#empau

intro

The "Lady in white" is a Golden exclusive NPC which can be met at the shrine at night after raising the Courage stat high enough; an addition to the night-time mechanic they introduced in the re-release. She asks the player for fish to feed her and her children, while trading precious gems in return. Upon closer examination, her model ID is called "bake" which means "化け [transforming oneself; taking on another form; disguising oneself​]", and her full face textures reveal the same scars the fox from the shrine has. This, as well as the common belief in Japan that foxes are tricksters who usually shapeshift into women to mess around with humans.

Video compilation of her and other in-game details ⤵

interpretation and musings

Playing through the game the first time, I didn't really have a hard connection between her and the fox. I thought it would be nice for them to be related in some way, although I didn't care too much about it either way (i did not... utilize the shiroku shop OOPS!!! but the NPC was a lovely concept)

I initially thought of her as a ghost like what most NPCs mentioned. "Bake" could be shortened from "bakemono, 化け物 [goblin; apparition; monster; ghost; phantom; spectre; specter​]" of course. What if she were a spirit from the shrine? What if she was Tatsuhime herself and was giving out the offerings buried alongside her?

And what if she personally met a past incarnation of Izanami while she was still alive? Would she have known the deity? And not care too much about what's happening to the collective and their desire to hide the truth?

What if she knew about the current state of god, and have some connection to its new incarnations after it split into two? or something idk

Then after learning about her being the fox from the shrine itself, I started fleshing it out further. That not only did it want offerings to bring the shrine back up on its feet, but it also asked for fish as food from any passers by on some odd evenings for itself and its children?

Is it greedy? Is it something to be pitied? Is it not just a canine? A trickster? But that's what makes it so interesting, I like to think.

It's true that the fox has at least 3 children, with its kits being shown when the protagonist is saying his farewells. Who knows, it might have more.

Wild foxes might as well be native to the mountains of Inaba. I like to think that this one wandered down to the suburb area and grew fondness for the caretakers of the shrine—even to the point it was given a red apron. While Yukiko does mention she's seen the same fox before, other NPCs also mention the fox sightings being a recent, strange phenomenon. Given that its arcana is The Hermit, I would assume it hasn't really shown its face much until recently, when the fog began to engulf Inaba and the lack of people visiting the shrine (probably a direct consequence of it, or just a sad coincidence)

While its own motives for trying to bring wealth to the shrine aren't explicit, I also like to think it cares for the shrine in its own way. The shrine's only caretaker now is just an old man who can barely maintain it from his aching legs. That is, until the fox managed to find bancho, thinking he could "grant wishes" written on the emas. Having made him give the healing shiso leaf to the old man, it has entrusted the task to bancho of granting enough of the wishes on the emas for people to come and fill the offertory box to revitalize the shrine.

It may have gone overboard with the offerings (and bancho's SP funds) to the point the shrine has a golden sheen, but I think it's a fitting quirk as a fox.

About the healing shiso leaves, the old man from the shrine has mentioned they could have been found in the mountains back then. Given his surprise, you could imply it has gotten scarce. That maybe the fox has a secret grove filled with shiso leaves it utilized for profit? lol

It's pretty hilarious to think that, not only are the IT hiding weapons and walking over to the electronics department as a group, there's a wild fox literally following them around to subsequently disappear into a flatscreen TV without anyone noticing. Does the IT still have to help the fox enter the TV because it can't enter by itself? or would that mean iznmi also gave it the power to enter the TV? Where does it carry its stash of shiso leaves or carry back all the money its given when the IT make purchases with it? funny thought.

EmPAU

Circling back to its involvement to EmPAU, the fox would be a special friend and confidant to the Izanami before the main plot. It found itself in a conflict between other predators which should explain its scars. It was the Izanami of that time that led it to a secret area full of shiso leaves, and tended it back to health.

It resides near the Tatsuhime Shrine and observes the activities, sometimes offering help as it is helped in return. It turns human to interact with others, as well as better communicate itself to Izanami—it, being the only one who knows and understand what she is as a deity and guardian of Inaba.

To the point they become good friends, even confidants, discussing with one another about the city of Inaba, or what happened at the festival at the shrine. How much was offered and what was performed.

The fox, it didn't have a name, but Izanami would call it "Tatsu" simply to have something to say, and that she'd find it at the Tatsuhime Shrine majority of the time.

What it didn't expect that it would see the "death" of a god itself. Not being present at the split, but aware of what had happened. The atmosphere literally shifted, where it rained more than it should have shined. It remembered a request from its good friend: to guide her children that would come after her. It was a heavy request, both parties were aware. But it did have a debt to repay, in a way.

It found this favor hard to accomplish. The mist working on its own whims, and if the car would park and stop for a moment, and if the breeze would ever pass the shrine's way at all. Even on the raniest days would the employee at the gas station even show up for a mammal soaked from the shower. Or if it can ever get close to the endlessly curious girl without worrying her chaperone with gray hair—or letting him know of its pursuit of her at all.

But with whatever chances it gets, it takes them. A fox is sly, after all.