Homebrew Foxian Species Details
These were the stories of a restless people who long ago took to the seas and rivers in longboats, first to trade and do business, then to settle. Yet there was an energy, a love of society, that sang from every page. Long into the night Lorelai read, lighting candle after precious candle.
She’d never given much thought to Foxians, but these stories fascinated her. In these yellowed pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods, and a magic that was part and fabric of that distant land.
Foxians are a humanoid long-life species with vulpine features, primarily found within the Xianzhou Alliance. Born with keen senses, great dexterity, and a natural sense of eloquence and shrewdness, many Foxians become Starskiff pilots or end up maintaining Xianzhou's trade networks. The Xianzhou have a common saying that goes, "Foxians are born to do business."
A Broad Spectrum
With their penchant for business and conquest, Foxians are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical Foxian. An individual can stand from 4 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 90 to 250 pounds. Foxian skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to even extraordinary colors like a pale green or natural fades from one color to similar colors (curly, kinky, or straight); males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. Foxians usually have large and fluffy tails, which tend to be big and bushy, which can be used to convey emotion like a dog or fox would. Foxians reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live longer than a four hundred years, although the eldest Foxians can live for upwards of seven hundred years.
Variety in All Things
Foxians are some of the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual Foxian might have a relatively long life span, but a Foxian nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single being’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.
EVERYONE’S BEST FRIENDS
Just as readily as they mix with each other, Foxians mingle with members of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Foxians serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds.
Dwarves. “They’re stout folk, great friends, and true to their word. Their greed for gold is their downfall, though.”
Elves. “It’s best not to wander into elven woods. They don’t like intruders, and you’ll as likely be bewitched as peppered with arrows. Still, if an elf can get past that damned racial pride and actually treat you like an equal, you can learn a lot from them.”
Halflings. “It’s hard to beat a meal in a halfling home, as long as you don’t crack your head on the ceiling—good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings had a shred of ambition, they might really amount to something.”
Agile Beastfolk
Foxians are said to be synonymous with the quick and the agile. They have lightning-fast reflexes and keen senses, and juvenile Foxians often have cheeky, playful personalities.
Best for Business
Foxians are known for their charming demeanor, astute insight, and ability to make rational, sound decisions on the fly. As such, they make for great salesmen, politicians, and the like. As the saying goes: “Foxians are made to do business”.
Birthfate Ritual
According to the Foxian "birthfate" custom of having babies "picking" their future, parents will put various objects and toys around an infant cub, and get them to choose their future career path by grabbing an item. If the child reaches for a jade abacus, it is said they will grow up to be a diviner. If they reach for a sword, they will grow up to be a famous warrior, and if they reach for a toy starskiff, they'll become a starskiff pilot. After completing a custom known as the Hairpin Ceremony, Foxians may be considered adults.
Foxian Names and Ethnicities
Foxians usually names their young after the good and fortunate aspects of life. Usually, names such as “Wealth” and “Jade” are common, choices for children who are to become business men/women. Foxians often translate these words into different languages to make then names sound more appealing.
Foxian Names: (Male) Silver, Fortune, Wealth, Sky, Bravery, Steel, Welf, Knight; (female) Tingyun, Huohuo, Jade, Sapphire, Mercy, Yukong, Quartz, Celestia, Kindness; (surnames) Wealthbringer, Fang, Goldeneye, Harmony, Falcon, Market, Blossom, Tradersman
Foxian Traits
It’s hard to make generalizations about Foxians, but you could say your Foxian has these traits:Ability Score Increase
Your Dexterity and Charisma scores each increase by one, but your Strength score decreases by one.
Age
Foxians reach adulthood in their late teens and live somewhere between 200-400 years typically, although the oldest Foxians can reach ages up to 750 years old.
Size
Foxians vary widely in height and build, from barely 4 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Foxian Charm
Foxians are known to be charismatic and insightful creatures. You have proficiency in the Persuasion and Insight skills.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Foxians typically learn the languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish military phrases, and so on.
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