August Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: January 6th, 2017
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, the Far Shore / the Ryukyu Islands
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki



Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are, should they allow it, guided to the rear of the Meeting Hall, where a traditionally styled dojo and training ground have been made available for the day. The gods and shinki are free to take their time during this day to learn about the details of their new life from Amaterasu's shinki or from more experienced god and shinki volunteers.




Meeting Hall

God Training

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a small meeting room, with tatami floors and a stage at the front of the room where the speaker stands. A minor deity is giving the speech, and none of the white-robed shinki enter. Paper and pens are provided to all the attendees as an unsubtle suggestion to take notes on the information they're given.

The speaker delivers her welcome speech in the monotone of someone who's practiced it far too often. Hopefully no one's feeling sleepy! She adds that gods should be cautious of anyone on the Near Shore who might ask to use their shrines to visit the Heavens, and should instruct their shinki to be cautious as well. There is an unrecognized god who the Heavens believe to be attacking them. Newly arrived gods are encouraged to discuss the information with each other and ask questions of more experienced gods, as well as instructed to guide their new shinki appropriately. They are allowed to remain in the room as long as they wish, should they want to discuss questions with each other or with more experienced gods who are here to help out.

Shinki Training

Various shinki in the white-and-gold of Amaterasu's hosuehold are stationed around the dojo, passing out informational pamphlets that have been freshly printed. They will be happy to answer any questions or instruct the newcomers in the use of the borderline. They also accompany their answers, or lessons, with an explanation of what is expected of a shinki and the importance of teamwork with other shinki and with gods. Shinki are encouraged to work together to practice what they've learned and discuss their perspectives. Each of the shinki is wearing a brightly-colored sticky name tag reading HELLO, MY NAME IS ________, and all of their names appear to end with the syllable "mei."

A variety of weapons are available in the dojo for shinki and their gods to practice with, and a row of straw targets are set up along one wall. Outside, in an area carefully roped off with red ribbons, are six animated training dummies, also made of straw and dressed in plain cotton jackets and trousers. They will immediately engage anyone who enters the area marked with the ribbon, but will not pursue opponents outside it. A white-robed shinki nearby keeps a sharp eye on the animated dummies, and will intervene if anyone tries to destroy one. The white-robed shinki appears to be a particular expert in magic, and will occasionally offer to help out anyone who's practicing a spell more challenging than the Borderline, especially if they look quite lost. His nametag reads HELLO, MY NAME IS SABIMEI. (To interact with Sabimei, please comment on the "NPC REQUEST" thread below! If you prefer, you may also handwave his assistance or advice with your character learning spells.)

Physical Training

Two of the white-robed shinki, whose nametags mark them as Toumei and Kimei, are standing off to one side of the training area near a pair of large, curtained tents. They each have an enormous wicker basket full of clean, folded beach towels, and a rack of what appear to be wetsuits and swimsuits in a variety of styles and sizes. Once suited and toweled, new and veteran residents of the Heavens alike will be handed a pretty white-and-gold cockade that can be pinned to their suit or tied around their wrist by its ribbons, and either Toumei or Kimei will escort them to a beautiful, but rocky, Near Shore beach. Tropical plants, palm trees and high grasses surround the area, and although the sounds of cars are audible from a road not too far away, the only sign of human presence on this beach is an ancient, rotting fishing boat pulled up well past the high tide mark.

It's quite chilly, with a brisk sea breeze, but there's room to run up and down the beach, a net set up for beach volleyball, younger shinki building sand castles, and showers for the brave souls who venture into the water. The surf is impressive today, so swimmers will get the chance for some serious exercise. There's also the chance to climb through the wreck of the old fishing boat; inside, piles of old seaweed and drifting sand host curious crabs, and a curious explorer could even find treasure... although nothing more valuable than large seashells, old one-yen or five-yen coins, and bits of weathered sea glass.

Rest and Refreshments

When sunset comes -- early, at this time of year -- the shinki bring giant picnic-sized bento boxes with five or seven layers of carefully packed foods, and pile wood for bonfires that leap with flames edged blue-green from the salt. The bento boxes contain a wide variety of traditional foods, many in the style of traditional New Year's dishes: sweet potato and chestnut, slivered carrot and burdock, whole fish, toasted mochi, sliced lotus root and more. A fireworks display starts over the ocean once full night falls, fountains and bursts in every color imaginable, some so ornate that it's hard to believe they're not helped along by a touch of magic. The display lasts half an hour.

After the last fireworks, the shinki will guide everyone back to the Meeting Hall to return to their homes. The wind is getting chillier, and gods or shinki who stay too much past the firework display will notice the tiny, creeping forms of glowing ayakashi no larger than a fist, looking like little jellyfish on land. They don't seem hostile; instead, they're fixated on the boat, and will climb on it and settle onto the rigging and wood of the boat, chirping quietly to themselves and snuggling in so that the whole boat seems to glow with an unearthly blue-white light. They can be fought and defeated, but if attacked, will fight back: and be careful! Those jellyfish tentacles spread blight instead of stinging, and they're longer than they look.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Get in some training at a beach (isn't it winter?!)
• Relax and watch the fireworks
• Have fun~

Comments

[sassywelshcatgirl]

All right, here I go.

[Nia twists, lashing first one ringblade and then the other across the surface of the Borderline. She's stronger than she looks, but not so much stronger that it's really surprising here in the Far Shore where fighting happens a lot and so many people seem to be good with it from their own worlds. Then her ringblades come around again in a pair of slashes, keeping the pressure on.]

[incinerators]

[ as nia slashes, the borderline shatters. pyrrha steps back, creating a new borderline. this time, she puts a little more edge into it, wanting it to be able to withstand at least a few of nia's blows. ]

Line!

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia barely pauses in her attacks, hitting the new one almost as soon as it comes up with a spinning attack that shouldn't be at all practical in battle.]

Give it more power! I'm stronger than this, you know! Much, much stronger! Eeeyah!

[Her expression is all focus, fangs bared and eyes sharp, but there's no mistaking the smile in her voice.]

[incinerators]

Okay!

[ she's strong, but also, pyrrha was going too easy on her. her next borderline is substantially stronger than the previous two; she feels her blood rise and her determination skyrocket and pours her soul into it. nia's encouragement is definitely a big reason why pyrrha's getting so hyped up, and she wants to prove to the other girl that she can do this, despite being a newbie. ]

Line!! [ it's said with more power and conviction. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia drags her blades hard against the Borderline, and when it doesn't break this time, hops backwards with a grin.]

All right! Let's show her what we've got!

[Her companion stands up from its lazy seat on the floor, lowering its head. A conduit of power cracks open between Driver and Blade, and Nia's ringblades shine with a blue, watery light.]

Here I come! Hold me off!

[This time, when Nia leaps back in, her movements are a little quicker, her blows a little stronger.]

[incinerators]

[ so that's what she was up to! pyrrha gasps when her companion opens its head, giving her more power. it makes her anxious, but it also makes her desire to leave a sturdier borderline just that much stronger. ]

Line! Take that!

[ will it hold off? ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

I'm not done yet! Full power!

[The conduit gains strength, a blue line surging from the Blade to Nia.]

Butterfly Blade! Eat Art, Borderline! [It's like she's a top, spinning in a flurry of slashes. Easy now to see how this style is feasible in a fight, with the augmentation provided by her living weapon. Come on, girl! Hold her off! Make that Borderline like diamond and stone!]

[incinerators]

[ she's so powerful, and pyrrha keeps her poker face on, facing her despite possibly not having what it takes to hold her off just yet. (it wouldn't be the first time she's faced a foe she knew she couldn't beat.)

but she has to try. it's with great willpower, heart and soul that pyrrha makes her last borderline--

but it doesn't withstand all of nia's power. it holds against a couple of hits, but nia breaks through it. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia lets out a breath, stepping back as the momentum and inertia clear out of her system and leave her able to relax. When she does, it's to flash Pyrrha a real smile.]

Not bad! You got a lot better fast there, once I started pouring on the pressure.

[incinerators]

I'm glad you think so.

[ pyrrha's pretty out of breath. there was a lot of effort being poured into those borderlines, and she's tired. but...that little battle gave pyrrha a huge thrill, and she gives nia a real smile of her own in return. ]

You're very strong, and I knew that I wasn't ready to hold you off on that last one. Still, I've learned quite a bit from our little sparring session just now--thank you.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

It's not just me fighting, it's the pair of us. [Dropping her weapons back into their holster on her hip, she reaches out a hand for her Blade, who comes up and bumps against it.] You did fine. Going to be a heck of a shinki with a little more practice.

[Still fired up from the adrenaline and exertion, Nia's a little more pleasant and positive than she usually tends to be.]

And Borderlines are a great skill. No matter what your vessel is, you can still cast spells like that even if you can't do anything else.

[incinerators]

I hope so.

[ she's been told that a few times today. it's an expectation pyrrha fully intends on living up to. ]

Right. It certainly seems like a useful skill to have for when we don't have our gods around with us.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Putting it mildly. Borderlines are more effective against an ayakashi than anything I was just doing, that's just how it is. You want some real power against them, you master the cutting form -- the one I first did. [She makes a little flick of her fingers as a reminder, in case Pyrrha needed it.]

[incinerators]

So...would you say that the cutting form is more important to master than the standard borderline itself?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia barely takes a moment to think about that before she shakes her head.]

Cutting Borderlines hurt ayakashi, but can't kill them. And really, that's all their good for. Walls can protect and defend, or trap them in, or have other uses than just against ayakashi too. I'd say they're a lot more important.

[incinerators]

Ah, that's good to know. I'll be working on both techniques, but I thought it'd help me figure out where I should start with my training from here on out.

[ she nods once, then flashes another grin at nia. ] I appreciate it--oh! I don't think I got your name. I'm Pyrrha. I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

No sweat, it's a busy day. I'm Nia. Nice to meet you, Py-Pyrrha.

[Where had that come from? Nia doesn't even understand why she wanted to say the girl's name like 'pie'. It definitely isn't her accent at work. Huh.]

[Pushing that off, Nia waves a hand like she's trying to swat the thoughts away.] Here's hoping it hasn't been too bad so far. Finding out you've got be someone's tool or basically be doomed is rough.

[incinerators]

You got it. [ no worries, she got the right pronunciation in the end! ]

And...yes, I hope that it doesn't come to that. [ there's a brief moment where she frowns, but it's quickly replaced by another grin. ] Thank you, Nia. I'll be sure to contact you if I have any other questions.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Sorry, Pyrrha -- Nia's going to be making that same mistake a lot. She might not remember why, but her mind just instinctively knows the name 'Pyra'.]

Sure thing. Always a cheerful word for those in need, that's me. [Her smirk holds no restraint at all.] Here's hoping your god's all right, at least.