Oiwa お岩

Medium undead (onryo), chaotic neutral

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)

STR 6 (−2) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 16 (+3) · INT 10 (+0) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +5

Skills Insight +4, Perception +4, Stealth +4

Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, poisoned, prone, restrained

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages understands: Common but speaks only telepathically to 60 ft.

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Traits

Incorporeal Movement. Oiwa can move through creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object.

Horrific Visage. A creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of Oiwa and can see her disfigured face must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature is immune to Horrific Visage for 24 hours.

Curse of Betrayal. When Oiwa is reduced to 0 hit points, the creature that last dealt damage to her must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failure it is cursed for 24 hours, having disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. The curse ends early if the creature receives a remove curse spell or finishes a long rest in a consecrated temple.

Actions

Multiattack. Oiwa makes two Withering Touch attacks.

Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) necrotic damage.

Echo of the Wronged (Recharge 5–6). Oiwa unleashes a wave of grief in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. A creature that fails is also stunned until the end of its next turn.

Reactions

Haunting Step. Oiwa teleports up to 20 feet to an unoccupied space she can see, leaving a brief image of her ruined face behind. Until the start of her next turn, attack rolls against her have disadvantage.

Lore

The vengeful ghost of a disfigured woman who seeks retribution for her husband’s betrayal.

According to surviving documents kept at Myogyo-ji Temple in Tokyo’s Nishi-Sugamo district, a woman named Oiwa died of a lingering illness made worse by the strained relationship with her husband, a samurai of the Tamiya clan. The records mention no signs of violence, poisoning, or physical injury, yet after her death the family suffered a string of misfortunes, giving rise to a local legend about a curse cast by a wronged soul. But was it really that simple?

A bit of digging paints a far darker picture. Oiwa’s husband, the ronin Iemon Tamiya, was by all accounts greedy and cruel; the surviving notes openly label him a cold-blooded villain. Legend claims he murdered Oiwa’s father, Yotsuya Samon, because he wished to marry a wealthy neighbor, Oume of the Ito household. Oume’s relatives were involved as well, eager to unite the two families and fully supporting the ronin. Oiwa had always been frail, and after her father’s death her health worsened. Hoping to rid himself of his wife, Iemon seized the moment: he laced her medicine with poison and even tainted her cosmetics. The toxins made her joints throb and her hair fall out; her face grew asymmetrical, the features seeming to slide out of place. Unable to accept her new appearance, Oiwa realized the poison had disfigured her beyond hope and chose to end her life. After yet another futile attempt to comb the hair that now came out in clumps, she slit her own throat with a dagger and died. A blind masseur in the house heard her final words and learned the truth, but before he could tell anyone, Iemon murdered him as well.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 72 · Fern Flower Press