Bestiary

The kami with the most power, Amaterasu controls the sun in the East and all that goes with it: weather, healthy crops, even prosperous industry. Like most sun deities, she has a strong connection to the concept of rebirth. In fact, during a festival in her honor, her followers raze a shrine to the ground and then rebuild it. She’s so revered, the imperial family of Japan claims to be directly descended from her. They’re probably full of shit, but most emperors have demonstrated supernatural abilities, so who knows?

From the few who have talked to her, Amaterasu embod­ ies royalty, with all the virtues and vices of nobility. It pays

to study court etiquette if you plan on asking for her help, because she’s not going to talk much outside of her court, at least if she doesn’t know you. Protocol rules every dealing with her. Some have found conversations with her cut short by her feigning illness and giving vague clues on how to correct some social failing. Failing to bow to her court in the correct order will result in nothing happening until you do bow in the correct order. And don’t you dare pour tea for yourself.

The fastest way to piss her off is to screw up her order. For example, she exiled Tsukuyomi, her husband and brother, after he killed one of her handmaidens. In addition, when her other brother, Susanoo, trashed her carefully constructed divisions between crops, she exiled herself, leaving the world in darkness for a time that would later be blamed on the eruption of Mount Paektu in 940. To be fair, legends don’t agree on which brother did what, but no one disputes that both can be dicks, nor her unforgiving nature.

The point of all of this is that patience and knowledge are essential to dealing with her. She can grant significant boons, but only after navigating a maze of social etiquette. And, as frustrating as delays and seemingly pointless rituals may be, crossing her boundaries will cause some serious problems, up to and including regional famine and mass starvation.