March Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: October 25th
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, 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 the Meeting Hall, where 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 what looks like an old, large warehouse behind the Meeting Hall for an informational meeting covering the basics of proper god behavior. Several chairs have been moved in, but they're squeezed together between packed shelves and boxes of old ritual clothing, scrolls and rusty or chipped household goods. A minor deity is giving the speech, and none of the white-robed shinki enter. 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 in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's hosuehold 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 explanation 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.

Back copies of the "From Ama" magazine, including puff pieces about new or rising gods or successful shinki, advice columns for resolving problems between gods and shinki, temple photographs and other articles of interest to gods and shinki, have been brought out in boxes and piled up next to a table holding a few remaining copies of the shinki questionnaire for any new shinki who want to keep one around until they can answer the included questions.


What is your name?

What is your god's name?

How do you see your duties as a shinki?

What is your favorite part of life with your god?

What is your least favorite part of life with your god?

What advice would you like to give your god?

Do you wish to be assigned to a different god? []Y []N

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. Several magically animated straw-stuffed training dummies, many of which have been carefully mended and patched with neat black stitching, are set up on the lawn with a white-robed shinki hovering nearby to watch over them. They make good training partners, although anyone who comes too close risks being targeted for a sparring match whether they wanted one or not.

The white-robed shinki are still busy cleaning and preparing the Meeting Hall for the big annual meeting of the gods. They'll recruit anyone who looks as though they're not too busy in order to help scrub floors, weed, sweep paths and walkways, and shoo away any unwelcome little spirits that are hiding away in dark corners of the hall. Heavy lifting is good exercise... right?

Rest and Refreshments

There are casks of fresh, cold water near the dojo to make sure no one gets dehydrated, but for those who've finished working, hot tea and enough seasonal treats are available to make it look as though the Heavens bought out an entire sweet shop. They're being distributed by a few shinki in indigo-blue and plain brown robes with the sleeves tied back, who aren't above teasing the newcomers a bit.

Young shinki are playing in the nicely manicured garden, trying to catch crayfish at the lake edge, dashing around playing tag and hide-and-seek. Just be careful you don't get caught in the middle of a game of "Kagome"! If you do, you'll really be stuck until you guess someone's name.

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
• Enjoy a traditional tea
• Spectate if you want
• Have fun~

Comments

[lightninglobster]

[Takumi, you can't kick your brother's ass hard enough to create a time paradox that sends him back home and out of the Conquest route. It's just not possible my guy.

Ryoma matches Takumi's bow with his own, shifting his weight and going right into his own stance, sword up and eyes on Takumi, studying him for just a moment--

And then he lunges in, striking high to see how much attention Takumi is paying. It's a move he likes to use on people that are new to sparring with him--or people he suspects are holding back because of... something. A friendly handshake, but with a sword.

In retrospect, that probably makes it a terrible handshake.]

[tacomeme]

[Takumi's seen this move before, of course. Not just in his own spars with his brother, but also when watching him spar with others. So he matches it, knocking the blade aside and making an attack of his own]

[lightninglobster]

[Good! Takumi has at least a moderate level of skill--high level, Ryoma mentally amends as he's matched and returned, leaving Ryoma with barely enough room to block Takumi's strike. He nods and shifts his stance--and then lunges in with a feint, pushing up the chase, the aggression with which he strikes.]

[tacomeme]

[And Takumi goes on the defense- but it's not out of fear. Ryoma might have taught him how to fight, but how they did was always different. Ryoma was fast, powerful. Could overrun most foes. Takumi less so, but he made up for it by seeking out weakpoints and striking suddenly. And it's clear by his gaze that that's exactly what he's doing as he tries to block his strikes: watching.]

[lightninglobster]

[For Ryoma, ignorance is bliss--he moves to overwhelm, to overpower, not quite kenning on to being watched so keenly yet.]

You're quite good!

[He seems so pleased of that fact, feeling like the world made sense again in this moment as he feints again and then goes for a low-to-high swing, trying to disarm Takumi.]

[tacomeme]

[He moves to dodge... but it's a near thing. Mostly because he doesn't step out of Ryoma's range but *into* it to try and land a strike. In a spar that's one thing, but in actual combat it would be much too risky. But here he goes regardless]