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

[curruid_coinchenn]

I have no interest in being a ruler, so good.

[ The role of "king" had been foisted upon Berserker, a role he wanted no part of. He intends only to serve his role as necessary and not as Balor truly was.

He listens to Caster speak without interruption. It's the least he could do -- a courtesy. Archer had already answered most of his more pressing question, but now he has more.

He flicks the ash from his cigarette and tilts his head slightly. ]

What differences? At least the ones that you know of.

[ Friends, no. Allies...not yet. Berserker has no interest in making an enemy of himself, though -- he knows that is a bad decision, one that would make his position here that much more difficult. So aside from that little ... tiff they had with snowballs and broken bones trees, as long as Caster doesn't trigger his Madness Enhancement again, he's willing to cooperate and listen. ]

[futhark]

No spirit form for once, it's a physical incarnation here. Guess that's a good thing because there are no Masters here.

[ Caster looks at the sky, trying to not question the craziness of the situation. Here he is, explaining himself, how they are not really Servants anymore ]

Or rather- the people who believe in you - their belief is what keeps us manifested. The more they believe in you, the stronger you get. I guess they're what supplies us with magical energy too- but again, you're not going to die should you run out.

[ Because again, the physical body. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

...That's good to know.

[ He prefers his spirit form unless he's needed. It would've been ... inconvenient to discover that fact for himself. ]

So I should still be concerned about my mana, but not as concerned. I can't be careless.

[futhark]

At first, yeah. I'd say there is a clear correlation between how many people worship you and how much magical energy you can recover on your own.

[ Recover is probably a wrong word here. It's more like, each of those followers acts like a substitute Master. One too weak on its own, it's a drop in the sea of need- but make them 40 thousand and it's suddenly not that bad. ]

Sometimes a few days of sleep can work magic. Besides, other ways of recovering it still work as usual.

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ A question he doesn't want to ask and yet he's going to ask it. Berserker raises an eyebrow, an odd smile coming to his face. ]

... Even a mana transfer?

[ Because he needs to know. And he may also be acting like a little shit. ]

[futhark]

[ Caster snorts and gives back a toothy grin. Like, he's not even surprised-- and Berserker probably shouldn't be surprised either that there are already people here that know what is behind those words. ]

Sure, that fall into the "other ways". Sex, blood, the usual- I suppose you could probably drain the lifeforce of people in a building if that's your thing. [ He's not sure how many spells Berserker can do with the runes - class restrictions and what not - also might be an option reserved for those with Territory Creation thing. He can't know, he never actually tried it here ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ He's not surprised by that fact at all. He'd be more surprised if there weren't people here who didn't know what it means -- he knows himself, after all. ]

I wanted to make sure that's what you meant, that's all.

[ Berserker sighs. ]

I don't think I have anymore questions, though. I can figure out anything else I need to on my own.

[futhark]

Fine by me. [ Caster takes another drag from the cigarette and seems to focus only on the slow exhale, but at the end of the breath, he adds. ]

If you find yourself with more questions than answers, seek Cú Chulainn's temple, you'll find me there.

[ So there's officially a truce set, good. Fighting yourself can only be unnecessarily messy. Besides, Berserker gave him his God name, so at least he should give one back too. ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker finishes off his cigarette, flicking the butt into the snow. He narrows his eyes slightly at the god name and breathes out a laugh. ]

Of course you'd be yourself here...

[ He turns to leave, ignoring the throbbing reminder of their needlessly violent fight earlier. ]

If I'm in need, I will seek it out.

[futhark]

[ Caster barks a short laugh in return- there is no lie, the god name makes bearing the Worst Class Possible a little easier. Then a shriek is heard nearby- apparently one of the white-robed gardeners had found their... handiwork. ]

Oops, that's our cue to go.

[ Caster warps himself out of there, but probably too late to not be spotted. But hey, gotta head home, lick his wounds, metaphorically. He can limp where no one will see him, at least runes do the work ]

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ Berserker hears that as well and follows suit. Recovering in private is a better idea -- less questions. The consequences from their nonsense can be dealt with later. ]