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Return_to_Metropolis Crew
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 Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:41 am
 Spirit:
City Name: City of Spirit
Population: Approximately 110,000
Architecture: Similar to Ancient China or Japan
Trades with: City of Shadow, City of Earth, City of Ice
Residents: The people of the City of Spirit are all fox-like in appearance. They range from being a full fledged fox, though they are larger than our foxes, that walks on their hind legs and has hand-like paws, to fox anthros that are basically human except for their ears and tail. There are various levels of fox in between the two extremes. The most tails one can have is 9. Usually, the more tails one has, the more beautiful or handsome they are considered, though not neccessarily always. Over all though, one of the two extremes is not preffered over the other as far as appearances go. Full foxes and anthros even marry and have children together, so you can see that it really doesn't make a huge difference to them.
For clothes the people of spirit prefer clothes that we would compare to ancient chinese or japanese outfits, wrap arounds, kimonos, sashes and the like. The coloration of the fur of these people varies greatly, as does their hair. Gold is the predominant eye color though, but there are a few other colors found occasionally.
Magic: Spirit Mages have power over souls of the dead, and spirits that one finds in nature. Souls of the dead can be controlled only by advanced magic students and Masters, and only Masters can control the greater dead. All levels of mages can control spirits, though the more training they’ve had, the more powerful the spirit they can control. These spirits are basically the living essences of non-sentient things that can be found in everything on the planet from trees to rocks, even water (this means no animals, as those are considered ‘souled’ creatures). Mages can also use their magic to confine spirits to objects which anyone, even a non-magic user, can use to summon the spirit in order to do a function set by the person who sealed it there. Some of these items are one use only, but ones made by Master Mages can often be used many times, or even indefinitely. For example, a housewife could buy a stone from a master mage that had a spirit in it, that when summoned, would do the dishes for her! The most expensive kinds are made only by very advanced Master Mages which secure a spirit permanently to the living world to do the bidding of a person, like a servant. It is frowned upon to force souls to do these things as they have an actual consciousness when summoned, and people who break this rule can actually be thrown in jail. Souls can be summoned for anything from advice, to actually fighting for a person in trouble, depending on the strength of said soul. Spirits have no consciousness, so Spirit Mages see no issue with using them for menial chores and servitude.
Objects used to contain spirits can range from small stones, to jewels, to wands, to just about any sort of inanimate object! To hold summoned souls though, paper lanterns are the preferred median. These lanterns are hand made and depending on the size, can hold from one to five souls at a time. These lanterns are used because it allows a spirit who really does not want to be there, leave and return to the after life at any time it likes, though most don’t mind. Many spirits actually like being summoned because it gives them a chance to experience life again until their summoner sends them away again. Many Spirit Mages have a few favorite spirits that they will always keep with them in the lanterns they carry around, for quick access.
Surrounding Area: The City of Spirit is located in the southern part of the Shadow Forest they share with the City of Shadow. This dark forest of towering spruce and birch trees
Daily Life: During the daylight hours is when the farmers of the city go to work in their fields. The rear of the city is surrounded by a large crescent of rice fields, which the farmers tend to. Just before you reach the rice fields though is where the vegetable plots are located. Some farmers decided to grow vegetables rather than rice, because they are in demand as well, though rice is still the city’s staple food.
At night though is when the city really comes to life though. It is all lit up by brightly colored lanterns and all the people come out to both shop and socialize. In the market section of the city, merchants hawk their wares, which vary from delicious foods to beautiful cloth or finely crafted paper lanterns. Of course the mages aren’t left out of all of this activity, but are fully integrated into it. Some student mages use their powers to put on shows to earn a little spending money, and others sell useful charms imbued with spirits to do simple tasks around the home. The people of The City of Spirit are very nocturnal (with the exception of the farmers, but even they come out to do some shopping each night.)
As for the city itself, it is shaped in a roughly circular shape, with the tower where magic is taught at its very center. The closer a person gets to the center of the city, the nicer the homes become. The nicest homes are large and enclosed in large, tall walls. Within these walls are beautiful, manicured gardens with ponds of coi fish and even miniature rivers. (think ancient china) The owners of these extensive homes are usually either very successful merchants, or are of the few original families to come to the city generations ago. They also tend to be led by very powerful, experienced mages, which is how they stay in power. Should a generation not turn out any mages, then they gradually lose their wealth and trade rights, leaving them to step down to a lower class, and a rising star of the middle class to take their place. The middle class is made up of fairly successful merchants and professional mages, not quite of the caliber as those who lead the elite families. They have nice, middle sized homes surrounded by lower walls and a small decorative garden. Some also have a vegetable patch so that they won’t have to buy from the farmers, saving them money. The lowest class does not lead a low life, contrary to what their title might imply. The lower class is made up entirely of the farmers, who live a well enough life as they have their own vegetable patches, and sell their highly demanded rice to the middle and elite classes. Their houses are fairly small and made of wood, where as middle and elite class homes are made of stone. Hunters also live here on the outskirts of the cities alongside the farmers. These people bring in the meat to sell to the butchers, who in turn sell it to the citizens of the city. They hunt primarily with bows and arrows; their main prey being the deer that live in the forest that surrounds their city.
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:23 pm
Noboko ran about the tower frantically, looking for someone, anyone to help her. The three tailed fox woman was supposed to be in charge of looking after Mage Superior Jin Hikari in the morning from when he woke up till the time he went to teach his classes. The little fox boy may have been a genius, and he may have been the most powerful mage in the entire city, but he was still only a ten year old. Noboko had gone to his bedroom in his large house not far from the tower of learning that morning to wake him up like she always did, only to find him missing from his bed. She had searched the house, thinking he was only playing a game like he sometimes did, then proceeded to search the garden with increased worry. When she didn't find them there she became frantic and hand run off to the tower on the off chance that he had gone there early without her, though it was a bit of a long shot. She had stopped in all his favorite haunts on the way, asking if anyone had seen him. The answer was no each time though, which made her pick up her pace into a full out run all the way to the tower. Upon her arrival though, everyone was already in an upheaval. A handful of workers had arrived for work as they usually did every morning, only to find the doors still closed, locked, and closely guarded by the towers guardian spirit, placed there when the tower had first been built. Noboko herself was an advanced mage student herself, and was eventually able to compel the spirit to open the doors to them since he knew she was the one that watched after Jin. When they had entered though, no one had been there, not even the assistant teachers that made their home there.
Noboko froze when she saw a familiar woman enter the room she had been searching.
“Noboko! What is the meaning of this?!” demanded the woman, a full blooded red fox, unlike herself.
“I'm so sorry Mistress Hikari, but Jin....Jin and his assistants are gone!”
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Return_to_Metropolis Crew
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 6:15 pm
“Well thats it.” Rihanna says as she tucks away a couple of her belongings into a burlap knapsack. It was the day that she would leave her home, embarking on a dangerous journey to find Jin. Standing in the doorway was her mother Aya, whom walked with graceful steps, as she hair was half pinned up adorned in various hair ornaments, along with wearing a blue-lavender robe with a blossom print. She gestures to Rihanna to sit in front of the armoire’s mirror and started to brush her hair. Preparing her daughter for her long journey, but how did it all started Rihanna started to think.
It was only a few days ago when a terrible event happened. It was the disappearance of the City of Spirit's Mage Superior. Jin Hakari. Some chaos and commotion ran through the city. Rumors spreaded fast, the fact that their young Mage Superior gone missing along with his other assistants spreaded like wild fire, touching every ear in sight. Well not every ear. Rihanna was unaware of this as she continued to run down the streets with a small basket in hand full of fruit and other foods. She was on her way to home, as soon as she walked in through the doors she had noticed someone was inside, someone already waiting for her.
The girl didn’t know who it was at first, till she came around through the doors of the front room and gasped. There she found a tall, silver haired woman playing around with a random trinket. “Ah your back. Its been awhile Rihanna.” the woman said before standing up to her full height opening up her arms. “Come here and give me that long awaited hug.” Without further hesitation Rihanna quickly ran over, tackling her mother hugging against her warm body. “Mom! Your back this early?!”
Aya nodded giving her daughter a faint smile before sitting back down. Rihanna didn’t care much for chairs, so she sat before her mother on the floor. “Its been about 3 or 4 months since you’ve been gone. Where did you go? Meet any new people? How many spirits and souls did you exorcize?” she bombarded her mother with a million to one questions, she was just too excited seeing that her mother is back safe and sound. Although Rihanna never really met her father, she was raised by her mother whom she respects greatly, and her love for her is deep.
“Please settle down Rhi. One question at a time.” she said smiling again then ran her fingers through her own hair. “I see that you discovered your powers.”
“Huh? How did you know? You just got here.” Rihanna exclaims wondering how did her mother know that she discovered her ability to see spirits and such. Maybe the farmers told her she thought, but her mother always did have that sixth sense of finding out, certain things about Rihanna without her or anyone living or not to tell her. “Well...this time the spirits of the wood told me. Two of them you seen. Its great to know that you finally are on your way to possibly take my place.”
“Oh no no, I could never take your place! Your one of the best! But I can’t wait to go and take the entrance exams then seen Jin, and-“ Before she could get another word out, she noticed that a frown had developed across her mother’s face. “That...will be a problem. I bet your wondering why Im back so soon. Its because our group was called back, Jin is gone Rihanna.”
Rihanna froze in the spot she sat at. Jin was gone, so was her hopes and dreams at that moment. Aya spent most of the night comforting Rihanna, and explaining the situation that Jin’s mother and other officials had told her. “Thats all I can say right there, because thats all I know. But there is one solution I did come up with. Sending a search party, people who are from the city who are brave enough can go.” Aya lowered her head to Rihanna’s level, smiling sweetly at her daughter. “Thats why I suggest...you go find Jin. If you want to become a high mage, and be strong then you go find Jin.”
“Wh-what? Me?!”
“Yes you who else am I talking to in this room? Thats if....you want to. I mean you can stay here, and tend to the fields, help out the people. Im sure they’ll find Jin a couple months...years...” Aya says using a little mind trick to somewhat anger Rihanna, and get her to go on the journey by her own will. She wanted to test her daughter, she wanted to see how bad she wanted this one time in a lifetime opportunity.
Rihanna clutched onto her robes, balling up her fists. ”If I go out and away from the protection of the city, I can be killed! Im just a beginner, I don’t know what Im doing....but I don’t want to wait years or even decades before Jin comes back. Besides...maybe I’ll see my brother...or maybe “him”. Ahhhhh!!! Im too young for this! Im gonna get grey hairs....wait...my hair is already silver....”As she was deep in her thoughts, Aya loudly clears her throat waiting patiently but didn’t like it when people took their sweet old time. “O-ok! I’ll go!”
Rihanna was standing at the entrance of the city, with her mother behind. As she started to walk away Aya stopped her right quick. “Hold on girlie, here take these.” Aya pulls out a small cross pendant with a red jewel in the middle, and latches it around Rihanna’s neck. “Here its from grandma, she says hi and keep this safe. When you get stronger you can see what spirit you can put in there, but who knows? Maybe one is already inside sleeping. Oh and.” Then Aya steps forward, she plucked a golden ornate hair clip, applying it to Rihanna’s hair. “Keep this for good luck, it will provide little protection but you gotta pull your own weight hun. Now go on and get outta here, and drag that little fox back here. His mother will start to flood the city’s gates soon if he isn’t back.”
Rihanna smiles being very grateful of the gifts she received, and bow down to her mother. She took her time to look at her then at the home she was leaving behind, and the comfort of the people she knew. With that Rihanna headed down a clear path in the forest humming all the way.
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