Tanukimimi (Tanuki)

Among the kemonomimi, the tanukimimi are considered the chummy mediocre kin, fairly solid in their own way but never really good in anything, not nearly as loyal and courageous as inumimi, lazy unlike usagimimi, lacking the luck of nekomimi, missing the finesse of kitsunemimi, and failing to grasp insight offered by akaimimi… They do seem to share araiguma’s gluttony and some degree of their penchant for mischief, though to much lesser degree than the children of the foreign yokai. Yet, despite all those perceived shortcomings tanukimimi are thriving, happy people, surviving whatever the woes life throws at them with quiet tenacity and cheering whatever the gifts life brings them with loud enthusiasm.

Most tanukimimi are perfectly happy to live the lives of simple commoners, often under the rule of other kemonomimi, though they will resist oppression fiercely. They are fond of good-natured jests and harmless practical jokes, especially when performed by children and elders.

Physical Description: Almost-human in appearance, tanukimimi have a pair of animal ears and a bushy tail. Their skin is brown with a patch of brighter brown on upper part of their faces, temples, back of the neck, and the shoulders. They usually have brown hair, though auburn, grey, blonde, and even black hair are quite common as well. Many tanukimimi are quite stocky with well-developed belly.

Society: Tanukimimi usually live in self-governing villages or small towns. Some of them are completely independent, owing no allegiance to higher lords, with the community assembly being the highest authority. Others are ruled by a minor lord or lady, usually a tanukimimi warrior of some sort, who is expected to be down to earth, approachable, and at hand. Many tanukimimi settlements are parts of greater fiefdoms ruled by other kemonomimi. Interestingly, tanukimimi prefer such masters to be much more distant than tanukimimi gentry, hoping to be left to their own way while receiving protection from the larger world for modest taxes.

Relations: Tanukimimi tend to be friendly to most civilized people, especially kemonomimi. They respect dwarves with their reliability and stubbornness though they consider them somewhat too dour, which might lead some more enterprising youth or elder to play some pranks on them to loosen them up. They will also do that to kitsunemimi, though with much less respect, to nekomimi to test their luck, and even occasionally to akaimimi. The latter are often sought by independent tanukimimi communities as advisors, teachers, and all-around friendly neighborhood enlightened sages. Such communities will also often enter into agreements with usagimimi merchants, to gain a reliable supply of news and needed supplies, and buyers for their products.

Alignment And Religion: While usually good-natured, there is a significant fraction of tanukimimi that are evil. Mischievous ways veer into outright cruelty and malice, though usually rather petty, lacking the true villainy reached by other kemonomimi. Like other kemonomimi, spirit-worship is common, with nature spirits being central to the rural communities and ancestral spirits being revered by families and individuals.

Adventurers: Tanukimimi appreciate simple life, though a few are driven to adventure by various reasons. Some were runaways after a failed rebellion against an oppressive ruler, some were exiled for mischief exceeding even the tanukimimi tolerance, some were sent by their communities with a mission of importance for the community, and some were picked by another kemonomimi as a traveling companion.

Tanukimimi usually pursue classes that don’t require intense or academic training—barbarians, druids, fighters, and witches are common. Surprisingly, tanukimimi become paladins more often than any other kemonomimi, with their good nature making them respected champions of the people.

Standard Racial Traits

  • Ability Scores: Tanukimimi are surprisingly resilient and sociable. They gain a +2 bonus to Constitution and Charisma.
  • Type: Tanukimimi are humanoids with kemonomimi subtype.
  • Size: Tanukimimi are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Speed: Tanukimimi have a base speed of 30 feet.
  • Languages: Kemonomimi begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Kemonomimi with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Catfolk, Celestial, Giant, Goblin, Tengu, and Vanara.
  • Low-Light Vision: In dim light, tanukimimi see twice as far as humans.

Feat & Skill Racial Traits

  • Racial Bonuses: Tanukimimi gain a +2 racial bonus to Survival and Stealth checks. They are sneaky and quite capable of sustaining themselves in the wilds.
  • Tanuki Affinity: Tanukimimi gain a +4 racial bonus to Handle Animal and wild empathy checks made to interact with tanuki and tanuki-like beasts. All kemonomimi have an affinity for their animal kin.
  • Surprising Tenacity: Tanukimimi can gain a pool of temporary hit points equal to their character level + their Constitution bonus (if any) as a swift action once per day for up to 1 hour.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Kemonomimi: Moe Races © 2016, Amora Game; Authors: Wojciech Gruchała, Greg LaRose

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