Homebrew Kitsune Species Details

In their natural form kitsune are anthropomorphic foxes with digitigrade limbs. Kitsune have fur in various shades of red and brown with the rarity of black and white. Their eyes have vertical slit pupils that have an arrange of colors from cobalt blue to golden yellow. They also have a tail that helps them balance. Due to their digitigrade limbs, they have a hard time wearing shoes like a human. Most kitsune wear getas or sandals while they are in human form. Claws, while more pronounced than a normal humans fingernails, are impractical to use in combat due to the victim having shallow scratches as a result. Their fangs, on the other hand, are deadly if one is not careful. The kitsune uses fangs as a last resort in close quarters combat.

Nogitsune is the same as their kitsune brethren except that they have black fur and blood red eyes. Their fangs are a lot more deadly than ordinary kitsune. They use their fangs to drain the life-force of the target and feed on it to heal their wounds.

Yako Kitsune are your average kitsune. They are the balance between the nogitsune and zenko kitsune. They are more skilled using their words than their other brethren.

Zenko Kitsune are known as celestial foxes. Blessed by birth by their deity Inari, Zenko kitsune are more friendly and compassionate than the rest of their brethren. They are good mediators to kitsune/non-kitsune matters. Most of them dedicate their lives to Inari through different means. Some stay in a temple in a community, some are wandering priests, and some are bards. You could never ask for a better friend than a Zenko Kitsune.

Restriction: Zenko Kitsune only worship Inari or a deity similar to Inari.

Kitsune Relations

Due to their natural shapeshift ability. Kitsune interact with other races as easily as a human. Here is what kisune thought about other races.

Dwarves. “Loved their loyalty. But they are to orderly and stiff.”

Elves. “Can't stand them. They speak like their 'holier than thou' most of the times.”

Halflings. “They are great people to be around. Sadly they are not adventurous.”

Size

Kitsune have a lithe form, from under 4 feet to barely under 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

Tails

You have a number of tails equal to the highest level spell you can cast (minimum of 1).

Alignment

Kitsune tend to go towards a chaotic alignment. Nogitsune is more evil-aligned while Zenko kitsune are more good aligned.

Tailed Scion

Kitsune are descendants of their nine-tailed Deity Inari. While its not uncommon to see a kitsune with multiple tails. It is very rare for kitsune to acquire their ninth tails. Kitsune can gain additional tails through hard work and enlightenment. In special circumstances Inari rewards tails to kitsune who has done a good deed. The amount of tails also shows the amount of authority they have in the kitsune political structure.

Shapeshifting

Due to their nature, kitsune had an inborn ability to take a form of a human. Their human form is unique as their natural form. They can shapeshift into a specific human of the same gender. Like humans, both natural and human forms are heredity. Most kitsune in their natural/human form are people from Wa in Kara-Tur. Some kitsune master their shapeshifing art to the point where they can shift into a fox or shift into a person they have seen recently.

 

Kitsune Traits

Through the rumors of foolish humans only these racial traits are true.

Ability Score Increase

 Your Dexterity and Charisma score Increase by 1.

Darkvison

Due to hunting at night you have superior vision in the dark. You can see dim light within 60 feet of you as bright light and in darkness as if it was in dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.

Natural Weapon

In your natural form you gain a Bite attack that does 1d4 piercing damage.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.

Kitsune Shapeshift

As an action, you can assume the appearance of a specific single human form of the same sex. You always take this form when you use this ability. You cannot use your bite attack in human form. In order for anyone to see your true nature, they have to succeed on an Investigation check with a DC 8 + your Deception modifier.

Kitsune Magic

Due to either extra life-force energy or a blessing from Inari you have an innate spell casting ability. You can cast the cantrip dancing lights.

Agile

You gain proficiency in Acrobatics.