32 - Blow Your Top

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: A volcano eruption threatens the Western District
When: Jan 14 - 16
Where: The Western District of the Heavens
Summary: The Western District volcano is erupting again, endangering nearby temples and sending ash sprinkling down across the Heavens. Is it natural, or another attack? Those who dare climb the volcano can find out.






Earthquake Warning

On the morning of the 14th, an earthquake rattles windows throughout the Heavens. It's not strong enough to knock down buildings -- unless they're about to fall down anyway, like some of the older abandoned temples -- but it's strong enough to knock things off shelves and startle any late sleepers out of bed.

After the earthquake, strange sights abound around the Heavens. The poetic koi are swimming in organized schools in all of the canals, heading upstream towards the east. Springs of pure water burst out in some areas, and in others, normal springs or fountains have gone temporarily dry. Blue and green lights bob and weave across the landscape.

Falling Rock

The volcano begins erupting with a roar and a bright scarlet glow on the horizon. Ash and bits of rock fall across the Western district, and may even reach into the Southwest, Northwest and southern Central districts. Volcanic glass fibers that look like golden hair collect on trees, fences and buildings.

Trails and fountains of lava are also erupting from freshly opened fissures and wending down the sides of the volcano. Gods and shinki who live in the Western District are going to need some help clearing ash and glass from their roofs, trying to re-route lava flows (the good news is, if you cool one side down enough, you can turn them! the bad news is, that takes a lot of work) or just offering them a spare room to stay until things calm down.

Swamp Gas

It's not just lava and springwater erupting from mysterious new crevasses -- and it's not just mundane volcanic gases, either. Divine volcanic vents are blowing mind-altering fumes all over the Heavens. Anywhere across the Far Shore, but especially as characters get closer to the volcano, they may experience one or more of the following effects:

• Confusion
• Intense emotions
• Anger and irritability
• Impulsive behavior, loss of emotional control
• Hallucinations
• Unusually clear insight into other people and situations
• Coughing, eye and throat irritation, difficulty breathing
• Irresistible impulses to speak in poetry

Most symptoms will clear up after a few hours in fresh air, and all of them will be gone within 48 hours of the last volcano gas exposure.

Mountain Climbing

Natural disasters don't just happen like this in the Heavens... do they? Amaterasu's white-robed shinki are convinced that something is wrong, and they're organizing into search parties to go up the mountain and seek out the cause of this eruption. New and old gods and shinki are welcome to join them, or form their own groups. All of the hazards -- tremors, lava, ash, and volcanic gas -- will get worse as characters ascend the volcano. Strange little spirit flames, in shades of red and blue, dance on the rocks, dazzling, confusing and threatening to singe interlopers.

And there's someone up here, too. A mysterious figure with glowing red eyes is keeping watch on the intruders and vanishing behind boulders whenever someone turns his way. He won't let anyone traveling with one of the white-robed shinki get too close, but solitary gods or shinki might manage to lure him into conversation, if they try....

OOC: Please comment to the 'NPC REQUEST' thread below in order to talk to the mysterious figure on the volcano.

Those climbing the volcano will have a chance to battle the mysterious figure should their characters choose to do so. If you're interested in a fight, please comment to the 'NPC FIGHT' thread below before the top-level is posted. A top-level for the fight will go up on IC Jan 16/OOC Sept 4.

In Summary:

• Don't get rattled
• Help out the Western District with their volcano problem
• Watch out for volcanic gases
• Find out who's behind the eruption
• Have fun~

Comments

falling rock

[reloves]

[ Minako is actually feeling a little helpless in this situation. Her powers aren't that great yet as a fairly new shinki, and even if they had been great.. Well, what could she do in this situation? Borderlines are meant to help with fending off Ayakashi, not with stopping a vulcano from destroying the entire place.

So she's just been running around, trying to help with small things but still not feeling very useful. There's something about Aymeric's appearance that helps with it a little though - since she immediately spots that carrier. She seems a little lost for words at what he's asking, but then instead says-- ]

What's that you have with you? [ It does look kind of cat-sized.. ]

[onedrinkwithme]

[He sees Minako and instead of hearing what he can do, she asks about the carrier.]

My cat likes to explore the Far Shore and he was not at my temple when the quake occurred. I would hope he is not here but the possibility can not be ruled out. But I am capable of both searching and helping others who need it.

[reloves]

Your cat is missing?!

[ Okay, so maybe not everyone would put that at the top of their priorities list in the middle of all this chaos. But Minako knows there's not much she can do about the whole vulcano situation - she simply doesn't have the powers for it.

Finding a cat though? That's something she could do. And something she feels passionate about, considering she likes cats. ]

What does he look like? I'll help you find him!

[onedrinkwithme]

He is pure white with long fur and blue eyes. Tis common that he does have a temper and it would not surprise me if he tries to swipe at anyone or a stray rock.

[This...is a housecat, right?]

[reloves]

Well, it's not going to do much if he swipes at these rocks.. [ If only. Minako would accept the existence of some sort of superpowered cat if it meant the poor kitty could defend itself in these terrible conditions.. ]

You don't think he'd be around here, right? The koi all seemed to flee away from here, so maybe your cat was smart enough to get out of here as well!

[onedrinkwithme]

He is rather...persistent in his goals. He refuses to stop chasing after the hawks on the temple grounds, enough to be frightened of him.

[To be frank, his cat is an asshole.]

Best to think of all accounts; an instinct is usually the correct one.

[Like that yowling in the distance.]

[reloves]

[ Yowling? It makes Minako not really think for a moment about what kind of cat it must be to be able to scare hawks of all things. She's immediately focused on it, looking around to try and find the source before looking back at him. ]

Did you hear that?

[onedrinkwithme]

Aye, I did.

[He knows that yowl anywhere; that familiar noise that did not signal danger for Aymeric but his default state of cankerousness. He runs off in the direction the noise came in and spotted Mandragora rather high on a tree branch but not looking like he was screaming for help. Instead, he is taking swipes at flying strands and ash and tiny pebbles while hissing.]

That would be him...

[reloves]

[ She's quick to follow him.. Minako is curious enough about this cat to want to catch a glimpse of him, and she also wants to make sure the cat safely gets out of this danger zone.

Even so, she didn't quite expect to find the cat sitting in a tree and swiping at everything as if he's ready to take on this vulcano all by himself. But no matter how surprising it is, Minako actually thinks it's kind of cute. Such a good, brave cat! ]

He's pretty spirited, huh? [ She's definitely smiling, and then she starts calling out a bit louder to try and catch Mandragora's attention. ]

Here, kitty, kitty! We're here to bring you back home!

[onedrinkwithme]

...one can say that.

[Spirited? Or maybe stubborness. The cat turns to see his owner and some weird girl call out to him and simply stare. What are you weirdos doing, he's busy fighting string and tiny rocks because fun.]

I can climb up there to try and lure him; he will jump down and you can catch him in the carrier. Does that sound like a plan?

[reloves]

Yeah, that sounds great! [ Zero qualms about having to catch a cat. She'll gladly do that. Minako is smiling at the thought, although she slowly starts frowning a moment later.. ]

Are you sure you can climb up there though?

[ He's Ancient by teenage standards. His bones might be too brittle for it in Minako's eyes! ]

[onedrinkwithme]

[Hey, thirty three is not old!]

It is not the first where I had to do such a task. Mandragora makes it a habit to climb trees.

[And he starts to climb up (or pull since he is 6'5 at least), being careful to not put too much weight on the branches. Mandragora meanwhile spots him and scoots back.]

Get ready!

[That carrier should be open at least.]

[reloves]

[ Thirty three means you were practically alive back when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth!!

But he seems to be doing more or less alright. She's not hearing any branches crack just yet, thankfully. She can get a cat out of there, but a guy who is way taller and broader than her is another story entirely.

But Minako is ready! She's got the carrier right under where the cat is right now and all. ]

I'm ready! Bring it on!

[onedrinkwithme]

[Well they still exist! One of his sons did bring a t-rex to his temple after all. As he moves closer to the cranky feline, said cat decides to not listen (shocker) and growl. He's got rocks to fight! However, he does slip slightly but holds on thanks to his claws.

Meanwhile, Aymeric decides to go slower as he reaches a hand out, only to get it swat at. No human, cat got this! But in the process, Mamdragora slips again and falls off the branch...and lands right into the open carrier.]

My thanks for the catch!

[reloves]

[ Minako just grins up at Aymeric, flashing him a quick V-sign with one hand before turning her attention back to the cat in the carrier. ]

Hey, kitty, all of this is too big for you to fight by yourself, you know! [ Since it did kind of look like the cat was attempting to fight all the stuff in the air.. By pawing at it.. ] You should stick with your owner! I bet he was worried sick for you.. He even climbed up in a tree for you despite his age!

[onedrinkwithme]

My age has nothing to do with it.

[Seriously, he can take hits and dish them out. Meanwhile, he will swing down without issue.]

[reloves]

[ Sorry, Aymeric, you're stuck with the whole "old" thing now..

She smiles though as she turns to look at him. ]

It seems like your cat is just fine! Thankfully we found him in time. You know, before everything got even worse.

[onedrinkwithme]

A thing I do not wish to see while we are here.

[The carrier is still open so there's enough time for a quick head pet for the cranky cat.]

We should see if there is any others who need help.

[reloves]

Alright! [ One kitty saved, many more possible kitties left!

... Okay, and humans too. Minako's heart is big enough to save them as well.

She gives the carrier back to him, assuming he'd want to keep the cat close as its owner. ] Let's get going then..!