Nindoru, Sojiruh
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Nindoru, Sojiruh CR 4 CE Outsider (native) This creature resembles a desiccated humanoid corpse, its arms overly long and broken in multiple places. Its head is shrunken in on itself, lips stitched shut with strands of its own hair. Its ribcage is open, and a swarm of red butterflies flutters inside it.
Sojiruh are the most common of the nindoru, outsiders that come about through the corruption of reincarnation and natural cycles. Sojiruh represent the corruption of the cycle of reincarnation itself. The first sojiruh were created when people who had already passed through several cycles of reincarnation turned their back on the goal of enlightenment, but many sojiruh are created from souls wrenched out of place by being killed by other nindoru. Those who follow philosophies of reincarnation and enlightenment view sojiruh as abominations; sojiruh find those who follow such philosophies to be tempting targets.
Sojiruhs can sniff out victims with reincarnated souls and target them first and foremost. Their broken blades deal damage with mental anguish as much as they do with actual sharpened steel. A sojiruh can scream with the voice of its victim, harmonizing with their cries of anguish as it feeds on their fear and life force alike. Sojiruh consider the pairing of fear with life similarly to how mortal gourmets treat a wine paired with a meal, and when they are not actively hunting mortals, may compare tasting notes.
Despite their sewn shut mouth, sojiruh can speak freely with hollow-sounding voices. They stretch their mouths open only to scream. When they do scream, the butterflies in their chest beat their wings frantically, as if to fan the flames of the nindoru’s hunger. Sojiruh and meokdan get along reasonably well, with the weaker meokdan flocking to a sojiruh’s side to scavenge on its victims. Sojiruh are interested in unusual sounds, and their lairs are often decorated with chimes, sōzu fountains, and other noisemakers. They use these in conjunction with their own abilities, using ghost sound and ventriloquism spells to confuse and disorient intruders.
