29 - Autumn Leaves

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Uncover the remaining secrets of the mysterious forest.
When: Nov 29 - 30
Where: Chichibu National Park & the Central District
Summary: A heavily forested wilderness area in Chichibu National Park is attracting dangerous numbers of ayakashi, and Heaven's forces suspect that this might be the mortal forest that was connected to the Heavens in order to kidnap gods and shinki a few weeks ago.






Walk in the Woods

On the morning of the 29th, Heaven's messenger doves drop off small folded cards at the doors of every temple. The cards read,


We believe that we have identified the location on the Near Shore where the human accomplices were working. As it is a large area, we offer you this information, in case you are able to assist us in searching for clues to the identity of the culprit. Please investigate with caution: there are reports of ayakashi in the area.


Attached is a map to a large national park in the Kanto region, with a section of the park cross-hatched in red pen. Anyone who goes to investigate the marked area will discover that it is heavily forested and contains about a mountain and a half; the ground is steep, muddy with autumn rain, and slick with dead leaves, though some red and orange colors are still grimly clinging to the branches overhead. Watch your step! The supernatural menace seems to have faded, but the purely natural hazards can do almost as much damage.

Heaven's forces, wearing white short jackets with gold chrysanthemum emblems over much more sensible jeans and hiking boots, can be seen here and there throughout the forest, searching for clues themselves. If somebody gets in a real jam, they might be willing to lend a hand.

Mysterious Trees

Towards the center of the cross-hatched area, investigators may begin to see some familiar signs. Are those bits of torn-down spell papers still fluttering from nails driven into the trees? Vines and tree branches cut and broken by the hostage rescuers breaking through? Footprints, torn bits of black hooded cloaks... there are clues aplenty here.

There's something else, too: a mysterious presence still seems to haunt the forest. The trees might not move when anyone's watching, but it seems like they're in slightly different positions every time you look away and back. And what was that flicker of movement in the underbrush? Is there still someone here?!

Comment on the NPC REQUEST/CLUE SEARCH thread below to request specific details, or to go hunting for that mysterious presence.

Ayakashi Attacks

There's more than one mysterious presence in these trees... and some of them are definitely not friendly. The forest's aura is unsettling and creepy enough to partially mask their approach, but ayakashi of all types and sizes seem to have been drawn here. Some wind along tree branches or soar through the air on fleshy, wide-spread wings. Others crawl or even burrow in the ground.

And all of them are excited at the possibility of a divine meal. Look out!

Autumn Leaf Viewing

An area of the Central District planted with maple along a stone-walled canal has been decorated with hanging lanterns, comfortable spread mats and cushions, and an abundance of delicious food and drink on the afternoon of the 30th. Everyone is invited: new gods and old, those who helped investigate the Near Shore forest and those who didn't. For those who did investigate, though, one or two of the white-robed shinki who are helping with the party preparations and enjoying the food and drink themselves will take the opportunity to pull them aside and ask about their findings.

The party includes games as well as food and drink. Kites, poetry games, tag, hide-and-seek, card games and dice games are going on all over. There's even some determined board game and mahjong players who have brought their favorite game to the outdoor venue and are setting up on mats with immense care.

At one edge of the landscaped area where the party is being held, the ground slopes up, and is planted with a riot of bright gold, white and rust-red chrysanthemums. Like the ones that bloomed everywhere a few months ago, these flowers exude a sense of peace, confidence and security to anyone nearby, and especially those who pick the blooms to wear in their hair or their buttonhole.

In Summary:

• Investigate a wild forest
• Watch out for nasty trees
• Exorcise an ayakashi infestation
• Enjoy some hard-earned relaxation
• Have fun~

Comments

[unlucky7]

[It's nice having company that doesn't expect her to talk while not minding she talks through her phone. Ginia gives her shadow a wave as she tags another tree with a ribbon, pressing on through the woods as she looks for clues. At the same time, with less pressure on them, it doesn't take long for Ginia's phone to come out, volume dialed up so she can play her messages at him.]

Do you know of any magic spells or other abilities that could link this area of the Near Shore with the Far Shore? I'm still puzzling over whether we were in this neck of the woods the moment we entered or whether the transportation or whatever happened later.

[kokuyoyo]

[Silence is fine between them. After all, they know when to speak on the important things... or in the case of that one picture, the not so important things. He's fine with his own camera, focusing on the surroundings. When she speaks up, however, he ventures a little closer just to hear better.]

....Not yet. I'd have to do more research into that. But I was told that even just something like those moving mannequins at training... Those spells took decades, at least, to learn.

....But that's shinki magic. This is something different.

[unlucky7]

[That's the work of shinki magic? It occurs to Ginia she doesn't know much about the other spells available to shinki. She's learned the basics of bind from Kairi, but with everything that's happened over the last month, practicing has fallen to the wayside in favor of largely everything else.]

Besides being something presumably shinki can only learn, is there anything that sets shinki magic apart from other forms of magic?

[kokuyoyo]

Well... For one thing, this was done by living humans. Who can't access shinki magic like borderlines... on account that they're not dead.

[So, you know, that's one thing.]

But... that might not mean the same thing for us... Since we're still some sort of human, even if we're dead. I've wanted to figure out if it were possible to do different magic that way....

[unlucky7]

[A fair enough point there.]

I don't get magic. Rather, it's nothing I have innate knowledge of and my abilities arne't magic based. So this is all weird to me. Have you figured anything out yet?

[kokuyoyo]

Not for this specifically... Although it's been a while since I've gone hunting for books on magic accessible to regular humans. I could try again...

....Although it would be easier if I could make out any sort of starting point for what these people have been using, both here and elsewhere.

[unlucky7]

What kind of luck have you had finding magic books in the library? Have you been able to learn anything if you've found things?

[It's a deviation from the more important topic of the forest, but it's a point Ginia can't help seize on. With all the times she's been to the library, she never considered looking for magic books to learn from. Then again, magic is fairly far from the things she usually focuses on.]

[kokuyoyo]

I've had fairly good luck so far... although mostly when it comes to shinki magic. Things like for mortal magic are...

...a little harder.

[His voice goes so dry as if to make up for the dampness of the forest.]

Unless you're a middle schooler trying to figure out how to make your crush like you.

[....Which Chikusa actually was, but, you know what, fuck off]

[unlucky7]

What kind of spells are there for shinki magic?

[Ginia doubts there's a book out there that's Shinki Magic 101, but knowing the library has options is useful. A pity it's so hard finding anything in the library on a good day.

It's also interesting it's easier finding shinki magic versus mortal magic.]

[kokuyoyo]

There are a few... [He crouches down to look over some underbrush.] Most of them, the basic ones, require knowing another shinki's name, or names if they're a nora... Things like binding someone in place, or forcing them silent... Things like that.

But there are things like 'song spells', which don't need the names at all. [He pushes himself up again.] I'm not sure how they'd work with you...

...But I guess it's worth investigating. Especially since... I'm pretty sure that there are more complex spells that I just haven't found yet.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia knows a little about the first category of spells from Kairi. She has bind under her belt thanks to practicing with her temple, but it still feels a bit shaky at times.

That there's a category of spells that don't require names is interesting. Ginia pauses to mark their location with a ribbon and bag a scrap of a spell tag.]

Kairi and I figured out signing spells work as well as speaking them. [Maybe even better considering how the target doesn't need to see or understand the signs.] I presume from the name, song spells have a musical component?

[kokuyoyo]

....There are... parts of it... that require different tones... and things...

[If he sounds stilted and awkward, it's because learning how to sing in Japanese fucking sucks.]

[unlucky7]

[Different tones. Hmm. Maybe signing with emphasis can work, but who knows. Maybe it'll be better to focus on spells she knows she can sign first.]

What about other shinki spells? Kairi taught me bind, but what can other spells do?

[kokuyoyo]

[Oh thank god they're moving away from singing]

Umbra can turn someone invisible... And silence does as it says towards another shinki. [AKA Ginia could make someone walk a few minutes in her shoes.] Truth has someone speak nothing but the truth, although it doesn't force them... and Dizziness.

...Which is also self explanatory.

[unlucky7]

[Umbra, Silence, Truth, Dizziness. All of them have their possibilities and knowing the specific spells exist provide a small push toward figuring out what spell to know next. But Umbra stands out specifically.]

Can you can Umbra on anyone or only shinki? For that matter, can all these spells only work on shinki or can you affect gods with spells too?

[kokuyoyo]

For all of the basic shinki spells like that... You need a name. For shinki, that means their vessel name... All of them, in the case of a nora. [you know, like himself. Not that he's going to tell anyone that.] You can use it on regular humans, too... but you need to know their full names.

[He knows this because he's gotten bored and experimented. Chikusa Kakimoto is perhaps a bad person.]

But gods... From what I've read, it's apparently impossible.

[unlucky7]

[She's picked up the need for a shinki's vessel name as well as the tactical advantage nora have in needing all of their names. But that spells can work on humans with their full name is an interesting bit of information. Useful to know if it arises in the need of continued surveillance.

A pity it doesn't work on gods. At least Umbra would still work on Archer; he'd likely appreciate the tactical advantage of an invisible sniper.]

Can you teach me Umbra sometime?

[kokuyoyo]

[Chikusa has learned that bit of advantage as well when it comes to having a reliable partner, although, in his case, he's gone the exact opposite way from Ginia. Ken is always a more up-close kind of fighter... but that works well enough for Chikusa. It'll be a good thing to have, in the event that Chikusa ever needs to have a trick up his sleeve.]

[Considering both the question and his surroundings, Chikusa takes his time thinking about it. It doesn't require too much. Ginia has proven to be capable, so far... and maybe this way he can get a good idea of what other things she might know.]

Sure... Call me whenever you're ready to learn it... or want to come over....

[unlucky7]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[In terms of finding out what she knows about shinki spells, very little besides bind, though if he wants practice against someone who can sign spells, she's good for that. She flashes him a smile as another magic-related question crosses her mind.

Sorry for all the questions.]

I know there's the whole superiority thing when it comes to casting spells that can determine whether a spell works or doesn't work, but are there other ways to defend against a spell?

[kokuyoyo]

[At least it's something to do while they try to search for things in the forest. Chikusa ruminates on the question a little bit, trying to decide if he wants to tell her.]

...They can be blocked.

[unlucky7]

[Spells can be blocked. Good to know. Ginia chews on it a little longer before going with a guess.]

Though borderlines?

[If every shinki can cast a borderline, it stands to reason that would be the first resource for blocking against shinki spells.]

[kokuyoyo]

Mm.

[...so that's a yes.]

I learned that... from one of the local shinki around here. It's not widely know... I'd prefer to keep it that way.

[But Ginia is someone he can see himself working with a lot in the future... so it's fine if she knows it. She seems like the kind of person that can utilize it best. For others, however, Chikusa would prefer to have something on himself that he knows he can pull up.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods. She'll tell some people - Lancer and Archer, because protecting her temple takes priority above all else - but she can understand the value of keeping it a secret. A good defense is a best offense.]

How cooperative are the old shinki when it comes to sharing spells and information around that? Or even training?

[kokuyoyo]

[Chikusa's answer is in his non-answer. That is to say, he comes to a complete stop instead of his careful shuffling, and dead eyes a twig in the ground as if it's particularly offended him.]

...I haven't learned any actual new spells. He just keeps flinging spells at me... demanding that I block them.... Every spell I've learned has been from the library.

....It's a pain.