Appearance
Kitsune are humanoid creatures with the features of a fox. They have Vulpine ears, pointed snouts, and thick fur covering their entire body. The most distinguishing feature of Kitsune is their tails, as they can gain up to nine throughout their lifetime. Most are born with only one or two, but gain more as they strengthen their magic abilities. Kitsune fur is extremely diverse in color and length, being shaped by their environment and magical abilities. They tend to have the most exotic coloration of any race in Jereia.
Tawny Kitsune are the most average of kitsune, possessing features similar to foxes from lush climates. They have brown, grey, or orange fur colors and reflect the looks of many wild fox species.
Banded Kitsune hail from the colder climates of Jereia. Their thicker fur coat helps them withstand the cold. They developed a white and black/brown striped pattern to blend in with snowy mountainous terrain, while also being the origin of their namesake. Light blues can appear in their coats rarely as well.
Tanned Kitsune come from hotter, more arid climates. They possess shorter fur and often larger ears than other races of kitsune. These kitsune come in a wide range of heights and colors, often having warm tones.
Skyward Kitsune originate from the four seas, with most of their population existing in the Soaring sea. Their fur swirls in ways that mimic the clouds, with many exotic colors. Blue and purple are the most common, but tones of red, orange, or yellow can appear in their fur as well.
They become physically mature at the age of 20, and mentally mature near the age of 23. Kitsune typically live from 150 to 200 years.
Culture
Kitsune are the descendants of an ancient species of vulpine humanoids known as “Tulu’s Lost Children.” Their origins in hardship have led to a diverse cultural spread between the handful of kitsune races in Jereia. Broadly speaking, the majority of kitsune can appear deeply unserious or very emotionally intelligent. Many kitsune from the inner settlements of Altevos are energetic and eccentric. They present very upbeat demeanors, often weaving jokes, stories, and pranks into their everyday mannerisms. In the four seas and exterior cultures of Altevos, they take a more calm, monastic persona with a focus on spiritual beliefs. New experiences are often of interest to kitsune, making them very outgoing.
Celebrations are very common in kitsune society. There’s always someone holding a party for something, and establishments try to present the most luxurious and exciting services they can. Of the more monastic kitsune, a degree of this is still present in their tendency to engage in communal activities often.
Almost all kitsune possess a supernatural compulsion to repay the kindness of others. Similarly, acts of malice are not easily forgotten by kitsune. Many describe it as a “divine moral compass” granted by the oddities of their evolution, making interpersonal connections particularly important to kitsune.
Special Attributes
Innate Magic: All kitsune have some innate magical abilities. Since the Manatropic system serves a similar purpose to the respiratory system, this magic aptitude is required for their survival. Kitsune possess a natural ability to use elemental, illusory, and enchanting magics.
Magical Disguise: All kitsune possess an alternate, magical disguise that changes their body into an entirely new race or creature. Their first disguise is always either some other race with similar features to their true form or a feral fox. This disguise isn’t fool-proof however, as they each possess some kind of tell that can reveal the disguise.
Mutable Anatomy: If a kitsune desires, they can make permanent adjustments to their body through sustained illusion magic. These alterations begin small, but can accumulate into more major alterations in the long term. The changes must be within the features a kitsune was born with, preventing permanent transformation into a wholly new race. They can eventually make changes to their gender, however.
Nogitsune Transformation: If a kitsune is malicious enough throughout their life, the divine aspects of their magic transform them into a cryptid known as a Nogitsune. This change alters their mind in many negative ways, while limiting the number of tails they can grow to 5 at most. It takes extreme circumstances for this to occur, but many cases have been known throughout history. Nogitsune are universally exiled and shunned from society, as the transformation makes individuals unfit to safely integrate with others.
Trivia
- The four major Kitsune races each represent one of the four chinese elements based on their natural environment. The Skyward, Banded, Tawny, and Tanned each represent air, water, earth, and fire respectively.