The Great Spirits

The powers behind the Wheel — neighbors, guardians, and terrors

Umir

Umir is the sentient gateway that blocks entry to and from the spirit realm. As long as Umir stands, it is said Ino cannot cross back into the living realm once they have departed it. It is said that Umir is weakened when the Pact is violated. Should Umir fall, the Pact will break and Obara will unleash the spirits of the wheel to war against the Ino — this would destroy Jinjara.

Ama Taiga

Ama Taiga is the mother protector of the living, the great spirit said to have taken pity on the living after the Awakening, when the land was in chaos as mortal and spirit realms collided. Ama Taiga stood against Obara so that the Pact could be brokered. It is said she traded her place in the spirit world, and now wanders Jinjara guiding spirits to Labyrinth and helping mortals in need.

Obara

Guardian of the Gate of the Dead, Keeper of the Labyrinth. Said to appear in three forms to travelers who would enter the labyrinth: a mischievous child, an aggressive warrior, and a wizened old man. Obara presents challenges in each form to determine the worth of the traveller, then casts judgement. If they prove worthy, Obara will appear to hear the supplicant's plea.

Unåian elders — higher-ranking Animists — make the pilgrimage to Labyrinth as part of their devotions prior to taking their new rank. It is also said that souls of the dead meet with Obara to gain entry through the gate; Obara passes judgement on their souls and sends them on to be remade in a form that fits their deeds. Obara maintains watch, waiting for the day when the Pact will be broken and he will open the gate — either to fully join Jinjara with the Fugue Plane, or to return it to the Prime Material.

Mother Soktu

The Mother of Ino, said to be Ama Taiga's sister. She wanders the mists searching for lost mortals, promising them gifts to corrupt them, luring out her children to inhabit those who accept. She is a terrifying figment for most Jinjarans, often used as a cautionary figure in scolding misbehaving children. She is associated with ill omens, and is said to walk under Tethis' light.

K'Mun Masa

K'Mun Masa is the trickster spirit of the deep forest, lost places, isolation, secrets, and those who stray from the path. A solitary spirit — if one stumbles on their hiding place, they may not return, cursed to forever roam the forests directionless. It is said K'Mun Masa will play a trick on brash explorers and ask for news of the outside world; if told, they will bestow their curse, for they do not wish to know. They are also said to make bargains with those desperate enough to seek them out. Seeran children are taught not to gossip or speak out of turn, lest they find themselves speaking to K'Mun Masa. It is said that Lunes is allied with K'Mun Masa.

Lunes

Lunes is a spirit associated with the night, beasts, hunting, and the din of the wilds. She is said to travel invisibly, but shows herself to fools at night, hoping to make bargains in return for servitude, turning them into wolves. She favors beasts over mortals and is said to lead a large dire wolf pack that roams the forests north of Tohsa. Lunes enjoys tricking those who dishonor nature — trophy hunters and poachers especially, above all those who would seek out her pack. She will help shifters and others who can change their form, and those who show deference to wild beasts.

Ri the Farwalker

Ri, "The Farwalker," is said to always be travelling, and will one day return to Jinjara when his namesake moon falls from the sky. Before he departed, it is said Ri set the moon on its path to trace the way the spirits must take on their return to the realm of the dead. He is considered a shepherd or guiding celestial body by sailors, travellers, and merchants.

Kaguhi

Madam Kaguhi is the patron of medics and herbalists, thought to bring wisdom and inspiration to those seeking to solve problems that benefit others. She is considered the source of mortal wisdom — it is said she touches every newborn to gift them a thread of understanding that begins the weave of their new consciousness.

Jatu

Jatu is said to be a leviathan spirit that roams the deep waters of the oceans, tasked with returning the waters that fall from Jinjara back to it in an endless cycle. It is said that Jatu loathes the mortals it serves and takes pleasure in creating tidal waves and wrecking ships when it can.

Akki Dij

Akki Dij is a wandering spirit of storm and tempest, fabled to take the form of an enormous jellyfish as large as an entire city. Unlike Jatu, Akki Dij is neutral in disposition — even curious about where it finds itself as it floats on the ocean currents, letting time and fate carry it along. It has been believed to empower sailors and travelers that cross its path, granting them power in exchange for seeing the world through their eyes.

Gher Ehntir

Gher Ehntir is not a spirit "entity," but a nexus of spiritual energy associated with the primal forces of physical creation and destruction. It is believed to be a joining point where Jinjara and the Spirit Realm meet, and where newly forged spirits enter Jinjara before joining their destined physical forms. Gher Ehntir is said to be the heart of the Cauldron, which births new lands even as its fires destroy. It provides inspiration to smiths, artists, and performers, and is associated with creativity — as well as the suffering that comes with striving to perfect an art, craft, or trade.

🔒 Canon · see also U'Naim Ana & Time in Jinjara