Kitsune

Kitsune are a race also known as demon foxes, or fox spirits. Where they fall on the hierarchy between angels, demons, and other spirits seems to depend on the type.

After gaining enough power they often choose to establish themselves as local deities.

In their default form they appear to be a fox, most often a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) but may appear as other species. They tend to be larger than natural foxes, and often exhibit unusual markings and coloration. The most distinctive trait of a kitsune is possibly their multiple tails.

Tails
With each additional tail they gain a kitsune's power increases. Tails may be stolen from other kitsune, grown every 100 years, or earned through feats of great power. A kitsune may have up to nine tails at a time. There are always rumors of kitsune with 10 or more tails, but none have ever been confirmed.

Upon gaining their 9th tail a Kitsune will often gain gold, or silver somewhere in their coloration.

While separated from a kitsune the tails take the form of glowing white balls resembling a giant pearl known as Hoshi no Tama or star balls. A kitsune may steal and hoard tails in case of loss. Attempts to add extras on after the 9th end at best with failure and disaster at worst. If a kitsune has a tail stolen they will grow back naturally in a century.

The advantage of separating a tail from their body is a kitsune may use it as a magical focus to increase the potency of their spells. They may also observe the tail's surroundings in places they may not be physically present.

A kitsune skilled in spirit or celestial magic may with great effort manufacture a tail. If a tail is to be manufactured it is most likely by a group of kitsune working together, and the process may take years at a great energy cost.

Abilities
Flight: A sufficiently powerful (6+ tails generally) kitsune may engage in a form of levitation that is essentially flight. The power is generally gained at 3+ tails, but may only be used for short-term levitation.

Foxfire: All kitsune have the ability to generate a ball of light which depending on the caster will either be heatless, hot to the touch, icy, deliver a shock, or have other effects. The extremity of the effect will go up the more powerful the kitsune and with intent.

Hammerspace: A kitsune may create a realm tied to a door or other entrance that exists in an alternate dimension. These realms are bigger on the inside, and filled by the more solid types of illusions. A kitsune may store particularly precious objects in one.

Illusion: An inherent kitsune trait is the ability to cast illusions. With each tail gained the size and complexity of the illusions cast increase, and in a 9 tailed kitsune may as well be real for most practical purposes. An individual of sufficient spiritual power may see right through these illusions.

Possession: Certain kitsune, especially the ninko or spirit element kitsune may have the ability to influence another being's thoughts and actions. A kitsune not as skilled in the art may only effect the victim in dreams. After a bout of full possession the subject won't remember anything that occurred.

Shapeshifting: Kitsune are notorious shapeshifters. They're most famous for turning into beautiful women. The easiest way to tell a shifted kitsune is they often have trouble changing their tails and ears. It is hard for them to retain control of their form while intoxicated or otherwise distracted. This power is generally not gained until the kitsune has at least two tails. The most powerful of kitsune may even take the form of a moon.

Vampirism: Kitsune may act as an energy or magic vampire. A kitsune may recover energy much more quickly this way than by eating mortal food. Kitsune may form a 'bond' from an animal or particularly strong source of element to suck power from it at a distance. Physical contact is necessary for a bond, but the range for unbonded drainage would depend on the kitsune. The need to find a strong stable energy source would increase with the power of the fox.

Subspecies
Zenko: Always celestial in type, these foxes are best known as servants of the fox deity Inari. They have white fur and are considered 'holy' by other kitsune. They seem to be the kitsune equivalent to angels.

Nogitsune: or yako/demon foxes. These are often void element and tend to be malicious. They usually have predominantly dark fur and markings.

Ninko: A type of spirit element kitsune. These are unpercievable to those who cannot sense the spiritual realm. Their specialty is possessing others.

Elements
Individual kitsune are generally associated with one of the 13 following elements. They may also 'feed' off of elementals of this type. These are just the divisions that apply to kitsune.

Air: Control over winds and cool air. They may cause gusts of wind or freeze someone in their tracks. These kitsune may feed off of air currents or even such phenomena as solar winds.

Earth: Control over fertility and soil. A kitsune of this type could create excellent growing fields or move pillars of earth. They may use fertile fields or a planet for energy.

Fire: Control over fire and heat. They can make a room sweltering, or burn things to the ground. They simply eat fire.

Life: Healing abilities. Offensively a so inclined life kitsune may cause injuries or simply suck the life out of a weaker opponent. A strong source of life energy would be a river or other sources of fresh water.

Celestial: or holy/light. Celestial kitsune may control light or even raw magical energy. A strong source of celestial energy would be a star's radiation.

Lightning: Control over electricity and weather. No one needs a batter with one of these foxes around. A good source of lightning energy would be a great storm or a power plant.

Metal: Control over metals, and gemstones. A powerful metal kitsune may even transmute materials such as the vaunted lead into gold transformation. They weaken metals after they feed.

Void: or dark. Black holes and shadows are among the things that exist in this tricky to define domain. A strong source of void energy would be a black hole.

Spirit: Influence over souls, minds, and will. Spirit kitsune are good at influencing others. They may make others feel confident or fall into a pit of depression. They have excellent senses for detecting paranormal phenomenon. Spirit kitsune often eat souls for energy.

Time: The ability to slow down or speed up everyone in the vicinities perception of time. Haste spells and whatnot. May also be used to accelerate entropy. These kitsune often make good seers. A time kitsune can gain energy by eating time off of a lifespan. Particularly advanced time kitsune may eat time off of the 'lifespans' of planets or stars.

Plant: Dominion over plant life. Abilities such as making trees walk and plants move as the kitsune commands. A kitsune of this type will never have problems finding a specific plant. Giant trees would be a good source of plant energy.

Water: Control of water. Ability to cause massive waves and floods. They may also rip all the water out of a foe's body, or draw up water from the ground. They can douse for water in a pinch as well. Oceans are good sources of power for these kitsune.

Creativity: The ability to influence things through artforms such as dance, music, writing, music, painting, et c. May also use sound waves. They flock to artists and creative centers even if they're not artists or scholars in their own rights. This kind is fairly benevolent in their feeding and feed off of knowledge, good music, and original ideas.

Hybrids
Hybrid kitsune don't exist in the sense that most species gain hybrids. As long as they have inherited kitsune powers (elemental affiliation + tails) they are generally considered a full breed kitsune. Due to this and their shapeshifting kitsune will readily interbreed with other races.

Young may still gain traits from other parents. Children are most often kits, but may be born in the form of their non-kitsune parent or even a mixed form. Either way kitsune children will always inherit a bestial form.

Very rarely a halfbreed kitsune child will inherit some powers, but not enough to be considered a kitsune. These children can often become sorcerers of great power.

Notable Groups

 * The Kitsune Council. This is a group led by several powerful kitsune and populated by a bunch of weaker agents whose goal is to element threats to the kitsune species.
 * Students of K'theenya. Not an official group, but rather kitsune who apprenticed under the nine-tailed K'theenya and feel charitable towards their old master. They keep in contact and swap stories. More often than not they're individually powerful and influential in their own right.