Suiriku
From Valwiki
Suiriku, jade isle of Kharlia and place of origin for themes of the eastern variety.
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Premise of Setting
It is known that the people living on Suiriku believe to ride upon the back of a god's child, shaped into a massive turtle, that drifts throughout the northern seas within a (mostly) quiet dream.
Bork, as he has come to be called, appears actually as we see the island now. He is, indeed, the island itself, a massive elemental shaped of all the elements; from the metals within the ground to the trees that sprout from his back, all are part of his being. There is not some mortal, massive turtle hiding underneath the waters, where if one were to dig deep enough they could hit flesh. Because of this amalgamation of forces, Bork is considered to actually have a sub domain shared only with Keldin-that of 'Balance'.
While never truly discovered, the general knowledge is that the demigod had been born of the coupling between Syren and another god, or perhaps simply crafted by her out at sea. It is from the Hydra goddess that he takes his reptilian appearance, and the reason that it continues to float the seas, never touching upon the land.
That said, Bork dreams of his memories of the world outside of himself. Those dreams, altered by time and delusional in his rest, shape the odd, yet similar, land that has come to exist upon him. He dreams of people and chivalry, the gods and their heavens, and the abyss and its blasphemies. From these memories we see the culture that exists there, the odd spirits that dwell within the forests and lakes, and the blood-stained monsters that steal away into the night.
Bork is not fully lost of control of his own realm. He realizes that humans had come to live upon him long ago, and wishes them only prosperity. To this, however, he also avoids dealing with their troubles, as his better judgment tells him they would simply become reliant on his interventions to survive.
His nightmares, too, make way to this world. The twisted, impossible beings that sprawl from his night terrors make even the Oni that walk the isle seem peaceful.
It is not a dream world, as some believe, but simply altered by the dreams that the demigod has. His dreams extend beyond even the island, and it is believed that the drifting of the island has recently caused the Kharlian mainland to feel its effects.
This leads to the ideal behind the 'magic' that is most often seen used upon Suiriku. Chi, as it has come to be called, is similar to Kharlian magics. Mana, which is all around us on Kharlia, is shaped to the whims of the magician behind it, while upon Suiriku, masters of Chi learn to alter the demigod's dream, bending his thoughts into different effects. Magic is thus a mastery of ones mind and devotion to scholarly pursuits, whereas Chi is a mastery of one's willpower and understanding of one in their surroundings. Chi can be used outside of the dream's influence, utilizing one's own swelled soul, much to the danger of its user.
In this, you have Suiriku.
History
The Thirty Year War
--Filler-- Heroes, too, were forged from battle. These men who stood and paved the way to victory now fight for control of the government as Daimyo, meeting ann. They meet begrudgingly to have their say towards the passing of laws and movement of the military, many wishing for full dominion over the island.
The Age of Reclamation
For the first time since the thirty year war, Suiriku had grown again to the point of expansion. Gonryon has been repaired and much of its lost culture returned to it, but still more remained lost in the wilds to be reclaimed.
Villages, temples and shrines wither in supernatural darkness, a consuming shadow the commoners call the 'Waking Nightmare'. It is the sage god's black dreams made manifest, which plague and corrupt the uncivilized regions of the island. All is not lost, however, and creatures born of the waking nightmare can be slain, routing the taint from the location.
Scripts detailing the past and those historic figures in it, are abundant in these black groves alongside many treasures also lost to time. Now is an age of reclamation, and treasure hunters are common on the turtle god's shores.
