Japanese Kitsune

by on April 8, 2018 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Races of Humanity

The vast majority of Kitsune only have a single tail to wear at formal occasions, but more tails can be earned or gained per the ancient Japanese mythologies the modern Kitsune use as inspiration. A second tail is often an indication that the individual has become a low level leader or sponsor in the Kitsune organization. Players in the sports leagues can earn them for superior playing. Third and fourth tails are rare but not unheard of. But few people actually wear them as they become increasingly cumbersome. Holoform tails are actually rather popular in the higher ranks of Kitsune society for a reason. Nine tails are relegated to the highest ranked or awarded Kitsune, per Japanese myths, and it is all but unheard to see them displayed in anything but the most formal of black tie occasions.

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Rin

by on April 7, 2018 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Art, Character Profiles

I didn’t see a lot of Kitsune growing up back home. Some have argued that the ones with fur all over their bodies would be perfect for the colder winters up there. Some have even decided to experiment with Northern Minnesota winters, only to find that someone who grew up in Los Angeles has no idea what real cold is like. So I didn’t have a lot of experience with Kitsune in real life when I met Rin on Sunnydale. I didn’t know what to expect of her, but several thousand G.I.s marching down the ramps, in cadence while singing her praises, was not anywhere in my speculations. That was a real Alice in Wonderland kinda day for me. Bright. Shiny. Crazy as a mad hatter. Just like Rin. Don’t get me wrong. She was smart. Scary smart like all cybers tend to be. But she was New Japanese to the code. That crazy amalgamation of Home Island Old Japanese and Los Angeles Surfer Culture is her baseline personality, and she positively loves to live it up at maximum volume. And for all that I love to play at my party animal roots, I had nothing on Rin. Turns out Los Angeles parties are a bit bigger and louder than the ones I grew up with, and Rin was a veritable master of ceremonies on the party circuit. I never had a boring cruise with her.

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Japanese Kitsune

by on April 6, 2018 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Races of Humanity

Most Japanese Kitsune do not have gengineered tails and ears, let alone fox-like fur. But there are some who go all the way towards being truly fox-like, and they look up to those who make the choice to permanently change themselves. The changes can be passed on to children, though they are not always dominant. It depends on the level of gengineering performed. Sometimes the changes are temporary, though most don’t consider that gengineering at all. Sometimes they only last for the lifetime of the individual. The best gengineering changes the genes passed on to their children, but even those don’t always take. Sometimes they are recessive, while in other cases they will dominate whenever they are present. And some traits can be dominant while others are recessive. I’ve seen plenty of Kitsune with ears but no tails. The fur is the hardest to maintain dominance, and is the rarest of the modifications that breed true. There were never very many of them. Most of them died when Yosemite fell.

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Japanese Kitsune

by on April 5, 2018 at 12:01 am
Posted In: The Races of Humanity

One feature that distinguishes the Japanese Kitsune from other humans is the tail that signifies their place in society. It is a cybernetic augmentation for most Kitsune, built and customized to their exact measurements. Anyone can buy a tail if they wish, but Kitsune society has rather strict procedures when it comes to official Kitsune regalia. A member of the Kitsune must earn their tail, much like a Boy Scout earns a badge. The first tail is generally easy to earn, since they recognize the real world. If they made it too difficult to earn, people would wear fakes more often. So the first tail comes quickly, though a thicker or longer tail is an indication of further advancement. That is all the vast majority of Kitsune ever earn.

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Rin

by on April 4, 2018 at 12:01 am
Posted In: Art, Character Profiles

We were on Sunnydale the first time I met Rin, back when we were preparing to attack the Hyades Cluster. She came in on one of the big carriers. America? No. Constitution. She was one of the new Enterprise-class Fleet Carriers that came out before The War. Tough old girl. She and America showed up with new orders and several transports full of soldiers looking to bring The War to the enemy. Most of the cybers on that cruise were young and still getting to know their pilots. But Rin was old. She didn’t tell me until years later, but she came from the same branch of the cybernetic family tree as Emiri, Sara, and more than a few others. Sometimes I think all of the Japanese cybers must be related. Point is, the Japanese cybers tend to do better with large numbers of people than most American-style cybers. Call it cultural. Not always true, but true often enough. So while the American cybers spent time working their new pilots up to snuff, Rin spent her time jumping around the fleet and entertaining everybody. I was there when several thousand American G.I.s from every State in the Union, not to mention several colony worlds, marched off the transports, in cadence, shouting their praises to Lovely Rin at the top of their lungs. Four syllables. Lov-e-ly Rin. Have I mentioned that I had some strange days on Sunnydale? If I haven’t, this would be one of them.

High rez version available for free on Patreon

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