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

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Self-preservation? I'm offended! As if I'd have left you to die to lava! That would be absolutely pathetic of me!

[Zetta's plan appears to be 'argue with Hibiki' more than anything. After all, his pride is much more important than anything else!]

[priforprince]

Are you going to remove yourself or not?!

[ Hibiki says nothing about whether or not she would have saved Zetta voluntarily, had her teleporting been a little less instinctual. Which of them is the villain and which is the dashing prince with the secret sadness, again?

Or, then again, she could be trying to prompt him back to do that saving. But how likely is that? ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[It's pretty obvious which is which.]

Not until you stop insulting my pride as an Overlord! I won't abide you harboring such distasteful thoughts about me!

[priforprince]

I harbor no thoughts about you whatsoever!!

[ This is not strictly true - one does not purposely fail to invite someone about whom one harbors no thoughts to one's fancy party, for example - but it is certainly dramatic and makes a point, and sometimes, one must sacrifice upon the altar of creating a Good Scene.

Or one must be abducted by one's own temper and run at the mouth. Either way, drama. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

YOU JUST EXPRESSED ONE!

[Of course, there is a lot more evidence that occasional thoughts about him pop up. But asking Zetta to remember things more than five minutes ago that aren't to his direct benefit is a bit much, especially when he's angry, offended, haughty, and infected by divine smoke.]

[priforprince]

REMOVE YOURSELF AND MY NONEXISTENT THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU FROM MY TEMPLE!

[ When in doubt, kick them out.

Such is the majesty of Shikyoin Hibiki. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

I'LL JUST DO TH--

...hold up. If it's nonexistent, I definitely can't remove it.

[SEMANTICS! The Overlord won't be tricked like this! He's on to you!]

[priforprince]

LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!

[ In perfect contrast to Hibiki, Rosalie the cat wanders in, very calmly, and sits. The pettings depository has returned to her, she sees. She is Ready. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Now that's no way to ask nicely.

[Zetta is just taking anything he can to honk Hibiki off at this point. The vague courtesy that magic gas had apparently infused him with is wearing very thin.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki is just about ready to burst again. But she pulls herself together when she sees Rosalie's eyes on her, and, simmering so much one could probably grill a tuna for Rosalie on her shoulderpads, she raises a hand at a right angle to snap her fingers.

In rolls a spygoat. It has a large purple butterfly net strapped to one leg. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Oh yeah? Well, two can play that game!

[Zetta shifts slightly, attempting to snap his fingers.]

[HE DOESN'T HAVE FINGERS!]

...Awww, crap! Two CAN'T play that game! I demand we switch games immediately!

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki, however, is ignoring Zetta. Instead, she addresses the goat. ]

I'll be in my room. Dispose of the irritant.

[ The net rolls ever implacably closer!! ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[Leaving?! This is unfair! Zetta, recognizing that dignity is better served with a valorous retreat, puffs in a flash of the divine. This isn't over, Heartbrokiki!]

[priforprince]

[ ....Hibiki feels a sudden chill.

The goat, meanwhile, received no instructions to stop rolling, keeps going, and smacks into the wall. ]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

[As the curtain closes on this latest interaction between the pair, a Prinny pops up in front of it.]

And that was how Hibiki and Zetta had their most honest, open, and sincere interaction ever.

...

Dood, I think the universe is going to experience heat death before these character arcs actually arc. Be sure to take breaks, drink water, and save regularly, dood!