#heikigani

Illustration by Jim Nelson 

Bestiary 5 is looking pretty awesome so far, and I got lots to say about it, but this particular monster stood out to me, because I know the animal it is based off of:

 Now the crabs in Bestiary 5 are a bit different then their real-life counterparts. The real deal can easily fit in the palm of one's hand, while the Pathfinder version Small sized, so about the size of a middle sized dog or a large cat. The Bestiary lists the Heikegani as an aberration since they are created by the fusing of a warrior's soul into a crab, as opposed to the vermin that most crustaceans get classified as. This also means the Heikegani is also intelligent, and it has dim memories of its soul previous existence as an honour bound warrior. Those memories may not be clear, or even properly understood by the creature, but they are there, as is the soul's refusal to accept death. Given that these aberrations are called out as being an alternative for restless or fearful souls to becoming a ghost, I'd expect to see plenty of them on the Lower Planes, courtesy of those souls not yet ready to face their final judgement. 

 Oh, and did I mention they can wield manufactured weapons in their claws? I'm going to have fun with these! 

- To overcome its limited ability to communicate, a Heikegani spent decades teaching itself calligraphy. Once it is able to write both quickly and clearly, it sets out on its true task; finding a way to overcome its unnatural aura so that it may serve as cavalry once again. 

- A Heikegani bearing the soul of a goblin hero on Acheron has set out to reclaim its history and identity, but it's task is complicated by the fact that it's tidal pools have become contaminated by water from the Styx, further degrading it's already blurry memories. 

- After contemplating how it went from being a legendary warrior to a crab crawling through the sewers and gutters of Sigil, a Heikegani embraces both the teachings of Buddhism and the Dustmen in an attempt to break the chain of fear and suffering that led to its current situation.