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

[myblueskies]

No miss. [He's not being a good friend to Hibiki today is he? It is even trickier than normal to make her not upset!.]

I'm not doing it on purpose. I can be quiet and listen!

[priforprince]

[ Such is the unfortunate fate of those with the poor sense to be simultaneously sorted as FRIEND and IDIOT by those formerly wearing idiot-cancelling cutglasses. As Hibiki is undertaking this educational venture in an attempt to sort out her mood, however, she chooses to accept this promise. ]

In that case, select a pawn and move it forward.

[ A gesture, so he sees what direction of movement is allowed. ] Two spaces are permitted, for the opening move.

[ How well can he improvise? Hibiki has decided to learn this by using this first game as the lesson! Surely life with a genius such as Elfnein is inspiring. ]

[myblueskies]

[A pawn... Luckily Hibiki points and gestures and Romeo gets the idea. He can move two places for the opening move... So he picks... This piece. Near the side but not right at the end and he moved it forward two places before grinning widely. There!]

[priforprince]

[ Not bad. Hibiki moves a pawn of her own, one that will lay claim to as much of the board as possible. ] All subsequent moves by pawns are one space only. They “capture” other pieces by assailing on diagonals.

[ Two fingers tap the spaces her pawn could use for that before she sits back. ] Chess is the ultimate game of conquest, you see.

[myblueskies]

So you got to capture all the other persons pawns? [Go forwards, capture by going diagonally. He's got this! He moves another piece, just going one place this time!]

[priforprince]

No, they’re of little threat. Your goal - [ Hibiki taps one of the two tall pieces with a crown. ] - is to trap the king.

[ Surely he will understand the value of a King versus a pawn.... ]

[myblueskies]

The king? [He peers at the tall piece.] So if you capture the king you win?

[That makes lots of sense! You got to capture the boss of everyone and then they will be without their leader. It's trickier to fight without your leader!]

[priforprince]

Such has always been the rules of war.

[ Hibiki slides a bishop out on a diagonal. ] You’ll learn the other pieces from my example.

[ Explaining much longer would be beneath her, you see. ]

[myblueskies]

That one is allowed to go like that? [He finds the same shape piece on his own side.] Do I got to move the pawn first before it can get out? [It was still penned in.]

[priforprince]

You do. One piece alone may leap.

[ Can he figure out which, based on the shapes? ]

[myblueskies]

One piece? [He peers at the board. Everything is in twos...] A horse can jump but there's two of them... So is it... [Not the king, because he already knows that he's the one you have to capture.] This one?

[Pointing at the queen.]

[priforprince]

No. Though she has many tremendous powers of her own.

[ It seems her love of exclusivity in phrasing has affected his understanding, literalist that he is. Hibiki is willing to rephrase, especially now that she has just been delivered more tea. Thinking about chess is, indeed, improving both her constitution and her mood. ] Multiple copies are permitted of the lone piece in question.

[myblueskies]

So is it the horse? Because horses can jump really well!

[Also that piece had powers? He remembers to ask more about it once he figures out the part about jumping!]

[priforprince]

You’ve caught on.

[ So, at a strange angle, swooping into place to threaten one of Romeo’s pawns - ] This is the knight.

[ Smiiiirrrkk. Her recovery is complete! ] A flexible piece, befitting me.

[myblueskies]

The knight! [Knights are really strong!

But how... What was that movement?] You didn't go one place!

[priforprince]

Limitations and such mean nothing to a chevalier.

[ That should suffice, should it not? He can figure out a knight’s move style by examining where hers had been vs where it is now.

Now all that remains is to determine whether he’s up to the task. ]

[myblueskies]

[Limitations meant nothing to a knight! So that piece could jump anywhere! That was a very useful piece indeed and now it's Romeo's turn. He picked up the horse and jumped it over the pawn and picked a random square to put it down in.

No limitations!]

1/2

[priforprince]

[ .....SOMEHOW, IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN

THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY THESE MISUNDERSTANDINGS MIGHT BE HIBIKI’S FAULT ]

2/2

[priforprince]

[ But - graciousness, always graciousness! Majesty. Nobility. And great love. Those are the watchwords of Shikyoin Hibiki’s existence!

So Hibiki slides Romeo’s knight over to where it should have landed. ] ....Match my pattern.

[myblueskies]

Pattern? [He doesn't understand. He had thought he understood but sometimes miss Hibiki was just too tricky!]

You just put it there, miss.

[Maybe you've got to be really clever to play this game, maybe he's just not smart enough yet.]

[priforprince]

[ The way she’d moved her knight earlie.......Forget it. For her own sake. ]

..........Let’s review the other pieces first.

[myblueskies]

Right. Okay miss.

[This is really tricky.]

the ultimate hibiki catch-22: doing a nice thing like teaching.......as an asshole.

[priforprince]

Bishops move on diagonals, an unlimited number of spaces. Rooks do the same at right angles.

[ Hibiki moves a bishop to threaten Romeo’s rook. ] Evade me.

[ Granted, depending on how he moves said rook out of danger, she’ll be able to capture it with a different piece......

This is perfectly fair and not at all taking advantage of a child because it amuses her. ]

of course.

[myblueskies]

[Bishops on diagonals rooks on angles... Right... And now there's a bishop chasing his rook. So right angles... As many places...

He slides the piece across the board in a straight line, all the way to the side.] Like that miss?

[priforprince]

[ Tch. Safe for now. Hibiki sets up to capture that rook later, because she can. ] An extreme reaction, but sufficient.

[ There we go. If he doesn’t move the rook again, her knight will claim it next turn. Perhaps then the knight’s moveset will engrave itself upon his heart! ]