Kappa

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Appearance
 The Kappa is a type of yokai that dwells in small bodies of water, such as ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. It is said to be the size of a child but a lot stronger that an average human being. It has the face of a monkey, a beaked mouth, the body of a turtle, and webbed hands which make them incredibly fast swimmers. It's scaly, reptilian skin can range from earthy hues to more bright colors. It also carries a bubble or bowl on the top of its head which holds its life force, water. Without the water, the kappa grows weaker and weaker until it becomes unable to move or perishes.

Behavior
The Kappa has wide range in behaviors. Adult Kappa prefer to live alone, but the younger ones tend to stay in family groups. Kappa love mischief, but sometimes their pranks can turn out to be quite gruesome. In their past time, they like to practice sumo wrestling, or play skillful games. They can eat anything, but sometimes they can find an appetite for human innards. Their all time favorite food is cucumber. People use this as a way to make peace or safeguard themselves and their loved ones from Kappa. They would write their or their families names on the cucumber and throw it in the water as an offering to the Kappa. Although the Kappa has a somewhat malevolent side, they can be kind and polite as well. If a Kappa tries to attack, bow your head and out of politeness, it will bow back. This will cause the water to spill from its head and slow it down, or cause it to run back to the water. On that note, it isn't rare for Kappa to befriend other yokai or even humans. They are very honorable creatures and will never break any promises it makes. It is said that Kappas possess great wisdom and they are one of the few yokai that are able to communicate with humans. They are very knowledgeable about medicine, and according to legend, they were the first to teach these arts to man kind.

Origins/Human Interactions
 People believe that the Kappa was once a child that drowned in water, and was later on reborn. To the Shinto people, Kappas are a kind of water god towards them. In exchange of offerings, they give people their friendliness, by helping with irrigation, playing games with us, and giving us wisdom.