Unlike regular oni, that enter ningen-do through the portal to jigoku found the the Festering Pit of Fu Leng, Oni Lords have to be summoned directly by a shugenja a freely given a name. When the namer dies, the oni come to they full power, having gained a soul of their own.
Oni Lords are able to create spawn, less powerful copies of themselves. Often, these copies are the only contact with Rokugan, while the Lord remains safe in the deep Shadowlands. Even if the Lord himself is killed and its mortal form destroyed, its soul sent back to jigoku and able to return after a time gathering its strength.
Unlike the Elemental Dragons, the Oni Lords do not have a connection to Oracles, instead furthering their own (usually divergent) goals of their spawn. Currently, Yakamo no Oni and the Maw are uncapable of creating spawn.
List of Known Oni Lords
Major References
- Creatures of Rokugan Pages 55-57.