Changes
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 randomly 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). These colors are believed to be an indicator of personality traits among kirin, and is an important element of their culture and customs, to the point that it is used as a descriptor (e.g. ''"a green-scaled kirin"'').
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.
=== Dragon scale colors ===
The color of a kirin's dragon scales is an important element of kirin culture, and is believed to have an influence on an individual kirin's personality. These colors have important cultural significance among kirin. 8 different colors have been observed, with varying rarity, each with associated meaningsand estimated frequency.
* '''<span style="color:#0cb408">Green</span>'''-scaled kirin are the most common (~21% of individuals). They are said to be youthful, energetic, and sensitive - traits that are associated to the species in general, with no specific "good" or "bad" traits.
