of animals - insects, amphibians,
mammals, birds, reptiles, arachnids, fish, crustaceans... the same is true of
youkai. To the Japanese, youkai is a term that is (mistakenly)
applied to almost any supernatural entity, creature, or phenomena beyond normal
human understanding. Bakemono, obake,
etc... are also used as a broad brush to name things that are *weird*.
To help correct this common
misconception that a youkai can be anything and everything weird under the sun
(or moon), we are going to list some defining traits and tell you what youkai
definitely are not.
Defining
Traits:
Youkai
Aura
All youkai have an aura, not to be
confused with the natural energy aura that all living, spirit, and many undead
things emanate (which youkai also possess).
This youkai aura is directly
representative of a youkai’s power and is also reflective of its true
nature. The youkai aura emanates from
the youkai like a strange mist, smoke, or miasma. It is invisible to natural visual perception
and to many magical sights, however it often gives off a distinct smell and a
variety of emotional effects.
Sometimes
settling near the floor, like smoke from a fire, sometimes filling a whole room
like a fog, the exact characteristics of the aura varies depending on the type
of youkai. An aura can permeate an
entire area, helping to keep intruders out and mark territory, getting stronger
as the distance to its source decreases.
Many
auras, especially those associated with evil youkai are poisonous miasmas,
unsafe to enter without safety precautions.
The vile stench of these auras are usually a good warning sign.
With
the right perception or sights, other supernatural creatures, whether they be
vampires, werewolves, mages, hunters, etc, will be able to see the aura. Mages need active Spirit or Prime sights to
see a youkai aura. Unless the youkai has
an association with Death, Death sights will not perceive the aura.
True
Form
All youkai have a true form,
unique to the species and individual. This
true form, like the youkai aura, is highly representative of the youkai’s
power, often gaining in size and complexity as power increases or as the youkai
ages. Although youkai can be powerful no
matter what their form, the true form is the ultimate expression of raw
power. Although many youkai have the
ability to change their form or shapeshift, and typically do so to smaller,
more physically useful forms, weaker youkai tend to remain in their true form,
or something closely approximating it (ex. umbrella youkai).
A youkai can be compelled to
return to its true form by certain magical spells or religious rituals.
What
they are not:
Japanese terms:
Akuma – Youkai are not akuma. The connotation for the word akuma is
typically what westerners would normally think of as an evil demon. Although youkai can be evil, youkai are not akuma.
Oni – Oni are more like a Japanese ogre. They have very specific physical attributes
and traits – bipedal, red skin, horns.
Yuurei - Yuurei is strictly used to describe ghosts,
typically those ghosts whose human counterparts had either unfinished business
or an unpleasant death.
Other Terms:
Changing Breeds – The supernatural beings known collectively
as ‘Changing Breeds’ have formed close bonds with the soul of a natural
animal. Although these are
shapeshifters, and many of their abilities are supernatural, they are not
youkai.
Demons – As noted above with akuma, youkai are not demons.
Ghosts – Ghosts are the remnants of living things that are
now dead. Youkai are not ghosts –
although some may be ghostlike in appearance and ability, they are not dead.
Shapeshifters – While youkai may shift shape, not all youkai
are able to do so. Shapeshifting may be
a common ability, but it is not a defining trait.
Spirits – Youkai, unlike spirits, are not primary ephemeral
entities, and do not usually reside in the Shadow. A good many of them exist as physical
entities, however, some may also have the ability to be ephemeral. Many youkai do primarily reside in and
interact with the physical world. There
are, however, rumors of entire youkai villages residing in the spirit world,
perhaps as a way to distance themselves from the ever expanding humankind. Although youkai and spirits are distinctly
separate beings, there are a few similarities (the need for essence), leading
to the theory that perhaps they are distantly related.
Werewolves – Werewolves are specific supernatural creatures
that are part wolf, part human, and have ties to both the spirit and real
worlds. Although there are wolf youkai,
they are distinctly separate creatures and have no spirit ties.
Evil – Youkai are not typically evil – they are much like
humans and can be good, evil, mischievous, and anything in-between.
