Tweaking mythology to make it sound cooler/plausible...is that ok?

I know i can't literally change it just a little for my version. I'm trying to create a background story of the universe based on the "Shinto Religion" how the gods came into play and how everything came to be. But right now I'm particularly focused on the origin of Hell (Yomi). The subject of my story is of course "demon slaying" and the theme being "the spirit world" Plot of my story are about a group of demon slayers who came from all over the world all "The Legendary Slayer's" that traveled to descend into Hell in order to vanquish the "Wrathful deities" that dwell there and also reseal it's gates.

"The Actual Story" In the Japanese creation myth, the first deities which came into existence, appearing at the time of the creation of the universe, are collectively called Kotoamatsukami.

Later, the seven generations of kami, known as Kamiyonanayo ("Seven Generations of the Age of the Gods"), emerged, following the formation of heaven and earth.[1]

The first two generations are individual deities called hitorigami, while the five that followed came into being as male/female pairs of kami: brothers and sisters that were also married couples. In this chronicle, the Kamiyonanayo comprise 12 deities in total.[1]

In contrast, the Nihon Shoki states that the Kamiyonanayo group was the first to appear after the creation of the universe, as opposed to the Kamiyonanayo appearing after the formation of heaven and earth. It also states that the first three generations of deities are hitorigami (individual deities) and that the later generations of deities are pairs of the opposite gender, as compared to the Kojiki's two generations of hitorigami. Japan's creation narrative can be divided into the birth of the deities (Kamiumi) and the birth of the land (Kuniumi).

The seventh and last generation of Kamiyonanayo were Izanagi no Mikoto ("Exalted Male") and Izanami no Mikoto ("Exalted Female"),[2] and they would be responsible for the creation of the Japanese archipelago and would engender other deities.[3][4]

To help them to achieve this, Izanagi and Izanami were given a naginata decorated with jewels, named Ame-no-nuboko ("Heavenly Jeweled Spear"). The two deities then went to the bridge between heaven and earth, Amenoukihashi ("Floating Bridge of Heaven") and churned the sea below with the halberd. Drops of salty water formed the island, Onogoro ("self-forming"). The deities descended from the bridge of heaven and made their home on the island. Eventually, they fell in love and wished to mate. So they built a pillar called Amenomihashira around which they built a palace called Yashirodono ("the hall whose area is 8 arms' length squared"). Izanagi and Izanami circled the pillar in opposite directions, and when they met on the other side, Izanami, the female deity, spoke first in greeting. Izanagi didn't think that this was proper, but they mated anyway. They had two children, Hiruko ("leech child") and Awashima ("pale island"), but the children were badly formed and are not considered gods in their original form. (Hiruko later became the Japanese god, Ebisu.)

The parents, who were dismayed at their misfortune, put the children into a boat and sent them to sea, and then petitioned the other gods for an answer about what they had done wrong. They were informed that Izanami's lack of manners was the reason for the defective births: a woman should never speak prior to a man; the male deity should have spoken first in greeting during the ceremony.[5] So Izanagi and Izanami went around the pillar again, and this time, when they met, Izanagi spoke first. Their next union was successful. The divine couple bore eight more offspring, who later became the eight great islands of Japan.[5] Izanami, however, died giving birth to Kagutsuchi (incarnation of fire), also called Homusubi (causer of fire). She was then buried on Mt. Hiba, at the border of the old provinces of Izumo and Hoki, near modern-day Yasugi of Shimane Prefecture. In anger, Izanagi killed Kagutsuchi. His death also created dozens of deities.Izanagi lamented the death of Izanami and undertook a journey to Yomi ("the shadowy land of the dead"). Izanagi found little difference between Yomi and the land above, except for the eternal darkness. However, this suffocating darkness was enough to make him ache for light and life. Quickly, he searched for Izanami and found her. At first, Izanagi could not see her for she was well hidden in the shadows. Nevertheless, he asked her to return with him. Izanami spat at Izanagi and informed him that he was too late. She had already eaten the food of the underworld and now belonged to the land of the dead.

Izanagi was shocked at this news, but he refused to give in to her wishes to be left to the dark embrace of Yomi. Izanami agreed to return to the world but first requested to have some time to rest. She instructed Izanagi to not come into her bedroom. After a long wait, Izanami did not come out of her bedroom, and Izanagi was worried. While Izanami was sleeping, he took the comb that bound his long hair and set it alight as a torch. Under the sudden burst of light, he saw the horrid form of the once beautiful and graceful Izanami. The flesh of her ravaged body was rotting and was overrun with maggots and foul creatures.

Crying out loud, Izanagi could no longer control his fear and started to run, intending to return to the living and to abandon his death-ridden wife. Izanami woke up shrieking and indignant and chased after him. Izanami instructed the shikome, or foul women, hunt for the frightened Izanagi and to bring him back.

Izanagi, thinking quickly, hurled his headdress, which became a bunch of black grapes. The shikome fell on these but continued pursuit. Next, Izanagi threw his comb, which became a clump of bamboo shoots. Now it was Yomi's creatures that began to give chase, but Izanagi urinated against a tree and created a great river that increased his lead. Unfortunately, the shikome still pursued Izanagi, who began to hurl peaches at them. He knew that this would not delay them for long, but he was nearly free, for the boundary of Yomi was now close at hand.

Izanagi burst through the entrance and quickly pushed a boulder to the entrance of Yomi. Izanami screamed from behind this barricade and told Izanagi that, if he left her, she would destroy 1,000 living people every day. He furiously replied that he would give life to 1,500.

And so began the existence of Death, caused by the hands of the proud Izanami, the abandoned wife of Izanagi.

"The Legendary Slayers" play a big role in the universe and how it came to be. For instance in the original story According to the Shinto mythology everyone who died went instantly to hell. My 1st question is how did Izanami die if death did not exist to begin with. Also her body (or soul) was missing as well. It went to place called Yomi (Hell). How did it come into existence? But my biggest question is about the creation of death. When Izanami cursed Izanagi maybe she actually created a manifestation of death a living breathing curse. The Slayers had to stop this curse from reaching the world of the living and also the Gods/Devils/Demons that dwell there. Does this sound interesting so far?

edited 16th May '14 2:01:02 PM by Maniacfish

Uh sure, but I don't see what was really changed. You just added a few details right?

Uh, I don't see the change too.

Seeing you're familiar with Japanese Mythology. I assume you watch a lot of anime? If so, can you recall some anime with Shinto-like vibe and how they did their custom mythology? because that might help you "make a myth cooler". take Naruto's creation myth for one. it has "izanami" and "amaterasu" as magic, sure. but as far as i know they tie in the shinto mythology with their own mythology as well.

The article for their local creator god seems like a good start.

Also, had i been familiar with Naruto I could be here all day detailing hundreds upon hundreds of stuff in it based on Japanese Mythology (and Hindu Mythology, thanks to it incorporating "chakra" by mistake) in Naruto.

edit: actually, someone already did that.

edited 17th May '14 2:38:41 PM by ShanghaiSlave

Keep in mind that Sadly Mythtaken is a trope, which means this kind of thing has been done lots of times before.

I disregarded everything between "The Actual Story" and 'abandoned wife of Izanagi'. Your story appears to consist entirely of backstory at this point, which isn't a good thing as we would still like to know what the actual story is. It is not terribly interesting so far, because you're simply not giving us enough to be interested or disinterested in.

I would say that Izanagi's soul (if you will) only appeared in Yomi at its beginning of existence - he was the very first guest there. Think 'time travel' here. Izanagi died, disappeared in the real world at the moment of his death, then reappeared some several thousand years later in Yomi - a moment passed for him, while Amaterasu has been trying to get past his cell phone message for an irritatingly long time. ("US DAMN YOU IZA-cchii! PICK UP!!" *message saved* )

There would have to be a more literal representation/manifestation of 'The Yomi Curse' to really get into the story, I think. Otherwise we're looking at Batman trying to put a bullet into Darkseid because of reasons all over again.

Moreover, does this mean the Slayers (Lina Inverse's crew?) must travel through Yomi to defeat the curse, or are they able to sling around Dragon Slaves from outside of it to effectively bring it to a halt?

When the story says izanami caused death, I think it means that before that time animals and plants did not die, nor did whatever people were living on earth. But you've come up with an intriguing possibility that could make for some interesting storytelling. If izanami's death curse DID create an evil grim reaper of sorts, what would happen if the slayers were to defeat it - would everything become immortal?