Kitsune (5e Race)
|
Kitsune
| “ | It has been a long time, children, but it is time to break back into the world. Know this: the world is ever changing. You may be the target of discrimination and hatred. Hopefully, those out in the world have learned from their egregious past and moved on. Do not hate someone for their skin. Do not hate someone for their past. Learn to live with them in the here and now because if you don't, happiness will never be attained in your life. | ” |
| —Tsukiko, a nine-tailed kitsune, to her people before sending out ambassadors to other race's kingdoms | ||
Physical Description
|
|---|
| By Qualzar |
A kitsune has a stature similar to that of an elf, being a bit shorter, and lither than a typical human of the same. In their natural form, they are much like anthropomorphic foxes. They usually have light colored fur, reddish brown, white, golden brown, though it isn't completely unheard of for them to possess black fur that covers their entire body. Some may have multiple colors in their fur such as being mostly reddish brown with white gloves and socks. Their eyes range in color as well, though most have blue, green, or brown eyes. Albeit uncommon they may also have orange, purple, yellow, or even red eyes. They have mostly human-like hands though they do possess dark black claws at the ends of their fingers. They also have paw pads on their feet and hands, much like a fox. A kitsune is born with a single tail, but as they grow older they gain more tails. It is very uncommon for a nine-tailed kitsune to be any less than 60 years old, growing a new tail every 5-6 years starting when they reach adulthood at 16. However, a kitsune's age is very difficult to tell since they appear to stop aging in their early twenties and live to be a century and a half or so.
History
Kitsune are a race of fox people that are quite rare. They tend to hide their kitsune heritage while dealing with other races as a way to keep away from the discrimination and hatred built up in the legends of some of the most powerful kitsune. There are many legends floating around the world relating to powerful nine-tailed kitsune. Powerful and wise, a nine-tailed kitsune has white or golden fur, tending to be powerful sorcerers. It is said in legend that kitsune are born tricksters and have nigh-infinite power by the time they are fully matured. Supposedly, the only way to kill a kitsune is to cut off all of its tails, where it's power is stored, but that is simply a tall tale to scare young children. Due to the legend stating that a kitsune's tail contains power, the kitsune were nearly wiped out for their tails and most of them went into hiding. Only just getting back into the world after centuries of isolation, it is still the practice of some races to sever a kitsune's tail in hopes of obtaining power.
Society
Kitsune society used to be a flourishing society of mages and clerics. Since Kitsune are born with a little bit of magic in their blood, to begin with, it is quite common for them to seek out ways to improve on what they are already gifted with. They used to be a very open people enjoying the loves and joys of any race: drinking, feasts, merriment, music, plays, poetry, and storytelling in general. Many of the legends of the Kitsune came from the Kitsune themselves, spinning tall tales of grand heroic mages and warriors. Other races didn't get along very well with Kitsune due to magic being relatively rare in the world, and all Kitsune had access to it like it was nothing just because of being who they were. After the massive genocide against their race, they became a largely secretive race.
After coming out of hiding, their faith in the world was restored after the Great Nine-Tailed Tsukiko led them away from their destruction. Most of the kitsune are still very secretive, albeit passionate about their causes. Still, it is in the nature of a kitsune to be a bit of a trickster with people they get to know and it isn't uncommon for their jokes to 'go a little too far' in the eyes of other races. Other races are wary of these fox folk when they meet them. Many pose as humans in the world, having shape changing as an innate ability in their blood. Many kitsune go out to study magic or spread the word of their gods. Some simply want to spread the stories of their kind, valuing these great stories, kitsune bards to travel to other nations to tell their tales.
Kitsune Names
Having had their society nearly exterminated, it is not all that uncommon for a kitsune to have names of other races. The names listed below are some traditional kitsune names.
Male: Akihiko, Daiki, Jirou, Kei, Osamu, Takeo, Yuudai
Female: Aya, Chinatsu, Eri, Mana, Ritsuko, Sachiko, Tsukiko
Kitsune Traits
A race of anthropomorphic fox people who have magic in their blood and light shape-changing capabilities.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
Age. Kitsune reach adulthood at 16, cease physical aging in their early 20s and live to be a century and a half.
Alignment. Due to their nature of being a bit mischievous, kitsune are often chaotic. Even the most skilled monks find it difficult to ignore the desire to be a bit mischievous at times, but they tend to approach the trick in a much more planned out and guided manner. Kitsune are known to be both good and evil.
Size. Kitsune are generally on the smaller side of most humanoids ranging from 4'7 to the tallest being just under 6'. Weight wise kitsune are as light and agile as they look. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. While not carrying anything in your hands you can drop to all fours and increase your movement speed to 35 feet.
Kitsune Awareness. You have the ability to hear falsehoods for what they are. You know if you hear a creature willingly lie. A creature hidden from divination magic reveals nothing.
Kitsune Trickery. You can appear as a human equivalent of yourself indefinitely using a very simple illusion magic, you cannot change alter your illusionary human self. A creature looking directly at you can make a Intelligence (Investigation) check, to tell that you are not what you appear to be, though they still cannot perceive your true form. The DC for this check is equal to 10 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. This magic is detectable by spells such as detect magic and dispelled in an antimagic field or by a successful dispel magic. Your proficiency bonus is considered the level of the spell for the sake of dispel magic. If your illusion is dispelled you cannot use the effect again until after a long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.
Subrace. Pick one from Zenko or Yako.
Zenko
They are known as celestial kitsune since most are benevolent and kind. These kitsune tend to have the lighter fur colors, white, golden brown, grey, etc.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
Kitsune Divinity. You know the produce flame cantrip, with the exception that your flame is blue. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the bless spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the calm emotions spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Second Langauge. You can speak, read and write Celestial.
Yako
They are known as trickster kitsune since they are the ones more prone to their prankster heritage. These kitsune tend to have the darker fur colors, black, reddish brown, dark grey, etc.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Kitsune Arcana. You know the produce flame cantrip, with the exception that your flame is blue. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the cause fear[1] spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the phantasmal force spell once and need to finish a long rest before you can cast it again. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Second Langauge. You can speak, read and write Sylvan.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4′ 5″ | +2d8 | 75 lb. | × (1d8) lb. |
References
- ↑ Xanathar's Guide To Everything p.151
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Races