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

[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.

[chibisu]

[It really depends on how many bad life choices you want to make! Ebisu apparently made quite a few, but people like Caster and Cho Hakkai apparently make more.]

[Not that he would ever say something so impolite. Instead, he beams.]

Yes! They're all extremely talented and skilled. I will proudly boast that no one else in all of Heaven works as hard.

[...Literally, has anyone seen their work schedule-]

[holygrailed]

I don't doubt it at all.

[The off-season water fight looks fun, but the shinki are studiously cleaning the equipment too. Irisviel smiles at the sight and looks back at Ebisu, giving a light curtsy.]

I should continue my way to my god's temple. Thank you for humoring my questions.

[chibisu]

Oh, it's no trouble at all. If you ever need anymore assistance, or a part time job, please feel free to drop by my temple again. It won't require any naming, unless you want it to!

[He wouldn't mind, of course, but he's not out to take everyone's shinki! If it happens, it happens.]

And please feel no need to bow or curtsy, especially to another god besides your own. Although I suppose I'm not certain how that would work for other pantheons...

[Perhaps something to research when he has the time.]

[holygrailed]

A part-time job? I'll have to speak with my god about such a thing, but I will remember that.

[No need to bow or curtsy to other gods? She'll have to remember that, or at least check with her god to find his stance. She'd hate to offend him so soon.]

May you and your shinki enjoy the day.