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

[reformedsinner]

Obstinate means pigheaded. I try to keep ... my more insufferable traits under control....

[He rearranges the compress on his forehead, considers Yukine's freshly provided pillows, and sags sideways onto them, smiling slightly.]

It may be I just know other people with personality problems.

[It's a reasonable point. Yukine has met Hibari, after all.

Speaking of Hibari, and his friendship: a large, fluffy cat is sauntering into the room and considering its occupants before leaping heavily up onto Hakkai's knees. She begins to knead and circle. Hakkai cracks one eye to glance down at her.]

Hello, Spot.

[Spot purrs, unconcerned.]

[returnedfromtheline]

... [Well, duh. Of course obstinate means pigheaded. He meant to find out what else it means. But Hakkai-san is sick so he'll curb his retort for the moment.

He grimaces a little at the mentioning his other acquaintances with personalty problems. Hibari would certainly be the most famous and dramatic example.

Thoughts of annoying thick-headed kids evaporates at the sight of the cat.
Jeep, you are 200% cool, but you are not fluffy~]

Wow, a lot of of you new guys have cats on the Far Shore.

Are you okay with it settling there, Hakkai-san? I could take it from you... [He'll pick it up. And just, you know, carry it for a bit.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai smiles, watching the cat circle. Spot is rather heavy: it's mostly fur, as he's a large white Persian, with a few splotches of red-tabby fur across his nose, ears and shoulders. He also has sharp claws.

Yukine, he notes from under the edge of his compress, is staring eagerly at the new arrival.]

Hibari brought him by. He and Jeep don't get along, I'm afraid, but Jeep will adjust....

[He trails off, considers Yukine's face again, and offers:]

Yes, if you don't mind. Be careful of his claws, they're sharp.

[returnedfromtheline]

Oh, so he’s kinda a rescue animal then. Got it.

[Because there’s no way that a cat that was in the possession of that guy for any length of time wasn’t being rescued on some level.
Cautious of the claws as warned, Yukine approaches slowly and holds out a hand for the cat to smell. He mostly concentrates on making himself as calm and inviting as possible, so that the cat will maybe want to come to him… or at least won’t balk when he tries to scoop it off Hakkai’s lap.]

[reformedsinner]

Hibari does rescue quite a few animals...

[Hakkai drifts into silence as Yukine extends his hand to Spot, and smiles. The cat leans over to sniff, cautiously, at the outstretched fingers, and then nibbles at Yukine's forefinger.

Well, he is Hibari's cat, Hakkai thinks, and fails to repress a tiny snicker as Asshole and Jeep reappear through the doorway. Asshole approaches the sofa with his usual slightly off-putting silent tread and holds a small paper bag out to Hakkai, who snags it with a careful swipe of his free hand and fusses with the bag, attempting to get it neatly unrolled and a foil-wrapped pill extracted from inside.]

[returnedfromtheline]

That’s not what I meant at all, Hakkai-san…

[And looks like the cat picked up a bad habit to boot. Don’t laugh, Hakkai. It’ll just encourage it.
But when you’re trying to move a cat is not a good time to discipline it, so he takes back his hand and scoops Spot up.]

It’s all fine n’ good that you have medicine, but you’d better find out what’s causing this.

Hey, you. [He means Asshole.] What has this guy been doing? [He means Hakkai.]

[reformedsinner]

Isn't it? He's... he was very fond of animals.

[Spot mews, startled, before settling in Yukine's arms and batting at a wrinkle in his shirt. Hakkai cracks an eye open again. The medicine works, he's learned, with literally magical speed and effectiveness. It's still not entirely suppressing his symptoms, and so Yukine's concern is legitimate.

He's a little curious about what Asshole's going to say, too. The blond youkai is silent for a moment before speaking, his voice low and emotionless.

"Answering prayers. Fighting an ayakashi. Bringing home cats and ducks. Bringing home charms."

Hakkai pauses.]

Maybe I have a duck allergy? ... but he's right. There were some strange little charms at a few of those houses I visited to help with illnesses.

[returnedfromtheline]

[Yukine does pick up on that 'was', but figures that chances are good it just means the guy has disappeared. Honestly he feels a touch of relief at that idea, but he has other things to focus on at the moment.

He nods through the shinki's answers. Answering prayers probably wouldn't do this. It's clearly not blight from an ayakashi.
He absently rubs Spot's head (and yes, wrinkles are evil, you get that wrinkle) as he thinks it over.]

... If you're just allergic to ducks this is pretty brutal. But it'd be easy to figure out if you are or not. Do you feel better when you're not around them?

[Please tell him you've at least tried that.]

[reformedsinner]

The ducks? No, unfortunately. I don't think allergies cause fevers, either.

[He sighs, settling a bit more deeply into the couch cushions. Jeep perches on the cushion behind his head with a chirrup.]

And the charms have been in a jar in my bedroom, but I don't feel any worse when I wake up. Really, I think I've just caught something.

Those prayers were mostly for healing, so I've been bringing sick followers medicine -- it's why I have so much in the workroom now....

[He's still a bit loopy, he notes. There's no real need to explain all of this, but he can't seem to stop himself wandering off on tangents. Well -- talking to Yukine's probably the best thing to be doing, under those circumstances.

Talking to Gojyo had been dire.]

Perhaps gods who were recently living people are more susceptible?

[returnedfromtheline]

-- Get rid of them. [It's the immediate and ingrained reaction of one who has suffered much at the hands of an obsessive charm collector. But he'll politely wait until Hakkai finishes the rest of what he wants to say.]

You mean chalk it up to 'new guys are weird' yet again? I guess so. I mean, there's 'weird' and 'not possible', and you guys seem to blur that line all the time.

Seriously though, if you're sick, rest, darnit. Right, Jeep?

And get rid of the charms. You don't need them. Collecting stuff like that is just a waste.

[reformedsinner]

"New guys are weird," exactly. Ha ha, I'll have to do a better job of resting.

[Jeep chatters rapidly in emphatic agreement, making eye contact with Yukine and ducking his head. Hakkai chuckles, and settles back, dropping the washcloth over his forehead again. It's warming up, but he's cooling down, so it's not uncomfortable.]

They're rather interesting, but I just haven't had time to take a closer look. It's more a matter of curiosity than collection.

[He sighs, and adds:] Well, maybe after my followers are all in better health.

[returnedfromtheline]

[You tell him, Jeep.]

Pfft, when will that be? Just do it already.

Don't be a pig-headded prof, or I'll spread that nickname around school. [He's 95% not serious. ... Maybe.]

Anyway, I'll leave you to get going on this resting thing you should be doing. [Shifting Spot a little he leaves the bottle of water on the floor within reach of Hakkai. He then heads for the door, making a gesture with his head to Asshole. Jeep is enough to watch over him here, so he'll take the shinki and the cat with him.]

[reformedsinner]

[Hakkai chuckles again.]

Ah, I can't help being pig-headed, though. It's in my nature!

[Spot settles into his new spot in Yukine's arms with apparent contentment, and promptly begins kneading the boy's arm, purring rustily. Asshole stares at Yukine for a moment, straight-faced, before apparently interpreting the gesture properly and falling in behind him.]

... Thank you for helping me back here, Yukine.

[Pig-headed or not, at least he can still be polite.]

[returnedfromtheline]

[Don't mind Yukine bossing around your shinki, Hakkai-san. He's glad that the guy seems to get his intent though.

At the threshold he pauses, glancing a little over his shoulder at the thanks.]

You'd better not make a habit of it. You're heavy.

[But his expression is grateful for being thanked.]

...You're welcome.

[But you'd seriously better not go passing out in the middle of the street again.]

Thanks, Jeep. I'll leave him t' you. And I'll bring you something nice to eat next time.

[And with that, he'll step into the hall. Looking from the comfy cat in his arms to the weird shinki he shrugs one shoulder.]

I'll see myself out in a bit.

[Cats. You know.]

[reformedsinner]

The ducklings are in the pond out back!

[He has seen Yukine around animals... and he should be able to handle himself just fine.

In the meantime, Hakkai supposes, he should actually do that resting he'd promised, as unwilling as he feels to sleep when he's not actively on the verge of unconsciousness. He is still tired, and it takes less time than he'd expected between closing his eyes and plummeting into sleep.]