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~
erogappa: (shock -- uSO!)

[personal profile] erogappa 2018-07-03 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Gojyo sits back, stunned. That... that actually makes sense. ]

You're a god. [ It's a statement -- a revelation -- not a question. He straighten up and quickly gestures back and forth at himself and Goku. ] Hey, look, we might be from the Heavens, but we didn't ask to be brought there. We don't like them any more than you do. It's just that a lot of the folks who got hurt in the attack are our friends, and they don't like the folks in charge up there either.
rockthemonkey: (Oh come on!)

[personal profile] rockthemonkey 2018-07-04 02:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[Goku tenses up and his eyes go wide.] Would they do that? [Looks to Gojyo for confirmation- they wouldn't, right? Gojyo doesn't look like he thinks they wouldn't!]

... Well, we're not with them anyway! Not really! We don't even really know them. [And maybe "Sensei" is lying to her. Maybe he's just trying to scare her. But it's not like it would be strange for them to want to kill someone they considered an outsider. He's seen that before too.] ... No one's tried t' hurt ya, right?
fleetforestsprite: (14)

[personal profile] fleetforestsprite 2018-07-05 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
The guy on the horse said that I'd be punished.

[So, you know. There's that.]

But I've been trying to be careful. Nobody saw me before today! And... [more quietly] You're okay, right? You won't tell them about me?
erogappa: (smile -- conversin and such)

[personal profile] erogappa 2018-07-05 02:29 pm (UTC)(link)

[ No, Gojyo's pretty sure that the folks running heaven wouldn't have any problem hurting somebody who didn't do what they said. After all, just look at what they've been doing to the new gods and shinki. Heaven isn't a safe place, that's for damn sure. ]

I promise. [ He even holds out one hand, pinky extended. Does she know about pinky swearing? ] But if people keep gettin' attacked by trees in heaven, they're gonna get suspicious and come looking for the cause, do you get what I'm saying?

rockthemonkey: (Hakkai that's gross)

[personal profile] rockthemonkey 2018-07-05 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
The guy on the horse...?

[What guy?? What horse?? Ugh, he sounds like a jerk already. Sure, Votelli did some bad stuff, but that doesn't make her a bad person. Why doesn't anyone ever want to just talk to people?]

I promise too. Hurting people isn't gonna help anyone.
fleetforestsprite: (3)

[personal profile] fleetforestsprite 2018-07-06 07:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I wasn't in the heavens! I wouldn't do that.

[She's flinching at the idea, but only briefly, before she looks in confusion at Gojyo's hand. He's holding his pinky out. After a few seconds, she curls her other fingers in, leaving her pinky extended to match his, and looks up at him with her nose wrinkled.]
erogappa: (smile -- that soul glo tho)

[personal profile] erogappa 2018-07-08 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
[ Slowly, he reaches out and wraps his pinky around hers, giving her hand a little shake. ]

That's how you make a promise.

[ If she wasn't in heaven, then how were the trees there fighting them? He doesn't think she knows, and he doesn't want to upset her by quizzing her about it, but at the same time, he needs to know. ]
rockthemonkey: (That's why I'm glad.)

[personal profile] rockthemonkey 2018-07-08 12:05 pm (UTC)(link)
[Goku watches Gojyo make a pinky promise, not sure why it makes him feel like something in his chest is being twisted even as he smiles at it. Maybe it's just because of everything that's happened this month. Somehow. It's not important right now.]

... Now we really can't tell anyone. [Pinky promises are sacred.]
fleetforestsprite: (11)

[personal profile] fleetforestsprite 2018-07-09 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Really?

[She purses her lips curiously, looking down at their linked pinkies, and then, as Gojyo finishes shaking her hand, lets go and stretches a pinky out to Goku.]

Then you have to promise too.
erogappa: (smile -- nostalgia)

[personal profile] erogappa 2018-07-09 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)

[ They're going to have to come back, Gojyo thinks, settling back on his heels. She's starting to trust them, and that's great, but he won't kid himself -- they're asking her to betray her only friend. Or only companion, maybe. Regardless, it's a hell of a thing to ask somebody, especially a kid. They'll have to come back, earn her trust. There's answers here. ]

rockthemonkey: (Wink wink nudge nudge)

[personal profile] rockthemonkey 2018-07-09 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[There can't be many good things to eat around here. Goku knows from experience how hard it is to find food in the wilderness. They'll definitely have to come back with snacks for Votelli.]

Ah, sure! [Links his pinky with hers and shakes.] I promise too. I won't tell any of those Heaven guys we saw you.
fleetforestsprite: (8)

[personal profile] fleetforestsprite 2018-07-16 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay.

[She drops his hand and jumps down from her chair, patting it. The wood creaks a little; it seems to be solidifying as it goes, sprouts hardening to solid wood.]

Thank you. [And, returning her attention to Goku and Gojyo:] Hey, will you come back here? Later?
erogappa: (smirk -- wink)

[personal profile] erogappa 2018-07-17 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)

[ Sounds like the audience is over. Gojyo stretches out his back, then, before he can forget, reaches down and scoops up the little straw doll. As far as evidence goes it might not be anything, but it's all he's got so far that's solid. ]

Oh? And I suppose you're gonna want us to bring some snacks with us when we come, huh?

rockthemonkey: (It was fun!)

[personal profile] rockthemonkey 2018-07-18 10:17 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah! We can do that? Hey, what kinda stuff do ya like? I bet the food in here sucks.

[No offence, trees. Goku grins but then looks befuddled from Votelli to Gojyo and back again. They're leaving? Oh, they're leaving. Goku scrambles to his feet.]

I've seen loads of places with good food already! I can definitely get ya somethin'.
fleetforestsprite: (2)

[personal profile] fleetforestsprite 2018-07-18 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
No, there's lots of good food! There's chestnuts, and mulberries, and wild herbs--

[She licks a bit of chocolate off her lip, and confides:]

But I still like mortal food too. Um, chips! And puffed rice!