Jinchuriki: A jinchuriki is a human being that has an incredibly powerful immortal monster sealed away inside of them. This monster is constantly trying to get out by taking over the host and reshaping them into it’s own form. Or instead it may seek freedom by simply by getting the host killed, this will destroy the beast, but they are able to regenerate after enough time has passed. The methods utilized by the beast vary considerably, sometimes battering down their will with verbal attacks, threats, and lies, and other times sweetly tempting them with deals and gifts of chakra. But one thing that cannot be doubted, their end goal is always freedom. Fortunately the beast is kept locked behind a powerful seal, and held in place by the will of the jinchuriki.
A warning about the Jinchuriki system: This system is a very powerful narrative tool that is extremely high risk. It offers a massive amount of power, both statistical and political, that can vastly outstripe what a player normally has access to. At the same time however the risks and challenges posed by being a jinchuriki are just as great. Jinchuriki have a very real chance of being consumed entirely, dying in a way that puts them beyond most resurrection, and at the same time they become an uncontrolled monster that is likely to kill everyone around it, including the other players. And even beyond this direct risk, being the carrier for such an impressive power makes the player a massive target. For these reasons it is strongly advised that all players and the GM be fully aware and agree to the risks involved. This system is meant to offer a somewhat balanced, but extreme, set of mechanics for emulating junchuriki and should be handled with care.
Maintaining control:
Ordinarily a tailed beast has no chance of escaping, the only opportunities it has to break free are when their host has come to rely on their power, or during a special circumstance dependant on the beast. During these circumstances however the beast can force the host to make a will save in order to resist being taken control of.
The first case is fairly straightforward. A tailed beast can supply it's host with chakra or other power it possesses, this is most often done in order to keep the host alive, but it can also be used to form a dependence on their power. While the beast can provide this power for free, it very rarely chooses to do so, instead choosing to “sell” it’s chakra and abilities to the host in exchange for a better chance at controlling them. This control usually takes the form of either a “control save”, a favour, or influence. Each round the beats may choose to make one offer, which the host may either refuse or accept. The beast cannot change or make a new offer until the next round.
A control save forces the host to make a will save to resist being taken over. The base DC is only 10, making the saving throw very easy to resist at first, however the tailed beasts primary goal is to increase this dc and penalize the willpower of their host until they have reached the point that they can seize control. The full effect and process is described further below, but essentially failing a control check moves it to the next stage of possession.
A favour is exactly what it sounds like, it’s some task that the host swears to perform for the beast. The host is not forced to complete the favour, but anytime they are not working towards completing the task they will roll twice on their will save to resist control and take the worse result. If the favour or task becomes impossible to complete than the host will forever suffer this drawback, and so it’s in the beast’s best interest to try and manipulate their host into accepting impossible favors, or favors that will lead the host to require more aid.
Influence is essentially a penalty that will be applied to a future save against control. It can take the form of either cumulative penalties that the beast may use as it see’s fit, or in the case of more valuable gifts it can take the form of permanent penalties that apply to all future control saves. Theoretically a beast could even bargain by giving up some of it’s accumulated influence in exchange for a favour or forcing a control check, though most are loathe to do so.
Example deals: Here are some examination of the types of deals a beast might offer.
"You will receive 12 chakra for a -2 on a will save" In a case like this the beast must provide the chakra immediately, but may save the -2 penalty to be used on a future save. It does not even need to be the next save made, and since these penalties stack a beast is often best off hoarding them to provide an almost certain chance for control. They could also choose to break the penalty up and apply a -1 to two separate saves.
"You will get 20 chakra every day but you will always have a -1 on save to resist my control" This kind of recurring deal permanently makes the host stronger, but weakens their will against control forever. The only way to remove this penalty is if the beast makes an offer to do so.
“I will give you all the chakra you want in this fight. But I get a chance to take control each turn the fight lasts." Common in especially dangerous fights, this provides massive ammounts of power but allows the beast to start quickly bombarding the hosts will, trying to get a lucky, or rather unlucky, roll.
“I will let you access my kekei genkai but I can use you voice for one minute each day” Even bizarre and esoteric trades are not off the table and beasts and hosts alike are able to trade the use of any ability or quality that they possess, from ninjutsu abilities, to property, to even the use of their own senses and autonomy.
Of course all of these are presented in mechanical terms for the player’s benefit. In game the deals are obviously not going to be made using game terms, they’ll be much more vague and interperative, but the player at least should always know preciesly what they’re in for.
The types of offers and deals can be nearly unlimited, and as such this system provides an immense degree of narrative flexibility. These benefits are also very malleable. A beast might offer only a small ammount of chakra to a low level character, knowing that it’s still much more than they’d normally have. Likewise a beast is likely to offer less or increase the cost as the player becomes increasingly desperate.
As a rough guideline a standard deal might be an amount of chakra equal to twice the players level in exchange for a one time -1. Though a player in a desperate situation is likely to get only half as much. Granting permanent benefits, like access to one or more of the beasts nature affinities or kekei genkai almost always requires a permanent amount of influence or equally large sacrifice. It goes without saying that a beast cannot grant knowledge power or skill that it does not possess.
Specific control condition:
Even without brokering deals, it can still be possible for a beast to gain influence and force control saves. Each tailed beast has a special situation during which it can attempt to escape. For obvious reasons this is almost always a situation where the host's judgement or willpower is impaired. Common conditions include when the host falls asleep for more than 6 hours, under the full moon, when they're overcome with rage, badly hurt, drunk, or scared. Regardless of the exact detail, when this circumstance occurs the tailed beast may force an immediate control save. At the GM’s discretion there may even be extreme cases where the control save DC is permanently or temporarily increased.
The Stages of control:
First stage: The first failed control save is insidiously deceptive. It grants a huge swell of power to the jinchuriki granting significant benefits outlined below while seemingly granting the beast only very limited influence. At this stage the tailed beast infuses the Jinchuriki with a huge amount of chakra. It provides chakra equal to the hosts full melded chakra, this allows the host to exceed their normal limit for melded chakra. This change is always very visible, as some form of the tailed beast manifesting, whether this is the growth of a beastly limb, taking on scales or unique hide or the manifestation of a shaped chakra cloak. In addition the Jinchuriki gains fast healing and a natural armor bonus to their armor class both equal to half their HD, and a +4 bonus to strength and dexterity as well as +20 ft to base land speed. The host may also potentially gain a unique power specific to the beast.
At the same time the host is able to remain in control by and large including the ability to step back from this power. As a full round action the host may make a new control save against the beast’s control DC and if successful they can leave stage one. After leaving stage 1 the user becomes fatigued until they rest for 1 hour and they lose as much chakra as they had gained, deducting first from their melded chakra, then from their daily, though this never causes the host to take chakra burn. Each round the host remains in this first stage of transformation, including the first, the tailed beast may exert its will in a limited capacity to take one of a few specific actions as follows:
Prohibit action: The tailed beast may select a single action to prohibit. The host is completely unable to perform that specific action, but is otherwise free to make its own choices. Common actions to forbid are "Attack using nonlethal means", "Run away", "Surrender" and "Stop using my power", but any fairly specific action can be chosen.
Attempt to seize control: The tailed beast may force the host to make a new will save in order to avoid advancing to the next form. If the host fails this save they advance to stage two.
Gain influence: Each time the tailed beast gathers influence they may add -1 to a future control save of the host. These stored points of influence can be saved for later and stack just like the ones gained by other means.
Make offer: Even when granting power to a host a tailed beast can continue to offer more deals.
Second stage: Once the second will save is failed things become more difficult. The power grows immensely but so does the beasts control. At this stage the tailed beast is manifesting much more actively. It's chakra is far too much for the host to handle, causing their body to burn, their skin to peel and their blood to boil off. The host gains a bonus to their strength and dexterity equal to half their HD and their land speed increases by an additional 60 ft. These bonuses stack with the effects of stage 1. The host also gains extra chakra equal to their maximum daily chakra instead of their maximum melded chakra, giving them far more power. Additionally the host is able to access the protean system, though they cannot gain any permanent protean abilities.
The drawbacks are considerable however. Control has shifted to the tailed beast and it threatens to gain even more control faster. The host no longer controls the body, instead the beast dictates their actions. Each round after the first spent in stage two the host must make another control save or be forced to the next stage. If the host rolls a natural 20 on this save they may push the beast back and regress to stage 1 possession. Other than rolling to resist control the host has very limited options meanwhile must now struggle desperately against the beast. Each round the host may choose one of the following options:
*Choose one action to prohibit in the same way the beast was able to in the previous stage. *Automatically succeed on the Control save for that round *Offer a deal in the same manner as the beast was able to, usually making themselves easier to possess in the future in exchange for being allowed to regain control.
If the Jinchuriki is incapacitated at this stage and rendered unconscious they will revert to their host's form. Other than being brought down the only hope the host has for escape is to broker a deal with the beast that gives them back some control. leaving the host exhausted, reduced to 0 melded and daily chakra, and subject to whatever damage they took while possessed.
Third stage: At this point the tailed beast is in complete and total control. The Creature now has the full statistics of it’s Tailed beast form, and the host is now unable to take any action besides making a control save each turn. If it should fail one of these saves then the host is fully consumed, it’s body, mind, and soul becomes subsumed forever into the beast. A consumed host can never be restored. The only hope to avoid that fate is if someone is able to render the beast unconscious before that happens, at which point the host regains control and reverts to 0 hp but stabilized, looses all chakra, and is exhausted for 24 hours.
About Tailed beasts: For a full breakdown of Tailed Beasts, their abilities and how to use them check out this section: Tailed Beasts
Narrative tips for using Jinchuriki:
Roleplaying the beast: No matter the nature of the monster sealed inside, it’s driving goal is to be freed to walk the world again. Whether it’s cunning and clever or savage and merciless the beast has only one goal, escape. Achieving that goal means breaking down the willpower of the host, gaining influence over them, manipulating them, and possibly killing them. It is imperative that the beast remains a staunch antagonist, possibly the most dangerous antagonist. The beast may give out free power on occasion, but always with the intention of a better return later. Common tactics for beasts include isolating hosts from friends and family, luring them into dangerous situations, weakening their will, often by exposing them to harmful or addictive substances, feigning benevolence, and brokering terrible deals that weaken their hosts will. Every time life finds a way to wound the host, the beast should be there to twist the knife and make it worse. This tension and adversarial nature is crucial. If a host wishes to befriend their beast they should consider taking the Bijuu prestige class.
Negotiating: A large part of the system relies on the GM’s ability to successfully tempt and barter with the player into accepting occasional boons in exchange for a loss of willpower, this is a fine art that can be difficult to master. The trick is to get a sense for what the player will be tempted by. Are they more prone to accept deals with permanent drawbacks or small increments of temporary ones? Do they value new abilities over the chakra needed to get through a fight? Are they likely to trust the beast if given a few “free samples” of power? Paying attention to player habits is a great start to knowing how to influence them.
The world and Jinchuriki: No matter the precise viewpoint of a particular group, it’s important to remember that a jinchuriki is fundamentally a walking weapon. A person who can, at any moment, turn into a city destroying monster. They represent both incredible danger and incredible power. Only the most reckless and altruistic civilizations will leave the fate of such a creature entirely to chance. Many cultures may seek the most extreme measures, using genjutsu, threats, or even scientific methods to ensure absolute control of their walking weapon. Others may rely on emotional manipulation, skilled guards and escorts, or even more creative methods to maintain influence over the host. If a powerful long lived force seeking to control the Jinchuriki sounds familiar then you may have noticed that society itself may mirror the actions and goals of the beast trapped inside. Much like the beast as well, this means that many forces are likely to try to ensure the survival and safety of the Jinchuriki, while at the same time taking efforts to curtail their freedom.
Description: It’s important to evoke the way a beast sounds, feels, and acts. Does it’s chakra have a specific sensation associated with it? Does it seem to bring the player to a special place inside their mind when they converse? How does it feel to begin transforming into the beast? The most common opportunity for description might be the transition between the stages of possession. Each step should feel like the monster is gaining more and more control, and it may be described in a number of ways. The most common description for progression through stages takes the form of a thickening and darkening chakra cloak that spreads around the user and becomes more and more similar to the Tailed Beast until at stage four the host resembles an imperfect form of the beast. This is not the only way however. The change could also form piece by piece, changing one limb at a time, or reflecting gradual physical changes like growing fur and claws, and then changing posture and so on. It can also be anywhere form very clear measurable differences in form all the way to very smooth gradual transition that happens across many rounds. This is a dramatic and sensational occurance and should be given a description to match.