It Really Was Karya

In Shurima, gold held a special meaning.

Not only did gold represent wealth, but throughout Shurima's long history, gold objects had also become deeply associated with the Shuriman royal family.

Part of this ingrained impression came from Karya's obsession with and fondness for gold when Shurima was founded and its systems of measurement standardized. Another part came from the great quantities of gold contained in the Sun Disc.

Besides those two reasons, there was another very important factor that could not be ignored: both the Ascended Empress Wu's and the Regent Prince's Ascended forms were closely associated with gold.

Both Setaqa's eagle feathers and Karya's carved feathers were made of gold.

With all these factors combined, gold had acquired a very special meaning in Shurima. It was not only an important material for carrying magic and minting coins, but also the Shuriman people's favorite material for jewelry.

On top of that, the land beneath Shurima, along the Great Mountain Range, was rich in gold. And so, as Shuriman tribes rose to prominence, gold became ever more important, until it was woven into every stage of the Shuriman people's lives, from birth to death.

According to Shuriman tradition, when a child was born, their family would usually make a small piece of gold jewelry for them. When the child came of age, the jewelry would be recast as their personal seal. Gold was also the most important material for wedding jewelry, which was often passed down through generations. Even in death, a few sheets of gold leaf were often laid over the coffin as a small fare for the ferryman, the esteemed Death God.

This Shuriman tradition not only endured to this day, but had also spread widely to the civilizations that followed.

Ixtal, Icathia, and Camavor all attached great importance