The Dubious Guide to the Lost: Annai Siru
Species: 3-Tailed Kitsune
Ability: The ability to guide you anywhere; Transformation; Control of Will-o’-the-wisps/Foxfire
Category: Trickster, Shapeshifter, Youkai; Threat: Very High; Malevolence: Very High
Usual location: Around the Twisting Magical Forest
Written by Chief Archivist Thurisaz.
Annai isn’t a new supernatural creature to the local area, even early archives show them being highly active in the forest, for both benevolent and malevolent reasons[1]. There’s stories of a kind hearted white fox leading the lost (or elderly) safely from the forest back to the town square, but there’s also stories of a white fox leading people further in to the forest causing them never to return.
Ability
Annai’s ability is very clear cut, if you were to able to form a contract for Annai to guide you somewhere[2] they will guide you there, even mundane things like “guide me to my car keys” they can do. Theoretically they could even guide you to heaven or hell, however wherever you ask it should be noted that the route you take may not be safe at all, or even possible to mortals[3]. With this ability no-where is off-limits to Annai, they could maybe even travel to a land between lands or between the boundaries of seasons. Though they couldn’t manipulate these areas so there’s likely no fear of Annai causing a large scale incident in such a way[4].
Annai also possesses abilities that are well known for their species. They can make use of eerie flames (“foxfire” or “will-o’-the-wisps”) and can transform into other things. Some say Annai’s tails are cursed and touching them will curse you too, some say they’ve seen Annai’s tails grow mouths and tongues and some even going so far to say they have split themself into three single tailed foxes[5]. However we cannot verify the full extent of their abilities as unlike bake-danuki folkore which can be quite clear, kitsunes range in strength and abilities between each legend.
Eyewitnesses
“I’ve sometimes seen them scouting around my farm outside the forest. Nothing seems to have gone missing other than the usual fox thefts…” (local farmer)
It’s quite possibly that Annai himself is responsible, or at least coordinating the local foxes. They still have to eat, at least we assume so.
“I saw their flames in the forest when I was last out there, but I’m wise enough not to fall for such small tricks” (Aedus Adstrum)
Unfortunately though it’s the unwise, or those overly reliant on ghost stories, who will fall pray to the foxfire.
Countermeasures
Annai is hard to read and thus hard to counter. It is best that you attempt to avoid encounters with them as seeking them out, willingly or not, will likely result in anything from a small trick to death.
If you do encounter them, be polite, be honest and do not threaten them. Being a kitsune, they would likely reward good deeds but as with a lot of “gifts” given by a kitsune, that reward could just be staying alive.
(Note from DO – spell cards marked with an ‡ were actually originally named and created by Virtlux via [Danmaku Pattern Showcase] #02 Annai Siru and I’m honestly still blown away by it aaaaaaaa)
Usually seen
- ‡ Wildfire “Supernatural Light Dance”
Rarer spell cards
- ‡ Natural Disaster “Soul-Draining Thorns”
- ‡ Eternal Guidance “Path of the Flaming River”
- Intended Disaster “Dance of the Cursed Knives”
- Cartography “Fiery Silk Road”
- Fox’s Map “Fire Leading to the End”
- Fox’s Map “Guidance of Fiery Stars”
- Desire Path “Shortcut Through the Forest”
- Extended Guidance “Fleeing Along the River”
- Natural Disaster “Burst Banks”
- Cartography “Hot Spot Discovery”
- Suicide Pact “Finding Those Forever Lost”
Last Word spell cards
- ‡ “Trip to the Edge of the Earth” (note from DO – originally titled Suicide Pact “Trip to the Edge of the Earth” but the way I’ll end up going about things meant that Annai wouldn’t have had a Last Spell, so I repurposed it and moved it to a Last Word)
- ‡ “Infernal Journey”
- “Cursed Daggers on the Way Home”
As “The Wicked Four-Tailed Guide of Disaster”
- Chaos Sign “Rift Bleeding Out”
- Ialonus Sign “A God’s Clearing”
- Capital Sign “Peaches of the Moon”
- Heaven Sign “Glare of the Worthy”
- Hell Sign “Evil Trinity”
- Backdoor Sign “Ceremony for Pompous Gods”
- Unreal Land “Another Shrine on a Barrier”
- Fantasy Land “Barrier That Encircles Youkai”
- “The Most Disastrous Guide to the Lost” (time-out only)
- “Guide to the Ends of the Earth”
Last Word spell cards
- “Fleeing Through Purgatory Away From Heaven and Hell”
[1]: Annai has three tails, meaning they are at most 299 years old however. That all said, the order didn’t have a chief archivist until approx 300~400 years ago.
[2]: It should be noted that they likely can’t leave Earth, both physically and spiritually, however it’s unclear if they could somehow slip to any other “Earth” that may exist.
[3]: As stated before, Annai is quite malevolent. Depending on what you ask, what you broker, and how they judge you will depend on what happens. If you do manage to form an official contract with them, they will likely never fail to carry out the agreed terms.
[4]: They are not as powerful as gods or beings many times their own age
[5]: There’s a theory that each wisp over their tails, as they’re ever present, are mortal souls whose bodies Annai possessed and consumed.