KITSUNE

Lore

Kitsune are enigmatic beings known to take on many roles: protectors, lovers, cunning tricksters, and even vengeful foes. Their personality often hinges on age, power, or mood. In folklore, they are frequently depicted as shapeshifting foxes with mastery over illusions. White or golden-furred kitsune are especially famous; their abilities grow with age, and they gain additional tails over time. Ancient chronicles even recount nine-tailed foxes endowed with extraordinary wisdom.

While masquerading as humans, a kitsune might accidentally reveal a fox ear, a tail, or a strange voice. One could also unmask a kitsune by its shadow, which stays fox-shaped, or by its reflection in a mirror. Younger foxes tend to be playful and inquisitive, delighting in tricks—such as leading unwary travelers astray or conjuring sights that do not exist. One ancient manuscript tells of a samurai who spent the night at the home of a beautiful woman—only to awaken at dawn embracing an old tree.

Yet some of the oldest mentions reveal that a kitsune can choose to live peacefully among humans in a human form, often forming deep bonds with those they choose to protect or serve.