Azuma

The earth breathed, however, and the spirits suffered from Orochi as much as the humans did. When Orochi's uncontrolled greed became too much, the spirits, unable to act in the physical ways humans could, spoke to them and planned. Together, they toiled while their oppressor was distracted: with all the rice and grain on the island, they brewed a potent liquor for the serpent and presented it as a gift. All eight of Orochi's heads drank deeply, and when he was done, he coiled up in the center of the island and swiftly fell into a powerful slumber. So deep was it that Orochi didn't wake up as the humans severed each of his eight heads and eight tails, and his blood poured into the land around him.

But the serpent's blood was as tainted and powerful as he was. It seeped into the earth, touching animals, people, and the spirits themselves. From Orochi's blood came the yokai: embodiments of raw ego given physical form. They were powerful and terrible, and humanity was subject to their whims and power in an era almost worse than that of Yamata-no-Orochi. So too did his blood bind the elements and seasons of Azuma into the cardinal directions, stagnating the land as the chaotic yokai engaged in endless revelry.

Not all the yokai were heartless, however. The fox-born kitsune felt for the suffering spirits and humans, and they slew the strongest of the yokai leading the chaos. The kitsune corralled the yokai into the wilderness, carving the way for humans to finally prosper. With the kitsune established as protectors, order was brought to Azuma.

But the blood of Orochi still beats in the heart of all yokai, even the kitsune, and it is up to them to determine how they will live.