Wawku Shrine (「イリワク神殿」?; Iriwaku shinden) is the penultimate dungeon in Ōkami. Discovered by the Oina long ago, they consider this location as a sacred place. This is also where Lechku & Nechku used to reside when they were altar statues and after they have awakened.
Description[]
Wawku Shrine lies mostly in the mountains of Ezofuji and is littered with clockworks and mechanisms. The shrine has ice as its element, with this substance apparent at almost everywhere: icicles, ice columns, ice spheres, pits full of ice crystals, etc. Wawku Shrine also has a defensive systems which consists of cannons, flamethrowers, fragile glass bridges, quickly spinning platforms, and many more. Demons infest this area as the main residents, alongside Lechku and Nechku, both when they were altar statues and when they have awakened.
Story[]
Background[]
An untold time before the events of Ōkami, the Oina tribe discovered Wawku Shrine. Possibly because of all the technologically advanced clockwork mechanisms within the location, the Oina tribe considered this location sacred. They also found Lechku and Nechku as altar statues on the two clearings atop the shrine. However, one day, disaster struck as the twin demonic owls awakened from their dormant forms and slaughtered the Oina tribe. Fortunately, a great Oina hero, with bravery, had vanquished the demons and revert them back to their statue forms.
Ōkami[]
Map of the 1st floor.
Map of the 2nd floor.
Map of the 3rd floor.
Map of the 4th floor.
Map of the 5th floor.
Map of the 6th floor.
Map of the Nechku & lechku's battle. (7th floor.)
Once again, Lechku and Nechku awakened when Tsukuyomi was removed from its place at the far lands of southern Nippon. As Tsukuyomi was removed, a dark energy swept through Kamui, and Lechku and Nechku awakened, as if in response. Kemu reached the topmost altars of Wawku Shrine in hopes of pacifying the twin demons, but he was gravely injured. Luckily, Samickle brought Kemu back to Wep'keer as Oki acts as a bait to distract the demons.
Later, on the other side of the Spirit Gate, Oki battled True Orochi, but his assault were harmlessly repelled. Shamed by this, Oki left in extreme rage and returned to Wawku Shrine, breaking the chains that had been locking Affun Gate and entered the shrine to pursuit and slay Lechku and Nechku all by himself. Amaterasu followed into the shrine. After some discovering, she found Itegami, imprisoned inside the Blizzard machine. After releasing him and deactivating the device, Amaterasu obtained Blizzard (she also obtained Icestorm at the same time) and the Solar Flare. Later, Amaterasu found Nechku on one of the altars. But then, she was surprised to see Shiranui also there. Both wolves then teamed up and quickly defeated Nechku. But then, Lechku rams through the wall of the altar, with Oki slashing wildly at its face. With its companion's arrival, Nechku regained its strength and rose. Oki attempted a desperate charge at the demons, but just as he was about to land a strike, Lechku froze time, and Nechku prepares to deal a fatal stab through Oki's body. Shiranui struggled and broke free from the stopped flow of time, and pushed Oki out of the way of the attack, sacrificing itself in the process. Shiranui was fatally wounded with the attack, but attempted a charging attack that injured the demons, but Shiranui also stumbled and almost fell through the gaping hole in the wall of the altar, plunging into the the deep canyon below. Luckily, Amaterasu held it in her jaws, and tried to pull Shiranui up. Unfortunately, a large tree nearby begins to fall, threatening to crush the wolves. Oki was torn between two options: he can either protect the wolves from the falling tree, or pursuit the wounded Lechku and Nechku. It seems that he is about to chase after the demons, and Amaterasu and Shiranui is doomed to the tree, but as it falls, the large and heavy trunk was cut in half, and Amaterasu sucessfully pulled Shiranui away from its fall. It is revealed that Oki decided to save the wolves, and Kutone glowed its silver glow, with Oki realizing that the blade would only shine its light when its wielder's heart is no longer clouded with selfishness. With this new strength, Amaterasu and Oki chased after Lechku and Nechku to the other altar by travelling through more of Wawku Shrine, while Shiranui is left for Ishaku to take care. When Amaterasu and Oki had reached the other altar, they battled the twin demons in another fierce battle. Eventually, Lechku and Nechku was defeated, but their essence were swept into the dark cloud that contains the spirits of Orochi, Blight, Ninetails and other great demons. The mass of dark essence then drifted toward the Ark of Yamato, in another event that would conclude the saga of Amaterasu's adventure.
Obtained items[]
Celestial Brush techniques[]
Accessories[]
- Sun Fragment: Obtained after defeating Lechku and Nechku.
Stray Beads[]
- #97: Buried under the cannon on the left just as Amaterasu enters.
- #98: On a high alcove on the way back from the Blizzard machine, accessed by freezing a Flame Spider.
- #99: On an upper ledge near the central elevator shaft, accessed by freezing a Flame Spider
Trivia[]
The name Wawku (and its Japanese version Iriwaku) is derived from the Ainu language irwak (「イㇼワㇰ」?) meaning "brother". The Affun Gate takes its name from the Ainu ahun (「アフン」?) meaning "to enter".[1]