 Hello! a voice chirps from below your line of vision. You look down and spy a small sparrow waving energetically up at you.
I see that you're interested in the shrine of Chaigra. She hops a few times before flying to your shoulder. I'm Suzume and I'll guide you through the shrine on today's visit.
I suppose you'd like to know a little about why this shrine is even here. Chaigra, the goddess to whom this shrine is dedicated to, saved the world many years ago, before even our grandmother's grandmother's time. You become aware of a slight thumping on your shoulder and realize that she's worked herself into an excited frenzy and is bouncing up and down, up and down.
It was the age in which humans were just beginning to emerge into a village-based farming society. Nature still held a strong grip upon the world's surface and the land was green and beautiful. You look around at the shrine and apart from the few structures and gravel walkways, the place still seems pretty green and naturey. There are a multitude of plants and trees. Everything seems pretty green.
Spirits and gods were plentiful in those days. The lush world nourished them and permitted that they thrive. Humans, who understood the power of the spirit world, aligned with those who were kind and good. Those alliances protected the humans from spirits with cruel and evil intentions and assisted in maintaining a prosperous life.
Nowadays we don't see very many gods and spirits do we? The small bird said this with a small droop to her shoulders, her bouncing coming to a halt. They aren't immortal you see, even though many seem to think so. She gestures out to the surrounding area, Their life force depends upon the land they're connected to and since we've been such poor stewards many have perished, including Chaigra.
She quickley recovers with a shrill chirp and smiles.But enough with all the droopy depressing stuff. She points to a container attached to the wall with one of her long feathers. Take that brochure. It'll show you the layout of the shrine.
My regrets are altogether mundane. Yet, when they're added together, I guess you could say that they were the cause of the gods' downfall. For my regrets are shared among us all.
Long ago, I'd taken to missing tea with the elderly Mrs. Kawada, an ancient kappa. Her conversations tended to be a bit droll. I truly had no interest in chatting about the latest thing her great-great-grandson had taken to swallowing. I mean truly, does it matter if he can fit a whole turnip in his mouth?
Ah, but no matter how close these types of conversations brought me to the point of tears with boredom, the interaction and the communication between us was integral as a peacekeeping device. Not just with Mrs. Kawada but all of the yokai and my fellow gods. You see, keeping these happy relations amongst all of us helps to keep the amount of mischief down between yokai and humans.
As time passed Mrs. Kawada didn't feel quite so obligated to keep her kin in check. The humans suffered for that, their children eaten by the river people, their crops trampled. As disorder occurs, humans tend to lose faith in their gods and we lose our power.
Effigies
Code format
Examples
  
Name - Chaigra
Age - Who knows but appears around 25.
Ethnicity - Japanese
Occupation - Goddess
Is a living deity whom people go to to worship. However, the majority cannot see her apart from a few of the devout.
Makeshift Image Gallery
  
Akaname
Is your bathroom in need of a scrub? If yes then you might want to check around for an Akaname (grime licker) infestation. The Akaname use their tongues to lick dirty fixtures in bathrooms. In small doses the Akaname isn't a bad creature but if you have an exceptionally messy abode or you leave it in a disgusting state for long enough, the saliva from the Akaname builds up and becomes poisonous.
Ame-Onna
The Ame-Onna (rain girl) is a spirit that originates from China and is usually spotted in the evenings, licking her hand. This apparition is thought to appear as a cloud in the morning and rain in the evening. As can be easily imagined, farmers were/are rather fond of her and look towards her appearence so that their crop's thirst might be quenched.
Ao-Andon
The hyaku monogatari (100 various tales) was a popular game during the Edo period in Japan. A group of people would gather in a room with 100 candle lamps, or andon. Taking turns, each individual would tell a horrific and ghoulish tale and afterwards extinguish one of the andon. Slowly yet surely, all andon would be extinguished and after the final candle flickered into extinction, the monstrous Ao-Andon (blue lamp) is rumored to have appeared.
 Ao-Nyobo
The deadly and seductive Ao-Nyobo (blue wife) features the fashionable blackened teeth and shaved eyebrows found on ladies of the court. After luring in potential suitors with her pretty speech and regal demeanor, she devours them. Nyobo (courtesan/s) lived in the palaces of feudal lords and were made to interact behind screens until they found husbands, which as you can guess is very difficult when you can't see the person you're courting. Ao-Nyobo is probably a result of love lost or never found.
Ayakashi
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Azuki-Arai
♫♪Azuki togo ka, hito totte kuo ka, shoki shoki♪♫
(Shall I wash my azuki beans, or should I steal a person to eat? shoki shoki)
Should you ever hear this tune as you walk near a stream, be vigilant, for you might just spot the elusive Azuki-Arai (bean washer). Azuki-Arai sits near streams with his washtub in order to wash his beans and this is where the shoki shoki comes from in his song, as it's the sound beans make when being washed. Although his song sounds menacing, he is a fairly shy creature and the worst that has happened to those that have come upon him, is a slip into the water.
 Baku
Baku are chimera-like creatures who feed off of dreams, most notably bad dreams. Young children are often given figurines of this beneficial creature to place under their pillow or to cradle, in order to attract the strange beast. It is also known that if you should awaken from a nightmare, a quick call for the Baku to devour it, will cure you from further unrest.
Kappa
Kappa (river children) live in the water systems of Japan, like lakes, ponds and streams. Kappa can be mischievous and dangerous but in spite of that they are extremely polite. Should be threatened or accosted by a Kappa, simply give a deep bow and they will have to return it. They have water inside a small dish on their heads and when they bow the water runs out of the dish and they are then stuck in the bowing position until someone refills it.
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Ayakashi
Long sea serpent or eel.
Sailors must take care to bail there boat as it takes days for the creatures body to pass by which sends water cascading off of it's body.
However they must not try to enter the water as the oil will cause their skin to melt.
Akaname
Filth Licker
Cleans your bathroom with it's tongue and the dirtier the happier it is.
They're rather shy and quick so are rarely seen.
The faeries, excluding earth, who will end up giving Chaigra a hard time during her travels.
An illustration for Chai's story.
SOOOOOOO CUTE! Thank you so much Lilac. C8
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