Empress Rock

Prison of Stone

Written by Endrise

Anything with even an intent to try to free her doesn't survive the first seals. It would take centuries for some of these incantations to work off.

— Zipangun Priest

Between the roots of the Kitsunayama mountains lies a small rock, barely big enough to sit upon. In there lies the essence of the First Empress, imprisoned by seals keeping her at bay.

Acting as her prison, it is a landmark that is protected at all costs, with nobody allow to come close. Only a select few might even enter and even are capable of doing so in the first place.

A Tyrant's Prison

Sealed Evil

At a first glance, the rock itself is unassuming. Barely the size of a body and with a flat top, but beneath its surface lies true malice. Within its walls remains the essence of the First Empress, or what remains of it after the War that Broke Heaven.

Anyone who dares to touch its surface finds themselves to turn ill or perish on the spot. As such, nobody is allowed to even come closer than a few dozen feet.

Wards against everything

Surrounding the rock are rows upon rows of seals made by hundreds of priests, forming a web of incantations as far as one can see. Abjuration magic of the strongest kind, warding off anyone who even thinks of wanting to release the First Empress.

Many consider it to be the perfect prison, each seal acting as a lock she has to break to get out. And any being that gets too close is destroyed the moment they step foot amongst the seals.

The Imprisonment of the First Empress

During the War that Broke Heaven, the First Empress got beaten up by Daidarabotchi, allowing people to have one chance to seal her away. To do so, they pinned her down against the rock binded her soul to the rock's insides, something requiring the strongest seal known to man.

While succesful, the result led to the rest of her power spilling into the heavens, tearing the Ethereal Veil apart. From it came spirits, monsters and Yokai alike, flooding Zipangu in the realm's chaos. A supposed final revenge against the land before her imprisonment.

Ever since, the rock became a crucial sight for the governing bodies of the region, ensuring she remains locked away. Over the centuries, multiple people guarded the place, from whole sects to powerful individuals. Even the descendants of the First Empress ensure she never frees herself.

Type

Geographic Feature

Parent Location

Kitsunayama

Characters in Location

• First Empress

Attempts of Breaking Free

Even with the high security and countless seals, the prison needs to be protected at all costs. The Cult of the Nine-Tailed Fox tries to free the First Empress every so often, leading to broken seals at its edges.

Though, at the same time, seals surrounding the rock itself seem to burn up over time. Which implies that the Kitsune's soul is still seeking to break free at any cost.

Only through the sheer dedication of the people not wanting this to happen do these seals stay put and her escape gets delayed.