Crab Lands - Forgotten Village (Wasureta Mura)
Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2020 5:46 pm
Forgotten Village (Wasureta Mura)
In the Valley of Spirits, between the Shinomen Mori and Twilight Mountains, a long-dead village whispers for the residents of a nearby village to make a home there. Villagers tell of a beautiful person beckoning to join them for tea. Parents seeking lost children see a childlike figure running into the forest. Others see long-dead friends gesturing to them to walk among the trees. These are the spirits of Wasureta Mura, the Forgotten Village
Stories of what caused the village’s death suggest everything from fire to bandit raids to a curse, but no one has bothered to seek out the truth. “Easier to avoid trouble by not looking for it,” as local villagers say. Yet, people disappear into the Valley of Spirits, especially those who have hearts weighed by troubles. Those disappointed by their lot in life, or who don’t feel like they belong, hear Wasureta Mura more clearly the deeper they go into the woods.
People who have strong connections with the living, have found contentment in their lot in life, or have strong passions or commitments to uphold have difficulty finding Wasureta Mura. Their ties to the living world keep them from feeling or seeing the ruins of the village. This makes it difficult to rout out the spirits; the determination to eliminate them makes it hard to encounter them in the first place
Samurai who have suffered a grievous injury, have lost a loved one, or have been fascinated with death may hear the village regardless of their other passions. Having an easier time finding Wasureta Mura, how-ever, means having a harder time escaping it. A few well-meaning bushi have attempted to purify the village, but some have not returned, having suffered the ennui that the village thrives on. The others claim to have seen a ruined village out of the corner of their eye or caught whispers just beyond the edge of hearing.
Priests believe that nearby villages might contain salvaged construction from Wasureta Mura, inviting spirits and infecting people with nightmares. A simple purification ritual can solve the problem, but the house owners defend their homes against one with incredible ferocity, claiming that their dead relatives speak to them.
Some misguided villagers sacrifice someone yearly to the Forgotten Village. In most cases, they only send volunteers, although the social pressure to volunteer is strong. Some villages have torn themselves apart with violence selecting an unwilling volunteer; a few embrace this practice too eagerly, strengthening the parallel to a mahō ritual. The pressure can turn uglier when the volunteer discovers that Wasureta Mura doesn’t want them. Now they have no home, and they face even more violence from their home village for failing to uphold their duty. In the end, as they turn to despair, Wasureta Mura finally comes to accept them as a fellow lost child.
Whispers of Spirits
If you see flames among the ruins or at the forest edge at night, run far away.
Bringing offerings of toys to the ruins can improve your karma.
Offerings actually tie the spirits more closely to this world and reflect poorly on the giver.
In the Valley of Spirits, between the Shinomen Mori and Twilight Mountains, a long-dead village whispers for the residents of a nearby village to make a home there. Villagers tell of a beautiful person beckoning to join them for tea. Parents seeking lost children see a childlike figure running into the forest. Others see long-dead friends gesturing to them to walk among the trees. These are the spirits of Wasureta Mura, the Forgotten Village
Stories of what caused the village’s death suggest everything from fire to bandit raids to a curse, but no one has bothered to seek out the truth. “Easier to avoid trouble by not looking for it,” as local villagers say. Yet, people disappear into the Valley of Spirits, especially those who have hearts weighed by troubles. Those disappointed by their lot in life, or who don’t feel like they belong, hear Wasureta Mura more clearly the deeper they go into the woods.
People who have strong connections with the living, have found contentment in their lot in life, or have strong passions or commitments to uphold have difficulty finding Wasureta Mura. Their ties to the living world keep them from feeling or seeing the ruins of the village. This makes it difficult to rout out the spirits; the determination to eliminate them makes it hard to encounter them in the first place
Samurai who have suffered a grievous injury, have lost a loved one, or have been fascinated with death may hear the village regardless of their other passions. Having an easier time finding Wasureta Mura, how-ever, means having a harder time escaping it. A few well-meaning bushi have attempted to purify the village, but some have not returned, having suffered the ennui that the village thrives on. The others claim to have seen a ruined village out of the corner of their eye or caught whispers just beyond the edge of hearing.
Priests believe that nearby villages might contain salvaged construction from Wasureta Mura, inviting spirits and infecting people with nightmares. A simple purification ritual can solve the problem, but the house owners defend their homes against one with incredible ferocity, claiming that their dead relatives speak to them.
Some misguided villagers sacrifice someone yearly to the Forgotten Village. In most cases, they only send volunteers, although the social pressure to volunteer is strong. Some villages have torn themselves apart with violence selecting an unwilling volunteer; a few embrace this practice too eagerly, strengthening the parallel to a mahō ritual. The pressure can turn uglier when the volunteer discovers that Wasureta Mura doesn’t want them. Now they have no home, and they face even more violence from their home village for failing to uphold their duty. In the end, as they turn to despair, Wasureta Mura finally comes to accept them as a fellow lost child.
Whispers of Spirits
If you see flames among the ruins or at the forest edge at night, run far away.
Bringing offerings of toys to the ruins can improve your karma.
Offerings actually tie the spirits more closely to this world and reflect poorly on the giver.