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

[yasei]

"I think anything's be a great help though. Thank you for the offer." He beams at Snake and the snakes he's speaking for.

[silentscales]

"'You can call us when you have time, then,' says Ayn." The two snakes settle by the hippos, tails on the levers of the hippos the two shinki aren't using. "'Are you ready?' says Martin?" the boa constrictor points with his tail towards the game.

[yasei]

"Sure, I can do that, I've gotten the hang on these phone things at this point." He was terrible at it at first. "I am ready! Are all of you ready?" He grins at both the other shinki and the snakes. Let's play this peculiar game!

[silentscales]

Snake calls out, "Go!"

And then the game board is shaking as they all try to get some of the marbles. Unsurprisingly, neither Martin nor Ayn were very successful. Ayn is barely able to press the lever down, and Martin can't do it quickly.

[yasei]

It's more difficult to press the lever when everybody is trying to gobble up marbles with their round creatures and putting too much strength in it might flip the board. This is sort of fun even if it's a weird game.

up to you who wins~

[silentscales]

Fortunately, if nothing else, the two snakes helped stabilize the board With the frenzy over and the last marble claimed, it was easy to tell that only Snake and Obi were in the running for winning.

Snake starts to count his marbles, waiting for Obi to count his, "14."

rolled dice and got this result

[yasei]

They put up a good fight even if it wasn't technically a good fight, so it was a good fight. A fun fight, at least.

Obi counts his marbles too, and he's cheered by the result. Though he would have been no matter the outcome. "Ah, same here."

Lol, nice

[silentscales]

Snake is surprised to hear as much. He considers, "'did you want to play again?' says Ayn?"

[yasei]

"If you guys want to, yes." It's fun just hanging around and playing games after all. Fighting is what he's best at, but this is nice.

We can probably just say they play for a while?

[silentscales]

Snake nods and starts to set it up again, waiting for Yasei to be ready again.

Yes, sure

[yasei]

Things can't always end in a draw but the important thing here isn't to win and losing isn't a disaster. "It seems Miss Ayn and Mister Martin is getting the hang of it, too. Thanks for playing with me too, Mister."