Inuzen, The Children Who See
Inuzen, also known as the Children Who See or Wolfkin, are a race of fey origin that reside in the deepest reaches of the world.
In general they appear as humans, but possess various lupine features that set them apart. The Inuzen’s most defining trait is their ability to shapeshift between their humanoid form and the form of a wolf. They live and hunt in valleys and forests that humans could only dream of reaching. The inuzen possess deep connections to the land itself, and some say they can step from one natural location to another leagues away in the blink of an eye. For millennia inuzen have acted as watchers of the natural world. They live off the land and hunt down the forces of corruption.
When they are not at home in their hidden cities, the inuzen travel the world in packs.
Inuzen have a strong oral tradition dating back before written history. Their stories and legends are based in the truths of ages long past, and they give insight to historical events the rest of the world has forgotten. Inuzen culture holds a special reverence for the zodiacs, and they’ve built multiple shrines and places of homage to the star dragons. Inuzen look to the zodiacs for guidance in all things, and as such, they are one of the most Starcalled races in the world. In recent events, the Darkest War has forced the inuzen to become significantly more active in the modern civilizations of the world. Their kind has begun to enter cities and travel with other humanoids to beat back the advancing shadows taking hold on the world. Time and time again the inuzen have played a key role in the continued survival of Vathis.
While the cities of the inuzen are withdrawn from the rest of the world, the inuzen themselves are not.
They typically accept outsiders from beyond their homeland with open arms. They tend to wish the best for everyone they meet, and believe that everyone has a role to play in the fates of the world. Most races accept the inuzen and are thankful for the roles the wolkin have played in shaping the world’s history. Most inuzen wish to live in harmony with the world and strive to help others. Knowledge both mythic and otherwise are important to this race, as are the histories and tales of the past.
Inuzen typically appear as attractive humans with various changes to their physique.
They tend to wear their hair long, the color of which can be various shades based on their homeland. Inuzen are usually shorter and slender compared to most humans, topping out at around 5’6″. The most striking difference between humans and inuzen, however, are the inuzen’s ears and tail. The race possesses a pair of wolf-like pointed ears atop their head which twitch at every nearby sound. Inuzen also possess a wolf-like tail with long hair that matches the hair color atop their head. In their animal form, Inuzen appear as wolves of similar size and shape as medium-sized wolves. The Inuzen’s fey origin has given them the innate magical ability to create various colored and shaped lights around them known as Leylights. The use of Leylights allow inuzen to communicate over long distances while in both humanoid and wolf form. Inuzen mature a little slower than the standard races, finally reaching adulthood in their mid-40’s. However, they are graced with lifespans of the fey, easily reaching seven centuries and oftentimes reaching twelve before they pass.
Inuzen Racial Traits
Inuzen are deeply connected to the natural world and beautiful to behold with quick tongues, but their bodies are frailer than the bodies of humans.
Medium: Inuzen are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Swift Speed: Inuzen have a base speed of 40 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Inuzen can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Wolfkin: The connection to nature that inuzen possess gives them the special ability to turn into a medium sized wolf. Anything that the inuzen carries becomes part of its new wolf form, allowing the inuzen to still benefit from any magical items they may carry. Inuzen are also unable to speak while in wolf form, and tend to communicate using leylights instead.
Sensitive Hearing: Inuzen possess extremely sensitive ears that easily pick up sound and feeling in words. Most people find it difficult to lie to an inuzen.
Leylights: Inuzen possess the ability to create what are known as leylights. These lights take the form of glowing spheres controlled by the inuzen. Inuzen can rapidly change the color of the lights, which they utilize as a form of racial sign language.
Scent: Inuzen boast an impressive sense of smell that allows their kind to easily track and detect other beings.
Wild Perseverance: The inuzen are accustomed to the harsh elements of nature and can travel farther and faster than most races. They find themselves at home in the heart of difficult landscapes, dangerous or inhibiting weather conditions, or even extreme temperatures.
