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

[ He's been told, not just once but in regards to completely different situations then again he has also been informed he can be flaky but that's not what he's known best for in his hometown. So even after the comment, he remains silent as he listens to the explanation provided. Of course, after the fireworks, the sounds he heard must have been the attack rather than the display of fire and light in the sky. ]

That's why everyone is rushing away...

[ The book that previously had his full attention is carefully put away in his bag to join the others he recently purchased. There would be another time for that. ]

Was anyone hurt? If they were solely targetting...

[ Would it be foolish to head back in the direction everyone was fleeing from? ]

I haven't gotten a good look at the leaders. No doubt they're escorted away at that time.

[Even if they're not the target, it's only natural to secure the faction leaders' safety.]

But I know in this chaos, the citizens can easily get hurt. [Even if they're not being attacked, the rush from everyone running? It's easy for the citizens to get swept up in the waves.] Anyone who try to chase the attackers will likely get hurt, too.

[ Definitely true, something to consider, when people move in mass quickly sometimes in a panic they could cause harm to one another. Then there is that second thing mentioned, of course, it's only natural for there to be those with enough bravery to chase after the villains who caused this panic.

There were people most likely left hurt now. So with that in mind, he will head back now, even if all he can do is provide minimal assistance. ]

I'm going... if there are people hurt who can't evacuate they may need help.

[It's one thing they had to consider during the planning stages. What happen during a mass panic, and who will go in and direct the crowds. Norimune nods in understanding.]

I'll continue to direct people to safety. I'll be raising my voice to get their attention.

[So if Xingqiu happens to overhear him, Norimune might be nearby.]

[ Around them there are few people, not everyone is heading away in the same direction. Which is understandable, people from different factions would head towards their own lodgings within their own territories. So all he can do is offer Norimune a nod because he does want to help even if now all he can do is bring meager assistance. Most of the danger has passed.

For the time being, Xingqiu will seek anyone who needs aid due to injuries and assist them as best he can when he lacks any ability to mend wounds. There does come a point late in the night when there is no one else about, but a few stragglers and he hears the older man's voice directing them to head home. It's then he approaches. ]

It appears that all those who wished to flee have left the streets now... I wouldn't be surprised if we're told to evacuate too.

[Norimune is still out, looking for stragglers. Such as anyone's too injured or stuck to get away in time, or worse. After he directed what he hope is the last group, he notice someone's approaching him. A quick glance, and he sees it's Xingqiu.]

... That's right. It's best if we go back and rest.

[A brief pause, before he look over Xingqiu briefly.]

You didn't get hurt out there, right?

[ Without a reason to hesitate he shakes his head; no he had not been hurt and most people he came across only sustained surface injuries. Direction and guidance were all he needed to offer, there wasn't much he could do about concern and disappointment. Perhaps by morning, they would all receive news? ]

I'm well, though from here on I am not sure what we should expect. Anything I suppose but that's too vague.

Will you be heading to your residence now?

[He shake his head.]

I'll look around once more, and then go back. I imagine we'll hear something in the morning or so.

[The city will likely tune into the morning news, if nothing else pop up. He wouldn't be surprised if the upper ranks in each factions are holding meetings... Any news (or fake ones?) for the public at this stage can be a powerful weapon.]

Can you go back by yourself?

[ By now Xingqiu images the only people left out are those still attempting to make their way indoors or those who need to sate their curiosity. There are those who seek to right wrongs, solve mysteries, or perhaps even work their way through ranks. He doesn't entirely fall into the first two categories, he certainly doesn't fit the last.

Here, he isn't entirely how he should categorize leadership. He doesn't have a full picture to form an opinion. ]

I suppose we may hear something. Or I hope we will, some good news anyway.

I can make it back on my own but one more round won't hurt. Allow me to accompany you, then I'll make my way back.

[He gives a nod, before he glance around until his eyes settle on a general direction.]

Let's be on our way, Xingqiu. And hopefully, that will be all for the night.

[As much as he loves excitement, there's only so much his old soul can handle in one night.]

[ Xingqiu is still unaware that Norimune is an antique from ages past, then again it's likely that Norimune isn't aware they come from vastly different worlds but they'll have time to figure that out — one day because today is not the day. Not with everything that happened, especially with them preoccupied. With a direction selected he nods to agree. ]

If we're fortunately most have sought safety.

[ And those left out can handle themselves. Once Norimune starts walking he keeps pace with him, but so far he sees no one in need of aid. The few people they do come across are in fit condition and they're either heading to their lodging or running their own investigations. ]

Hey, are you here alone? I mean, once I return to my flat I'll have to get in contact with my friend. I have no idea where he ran off to but I'm confident that he has kept himself safe.

[So far, there's none that need aid or anyone acting suspicious enough to draw their attention. He glances over at hearing Xingqiu's question.

Hm, well. By now, it's likely fine if people learned that he's not alone here. It's just a matter of asking the proper questions.]

Oh, no. Fortunately, a good comrade of mine is here as well. He's quite skilled and reliable, I know he'll be fine in this mess.

[In a fight anyway... The mental and emotional state are trickier for Touken Danshi to handle.]

It's still good to check on your friends, regardless. Your friend will likely be glad to hear from you.

That is what I intend to do. I assume you will be getting in touch with your comrade then?

[ That's what he images given the manner Norimune chose to refer to them. Although good in a way can remain vague just as much as the word comrade could also solely be intended to mean a coworker. Xingqiu won't push for details, it's not his place, it's impolite when this is merely the second time they exchange words. ]

But it looks like the streets are mostly clear...

That's right.

[Maybe Hizen might know something, or saw something. Either way, he'll find out later. After another glance around, he nods in agreement.]

In that case, I'll take my leave now. [He doubt they'll find anything new if they go for another round.] Take care, young man.

[ It's very much unlikely after the chaos that swiftly brought the festival to an end the streets are now silent. Despite the glow of lanterns and lampposts, the somber atmosphere dims their light. Coming to a stop now as it seems their pasts are about to diverge he gives a single nod. ]

May you find that acquaintance well.

[ A bow at the waist, not solely an expression of farewell but one of gratitude, he'll speak again before he departs. ]

Make sure to remain safe as well, if need be contact me and I'll offer my assistance. [ With that, it's time to go. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

APRIL 2022 EVENT

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