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

[holygrailed]

[Once Ovelia is standing on the mark, Irisviel creates a bounded field that encapsulates the greater area. An area that's inviting in its calm, soothing, and gradually healing. She sets down the foundation, using her own energy to power the field. Will their magic work together? Who knows, but Irisviel will do she can to spread and boost Ovelia's magic too.]

Now!

[ofnovalue]

"May God's Holy Protection find you... Aegis!"

[ The shining light, now familiar, rised within Ovelia, and she spread her hands wide, casting out the spell into the field Irisviel had created. Hopefully the holy radiance would dissipate properly... ]

[holygrailed]

[There are rules to magecraft. There are rules and and understanding of how things work and the precise ways things are supposed to be. Anything beyond that is magic, a true miracle.

Perhaps it's a miracle with how their magic mingles, perhaps it's force of will or pure belief. Together, their magic touches anyone that crosses through the field. Wounds are healed, the frenzy invoked by the lashing tentacles is cleared. There's still panic and fear, but it's controlled now, people escaping instead of fighting.]

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, slowly lowering her arms as the glow around her faded, her work seemingly done for the moment. ]

Tis God's own miracle...

[holygrailed]

We are truly blessed.

[Irisviel smiles, letting the spell fade off as people clear. She sighs, staggering on her feet as dizziness and weakness takes hold. Her legs buckle and she nearly topples over until she's able to steady herself.]

Ah, that was more tiring than I thought...

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia was quick to reach out for Irisviel, helping keep her steady. ]

You should make your way to Balor. I am certain he is also looking for you, in this chaos.

[holygrailed]

[With support, Irisviel rights herself again. Deep breath in, deep breath out.]

Yes, I should find him, and you must find Sancus. Please, stay safe.

[ofnovalue]

She will be fine without me, for the moment. I trust in her to keep herself well, even without me at her side.

You have drained yourself far more than I have. Prithee, allow me to remain with you until you are safely with Balor.

[holygrailed]

[There's no space to argue and even Irisviel can see the wisdom of company. She looks around for somewhere they can shelter at, spotting some abandoned stands well out of reach of the ayakashi and pointing them out.]

Let us rest there then.

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia kept herself near Iri, a hand on her shoulder, once more acting to steady her until they were safely behind the cart. Once there, she reached into her satchel, pulling from it... a candy bar. ]

Here. This should help some.

[holygrailed]

[Ovelia's support is welcome. Irisviel remains on her feet as they flee for safety, but stumbles slightly. Every step feels exhausting, her body feels heavy, but she pushes on.]

Ah, thank you.

[The sugar will help her energy. Irisviel smiles and takes the candy bar, partially unwrapping it to break in half.]

You must have some too.

[ofnovalue]

[ Ovelia wore a weak smile, just glad that they'd made it alright, but waved her hand to reject the offer, regardless. ]

No no, milady. I shall be fine. Mine constitution is sturdier than one might think, and Aegis does not pull from me overmuch...

[holygrailed]

[Irisviel glances over Ovelia with a discerning eye, trying to gauge whether she's hiding her exhaustion. She doesn't press more though, folding up the wrapped half of the candy bar and tucking it into her coat.]

If you say so, but please, tell me if that changes.

[She bites into the chocolate, sweet and warm, and full of sugary goodness.]

This is very good. Do you like chocolate?

[ofnovalue]

I have a certain fondness for sweet things at all, milady. TThough I cannot rightly recall as to why.

[ Ovelia did seem fine, for the moment. A little tired, but not to degree Iri was. ]