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

[replicatedform]

[Yes, she definitely looks like the culprit. He raise a brow, but he's already holding a snowball ready in his hand.]

If you say so...

[And then he throws the snowball at her!]

[holygrailed]

[Irisviel doesn't dodge from the snowball, but turns a little to take it on the shoulder. Snow explodes against her clothes and she brushes it off before smiling back at him.]

There. Now we are event.

[She offers a small curtsy.]

My name is Irisviel von Einzbern.

[replicatedform]

[She curtsy to him. He blinks for a moment, before he straightens up and give a small bow, his hand grabbing one end of his cloak and bring it to the front of his chest as he does.]

I'm Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, shinki of Sakura.

[The introduction comes easily, as well as the sense of pride he have in being his god's shinki.]

[holygrailed]

[Oh! That pride is unmistakable. Irisviel's smile warms. She has only been here a day and time will tell how well her and Berserker work together, but she would one day like to be able to speak about her god with pride.]

It's very nice to meet you. I serve the god Berserker, he is new as am I. Have you been here long?

[replicatedform]

Berserker?

[He blinks and straighten up. "New", so it's likely not the one he knows. For one, the Berserker he knows is a girl.]

Right. I've been here for several months by now.

[holygrailed]

Mmhm! Have you heard of him?

[Someone has yet to hear about the other Berserker around.]

That's wonderful. Do you have any advice you could give me?

[replicatedform]

[He shake his head.]

I don't think so? The Berserker I know is a girl.

[A "her", not a "him".]

Advice? [Hm.] Other than supporting your god, you'd also need to watch out for him. Be firm with him if you have to.

[It sounds like he have an experience about this...]

[holygrailed]

[Two Berserkers? Will that be confusing? No more than the duplicates already around (though Irisviel has yet to realize there is a double of her god and fellow shinki around). At least they're different genders, that'll make it easy.]

Watch out and be firm... is that something you often have to be with your own god?

[replicatedform]

Not always.

[In his earlier days, he's still figuring what's okay for him to do and say. Now? Things are getting a little better.]

But if I see her taking on too much work, I tell her to take breaks and let me help. [He knows how people can get too absorbed in work.]

[holygrailed]

[Don't let your god overwork themself, yes, that's good advice. Irisviel still isn't sure the nature of work she'll do. Fight ayakashi was fairly explanatory, but answering prayers was glossed over a little more in the introductory meeting.]

What kind of work does your god do? Or more generally, what does answering prayers entail?

[replicatedform]

She works at a clinic here, but it's something

[So typical medical stuff.]

As for answering prayers... it depends on your god and what people prayed to them for. They're usually involve helping people with their problems. [That's the most broad way of explaining it.] Whether it's helping them find a solution, or fixing a problem. Sometimes, their problems are caused by ayakashi.

[holygrailed]

[What kind of person prays to Balor, bringer of blight and drought? She holds fast in the belief he would not be here if there was not a purpose for him and despite his role, there is good he can do, but what kind of a person prays to him before all others?

Or do the people who pray to Balor do so because no one else is listening?]

Time will tell what we face together then. Do you enjoy answering prayers?

[replicatedform]

(OOC: Oops, I didn't see I forgot to finish a sentence. The clinic's something Sakura started doing by choice, not god domain-related.)

[He thinks for a moment, before he nods.]

A lot of the times, I guess I like it? It's nice to see you're helping someone, even if they don't remember you afterwards.

[The joys of being from the Far Shore. But being remembered and recognised isn't his main goal, just helping his god.]

Or how much work the prayer end up being.

[holygrailed]

It must be very fulfilling helping others.

[Even if the favor is forgotten, isn't the fulfillment of a job well done enough there? The difference is still made, the effects felt and left to spread out.]

I hope my god and I can work well together to help others. [She smiles, glancing around.] I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?