Kijo 鬼女

Medium fiend (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 88 (16d8 + 16)

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR 16 (+3) · DEX 18 (+4) · CON 12 (+1) · INT 14 (+2) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +5

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

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

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Infernal, Sylvan

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action the kijo magically polymorphs into a Medium or Small humanoid woman, or back to her true form. Her statistics are the same in each form. Equipment doesn’t transform.

Regenerative Hatred. The kijo regains 5 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and hasn’t taken radiant damage since the end of her last turn.

Bunshin no Jutsu (Illusory Double). When initiative is rolled, three illusory duplicates shimmer into existence in the kijo’s space. While at least one duplicate remains, all attack rolls against the kijo have disadvantage. When an attack misses her by 5 or less, a duplicate is destroyed. Radiant damage destroys all remaining duplicates. The duplicates last until the kijo is reduced to 0 hit points or the end of combat.

Shadow Step. While in dim light or darkness, the kijo can take the Hide action as a bonus action, magically teleporting up to 20 ft. to an unoccupied space she can see that is also in dim light or darkness.

Actions

Multiattack. The kijo makes two attacks: one Claw and one Hair Lash.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Hair Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 10 ft. straight toward the kijo.

Shriek of Spite (Recharge 5–6). The kijo unleashes a bone-chilling scream. Each creature of her choice within 20 ft. that can hear her must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) psychic damage and be frightened of the kijo until the end of its next turn. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn’t frightened.

Reactions

Vengeful Swipe. When a creature the kijo can see hits her with an attack, she makes one Claw attack against that creature.

Lore

A female demon who gained power through years of suffering or malice.

Kijo is written with the characters 鬼女 and literally means “demon-woman.” In Japanese folklore the word refers to a woman whose soul, under the pressure of extreme emotion, has turned into a demonic being. Unlike the classic oni, who are tied to infernal realms and serve as executioners in the afterlife, a kijo almost always operates in the world of the living—acting on her own, free of any specific place or artifact, driven purely by personal grievance or hatred. Legends emphasize that the term is not limited to a physically transformed monster; it can also describe a woman whose heart is “as terrible as an oni’s.” In other words, the concept covers both the bodily and the moral-psychological sides of demonization. Folklore distinguishes two stable models within the category. The classic kijo is a relatively young or adult woman who becomes a demon through jealousy or witchcraft. The other model is the onibaba, literally “demon crone,” linked to more brutal forms of survival, cannibalism, and madness (we examined the onibaba in the previous book).

In appearance a kijo keeps a human silhouette, letting her pass unnoticed, yet her true form is defined by sudden, striking ugliness that mirrors the inner curse. A wide leer, razor-sharp teeth, and a sullen, twisted face all point to rage born of human tragedy. Legends also describe extraordinarily long hair—up to five feet (about 1.5 m), wildly tangled —along with massive hook-shaped claws that can gouge even stone, and eyes that flare with a sinister gleam the moment she attacks. Horns may be present, though smaller than an oni’s, because a kijo values stealth. In disguise, however, she can appear as a beautiful court lady, a helpless traveler, or a kindly old woman, making deception of trust her primary tactic.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 56 · Fern Flower Press