Raijin
| Religion in NetHack |
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In NetHack, Raijin is the neutral god of the Samurai pantheon.
Origin
Raijin (雷神, lit. "Thunder God"), also known as Raiden or Raiden-sama (雷電様), is a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion. He is usually depicted as an oni-like deity with fierce and aggressive facial expressions, standing atop a cloud and beating on den-den daiko drums with tomoe symbols drawn on them to produce thunder. Iconography of Raijin is often found in Japanese temples and shrines, and he is usually depicted alongside his brother Fūjin, the god of wind; two of the duo's most notable sculptures are located in the Sanjusangendo temple, where they stand side by side in the Kaminarimon gate 'guarding' the entrance, and are considered natural treasures.
Both Raijin and Fūjin were said to be born from Izanami after she died: her husband Izanagi followed her down into Yomi no Kuni, the land of darkness, and found her corpse there. This caused a shaken and terrified Izanagi to flee, and Izanami sent Raijin and several other demons to bring him back. Though Izanagi successfully escaped and blocked the entrance to Yomi with a boulder, Raijin and Fūjin escaped through a crack in the boulder along with a few other demons and oni.
Variants
dNetHack
In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, Raijin is a neutral god of holy holiness, and his minions consist of standard neutral angels and minions: Movanic Devas, Monadic Devas, Astral Devas, neutral Angels, Graha Devas, Surya Devas, and Mahadevas.
Encyclopedia entry
Both "Raijin" and the alternate name "Raiden" return this entry:
The Japanese god of thunder (rai) and lightning (den). He prevented the Mongols from invading Japan in 1274. Sitting on a cloud he sent forth a shower of lightning arrows upon the invading fleet. Only three men escaped. Raiden is portrayed as a red demon with sharp claws, carrying a large drum. He is fond of eating human navels. The only protection against him is to hide under a mosquito net.
