thenearshore | Interlude: Meeting with Amaterasu

Who: Amaterasu and characters who have shared information with her, her advisers or her shinki
When: March 8, Evening
Where: The Meeting Hall
What: Amaterasu is bringing together newcomers of proven loyalty in order to share her own information and plans.

New gods and shinki who have offered their help to Amaterasu or her advisers, or who have given her information about any of the cult activities, will find a white-robed shinki knocking at their temple door or dropping by their table at the post-training meal on March 8th.

The invitations have the following text:

Lady Amaterasu invites you and your trusted allies to join her for an important announcement. The shinki who delivered this message will conduct you to the meeting.

The shinki carrying these invitations will wait until the invited person and their guests are ready, or will leave if the invitation is declined.

Guests are directed to an inner room in the Meeting Hall, where, on entry, they will discover that they seem to be floating in an endless dark void. Amaterasu stands at the center of the void, brilliantly illuminated; she's not wearing her usual mirror crown, and there is a short woman in old-fashioned white robes with the sleeves tied back standing beside her.

Amaterasu and the shinki accompanying her begin to speak once everyone has arrived. They have ink paintings of Votelli (although the features aren't very well rendered, as though it was painted from a description rather than by someone who'd seen her) and of Sotero (this painting is much more accurate and detailed.) These paintings are displayed on small stands behind Amaterasu.

"These two rogue gods have declared their enmity against myself and the Heavens through attacking and even imprisoning you, as well as attacking many of my shinki. They have even used humans as their agents to act in the mortal world." She holds out a hand to indicate the sketchier painting. "This one's name is Votelli. She is declared anathema. Should you see her, capture her, and bring her to me." The other, better-drawn painting is next. "This one's name is Sotero. He is declared anathema, and should you see him, capture him and bring him to me.

"We prefer them alive, but if they resist too fiercely to survive capture, we will still reward their captors highly."

The woman behind her takes the paintings down and folds the stands, disappearing into the dark with her armful of props, as Amaterasu continues speaking.

"We have located areas of the Near Shore that these gods have used as their sanctuaries in their invasions of the Heavens. The forest that Votelli used, many of you have visited. However, it seems that she can either hide there too well to be found unless she wills it, or she has gone elsewhere. We continue to search for her. My shinki have searched the volcano that Sotero used, as well, but with no greater success.

"It is possible that these gods have protected themselves somehow from the eyes of my shinki. I ask for your assistance searching for them both."

The woman reappears, without the easels and carrying two handfuls of charms instead; they are small, embroidered pouches that look like the charms found in the department store and around shrines at New Year's. Sabimei steps forward; he looks like he hasn't had enough sleep in weeks, and the harsh spotlight brings out the dark bags under his eyes.

"These things are using a magic I can't figure out," he says: his tone is almost petulant, but he moderates it at a reproving glare from the other shinki. "I suspect it's related to those two gods. I can tell you that they drain good fortune from anything nearby -- these are inert, don't worry, but I wouldn't keep one in my pocket if I were any of you. Burn them, or give them to me, because it's not as if I don't have enough to do--"

At another glare, he clears his throat. "In any case, placing these in our shrines at the New Year's represents a direct attack on our fortunes and our followers'. It seems that these gods consider us all enemies alike. Ask me later if you want to hear more about what I've been doing with these things." He bows, and steps back into the darkness. Amaterasu's formal demeanor softens for long enough to pat her other shinki's arm; the woman smiles down at her before tucking away the charms.

"Several humans have been implicated in assisting the enemy gods," she announces. "We do not act directly against mortals, but my shinki are watching their residences, in case our enemies should appear there. It is possible that there are more, and so, I ask that you help my shinki in that task, for if those two gods are no longer in the places that they once linked to the Heavens, then they must be concealed somewhere. My shinki will show you to these humans' residences if you are willing to assist.

"When we find them, we intend to ride to destroy them, and I invite you to join the hosts of Heaven when we do so, as well."

She folds her hands together, her long sleeves falling down to hide her fingers, and inclines her head in a small, regal bow.

As the presentation ends, the darkness begins to fade, and everyone invited will find themselves standing in an ordinary room with Amaterasu, and with guards at the door and along the walls. The female shinki who had been behind her has disappeared, and she is wearing her crown again, with Sabimei standing just behind her.

It looks like she's ready to take questions now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, I'm just standing here for my own entertainment. [Sabimei eyes the younger man.]

-- Go ahead, ask. What do you want to know.

I apologise. [A polite nod of apology.] do they have any connection to the dolls that were... Tampered with at the doll festival or do you believe that to be separate?

[He knows next to nothing about charms and such.]

[Sabimei stares at him.] What dolls? -- Look, I've been working on these things nonstop almost since the beginning of the year. I wasn't at the festival.

What happened to the dolls?

Oh. [He hadn't considered that he wouldn't know at all.] At the doll festival on the river the boats began hurtling themselves back towards the shore rather than drifting down the river. As we tried to force them away from the bank we noticed that the dolls were strange. The straw dolls had the visage of gods. The traditional form of gods that some of the new gods had taken up the mantel of. But only those who have disappeared.

There were paper dolls as well and they were made to look like some of the new shinki. Again those who have disappeared from the heavens. All of them were damaged in some way, burned or torn.

I... [Sabimei's frown is growing darker.]

I don't know if those could be related, but it sounds suspicious. Do you have any of them? Or know who might?

I want a better look at those.

I do. It is at my temple though, I didn't bring it here with me. It is one representing a god. I can bring it to you. [Carefully, without touching it again. He has no wish for a repeat of what happened on the river bank.

Actually he should warn Sabimei about that...]

When I touched it, for the rest of the festival I saw her, as if she was in the corner of my vision the whole time.

Mm. If you've got it for me to look at, I can wait here for you to bring it back. [With a glance at Suzaku, he adds:] If you'd like me to look now.

I can sir. I won't be very long. [He nods politely and turns to leave, once he has exited the room he begins to run. It doesn't take him too long to make his way back to Saber's temple, the doll is in his room, wrapped up in a bag already so that no one accidentally touched it.

Namely Kotetsu, he wasn't sure if cats could be affected by such things but he didn't want to take any risks. He grabbed the bag and ran back to the meeting, heading straight for Sabimei.]

[Suzaku will find Sabimei still waiting in the meeting room, lingering close by Amaterasu to make sure none of the other attendees get too loud or insulting. He glances up as the younger man approaches.]

Is that it?

Yes sir. [He hands it over, still in the bag.] As I said strange things happened when you touched them directly. I'm not sure if those affects are still active.

Anything other than seeing the person the doll represents? Or was that the only effect?

[He weighs the bag in his hand.] I'm not going to take it out here if there might still be lingering magic. You don't mind if I borrow this for a day or two and get back to you, right?

It seemed to be. This was the only one I touched so I don't have much knowledge in what effects they had but others reported very similar visions.

[He nodded.] Of course sir. I only kept hold of it in case it was needed for study. [He doesn't particularly want it back.]

Thank you.

[He tucks it into his jacket pocket, where it makes an unsightly lump he doesn't seem to notice, and gives Suzaku a serious nod.]

I'll let you know what I find out.

[That said, he turns back to see how Amaterasu is handling the questions she's getting-- some of them do seem to be annoying her....

He'll be as good as his word, though. Suzaku will find the bag returned to him, with the doll inside, after five days with an attached letter in neat script that reads:

Greetings.

After some study, I am confident that there are no active spells associated with this manikin. I did experience the "seeing someone" effect after touching it. This may be a remaining effect from a broken spell.

It's also possible there's something I can't detect, but I wouldn't bet on that if I were you.

If that's just a remnant it must have been an unbelievably strong spell when it was active, though. I'll be looking out for any matching traces. I can't get anything more out of this, so I'm returning it to you.

Thank you for your assistance.

It's signed with the single character "sabi" -- apparently his name is the one that can mean "simplicity," or "an antique appearance."]

Interlude: Meeting with Amaterasu

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