Kemori

Full Name Kemori, though he sometimes has gone by the nickname 'Kem.'

Gender: Male

Race/Species: Kitsune

Age: Around 228 years, but he appears in his early to mid 20's

Height: 6' even, give or take a bit for his ears

Weight: roundabout 160lbs, or around 8lbs when he in his fox form

Build: fit and trim with modest definition on his abs, arms, and legs; he tends to refer to himself as a 'lithe warrior.'

Complexion: Slight tan in human form that darkens easily in the summer to a full light brown, then lightens back in winter.

Hair: White with black tips, ombre style; straight and hanging down to mid-back; often either loose or tied back (entirely or partially) in a tail

Eyes: Brown, though when he casts magic or uses his Foxfire they glow purple.

Other: As a kitsune, even when in a human-like form he has one to eight white, fluffy tails with black tips that twitch and flick behind him with his moods, and to use his Foxfire he must have all eight visible. How many he has visible at one time tends to vary depending on mood and the amount of space available ('Have you ever tried to sit in a chair with eight poufy things behind you??') but at least one is present at all times. He also has fox ears on the top of his head, white with black tips to match his tails, rather than human ears on the sides of his head. These can turn to help him listen to sounds much as a normal fox's ears can. He does not have fur on his body in human form save for his tails and his ears.

Fox form image:


Typical Attire
Tabi (white cotton socks) with zori sandals, a shirt with wraparound skirt, nagajuban (under-kimono) tied by a datemaki belt, kimono over this, and that tied with an obi. Like Kemori himself, the clothing has a bit of magic and he can change the patterns and colors at will.

Personality:

Kemori is a creature that seems to have three personas wrapped up in one body. Most of the time he is a charmer and a flirt, personable and very social. If there's a gathering, he's there. If someone is having a meal, he'll sit down and join them invited or no (especially if he thinks they are attractive). While most of the time he doesn't mean anything by these attentions, if he finds them reciprocated he is flattered and will continue the flirtations until something come of them, or the other party breaks it off. And if he finds someone that is embarrassed by his teasing – look out! He'll seek to continually make them blush, not out of a meanness, but simply that he thinks such reactions are adorable.

Yet then there are other times, moments when things are going down and danger threatens. Gone is the winning smile and playful sparkle in the eyes – Kemori becomes the Mystic his kind are known for. Though he is strong, he refrains from using direct hand-to-hand combat, preferring to use his magic against his enemies. Should he be pressed, though, he has quite a few weapons in his arsenal to utilize: a pair of sais to disarm opponents he doesn't feel are a threat, a pair of War Fans (or Tessen]) for when elegance is preferred (he is quite skilled in Tessenjutsu as are many of his Clan), many daggers and darts, and lastly a wakizashi for when he really needs to end someone's life. If he draw that blade out, rest assured someone's blood will be spilled. He favors it a bit, but it's the last one he wants to use.

In secret, though, Kemori is actually a real softie – adoring small animals and children, playing the romantic to someone he cares about, enjoying quiet moments of peaceful meditation and reflection. He tries to keep this side of himself a secret, always peering around before he takes a moment to coo over some adorable find and instantly denying his actions should he ever be caught. As for the romance... he has never found someone he trusted so much, because like wild foxes he will only love once, and thus when he really gives his heart away, he can never get it back.

No matter what, Kemori displays a very 'live in the moment' mindset. What terrible thing happened last week won't bother him today, as it's over and done with. Yes, perhaps things still need mending, but that's what he will choose to focus on (if his whimsy takes him that way). He wants to live his life to the highest peaks he can manage each and every day.



Powers/Abilities:

Kemori is a magical creature, and that is where his greatest strengths are. Technically a bit of a cross between a Wu Jen and a sorcerer, all of his spells align with the elements of his culture: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. His repertoire is quite extensive, and most of his spells are innately known rather than taught to him by someone else.

He has a particular magic he calls 'Foxfire.' It's a twisting, dancing flame that he can call to hand at will and using it see things that are far away, and even sometimes use it as a form of divination to find answers not otherwise learnable. For example he could search for a missing person with it, try to get an insight into the mood of another person, or make a reasonably accurate prediction about how a stated course of action will turn out. Though granted he is well aware that even this can fail, as to try and alter fate often causes it to compensate and make things turn out how it wants them too.

As a Kitsune Kemori can also Shapeshift into the form of a fox. Though his kind can take the form of many different types of foxes he would appear what on his world were know as Rune Foxes for their coat patterns, but they resemble Earth Marble Foxes. In this form he only has one tail and moves, communicates, and behaves for all intents and purposes as a fox save for his retains his own mind and can thus reason and plan far beyond a mundane animal's capabilities. The phrase on his world ran 'Gift the fox for he may gift you back,' referring to how humans on his original world could never tell if they saw a normal fox or a Kitsune in disguise, and to treat them with respect was believed to give good fortune. Sometimes it would as the Kitsune would use their magic to help a kind person, and other times it only ensured that their trickster nature wouldn't befall the household that day.

Regardless of form, Kemori has keen hearing and good nightsight and sense of smell, though it is stronger in fox form. He can also jump a bit higher and is a little bit more agile than average humans, but less so than someone trained to be acrobatic.

Vulnerabilities

Though he will deny it if mentioned, Kemori has a weakness/fondness for certain foods, and when he is around them he is distracted and craves them to the point of almost obsession. Peaches are high on this list, but any citrus fruit can gain his favor. He is also rather fond of Shoutao, or Longevity Peaches, which are a sweet pastry that resembles a peach and is filled with a lotus seed paste. He prefers to make and give these rather than receive them, however, and to him they are tokens of his highest regard and perhaps even a courtship gesture.

More serious is a weakness that is shared among all his people: should he ever be imprisoned or trapped by inanimate means – locked in a cage, wrists bound, a collar around his neck, and even a windowless room with a locked door – he loses all his powers including his shapeshifting. This means that it is possible for him to become trapped in his fox form and greatly vulnerable. As a result he detests wearing anything tight to his throat, even of his own volition, and has a bit of claustrophobia. The sole exemption to this is that he can wear jewelry on his wrists, though he prefers even that to be loose and typically wears none.

Quirks:

Kemori's people-personality makes it so that he can be a bit of a touchy guy, thumping friends on the shoulder when he greets them or putting them into choke holds or the like. He also enjoys receiving the same kind of treatment, though contact to his tails will either make him laugh (sometimes they're ticklish especially with scratchy or playful contact) or about melt him into a puddle. He can be of two minds when occasionally he's been asked to let someone pet his ears, and the response is usually dependent on who does the asking.

He doesn't talk about his people all that much; they're a secretive bunch by nature, though sometimes if he's in a reflective mood and trusts the listener he'll let a bit drop here or there.

(As a note, Kemori occasionally references an Inari Okami, which is kinda like his patron goddess in a sense. Mostly for my reference, but if anyone's curious this is a LINK to details about her. Obviously not everything in it suits the setting but it's mostly in line!)