December Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: September 25th
Where: Bishamon's temple, the Far Shore
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki



Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided to Bishamon's temple, where a reception area and a traditionally styled dojo and training ground have been made available for the day. 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 Western-styled reception hall within Bishamon's temple 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 shinki volunteers, both in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's shinki and in Bishamon's red-piped black uniforms, are stationed around the dojo, passing out helpful informational pamphlets. They will be happy to instruct the newcomers in the use of the borderline as well as offering an explanantion 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.

Someone has brought two overflowing boxes of back issues of From Ama, the Heavenly magazine, which includes profiles of successful shinki and gods, historical tidbits, and the occasional magazine quiz to help shinki determine how well they're currently working with their god or what their greatest strength might be.

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.

This month, a clever shinki magician has created a dozen straw-stuffed training dummies, some with sword-length sticks and some with polearm-length sticks, that have been enchanted to really fight back. Unfortunately, the spell isn't perfect yet! They're good training partners, but sometimes they might go a little haywire and try to smack passersby.

Rest and Refreshments

Along with bottled water, there are several large boxes of energy drinks and vitamin drinks in small amber glass bottles, and an array of protein bars and meal bars. One particular shinki in white, a bespectacled twentysomething man, is explaining the health benefits of everything on the table (even the water!) with great enthusiasm to any guest who looks even a little confused. It takes great tact to discourage him.

Party games have been set up on the lawn near the refreshments table: Twister, Kubb, lawn Jenga, and more.

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
• Play some games
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

Rest and Refreshments

[declamando]

[Maria's been in the dojo practicing with a sword for a while now, and very clearly knows what she's doing with it, her grip switching and adapting easily to make the most effective motions to down the dummies she trains against. And now, over near the refreshments table, she's pulling out a stack of fliers from her supplies, clearly very intent on what she's doing, and established enough here to have organised something that needs getting the word out.

She looks a little surprised to be suddenly rushed over to by Charlotte, but after that first moment, she smiles politely, transferring the papers to one hand to accept the drink.]

Thank you. Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before. [That outfit is...eye-catching, to say the least, and she imagines she would have noticed it.]

[appealingdame]

[Charlotte watches Maria practice for a while, evaluating her ability- and mildly surprised that she can evaluate it. Not the swordswomanship itself, as such, but the fighting ability in general... Well, best not to dwell on that. Charlotte's not sure she needs allies for battle exactly, but a shinki who's already good at that probably works for an influential god, right? She might be a good contact.

And so, while she doesn't mean to lay the act on super thick, Charlotte is still all smiles for the other woman.] You're welcome! I'm brand new, yeah! My name is Charlotte, it's nice to meet you!

[declamando]

[Maria takes a sip of the drink as Charlotte introduces herself, then bows her head politely.] Maria Cadenzavna Eve, incarnation of Nuada Airgetlám. It's a pleasure to meet you too. I've been here about...four and a half months now, or close to it.

[She tucks the flyers a little more securely under her arm - the writing at the top of them is just visible, appearing to be something about agility training.]

How are you settling in so far? It's a lot to take in when you first get here, I know.

[appealingdame]

[That all sounds... real fancy. Good call, Charlotte, good call.] Oh my! How impressive! By "incarnation" do you mean... That you're a goddess?

[She sounds appropriately in awe of that. She has no idea who Nuada Airgetlám is and isn't sure she could pronounce it properly if she tried, but that's fine.]

I really don't know how settled I am... I'm still rather confused by everything, I'm afraid. It's just a little overwhelming.

[declamando]

Yes, though I don't usually use the title myself. I don't really think it fits me. [Maria smiles slightly, as if it's for reasons that should be easily understood. Then again, she's met a lot of people with similar attitudes and not a lot without.

Her expression becomes a little more serious once Charlotte mentions being confused about it, though, and she nods.] Is there anything I can help you understand better? Getting your bearings as a shinki is always a little harder than as a god.

[Considering the awe she placed on the title of goddess, Maria figures this girl probably isn't one.]

[appealingdame]

Oh? [Charlotte tilts her head quizzically.] Why not? Isn't it a nice title?

[If she were a goddess she'd call herself that every day. Make people bow to her and give her tribute. It's probably good that Charlotte isn't a goddess.]

Well, I'm still... Figuring things out. I'm not quite sure where to begin, you see. I read some of the information offered, but actually starting is a little... well...

[declamando]

Ah, well...I suppose it would be better to say I wouldn't think of myself as worthy to be a goddess. [Considering she was religious in her own world - though it would be hard not to believe in something where she comes from considering the relics they left behind - it doesn't really sit right with her. She doesn't seem too sheepish about admitting it, though there is some reservation there.

It disappears a few moments later, though, in the wake of Charlotte's words.] If you just want someone to talk it out with or ask opinions from, I can do that too. I've got some experience in these matters with how long I've been here.

[appealingdame]

[In Charlotte's world, they worship dragons. Then they kill the dragons. A religious life is rough in Fire Emblem. Not that she remembers that at the moment.]

Oh... So modest! [Who cares about being worthy?] Well, if you don't mind me asking, what do you expect from your own shinki? What sort of treatment do they get?

[declamando]

[That's definitely a question she's heard a few times, or at least similar ones, and she takes another drink as she thinks on it.] It's different for any god, but I mostly just expect to be able to rely on them if I need them in a fight. Otherwise, they just live their own lives. I provide food and things like that for them, and if they're having trouble finding work or anything then I'll get them other things they need, but I try not to interfere too much.

[Maria believes fairly strongly in the god and shinki connection being something mutual, even if she's a bit more motherly towards them than she's likely to admit.]

[appealingdame]

So... You look after them.

[That sounds nice. Help out in a fight every now and then and you don't have to worry about anything else? That's practically luxury!]

Hey, what's your temple like? Is it nice? A goddess should live in a fancy palace, right?

[declamando]

[Maria laughs a little at that, because it's a remark she's heard before in similar terms.] It is nice, but it's not quite what I was expecting. It's a very big and beautiful treehouse in a cavern. Everything around the tree still gets sun, since that part of the cave roof is missing.

[And thankfully, there's not really any rain here to make living in a tree frustrating.]

[appealingdame]

[She lives in a cave. Charlotte cringes and immediately drops any tentative ideas she had into seducing this lady into naming her. Sure, she's nice and she sounds like a nice goddess, but a fucking tree in a cave.]

What the hell? You're a goddess and they make you live in a cave with no roof? Your shinki have to live there too?

[declamando]

[That's a rather sudden turnabout in attitude, and Maria frowns a little, in part because she's gotten rather fond of the temple in the time she's been here, and also because the turn doesn't seem for the better. On the other hand, she supposes there's a certain level of offense on her behalf to it, so it can't be entirely ill-intentioned.]

Considering the tree grows out of that hole, I'd be in a lot more trouble if I was living in a cave with one. But I think you're getting the wrong idea from me saying "cave" instead of grotto or something else.

[appealingdame]

Oh! Well, I mean, I guess that's-

[Still a treehouse. Like a little kid. But Charlotte notices that frown and realises her mistake- she slipped up, and now the first real goddess she's properly met is going to think she's some rude thug.]

... That's kind of adorable, huh? A real treehouse! I mean, when you think about it... How sweet!

[All smiles and unassuming posture again. Please ignore her little outburst.]

[declamando]

[It's not a particularly convincing save, but Maria recognises that she's at least making the attempt. Though she doesn't start smiling again just yet, she at least lets up on the frowning.]

It's not a child's treehouse either, if that's what you're thinking. The tree itself is extremely big, so there's full rooms on the boughs and things like the kitchen and library are in bigger ones curved around the tree trunk. It's something I'd be surprised if it was possible to build and maintain somewhere outside of the Heavens.