godsoffortune: (Default)
The Far Shore Mods ([personal profile] godsoffortune) wrote in [community profile] thenearshore2018-12-17 12:29 am

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.
boneofsword: (matter of no importance)

[personal profile] boneofsword 2018-12-26 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Kids tend to trust their guardians blindly, unless there's enough contradiction to make them uneasy. Given that she spent a century following their lead the sole thought seems preposterous. [Archer narrows his eyes in thought. It's not going to be easy.]

Perhaps you need a different approach than blunt force. Raising such possibility with someone who's closer to her than an outsider. [yes, he's talking about Ebisu.]
revolutionfalcon: (calm command)

[personal profile] revolutionfalcon 2018-12-27 11:14 am (UTC)(link)
I'm not sure how much she'll listen to Ebisu, considering what happened to him before we arrived. [Which is a shame, considering Bishamon hasn't been around to talk to about this sort of thing, and she'd be about the only other old god with status who'd be inclined to listen to their side.]

Or that he'd want to bring it up to her here. But it's possible he might try to talk to us more afterwards. He's done that sort of thing before, try to work out information privately.
boneofsword: (as if I ever)

[personal profile] boneofsword 2018-12-27 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
He's one of them, no matter his transgression. Moreover, he has an idea about the proper etiquette that Amaterasu and her court loves. [since their lot is more concerned with actual threats rather than twenty-or-so ways to properly address the Queen of Heavens.]

Do you consider him trustworthy?
revolutionfalcon: (about time)

[personal profile] revolutionfalcon 2018-12-28 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
I think he's willing to question the Heavens if he needs to and knows what needs to be kept secret, which I think is as good as we can ask for. [Shun doesn't know Ebisu well, but as long as they don't start talking actively overthrowing the Heavens as opposed to seeking peace in a way that doesn't trample everyone else in its wake, he imagines he'll be on their side.]

I know some of the other Gods of Fortune haven't been that satisfied with things like Ebisu's situation in the past either, but they're a lot harder to get hold of.
boneofsword: (grim is the past)

[personal profile] boneofsword 2018-12-29 03:17 pm (UTC)(link)
That's good enough. He seems to be more like us than his own kin. Most likely it's why he keeps closer to humans. [those are good news as far as Archer is concerned. Right now things are going to explode one way or the other, and another godly ally knowing how to minimize the damage is worth their weight in gold.]

I don't think many will agree to join this with hunt.
revolutionfalcon: (calm command)

[personal profile] revolutionfalcon 2018-12-30 11:22 am (UTC)(link)
Not out of the newcomers, but they'll probably have more than enough of the old gods on board to march out if they want, with or without us. [There's definitely a note of annoyance to Shun's tone at that - compared to the Heavens at large, the number of newcomers isn't many, in the end.]

Which is probably going to make them feel justified in distrusting us if we disagree more than changing their minds about anything.
boneofsword: (old regrets are heavy)

[personal profile] boneofsword 2018-12-31 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I doubt they will accomplish anything, given their incompetence. [it seems that old gods rely on tradition and expect things to be the same as they were in the past.]

Which is also why I don't think any of the new gods will stay idle. [seeing how things went during Zelda's council Archer can bet that at least several gods and shinki will help. He just hopes that Hakkai will keep Gojyo on a short leash.]
revolutionfalcon: (about time)

[personal profile] revolutionfalcon 2019-01-01 09:34 am (UTC)(link)
Even idiots can make something happen if they have enough numbers behind them. [Especially if it's against two inexperienced gods. Votelli and Sotero are powerful, but so are a lot of the other gods here, and it's not as if they're the only ones with raw elemental powers, either.]

But I agree about doubting the new gods will stay idle. A few people seem to have gotten attached. [Shun's not one of them - while he does accept Votelli and Sotero have probably been manipulated, it's also on them to move forward once presented with the truth. Votelli had seemed moderately receptive, but Sotero hadn't seemed like he wanted to listen at all.]
boneofsword: (hmph)

[personal profile] boneofsword 2019-01-08 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
Looks like we have at least a week or two to prepare. [it's very unlikely the old gods will act immediately. A month is a generous estimate, and enough time to put some plans in motion. Archer is already considering a few possible routes, his frown deepening. He seems to be more on edge than usual, although only those who know him well enough including Shun can notice the difference.]

Did you find anything new? [Archer's own investigation has been put on hold when Caster's household shrunk to only one shinki.]
revolutionfalcon: (dramatic wind)

[personal profile] revolutionfalcon 2019-01-08 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
Probably. They need to actually find the people they're trying to attack, for one thing. [Shun's tone is somewhat dry in saying that, considering the Heavens' track record with that sort of thing. He's a little surprised they even got a description of Votelli, though he has a sneaking suspicion based on the vagueness of it compared to Sotero's sketch that it's from a secondhand description.

Shun's definitely eying Archer's reaction closely, but shrugs in answer to the question.]
So far, mostly just more confirmation of what we already know. None of the cultists left big traces of their work in their houses, just signs that they're exactly what we already knew they were.