{{Lore}}
Kirin are one of a number of [[youkai]] species. They possess a humanoid upper half from the waist up, and a [[dragon|draconic]] lower half, and with their entire body is covered in thick scales, which are resistant enough to be considered bullet-resistant.
There is no known transliteration for the word ''kirin''. Dictionaries will explain that the kanji used to write the word, '''麒''' and '''麟''', both have the same self-referential meaning: "Kirin" (individually, they can also mean "Bright", "Genius", "Shining" or, curiously, "Giraffe", but only in other contexts). According to youkai legends and folklore, kirin are descended from a dragon god that was named Ki-Rin or Qi-Lin, after which the entire species was named.
The humanoid half of a kirin is covered in scales called "skin scales", with less defined outlines and colors resembling human skin tones, ranging from tanned to olive. From a distance, the outline of these scales is are more difficult to distinguish, and appears appear human-like, but are visible under closer observation. Despite a soft and slim appearance, this is merely an optical illusion; they are just as resistant as on their draconic half.
Kirin eyes are slitted and reptilian, like a [[dragon]]'s. They also possess a pair of antler-shaped horns, reminiscent of a deer, and two long tendril-like appendages called "whiskers", one on each side of the face, growing from underneath the nostrils. These whiskers are very light and seem to "float" in the air as a kirin moves. They also never stop growing, and can be used to determine a kirin's age, provided they haven't been cut or damaged.
The draconic half of a kirin possesses four legs, each with four claws (three pointing forward and one rearward), and a long tail. This draconic half is covered in more traditional colored scales, referred to as "dragon scales" when they need to be differentiated from the humanoid half's "skin scales". Unlike regular [[dragon|dragons]], scale color does not indicate elemental affinity. All kirin can breathe fire and perform ''fireblasts''. A kirin's dragon scale color is determined during gestation, and is not influenced by their parents' or genetic history, seemingly randomly determined among a set of colors (see the [[Kirin#Dragon scale colors|section below]] for more details).
Kirin height is measured from the top of their heads to the bottom of their claws, and their length is measured from the waist to the tip of a fully extended tail. On average, kirin are 5 feet 10 inches tall, about 8 feet tall, and their average weight is around 400 pounds. As with all sapients, these values may vary greatly between individuals.
Besides scale color, the most important part of a kirin's body is their hair, which grows from the top of their head, down their neck, and along the entire length of their spine and dragon tail, right down to the tail tip. This is known as their "mane". Mane cleaning, maintenance and beautification is a traditional kirin pastime, and it is considered extremely dishonorable to have a dirty or unkempt mane, tantamount to having no shame or sense of self-worth. Damaging a kirin's mane is considered to be a grave insult, and even more so if it was burned or charred. To intentionally damage a kirin's mane is to challenge them to a fight, often to the death, to preserve their honor.