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

[priforprince]

[ A frustrated Prince
finds her mind occupied by
the selfsame meter.

But rising once more
and escaping the lava
trumps inspiration. ]

So this was the source of the poetic koi....

[ Are they contagious
or inflicted with the same
burden as he is? ]

[replicatedform]

[He raise a brow at her.]

You really think so?
And it's not how they are?
Since things are weird.

[priforprince]

[ Caught up in his wave,
Hibiki resorts to the
most proven methods:

Pure amore love....

Right. Okay. She thought about herself, and she's all better now. ]

Whether they're affected or the cause is beside the point.

Try not to speak.

[ .....a proudly-blooming, beautiful flower.... ]

[replicatedform]

[With a raise brow, he sigh and shut his mouth. Placing a hand on his hip, he give her a look.

So now what? Continue to climb?

... At least his thoughts aren't in haiku, yet.]

[priforprince]

[ ...red, boiling magma atop a casablanca!

Hibiki begins working her way back up the mountain, so "continue to climb" does seem to be the idea. ] This eruption was likely incited. Someone must be controlling it somewhere....

[ And she intends to find that someone, in that somewhere. ]

[replicatedform]

[He continues the climb as well, looking around and using whatever stable looking surface and footholds he can see.

But the problem is communicating. He doesn't exactly know sign language (either versions). Which means gestures and hope Hibiki get it, or just... talk.]

And what should we do?
Whoever cause this likely
Won't stop easily.

[Yeah, sorry about "don't talk".]

[priforprince]

Hgnh.

[ No, shake it off, she is an invincible Prince.... ]

They'll stop for me.

[replicatedform]

[Well, let him be a little skeptical about that.]

Are you good with words?
Or make them submit with blades?
How will you do it?

[... Did he ever see her fight, though?]

[priforprince]

Either, if necessary.

[ Hibiki can fight. All those people who keep accusing her of being too flashy during sparring are merely in awe of her magnificence, covering their own senses of inadequacy.

She pulls out an extra white glove from her jacket pocket and shows it to him. ] I'm always prepared to demand a duel.

[ The perfect Prince may even sleep with the dueling glove. Just. In. Case. ]

[replicatedform]

[She's serious. In that case, he have no grounds to doubt her. So...]

If it comes to that,
You can count on my support.
In case of battle.

[Without his god, the most he will offer is distraction against the enemy.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki looks him over, stowing her glove again. ] Well, you'll do as a second.

[ She won't fall in battle, however. Shikyoin Hibiki is ever victorious.

There is a rumbling sort of sound up ahead that...probably isn't something she can swordfight, however. ]