The Yokai Realms

Discovery, Exploration

Djaynai’s arrival in 1269 DR had reinforced the importance of ancestral reverence and spiritual governance, but it had also raised new questions—what of civilizations that had lived in direct coexistence with spirits, yokai, and celestial beings?   This question became the obsession of a small group of scholars, monks, and celestial diviners, many of whom had already studied the visions that led to Djaynai’s return. Among them, a San Citlán priestess named Jisoo Moonveil became the leading voice in the search for lost civilizations where mortals and celestial beings shared power.   Her research, combining Djaynai’s oral traditions with San Citlán’s spiritual dream-walking rituals, pointed to a realm hidden behind layers of divine protection—a place where rulers had long consulted celestial beings for guidance, where spirits and mortals lived side by side.   The signs all pointed to Yeonido, a civilization deeply tied to the Yokai Realms, a land where powerful supernatural entities roamed freely and shaped the world alongside humanity.   But unlike previous civilizations, Yeonido was not lost.   It had hidden itself.

Rediscovery of Yeonido
By 1274 DR, the Radiant Citadel had fully embraced its role as a sanctuary for culture, governance, and trade. Yet, as more civilizations returned, the influence of the divine and the supernatural had become undeniable. Djaynai’s arrival in 1269 DR had reinforced the importance of ancestral reverence and spiritual governance, but it had also raised new questions—what of civilizations that had lived in direct coexistence with spirits, yokai, and celestial beings?   This question became the obsession of a small group of scholars, monks, and celestial diviners, many of whom had already studied the visions that led to Djaynai’s return.   Among them, a San Citlán priestess named Jisoo Moonveil became the leading voice in the search for lost civilizations where mortals and celestial beings shared power.   Her research, combining Djaynai’s oral traditions with San Citlán’s spiritual dream-walking rituals, pointed to a realm hidden behind layers of divine protection—a place where rulers had long consulted celestial beings for guidance, where spirits and mortals lived side by side.   The signs all pointed to Yeonido, a civilization deeply tied to the Yokai Realms, a land where powerful supernatural entities roamed freely and shaped the world alongside humanity.   But unlike previous civilizations, Yeonido was not lost.   It had hidden itself.   A Civilization That Chose to Disappear
Unlike the rediscoveries of Akharin Sangar, Tletepec, or Djaynai, Yeonido was not displaced, destroyed, or forgotten. It had deliberately severed its ties to the Material Plane, concealing itself within layers of celestial veils and spirit-bound enchantments to escape the political and spiritual conflicts that had once plagued its land.   Jisoo Moonveil and her scholars believed that the city still existed, but the path to it had been obscured.   Their first real breakthrough came not from magic, but from folklore.   In the Shankhabhumi river-trade routes, they heard whispers of fishermen who had been lost at sea, only to return years later claiming they had lived in a paradise ruled by celestial tigers and star-born sages.   In San Citlán’s markets, they found rare scrolls that depicted bridges vanishing into starlit mists, where travelers had been welcomed into a city untouched by time.   Through a combination of divine rituals, celestial auguries, and lost travelogues, the scholars pinpointed an ancient pilgrimage route—one that had once led mortals to Yeonido’s gates.   Their expedition followed this path, traversing mountains wreathed in unnatural mists, forests where lantern-lit spirits watched from the trees, and bridges that only appeared under the light of the moon.   At last, they arrived at Yeonido’s hidden stronghold, where celestial guardians—shapeshifting tigers with amethyst-colored fur—stood watch.   The return of the Radiant Citadel’s emissaries was not unexpected.   The rulers of Yeonido had long known that the world would come looking for them again.   Upon their arrival at the Radiant Citadel, the Amethyst Tiger, Yeonido’s Dawn Incarnate, stirred from its slumber, stepping forth from the Preserve of the Ancestors, its glowing violet eyes filled with the wisdom of ages.   Yeonido had returned to the world—but on its own terms.   Immediate Impact & Political Shifts
1. The Integration of Celestial Governance
Yeonido introduced a new political structure that had not yet been seen in the Citadel—one where mortals shared governance with celestial advisors.   Yeonido’s rulers had long consulted celestial beings and yokai spirits for guidance. Their return deepened the political divide over governance, faith, and divine intervention within the Speakers for the Ancestors. While Djaynai and San Citlán welcomed their approach when they later arrived, factions like Sensa Empire and Akharin Sangar were wary of allowing supernatural forces to influence decision-making. This formalized the first supernatural advisory councils, which later became instrumental in integrating Yongjing’s scholars and Tayyib’s celestial emissaries into governance.   2. The Expansion of Spirit Boundaries in the Citadel
Yeonido’s return also had a physical impact on the Citadel itself.   Areas within the Preserve of the Ancestors became more attuned to spiritual activity, allowing Speakers and mystics to communicate more easily with the Dawn Incarnates. Ritual sites and sacred spaces were established, mirroring the spirit temples of Yeonido, allowing for the first time formalized negotiations between mortals and supernatural entities. This later paved the way for Dayawlongon’s return (1299 DR), as scholars studying Yeonido’s celestial pathways discovered parallels between their rituals and Dayawlongon’s dream-based magic.   3. The Growing Rift Between Faith and Commerce
While Yeonido’s arrival strengthened the faith-based civilizations within the Citadel, it also widened the gap between spiritualists and economic leaders.   Sensa Empire and Siabsungkoh resisted Yeonido’s influence, fearing that the rise of religious councils would undermine the financial and trade-driven policies they had worked to establish. Tensions between political and supernatural factions led to increased calls for a balance between spiritual governance and economic policy. This set the stage for Yongjing’s later arrival (1309 DR), when the scholars of Yongjing would attempt to create a philosophical balance between all forms of governance.   Contributions & Lasting Changes
The Establishment of Celestial Advisory Councils
The first official supernatural councils were integrated into the Speakers for the Ancestors. This solidified the role of divine and yokai entities in governance, a tradition that later influenced Tayyib’s return (1327 DR).   Expansion of Spirit and Yokai Negotiations
Yeonido introduced formal treaties between mortals and spirits, ensuring peaceful cohabitation. Their knowledge was later instrumental in handling immigration issues as more civilizations sought entry into the Citadel.   The First True Political Divide Between Faith and Commerce
Yeonido’s spiritual philosophy clashed with the trade-driven policies of Sensa Empire and Siabsungkoh. This led to a three-way split within the Citadel’s political sphere:

• Faith-Driven Governance (Djaynai, San Citlán, Yeonido)
• Secular Leadership & Philosophy (Yongjing, Tayyib)
• Economic Power & Trade Domination (Sensa Empire, Siabsungkoh, Zinda)

• Djaynai (1269 DR): Their return inspired scholars to track supernatural anomalies, leading to Yeonido’s rediscovery.
• San Citlán (1284 DR): Their shared belief in spirits and the afterlife created a powerful cultural and political alliance.
• Dayawlongon (1299 DR): Their return directly influenced the search for Dayawlongon, whose people had also lived in a dreamlike, spiritual limbo.

• Yeonido was never lost—it had deliberately hidden itself within layers of celestial veils.
• The Amethyst Tiger awakened upon their return, marking the integration of celestial politics into the Citadel.
• Their governance model challenged existing political structures, deepening the divide between faith, secularism, and economic policy.
• Their influence expanded supernatural diplomacy, setting the stage for Dayawlongon’s return.
• Their presence forced the Citadel to recognize and regulate spiritual and yokai activity within its borders.