October Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: February 6th, 2017
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, the Far Shore (and optionally, the slopes of a recently erupting volcano)
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 at least one unrecognized god who the Heavens believe to be attacking them, and another recent incursion by an unrecognized god ended in his defeat and the extinguishing of the volcano he had caused to erupt. 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

There are stacks of informational pamphlets sitting out on tables around the dojo. There are five or six white-robed shinki present, who will willingly answer any questions or instruct newcomers in the use of the borderline. They accompany their answers, or their 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. Both Sabimei and his animated straw training dummies are absent from this training session, but standard, inanimate straw targets have been lined up outside, and a few rings are laid out on the frozen ground for friendly sparring matches. (Shinki characters who are interested in learning more about the borderlines or want to learn new shinki spells or songs may approach any of the training shinki for advice or instruction. Please remember to comment on the Shinki Spells page when your character begins to learn a new spell, excluding the borderline.)

Physical Training

There is still clean-up left to work on from the volcano's eruption. Two tengu (one of whom characters might recognize as the hot springs' proprietor) have volunteered to help transport any gods or shinki who are willing to help clear trees, dig or wash away ash on roads and roofs, and repair damage to occupied temples. The abandoned temples that were damaged by the earthquake and volcano are being left to decay, although anyone who's curious about them could take the offer of a free ride to explore some of those abandoned and damaged buildings as well. Some might contain old books or mementos of the long-vanished owners; others have nothing left inside but dust, mold, and curious spirits.

Back at the training ground, characters who aren't helping clean up the Western district have the option of playing sparring games to test their reflexes. The white-robed shinki are organizing them into pairs in the marked circles and explaining the rules: each participant is given 10 seconds on offense to score a hit with any weapon of their choice, from bare hands to sparring weaponry to shinki magic, while their partner is only allowed to dodge or defend. After five rounds, the person with more points gets to declare a penalty for their partner: drawing on their face with a marker, ordering them to do something silly or embarrassing, making them fetch tea... it's up to the winner!

Rest and Refreshments

After the gods' training lecture is finished, a few of the white-robed shinki bustle back in to set up craft tables and a buffet area. This time, the theme seems to be a sweet English tea: little cakes, scones, jams, cookies, tiny finger sandwiches and a vast array of chocolates are available, as well as many different teapots, with hot water dispensers and loose tea available to let everyone brew to their own tastes as they venture in to rest or talk to their new partners.

Over on the craft tables, there's all kinds of art and craft supplies available, from construction paper to calligraphy brushes, glitter to gouache. Signs on the tables encourage gods and shinki to show their appreciation for each other with a valentine letter or card. It's a bonding exercise! There is a lot of glitter. And glue. Hopefully, no one's wearing their nice clothes.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Explore damaged temples or practice sparring
• Enjoy a tea and make some valentines
• Have fun~

Comments

[wildguardian]

[She isn't so bad; there's not a lot of force behind the thrust, though, and that means that even though her footwork is fast Yunlan can see it coming. He steps to the side and aims a kick at the staff, trying to knock it away.

Outside the circle, the referee shinki yells, "Hold! No attacking by the defender."]

Hey! I wasn't attacking! That was self-defense!

[The referee is already shaking his head. Zhao scowls, but offers a short nod to the man.]

Okay, once more from the beginning?

[ofnovalue]

R-right. All apologies, milord. [ She was so damn nervous that she probably flinched more when the shinki yelled than Zhao had, despite having done nothing wrong.

Eventually she did find her nerve again, once more lunging forward, this time trying to go for his shoulder. ]

[wildguardian]

[Dodging only, dodging only; Zhao jumps back, quelling his first impulse to smack the stick aside, and executes a quick side-step in an attempt to get out of her attack range.

She's awfully law-abiding. It's sweet.

He's still a bit embarrassed that she'd dodged his attacks so well, though, so he's determined not to let her score this point too easily, no matter how sweet she is.]

[ofnovalue]

[ There's a slight frustrated whine as he moved a bit outside her range. Her next attack showed that frustration clearly, being much less focused, and polite, than her last one had been. ]

[wildguardian]

Not bad! [That's a lot more serious of a thwack she's trying this time, and Zhao braces his feet, whipping a hand down.]

Line--

[The glowing borderline holds for a second under the impact of her stick, and then shatters, letting it through to deliver a brisk blow to his outstretched arm.]

[ofnovalue]

[ She nearly tripped with the borderline shattered, her force carrying her forward rather unexpectedly...

Then she actually tripped when she stepped on the hem of her dress. Face first. ]

[wildguardian]

Whoa! [Zhao's arm is stinging, though he doubts the blow was hard enough that it'll bruise, but more importantly, Ovelia's about half a second from landing in the dust.

He leaps to catch her before she falls, laughing.]

Careful.

[ofnovalue]

[ She's pretty much mortified at this point, flinching as she was caught and just as quickly trying to right herself and push away, face beat red and the whole ordeal forgotten in a mess of brain-chewing anxiety... ]

[wildguardian]

Hey, hey, it's fine, relax.

[He lets go the moment she starts trying to get away, stepping back with an easy smile and his hands raised in a placating gesture: this really isn't her kind of thing, is it?]

Why don't we call it there? Two-zip.

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia finally manages a weak smile, at least some of that energy seeping out of her. ]

Well met. We should do something else.

[ Anything else. ]

[wildguardian]

Sure. How about we go get some tea?

[Zhao reaches to take her practice weapon.] I'll put these back with the rest, and you can sit down and take a breather. I hear there's even desserts in there.