November Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: February 21st, 2017
Where: Outside the Meeting Hall, the Far Shore
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki



Gods and shinki arriving at heaven's meeting hall are brought into small one-on-one meeting rooms as they appear, with a white-robed shinki offering them an explanation of their current role, the name of the god they will represent or the god they will serve, and directions to the temple that will be their new home.

They are cordially invited to a training session beginning in early afternoon, after they've had the chance to return to their homes, meet their new partners, and have their questions answered.



Morning/On the Road

New gods and shinki are being packed off to their new temples for the morning to settle in and meet their partners -- this is also a good time to visit with new neighbors or explore the area! What does your new temple look like? Are you headed straight there, or taking the scenic route to get a better sense of your new surroundings? The Western District is still scarred from the aftereffects of a recent volcanic eruption and earthquake, with fissures in some of the roads and burn scars in the wild landscape. The volcanic ash, though, seems to be serving as fertilizer for vast swaths of unfamiliar and colorful wildflowers that line the roads despite the fact that the weather is late-February chilly.

Shinki Training

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice their physical or magical arts. Outside, there are two impromptu target practice areas: one is for long-range weapons, with targets set up against hay bales at the other side of a wide, grassy area and a line drawn for the weapons' wielders to stand behind. The other is for borderlines, and a number of young children wearing short coats marked with Amaterasu's golden chrysanthemum on white are dashing around practicing their own borderlines against scary paper masks tied onto bushes or other haybales. The game seems to require a cutting borderline that will cut the mask without damaging the gardeners' hard work on the bushes.

Inside the dojo, there's room for several pairs to spar, and weapons are set up all along one wall, everything from polearms to rifles, chakrams to broadswords. They're all meant for practice, with edges dulled or padded to avoid any accidental deaths, but sparring partners will still have to be careful to avoid injury. Although there are many fewer white-robed shinki here than usual, except for the children, there is one adult shinki keeping an eye on things inside the dojo and one keeping an eye on things in the yard. They are willing to answer questions, help with borderlines or teach shinki new spells on request. Comment to the NPC REQUEST form to request a thread with one of them or if you have questions about handwaving an interaction.

Physical Training

The last vestiges of winter have melted away from most of the Heavens, but one section of the Meeting Hall grounds appears not to have gotten the message. Snow is piled waist or even shoulder high, the trees and bushes show no sign of fresh leaves, and an ornamental pool is frozen as hard as a rock, with the drifting shadows of koi barely visible under the thick ice. It's the perfect opportunity to play in the snow, and many of the shinki children are already taking advantage of it, sliding on the ice or throwing snowballs.

For those who brave the heavy snow, they may discover an an old woman in the center of the frozen area. She's wearing heavy white makeup and a straw coat, and humming cheerfully as she pounds rice into mochi. Anyone who finds her will be offered freshly made mochi and a cup of warm sake to fortify them for the snowball fights!

Rest and Refreshments

Gods and shinki who are finished with their training can step into a large room in the Meeting Hall that has been set up with comfortable cushions and low tables. Tea, liquor and a wide variety of savory dishes are available, with the drinks already set out on the tables and the savory dishes set up in chafing dishes on a buffet table along one wall. Guests can help themselves, settle in, chat, and make new friends. There's even a dessert table, well-stocked with plenty of chocolate, most of which seems to be mysteriously heart-shaped.

After eating, there are a variety of board and card games available for guests to play. From classic games like shogi, go and mahjong to more modern ones like Trivial Pursuit or Pictionary -- or Cards Against Humanity -- there's something for everyone.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Practice sparring or shinki magic
• Enjoy a buffet dinner and party games
• Have fun~

Comments

A - Morning

[holygrailed]

[Irisviel's meandering walk to her temple takes her through the Central District. The temples, the landscapes, they're all very magnificent. Among all the tradition architecture, the skyscraper rising up is impossible to miss. Curiosity draws her in and she finds herself wandering onto the parking lot.]

Oh my, what an fun sight.

[She smiles at Ebisu.]

Do you want to join them?

[chibisu]

Oh, no.

[Turning his head, Ebisu smiles up at the woman who's wandered in. He hasn't seen he before, but the Heavens are always changing. There's no reason to be concerned, probably.]

If I joined, I might get sick, and they would all raise a fuss. I'm still learning how to throw things properly as well.

[One day he'll surprise them all! ...Just not today.]

[holygrailed]

It does seem a little cold to splash around...

[He does look quite young. Can they still get sick here? An interesting idea. Irisviel looks back at the shinki busy at work (and play).]

This is a very interesting temple. Do you know what kind of god resides here?

[chibisu]

I don't entirely understand it myself, but everyone seems to quite appreciate it!

[So if they're happy, he's happy. He couldn't have imagined this would happen from simply cleaning the equipment, but that just means it's a bonus side effect.]

[Maybe one day he'll realize that it was the troublemakers' intent to cause a little bit of shenanigans to lighten the air.]

[For now, he's much more preoccupied with her question, and cheerfully offer his hand to her.]

That would be myself. I'm Ebisu, God of Fortune for commerce and fishing. It's a pleasure to meet you.

[holygrailed]

[Oh! Irisviel's eyes widen, cheeks reddening. A child can be a god? She smiles and laughs off her embarrassment, shaking his hand.]

It is a pleasure to meet you too. I'm Irisviel von Einzbern, I've only arrived today. I'm on my way to find my temple and god.

[chibisu]

Oh!

[That's- surprising, and Ebisu blinks up at her for a moment with wide eyes as he takes that in.]

You weren't asked to stay at the meeting hall...?

[holygrailed]

[She shakes her head, long hair swishing with the movement. Her lips press slightly as she recalls the morning.]

I woke up and was ushered into a room where a shinki quickly explained why I was here and the role I would serve. I was then told who my god was and given directions to his temple. Is that usually not how it goes?

[It would explain the slightly rushed nature of things.]

[chibisu]

Ah, no... It's rather strange, actually. [He tilts his head to the side.] In the time that I've managed to look into the proceedings, they would keep all of the new shinki and their gods at the Meeting Hall. The new gods would be given a lesson on their duties, and the shinki would be given a pamphlet to help them adjust to their afterlife. Even other gods and shinki would come to practice and train.

So for you all to be ushered out so quickly...

[Definitely strange. But, oh- ]

What is your god's name? Perhaps we could assist you in finding his temple.

[holygrailed]

Oh, that sounds like a much better way to handle things. Did something happen recently to cause the change?

[Irisviel pulls out a piece of paper tucked into the waistband of her skirt. There's a rough map and hastily written directions along with a name.]

Balor, in the Western District. Have you heard of him?

[chibisu]

I haven't heard of anything...

[And that much is worrying enough on its own. Still, he leans in to take in the map.]

No, so he must be a new god. The Western District may be a little tricky to navigate. Would you like an escort?

[holygrailed]

I'm sure all of you are busy, I wouldn't want to take up your time.

[Irisviel looks toward the washing efforts and smiles at the sight. Granted, things have dissolved slightly more into a sponge throwing fight, but effort was being made to clean!]

You must be a long-standing god to live in such a temple and to have such a title.

[chibisu]

It wouldn't be a problem at all.

[Especially if they could get a look at what kind of changes the usually slow Heaven is suddenly pulling on them... Following her gaze, he smiles.]

Oh, yes! [His smile gets just a little silly as he points at himself, far too pleased.] I'm the oldest of my siblings, actually.

[holygrailed]

Really? [Surprising, but charming too. Who would have thought gods could be so young? It'll be another shock if she ever sees some of the other child gods running around.] Who are your siblings?

[It's clear today's onboarding did not include any sort of history lesson.]

[chibisu]

Oh, well... There are many of them, and it would take some time...

[Izanagi and Izanami got busy, okay. That's the honeymoon period for you- sometimes you just get really frisky and end up giving birth to dozens of islands and gods.]

[That's just the way it is.]

Oh, but some of them are Watasumi, Kuku-no-shi, Ōyamatsumi, Kagutsuchi... Oh, and Amaterasu-sama, of course.

[holygrailed]

Amaterasu... ahh, the white-robed shinki at the meeting hall are hers, correct? She was mentioned in passing by some of the shinki.

[Her title and role, a brief apology she could not be there in person to greet the new arrivals (though when is Amaterasu ever around at training).]

Are your other siblings around?

[chibisu]

Yes, that's right! We haven't had much reason to talk much lately, however. I should probably keep calling her "-sama"...

[If only he could have a private meeting so that he could call her a cute little sister.... Oh well.]

There are others definitely around! Along with my fellow Gods of Fortune.

[holygrailed]

What is a God of Fortune, exactly? Are all the gods living in this district Gods of Fortune?

[The larger, fancier temples and landscapes is hard to miss. She'd also thought it was something related to him as a god of commerce (and fishing), but it seems much bigger than that.]

[chibisu]

[As a new shinki, he's not surprised that sort of thing is one of her questions. Smiling, he raises up one finger.]

Well, there are technically two definitions for a 'God of Fortune'. The first is the group I reside in, all of us having our own domains and good fortune attached to us. The second definition is merely that of a god who has amassed many, many human worshippers and followers. It's considered a very impressive feat!

Not everyone who lives in the Central District is a God of Fortune in either way... but they're recognized as having great significance and influence regardless. For example, Apollo-sama over there-

[He points in one direction. Even from here, it's probably visible. That amount of sparkling... It's hard to miss.]

-isn't yet a God of Fortune, but there's no denying her influence on the Far Shore!

[holygrailed]

[Irisviel listens attentively, nodding with his words and looking as he points out Hibiki's temple. The sparkling, the purple, the numerous elaborate towers of the castle that someone how seem even more out of place, yes it's very difficult to miss. She laughs at the sight of it, charmed and delighted by it.]

I see! I do hope to meet the god of the castle.

[You will, Irisviel, you will.]

But thank you, that does explain a lot. To have such influence and so many human worshipers, all of you must help so much. Ah, that isn't to say gods in the other districts don't, I'm sure they do.

[Her smile as warm as she looks at Ebisu.]

I will work hard with my god so we may help humans and grow his influence.

[chibisu]

I imagine you will. Apollo-sama is a very busy individual and is often all over the place! I suppose that's what they mean by "an artist's personality".

[That's a very generous and kind way to put it, but, bless his heart, the poor god doesn't know any better. The arts are a realm he has yet to understand. Maybe he'll ask one of the other Gods of Fortune about it later.]

Every god always works very hard along with their shinki. [The alternative- at least, for his generation- is to disappear.] A small land god is just as important, after all.

So that's why I'm sure you will do an excellent job of aiding your own god! Your generation is so interesting, after all.

[holygrailed]

Our generation? Are there such divisions?

[Yes, this too was neglected. As far as Irisviel's understanding goes, they are all here as shinki or gods. Any differences between the old and new is left unmentioned, though the majority was always through the pamphlets anyway. A pity those aren't around this time.]

[chibisu]

Mhm. Well, it's more that, in the recent year, new gods and new shinki have been so strangely different than it was in the past, so I'm not sure how else to refer to all of you.

For example, hmm... You wouldn't be 'assigned' to a god. In the past, a god would find a stray soul or a shinki with no name, and name them into being their shinki.

[holygrailed]

Really? [Irisviel looks at the shinki busy at work than back to Ebisu, a gentle smile full of joy.] Were all of them found and named by you then?

[chibisu]

I'm not entirely certain... I know that my temple is outside the norm for most other temples, but I can't remember much more than that. [Oh, right- He looks up at her, away from his shinki.] I'm recently reincarnated, you see. For gods of my generation, you can usually tell because we take the form of children.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the memories of my past incarnations.

[holygrailed]

[Recently reincarnated? Gods can die and come back? Irisviel blinks owlishly at Ebisu, not sure what to make of the information and how easily it was given. It must be a common fact then if it's offer to someone as new as her, but it's still surprising.

What can kill a god?

(As it turns out, a lot.)]

I see. It's clear then your shinki care a great deal about you.