October Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: September 4th
Where: Meeting Hall, the Far Shore
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki



In anticipation of the latest round of new arrivals, Heaven has partnered with the new gods and shinki to organize a very helpful informational reception.

It seems Bishamon's temple is unavailable this week due to business, although she has generously allowed a number of her shinki to go on with their usual tasks of passing out pamphlets and assisting the newcomers to settle in.

Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided kindly towards a traditional-style dojo and banquet hall towards the back of the meeting hall itself. The gods and shinki are free to take their time during this day to learn about the details of their new life from Amaterasu's shinki or from the many veteran new god and shinki volunteers.




God Training

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a banquet hall for an informational meeting covering the basics of proper god behavior, although the minor deity conducting the meeting is in too much of a rush to take questions afterwards. They are encouraged to discuss the information with each other and ask questions of more experienced gods, as well as instructed to guide their new shinki appropriately.

Shinki Training

Various volunteers are stationed around the dojo, passing out helpful informational pamphlets. There are many shinki, including Bishamon's and Amaterasu's, who will be more than happy to train in using the borderline as well as offering a lecture on the basics of what is expected of a shinki and the importance of teamwork with other shinki and with gods. Shinki are encouraged to work together to practice what they've learned and discuss their perspectives.

The garden is available for borderline practice, and a few of the last training's slightly tattered crayon-drawn borderline targets have been brought back out and pinned to bales of straw to make a practice area. One of Amaterasu's shinki is drawing replacements with a large inked calligraphy brush. His targets are simple but elegant, but somehow, before they make it over to the target bales, they're ending up crayon-scribbled into much brighter colors. Maybe it's the child shinki who are in charge of putting them up? They do seem to be giggling a lot, and Amaterasu's artist shinki is looking more and more annoyed...

Physical Training

The dojo is stocked with a wide variety of practice weapons, traditional and modern, to offer some practice opportunity to gods who, for example, find themselves with a sword shinki but are at risk of cutting off their own toes. It's also useful for veteran new gods wishing to train with their current partner shinki.

There's an additional task that the hosts are more than willing to ask for help with. The Meeting Hall seems to be suffering an invasion of cute soot sprites. Although they're harmless little spirits, they leave smears of ash and soot wherever they go, and the shinki are running themselves ragged trying to keep the hardwood floors and white walls clean! They're handing out cleaning rags and flyswatters to squash the soot sprites flat and scrub the resulting smears away -- and, for the softhearted, butterfly nets: although they implore anyone with a net to be sure they let the soot sprites out again far, far away.

Rest and Refreshments

The meeting hall's facilities are less modernized than Bishamon's: there are rainwater barrels set out by the dojo with fresh towels for hardworking gods and shinki to wash their face and hands. The water is ice cold, so it's very refreshing, too-- brr!

By lunchtime, the banquet hall where the gods' informational session was held has been cleaned out and re-set with cushions to sit on around long, low tables. Gods and shinki who come inside for lunch will be served a plain but hearty meal, with soup, rice, fish and pickled vegetables to refresh them for the afternoon's training.

The hall will stay open even after the lunches and tables have been cleared away, so that those who want a quieter space to talk with their new partners can find somewhere in the room. Hopefully the occasional stampede of soot sprites won't be too distracting.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Get in some training
• Help catch soot sprite pests
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[boneofsword]

Hmph. How should I call you?

[One is related to the other. Archer simply wants to know if other is god or shinki.]

[fauxcalibur]

"Saber" would be the simplest, I feel. I'm meant to carry out the role of the archangel Michael, but I must admit that I'm a bit hesitant to answer to that name.

[He's bee told his given name is enough and what most people will use, but give him an inch and he'll take a mile.]

Though if you prefer, my given name is Richard, called "Lionheart" in life.

[Because it's like it's physically impossible for him not to tell people he used to be King of England.]

[boneofsword]

Isn't that a honor, your Majesty. [Archer inclines his head politely, althout there's still a hint of sarcasm in his tone.] Many here prefer to use their own name instead of the god title they're bestowed with.

As for me, [shrug.] I'm just a nameless Archer.

[fauxcalibur]

[He can hear the capital A on that.]

A nameless Archer?

[He smiles a little fondly and looks down at his own shadow on the floor, though that causes the smile to fade a little.]

Certainly that's not entirely true, though if you don't wish to share your name, that's perfectly fine with me. "Archer" will do.

[boneofsword]

[That's an interesting reaction that Archer takes note of. The following words make him scoff.]

I'm neither a Heroic Spirit nor a hero.

[fauxcalibur]

[That's enough to get him to look back up.]

No? Then how did you come by that name, then?

[boneofsword]

I'm a shinki so I have no memories to offer any explanation. Since I'm not too keen on turning ayakashi I prefer to avoid thinking about it.

[Given how stubborn Archer is it's not a surprise he's set on ignoring everything that could point to his origin. His duty is to Caster, after all.]

[fauxcalibur]

I see! I hadn't even considered that might be the case! There are certainly plenty of shinki that go by the name that they had in life, as far as I know.

[He still hasn't quite figured out how this whole thing is supposed to work. Nor is he really taxing his brain about it, to be honest. However, if someone else brings it up, he's all for talking about it.]

[boneofsword]

I suppose most would, especially if they were a hero of wide renown, or if their name had a special meaning.

[Archer gives him a hard stare.]

You should be careful with how much you say around shinki. I think I'm the only one that has some knowledge regarding these topics, otherwise it would put me at risk.

[fauxcalibur]

Hm?

[The explanation new gods were given about what exactly is going on in this place was lacking at best. Compound that with the fact that he hasn't been given a real shinki and there really hasn't been a whole lot of reason for him to be motivated to retain the necessary information.]

Is that so?

[boneofsword]

[Archer can deliver a whole lecture. The more he knows, the more chances to understand how Heavens work.]

Shinki don't remember their past for a reason. They only possess an inherent knowledge about the world they lived in and their skills. Regaining a memory, either from someone that knew them before, or from historical records if they were someone like you, causes a shinki to turn ayakashi. Given that the gods know what their shinki feel it also puts their god at risk.

[fauxcalibur]

I see...

[To his credit, he does at least listen and file away the information for later.]

No doubt they had that in mind when they gave me a shinki that I can't make much use of. I'm not particularly trustworthy in that department.

[boneofsword]

That's possible. [Archer just shrugs. He doesn't trust much in Heavens here. Instead he distracts Saber with crossbow, handing him the bolts.]

Here, try aiming using the scope.

[fauxcalibur]

[Saber follows the instructions, but using a scope definitely takes some getting used to. He keeps raising the weapon and lowering it to compare the view.]

Are you supposed to look through this and shoot at the same time?

[boneofsword]

Yes. The scope magnifies the target and provides accurate aim.

[Archer takes note of the way Saber tries to get used to it.]

It may take some time. You can ask them to borrow this crossbow for some time to practice.

[fauxcalibur]

Will they let me have one to keep?

[He lifts the weapon again and tries to aim it at a target. When he fires, it's not a perfect shot, but he does at least hit. And then he has to examine the weapon all over again to try to figure out how it all worked.]

[boneofsword]

I think they will, especially if you ask politely. Most of the real weapons here are taken by shinki if they awake here without one.

[Archer has his own weapons, but he noticed that shinki who asked for specific weapons were allowed to take them.]

Once you get used to the scope I'll take you to the shooting range on the Near Shore.

[fauxcalibur]

Will you?

[That catches his attention.]

Maybe a little friendly competition, then?

[boneofsword]

[Archer raises a brow.]

Here and now?

[He won't say 'no' but he won't hold out of hitting bullseye each time.]

[fauxcalibur]

Or after I've gotten a little more practice under my belt! I'm not a sore loser unless things are too one-sided.

[With that, he reloads the crossbow and starts fussing with the sight again.]

[boneofsword]

I'll be looking forward to it.

[That may mean Archer won't be opposed to a spar, or sharing his knowledge. Or food, if Saber catches him in Caster's temple.]