Ikisakan, aka "The Ghost Shops"

Ikisakan is a specifically marked territory of about ten city blocks located amongst a commercial area (with some residential built on top) in the hilly northeast region of Salvaernia. It overlooks the dry bay and foothills beyond.

Depending on the individual satisfaction of buyers, the spirits and phenomenon in Ikisakan seem to take more than they give, siphoning soul energy as a form of payment or just as an irrepressible side effect of their insatiable, life-hungry auras. The parasitic nature of these spirits is a large reason for citizens being urged to stay away. Citizens residing in the area are mostly left alone, as long as there remains a steady stream of commerce during the nights to keep the spirits' needs met.

Starting as the sun disappears beyond the horizon, ghost lights begin to dance and play. Colorful lights floating as though on invisible strings appear, draped in front of shops and weaved across streets between the buildings. Lit lanterns materialize, shifting this way and that as though alive, resting on or from the 'strings' and drifting from one shop to the next at random, sometimes following customers around as they shop. Specks of glowing spiritual residue ascend at a sleepy pace through the air overhead, disappearing into the night sky as they go, or being feasted upon by flying, glowing centipede-like creatures. A smell like a mixture of stinging perfume, sweet treats, savory meats, and pleasant death wafts through one's nostrils. These are the most relaxing parts of the crisp, chilly evening.

Several of the shops gradually begin to light up inside, or sometimes only out front, and the mood at each can be anywhere from a gorgeous and inviting lightshow to dark and foreboding. One should never underestimate what may be found in either, as the services and wares on offer have been known to contradict what the moods seem to represent. It has been speculated that the shop owner's own current mood and demeanor may affect their outward lighting.

The various wares then appear, ranging from familiar to macabre, sometimes exotic treasures or danger. In lieu of tangible items and potions, several shops specialize in offering a wide array of spell energies and other... services, some which involve following the shopkeeper or a helper further inside or to a basement, perhaps even a pocket dimension with no communication to the outside world. People have disappeared or come out changed. Jinelle-Noam and her crew seem to have cracked down significantly on incidents of spirits causing ill effects or death since being placed in charge, protecting both the spirits and outside citizens from harm. Even still, caution should always be invested.

The shop owners themselves vary in appearance. Most do not utter a discernible language. Some look tangible and are able to make physical contact with items or the customer, while others are like shadows or shimmers, only able to motion at their wares. The bodies of some appear abstracted into unrecognizable forms, many times communicating in ear-splitting shrieks and groans. Being in the presence of any ghostly entity can have differing effects, from chilling to unnerving to feeling utterly helpless and despondent. Very few create a feeling of joy and positivity, despite the inviting appearance of their storefronts.

From accounts given, several of the same shop owners have appeared for years, though not always in the same location. The shops themselves can materialize in new, seemingly random locations on any given night, so shoppers may end up searching up and down streets for awhile to track down their favorites.

The weather feels normal most of the time during daylight hours, but from dusk to dawn, several cold spots become evident during the evenings and overnight, especially in the immediate vicinity of any spirit-run shops. Rain has been known on occasion to freeze and remain suspended mid-air while the Ghost Shops are open for business, though the air itself remains unaffected. Residents and customers can just push the frozen droplets out of the way as they walk the streets.

Ikisakan is a paranormal area of Salvaernia, known as The Ghost Shops due to its ghost population. It received the nickname as a nod to ghost ships from sailors far back when the bay was still a bustling ship lane for nautical commerce and sailors frequented the paranormal hotspot to strike an odd bargain with the ghostly inhabitants or on a dare from their fellow shipmates during shore leave. It did not receive its official new zoning as Ikisakan until nine years ago after efforts to preserve and defend the area were approved.

There are no surviving documents of when the current nightly appearance of spirits became commonplace. The earliest reported ghost sighting in the area dates back over seven hundred years ago. For centuries since then, the area has been known for its reported sightings or hauntings of particular homes or businesses, like the famous Hinsdestler Wanding Widow's House or the long-gone We-R-Play toy shop of more recent times. It is in the last hundred years, when the city was still named Dagmar, that reports not only increased but became visibly obvious after dark began to set in each night. The city has experienced two rebuilds since then, but this area remained largely unaffected and the spirit build-up has slowly continued throughout the years.

After the Dread Gitromos struck, chaos and looting was out of control, as well as many homeless on the streets or invading every space they could find for temporary shelter. The Ghost Shops area was no exception. A group of Roahythes (able to commune with spirits) and others championed for greater safety in the spiritual hotspot. It is considered sacred ground to many, due to belief that the increased spiritual energies are indication of a direct connection to the Allwell. After years of effort and submitting applications, current residentproperty owner of one building from floor to roof Jinelle-Noam (Roahythe) was granted a conditional annex of the area in the form of the current territory she then named Ikisakan (roughly translated as "in high spirits"). She and a group of dedicated protectors are in charge of safe-guarding the territory from harm, within reason of the terms set forth.

Jinelle-Noam has gone on record as rebuffing notions that the area has any closer connection to the Allwell than any other place on the planet. She insists that the area has a larger gathering of spirits due to acting as a magnetic attractant to certain souls before they can depart and rejoin the cyclic energies of the Allwell. The reasons stated by the Roahythe community for how this can be have been difficult to make sense of. This would, however, support claims that many of the same spiritual entities have operated businesses in the area for years.

Despite warning signs posted by the city and a minimal amount of enforcement, daring and curious people still visit the territory at night and even during the day touristing when no spirits are evident. It is important to note that businesses and residents still inhabit the territory, just in lower numbers than on average. One night may see as many as 1,200 people and Magimals entering to purchase, spend the night, or simply enjoy the colorful lights and atmosphere. Any causing harm to the area or its ghostly inhabitants are dealt with harshly by Jinelle-Noam and her fellow guardians.

Since most transactions are presided over by spirits who cannot be governed, the city disavows any involvement in the nocturnal proceedings. It is truly a 'buyer beware' situation for those willing to enter and partake of any trading, consumption, or other direct contact with the paranormal offerings, illicit or otherwise. The exception are vendors of living persuasion who offer Ghost Shop-related merchandise from outside of Ikisakan boundaries. Products such as the typical "I survived The Ghost Shops" t-shirts and unusual items being given freely or traded can still be reported by civilians and scrutinized by members of the volunteer city council for the possibility of being unsafe to society. Most are deemed just fine, but caution is still being taken after incidents like the "ghost bombs" and toxic "spiritual effect" weeds having been distributed years back.