Hannya 般若

Large fiend (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 70 (8d10 + 24)

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR 18 (+4) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 14 (+2) · WIS 15 (+2) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +6, Wis +5, Cha +7

Skills Deception +7, Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +6

Damage Vulnerabilities cold

Damage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Abyssal, Celestial; telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action, Hannya magically transforms into a Medium humanoid woman or back into her true serpent-demon form. While in humanoid form she can’t use Bite, Constrict, or Breath of Jealous Flame.

Fiery Soul. Hannya sheds dim red light in a 5-foot radius. She ignores difficult terrain produced by fire, lava, or boiling water and can enter a space occupied by fire without taking damage.

Water Shock. If Hannya takes cold damage or is fully immersed in water, she can’t take reactions and has disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of her next turn.

Obsessive Hatred. At the start of each of her turns Hannya can mark one creature she can see. Until the start of her next turn she has advantage on attack rolls against the marked creature and disadvantage on attack rolls against all other creatures.

Incorporeal Possession (Recharge 6). While in humanoid form, Hannya can attempt to possess a creature she can see within 30 feet that isn’t protected by a protection from evil and good spell or similar magic. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be incapacitated and under Hannya’s control for up to 1 minute. The possession ends early if the target takes radiant or cold damage, if Hannya ends it as a bonus action, or if she is reduced to 0 hit points. When the possession ends, the target takes 10 (3d6) psychic damage. While possessing a creature, Hannya uses the target’s statistics but retains her alignment and immunities; she can’t use her Breath of Jealous Flame.

Actions

Multiattack. Hannya makes two attacks: one with Bite and one with Constrict.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 4 plus 1d6) piercing and fire damage.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and Hannya can’t Constrict another target.

Breath of Jealous Flame (Recharge 5–6). Hannya exhales hellfire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. A creature that fails the save is also frightened of Hannya until the end of her next turn.

Reactions

Flare of Malice. When a creature Hannya can see hits her with an attack, green-white flames lash back. The attacker takes 5 (1d10) fire damage, and Hannya gains advantage on the next attack roll she makes before the end of her next turn.

Lore

A woman turned demon by jealousy, with iron horns and a terrifying face.

Hannya is a female demon of jealousy that takes shape out of the emotions of a devoted—or rejected—woman. The best-known story is the legend of Kiyohime and the bell of Dojo-ji. It tells of Kiyohime, daughter of a wealthy headman in Kii Province, who fell in love with a young monk named Anchin. Bound by a vow of chastity, Anchin tried to keep his distance, yet so as not to hurt her feelings he promised that on his way back from pilgrimage he would visit her. Time passed; Anchin returned, but fearing temptation he decided to bypass Kiyohime’s home. When the girl discovered this, wrath and longing drove her to chase him—but she could not catch up, for the boatmen refused to ferry her across the river. In despair she plunged into the turbulent water herself, and during the pursuit her rage and jealousy reached an inhuman pitch, turning her into a snake-like demon. Realizing his pursuer was no longer a girl but a monster, Anchin raced to Dojo-ji Temple. The monks hid him beneath the great bronze bell, having no better refuge. Kiyohime found the hiding place, coiled around the bell, and with fiery breath melted the metal, killing her beloved inside. The monks recited sutras throughout, and in some versions of the tale both souls—Kiyohime’s and Anchin’s—are ultimately laid to rest.

A noteworthy detail: this legend became the basis for the Noh drama “Dojo-ji,” where the enraged woman is depicted with the horned, fanged Hannya mask.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 30 · Fern Flower Press