SPN J2 BigBang 2015 - Dreameater (Destiel) GLOSSARY ONLY
This was an alternative title image. Gorgeous, right?
108: A sacred number in Hinduism and Buddhism. I'm not going into detail here; it takes way too long. Also, in Japanese sacred texts, "8" is an important number (as in there are 8 million gods) but scholars reckon it means "a shitton" (that's the technical phrase) or "innumerable. In other words, counting in Japanese can often get sketchy, so when a phrase like "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons" gets used, it really just means "a shitton of demons taking a stroll at night."
Abe no Seimei: (安倍晴明) [FIGURE/SPIRIT] This guy comes up a lot. He's the Japanese version of Merlin, a great master of Onmyōdō or Chinese Yin Yang. There's a shrine to him in Osaka that I didn't get to visit because, well, I forgot. He is said to be born of a kitsune mother, which is why there is that connection to Gabriel.
Ark of the Covenant: [Ch 2] If you didn't get the Ark of the Covenant comment... please go watch Raiders of the Lost Ark NOW. NOW!!
Bakeneko (化け猫 "demon cat"): [CREATURE] I'm not arguing about 化け meaning "transform" so demon cat it is! These are cats who have lived a long time and are really big with a long tail. Eventually, the tail splits into two, and the cat gains a handful of powers.
Baku (獏 "tapir/Chimera"): [CREATURE] Baku is the Japanese word for the Malaysian Tapir (the black and white pig-looking thing). It is also the word for a mythological chimera. The traditional baku eats nightmares for people, and the Japanese will call it at night when they have bad dreams. If the baku isn't satisfied with the quality of nightmare, however, it may eat their hopes and ambitions (HA! You thought I was making that up!). The baku as a chimera is supposed to be an importation from China (like the nue) and it's said that when the gods finished creating all the other animals, they just pushed all the leftovers together and formed the baku. It is also true, according to old stories, that baku pelts were prized and made into blankets to keep away nightmares and promote good sleep for the human (not, obviously, for the baku). It changed to an image of a baku will keep the nightmares away. It may be obvious, but I love these guys!
Betobetosan (べとべとさん): [CREATURE] These things are formless, except for wooden sandals (geta) that make sounds as they walk. They feed off of fear, and hide in dark areas. They follow people home by matching their steps, the sound of wooden sandals echoing after the person, stopping when they stop, getting closer and closer to the walker.
Buddhism:
Description: I'm not even going to go into any depth. Buddhism was a reaction to the caste system in Hinduism. In Hinduism, if you are born into a certain class, you are STUCK there until you die, and then you are reborn into a new class system based on your behavior in your past life. The Buddha sought (and found) a way to escape the endless cycle of reincarnation and his teachings help others break the cycle and find Nirvana. There are a lot of branches of this, and they also change according to which country you're in.
SIN: This was something asked by my betas. As in all things, there are two minds about this. In more modern times, it seems as if Buddhism is thought of as not recognizing “sins.” But this is not true of all Buddhist sects, and, in fact, if this were true, there’d be no tengu, according to the lore.
TENGU CONNECTION:According to yokai.com: …[in] Buddhist lore, tengu are born when a person dies who is not wicked enough to go to Hell, but is too angry, vain, proud, or heretical to go to Heaven. The tengu is a personification of those excessive vices, magnified and empowered in a new, demonic form.
I use “sin” because it was easier than explaining Buddhist stuffs. It’s fiction. Forgive me. [ X ]
Vegetarianism: Most followers of Buddhism and Shintoism are (or should be) vegetarian. In Japan, there is actually a whole style of Buddhist monk cooking called shojin ryori (精進料理).
Daitengu (大天狗 "Great Divine Dog") [CREATURE] A daitengu is the highest level of tengu. They are much larger than their counterparts, kotengu. They are more solitary and they are working towards perfecting themselves through meditation and prayer. They are very skilled in combat and are dangerous. It is said that a tengu taught famous swordsman Ushiwakamaru (later Minamoto no Yoshitsune) swordsmanship.
(To clarify my take in the story: I played with this. Technically, Cas started out human and, as he lost power, he should revert to human, in my head. The issue is getting to a human form as a tengu takes centuries of hard work, like all the other creatures. You have to earn your redemption and prove you're worthy of being human, not a mindless monster.) Fundoshi (褌 "loincloth"): [ITEM] This was traditional male underwear until after WWII, when US Occupation introduced Westernize boxers and briefs. Now it's mostly used in traditional arts and shrine festivals. Interestingly enough, it has also become a niche fetish for gay men. I can't blame them; it looks hot when done right. Hyakki Yagyō, the Night Parade (百鬼夜行 "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"): [EVENT] The Night Parade is literally a parade when ALL the demons emerge and parade through town. Humans who are caught in their path are dealt with, and in Japan, people are supposed to hide until it is over. The leader of the parade is Nurarihyon.
Hyōsube (ひょうすべ): [CREATURE] This is considered to be the meaner, much hairier, filthier, nastier cousin of the kappa. The Hyōsube is more of a troublemaker than the kappa, more likely to take offense. They can curse a human with sickness. Their favorite food is eggplant. [X]
Ichiren-Bozu: [CREATURE/FIGURE] Ichiren-Bozu is a set of Buddhist prayer beads that has come to life and actually helps other tsukumogami find salvation. [X]
JAPANESE TRANSLATIONS AND SAYINGS:
Cherry-boy: [SAYING] Male virgin in Japanese. Not very nice.
嘘じゃないと思う: "I don't think it's a lie." [ch 7] (Informal. Just in case you missed it.)
A Dream of Eggplants, Mt. Fuji, and Hawks: [BELIEF] In Japan, the first dream of the New Year is called "Hatsuyume" (初夢) and it is supposed to predict how your year will go. To dream of eggplant, Mt. Fuji, and a hawk during that first dream is supposed to predict amazing, just phenomenal luck.
Jikininki (食人鬼 "human-eating ghosts"): [CREATURE] "...the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses." [X] Well, you can also be just cursed. Anyway, we live in a consumer world. We are all going to Buddhist hell. (Just kidding)
Kappa (河童 "river child"): [CREATURE] This is a water-demon. They have these little plates on their heads that, if they dry out, the kappa will be helpless. If it's broken, they'll die. Their favorite food is cucumbers. They are a symbol of clean water, and one of the sake breweries in Japan has kappa as its logo. Their old commercials are a hoot. The sake is SO GOOD.
Kasa-obake (傘おばけ "Umbrella ghost"): [CREATURE/ITEM] Tsukumogami of an umbrella.
Kijo (鬼女 "demon woman"): [CREATURE] These are human women who have been irrevocably twisted by hatred, jealousy, a curse, or a wicked crime that corrupted their souls and twisted their bodies into monstrous forms.
KITSUNE:
Description: (狐) [CREATURE] Kitsune means "fox" in Japanese, but it can also refer to magical foxes. Kitsune can either be good and do good deeds (if mischievous), or they can be bad and torment humans. They are guardians for the Japanese god, Inari, who governs rice (sake & all rice products), fertility, luck, and money. They grow new tails as they age, although 9 is the general limit. The more tails, the more powerful and rare.
(I'm not going very deep with this; I could write a small book.)
Kyuubi: If you watch anime, you may know this word from Naruto. It means "9 tails." That's it.
Akio v. Gabriel: To clarify, Akio is Gabriel's Japanese name, which means he can be summoned by it. He doesn't like that.
Michelle Yoeh v. Linda Tran (AKA: Lauren Tom): [FIGURE/ACTOR] Because Dean and them haven't met the Trans yet in this story, I went with the lovely Michelle Yoeh, who has been in several Chinese action flicks that Dean will have probably watched. (INCLUDING the Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies)
Mudra: [ACTION] Symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism, often seen as hand gestures used in both prayer and in spellwork.
Norman Reedman [ch7]: AKA- Norman Reedus. [FIGURE/ACTOR] I actually know very little about the man. I don't watch The Walking Dead.
Nue (鵺 "White's thrush/Chimera"): [CREATURE] The nue has the face of a monkey, the legs of a tiger, the body of a Japanese Raccoon Dog, and the front half of a snake for a tail. In some stories, it is the harbinger of misfortune and illness.
Nurarihyon (滑瓢 "slippery ground"): [CREATURE] This Japanese demon looks like an old man. He slips into a person's house, generally when they're not home, and basically makes himself at home, eating their food and drinking their tea. He's rarely seen and because he looks human, he may be mistaken for the owner of the home, making it hard to capture him.
Obariyon (おばりよん): [CREATURE] This creature climbs on your back and slowly gets heavier and heavier, until you are crushed into the ground.
Okuri-inu (送り犬 "sending-off dogs"): [CREATURE] These are the same black ghost dogs from other countries. Which makes you wonder, doesn't it? They follow travelers home at night, waiting for you to trip or fall. The name refers to how they keep watch over a traveler like they are "seeing them off" safely.
Oni (鬼 "demon/ghost/ogre/troll"): [CREATURE] The kanji for oni can mean a lot of things, so it gets translated into several things. In this story, they're ogres.
Onibi ((鬼火 "ghost fire"): [CREATURE/SPIRIT] These are almost exactly like Will-o-Wisps in English, except this variation doesn't just trick someone (or help them) but actually touches a person and sucks out their life force, killing them. There are other types like this, but this is all you need to know here.
Onihitokuchi (鬼一口 "One-mouth demon"): [CREATURE] A one-eyed demon that has a giant mouth that eats people (esp. women) in one bite.
Onmyōji (陰陽師 "Practitioners of The Way of Yin Yang"): [HUMAN/SYSTEM] Literally the practitioners of Onmyōdō (陰陽道 "The Way of Yin Yang"), which is a combination of several Japanese "Ways" but primarily the Chinese arts of Wu Xing (five elements) and Yin Yang. It was originally used for divination, beginning in the the 6th C, and, in the 7th C, it eventually made its way into the Imperial Court. Onmyōji were the fortune tellers of the government and spellcasters who protected the Capital from spirits. The most famous of these is Abe no Seimei.
Shakujō (錫杖 lit. "tin stick"): [ITEM] The staff Cas uses is a Buddhist tool. The reason why Cas's has 4 rings instead of 6 is because 4 represents the 4 Noble Truths of Buddha, whereas the 6 is the Six Perfections. There is a 12-ring staff for the Twelve Causes & Effects, but I kept it simple. This staff is for various uses: warning creatures to move out of the monk's path (you are supposed to respect all life, big or small); to inform people there is a monk within hearing distance should they need him; as a prayer aid like a meditation bowl; or as a weapon (yes) to protect the monk. (Japan had a lot of warrior monks.)
Shikigami ( 式神 "servant spirits"): [CREATURE/SPIRIT - Onmyōdō] These are attributed to Onmyōdō, and they are spirits that are generally bound to paper to serve the summoner. It was often believed that people of great spiritual power could call upon the aid of spirits to serve them. This category includes human ghosts, small gods, and animal spirits. If they're powerful enough, they can escape from the summoner. They can be used to control others.
King Sōjōbō of Kuruma Mountain: [CREATURE/FIGURE] Technically, there are very few "daitengu" (great tengu), and King Sōjōbō is one of them. He rules a specific territory and the smaller/younger tengu around him bend to his will. He's familiar if you watch anime or read manga. He's one of the most powerful tengu, so he's mostly in human form.
Tengu (天狗 "Divine Dog"): [CREATURE] I realize the translation says "divine dog," but the kanji (天狗) and the Chinese demon Tiangou share the same characters, although the Japanese refers to a bird of prey and the Tiangou refers to a "black dog that eats the sun" (AKA: solar eclipse). Any way, these things are as entrenched in Japanese culture as kitsune. They are currently known as both evil and good, depending on where you are and who you talk to. They do not freely transform, like tanuki or kitsune. Only the daitengu look human-ish, whereas the kotengu (小天狗 "lesser tengu") looks more like a giant raven/crow. As seen with Cas in this story, they are deeply associated with Buddhism, especially a sect called Shugendō (修験道), which is why Cas has that odd mountain monk look him (pompoms and all). The fun thing about this sect is that is so representative of Japan in that Enlightenment is sought through communion with the kami (神), which is the biggest aspect of Shintō (神道), the shaman-esque 'religion' of Japan. Anyway, TL;DR: they are Buddhism-associated crow demons.
Tsuchi-gumo (土蜘蛛 "dirt/earth spider"): [CREATURE] These are giant tarantula-like demons. They supposedly have oni faces, a tiger's body, and the arms and legs of a spider. They live in the mountains, where they catch travelers with their webs and ate them.
Tsukumogami (付喪神 "haunted tool"): [CREATURE] There are a lot of these. Again, basically tools that have been used and kept for a long time (100 yrs) develop awareness, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. [X]
Vajra: (JPN - Kongōsho [金剛杵]) [ITEM] Three to nine-pronged truncheon-like weapon. In this story, it has three prongs. The three prongs represent Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist law), and the Sangha (community of Buddhist believers). It represents firmness of spirit and spiritual power, and is used to destroy evil by beating it (like a club) or using the prongs to stab. Really, it represents spiritual strength.
Yumekui (夢喰い): This literally means "Dream eater." When I started writing this, I wanted the seal on the Baku to be a warning and representative of how twisted she was. If she were just a baku, she would just be a "nightmare" eater. But she's not. And it's not just regular dreams, but ambitions and hopes. Baku is a dream eater; Yumekui means "dream eater." That's it.
LINKS TO RESOURCES: Some of this stuff are things I know. Some of it I looked up. Here are some sites.
Ancient Origins: I used this primarily to find information on the baku.
Green Shinto: More information on Shinto and shrine building.
Junihitoe: Help with costuming to make sure that was accurate.
MatthewMeyer[dot]net: More yokai help.
Onmark Productions: This has various resources on Buddhism and Shinto.
Yokai[dot]com: I used this fairly often to make sure what I was remembering about certain creatures were correct.
108: A sacred number in Hinduism and Buddhism. I'm not going into detail here; it takes way too long. Also, in Japanese sacred texts, "8" is an important number (as in there are 8 million gods) but scholars reckon it means "a shitton" (that's the technical phrase) or "innumerable. In other words, counting in Japanese can often get sketchy, so when a phrase like "Night Parade of a Hundred Demons" gets used, it really just means "a shitton of demons taking a stroll at night."
Abe no Seimei: (安倍晴明) [FIGURE/SPIRIT] This guy comes up a lot. He's the Japanese version of Merlin, a great master of Onmyōdō or Chinese Yin Yang. There's a shrine to him in Osaka that I didn't get to visit because, well, I forgot. He is said to be born of a kitsune mother, which is why there is that connection to Gabriel.
Ark of the Covenant: [Ch 2] If you didn't get the Ark of the Covenant comment... please go watch Raiders of the Lost Ark NOW. NOW!!
Bakeneko (化け猫 "demon cat"): [CREATURE] I'm not arguing about 化け meaning "transform" so demon cat it is! These are cats who have lived a long time and are really big with a long tail. Eventually, the tail splits into two, and the cat gains a handful of powers.
Baku (獏 "tapir/Chimera"): [CREATURE] Baku is the Japanese word for the Malaysian Tapir (the black and white pig-looking thing). It is also the word for a mythological chimera. The traditional baku eats nightmares for people, and the Japanese will call it at night when they have bad dreams. If the baku isn't satisfied with the quality of nightmare, however, it may eat their hopes and ambitions (HA! You thought I was making that up!). The baku as a chimera is supposed to be an importation from China (like the nue) and it's said that when the gods finished creating all the other animals, they just pushed all the leftovers together and formed the baku. It is also true, according to old stories, that baku pelts were prized and made into blankets to keep away nightmares and promote good sleep for the human (not, obviously, for the baku). It changed to an image of a baku will keep the nightmares away. It may be obvious, but I love these guys!
Betobetosan (べとべとさん): [CREATURE] These things are formless, except for wooden sandals (geta) that make sounds as they walk. They feed off of fear, and hide in dark areas. They follow people home by matching their steps, the sound of wooden sandals echoing after the person, stopping when they stop, getting closer and closer to the walker.
Buddhism:
Description: I'm not even going to go into any depth. Buddhism was a reaction to the caste system in Hinduism. In Hinduism, if you are born into a certain class, you are STUCK there until you die, and then you are reborn into a new class system based on your behavior in your past life. The Buddha sought (and found) a way to escape the endless cycle of reincarnation and his teachings help others break the cycle and find Nirvana. There are a lot of branches of this, and they also change according to which country you're in.
SIN: This was something asked by my betas. As in all things, there are two minds about this. In more modern times, it seems as if Buddhism is thought of as not recognizing “sins.” But this is not true of all Buddhist sects, and, in fact, if this were true, there’d be no tengu, according to the lore.
TENGU CONNECTION:According to yokai.com: …[in] Buddhist lore, tengu are born when a person dies who is not wicked enough to go to Hell, but is too angry, vain, proud, or heretical to go to Heaven. The tengu is a personification of those excessive vices, magnified and empowered in a new, demonic form.
I use “sin” because it was easier than explaining Buddhist stuffs. It’s fiction. Forgive me. [ X ]
Vegetarianism: Most followers of Buddhism and Shintoism are (or should be) vegetarian. In Japan, there is actually a whole style of Buddhist monk cooking called shojin ryori (精進料理).
Daitengu (大天狗 "Great Divine Dog") [CREATURE] A daitengu is the highest level of tengu. They are much larger than their counterparts, kotengu. They are more solitary and they are working towards perfecting themselves through meditation and prayer. They are very skilled in combat and are dangerous. It is said that a tengu taught famous swordsman Ushiwakamaru (later Minamoto no Yoshitsune) swordsmanship.
(To clarify my take in the story: I played with this. Technically, Cas started out human and, as he lost power, he should revert to human, in my head. The issue is getting to a human form as a tengu takes centuries of hard work, like all the other creatures. You have to earn your redemption and prove you're worthy of being human, not a mindless monster.) Fundoshi (褌 "loincloth"): [ITEM] This was traditional male underwear until after WWII, when US Occupation introduced Westernize boxers and briefs. Now it's mostly used in traditional arts and shrine festivals. Interestingly enough, it has also become a niche fetish for gay men. I can't blame them; it looks hot when done right. Hyakki Yagyō, the Night Parade (百鬼夜行 "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons"): [EVENT] The Night Parade is literally a parade when ALL the demons emerge and parade through town. Humans who are caught in their path are dealt with, and in Japan, people are supposed to hide until it is over. The leader of the parade is Nurarihyon.
Hyōsube (ひょうすべ): [CREATURE] This is considered to be the meaner, much hairier, filthier, nastier cousin of the kappa. The Hyōsube is more of a troublemaker than the kappa, more likely to take offense. They can curse a human with sickness. Their favorite food is eggplant. [X]
Ichiren-Bozu: [CREATURE/FIGURE] Ichiren-Bozu is a set of Buddhist prayer beads that has come to life and actually helps other tsukumogami find salvation. [X]
JAPANESE TRANSLATIONS AND SAYINGS:
Cherry-boy: [SAYING] Male virgin in Japanese. Not very nice.
嘘じゃないと思う: "I don't think it's a lie." [ch 7] (Informal. Just in case you missed it.)
A Dream of Eggplants, Mt. Fuji, and Hawks: [BELIEF] In Japan, the first dream of the New Year is called "Hatsuyume" (初夢) and it is supposed to predict how your year will go. To dream of eggplant, Mt. Fuji, and a hawk during that first dream is supposed to predict amazing, just phenomenal luck.
Jikininki (食人鬼 "human-eating ghosts"): [CREATURE] "...the spirits of greedy, selfish or impious individuals who are cursed after death to seek out and eat human corpses." [X] Well, you can also be just cursed. Anyway, we live in a consumer world. We are all going to Buddhist hell. (Just kidding)
Kappa (河童 "river child"): [CREATURE] This is a water-demon. They have these little plates on their heads that, if they dry out, the kappa will be helpless. If it's broken, they'll die. Their favorite food is cucumbers. They are a symbol of clean water, and one of the sake breweries in Japan has kappa as its logo. Their old commercials are a hoot. The sake is SO GOOD.
Kasa-obake (傘おばけ "Umbrella ghost"): [CREATURE/ITEM] Tsukumogami of an umbrella.
Kijo (鬼女 "demon woman"): [CREATURE] These are human women who have been irrevocably twisted by hatred, jealousy, a curse, or a wicked crime that corrupted their souls and twisted their bodies into monstrous forms.
KITSUNE:
Description: (狐) [CREATURE] Kitsune means "fox" in Japanese, but it can also refer to magical foxes. Kitsune can either be good and do good deeds (if mischievous), or they can be bad and torment humans. They are guardians for the Japanese god, Inari, who governs rice (sake & all rice products), fertility, luck, and money. They grow new tails as they age, although 9 is the general limit. The more tails, the more powerful and rare.
(I'm not going very deep with this; I could write a small book.)
Kyuubi: If you watch anime, you may know this word from Naruto. It means "9 tails." That's it.
Akio v. Gabriel: To clarify, Akio is Gabriel's Japanese name, which means he can be summoned by it. He doesn't like that.
Michelle Yoeh v. Linda Tran (AKA: Lauren Tom): [FIGURE/ACTOR] Because Dean and them haven't met the Trans yet in this story, I went with the lovely Michelle Yoeh, who has been in several Chinese action flicks that Dean will have probably watched. (INCLUDING the Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies)
Mudra: [ACTION] Symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism, often seen as hand gestures used in both prayer and in spellwork.
Norman Reedman [ch7]: AKA- Norman Reedus. [FIGURE/ACTOR] I actually know very little about the man. I don't watch The Walking Dead.
Nue (鵺 "White's thrush/Chimera"): [CREATURE] The nue has the face of a monkey, the legs of a tiger, the body of a Japanese Raccoon Dog, and the front half of a snake for a tail. In some stories, it is the harbinger of misfortune and illness.
Nurarihyon (滑瓢 "slippery ground"): [CREATURE] This Japanese demon looks like an old man. He slips into a person's house, generally when they're not home, and basically makes himself at home, eating their food and drinking their tea. He's rarely seen and because he looks human, he may be mistaken for the owner of the home, making it hard to capture him.
Obariyon (おばりよん): [CREATURE] This creature climbs on your back and slowly gets heavier and heavier, until you are crushed into the ground.
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Okuri-inu (送り犬 "sending-off dogs"): [CREATURE] These are the same black ghost dogs from other countries. Which makes you wonder, doesn't it? They follow travelers home at night, waiting for you to trip or fall. The name refers to how they keep watch over a traveler like they are "seeing them off" safely.
Oni (鬼 "demon/ghost/ogre/troll"): [CREATURE] The kanji for oni can mean a lot of things, so it gets translated into several things. In this story, they're ogres.
Onibi ((鬼火 "ghost fire"): [CREATURE/SPIRIT] These are almost exactly like Will-o-Wisps in English, except this variation doesn't just trick someone (or help them) but actually touches a person and sucks out their life force, killing them. There are other types like this, but this is all you need to know here.
Onihitokuchi (鬼一口 "One-mouth demon"): [CREATURE] A one-eyed demon that has a giant mouth that eats people (esp. women) in one bite.
Onmyōji (陰陽師 "Practitioners of The Way of Yin Yang"): [HUMAN/SYSTEM] Literally the practitioners of Onmyōdō (陰陽道 "The Way of Yin Yang"), which is a combination of several Japanese "Ways" but primarily the Chinese arts of Wu Xing (five elements) and Yin Yang. It was originally used for divination, beginning in the the 6th C, and, in the 7th C, it eventually made its way into the Imperial Court. Onmyōji were the fortune tellers of the government and spellcasters who protected the Capital from spirits. The most famous of these is Abe no Seimei.
Shakujō (錫杖 lit. "tin stick"): [ITEM] The staff Cas uses is a Buddhist tool. The reason why Cas's has 4 rings instead of 6 is because 4 represents the 4 Noble Truths of Buddha, whereas the 6 is the Six Perfections. There is a 12-ring staff for the Twelve Causes & Effects, but I kept it simple. This staff is for various uses: warning creatures to move out of the monk's path (you are supposed to respect all life, big or small); to inform people there is a monk within hearing distance should they need him; as a prayer aid like a meditation bowl; or as a weapon (yes) to protect the monk. (Japan had a lot of warrior monks.)
Shikigami ( 式神 "servant spirits"): [CREATURE/SPIRIT - Onmyōdō] These are attributed to Onmyōdō, and they are spirits that are generally bound to paper to serve the summoner. It was often believed that people of great spiritual power could call upon the aid of spirits to serve them. This category includes human ghosts, small gods, and animal spirits. If they're powerful enough, they can escape from the summoner. They can be used to control others.
King Sōjōbō of Kuruma Mountain: [CREATURE/FIGURE] Technically, there are very few "daitengu" (great tengu), and King Sōjōbō is one of them. He rules a specific territory and the smaller/younger tengu around him bend to his will. He's familiar if you watch anime or read manga. He's one of the most powerful tengu, so he's mostly in human form.
Tengu (天狗 "Divine Dog"): [CREATURE] I realize the translation says "divine dog," but the kanji (天狗) and the Chinese demon Tiangou share the same characters, although the Japanese refers to a bird of prey and the Tiangou refers to a "black dog that eats the sun" (AKA: solar eclipse). Any way, these things are as entrenched in Japanese culture as kitsune. They are currently known as both evil and good, depending on where you are and who you talk to. They do not freely transform, like tanuki or kitsune. Only the daitengu look human-ish, whereas the kotengu (小天狗 "lesser tengu") looks more like a giant raven/crow. As seen with Cas in this story, they are deeply associated with Buddhism, especially a sect called Shugendō (修験道), which is why Cas has that odd mountain monk look him (pompoms and all). The fun thing about this sect is that is so representative of Japan in that Enlightenment is sought through communion with the kami (神), which is the biggest aspect of Shintō (神道), the shaman-esque 'religion' of Japan. Anyway, TL;DR: they are Buddhism-associated crow demons.
Tsuchi-gumo (土蜘蛛 "dirt/earth spider"): [CREATURE] These are giant tarantula-like demons. They supposedly have oni faces, a tiger's body, and the arms and legs of a spider. They live in the mountains, where they catch travelers with their webs and ate them.
Tsukumogami (付喪神 "haunted tool"): [CREATURE] There are a lot of these. Again, basically tools that have been used and kept for a long time (100 yrs) develop awareness, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. [X]
Vajra: (JPN - Kongōsho [金剛杵]) [ITEM] Three to nine-pronged truncheon-like weapon. In this story, it has three prongs. The three prongs represent Buddha, the Dharma (Buddhist law), and the Sangha (community of Buddhist believers). It represents firmness of spirit and spiritual power, and is used to destroy evil by beating it (like a club) or using the prongs to stab. Really, it represents spiritual strength.
Yumekui (夢喰い): This literally means "Dream eater." When I started writing this, I wanted the seal on the Baku to be a warning and representative of how twisted she was. If she were just a baku, she would just be a "nightmare" eater. But she's not. And it's not just regular dreams, but ambitions and hopes. Baku is a dream eater; Yumekui means "dream eater." That's it.
LINKS TO RESOURCES: Some of this stuff are things I know. Some of it I looked up. Here are some sites.
Ancient Origins: I used this primarily to find information on the baku.
Green Shinto: More information on Shinto and shrine building.
Junihitoe: Help with costuming to make sure that was accurate.
MatthewMeyer[dot]net: More yokai help.
Onmark Productions: This has various resources on Buddhism and Shinto.
Yokai[dot]com: I used this fairly often to make sure what I was remembering about certain creatures were correct.