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    Miminashi Hoichi 耳なし芳一

    Medium humanoid (human), neutral good – but presently possessed

    Armor Class 12 (simple robes)

    Hit Points 45 (10d8)

    Speed 25 ft. (blind)

    STR 8 (−1) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 10 (+0) · INT 13 (+1) · WIS 16 (+3) · CHA 17 (+3)

    Saving Throws Wis +5, Cha +5

    Skills Performance +7, Religion +3, Stealth +4

    Damage Resistances necrotic, psychic

    Condition Immunities blinded; he can’t be frightened by undead

    Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13

    Languages Common, Celestial, speaks & sings to spirits in any tongue

    Challenge 1 (200 XP)

    Traits

    Blind but Unhindered. Hoichi is sightless. He is immune to the blinded condition, and threat range is based on blindsight. He automatically fails any ability check that relies on normal sight.

    Biwa of the Heike. The biwa is an Arcane Focus for Hoichi’s songs. A creature holding the instrument instead of him can use an action to end the possession (see below).

    Spirit Lure. Undead within 60 feet of Hoichi have advantage on attack rolls against living creatures and add 2 (1d4) necrotic damage to weapon attacks. If Hoichi is incapacitated, this aura ends.

    Pos­sessed Minstrel. On the first round of combat, the grief-mad Heike spirits seize control of Hoichi. While possessed, he attacks any living creature that disturbs the spirits’ graves. A creature adjacent to him can speak a Buddhist sutra as an action and succeed on a DC 13 Charisma (Persuasion or Religion) check to break the possession, ending it and stunning Hoichi until the end of his next turn.

    Actions

    Multiattack. Hoichi uses Wailing Song if available and makes one Cane Strike.

    Cane Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

    Wailing Song (Recharge 5–6). Hoichi strums his biwa, letting the ghosts howl through him. Each creature of his choice within 20 feet must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 9 (2d8) psychic damage and be frightened of Hoichi until the end of its next turn. On a successful save, a creature takes half damage and isn’t frightened.

    Banshee Aria. While Wailing Song is recharging, Hoichi can spend an action to maintain a low keening chant. Until the start of his next turn, any hostile creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of him takes 3 (1d6) necrotic damage as a spectral hand claws at its chest.

    Reactions

    Shriek of Pain. When Hoichi takes damage, he releases a reflexive wail. Each creature within 5 feet must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be deafened until the end of its next turn.

    Lore

    The legendary blind musician whose skin was covered with sutras by demons to shield him from spirits.

    Miminashi Hoichi—literally “Hoichi the Earless”—is a man carrying a curse born of contact with the spirits of the Taira clan, who died in the sea battle of Dan-no-ura. Blind from birth, Hoichi became a monk-musician, mastered the biwa, and achieved such virtuosity that his singing literally pierced the veil between worlds.

    After the Taira clan was destroyed at Dan-no-ura, the Shimonoseki Strait filled with the ghosts of the fallen warriors. At night one could see the flickering onibi lights, hear phantom battle cries, and the drowned were said to drag down anyone they caught. To calm the spirits, the temple Amidand-ji was built, and for a time peace returned.

    From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 64 · Fern Flower Press