Day 151

[bastionmods]

Who: Zia, Zulf + the NPCs Nathaniel, Zanya, Zahi + YOU
Open: Open
When: Day 151
Where: Throughout the Bastion
What: Tension has fallen over the Bastion, and it's time to sort out truth and anger.
Format: Any
Warnings: Drama

A few days ago, some residents of the Bastion might have become aware of a confrontation happening at a certain Ura's humble abode. There was some yelling- although not clear- and the result was a very harried looking Rin Okumura forcibly dragging away resident Mancer Nathaniel. The next couple of days have been quiet, but today... Well, if anyone wants to ask about and see what the deal was, it seems like today is the day.

It seems like Nathaniel has finally quit his own self imposed isolation, if only so that he doesn't starve to death. Apparently anger can only sustain a man for so long. He can be seen storming through the Bastion, a thundercloud practically gathered about him, or at the eating area looking very much like he wants to be left alone.

Zulf has been less of a hermit. Anyone who has seen him since the argument has probably noticed his black eye and sore nose. He seems angry as well, although it's quieter and colder underneath all his civility. More noticeably, he's been hard at work building a few fences near the edges of the Bastion- mostly near his tent but also in other areas as well. They're not the best fences, but they're good enough, hopefully. You can approach him at the shrine, his tent, or anywhere, really... He's as available as he's always been. He might even approach you, just to warn about falling off the edge of the Bastion.

Seriously, this place has needed safety railings for ages now. Who's bright idea was it not to include safety railings? RUCKS...

Anyone wandering by the Kitchens today will notice... Damn, that's a lot of yelling. And slamming of things. Should knives be used to chop that hard...? That's right, Rin is in a bad mood and anyone who comes near will immediately know it. The excess swearing is probably a good clue. Unlike the other two, she's unleashing her temper with wild abandon in the sanctity of her kitchen where no one will bug her. Well. Unless YOU bug her...

Of course, these three aren't the only ones noticeable about the Bastion today! It looks like the Ura residents are just coming out of the woodwork.

Anyone who's talked to either of the latest Ura additions knows that Zulf came in with Zia. While not involved with the row from a few days ago, she seems just as worried as Zulf seems angry. It's possible to see her wandering about with her pet Pecker chick. Might see her coming away after a discussion with Zulf, too... Maybe she knows what's going on?

There's also Zanya and her father Zahi who have been apparently a bit more sociable these last few days. There's apparently a subject they're both interested in which they'll approach people about, although they'll do so differently. Zahi will strike up friendly conversation, but Zanya will simply get right to the point: do you have any idea what happened?

Feel free to strike up conversation with any of them, or even try and talk to everyone if you wish.

[ooc: This is your characters chance to investigate just what the drama is all about! In such a small place as the Bastion, it's a bit hard to miss... Feel free to have your characters speculate or gossip with the Ura NPCs about what may have happened or if they caught onto a sliver of what happened (like Zulf and Nathaniel falling off the edge of the Bastion), or for them to go the more direct route by talking to either Nathaniel, Zulf, Rin, or Zia.]

[Long story short is that Rin went to get Venn's journal from Nathaniel. Upon realizing who exactly wanted it, Nathaniel went to confront Zulf. There was an argument on just who and what caused the Calamity... and then Nat punched Zulf in the face, they rolled off the edge of the Bastion, and Rin separated them after they got blown back up.]

[As a reminder! Mod Mandy plays NPC!Nathaniel and NPC!Zahi. Mod Jeni plays NPC!Zanya and Rin. Birdmod James plays Zulf. Helpful player Courtney plays Zia. We'll all get to you on our own individual time, and as soon as possible! Just make sure it's clear in your post who your character is approaching.]

Comments

[hellpyre]

Really? Who were you expecting?

[fuckthemancers]

Just a childhood friend I knew from the Terminals. He ended up becoming a Yudrig dedicate- they act as the messengers of the Terminals. Because of that, I wouldn't have been surprised to find him off in the Wilds or even as far as here.

[hellpyre]

Ohh... I haven't met this Zahi. What is he like?

[fuckthemancers]

[And there's a chance she might never meet him, after everything, but- Zulf doesn't want to talk about that. Instead, he just starts to flip through the pages of his photo album.]

Well, like any good follower of Yudrig, he was one of the most impulsive and daring fools I've ever met. [It's a description said with a lot of fondness, however.] He was always quick with his words and quick to gossip. It always took talking with everyone else to figure out if what he was saying was actually true, or just a rumor he'd heard that he'd taken as the truth. Still, he took to his duty well. I've always been glad for that- he was important to me and I had been the one to suggest he try for it.

[He stops turning the pages and taps a picture in particular. There's Zulf, of course, much younger and standing in the doorway to an Ura den. Rin might notice that the whole setting is underground, geometric patterns carved into the rock around it. In comparison, this den itself is rather plain. What Zulf is pointing out, however, is the man standing in front of it all. He's just a bit taller than Zulf himself and long limbed, glad in those usual Ura stripes. He wears a shorter skirt than Zulf, showing the leggings and light boots he wears. His dark hair is pulled back into a short ponytail, and there's a cloth tied as a headband to keep his hair out of his face. He seems pretty animated, a wide grin on his face and hands spread out mid-animated gesture. Rin might notice that hint of bright red on the heels of his boots.]

This is him.

[hellpyre]

[Rin inches back over to look again, keeping quiet while he talked. He reminded her a bit of Tsubaki-sensei, always running his mouth about whatever the latest gossip was. But he was a good man, a good teacher and a good exorcist. He really cared about his students.]

... what's that? On his boots?

[fuckthemancers]

Hm? Oh, you must mean the red.

For most Ura, it's a traditional funerary color. You'd often wear it while sending away the dead, in mourning, or for certain events- such as the Harvest Festival.

Exceptions to that would be warriors and messengers who are on active duty. That's why you'll see some of our blades have a red coloration. It's done on purpose. As a warrior, you inevitably end up seeing a lot of death and knowing that it might be you the next day. Wearing the red reminds you that you're still alive and that you have a duty to do as long as that is so.

Messengers are similar, although not in as much danger admittedly so they keep it a bit more subtle. Their duties can take them through all sorts of dangerous areas- unstable tunnels, through the Wilds, things like that. There's a risk of losing their life. For certain dedicates, however, that's something you have to accept.

[hellpyre]

Oh... so it's red for you? For most things in my world it's black. I mean I don't think that's every faith or whatever, but most of 'em.

[It gets her thinking, though, and she adds quietly after a moment]

I still remember what I wore to Dad's funeral.

[fuckthemancers]

Yes... The living wear red and we clad our dead in stone gray.

[To remind them all of what has changed, to help the dead move on. Zulf snaps to when she starts to speak up and his brow furrows in sympathy.]

It's... never easy to lose a parent.

[hellpyre]

Mn...

[She nods, forcing a sad smile as she looks back up at him.]

He was really cool. Right up until the end.

[fuckthemancers]

That's good to hear, then.

[A reflection of her smile is given right back.]

If I may say so, he did a fine job in raising you.

[hellpyre]

['Raising you'.

Raising her. Like a daughter, not a weapon. Even if that's what she eventually became.

... --no. It couldn't be that easy of an answer, could it?

Whoops, sorry, Zulf. You've lost her in her own thoughts.]

[fuckthemancers]

[He seems to be doing that a lot.]

[He leaves her to them for a moment, still a bit puzzled but willing to let her work it out. However, he can only keep quiet for so long.]

Are you alright?

[hellpyre]

[Some people in this place can actually get her to shut up and think once in a while.]

F-fine! I'm fine...

[fuckthemancers]

[Does he get a prize for being one of those people?]

Are you sure? You went a bit quiet for a moment?

[hellpyre]

[The prize is her friendship, Zulf.

Deal with it.]

Yeah. I just-- ... I was rememberin' somethin', is all. It's stupid.

[fuckthemancers]

[Oh jeez.]

If it made you think that much, I certainly wouldn't call it as such.

[hellpyre]

[DEAL WITH IT.]

I was... thinkin' about Dad, actually. I've been wonderin' for a while now... well... why he saved me.

[fuckthemancers]

It sounds like a long story. But if you're willing to tell it...

[Zulf will listen, and offer what advice he can.]

[hellpyre]

... are there... demons in any Ura or Cael lore?

[fuckthemancers]

Well... You'll have to define 'demon'. There are monstrous creatures mentioned in some of the tales.

[hellpyre]

That's... pretty much what they are back home, too.

[Wow this isn't going to be an easy talk, is it?]

[fuckthemancers]

Then, yes, there are demons in our tales.

[hellpyre]

Sooooo... what if I told you that I'm half?

[fuckthemancers]

...Still considerably less strange than the fact that we live with a giant dragon, to be quite honest.

[hellpyre]

... t-true...

[right then...]

It's not like I knew. I was raised human. But my powers were sealed when I was born, so I could be hidden. Yuki wasn't born with any powers at all. But... we still had to be kept secret, more or less. 'cause the demon responsible for... well, me... he was the lord of Gehenna. Satan. Basically, where I'm from, that's like the worst thing ever to be related to. He caused a lotta problems in Assiah, a lotta deaths, some of them family to friends I have, including Bon.

He is the most hated being in existence in Assiah. No one wants him around, and exorcists are there to keep him and his minions from fuckin' up Assiah too much.

Take a wild guess what their reaction was to findin' out the daughter of Satan lived when she was supposed to be executed as a baby.