Najibu, the God Rock
Najibu, or the God Rock, is the temple erected on top of the exposed wormstone on the main island of Yalisi.
Purpose / Function
Naked wormstone was exposed to the air in the initial attempts to mine the material. This crack in the ground emanated an intense amount of energy that began to mutate and morph the nearest people. Yalisi is on an island that is not very large, and so in order to protect the city from the strong magical effects, they erected a large temple to sit on top, reducing the exposure of wormstone to the general public while keeping the wormstone readily available for priests to use in rituals.
Alterations
The Vopa, the Yalisi Priesthood maintain the structure so that it is a uniform height off of the ground. If God Rock is above or below the height of four average Teronura people, steps are taken to rebalance the height.
Architecture
God Rock consists of a large raised circular platform approximately 20 meters tall with steps on one side, often facing North. The platform itself is made from stone and mud mortar and the open area at the top is level to hold ceremonies and rituals. Sometimes, depending on the ceremony, temporary walls are built using large leaves bound together, but these walls are torn down after the ceremony concludes.
Defenses
Vandalizing the site in any way is a religious offense, and the consequences are dependent on divine action. Attempts are often thwarted by other pilgrims or priests, but anyone who has vandalized or otherwise desecrated the space will undergo more painful wormstone mutations. The risk of pain is often a sufficient deterrent.
History
God Rock was erected in the earliest time of the Yalisi Priesthood, before the properties of wormstone were understood or controlled. All that was known at the time was that wormstone was causing incredible mutations in people that were often surprising or undesired. To protect the community, the Yalisi Priest Yalisi priest, after a vision given to him by Pemija, the great moon, began to gather workers to cover the stone up with additional stone and create a shield against the material.
In order to cover the dangerous material, people had to be exposed to it. It was considered a great honor to be among those building God Rock, but it came at a cost. Some workers went through significant mutations that they were no longer able to work, such as losing limbs or basic sensory functions, but others saw the process through from the beginning to the end despite the challenges.
Once it became clear that the solution worked and that it was safe for people to return to their homes nearby, the city began to build up around the God Rock again.
Tourism
New converts to the Yalisi religion are encouraged to visit God Rock and watch, or participate, in a Greatening ceremony. Because Greatening ceremonies are sporadic throughout the year, it is common for converts to arrive and use temporary housing until a ceremony takes place before returning home. These temporary houses are scattered around the base of God Rock on the South, East, and West sides, and never on the North.
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Related Tradition (Primary)
Comments