Cinnavixen
by Jamie BatySCMC
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armour Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0 /-4
Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Bite +1 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /0 ft.
Special Attacks: Bleeding wounds, vermilia infection
Special Qualities: Cinnabryl detection, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 9
Skills: Hide +7, Jump +4, Listen +13, Search +4 (+16), Spot +13 (+25)
Feats: Alertness
Environment: Temperate forests, mountains
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, or Family (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small); 3 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: -
Though this foxlike mammal is sometimes hunted for its pelt, it is desired mostly for its ability to sniff out cinnabryl deposits.
Cinnavixens possess a beautiful, dark red coat with burnt orange swirls on the chest, paws, ears, and sometimes around the eyes. They are nearly three feet long, including a one-foot-long, bushy tail. Cinnavixens have dark brown eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth. They possess a high-pitched yipping bark and a strange howl that sounds very much like high-pitched laughter.
A cinnavixen spends its first summer roaming the forests, finding temporary shelter each night under rock overhangs or nestled between tree roots. Towards autumn, when it is finally ready to settle down, it seeks a mate. The two of them then dig a burrow in which to raise a family. A normal litter usually consists of four to six pups. Pups stay in the burrow until early summer, when they leave to wander the forest themselves. Cinnavixens stay with their mates for life.
Cinnavixens almost always know where local deposits of cinnabryl are located. It is speculated that the creatures, for some unknown reason, crave the metal and use the deposits in a manner similar to how normal animals use salt-licks. Though some cagey humanoids try to follow the cinnavixen as it hunts for food, this is no easy task. The creature is very cunning and uses many tricks to prevent anyone from tracking it.
Because of their soft and beautiful features, these creatures are often taken and tamed as pets. However, a tamed cinnavixen can no longer locate cinnabryl as it is now lost in the wild.
Combat
Cinnavixens prefer to flee rather than fight, except when hunting for food or protecting their pups. They will not hold still if they feel threatened; instead, they will run around in circles, their incredible speed and nimble reflexes making them incredibly hard to hit. This makes things even more difficult for pelt dealers who are also trying not to damage the cinnavixen's coat.
Cinnavixens attack with a bite and then leap back, gauging the damage if hunting or offering a truce if defending themselves.
Bleeding Wounds (Ex): Any creature bitten by a cinnavixen immediately takes 1d2 Con damage from bleeding. Unless the wound has pressure applied immediately (a full round action), the victim will lose 1d2 Constitution every minute until pressure is applied and maintained. Hand-applying pressure to a wound is a standard action and the victim and attendant (if any) may only take move actions. A DC 15 Heal skill check indicates a bandage has effectively generated the needed pressure, and the victim may take actions normally. Effects of multiple bites do stack.
The bleeding may be stopped by a successful Heal skill check vs DC 25, a Heal spell, or constant pressure on the wounds for at least 8 hours.
Vermilia Infection (Ex): The bite of a cinnavixen may infect the victim with vermilia.
Disease
bite; Fortitude DC 12 (+1 per Legacy victim possesses); incubation period 1 round; damage 1 hp after incubation, 2 hp the second day, 4 hp the third, 8 hp the fourth, etc, and it prevents natural healing. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Those suffering from vermilia who make their daily save take no damage but still do not naturally heal. Vermilia can only be cured by a Cure disease or a Heal spell applied to the victim, regardless of how many saves are made.
Cinnabryl Detection (Su): Cinnavixens receive a +12 bonus to all Spot and Search skill checks made in order to find cinnabryl.
Skills: Cinnavixens have a +4 racial bonus to all Jump checks. Cinnavixens also have a +8 racial bonus to all Spot, Listen and Search skill checks.
The Red Curse
Cinnavixens never possess Legacies. Though they do not require cinnabryl to ward off Affliction, they have the ability to sniff out deposits of this metal.