Emuri’en (Imurinya)

**Emuri'en**, goddess of fate and love, the lady on the moon.

## Kiata’s dearest legend

### Goddess

Emurien used to be the greatest of the seven gods, she made the ocean out of her tears and painted the sky with her dreams. And her hair outshone every light and star in the universe. So radiant were her tresses that the sun asked for a lock and wore it as a necklace to illuminate the world.

With the earth now bright, Emurien watched the humans who dwelled below, and she grew to love them. But she could see that humans were weak - susceptible to greed and envy. Every morning, she cut her hair, dulled its brilliance by dyeing it red - the color of strength and blood - and tied different mortals together, binding their fates with love. But with each strand she cut, her power grew weaker, so she drew upon the clouds to make a thousand cranes- sacred birds to assist her in her work.

Over time, she gave away so much of her power that she could no longer remain in heaven, and she fell to earth. Cast away from heaven, she wept, and her tears scattered across Kiata, leaving seven magical pods that offered a glimpse at the threads of destiny, **The Seven Tears of Emuri'en**. Her cranes tried to catch her, but as they dove, they spilled her red dye upon their foreheads, creating the crimson crown that is still there today. When Emuri'en saw, she smiled one last smile, and she made them promise to continue her task, connecting fates and destinies.

The thousand cranes flew to heaven, praying that she be revived. Though the gods themselves wished their sister to return, they could not bring her back. So instead they took the last strand of her hair and planted it on earth, in hopes that she be reborn one day.

To this day, cranes carry the strands of our fate. They say that each time two people's paths cross, so do their strands. When they become important to one another or make a promise to one another, a knot is tied, connecting them. But when they fall in love, their strands are tied together at both ends, becoming one. And their fates are irrevocably joined.

### Human

When Emuri’en fell from the heavens to earth, her thousand cranes prayed for her to be reborn, and so she was, as a human child named Imurinya.

Imurinya was not like other children. Her skin shone silver as the moon, and her hair gleamed with starlight, so bright none could see her sorrow. She soon bloomed into a lady, melancholy and alone but for the rabbits on the mountain, who did not fear her radiance. Then kings and princes arrived, begging for her hand. Of each, she asked a simple gift: a gift that would make her happy. They brought rings of jade and crowns of pearl, sumptuous silks and chests of gold. What use have I for such riches? thought Imurinya. I am but a maid from the mountain. Her hope began to fade, until the last suitor gathered his courage, a humble hunter with a humble gift: a wooden comb carved with a plum blossom. All ridiculed him for daring such a simple piece. But Imurinya silenced them with a gentle hand and asked: "Why should a comb make me happy?" The hunter replied, "The rabbits have told me that past the light you shine, your eyes are dark with sorrow. I have no gold, and I have no kingdom, but I would give this comb to hold up your hair so that I may see your eyes and light them with joy."

And so Imurinya loved and wedded him. But shortly after, tales of her light reached the heavens and the great gods recognized their sister Emurien reborn. They sent cranes to fetch her with a peach of immortality to restore her goddesshood, but Imurinya would not return without her mortal husband, and he was not welcome among the gods. Clever as she was, she split the fruit, serving half in the hunter's soup and half in her own. Together they flew midway to heaven, claiming the moon as theirs. Now once a year, on this winter night, her thousand cranes return her to heaven and she becomes Emuri'en once more, goddess of fate and love.

## Creations

* Strands of fate from her hair help to create starstroke. To temper the dragons strength.
* Mirror of Truth was created from her tears. The mirror reveals the past and present. Each mirror are equal sight and power. It would show only what it wants me to see.

## Legacy

* To honor Emuri'en and her cranes, the gods were said to grant a wish to anyone who sent a thousand birds to heaven.
* To honor her darkest moon. The people of Iro, on Winter’s Festival, light their lanterns so some of the light will touch the sky, just as hers touches our earth.
* Her story made Shiori empathize with her, as she was cursed too, unable to go home.
* She was similar to Raikama, which is why she never liked hearing about her.
	+ Imurinya’s hand - Vanna and her suitors

## Appearances

* Six Crimson Cranes (Mentioned Only)
* The Dragon’s Promise