Tsukumogami 付喪神
Medium construct (yokai), neutral
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
Speed 25 ft.
STR 14 (+2) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 14 (+2) · INT 10 (+0) · WIS 12 (+1) · CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +4, Cha +5
Skills Deception +5, Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Yokai Speech
Challenge 3
Traits
Awakened Object. The Tsukumogami began life as a mundane item that has surpassed 99 years of use and become sentient. It retains the shape or structure of that item, though it may sport exaggerated features (like a large eye or a mouth) or move in improbable ways.
Resentful Memories. When making Charisma (Deception) or Charisma (Intimidation) checks against a creature that has personally mistreated or destroyed objects in the past (at the GM’s discretion), the Tsukumogami has advantage. Centuries of neglect have taught it how to prey on guilt or material attachment.
Mischief Made Manifest. The Tsukumogami can cast the following spells innately (Charisma is its spellcasting ability, spell save DC 13), requiring no material components:
At will: minor illusion (PHB p. 260), prestidigitation (PHB p. 267)
3/day: silent image (PHB p. 276)
(Adjust these spells to fit the item’s nature—for example, an old shamisen might emphasize auditory illusions.)
Actions
Multiattack. The Tsukumogami makes two Slam attacks.
Slam (Batter). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the Tsukumogami is in a form with a protruding handle, limb, or rim (e.g., an umbrella), this attack might look like a swift whack or jab.
Startling Apparition (Recharge 5 - 6). The Tsukumogami momentarily distorts its shape—eyes popping open, a mouth gaping wide—accompanied by a loud shriek or sudden clang. Each creature of its choice within 15 feet that can see and hear it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the Tsukumogami for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Reactions
Dodge & Clatter. When a creature the Tsukumogami can see targets it with a melee attack, the Tsukumogami can momentarily flatten or bend away with a sudden rattle. It gains a +2 bonus to AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. The Tsukumogami must be on a solid surface for this reaction (it needs something to bang or scrape against).
Lore & Behavior
Though rarely lethal, Tsukumogami love to spook travelers, use illusions to cause confusion, or make off with random trinkets. Some harbor deeper resentments if they were treated poorly in their former life.
Tsukumogami may gather for raucous “parades” or midnight revels, particularly in abandoned structures. They pose little danger to anyone who doesn’t disturb them, but frightened outsiders often run at the first sign of an inanimate object dancing about with a ghostly grin.
Зонт – Umbrella – 傘 (かさ, Kasa)
Чайник – Kettle – 鉄瓶 (てつびん, Tetsubin)
Свеча – Candle – 蝋燭 (ろうそく, Rosoku)
Зеркало – Mirror – 鏡 (かがみ, Kagami)
Подушка – Pillow – 枕 (まくら, Makura)
Одеяло – Blanket – 毛布 (もうふ, Mofu)
Кимоно – Kimono – 着物 (きもの, Kimono)
Пояс Оби – Obi Belt – 帯 (おび, Obi)
Перчатки – Gloves – 手袋 (てぶくろ, Tebukuro)
Гонг – Gong – 鑼 (ら, Ra)
Катана – Katana – 刀 (かたな, Katana)
Щит – Shield – 盾 (たて, Tate)
Флаг (Хори) – Temple Banner – 幡 (ばん, Ban)
Explanation of Japanese Writing Systems:
1. Kanji (漢字, Kanji) – Logographic characters borrowed from the Chinese language. Kanji are used to represent words or concepts, often carrying meanings rather than purely phonetic sounds.
Example: 医療器具 (Medical tools)
2. Hiragana (ひらがな, Hiragana) – A phonetic syllabary used to write native Japanese words, grammatical particles, and verb endings. It provides the pronunciation of words and is often used when kanji are too difficult or unknown.
Example: いりょうきぐ (Iryo Kigu) – the same word written entirely in hiragana.
3. Romaji (ローマ字, Romaji) – The Romanized writing of Japanese words using the Latin alphabet. Romaji is used in textbooks for foreign learners, on road signs, and for typing Japanese on keyboards
Lore
Household objects gaining sentience after a century, mischievous or vengeful toward owners.
Typically, when speaking of monsters, one begins by describing their appearance or recounting a dramatic tale. Yet in this case, we start with some general observations before delving into the most fascinating members of this uncanny group. We are dealing with old objects—very old, in fact. Tsukumogami are “spirited” items that develop awareness and will after 100 years of existence. No one truly knows the precise mechanism: perhaps they absorb magic or energy across a century, or maybe they simply grow tired of being mundane and decide to rebel.
Practically anything can become such a yokai. Ancient Buddhist texts, with their notion of “all beings suffer,” suggested that even inanimate objects experience emotion. Hence the belief that discarded or neglected items might return as vengeful spirits. Some attribute this phenomenon to tsukimono—wandering spirits that can inhabit objects. Over time, a tool or ornament, deeply infused with a user’s energy, may gain a sort of soul. And indeed, how you treated that item could determine its disposition: a polished sword might transform into a benevolent entity, while a threadbare kimono you flung into a dusty corner could come back brimming with spite.
From Yokai Bestiary 5E, p. 36 · Fern Flower Press