Iku's Book of Memories, Volume 1(People and Organizations)

Forward by Iku the Ageless:
All of the following is merely an attempt to catalouge my thoughts on the world as it currently is in the western calender year 2025. This is the first time I have ever recorded my own personal thoughts like this. If your reading this with permission do not spare my feelings on mistakes or biased views. If your reading this without permission I would advise quietly leaving it my offering box and we will call each other even.

Overseers

As an Organization:

Largely, its a failiure of an organization with the same sort of corruption which makes the Lunar Bough Temple a corrupt disaster to dedicate oneself to. However, some do make an effort to do their job above what I have come to expect. As far as peacekeeping is concerned, they lack enough skilled members to effectively fight the true threats to the souls of Youdu and I predict things will continue to be this way for some time, a statement which I hope is proven false in the future.
Note: much of the information in this section is sourced from Aoi, a trusted disciple and good friend of mine.

Mika Mori

I can recall meeting her once: a man in the Anahata Precinct who was being possessed by an evil spirit, locked away in his forge by his family. I had arrived too late: the overseers had dispatched Mika to handle the the job and she resolved it by cutting through the door of the forge and cleanly killing the man via decapitation. I made her stay for the mans last rites before assisting the family in cremation.
The fact she asked me of all people to go drinking with her afterward was strange, and perhaps my mood was too sour to see her lonely soul when I firmly told her no.

She is like a black mirror of myself: faithless, violent, and one who lets her desires for action seemingly rule her life. It would do her good to settle down at a shrine or temple and enjoy a slow decade of religious work.

Kaguya

A lovely, spirited lady of the law who refuses to bend her rules. She is like a humanistic version of a legalist, albeit much more naive and kind than any legalist I have ever had the displeasure of speaking with at length. I only wish she would take better care of herself and visit my shrine more for tea and rice crackers.

Perhaps I'll invite her over for the Lantern-bug festival and make her take a night off to escort me about. If only criminals and insurgents had the courtesy to give their officers like Kaguya unburdened rest.

Aoi

A close friend, despite her preference for her Overseer work over Exorcist work. She has a philosphy of action, cutting to the root of a problem and excising the source of wickedness instead of managing the collateral damage. I'd like to say I was a positive influence on her, but I fear my cynicism may have rubbed off too much. Too often do victims of memory loss lose their new selves in the search for the old, a journey which is always a self-destructive pursuit. The wheel of life does not only work through ending someone via a failed body but through a failed mind as well.

Aoi is strong, practical, and virtuous despite affection even for spirits who are too far gone for me to have faith in. Should I ever be unable to lead the Exorcist Guild, then I formally name Aoi as my short-term successor until proper ascension rites can be done. Currently, holds the rank of Seikai in the Exorcist Guild due to her practicality and good moral compass.

Lloyd

A western-named Youkai which dresses as a traditional Japanese lady while being male. Aoi is not too familiar with him and it is only because of the written format of this work that I do not refer to him as a woman. We have worked together on cases where their skill with archery has been noted as more than sufficient for injuring the vessel of a dangerous spirit.

Would it be in bad taste to buy him feminine gifts, such as cosmetics or a fine obi? Perhaps a scholar of the modern world would be needed for that inquiry, as I fear I don't understand how properly interact with him without being offensive.

Shigure

A man with a dark spirit over him her always avoids the removal of, usually by saying he can't pay us or is busy at the moment. His Karma is not evil, but not good either. This points to his valorous sacrafices and wounds taken being for his pleasure rather than for any good intention, a rare and difficult problem. He is also the sister of Shion, the Yahata maid, which may be the reason he does work as an overseer. I will fix him for now, until I hear of any betrayals he commits to Aoi or Kaguya.

Exorcists

As an Organization:

I am very biased with this group, as I have been an exorcist for over 100 years. Our work is what keeps Youdu standing, regardless of what the criminal enterpirses who suck it dry may insist. Out-of-control spirits can flee from corpse to corpse when not properly contained, especially in times of chaos and war. To deny the spirit the ability to run is the most holy act one can do because it is dangerous yet peaceful. Most Exorcists live in temples or shrines, albeit many temples have significant problems with sending exorcists out to where they are needed. This was worse when the Exorcist Guild was far larger, about 90 years ago. It was a mob in red and white who sold their services for massive expense without even calling it an offering, not even the verneer of holy work.

It was no surpise that I was the only elder able to complete the ascension rites with a degree of competence 90 years ago, and even if the names and faces of those who looked at me as their new Kannushi are a blur to me now, that look of blind anger still haunts me. Most left in the coming weeks, and I had fully expected it. They joined out of naked self interest, and now that I would make them do more than act like holy men and women they saw no point in staying in red and white.
(Note: the recognized ranks of Exorcists within Youdu's guild are as such, ranked from least to most resepcted)
(Chokai<Seikai<Meikai<Kannushi)

Today the guild is small, but focused. An army that simply flails about destructively does more harm to good than those they claim to protect after all. My decision to stop price gouging with our services resulted in a schism, which caused 60% of the guild to return to the Lunar Bough shouting for war. As one might expect, they simply kept their racket running and proclaimed themselves the "Elite" Exorcist's Guild. Meanwhile, we have been able to steadily build up respect and funds to rennovate the wayshrines and temples within our reach.

I've contemplated renaming us with something more profound than simply being the Exorcists Guild. The less were ascociated with the corruption that plauges the Lunar Bough the better. Perhaps sourcing this from my subordinates may be a worthy endeavor.

Miko

Throughout all my time in Youdu, I have always wondered why she was the one who sat at the side of a procession rather than on the front. She is more learned than anyone on ceremonial topics owing to her ancient origins. I recognize her virtues over mine, as I still hold pettyness and irritation in my heart where she is utterly serene. She is not burdened by pride and ambition, and will serve her inferiors as an advisor with no complaint. Iku understands they have differing opinions many things, but I will always enjoy speaking to her and listening to her wisdom as much as my stubborn and aged mind can.

It seems for us two, the wheel of life does not turn, for it requires us to be of service longer. I have assigned the rank of Meikai to her in recognition of her long and dedicated service of the guild alongside her indispensable knowledge. As well, she is a friend I would scarcely be able to conduct the guild without. A small part of me wonders if the wheel of life has entwined as one its immortal spokes.
(Note: She is very fiscally irresponsible. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE is she to be trusted with guild funds unsupervised!)

Sumire

The darling princess of Suguru, their greatest trick made flesh. Suguru as a whole is a group I want to have hope in, hence my assistance in their medical and ritual manuscripts. I have not given them the Senescent Youth Curse yet, as they have not earned my full trust to not exploit it or teach it to the wrong people. Sumire represents the worst excesses of holy people due to her extravagent lifestyle and laxness in the works of faith over simply practicing it. Every priest and priestess is expected to show and prove the validity of religious ceremony through acts of public service, and to not fully attend such duties is shameful.

Yet I still see the spark of goodness in her, and have spent years on more hopeless students. As such I have assigned her the rank of Seikai in recognition of her knoweedge and strength to keep the spirit haunting her at bay while recognizing her need for proper supervision and tendncy toward delgating work to others she has power over.

Iku the Ageless

When I look in the mirror and see a young face I'm reminded of my fortune to theoretically give myself as much time as I want to live.
When I look in the mirror and see a mature face I'm reminded of the people I save and protect. How if I chose to use my gift selfishly I'd be consigning hundreds every year to die.
When I look in the mirror and see an elderly face I'm reminded of the need to teach young men and women how to use their power and the importance of doing more than acting like a Holy person.

I don't remember the century I was born in. Its a world I've lost to the limits of the human mind, and have made peace with that fact. My parents will peace along the wheel of life, something I have not yet been allowed.

Someday we'll see each other again Mother, and I'll tell you every story I learned.

Waffu

Its odd for Youkai to join the ranks of those who seal them, and despite a bad attitude Waffu is useful for extracting deeply entrenched spirits. Yet he is as prickly and irritable as he looks. What drives him toward are work is the promise of honest pay, but despite his faithless view of the task he is none-the-less diligent when roused to work. From what I've been told, his usual expenses are books rather than some kind of morally corrupt form of carnal pleasure.

His Greed can be overcome, I have no intention of letting him backslide into the hands a group with more money and societal power that the Exorcist Guild. I have thus assigned him the rank of Seikei in recognition of his prior work and considering the depths to which many Youkai sink in terms of depravity.

Tsukuro

My faithful bodyguard, a man with a karmic debt he will be paying off for hundreds of years. Such is the price of meddling with the wicked designs of the lunar Bough, though I respect his choice to do good and take the punishment for the act instead of lashing out and becoming the very same kind of monster he was trained to hunt. I do not regret shedding my last bit of power within the Lunar Bough to save his life: they held no future for either of us, even if Tsukuro still has contacts and technical membership in their ranks.

He is still on the first steps of a tall mountain, so I assigned him as a Chokai. His work in hunting spirits can be brutal, sickening to one who has seen less gore than I've subjected myself to. He has much to learn about himself and about what it means to carry a blade like Profanation, and I want him to have an honest shot at positive karma again.

If you've found this Tsukuro, and I've passed on, then remember the story of the great tree. You've already sunk your karmic roots deep below, but you can go just high and create shade for others to rest under. I ask you guard Miko and enter her service in this case as well.

Isshin Hanamura

Not a formal member of the guild as of now, but one who seems to easily corruptable to stop pushing on. Even below the exterior of smelly homeless drunk cast off from the modern world outside of Youdu, I can sense virtue. If that means doing a grown mans laundry, then so be it.

His case may demand an update depending on how this shakes out.

Chitragupta Kumai/"Her Holiness"

A woman drowning in dogma and zealotry, a victim of the Lunar Bough that fails to recognize the impossible trap of purity and how much evil she commits trying to force all the world into that trap. I refuse to believe she speaks for the Yama, as the Yama would not allow an arrogant child to be his mouth. She causes more damage than the cults she uproots like a maddened gardener, and as such has earned a demotion.

As of recently, she is to be treated as a Chokai until such a time that she shows improvement in at least her arrogance and recognizes how her actions affect others. As well, she is quite insufferable to speak with. I would offer such a motivated soul leniency if I had any confidence that they would not use it for abject evil.

Kenshin Go/Go-Sensei

A part timer, though more taking after Aoi in his ability to use that worldly experience to better his exorcist work rather than hindering it. He has a fascinating style of using strange modern music in his work. This often leads to broken windows and thus compenstation needing to be payed out(Suguru will cover us as long as its not an overly exorbanent fee). His other job is teaching Institute students while their formal instructors are away, a noble proffession which makes me wish to train him more in the way of exorcism and offer more classes to our own people.

While he does hold the rank of Chokai, it is becuase of inexperience rather than some sort of flaw in his training or mindset. Many among the Guild seem to think I oppose modern things, and while partly true I am not so obstinant to not allow them a chance to prove useful.

Majushin Ryoko

An actress/exorcist from a dynasty of spirit callers, and a member of the guild. I will admit I enjoy being able to speak to the families past generations through her as a vessel, with her voice being quite malleable to fit their particular tones and manner of speaking. If you ignore her youthful and beautiful appearance its like speaking to the real thing, even the men I trained from as early as they could walk and watched fall into old age. She and I have a good relationship thankfully: Her performances help to liven up our gatherings and I have attempted to set her to writing morality plays.

She holds the rank Seikai owing to her access to a vast amount of experiance on demand and her personal skills at managing temple traditions. I am planning on putting her charge of festival preperations for this year, as I think she is prepared to handle organizing such an important event. I will fix here, as losing her means losing many friends in the process.

Meliala

Not one of my own people, but one Andrew's. She is a zealot who has not yet turned her water cannons on us, but I fear having to strike and start a conflict over her absolute refusal to leave the street corners when she's had her time to preach. Andrew is diplomatic, so perhaps he can help curb this behaivor, but I must approach the carefully so as not to appear like I am threatening the Blades of Christ. The last thing Youdu needs is a religious war, even a small one. The sad thing is that Meliala seems eager to fight a war and conquer anything in the name of the god of Gods. Will be fixed, if nothing else to prove we are not monsters and to maintain good relations with Andrew.

Beast Hunters/The Hunters Lodge

As an Organization:

The lodge is not something I would call venerable, but it is certainly better than the alternative of a loose collection of hunters trying to beat each other out of bounties through force or guile. It is a needed service that requires a more brutish skillset and demeanor, given beasts do not take the advice of holy men and women.

Kaine Tsukikage

The leader and founder of the Hunters lodge, and one who rules by good managerial sense rather than using her monsterous combat potential as a blunt instrument on fellow hunters. For every rumour I hear of her brutality in combat, I hear another of her culinary experiments which sound quite delightful. I have never needed the groups services, as my focus is turned to the enemy without Youdu's urbanized centers rather than without to the Spines and such. I have taken work fixing her and her hunters bodies, though and I am supposedly still owed some sort of VIP dinner as compensation that I had pushed on me.

Yunlaw Jin

Recklessness incarnate. The amount of times I've had to fix him is easily above 20, and those are only including times he's carted over to my shrine. How he still lives despite seeming to try and become a beasts warm meal is beyond me but at least that aggression is focused outward rather than inward toward other people. A gentle soul with something that can talk back to him, but I still beleive that a few years of quiet temple work would do him well considering the many hazards of his work.

"Berserker"

A monster in the making that I refuse to allow the chance to develop without interferance. Even with the Hunter's Lodge keeping an eye on him I frankly doubt their ability to keep such wickedness and malice in check without on-staff exorcists of their own. Such powers develop defenses against the blunt way of solving them, requiring a fast response from more esoteric and specialized solutions. It does not help that he is an utterly uncultured animal that I will refuse to operate on if ever asked to save his wicked life. Reincarnation is what his soul needs, not another shot in the current form he has.

Toshiko the Firefly

Insect shapeshifters often have more difficult anatomies to fix, owing to structures being more fragile and not conforming to mammalian standards. Toshiko is not different in this regard, meaning to I check up on her every month to assure she is in proper health and that my work is holding up. That being said, I don't beleive her residence in the Devil Moon is helping her chronic obsession with filthy magazines and radio doodads. Such things are a waste of money and time.

She seems to have some sense, enough to care for her bodies condition at least. Too many fighting types in the Youdu disregard their own health as if seeking medical care were a mark of shame.

Distorted Mirage

A woman who ardently refuses to speak on her past, even as I can see the hellfire debt dragging her karma down. This is likely because she wishes to be unurbened by the past as she attempts to settle up, not a rare approach to the problem by any means. Her method of fighting is brutish even by the standards of the Hunters Lodge, and she has done work for the guild when a hammer is needed over a writing brush to deal with an evil spirit.

She will healed when needed, as if I denied service and kindness to all who carry hellfire debts then I would be neglecting souls fighting tooth and claw to be better.

Moros

Brother of Xana, and her main enforcer. Their is nothing in me that will take stories of cheer as a reason to some goodness in an oni which makes takes the name of my occupation and drags it through the mud. I will not heal him: another cycle of reincarnation is what his troubled soul needs.

Bodyguards

As an organization:

Not centralized, so speaking on the virtue of the job itself is more constructive. I believe it is good work to offer ones skills in the defense of others, but so many bodyguards are mired in wickedness and degeneracy. It leads me to believe that those who dedicate fully to it are desperate souls who want easy work and have no concern for the danger they put themselves in.

Mahime Majiro

A drunk who works for whoever offers her work, regardless of the client. Based on speaking with Aoi, this seems to the Radio Fox Whore Kyomi. I still fix her because I pity her rough life, as she has little in the way of good points for me to praise. I mostly fix her after barfights, and she owes the Exorcist a substantial sum for treatment of wounds, even at the low rates at which I charge.

Chi Shinnou

More of a strange case than a negative one, as she is a woman of cast extremes who does nothing halfway besides fully speak an idea to its logical conclusion. This persists even after healing, meaning it is not an issue of brain damage and is smply how her mind works. While not unpleasent company, I find talking with her is more similar to that of a large, violent, and unfocused child. She always pays her dues when in need of my services at least.

Ootori Tsugumi

A woman I have embarassed myself in front of on my own assumptions of her hertiage, to my shame. I know little about her, and she dresses in modern formal wear more consistent with a secretary than a fighter, her fondness for heeled shoes standing out in particuler. I have already offered my apologies for beleiving she was merely a succubus, and seek to learn more about her should the chance arise. She seems to have an interest in recruiting Isshin, one thing I cannot allow without a fight.

Warsmiths

As an Organization:

These are the sorts of people we preach against for a reason: they are driven, decietful, violent, and merciless in the use of their powers against anyone who opposes their goals and earns their ire. Neither the moral world nor the spirit world need warlords, but their kind will exist as long wickedness and wrath are in the hearts of spirits and Youkai. What us Exorcists can do is to clean up their messes and preach against their selfish ways, teaching about the all the damage they cause and bad karma they accumilate in their rage against the authorities that seek some semblance of order.

While I will not hand down a sweeping ban on working with Warsmiths, I do highly discourage it given their tendency to exploit the generosity and goodness of others for their own gain. I certianly have my reservations about healing any of them and letting them loose again.

Andrew Brunet

A preacher of the western god of Gods(the capitalization in written english is apparently quite important). Of the warsmiths, he is the one which seems the least interested in widespread violence against those who rely on the system as it is for their existance. I have spoken with and found some sense in his beleifs, he even forced a text called a "Bible" into my hands and adamantly insisted I take it as a gift for seeing him. It tells the story of an angry, tyrannical god who inflicts disaster on all but a chosen few, and even they fall short of expectation. The second part of it, the "New Testament" is a work about a much gentler god sending his son down to earth in the form of a virgin birth with the intention of converting people through kindness and teaching. He is ultimately killed by corrupt religous authorities and ascends back to heaven as proof of his divinity. The god of Gods does not strike as one to be trusted, a spirit willing to use destruction and starvation as a weapon whole ethnic groups.

As for the man himself, I've never seen him fight: merely preach. Perhaps he is the best of the lot for that courtesy of inaction.

Aziz

A fully formed monster of blind rage and thoughtless destruction. Under no circumstance will I heal such a beast, as he is more fitting to be sealed for a century or executed by Tsukuro. He represents all a holy person should stand against with their own body as a shield, and should not be shown any courtesy save for an attempt to seal him so he may be punished with the most severe of hellfire debts.

Kuiara Tamenai

A soul blackened by deeds most vile in another place beyond even the scope of Youdu, and with only a fraction of the power they held in that place. I can sense the bloodlust off of her, the desire to uppend the world and see it change if only for the sake of change, and this is usually the point where I would call her unworthy of healing or assistance.

Despite everything this person has done pile over it with corpses, their is gleaming speck of good karma to be seen within her. As such, I ask lighter measures be taken when having to fight her and her life would be in danger, she's to be restrained and brought to me for healing. I refuse to callously lose a soul simply because it is inconvenient to help it.

Hayato Taida

When not even Miko can recall details of someones past, or even dig up some record of their passing between districts, that is when the paranoid part of me awakens and is difficult to lull to sleep. Especially for a warsmith, using stealth and concealment marks as much more dangerous than a fool with an army they want to swing around like a child with a threshing flail. Those who know enough to hide and wait for their chance are snakes with I cannot wholy trust.

Hayato himself does not help this reputation, as for every story of miraculous speed and skill I hear of him there are 3 more of him acting like a lecherous old man. His goals are murky to boot: there is angle he wants to play but he requires a formidible force to achieve it: acting like a drunk pervert is a smoke screen. I will offer him healing, if nothing else because there is stories of Yahata doing good to not mark him as wholy lost cause.

Faisal

At first glance, a monsterous "punisher of the wicked" who does more damage in the moment than she prevents in the future, a constant flow of bad karma for her and her whole flock of rogue overseers. Miko informs me that she understands right and wrong, and pay for her sins by the mortification of her own flesh. A sick part of me sees myself in this pattern, risking life and limb for the good of others and punishing my failings with self-harm so the lesson sticks well into my mind. But I do not leave a trail of blood and property damage in my wake, and she does.

She is worthy of healing in the same sense Kuiara is: restrained and weakened so they must listen to a sermon before we let them go or they break out or binds. If need be, she'll be sealed and unleashed when such a violently reactionary sense of justice can be tamed.

Ayin Fist

Another angry soul who believes all should be upended, and the propietor of a barabric and cruel circus of death and disfigurement. I see nothing to save here. He will be denied healing services unless he brings us his fighters and they have some measure of goodness within them. I'll not let him hold good souls hostage though: those fighters we treat will be "lost" or "kidnapped". He is the kind of low-functional mobster that can barely claim to be above Yakuza in terms of ow much they believe in their own cause.

Insurgants

As an Organization:

Ruthless, pityless mercenaries/radicals with little to offer besides chaos and collapse of the the society that has managed to survive in Youdu. In most cases, they will seek to unleash spirits or create violent ones through their own actions, and will almost always be enemies of an Exorcist. Little else need to be said given the chaotic nature of an occupation centered around sowing chaos.

Femurman

The prototypcial Insurgent: a dim-minded man with a talent for violence and a lack of self preservation instincts. The good in him hasn't fully waned, just seemingly warped. If he arrives for treatment, interrogate him on why is possible. He rarely keeps money for long, so his treatment will be payed for via labour performed for the guild.

I confess, it is a degree of sentimentality that keeps me healing him time and time again despite his nature as nuisance-for-hire. When the guild first lost most of its personnel and we were rebuilding, he happened to be around when the Six-Fingers collectors wanted to claim the shrine for a debt I supposedly owed them. Femurman had recently recovered and scared them off and told that was his payment. If you can even read this, Femurman, theres a place at the temple of you if you want a peaceful life. Miko will see to it if I've passed on.

Xana Redsilk

A more cunning insurgent who spreads chaos not through immediate violence, but slow and insidious addiction to drugs and degenerate vices. Saying that, I must admit my own vice: risk taking. It does not offer me aura recovery, but after so many brushes with death it feels addictively good to get closer and closer with the end yet not fall off. I fear this conniving Oni would use that against me, to offer me the thrills the sinful part of me desires. I know I am not perfect, but I must strive to be as close to free of desire as I can.

Were I offered the city to heal this woman, I would not take it. Were I offered Nirvana to heal this woman, I would turn my back on it and the deceiver making the offer. Its one thing to scare a person with something simple like violence and threats of debt collection, its another more infuriating wicked act to offer people synthesized peace and control them with it.

"Nameless" Lord of FLame

A simple monster who just wants to fight until killed, or she's kicked over every burning rock in Youdu. Not worth healing, or even worth offering help. I see no hope for her case, lost in her delusions and bloodlust too far to be pulled out without some revelation given even Miko knows little of the woman.

"Void's Servant"

Another simple monster, one that simply wants to watch the world burn at the behest of somekind of spirit in their head. Perhaps it is possible to save the body itself, but a part of me doubts much of the person that was once there will be able to re-emerge. If we can't seal it, I fear its a spirit worthy Tsukuro's speciality.

Smugglers

As an Organization:

Bottom feeders, though usually they avoid violent crimes. I am biased against such modern conveneinces that they peddle but must admit that for the common folk such devices are very useful. I simply beleive they have little place in Exorcist practices. As a whole they are seedy but far from the worst monsters Youdu has to offer.

Kyomi

An irritating, vile fox whore who sells her body on radio doodads to lonely and overworked souls who do not need her ephemeral friendship. What sting the most about her is that she has captured Aoi's interest, like a bad seed in a field. I don't wish for her death, that just she is forced to see the error in her ways. Should she require healing, I would restrain her and make her listen to a sermon after her treatment.

Assuming we had the right one on the operating table that is: she has many mannequin body doubles. Perhaps one of the main reasons the Oversees have not properly caught her.

Shukisame

A man who besmirches the proffession and garb of monks, to the point of being a Karmic Outlaw. He's attacked our own people on multiple occasions and shows no sign of stopping. His choice of "theme" is offensive to holy people and I see no reason to offer any healing or assistance his way. Leave him to face the consequences of his actions, for reincarnation will change him more than sermons will.

Stalkers

As an Organization:

Very often steeped in wickedness, yet their work can be virtueous in many cases where familiarity with the dark parts of society is needed to find a good solution. They often work with overseers despite technically working for the highest bidder, of course committing terrible deeds in the process of seeking their wealth. Many of them are valuable sealed at the very least, but many are dangerous. At the very least, most do not have have anti-clerical sentiments.

Jaki

A troubled soul who throws himself from suicide mission to suicide mission in the hopes of paying off an impossible debt. Whenever I can, I try to fix his bodies instead of making him cycle through them, as it leads to further detatchment. One should value life, as it we all have our times to pass when the wheel of life deems it so. I offer him help, at least in the jobs which are not evil. If he was willing, I would happily give him a positions with the Exorcists, Guild or even as simple shrine attendent. The life of attending to the needs of temple or shrine is calming to many.

Madoka

A spy allied with Senguru, making her a fellow of the mine(or perhaps making me a criminal by ascociation). There is benevolence and virtue in her heart, but its weighed down by a lack of patience and a need to see change, regardless of what that change truly entails. She seems to not think through her actions to their conclusions, which is troubling for someone with such a privilaged position. Worthy of healing if she needs it, albeit the operating table should be moved into the living room of my hut as opposed to the back room where I work and sleep. Its no beyond her to get injured on purpose for a chance to spy on me and I don't want to give her the satisfaction of getting one over me.

Detective Hasu

A youkai of with a viasge worthy of horror show, and a powerful curse which I have asked before to exocrise from him. He seems to have a deal with it, having to do with the bandages he wears. I have only been told of the destruction this form can cause, and given the mans preferance for outwitting others in games of intrigue I have to wonder what is stopping him from having the monster sealed away save for an arrogant belief that he can properly control it.

Worthy of being offered healing, owing to his less violent means of solving cases in the Devil Moon. Anyone bothering to try and untanlge that areas problems with crime and debauchery are owed some solace from injury and extortionate doctors.

Institute Apprentices

As an Organization:

The opposite of the temples: they take divinity and ceremony out and replace it with human observation and logic. I distrust this approach to learning and study, as it encourages a destructive approach to knoweldge. The past is what anchors any civilization, especially one like Youdu, and to teach in way that throws out the old for what is supposed to work will only lead cascade of systems failing and setting everyone back much farther than they started. However, they do cavort with true monsters(usually) and for now at least still carry the knoweldge of the old ways in more accessable forms than the lunar Bough offers.

Kouki Kamiya

A masterful technique copyist, as such I avoid using my age curse anywhere close to him for fear a mind not ready for such a technique will have it. I offer no resentment for his talent, but the young and the arrogant should not be given assured immortality before learning exactly what living forever means. It challenges your perception of human affection, the value of your life versus anothers, and espeically in egotistical indivuals can lead to messy god complexes. Maybe someday he will prove himself worthy of passing the technique onto. I will sedate him and eliminate his senses if I ever have to fix him, as it is the only way to preserve the secrecy of the technique and his life at the same time.

Yuki Yuri

An expert in sealing techniques, and an honorary member of the Exorcist Guild due to her teaching classes to our younger members on seals and useful body marks. Sadly she struggles with many social issues I'd hoped our organization would help with, but the monks seem to get her flustered in some strange way. I must confess, my own sealing marks were forgotten some time ago when I learned imprisoning spirits in aged or infantile bodies was a longer term solution in many cases which eliminated the task of trackingt the seal down(Infants don't tend to move much, as don't decrepit elders).

Were she to formally don the red and white, I'd place her as a Seikai on her knowledge, albeit remind her that more field-experianced Chokai are still her seniors in practical matters.

Long Zhi Wen

A contractor of powerful spirits with wealth and connections as numerous as his the people who would happily leave him gasping for air in a dark alleyway. He is the sort of person who can afford to use "proper" Lunar Bough Exorcists as opposed to those of us from the guild. Still, sometimes a task from him trickles down owing to its exceeding danger being too much for the corrupt louses too handle.

I don't trust him. His work is always dubious and fraught with other angles being played and parties interfering in what is always said to just be another spirit hunt. Yet he has the burden of power, and his death leaves too much to fight for should it happen. If he is dire need of a doctor, then I will step and handle things properly before a disguised enemy takes his life through a poisonous pill of false medicine.

Street Vendors

As an Organization:

Not organized, and similar to stalkers in terms of morality. They do what they must and ride the line between looking out for their customers and trying make more money. More often than not our requests come from street vendors wanting to travel unmolested along their routes, so I cannot dispairage them too much. They are like most common people: good when they can be, bad when they must survive by wicked means.

Joe White

A curious man from the west who arrived here by some poor stroke of luck. His particuler gimmick of teaching techniques to his patrons is a show of good character, even if any bar owner is a character who peddles debauchery for currency. He's never not paid for our work, at the very least. It is hard for me to look at a peddler of alchahol and not feel a insurmountable distance in morals.

Despite our differances, I would offer him healing in a time of need. I'm not so above the mortal world to not see why people go to bars, and why someone needs to make the experiance pleasurable and controlled.

Yamato no Mizuki

The antithesis of what a doctor should be. Someone who truly cared for her patients well-being would not offer opium and cocaine meant to dull the senses for pleasure. Someone who would ever change for the better would never become one of Xana's suppliers and an ally of the Hellion Mob. I hold no mercy for her should she be backstabbed by the hellions.

Should she ever beg for medicine or healing, she will first burn her supply of debauchery and submit to tracking seals placed on her. Once the corruptors she ascociates with have fallen then I may have a brighter view of her. If she does not cooperate with us, she can die treating herself with her own sinful product.

Lady Yor

Her position as a street vendor is side job to her role as a maid in Six-Fingers, which qualifies her be a strong fighter. Of the Six-Fingers I have had to deal with, she is the kindest by far. However, she is entangled with the Fox Whore, a black mark against her karma given how much money is effectively stolen from the poor souls drawn into donating to her. I will still fix her, if need be. Whoever would replace her would be more cruel, and their is quite enough misery in this world.

Catch-all

Those who do not conform to a common role but are still of note.

Ren

A doctor who skirts the limits of being a fraud by not having lost patients of his own fault(yet). Miko's advice is that he is more spy than doctor, that its all an act to keep his adoptive mother informed of political matters among the upper crust. I would heal him, if nothing else for to avoid the wrath of his mother being exerted onto others. I cannot call the child evil, simply untrustworthy.

Dazai

I remember him during his "prime", the days when he would swagger about the Canal District with an armed possy collecting protection money and publicly punishing those who hid money from him. We had wars of words, but a mutual desire to not start war kept him from rapidly aging into an immobile husk of a man for his brutality. I had assumed him dead of some debauched overdose, but seeing him at work in a field as humble as housework is strange. Even Miko cannot recall where he has been for the last decade, so its possible the Dazai carrying his noble lady's bags on shopping trips is not even the same man.

I'd fix him, if nothing else to ask him what changed, and where he went. The man I knew was not a man who would give all the power, wealth, and vice up.

Logan Ace

An explorer with a bad habit of scorching people with violent friends and angering spirits best left sleeping. He's since moved to the lonely outskirts of Youdu owing to these problems. I know of him because it was assumed he was an eccentric or undercover member of ours by many news rags. If he ever required medical attention, I'd offer it if nothing else for a chance to read his karma and ask him if any of the disasters he caused were intentional.

Iori of the Six-Fingers

One of the "family" members of the group who acts as their blunt instrument to competition in the canals. We have shared words about her conduct and her sins. I started things diplomatically, but she seems to distrust the work of holy people, or anyone outwardly good for that matter. I have an understanding with the Six-fingers, to fix their people who are not karmic outlaws. They provide order, as messy and self-interested as it is and as much as it burns like bile in my mouth to give them a compliment.

We do not share many words. She leaves her people to be fixed, but she herself runs close to being undeserving of such kindness.

Hajun

A Yahata member, and one who is very noticable owing to the variety of vows he must uphold and his extraordinarily poor fortune. Those vows must have been applied for a reason: a rule is always put in place because someone broke it at some point after all.
He cannot accepts gifts, so he likely fooled people out of their things in the past.
His only protection is his fists and his chains, so he likely attempted to break conquer his punishment by donning ill-gotten equipment.
He cannot allow others to suffer in his place, so he has a reputation for abandoning others to suffer for him.
And he cannot lie in anyway, so he must have been a terrible liar at one point.

If my healing can ease the pain of living with such boundless karmic debt, then I will offer it freely.

Shinka "The Chimera Queen"

A monster of existential levels. Sadly, she is not a problem that can be solved with preaching nor sealing. What my age curse would even do to her is questionable, but I am not eager to try it considering her boundless lethality and the frailty of my own body. I am best at fixing those who come back from repelling her assaults rather attempting to age her up(into a possibly more evolved form) or down(Into a younger and stronger form).

How such a thing came to be, and to take the form of a small girl is one I hope can be answered, though I fear the answer is one that will threaten all of Youdu with its answer. But that answer may be the only way to stop the beasts from trampling us. For anyone reading this, do take this wit ha grain of salt: I attempt to have hope in situations such as this, but the pain described by the hunters wtih intact enough bodies to revive is that of a torturer, something concious enough to play with its food and find sadistic glee before ending it. I can only pray the gods answer my prayers that she see error in her ways some day.

Azami

A degenerate wastrel, more akin to a walking disaster than a person capable of conquering their desires. I hesitate to offer my services should her master of the week want her fixed, given the sheer amount of damage and grief she causes in fits of drunkenness. I would offer her to stay at a shrine and break the cycle of addiction. The life of a simple shrine maiden can be very fulfilling and it may offer her some peace in life away from alchohalism.

But that would mean putting a down payment for what is ultimately a gamble to see wheather her soul can conquer a need for her vice, and I don't like the odds I see given her frequent sale as an aura slave.

Shion

Yahata's enigmatic housekeeper, one with a checkered past that involves a death mark from the Hellions, Senguru, and the undead bankers. Supposedly her strength is signifigent, yet she doesn't use it. As an outsider to the politics of Yahata, I am wary of why such a hated and powerful woman would join as their maid. I am hesitant to fix her should she ever need it, as I;m unsure where her karma lies or if there is some kind soul to save in her.

Quadistu

A monsterous succubus masquerading as a housekeeper in the most debasing and provacative outfits imaginable. While she talks much about her supposed power and repuation, Miko cannot find a proper source on any of it. She is either a hidden threat that uses reverse psychology to convince she is talking of empty threats, or a seductress with no self awareness. Not worthy of fixing given what information is available.

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Pub: 01 Mar 2025 04:54 UTC

Edit: 04 Mar 2025 15:42 UTC

Views: 541