thenearshore | 018 | Season Spirits

018 | Season Spirits

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~

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's not an answer.

[ He retorts seriously as she shouted at him. She was frustrated but imagine being the one that had to deal with another individual glued to him and being unable to pry her off without having them go straight back to him.

If he had a legitimate reason to kill her, he would have but he couldn't deny that she wasn't exactly a person he'd kill on a whim. There is some attachment that he was telling himself that he didn't have. ]

...That's quite a confession. Are you implying that you do not wish to be alone, thus clinging to a person you perhaps have ill feelings towards?

[Was he really going to make her say it?! Her head jerks up to look at him. She's trying to glare at him, but at the same time she looks like she wants to cry. She's embarrassed, pissed off, and terrified. Ichiru is the last person she wants to show any of this too but he's all she's got right now.]

So what if I am?!

[ Ichiru looks at her for a moment at her outburst. He's quite uncertain to how he he could take this. After all, he's quite used to people saying the opposite of how they feel and here was Chinatsu, shouting her weakness at him.

There's a slight curve at the corner of his lips as he seemed to be either amused-- or intrigued at her answer. ]

Heh, you're quite bold for someone shaking in fear.

[ It was the closest thing she was going to a compliment from him. ]

You'll regret this when it's over... whatever this is.

I already am.

[She says through gritted teeth.]

Can we please just..get out of here? Too many people..

If you say it nicely, I might.

[ He gives her a look for her demands. Sorry, he's not a pushover unlike his brother. ]

[ Aaaaaaaaargh this dick! ]

....canwegoplease.

[She mutters, the last bit said even softer.]

[ This is what happens when you approach him, so. ]

I apologize, but I didn't catch that.

[ He muses giving her a brief head tilt. Her softer tone isn't convincing. ]

[Chinatsu gripped his arms tighter.]

Can. We. Go. Please

[It was like pulling teeth.]

[ Man he's enjoying this way too much. Chinatsu, you really shouldn't be such an easy target. ]

I suppose we can.

[ He replied giving her a chuckle for her response. It sounded so strained but it was worth it nonetheless. ]

I hate you..

[Though her glare looks more like a pout. This weakened state is abhorrent.]

Then you shouldn't have depended on me in the first place.

[ He bluntly replied as he tugged her in a safer direction, seeing her hands were still digging into his skin and he might be feeling generous enough to not unlock her arms on him.

Isn't she lucky? ]

[Chinatsu followed him closely. He didn't make any moves to pull away, but she was still scared that he'd let go and leave. G O D this sucked. As much as she wanted to fight it, her fear was just too strong and she couldn't help but feel dependent on him.]

I don't know anyone else here...

[She says in a soft tone, like it wasn't something she wanted to say out loud.]

[ Somehow, this amused him that someone was so dependent on him. He's usually not the type of person that people would attach themselves too much less spend time with. He didn't really hide his true intentions when he spoke to people in a cold way. Yet, there are people like Chinatsu who constantly test the waters. ]

You really should learn to make better friends. I for one am not interested in being an ally nor a friend to you.

[ He mused glancing back at her as he picked up his pace. He's not sure where they were going but they needed to move right? ]

Then just be my temporary stress ball.

[She squeezed his arm, somehow feeling some reassurance from that. Maybe bothering him comforted her. That made more sense anyway.

When he picked up the pace, so did she.]

Where are we going..?

I'm a stress ball now huh? Perhaps, I should be offended and just leave you here.

[ He softly chided as she squeezed his arm again, in which there was some more annoyance from him at the girl that was attached to his arm. He starting to lose the feeling of it at some point. ]

A place that will stop you from attaching yourself to me as if I'm some sort of shield.

Aren't you glad you can finally be useful?

[She probably shouldn't be antagonizing the person who is reluctantly helping her out, but it helped her cope.]

[ That response was a knee jerk reaction and upon her saying that he ripped his grip away from her and distancing himself enough so she would feel very uncomfortable. ]

That's none of your concern but it seems like you're fine now. You don't need help if yo can insult someone who is helping you.

[ With that he whipped his head around and started to walk away from her. Chinatsu, you really shouldn't say things like that to him-- they're triggers and he's more than a little pissed off. ]

[The sudden strength he showed shocked her, and she just stared for a moment as he suddenly moved away. The further he got the faster her heartbeat got and it felt like it was on the edge of a cliff ready to drop]

Wha--Ichiru! Wait!

[It took all she had to move from thst spot, because it felt like her legs were starting to freeze from the fear. It probably helped that she was a little ticked off. He was teasing her just fine awhile ago and even if she answered back he didn't seem to mind. So what had changed?

Chinatsu goes after him until she's close enough to grab his arm. She pulls him firmly, trying to keep her expression just as firm, but her hand still trembled slightly. Him walking away like that was terrifying.]

What the hell?! Where'd that come from?

Edited 2017-08-24 19:20 (UTC)

[ He didn't even give her a second glance as he stormed off in irritation. Of course, she couldn't see it because his back was to her. Thankfully for that since he had a rather dark expression on his face.

He ignored her as she called after him continuing to pick up his pace as she yelled fearfully for his attention. At the moment, he was still upset with her words. Needless to say. no matter what he did, he couldn't recall why he did it or why it felt like he was used to it. In the end she managed to catch up to him and when she grabbed his arm again, he removed it as quickly as he did a moment. ]

Don't touch me so casually.

[ His eyes were narrowed as he turned to glare at her. ]

You're fine aren't you? Don't involve me with you matters anymore.

Then stop running away.

[When he pulled away yet again, she held her hands back from holding onto him once more... With much difficulty. She settled with clenching her fists at her side.]

And no, I'm not fine!

[She was fine admitting it. He already knew that.]

Clearly, neither are you. What the hell happened? And I want a proper answer this time.

[ He wasn't running away-- honestly he didn't want to socialize with her anymore that she said something offending to him. So he will start walking again as she clenched her own fists. ]

Ehh? I couldn't tell.

[ He replied back coldly. He's still not looking at her as he keeps walking. ]

I am not obligated to answer you questions.

[ He replied as she demanded an answer from him. ]

[Her annoyance was staring to over power her fear.]

Then tell me what happened!

[ Chinatsu picks up the pace and runs ahead to stop in front of him.]

I can't do anything about it if I don't know! So, what the hell set you off?

[ Good, because that makes it easier for him to tell her that she's fine and she can move on without his help. He didn't feel like helping her anymore anyway.

He exhausted that the moment she decided to trigger him-- not that this was by any means her fault, but it didn't stop him from blaming her intentionally. ]

No.

[ He replied curtly. ] You're annoying.

[ He stared darkly at her as she moved in front of him. ]

You don't need to.

[ He walks around her. ]

Edited 2017-08-28 04:33 (UTC)

Then you are running away.

[She throws back as he starts walking ahead of her again. His answers didn't satisfy her. She continued to follow after him.]

I've been annoying you from the start and that didn't bother you. So what? Was it because I said you were useful?

[That's the last thing she remembered saying before he snapped anyway.]

You're delusional.

[ He bluntly sated at her words as she stalked after him. Running from what? He simply chose not to answer her inquiries because it's none of her business. Nothing she was saying was going to make him change his mind. Not right now and not ever. ]

Stop following me, you're annoying.

[ He retorts as he turned a corner. He neither denied her confirmed her statement. Even if it was so, he didn't show it on his face. ]

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ooo chinatsu you pulled a bad

What's new AHAHA dundunduuun

lmfao nothing really but lmfao poor girl. >>

it's ok she can handle this /sparkles excitedly

I sure hope she can ahahah

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