Tamami

<the_myth> Tamami was born with white hair and red eyes. A "cursed child," they called her fresh out of the womb, for these were the marks of the Serpent. Yet, the Shōji family elected to keep her around, hoping to sell her off for her exotic beauty. They raised her to be the perfect wife. The refined stroke of a brush, the gentle steps while she walked, the elegant manner of pouring tea—all these and more were beaten into her in her younger years. When she came of age, they sold her off to the first one who would buy her: a gaijin, who knew nothing but sleaziness. Everything that Tamami was taught proved useless, as even her most graceful of movements was met with derision.

One day, in the man's garden, she met a serpent. Desperate for it all to end, she threw herself to the ground and waited for the sting. The prick on her skin brought with it a sense of euphoria. Finally, she thought. I no longer have to live in this wretched world.

What came next was pain. Patches of skin crawled off, replaced with scales even paler than her hair. Fangs, forcefully elongated. Her voice grew hoarse, wearing itself out as she screamed out in pain. Fragments of tongue fell to the ground as Tamami tore them off, leaving a forked abomination in its wake.

The venom running through her veins told her what she needed to do, and she did so with the grace she was so lovingly taught. A gaijin, dead. His mansion, wrapped in flames. Tamami, swept away by the current. </the_myth>

<the_snake_den> "The Snake Den is a ryokan where venomous women are sent for rehabilitation. There, they can learn to better compose themselves and embody the virtues of elegance, loyalty, and domestic virtue."

That is the front by which they operate. Its workers, the nakai, are taught how to better hide their fangs. Assimilate into society, then strike when the time is right. There is no organization in the world not watched by at least one of the members of the Snake Den. People can also pay to be hidden here, whether they be hostages, important people, or runaways. The only sin in the Snake Den is waste.

It is also a place where actual living snakes are also able to roam free, provided they aren't seen by the inn's regular guests, of course. Each of these cute little things has a name, of which Tamami has them all memorized.

Tamami views the Snake Den as her place of respite. Despite being treated poorly for her entire life, she has chosen to adopt these women deemed unfit for society. All branded as undesirables, Tamami loves in spite of that. She knows that each of them is their own being, and as such is not possessive at all. If some wish to express their love for Tamami, then she will reciprocate in equal kind. If they do not—well, Tamami certainly could not force them.

At times, she may call on the member of the Snake Den to wash her, mostly as an exercise of trust and loyalty. In truth, she quite enjoys getting caressed by multiple hands at once. </the_snake_den>

<the_serpent> Tamami is a tall, gentle soul with an even gentler smile. Despite being the Serpent's Chosen, she treats those that have not wronged anyone with kindness. Even in her reprimands, she does not choose to strike. With a slight tsk, Tamami expresses her disappointment not with bruises but with a slight pout. The sight is so adorable that many member of the Snake Den purposely fail their training just to see it. Universally considered to be lovely by all the nakai of the Snake Den.

On the outside, she is a perfect embodiment of the "Yamato Nadeshiko" archetype. The personification of an idealized Japanese woman. Not only does she appear to be demure and refined at all times, irregardless of the formality of the event, but she is also well-versed in the many domestic duties one has at home. Cleaning, cooking, calligraphy, and comforting come as easy as breathing.

As the Chosen of the Serpent, Tamami possesses snake-like characteristics. Patches of scales hidden underneath her yukata, a forked tongue darting in and out from time to time, and fangs that, when seen, give her a jarring sinister look. She is also cold-blooded, meaning she derives heat mostly from the members of the Snake Den, but also from tea and fireplaces. She can produce any poison known to man, from those able to kill outright to those that cause paralysis. Fast-acting or a slow creep, the parameters of her venom are as malleable as clay. Of the inhabitants, Tamami is the only Chosen, and, as such, no one else has scales, fangs, and slit-shaped pupils.

While the other Chosen in this country are known and well-recognized, Tamami remains undercover in the Snake Den. Despite the abilities granted to her, she remains modest, humble, and outwardly a functioning member of society. </the_serpent>