Sankami

The main church of the Date Shogunate representing the balance of the 3 (San) Gods (kami). The Creator God (Subete no Chichi), The Goddess of the Sea (Umi no Haha), and the God of Death and Murder (Satsujin no Bokun). Each God should be given reverence to keep the land in balance, for if one was to become too revered it is believed that their would be grave consequences.

Mythology & Lore

When all was chaos there was only Subete no Chichi. He looked upon the Realm and longed for order. With a great roar he drove his trawl into the ground and began to shape the earth. The mountains were carved from his work and the valleys from the areas he tilled.
When he was satisfied with his work, he brought forth a new force from the chaos, a woman. She looked upon the new world he created and it impressed her. She filled the trenches with water which became the seas and thus her name, Umi no Haha, was given.
Subete no Chichi, exhausted from his work, wiped his brown and 2 drops of sweat fell to the ground. Forming the Twin lakes of Toutama. From these lakes came the first creatures and the first dragons. The two Gods watched over the new world they created as all was in balance. However, the dragons became vain, and their pressure upon the land threw it out of balance.
Subete no Chichi was displeased by this, and drew man from the lakes. From the east lake he drew males and from the west lake he drew females.
He gifted the land to man and told the dragon's to guide them. Those that agreed were allowed to stay, and they became the lung dragon, but the Gods cast those that refused out from the archipelago, and sent across the sea to the east, to the land of despair. For a time man lived in harmony with one another, with the dragons guiding them in an age of prosperity. However, from all order, chaos will come.
Two reverent men came to offer prayers to the Gods. One offered gold, and the other offered jade. Though they were both blessed for the offerings, the two men were at odds, for both believed the other to have been better rewarded. It is unknown who struck the first blow, but a fight ensued and one lay dead.
This, the first murder, drew from the chaos a new will. He reveled in death and all the power the two gods had snapped back to him. Allowing his taint to spread across the land. The taint created monsters and drove humanity to murder and war amongst each other. The golden age had ended and the age of strife began.
Blood flowed on the ground, villages were razed, and man was brought to the brink of extinction. It wasn't until 5 dragon's rose to challenge him. From the East came Genbu, a great dragon of water. From the south came Byakko, a great dragon of the earth. From the West came Ryu, a great dragon of Wind. From the North came Suzaku, a great dragon of Fire. And from the center of the archipelago came Orochi A great dragon who could divine the future.
With the blessing of the two gods, they challenged the creature's of Satsujin no Bokun. Genbu drowned the armies beneath a torrent of waves and rain. Byakko split mountains and sent boulders and quakes to crush the Oni. Ryu sent great cyclones to sunder the Yokai. Suzaku sent great fire storms to incinerate all so that the killed could never be reborn. And Orochi used her mastery of fate to outmaneuver and overwhelm Satsujin no Bokun's generals. They crushed his army and drove him to the depths of Yomi. With their victory, Subete no Chichi and Umi no Haha rewarded the 5. They gave the 5 new forms, awarded domain over the 4 directions and elements, and awarded divinity.

Genbu was transformed into that of a great turtle, so he may endure as the ocean always shall. And awarded domain over water and the east. Byakko was transformed into a white tiger so he may bound across the land and stalk the forests. He thus was awarded domain over the earth and the south. Ryu for his service retained his form, but he grew larger and sleeker. He was awarded domain over the wind and the west. Suzaku was given the form of a Phoenix, so that she may become the embodiment of the beauty and danger of fire. Domain over Fire and the North was gifted to her. And Orochi for her leadership and knowledge was granted the form of an 8 headed serpent.
However, she was not given an element or direction. For all 4 directions answered to her, she became the symbol of the center of the 4. She would remain at the center of the realm and forever safeguard the balance of life and death. Thus the Shinijin were born Seeing the error of letting life fall out of balance the 2 gods left the realm of man. They gave Satsujin no Bokun domain over death, and assigned the lung to be caretakers of the balance of the realm.

Divine Origins

With the unification under the Shogun Sora Tougawa, he saw the need to strengthen the bonds between the many clans and Islands. He visited each clan and found that though the gods that each clan worshiped were varied there were 3 that always appeared. The God of Creation, The Ocean Goddess, and The God of Death and Murder. He isolated himself and meditated for 3 years. When he returned he formed the Sankami Religion which was founded on the worship of these 3 gods and the balance between them. The God of Creation who became known as Subete no Chichi who represented good and life, The Ocean Goddess who became known as Umi no Haha and represented the fickleness of nature, and The God of Death and Murder who became known as Satsujin no Bokun and represented Evil and Death.

Cosmological Views

The Afterlife is structured into 3 tiers in which depending on how one lived would relegate where they would go. The lowest level is Yomi overseen by Satsujin no Bokun. Yomi is the home of the Oni and the Yokai. Those who lived evil lives would be sent to Yomi to be pursued by the Oni and eaten by the Yokai forever more.
The second Layer is Oumi. This is a great ocean that is ruled over by Umi no Haha. Those who are sent here are submerged in the ocean and their soul is recycled and they are reincarnated. There are two ways that one can be sent here, the first way is if the soul is from one who was neither good or bad. The second way is if the world is out of balance. Souls would be sent here to be reincarnated until balance is restored between the Sankami.
The Highest layer is Tenki. This is the beautiful home of Subete no Chichi. It is said from this realm the Lung are created and sent out over the archipelago to keep balance. Those who live righteous lives away from the arcane are allowed to join Subete no Chichi in eternal bliss

Tenets of Faith

1. Keep balance between the Sankami
2. Reject the Arcane for it is the path to Satsujin no Bokun
3. Do not kill needlessly
4. Do not lie or cheat
5. Respect the Sankami’s Domains
6. Cultivate inner strength
   

Worship

Shrines are the basis for the worship of the Sankami. Each shrine is dedicated to either a single god or to all 3. The number of shrines dedicated to each god must always be equal. Festivals are the most common way worship is given to the Sankami. The season and moon dictate the timing and who the festivals are dedicated to. During Spring, on every gibbous moon the faithful hold a festival to honor Subete no Chichi. During Summer on every crescent moon, they hold festivals to honor Satsujin no Bokun. Autumn is the time of Umi no Haha, and her festivals are held every Quarter moon. Finally during winter, festivals are held to honor all 3 gods. These festivals are held every full and new moon. Outside of festivals, faithfuls pay visits to shrines in order to pray in exchange for donations. The shrine one visits will have a different effect depending on the prayer. Shrines to Satsujin no Bokun are the best place to offer prayers for overcoming sickness, monetary gain, and safe passage of recently deceased loved ones. At shrines to Umi no Haha, prayers of bountiful harvests, luck in fishing, safe voyages, and weather are most common. Shrines to Subete no Chichi one should offer prayers for strength, mental fortitude, luck, and knowledge. Shrines to the 3 are places where one can offer any kind of prayer, but prayers for safety are the most common.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

Orient Faith