jigokulogs | APRIL 2022 EVENT

APRIL 2022 EVENT

1. HANAMI

The week of the Night Parade is marked by the traditional symbols of Spring in Japan. Somehow, several city blocks have been turned into cherry blossom groves as a show of goodwill by the Sutoku Alliance. These cherry trees don't feel normal. They are more like spectral manifestations. Rumor has it they grew so quickly because they're planted on top of a graveyard. That's just a rumor, though. Don't pay it any mind! Don't listen to any whispers you might hear if you walk through the rows of trees alone and certainly don't dig under them for proof of their provenance.

Accompanying the hanami are copious amounts of food and drink. Such as dango, specialized bento, sake, and festive drinks. They are all available to purchase from stalls near the spectral grove. The refreshments may have a little something special added to them:
Ingredients that promote peace (calming any angry or upset feelings)
Ingredients that promote romance (gives soft, warm feelings towards the first person you see).
These effects are mild and only last as long as you're in the boundary of the grove. Eat, drink, and be merry with your fellow lost souls.

2. KANAMARA MATSURI (NSFW IMAGERY)

In addition to the simple joys of flower viewing and the cherry blossoms blooming, new festivals pop everywhere. They are inspired by various regional festivals from all over Japan. Some of these are benign and feature your normal festival fair. Others are a little more unusual, such as the Kanamara matsuri-inspired treats. You can thank the Tamamo Clan for this. Don't mind the giant phallus being carried down the street or the wooden phalluses you can ride on or the interesting mascots walking down the sidewalk, or the suggestive vegetable carvings.

Surprisingly, none of these foods are spiked, at least not more than the experimental recipes had been during the parade preparations. The spirit of the thing is more just the amusement of genital-based foods rather than anything meant to entice a sexy sort of good time. That will come as the parade rounds out onto the bath district...

3. HADAKA MATSURI

cw: nonsexual nudity

If that cheeky festival isn't your kind of fun, maybe the hadaka matsuri is more your speed. The Department of the Enma are probably the most stressed out faction in the entire city, so the Enma has allowed them to put on a festival to blow off some steam! It's a bit different from the traditional celebration: it's not contained to just men and it's not contained to a shrine.

This event is a mobile mob of nearly naked people and youkai running after a cart with a masked person throwing out small sticks. They represent good luck for the people who manage to nab them. There are far fewer sticks than there are people present and everyone will do a lot to get one of the coveted prizes. Try not to get in their way!

Or you can get caught up in it all and try to snag one yourself to see what your fortune holds. (No, the Enma isn't participating. Too dirty, for his tastes.)

4. FESTIVE FUN

A. SUMO
Some other festivities you might come across are miniature sumo tournaments put on by the Shuten Clan. Raised dirt circles with chalk rings on the outer perimeter pop up seemingly everywhere. Two people are allowed in the ring at one time and there are strict rules to be followed. If you disobey the rules, you may find yourself suddenly ejected from the ring with magical or physical means, and at the mercy of a Shuten enforcer.

Play by the rules to beat your opponent and victors will find themselves rewarded with a strong bottle of booze. The winners of each bout are handed out a commendation by Toraguma himself, which comes in the form of a commemorative sake gourd. This is probably the kind of prize you'd expect from an Oni at a festival like this.

B. FOOD RUNNERS WANTED
If you're in the mood to pad your pockets, maybe you want to help the Tamamo Clan out by running food delivery. This opportunity is available to anyone regardless of affiliation. Runners will be fitted with a contraption to carry the food orders on their person and may proceed either on foot or on a small motorbike. Be careful and make sure not to drop anything! Any ruined or undelivered orders will come directly out of your pay.

It's harder than it looks not to drop the food with all the excitement going on and your delivery recipient may be similarly hard to locate.

C. HOT BATHS (NSFW + cw: optional aphro)
The Tamamo Clan has set up a sanctioned orgy in one of their larger brothels. Rooms are available for whatever your heart desires, including one with exposed windows if you like being watched or if you want to watch in kind. Baths and pools are available for all your indulgent fantasies. Everything you could need is at your disposal: toys, restraints, costumes, lubricants, condoms, aphrodisiacs in many forms. It's a proper bacchanal celebration!

All that matters is your consent and enthusiasm.

5. NIGHT PARADE

One of the primary highlights of the Night Parade are the fantastical floats depicting scenes of legendary events. Keen-eyed observers may note that the humans are portrayed as the bad guys in most of them. While a few of these are mounted on motorized vehicles, most of them are carried by people. That means you'll probably be called on to help carry one along the parade route. It's a fun job, if exhausting.

If you're not the type to wear yourself out carrying a float, ride on one instead! There's plenty of things to toss out into the crowd along the street; candies and trinkets. Dress up in a fitting costume and walk around the float. Have fun scaring bystanders or just have fun hamming it up and celebrate the peaceful night.

5. FIREWORKS

The parade's central stop is the festival square in the heart of the city, just under the shadow of the Kaigo no Bou Tower. There is a stage set up here where the four faction leaders and their personal entourages have assembled. All of them are giving pretty typical speeches. The Enma has declined to give one, having no patience for unnecessary oration. Tenkohime gives praise to the unifying factors of love in the city, while Toraguma rallies the crowd like a sports hero; encouraging them to get stronger and do better in the coming year.

The Daitengu is the last to speak and they also seem to have the largest entourage. The entourage is quite conspicuous: White Wolf Tengu, each standing well-taller than the Daitengu themselves. They are carrying massive broadswords strapped to their backs and hunting about the area for anything suspicious with keen eyes that seem to see right through the crowd and the heat of night.

The Daitengu's speech is also pretty typical, although much more humble than their fellows. Mostly, they just wants to hurry up and get to the fireworks. Just as they finish speaking, the sky lights up.
There are a few peaceful moments beneath this spectacle as the crowd enjoys the display of unity and phantasmal wonder that this unique and strange world has created.

But the explosions aren't just in the sky. One particularly loud boom seems to rattle the very earth beneath the crowd. That is the only warning anyone gets before...

6. A NIGHT PARADE TO REMEMBER

Every manhole cover on the street bursts open, injuring anyone that was standing nearby. Far worse is the deluge of steam that rushes out from the underground. Pillars of hot, blinding steam spill into the air, quickly filling the streets. The luminescence of the festival lamps and city lights are diffused and blurred into singular blobs of color, obscuring all vision and making it impossible to see what's going on. The panicked cries of the crowd also make it impossible to hear. Everything happens so suddenly, so violently, that ascertaining what's going on takes time.

Too much time.

In the chaos, gunshots are heard. They seem to come from several directions. Fighting is breaking out. It's difficult to tell from where and who is in the brawl. Previously unseen figures in full-body black coverings appear from nowhere, rushing the stage. They zoom past any Lost Souls nearby, ignoring their presence. They are focused on a singular goal. The barking of the White Wolf Tengu further indicates the goal of the attack.

Struggle in the steam, help others get to safety, get caught up in fighting the other factions, try to protect the Faction leaders, or try to keep up with the black-suited youkai rushing the stage; do as much as you can.

When the steam finally begins to clear, however, there will at least be one thing that is certain: the Daitengu has been killed.

Welcome to the April event!

If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
We also have OOC top levels for Shuten Sumo Results, Tamamo Partner Cards, and Hadaka Luck Draws!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sumo is state-sanctioned scuffling! It's fine. Good thing Matoba doesn't know he lost, though.]

Haha, I suppose it is. [He folds his arms into his sleeves cheerfully, watching Tenkohime approach the stage and making a face, then turning back to Hizen again.]

Well, you don't seem otherwise injured, so I will take that as a good sign. Did you take your try at the luck drawing, yet? Didn't get anything nasty, did you?

(Matoba will never know.

What does he mean by he supposes though... It just "is" as far as Hizen is concerned. He watches Tenkohime step up and listens for a moment before also looking away. It's clear he isn't particularly won over by her words.)

D'ya usually worry about people you don't know?

(He still remembers that bad feeling? He's not sure what to make here.)

[Until he gets cozier with some other Shutens.... :)]

[Matoba glances down to Hizen with an almost off-guard glance before he fixes it into a snort of amusement, and a smirk.] I concern myself with things that could be of use to me in the future, [He replies, and then adds before the expected bristle,] Which is the basest truth of any 'worry', regardless of whatever emotion one wants to attach to it. If that is how you want to see it, feel free.

[No emotional attachments here, pal. But he picks up on Hizen's hesitance, and considers him.]

I'm here to watch the show, same as you. You don't have to be concerned with my presence... Well, unless that one has some impeccably poor timing.

[If it did, things might get even more hairy than he was already expecting...]

(He's eating a fry. He has a piece of fry sticking out of his mouth as he listens to Matoba.

"Things that could be of use to me in the future"

He doesn't say anything, opting instead to focus on his snack which is clearly more important right now. He doesn't seem too bothered by the comment. Hizen doesn't really consider himself much of a person. He is, after all, the spirit of a tool. Even then, the story he draws his humanity from is one about...)

Hm. (Just "hm." He finishes his fry and goes for one the cans next,) I got enough contracts so save it.

(He's not a free tool.

But that last part? Has his attention? It seems ominous. It stops him from pulling the tab on his can,)

That one?

[Man, Matoba wants a fry.]

[He frowns to himself, distracted by that thought before Hizen finally replies again with his tired retort, and Matoba allows himself a little chuckle.] Is that so? I don't recall offering you one, but I'm not surprised by that. Well, you did tell me you didn't have a partner, though.......

[Not the same as a Master, so he takes that admission for what it is. He lets that go for now, since Hizen has taken the other hook. There's always more than one way to go about these things.]

Yes. You've noticed it, haven't you? [Matoba reaches up to tap on his mask, where his right eye should be.] This curse. That energy you are sensing is the malice of the one who chases after my right eye.

...I was very surprised, but it seems ayakashi here do not know of my name. It's refreshing, and convenient.

(Should have waited in line for 28 minutes to get some then, Matoba. He's not sharing! Matoba isn't at that friendship tier yet.)

You're a sage.

(Which is a different word than exorcist but Hizen honestly figures it's all the same. Priests and priestesses who can interact with spirits. They're all the same. All of them have potential to become a sage if they're noticed by the right people. But somehow, being a sage seems to let Hizen assume something about Matoba:

They either want to use you or get rid of you.)

...

(He listens, watching Matoba carefully, or rather, watching where his eye should be. His senses have been dulled since he arrived here. At first, he figured he as just overwhelmed by being surrounded by so many spirits but after losing his strength and so much else, he'd figured out his senses were also muted.

The fact that he can sense something at all from Matoba is what bothers him because really, even with his full ability to sense things... it isn't like he had the sharpest sense.

A curse... that would explain it. A demon is chasing after his eye? But why? Is it... special? Is it something like Nikkari Aoe's eye which is his connection to his story? Or Onimaru Kunitsuna with his cursed dreams?

He pops the tab and lets out a short laugh

(because it feels better than thinking. he's never been great at that.))

What? Being a nobody at the bottom? (Who actually enjoys that?) Bet no one's gonna care unless you're name's Abe or something real big.

[NO THANKS he's busy committing ESPIONAGE]

Something like that. I don't think they would like being lumped in with us, though, [Matoba cheerfully responds. Exorcist circles certainly worked with sages and diviners since the old days- and his clan still had many contacts that had been retained since then, through carefully kept networks of favor. But when it came to their functions, and their individual skills, they tended to be... quite different.] Not that they would dare to say it out loud.

[Most did not like being lumped in with the Matoba. It didn't matter. All knew how essential they were.]

[Hizen's sharp laugh breaks the quiet, and Matoba glances over to him with a smirk at the haughty remark. Such attitude, this one.] Is it unbelievable to you? I can get away with so many things, now.

But that's fine, [He says, grin widening down at Hizen. This time, the feeling of unease might come not from his eye, but from Matoba himself. Something welling darkly, as the speeches came- the Daitengu had just finished their speech. Soon. His gut was telling them. It's coming.] You will learn who I am.

[The sensation of bloodlust. A coming battle.]

Did you know that something unexpected is going to happen tonight?

(To be fair, if the festival hadn't put him a good mood, he'd be too tired to bother at all so truly, this is a no good terrible night to tell Hizen to never feel a good thing ever again.

He freezes, instantly going on guard. His free hand twitches and he's extremely aware of too many things now: his position, his surroundings, and all of his possible escape routes. He thinks about what his first move would be in this very moment if he suddenly had to defend himself.

He doesn't like this feeling. It triggers his fight or flight response and every inch of him is ready to fight. )

What the hell are you talking about?

(He's never been good at thinking.)

Who are you--

You obey the Shuten clan, correct? [Matoba has turned away from Hizen, eye now locked on the stage as the fireworks begin to light up the sky overhead. Boom, crack, boom. With each explosion, his adrenaline peaks, waiting for the one that will conceal the first strike.]

[He is familiar with these kinds of tactics. It was an old trick- old enough that even Hizen may know it. He doesn't know what is going to happen. He just knows that it will.]

You should decide quickly what you are going to do.

[It isn't the rumble felt from the sewers below, but the reaction of the spirits who are being boiled that tells him what is going to happen. He brings two fingers up in front of him in an obvious power-focusing position and jumps back from the railing a half second before the steam explodes out from the ground, using his position on the roof to avoid being hit by the initial blast of heat. His other hand has gone to his haori, where his bow and quiver was semi-concealed beneath, and drawing it.]

[It's a few seconds after the explosions, when the steam has had enough time to completely fill the air with dense fog, that he feels the shadows of those responsible pass over them. And it takes another second or so to realize their target.]

The Daitengu, [Matoba mutters, and retrieves two arrows from his quiver.]

(What)

What does that have to do with any of this?

(STOP HE'S SO BAD AT THINKING HE ISN'T SMART. He just came here to eat some snacks and drink. What's going to happen? It's just supposed to be a festival. A normal festival... that all of the Shuten were annoyed with because the Kappa were being weird. They wouldn't let anyone get involved with their route and they wouldn't tell anyone anything but seriously, kappa? What's the worst they can do?

The fireworks are going off. It's bright and loud. Everyone is distracted. Their eyes will be up in the sky... and instead, Hizen looks down.

Just in time to see the explosion. He raises his arm to cover his face and jumps back. His food and drink forgotten, he also grabs his sword. It's smokey but that's never stopped him from being able to see before. Low visibility fields were always one of his specialties and he catches his bearings fast enough. He goes over to the edge and leans over to look through the smoke.

The Daitengu?

Ah. Of course, he understands. After all, he's one too--)

Assassins.

(From his current range, he'd never make it in time to stop them though. His best bet would be trying to catch them on escape. As for how to get down quickly, nearby is a fire escape...)

Stay here. I am going to draw them.

[Matoba's voice has none of its usual teasing and playfulness- it is a voice that gives commands, the voice of a clanhead. There's almost too many targets, but if he can draw a good number of them back from the stage, those who are closest can handle the rest.]

[When he has drawn his bow, he doesn't speak. The energy he can muster into his arrows- whatever meager amount was left to him upon entering hell- gathers with a sharpening focus that feels like the scent of burning would smell. Purification; it's his trade in the most literal sense.]

[A patient shot never misses, and Matoba takes the precious few seconds he can before he lets the first arrow fly, choosing a target he won't miss, and lodging it within the small gap in their armor between the shoulders. It's a technique for disarming samurai, not ayakashi, passed down throughout the countless centuries of Matoba.]

[It's enough to get that one's attention. Matoba doesn't have enough power to make it hurt for the next arrow, but he's already drawn it and let it fly towards a second target. Even though it doesn't pierce through the armor, it's enough to gain more attention. Two, three, five of the shadows in that location stop and turn their attention to the rooftop Matoba and Hizen are on, guns drawn.]

They're coming, [He warns even though he's drawing his next couple shots, unwilling to let the chance to strike them go no matter how small. His aura is focused, and malicious.] Strike when they close in.

(Archers are annoying but they have their uses. As someone who works with the archers at the citadel, he can appreciate their advantages in battle... when they're on his side, that is.

He's ready to leave Matoba on his own. He's an archer, he'll be fine, he thinks. Far away on his high rooftop, surely he'll be able to handle himself. This guy is clearly more than what he appears. He isn't some weak human that needs to be protected.

But he orders him to stay and the tone is authoritative enough that he listens for now. He braces himself and watches as some of the figures make their way over towards them. If he had his full strength, he would just leap down but as he is, he needs to be more careful lest he break his legs and ends up useless.

He leaps over the ledge, onto the fire-escape just below them and though it takes more time than he'd personally like, he's still fast. He moves quickly, swinging down from the escape to pass as many stairs as possible and once he's close enough, he just leaps that last story down onto the ground. Just in time for the strange guards to arrive.

No hesitation, he charges at them, sword drawn and swinging right into the fray. It's natural that a sword spirit would be skilled with a sword but his fighting style is particularly violent. He's direct with all of his attacks and doesn't hold back. Each swing he makes is aimed to kill and his opponents are very aware of it as they realize the archer they'd been after has help and begin to back away so they can get a good shot at him.)

[He would be fine, until they turned their sights on him. That is how the quick calculation played out in his mind, leading to him immediately making use of what was available to him- a competent sword.]

[From this height and vantage point, the roof with its rail acts as a parapet, allowing Matoba to duck the gunfire when it comes while readying his next volley of arrows. He uses hearing, listening to the sound of Hizen clashing with the assassins to judge when the right time to strike was- when he hears the clash of sword and one of the attackers grunt, his movement is swift.]

[Shooting- ceremonially, or for sharpshooting- was all about patience, and waiting for the right shot. His shot is lined up just over the edge of the roof: the falling distance of the arrow, the gusts from the steam, and the movements of their opponents are all taken into consideration. If he had his proper senses, this would be much easier- but as it is, he has been shooting all his life. The handicap is bothersome at most.]

[His arrow falls and strikes one of the assailants at their back, giving Hizen a distraction and an opening to strike. The next one falls to abort an assailant's footing and put them off balance. Even if his arrows couldn't pierce their armor, he could set them off guard, give Hizen openings for his own attacks. The psychological effect was just as important.]

(Hizen is a whirlwind. As long as he can see the enemy, he isn't giving them an inch. he might be up against firearms but he isn't going to go down easily. Their combined efforts are enough to throw the hitmen off. He takes advantage of every opening Matoba gives him and he aims one well-aimed strike at someone's chest... only for his sword to be deflected by the armor. It's harder fighting against armored foes. He really has to get his blade between the openings to do damage--

Somewhere further away, there's a collective scream and a howl. From the wolf tengu, perhaps? Things are getting worse on the other side of things and if they really want to help, they'll have to make their way over.

One of the guards steps back and points up at Matoba. Hizen might be the immediate concern but Matoba is the one they need to worry about in the long run. With his ranged attacks, he could get in the way of their allies over by the stage.

Annoying, annoying, annoying! Hizen ignores the guard trained on him and goes for the ones aiming at Matoba instead. It's fine. He can handle being hurt. Human are weaker though. Archers aren't particularly flimsy in his experience. He yells up at Matoba,)

The stage!

(Stop trying to help him and focus on the stage.)

[The howl is what pulls Matoba's attention away from their opponents first; his eye darts to the stage, hidden in steam, where he can see the flurry of action, but not the details. It was a matter of numbers; even if they could overwhelm these few attackers, there were still plenty where they came from, if the figures darting through the crowd to the stage were anything to go by.]

[Matoba tsks to himself and hurriedly, in a crouched run behind the edge of the roof, makes his way further down along the side and closer to the stage. It was masked in steam.... From this distance, with the shapes he could barely make out, there was a reasonable worry he might strike an ally. But if Hizen could hold that position, then he would be able to at least try.]

[Raising his bow up and over the edge of the roof from that position, he draws an arrow carefully, relying on instinct and his trained eye- his spiritual sense usually made up for the lacking depth perception, but that didn't mean he was inept without it. He trained too much for that.]

[One arrow is fired towards the stage, and strikes the foot of an assailant; but that only succeeds in drawing more attention back towards him. More backup.]

(Meanwhile, Hizen focuses on the soldiers in front of him. Despite being outnumbered, he's able to hold his own well enough. He might not have his strength or speed but he still has his skill. It isn't trying to take down so many opponents at once but he can keep them busy and distracted.

All things considered though, after the howl, there's another and a scream. The enemy has found and reached their target--

And with that, the soldiers suddenly begin to make their retreat. Some turn tail and leave, trying to disappear into crowds and others just... disappear. The latter is most confusing to Hizen but he doesn't dwell on it. He can think about it more later and instead, he focuses on one soldier trying to disappear into the crowd,)

-- Just stay outta trouble!

(He sure is abandoning Matoba to chase his prey. He's an archer. He'll be fine. Their whole thing is staying away from the real danger? Probably.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

APRIL 2022 EVENT

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