Kitsune

## Traits

The Foxes were created just after the Fourth Age.

Thus, they were never part of controlling humanity by force as other shifters were. Because of this, their Koto (Crinos) form does not invoke the Delirium, leading werefoxes to be very careful to hide this form from mortals. Accidents do happen, though, and slips throughout the ages have led to the legends of terrifying, magical foxes prevalent throughout Asia.

The Nine-tails enter the Umbra as easily as Garou.

Kitsune rely heavily upon their magical strength and versatility. Not only are they able to learn potent Gifts of their own but can easily learn the Gifts of other Changing Breeds as well, as long as they have a teacher for the Gift. The experience cost is the same as for a non-breed/auspice/tribal Gift. (See Merit: Fox Magic)

Kitsune frenzy, but always as a fox frenzy: they were never meant to be berserkers.

## Healing and Combat

Kitsune lack the regenerative abilities of the Garou. Without healing Gifts they heal damage just like ordinary mortals. In effect, all non-bashing damage is counted as lethal damage, making the Nine-tails likely to avoid combat whenever possible, but also making it easier to heal them with healing Gifts. They may still soak damage at the usual difficulty rate from many aggravated sources — such as a Kuei-jin’s claws and teeth — in the same manner as Garou.

As children of Bai Mianxi, who received her calling from Luna, werefoxes may attempt to soak damage from silver (difficulty 8). Any damage not soaked is lethal. Otherwise, silver affects them just as it does Garou.

Because they lack regenerative abilities, avoiding being damaged is a high Kitsune priority. Kitsune receive one extra dot in Dexterity for free during character creation. Further, Kitsune cannot botch Athletics rolls to dodge in combat.

When in Koto or Juko form, Kitsune’s teeth do aggravated damage.

## Tails of Longevity

Werefoxes have the advantage of a long lifespan. Whenever a Kitsune goes up in rank (except when advancing to Yakan), her potential lifespan doubles. This leads to Kitsune elders being quite venerable, even though the Breed as a whole is a young one.

With each rise in rank Kitsune also gain another tail. A Fox with nine tails (of whom there has been only one — Bai Mianxi) is, for all intents and purposes, immortal. Kitsune gain a new tail only when they acquire new rank, though the lack of tails may be hidden or covered up with lies. Most of the time, the tails are not visible. A Kitsune may hide or reveal his tails by making a Gnosis roll versus the local Gauntlet.

## Renown

Foxes that do not subscribe to the hengeyokai Way of Emerald Virtue value Chie (Cunning), Toku (Honor), and Kagayaki (akin to Glory) Renown.

## Backgrounds and Abilities

Kitsune have no new Abilities essential to creating characters, but for a Kitsune-oriented game, Storytellers may choose to introduce Calligraphy and Origami as Hobby Abilities. These abilities are respected as art forms throughout the Eastern world, and can make life far easier for Fox sorcerers (see Ju-Fu, p. 135).

Werefoxes may purchase the Backgrounds of Ancestors, Fetish, Resources, and Rites without any modifications. They may buy Totem if they are a part of a sentai or wish a personal totem. The Kitsune are (literally) a Breed unto themselves — regardless of whether they are part of the Emerald Court or not, they are different enough that Garou and other Changing Breeds cannot recognize the superlative heritage of each and every member of the Breed. Thus, Pure Breed is both redundant and useless Background for Kitsune; they cannot take it. Additionally, they have a somewhat unique take on Allies, Contacts, Kinfolk, and Mentor as described below:

**Batsu:** Batsu are the Kitsune’s allies, his friends and cohorts who stand by him and assist him when needed. To a werefox, his Batsu defines who he is and what he stands for. This takes the place of the Allies Background, and most Kitsune will have at least three dots in Batsu.

**Clan:** Rather than having a Kinfolk Background, the Nine-tails have Clan: a group of family, Kin, and friends who know the truth about the werefoxes and their grand purpose. While many members of a Kitsune’s Clan are likely to be Kinfolk, others are chosen with great care from outside of direct family lines.

**Go-en:** This is a network of minor contacts the Kitsune maintains. Rather than relying on one important contact for information, the werefoxes prefer to have several possible sources handy for a variety of situations. Kitsune may make Contacts rolls to find someone to aid them in any given endeavor at a Difficulty of 5, rather than 7.

**Sempai:** This is the equivalent of Mentor, but a Kitsune is just as likely to have a group of hengeyokai as patrons, as he is to have a single individual. A Sempai can be an aunt or uncle (or both), a Kitsune parent, court sentai (group) who adopt the Kit as a mascot, or a Gai’nan (a ranking court official in the hengeyokai courts). A Sempai may simply assist the Kitsune in reaching her potential or may be grooming her for a specific task or duty.

• Kiko or Iron Rank official; an inexperienced or very distant sentai.

•• Koryo or Steel Rank official; a moderately accessible, experienced sentai.

••• Reiko or Gold Rank hengeyokai; an influential courtier, accessible and quite capable.

•••• A Five-tailed Fox; a Gai’nan; a powerful, friendly sentai.

••••• A Fox with Six or more tails; Gai’nan to an important court; a legendary sentai.

## Breeds

Kitsune have three breeds: the human-born (kojin), the animal-born (roko), and the metis (shinju).

### Kojin

Kojin are human-born Kitsune. Although they may be of mixed blood, they always possess at least some Asian ancestry. Most are raised by extended family members, due to the loss of one or both parents at birth. Hyperactive as children, kojin grow into slender, clever, and manipulative adults, as might be expected of Foxes.

While most shifters remain unaware of their destiny until their First Change, kojin know that they are different before they are even able to speak. Even as children most are aloof and self-absorbed, certain that they are more than they appear to be and equally certain that this is a grand mystery they are meant to uncover. This leads to a great curiosity about the world around them and the secrets it might contain.

A kojin’s First Change is often traumatic, but the Kitsune usually bounces back very quickly. After all, she has always known she was somehow special and now has the proof to justify her arrogance.

***Beginning Gnosis:*** 3

***Starting Gifts:*** Persuasion, Seduction, Smell of Man

### Roko

Roko are fox-born Kitsune. Often, the parent (assuming both do not die when the kit is born) places their vulpine offspring with normal foxes so the kit can be raised in a more natural environment.

Many roko experience difficult childhoods either due to having only one parent to care for them (if one dies when they are born) or because numerous predators hunt foxes (if they are raised by normal foxes).

Nonetheless, they are usually insatiably curious and show great glee when they undergo their First Change. The discovery of hands and a two-legged form is often a delight. Human form gives them even more opportunities to undergo new experiences and allows them to get into more trouble than ever before.

Inveterate wanderers, roko love to see new places and discover novel things.

***Beginning Gnosis:*** 5

***Starting Gifts:*** Burrow, Cricket Leap, Heightened Senses

### Shinju

The shinju are metis Kitsune. Among the Kitsune, metis birth is not considered a curse. They do not have deformities, but if a Fox-Fox pairing produces a child there is only a ten percent chance they will produce a shinju shifter; most such offspring are normal foxes or humans.

Shinju children are born at a higher cost than nonshinju: one (or both) of the Fox parents is very likely to die.

Raised in the court of their parents, shinju kits learn their grand destiny early. Their heads swelled by tales of the greatness that is theirs, many become insufferably arrogant and absolute perfectionists — even more so than their kojin or roko relations.

***Beginning Gnosis:*** 4

***Starting Gifts:*** Scent of the True Form, Sense Wyrm, Truth of Gaia

## Paths

The Paths of the Kitsune constitute both a profession and something of a sacred calling. They are not determined by the sun, moon, or the Kitsune’s time of birth, but are chosen by each Fox as she gains her first rank. When a young Kitsune reaches her Nogitsune-time, she is given the Rite of the Crossroads by a more experienced Ninetails. The element the young werefox chooses at this time determines what Path she will follow. Unlike other hengeyokai, Kitsune cannot undergo the Rite of the Second Face, since the Rite of the Crossroads (if performed correctly) reveals her true essence and thus her life-choice.

### Kataribe (kah-tah-ree-bay)

Corresponding to clay, this Path is made up of builders and doers. Like a potter, the Kataribe make many things that aid the other Nine-tails. They are in contrast to the Doshi and Eji, who practice selective destruction as parts of their Paths.

Along with a love of crafted goods, the Kataribe particularly love knowledge, thus earning them the moniker of shijin, or poet. They spend much time collecting lore from around the world, learning stories, songs and poetry and weaving them together into a tapestry of information. The shijin spend time with court historians as well as the Zhong Lung to avail themselves of the ancient history known to these shen. These Kitsune are in particular accord with the Beast Courts and most Kitsune on the Way of Emerald Virtue are Kataribe. They get along well with both other shen and with humans.

***Initial Rage:*** 2

***Starting Gifts:*** Beast Speech, Fable, Truth of Gaia

### Gukutsushi (goo-koots-shee)

The dreamweavers correspond to the element of Kiri, fog. This is a difficult Path for outsiders to understand, combining the way of the trickster — with their mastery of the mind and illusion — and the role of a physician or healer. They bring solace to the suffering and take delight in deceiving those who prove needful of such tricks. Their skills are less physical than the other Paths, but Gukutsushi can use their mind-bending skills to devastating effect against foes. The illusions they cast, and the tricks they play on their enemies’ minds can be devastating in or out of battle. Their knowledge of both human and shen psychology is unsurpassed and they have honed their own minds into both keen weapons and tools for insightful analysis.

***Initial Rage:*** 2

***Starting Gifts:*** Clear the Mind, Mother’s Touch, Open Seal

### Doshi (doh-shee)

The sorcerers’ element is Inazuma: lightning. Masters of magic and spirit communication, their path is one of shadow, as is evidenced by the betraying hint of Yomi within them. On a successful use of Sense Wyrm at difficulty 9, the Doshi detect as slightly Wyrm-tainted.

Doshi believe that evil itself can be a powerful weapon against evil and will enslave Banes or use magic thought of as tainted, if they believe it necessary for a greater good. Their knowledge of the Centipede and its minions is vast and they utilize this advantage to great effect. Their dark Path forces the Doshi to distance themselves from other Kitsune and shen; many live alone in abandoned areas such as old monasteries, temples, and the like. This solitude, along with the fact that they are sometimes looked down on by the rest of their kind, often leads the sorcerers toward cynicism and inhumanity. Of all the Kitsune, they are the most likely to fall to the Centipede’s clutches. However, as they will explain to any who will listen, there is no success without risk and no victory without the possibility of defeat.

***Initial Rage:*** 3

***Starting Gifts:*** Blessing the Blade, Sense Magic, Spirit Speech

### Eji (ay-jee)

The warrior Kitsune are those associated with Yogan: the element of lava. They are the holy warriors — or s¯ohei — of the Nine-tails, as strong as the earth and as ferocious as fire. Eji consider themselves surgeons cutting away any “cancers” that threaten the Emerald Mother. They are not ravening beasts; Eji display great respect for life, even as they take it. They will go out of their way to protect the innocent and to right wrongs done against the just and good, but when someone pollutes the world, the Eji find no difficulty in performing a neat and swift execution. They will battle and kill bakemono, crazed Kuei-jin, or Banes, almost without thought or emotion.

In human guise, they often appear as adventurers, daredevils, or religious figures who encourage others to strive for the best — even as they secretly remove those who infecting the Emerald Mother with impurity, weakness, or depravity.

***Initial Rage:*** 4

***Starting Gifts:*** Razor Claws, Resist Pain, Sense Hostility