Ningyo
The ningyo is a fishlike being with a human face and golden scales. Its flesh grants long life, but catching or killing one brings storms and misfortune—making it a tempting, dangerous boon.
Story beats
- 1) Fisherfolk haul a strange catch that speaks or weeps; warnings urge release.
- 2) Those who eat its flesh gain centuries of youth, as in the tale of the Eight Hundred-Year Nun.
- 3) Communities that harm a ningyo suffer storms or disease; washing the body ashore portends disaster.
- 4) Rarely, a ningyo beaching itself foretells a king’s death or great change.
Context & symbolism
Ningyo stories probe the ethics of exploiting the miraculous. Longevity or prophecy comes at cost—temptation versus respecting the sea’s spirits. Their monstrous beauty complicates the mermaid trope, tying the uncanny to moral choice.
The Eight Hundred-Year Nun tale links unintended immortality to isolation and service, cautioning against selfish consumption.
Motifs
- Human-faced fish with golden or jade scales
- Flesh granting long life
- Storms and plagues after harm
- Portent of ruler’s death
Use it in play
- Decide to free or harvest a ningyo—gain years or earn a curse.
- Escort a ningyo back to sea to avert an omen; rivals want its flesh.
- Face storms sent by angered sea spirits until reparations are made.
- Interact with an immortal who once ate ningyo; their longevity is both blessing and burden.