Getting started

Here are a few things that your character, as a native of the Land of the Crane, would know.

A brief history of time

Before the beginning of time, before the creation of sunlit plains and shadowed valleys, before the birth of spirits and the worlds they inhabit, was the dao — silent, eternal, and unchanging.

Out of wuji, the formless void, emerged taiji, the potential for everything. Taiji split into yin and yang, the two fundamental forces.

Yin and yang are always transforming and their constant movement molded qi, the vital energy that suffuses all matter, into the myriad aspects of the multiverse.

Where qi was light and insubstantial, the spirit world, Yamiji formed. Where qi was heavy and solid, the many physical worlds formed. Where qi accumulated, there was life. Where it dissipated, there was death. The forces of yin and yang, constantly in motion, created the myriad spirits and creatures that inhabit each of the worlds.

An animistic land

Tsurukoku is a land filled with spirits. They inhabit and animate mountains, lakes, rivers, trees, clouds, fields, and waterfalls. They cause the rain to fall, the rivers to flow, the wind to gust, and the crops to grow. They are the forces of nature, they are everywhere, and keeping them happy is the key to ensuring good fortune.

The key difference from other settings is that there are no creator deities. The spirits of the sunlit and shadow worlds may be very powerful, but they don’t serve the same role that gods do in other settings.

A magical land

Tsurukoku is filled with magical spells, powers, items, and effects. In this world, magic is the result of manipulating qi, the vital energy that permeates all things. Some creatures entreat spirits to manipulate qi on their behalf while others are able to manipulate it directly. Some creatures produce magical effects by learning to control the qi within themselves and others produce them by using magical weapons, armor, and other wondrous items.

Everyone in Tsurukoku expects to see and use magic in their everyday lives. Most peasants have one or two common magical items in their possession, shinkan offer basic medical care, and onmyoji use low-level magic to provide useful services.

Portals and pocket dimensions

The multiverse that contains Tsurukoku has a fractal structure. Each material world has a multitude of shadow and sunlit worlds that surround it. As the number of spirits continues to increase, the number of outer worlds grows as well.

In addition, Tsurukoku is filled with pocket dimensions — worlds within worlds. The space inside an old town well may be ten times the size it should be and contain an ancient slumbering horror. Elsewhere, a shrine to a spirit may contain an entire world inside it.

Tsurukoku has a multitude of gates and portals that connect it to other worlds. Some of these portals are easily discernible, while others blend into the landscape. Some take no effort to navigate, while others require considerable effort.