Tzchimoos (tʃiˈmuːs)

Tzchimoos is the highest point on the island of Chowinga. According to the Kizhva, the mountain is an evil place - one that bears nothing but malice for all living things. While most of the island was once inhabited by the spirits of Kizhva ancestors (before the bindings of the Kyōai Reiji sealed them into the Dream), Tzchimoos is said to be home to ancient, malevolent, and hungry gods who would ravage the world were they not anchored to the ancient volcano.

Kizhva legend tells that these gods were once free to roam the cosmos, spreading mayhem and destruction wherever they went. But when they came to the Great Ring, they were met by the Nakaal sorcerers of Muria, whose magic was fueled by living souls. In the ensuing battle, the Nakaal slaughtered thousands of prisoners to empower their spells. Yet in doing so, they prevailed - binding the devils to the mountain's peak, where they might later be consumed in turn, fueling acts of magic yet undreamt of.

But Muria fell, and the devils remained bound to the mountain. When the Kizhva came to the island, they learned to avoid Tzchimoos; though the devils were much diminished, they could still overwhelm and devour any who climbed its slopes.

No one knows how long the ancient bindings upon Tzchimoos will hold. Most simply say that they must hold - for as long as they can.

Notable Spirits

While countless evil spirits are said to be trapped within the volcano, one stands out above the rest: Momoshush, the Horned Queen. She has survived by slowly devouring her companions, one by one. Among the oldest and most powerful of the devils, she was the last to be bound to Tzchimoos.

According to legend, Momoshush possesses a body woven from water and darkness, and upon her head writhes a living crown of horns, which she can cast at her enemies like spears. She is known to lie down in a river and appear as a stretch of turbulent water, waiting for some unsuspecting creature to come within her grasp.

The other devils obey her every command - for those who do not become her next meal. In some tales, she has seduced mortal men and borne children by them, believing that such offspring might one day free her from the bindings of the mountain. Thus far, her attempts have failed, but she blames each failure on the weakness of her chosen mate. Still, she watches and waits for a magician of true power - one capable of siring the child she desires.