Database and Lore

Kuzunoha (NSFW)

Much like many places around the world, cultures and beliefs can hold a variety of stories and tales that amaze everyone. Mythical creatures, gods, goddesses, legendary creatures, fairy tale characters, there is always an abundance on Earth for as long as mankind exists, they exist as well. In Japan, there are many terms for them. Some simply refer to them as the Yokai. The term can mean ghosts, phantoms, apparitions, and things of the supernatural. There are so many stories in that alone both terrifying and beautiful that they can't be ignored. It brings the views of the culture into the spotlight for all to see and enjoy the wonder. Among one character that sits in Japan's story archives is the story of Kuzunoha, but who is she in real life? What part does she play in a world filled with the mythics? Kuzunoha can be described in many words and they exist not only in Japan, but Korea and China. They are known as the Kitsune but they are also called the Jiuweihu or Huli Jing or the Kumiho. This alone shows how societies view one particular spirit that we know as the fox spirits. It is not surprising that the fox once again gets put in the spotlight by the human race. The fox is always looked at as smart, intelligent, crafty, trickster like, and can be both good or evil. The Kitsune is a fox that can take up the form of a human and back again. When they take up the form of a human, they appear often as that of a young woman. There is often debate that in reality the foxes can be male or female but when they take up human form they are female. Often in the stories that involve the Kitsune, it doesn't matter though. The stories of the Kitsune is believed to go as far back to the rise of Buddhism and is believed that it traveled along with the stories of that religion through China and ultimately Japan. Among one old story would be about a fox spirit that would take up human form and meet a man. They would get married, have sex, and she would bear children for him. Some stories like these are considered a happy story as the woman would continue this process of raising children, outliving her husband, and then meet another human male to repeat the process over and over again. The fox spirit would have a story that they perhaps just want to be a part of our lives among mortals that any sensible person would want. As the Kitsune is born, they start off with one tail and as they get older and older typically around every hundred years, they would grow another tail and another till they would have nine tails total. Once they reach the age of a 1000 they would ascend to somewhere else. Of course again the stories of the Kitsune can get so broad that it can be difficult to know what is the truth or not. Perhaps not all the Kitsune are exactly the same when compared to each other? A good example of this is the story of Tamamo No Mae. In the story, an emperor by the name of Konoe would fall in love with a beautiful woman that he would later marry. She was intelligent, smart, always smelled great, and gave off a great persona but the emperor would begin to fall ill. It was later revealed that Tamamo No Mae was a Kitsune in human disguise that was hurting him and was hoping to gain the throne upon his death. Other sources even said that she even took pleasure feasting on innocent children and that after she would escape, she would go to another kingdom to repeat the cycle of terror. It is even said that the Kitsune could engage in sex in which they can drain the life of their victims almost reminiscent of that of a Succubus or a Vampire. The Kitsune would in turn be able to use powerful magic that they would use to either help others or hurt others depending on the personality. Of course in the story or at least what was written, Tamamo No Mae would be hunted down and slain. The story of Kuzunoha would be similar to a case of early concept. It began with a man named Abe No Yasuna who was traveling home who encounters a military officer or commissioner that was hunting foxes. The hunter's goal was trying to turn the foxes into medicine. Abe No Yasuna would have none of it as he fought the man and released the foxes back into the wild. Upon one of the foxes leaving would be one that would look at him closely before that too would disappear into the forest. After some time would pass, a beautiful woman by the name of Kuzunoha would appear at Abe No Yasuna's doorstep. Upon seeing her, he felt inclined to let her in and learn more about her. It seemed that things went very well and the two fell deeply in love. It seemed that in all aspects this woman was the perfect woman to be ever be with and they got married. She would get pregnant and she would give birth to a boy they named Abe No Seimei. Five years would pass and all seemed well. However the story does not end too well. After years would pass, her son would notice that her mother was not human. He ended up catching her mother in her more truer form. Afraid or perhaps scared that the humans would oppress her for the various stories that the Kitsune are known for, she would flee and leave a note for her son and her husband. At the meeting place and confused, it would be revealed to Abe No Yasuna that what he had saved was none other than the Kitsune fox Kuzunoha and that he ended up marrying and having a family with her without even knowing it. She would depart from her husband and her son for good to never return. Abe No Seimei would grow up and inherit the magical powers of his mother and serve as a sorcerer using his magic in other fantastic stories. Of course in Tales of Heroes, the story of Kuzunoha was not an unhappy ending for the husband and son. It is what they wanted everyone to know. The story follows very similar to the original tale. The husband and son did not know that Kuzunoha was a Kitsune. Kitsunes in Tales of Heroes share a unique trait among mythics. They are able to reproduce naturally with human mortals and the form they are in will be that form for the child when they go into labor. Abe No Seimei as a result can be considered a human demi god in a sense. In the story, Kuzunoha was in no danger from the hunter but she knew that the other foxes were in trouble and she decided to let herself get captured in hopes that she would be brought back with the other foxes and then attack the hunter at his home. Of course Abe No Yasuna changed all that. She viewed his actions as both heroic and kind and considered him a good soul that she wanted to not only be with but to reward him for his actions. For five years he would never know who she truly was. There was one problem though..... The hunter was also the friend of Abe No Yasuna. They lived close together in the same neighborhood. This reason and the tainted history of the Kitsune's was why she never revealed herself to her husband. The hunter was getting suspicious of Kuzunoha. Her son would catch and find out about her and she knew that something had to be done. She would talk to her husband and tell him the truth. She was the Kitsune fox and that she would have to leave if the hunter kept up his act. Abe No Yasuna deeply loved her and if they had been for married for years and she gave him a child then what does it matter what she truly was? He had a choice to make then and there. If he was to keep her as a wife then it would have to appear that she left him for good. He told her to leave and go several miles away in the forest as he told the story of what happened to his friend. The hunter would learn that his friend had married the fox but learned that she left him. The tragedy seemed real and the hunter learned that he could never catch the fox. Acting heartbroken, Abe No Yasuna would take himself and his son and move several miles away from the hunter. The story of Kuzunoha would be known as it was to everyone but it did not end there. In his new home months later, Abe No Yasuna would be reunited with Kuzunoha. It would be a happy time and a new beginning for them. Her son would meet the true form of his mother and she would even teach him how to use his growing magic as he would get older. In the bedroom together, Abe No Yasuna and Kuzunoha would spend a romantic night together in holy bliss. In the following months to come, Kuzunoha nearing the end of her pregnancy would remain in her form as she gave birth to a daughter. She would bear the same looks as her mother in which she would gain the name Chiasa and ultimately have the same abilities and powers that Kuzunoha has. Abe No Yasuna would live a quiet life with his wife raising his son and daughter together. The world would never know this carefully guarded secret of the family. Abe No Seimei would bear some popularity as a demi god and sorcerer. Sometime during the beginning of the 19th century, the family would be discovered by the Coalition of Deities. Kuzunoha, Abe No Seimei, and Chiasa (Once the children reached of age) would all join the vast group of mythics and providing the help they could to make the unity better. Of course Kuzunoha would never leave her husband's side until he finally passed away much later on. Much like what the group beholds, mythics from all walks of life and cultures makes the Coalition stronger and more resilient against the throws of politics and human development as humanity continues on into the 20th and 21st century. Kuzunoha would even sometimes fight alongside with her daughter in important missions together. There is speculation that the Yuki family, a vast family of rats that can bear children with humans, may have something to do with Abe No Seimei. According to the rat princess's story, she would find a human sorcerer that would transform her to the form she is now. This coincides around the time period that Abe No Seimei was in Japan learning his magical abilities. While he remains quiet on this subject, if it were true then there would be another lasting legacy (for better or possibly worse) of the kitsune fox and the family. Chiasa would also live a life as a kitsune using her magic and acquired abilities in combat and as an enforcer. She would also find human men during her lifetime to be with and possibly even have children of her own. There is an actual shrine dedicated to Kuzunoha. It is known as the Kuzunoha Inari Shrine located in the Izumi Province of Japan. In the shrine it consists of this popular story of the kitsune fox that met her savior and had a family with him. In Tales of Heroes, Kuzunoha in her human form would regularly visit the shrine and pray not to herself but to her former husband that had longed since passed on. On the shrine the poem is still etched that was left behind for her son that she sometimes reads quietly to herself. As time continues another tail grows on her body as humanity progresses into the 21st century and beyond.