Homebrew Kitsune (Tyberos) Species Details

A soft giggle was Tynnel's only warning before the deluge of soapy, sudsy water splashed down over his head, followed a heartbeat later by a wooden bucket that had been perched precariously on the half-open door of his hunter's lodge.  The nobleman stood there for a few moments, a pair of servants looking on in heart-wrenching horror before rushing up to offer whatever they could to pat their lord dry.

"No need, ladies," Tynnel sighed, holding up a hand.  "Aene will go and fetch me a towel to dry off with, won't she?" he said, stern and forboding, but not without a twinkle in his eye.  

That cheerful little giggle sounded again, and a red-haired shadow skittered out from behind a nearby sofa, scurrying upstairs in a flash of fur.  Tynnel sighed.  His master huntsman had tried to warn him, but he'd gone ahead and taken the kitsune in anyways.  Now hardly a day went by without some manner of deviltry befalling him to the sound of a young girl's laughter.  'Lively' didn't even begin to cover it.

Oh well.  At least he wouldn't need to wash up for dinner, now...

— Yurei, Kitsune Intro Story

A home where a kitsune resides is filled with an air of merriment and mischief, often punctuated by the sound of both laughter and frustration.  Insatiable pranksters who revel in chaos and confusion, kitsune live in the moment and delight in playful whimsy.  Light, magic, and a finely honed joke survival sense are the fox's gift...and their price.

Masters of Mischief

Small folk often mistaken for skinny gnomes at a distance, kitsune are slender folk of entirely unprepossessing stature.  Rarely much over three and a half feet tall, kitsune tend to range between thirty to forty pounds.  Distinguished by tall, pointed fox's ears and a bushy fox-like tail, a kitsune's pale face is rarely seen without a grin of one kind or another.  Their energy and enthusiasm shines through in their mannerisms; a kitsune is always moving, always shifting stance or posture, never content to remain still for more than a few moments. 

Given their druthers, kitsune prefer to dress in bright colors, ornamenting themselves with silken scarves and intricately carved beads.  Kitsune favor vibrancy and artistry over monetary value; a simple wooden bead carved with a delightful pattern and painted in a profusion of colors is far more interesting to them than a gemstone or a band of precious metal.  They often offer these things as gifts to those who endure their pranks in good spirit.

Ancestral Refugees

In the distant past, kitsune were primal envoys of the god-spirits of the land, blessed with immense power and prestige.  Their capricious misuse of their talents led to their kind being struck down by those they'd abused; their power sealed, their forms reduced, their descendants cursed to live as little more than the lowest rank of humble nature spirits.  Ancient kitsune fled this curse, abandoning their wild homelands to live amongst the mortal races they'd once treated as little more than playthings.

Over time, mortals forgot most of the ancient terror-tales of the Fox Fey who'd preyed upon them, and the little descendants of those old, powerful spirits forged a new place amongst the races of mortalkind.  Kitsune have no homeland; to them, every land is home, and every home merely a place to rest their head until the next day's mischief.  Interwoven throughout mortal society, kitsune are in some ways a sort of universal younger sibling to the older, theoretically wiser races of the world.  To a kitsune, every swelled head is a sacred opportunity to teach a lesson in humility and every prideful boast a chance to knock someone down a peg or two, lest their new siblings in the world suffer the same fate which befell them.

Kitsune don't tell this story - most of them don't even know it.  Not in their heads.  But the ancient curse laid upon their kind lingers in their blood and bones; those who respond to a kitsune's pranks with ill grace, those whose arrogance or pomposity fail to fall to a kitsune's gentle teasing, will find themselves the subjects of not-so-gentle teasing until it works.

MISCHIEF, NOT MALICE

A kitsune loves mischief and merriment, but they save their malice for those who've shown malice to them first.  Kitsune know that the bigger races can rarely keep up with their manic enthusiasm and don't fault them for this, vastly preferring laughter to anger or tears.

Everywhere and Nowhere

When kitsune form family groups of their own, they tend to do so in secret, dwelling wherever they manage to find a safe, hidden space.  Often, they compete with criminals for hidden lairs within cities, or secretly rebuild ruined homesteads on the fringes of civilized lands.  Very few non-kitsune ever discover these abodes, and even fewer find them more than once as any given kitsune pack has at least three such dens ready.  Packs with young kits are quick to abandon a den discovered by other races, remaining deeply secretive when rearing their children.

Kitsune who are not part of such a pack are an ever-present part of daily life for other races, however.  While kitsune are never truly common, most every town or city has at least a few kitsune who simply turn up where and as they please.  'Adopting' a kitsune is as easy as inviting one inside and feeding them; as long as such an individual doesn't chase their newfound fuzzy-tailed roommate out with an axe, many kitsune are perfectly content to remain in such dwellings for several years.

Kitsune Names

A kitsune's name is a closely guarded secret, for kitsune believe that names hold a great deal of weight and power.  A kitsune typically only reveals their birth name to their closest friends or immediate family.  Instead, kitsune often choose a favored nickname or adopt the names of storybook heroes whose tales they enjoy.  Kitsune change these names as freely as they change clothes, discarding a name they no longer favor with as much care as one shows to worn-through socks.  Kitsune often invite new traveling companions to give them a new name, answering to a different name everywhere they go and with every group they travel with.

Seeing the World

Kitsune love to travel, and other adventurers often make the best playmates.  Once won, a kitsune's loyalty is fierce and unwavering - plus, powerful friends make getting away with bigger and bigger pranks much easier.  Many kitsune seek out adventure to test the limits of their barely-felt curse, hungering for the power of their ancestors without quite realizing why.  Regardless of the reason behind their travels, kitsune who take up the adventurer's path do so without regret or remorse, diving head-first into the thrill of their journey.  Whether or not their traveling companions are ready to follow them into it.

A KITSUNE'S TAILS

A kitsune is born with only a single tail, but as they grow in power and wisdom they gain more.  The oldest, wisest, and most formidable kitsune can have up to nine tails, marking them as honored elders and sages of their race.

When playing your kitsune character, one of the questions you should ask your DM is how you’d like to handle this progression.  Three possible methods are given below as examples, but you shouldn’t feel bound to use any of them.  Developing additional tails doesn’t offer any mechanical bonuses, but it does show your character’s growth in a physical, tangible way.  If your DM is game, feel free to improve your character in little ways whenever a new tail comes in.   If you make it all the way to nine (and your DM feels it’s appropriate), your kitsune can gain the ‘Timeless Body’ ability of the Druid class, aging far more slowly as their power peaks and suffuses them.

‘Classic’ Tail Progression
Your kitsune gains their second tail at 6 level, and another every even level after that.  They gain their ninth tail at 20 level, when they attain the height of their power.

‘Spellcaster’ Tail Progression
Your kitsune gains a new tail every time they gain a new tier of spell slot.  Their ninth tail comes at 17 level, leaving them a few extras at the end to enjoy their power.

‘Milestone’ Tail Progression
Your kitsune gains a new tail when your DM feels you’ve experienced a moment of deep personal growth, or accomplished a suitably heroic and tale-worthy task.  Moments where your kitsune proves him or herself in the eyes of the world, attaining their ninth tail when their personal story reaches its climax.

Kitsune (Tyberos) Traits

Your kitsune has certain characteristics in common with all other kitsune.

Ability Score Increase

Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age

Kitsune age unusually; they mature faster than humans do, reaching the age of majority around their twelfth year. Unless they grow enough in power however, they rarely live longer than a century.

Alignment

Kitsune are chaos embodied, natural pranksters and jokers who delight in causing mischief and humbling those who take themselves and their rules too seriously. They’re rarely vicious or cruel however, trending more towards the positive side of Neutral alignments.

Size

Most kitsune are less than four feet in height, with slender builds. They tend to weigh between thirty and forty pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Languages

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

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Cunning Trickster

Kitsune have a natural propensity for tomfoolery that often expresses itself as a knack for a particularly troublesome talent. You gain proficiency in your choice of Deception or Sleight of Hand.

Kitsune Magic

You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Alter Self spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast Continual Flame once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you do not need to provide material components for them.