Hengeyokai are intelligent, shape-changing animals. Several subraces exist, each a different type of
animal. They are found throughout the Oriental world, usually on the fringes of human-settled lands.
The ability to change shape is natural to hengeyokai. They are not lycanthropes and they do not have
any of the symptoms of lycanthropy: they are not limited by cycles of the moon, are not especially susceptible
to silver weapons, cannot transmit their power through wounds, and cannot heal their own wounds merely by
changing shape.

    A hengeyokai can be a shukenja, kensai, bushi, or wu jen.
He can never be a samurai or ninja, since he is not human.

    A player who decides to have a hengeyokai player character must have the minimum required scores for
the race before modifications for animal type. Then he must choose his character's animal form. The traditional
forms are carp, cat, crab, crane, dog, drake, fox, here, monkey, raccoon dog, rat, and sparrow. Table 11 lists the
alignment restrictions and special abilities of each creature.

Table 11: HENGEYOKAI CREATURES

Creature	Alignment	Damage	AC	Move	Fly	Swim	Modifications
Badger	<?>	<?>	<?>	<?>	<?>	<?>	<?>
Carp	Any good	-	7	-	-	12"	+1 WI, -1 ST
Cat	Any chaotic	1-3	9	12"	-	-	+1 DE, -1 WI
Crab	Any	1-3	8	3"	-	6"	+2 ST, -2 CH
Crane	Any good	1-2	9	6"	12"	-	+1 WI, -1 DE
Dog	Any good	1-6	9	12"	-	-	+1 CO, -1 IN
Drake	Any good	-	7	6"	12"	9"	+1 CH, -1 DE
Fox	Any evil	1-3	6	15"	-	-	+1 IN, -1 WI
Hare	Any good	-	5	18"	-	-	+1 WI, -1 ST
Monkey	Any chaotic	-	6	12"	-	-	+2 DE, -2 WI
Raccoon dog	Any evil	1-6	9	9"	-	-	+2 ST, -2 WI
Rat	Any evil	1-3	5	9"	-	-	+2 CO, -2 CH
Sparrow	Any good	-	3	3"	15"	-	+2 CH, -2 CO

Q: What are the statistics for a badger
hengeyokai (mentioned on page 13)?
A: A badger is a ?raccoon dog? in Oriental
parlance. The raccoon dog is listed on
table 11 (page 12).
(151.58)

    The DM can add other creatures to this list if they are requested by the players. The animals listed are
traditionally associated with hengeyokai.

Alignment requirements for hengeyokai are strict, and apply to the character in all three of his forms.

Damage listings are given for animals with natural weapons (teeth or claws). Natural weapons can be
used only when the hengeyokai is in animal form, not when the character is in human or bipedal form.

Armor class (AC) applies only to the animal form, not the bipedal or human form. It cannot be
augmented by armor or shields.

Move, Fly, and Swim indicate the character's movement rate in animal form. Some hengeyokai animals
cannot move across land; this is indicated by a dash ("-"). The same applies to flying and swimming.
Modifications indicates the changes to the character's agility scores based on the type of creature
chosen. These cannot increase the character's scores above the racial maximums, but can make them lower than
the minimums.

A hengeyokai can assume any one of three shapes:
    its animal form,
    its human form, and
    a bipedal form that combines both animal and human features.
This ability is limited, however. The number of times a
hengeyokai can change forms in one day equals his level.  Thus a 1st-level hengeyokai can change from human
to animal form once in a day. He then has to remain in animal form until the next day, when he can change to
human or bipedal form. A 3rd-level hengeyokai can change form three times in one day.
Changing form requires one complete round during which the character can do nothing else. Armor and
equipment do not change form along with the hengeyokai. The character must make provisions for the storage
or transportation of his equipment In some way.

In each form, the hengeyokai has certain advantages and disadvantages. In all cases, however, the character's
level and ability scores are unchanged. In addition, a hengeyokai can speak the language of hengeyokai in all
forms.

Animal Form: When in animal form the hengeyokai is virtually undetectable from normal animals.
Since the change of form is real and not an illusion, it cannot be detected by spells that reveal illusions. While in
animal form, hengeyokai have the movement abilities, armor class, and damage range shown on Table 11:
Hengeyokai Creatures.

Hengeyokai also gain infravision and the power to speak with normal animals when in their animal
form. Infravision has a range of 120 feet. Conversations with normal animals are usually quite simple and basic,
depending on the level of cunning and wit possessed by the animal.

Hengeyokai also have several disadvantages while in animal form. They cannot use any weapons, armor, or
equipment, making it possible for them to be mistaken for (and even hunted as) normal animals. Hengeyokai
with magical abilities cannot cast any spells in animal form, nor can they speak any languages other than those
of the hengeyokai and the normal animals. They can understand any language they know, but may not be able
to reply.

The hengeyokai has fewer hit points in his animal form than in either of his other forms. Hengeyokai in
animal form have only one-half their normal number of hit points (rounded up). Hit points lost in one form are
carried over point-for-point to the new form. Thus a hengeyokai with 23 hit points in human form has only 12
hit points in animal form. If the character is wounded and loses 8 hit points, he has 15 hit points remaining
when in human or bipedal form, but only 4 in animal form. A hengeyokai cannot change to animal form if this
would leave him with 0 or fewer hit points.

When a hengeyokai character reaches 0 hit points in any form, he is slain. A hengeyokai in animal form
with 0 hit points left does not instantly change to one of his other forms. He is dead.

Bipedal Form: In this form the hengeyokai appears as a humanoid animal. He stands on his hind legs
(or whatever) to the height of a normal man. The front paws (or wings, or fins) change into hands, capable of
gripping and using normal equipment. The rest of the body retains the general shape and appearance of the
animal, including fur, feathers, wings, tail, and other characteristic features.

While in bipedal form, the hengeyokai has several advantages. He can speak any language he knows,
including human and animal languages; he has infravision with a range of 120 feet; he can use any weapons,
armor, and equipment normally available to his class; and he has his full number of hit points.

Bipedal form also has several disadvantages. The hengeyokai cannot use the special movement abilities
of its animal form (a bipedal carp cannot swim like a carp, but must use the normal swimming rules; a bipedal
sparrow cannot use its wings to fly). The hengeyokai's bipedal movement rate is 12 ". The bipedal hengeyokai
is also easily identified for what it really is.

Human Form: When in human form, a hengeyokai looks like a normal human being. However, he
always retains some distinctive feature of his animal form. A raccoon dog hengeyokai may have a silver stripe
through his hair. A sparrow hengeyokai may have an unusually sharp nose. The choice of the exact identifying
feature is left to the player and the DM.

Human form grants certain advantages to the hengeyokai. Obviously, he can pose as a human being.
Like his animal form, this form is not an illusion and cannot be detected by spells that reveal illusions. He can
use all weapons, armor, equipment, and spells normally available to his class. He has his full number of hit
points.

The following disadvantages also apply: the hengeyokai has no infravision; he loses all special
movement abilities, moving at the standard human movement rate (12"; he cannot speak to animals, although
he can still understand their speech.

Hengeyokai have their own language, which is the same for all hengeyokai regardless of their animal
type. They can speak this language in all of their three forms. In addition, hengeyokai can converse with normal
animals and speak the trade language of humans. As noted earlier, however, both of these powers depend on the
hengeyokai's current form.

Most hengeyokai are chaotic, although player character hengeyokai can be lawful or neutral. Various
animal types must be good or evil, as noted on Table 11. The alignment tendencies of the various animals are
well known by humans, who will treat hengeyokai accordingly. A badger hengeyokai, for example, will be
shunned by humans because they know it is evil.

Unlike the other races (including humans), hengeyokai are not members of a clan and do not gain the
benefits (or suffer the penalties) of clan kinship. In general, the hengeyokai are a secretive race, preferring to
avoid prolonged contact with humans. They have little desire for land or position and can never establish
families or strongholds even if their chosen class allows this.

Hengeyokai of good alignment, however, can become protectors of a humanfamily or village upon
reaching the level where other members of their class could begin establishing families or strongholds. As
protectors, they are expected to defend the land from outsiders and see to the general well-being of the
inhabitants. In return, they receive offerings of food, gifts, and service from those they protect. These offerings
are sufficient to cover the needs of the hengeyokai character.

CARP

CAT

CRANE

 
 

FOX

 

HARE

RACCOON BITCH

 

RAT

<Shang-Ti should be allowed to have Sparrow Hengeyokai Shukenja, in theory>
<Chung Kuel should be allowed to have Fox Hengeyokai Shukenja, in theory>
<if so, makes notes in the DDG>

S12 (Bushi & kensai can have exceptional scores in Strength)
D9
C12
I12
W12
CH12/17
-1 Comeliness

CLASSES: Shukenja 8, Kensai 6, Bushi U, Wu Jen 9.

* animal form (use Damage, AC, Move/Fly/Swim in Table 11 : 1/2 HP in animal form)
    * infravision 120' in animal form
    * speak with animals in animal form

* bipedal form

* human form

<finish above>
 

<below is for halfling: use this template for the 3 OA races>
ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS:
RACIAL LIMITATIONS:
    STRENGTH: 6/17
    INTELLIGENCE: 6/18
    WISDOM: 3/17
    DEXTERITY: 8/19
    CONSTITUTION: 10/18
    CHARISMA: 3/18
RACISM, Hairfoot (HH): Neutral (duergar, svirfneblin, half-orcs), Tolerant (AG: -5%: hill dwarves, mountain dwarves, gray elves, high elves, valley elves, wild elves, wood elves, surface gnomes, half-elves, humans), Antipathy (L: -5%, AG: -10%: drow), Preferred (L: +20%, AG: +15%: all halflings).
RACISM, Stout (HS):
RACISM, Tallfellow (HT):
STARTING AGE: Druid (40+3d4), Fighter (20+3d4), Thief (40+2d4)
AGE CATEGORIES: Young adult (23-33), Mature (34-68), Middle-aged (69-101), Old (102-144), Venerable (145-199)
RACIAL TENDENCIES:
HEIGHT, M: 36. 01-10 (-d3), 11-90 (d100, 01-30 = -d3(/2), 31-70 = 0, 71-00 = +d3(/2)), 91-00 (+d6).
HEIGHT, F: 33. 01-10 (-d3), 11-90 (d100, 01-30 = -d3(/2), 31-70 = 0, 71-00 = +d3(/2)), 91-00 (+d3).
WEIGHT, M: 60. 01-10 (-2d4), 11-50 (d100, 01-30 = -d4, 31-70 = 0, 71-00 = +d4), 51-00 (+2d6).
WEIGHT, F: 50. 01-10 (-2d4), 11-50 (d100, 01-30 = -d4, 31-70 = 0, 71-00 = +d4), 51-00 (+2d4).
NPC ABILITY SCORE MODIFIERS:

Moving onto the AD&D Oriental Adventures
book, it was surprising to see the lack of material
on Oriental demihumans which, while adequate,
did not try to flesh them out like so:

Hengeyokai (Carp): When in bipedal form, it
will appear as a humanoid fish-man; however,
its relatively human shape means it cannot
swim except using the normal swimming rules.
In spite of this, it still retains gills, so this character
will have no problem breathing underwater.
This is particularly useful for DMs interested in
Oriental underwater campaigns.

Hengeyokai (Monkey): In animal form, its
shape is still humanlike, and most importantly, it
retains opposable thumbs. There is no reason
why such a character cannot employ a weapon
appropriate to its size (e.g., dagger, hand axe,
blowgun, or even weapons employed by atomies,
sprites, etc.). Of course, if the hengeyokai
is not proficient in the weapon, he suffers the
appropriate penalties. Such a character can
climb and swing through trees at a movement
rate of 6?.

Hengeyokai (Crane): Maneuverability class C.

Hengeyokai (Cat): Unaffected by confusion
spells.

Hengeyokai (Duck): Maneuverability class B.

Hengeyokai (Racoon Dog): This character can
climb and move through trees at 6?.

Hengeyokai (Rat): When in animal form, its
bite has a 5% chance of transmitting a serious
disease unless a save vs. poison is made by the
victim. In the western world, these hengeyokai
will probably be mistaken for (and be attacked
as) wererats. In either of their rat forms, these
beings will receive a favorable reaction when
encountering xvarts or jermlaine.

Hengeyokai (Sparrow): Maneuverability class A.

The lack of any multiclass possibilities is
disappointing, as this would add diversity to the
game. All hengeyokai can be multiclassed as wujen/
shukenja or kensai/shukenja. Single-classed
wu-jen or shukenja can rise two levels higher
than listed in the OA book. Other types of
hengeyokai, such as the tiger, might also exist.

Finally, a few things that should be clarified.
The movement rate of the korobokuru is 9?.
White sohei do cast shukenja spells; they are
clerics in their own right, albeit militant ones.
They can wear any armor while spell-casting
and gain the spell bonuses for high wisdom just
as shukenja do.

Jules Jones
London, U.K.
(Dragon #168)