Kirin

A kirin (麒麟) is noble and holy creature that is bound to and chooses the ruler of each kingdom according to the will of Tentei, the Emperor of Heaven.

Overview

As creatures of benevolence, a kirin serves as a monarch's advisor until the monarch's death and will bow only before its ruler. No matter if the kirin objects they cannot go against their master's orders, even if that means killing someone. Should a monarch lose the way and begin to govern in a way that violates the mandates presented to them upon ascending their throne, their kirin will be struck with an illness known as shitsudou. The disease is often fatal and the death of the kirin will result in the death of their monarch soon afterward; however, should a monarch manage to return to the way or renounce their throne and die, a kirin can recover from shitsudou to search for a new ruler.

Each kirin is named for the kingdom it serves, with the suffix "ki" 麒 appended to the names of male kirin and "rin" 麟 appended to the names of female kirin. Kirin do not normally possess given names of their own, though Enki and Taiki have names because they are taika born on Hourai. Many-a-times kirin are given nicknames by their rulers, for example Sairin was given the name Youran. The current Keiki is one of the few kirin without any form of name. "Keiki is Keiki" - Enki

All kirin are born from a special tree on Mount Hou known as the Shashinboku and are protected by female demons known as nyokai, which are born solely for the sake of caring and serving a kirin. After hatching, normally, they spend several years upon the sacred mountain cared for by the female sages who reside there, led by Gyokuyo. At birth, kirin possess the form of creature resembling a hybrid between a horse and a deer with a single horn from its forehead, somewhat like a unicorn. Kirin typically possess long golden manes and pelts that shimmer in paler shades of gold. In rare cases, black, red, or white kirin may be born. Kirin can shift into human form, usually as an individual with long golden hair matching their mane in beast form. Immature kirin are known as hinna.

The lifespan of a kirin is no longer than thirty years (without a king). A kirin's physical form ceases to age upon reaching maturity, usually when the kirin ascends to their kingdom's palace above the Cloud Sea. There has been only eight cases where a kirin died from reaching its age limit since the creation of the world -- the most recent being the Enki that came before the current Enki.

By nature, kirin abhor the scent of blood, and killing a person near a kirin or even just the sight of blood will greatly weaken it, causing it to come down with 'Blood Sickness', fever, vomiting, etc.. Because they are adverse to violence, kirin are served by shirei, creatures they make a pact with that will fight for and protect them. Among other abilities, they are known to be the swiftest creatures in the world, capable of riding upon the winds. They are able to create meishoku, smaller localized versions of Shoku, great storms that frequently bring kaikyaku to the Twelve Kingdoms. The meishoku allow kirin to travel between Hourai and the Twelve Kingdoms with the least impact on both worlds.

The Kirin's source of power is its single horn that is located on the forehead. If the horn were to be bound in human form they would become powerless. This is one reason why they loath people touching their horn. The horn is what allows them to tame youma, shift forms, create shoku, and many other miraculous deeds. Horns vary form kirin to kirn. Some have three prongs while others have two. While in human form the horn is only visible as a light freckle.

Kokki

A kokki (黒麒) is a black kirin and are extremely rare. They are thought to bring good fortune to its kingdom and are born only once every couple hundred of years. Taiki is an example of a Kokki.

Black kirin like Taiki are described as having ebon pelts like fine-polished steel, a pearly horn, and a silver back speckled with mica.