The Reedkeeper



The Reedkeeper or Umashi-ashikabi-hikoji-no-mikoto is one of the oldest shinto deities in existence and the first kami to appear on Earth at its earliest days, way before Izanami and Izanagi came and raised the first island. It is also one of the five separate Kotoamatsukami.

Appearance
The Reedkeeper's appearance is quite mysterious, being described in some books as an earthly object that recieved awareness not long after the Earth was formed. Some reliable sources claim however, to have encountered the Primordial God of Reed and their descriptions are fairly matchable- "...Something big, too big for a being fillled with life. A god-like earth turkey, bigger than some of the largest islands ever discovered". Whether these claims are true or not, has not yet been confirmed.

Theoretically, due to it being one of the Kotoamatsukami, the Reedkeeper should also have a "true form" that transcends the physical realm.

Personality
Naught is known of this primeval deity's personality. It can be assumed that it guards over the Earth, since it being its homeworld. It may or may not also be aware of its fellow deities. Due to its physiollogy, its likely that it doesn't have the same level of intelligence as its celestial bretheren.

History
Shortly after Amenominakanushi (The Central Master), Takami-musubi (The High Creator) and Kami-musubi (The Divine Creator) manifested in a newly formed Takamagahara and formed the wholeness of Creation, the Earth was still young, uninhabitated and very much chaotic. From the rapturing Earth, a mystical object manifested and spread wide like a mountainous reed. Its eyes opened and four capital-sized limbs sprout out of its body. From there on, the God of Reed became a literal personafication of what is organic and what is not. Since the other Kotoamatsukami were busy attending to the rest of the Universe and the Kamiyonanayo had not been summoned yet, Umashiashikabihikoji is the first shinto deity to ever walk on Earth.

After the beginning times of Creation and fast-forward to the present, this primordial deity has remained a total mistery. It and its actions.

Power
Not much is known about the Reedkeeper's power either, simply because it hasn't really done anything of notice, as far as the other mythical characters are concerned. From the way it was born, one could assume that it has power over the Earth, on a primordial level. Its title as the God of Reed also suggest it having full control over wheat plants. Being a member of the Kotoamatsukami, even if unoffically, Umashiashikabihikoji should be one of the strongest beings in the Shinto faction, even in present times. The Reedkeeper should also be much weaker than the rest of the Kotoamatsukami, due to coming after them.