Yuki-on-na

Yuki-on-na were evil creatures native to the cold regions of Kara-Tur.

Description
Yuki-on-na resembled beautiful human females. They always wore robes as white as snow that were in constant motion, moving around them even when there was no breeze.

Personality
Yuki-on-na despised and loathed all humans and anything that involved them.

Biology
All yuki-on-na were female and lived very long lives. When one neared the end of her life, she entered into a state similar to temporal stasis. Gradually turning into solid ice, her body broke into two or three large pieces, each piece becoming a new yuki-on-na. If a yuki-on-na was encountered while in stasis, and struck with a weapon, her body disintegrated into ice crystals; this prevented new yuki-on-na from being created.

Combat
Yuki-on-na attacked any human that ventured into their territory. They waited until the weather conditions were ideal for an ambush. Under the cover of a blizzard, they were virtually invisible thanks to the camouflaging effect of their white robes against the swirling snow. If their victim made eye contact with a yuki-on-na, they became temporarily paralyzed. They did not use weapons, instead inflicting damage by simply touching their victim.

Abilities
Yuki-on-na had the innate ability to duplicate the effects of disguise, comprehend languages, ESP, and know history spells at will. Once a day, the touch of a yuki-on-na caused her victim to become completely disorientated for up to eighteen hours, unable to remember the direction they were heading or how to return along their path. Yuki-on-na were immune to the cold and cold-based spells but vulnerable to fire and fire-based spells.

History
The first yuki-on-na was created from the spirit of Lin-Tze. She was a concubine of Emperor Oikjo Nifi, one of the first imperial rulers of Kozakura. Lin-Tze was consumed by jealousy at the attention the emperor gave to his family, and as a result, poisoned the entire family of the emperor. The distraught and enraged emperor was so overcome with grief, he asked the Celestial Bureaucracy to deliver justice on Lin-Tze. The Celestial Bureaucracy accepted the emperor's petition and transformed Lin-Tze into the first yuki-on-na, banishing her to the most northern part of Kozakura.

Society
Yuki-on-na were normally solitary creatures but groups of up to three individuals were sighted temporarily living and hunting together, usually after they were freshly created. Yuki-on-na did not collect or hoard treasure.

Diet
Yuki-on-na were obligate carnivores, eating only flesh and bones. Their favorite meal was the meat from a freshly killed human.

Homelands
Yuki-on-na lived in the cold, arctic regions of Kara-Tur, although most of them have been spotted in northern Kozakura. They made their lairs within mountain caves or valleys filled with evergreens. Their territory extended only a few miles around their lair, they rarely if ever traveled beyond their territory.

Outside of Kara-Tur, they were known to occasionally be found in the arctic plains of the Hordelands as well as its wooden mountain ranges. These included the Chigiogi Mountains, Hagga Shan, Ulhai Shan.

Relationships
Despite holding a fanatical hatred of humans, yuki-on-na lived in relative peace with other sentient creatures such as hengeyokai and kala. This harmonious relationship only lasted as long as the yuki-on-na was undisturbed and her territory respected.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Swords of the Daimyo • Dungeon #130, "The Palace of Plenty"