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]

[Ginia nods slowly, planning out her next words. Ultimately, she settles on the truth. If Votelli saw something, this could be the break they need.]

Yes. They took and hurt a bunch of our friends and we're trying to find more information about them so they can't hurt anyone else.

A lot of us also came through and damaged the forest in the process. I'm sorry about that.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

It's a bad situation all around. Sounds like it's pretty bad down here for you too. [Nia, meanwhile, goes the empathy route. She's still not certain what the kid's deal is, but Votelli doesn't exactly look like she's in great shape.]

[fleetforestsprite]

I'm fine.

[She hugs herself a little tighter, still scowling, but she's not trying to run.]

Those were your friends?

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods slowly, realizing how uncomfortable Votelli is, but also needing information. ]

Were you the one controlling the trees and vines slowing us down or was that the people in the black robes? If that was you or other inhabitants of the forest, sorry, we didn't know.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia sticks a hand up in the air.] For the record, I wasn't there for that. So whatever was happening, I don't know anything about.

[fleetforestsprite]

You don't have to say sorry to me.

[She ducks her head, avoiding their gazes.]

It was me.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia inclines her head out of respect and habit even as the gesture goes unseen.]

Do you know anything about the people in the black robes? Did you hear names or anything? Please, anything you can tell us helps. The sooner we know more, the quicker we can leave this forest and leave you alone.

[Ginia pauses before quickly adding on:]

They almost killed my god. Other people I like, possibly children in the past. I don't want them to hurt anyone else.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah. I get the feeling there's a bullseye on all of us, and -- I'd kinda like to avoid that. If I can. [Nia rubs at the skin beneath one of her little braids, a bit awkward.] I don't want people to get hurt, not on my watch...

[fleetforestsprite]

I don't know their names. None of them saw me, but Sensei told me I had to help them. [She's almost mumbling, avoiding their gazes.]

Sorry about your friends...

[unlucky7]

It's okay. They're all better now.

[As far as she can tell. No one was reported missing after the fact, no one dead, and everyone she's since run into that was taken is back on their feet.]

Can you tell us about Sensei?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah -- the guy made you come and attack other people, and left you out here?

[Nia isn't liking the sound of this...]

[fleetforestsprite]

[She shakes her head.]

I live out here. [And, shaking her head more vigorously.] But I'm not telling you anything about him!

[Not when they want to find whoever hurt their friends. They're definitely going to do something if she does.]

[unlucky7]

[It was maybe expecting too much to get an answer like that. Votelli lives here, but it seems like whoever her sensei is, doesn't. Hmm.]

Is it nice living out here? Or is it lonely here by yourself?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Sure, now she's picking up the 'too fast, too furious' vibe. Nia folds her own arms, regarding the girl skeptically.] Be honest with you, it doesn't look like you're in the lap of comfort out here.

[fleetforestsprite]

It's all right. I like the trees.

[She ducks her head, and admits:]

It's kind of lonely sometimes, though. Hey -- why aren't you forgetting me?

[unlucky7]

[Ginia blinks at the statement, remembering an earlier conversation with Archer about the cultists. "Someone picked humans that had even more trouble noticing any of us."]

We're talking face-to-face, aren't we? Why would we forget you?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

There's probably some 'spiritual powers' nonsense to explain it.... but hey, have you met other people from the Far Shore that forgot you?

[fleetforestsprite]

What's the "Far Shore?"

[She blinks at them.]

Even if I try talking to people, they usually forget me....

[unlucky7]

[Interesting. Are Far Shore and Near Shore terms used primarily by the Heavens?]

The Far Shore is where gods reside. We're currently in the Near Shore, where humans live.

[Ginia gestures between Nia and herself.] We're shinki, spirits that serve gods. Humans don't notice us unless we try to get their attention and they usually forget about us after the fact.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah, and from what I hear, the Far Shore was where everyone got attacked by the vines and stuff, right? [Back her up, Ginia, did she figure that out correctly?] Which means if that was you, you were doing it there, whether you knew it or not.

[fleetforestsprite]

Oh. Okay. Sensei, um...

[She looks warily at them before plunging forward.]

He didn't explain a lot. He just told me what to do. You're both shinki, really?

[unlucky7]

[Ginia nods and offers a genuinely friendly smile. She looks at her phone and flips through her photo gallery, turning her phone to show Votelli a picture.

There are four people gathered around a dinner table with a large spread of food. There's a man with long blue hair, a black top and blue robes at the head of the table. To his right is man with white hair in a black button-down shirt. Across from him is a man with black hair in a form-fitting green top, and at the bottom is Ginia, leaning in taking the picture.

She lets Votelli look at the picture before typing up a message.]

The man with blue hair is my god, Caster. The other three of us are all his shinki. He takes care of us. I like living with him.

[It's a calculated move: "Sensei" seems to be more the kind to come in only when there are orders to give and maybe doesn't care otherwise. Maybe showing there are other options, of shinki and gods that get along and are happy together, can sway her into helping them out.

But also Ginia likes showing off her temple.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia's not really sure about this. Isn't this kind of asking, 'Hey, are you two all alone, can't do any Rending, pretty much powerless?' Seems like a booby trap to her.]

['Course the two of them sure aren't powerless.]

[...Feh. She was starting to feel good and then Ginia had to pull the whole 'look at my happy family' nonsense. Bet it felt good hanging out with more people than Nia properly knew the names of around here. But whatever. She can handle things alone.]

Don't look at me, I got a god but I barely know the guy.

[fleetforestsprite]

[Votelli leans over, staring at Ginia's picture for a long moment before her attention shifts to read the text. Her expression is uncertain: there's something like a smile lingering, but it's wistful.

Eventually, she nods.]

That must be nice. My --

[She swallows whatever she was about to say, and tries again, with a guilty shift of her eyes.]

I don't have any shinki.

[unlucky7]

[It hadn't occurred to Ginia until that moment Votelli could be a god. Hadn't the Heavens warned about a god unknown to even them? She regards Votelli with a sad smile. She could be an excellent liar, but mostly she seems sad and lonely right now.]

Would you like to have shinki? Or other company?