Nobuyuki Ienaka
| Nobuyuki Ienaka
| |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Birth Name | Nobuyuki Ienaka |
| Nickname(s) | Ichihiko ( Old Geimei ) |
| Guardian | The kami |
| Birthplace | Ishimura, Asanai Province, Koshu, Hingashi |
| Born | 1555 |
| Nameday | 32nd Sun of the 4th Astral Moon |
| Race | Hyur |
| Clan | Far Eastern |
| Physical Attributes | |
| Hair | Jet black |
| Eyes | Dark brown |
| Height | 5'7" |
| Equipment | |
| Career Information | |
| Occupation | Kabuki Actor, Host |
| Out-of-Character Information | |
| Time Zone | GMT-4 |
| Server | Mateus |
| Job | Bard |
| Footnotes | |
Contents
Biography
Prologue
In Hingashi's seclusion until recent years, it housed many villages in its provinces that most foreigners would not be able to even name. One such village was Ishimura in Asanai Province, a small but thriving settlement. It was home to many miners of the foothills of Takao-san, a mountain south of Koshu Island. When the sun set on the eastern country, many workers of Ishimura would gather at the Hotaka Onsen, where male and female geisha alike performed. However, as the mining business bloomed with the opening of Hingashi to the outside world, Ishimura was gradually bleeding residents that weren't invested in the extraction of iron ore. Save for visiting tycoons and other loyal patrons, the onsen itself was struggling to stay afloat as many prospective geisha left for the nyokoba - a vocational school for geisha - of the nearby city of Nakashiya, but stayed. A hard-working few remained to maintain their town's heritage for the fine arts. It was those passing few that inspired the son of a kabuki playwright; Ienaka-no-Nobuyuki. The delicate way the wakashu carried themselves, the intracacies of their fashion; Nobuyuki wanted to be an embodiment of the arts. He wanted it all.
Nobuyuki's family were among the ones that eventually made their way to Nakashiya from Ishimura. Two years later, at the age of ten, Nobuyuki was registered to attend a boarding school where he would learn the arts, specifically music and acting. He practiced the shamisen until his fingers bled and played the yokobue until he was out of breath. Out of all the arts he studied, music was his particular passion. In his late teens, when he finished his education, he was adopted by Nakashiya's Koshiki-za. He was intent on becoming a fully-fledged kabuki actor at Nakashiya, spending the rest of his life at the location near the town of his birth. However, everything changed when an outbreak of Red Throat swept across the city, brought to the area from travelers from Ishimura. Masayuki, Nobuyuki's father, was among those effected. Eventually, the disease had claimed him.
With the loss of his greatest supporter in life and the danger of receiving the same fate, Nobuyuki had to part ways with his troupe. Over a span of a few moons, under great scrutiny of porters to ensure that he was not a carrier of the disease, he made his way to Shishu. With the opening of Kugane's ports, he made his way for the pleasure district, seeking to continue his pursuit of the arts. Though he had to overcome a great amount of xenophobia for the ijin, he shares respect for those that harbor an appreciation for Hingashi's traditions. It is his only hope that the coming ijin can understand the value of a kabuki actor's dedicated lifestyle.
Chapter One
The pleasure district was the pride of Kugane, if not for its dark alleyways hiding the cages the flowers were trapped behind. Girls were often sold to the houses and bound by debts for the rest of their lives. Nobuyuki found that this was no different for ijin-run flower houses, for those that slept or bought their way into positions of power in Kugane's mizu-shobai. With the creeping threat of heavy debts, Buraku discrimination, and lacking healthcare, Nobuyuki was forced to move to the West. It was a decision he would come to never regret.
Nobuyuki became acquainted with an onsen much like Hotaka Onsen in Ishimura, though it was a considerably larger and much less cramped establishment; Uranami Onsen. Unsurprisingly, it was founded by a group of Eorzeans, though the proprietress was adopted into Hingan culture; as such, she could barely be recognized as ijin herself.
Business blossomed and profit flourished as Nobuyuki was surrounded by friends for once in what felt like a long and lonely life. Yet, the weight of depression still beared down on him relentlessly. In an attempt to withdraw from the pain, Nobuyuki retreated in the spring to his grandparents' old home after he was diagnosed with an eating disorder. There, he was consoled by his remaining grandmother. Only then had he discovered that his grandfather was, in fact, not murdered as a mere Buraku, but murdered as a rival; killed in the Miyamae-gumi's war against the somnus trade with other yakuza organizations. He decided against confronting his grandmother, but figured she'd knew that he held the knowledge anyway. Thus, he made his return to Eorzea to face the fact that the onsen he worked at was merely a front for a much younger yakuza family, the Arashi-gumi.
Personality
Attitude
Nobuyuki was raised under the traditional Hingan belief that an individual should dedicate themselves to their profession to at least a level of expertise. Nobuyuki is less impressed by adventurers than he is by artisans or warriors who seek to master their specific craft. His hard-working demeanor doesn't allow for pessimism, though he may come off as unsympathetic at times. Some may perceive him as snobbish, but the exterior is worth the portrayal to shield a softer, caring interior.
Sociability
Nobuyuki's strict attitude is not a sign of aloofness. The image of a welcoming host, he is known by his family name to clients and hispersonal name to friends. He remains reclusive, keeping shelter to the fact his grandfather was yakuza, as is he. However, he remains cordial as a kabuki actor, hoping to keep his pupils upright in challenges.
Expressiveness
Although he seems more reserved on a personal level, Nobuyuki greets all his clients with a warm smile and a cant of his head. Even around strangers, he maintains a placid nature. He has an emphasis on saving face for himself and those around him - an important concept in Hingashi, called 'mentsu'. Thus, negative opinions are not expressed unless it keeps order.
Notes & Trivia
- Kawagishi-no-Chikako, Nobuyuki's mother, is a confectioner who opted to stay in Nakashiya since the Red Throat outbreak. Currently, since it subsided, she is alive and well.
- Noboyuki's favorite foods include unagi donburi, tofu, yomogi daifuku, tsukemono, and anything spicy.
- Nobuyuki's least favorite foods include cheese, natto, beef, plums, and goma-ae (especially with chrysanthemum greens, called shungiku no gomae-ae).
- Nobuyuki's favorite plays are largely of the kabuki genre. They include Sukeroku and Narukami. They are among Hingashi's Kabuki Jūhachiban (Eighteen Best Kabuki Plays).
- Nobuyuki's father, Ienaka-no-Masayuki, studied nagauta at the Imafuji School of the Arts in Nakashiya. He used his teachings to compose pieces for his plays, which are largely known among buskers and Ishimura natives. His plays from his prime include The Aesthetics of Ephemeral Autumn and The Mask of Fusakichi.
Gallery
By fensa-valehart on tumblr
By Infiniteleft
By Aki Miyumi
By Elixir
Nobuyuki and Ryunosuke Akutagawa by Kannazukisama
By Gailla/ShoeSoup
By InfiniteLeft
By Golden Hourglass
By ever-searching on tumblr
