37 - A Call To Arms

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Help the Heavens go after the cultists' compound
When: April 1
Where: A converted farm on the rural edge of the Tokyo metro area
Summary: Between Amaterasu's shinki observing the known cultists, and the work that the new gods and shinki have done, a rural property that might be the cultists' compound has been identified!






After months of investigation, Amaterasu's shinki still haven't found the rebel gods she's searching for -- but, with the help of the new gods and shinki, following the cult has revealed their rural meeting place! It was once a farm, but has recently been rebuilt into a compound with a big central building, heavy concrete walls and plenty of outdoor spaces for ritual magic. The new gods, and some of the old, have been asked to descend to the Near Shore and find out everything they can about this mystery compound.

High Walls

It's not just concrete that protects the compound. The walls are engraved with magical symbols, and any god or shinki who gets too close to them finds themselves feeling increasingly sick, weak and repelled from the structure. Even flying over won't work. There's only one exception: when the front gates are opened to allow cultists, or scheduled deliveries, a careful few gods or shinki can sneak through without being blocked by the spell. How will they get in? Shadow a cultist? Pretend to be a pizza delivery driver? Or will they risk alerting the cultists by trying to break down some other part of the wall?

Booby Traps

The problems don't end when they get inside the compound. Dozens of cultists seem to live here -- or maybe they're just visiting for the weekend? Either way, there's a lot of people inside, and while most of them overlook the presence of Far Shore beings, that doesn't mean there's no danger. Magical booby-traps and seals are dotted around the grounds and throughout the big, sprawling, two-story manor at the end of the driveway. Some of them blight any god or shinki who triggers them. Others glue their feet to the ground, or make them instantly noticeable to any passing cultist, or weaken them by draining their energy away.

The traps have clearly been made by several different people, and some of them have weird senses of humor! Almost any effect might be inflicted on the unwary characters who stumble across a booby-trap, although most of them won't cause serious injury or death, and the effects wear off within a few minutes to a few hours after either they get away from the trap, or someone else helps them by destroying it.

The First Fight

Not every human cultist in the compound is blind to the presence of gods and shinki -- and with all the traps being triggered, it's just a matter of time before they're caught. The first warning that the cultists know they're being invaded is the piercing sound of a bell. The second is the appearance of lashing ayakashi tentacles that rise up from the ground all throughout the manor house. As the humans flee, the tentacles will wrap around any gods or shinki they can catch, trying to drag them further into the house and down. Although they can be cut and destroyed, the main body of the creature is out of reach: it lurks far below, in the building's basement, gnashing a massive, serrated octopus beak that's ready to rip apart and devour any souls who can't struggle free of its grip in time. Follow the spectral tentacles down to the beast's lair, and slay it before it can kill all the invaders!

Please comment to the First Fight thread below if your characters are trying to rend the ayakashi. Each character can only be in ONE First Fight thread. RNG will be used to determine which fighters manage to strike the final blow, but RNG will only select a single thread; players are free to negotiate how the final blow happens within that thread.

The Second Fight

As the octopus ayakashi dissolves, finally free from the magical bondage that forced it to guard the cultists' compound, a mysterious door is revealed set into the far wall of the manor basement. A strange glow emanates from within. Enter... if you dare!

To participate in the second fight, please comment to the Second Fight thread below with the character(s) who will be participating in your thread. A top-level with further details will go up on February 7.

In Summary:

• Investigate a cult compound
• Watch out for traps
• Battle a giant octopus
• Uncover a mystery
• Have fun~

Questions? Leave us a question on the OOC Plotting Post and we'll do our best to answer ASAP.

Comments

[replicatedform]

[He's definitely being careful. Even the small troop, after recovering (somewhat) from entering the base, is moving carefully. Until—

Yamanbagiri suddenly pause, standing still for a moment after he heard a voice. Until he feel, and then see, a beam of light passing by his head. And then, he feel something is a little off.

He quickly turns around, about to say something. But he blinks at the sight of Minako in a very different outfit. The little troop quickly gallop over to his side on his horse, looking both concerned and baffled.]

Ah... that's fine. Thanks for destroying it.

[At least he hopes it's destroyed?!

What he doesn't seem to notice is that the side of his hood, where Minako's light beam went past earlier, now have a singed looking hole, showing the blond hair hidden underneath.]

That's a little too close, though.

[reloves]

[ ... Oh. Whoops.

Yamanbagiri might not notice the hole in his hood, but Minako sure does. It's kind of hard not to spot it when she's right in front of him and looking at him, after all. And yes, she does feel guilty about accidentally blasting a lightbeam through his hood (at least it didn't hit his head?), but she's not sure how he'd react to the knowledge, and the last thing they need in the middle of a cult's compound is an argument over an accident.

So she tries to smile as quickly as she can. Hole? Hah! What hole! ]

Ah.. haha.. yeah, sorry. [ DEFINITELY TOO CLOSE, CONSIDERING THAT HOLE. ] These powers are still kind of new to me.. But hey, look at it on the positive side! At least that trap didn't get you!

[replicatedform]

[In such a serious moment, he doesn't seem to notice. And maybe there's not that much air conditioner inside? Or however the cultist can manage to stay cool in this building.

With a blink, he nods.]

Right, and thanks for that. [Wait, he already thanked her.] I'll try to move out of the way next time, so let's get moving.

[The small troop is looking between Minako and Yamanbagiri. Or rather, her and the hole in his hood. Not like it's easy to tell...]

[reloves]

[ Minako is more than willing to move on and totally ignore the hole as a potential conversation subject. At least for the time being. She can make it up to him later somehow, she'll find a way-- just not in the middle of a trap-infested cult lair, thanks.

So she quickly covers the few steps between them, smiling up at him in a way that she hopes seems innocent enough.. Maybe he won't notice.. ]

Right! Um.. Just tell me if you spot another trap, and I'll make sure to get that one out of the way as well!

[replicatedform]

Yeah, I'll tell you if I see any. Or if Ayame spot them.

[He glances down at the troop, who quickly straightens up at attention. If Yamanbagiri notice anything strange with Minako or the troop, he doesn't show it. Or maybe he really didn't notice.]

Ayame, continue scouting.

[With a skyward (ceiling-ward?) thrust of his sword, Ayame nods and urge his horse to start moving forward. He starts to follow after it, keeping his hand on his sword.

For a short while, things seem clear... Just for a short while...]

[reloves]

[ She can't help but blink a little at the troop. She hadn't really paid attention to it earlier, since she was so preoccupied by the fact she just shot a hole in this guy's hood, but now things seem a little calmer for the moment the troop does look very curious. Especially with Yamanbagiri ordering it around like that. ]

Um.. Is that your.. [ what to even call it, honestly. ] .. friend?