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

[smilingbullet]

Yeah it is, at least when it's on a sand court like the beach is. [ D2 makes his way inside the other half of the marked boundaries, and stretches. There's an expectant smile on his face. ] It's possibly to at least warm up and practice some with only two players, though.

[ You get to run a lot more since you have to protect your entire court half on your own, but that's only good practice, particularly on sand. ]

[mithrarin]

[As for the no-double-touch rules.. eh, they'll wing it.]

[Dust lobs the ball into the air, then smacks it with the heel of his hand to send it arcing over the net in a neat serve.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Yeah, it might be difficult to not touch it twice. Either way, it's a good way to get a general feel for the game.

That was a nice serve. Very clean and perfect to spike toward the ground close to the other side of the net. ]

[mithrarin]

[The ball descends and Dust's already there, having leaped from the back line forward to intercept it with a dramatic roll and a push of one hand to get his other beneath it. The return arc is high and deep, trying to deny D2 the chance to deliver another spike.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Is Dust aspiring to be a libero?

The ball doesn't go far in its arched trajectory; there is a new spike incoming, far off from where Dust rolled, aimed right at the back of his court. ]

[mithrarin]

[Sheesh. If he can't gain the advantage or at least get a good volley back --]

[Again, Dust half-leaps, half-flips backwards, smashing the ball with the back of his fist before it can touch the sand. It snaps over the net, a bit too high and far; if D2 lets it go it'll go out of bounds.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Don't underestimate somebody who's practically grown up on a beach. He had very few things to spend his time on.

Yup, that's very high, he doesn't need to catch it. He does keep his gaze on it as he moves back on his side of the court either way just in case of wind, but also to retrieve it to serve once it touches ground.

And it does, not even close to the line. ]

Point for me.

[ He grins wide at Dust as he kicks the ball up out of the sand and catches it. ]

[mithrarin]

Hmph. I'm seeing a disadvantage to this single-person team.

[But what's good for the goose is good for the gander. He expects he can put D2 on the defensive.]

[smilingbullet]

You have your leg skills and I have my experience, I'd say it can be pretty balanced.

[ Should he fear the day when Dust actually gains good experience? Then he will be a bit more difficult to beat. ]

[mithrarin]

It's all about momentum and initiative. Let's see how it goes when I can take it.

[Dust curls and uncurls his fingers, already itching for action even with just this momentary delay.]

[smilingbullet]

Right then~

[ D2 spins the ball in his hands, and lets the heaviest side, the one with the airhole in it, against his palm. When he strikes the ball, he does so with only the surface of his other palm, causing the touch to create a clapping sound, and he hits off a pretty decent floater. ]

[mithrarin]

[A floater, huh?]

[Dust leaps into the air, one of his absurd high jumps that carries him almost twice his height up -- then leaps again, two wings seeming to flap out of his ankles, because his double-jump is a bit weird. At the peak of his jump, he flips around and smashes the ball hard down towards the rear corner of D2's side.]

[smilingbullet]

[ Floaters are no good if the opponent is too fast for the ball to change course, huh. That's predictable.

D2 almost gets the ball, almost, so much almost that he brushed against the ball before it bounced out of bounds. He rolls onto his back and sits up in the sand after the ball rolls across the sand. ]

Man, those jumping skills really are something.

[ He rolls up on his feet to go get the ball again. ]

[mithrarin]

[Dust drops back down, sand sweeping away from him as he lands in a sweep of cloak.]

I have a strength or two, even if I lack the skills.

[smilingbullet]

With the skills added to that you will be fearsome on the court.

[mithrarin]

Just goes to show that no one should play against the two of us, huh?