Kitsune are a species of demi-mortals formerly native to the Faywilds but rendered mortal enough to exist on the material plane as some of its many natives. Before its shattering during the Irisian War, the Faywild was home to many distinct cultures of Kitsune, only one of which was prone to interacting with mortals and, even then, seemingly only to trick people from all manners of life. These cruel shape-changing vulpine spirits targeted the negative traits of people, such as pride, greed, and vanity, to corrupt, twist, or prank mortals for entertainment.

While they are of the same spiritual species, the eastern Kitsune are not the Kitsune of Eyom. Eyom's Kitsune are from the northern ends of the Faywild, specifically from a place once called Kalēdōn. These Kitsune spent their lives erecting stone circles in misty glades (on the Material Plane and in the Faywild), throwing outrageously wild parties, playing a sport known as Shrovetide football, and lobbing entire trees at Unseelie Court soldiers (both for war and for sport). One who has studied the planes will need to put their idea of a Kitsune out of their mind to understand the people we are discussing here. It helps to think of the word Kitsune as one does the word Human or Elf. (Scholar's Note: More properly, the word kitsune is the name of a spirtual genus. The Kitsune which feature most prominently in our historical record are Kitsune nihon , while Eyom's Kitsune are Kitsune kaledon.)

Eyom's Kitsune have adapted well to their life as mortals. Apparently, the gratest changes for them post-planar collision were:

1. Foxvale is slightly less rainy and cold than lost Kalēdōn, and has more hot springs.
2. Wood Elves are more fun to hate than the Unseelie Court and harder to hit.
3. They now have access to other people who will do things other than try to kill them on sight.

In short, the Kitsune of Eyom are a group of demi-mortals who see the destruction of their home plane, binding to the material plane as mortals, and state of perpetual border war against the Wood Elves as a flat improvement to their previous existence. They look back at the cataclysm with fondness, celebrate its anniversary as a holiday, and even send occasional thank you letters and the occasional cask of Kalic whisky to Irus for quote, "Helping us shift hoose." end quote.

Personality

Being Kitsune is a heavy burden. They're expected to embody something. To display shades of the legendary heroics of their ancestors (which they admit to having invented by exaggerating everything ever said about each of their ancestors to the 11th degree), yet comply ethically with the unwritten code of Kalēdōn which all Kitsune are strict and devoted followers of. Mostly due to self-enforcement at the subconscious level.

Indeed, being half mortal and half spirit is not easy. The freedom of choice which defines mortals clashes with the ancient ways of the spiritual realm that once wholly bound the Kitsune to their ways. These ancient echoes remain in their hearts and mind, acting as compulsions and cultural indoctrination. Something which can be ignored, but one feels bad about should they choose to ignore them.

Kitsune are a modest folk. They like an acknowledgment of their efforts but are usually uncomfortable with direct praise. They can't exit a conversation fast enough if one begins to heap praises upon them, deserved or not. They often come across as gruff due to their tendency to make monosyllabic small talk and desperate references to the weather or the football score due to a natural panic over what to say and to whom. Kitsune despise offending those who don't deserve it, you see.

While there's no question that Kitsune ferociously fight to control and hide their emotions, they can spectacularly spill out in certain circumstances. Extreme ethical and moral eruptions such as a woman mistreated, an innocent exploited, a Wood Elf existing, or an unfinished pint spilled, and your average Kitsune bar is likely to turn into a gladiatorial arena stuffed to the brim with enraged warriors suddenly obligated by The Sacrad Law to unleash their inner Cúchulainn in an orgy of blood, broken bones, and distressed insurance assessment agents.

The Kitsune stereotype of being extremely friendly once they get to know someone is both true and well-earned. Interestingly, it extends to strangers as well. The general awkwardness of a Kitsune comes when they begin to get to know someone. Total strangers the Kitsune will never see again can expect Kitsune to go above and beyond the call of duty to welcome and assist them, if possible. Kitsune also feel a sense of kinship for their neighbors (traditionally the Rattu and Tanuki, but this extends to everyone an individual lives near). They will move heaven and earth to come to their neighbors' aid. Be it hunger, a stuck door, a lost pet, or armed intruders, you can trust a Kitsune to be the first on the scene and the last to leave.

Kitsune tend to see places beyond Foxvale as exotic and much more exciting than their "neck o' th' woods". This leads to a general cultural confusion when those from distant lands elect to celebrate and participate in their culture. All who see themselves as 'Kitsuneish' (Typicaly Sylvin with a dash of Kitsune ancestry.) are seen as "amusingly bemusing", and welcomed with genuine and slightly confused warmth. Kitsune are always keen to hear what on Zo made someone decide you wanted to be a part of their beloved madness.

The art of being Kitsune is all about balance. While they are prone to severe emotional restraint and an inclination towards being the quiet one in the back of a room, they felt the need to counter-balance by (for example) creating the bagpipe. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move. No one tends to think of Kitsune as the life and soul of the party, yet the most inward and reserved of them will unleash a shameless hell on the ceilidh dancefloor when the opportunity presents itself.

Most Kitsune claim that their ways are warranted. That they'd never shut up if they didn't take our Responsibilities of Kitsuneness so seriously. They'd be gossiping away, scheming, harassing, policing and orchestrating. While their true emotions tend to stay behind lock and key, they'd love nothing more than to weep at the raw beauty of their homeland, loved ones, and communities.

So they do. Constantly. Only in ways, one may not see for what they are without knowing how the Kitsune behave. They love a good joshing and the opportunity for self-deprecation. Getting wound up is part and parcel of Kitsune conversation, and poking gentle fun at one another is entirely expected and welcomed. They take such things "on the chin" in astonishingly good spirits. Up to a point. Wound a Kitsune's pride by taking things too far or striking a nerve, and you've made an enemy for life.

In the end, Kitsune are stealthfully carefree and light-hearted. While not always at their best, they are honest, reliable, and compassionate. Do right by a Kitsune, and you've made a friend for life.

Physical Description

Kitsune are natural shapeshifters. In their base form, a Kitsune appears as a human woman, albeit with the ears of a fox located high on their heads rather than a pair of human ears and one or more long fox-like tails extending from the base of their spines. A Kitsune's tails are a rough measure of their age and general level of spiritual refinement, with younger, less powerful Kitsune having a single tail and the oldest and most powerful having nine. Most Kitsune have two tails.

Kitsune are a monosex species. Unlike Elvenoids, they do not sexually reproduce and thus do not have sexes. Any sex they appear to have is the product of their shapeshifting and an expression of their personal identity and how they wish to be treated by non-Kitsune individuals (Scholar's Note: Within a Kitsune community, an individual's shape is strictly fashion and personal taste.). Some Kitsune prefer a male appearance, but all of them will remain a general feminine grace to their forms unless they attempt to imitate a specific form for a specific purpose.

Kitsune possess the power to change their shape. Their most common secondary form is that of a fox. The species of fox they can become is matched to the apparent species of the Kitsune's ears and tail. In their feral fox form, a Kitsune is entirely indistinguishable from a mundane animal, unless they choose to speak.

Kitsune Shapeshifting is often seen as the most developed form of the art. Through practice, meditation, and training akin to a martial art, a Kitsune can gain the ability to mimic almost anything they can see, be it living or otherwise. Even without such training, they can take the form of any humanoid creature they please, and have personally seen. Albit, they may need to correct some details as a Kitsune's shapeshifting is based on memory (except for their base form, and any tweaks they have made to it for their own sake).

Kitsune are never seen without their animal companions, such that they are often said to be joined at the hip. When a Kitsuen is young and first learns to master their animal form, they inevitably befriend an animal. This animal is saturated by the Kitsune's magic through play, gaining greater intelligence and an extended life. In time, the two become inseparable and work together in all things. The specific animal a Kitsune bonds with is random and depends on the individual, where they grew up, and of course happenstance. This ability has occasionally affected magical creatures, including unicorns, fairies, and dragons. The most common animal companions are naturally foxes, followed by maned wolves, then domestic canines.

Kitsune reproduce through a process yet unnamed but often called "Soul Budding". When a Kitsune feels sufficiently safe, loved, and cared for, their soul resonates with their emotions and should this continue long enough, excess spiritual energy is grown, nurtured, and then split into a separate being. Kitsune know when this process is occurring and will often tweak their forms to imitate the effects of a mammalian pregnancy to let others understand what is occurring. However, this is unnecessary, and in due time, the Kitsune will spawn a new Kitsune from the eather. The new Kitsune will appear to be around three years old by human standards as soon as it manifests and is otherwise the same as a human child.

Despite this reproductive method, Kitsune feel the need for romantic and intimate relationships. Indeed, such is required for their reproduction, even if the union of spermatozoa and ovum is not. Kitsune often feel romantic attraction toward other species, and as their choice of partner does not impact their reproduction (be they male, female, another species entirely, or even non-biological), they hold no Tabbo toward dating and wedding anyone or anything (Provided they are sapient.)

It is possible for Kitsune to pass some of their essences to a romantic partner. When this occurs, should their partner have children with a compatible mortal, some of the Kitsune's essence is transferred to their partner's child, creating a "Demi-Kitsune" as they are called. These individuals tend to have somewhat vulpine features and can shed their mortal shells and become Kitsune themselves if they meditate hard enough on their demi-mortal side. Doing so entirly annihilates all traces of their former physical self, preventing Demi-Kitsune from retaining any of their previous species' traits after metamorphosis.

Relations

The Kitsune are well regarded by most of Eyom. As a part of the Warrenese Shogunate, and one of its major components in regard to diplomacy and industry, Kitsune specifically are very well regarded. The Kitsune are so integral to the international image of the Shogunate that to ask how other people see the Kitsune, is to ask how they see the Shogunate itself.

Unfortunately, this has led to the erasure of much of Kitsune culture. The Rattu are the culturally dominant force within the Shogunate, and thus the general public thinks of Kitsunes wearing silken kimonos and acting with grace and honor rather than wearing their tartan and acting with solemn duty until it is time to drink a cask of booze and "Caw doon fur whit!" (Translation: rambunctiously carouse, or party.). This is a point of strong contention between the Kitsune and the world at large. While they love and value their Rattu cousins, the Kitsune wish for nothing more than for people to understand which of the Wareneese culture's elements are their contributions.

The Tanuki see the Kitsune as blood-kin. While the Kitsune originated on the now lost outer planes, and the Tanuki originated on the Material Plane, the Tanuki see their "big sisters" responses to threats and reactions to friends, and know they are of the same kind. Many Kitsune see the sole difference between their species as entirely cosmetic, even though this is hardly true.

Settlements

Kitsune have a fairly conventional sence of homes. They perfer individual houses for families, with fmailies comprised of a pair or group of lovers and any children they may have. The ideal home is a stone cottege located near a lake or pond, with a large yard and a garden. The garden should be capable of providing for the Kitsune and her family's needs for herbs, floral decorations, and some vegtables, but also able to host parties.

No Kitsune's home is without a sauna, library, and meditation room. Nor are they without a wine cellar, which naturaly is never ever filled with wine.

A Kitsune's home is most notewothy for their bedrooms. Kitsune perfer to sleep in den-like sturctures, as such the "bed" within a Kitsune's bedroom is an enclosed structure with solid walls, floors, and cielings, sealed off from the world byu thick curtains. They are small, cozy, comfortable, and provide just enough space for two people and a child to cuddle for warmth.

Alignment

Kitsune are firm believers in codes of conduct. This makes them naturaly predisposed to creating and heeding bodies of law. Howeaver, they despise confinment and undeeded constraints. Hence their codes and laws are short, simple, and leave plenty of room for people to be themselves, with exceptions for serious transgressions. Kitsune see some things (Rape, murder, wasting alchohol, "vegestial" pockets on clothing, etc.) as acts worthy of not only scorn, but hatred, loathing, and violence.

Kitsune are thoughtful and courtious as a rule. While this isn't more extreem than other peoples kindliness, it is notacably consistant with Kitsune. They appear to believe that nearby problems are their problems, and reflect negativly on them, rather than the people directly experiancing the problems. This viewpoint has its posatives and negatives.

Adventurers

Kitsune, for all their love of things far from home, do not often leave home. Vacations are common, as are buisness trips, but choosing to set out to live a life of adventure is rare for Kitsune. Those who choose to adventure are often searching for a place to settle down, rather than intending to be any kind of hero. It's just that things tend to happen to Kitsunes when they leave Foxvale.

It's not a curse or anything tangable, nor even magicaly influenced luck, but by hook or crook, should a Kitsune decide to find another place in the world to live, the liklyhood of them wandering into an entirly unrelated problem plauging somone, something, or somewhere increaces liniarly as a function of time, becoming a certainty within three months. Kitsune have inveinted special charms to help them detect how long they have been on a quest for a new home specificly to avoid becoming a hero.

A small number of Kitsune use these charms to find a problem inorder to become a hero. These Kitsune are reguadrded as unwell by their kin.