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

[reformedsinner]

I'd be surprised if it were the same temple. Many of them seem to differ between... shall I say, "incarnations"?

[It doesn't seem like the right word at all, when each person occupying the role has their own individual soul, but it's close enough.

"Successors," perhaps.]

But I'd be interested to see it regardless.

... It's not hard to see someone else with the title, to be honest. It's just surprising.

[hunterofsorts]

It's likely not. It's vaguely familiar to me but who knows? The place it was like wasn't exactly tailored to my tastes and it had storage of stuff that belonged to people long passed so your stuff might still be there.

[He blinks then nods.] Well it makes sense. Different people have different tastes. It would make sense that this place wants the new gods to feel at home - or as at home as possible. Which might explain why it pulls people we know here - incentive to stay.

[Because Dean is still mulling everything from before over.] I'd be happy to have you. There's a bar inside, poker table, pool. Might be a nice change of pace for you.

Is it really?

[reformedsinner]

A large white stucco building with marble floors and expensive furniture?

I suppose, as Dionysus' temple, it must still have the wine cellar.

[The courtyard with the holy water fountain, perhaps not. Or the books. Although Athena's had had the statue.]

... and I wouldn't mind stopping by.

[If nothing else, they could talk more freely than Hakkai feels comfortable to talk inside the Meeting Hall.]

[hunterofsorts]

Not really? I mean I guess the furniture would be almost-antique by today's standards since some of it is from back in like the 30's. Looks like an old fallout shelter really.

[Dean nods. If there's a fountain he's not found it yet. It might be hidden some place inside he hasn't gone through all the rooms.] Definitely a massive cellar, kinda a rec room man cave bar thing stocked to the gills which makes me pretty happy if I'm honest.

Whenever you're ready doors open. Just be careful the place is warded and I don't know how you'd do with a devil's trap from back home..

[reformedsinner]

[The 30s -- of the previous century by this world's calendar, it must be. Eighty or more years.

Neither man cave nor fallout shelter make much sense to him, but he notes both phrases for looking up later. He doubts they mean exactly what they sound like, although it could also be that the cellar is in a cave.

The last question, though, stops him in his tracks, blinking with sudden curiosity.]

I don't know how I'd deal with it either. Is it dangerous?

[If it's just a trap, and can be opened if he finds himself in it, Hakkai may have to test the question.]

[hunterofsorts]

Devil's traps? Nah, Not really at least not alone. It's a symbol on the ground usually under a rug or something to trick demons into to keep them from being able to attack you that's about it.

It wouldn't be hard for me to negate or break it for you to be able to move beyond it if it comes to that. My temple of warded with all kinds of things like that but they won't hurt you. I don't even know if they would be effective against any other kinds of demons or angels or whatever that aren't from back home.

[Dean arches a brow rubbing at his chin. He poses the question even if he isn't expecting an affirmative answer.] If you want and can put that much trust in me, we can test it just to see.

[reformedsinner]

If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to.

[Both to see if it traps him, as a youkai, and to see if it traps him, as a god. There aren't many youkai here, but in a Heaven filled with supernatural creatures, he'd be very interested to find ways of confining them.

Trusting Dean with his safety hardly enters into it. If it does work, yes, Dean will have to release him, but if he doesn't, he doubts that a devil's trap is proof against a cell phone signal. There are people he can call.

It doesn't hurt to make a show of trust, either, as part of what might well be a productive new working relationship.]

[hunterofsorts]

I don't see why I would mind. It might be handy information to have.

[Like if they need it. If Gods go bad or rogue and trouble starts. Dean's pretty sure he always finds himself in the middle of trouble and saving people. It wouldn't be his life without these things. He doubts this place is much different.]

You swing by whenever you're ready and we'll test it. I'll show you some the basics and what they do.

[reformedsinner]

Well, for instance, if you have to destroy your demon trap to get me out... but regardless, I'll have to stop by.

[He smiles, and, briskly, brushes his hands together before scooting back to stand up from the cushion where he's sitting.]

But for now, I should get back to the training. It's been a pleasure speaking with you, Dean.

[hunterofsorts]

It's not hard to break a trap. It's honestly just a symbol on the ground or the floor or whatever. I can break it pretty easily without rendering it useless. I wouldn't make the offer if it would be a massive inconvenience.

[Dean's watching him then nodding. Coming to his feet he's extending a hand to Hakkai.]

That might be a good idea yeah. Thanks for talking with me, Hakkai.

[reformedsinner]

[A symbol on the ground -- interesting. He'll know what to look out for, too, if it turns out to work on him, he thinks, and reaches out to take Dean's hand.

His handshake is careful, and a little awkward with lack of practice.]

No -- thank you. I'm sure I'll see you around.

[hunterofsorts]

[Dean's not sure how that kind of thing will work here but he had been more concerned with securing his temple for his own sense of things being safe. Even if it didn't work the task had been familiar and grounding.

He's a bit surprised by the awkwardness of that handshake but he's smiling all the same. Hakkai is making an effort. That's more than most.]

Absolutely. I'm looking forward to it.