There are very few clues as to the Pantheon of gods that is worshipped in Hachiman. In fact there are very few clues as to the society of Hachiman as a whole. What we do know of this isolated land comes to us from two sources. The first is through third hand tales from sailors who have made the journey across the vast Ocean of Tempests to the Isles of the Dawn. The second, from ancient tales hardly remembered, and seldom told, by some communities in Eastern Allansia whose ancient ancestors hailed from the region of Hachiman. The largest body of work available to scholars in Allansia, the Old World and in fact the rest of the Khulian continent (which is cut off from Hachiman) is the ‘Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’. What we do know is that Hachiman is a feudal society. This society worships the ‘Kami of the Heavens’ (as referred to by the Shogun in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’).

The only gods mentioned in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’ are Hotei the God of Luck and Hammurabi, the Lord of Flies. All of the other gods I have been able to gather the names of below are drawn from smaller tales and yarns, snippets of what must be great epics, no doubt still told in Hachiman.

The Kami

Kami definition is hard to pin down. They range from the original creating gods to lesser gods, from the spirits of ancestors to any natural force or aspect of nature that inspires awe. Kami has been translated as soul, spirit, deity, and "beings placed higher" In general it can be considered that every rock, animal, spring, emotion, quality and even person has a kami associated with it. The spirits of the dead are even kami. They quite literally permeate every aspect of culture.

It is the Kami of the Heavens (Ama-Tsu-Kami) whom we can most easily equate with the gods, those who we would place in the upper chambers of the pantheon of gods. These are specifically referred to in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’.

I have listed below those Kami of the Heavens (please click here for a quick equivalence index, which does not include the Primals. The quick equivalence index may prove a useful way of navigating the more detailed list below).

Brief Section on Primals: The Beginning of the World

"Before the heavens and the earth came into existence, all was a chaos, unimaginably limitless and without definite shape or form. Eon followed eon: then out of this boundless, shapeless mass something light and transparent rose up and formed the heaven. This was the Plain of High Heaven, Takamanohara (i.e. the entire universe), in which materialized a deity called Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Mikoto (the Deity-of-the-August-Centre- of-Heaven). Next the heavens gave birth to a deity named Takami-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the High- August-Producing-Wondrous-Deity), followed by a third called Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity). These three divine beings are called the Three Creating Deities."

Perhaps these are then Arn (the whole universe), and the first three are Ashra, Elim and Vuh as we would know them in Allansia.

"In the meantime what was heavy and opaque in the void gradually precipitated and became the earth, but it had taken an immeasurably long time before it condensed sufficiently to form solid ground. Suddenly like the sprouting up of a reed, a pair of immortals were born from its bosom. These were the Deity Umashi-Ashi-Kahibi-Hikoji-no-Mikoto (the Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder-Deity) and the Deity Ame-no-Tokotachi-no-Mikoto (The Heavenly-Eternally- Standing-Deity)."

Thus perhaps this paragraph represents the forming of the ‘Original Clay’ and the original ‘Elemental’ force and ‘Ethereal’ force as propounded by the High Priest of Hamaskis.

"As the universe formed from a chaotic mass, the kami of birth and the kami of growth initiated the development of the cosmic order because of their power to initiate creativity. Further kami appeared and from them came Izanagi no Mikoto and Izanami no Mikoto. The first kami, Ame no Minakunishi ordered the later kami to model the universe on the principles of Truth, Reason and Principle. Izanagi and Izanami, the male and female principles were ordered to create the world."

There is an obvious belief in Hachiman that there are many thousands of Kami not associated with the Titan but with the Higher Planes instead. This is actually consistent to a degree with Allansian and Old World Doctrine, because if we read carefully the creation myths we see that ‘thousands of gods’ are mentioned in the Celestial Planes before the Original Clay was found. It appears that in Hachiman though Izanagi and Izanami are deities responsible for producing those gods responsible for Titan. The Sun Goddess, Moon god, Fire God, Gods of Storms, Oceans and Winds, are all believed in Hachiman to have been children of Izanagi and Izanami.

In Allansia, we associate Ashra, Vuh and Elim as being directly responsible for the creation of the Gods of Titan, rather than there being generations of primal deities between the original three and the Gods of the Celestial Court. Perhaps the only way to reconcile our beliefs on this point is that Izanagi and Izanami are aspects of Ashra and Vuh given complete characters in Hachiman.

An A to Z list of Hachiman Deities

Ama-Tsu-Mara
Ama-Tsu-Mara is the god of blacksmiths (and weapon forgers). He has the power to create raw materials, such as iron ingots, charcoal, and leather, out of thin air. I believe that this god can be safely equated with Verlang

Amaterasu (Ama-terasu ;Amateras; Amateras-Ohmikami )

She is the Sun Goddess, and hence should be equated with Glantanka. In Hachiman she is the ruler of the Plane of Heaven. If Glantanka were the wife of Titan, then indeed she would be the most prominent Goddess. Perhaps those in Hachiman could be said to hold her in as high regard as their equivalent of Titan. Certainly they are a land near to where the sun is said to rise on Titan, and, indeed, it is possible that the capital, Konichi, means city of the Dawn.

Amaterasu is the daughter of Izanagi. She is the sister of Tsuki-yomi (Moon god – Lunara), and is known also as a sister of the Storm God (Sukh). This does not agree with our concept of the Pantheon, but, of course, it could mean that they are related in that they were both directly created by Primal Deities.

The clan of the Emperor was said to have been descended from the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. This descent from the original kami made the clan more powerful than the others and so justified their rule. I propose that perhaps this belief held true in Hachiman in the pre-Shogun era.

In addition to being the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu is seen as the weaver of the gods’ robes. I do not think that this would disturb canon too much if this were seen to be the belief in Hachiman also.

Amatsu-Mikaboshi
Amatsu-Mikaboshi, the "august star of heaven," is the god of evil and is also known as Ama-no-Kagaseo, the "brilliant male". He sees and sanctions all things done under cover of darkness. He has the power to look into the hearts of men and women, and, if he finds too much evil there, to make them his. Because most people are basically good, Amatsu-Mikaboshi is not particularly powerful. But he is cunning, and was said to have gathered more worshipers than people suspected. This deity can obviously be equated to the chief evil deity in other parts of Titan, where most often we call him Death. The fact that he cannot manifest his power in its entirety can be equated with Death’s imprisonment in the void.

Ame-no-oshido-mimi (Oshihomimi)

The son of Amaterasu. Refused to become the ruler of the earth when offered this position and perhaps can be equated to the now hardly worshipped Assamarra.

Benten (Benzaiten)

One of the seven kami of luck (see here). She is associated with the sea and islands. Many of her shrines are located on the coast or islands. She is often accompanied by a sea serpents or dragon. She has domain over the arts and general feminine deportment, arts, music and water and to an extent love. Her favourite instrument is the Biwa (a string instrument shaped like a mandolin). Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Bimbogami

The god of poverty. Rituals performed to get rid of this god. I know not what god he equates to, although there are shrines to such gods in Shakuru, the City of Beggars.

Bishamon

One of the seven Luck kami (see here). Brother to Kishijoten. Generally depicted in armour with a spear in his right hand and a small temple or pagoda in his left. Sometimes known as the Guardian King of the North. Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Chimata-no-kami

Kami of crossroads, highways, and footpaths. His is symbol is placed at crossroads. This god equates to Fulkra, patron of travellers.

Daidoku (Daikokuten, Daikoku)

One of the seven kami of luck (see here) as well as the guardian of farmers. Generally portrayed with a rice bale, protruding stomach and cheerful expression. He carries a mallet that can grant wishes to mortals. Daikoku's treasure is slung over his back in a sack. He is the God of happiness through wealth.

Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Dosojin

The god of the roads. Either another name for Chimata (Fulkra) or a servant of this god.

Ebisu

One of the seven kami of luck (Shichifukujin (see here)). His domain is of good honest labour. He is the patron of fisherman and tradesman. He is depicted with a fishing rod, and a tai (sea bream). He is also seen as the god of happiness through food. Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Ekibiogami

The god of epidemic diseases such as plague and pestilence and would obviously equate to Disease.

Fujin

A Wind god. He is generally depicted demonic with a bag containing the winds over his shoulders. Perhaps a name for a servant of Pangara.

Fukurokuju (Jurojin)

One of the seven kami of luck (see here). He has a long and narrow head, with a short body. His head is often depicted as longer than his legs. He combines the ideas of longevity with wisdom. He is always shown in conjunction with a crane, tortoise or a stag. Each representing contented old age. He carries a shaku or sacred staff with a scroll attached. The scroll contains the wisdom of the world. Jurojin drinks sake in moderation. Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Funadama

Boat-spirit who protects and helps mariners and fishermen. Funadama is represented by symbols such as a woman's hair, dice, money and the five grains inserted into the mast of a boat. Funadama is most easily seen as the equivalent of Solinthar.

Hachiman

The god of War. He was born Ojin, the son of an ancient Empress, growing up to become a cunning and mighty warrior in his own right. And it is said that his victories were so great that the Ama-Tsu-Kami (Kami of the Heavens) granted him immortal status and made him the god of war. It is possible that Hachiman is the equivalent of Odin (Battle Rage or formerly Victory) or indeed Telak, the God of Courage. I would be more inclined to go for Odin because Courage is not necessarily courage in war, whereas Odin is more specifically concerned with that domain. Certainly, we can make the link that Hachiman is a land dedicated to this god, hence it was named after him. As to the link of making him formerly an emperor of Hachiman, I am inclined to believe this is more a creation of the imperial line of Hachiman.

Hammurabi

This was the name given in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’ to the Lord of the Flies. Obviously we have Hmurresh as a queen of the flies. Perhaps Hammurabi is powerful servant in her service. Interestingly this name is not of Shinto origin but is the name of a king of Babylon (1792-1750 B.C). And I quote the following:

"His code of laws is one of the greatest of ancient codes. The code, which addresses such issues as business and family relations, labour, private property, and personal injuries, is generally humanitarian. One severe feature, however, is the retributive nature of the punishment, which follows "an eye for an eye" literally. Much of the code is drawn from earlier Sumerian and Semitic laws, which seem to provide the basis for its harshly punitive nature."

Perhaps the author used this name to represent a worship predating that of present day Hachiman. It may even be part of the ‘ancient’ civilisation worship. Certainly the hero of the book does recognise the statue of the Lord of the Flies when he sees it, which tells us something.

Hoderi

Son of Ninigi (possibly Telak) and Ko-no-hana, brother to Hoori. We have no name for this god in the main pantheon. He is an excellent Fisherman.

Ho Masubi (Kagutsuchi)

Ho Masubi is the god of fire. Thus would equate to Filash. Legend says that when he was born, he caused the death of his mother, Izanami. This could be the Hachimanian explanation for why Ashra (or Vuh) do not play a role in the affairs of Titan. Masubi’s sacred animal is the boar, which, like him, is swift and destructive. Although destructive by his very nature, the fire god is not evil and does what he can for mankind, providing them with light, warmth, a means of cooking, and the heat for forging weapons and tools.

Hoori

Son of Ninigi (possibly Telak) and Ko-no-hana, brother to Hoderi. We have no name for this god in the main pantheon. Father of Jimmu Tenno (the first Emperor).

He is an excellent hunter and this would give some credence to the relationship with Telak.

Hotei

One of the seven luck kami (Shichi Fukujin (see here)). He was specifically mentioned in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’. A cheerful and contented kami often seen in the company of a child or children. Identifiable by his large naked stomach, a kindly expression, large earlobes and a large sack of treasure he carries on his back. Hotei's large belly is believed to symbolize his large soul. He embodies the characteristic of prosperity. He is the god of happiness through fortunate chance, laughter, and the wisdom of contentment Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Ida-Ten

The god of law and monasteries. His swift speed of movement is unmatched. He is represented as a handsome young man, and perhaps has something to do with Hamaskis..

Ihu-naga

Daughter of Oho-yama, sister of Ko-no-hana. Her name means princess long as the rocks. She is venerated as the Rock Princess. Given her name’s meaning it would seem appropriate for her to be Throff. This is given further credence by the fact that her sister’s name, Ko-no-hana, means princess who makes the flowers of the trees blossom, and would equate nicely to Galana (the same note on importance applies). This of course would make Oho-yama Titan. In a way this seems appropriate because Oho-yama means Father Mountain. Mountains are the preferred domain of Titan’s people (the giants), and also exemplify the power and majesty of the world.

Iki-Ryo

The spirit of anger and envy that does harm to other people which would make this spirit Tanit.

Inari

Known as the rice kami, however the sex of Inari is confused. At one time the patron of smiths who forged swords, Inari has since passed that duty to Ama-Tsu-Mara so that he can spend more time in his other calling, that of rice god. He watches over the sowing and reaping of rice, as well as the preservation of the crop after it has been harvested. He can control the flow of waters, the growth of plants, and all insects. He can also turn water into saki (rice wine). His sacred animal is the fox.

Inari is generally a beneficent deity who does his best to help the people feed themselves. However, if his efforts go unappreciated, he has been known to neglect his duties. Omens from Inari are usually delivered by a fox.

We know that Galana has many servants. Indeed so do all the gods. We are told in Titan that there are thousands of them, but they are of course not all named, or indeed known to us in the entirety. We know of at least three agricultural deities in Galana’s service: The Ploughman, Varantar and Cholumbara. It could be that Inari is the name for one of these deities or indeed is the Hachiman name for yet another agricultural deity especially concerned with rice. This god is celebrated with festivals.

Isora

The god of the seashore and therefore a servant of Hydana, and perhaps a son of Hydana and Throff, representing the meeting of these two deities.

Izanami and Izanagi

These deities are described in ‘the Primal Deities’ section.

Jimmu Tenno

The First Emperor. Great-great-great-grandson of Amaterasu, great-grandson of Ninigi and Ko-no-hana, grandson of the union between Hoori and the daughter of the Sea King, Toyo-tama. Hoori's son Hiko, married his aunt, Tama-yori-hime (Toyo-tama’s sister), and was the father of four children, one of whom was Kamu-Yamato-Iware-Biko, who is said to have been the first human Emperor of Hachiman. Thus, the imperial line in Hachiman was given deep-rooted divine ancestry.

Kami-kaze

The god of the wind and storms. A servant of Sukh.

Kaminari

The Thunder Woman, also known as "Heaven's Noise". She has been seen by some people in the shape of a heavenly queen and is perhaps a servant of Sukh equivalent to Thyra.

Kanayama-hiko

The god of metals. His wife is Kanayama-hime. Both of who are under the lordship of Verlang.

Kawa-no-kami

Male kami of rivers. Larger rivers have their own kami but they answer to Kawa-no-kami. Sometimes during floods human sacrifice were employed to appease him. He would have to be the equivalent of Aqualis.

Kayanuhime-no-Kami

The goddess of the plains.

Kishijoten

Sister of Bishamon. Kichijoten (Shojo) is the goddess of happiness through fertility. Please see the entry regarding the seven gods of Fortune below (see here) for the explanation of an equivalence in the main Titan pantheon.

Kompera

Master of Magic. Kompera is often identified with the storm god Susanowo who sometimes aids people in mischief. I do not believe that he is associated with Hamaskis.

Ko-no-hana

Daughter of Oho-yama, sister of Ihu-naga. Wife of Ninigi and mother to Hoderi and Hoori. Her name means princess who makes the flowers of the trees blossom. She would equate to Galana (please see Ihu-naga).

Koshin

The god of the roads. Travellers used to offer little straw horses for a safe journey. Hachiman has many such gods. Whether they are all names for Fulkra, or if they believe that many gods serve Fulkra is unclear.

Kura Okami

Kura Okami is one of the many rain gods. Thus, he could be seen as a servant of Sukh. Interestingly, this god also has the power to send snow, which he often does in the winter in order to beautify an otherwise drab landscape. Perhaps then Farigiss might be his equivalent. There are several other rain gods, including Taka Okami, who dwells on the mountains, and Taki-Tsu-Hiko, ("Prince Cataract"), all servants, no doubt, of Sukh.

Nai No Kami

Nai No Kami is the god of earthquakes. It is possible then to equate this god to Lorodil, God of Volcanoes. Or perhaps the two domains are separate and we have not yet named a god of earthquakes. Either way he would be subordinate to Throff.

Ninigi

Amaterasu's grandson, son of Oshihomimi and Ko-no-hana's husband, and father to Hoderi and Hoori and grandfather to Jimmu Tenno, the first emperor in Hachimanian folklore. There appears to be no direct equivalent although his attributes are similar to Telak.

Oh-kuni-nushi

He was given providence over sorcery and medicine. This would make him the equivalent of Hamaskis. He differs from the normal view of Hamaskis in that he is also the patron of heroes. In the many legends he has appeared in he has had a great many adventures, and has always confronted danger bravely and with a certain amount of cunning. We know that Hamaskis did journey in the Godtime on many occasions with the White Lord. Perhaps we could argue that this is where Hachiman culture would have ascribed to him an adventuring spirit.

His other abilities, such as being able to converse with anything and having the power to cure any living animal of disease or completely heal it of its wounds would fit in nicely with Hamaskis being the father of the Children of Erillia, among whom are the gods of Healing and of Languages.

Owatatsumi (O-Wata-Tsu-Mi)

Also called Shio-Zuchi ("old man of the tides"), O-Wata-Tsu-Mi is the greatest of the many gods of the sea. He is the ruler of the fishes and all living things in the sea, and the controller of the tides. He has the power to command any creature that swims in the sea (including men while they are in the water), and to move the waters of the ocean at will. O-Wata-Tsu-Mi lives in a great palace at the bottom of the sea. This god is Hydana.

Generally, O-Wata-Tsu-Mi is a benevolent deity. He moves the tides in an extremely regular fashion so that men may predict their action and avoid being stranded, flooded, or drowned. When someone comes to his palace, he is known to be a gracious host.

Oho-yama-tsumi

Venerated as Father Mountain. Father to Ihu-naga and Ko-no-hana. For reasons put forward in Ihu-naga’s entry I would equate him to Titan.

Raiden (Aji-suki-taka-hi-kone)

Raiden is the god of thunder and the patron of fletchers. He is subordinate to Susano, the storm god. Raiden is a rather petty and jealous god. It is likely therefore that Raiden is the Hachiman name for a servant of Sukh, like Thyra Migurn is in the northern parts of the world.

Ryujin

Dragon King of the Sea. His anger causes turbulent Seas and is a name ascribed to Hydana’s chief servant.

Sarutahiko Ohkami

The god of crossroads, pathways, and surmounting obstacles. He stands seven fathoms tall, with a massive beard and a jewelled spear. Holy light shines from his eyes and mouth. He is the equivalent of Atlan. His position as chief of the earthly kami (as opposed to those who prefer to reside in heaven) is important in Hachimanian belief. He is the husband of Ama-no-Uzume, the goddess of mirth, dancing, wifery, and health. He guards the bridge that links the heavens and the earth.

Shi Tenno

The heavenly kings who guard the four cardinal directions. The Shi Tenno guard against attacks by evil spirits. They are Jikoku (east), Komoku (south), Tamon (north), and Zocho (west). They are depicted as fierce-looking, fully armed and armoured, loyal soldiers. They have no equivalent outside Hachiman.

Shichi Fujukin

A group of seven Shinto gods of luck. They are often portrayed in a ship of treasures, called Takara-Bune. The Shichi Fujukin ("seven happiness beings") are: Ebisu, Bishamonten (Bishamon), Benzaiten (Benten), Fukurokuju (Jurojin ),Hotei, Kichijoten (Shojo), Daikokuten (Daikoku). At Sanganichi, the New Year, people pray to them after cleaning their houses thoroughly (see here for more detail).

Shina-to-be

Daughter or wife of Shine-tsu-hiko. I can find no equivalent of this goddess. However, given that Shine-tsu-hiko is the god of the Winds and therefore Pangara, it may be that those in Hachiman could have named his wife whereas other cultures do not venerate her in the same way.

Shine-tsu-hiko

Wind and air God. He would therefore be the Hachiman name for Pangara. He is not the only wind god, however. There are several more who control certain types of winds. Among them are Shina-Tsu-Hiko’s daughter (some say wife), Shina-To-Be, who blows away the morning mists; Tatsuta-Hiko and Tatsuta-Hime, who bring fresh air to the fields to aid in producing good harvests; and Haya-ji, the god of whirlwinds. While these gods are personifications of certain types of winds, Shina-Tsu-Hiko is in charge of all the winds, and so is superior to them in the same way a shogun (Chief Warlord) is superior to a daimyo (Lord). Shina-Tsu-Hiko has the power to control the winds anywhere on earth, and can use this capability to bring hot, dusty conditions, pleasant rains, terrible storms, and so forth.

Suku-na-biko

This is the name given to the White Lord, in the legends about him being the companion of Hamaskis (Oh-kuni-nushi).

Susano (Susanowo; Susa-no-wo)

Male Storm God. Susano translates to either "swift impetuous deity" or "impetuous male." Susano is associated with forests in addition to storms. He is the equivalent therefore of Sukh. Susanoo is a very unpredictable god. Sometimes, when he creates storms, the result is not so terrible, but on other occasions, he savages the land from one end to the other, ripping up trees, destroying homes, and flooding crops. He sometimes sends his lightning bolts to strike down those who have offended him. Sometimes, in fact, he sends his lightning bolts to strike someone down for no reason at all. The Rain Gods are seen as his servants (for example: Kura Okami (who can also send snow); Taka Okami, (who dwells on the mountains); and Taki-Tsu-Hiko, ("Prince Cataract")).

Takara-Bune

The treasure ship with the Shichi Fukujin (see here) on board. It is believed to sail into port on New Year's Eve. The treasures the ship carries are the Inexhaustible Purse, the Invisible-Making Hat, the Lucky Coat, the Wealth Mallet, the Ghost-Chasing Rat, the Full Bag of Rice, and the Magic Key. Pictures of this ship are laid under children's pillows, so that they may have happy dreams.

Taki-Tsu-Hiko

The god of rain and of waterfalls. A servant of Sukh.

Tenjin

The god of learning and calligraphy. He taught humans to write their language. One of the Children of Erillia.

Torii

Arch often depicted as two pillars with a single or double crossbar. It sits in front of all shrines.

Toyo-Uke-Bime (Uke-mochi )

Goddess of earth, agriculture, and food. She is yet another servant therefore of Galana.

Tsuki-yomi

He is the god of the moon, whose function it is to count the passing of the months Brother to Amaterasu. Therefore he is the equivalent of Lunara. Tsuki-Yomi’s primary concern is the orderly progression of time, so that seasons change and crops mature properly.

Uzume

Mirth, fertility, and dance kami. She is also known as Ama-no-uzume. She is revered as a crop fertility goddess. However, she is more likely to be associated with Asrel.

Notes

Seven fortune gods (Seven gods of happiness, Seven Fukujin, Shichi Fukujin, Shichifukujin)

The Shichifukujin are the Seven Gods of Happiness. Sometimes referred to as the Seven Gods of Luck, they come from various origins. Really Luck is used here in the sense of Good Circumstances as opposed to Fate. The obvious Goddess of Luck is Sindla but she is hard to fit into one of these categories being far more powerful than any one of these gods.

If you read the descriptions of each of these gods they all would fit into the Hall of Mind, being concerned with the state of mind of Happiness. However, the make up of these gods and goddesses, their exact domains, and their genders does not sit well with those gods already occupying the Hall. Having pondered this for a while now I think that these gods could be incorporated into the mainstream pantheon without disturbing canon, but at the same time adding more texture to the feudal feel of Hachiman. Each of these seven deities serve Sindla but some have links with other deities in the Hall of Mind. In fact they could well be seen as aspects of Sindla represented by different gods in Hachiman. In Hachiman they are placed together on the "takarabune" or "fortune ship" because their domains cross in that they represent an area of fortune. Thus:

Ebisu

God of fishers or merchants or god of happiness through food, he also presides over fishing and honest dealing and therefore has links with Libra.

Bishamonten (Bishamon)

God of happiness through good cheer, he also looked after his worshipers during war and is sometimes known as the god of warriors. He is seen as always smiling and dressed in full armour (to ward off war). This god is not so much a god of warriors in terms of the savage side of war but in their protection. He would rather ward off war. In a way therefore his domain crosses both Telak’s and Usrel’s.

Benzaiten (Benten)

Goddess of music and poetry and the happiness derived from these. The obvious goddess to whom she would also be associated to in the Hall is therefore Courga, goddess of Grace. She is also known as having some sway over love. Therefore to an extent may cross into Asrel’s service as well.

Fukurokuju (Jurojin )

God of longevity and wisdom, and the god of happiness through good health. Links with Hamaskis fits well here.

Hotei (god of abundance, god of happiness through fortunate chance).

He is therefore the God of Luck as we would perceive luck. He is in fact mentioned in ‘The Tale of the Sword of the Samurai’ in specifically these terms. I would argue therefore that he is a servant of Sindla only.

Kichijoten (Shojo)

Goddess of happiness through fertility. A link with Asrel would be obvious.

Daikokuten (Daikoku)

God of wealth, happiness through wealth.

Each of these gods oversees a particular aspect of life. To be truly happy, a man must worship all seven gods in the proper balance. Each god can grant worshipers the particular aspect of happiness that he or she embodies The Shichifukujin respond to their worshipers as individual gods.