Kitsune

An exercise in breaking the limits of power, the Kitsune are a warp based people that reside primarily within Avernus’s materium and can be found all over the world, similar to shifters. Despite their comparative youth by Avernite standards (living to a mere nine million years of age) they have begun to make massive impacts wherever they can be found.

## Physiology

Kitsune are warp spirits by nature, but seem to possess strong ties to the materium allowing them to easily reside within. On Avernus which is extremely rich in the warp and possesses so many gates to reality, they can live here permanently which most seem too.

While they are shapeshifters and illusionists they do have a “default” shape they resemble, which is similar to a human or eldar with Vulpine additions such as their signature tails or ears.

Likely their most interesting characteristic is their life cycle which is intimately bound up in their powers and will be explained here. According to the Yinnari most of this process is entirely beyond their understanding, making the Kitsune either one of the World’s runaway successes, or the product of another World brought here by the Traveller.

Kitsune are born as visually normal foxes and are incredibly weak mystically akin to an iota psyker. With the physical characteristics of a fox and strength of an iota, many Kitsune during their youth are forced to rely on their innate illusionary gifts, what minor degree of fox-fire they can create and the protection of others to survive, leading them to usually congregate around the civilisations of Peoples. Its unclear why they do not remain with other Kitsune, although it is possible they do not have “parents” so to speak and are born through a method which places them away from other Kitsune.

After performing a deed of sufficient “scale” (or surviving one hundred years, but this is very rare), whichever comes first, the Kitsune will grow their second tail gaining the ability to assume a humanoid form and seeing their power double (it now *triples* following the great ritual) without any reduction in control. Subsequent tails grant them unique abilities based on the circumstances and they seem to rarely loose their capacity to gain new skills and abilities.

This only gets them to just below zeta level in terms of power, but it is still an unimaginable increase in a very short period of time. What is more every time they gain a new tail their power is multiplied in a similar fashion, allowing for them to rapidly gain exponential gains.

It is almost akin to a reward for their initial weakness and most Kitsune will usually gain five or six tails before they are unable to progress further, will stop them at either a strong delta level or a medium gamma level.

This is already enough by most standards, but it is after this stage that the Kitsune start to see massive returns on their exponential power growth, ensuring that many are trying constantly to break the barrier and grow into the higher levels of tail.

(OOC note: This is what tail corresponds to which level of strength. It's represented by psychic multiplier, which is what is tripled each time.)

1 tail: 0.5\* (low-mid iota)

2 tail: 1.5\* (upper eta)

3 tail: 4.5\* (High zeta)

4 tail: 13.5\* (Upper Epsilon)

5 tail: 40.5\* (Upper delta)

6 tail: 121.5\* (upper-mid gamma)

7 tail: 364.5\* (top range beta)

8 tail: 1095.5\* (Mid range alpha)

9 tail: 3289.5\* (top range alpha/low alpha +)

10 tail: 9841.5\* (Mid alpha +)

## History

As mentioned the Kitsune are a nine million year old race that are native warp entities, but due to an unspecified incident in the past moved into reality and seem to have preferred living here ever since. The specifics are unclear, however given the long standing bad blood between them and the Fae it is likely that the mischievous “fair folk” had a hand in it.

The Kitsune’s history is almost impossible for them to fully trace as they’ve never had the kind of “people” that is usual. While they do possess communities they are small, with a majority of their species on the move at any one time preventing that kind of accumulation, when combined with their generally low numbers.

However, they are frequently recorded by other Avernite peoples and oftentimes a hero or villain appearing out of nowhere with strange powers will be a disguised Kitsune, at least in recent years.

This history is incredibly fragmented, but with the eldar’s reasonable breadth of coverage amongst the Peoples and the records of some like the Trolls the general story of deeds can come forth, alongside that of the legendary nine tail.

## Culture

With a species that lacks almost any form of centralisation, a unified culture is also impossible to establish as most Kitsune will instead absorb aspects of the local people’s society. However, they *do* have certain stereotypes in how they interact with others that let outsiders see somewhat into their mentality, forming a kind of pseudo culture.

### Trickster

First is the Trickster. A common child archetype, but rare as an adult. Trickster Kitsune generally play pranks on other peoples. This is either a compulsion or training during youth, with those tricks generally being rather small in scale and are rarely more than annoyances. At worst, these games are distractions while the Kitsune steals something of value, possibly in an attempt to gain their second tail.

Older Kitsune who remain tricksters can engage in far more deadly games, but most seem to remain “playing” with others. With knowledge of what to look for, we can positively identify several previously unknown Avernite entities suspected of playing or protecting children in several Avernite cities as Kitsune.

### Protector

Second is the Protector. This is one of the two largest archetypes and can be divided into two subcategories, the “hidden” and the “communal.” Both of them share the same general life style, the Kitsune settling down to guard an area of impressive beauty. These beings will somehow “bond” with the area. We have no idea of the specifics of the link, but it appears to be reciprocal, with the Kitsune receiving benefits directly alongside the area.

Protectors tend to form communities of Kitsune around these places, making them the closest thing they have to settlements, although their numbers are never high enough to truly fit into that category.

What determines a site to bond too is similarly unclear. They are usually places of natural beauty, but not always and there is seemingly no correlation to places of great power that naturally occur on Avernus, such as Arcane Fulcrums. The eldar think that there might be something about their bond which allows Avernus to create new natural wonders, but at present it is as great of a mystery to them as us.

The difference that we can be certain of is in a Protector communities decision to be known to the Peoples or not.

Hidden Shrines are usually deep in the bush, and can only be stumbled upon by explorers. Because of how hard it is to find them due to the Kitsune’s abilities, we cannot be entirely confident what the effect is, but some of the eldar have mentioned that those shrines seemed more primal.

Community Shrines are instead within or near the settlements of other Peoples. Due to the Kitsune’s power and presence its not uncommon for People to flock to them and from their protection start to establish themselves. The Kitsune themselves seem happy with this arrangement as they gain access to goods they can’t make themselves, and something “almost like faith.”

In places with a Communal Shrine, it is common for People to come and show respect to the Shrine either through spoken word or donation if they are more enthusiastic. Eldar priests have said very emphatically this is not faith as is seen in Gods, but it does produce power. This power does not go to the Kitsune directly, instead it is seemingly taken into the land itself. Whether it trickles to the Kitsune afterwards is unclear.

Interviews with Peoples who live around Shrines do say that in times of need the Kitsune protectors can draw upon seemingly endless reserves of power, indicating that the Shrines somehow store psychic strength until it is needed.

### Adventurer

The third Adventurers. A sufficiently nebulous category, Adventurers is a term that can be applied to a majority of the Kitsune races that is old enough to not be a child, travels too much to be a trickster, does not belong to a shrine and isn't a devourer. As such Adventurers are the other major archetype of the Kitsune races and are the one a People is most likely to directly meet, although whether they are aware of it is another matter.

Adventurers seem motivated primarily by the thrill of exploration and interesting sites or people, usually disguising themselves to better integrate with a community. Due to their often risk defying nature they tend to have (on average) a higher number of tails than their protector cousins, but lack the large power reserves granted by a Shrine.

What is so difficult (or troubling) about Adventurers is that they can often be almost anyone due to their extremely potent illusion abilities. However, many of those interviewed seem to prefer to be bards or musicians when they disguise themselves, giving a possible indicator.

It is not perfect however. For example delving back through reports it seems our first contact with Kitsune of any kind was around three hundred years ago when the Cavers Guild listed that two of its members had grown “fox ears and tails” amongst its “strange mutations” back log. Further inquiries showed that they had not grown them, the Kitsune pair had revealed their true nature during a delve in order to drive off an especially dangerous Wailing Fear. The identities of the pair were not divulged even when asked for, save that they are no longer current members. The Guild confirmed that some Kitsune were current members, but identification of who they were was also denied.

Some Adventurers do not bother to hide their identities at all and are often part of Avernite adventuring bands, many growing extremely powerful as they age.

### Devourers

The fourth and final minor archetype are Devourers. These are Kitsune who for whatever reason have feasted on the souls of others, which prompts marked changes in their psychology and physiology.

First a significant increase in total power based upon the number of tails.

Second, a seeming inability to gain more tails.

Third an addiction to consume additional souls.

Fourth marked decrease in empathy and other sociopathic traits.

Fifth major amplification of other strong emotions such as anger or sadness.

Sixth, over a period of time deterioration of all attributes due to a type of true death typically associated with an overly large soul.

In short, the Kitsune will gain power, but turn almost into an entire different being, one doomed to die by its own burgeoning power.

Devourers exemplify short term potency, with even a three or four tail gaining enough power to contest foes significantly more powerful than them. However, their deteriorating mental state and exploding souls ensure they do not live long. The only way to stave off death is to devour more and more souls, something which their new addiction encourages. However, there eventually comes a time when it is impossible to consume enough to retain stability.

Due to their extremely hostile nature, all Avernites know to hunt down Devourers, and other Kitsune will marshal significant resources to try and bring one down. Becoming one is understandably forbidden amongst their people, being one of their few universal rules and one of the only things that can cause them to execute each other.

The only time it is apparently ever justified is as a last stand during incursions when the only option remaining is to take as many daemons with them as possible.

## Relationships

### Position on Avernus

Kitsune are treated cautiously by most Avernites. Their childhood forms are usually seen as good luck charms (if annoying ones), while their shrines can often be found at the core of long term Avernite settlements.

However, it is their highest evolutions, the Nine and Ten Tails that are generally regarded with the greatest awe, and deepest fear.

Every tail after the 5th is significantly more difficult to obtain, until the seventh and eighth require actions that would the capstone of another’s entire life. The ninth can be found only in an action of incredible magnitude, such as the defeat of several honoured daemons in single combat.

At the point of the ninth, between their unique skills, experience and vast power, are some of the most individually dangerous beings on Avernus, although there are never more than a handful of them in existence at anyone time.

#### The Ten Tails

However, there has only ever been a single ten tail, who earned it defeating Aetaos'rau'keres, first by enraging the ancient Lord of Change with a single syllable of its true name, before baiting it into a running battle that last the entire incursion. Her victory should have been an astounding change, perhaps even the start of a new era for Avernus...but the servants of the God of Fate are as spiteful as they are cruel.

The Slayer of Souls with its last breath, tore itself asunder as it cast one final curse loaded with all its malice, banishing itself from the materium and nearly ensuring its own permanent demise as it reached out to end the Ten Tail’s life. At the moment of triumph as the Incursion began to end it cast her mind into madness, compelling her to devour another’s soul.

The incursion ended and in its place was left an even greater threat. The kind of beast that should exist upon Avernus only within the Abyss.

With the end of the incursion, the chains of the Old Ones snapped back into place once more, as the Ten Tails, Tomeno Mai began their rampage, their power now equal to the Great Ones and their skill unchanged by the madness that gripped their soul.

The Ancient One began their chase, but although implacable, once again their speed proved an impediment as the Ten Tailed Fox escaped them every time, as they glutted themselves on entire civilisations.

In the end it came to an alliance of the Peoples. The Trolls, the Sirens and the Termites organised them together, as a champion emerged to place themselves in the fallen heroine’s path, The failed Great One, the Eternal.

Unleashing the bright light of their core, the Eternal was an irresistible delicacy to the demented Kitsune who focused upon them instantly, as the Peoples of Avernus waited to spring their ambush.

The Eternal gazed upon Tomeno Mai and anchored itself to the ground with all their might as the ferocious monster attacked with force to split a World asunder as the Peoples of Avernus sprang their ambush, the weapons of the Termites, the Runes of the Sirens and the Transmutations of the Trolls binding it slightly, even as they were consumed in their millions for their transgressions.

The Eternal lunged forwards, pinning the Kitsune to the ground, the indestructible metal that formed their body groaning under the pressure placed on it by the Ten Tails writhing form, as the dying King of War, called upon the World itself for succor!

And the World, answered the Troll. Below the Kitsune opened a great maw of earth, a chasm that led down to the Abyss. The pit into which the Eternal threw the twisted fox, trapping them below the earth and within the care of the Radiance.

Victory had been achieved, but at a steep cost. An incursion had been deflected, but toll upon the peoples in the aftermath made it seem almost insignificant, while one of their greatest heroes had been taken just at the moment of their triumph.

What has come of Tomeno Mai within the Abyss is a mystery to all, save the Great Ones and the Ancient One. It is hoped that the World is attempting to repair their broken mind, but many scoff and condemn them as merely one more of the prisoners kept within that nightmare realm.

### Humans/Eldar

The Kitsune were discovered/confirmed by Eldar explorers, who stumbled across the Hidden Shrine of a Protector commune, concealed in Lindon’s deeper forests. Seemingly the Kitsune were perfectly amiable and at a request of coordination were happy to accept, but are not interested in having much else to do with humanity. It seems our xenophobic tendencies convinced them that trying to do much with us was a task doomed to failure.

However, there are several Kitsune that have been found in and around human Avernus, the aforementioned Cavers and a few more typical Adventurers and Tricksters. With renewed human interest in things like the Nyne under cities, a few Kitsune are apparently considering requesting permission to start shrines within a few of our cities, but are holding off for now.

In sum there seem to be at least a few hidden shrines in every region of Avernus we’ve found, with populations ranging from the low tens to the high hundreds.

There are more Kitsune to be found amongst the various peoples, with the Mountain Trolls having a communal Shrine near what passes for their capital, as well as the Deep Wood Fairies.

Ranging out to wider Avernus this trend continues, especially on the other continent where even more peoples seem to make permanent residence.

So far the Eldar have contacted two of the currently ten, nine tailed Kitsune alive. The first who is the main caretaker of the Searing City’s Shrine is organising meetings with the rest of their peers, while the other who is an Adventurer has volunteered her significant power to helping the Eldar fight off of Avernus. At least in part this seems to be out of a desire to reach ten tails herself and dispel the “shame” of Tomeno Mai.