The Nogitsune
From Japan-Avenue.com
“Among the most popular types of Kitsune are the Myobu and the Nogitsune.
The Myôbu are benevolent Kitsune linked to the celestial element and to the deity Inari. Meeting them is a sign of good omen.
Related to the void element, the Nogitsune are particularly mischievous, but not necessarily malicious. However, be careful not to attract their anger.”
There are two primary types of kitsune depicted. They are the Zenko, also known as Myobu, above. These are celestial foxes that have aligned themselves to some form of patron god or goddess, in this example, Inari. Then there is the nogitsune. The Nogitsune are not affiliated with any form of deity. Since they are not aligned to any other being’s form of ethical codes, they tend to follow their own. Just like humanity, people’s ideals vary greatly from person to person, so too with the nogitsune. They are free to do whatever they want, however they want, to whomever they want. This can quickly lead to mischief. Just think of a group of supernatural teenagers with mystical powers with no authority to hold them down or suppress their tendencies. This is the nogitsune. They are not necessarily good nor evil, but they are likened to the void because they must also provide for their own appetite of prenatal chi.
What is prenatal chi? As a quick recap, this is the finite energy that is given to you at birth and once it runs out, you pass into the next life. It is the anchor that keeps you tied to this life and dimension. One could easily assume that a kitsune’s command of this energy is what allows them to slip through space and time and access plains of existence outside the reach of most.
Since the nogitsune can’t depend on any god or goddess to provide this energy to them, they often make deals with other beings or create some form of trickery to steal it from humans. Does this make nogitsune evil? Hardly. If a starving thief has to resort to subterfuge to steal bread for themselves and their family so that they don’t die, is this the act of some evil demonic being deserving of immediate death? It’s a question to ask yourself. If you have encountered such a being as Thquin in the Kitsune Encounters page story, a nogitsune may offer a pleasurable time in exchange for some prenatal chi. In this story, once asked to leave, it simply said that it couldn’t. Probably because it might die if it were separated from its sole source of energy. He then built a shrine to Inari to ask for the goddess to accept this kitsune into their lot, and so it left. An exorcism wasn’t even needed. It would have been like handing a plane ticket to some foreigner so they can return home. They didn’t necessarily want to stay at your home, but for lack of any home, it was all they could do.
As far as specific powers of the nogitsune, it’s mostly related to their freedom. They can do anything they want, provided they have the energy to back it up. These are related to the void as they are constantly needing to intake energy as it is not being freely given to them. If you energetically were able to see their aura they may appear as a swirling void. The cost of their freedom is that they must do anything they can do under their own power to get ‘food.’ If they are very proficient at getting it, there is no ancient little ‘g’ god that can tell them that any fox magic be off the table or illegal. In this case their powers are likened to that of primordial dragons of legend, yet in a much smaller package. With abilities ranging from possession, control of fox fire, telekinesis, levitation, telepathy, ability to manipulate time and space while creating infinite illusions. They are a very formidable force. Though in reality, most won’t attain this status as it is too hard for them to procure the energy. There is also too much competition for the same said energy as it isn’t just the kitsune kami of ancient lore that needs it. In modern times they would more likely be like the fox that the person above encountered.
Hopefully this has shed some light on the nogitsune. There are historical examples of nogitsune, the foremost I know of being that of Tamamo no Mae. While I won’t retell it here, check it out as the above mentioned site The Kitsune: Meaning, Types & Powers | Japan Avenue (japan-avenue.com)
Have more questions about the nogitsune? Ask me in Discord or Reddit! This article was written as a request from Discord in General. Ask, and just maybe, you shall receive.
Stay Foxy.