March Training / Fourth Wall Event

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Information and Training and... Fourth Wall Event Kickoff!
When: April 22nd 2017 (Kickoff) but Fourth Wall lasts through April 26th
Where: The Far Shore (to start); All Locations here and Map here
Summary: Unexpected visitors arrive in The Far Shore for a little while.





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, the name of the god they will represent or the god they will serve, and directions to the temple that will be their new home.

They are cordially invited to a training session beginning in midafternoon, once they've had the chance to return to their homes, meet their new partners, and have their questions answered.

Gods and Shinki: The Real McCoys

New gods and shinki - the real ones, the ones that were expected - are being packed off to their new temples for the morning to settle in and meet their partners -- this is also a good time to visit with new neighbors or explore the area! What does your new temple look like? Are you headed straight there, or taking the scenic route to get a better sense of your new surroundings?

The Heavens are going about their usual business preparing for the new gods and shinki that they were actually expecting, when unexpected visitors appear out of thin air, as if having teleported in on their own power. They are scooped up along with the new gods and shinki and, initially, treated no differently. "Gods" are new arrivals who have strong memories of who they are, while "shinki" are experiencing various states of memory loss.

4th Wall Gods: A House is not a Home

New gods are normally shown their new temples in the morning and introduced to their new partners. The characters who arrived for the event and experienced no memory loss seem like they should be "Gods" and so white-robed escorts with chrsyanthemum logos on their backs take them to where they think their temples should be - in the Western District, where the other "New and Obscure Gods' Temples" always are. Despite many cleanup attempts, the Western District is still scarred from the aftereffects of a volcanic eruption and earthquake only 3 months ago, with fissures in some of the roads and burn scars in the wild landscape. Along the way, the escort can answer questions as provided on the God 101 page.

When they arrive, the escort is surprised to discover a set of ruins instead. This happens, they explain, but usually when a god leaves The Far Shore, not when they arrive. While the escort starts to rifle through some paperwork to figure out what's going on, the "God" is welcome to explore the ruins and - to the shock of both - the ruins transform.

How it transforms is up to the 4th wall player! It should not be very large, no bigger than a one-room building or, if more natural, a small garden or lake complex. Alternately, the ruins can not transform at all, or simply get cleared away into something more clean-slate like a rock garden plot. Get creative!

Afterwards, the "Gods" are encouraged to show up at the afternoon Training session to better understand their circumstances. Before the escort leaves, the "God" will be provided a phone with which they can access the Heavens' BBS system; their display name will be a warped version of their real name, such as "Bob Smith" appearing as "bOBsMITH" or something else that looks like a glitch.

4th Wall Shinki: And you may ask yourself

New "shinki" will wake by the Meeting Hall in a set of white robes from laying down on a tatami mat with a small box wrapped up and set at their feet. (The box can contain a few belongings of the character's from their canon, provided it can fit. Due to the memory loss, it can include things the character wouldn't recognize.) From the way that the bustling people around the area are talking, this is not a common occurrence.

At some point, a person in white robes with a big chrsyanthemum logo on the back will come to interview the person. "We are working on assigning you to a god and temple, but some things have come up," they try to explain, and will then be able to answer other questions as outlined on the Shinki 101. The "shinki" are encouraged to get dressed and explore the Far Shore if they would like, because eventually they will be assigned to one of the temples out there anyway. At this point, the shinki are also handed a phone in order to connect with the Heavens' BBS system; their display name will be a warped version of their real name, such as "Bob Smith" appearing as "bOBsMITH" or something else that looks like a glitch.

God Training: New and 4th Wall Both

Newly arrived gods are escorted into a small meeting room, with tatami floors and a stage at the front of the room where the speaker stands. A minor deity is giving the speech, and none of the white-robed shinki enter. Paper and pens are provided to all the attendees as an unsubtle suggestion to take notes on the information they're given. Newly arrived gods are encouraged to discuss the information with each other and ask questions of more experienced gods, as well as instructed to guide their new shinki appropriately. They are allowed to remain in the room as long as they wish, should they want to discuss questions with each other or with more experienced gods who are here to help out. The speaker delivers her welcome speech in the monotone of someone who's practiced it far too often. Hopefully no one's feeling sleepy!

It's around this time that the 4th Wall "Gods" might realize that, for as weird as everything's been, their experiences with their temples this morning are not the same as most new Gods. Additionally, they do not possess the power to teleport to and from the Near Shore; they might need a buddy to help them with that part! The 4th Wall Gods can't hear any prayers whispered on the winds either. They can't name shinki, whether those shinki were in the Far Shore before today, or only arrived through the 4th Wall situation. (There is one other kind of shinki that might still respond to their commands though...)

Shinki Training: New and 4th Wall Both

A well-appointed dojo has been prepared for newcomers to practice the physical or magical arts. Outside, there are two impromptu target practice areas: one is for long-range weapons, with targets set up against hay bales at the other side of a wide, grassy area and a line drawn for the weapons' wielders to stand behind. The other is for borderlines.

What are borderlines? The 4th Wall shinki can't do them, no matter how hard they try. If they had previous magical powers, those still work though! Existing gods can name these "shinki" but 4th walled gods can't. The 4th Wall shinki have no death memories to convey to the god and no shinki vessel power, but they can still be used to Rend an ayakashi.

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. There are stacks of informational pamphlets sitting out on tables around the dojo.

Physical Training

The dojo is stocked with a wide variety of practice weapons, traditional and modern, to offer some practice opportunity to gods who, for example, find themselves with a sword shinki but are at risk of cutting off their own toes. It's also useful for veteran new gods wishing to train with their current partner shinki.

Several magically animated straw-stuffed training dummies, many of which have been carefully mended and patched with neat black stitching, are set up on the lawn with a white-robed shinki hovering nearby to watch over them. They make good training partners, although anyone who comes too close risks being targeted for a sparring match whether they wanted one or not. The supervising white-robed shinki has a nametag which reads HELLO, MY NAME IS SABIMEI. (To interact with Sabimei, please comment on the "NPC REQUEST" thread below! If you prefer, you may also handwave his assistance or advice with your character learning spells.)

Rest and Refreshments

There are casks of fresh, cold water near the dojo to make sure no one gets dehydrated, but for those who've finished working, hot tea and enough seasonal treats are available to make it look as though the Heavens bought out an entire sweet shop. They're being distributed by a few shinki in indigo-blue and plain brown robes with the sleeves tied back, who aren't above teasing the newcomers a bit.

In Summary:

• Get all the information you can handle
• Mingle with the 4th Wall "Gods" and "Shinki"
• Veteran new gods and shinki are welcome to volunteer showing the ropes
• Get in some training
• Have fun~
• OOC Event Information Post - ask us questions if you need to!

Comments

[unlucky7]

My last encounter with her, she was quite stubborn in her ways. I should also mention it was at a secret meeting where she was declaring war against supposed enemies.

[She certainly dug in her heels at the idea there could be any among her ranks that were disloyal to her. Of course, Shun could have shown more tact, but Ginia also feels he wasn't wrong either. And with the following training session... a tired, slow laugh follows as Ginia looks around the room.

Nothing has been the same since that declaration.]

The following training session, everyone present was forced into an interview. Shinki were asked about their uses to their god, gods asked about their loyalty. Old gods and their shinki were present too, bragging about their accomplishments and challenging our generation to combat as training.

I sometimes wonder what would happen if there was a war. How many of the old would take it as a chance to attack us.

[kagenonadeshiko]

I can't say that I'm surprised they would do such a thing. I imagine that some of them are eager to prove their dominance and superiority over us If they're not careful, that arrogance of theirs will be their undoing.

[Ayumu might not have gained the same sort of prestige or influence as Hakkai and Shun but then again, she'd had even less interest in increasing her presence. She's always preferred to keep a low profile in the Heavens, choosing to remain in the Western District where she can blend in with the transient crowd and only draw as much attention to herself as is strictly necessary. Even with her projects within the community, Ayumu's stuck to working comfortably within Wendy's or Sakura's shadow.]

And I am not surprised that Amaterasu would be so stubborn. It's likely that she's grown up with her enemy in plain sight without being any wiser. The idea that someone who has been a permanent fixture in her world being an enemy would be near impossible for her to face, much less fathom. That we are outsiders would only complicate matters.

[Ayumu's expression is very thoughtful as she continues to nibble on her cake.]

[unlucky7]

I think we managed to hold our own pretty well. Put them in their place in spars and our stories.

[The smile is a thin one. A petty victory is still a victory but it's tiring it had to happen in the first place. Their absence again is now a question of whether they're out scouring the land for their "enemies" or if they found their duty done and no long deem it important to interact with them.

The only decent gods among the old are the Seven Lucky Gods, but even then Ginia can only admit to having a favorable and educated opinion on Ebisu.]

Our generation as a whole have certainly done well to upset the balance of things. I wonder if there's truly a place for us here or if we're temporal at best.

[Ginia glance at Ayumu, now on her fourth visit. Is it tiring to change roles so often? To come back so many times? It seems immensely destabilizing.]

I admit given the opportunity, I'd like to stay here. I wouldn't ask Chris to stay here, but there's stability with Ebisu and the Mi Clan.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[It has been strange. Difficult even to come and go so much but in a way, that in and of itself has built character. When one's existence is as transient as hers or those she's allowed herself to grow close to have been, one learns to adapt to loss and death, whether it's physical or metaphorical. If Ayumu's learned any lessons during the course of her time here, it's that change is the one, true constant and the longer a person stays here or transitions into this place, the more of their humanity they leave behind.]

There is a place for us here, Ginia-san, but it is one that we must make for ourselves through our own will and choices. The Heavens will give us very little. I feel that they are more preoccupied with maintaining an order that no longer exists for them. The winds in this place have changed. They are only putting off the inevitable by resisting it.

[She knows this story well. It's the story of the Shinsengumi, of the Japan she came from. Between what she learned from Toshi when he was here and read on her own, they'd been on the losing side of history. Ayumu won't repeat it.]

I would like to stay if I can. My time in my world is finished. Nothing's left me for there. The only path left to me is forward. And whether or not I chose to be here, this place is my home.

[unlucky7]

But are you happy here?

[If there's anyone with a sense of the context of her life, it's Ayumu. She understands the hell of being a shinki on a personal level and also what it means being a shinki within a broken system. There's also whatever may have happened in her life; there's certainly a melancholy that exists around Ayumu from the conversations they've had.

If her time in the world is finished, it doesn't mean this has to be the final stopping place. This may be home, but is it one of her own making or the one she's forced to accept?]

Sorry, I don't want to pry too much, but you're right. We need to make this place for ourselves. We are the change and there's no stopping the fracturing effect we're having on the system. Maybe we'll make it better, maybe we'll make things worse.

Does that matter if people aren't happy here? If it becomes where we have to settle and not where we want to?

[kagenonadeshiko]

I think that - all in all - my life has improved here. I've had friends. A home of my own. Children. Those are all things I wanted back home but never achieved it. Recruitment to godhood, captivity in my own mind as a shinki... None of those are paths I envisioned or particularly enjoyed.

[Ayumu pauses and there's that melancholy again. It's not often she talks about her personal life, desires, or dreams she's had but she's willing to place some faith in Ginia.]

It's not ideal but nothing ever is, is it? Often we have to accept the lot we're given and try our best to make the most of it. Otherwise, one truly may miss out on opportunities for happiness in the present.

[Ayumu pours herself some more tea.]

Back in my world, I spent a lot of time waiting for somedays that never came. It never made me happy but then, I've come to believe that happiness is a something that's learned or created with a person's own hands. I don't want to live my life that way anymore.

[unlucky7]

[There's no such thing as perfection. Not even in the sense bad things supposedly make one appreciate or balance out the good things, but as long as everyone has different wants and needs and desires, the world will always be in flux. That in itself is not bad, it mostly means one has to adapt.

Heaven is flawed in so many ways, but Ginia can't discount the happiness and meaning she's found. Gods who care for her and want nothing more than what she's willing to give. A home and family who have made it clear she belongs with them. Friends who have her back. A boyfriend who is patient with whatever pace she wishes to take. They're all dear to her and though she has nothing to fully compare to, this is better, isn't it?

There is always the fear it could all fall apart. But if she lets fear rule, isn't she missing out on what could be good? Ayumu is wise then to realize such a thing, brave too to direct her life in such a way.]

I hope there are happy days ahead for you. Both days that find you and days you make for yourself.

If I can help in that, please let me know.

[She smiles, a rare spontaneous flash of delight as she quickly appends on another played message.]

I work in tourism so I can tell you all the scenic and fun spots to go!

[kagenonadeshiko]

[It's a wisdom and bravery that's come at painful cost. If her experiences can prevent others from making the same terrible mistakes Ayumu's made throughout her life, well, that's something positive she can take with her to bed. It might not be much but sometimes, even a little is enough to keep stepping forward each day.]

Thank you, Ginia-san. Your kindness means a lot to me.

[She's lucky to have it, especially after their unfortunate, early circumstances. Ayumu can't undo everything that was done; all she can do is try to make things right the best she can in the future. Not just by Ginia but everyone.]

I may need to borrow some blankets - just until my temple problem is sorted out.

[She's not going to impose on Hakkai and with the shelter beyond her reach at the moment, holing up in an abandoned temple might be the best shelter option available to her.]

And that all sounds very lovely. I think it's time I got out more and saw more of the world. Joscelin might enjoy going on a vacation.

[unlucky7]

[The past has a way of lingering at times, but to Ayumu's credit, she tried to make amends in her short time after becoming a god. Better to go forward instead of getting stuck behind.]

Would you like to stay at Ebisu's temple? There's plenty of space and I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

[It's a good time to check in on a previous request too. There's a message from Natsumi with clothes ready for pickup.]

Clothes are ready too. I can run and pick them up if you'd like to stay here, but your company is welcome too.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[All Ayumu can do is try her best to make things right again.]

If it's not too much of an inconvenience, I'd be grateful. If it is, I can always camp out in one of the abandoned temples. I've done it before. Usually, I'd stay at the Shinki Sanctuary but I can't seem to teleport with or without the shrines.

[It's quite a pickle, really. But a roof over her head and clothes on her back would be a big help.]

It would be nice to visit with Ebisu again, though.

[unlucky7]

[Ginia can hardly imagine turning Ayumu away to live in an abandoned temple when there's so much space at the temple. Multiple gods and shinki were housed there during and after the volcano crisis. A single god in relatively peaceful times will be no problem at all.]

It would be no inconvenience at all. I'll speak to Ebisu and my coworkers and have a room arranged for you.

I'll be back in a few minutes with your clothes.

[kagenonadeshiko]

Thank you, Ginia-san.

[It's a relief to have shelter here, on the off-chance some grave calamity occur while she's in such a vulnerable state. Those who had protected her during the period she'd gone godless as a shinki are no longer around but unlike then, she has her memories and all the information she's collected during her time here at her disposal.

As long as she retains knowledge and whatever connections that remain, she's not completely helpless in this situation.]

I'll wait here.