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

[cloakedinruins]

Me? A secret serial killer?

[ That gets a cute little chuckle from him and a totally real smile that he kind of hides by ducking his head. And did she call him perfect, although in an indirect manner? That gets more of a smile. ]

Please, I'm not that perfect. The IT Department refuses to let me touch any of their equipment. In fact, they won't let me within fifty feet of their offices because I am that terrible with electronics.

[reloves]

.. Now I'm hearing you say it like that, it seems less like a weak point and more like one of those adorable quirky little things perfect people have about them..

[ Especially when he's smiling like that! And trying to hide the smile a bit! It's so!! Cute!! Once more the Far Shore is just proving itself to be a place full of perfect angelic people and Minako is totally okay with that fact.

Even though she's dramatically gripping at her heart for a moment here. But it's.. in a good way..? ]

We really gained yet another angel here today..!

[cloakedinruins]

It's... what?

[ He wouldn't actually say that considering how his natural energy shorts things out when he unleashed it. Unsurprisingly it was half the reason why he never gotten around getting a cellphone. For something that small and fragile around him, it would no doubt explode every time he had to use his powers.

And she was getting so much more excited about him and he couldn't help the way the tips of his ears were starting to heat up from embarrassment. It was too cute and he just wanted to duck his head more. Instead he raised his hands in a plea to get her to stop. ]

No, no, I'm not angel. I'm just Shen Wei, a simple professor of Biology.

[reloves]

[ Sorry, it's already too late now. He's officially been branded an angel. The stars are in Minako's eyes, and they sure aren't leaving - along with her bubbling excitement. ]

Shen Wei.. Even your name sounds cool!

[ Despite him just having said he's "simple".. ]

I'm Minako! It's so nice to meet you.. I hope we can see each other a lot!

[cloakedinruins]

[ Oh, oh no, this was something he didn't expect so soon. Granted he had known about his small community of fans on campus, and how they were always on guard to protect him from the unworthy ( outside of those undergrads who had pulled their turn at showing him how to use a computer ). Her praises were starting to make his ears turn pink from the attention. ]

That's... not the first time I've heard that.

[ Zhao Yunlan both times they met, though the first time he actually changed how his name sounded. What a sappy fool he was. ]

It's nice to meet you too. I think that might happen, especially if there is a school here I can lend my meager skills to.

[reloves]

[ Maybe she should have expected him to start about school if he's a professor.

But still.. that's a disappointment. If there's one thing Minako does not want to be reminded of when she's talking to a handsome guy, it's school of all things. Don't take away the one fun thing about being dead, please... ]

Ah, well.. [ Laughs. Awkwardly. ] I don't think we really have anything like that here! You know, since we're all so busy with our god and shinki duties...

[cloakedinruins]

[ That gets a soft laugh from him. He could understand that some people find school a scary place to be, or even did not like school, but he was a teacher and found school to be relaxing for the most part. There were certain things that he wished he could avoid - the insistence of the Dean for him to go to the employee dinners for one - but learning was easy. Or maybe he was a freak and found it easy when others did not. ]

Ah, I see. You think there is no place that offers lessons to those that need them? [ He shook his head slowly. ] I wouldn't be too surprised to find that there is a place for learning. However, it is presumptuous of me to expect there to be a school. I'm sorry.