Amesato is small and hemmed in, backed by Earth Country to the northwest and flanked by Fire Country to the southeast, while bordering Himorogi to the west, and Okuninushi Strait to the northeast.

climate

Amesato'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. Normally though, the village tends to stay pleasantly warm, though the heat and humidity can get oppressive. Rain is frequent, and often very heavy, especially nearer to the mountains, with storms not being an uncommon occurrence.

Amesato's landscape benefits from the copious amounts of rain it recieves; rivers and lakes are prominent, and often grasslands or even lower-lying forest areas can be found partially submerged, making for some important stretches of swamp forests and marshlands. Less inundated areas tend closer towards being humid subtropical rainforests. The land tends to be flatter closer to Fire Country, but grows considerably hillier as it approaches Earth Country, with more varied terrain near Himorogi.

Amesato finds safety in its confinement, nestled in a quite deep river valley created by some unusually steep hill-cliffs, located at the country's center. The river is broad and swift, difficult to swim; passage is far easier by boat, giving the village an impressive amount of control over who is allowed to enter their home. The valley broadens considerably as it nears the other side, and there the river winds out through an incredibly dense thicket of forest, far too thick to easily navigate, or use the river to reach it against the current. The river runs to the front shores of Amesato, which is hemmed in on the sides by the cliffs and forest; thus, the village is relatively small and compact, tightly organized.

The houses themselves tend to be fairly old, simple, and small, with a only a few large rooms; generally all-natural materials are used for both construction and furnishings, such as peat, moss, wood, and reed; roofs are tall and sharply peaked, allowing for rain to run straight off them. The floors are typically packed earth and wooden boards, with the work area and kitchen a little lower than the rest of the house. Houses usually have the most basic amenities, but almost nothing modern at all.

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. 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.

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. Even people regrow here--anyone who has been killed will find themselves reincarnated, fully healthy, a day to a week after their deaths.

Himorogi itself is a virtual paradise, sweet-smelling and colorful, always a comfortable temperature. It is dominated by a huge willow tree at the center, one that seems to disappear into the sky itself; no matter how far a character climbs, they'll find themselves unable to reach the top of the tree, and it would take a dozen people holding hands to encircle the trunk itself. From the fork of two branches, a broad waterfall cascades down the trunk, pouring endlessly into a large, peaceful pond; a beautiful crystalline mist hangs over them both, and the pond sports lotuses in full bloom drifting over the surface, with large, shimmering koi darting through the water from which mammoth, monolithic rocks rise at the edge, partially submerged. The tree itself is surrounded by fringes of lush bamboo, long grasses, and a seemingly endless sea of flowers of all sorts, prominently featuring fire lilies, sand lilies, rain lilies, and agapanthus snow clouds. Even the animals here are bold and friendly, mostly unthreatening herbivore types. Colorful birds, butterflies, and industrious bees flutter about, squirrels and rabbits are abundant, and even deer can be found, as long as the characters don't scare them away.

This sense of incredible vitality and calm extends to all who come there as well; anyone who tries to enter Himorogi with malicious or killing intent in their hearts will find themselves unable to, finding that their body will simply refuse to cooperate. They may feel as though they have run into a wall, their muscles may lock up completely until they stop trying, they may collapse, or they might even find themselves turning and walking away without intending to--or merely circling the perimeter, able to see, but not to touch. Any fights that begin in Himorogi are stopped shortly after they begin, by nature itself--the flowers will grow with unnatural speed to ensnare and immobilize all combatants, and drain them of all their fighting energy and hostile intent, using this energy to only flourish further. In its wake, this drain will leave the combatants filled with a sense of peacefulness and calm, the sort of mellow sense of well-being that one might achieve after a round of Zen meditation or a very good night's sleep.

Himorogi is a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere, sizzling with ethereal spiritual energy.

They say the gods walk amongst it sometimes at dawn.

No one's ever seen them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.  

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.  

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

MODERATION

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

Chag(M)
Plurk: chaggit

Nova(GAIPEDWNM)
Journal: 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.