jigokulogs | June 2022 Event

June 2022 Event

1. SWIMSUIT TROUBLES (1 POINT)

As the city goes through its daily motions, the heat bears down harder and harder while bringing out some increasingly overheated behavior from the local population. Summer is here and the natives are flocking to the shopping district: both as a respite from the scorching temperatures and to stock up on the needed supplies to beat the heat.

That means one noticeable problem: the bathing suits left on the racks aren’t the most fashionable at this point! Suits are scarce and what is left over are the skimpy, the oddly-patterned, a size too small, or all of the above. Then again, you are probably just feeling lucky you aren’t in the Shuten Clan, who have been provided their own precious supply of freshly laundered tiger stripe bikinis. And nothing else.

You may be able to borrow around within your own faction, where the pickings might not be so slim, but are still unlikely to match your personal style. Better hope you ran out to buy something nice when the Daitengu first announced the party.

2. BEACH GAMES (1 POINT)

The indoor beach facility that the Alliance has provided is extraordinary. It’s massive! It seems to extend to the size of an entire soccer field. With the combinations of Kappa tech and Tengu magic, the experience has been made as close to a natural one as anyone could ask for. The heat of the beach feels true to the real world, the sand is white and pure, and the waves rolling in and out are just like the mortal realm. Even the palm trees and beach scrub seem entirely authentic. The vibe is immaculate.

Each faction has their own area set up for meeting and mingling but everyone is welcome to let loose and interact among all the groups.

SHUTEN CLAN

The Shuten Clan has set up their beach fort with food and drinks. The drinks on offer are a particularly strong Oni beer and a few spirits (especially sake). These drinks have been mixed so that anyone who imbibes them will feel a heightened sense of competition and the need to prove themselves!

There are plenty of opportunities to show off:
Learning surfing with a few knowledgeable Oni.
Volleyball matches.
Shoulder chicken tournaments.
Beer pong.
Drinking contests that never seem to stop.
And friendly scuffles with some of the Shuten who are feeling more rowdy than usual.
In particular, the volleyball matches appear to be the Shuten Clan’s sport of choice. They’re taking these matches deathly serious. With all powers allowed in play, the game is truly deadly with how powerful, how fast, and how fierce those spikes and volleys are. Hold nothing back and leave it all in the ring!

Toraguma himself is here in his tiger striped best! He’s observing the games and taking note of which Shutens do well and which ones shame the clan with their defeat. He’ll give out rewards to those he thinks are exemplifying the pride of the clan. Don’t worry though, if you’re not up to snuff you won’t be punished; except with Toraguma’s obvious disappointment.

TAMAMO CLAN

The Tamamo Clan doesn't disappoint either. Their tiki bar is set up with a far greater variety in stock than the Shutens. Every drink seems to be made to that Lost Soul’s exact tastes. Watch out, this may compel you to pound them back more quickly than normal. The drinks will make you feel much closer to those around you — either in camaraderie, or something more intimate. The Tamamos have arranged a number of floats, inner tubes, and water wings lounging in the water. Enjoy your time together!

When you aren’t relaxing, the Tamamo Clan has also arranged huge buckets of water balloons and have filled their water guns. The instructions are clear: whether sniping from afar or going in on a full assault, go nuts. Especially against the Shutens. Lady Tenkohime herself has a high-caliber, sniper-grade water rifle with her at her lounge chair. She will occasionally pick some unlucky soul to fire off devastating rounds against. She is not soaking them in just water, of course. This is the Tamamo clan’s patented ‘perfume’, which inspires the most amorous feelings.

Finally, the Tamamo have also inspired a spicy wet t-shirt contest. It’s essentially a sexy beauty contest, but given the variety of bodies and hidden ‘talents’ tucked away under everyone’s clothes, it should prove interesting! Tenkohime has described the simple rules:
One must wear the provided white shirt and only that shirt.
The crowd will soak them down.
And the crowd will judge how well they pull it off.

SUTOKU CLAN

The Sutoku Clan has been given free reign on a fleet of jet skis and paddle boats; perfect for two. There are boogie boards and larger inner tubes ready to be attached to different jet skis. Just be careful, ok?

A large snack bar has been provided with cheerful yokai behind the counter ready and willing to serve up your heart’s desire. There are some strange candies towards the end of the bar, they taste a bit funny but once you eat one you’re compelled to have a few more. These sweets will give you the power to breathe underwater. What is the meaning of this power? Well, you’re in the Alliance, after all, you figure out what’s under the waves.

Sutoku games include things like kan jam and frisbees, but Sutoku Souls are also very much encouraged to participate in the Shuten Clan’s volleyball tournament. Much to Toraguma’s frustration, the Alliance has planted a Tengu referee who seems to really favor the Alliance players over his own. Use your powers liberally.

The Daitengu is in attendance with sunscreen marks on their mask, for some reason. They’re being a total busybody, as usual. They’re really taking the time to chat up Tenkohime and Toraguma, even if the two want to rip each other’s throats out. Could a resolution to the turf war be on the way? One can only hope!

ENMA DEPARTMENT

The Enma is instructing the members of the Department to volunteer (aka voluntold) for lifeguard duty. The shifts are short — it is ultimately a party — and participation will net you both free food and drink from any of the vendors, as well as license to let loose for the rest of the party! The fare provided by the Enma vendors is pretty staid, but it does fill you with the odd need to run down the beach shallows in slow motion. Not sure what that’s about.

There is one further task that is expected of the Enma Department: suikawari. It is a big deal and to be taken seriously! This is the Enma’s favorite beach activity and the only diversion that he cares about. Your guess is as good as anyone’s, but it’s probably because the game resembles a form of execution. Regardless! Every officer is expected to do at least one round of the game as a form of initiation to the Department itself. Captain Shiki hosts the game in the absence of the Enma. Someone should tell her to chill out with that whistle, though.

3. BONFIRE (1 POINT)

As the hosts of the event, the Sutoku Alliance has set up a massive bonfire as the sun begins to set and stars light up the magical sky. There’s a romantic feeling in the air. Things seem as chill as they ever could be, there are no Haniwa in sight! Things feel peaceful for the first time in a while.

A final happy hour is declared, with free libations for everyone to close out the night. It’s time to finish this party in style. For anyone particularly watchful, they may spy the extraordinary sight of Toraguma and Tenkohime together. Off in the shadows while the party rages on, they are sitting together and watching the waves roll in. What could they be discussing? It will remain a mystery, getting any closer to them would be a deadly mistake.

The evening closes without any major incidents. Nothing seems like it could spoil the mood. It almost feels too good to be true.

4. AND THEN... (2 POINTS)

As all the party goers change back into their clothes and exit the facility, there is a rumble of thunder over Jigokucho. The stars are quickly swallowed by a darkening sky and the ground shakes. A minor earthquake? That’s not unheard of but the sky above is looking threatening. Evil. Darkness washes out over the entire city, none of its many bright lights able to cut through. Something is wrong. Something is happening.

A warm rain begins to fall, spattering across you and your surroundings. It becomes quickly apparent that you are not doused with water, but with blood.

The silence is shattered suddenly when a scream cuts across the whole of Jigokucho. An accursed miasma pours out from every direction. Then you see them: the Haniwa. They are everywhere, gazing from every direction, pressing in. Something has gone terribly wrong.

Captain Shiki is the first to act. She makes a call to Kaigo no Bou, but what she hears is enough to freeze her in her tracks.

The containment center deep beneath the tower where the Haniwa were being stored has been compromised. All of the cursed energy that was stored there has leaked out into the city from below. The guards below are dead. No one is answering their radio. It is not just the containment center that has been compromised, but all of Kaigo no Bou.

Captain Shiki struggles to remain calm as she gives out orders. Her entire command structure has been decimated, but she has to keep these people safe. She urges everyone to seek shelter, immediately. Everyone needs to partner up and stick together.

None of the faction leaders present arguments and they enforce this ruling with their Souls. They direct everyone to make their way back to their home base. Shuten to the Arena, Tamamo to Mizukume, and Sutoku to Konoha. There, their faction leaders can protect them.

As for the Enma officers: they are on rescue duty. You will be heading out into the city to rescue as many people as possible from the nightmarish effects of the cursed energy on the city. Captain Shiki will act as their point of command at the indoor beach.

Good luck, everyone.

5. IN THE CURSED NIGHT (2 POINTS)

A rain of blood is sprinkling all around you. It pings off sign posts and garbage bins, it splatters wetly onto the concrete and your face. The scent is pungent and thick; spoiling. It is soaking in to your hair, your clothes, your skin. It is driving you mad: your pulse spinning, breathing short.

There are noises in the impenetrable darkness. Fox feet on the pavement, crow wings shifting on a perch, a stranger's cruel laughter. The dark energy that has swallowed you is bemused by your smallness, is lurking at the edges and waiting for the moment to strike. Hold tight to your fellows, lest in the darkness another hand be placed in yours. Do you know who you walk with? What you walk with?

The Haniwa are watching you from every surface; crowded together as one with their empty eye sockets and open mouths. Their dark eyes turn to follow where you go as you stumble through your nightmares and your delusions. They breathe in your suffering on the air.

Beware the onibi, they will lead you astray.
Beware the grasping hands in the trees.
Beware the whispers in the distance.
Beware the slope to the river.
Beware. Beware.

Welcome to the June event!

Art by astrono77153462
Special shoutout to vandalisto for coming up with the meat of this event; the beach party. They approached us with this as a player plot, and it was good enough that we made it into the full event for the month. Excellent work, Vandal!
If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
If your character participated in the volleyball games, see here! If they participated in the wet t-shirt contest, see here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Very well then! Do your best, Heaven's Delinquent!"

That's her new name now, Heaven's Delinquent. Enjoy it, Tenshi. Ibaraki doesn't waste any time herself, downing her own booze with gusto and ease. It takes a lot to hang with Shuten! "Next!"

You know, she earned that. But it's not like this was new for her. Everyone already called her that or worse back home. She was basically heaven's reprobate pain in the ass that they just let the mortals deal with rather than getting headaches.

She motioned for the booze to be poured and the attendant looked at the two of them a little nervously, mostly at her. She didn't exactly look like she could handle her alcohol, after all. A withering look and it was poured. She grinned across her drink. "I should make you eat that name, you know, Oni. What's your name anyway?" Even if Ibaraki had told her before, she'd forgotten. "Oni usually have big fancy names and titles if they're worth their stuffing."

Down the hatch. No cough. No fits. She might have been holding those back, however. She definitely felt the second. she could keep up, however, damnit. At the very least, she couldn't remember why she cared about wet t-shirt contests being dirty.

"Kuku- indeed, I do have a noteworthy name. One capable striking fear into the most stalwart of hearts. Spoken in fear and terror throughout the whole of the capital!"

She gave another bellow of a laugh before she downs her next drink like a pro. Calling out for yet another one. She's most certainly an oni with the amount of gusto that's being put into everything. For her part, Ibaraki didn't really understand what the whole hubbub was about. It was just a wet shirt after all. What was the big deal?

She drums her fingers on the counter, awaiting her next drink. She gives the most charming, smug smirk out there, with a little snaggletooth sticking up from her bottom lip.

"Yes... for you are in the presence of Ibaraki-Douji!"

You may bow now.

She squinted. Nope, no bowing. Instead, she was squinting like she was staring at a ghost. Leaning forward, she gave a poking gesture, right before her drink came. She took a swig hard and grunted. "I know Ibaraki. Wouldn't surprise me if she was definitely the one who freaked them out all those years ago. But you definitely aren't any Ibaraki I ever met."

She shook her head fiercely. "Gah. Why does there have to be two Ibaraki's? This is so confusing!"

"Two Ibarakis?"

That earns a head tilt and furrow of her nonexistent eyebrows. Is there another Ibaraki here? Does she gots competition? Questions are clearly abound here! Ibaraki takes her drink and downs it again, maybe with a little less gusto than before.

"What sort of drunken ramblings are you going on about?"

"I'm noth drunk!" she insisted. And technically? She was probably just a little tipsy right now, not really drunk. Buuuut, did that help her case? Tenshi frowned and shook her head, glaring over at Ibaraki like this was entirely her fault while the next round of drinks were getting ready. Mmmm, at least it was taking the headache away.

"Ibaraki, Ibaraki! There's an Ibaraki where I come from but you two don't look anything alike, though she'd probably love that third eye thing. It's all mystical and everything. Girl's on some sort of hermitage." She shook her head. "I mean I don'th 'know know' she's an oni, but pretty sure she's hiding something under those hair bunsh up on her head." A snort.

"Met Miyamotho Mushashi, though. But not mine, pretty durned sure. Sho, you're probably another Ibaraki? Maybe. I don'th know. There should be only one Ibaraki darnith!" Chug. Ooog, she felt that. She smiled, but she needed to stop taking them like that.

Mystical, another Ibaraki without a third eye, cool tats, and red limbs? What is this? And she may, or may not, be an oni? And they're from a different world? The blonde Ibaraki is currently picking apart those words in her mind. Doing mental gymnastics to discern the truth behind those words.

And the conclusion?

"Then that's not me."

...Such genius here. She takes another drink, gusto returning. "Oh! But you've met the Noodle Woman? The one here and a different one?"

Hm... "I think you're reaching your limits, Delinquent."

"Well duh itsh not you," she stated firmly and gestured with her drink. Precious drops almost sloshed. Nope. She wasn't giving up quite yet. She was only four cups in! Uh. Or was it five? She wasn't keeping track at this point. "And please. I can handle more than this! Just give me a second."

Breathe. She leaned back to think about the situation. Noodle woman? Who was the Noodle Woman? Was that Musashi? Why'd she call her noodle woman? Huh... "Must be that you're the oni from your world, and mine is differenth. Yep. Confushing though. Thoo bad. Kicked her assh plenty of thymes. Never goth in a drinking contest though. She stopped drinking. Ya know. Hermithy sthuff." Frown. Oh, she had a drink. She drank it. Hey it didn't hurt as much. Mind you, her face was a little flushed. She vaguely remembered they were having a contest. "I'm good to keep going a bit more. This stuff is good."

Honestly? She was probably good for about three more before there was a problem. She was just really letting it go to her head. "Ya know. We should totally fight one'f these days. For fun." Because apparently this was fun in her book?

Kuh...! What a stubborn Celestial!

Does Ibaraki give her a second? No way! She's already downing her next drink! Udon-maniac=Noodle Woman=Miyamoto Musashi. The math checks!

"Ha! Yep that's not me! There's no way I'd lose to some random Celestial."

Though she might have ended up living that whole hermit life... but not out of her choice! It's complicated when your arm's been cut off and you had to seduce the guy that cut it off to get it back. Very complicated indeed.

But the evident extra challenge does get a bellow of an oni-laugh! "Pff haha! Perhaps we shall! Though I warn you I am nothing like that supposed "Ibaraki" that you had faced!"

Clearly the banana here is far superior in every way! Bwahahaha! Coughcoughcough!!!

Pffft. She snorted while she held her glass in front of her. Oh good, it had been refilled. It was like an oni's cup wasn't it? Getting refilled automatically. Was it magical? Nah. The attendants just were on hand. Whatever. She sniffed it to be sure before snorting and responding.

"Hey! I'm noth sthome rando. I shake th'heavens with my thremors! And I have the shord of Hishou thank you very much. Well I would if they didn't take ith away! Stronger tahn I look!" She certainly was knocking back enough hard alcohol with this next drink that she wasn't a normal human. Of course, outdrinking an oni wasn't a thing a celestial could do, even if they could keep pace for a while.

Hah, the real difference between the two of them? Kasen didn't seduce the guy. She replaced her missing arm with one of shadow. Not that Tenshi actually knew any of that. "Plenthy sthronger than I look, I'll have ya know. Could lift this whole bar!" Please don't.

Kuku...! Yes, the victory was already clearly in the oni's favor here! It would be yet another win for Ibaraki at these beach games! She continues on, going strong as she matches drink after drink with Tenshi! Such is what it means to try and out drink an oni....

"Hmph, I will admit that you are far more resilient than some idiot human." That's a compliment!? "Most would have collapsed by now."

Ho-hum, and the drinks... they just... keep coming! "But only the whole bar? I could lift... this whole building!"

Gasp!

Yep, she was definitely losing track, and by now a human would have been completely out of it. She was swirling her latest and staring at it, squinting while she tried to remember. "Bah, of course you can. You're an oni. I'm noth trying to outh strength an oni," she said, shaking her head and oh... she shouldn't do that. Wait, wasn't she supposed to be doing something.

"Oh riiiiiighth, weren't we going to do the weth shirth thing?" she said, looking over at her and gesturing with the drink before downing it. "If I say ya won, should we go do thath?"

"Oh, that thing."

She really doesn't get it, in Ibaraki's mind, it's just a wet shirt. What's the appeal? It is still a competition, however. Because of that sole fact Ibaraki felt drawn to it all the same.

"Fine, we can do that."

Neither did Tenshi. She figured out that it was some perverted thing, but she was sort of ignoring it. She got up, a little unsteadily and grinned, holding a hand up. "I mighth loshe to you ath drinking buth I can win thish!"

... god help them all. At least she'd keep it down.

"Gwahahaha! In your dreams! But you are welcome to try."

And with that laugh the distant sounds of other oni bellowing their own belly laughter can be heard. Oh no...

And, as they went off to the laughter in the distance, well... at least one of them was going to make a fool of herself, but she got free drink vouchers out of it, so there was that!

(OOC: This is a good wrap point I think, how about you?)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

June 2022 Event

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