The Amatsukami
The Amatsukami, more commonly referred to as the "kami", are divine beings worshipped by many cultures across Othard, such as in the nations of Doma and Hingashi.[1]
Origins
Unlike the Eorzean Pantheon, ‘Kami’ - the word for ‘god’ in the Far East - has a significantly broader definition than the equivalent term in Eorzea. Gods are not simply beings of their own caliber, but can have widely varying origins and domains; like the Eorzean gods there are entities presiding over the Sun and Moon, but kami can also be personifications of nature (not unlike the Elementals, but also not completely the same), long-lived flora or fauna, objects imbued with spirits, and even great leaders deified in the afterlife. Even within a singular culture, there may not be a single unified origin story, standardized rituals for worship, or even one particular kami that is worshipped over others.
Known Kami
God-like Entities
- Amaterasu, God of the Sun
- Tsukuyomi, Lady of the Moon, who has been summoned as a Primal given form in a human body.
- Susano, Lord of the Revel, who has been summoned in Primal form like Tsukuyomi.
- Izanami, presides over life and death. She gave birth to the nation of Doma, and ushers souls of the departed unto the land of the dead[2]
Tsukumogami
Ancient relics, including man-made objects such as tools or weapons, which have acquired a divine spirit over the course of decades.
One such example is the Ame-no-Habakiri - A sword that was kept by the Kojin of Tamamizu until it was stolen by the Garlean Empire, believed to have once been wielded in battle by the kami Susano against an eldritch threat.
Auspices
An animal that has ascended to godhood, originating from a creature who has far outlived its natural lifespan, gaining intelligence and self-awareness, and gradually amassing a mystical strength until they one day awaken to powers of "divine magnitude."
Tamamo Gozen is a famous Auspice.
Ascended Mortals
Powerful and/or influential people who ascend to godhood after death, though the path they take to arrive there is not uniform. Some individuals are invited to godhood in recognition of their deeds in life, others refuse to move on after death and their spirit becomes bound to the land in some way that eventually empowers them. Ganen, the first king of Doma, is one such individual; over time, the people have come to worship Ganen’s eternal spirit as a kami of martial and scholarly learning.
Natural Features
Daitenzan, the highest peak on the Hingashi archipelago, is revered by the locals as a snow-crowned kami.
References
- ↑ The bulk of the information on this page comes from Encyclopedia Eorzea II, the articles of: Hingan Religion, Doman Religion, Far Eastern Faiths, A Pantheon of Multitudes, Heavenly Gods. The following link is merely an internet-accessible compilation of what these texts contain: [Blog:mirkemenagerie.tumblr.com]
- ↑ When the Kami Answer and Hien: “Izanami presides over life and death. She gave birth to the nation of Doma, and ushers souls of the departed unto the land of the dead.”