< Eight Million Gods | Back to Title of Contents | Encyclopedia: Shinigami > Apparitions of the Gods Divine Spirit Ususal threat level: Very Low Frequency of encounters: Very Low Variety: Unknown Places likely to be encountered: Shrines Times likely to be encountered: Unknown Characteristics Among the dead, those who are revered as gods are called divine spirits. There are those who lived as gods, and also those who, after death, ascended to godhood. Having no connection to the 8 million gods, these will not die even after a memorial service, but will simply extinguish. Divine spirits, not possessing a body, usually live in a Shinto shrine or in a smaller shrine, and only during festivals will emerge to ride and have a good time on a portable Shinto shrine, seeing humans in this state will put them at ease. The powers of the divine spirits come from the power of faith. If they have many believers, they will have a greater influence on humans and youkai, and the shrine will also become greater. (*1) Conversely, when faith decreases, their powers of influence will become weaker, and their shrine will begin to decline. Basically this is relying on the actions of others. 1: Because the monetary offerings will increase. Shrine Maidens There is a considerable lack of spirits in a shrine, so revealing their forms to people is something that mostly never happens. They speak so faintly that ordinary humans can't hear them. For this reason, those who carry the duty of facilitating communication are shrine maidens. Shrine maidens can, utilizing peculiar methods (*2), hear the words of the divine spirits and communicate this to the people. 2: Such as dancing, drinking alcohol, dancing while drinking alcohol and various other methods. Shrines Shrines are not constructed by divine spirits, but by humans. If the shrine is built for an existing diving spirit, then that spirit will naturally take lodging in it. However, from here on in, there is a problem. Simply because it is a place for divine spirits, a shrine looks no different from any ordinary building. If many people come to the shrine to worship the divine spirit, it will begin to gain power from being worshipped by so many for the first time. As the number of visiting worshippers increases, expansions and renovations to to the shrine become an important matter, and a great amount of money will become necessary. In other words, the goal of a shrine is to expend all acquired monetary offerings from the visiting worshippers. < Eight Million Gods | Back to Title of Contents | Encyclopedia: Shinigami >