Rokurokubi
 This article is a stub. You can help 1d4chan by expanding it |
The Rokurokubi is one of Japan's most distinctive and instantly recognizable yokai, or monsters. These are women who have transformed into demonic beings as a result of either their own sins or of a curse placed on them (usually by the wickedness of men around them), granting them the ability to stretch their necks for incredibly long distances. Whilst some rokurokubi are wicked and attack people by biting them, most are described more as mischievous tricksters who like to spook people with their long necks.
A variant of the rokurokubi is the Nukekubi, whose head detaches and goes flying around on its own instead. Unlike the rokurokubi, this yokai is considered more violent and dangerous; they are often blood-drinkers and/or cannibals, or at the very least are violently aggressive.
Ironically, the rokurokubi has never appeared in Dungeons & Dragons - although that might be because D&D has a very crappy reputation when it comes to Oriental Adventures. Instead, the entirely D&D-unique (as far as anyone knows) Hebi-no-Onna may have been inspired by the rokurokubi.
Pathfinder added Rokurokubi to its vast array of monsters as part of the Jade Regent adventure path. The rokurokubi of Golarion are far more malevolent than the myths usually portray them, and are essentially a serpentine-aspected form of not!Asian hag.
Rokurukubi monstergirls are actually surprisingly common in Japanese media; after all, they fit the most literal definition of the term in that they are monsters who are always female and who used to be human girls. They are generally depicted as either somewhat shy or as quite mischievous, and they love to exploit their elastic necks for intimacy, cuteness or erotic purposes.
