#kamiposting
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Owed to the uniquely intimate way people in the Far East have engaged with nature, and the gods that comprise them, it follows that they have beheld many spiritual curiosities lurking between the trees. Between the crevices. Elusive and ephemeral. The subjects of much lore, met with fear and fascination in fair measure.
Before the word referred to a more specific entity, the earliest written records to survive used "oni" in reference to any manner of ghost, goblin or in-between. As it became a more common practice to compile and catalog regional stories, more refined umbrella terms were adopted, such as "mononoke".
From a western point of view, the concept of mononoke remains fairly esoteric, though generally they tend to center around the many auspicious permutations of the spirit in the living or erstwhile inanimate - even tainted kami.
Eorzean scholars and the greater community around them have standardized more specific categories for various creatures, framing some documented mononoke differently. Ashkin, soulkin, forgekin, elementals, auspices, voidsent.
With some exceptions, however, mononoke continue to evade any single box of definition - indicative as recently as an exorcism event on eastern Shishu, as suggested in firsthand accounts of survivors. Even the spoken Tengu have been seen in the company of wild mononoke, only adding to their already enigmatic and conflicting reputation.
Ironically, it is the fascination man has acquired toward mononoke that has only further obfuscated matters for scrutinous scholars. In postwar prosperity, art and print have been on the rise, and mononoke are popular subjects. The west too have begun taking notice, only driving up interest. It does, generally speaking, grow increasingly unclear as a result in what mononoke are based in legitimacy and which are products of limitless imagination, or where the line between can be drawn.
Regardless of the truth, or what can be considered the factual nature of mononoke, perhaps the one common element that defines them, besides their auspicious nature, is a profoundly spiritual connection to the unseen. The hidden world, the other side. That which is above many a smallfolk's ken.
#ffxiv#final fantasy xiv#writing#lore#headcanons#yokai#mononoke#the hidden world#kamiposting#this is a redo of a post i made shortly before mount rokkon#i felt like it called for drastic rethinking
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The way you draw clothes reminds me of those super puffy winter coats/vests y'know these like I feel the odd grainy texture of the cloth/plastic outside while it's like.full of stuffing or whatever . It's been on my mind 4ever I love it so much馃挌
THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME...THANK YOU SO MUCHES i am not immune to baggy sleeves
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I'm getting my hair cut and dyed but uhh bisexuality 馃挌
#imposterchat#i dont think i have a selfie tag or anytjing uhhhh#uhhhhhh#kamiposter#<- there. i guess#i considered unmasked bc Imposter Unmasked but uhhhh#probably not a great idea considering whats going on with Le Covid#i have to take a shower ajd rinse this all off....pain so mucb pain#its all only eyeliner but it still took me ages
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The kami are esoteric entities that permeate throughout all of nature, connected to the flow of creation, residing hidden an alternative realm called shinkai. There are countless more than can ever be reckoned, and various different ones will be venerated and enshrined from town to town, province to province. Throughout the Far East, one can find names of minor kami that will often be dedicated to a specific or niche facet of life: some beyond ancient, others appearing in the written history of the natural world. An individual or a thing, enshrined as kami after life or a significant event (Doma's first king Ganen, for instance).
There are nonetheless a multitude of kami that have more prominence and appeal throughout the Far East. Many have been immortalized in scripture and believed to have thrived in plain sight at the beginning of history.
Izanami and Izanagi were not the first kami to come into being, but they were the ones to bring about a true age of creation. Descending to the world - forming the land of Onokoro - between them they would bring about much of the land, scores more kami, and ultimately mankind. Fate, however, would eventually take the life of Izanami, and a grieving Izanagi would venture to the land of the dead to see her again... and potentially bring her back. It was to a mutual dismay, however, that she was bound there and couldn't return to life.
Since their paths diverged, Izanagi has heralded new life while Izanami ushered in the dead. Just as importantly afterward, as Izanagi washed away the kegare of the underworld at the mouth of a river (the One River by some accounts), he manifested three of what would be some of the most esteemed kami of all: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susano.
Amaterasu - The God of the Sun, Izanagi gave her the empyrean domain. Such was her radiance to warm and light the way for all. Regents of the Far East have frequently claimed heritage to this kami as part of their right to rule.
While ever the well-intentioned, Amaterasu could also be described as tempestuous. She possessed a fiery streak, often at odds with Susano, although one legend tells of a time where her boisterous sibling went too far. When a handmaiden close to her was accidentally killed, a grief-stricken Amaterasu withdrew, begetting a harsh winter ere she could be coaxed out.
Tsukuyomi - The keeper of the night and the moon. While kami are not adherent to the mortal concepts of gender by default, Tsukuyomi in particular has been presented as more androgynous or non-binary, or shifting like the phases of the moon.
Per their ambiguity, Tsukuyomi has been the most solitary of the three kami, quietly content on guiding lost souls unto Izanami and the underworld. It is a task they carry out with a signature coolness and calm, regarded as a necessity to mediate between their two siblings.
Susano - Lord of the Revel, who commands the seas as befitting of his unpredictable nature, making him the favored deity of the Kojin people. Despite his reputation as a formidable hero and a jovial sort, his travails are rooted in the cautionary story of his initial downfall.
Consumed by an influx of aramitama after a quarrel with Amaterasu, Susano went on a destructive rampage that incidentally took the life of one of her sister's aides, before he could be pacified. For his transgressions, he was cast out of heaven for a time. A time which he spent slaying great earthly beasts and claiming three treasures - Yata-no-Kagami, Yasakani-no-Magatama, and Ame-no-Murakumo - which he later presented to Amaterasu in reconciliation.
Daitenzan - The kami can be found in all things in nature, and as such they will most certainly embody the realm's majestic peaks. Few can argue that Daitenzan, the highest peak in the Hingashi archipelago, is among the most majestic of them all. A kami crowned with perpetual snow, a lone sentinel at the center of Koshu, that came into being by the hands of a colossal daidarabotchi.
The kami is said to manifest as a woman called Sengen, who has been featured in her own share of legends concerning the mountain. Above all else she embodies flourishing life and beauty, thusly also representing the pristine cherry blossoms that are a focal point every Dance of the Five Petals.
Ebisu - The Laughing One, a fortune god and patron of fishers and the working class. A long time ago during the age of creation, it is told that he was found as a toddler - known then as Hiruko - alone on the shore of a fishing village, underdeveloped and too weak to care for himself.
Despite his difficulties Hiruko remained sanguine, and for the nurture he received the village seemed to prosper unlike ever before. Ultimately he grew through his weaknesses and ascended to heaven, and it has been believed that he was a kami all along, an offspring of Izanami from before her passing. For this purported seniority, Ebisu went on to become a leader of seven kami of fortune.
Benten, the fortune of the arts.
Bishamon, the fortune on the battlefield.
Daikoku, the fortune of commerce and culinarians.
Hotei, the fortune of youth and divinations.
Jurojin, the fortune of long life.
Kisshoten, the fortune of beauty.
The Four Lords - Far Eastern folklore is rife with appearances by fauna that have transcended their natural lifespans and obtained a new sense of awareness; those who have lived over a millennium are said to achieved divinity. Collectively they are the auspicious beasts, or simply auspices (zuiju), and the greatest of them - kami by all rights - are the Four Lords.
The legends of their exploits - notably the Tale of Tenzen - have garnered them widespread veneration and recognition. They are regarded as protectors of the realm, individually overseeing a cardinal direction. Genbu, representing the north and winter, wise and steadfast. Byakko, representing the west and autumn, a fierce guardian. Suzaku, representing the south and summer, majestic and melodious. Last but not least - Seiryu, representing the east and spring, a patron kami of geomancy.
Futen the Heavenly Wind and Raiden the Divine Levin - Twin gods, born from Izanami at the time of her initial demise. They then followed Izanagi out of the underworld. With an imposing, ogre-like appearance, they have been compared to the mythical Oni, regarded as the patron kami in folklore.
As storm gods, tales have been told connecting Futen and Raiden to their brother Susano; at different times standing against him, and with him as allies. Fearsome they may be, they are also revered as protector kami, invoked to unleash their might against would-be invaders.
Hachiman - The Great General, a god of war and patron kami of the warrior class, first gaining broader popularity among the samurai. He is believed to have first manifested in the early history of dynastic civilization, through a leader destined for ascension to the throne and to deification.
Despite being noted as a god of war, it is usually more from the stance of a sagely mentor and tactician. Through times of conflict Hachiman has been turned to determine wise courses of action, and great rulers on both sides of the Ruby Tide are said to channel him. He is also regarded as a divine protector, having served as the protector of clans, and credited at different times for allaying enemy forces with the wrath of nature; a general commanding Futen and Raiden like lieutenants.
Inari - God of Prosperity. She resides over agriculture and fosters worldly success, and has long been the patron kami of farmers and merchants, though reverence has also spread to craftsmen and warriors. Thus she is easily one of the most popular kami in the East, with many shrines in her name.
While often regarded as a goddess, various appearances and artistic depictions as either female, male or androgynous show that Inari also does not prescribe to a set gender for kami. She is also heavily tied to the fox, using snow-white foxes as messengers or even showing up as one herself. This has led to some belief that she could be the progenitor of powerful auspices like Tamamo Gozen. Regardless, foxes are always held with respect in the Far East.
Omoikane - The Divine Advisor. He is a god of wisdom and the patron kami of students and scholars. It is supposed that he is able to retain a great amount of information, as well as practically absorb and channel the thoughts of multiple individuals in order to reach compromises and solutions.
Such was that his counsel has been sought to settle all manner of dispute among the amatsukami themselves, through diplomacy and cleverness. Most notably indeed, it fell upon Omoikane and his plan to persuade Amaterasu out of hiding, ending the realm's legendary first winter. He later settled in the eastern frontier, a sage to both god and man; Having garnered an additional association with carpenters and architecture, he is believed to be an important kami to the secretive Onishishu.
艑namazu - The Big One, as generally referred to as by its descendants the Namazu race, is for all intents and purposes the ancestral kami of the fish-like people and a god of premonition. Its story is nigh as curious as the Namazu themselves, telling of a catfish that had gorged itself on lesser fish to the point where grew to a size that blocked off the early One River, ascending to heaven after shearing off part of its tail fin - which turned into a smaller catfish, and the first true Namazu.
While venerated the most naturally by the Namazu, 艑namazu is regarded as a kami with a sense of clairvoyance. It has visited throughout history, warning of potential calamity in the future, and it has garnered appeal as a warder against misfortune and natural disasters.
Sarutahiko - The God of the Earth. They are the leader of the kunitsukami (earthly kami), a paragon of guidance and strength, and subsequently an important figure in martial arts and shugendo. Frequently depicted as a winged giant of variable gender with a ruddy complexion, they are also construed to be the ancestral patron god of the Tengu.
Also representing junctions or crossroads, Sarutahiko is the stalwart guard of Ame-no-Ukihashi, the bridge between heaven and earth. When Amaterasu's first descendant to arrive on earth descended, Sarutahiko resisted, before they could be dissuaded by the goddess Uzume. The two went on to form a bond, and the clan they formed would have a major role in the performing arts. Sarutahiko personally is credited with the foundations of Noh theatre.
Tenzen - The Heavenly Hero. The center of a popular tale in his name, Tenzen has achieved status as a kami of worldly knowledge, in relatively recent times a patron of explorers and adventurers. He is believed to have been a Hyuran samurai, a figure with an sense of quiet determination, charm and scholarly eloquence, which he would convey in his love for the world. He found he was possessed of a gift, to commune with beasts, though it ostracized him at the time as an ill omen.
Tenzen used his talents nonetheless to befriend and unite the Four Lords, which set them on an array of adventures, culminating in a showdown to face down and drive off a band of Oni. The tale suggests he was rewarded and lived the rest of his life in the mountains, although a variant posits he made the ultimate sacrifice for the realm. Regardless, in the end Tenzen would ascend to watch from over heaven as his friends oversaw the earth below. Plum trees may be found at shrines honoring him, as it is said he had a fondness.
Uzume - Lady of the Revel, and the goddess of the dawn. A patron kami of festivals, of dancers and miko, she is known in her empyrean sphere as a "great persuader". While her colleague Omoikane settled matters with logical diplomacy, Uzume had a knack for placating others with charisma and physicality. She is described as alarmingly beautiful and having reveled in sensuality.
Uzume's way of provocation aided Omoikane in coaxing Amaterasu out of hiding, and she was also able to placate the hardened Sarutahiko at Ame-no-Ukihashi. The two kami then took a liking to one another and went on to form the Sarume clan, with prominence in the arts. Uzume's dance is what would come to be known as Kagura, a kinetic way of repulsing and purifying evil, and would be an integral ritual at many shrines and temples.
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At the center of belief, in swathes of mainland Othard and Hingashi, are the kami.
Unlike a defined pantheon of deities like the Twelve, those that blur the line between god and spirit are seemingly of endless number, permeating all aspects of creation. Trees, rocks and mountains, rivers, lakes and oceans. All spoken and fauna too have the spiritual potential of becoming kami, often in the next life though on rarer occasion in the here and now.
While there are those amongst their numbers that have gained distinction and broad appeal, especially the "Amatsu kami", there are many more (chiefly "Kunitsu kami") that can serve or represent any purpose in life, depending on where you go. No matter how specific.
Therefore it is by the kami that people took on a variable system of mundane practices and rituals; a lifestyle rooted in an intrinsic, harmonious and respectful relationship with nature. While this is generally benign and peaceful, it also has some roots in a fear of reprisal by nature itself.
A prevalent concept that can be applied theoretically at all levels of existence is of the spirit being tied to four "souls" (mitama), which one would strive to find balance in. While three of these energies - kushimitama, sakimitama and most of all nigimitama - are generally committed to good causes, they are also integral to keep in check the fourth: aramitama, or primal rage. This is often considered the foundational state of the kami; less a matter of "evil" and more chaos. This is the essence of change, the forces that shaped the very star. Where there is a glut of aramitama, Calamity is sure to follow.
And Calamity has followed, as ancient texts would infer. Raging floods, ages of ice, and civilization-shattering earthquakes have all been attributed - at one point or another - to this form of divine wrath. Often tied to alleged hubris of man, these tales remain salient words of warning among the most superstitious: do wrong by nature, and nature shall do you wrong.
Traditionally at the core of all practices, the means of maintaining a lasting peace with nature - and keeping aramitama in check - has involved communion with the kami at purified sites, offering simple gestures of gratitude, and cleansing the land of pollution or kegare. The earliest shamans of Othard were the first specialists of such affairs, and the most notable ones of legend were said to be capable of an array of feats that mystify to this day, implying that they themselves may have even become kami in plain sight.
While the intricacies of shamanism remain shrouded in mystery if not lost to time, and the supposed heirs of these arts - the taoists - remain elusive and keep their cards close to their chests, the legacy nonetheless extends to nearly all forms of contemporary discipline in the realm. Be it directly or indirectly.
Much of the essence of the shamans became imprinted onto the later shinkan, the shrine attendants. While communion with the kami used to be solely held at temporary establishments of sanctified earth, eventually more permanent shrines formed to give shelter to these god-spirits. This followed with the influence of neighboring lands like Thavnair or Dalmasca, bringing about larger temple-like complexes that would regularly enshrine multiple kami. Regardless of size the early priests would generally relegate themselves to the upkeep and rituals around their respective shrines, dabbling very little into the disciplines of a mage, or even their shamanic forebears. In due time, while not likely universal, this too would change.
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Lore and scripture in the Far East reflect a broadly-held belief that there is more than one world - or more aptly, reality. The world that we plainly see, or Mikai, may be all that most ever know. With the right perception or focus, however, one can observe nature and realize there is more to it all, above and below.
Close in the distance and the most evident is Yukai, the hidden or ghost world. As what can be considered on just the fringe of our reality (a liminal space), it is the one that is most like ours, though often described as a world of different hues; even here, worldly logic begins to distort. Here is where spirits with some sort of anchor to the world dwell, unable to truly pass on without intervention. Also able to engage with and hide within it are beings of a certain supernatural disposition: yoi and yokai, as well as the kami.
It is separated from the natural world by a proverbial veil, just beyond plain sight, but this veil can lift or fray under the right conditions (like abnormal fluxes of qi), and the two worlds can interact. Yukai is the source of many a ghost story as such, but more importantly it is key to the practices of us shrine priests. Those adept or gifted can exploit the fragility of the veil, and we can make contact with the hidden world and its denizens. Most often this plays a key role in the exorcism of threats to life, or helping lost souls find closure.
Beyond Yukai, there are variable accounts of other worlds; less tangible and more disputed, not all of which may fall into one's chosen beliefs or may have intermingled qualities. Yomi, the land of the dead overseen by Izanami, a shadowy neutral realm. Tengoku, the heavens for the righteous and redeemed. Meido, the land of trials, an arduous path for souls who have passed on with considerable metaphysical baggage. Jigoku, the hells where soul and sin are cleansed in fire. Shinkai, the demesne of the kami. Makai, a realm of demons, sometimes considered a fringe world of Jigoku.
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As mentioned once before, the spirit is inexorably linked to four "souls", or states of the soul: nigimitama, aramitama, sakimitama and kushimitama, and it's ideal to strive for a balance between them. The latter two are more subtle, latent and enigmatic; the former tend to be the most relevant, as they are the most directly affected by the state of the natural world around them.
Nigimitama and aramitama are associated most with the kami, and with auspicious beasts (zuiju). Both entities, especially zuiju that have exceeded a thousand years of life, have spiritual potential beyond mortal comprehension. It comes at a risk, however, for fostering too much aramitama leads to an all-consuming rage - and inevitably destruction akin to the unbridled wrath of nature itself.
It is then, with little speculation, that the elder zuiju are considered a special manifestation of the kami themselves.
It should be noted as well that the influence of the four souls are not limited to kami, auspices and yokai. It is all walks of life; just that certain beings have a different relationship with musubi, the flow of the universe, meaning the consequences of spiritual balance (or imbalance) tend to be more visible and profound.
For others it is usually more slight, and a great imbalance in any which way can produce various symptoms, such as abnormal mood swings or physical health issues. Although, those well attuned with qi can also experience some dramatic effects of their own.
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The principles and standards by which a temple or shrine operates are variable. Seldom are they ever unified, unless by proximity and mutual agreement. The general gist of priests you will find at a larger shrine, however, are as follows - as was the case at Hinako's shrine:
Kujo denotes the most general junior level priest, having gone beyond simple volunteering and basic training. They still have a ways to go, however, and are typically consigned to essential clerical duty. Their hakama (traditional pleated trousers) are colored green.
Gon-negi is a junior-level priest the next step above kujo. They have more time under their belts, and are on the way to becoming true priests. They may go on assignments beyond the shrine, with supervision. Their hakama are colored light blue.
Miko is a special position; they may be the sole attendants of small shrines, while at larger ones they tend to be of a middling position similar to gon-negi. While the clerical responsibility is also similar, they are often more versed in spiritual and ritual practices (like dance).
Traditionally miko have been mostly known as women, but it is a gender-inclusive role. They may also be called geki. Their hakama are colored red.
Negi are senior priests, those who have given the time and work to be fully designated shinkan. They are bestowed a magatama, a soul crystal, as rite of passage. They can lead assignments of exorcism and purification outside the shrine. Their hakama are colored a deeper blue.
Guji is the chief priest. Typically they are the highest ranking official of the shrine, having demonstrated the qualities and mastery over the art to be granted this position. They oversee all functions and lead in or officiate most day-to-day rituals.
The guji tends to also be the kannushi, the keeper of the shrine, the de facto emissary of the kami's will. It takes one spiritually adept to get to this point.
Their hakama are colored purple; at some points in history there have been also gon-guji, an assistant or deputy chief priest. Between them and guji, one or both of them may have some distinguishing patterns to their purple raiment.
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THANKU 4 THE COMPLIMENT IT MEANZ A LOT. I LOVE GREEN ^__^
YAYY OF COURSE [CONFETTI EMOJIS] green is like. a staple of ur art it works so well in the things u draw
#ur art of imposter with green in his hair has made me picture him that way subconsciously#asks#kamiposting
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