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

[priforprince]

Should I know what appeals to livestock?!

[ A spygoat with a tea tray rolls over, hoping to be of service to Hibiki. Atop the tray, in addition to a pot and cup of hot tea, are various cookies, cakes, and other extremely fancy- and expensive-looking treats. ]

[onedrinkwithme]

If you keep one then yes, you should.

[It seems that he has to figure out how to get the goat to stop nomming on the script and while it isn't ideal (and Aymeric has no idea what to feed a goat) but he knows that a cookie might be better than nothing. So he grabs one that doesn't look as fancy and whistles to said goat.]

This seems more tasty than parchment, does it not?

[Waving the cookie at the creature now. Come on and take a bite!]

[priforprince]

[ A cookie! The goat is up for a cookie. It lets go of the script, which has the unintended effect of making Hibiki stumble backwards a pace, and heads over to try and nom that snack instead. Watch your fingers, but at least goats only have bottom front teeth.

Once Hibiki has steadied herself, she crosses her arms and sniffs. Her script is now...more like...half a script.... ]

Such a bothersome crew....

[ The only people who wanted to work cameras besides Elfnein were goats! ]

[onedrinkwithme]

[Well...half a script is better than no script. Or maybe it's because Aymeric's mindset is more 'Glass is Half Full' and tries to focus on the good. However, the poor thing does look upset and frankly he cannot blame her.]

My apologies for the damage to your work. Mayhap there is an extra that can suffice just as well?

[Is there another copy around? Does one exist? Let's hope so.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki sniffs. ] I have it memorized. Everything here is my creation, after all.

[ She doesn't seem to have the presence of mind to realize that she just took credit for the goat robot pyramid. Which is just about the only way she manages to make true statements, so, par for the course.

Still looking away, but somehow managing to make her tone address Aymeric anyway: ]

Cut that film.

[ The goat swallows its cookie, pleased. The spygoats trying and failing to turn off their camera whir at Aymeric in the plea of many desperate artificial intelligences who happen to lack mouths.

Beyond little tiny stitched ones, which are, admittedly, adorable. ]

[onedrinkwithme]

You created these creatures?!

[These adorable little goats that are trying their best to do as told were created by her? He has no idea of cameras outside of his smartphone but he can follow what they were trying to do and try his best to turn it off and catch any spygoat if they end up falling.]

And you were able to teach them how to use this equipment? Quite remarkable. [Giving a spygoat a pet.]

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki nods: she's long since abandoned any notion of using the spygoats for deliberately anonymous recon work. For one thing, having them on hand to assist with things unworthy of her personal attention is handier.

For another, people keep figuring out she's behind them, somehow. It's baffling. ] Their programming has grown steadily more sophisticated.

Though, it's still nothing noteworthy for a genius.

[ EVERYBODY WANTS PETS NOW. Even the real goat. They all strain towards Aymeric's hand. ]

[onedrinkwithme]

[One can put two and two together. Meanwhile he cannot help but wonder how he gets animals to be nice because if they could, it would not surprise him if they tried to climb up the elezen for attention.

It's the cats, isn't it?]

It must have taken a long time to create such marvels; and they seem to love attention.

[Ok ok he has pets for everyone! Even the nice goat!]

[priforprince]

[ Pets! The real goat bleats for everybody else who can't.

Hibiki, who finds this all unremarkable, roots around in a box for a prop. She could have sworn she'd seen.....Why can't anyone place things where she can easily find them.... ] Curiosity is their trademark.

[ Back at her temple, a sophisticated security system records multiple feeds of Aymeric's hand, coming down for pets on various goat heads. This was definitely a useful invention worth Hibiki's time and toil. ]