The Many Islands (Comments Encouraged)

[thethief3]

Ghost Theater of the Court of Storms
The Nō Kamī or Ghost Theater is a seasonal performance usually performed during the winter to stave off the influence of spirits and beastfolk. Participants both humans and dogs wear masks and the dogs circle around the human performers while representing the beastfolk’s two legged form while the human performer steps into the background and the dog takes their place when they want to represent an animal form. The theater usually revolves around the change of seasons and the revival of spring as well as many tales of beastfolk concern although these matters are kept secret to humans. At the end of each performance blood is usually spilled and in that moment actually spirits are summoned, turning off all the lights and allowing them to make way with any of the performers or participants. If the spirits do not come a sacrifice is performed to appease them and in later times the spirits would simply select from among the performers if they deemed one worthy.

Ghost Pacts
Pacts formed with spirits usually beastfolk (who in the court of storms have become more spirit like) the term Nō Jirekana is literally translated as ghost soul debt and the second element is often used in secular society for pacts which fall out of the norm although these carry a lighter punishment if broken then say if a warrior betrays his lord. Regardless in the case Ghost Pacts if the pact is broken the spirit will often kill the offender. Ghost Pacts are usually not made and in later times they were only made by outsiders such as warriors who had lost their lord, younger sons of nobles who were not deemed fit to inherit and lords who craved more power then they had. Such pacts were always signed in blood and were often made on the full moon.

The Great Forest
One of the three largest forests in the territory of the Court of Storms. It divided the largest island nearly in two except for a passageway which was nearly as haunted. It was protected by the great Beastfolk known only by her title Forest Queen and she enacted tribute in blood on all who wanted to pass through her forest. She presided over the forest’s court which consisted of beastfolk and spirits as well as a few dogs and wolves. It wasn’t always so great but it grew in size after a human army lost a battle against Beastfolk led by a spirit of the earth. She pronounced her daughter queen after she won and ever since the forest has been ruled by its queen who is benevolent to all who seek her aid if they have not terrorised the earth.

[Visions1]

I've finished looking over the - I suppose I'll call it the mythological section.
I'm not into high fantasy, but either way, I really like it! It seems like a great world for a campaign or novel.
My only criticism is that it needs more commas.

I hope you have more stuff to post. I want more!

[Visions1]

The use of Japanese is a little stilted, but I'm enjoying this. Please post more.

although these matters are kept secret to humans.

How do they hide them - especially if they need human actors?

Also, why is blood so important? I find it interesting that it's sacrificed so much from living individuals - like by the Aztecs.

[thethief3]

The use of Japanese is a little stilted, but I'm enjoying this. Please post more.

although these matters are kept secret to humans.

How do they hide them - especially if they need human actors?

Also, why is blood so important? I find it interesting that it's sacrificed so much from living individuals - like by the Aztecs.

Human's don't know what the beastfolk are up to as their matters are kept secret.

[Visions1]

So if I'm understanding correctly, the Dogfolk just tell them the choreography, saying "Well, these plays are really important to us - oh, and we'll pay you," and the humans go along, not really realizing just how significant this is. Sounds interesting.
What parts would they need to know more about? Less about? What happens if they mess up a part?

[thethief3]

They don't pay for them and the humans choreograph them and create the stories. It's just to gain their favour. Note beastfolk in these lands are much closer to spirits.

[thethief3]

During the Third Age long after such events as the death and resurrection of the god of light and the creation of the sun there came a time where Humans and Beastfolk were fully separated. In this time on the Isles of Meadows a woman of the Foxfolk gave birth to twin daughters who liked to play together as soon as they had two legged forms. Eventually it was discovered the older of the two had powers over water specifically to change its shape and form as well as its very nature. First she evaporated it much to the dismay of her villagers but then she solidified it. Eventually she grew cold and weary and her power greater so she fled the village but not before her power cursed the land with the first winter. Her sister followed and her friend did too when she didn’t return after a few days. She eventually found her on the Isles of the North and she begged her to stop the curse that she brought to the land but in doing so she accidentally awoke her fury and she froze her. Following her trail her friend found her frozen and with his own feelings for her he kissed her awakening her own powers and creating spring and eventually summer. He married her and came to dwell on the same island they were born on before ascending to the stars, the twins as the sisters of summer and winter and him as the caretaker of spring.

[thethief3]

In time many humans on the Island of Black Land grew unsatisfied with their governance and so they set sail towards the Isles of the North. There they found the land abundant in the summer but filled with ice and snow in all other seasons. They begged the local Beastfolk for a cure but it was not until ten winters later when the people had been diminished that a woman decided to expose herself to the cold for a night. She emerged transformed her bronze skin and hair golden and yellow and her eyes no longer green but a light blue. She gave birth later blessed by the cold and her daughters enchanted those who married them into being the same colour as them. In time they practiced their own ritual of leaving out the babies in their first winter so they would be the same colour as them and resistant to the cold. And so they became the Sabiry although this was long before they gained their customary culture of raiding and pillaging led by the heads of clans.

[thethief3]

The codex of the sky, a sacred book of the previous religious practices of the great Narie of the continent to the southeast of the Isles of Cats and Southwest of the Court of Storms tells of how the world came to be as revealed to them by the Daughter of the Sky. It tells of how long ago the great mother grew lonely so decided to create children. First she wished for a great child of expansive power and so came to be the daughter of the sky who was previously worshiped by the Narie. Her will was iron and with it she formed the bounds of the world although they were always constantly expanding. She did not like to play very shortly after her birth so she then created her next daughter the sea who she gave her secrets and desires and created a serene child who kept much close to her. She too grew unkind to her mothers desire to play with her too quickly so she created another, the fertile earth who was abundant and fertile and had many things to give. She played with her to her satisfaction but eventually she felt like she wasn’t enough for this world so lastly she created her son the light pure. He sang with pure voice and entertained his mothers desires for he was gifted with everlasting love. Together these four children created the world creating space and sea and raising the first islands among them the Isles of Jewels, the Isles of the North (where the Sabiry now dwell), the Isles of Meadows, the Island of Black Land and the Isles of Cats. Lastly the Son of Light filled the world with his power lighting the lamps on the trees. In the secret tongue she weaved the spirits and so began the first age when Humans and Beastfolk existed as one and light was ever present.

[thethief3]

A type of spirit which exists in the forest and is bound to trees. Their forms are fair but otherwise quite alike those of humans and they are more closely related to humans and beastfolk although the split between them came before Humans and Beastfolk split and it's possible they never had Animal Forms. They chose to remain quite like other spirits to increase the gamut as well as character of their craft and to remain bound to the trees which when they die the Elf/Dryad which was bound to it dies. They appear in Male and Female forms although these aren’t genders in the Human or Beastfolk sense but rather different classes of them. Wizards and other Humans/Beastfolk usually interact with the Female ones as they are the ones which generally produce craft, tend to fruits and are more amiable whereas the Male ones are more inclined towards harsh weather, overgrown forests and the thrill of the hunt and their crafts are rarer and harder to wield. Males forms are also less humanlike and more like those of a more woody Dryad from other fantasy. Male ones are also generally rarer as there are less of them being born which usually happens when a Male Dryad woos a Female Dryad into creating another Male Dryad as they don’t really cultivate new trees but rather tend to old ones. The parts of a forest where Female Dryads lurk are usually more amiable to Humans and often shared by Beastfolk so it was notable that the Female Ones were all killed of in the Isles of the Court of Storms except for on one small island to the south where Beastfolk don’t lurk and the culture of the sun worshiping previous inhabitants is retained (although their are many other islands like this). Another island just to the northwest of the Court also had Dryads although they have begun to blend Male and Female traits under influence of the local Beastfolk who fiercely guard against human invasion.

[thethief3]

The Great Mother is known in the myth of Dragons as the First Dragon who drove out the original Powers Below who sought to marr her creation. She then created her three daughters and later her son the first of which is who created Dragons to end the original conflict between Wizards. Dragons as such are creatures of violence although they can be restrained and only seek violence against those who do evil. Dragons are powerful and so will often not see humans as their equals even when friendly and they wield divine power like the gods and the most powerful and central spirits unlike through the mediums which Humans and Beastfolk use. Seeking time with a friendlier or more just Dragon is the task of great wizards and evil wizards often use more chaotic dragons to their whim although no human can truly dominate a dragon. Dragons think in terms of order and chaos rather than good vs evil as all can be somewhat just its just some are dominated by their violent or chaotic thoughts.

[thethief3]

Beastfolk especially in isles and islands not predominantly Beastfolk tend to live in more wild areas close or in forests, mountains, valleys and springs. This brings them closer to the spirits of nature and to appease these spirits they uniquely wield a special type of magic based partly on interaction with nature spirits. It has many similar functions to pyromancy, divine magic and speechcraft like pyromancy it is central to the lives of Beastfolk as pyromancy is to humans. Like divine magic it is based on spiritual power but of lesser spirits not greater ones. Like both of these it can be used to heal although it relies often on the innate properties of herbs and is said to be the best at fully restoring one to a previous state as it often calls upon the spirits themselves to heal. It is also considered best at removing the charms of a spirit or alleviating the symptoms of a disease due to its usage of herbs. Shamans unique amongst beastfolk can transform into multiple animal forms and it is considered a skill amongst them to have many and choosing the right animal form to appear to a spirit or one seeking guidance is an exalted skill. Shamans also bless water like priests of the goddess of sea.Shamans can also bless those with the magical properties of animals or some more offensive shamans even practice the art of the Wild Hunt where they enhance their combat capabilities with these blessings. Finally Shamans interpret the will of spirits and can partially interpret the future through them as well as through observing the weather and the growth of plants or markings of animals. Shamans are often central figures in Beastfolk communities and more often leaders of them then Pyromancers are in human communities.

[thethief3]

The Isles of Foxes is chiefly inhabited by foxfolk as its name suggests and other races are usually only found in its ports. It’s a lush island notable for its often perpetual spring and its abundance of flowers, fruits and beehives which are eaten as well as chickens and fish. Foxfolk
are often charismatic and can use glamour to make themselves appear like humans/other beastfolk or sunborn and the isles have developed a romantic reputation both from its residents and as a holiday destination amongst the privileged. During the earlier ages the islands lacked the cities of more human inhabited islands but in time the Beastfolk developed their own unique city culture comparable to the lost cities of the Isles of Cats and in these later ages the Isles of Foxes was more developed than its neighbouring Isles of Cats to the west and even the Isles of Meadows to the north. The Summer Solstice is the most celebrated holiday across much of the Isles and the most important religious ritual is the coming of age ritual which marks a man or woman's introduction to full adulthood.

[thethief3]

The Isles of Jewels are located slightly to the northwest in the inner reaches of the world next to the Isles of Beasts to the west, the Isles of the North to the northeast and the Isles of Meadows to the southeast. They were originally home to a group of Proto Dryads as well as to a long extinct line of Spirits who formed the famed Skyforges at the top of mountains. These forges dedicated to the goddess of sky numbered five and were formed with not only the Sky’s blessing but also a gift from the sea, earth, light, stars and the beasts of nature respectively. The five forges were as such known in order of creation the Seaforge, Stoneforge, BrightforgeStarforge and Wolfforge. Each forge consists of a central forge consisting of a central anvil directly beneath the sky and when an item of great skill is forged within it lightning will come down to bless it upon the moment of its completion. These forges require no external fire or any other materials other than the ones which go into the crafting of the item. In early ages the Spirits who created these forges but gradually they died out as they were not immortal and had no ability to beget children. So the forges were at times shared by various human tribes before the Time of Fire and Rain when the people sought to forge five jewels for the purpose of obtaining mastery over the isles. When one greedy spirit stole all five of these jewels for themself they were marred and burned them, they took the form of a seagull to cast the five jewels into the sea which caused five new islands to arise from the sea. The goddess of the Sky was angry at her followers for creating these five jewels and as such banned any mortal from using the forge for five thousand years, washing away all mortal settlement with fire and rain which lasted for five years. By the end of this magical ban Skyforges had fallen into the territory of five groups of Beastfolk who inhabited the isles and they began to forge new jewels from the forges but not any weapons until a wandering Beastfolk Shaman forged the Skysword an artifact which was brightened by each of the five forges but mostly forged at the first the Seaforge. As such it has the power to abate the tides and also allows its user to call lightning, summon or scatter clouds and rain and also could be given to another to heal a mortal wound. He gave the weapon to a temple of the Sky Goddess before disappearing, asking for the sword to only be used when it would be needed most. It would first be used when the Sabiry of the Isles of North attempted to conquer the Isles of Jewels when its wielder used it to slay the Sabiry king and abate the summer snowstorm his witches called to enhance the Sabiry warfront. It has been used many times since then but not always for such epic actions.