January Training

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: March 24th, 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 (God or Shinki), the name of the god they will represent (Gods) or the god they will serve (Shinki), and directions to the temple that will be their new home, regardless of role. During these initial meetings for Gods, paper and pens are provided as an unsubtle suggestion to take notes on the information they're given. For Shinki, there are stacks of informational pamphlets sitting out on a table inside the room, and which new shinki are offered as they are leaving the Meeting Hall.

Gods and Shinki alike are cordially invited to a training session beginning in early afternoon - several hours later - after they've had the chance to return to their homes, meet their new partners, and have their questions answered.

This time, it is implied that the Training Session will have a different purpose, so it is highly encouraged for ALL new gods and shinki to attend, no matter how long they have been in the Far Shore.



Divine Service

New gods are assigned a time to meet with an attendant in white robes with a chrysanthemum on their robes bearing a notepad. Gods can request a changed time slot, but they are not given an option to avoid the appointment entirely. Unless they are bullied into allowing multiple gods in one interview session, they insist on one god per time slot. All meetings take place in private rooms similar to those for New God and New Shinki meetings.

The interview consists of questioning the God's commitment to serving the needs of their followers, the Far Shore, and in turn Amaterasu herself. There is the matter of "A God's Actions Are Always Just" and The Gods' Greatest Secret as well, to see if the God believes these are true and important. Do they espouse these opinions to other Gods? Will they respond to a summons by Amaterasu to defend The Far Shore? (If prodded, the attendant will admit that they are in fact an Old God, despite wearing clothing similar to Amaterasu's shinki. They will claim it an honor to do a favor for Amaterasu during her preparations.)

The second round of questions are about their shinki. What vessel forms do they take, in order starting with Exemplar? How do you use them in combat? What sort of opponents have you faced with your shinki in vessel form - human, ayakashi, or other? Do you have any plans to personally train your shinki for battle ahead? For wielders of multiple shinki, when was the last time you used all of them working together?

They insist that all questions are answered. Afterwards, the God is dismissed.

(An OOC breakdown for you characters IC answers to the God Interview...)
On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being low and 10 being high, what is your commitment to serving the needs of...<blockquote><b>1. Your followers?</b> ## <b>2. The Far Shore?</b> ## <b>3. Amaterasu herself?</b> ##</blockquote><b>4. Do you believe that A God's Actions Are Always Just?</b> ... <b>5. Do you protect The Gods' Greatest Secret?</b> ... <b>6. Do other Gods know your opinions on the above matters?</b> ... <b>7. Will you respond to a summons by Amaterasu to defend The Far Shore?</b> ... <b>8. What vessel forms do your shinki take, in order starting with Exemplar?</b> ... <b>9. How do you use them in combat?</b> ... <b>10. What sort of opponents have you faced <i>with your shinki in vessel form</i> - human, ayakashi, or other?</b> ... <b>11. Do you have any plans to personally train your shinki for battle ahead?</b> ... <b>12. For wielders of multiple shinki, when was the last time you used all of them working together?</b> ...

Tempering the Vessel

Shinki are assigned time slots to meet with the white-robed shinki as well. While their sessions are shorter, the conversations are similar, and likewise held in private meeting rooms.

What is your vessel form? How many battles have you been in while in vessel form and what were your opponents? Do you have any opponents you would resist fighting alongside your God and fellow temple shinki? What have you done to increase your resilience while in vessel form? If you have other shinki at your temple, how often have you fought alongside them in vessel form? What spells do you know? Do you have any plans to further that training?

The shinki are then dismissed after all questions are answered.

(An OOC breakdown for you characters IC answers to the Shinki Interview...)
<b>1. What is your vessel form?</b> ... <b>2. How many battles have you been in <i>while in vessel form</i> and what were your opponents?</b> ... <b>3. Do you have any opponents you would resist fighting alongside your God and fellow temple shinki?</b> ... <b>4. What have you done to increase your resilience while in vessel form?</b> ... <b>5. If you have other shinki at your temple, how often have you fought alongside them in vessel form?</b> ... <b>6. What spells do you know?</b> ... <b>7. Do you have any plans to further that training?</b> ...

Shinki Training

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice their physical or magical arts. There are five or six white-robed shinki present, who will willingly answer any questions or instruct newcomers in the use of the borderline. They accompany their answers, or their lessons, with an explanation of what is expected of a shinki and the importance of teamwork with other shinki and with gods.

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 request a thread with one of them or if you have questions about handwaving an interaction. (Shinki characters who are interested in learning more about the borderlines or want to learn new shinki spells or songs may approach any of the training shinki for advice or instruction. Please remember to comment on the Shinki Spells page when your character begins to learn a new spell, excluding the borderline.)

Physical Training

While each month the Far Shore attendants try to adapt the physical training to the Near Shore's weather and holidays, the weather is fair and any festive impulses have been subdued. This time, Physical Training encourages pitting a God with one or all of their Shinki against another God with one or all of their Shinki. This is touted as a benefit to the Shinki, so the white-robed shinki make clear that certain Shinki need this training more than others. For example, the ones who answered their Interview questions saying they hadn't spent much time in their vessel form, or fought in many battles, or hadn't fought with their fellow Shinki much - if at all.

There are Old Gods (NPCs - not run by a mod) who can be targeted as opponents, allowing the temple residents to gel as one fighting unit. (OOC: So that your multi-person thread can be limited to as few players as possible, if you choose.)

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. Moreso than other Training Sessions, there is a wide array of international alcoholic options this time. If you've heard of it and you can get drunk by imbibing it, it's probably here in a bottle or glass. Guests can help themselves, settle in, chat, and make new friends.

The Old Gods in particular will begin to regale the crowd at the end of the afternoon with War Stories from the ages past, speaking of their great deeds they performed as prayers for their followers, miracles to convert the unbelieving, powerful ayakashi they fought, and other amazing feats, especially if they involved a shinki at their side - who it was and the form they took. After many Old Gods have spoken, they turn to the New Gods as if in challenge to tell better stories, mocking words exchanged that imply the New Gods could not possibly have done anything so impressive in their short time in the Far Shore.

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
• Answer Interview Questions
• Tell the truth - if you dare - or lie through your teeth... if you dare
• Tell War Stories
• Have fun~

Comments

[disciprined]

I used to do that as well, when I was at home. My idol self started out as a construct, and I thought - for a while I thought - that I was just pretending when I let myself live like her. I thought it'd be more honest if I stopped, but... well, when I tried, I found out I couldn't be just my everyday self any more. I felt like I'd lost a best friend. There was a - a gap, a hole. That's when I realized how much she'd helped me, that being her had made me more true to myself, not less. I may be keeping it quiet here, but at home...

[She smiles. Shakes her head.]

I've never regretted telling the world. Not for a minute. I think you'll find you become stronger, too, and more yourself than ever. I won't say there's nothing to be afraid of, but in all likelihood it's far less than you fear.

[She's noticed the names, or they've registered--

[But they're not going anywhere. It can wait. Some things matter more than the rules.]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

It's... more complicated than that, but it doesn't matter. I won't let anyone take my power against my will here. And no one would understand the worst parts anyway, so it's not really something I have to worry about.

But more than that, I know there are people here I can trust.

[Nia's smile fades away, then. What remains is not quite cold and not quite sharp, but definitely has the chance of becoming that way. Like a blunt knife edge.]

I hope you're one of them.

[disciprined]

I hope I can be worthy of that, too.

[Gear shift noted--

[Looks like she didn't have to wait all that long, after all.]

I can certainly understand that a person who has been here some time may have - pre-existing loyalties. Ones they might well prioritize over the needs of a stranger, whatever they were told that stranger should be to them.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

You got that right. [In another flash, Nia is back to her initial form -- no sweeping sleeves or massive ears, just a girl with cat ears in something of a jumpsuit once more.] I don't know how much you know about anything, though, so.

[disciprined]

Nowhere near as much as I would like, I'm afraid.

[It's damn difficult to learn the rules of this world when those in charge have hidden the rulebook. Oh, they've dropped a few crumbs here and there, enough to keep them from causing one another any immediate harm, enough to stop the incurious from wondering what they hadn't been told. Not enough, though. Nowhere near that.]

I do know there's been trouble. Shortly after I arrived--

[She hesitates. It's not a pleasant memory, and for a moment she simply wrestles with it. Perhaps she should have been less compliant, after all: if nothing else, there would have been rather less to remember...]

I remember an incident where some of our number were drawn into the forest and held there. If anything like that happened since then I don't know about it. I do know that whoever was behind the abductions vanished afterwards, but who they were and what they hoped to achieve by doing it I have absolutely no idea. It seems I've been gone for a while, though. I'm quite prepared to believe I'm behind.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Right. [Nia nods, though her new god being this far behind might hurt as much as it helps.] There's a group attacking the Far Shore, and they have some gods working for them. There's one that caused a volcano to erupt here, and he's pretty well intent on just hurting everyone. The girl behind the vines, though... she's just a pawn, being used. Not that the Far Shore cares one bloody whit about that.

[Nia is, perhaps, less subtle than she believes she is.]

[disciprined]

[Mirei nods. She listens. Of course, she'll want corroboration, but this is considerably more information than she had a moment ago--

[The fact that it's also far more than the Far Shore has seen fit to tell its new arrivals is concerning, though. That there's an organized group out there intent on attacking the Far Shore seems to her like something that everybody should know simply as a matter of course, not just those who'd been there long enough to see it happen.]

And you've spoken with her? You believe her to be trustworthy?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yes. [Votelli had been used, she believes that. What Votelli needs most is allies, friends, people she can trust. People who care about her, not just what she can do.] And other people I trust believe in her too.