Kirin

Created by the fire god Ignacio, the Kirin is one of Hireath’s equines, and was originally native to Eithne. Kirins were completely extinct until spring 1700, when the first kirin child in a millennia was born in Aodh. Afterwards, hundreds began appearing out of thin air all across Hireath.

## Biology

Kirins are a species of equine easily recognized from their antlers and scales. They have an innate resistance to fire and heat, and like all Hireath equines, are born with telekinesis.

### **Physical Attributes**

The most obvious trait of any kirin is the presence of scales - all kirins have them, however minimal. Scales may cover any amount of the body, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors; some kirins even have color changing scales. The toughness of a kirin scale varies depending on thickness and placement - bendy spots tend to have more elastic, less hard scales. Kirin scales have similar protective value as leather armor, but the seams between the scales are vulnerable. Scales can be cracked or torn off, but will grow back over time unless the entire area is scarred over.

All kirins have two antlers, which can be made of bone, keratin, metals or extremely hard glass - kirin antlers are very difficult to break. Antlers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, some even connecting to one another as they grow out. Kirins do not shed their antlers, and a broken antler will never grow back.

Kirins also have naturally sharp canines, with some even having a full set of carnivorous teeth. Despite their teeth, all kirins are vegetarian. Their other unique facial trait are their vertical, slit pupils, similar to a cat. Their pupils allow them to adapt quickly to changes in lighting. Like cats, their eyes shine in the dark.

Every kirin has cloven hooves, and a lion tail (or a reptilian tail, with rarity roll). A kirin’s tail may be fully haired, or terminate in a tassel. Kirin tails can be fully covered in scales, but must still have a tassel (without rarity roll).

Kirins are potentially the hairiest of Hireath’s equines, and can naturally sport extra hair almost anywhere on their body; most commonly along their spine, down on their chest and belly, and on their fetlocks. Some kirins have no additional hair at all.

### **Life Cycle**

Kirins are born with soft, delicate scales that will harden over the first few hours of life. Scales do not change in any significant way throughout the kirins life; the pattern present at birth will be retained throughout their lives. Antlers will begin to sprout between 10 and 14 months old, but usually only reach their full size after puberty. The antler nubs will be extremely itchy as they break through skin, and itchiness may return during puberty when the antlers grow to full size.

Kirins molt throughout their lifetime, but it's not a dramatic affair. Rather than shedding all at once, they lose individual scales one at a time, which are quickly replaced by tougher, more vibrant scales. Shedding in adults is only really noticeable if the scales are damaged, or the kirin is very sick. A healthy adult’s complete molt takes 2-3 years, and usually happens about seven years apart. In children and young teens, molting is more obvious due to its frequency and quickness. Young kirins may have a “patchy” appearance due to molting.

Dropped (or torn off) kirin scales are dull in color, similar to the shed skin of a snake.

### **Fire Immunity**

All kirins are born with a complete immunity to heat, whether natural or magical. They do not sweat or dehydrate easily, and while they can perceive heat, they can not be harmed even by extreme temperatures. To a kirin, extreme heat tends to feel pleasant and somewhat tingly. They can even survive direct contact with lava, although they can still be harmed by the weight and force of the molten rock - just not the heat.

The heat resistance of the kirins is a gift from Ignacio, and innate to the kirin itself, rather than a property of their skin or scales. Molted kirin scales, or other kirin parts are not fireproof, and will not protect their wielder from heat or flame. The kirin’s heat resistance also does not extend to anything the kirin is wielding or holding.

As the flipside of their fire immunity, kirins are susceptible to cold and experience hypothermia much easier than other equines. Their bodies have a miserable time adapting to places like Onea.

## God's War

Every kirin brought into Starborn Alignment is a reincarnation of a kirin that died during the God’s War; the only exceptions are kirins born in game. All kirins participated in the God’s War regardless of their morals, skills or personality, but they do not know why. Kirins are not aware of the mechanics of the poisoned bond, or the bond’s existence, nor do they know how and why they are back.

***Characters in-game are not aware of the following information.***

When a god walks the earth, they form a bond with their people - a connection of the soul where thoughts, motivations and ideals are shared and reinforced. As the kirins grew prideful of their accomplishments and all they had to offer the world, this pride was felt through the bond, and reflected by Ignacio as a god’s undying love. That pride would be cycled between mortal and creator, reinforced and growing stronger with every passing year, until pride became elitism, and elitism turned to the ravenous need to destroy the perceived imperfections of their world. The gods refer to this gradual build of negative feelings and the resulting involuntary madness as a poisoned bond.

Ignacio and his kirins became victims to the poisoning and, unable to escape the violent thoughts that ravaged their minds like a virus, they marched upon Hireath. From the eldest Herald, to the most delicate Master, to the smallest child - every kirin packed and abandoned Valore with a single-minded purpose to conquer and reconstruct Hireath in their image. As the war progressed, so did the seeping poison in their minds, until all kirins were pulled into the fighting. With their minds and hearts eroded, there was no room for empathy, for pity, for compassion; the gentle nature of each and every kirin was snuffed beneath a desire that bid them to commit atrocities.

Unable to destroy the poisoned bond without destroying one of its hosts, the gods chose to eradicate the kirins in hopes that Ignacio would regain himself. They succeeded.

### Resurrection; Return to Hireath

Centuries later, Ignacio sought to revive his children. The gods cannot create new life without the cooperation of the entire pantheon, but after a repentant Kaia discovered Ignacio's plans, the two gods were able to bring back the kirins whose souls remained bound to Hireath.

Knowing that it was dangerous to gather the kirins in Eithne, Kaia designated that the reincarnations should be isolated to the other continents, where they could integrate into the other herds and learn to love their non-kirin fellows, and in turn the gods of Sky, Arcane and Water would love them as well; it is compulsory for a star to adore the mortals who inhabit their lands.

Trusting in his sister's judgement and eager to help his children adapt to their new lives (and not be burdened by the old), Ignacio tore the memories of each soul into paltry fragments. Most kirins were lucky to remember more than their name.

### God's War in Character Creation

* The God’s War lasted ten years. A kirin who lived to see the end of it would have spent ten years under the complete influence of the bond.
	+ A player character may be a reincarnation from any point during the God’s War; most kirins died in the Smothering.
* All kirins amassed in Valore when the war began, and then marched out to Sirith. Eithne lay completely abandoned until the kirins were pushed back and destroyed.
* All kirins participated in the atrocities. No kirin is innocent of the genocide the kirins committed; even small children would work to kill enemy wounded.
	+ Kirins were not capable of questioning the sense or justification of their actions.
* Although kirins were still capable of strategy, tending to their wounded and acting according to their training, they were consumed by their need to change Hireath. Their culture, in many regards, ceased to truly exist when they marched to war.
* Kirins did take prisoners and accept “alliances” from non-kirins. These equines were used as cannon-fodder in fights and for manual labor outside them. Kirins were not capable of bonding with them, befriending them or showing them basic empathy - their help was only accepted because it was practical.

#### Rough Timeline of the War

690 - Poisoned bond takes over, the kirins muster in Eithne, prepare for war and march out towards the end of the year

690-692 - Majority of the fighting in Sirith; the capital falls relatively quickly, but the war continues

693 - Argus explodes, kirins begin to retreat

694 - Minor skirmishing around Hireath; the other gods reach out to Ignacio, discussions in the Starscape

695 - Campaign in Onea begins

697 - Alya and her pegasi join in the war

698 - After a year of war the kirins are forced to retreat, fighting all the way back to Eithne

700 - A few days into the new year, the Smothering takes place, and the kirins are destroyed. Gods leave Hireath soon after

## Kirins as Player Characters

All ancient kirins come into the world via ‘pop-in’ resurrection. This is a sudden, violent burst of energy that pulls the kirin into existence. This can happen anywhere on Hireath, and within the borders of any faction. Kirins will not appear anywhere wildly uninhabitable (such as over large bodies of water), and are most likely to appear near habitation or gatherings. Player kirins may have reincarnated any time after summer 1700, but no earlier.

All kirins except Aodhian and Heralds start as Outcasts, and must acquire a rank. Due to being new arrivals in modern Hireath, and generally distrusted by other herds, kirins will often have a hard time securing higher ranks within their new herds. Aodhian kirins start out as Commoners, Chevaliers, Courtesans, Sanctum Attendants or Champions (Commoners being the baseline; other ranks assume the kirin has been reincarnated for at least a few months - freshly reincarnated kirins should still start as Commoner). Heralds may start in any open Heralds of Ash rank. Kirins may not have popped up in Aodh prior to late spring 1701.

### **Ancient Kirin Society**

Ancient kirin society is shrouded in mystery to the modern equine, but with their memories restored, kirins themselves can remember their past lives within their own culture.

The modern misconception is that ancient kirins lived in a society not unlike modern Aodh - capitalist, classist and predisposed to hedonism. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

***Remember that non-kirins are not aware of any of this information.***

### **Born Blessed**

Ancient kirins may only be born blessed by Ignacio, and any devotion to other gods must be learned from other herds. For more on ancient kirin blessings, see here.

### **Using Ignacio in Backstories**

When the kirins last walked Hireath, Ignacio walked among them. The god's tangible presence provided the kirins insight, and Ignacio’s direct guidance offered their society direction. Ignacio would intervene with their daily life in many ways; both to bless and guide them, and to keep them in line.

Following are possible in a kirin’s backstory:

* Being blessed by Ignacio, either in person or by prayer
* Having had their sex changed by Ignacio, on request (for kirins experiencing body dysmorphia)
* Have a child granted to them by Ignacio, on request; or being a child granted by Ignacio
* Meeting Ignacio in person, receiving his guidance (especially for Heralds)

* Being Invocated by Ignacio to join the Dragon Hoplites or another rank (children only; rare - please consult Denver first)

If you have something else in mind, or wish to have a scene with more detail, please consult with Denver first! Gods can not be roleplayed by members, even in backstories.

### **Memories**

Before King Soleil restored the memories of all kirins in spring 1701, every reincarnated kirin suffered from near-complete memory loss in regards to their past life. Most kirins only remembered their name and age.

All kirins now remember everything about their former lives, expect for their corruption and poisoned bond. Kirins who ‘pop-in’ after spring 1701 automatically have all their memories. If your kirin reincarnated before Soleil restored the memories of the kirin-kind, here’s a list of what they could have remembered:

**Common things your kirin could have remembered**

* that they died, perhaps violently (but not how)
* their previous monarch, King Soleil
* the name and appearance of family members, lovers, and friends
* the nature of aforementioned relationships
* the city of Old Valore, now known as The Bones (but not its destruction)
* Dragon Hoplites and Physicians can recall the ancient wyverns (but not individual ones)
* Heralds can recall that the Gods walked the earth, and that the Herald themself had a relationship with Ignacio

**Rare things your kirin could have remembered**

* Gods walked the earth (not rare for Heralds)
* Your character had a personal relationship with Ignacio, in the flesh (not rare for Heralds)
* That they were destroyed by the other gods during the Smothering
* That they declared war on Hireath
* That they were not in control of their actions when they declared war on Hireath
* The atrocities committed during the God’s War
* Their previous rank in Ancient Kirin Society
* Dragon Hoplites and Physicians can remember individual ancient wyverns, including their partner for the former.

### Xenophobia

All kirins are predisposed to xenophobia in varying degrees and manifestations. They may fear the other breeds, find them quaint, be politely bemused at their appearance/customs, feel a desire to ‘study’ them, or outright supremacy, to name a few. Completely unbiased kirins are not possible; a kirin must work to overcome their xenophobia.

## Creation Rules:

### The Kirin always:

* is modeled after any breed or mixture of breeds from real life. This includes other non horse equines such as quaggas and donkeys)
* comes in natural colors, but they can have minor unnatural markings. No geometrical markings or leopard spots, please!
* has scales, which can be as minimal as a dorsal stripe or can completely cover the kirin. They can be based off of real reptiles or made up
* have two antlers, which can be made of bone, keratin, metals, and/or extremely sturdy glass. Antlers can come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some antlers connect with one another as the kirin grows them out. Antlers must have tines, which can be decorative and stylized.
* possess cloven hooves
* have a lion tail; this may be a classic lionel tail that terminates in a tassel, or entirely covered in hair.
* have vertical (slit) pupils capable of dilating dramatically
* possess sharp canine teeth, or an entire mouth of carnivorous chompers. The latter makes it a bit difficult for them to eat, though!

### The Kirin can:

* have a whole lot of hair. Most kirins are prone to strips of hair down the spine, belly, chin, neck, and fetlocks.

* have eyes that are any hue, and are permitted to be gradient or bi-colored.
* have dewclaws
* have a reptilian/dragon tail instead of a lion tail (with rarity roll)
* have "whiskers" on their muzzle (with rarity roll)

### The Kirin can **not**:

* have a normal horse tail or hooves
* have a false unicorn horn (all antlers must be **tined**)
* be completely scaleless
* have more than two antlers
* have antlers anywhere other than their head
* burn. All kirins are immune to fire, with no exceptions

### Rarity Rolls

A rarity roll enables the creation of a kirin reincarnated with two or more souls in one body. The souls can be equally present, switch places, or have a dominant individual. The souls are distinct: you are playing two (or more) people sharing a body, and should think of them more like conjoined twins as opposed to "multiple personalities". Some of the souls may be a non-kirin on a reincarnated kirin hybrid, but a kirin soul will always be present. Only Kirin hybrids may have non-kirin souls present.

A rarity roll also enables the creation of a kirin with a dragon or reptilian tail, with or without hair. The tail may end in a spade if dragon tail is used. Tail may be smooth, covered in scales or anything in between. Kirins do not develop frills.

Rarity roll kirins may also develop “whiskers” on their muzzles. These may be smooth (similar to catfish or traditional qilin), hairy or a combination thereof. They may not be feathered.