018 | Season Spirits

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Season spirits and spooky things
When: IC August 1-15
Where: The Near Shore and Far Shore
Summary: It's the time for spirits to get a bit more 'lively'.



August is a spiritual season in Japan with many people preparing for the Obon festival but many others get into the spirit in another way. All across Japan, people have begun to share their favorite summer ghost stories. Movie theaters advertise the hottest horror flick of the season, teenagers challenge each other to do trials of courage, haunted houses begin to pop up, and it feels like you can't change the channel without switching to some ghost hunting urban legend special. All of this talk about spirits comes at a cost, though.

July comes and passes easily enough but it's almost as if as soon as August begins, so do the incidents. There's an increase in spiritual activity and shenanigans on both shores. Some of them are harmless spooks but others are much more sinister. Arm yourselves with all of the ofuda and omamori you can find and get out there and restore peace!



Possessed Possessions

Inhabitants of the Far Shore may awaken to find their sheets trying to strangle them and shoes stomping on the floor around them. Others may go about their day and find out their teapots suddenly only serve lukewarm tea or their weapons are trying to take swings at them. They're just playful spirits that will abandon their hosts if you shove any ofuda/omamori at them or yell loudly enough. They aren't malicious spirits... they were only just trying to have some fun.

Spirited Festivals

There's a festival every weekend and some of them have set up haunted houses for patrons to visit. You have your standard haunted house thrills... costume make up, jump scares, special effects smoke, the usual! But it looks like some real ghosts have made themselves at home here. Visitors are going in and emerging hours later absolutely traumatized. It looks like once you enter, the real spirits walk you around in circles and give you real scares. There are some spirits here just to have fun thrills and these are spirits that can be chased away with regular ofuda. But it looks like the more violent ones are actually ayakashi out for vengeance. Be careful in there!

Cursed Charms

There sure are some weird trends out there, huh? The latest one is buying cursed trinkets off the internet and passing them off as gifts to unsuspecting victims whether it be to prank a friend or get revenge on an enemy. Cursed mirrors, dolls, fake ofuda, VHS tapes, and so on are being passed around the Near Shore and spreading all sorts of curses.

• Bad luck. As long as you're in possession of the cursed item, you'll be followed by bad luck to varying degrees depending on the quality of the charm.
• Fear. Holding onto this charm results in intense, crippling fear. The fear can manifest as an intense paranoia at all times or being frozen with fear in the face of danger. Some say you can even die of fright...
• Sickness. This charm is pretty straightforward. Having this charm just makes you feel incredibly under the weather and your health will worsen the longer you have the charm.
• Evil. Holding onto this charm results in you being followed attracting evil instead of warding it. Suddenly, you feel as though you are always being followed, as if something is stalking you and clearly out to get you. You begin to run into smaller ayakashi at first but they keep growing in strength and number until you can't fight anymore.
• Bad romance. Someone's meddled with a romance charm so it ends relationships instead of making them! People stuck with this charm are suddenly hyper aware of the faults of others. Everything gets on your nerves and you can't stand being around that person because they're just that annoying. It doesn't just work on couples! It also works on friends and relatives too.
• Bears? An oddly specific curse. It looks like someone has taken a protection from bears charm and made it so now you attract bears where ever you go. Some of them are nice but others...

You can try to destroy the charms but you will find that unless you have purification powers or rend it, the effects last. It looks like most people have been able to shake off the effects by simply disposing of them at temples and buying another charm to counter the effects.

Haunting Hour

There are reports of violent attacks at night-- people being pulled into alleys and attacked, school children being chased by slashers while walking home from school, homes being broken into-- and all of it is done without a single clue left behind to explain who did it. People are warned to be careful at night and as the sun begins to set, something happens. The hour between sunset and dark is supposed to be the scariest hour them all. At this time, the shadows are suspiciously bigger and darker and you constantly see things just out of the corner of your eye. Suddenly, the wind blows cold and there's a rotten smell in the air like blood. It's Oumagatoki, the hour evil spirits meet. Small time ayakashi and spirits on the verge of becoming ayakashi spill into the streets and begin to terrorize others. Protect the people of the Near Shore and watch your own backs.*

* These are just generic ayakashi! Nothing special, nothing specific. Feel free to make up and NPC your own two-bit ayakashi.

THEN WHO WAS PHONE?

In the evening, everyone will receive a set of coordinates and a message from an Anonymous sender,

I want to talk about the
mysterious things that have been happening
lately.
OF course, i
NEED
EVERYONE to come. so don't be
late! see
yoU.
:)

Everyone receives it and there is no way to track where the message came from. If you follow the directions, you'll arrive at a small temple on the outskirts of a city. A sacred fire is lit on the grounds for people to dispose of any cursed or old charms they may have collected. Hang around a bit and it'll become obvious that no one knows who has gathered all of you here tonight. The only ones around are gods and shinki. It doesn't look like any evil spirits are around so other than being invited to the middle of no where at night... there's nothing to worry about. If you wait around, nothing will happen. So while you're here, you might as well discuss the strange happenings! Or tell ghost stories around the fire.

Wildcard

Choose your own adventure! Feel free to make up your own prompts. Ronald Knox's player (diehardreaper) has offered up their temple as a test of courage in the Far Shore for those who want to try their luck. Check out their description under the Baron's manor.

In Summary:

• Beat the heat by feeling a scary chill
• Deal with cursed and spirit-imbued items
• Keep the Near Shore people safe
• Chat about your scary encounters
• Have fun~

Comments

[mermaiding]

[She looks a tad skeptical of that; granted, she doesn't like personally being scared, but watching others react (or overreact) to fear was pretty funny.]

Hmm. [The hallway doesn't have someone jumping out from around a corner or anything, but there was barred 'windows' set up, so Gojyo's is mostly correct in his instincts as someone slams their hands against the bars and yells out as they attempt to pass.

Oona screams immediately and jumps closer to Gojyo, eyes wide in panic and then narrowing in anger at being so frightened to begin with] Aargh, go away! [That'll work. She turns to Gojyo with a whine] Come on, come on! Let us get out quick!

[thevanguard]

I don't need protecting!

[ Despite anyone else Shouhei might have been coming here with, Yata might be freaking out a little, watching around him with a clearly suspicious expression, as if waiting for something terrible to pop out and jump them. ]

This is a terrible idea.

[letteropener]

Not everypony would be so calm about it, though. [She turns her attention to the little bear, ducking down to offer it gentle murmured reassurances and kindness. She has been doing this sort of thing for a long time, and it shows.]

Poor thing. These charms are downright cruel, I think.

[thevanguard]

I don't think the big one cares about that.

[thevanguard]

Sh-shut up! No one's actually a fan of ghosts!

[letteropener]

Stealing a crown off a Princess's forehead is not bad? [She addresses him with bemusement in her voice even as her firm gaze never wavers from the crown.] I certainly don't need it, but toying with others' things without so much as a breath of permission is not good behavior.

[letteropener]

I find boredom in long ceremonies and pointlessly formal occasions, not in learning.

[letteropener]

Oh, it will surely hit me, but I have a great number of resources at my disposal to handle it. [She plucks the charm out of his hand with her telekinesis before he can protest or pull it back, all smiles.] Aside from my magic, I have a natural affinity with animals.

[letteropener]

[She has her guard and her own resolve deliberately turned very far down indeed. Entertainment like this is best if you allow yourself to be scared and thrilled, after all.]

It feels so out of season -- this is nowhere near when Nightmare Night would be in Equestria. I wonder what they're commemorating now?

[But wondering isn't going to stop her from advancing into the next room, looking around eagerly for her next scare.]

no one understands his pain

[koshien]

[ the WORST tbh.

but, hey, mei's totally fine with playing up his man flu. he does actually look like garbage, all things considered--especially since he'd been yelling earlier this morning about the stupid ghost that took his pants, clearly something new is up.

as sanada frees up his arms, mei leans all the way into him, shoulder pressing against his arm. grumpily, he mutters: ] Too dizzy. [ because the entire world is spinning right now, and mei would like off of this ride, please.

thank you for being a useful shinki, sanada ]

[koshien]

[ temple...? temple. he points in the direction of the cliffs--in the distance, you can see a set of white marble stairs leading a long way up. ]

That way. [ you just had to have the fancy temple on top of the mountain huh ]

[mithrarin]

[Apparently it is. Not like Dust knows!]

[His idea, so he buys the tickets, earning them entrance into the dark and forbidding entrance hallways of the dramatically dusty and cobwebbed mansion. Lights glitter in the corner of their eyes, and something in the corner moves slowly.]

[koshien]

[ he does snatch the envelope out of her hands rather rudely, but mei's kindness meter has already hit its maximum today, and he jams his fingers underneath the fold to open it. ]

What's this supposed to be? [ is this an irl letter of challenge ]

[koshien]

[ whoa, that's pretty smart. he blinks at her, then takes his hands out to take the clothespins. they are a little heavy, sure enough. ]

...thanks. [ a pause as he sets them up in the pockets. ] Did you make these?

[mithrarin]

[Not that Dust is qualified to offer an opinion, but he's pretty sure most people would disagree with that sentiment.]

I'm good at handling things I can hit with a sword. [Honest truth; Dust knows his own strength and has no lack of confidence when it comes to being a warrior, but...] You need anything? I think I saw some people bringing food and stuff.

[thevanguard]

No.

[ His voice is low and firm and he glances over at Eric, meeting his gaze. There's a fierce light in his eyes, a temper simmering beneath the surface, and even he doesn't entirely understand where it's stemming from. He barely knows this guy, and yet... ]

But that doesn't mean I don't want to bash in the face of whoever was responsible.

[mithrarin]

[She might be underestimating his hearing just a bit -- what with his ears being more animal-like. At her statements, he hesitates briefly... then mentally shrugs. Her statement is factually correct and nothing in here will actually endanger her, so if she is legitimately afraid, maybe going in will help her?]

[She'd agreed to it, after all. He isn't forcing her, wouldn't. So he'll just take the lead, stepping through the tattered cloth that separates the inside of the house from the outside, and into the darkness past.]

[koshien]

They can get restless somewhere else. [ as a god, he's probably able to..do something?? about this?? but mei's too pissed off to care, really, as he investigates his formerly haunted baseball pants for any sort of spiritual presence.

they just look like normal pants... god, this is a stupid morning. he should probably say thank you, but considering he's...y'know, mei, that's definitely not happening. ] Why aren't your clothes haunted?

[welcome_home]

Yeah! He's really friendly!

[ Nanako doesn;t seem to think anything's strange about that.

Although his movement catches her eye and she peers in the same direction. ]

What's wrong?

[nibelungvalesti]

Souls matter.

[Shun pretty much has the right of it, though; being partnered with only a soulless shinki is no good development for the Valkyrie.]

As does destroying ayakashi, which I may now accomplish without reservation.

[sweetdeath]

I guess it is just a surprise party.

[That thought's taking care of the last bit of his nervousness. If it is just meant to get everyone to hang out together... that's pretty nice! And aside from the natural creepiness of being out in the woods at night with a fire, he can't sense anything dangerous around here.

He's not always the best at spotting those auras, but it's something.]

[sweetdeath]

Hers is over by Mt. Fuji. It's kind of a long way.

[He admits, visibly embarrassed:] Uh, I've been using Inari's to go back and forth, and I don't think anybody minds....

But there's usually at least one priest at his?

[sweetdeath]

[When the only other choice is not to trust your instincts, and to be completely helpless, it's easier to go with it.

Scary, sometimes, but easier. Tsuzuki grins at him, trying to look brave instead of spooked, and strides rapidly off towards his assigned side of the fire.

Nothing blows up, or looks spookier than a charm, and in fifteen minutes he's back at their meeting spot looking significantly more relaxed. He's playing with a little stuffed teddy-bear phone charm someone had left on a rock; it's pretty cute. Maybe Sakura'll like it, if he can't find who it belongs to.]

[revolutionfalcon]

So you should be more offended about this than me. [While Shun is unsettled by soulless shinki, he also doesn't have a particular understanding of people without souls, since usually in his world they both vanish at once. If Lenneth is familiar with that kind of existence, she should have more of an issue here.]

If you're decent to your shinki and they're not an idiot, you can do that anyway.

[revolutionfalcon]

[While Shun continues eying him off as he stands up, once Hakkai gets upright with no apparent ill effects for the moment, he simply turns his head and closes the first aid box.]

Best idea I've ever heard out of you. [It's not said with any particular negativity - it's put more like a neutral observation, despite the words. With that, though, he's just going to sweep back up the hall to return the box to the library.]