#memory scroll.

Orochi loves humans but not in the way that Amaterasu or Seimei do: he’s far more interested in their mortality, their struggle with sin and virtue, how inquisitive and interesting they are. He likes how intent they are to learn, how absorbent they are of his teachings and words, how they can even come around to what the gods of heaven consider to be concrete ideals. Things like love, loyalty, ambition, and other virtues are among the many that he and his world find are sins of creation and living. Humans understand his perspective, convinced of its truth in the same way the demons from hell are. And so he plays with them, commingles, fornicates with them. In the same way they are chained by norms and stigmas, Orochi promises freedom of taboo. He is accepting of all, enjoys all.

Orochi is a languid creature and a god of no haste. Much like a hunter and its prey, he is willing to wait eons for what he wants, carefully constructing a failsafe for every possibility that could unfurl. After all, he was sealed in the rift for a thousand years laying wait for the perfect opportunity to free himself and utilizing every encounter between the ruin guard so Susanoo to Yorimitsu to get what he wanted. He toys with sinners and dissenters, enjoying the way they squirm and cry and fear, how the feeling of impending doom comes just a bit too late. So he lays wait, burrowed in sand and rubble, stooped to the lowest of lows until he can pluck the sun out of the sky and swallow it whole.

Something about Orochi is off-putting and deeply unsettling. Whether it be his eerie smile or the sickly-sweet way that he speaks despite his intentions, or if it's simply the cloud of sin and evil is hard to really say; the air around him hangs thick, like a suffocating mist that has just become a part of him. He could never pass as a human considering how pale his countenance is, the scales pricking through his skin like claws breaching sunlight. He is a snake to his core regardless of how saintly and elegant he appears, how enticing his offers are, how dignified and empathetic he speaks when he touches on shared moments of grief and weakness. A true wolf in sheep's clothing, ever waiting for Eve in the garden to slip further from the grace of god.

Orochi dislikes alcohol, especially wine; generally speaking, snakes are averse to alcohol, but more relevant to his character, Orochi is slain by Susanoo after he gets drunk off of it. Not wanting to repeat this mistake, or more like a sixth sense telling him not to even get in such a mess in the first place, he avoids it altogether.