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

Maria Cadenzavna Eve | OTA

[declamando]

[A: Possessions, August 1st-3rd]

[It's really quite something waking up to see one of your dresses dancing and twirling like it's having the time of its life in the middle of your room. Maria's waking call on the first day of the haunting season is exactly that, and it only keeps happening the next few days, various skirts and shirts and dresses carrying themselves away to drape themselves out over an awkward branch or splash into the river by the temple.

Occasionally, one of them will find its way out the top of the cave that houses the temple, floating down to the ground outside with Maria in pursuit after she climbs the tree up far enough. The wayward clothing is definitely going to be floating itself towards whoever happens to be nearby, but not before Maria hurls herself off the outside of the cave walls to crash-tackle it to the ground.]

Got you! [It's a tone of immense frustration, though it clears up some when she turns her head to whoever she just did that in front of.] Sorry. It's been like this all morning.

--

[B: Charms (Fear), August 4th-5th]

[Considering the talk of curses a bit of harmless fun compared to what goes on in her world, Maria picks up a "cursed", but rather nice-looking mirror on the 4th. It's not until she's passing by the setup for one of the weekend festivals that anything seems amiss - the very sight of the decorations puts a shiver down her spine, and as she starts to back off and think about maybe walking back to her shrine in another direction, it's entirely possible she'll back into someone she's not looking out for.

She doesn't quite scream, but she does gasp very loudly and in obvious panic before rounding on the person behind her...before realising that it's indeed a person, and immediately breaking out in an embarrassed flush.]

Couldn't you have spoken up? It's the middle of haunting season, isn't it? [It's politer than most people probably would have made it, but she still sounds a little ticked at having been scared like that.]

--

[C: no john you are the phones, Evening August 5th]

[Thankfully, when Maria gets over her sudden and crippling fear enough to head out to see what that message is all about, she spots others throwing objects into the fire and still has the presence of mind to realise what that probably means. Nice mirror as it is, she's been more and more on edge since she found it, and though she stands well back as if the fire might bite her if she gets closer, she tosses it into the inferno.

As soon as it's consumed, a weight seems to come off her chest, and she breathes out in relief before sitting sharply down on an abandoned tree stump, looking very haggard all of a sudden.]

I've heard of a magic mirror before, but honestly...

B.

[sweetdeath]

Sorry! I thought you saw me!

[He also hadn't expected her to back away from the decorations on what looks like a house some kids are decorating for a test of courage. The spiderwebs in the windows are obviously fake, and so are the spooky cut-outs. Tsuzuki eyes her dubiously.]

Are you okay?

[declamando]

Well, I didn't. [She sounds a bit distracted this time rather than annoyed, as if she's trying to figure out exactly what the problem is here. When he asks her that question, though, she looks a little defensive.]

I'm fine. I just...don't really feel comfortable right now. It's nothing to worry about.

[Very convincing, especially given she still looks more than a little embarrassed to have been caught out.]

[sweetdeath]

[That's not very convincing at all, and considering how cheerful and open she'd been the last time they met, the change is extra worrying. Tsuzuki hesitates, watching her face for a moment before he sighs and rubs the back of his neck.]

Did something happen?

[declamando]

I don't know. [That seems to have her rather irritated in particular, because she's used to having at least some idea of what's going on. She bites her lip a bit before she continues.]

Do you ever just feel...unsettled, or like you're being watched without knowing why? It's like the air itself isn't quite right.

A

[very_goodman]

[Barry feels your pain, Maria.]

You're tellin' me. I had to chase my figurines all over the temple and corral 'em back into my room. The limited editions almost got away! I've never been so scared in my life!

[declamando]

[While Maria admittedly doesn't really know what it's like to be that invested in merchandise, generally being the one obsessed over, she does look a little worried for other reasons.]

None of them got hold of anything dangerous, did they?

[very_goodman]

Nah, I keep my axe locked up. Plus, it's way too big.

[Thank goodness for that, at least.]

[declamando]

That's a relief. Though kitchen knives could have been just as bad if they'd gotten that far.

[She straightens up, dragging the piece of clothing along with her.] These ones just seem to be testing who can hurl themselves out of the temple the furthest. I've had to fish a few out of the water already.

[Not that said water can actually be seen past the cave wall, since they're outside of it, but still.]

A

[1wing]

[ Tsubasa was just walking around, as you do, when a momcat crashes in front of her, a dress wriggling beneath her.

Well then, that sure is way to start the day. ]

Are flying clothing a common occurrence in the Far Shore?

[ Tsubasa hasn't been here long enough to know for sure, but also what the heck just happened? ]

[declamando]

[Wrapping her arms around the dress, Maria stands up carefully so it doesn't escape again, giving Tsubasa a nod of greeting before a frustrated huff.]

No, thankfully. This has never happened before today, but now it seems to be rife. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the talk about hauntings...

[While she'd seen the post on the network about possessed objects, she'd paid it no mind, but right now it's seeming like she could really do with some advice on getting rid of them.] Has anything similar happened at your temple?

[1wing]

No, I have yet to see anything. [ Perhaps she should go back to her temple and check? But then again, what's the worst some flying dresses could do? Mess up Tsubasa's laundry even more? That seems fake. ]

But I don't fear any ghosts or demons. To do so would reflect poorly on me.

[ Certainly not little poltergeists like these. ]

It seems like you'd need an exorcist to get rid of them, but until then...

[ Tsubasa ponders for a moment. ]

I might be able to do something?

[declamando]

That's good to hear, at least. [If some of them aren't having to deal with this nuisance, it's something to be grateful for. Maria has to laugh a little at Tsubasa's statement, though.]

I definitely don't think "fear" is the right word for ones like these, anyway. They're annoying, but they've also been harmless so far.

[If anything, it's just a relief that they're not getting haunted by anything worse.

While she isn't sure what exactly Tsubasa is about to suggest, Maria can't help but be curious, so she nods a little.] If you have something you'd like to try, you're welcome to.

C

[mithrarin]

Hey, didn't I say something about taking care of yourself?

[Dust hasn't failed to notice her sudden bout of weakness or the wan expression on her face. Dust may possibly not be helping things by walking up from behind to address her. In his defense he thinks Maria is generally calm and collected enough not to scare from just that?]

[declamando]

Yes, well, I didn't factor getting handed a cursed object into that. [Maria holds her head briefly - thankfully, the irrational feeling of fear has all but sapped out of her by now, so Dust's entrance doesn't cause any untoward reaction.]

I hope you haven't been troubled by them yourself.

[mithrarin]

No. [Dust frowns as he comes around to take a seat next to her.] Probably for the best. I think I wouldn't take to it as well as you did.

[declamando]

[There's a laugh from Maria edging on the bitter, though not bitter enough to not still be somewhat amused.] I don't think I'd say I took to it "well". The effects have worn off now, but trust me, I was much worse off earlier in the day.

B!

[goingbananas]

H—Hey… [ After all this time he’d hardly pegged her as the skittish type, though even he can tell that something’s a little off about the festivities lately… ]

Just wanted to say hi. You all right, Maria?

[declamando]

[At least Maria riles down a bit once she recognises who it is, though she still looks a little bit ruffled. Every spare chance she gets, she's casting furtive glances around them as if expecting something to suddenly jump out.]

I'm fine. [There's an occupied sort of hesitation in her words.] At least, I think. It's probably nothing.

[She shakes her head, trying to wave the feeling off.] How are you?

[goingbananas]

[ It’s almost like that time with the zombies again, only she’d been much better composed. It’s…worrying, and his smile becomes much more subdued. ]

I’m fine too. [ He shrugs. ] At least, I’m in better shape than you are right now. Is something after you?

[ Surely she wouldn’t be this unsettled unless it’s something serious, right? But what can be more serious than a few harmless pranks by the tsukumogami? ]

[declamando]

[That question makes Maria grimace, because it probably sounds stupid right now, but she can't really help but think it's the case.]

I don't know. It...feels like there is, but I haven't seen anything, so I'm not sure.

[What if she's losing her nerve? Some god she'd make if she can't even fight ayakashi without this happening.]

C

[kokuyoyo]

Problems?

[Chikusa is sprawled out nearby as well, although a decent distance from the fire or the groups of people who come near it.]

[declamando]

[Despite the situation, Maria makes an attempt to offer Chikusa a smile, turning a little on the log so she's facing him a bit better.]

Hopefully not anymore, but I was carrying around a cursed mirror for most of the day. Just about anything that moved had me terrified, and a few things that didn't.

[kokuyoyo]

....A stuffed horse stole my hats.... So I guess it's been that kind of thing everywhere....

[And boy is he not happy about that hat theft.]

Can ayakashi do that kind of thing...?

[declamando]

Most likely. That sounds more like the odd spirits that were possessing clothes in my closet and hurling them out windows or the roof, though.

[Compared to the mirror, that was almost a relief, as is probably evident by the lightness of Maria's tone compared to earlier.]

I haven't heard of it happening before, but I suppose it's a possibility.