jigokulogs | May 2022 Mini Event

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May 2022 Mini Event

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As the Haniwa continue to pop up in the city and the turf war rages on, life goes on in the city.

1. SHUTEN CLAN

Remember the Isonade? Yeah, those guys. The surly shark-dudes who were no doubt involved in some black market smuggling along the banks of the Sanzu. They were too tough to fight off in order to figure out what they were up to, last time.

Well, Toraguma has caught wind of them now. Despite the ongoing turf war, he’s not about to lose out on an opportunity here! He wants his Shuten Clan operatives to scour the river looking for these guys. They will be a lot harder to find without the rabbits’ help, though. If you find them, you are to “inform them” that the Shuten Clan will be taking over their operation. If they have problems with that, well… you know what to do.

Don’t forget that they’re quite strong and that they aren’t too keen on giving up the information on their supply line without a fight. You’ll need to use teamwork to get what you need out of them.

Should you manage your way to their warehouse, you’ll find a fresh shipment of their products: specialized herbs, mineral-rich clay, and rarefied ore. None of these products can be found in the city naturally. The Isonade won’t dare name their primary buyer but they will let slip that all of this is being smuggled into the city from the outer Wastelands.

The Shuten Clan will demand their cut out of this operation, but you may get the impression that this is only one small piece of a much larger shadow creeping over the city…

Art by Alejandro Gonzalez Agudelo

2. SUTOKU ALLIANCE

The death and subsequent “rebirth” of the Daitengu has caused a considerable amount of chaos. Many of the subsidiary tribes have struggled under the weight of uncertainty during this debacle. The Daitengu has decided that an apology tour is owed. It’s good for the sake of the Alliance, after all.

Oh, but they’re not going to be doing it themselves. You, the Sutoku Lost Souls, will be fully responsible for it. ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა

Sutoku Souls are tasked with going to various businesses and tribe centers with an offering of gifts and deference to any and every group within the Alliance who will agree to meet with you. The gifts have been provided by the Daitengu, and are mainly snacks and coupons. Which will not be enough to please everyone. Some clans will demand more and some, in their rage, will try to take their anger out on you. You are an (lowly) ambassador right now, better to turn the other cheek.

This all boils down to be less of an apology tour and more of a bribe tour. What the Daitengu has provided won’t cover everything and you’re going to have to go out of pocket to truly placate the other clans. If you don’t have enough cash on hand, you may be asked to do various unpaid tasks and labors: washing dishes, scrubbing floors, cleaning windows, taking out the trash, serving kids’ birthday parties; any amount of the lowest work you can imagine.

It’s rough! But somebody’s gotta do it

3. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA

The chaos of the Night Parade has caused a resurgence of unaffiliated gangs popping up around Jigokucho. They can usually be found identifying themselves through the use of basic colors and mascots. They are made up almost entirely of violent youths with uncertain futures, who are lashing out at an uncaring world. The antics of the Daitengu, the accusations against the Enma, and the squabbling between Shuten and Tamamo is not inspiring their confidence nor loyalty.

In addition to this problem, the retrieval of the Haniwa is going poorly. Most residents are too uncomfortable to even touch the statues and their appearances don’t seem to be slowing down. There are too many for the Department to collect.

With an abundance of cursed objects in town, the petty gangs have decided this is an ample resource for them. They are using the Haniwa to harass the general public and against one another. They have weaponized the excess Haniwa and are using them as “curse bombs”, hurling them at both each other and the residents they want to intimidate. It’s getting nasty.

It’s the Department’s job to keep the Haniwa figures from falling into the wrong hands and to keep some semblance of order. The official orders from the Office of the Enma are directing all hands to converge against the youth gangs. Use any force necessary and retrieve those figurines.

4. TAMAMO CLAN

How inconvenient! In addition to the complications of the turf war, an extremely important time of the year has arrived for the Tamamo Clan.

It is time for the yearly visit of one of the clan’s greatest benefactors: the Tennin. These Celestial Immortals descend from the Heavenly Realms to spend time (and incredible amounts of money) in Hell’s Playground, Jigokucho. Hell simply offers the sort of delights you just can’t get in Heaven. Due to Tenkohime’s connections with them, the Celestials have had her host them for several years in a row now. She emphasizes how incredibly important it is to keep them happy.

The Celestials want entertainment and delights of every variety. It’s up to the Tamamo Clan’s Lost Souls to entertain them. Your entertainments can take many forms: keeping the Celestials company, putting on a performance, showing off your cooking and skills, tea ceremonies, and other exhibitions. Should you choose the carnal and kinky route for entertainments, know that you won’t be laying down with any Celestials themselves. Oh, no no no, they’re Heavenly, after all! This is still performance, so you may need a partner to help you out.

Keep in mind that the legends are true! The Celestials are deeply deeply fond of peaches. Both literal and metaphorical. 🍑

The Celestials love to chat and gossip, so keeping them entertained is also an excellent way to hear some interesting information. Tamamo artisans will likely learn that many Celestials openly trade with Tenkohime. In fact, the aphrodisiac goods that the Tamamos so famously deal in come, in large part, from the Celestials. Tamamo isn’t the only clan they do business with either. They also have connections within the Sutoku Alliance and are the land owners of several Alliance properties. They are considered one of the primary sources of capital in the real estate market.

Why would the Celestials want properties in a world they literally can’t live in? Doesn’t that just reek of capitalism.

5. TURF WAR (ALL FACTIONS)

The turf war between the Shuten and Tamamo clans is at a simmer right now. Which doesn’t mean that it’s over – not even close. Minor magical traps, similar to those found in the sewer, have been found in Shuten territory. Frustrated Shuten enforcers have been taking out their anger on anyone that so much as looks at them funny. Bars in both districts are regularly getting smashed up. Knife fights are breaking out in the streets. Cars known to belong to members of both clans turn up with slashed tires. There’s even rumors of hits being taken out on higher ranking members.

Watch your step if you’re out and about in either territory. Faction affiliation doesn’t matter when tensions are running high. What’s more, rumors are flying all over about which of the two warring clans is going to be the one to escalate the violence further.

Will tensions boil over at any moment? At what point does the Department of the Enma have to step in? Why haven’t they already?

It’s all getting too much to handle…

6. CURSED OBJECTS (ALL FACTIONS)

The presence of the Haniwa is having increasingly frightening effects. There are whispers about blood coming out of the walls and the floors in apartments, about black ooze pouring from faucets and coming up from storm drains. There are even whispers of terrible household hauntings.

These aren’t just rumors though. Bars are having to close early due to the presence of wailing ghosts inhabiting the toilet or blood pouring from the taps. People run screaming out of alleyways pursued by ghostly hands.

These curses and hauntings seem to be fairly localized; kept to one building or one block at a time. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason as to when these accursed sightings will take effect.

Be careful out there! Who knows what could happen with so much terrible energy running rampant.

Welcome to the mini event!

If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
FOR THE PURPOSES OF REWARDS, since all of these prompts tie into the main plot in some way, we will count all qualified threads in this post as 2 point threads!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Coming from a world in which the very air hums with magic to this place has been nothing short of an adjustment for Azem. So when magic is used, even if it's not the same as the aether she lived her whole live breathing, she can feel it. The way it prickles across her skin and sends a spike of need through her head. It's like a hunger she didn't realize she had until she feels it.

Following the sensation, she's a little surprised to find Majima at the other end. Perhaps she shouldn't be, he resembles someone's familiar after all. But still, she'd never really got the sense of magic from him. Perhaps it was something suppressed until now.

She watches for a moment, the way the water tries to hold fast to itself despite Majima's attempt to make it do otherwise. And then the subsequent frustration that comes from the failure. ]

I see the elements in this place are stubborn.

Hey, Azem.

[ He recognizes the voice, so he doesn't look immediately even as he answers glumly. ]

I don't really have any experience with this kinda thing. An' the snake ain't bein' any help.

Hand over your body and I will do it for you, then.

Stuff it, Joku.

[ Azem blinks when the second voice speaks up. It hadn't occurred to her that Majima was sharing his body.

Now that is even more fascinating than him simply having snake-like features. For a moment, the matter of the water is forgotten as a hundred questions come to mind.

But, right, water magicks. ]

I can't say I have a great deal of experience conducting the flow of existing water. Conjuring it, however, is another matter.

[ She taps a finger to her chin. ] Though I suppose with the changes to my magicks in this place I'd have better luck trying to conduct it.

[ Honestly, he gives her the look of a confused dog. He's not following a thing that she's saying. This is intimidating to him, he generally just asserts that he is obviously too stupid for anything arcane like this. He'd spent most of his time in Hakagemachi feeling useless and helpless against the supernatural forces there. It was only when he and Chijoku joined close enough to transform that he had any power in that situation. And he almost died for that power. ]

I have no idea what yer talkin' about.

I sometimes forget not everyone lived their entire lives soaked in aether and able to manipulate it.

[ Azem moves over to squat beside him, smiling a little. ]

Back home my magicks allowed me to create anything from nothing. Though in truth I was simply pulling the ambient aether from the air and manipulating it to take another form. I imagine the water would react in a similar way, though it may be easier to start with a still surface.

[ They scoop up some dirt and rocks, fingers moving as shaping the debris like clay. The forms begin to break down and reform into a bowl which Azem then fills with water. ]

[ He's definitely a little sullen about how ignorant he is, but he likes Azem and trusts her not to make him feel worse? So closes his mouth and tries to listen to what she's saying. ]

Ok.

[ He can get behind the basic idea. The river is probably too much for him at the moment, start smaller. He does not get all that shit about the ambient aether but he's listening. ]

I can get a few drops of somethin', hold 'em in th'air for a little bit. But nothin' that's gonna be useful in a fight.

[ One of his many mistakes: assuming he can just figure out how to weaponize something without first spending time getting to know its nature. ]

[ Azem tries to think back to when they were a child first learning to manipulate aether. Back to those lessons learned and how they were taught. They lament Emet-Selch not being here. For all his complaining he'd make for a much better teacher, magic was ever his forte.

But it's Azem that is here, not either of their dearest friends. ]

Holding it and adding to it as you can hold onto it longer is a good place to start. However, [ they grin and pass their hand over the water, drawing up a few droplets ] even a few droplets of water can be shaped.

[ To demonstrate they turn their hand so the droplets now float in clear view. For a moment they remain bloblike before sharpening in something that might be similar to nail's pointed tip. ]

[ This goal seems attainable. So he rearranges his long legs so he can sit with his attention of the little pool she's blocked off. A couple droplets, doable. He has done this part before. Next it's telling them what shape they should be.

At the basest level, he is simply unfamiliar with what it feels like to conduct magic. It is an entirely new functionality in his existence, channels never before opened. It feels like he's breathing with a second set of lungs, oxygenating a new part of his body. He doesn't know how to match up this very physical sensation with the intentions in his mind. ]

Seriously, Joku, ya got nothin' useful t'say?

Know what you are. You are Uwabami.

Th'fuck does that mean?

[ He shouldn't have even asked, should he. ]

[ It seems like a simple task to Azem, but their whole life has been submerged in magic. Those same conduits are well used. This is such a simple thing that they could probably do it in their sleep.

So Azem watches in silence. Though, not completely silent when Majima asks Joku to clarify what they meant. They chuckle. ]

I'm not sure what Uwabami is, but I think it means you just need to trust yourself. Let things flow as they may just as this river does. Even when a rock suddenly falls into its path it still flows around it.

Uwabami is th'kind of yokai... snake...

[ He mutters with a sigh, trying to take in her interpretation of be the Uwabami. Well it's true, he does not fully think of himself as a snake. But his sense of his humanity was also deeply damaged by what was done to him. His dignity stripped, depleted. His wildness and viciousness is stoked by his attachment to this yokai.

His tail flicks back and forth, agitated. His good eye narrows.

He does not make the same shape as Azem. He makes long fangs. ]

That makes sense! [ Azem chuckles.

They fall silent after that, watching as Majima shapes the water into fangs rather than small sharp objects. Their reaction is one of delight, they clap in congratulations. ]

Excellent! I knew you could do it.

[ His mouth twitches a little, honestly still focused intently on what it feels like to hold the water in his power like that; trying to pinpoint just what muscle in his mind (?) is being used. ]

Guess I just gotta keep doin' it.

[ That's how you fight too, you just do it so much that body knows what to do long before you have to think about it. ]

[ Azem is impressed that he's able to continue concentrating on the water even with the loud outburst. It's a good sign that he'll get the hang of this magic sooner rather than later.

They smile and think that maybe they don't make for a bad teacher, after all. ]

That's how it works with most things. The more you work at it the more you grow accustomed to it and the easier it becomes. The magic will come more and more efficiently.

Hope so, Toraguma sure sounded like he wanted me t'get it... yesterday.

[ A few drops of water are not quite what the oni has in mind. He releases his deep concentration on holding the droplets in place, letting them drip back into the basin. ]

Do not fret over much what others want of you. It is new to you and will take some time to train that particular muscle, so to speak.

[ They give the best reassuring smile they can offer. ]

[ That's easy for him to do, when it's someone he doesn't respect. But from the people he feels compelled to good in front of -- competent -- it's actually quite a strong anxiety. He needs something from Toraguma and he is quick to catastrophize what will happen, even if he does impress the oni. ]

Easy for you t'say.

[ He'd broken his entire personality for Sagawa, trying to earn the right back in to the Tojo Clan. Majima is desperately serious. ]

[ Azem would understand some of that. There are a few people whose opinions are very important to them. But by and large, Azem could care less what others think of them. They're an odd one and everyone just seems to accept that. ]

Perhaps so, but this is something that takes time. I've no doubt you will excel at it, but you must walk before you can run. Correct?

Ah, fuck.

[ That's not actually argument, just a final exhalation of his desperation. If he works hard, maybe it will come a little faster but you can only build skills so quickly. Fine. ]

All right. Yer right.

[ Azem smiles and lets out a soft laugh. ] Of course, I am.

I know it's frustrating at the start, but once you get it it'll be like second nature. Trust me.

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May 2022 Mini Event

waterbending

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