Shinayo

The Grim Protector of the Plaza is what the traders call them. Shinayo stands by the great fish statue in Waterfall City, clad in dark armor, wings folded, face streaked with intimidating war paint. Newcomers give them a wide berth, whispering about battles won and foes vanquished. The truth is, the paint is for an elaborate game of hide-and-seek with the fisher-frog children, and the exclaimed expression is less a battle cry than a perpetual “Gotcha!” waiting to happen. They possess a deep inner calm, a quiet confidence some compare to Aoi's, which leaves them unbothered by the world’s expectations. Their greatest victory was never on a battlefield; it was goading the grumpiest merchant on the docks into finally cracking a smile.