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Shimotsuki Island Summary
General Info: A rather small island that focuses primarily on living a quiet and fulfilling life, despite the general slowness of existence it is a place that regularly produces people of exceptional martial skills as it focuses on meditation and understanding in conjunction with prowess and skill.
Appearance::
Shimotsuki Island itself is a large U-shaped island with sheer cliffs covering the external edges of the U and a gently sloping beach up to the port town of Shimotsuki itself in the center of the inner-curve. From the ocean approaching the North, East or Western edges it is an inhospitable place, somewhere to avoid rather than somewhere to enter and dwell for a time. From the South it is another matter altogether however - it is a beautiful sight to behold with large statues adorning the Southern tips of the U that show men and women of great valour and honour amongst the histories of Shimotsuki itself and lush greenery that is finely maintained leading up to the island center itself. This is a general theme on the island proper - everything in its proper place and designed specifically to have the best aesthetic and spiritual feeling to it overall, to enhance understanding and true peace within someone.
Climate:
Shimotsuki has a very temperate and even climate - it does not have supremely harsh summers nor exceptionally cold winters, instead the spring and autumn are times of beauty and a calm, even temperature with no hard winds as the brunt of the island is kept safe from these by the high cliffs that surround the inhabited areas. Ultimately it is a very pleasant place to live with only the occasional rainstorm due to the proximity of high winds that hit the cliffs of the island and move skywards, creating heavy cloud cover that soaks up the sea and then covers the island in a short, heavy storm, leaving behind a rather beautiful misty cover after it is done.
Island Challenges:
Notable NPC(s):
Groups:
Vicinity:
Shimotsuki Village:
The main -and only- village on the island, Shimotsuki Village is named for the island itself and is primarily a farming community with essentially only half a hundred buildings in the truest center of the island itself. The buildings themselves are primarily wood with thatched rooftops and flowing curves and smooth edges around them, focusing on circular shapes around windows and doors and a general idea of a flow with nature. The idea of the village is that of peace and tranquility, a focus on nature and an easygoing life for the villagers.
The Seven Dojos:
Situated around the island (primarily in the village itself), these Seven Dojos preach the virtues of peace through martial arts as a means for enlightenment and focus. Each of these Dojos are beautiful buildings, made of wood and flowing curves and exceptional craftsmanship. These Dojos are each run by one of the Seven Masters and each focus on a different form of combat. They are:
-The Isshin Dojo is a school of the sword, run by Master Denteki.
-The Nisshin Dojo is a school of the spear, run by Master Rou.
-The Sansshin Dojo is a school of the tonfa, run by Master An.
-The Shisshin Dojo is a school of the axe and hammer, run by Master Shimani.
-The Gosshin Dojo is a school of the bow, run by Master Yuyu.
-The Rokusshin Dojo is a school of the fist and foot, run by Master Kentaro.
-The Nanasshin Dojo is an unknown place, none know what kind of school it is for it exists in name only as far as people know. It is run by Master Doug.
Zenmoki Cliffs:
The names of the sheer cliffs that surround three-quarters of the island, the Zenmoki Cliffs are rather deceptive from the island side, with grass and beautiful plants covering them mostly as you approach the edge and then an immediate and sudden drop masked mostly by trees and brushes. From the ocean-side it is nothing more than an inhospitable vertical surface, crumbling rocks and scattered, dead roots of plants that have long fallen away. There is no approach from anywhere but the inner-curve of the island, for the rocks under the water are more dangerous to approaching ships than the cliffs are to any foolish enough to climb them.
Tentatta Shrine:
Situated at the very center of the Northern part of the island, only a few hundred metres short of the drop off the Zenmoki Cliffs, Tentatta Shrine is an enormous place that is completely unmanned, the monks long since left for the temple itself is one of peace and self-enlightenment rather than a guided or focused place on any one deity or idea. Enlightenment means something different to everyone after all, and Shimotsuki focuses on this particular aspect when looking for yourself. At the center of the Tentatta Shrine is an enormous silver bell covered in scripture in a language long since lost, known only to a few people in the world who have also themselves been lost to the ages...
Min'yoen Falls:
Arguably the second most visited place on the island besides the Village itself (and the Dojos within it), the Min'yoen Falls are a large series of Waterfalls on the interior Western edge of the island, running from the higher points of the Cliffs all the way down to the bay almost two kilometres down below, the Falls are a series of plateaus and lakes that are fed through an underground spring that runs from the ocean all the way up to the top of the cliffs and then back down to the sea itself, giving the falls a salty taste. This is a place of enlightenment and focus with the village actually placing a limit on the number of people who are sanctioned to visit at any one time, for enlightenment is not only a personal process but also, generally, a private one.
General Info: A rather small island that focuses primarily on living a quiet and fulfilling life, despite the general slowness of existence it is a place that regularly produces people of exceptional martial skills as it focuses on meditation and understanding in conjunction with prowess and skill.
Appearance::
Shimotsuki Island itself is a large U-shaped island with sheer cliffs covering the external edges of the U and a gently sloping beach up to the port town of Shimotsuki itself in the center of the inner-curve. From the ocean approaching the North, East or Western edges it is an inhospitable place, somewhere to avoid rather than somewhere to enter and dwell for a time. From the South it is another matter altogether however - it is a beautiful sight to behold with large statues adorning the Southern tips of the U that show men and women of great valour and honour amongst the histories of Shimotsuki itself and lush greenery that is finely maintained leading up to the island center itself. This is a general theme on the island proper - everything in its proper place and designed specifically to have the best aesthetic and spiritual feeling to it overall, to enhance understanding and true peace within someone.
Climate:
Shimotsuki has a very temperate and even climate - it does not have supremely harsh summers nor exceptionally cold winters, instead the spring and autumn are times of beauty and a calm, even temperature with no hard winds as the brunt of the island is kept safe from these by the high cliffs that surround the inhabited areas. Ultimately it is a very pleasant place to live with only the occasional rainstorm due to the proximity of high winds that hit the cliffs of the island and move skywards, creating heavy cloud cover that soaks up the sea and then covers the island in a short, heavy storm, leaving behind a rather beautiful misty cover after it is done.
Island Challenges:
- As the Buddha
Meditate under the Willow Tree in the center of the island for 24 hours and experience true peace. - A True Master
Challenge one of the Masters of the seven schools of combat on the island. - November Rains
Visit the islands during the month of November and see the beautiful mists after a rainstorm
Notable NPC(s):
- Master Denteki - The Master of the Isshin Dojo, the Head of the Council of the Masters, and the current Mayor of the island for the past decade, Denteki is an old man at this point in his life but he is someone of great honour and focus, having dedicated his life to the sword and to achieving enlightenment. It is said he is closer to doing this than any other human in the world, though he laughs this speculation off and instead tries to do right by the people of his island.
- Master Rou - The Master of the Nisshin Dojo, the Secretary of the Council of the Masters, and the former Mayor of the Island, Master Rou is a man almost ninety years in age who looks like a slightly more wizened Yoda (and a bit taller to boot) but is still more than capable of unleashing a can of whoop-ass on any young punk who thinks they can challenge his title as the best spear fighter on the island. Irascible in his old age, he has a rough tongue and is quick to use it, but has a true love of his village at his heart, despite what he says.
- Master An - The Master of the Sansshin Dojo, An is a young man considering the ages of the rest of the Council and has only recently achieved the title of Master of his particular Dojo having taken over when his grandfather recently passed away. Proud in his ways and still learning how to temper his youth with true wisdom at its core, An is a man who is quick to anger but also quick to forgive and laugh it off, always willing to talk and chat with others one moment and pummel them into submission with his tonfas in the next.
- Master Shimani - The Master of the Shisshin Dojo, Shimani is a venerable woman who is well loved by the villagers around her (often referred to as "Granny" by those who know her) and is constantly trying to get the villagers to not treat her as some old crone who cannot do basic tasks - she's only 60 and doesn't even walk with a stoop! As a Master of one of the Seven Dojos she is a powerful individual in her own right and she treats the villagers more motherly than she realises, constantly bringing them cookies or medicines and then has the audacity to be confused and upset when they react to her mothering with appropriately coddled actions.
- Master Yuyu - The Master of the Gosshin Dojo and the second youngest of the Council of the Masters, Yuyu is a wonderfully talented woman when it comes to art who tends to eschew her responsibilities as a Master in favour of teaching her pupils art and focus on the world around them, ignoring their pleas for training in combat even though she says that her idea of training is one that will help their physical trainings too. She is a carver, a painter, a sculptor and a carpenter and she is the one who designs and maintains the statues and art of the island itself, even while she retains her Master status - for none can challenge her as a markswoman.
- Master Kentaro - The Master of the Rokusshin Dojo, Kentaro prefers a relaxed and laidback attitude when it comes to teaching and is more of a friend to his pupils than the other Masters often are, Kentaro can often be found in the bars of the island and in the beds of various single women who see him as absurdly attractive and a very generous and kind man in multiple ways. Be wary of him, for he is far too charming for his own good...
- Master Doug - The Master of the Nanasshin Dojo, very little is known of Master Doug for his Dojo has only a single student, himself. Isolating himself high in the cliffs of the island Doug is a recluse, one who seeks something unknown to any save the other Council members and will flee quite quickly from anyone else who approaches him for any reason.
- Marine Captain Shang - A native of the island and someone who left when he was eighteen and only returned in the last year with a goal to maintain peace on the island, Shang is a proud and strong man who prays that men are true men and women are true women -whatever that means- and who only wants to help maintain the peace and the relaxed atmosphere of the island, protecting it from what he sees as the darkness of the world around them.
Groups:
- The Council of Masters
The effective (and truthful) masters of the island and who are basically the mayors and the people of true power on the island, running it in both the foreground and background. The seven Masters are the owners and most powerful teachers of the Seven Dojos of Shimotsuki and are considered venerable, wise and rulers of kindness and truth. They constantly praise these values and preach peace through enlightenment, using martial arts to - Marine Base AS-3
A recently built Marine Base on the Northern-most edge of the island, the Marines of Base AS-3 are dedicated individuals who are... out of practice, one might say, for the relaxed and easygoing nature of the island (and the general martial prowess of most of the common citizens) results in Marines being largely unnecessary, only really tolerated because they can be and the island is in no way remiss for having them there.
Vicinity:
Shimotsuki Village:
The main -and only- village on the island, Shimotsuki Village is named for the island itself and is primarily a farming community with essentially only half a hundred buildings in the truest center of the island itself. The buildings themselves are primarily wood with thatched rooftops and flowing curves and smooth edges around them, focusing on circular shapes around windows and doors and a general idea of a flow with nature. The idea of the village is that of peace and tranquility, a focus on nature and an easygoing life for the villagers.
The Seven Dojos:
Situated around the island (primarily in the village itself), these Seven Dojos preach the virtues of peace through martial arts as a means for enlightenment and focus. Each of these Dojos are beautiful buildings, made of wood and flowing curves and exceptional craftsmanship. These Dojos are each run by one of the Seven Masters and each focus on a different form of combat. They are:
-The Isshin Dojo is a school of the sword, run by Master Denteki.
-The Nisshin Dojo is a school of the spear, run by Master Rou.
-The Sansshin Dojo is a school of the tonfa, run by Master An.
-The Shisshin Dojo is a school of the axe and hammer, run by Master Shimani.
-The Gosshin Dojo is a school of the bow, run by Master Yuyu.
-The Rokusshin Dojo is a school of the fist and foot, run by Master Kentaro.
-The Nanasshin Dojo is an unknown place, none know what kind of school it is for it exists in name only as far as people know. It is run by Master Doug.
Zenmoki Cliffs:
The names of the sheer cliffs that surround three-quarters of the island, the Zenmoki Cliffs are rather deceptive from the island side, with grass and beautiful plants covering them mostly as you approach the edge and then an immediate and sudden drop masked mostly by trees and brushes. From the ocean-side it is nothing more than an inhospitable vertical surface, crumbling rocks and scattered, dead roots of plants that have long fallen away. There is no approach from anywhere but the inner-curve of the island, for the rocks under the water are more dangerous to approaching ships than the cliffs are to any foolish enough to climb them.
Tentatta Shrine:
Situated at the very center of the Northern part of the island, only a few hundred metres short of the drop off the Zenmoki Cliffs, Tentatta Shrine is an enormous place that is completely unmanned, the monks long since left for the temple itself is one of peace and self-enlightenment rather than a guided or focused place on any one deity or idea. Enlightenment means something different to everyone after all, and Shimotsuki focuses on this particular aspect when looking for yourself. At the center of the Tentatta Shrine is an enormous silver bell covered in scripture in a language long since lost, known only to a few people in the world who have also themselves been lost to the ages...
Min'yoen Falls:
Arguably the second most visited place on the island besides the Village itself (and the Dojos within it), the Min'yoen Falls are a large series of Waterfalls on the interior Western edge of the island, running from the higher points of the Cliffs all the way down to the bay almost two kilometres down below, the Falls are a series of plateaus and lakes that are fed through an underground spring that runs from the ocean all the way up to the top of the cliffs and then back down to the sea itself, giving the falls a salty taste. This is a place of enlightenment and focus with the village actually placing a limit on the number of people who are sanctioned to visit at any one time, for enlightenment is not only a personal process but also, generally, a private one.
