ROKUROKUBI

Lore

By day, a Rokurokubi appears to be an ordinary woman. But at night, her neck stretches to an incredible length, serpentine and uncanny. Sometimes her roaming head hunts small animals or licks lamp oil with a lengthy tongue; other times she simply delights in startling unsuspecting onlookers.

Although these habits may seem relatively harmless, many believe that some Rokurokubi possess darker tendencies-attacking humans, draining their blood, or even devouring flesh. They are often accused of stealing ki (life energy), especially from male victims.

In contrast to many yokai-beings who are usually born as monsters-a Rokurokubi was once a regular human woman until cursed for some wrongdoing or sin, be it an offense against the gods, nature, or perhaps unfaithfulness to her husband. Whatever the cause, this curse only befalls women.

Come sunrise, a Rokurokubi's neck retracts, returning her head to its normal position. The only evidence of her nighttime wanderings might be a faint scar on the back of her neck. Some tales recount that she is so exhausted by her nocturnal escapades that, come dawn, she falls asleep without retracting her neck at all.