Homebrew Half-Kitsune Species Details

There once was a very lonely man who was hard at work on his farm. He worked day in and day out and had plenty of food to eat and a nice home which he cared for, but he had not a wife. He had searched for many years for a woman to make his own but could never find one suitable enough. One day while he was about in his field, he looked up to find a staggeringly beautiful woman, she could be nothing less than a Lady, and he fell in love immediately. He asked that she marry him, explaining to her all he had and how he could take care of her and, to his great joy, she agreed. The couple married and they lived very happily together for many years. To the farmers great joy his wife one day told him that finally she was with child and that they would be a complete family. He was overjoyed and took great care of his wife and their unborn child. When the baby was finally born, he found that his pet dog had also beget a single puppy. He had hopes that the child and puppy would grow up together and be good companions but as the puppy grew it became increasingly hostile towards the farmer’s wife for no apparent reason. Months went by like this until one day the pup-turned-dog tore into the Lady’s arm, terrified for her life the woman vanished in a fit of robes and silks and in her place sat a fox with nine tales. She looked up in surprised bewilderment and, realizing what she had done, bolted out of the house and away from the angry jaws of the dog. Days, weeks, months went by and she did not return. The man was heartbroken, he loved his wife and missed her and did not care that she was really a fox-spirit. He cried for her every night, wondering the fields in despair, calling out in his voice that grew hoarse and broken from tears for her to please,

“Kitsu-ne?”

-Nihon Ryouiki by Keikai

 

Kitsune are a nine tailed, fox spirits and are mostly viewed as evil tricksters. Most Kitsune are female and have two forms, their spirit form that resembles a fox with nine tails and their human form which is of their own choosing. Kitsune enjoy the company of humans and love nothing more than using their magic to play tricks on the gullible creatures. While they think their tricks are exceptionally funny, often the human involved is reduced to tears of pain or heartache. Kitsune often look for humans to mate with, disguising themselves as a beautiful human woman or man. When a Kitsune chooses to leave the engagement is up to them, there are both stories of them disappearing quickly after the conception of a child and of some that remain well into the birthed child's life. It all seems to boil down to the whim of the Kitsune.

Walking in two worlds but truly belonging to neither, half-kitsune combine what some say are the best qualities of their Kitsune and human parents: human curiosity, inventiveness, and ambition enhanced by the craftiness, grace, and magic of a Kitsune. Half-kitsune that live among humans often choose to hide their Kitsune traits by covering their ears and tucking away their tail(s) in the folds of a skirt or pants. Folktales tell dark and gruesome stories of Kitsune and their tricks, this only feeds more fear and hostility from humans towards half-kistune. Because of this, some choose to live in complete seclusion from humans as hermits, healers, or witches in forests and swamps. 

Neither One Nor the Other

To humans, half-kitsune look like humans, the only characteristics that suggest their non-human halves are their ears and/or tails. While not all half-kitsune have a fox tail, and even fewer have multiples, most have visible fox ears (human ears are rare and only inherited by males). Half-kitsune that practice higher level magic have a tendency to grow more tails as their skill level increases. In height, they're on par with both parents and are of average build. They range from 5 feet to about 6 feet tall, and from 90 to 170 pounds, with males being slightly smaller and lighter than females. Half-kitsune coloration and features tend to take after both parents allowing for a large variety in looks including hair (color, texture, and amount), skin color, and eye color.

Finding Purpose 

Half-Kitsune have no lands of their own, feared by humans and unable to join their Kitsune parent in the spirit realm. They often avoid large cities and take on any jobs provided to them in smaller towns and villages. While many half-kitsune can find joy in their work and go on to live full and meaningful lives some are sold into slavery to live as servants, bodyguards, or concubines and their faces are tattooed with intricate designs to display their station. They enjoy the company of other half-kitsune, the only people who truly understand what it is to live between these two worlds and small villages of half-kitsune can be found around the nation.

Many half-kitsune are drawn to the world of magic, it provides them a connection to their Kitsune half and also sets them apart from many people in the human world. Because of this you can often find half-kitsunes working as healers, mages, and wizards. For a few gold pieces you may find yourself in possession of a magical item created by the hands of a fox spirit. 

Half-Kitsune Names

Half-kitsunes are often given human names to avoid drawing attention to their Kitsune halves. 

TRICKERY AND DECEIT

Most half-kitsune live a life of deception as they try and avoid drawing unwanted hostility towards their Kitsune half, because of this they have become masters of trickery and deceit. A half-kitsune has never found themselves in a situation that they couldn't talk themselves out of. Their upbringing can influence how they deal with confrontation or how they try to control a situation. Some find seduction easier while some may use jokes and others may use lies and magic to get their way.

Half-Kitsune Traits

Your half-kitsune character has some qualities in common with Kitsune and some that are unique to half-kitsune.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Half-kitsune mature at the same rate humans do and reach adulthood around the age of 20 and live only slightly longer than humans at 115.

Alignment

Half-kitsune share the chaotic bent of their Kitsune heritage. They love to play tricks and can sometimes take it too far which can get them into trouble.

Size

Half-kitsune are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Thanks to your Kitsune blood, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. 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.

Kitsune Ancestry

You have advantage on perception checks to see through illusions and perceive deception.

Languages

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

Foxfire

At level 2 you are imbued with the ability to control Foxfire, a blue flame associated with Kitsune. You also gain 1 new tail for every even numbered level that you gain (Maximum of 9 tails)