Long ago, in ages past, the animal-spirits, those inbetween the mortal coil and the spirit realm's immortality, served as guardians and servants of Spirits and the Kami. But the animal-spirits were inquisitive creatures, desiring to know what was in the human world- it was close enough for them to enter with relative ease, yet the Spirits forbade it. Humans are beneath our notice, they believed. The animal-spirits disagreed, and the powerful few of their kind banded together, tearing open a portal into the human world proper, allowing a mass exodus of their kind. The human world was so interesting- humans burned so bright despite their short lives, and they regularly died for one another despite death being permanent for them- a far cry from the Spirit's constant scheming and intrigues, using the animal-spirits as little more than pawns.

But the Spirits were not ignorant, nor stupid- they knew that the animal-spirits had opened a way between their realm and the human world. And they were furious. How dare they disobey us? If they wish to see what it's like to be human so bad, then let them! And with that, the Spirits sealed the portal shut, and severed their ties with the animal-spirits, giving them human form, and with it, mortality.

But the past is the past, and the animal-spirits- the kemonomimi, as they have now become known, have blended and intermixed with Japan's peoples. One could call humans the minority now, if only just- and even those who appear fully human, have some kemonomimi blood in them /somewhere/ down the family line. There tends to be little animosity between those humans and kemonomimi, but not all of Japan is peaceful...

Naught but a decade ago, the Hordes from the great continent to the west had launched an invasion- if it succeeded, all of Japan and it's peoples would be doomed. And so the Emperor, having no other choice, sacrificed himself, gaining much favor with those Spirits powerful enough to be Kami, and in return, they blew a great divine wind- the Kamikaze, to shatter the Hordes' invasion fleet upon hundred-foot waves.

And so Japan was safe, for a time. The Emperor's infant heir was murdered in cold blood soon after by his enemies, and with no legal claimant to the throne, soon, Japan began to fracture and divide. Soon, all of Japan was at war, hundreds of dynasties all vying for the throne. Japan had entered into Sengoku Jidai.

Yet still, there are rumours of the Hordes marshalling for a second invasion, and odder still, strangely-clothed foreigners have been landing on Japan's shores, speaking foreign languages, carrying with them rich goods and odd weapons. But Japan's peoples are wary- if the Hordes wish to invade, would these strange foreigners not as well? If not in military might, then in economic.

tl;dr Mystical Fuedal Japan with kemonomimi and Sengoku Jidai.

SO! Will be running up to two groups, MAYBE three if I like 'em all. Settings between groups don't need to be the same- the above is liked, but it's not a necessity. If groups do use the same setting, playing in the same world as well is a possibility for those of you who like that kinda thing. Max of four people per group, preference on 2-3.

Current 'start of the campaign' ideas is putting the party in service to a particularly enterprising dynasty, directly in service to it's Daimyo. Are the party loyal retainers, bandit-hunters looking for work, bandits themselves offered the option of freedom if they hunt down their once-comrades, or a multitude of differing people, potentially at odds? All this and more is on the table. Ideas are most welcome! System will most likely be FATE Core, though anything that's relatively rules-lite is all good. Discussion of likes and dislikes is paramount!

Not going to be first-come-first-serve, as much as I'll try to avoid favoritism, it's essentially what it's going to be going off of- those who are in-line with my own interests, are online more often in terms of scheduling freedom, and in-line with the interests of the groups will get first-pick.

Groups will not be formed for some time to allow people to get the memo- discussion on characters and what one would like to play, either in a group or in PMs will be necessary. Considering running short one-shot/short-term 'solo sessions' for those that find themselves better in play rather than in planning.

Interested? Questions? Feel free to join #AMagicalRealm on irc.rizon.net, or add me on skype as scrag.giel