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~

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[ Nothing seems to be amiss here - outside, anyway. All is quiet. Only the security lights are on.

Except the front door is unlocked. At night. And the security guard is nowhere to be seen.

There's a card identical to the one Naoto received crumpled up in a wastebasket at the front desk, however, should she choose to enter and investigate. ]

[Naoto marks the peculiarity of the security guards' absence, and she becomes even more alarmed that the front door has been left entirely unlocked. Both details were concerning enough on their own, but together they imply that this was something beyond a simple prank.]

[Now much more on her guard, Naoto walks into the museum, but makes sure to secure the front door behind her. Yes, she was going to lock herself in. Not really the safest of choices, but increasing her chances to catch the thief if she could cut off even just one entrance or escape route. That is, of course, assuming she was actually dealing with a thief and not some other kind of trap entirely.]

[She notes the crumpled up piece of paper in the trash, and she's able to immediately recognize it as a discarded copy of the very not she received. Interesting, but not unexpected. She then makes her way towards the traveling exhibit area, her gaze very much alert and searching about for any threats or irregularities in her surroundings.]

[ Strangely enough, given that introduction, the whole place seems....totally normal. It's a darkened museum. Any alarm systems seem to be either operating on a silent alarm system or somehow unable to detect those from the Far Shore: she doesn't set off anything as she walks.

A pair of security guards are chatting on a corner just outside the exhibit, their voices hushed. "...summertime joke," one of them says.

"What were people so upset about again?" asks the other. It seems they're having trouble properly remembering the threat.

[Naoto is naturally relieved to see the night guards are, in fact, on duty and not currently incapacitated as she had initially presumed. Although Naoto's been told of Near Shore residents' apparent lack of awareness towards Far Shore residents, she still feels the need to keep to the shadows, moving carefully so as to not make much noise. She listens in on them briefly, before making her way past and further into the exhibit. Speaking to herself only in a hushed murmur.]

So they're writing this off as some sort of prank, too...

[ That they certainly seem to be. They had just agreed to take up positions on either side of this exhibit hall, just in case, when the lights all go out.

Simultaneously.

Totally.

No backup lights. No flashing lights for an emergency, no spotlights on a culprit, nothing.

It is completely dark. ]

[Well, that seemed a pretty clear sign that this is beyond a simple prank. Naoto grits her teeth and loses some of her discretion about moving carefully. It was more important now that she try and find her way to the thief's target as quickly as she can. She puts her left hand to the wall, and proceeds to follow it further in.]

When the wings that soar in the sky unfurl....

[ A voice fills the room, booming all around them through the blackout. Flower petals, brilliantly crimson and seemingly alight of their own volition, drift across the scene. ]

Appearing from the darkness - a single casablanca lily!

[ Getting closer to her target won't have helped Naoto see anything, but perhaps this spotlight will. It's shining on the empty display case where the sword had been held - and on the person standing atop said case. ]

My name is Phantom Thief Genius!

[ And, as per this name, they're in tall boots, a cape, a floppy hat, and a mask. The whole kit n' caboodle.

It is still Japan, 2016. Just. In case there were questions about that. No one seems to have told this person. Or the sword now gleaming in their grasp. ]

[Naoto is temporarily blinded by the spotlight turning on, and she has to shield her eyes for a moment as they adjust to the sudden brightness. As her eyes refocus on the scene playing out before her, she can hardly believe what's happening. The monologue, the spotlight, the flower pedals, the name, all of it was like a very cheesy cartoon villain.]

[Naoto starts advancing towards the figure perched upon the case, her hand drops as she's able to see better now. There seemed little point in trying to hide her presence anymore, as the thief clearly wasn't putting on this little show for no one.]

I'm going to have to ask you to get off the display case. Don't you think you've taken this little prank far enough?

Tonight the curtain rises on Masquerade Time!

[ Their speech concluded, the Thief bows to Naoto with a hand over their heart. ] The attendance of a true detective is an honor.

[ Near Shore police don't count. They didn't even realize this was happening.

Which either means they're incompetent....or the Thief doesn't attract their attention for some reason. ]

[The "true detective" bit is enough to give Naoto pause for a moment. She's not certain she's done anything in particular to earn such a distinction. She's only played a small part in the murder investigations so far... could this be an allusion to that? If that's the case, then that confirms she's currently dealing with someone else from the Far Shore.]

I'll only warn you one more time. Get off of the case.

[ Heh. The Thief smirks. ] As you wish.

[ They raise a hand. From within their sleeve, a sparkling purple thread shoots out, sticks to the ceiling

and Phantom Thief Genius attempts to swing off the case and towards the door right over Naoto's head. ]

[Naoto's eyes go wide in surprise and realization. She ducks as the masked thief swings overhead. Okay, this was officially beyond a simple prank. This person came more than prepared, and what's more they seem practiced. That wasn't the movement of an amateur. Naoto turns, looking to mark where the thief will land, so she can quickly begin pursuit.]

[ The Thief seems to have no intentions of landing. Instead, when they extend their opposite hand, sword now tucked in the sash at their waist -

They shoot out another thread, and switch in midair like ~~spider-man~~ ~~george of the jungle~~ the elegant and cunning criminal they are. ]

Ahahah! Ahahahahahaa!!!

[ .....with a villain laugh, no less. ]

[When the culprit doesn't land, Naoto's gaze shoots upward, and she can hardly believe what she's seeing. It seemed almost too ridiculous to actually be happening, but the thief was in fact swinging from rafter to rafter, laughing like a cartoon villain. Naoto clicks her tongue in frustration, and attempts to follow as best as she can on foot, chasing after the thief swinging about above her. Surely this masked individual couldn't keep this up, right?]

[ Well, said thief is about to reach a divide in the corridors of this museum. Surely they'll have to pause---

Or, they could appear to split in two. One copy of Genius heads left, the other heads right. Laughter resounds from both corridors.

This is a ~perfect~ crime, after all! ]

[Naoto stops in her tracks. She turns left than right, hardly believing what she's seeing. Two of them? Where did the second one come from? No, this had to be something else. Some type of trick or misdirection. The question was... which thief was the real one. She quiets her breathing for a moment. Listens carefully. She can hear the laughing of both masked thieves. However, only one is making noise as their grappling trick latches on to various parts of the ceiling catwalks.]

[Naoto opens her eyes and takes off in a flash, pursuing after the culprit who went to the right.]

[ A lucky guess? That, or a cunning detective. Well, that's all right. The thieves always seem like they'll be thwarted for the climax of a heist film, only to have accounted for that probability all along. Who is Phantom Thief Genius to defy genre?

A door approaches at the end of this corridor...Genius seems to have almost run out of places to run. ]

[Naoto sprints along behind the thief, attempting to catch up as best she can. She's starting to run out of gas, however, as adrenaline can only carry someone so far. And at this point, she's chased the masked individual around much of the museum. Fortunately, it looked like she now had them cornered, as they're heading directly for the doors. Doors Naoto had been sure to lock before investigating further into the museum. There was no way they could get out... right?]

Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!

[ Genius doesn't even slow down. They swing right for the doors -

and vanish. Completely. Just. Poof. They're gone, save for a single red flower spiraling down on the ground with a note attached.

Phantom Thief Genius has teleported away. The chase was completely unnecessary.

Granted, they just revealed they were a god, but whatever. VICTORY. ]

[[ ooc: I hope it's okay if she gets away here! Though I also welcome Naoto figuring it out and showing up at Hibiki's place later, etc...however you want to play it! ]]

Edited 2017-08-12 14:59 (UTC)

[Well, that certainly stops Naoto in her tracks. What exactly just happened? That last trick, the vanishing act... that had been different from the illusion of splitting in two. And she has a fairly good feeling she's seen something akin to this before. In fact, she's almost definitely certain she has.]

[As she stops and catches her breath, her mind already formulating several interesting theories as to the thief's identity. She'll have to give these events some more thought before she can arrive at any particular conclusions, but she has a good feeling she knows where to find her suspect.]

[Her heartbeat slows back down, and her legs start to ache from the chase as the adrenaline fades. Still, she needs to investigate the scene here at the museum a bit further before she leaves. There were a few things she wished to check on personally. Naoto lets out a sigh as she stands back up straight, the faintest trace of a smile crosses her lips. It seemed... at least to some degree... that she was starting to enjoy this, too.]

(ooc: Yup! Totally, good! I wanted Hibiki to escape, as it's more fun that way. :3 I can throw up a Naoto log soon of her coming to visit Hibiki at her temple. Not necessarily to unmask her there, but at least perhaps play some mind games with her, if that sounds good to you? ;) )

[ The museum contains no further clues as such, though the flower does seem to be a present for her, given that the note attached reads "The curtain falls. Until our next rendezvous, Detective."

The Phantom Thief seems to have enjoyed themselves as well. ]

[[ ooc: That sounds perfect! I'll look forward to it. <3 ]]

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018 | Season Spirits

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