Nano
procrastination symphony
Key to an Oath:
Glossary
Glossary
Yokai
妖怪
The impurities washed away by Izanagi gave birth to many spirits that came to reside in various objects. As the objects aged, the power within the objects grew until they gained sentience. Thus, the yokai sprung into existence from the natural world.
Referred to as Ayakashi, Mononoke, Youma, and many other names, the word Yokai is an umbrella term that refers to any individual born in such a manner as well as their descendants. Due to the circumstances of their births varying greatly, the different forms that yokai manifest in are just as numerous. Those born from old objects might take on the form of said object with the addition of arms and legs, while others might manifest in the form of the owner of the object. Many yokai are also descended from animals that lived well past their normal lifespan or became yokai by feeding upon strong desires. In rare cases, a human who died might turn into a yokai. More specifically, humans with strong desires, regrets, or resentment might leave an imprint on the world which can fuse with demonic energy. This process creates a yokai who has inherited the memories and personality of the human but is not truly that human themselves as their soul has long passed on.
Unlike humans, yokai are equipped with a number of mystical abilities called yojutsu that their bodies are adapted to from birth. Their powers stem from their natures, making their powers instinctive rather than something that is learned. Should a human ask a yokai how they manipulate their demonic energy, most will not be capable of giving a clear explanation. Few are familiar with the theories behind how the yojutsu of their specific subrace functions, as it is an act that is as natural as breathing to them. However, the actual applications must still be developed over time, given that technique is learned rather than inherited.
Unions between humans and yokai are generally barren. However, a hybrid child may be born on rare occasions. Due to the prejudice from both sides, such children (referred to as hanyo) tend to be ostracized from the community they reside in if not completely driven out. The latter is especially the case should they attempt to live amongst humans, as the yokai traits of a hanyo tend to heavily outweigh their human traits. Though hanyo tend to be less in tune with their nature than full-blooded yokai, they’re still blessed with the supernatural abilities of their subrace. As a result, yokai tend to be far more tolerant towards hanyo than humans, though they nonetheless view them as something filthy.
Some hanyo in the past have attempted to completely erase one side of their blood through strange and forbidden rituals. However, none have been successful in such endeavors regardless of how much they pretended and rejected their other half.
Referred to as Ayakashi, Mononoke, Youma, and many other names, the word Yokai is an umbrella term that refers to any individual born in such a manner as well as their descendants. Due to the circumstances of their births varying greatly, the different forms that yokai manifest in are just as numerous. Those born from old objects might take on the form of said object with the addition of arms and legs, while others might manifest in the form of the owner of the object. Many yokai are also descended from animals that lived well past their normal lifespan or became yokai by feeding upon strong desires. In rare cases, a human who died might turn into a yokai. More specifically, humans with strong desires, regrets, or resentment might leave an imprint on the world which can fuse with demonic energy. This process creates a yokai who has inherited the memories and personality of the human but is not truly that human themselves as their soul has long passed on.
Unlike humans, yokai are equipped with a number of mystical abilities called yojutsu that their bodies are adapted to from birth. Their powers stem from their natures, making their powers instinctive rather than something that is learned. Should a human ask a yokai how they manipulate their demonic energy, most will not be capable of giving a clear explanation. Few are familiar with the theories behind how the yojutsu of their specific subrace functions, as it is an act that is as natural as breathing to them. However, the actual applications must still be developed over time, given that technique is learned rather than inherited.
Unions between humans and yokai are generally barren. However, a hybrid child may be born on rare occasions. Due to the prejudice from both sides, such children (referred to as hanyo) tend to be ostracized from the community they reside in if not completely driven out. The latter is especially the case should they attempt to live amongst humans, as the yokai traits of a hanyo tend to heavily outweigh their human traits. Though hanyo tend to be less in tune with their nature than full-blooded yokai, they’re still blessed with the supernatural abilities of their subrace. As a result, yokai tend to be far more tolerant towards hanyo than humans, though they nonetheless view them as something filthy.
Some hanyo in the past have attempted to completely erase one side of their blood through strange and forbidden rituals. However, none have been successful in such endeavors regardless of how much they pretended and rejected their other half.
Onmyoji
陰陽師
In the past, humans could do little but rely on the charity of the yokai. Their crudely fashioned swords could do little to combat the mystical abilities of the yokai, and many lived in terror as they prayed to the gods that their village wouldn’t attract the attention of malignant spirits. Some built shrines and presented offerings to land gods in exchange for their protection. Others watched helplessly as their homes were burned to ashes for the twisted enjoyment of a monster.
When a woman named Chisato descended from her secluded settlement in the mountains, she brought with her knowledge of a series of techniques that would later become known as Onmyodo. Through meditation, a human is capable of taking in energy from the environment and assimilating it into their spiritual meridians. Though this energy is present in every human, their bodies are born capable of cycling only the amount required to sustain their lives. By taking in additional spiritual energy, humans are capable of gradually expanding upon this capacity, a process that takes years or even decades. Depending on a person’s innate talents as well as their ability to attune themselves with nature, some humans grow at a rapid pace while others increase at a rate so slow that it is as if they are not improving at all. However, merely meditating in this way only results in a body that is healthier and more robust than the average human.
The title “Onmyoji” is granted to humans capable of using the surplus spiritual energy brimming in their body to power various techniques. Some use it to further bolster their physiques to surpass human limits, while others ignite it to produce flames. Over the years, these techniques have been divided into nine primary disciplines passed down within the nine clans of the Imperial Alliance. However, 500 years ago, the fourth clan was purged and any records of their forbidden techniques were burned. Amongst the smaller schools of onmyodo not affiliated with the Imperial Alliance, a handful have attempted to unsuccessfully replicate the techniques of the lost Yonaga Clan over the centuries. Every attempt was immediately quashed by the remaining eight clans, and the Yonaga’s techniques are a taboo that every fledgling onmyoji knows not to touch.
When a woman named Chisato descended from her secluded settlement in the mountains, she brought with her knowledge of a series of techniques that would later become known as Onmyodo. Through meditation, a human is capable of taking in energy from the environment and assimilating it into their spiritual meridians. Though this energy is present in every human, their bodies are born capable of cycling only the amount required to sustain their lives. By taking in additional spiritual energy, humans are capable of gradually expanding upon this capacity, a process that takes years or even decades. Depending on a person’s innate talents as well as their ability to attune themselves with nature, some humans grow at a rapid pace while others increase at a rate so slow that it is as if they are not improving at all. However, merely meditating in this way only results in a body that is healthier and more robust than the average human.
The title “Onmyoji” is granted to humans capable of using the surplus spiritual energy brimming in their body to power various techniques. Some use it to further bolster their physiques to surpass human limits, while others ignite it to produce flames. Over the years, these techniques have been divided into nine primary disciplines passed down within the nine clans of the Imperial Alliance. However, 500 years ago, the fourth clan was purged and any records of their forbidden techniques were burned. Amongst the smaller schools of onmyodo not affiliated with the Imperial Alliance, a handful have attempted to unsuccessfully replicate the techniques of the lost Yonaga Clan over the centuries. Every attempt was immediately quashed by the remaining eight clans, and the Yonaga’s techniques are a taboo that every fledgling onmyoji knows not to touch.
Kyonshi
殭屍
Corpses that have reanimated due to strong regrets or desires that were left behind at death. As there is no actual soul attached to the corpse, it has no will nor intelligent thought processes. A kyonshi’s sole “goal” is to act upon impulses related to what caused it to reanimate, and any sudden change in behavior without an outsider’s manipulation is generally unheard of. For example, a human who drowned may become a kyonshi who drowns any passersby, while a human who died with a strong regret of having failed to meet someone may turn to wander the streets at night. In general, the stronger the regret or desire, the more spiritual energy collects within the corpse, leading to stronger and typically more violent kyonshi.
In rare cases, a kyonshi might have its grudges or regrets fulfilled and cease moving. However, the vast majority of kyonshi require an onmyoji to immobilize and cleanse it of its negative energy. Severely damaging the corpse and burying it is viable as a temporary stopgap measure, but the kyonshi will eventually twist itself back into shape and climb out of the soil.
With the resurgence of the forbidden arts of the Yonaga Clan, the number of kyonshi roaming Kouka have surged. Due to their spelltags drawing in spiritual energy and forcing it into the corpses, the kyonshi activated by said tags are far stronger than ordinary kyonshi. Their skin is tough like steel, they possess the ability to mend their bodies, and their sensitivity to sounds have been heightened. The reanimated corpses of powerful yokai and onmyoji are particularly dangerous, as their bodies seem to remember the techniques they knew back when they were still alive. The only way to defeat a kyonshi created through the forbidden arts is to destroy the spell tag pasted on its body. However, as if they are aware of the spell tag being their weakness, a kyonshi will guard its tag carefully making the task more difficult than it seems.
In rare cases, a kyonshi might have its grudges or regrets fulfilled and cease moving. However, the vast majority of kyonshi require an onmyoji to immobilize and cleanse it of its negative energy. Severely damaging the corpse and burying it is viable as a temporary stopgap measure, but the kyonshi will eventually twist itself back into shape and climb out of the soil.
With the resurgence of the forbidden arts of the Yonaga Clan, the number of kyonshi roaming Kouka have surged. Due to their spelltags drawing in spiritual energy and forcing it into the corpses, the kyonshi activated by said tags are far stronger than ordinary kyonshi. Their skin is tough like steel, they possess the ability to mend their bodies, and their sensitivity to sounds have been heightened. The reanimated corpses of powerful yokai and onmyoji are particularly dangerous, as their bodies seem to remember the techniques they knew back when they were still alive. The only way to defeat a kyonshi created through the forbidden arts is to destroy the spell tag pasted on its body. However, as if they are aware of the spell tag being their weakness, a kyonshi will guard its tag carefully making the task more difficult than it seems.
Land Gods
土地神
Unbeknownst to mankind, the humans were not entirely powerless even prior to the discovery of onmyodo. Where yokai held the power of yojutsu, humans possessed the power of belief. Desperation and coincidences led foolish humans to believe in higher beings that did not exist. When strong desires mix with fervent prayers, the world shifts and gives birth to an entity which the humans refer to as a land god. The personality and power of a land god is largely shaped by the prayers that gave birth to it. For example, a land god born from the desperate pleas of a village suffering from a plague might be born with the ability to heal and safeguard people from illness.
However, land gods are not all-powerful and omniscient deities. Their powers are dependent on the prayers and offerings of the fickle hearts of humans, and a forgotten god will slowly fade from existence. In addition, even the most powerful land gods are limited to their domains. Depending on their purpose and the beliefs of the people, this domain can be the shrine in which they reside or the territory of the area where their legend was born. A god may never leave their domain, and their powers are ineffective outside of it, though their domains increase their power by severalfold. Hatred is another core weakness of land gods, as the negative emotions that have corrupted the pure devotion humans have towards a land god will defile their power. Such land gods become vengeful or evil gods who have lost their sense of purpose and set out to destroy the very lands they had sworn to protect.
It is possible for yokai to steal the power that humans grant to their land gods. By devouring a land god, a yokai can take the land god’s power for themselves. However, this is considered taboo by not only humans but the yokai as well, so only the most evil yokai will commit such heinous deeds.
On occasion, humans might mistake an animal, yokai, or even a human as a deity. In such cases, the prayers and offerings from the humans feed the false god and increase their power. Unlike land gods that rely on a constant stream of offerings, the powers of false land gods do not wane with a decrease in belief. They are also not necessarily locked to a domain, though they also lack the boons of remaining in the domain of a land god as they essentially do not have one.
However, land gods are not all-powerful and omniscient deities. Their powers are dependent on the prayers and offerings of the fickle hearts of humans, and a forgotten god will slowly fade from existence. In addition, even the most powerful land gods are limited to their domains. Depending on their purpose and the beliefs of the people, this domain can be the shrine in which they reside or the territory of the area where their legend was born. A god may never leave their domain, and their powers are ineffective outside of it, though their domains increase their power by severalfold. Hatred is another core weakness of land gods, as the negative emotions that have corrupted the pure devotion humans have towards a land god will defile their power. Such land gods become vengeful or evil gods who have lost their sense of purpose and set out to destroy the very lands they had sworn to protect.
It is possible for yokai to steal the power that humans grant to their land gods. By devouring a land god, a yokai can take the land god’s power for themselves. However, this is considered taboo by not only humans but the yokai as well, so only the most evil yokai will commit such heinous deeds.
On occasion, humans might mistake an animal, yokai, or even a human as a deity. In such cases, the prayers and offerings from the humans feed the false god and increase their power. Unlike land gods that rely on a constant stream of offerings, the powers of false land gods do not wane with a decrease in belief. They are also not necessarily locked to a domain, though they also lack the boons of remaining in the domain of a land god as they essentially do not have one.
Urban Legends
都市伝説
Desire gives birth to land gods, but mass fear is capable of bringing urban legends to life. Some manifest as phenomena while others appear in the form of vengeful ghosts or evil yokai. Rumor has it that one urban legend trapped an entire village in a time loop that repeated the same week over and over for a century. When an urban legend manifests as a powerful phenomenon such as the case of the time loop, the only ways to dispel it are to either influence the humans to cease believing in the myth or by attacking the urban legend at its core. In the case of vengeful ghosts and evil yokai birthed by the urban legend, it is a simple matter of defeating the entity. Widespread phenomena, however, instead contain an object or person central to its myth. Unfortunately, it is impossible to discern an urban legend’s core as there are no spiritual or physical differences that set it apart from its surroundings. Whoever wishes to dispel the urban legend’s manifestation must carefully collect the details of the urban legend and make an educated guess.
Though urban legends rely on the same power of human beliefs, humans believe them to be entirely separate from land gods. In truth, the only difference between the two is that one is beneficial to humans while the other is not. Land gods and urban legends are also not always very different from yokai, making certain cases difficult to distinguish from one another. The deep-seated prejudice that humans bear against yokai causes many to view this statement as heresy.
Though urban legends rely on the same power of human beliefs, humans believe them to be entirely separate from land gods. In truth, the only difference between the two is that one is beneficial to humans while the other is not. Land gods and urban legends are also not always very different from yokai, making certain cases difficult to distinguish from one another. The deep-seated prejudice that humans bear against yokai causes many to view this statement as heresy.
Code by Nano
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