HYPERBOREA / Oni in Hyperborea

**Posted by Glorgnok** 9/10/2023 7:35 pm

I just started the ASSH system and I was wondering if any of you wise elders had any ideas for Japanese oni in hyperborea, I for one thought of giving a mountain ape spells.

Last edited by Glorgnok (9/10/2023 7:35 pm)

**Posted by Carnby** 9/10/2023 8:09 pm

That's a pretty reasonable quick way to do it. If you want, there's always 1e's Oriental Adventures, OA has stats for a few types of oni. Of course, there's always the classic Ogre Magi, and I've done a quick conversion (should be ok to post this, it was always in the SRD):

OGRE MAGI (Blue Oni) (MM + Greyhawk)

Ogre Magi: #E 1d6|AL LE|SZ L|MV 30|DX 8|AC 4|HD 5+2|#A 1/1 (melee)|D 1d12+3|SV 14|ML 8|XP 540|TC G (magic only), R, S|Special:
Regenerate: 1hp per round while alive.
Spells: Can cast fly (self only, 12 turns), invisibility (self only), darkness. Once per day can cast charm person, sleep, and cone of cold (CA 8)
Alter Self: Can change form to any humanoid from 4' to 12', and into gaseous form (as the potion)

Last edited by Carnby (9/10/2023 8:31 pm)

**Posted by Caveman** 9/11/2023 4:11 am

Looking good, I did a search:

Oni - Wikipedia

Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like thunder and lightning.

Could add a lightning spell or control weather spell?

**Posted by Glorgnok** 9/11/2023 10:45 pm

Do you think Oni would be considered giants or would they be more related to mountain apes (ogres)?

**Posted by rhialto** 9/12/2023 4:00 am

I'd opt for mountain apes/ogres for stats, but potentially appearing as just about anything, given their ability to change their appearance.

**Posted by BlackKnight** 9/12/2023 8:32 am

rhialto wrote:
I'd opt for mountain apes/ogres for stats, but potentially appearing as just about anything, given their ability to change their appearance.

Id agree. I also remember reading some text (not in Hyperborea) about the Oni and their description being that of Ogres and Ogre Magi. Might have been Oriental Adventures from 2E...

Last edited by BlackKnight (9/12/2023 8:33 am)

**Posted by Blackadder23** 9/12/2023 8:39 am

If I added oni to Hyperborea, they wouldn't have any relationship to mountain apes whatsoever. They would be magical creatures that just happened to be about the same size as a mountain ape (which honestly is the relationship I see between ogres and "ogre" mages in AD&D as well; Westerners are seeing an oni and wrongly calling it an "ogre" in an attempt to relate it to a monster they're familiar with).

**Posted by Glorgnok** 9/12/2023 7:15 pm

I like the idea that oni might be the ogre equivalent of an orc in that they might come from the union of ogres and some kind of demon; perhaps a succubus to explain their shapeshifting ability?

**Posted by Carnby** 9/12/2023 9:22 pm

That'd be a particularly naturalistic approach, though entirely reasonable depending on your approach to the setting.