Kitsune (Key-tu-tsu-neh)
Kitsuni are iconic with their unique appearance and soul properties. Their tails contain their chroma, and their souls are naturally transparent, allowing them to be dyed or bleached on command. The chroma dying system allows them to access a wider variety of chroma than the vast majority of species.
Kitsuni gain their tails through consuming the magic of other creatures or artifacts, with the exception of the red tail they're born with and the dark tail, which can only be acquired through a contract with a demon, or consuming a demonic entity with the other eight necessary tails. A complete set of tails is considered to contain an orange tail, a yellow-green tail, a green tail, a sky blue tail, a blue tail, a medium blue tail, a white tail, and a dark tail. Each kitsune can have only one of each color, but can strengthen their existing tails by consuming more chroma.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A standard kitsune specimen, not accounting for disability or alteration, will be anthropoid and bipedal. They have one head with one large, triangular, rotating ear reminicent of Vulpes linn on either side.
They have one arm on each side of a torso with a loosely cylindrical ribcage, each with hands that have four fingers and an opposable thumb. Their fingers each have three joints and end with a short, curved claw connected to the distal phalanges. They have two digitigrade legs, each with feet that have five toes. They are born with a long, mobile tail reminicent of Vulpes linn, but can have up to nine.
Biological Traits
Bat-Earred Kitsuni
Bat-earred kitsuni are notably different from their red cousins. Their patterns and ears are like those of Otocyon megalotis rather than Vulpes linn, and their coloration is more condusive to camoflague in the ash deserts of Agira, rather than the reds and browns of Dygsami's kiln deserts. They are typically much smaller than red kitsuni, and their red chroma usually manifests as ferrokinesis, rather than the pyrokinesis significantly more common in red kitsuni.
Genetics and Reproduction
Growth Rate & Stages
Dietary Needs and Habits
Behaviour
Additional Information
Social Structure
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Facial characteristics
Kitsuni have relatively flat faces with two forward facing eyes, distinct, movable eyebrows, a triangular, cartilage based nose, and proper lips and cheeks. Their jaws have 32 teeth, with 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, and 12 molars.
Their faces are typically characterized by prominent cheekbones and narrow nose bridges and cheeks.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The majority of Kitsuni are mostly found in eastern Dygsami, with some of their numbers dispersed into northeastern Agira. Agira hosts the majority of bat-earred kitsuni.
Average Intelligence
There is a pervasive stereotype of kitsuni being clever and proficient in trickery, which is not entirely inaccurate (Though it is still rude to make assumptions). Kitsuni usually have a low degree of focus on interpersonal intelligence which is made up for with their ability to subtly analyze the patterns of behavior of others and manipulate them. A kitsune may be able to understand what another will do in a specific situation or interaction, but will likely not understand why.
Kitsuni also have large sections of their brain dedicated to problem solving via logic and long term memory.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Kitsuni have notibly sharp olfactory and auditory senses, but more interestingly possess both electromagnetic and chromatic sensory. They utilize their electromagnetic sensory to judge distance, depth, and direction.
Depending on the sensitivity of the individual, they can sense smaller fields produced by electronics and certain species. Their sensory to Chroma is similar, though not as sensitive or specific as that of Wax Wings.
Civilization and Culture
Relationship Ideals
Major Language Groups and Dialects
History
Fox Fire
All kitsuni possess fox fire, a burning fox spirit which exists as an extension of their soul. Their fox fire lacks inhibition, but shares the same values and desires as their respective kitsune. They are not entirely the same being, and may make different decisions, as the fox fire will always act on what it feels is the best interest of its kitsune. The expression of their fox fire ranges from small firefly-like sparks to a fully formed fox.
Dark Vision
Kitsuni have tapetum lucidum within their eyes, which allow light to reflect more inside the eye than species without. Their eyes are adapted to operating in dark, smokey environments, and can adjust quickly and effectively between medium to low light conditions.
Chroma Dye
Kitsuni have naturally transparent souls, which is dyed by their tails for magic use and bleaching to apply new magic. They can dye their souls with multiple tails, but the majority of kitsuni will only have a red tail in their lifetime, with a functionally monochromatic soul.
Chroma Sensory
Kitsuni possess the ability to sense the presence of chroma, as well as its hue and saturation. This ability is thought to have developed to aid kitsuni in seeking new tails and strengthening their existing tails.
Pyrokinesis
The red tail's chroma typically manifests as psychic control over heat and flames. This includes spontaneous combustion and snuffing their flames, as well as sensory of flames. It's thought that all fire created by a kitsune is an extension of their fox fire.
Ferrokinesis
Alternatively, the red tail's chroma may manifest as psychic control over metal and enhanced electromagnetic sensory. This is also thought to be an extension of their fox fire, though it's unclear what influences this branching manifestation.
Summon Foxtail Staff
Kitsuni can innately summon and dismiss a staff which shares magic with their tails. Unlike using their magic directly, the staff can only use one tail at a time, but self repairs each time it's dismissed and summoned, allowing it to serve as an excellent focus.
Kitsuni have a muscular structure built well for quick bursts of speed and dexterity, as they're ambush predators. They have a notably high jump for a biped, which is often combined with their electromagnetic sensory to pounce very effectively.
The majority of kitsuni have skin tones ranging from umber to dark maple. Their fur has two dominant colors of coat; the signiture brown and red coat of the red kitsuni, and the ash grey coat of the bat-earred kitsuni. Their coats will always have some amount of red in them, but their coats change with the influence of their Chroma.
Kitsuni pups are born with grey eyes, but around a universal year after they become red-brown. As they acquire chroma tails, their eye color may change based on which tails they use frequently. Because of this the majority of kitsuni's eyes will remain brown or red.
