Amaterasu

Amaterasu, also known as Amaterasu-Ōmikami (天照大御神, 天照大神) or Ōhirume-no-Muchi-no-Kami (大日孁貴神) among other names, is the goddess of the sun in Japanese mythology.


Tenko
These foxes have reached their 1,000 year and are at the height of their power. It takes a very long time for a dragon-kitsune to reach this level and their strength is rightly feared and respected. These ancient nine-tails are even said to have the power to visit the dead.




Through the Eyes


Recently, as Imperials, Pearlcatchers and Spirals begin to develop manifestations of greater elements through eyes, Kitsune too have begun to exhibit these traits. Perhaps it is the last vestiges of their original genes. It appears the change is mostly cosmetic - eye variations do not seem to have much effect of the variation of species except, perhaps, to make one look more frightening or more intimidating. A fact much exploited by some.

Kitsune seem to find this new mutation greatly amusing. They use their magics to enhance the look of their new eyes and dazzle others. Some Kitsune use their magic to change the look of their eyes completely, showing variations that hadn't been dreamed of. It's become somewhat of a fad in the Great Temple, a fad that annoys some of the older Kitsune - they're only eyes after all. Regardless, the Kitsune have found a new way to express themselves.


Far beyond the reaches of the Flights is the land of Remnant. Composed of large chunks of ever-shifting terrain too small and too chaotic to be attached to a flights domain, Remnant is a scattered, mysterious existence. It lies in the oceans beyond the Icewarden’s lands, separated by vast waters and a wall of unmoving fog. Some say that the fog is a remainder of the Shade’s power, sapping a dragons’ strength and sense of direction until they are lost to dark tides. Others say it is a vast leftover of the chaotic elemental force that was unleashed when the Pillar fell. Either way, the fog enshrouds and hides Remnant from the rest of the world. Once a dragon enters, they soon become confused. Direction becomes almost impossible, navigation a nightmare with no physical markers and no clear view of the stars. Not many dragons survive. Those that do find themselves in a bizarre and beautiful realm with danger lurking in every corner.

It is said that the first Kitsune came from some of the very Imperials and Pearlcatchers created from the Lightweaver. As the explored the flights, a few flew into the ocean, looking for more domains. They stumbled upon, in a grand stroke of luck, the island in which the Great Temple would come to be. Exhausted and confused, the Imperials encountered deserts nestled by vast forests of fruit trees, made entirely from glass. Mountains of shifting sand and ice. Floating rocks and gravity twisted landscapes. The magic here had no control, no sense of direction. The elements were in chaos. As such, the Imperials and Pearlcatchers found that their magic had little bearing here. Spotty and unpredictable at best, they were forced to try other things in an attempt defend themselves against the creatures lurking in the shadows.

In the magic, animals, beastclans and dragons alike had been warped beyond recognition. Massive frog creatures with multiple eyes, cat like beasts that would appear and disappear at will, great many legged creatures with arms of blades. Anything and everything could be a danger. The Imperials banded together and learned to survive. They started to instead channel the magic, to learn to become unpredictable, to stay together. They found themselves inexorably changed by the chaos around them over the many years they struggled to find their way back.
These Imperials and Pearlcatchers would become the Kitsune. They would find their way to a meadow where the magic could be more easily controlled and form the Great Temple. Some say the cherry tree at the Temple’s heart was the final resting place of these Kitsune and it is they who protect the island from the lurking dangers.

In reality, the island of Glenreal has magic that is calmer because the island lies closest to edge of the fog and to the flights. As Kitsune would later learn, the farther north and to the west one goes, the worse the chaos becomes. Some find the challenge invigorating but the dangers there are beyond imagination. Kitsune say that there are shadows there that lurk with glinting teeth – the dragon of the flights who have been lucky enough to get Glenreal fear the Shade – the great darkness their deities told stories of. Whether true or not, those far places are too vicious for even the hardiest of Tenko to go.



Chaos and Shadows


They say that when the Tower fell, Sorinth was split into flights. Yet pieces of the tower remained. The power contained in those pieces is enough to keep magic stable in the flights. In Remnant, where all the land is but shattered remains, the magic is much looser - more free to do anything it wants. A well-versed user of chaos magic could do far more powerful things here then one would be able to do in the Flights but the trick is getting the magic to do what you want and not what it wants. Sometimes it takes very roundabout ways - trying to case a spell that creates an inferno, for example, might take a few casts of making the ground red, then sprout poppies, then suddenly its' fire. A kitsune might attempt to outthink the magic by first twisting it to cast on themselves - a cloak of fire instead of an inferno. It seems that the more ridiculous and non-straightforward the spell is, the more luck a caster would have of getting it right the first time.

Building Shrines, Temples or growing groves or gardens imbued with stones from the closest places to Sorinith and the flights help make the magic easier to control. By binding (taking several tries and many arduous attempts to get it to calm down) the chaos to the stones, the magic becomes easier to mold. It's still a complex process, but Kitsune who think and behave in clever ways, have become masters of casting unorthodox spells.

This chaos is relatively benign closer to Glenreal and becomes ever more malevolent the further away you are. Magic becomes actively twisted, spells backfire more easily and creatures become far more powerful. Some say its the Shade - the Kitsune call them the Ashen. Monsters made of smoke and shadow, fused together with dying creatures. They have no minds left - only a relentless desire to hunt. They were driven out of Glenreal by the First but since then they have been prowling ever closer. Most Shrines and Temples, especially those the furthest from the Great Temple, have large patrols of their most powerful Kitsune. Frequently, these Kitsune are often Tenko 0r Void Tenko in pairs, Foxfires in groups or alone, Redeemed Yako and Shiro mixed or, surprisingly, a singular or paired Malicious Yako or Cursed Tenko. Wraith Yako are good candidates for patrollers as well, since they are closer to the Ashen then any of the other varieties and seem to be able to sense them coming from a farther distance.

Normal creatures are dangerous enough - large, strange beasts with powers and appearance as varied as the chaotic magic they live in - but the Ashen pose a very real threat. They alone have the power to eat away at the stability the Kitsune have worked very hard to achieve.




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Society and Community Life


Kitsune have an extremely strong sense of kinship with other Kitsune. They evolved this way to better protect them against the dangers constantly lurking in the fog of their home in Remnant. They are not the strongest or most plentiful, so relying on each other and their combined wit and power saves them. Even loner variants will often come to another Kitsunes aid (through they are not above asking for rewards). They may fight, and some often do as is the case with Malicious and Cursed variants, and even seriously wound one another. Sometimes even to a point where the offender has to sacrifice a tail or two to heal. But violence is often a last resort against their fellows. Tricks, word play and posturing is a preferred form of settling differences. There have only ever been two cases of a Kitsune killing another Kitsune in the hundreds of years they have existed. The killer lost all will to live and wasted away in both.

Kitsune have tight knit communities, often formed around temples. By utilizing their powers together, they can find ways to harness the chaos and protect their homes. These become temples. Constantly keeping watch over the magic to ensure it doesn’t break loose again gives rise to Tenko and Shiro. They hold places of power as caretakers and often hold a great deal of respect. This does not necessarily mean they are automatically granted perfect authority in their society – rather those that prove themselves the smartest, cleverest or the most ingenious are given the greatest respect. All variants are treated with equal dignity, though the Malicious, Cursed and Redeemed are given a cautious approach. These variants may gain greater sway within the community by overcoming their faults and sharing their knowledge to prevent others from falling as they did.

Kitsune have many different variations of temples. The Great Temple resides at the base of a large cherry tree but it is not, contrary to the name, the largest. The largest belong to a clan of Void Tenko on the very northern border of Glenreal. A large sprawling fortress in a valley basin, surrounded by a deep lake and large statues. Temples have highly varying appearances depending on the location and variant. Carved caves, flat structures, towering pagodas, domed buildings. Only a few things stay uniform: the stone from the closest regions to Sorinth and any smaller ones, a large field or courtyard (mainly for taking off), a deep pool of water, a garden and a grove of trees. The arrangement and size of these objects is variable and mostly to the preference of the Kitsune living there. Forest Spirits, for example, may have very small or no manufactured structures at all, preferring a large grove of ancient trees and caves. Shiro and Tenko are the most structured of all, and do like to build structures of all kinds.



Kitsune Biology


The color of their ghost fire is determined by the color of their eyes, a remnant of the forces that created them. This is also the color of their jewel. These jewels are fragments of themselves – some Kitsune say it is like wearing their soul outside of their body. No one knows why they evolved with this incredibly important object visible to all but the concentration of power makes Kitsune easily among the most powerful spellcasters. Due to the unique nature of the jewel and the chaotic magic, Kitsune are unrestrained in their abilities. Gravity spells, spells of all elements, trickery spells… There is no limit but their imagination. Of course, they will always have a slightly more powerful edge in the element that is reflected by their eyes.

Lesser Kitsune often keep their jewels separate from chains like Dragon Kitsune have. The color of jewel is an amalgamation of their fur and eye color which makes it easier to hide in their fur. At this stage, the jewel is extremely important to their wellbeing. Having it stolen means a kitsune must obey and having it broken would easily kill a Lesser Kitsune. Kitsune usually hide theirs in collars of jewels and beads, as once they reach five tails the jewel becomes purely the color of their eyes. The loss of a jewel may not kill an adult Kitsune but it could emotionally or mentally damage them. They are able to recreate their jewel but at a loss of one or more tails. The process is somewhat traumatic and it can take years to recover so a Kitsune hides their jewel at all costs.

Kitsune tail number does not equate to age. A non-Tenko variant may have nine tails but may have not quite reached their 1,000th year. Rather, tail number is a direct connection to how much power a Kitsune possesses. Those that train hard or study or focus often gain tails quicker and thus gain their ninth tail before their peers. Some Lesser Kitsune are even more ancient than the Tenko, but have never possessed the desire to become more powerful.

Kitsune become Tenko by conscious choice. They must possess all nine of their tails and have reached their 1,000th year before they are wise and strong enough to pass the trails of the Great Temple. When they succeed, they become more magically imbued and gain greater understanding of their powers. This grants them a greater edge over most other nine tailed variants. In addition to this, Tenko recover lost tails in a matter of days if slumbering in a place of concentrated purified magic as opposed to the years it takes others to. However, they are susceptible to the chaotic magic of Remnant and don't do well in places where the magic is at its most twisted. A Cursed Tenko is much the same, though some curses cause the purified magic to have the opposite effect. Malicious Yako and Redeemed Yako that go through these trials have a greater chance to emerge cursed for their actions. Whether they were judged for past actions or for actions performed during the trial, it is unknown. Kitsune enter these trials alone, a stark contrast to the communities in which they live their lives and there no one else can watch or enter.

Unlike their dragon cousins, Kitsune give live birth. Litter size is typically very small and the process is exhausting for both mother and kit. Because they are so vulnerable during this period, a Kitsune typically seeks shelter from trusted friends, clanmates or companions which results in many a mother heading for the Great Temple. They can be protected here during this period and can recuperate faster afterwards. Kits are greatly treasured by all kitsune, due to the small litter sizes. A Malicious or Cursed may be grumpy but no Kitsune would actively try to harm or even ignore a kit.

Their young are almost always the variation the parents are, excepting cases of Malicious, Redeemed and Tenko varieties. If a Tenko has kits, they usually end up being the previous variation of either of the parents. If one Tenko was formally a Night Shiro and the other a Nogitsune, the kits will end up having a 50/50 chance of being one of those. A Malicious kitsune that has kits will have, in a unique event, Redeemed variant kitsune. These kits, as they grow older, will often return to the variation their parent originally was. It is not entirely known why this happens – perhaps it is a genetic disposition in the parent, a reminder of what they should aspire to be. Redeemed kitsune will always be what the parent used to be.

In extremely rare cases outside of the Tenko or fallen Malicious transitions, young Kitsune switch variants on strong emotions. A young Shiro that feels a call to the wild so strongly that it overrides their sense of duty might find their fur changing to a deep orange, becoming a Nogitsune a few years later. However it seems to be incredibly uncommon, with only one or two cases every 100 years.

he Monsters of Remnant and the Ashen

Remnant exists in chaos. It follows no normal rules of nature. This extends to the beasts and creatures as well. Most of these are normal beasts or members of the beast clan that, like the Kitsune, have transformed in ways to adapt to the magic, sometimes for the worse. In addition, they become worse the further north one goes - larger, more powerful, more aggressive and sometimes beyond recognition.

Some of the more notable beasts are the Light Mimic - a will o' the wisp like creature that entices creatures to it before taking their shape and attacking. If they successfully kill that creature, they retain the form. Chimeras of all kinds are common sights - the typical lion/goat/snake is the easiest to defeat. They only grow worse from there. Basilisks, merfolk, giant snakes and time-stopping insects are multiple other beasts that roam near Glenreal.

Farther north lies more dangerous things. Scorpion-like birds the size of a small house, animated rock golems, lighting spitting cats. There is a hulking beast known simply as the Forgetter. If one were to walk on its back, their memories would gradually fade and be replaced. The victim usually hunts others for the Forgetter.

Beyond these is the homes of the Ashen. Known by the dragons of Sornieth as the Shade-touched, these are single-mindedly focused on destruction. Creatures grow to terrifying sizes, translucent like black obsidian encased smoke, glowing eyes set in shadows. Any creature heavily wounded by an Ashen has the potential to become Ashen if not immediately given treatment. The few treatments to prevent the infection from spreading is to keep the wounded in a high mountain lake, forever infecting the lake, dragging them back to Glenreal to be healed at the base of the Great Tree or by the efforts of many chaos magic wielders. The Ashen infection naturally resists chaos magic, increasing the difficulty of curing it every time a healing fails.

If several kitsune fall to an Ashen at the same time, and the Ashen has enough mind left to cast chaos magic, they may become an Emperor Kitsune, like their imperial cousins. These monsters are the most dangerous creatures in Glenreal and if one is formed, all kitsune band together to put an end to it. They can only be defeated by tying each individual kitsune in the Emperor to a holding stone (the same stones that contain the chaos magic) and then destroying the stones. Given that the stones contain chaos magic and were made to hold it, this is an extremely difficult process.

Kitsune rate these creatures on a scale of difficulty. This allows kitsune to judge based on their own strength as to whether or not they will be able to defeat the monster in question. Nevertheless, training squads are often formed with one experienced Kitsune and several inexperienced ones. This squad often stays together until all Kitsune feel they have become adept at defeating a certain creature. After that, Kitsune usually form patrol squads.





Pokemon

Since they are the Treasures of Ruins, all of them have some sort of ominous meaning behind their designs.



Wo-Chien is a slug covered in wooden tablets, ancient Chinese writing material before paper was introduced. Its origin connects deeply to a Chinese idiom: 罄竹难书 (qin zhu nan shu), describing people with so much sin that even using all the wood to make tablets wouldn't be enough to record all of their wrong doings.



Chien-Pao has connections with warmongering or wars in general. It being a tiger like creature could be related to 虎符 (hu fu), a tiger shaped seal that symbolize military command and authority in the past. Plus sword is a common weapon for foot soldiers of ancient China.



Ting-Lu seems like a combination of 2 similar Chinese idioms, 问鼎(wen ding) and 逐鹿(zhu lu). Dating back to the Warring States period (around 300 BC), both of these words means over ambition and hunger for power. Hence Ting-Lu is a combination of 鼎(ancient Chinese cauldron) and 鹿(moose).



Chi-Yu is a combination of jade and fish, coincidentally both pronounced Yu in Chinese. Jade is a symbol of wealth in ancient times and often serve as gamble subject for rich investors. And its animal part being a gold fish, an species of ornamental fish that originated from china, widely used as decorations for wealthy households and noblities in the past.



So these four represent tyranny, warfare, ambition and greed, very fitting for the symbols of ruination. But hey these are all just my guesses. :)