41 - Cultist Arc Finale

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
When: June 2nd 2017
Where: Mostly the Near Shore
What: Tracking down cultists to remove them as threats to Heaven, erase as much of their presence from the Near Shore as possible, and consequences of such







With it being made clear that the cult's influence was scattered throughout not just Japan but spread far and wide, the gods of the Far Shore have been asked to assemble in the same place where Conclaves normally happen. Bishamonten is assigned the task of rallying the old gods, while Orihime is given the same duty for the new gods. Essentially, the old gods will be working in Japan and the new gods elsewhere. Both Bishamonten and Orihime have a long list of individuals and their last known locations with vague descriptions, collected by those who went out hunting them on Heavens' behalf when everyone was last gathered. ("A Different Sort of Hunt")

Orihime gathers the new gods at her home along the river. Outside her small abode, there are several soulless shinki pulled from their temple. Ostensibly, they are to help any new gods who don't have a shinki available to create the Cutting ties or Rend effects, but no one is there to stop a shinki from commanding them as well.

Orihime will direct the gods to many places in the Scandinavian countries of Europe, south as far as Italy, west to the United Kingdom, and east as far as Belarus and Ukraine. Meanwhile, another contingent is sent to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the South Pacific / Oceania islands around there. There's even some scattered across the Americas - north in Alaska and the Yukon as far south as Chile and Argentia. Getting to any region requires the permission of a Near Shore god with a local shrine there to teleport, or a much more mundane plane trip.

Since this is all taking place over an extended period of time - roughly 48 hours - new gods are welcome to jump around the regions at their own choosing, not restricted to just one place.

Cutting Ties

Tracking down the cultists won't be easy. Some of their last known locations just confirmed their home addresses, work addresses, school addresses, etc. It's not like there's a GPS on them! However, with the address being specific to a city and country, along with a description of the person involved, it's possible to track down the rank-and-file cultists in these places beyond Japan. Many of them you won't even need to speak to, just find them and use a shinki to cut the string of fate that binds them to their cult activities, spell knowledge, and awareness of Heaven.

It's possible to run into other gods and shinki, though! Especially in major hubs of regular human activity, the cult was able to thus recruit more people to their causes. Maybe you can team up, swap information based on who you're looking for, that sort of thing.

Blight Circles

Where the human cultist recruits favored larger cities, their blight circles are much farther into countrysides - where they were less likely to be disturbed while the cultists crafted them. These circles are fairly simple in their lasting impressions: spellwork in a large circle on the ground, dead or dying flora for double the diameter of such a circle, and powerful ayakashi drawn to their vicinity. Strike down the ayakashi gathering there, purify the area if you can with magic or holy water, and physically break the circle's symbols. Particularly large blight circles might have been crafted near a Vent, increasing the likelihood of powerful ayakashi being there.

The larger and more powerful an ayakashi, the more Rend attacks it will take to bring them down. Maybe you can survive a long battle with one, or maybe you work together as a team with another god / soulless-wield shinki? The choice is up to you!

Cult Hubs

In the true cultural capitals of the world, there is a single Cult Hub - a physical building that was under the governance of a higher cultist official, where spellwork training and other informational sessions took place. Note that these hubs are not always the capitals of their countries, as with New York City or Los Angeles, Toronto or Munich, Sydney or Quezon City. The physical structures where cultists met have a wealth of inventory to look through and either dispose of or use in future efforts for the Heavens. It might not be glamorous work, but it could offer surprising rewards.

Event Bonus:
A thread of 10+ comments earns a character a random item that would have been stored at the cult hub. As with other missions involving "random item" rewards, players can give the mods 3 choices for review and we'll reply with a comment about any choice which might be too powerful / not suitable, or players can ask for the mods to give them 2-3 random items and pick only one as their reward.

Between Scenes / Afterward

As everyone returns to the Far Shore between their major efforts on the Near Shore, recovering from the battles, enlisting backup, or simply looking for another assignment from Orihime, you might still bump into one another, particularly around Orihime's home or down the river in either direction. Feel free to use this as a kind of catchall space or a place to look for healing, food, and sleep with your fellows from the Far Shore.

Alternatively, this could all happen when the last assignments have been handed out and people start to disperse back to their own temples.

Event Bonus: Gift Baskets!

For Gods and Shinki alike, Orihime will provide a gift basket to each and every character, customized as much as possible. This will include, among other things, an article of clothing with a wondrous power unlike any she's made before. Players can request what these items are OOCly, kind of like book requests in the library, but we hope it can to be something you as a player truly feel like is a reward to your character for having come this far.

To claim this reward, simply reply to the Orihime OOC comment below with your desired item and its ability to begin the discussion. Remember: Orihime would avoid granting items that help in battle; rather they're meant to enhance the character's everyday life, make their hobbies easier or more fun, that sort of thing. Example abilities might include: hover-style flight, lite elemental resistance, green-thumb plant growth boost, etc. - they're just tied to the item.

An IC week after the event, gift baskets will be delivered, along with an Epilogue announcement on the BBS.

Event Bonus (all prompts):
A thread of 10+ comments will gain 150 followers / 15 exp per thread.



In Summary:

• Travel the world
• Hunt down the last vestiges of the cult's influences
• Get goodies
• Await the epilogue announcement
• Have fun~

Comments

REGION: Europe

[godsoffortune]

Cult Hubs/maybe Cutting Ties ♔ Pr?...eece...

[priforprince]

Tch. Even here?

[ Mixed into a gathering of vendors selling Ancient Greek souvenirs to tourists looking for ancient ruins, there's an unobtrusive shop where people...tend to come in and out of the back rather frequently. Hibiki sighs. ]

I've more important business in Japan, and everything...

[ But it's not like she can turn down dismantling this hub. Not with dozens of ghosts around her - all in various states of swoon.

"Lord Apollo!"

"Lord Apollo has come to save us!"

"She foresaw the danger and rushed to our aid, in the chariot of the Sun!"

This will likely not, for those with spiritual sight, be a subtle infiltration. ]

[swordofzero]

Miss Shikyoin?

[He's not actually surprised to see her here, Apollo is a Greek god after all and so it is logical that she would want to wipe the cultists out of her domain.

It doesn't mean he's any less awkward at seeing her, but she gets a polite nod and the ghosts get a look. Hopefully they go as unnoticed as shinki and gods to humans, or this infiltration is going to be harder than it should be.]

let’s make this....interesting....for saber

[priforprince]

[ Hibiki, on the other hand, experiences no awkwardness around Suzaku. Like Johan and Lavi before him, his utter lack of stage presence is, in some ways, reassuring. He is a person with whom a Prince may deal however she pleases.

And she pleases to lift a hand and beckon him over, while sparing him nary a glance. ] Ah. Your timing is ideal.

I’ll have you handle that door.

[ It has a padlock on it, you see. That’s not something she can hack. Being a perfect thief, she supposes she could pick it....but she’s not in that guise at present.

Besides, the sight of her ordering a shinki around prompts a tizzy of sighs and squeals. “Command me next, Lord Apollo!!” “The barriers to my heart are wide open for you!”

There is, perhaps, an especially self-satisfied aura around Hibiki at present. ]

[fauxcalibur]

[There's a brief rain of golden light that coalesces into human form at Suzaku's side. It would probably be a more impressive entrance if Saber was wearing his armor, but it seems he's once again chosen to show up wearing his favorite leather jacket with the rhinestone cross on the back, a Godzilla T-shirt, and ripped jeans that look like they weren't ripped on purpose.

At least he doesn't have his guitar.]

I would apologize for a slight bit of dishonesty and sneaking about, but I'm not very sorry!

[His smile seems quite cheerful, but there's a bit of an edge to it.]

I believe I've just now heard something a wiser man who seeks to avoid conflict should ignore entirely.

[He drapes his arm across Suzaku's shoulders, the smile not fading in the slightest.]

I would ask Suzaku to confirm that, but I believe he is actually a wiser man in this regard.

[swordofzero]

[At Hibiki's command Suzaku merely nodded and started forwards to look closer at the padlock, to figure out if there was a way to get in without resorting to smashing it.

Before he could though Saber appeared in a glow of light. He knows Saber well by now, having been his shinki for half a year. He can hear that edge in his voice and his eyes flicker over to him before looking down, guilty.

He's Saber's shinki, he should not be following Hibiki's orders. Even if it is just... It's how she treats everyone and it feels rude to refuse. He winces slightly at the arm across his shoulder.]

Conflict should always be avoided where possible, my lord.

[kokuyoyo]

[Oh. That's what that noise was: loud ghosts who won't shut the fuck up. Chikusa has been slouching around the area looking for things as well, although he clearly doesn't want to be around. Casual depression plus general lethargy don't make him energetic at the best of times... but, for once, he actively looks as though he doesn't want to be here, or anywhere, in general.]

[Especially not near Hibiki and her legion of undead fans.]

[...But Nanako is doing runs to clear out blight circles. Because of course she is. So while Ken is at her side protecting her, Chikusa is taking the time to look for information. Which means...]

Think... they have anything written down back there... on their plans?

[You know, something helpful that could keep him from doing a lot of work? And spending less time with Hibiki?]

[priforprince]

[ What a bizarre coincidence. “Use the other person to do as little work as possible” also happens to be Hibiki’s master plan. It’s a pity the other person is someone who has not exactly endeared himself to her, but surmounting all trials is the destiny of the one chosen to illuminate the Far Shore. Hibiki’s “clean this up quickly and then purchase a company to satisfy a petty grudge” scheme shall proceed, undeterred. ]

If they do, it’s small match for me. [ She indicates the door with a haughty flick of her wrist. ]

You’ll obtain immediate entry.

[kokuyoyo]

[Dammit, this is like the last thing he wanted to do. Chikusa stares into space for probably a moment longer than would be ideal for Hibiki before he heaves out a sigh.]

For just myself then... Got it.

[Excuse him as he starts to glance around for any other ways in, such as windows... before he pauses to narrow his eyes at her.]

...Can you get rid of your groupies?

Cult Hub: London OTA

[dredefulchilde]

It's a typically gray Friday morning in the London Borough of Islington. Though morning commuters are out in force, few seem to notice a small child standing by himself in front of a row of late Victorian townhouses
(which have since been subdivided many times into progressively smaller flats). It's all very familiar, Joscelin thinks as he makes short work of an ice cream cone. But that in itself isn't surprising. He's known for months that London was his hometown while he was still alive. Looking around at familiar facades he's never seen before, the city feels both thrilling and unspectacular at the same time. He's both a tourist and a local and it's all a bit disconcerting.

(This part of Islington, especially, feels eerily comfortable. He tries not to think about what that means.)

Finishing his ice cream, the boy licks his fingers and looks back over his shoulder.

"What say you we finish this quickly? I want to be done in time for lunch."

[disregardeddagger]

"I've no arguments with that."

Searching cult hubs, it seems, is something that shinki can do without the presence of their god. So here she is alone and ready to search through this building.

She hadn't quite expected to be paired with a child, but she had noted already that those in the heavens seemed young. Among those of the new generation she seemed to be in the older quarter at least, she had no idea how old she was to be fair but it was still notable, when compared to what she had seen in the human world whilst travelling these last couple of days.

She pushes herself off the wall she has been leaning against and nods at him. "Is this the place?"

[dredefulchilde]

Ever the fastidious one, Joscelin wipes his hands with his handkerchief and becomes suddenly businesslike. "It matches the address they gave me," he says, waving his phone vaguely in the direction of Nesir's nose. He's not stupid. He knows why Heaven sent him here. This was his hometown once, though what memories he has are hopelessly garbled. Even though he's a pale ten year old seemingly playing truant on a school day, he still stands out less than some of the others that could've ended up here.

But the girl?

"Right, let's see what you can do. How are your lockpicking skills, er..." What had her name been again? "...Nessa?"

[disregardeddagger]

Nesir looks young enough that she would probably be taken for a school child herself though hopefully one who had finished their exams and so had reason to not be in school on this June day. She seems unaware of this, this whole world is strange and unfamiliar and she's doing her best to not stare at the cars like they are creatures likely to turn and attack them. She knows they are not, but it doesn't help, not when they look so threatening.

"I guess we will see." She made her way over to the door, she has no idea what any of her skills are outside of the combat ones she has discovered already. Lacking memories is annoying like that.

She had been handed a bunch of useful things before being sent out and lockpicks were part of that, the heavens weren't likely to send them to break into a place without them. She opened the case and was relieved to find that the concept at least was familiar, even if the actual tools were as weird as everything else that she had found here.

She got to work after glancing around, it helped that being dead she was less noticeable than other humans.

Da Qing and Shen Wei OTA

[thetopofthefoodchain]

Blight Circles: Croatia.

Da Qing was holding a map open and looking around with a frown. How could it be possible to lose a circle full of blight and ayakashi. He would have thought it was really obvious.

But it was bound to be around here somewhere. "We are close though." Cats were great at reading maps so Shen Wei had nothing to worry about it.

They had been tramping across country side for a while, teleportation only worked when you knew exactly where you were going and the instructions from the heavens had been terribly vague.

But it was around here somewhere...

[unlucky7]

Ginia returns from a westerly direction, a small frown and a shake of her head. She's tagged along with the two, a rifle slung over her shoulder and a small backpack of supplies on her back. With blight circles troublesome as they are, the more people to help the better. She also worries a little. With as far-flung as everyone is, who knows what would happen if someone was injured in the wilderness. With all the losses lately, Ginia is a little more keen on keeping an eye on people. Besides, she did lightly promise Zhao to keep an eye on his friends for him.

"Didn't see anything in that direction, not even any ayakashi." Besides the creep of dead and dying flora, increased ayakashi presence is the sure sign of a blight circle nearby. She checks her compass and considers the areas around them. "I could scout more northward if you two want."

[thetopofthefoodchain]

"Maybe it's best we stick together. This place doesn't smell right."

All these dead plants stink and it's playing with his senses. Everything just smells dead and that's dangerous and they should stick together. It's for the best.

[kokuyoyo]

Speaking of cats and maps... As Da Qing and his god are trooping around somewhere, they'll see a sliver of glowing light flickering and weaving through the grass. It's not the brightest thing in the world, but it's still just enough to be noticeable to those who can see it. Eventually, whether either god or shinki follow or if they don't, they'll see it soon enough: an almost translucently white cat that's shaped more like a stylized drawing than a real creature... and about as thing as something on a piece of paper as well. The two holes that are where the eyes would be are turned with the whole head when it looks to the other cat and accompanying god.

Either it's a spirit, or it's a transformed shinki, and who really god damn knows at this point in the game.

[thetopofthefoodchain]

Da Qing spots it, a strange ghost cat. It is strange enough to be from the Far Shore and doesn't feel like an ayakashi.

"Over here!" He calls to Shen Wei before transforming into cat form himself so he could stalk closer, to see what it is and what it wants with them.

[kokuyoyo]

At least there's no need to go chasing after the strange paper thin ghost cat. Once it realizes that it's being approached and even recognizes who it is that's coming near, it comes to a stop itself. It doesn't seem to relax, however. Instead, it just stares towards them with its empty eyes.

Assorted activities in/around Rome, Italy

[kagenonadeshiko]

A. Cutting Ties

[For all her ambivalence toward the Heaven's interests, Ayumu's perfectly willing to comply with certain requests. Like it or not, the old gods are the group presently in power so currying some degree of favor with them is a necessity for survival. The notification of her new shrine came at a convenient time after giving in to Joss's request to visit London and a very brief vacation in the city, she returns with Toyo to fetch a list of addresses in Rome.

It's here that Ayumu's plans run into a snag. She doesn't speak or read a word of Italian, making navigating the streets of Rome quite challenging. At least the child with her is a dream for a lost parental figure such as herself; Toyo's completely calm, neither crying or afraid as she simply holds her goddess's hand as they wander about in search for their destination.

Spotting someone Ayumu thinks she might recognize from her last visit to Rome or someone from the Far Shore, she calls out with audible relief.]

Excuse me but could you help me find this address?


B. Cult Hub - Rome

[The cult hub in Rome is a grand church, centuries of years old, full of visible history. The pews are made of ornately carved wood with red velvet cushions. Sunlight filters in through stained glass windows above. At the moment, the church is devoid of activity or life aside from the foreign goddess apparently set on ransacking its inventory for spoils to take back home.

Suddenly, Ayumu enters the worship area through a door in the rear with Toyo on her heels and her arms occupied by a cardboard box heaped high with clothing. Apparently, someone's decided to help herself to some donated clothing while she's here. Can anyone really blame her considering the opulence all around? She's functionally a single mother with children now.]

'Kay, Toyo-chan. Let's go over there and see if any of this might fit you.

[Ayumu heads over to one of the front pews. Between her bad eye and the mountain of spoils obscuring her vision, she can't quite see who she might be bumping into. Upon colliding with someone, the clothing pile starts to topples and scatters onto the floor.

Whoops.]

Oh! I'm sorry. Please excuse us.


C. Blight Circles - Italian Countryside

[And then it's on to find and purify the blight circles. Or more specifically, play bodyguard for others handling the purification. Fending off the ayakashi while they work is more within her knowledge and abiliities.]

We'll keep watch so leave the ayakashi to us. Just focus on healing the blight. We won't let them touch you.

[It's a tall order for a petite woman carrying no visible weapons but this kind of job is exactly what Ayumu needs to blow off some steam.]

D. Wildcard

[If something you want to do isn't covered, hit me up on plurk @ mimarin or via PM!]

C

[unlucky7]

[Teleporting via shrine certainly makes traveling to other countries a lot easier. Ginia pulls a blue handkerchief out of her jacket and unfolds it and unfolds it and unfolds it and unfolds it, uncovering a large bottle water (blessed water, of course). She surveys the teeming mass of ayakashi hovering around, ready to pounce if they get any closer, the sigils etched into the ground under them.

They certainly have their work cut out for them. Ginia uncaps the bottle and nods at Ayumu, sprinting forward. She splashes some blessed water at smaller ayakashi in her way, arcing around to get at the sigils.]

[dredefulchilde]

[No visible weapons. Joscelin--Suki--is tucked away in his sheath, hidden in the folds of Ayumu's dress. He's about to set a plan of his own in motion.

He's been preparing this for months, well before Ayumu even came back. Hakkai had taken him out to feed regularly, and he had started experimenting with his powers during those near-daily hunts. Now, finally, he thinks he can do it. He thinks he'll be able to heal Ayumu's scars and restore her eyesight.

But some sacrifices had to be made. Even though he's no longer in physical form, his left palm still stings. He'd sliced it with one of his knives while Ayumu's back was turned and hidden the wound from her. It's a fair bit deeper than planned, but maybe that means it will work even better.

Good thing that Ginia is also none the wiser, he thinks. He knows he's going to get chewed out by Ayumu when she finds out, but he doesn't know if he can take the both of them teaming up together to go after him for being reckless.]

I'm ready, Mistress.

[The hairs on the back of his incorporeal neck begin to stand up. Something big is coming close.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Something big is coming and it might not be easy to defeat but Ayumu doesn't shy away from it. She's seen more battle as a goddess than she ever had as a shinki, more than once against a less than ideal opponent. She's been oblivious to Joss's plan, her usually sharp perception dulled with the sudden, unexpected grief over Hakkai's disappearance. Her strong sense of discipline and responsibility has kept her from falling apart over it, though.

She's a parent now. With that comes grim acceptance that crumbling to pieces is no longer luxury available to her.

A steady rumbling growl announces the ayakashi's presence before it shambles into view. It's an unusually large, bear-like creature, covered in dense powerful muscle, with one cyclopean eye in the center of it forehead. It has other eyes as well, positioned in unnatural places and protuding outward from its fur. Long, sharp claws dig deep into the earth as it approaches, menacing fangs drippin with acidic saliva.

As imposing as the ayakashi is, especially compared to a small, Japanese woman in a summery dress, Ayumu doesn't seem the least bit daunted. Without a word, she pulls Joss from his sheath, and dashes toward it in headlong charge.]

B

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Oh, don't worry. It's just someone else poking into all the nooks and crannies, seeing what could possibly be important or tucked away at the moment. He wasn't really expecting someone with a box overflowing with clothes.

Did- Did the voice sound familiar? It was hard to tell at this point. There was too much in the way that couldn't be seen to link things together. ]

Got enough from your looting? Actually- Hey, you see anything that was set up like it's important or magical?

[ If either of them knew what that'd look like... Right. Well, may as well try. Clearly, for all he was asking about 'looting', it didn't seem to be with judgement. ]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Once Ayumu sets the box down on the pew, it is, indeed, a familiar face. As soon as she's done that, she kneels down to pick up the articles of clothing that had fallen on the floor.]

Oh, hello, Judar-kun. It's good to see you again. Well, I think I've gotten a pretty good amount though I didn't look to see what they might have in the way of toys yet.

[Starting with practical necessities like clothing first seemed like the best plan. After all, Ayumu's not quite sure if any of what she found will even fit.]

As for important things, it seems like it's all around this place. There was an office that had some locked chests and cabinets that might have something special behind them. And there's more things over there.

[Ayumu points up to the altar area. There's a fancy podium with some various icons and objects placed in various locations behind it.]

There might be something that might interest you there.