Aku-Shin Kage

Aku-Shin Kage (悪 心 影, meaning "malicious shadow" and with alternate spelling "Akushin Kage", "Aku-Shin-Kage" or "Akushin-Kage") is one of the avatars of Nyarlathotep. Its first appearance was in the Secrets of Japan supplement for the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game.
Its field of action is the territory of Japan. During the history of the country, it has caused many wars and confrontations. In fact, it is believed that the warlord Oda Nobunaga was one of his human incarnations know as the "Dark Warlord", and also known precisely as "ghost of Nobunaga". It it said to have dictated the work known as "Kuragari no shūkai" (in English, "Manual of the Shadows") to a ninja clan with supernatural powers that would carry out a multitude of killings and served the Dark Warlord from the late twelfth century to the early eighteenth century. In more modern times, due to a long and close affinity with Oda in life, can take on the human form of the ghost of Nobunaga, appearing age forty. In this guise, the avatar of Nyarlathotep urges on one or more deranged leaders of ultra-right nationalist groups. Nowadays, it resembles a Yotsubishi Heavy Industries businessman advocating a golden age for the Japanese empire in boardrooms. 
In his usual form, he appears dressed in a full suit of blackened samurai o-yoroi armor. Where unprotected parts of the body would normally be seen, like the upper arms, legs and head, it is instead an amorphous shadow that shifts within the suit. Those who are brave enough to look into the hooded helmet will see a black void with dozens of tiny mouths bearing sharp gnashing teeth. Blood constantly drips from cracks in the armor.
==Veneration and invocation==
The Aku-Shin Kage was worshiped by the Japanese before the twentieth century as a kami-sama of chaos and war. Worshipers hoped its summoned fury would be unleashed upon the enemy. Eventually it became known how unpredictable the being was so this practice declined. Now, it is worshiped by power mad modern cultists like Buddha’s Tears and the Dugpa sect of degenerate Buddhists (the Green Caps), hoping to gain occult knowledge or to destroy a foe. This can be done with a spell or reciting texts from the book "Rock Garden on Infinity". Invocations take place on the night of a new moon or deep within a cavern where no sun can reach. If it contacts the caster, usually among a group of worshipers, it will appear as the shadow of an armored samurai on a wall. Someone present, but not the caster, will begin to bleed profusely from all orifices, eyes, ears and even fingernails, causing the victim and witnesses to lose sanity. Until it leaves, the avatar speaks through the bleeding victim in harsh unnatural whispers. The host/victim loses vitality until the avatar departs. However, the avatar partially animates the victim and keeps him or her standing erect like a puppet until the contact ends, even if the victim dies (though the limbs and head loll about limply). 
The spell to summon or expel Aku-Shin Kage appears in the French and Japanese editions of "The Mysterious Path" (referred to as "Le Parcourant Sentier" and "Makafushigi Michi" later, "Magatta Michi", respectively) and "In Ghostly Japan". Furthermore, it can be inadvertently invoked when reading "Shinwa Taizen" (except for its editions known as "Nihonjiki" and "The Kingdom of Wa") and "Rock Garden on Infinity". If it is summoned when reading "Rock Garden on Infinity" (accidentally or not), Akushin Kage will reclaim the reader's soul and transport it to the jigoku for torture. If the reader agrees to serve this Mask of Nyarlatothep, the reader will be given a new oni form to carry out a mission.
On the other hand, the mysterious Black Monk, follower of the Emerald Lama, knows the spell. In fact, it is believed that he was the author of "Makafushigi Michi".
==Powers and Abilities==
As can be deduced, it is a formidable opponent. For those unaware of its existence, it is almost invisible, since it is confused with shadows. In his typical form, it not only wields a katana, but can also extend two pseudopods from its shadows with a freezing touch. It can also extend its gnashing mouths to bite and fling its own corrosive blood as a throwing weapon, which drips from its armor. Cultists can carefully gather it for later use.
Aku-Shin Kage knows all Mythos spells and can summon a tatsu, oni, shantak, Hunting Horror or a flute player of Azathoth. Another favorite is to induce creation of yôkai by infusing magic into an area, such as oni or tatsu.
If by chance it was defeated, this would not mean his death, but simply his withdrawal. If the scroll of the "Namu Amida Butsu" text is read in his presence, it could be banished from Earth for 108 years.
es:Akushin Kage
Category:Characters Originating From Expanded Mythos Works
Category:Avatars of Nyarlathotep