There are many different kinds of foxcraft, the "skills of cunning and guile known only to foxes". Below is a list of all of them. Using certain Foxcrafts can cause a fox's white tail tip to turn silver.
Foxcrafts:[]
- Slimmering
- Karakking
- Wa'akkir
- Maa-sharm
- Gerra-sharm
- Shana-sharm
- Pashanda
- Pleaching
Reverse Foxcrafts:[]
- Kia-Sharm (opposite of Shana-Sharm-makes a forcefield that traps a fox)
- Pakkara (opposite of Pashanda-puts a fox into a trance)
- Tu-Maa-Sharm (opposite of Maa-Sharm-takes maa from a victim)
Slimmering[]
Slimmering is a part of the art of Foxcraft and probably the most common. The Elder Brin is best at this. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"Stilling the breath and mind to create the illusion of invisibility. Used to avoid detection."
In The Books[]
Isla uses slimmering a few times; for instance, when she tries to catch a mouse and attempts to Slimmer. She uses it when she is trapped in the cage, and it works for a moment until she starts running. Later on, she tries slimmering, along with karakking to get away from the Taken foxes.
Isla's brother, Pirie, is mentioned to be very good at slimmering.
Isla tricks Simmi and Tao by slimmering and karakking at the same time, though it drains her maa.
In The Mage, Metis, the black fox, helps Isla rescue Farraclaw from the Bishar of Fang and puts the slimmer over Farraclaw as well as herself and they escape, walking as if they were one.
The Chant[]
Slimmering requires a chant to work, and the chant is as followed. It can be recited mentally or vocally, but the user must have stilled their breath and mind for it to work properly.
"What was seen is unseen; what was sensed becomes senseless. What was bone is bending; what was fur is air."
The Reversal Chant[]
It was mentioned in The Taken that there is a reversal chant to counter slimmering, but it was never revealed. However, if other foxes blink rapidly, and in the right direction, they may be able to see the fox.
Karakking[]
Karakking is a part of the art of Foxcraft. The Elder Kolo is best at this. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"Imitating the call of other creatures. The technique allows the fox to "throw" his or her voice, so it appears to come from elsewhere. Used to attract prey or confuse attackers."
In The Books[]
Isla is very good at karakking, and uses it many times throughout the book. She uses it to confuse Pirie when they are play fighting. Later on, she uses it in her desperate escape from the zoo and the Taken foxes. She replicates the calls of the animals in the zoo, which confuses and scares the other foxes. She also uses it to play a trick on Simmi and Tao. In The Elders, Kolo is seemingly able to summon lightning storms by karakking.
The Chant[]
There is no chant for karakking, although there is a point in the book where it is described.
Wa'akkir[]
Wa'akkir is one of the higher arts of Foxcraft. The Elder Jana is best at this. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"Shapeshifting into another creature. Misuse of wa'akkir can lead to injury and premature death. Its practice is subject to ritual and rites that are closely guarded by the elders."
In The Books[]
A well-known rule to users of wa'akkir is that a fox may only safely assume the form of another cub of Canista (a canine). The consequences of breaking this rule can be very dangerous. Also, the reflection of the fox stays the same and their shadow vanishes.
Siffrin is good at wa'akkir, and Karka seems to be skilled at it as well. Isla manages to use wa'akkir at the end of The Elders, turning into a dog for a second. When she is cornered by the Taken, she turns into a bird and flies over the Raging River. However, as a result of breaking the rule the magic ultimately fails and she ends up falling into the river.
Additionally, if the user shifts into the appearance of someone who then sees a double of themself as a result, the original's mental and physical state can be negatively impacted. This was seen in The Taken, when Siffrin appears in front of Isla as herself. She becomes dizzy and disoriented, regurgitates beetles, and is temporarily struck with a feeling of hatred so strong she feels as if she could kill him.
The Chant[]
"I am the fur that ruffles your back, I am the twist and shake of your tail. Let me appear in the shape of your body: no one can tell; others will fear; dare not come near!"
After the chant, it is common to say: "I am (whatever the fox's name is), I am changing, I am (whatever the fox is turning into).
When the fox wants to change back, it is common to say: “I am (whatever creature the fox turned into), I am changing, I am (whatever the fox’s real name is).
Maa-Sharm[]
Maa-Sharm is a part of the art of Foxcraft. The Elder Shaya is best at this and shana-sharm. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"Maa is the energy and essence of all living things. Maa-sharm transfers maa from one fox to another. Used to heal frail or wounded foxes."
In The Books[]
Siffrin heals Isla using maa-sharm and Isla heals Siffrin trapped as a coyote. One time instinctively used by Isla, when they were on a roof, and Siffrin was threatened to fall down. In the Mage, Isla uses maa-sharm to help Métis.
The Chant[]
“With my touch I sense you, with my eyes I heal you. By Canista's Lights I share what I have; we are knit together, and you are whole.”
Reverse Foxcraft[]
Tu-maa-sharm.
Gerra-Sharm[]
Gerra-Sharm is a part of the art of Foxcraft. There is no Elder best at this, as it is a "rare, forgotten art". There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"Gerra is the thinking center of living beings- the mind. Gerra-sharm shares gerra with another fox. Gerra-sharm is rare -- a forgotten art -- and can only be performed by foxes with an intense, intuitive bond."
In The Books[]
Isla and Pirie, as close siblings, can perform gerra-sharm, and do throughout the books, coming in strange dreams and visions to Isla. They show her where Pirie is or has been.
After Isla converses with Pirie several times, he begins to warn her not to try to contact him anymore, and it is revealed later in the series that the Mage has been able to spy on Isla through Pirie in order to track her location.
The Chant[]
There is no chant for gerra-sharm.
Shana-Sharm[]
Shana-Sharm is a part of the art of Foxcraft. The Elder Shaya is best at this and maa-sharm. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"The fusing of wills to weave shana. Used by the Elders to protect the Elder Rock during malinta and the gloaming."
In The Books[]
The Taken invaded the Elder Rock so the Elders try perform shana-sharm, but one of the Taken attacks Shaya, the Elder who is best at creating a shana. Isla then helps the Elders successfully perform shana-sharm.
The Chant[]
"Come together, rays of light; comfort me in the deadly night. Weave a wall of thickest mist; every fiend and foe resist."
Reverse Foxcraft:[]
Kia-sharm, also known as Tu-shana-sharm.
Pashanda[]
Pashanda is a part of the art of Foxcraft. The Elder Mika is best at this. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"A trance where knowledge is summoned from the winds. Used to sense the approach of friends or foes."
In The Books[]
In The Taken, Isla's Greatma uses pashanda to see that it will rain soon: "A breeze is rising, it is touched with river and ice. The rain will be here by first light." -Foxcraft: The Taken, Page 7
In The Elders, it is known that Mika is skilled in this Foxcraft. She sensed that something was not right.
In The Mage, Isla uses pashanda to find her way through the Darklands while avoiding The Taken.
The Chant[]
“Eye of gerra; inner glance
Share your secrets through my trance.”
Reverse Foxcraft[]
Pakkara
Pleaching[]
Pleaching is a part of the art of Foxcraft. The Elder Keeveny is best at this. There is a Glossary definition, which is as follows:
"The weaving of minds (Gerra) with another creature. Pleaching is to the mind what Wa'akkir is to the body. Its practice is perilous, as the stronger will can overwhelm and dominate the weaker."
In the Books[]
In The Elders it is known that the Mage can pleach any fox to do his bidding, though the Narral pleach most of the Taken. The Taken are pleached foxes.
Alternatively, pleaching has been seen used by forces of good in the series, such as near the end of The Mage when Isla pleaches with the Elders to combine their strengths in order to combat the Mage.
The chant is recited over a bundle of tail-tip fur from a fox and the fox they are going to pleach that is buried under a blood-bark tree.
Keeveny, though, is the Mage.
The Chant[]
“Your thoughts are mine; my will is yours
You are my eyes; I am your paws.”
Reversal Chant[]
“Run fast, be safe, live free.”
Kia-Sharm[]
Reversal of shana-sharm; makes a field of energy that draws a fox in and ensnares them. Also called tu-shana-sharm.
In the Books[]
Haiki reveals that the Mage is using kia-sharm to guard against intruders.
The Elders use kia-sharm to protect the Rock from intruders.
The Chant[]
There was no revealed chant for Kia-sharm.
Pakkara[]
Reversal of Pashanda. A trance is forced upon another creature, leaving them helpless.
In the Books[]
The Mage used this on Pirie, and the other foxes who have strong maa, along with tu-maa-sharm.
It was also used on Farraclaw when Metis first meets him in The Mage.
The Chant[]
“Feel my gerra, share my glance -- calm your terror, enter trance.”
The Reversal Chant[]
“When you feel my gentle claw, you shall be in trance no more.”
Tu-Maa-Sharm[]
Reversal of maa-sharm. Maa is leeched from the body of a unwilling victim.
In the Books[]
The Mage used this on Pirie and the other foxes that have strong maa, along with placing them under the pakkara trance.
The Chant[]
There was no revealed chant for tu-maa-sharm