The New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium!

In Touhou canon, the Dragon Palace is something Eirin made up to confuse people who randomly wander into the Lunar Capital (so they'll search the seas instead of the heavens). I'm not sure it even exists. Iku's profile doesn't mention it either.

Regarding her clothes, technically it's a hagoromo, or "angel's raiment". It's the divine clothing typically worn by Celestials. Or at least, that's what it is in normal mythology. Personally, I'm kind of curious as to why Japanese has a word specifically for divine clothing, but there it is. It's also the focus of a number of her spells in which she changes it's properties. Touhouwiki translates them as "Veils like ___" but the actual phrasing is more like a complete sentence. "A Hagoromo is as the Sky". "A Hagoromo is as Time". "A Hagoromo is as the Wind". "A Hagoromo is as the Water." What do these things have in common? Flow. Not sure what that means.

Regarding her relationship with Tenshi, I don't get the impression that they're particularly close. They know each other certainly, but the fanon idea of her being surrogate family to the Hinanawi's strikes me as a pretty cheap way of grouping characters together. As far as I can tell they're just neighbors. They live in the same general area and know each other in passing. Tenshi is of course notorious among her kind so obviously Iku would be familiar with her, and in Iku's route Tenshi recognizes Iku by species and doesn't even remember her name. I don't see how they could possibly be "almost family" of even old friends. Perhaps Iku has taken more of an interest in preventing Tenshi from becoming a repeat offender after SWR, but they don't have a history or anything.

Regarding Iku's species, oarfish are Messengers of the Dragon Palace. That's the same word in Japanese. A fisherman fishes one up (probably dead) and says "hey, looks like I just caught a Messenger of the Dragon Palace". And then they send it to some marine research lab for an expert on Messengers of the Dragon Palace to study. It's just the common name for a certain type of fish. Her species is completely inseparable from her job: it's just what she is.

Well that was....bizarre. I do love how Tenshi is completely pointless though. I don't love the implication that they raped Sanae (and maybe the others?) and we are ment to take it as funny. No thanks. (Though YMMV I guess)

ON TOPIC: The post above mine answered this.

EDIT YO: Wait, the Dragon Palace is something Eirin made up? I never see it used unless in the context of Iku. (And then you say that oarfish are called Messengers to the Dragon Palace and ow my head hurts)

edited 12th Jul '11 12:55:42 PM by Otherarrow

I assume you posted this while I was in the middle of answering that? In case someone doesn't want to sift through my post, I'll say it again here: an oarfish is a Messenger of the Dragon Palace. It's the same word. It's linguistically impossible for them to be anything else. Frankly, it doesn't even imply that the Dragon Palace actually exists, as it's just the name of a species.

I did, and edited appropriately. Sorry for that. I understand what you mean by "the same word" and all that too.

It's still kinda eh to me though.

edited 12th Jul '11 12:57:24 PM by Otherarrow

How does one randomly wander onto the Moon? Should we call Eirin a dick for making up a legend that will have people throwing themselves into the sea? No, but seriously, how the hell does someone randomly wander onto the Moon? Do you fall into a lake during a full moon and poof suddenly you're on the moon? How does that even work?

Also, its a shame that a neat myth that could have potentially been a source of characters or a game plot in and of itself gets junked as "Eirin was making it up." It looks like every myth is true except for the ones that the mooninites have dibs on.

It would be awesome if that myth actually became true through mass belief.

Messenger of the Dragon Palace

"Ah! Iku, there you are. You know, you're very hard to track down~"

"Oh, hello there Miss Yakumo. You, of course, had no trouble finding me."

"Oh, is it that obvious?"

"Even you are not exempt from my atmospheric readings."

"I could be~"

"...Anyways, what is your business with me today?"

"Oh, can't a simple youkai such as myself stop by for a friendly chat?"

"You only seek me out when you want a status update with my master."

"You know me so well~"

"You've been doing this for decades, it's not too hard to figure out."

"But yes, I do have an obligation to fufill. How is the old fart doing these days?"

"Same as the last time you asked. Resting until the world truely does need him."

"I haven't seen him in some time...Maybe I should cause a world-ending incident to get him to wake up~"

"Ah, please don't do that Miss Yakumo. I just finished an incident that I was semi-involved in, and I'd rather not talk to the apathetic residents of Gensokyo for a while."

"Apathetic? You've clearly never met the young Kirisame girl."

"I have, and I have the scortch marks to proove it. But when I went down to the ground to warn the residents of an impending earthquake, all that happened was me getting in many fights because everyone just wanted me to get out of their face."

"You just need to appeal to their interests."

"And those are...?"

"Fight, then negotiate~"

"Of course..."

"...Hold on, I remember this story."

"Oh?"

"Yes, in fact I was one of those people that you tried to warn."

"Ah! Yes! I remember now. You beat me up because I tried to get you to be less obtuse."

"I led you in the right direction, did I not?"

"You could've just told me straight out that there was a keystone at the shrine."

"But that would've been less fun~"

"I will never understand you."

"I'm certain that no one ever will."

"...Anyways, I must be off now. So long, Miss Yakumo."

"Au revoir, Messenger of the Dragon Palace."

In CILR it's revealed that the most famous story of the Dragon Palace, the tale of Urashima Tarou, was actually the handiwork of Eirin and the Watatsukis, who decided to do this whole elaborate trick instead of just killing him.

As for the oarfish, it's pretty obvious that ancient Japanese fishermen thought they were actually messengers of the dragon palace.

Supposedly the seas are connected, sometimes. I think it was Toyohime's power. Touhouwiki's down-ish right now.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:05:22 PM by Clarste

I haven't consolidated all of the ideas for my Iku write-up, but I'd just like to put this idea up now.

Reading Iku's "Vs" Script, it reminds me of Eiki. Most of her win quotes are scolding the defeated opponent about their character flaws, much like the Yama. However, her advice is more "you're ignoring your surroundings and that's why you're wrong" rather than "you're upsetting the natural order and that's why you're wrong"

But in Touhou canon we actually do have an Oarfish who is the messenger to the Dragon. There are just no Palaces involved.

I'll be honest, this does have me confused. The Dragon Palace is a Lunarian made myth, yet Oarfish (at least one of them) are messengers who work under the Dragon (who, presumably, would live in the Dragon Palace if it existed)

(I don't mean to argue, I am just trying to be sure I got all of this clear)

Wouldn't that pollute the Lunar Oceans with horrible, sinful life? Plankton and fish kinda drifting through? I mean, if a full grown man can drift through you'd think some bacteria and stuff would make it too. Toyohime should be more careful. All it takes is one horrible disease during the post-Eirin days. Or just an infestation of frogs that will upset the natural balance of peach trees and whatever it is that pollinates the peach trees.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:07:03 PM by Bocaj

Wiki's back up. According to Eirin:

I think it's simplest to say that humanity's image of the Dragon Palace is based on Eirin's lies. It may or may not exist, but it doesn't look like what we think it does.

That smells like a bogus explanation, though that's probably to be expected by now.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:10:57 PM by Fluid

So the Lunarians didn't even earn the moon? They quantum probability accidentally ended up there?

Or is she just talking technobabble? Was she narrating to herself or talking to someone at the time?

Eh, if it got them to the moon, then it got them to the moon.

The implication is that they can control quantum effects. Eirin uses a similar process to create a seal on a letter.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:12:22 PM by Clarste

How could the Lunarians know anything about Earth if they only live on the moon?

They lived on Earth, then they quantumed to the moon. Somehow.

Because they used to be earthlings.

They just have quantum teleportation technology or whatever. Supposedly Lord Tsukuyomi was shocked to learn that modern humans had discovered quantum mechanics, as such technology could theoretically let us invade the Lunar Capital.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:13:46 PM by Clarste

Same way we know about the Moon despite living on Earth. Also the Lunarians apparently came from Earth originally, and the Eientei residents are evidence that they use it both to exile outcasts and a useful place of asylum.

ON TOPIC: Iku's hard to talk about, since she's quite reserved. Her profile lists that she doesn't get involved in things that don't concern her, making her something of an oddity in a location where everyone gets involved in everything as a way of life.

edited 12th Jul '11 1:19:05 PM by asterism

She's explaining to the Watatsuki sisters, who are both fellow Lunarians and her successors who will ultimately have the same job as her. So unless she's secretly trying to undermine Lunarian society by feeding them lies, it's probably true.

It does seem that Iku pretty much keeps to herself unless it involves her job, which is warning people about earthquakes and presumably doing things for the Dragon.

I wonder if she sneaks into the "outside world" and watches people dance and learn from them how to be just so stylish when she is not "on duty". What? Style like that doesn't just happen.

...I think she is stylish at least.

As a representative from the Dragon Palace, she probably has a reputation to keep up when dealing with others, which might explain her reserved behavior.

As well as her stylish outfit. Because Iku is stylish. She's the most stylish character thus far, admit it.