Sonoko
The universe of Sonoko is a realm shaped by harmony, struggle, and divine law. Forged by the Divine Parents Akira and Miyagi, it is a cosmos where balance, discipline, and destiny weave through every thread of mortal and divine life.
Creation and Cosmology
At the dawn of existence, Akira and Miyagi breathed order into the formless void. From their act of creation came not only the planes of the universe, but also vast primordial beings—dragons and other primordial spirits—formed as remnants of raw creation. Unable to unmake these forces, the Divines sealed them within the prison-plane of Gamok.
- Ninkai: The Mortal Plane, where humanity and other species live in cycles of birth and striving.
- Gamok: The prison-plane, holding dragons, oni, and yokai, a place of storms and shadows.
- The Divine Heavens: The radiant domain of Akira and Miyagi, from which heroes and heroines are chosen.
In the present age, the barrier between Ninkai and Gamok has weakened. This “Age of Shifting Gates” has seen primordial spirits slipping back into the mortal plane.
Pantheon of Sonoko
The gods of Sonoko are many, divided into benevolent, neutral, and malevolent powers, each shaping mortal fate in their own image.
Benevolent Deities
- Amaterasuya – Goddess of Sunlight and Truth, bringer of clarity and order.
- Chunhwa – Goddess of Blossoms and Renewal, patroness of spring, healing, and growth.
- Hoshin – God of Stars and Guidance, protector of wanderers and seekers.
- Daon – God of Justice and Ancestral Duty, invoked in oaths and councils.
Neutral Deities
- Ryujin – Dragon God of Oceans, revered for both storms and safe passage.
- Byakuya – Moon Deity of Reflection and Illusion, neither wholly kind nor wholly cruel.
- Mokhwa – Spirit of Woods and Beasts, honored by shamans and hunters.
- Seiryoku – God of Power and Competition, invoked in contests and war-games.
Malevolent Deities
- Onibara – Demoness of Shadows and Revenge, who thrives on broken vows.
- Huogui – Fire-Eater Spirit of Greed and Devouring.
- Gashadokuro – Skeletal god of famine and hunger, born of restless dead.
- Yami-no-Kami – Lord of Endless Night, master of imprisoned spirits in Gamok.
Magic Systems of Sonoko
Magic flows as the living breath of Sonoko, channeled through discipline, faith, or cunning. Three major paths are recognized:
- Chi – The vital life-energy running through all beings. Masters of Chi strengthen their bodies, heal others, and channel elemental force through will and movement.
- Shinmyo – The art of invoking divinities and ancestral spirits through rite and ritual. Practitioners create wards, banish corruption, and call forth blessings.
- Onmyo – The esoteric path of balance, weaving shadow and light into harmony. Adepts of Onmyo manipulate fate, bind spirits, and cast illusions rooted in cosmic duality.
Heroes and Heroines
As the gates of Gamok falter, Akira and Miyagi choose mortals from Ninkai to stand as champions. Heroes and heroines are gifted divine powers: blades of living flame, armor bound with spirit, or Chi refined into cosmic fire. These chosen fight against the resurgence of dragons and yokai, holding the line between the planes.
The Primordial Spirits
Dragons, kitsune, Onikai, and other primordial beings are remnants of creation itself. Too vast to be destroyed, they were imprisoned in Gamok until the Age of Shifting Gates. To mortals they appear as calamity and terror, yet many carry fragments of truth from the first dawn, knowledge even the gods no longer hold.