Event Start: Renzu's Flock; Predator or Pray

[greatbeasts]

There's a commotion by the ocean.

At dusk, a strange and unsteadily honored tradition begins to cause unrest within the city. It's nearing the end of a trade season, and the approach of winter brings with it a tenuous and uncomfortable truce of necessity. A small trading group of Beast Hunters dock their ships at Outer Nuren's pier, just within Dragon Bay. They have brought with them hides, trinkets, meat, fish, rare plants, magical items and caged common creatures from the wildlands beyond the city's walls. In turn, they seek fabric, clothing, lumber, weaponry, armor and food from Nuren's harvests. Most of the Beast Hunters have come to trade their goods, while others are there to relax for a week in the seedier Outer Nuren, where the citizens are less likely to bother them and they can pick their fights and conversations with little concern for the preaching of the devout or the judgement of the sheltered citizens in the city proper. Beast Hunters are fond of tavern brawls and games of chance, though their regard for a scion's dragon, or any magical creatures, is visibly and openly one of disgust and discomfort. Despite this, many of the traveling traders enjoy sharing stories and will pass on tales of the fearsome and dangerous creatures they proudly boast to have killed or survived encounters with. There is open distrust or curiosity toward the scions and their worlds, but in general the Beast Hunters are a far more survivalist group of Remnants with a scattering of Touched. They're grim, rough around the edges and quick to violence and anger, but a bit of gold, flattery, charm or gambling can soothe most tempers. For a few gold, a scion skilled at games of dice, chance, or drinking competitions might find a profit in Outer Nuren throughout the week, and curious souls could learn more about the world beyond the city walls. Including its dangers and potential treasures, stories of the Wastewalkers or wild magical creatures and lands, and boastful accounts of survival against horrible odds. The Beast Hunters have a low opinion of the city citizens, calling them soft and worthless creatures who lean too heavily on their faith and security. Likewise, the citizens of Nuren have low opinions of the Beast Hunter's, calling them dangerous cut-throats and warning that they will gladly stab you in the back or poison your drink for a single gold coin or to steal the young and vulnerable dragons from their scions. Open scorn from both sides is apparent while the Beast Hunters linger in Outer Nuren, with fights both physical and magical breaking out. While the citizens may not venture far beyond Nuren's walls, they are practiced magic users and skilled fighters, albeit a bit less prone to fighting dirty. By the end of the week, the Beast Hunters will have sold their goods, and will pack up their ships and leave, refusing passage to scions and citizens alike. Only Beast Hunters may sail aboard their vessels, and any stowaways will be thrown to the sea serpents and sharks.

Strange magical feats in the streets.

In stark contrast to the rough and rowdy Beast Hunters, another group has grown active in Upper Nuren, becoming very visible during the week. A group of Scholars of Renzu have returned to the city from a trip to Renzu's temple, and bring back with them more of the great Griffin's teachings and knowledge. Throughout the week, the scholars try to get involved with the Scions. They offer to help the Scions understand and learn what their elemental alignment is, and how to use the ability they and their dragon now share. Several of the scholars hold daily 'classes' in the squares of Upper Nuren. Displays of elemental ability occur in the squares, along with discussions on how the different elements relate to and interact with one another. In the evenings, the Lorekeepers of the group tell tales to small gatherings of young citizens and any interested Scions, teaching them about Renzu and occasionally delving into tales of Chelba, Benra, Mouros, and Lysheu. A few scholars with powerful shield and healing magic offer to help Scions practice their magic, so that they can learn how to use their new abilities, and learn what to expect if their dragon decides to use their magic as well. At the end of the week, when the Beast Hunters have sailed away, the scholars will still be present, but less visibly active away from the smaller temple of Renzu within the city.

And a fine feathered friend around every bend.

Osaaru's sparsely filled streets have begun to fill in with the sounds of life. Excited citizens, exploring scions and intrepid young dragons have to learn to live with one another in the city. The adjustment is easier for some than it is for others. None understand this better than the Great Griffin. Renzu, the Great Griffin and Guardian of Knowledge, is a prominent and active guardian, revered and respected by a large portion of Nuren's population. The wisdom of the Great Beast is spoken of by any Scholar, Mage or devout citizen who mentions either of the Great Griffin's names. Though largely viewed as a gentle guide and known to be the Observer who watches over the city, there are occasions where the Great Beast takes a more direct approach. As evening descends, a distant chime begins to fill the air. The darker the sky grows, the more the melody seems to grow, always faint but with new melodies whispering and intertwining their way through the winds that sweep as gentle breezes through the city streets and alleyways. The distant sounds create a melody of wind chimes accompanied by a faint song that seems to resemble the soft music of wind instruments. It fills the air for a week, always faint but present, and all who hear it are likely to feel a calming, peaceful emotion settle over them, that comes and goes over time. With the winds and music, a flock of Griffins and Grifflings have entered the city, taking perches on buildings and walls. They play with or assist the citizens of Nuren and any scions who do not attempt to attack them. Grifflings race across rooftops in playful games of tag and chase, or engage young dragons in tag or hide and seek to sharpen their hunting skills. Griffins, some larger than lions in size, stroll through the streets, lending their backs to the pulling of wagons, or their wings to the creation of helpful currents. With some dragons nearing an age of testing their wings, and other young hatchlings beginning to fill the city, Renzu decided to take the young creatures and their scions under wing and give them a first lesson in their new lives. Renzu's flock are there to help the young dragons with their first steps toward flight. Throughout the week they can be seen acrobatically soaring through the skies above Nuren or creating small controlled winds and gusts to lift young dragons and their scions into the air. Gently approaching a Griffin may even see the creature allowing citizens or scions to ride on their backs, provided the person in question is respectful. Their powerful wings and large forms allow them to carry scions and their young dragons, or up to two people, on their backs. While they may be unable to ferry about larger creatures, they will gladly assist others where possible. The citizens of Nuren caution against injuring or threatening Renzu's flock. Most will insist they are gentle and harmless creatures as long as no harm is done to them. Injuring or killing a Griffin or Griffling is severely frowned upon by the citizens, though a Beast Hunter or two might be willing to pay a high price for one. Any harm or threat scatters the flock, making them distrustful and even aggressive toward the attacking or threatening party. From then on, the Griffins and Grifflings will not allow the scion in question to approach them or others of the flock. At the end of the week, Renzu's flock take wing, returning to the mountains they came from and leaving only a few scattered Grifflings playing in buildings and on the streets. With them goes the music, fading away on the gentle winds.

Notes

Please direct all questions to the Q&A on the plotting post. Additionally there is a post on the OOC community for talking about upcoming wishes in the Tide of Wishes Here. You are welcome to use this post to toss out open or closed starters and tag around, or to make your own posts within the community. Another post will go up for the Tide of Wishes, soon. In the meantime, there is an OOC post for you to leave your character's wishes, if you so choose, or to discuss them with others.

Comments

[revolutionfalcon]

[Since the sister seems to be waiting for Fuyuhiko to introduce them before speaking to him, Shun elects to leave speaking to her for the moment that'll likely take. Ultima, however, extends her long neck towards Natsumi at being addressed, sniffing at the air around her a bit and ruffling her wings. It's a motion somewhere between curious and wary, not entirely dissimilar to her own scion's guarded air.

With a glance back at the two young dragons to get a proper look at them, Shun gives a nod of reluctant concession to Fuyuhiko's point there.]

They're active for newborns, though Ultima was never much of an example of that. And I've seen older ones not much bigger than that. I suppose the only real positive other than having them is that it didn't take longer than two weeks, then.

[His tone is rather dry at that observation - it wouldn't surprise him if someone turned out that unlucky.]

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko smirks proudly.]

Of course they are. If they weren't full of vigor and spirit from the day they were born, they could hardly be considered Kuzuryus. [They're soul bonded, that counts, right? That basically makes them family.] Speaking of...Kurosaki, this is my little sister, Kuzuryu Natsumi. Natsumi, this is Kurosaki. He's a friend of Nanami's.

[Just "Kurosaki" because Chiaki never...actually told him Shun's given name. Whoops.]

[tookforgranite]

That's right! [Well Natsumi certainly agrees with this claim, and since they're the only two Kuzuryus here that means it must be true. The siblings have spoken.

Also way to go Chiaki.]

Nice to meet you Kurosaki. You and your dragon.

[She's plenty happy to let Ultima sniff her, offering her a hand much like you'd do with a cat or a dog. That's definitely how you introduce yourself to dragons, right?]

[revolutionfalcon]

[It just occurs to Shun when Kuzuryuu introduces Natsumi with her full name but Shun with just the one that Nanami might not have passed on his first name, and though he doesn't consider it that important, he might as well make the correction.]

Kurosaki Shun, if she didn't give you my full name. [Inclining his head towards Natsumi at the introduction - about the extent of his politeness - his expression softens somewhat.] My little sister made it here as well, which is something else good out of all this. She's staying with me for the moment, but I think she's gone off with her own dragon to try and learn something from the grifflings as well.

[As if on cue, a few of the ones that had been helping Ultima glide over, sitting down around her and taking turns shoving at her to try and convince her to stand up. Ultima, while still sniffing rather thoroughly around Natsumi's extended hand, flicks her wings out to try and dissuade them.]

[impheired]

She didn't, and I didn't think to ask when we ran into each other. [He, too, didn't really consider it to be all that important. He had his family name, that's all that really mattered. But hey, good to know. Especially now that there's apparently two Kurosakis running around.] You'll have to introduce us to your sister sometime then. We're both staying with Nanami, and I figure you know where she lives by now.

[Given that Shun was apparently one of the people making sure poor Chiaki didn't starve to death while she was classmate-less.]

[tookforgranite]

Oh, so you're an older brother too huh? [That tone in her voice clearly spells trouble. Introducing Natsumi to the younger Kurosaki sibling may not be a great idea, but she's already looking forward to meeting her so maybe it's too late. Good luck boys.] It's gonna be fun having another little sister to hang out with.

[Hey Ultima, you should take that griffling's encouragement! You can't just lay around after failing you know. Gotta get back up and keep trying! Though the most Natsumi does to communicate this is try and give her head a couple pets. You've sniffed her hand enough by now, surely. Can she give you a little affection?]

[revolutionfalcon]

You might meet Ruri first, she's more sociable than I am. [The best way to describe his tone in saying that is probably that of someone explaining a behaviour they've only had described to them. That might not be true, but it's been so long since Shun's tried to be sociable that the concept might as well be alien when people aren't directly acting that way towards him.]

It would probably do her good as well. This is the kind of opportunity she hasn't had in a long time, so I'm sure she'll be glad to meet more people.

[That's a little more fondly spoken than what he said before, but the moment vanishes quickly enough, and Shun looks over to the grifflings and Ultima with a much drier look in his eye. Ultima is a little cautious about the head pets, but takes them gracefully enough as the grifflings move aside to let Shun crouch down to attempt getting his dragon upright. In a motion more calculated than the result probably warrants, Shun rubs his hand under the join of her wings to the body, and Ultima curls to that side like a human being poked in the armpit might. Apparently this isn't the first time they've done it, though, because Ultima comes out of the curl by rolling over and back onto her feet, bumping her head against Shun's with a faintly grumpy noise. Shun, for his part, answers that with a fold of the arms and a stare right back.]

Don't waste the opportunity. Those wings are going to make flying harder for you than others.

[impheired]

[Fuyuhiko knows that tone...he knows that this is potentially going to be a bad thing but he can hardly bring himself to be upset about it. After all, Natsumi definitely needs friends that AREN'T his classmates. Plus, Shun didn't really seem to hold the yakuza thing against him, so hopefully his sister is the same way. Natsumi needs someone closer to her own age who she can relate to and bond with. It'll do her a world of good, he's sure.]

Kinda surprised she hasn't run into this pain in the ass already. [He jabs a finger at his sister. She's also the more sociable one of her own sibling pair.]

[Wait...what the heck is he doing to his dragon? Fuyuhiko watches curiously, in a way that almost seems like he's making a mental notes on the scene before him. Which he definitely is because he is a good dragon parent, goddammit. He's going to learn as much as he can from his senior scions, be it via observation or questioning. (though mostly the former).]

I'm guessing none of the older scions have a six winged dragon, do they?

[That would definitely be more helpful than the griffins, something which Fuyuhiko's been thinking ever since the grifflings came over but hasn't bothered voicing until now.]

[tookforgranite]

Hmph, just for that I'm not gonna tell you if I meet her. It'll be a fun surprise.

[Natsumi pulled her hand back as Shun made to help Ultima up and, like her brother, watches the whole endeavor carefully. Not really taking any mental notes like him, but she'll probably remember it. Probably.]

I haven't seen any other dragons at all with six wings...not yet, anyway.

[revolutionfalcon]

Sounds like it won't be long anyway, with both of you saying that. [If Fuyuhiko's surprised they haven't met already and Natsumi's saying it'll make a good surprise, he's expecting it to happen in pretty short order. Ruri's not the type to shut herself away from others like he did for the first little bit of his time here.

After watching the grifflings for a moment as they lead Ultima off to the side and start flapping their wings in sequence, leaving a gap for Ultima to fill in and practice flapping her six at once, Shun looks back to the siblings with a shake of the head.]

No, they've both just got two-winged dragons. I haven't seen any others with this many either, and while it might be an advantage later on if someone tries to take her out of the sky to have the extra wings, right now it's just making it harder for her to get off the ground.

[impheired]

She's just gotta figure out how to coordinate them all at once. Easier said than done, but I'm sure she'll figure it out eventually.

[His eyes flick back over to his own dragon, who is now watching Ultima and the grifflings curiously. After a few minutes, he toddles over there and starts hopping up and down, chirruping happily, while the grifflings do their flapping demonstrations. Is he trying to help? Is he trying to fly himself? Maybe both, but that would be a little silly considering he doesn't have any wings...]

Unless a pack of six winged monsters decide to come visit next week.

[That'd be helpful, probably.]