Tsumiyaku-no-Kami | Hiutsuwaden ็ซๅจๆฎฟ
"She who burns away sin."
"She who burns away sin."
Description: Most commonly appearing as an enormous golden viper, Tsumiyaku-no-Kami can disguise herself in many ways, be it in the form of various snakes or the appearance of an ethereal woman. She can sometimes be seen burning through the night sky as a crimson comet in times of great sorrow.
APPROACH WITH CAUTION | DANGEROUS
Hiutsuwaden Shrine | Location & Information
The Hiutsuwaden Shrine quietly rests within southern Norowarejima's lush, wind-swept farmlands. Its weathered stones and prayer-tied torii stand there as silent witnesses for centuries of devotion. It is surrounded by emerald rice paddies and by gently rolling plains.
Tsumiyaku-no-Kami, so it is said, roams these rich fields herself when day breaks and night falls her sin-searing amaranth flames drifting gently over the growing wheat. They speak of sensing a warmth upon breezes, a sign that the goddess still walks among them, or glimpsing her form coiling between terraces.
To this day, pilgrims with farmers alike leave rice-wine offerings at Hiutsuwaden, praying toward bountiful harvests. They also pray for sins' soft cleansing, as they hope renewal's promise and guilt's burning away. Even poisoned earth, as it may, may bloom anew under the watchful gaze of Tsumiyaku-no-Kami.
Tsumiyaku-no-Kami, so it is said, roams these rich fields herself when day breaks and night falls her sin-searing amaranth flames drifting gently over the growing wheat. They speak of sensing a warmth upon breezes, a sign that the goddess still walks among them, or glimpsing her form coiling between terraces.
To this day, pilgrims with farmers alike leave rice-wine offerings at Hiutsuwaden, praying toward bountiful harvests. They also pray for sins' soft cleansing, as they hope renewal's promise and guilt's burning away. Even poisoned earth, as it may, may bloom anew under the watchful gaze of Tsumiyaku-no-Kami.
The legend of Tsumiyaku-no-Kami | ็ฝชๅใฎ็ฅ
(The following legend has been documented by Tsumiyaku-no-Kami's mortal descendants)
(The following legend has been documented by Tsumiyaku-no-Kami's mortal descendants)
Tsumiyaku remains a revered Kami, a tragic, mortal-born spirit forged from poison and pain. Born of venomous serpents steeped in violence, treachery, and greed, she was destined to inherit their cruel path. Yet, amid the shadows of her nature, Tsumiyaku lifted her gaze to the moon in the stillness of one night. It's cold, gentle light stirred something long buried within her: hope, a vision not of denial but of transformation, to turn her violent nature toward a righteous purpose.
Guided by that pale radiance, she began her path of redemption. Under the guidance of her mentor, the Tiger Kami, Tsumiyaku honed her spirit and scales alike. She fought monsters, forged bonds of friendship, and built a family of her choosing, growing ever further from the legacy her blood demanded. In time, Tsumiyaku became a living testament: that even those born in shadow and venom might bring light.
Yet at her journeyโs end, Tsumiyaku faced a final choice: seize the moonโs light as her reward, claiming her long-sought place among the divine, or to give instead of taking. In that moment, she saw beyond her pale-scaled reflection and her desire for absolution. She remembered those she loved, those she had harmed, and all the lives touched by her struggle.
Remembering her mentorโs words, "True redemption is not reward, but sacrifice," Tsumiyaku chose to offer everything. She incinerated herself in holy amaranth fire, turning her once-poisoned body to ash that fell as blessed soil upon the earth. Her severed tail shed its eyes, planting them like seeds deep into the shadowed ground. From her sacrifice, new life blossomed: plants, beasts, and fresh beginnings sprang forth where her form had burned away.
Thus, the serpent born of venom and greed became the sacred source from which many lives now flourish. Gone from her moon, yet closer than ever to all. Though even still, at her end, the gods had shined favor on her. Reborn from the ashes of her sacrifice, Tsumiyaku emerged anew as a goddess of purification. Enwreathed eternally in the amaranth flames that once consumed her, she now burns away sin and corruption wherever she treads.
While wrathful, she is benevolent at heart.
Written by @usercultist
Information in this lore piece may be subject to change