Lore

Ishinomori Shrine is an ancient mountain shrine established during the late Heian period at the base of a spiritually receptive mountain. Rather than existing as a militant or combat-oriented shaman site, the shrine was founded to preserve long-term spiritual harmony through ritual continuity, human–spirit mediation, and careful stewardship of the land.

For most of its recorded history, Ishinomori Shrine remained removed from major shaman conflicts, including the Shaman Fight. This prolonged era of uninterrupted practice and isolation is known as the Long Quiet, during which the shrine’s spiritual systems operated steadily without external interference.

Tamamo no Mae is a powerful nine-tailed fox spirit whose fate became permanently tied to Ishinomori Shrine after she was spared destruction through deliberate deception. Believed by the wider world to have been sealed at Sesshō-seki, Tamamo instead found sanctuary at the shrine, where she chose to act as its hidden guardian, preserving its stability across centuries and protecting the Ishinomori lineage from unseen threats.

The Tree of Rebirth is a hidden sacred tree cultivated under the authority of Enma-ō, the judge of the dead in Japanese Buddhist tradition. Unlike widely known sacred trees such as the Goshinboku or the Tree of Ages, the Tree of Rebirth is not part of public myth, worship, or legend. It exists as a secret failsafe, created for rare cases where the normal cycle of death, judgment, and reincarnation cannot properly proceed.

The Tree governs neither life nor death directly. Instead, it governs continuation. It allows souls that should have ended, but cannot, to persist in a new form. This is not resurrection in the common sense. It is not mercy. It is correction.

Among gods and high-ranking yōkai, the Tree is considered Enma’s most private domain. It is spoken of rarely, and only when absolutely necessary.

The Shinra Private Military Academy is a controlled, elite training institution designed to produce disciplined military assets, strategic leaders, and loyal Shinra operatives. Functioning as both an academy and a filtration system, it emphasizes obedience, hierarchy, and psychological resilience over individuality or personal ambition. Through rigid rules, constant surveillance, enforced uniformity, and pressure-driven evaluation, cadets are conditioned to internalize Shinra doctrine as instinct. Instruction, living conditions, and discipline are all structured to ensure that only those who fully align with Shinra’s authority, values, and operational needs advance beyond the academy.

Project Revival was a secret Cetra restoration experiment conducted in Kalm from 1978 to 1979 by Dr. Quinn Carlisle and Dr. Belgemine, using preserved Cetra genetics and repeated implantation trials to revive the Ancient bloodline without Shinra’s mako or Jenova methods. Of twenty-six pregnancies, only two children survived—Faye and Joel—classified as Neo-Cetra, genetically Cetra but biologically unstable. Both can use magic without materia; Joel experiences overwhelming Planetary voices and visions, while Faye involuntarily absorbs mako in dangerous ways. The project was terminated after extensive miscarriages, mounting loss of life, and Carlisle’s realization that he could not “play god” without becoming what he opposed.

Planet Chromara is the homeworld of the Chromarans, a humanoid reptilian alien race known for their biological shapeshifting abilities and adaptive coloration. The planet is characterized by its warm climate, dense jungles, and chromatically reactive ecosystems. Chromara is considered strategically valuable despite possessing limited extractable natural resources.

Throughout galactic history, Planet Chromara has avoided direct conquest through political neutrality, intelligence alliances, and its population’s ability to evade and misdirect hostile forces.

The Chromarans are a humanoid reptilian alien race from the warm, jungle-covered planet Chromara. They are distinguished by their biological shapeshifting abilities, rainbow-like chromatic markings, and large elf-like ears. Rather than relying on brute strength, Chromarans survive through adaptability, espionage, and political alliances.

Physically agile but not exceptionally powerful, Chromarans possess low-output, highly controlled ki and excel at ki suppression and infiltration. Their society is ruled by a hereditary monarchy that values intelligence and strategic foresight over raw combat ability.

Historically, Chromara maintained a mutual alliance with King Cold’s empire, providing intelligence and infiltration services in exchange for autonomy and protection. As a result, the Chromarans are regarded as elusive and untrustworthy by much of the galaxy, but have remained largely unconquered through careful adaptation and deception.