Ryujin, Dragon of the Deep
NPC · Mage
One of the few dragon kami to gain much attention among humans, Ryujin claims the ocean as its domain, making it popular among coastal people, especially the Ryukyuans. It rules the Dragon Palace, located far beneath the ocean’s surface. In addition to keeping sailors safe, Ryujin also rou tinely grants rain to farmers, providing a helpful balance to Amaterasu’s sunny weather… not that either of them would admit to the usefulness of the other, of course.
Like many serpents, Ryujin takes offense to metal, leaving the Dragon of the Deep in a particularly strange quandary when dealing with larger, steel ships: It would love to destroy them, but sinking them would probably be worse than letting them pass unharmed. Wooden fishing ships using nets represent a much cleaner form of fishing in this kami’s eyes, and so those fishermen are more likely to receive a bountiful catch in its waters.
As you might expect, getting an audience with Ryujin is a huge pain in the ass. Although falling into the ocean has gotten some humans face time with the dragon, most people
just drown. Once you get there, assume that every little suggestion is keeping you from certain death, because it is. If Ryujin gives you a box and tells you to never open it, then don’t fucking open it. Don’t let your spouse open it. Seal that box inside every container you can find, and then sit on it. The rules of the kingdom under trillions of pounds of water do not give a fuck about good intentions or innocent curiosity.
That said, if you’ve been a friend to the ocean — especially to its marine life — you can expect to be treated very well in the Dragon Palace. You can expect it, but you probably shouldn’t. Stay humble. Stay alive. React to everything as though it is a great honor, because it probably is. Unlike the human-shaped kami, Ryujin isn’t going to wait on ceremony because you don’t know the right way to hold a teacup. It probably won’t even hold your ignorance against you, but arrogance is a pretty sure way to piss it off. And trust me on this, do not piss off a sea-dragon god.