Post by Kitten4u on Sept 23, 2008 20:17:05 GMT -7
There are a good amount of races to pick from in this RP. I wrote a little blurb on the ones that are more common in Touhou, but if there's a different race that you want to play you can. All I ask is that it's from Japanese folklore or mythology to keep with the theme. Note: I'm describing the races based on how they are used in Touhou, so there may be some differences between how I describe them and how Wikipedia describes them. Also note that I did not include all of the races that are used in Touhou since a lot did not have much info on them.
I have now added more information for those that want it! I added a link to the Touhou Wiki article, the Wikipedia article, and I gave a canon example with a link to their profile and an article from an informational book that ZUN wrote (called Perfecet Memento in the Strict Sense, also known as PMiSS).
Humans
Humans: Humans are basically just like us, only far more powerful. Since the humans in Gensokyo live with youkai (definition below), they really need that extra strength. The average human is at least as strong as the average youkai if not stronger.
Touhou Wiki|Wikipedia
Character Example: Reimu Hakurei: Profile|PMiSS
Lunarian: Lunarians are people from the moon. They are very similar to regular humans, with a few minor differences. They have very long life spans, some are said to live forever. They also have the most advanced technology, and it is said that magic originated from the moon.
Touhou Wiki|No Wikipedia article
Character Example: Kaguya Houraisan Profile|PMiSS
Youkai
Youkai: The word "youkai" can refer to a lot of creatures. It basically refers to any creature from folklore. This can include ghosts, tengu and anything in this youkai sub-section. Normal creatures (such as insects or cats) may turn into youkai after a while giving them human-like characteristics and greater intelligence. In fact, humans may also turn into youkai under the right circumstances. Many characters in Touhou are not a specific type of youkai, so it's okay if you use this generic term as your character's race.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Mystia Lorelei Profile|PMiSS
Character Example: Yuka Kazami Profile|PMiSS
Tengu: Tengu generally come in one of two subspecies. One is the karasu tengu, or crow tengu, they are basically anthropomorphic crows with a humanoid body structure. The other is yamabushi tengu, and they look like humans with red skin and really long noses. There are some other breeds though. For example Momizi is a white wolf tengu. Tengu are generally mischievous and curious. They dislike arrogant people, though many are arrogant themselves. They love gossip and drinking. According to some tengu their drinking ability is only rivaled by the oni. Many carry some of these items: shakujo, which is a staff used for physical combat, a tokin, which is a strangely shaped hat that can be used as a divining cup, and a hauchiwa fan, which can be made from leaves or feathers and is said to be able to summon gale force winds.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Aya Shameimaru Profile|PMiSS
Nekomata: Nekomata are cats that have lived for a very long time. After a cat lived for around ten years their tails would split in two and they would develop magic powers. Most of the time a nekomata's magic abilities relate to necromancy and/or shamanism. They also have the ability to shape shift into a more human-like form.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Chen Profile|PMiSS
Fairy: Fairies are generally weak creatures that represent some aspect of nature. Most simple-minded creatures that, due to their lack of power, are generally harmless. They enjoy pranking people and are generally easily amused.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Cirno Profile|PMiSS
Vampire: Vampires are very powerful, but they also have many weaknesses (such as garlic, silver, wooden stakes, pickled veggies, and rain). They are generally self-centered and unkind to just about everyone. Their food is the blood of humans, so vampires will avoid killing humans whenever possible.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Remilia Scarlet Profile|PMiSS
Ghost: When someone dies (human or otherwise) they become a ghost. They live in the Netherworld and will generally not leave that area (or if they do someone will try to make them come back). They do not have to eat, sleep or do many of the inconvenient things they needed to when they were alive. Despite that, many do eat anyway, in fact, most continue to do what they enjoyed doing when they were alive.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Yuyuko Saigyouji Profile|PMiSS
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are very similar to ghosts, but according to ZUN, they are not the same thing. They have the ability to manifest themselves visibly, auditally and solidly, and it is assumed that not all ghosts have this ability. They seem to have an amazing ability to stir up trouble and turn even the calmest situations into complete chaos.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Prismriver Sisters Profile|Lunasa|Lyrica|Merlin
Satori: Satori live in mountains or underground and have the ability to read peoples' minds. Many of them enjoy messing with people by saying that person's thoughts. The only real way to get them to stop most of the time is by clearing the mind. Most of the time they would get bored and leave.
Touhou Wiki|Wikipedia
Character Example: Satori Komeiji Profile
Kappa: Kappa are a type of water sprite that live in rivers. Most have a turtle shell on their back and are known for being very curious about humans, challenging humans to tests of skill, eating children and loving cucumbers. The Kappa in Gensokyo like most humans, but many humans seem to think otherwise. Kappa are generally very creative and enjoy building things. The kappa are the most technologically advanced species that actually live on Earth (the Lunarians are more advanced, but they're on the moon.)
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Nitori Kawashiro Profile
Kitsune: In Japanese folklore kitsune are fox-like creatures that possess great intelligence, a long life and magical powers. Most of their abilities revolve around illusionary magic. Because of that many people see them as playful tricksters.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Ran Yakumo Profile|PMiSS
Rabbits: Even before rabbits become youkai most have the ability to use magic. If they do become a youkai then their magical abilities and intelligence are increased. There are also moon rabbits (IE rabbits from the moon) that seem to be more powerful than rabbits from Earth. Youkai rabbits and moon rabbits are basically humanoid with long rabbit ears on their head.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example (Earth Rabbit): Tewi Inaba Profile|PMiSS
Character Example (Moon Rabbit): Reisen Undongein Inaba Profile|PMiSS
Oni: Oni have incredible physical strength and power and often have two horns on the top of their head. They are generally jolly, love to drink and compete in any kind of contest. Oni used to challenge humans they liked to many different kinds of contests, but since oni are generally stronger than humans the humans had to resort to dirty tactics to win. This made most oni dislike humans, and they went to a place that's beyond human reach. Many humans believe they live somewhere on Youkai Mountain, but no one is completely sure. Oni will almost never lie, and will almost always keep any promises they make.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Suika Ibuki Profile|PMiSS
Tsukumogami: Tsukumogami are inanimate objects that have existed for over 100 years and became youkai. Their characteristics will be different depending on what kind of object they were, so it's impossible to say more than this.
Wikipedia
Character Example: Medicine Melancholy Profile|PMiSS
Gods
NOTE: You need special permission from me to play any of these races. This also includes cannon characters that are one of these races.
Gods: Gods are rarely all-powerful, instead they hold power over certain things. You can basically think of any polytheistic religion here: one god might have power over winter or lightning for example.
No Touhou Wiki article|Wikipedia
Character Example: Kanako Yasaka Profile
Celestial: Celestials are beings that inhabit heaven. This mostly refers to gods or angels.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Tenshi Hinanai Profile
Shinigami: Directly translated it basically means "God of Death." Their purpose is similar to that of the Grim Reaper, though it is a bit different. There are two types of shinigami. The first is the ferryman. They transport souls across the Sanzu no Kawa (basically the Buddhist version of the River Styx) to the equinox (Higan) so that they may be judged by a Yama (see next race). The second actually goes to fight the creature that's dying. If the creature wins they get to live longer, but if the shinigami wins then they die.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Komachi Onozuka Profile|PMiSS
Yama: Yama (or Enma) judge the souls of the dead to decide where they will go now that they're dead.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia (Yama)|Wikipedia (Enma)
Character Example: Sikieiki Yamaxanadu Profile|PMiSS
I have now added more information for those that want it! I added a link to the Touhou Wiki article, the Wikipedia article, and I gave a canon example with a link to their profile and an article from an informational book that ZUN wrote (called Perfecet Memento in the Strict Sense, also known as PMiSS).
Humans
Humans: Humans are basically just like us, only far more powerful. Since the humans in Gensokyo live with youkai (definition below), they really need that extra strength. The average human is at least as strong as the average youkai if not stronger.
Touhou Wiki|Wikipedia
Character Example: Reimu Hakurei: Profile|PMiSS
Lunarian: Lunarians are people from the moon. They are very similar to regular humans, with a few minor differences. They have very long life spans, some are said to live forever. They also have the most advanced technology, and it is said that magic originated from the moon.
Touhou Wiki|No Wikipedia article
Character Example: Kaguya Houraisan Profile|PMiSS
Youkai
Youkai: The word "youkai" can refer to a lot of creatures. It basically refers to any creature from folklore. This can include ghosts, tengu and anything in this youkai sub-section. Normal creatures (such as insects or cats) may turn into youkai after a while giving them human-like characteristics and greater intelligence. In fact, humans may also turn into youkai under the right circumstances. Many characters in Touhou are not a specific type of youkai, so it's okay if you use this generic term as your character's race.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Mystia Lorelei Profile|PMiSS
Character Example: Yuka Kazami Profile|PMiSS
Tengu: Tengu generally come in one of two subspecies. One is the karasu tengu, or crow tengu, they are basically anthropomorphic crows with a humanoid body structure. The other is yamabushi tengu, and they look like humans with red skin and really long noses. There are some other breeds though. For example Momizi is a white wolf tengu. Tengu are generally mischievous and curious. They dislike arrogant people, though many are arrogant themselves. They love gossip and drinking. According to some tengu their drinking ability is only rivaled by the oni. Many carry some of these items: shakujo, which is a staff used for physical combat, a tokin, which is a strangely shaped hat that can be used as a divining cup, and a hauchiwa fan, which can be made from leaves or feathers and is said to be able to summon gale force winds.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Aya Shameimaru Profile|PMiSS
Nekomata: Nekomata are cats that have lived for a very long time. After a cat lived for around ten years their tails would split in two and they would develop magic powers. Most of the time a nekomata's magic abilities relate to necromancy and/or shamanism. They also have the ability to shape shift into a more human-like form.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Chen Profile|PMiSS
Fairy: Fairies are generally weak creatures that represent some aspect of nature. Most simple-minded creatures that, due to their lack of power, are generally harmless. They enjoy pranking people and are generally easily amused.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Cirno Profile|PMiSS
Vampire: Vampires are very powerful, but they also have many weaknesses (such as garlic, silver, wooden stakes, pickled veggies, and rain). They are generally self-centered and unkind to just about everyone. Their food is the blood of humans, so vampires will avoid killing humans whenever possible.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Remilia Scarlet Profile|PMiSS
Ghost: When someone dies (human or otherwise) they become a ghost. They live in the Netherworld and will generally not leave that area (or if they do someone will try to make them come back). They do not have to eat, sleep or do many of the inconvenient things they needed to when they were alive. Despite that, many do eat anyway, in fact, most continue to do what they enjoyed doing when they were alive.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Yuyuko Saigyouji Profile|PMiSS
Poltergeist: Poltergeists are very similar to ghosts, but according to ZUN, they are not the same thing. They have the ability to manifest themselves visibly, auditally and solidly, and it is assumed that not all ghosts have this ability. They seem to have an amazing ability to stir up trouble and turn even the calmest situations into complete chaos.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Prismriver Sisters Profile|Lunasa|Lyrica|Merlin
Satori: Satori live in mountains or underground and have the ability to read peoples' minds. Many of them enjoy messing with people by saying that person's thoughts. The only real way to get them to stop most of the time is by clearing the mind. Most of the time they would get bored and leave.
Touhou Wiki|Wikipedia
Character Example: Satori Komeiji Profile
Kappa: Kappa are a type of water sprite that live in rivers. Most have a turtle shell on their back and are known for being very curious about humans, challenging humans to tests of skill, eating children and loving cucumbers. The Kappa in Gensokyo like most humans, but many humans seem to think otherwise. Kappa are generally very creative and enjoy building things. The kappa are the most technologically advanced species that actually live on Earth (the Lunarians are more advanced, but they're on the moon.)
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Nitori Kawashiro Profile
Kitsune: In Japanese folklore kitsune are fox-like creatures that possess great intelligence, a long life and magical powers. Most of their abilities revolve around illusionary magic. Because of that many people see them as playful tricksters.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Ran Yakumo Profile|PMiSS
Rabbits: Even before rabbits become youkai most have the ability to use magic. If they do become a youkai then their magical abilities and intelligence are increased. There are also moon rabbits (IE rabbits from the moon) that seem to be more powerful than rabbits from Earth. Youkai rabbits and moon rabbits are basically humanoid with long rabbit ears on their head.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example (Earth Rabbit): Tewi Inaba Profile|PMiSS
Character Example (Moon Rabbit): Reisen Undongein Inaba Profile|PMiSS
Oni: Oni have incredible physical strength and power and often have two horns on the top of their head. They are generally jolly, love to drink and compete in any kind of contest. Oni used to challenge humans they liked to many different kinds of contests, but since oni are generally stronger than humans the humans had to resort to dirty tactics to win. This made most oni dislike humans, and they went to a place that's beyond human reach. Many humans believe they live somewhere on Youkai Mountain, but no one is completely sure. Oni will almost never lie, and will almost always keep any promises they make.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Suika Ibuki Profile|PMiSS
Tsukumogami: Tsukumogami are inanimate objects that have existed for over 100 years and became youkai. Their characteristics will be different depending on what kind of object they were, so it's impossible to say more than this.
Wikipedia
Character Example: Medicine Melancholy Profile|PMiSS
Gods
NOTE: You need special permission from me to play any of these races. This also includes cannon characters that are one of these races.
Gods: Gods are rarely all-powerful, instead they hold power over certain things. You can basically think of any polytheistic religion here: one god might have power over winter or lightning for example.
No Touhou Wiki article|Wikipedia
Character Example: Kanako Yasaka Profile
Celestial: Celestials are beings that inhabit heaven. This mostly refers to gods or angels.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Tenshi Hinanai Profile
Shinigami: Directly translated it basically means "God of Death." Their purpose is similar to that of the Grim Reaper, though it is a bit different. There are two types of shinigami. The first is the ferryman. They transport souls across the Sanzu no Kawa (basically the Buddhist version of the River Styx) to the equinox (Higan) so that they may be judged by a Yama (see next race). The second actually goes to fight the creature that's dying. If the creature wins they get to live longer, but if the shinigami wins then they die.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia
Character Example: Komachi Onozuka Profile|PMiSS
Yama: Yama (or Enma) judge the souls of the dead to decide where they will go now that they're dead.
Touhou Wiki|PMiSS|Wikipedia (Yama)|Wikipedia (Enma)
Character Example: Sikieiki Yamaxanadu Profile|PMiSS
