Kato
Fire elemental. Legend has it that a she—wolf hit by a shooting star in the first month of her pregnancy will give birth to a Kato. These fire—eating hounds are said to cause the forest fires sparked by lightning strikes. Harbingers of house fires and other misfortunes, Kato are venerated as servants of the God of Fire.

Hi—nezumi
Pronounced "HEE—neh—zoo—mee." The Hi—nezumi lends strength to those possessing the will to face difficult problems head—on. In the famed "Tale of the Bamboo Cutter," one of the objects Princess Kaguya asks her would—be suitors to acquire is a Hi—nezumi fur coat. One suitor tried to take the easy route of purchasing such a coat, and failed the task. Perhaps he would have succeeded if he had faced the challenge with enough determination that a real Hi—nezumi had come to his aid.

Enko
Pronounced "Enko" in Japanese, this flame—wreathed guardian spirit bestows power upon those who burn with fighting spirit and conviction. Enko takes pleasure in battle, gleefully using its fangs and claws to tear its enemies apart. Many warriors venerated Enko, wishing for nothing more than to be able to follow its example headlong into enemy territory. Ii Naomasa surely inherited his indomitable will along with Enko from his mother Naotora, who long ran the Ii family.

Suzaku
Pronounced "SUE—zah—koo." Worshipped since ancient times as the Guardian of the South and the symbol of fire. Sometimes conflated with the Phoenix, it is said to appear only when the current ruler is just and highly moral. Most of the time, it possesses the body of a small bird. Its true form, a beautiful winged creature wreathed in flames, only awakens when the current ruler is selflessly motivated to accomplish something truly great.

Isonade
Water elemental. Pronounced “EE—soh NAH—day," the name means "the sea's caress." Following the northern sea winds, Isonade prowls just beneath the surface in search of prey. It uses its powerful tail to entangle and pull victims beneath the waves. By the time you feel the slightest breeze, it's already too late.

Believing it responsible for stirring up rough seas, local sailors make offerings to the lsonade in a prayer for calm sailing.

Mizuchi
Pronounced "MEE—zoo—chee," this dragon serves as guardian spirit of those who harbour great ambitions. Though they normally reside in the abysses of deep rivers, it is believed that upon their death they ascend to the heavens and transform into celestial dragons. True or not, this belief was so widespread in the Warring States period that many aspiring warriors fervently venerated the Mizuchi.

Usura—hicho
Pronounced "Usura—hicho" in Japanese. This striking guardian spirit is as cold as it is beautiful. Its followers swear that venerating it will protect you from ice and snow—related disasters. Others believe that the Usura—hicho is a manifestation of the souls of people who have lost their lives to grief or cold.

Genbu
A cross behveen a turtle and a serpent. Genbu has been worshipped since ancient times as the Guardian of the North and the symbol of water. The dual nature of its intertwined snake and turtle bodies have also made it a symbol of yin and yang, and indeed, its ties to Onmyo magic are deep.

Highly skilled Onmyo mages venerate Genbu as their Guardian Spirit, and have mastered the many powers of water in order to extinguish fire, which they see as an agent of chaos.

Saoirse
Aquatic guardian spirit that resembles the Merrow of Celtic legend, with feathered wings and a fish's tail. Saoirse can warn of impending danger and sense Amrita. She has been with William since he was a child, and is both friend and family to him now — or perhaps something more. Her name is pronounced "SEER—shuh" and means "freedom" in Gaelic.

Paired Raiken
Written with the characters for "thunder" and "dog," this pair of holy hounds are venerated as protector spirits. Many of the "komainu" statues placed in shrines throughout Japan resemble them. When those who would defile holy ground were struck down with divine lightning, it is the Raiken who loosed the bolts.

Legend has it that when Tachibana Ginchiyo's father, Tachibana Dosetsu, succeeded at cutting lightning, the defeated lightning spirit transformed into a Raiken, and has served as the Tachibana family's Guardian Spirit ever since. It is said that every Raiken has a mate, and their not power manifests when they are paired.

Gyokuto
Pronounced "Gyokuto" in Japanese. Japan is home to many legends about the Gyokuto, said to be capable of great speed. Some say that when lightning flashes across the sky, it is actually Gyokuto travelling to Earth and back. Legend has it that they spend their time on the moon making mochi rice—cakes, or medicine; either way. these stories show them to have kind and caring spirits, always working hard to make something useful. In time, Gyokuto came to be seen as the guardian of travellers, who would often venerate them to help ensure safe passage.

Kara—jishi
Pronounced "Kara—jishi" in Japanese. A brave and powerful spirit whose roar reverberates Ike thunder. Venerated as a holy beast that tears across the heavens and vanquishes evil, its proud figure has long been the inspiration of many a painting, and even the occasional Noh production. It is said to only follow those who are truly pure in head and sharp in both mind and body, and in fact, there are very few figures in recorded history known to have enjoyed its protection.

Atlas Bear
The embodiment of nature's ferocity. It originates from the far southwest, where legend says that if you paint a baby's face with the Atlas Bear's pattern on the first day it hears thunder, the Atlas Bear will protect the child for the rest of its life. Those who the Atlas Bear protects grow up to be strong and hardy, and are said to be able to survive danger that would rob most of their lives.

Daiba—washi
Wind elemental. Pronounced "DIE—bah WAH—shee," the name means "horsekiller hawk." So called for a mysterious phenomenon in which the wind whips up and horses die suddenly. Observers have described it as a whirlwind of glowing needles surrounding the hapless animal. Slashing the air in front of the horse with a sword will deflect it. On the other hand some actually venerate the Daiba—washi. believing that these same characteristics can shield them from danger.

Aya—komori
Pronounced "eye—uh KOH—more—ee," this Guardian Spirit has two sides to its nature. The "aya" part means both "string," and the metaphorical "strings" that connect people to society and each other. An Aya—komori's outer self is vivacious and outgoing, but it prefers to reveal its inner self to those trapped by their bonds.

Once an Aya—komori has offered its protection, its master may choose to continue coping with their situation or to break free of it entirely; the Aya—komori will help them either way.

Yatagarasu
Pronounced "YAH—ta GAH—ra—su." A mystical crow with three legs and three eyes that is said to see all across heaven and Earth, with nothing escaping its notice. In Japanese mythology, it was venerated as a holy guide who helped lead heroes down the right path, and as the god of hunters and archers. Saika Magoichi was the first leader of the Saika clan to enjoy its protection as a Guardian Spirit.

Izuna
Pronounced "EE—zoo—na." In Japan, foxes are known far and wide as servants to the God of the Harvest, and have long been believed to possess mystical powers. Foxes blessed with such power are very proud, and thus reluctant to use it for humans, but if they should accept one as their master, they will serve with absolute loyalty. lzuna is no exception; if anything, it has even stricter standards for who it will serve, and will only accept those who are proud, capable, and loyal to their own masters, just like itself.

Tengen Kujaku
The rainbow—adomed Tengen Kujaku is said to wield tremendous power capable of seeing into the future; it is also flighty and mercurial. Those under Kujaku's protection will lead interesting lives full of drama and turmoil.

Approximately one month before Nobunagis assassination at Honnoji Temple, a great comet streaked across the night sky; some believe this may have actually been Tengen Kujaku.

Fuse—ushi
Fuse—ushi is a bull spirit that protects believers from misfortune. Bovines have long served alongside humans, providing their strength in agriculture and other ways to support our lives. For this reason, some civilisations actually ban the consumption of their meat and venerate them as a sign of thanks. Pat its stomach as a sign of respect, and the Fuse—ushi will absorb negative Ki.

The great Kuroda Nagamasa decorated his helm with a bull ornament in the hope of becoming a fierce warrior with a heart as gentle as the Fuse—ushi.

Itokuri
Pronounced "EE—toe COO—ree," this spider spirit is not content to merely pasted people. It also likes to alter their fates, taking them down a winding path on the way to their destination. As an example, many loathe Matsunaga Hisahide for his villainy, while others remember him as one of the most cultivated gentlemen of his generation. Either way, his influence was huge and far—reaching, though it remains unclear to what extent an Itokuri was involved.

The Itokuri have particular fondness for treasures and historical items that have affected the fates of many. Some people even venerate the Itokuri merely for a chance to associate with such artefacts.

Narikama Tanuki
In Japan, tanuki (along with foxes) have long been believed to possess supematural powers, and there is no shortage of tales where they disguise themselves as human. The Narikama Tanuki is one of the oldest ones still alive; he survives off spirit energy gathered from the hopes and dreams of hard—working villagers. Adherents also believe that venerating him will prevent disasters and bring prosperity. His most devout followers are townspeople and samurai landowners.

Shinka
In Japanese mythology. Shinka is an envoy for the gods. It frequently appears before heroes to guide them to victory. Shinka is also the physical embodiment of the power of nature, and can heal minor wounds almost instantly. This earned it the veneration of many loss—level warriors, since they were the first to be injured in battle.