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

[unlucky7]

[Ginia smiles when a borderline pops into existence. There are people better than others at it, but she hasn't met anyone who couldn't cast a borderline in some capacity.]

Really doesn't. Sustaining it is the hardest part for most beginners, but once you have an idea of what it feels like, it doesn't take much to improve.

[blahblahblah]

Practice, practice, practice, I guess. Reasonable enough. Hopefully I don't have to use it right away, but if that's what it comes to... it's even better practice when it counts, right?

[After another second, the borderline fades out, and she frowns thoughtfully at the spot.]

[unlucky7]

I definitely learned the limits of my borderlines in time of crisis.

[Learned her limits and her failures. It's a hard lesson and she's not sure she's bounced back entirely from it, but it's made her stronger in other ways too.]

Though I hope you don't have a hard lesson like that. Be careful on the Near Shore, always carry blessed water.

[blahblahblah]

Blessed water... [Thinking of something, she reaches into a pouch at her side, pulling out a small, white bottle. She gives it a long stare, before shaking her head and putting it back.] I'll probably make space for that in my pack, I don't even know what I'd use half of this for now.

I appreciate the sentiment, though. I've already died once, so let's not do it again. Not without a real fight.

[unlucky7]

[With her belongings on arrival consisting of the clothes on her back and the few things in her pocket, Ginia looks over the pack with interest.]

I'm sure you'll figure out uses, on your own or with your god's help. But blessed water, your phone, maybe a weapon tends to be standard carry on the Near Shore.

[It's not that dangerous... but sometimes it is. Ayakashi sure are something.]

[blahblahblah]

That seems like a reasonable list. I need to take some time and sit down with my... phone, you called it? I need to go through it. I kind of get it, but I kind of don't.

[Blastia do a lot of stuff... but "talk to people over long distances"? The BBS sounds weird, too. Useful, but weird.]

[unlucky7]

I can give you a rundown of features if you want. I use mine a lot.

[A slightly wry smile slips with the comment. Hey, what, it's the truth! But knowledge helps all too. Wendy's right, they really need to have info on how to use the phone upfront. Not everyone has time to track down lessons at the school.]

[blahblahblah]

If it lets me get a hold of people, I probably need to. It'll help to not have to find someone to ask questions. I can dig through it later, but I should at least get the basics down before then.

[She opens her mouth again to ask a question, but she thinks better of it and stops, shaking her head slightly. Now's not the time for super personal questions, she has Things To Learn.]

[unlucky7]

[Ginia spends the next few minutes going over the main functions of the phone. There's the contact list, already pre-filled with all the new gods (listed by the god they're representing) and shinki (listed by their name), and how to text and call people.

Next is the BBS, including how to post (text, video, voice) and and comment, how to contact people privately, and how to comment anonymously.

Finally, some of the useful apps pre-installed on the phone like the camera, notepad, map, and web browser and subsequent useful websites. Welcome to 2017.]

[blahblahblah]

[Rita listens attentively; it's a lot to take in, but it's important, so she doesn't complain and doesn't ask unnecessary questions. It's not so complex she needs to take notes, but absently part of her wonders if there even is a written version of any of this. Maybe it'd be worth looking into later.

The map is useful when Ginia shows it to her, but of all things, it's the camera that shocks her most, and when she pulls it up and accidentally takes a selfie, she can't help but laugh at the look of utter surprise on her face as it stays on the screen for a few seconds. Welcome to 2017, indeed. It'll only get worse once she goes back through some of those websites.]

What a strange device. I could play with this thing all day... [She frowns after a second.] But seeing the contact list makes me feel like I can't just sit around. There are that many people here, and I've met... two, now?

[unlucky7]

[That's without even getting into games, other apps, and the dangers of the internet. Technology is amazing, technology is terrifying.]

You'll see more in the training or refreshment area. Keep in mind not everyone comes to the training sessions either. I'm nearing five months and there are still people on that list I've never met.

[It's how it goes sometimes. There are a lot of people; millions once the old gods and shinki are taken into account. Ginia's okay only knowing a few people well and more so in passing.]

[blahblahblah]

Great. I can look forward to weird people for the rest of time, then... oh, well. I'll deal with it, I guess.

[A hesitant look toward the hall; hearing there's a lot more people for her to meet, and that she should expect plenty of them in the very near future, isn't making her want to go in. But she needs to, so...]

Probably better to learn by doing, right? I should probably go talk to people before I convince myself to avoid it.

[unlucky7]

Do as much as you want on your first day. Nothing wrong with staying in your comfort levels as you get used to things.

[There's enough to deal with already, no need to create more stress. There are always opportunities to meet other people.]

[blahblahblah]

Yeah, but my comfort levels are going to going to be a problem unless I force it at least a little bit. So... maybe not all the way, but I need to at least try.

[Rita shakes her head.]

Um, thanks for your help. I appreciate it. I'd have been running around like an idiot without it, I bet.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia gives a friendly smile. Being a shinki can be rough, but there's plenty of support to go around.]

You're welcome. Good luck and hang in there.