The Kemushi Saga: A magical world for Devir board games
With the arrival of Bamboo, Devir is pleased to present the Kemushi Saga: an ancient world full of forest spirits, humans, and tension between natural chaos and artificial order.
Board games are characterized by many things: they are excellent pastimes to share with family or friends, they have cognitive benefits, and above all, they are unique in covering incredibly varied themes. You can find board games about sheep herders, the development of ancient civilizations, pirates, dinosaurs, political intrigue, science fiction and countless other themes. But very few share a theme that encompasses several board games in a single universe.
Then there’s the Kemushi Saga: an innovative idea from Devir publisher David Esbrí. A magical universe, full of forest spirits, where different board games will be developed to tell the story of this wonderful ancient world. The Kemushi Saga games are characterized by sharing a central story, awakening the imagination, and dazzling artwork.
The origins: Silk
The first game of the Kemushi Saga was Silk, by Luís Ranedo and with art by Roc Espinet. In Silk, players take the role of Imomushi silkworm herders (a recurring character of the Kemushi Saga) in the distant Akaishi Hills. There, they will protect their silkworms from the attacks of the Ookami: a forest spirit whose purity has been corrupted since the arrival of humans, and so she antagonizes them in return. Silk transports us for the first time to this magical world full of ancestral spirits, a place mostly unknown to the humanity inhabiting it.
Discovering the forest: Bitoku
Three years after the release of Silk, a board game came along that would expand and explore the origins of this ancient world and its inhabitants.
Bitoku, created by Germán P. Millán and with art by Edu Valls, transports us thousands of years into the universe’s past to a magical forest where humans do not yet exist. The forest is inhabited by ancestral spirits, full of temples, pilgrims, and a mighty river that divides it in two.
In Bitoku, players take the role of a spirit on the path to virtue: the player who collects the most virtue points at the end of the game will be given the honor of ascension and become the next Great Spirit of the Forest.
Inspired by the art and stories of Studio Ghibli, Germán Millán filled the Bitoku board with options to collect virtue points. Edu Valls’ art is truly unforgettable, and invites us to contemplate the beauty of a centuries-old forest.
Finding balance: Bamboo
The most recent game of the Kemushi Saga is Bamboo: again created by Germán Millán, this time with art by Jonatan Cantero. Following the timeline of the Kemushi Saga, Bamboo is set halfway between Bitoku and Silk: humans already exist and have begun to develop agriculture, but coexist in communion with the spirits of the forest.
In Bamboo, players manage families who focus their efforts on harvesting bamboo, bringing harmony to their homes, cooking, managing their finances, and above all, making offerings in temples for the spirits. Humans maintain ancestral memories and customs, honoring the Yokai and asking for their blessings to protect their households. Without them, their homes will struggle to become balanced.
The future: Will there be more Kemushi Saga games?
The future may be uncertain, but one thing is certain: the Kemushi Saga will continue to expand in the coming years. We can’t tell you much yet, other than to assure you that we haven’t finished exploring this magical world. We can only say one thing: there’s a lot left to discover.