godsoffortune: (Default)
The Far Shore Mods ([personal profile] godsoffortune) wrote in [community profile] thenearshore2018-06-01 07:03 pm

29 - Autumn Leaves

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~
darkestbefore: color happy (024)

sdkjfhasd

[personal profile] darkestbefore 2018-06-11 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's the movement she can see now that has her gaze drawing up to his location above her. Violet eyes go wide for a moment as she takes in his form, a little startled by the sight of it. ]

Goodness! You're... not part of this cult at all, are you?

[ They'd had a very distinctive look about them, after all, and a tiny dragon doesn't quite fit it in the least. ]
indragonyears: whelp form (dunananana fat whelp)

i like to picture him with a fancy model with onyxian style horns

[personal profile] indragonyears 2018-06-17 04:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He is quite majestic, isn't he? ]

Not in the slightest. I serve no cause but my own... and I've only recently arrived in this wonderful world.

[ After a moment, the whelp is changing; one moment, tiny and resplendent with his fancy black and burnt-gold scales, and the next, a very fancy young man with a smile on his lips and blood-red eyes. ]

What is it you might be looking for today, my lady?

[ Charm: on. ]
darkestbefore: color happy (104)

I approve of this picture

[personal profile] darkestbefore 2018-06-20 01:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Her expression only turns more fascinated when his image shifts from tiny dragon to young man and she clasps her hands together in front of her in delight. ]

Oh goodness, you can shift forms! That's amazing! Was that something you could always do?

[ Guess who has distracted her from what she's here for entirely? Oh, but at least his words remind her and she casts him a sheepish sort of smile. ]

Much the same as the rest, I'm afraid. I was one of the ones held captive within this place not so long ago. I came seeking answers for why.
indragonyears: smugger; smarmier (why yes it is made of diamonds)

someday blizzard will stop modeling elf boobs long enough to do something

[personal profile] indragonyears 2018-06-30 03:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Wrathion, completely convinced of how wonderful he is, just smiles in the wake of Yona's visible delight, hands folded in front of him. ]

It is indeed; 'tis one of the first things any dragon worth their salt learns to do. It makes communicating with [ lesser ] mortal races easier, considering how small their domiciles and places of gathering tend to be.

[ ... though Wrathion doesn't yet have to worry about being too haunchy for the town hall, these things will come to pass someday. Any day now. He tilts his head, expression curling into something questioning, something sympathetic; he's very theatrical when he's trying to make an impression because he's essentially a lizard in a papier-mache mask, but I digress. ]

Captive? That's terrible! Is this the first lead the Heavens have managed to procure, or...?
darkestbefore: color happy (188)

will they though?

[personal profile] darkestbefore 2018-07-03 12:54 pm (UTC)(link)
With this particular instance? I believe so. If they've discovered more, they haven't been very forthcoming with it. [ There's a pinch of distrust and frustration in the wrinkle of her brow as she glances around with a sigh. ] Although I'm not sure whoever was responsible has left all that many clues behind to discover here, either. There is an unknown faction actively working against the heavens - Amaterasu in particular. Which I might have more understanding for, if this faction didn't seem to care little for whoever got caught in the crossfire of their grudge - gods or shinki or humans alike.
indragonyears: brilliant; lightbulb (what if we were to organize crime)

n e v e r jubblies 4 lyf and before all

[personal profile] indragonyears 2018-07-17 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ Wrathion can work with distrust! His face moulds into something like curiosity and sympathy, brows furrowed as he ferrets away the discontent fed into Yona's words. Something's rotten in the high heavens, and sooner or later, someone's going to find the body in the closet.

Wrathion'll be delighted if he gets to help throw the door open. ]


I wouldn't be surprised if the Higher Authority, as it were, held more than a few cards closer to their chest until a more favorable draw presented itself. [ It's what Wrathion would do, after all. His voice is dry, sharp in a way that hints that his smile is more a frustrated baring of teeth, eyes glinting in the low forest's light. ] Ah, I do love a good bit of splash damage when I'm on the fringes of someone else's war. Perhaps it's time to cast the net wider--with or without Heaven's aid on the matter.