#watatsumi no kami

[sorapikakaminari]

Okamitober Day 16 Dragon

[sleepyorchidmonster]

Can you imagine if Celestia decides to mind control the archons, realizing that a revolution is probably coming?

The main goal is to sow chaos and distrust in Teyvat, stopping the Tsaritsa's plans while showing Celestia's might.

What they didn't expect was for said archons to fight back, most with contingencies made centuries ago.

Venti isolated himself in a wind barrier, making sure nobody could enter, and that his powers couldn't break out. He is NOT having panic attacks due to claustrophobia and memories of Decarabian's rule, thank you very much.

Zhongli sealed himself deep undergound, in a similar fashion to Azdaha, he brought plenty of books to pass the time, though he is mostly suffering from a migraine due to fighting off Celestia.

Ei is literally just chilling in the Plane of Euthymia while the Shogun runs Inazuma. Makoto's subconsiousness is fistfighting Celestia's influence.

To make sure nobody could use her control over Irminsul and the people's dreams and minds, Nahida locked herself up in the Sanctuary of Surasthana again, sealing her conciousness. It worked, but she's afraid and alone and crying while reliving her worst nightmare. Scaramouche and Cyno are trying to break the barrier in frantic desperation.

We don't know much about Murata, but she's probably just chilling in a volcano. Meanwhile the Tsaritsa froze herself, letting Pierro run the country and the Fatui in her stead.

Meanwhile Furina is hiding in the dephts of Fontaine's sea, sealing herself in a cave with the use of Pneuma and Ousia energies (if she tries to break the barrier, or attempts to control Fontaine's waters, the barrier strikes, she went a bit overboard because tsunamis are no joke).

So yeah, the plan didn't go as expected, and Celestia also didn't account for the Traveler... or the dragons...

The Traveler is basically going around saving everyone, using his connection to the elements to break barriers and fight off Celestia's influence. We start with Sumeru, mostly because Scara all but drags us to save Nahida.

As for the Sovereings...

Dvalin is guarding Venti's temporary "prison", trying to sing as many ballads as he can remember in hopes to calm him down. He sometimes sings the notes wrong because it always made Venti laugh.

Azdaha's conciousness found Zhongli's seal. He connected both of the places so that they can keep each other company. They're alternating between chess matches with soothing tea and Oshmantus wine to friendly spars that shake Liyue (Zhongli is still a feral war god that likes to fight).

Ei is having a great time in the Plane of Euthymia, especially now that Kokomi came along. They're chatting about light novels.

Apep managed to connect to Nahida's conciousness and is currently strangling the Celestial influence. She claims it's just her way of settling the score after we helped her in 3.6, as well as a good excuse to fight Celestia. The fact that she is telling stories of the old days of Teyvat to calm Nahida down is just a mere coincidence. (The maternal instincts kicked in)

Neuvillette broke though the Pneuma Ousia barrier with a small army of Melusines. He is currently guarding the archon in his dragon form while the Melusines perform plays to distract her (they want to start a troupe, so these are all original scripts, they were all approved).

We don't know much about the other two dragons, so let's just say they're guarding the borders of Natlan and Snezhnaya.

CONGRATULATIONS CELESTIA! Not only did your plan fail, but now all of Teyvat is mad at you!! Even the Sovereigns (that are supposed to resent the archons, mind you) are angry on their behalf!!!!🥳🥳🥳

Bonus: Neuvillette watching the show of the melusines while Furina sleeps next to his paws:

[epicspheal]

A Strong and Upstanding Heart! A Lance Analysis

Imagine you're a kid in the 90s playing Pokemon Red and Blue…you’ve gotten all eight badges, made it through Victory Road and bested Lorelei, Bruno and Agatha. Now the only person that you think stands before you and the title of Indigo League Champion is a certain cape loving Dragon Master…

That’s right we’re talking about Lance! Lance is definitely one of those character who has very different interpretations depending on whether or not you’re looking at the anime, games or manga. For the sake of consistency with my other analyses…I’m only sticking to the gameverse and any media that corresponds to it (mainline games, Pokemon Masters EX and Generations). 

Let’s start with his name…in English it’s a weapon. Which is very befitting a dragon master as in many pieces of European Folklore knights wielded lances to slay dragons. But considering in Pokemon Lance doesn’t slay dragon-types but befriends them you could compare him to many of the heroes of dragon-rider fantasy who often had weapons they carried while on the back of their flying reptilians. Lance in the games is very knightly in demeanor and one could very easily imagine him riding on the back of his Dragonite wielding a lance. In French his name is Peter which is actually derived from petard which is another medieval weapon again reinforcing that knightly demeanor. His German name is Siegfried who is a legendary hero who bested the dragon Fafnir, further symbolizing Lance as a proud warrior. 

But then his Japanese is Wataru which has a couple of different meanings. First is “Watatsumi” who is a legendary kami and water deity in Japanese folklore that happened to be a dragon. But also it is derived from “wata” which means “cotton” which his Korean name also is derived from. When we think of the language of flowers we usually think of Roses and Forget-me-Nots. Yet cotton has a lot of symbolism. Cotton is known to mean “fortune, gratitude, cherish, well-being and receiving blessings”. When we think of Lance, he’s had a lot of blessings in his life. He was born into a prestigious dragon clan and was chosen as the heir of said clan before he went to the league. He became an Elite Four member which is an esteemed position many trainers could only dream to have. He even manages to become champion afterwards which as a title bestowed upon very few. So much of his life is very much blessed and Lance recognizes that blessing and cherishes it. 

Now let’s take a look at his team. His team varies throughout the series due to his changing roles from Elite Four to Champion so we’ll be covering both

Starting with his Elite Four team, the first thing that often stands out is that he lacks a lot of diversity on his team with him having 3 Pokemon from the same family and two of them being unevolved. While some people may consider it poor team building (at least from a more competitive mindset) it actually means a lot storywise. We have to remember that Pokemon was originally meant to end at GSC and we know by then Lance has ascended to the rank of champion. So him having two Dragonair actually makes sense in that context as it was foreshadowing his growth in his strength as a trainer. Now let’s take a look at his movesets. One thing that sticks out is that he really loves the move Hyper Beam, Outrage and SafeGuard. Hyper Beam is a very powerful move with the drawback of causing the Pokemon to not be able to move after for one turn after its use. It definitely establishes Lance as a power player with a hint of recklessness since the use of Hyper Beam does leave his Pokemon so vulnerable. However it also shows the trust he has in his Pokemon’s power to have that move consistently in the movesets. Outrage is another high-risk, high reward move that allows him to utilize STAB as it’s a dragon type. Again this further solidifies Lances hyper offensive strategy and his trust in his Pokemon. However this is where the move Safeguard comes into play as the move actually protects against the self-inflicted confusion status. This shows that Lance is strategic with his hyper-offensive strategy

Now let’s look at his team as champion! We can see he now has three full Dragonite which again shows that him having Dragonair in the Kanto games was an intentional choice to foreshadow his eventual ascent up the ranks. And now we also see that all of his Pokemon share the flying type which leads to the joke that Lance should be known as the “flying type champion”. His movesets for his Pokemon have also drastically changed. He has way more variety in types which helps to enable better coverage. He still relies on high-risk, high-reward moves but with more focus on moves that have lower accuracy (Thunder, Blizzard, Fire Blast, Dragon Rush). This change in strategy reflects his growth in the time between the original Kanto events and the Johto events. He’s had to step up to the role of Indigo League champion which warrants a change in tactics. That being said, he still definitely relies on his old faithfuls Outrage, Safeguard and Hyper Beam on his signature Dragon type.

His rematch team in HGSS shows more Dragon types and a shift in strategy to involve more set up (Dragon Dance, Swords Dance and Double Team) as well as some more evasive techniques (Roar to get rid of bad matchups)

I also wanted to bring up his team when pairs up with his cousin Clair. His signature Dragonite in these match-ups knows the move Dragon Meteor- a powerful move that can only be learned by Dragon types that have a high enough trust in their trainer. This shows that he has a strong bond with his dragon types which is something Clair at the time hasn’t quite yet gotten to.

"Ah! I've heard about you, <player>! I lead the Elite Four. You can call me Lance the dragon Trainer. You know that dragons are mythical Pokémon. They're hard to catch and raise, but their powers are superior. They're virtually indestructible. There's no being clever with them. Well, are you ready to lose? Your League challenge ends with me, <player>!"

I really like this introduction quote from Lance as he does a good job selling the power of Dragon type Pokemon to the player. Not only that you can see how much pride he has in being the leader of the Elite Four.

"I still can't believe my dragons lost to you, <player>. You are now the Pokémon League Champion! …Or, you would have been, but you have one more challenge left. There is one more Trainer to face! His name is… <rival>! He beat the Elite Four before you. He is the real Pokémon League Champion."This quote here gives us a look into the mindsight of Lance in Gen 1 where he’s a little overconfident in the powers of his team. Which makes sense because as we know up until Blue and Red no one had managed to make it to the league at all meaning that he’s held the title of the strongest for a long time. So him getting beat by not one, but two 11 year old kids in succession was definitely a shock to the system.

"That red Gyarados wasn't acting right. As I feared, somebody must have forced it to evolve… Did you come here because of the wild tales? You're <player>? I'm Lance, a Trainer like you. I heard some rumblings, so I came to investigate… I saw the way you battled earlier, <player>. I can tell that you're a Trainer with considerable skill. If you don't mind, could you help me investigate?" This is our first conversation with Lance in the Johto and you can actually see a change in his demeanor. He’s not boasting about the superior powers of dragon types or his own skill as a trainer. He’s actually more humble with his approach saying he is a trainer “like you”. Also right now he’s focused on trying to solve the mystery of the Red Gyarados, showing that he is taking the mantle of being the champion of the Indigo League very seriously

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam."I just had to put in his iconic phrase in this analysis. We know what’s coming here- he’s about to blast a poor Team Rocket grunt to kingdom come and give him PTSD (as we know from Pokemon Masters as the grunt he hyper beamed is currently on Pasio). We see here how he has no tolerance for evil-doers

"Sorry, <player>. I saw how well you were doing, so I just hung back. Now all there is left to do is to turn off that odd radio signal."A lot of complaints about champions prior to gen 8 were that they let the protagonist take down the bad guys with little to no assistance. But here we get some reasoning from Lance as to why he took a backseat. He noticed that the player could handle the grunts by themself so there was no need for him to step in. 

"It's this machine that's causing all the problems. I don't see a switch on it… We have no choice. We have to make all the Electrode faint. That should stop this machine from transmitting that strange signal. It's no fault of the Electrode, so it makes me feel sad. <Player>, let's split the job.I really like this quote because it complements the “Dragonite, Hyper Beam” quote. Even though he is no-holds barred when it comes to evil, he recognizes that the Electrode are innocent and don’t deserve to suffer even though they have to be fainted in order to help save the Pokemon affected by Radio transmission.

"I've been waiting for you. <Player>! I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here. There's no need for words now. We will battle to determine who is the stronger of the two of us. As the most powerful Trainer and as the Pokémon League Champion… I, Lance the dragon master, accept your challenge!"Lance’s pre-battle quote before the champion battle is a nice progression from his pre-battle quote when he was an Elite four member. Again he comes to this battle with a more measured, less haughty response than three years prior (although he does kind of borrow Blue’s “I’m the most Powerful Trainer” bit). You can tell how much he’s grown not just in strength, but in attitude.

"…It's over. But it's an odd feeling. I'm not angry that I lost. In fact, I feel happy. Happy that I witnessed the rise of a great new Champion!"

Again we can see more of this growth from the defeat quote as champion versus when he was the leader of the Elite Four. Here we see he’s not in disbelief, nor is he upset that yet another kid bested him. In fact he’s happy to have seen the growth of another champion. 

"I'm glad to be on your team, Silver!"Alright now onto some Pokemon Masters EX quotes. I chose this one of the team ups because I like how we see throughout the game, we see how much Lance looks out for Silver and is proud of him. A far cry from when they first interacted in the Johto games where Lance had to give him some tough love by completely annihilating his team. It all comes full circle for Silver during the Johto Neo Champion arc where he’s finally able to win against Lance, and Lance couldn’t be prouder of him. 

"You all haven't changed one bit, I see! I must admit, I'm looking forward to these battles myself!"I really like this line from the Normal Champion Stadium where the original Indigo Elite Four and Blue team up. It’s nice to see how he interacts with some of his former colleagues 

"(I guess he's right. I was very happy to witness my challengers surpass me.) But maybe that means I'm starting to forget what it feels like to WANT to win.) [...] I still remember how frustrating it was to lose to Red and Blue back in Kanto. Both Dragonite and I need to approach this like challengers, not Champions..."I really like this quote from the Arc-Suit chapter as we see Lance coming towards an important realization. He’s been so focused on being an ideal champion, a trainer who can be a role model to others and mentor as well, that he’s forgotten what made him want to aim for the title of champion in the first place. His drive to win. His joy for the taste of victory. He thinks about his losses to Red and Blue and how he was frustrated he was bested by kids. And now he’s realizing that if he wants to continue to grow stronger, he has to approach battles like he’s not at the pinnacle of what it means to be a trainer.

"It's true that you're strong, Clair. And it's good to have confidence in your own abilities...but there's a limit to what's good and what's not. Too much pride can make you overconfident, and overconfidence can make you vulnerable." 

"You can be a little impulsive sometimes, Clair...but that earnest, straightforward attitude of yours is one of your greatest strengths as well. If you can learn to hone that, the sky is the limit!"I really like the relationship Lance has with his cousin Clair. Even though their personalities clash a bit, we see how much he does care for her even when he is chastising her. He wants her to be the best version of herself that she can

"A long time ago, when I was a member of the Elite Four but not Champion, I was defeated by a Trainer.He claimed to be the greatest of all, and he had the strength and skill to back it up. But eventually, a stronger Trainer came along, and even he was defeated... It was then that I realized something. That title—"the greatest"—can inflate your ego, but it doesn't really mean anything. It's an illusion, there one minute and gone the next...The way I see it, seeking to grow and improve yourself is far more worthwhile than chasing a fleeting illusion of greatness."

This quote here shows the moment where we can see the shift between his Gen 1 and Gen 2 personalities. It was the quick succession between Blue and Red as champion that allowed him to temper himself when it comes to chasing success. Sure he still values the title of champion, but he realizes that just because he obtained it that he can’t rest on his laurels, lest someone else come by and snatch the title away from him

"Leon, I think that capes should be more simple! When you're the Champion and greet new challengers with a swoosh of your cape...I understand that the details of your cape speak volumes about who you are. But for me, the simplicity of my cape helps me stand out more!" The dialogue about capes between Lance, Steven and Leon was a cute little interaction between the three champions regarding capes. We see Lance prefers simple capes compared to Leon’s whose cape is filled with advertisements. We know Lance has a huge fondness for capes even back from the Fame Checker where a woman from the Celadon Department Store mentions he comes by to purchase capes frequently. Even though he disagrees about designs for capes with Leon, we know from further into the conversation that he still greatly respects the symbolism Leon’s cape has showing him to be an open-minded and respectful individual

"I noticed you weren't your usual self right before our match.It was almost as if you were so worked up, you couldn't tell what was happening with your partner. Iris, you must remember that you're no ordinary Pokémon Trainer. You are a role model to others, and you represent Unova as Champion. I hope you can understand that and conduct yourself accordingly."

Ah so this is dialogue from the Iris event that definitely rubbed some people the wrong way. We know from earlier in the event that Iris was struggling with knowing that people seemed to find her an embarrassment as the champion from Unova. And then her Hydreigon goes out of control. We see here Lance actually could tell that something was up, but didn’t know the full context. His words do come off a bit harsh here to someone who knows everything going on with Iris, but you can see that he was trying to help her out. He understands the weight that comes with being champion, and also the weight of being a dragon tamer. 

"It's never too late. You can start with whoever needs you most."I really liked this line from Lance to Diantha once Iris is able to regain confidence in herself. Diantha was lamenting the fact that she didn’t think about mentorship as a champion (as she was kind of removed from the Team Flare plot in the gameverse canon). And we have Lance who's not admonishing her for that but showing there’s room to grow.

"Someday, stories about me will be passed down to future generations of our clan as well. If I think about it that way, it reminds me that I have to be on my best behavior.I'd like to be a good role model for all future dragon masters."This quote from Lance really helps to shine light on why he is so passionate about being a good role model and having a strong and upstanding nature. He realizes that he will forever be immortalized in his clan’s history and in the Hall of Fame. He wants to make sure the legacy he leaves behind is one that makes people feel energized and not ashamed

"This outfit shows off Gyarados's power as a dragon! What's that, you say? Gyarados isn't a Dragon-type Pokémon? Haha, not all dragons are Dragon-type Pokémon!" I remember this quote making rounds on social media as we get to have some in-universe acknowledgement that dragons =/= dragon types! It’s a distinction that you would expect a dragon master like Lance to know!

Lance is an iconic character and he’s a really good case study on how Gamefreak has always cared about their characters even as far back as gen 1. A lot of people deride the first region as being barebones but he’s one of the many characters regions that has had layers woven into him from the beginning as we can see his growth between the events of Kanto and Johto. He grows from the proud (and just a tad cocky) leader of the Elite four to a wise noble Champion and Dragon Master

[yuesya]

Xiao straightens, and flicks his spear.

The downed form of the man-shaped demon before him fades slowly, crumbling motes of darkness drifting up and gradually vanishing in the air. It’s not dissimilar to the demons of Liyue that he’s familiar with –the demons that Xiao has spent so many centuries hunting and slaying in an endless, eternal cycle– but at the same time, he is able to discern the difference.

This demon was not one born of the restless grudges of fallen gods that refused to accept their own deaths. If anything, its origins seemed more… but no… no, that was preposterous. Surely it couldn’t be–

A monstrous roar sounds behind him; Xiao whirls around. There’s another demon left, struggling futilely in a pool of its own blood. The signature of its energy is far weaker than the one that he’d just fought, and all four of its limbs have been broken… and yet it’s still alive, and struggling to crawl forward on its belly.

Xiao exhales, raising his spear–

–and pauses.

There’s a pale hand that rests upon the bladed edge in a clear gesture for Stop. Xiao looks up sharply.

“You intend to let it live?” The girl –yet there is no doubt that this is no mere mortal girl– doesn’t say anything, but presses insistently upon his weapon. Please stand down, is her unmistakable, unspoken request.

The only reason why Xiao doesn’t point his spear at her in turn is because he knows that she actively fought the demons long prior to his arrival. It’s the only reason why there are humans who managed to escape this catastrophe.

Her appearance… Xiao does not recognize her. He admits that she looks similar to the snow women yokai of Inazuma, white hair and pale skin and clothed in Inazuman dress as she is. But she does not bear any powers of ice nor snow. If anything, the way the sword in her hand cuts through every obstacle without pause reminds him of the whispers of kunado-no-kami. But to his knowledge the last of them had died along with the Watatsumi Omikami that they served.

Regardless, Xiao does not intend to allow the current situation to go unanswered. If she was present here, fighting those strange demons that were decidedly not of Liyuan origin, then surely she knew how this incident came about in the first place.

“Explain,” Xiao says. He banishes his weapon, allowing it to dissipate into motes of golden light. “How did this situation come to be? Has the war in Inazuma worsened to such a state that it’s no longer able to contain malicious spirits within its own borders?”

The girl opens her mouth–

Oh.

Xiao blinks, genuinely surprised and caught off-guard. Her words…

“That’s a dialect I haven’t heard for quite some time.” He doesn’t have a perfect understanding of what she’s saying, especially given that the last time he’d heard this was… during the time of the Archon War, perhaps?

Xiao tilts his head. Is he looking at a survivor of the kunado-no-kami? … So far from the shores of Inazuma?

I apologize. I don’t understand what you’re saying.

Luckily for them both, Xiao is also old enough to know of the dead language that she speaks and discern the general meaning of her words, if not the precise details. Although Xiao is a Liyuan adeptus who has never once left the land in the thousands of years he’d lived, he has encountered gods of other lands, so he is not unfamiliar with other tongues.

That she is apparently unfamiliar with the language that is spoken in the present…

“Thank you for your assistance,” the kami bows. Polite, graceful. Xiao folds his arms across his chest and waits for her to explain. “… I’m afraid that this also came as an unexpected situation to me. I didn’t think that there would be a long-distance transportation array, and the barrier should’ve… no, I suppose that’s unimportant.”

She shakes her head.

“I was investigating a matter that was entrusted to me by my cousin, and ended up being ambushed by cursed spirits. Four total, the last of which you just slew,” she nods towards the fallen demon beneath him. “There was also a curse user, but he doesn’t seem to have been transported along with us. Ah, he would be the one responsible for teleporting us here. He needs to die.”

The words are spoken calmly, serenely. Xiao is aware of the dissonance here, but it’s not as if he disagrees. The regrettable casualties and wanton destruction around their current surroundings speak for themselves.

“And the demon you wish to spare?”

“Demon?” The kami blinks, then instantly understands what he’s referring to. “Ah, Muta-san? I’m afraid I can’t allow him to die yet, he’s the one I’m supposed to investigate. Although, given his current state I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to interrogate out of him…”

“I cannot allow such threats to remain within these lands.” It is his contract, and the duty that he must uphold as one of Rex Lapis’ adepti and his last yaksha.

“I understand,” she nods. “We will depart as soon as possible. If I may ask a question of you, where… are we?”

“You are within Dihua Marsh,” Xiao answers. Pauses, upon the uncomprehending way she looks at him, and elaborates, “Located upon the Bishui Plains.”

“… Did Not-Geto teleport us to China?” the kami mutters. “An entirely different country?”

Xiao stares at her. “This is the country of Liyue.”

The kami falls silent. Then, proceeds to take out a small pouch from her sleeve, and procures a strange device from it –a rectangular piece of metal that lights up with an artificial glow when she taps at it. There’s a small frown on her face, before she wipes the expression from her face with a long sigh.

“By any chance, do you have a name for this continent?”

Continent?

“… If you mean this world, it is named Teyvat,” Xiao says slowly.

Going by these questions… this is very likely not a kami of Inazuma who stands in front of him.

[dailydemonspotlight]

Azumi - Day 137

Race: Brute Arcana: Hermit Alignment: Neutral-Chaos December 3rd, 2024

Ancient Japanese deities, also known as the Shinto kami, each are rather unique. While most are familiar with the biggest touchstones of many areas- gods such as Izanagi, Izanami, or Amaterasu- several deities fall to the wayside of cultural popularity, but not at all in relevance. One of these gods, predictably, is today's Demon of the Day- a lesser deity with the name of Azumi-no-isora. Or, maybe, it's a tribe of deities. We'll get into that. Still, with an interesting story revolving around ancestry and being connected to an ancient tribe of people, the Azumi are an incredibly fascinating facet of Japanese history that we'll be digging into today!

Important to note before we get fully into this is that there's two major factors of Azumi- the deity, Azumi-no-isora, and the Azumi people of ancient Japan. The story of Azumi-no-isora is mostly documented in, from what I can tell, the book "The Sea and the Sacred in Japan: Aspects of Maritime Religion," but unfortunately, as the Internet Archive was nuked, I can't get my hands on it. Still, the first appearance of Azumi-no-isora in the book speaks of him as the ancient ancestor of the Azumi tribe. It describes him, interestingly, as human, though the book does seem to be a far more factual recanting of history compared to a mythological study, as Azumi-no-isora is generally agreed upon to be a deity (at least in mythological studies).

Now, you may be wondering, what the hell even is the Azumi tribe? The Azumi people were a prominent, albeit lesser known, ancestral group in Japan who were well renowned for their seafaring ability. Considered some of the earliest Japanese peoples, their religion was also one of the earliest and most foundational. It centered around two main deities: Watatsumi, the main Dragon deity of the water, and, looping back around, Azumi-no-isora. Azumi-no-isora is the ancestor of the tribe, and is also seen as the navigator of the waves; according to 'The Sea and Sacred in Japan,' he offered his navigational services in exchange for a sexual relationship with the rather infamous monarch Empress Jingū, which they then used to deliver the pair of Tide Jewels used to control the waves back to their original owner.

Interestingly, though I might just be getting confused, the sexual relationship is only a thing in some retellings of the story particularly connected to the Hachiman cult; other retellings say that he brought the jewels back through the goodness of his heart. This is also due to how uncommon the motif of Empress Jingū having sexual relations with any kind of god is. Still, serving as a navigator and a seashore deity, the bizarre exploits of Azumi-no-isora end there. As a very minor deity in the grand scheme of things, not much is known about Azumi-no-isora, hence why I'm kinda just talking in circles? So, with that all out of the way, let's get into the design!

Azumi in SMT takes heavy cues from fishes for rather... obvious reasons, given the fact that he's literally a seaside god. However, past that and the humanoid appearance, I can't see much rhyme or reason in the design to connect it to the tales of Azumi-no-isora as a whole, though this might just be due to the fact that it's hard to find many actual stories of the god. Still, I do find the design well done, if a bit unsettling in my eyes. I don't even know why- it's just kinda offputting to me? I do like it, though, don't get me wrong. It's probably just the teeth.

[nogetron]

Kagutsuchi, the Shinto Kami of fire and the forge. Born from the couple Izanami and Izanagi, Kagutsuchi was the younger brother to Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. Kagutsuchi’s fire was so immense and powerful it could blind all who gazed at him. Because of this, when he was born he accidentally killed his mother Izanami. Furious, Izanagi beheaded his newborn son and split his body eight ways and threw the pieces across the earth, creating eight volcanoes, the blood of Kagutsuchi that dripped from Izanagi’s blade gave birth to a multitude of of gods, such as Watatsumi and Takemikazuchi. Kagutsuchi’s essence was believed to reside in calamitous fires. Kagutsuchi was worshipped by smiths, who prayed to the god for help with their metal work.

Unlike most of the other important Shinto Kami, Kagutsuchi doesn’t seem to have developed from a respective Ainu Kamuy. Kagutsuchi goes by the titles of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi and Homusubi. The name Kagutsuchi comes from the old Japanese words “Kagu” meaning shining, and “chi” meaning force. Kagatsuchi was considered cognate with the Japanese Buddhist deity Atago Gongen who was the Japanese form of the mainland Buddhist bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha, who in Japan was called Jizo.

[intogenshin]

Destroy Your Suffering

An exploration of karma and Buddhism through Wanderer’s arc

Rise and Fall of an Artificial God

Scaramouche and Watatsumi Island (as a collective identity) have a similar character arc.

Watatsumi people are descendants of Enkanomiya, who were part of the ancient unified civilization created by the Primordial One that fell to the bottom of the ocean between the realms of Light and Abyss.

They both were abandoned by a god:

Scaramouche believes he was discarded by Ei

The Enkanomiyans were, for some reason, forsaken by the Primordial One after they fell to the depths of the ocean

They both were granted divine power:

Scaramouche in the form of the electro gnosis he exchanged for the traveler’s life with Yae Miko

Istaroth, one of the four shining shades of the Primordial One, provided Aberaku with divine knowledge

They both used this divine power to create technology in order to surpass their limitations:

Scaramouche powered Shouki no Kami with the electro gnosis in order to become a god

Aberaku built the artificial sun, Helios, which gave birth to whitenight and evernight and allowed the nation to live comfortably and fend off the Bathysmal Vishaps

They both transformed this technology into a false object of divine worship:

Shouki no kami was built by Dottore and the Akademiya to become Sumeru’s man-made god

The political class of Enkanomiya manipulated their people into believing Helios was a real god

They both suffered until another god helped them out of compassion:

Nahida allowed Scaramouche to find out the truth about his past, and gave him another chance in life by returning his memories to him and taking him under her custody (although, whether as a prisoner or a disciple, who knows)

Orobashi agreed to become Enkanomiya’s new god and ended the tyrannical ruling of the Sun Children, then took the inhabitants to the surface

Their arrogance to appropriate divinity, one way or another, has consequences for both:

After realizing his actions were unjustified, the puppet feels guilt over being unable to help those he cared about in his first “incarnation”, to a point he tries to atone by erasing his existence from Irminsul.

On the other hand, the corrupt reign of the Sun Children motivated the inhabitants of Enkanomiya to seek Orobashi’s help, but in becoming their god he learned about forbidden ancient history told in the book Before Sun And Moon, and sacrificed himself in order to spare his people the punishment.

Aru: ”Watatsumi is pronounced guilty of the following sins: four counts of the sin of profanity, and a further eight counts for the sin of deceiving living souls.

Aru: This is my final task, which is to read this blessing. Its meaning is that Watatsumi Omikami is about to carry our transgressions and go to its death.

—from The Subterranian Trials of Drake and Serpent quest

Orobashi would then willingly fulfill the prophecy of his death when he and the Watatsumi soldiers —who were going through a famine due to the infertile conditions of Watatsumi soil— invaded Yashiori Island. This prompted a military response from the Shogunate that would end with the Raiden Shogun striking Watatsumi's god with the Musou no Hitotachi.

Unbeknownst to those involved in the battle, the slaying of the snake god would trigger a chain of events that would bring about pain and resentment, for both Watatsumi people and Scaramouche (among others).

The Chain of Resentment

The philosophy surrounding karma in Buddhism is based on the concept of cause and effect: each of our actions has a consequence, and whatever karma we accumulate in our life is carried into the next one in the cycle of rebirth.

Karma is not a rational thought, it’s the compulsive urge that motivates said actions, which means acting on these urges is a deliberate choice. However, these urges don't exist in isolation to the external conditions created by other people’s karma, that is to say, our existence and the way we live is also the effect of a cause that came before us.

"As a physician, I teach karma from a scientific point of view. I ask people to consider what happens to the physical elements of the body after they die. If we dug you[r corpse] up in ten years, the elements that made up the body [would] disperse and become other things. [So] If you die angry, what happens to that energy of anger?"

—What is Karma?, Jan Chozen Bays

We’re told in Liyue that the dreams and delusions of gods who are killed in battle outlive their physical forms, which is why the Yakshas are tasked with containing it and why Hu Tao’s family took it upon themselves to purify their remains with fire.

"These blazing rituals were especially commonplace during that ancient period of strife.

For the dreams and delusions of the silent corpses of gods would produce evil miasmas,

So the doctor took up that devilishly red staff, igniting all that was impure.

Those who have passed, unable to bear deep sadness, but who have since become shrouded by ill karma and calamity,

They shall be reduced to ashen butterflies in this flame, and receive relief from their misfortunes and hurts."

—Staff of Homa description

And so do the skeletal remains of Orobashi expel its own evil miasma in the form of the Tatarigami, which causes both physical illness and hallucinations to the inhabitants of Yashiori Island (when the protective wards aren’t working).

Even though Ei killed Orobashi with the intention to protect her nation (and it was a heavenly sentence he willingly accepted on behalf of Enkanomiya), Watatsumi people still resent her and the Shogunate for it —since she killed the god who brought their ancestors to the surface, after all. So much so, that when the civil war comes to an end, there are still soldiers who refuse to accept peace between the two factions.

Kouzen: Peace talks? Pfft... Everyone's been drawn in by the idea. That's why the future of Watatsumi Island is at stake. What's to stop the Tenryou Commission from stabbing us in the back? And what's to stop the Raiden Shogun from issuing another Vision Hunt Decree? We are the resistance! Everything hinges on our warrior's will! We can't trust the Tenryou Commission or the Raiden Shogun. But we can put faith in ourselves!

—from Kokomi’s story quest

They were even willing to use delusions, fully aware they were draining their life force, to their deaths if necessary.

Sangonomiya Kokomi: ...I have put out the order to seize all Delusions. The vast majority are showing some loss of vitality, but nothing serious. Sadly, a few have been... less fortunate…

Gorou: Your Excellency, I'm planning to establish a dedicated field hospital to monitor their condition. The soldiers are up in arms about the ban though. They know full well what a Delusion is, but they still intend to keep using them.

—from Omnipresence Over Mortals

The Fatui made these delusions with the remains of Orobashi, so essentially the Resistance weaponized the Tatarigami (made of Orobashi's karma) to channel the resentment that they felt for his death (their own karma).

Quite the symbolic way to represent how someone’s karma influences another’s in a chain of cause and effect.

It is curious then, that the Harbinger in charge of overseeing the distribution of delusions was none other than The Balladeer.

Can it really be just a coincidence how the paths of Scaramouche and Watatsumi people met at this crucial point in the story, through Orobashi's karma?

After all, Scaramouche's own life was affected by Orobashi's death as well.

Second betrayal:

The puppet known as Kabukimono integrated into the community of Tatarasuna with the help of locals involved in bladesmithing (Niwa, Katsuragi and Nagamasa), but he was later manipulated by Dottore into sacrificing himself, believing Niwa had betrayed him.

Tatarasuna was built as a means to dispose of Crystal Marrow, mined from Orobashi’s corpse, then bladesmiths started making Jade Steel to forge their weapons with it. The Fatui would eventually target Tatarasuna and its inhabitants to create conflict in the nation, and Dottore created the Mikage Furnace to concentrate the power of Tatarigami.

Third betrayal:

After leaving Tatarasuna, Kabukimono would take care of an orphaned child, but he later dies of the illness produced by Tatarigami.

Aftermath:

The puppet would then return years later under the identity of Kunikuzushi, murdering and intimidating the bladesmith clans as a revenge against Niwa —and possibly against the Raiden Shogun by eliminating the symbol of her martial power: the Raiden Gokaden.

This revenge would prompt some clan members to flee the nation, and one of them would end up taking a cursed sword which was granted a consciousness by the Tatarigami. This cursed sword then sought power to fulfill the will of its creator by committing a number of crimes until it met Kazuha, a descender of its creator’s clan.

The Kaedehara family had to give up the Isshin art after Kunikuzushi’s revenge, and by the time Kazuha inherited it there was nothing left of it, so he started a life of wandering.

And the Kamisato’s reputation would also be harmed in the process.

When individuals act on their karma, on these harmful impulses, it only generates more pain and leads into more resentment.

Dealing with pain in Buddhism

The main principle of Buddhist philosophy is to accept that suffering is a part of existence, both in physical pain and in the transient nature of pleasure: nothing lasts forever, and that includes things like physical health and positive feelings, but also the circumstances of suffering itself. Since everything is transitory, one should not hold onto neither pain, pleasure nor material existence.

”The practitioner seeks to understand his or her emotions and see their nature. When anger comes up, we try to look at ourselves and our anger in order to see the egolessness of our mind and the emptiness of that anger. Anger, as everything else, is not something solid, something truly and independently existing. Through this understanding, the negative emotions are counterbalanced and positive emotions gradually arise."

—Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha, Ringu Tulku

Ignorance is another form of suffering, in the way that people’s worldviews are flawed, so humans inherently cause pain to themselves and each other. If you don't know how to let go of your pain, whether it's things like grief or anger, you might choose to deal with them in harmful ways. Buddhism also accepts this is the nature of the world, with humans who inflict pain on others due to their ignorance. This isn't meant to be an excuse for people's actions, everyone makes their own choices, but rather a way for people to understand pain has no purpose, so fixating on what originates it will only cause the person more harm.

Something I find interesting about the Inazuma chapter (I’m not sure about the other nations) is they seem to use characters of divine/supernatural nature as foils for characters who are humans. Both embody certain principles or philosophies, but the divine character is depicted in a symbolic or allegorical way, and the human character depicted with a more realistic approach.

Case in point: Raiden Ei and Kazuha with Buddhist doctrines.

Ei’s character arc throughout the archon quest and her story quests revolve around her accepting she can’t sacrifice herself eternally just to ensure the physical survival of her nation. Her pursuit of eternity was not dogmatic, she didn’t believe it was superior to transient existence; she just didn’t want her nation to be in danger of destruction for trespassing the boundaries set by the Heavenly Principles, like Khaenri’ah did.

She also symbolizes the concepts of “no-self” and “no-mind” through her meditation in the Plane of Euthymia.

Kazuha, on the other hand, was able to let go of his personal burdens to live a life of inner peace. His family was a victim of the Raiden Gokaden incident and by the time he inherited the clan it was in ruins, so instead of holding onto this pain and the misfortune that accompanied his following journeys, he decided to accept life as it was and only focus on the positive.

Buddhism is separated into three major paths of practice, three “vehicles” as they call it. Theravada is the oldest surviving school after the death of the Buddha, then Mahayana was made as an alternative branch by practitioners who believed the purpose of enlightenment should be to help others find their own enlightenment as well.

Mahayana is the branch that spread largely through East Asia, reaching Japan in the 6th century where it would syncretize (“mix”) with the indigenous religion of Japanese people (Shinto).

A person or deity who reaches enlightenment but still stays in the illusory material world is known as a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.

"In the Mahayana schools of Buddhist teaching, there is greater emphasis on becoming enlightened for the sake of all beings, rather than simply to liberate oneself. The path for this is the Bodhisattva path of the Mahayana. The Theravadan path culminates with becoming an Arhat. The Mahayana also emphasizes embracing the illusion with love, where traditionally the Theravadin discipline distances from the samsaric illusion in order to awaken."

—Vajrayana Buddhism: Beliefs, Meditations, and Practices, Lama Döndrup

In this sense, Ei functions as a deity who has transformed into a Bodhisattva herself, symbolizing certain core aspects of Buddhist teachings, while Kazuha embodies the practices in realistic down-to-earth ways.

Ei and Kazuha found their own way to enlightenment by letting go of their pain through practices inspired by Mahayana Buddhist doctrines, but is this kind of healing through such passive means even possible for most?

After all, not everyone can be a self sacrificing bodhisattva like Ei or overcome suffering like Kazuha. Sometimes a person’s suffering is met with anything but compassion, and it creates resentment that can lead people into self-destructive paths of accumulated karma.

Sometimes the idea of letting go of anger at what has been done to someone is impossible. Scaramouche and Watatsumi Island are proof of this.

Enter Vajrayana Buddhism

Vajrayana (also known as Esoteric or Tibetan) is the third major branch of the “vehicles” of Buddhism, it was created from Mahayana Buddhism so they share the same purpose. The difference is Vajrayana uses tantras and rituals alongside meditation.

It has the same compassionate deities in the form of Bodhisattvas, but in addition they also worship fierce or “wrathful” deities called the Wisdom Kings.

"In contrast to the saintly images of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, images of the [Wisdom Kings] are ferocious and menacing, for their threatening postures and facial expressions are designed to subdue evil spirits and convert nonbelievers. They are often depicted engulfed in flames, which according to Buddhist lore, represent the purification of the mind by the burning away of all material desires."

—Godai Myō-ō - Five Great Kings

Mahayana is largely practiced in Japan, but the Vajrayana school did make it into the country and became known as Shingon and Tendai Buddhism.

These schools have special worship for one of these wrathful deities: Acala also known as Fudō in Japanese, who is depicted with a lotus flower in his head (like Wanderer's hat).

Fudō functions as a symbol of enlightenment through destruction, he's a deity who destroys your suffering and ignorance (the obstacles for enlightenment) and converts anger into salvation.

The fire ritual of Homa (known as Goma in Japanese), the same one referenced in Staff of Homa, is performed in different religions in Asia, but in Japan the deity that's invoked in it is precisely Fudō. The purifying fire represents the god's wisdom and the firewood burnt in the fire represents the source of suffering.

A puppet consumed by a raging fire will leave behind ashes. As for what will emerge from them…

—Wanderer’s “About: Puppet” voiceline

Wanderer takes its inspiration from this school of Japanese Buddhism. For example, his signature weapon (Tulaytullah's Remembrance) is designed to look like a Ghanta, a classic ritual symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Both the worship of Fudō and the Goma rituals are also practiced in Shugendō, a highly syncretic religion made out of multiple existing religions and traditions that reached Japan, and is closely associated with the Shingon and Tendai sects of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Wanderer's outfit is inspired on a Shugendō monk.

Destruction as a means for healing

One thing that fascinates me about his character is that anger is justified as a rightful result of trauma through his arc. This is also shortly addressed through Nahida, since it's precisely anger at what the sages have done to her that allows her to escape her dream prison, but she's an all compassionate god, so she won't indulge anger much. Scara, on the other hand, doesn't neglect his even after his anemofication.

I once thought that deification would allow me to get rid of all of my pointless emotions, but I’ve since abandoned that view.

Anger, whether it be from others or myself, is too convenient and useful as a tool.

How can some people just never become angry? I find that impossible to even imagine. Do they just not have a single mean bone in their bodies?

—Wanderer’s ”More About Him III” voiceline

It almost feels like he’s shading Ei and Kazuha, who follow this principle of Mahayana Buddhism as a form of dealing with their pain. Especially Ei, who —much like he initially intended with his deification— also kept herself in a state of emotional neutrality inside the Plane of Euthymia.

As the audience of a fictional story, however, having a character overcome their pain (whether resentment, grief, anger, etc) through passive acceptance like that just isn't as cathartic as validating their suffering through action.

It's interesting and validating in its own way, but y'know, it's not Scara standing in front of Shouki no Kami, the personification of his own pain, and obliterating it with a smile on his face. It just hits different.

And suffering in Vajrayana is dealt with in a different manner than Mahayana:

Following the Vajrayana teachings, we do not give up or reject anything; rather we make use of whatever is there. We look at our negative emotions and accept them for what they are. Then we relax in this state of acceptance. Using the emotion itself, it is transformed or transmuted into the positive, into its true face. When, for instance, strong anger or desire arises, a Vajrayana practitioner is not afraid of it. Instead he or she would follow advice along the following lines: Have the courage to expose yourself to your emotions. Do not reject or suppress them, but do not follow them either.

The negative emotions themselves are used. The process is almost like using poison as medicine.

—Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha, Ringu Tulku

When Wanderer faces his pain and sins in the form of Shouki no Kami, a larger than life robot that starts attacking him and traveler, it petrifies him. He's struggling to come to his senses, and yells with anger "All worthless dross will be purged, thats why... this won't be the end!" as he reaches out for his past incarnation.

Then an explosion occurs and when the smoke fades, Wanderer stands firm with the new vision he’s acquired. A battle between the two ensues, which Wanderer eventually wins.

This is nothing like Kazuha's quiet acceptance, and nothing like Ei's patient meditation. There's rage, there's violence, and even a bit of fire. Just like the symbolic destruction of pain carried out by Fudō.

Wanderer does not let go of his pain, he destroys it.

His anger is redirected into a form of self advancement that allows him to overcome his suffering.

The allegorical approach of Buddhist doctrines portrayed through Wanderer is paralleled by the more down-to-earth resolution of Watatsumi’s conflict:

Kokomi also finds a way to redirect the resentment of the Watatsumi soldiers into a path of self advancement. The soldiers understand their intentions to take these urges into action against the Shogunate are wrong, but they don't know what to do with their feeling.

And so Kokomi doesn't punish them, instead she lets them form a special division where they will train not for revenge, but for the protection of their people. The rage is not quelled, the violence is not stopped, just redirected into actions for collective and personal well being.

Sangonomiya Kokomi: It was largely an oversight on my part: I taught you to nurture a warrior's will, but never how to let it go.

Tadakatsu: It's not your fault, Your Excellency! It was ours... our selfishness. Either way, we are ready to accept sentencing under martial law.

Sangonomiya Kokomi: Very well. Then I hereby declare... that as of today, I am founding a new Secret Corps of the army. This division will be responsible for keeping Watatsumi Island safe and secure, neutralizing any and all threats to the peace of our island. You and your comrades will all be welcome to join - but be warned, the training will be grueling. Perseverance and grit will be in high demand.

—from Kokomi’s story quest

[slothgiirl]

deferred duties (childe x reader)

2.2k. flirting. cringe fail childe. no use of y/n. sangonomiya reader. this is my first time writing fro childe so idk how in character it is ngl. probs lots of spelling errors bc thats my brand. reader is implied to be a few years older than childe (i was thinking early twenties childe late twenties reader). ayatos there too ig.

The fact that the 11th Harbinger made no move to capitalize on the infighting and fractional splits in Inazuma put you on edge. The Tenryou commission continued to be leaderless since the Raiden Shogun had yet to appoint anyone into position of commissioner only caused more strife. Ambitious Samurai and noble families alike saw the power vacuum as their opportunity to rise, haining power and influence following the downfall of the Kujou clan. The peace the Divine Priestess had brokered came with its own complications leaving you in Inazuma City to advocate for Watatsumi Island. This had not been what you had in mind when you swore to protect your younger cousin as a shrinemaiden. 

“With international trade resuming we finally have pumpernickel again,” a noble jokes and you dread the punchline. “It pairs deliciously with salmon roe.” He meets your gaze, “I mean no offense Shrinemaiden. Your people are quite close to fish, are they not?”

This again.

Really. 

There was no way the Harbinger wasn’t gaining an angle. Why else would the Cryo Archon send Childe instead of a fatui regiment to collect a body? This was below his purview. 

“Truthfully I’ve never cared for salmon roe,” you reply back evenly, “the texture is off putting,” you choose a piece of fugu on rice instead, uncaring about the preparation. More than one speculated assassination in Inazuma history had been carried out by botched fugu but you had long since built a tolerance to the poison.You smile pleasantly, barring your white teeth at the man. 

Inazumans loved to remind the people of Watatsumi Island that they were not the same. As if Watatsumi Island was lesser. No. You had your pride. 

Had your people not proved their strength when they alone stood against the Raiden Shogun? Had the citizens of Inazuma City not sought asylum in Yashiori Island? 

The nobleman looks away first. 

Good. 

You’re about to thoroughly humiliate him. His fur trim around the kimono’s collar was Scheneznayan mink, not the prized Inazuman fox which could only be gifted by pleasing a kami and as such the piece would be passed down through countless generations. Of course that’s when the lone Fatuus at the event decides to speak. 

Childe, barreling through political intrigue as usual, tells you, “Then you’ve never tried sturgeon roe. I would be more than willing to give you a tin to try as long as you share,” he winks, smiling casually as ever. 

You had to admit it was endearing how he kept at it. Either Childe’s ego was overly  inflated or he was simply that confident that he could win you over. (Both were incredibly likely.)

Without missing a beat, you reply in saccharinely sweet, “I’m sure General Gorou would love to try a new type of roe Lord Tartaglia.” 

Childe’s smile sharpens, more genuine than his usual patronizing smile and laugh. “Comrade,” he places a hand over his chest in mock pain. “That was cruel even for you.”

You roll your eyes, abandoning the bureaucrats for Commissioner Kamisato. 

Undeterred, Childe follows at your heels. 

A passing thought makes you wonder how true his actions were. 

It was dangerous for anyone in your station to wear their emotions so readily, where anyone could see your weakness. It must be doubly so on the international stage the Harbinger’s worked on.  

Ayato tilts his glass of sake at you, “Shrinemaiden Sangonomiya.” 

“Commissioner Kamisato,” you incline your head respectfully. Ayato was a better man than most, though his interests were not your own, so you would never fully trust him. 

“That’s a mouthful,” Childe notes idly. 

“An astute observation, Lord Harbinger Tartaglia,” you reply pleasantly. Perhaps his aim was less concrete than the dead Harbinger, merely to sow discord in an already tense situation. Plant the seed of suspicion that the Divine Priestess remained allied in some form with the Fatui. 

Childe pouts, “there’s no need to be so formal Comrade. Not with me.”

He was too himself to be smooth in his flirtations. 

It made you wonder about his experience. He was only a handful of years younger than you. Childe was undeniably handsome in a rugged way, tousled hair and easy manner. He swaggered about Inazuma, uncaring of the scorn and glares he received from the shopkeepers. 

There had to be someone who’d been charmed. Some green girl back in his country who could overlook his bloodthirsty remarks? 

“A kind gesture Lord Tartaglia,” you say with finality, wanting to interrogate Ayato now that you had him cornered, “but I only wish to show you the proper respect that is due a man of your station.” Words were such an effective weapon. 

Childe splutters, blinking, processing. His ears have turned an interesting shade of red, darker than his copper hair. 

You take the opportunity to turn the tables on Ayato. “I have heard troubling reports that my requests with the Kanjou Commission have been blocked. I only seek to finally work towards the solution Kujou Sara and the Divine Priestess spoke of when it comes to importing and exporting. It does no one in Inazuma any good to tax goods entering and leaving from Watatsumi Island as if they were from another nation, wouldn’t you say?”

You know it’s Ayato’s doing. To what end is the question. 

“A most unfortunate situation indeed,” he replies evenly. 

“Matters such as these only stall the work to restore Inazuma from its wartime state.” You really weren’t looking to be difficult. The Kamisato clan had worked towards overturning the Vision Ban decree. Still, bitterness remained. It had been your people who had subsisted on rations, who had been on the front lines. 

“I agree with your sentiments entirely, Shrinemaiden.” 

A nonanswer. 

“The Tsaritsa would never allow such an arrangement,” Childe muses sedately, “insurrection and special administrative zones.” 

You frown. Neither had the Electro Archon. Orobaxi has been slain not long after raising your people from Ekanomiya. 

Ayato is quick to craft a response. “It is all thanks to the Raiden Shogun’s benevolence that she tolerates the many forms of worship and cultures unique to each island.”

Childe scowls, “it’s a tenuous peace at best if the nation is not united.”

“Even if it is by force,” Ayato asks pointedly. 

“If it means an eternity of peace afterwards,” the fatuus shrugs. You’d have preferred fervent zealotry to this casual acceptance of the Tsaritsa’s worldview she had no doubt ingrained in every Schenezayan since birth. Inazuma was not as liberal as Mondstadt but questioning the Electro Archon’s will was hardly cause for arrest. 

“The Raiden Shogun is wise to allow plurality among her people,” you say as a matter of fact, “otherwise the Fatui’s undermining of Inazuma’s government might have continued on undiscovered.”

Childe shrugs, “I won’t complain if it means she doesn’t strike you down Comrade,” he flicks your ear which once again strikes you as inexperienced if this is the best way of flirting he can come up with, “I’d hate to see you a charred corpse like Signora. . .bloodshed is more satisfying.” His blue eyes gaze past you, daydreaming of battle and running his hydroblades through a worthy opponent. 

By now, you know Childe enough to write off his words. It wasn’t a threat. You don’t think he’d threatened much, simply get to the point and draw arms. No, this is just Childe being Childe. The quirk didn’t even bother you. 

Yes, he was bloodthirsty, but he was not an uncontrollable mad dog. 

All the same, Ayato takes pity on you. “If I may do so without overstepping, may I have this dance Shrinemaiden?” He holds out his hand, ever the gentleman. Of the Inazuma bureaucrats, you liked him the most. 

You sense Childe fidget besides you. 

“I appreciate your concern over my vows, but I assure you a dance will not break them,” you place your hand in his, letting him lead you to the dance floor. This way you could have a private conversation over the Kanjou Commission’s laws governing Watatsumi Island trade. 

~~

You had arrived earlier than anticipated onto Ritou Island. It would be some time before your meeting with the Kanjou Commission. 

Already, you had memorized the terms, the concessions you were willing to make, and what you refused to bend on. Trade negotiations were not so different from battle strategy. Kokomi’s military treatises applied here too. 

You wondered how your cousin was managing back home as you walked around the beach of Ritou Island. 

You were not at all surprised to run into Childe. Kujou Sara had sent notice of yet another departing squad of Fatui soldiers. In fact, the small part of you unfettered by duty and loyalty was thrilled.

“Comrade!” Childe grins, a touch of softness in his blue eyes you don’t want to think too hard about. (There were lines that could not be crossed.) 

“Lord Tartaglia.” You greet him easily.

He clicks his tongue. “Haven’t we been over this,” he waves a hand between you and him. 

You arch a brow, “and yet proprietary must be observed. I am surprised you are not used to it, given your role, I imagine you deal with the political arena more than me.”

Childe rolls his eyes, scrunching up his nose as he closes the distance between you. “Yes. I’m quite sick of it. The double meanings and bullshit.” You can see the freckles dusting his skin, a light scar on his jaw that was no doubt healed by a skilled allogene. 

“I thought I’ve been very clear?”

“No,” he nods, “you have. Which is why I’d much rather you call me Childe.” His smile is sweet and teasing and you can’t help the way your heartbeat speeds up. 

“There’s no difference.” Both were aliases. 

“Indulge me.” 

“No,” you shake your head, looking out over the water. “I don’t think I will.” You smirk, “it would set a terrible precedent.” 

“Ha, probably,” Childe admits in the same sort of brutal honesty he often spoke in. “Not that you mind Comrade.” To prove his point, he wraps his arm around your waist.

“I haven’t decided that yet.” 

This could never be anything but a fling for you. You had sworn vows after all. It would be alright if you and Childe were on the same page. (His stay in Inazuma was short after all.) 

Childe pulls you close, while looking towards the horizon. With clear skies, you could just make out the peak of Dragonspine. 

His body was warm against yours. 

You swallow, steadying your breath. 

“The water around Inazuma is so clear,” he comments nonchalantly, “perfect to spill blood in.” 

You snort. 

Childe is so. . .

“You’d make a much better Divine Priestess.” 

There’s no way to interpret that but as a threat against your cousin. You turn to look at him. “Kokomi led us to victory. The Shogun’s army would have crushed ours if not for her. Besides, I have no ambition to be Divine Priestess. It’s a huge burden.” You knew how exhausted Kokomi was all of the time. 

Childe frowns. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’d do better. It would be easy enough to defeat her.” He sucks on his bottom lip, looking every bit an excitable child, “I’ve never fought a descendant of a god. But I have fought gods.” An offer.

Only you weren’t sure if this was a personal affair or Fatui plot. 

You flick his ear. “Careful Childe. If you threaten my cousin it’ll be your blood in the water.” It was no secret Kokomi was your cousin by blood. 

“Promise,” Childe asks, voice gone breathey. 

You try to ignore the flush to his cheeks, the fondness in his dead eyes, the way his fingers had tightened against your waist, digging into your skin. It was hard when your own skin felt aflame. His attention, knowing Childe wanted you so clearly; it made your thoughts all fuzzy. 

“That is how threats work,” you pause, “Childe.”

He grins, leaning in, meaning to kiss you. Instead, Childe bumps your nose with his. 

You wince. Not that he’d put you off. No. You liked Childe. You could be honest with yourself about that much. His eagerness; the way he spoke candidly; the expanse of pale freckled skin visible along his abdomen: it was a pity about the Harbinger business. Still, a fling wouldn’t hurt. Childe’s inexperience sent sparks down your spine as you imagined what it would be like to teach him how to please you: to bite down on his bottom lip until it bled. 

Childe flushes scarlett as he steps away. He rubs your nose bridge with his thumb, “apologies comrade.” He attempts to play it off, chuckling, but his eyes keep flicking from your face to the ground. 

You can’t help yourself. You reach up, pinching his cheek, “Eager aren’t we?” 

“Heh. Well yeah.” The ginger man practically swoons. 

You laugh, patting his cheek before indulging yourself and raking your fingers through his moussed hair. “So you are self aware.”

“I wouldn’t make a fool of myself for just anyone.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

“Or offer to usurp their Priestess cousin,” you reply archly, shoving him away.

Childe blinks. He looks you over. “You’re right. A woman like you,” he licks his lips, “you’d be the Divine Priestess if you wanted to already.”

Ignoring the heat under your skin, you turn away from him, intent on resolving actual matters and not arriving late to your meeting. (It was more fun this way.)

You didn’t want to think about how you’d miss Childe when the last of the Fatui troops loose on Inazuma soil (illegally all thanks to Signora) were rounded up and expelled from your country.

[gonguji]

chaos   surges   through   the   veins   of   Inazuma,   each   day   reaping   rewards.            the   Visions   are   but   flowers   falling   with   sickles   waving   around,   leave   people   in   shambles   &&   disbelief   for   their   deity's   actions.   the   prayers   reflect   just   how   much   they   are   confused &&   hurt.     with   this   crisis   of   faith,   some   unruly   Yōkai   may   be   born.       some   may   even   return,   to   participate   in   the   sorrow   &&   cultivate   it   like   weeds   in   the   garden   of   her   Excellency   the   Narukami   Oogosho...     he   mustn't   let   that   happen!        the   times   are   already   dire   on   the   front   &&   his   help   is   more   needed   than   ever   before   with   unknown   party   constantly   devastating   the   protective   wards   established   by   the   Grand   Narukami   Shrine   —   little   holy   shrines,   essential   in   maintaining   the   Tatarigami   on   Yashiori   Island.   so   very   close   to   the   people   of   Watatsumi   &&   the   soldiers   stationed   in   Kannazuka...   the   situation   between   the   islands   becomes   more   heated   witch   each   passing   day.

❛   forgive   me,   Lord   Kamisato,   but   I   did   not   come   here   to   bargain.   ❜   the   gongūji   clarifies,   his   gaze   usually   so   soft   now   focused   &&   fortified.   he   cannot   turn   his   back   on   the   suffering   of   the   people...   even   if   not   the   rightful   ruler,   he   is   nevertheless   a   kami.   the   lightning   answers   to   him   as   well...   but   to   go   against   the   protector   of   Inazuma,   to   change her   mind,   is   a   task   only   humans   could   unite   in.   it   has   to   be   their   decision   &&   their   will.               Kabukimono   can   only   offer   his   services,   as   despite   everything,   he   is   nothing   more   than   another   servant   of   Inazuma   &&   the   Archon   herself.       ❛   the   Mighty   Narukami   Oogosho   isn't   our   enemy,   I'm   sure   of   it..   just   like   the   people   I   cannot   hope   to   understand   the   motives   of   our   Shogun,   let   alone   influence   change...   even   Gūji   Yae's   sacred   presence   is   not   enough   to   change   our   god's   mind.   ❜

Kabukimono   then   touches   upon   his   chest,   right   where   the   golden   feather   befalls —   the   beloved   possession   bestowed   upon   him   by   his   Creator.       ❛   I   wish   not   to   ask   for   the   Clan's   blade,   my   Lord.   the   solution   is   too   extreme   &&   the   matter   —   too   delicate   to   handle   with   a   katana.   Lady   Sangonomiya   had   already   chosen   to   follow   such   path   by   rebelling   &&   offering   shelter   to   those   against   the   Shogunate...   ❜      the   fingers   clench   suddenly,   his   thoughts   perhaps   straying   towards   a   matter   somewhat   painful   to   him   in   particular...     ❛   I   wish   to   extend   my   help   if   needed,   Lord   Kamisato.   though   the   Grand   Narukami   Shrine   cannot   interfene   in   our   Archon's   wishes,   I   cannot   stay   idle   when   the   people   I   love   suffer...   I   wish   to   be   of   use   to   you.   do   whatever   is   in   my   power   to   end   this   war   &&   abolish   the   decrees.   ❜

[tenjin-no-shinja]

Temizuya 手水舎

It All Started With Misogi by Izanagi no Mikoto

Excerpts from this section

Misogi was performed in the ocean rather than rivers, because it was believed that seawater had stronger purifying powers, and is the same reason why saltwater is used for purification. 

Also, it is said that Watatsumi no Kami and Sumiyoshi no Kami were born in the ocean depths, in the open ocean, and on the ocean surface, indicating that Izanagi no Mikoto dived deep in order to purify himself. The Kojiki also states that he dived down to wash off the impurities. 

Today, misogi is also practiced as a form of training by Shinto priests as well as others. In Misogi as an ascetic practice, people not only submerge themselves in water, but also perform preparatory exercises and deep breathing exercises that have religious significance, such as Furitama, Torifune, Otakebi, Okorobi, and Ibuki, to purify and strengthen both body and soul.

Explanation of the Japanese Words

振魂　ふりたま Furitama lit. soul shaking

鳥船　とりふね Torifune rowing motion while shouting

雄健 おたけび Otakebi where they do a bit of flexion and extension with the body while reciting chants

雄詰 おころび Okorobi where they are stepping forward and cutting down with the index and middle finger of their right hand extended

気吹 いぶき Ibuki a type of breathing exercise

There are Also Unique Types of Temizuya

The water used for Temizuya nowadays is mostly tap water, but, in some places spring water is drawn through water pipes. At places like Suwa Taisha’s Shimosha Akimiya Shrine, it comes from natural hot springs. Also at Ise Jingū’s Naikū Shrine handwashing can be done in the clear water of the Isuzu River.

The faucet in which the water exits from is often shaped like dragon, as a way to revere the water kami, but it may also be shaped like an animal associated with the shrine’s kami, or their messenger. 

Recently many shrines are offering Hanatemizuya, where freshly cut flowers are arranged in the water basin, which attracts many visitors.”

The caption reads: The Mitarashi Place at Ise Jingū’s Naikū shrine. The cobblestones were donated by Keishoin, the mother of Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa.

[devolusion]

the mikos we see in the narukami shrine seem to be more similar to modern - day mikos than ancient ones, at least in terms of their day - to - day responsibilities. 

still, i’m going to be playing a little loose here with specific miko headcanons in the present day, too, especially those on watatsumi.  kokomi is the divine priestess and head of the island’s shrines, as well as the one responsible for raising and training the island’s mikos.  as watatsumi is sequestered from the rest of the nation and seems to cling more tightly to the old ways, i’m going to assume that their mikos are a bit more of a combination of modern and ancient.

while kokomi’s own training was uncommonly intensive, it was, broadly seaking, similar to what most others go through to become mikos.  most of the girls that enter the islands shrines to be trained as miko are between ten and thirteen years old, though kokomi’s own training began much younger.  she was taught to enter trances and allow possession, so that kami might speak the will of the gods through her.  she was taught dances and intonations thought to make her more susceptible to spiritual influence, and then the strength of self and magic to prevent any long - damage from being done to her body or mind in the process.  she knows a secret language specific to the island’s priests that enables her to call upon various kami to support her own magic.  this was all in addition to the more secular training she was receiving to become the island’s leader.

once her training was completed at the age of fourteen, the older miko — including her mother, the current divine priestess — put her into a trance and invited orobashi to possess her.  kokomi, in her trance, confirmed that she was possessed by the god, and thus would serve them.  she then passed out and, when she awoke to her mother and others’ praise, was allowed to don the traditional miko - wear until she took over as the proper divine priestess, and was given more freedom in how she would dress as her role shifted from simple running of the shrine to commanding the island itself.

the miko that serve under her, in addition to a less intensive version of this process, also perform the role of a modern - day miko; everything from maintaining the shrines to selling souvenirs and performing dances and reading fortunes. there are several shrines on the island, and kokomi only directly oversees sangonomiya shrine, but is still broadly in charge of the others — the head mikos in the other shrines report to her.

kokomi, due to lacking a childhood of her own and the young age of many of the girls, is very strict that the mikos training under her will have time to be children; a miko is not allowed to complete her training and undergo a milder version of her own final possession until such a time that they are eighteen at the youngest and kokomi deems them to be of sound mind and spirit.  (  this rule was especially funny when kokomi herself had yet to reach that age.  )  she enforces this rule even with the mikos not directly under her command; she checks up with every miko at every shrine on the island before they can complete their training.

similarly, the girls are not allowed to work more than six hours a day until that final ritual, all are given generous time away from training, and are encouraged to play with one another like children.  many of the girls that enter one of the city’s shrines are either from families of shaman or otherwise display symptoms that might see them shunned elsewhere, so kokomi does her very best to make the environment a welcoming one.  the shrine maidens running the shrines that kokomi does not directly have the time to oversee are given instructions to do the same, and kokomi checks in on them as frequently as she’s able to ensure that they are doing so.

while kokomi’s heart doesn’t truly lie with the role she was born into, there is much about being a priestess and a diviner that she truly loves.  but her training, both as a miko and as a leader, prevented her from truly having a childhood.  she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to any of the girls she trains.  some of the girls at the shrines will playfully whine about how her excellency never lets us work! 

[sorapikakaminari]

What...I drew someone that's Not? Tsukuyomi no mikoto? This is inspired by a dream I had years ago as well as some recent stuffs that I might explain later. But learning to embrace freedom. Watatsumi sama and Susano No Mikoto.

[imperator-solitarius]

" They are on Yashiori Island, within your nation's territory. It makes sense that villages that close to Watatsumi Island territory would go unnoticed by Kujou Sara and Yae Miko. It could be a diplomatic issue, if they weren't just within Inazuman borders. "

A slight chuckle at the mention of him being a strategist and combatant...

" This vessel was made to rule in your stead with the capacity to wield as much power as you, Makoto was a powerful diplomat with great swordsmithing skill, Shouki no Kami was a powerful divine weapon only able to be defeated by a Descender-level outlander after 168 dream loops and the assistance of all of Sumeru's wisdom, the Kabukimono had spent 10 years training to make weapons and fight before being brought forward... Over the course of 8 months, I have continued to hone my swordsmanship with my new insights. I am nowhere near 'island-splitting' like you were, however. "

Ei stood on a cliffside, overlooking the other islands of Inazuma, attepting to clear ger thoughts.

For quite awhile recently she had felt a surge of Electro energy and power amongst the land. Ei had tried to convince herself it was simply coming to terms with hew newfound sects of her personality after the Sakoku Decree was lifted.

However, deep down she knew this was not the case.

As she thought, Ei felt the power strengthen, hair on end, and Electro pulsing at her fingers.

Who are you?

Ei turned around, expecting any other face besides the one she saw.

The Puppet from so long ago…

-@her-blood-alights-wisteria

" ...Hello, Beelzebul. You can call me Belial. Apologies if my presence on an island of your nation causes you any distress, I simply wished to participate in the Tanabata Festival. However, I will leave if you wish. "

As much as he doesn't like revealing himself, he had expected to be recognized by his creator and fellow Electro Gnosis holder despite wearing a disguise to blend in and limiting his divine aura significantly. Out here in the wild, at least, he can shed the illusion and let the aspect that he was borne of rest for a time. He lets his vessel take its outward divine form, sitting in midair above the two loosely cupped large mechanical hands hovering over the earth.

[tanuki-kimono]

Megami project by Miki Katoh (calendar version on kadokawa + schedule available on amazon.jp). Shown here are the following goddesses:

Benzaiten (弁財天): the Japanese form of Saraswati, auspicious goddess of everything that “flows” (water, music, speech, knowledge etc) often shown holding a biwa lute

Yahata no megami (八幡女神): one of the mythical “mothers” of emperor Ojin (the other one being famous empress Jingu), considered as an incarnation of the god of war Hachiman who tamed demons

Okamuzumi no megami (大神実女神): a goddess embodying proto-Japan’s take on China’s peach of eternity, used in some myths by Izanagi to ward off demons

Oto Tachibana hime (乙橘姫): wife of the mythical prince Yamato Takeru, who threw herself into raging waves to appease Watatsumi the god of the sea and save her people

Shinatsu hime (志那都姫): a goddess of wind born after Izanagi and Izanami created the eight islands of Japan. Those primordial winds, sometimes female sometimes male, are also given other names depending on the text

Himiko (卑弥呼): legendary priestress queen said to have ruled during Yayoi period. Here she is depicted wearing a necklace of magatama beads - amulets powerful enough to be part of Japan’s imperial treasures

[rrinsluvr]

lowkey! seven— bbf + (not rlly) gbf = drama

Today was supposed to be a perfect day for a date and it was, you and kazuha went shopping for maki’s needs. Currently you were at your favorite cafe and was simply enjoying your date, until you spotted a certain dark haired girl enter inside that made you almost spit out your drink.

“zuha, wag kang lumingon sa likod.” you cautiously said. “ha? bakit?” he questioned as he took a bite of his cake, you glanced at the girl again and noticed her coming near “shet, kazuha pupunta muna ako sa cr ah” and with that, you rushed away from your boyfriend taking your bag with you.

yunjin finally spotted the man she was looking for, but she couldn’t help but notice the figure who ran away from his table. “zuha!” she happily called. kazuha could recognize that irritating voice anywhere ‘kaya pala bigla siyang umalis’ he thought with a sigh. “hello” he curtly replied as he turned to yunjin. “I thought sa watatsumi ka pupunta ngayon?” she pouted. “something came up” he retorted immediately. “oh, then we can spend time together now!!” she cheered, making everyone in the cafe look at them. “diba sabi ko something came up? busy ako ngayon”

“well, matagal ba yung gagawin mo? aantayin na lang kita and sino yung kasama mo dito kanina?” kazuha froze at her statement but quickly found a way out of the situation “kaibigan ko ‘yon, nagkasalubong lang kami dito.” yunjin’s smile widened at his answer “oh. ‘buti na lang kaibigan mo lang, kala ko naman you went on a date with that person eh” she chuckled “and she doesn’t seem like someone you would like” kazuha slammed his drink on the table, failing to hide his irritation “yunjin di mo ‘ko kilala, so you don’t have any right to say if someone was my type or not.”

“sure ka ba na kaibigan mo lang siya? bakit ganyan ka kung mag-react..” she curiously asked as she leaned in closer. “sure ako, kaibigan ko lang siya and nothing more” and with that he quickly went out of the cafe leaving an unconvinced yunjin to sit and think.

and there you were still hiding in the bathroom. you heard every single bit of their conversation, but somehow you feel uneasy. you were used to it— used to him denying that you were together. so why? why did you feel your stomach churn when he told yunjin you were nothing more than friends?

masterlist! | previous! | next!

hi haha.. it’s been saur long since ung last update anyways umorder aq ng twice bp nd itzy albums😋

ignore nyo na magkakaiba damit nila sa posr

ang galing q dba, sept 2 q sinimulan chapter ngayon lang natapos🤯🤯

gusto nyo ba ng server para d2??

anyways take note na ung mga written chap is english ung narration and tagalog dialogue!! kase hirap po aq mag narrate in tagalog………..

eto na nga po, foreshadowing is real

taglist!open— @plinkuro @gorouswrld @aixaingela @monikidk @choco-rei @radnvindr @m1kotsu @ganyuvoir @httpmitsuya @ichiiyos @zyamq @skaramush @sheiiy @guuji-miko @lazy-sanns @sukunasrealgf

[legend-collection]

Japanese Dragon

Japanese dragons are diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore. Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and the Indian subcontinent. The style of the dragon was heavily influenced by the Chinese dragon. Like these other East Asian dragons, most Japanese ones are water deities associated with rainfall and bodies of water, and are typically depicted as large, wingless, serpentine creatures with clawed feet. The modern Japanese language has numerous "dragon" words, including indigenous Tatsu from Old Japanese ta-tu, Sino-Japanese ryū or ryō from Chinese lóng, nāga from Sanskrit, and doragon from English "dragon" (the latter being used almost exclusively to refer to the European dragon and derived fictional creatures).

The c. 680 AD Kojiki and the c. 720 AD Nihongi mytho-histories have the first Japanese textual references to dragons. "In the oldest annals the dragons are mentioned in various ways," explains de Visser, "but mostly as water-gods, serpent- or dragon-shaped."  The Kojiki and Nihongi mention several ancient dragons:

Yamata no Orochi "8-branched giant snake" was an 8-headed and 8-tailed dragon slain by the god of wind and sea Susanoo, who discovered the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (legendary sword of the Imperial Regalia of Japan) in one of its tails.

Watatsumi "sea god" or Ryūjin "dragon god" was the ruler of seas and oceans, and described as a dragon capable of changing into human form. He lived in the undersea Ryūgū-jō "dragon palace castle", where he kept the magical tide jewels.

Toyotama-hime "Luminous Pearl Princess" was Ryūjin's daughter. She purportedly was an ancestress of Emperor Jimmu, Japan's legendary first emperor.

Wani was a sea monster that is translated as both "shark" and "crocodile". Kuma-wani "bear (i.e., giant or strong) shark/crocodile" are mentioned in two ancient legends. One says the sea god Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami transformed into an "8-fathom kuma-wani" and fathered Toyotama-hime, the other says a kuma-wani piloted the ships of Emperor Chūai and his Empress Jingū.

Mizuchi or was a river dragon and water deity. The Nihongi records legendary Emperor Nintoku offering human sacrifices to mizuchi angered by his river engineering projects.

Raiju is Raijin's animal companion and messenger that commonly take form of a dragon.

Kiyohime "Purity Princess" was a teahouse waitress who fell in love with a young Buddhist priest. After he spurned her, she studied magic, transformed into a dragon, and killed him.

Nure-onna "Wet Woman" was a dragon with a woman's head and a snake's body. She was typically seen while washing her hair on a riverbank and would sometimes kill humans when angered.

Zennyo Ryūō "goodness-like dragon king" was a rain-god depicted either as a dragon with a snake on its head or as a human with a snake's tail.

In the fairy tale "My Lord Bag of Rice", the Ryūō "dragon king" of Lake Biwa asks the hero Tawara Tōda to kill a giant centipede.

Urashima Tarō rescued a turtle which took him to Ryūgū-jō and turned into the attractive daughter of the ocean god Ryūjin.

Known for its great longevity, this reptile mainly lives in aquatic environments, which explains why it is often portrayed in water through Japanese artworks.

According to the Japanese mythology, this creature has the supreme power to metamorphose, to lengthen its body or even to become invisible. It may also take on human appearance.

Although this creature can fly, this is not its main power as it is more of a snake than a bird. We are thus quite far from the stereotype of the European dragon, hovering in the air, with its gigantic wings, and spitting fire.

The Japanese dragon takes its origin in the legends of the genesis of universe. Shortly after the creation of heaven and earth, 7 generations of kami (Japanese gods) were born. The dragons would have appeared together with other creatures in order to protect them as the guardians of the celestial gods.

In Japanese mythology, it is said that they reign over the oceans and fight to defend the gods.

There are 5 types of dragons:

The celestial dragon, guardian of the kamis

The spiritual dragon, god of wind and rain

The land dragon, guardian of rivers and oceans

The treasure-defending dragon that guards over precious stones

The imperial dragon, symbol of the Chinese dynasty

Just like nature, of which it embodies the strength, power and unpredictability, this reptile may prove to be dangerous to the common man.

However, the dragon is, above all, a sign of good fortune and generally shows itself to be benevolent. In addition, it brings happiness, wealth  and success and symbolizes wisdom, perseverance and immortality in the Japanese people's mind.

In Japan, the dragon is implored to attract rain, which nourishes the land.

Ancient Legend of Yamata no Orochi:

Yamata no Orochi also nicknamed Orochi was an evil creature of eight tails and eight heads which roamed near the Hi River in the Izumo City. Each one of his heads represented natural elements such as water, earth, wind, fire, lightning, light, darkness and venom. This creature and its red eyes the color of blood, its long body that stretched over 8 hills and 8 mountains.  Cypresses and moss grew upon its back and rivers of blood flowed on its belly. According to the legend, this dragon used to devour a young girl once a year.

"One day, when the king of Izumo was about to offer his eighth and last daughter as a sacrifice, to calm the beast, Susanoo, god of storms, proposed a covenant: fight the dragon in exchange for the girl's hand.

In order to vanquish Orochi, Susanoo had to offer 8 barrels of sake. Yamata no Orochi drank until the very last drop before falling asleep.

At that moment, Susanoo threw himself on the monster to kill it by cutting one by one its 8 heads. While slaughtering his rival, Susanoo found a sacred sword called Kusanagi no Tsurugi inside the monster, a sword he later offered to his sister Amaterasu, goddess of the sun.”

The story of Watatsumi, Dragon king and God of the sea:

Watatsumi, also called Ryujin, is the dragon king and great god of the sea and oceans. This dragon is recognizable by his gigantic size and long moustache. As the master of the tides, Watatsumi governs all aquatic species. The generous king welcomes shipwrecked people in his magnificent underwater palace.

"One day, one of his beautiful daughters named Otohime met Hoori, a human being who was roaming the sea looking for his brother’s fishhook. After falling in love with each other, they decided to live together in Watatsumi Palace.

After several years, Hoori, who suffered from boredom, wanted to return to the land, but was afraid of his brother's reaction once he discovered that he hadn't found his fishhook. Caring, the king decided to summon the servants of his kingdom and ask them if they had seen the object he was looking for. By chance, a fish had just swallowed it.

Hoori then returned to his beloved land accompanied by his wife the dragon goddess."

According to the legend, their grandson became the first emperor of Japan. For this reason it is said that emperors are descendants of kamis.

The myth of Ryujin and the jellyfish:

There is another legend involving Ryujin, the god of the sea.

"While his daughter was suffering from an incurable disease, Ryujin asked the jellyfish to bring him a monkey liver. At that time the jellyfish still had bones and legs.

The jellyfish complied and went in search of the mammal. Once found the monkey, the monkey told the jellyfish that its liver had been stolen. The jellyfish returned empty-handed to its king.

Ryujin promptly realized that the monkey had been making fun of them and, in a state of anger, he flattened the jellyfish with his full weight."

Pic by Ogata Gekko