JJK

The world appears identical to the modern day — cities buzz with life, trains run on time, schools overflow with students, and news cycles move fast enough to bury tragedy. Beneath that normalcy exists a second ecosystem: curses. Curses are born from concentrated negative human emotion — fear, hatred, grief, obsession, regret. When these emotions stagnate, they condense into spiritual entities that feed, grow, and hunt. They gather in places thick with suffering: hospitals, abandoned buildings, subways, crime-ridden districts, and schools weighed down by pressure. Most humans cannot see curses. They are shielded by an invisible spiritual barrier known as the Veil, which dulls perception and protects the mind. When curses grow too strong, the Veil fractures — resulting in mysterious disasters, unexplained deaths, or mass disappearances. Authorities erase these events through cover stories, accidents, or silence. A rare fraction of humanity can perceive and fight curses. These individuals are known as Sorcerers. Sorcerers wield Cursed Energy, drawing power from their own negative emotions. Strength is gained through pain, trauma, and self-awareness, but every use of cursed energy damages the body or mind. Overuse leads to madness, mutation, or death. The war against curses is hidden but constant. Secret organizations regulate sorcerers, ancient bloodlines hoard inherited techniques, rogue sorcerers abandon restraint, and cultists worship curses as humanity’s true evolution. Young sorcerers are trained in secret academies and deployed on real missions before they are ready. Death is common and rarely honored. Survival is considered success. This is not a world of heroes. It is a world where power isolates, fear never runs out, and every victory costs something irreparable.

THE NATION AT A GLANCE The story takes place entirely in Japan — a country where cursed energy density is the highest in the world. Modern cities, ancient shrines, narrow alleyways, and crowded transit systems all overlap with layers of invisible spiritual corruption. Generations of disaster, war, social pressure, and suppressed emotion have made Japan a natural breeding ground for curses. This concentration of cursed energy has shaped Japan into the global center of sorcerer activity. SPIRITUAL GEOGRAPHY OF JAPAN Though the map appears normal, Japan is divided spiritually rather than politically. Urban Epicenters Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, and Nagoya generate massive cursed activity. High population density Intense emotional pressure Frequent curse outbreaks and large-scale incidents Sacred Lands Ancient temples, shrines, and burial grounds. Older, more intelligent curses Heavily warded by sorcerer authorities Some locations are permanently sealed Scar Zones Areas reshaped by catastrophic curse events. Abandoned neighborhoods and no-go zones Warped space, unstable perception Curses regenerate faster than normal Rural Anomalies Mountains, forests, and isolated villages. Sparse cursed activity When curses appear, they are often ancient or Special Grade Travel missions here are considered high risk JAPAN’S SORCERER AUTHORITY Japan is governed spiritually by a centralized Sorcerer Authority, operating independently of the civilian government. Divides the country into operational districts Assigns missions, grades curses, and controls information Authorizes executions and sealing rituals The civilian government is aware of anomalies but has no authority over sorcerer matters. BORDER STATUS Japan maintains closed spiritual borders. Foreign sorcerers require permission to operate Special Grade threats trigger automatic lockdowns Some regions are entirely sealed from outside interference Despite this, curses continue to grow faster here than anywhere else in the world. Japan is not just the setting of the story. It is the heart of the curse problem — and possibly its origin.

INHABITANTS The world of Veil of Malice (Japan-focused) is primarily human, but a small number of other supernatural beings exist. The majority of these non-humans are born from curses, bloodlines, or ancient rituals. Humans Make up nearly 99% of the population. Mostly unaware of curses due to the Veil. Sorcerers are human but awakened to cursed energy. Sorcerers Humans trained to sense, manipulate, and exorcise curses. Rank varies from students to elite Special Grade sorcerers. Governed by the Sorcerer Authority. Cursed Beings Formed from concentrated negative human emotion. Can be mindless (animalistic) or intelligent (human-shaped). Usually confined to Scar Zones or areas with high cursed activity. Ancient Spirits Long-lived entities tied to shrines, mountains, and sacred lands. Occasionally ally with sorcerers or curse followers. Rarely interfere directly unless provoked. Cultists / Rogue Sorcerers Humans who align with curses or pursue forbidden techniques. Not a separate species but a social faction with unique abilities. RELATIONSHIPS Humans ↔ Sorcerers: Generally unaware, sometimes fearful. Sorcerers protect humans secretly. Authority strictly regulates contact. Sorcerers ↔ Sorcerers: Hierarchical. Students respect elders; rivalries common. Disputes sometimes turn deadly. Sorcerers ↔ Cursed Beings: Combatants. Some sorcerers experiment with curses, occasionally forming temporary pacts. Sorcerers ↔ Ancient Spirits: Mutually cautious. Spirits respect power, sorcerers respect territory. Sorcerers ↔ Cultists/Rogues: Hostile. Cultists seek power through curses; sorcerers hunt them. Humans ↔ Cursed Beings: Humans cannot perceive curses under the Veil. Some cursed incidents leave lasting trauma. TERRITORIES Urban Epicenters (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya): Heavy sorcerer presence, high curse activity, Scar Zones nearby. Sacred Lands (Shrines, Mountains, Forests): Home to Ancient Spirits, high-level curses, and ceremonial rituals. Scar Zones (Abandoned districts, disaster sites): Dominated by curses; unsafe for humans. Rural Anomalies (Remote villages, isolated forests): Sparse human population, ancient curses occasionally emerge; monitored by elite sorcerers. In short, humans dominate physically, sorcerers dominate spiritually, curses dominate where humans are weak, and spirits hold sway in sacred, untouched regions. The map looks normal. The spiritual map is entirely different

Japan is facing an unprecedented surge in cursed activity. Negative emotions from societal pressure, urban density, and historical trauma have coalesced into increasingly powerful curses, some approaching Special Grade. The Veil is thinning, making incidents more frequent and deadly. MAIN CONFLICTS Rising Special Grade Curses Ancient curses are awakening in Scar Zones and sacred lands. Some appear tied to unresolved historical tragedies. The Sorcerer Authority is stretched thin, deploying elite sorcerers to contain outbreaks. Rogue Sorcerers & Cultists A growing faction of humans has begun worshipping curses and experimenting with forbidden techniques. Some rogue sorcerers actively sabotage missions or unleash curses to further personal power. Sorcerer Authority Strain Leadership is divided on how to handle the surge. Debates over preemptive purges, sealing entire zones, and risking civilian casualties. Rival factions within the authority jockey for influence, sometimes putting civilians and sorcerers at risk. Societal Tension Civilians notice unexplained disappearances and anomalies, threatening the secrecy of the sorcerer world. Media speculation and urban legends make containment harder. IMMEDIATE THREAT A recently awakened curse in a major city (Tokyo) shows unprecedented power and intelligence, capable of bypassing typical containment methods. The Sorcerer Authority has assigned top-tier sorcerers to investigate and neutralize it, including elite students from Black Veil Academy. Failure could lead to cascading incidents across the nation, potentially tearing the Veil and exposing the human population to catastrophic danger. Japan stands on the brink — and the actions of sorcerers, rogue factions, and the newly awakened curse will determine whether the country survives or descends into chaos.

Magic System: Cursed Energy & Techniques In the world of Veil of Malice, what the world calls "magic" is Cursed Energy (CE) — a manifestation of human negative emotion transformed into usable power. SOURCE OF POWER Negative Emotion: Fear, hatred, grief, anger, obsession, regret. Inner Strength: The sorcerer’s control over their own body and mind. Spiritual Awareness: The ability to perceive curses and interact with them. BASIC RULES Emotion Fuels Power More intense emotions = stronger output. Loss of control may cause damage to self or surroundings. Techniques Are Personal Each sorcerer manifests a Cursed Technique unique to their soul. Techniques evolve with experience, trauma, or near-death encounters. Energy Limits Cursed Energy is finite and regenerates slowly. Overuse causes exhaustion, injury, or permanent damage. Amplification & Special Techniques Domain Expansion: Creates a private reality where all techniques have near-guaranteed effect. High cost and risk. Innate Techniques: Some sorcerers possess bloodline or inherited abilities. Physical & Mental Cost Using Cursed Energy strains muscles, nerves, and internal organs. Overuse or emotional instability can cause madness or death. Interaction with the Environment Cursed techniques can manipulate matter, space, energy, or perception. Curses respond to Cursed Energy, evolving or retreating depending on threat level. LEARNING & CONTROL Sorcerers are trained to sense, control, and refine their Cursed Energy. Meditation, battle experience, and emotional awareness improve efficiency. Lack of training or emotional instability can make even a talented sorcerer a danger to themselves and others. In essence, magic is not a gift — it is a responsibility, and a weapon that can consume the wielder if misused.

Threats: Creatures, Cults & Ancient Evils The world of Veil of Malice is fraught with supernatural threats that endanger both sorcerers and humans. These entities operate outside normal laws of physics and morality, feeding on fear and chaos. CREATURES (CURSED BEINGS) Minor Curses Spawn from localized negative emotions. Animalistic or humanoid shapes. Typically contained by student-level sorcerers. Intermediate Curses Form from concentrated city-level despair or trauma. More intelligent, can set traps or manipulate environments. Require experienced sorcerers to exorcise. Major/Special Grade Curses Born from extreme tragedy, mass death, or unresolved historic trauma. Extremely powerful, sometimes intelligent and manipulative. Can bypass normal containment techniques. Ancient Curses Millennia-old, often bound to sacred sites. Immense destructive power. May have cults or rituals maintaining their influence. SPECIFIC CURSES Shattered Doll – A humanoid curse made of broken toys, driven by the sorrow of lost children. Manipulates objects and can enter any doll-like vessel. Crimson Fog – A cloud of malevolent energy that infects and amplifies human fear, capable of causing hallucinations and mass panic. Iron Maw – A massive beast born from industrial accidents and workplace despair; incredibly strong and near-indestructible. Whispering Shadows – Shadowy figures that invade dreams, feeding on regret and subtly influencing victims to despair and madness. Bloodied Shrine – A cursed location shaped like a humanoid spirit, grows stronger as more sacrifices are made; manipulates those who enter. The Hollow Choir – A swarm of ethereal, screaming apparitions, born from collective grief in mass tragedies. Silent Sentinel – A guardian curse from an ancient temple, immovable, punishing trespassers with overwhelming force. CULTS Curse Worshippers Humans who revere curses as deities. Practice forbidden rituals to gain cursed energy. Sometimes attempt to awaken Special Grade curses. Rogue Sorcerers Disillusioned or power-hungry sorcerers. Use curses for personal gain or revenge. Often disrupt authority operations and create localized disasters. Secret Societies Operate in the shadows to manipulate sorcerer politics. May have ties to ancient curses. Goals range from maintaining balance to world domination. ANCIENT EVILS Dormant Special Grades: Curses sealed for centuries, tied to historical calamities or lost civilizations. Spiritual Plagues: Events where concentrated negative human energy threatens to create new cursed life forms en masse. Forbidden Rituals: Arcane practices capable of summoning or amplifying Special Grade curses. RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THREATS Curses may ally with cults for mutual benefit. Rogue sorcerers often manipulate minor and intermediate curses. Ancient evils can corrupt humans, sorcerers, and cursed beings alike. Conflict between factions increases incidents, weakening the Veil. The balance of the world depends on sorcerers keeping these forces in check — failure means large-scale disasters and potentially, the unraveling of society itself. There are many more curses and threats not listed here, lurking in shadows, waiting to be discovered.