Inugami

Kanji: 犬神
Kana: いぬがみ
Pronunciation: Inugami (Ee-noo-gah-mee)

TRANSLATION: Dog God
ALTERNATE NAMES: None
ORIGIN: Shikoku / Western Japan

HABITAT: Households; possessed humans
DIET: Spiritual energy; food offered by owners

ABILITIES:

• Possession (Tsukimono)
• Cursing enemies
• Bringing wealth to owners

WEAKNESSES:

• Can turn on their masters
• Exorcism

OVERVIEW: Inugami are dog spirits created through a cruel ritual to serve as familiars. They bring wealth and power to their owners (Inugami-mochi) but can also curse enemies or bite the hand that feeds them.

APPEARANCE: They look like ordinary dogs, often small, or sometimes as mummified dog heads kept in secret boxes. Spiritually, they may appear as dog-human hybrids or shadows.

BEHAVIOR: They are loyal but volatile. Driven by the hunger from their creation ritual, they fulfill their master's desires. However, if treated poorly or if their master's emotions waver, they can possess and destroy their own family.

INTERACTIONS: People fear Inugami-mochi families, historically avoiding marriage with them. A person possessed by an Inugami acts like a dog, barking and feeling intense hunger or pain.

OTHER FORMS: Invisible spirit form.