Powers

In Japanese folklore, kitsune are believed to possess great intelligence, long life, and magical powers. Foremost among these is the ability to shapeshift into human form; a fox is said to learn to do this when it attains a certain age (usually a hundred years, though some tales say fifty).

Other magical powers commonly attributed to the kitsune include possession (see kitsunetsuki), the ability to generate fire from their tails or to breathe fire, the power to manifest in dreams, and the ability to create illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality.

Some tales go further still, speaking of kitsune with the ability to bend time and space, to drive people mad, or to take such nonhuman and fantastic shapes as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky.

Occasionally kitsune are ascribed a characteristic reminiscent of vampires or succubi — these kitsune feed on the life or spirit of humans, generally through sexual contact.

Weaknesses

In some stories, kitsune have difficulty hiding their tail — usually the foxes in these stories have only one, which may be an indication that this is a weakness born of inexperience — when they take human form; the observant protagonist sees through the fox's disguise when the drunken or careless fox allows its tail to show.

Sometimes kitsune are depicted guarding a round or pear-shaped ball (hoshi no tama or star ball). It is said those who obtain the ball can force the kitsune to help them; one theory, though, is that the kitsune places a portion of their power into this item, while possessing mortals, or while in human form. Kitsune must keep their promises or suffer a deterioration in their rank and power.

Kitsune tend not use their real names when among mortals as it can be used to bind the kitsune, banish it, or work spirit magic on it. For the most part, the kitsune will take a name appropiate to the task at hand, or as a joke.

Kitsunes are known to have a great fear and hatred of dogs, and some become so rattled by the presence of a dog that they will revert to the shape of a fox and flee.

Kitsunes are also a victim of their own feelings. A kitsune's emotions can cause them harm, or distract them. The Sin of Regret can even kill a kitsune outright.