Geographic Base: Japan

Appearance: 8" tall, Shokera are somewhat monstrous in appearance, having three eyes, blue or orange bumpy skin, and a profusion of horns and hair tufts all over their body. While not exactly cute, they do try to make the best of their appearance, being quite fond of ornament, and trying to bring order to their chaotic hair in particular. They are usually nude except for jewelry and have lilac forked tongues of which they are exceedingly proud.

Lifestyle: Shokera make themselves ramshackle little palaces on the roofs of human homes out of either the thatch or roof tiles. They drink rainwater which they brew with magic to make a warm butter flavored syrup that they greatly enjoy. Otherwise they eat only insects, a habit which has the favorable effect for the household of reducing their number of pests. Other than eating and ornamenting themselves, the Shokera mainly sleep, being very easygoing creatures. On most days they are only awake for the hours of sunrise and sunset when their insect prey is most active. While not without their faults - at least by the standard of human values - Shokera are for the most part positive and benevolent, if flighty, little creatures.

Human Interaction: Shokera act as passive protective forces for the human homes they perch atop, but take an active interest in human affairs only in the form of eavesdropping. Some humans resent this and go to great lengths to have priests drive the creatures from their houses. Most people however - if they are even aware of the presence of a Shokera on their roof (or even a whole family of them) - realize that their nosiness is harmless as Shokera never have the interest, much less the energy, to spread any gossip they overhear to any other people, and that these little scamps are of some value as guardians of family prosperity.