[center][h2][b][i][u][color=#FFC233]_[/color][color=#FFB630]_[/color][color=#FFAA2D]_[/color][color=#FF9F2A]_[/color][color=#FF9328]_[/color][color=#FF8725]_[/color][color=#FF7C22]_[/color][color=#FF7020]_[/color][color=#FF651D]_[/color][color=#FF591A]_[/color][color=#FF4D18]_[/color][color=#FF4215]_[/color][color=#FF3612]_[/color][color=#FF2A10]K[/color][color=#FF1F0D]i[/color][color=#FF130A]t[/color][color=#FF0808]s[/color][color=#FF130A]u[/color][color=#FF1F0D]n[/color][color=#FF2A10]e[/color][color=#FF3612]_[/color][color=#FF4215]_[/color][color=#FF4D18]_[/color][color=#FF591A]_[/color][color=#FF651D]_[/color][color=#FF7020]_[/color][color=#FF7C22]_[/color][color=#FF8725]_[/color][color=#FF9328]_[/color][color=#FF9F2A]_[/color][color=#FFAA2D]_[/color][color=#FFB630]_[/color][color=#FFC233]_[/color][/u][/i][/b][/h2][/center] [center][img]http://s60.radikal.ru/i167/1103/db/4514b7149e78.jpg[/img] [sub]Art work belongs to the respective artist, not myself, and I’m only using for representation [/sub][/center] [hider=Physiology] [u]Breeding[/u] Kitsune breeding methods slightly differ depending on their genders. Males tend to seek out pregnant females either by shape shifting into their lovers, husbands or desirable male the target finds sexually attractive. Females follow a similar route by shape shifting into a suitable form to become pregnant and seducing a male into bed where she drains him of a notable amount of vis, DNA, and produces a fetus within herself. While the infant, in either form, is developing the Kitsune splits off half their soul core and infuse it into the growing life. The core eventually infects and overcomes the fetus’ life over the next nine months, the newborn Kitsune finally formed and busting out from its mother into the world. With a human woman this process usually kills her since their system isn’t use to the shock, but a Kitsune mother will simply shudder and apply her shape shifting ability to recover from the damage. The latter will often move on with their lives, not staying to raise the helpless kit. [u] Pact [/u] Kitsune has developed the ability to cheat death in a unique way: though a pact created by another being and creating a shard. This tends to be either Licenti or human (usually a mage) as Prae tend to have racial tenancies against Licentia in general, but it is possible. When a Kitsune creates a pact, they choose a being to become a keeper of sorts for their shard and also to help supply vis into the ritual. Using the supplied Vis from the would be pact holder, they split about 1/4th of their Soul Core off. It condenses down into a shard like item and holds the genetic blueprint to reconstruct them later. The pact holder, in order to retain the current contract, must protect and keep it safe or risk breaking the link between them. [u]Growth/Development[/u] [b]Birth to Childhood[/b] After being born, Kitsune’s development is very unusual compared to most Licentia. Instead of going to and forth from a growth to trial stage, they are set within an extended growth stage until about 2 decades of their lives. They seem to grow much like human with occasional brief burst of rapid changes that cover numerous years and vary between individual Kitsune before falling back to a steady rate. It’s very similar to humans’ growth ‘spurts’ in theory. Usually 2-3 changes are the normal while beyond 3 are exceptionally rare. Since they gain no magical strength or additions during the first 20 years of their lives, they remain solid and able to interact with the world. This also makes them more likely to be killed and consumed by other Licentia or humans (mistaking them for normal foxes- see paragraph below). When they bust from their mothers, the infant Kitsune’s shape is that of a fox with a single tail and one magic ability. This ability is to help them survive as they are most vulnerable during this time in their lives. Within the first two years, they develop like a normal fox would physically and their growing mentality would reach that of an eight year old. At hitting this milestone, they tend to gain their first growth ‘spurt’ causing them to take on the appearance of a humanoid fox around eight years old. They return to a steady growing rate with a few ‘spurts’ here or there depending on the Kitsune’s individual growth until they reach the adult stage at age 20. [b]Adulthood[/b] After age of twenty, their growth and trial stages alters again. Instead of an extended growth period, there’s two trial stages and one prolonged growth period in the middle. Most humans believed, even to this day, that a Kitsune gains magic based on their tail number but this is incorrect thinking and knowledge. In their first trial stage (tail 1 to 3) they gain a new spell for each new tail they grow, not counting the one they originally started off with. When they hit the fourth tail, they enter a growth stage. It’s a lot like their extended growth stage in their youth where it last up to a few centuries but without the ‘spurts’. They remain solid, their bodies able to collect Vis from their environment and building it up over time to strengthen their magic. During this time, they gain no more magic spells, but they will still continue to grow tails. This is believed to be a biological way for them to keep track of time until their growth stage is complete. Another thing to notice is that due their bodies hoarding Vis, all their magic is slightly weaker than prior stages and while this makes them more cautious, this doesn’t make them helpless. If a Kitsune reaches the required Vis amounts before they reach the seventh tail, they will gain full potential in magical power but will not gain another ability until they reach the seventh tail. When they hit the seventh tail, another trial stage begins repeating the process with tails seven through nine. When hitting nineth tail, the Kitsune begins to edge into the Eximius stage and undergoes one final change to their physical form: enhanced physical traits. This means their speed, strength, durability and more reaches into notable levels making them formidable close combat fighters. They are also no longer in need of their ability to create a pact with another being, but can retain one if they desire. The main difference between this stage and the ones before it is the fact the Eximius can break it without the holder’s permission at any time and without ever harming the individual. Allowing them to recreate a new one or not. [u]Nature[/u] While each Kitsune is different in personality, their up bring being a primary fact in developing various traits, there’s always an under laying instinct to create a pact. It is how they survive and outwit death which means until it is fullfilled, they will feel that nagging for it in the back of their minds. Most who completely ignore this have been killed and unable to return to a shard, their fate sealed in death. [/hider] [hider=Abilities] [u]Shard Pact[/u] *See [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.Com/posts/4064311]Darius’[/url] Shard ability for more details. [u]Tails[/u] List of abilities and when they show up. Each tail appears within a range of ten years of the century mark, either five years before or after, depending on the Kitsune's development curve. Right after the tail’s appearance -unless it’s four to six- another magical ability will be gained and usable for the Kitsune’s lifetime. [list]    [*] Tail 0 : Camouflage    [*] Tail 1 : Elemental Manipulation (pact related, fire by default)    [*] Tail 2 : Shape shifting    [*] Tail 3 : Barrier    [*] [b]Tail 4-6 : Strengthen magic instead of gain new magic [/b]    [*] Tail 7 : Levitation/Flight    [*] Tail 8 : Illusions    [*] Tail 9 : Eximius [/list] [/hider] [hider=Culture & History] Kitsune are often considered tools by most Licentia that actually know about their true nature. They have evolved into Licentia that have adapted to depend on other Licentia in the form of a pact. Any independent culture of their own was long ago wiped out due to their ability to pact creating numerous Kitsune with various backgrounds, personalities, etc. [u]Dwindling Existence[/u] In recent years, Kitsune have become more rare with the passing years. Their numbers now currently less than a hundred within Torqueo and still falling. The reason is unknown as most the surviving Kitsune are too young to realize this and any that have looked into it have simply vanished. Some believe it might be because their ability to cheat death is flawed or too old to continue the Kitsune’s existence into the future. It’s hard to tell which is true without additional information. [u]Nogitsune[/u] While they look alike, it's commonly believed to be a variety of Kitsune or a completely different creature altogether. It is also called by numerous names: Void Fox, Dark Fox and much worse. So far, many Licentia believe them to be extinct and mere stories due to the lack of interaction with their kind for centuries. However there is a dark history to the reason of why… [/hider]