Gouma Dens!

[mermalaide]

Gouma Dens



Gouma Dens are twisted spaces made by yokai or yurei which warp perception and reality. They are a reflection of the mind and unresolved issues, or even the warped desires of it’s creator. A den can be as small as a closet or as large as a city. This varies on the one creating it, namely their power and strength. Most Gouma dens do not move, and are stationary, however, there are rare examples of transient dens, for example Hyakki Yagyō, or the Night Parade of 1000 demons is an example of a moving Gouma Den. There is also a Gouma Den called Night Market, which is a somewhat benign den, provided that you observe the rules of the night market, and stay on the path inside it.



For the most part, dens are malicious in nature, being spawned by warped desires and supernatural powers. They tend to draw in vulnerable humans and sometimes even lesser yokai, by eventually feeding off of their vitality and spiritual energy. Prolonged stays in Gouma dens can cause illness, extreme loss of time, loss of sanity/perception to start with. Depending on how large or warped the den is, it may become impossible to leave the den without help. Even people with abilities should be wary of them.



People with abilities, yokai pacts, spiritual powers, divine blessings, or curses can withstand dens better than average humans, who will eventually become so burdened with miasma that they lose consciousness and will die if not retrieved (due to spiritual contamination not dissimilar to a neurotoxin). Humans with divine blessings or yokai pacts tend to withstand these dens better than many, especially, say if their connection is strong. They are not invulnerable though! They can still be weakened over time, as well as suffer a similar effect if they take too much physical damage, making it difficult for the body to protect itself or stave off the effects for too long.



Purification-



Gouma Dens can be purified, sealed or cease to be under specific conditions. People that are blessed or are touched by divinity can do this, depending on the size and the strength of the den! A priest/priestess can purify themselves or people within a radius near them, helping negate the den’s effects for a time. If powerful enough, they can make their way to the center of a den (again depending on the size and strength of the den vs the purifier) and cleanse it. Or they can make a seal around the area of containment, using blessings and purified rope.



In other cases, if the person is not necessarily of the holy person skill set, they can resolve the den by either killing the creature causing it, sealing that creature with the help of blessed items, or, if they manage to resolve the issue creating the den in the first place. Usually, in the form of a bargain, some kind of closure (in the case of yurei), ect.



Typically, Shinsengumi and the Shinto Shrine Network tackle these things, often joining forces. It’s also not unheard of for the other groups like the Hunter’s Guild or NAPI to deal with these things. When they show up, it can often be without warning and be quite terrifying to the average person!



That being said, a few ways to tell if you are close to or in a Gouma Den are as follows!

• The environment is off: This could be anything from things looking distorted, the sky being an abnormal color, hyper decay like rust or rotten foods, extreme temperatures, poor visibility.
  
• Distorted sounds: An absence of sound, loud or dampened sounds, echoing noises.
  
• Lack of other humans or animals to an extreme degree.
• Time is out of whack or has stopped all together.
• Lack of energy or extreme apathy or sadness that is not normal for the individual.

In closing, if you do encounter a Gouma den, it is best given a wide berth, and the proper authorities are called to dispose of it. Chances are, the circumstances for you to encounter one will be highly specific, and somewhat small, however, should you encounter one, hopefully you will have had the luck to either be a part of the team dispelling it, or the luck to avoid it all together.