| Deities |
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The deities at play in Kannagara are many. There are thousands of gods and goddesses, as well as Oni, each with their own purpose and role, but only a few are strong enough to control the environment of the world and its inhabitants. The gods, while present at all times, do not usually choose to reveal themselves, and when they do, it must be for a meaningful purpose, or because they are angered. But at times, your character may see them walking through their shrines and temples, or curiously watching from a distance. At other times, they might encounter a vindictive oni who has stolen your character's dinner. And maybe, they might just witness a battle between the gods. For the purpose of this game, the moderators will have full reign of the deities and will be happy to play them with anyone if there is a situation or a reason that calls for a deity to be in play. We would be happy to discuss NPC opportunities for players as well, if you are interested in NPCing a deity. Please speak with the moderators about it! Listed below are some of the more important deities. There are others, of course - too many others to name, in fact. Kami (spirits/gods in Shinto) are numerous, and while some are powerful rulers in the heavens, there are also kami for nearly everything - natural features such as rivers, lakes, trees, mountains, and valleys have their own kami. Amaterasu-ou-mikami Born from Izanagi's left eye, Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun and the queen of the celestial realm, takamagahara. Famously, after being insulted by Susano-o, she hid herself inside of a cave and denied the world her light. After she was convinced to emerge, she took up her place again as ruler. Although she is usually patient and forgiving, direct insults will send her into a rage, and she is a fierce warrior who is sometimes portrayed as a woman in armor. Despite the fact that she is female and not the firstborn child, she is a ruler in her own right, and is the deity most beloved and most worshipped by mortals. Ame-no-uzume-no-mikoto A goddess of joy, light, revelry, and the dawn. She is called "the terrible woman of heaven," and with good reason, for despite her joyful demeanor, she is cunning and strong-willed. When Amaterasu, incensed, hid herself inside of a cave, it was Ame-no-uzume who lured her out by dancing lewdly. Her strip-tease caused the other deities, who were gathered around the cave consumed with worry for Amaterasu, to begin to laugh and have fun. Amaterasu was lured from her cave by the sounds of joy, and the cave was sealed, trapping her outside. Thus the dawn came again. She is ruthless in the pursuit of her goals, which are almost always noble. She is often involved in the goings-on of the earth, and is often portrayed as an advisor and assistant to heavenly rulers. Ame-no-wakahiko Though he was sent down by the heavenly deities to subdue the earth, Ame-no-wakahiko decided that he would take rule of the land for himself, and refused to return to heaven. For his treachery, he was shot and killed by his own arrow, and Okuninushi took his place as ruler of the earth. Inari A god (or goddess?) of prosperity and plenty, Inari is a deity who appears in many forms - sometimes as an old sage in rags, sometimes as a ruler in court robes. Inari is associated with foxes, who are said to be his (or her?) servants. Inari is a popular deity to whom people pray when looking for success in most anything - love, life, finances, agriculture, industry, and more. Izanagi and Izanami Izanagi, the Male Who Invites, is the god born along with his sister, Izanami, from the Seven Divine Generations of the gods after the creation of the universe. Izanagi and Izanami stood on the bridge of heaven and stirred the primordial oceans with a bejeweled spear. The drops from this spear, upon being lifted, fell and formed the first solid land. The divine pair descended to earth and became husband and wife, and gave birth to the rest of the world. When Izanami died following the birth of the god of fire, and was sent to Yomi, Izanagi chased after her to try and bring her back into the world of the living, only to discover that she had eaten the fruits of the dead and had become one with them -- decomposed and rotten. Horrified at the sight of her, Izanagi fled Yomi, and was chased by Izanami and an army of demons. She vowed that she would kill one thousand of his people a day, and he, in turn, vowed that one thousand five hundred would be born each day to create a balance. Following his departure from Yomi, Izanagi bathed in a river, and several gods and goddesses were born through this purification ceremony -- the most notable being Amaterasu, who appeared from his left eye, Tsukuyomi, who emerged from his left eye, and Susanoo, from his nose. Okuninushi Okuninushi is the god of medicine, nation building, and farming, and governs the unseen world of spirit and magic. He is responsible for great ideas that will lead to prosperity and growth within Kannagara, as well as all things medicinal, healing, and magical. Susano-o-no-mikoto Born from Izanagi's nose, Susano-o is the god of storms and sea, and also a ruler of the underworld along with his mother, Izanami. Though Izanagi at first assigned him to rule over the seas, Susano-o was overcome with grief for his mother, and as such chose to reside along with her in Yomi. He is seen variously as both a hero and a villain - there are many tales of him slaying monsters and destroying evil wherever he comes upon it, but at other times he turns his wrath against the gods, committing against them terrible insults. He is truly a force of nature, wild and uncontrolled, as likely to bless as he is to destroy. His temper is terrible, and one insults him to their own misfortune. Tsukuyomi-no-mikoto Born from Izanagi's right eye, Tsukuyomi is the god of the moon. He doesn't get along very well with his sister, Amaterasu, after having been scorned by her for murdering the goddess of food. Tsukuyomi can sometimes be angered, but is, for the most part, rather even-tempered and brings balance to the tides. ONI The Oni are always interested in being around humans because they are so easy to destroy and fragile. While the gods are usually merciful and benevolent, the Oni are not. The Oni are dangerous and malevolent, demons who will plague humans and cause nightmares, leave cursed God Scrolls lying about to start trouble, and love to create conflict. They especially like it when humans kill each other over stupid little squabbles. There is nothing that entertains Oni more than a petty death to the fight, and there are literally thousands of Oni that creep into the realm of Kannagara. The Oni and the gods fight for balance of In and Yo within Kannagara, but it is up to the humans who are being tested who decide where the balance ultimately falls. |
Deities