Post by Orbak the Monster on Oct 19, 2013 23:15:09 GMT -5
Foxfolk
The playful foxfolk have long been a part of the world - they're one of the eldest races, and their variable longevity means they could have had a great influence on the world... but they haven't. While they have long been recluses from the other species of the world, the foxfolk are obsessed with the human race. The motives for this obsession has actually split them into several subraces, from the playful Field Foxes to the destructive Demon Foxes. These creatures have willingly entwined themselves with humanity, bringing their powerful magic with them. A male foxfolk is called a 'Todd'. A female foxfolk is called a 'Vixen'.
Origin:
Almost tragically, the foxfolk have forgotten their origin. 'Almost', because they really couldn't care less. Their frivolous nature lead many to believe that they were once fae or servants of the fae, which the foxfolk heartily disagree with. One of their favorite tales is widely known: their race's first interaction with humanity. It goes as such:
Four siblings, princes of their kingdom, walked onto the marble porch of their grand mountain-perched castle to look out over the lands that they would never go to - for it had been forbidden by their father, the mighty wizard and king of their people. Thus began a contest among them to find out who could see the farthest. So, each used their magic to divine farther and farther out. The youngest, Jin, stuttered: "I s-see a great lake... deep within the forest..." The next , Ninto, stated: "There is a mother doe and her fawn within the forest, looking upon the lake from a distance. The second-eldest, Lao, proudly proclaimed: "I can see the edge of the forest!"
The eldest gasped, looking furious: "I see a people! Furless save for atop their head, like small giants!" The outburst broke his sibling's spells. Lao laughed at him, "Shao! That's an oxymoronic statement! There are no 'small giants'!" Shao turned upon his brother, scowling at him: "I am sworn to tell nothing but truths as my father's heir!"
The outburst quieted the others. Meekly, Jin asked: "C... Can I see?" The brothers thought and thought, and eventually decided to break their father's rule. They teleported away from the castle, taking on the guise of beasts to observe the creatures. Lao laughed again: "They look so silly! Are they doing everything by hand? Do they not have magic? ...Is it fun? Think they'd like help?" Emphatically, Jin asked: "Perhaps we should leave them alone..."
This only helped to make Shao more furious, and he moved to strike Jin, who flinched out of the way. Ninto stepped between them: "You are all correct - they seem like small giants, they lack magic, and they might need help." He turned to look at his brothers, "We should talk to father." This started another argument between them.
Jin, the youngest, wanted only to run and hide from the creatures.
Ninto, the second-youngest, sought to guide them at a distance.
Lao, the second-eldest, sought to join them.
Shao, the eldest, hated them and wanted them destroyed.
Their bickering caught the attention of the creatures. Three out of the four brothers scattered. Lao stayed, and changed to his natural form. This frightened the creatures, which only made Lao laugh. Using his magic to be understood, he ended up joining them. Thus, the Field Foxes were brought into existence.
Shao watched this interaction with growing hate - both at these creatures, and at his brother for abandoning him. When he returned to the kingdom, he told any who would listen about this. Many decided to join Lao, while others joined Shao. They turned their dark magic on humanity, becoming Demon Foxes.
Still others took Ninto's side: the wise and gentle male would eventually be crowned king instead of his elder brother Shao. He took a hands-off approach: defending humanity when he could through guidance and prophecy, but not taking direct action. His faction would be called the High Foxes.
Poor, meek Jin would meet the worst fate: he quickly became lost in the woods. Without his brothers to guide him, he wept - lonely. It was then that he came across a species of creature very much like the form he took on - these were foxes. The animal - magic-less and wild. Among them, Jin eventually came to embrace his wildness. He forgot his bipedal form, and his children would become the strangely intelligent Wild Foxes.
Relations:
As stated, the foxfolk's view on humanity depends on the sect they were born into. There are rarely differing views: it seems that the attitudes of a foxfolk are hereditary, as well as bits and pieces of their parent's memories. This is considered frightening to some of the other races: the Adriel in particular. The Adriel and the Foxfolk have not been on good terms - both represent a different side of the spectrum. For the foxfolk, arcane magic is the basis of their lifestyle. For the adriel, divine magic. Debates between the two races often end in dangerous magical duels, and neither side has the upper hand in said fights. To the foxfolk, Orcs and Half-Orcs are too serious. Drakes are unpredictable to the foxfolk: a prank can get one laughing, but send the same one into a tirade the next day.
Physical Description:
Foxfolk stand just slightly shorter than their human counterparts, often with a lithe body type that leads a few to jealousy - foxfolk never seem to get fat, regardless of what they eat. Both genders have slim proportions, and even foxfolk with a great deal of strength rarely look 'bulky', partly due to the magical nature of their world. They are covered head to toe with a downy coat of fur, and can have one to nine grand, bushy tails. It is those tails that foxfolk take immense pride for. It is common for foxfolk to wash, care for, decorate, or even talk to their tails. The loss of one's "bonnie plume" is a cause for great grief and empathy among foxfolk, and even foxfolk who are sworn enemies wouldn't threaten another's tail - indeed, the loss of a tail can even inspire some dire enemies to send honest tokens of sympathy.
The color of their fur is a clear indicator of what sort of foxfolk you're looking at. Field foxes have red or orange coats with black and white markings. Demon foxes are entirely black, or have red markings. High foxes have white coats of fur, with black glyphs are markings.
Wild foxes, however, look exactly like ordinary foxes. There might be some telling signs, but it is often hard to actually be sure.
Field Fox Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Field foxes are agile and companionable, but tend to be physically weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Strength.
- Size: Field foxes are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Type: Field foxes are humanoids with the foxfolk subtype.
- Base Speed: Field foxes have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: Field foxes begin play speaking Common and Foxfolk.
- Agile (Ex) Field foxes receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks.
- Gossip (Ex): Field foxes are considered great friends, but their love of good gossip is seen as both a boon and a liability. They gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) become class skills for them. If they choose a class that has either of these Knowledge skills as class skills, they gain a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead.
- Fox Magic (Ex/Sp): Field foxes add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against enchantment spells that they cast. Field foxes with a Charisma score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like ability: 3/day—dancing lights.
- Playful (Ex): It is quite difficult for enemies of the field foxes to get the proper response out of them, partially because of the foxfolk's fearless attitude. Field foxes gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear effects.
- Low-Light Vision: Field foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
High Fox Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: High foxes are considerably less companionable than field foxes, but gain a wealth of insight about the world. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Strength.
- Size: High foxes are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Type: High foxes are humanoids with the foxfolk subtype.
- Base Speed: High foxes have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: High foxes begin play speaking Common and Foxfolk.
- Ancient Magics (Ex): The high foxes have been studying magic for longer than some races have existed. It's such a deep part of their society that they gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast arcane spells defensively.
- High Fox Magic (Sp/Ex): Choose a school of magic. Add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against spells that they cast of that school of magic. High foxes with an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like ability: 3/day—dancing lights.
- Clear Mind (Ex): High foxes' focus on arcane magic strengthens their minds against outside influence. They gain a +2 bonus on any Will saves they make.
- Low-Light Vision: High foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Wild Fox Racial Traits:
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Although they are physically foxes, a wild fox is mentally above what a normal fox would be capable of. -6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom.
- Type: Wild foxes are creatures of the Magical Beast type.
- Base Speed: 30 feet (Quadrupedal).
- Size: Wild foxes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
- Languages: Wild foxes begin knowing Foxfolk, and have the ability to speak to and understand any vulpine or canine creature.
- Natural Weapon: Bite (1d4).
- Natural Armor: +1.
- Scent (Ex).
- Dodge (Ex): A wild fox cannot wear armor, but many learn to never need it. They gain Dodge as a bonus feat at first level, as long as they meet the prerequisites. If they do not meet the prerequisites at first level but later gain them, they learn Dodge at that point.
- Naturally Tricky (Ex): A wild fox is very skilled at evading detection. They gain a +4 racial bonus to Stealth checks.
- Low-Light Vision: Wild foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
The playful foxfolk have long been a part of the world - they're one of the eldest races, and their variable longevity means they could have had a great influence on the world... but they haven't. While they have long been recluses from the other species of the world, the foxfolk are obsessed with the human race. The motives for this obsession has actually split them into several subraces, from the playful Field Foxes to the destructive Demon Foxes. These creatures have willingly entwined themselves with humanity, bringing their powerful magic with them. A male foxfolk is called a 'Todd'. A female foxfolk is called a 'Vixen'.
Origin:
Almost tragically, the foxfolk have forgotten their origin. 'Almost', because they really couldn't care less. Their frivolous nature lead many to believe that they were once fae or servants of the fae, which the foxfolk heartily disagree with. One of their favorite tales is widely known: their race's first interaction with humanity. It goes as such:
Four siblings, princes of their kingdom, walked onto the marble porch of their grand mountain-perched castle to look out over the lands that they would never go to - for it had been forbidden by their father, the mighty wizard and king of their people. Thus began a contest among them to find out who could see the farthest. So, each used their magic to divine farther and farther out. The youngest, Jin, stuttered: "I s-see a great lake... deep within the forest..." The next , Ninto, stated: "There is a mother doe and her fawn within the forest, looking upon the lake from a distance. The second-eldest, Lao, proudly proclaimed: "I can see the edge of the forest!"
The eldest gasped, looking furious: "I see a people! Furless save for atop their head, like small giants!" The outburst broke his sibling's spells. Lao laughed at him, "Shao! That's an oxymoronic statement! There are no 'small giants'!" Shao turned upon his brother, scowling at him: "I am sworn to tell nothing but truths as my father's heir!"
The outburst quieted the others. Meekly, Jin asked: "C... Can I see?" The brothers thought and thought, and eventually decided to break their father's rule. They teleported away from the castle, taking on the guise of beasts to observe the creatures. Lao laughed again: "They look so silly! Are they doing everything by hand? Do they not have magic? ...Is it fun? Think they'd like help?" Emphatically, Jin asked: "Perhaps we should leave them alone..."
This only helped to make Shao more furious, and he moved to strike Jin, who flinched out of the way. Ninto stepped between them: "You are all correct - they seem like small giants, they lack magic, and they might need help." He turned to look at his brothers, "We should talk to father." This started another argument between them.
Jin, the youngest, wanted only to run and hide from the creatures.
Ninto, the second-youngest, sought to guide them at a distance.
Lao, the second-eldest, sought to join them.
Shao, the eldest, hated them and wanted them destroyed.
Their bickering caught the attention of the creatures. Three out of the four brothers scattered. Lao stayed, and changed to his natural form. This frightened the creatures, which only made Lao laugh. Using his magic to be understood, he ended up joining them. Thus, the Field Foxes were brought into existence.
Shao watched this interaction with growing hate - both at these creatures, and at his brother for abandoning him. When he returned to the kingdom, he told any who would listen about this. Many decided to join Lao, while others joined Shao. They turned their dark magic on humanity, becoming Demon Foxes.
Still others took Ninto's side: the wise and gentle male would eventually be crowned king instead of his elder brother Shao. He took a hands-off approach: defending humanity when he could through guidance and prophecy, but not taking direct action. His faction would be called the High Foxes.
Poor, meek Jin would meet the worst fate: he quickly became lost in the woods. Without his brothers to guide him, he wept - lonely. It was then that he came across a species of creature very much like the form he took on - these were foxes. The animal - magic-less and wild. Among them, Jin eventually came to embrace his wildness. He forgot his bipedal form, and his children would become the strangely intelligent Wild Foxes.
Relations:
As stated, the foxfolk's view on humanity depends on the sect they were born into. There are rarely differing views: it seems that the attitudes of a foxfolk are hereditary, as well as bits and pieces of their parent's memories. This is considered frightening to some of the other races: the Adriel in particular. The Adriel and the Foxfolk have not been on good terms - both represent a different side of the spectrum. For the foxfolk, arcane magic is the basis of their lifestyle. For the adriel, divine magic. Debates between the two races often end in dangerous magical duels, and neither side has the upper hand in said fights. To the foxfolk, Orcs and Half-Orcs are too serious. Drakes are unpredictable to the foxfolk: a prank can get one laughing, but send the same one into a tirade the next day.
Physical Description:
Foxfolk stand just slightly shorter than their human counterparts, often with a lithe body type that leads a few to jealousy - foxfolk never seem to get fat, regardless of what they eat. Both genders have slim proportions, and even foxfolk with a great deal of strength rarely look 'bulky', partly due to the magical nature of their world. They are covered head to toe with a downy coat of fur, and can have one to nine grand, bushy tails. It is those tails that foxfolk take immense pride for. It is common for foxfolk to wash, care for, decorate, or even talk to their tails. The loss of one's "bonnie plume" is a cause for great grief and empathy among foxfolk, and even foxfolk who are sworn enemies wouldn't threaten another's tail - indeed, the loss of a tail can even inspire some dire enemies to send honest tokens of sympathy.
The color of their fur is a clear indicator of what sort of foxfolk you're looking at. Field foxes have red or orange coats with black and white markings. Demon foxes are entirely black, or have red markings. High foxes have white coats of fur, with black glyphs are markings.
Wild foxes, however, look exactly like ordinary foxes. There might be some telling signs, but it is often hard to actually be sure.
Field Fox Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Field foxes are agile and companionable, but tend to be physically weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and –2 Strength.
- Size: Field foxes are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Type: Field foxes are humanoids with the foxfolk subtype.
- Base Speed: Field foxes have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: Field foxes begin play speaking Common and Foxfolk.
- Agile (Ex) Field foxes receive a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks.
- Gossip (Ex): Field foxes are considered great friends, but their love of good gossip is seen as both a boon and a liability. They gain a +4 bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (local) become class skills for them. If they choose a class that has either of these Knowledge skills as class skills, they gain a +2 racial bonus on those skills instead.
- Fox Magic (Ex/Sp): Field foxes add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against enchantment spells that they cast. Field foxes with a Charisma score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like ability: 3/day—dancing lights.
- Playful (Ex): It is quite difficult for enemies of the field foxes to get the proper response out of them, partially because of the foxfolk's fearless attitude. Field foxes gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws against fear effects.
- Low-Light Vision: Field foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
High Fox Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: High foxes are considerably less companionable than field foxes, but gain a wealth of insight about the world. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Strength.
- Size: High foxes are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Type: High foxes are humanoids with the foxfolk subtype.
- Base Speed: High foxes have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: High foxes begin play speaking Common and Foxfolk.
- Ancient Magics (Ex): The high foxes have been studying magic for longer than some races have existed. It's such a deep part of their society that they gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast arcane spells defensively.
- High Fox Magic (Sp/Ex): Choose a school of magic. Add +1 to the DC of any saving throws against spells that they cast of that school of magic. High foxes with an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like ability: 3/day—dancing lights.
- Clear Mind (Ex): High foxes' focus on arcane magic strengthens their minds against outside influence. They gain a +2 bonus on any Will saves they make.
- Low-Light Vision: High foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Wild Fox Racial Traits:
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Although they are physically foxes, a wild fox is mentally above what a normal fox would be capable of. -6 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom.
- Type: Wild foxes are creatures of the Magical Beast type.
- Base Speed: 30 feet (Quadrupedal).
- Size: Wild foxes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
- Languages: Wild foxes begin knowing Foxfolk, and have the ability to speak to and understand any vulpine or canine creature.
- Natural Weapon: Bite (1d4).
- Natural Armor: +1.
- Scent (Ex).
- Dodge (Ex): A wild fox cannot wear armor, but many learn to never need it. They gain Dodge as a bonus feat at first level, as long as they meet the prerequisites. If they do not meet the prerequisites at first level but later gain them, they learn Dodge at that point.
- Naturally Tricky (Ex): A wild fox is very skilled at evading detection. They gain a +4 racial bonus to Stealth checks.
- Low-Light Vision: Wild foxes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
