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

[nibelungvalesti]

Strike!

[The Valkyrie lunges into the fray, her sword sweeping in an overhead arc to chop into an ayakashi before it can so much as blink at her charge.]

[artificialrose]

[He definitely has no way to top the way Lenneth charges in, but Garry still moves forward as well, heart in his throat and striking out with his impromptu staff.]

[He doesn't dare get really deep into the fray- he's not experienced enough to think that's a good idea- but he does his best to make sure that nothing gets too forward. But, unlike in practice, he's a bit sloppier in an actual battle as fear and a strange kind of anger stuff up his mind.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[Perhaps not helping matters is the arrival of more ayakashi, swarming towards them and pushing even the goddess into a slight retreat as she lifts her sword to block their blows.]

Damn them! We will need to fight with all our strength!

[artificialrose]

R-Right!

[Yet even as he says it, something manages to get through his defense, blight spreading along his knuckles and the back of his hand. Garry hastily bats it away, smacking it into something else, and steps back just to get some room to breathe.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The Valkyrie rises into the air, energy streaming from her back in hexagonal shapes that coalesce into radiant wings. They flap once, as the Valkyrie speaks with a resonant force.]

To my side, my noble Einherjar.

[The sparks trailing from the wings coalesce into three warriors, armed with sword and lance and bow, as the Valkyrie descends to the front of their formation, twin shields floating before and behind her.]

Fall in with us. We strike as one!

[artificialrose]

[Okay- holy shit.]

[Garry nearly doesn't realize what's going on until she lands, and he hastily makes his way behind the three warriors as his chest heaves. He's never worked together with a group like this before- it's completely out of his experience. Still, he tries to keep his mind together even as it buzzes with nerves and tightens his grip around his weapon.]

[nibelungvalesti]

Now! [The call is only for Garry's benefit, as the Valkyrie and her Einherjar lunge forward like a solid wall of steel. The two frontliners land solid blows that lead smoothly into the Valkyrie's, knocking their foe into the air where the archer puts an arrow into him.] Strike!

[artificialrose]

[If he weren't so overcome with adrenaline, both good and bad, Garry would have to gt lost in being impressed by the sight. As it is, he does his best to focus in the moment, beating more spirits to the side where the others can hopefully take care of them since he can't.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The Einherjar aren't necessarily good, though they show evidence of some practice and training, and the Valkyrie's ability to coordinate them means they can capitalize on weaknesses and vulnerabilities exposed by other attacks. And in the middle of all of that, she makes sure one leaves Garry an opportunity to strike.]

[artificialrose]

[Garry nearly misses the opening, everything a rush, but somehow he manage to stumble forward, face flushed even as he thrusts the broom handle forward to hit the creature back into the range of one of the Einherjar.]

Ah- there!

[nibelungvalesti]

[Which earns that creature a rising slash that knocks it skyward.]

It shall be engraved upon your soul!

[The Valkyrie, practically radiating energy, flies forward in a flash of blade and armor, hammering hits into the creature before knocking it skyward. A brilliant glow surrounded it as circling bands hold it in place, just long enough for three spears to leap upwards at it and impale it one after the other with explosive force.]

[The Valkyrie leaps backwards, then up, her wings spreading in midair much as they had when she summoned her Einherjar. But this time, the mote of light flickering out of her wings form into a spear three times her height, which she swiftly reverse in her hand.]

Nibelung Valesti --

[Energy roars as it takes the shape of a dragon around the descending spear. It crashes into the ayakashi with thunderous and blinding force, though the raw power of the weapon doesn't escape -- instead, clinging and gathering in around the spirit.]

--Rend!

[This explosion, while less blinding, is more final. As the light dissipates at last, the ayakashi it surrounded is gone as if it never were, and the Valkyrie lands amidst her Einherjar once more.]

Such is your fate.

[artificialrose]

[Wow.]

[For a second, Garry is transfixed on the amazing attack that takes place overhead. Komaeda wielding him had been one thing, but this is... nothing that he thinks he's ever seen before.]

[With the ayakashi dealt with, however, he quickly looks around to make sure that there's nothing else lurking around them, not wanting her attack to have been naught.]

[nibelungvalesti]

Hmph. A miserable bunch. Slay them as we will, more always come. [The contempt in her voice may be the most human emotions she's exhibited yet.] Nevertheless, a good battle.

[artificialrose]

Ah.... Right...

[Now excuse him as his legs give out to him now that it's certain there's no more immediate enemies.]

[nibelungvalesti]

[The sudden movement makes the Valkyrie turn swiftly, concerned that an attack or spell might have laid him low. But she can see no sign of further danger at this moment.]

Are you injured?

[artificialrose]

Ah- no, I don't think so?

[There might be some blight, but only on his knuckles- the closest things that had been near the spirits and ayakashi. Shaking a little, he presses his hand to his chest.]

It's just... That's so much different than practicing...

[nibelungvalesti]

[The Valkyrie nods curtly.] This is why I despise the system of training here. Striking dummies and fearing nothing teaches nothing about true battle. Yet for beginners, I suppose there is little choice.

[artificialrose]

[His heart is still going a thousand miles a minute, but.... talking helps a little.]

How do... people normally train then?

[nibelungvalesti]

Those who are brought here should already know the basics of battle, in my opinion.

[artificialrose]

...Ah.

[Doesn't help, but. Okay.]

....Can I ask a question...?

[nibelungvalesti]

[Her answer is to look at him expectantly, awaiting said question. That is answer enough to her, at least.]

[artificialrose]

Is it.... normal to get- Do you get angry sometimes when fighting?

[He's not saying 'scared' because he's starting to slowly suspect she doesn't know that particular emotion.]

[nibelungvalesti]

Yes. These were weak foes, easily dispatched... and yet I still take pleasure in doing so. The ayakashi are enemies of all.

[And she does not hide the slight anger in her voice.]

[artificialrose]

Oh, good. [His shoulders slump a little as he presses a hand to his chest.] When I've seen other people fight, it looked like they were always calm and in control....

[nibelungvalesti]

It is necessary to maintain control. Losing one's temper, lashing out rather than striking with purpose -- these will lead to defeat. But what you show on the outside is not often what you feel on the inside.