Kyogenkai

Kyogenkai (虚幻界) is a Sacred Realm located in the Kodaji Province of the Mikazuki Isles. Like many Sacred Realms, the inhabitants of Kyogenkai do not experience ordinary deaths and passage into the afterlife. Instead, the souls of all those within the Realm are bound to judgement of their Fairy Queen, the Yama, Enma Rinne (閻魔輪廻), and experience a cyclical existence of reincarnation throughout the Realm's Six Inner Worlds in a process known as Samsara.

## Geography

Kyogenkai is roughly divided into Six Worlds that are considered separate yet are clearly interwoven. While travel between the worlds is easily possible, it is considered to be taboo except under certain circumstances and may reflect poorly upon the trespasser during their next judgment; that is in addition to the natural consequences and dangers one would face when traveling between worlds that may make the time of their next judgment come far sooner than anticipated.

### Hitoiki (人域) The Place for Man

Hitoiki is the World in which Humans reside, and in Kyogenkai it is defined by the hills, valleys, and fields of the world. The Humans mostly live in small villages surrounded by farms. It is here where the Humans lead their everyday lives of work and play. While most of them dream of doing good deeds that will allow them to reside in Tenkai in their next life, most are rather content, albeit subconsciously, with how things are and they tend to try to keep things to the status quo. Indeed, they fear the beasts that surround them in Kemonoryo, the devils below them in Gakisho, and the asura above them in Shuraba, so they have very little reason to wish to be anywhere other than where they are. Of course, not all Humans are so content to stay in one place, and so Humans are also paradoxically the most likely to try to venture into the other Worlds. They are permitted to travel to the Heavens as "Pilgrims" and to Beastlands as "Hunters", but there are no circumstances that one is ever supposed to travel to the Hells. Even so, when rebellious Oni do rise from the depths and spirit away Human Villagers, those known as "Exorcists" will venture to the darkest depths of the world to retrieve them. While the Yama is usually willing to overlook such exceptional offenses, the Kishin are not, and will attempt to punish them no matter how just their cause.

### Kemonoryo (獣領) The Realm of Beasts

Kemonoryo, also known as the Realm of Beasts or the Beastlands, is the World in which Beasts and Monsters reside, and in Kyogenkai it is defined by the rivers, forests, and plains. Of course, forests tend to be distinct enough from the landscapes reserved for Hitoiki, but rivers cut right through the valleys where Humans live and the boundary between a field and a plain are often not so clear; furthermore, forests are home to the trees that supply the wood with which Humans build their houses, so the borders there may also not be quite so distinct. It is for those reasons that Beasts and Humans often come into conflict with one another, and it is very often the Beasts who end up facing harsher judgment. Beasts are those with the least awareness of their own actions, so it is difficult for them to actively seek to do good, yet the standards by which they are typically judged is on whether or not they did what would be expected of them. For most Beasts this is to just live, hunt their lessers, be hunted by their superiors, and to die in a timely fashion, all of which they can perform without a single thought, but those that live long enough or those that consume the flesh of higher beings will develop awareness and transform into creatures more akin to Youkai or Faunen. As they are all effectively damned for the sin of their survival, they tend to pay little heed to the order of Kyogenkai and are often very hostile.

The laws of Kyogenkai state that Beasts are to remain in Kemonoryo but they may visit Hitoiki as "Pests" and the Hells as "Scavengers." It is worth noting that the laws forbid those of Hitoiki from keeping Beasts as pets, but some Humans are known to do so anyway, and that animal husbandry is neither explicitly permitted nor forbidden. The few ranchers that do live in Hitoiki keep their animals in enclosures with two trees, two being chosen as any more would be a nuisance and because one tree certainly is not a forest but perhaps two may very well be; for this reason two trees is a symbol of shepherdry in Kyogenkai. These ranchers also always carry bows with themselves as they may only enter into the enclosures under the capacity of acting as Hunters, but most do not bother bringing any arrows. The Yama appears to accept this behavior, albeit rather reluctantly.

### Tenkai (天界) High Heaven

Tenkai, also known as High Heaven, is considered to be the greatest of the Six Worlds and is home to beings known as Celestials, Devas, or Tennin (天人). Tenkai is the land above the clouds in Kyogenkai and it is naturally filled with divine luxuries such as an endless supply of ambrosia, but its residents are not allowed to share any of their goods with those of the other Worlds. The Celestials spend all their days singing, playing music, drinking, eating, and enjoying the godly pleasures of their world. They do not, however, tend to do any particularly good deeds, and most attempt to resist death when the time comes as it is almost certain that they will be reincarnated into a lower world where hardships are not a foreign concept.

Humans who are without sin may directly visit Tenkai as Pilgrims without the need of traversing through Shuraba by way of the fragile floating heavenly bridge of Ama-no-ukihashi (天の浮橋), but they are not permitted to stay beyond midnight or eat anything while they are there.

### Shuraba (修羅場) Low Heaven

Shuraba, also know as Low Heaven, is the land at the mountain peaks in Kyogenkai. It is home to the Asura, or Ashura (阿修羅), and while it may technically be the second highest world in Kyogenkai, it is also considered to be the second harshest to dwell within. The plateaus and mountain peaks of Shuraba are nearly entirely barren, and well the Asura have no need of food or drink for survival, they still possess a desire for them, and this desire is only made worse by the fact that their proximity to Tenkai forces them to constantly smell the grand ambrosia being consumed in the heavenly feast halls. The life of an Asura is a long and dull one, yet their divine forms render them completely unable to die except by the hands of the strongest of Shinigami who will not grant them release until their time has come. Even so, many Asura spend their whole days battling one another in hopes that they may either slay their brothers or be slain themselves so that they may have a chance to find satiety in another World.

The Asura are forbidden from entering Tenkai under any circumstances but are permitted to enter any of the lower worlds as Hunters. Even so, they rarely do so as the flesh of lesser beings provides them with no satisfaction. It is said that an Asura can only experience carnal pleasure from consuming the flesh of a Celestial, but such an act of indulging in such a delicacy is forbidden; consuming the flesh of a sinless Human whose soul is holier than a Celestial may provide great joy as well, but such pure specimens are exceptionally rare.

### Gakisho (餓鬼所) Shallow Hell

Gakisho, or Shallow Hell, is the world beneath the surface of Kyogenkai and it is home to Oni known as Devils, Preta, Brats, or Gaki (餓鬼). How far beneath the surface one must go to enter Gakisho is not clear, but many caves, many mines, and a few wine cellars dug too deep lead straight into the Hungry world of the Shallow Hell. Devils have exceptional appetites but usually have weak stomachs and small mouths, making it rather difficult for them to meet their nutritional needs; starvation is what inevitably ends the life of nearly every Devil. They spend their entire days scavenging for mushrooms and other subterranean delicacies while avoiding the hungry Scavenger Beasts who descend upon them from the world above. There is little, if any rest for the Devils and they only ever sleep for one hour at night and take another hours worth of intermitten naps throughout the day. Lucky Devils may find themselves in the employ of Kishin who will supply them with vast amounts of easily digestible food, but even this is not enough to sustain them for long as the longer the live, the more food they must consume. While life in Gakisho is full of pain and strife, it is not completely devoid of sensual pleasure and it is typically mercifully short, and as such it is often considered to be better than life in Shuraba.

The Devils are only allowed to leave Gakisho to go to Naraku as "Tormentors," but a fair number are known to go "Rogue" and invade the world above to commit the ultimate taboo of feeding upon the flesh of higher beings. Even just one ant is enough to drive off the hunger pangs of a yearling Devil for an entire day, but the soul even an ant is considered greater than their own in the eyes of the Yama, and so they will be certain to face severe punishment when the time comes for them to face judgment. Furthermore, those who do work as Tormentors are prone to overstep their bound while doling out their punishments as they take out their frustration on the nameless damned, and if they are too severe they risk finding themselves among the ranks of the tormented in their next life. For this reason, many Devils choose to simply remain in Gakisho and suffer until the time for their judgment naturally arrives.

### Naraku (奈落) Deep Hell

Naraku, of Deep Hell, is the world of ice and fire that exists below Gakisho. It is here that the nameless damned are tormented for the sins of their previous lives. Save for the few who escape to become the most fearsome Oni in the Realm, the sinners of Naraku possess no agency over their own destiny and their fate and punishment is entirely in the hands of their Kishin and Devil Tormentors. Due to the lack of control over their own fate and actions while in Naraku, the nameless there cannot be judged for the miserable lives that they lead there and they will all be reincarnated into Kemonoryo as insects by default. While it possesses a number of subrealms, Naraku is mainly divided between Fiery Hells and Frozen Hells that sinners are sorted into by the nature and severity of their crimes. Time flows slowly in all of these realms, but in terms of the passage of time on the surface of Kyogenkai, it is once every seven years that nameless of the Fiery Hells will be culled en masse and once every thirteen years that the Frozen Hells will be, and during these years the Summers will be swarmed by Cicada reincarnated from the sinners all arising from the earth at once and crying out in rapture for their freedom; the two cycles interweave once every ninety-one years and such times are known to bring about a plethora of both blessings and curses to the land.

### Sanzu River (三途の川) - The River of Three Paths

The Sanzu River is a River surrounded by white mist and filled with black water that envelopes the whole of Kyogenkai like a serpent constricting its prey. No matter which World one is in, if ever one travels too far in any one direction, they will eventually find themselves walking along the banks of the Sanzu. It is here that the Shinigami reside and it is here that the souls of the departed must all arrive so that they may traverse the treacherous waters and make it to Higan on the other side so that they may meet with the Yama and face her judgment. There are Three ways that one may cross the river. The First is to Cross the Bridge of the Righteous, a narrow rope bridge woven of delicate gossamer silk. Due to its delicate nature, the Bridge may only be crossed by those whose hearts and minds are unburdened by the weight of their sins, and attempting to cross with even one doubt of one's own goodliness risks collapsing the Bridge and causing all those in transit to plunge into the blackened waters below. Another way to cross is to skip across the Meritous Stones, though this too can be dangerous for the sin addled as they may easily loose their footing. The "final" method is to cross the Narrow Strait, a relatively shallow section of the river where most of the high minded may keep their head above the water while they tread, but those whose minds wander into sin will often loose their way on the narrow path and wander straight into the River Deeps. While it is not possible for the deceased to drown, they may become trapped within the River and be unable to cross on their own power, an experience which some actively seek for themselves the River is not as bad as Naraku; Shinigami ever so often will fish out these submerged souls and ferry them directly Higan. Shinigami are also known to occassionally ferry souls directly across the Sanzu, but such privilege is reserved for only the most heaven blessed and the most hell damned of individuals.

There also exists a rather elusive area known as the Sai-no-Kawara (賽の河原), a dry area of the riverbank covered with stones. It is here that the souls of many lost children find themselves with knowledge of where they must go. Due to the absence of Shinigami in this area, Oni often come here to torment the children for entertainment, but the Sage Jizou makes regular visits here to drive off the Oni and guide the children directly to Higan.

### Higan (彼岸) - The Other Shore

Higan, the Other Shore, is a timeless land that exists across the Sanzu River. At is center rests a windless hill blanketed in white ever-blooming flowers stained by the colors of its always setting sun. It is here that souls wait for what appears to be an eternity as the Yama judges every single individual one-by-one. Even so, the process is over in an instant, and it is no sooner that they arrive than they are reborn into Kyogenkai to repeat the endless cycle of Samsara.

## Key Figures

### Sanjuu-Bosatsu 十三菩薩 - The Thirteen Sages

The Sanjuu-Bosatsu were mortal beings that achieved apotheosis and escaped from the Samsara cycle through personal enlightenment. While they all possess the ability and desire to leave from Kyogenkai and ascend to an even greater form of existence, they choose instead to remain to aid others and stand in defiance of the Yama. Due to the unique balance of conditions provided by Hitoiki, most of the Sages ascended from former Humans. There also exist a number of Humans who have achieved similar enlightenment to the Sages but have not quite gained the ability to fully escape from Samsara; the ones who have and also wish to oppose the Yama are known as Hermits while those who remain loyal to the Yama are known as Saints.

#### Kokuuzou (虛空藏) - The Scholar of the Sky Jewel

Kokuuzou is a Sage of Wisdom and the guardian of the Heavenly Vault. He is known to protect Kyogenkai from the influence of the Other Gods.

#### Kannon (觀音) - The Compassionate

Kannon is a Sage of Compassion whose arms have been shattered into a thousand piece due to trying to lend all a helping hand; Amida restored her arms through the power of her infinite light, forever binding the two together.

#### Jizou (地藏) - The Guardian of the Earth

Jizou is a Sage of Protection that watches over all those suffering in Naraku and Gaki-sho as well as guides the spirits of children out of the Sai-no-Kawara to Higan.

#### Amida (阿弥陀) The Infinite

Amida is a Sage of Compassion said to possess infinite light and infinite life.

#### Daiseishi (大勢至) - The Great Strength

Daiseishi is a Bodhisttva of Action and Protection who is a close companion and guardian to Amida.

#### Miroku (彌勒) - The Hope of Tomorrow

Miroku is a Sage of Hope and Companionship who became enlightened at the Bottom of the Sanzu River Deeps.

#### Monju (文殊) - The Bane of Ignorance

Monju is a Sage of Wisdom that wields a flaming sword of knowledge that is capable of slicing through falsehoods.

#### Fugen (普賢) - The Lord of Truth

Fugen is a Sage of Action that rides atop a twelve-tusked eleplant.

#### Kongoushu (金剛手) - The Twice Kinged Warrior

Kongoushu is a Sage of Protection that has arisen from two entities known as the Niou (仁王) or the Two Kings.

#### Yakushi Nyorai (薬師如来) - Medicine Master and King of Lapis Light

Yakushi Nyorai is a Sage of Wisdom and Protection known to be a Master of Medicine. She is always attended by the Twin-Light Amastukami, Nikkou (日光) and Gekkou (月光)

#### Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来) - The Primordial

Dainichi Nyorai is a rather mysterious Sage of Action. She is also known of the Primordial Sage and is thought to have achieved enlightenment before the creation of Kyogenkai.

#### Ashuku (阿閦) - The Immovable

Ashuku is a Sage of Hope and Joy known for always wielding a bell and a lotus flower.

#### Fudou Miyoou (不動明王) - The Great Wisdom King

Fudou Miyoo is a Sage of Wrath and Wisdom who ascended from an Asura and is known for always wielding both a noose and a sword. He is the leader of the Five Wisdom Kings: Gouzanze Miyoou (降三世明王), the Master of the Three Worlds of Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance; Gundari Miyoou (軍荼利明王), the Keeper of the Kanro Amrita (甘露) of Immortality; Daiitoku Miyoou (大威徳明王), the Destroyer of Death and the Raider of Higan; and Kongouyasha Miyoou (金剛夜叉明王), the Devourer of Sin.

### Kunitsukami (国津神) The Worldly Gods

Also known as the Kaikami (界神), the Yaoyorozu-no-Kami (八百万の神), or just Kami (神), the Kunitsukami are ensouled essences scattered throughout Kyogenkai. All objects within Kyogenkai possess some form of Kami, though most of these essences are undeveloped and lacking in significant form. Those that do gain greater existential force develop into beings possessing a similar level of intelligence to Animals, Ib, or even Die. The process through which Kami become empowered is not fully understood but generally appears to have some relation to exposure to great Elemental, Physical, or Mental force. Despite possessing an ensouled existence similar to living beings, the Kami appear to be outside Samsara, and while the objects that they inhabit and the ideas they come to represent are as ephemeral as all things on Aum, the essence of the Kami themselves seem to be eternal. Miko (巫女 or 神子) are Humans that possess an inherent connection to Kami and may draw upon their power.

### Amatsukami (天津神) The Heavenly Gods

Also known as the Tenkami (天神) or Okami (大神), are Die that reside in Tenkai and places of Great Elemental significance, often visiting the numerous shrines constructed in their honor throughout Kyogenkai. The Okami are beings more similar to the Elemental Lords and Spirits present in Aum and, like regular Kami, their powers may be called upon by Miko.

### Kishin (鬼神) The Oni Gods

The Kishin are powerful entities that rule over Gakisho and Naraku. They are loyal to the Yama, for the most part, and try to ensure that their Oni subordinates do not stray into Hitoiki and that the souls of those sentenced to the Hells receive their due punishments.

### Shinigami (死神) The Death Gods

The Shinigami are loyal servants of the Yama who shepherd the souls of the departed to Sanzu River so that they may face judgement upon reaching Higan.

### Enma Rinne (閻魔輪廻) The Yama Fairy Queen

Enma Rinne is the the Fairy Queen that created and reigns over Kyogenkai. She resides in Higan and personally judges the lives and actions of every soul brought before her and decides in which world it will reincarnate.