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

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia's Blade is just off enjoying the food, so she doesn't take long to round it up and get back either.]

So long as it's actually going along like the other one, that should work? I think? Kind of in uncharted territory now, I'm afraid... [Or unremembered, at least.]

[alchemists]

This is why we run experiments to find out.

[ Elfnein had already hit the button on the remote and the arms start moving. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Okay, so... is it hurt at all?

[Nia has her ringblades out, now glowing with ether as her Blade channels a stream of it to her.]

[alchemists]

[ One of the robot's arms stops moving while the other still keeps going. ]

It's slightly hurt it seems like?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Okay. Well, here goes. Healing Halo!

[Nia lifts her ringblades, then twists them around, using the ether coursing through them to enact her healing Art.]

[alchemists]

[ Elfnein is in awe of the move Nia is using, it's nothing like the other healing powers she's seen other gods use before. ]

That's amazing!

[sassywelshcatgirl]

That's being a Driver, kid. [Nia's not above basking in the praise, though.]

[alchemists]

I don't know what that means but it's still amazing.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Well... I guess if you want a comparison, it's sort of like being a god, except way more so.

[Nia folds her arms, which is actually kind of impressive when she's holding large ringblades in both hands.]

Blades, they're not like shinki, though. Blades are different life forms altogether. They start out in a Core Crystal, and when a Driver resonates with that crystal, they gain form. [Nia twitches her head back to indicate her own beastform Blade.] Then they send ether to their Driver through the bond. The Driver uses their Arts to fight, and the Blade gives them strength and power. At the same time, the Driver's building up power for them to use their own Blade Arts. So they're partners in battle, but the Blade is their own person too.

[alchemists]

It's like a god and their shinki in some ways?

[ It's the first thing Elfnein can think of when Nia starts explaining how it works. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

A little. [Nia bites her lip for a moment, then adds:] Actually, my shinki form is a Blade.

[alchemists]

Isn't that sort of form helpful for a god though?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yes, and no. It's complicated.

[alchemists]

If you don't mind me asking who is your god currently?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Good question. Waiting to see if they show up here today.

[That's true, if only a quarter of the truth.]

[alchemists]

I didn't mean it to come off as a sad thing.

[ Elfnein knows full well about not having a shinki or a shinki not having a god and how annoying and sad it can be. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Just the way things go around here, isn't it? [Nia shrugs, not really too bothered by it -- at least that she'll show on the outside. Especially not to a kid, who doesn't need to be bothered by all her worries and troubles.]

[alchemists]

But, it can be annoying and frustrating. Until Romeo became my shinki anyone that tried to become mine would vanish sooner or later and I'd be all alone again.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

All alone? Here I'd figure you had lots of friends and people looking out for you...

[alchemists]

I didn't have a lot of friends here at first.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

What, really? Pack of friendly people around, you the kind of kid who just glows with "I'm innocent, protect and nurture me!", and you didn't have friends?!

[alchemists]

If you put it that way it sounds like I'm someone that has no power or way to defend myself.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Naw, not at all. I mean, imagine if I acted all cutesy and innocent, and didn't have a voice deeper than most guys. People'd treat me the same way too.

[alchemists]

That would be hard to picture since I think you're fine just the way you are right now.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah, so do I. [Nia winks at Elfnein.] Anyway, don't take any offense from it. It's not a bad thing to be the sort someone would want to help and protect... if you can be smart about your pride, anyway.