Tsuki

Tsuki, also know as the Lonely Moon, is a lunar Deity that is often perceived as an auxiliary of sorts to Engetsu. She has very few strong religious associations, as most lunar ceremonies call on Engetsu who was the primary moon. Instead, Tsuki is generally only invoked privately, as a companion in times of deep despair. While there are a few rare priestesses dedicated to her among the population of Underhill, their ranks have almost never been known to break a dozen. Historically, the followers of Tsuki are often obsessed with the idea of returning Engetsu to the sky, parting her and her beloved once more to return her to her sister.

When depicted Tsuki is a pale woman whose long silver hair frames a face that is often twisted by grief or depicted in tears. Any clothing or jewelry she wears tends to be of a flat, matte black, with tiny hints of silver on occasion. Tsuki is generally unlinked with other goddesses, and is commmonly viewed as hating or being disgusted by love and romance due to her own jealousy. However, a very rare splinter sect tends to pop up every few generations that believes that she and Tenteisei have an 'understanding' or some sort of personal tie.

Most often, Tsuki is revered by those beset by despair, jealousy, and bitterness; she does not counsel moving beyond these feelings, but is a deity who encourages her followers to revel in them and to stay miserable, desiring the company of their suffering in her own eternal pain. Tsuki is generally not, however, seen as an actively evil or corrupting goddess. Her nature merely brings out the worst in what already exists in an individual and uses it to control and manipulate them.

Mythology

The Twin Moons

Long ago Kikoutei, Engetsu and Tsuki ruled the sky providing light and warmth. When Kikoutei would grow tired of providing her burning light for the world she would sleep behind the sister moons. The Sister Moons would then bathe the world in light which, while bright, brought rest and invited slumber. Their warmth allowed life to continue unaltered as Kikoutei regained her strength to make the world warm and bright again.

Engetsu, the older sister of Tsuki, was the brighter of the pair. And Tsuki loved her sister with all of her heart. Together they would slumber while Kikoutei lit the world, and together they would rise, hand in hand to light the world in her absence.

Eventually Engetsu's light brought her the attention of the Deity Chikyuu. Chikyuu wooed Engetsu and the two would meet once a year upon a bridge of frost created by Akibimi. At first Tsuki was supportive of Engetsu's love, but as time grew she noticed her sister becoming more forlorn. Her love for Chikyuu and her wish to be with the goddess was beginning to dim Engetsu's light. Tsuki urged Engetsu to please re-consider and give up on Chikyuu, for their love would only bring them pain. Engetsu refused.

Eventually, when Engetsu's separation from Chikyuu grew too painful she gathered with the other two goddesses at the apex of the ice bridge. Tsuki who had begged her sister not to go, watched on with worry in her heart. All three fell from the bridge, with Chikyuu ultimately using her powers to embrace the falling Engetsu and Akibimi, saving their lives by transforming them into mountains as they hit the earth.

The Lonely Moon

Tsuki screamed and wept for Engetsu to return to her, but now held within the earth, Engetsu could not, nor did she desire to. She was overjoyed to be forever locked in the embrace of her lover. Tsuki, grief-stricken, extinguished her own light. And so true night came to the world, as while Tsuki was still bound by her duty to provide light while the sun rested, she now chose instead to reflect Kikoutei's remaining light which continued to shine even while the goddess slept. Myth states that Tsuki still has the power to shine under her own light, but will not re-kindle herself until Engetsu returns to her. Forever looking down upon her sister from the sky, Tsuki to this day will call out to her sister once a month when she is the strongest, during the full moon. (Yuriba has many of the same associations of insanity and unusual happenings during a full moon that occur in most of the world, no doubt tied to this belief.)

Associations

Tsuki is associated with loneliness and sorrow. Her pale light is a constant reminder of the loss of her sister the Primary moon and her colors are generally black, black, and more black. Nocturnally-growing flowers, particularly angst flowers, are thought to be symbols of the Lonely Moon. Meteor showers are also thought to be omens of Tsuki. Since Tsuki's tears are comprised of light, it is said that meteor showers occur when Tsuki can no longer hold back her tears at the loss of Engetsu. The Jusenkyou spring associated with Tsuki is Anyingnyanniichuan. Discovering it involves travel to an area of deep darkness and shadowed sorrow, where many claim the goddess' presence can be felt strongly.