Jinushigami, Elder spirits of earth

Guardians of significant natural wonders like mountains, large lakes, forests, and so on, jinushigami are the most powerful and revered of all kami, commanding the very forces of nature itself to ensure the safety and security of their wards. Jinushigami tend to stay hidden amongst their land, slumbering until awakened if the land of Raxxan is blighted.

Strangers to lands protected by jinushigami are well-advised to take the utmost care to not offend the powerful spirit creatures. When displeased, jinushigami are fabled to eradicate trails and warp the contours of their terrain, forcing travelers to endure unreasonable hardship in travel. These goliaths supposedly have little patience for those who would defile their efforts, and offenders who fail to listen to local inhabitants of Raxxan can quickly discover how devastating the kami's powers can be as they are forced from the land either by the lesser kami who serve their superior or by the towering jinushigami itself. Of course, those who respect and honor the jinushigami see the kami's other side, as the kami eases their travel by lessening undergrowth, shifting rivers, and otherwise providing subtle but incredible aid to travelers.

Jinushigami are ancient and wise, and while they are no fools, they prefer to give visitors to their domains the benefit of the doubt. Only when an individual makes known his disruptive intentions toward the structure and cohesion of nature does a jinushigami react with violence. Of course, those who align themselves with naturally opposing forces of the kami, such as the oni, do not receive this friendly grace period, and a jinushigami can perceive most treacherous thoughts, sensing a suspicious visitor through its connection with the land, then tracking it down to stealthily observe it more closely.


Ancient lore states that when a Jinushigami manifest physical bodies, they appear as lumbering humanoid forms made of earth and stone and plant matter, sometimes with strange humanoid affectations like hats or jewelry. The last Jinushigami to awaken were said to be 38 feet tall and would weigh aproximately over 30,000 pounds. The spirit destroyed one the emperors cities that had scarred the land and forest with industrial devastation, wars and plagues. The people and the emperor were reminded to honor the spirits of the Kami.

As of today the people of Raxxan still revere and worship these ancient spirits of the earth. The spirits of the Oni is considered the dark side of the Kami.