Ebisu

Ebisu, the Kami of Fortune and Fishing is one of the Shichifukujin, The Seven Fortunes, although he is the only Fortune originally from Japan. Unlike most Kami and the Seven Fortunes, he does not tie himself to any one place, shrine, or event. Long ago, he decided that he much preferred the natural world and the company of humans and animals over that of the Kami. Thus, he began to pretend that he was deaf so that when the Kami were called to Izumo for their annual party by the ringing of the great bells he would not go.

These days, he works as a caretaker of the seas around Japan and even Japan itself when the other Kami are busy with their Kami parties. He doesn’t mind. He likes the quiet alone time of fishing. If he gets lonely, he’ll turn into a fish and let himself be caught by some lucky fisherman. If the fisherman is kind and treats Ebisu well, then he’ll bless the fisherman. Other times, when he wants to be around people, he’ll turn into just a normal-looking shopper and join the throng of busy shoppers. If shopkeepers treat him well when they don’t know who he is, he will bless their store.

Ebisu’s Scions are much like him: strange dichotomies. You can find them in crowds, but never part of the crowd. Many prefer nature, outdoors, and sailing the seas around Japan. They like their anonymity, but won’t hesitate to help others when they are treated well. They are the ones most likely to be found outside of Japan, traveling for the sake of traveling.