Keiriara
Crimson vindication:
In the kojima of roseus arbor there are fables untold,
There remains one who knows history where time should unfold,
In a valley of cold, a blight you could behold,
Journeys held, cunning to not be told, he would soon uncover his purpose sapphire illumination to be called.
-
A sickness of vermillion mold was never enough to stop this brilliant spirit’s mettle he doled,
And though his might was tested he could not be bested,
For his bright light, deep sight and burning plight set alight that plague of rose gold,
Keiriara, hero of old.
-Library Haiku 1
Keiriara (About)
Who was Keiriara?
Keiriara is a member of the Kitsune[1], not much is known about him other than his sacrifice to a dying people.
Keiriara had five friends that all presumably died in a plague approximately 109 years ago.
Keiriara himself is 112 years old and it is unknown if he still lives within the society of today.
Keiriara is a Zenko, a messenger fox appointed role by his goddess Inari[2], because of this it is assumed that Keiriara originates from Japan alike the rest of the Kitsune.
Keiriara called upon intense spiritual energy to help quell the plague present during his time in reverence for his friends who fell to it.
Keiriara was said to be highly intelligent, lucky, and cunning, common traits of Kitsune present in the old Japanese era.
Keiriara was relatively young for a fox and most of the Kitsune like him have never been seen to this day, having only been recounted in tales of times long forlorn.
Cherry Blight Lantern Rite Day
There is a day of respect dedicated to Keiriara, known as Cherry Blight Lantern Rite Day occurring annually on March 24th, this day is the birthdate of the fox.
The meaning behind this day is to honor Keiriara for helping to put an end to the plague and during the night lanterns are released by the few that remember his loss.
The name of the day represents the plague that brought an end to Keiriara's friends and how the lanterns bring peace to the spirits of his friends.
Where this yearly event actually occurs is unknown but it is likely to be somewhere where the plague happened.
The lanterns released are known as Cherry Kitsunebi[3] Lanterns, which simply means Red Fox-Fire Lanterns.
The plague that Keiriara fought against was put to an end somewhere atop a high mountain where he made an unknown sacrifice sending ripples of spiritual energy through the land potentially destroying himself in the process giving a possible reason for his disappearance.