December Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: March 8, 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 midafternoon, once 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, which are spreading out even further with the onset of Spring. Strangely, there are many fewer flowering trees than might be expected.

Shinki Training

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice the 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 what look like old clothes and sheets rescued from the rag pile and hung from trees or stuffed with straw to serve as targets. Some of the children are trapping their straw-stuffed targets by dancing in circles around them, hands held as they sing the Kagome song; others are using cutting borderlines to bring sheets fluttering down.

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 interact with one of them or if you have any questions about handwaving an interaction.

Physical Training

The cherry blossoms that had begun to bloom across the Meeting Hall grounds seem to have experienced a mysterious mishap. Buds and half-opened blossoms alike have rained down from the branches, carpeting the fresh spring grass below with soggy brown and black rot. Several gardener shinki, with their sleeves tied back and sensible heavy aprons to protect their white uniforms, are raking up the fallen blossoms and trying to coax the trees back to health with powders and straw wraps to protect the trees' trunks from nightly chill. They need help: climb the trees and sprinkle the knots along the branches with invigorating powders to encourage fresh buds, or help the gardeners hold the straw in place around the tree trunks while it's wrapped with cloth, or just help rake up the dead flowers.

Besides the cherry problems, the gardens are beautiful and just beginning to burst into spring bloom. Tulips, crocuses and daffodils are sprouting everywhere, and once the borderline game is done, the child shinki are quickly organizing a garden-wide game of hide-and-go-seek. Find the best hiding spot you can, and make a break for home base as soon as you're sure the seeker is too far away to catch you! But don't run into anyone on the way.

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. A fresh springtime menu is available: lightly flower-scented teas, plum wine, and a variety of little savory or sweet snacks to nibble on while waiting for dinner. Dinner turns out to be okonomiyaki: bowls with mixed batter and a plate full of tasty add-ins are brought out, and griddles at the center of the table heated to let every guest set out their own favorite add-ins, pour batter over, and make a savory pancake. It's a little tricky to flip with the tiny spatulas provided, but it should only take a few pancake disasters to get the hang of it, probably!

After eating, a few doves will flutter into the room, dropping off scrolls to certain people, and the frazzled-looking adult shinki from the earlier training session dashes to the front of the room to try to keep everyone occupied. He's reading from a handful of printouts with corporate icebreaker ideas: pin a secret card to the back of everyone's shirt and ask whoever you meet for clues to figure out what it says! Fill out a bingo card with different skills or experiences your fellow gods and shinki have! Figure out how to stack every piece of furniture in the room onto just one table... play a game where you're only allowed to reply with questions... switch tables every five minutes and see how well you can get to know the other person there before your five minutes are up. Wait, isn't that speed dating? He seems to be running out of ideas.

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 some icebreakers
• Have fun~

Comments

[trustheart]

[Chris stares at the “Hibiki” sitting at the table for okonomiyaki.

That’s a stuffed doll version of her alright.

After a moment, Chris gets up out of her own seat, and walks away. She returns a few minutes later, holding a black marker.

Chris sits down next to the doll, uncaps the marker, aaaaand starts to draw on the doll’s face, starting with a goofy-looking curly mustache.]

[priforprince]

[ The doll slumps forward a little in response to the pressure, but otherwise does nothing to prevent this indignity from being visited upon it.

Hibiki feels a chill, but thinks it's just part of the spring air. ]

[trustheart]

[And now for some devil horns... whiskers...

Mercifully, this is the kind of marker that fades and comes out easily. A sign that Chris doesn't want to be completely mean to Hibiki, maybe?]

[priforprince]

[ Maybe.

The doll submits to its fate with a quietude that might lead people in the area to suspect, might, possibly, if they are especially intuitive, that Shikyoin Hibiki is not, in fact, sitting at this table at all.

But how can that be?! Why, even a spygoat is heading up with tea... ]

[trustheart]

Lalalalala... [And there's some swirly marks for the hands... and a great big "Chris was here" written on the chest. She picks it up and shows it off to the spygoat, as if she expects it to respond.]

Wattaya think?

[priforprince]

[ The goat's response is to scoot back in surprise, causing the teacup to fall off its platter and shatter. MAAAA-STER! WHAT HAPPENED TO MAAA-STER!??!?!

The goats


the goats don't know. ]

[trustheart]

... Yeah, that's about how I expect her to react.

[She snickers and sets the doll back in its proper seat.]

It's kinda weird how all of you seem to think that this thing is the real deal.

[priforprince]

[ Oh....Oh.....Maa-ster.....is Maa-ster okay.....?

The goat circles the area, fretting. Chris is...taking care of Maaa-ster.....right.....? ]

[trustheart]

Uh...

[Geez.]

Don't worry, okay little guy? This is just... Hibiki's... makeup? Yeah, her makeup!

[priforprince]

[ Make....up?

The goat peers up, eye cameras zooming in for a close look. That is definitely new cosmaaa-tic ground that Maaa-ster is breaking, in that case, but it.....supposes it is in no position to understand. Maaa-ster knows so many things, and is good at so much. It loves and trusts her.

Hibiki has a sudden sense that she should check her goat feeds, and then a sudden equally strong sense that she should leave them alone. Such a bizarre and inexplicable clamor. ]

[trustheart]

Yeah... it's for her new starring role! It'll definitely be the coolest thing she's done. Ever.

[She can't believe the spygoat is buying this.

Or that she's trying to trick a spygoat to begin with.]

[priforprince]

[ COOLER THAN THE SAMURAI MOVIE?!

That is cool.

The goat considers this, then rolls up and nudges Chris's hand with the marker.

Could.....um.

This is forward of it, but is it okay if it....gets special cool make-up...too...?

Or is that something just for Celebrities? Some things are. ]

[trustheart]

... Uh-uhm.

[... Chris leans forward, and writes "#1 goat-thing" on the spygoat's chassis.]

Is that good?

[priforprince]

[ The best! The best, the best! The goat vibrates in place, then zips off, wheels squealing. It has to show this to everyone! ]

[trustheart]

... Well, as long as he's happy.

[Chris smiles, leans over, and draws a star on the Hibiki doll's cheek, before getting up and walking away. As much as she wants to see Hibiki's reaction, she figures it's probably a good idea to get out before she's caught.]

[priforprince]

[ The Hibiki doll, abandoned, flops to one side and bears its indignities with a sort of cute plush grace.

Be aware, Chris: once the goat shows its markings to its fellows, they will be patrolling the Far Shore with more than their usual recon/servant goals in mind.

Everybody wants body art now. They are looking.....for you. ]