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

[handsome_genius]

[ Yoon turns to the people present with him. ]

Is that possible?

[ That doesn't seem possible. Every single god he's met, even with his terrible opinion of Heavens, they've all had a temple. ]

[toremainbehind]

First I've heard of it.

[He blinks.]

But if she lives here, then this place could be her temple.

[trademark_skull]

[Had it been Amaterasu who said there were other gods besides the ones living in the heavens? Also, the things that happened in the forest may have been caused by one such god. They should be extra careful.]

I have seen some ayakashi wandering around here. So this doesn't seem like a safe place for a god. [Unless they were only attracted to this forest now due to the recent activity. Can't remember if they were here before, was too focused on getting others out.]

But if you live here, then you must've seen what happened a couple days ago, right?

[onedrinkwithme]

That is very much true; there are ayakashi about and they like to hide in various places and catch others off guard.

[See he can speak! But he's watching the girl for her answer.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[She scowls, shooting Izumo an annoyed glance.]

I said this isn't my temple. Anyway, the ayakashi go away if I hide long enough.

[Annoyance fading into a little uncertainty, she glances from Emizel to the others.]

Yeah, I saw some things....

[handsome_genius]

But if you're a goddess, wouldn't you want to live in your own temple? It can't be easy living on your own. Although, I guess gods don't really have to eat do they...

[ But he perks up and shakes his head at the other trail of the conversation as Emizel introduces. ]

Oh, right! If you saw anything, that would be really helpful.

[ For his part Yoon starts digging around in his pouch for something worth bartering, as he doesn't expect her to speak up for free. And if she's been living alone, maybe she'll take trail rations or a bit of ointment... ]

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo raises an eyebrow.

There's...something that's just a little off about this but he does nod to her in respect. He didn't mean to offend her. However, he does glance at Yoon briefly to see what he's doing.]

[trademark_skull]

...It would be a lot safer having a temple or somethin', then you shouldn't need to hide at all. [Even if it was survivable, wouldn't that eventually get annoying? Especially without a shinki or nothing, it would just take one screw up.]

[But, he was getting off topic, shaking his head to get the other thought away.] Ah, yeah. Some humans had captured a lot of people from the heavens and brought them here. It was really bad.

[...Was he supposed to explain the incident? At least he was being genuine about how he felt, in such a way a child would. ...Minus the whole "wanting vengeance" on the leader of this cult.]

[onedrinkwithme]

[...unless someone doesn't want to be found. Heaven has been known to keep things hidden until an incident occurs that forces them to speak up.

He will let the 'children' speak for now. 'Children' only by looks alone, they're rather mature. Besides, they seem to get better answers from the girl than he could thus far.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[She shuffles her toes through the leaf litter, avoiding their gazes.] Yeah, I saw some of it. -- Anyway I can't just make a temple even if I want one! It's humans that make temples for gods.

And there's plenty to eat out here. Berries, wild herbs, mushrooms, chestnuts....

[handsome_genius]

[ Yoon admits to himself that he'd never considered where the temples came from, just assumed that all gods had one. Then, he pulls out some ointment and holds it in her direction, to take if she'd like. ]

You can have this in case you get hurt, then. Those people may attack you. We're not sure why they were out here - that's why we're looking for clues about them. They've burned down a temple before, so I wouldn't put burning down a forest past them either.

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo does go quiet, continuing to let Yoon and Emizel handle it.

However, he does cup his chin in thought as he seems to deliberate something.]

[trademark_skull]

[Yoon gave her an ointment?? That seemed like an awfully nice thing to do. They don't even know her that well yet.]

[The burning down temples thing might be a stretch too - they had nothing confirming those two the same as far as he knows. So not really going to comment on that. But..] ...Many comrades and friends of ours got hurt, we wanna do anything we can to stop it from happening again.

[Also, nuts and berries barely count as real food. How can she stand any of this?!]

If humans won't make you one then maybe we can do something! Or-- Or you can come back with us. I'm sure the Heavens won't mind helping you out.

[....Actually that seems debatable, but it's worth a shot??]

[onedrinkwithme]

[A hand is placed on Emi's shoulder and nods at his reasoning.]

We only wish to understand why and what happened.

[But the reaper can feel how tense Aymeric's hand is: firm but not showing it. That suggestion about her coming with them after the Heavens mentioned a 'rogue god' and the dangers of letting them slip in through a shrine? He cannot risk it because they do not know everything.

So it is more wariness and caution he is silently expressing to Emi. Do not invite her in.]

[fleetforestsprite]

[She takes the ointment from Yoon, turning it over curiously in her hands, and sniffing it.]

What's this for? Is it magic?

Anyway, those people won't hurt me. But you can't tell the Heavens about me! They'll hurt me.

[handsome_genius]

[ He starts to answer but that's a much more serious topic. ]

It's- what? No, it's just to help shallow cuts and bruises and the like, but why is anyone out to hurt you?

[ Especially the bureaucrats who shuffle shinki around like it's no big deal and occasionally do an absolutely terrible job of explaining to gods how to be responsible ones. ]

[toremainbehind]

We won't tell anyone about you.

[He wonders if this is something similar to the situation with Orihime. He remembers the tasks they've had to help her complete that would get her in good standing with Heaven again.

It's that thought that has him frowning a bit, glancing over at Aymeric.]

[trademark_skull]

[Feeling Aymeric's hand on his shoulder sent Emizel into a cold, nervous silence. That was definitely a grip of that he done and screwed up. Not that he suspects Aymeric would harm him, but it was enough of a cue to tell him to keep quiet for a moment.]

[onedrinkwithme]

[Nah, he would never hurt kitton reaper son. We don't count accidents if they were to be a thing anyway. Noticing Izumo's glance, Aymeric nods. The girl's situation might be different than Orihime's considering that the Heavens had called her dangerous. But why? Something did not feel right and there's no clear cut answers.]

You have my word.

[fleetforestsprite]

[Cautiously, she nods, and relaxes slowly.]

Okay. [The promises from all of them -- all of them except the other kid, anyway -- seem to be relaxing her, and she adds, after a minute:]

Because Heaven kills gods that don't follow the rules. You knew that, right?

[handsome_genius]

Kills... is that why gods disappear sometimes? Along with their temples?

[ Yoon has been through that enough times for that to be what his mind goes to when thinking of gods being removed from Heaven. ]

[toremainbehind]

I don't think that's quite it, Yoon.

[Even if it does seem to fall into place.

Still, to her:]

This is actually the first we're hearing about that.

[trademark_skull]

[These were things Emizel did not need to hear either. Though it was not too shocking, what with how many assassination attempts there had been. And any ruling body will seek out and destroy what opposes it. He knew that too well by experience.]

[However, he had his own reason why not to believe that's what caused their temples to disappear. After all he has heard of multiple gods dying and returning, and not even in the reincarnation way that the older gods did.]

Um...Why do you think the Heavens is going to hurt you? Did you break any rules?

[Honest, but somewhat cautious. The answer seemed simple, don't do anything stupid. Considering she's just a lone god in the forest, she couldn't have done anything that wrong.]

[Right?]

[onedrinkwithme]

...you never appeared in the Heavens before, did you?

[If this girl was not among them in the Heavens, then the higher ups may not like that idea. It's the Church all over again. To hide anything that seems ugly and leaves a stain.

So that leaves another thought that makes him curious. But when Aymeric asks, it's not in an accusing tone but rather curious.]

[fleetforestsprite]

I don't want to follow their rules! That's bad enough.

[She sounds petulant; she sounds about one inch away from stamping her foot in the leaf litter. Her scowl is fierce.]

And I've been here for my whole life, but I shouldn't have to hide out in a forest forever. -- I don't know where any disappearing gods went, but the Heavens probably did kill them.