Himiko of the Noble Path

Himiko, also known as the Black Witch of Whirlpools, is a mysterious figure in the western regions of Mizu no Kuni. Legends and superstitions surround her name, and many even debate the reality of her existence. Some rumors claim that she's a goddess of nature, others call her a trickster and a glutton. Wherever she goes, tales of the impossible take root and grow.

Appearance
Standing at an imposing six feet in height, Himiko towers above smaller women (and even most men). Her raven black hair is tied back in loose ponytails to keep it out of her eyes, and her mouth always seems to be chewing on the end of a toothpick with a bemused expression.

The Black Witch's clothes are composed of pieces of vibrant red leather and black and white silks, with an assortment of decorative frills that accentuate her varied personality. The clothes themselves are short and leave much of her body bare or exposed. Whether this is a stylistic choice or a practical decision for dealing with heavy overgrowth isn't obvious. A ceremonial white robe is tied to her waist by a golden sash, and flutters in the wind behind her as she walks. A rod with a streamer of white tags is sheathed on her lower back. Himiko's eyes are a light yellow, almost golden color, and observe the environment around her in mild interest.

Personality
Himiko is a jovial spirit. She enjoys meeting people, seeing new places, exploring, and has a great appreciation for the finer things in life- namely food, drink, food, entertainment, food, and good company.

Her reputation among the people of the region is mixed. She rarely takes a direct role in human affairs except when she's defending people or animals, which leads many to misunderstand her as some kind of local hero. In reality, all she cares about is maintaining the natural balance of the world. Some days this philosophy places her between those who would do evil and the innocent. Other days, between the industry of man and the balance of the environment. Most of the time, she spends her days peacefully exploring the world, meeting new people, and consuming vast quantities of food.

Spirited Away
Himiko was the six-year-old child of a nameless ninja and a civilian in Whirlpool village. During the second shinobi war, a catastrophic event decimated the island nation and ended the lives of thousands that dwelled there. Prior to the event, she was placed in an emergency evacuation ship to save her life, but Himiko didn't get very far before the entire island was overtaken by the destruction.

As the thousands of summoning seals all across whirlpool were simultaneously damaged, a tear in reality formed between the ninja world and the animal realm. In the ensuing storm, her ship was drawn inexorably through the rift and into the vast oceans of the beyond.

The ship was adrift for days, damaged and taking on water. With no way to precisely navigate the strange realm, it was a hopeless situation as they slowly ran out of food and water. The majority of the crew mutinied against the captain and ninja that were overseeing the journey, and perished in the resulting bloodbath.

Eventually, the wreckage of their ship grounded on an island overgrown with massive plants. In desperation, the group set off into the wilderness in search of food and water. One by one, Himiko's companions perished as they succumbed to the natural hazards of the realm and the fearsome predators that stalked them. Before long, Himiko was the only survivor. If not for the timely intervention of Banchou the Alpha and his pack, Himiko would have been eaten or slowly died of starvation.

Home is Where the Heart Is


Weakened by thirst and a poor diet, she would have been consumed by one of the insatiable beasts of the animal realm, if not for the timely intervention of a pack of wolves. Banchou the Alpha and his pack took the girl in and accepted her as one of their own.

It was difficult for the young human, at first. Wolves are fiercely loyal, but they are also very independent. She was forced to learn to sleep like them, run far distances like them... and eat like them. You can thank (or more likley blame) Himiko's ravenous appetite on Banchou's ministrations. Of course, they taught her more than just how to eat. She became skillful at hiding, hunting and tracking. Himiko quickly became a beloved member of the the family, and her canine foster parents became fiercely devoted to her. In a display of affection and trust, they gifted her with a summoning scroll, so that she might call on their assistance when in need.

The girl grew quickly, and in her time took to wandering the deeper reaches of the nature world. In it, she saw many strange sights and encountered many stranger creatures. One such journey changed the course of her life forever.

Where the Wild Things Are
Himiko was exploring the tallest peaks of the animal realm, whose craggy, snow-bound tops scrape the underbellies of the clouds. In this cold and harsh environment, a hot pool was the last thing the girl expected to find. Situated at the top of the highest mountain between three branching peaks lie a deep lake of pure, clean water.

Himiko resolved to rest and bathe in the heated water, and on a whim dived to see how deep the lake went. To her surprise, she discovered a dragon was sleeping on the lakebed, and his smoldering body was making the water around him boil. His golden scales glowed with an amber light, and every exhalation of his body created a great gout of steam to exit his tooth-filled jaws. Every so often, a hapless fish would wander into his mouth, which would snap shut around and swallow. His body was wrapped protectively around a brightly glowing sphere that seemed to hum and throb in tune to the great spirit's breath and heartbeat.

Undeterred by the dangerous being before her, Himiko recalled that dragons possessed knowledge, power and wisdom based on their age... and this beast was ancient. Surely it had something it could teach her. As carefully as she could, Himiko removed the orb and hid it, before awakening the serpent. Immediately, the dragon fell into a great rage at what she had done; for a mere mortal to desecrate an object so precious to him as his orb was a crime unto heaven. He would have devoured her on the spot, but her words stayed his retribution.

"I have taken your orb and hidden it in a place you cannot find or reach." This absurd declaration was a grave insult to the dragon's honor, and it retorted, "My powerful body can reach any point on land, and my mighty wings any star in heaven. There is nothing outside my reach." But Himiko insisted once again, "You cannot reach it, nor find it, even if you were to fly to the four corners of the world and back again."

Enthused by her ludicrous assertions, the golden dragon immediately set off to prove the arrogant mortal wrong. But time and time again, from the wind swept glades of the West to the burning deserts of the South, and to the snow-buried hills of the North to the wave-crested seas of the East, the ancient dragon could not find his orb. He returned to the mortal woman in defeat, and declared, "I could not find it. My jewel is yet hidden; my body cannot reach it, and my wings cannot take me to it. Where have you hidden my treasure?"

Himiko agreed to return the orb, but in return for the knowledge of the secrets of the universe. For a dragon, whose treasures have more value than anything else in existance, it was an easy deal to decide. "In return for my orb, I will teach you what you desire."

"Open your mouth, dragon spirit, so that I may retrieve it." With an expression of shock and anger, the dragon realized his error. In his sleep, the human had tricked him into eating his own orb. He was yet more amazed by the audacity of this mortal woman, who dared to walk into his jaws after tricking him. But dragons are bound by their word, and (in spite of his wishes) he did not consume her as she retrieved his orb.

Darkness and Light
The dragon's training was intense in its calmness, and exhausting in its peace. The movements of its art, even in stillness spoke of motion. The knowledge imparted upon Himiko was vast, incomprehensible to any human mind... and so she was taught to broach those limitations, to exceed the constraints and boundaries of identity to gain the true sight. Through philosophical meditation and physical training, she honed her mind and strengthened her body. After a period of thirty years, she was released from training by the dragon. Though she had mastered the art, her experiences had not yet enabled her to achieve true enlightenment.

True experience can only be experienced, not taught, and so Himiko undertook a journey to the ninja world. There, she intends to experience the full gamut of emotions, relationships and memories that life has to offer her. Before she departed, the dragon vowed to seek her out in ten years to see what she has learned. If she demonstrates she is worthy of the wisdom imparted to her, he will allow her to live. If she shows that she has squandered his gifts, he will devour her.

Onmyōdō
Onmyōdō (陰陽道, lit. ‘The Way of Yin and Yang’) is a traditional esoteric cosmology, based on the philosophies of Ying and Yang. Growing and receding, life and death, darkness and light; though Yin and Yang oppose one another, they are not in opposition, and each holds the seed of the other, and in time transform into one another. It's often likened to a form of shamanism, that employs divination, feng shui, astrology, and wards against spirits. Godou and Seito are the two main branches of this art, but they are not performed in isolation; by combining these two together, the true magic of Onmyodo is manifest.

Godou
Godou (悟道, lit. 'Path of the Spiritual') is a meditative and philosophical art inspired by the interactions of Yin and Yang. Godou seeks to understand the natures that govern the interactions of all things in the universe. It is a path of illumination and meditative concentration, through which the soul is able to commune with the spirits of the world.

Godou's central focus is the interactions of Yin and Yang (also known as the Supreme Ultimate), which represents the foundation of the universe. This constant shift underlies all peace and conflict. Through the use of the trigrams and hexagrams, a student of Godou can see the truth revealed; that all elements are formed from the varied balances and interactions of Yin and Yang.
 * Kaigan (開眼, lit. "Eye Opening Truth"): By forming a perfect balance of Yin and Yang chakras within one's body, and by maintaining a mental state of peace and calmness (inner stillness), a practitioner of Godou can perceive the movements, fluctuation, and nature of chakra. This ability is not true sight, as it can be performed with the practitioner's eyes shut or in complete darkness. This ability has extensive range, enabling the user to sense chakra in fine detail as far away as ten kilometers. This technique also enables the practitioner to sense the minute fluctuations of a person's chakra, which in turn reveals their emotional state. This ability closely resembles the function of Kagura.

Seito
Seito (世途, lit. "Path of the World') is a sequence of physical movements that emulate the states of Yin and Yang. Seito seeks to allow bodies to achieve an equilibrium within the flow and state of the world that surrounds them. It is a path of control and release, firmness and softness, by which the natural state of the body in the environment is achieved.

Seito's central focus is the state of Yin and Yang (also known as the Supreme Ultimate), which represents the foundation of the universe. The states of all things are temporary and transitory. Through the practice of specialized movements, and the influence of a person's yin and yang chakras through inhalation and exhalation, a person's motions can originate a change in their environment.
 * Ui (有為, lit. "Perpetual Change Caused by Karma"): A meditative practice focusing on the inhalation and expulsion of chakra, this art enables the user to have advanced control over his tenketsu. A practitioner is capable of expelling and absorbing chakra through any tenketsu within his body. Fine control over the amount of chakra discharged from individual tenketsu is also possible, allowing pinpoint defense against certain types of attack.

The 75 Motions
The world in its most basic form is composed of Yin and Yang. All things are derived from this nature, including the elements and combination elements. By channeling her chakra out of her tenketsu and through the surroundings, and by combining this exhalation and inhalation of energy with physical motion, Himiko is able to initiate changes in the environment. These external nature transformations are akin to jutsu, but lack the use of hand or written seals, instead employing the motions of the body and a sophisticated understanding of chakra interactions. Himiko's Kaigan and Ui techniques provide her a natural affinity for the performance of this art; she is able to visualize the flow and nature of the environment around her, to such an extent that she can pinpoint the prime meridians of a location, and through analysis of the environment and finely controlled expulsions of chakra a cascade of changes can be initiated by Himiko by employing specific combinations of these movements. This art is performed using 75 motions (Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang, the eight elements, and the 64 hexagrams). The results of these combinations are known as mahou (魔法, lit. "witchcraft" or "sorcery").

The Ultimate

 * Yin - Yin is a feminine, receptive energy. It is associated with consumption and destruction.
 * Yang - Yang is a masculine, creative energy. It is associated with growth and formation.
 * Yin-Yang - Yin and Yang together form a harmonious balance of energies, with each following and transforming into the other. The dots in each half of a Yin-Yang symbolize that the seeds of each lies within the heart of the other.

The 8 Principles of Reality

 * Sky ☰ - Expansive energy.
 * Lake ☱ - Joy, satisfaction, stagnation.
 * Fire ☲ - Rapid movement, radiance, the sun.
 * Thunder ☳ - Excitation, revolution, division.
 * Wind ☴ - Gentle penetration, flexibility.
 * Water ☵ - Danger, rapid rivers, the abyss, the moon.
 * Mountain ☶ - Stillness, immovability.
 * Earth ☷ - Receptive energy, that which yields.

The Book of Changes

 * 1) Force |||||| - Possessing creative power and skill.
 * 2) Field ¦¦¦¦¦¦ - Receptive of matters, going with the flow.
 * 3) Sprouting |¦¦¦|¦ - Initiation of events.
 * 4) Enveloping ¦|¦¦¦| - Detainment through deception.
 * 5) Attending |||¦|¦ - Cessation of involvement, waiting.
 * 6) Arguing ¦|¦||| - Involvement of conflict.
 * 7) Leading ¦|¦¦¦¦ - Bringing together, teamwork.
 * 8) Grouping ¦¦¦¦|¦ - Holding together, union.
 * 9) Small Accumulating |||¦|| - Accumulating resources.
 * 10) Treading ||¦||| - Maintaining alertness.
 * 11) Pervading |||¦¦¦ - Peaceful state of things.
 * 12) Obstruction ¦¦¦||| - Stagnation, halting.
 * 13) Concording People |¦|||| - Inspiring people, charismatic.
 * 14) Great Possessing ||||¦| - Independence, freedom.
 * 15) Humbling ¦¦|¦¦¦ - Reservation, Refraining.
 * 16) Providing-For ¦¦¦|¦¦ - Inducement, New Stimulus
 * 17) Following |¦¦||¦ - Following
 * 18) Corrupting ¦||¦¦| - Corrupting, branching, creating.
 * 19) Nearing ||¦¦¦¦ - Approach, Arriving at Goal.
 * 20) Viewing ¦¦¦¦|| - Contemplation, Withholding.
 * 21) Gnawing Bite |¦¦|¦| - Biting, Deciding
 * 22) Adorning |¦|¦¦| - Grace, Embellishing
 * 23) Stripping ¦¦¦¦¦| - Stripping Apart, Flaying
 * 24) Returning |¦¦¦¦¦ - Returning
 * 25) Without Embroiling |¦¦||| - Innocense, Without Rashness
 * 26) Great Accumulating |||¦¦| - Great Taming, Accumulated Wisdom
 * 27) Swallowing |¦¦¦¦| - Seeking Nourishment.
 * 28) Great Exceeding ¦||||¦ - Great Exceeding.
 * 29) Gorge ¦|¦¦|¦ - Abysmal Water, Darkness, Gorge
 * 30) Radiance |¦||¦| - Clinging, Attachment.
 * 31) Conjoining ¦¦|||¦ - Influence, Attraction.
 * 32) Persevering ¦|||¦¦ - Duration, Constancy.
 * 33) Retiring - ¦¦|||| - Retriet, Yielding.
 * 34) Great Invigorating ||||¦¦ - Power, Boldness, Maturity.
 * 35) Prospering ¦¦¦|¦| - Progress, Expansion, Promotion.
 * 36) Brightness Hiding |¦|¦¦¦ - Darkening of the Light, Brilliance Injured, Hidden Intelligence
 * 37) Dwelling People |¦|¦|| - Family, Clan, Group.
 * 38) Polarizing ||¦|¦| - Opposition, Perversion.
 * 39) Limping ¦¦|¦|¦ - Obstruction, Halting, Hardship.
 * 40) Taking-apart ¦|¦|¦¦ - Deliverance, Liberation, Solution.
 * 41) Diminishing ||¦¦¦| - Decreasing.
 * 42) Augmenting |¦¦¦|| - Increasing.
 * 43) Parting |||||¦ - Displacement, Resoluteness, Break-through.
 * 44) Coupling ¦||||| - Coming to Meet, Encountering.
 * 45) Clustering ¦¦¦||¦ - Amassing, Clustering, Companionship.
 * 46) Ascending ¦||¦¦¦ - Pushing Upward, Growing.
 * 47) Confining ¦|¦||¦ - Oppression, Exhaustion, Entaglement.
 * 48) Welling ¦||¦|¦ - Replenishing, Renewal.
 * 49) Skinning |¦|||¦ - Revolution, Banishing the Old, Bridle.
 * 50) Holding ¦|||¦| - Cauldron, Establishing the New.
 * 51) Shake |¦¦|¦¦ - Arousing, Mobilizing, Thunder.
 * 52) Bound ¦¦|¦¦| - Still, Immobility.
 * 53) Infiltrating ¦¦|¦|| - Development, Advancement.
 * 54) Converting the Maiden ||¦|¦¦ - Marrying, Combining.
 * 55) Abounding |¦||¦¦ - Abundance, Fullness.
 * 56) Sojourning ¦¦||¦| - Wanderer, Travel
 * 57) Ground ¦||¦|| - Gentle Penetrating Wind, Calculations.
 * 58) Open ||¦||¦ - Overt Influence, Usurpation.
 * 59) Dispersing ¦|¦¦|| - Dissolution.
 * 60) Articulating ||¦¦|¦ - Limitation, Moderation, Discipline.
 * 61) Center Confirming ||¦¦|| - Inner Truth, Central Returning, Central Truth.
 * 62) Small Exceeding ¦¦||¦¦ - Small Surpassing.
 * 63) Already Fording |¦|¦|¦ - Completion.
 * 64) Not-yet Fording ¦|¦|¦| - Incompletion.

Mahou
The vast majority of Himiko's magics are spontaneous action- they do not possess names. But a rare few are of such substantial scale and power, that they have been gifted with names.


 * Henshin - 72 Transformations (変身, lit. "Metamorphosis, Transformation") - A shape shifting magic that allows Himiko to turn into any creature found in nature.


 * Kamikaze (神風, lit. "Divine Wind") - A storm of great destruction, Himiko's one and only forbidden magic.


 * Naki (無き, lit. "Subtle Body") - By falling into a deep meditative state, Himiko can project a construct made of Yin chakra. This disembodied spirit can be controlled remotely, pass through solid objects, and is immune to physical attacks.


 * Seiu (晴雨, lit. "Clear or Rainy Weather") - This mahou precipitates subtle shifts in the wind currents, barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity of the atmosphere. This can create rain and thunderstorms, and can also clear the weather.


 * Senseijutsu (占星術, lit. "Astrology") - After determining the nature of a being, object, or event, and by calculating the configuration of the constellations in the region, the subject's location can be divined.


 * Godai Kachuu(五大 渦中, lit. "Five Great Vortexes") - By drawing in elements from the surroundings and rapidly rotating these energies around her, Himiko can create a powerful maelstrom of destructive power. This swirling vortex of elements can serve as both an offense and defense, and can be focused and launched at a target.


 * Shukuchi (縮地, lit. "Reduced Earth") - A long-range transportation magic. By leaping into a quantity of element, Himiko passes through the medium, and reappears out of the same element in a different location.

Equipment
Riikan - A flute made from polished bamboo. This simple musical instrument is a good form of entertainment.

Gohei - A long rod ending with a bell depicting Yin and Yang on one end, and a string of white paper seals streaming from the other. These are often use as wards against evil spirits in temples.

Trivia
Himiko is named after the same shaman empress from legend.