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wickedsrest-rp · 2 years ago

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NAME: Kitsune (Pl: Kitsune or Kitsunes)

ALSO KNOWN AS: Kumiho (Korean), Huxian (Chinese)

RARITY: ★★★☆☆

QUICK FACTS:

Lifespan: 900-1,000 years

Supernatural abilities: Fox transformation, possession, create foxfire, eat ghosts, healing at cost of tail

Enhanced/special senses: Hearing, sight, smell, sees/hears ghosts (fox form only)

Immunities: Foxfire, will-o'-the-wisps

Weaknesses: Hoshi no tama breaking, claustrophobia, exorcism

Can detect: Possibly species with animal-like scents, possibly undead by not hearing a heartbeat

Detected by: Hunters (rangers), possibly species with heightened sense of smell

Additional notes: This species does not have heightened strength or accelerated healing; kitsune do not have an innate sense to allow them to recognize other kitsune

DESCRIPTION: Originating from Japan, China, and Korea, kitsune (also called kumiho and huxian) are an extremely long-lived species that can shift between fox and human form. A kitsune who is 100 will appear to be in their 30s as a human. Their true form is that of a fox starting with a single tail, and every hundred years they gain an additional tail. A kitsune can have a maximum of nine tails, after which their fur turns white or gold and they gain a sort of omniscience that allows them to communicate telepathically with others. Unsurprisingly given the emphasis on them within the species, many kitsune count their age in tails rather than years, and they cherish their tails more than almost anything else.

A kitsune may gain a tail by taking an action that transcends their sense of “right,” and can lose a tail by doing something that goes starkly against their core values. Kitsune morality is complicated, so this can mean different things to different individuals. With each tail, a kitsune has a corresponding “hoshi no tama,” which is a luminous orb that spiritually tethers itself to the kitsune. The hoshi no tama make the kitsune more powerful, but must be protected at the cost of the corresponding tail.

The long-lived and magical nature of kitsune means that they often come to value human lives very little; it’s common for them to only care about other supernaturals, particularly those who live a long time. Because they live for so long, they often associate entire lineages of families with the behaviors of a distant ancestor, and often express gratitude or retaliate on someone several generations removed from the person who helped or acted against them.

Kitsune can be identified by the fox-shaped shadow that they cast, as well as the occasional imperfection in their shapeshifting. While kitsune can eat human food, they have a rather unusual diet, mixing in some fox favorites, as well as the occasional ghost. This strange spectral diet must be tended to at least once every few weeks, and has been known to result in the creation of poltergeists if their meal is left unfinished. Kitsune cannot eat poltergeists or malicious spirits, only the more recently formed ghosts of the deceased, or other benign spiritual beings.

ABILITIES: Kitsune can transform between fox and human forms quickly and painlessly within a thick, cloudy puff of air, though they famously don’t always get things completely right. In some kitsune lineages, a kitsune must eat the face of a human before they’re able to shift into a human themselves for the first time. In both forms, they have enhanced smelling, hearing, and sight; as such, they may be able to smell the presence of other animal-like shapeshifters or hear the lack of heartbeat from undead (though often not knowing the precise species).

Kitsune have a number of abilities that are of a spiritual nature. They can see and hear ghosts in fox form, which allows them to locate their food. A kitsune who stays well-fed on ghosts will be able to possess people themselves. The only physical tell of this is that the possessed individual has a fox-shaped shadow. The longer the possession lasts, the greater the risk that the vessel will become sick afterwards, which can result in fever, staticky skin, and malaise. Because sourcing ghosts to eat can be difficult, some kitsune bridge the gap by possessing people and draining small amounts of their lifeforce – something they can only do in this state, and in limited amounts.

One of their most famous abilities is perhaps their “foxfire,” which refers to creating orbs of blue fire or lightning. They’re able to generate this foxfire from their hands or tails, and can use it as projectiles when threatened. Foxfire may also be used to lure people into certain locations, as it has a hypnotic quality when stared upon that encourages the looker to follow it. Foxfire always looks like orbs of flames or lightning, usually on the smaller side, but kitsune with more tails are able to make larger orbs and better control their direction and duration. Those who make physical contact with foxfire will be burned or electrocuted. Kitsune are immune to their own foxfire as well as the foxfire of other kitsune, but are not immune to other forms of fire and electricity. One exception are will-'o-the-wisps, which kitsune can take control of.

HOSHI NO TAMA: A kitsune’s hoshi no tama is both its greatest pride and greatest vulnerability. They get one per tail, and if destroyed or lost for good, they’ll lose that tail. Because of this, most kitsune safely stow away their hoshi no tama somewhere not on their person. However, this can limit their benefit as the closer the hoshi no tama physically are to the kitsune, the more they’ll amplify their power. These orbs allow kitsune to finetune control over their foxfire (those with fewer may struggle), increase their foxfire’s power, improve their precision and skill with holding possessions, and even sharpen their senses. Before a hoshi no tama will function it must be charged with spiritual power siphoned from ghosts – 9 of them, to be precise. The hoshi no tama will store the 9 ghosts, which fuel the abilities of the kitsune. Upon breaking, those ghosts will be released, most likely as poltergeists, and are likely to seek revenge for their imprisonment. Breaking a hoshi no tama will allow a kitsune to heal from even severe injuries – but this will, of course, be at the cost of a coveted tail.

WEAKNESS: Finding and destroying a kitsune’s hoshi no tama will limit their power and make them vulnerable. Additionally, they have intense claustrophobia and fear being trapped or locked up, which is very difficult to completely overcome. When exposed to this fear, kitsune essentially become feral foxes, ready to snap at and scratch anyone nearby, until they’ve had time to collect themselves. This can take days, weeks, or even months depending on how long the kitsune was trapped and how their fear was experienced. While not normally sensitive to exorcism rituals, a kitsune who is actively possessing someone can be exorcised from the body using possession rituals adapted for such a purpose. Their pelts are also prized by hunters. Kitsune may have a difficult time holding onto their shapeshifting magic when inebriated, leading to tails showing, whiskers, etc. Kitsune have fur (and skin in human form) that sometimes carries a lot of static electricity, and this can be especially tricky for younger kitsune to control. While the kitsune doesn’t notice, those who touch them certainly do, which can be socially awkward or isolating for the kitsune.

SPECIES DYNAMICS:

While these dynamics are considered to be typical, there are many outliers based on character histories, personalities, development, and plots.

Ghosts: While not all ghosts have been around long enough to know they’re on the menu for kitsune, some are aware or have been warned. It’s not uncommon for ghosts to fear having these foxes go anywhere near them. Though exorcists are surely worse.

Mares: Because shapeshifters are “part animal,” they will sense that something is “off” about a mare and may be uncomfortable, but only when the shapeshifter is in their animal or shifted form. This is mostly a sense of unease, but it can result in hostility or loss of control out of fear.

Mediums: For the most part, neither mediums nor exorcists appreciate kitsune. Even though they eat ghosts, they leave too many poltergeists behind, making more work for exorcists. Their ability to possess people also makes kitsune feel too close to ghosts for exorcist comfort. A few mediums might find kitsune quite fascinating, wanting to understand how they’re able to feed on ghosts. Kitsune often return their distrust and find it insulting that something as ephemeral as a human could actually cause them harm.

Balam: With their appetite for ghosts, kitsune are often on the lookout for easy spectral pickings. This can lead them right to sucking the spirits out of balam. While this happens only rarely, balam are sometimes considered a delicacy to kitsune. In turn, balam are also taught not only to avoid kitsune, but every single fox… just in case.

Muses: The unchanging nature of long-lived species tends to bore muses, sometimes even painfully so. Muses may stereotype these species, insisting they should be avoided at all costs because being around them may cause pain. This doesn’t always extend to fellow fae, of course. Conversely, more worldly long-lived individuals who keep up with trends and always have something new and interesting to discuss may find themselves captivating a muse.

Phoenixes & Elemental Spellcasters: Kitsune feel strongly that by their very nature, they’ve earned the right to wield fire and lightning like no others. This snobbery can put them in conflict with supernaturals who are also tied to those elements, such as phoenixes and spellcasters. If they can get past their differences (or rather, similarities), they might find that in close proximity, their abilities synergize to be more powerful together than they would be separately.

Fae & the Undead: Kitsune and fae make natural allies and good company for each other. They’re long-lived and – unlike the often miserable undead – tend to be quite vivacious even in their golden years. While the undead might be too woe-is-me for a lively kitsune, they’re even more long-lived (immortal) which can allow for close bonds with kitsune who may have lived through the same years and events. Vampires and zombies may have the hurdle of fearing the foxfire of kitsune.

Mares & Bugbears: The claustrophobia in kitsune may be so intense that even the thought of exposure to their fear can cause dangerous panic. Some may try to avoid bugbears and mares, knowing exactly which fear of theirs will be exploited. Others may be more trusting or simply not be aware of the risk.

Sirens & Banshees: Species with enhanced hearing may find the songs of sirens to be especially beautiful, drawing them toward the siren even from a distance. This can also make them more susceptible to enthrallment. For obvious reasons, those with enhanced hearing also may not appreciate a banshee being nearby… or even further away. Those screams travel.

Spriggans: The hoshi no tama of kitsune hold a delightful appeal to spriggans, and they would like to steal them, please. An overzealous spriggan may cost a kitsune their tails, and as such, they tend to be very cautious when in a fae-filled area, just in case a spriggan may be in their midst.

VIEW OPEN KITSUNE SKELETONS

#shifter species #species #kitsune species

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duskyashe · 1 year ago

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CAMP NANO DAY 22

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Duke watched Phantom pace around the rooftop in growing bemusement. The kid was going over the notes he'd taken in his little pocket notebook over the course of his and Dick's Q&As with a rather deep furrow between his brows, muttering under his breath all the while. Duke chanced a glance at his oldest brother from where he sat as straight-backed as possible on his stool of shadows. Though Dick was fully masked and in character, Duke could read the older man like a book. His casual perch on top of the roof access shed held a shade of wariness and the set of his shoulders belayed his concern.

He fully understood, from what Steph and Jason had said, Phantom knew pretty much instantly exactly what both of them were as soon as he'd finished questioning them. He hadn't had to ask them more than ten questions total before he just knew. With Dick, however, he'd asked almost twenty five questions, and Duke was asked almost forty before Phantom had started up his pacing and muttering.

Right as Duke's anxiety started acting up, started whispering poisonous words about how he was a fake and a failure, that Phantom was going to declare him nothing more than a freakishly over powered meta and his family would turn him out on the streets over it, the kid abruptly stopped pacing and, without even looking up from his little notebook, asked the two of them, "So did you guys know you were both light deities before you came up here, or is that just a huge freaking coincidence? Because I've cross-checked the facts and crunched all the numbers, and you two are both minor deities of light, among other things."

Dick rolled his head dramatically to the side door a moment before asking in his raspy Raven voice, "Among other thingsssss?"

Phantom looked up from his notes with a blank startled look before understanding flashed across his expression. "Ahh, yes. Raven, you're a minor guardian trickster deity of light, your domains are pranks and tomfoolery, light, and protection. Signal, you're a minor guardian deity of light and shadows, your domains are both light and shadows, as well as protection. Basically, your domains are things that empower you and that you can manipulate and control with training. Eventually, you'll even be able to bless people within your clan's territory with any of your domains, such as blessing someone to find safety within the light of street lamps. Raven, as a trickster, you'll be drawn to areas and people full of mischief, and even feel the urge to start mischief, yourself," he explained. "As both of you are also guardians, you're inherently connected to the general wellbeing of the inhabitants of your territory. When someone is in danger within the city limits, you'll be able to tell. With practice, you'll even be able to hone in on the location."

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Cass watched from her spot draped across a crouching Tim's shoulders as Phantom gently smacked his forehead with his little notebook. He'd just finished questioning her and seemed to be having a small mental breakdown. She watched him for a little longer before softly whistling a question to her little brother in the family's secret conlang, Is he okay? Tim's chirped answer, I'm not sure, was followed by Phantom taking a deep breath and looking back up at them.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting your clan to have so many minor deities in it. Ibis, you're definitely a kitsune, though I have no idea how many tails you have yet or what they can do, so we'll have to figure that out next time. BlackBat, you're a minor guardian deity of darkness and shadows, your domains are darkness, shadows, and protection. Like I told Raven and Signal, your domains are things that empower you. You and Signal share the domain of shadows, but as you also possess the domain of darkness itself, you'll be able to do things with shadows that he likely never will, no matter how much he trains his shadow domain," Phantom said before letting out a gust of breath and drawing his feet up to sit in midair. He ran a hand through his bright white hair, his entire frame screaming to her his astonishment and wariness. "Ancients, your clan is seriously OP. Batman is most likely a major deity since he has three minor deities under him, then there's the three of you minor deities. Condor's a Phoenix, Starling is a banshee, you're a kitsune with who knows how many tails, Ibis—" he pulled his hand from his hair and ran it down his face instead.

Tim and Cass glanced at each other at his words. Were clans... Not supposed to be like theirs? It felt entirely natural to her, especially since her family had started taking lessons from Phantom. She couldn't imagine her clan being anything other than exactly as it was.

Phantom must have caught the motion of their heads as he hurried to explain. "Most clans are made up of similar, if not the same, species. Your clan not only has a wider variety of species than normal, a lot of you are rare species that either have difficulties getting along with certain species also counted among your number, or aren't usually found in clans at all. Deities, major and minor, either form pantheons, which are different from clans, with other deities local to their territory or fiercely guard their territory from other deities and remain solo their entire existence. The fact that you have a deity in your clan, let alone three or more, is—is unheard of."

Tim froze in her grasp as he immediately began absorbing, analyzing, and extrapolating the new information they'd been given, but Cass barely noticed. No, what drew her attention more than the truly ground shaking information, was the beginnings of real, fragile hope began to show themselves in Phantom's body language. Where before, both the first time she met Phantom and just earlier that very night, he'd exhibited signs of relief and safety, this was perhaps the first time she'd seen him express hope. Cass wondered what he'd seen, what he'd experienced, that had led to him losing his hope in the first place, then she decided that, whatever it was, she wanted to punish the ones behind all of it for taking that hope away.

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AHHH I DID IT. I FINALLY FINISHED WRITING CHAPTER THREE. ಥ⁠��⁠ಥ This took forever, and I apologize for that. I had to start writing this chapter five different times before I finally figured out how the heck I even wanted to begin. Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and all the lore drops. Cass's POV kinda got away from me and I'm not entirely sure where half the stuff I put in there came from, but it works! I hope y'all enjoyed it! I'm hoping to get back into the swing of writing and posting nearly every day for the rest of the month, but we'll just have to see, won't we (⁠^⁠～⁠^⁠;⁠)⁠ゞ

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