YOKARI
The Yokari are the dominant species of the formerly ethnically plural Jade Empire of Ingen. Notable for their green-white patterned skin and the incandescent orbs that hover over their short horns, their thermoregulatory system appears to be dependent on visible light to such an extreme degree that they can die within hours in the absence of a light source. This unusual case of photobiology is currently not yet fully understood by science.
DESCRIPTIONThe Yokari are a sexually dimorphic mammalian humanoid species. Standing at five to seven feet in height, and weighing anywhere from 100 to 220 lbs on average, Yokari have distinctively patterned luminous white and jade-green skin, and rich bottle-green hair. They also have large irises which are dark and practically indistinguishable from their pupils.
They are also remarkable for their short, pale white horns, at the tips of which float small orbs or points of light, known as onibi. These orbs grow and diminish in intensity based on the health of the individual, although they can also be dimmed and brightened at will. These orbs are purely light, but upon the death of a Yokari will crystalize into solid spheres of jade. Yokari in general have faster reflexes and better eyesight than their human forebears, but the species is marked by extreme photobiological dependency. A Yokari deprived of all light sources will suffer extreme fatigue and dehydration, which if left unaddressed can lead to death within ten to thirty minutes depending on the physical health of the individual. The mechanism through which this dependence functions is not yet understood, but it appears to be consistent across the species. |
ORIGINS
Yokari are first recorded in ancient Ingenious folklore as a race of mostly benevolent kami spirits who inhabited well-lit areas, such as lamp-posts, lanterns, hearths and similar locations. They were historically believed to die if the light went out, and to protect their patch of light from malevolent spirits and darkness. An excess of Yokari inhabiting one location was often assumed to be the cause of property fires.
On Neusattar, similar creatures were believed to exist and have post-fact been rationalised as the same beings. In Sattran mythology they were known as the Vaettra, responsible for mysterious forest lights, in Grauforst they were the terrifying Draed who were violently jealous of human fire, and to the south they were known as Meridisa, beautiful female demons who would appear at noon and, if not driven away by nightfall, would take a victim with them to the darkness.
The Yokari currently inhabiting the Jade Empire of Ingen are in fact an artificially created species, magically formed from a variety of human and humanoid origins to form one coherent species. Beginning in late 2486 AT, a series of supernatural events linked to the Far Anomaly received widespread public attention in Jade Ingen. Due to the nature of the Far Anomaly, the subconscious belief in the power of the Jade Dynasty and Jade Shinto enabled the channeling of power from the dimension known as the Far to manifest in the dimension commonly referred to as the Near. Colonel la Saña took advantage of this fact to create the illusion that he had transformed Mariko Kuribayashi, a member of the royal family, into a Yokari by way of a curse, and that he was laying the same curse on the general population. The subconscious fear and belief of the population that he was powerful enough to do so ironically allowed La Saña to siphon energy from the Far to make the curse a reality, bringing the curse to fruition.
The Curse of Light, as it came to be known, rippled across the Jade Empire throughout Ruby 2486 AT, eventually reaching even the most isolated terrorities and converting the overwhelming majority of the population - even non-believers were transformed through the collective power of societal belief as wielded by Colonel la Saña. The full consequences have yet to be understood, but the Curse had several immediate effects. Major unrest, civil disorder and suicides spiked over the period, whilst several separatist groups developed as some blamed the Jade Empress or the Ingenious as a whole. Simultaneously, attendance at Shinto temples skyrocketed, as did incidence of Adfyr ritual observation to a lesser extent.
Yokari are based on Aoandon in real life
On Neusattar, similar creatures were believed to exist and have post-fact been rationalised as the same beings. In Sattran mythology they were known as the Vaettra, responsible for mysterious forest lights, in Grauforst they were the terrifying Draed who were violently jealous of human fire, and to the south they were known as Meridisa, beautiful female demons who would appear at noon and, if not driven away by nightfall, would take a victim with them to the darkness.
The Yokari currently inhabiting the Jade Empire of Ingen are in fact an artificially created species, magically formed from a variety of human and humanoid origins to form one coherent species. Beginning in late 2486 AT, a series of supernatural events linked to the Far Anomaly received widespread public attention in Jade Ingen. Due to the nature of the Far Anomaly, the subconscious belief in the power of the Jade Dynasty and Jade Shinto enabled the channeling of power from the dimension known as the Far to manifest in the dimension commonly referred to as the Near. Colonel la Saña took advantage of this fact to create the illusion that he had transformed Mariko Kuribayashi, a member of the royal family, into a Yokari by way of a curse, and that he was laying the same curse on the general population. The subconscious fear and belief of the population that he was powerful enough to do so ironically allowed La Saña to siphon energy from the Far to make the curse a reality, bringing the curse to fruition.
The Curse of Light, as it came to be known, rippled across the Jade Empire throughout Ruby 2486 AT, eventually reaching even the most isolated terrorities and converting the overwhelming majority of the population - even non-believers were transformed through the collective power of societal belief as wielded by Colonel la Saña. The full consequences have yet to be understood, but the Curse had several immediate effects. Major unrest, civil disorder and suicides spiked over the period, whilst several separatist groups developed as some blamed the Jade Empress or the Ingenious as a whole. Simultaneously, attendance at Shinto temples skyrocketed, as did incidence of Adfyr ritual observation to a lesser extent.
Yokari are based on Aoandon in real life