Tsukumogami

When an object reaches the 100-year anniversary of its crafting, sometimes it forms an amalgam with a kami, creating a creature known as a tsukumogami. Tsukumogami run the gamut in personality, outlook, and function. Objects that are well kept and cared for often form curious and helpful tsukumogami. Most commonly, tsukumogami are mischievous and frightening but not actually malign. Tsukumogami formed from objects that have been abandoned, neglected, or misused are dangerous both to the humans around and to themselves, as their uncontrolled rage might eventually transform them into oni.

Koto-furunishi CR 2

XP 600

NG Tiny outsider (kami, native)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7

Defense

AC 22, touch 16, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +6 natural, +2 size)

hp 18 (1d10+13); fast healing 5

Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +5

Defensive Abilities hardness 5; Immune construct traits, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +7 (1d4)

Spell-like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3)

At will—decrepit disguise (self only), ghost sound, mending, quintessence (self only)

Statistics

Str 10, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 13

Feats Weapon Finesse

Skills Bluff +6, Disguise +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Perception +7, Perform (string) +8, Sense Motive +7, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +16

Languages Common; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ construction points (extra hit points), freeze, merge with ward, ward (100-year-old koto)

Ecology

Environment any

Organization solitary or band (1 plus 1-10 other tsukumogami)

Treasure none (the koto-furunishi itself is a masterwork koto)

A koto-furunishi is a tsukumogami that forms from a koto, also known as a long zither. Benevolent but shy, koto-furunishi enjoy playing beautiful music for others, especially attentive and caring owners, but never when they are being observed. Their penchant for doing so often leads to confusion as to the identity of the mysterious musician. If mistreated, a koto-furunishi never retaliates against its owner, but instead leaves its home to join a band of other tsukumogami who will appreciate its music more than its former owner.

Kasa-Obake CR 4

XP 1200

N Small outsider (kami, native)

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

Defense

AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, +1 size)

hp 27 (2d10+16); fast healing 5

Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6

Defensive Abilities hardness 5; Immune construct traits, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 3 slams +6 (1d6+2)

Spell-like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +4)

At-will—decrepit disguise (self only), ghost sound, invisibility (self only), mending, quintessence (self only), ventriloquism

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 16

Feats Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Bluff +7, Craft (cloth) +7, Disguise +7, Knowledge (history) +7, Perception +8, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +12

Languages Common; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ construction points (additional attack), freeze, merge with ward, ward (100-year-old umbrella)

Ecology

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or group (3-12)

Treasure none

One of the most famous tsukumogami is the one-eyed and one-legged umbrella creature known as kasa-obake, a creature that is alternately creepy, curious, and mischievous. Kasa-obake are as likely to scare a creature away as they are to assist it, though their seemingly unpredictable nature always has a pattern behind it. For instance, most kasa-obake react more positively to those who treat their belongings well. Kasa-obake can be sources of wisdom if approached correctly, but they are also likely to tell amusing tall tales instead of the truth.

Boroboroton CR 5

XP 1600

NE Medium outsider (kami, native)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9

Defense

AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)

hp 48 (3d10+32); fast healing 5

Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6

Defensive Abilities hardness 5; Immune construct traits, petrification, polymorph; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +8 (1d8+4 plus grab)

Special Attacks constrict (1d8+4)

Spell-like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +5)

At will—decrepit disguise (self only), ghost sound, invisibility (self only), levitate, mending, quintessence (self only), silent image, ventriloquism

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +3; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 20

Feats Dodge, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Bluff +8, Craft (cloth) +8, Disguise +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +8

Languages Common; telepathy 100 ft.

SQ construction points (grab, constrict), freeze, merge with ward, ward (100-year-old sleeping mat)

Ecology

Environment any

Organization solitary or party (1 plus 5-20 other tsukumogami)

Treasure none

Boroborotons are the tsukumogami of tattered old sleeping mats, abandoned and neglected by their owners. Boroborotons are starved for affection and often wander the night in search of companionship, ideally from humanoids like those who created them. When a creature rejects a boroboroton's offer of friendship, however, the boroboroton often responds murderously, twining around its victim's head and neck to strangle her. A boroboroton lives on a razor's edge, where redemption into a more stable kami or a transformation into an oni are both possible, depending on how others treat it.

Creating a Tsukumogami

Tsukumogami is an acquired template that can be added to any animated object (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A tsukumogami retains all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Base creature's CR + 2.

Alignment: Any.

Type: The creature's type changes to outsider (kami, native). Tsukumogami have good Reflex and Will saves, so increase the base creature's Reflex and Will saves to 2 + 1/2 its Hit Dice + the relevant ability modifier.

Armor Class: A tsukumogami's natural armor bonus increases by 2.

Hit Dice: Retain the base creature's construct bonus hit points from size (if any). As outsiders, tsukumogami gain bonus hit points from high Constitution scores.

Spell-Like Abilities: Tsukumogami gain spell-like abilities based on their size, usable at will. The caster level is equal to the tsukumogami's Hit Dice.

SizeAbilities
Tiny+decrepit disguise (self only), ghost sound, mending, quintessence (self only)
Small+Invisibility (self only), ventriloquism
Medium+Levitate, silent image
Large+Fly, make whole
Huge+obscure object (self only), shrink item (self only, no volume limit)
Gargantuan+animate objects (each casting ends any previous castings)
ColossalSympathy (self only)

Special Qualities and Defensive Abilities: Because it grows additional features such as a tongue, arms, or legs, a tsukumogami gains the additional attack animated object quality without spending Construction Points, and all its attacks increase their damage dice by one step. A tsukumogami can gain 10 bonus hit points as an additional option costing 1 CP. It gains the freeze special quality. As kami, tsukumogami gain immunity to petrification and polymorph effects; resist acid 10, electricity 10, and fire 10; telepathy 100 feet; fast healing 5; merge with ward; and ward. Though a tsukumogami loses its construct type, it keeps its hardness, low-light vision, and all its construct immunities. It can still be affected by spells that affect objects or constructs. A tsukumogami is always merged with its ward, and unlike most kami, it forms an amalgam with its ward, so it can move and communicate while merged.

Ability Scores: A tsukumogami has a 15 Intelligence, 17 Wisdom, and 14 Charisma. A Medium tsukumogami receives a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Dexterity, and a Constitution score of 19. These ability scores are adjusted for size.

Skills: A tsukumogami has a number of skill points per racial Hit Die equal to 6 + its Intelligence modifier. Its racial class skills are the base outsider class skills plus Disguise, Knowledge (history), Perform (any one), and Sleight of Hand.