Rabaziat: Survivor's Day (Raw-Baw-Zee-Ott)

Rabaziat is an annual celebration of reverence for Kaban history and thanks for those that helped free the Kaban from their bonds of slavery. The day is split into eight official celebration hours, each representing a different aspect of history and culture. With aspects such as meditation, eating, performing, dancing, and playing, any outsider is sure to enjoy some portion of the day. At present, Rabaziat is considered the most important holiday for the Kaban, and it only gets better every year with improving supply lines and access to historical material. The hours are outlined as follows, but by the end of the formal celebrations, many choose to keep the night going.

The Hours of Rabaziat

The Hour of the Guardian

The Hour of the Guardian begins at noon, representing Korahaman's stoic protection of his people. After preparation for the celebration has ended, a time of meditation begins. For one hour, the village or tribe will rest in their shells, surrounding their Aza Kora in the center. What each individual does during this time is personal, though most choose to pray. The hour is complete when the shadow of a sundial rests upon the Aza Kora. The first hour of celebration has begun waning in appreciation in the last decade (ca. 1947 NG), but Kaban monks revere it as the day's most important aspect. The Hour of the Guardian is a rare instance of meditation for overworked monks, opening their chakras and allowing them to perform spiritual duties with a clear mind.

The Hour of Awakening

The second hour represents the Kaban waking from their hibernation to commune with Korahaman. Communion begins with half of the meditating Kaban rising from their shells. Every 15 minutes, another half of the remaining meditators will rise, replacing those who came before. Those who stand will perform a dance in which they drag their feet along the sand, surrounding the meditators in their own small circle. After ten minutes, the second wave of dancers will trace lines between the old circles. The third wave makes circles to interlink the patterns, creating a chainlike formation in the sand. The final wave draws lines across the sand that connect each circle to the Aza Kora. Upon the end of the hour, a ritual spell pattern has been completed, and the Orator casts "Telepathic Bond" with the Aza Kora, communing with Korahaman through the mind of its child.

The Hour of Egress

The third hour represents the arrival of humans in Kaban lands. While the tradition was initially darker, sporting an Orator under a transmutation spell (appearing as a human) that would "hunt" members of the village in a game of hide and seek, it is now a highlight of the day for children. While the children still run and hide, it is the parents who search for them. Those who "survive" the hour are given the mark of egress. Those with the mark may request any manner of divination from the village Orator. Typically, children ask for their future predicted (who they will marry, how tall they will grow, what toys will come from the Augury).

The Hour of Decline

The Hour of Decline represents the Kaban diaspora within the marsh. This portion of the day carries similar dark undertones to the Hour of Egress, though it"s still enjoyed by children. Those marked with the symbol of egress form one team (the insiders), while the remaining children form a second team (the outsiders). The proceeding game pits the teams against each other to find certain objects hidden in the village. Each item representing something needed to survive the marsh, and collecting one grants 10 points. Each team is intended to hide what they have collected. A final item is held by the Orator: a single leaf representing the Quai. Collecting this leaf ends the game, but only the insiders may take it. Before choosing to end the game, the insiders must be confident that they have enough points to win. Upon completing the game, rest will take place before the next hour.

The Hour of Rebuilding

The Hour of Rebuilding shows reverence toward the Quai for choosing them in their darkest hour. Individuals selected before the festival will act as performers in a tragic play, displaying the slow rebuilding of Kaban society thanks to assistance from the Thanids. As many well-read historians know, the play shows the Kaban being selected by the Quai and subsequently fleeing from their new home during a Tara-Jhen attack. The end shows the true tragedy when the Thanids sell out their new friends to save their own lives. As the curtains close, the Kaban lose the Quai and return to the dark marshes.

The Hour of Adoption

The Hour of Adoption gives reverence to Kadelkonatl for saving them in their time of need. The Orator and monks from the community will step inside and control a large puppet of Kadelkonatl, performing a dance and giving little telepathic fortunes to people as they pass by. The production value of this hour has risen drastically thanks to Augury support, with many claiming that you couldn't tell the difference between the puppet and the true beast at this point. The hour ends when Kadelkonatl finishes his trail through the village and travels into the ocean, sinking beneath the waters and disappearing.

The Hour of Revolution

The Hour of Revolution represents the majority of the Kaban enslavement. While only one revolution would ultimately free the tortoisefolk, the Kaban take this hour to appreciate the hundreds (or thousands) of lives that fought for freedom but never saw it themselves. During this time, any Kaban with clutches of eggs will provide one in the name of fallen revolutionaries. The local Orator will place a blessing upon the egg. From that point on, the soul within is a gift to forgotten Kaban bloodlines that died in battle. When the child is born, it is said he will give rise to children of both his own family and the other bloodline.

The Hour of Freedom

The Hour of Freedom is a display of respect for those who achieved freedom for the Kaban during the silence. There is typically variation in this hour, as some notable revolutionaries from this time are still alive today. Should any village house one of these exceptional individuals, they will be regaled in tales of heroism, triumph, and sacrifice. Should the village lack such a hero, the Orator will tell a recorded collection from a book. As the story is told, a map will be slowly drawn in the sand, where little lines display where the Kaban traveled to arrive in Kazbur. By the end, all lines coalesce in eastern Kazbur.

Travelers' Guide

Celebration Date: 22nd of Silber, Standard Augury Calendar
First Celebration: 22nd of Silber, 1852NG, Standard Augury Calendar
Related species: Kaban
Related Locations: Eastern Kazbur
Importance: High
Relevance: High
Foreign Admission: Allowed
Expected Duration: 8 hours

Important Knowledge for Admission

Historical Events

207 MN: The Awakening of Korahaman
207-217 MN: The Great Kaban Diaspora
645 HI: Kadelkonatl Calls to the Kaban
1792 MD: The Kaban Achieve Freedom from Slavery
1828 NG: Kaban Gain Independence in Kazbur

Basis of Tradition

Rabaziat became popular amongst the Kaban upon their exodus from Mot D'nir. With a bright future ahead, most thought it apt not to forget the past that brought them here. Amongst Kaban history, myths, and legends, no individual stood out more than Korahaman. To give thanks to their ancient protector, the folk of Kazbur would dance to imitate hibernation under Korahaman. The celebration begins with Korahaman as most consider him the beginning of Kaban life as they know it. The end of the night gives credence to Kaban freedom, making the entirety of the day a spiritual homage to the tortoisefolks' history.

Marks of the Day

Each of the hours from noon to 8:00 bears its name throughout the entire year, not just the holiday. As a result, many Kaban will reference the hour by its celebratory name instead. Each of these hours also bears a mark, and should a child be born from noon to 8:00, they will be ordained with it. Mark of the Guardian: this child will grow to be large and strong. He will take pleasure in defending others and face conflict with bravery.
Mark of Awakening: this child will possess exquisite foresight and wisdom, making them a good candidate for the monk's lifestyle.
Mark of Egress: this child will be intelligent but skittish. They will typically avoid conflict, and their tendency to overthink may make problems worse
Mark of Decline: this child will have great luck in his early years. Over time, hardship will grow worse, and their lack of experience may impede their ability to rebound.
Mark of Rebuilding: this child will be a problem solver, but avoids preventative action, refusing to prevent problems in the first place. These children will always find the easiest and most efficient way to solve a problem.
Mark of Adoption: this child hungers for community. They may often take abandoned animals home or seek to help the injured. Those under this mark make fantastic clerics, and it is said they bear a strong connection to Kadelkonatl.
Mark of Revolution: this child will be rebellious in childhood, though this will later develop into a sense of justice. Children of revolution may not overthrow governments, but they always seek to make life better for those around them.
Mark of Freedom: this child will be carefree, enjoying the quality of life over its length. While they will play their role in society, you can expect a child under this mark to lead the charge in creative endeavors or celebration planning.

Outsider Involvement

Unlike their Naga-Tel or Tara-Jhen neighbors, the Kaban are happy to involve outsiders in most of their holiday traditions, especially since it provides education about their horrid past. One notable example was recorded in the form of a letter from Cardinal Merchant Sagara Khafri to his father, as recorded below.

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"A Foreigners day in Kazbur"

I was the first to add Kazbur to my Caripreet Summer following its occupation by the Kaban. Our family had long owned a vacation lodging on its northern end, though it had rested abandoned for the century. Still being taxed on its lot, I inquired to my father about the land. Though I would consider its renovation a tall task on an otherwise restful journey, I arrived to find it under proper maintenance. It had been subsumed by the local Kaban village, serving as a town house for their 'Orator.'

My initial response was to oust the trespassers, though they had made the clear point that the home would have fallen to its foundation if not for them. I begrudgingly took a guest room in my own domicile for the night, rather cross in all honesty. The next day they beckoned for my presence at a festival which they called "Rabaziat" in their limited tongue. My presence was certainly a point of recognition for the tortoisefolk among their games and dances. Lines of Kaban would exit and enter their shell, shifting in circular patterns. Before long, they would raise little turtles into the air.

The event was intoxicating, and barring any pheromonal response, I believe the nature of the event simply gladdened me. By the end, a group of children granted me the gift of 5 rocks, speaking compliments I could scarcely understand while placing them in my hands. I happily accepted, packing the little gifts away. They still sit on my mantle and while I'm uncertain of their purpose, their personal value is substantial.

— Sagara Khatri, Cardinal Merchant of Caripreet (ca. 1899NG)

*All art used with permission and generated in Midjourney by Smokingbat7906*