ListsOfFortune (
listsoffortune) wrote2019-03-11 05:20 pm
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Locations
They are everywhere. From those that hide to those that can fly. I’ve even seen ones that ride on people’s shoulders. Big and small, there are all kinds, but they are all the deceased, the residents of the other world. They cannot be seen by people like us who live in this world. Even though they are so close by. The only ones that can see them are animals and children. And those like me who stand on the border of this world and the other world, people of the boundary. They like depressing atmospheres. They call it gloom. If they gather around you, you fall into a whirlpool of depression.' The Near Shore The Near Shore is the realm of the living. It is, essentially, modern day Japan in all its glory. Businesses Die Jagd
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The Far Shore
The Far Shore is the realm of gods and spirits. It is an ever-changing expanse inhabited by the gods and made up almost entirely of their homes. Frequent Sights the landscape and places of interest Abandoned Temples
Northeast District Temples the homes of the minor gods The Northeastern district is humble, but not rural. Although small roads may be unpaved, the main roads are paved with cobblestone and run beside small ditches to channel away any rain that would otherwise puddle on the roads. Areas between temples are planted with maple and pine trees and adorned with the occasional decorative boulder; the leaves are kept raked and the grass trimmed. It is convenient to the Main Office, which is to the north of the Meeting Hall and easily accessible by a bridge across the river. Dún Dealgan
Three white hounds roam the forest freely. One apathetic which won't react much to guests, one incredibly welcoming one, and a true guard dog one, that will give warning to intruders and will react aggressively to hostiles. The hounds are also part of the temple "equipment", they're not strays taken from the Near Shore, and their true nature isn't fully understood by the temple's owner. After move a fourth dog appeared on it's own, younger, still a puppy, very earnest and trying their best. While there is no clear path to the temple, the guests won't have trouble finding the way. Strangers might wander a little, but eventually, they will find a large mead-hall-like building next to a massive oak. The main entrance leads to the second floor, instead to the first- It consists mostly of big dining hall and kitchen as well as relax area in the back. The first floor contains of various utility area, such as training hall, armory, shooting range for guns with necessary safety measures, sauna area with thermal baths both indoor and outdoor section etc - it also has an exit leading to the back of the building and herb garden. Personal rooms are on the third floor and are furnished according to the tastes of their inhabitants. Each shinki gets one of their own, and several are still empty used as guest rooms should someone want to stay overnight. Someone adapted one of them as a library room. The interior of the whole temple on a rustic side, wood, stone, textured fabrics, burlap. Everything in warm earthly tones - a combination of roughness and warm comfort, stability and simplicity. The near lack of modern materials like plastic or synthetic fabrics might be noticeable but of course, there is no escaping them, for example in the kitchen which, while kept in style, is fully furnished with all necessary modern appliances. After the temple's move to a different district the temple gained outside a large deck with firepit and benches around, as well as aforementioned upgrade to the sauna area, shooting range and fourth dog. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
With the move to a bigger location there is now a second floor filled with more general reading and entertainment based items. Such as a projector and dvds gifted by Apollo for viewing. ![]() ![]() ![]()
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With the moving of her temple comes a few slight changes - the tree has grown, with many more of the uppermost rooms peeking out the cavern roof, and a new set of lowermost branches have spawned, carrying a modest library that circles most of the way around the tree trunk. At night, the cavern is now lit by clusters of fireflies that sometimes escape the cavern and explore around the outside instead, as well as colourful lanterns. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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But if someone was to poke around the ruins long enough they may find the entrance inside the castle itself, converted to most modern necessities and quite comfortable to live in. A balanced mix of old and new with ancient, Mediterranean architecture. The castle has grown on its own whenever it needs to. If Emizel acquires more shinki, another bedroom may appear overnight to accommodate it. Or a whole additional wing might appear instead if it gets too crowded. Recently it happened with the introduction of four adopted kittens, that can been sometimes seen wandering the halls, kitchen, and their own play room. Yet despite expansions, on the outside the ruins remain relatively the same. Either some sort of magic is keeping it that way, or somehow the two places are detached from one another. As the temple had moved, a whole new area has opened up underneath it now. A new spiraling staircase inside that leads much deeper underground. One half dungeon-like, the other half...crypt? (He is a god of death, after all.) This area is much "larger" compared to the main part of the castle, but there's fewer things in it. One chamber in particular is perfect as a training ground due to its size. The other tunnels lead mostly to natural caves. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Southeast District Temples the homes of the minor gods The Southeastern district is humble, but not rural. Although some minor roads may be unpaved, the major roads are paved with smooth cobblestones, and often run beside canals lined with willows and cherry trees, where koi splash in the water. The areas between temples is planted with hydrangea and azaleas and cared for, and the grass is kept trimmed. This district is convenient to the library, which is just east of it and accessible by a bridge across the river. It's also relatively close to the Meeting Hall. Hades' Temple
The front of the temple is a small field of grass, and the paved path leading to the archway is lined with two rows of black spider lilies. A side footpath leads to a fountain cycling holy water through a geometric design. The interior of the temple hall is much like the outside, with the increased number of void patterns being the only difference. Braziers are lit in regular intervals, placed under tapestries in black and gold. Overall, the temple is rather formal, but without much life. It's empty. There is usually a statue in the centre of Greek temples, and there is one in here as well. However, instead of a muscled man, the statue is of a winged woman, veined with patches of black paint and eyes. In front of the statue is an altar of black stone, and behind it seems to be a small alcove. Both are furnished, but in a minimalistic manner. Behind the altar is a concealed door towards living quarters similar to a modern Japanese apartment. It's small but not cramped, allowing for ease of housekeeping. It contains all the utilities that a household needs, as well as rooms that can be summoned into existence if necessary. However, there only appears to be a single room behind the worship hall if one looks from the outside, due to dimensional manipulation going on to save space.
On the inside, the tower is more complex than it seems. The first thing one will notice is that the tower seems to be much wider on the inside, and the staircase spiralling around it extends infinitely upwards. As the tower is climbed, light starts to shine faintly through numerous blue stained-glass windows that line the staircase—if one stares at them for long enough, images of places both familiar and unfamiliar can be seen through the glass. There are no doors or landings within the tower, but knocking on any of the windows will cause it to shatter and transform the visitor's surroundings into a perfect illusion of the image behind it. Everything in the illusion can be interacted with, though it can't create anything sentient and nothing can be taken outside of the tower. Outside objects brought into the illusion and left behind will remain there, moved to logical locations within the illusion to suit its master's needs. Once an illusion is entered, though, the only way to leave is to search the area for another floating "window"... which will lead straight into another illusion. If you're persistent enough (or if Henir gets bored of watching you struggle), you'll eventually be dumped into a large, dark space filled with floating cubes. Gravity is questionable here, but the cube surfaces can be walked on regardless of their orientation. Each large cube contains an illusion reflected faintly on its surface, and the maze can be re-entered simply by knocking on the surface of any cube to create an opening. It's also possible to ignore these cubes and glide off into the unknown depths of Henir's domain, where the surrounding space gradually becomes darker and more ineffable as the laws of time and space are undone. A powerful energy can be felt the deeper one travels, though it's difficult to say if anyone could return from such a trip without Henir's guidance... To leave, all one needs to do is find one of the smaller floating cubes within Henir's space and give it a polite knock to reveal a portal back to the entrance. The same method can be used to enter as well—a knock on the door of the tower entrance can be heard from inside, giving the temple's residents an opportunity to welcome the guest inside without any of that illusion maze nonsense. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
And that's all there is to it, if you don't use your wits. There are several ways to open the true Temple of Metis, and the goddess has the ability to change the method at will, but examination of the jar the statue is holding will reveal the simplest and most consistent way. The jar moves on a vertical axis, and if one fills it with water, it will tip over much like a sōzu. This spilled water is key, however, as it begins to glow as it seeps into the cracks of the delicate carvings surrounding the statue. A chime plays, and then the floor opens up to reveal a stone spiral staircase descending underground with luminescent crystals embedded into the walls lighting the way. From here there are three main areas to the underground complex: the living area is cozy, though spacious enough to not trigger claustrophobia in its residents despite being entirely underground. One wing houses several warm bedrooms, as well as a few bathing rooms connecting them. The other side is home to the kitchen and dining area, where the tools provided are perhaps still a little outdated, but at least we're not cooking food over an open fire or anything. A simple iron chandelier hangs over the dining table, bearing more of those luminescent crystals to a cast a warm glow over any guests sitting there. Finally, past the dining area is a more casual living space with couches and chairs centered around a fireplace (where does the smoke go if we're underground? shut up don't ask questions). As for the other two sections of the complex, there is the library, which seems to have been recently updated and dusted, possessing a great many scrolls and books ranging in topics from herbal medicinal recipes to metal working. And finally, tucked away in the back, there is a spring of blessed holy water, glowing a constant tranquil blue. But who knows? Perhaps Metis is hiding even greater secrets deeper within, just waiting for the right person to uncover them... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() ![]() Northwest District Temples the homes of the very minor gods The Northwestern District is more rural. Most roads here are unpaved, and the spaces between temple grounds are filled with shrubs, weeds, and small trees growing wild. Small animal spirits are frequently seen around the Northwestern district, roaming free from the well-tended public park at its southwestern corner. The mysterious forest has been known to appear in this district. Unlike the central and eastern districts, distance and terrain can be flexible in the western districts. New temples might appear between two temples that had been next-door neighbors before, and terrain can shift outside of temple grounds, as well. Abandoned temples can be found in this district. The Park
The building's exterior has a rustic, though elaborate feeling to it, with many rooms to comfortably house a number of residents. The interior has a more modern slant to it, with up to date amenities. An annex room holds a sauna for those living there or visiting to relax and refresh themselves in, while a shack out in the back of the property holds various tools for various mundane projects of the resident deity's choosing. From the current god's efforts, the front yard grows and blooms sunflowers through the summer, and rose bushes dot the edges of the building. Wild boars roam the property, and while fearsome, aren't aggressive, and are unlikely to attack anyone without provocation. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Southwest District Temples the homes of the very minor gods The Southwestern District is more rural. Most roads here are unpaved, and the spaces between temple grounds are filled with shrubs, bushes, and weeds growing wild, as well as occasional rice fields. Some spirit beings can be found wandering the streets or living in the wild areas between temples here. The mysterious forest has been known to appear in this district. Unlike the central and eastern districts, distance and terrain can be flexible in the western districts. New temples might appear between two temples that had been next-door neighbors before, and terrain can shift outside of temple grounds, as well. Abandoned temples can be found in this district. Home of Orihime Fields of Hikoboshi (The Far Far Shore)
One of the back rooms of the temple exits to a decently sized hot spring, large enough for three to five bathers to comfortably soak in, and surrounded by a natural rock formation to allow for privacy. The water running through it is blessed, which makes it good for easing the effects of minor blight on top of the general soothing nature of a warm bath. Outside of the temple itself, the most noteworthy feature of the grounds is a large tree, well tended and taken care of diligently. It's thick trunk is adorned with a shide festooned shimenawa, and through the spring and summer months, the flowers blooming from it take on multiple colors and shapes, as if the branches are patch-worked of many different trees. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Central District Temples
the homes of the major gods The Central District is prosperous, well-maintained and immaculately landscaped. Moss gardens, sculpted cherry, pine and maple trees, water gardens and bright flowers in every season fill the Central District between temple plots. All the roads here are paved with smooth cobblestone and run alongside canals that drain away any rainwater before it can puddle on the roads; the canals are lined with weeping willow and home to schools of brightly colored koi that will come to the surface for treats, and sometimes recite haiku if they appreciate the food. Stray spirits avoid the Central District, and ayakashi are never seen there. Apollo’s Celeb Paradise (CelePara)
As befits a god of performance, there’s no shortage of ballrooms and event halls in this temple. One room in particular sports a throne around which multiple video cameras have been mounted. The same emblem, a gold sword atop a heart, can be found emblazoned on various drapes throughout the place. Apollo’s private quarters are done up similarly to the public areas: rich purple carpets and no shortage of plush sofas and chairs on which to repose while…watching TV. Lots of TV. Every room has a drop-down, full-size screen. The inmost room contains a few small tables on which Apollo keeps her dolls and stage model. Also, towards the basement, there’s this weird cathedral-like room entirely full of red lilies that the god in residence insists on calling “casablancas” despite casablanca lilies being white. Since moving to the central district, the front doors have gained a giant golden statue of Hibiki on either side of them, and there is a lake in the backyard now - large enough to dock a pirate ship. Which is good, because there's one floating in it. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
There are facilities for weapons practice and training in the temple as well, including a large dojo in a more Japanese style where Bishamon hosts monthly training sessions as a favor to the new gods and shinki. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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The temple grounds are walled, the outer wall about ten feet tall and built of brightly painted plaster over brick to match the temple building, but the walls are clearly decorative rather than protective. Artistically shaped gates and openings are dotted all around the circumference, and some of the larger trees in the garden drape down low enough to make easy climbing access. The garden looks semi-wild, including a large lake dotted with mossy boulders that have been landscaped into miniature "islands," but a close observation will reveal that every plant growing in it can be used in some way, either in medicine or cuisine. Inside, the temple is large, airy and only sparsely decorated, with a minimum of ornament. The walls are white plaster, the downstairs floors tile and the upstairs natural wood, and large windows allow plenty of light into most of the building. The living quarters are on the second story of the temple building; the rooms are on the small side, but there are enough to accommodate dozens of residents, each opening out onto the shared balcony. The downstairs area contains a suitably sized kitchen, dining room, reception room and meditation area, as well as a large workroom packed with what looks like alchemical equipment and racks upon racks of carefully labeled dried herbs, insects, fungus, and other useful ingredients. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
There is a gathering spot tucked outside among the trees with the perfect place to cook over an open fire or just curl up in the shade with a good book. A large koi pond is nestled nearby, water splashing over the rocks of a small waterfall and fat, lazy koi swimming within its depths. Scattered around the temple grounds, it's not odd to find statues of fish or pelicans nestled in among the architecture and greenery, the symbols of the goddess who dwells here. And there are often flocks of pelicans floating nearby on the lake or wandering through the temple grounds, but they're more interested in guarding the fish than bothering any visitors to the temple. Usually, anyway.... The atmosphere is often warm and welcoming, offering a homey sense of belonging to any who wander onto the Temple grounds and it's not unusual to find strays of any kind wandering through, whether they be the two-legged or four-legged kind. It doesn't matter who is in need of a safe haven, Nanshe is happy to look after any and all. ![]()
Immediately to the right of the hill's front is a large garden, bordered by trees and thick flower growth so it's impossible to see into from anywhere but the one path in. This is the location of Shun's shrine that he uses to teleport - from the opening into the garden, there's a straight stone path that leads to it, flanked by two long, shallow pools which serve as his blessed water source. It's also populated by about two dozen vultures of two different species, griffon and lappet-faced, which are reasonably sociable to people who mean no harm. Surrounding all of this is a huge amount of flowering plants, which anyone particularly familiar with flower language may notice are all associated with death or mourning in some way. After the move, two exits have appeared at the far end of this garden that lead on to another, even larger area, with rose arches, chrysanthemum gardens, and various other more striking arrangements of mourning flowers. There is also a seating area in this section, and a large, impenetrable wall of greenery surrounds both it and the neighbouring small hot spring, also serving to divide both areas. The spring is only accessible through a path from the lower floor of Shun's temple. After his temple move, both the grounds and garden are lit at night by stone lanterns like one might find at a shrine or cemetery. There is no physical border around his temple ground, but if one looks closely, they may notice marking stones placed at intervals around the radius. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Upon approach, the first thing one will see is a simple stone shinto gate flanked by two long ponds. On the other side of the ponds are several pine trees, screening what is beyond from the view of a passer-by. Should one be allowed to enter past the gate, following the smooth pathway of river stone leads to a vast green area. Pines and sakura trees (of the variety yaezakura, which have double flowers) grow around the building in a manner that looks both natural and artful. Also in the garden is an outbuilding used for tea ceremonies and a small koi pond. Beyond the building is the joining of the two rivers flowing through Takagamahara. Suijin's home itself is completely traditional Japanese in style. However beneath the surface many modern human conveniences can be found. Although the weather in Takagamahara is always perfect it does have seasons, and so she is rather fond of the electric kotatsu table she brought up from the Near Shore. As Suijin and her shinki are working on the Near Shore so much of the time, her home is relatively small to keep housekeeping to a minimum. ![]() Western District Temples the homes of the new and obscure gods The Western District is in frequent flux. Distances and landscapes shift overnight, and abandoned temples can be found scattered all over the district. Unlike the rural areas of the Northwest and Southwest districts, the Western district is sometimes entirely wild outside temple grounds: forests, mountains and rivers can intrude between and around the temples of the new and obscure old gods. As the most distant area from the protection of the Heavens, this district has the least claim upon their protection and order, and since the changes wrought by the disappearances of old gods and appearances of the new, ayakashi have (rarely) been seen here. Abandoned Temple School
There is a kitchen (old-fashioned, with wood-burning stove), public bathrooms and bathing facilities available, so in a pinch the school can also be used as a dwelling place. Class Schedule - Editable
The temple itself is, on the outside, built in the classic Roman style, traditional columns and all - but the capricious dichotomy of its god demonstrates itself vividly in the state of the structure. The lefthand side of the temple (as seen when looking at it from the front) is in beautiful condition, white marble gleaming in the warm sunlight of its surroundings. The righthand side, however, is a ruin, looking as though either thousands of years or some great catastrophe - or both - have taken their toll on it. And somehow, the sunlight never seems to strike the right side properly; the ruined portions of the temple seem to exist only in a perpetual overcast gloom. The interior of the temple is much more modern, in those rooms which are finished, and perfectly comfortable with most of the amenities one might expect in a high-class facility - though there's a somewhat tropical hint to the decor. But only some of the rooms in the temple - and there seems to be no rhyme or reason in their placement - have received this treatment. Exactly half the rooms in the temple are overcast ruins to match the dark and destroyed half of the exterior; passing between rooms in the temple can feel like entering another world, or traveling forward (or backwards) centuries in time. There's no logical correlation between whether the rooms are on the side of the temple that appear to be ruined from the outside or not.
The exterior of the temple is rough-hewn stone, covered in moss and dead overgrowth. It's an oddly gothic building, sharp and foreboding. The moss is the only sign of life on the exterior of the temple. The doors are heavy and wooden, worn and weathered from seemingly years of disuse. Once inside, the walls of the temple are a bit more welcoming. The interior is well cared for with rich, dark wooden floors and an equally dark, vaulted ceiling. Surprisingly, there is electricity in the building, but the fixtures are all extremely old. The first floor houses the kitchen, a dining hall, and what appears to be a disused servant's quarters. There is a solid wood staircase leading to the second floor and basement. The second floor has living quarters for the shinki, well-furnished but not at all modern. Rooms branch off from the main corridor, eventually leading to a dead end. There are more than enough rooms for overnight visitors, if they wish to risk staying. There is still an off-putting air inside of the temple. The basement houses an armory, everything within it well taken care of and far cleaner than it has any right to be. The same dark wooden ceilings and floors line the room with dark wood cabinets in various places. Most of the weapons are mounted on the wall with partial suits of armor. The armory is an unsettling place to be, as it's always colder than the rest of the temple and it feels like you're being watched the entire time you're in the room. Behind the temple building is a large stone formation. This is what gives the temple its name -- it's a Giant's Grave. An unusual, u-shaped formation, leading to a four chamber gallery. Each chamber is covered with a cairn, marking it as a gravesite. Also on the property is abandoned stone church. There's no roof, no windows, and everything inside is either rotted or covered with dead overgrowth. There is an accompanying graveyard, as well, but it's mostly just unreadable, broken headstones. Best to avoid this part of the temple if you're worried about disturbing the dead. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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Though Hachiman is a warrior god, a proper samurai has to be more than just a fighter, doesn't he? His shrine's complex is a serene place, and he can often be found on one of the verandas with his pipe, a warm pot of tea, and a calligraphy brush. The temple is now empty ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
In the entrance you'll find a small prayer altar. Everything is mostly made out of wood. For some reason nearly everything is old fashioned. As you go deeper in you'll stumble across a stagelike platform for preforming arts.
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Said yard can be accessed via multiple points on the first floor (the dining space, master bedroom, and a couple of the tatami rooms) where it partially wraps around the space, and is another area that is obviously intended to be used as a person sees fit - either for socialization or a quiet spot, depending on whether you stay in the lounge area or go into the small garden. There's often a faint trace of fog in cooler weather surrounding the house, which hovers at the edges of the yard. ... there are also, frequently, cats that come and go. Don't mind them. The temple is now empty. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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It is big enough, however, to enclose an open-air training ground in the center, which is exactly how Bakugou likes it. The interior of the circular structure surrounding it is as modern as the exterior, and well-furnished, but there's a bit of an odd feel to it. Some of the rooms are similar to those one would find in a modern home, but others have more of a schoolgrounds vibe - especially the hallways and the library. It's clear the temple reflects the lived experiences of its teenage god, and perhaps is meant to provide some touchstone of comforting familiarity.
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Rooms for shinki and guests are comfortably situated in the halls on the sides of the interior courtyards and are comfortably furnished with all the latest modern amenities that contrast rather sharply with the temple's ancient layout and appearance. All the rooms are ensuite, though there is also a luxurious traditional bathouse, complete with a sauna for the Temple's main coldblooded resident, located in one of the outbuildings should they feel the need to take advantage of the facilities. The main building is reserved for Nüwa's personal living quarters, comprised of a spacious bedroom, bathroom, study, and living room. ![]() ![]() ![]()
Behind the house portion of the temple grounds is a natural hot spring, partially located in a smaller cave. A large statue of Nyx herself watches over this spring. A rock wall and a copse of trees separates this spring from other temple grounds. Inside, the house is relatively modern, with electricity and running water. There's no bathtubs, but rather smaller hot springs with tubs cut around them. There are small electric scones all over to provide light, as there are only windows in the bedrooms and dining areas. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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Even inside, the plants have taken over, spilling over the railings of the second floor, with other plants growing out of pots occupying the room. The building lacks a chunk of the back wall, exposing it to the outside. The ground floor and roof top have wicker benches and chairs decorated with colorful patterned cushions and blankets. Bamboo woven curtains are rolled and tied up to bottom of the second floor, which can be let down during rainy seasons to keep the water out. The second floor is the living area, where the kitchen and bedrooms can be found. There is a leather couch by the windows in the common area, a contrast to the rest of the furniture. Colorful tiles cover the floor, keeping feet cool during warmer days. The roof is open space with a pergola for shade, along with other plant life growing under the sun. The river runs around the temple, with narrow parked on the side for traveling. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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The Monastery itself also houses an exceptionally extensive underground library, with five levels worth of books. Many of these are historical writings, scriptures, and other such literary works in both common and foreign languages. The state of cleanliness of these basement levels will often vary. With some some floors and corridors kept in neat condition, while other floors will have scrolls and lithographs tossed and strewn in varying piles of disarray. ![]() ![]() ![]()
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The center is where the "true" temple is, a building made from a towering mushroom. An archway has been cut from the base where a bookshelf, armrest, and small table rest, effectively serving as the Snatcher's living room. The large brambles that wind around the mushroom act as a staircase, leading to a simple kitchen and bedroom, the latter of which features old, Victorianesque furniture mainly in reds, blacks, and purples. ![]() ![]()
Down the hill that the shrine is propped up on there's a little pond surrounded by green moss and trees, making sounds muffled and the place calming. When it's warm enough or you're daring enough, you can go swimming there, though the water is a meter and a half at its deepest. Out the front door is a little garden, and to the left of the shrine is a little building with screen doors, but no windows, unlike the shrine itself. It's for privacy, that's much needed in what's essentially a nurse's office. Or, some sort of version of it. It has all the basic things needed to care for someone in need of some small help. The temple is now empty. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
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The interior is a mix of modern and traditional styles, eclectically furnished and decorated with brightly colored arrangements of the garden flowers. The temple is surrounded by a fairly large yard filled with a riot of brightly colored flowers; cosmos, sunflowers, snapdragons, tulips and columbine feature heavily in the sunnier areas of the yard, with hydrangea and azalea bushes around the house. There is a row of sour orange trees along the back wall that perfume the air throughout the temple when they're flowering. At the edge of the property is a medium-high (5') wall with a front gate that stands open at all times. The temple is now empty. ![]() ![]() ![]()
While the majority of the temple, is completely open to the water outside, there are a few “dry” rooms located within air pockets on the second floor, allowing guest to dry off for a while, should they so choose. The temple is now empty ![]() ![]()
While the whole place is generally built with a lot of traditional materials, the paper walls are not actually paper but a strange material that changes how they light the room from soothing dull blues and purples to red to yellow depending on the needs of the inhabitants. There are sculptures of alien origins, some of which look like they should be in a space ship instead of a temple. A lot of the furniture has traditional lines made in alien stones and woods and silks, and there is a general feeling as is the place is actual several miles underground and warmer than it should be. The throne area is the building farthest from the entrance and is very very modern inside. The floor, ceiling and walls are all made of a white material that glows with a soft internal light. Furniture of black stone will slide into being or disappear at a whim and the room itself can never really be filled completely. Beyond that room is Shen Wei's personal apartment where the furniture is modern takes on traditional design though there are a few hanging holograms in place of paper screens. There is also a very modern kitchen area that lays between his rooms and the shinki rooms to the east. The shinki rooms are bare until someone comes to occupy them, then the rooms shape themselves to whatever the shinki finds comfortable to them. The western buildings house practice areas for spells and weapons, and a large library full of strange craved books in various languages and a large hanging book in the center of the room. It's written in a tongue that Shen Wei seems to know and it keeps on being added to; as the paper touches the ground, it's folded and placed under the scrolls hanging from the ceiling. Pas the shinki rooms are the gardens which are filled with a large variety of normal plants mingling with a few aliens types. There are a large number of turtles and snakes roaming the gardens and the blessed pool of water holds a strange circle of metal in the center. If need be, the pool converts into a kind of shower to wash off blight of those injured too much for a normal dipping in the pool. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
The Heavens
The Heavens are the easternmost part of the Far Shore, strictly run by the highest-ranked gods. They 'control' the other gods, host regular meetings, and dole out praise and punishment where necessary. Main Office
Outside of the room where gods hold their meetings, the Meeting Hall is an opulent palace in Edo-era Japanese traditional style. Hallways are floored with polished wood and rooms with wood or tatami. Elegant ink paintings adorn the walls, and windows are latticed. The place is kept patrolled by shinki wearing white adorned with a golden chrysanthemum.
There is a small room in the library that is locked, and no amount of prodding or tinkering will allow anyone inside, though sometimes the shuffling of papers can be heard beyond the door. Although it was once maintained by tiny goblin-like creatures, most of them died during a time-space upheaval and the library is now staffed on a volunteer basis by player characters and Amaterasu's shinki. The new library employees have been working hard to correct the disastrous disorganization caused by the former goblin attendants, but unfortunately, the goblins weren't the only reason for the disorganization. The same library magic that allows unpublished or unique records to have a copy available here also distorts time and space, causing books to appear, disappear and switch places at random. At least the new library workers are gaining a better idea of which books are available, although finding them is still a matter of luck.
The Underworld the realm of death The Underworld is the realm of Izanami, mother of the islands of Japan as well as many of the gods and goddesses of the Heavens. She died in childbirth and was abandoned to the realm of the dead by her husband Izanagi once he saw that she had become a rotting corpse. She now rules the land of the dead, commanding legions of ayakashi, and rarely suffers intruders to live... or to leave. Entrance to the Underworld
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![]() Gods and shinki are more than welcome to open their own businesses on the Near Shore and may add descriptions and photos of their homes on the Far Shore. All you have to do to be added to the list is reply here using this form: As gods' Total followers increase, they can apply with the Heavens' Main Office to have their temple moved to a neighborhood befitting their current status. All new gods' temples appear in the Western District, which is a place of shifting distances and terrain, far from important Heavenly administrative areas such as the Meeting Hall and the temples of the major gods. When a temple moves, the player is free to change the description of the temple to reflect its new location (for instance, the temple might increase in size or become more opulent, or the landscape might change around the temple.) To move to a new district, a god must meet or exceed the minimum required Total follower count for that district and reply to this post using the form below. Temple moves can be done at any time, are based on the Total follower count, and do not cost followers. |
Book Requests
Characters who are browsing at random can find almost any nonfiction, fiction, personal or private document imaginable. (However, if they are browsing at random, due to the huge number of books and documents available, they won't be able to find anything relevant. They might uncover a 40 volume teen mystery series, risque doujinshi, Water Gardening for Dummies, the unpublished letters of a minor figure in the Tokugawa shogunate, and so on....)
(Former Page's Thread for Reference)
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1) Old issues of For Ama, personal accounts (letters, journals, random notes), and official records written by those of the Far Shore (or even humans attuned to the spiritual) to piece together a broader history of the events in Heaven. She's looking for events in the past that might parallel or reference current events (the cult, rogue gods, the presence of the new generation), but really is looking for an overall history.
What she's looking for specifically is any mention of Ikuten, Koten, Kiten, or any other Amaterasu's shinki from the Ten Clan. She's also looking for any mentions of Amaterasu's shinki from the Mei Clan to try to figure out when the name transition happened.
She's also checking Shun's claim the books are being edited to hide Amaterasu's history.
2) Instances of humans separating their spirit/soul from their body and traveling around. Ginia fully expects a lot of fiction and general nonsense in her search for anything that might point to a human traveling to Takamagahara at any point.
3) In a similar vein as above, instances of humans using powerful magic or any families especially attuned to the spiritual. She's trying to cross-reference any unusual instances on the Near Shore with events on the Far Shore, as well as looking for any family names connecting to cultists.
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Another two to three hours of searching will get her the following regarding spirit and body separation:
Four of the five volumes of Tachikawa Megumi’s Dream Saga”. Volume 3 hasn’t been returned. Hopefully the story still makes sense!
A version of the Kojiki’s Nakatsumaki. This narrative sets forth the divine mandate by which the Yamato line has right to rule.
A copy of The Taiho Code.
There is nothing in the library pertaining to the Near Shore / human magical families, but she may find some stories about about powerful/notable individuals such as onmyoji like Kamo no Yasunori and Abe no Seimei, which will take her about four to five hours to find.
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Place: Near Shore
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