May 2022 Mini Event

[jigokumods]

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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.

Comments

[breweries]

[ bizarre is right. and yet shylock carries on like this is all normal to him, that the haniwa's power hasn't gotten to him -- because that's it, for the most part. ]

Now, you're not foolish at all for being affected. Some of these hallucinations target the heart, after all.

[ shylock may not have the full picture, but there must be something significant in the sanzu river that minato would risk jumping in and potentially drowning in. it really is a good thing he came along just in time. ]

But... I may have a solution. It's not a permanent fix, but it may help you see more clearly. [ he smiles. ] First, we'll need to sit somewhere safe.

[ there's an empty bus stop just within walking distance, incidentally. perfect. ]

[watermemory]

Sorry, you're right... this isn't the first time I've had a nightmare since those haniwa appeared, but -- it wasn't anything like this.

[The reasonable words do get through to him, even if having a stranger witnessing his nightmare is shameful, and he finally accepts the hand up and heads to the aforementioned bus stop. Minato can't help sneaking a look behind him -- there's only one shadow on the bridge now, and it's fragmenting at the edges.]

It was those street gangs... must've been a few blocks from here. They were using those figurines like grenades. [He makes a disgusted sigh as he sits down, elbows on his knees.] It hit someone else and they collapsed, but I-I must have gotten some of the backlash. That's the last thing I remember.

[breweries]

[ so he's already being wracked with nightmares before all this... isn't that concerning. shylock turns his head ever so slightly to check on the rando gang member before sitting right next to minato. ]

What a creative way of utilizing haniwa. Not to mention dangerous. You didn't get broken pieces on your person, did you?

[ does he need to dust you off? no? okay then. ]

Now, then. [ with a sleight of his hand, shylock summons forth a kiseru pipe, twirling it in between his fingers before it magically lights up on its own. ] Take long, deep breaths.

[ and then he puts the pipe to his lips and takes in a drag. the smoke that comes out of it smells quite pleasant, actually -- tonight it's a nice mixture of orange blossom, rose, and honey. ]

It will take a while for my specialty magic to take effect. Till then, stay close to me.

[ does he have to put it like that, though? yes. he's a tamamo, it's fine. ]

[watermemory]

[He huffs a laugh at that, rubbing his eyes with a hand. There's no clay fragments on him, luckily, given the scrapes and bruises he's collected today -- what would happen if it, what, got in his bloodstream? Best not to think about it, not with the haniwa's cloud still hanging over him.]

Creative, huh... They must be truly desperate.

[Through the hair falling over his eyes, Minato watches Shylock flourishing the kiseru pipe. It reminds him a little of his med student friend at home, making a ritual of lighting each cigarette; and also of burning agarwood incense at the mountain shrine. It's... grounding. Even though the aroma of the smoke is completely different from either.]

I, ah. [With some sense of Minato's equilibrium returning just from getting his breathing under control, he's picking up on the wording and starting to backpedal.]

I don't have to... do anything, do I? -- not that I'm ungrateful for the help, but, um...

[breweries]

Not at all, apart from closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing. Maybe we can talk about the weather.

[ and not, you know, the reason why minato made a mad dash like that just now. shylock is never one to pry, and he usually lets them talk about it whenever they're ready.

speaking of the weather, looks like part of minato's hallucinations is coming true. there's a sound of pitter-patter on the awning above them as rain starts to pick up, forcing the nearby street gang to seek shelter for the time being. whew. ]

[watermemory]

["The weather..."]

[For a dangerous moment, no longer than a held breath -- even with Shylock's magic preparing to take hold -- the haniwa's nightmare becomes more solid than ever. The storm, the shadowed bridge; a rural mountain village around them instead of a modern city.]

[In the next breath, though, it starts to fragment again. Weirdly, the light spring rain beginning to fall helps to pull Minato back to stable ground. Next to the memory of the storm, it's... real. Harmless.]

I don't know what there is to say about it... it's rained like this most of my life. Or snowed. Or mist thick enough you can hardly see your neighbour's house. [There's the beginnings of a tired smile playing on his mouth.] But this is the second time now I've been caught out here without an umbrella. Heavens only know what'll happen if we're all still here come wintertime...

[Breathe in, breathe out.]

[breweries]

[ shylock nods, and takes another drag from his pipe; the fragrant plumes of smoke envelop the two of them almost like a warm blanket to keep out the cool air and the drizzle that accompanied it. ]

That depends if our contracts will be over and done with by then. Some of them are practically impossible to achieve, I hear.

[ that's probably just him, though. waves hand, waves hand. ]

We can get an umbrella once the rain lets up. This place you were talking about is Aizu, isn't it?

[watermemory]

People have talked about theirs? It feels so-- [Taboo?]-- private. I know there isn't an official injunction against discussing it, but...

[With the smoke curling around them, somehow it creates distance enough from the memory that Minato just sees... a place.]

A part of it -- it's where I come from. I left it two years ago... [His voice wavers; not for the first time, he wishes he had memories of this life that were not so incredibly loaded. There has to be something--]

...My best friend and I went hiking up the mountains in a storm like this, once. We had to turn back when the winds got too strong -- I don't even know if he remembers it. I was just... happy he trusted me to watch out for him. [His face colours a little.] Sorry-- you're being very patient with all this...

[breweries]

Fufu. I'd imagine that other people would be unable to keep their mouth shut about the subject, but I for one would prefer keeping that sort of info to myself. I was just stating this matter of fact, is all.

[ another puff of his pipe as the rain starts to fall more steadily above them -- a perfect backdrop for this somber scene. ]

Mm, I don't mind. [ he shakes his head. ] I'm quite used to listening to other people's stories -- comes with the territory of my profession. If you two are best friends, I'm certain that that person has kept that memory in his heart along with the other moments you've had together. [ he smiles. ] Is he here with you?

[watermemory]

Ha... in that case, I won't disagree with that. And I certainly hope we aren't contracted 'til winter.

[Since it does hit him, now, that it never had a set timespan.]

Your profession? [Minato hasn't had the presence of mind until now to notice Shylock's attire, besides him being almost incongruously well-dressed after the chaos of the skirmishes in the street.]

...! [He ducks his head, this time not from shame over the nightmare but instant embarrassment at being sussed out by a stranger. Kept that memory in his heart, indeed. ] I-- different affiliations, but, yes, he is. Lucky, I know, it doesn't seem like most people here can count on familiar faces...

[breweries]

[ he's looking rather dapper for a guy who's only out for a walk, isn't he? ]

Yes. I am a bartender, you see. I'd recently opened a bar in the Tamamo district.

[ that's been more or less wrecked thanks to the ongoing scuffle, but we don't talk about that right now. ]

It's inevitable that groups of people who come from the same world will be separated by affiliations. That should not stop you from congregating with them, however -- it'd be even more beneficial if you're close with at least one member of each faction.

[watermemory]

[Well. Even if Shylock doesn't say so, Minato can make an educated guess what he's doing here and not at work. He rubs his temples.]

I'm sure this sounds disingenuous coming from someone on the other side... I hope this blows over soon. I might not have been here long, but I know it's gone on long enough.

[That sounds in line with what folks have been saying, at least.]

I don't intend to leave Tamamori -- my friend alone, no. [He's usually good about not mentioning his friends by their nicknames, but this isn't exactly the best of times.] What about you? Is there anyone here from your home?

[breweries]

[ shylock chuckles and shakes his head. ] I don't fault the Lost Souls who are allied with the Shuten. In fact, I find them quite adorable. If there is anyone to be blamed, it's our respective clanheads for wanting to die on the hill we call the sewers, among other things.

[ he punctuates this with another puff from his pipe. he thinks it's utterly stupid, okay. what are those leaders gonna do for speaking his mind, kill him? please. ]

Oh yes, we have a few from home. It is much less lonely that way. [ never mind the fact that wizards are inherently lonely, shh. ] So you're Mr. Tamamori's friend, hm? I met him a little while back on the network, actually. The one with the beautiful blue eyes.

[ it's hard to forget that certain shade. ]