| Teapot of Kuraokami | |
|---|---|
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Origin |
Kuraokami (Shintoism); Japanese occupation of Attu and Kiska |
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Type |
Japanese teapot (Satsuma ware) featuring black dragon |
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Effects |
Creates murderous Japanese dragon of ice and snow with accompanying blizzards. |
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Downsides |
See effects. |
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Activation |
Containing water |
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Collected by |
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Section |
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Aisle |
Tzu-1270 |
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Shelf |
88812-1270-199 |
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Date of Collection |
January 28, 1999 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Dragon Mythology[]
In most Asian mythologies, dragons are water spirits associated with rainfall and bodies of water. Kuraokami, also known as Okami or Okami no kami, is a legendary Japanese dragon and Shinto deity of rain and snow. In Japanese mythology, after Izanami died from burns during the childbirth of the fire deity Kagu-tsuchi, Izanagi was enraged and killed his son. Kagutsuchi's blood or body created several other deities, including Kuraokami.
In Chinese mythology, the Black Tortoise or Turtle (which was actually more often depicted as a turtle entwined with a snake) is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellation, and is known as Genbu in Japanese. It represents the north and the season of winter.
Kiska Campaign[]
To protect the northern flank of the Japanese Empire during World War 2, Japanese troops invaded the Alaskan Aleutian islands and wrested control of Attu and Kiska; this was the first time the continental United States of America was invaded and occupied by a foreign power since the War of 1812. Although they had originally planned to withdraw from both islands before the onset of winter, the Japanese high command decided to hold them.
The few inhabitants and of Attu that survived the invasion were taken as prisoners of war, almost half of which died during imprisonment (though one, a local amateur radio operator and weather reporter, was killed almost immediately after the invasion). Attu was abandoned after Allied forces regained control of the island.
Kiska is a small island regularly subjected to fog and stormy weather. Allied air forces engaged in bombing campaigns that increased in severity as airfields closer to Kiska were built, and Japanese shipping was harried by naval forces. In August of 1943, Allied forces landed on Kiska island with the intent to reclaim it in Operation Cottage; unbeknownst to them, however, the Japanese had abandoned the island two weeks prior once it became clear it was no longer defensible. Thus, the Allied landings were unopposed. However, U.S. and Canadian forces mistook each other for enemies, and thus almost a hundred Allied lives were lost to friendly fire, booby traps, mines, bombs, and more; no Japanese lives were lost.
Many items were left behind by the Japanese, including a few disabled ships, the submarine pen, machine and antiaircraft guns, and a structure that served as officers' quarters (in which this teapot was found).
Effects[]
When water is poured into the teapot, it will rapidly begin to freeze rather than boil. If poured out through the spout, the water that emerges will immediately grow and transform into a Japanese dragon made of ice and snow, and the teapot will become attached to the end of its tail by the spout. While Japanese dragons are typically symbols of good luck and prosperity, this dragon is unlike its kin in that it possesses a profound murderous intent towards any living thing around it.
This dragon, in addition to possessing preternaturally sharp claws and teeth, is capable of breathing blasts of water, ice, and snow capable of flash freezing anything it touches and can induce hypothermia in minutes if not dealt with immediately. It is constantly surrounded by a perpetual blizzard of high winds, snow, hail, and rain that follows it wherever it goes and grows larger and more intense over time. Finally, as with most dragons, it is also capable of flight and can reach over 200 mph/300 mph.
Collection[]
TBA