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

[declamando]

I hope not. [She can't help but worry a little, though, for reasons she's not quite sure of herself. Perhaps it's just in her nature.]

I hope your god ends up being someone you can work with as well, then. Even if it's hard to know before you meet them.

[goingbananas]

I’m sure it’ll work out. [ Ever the optimist, this guy. ] I’m just grateful I can get another shot at it.

[declamando]

Another shot? Have you been assigned to another god before? [Maria hasn't heard all that much about those kinds of situations so far, but it doesn't stop her from looking slightly concerned at the mention. Being alone seems to be dangerous for them, so to her, it's natural to worry a little.]

[goingbananas]

Yeah…

[ He throws his head back with an overdramatic sigh, trying to squash down that feeling of guilt at the memory. ]

I kinda disappeared for a while there, and when I got back, well…

[ Too late to ask if she’d missed him, at any rate. ]

[declamando]

You disappeared? [She wouldn't assume it's common that people who disappear return again, if it's such a major problem here, so it's a little surprising to hear that.] Do you have any idea how long it was you were gone?

[Even just by the time that's passed in this world.]

[goingbananas]

[ He shrugs. ]

From the looks of things, it looks like it’s been almost half a year. [ Which is far too much time however you look at it. ]

Feels kind of weird to just drop back in after so long, heh.

[declamando]

That's quite a long time. [Maria actually sounds surprised it's been that long - she's not even sure how long it's been since people started coming here at all, though she might have to ask about that.]

I imagine it would. Has much changed since you were here last? [It's hard not to be a little bit curious.]

[goingbananas]

Let’s see… [ He considers for a moment, chewing thoughtfully in the meantime and then swallowing— ]

Ah! The pamphlets are new! Seems like a lot of stuff has been set up to make things easier for shinki to get used to this place. Heh. Lucky us.

[declamando]

Really? What information did they give out when you first came here, then? [Surely they gave out information...but then Maria remembers Ayumu's remark on the lack of information Amaterasu's shinki give on who's assigned to which god.] It shouldn't have taken them that long to give us consistent information.

[goingbananas]

It’s kind of a bureaucracy, isn’t it? [ With a chuckle, he adds: ] Isn’t it their job to take forever to get things done~?

[declamando]

[That gets a laugh out of Maria, because bureaucracy is apparently a universal joke target.] I suppose you're not wrong about that, but you'd hope somewhere like the Heavens would be a little more organised.

[goingbananas]

Well…it could be worse. [ He shrugs. Better than tossing them at a festival-cum-zombie battleground, anyway. ]

I think we can look after ourselves pretty well on our own, anyway.

[declamando]

Maybe, but it would be nice to not have to do things alone, don't you think? [Maria hasn't been here long enough to her knowledge to be uncomfortable with the lack of support, but it does seem like everyone should really be pulling in the same direction in these kinds of circumstances.]

[goingbananas]

Well, now you don’t have to! [ He grins, because of course he’s offering. ]

Lucky you~

[declamando]

[Maria gives a slight laugh at that.] Honestly, with all the people who have approached me today, I don't think it's going to be a concern among the newcomers, at least. Even if they won't work with us, we all seem to be working together.

[Which is something.]

[goingbananas]

See? You’ve got nothing to worry about. [ Well, other than the fact that she’d once been a god—but at this point there really isn’t much he can do about her current predicament. ]

At least the guys in charge of this training did something right when they let us relax out here on the beach.

[declamando]

I don't know if it was "right" in terms of getting people to actually train, but I'm sure it was appreciated anyway.

[Maria sounds faintly amused by the observation. She has seen quite a few people using the beach for training purposes as well, but relaxation does largely seem to be the order of the day.]

[goingbananas]

Dunno about you, but I figured all this had a lot less to do with training and more to do with breaking the ice.

[ Also he just wants an excuse to slack off, but shhhh… ]

[declamando]

Well, I don't see why it can't be both, honestly. It seems like they expected people to be training, with some of what's set up.

[But then, they wouldn't have served dinner if they didn't expect them to be relaxing as well.]

[goingbananas]

[ He chuckles. ]

I guess if you’re into that kinda thing? Fighting’s never really been something I’m good at.

[declamando]

Really? You seem to be in fairly good shape.

[Maria seems genuinely a little surprised, though it occurs to her that maybe there's something to say for the fact that she automatically associates a good physique with being a good fighter.]

[goingbananas]

Heh, you think so? [ Well, it’s not like he’d know if he’d gotten this way from a ton of fighting. ]

Does that mean you’re finally falling for me~? [ You had that one coming and you know it ]

[declamando]

[Maria gives a short laugh at that.] Sorry, but there's a lot of people in good shape here. It's harder not to notice how oddly common it is.

[And there's the fact that she seems to notice it as a matter of course, as if to gauge how good they might be in a fight, but she's not going to think about that too hard.]

[goingbananas]

It’s kinda funny when you think about it. [ He’s not at all surprised that she’d see it that way, considering. ]

We’re used to rend the ayakashi, right? We could be in any kind of shape and we could still handle that.

[declamando]

True, but I suppose since there's things like borderlines involved too, it would be useful to have people who are physically able in some way for when our gods aren't with us.

[Or at least, that's what Maria is assuming based on the idea that they're not being brought here completely randomly. Surely someone making selections would take that sort of thing into account.]