Homebrew Tanuki Species Details
In ancient times, Tanuki were malicious, selfish, and a burden to most societies.
Some stories told that Tanuki would participate in a heinous activity called tanuki-tsuki (狸憑き). Where the
Tanuki would possess other races and compel them to overeat their storage of food. All the while, as the Tanuki who inspirited the victim would receive all the nutrition from the food, the poor soul the Tanuki took control over would just get fatter and fatter.
There are also tales of Tanuki playing vile and cruel pranks for their own sociopathic amusement. One such tale involves a particularly wrenched tanuki that befriended an old woman only to murder her in cold blood. The creature then cooked the woman’s body into a stew. When the husband of the house returned, the sat down with what the thought was his wife to enjoy dinner, only for the Tanuki to drop its disguise and exclaim to the man that he had just eaten a broth of his beloved. Cackling and chortling, the Tanuki ran into the night to leave the man to his shock and grief.
Though Tanuki have transformed from a society of self-indulgent, malicious creatures into chipper and good-natured villages and communities adapting to the societies that neighbor them, the propensity for pranks and mischief is something no Tanuki can outgrow with a little care and help.
Tanuki Traits
Tanuki Traits and abilities.Ability score increase
Tanuki are usually jovial, positive creatures. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age
As a magical, somewhat fey creatures, no one is sure how long Tanuki can live, however many of them are believed to live a least a few hundred years old.
Alignment
As relatively hedonistic creatures, Tanuki have their own set of societal rules, but law and order have a terrible habit of keeping Tanuki from having a good party and a good gag. In fact, nothing is more funny to see than to see the stuffy primp and proper get pranked. That being said, Tanuki are jovial and jolly and would rather con their way into a free meal than cause pain and anguish. But, there are some Tanuki that never moved away from their ancient malicious tendencies. Letting their self-indulgent behavior corrupt them into becoming terrible malefactors. However, this sort of behavior is greatly looked down upon by the community as it perverts fun into egotistical greed.
Size
On two feet, Tanuki are a little on the shorter side capping at 3-4 feet tall on average, but are also extremely bulky.
Your size is small.
Speed
Tanuki are the only canids in existence with the ability to climb trees with ease. But their thicker bodies make them slower on two legs. You have a base walking speed of 20ft and a climb speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision
Both tanuki of legend and Tanuki of the real world are mainly nocturnal and have excellent vision at night. Tanuki have 60 ft. of Darkvision.
Language
Despite the Tanuki’s adaptations of modern society, they are mystical creatures of nature. Tanuki are able to speak Common and Sylvan.
Innate Illusionist
Tanuki have an innate ability to cast illusions as part oftheir long-standing heritage of magical tricksters. Tanuki may cast Mundane Polymorph a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier (min 1), using Charisma as your spellcasting ability for it. You regain any expended uses of this spell when you finish a long rest.
Master Prankster
Tanuki are master tricksters and grifters. The ability to prank and deceive is ingrained into everything about them as a species. Tanuki are proficient in Deception and Persuasion skills.