The Zuma

[Vellos]

Can someone verify if this actually happened. In the beginning of Dwilight a couple of humans travelled to the Zuma with the intention of joining them and the Zuma told them to instead go off into the world and found two religions instead. I was wondering if it happened or if it was an idea.  I do know it has a semblance of fact because I met one of the men but it was a long time ago and I am not sure if he did what he said he was told to do.

Never heard the "found two religions" bit.

As someone who lives near the Zuma, I'll say I quite like them. Sure, they get hissy every so often and do annoying things to us. But we cope.

Want to know what makes it worthwhile? I'll tell you:

Gigantic GM-powered armies.

Vast hordes of undead and monsters pound against the Zuma, wave on wave, and die. And Terran's western borders are safer.

[vanKaya]

The zuma treat us as we treat commoners. Sure there's the rare noble who has some limited respect for commoners ( ex vates/ skynderbau) but generally they are largely ignored and are essentially like cattle, prized only in so far as they provide wealth or services to their betters. When your police forces randomly storm the houses of families and arrest "suspicious citizens", do you offer the families explanations or do your men simply throw the man in prison without a second thought. Thus the zuma care about our petty human wants and thus is how easily and arbitrarily they inflict harm upon us.

Maybe the overall plan was to cement the zumas mysteriousness and dangerousness by randomly attacking any realm that even slightly offended them and doing so wordlessly in order to prove a point. Unfortunatly for d'hara it was them. The fact that the zuma gm made a private account to offer us an explanation is enough evidence for me that there is a point to the zuma and because this point or purpose is obscure is no reason to whine.

[Shizzle]

The fact that the zuma gm made a private account to offer us an explanation is enough evidence for me that there is a point to the zuma and because this point or purpose is obscure is no reason to whine.

Good point.

[Stabbity]

Except that he did that *after* the Zuma invaded and started burning stuff, so it had nothing to do with any of it.

D'hara was torched immediately after executing Rathan, who worked for Vates.

[Stabbity]

Never heard the "found two religions" bit.

As someone who lives near the Zuma, I'll say I quite like them. Sure, they get hissy every so often and do annoying things to us. But we cope.

Want to know what makes it worthwhile? I'll tell you:

Gigantic GM-powered armies.

Vast hordes of undead and monsters pound against the Zuma, wave on wave, and die. And Terran's western borders are safer.

Rathan was one of the two sent to found a new religion, don't know what happened to the other. Rathan diverted his course from founding a new religion and instead was sent to join SA and was going to make himself out to be a prophet. He "predicted" a volcano erupting, and was ignored.

[Glaumring the Fox]

I am thinking that the other one was whoever founded VE. I could be wrong.

[dustole]

Rathan was one of the two sent to found a new religion, don't know what happened to the other. Rathan diverted his course from founding a new religion and instead was sent to join SA and was going to make himself out to be a prophet. He "predicted" a volcano erupting, and was ignored.

But has the volcano erupted?  Kinda hard to be a prophet and predict something and then it doesn't happen....

[Nosferatus]

But has the volcano erupted?  Kinda hard to be a prophet and predict something and then it doesn't happen....

yeah i recall it did somewhere in the first year of Dwilight if i am not mistaken.
What it meant i either don't remember or was never clear.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Read up on the Arya family and daimons, specifically Neel, for a somewhat more reliable account than the Himoura family's

[Stabbity]

The volcano did in fact, erupt. Blotted out the sky and such. Got an interesting rp for it too, which I need to dig up on a hard drive of mine...

[songqu88@gmail.com]

http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/Arya_Family/Neel/Help

That is the only incident of a widespread message of volcanic eruption. If true, instigated unintentionally by an uninvolved human party.

Claim as you will, but let's see your version.

[Stabbity]

Deep in the ruins of Walfurgisnacht leaning against a wall while the monstrous Agri busied herself with the preparations, Vates calmly flicks away a rotting beam as it attempts to crush him. "Will this take much longer Agri? The outlander is doubtlessly being ridiculed as we speak."

The one baleful eye glares at Vates, harsh rasping voice echoing in the ruins, "Have you any idea how difficult this task you have set is?"

"I cherish my ignorance on the subject."

Letting out a hiss Agri turns back to her work, "This one does not appreciate your human humour Vates..."

"Nor do I the delays, we require but some smoke and shaking, yet you insist on applying such arcane measures..." baring a few of his teeth a moment, "You are Agri, magic of the earth and bone are yours, and a task such as this should be simple."

"It would be if you had no worry about your precious Nightmarch"

Growling, "Do your work Agri"

Chanting slowly the harsh whispers grating on the wind, Agri's hands drift through the air lazily tracing out glowing runes. With each breath, the humm in the ruin grew till, should either of them have had hair, it would have stood on end. As the power retched its crescendo the ground began to tremble, dislodging more rocks and dust. There was suddenly a great belch of dust and soot to the west. The billowing cloud of white ash grew quickly along the horizon, rising into the heavens until it blotted out the sun. Mingling with the clouds the blanket covered the sky even as the ground continued to quake and grumble. Yet as quickly as it had began, the plume of ash fell to the earth as a still hot rain, sizzling against the flesh of those outdoors, and causing plants to smolder. By mid afternoon there was nearly no sign of the strange event, save the damage to crops, men, and wilds.

Frowning Vates glares at Agri, "I expected more..."

Voice unusually sweet, "You have gained what you asked given the restraints you placed."

Why do I question the words you have said? What else did you do?"

"Some things were protected, that requires force, that force had to go somewhere."

"You awakened Ira didn't you?"

"Perhaps"

"Then you have preformed, acceptably, that is all. I remain unamused by your earlier efforts. We will speak more later, but right now I must calm our sister."

Rathan was the outlander.

[Stabbity]

Roleplay from Vates Deceiver   (21 days ago)
OOC: Seems to be a little complication with Rathan. Hopefully you get this.

=======

Nodding curtly Banti leads the pair back to the trade plaza and up the
steps of the smallest of the great step pyramids. Leading the pair
without pause deeper into the structure, the air began to grow heavy
with stale heat, yet not so much that they would sweat in their new
clothing. Eventually the twisting passages ended in a great hall the
nightstone cavern swallowing all light as though it were the dead of
night, while the dragonstone pillars, glittered as stars. At the end
of the hall two great torches cast their light about the room, and
between them sat the unmoving creature they had spoken with in the
plaza, with his slightly shiny skin and dark eyes.

Suddenly the light seem to flicker on replacing the dead gaze with the
twin disks of fire, and his warm, honey voice, flowed through the
room, "Ah the outlanders have arrived, welcome. You have done well
Banti, go and rest."

Inclining her head low, the priestess departed without a sound, an
almost pleased smirk on her lips, probably at the thought of how badly
the strangers would do without her.

Seemingly unhampered by the lack of light, the figure studies them
unblinkingly for a time before razing a great clawed hand and
gesturing them forward, "You may approach."

"I have given your offer some thought, and have found myself
intrigued," Smiling with is mouth closed, his other hand clicks
against the stone as he drums his nails, "Yet is it not customary to
seek the best... man.. for a job? Unlike the Zuma people, you have no
marks to say your professions, regardless I doubt you are masters of
serving, or wielding power." His smile cracks a little wider, far
beyond what any human ever could, the faint glint of teeth shining for
a moment, "Masters of serving, an interesting concept in and of
itself...."

Pausing he tilts his head, making a faint clicking noise somehow, "An
interesting thought comes to mind, you have no rank so you should earn
it, you should become masters of serving. A difficult, but worthy task
I believe.To begin you will serve your fellow humans, you will return
to the lands you called home and bring them Truth. Each of you will
found a faith. You will bring the word to your fellow outlanders, and
you will in turn begin to receive the reward you crave for your
success. After all what good is power without the journey to shape the
wielder?"

"You," he points to Rathan, "Will go east and in the ashes of death
you will bring hope. You will go to them as the Servant of the One
God. You will preach glory and victory for the faithful and ruin for
the wicked. Your people will wear a symbol of faith, a symbol of
service, always, and once a month you will offer a great ceremony for
the blessings of the One God. You will teach independence, you will
teach zeal, and you will teach sacrifice. And if your progress pleases
me, you will gain power."

"You," he points to Graeth, "Will be in the west, near the lands of
the inner sea and bring with you triumph. You will be the Vox
Draconis. You will preach wisdom and balance. The faithful will be
shielded by their compacts with the world and gain bounty by honouring
that world. You will teach them cooperation, you will teach respect,
and you will teach indomitable will. And if your progress pleases me,
you will gain power."

The smile fading to a simple relaxed look the figure adds, "You may
each ask me one question."

Vates

[Chenier]

I personally remember the eruption. I did an RP as a reaction to it, I'm not sure if it's published anywhere. The effects were localized, though, I don't think those in Morek got any notice of it.

As for Rathan, he got himself banned from D'Hara, joined Madina (was that at the time we were still at war?), and then somehow got himself captured by D'Hara. Death followed, and we never heard of his name ever again.

[Vellos]

Woah. That's very interesting.