Kirin

**Family:** Manticore
**Crystal:** **Wind**
**Weak to:** **Wind**
**Title Obtained:** Kirin Captivator
**Notorious Monster**

 Shrine of Ru'Avitau
* Dryadic Abjuration: Body
* Kirin's Osode
* Kirin's Pole
* Neptunal Abjuration: Body
* Orichalcum Ingot
* Scroll of Quake
* Scroll of Raise III
* Shining Cloth
* Wyrmal Abjuration: Legs

**Notes:**

* Spawned by trading a Seal of Byakko, Seal of Genbu, Seal of Seiryu, and a Seal of Suzaku to the ??? at (F-8)
* Killable by 18+ level 75 players
* See Strategies
* Will always drop at least 1 abjuration.

* Byakko
* Genbu
* Seiryu
* Suzaku
* Kirin's Avatar (for Astral Flow)

**Astral Flow**
**Additional Effect:** **Earth Damage**
**Auto Regen**
**Deadly Hold**
**Heat Breath**
**Tail Smash**
**Great Sandstorm**
**Great Whirlwind**
**Quake**
**Rasp**
**Sleepga**
**Stonega IV**
**Stone V**
## Dialogue

**Dialogue when appears**

Kirin: "I am Kirin, master of the Shijin. The one who stands above all. You, who have risen above your mortal status to contend with the gods... It is time to reap your reward."

**Dialogue when defeated**

Kirin: "You have transcended your limitations, mortal. I must thank you...You have freed me from this loathsome prison."

## Historical Background

**The Shijin**

In Eastern Asian mythological cosmology, the Shijin (also spelled Shishin; called the Ssu Ling or Si Ling in China) are 4 guardian beasts that guard the 4 cardinal directions (North, South, East, West). The 4 of them are associated with 4 of the 5 elements of Chinese philosophy (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth). There is a 5th direction occasionally added (Center) and a 5th guardian beast. Chinese philosophy includes this guardian, but Japanese usually does not. They are independent of the Chinese Zodiac Animals and they each rule a quadrant of the night sky. They evidently originated during the Warring States Period of Chinese history (400s BCE- 221 BCE) and were frequently painted on the walls of tombs to ward off evil spirits. The Shijin have frequently been used in Animé programs (*Fushigi Yugi*, *Yu Yu Hakusho*, and *Digimon*) as well as some other video games, most notably *SaGa 1* (1989/1990, sold in the United States as *Final Fantasy Legend*, published by Square).

**Guardian of the Center? ... Or Nothing?**

Kirin (Qilin) in Chinese and Japanese cosmology is not associated with the Center direction. Though the Kirin (Qilin) is among the most prominent divine animals in their mythology, it is not traditionally associated with the Shijin/Ssu Ling. The true Guardian of the Center is Huang Long, who has some tenuous links to Ouryu.

**The Kirin**

In Chinese folklore, the Qilin (sometimes Qi-lin) is a mythical animal with the body of a deer, head of a deer/dragon (Chinese mythology shows it more as a dragon's head, Japanese mythology shows it more as a deer's head), an ox's tail, a horse's hooves, a body covered in a fish's scales, and a single horn on its forehead. It is usually shown with a flaming or radiant aura. It was described as an herbivore and could walk over grass without disturbing it as well as walk on water. Legend states the Qilin only appears at the birth or death of a great wise person. The Qilin lives in paradise for the rest of the time. It can live to be 1000 or more years old and is considered the embodiment of everything that is good and pure. In Japan, the Kirin was an animal-god who punished evildoers and the wicked with its horn and protected the just and good, granting them good luck. To see a Kirin was considered the most auspicious of omens, the best luck possible. In Japanese, "kirin" has become the word for "unicorn" and "giraffe". It is believed the Qilin is a distorted report of a giraffe, with it being reported by Zheng Re, noted Chinese explorer who explored eastern Africa in the early 1400s CE. The Qilin was not in the mythology until this point in time.

**The Gods of Tu'Lia**

Kirin is spawned using the Seal of Seiryu, Seal of Suzaku, Seal of Byakko, Seal of Genbu, in Shrine of Ru'Avitau, which is located in the cermet structure in the center of Tu'Lia, corresponding to the direction the 5th element/Shijin is associated with. Note that it took seals from all 4 Shijin (Ssu Ling) to spawn Kirin. The 5th Shijin is usually associated with the change of seasons, which would make sense in needing some item from all 4 seasons. Kirin uses mostly Earth-element attacks, which is the element the 5th direction is associated with (unlike most Manticore mobs in the game, who are Wind-based). It should be noted, Kirin still drops a Wind Crystal, just like the rest of the Manticore Family.