Yaoupo

### Religion

Court of the Dragons, Luangese folk religion, Yaoupo Paganism, Yunya Paganism, Gremalist

### Language

Kianic, Tu, Yunyaese, Aro'ak, Thiphandoric, Luganese, Sylvic

## Common Phenotypes

### Average height

*Female*: 175 cm (5'9")
*Male*: 168 cm (5'6")

The **Yaoupo** or the **Fox People** are a shapeshifting humanoid race of fox people that live primarily in the lands of southeastern Arenica. Their major population centers include the nations of Tanûleng, which is home to the largest Yaoupo population,

## Etymology

*Yaoupo* literally means "*Fox People*" in the Kianic language, and is widely accepted to have been used by the three main groups of these people. In Thiphandoric, the collective term for these people is known as the *Phakci* deriving from the word "Fox" and "People". the Yunyapo does not use this collective term, and refer to their people as the "*Yeumipo*" in the Yunyaese language.

## Description

Yaoupo usually take on the form of a being that looks extremely similar to that of a Mountain Elf or a human, with the exception of showing their fox ears and many tails that appear behind them. Previously, many of them would take up more ferral fox looking forms due to their lack of communication with the outside world, but had since changed up their appearances to fit more in line with the cultures that migrated to their home.

Yaoupo can grow up to be around 5'6 for males, and 5'9 for females, making them no less taller than average human heights. Yaoupo tails can also vary, with each tail representing a different type of caste. The ones with seven or more tails are seen as nobility, and higher classed societal than others. Nine-Tails are rare, and are often seen as leaders of clans, while Ten-Tails are what the pagan Yaoupo would view as a divine, though no records indicate that a Yaoupo ever had ten-tails as of yet. According to old paganistic faiths, some of the more divine Yaoupo such as their creator gods, can grow infinite amounts of tails, which play an important part in their mythological backgrounds and origins. Yaoupo tails are known to be able to wrap around people, and thus have curvier, and more bushier tails.

Yaoupo can live an average 60 years, about twenty years shorter than humans, but some had been seen to grow to around 80 and even 90 years of age, but this is usually rare.

## Ethnic Groups

The Yaoupo namely have a distinctive culture group known as the Nanyankipo. There are in total three main groups that make up this family of groups, with their own distinctive sub-groups, but in general, have a same or similar culture to the primary group.

* Kianpo - The Kianpo is the largest group of the Yaoupo, being the most advanced in technological and political affairs. Have being the only one to had created their own state, the Kianpo had been fairly centralized in many of their affairs, and ruled their own small empire in the eastern portion of what is now Eastern Tanûleng. They are also one of the only known civilizations that are unambiguously matriarchal with many societal roles, norms and military positions were held by females, while men served more traditional societal norms as a woman in a patriarchal society. They are the ones who pride themselves to look more like Mountain Elves or Dai-Xiu.
	+ Nanya - The most populous sub-group out of the Kianpo, and in general, the Yaoupo, the Nanya proudly name themselves after the Nanyankipo, which in their language means the Original Peoples. The Nanya had their own independent Queendom known as the Queendom of Nanyan, which lasted until 1400TE where they would fall before the forces of King Hianyanon. Since, they had lived as subjects, and were not allowed to practice their traditions, and went through a process of Thiphandoriczation, with many of their institutions and structures being Thiphandoricized. Upon the collapse of Thiphandor, they would become independent once more, but would split into multiple Queendoms vying for power. They would be put under the Tanûleng around 102ETT, where they would be allowed to once more have their Queendom underneath the empire, with the Queensguard reforming, and were made citizens, being allowed to settle within the capital of Tanûrasa. Today, nobility of Nanya live as a minority within the capital.
	+ Huaewasa - The Huaewasa are well known for their blade and bow technique which is also known as the Huaewasa, an ancient technique which was practiced by the Nanyan Royal Guard as apart of the Queensguard. The Huaewasans are well respected by the Nanya for being honorable warriors, and loyal subjects of their queendom. The Tanûleng would recognize their services, and allowed them to serve as apart of the The Tanûlreth's Imperial Guard. The Huaewasa themselves live in the mountains, and is home to a large monastery that changed hands through faiths overtime, and is flexible.
	+ Kopi
	+ Celda
	+ Yeuna
	+ Bon
	+ Tusaya
	+ Cheoyen - A group that lives within the Kistello territory of Bordella (Western Fox Dragon Bay). They live alongside the inhabitants who immigrated to the region. The residents here are followers are a majority followers of the Court of the Dragons faith, though a minority follow the Gremelist faith.
* Tupo - The Tupo are known as the "Fisher Foxes", and are well known for fishing while in fox form, due to their wonderful swimming abilities. Many of them appear to be mostly in their elven or human form with their fox ears much like the Kianpo, but some will change to a more furrier fox form as well. Tupo are generally are considered a relaxed people, and have no interests in major warfare, more than often being more defensive about fishing spots being taken by foreigners or those that do not belong to a particular Tupo without permission. They are a rather communal society, and are the most welcoming fox people, being more cosmopolitan than Kianpo or Yunyapo. They are considered citizens of the empire, and a minority of them reside on the southern coastline of the capital of Old Qingyan.
	+ Sang - The Sang people are peoples who live within (cuppa's settlement). They are mostly known as the Sea Foxes, as they prefer fishing along the coastlines and living along the coast, and catch freshwater fish. They will sometimes engage with larger fish such as sharks. They live also in Tanûrasa as a minority along the southern coast of the Qingyan Lagoon.
	+ Gaja
	+ Song
* Yunyapo - Known as the cannibalistic peoples, the Yunyapo are extremely traditionalist, and reject the ways of their fellow brethren adopting cultures akin to the Thiphandorics, and resisted their invasions many times. They practice slavery, as they are outside of the bounds of Imperial Law, and had been doing so for decades, even after it was outlawed by it's successor state, the Tanûleng. Their cannibalism is apart of their ritualistic sacrifice to their faith, which is considered to be "consuming the corpses to gain more power", and is thought that this practice is the source of their strong physiques. They reject using the humanoid forms, and stick to their furry fox forms, although some will do so if they are forced to, or if they meet with someone out of respect of friendship. Much about the Yunyapo are unknown due to anyone trying to pick up on their culture, dying in the process. Their current population is unknown. Unlike Tupo and Kianpo, they are considered barbarians, and uncivilized, thus, do not have citizenship status within the Empire, since they live in isolation, and their practices. There does exist a small group of Yunyapo that had adopted customs of the Thiphandoric culture and the Court of the Dragons faith, but they are still discriminated against, by both their own kind and the Tanûleng respectively.
	+ Hunex
	+ Shani
	+ Gyun
	+ Tanta
	+ Huyu
	+ Shoo
	+ Oux

## Connection to other Fox Peoples

The Yaoupo are largely to have been believed to be the same species as the Lisow in Kalisow, who share extremely common traits among each other. However, there has been no supporting evidence they are related, or even to the matter that they have any relations with other fox species that dwell within the world. A large theory in this subject is currently disputed.