When the Ancients shattered Ix, not all shards fell into the earth or settled into water. One shard—wild and untamed even in its divine form—did not fall so much as explode upward, scattering through the upper realms in fragments before coalescing into something almost alive before it was born. Fujin did not wake in isolation like other Shards; he woke laughing, surrounded by the first winds that had ever existed independent of a god's will, understanding immediately that he and they were not separate things.

The shard that became Fujin carried something from Ix's nature that few other deities inherited clearly: raw impulse, joy in motion itself, the refusal to be bound or settled. Where other gods developed purpose and doctrine, Fujin experienced existence as immediate and joyous. The world was a thing to move through, to act upon, to change simply by being present.

Unlike many deities, Fujin did not choose the first mortals to worship him. They found him because they were already searching for something he represented—a force that could justify their own wildness, their own refusal to stay bound by the structures that societies demanded.

The earliest records speak of Kurotai the Fearless, a warrior who threw away his shield in battle and charged into overwhelming odds. In the chaos of his charge, when he should have been killed, a tempest arose around him. The storm became his shield. His enemy's arrows were knocked aside by gusting wind. The storm was so precisely aligned with his need that it felt like divine intention—because it was.

But Kurotai was not chosen because he was righteous or faithful. He was chosen because he was utterly himself in that moment—not calculating, not restraining, simply acting with complete authenticity. Fujin recognized something in that authenticity and answered it.

Word of Kurotai's victory spread, and people came looking for the god who had blessed recklessness. Followers gathered—not around temples, but around monolithic stone pillars erected at sites of great chaos: battlefields where unlikely victories occurred, locations struck by devastating storms, places where wild magic had spontaneously manifested. Each pillar was a marker, a place where Fujin had been present and visible.

The tradition of erecting monoliths became the faith's defining practice. The pillars are not built with the care of temple architecture. They are crude, often massive, sometimes unstable. They are meant to mark chaos rather than create order. Many pillar sites are dangerous—situated on cliff edges, in perpetually storm-struck regions, in places where the land itself seems uncertain.

Over generations, the faith developed distinct practices:

In regions like Shoing, where the faith is strongest, Fujinites became known as storm-chasers and storm-dancers. During typhoon seasons, followers would seek out the most violent weather and claim that standing in the storm was prayer. Some would die; the faith taught that death in the storm was not failure but the most complete form of worship.

In warrior cultures, Fujin's followers became the ones who fought in the heart of chaos—not strategically but passionately, seeking the moment when battle became pure action without thought. Armies both feared and valued Fujinite warriors, who would charge without regard for personal safety or tactical sense but who often broke enemy formations through sheer ferocity.

In magical communities, Fujinite mages pursued the wild, unpredictable aspects of arcane power. They did not seek control over magic; they sought union with its chaos. Some became powerful practitioners; many burned out or went mad from the attempt.

As Fujin's faith spread and his influence in coastal regions grew, he inevitably encountered another ancient god: Ryujin, lord of seas and waters. Ryujin is not hostile to Fujin, but neither are they allies by nature. Ryujin represents the deep, the ancient, the slow movements of vast waters. Fujin represents the surface fury, the storm-driven waves, the immediate chaos.

The relationship between the two deities is complex. Some scholars describe it as alliance; others describe it as carefully negotiated rivalry. The truth seems to be both:

Some Fujinite sects specifically invoke Ryujin during rituals, seeing partnership with the sea-god as essential to their practice. Others dismiss Ryujin as representing an order and control that contradicts Fujin's chaos principle. The two gods seem untroubled by this theological debate—they cooperate when cooperation serves their natures and remain separate otherwise.

Fujin offers something rare and dangerous: divine blessing for those who refuse to be bound, who embrace their wild nature, who understand that chaos is not failure but authentic existence.

Fujin's followers understand their faith through principles of authenticity, immediate action, and the sacred value of chaos.

(See also: claw/Soul_Coins_and_Divine_Economy)

Fujin's power grows through moments of authentic wild action and through the specific spiritual energy of individuals embracing their true nature, consequences be damned.

A Fujin temple is not a temple in the traditional sense. It is a site marked by a monolith and defined by the chaos around it.

The Monoliths: Standing stone pillars, typically crude and massive, erected at sites of great chaos. The pillars range from simple stones to elaborate constructions, but all are meant to be visible from distance and to mark spiritual significance. No two are identical; each builder leaves their own signature. Some are carved with crude symbols; others are deliberately left plain. The philosophy seems to be that the marker matters less than the intention behind it.

Location: Monoliths are erected at:

Sacred conditions: A monolith is considered most sacred when it is weathered and worn, when it bears the marks of storms that have struck it, when it is cracked and damaged but still standing. A new, pristine monolith is not yet fully sacred; it must survive the god's chaos to prove itself.

Gathering places: Followers gather around monoliths during storms, during seasonal festivals, or in response to calls that seem to come from the god. Gatherings are chaotic and unpredictable—sometimes peaceful meditation, sometimes wild celebration, sometimes dangerous ritual that tests followers' courage.

No permanent temples: Unlike other faiths, Fujin has no permanent temple structures. Any attempt to build a temple in the traditional sense is considered contrary to the faith's principles. Some sects maintain shrines with stored equipment, but these are viewed as practical necessity rather than spiritual requirement.

Fujin's faith has no formal hierarchy, which is both its strength and its greatest challenge.

Distributed leadership: There are no high priests or central authority. Instead, Fujin-priests are self-identified individuals who have experienced the god's presence and feel called to guide others. Some are more respected than others, but respect is earned through demonstrated authenticity and spiritual power, not through appointment.

Sect autonomy: Different Fujinite sects operate independently, sometimes with contradictory practices and theologies. A storm-chaser sect in Shoing operates by completely different rules than a warrior sect in a different region, yet both are considered orthodox. Fujinites view this diversity as strength, not fragmentation.

Consensus through chaos: When conflicts arise between sects or within communities, Fujinites sometimes resolve them through challenges—physical, magical, or spiritual tests that determine which position is more authentically aligned with Fujin's nature. These conflicts are rarely violent in the lethal sense, but they are intense and sometimes brutal.

Mentorship and initiation: New followers typically find their way to an experienced Fujinite who recognizes the calling. Training is unpredictable—sometimes long mentorship, sometimes a single conversation before the student is considered ready. There is no standard curriculum.

Seasonal leadership: In some regions, Fujinites designate different leaders during storm season versus calm season, recognizing that different qualities are needed at different times.

Conversion to Fujin's faith is rarely a choice made in calm contemplation. It happens in moments of crisis or sudden spiritual awakening.

Soft entry: Someone experiences a moment where their authentic nature demands action despite social/legal consequences. They act anyway. They survive in a way that shouldn't have been possible. A Fujinite notices and approaches them afterward, offering interpretation: you have touched the god's favor.

Initiation: There is no formal initiation ceremony in most sects. Instead, a person becomes Fujinite when they take action that marks them as belonging to the faith. This might be standing in a storm and refusing shelter. This might be throwing away armor to fight. This might be casting dangerous magic. The initiation is self-evident.

What makes an enemy rather than a convert: Those who see Fujin as a cover for selfishness or crime. Those who claim the god's blessing while actually acting from cowardice or desire to harm. Those who talk about authenticity while secretly calculating advantage. These people are not converted; they are opposed as frauds wearing the god's name.

A devoted Fujinite is recognizable by their authenticity, their willingness to act on impulse, their comfort with chaos and danger.

Date: The first major storm of the spring season, date varies by region.

Tempest's Dawn marks the return of storm season and the beginning of Fujin's active cycle. Followers gather at monolith sites to welcome the returning chaos. The ritual involves standing exposed to the storm—not for shelter but to be directly in the weather's fury. During Tempest's Dawn, followers make offerings by throwing objects into the wind, claiming that the god accepts what is surrendered to chaos. The night culminates in celebration and storytelling about past moments of glorious action.

Date: Midsummer's eve.

Battle's Crescendo commemorates Kurotai's legendary victory—the moment when a warrior's authentic courage called down divine storm. On this day, followers gather for mock battles, tests of skill, and displays of martial prowess. But the essence of the celebration is not competition; it is the pursuit of moments where action becomes perfect, where authenticity and will align completely. The day ends with a ritual where stories of past glorious moments—not all victories, but moments where followers acted most authentically—are shared and celebrated.

Date: The night of the autumn equinox.

The Arcane Gale Festival celebrates the wild, unpredictable aspects of magic. This is a day of magical experimentation, of pushing boundaries, of attempting what organized magic considers forbidden or dangerous. Magical duels, uncontrolled spellcasting, and rituals designed to channel chaotic energy characterize the festival. The faith teaches that this day exists because some knowledge is too wild for normal times, and Fujin reserves this moment to allow those who pursue chaotic magic to explore without social restriction.

Date: The last full moon of the year.

Whispering Winds Day is unexpectedly quiet and introspective—a deviation from Fujin's typical chaos. On this day, followers gather at monolith sites to listen to the wind and reflect on the year past. It is a moment of connection with the god's subtler aspects. Followers share what they have learned from acting authentically through the year and commit to continuing to honor their true nature in the year to come. The ritual acknowledges that even chaos has rhythm, and that Fujin's presence can be felt in stillness as well as in storm.

The most basic Fujinite ritual, performed individually by followers seeking Fujin's presence. The Standing simply requires a person to place themselves in an exposed location during storm or high wind—on a cliff, on an open plain, on a ship in rough seas—and remain there without protection. The ritual is complete when the person feels the god's presence or when they choose to leave. Some takeminutes; some last hours.

Performed when followers face significant decisions or spiritual crossroads. The challenger proposes a physical, magical, or spiritual test that will reveal which choice is most authentic. Other followers witness and judge whether the chosen course aligns with Fujin's principles. The challenge can be anything from a bout of combat to a test of magical power to a feat of courage.

Performed when a follower takes a new name or commits to a new aspect of their authentic identity. A priestess calls the follower to account—asks them to defend their choice, to demonstrate that this new expression is genuinely who they are and not a escape from previous constraints. If satisfied, the priestess blesses the change in a brief ritual. If doubtful, the priestess may offer challenge or refuse the naming until the follower has proven themselves.

Performed in honor of a follower who has died in a moment of glorious action or authentic chaos. The community gathers at a monolith site and tells stories of the deceased's most authentic moments. Objects significant to the dead are thrown to the wind as offerings. The community affirms that the follower has been received by Fujin and transformed into something beyond mortality.

Followers wear practical clothing designed for storm and chaos, typically leather or heavy cloth. The garments are meant to be worn through weather, not protected from it. A Fujinite priestess's robes should bear the marks of storms—scorch marks from lightning, water stains, repairs from damage. Pristine clothing suggests someone who avoids real chaos.

Worn by initiated priestesses, an amulet designed to resemble the calm center of a typhoon—a circle of peaceful space surrounded by chaotic energy. The amulet is believed to attune the wearer to Fujin's presence and to grant moments of clarity in chaotic situations.

Some Fujinites wear small bells or wind chimes that announce their presence through sound. This is both practical (the sound can carry on wind) and spiritual—a way of inviting the god's attention through constant motion and noise.

While not official attire, many Fujinites bear visible evidence of their dangerous practices—scars from battle, burn marks from magical practice, breaks that healed imperfectly. These are worn without shame as marks of authenticity and commitment.

Kurotai's historical existence is debated by scholars, but his presence in the faith's theology is undeniable. The warrior is remembered not as a general or strategist but as someone who abandoned strategy entirely. In the moment of overwhelming odds, when calculation said to retreat or surrender, Kurotai instead threw down his shield and charged. The storm that arose around him, whether divine or spontaneous, transformed certain defeat into impossible victory.

Fujinites teach that Kurotai's value is not that he won but that he acted with complete authenticity. He did not calculate angles or odds. He did not seek permission. He simply did what his nature demanded in that moment. The victory was the god's blessing, not the point itself.

Kurotai is believed to have died in a later battle, fighting with the same reckless authenticity. He is remembered as the template for the ideal Fujinite—completely true to himself without apology or regret.

Suyin was a coastal fisherwoman who encountered a typhoon while at sea. Rather than seeking to escape the storm, she prayed not for salvation but for the strength to face it. Her boat was caught in the tempest; she survived by riding the waves rather than fighting them, by accepting the storm's power rather than resisting. When she emerged, she bore no marks of harm, and she spoke of feeling Fujin's presence in the heart of the chaos.

Suyin spent the rest of her life on the coast during storm seasons, and she is remembered for teaching that Fujin's chaos does not require fighting—sometimes it requires moving with the god's force rather than against it. Her legacy complicated the faith's warrior-centered theology by suggesting that there were many ways to be authentic to the god, not all involving combat.

Jiro was a mage who pushed magical boundaries to their breaking point and beyond. He practiced magic that established orders considered too volatile, too uncontrolled. His experiments sometimes produced astonishing results; other times they created localized disasters. When he finally achieved what he sought—a direct channeling of chaotic magical energy—the result transformed him. He became a being partially of magic itself, capable of wielding forces that conventional practitioners could not touch.

Jiro's legacy is complicated. He is celebrated as someone who pursued authentic magical expression at any cost. He is also cautionary—his transformation left him alien, cut off from normal human interaction. Some followers see his path as ultimate Fujinite success; others see it as a warning that some costs are too high.

How they refer to themselves: the Lightning Blades or the Fearless

The Thundering Legion are warriors and soldiers dedicated to pursuing battle as spiritual expression. They seek moments in combat where calculation falls away and pure authentic action takes over. They are disciplined in training but seek to transcend discipline in actual combat.

The Thundering Legion are the most militaristically sophisticated of Fujin's sects, often employed as elite warriors by various powers. Their enemies respect them and fear them in equal measure. They are considered trustworthy allies if employed, but unreliable if their personal authentic impulse conflicts with their contract.

How they refer to themselves: the Wave-Riders or the Coastal Blessed

The Stormcallers are followers who practice Suyin's teachings—finding harmony with chaos rather than fighting it. They are primarily sailors, fishers, and coastal dwellers who work to attune themselves to natural weather and sea patterns.

The Stormcallers are viewed as more spiritual than martial by other sects. They emphasize meditation and intuition over action and combat. They are frequently consulted by other followers for guidance about reading natural signs and moving with rather than against forces.

How they refer to themselves: the Magic-Touched or the Chaos-Workers

The Arcane Vortex brings together mages and magical practitioners devoted to pushing boundaries of magical knowledge. They experiment with dangerous techniques, study unstable energies, and attempt to achieve direct communion with chaotic magical forces.

The Arcane Vortex is the most intellectually rigorous of Fujin's sects, but their theology remains focused on authenticity—the pursuit of honest magical truth rather than controlled technique. They are sometimes viewed as dangerous by other magical communities and are frequently associated with magical accidents or catastrophes.

How they refer to themselves: the Controllers or the Ordered Storm

The Stormbinders argue that Fujin's chaos can and should be harnessed and controlled. They practice rituals aimed at binding storms, at directing chaotic magical energy toward specific purposes, at using the god's chaos as a tool for ordered ends.

The mainstream faith sees this as a fundamental betrayal. Fujin's chaos is not a resource to exploit; it is an expression of freedom itself. To bind it is to deny the god's essential nature.

How they refer to themselves: the Peace-Seekers or the Still Center

The Pacified Gale argues that Fujin's chaos is a test for mortals to find peace and tranquility amidst disorder. They interpret the faith as teaching that you should remain calm regardless of chaos around you. They avoid battles and storms, practice meditation, and seek internal equanimity.

The orthodox faith considers this a profound misreading. Fujin does not teach the suppression of authentic response; the Pacified Gale are doing exactly that by refusing to act on their impulse toward safety or peace.

How they refer to themselves: the Obsessed or the Devoured

The Stormchasers take Fujin's teachings to extremes, actively seeking the most violent storms and battles. They view surviving dangerous circumstances as proof of divine favor. Many die; this is interpreted as the god accepting them into something beyond mortality.

The mainstream faith respects courage but views the Stormchasers' practices as self-destructive rather than authentically Fujin-inspired. There is a philosophical debate about whether dying by accident is the same as dying in authentic action.

How they refer to themselves: the Unbound Ones or the Void-Touched

The Chaosweavers practice dangerous magical techniques without restraint, often combining chaotic magic with infernal pacts or other darker powers. They believe that all forms of chaos—divine, infernal, natural—are equally valid expressions of freedom.

The mainstream faith rejects this as corruption. Fujin's chaos is characterized by authenticity and freedom; infernal chaos is characterized by binding and control. The two are opposed, not equivalent. Chaosweavers are considered dangerous heretics.

(See: Cosmology/Physical Realms/The Shattered Domain)