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

[skybluelaguz]

[ Ranulf had just started to take a cat nap when a small, familiar scent, tickled his nose and he woke up. It doesn't take him long before he's on a journey to finding out just who it was that he knew that was here.

It doesn't take too long at all when he spots the sea-foam hair, and blue armour he knew all too well. He jogs over to her, a large smile on his face. ]

I thought I smelled a familiar face.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[His journey isn't a long one, and in what is probably a familiar sight, he catches the Sentinel about to shove food in her face (she'd always had a ferocious appetite). In fact, his saying that causes her to pause and look up with a pair of chopsticks halfway to her mouth.

Wait, was that really who...]

...Ranulf???

[Holy crap someone from home?! She hurriedly sets the food down, and hops up, giving him a bear hug that is probably very surprising to him - both because this as Nephenee who isn't exactly known for her outgoingness, and because she is extremely strong.]

Land sakes, when did ya get here?!

[skybluelaguz]

OOF!

[ Okay, sure, he's been hugged by people before. Mordecai did once...Skirmir on his more willful days, but this was probably the strongest a beorc has ever gotten him. He vaguely wondered if Ike did the same would he snap his spine. ]

Oh...just now...

[ He tries to give he a smile but it does come off as being a bit strained since...well... ]

Just a...small reminder Nephenee that laguz need to breathe...just like you.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[At least Ike looks like he could do that, while Nephenee kind of doesn't, so not much in the way of warning.

Thankfully, she hears that, and hurriedly lets go, blushing a bit under her helmet.]

S-sorry, Sir Ranulf! [Oh, now she remembers formalities...] I-it's been awhile since Ah been home, an' no one from there's ever made their way here.

A-are ya a god, too?

[He obviously remembers her...so that seems to be the case.]

[skybluelaguz]

[ He breathes much more happily than he's probably ever done before, but finally gives her a smile and a small nod ]

Pay it no mind, being in such a strange place, I don't blame you.

[ Not to say he would've done the same, but seeing a familiar face does make this place just a bit more bearable. ]

Yeah, turns out I'm someone called Hermes now, and you've got another name?

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[That name seems familiar...she know she's heard it before.]

Yeah, Ah'm Athena. She's a Greek goddess of...a buncha stuff. Wisdom, warfare, defense o'towns an' cities, courage, strength, strategy, agriculture, reason, an' craft...Ah think some folks attribute more to her, but that's what Ah got told. She's apparently a pretty major one.

[She seems...not entirely enthused about it, but does snap a finger with a sudden smile.]

Ah, Hermes is one o'the Greek gods too. Think Trickery is one o'your domains? Ah think he's a brother of Athena's too!

[Looks like researching this pantheon is paying off, even if she isn't as studious as she should be. Hey, it's hard sitting still long enough to read all of the books on the Greek pantheon!

Incidentally, she looks a bit more excited at the idea that their roles are related.]

[skybluelaguz]

[ He blinks, wow. Beside the word Greek he knew everything but it was quite the list. ]

My my my, you're certainly are in charge of a lot of things. But somehow it seems to suit you very well, Nephenee.

[ His tail flicks as he hears what he might be in charge of and he can't help but give her a crooked smile. ]

Trickery you say? That doesn't sound unpleasant, but the sibling thing is a little bit more off putting. I hope it's nothing like what is happening in our world.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[Sorry, she Worded. She's not sure how to feel about it fitting her, but the bit about 'off-putting' and 'happening in our world' is...interesting.]

...Happenin' in our world? What's goin' on back home?

[Oh heavens..please let people be ok...]

[skybluelaguz]

Ah well, I hate to tell you but turns out there was a goddess in a medallion and another one woke up, turned the majority of people to stone. All that's left is the army we were with and we had just gotten to the Tower of Guidance to fight that goddess, but now I'm here.

[ He doesn't know if he should explain that if she didn't even know. But it was better to get it out of the way first. ]

It's been a whole mess over there.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[...Is it bad that she feels a little relieved hearing this? Confused, but relieved...it's something that's already happened, that she can reassure him about.

Now how to explain...this sounds like one of those 'different time' things.]

...Ah. Sounds like ya got pulled from an earlier time than Ah did...which is...weird.

[She smiles.]

But don't worry, we defeated the Senate an' Ashera's army...an' everyone's been turned back to normal. Everything's gonna be alright.

[skybluelaguz]

[ His ears perk in surprise as she describes it. Did that mean, she was from the future? ]

Well, that's great to hear. Not that I was worried, but it's nice to know it all the same that we came out on top.

[ It was, he was glad that the balance was back in his world...even if he might miss it. But, there are other things that are more important right now. ]

How are things here? How are you, Nephenee? You must have been here for quite awhile.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

[If Nephenee was from another time and another place she might have had fun with that, but she isn't so she won't.]

Heh, wish Ah'd been so sure then...

[She'd been scared to death and heartbroken...and really angry. So many critical hits... She still got a little distraught thinking of things at times.

She puts a finger to her jaw as she tries to remember how long it's been...]

...Huh...It's...been about six months, almost, minus the week or two Ah was back home.

[It feels like a lot longer.]

Ah'm...gettin' used to this whole "bein' a god" thing still, in some ways. Ah've gotten pretty good at manipulatin' plants, though. That's my power, an' Ah can feel gets gotten stronger over time.

But...it's weird, goin' from defeatin' a goddess to bein' one. An' since some o'our strength seems to be from gatherin' followers...gotta get outta my shell more, ya know?

[skybluelaguz]

I feel you. Even knowing now that things work out, I want to go back and see it with my own eyes.

[ He closes his eyes and sighs. ]

But at least the energy here is a lot more balanced.

[ If he had to feel no chaos unless he was fighting he might've gone crazy.

He listens to her continue and six months? Although that was quite some time, it didn't feel like too long being stuck here. Though for a beorc that would be a lot longer. ]

You can get new powers here too? And I know what you mean, with so many gods and goddesses around, it's hard not to wonder if there are any like the one we have.

[mylanceisbiggerthanyours]

Yeah, Ah get that. An’...for the most part, it is. But...when the Ayakashi attack, it kinda gets crazy a bit.

[Talking about the types of gods they had back home makes her tug at her hair absently, uncomfortable with the idea of that.]

Ah hope not. We...jus’ gotta do our best to make sure we don’t end up like Ashera.

[But she shakes herself from the thoughts of that, smiling again.]

Yep. Everyone gets powers of some sort.

[She opens up a small brown leather satchel at her hip and withdraws a few random brown seeds. Passing her other hand over them, there’s a pause, before they start to erupt into greenery and beautiful purple flowers: catmint.

That wasn’t intentional, to be fair.]

Right handy for gardenin' an' farmin'.

[skybluelaguz]

Hmm, those friendly little robed shinki did say something about this ayakashi, but I suppose I'll know more about them when I see them.

[ At her nervousness he gives her a small chuckle and a reassuring smile. ]

Oh I'm sure we'll be fine. WE do have a lot more love for everything than Ashera did, and a little more faith too.

[ His eyes go wide and his ears perk as he watches these seeds turn into full on catmint in mere seconds! his tail swished side to side as he sniffed out the delightful aroma. ]

By the goddess...er...us? That is quite amazing. And smells fully ripe for the taking!

[ He pauses in his compliment as he backtracks to what she had said before. ]

If that is the case then I've got something new too?