36 - Dragon Dance

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Help the Heavens cover for a missing goddess at her temple festival.
When: March 18
Where: Near the Sensou-ji temple in Asakusa
Summary: After Kannon's disappearance last year, the Heavens are concerned that things might go wrong at her temple's March 18 omikoshi festival. They've asked new gods and shinki to attend the festival and keep an eye out for trouble. Meanwhile, trusted newcomers and older gods and shinki alike are watching over the cultists that have been identified.






The Festival

Shrine-carriers, musicians and dancers congregate early in the morning in their matching outfits to get organized into their parade. Luckily, all of the parade participants this time are alive and well. There aren't even any troublesome ayakashi hanging around... so why is everyone having such bad luck?! Laces are breaking, costumes tearing, small children are getting sick from nerves, and even the drums seem to have gone out of tune. It looks like this parade is going to need a whole lot of help to prevent disaster.

For those who aren't busy with the parade preparations, food and souvenir booths throng the area in front of the temple. There's traveling games, too, and plenty of people showing up early with their families to find a good spot to watch the parade. This is one of Tokyo's most popular temples, so it's quite a crowd!

The Stakeouts

Any gods or shinki who were told about the cult problem by Amaterasu -- or anyone who might have heard from friends and allies about the plans -- can help Amaterasu's shinki keep a tight watch on all of the known cult members. Her shinki are looking for any sign of the young gods who she believes are behind all of this trouble, but are there other clues that might be found by a keen observer? Join in on staking out a cult member, and see what you can see.

Current cult members that the shinki are watching include:

• Mitsui Ryou - lives alone in a medium-sized apartment, appears to work a 9 - 5 schedule with occasional late nights.
• Imai Takeru - lives in a small two-story house by himself, has an unpredictable schedule.
• Shimoda Tsuki - lives alone in a small apartment with a lot of plants, works retail with varying shifts.
• Oota Saburo- lives in a medium-sized apartment with his wife and two young children, works a 9 - 5 schedule with frequent work trips.
• Maeda Shinnosuke - lives alone in a small, messy apartment, works construction (early mornings, long days.)
If your character is taking part in the surveillance of any of these people, please feel free to comment to the Cult Clues thread below with the name of the character they're watching, and the times that they're watching that character, in order to learn what they might see. (Note: surveillance doesn't have to take place only on the 18th. Characters can take part in watching the cult members at any time after Amaterasu's announcement on March 8.)

The Parade

At noon, the parade begins. Misfortune is still dogging the participants and the crowds around them, but it looks as though everything will go all right up until the final turn as the heavy, gilded shrine turns back towards the main temple building, tips, and slowly falls over sideways, straight for the crowd.

What's worse, when the shrine hits the ground, it cracks open -- and a huge, jellyfish-like ayakashi wearing a giant white mask with a single black eye inscribed on it heaves its way out and begins lashing its tentacles in every direction. People stung by the tentacles are driven into a furious frenzy, and fights are breaking out everywhere. Stop the humans from fighting, take care of the injured, and destroy the ayakashi before the situation gets any worse.

The Pursuit

In the middle of the fighting crowd, two white-robed shinki are chasing after a very average-looking salaryman in a tan coat. He doesn't seem to know that the shinki are chasing him, but he is moving fast, and they're in danger of losing track of him. They're calling out to any Far Shore denizen close enough to hear, shinki or god:

"Don't let that guy get away! He knows what happened!"

Anyone who has met or spent time staking out Mitsui Ryou will recognize him as the escaping salaryman. If your character takes part in the pursuit, please comment to the Cult Clues thread with a link to your thread - the character who successfully catches Mitsui will be determined by RNG on January 6, 2019.

In Summary:

• Attend the Sensou-ji festival
• Enjoy food and games
• Help Amaterasu's shinki stake out the cult
• Fight a masked ayakashi
• Have fun~

Comments

[hypomeneo]

[No time for fear, no time for hesitation - Waver reaches inside his coat and pulls out a flask of blessed water as he fades beyond comprehension. He has three on him. One for Satya, one for Iskandar, and one for himself. He trusts the others brought supplies, but he prefers to be ready for his own peace of mind.

This shall be the base. This shall be the binding. And, as he bites his thumb to draw blood, this shall be the catalyst, the link to himself. Territory Creation flares to life as mana surges around him and his hair flares back. The fan moves, the water rises, Waver brings forth the other two flasks. He saturates the air with blessed water around him as he begins to chant in Chinese.

A binding circle begins to draw itself around the ayakashi as Bounded Fields rise, fed and anchored by the blessed water he's using as the binding agent. Bright and shining lines of mana inscribe themselves on the ground.]

[unlucky7]

[The ayakashi is fast, but Ginia moves faster. It's easy being bait, especially when she's not the only person peppering the ayakashi with attacks. She dodges to the side, parrying the tentacles with borderlines, moving again with a high leap into the air. An easy target as she falls slower than any human should. An attack comes her way; she waits until the last second to drop down fast, slashing along the underside of the tentacle. It splits and pulls back. Flesh is already knitting back, but it's still a few seconds of time.

She can see Waver, but she doesn't look his way as she focuses on keeping the ayakashi away from him. It can't see him, won't know he's there until she releases Umbra or the natural ten minute timer on the spell runs out. But that doesn't mean a stray tentacle can't accidentally lash him.

It's another reason she's left her borderline up for him. One less barrier for herself, but a good offensive is a good defense. A tentacle lashes her arm; she hisses as blight spreads hot on her flesh, but there's time to handle that later. Attack, parry, keep moving, buy more time, put your life on the line for the greater good.]

here comes cavalry ... minus actual horses

[towards_okeanos]

[There are several benefits to being a huge guy in a country of small men. One of them is being able to just brush aside any interference from sad small men. And the view is better.
Iskandar is in a hurry he has no time for pleasantries.]

OUT OF MY WAY!

[There are several men - visibly affected by whatever poison that tentacled beast dispenses - that try to stand in his way only to get hurled further into the crowd as Iskandar pushes through a golden, circular sword in one hand and smartphone in the other. Those who are familiar with that shape would know what weapon this is.

Somewhere there, in the sea of people, is Waver but Iskandar can't see him. He can feel Waver is in danger. No wonder, given the general circumstances. Still, the alarm went off some time ago but when Iskandar teleported to the coordinates he did not find him. Neither his sense of direction nor the GPS tracking are very precise.
Then the surge of mana as Bounded Fields rise. Territory creation.
Iskandar grins. That way!

But then something else catches his attention. Or should he say...someone. The slender silhouette dancing among the writhing tentacles. Attacking, defending, with lightning speed.
Iskandar roars. He winces when one of the tentacles manages to pass her defences and actually hits her.]

Ginia!

[Oh no, you vile creature! You're not getting her! Now he has an exact spot he can teleport to. So he does. Just in time to dispatch two incoming tentacles.]

[hypomeneo]

Iskandar! Ginia! Back!

[Who knows if they can hear him.

The lines of light join and sigils inscribe themselves on the ground. Suddenly the ground beneath the akayashi flares, a pillar of brillance rising to the sky. Mana mixed with blessed water beneath snares and drags down; Bounded Fields mixed with blessed water swing around the beast, swimming with ancient, arcane language and collapse, smashing down the ayakashi to the ground. Pinned like a butterfly to the ground.

How long this can last? Who knows. If the beast isn't screaming yet (do akayashi scream?), what happens next probably will make it howl.

Waver swings the fan and yells out one last incantation. Mana constructs are forming in the air. They look like mirrors. Ethereal energy mirrors that are catching the free, blessed water charged mana in the air and concentrating it into beams bouncing off each other.

Waver slashes down the fan with the finality of execution, face set in resolved stone and eyes hard.

The angles of the mirrors change, and with it? The angle of the beams. He uses the blasts of pure mana like a surgeon to burn cleanly beneath the mask, and keep burning, not allowing for a second a hint of relief for regeneration to take place. Separating it from the ayakashi inch by inch.

Gruesome work, but necessary if they want that thing.]

[unlucky7]

[The shout out of her name from a booming voice is a surprise, but Ginia doesn't let it distract her as she continues to parry and dodge. Her injured arm feels heavier from the burn of blight, probably bruised or cut too, though she doesn't feel the pain of a fracture or break. Fight on, keep going.

Thankfully, it's not for much longer. At Waver's warning, she leaps back to regroup with Waver's position, waving Iskandar down as well. It's an impressive spell. The ayakashi lashes around as its struck, making some kind of noise of pain. Inch by inch the beams cut through the mask and it's the right idea. Sever control between whoever is controlling it, obtain the mask for study and possibly tracking the bastard down.

Ginia drops Umbra, bringing Waver back into visibility and sparing some of the energy for herself. She glances at the unusual weapon in Iskandar's hand - it's not hard to assume who it is - and nods at the god.]

I'll keep the tentacles off you if you want to rend it, but I want that mask.

1/2

[towards_okeanos]

[He's gone mere second after the warning teleporting to its source. The spell looks brutal and the creature's wail signals it is indeed working. A quick glance at Waver and Iskandar decides that while he is clearly distressed, he is not harmed. He nods with a smile. Good job.

When he turns to Ginia there not even a trace of that smile. He throws her a small, plastic bottle, the kind they sell tea in vending machines. But that's not tea inside. It's blessed water from his temple.]

Keep it contained. I'll finish it.

2/2

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar turns to face the creature but he looks back before he leaves.]

When we're done. Please explain to me what, in the darkest depths of Tartarus, would you need ayakashi mask for?

[He charges straight into the blinding lights not waiting for the answer. Later would be time for answers if any can even be given.
He strikes just over the mass of convulsing tentacles. His objective is to sever the beast's head and he has a perfect instrument to do it.]

[hypomeneo]

Done.

[Distressed, yes. Flinching back from any of this? No. Waver's learned to fight through fear and though he has very little non magical combat skill and training to handle battle directly, he has the steel to stay focused and keep fighting back. Going to the hard school of danger and war helps with that.

The mask drops off and is caught in mana. Waver holds the creature firm as it tries to struggle out of the binding circle. Watches steadily as Iskandar holds Satya above the creature's head and rends in a clean strike.

Once it is done and the creature gone, Waver releases the spell, breathing through his nose and feeling the beginnings of an adrenaline crash starting to kick in. UURRRGH. His reserves have taken a hit too, and while he still has plenty to fight with, Waver feels a touch of mana hunger.]

... it was the focus of a control spell on it that allowed someone to give commands to the ayakashi, Iskandar. A binding spell. The whole thing gave off the sense of magic meant to affect spirits.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia grabs the bottle and uncaps it in a swift motion, dumping it onto the blighted spot through the tear in her jacket. She'll have to do a more through clean after, but it takes the sting off and will do for now. A hint of a frown flickers at Iskandar's request, but she can't say no to it.

Fight first. Ginia dives back into battle, parrying and attacking with borderlines, using herself as a target to lead the tentacles away. In the face of a god and shinki, it doesn't take much to rend an ayakashi. Ginia lands as the ayakashi fades away, the mask carefully caught by Waver's magic. She eyes it, itching to grab it and disappear from sight before any of Amaterasu's shinki (or other Heavenly shinki) can notice.

But. She silently agreed. Ginia nods at Waver's explanation as she pulls out her phone. There are too many people around for a full explanation, but she can shed some context.]

There's precedence for masks that can control ayakashi. Specifically, masks with this design on it. This isn't the first time they've been seen, though all the incidents happened before my time. We shouldn't talk here though.

[She pauses and glances at Waver. There's a favor she owes him too. Pulling up his name on her contact list, she texts him a message.]

Saki, Ritsuki, Hatsuki

[towards_okeanos]

I see.

[Iskandar nods. They might have dispatched the main danger but there's still a lot of angry people around. The effects of ayakashi influence will wear out eventually but it seems some were more susceptible than others.]

Then go get it. We can talk in more detail later and, preferably, somewhere else. Where there's less prying eyes, and ears, around.

[Still, controlling ayakashi. That's news for him. Not the kind he likes to hear. That just means that someone unleashed that beast on purpose. What kind of sick mind one must have to even hatch such a plan?

But now Iskandar is back to his original objective. Go check on Waver. That was a small miracle he conjured there. Must have cost him dearly. It might just his imagination but Waver looks paler. Iskandar reaches for his hand. He leans closer as he speaks, his voice barely above a whisper.]

If you need mana, take it from me. I've got plenty.

[hypomeneo]

[Waver breathes carefully as emotional and physical exhaustion sweeps through him and begins to take root. He is thankful he didn't slide into an altered state, as he listens to Ginia and Iskandar talk, and fumbles for his phone:

Saki, Ritsuki, Hatsuki

Waver blinks at the text, before realization sinks in. Her Names. They hold power over each other in their hands, and the balance is restored:

Thank you.

He texts back. There's a fine tremor starting up as he looks up from the phone and pockets it. Iskandar.

A mana transfer? ... that can't hurt, he is hungry that way. Maybe it'll help with the rest. Waver's voice is just as soft as he takes his hand.]

... thanks. [It'll be the simplest of mana transfers.] ... the thing had quite the fight in it. It...

... we'll talk in private. This is not quite the place for it.

[unlucky7]

[Balance is restored, though maybe it's a little lopsided in a way. Noras hold power in that a spell requires all their names, but it also marks her as an easy enemy of Heaven. Such are the risks and she accepts it. Use the knowledge well, Waver. Ginia acknowledges his thanks with a nod and glances at the mask. She sheds her coat and wraps the mask in it, creating a tight, safe to handle bundle.

Now to find a spot. Ginia pulls up a map on her phone, pointing out a park they can run or teleport over to. The location is quieter than usual due to the festival, the few people paying no attention to them. Most importantly, there's no other shinki or gods around.

Ginia sets her bundle on a picnic table and opens it up again. The mask is smooth and white, slightly marred from battle. The black eye on the mask is sharp, judging, and now that she has the mask, she's not sure what to do.

But there's an explanation she owes, so she takes out her phone again.]

I mentioned these masks were seen before. Of recent history, there was an incident in July where masked ayakashi were seen in the Far Shore trying to open a vent. There was also a demon summoned in April with the same symbol seen on the cup used to summon in.

In greater history, the old gods speak of a Sorcerer who uses masks to control ayakashi. Ebisu was blamed for his actions and executed prior to any of us showing up.

I've been researching the incident with the demon and trying to find a connection to the cult or other events. This is the first clue I've had in months.

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar examines the mask but it tells him nothing. Only that the thing reeks of foul magic and that's not exactly news. All the events she's describing happened before he came here.
First clue I've had in months

He looks back at Ginia. There are many questions he has, all of them equally valid, but there's one he feels more important than all the others.]

Do you think that Sorcerer is the power behind the cult?

[Before she gets a chance to reply Iskandar turns to Waver. He's fully aware what he's about to ask may not be doable. He is a warrior, not a scholar of arcane, but he's seen his share of things. There would be layers upon layers of deception with objects like this.]

Would it be possible, and if so, how dangerous you think it would be to track this spell to its source?

[hypomeneo]

I think it would be possible, though I might have to fight a great deal for a connection, given what might be potentially involved.

[Waver, still suffering the adrenaline crash, but looking much better for the mana transfer easing some of the symptoms and quelling his hunger for energy, lifts a finger to his chin to think.]

There's no telling the danger level. This might be extremely dangerous. It all depends on who and what is involved and if they can hijack the connection and force their way back. If it is a bloody demon - the consequences could be severe and not only to myself. I'd only want to try this using blessed water in the ritual and a mirror, as they symbolize the divine as countering concepts to any demonic influence that might come.

Probably wouldn't hurt to take baths in blessed water for a week after, come to think of it.

[Annnnd now you know the point of the shallow flat basin and jug of blessed water in the workshop Waver's setting up. The water as mirror and the water as protection agent. A divine mirror in all the senses.]

[unlucky7]

[AS a question is given immediately to Waver, Ginia waits for him to finish speaking. Her brow knits into thought. As much as she wants answers as soon as possible, she's not going to put anyone into danger. Magic is not her forte nor is demonology. There's also Heaven's possible reaction if they know she has the mask.

Frankly, she doesn't blame Shun for destroying it after he had someone look at it. At the very least, it's probably safe to handle as he didn't give her any warnings, but there's no harm in being safe with handling.]

Waver, I would appreciate your help, but I do not want to put any of you in danger. If you're willing to do this, I'm willing to compensate you for your time and all materials you'll need.

[It's not a matter of money, but with so much to spare, she might as well put it to use.]

Iskandar, as for your question, I'm not sure. I do not doubt a connection, but whether he is Sensei or someone manipulating the cult is unknown. I do not want to risk overlooking something based on any assumptions.

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar nods. That was just a shot in the dark. He still feels his knowledge of the whole affair is scarce at the least.]

You're the specialist here.

[He looks around. He was here before so he's familiar enough with the surroundings to have a proposition.]

As for materials, there's this place called Kitchen Street nearby. You could get all kinds of supplies there. They should have a suitable bowl and I can bring you water from my temple.