Greetings
scene Welcome to Surreptitious... (Man, I can't even spell that right without copying and pasting or help from the spellchecker, but the fancy word fits the site so well...) Ehem, pardon the divergence, as I was saying, this is my little fan site to Ureksa from Summon Night: Swordcraft Story.
As you might already be starting to conclude, this won't be a super serious experience, but it shall be informative! In other words, be warned that there are spoilers all around, employed in the process of analyzing the featured character and the elements that influence him... and the spoilers start right now!
First, I'll give you a quick run-down of the basics. A powerful fire type summon creature (a being from another dimension) named Parista is trapped asleep under the city of Wystern. The Craftknights (blacksmith fighters) of said city use Parista's fire to forge weapons. Rumari accidentally awakens the dormant Parista and gets cursed. Her friends fight to save her and protect Wystern from Parista. Shintetsu manages to trap Parista at the cost of his own life, but is unable to send Parista back to the spirit world from where it came. Rumari's brother, Ureksa, wants revenge on Parista. Parista uses his negative emotions to control him in a plot to make him think he's getting vengeance for Rumari, but is actually fueling Parista's revenge against Wystern. Got your attention yet?
Surreptitious refers to something clandestine or secret, a misrepresentation of the truth... I think it fits given the fact that basically the whole main city remained ignorant of the truth for most of the game. There's also a lot of secrecy floating around the plot, you'll get what I mean after you've become familiar with the story. I suggest that you view the pages in the order they are listed.
When you're done browsing this site, you can also visit my webdesign and personal site AzureLight.net, my fansite collective GenkiGirl.net and my art galleries at Deviant Art and Fanart Central.
Wystern
scene Wystern is a tower that stands in the sea in the world of Lyndbaum. This marble of architecture is known as the City of Swords. It is the home of many of the world's greatest Craftknights. A Craftknight is basically a blacksmith. They make weapons for themselves and to sell. The variety includes swords, spears, drills, knuckles and axes. Craftknights are also able to forge other items based on metal, such as a variety of appliances and utensils, but their main commerce are weapons.
Since we're talking about a tower in the middle of the ocean, it requires plenty of maintenance. Most of the income of Wystern comes from an organization called the Gold Guild. A guild is basically a group of Craftknights and Craftknight apprentices. However, the apprentices' work is not considered ready to be sold, until they become official Craftknights. Mostly, Craftknights see their work as a form of art, thus you could say they are similar to sculptors in a sense, though still more so blacksmiths.
scene The Gold Guild is managed by Libody, who takes care of various business affairs to help support the city. He has a son named Varil, who is a Craftknight apprentice. Another well known guild in Wystern is the Silver Guild, rival to the Gold Guild. The Silver Guild is led by Bron, who doesn't get along with Libody, which caused the rivalry between their guilds. Unlike Libody, Bron was once offered the title of Craftlord but refused. Both guilds play their role in helping support Wystern. The Silver Guild is more focused on details and the art, while the Gold Guild is focused on commerce. This creates a balance of revenue and reputation.
There are seven Craftlords who serve as the rulers and protectors of Wystern. Their job includes keeping the peace, investigating and conducting business. Their leader is Master Rondeau, known as the Craftlord of Diamond. The other Craftlords include Kouren of Ruby, Sakuro of Sapphire, Lubert of Amber, Tyram of Crystal and Ureksa of Jade. There was also Shintetsu of Iron, but he passed away three years prior to the start of the game, following Parista's awakening. The title is later won by his son or daughter Cleru or Pratty, depending on who the player chooses at the beginning.
scene Wystern hides a dark secret; its spirit protector is more of a prisoner than anything else: the summon creature known as Parista, which also received names such as the spirit of fire or swords. Parista was originally from the "spirit world," Sapureth, from where it was summoned and remained chained to Wystern, unable to return. The fact that the tower city is in the ocean played a key role in being able to keep Parista in its deep underground labyrinths.
The creature was trapped deep inside the labyrinth below the tower angry and thirsty for vengeance. It was due to Parista's rage that earthquakes had been shaking the city. To prevent a panic, while the Craftlords resolved the situation, a tournament was organized to keep people busy. It was said to have been made to choose the successor to the title of Craftlord of Iron. All Craftknights, including those who were still apprentices, were allowed to participate.
The motto of Wystern, the city of swords, is "a sword is not strength, a sword is not skill, a sword is not fellowship," in other words, it all depends on the wielder and how the sword, or other weapon, is used. Craftknights are also required to wield only weapons they crafted themselves, as it is "dishonorable" for a true Craftknight to wield someone else's weapon. Selling their weapons for people who are not Craftknights to use is fine.
Ureksa
scene Let's start with the easy stuff, shall we? Appearance, he's quite unique. To be perfectly honest when I first saw Ureksa I thought he was a she, the hair, the name... I laughed when I realized that pixelated being was supposed to be a man. Honestly, he's not the most manly of video game characters, but he has his charms. His behavior isn't girly either, it's just that hair...
Okay, I'm done making fun of him. His hair is black on top with the bottom half dyed blond. He might have dyed the tips intentionally or maybe he had a short blond haircut which grew out (I would have liked to see that). His hair is not a very common style in the game and definitely stands out, even more than his really long white scarf. His chibi battle sprite has brown hair where the face pic and world sprites have black, I'm not sure what's up with that. Overall his clothes are not really unusual within the context of his world.
His eyes are a more tricky subject, they look kind of brown, but have been interpreted by many as being a dark green, which would fit the entire Jade thing. Anyway, you've seen the pictures; you can draw your own conclusions. His trademark quote is "look it up in the dictionary."
scene I tried to find some information about his name but it seems it's rather rare. The name Ursa means bear and is similar to Ureksa, but probably not similar enough to transmit its meaning to the other name. If we take the name apart, Ur was the name of the first super continent on Earth from back when the puzzle pieces of land were united according to scientists. Ur is the name of a city mentioned in the Bible in Genesis. Ur is the name of some runic alphabet letter; Ur is all over the place.
Likewise, I searched for all the bits and pieces of his name and researched each syllable, finding little of interest. We can at least say that his name is original. Backwards, Ureksa is Askeru, which sounds like a Japanified version of the English word "asker". I suppose we could go in a few circles and find some obscure hidden meaning in that, but that's stretching things a lot.
scene You fight Ureksa three times during the game. These are his stats. Boam is the currency used in this game.
Volcano island:
Hit Points: 1,050
Weapon: Ureksa's Spear
Weapon Durability: 105
Win: 4,480 exp. & 1,400 boam
Vance light house roof:
Hit Points: 1,300
Weapon: Ureksa's Spear EX
Weapon Durability: 110
Win: 5,440 exp. & 1,700 boam
Central tower labyrinth, 47th basement:
Hit Points: 1,650
Weapon: Neo Ureksa Spear
Weapon Durability: 125
Win: 8,800 exp. & 2,200 boam
Cast
scene A Craftknight is like a blacksmith that is also a fighter. They are not royal knights dedicated to a kingdom; it's more like taking the profession of blacksmith up a level. They can learn how to make better weapons and prove their skill and confidence in them by experiencing battle. A Craftlord is a very skilled Craftknight.
There are seven Craftlord titles, each of them represented by a different gem or material. Ureksa of Jade is the main subject of this site. Sakuro of Sapphire is the yummiest bishounen in the entire game. Rasho (a summon) comes in second. Ureksa is in third I guess, this is a site for him after all. I bet Ureksa would look more bishieful with a manlier hairstyle. Wouldn't you like to see that? I would! Sakuro is good friends with Ureksa.
scene Tyram of Crystal, Rumari's boyfriend who gets pushed around for the most part. He must be strong to have this title, he's just a pacifist. He sincerely cares about Rumari and Ureksa. Kouren of Ruby, a strong and elegant lady, another of Ureksa's friends. Shintetsu of Iron, the deceased father of the main hero... where have I heard that before? He's already dead at the start of the game. Lubert of Amber, the classic greedy traitor. Rondeau of Diamond, the old geezer leader of the Craftlords. He gives Cleru or Pratty advice every now and then, but doesn't get much screen time.
The protagonist of the game is Cleru or Pratty. They are very similar, the classic character with a heroic deceased father, trying to live up to his name. He or she fights against Ureksa while the plot is uncovered, as elaborated in the story page. However, in both cases the protagonist also comes to understand Ureksa's wish to help Rumari and considers him a hero.
scene Whichever main character you choose will in turn partner up with one of four possible summons. Their roles are very similar, helping Cleru or Pratty craft weapons and providing insight. Regardless of who your partner is, it will be said that it used to be Shintetsu's partner in the past. One of the summons is Sugar, a pink haired girl who claims Shintetsu promised her his child in marriage.
scene Another possible summon is Rasho, a red haired bishounen with a horn on his forehead. Direct, sarcastic and proud, he sometimes clashes with Bron. Zantek is a robot that speaks in beeps like R2-D2 from Star Wars, but the protagonist can understand him. Finally, there's Kutty, a fluffy green rabbit, fox thing that can be a bit sadistic at times. He can only say his name, maybe he was summoned over out of Pokémon.
There is also a cast of supporting characters in this game, but they don't have a lot of interaction with Ureksa. As stated, Bron is the master of the Silver Guild and Libody is the master of the Gold Guild. Being figures of authority and in charge of training Craftknights, they are quite involved in the "distraction" tournament, but Ureksa is away sneaking around during most of it anyway.
scene As for the other Craftknights in the guilds, only a few of them receive actual character development, instead acting simply as mid-bosses for the hero to beat in the tournament. Varil, son of Libody, from the Gold Guild, goes from rich brat to a pretty decent guy after forming a friendship with the protagonist, or love if you play as Pratty and choose to date him.
Razzy, Bron's niece, from the Silver Guild, is the younger sibling sidekick type, who finds inspiration in the protagonist. Sanary is another Silver Guild girl, who is actually Kouren's younger sister and is more aware of the Parista situation than she lets on. She also doesn't interact much with Ureksa, instead serving as another rival for the main hero along with Varil. She is datable for Cleru and can become friends with Pratty and plot to take over the world with girl power or something like that. She gives me the impression that she still thinks boys have cooties. Although her stubborn feminism can be explained, this site isn't about her anyway.
The other Craftknights don't really get any real character development. Kenon, the honorable boy from the Gold Guild remains the same in his few scenes. The filler characters of the Silver Guild remain basically the same as well. I won't go into too much detail about that since it's not directly related to the main subject of this site. What was it again? Oh yeah, that guy with the spear...
scene Chaves, from the Gold Guild, has a little more of a connection with Ureksa, more so with Lubert. He's the classic bone head that lacks in skills what he has in size. He tags along (is used) to help Lubert and Ureksa with their illegal activities. Most of this happens off camera and by the time we actually see Chaves, he's easily cast aside by Cleru or Pratty after just a few seconds of screen time. I imagine his off camera scenes to be something along the lines of Chaves being bossed around to carry boxes and stuff, nothing particularly interesting.
The protagonist is the one that directly confronts Ureksa, save for the light house roof scene discussed in the story page. Aside from that, the other characters support the protagonist as they become aware of what's going on. The Craftlords are being "gentle" with Ureksa, as if hoping that he'll start behaving on his own, damaging his reputation as little as possible. The Craftknights for the most part still see him as a Craftlord more so than a fellow Craftknight. His status is probably what minimized the interaction between Ureksa and the Craftknights other than Cleru or Pratty. That and the fact that he spent a lot of time sneaking around away from the public eye.
Story
We first see Ureksa when he, Sakuro and Lubert give a speech at Wystern Central Tower to welcome the participants of the tournament that will decide who will be the next Craftlord of Iron. At this point not much is known about him.
scene Ureksa is absent for a while until Cleru or Pratty is sent to tag along with him to conduct a few investigations on a volcano overseas. Ureksa could have just given the young Craftknight a ride but instead asks if he or she has a boat. Cleru or Pratty borrows Bron's boat to follow Ureksa, it seems like an obvious excuse to get rid of the tag along, but it doesn't work. At the docks, Ureksa talks about what makes a hero and mentions a hero from a place called Seijent. He asks if Cleru or Pratty has heard of that hero. You get a choice of gender and description, according to that, you will meet one of four possible characters, but the plot is the same with all of them.
The protagonist and Ureksa sail off and arrive at an unpopulated area where Ureksa knocks out the protagonist and runs off. If that doesn't trigger the antagonist alarms I don't know what will. The player is rescued by the hero of their choice and they go off to investigate. This is where everything is revealed. Lubert, the Craftlord of Amber is playing double agent for Deigleya, Wystern's enemy. The hero of Seijent sends a summon to numb Ureksa and Lubert to an almost sleep-like state while Cleru or Pratty moves forward. Ureksa hurts himself to wake up and chases after the protagonist. They fight and Ureksa is defeated. This is not their last battle, but it is an important point, as Ureksa's betrayal is discovered.
scene There are four swords which sealed Parista, they were made by Shintetsu. Those swords are only part of what will create a stronger sword that will ultimately defeat and calm Parista. Deigleya wants those swords and Lubert wants riches. It was convenient for Ureksa to join in and help out for his own reasons. However, Ureksa does not believe that neither Deigleya nor Wystern can truly defeat Parista and he knows the dangers of the creature running lose. It is that which lies in the center of his true plan.
Ureksa intended for Parista to run free, then everyone in the world would have no choice but to unite to fight off the threat. Ultimately, Ureksa expected someone to be able to defeat Parista, finally completing his vengeance. Do we see the contradiction here? What about Rumari's safety? I'm getting to that explanation, there's a reason why Ureksa was acting so crazy, but before that is revealed we have another important scene to look into, Ureksa's next big appearance.
scene Cleru or Pratty continues learning more about the overall situation in Wystern and while running some errands in Vance, he or she meets Rumari, realizing she's Ureksa's sister. It is in Vance that Ureksa is keeping Tyram prisoner and when Cleru, Pratty and their friends are found near the light house where Tyram is being held, they are taken prisoner as well. Ultimately, another Craftknight, Varil, finds a secret passage which allows them to escape, but the conflict is far from over.
On the roof, Ureksa is cornered by Cleru or Pratty, they fight and after Ureksa is defeated, they are joined by Tyram and the newly arrived Kouren. Ureksa throws their inaction in their face and yells at Tyram for not helping Rumari despite being her lover. Tyram then reveals his research, he had been investigating using the spirit of ice, Kuhyra, who is both the opposite and a part of Parista, to cure Rumari.
scene Everything comes crumbling down when Ureksa realizes the error of his betrayal. He sold Wystern and his friends in an extreme plan even if the Craftlords' apparent lack of action was not what it appeared to be. They had been looking for a solution all along, especially Tyram. If you ask me, they should have kept Ureksa better informed. It all results in a big nervous break down for Ureksa and he jumps right off the building. It is presumed that he dies.
Ureksa's apparent death brings about a twist, Sakuro is angry and wants to speed things along concerning Parista, but I talk about him a little more in the friends page. Surprisingly, Rumari takes it relatively well on the surface. I think she, like her brother, may be the kind of person to keep things bottled up. Rumari knows she has people worried due to her illness and doesn't want to worry them more. The player or Razzy (another Craftknight you can send to give the news) has a hard time giving her the news of Ureksa's death. After some hesitation, Rumari realizes what's going on and takes it as calmly as possible with quiet sorrow.
scene Tyram decides to remain in Vance with Rumari and give back his title of Craftlord of Crystal. I think that Ureksa's supposed death has a lot to do with this. I can imagine Tyram feeling guilty and deciding that he no longer deserves the title. He also wanted to be able to dedicate all his time and attention to Rumari.
This is not the end of Ureksa, the tournament in Wystern continued, as did Lubert's secret business. For another long period of time, Ureksa remained absent, his true fate unknown. It wasn't until after Lubert's defeat and the end of the secret business with Deigleya, that Ureksa made another appearance.
Sanary was another young Craftknight in training from the Silver Guild and also Kouren's younger sister. Proud and afraid to lose, Sanary was consumed by her insecurities and controlled by Parista. After she loses the tournament Parista lures her into the depths of the underground labyrinth and keeps her hostage. Right before the final match of the tournament, Cleru or Pratty runs off to save Sanary from Parista. Making his or her way down to Parista, Ureksa appears again.
scene It is revealed that Ureksa had been manipulated by Parista and it was due to Parista's power that he survived to continue being used. Parista can't really brainwash people at random, that would make it way too easy. It's more about their negative emotions, the darkness, you could say. This reminds me of concepts used in Star Wars and Kingdom Hearts, turn to the darkness and it will consume you. In this case, Parista takes advantage of that to partially control someone, with the level of control growing overtime, slowly overtaking their consciousness.
After his attempt at suicide, he was left weak enough for Parista to really take over. The spirit saved his life to use him to fight. However, Ureksa was defeated again by the protagonist and ultimately freed of Parista's control.
scene From there on, it's up to Cleru or Pratty to forge the special sword from Shintetsu's legacy and fight Parista. That will be done by using the four swords left by Shintetsu and some help from Kuhyra. During the process of preparing everything for that purpose, Rumari and Tyram return to Wystern and are reunited with Ureksa. After Parista's rage is calmed and the summon is sent back home, the last few lose ends are tied. Rumari is freed of her curse and Deigleya goes ahead with its terribly unsuccessful invasion. Though Rumari is cured, no mention of her taking back her Craftlord title is made, thus it is assumed that Ureksa kept it.
Finally, Cleru or Pratty goes off to finish the tournament. Though the competition was a distraction, the title of Craftlord of Iron will still be awarded to the winner. As you might have guessed, the protagonist wins and you get a nice little additional ending scene with whichever of the available characters to hang out with became the best friend or date.
Rumari
scene Parista wasn't always awake; the spirit woke up when the former Craftlord of Jade, Rumari, went too close to it. As a result, Parista cursed Rumari with a constant fever. Shintetsu fought to protect her, but was unable to finish his task of returning Parista to the spirit world; though he did manage to temporarily subdue it.
It was because of that event that Ureksa became the Craftlord of Jade and was consumed with the desire for revenge. Rumari was known as the majestic lancer and continued to carry the name even after she was no longer a Craftlord. She is not shown fighting, but right after Parista is finally sent home, an enemy army from Deigleya invades Wystern. This is not something the main character has to worry about, as the Craftlords drive them away.
scene At that point, only a few soldiers that have snuck into the city remain as their fleet retreats. It is said that Rumari would have been enough to take them all on by herself. At first, they are doubtful of such big words, but when the remaining Deigleya soldiers realize they're talking about Rumari the majestic lancer, they run away in fear. So basically they assure that Rumari can take on an army, thus its safe to say she's very strong and skilled.
This is all the more reason why Ureksa would be angry at Parista. He must have looked up to Rumari a lot. I can imagine him being the younger brother who believes that his big sister is invincible. It seems he wouldn't be the only one to believe that either. However, Rumari has never been a showoff or shown signs of over confidence in any way, even if her reputation precedes her. Ureksa was reminded that she's only human when she got too close to Parista, awakened the summon creature by accident and ended up suffering the consequences.
scene Ureksa's other relatives are not really mentioned, thus it can be concluded that Rumari might be his only living or at least close relative. Their sibling relationship reminds me of Magus and Schala, but I'll get to that point later. The point is that Ureksa was very close to his sister, thus her illness was a harsh blow for him. I can picture him being in denial and it's clear he was never really able to move on, even if Rumari tried to help him do so.
After Rumari got sick, she moved to Vance, a snowy port town near Wystern, so that the cold climate would help her health. As a result of sealing Parista, Shintetsu died, having used his own soul as an ingredient for the swords that sealed the beast. However, his task was not complete, since Parista was not returned to its world.
Angered by the apparent inaction of the Craftlords after the main crisis passed, Ureksa took matters into his own hands. He wanted to avenge Rumari against Parista. Rumari did not wish for revenge and had told Ureksa time and again not to seek it. Her wish was to live peacefully with her brother and boyfriend, Tyram.
Friends
scene We already know Rumari cares about her brother very much, but she's not the only one. Sakuro often states being Ureksa's friend. Sakuro was born in a distant land, but it is not revealed exactly where. He and his parents were ill when they were attacked by robbers and almost killed. Sakuro doesn't reveal much about the events, other than that it was raining, because he was too ill to remember in detail. Shintetsu helped him and in his own words, made him who he is. Sakuro decided to travel with Shintetsu later after this. He mentions that Shintetsu traveled to see what his swords could do. Sakuro wants to travel for that reason too, believing there are also things that only he can do. He wants to travel to his home town and one day return to Wystern. However, he won't leave Wystern until the situation with Parista is resolved.
scene When Lubert bad mouths Ureksa and Cleru or Pratty, depending on who you play as, stands up for him, Sakuro thanks him or her. We see Sakuro taking a somewhat patient attitude for most of the game. He's generally calm and accepting of the fact that the situation must be taken slowly and a panic must be avoided while they find a solution. When Sakuro thinks Ureksa has died, that's too much to take with the same patience as before. From that event on, Sakuro takes a more direct approach to the Parista problem. At that point, the Craftknights, especially Pratty or Cleru, are more aware of the situation.
When it is revealed that Ureksa was kept alive by Parista to be further used, Sakuro is happy to have him back. Fortunately, Ureksa is freed from Parista's control and we see Sakuro smile as he helps his friend get to safety to have his wounds treated. Sakuro's gratitude for the relatively safe return of his friend seemingly from the dead is clear. He also gave me the impression of playing a bit of a big brother role, perhaps inspired by how Shintetsu helped him in the past.
Tyram, Rumari's boyfriend, certainly earned his title of Tyram the calm. Ureksa was convinced that Tyram had accepted Rumari's illness, though he was secretly researching a cure. I think he didn't tell Ureksa right away so as to not make him impatient or get his hopes up too soon, but ultimately the lack of communication was bad. I elaborated on that in the section about Ureksa's story.
scene Tyram also allows Ureksa to capture him and hold him prisoner, which leaves Rumari to worry. Tyram wants to reason with Ureksa, but ever the calm, he mostly sits around locked up until Cleru or Pratty and his or her friends get involved and free him. Then he blurts everything out on the roof and Ureksa goes over the edge, literally. I know Tyram had good intentions but bad timing.
This well intended inaction brings me to my next point. During Cleru or Pratty's meetings with Kouren in Wystern, she speaks of what makes a hero and how people define it differently. She speaks of "the one who turned to darkness" and throws a variety of hints about Ureksa that the player may or may not catch at that point, but are clear upon replaying the game. She knows; Kouren might not know all that's going on, she might not know how far Ureksa would go, but she knows something bad is going on. Cue the lack of communication.
scene I get the impression that the other Craftlords, especially Tyram, Sakuro and Kouren, are trying to protect Ureksa. They're patient with him and they don't show indications of having confronted him off camera, everything points to conclude they didn't. It stands to reason that they may not know the extent of what Ureksa is doing, but it's obvious they have big suspicions, they know enough to take action, but they don't. This is different from catching a criminal in the act, they want Ureksa to take the right path. Thus Cleru or Pratty is set up to be involved in hopes that will make Ureksa realize the error of his ways. The young Craftknight is sent to run some errands with him.
From what I can interpret it's typical denial. Our dear friend, whom we certainly don't want to imagine would sell us out to the enemy, is doing some bad things, but it can't be so bad, it has to be a misunderstanding. What was going on hurt Ureksa's friends, they wanted him to fix it and worried about the repercussions of a more direct confrontation. Unfortunately it was inevitable and by then, all the pressure had piled up too high and took Ureksa down.
Personality
Here are some of Ureksa's major characteristics, explained so you can better understand him.
Strong: He's a Craftlord; he has to be a skilled blacksmith and strong fighter to gain this title. He also faces off against Cleru or Pratty three times, so it's pretty obvious he can fight. As for how he became so strong and skilled, my guess is that Rumari trained him.
scene Brave: As for his strength of will... He endured the pain of betraying his friends for the purpose of revenge. He chased after his goal to save his sister knowing that it would turn him into an enemy of Wystern. He wasn't afraid of becoming a wanted man. He is not a coward, but when it comes down to it, it was falling to the pain of helplessness which caused him to give in to Parista's influence. Courage aside, his strength of will is not unbreakable, more like fragile. However, it was frustration and not fear which affected him most.
Stubborn: Sakuro calls Ureksa stubborn, though not in anger. It is proven to be true in several aspects. Rumari had told Ureksa not to seek revenge, but he did anyway. Even after Cleru or Pratty discovers him plotting with Lubert, Ureksa continues trying to get revenge on Parista. He doesn't back down because he's been seen despite the possible consequences of being exposed as a traitor. He's willing to give everything up for his goal and refuses to let anyone stop him. On the positive side he is determined; on the negative he has trouble accepting his mistakes. It all goes back to the frustration of wanting to help and not being able to accomplish what he would consider enough.
scene Caring: Ureksa can be very caring, especially towards Rumari. Though he did betray his friends, during the lighthouse roof scene when he realized there was another way to help Rumari, he is consumed with guilt. I think this shows he cared about the other Craftlords too, he even called them his "friends" when confessing his traitorous actions.
Grateful: The way Rumari acts towards Ureksa is as if she's trying to take care of him and guide him. I think he's very grateful to her and that's part of what pushes him to try to avenge her. Standing by, watching her suffer from an incurable fever isn't enough. At the end of the game he is clearly regretful of his actions and the trouble he caused his friends. He's grateful to have a second chance and assures that he won't make any more mistakes.
Loyal: This might sound like a contradiction given the fact that he betrayed Wystern, but I'm referring to his extreme loyalty to Rumari. I believe that unconditional loyalty and justice can't go hand in hand. Justice is about doing what's right and loyalty is about sticking by someone's side no matter what, even if they're wrong. A good friend would try to correct the one dear to them, but more so for the benefit of the one who holds the loyalty rather than for the sake of those treated unjustly.
Emotional: While all her friends regretted Rumari's illness, they dealt with the emotional blow in a reasonable way as concluded by the fact that, three years later, they have come to terms with it. Ureksa however, has not. Not only was he deeply affected and unable to move on despite Rumari's efforts, he's also generally rash, as proven by the lighthouse suicide attempt and his lack of hesitation in fighting Cleru or Pratty. Ureksa tends to get caught in the moment, which may seem surprising since he appears to be otherwise relatively quiet. It all goes back to the aspect of bottled up emotions.
scene Insecure: He is the new Craftlord of Jade, taking the position that belonged to the well respected "majestic lancer." Ureksa also seems to question what he is capable of doing for Rumari. I think he concluded that just showing his support wasn't enough. In the light house roof scene, he tried to commit suicide as if he was sure his friends wouldn't forgive him, or rather he didn't deserve to be forgiven. However, after he is discovered alive and knocked to his senses for good, they do forgive him and he finally seems to understand that his friends truly care about him.
Ureksa is most likely the newest Craftlord, not counting Cleru or Pratty, who gain the title at the end of the game. Many of the other Craftlords have quite the background to compare to. Sakuro apprenticed with Shintetsu, who is recognized as a hero. Rondeau has experience and wisdom on his side. Kouren seems to project confidence and determination despite the situation. All of that must have fueled Ureksa's insecurity. Their misinterpreted attempt to protect him further added to the feeling of helplessness, as discussed in the friends page. Doubting his capabilities also fueled his frustration, which made Ureksa vulnerable to Parista.
Thoughts
Ureksa can be a complex character to define. He's not really evil, though he does some things that make him the antagonist. He joins the traitor, Lubert, in trading with Deigleya, helping the plan to invade Wystern. However, his real plan is even more dangerous, it involves unleashing Parista and forcing the world to fight it off until it is eventually defeated, or the world destroyed, but he's not considering that second aspect. It is very likely that Wystern would be the first to be swept away in the chaos, since that's where Parista is imprisoned and that's the city Parista hates the most. Ureksa believes his plan will help him avenge his sister, Rumari, who was cursed by Parista. He goes against her wishes, since she had told him not to seek revenge, but seems convinced that it is for her good.
scene In this game you can choose to play as Cleru or Pratty and you get one choice out of four summon beasts to be your character's companion. One of those summons is Rasho, who is very direct and honest with his opinions, but also insightful. He says that Ureksa couldn't stand that Rumari didn't expect anything from him.
This is not really a fact, rather the perception of one of the characters. I think Rumari did expect great things from Ureksa as a Craftlord and sibling, but she didn't want him to put himself in harm's way for the sake of revenge. Putting Rasho's words into context from Ureksa's point of view, he's got a good point. Ureksa might have felt that his sister wasn't counting on him, or thought she couldn't count on him. It's obvious he cared about her a lot and wanted to help her.
scene Ureksa is calm on the surface but he feels the pressure. Even after her illness, Rumari was still known as the majestic lancer who can take on an army and by earning the title of Craftlord of Jade, Ureksa had a big role to fulfill. He tried to do more for Rumari than she wanted him to do. The way the other Craftlords took a gentle approach with Ureksa might have made him feel more frustrated, which fed his "darkness" (negative emotions), thus leaving him exposed to be influenced by Parista.
Basically, we have a good guy, who can be a stubborn overachiever, which makes him end up as an antagonist. He wants to help out and might feel that what he is doing is "too little" even if he's told otherwise, thus going to the extremes. He keeps his emotions bottled up and when the pressure builds up beyond what he can contain, the out burst is big.
scene In the end, it looks like Ureksa learned to be a little more perceptive and realize that he is appreciated, seeing how his friends stood by him after all the trouble he caused. I think his promise of not making any more mistakes means that he'll probably be a little more open in the future and stronger against any possible insecurities that may arise.
If we take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) approach, I think Ureksa would be INFJ: Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Judging. He generally keeps to himself and comes up with his own interpretations of situations, though they may not always be entirely accurate. He can get ahead of himself without properly gathering all the facts and he's definitely very emotional. Ureksa is very goal oriented and can focus on his primary objective to a fault.
Pouso
Ureksa's main weapon is a spear. He is a Craftlord, a title which, as proven by the tournament, cannot simply be inherited, but must be earned. It's easy to see that he would want to defend his sister's title. How exactly Ureksa was named Craftlord is not explained, but he certainly has the skills for it.
scene Craftknights often employ summoners in having them call a summon beast. Those summon beasts are certainly not as big and powerful as Parista and they can be sent back to their world any time. After the initial summoning is complete, the Craftknight no longer needs the assistance of a summoner, instead, a summonite gem is used to call the summon beast in the future. There are also stray summons in dungeons that possibly wondered into the world without being called.
Most Craftknights call their summon beast companion when needed, though the summons can remain in the world indefinitely. Ureksa calls out his summon beast, Pouso, when he fights. Pouso is a little yellow ghost, reminiscent of the Boos from Mario. The creature wears a big purple pointy hat with a yellow star on the front and a yellow ball at the end. Its element is wind.
scene The summoning contract is nothing complicated, though Parista is a big exception and its summoning wasn't really explained. Basically, a summon beast enters a contract by answering the first summoning. The summoner usually asks a few questions about the Craftknight's preferences to know what kind of summon would best fit the Craftknight. The real key however, is using a special item from the Craftknight as part of the summoning.
If I were to take a guess, I would say Ureksa might have used his pendant. The pendant is a third, like a puzzle piece, three pendants can be united. Rumari and Tyram have the other pieces. However, Ureksa might not have had the pendant at the time of the first summoning so this is just a theory. I think the figure of a ghost fits Ureksa well. He can be sneaky and secretive and he seems to have a hard time letting things go. That is to say that the "ghosts" of the past haunt him, metaphorically speaking.
scene As for the element of wind, it has been associated with many characters and myths before. For example, in Magic Knight Rayearth, Fuu had the wind element and a predominant color of green. Green also represents the wind element in Summon Night.
I looked into mythology to see what the element of wind or air represented. I didn't find any mythological beings with a resemblance to Ureksa or Pouso, but I found that the ancient Greeks associated the element of air with intelligence and the soul. Ureksa does prove to be quite intelligent and cunning, tricking Lubert into thinking he was playing double agent for Deigleya too, though he had his own plans. He also keeps his suspicions of betrayal to a minimum from the general civilian public. The part of the soul links to Pouso's form as a ghost. A ghost is said to be a wandering soul with unfinished business, which relates to how Ureksa couldn't let go of his vengeance against Parista.
Staying with the theme of mythology, air is associated with the sanguine temperament of the four humors, the personality kind, not the funny kind. It is said that this personality is extroverted, which doesn't really fit Ureksa. As a Craftlord he can deal with a crowd and give speeches if needed, but mostly he keeps things bottled up until they explode and he takes rash actions. It is said that they day dream and can be compassionate. Ureksa's compassion is evident in his quest to help Rumari, but the fact must also be considered that he did betray Wystern and his friends for that purpose.
scene As for the day dreaming part, he's not spacey or distracted, but when he mentions being Rumari's hero I can't help it but to think of Seifer and his quest to be the sorceress' knight in Final Fantasy VIII. Perhaps the day dreaming part can be attributed to an "I have no choice" train of thought. That could serve as a sort of denial or consolation to justify Ureksa's actions, at least until he realizes that there was a better way and his logic crumbles.
Following the entire sanguine rant, I mean totally serious analysis, it is said that these people cease an activity when it stops being fun. That sounds more like me than Ureksa, though I'm not social and hate crowds, but let's get back on topic. One thing that does sound like Ureksa is that the sanguine tend to be life long friends. We see this in how the Craftlords are patient with him and forgive him for what he did under Parista's influence.
Jade
scene Ureksa is the Craftlord of Jade does it fit him? Let's see, going back to the topic of air for a moment, we find that air is associated with libra, gemini and aquarious... What? Aquarious isn't water? I'm not a mythology or astrology expert, so let's go with it.
scene The personality traits associated with them are varied. Kind and intelligent, we discussed this already. Communicative, now there's an Irony. Lack of communication ultimately resulted in Ureksa's near death, but that is further discussed in the story and friends pages.
Interesting, it also says they can be cold, superficial and vicious. I would say that Ureksa had to turn a little cold in certain aspects to fulfill his plans. He sold off Wystern to Deigleya for vengeance because he wanted to be Rumari's hero, but at the same time he betrayed his friends.
scene The aspect of being superficial can't really be applied in a vain way, but if we interpret it as not seeing past the surface in terms of intentions and consequences then it fits Ureksa well. He didn't notice the Craftlords' subtle efforts to help and didn't understand Rumari's wish for him to stop persuing vengeance or the true consequences of his actions. As for vicious, in battle with a spear, it fits, if only there.
scene So what's up with the astrology in the jade page? Birthstones of course! Jade is the birthstone of March in the mystical list of birthstones, but isn't mentioned on the other lists. The astrological sign pisces goes from February 20 to March 20. It's a water sign, no connection to wind. It is ever changing and constantly adapting to its mood, that part at least fits Ureksa, he seemed rather moody to me. This was probably a result of the tension of betraying Wystern and wondering if he was doing what he should. Aries goes from March 21 to April 20, this one is associated with fire and an extrovert, which Ureksa is not.
Jades are most commonly green, albeit they also less frequently appear in other colors such as gray. I'm not going into their composition because really, that's too much chemistry or mineralogy or something. It fits with Ureksa's element being wind, which is represented by the color green in this game and in several other games and series.
scene It is said that jades have been known to humans for many years, approximately 7,000. Back then, jade was used to make weapons as it is a strong material. This fits with it being the gem of a Craftlord, a master weapons maker. This doesn't mean Ureksa's spears have to be made of jade, but I can imagine there being some jade on them, especially since the blade part of the spear is very similar in color to the aforementioned gem. Thus in theory, the result of the alchemic formula used to make some of Ureksa's main spears may result in jade.
As a random piece of extra information, the word "jade" was sometimes used to refer to two different stones, nephrite and jadeite. It all went back to Sailor Moon from there and that was the end of my investigation. Jade is also the name of a Mortal Kombat character, but that's random.
Epic Hero
scene The official hero and protagonist of this game is Cleru or Pratty, who ever you choose to play as. Aside from some difference in their dialogue to fit their good boy and gutsy girl personalities respectively, they ultimately follow the same journey, facing the same trials and learning the same lessons along the way. If we look at the story of other characters, like for example Sakuro, we can find events related to their own epic hero journey.
What about the antagonist? The hero who is "honored by no one because he turned to the darkness for someone he believes in." He who "is still a hero to Rumari." The one who claims that "great deeds do not make a hero. It is what they lived and then died for." What about this dark hero? (And I don't mean Axel from Disgaea 2.) Here I will try to follow Ureksa's journey in the architecture of the epic hero monomyth.
The classic epic triad is composed of the hero, a benign force and the sage or guide. Yet this is an antagonist we're talking about, so the opposite version of the triad would be something along the lines of the antagonist (Ureksa), a malignant force (Parista) and the traitor (Lubert). Ureksa is the main subject of the journey we're examining. Parista is the main driving force that pushes him along and Lubert serves as a guide and example towards betrayal.
Journey
Departure
Call to Adventure
Refusal of the Call
Supernatural Aid
Crossing the First Threshold
Belly of the Whale
Initiation
Road of Trials
Meeting with the Goddess
Woman as Temptress
Atonement with the Father
Apotheosis
Ultimate Boon
Return
Refusal to Return
The Magic Flight
Rescue from Without
Crossing of the Return Threshold
Master of Two Worlds
Freedom to Live
Types
Traits
Mysterious birth
Missing childhood
Identity in question
Betrayal
Tragic flaw
Death at the hands of evil
Resurrection myth
Special powers
Archetypes
Innocents
Family
Sidekick
Dreamer
Fool
Sage
Warrior
Nemesis
Traitor
Rebel
Nightmare Creature
Shipping
scene Ah yes, the shipping page. I almost forgot to write this because really, the site felt complete without it. Let's face it, Ureksa doesn't have time for lovey-dovey stuff in his quest for vengeance. He's not one of the datable characters in the game and I don't really ship him with anyone. Even so, I'll come up with something to fill this page for your amusement.
How about possible pairings, even if they're not even hinted at? Kouren, the elegant Craftlord of Ruby appears to still have feelings for Shintetsu, whom she was in love with, despite him having married Amariss and being dead for the past three years. She's no home-wrecker, it's more of a quiet secret that her entire inner circle knows about, but she knows she cannot act upon it all things considered. She let her feelings be and respected the feelings of others, while allowing her heart to take its time to heal.
scene Kouren shows understanding when it comes to seeing Ureksa's side of the story. She wouldn't act like he did in his shoes, but she knows where he's coming from. Her ability to keep a clear head and put her duty before her feelings, as it is at times needed from a Craftlord, would balance Ureksa. Being a big sister herself, she can probably relate to Rumari and better understand Ureksa, as his sister is such a big influence in his life.
Let's not forget what kind of men Kouren likes. With Shintetsu as the only fact to go by, she likes them reliable, dedicated and capable of making sacrifices for the greater good. While Ureksa can be reliable, he can get carried away with his emotions and miss the bigger picture. Kouren's understanding yet rational and collected personality might be exactly what Ureksa needs. However, while I can picture them being good friends, I don't think he's Kouren's type. She would probably spend more time trying to deal with his emotions than her own. He would also have a long way to go if he wanted to impress her, as it appears to be no easy task.
scene Pratty, one of the possible protagonists, comes to understand Ureksa's side of the story while still admitting that his methods were wrong. Yet once again, I can only see them as friends and they really don't hint at anything else. The chemistry between Pratty and Varil make them one of my favorite pairings in the game. Pratty and Varil are also one of the few clearly hinted pairings.
Although Pratty has other dating options, she doesn't openly call any of them her boyfriend in any of the possible game events, nor do any of the others sprout cheesy quotes along the lines of "with you by my side" after going through a rivalry and love-hate relationship that blossomed into a mutual crush. Besides, the Romeo and Juliet aspect is too amusing, given that they are from rival guilds. "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Wystern, where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny..." I elaborate more about that in my PrattyxVaril mini-site: Star-crossed.
scene All that aside, personality-wise, Pratty is cheerful and energetic. She holds a great admiration for her late father, which Ureksa could relate to. However, Pratty is much less prone to take extreme measures and is generally tolerant. She is also very understanding, which would fit well with Ureksa. Albeit she gives me the impression of craving a challenge; to be with someone who can also be her rival in terms of being a Craftknight. As for Ureksa, he has the skill, but I can picture him preferring a calmer relationship.
scene
What other possibilities are there? Sugar? She's head over heels for Cleru (if you play as him and summon her at least). I elaborate more on that in my CleruxSugar site Destiny Eve. Anyway, I don't think Ureksa would see a summon that way. He probably wants to stick with the human species, no matter how much a summon looks like a human. Razzy? Too young, no interest on either part... And overprotective uncle Bron might have something to say, or shout... or stab. Shintetsu's widow, Amariss? She's got Bron and his obvious huge crush to deal with. Furthermore, she would probably treat Ureksa as her child.
Sanary? She's not too fond of men in general, though with the right sequence of events Cleru could change her mind, he's better off sticking to Sugar and her hilarious flirting. I don't think Ureksa could deal with Sanary's antics. Her mood swings are much more frequent than his, which would make them ultimately clash.
In conclusion, though I don't ship them, UreksaxKouren and, with an extra dose of creativity, UreksaxPratty could work out in fanfiction. The one who comes the closest I think is Kouren, but that's still a stretch. I don't really ship them, but I think KourenxSakuro could work. I believe that if anyone can make her get over Shintetsu it's Sakuro, who happens to share some common traits with him. Sakuro is more level headed than Ureksa and generally capable of making people open up to him. Either way, honestly, I like Ureksa's lack of interest in romance. There's a lot more to life than that and there's no need to rush it.
Comparisons
scene Here we have some information about characters that are similar to Ureksa. This should help you understand Ureksa better with the comparison. All the descriptions fit Ureksa and someone else. Try to guess who the other character is before viewing the page.
Once upon a time, in a story told in a video game, there was a man who cared for his sister very much. The sister held an important position and was respected by many. One day, after an encounter with a powerful creature from a different world, a disaster befell the sister. The man succumbed to darkness and kept a strong wish to avenge his sister. He sided with an army that opposed the protagonists and caused a lot of trouble. After the truth about him was openly revealed to the protagonists, there was a moment when the man came close to death. However, he survived and eventually joined the side of the protagonists. The creature that had harmed his sister was set on destroying their world, thus the protagonist set out to face the being in a final battle to save the world.
Take a guess...
scene Once upon a time, in a story told in a video game, there was a man with a sister whose hair was the color of gold. The man cared for his sister very much and held a grudge against the one he thought had made her suffer. After disaster struck, the siblings moved away from their home to live in a new place. Though the sister had tried to move on with her life, the brother was unable to let go of his anger. The man pretended to join an enemy army for his own purposes and attempted to use the power of a mighty creature for revenge. He later discovered that things where not entirely the way he thought they were and he was willing to pay for his mistakes with his life.
Guess again...
scene Once upon a time, there was a man skilled in battle, who trained to hold a title that involved protecting others. There came a day when the safety of a lady who was dear to the man was severely threatened. The man was manipulated by the enemy with his wish to protect her, giving in to his inner darkness. As a result, he betrayed his comrades and did things that the lady strongly disapproved of. Albeit later, he was able to find some redemption.
Once upon a time, in a story told in a video game, there was a person with an older sibling that was admired by many. The older siblings' skill and ability was widely recognized and the younger sibling looked up to that example. The older sibling held a position that involved protecting others and the younger one followed in those footsteps. However, the older sibling was much more relaxed than the younger one, who often tried a little too hard and that brought abundant stress.
Who are they?
Magus
scene This page has spoilers for Chrono Trigger. It is clear in the games that both Ureksa and Magus cared for their sisters, Rumari and Schala respectively. Rumari became ill after her encounter with Parista and Schala disappeared, presumably remaining trapped with Lavos, a monstrous creature that came from the unknown depths of space. There's more information about her fate in Chrono Cross, but I'm not getting into that. Chrono Trigger is one of my top favorite video games, but I didn't like the sequel. Back in topic, Parista is a creature that came from Sapureth; both creatures are ancient and came from a "different world." They are also both associated with fire, since Parista is known as the spirit of fire and Ayla explains that "la" means fire and "vos" means big.
scene Ureksa, the Craftlord of Jade, turned to the darkness, seeking vengeance on Parista and plotting to betray Wystern to that end. Magus, who was originally known as Janus, changed even more drastically becoming angry and bitter. Ureksa sided with Lubert, who was working for Deigleya. Janus, still a young child, was thrown by Lavos into a different time period where the mystics (imp-like creatures) were having a war against the humans. He had no choice but to side with Ozzie, the mystic leader, eventually becoming Magus, the new leader of the mystics. Ureksa didn't have much of a choice either, since he fell into Parista's mind control after giving in to his anger. In a sense, both have been "controlled" by their respective creatures from another world, they could have broken free, but didn't due to seeking revenge.
When Ureksa was confronted about his actions, he jumped off the top of a building and was assumed to have died. When the Chrono Trigger protagonists time travel and witness the events that doomed young Janus, Magus encounters them asking if they want to fight, but doesn't seem to have very strong intentions of actually winning. If you do fight him, he's pretty easy to beat in comparison to past battles. In Ureksa's case, his wrong doings were thrown in his face and proven to have been useless, as there could have been other alternatives to approach the situation. Magus had to relive the fateful day that ruined his life via time travel and though he tried to change it, he was unable to do so. They both had their worse nightmares thrown at them and exposed.
Eventually, it is revealed that Ureksa survived the fall due to Parista keeping him alive to use him. For Magus, the player gets the choice to fight him or not. The player can kill Magus or have him join the side of the protagonists, which is generally recognized as canon. Ureksa later apologizes and strives to make up for his betrayal. Magus had no previous connection to the other playable characters, aside from being an enemy to Frog, thus he never really becomes friends with them. Ureksa had previously been friends with the other Craftlords, though not so much the protagonist. Even so, traveling with the main group is beneficial for Magus since they all seek to defeat Lavos, while the main good guys of Summon Night are also trying to defeat Parista.
Both Ureksa and Magus have some sort of important title, with Ureksa being the Craftlord of Jade (one of the seven most powerful Craftknights in Wystern) and Magus being considered their king by the mystics, previously the prince of Zeal. Physically, Ureksa and Magus are nothing alike, but if you want to stretch things there are a few other facts that can be mentioned. Ureksa's summon beast, Pouso, looks like a yellow ghost and Magus' weapon is a scythe which is generally associated with the reaper and death.
You can also compare scythes and spears, though scythes are not available to be crafted in Summon Night, they are both weapons that have a long handle and a sharp part at the end. Pouso's primary element is wind and Janus has a well known line that goes "the black wind howls", which he speaks to express his premonition that someone will soon die. Albeit Ureksa's main line is a sarcastic "look it up in the dictionary" when people express confusion about something he half-revealed or hinted at. Both characters are generally more aware of the hidden truth of the situation in comparison to the protagonists for most of the game.
scene Rumari and Schala are also similar. They both care about their respective brothers and they have similar personalities. They are caring, patient, polite and elegant. Both are generally not violent, but they both carry immense power, Rumari with a spear and Schala with magic. Both protected the protagonists and their brothers, Schala teleported them away from Lavos, which they were unable to defeat during Zeal's collapse, and Rumari defended Wystern against the Deigleyan invasion.
scene They were well known during their time of prosperity and carried important titles, Schala was the princess of the Zeal Kingdom and Rumari, also known as the majestic lancer, was the Craftlord of Jade before becoming ill. Even then, her skill with a spear was still great and the other Craftlords mentioned that she is "the most formidable one". Schala also still had powerful magic after the Lavos disaster, despite her fate. Both of them lost their titles when Zeal was destroyed by Lavos and after Parista was temporarily resealed.
Rumari and Schala were unintentionally responsible for their respective catastrophes. Rumari accidentally awoke Parista after getting too close to it in the labyrinth below Wystern. Schala contributed to awakening Lavos, which had previously buried itself deep underground, because she was the one powering a machine used to extract energy from it, at the order of Queen Zeal. To power the machine, Schala chanted and used a magic pendant, Rumari also has a special pendant, though it is not magical, it is made of a special material, which is later used to forge a powerful weapon to fight against Parista. In Chrono Trigger the material of the Masamune is also compared to that of Schala's pendant, thus both pendants are somehow related to swords.
scene Schala only has one pendant and the other one present is the same one, existing simultaneously due to time travel. In Rumari's case there are three pendants, she has one of them and the other two belong to her brother, Ureksa, and her boyfriend, Tyram. Even if it's not a pendant, Magus has an amulet that he got from Schala as Janus, which he kept for all those years, thus both brothers have a special something that reminds them of their sisters.
In the end, Ureksa comes to his senses and joins the side of good again, being forgiven by his friends. Magus' fate is a mystery with him disappearing to search for Schala. In an extra ending of one of the game's remakes, he is left to start over with amnesia, knowing nothing more than that he was searching for something important. In the Japan only Radical Dreamers, there is a mysterious wizard who some theorize is Magus in disguise, by a new name. Magus' fate is mostly unknown, but it doesn't look like he ever fought against the protagonists again.
Chester
I'm going to spoil the plot and ending of Ys: The Oath in Felghana in this page. Chester Stoddart was a descendant of Genos, who vanquished the evil Galbalan many generations ago. Galbalan was split into four pieces and trapped in statues, which were hidden throughout the land of Felghana. One day, his home of Genos Island was massacred by a mad man seeking to release Galbalan. Still children at the time, Chester and his sister, Elena, were the only survivors.
scene Years passed and Chester became a knight, working for Lord McGuire, the man he believed to have ordered the massacre, with revenge as his goal. When Elena found out, she opposed the idea, as Chester intended to use the power of Galbalan for vengeance. That would inevitably involve innocents, though he didn't intend to go as far as freeing the monster. Later, Chester realized he was being used and regretted his actions. In the end, he sacrificed himself to permanently defeat Galbalan.
Chester was from Genos Island and Wystern is kind of an island, albeit an artificial one, being a tower in the sea. Ureksa and Chester both have positions that carry certain duties: Craftlord of Jade and descendant of Genos, tasked with making sure Galbalan didn't escape. They pretended to work with Lubert and McGuire respectively, both of which turned out to be more so pawns than masterminds. They were willing to attack their friends and allies for the sake of revenge, with Ureksa imprisoning Tyram and Chester injuring his childhood friend Dogi. They suffered because of the influence, direct or indirect, of a powerful creature that was somehow trapped and tried to use that power for vengeance later. They both fight the main character, Adol and Cleru or Pratty respectively, several times during the game.
scene Chester and Ureksa have look-alike sisters whom they care about very much, though Elena is younger than Chester and Rumari older than Ureksa. Rumari and Elena tried to stop their respective brothers from pursuing revenge. We know Chester and Elena lost their parents, as for Rumari and Ureksa, it's pure speculation, but maybe they did too, since they were never mentioned. Also, the way Ureksa acts towards Rumari hints that she might have had a role in raising him beyond that of a sister.
Ureksa tried to commit suicide when he was consumed by guilt. Chester sacrificed himself to permanently defeat Galbalan. They were both driven by the wish to protect their sisters while carrying their guilt. Albeit