The Moon and The Camilia
Miyoko
Sato
Characters
Locations
Miyoko
Overview
Appearance
- Physicality
- Miyoko is a taller woman with broad shoulders, a stocky build, small breasts, and very pale skin. Her face is hard, with a layer of fat over her cheeks and thin lips usually pulled into a scowl. Her hair is pale white and is cut around her shoulders, just long enough to pull into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes appear as a light lilac, with a wandering, blind gaze. She has the word “thief” tattooed over her sternum.
- Miyoko had albinism, which makes going out into the sun difficult without protection. During the summer she wares mostly looser linen clothes
- Miyoko is a taller woman with broad shoulders, a stocky build, small breasts, and very pale skin. Her face is hard, with a layer of fat over her cheeks and thin lips usually pulled into a scowl. Her hair is pale white and is cut around her shoulders, just long enough to pull into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes appear as a light lilac, with a wandering, blind gaze. She has the word “thief” tattooed over her sternum.
- Clothing and presentation
- Miyoko wears a Suikan uniform, which consists of a short robe tied at the waist, hakama pants tied around her calves, and sturdy sandals. She often wraps her arms to protect from the sun, with two daggers on her hip.
- She almost permanently ears a blindfold over her eyes, along with a scarf over her hair to hide the color.
- She mostly wears the headscarf in public outside the estate
- She always binds her chest to hide her breasts, which occasionally will get uncomfortable
- Equipment
Names
- Miyoko
- Beautiful child
- Her “true” name. Only people who know her well are allowed to call her this. It is a dangerous name, since it reveal her origins.
- Sato uses it because it makes her feel close to Miyoko
- Saburo uses it when he is angry, as a reminder that she is “only a woman”
- Miyoko likes this name, but struggles to use it openly because of what it means to her
- Mahiro
- This is Miyoko’s male name. This is the name that people use most often for her.
- Miyoko likes this name for the freedom it affords her, but it feels like a mask
- Tsukki
- This is her primary alais. She uses this more when she wants to not be herself. Its a woman’s name, but she is still mostly refered to as a man when she uses this.
- Mayo
- Ma means river, and yo means world. Elegant world
- This is the name she uses when she moves to Akaikawa
- Yuki
- Snow
- Used by Lady Kamei in the Ishida Mansion
Gender Expression
- Miyoko’s geneder expression is complicated. She feels connected to being both genders, and often sees them as two seperate parts of herself. Miyoko: the woman, and Mahiro: the man
- Man
- Her feelings towards being a man are easier to parse than being a woman.
- Positive: She feels strong, secure, and powerful as a man. It allowes her to access and interact with society in a way that is more gender affirming.
- Negitive: She feels restricted by being a man. It often feels more like a mask than the truth. Interacting with the world as a man also carries a permenant fear that someone will recognize that she is actually a woman
- Woman
- Her feelings towards being a woman are very conflicting. This is a large theme in the story
- Sato teaches Miyoko a LOT about what it means to be a woman
- Positive: Feminity does not ask her to hide her emotions. She feels comfort in the raw power that is being a woman, in a way that being a man lacks.
- Negitive: She resents being born as a woman, ebeliving her life woudl be much easier as a man. Her body makes er a target for phisical and sexual violence, and no matter how hard she trains she finds it difficult to be as strong or as fast as her male peers (this is also very much to do with her blindness). She also distains the passive role that women are expected to play.
- Is Miyoko trans?
- There is no concept of being trans in Ancient Japan. But by our standards, yes. She consistently switches in the story between she and he, Miyoko and Mahiro.
- In the end, she begins using the name Mayo, and becomes something that is neither man nor woman
- If Miyoko (or Mayo) was in modern day, they would be nonbinary.
- Man
Blindness
Background
At the palace
The Ishida Mansion
Yamabushi + the Mountains
Takehiko Estate
Relationships
Thoughts about relationships
Saburo
Katsumi
Yamamoto
Sato
Thoughts about relationships
Book Notes
Thoughts about relationships
Sato
Takehiko no Sato
Overview
Appearance
- Physicality
- Sato is a short, petite woman with narrow shoulders, a soft stomach, and pale skin. Her face is round with dark bround eyes, small painted lips, and naturally high eyebrows. After marrying, she begins to balcken her teeth. Her hair is very, very long, down to her knees, and a silky black. She appears as the epitome of beauty for the time.
- Clothing and presentation
- Sato often wears a Junihitoe with ten to twelve layers, which while warm in Echizen, often makes it difficult for her to walk. She prefers reds and pinks, while dabbleing in blues and yellows.
- Everything about the way she dresses, walks, talks, and moves speaks of luxury.
Childhood
Family
Teachings
- Miyoko
- Beautiful child
- Her “true” name. Only people who know her well are allowed to call her this. It is a dangerous name, since it reveal her origins.
- Sato uses it because it makes her feel close to Miyoko
- Saburo uses it when he is angry, as a reminder that she is “only a woman”
- Miyoko likes this name, but struggles to use it openly because of what it means to her
- Mahiro
- This is Miyoko’s male name. This is the name that people use most often for her.
- Miyoko likes this name for the freedom it affords her, but it feels like a mask
- Tsukki
- This is her primary alais. She uses this more when she wants to not be herself. Its a woman’s name, but she is still mostly refered to as a man when she uses this.
- Mayo
- Ma means river, and yo means world. Elegant world
- This is the name she uses when she moves to Akaikawa
Gender Expression
- Miyoko’s geneder expression is complicated. She feels connected to being both genders, and often sees them as two seperate parts of herself. Miyoko: the woman, and Mahiro: the man
- Man
- Her feelings towards being a man are easier to parse than being a woman.
- Positive: She feels strong, secure, and powerful as a man. It allowes her to access and interact with society in a way that is more gender affirming.
- Negitive: She feels restricted by being a man. It often feels more like a mask than the truth. Interacting with the world as a man also carries a permenant fear that someone will recognize that she is actually a woman
- Woman
- Her feelings towards being a woman are very conflicting. This is a large theme in the story
- Sato teaches Miyoko a LOT about what it means to be a woman
- Positive: Feminity does not ask her to hide her emotions. She feels comfort in the raw power that is being a woman, in a way that being a man lacks.
- Negitive: She resents being born as a woman, ebeliving her life woudl be much easier as a man. Her body makes er a target for phisical and sexual violence, and no matter how hard she trains she finds it difficult to be as strong or as fast as her male peers (this is also very much to do with her blindness). She also distains the passive role that women are expected to play.
- Is Miyoko trans?
- There is no concept of being trans in Ancient Japan. But by our standards, yes. She consistently switches in the story between she and he, Miyoko and Mahiro.
- In the end, she begins using the name Mayo, and becomes something that is neither man nor woman
- If Miyoko (or Mayo) was in modern day, they would be nonbinary.
- Man
Characters
Takehiko No Saburo
Personality
- Saburo is a loud, boistrours man quick to anger and joy. He is not particularyly bright, but makes up for it with phicial prowess and a certian type of domineeering charisma that does not particuallry work well in Heian
- He enjoys the feeling of having power over people, and when he feels nessesary he will resort to physical punishment. He does not resort to sexual violence, but has a habit of crossing the line when intoxicated, or around his friends.
Appearance
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.
Overview
Appearance
- Physicality
- Miyoko is a taller woman with broad shoulders, a stocky build, small breasts, and very pale skin. Her face is hard, with a layer of fat over her cheeks and thin lips usually pulled into a scowl. Her hair is pale white and is cut around her shoulders, just long enough to pull into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes appear as a light lilac, with a wandering, blind gaze. She has the word “thief” tattooed over her sternum.
- Miyoko had albinism, which makes going out into the sun difficult without protection. During the summer she wares mostly looser linen clothes
- Miyoko is a taller woman with broad shoulders, a stocky build, small breasts, and very pale skin. Her face is hard, with a layer of fat over her cheeks and thin lips usually pulled into a scowl. Her hair is pale white and is cut around her shoulders, just long enough to pull into a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes appear as a light lilac, with a wandering, blind gaze. She has the word “thief” tattooed over her sternum.
- Clothing and presentation
- Miyoko wears a Suikan uniform, which consists of a short robe tied at the waist, hakama pants tied around her calves, and sturdy sandals. She often wraps her arms to protect from the sun, with two daggers on her hip.
- She almost permanently ears a blindfold over her eyes, along with a scarf over her hair to hide the color.
- She mostly wears the headscarf in public outside the estate
- She always binds her chest to hide her breasts, which occasionally will get uncomfortable
- Equipment
Names
- Miyoko
- Beautiful child
- Her “true” name. Only people who know her well are allowed to call her this. It is a dangerous name, since it reveal her origins.
- Sato uses it because it makes her feel close to Miyoko
- Saburo uses it when he is angry, as a reminder that she is “only a woman”
- Miyoko likes this name, but struggles to use it openly because of what it means to her
- Mahiro
- This is Miyoko’s male name. This is the name that people use most often for her.
- Miyoko likes this name for the freedom it affords her, but it feels like a mask
- Tsukki
- This is her primary alais. She uses this more when she wants to not be herself. Its a woman’s name, but she is still mostly refered to as a man when she uses this.
- Mayo
- Ma means river, and yo means world. Elegant world
- This is the name she uses when she moves to Akaikawa
Gender Expression
- Miyoko’s geneder expression is complicated. She feels connected to being both genders, and often sees them as two seperate parts of herself. Miyoko: the woman, and Mahiro: the man
- Man
- Her feelings towards being a man are easier to parse than being a woman.
- Positive: She feels strong, secure, and powerful as a man. It allowes her to access and interact with society in a way that is more gender affirming.
- Negitive: She feels restricted by being a man. It often feels more like a mask than the truth. Interacting with the world as a man also carries a permenant fear that someone will recognize that she is actually a woman
- Woman
- Her feelings towards being a woman are very conflicting. This is a large theme in the story
- Sato teaches Miyoko a LOT about what it means to be a woman
- Positive: Feminity does not ask her to hide her emotions. She feels comfort in the raw power that is being a woman, in a way that being a man lacks.
- Negitive: She resents being born as a woman, ebeliving her life woudl be much easier as a man. Her body makes er a target for phisical and sexual violence, and no matter how hard she trains she finds it difficult to be as strong or as fast as her male peers (this is also very much to do with her blindness). She also distains the passive role that women are expected to play.
- Is Miyoko trans?
- There is no concept of being trans in Ancient Japan. But by our standards, yes. She consistently switches in the story between she and he, Miyoko and Mahiro.
- In the end, she begins using the name Mayo, and becomes something that is neither man nor woman
- If Miyoko (or Mayo) was in modern day, they would be nonbinary.
- Man
Locations
Echizen
Description
- City
- Echizen city is a medum sized city nestled in the Ryohaku mountins. It sits at the bottom of a basin, with forests stratching up the mountians on all sides
- The city has a sturdy stone wall surrounding it, with three main city gates
- Two are at the north and south sides of the city to allow traffic to come in from the coast, and flow through in the direction of the capital, deep into the mountain roads
- The third leads east towards the Takehiko mansion and a few mountian temples (shinto and Buddhist) farther up the valley
- The city is rather tightly built, with thin stone streets and wooden and earthen houses
- Many are raised a foot or two to accomodate rain fall and high snow
- This city has a high number of inns and places to stay to accomodate travelers and merchants traveling from the coast
- It has a bunch of Onsens for teavelers
- Tsuruga city
- This is the port city where ships land. wealthy, and goverennd by Echizen (more or less)
- The strip of coast north of Echizen is best place for ships to land coming in from the sea of japan
- Markets line the streets of Echizen, filled with merchants from japan, china, korea, and further. I’s common enough to see forginers, and hear a mix of languages on the primary streets, though they fade the deeper into the streets you get. Many locals were born in other countries and decided to stay in Echizen
- The city is very wealty, generating much of it’s income from trade and travelers needing a place to rest.
- During winters, the streets grew even more narrow, rasing in height.
- Roads
- the roads around Echizen are rather well maintained and trafficed, making it one of the best road networks in japan, save the streets between Heian-Kyo, Naniwa, and Nara
Weather
- General Info
-
-
Snow: Fukui/Echizen is on the Sea of Japan side and gets significant winter snowfall, especially December–February. Some local sources list January as the snowiest month with very high seasonal totals in nearby inland/mountain zones; coastal Echizen will generally get less than the heavy mountain totals but still measurable snow. Average annual snow of ~73 in or ~6 ft
-
Precipitation: The region is relatively wet year-round (annual precipitation ~95 in reported for Fukui area), with the rainy/typhoon season (June–September) and late-year heavy precipitation contributing.
-
Humidity: Relative humidity tends to be high most of the year (summer is very humid), with slightly lower averages in spring and autumn.
-
- January
- Avg high: 43°F
- Avg low: 34°F
- Avg snowfall: 8–20 in
- Conditions: Cold, often cloudy; snowiest month.
- Humidity: ~70–80%
- February
- Avg high: 45°F
- Avg low: 34°F
- Avg snowfall: 6–16 in
- Conditions: Cold with frequent snow/rain; overcast.
- Humidity: ~68–78%
- March
- Avg high: 51°F
- Avg low: 38°F
- Avg snowfall: 1–6 in
- Conditions: Transition to spring; chilly mornings, more sun.
- Humidity: ~65–75%
- April
- Avg high: 60°F
- Avg low: 46°F
- Avg snowfall: trace
- Conditions: Mild, clearer; spring rains possible.
- Humidity: ~63–70%
- May
- Avg high: 69°F
- Avg low: 55°F
- Avg snowfall: 0 in
- Conditions: Pleasant, warm; occasional rainy days late month.
- Humidity: ~62–70%
- June
- Avg high: 73°F
- Avg low: 63°F
- Avg snowfall: 0–0.5 in
- Conditions: Start of hot, humid season; rainy season (tsuyu).
- Humidity: ~70–80%
- July
- Avg high: 82°F
- Avg low: 71°F
- Avg snowfall: 0 in
- Conditions: Hot, humid; often cloudy/wet before peak summer sun.
- Humidity: ~75–85%
- August
- Avg high: 86°F
- Avg low: 74°F
- Avg snowfall: 0 in
- Conditions: Hottest month; muggy, occasional typhoon rains.
- Humidity: ~75–85%
- September
- Avg high: 79°F
- Avg low: 68°F
- Avg snowfall: trace–0 in
- Conditions: Still warm; typhoon risk early, rainfall can be high.
- Humidity: ~72–82%
- October
- Avg high: 66°F
- Avg low: 55°F
- Avg snowfall: 0 in
- Conditions: Cooler, pleasant; clearer skies, lower humidity.
- Humidity: ~65–75%
- November
- Avg high: 56°F
- Avg low: 44°F
- Avg snowfall: 0–1 in
- Conditions: Chilly, breezy; first snows possible late month.
- Humidity: ~68–78%
- December
- Avg high: 47°F
- Avg low: 37°F
- Avg snowfall: 3–8 in
- Conditions: Cold, cloudy; snow returns, especially inland.
- Humidity: ~70–80%
Symbolism
- The weather in Echizen is almost always humid, often cold, and stifling
- this create an atmosphere of oppression, and makes the people of Echizen very, very strong
- The mountains climb up into the distance, with very little surrounding the city
- The feeling of isolation, especially in the winter, clings to the city. A reminder of how remote it is.
Heian-Kyo
Description
Location and importance
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.
Weather
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.
Symbolism
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.
Ryōhaku Mountains
Yamabushi
- Saburo is a loud, boistrours man quick to anger and joy. He is not particularyly bright, but makes up for it with phicial prowess and a certian type of domineeering charisma that does not particuallry work well in Heian
- He enjoys the feeling of having power over people, and when he feels nessesary he will resort to physical punishment. He does not resort to sexual violence, but has a habit of crossing the line when intoxicated, or around his friends.
Appearance
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.
Akaikawa
Personality
- Saburo is a loud, boistrours man quick to anger and joy. He is not particularyly bright, but makes up for it with phicial prowess and a certian type of domineeering charisma that does not particuallry work well in Heian
- He enjoys the feeling of having power over people, and when he feels nessesary he will resort to physical punishment. He does not resort to sexual violence, but has a habit of crossing the line when intoxicated, or around his friends.
Appearance
- Sabruo is a large man, with a muscular build and broad shoulders. He had a rougher face, though he can clean up for an event is he needs to.
- Saburo favors heavier clothing, mostly cotton, silk, and furs for the winter. He is not nearly as refined as the ususal nobleman from the capital.