Homebrew Zenko (2024) Species Details

"I may be a fox, but I am also your bride. I will always come back to you. Whether it be on the surface world or in my realm, you will always be welcome." -Kinari, Priestess of Fortune

Servitude: Like the Shinryujin, the Zenko are a race dedicated to shepherding the world. However, unlike the rarity of the divine dragons, these divine foxes are numerous and are often given hundreds of years of training before they take their place among their complicated pantheon. Zenko dedicate their exceptionally long life to the benefit of the world and its gods. They are sometimes rewarded with enlightenment and lesser divinity themselves. 

Physical Description

The Zenko have two forms. They can disguise or transform into beautiful Masic-like humanoids with fox-like features such as ears, tails, and sometimes claws. The true form of the Zenko are their fox-spirit forms, which appear to be exactly like their animal counterparts but with distinct supernatural differences such as pure white fur, being surrounded by ghostly fire, and sometimes having multiple tails.

Origin Myth

Like most other Yokai, the Zenko can attribute their creation to the various Underworlds of Xerros. As these spirits left the darkness, most of them reached the Skylands and joined the harvest and fortune Demigod. Thus, most Zenko are friendly, helpful, and loving. 
Patron Deity: Nearly all Zenko are sent to the material plane by a Demigod in order to complete some sort of mission. Sometimes, the mission is as important as a world-saving quest, while other times it is to be the housemaid of a loyal mortal whose stress has invited evil spirits into their household. The being in charge of this delegation is the current Tenko. 

Society

Most modern Zenko live in a special sphere within the Skyrealms, an ethereal plane in the sky that is managed by the Demigod of rice, commerce, and great fortune. Zenko serve as his messengers, assistants, and crusaders. While Demigods have very strict rules when they can intervene and perform miracles of great power, the Zenko are under no such restrictions and can perform tasks to the best of their abilities. Depending on the age of the Zenko, they may simply be as strong as the average mortal or just shy of a deity themselves. 
Population: Uncommon. Most Zenko live in the Skyrealms. Due to their extensive training, they are rarely seen on the surface world. 
Offspring: Despite being Yokai, Zenko are Celestials and are capable of producing fertile offspring with anyone of their choosing. Offspring produced by a Zenko tend to be either Celestial Nephilim or the same race as their Non-Zenko parent. Occasionally, a Zenko child is born, and their humanoid form is considered their true form. 
Reputation: Zenko are seen as religious figures to many and are seen as guardian angels. To the good aligned, they are usually well respected. To others, having a Zenko friend, companion, servant, spouse or Waifu can often be seen as a status symbol. 
Relationships: Zenko dedicate their entirety to their missions. As such, they tend to value their companions in high regard and often fall in love with them. Strangely, pairings between two Zenko are rare. Despite the fact that they are long-lived, they often choose partners from much shorter-lived races. These leave Zenko tragically widowed after a very short time in their eyes.

Adventurers

Nearly every adventuring Zenko is on a direct mission from their Tenko. While some Zenko may wander for their own amusement, the vast majority of these rarely seen creatures travel while on a mission. As they adventure and become stronger, they grow additional tails that grant them more wisdom, power, and courage.
Much like dragons, Zenko grow in power as they age, but very slowly. It takes nearly 1000 years for a Zenko to fully mature. As they age, they gain greater titles. These titles are listed as such: 

• Fox Spirit: 50 years old. Technically, any fox can reach this rank of fox spirit. If any fox on Xerros reaches the age of 50, they can regain their youth, learn to transform into humanoids, and begin their training as divine servants.
• Kiko: Also called Energy Fox. After 500 years of service, Zenko become proper divine messangers and begin to preform assignments. When a spirit fox reaches this age, their fur changes colors and they become one of the following subtypes: Byakko (White Royal Fox), Kinko (Gold Sun Fox), Kokuko (Black Moon Fox), and Nogi (Brown Field Fox).
• Myoubu: A member of the Imperial Court. There is no distinct age at which a Zenko earns this title. However, their powers have signifiically increased to be able to assign jobs to Kinko foxes and doll out blessings to loyal mortals. 
• Tenko: The Heavenly Fox. After a millennium of experience, a Myoubu is capable of becoming a demigod-like creature called a Tenko. These Zenko sprout 4 tails (but can grow up to 9), become capable of granting divine spells, and gain the power of clairvoyance and can predict the future. 

Zenko Names

The Zenko have names that are multisyllabic and usually have special meanings. 
Male Names: Daisuki, Daichi, Gonobu, Gikoto, Homoru, Kei, Nobuyuki, Yori, Yotada.
Female Names: Aimi, Chiromi, Etsuko, Hisoko, Kaetomo, Kasumi, Masako, Masami, Reiko.

Physiology and Philosophy

Zenko are otherworldly celestial Yokai. As such, they have unique biological quirks that defy common explanation. 
Diet: Omnivore. Though they prefer meat, they can eat fruits, grains, and vegetables as Humans can. 
Lifespan: A Zenko matures into an adult humanoid body at 50 years old (assuming they evolved from a fox), but is not considered an "adult" or ready for proper assignments until around 500 years old. Details are further available in the "Adventurers" section.
Alignment and Religion: Zenko are servants of a kind and generous god of commerce. As such, they tend to be one of the good alignments. Zenko that stray from this path are no longer considered as such and are called Yoko or "trickster foxes".
Subraces: Zenko do not have subraces and instead have fur colors that grant them various powers. More advanced Zenko are called Myoubu and Tenko as described in the "Adventurers" Section.

Fur Color

Unlike the human races, while hair color is largely an aesthetic, the Zenko's fur color denote their innate magic and powers. 
Byakko (White Royal Fox): Zenko with pure white fur are considered divinely blessed and lucky, even by heavenly standards. Their fox form is powerful, large, and white like snow. They make excellent barbarians, fighters, or paladins.
Kinko (Gold Sun Fox): Zenko with pure golden fur are called Sun Foxes. These celestials are granted some innate combat magic. They make excellent clerics, monks, and sorcerers.
Kokuko (Black Moon Fox): Zenko with pure black fur are called Moon Foxes. They are granted innate illusion magic due to this association. They make excellent rangers, rogues, or wizards.
Nogi (Brown Field Fox): Sometimes, zenko don't inherit the divine spark that others of their kind are granted. When that happens, they gain earthly magics rather than celestial ones. These Zenko make excellent bards, druids, and rangers.

Source: Loading Crew Crafts "Complete Waifu Handbook"

Zenko (2024) Traits

"I may be a fox, but I am also your bride. I will always come back to you. Whether it be on the surface world or in my realm, you will always be welcome." -Kinari, Priestess of Fortune

Size

Size. While in human form, you are a medium-sized creature that is around the size of the average Elf. While in your fox form, you are tiny in size. 

Speed

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. In your fox form, your speed is 30 feet and you have a burrow speed of 5 feet.

Creature Type

Creature Type. Your creature type is Celestial.

Darkvision

Darkvision. Your magical fox eyes grant you superior vision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Form Change

Form Change. At will, as an action, you can change between a common fox and your humanoid form. While in fox form, treat your stat block as the animal with the same name while retaining your mental statistics (If needed, a Cats statblock may work as a stand-in).

Foxy Messengers

Foxy Messengers. You can communicate with other Zenko, Kitsune, or unintelligent foxes regardless of the language barrier.

Language

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

Subtype

Subtype. Your fur color determines your special magic tied to your Zenko type and training. 

Byakko (White Royal Fox)

Your hair and fur is pure white. While in your fox form, you retain your own statistics despite your altered form and gain a natural weapon bite attack dealing 1d6 damage. Your size is considered one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push or drag. Your walking speed also increases to 50 feet.

Kinko (Gold Sun Fox)

Spells. Your hair and fur turns a vibrant golden color. You learn one cleric cantrip. At 3rd level, you can learn a 1st-level cleric spell of your choice from the school of evocation. You can cast this spell once per long rest without spell slots or components. Charisma is your spellcating ability for these spells. 

Kokuko (Black Moon Fox)

Spells. Your hair and fur is black as night. You learn a cantrip of your choice. At 3rd level, you also learn a 1st-level illusion spell of your choice. You can cast this spell once per long rest without spell slots or components. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. 

Nogi (Brown Field Fox)

Spells. You learn any 1 cantrip from the druid spell list. At 3rd level, you learn a 1st-level spell from the Druid spell list. You can cast this spell once per long rest without spell slots or components. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.