May Training

[brynwieldr]

Who: Everyone
What: Information and Training
When: May 23rd 2017
Where: Odin’s Temple
Summary: Training and informational sessions for newly arrived gods and shinki; bonding opportunities for all other gods and shinki

Gods and shinki who arrive at the meeting hall are, for once, not led to the back for an introduction to their new roles. They’re instead rounded up and shown the way to Odin’s Temple, where "Odin" is waiting for them. Hopefully the sight of a twenty-something in loose pants and a t-shirt isn’t too shocking compared to the formally dressed old gods.

Basic Information

Unlike previous introductions, Leo has all the newcomers meet in the front room. There’s chairs and a sofa and ottomans for anyone who wants to sit, and they’ve brought in a dais of sorts for Leo and Kairi to stand on.

"Welcome to Heaven, or the Far Shore as some of the older gods call it. I am Leo de Borel, formerly a prince of the Kingdom of Nohr and currently the god Odin. This is my shinki, Kairi. The old gods have asked me to host training this time, but before we do that, you should know what you’re getting into. Some of this information is not my own, but was gathered by my husband, Aymeric de Borel. Unfortunately he's currently down with a sleeping sickness and couldn't join us today."

Leo then launches into basic rundown of Heaven and how things work here--the gods answer prayers, the shinki assist them, ayakashi are the monsters they fight and are generally the main thing causing the people on the Near Shore grief, and a brief summary of the greatly diminished cult--and asks for the gods and the shinki to follow either him or Kairi, depending on which they are. He’ll help anyone who’s not sure which they are figure it out, and then he and Kairi take their groups outside where Leo has set up some training grounds.

God Information

As they head outside, Leo explains a god’s role a bit more in depth to any newcomers and will answer questions should anyone else ask them. Once they get outside and most of the important questions are answered, Leo hands out pamphlets he had made that summarize most of the important information shared today, with an emphasis on not telling a shinki about their past no matter what, and tells them that today is mostly going to be about them figuring out their powers and perhaps finding a shinki or two they work well with, should they not already have one. If they have any other questions, they’re welcome to come find him and ask.

Shinki Information

All of the shinki, no matter how recently they arrived, are treated to a parallel speech by Kairi, but it’s with a bit of passion focusing on god-shinki bonds and what they could be, which she hopes applies to brand new shinki as well as shinki who are only as "new" as she is. She cites a shinki’s ability to help their god/dess with prayers in more ways than as a vessel, for one thing, and that temple structures will vary with the gods themselves. Some become families, for instance - here she looks to both Raichi and D2 - and deep friendships that can last beyond any struggle you can imagine - she looks at Lance and Dust. She explains how there was a time when just being attached to the same pantheon as your god meant that another temple might help you, and some of the new gods may still feel that way. Her point remains that if there’s a specific sort of bond you’re looking for, that god might be out there waiting for them, and she encourages them to ask an older shinki for advice if they’re uncomfortable in their current temple setup. "No one will understand better than your fellow shinki," she insists with a smile.

Speech over, she offers pamphlets to those who might not have received one previously and directs any shinki still struggling with spellwork to where Leo has arranged for a few of Amateratsu’s shinki to teach them how to cast a borderline. More experienced shinki are welcome to assist, but once you think you’ve got it the shinki are welcome to join the gods in the training grounds. Kairi tells the newbies the same thing Leo told the gods: their main goal for today is to get in some practice and maybe find a god they work well with.

Physical Training and Pair Ups

It’s a simple set up this month, since Leo’s yard isn’t really built for this sort of thing, but the basic set up is what you’d expect; there’s dummies for more solo practice, a sparring circle for some one-on-one training, and food laid out for anyone who gets hungry. (And if anyone asks who did the cooking or otherwise thanks Leo, he will direct them to Yoon because he did all the cooking, except for the pizzas. Praise him.)

Once everyone is more or less at the training area, Leo asks everyone to hold a moment so he can explain one last thing.

“The Heavens have asked that my shinki and I do our best to pair unpartnered gods and shinki up, be they new or old, in hopes of making stronger, more lasting bonds. If you meet someone you think you might work well with in the long term, please let either Kairi or I know and we’ll make a note of it.”

And that’s the last you’ll hear from Leo officially, unless you have questions.

Battle Tactics

Or maybe not. For those of you with a partner or who are just interested in learning new techniques, Leo’s arranged for something a little unique this month.

Perhaps you and your partner aren’t really fighting optimally, no matter what you do, or are just getting outmatched by some of the more intelligent ayakashi and have to resort to brute forcing your way through them. Leo has offered to spar against those who want to work on their teamwork (with or without his own shinki) or otherwise observe a fight so he can offer advice afterwards on how you might improve your teamwork.

If you don’t have a partner or are just interested in something not physical (which Leo totally gets), Leo’s also set up a few things inside. There’s a couple of chess sets out (always a good option) as well as, oddly, a few video games. Leo found a game that allowed him to set up simulated large scale battles if you want to try your hand at that sort of thing, as well as games to encourage cooperation between a god and their shinki. This includes a game where up to four people are trying to run a restaurant and one game that has one person reading from a manual and the other trying to defuse a bomb.

Have fun!

In Summary:

• Be baffled by this millennial looking god
• Attend the information meeting
• Train
• Eat, meet people, maybe find a partner
• Play video games
• Have fun~

Comments

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Hitting things is too easy. [Ninjutsu has a virtue of being swift and broad in its effects, after all. He's confident no target can escape him easily. But the other prospect...]

[Edge spins his swords in his hands to sheath them.] I could use some practice on defense though!

[brynwieldr]

Everyone says that, and everyone is always proven wrong...but alright. Magic. Think fast.

[Yeah, he's just goinig to chuck a small ball of smoky gravity magic at you without much warning.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Whoops! Well, he isn't going to repel it with a Borderline in epic fashion -- just duck under it hurriedly, slapping a hand down to the ground to push himself back upright in a swirl of cape.]

[He's better at dodging hits than enduring them by far, but this isn't what he had in mind!]

[brynwieldr]

[Tough luck!

Also thank you for broadcasting your movement, because here comes another ball of gravity magic from above that quickly morphs into an octopus of gravity magic. He's going to try and pin you.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Pinning is a technique he knows well, and he prefers to be on the giving side and preferably at a distance when unleashing it... Okay, he needs to buy a moment to center himself. Edge makes three quick gestures with his hands, and a moment later, the octopus seizes him... one of him, anyway, as two more slip from its grasp. At first contact, the doppelganger vanish, leaving the other two Edges behind to get their feet under them properly.]

[brynwieldr]

Oh, I hate this tactic...

[He really hates dopplegangers. Damn ninjas. Leo throws out two more smaller balls, aimed at the other Edges.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Line!

[Edge slashes out a Borderline, a narrow one that only blocks right in front of the two of him, but that's enough for now. And despite the intensity with which he casts the spell, he sounds cheerful nonetheless. This training is excellent!]

[brynwieldr]

Who decided ninjas could do that, by the way? It's annoying!

[But good practice. Leo steps back and summons on of Brynhildr's trees to try and trip Edge up.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

I assume we did!

[The tree's abrupt appearance leaves one of the images hopelessly tangled by it -- but by the spell's definition, that isn't the real Edge. Said real Edge has scrambled sideways, a fan of shuriken falling into his fingers by pure reflex before he consciously remembers he's not fighting back for this training.]

What's with the smoke balls?

[brynwieldr]

Gravity magic. Brynhildr makes everything a bit smoky.

[Have a few rapid fire ones at you, Edge.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Super. LINE!

[This one is wider, as he gets into the rhythm of combat and his blood really starts pumping. A solid wall erupts to intercept each shot, so they puff into clouds.]

[brynwieldr]

[Once Edge seems to get how to handle the magic balls, Leo starts to mix it up a little. His god power is gravity too, after all, but unlike with his tome there's no indication of it.

So enjoy feeling a little heavier, Edge.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Urgh! Edge drops to a knee as his entire being suddenly becomes leaden, one fist punched down to keep himself from buckling further. How the heck does he counter this one? Would a Borderline between himself and the ground work?]

[He's starting to think he does indeed need to go on the offensive; if there's a purely defensive way to counter this magic, he doesn't possess it. In any serious fight, he'd have returned fire by now. But how?]

[Ceding the initiative, he watches the god for a sign of his next attack. That will guide him.]

[brynwieldr]

I can keep this up for a while, you know. I don't even have to move.

[Yeah, nice try.]

I've pushed back a small crowd before. One jumpy ninja isn't going to wear me out too much.

[Except he's already kind of worn out, thanks to his spar with Suzaku earlier. He reaches up to rub at his temple, trying to stave off a headache. Doing that does weaken the push of his power.]

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Good ol' Suzaku, looking out for his buddy even inadvertently. Edge brings up the hand that isn't supporting him, making three swift gestures -- and smoke bursts out of the air around him, filling the air and shrouding him from view. Let's see if that magic depends on line-of-sight!]

that gag tag omg

[brynwieldr]

[Oh dammit. Leo sighs and spreads his power out so he can try and find Edge in the smoke.]

Where are you...

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Oh, Edge is still in there -- hasn't even moved that far, because his effort is on the main devoted to drawing a knife from a sheath and calculating his throw against the heightened gravity. Assuming Leo hasn't moved, Edge flicks his wrist to send the knife whirling through the air and out of the smoke.]

[His calculations, if they're good -- and he's good -- have the knife passing through Leo's legs, alarmingly close to something he'd probably rather keep un-knifed. And if he's misguessed, he's also timed the spins so that the knife will hit hilt-first rather than blade-first. Just in case.]

[brynwieldr]

[Leo yelps as that knife comes a little too close to certain body parts, jumping out of the way and dropping the gravity.]

What the hell--

[onehandsomeslickninja]

[Freed of the magic, Edge bursts from the smoke cloud with wisps of it clinging to his body and trailing off his cloak and scarf. In his hands, his twin blades seem to cut through the air as he lands dramatically in front of Leo.]

[brynwieldr]

On the one hand, throwing daggers at my crotch is technically hitting below the belt. On the other, that's a really effective way of shutting a mage down.

[onehandsomeslickninja]

Ha ha. [Dropping the cool look, Edge straightens up, sheathing his swords in the same motion.] I was pretty short on ideas there! That spell you were using is really effective and definitely not something I have a good defense against.