Location Kihala's Shrine

[Gossamer]

On the sixteenth of Summer in the year 520 A.V. the settlement of Syka received a visitor. The Goddess of Life, Kihala, visited the denizens and announced to them that the totem pieces that had washed up on the beach a few days prior were a gift to them from herself. The residents of Syka found and assembled the pieces on that fateful date, awakening the Guardians that the five statues became. A panther, barracuda, elephant, monkey, and parrot became watchful protective statues scattered around Syka under the control of the five individuals that gathered and assembled their pieces. In times of trouble, the five statues can be awakened and controlled by those individuals marked with the guardian symbols in the defense of the settlement.

In thanks to Kihala, and in exchange for the guardians themselves, the denizens of Syka built a shrine to the Goddess. Using Duncan Maelstrom's reimancy ability, a large set of stone pools have been built to the south of The Commons overlooking the beach and the jungle beyond. A stone bust of Kihala - enormous in size - has been crafted using magic and then carefully cultivated by numerous species of flowering plants that do very well clinging to the stone and flowering. The varieties have been carefully created so that the goddess takes on a life of her own. Each strand is a different variety of flowering plants so the statue looks almost alive.

In addition to the enormous plant-covered bust and the fish ponds, Duncan assisted in installing seats that give people a place to relax and view the fish in relative peace. The seating is stone, but will comfortably house between eight to ten people at once. The Shrine is a lovely place to be alone, have an intimate chat with a friend, or draw paint, or craft music. Kihala approves all things that enrich life, so the shrine seems to hold some rejuvenating properties as well.

A visitor to Syka and a friend of Mathias, one gentleman named Vas, took one look at the water cascading from the Goddess' stone hand and laughed in delight. He said quite clearly that anyone taking a drink from this freshwater from Kihala's hand would have no problems conceiving a child, thus being gifted with new life themselves. And because the Founders want to encourage children to populate the settlement now that it is safe enough for them, a copper ladle mysteriously appeared on a small copper hook below where the water cascaded out of Kihala's hand at the rim of the pool. Not just for people, animals are often offered water from this little cascade to encourage them to reproduce.

A beautiful tree sprouted and grew where Kihala had reportedly stood, stretching up to the sky. It blooms and then fruits year-round, the fruits hanging low and heavy, smelling delicious. The fist-sized fruits, now called Marassa Fruit after the Guardians of Syka, have a delicious creamy interior that has an unusual and appealing flavor. It can be consumed as food - most often made into desserts - but also has healing properties. Key in making all sorts of lip and skin balms, this fruit has healing properties that often save lives - from all sorts of poison. And as such, it reduces inflammation and can often stave off long-term illnesses like cancer. Well sought-out elixirs have been made from the meat and juices of this fruit. Syka never exports it in any form, holding it sacred to Kihala and as her gift to the city.


The pools themselves, the moment they were finished, stocked themselves with a large variety of carp with absolutely flamboyant coloring. These tame gentle giants can be hand-fed and indeed petted from the stone rims of the pool. They come in every color of the rainbow and are often called Gem Fish. They play an important role in The Commons that was a complete surprise to the denizens. Since the fish have come, the insect population has been greatly reduced in and around The Commons.

The Shrine was built and is maintained by The Marassa, those who hold the icon tattoos and can control the five Totem Animals of Syka.

*The events of this happening can be read about in Pieces and Parts. Since several guardians have gone missing or vanished as players, contact Gossamer, if you wish to become a Marassa.