Kumiho

The Kumiho, Huli Jing, known in Aurlûnoren as the Nanren (Southern Peoples) or simply known as the fox people are a race that inhabits the southern parts of the Aurlûnor Velande. Scientifically, they are classified as Lycanthropus vulpes kumiho, as part of the greater Foxpeople species.

The Kumiho had a state known as the Queendom of Hampo, which was a Queendom that was divided into many clans, worshipping animist beliefs commonly referred to as Hampo Paganism, before the arrival of the Celestialkin, in which they were subjugated, forcing them to convert to Twin Dragon and adopting cultural practices. It was one of the Aurlûnor Velande's first attempts at Cultural Assimilation, and they would use this on the Kumiho to dramatically change their lifestyle. Accounts described them as a "Barbaric people who eat the flesh of men and women they come across despite their beautiful appearances", and usually painted them as psychopathic and evil.

Following years of assimilating, and generations learning the Aurlûnoren language, and practice of the Twin Dragon faith, the Kumiho would drop a lot of their old practices, and would become more akin to Celestialkin, often mimicking their speech patterns and culture. They would start to view others who are not Celestialkin as "Inferior" and "Barbaric". Written records about them, became more ingrained in their social life, that they were "civilized" by the time the Kingdom of Almador fell, and declared their new Queendom. When they were integrated into the Aurlûnor Velande, they were made full citizens.

Appearance
The Kumiho can shapeshift into a fox, which, prior to Almadorian Conquest, was seen as their true natural form. Nowadays, most Kumiho appear in a more humanoid form, which they use to trade with others. They have fox ears, and their females are known for their tails, ranging from one to up to nine. Males only seem to only have up to three tails. Nine-tails are usually the highest caste in the society, acting as rulers or governors. On extremely rare occasions, a Kumiho can have ten tails, which is seen as sacred in their culture, and can usually land themselves quickly in a high end government or military position if they so choose. It's not known how Kumihos are born with a tail, but it's usually rarer when the number goes up, with one to three tails being more common, while four to seven are uncommon, and eight to nine are rare, with them being in most cases, genetic from another eight or nine tail, though this is usually not always the case. Sometimes, they will appear to have Elven ears underneath their hair, but only those who live in the northern areas. In their native home, they do not show them.

Kumihos have red hair, the same as any other fox, some being more saturated than others. Their eyes are commonly green, with some being born with brown and amber eyes. On extremely rare occasions, some are born with white hair and tails, which are usually seen as either outcasts or praised. Kumihos live to be around 150-200, which is slightly longer than a human life span. Maturity of a Kumiho is a bit older than a human, which is around 20 years of age.

Culture
Kumiho culture had always been Matriarchal, as women are usually heads of the household due to their tails, and the fact that they are the ones who took care of the tribes well being, while men went out to hunt. However, societal roles seem to be more egalitaric, where both men and women take on the same jobs, and neither appears to have a gender domination over eachother.

Before the Kumihos were conquered by the Almadorians, they were said to practice eating livers and hearts, and the women usually seducing men to be fed on as food. They would also seem to care little about clothing, and would usually walk around in loins, as it felt more comfortable and akin to their natural form as foxes.

These days, the Kumihos had long since strayed away from their cannibalism, and their seduction of men for that purpose, nowadays, utilizing their good looks to build large harems for their clans to bore strong, healthy children. They usually loathe their old names as "Kumihos" due to the large assimilation of the population, and anti-True Kumiho propaganda, and usually accept being called "Nanren", Though, this is usually the more aristocratic Kumihos. Regular Kumihos don't care either or what they are called, which is usually the less educated, though, they do know of the stories of their past, and are often sickened by it.

Kumihos used to dress in more triablistic looking uniforms, usually exposing parts of their bodies, as they usually felt more comfortable that way, due to their fox form. But nowadays, they seem to be far more conservative, much like their Elven counterparts, usually donning a hanbok, or a hanfu depending on where a Kumiho lives. They would see the lack of clothes as barbaric unless they are transforming into their fox form. They usually prefer to wear cotton as it is grown a lot around their land, but will wear silk or velvet depending on their social standings.

Kumihos celebrate the Festival of Roses every April 3rd, which they would have every part of their villages and buildings with roses, and allow rose petals to flutter all over. At the climax of the celebration, the leader of the village, town or city, would release a goat, in which would have a ribbon of flowers around it, and allow it to roam freely, and let children try and take the ribbon from the horns.