Daiyokai (5e Race)

Daiyokai

Daiyokai literally means "great" or "big yokai," designating them a special bunch even among the various yokai in existence.

Physical Description

Daiyokai are mainly larger, possibly more ornate and important yokai types. Like yokai, they come in many shapes and sizes but are a bit more narrow in classification. They have very pure blood of monsters which make their in-humanness all the more obvious and frightening. They can restrain themselves in a humanoid form, which looks very handsome or beautiful, with small giveaways of their true nature. More and more often they adopt these forms as their default, using it to get close to humans for often nefarious purposes.

A Daitengu

History

Daiyokai, despite human assertions they came solely out of the imagination of the Hells, are actually yokai that have lived very long lifespans, thus gaining enormous amounts of power along the way. Thus, the history of daiyokai is closely intertwined with that of yokai. They can originate from nature spirits as well as negative agglutinations from humans and other forces in the world. Daiyokai, being more developed and stronger, are the historic leaders of yokai clans. They are perhaps the oldest fox spirit, who lived a thousand years and so gained a ninth tail and became a legendary kyuubi. Or maybe they are the daitengu, whose long noses grow from years of experience and wisdom, which they use to control the lesser tengu. Daiyokai are known to copulate with humans and yokai alike. Their blood is very strong and can thus make half breeds, or hanyo, when they breed with humans. Daiyokai are similar to deities among normal folk and are known to hold very pompous attitudes towards humans in particular, viewing yokai as superior. As such, they have led skirmishes and even wars against human armies and kingdoms.

Society

Daiyokai are the top dogs but are few and far in between among the sea of yokai. They thus reign over yokai society rather than make one of solely daiyokai. Daiyokai are often the presiding leaders of tribes or even kings in larger groups. They can vary in virtues but most daiyokai and their underling societies are hermetic and secretive. Human interactions are often frowned upon or forbidden, as yokai culture is held in the superior. Even other yokai are excluded, however, in tribes that value their own type over others. An example would be how tatsu and their folk often see themselves as the height of yokai, being able to preside in the heavens. Hanyo are also derided as dirty and inferior beings, often being abused and killed. Tribes more attuned to spiritual causes are not exempt from this seeming dog-eat-dog picture of the yokai world.

The general layout of their society is quite feudal. Daiyokai are the lords, with several vassals who may also become daiyokai as time passes. When that happens, they may openly contest the current lord for supremacy or stage a coup. Vassals are given groups to watch over in lieu of the lord. These groups are often the common yokai, who obey the lord and pay tribute in exchange for protection from other yokai types or daiyokai invasion.

Daiyokai Names

Daiyokai tend to have regal Japanese sounding names.

Male: Toga, Sesshomaru, Ryukotsusei

Female: Abi, Kaguya, Tekkei

Daiyokai Traits

Greater rulers of yokai
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Daiyokai reach maturity around 300 years old and can live well past 3,000 years old.
Alignment. These demons tend to be lawful creatures, but can range from neutral and evil.
Size. Daiyokai in humanoid form vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30.
Darkvision. 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.
Heightened Sense. You are a being with keener senses than that of others. You are proficient in the Perception skill.
Languages. You can read, write and speak Common and another language of your choice.
Subrace. Choose from the Inugami, Tatsu, Daitengu and Kyuubi subraces.

Inugami

Literally meaning "dog god" or spirit, inugami are often regarded as benevolent beings that keep things like pesky monkeys at bay. As humanoids, they often have beautiful hair the color of their fur and strong, lithe bodies with pointed ears like elves and sharp teeth.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Bladed Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Keen Nose. Dogs have great olfactory senses. you have advantage in Intelligence (Investigation) checks that use your sense of smell.
Diviner. Inugami are known to be users of magic and many are known to be magicians in human form. You know the guidance cantrip.

Tatsu

Tatsu are essentially eastern dragons. In humanoid form, they sport scales over parts of their skin and maybe fur behind their ears.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Dragon Air. You have an ability of pseudo flight which protects you from falling and makes you appear as though you float as you descend. You have a glide speed of 30 feet. If you land before reaching that distance, you take no falling damage and can land on your feet.
Kisoku no Faia. You can use your action to exhale a breath of flame. This attack reaches out in a direction up to a 15 feet cone. When you use this trait, each creature in the area of the exhalation must make a Dexterity saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. A creature takes 2d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. After you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.
Of Heaven. You are a daiyokai above other daiyokai, as your origins are of the skies literally above. As such, you are not limited to simple fire. When you use Kisoku no Faia, you may instead choose to deal lightning damage instead of fire.

Daitengu

Literally "great dog of the sky," daitengu are wizened leaders among a race of ruffians. They are humanoid by default, with long noses and reddish skin. They most notably have a pair of great wings on their back.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Flight. You have a flying speed of 30 feet. To use this speed, you can’t be wearing medium or heavy armor.
Wizened. Daitengu are very attuned to their spiritual roots and so can sense magic. Whenever you make an Intelligence (Arcana) check related to the lore of a magic object, you are considered proficient in the Arcana skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check, instead of your normal proficiency bonus.
Great Breath. Daitengu are often depicted with ruddy cheeks, due to their immense lung capacity and tendency to hold their breath and puff their cheeks. This also helps when their habitats are high in altitude and they meditate under waterfalls. You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Kyuubi

None are so famous as the nine tailed fox, who is the wiliest being alive. They are known to seduce humans to ruin with their shapeshifting capability. In their humanoid form, they are usually adorned with fox ears atop their head and their nine tails flaring out from behind.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Trickster Appearance. As an action, you can transform your appearance or revert to your natural form. You can’t duplicate the appearance of a creature you’ve never seen, and you revert to your natural form if you die. You decide what you look like, including your height, weight, facial features, the sound of your voice, coloration, hair length, sex, and any other distinguishing characteristics. You can make yourself appear as a member of another race, though none of your game statistics change. You also can’t appear as a creature of a different size than you, and your basic shape stays the same; if you’re bipedal, you can’t use this trait to become quadrupedal, for instance. Your clothing and other equipment don’t change in appearance, size, or shape to match your new form, requiring you to keep a few extra outfits on hand to make the most compelling disguise possible. Even to the most astute observers, your ruse is usually indiscernible. If you arouse suspicion, or if a wary creature suspects something is amiss, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception) check you make to avoid detection.
Trickster Games. Kyuubi are quite fond of games, though no one wants to play with a fox. You are proficient in a gaming set of your choice.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 6''	+2d6	160 lb.	× (1d4) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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