12 August 2011 @ 10:48 pm
The following is a list of different animals and monsters constantly featured within Kannagara. Real world animals that exist in Kannagara are not included in this list.

 

The Usual Suspects )
 
 
12 August 2011 @ 11:06 pm


Settings

Kannagara takes place in the realm of the gods -- a fluidly changing microcosm, which is composed of many different terrains and lands, with the sacred space of Himorogi set at the very heart of the world. All villages, cities, and templesare located within walking distance of each other in their respective terrains, around the focal point of Himorogi. While the different locations are not easily seen within eyesight from each other, when inhabitants of the world attempt to walk to another location, the duration of travel is somehow magically shortened to under half an hour. All lands and locales are easily reachable from any point within the world.

An impenetrable barrier surrounds this microcosm. It is impossible to escape, or so your character might think.

The world they are trapped in is actually far larger than they might realize at first. The realm they are in, Kannagara, is actually a spiritual space suspended between the Celestial Plains where the divine gods dwell, and Yomi, an underworld where spirits, oni, youkai, and evil reside.
The gods want you to believe Kannagara is a world of harmony and peace. But nothing is what it appears to be.

Villages within the world will frequently move and collide. Sometimes they will be in their original places as reflected in game settings; other times, they may be mashed together. And sometimes, your character will wake up and discover they aren't even in the original setting of Kannagara. 

THE WORLD

The world of Kannagara is one that is unscarred from the centuries of fighting that ended up destroying it. This is a largely undeveloped world, filled with unchartered lands and countries that vary in size with drastically varying terrains and climates. This world poses challenges for its inhabitants, as the villages do not have running water or electricity, or any modern conveniences and amenities that most characters have grown so accustomed to. Characters will have to work together in order to survive in this world as they learn more about their new surroundings and themselves.

This world is huge and sprawling, but paradoxically small, and distance is traversed with simple intent. If characters wish to explore the countries slowly, they may take their time and do so; but if they do not wish to be stuck wandering lost in the wilderness for days, within half an hour of travel, they will find themselves at the edge of one of the villages.

Kannagara is essentially a small sphere -- traveling too far north (Earth Country) will result in your character finding themselves at the border of the southern most country (Wind Country); similarly traveling too far west will bring your character to the eastern most edge of the world. All of the countries in the game are connected, though there is a good amount of terrain that is not shown on the map below which is understood to be mostly unchartered, uninhabited territory.  The barrier that surrounds this area is one that only prevents teleportation: your character will never physically run into it.

MARKETS

Many villages in Kannagara boast thriving markets that specialize in different products! (MORE)

GOD REALMS

HIMOROGI

Himorogi is the the most symbolic, sacred place in Kannagara, a large circular area filled with tranquility and hushed reverence for the abundance of natural beauty that thrives here. Nothing dies here: the animals are all happy and healthy, the plant life thrives as if under constant care, and human meddling quite simply seems to have no effect. The tree at the very center of Himorogi cannot be cut down, any animals that might be harmed will be able to safely flee, and any flowers that have been picked will simply grow back within a matter of seconds.
(MORE)

CELESTIAL PLAINS

As the home of Izanagi and his class of ruling gods, the Celestial Plains is a far larger version of Himorogi, ethereal and sacred, filled with abundant life. It is a place of great serenity -- this is where the Spirit of Great Nature and the gods exist in harmony with one another, high above Kannagara.


YOMI

Located deep below Kannagara, Yomi is a veritable hell -- nothing grows here, or is alive. The land is dead and barren, cracked with seams of lava and fire; creatures and monsters claw their way up from the chasms that form in the ground in a perpetual struggle, and many of its inhabitants are waged in an eternal war. Nothing is beautiful here -- the fruit of the dead, once eaten, causes a perpetual decay. This is Izanami's domain, where she rules over fallen gods and Oni.


VILLAGES

AMESATO

A small village with a tropical climate. Rainy and warm, full of lakes and rivers. Nestled in a river valley with some natural terrain defense afforded by the surrounding cliffs and rivers. Houses are mostly small, simple, and old-fashioned. (MORE)

HISATO

A huge and populous village with a Mediterranean climate - cool wet winters and warm pleasant summers. The land is fertile, a patchwork of rolling hills, flat grasslands, and forest. The buildings are much larger and more modern than what one would find in the other villages. The houses usually have Japanese-style gardens in the back.

Hisato is the site of a large market where one can find: a wide variety of fresh food including meats, fruits, vegetables and grains; artisan crafts such as paper, woodworks, pottery, porcelain, and metalwork; and fabrics such as cotton, silk, and chiffon. (MORE)

KAZESATO

A desert village built into a crater around an oasis. It is extremely dry and extremely hot in the summers. The city is surrounded by high walls for defense against invasion and sandstorms. The buildings are generally functional, with beauty of architecture being a secondary concern. The heat and lack of water make life here challenging.

Kazesato is the site of a large market where one can find: foods such as dates, figs, chili, and most especially spices of all kinds; glass and crystal works, metal works, and decorative pearls and lapis stones; cloth products made of cotton and leather. (MORE)


KUSASATO

A small village which is relatively decentralized. The weather here is warm and wet, with gentle rains falling often. The overgrown terrain and sprawling setup allow for a great deal of quiet privacy. Housing tends to be small, simple, and old-fashioned. (MORE
)

MIZUSATO

An island village with mild, balmy weather. The terrain is rocky and mountainous, with flat land used mostly for farming. The isolation from the mainland and mountains give this village great natural defenses. Houses here are functional and sturdy, built to last. It has a large amount of natural onsens, or natural hot springs.
(MORE)

RAISATO

A mountain village at a high altitude. Subject to fierce winds, raging storms and biting cold, especially in winter, although summers are mild. The high altitude and city walls are natural defenses. Houses vary greatly in size and have Chinese-style architecture with ornate decoration. They are some of the most luxurious houses in all of Kannagara. Raisato is the site of a large market where one can find: fruits, vegetables and herbs, all fresh; porcelain and ceramics, metalwork, and exotic precious stones; and fabrics such as wool, silk, and fur.  (MORE)

TSUCHISATO

A village located in enormous Earth Country, a land with varied terrain and climate. A tough, hardy village made to brave the elements, Tsuchisato is built into the side of a mountain. The complex system of tunnels carved into the rock is difficult to navigate for newcomers but useful for traveling quickly through the mountain. Housing is comfortable on the outside of the mountain, but homes inside the tunnels are dark and cramped, although they make Tsuchisato a defensive stronghold.
(MORE)

YOMISATO

A massive, hugely populous desert city, populated by Yomites. Has luxurious housing on the mountains for the wealthy and cheaper homes on the dangerous outskirts for those not so fortunate. It is a city of sin where all manner of drugs, sex, and gambling are common. Underground gladiator fights, prostitution, and opium dens are the chief sources of entertainment here. Crime is rampant in this cut-throat city of economic opportunity. Yomisato is the site of a large market where one can find: foods from all over Kannagara, tea, herbs, spices, sugar, vanilla, cocoa and even coffee beans; metalworks and glass as well as various precious stones; fabrics of every variety from silk to chiffon; and even products such as alcohol and pornography. (MORE)
 
 
01 November 2011 @ 10:34 pm
Housing

Housing in the celestial villages

When your character first arrives in Kannagara, they will be directed to one of the communal dormitory-style compounds where all newcomers are allowed to stay for free for up to one in game month. You may request that your character has to share a room with another character, or be housed alone. After that point, your character will either need to find their own place to stay, squat, or be otherwise homeless.

There are plenty of houses in Kannagara that your character can come to inhabit. All of these houses require an in-game monthly tribute to the gods. Once every in game month, the moderators will put up a tribute post where your character can meet other characters on the day of tribute to the gods at various temples throughout the world, develop CR, and also make their own offerings to the gods. These tributes essentially act as rent for the houses. The size of the house and the amenities that are included with it (such as onsens and/or bath houses), as well as the location of the house will factor into how expensive the tribute must be.

If your character does not make an offering within one in-game week that the offering is due, they will be divinely evicted from their homes and will be unable to enter it. They can reinhabit the house once the offering is made. If too much time goes by without an offering, your character will lose their house; their earthly possessions will be thrown out of the house to be recovered by your character or any passers-by.

housing in yomisato

Characters who do not wish to make offerings to gods in exchange for housing in a Celestial village may move to Yomisato, where they can pay monetary rent to a landlord who controls nicer housing in the village, or they may squat in one of the dilapidated ruins or grottoes of the village. Squatters are at high risk of attacks from Yomi monsters and beasts that prowl the edges of Yomi's territory, however. Characters who wish to have their houses protected by a fallen god may receive divine protection in exchange for an offering.

How much rent your character has to pay is up to you. Just be aware that the cost of the rent will increase in relation to how nice the housing is.

paying tribute

A tribute is an offering that is essentially a sum of money that your character must offer at a temple on the day of offering. Other offerings can include burning perfumed incense, food, fruit, flowers, water, or alcohol if your character does not have enough monetary offering to provide. Characters living in Yomisato who wish to receive protection from the fallen gods may also provide these offerings to them at any of their temples. Alternatively, they may also offer a blood sacrifice -- Yomi's fallen gods are especially fond of these. Especially human blood.


other housing alternatives

If your character doesn't wish to live in either the Celestial villages or in Yomisato, they may also choose to squat in caves, temples, shrines, or join one of the nomadic tribes. This will free them from having to pay any rent, though if your character stays for too long at a temple or a shrine, they may be expected to provide an offering. Joining a nomadic tribe will mean that your character will be required to farm, herd, and perform other nomadic duties in order to stay with the tribe.


 
 
 
01 November 2011 @ 10:28 pm
Metagaming/godmoding

The following are some examples of metagaming or godmoding. These are absolutely not allowed in this game.


1. Adjusting a character's behavior towards other characters based on real-life relationships with other players.

This usually occurs when a player has a falling out with another player, and regardless of the relationship their characters might have, that relationship will be adversely affected in some way due to the fact that one, or both, of the players is incapable of controlling his or her emotions and using his or her character to deliberately hurt or punish the other player's character, or treat them poorly.

Negative backlash include, but is not limited to, changing the behavior of a character towards the other character intentionally, not tagging with the other character for long periods of time, suddenly force a character's feelings towardss the other character to change, a drastic 180 of behavior, randomly picking a fight with the other character, causing drama for no good reason, etc.

If you have a dispute with another player and your characters were previously close, but you decide that because you got in a fight with said player that your character's behavior should ultimately now change to reflect your opinion of the player, then you are metagaming.

Keep in mind: a player is not a character, there is a separation between player and character. Or at least, there should be.

2. Deciding on a character's course of action based on how the "game's mechanics" will affect the outcome.

This occurs when players are talking OOC and player A asks player B things about her character such as, "Oh, what would X do if Y did this?" and then depending on the answer of player B, changing how the character acts in accordance with what player B says. (Note: This is not plotting, but intentionally adjusting a character's behavior in order to achieve the outcome you desire.)

Another way to do this is if a player attempts to decide on another character's actions by compelling or guilt tripping the other player to have their character act in a way s/he normally would not, or by doing something s/he normally would not.

3. Any action that is based upon the knowledge that one (i.e. a player) is playing a game

Let's say you really don't like player A. In fact, you HATE player A. If your character hates player A's character because of your hatred for player A, then you're metagaming.

4. Powergaming/Godmoding

Powergaming or Godmoding occurs when a player attributes a character with skills he clearly cannot possibly have, such as having superhuman strength or insane fighting prowess when the real probably has never even thrown a punch. More commonly, it occurs when two characters get into a physical fight, and character A carries out a series of actions and blows against character B and assumes that each of his/her actions lands successfully without giving character B any time to defend him/herself.

In more mundane situations, when your character carries out an action and keeps on going with other actions without giving the other character any time to respond to the previous actions whatsoever, that's powergaming.

Another form of powergaming/godmoding is if something negative or bad, whether it be a punch or disciplinary punishment, happens to your character, executed by another, and your character doesn't take the punch or ignores the disciplinary measures given out. Not submitting or obeying to the laws of REALITY is absolutely godmoding. Not submitting to the reality that your character lives in, is also godmoding.

(Read Battle Guide for more information)

5. Using any kind of out of character knowledge in an in character situation

What does this mean? This means if your character uses knowledge only the player should know and the character cannot actually know in a scene, then you're metagaming. This is the most classic metagame out of all metagames that exist, and it happens quite often.

Remember: this is a representation of real life. So if a god is plotting to wreak havoc upon your life but haven't given you any hints as to what he is planning, you would have no way knowing.

There are many ways to metagame, and none of them are allowed. Players who consistently metagame and refuse to change their behavior will be asked to leave the game. If you have any questions about what metagaming or godmoding is, please talk to the moderators about it.

 
 
12 August 2011 @ 03:27 pm

While Kannagara does not believe in limiting creative expression, we do request that players respect the following rules in order to preserve the integrity of the game.

Decreed By The Gods. )
 
 
12 August 2011 @ 02:51 pm
Is this a panfandom game?
Can I play an original character?
I have never roleplayed before and don't know how to, but I am curious. How does it work?
What do you mean by "collaborative writing RPG"?
What kind of plots are allowed in this game?
Are controversial issues allowed in this game?
Is pregnancy allowed in this game?
What is a soul imprint and how does it work?
Is there an overaching game plot?
What kind of plots should I ask moderator permission for?
Why do you allow solos/one-shots and flashbacks?
What do you mean by "internal exposition"/"internal dialogue"?

What if my character gets sick?
What if we run out of weapons?
What do we do about clothing?
How do we pick a house and where to live?
Is there soap/shampoo/other hygenic products in this world?
Can I summon over things from my character's home world?
Is there currency in this world?
Are there shops?
What happens if my character kills either another player character or a Celestial

General Facts

Is this a panfandom game? )

Can I play an original character? )

I have never roleplayed before )

What do you mean by "collaborative writing RPG"? )

What kind of plots are allowed in this game? )

Are controversial issues allowed in this game? )

Is pregnancy allowed in this game? )
What exactly is a soul imprint and how does it work? )

Is there an overarching game plot? )

What kind of plots should I ask moderator permission for? )

Why do you allow solos/one-shots and flashbacks? )

What do you mean by "internal exposition"? )

The World Facts

What if my character gets sick? )


What if we run out of weapons? )

What do we do about clothing? )

How do we pick a house and where to live? )

Is there soap/shampoo/other hygenic products in this world? )

Can I summon over things from my character's home world? )
Is there currency in this world? )

Are there shops? )
What happens if my character kills? )
 
 
01 November 2011 @ 10:14 pm

 
 


 




Make sure you have a chance to review this Posting Guide as well as our Posting FAQ for any questions you have. Also please be mindful of the Narrative Chronology and our Summary Policy.



If you have any questions, or would like to see more examples, feel free to leave a comment here, or ask a moderator!
 
 
12 August 2011 @ 03:18 pm
Can we use AIM or Google Docs to play?
Am I allowed to backdate any logs or tags?
What happens if more than one character begins commenting to a network post at the same time?
How does posting order work in multi-player logs?
I would like to incorporate the gods or the Oni in a plot or log. How can I do that?
Can I use my character journal for other games?

My character is severely disabled in some way. Would I be able to heal their disability in this world upon entering?
Can my character bring their pet or animal familiar to this game?
How does a canon update work in Kannagara?
Can I reset my character?
Can my character break the fourth wall?
Can my character gain supernatural abilities in this game? They currently do not have any fighting skills or supernatural powers.
I am importing my character from another game. Will they remember the CR that developed there?

Posting facts

Can we use AIM or Google Docs to play? )

Am I allowed to backdate any logs or tags? )

What happens if more than one character begins commenting to a network post at the same time? )

How does posting order work in multi-player logs? )

I would like to incorporate the gods or the Oni in a plot or log. How can I do that? )

Can I use my character journal for other games? )


Character Facts

My character is severely disabled in some way. Would I be able to heal their disability in this world upon entering? )

Can my character bring their pet or animal familiar to this game? )

How does a canon update work in Kannagara? )

Can I reset my character? )

Can my character break the fourth wall? )

Can my character gain supernatural abilities in this game? )

I am importing my character from another game. Will they remember CR that developed there?  )


 
 
12 August 2011 @ 01:30 pm
Premise
Entering into the world
Initial discoveries
Setting
Events
Arrival
Gaining new powers
Power limitations
Summoning
Hitomi
Dreams
Logging
Time system
Languages and communication
Dieties
God scrolls
Death

Kannagara is a panfandom collaborative writing game set in the ancient, mystical realm of the Shinto gods, where dreams and gods collide. Your character will have the ability to not only experience the dreams of other characters, but can also experience their worlds. As the world of Kannagara is a fluidly changing microcosm, from time to time, it will slide between different panfandom worlds. One week, your character will be in Kannagara. The next, they might be in any panfandom world.

Kannagara places a strong focus on collaboration -- from writing to game development, we are interested in working with players to develop the world in which they write. You will have the opportunity to not only grow as a writer, but will also be able to propose game settings, events, NPCs, and other aspects of the game that can enrich the quality of your experience.

Premise )

Entering into the world )

Initial discoveries )

Setting )

Events )Arrival )Gaining new powers )Power limitations )

Summoning )Hitomi )Dreams )Logging )Time system )Languages and communication )Deities )God scrolls )Death )
 
 
12 August 2011 @ 09:52 pm
God Scrolls

God Scrolls are magical or cursed scrolls that the gods and the Oni sometimes place around Kannagara. They can appear at any given time. If your character encounters one, they will feel an undeniable compulsion to actually touch and open it, at which point whatever is in the scroll will be instantly unleash upon them, for good or ill. As these scrolls can come from both the gods and the Oni, they can be either benign or malign in nature, and depending on their strength, have variable lengths of effect; they must be waited out before the character can return to normal, though they will revert to normal upon resurrection, if they have been killed during this period.

Gifts? From the Gods )
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 05:57 pm

In this dimension, dreams will be utilized to allow the inhabitants of the world to learn more about themselves, each other, what it means to be human, and their relationship to nature and the gods. There are several ways that dreams will manifest in this world.

 

Dream Posts/Viewable Dreams )

Dream Logs/Interactive Dreams )

Merged Dreams )
Themed Dreams )

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:36 pm

JOB & BUSINESS LIST

The list of available jobs for characters.The list of where all characters either work or own a business  in Kannagara, by village.

(Available Jobs)


Location: Hisato Ryokan
Positions: Ryokan Manager, cooks, cleaning staff

Location: Mizusato Ryokan
Positions: Cooks & cleaning staff

Location: ALL VILLAGES
Positions: Law Enforcement (Report to the Metsuke's Office in each village to apply.)


PLAYER-OWNED BUSINESSES (not located in a specific village)


(***Medicines***)
Business Type: Wandering Medicines for Sale
Character's Name: Ginko, owner/medicine maker ([livejournal.com profile] verdant_walker)
IC Contact: Ginko's Voicemail
Location: Anywhere in Kannagara, contact him via the voicemail to get his attention.
Hours of Business:Any and all
Description: He will sell to anyone who wants to buy/needs medicine, both Celestials and Otherworlders. He'll often be seen setting up shop in the various marketplaces--that is, sitting on the ground and setting out his wars on a cloth in front of him.
Job Openings: None.
Other Notes: He'll probably eventually get into a sort of a circuit, where he visits each village in turn, and collects herbs in between villages, but that will take a little time to establish. For now, he'll just kind of wander around randomly.


VILLAGES



Amesato


Cat's Eye Cafe
Business Type: Resteraunt
Character's Name: Fai & Yuui Flourite ([livejournal.com profile] towertwin) & ([livejournal.com profile] misfortunesfool)
IC Contact: Yuui's Voicemail
Location: Near the main entrance to Amesato
Hours of Business: 11am - 8pm, Monday through Saturday
Description:(Coming soon.)
Job Openings: Sous Chefs, wait staff, dishwashers, a cashier
Employees: Matt, bartender/waiter; Vincent Nightray, waiter
Other Notes: This will be opening soon!


Kazesato



Kusasato



Hisato



Mizusato


Character's Name: Kinomoto Touya ([livejournal.com profile] monstersbigbro)
Occupation: Manager, Mizusato ryokan

(***Guchokipanya***)
Business Type: Bakery
Character's Name: Meguro Gau, owner, baker ([livejournal.com profile] tenpa_tantrum)
IC Contact: Gau's voicemail
Location: Mizusato - near the center of town
Hours of Business: Baking begins in the very early morning, the shop opens at 8am and closes at 4pm.
Description: The bakery is a well-kept storefront right off the town square. The building has two stories, with the second holding an apartment occupied by the owner, his partner, and various others at any given time. The kitchens and storage areas are at the back, large and well-ventilated, and the front area is quite cheery, well-lit, and impeccably clean. A trio of small tables sits near the front doors, and a simple lunch is served as well as tea and coffee... and of course cakes, muffins, tarts and other treats.
Job Openings: Bakery assistant, waiter, and cashier. If more people are hired, the hours will be extended, so there's always room. Also a delivery person would be awesome.>
Employees: Gilbert Nightray, Cook; Misa Amane, Cashier/waiteress
Other Notes: Gau is always willing to help someone out, so a hungry newcomer coming in could get a free meal, if they ask.

Harry Dresden - Wizard
Business Type: Paranormal Investigations
Character's Name: Harry Dresden ([livejournal.com profile] itgoboom)
IC Contact: Harry's Voicemail
Location: Mizusato Ryokan, Harry's room
Hours of Business: Any time besides the middle of the night or on appointment
Description: Lost items/people found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.
Job Openings: None besides clients.
Other Notes: Pretty much available for any supernatural or investigation needs by anyone. Has experience working with the poliece as a consultant.


Raisato


Character's Name: Yu Kanda ([livejournal.com profile] infiniillusion)
Occupation: Metsuke's office, Machi-kata Doshin officer


Tsuchisato



Yomisato


Character's Name: Harry Dresden ([livejournal.com profile] itgoboom)
Occupation: Supernatural Private Investigator and Summoning Shop Assistant
 
 
27 August 2011 @ 10:17 am


The summoning shop is a gift generously given to the Other-Worlders by the gods - and it is only through their continued charity that it remains. For a price, characters can go to the little shop tucked into the corner of a back-alley in Yomisato and request items from their home world. And only their own home world. Common items are easier to summon than rare, and items that affect the character’s powers, has a major or significant meaning to the character, or has it’s own considerable power range from exceptionally expensive to too expensive to summon.

For example, toiletries might cost a few mon, but a Bleach character that arrives without his bankai-capable zanpakuto would find it almost impossible to summon their sword and would need moderator permission. Complex weaponry or world-destroying weaponry cannot be summoned; nor can anything that has it’s own soul or autonomy. Non-negotiable.

The money system can be found here.

A list of items and price ranges includes:

Toiletries to include toothpaste, modern-types of soaps/cleaners, and cosmetics: 20 - 90 mon.
First aid supplies, over-the-counter meds, canon prescription meds: 40 mon (bandaids) - 8 Bu (prescription drugs)
Cigarettes, modern alcohol, modern processed food items: 4 Shu - 2 Bu
Clothes, linens, bedding supplies: 2 Bu - 4 Ryo
Housing objects/furniture/cooking supplies: 3 Shu (pots and pans) - 40 Ryo (frame beds, pianos)
Bullets, grenades, C4, small, simple (non-electrical) machines: 1 Bu (bullets) - 2 Ryo (mechanical objects)

**Remember, if you’re unsure of the price of more personal things, like specialized magical weapons, ask the moderators.
 
 
27 August 2011 @ 10:09 am
The Metsuke’s office has recently opened their offices to the Other-Worlder populations in an attempt to bring lingering tensions between the Celestials and the Other-Worlders to a minimum. Unfortunately, most of the positions within the administration are still kept within the Celestial ranks; however, those that decide to work with the local law enforcement will only find positions within the Machi-kata Doshin ranks.

Rank Structure
Metsuke – Inspector General
machi-bugyo – commissioner
machi-kata – patrolling police leaders
Ginmi-yoriki – case hearing patrolling police officers
Machi-kata yoriki – patrolling officers
Doshin – police soldiers
Machi-kata Doshin – lowest ranking, Other-Worlder soldiers

Uniform: Plain black kimono, hakama, white tabi socks, and a gray haori signifying the Metsuke’s office seal on the back. Katana will be provided by the Celestial family that they belong, or in the case of the Offworlders, they must provide their own weapons.

Duties for the Other-Worlders include:

o Patrolling both outside the village and within in order to maintain peace and order/ protect from creatures in the Bestiary.
o Capture and arrest criminals or disturbers of the Sacred Temples
o Guard merchants and their wares in the open-air markets
o Act as executioners of those found guilty of crimes

Special duties may include occasional infiltration and/or espionage roles in order to garner information and administer justice in the slaving rings, drug dens, and other group criminal activities that may come to the Metsuke’s attention.

Careful though… this is a new position, and in a few villages like Raisato, there is still a notable tension and air of mistrust between Celestials and Offworlders. Characters will experience varying levels of mistrust, and in some places where there have been previous riots against the offworlders, like Raisato, they may even be shunned outright.

Yomisato as a whole has a strong aversion to authority of any type, so characters that decide to work there will face a higher percentage of attacks, insults, and lack of cooperation when hunting down leads or suspects. Villages like Mizusato and Amesato, however, are relatively peaceful to begin with and have an air of wary acceptance or welcome for the offworlders, so characters in these villages might find their patrols quite dull.

The pay for these positions, because they are the lowest, ranges from 8 to 16 Shu per week, depending on the village, with Amesato at 8 and Yomisato at 16 Shu.

**Please note that major plots that would deal with the underground activities do still need Mod approval – though we’d welcome seeing any such plots and would be willing to help players pursue them. Characters that want to work in these offices need only update the jobs page. As an example, this log (Or on LJ, if you'd prefer) will be an example of what they will face.
 
 
27 August 2011 @ 09:58 am
In Kannagara, the value of money falls under four categories:

MON

Thisis the lowest coin value in Kannagara, taking the shape of a circle with a hole at its center. It is made of copper, with one side featuring four characters, and the other with a 'gen' symbol. If one catches and kills a level-1 creature from the bestiary, your character will find exactly 50 mons held together with a cotton string within the creature's guts.

SHU


A shu coin comes in a rectangular shape, with three characters on one side. It is made of silver and 1 shu makes 100 mons. If one catches and kills a level-2 creature from the bestiary, you character will find 1 shu within the creature's guts.

BU

A bu coin comes in a rectangular shape with one large character on one side. This particular one is made of gold, but is thin and very light weight, approximately the same size as that of a shu. 1 bu makes 4 shu and about 1600 mons. Your character will not find a bu coin up until they catch or kill a level-4 and above creature from the bestiary.

RYO

This is the highest coin value in Kannagara, taking the shape of an oblong with lined ridges on one side. Four circular symbols engraved on four corners, with a large character painted on top. A ryo, much like a bu, is gold. However, it is thicker and noticeably heavier, even if the shape is the same as that of bu and shu. 1 ryo makes 4 bu which makes 16 shu which then makes 1600 mons. Your character will not find a ryo coin up until they catch or kill a level-6 and above creature from the bestiary.

Therefore: 1 ryo = 4 bu = 16 shu = 1600 mon.

Your character may or may not know the value of money upon arrival and will likely be privy to being fooled or tricked by people or by Yomites.  They also may not know that money can be found within the inner organs of the creatures that exist within Kannagara. It might catch them by surprise to find money while gutting their catch for the day; the bigger the animal and more difficult to catch, the more money your character will receive. Below is a scale of the money received when one hunts in Kannagara:

Level 1 = 50 Mon (Shellfish, mollusks, small rodents such as mice or squirrel)
Level 2 = 1 Shu (Fish) 
Level 3 = 4 Shu (Dogs, cats)
Level 4 = 1 Bu (Rabbit, snake)
Level 5 = 4 Bu (Deer, antelope)
Level 6 = 1 Ryo (Boar)
Level 7 = 5 Ryo (Buffalo, cows, yaks)
Level 8 = 10 Ryo (Horses, moose, monkey, gorilla)
Level 9 = 20 Ryo (Bear, dolphins)
Level 10 = 50 Ryo (Lions, tigers, hippos, rhinos, elephants, sharks, whales)

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:01 pm

APPLICATION RULES

1. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age or older in order to apply.

2. Applicants may apply for a character from any canon, as long as there is at least one published resource or translation in the English language. This means you may apply for a character from any manga/anime, video game, movie, live action television show, short story, novel, play, comic, etc. Your character does not have to be Asian, nor do they have to be human. We accept alien and anthropomorphized characters/sentient animals and mute characters. However, we will not accept animal characters that have no way of communicating with characters or understanding language.

3. Minor characters (characters with almost no screen time, character designs, or characters with no dialogue) will also be allowed, however we will require that your headcanon be supported by as much circumstantial canon evidence as possible. We highly recommend that you discuss minor characters with the moderators before applying.

4. You may have a limit of 6 (six) characters maximum, provided that you can maintain a decent level of activity for all of them. You may only have a maximum of 3 (three) characters from the same canon. These characters are not allowed to interact with each other on a regular basis. While we do allow limited playercesting for specific plots or reasons, players must obtain moderator permission.

5. You may not apply any OC or AU/AR (alternate universe/reality) for this game at this time.

6. You may not apply alternate versions of characters or cross-canon characters. So, for instance, once someone is already playing Cloud from Final Fantasy VII, you will not be able to apply as Cloud from Kingdom Hearts. An exception to this can be made for historical figures who are depicted in different canons in different ways -- so for instance, if someone is already playing Date Masamune from Sengoku Basara, you may apply him from Samurai Warriors/Sengoku Musou, which is a different and separate series involving a different character based off the same historical figure.

7. You may not apply any characters who are Shintoist or Buddhist gods. If your character happens to share a name with a god or goddess, you may apply, but if they are the god or goddess, you may not apply for this game. As we will be heavily NPCing the gods and goddesses, we will not be able to allow another incarnation of one. The only canon we will make an exception for will be Okami, as it does not strictly follow the Shinto mythologies, and all the deities are anthropomorphized.

8. For players interested in importing characters from other games, and keeping game canon, we will allow this. However, they must be from canon-based games. Game canon with AU content, such as modern-day turn them into a regular person alive today regardless of canon capabilities premise, cannot be transferred to Kannagara, as the characterization discrepancies that may occur due to drastic changes in character history will be too difficult to manage. You also may not apply for characters from museboxes or private games. Friends-locked games may only be applied for if you can provide us with a few log samples, such as in the case of Amatomnes. If there are any usual circumstances in your case or questions that you have, feel free to ask the moderators. More information about importing characters from other games can be found at our FAQ.

9. You may not apply for a character another player has reserved and we do not allow reserve challenges at this time. However, if two players submit applications for the same character at the same time without reservation, we will consider both applications and determine which one is best suited for this game.

10. You may not apply for any real life person without a published canon or celebrities such as Paris Hilton or Lady Gaga, including, but are not limited to television personalities, TV show hosts, and entertainers with elaborate stage personas such as Gackt.

11. We will give players an ample amount of time for revision and will be willing to help work with players on revisions. Should your application be rejected, you must wait two months before attempting to re-reserve/apply for that same character.

12. You may only apply for two characters at a time. You must wait at least two weeks after your character has debuted in the game before applying for another.

13. In borderline cases where the rules are unclear, we reserve the right to accept or deny the application.

14. Do not start playing in the game until your character's application has been processed and accepted.

APPLICATION
There are two different applications that you can choose from. To look at an example of a character application for Kannagara that is straight from canon, please look here. To look at an example of a character application for Kannagara that includes previous game history, please look here.

CANON APPLICATION
Canon Application Here. )

APPLICATION WITH PREVIOUS GAME HISTORY
Application With Previous Game History. )

Completed applications should be submitted to the Moderator e-mail: kannagararpg[@]gmail[.]com.
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:19 pm

Have any questions or suggestions about the game? There are a few ways that you can contact us. Please refer to the key to determine who to contact before contacting anyone! We're a little different from other games in terms of how we run things. We've broken up our team into moderation/administration and development, so we all specialize in different parts of running the game. There's no head moderator! We all work together, and we especially like working with your ideas. If you aren't sure who to contact, feel free to just comment in the comment box below.

Key: G (General), A (Applications), I (Player Issues), P (Plot), E (Event), D (Development), W (World), N (NPC), M (Maintenance)

MODERATION

Journal: [personal profile] kannagara_gods [Comment Box]
Email:
kannagararpg [at] gmail [dot] com

Chag
(M)
Plurk:
chaggit

Nova(GAIPEDWNM)
Journal: [main account blueeyedflyboy (I don't have a personal DW)
Email:
tnmnova [at] aol [dot] com
Plurk:
fiery_chicken


Note: Have any development ideas? Want to implement an event, create an NPC, or toss around some settings? The moderators would be happy to talk to you about your ideas! If you have any pressing issues/concerns regarding another player or about the game, or if you need moderator permission for a plot, please use the Comment Box or e-mail us. While we are always happy to talk to you, we will only take action and make moderation decisions if you contact us through the appropriate channels first.


 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:14 pm
Credits

Kannagara would like to thank Somarium for inspiring the initial creation of this game.

But most of all, we would like to thank the players who make this game possible, and you, for reading through this site this far, if you are considering joining the game.

Kannagara was initially developed as a limited canon game by Kuri and Infy and beta launched on May 28, 2009. The beta run ended on December 26, 2009, and the game was redeveloped by Kuri and Kate for a panfandom launch on January 29, 2010.

Kannagara is based on Shintoism, Buddhism, Japanese mythology, the Kojiki, and the Nihon Shoki.

The (inactive) website and its graphics was designed and coded by Kuri on a Joomla 1.5 platform.

The artwork used on said website was created by fxevo.

The artwork used on Kannagara Logs is by aSpeckofDust.

The artwork used on Kannagara Net is by Shadowelve.


COMMENT BOX

If you need to get in touch with the moderators for any reason, this is the best place to do so. Have a concern that you need addressed? A problem with another player? Is there a plot question that you have? Please leave a comment here and we will get back to you in a timely fashion.

As Kannagara is a growing game, we need your input to help make it an even better one! If you have any comments/suggestions/criticism for the game or even plot ideas that you would like us to consider, feel free to comment here with them. We will definitely take your comments into consideration in our development and management of the game.

Another way to get contact any of us is by emailing us at kannagararpg[at]gmail[dot]com
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:44 pm
INTRODUCING the Hitomi Directory System

Welcome to the Hitomi Directory system function. Here you will find the picture identification used to contact the other Chosen Few that have been invited to Kannagara by the gods - and remember, if they’re not here, they don’t exist. You will also find directories for all of your housing and employment needs while enjoying your time here.


VOICEMAIL

Each player should create a Voicemail entry on their characters journal, then link the entry as a new comment under their place in the alphabet. Please remember this is just the directory. Actual comments and conversations should happen in the player posts in order to keep the directory clean and easy to locate the players information.

HOUSING

If you’ve found a home for your character, to include those staying at the ryokans, please list them here. And remember: Those that do not pay a monthly tribute to the gods at any temple will soon find themselves (and their belongings) out on the street and absolutely UNABLE to reenter the house until a representative tribute is paid per person staying in the abode. Please fill out the textbox below to claim housing.


JOBS & PLAYER BUSINESSES

If you’ve found a job for your character, or your character has opened a business, please fill out the appropriate textbox below.

For Jobs:

.

For Businesses:

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:38 pm
Power Nerfing System

 

Read more... )

Battle Guide

Read more... )
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 02:01 pm

Mizusato is due east off the coast of Kannagara's mainland, situated on the western side of a large island. It requires a boat to get to, water-walking, or fire abilities. Getting to Mizusato depends on the intent of the traveler.

climate

The climate is extremely mild and balmy, quite pleasant year-round in Mizusato, with only infrequent rain and light breezes. Its position in a canyon, however, does subject the village itself to a year-round blanket of mist, especially because of how much water it's in such close proximity to. Some of the higher peaks around the island, though, are subjected to snow during the winter.

terrain


The island's terrain is extremely mountainous, with a long-inactive volcano being the highest peak. It sports an abundance of both high and low land, with soaring mountains, forested slopes, rolling hills, lush valleys, and steep canyons. Much of the coastline of the island is made of pleasant, sandy beaches, though there are some exceedingly rocky areas, and even some cliffs right against the ocean.

The most prominent part of the terrain, however, is water -- endless water. The island abounds with an incredible number of rivers, waterfalls, reservoirs, gorges, swimming holes, and natural onsens -- far more for its land area than any other country.

village



The mere fact that Mizusato is situated on an island is an excellent defense for it; it's further protected due to its location in a broad canyon and backed by tall mountains, making it an extremely defensible location. It faces west, looking towards the mainland, and sits alongside a river running from the mountains behind it, to empty into the ocean not far from the canyon the village is situated in. Being along one of the major rivers on the island, and so close to the coast, places Mizusato in an excellent position for both trade and mobility. The village itself is surprisingly large and well-organized, sporting cobblestone streets that connect every house, lined with lanterns to help light the way despite the mist.

housing


Houses in Mizusato are built considerably more sturdily than in many other villages, though they aren't especially elegant; they're made to last, with a subtle, functional beauty. They have high stone foundations to house storage basements, primarily to house private forges, personal armories, and crop storage. The houses boast wooden terraces and carved railings of variable intricacy; the main portion of the houses are wooden as well. These buildings have broad, sloped roofs with actual shingles. The houses are primarily along the edges of the village, built on slopes in the canyon walls and mountains that back them, overlooking broad stretches of farmland, primarily rice paddies and corn fields, as well as training grounds and fields.

The floors are either stone or wood, the walls wooden with latticework windows, and the architecture simple; the furniture carved wood of varying intricacies, same as the tables and chairs. The terrace-steppe houses usually have the most basic amenities, but almost nothing modern at all. The main room is a sitting area furnished with wooden benches and low tables for eating, dominated on one side by a simple fire pit, or irori, which sports several chains with hooks that can be raised or lowered to hang pots from; this is the main way to heat the house, and a place for simple cooking.

The bedroom is furnished with thick mattress bags stuffed with reed, hay, or wool -- or if you're lucky, cotton -- and covered with layers of fur and cow hide to serve as a bed. Large wooden chests like the ones in the living area hold several changes of clothing and belongings that they came into Kannagara with, as well as bedding and pillows filled with buckwheat chaff. 

The kitchen is set towards the back of the house with a door that leads outside, dominated on one side by a kamado, or a low, hollow clay stove with holes in the front to feed in kindling and control the fire, and holes on top for grilling surfaces or clay pots to be placed into. A large basin and preparation surface take up much of the rest of the space, with shelves lining the walls for storage of cooking and eating implements; most food storage is in large clay vases and wooden barrels. There is no refrigeration. A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional

Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the river that runs through the village. Bathing is more easily done, though far less private, in a centrally-located bath house built near the river's edge; those more inclined towards it can travel farther inland to the mountains that back the village, and bathe in any of the natural onsens located throughout the mountains. There is also a large central forge in the village, for those who prefer not to do so in their own homes, supplied with both tools and materials.

The mizusato ryokan


Situated near the main gate of the village, between the mainland ferry and the village gate, with easy access to the beaches, the Mizusato ryokan is a place for newcomers to get a free place to live for a month while they get settled and digest the situation they've been thrown into. It's a small society of buildings, big and small, some houses up for rent, some small ones for free and some compounds of several rooms under the same roof.

It stretches out over a fairly big area, close to the market for convenience, with a nearby water source and shared storage space. All basic necessities needed to get by are there.


The free housing is designed like any other Mizusato house, however always kept small and simple with only the very basic needs. Futons, tables and a small and simple kitchen and bathroom. All of it is kept clean, pleasant and inviting for whenever someone decides to move in, although as soon as it's inhabited, keeping it clean is up to the occupant.

In a compound, the kitchen is a little bigger and shared, as well as the bathrooms.


If an occupant of the Mizuato ryokan would like to stay for longer than a month, there are also houses up for rent. There are houses of the basic variety not very different from the free housing as well as ones equipped with comforts over what is necessarily needed, the latter of course more expensive than the former.

Most often, these houses also have bigger spaces and nicer furniture and they are, just like the free housing, built like any other Mizusato house outside the ryokan.

The temple of Konohanasakuya-hime


The temple of Konohanasakuya-hime is a very welcoming place for the newcomers to the world. The goddess herself - a deity of cherry blossoms often seen to represent the delicate and feeling nature of earthly life - has taken an interest in the newcomers, and those who come seeking wisdom will be greeted with open arms by the priests and priestesses of the temple. Offerings are always appreciated, but aid to those in need is available as well.
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 12:00 pm
 

Hisato is situated at the heart of Fire Country, bordered by Grass Country and Himorogi to the northwest, Rain Country to the north, and Wind Country to the southwest. Mizusato, centered in the large island nation of Water Country, is a distance off of its northeast coast.

climate


As Fire Country is an extremely large area, the climate varies dependent on location. Being that Hisato is situated at the center of the country, the village proper experiences a climate that is mostly Mediterranean in nature, with cool, wet winters and warm to hot summers, receiving adequate rain from sudden and fierce thunderstorms. The leaves change color, but rarely fall; there isn't usually much of a true winter, though autumn and spring temperatures are usually very nice. Moving away from the village, the climate towards the southwestern border of the country experiences warmer weather that can become blisteringly hot and extremely humid in the summer and is warm year-round. The southern gulf and northeastern coast region of Fire Country also experiences high humidity levels during the summer that taper off inland. Temperatures drop towards the northern border of the country, where rain is frequently common.

terrain


Hisato has very mixed terrain. Fire Country is a patchwork quilt of rolling hills, broad fields, several prominent rivers that ribbon across the country and feed into the sea, as well as quite a few large lakes. It boasts forested lands that go on as far as the eye can see, and a great number of mountains and majestic waterfalls. As a whole, the country is extremely fertile land.

village


Hisato is an extremely large, well-maintained and cultivated village, far nicer and more modern than the vast majority of the others. To some, Hisato resembles a Japanese village built during the Edo era. It's set deep in the heart of a long mountain range, in a natural valley formed by mountains curving in a crescent around the back of the village. The village is located at the very base of the valley, surrounded by forest so dense, it is difficult to see the village from above. It is protected by a long, impressive fortress wall that winds and curves along the natural walls of the mountains.

Visitors to this village are forced to take a long, winding road through the forest, and pass through this wall, via a gate that's quite naturally capable of being heavily guarded. Safe in these confines, the village sprawls spectacularly in the space allotted to it, full of manicured trees, beautifully crafted buildings, and wide cobbled streets. The fortress walls lead to the base of the mountain that backs Hisato, and runs to a tower atop a smaller, but still impressive mountain, and overlooks the entire village. A beautiful waterfall tumbles down the mountain, neatly flanking the tower, running into a river that feeds the many streams that run through the village.

Ascent up the larger mountain reveals a large, forested plain ribboned with wide rivers that lead to a massive, awe-inspiring temple to the gods located at the edge of breathtaking cliff. Enormous waterfalls pour off the edge of the cliff to pool into another level of waterfalls that finally lead to a river which feeds into the large Suijin River. Suijin River cuts its way through a winding valley and runs northwest towards Himorogi River.

housing



Houses in Hisato vary in size, ranging from small and quaint to large and elegant. They are much nicer than many other villages, with some of the especially nice houses even boasting a second story. They tend to make use of wood, paper, tile, stone, and clay for their construction and furnishings, and have distinctive sloped, shingled roofs, built in tiers if the the house is two stories. The floors are typically polished wooden boards, or clay or ceramic tiles, covered by tatami mats, with the kitchen and work areas a little bit lower than the rest of the house. The houses typically have the most basic amenities, but almost nothing modern at all.

A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional. These homes do have a draining system, though rudimentary; while water must be drawn by hand for use, it does not have to be thrown out afterwards, as in some other villages. Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the rivers, lakes or streams, which the village has no shortage of. Water can also come from the numerous rain troughs that many houses have in their private backyard gardens. The troughs are made of cedar, which give the water a pleasant scent and sweet taste.

Sliding wooden lattices or shoji screens, often elaborately painted, divide the rooms and create walls and separators that can slide fully open within the house, allowing inhabitants to see from one end of the house to the other; there are no doors in the interior of the house. Everything is open and spacious, with entire walls and windows that can open to take in the nature all around them, especially the beautiful gardens that can be easily seen from the sitting room windows.

The gardens in just about every single back yard is an important aspect of the landscaping around the house. These gardens frequently feature small stone-lined ponds with koi swimming amongst lilies and reeds. The houses boast a deck that runs along the back of the house, and the shoji doors of the house can slide fully open for garden viewing. Some houses incorporate natural elements of the outdoors within the house to create a seamless flow between indoors and outdoors.

The nicest houses sometimes feature private open air onsens set at the back of the house, with privacy fences. Some houses have private bath houses on the premises with water that can be heated with fire thorugh a hole cut in the outside wall. Those without private baths or onsens can bathe in the many quaint natural onsens that can be found near the foot of the mountain, or in the village's large communal bathing house.



The bedroom (or bedrooms, as there are often multiple in these houses) is dominated by sliding-door closets and hold the futon and bedding they'll be sleeping on as well as several changes of clothing and belongings that they came into Kannagara with. There are some decorative chests and low tables, as well as some wall decorations. Otherwise, it's an empty room, good for stretching and simple practice. Many houses have a main room that serve as a sitting area, with low tables for eating, often featuring a simple fire pit, or irori, which sports several chains with hooks that can be raised or lowered to hang pots from. This is the main way to heat the house, and a place for simple cooking; there are usually at least one or more alcoves in this room for hanging scrolls or paintings, with tables for flowers, incense, or small shrines. Some larger houses have rooms that appear to be studies,

The kitchen is set towards the back of the house in a sunken room with a stone floor and a door that leads outside, dominated on one side by a kamado, or a low, hollow clay stove with holes in the front to feed in kindling and control the fire, and holes on top for grilling surfaces or clay pots to be placed into. A large basin (also with draining capabilities) and preparation surface take up much of the rest of the space, with shelves lining the walls for storage of cooking and eating implements; most food storage is in the hollow space within the floor, in large clay vases. There is no refrigeration.

hisato ryokan



Situated near the main gate of the village, the Hisato ryokan is a place for newcomers to get a free place to live for a month while they get settled and digest the situation they've been thrown into. It's a small society of buildings, big and small, some houses up for rent, some small ones for free and some compounds of several rooms under the same roof.

It stretches out over a fairly big area, close to the market for convenience, with a nearby water source and shared storage space. All basic necessities needed to get by are there.


The free housing is designed like any other Hisato house, however always kept small and simple with only the very basic needs. Futons, tables and a small and simple kitchen and bathroom. All of it is kept clean, pleasant and inviting for whenever someone decides to move in, although as soon as it's inhabited, keeping it clean is up to the occupant.

In a compound, the kitchen is a little bigger and shared, as well as the bathroom.


If an occupant of the Hisato ryokan would like to stay for longer than a month, there are also houses up for rent. There are houses of the basic variety not very different from the free housing as well as ones equipped with comforts over what is necessarily needed, the latter of course more expensive than the former.

Most often, these houses also have bigger spaces and nicer furniture and they are, just like the free housing, built like any other Hisato house outside the ryokan.
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 03:40 pm

Yomisato is located in Wind Country, to the east of Kazesato. It encompasses an extremely large area of land, sprawling from the border of where Fire Country south into Wind Country. Its western border meets Izanagi Ocean, while its eastern border spills into the Gulf of Izanami and the island upon where the Gate of Yomi can be found.

climate


Yomisato's location results in generally hot and dry temperatures that vary from season to season. During the hottest months of the summer, it can reach over 55° C (131° F) by morning, while the evenings become uncomfortably humid and sticky. Springs in Yomisato are dry and hot, with sandstorms that turn the sky orange or yellow. At times, rains come in short, torrential bursts leaving behind muddy splotches. Harsh thunderstorms occur more frequently especially along the coastlines and the country border, with terribly damaging winds and lighting that causes flash floods in low-lying areas. Autumns are hot and humid with the coastal region growing especially unpleasant, while winters boast lower temperatures, sometimes growing unbearably cold at night, with frequent rainfall and hailstorms that can last days at a time.

terrain


Much like Kazesato, Yomisato is hemmed in on the northeast, from a mountain range that winds down along Fire Country. A fair bit of the land is covered in sand seas and sand dunes, while other parts are more mountainous, with canyons, towering rock formations, plateaus, and exposed sections of bedrock and rocky, clay-rich soil. Vast as the country is, it has very few landmarks, with the exception of shrines and temples, and what landmarks there are tend to be altered drastically whenever weather that's too harsh rolls around; it's extremely easy to get lost and die of exposure, without an experienced guide to lead you, unless you are traveling along the coast, or the more fertile border of Fire Country.

village



Yomisato is more of a city than it is a village, sprawling from coast to coast across an area of land that is almost the size of a small country. The city is built on the ruins of temples of fallen gods, spiraling outwards towards the coastlines, where the buildings are more dilapidated and squatters are frequently found. Unlike other villages in the world that are rather uniform in design, Yomisato's design is precisely its lack of good planning.

At the heart of the city is a massive statue that once used to be an effigy of Izanami; it is missing its arms and head, and over time the weather has eroded it dramatically. Around this statue is a thriving marketplace with sellers hocking their wares almost any hour of the day. From this central point are plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as opium dens. Close to the market is a red light district filled with brothels and sex shops, massage parlors and other shops catering to the desires of both men and women alike. Sex workers walk the streets, many of them enslaved to cruel and dangerous men who are known to rip off their clientele. The district is dangerous, especially due to its proximity to the black markets nearby, that peddle extremely dangerous weapons and drugs, as well as luxury goods that are impossible to find anywhere else in Kannagara.

The southern region of the city, as it encounters sand dunes and more desert, is filled with a district of metal working factories, which is Yomisato's primary industry. Smoke is seen rising from gigantic kilns that burn all hours of the day, and many of the city's resources in nearby mostly uninhabited mountains are mined right from the mountains.

As the city spirals north, it becomes more hilly and mountainous with tall cliff-like formations where some of the nicer residential areas are found. Landlords fight over the prime real estate here, which boasts views on clear days as far as the shorelines; the higher the residence can be found on the cliffs, the more expensive the rent -- the altitude provides some respite from the heat, and protection against the monsters that frequently attack the city at night. Many of the buildings in Yomisato have divine protection against the monsters; all of the rent-controlled housing are usually protected in some way. In contrast, low-lying dilapidated areas at the southern border of the city, just beyond the metal district, which feature homes cut into rock similar to Kazesato's homes, and buildings run over by plantlife and trees, which many squatters take up residence in, tend to not have any protection at all. Deaths here are frequent, if not from flash floods, then from the monsters that frequently roam.

Because Yomisato is made up partially of exiles and their descendants, many residential districts tend to be segregated by those with residual ties to the Celestial villages. As a result, many residential areas are named after the country the village is located in -- Fire, Wind, Grass, Rain, Water, Earth, and Lightning are all represented in this city.

housing


Housing in Yomisato varies depending on class. The nicer housing for those who can afford it is generally built into the walls of the mountains to provide the greatest insulation and temperature regulation. The nicer the building, the fancier the architecture, including towers, spires, and other sorts of more complex structures; more basic homes are considerably boxier, with broad, flat walls with a penchant for multiple windows to let in as much light and air as possible. Most exterior homes have one or more rain collection troughs as well. Homes inside the tunnels, on the other hand, have far simpler constructions, being hewn straight into the rock itself, and far less of an opportunity to get natural light and ventilation; these homes rely completely on artificial light from things like lanterns, torches, candles, and hearths.  

The construction of the nicer housing is primarily stone, supplemented with wood and clay; the buildings are carved out of the rock itself, with stout wooden beams used as support. Architecture tends towards the functional here, with beauty and decoration being secondary concerns; Yomisato has some fantastically skilled carvers and painters who provide impressive decorations for both the wood and stone in a home, with impressively large carved scenes--or more commonly, colorful murals--being popular. Other common decorations tend to be paintings on either wood or cloth, or woven tapestries and rugs to spread on the floor or hang on the walls to soften the bare stone. Furniture is also used in Yomisato, including proper beds and chairs, and it also tends to be nicely decorated, and have cushions. Some homes also have alcoves carved into the walls for special ornaments or shrines. Others carve out shelves that are used as beds where futons are spread upon.

A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional. Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the one of several wells on the surface level of the city, or from the watering holes fed by a large underground aqueduct from which the city draws its water. Those who don't wish to bring in the water by hand can bathe in the large communal bathing houses throughout the city.

The bedroom--or rooms, if you're lucky enough to get a large house--in Yomisato is a bit unique, generally having a single, quite deep closet to store a character's personal belongings. Unlike other villages, your character will not have several changes of clothing magically appear in their closets unless they pay tribute to one of the fallen gods. Some of the houses also have real furniture while others boast futons; the bedrooms sometime have normal beds and bedding on it, and often curtains around the bed or in the doorway of the bedroom, to provide some sense of privacy and to help absorb the echoes from the hard stone construction. Small tables and chests are also often found here, both decorative and functional. Many houses have a main room that serve as a sitting area and dining room, (though the nicer houses have separate rooms for eating in) with real tables and chairs, and either a fire pit or hearth built into the stone, or portable braziers made of clay, ceramic, or metal; these are the main way of heating the house, and also provide a fair amount of its light, plus a means for simple cooking. Those whose homes are on the outside of the mountain tend to have holes cut in the stone, or sometimes pipe-chimneys made out of clay, to direct the smoke outside.

The kitchen is dominated in large part by a waist-high stove carved from the rock itself, with holes on top to place grilling surfaces or pots into, and holes along the front to control the fire that is built inside; as the stove is typically built into the wall itself, so too is its ventilation. A large basin and preparation surface take up the remainder of the space, and the walls are lined with shelves to store cooking and eating implements. A separate but connected room generally serves as a pantry and takes care of all food storage, a room generally built high and wide with rows upon rows of shelves and vases, provided with a ladder for most efficient use of space. There is no refrigeration, although food tends to last longer in an environment that is typically so dry, and especially in the tunnel system, where the insulation of so much rock means that it seldom gets too hot.

In sharp contrast, the grottoes of the city, where many of the poor live and where the homeless squat, the construction is primarily stone, supplemented with clay; the buildings are carved out of the rock itself, with stout pillars used as support, or constructed out of clay and rock. Architecture tends towards the functional here, the buildings dilapidated and old. The nicer of the grottoes boast a small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet that may not always work. Some other grottoes are comprised of the ruins of temples that have been overgrown with large trees that make many of the structures unsound, but are a good place to squat due to its close proximity to an oasis that is located nearby. These temple ruins don't exactly make the best homes, but can provide shelter from a storm, or a temporary residence in a time of need.

The Underground
Trigger warning: Slavery, sexual themes with questionable consent, gambling, drugs, violence and dark things


Figure 1
On the surface of Yomisato, things are unchanged. There is no sign of the cave complex that resides beneath the city, well guarded and stemming from the three points in Figure 1. These points are each a bar, all of them old standards of Yomisato. The northernmost bar is the most luxurious and expensive of the three, while the one in the mining area is of the lowest class. The following describes each bar in turn.

The first bar is located in the hills, nestled into the wealthy district of Yomisato. As such, it caters to the higher classes, with polished wood and porcelain making up the bar and its wares, accented with silver and ivory. It smells of money, and the entrance to the caves below reflects this, as well. The entrance is long and winding, with rickshaws to carry the wealthy into the depths.

The second bar is near to the mines, run down and cobbled together with aged wood and cups made from stone or clay. It’s a blue collar place, with most visitors coming fresh from the mine for naught more than a quick drink amongst the sand and soot before heading home. All the furniture is made from the same worn down wood as the bar, and while the place doesn’t smack of honesty, it’s certainly not the sort of place one would go <i>looking</i> for an entrance to the underworld. The entrance itself is nothing more than a trap door in a back room, leading to a long case of uneven stairs and packed dirt paths. If you bring your own lantern, you’ll see where you’re going -- and the faces of the guides that are always present, to save you from being lost.

The final bar is a balance between the first two. Set up near Izangi’s statue in a cluster of bars, it tends towards the more popular side, no different from those surrounding it. This one sports wooden furniture a bit newer than the miner’s bar, with attractive servers and a wide floor. There is, of course, a VIP area on the second floor, filled with private rooms, but the true gem of the bar is hidden beneath, in the wine cellar. In the floor there, another trap door resides, with a staircase to the underground, with more guides waiting to help you to the depths.

Figure 2

The underground is divided into layers, the deeper you go, the more dangerous and unsavory the activities you come across will be. The structure itself is a result of mining, with everything held up by metal beams that go deep into the earth. The closer to the center you come, the more beams will be visible, crossing one another to add strength to the structure.

The color and texture of the area is dictated by the depth of the level, going from a sandy red, to a deep brown and grey, all the way to a tarry black color.
Color Reference

The complex is illuminated by kerosene lanterns hanging from the walls or ceiling, or lanterns built into metal barrels lined up. It all gives the place a raw, ragged atmosphere, as if the underground itself is ready to swallow you whole. Much of the seating is carved into the rock itself, jutting out from walls or floor. In the more expensive areas, the rock is polished down and cushioned, where all the rest have a polish taken on purely from use.

Level One: The Brothel

The entire first level is washed in burnt oranges and reds in the firelight, divided into the North, South, East and West regions by quadrant.

In the north and east, the rooms are carved into the walls, with heavy wooden doors and metallic art protecting the privacy of its occupants. Each of these rooms is lavish with beds and floor cushions, thick woolen rugs laid out across the polished floors -- emblazoned with carvings that detail the legends surrounding the gods of the underworld. Here the metal pillars supporting the structure have long curtains of chiffon or cotton drapes to create a more intimate atmosphere. Oil lamps and candles provide muted lighting, and some rooms even have small pools, either in a corner, or right in the middle of the room. At each door, a servant waits outside, catering to the every whim of its occupants, there to provide whatever is required -- without exclusions.

In the western quadrant there is a massive, open hall with drapes, rugs and cushions scattered about. The ceiling above is a dome carved into the rock, again depicting the gods of the underworld, telling their epic tales. This is the place of orgies, where one can participate, or simply spectate, with slaves on hand to fetch whatever they require.

To the south you will find the more... interesting techniques. Anything and everything that can be sexualized, will be in this area. Whips, chains, gags and toys of all size and description are readily available in both public and private venues. There are frequent betting pools, performances, and dances, and no kink is excluded here -- not even the ones you’ve yet to think up.

As for the ‘merchandise’ (which spans both genders and ages range from pre-teen to the elderly), they are always clearly on display. Extravagant clothing that leaves little to the imagination, coupled with jewels made of colored glass marks them as sex workers. Often they will have piercings, and nearly anything you desire, you will find here. All sizes, shapes and colors are available for your pleasure. Those servants whose primary purpose is providing food and drink, cleaning, or just providing a breeze with an oversized fan are all dressed in a simple white tunic, usually quite thin. If all else fails, the most obvious sign of their status are the metal collar and bands about their wrists and ankles.

As for the prostitutes, they typically wear clothing to indicate the sort of experience they offer, from kink to performance, to a simple theme. Don’t be surprised to hear deals called out as if you’re pursuing a market stall above ground -- these people are treated as any other commodity, with every sales trick in the book to increase profits, and every quadrant has an area devoted solely to the exchange of goods and services.

While the level may cater to the carnal desires, greed is never far behind. Debts are taken seriously and no amount of fooling around will convince a guard to look the other way. Yes, there are guards, hidden and quiet until trouble calls. Typically they wear a red cloak with heavy hood and speak very little. If, however, you refuse to pay, or one of the many slaves are being... less than cooperative, the guards step in. They can range from firm to downright violent, though they do tend to be careful not to harm the slaves -- patrons refusing to pay, however, have been known to resurface with a broken bone or two.

The fires here burn orange.

Level 2: The Black Market

On this level is the image of a bustling market. Buildings stand free, up to three stories high, or are built right into the rock walls. The streets are wide enough for three rickshaws to pass, and the place is always buzzing with activities, slave-drawn rickshaws tangling in the street and sparking arguments between slaves and customers alike (though few slaves are fool enough to argue with their customers) and collisions are not uncommon.

The market is a sprawling network of restaurants, bars, opium dens and gambling halls.

Stocks of good opium, drugs, weapons, valuable items are mostly hidden. No one is sure where the owners who sell and barter these goods hide them. Their warehouses might be under their buildings, or it might be built in to walls of the gave behind their buildings. What is known though that they are heavily guarded and sealed by spells. How are these spells practiced, it isn’t exactly common knowledge. Each business man or Don has their own deals with Yomis (it’s like worshipping a fallen god and giving offerings in exchange for something).

This is also the place one would go to if one was seeking to do business or start a business. Keep in mind though that it requires a lot of guts and a lot of willingness to do the most wrong things in the world to even penetrate the market. Because it’s a very tightly closed market and most things work by word of mouth, one mistake can result in a open throat.

Some lanterns use skulls for decor. Those are probably men who tried to fool others.

People killing people dead here out in the open is not an uncommon sight.; it’s just bad business.

No living thing is sold here. Those seeking living things like slaves or people are directed straight to level 5.

Flames in this level burn brick red or “pink.”

Level 3: The Arena - fighters


The arenas are made of stone. Very very black stone where very large metallic lanterns dangle from the cave ceiling in to the wide open arena below. The arena would resemble very closely to that of the olden gladiator arenas in rome in terms of structure. The floor of the fighting area is filled with the golden sands of the surface (as Yomisato is close to the desert). It is not uncommon to find broken glass, bones, pieces of chipped weapon and armor amidst these sands. Performers are usually located under the arena fighting ground itself. There are cells held together by steal bars to prevent their escape.

Level-3 is made up of many arenas. The center one (the one right under Izanagi’s statue) is the biggest and grandest of all and accommodate thousands of people. This is the arena where the big fights and big names duke it out.

Around that center arena though, are many arenas, all lying in a circle like formation. Compared to the other levels, level-3 is the closest to the perfect circle an underground level can achieve. So surrounding the center arena is about ten other arenas, smaller in size and can accommodate a smaller crowd. In these areans, the preliminaries take place. Big fights still, but not as big as teh center. Gaining access to these arenas are generally cheaper than the center one.

In all arenas, matches are ongoing all the time, along with bets and whatnot. Again, there are guards who stand like sentinels watching over the crowd, in case one of the performers does escape or attempt to harm someone they shouldn’t be harming. They also guard the performers under the fighting arena.

THiS level is PURE entertainment, bloodshed turned to a sport for those who want to watch it -- the more gore, the wilder the crowds get. Most of the performers are either slaves who have committed crimes, or those groomed to do this sort of thing. People who handle the performers are mostly the same people who handle other businesses in the black market.

If bets do occur, then they’re usually amongst the crowd themselves or betting circles organized by some business men (they assign a lackey of sorts to handle this sort of money laundering acts).

Flames burn green here.

Level 4: The Arena - beasts

This place is pretty much similar as level 3 although instead of an open air arena, the fighting area is encased with a sturdy patchwork of steal and metal. So the arena looks like there is a cage in the center. Also, Level four only has six very large arenas as opposed to the numbers in level 3.

The reason for the cage is to contain beasts and monsters form escaping. This is where people send their scrap-entertainers or people they can’t sell or have caught doing wrong to die. Here, people watch great and majestic beasts feed and rip apart a man who wil try to fight for his life. The catch is that if the person sentenced to death can fight back and injure the beast, they can go free. This honestly never happens.

Sometimes they’ll send a group of people to be torn to shreds and eaten. Sometimes, the beasts may struggle and bang against the cage, but these cages - if one looked closer - would  have talismans stuck on the metal workings. These talismans are spells enforcing the steal cage in containg the beasts. That is not to say all casualties are minimized. Some people who sit too close to the arena for a better view might get the short end of the stick in the sense that, say the beast does blow fire. They can get burned (LOL).

Flames burn blue here.

Level 5: The Slave Market

The slave market. Where people are sold. This is an open space with a dome like roof and a large center stage where merchandises are marketed. The stage is a circle, smack in the middle under Izangai’s statue. Many bidders can go and bid their slave for sale, and they usually come being rolled in to the stage in cages or dragged in by cloaked guards, with hands and feet in shackles.

This is basically just an open market where human beings are sold as meat. There are large holding cells underneath the ground that are heavily guarded. Some people try to commit suicide here and some succeed, and it is a cesspool of waste and infection. Some people are chained and gagged and prevented from moving to minimize suicide rates and loss of money. Some are even knocked unconscious. They are treated worse than cattle.

Flames here burn white.
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 03:16 pm

Tsuchisato is located in the extremely large country of Earth Country, bordered to the south by Himorogi, Kusagakure, and Amegakure, and by Lightning Country in the northwest. Water Country is located just off its east coast.

climate


Like the terrain, the climate in Tsuchisato is very varied. On the oceanward-side of the mountains, on the outskirts of the country, there is copious rainfall, and the slopes and valleys here are lush and fertile, excellent for agriculture and sporting plenty of plant life. The weather is more moderate and mild here, and considerably calmer. On the other side of the mountains, things change drastically, giving way to a more continental climate, with winters cold enough to snow, and surprisingly hot summers, with considerably less rain. The weather is much more unpredictable here, and dangerous--rain comes mostly in the summer, in the form of sudden, violent thunderstorms, and there is a tendency for very strong winds a surprising amount of the time, which can lead to some nasty environmental dangers from large rocks being jarred loose from their perches. When the weather isn't acting up though, the land and sky tend to be incredibly clear and calm.  

terrain


Earth Country is an extremely mixed bag, as befitting its size, a country of polar opposites; expansive mountain ranges run along its east borders, and partially down its southern borders in an incredible, nearly unbroken spine. The rest of the country is a patchy combination of seemingly endless dry grasslands, fertile valleys, canyons that can plunge miles deep into the earth, and soaring plateaus and rock formations. It's a country of wild extremes and vicious weathering, and the terrain is subject to change drastically in little time, if the weather is severe enough. There are very few lakes in this country, but quite a few rivers, broad and swift ones with terrible currents strong enough to carve out valleys and canyons of their own; most of these are have dangerous rapids and shifting, rocky beds, making them all but impossible to cross by any but those intimately familiar with the sport, and the rivers themselves.  

village


Tsuchisato is a tough, hardy village built for superb defense and for protection against the elements, digging in and taking advantage of all their home has to offer. The village is built straight into the side of a particularly large, rocky mountain, high above ground level, on a slope that's extremely sheer and perilous to scale. A fortified wall with a colorful, guarded entrance gate wraps around the front of the village's base, curving a fair way around the mountain. Most of the buildings are surprisingly well-camouflaged against the mountain, being hewn straight into the stone itself, and often left natural-looking--the vast majority of the buildings' space, in fact, is mostly sunk into the mountain itself, with only the faces of the structures being visible from the outside. Thus, the village is a great deal more vertical than spread out, and makes extensive use of stairs, ladders, and steep trails to get around.

However, there is much more to this village than meets the eye. While the surface of the mountain is studded with buildings, the village also extends into the heart of the mountain itself, and deep into the ground, a bewildering labyrinth of tunnels that holds even more space than the visible part of the village itself. While the most well-off citizens and more prominent ninjas get to live closest to the surface, the inner part of the village is more suited for the poorer and less able residents, between which there can be a surprisingly sharp divide, and for use as storage, work spaces, and defensive bunkers. There is very little in the way of landmarks in these tunnels, save for signs only fully comprehensible to the natives; if someone isn't extremely familiar with the place, or given a guide, it would be all too easy to get lost within the passages, and die of dehydration or starvation before anyone could help you. Even so, it's an extremely useful place to those who are familiar with it, and provide a variety of exit points at many altitudes, on both sides of the mountain.  

These exits are especially useful for the farmers of the village, who need to go to the other side of the mountain to tend their crops; the mountain the village is situated on has a broad, extremely fertile valley on its coastal side, full of little but boundless agricultural and pastural land that can easily provide enough crops and sustain enough livestock to take care of the entire village.
 

housing



Housing in this village differs significantly depending on whether you're lucky enough to be on the outside of the mountain, or relegated to the interior tunnels. Most of the exterior buildings are considerably larger, more spacious, and contain better architecture both inside and out, not to mention far better lighting and ventilation--suffice to say, they're far and away more pleasant on the whole. The nicer the building, the fancier the architecture, including towers, spires, and other sorts of more complex structures; more basic homes are considerably boxier, with broad, flat walls with a penchant for multiple windows to let in as much light and air as possible. Most exterior homes have one or more rain collection troughs as well. Homes inside the tunnels, on the other hand, have far simpler constructions, being hewn straight into the rock itself, and far less of an opportunity to get natural light and ventilation; these homes rely completely on artificial light from things like lanterns, torches, candles, and hearths.  

In all of the homes in Tsuchisato, the construction is primarily stone, supplemented with wood and clay; the buildings are carved out of the rock itself, with stout wooden beams used as support. Architecture tends towards the functional here, with beauty and decoration being secondary concerns; Tsuchisato has some fantastically skilled carvers and painters who provide impressive decorations for both the wood and stone in a home, with impressively large carved scenes--or more commonly, colorful murals--being popular. Other common decorations tend to be paintings on either wood or cloth, or woven tapestries and rugs to spread on the floor or hang on the walls to soften the bare stone. Furniture is also used in Tsuchisato, including proper beds and chairs, and it also tends to be nicely decorated, and have cushions. Some homes also have alcoves carved into the walls for special ornaments or shrines.

A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional. Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from rivers or lakes on the more fertile side of the mountain, one of several wells on the surface level of the village, or a large underground river that has been tapped in the tunnel system. Those who don't wish to bring in the water by hand can bathe in the natural underground onsen, found not far from the river in the tunnel systems, or in the large communal bathing house on the village's surface.  

The bedroom--or rooms, if you're lucky enough to get a large house--in Tsuchisato is a bit unique, generally having a single, quite deep closet to store a character's personal belongings, and several changes of the clothes they came into Kannagara with. Tsuchisato's houses also have real furniture; the bedroom has a normal bed and bedding on it, and often curtains around the bed or in the doorway of the bedroom, to provide some sense of privacy and to help absorb the echoes from the hard stone construction. Small tables and chests are also often found here, both decorative and functional. Many houses have a main room that serve as a sitting area and dining room, (though the nicer houses have separate rooms for eating in) with real tables and chairs, and either a fire pit or hearth built into the stone, or portable braziers made of clay, ceramic, or metal; these are the main way of heating the house, and also provide a fair amount of its light, plus a means for simple cooking. Those whose homes are on the outside of the mountain tend to have holes cut in the stone, or sometimes pipe-chimneys made out of clay, to direct the smoke outside; for those in the tunnel system, this ventilation directs the smoke out into the tunnels themselves to disperse.

The kitchen is dominated in large part by a waist-high stove carved from the rock itself, with holes on top to place grilling surfaces or pots into, and holes along the front to control the fire that is built inside; as the stove is typically built into the wall itself, so too is its ventilation. A large basin and preparation surface take up the remainder of the space, and the walls are lined with shelves to store cooking and eating implements. A separate but connected room generally serves as a pantry and takes care of all food storage, a room generally built high and wide with rows upon rows of shelves and vases, provided with a ladder for most efficient use of space. There is no refrigeration, although food tends to last longer in an environment that is typically so dry, and especially in the tunnel system, where the insulation of so much rock means that it seldom gets too hot.

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 07:34 pm
HOUSING LIST

The list of where all characters live in Kannagara, by village.


TEMPORARY HOUSING

Hisato Ryokan

Mizusato Ryokan


VILLAGES


Raisato

Mizusato

Tsuchisato

Amesato

Kusasato

Hisato

Yomisato

Kazesato
 
 
13 August 2011 @ 02:27 pm

Raisato sits far to the northwest of Earth Country, in Lightning Country. Being so distant from the other countries, it and its people tends to be more than a little isolated. Regardless, it sits far to the northwest on its land.

climate


Because of the high altitude at which Raisato sits at, it is often subject to powerful winds and fierce storms, with plenty of rainfall and some truly spectacular--and extremely dangerous--lightning. The winters are very cold, with abundant snowfall that can begin even in autumn and last into spring, which tend to be rather chilly as well compared to other countries. Their summers are very mild, though, and quite comfortable.

terrain


The terrain, naturally, is very rocky, and frequently steep; Raisato sits on an incredibly tall mountain, high enough for the air to be rather thin, as they are literally above cloud level. In spite of this fact, there are plenty of more level areas, and much of the ground can be quite fertile and rich, supporting vast forested slopes with an abundance of lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. A great deal of the country is very mountainous, and even where mountains don't predominate, it tends to be hilly rather than flat, though things tend to level out more towards the southeast coastline.

village



Raisato is literally hidden in the clouds, being perched so far up the slopes of a tremendously high mountain that the village itself sits above cloud level. There is no way to see it from the ground at all with the naked eye. This height offers further protection, as the way to reach it is dangerous and steep, difficult and confusing to navigate for those who aren't intimately familiar with the mountain and its terrain. Though not at the very peak of the mountain, it does occupy a particularly large summit; most aren't used to such long, strenuous climbs, and even if one is prepared for such, the elements at such a height are fierce, and any misstep could bring disaster, whether through a fatal fall, being buried alive under rocks or snow, or worse. As if even this weren't enough, a truly massive fortress-wall stretches up to wrap around the entire front half of the village, soaring even higher and thicker than their most spectacular pagodas.

Spread out over the enormous expanse of the summit it is perched upon, Raisato does take advantage of its terrain, and ranges a considerable way up and down the slopes of its mountain, building to utilize vertical space as effectively as possible. This tends to produce soaring architecture in a classic Chinese pagoda style, efficient use of stairways, a fondness for bridges to unite spaces that would otherwise be too small to effectively use, and extensive terracing and use of walled slopes for crops. Being so high up, the village tends to be quite isolated, and thus, highly self-sufficient.

Raisato is built over numerous mountaintop lakes, which feature many viewing pagodas, buildings, and small bridges. The village itself is perhaps even better-kept than Raisato, laid out with extremely good organization and elegant architecture. All of the streets and walkways are paved, and frequently have high walls placed throughout the village to place as a backdrop for greenery or beautiful pillars and carvings; some have small, mostly open pavillions to provide shade and good vantage points to take in the scenery, especially nearer to the edge of the summit. Many buildings are a bit raised from street level to help separate the private from the public domains, and further their towering architecture.

housing


Houses in Raisato vary in size, ranging from small and quaint to large and elegant. They are much nicer than many other villages' homes, with the larger ones even boasting a central, open air courtyard with lanterns, lovely scrolls, and a place to sit and take in the view; some even have small gardens or ornamental ponds in these spaces. These pagodas all have sound stone foundations, and primarily use wood in their construction, though stone, clay and ceramic tiles, and occasionally even metal also are used. The smallest buildings are only one or two stories high, with tiered, shingled eaves and roofs that dip into graceful curves with upswept corners, and relatively little floor space. Larger buildings are broader in general, especially if they have courtyards, and can have many more floors. The tallest pagodas tend to be places of worship, regarded as needing to reach to the sky to be charged with divine energy.

Many pagodas, and almost all of them if they end up being taller than two stories, end up with tall metal finials--elegant spires, often in shapes like lotuses, which act as lightning rods. These finials both attract lightning for the divine energy it is thought to bring, and draw the lightning away from damaging or setting ablaze the buildings themselves, which are often made mostly in wood. The floors are typically polished wooden boards, or clay or ceramic tiles, in some places covered by tatami mats, in others left bare, or covered in actual, colorful woven rugs. The houses typically have the most basic amenities, but almost nothing modern at all, though many houses provide artificial indoor lighting via oil lanterns.

A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional. Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the rivers, lakes or streams, which the village has no shortage of. Water can also come from the marble rain troughs that some of the nicer houses have in their central courtyards. Some of the nicer houses in Raisato feature private sunken stone-lined baths. These homes do have a draining system, though rudimentary; while water must be drawn by hand for use, it does not have to be thrown out afterwards, as in some other villages. Those who don't wish to bring in the water by hand can bathe in the many quaint natural onsens that can be found along the mountain's slopes, or in the village's large communal bathing house.

Sliding wooden lattices or shoji screens, often elaborately painted or carved, divide some rooms and create walls and separators that can slide fully open within the house; these are interspersed with sturdier, non-mobile walls such as the side of a set of stairs, which are often used to house scrolls or other artwork. Rooms tend to be open and spacious, with windows that can open to take in the nature all around them. Carved woodwork is also popular. As gentle curves are favored over straight lines in many parts of the architecture, it isn't uncommon to find homes with round port-style windows.

The bedroom (or bedrooms, as there are often multiple in these houses) is somewhat unique in all the villages, as it happens to have a bed of sorts--or at least, the frame of an intricately carved bed, on which a futon and bedding are spread to be slept on. There is less empty space here; curtains and decorative screens help to offer a sense of privacy, while closets hold several changes of clothes and personal items that characters came into Kannegara with. There are wall decorations in this room too, as well as chests and a table or two that are both decorative and functional. Many houses have a main room that serve as a sitting area, with real tables and chairs, though lower to the ground than some might be used to. There are usually at least one or more alcoves in this room for hanging scrolls or paintings, with tables for flowers, incense, or small shrines; decorative screens are also commonly found here. Separate rooms are usually used for eating, often featuring a large, simple open brazier, either ceramic or metal, which tend to be highly decorated, and useful for providing light, heat, and simple cooking.

The kitchen is almost always on the first floor, as near as possible to the food storage areas; it often has a door that leads outside, many times to small private orchards or pens for livestock. It's dominated on one side by a luzi, or an intricately made, waist-height stove functionally similar to a kamado; most are made from clay or ceramic, though nicer ones are made of metal. They have small rectangular holes in the front to feed in kindling and control the fire, and holes on top for grilling surfaces or clay and metal pots to be placed into. A large basin (also with drainage capabilities) and preparation surfaces take up much of the rest of the space, with shelves lining the walls for storage of cooking and eating implements; a separate but connected room generally serves as a pantry, with enormous clay vases and vats to store food and water in, allowing for the kitchen to be used solely for preparation. There is no refrigeration.

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 01:08 pm

Kusasato is a small country cloated between Earth Country to the north, Himorogi to the east, and Fire Country to the southeast.

climate

Kusasato's climate tends towards the temperate and tropical, though it gets cooler the further north you go, towards the more mountainous regions near Earth Country, and towards the coastline. Normally though, the village tends to stay pleasantly warm, though the heat and humidity can get oppressive; rain is fairly frequent, but gentle, with storms uncommon.

terrain


Kusasato's terrain is some of the most varied in Kannagara, ranging from a more mountainous north, to more heavily forested regions in the other directions, and hints of swamp land to the south and east. Many areas have broad, grassy plains and hills, and bamboo thickets are common, with lakes and rivers prominent as well. Kusasato is perhaps one of the best areas to forage for food, in terms of both hunting and gathering, and has many herbs both medicinal and poisonous--if you know how to find and use them. As it sits right on Izanagi Ocean, it is also one of the better places to go for saltwater fishing.

village


Kusasato's village itself is not nearly as cultivated or well-off as Hisato's. The area is beautiful, though often wild and overgrown, and not entirely civilized as some of the other villages tend to be. Though the country is small, the village is sprawling, less centralized than its neighbors--space is important here, and camouflage, to give all residents the privacy and protection they need. Buildings are often difficult to see at all from a distance, and familiarity with the land is extremely important to ensure that residents don't get lost or worse. The scattered, hidden nature of the village is its greatest defense, set as it is on a particularly large tract of hilly land to the far north of the country, backed by mountains to the north and surrounded in other directions by a dense mixed forest of bamboo and other trees, with few reliable landmarks.

housing


The houses themselves tend to be fairly old, simple, and small, with a only a few large rooms; generally all-natural materials see use for both construction and furnishings, such as peat, moss, wood, reed, and bamboo. The floors are typically packed earth and wooden boards, covered by tatami mats, with the kitchen and work areas a little bit lower than the rest of the house. Houses typically have the most basic amenities, but almost nothing modern at all. A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional.

The bedroom is dominated by sliding-door closets and hold the futon and bedding they'll be sleeping on as well as several changes of clothing and belongings that they came into Kannagara with. Otherwise, it's an empty room, good for stretching and simple practice. The main room is a sitting area, with low tables for eating, and dominated on one side by a simple fire pit, or irori, which sports several chains with hooks that can be raised or lowered to hang pots from; this is the main way to heat the house, and a place for simple cooking.

The kitchen is set towards the back of the house in a sunken room with an earthen floor and a door that leads outside, dominated on one side by a kamado, or a low, hollow clay stove with holes in the front to feed in kindling and control the fire, and holes on top for grilling surfaces or clay pots to be placed into. A large basin and preparation surface take up much of the rest of the space, with shelves lining the walls for storage of cooking and eating implements; most food storage is in the hollow space beneath the floorboards, in large clay vases. There is no refrigeration.

Sliding shoji screens divide the rooms and create walls and separators that can slide fully open within the house, allowing inhabitants to see from one end of the house to the other; there are no doors in the interior of the house. Everything is open and spacious, with entire walls and windows that can open to take in the nature all around them.

Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the rivers or lakes, which the village has no shortage of. Bathing is more easily done, though far less private, in the quaint natural onsen that can be found at the far north of the village, nestled at the foot of the mountains.

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 06:04 pm

The Hitomi is a communications device outfitted with a high resolution touchscreen that materializes on your character's body at the time of arrival. It is completely waterproof, unscratchable, never runs out of energy, and cannot be destroyed or lost. Even if you attempt to leave the Hitomi behind, it will re-materialize on your character's body. No pockets? No problem! The Hitomi can alter its shape into a high-tech band that straps around your character's arm or wrist. It can also be clipped onto a belt if necessary, and a connecting wireless earpiece/headset can materialize if it is needed. Transformations seem to occur at the user's will, sometimes without the user consciously thinking about. It seems to know just what its owner needs. It also can't be hacked, since it's not exactly human technology.


The meaning of the kanji inscribed on the back of the Hitomi are as follows: 瞳 (pupil of an eye), 人見 (person, seeing), 人美 (person, beauty). They all have the same reading: hitomi.

The Hitomi's features are as follows:

1. Dream Viewing

Your character will be able to view dreams broadcasted through the network on their Hitomi. When they view any dream, if they are touching the Hitomi, they will experience the feelings that the dreamer is experiencing in the dream as strongly as if they were their own emotions. More info on the dreams can be found here.

2. Dream Posts

Your character will post dreams on the network community, which will reflect actual dreams that are recorded and broadcasted through the network. These dreams will show up as a moving thumbnail on the screen of a Hitomi (some which will vibrate or beep to alert the owner of a new dream), and when touched, the dream will automatically play. Dreamers will be able to review their own dreams.

3. Voice/Video Posts

A voice/video post is either a voice-only post or a video-only post made to the network. People who respond to these posts will be able to watch or listen to the post.

4. Voice/Video Calls

A voice/video call is either a voice-only call or a video-only call made to another individual or individuals, if you are conference calling. Voice/Video calls cannot be seen or heard by the rest of the network and are private. Characters can make voice/video calls as comments to voice/video posts if you would like to keep your response completely private. These voice/video calls work just like real phone/video calls, and occur in real time.

No thread jumping is allowed on voice/video calls.

5. Text Posts

Text posts are just like normal journal posts -- they are written by the character and sent out through the network. They can be filtered or marked as private.

6. Voice/Video/Text Comments

Comments work in three ways: 1.) voice comments, 2.) video comments, or 3.) text comments. All comments are viewable by the entire network unless they are filtered or marked private.

In the Hitomi's user interface, each video comment will show up as a small thumbnail under a larger thumbnail, and will open and immediately play when they are touched. Think Livejournal comments, only in thumbnailed video form. Each voice comment will be marked with the typical PLAY, STOP, PAUSE, and tracking buttons, as well as a time indicator.

Please note that Video/Voice comments can be replied to at any time, either immediately or with an in-game delay of a few hours or days. If you would like your character to make a delayed response, please be sure to indicate it in his/her comment.

Text comments will look exactly like Livejournal's comments. The usernames will boast a small thumbnail of the character. Anonymous commenting is not allowed or possible.

7. Voicemails

The private call/voicemail system is completely private from other characters except for the individual it is for, unlike network posts, therefore unless the person in in the room with one of the characters and takes their Hitomi away, no threadjacking can occur. The voicemail directory can be found here.

8. GPS

A GPS system is included on the Hitomi that will provide your character with a map of the world, as well as with their current location and the nearest villages/temples to them. They can access the GPS to also send their coordinates to another character. Please be aware that the GPS is very basic.

 
 
13 August 2011 @ 12:47 pm

Kazesato is in an extremely large country, bordered by Fire Country to the east and Grass Country to the north.

climate


Kazesato is located in the center of a large, hot desert, giving it brutally extreme temperature ranges both on a seasonal and daily basis. During the hottest months of the summer, it can reach over 45° C (113° F) by mid-afternoon, and during the coldest months of the winter, can very easily dip below well below freezing temperatures at night. Regardless, the weather is too savage to be out for long during the day, especially unprotected, except in the colder months. Kazesato also has to deal with fierce, driving winds that can kick up sandstorms that last for minutes at best, days at worst--an unprepared traveler in such savage conditions could easily go blind, suffocate, or even have the skin flayed from their bones if the storm lasts long enough. Rain comes very infrequently, though when it does, it comes in quick and brutally hard thunderstorms, with terribly damaging winds and lightning, and pounding rain that can reshape or even crumble the desert's landmarks quite quickly, and cause small flash floods in low-lying areas.

terrain


Much like Tsuchisato, Kazesato is hemmed in on the northeast, from a mountain range that winds down along Fire Country. Though Wind Country has a coastline which is relatively fertile and temperate, with milder weather, Kazesato takes advantage of the harsh, arid terrain of the desert that gives it protection. A fair bit of the land is covered in sand seas and sand dunes, while other parts are more mountainous, with canyons, towering rock formations, plateaus, and exposed sections of bedrock and rocky, clay-rich soil. Oases are present, though rare, and generally far-flung. Vast as the country is, it has very few landmarks, with the exception of shrines and temples, and what landmarks there are tend to be altered drastically whenever weather that's too harsh rolls around; it's extremely easy to get lost and die of exposure, without an experienced guide to lead you, unless you are traveling along the coast, or the more fertile border of Fire Country.

village


Kazesato is a tough, hardy village built for superb defense and for protection against the elements, digging in and taking advantage of all their home has to offer. The village is built in the depths of a broad, deep crater, encircling the largest oasis in the country; this crater is surrounded entirely by extremely thick, extremely high fortress-walls, not only to be used as protection against invasion and assault, but as protection from the elements and erosion, and to make a cooler, more habitable living space in its depth and shade.

The village is extremely well organized, and builds on and into the slopes of the crater, allowing buildings to be arranged in concentric tiers approaching the bottom; most of the agricultural land in the village is there, as close as possible to the oasis; aside from this, houses are larger and nicer the closer to the bottom one gets, with the worst-off forced to live farther from the oasis and closer to the walls that shield the village from invasion and the full harshness of the desert.

housing


Housing in Kazesato is generally built into the walls of the crater to provide the greatest insulation and temperature regulation, cave-like in some places and almost box or dome-like in others; rounded shapes tend to be favored here, architecturally, with curves, arches, and domes being popular. The nicer the home, the larger it tends to be, and the more ornately designed, with more windows for proper ventilation and natural light. In all of the homes in Kazesato, the construction is primarily stone, supplemented with clay; the buildings are carved out of the rock itself, with stout pillars used as support. Architecture tends towards the functional here, with beauty and decoration being secondary concerns; Kazesato has some fantastically skilled carvers and painters who provide impressive decorations for the home, with carved scenes--or more commonly, colorful murals--being popular. Other common decorations tend to be paintings on either tile or cloth, or woven tapestries and rugs to spread on the floor or hang on the walls to soften the bare stone. Furniture is also used in Kazesato, including proper beds and chairs, (though typically also stone, as wood is so scarce) and it also tends to be nicely decorated, and have cushions. Some homes also have alcoves carved into the walls for special ornaments or shrines.

A small room is set aside for the bathroom, holding a basin and large tub, plus a toilet; the latter is the only thing in the house with running water and working plumbing, and is fortunately fully functional. Aside from the toilets, any water needed will have to come from the oasis, located centrally in the village. Those who don't wish to bring in the water by hand can bathe in the communal bathing house, set right next to the oasis itself.

The bedroom--or rooms, if you're lucky enough to get a large house--in Kazesato is a bit unique, generally having a single, quite deep closet to store a character's personal belongings, and several changes of the clothes they came into Kannagara with. Kazesato's houses also have real furniture; the bedroom has a normal bed and bedding on it, and often curtains around the bed or in the doorway of the bedroom, to provide some sense of privacy and to help absorb the echoes from the hard stone construction. Small tables and chests (usually also stone, clay, or ceramic) are also often found here, both decorative and functional. Many houses have a main room that serve as a sitting area and dining room, (though the nicer houses have separate rooms for eating in) with real tables and chairs, and either a fire pit or hearth built into the stone, or portable braziers made of clay, ceramic, or metal; these are the main way of heating the house when needed, and also provide a fair amount of its light, plus a means for simple cooking. Homes tend to have holes cut in the stone, or sometimes pipe-chimneys made out of clay, to direct the smoke outside.

The kitchen is dominated in large part by a waist-high stove carved from the rock itself, with holes on top to place grilling surfaces or pots into, and holes along the front to control the fire that is built inside; as the stove is typically built into the wall itself, so too is its ventilation. A large basin and preparation surface take up the remainder of the space, and the walls are lined with shelves to store cooking and eating implements. A separate but connected room generally serves as a pantry and takes care of all food storage, a room generally built high and wide with rows upon rows of shelves and vases, provided with a ladder for most efficient use of space. There is no refrigeration, although food tends to last longer in an environment that is so dry, and especially in at night, when the chill and insulation help provide some minor natural refrigeration.