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SETTING & LOCATIONS.
SETTING。
THE VILLAGE
Kishima is set in a village nestled at the heart of a mysterious, unmapped island. Surrounded by dark green forests and sweeping mountains, the village is easy to dismiss as an abandoned shell of a once-bustling community. It is, quite literally, one with nature – homes sparse and overgrown – and has been at its whims for the better part of the century. The time period, like much else in the village, is difficult to pinpoint; the homes and fashion are old and traditional. No technology beyond the Edo-period seems to exist. The village is sparsely populated with a cold and gloomy climate overshadowing its houses, accompanied with dreary showers or full on storms in the night. This place is home to several humans and youkai, each side outcasts with only the village to call their home. This place once boasted 1,000 occupants, but now the number has dwindled to a mere 200, with an almost even ratio of humans to youkai remaining.
THE YOUKAI
The youkai of this place have inhabited the island long before humans were forced to stumble upon it all those years ago. It was once a barren land with hardly any souls residing in its forests– save for one, whose name cannot be mentioned just yet. Their existence gradually faded and in its place youkai found a home where even those cast aside by their own kind could seek shelter. Youkai who did not fit even amongst their kin, trouble-makers who preferred to do things their own way – individualistic thinkers who fought against the customs of their own. It was these kinds of youkai that slowly migrated to the island, inhabiting its forests and beaches, making nests and dens for themselves on the cliff sides. The youkai are capable of disappearing into spirit form and often do so for the purpose of resting, not wanting to be bothered, or to simply play tricks on people. This comes at a price, however, for the youkai depend on humanity’s perception of them to remain in this world. Just as a shrine loses its power then people stop visiting, so do youkai weaken when humans no longer acknowledge them. Youkai outnumber humans by a small margin.
THE HUMANS
Each human living in the village has their own personal reasons for doing so, and some are more private about it than others. However, excessively evil humans (such as serial killers) are not among those living there … yet. Regardless of their past crimes, there is a fine balance here; for every morally upstanding person there is one still stumbling down the wrong path, just as for every sadistic youkai there are those looking to redeem themselves. And the nature of their status as outcasts doesn’t always reveal the truth. The similarities everyone shares in this place is a sense of belonging in a world that has shunned them for a variety of reasons. When humans first started arriving at the village some instantly proclaimed it cursed and felt it fitting for the criminals of the human world to seek refuge here.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER
Maintaining a balance between the youkai and the humans is Integral to the survival of the village. This was made abundantly clear as the youkai of the island began encountering and even befriending the outcast humans.
MAGIC
The supernatural is commonplace here, and magic phenomena are everyday occurrences. You may see it in messages, or in the way one maintains their home. You might feel it in the air as youkai drift past you in a silent manner or wrapped around your shoulders as you stare out into the sea. The island is slowly rebuilding in a variety of ways and magic is imperative to its survival.
FESTIVALS & HOLIDAYS
Apart from living in the village itself there is one other thing that brings the humans and youkai together without fail, and that is celebrations. More specifically the holidays that they’ve adopted from their own regions, be it a well-known one or more secular in nature. The true purpose of coming together for these events is the act of preservation it brings to the village— simply put: the more everyone comes together the stronger each individual becomes in the long-run. They encourage you to join in on their festivities, to make merry and dance and share your own experiences with them. In this place, all you have is each other.
ARTISANS & CRAFTSMEN
You’ll find that the humans and youkai of this village are not merely criminals and outcasts with nowhere else to go, once you’ve decided to learn more about them. Many of them are also the last of their kind – craftsmen and artisans whose talents will fade with them. Many will tell you stories of their art, how they have no one else to pass their lessons down to, no one else to carry on the craft. Perhaps if you prove yourself worthy enough they may want to pass these talents down to you – a gift not to be taken for granted.
LOCATIONS。
Mansion & Garden
This is where the village chief and her assistant reside. The mansion was a marvel back in its time, but now it is in a state of disrepair. The chief, however, seems perfectly content to keep her humble home the way it is. She isn’t one for baseless luxuries and maintains that any meager funds or rations should go to the villagers. The only thing she prefers to upkeep is her surprisingly vast garden, which has been open to the public for as long as she’s been around. Feel free to step in and see if the hydrangeas are in bloom. A small pond sits in the middle of long sweet-smelling grass and there are even benches for visitors to rest on. It’s a stark comparison to the withering mansion whose halls seem to darken regardless of the time of day. If you stare for too long you may end up seeing a pair of unusual eyes from within the shadows staring back…
Main Village
Once you step into the village itself the strange foreboding tension you felt before returns full force. You’re met with a long dirt footpath with houses flanking its sides. Some of the buildings are larger than others and some have more than one family residing within them. The homes look shabbily kept, weathered by the elements and the thatching upon their roofs long neglected. At a glance it would almost seem as though these homes were abandoned, left to sit in this place for the remainder of time, but if you look close enough you can detect movement within their walls – shuffling and scraping against wooden floors. Some of the sounds resemble humans, some … well, you’re not sure what that’s supposed to be. Regardless of its occupants the village has been left to slowly fall into disrepair and you may be just what this place needs to bring a spark back to its roots.
Hot Springs
As gloomy as the village may seem there is one perk that most villagers take advantage of without fail. The local hot springs are a particularly welcoming sight in the colder seasons and there’s no shortage of them at the base of the mountain. Pools steaming with geothermal heat fog the various wooden walkways and add an extra layer of modesty for anyone wanting to head solo to the springs. The villagers have even built bamboo walls between a few of the pools for those feeling wanting a little more privacy. In the winter vendors will often camp by to offer warm food or towels for those wanting to take a quick and relaxing dip at the springs.
Hill of Dosojin
On the farthest end of the village a moss covered hill rises from the ground and greets the forest edge with a gnarled root embrace. It’s an impressive green mound of land that has remained even through rain and sleet, but perhaps the most noticeable thing about it are the many, many dosojin statues that sit in rows on its jagged edges. One might think, at first glance, that there must be hundreds of them perched on the hill– but as you linger for a while you begin to feel a strange calm overcome you. The large cedar tree sways above you, shielding you from the usual foreboding aura of the island. This is a good area to relax and gather one’s thoughts in, away from the bustle and somewhat unsettling energy of the village. Here the statues do not judge, do not peer or ask for any kind of chore. They simply sit and exist, watching over those who happen to cross their paths.
The Temple
Not too far from the village itself sits a weathered temple littered with dead leaves and dust. Its entrance is far more impressive than the temple itself, with a faded red tori gate standing at the very head of the shadowy trail and long swaying vines of wisteria rising high above it. Walking through the gate will take you to crumbling stone steps which prelude a short climb up to the temple. Once you reach the top the foliage seems to widen for you and the temple’s abandoned shrine comes into view. You notice the very sparse offerings left over the years upon the raised dais, such as shriveled up fruits and husks of what used to be gifts. Ghostly webs cling to the corners of the shrine and cover most of the vertical slots on the donation box below. It looks like no one has come to this place in a very long time. If you’re feeling generous why not toss in a coin or leave an offering? Perhaps when you do you’ll feel a hint of something acknowledging your presence…
Rice Fields
The villager, when not letting it fallow due to the change in seasons, tends to these fields as a vital source of food and income. The rice paddies at their peak seem to stretch on forever and maintaining them is no easy task, especially during the harvesting season. The village chief will have no qualms about asking you to roll up your sleeves and contribute to the manual labor involved, as it benefits both the humans and the youkai in the long run. Assisting in the fields will bring much respect and gratitude, but slacking off isn’t exactly uncommon either. Just make sure no one actually catches you playing hooky, lest you invite an unexpected visit from Matsu gently encouraging you to help.
Beaches
The nearest beach is a short distance from the village itself and canvassing the nearby mountains will eventually lead you to stunning cliffside views of the vast ocean surrounding the island. Down near the water the sand is cool, grimy and not totally inviting, but the waves are gentle and unhurried as they lap at the shore line. On the rare occasion when the sun does shine in these parts the beach is the perfect place to relax and listen to the calming sounds of nature all around you. However, if one is feeling brave enough to venture near it when it's storming you’ll find that its not only the waves that are kicking up and roaring to life. Various youkai relish in the chaos and you might even spot something rearing its head within the waters. Maybe, we’ve never seen it for ourselves!
Forests
Deep permeating woods cover most of the island and the village in towering trees. In some parts of the island the forest path is so narrow one can scarcely see the sunlight filtering through the thick canopy above and walking alone is usually discouraged for such reasons. If you are feeling brave enough to venture out on your own, be mindful of the direction of the wind through the tree trunks and the scattering of small paws and claws around you. Animals such as bears, deer and racoon dogs are abundant in areas furthest from the village and make no mistake – they aren’t the shy sort either. Bears have been known to attack hapless humans in these parts. Linger for too long and you might feel the earth rumble beneath your feet, as though something heavy and lumbering is crawling through the woods from a great distance…
Mountain and Hills
The village sits at the foot of an impressive mountainside and further up an entirely different world exists. Climbing the mountain through the various foot trails stamped down over the years will yield wondrous sights from above – when the weather is good, that is. Most of the time the mountain tops are shrouded in clouds, settling a ghostly fog throughout the forest. It is not advised to go walking up the hills or mountains when it's particularly cloudy on your own, for it is terribly easy to find yourself lost amongst the grey. If you’re confident enough you can try and reach the very top, at an elevation where snow is known to fall during the coldest months. Here you’ll hear morose whisperings and sometimes even transparent figures flitting from tree to tree. The ancient spirits of this place are watching you intently, regardless of where you go.
THE VILLAGE
Kishima is set in a village nestled at the heart of a mysterious, unmapped island. Surrounded by dark green forests and sweeping mountains, the village is easy to dismiss as an abandoned shell of a once-bustling community. It is, quite literally, one with nature – homes sparse and overgrown – and has been at its whims for the better part of the century. The time period, like much else in the village, is difficult to pinpoint; the homes and fashion are old and traditional. No technology beyond the Edo-period seems to exist. The village is sparsely populated with a cold and gloomy climate overshadowing its houses, accompanied with dreary showers or full on storms in the night. This place is home to several humans and youkai, each side outcasts with only the village to call their home. This place once boasted 1,000 occupants, but now the number has dwindled to a mere 200, with an almost even ratio of humans to youkai remaining.
THE YOUKAI
The youkai of this place have inhabited the island long before humans were forced to stumble upon it all those years ago. It was once a barren land with hardly any souls residing in its forests– save for one, whose name cannot be mentioned just yet. Their existence gradually faded and in its place youkai found a home where even those cast aside by their own kind could seek shelter. Youkai who did not fit even amongst their kin, trouble-makers who preferred to do things their own way – individualistic thinkers who fought against the customs of their own. It was these kinds of youkai that slowly migrated to the island, inhabiting its forests and beaches, making nests and dens for themselves on the cliff sides. The youkai are capable of disappearing into spirit form and often do so for the purpose of resting, not wanting to be bothered, or to simply play tricks on people. This comes at a price, however, for the youkai depend on humanity’s perception of them to remain in this world. Just as a shrine loses its power then people stop visiting, so do youkai weaken when humans no longer acknowledge them. Youkai outnumber humans by a small margin.
THE HUMANS
Each human living in the village has their own personal reasons for doing so, and some are more private about it than others. However, excessively evil humans (such as serial killers) are not among those living there … yet. Regardless of their past crimes, there is a fine balance here; for every morally upstanding person there is one still stumbling down the wrong path, just as for every sadistic youkai there are those looking to redeem themselves. And the nature of their status as outcasts doesn’t always reveal the truth. The similarities everyone shares in this place is a sense of belonging in a world that has shunned them for a variety of reasons. When humans first started arriving at the village some instantly proclaimed it cursed and felt it fitting for the criminals of the human world to seek refuge here.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER
Maintaining a balance between the youkai and the humans is Integral to the survival of the village. This was made abundantly clear as the youkai of the island began encountering and even befriending the outcast humans.
MAGIC
The supernatural is commonplace here, and magic phenomena are everyday occurrences. You may see it in messages, or in the way one maintains their home. You might feel it in the air as youkai drift past you in a silent manner or wrapped around your shoulders as you stare out into the sea. The island is slowly rebuilding in a variety of ways and magic is imperative to its survival.
FESTIVALS & HOLIDAYS
Apart from living in the village itself there is one other thing that brings the humans and youkai together without fail, and that is celebrations. More specifically the holidays that they’ve adopted from their own regions, be it a well-known one or more secular in nature. The true purpose of coming together for these events is the act of preservation it brings to the village— simply put: the more everyone comes together the stronger each individual becomes in the long-run. They encourage you to join in on their festivities, to make merry and dance and share your own experiences with them. In this place, all you have is each other.
ARTISANS & CRAFTSMEN
You’ll find that the humans and youkai of this village are not merely criminals and outcasts with nowhere else to go, once you’ve decided to learn more about them. Many of them are also the last of their kind – craftsmen and artisans whose talents will fade with them. Many will tell you stories of their art, how they have no one else to pass their lessons down to, no one else to carry on the craft. Perhaps if you prove yourself worthy enough they may want to pass these talents down to you – a gift not to be taken for granted.
Mansion & Garden
This is where the village chief and her assistant reside. The mansion was a marvel back in its time, but now it is in a state of disrepair. The chief, however, seems perfectly content to keep her humble home the way it is. She isn’t one for baseless luxuries and maintains that any meager funds or rations should go to the villagers. The only thing she prefers to upkeep is her surprisingly vast garden, which has been open to the public for as long as she’s been around. Feel free to step in and see if the hydrangeas are in bloom. A small pond sits in the middle of long sweet-smelling grass and there are even benches for visitors to rest on. It’s a stark comparison to the withering mansion whose halls seem to darken regardless of the time of day. If you stare for too long you may end up seeing a pair of unusual eyes from within the shadows staring back…
Main Village
Once you step into the village itself the strange foreboding tension you felt before returns full force. You’re met with a long dirt footpath with houses flanking its sides. Some of the buildings are larger than others and some have more than one family residing within them. The homes look shabbily kept, weathered by the elements and the thatching upon their roofs long neglected. At a glance it would almost seem as though these homes were abandoned, left to sit in this place for the remainder of time, but if you look close enough you can detect movement within their walls – shuffling and scraping against wooden floors. Some of the sounds resemble humans, some … well, you’re not sure what that’s supposed to be. Regardless of its occupants the village has been left to slowly fall into disrepair and you may be just what this place needs to bring a spark back to its roots.
Hot Springs
As gloomy as the village may seem there is one perk that most villagers take advantage of without fail. The local hot springs are a particularly welcoming sight in the colder seasons and there’s no shortage of them at the base of the mountain. Pools steaming with geothermal heat fog the various wooden walkways and add an extra layer of modesty for anyone wanting to head solo to the springs. The villagers have even built bamboo walls between a few of the pools for those feeling wanting a little more privacy. In the winter vendors will often camp by to offer warm food or towels for those wanting to take a quick and relaxing dip at the springs.
Hill of Dosojin
On the farthest end of the village a moss covered hill rises from the ground and greets the forest edge with a gnarled root embrace. It’s an impressive green mound of land that has remained even through rain and sleet, but perhaps the most noticeable thing about it are the many, many dosojin statues that sit in rows on its jagged edges. One might think, at first glance, that there must be hundreds of them perched on the hill– but as you linger for a while you begin to feel a strange calm overcome you. The large cedar tree sways above you, shielding you from the usual foreboding aura of the island. This is a good area to relax and gather one’s thoughts in, away from the bustle and somewhat unsettling energy of the village. Here the statues do not judge, do not peer or ask for any kind of chore. They simply sit and exist, watching over those who happen to cross their paths.
The Temple
Not too far from the village itself sits a weathered temple littered with dead leaves and dust. Its entrance is far more impressive than the temple itself, with a faded red tori gate standing at the very head of the shadowy trail and long swaying vines of wisteria rising high above it. Walking through the gate will take you to crumbling stone steps which prelude a short climb up to the temple. Once you reach the top the foliage seems to widen for you and the temple’s abandoned shrine comes into view. You notice the very sparse offerings left over the years upon the raised dais, such as shriveled up fruits and husks of what used to be gifts. Ghostly webs cling to the corners of the shrine and cover most of the vertical slots on the donation box below. It looks like no one has come to this place in a very long time. If you’re feeling generous why not toss in a coin or leave an offering? Perhaps when you do you’ll feel a hint of something acknowledging your presence…
Rice Fields
The villager, when not letting it fallow due to the change in seasons, tends to these fields as a vital source of food and income. The rice paddies at their peak seem to stretch on forever and maintaining them is no easy task, especially during the harvesting season. The village chief will have no qualms about asking you to roll up your sleeves and contribute to the manual labor involved, as it benefits both the humans and the youkai in the long run. Assisting in the fields will bring much respect and gratitude, but slacking off isn’t exactly uncommon either. Just make sure no one actually catches you playing hooky, lest you invite an unexpected visit from Matsu gently encouraging you to help.
Beaches
The nearest beach is a short distance from the village itself and canvassing the nearby mountains will eventually lead you to stunning cliffside views of the vast ocean surrounding the island. Down near the water the sand is cool, grimy and not totally inviting, but the waves are gentle and unhurried as they lap at the shore line. On the rare occasion when the sun does shine in these parts the beach is the perfect place to relax and listen to the calming sounds of nature all around you. However, if one is feeling brave enough to venture near it when it's storming you’ll find that its not only the waves that are kicking up and roaring to life. Various youkai relish in the chaos and you might even spot something rearing its head within the waters. Maybe, we’ve never seen it for ourselves!
Forests
Deep permeating woods cover most of the island and the village in towering trees. In some parts of the island the forest path is so narrow one can scarcely see the sunlight filtering through the thick canopy above and walking alone is usually discouraged for such reasons. If you are feeling brave enough to venture out on your own, be mindful of the direction of the wind through the tree trunks and the scattering of small paws and claws around you. Animals such as bears, deer and racoon dogs are abundant in areas furthest from the village and make no mistake – they aren’t the shy sort either. Bears have been known to attack hapless humans in these parts. Linger for too long and you might feel the earth rumble beneath your feet, as though something heavy and lumbering is crawling through the woods from a great distance…
Mountain and Hills
The village sits at the foot of an impressive mountainside and further up an entirely different world exists. Climbing the mountain through the various foot trails stamped down over the years will yield wondrous sights from above – when the weather is good, that is. Most of the time the mountain tops are shrouded in clouds, settling a ghostly fog throughout the forest. It is not advised to go walking up the hills or mountains when it's particularly cloudy on your own, for it is terribly easy to find yourself lost amongst the grey. If you’re confident enough you can try and reach the very top, at an elevation where snow is known to fall during the coldest months. Here you’ll hear morose whisperings and sometimes even transparent figures flitting from tree to tree. The ancient spirits of this place are watching you intently, regardless of where you go.