Kuei

Kuei were lesser spirits native to Kara-Tur.

Description
Kuei looked as they did in life. They wore the same clothing and equipment they were wearing when they died. They appeared solid but were in fact incorporeal and therefore could not be touched.

Combat
To accomplish its goals, a kuei would possess a target being; their ideal target was a healthy and strong individual. Once possessed, the kuei was able to completely control the target's body. They were only able to tap into their own natural abilities, not those of their host. So if a kuei possessed a wu jen, they were unable to use spells memorized by the spellcaster.

An individual could be freed of possession by a kuei in only three ways. An exorcism spell lifted the possession. If the individual died, the keui was no longer able to possess their body. And if the keui was able to complete their task, the possession was lifted. The individual did not keep any memories of what occurred during possession. This often caused great confusion for the individual as a keui could possess them for years at a time, so an individual could regain control years after they were possessed, and sometimes far away from their original location.

Abilities
Kuei were able to become ethereal and possess a creature up to three times in a day. They were immune to the ESP spell as well as any charm, enchantment, illusion, and water-based spells. They were also immune to cold and fire, but still suffered some damage as a result of exposure to magical cold or fire.

Society
Kuei were solitary creatures. They rarely interacted with other creatures or spirits.

Habitat
Keui did not have a lair or treasure. They wandered the Prime Material Plane and therefore could be encountered anywhere, but most often within Kara-Tur.

Ecology
Keui were most active at night. They were created as a manifestation of a humanoid who died an early and extremely violent death. The individual had to have a strong purpose in life that was left unfulfilled by their early demise. Alternatively, if a creature was killed with the sword of darkness spell used by wu jen, they returned as a keui.

Kuei did not require sustenance nor rest; when they were in possession of a humanoid host, they mimicked these daily routines to avoid raising suspicion.

Legends
In Kozakura, the volcano of Gensuyama on Shinkoku was said by local hermits to contain an entrance to the Underworld. Its wicked denizens sometimes escaped and lurked around the mountain, including kuei.

Notable Keui

 * Funada Toragi
 * Goburu Ichi

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Blood of the Yakuza • Dungeon #10: "The Artisan's Tomb" • Dungeon #17: "The Waiting Room of Yen-Wang-Yeh" • Dungeon #18: "Crocodile Tears" • Night of the Seven Swords • Ninja Wars • Swords of the Daimyo • Test of the Samurai