jigokulogs | July 2022 Mini Event

MAIN NAVIGATION

Tanabata is on the horizon, and the city seems to be recovering well from last month. But there's work to be done, and it's time to get to it...

1. SHUTEN CLAN - THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS

With construction wrapping up, the new Shuten Clan casino will be opening soon. The casino has a number of new staff positions opening. It is a golden opportunity for anyone looking for a cash rich position. The money promised upon assignment to the underground casino is bound to be life-changing. Given the potentials in clientele, Toraguma is expecting the very best. Shutens are to report to the above ground Celestial Phoenix casino for their training.

They will be taught all the traditional casino fare, both Japanese and abroad. This includes being taught how to cheat at these games as well. For example:
Blackjack dealers will learn card count, and how to catch others doing the same.
Roulette attendants will learn both how and when to discreetly adjust the wheel.
Craps and Cee-lo dealers will learn how to feel for loaded dice and how to switch in the house's dice without notice.
Cee-lo dealers are also taught a specific way to line the dice tray to cause more lost throws.
Cho-Han dealers will learn how to distract players as they adjust the dice.
That's not all the Shutens will be learning. The clan needs skilled bouncers as well: people who can handle rowdy customers or haughty celestials. The more tenured Shutens will take up the roles of rude customers and challenge the trainees in how to handle them.

While not everyone will receive employment in the casino, they are all expected to participate in training. Shuten officers are expected to guide and oversee their juniors.

2. TAMAMO CLAN - CHARM SCHOOL

The Tamamo Clan also has preparations to make in anticipation of the underground's opening. The clan is opening their own brothel and cabaret, as well as providing food and drink services to the new Shuten casino.

All Tamamo Clan members must report for training at Mizukume. The lesson of the day is to use one's charisma to secure a huge payout. For example:
Hosts and hostesses will learn the art of schmoozing away clients' money.
Performers will learn more provocative means of soliciting large tips.
Oiran are taught the erotic arts; the perfect balance to both please a client, and how to leave them begging (and paying) for more. There's no technique Tenkohime finds too shameful. Money is power, and power is freedom.
Food service workers are provided master classes in mixology, plating, and how to serve high-profile clients without breaking a sweat.
Each role comes with its own set of pressures, but also the promise of great reward. Everyone is going to get rich, if everyone plays their part well.

Tenured Tamamo are asked to roleplay as clients for the benefit of those Lost Souls new to the work. While not everyone will be selected to work in the Underground, everyone is expected to train for it.

3. SUTOKU ALLIANCE - BLACK MARKETS AND BACK ALLEYS

After months of meetings, it's finally time for some real action. Sutoku Lieutenant Ryouma Sakamoto has made some pretty big commitments on the Alliance's behalf. His temerity comes from his earnest belief in the other Sutoku Lost Souls! No pressure, though!

To succeed, the Alliance must determine who is behind the current black market operation. Ryouma is relying on the Alliance's extensive information network and the hard work of the Lost Souls to make it happen.

This is the work that Ryouma mentioned when he welcomed the new arrivals recently.

This assignment is all about what you know. The Sutoku need to learn more about the competition, through any means necessary. The Alliance wants to know everything about what goods are moving around the city and who is moving it. Time to follow the money. You might even discover an unfulfilled niche in the market through your investigations.

The current influx of Stardust in the city is a great opportunity to investigate the existing dealers and supply lines. The Alliance is gathering Stardust just like everyone else, but it is becoming increasingly scarce as the factions vie for it. The value of this commodity is shooting up every day. Take some cash or other compelling bartering tools with you to grease the palms of a few shady dealers. Try to convince them to be more honest about their supply lines, beyond just the sparkly stuff. Stick the landing, and you might just be closing in on the heart of those shipping loopholes.

This is no easy undertaking. Creativity and tenacity will determine just how far you can go. Be careful not to be too obvious, the threat of unwanted attention will cause your sources to clam up.

4. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA - CRACK DOWNS

The Stardust's street presence has shifted naturally over the past few weeks: from an easy resource to simply scoop up in garbage bags overnight to a hot commodity. The street value of the material has increased considerably, and that means that the unaffiliated street gangs are greedy to get in on the action.

Enma officers are called upon to round up any black market dealers of Stardust and confiscate as much of their supply as they can find. This might just bring them into some direct conflict with the Sutoku Alliance members hoping to connect with market insiders. That's just how things boil out sometimes, though.

It is more important to the Department to get Stardust out of the hands of the black marketeers… and into their own lockers.

Officers are given permission to use any amount of force against individual actors, and members of the Law and Records Department are expected to draft up warrants (no matter how doctored) to obtain access to buildings they otherwise would never be allowed into; even Mizukume and the Arena. The Department's orders are clear: if it's not an approved market, shut it down.

This is in the name of maintaining Order, so get out there. Move at least in pairs, or you're likely to meet some serious resistance, and keep an eye out for the newbies.

5. ALL FACTIONS - LUNAR RABBIT RETURNS

It isn't just the factions, dealers, and petty gangs who are interested in the Stardust now that it's a premium item.

A familiar face has resurfaced: the mysterious gyokuto medicine woman and her army of white rabbits. While her little kin have managed to gather a healthy amount of Stardust for her "research", she still needs more. She is willing to pay a huge premium to those who retrieve more materials for her.

She understands that this will require you to either pilfer from one of the factions, or potentially someone even more dangerous. She will be providing samples of one of her drugs, which can grant temporary invisibility in moonlight. Use it for whatever hijinks you want, but she really would prefer if you brought her the goods in the end.

If invisibility doesn't cut if for you, she can provide another sample that provides 10 times your normal strength. While you can KO anyone who gets in your way, it wears off within 5 to 10 seconds. She is very clear that you should not take more than 3 doses of this, or you will very possibly die. Probably. Maybe? It will be unpleasant. So use it only when you need to.

The reward for getting her some Stardust, depending on the amount, can easily pay all a character's expenses for a month, if not longer. The temptation is great, but do you trust this strange rabbit woman?

Welcome to the mini event!

If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
Looking for a partner for your prompt? Post 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

[He looks at him with such exhaustion in his eyes. Please don't remind him of his ex-husband(?) who he thinks is going to die every other week. He doesn't want to be this widow and he can see the life that lead to this and--

Oh no. He's projecting.]

[ oh? what's nero looking so dejected for? let him just let down his hair for that added divorced milf look, bringing a hand to his eye as he feigns crying. ]

Ah, p-pardon me, good sir. I wish to eat something that'll help me forget the heaviness in my heart for only a little while... Might you have any suggestions...?

[He's like. Fully not here for a moment while he tries to put away his projection problems.]

Of course. I highly recommend the rack of lamb with fondant potatoes.

[ he sniffles. leave it to him to be an eerily good actor. ]

He... That was his favorite food. Are you certain that I could have some?

[Fried chicken is Bradley's favorite food.

Nero continues to project quietly. Not to mention all the other bandits that they'd lost over time.]

Of course. Eating his favorite food is a way to remember and treasure his memory.

Indeed.

[ ... ]

Shall I have a glass of wine to go along with it?

[He's having the absolute worst time in this roleplay session, but none of it is showing on his face.]

Certainly. I'll make sure you're well taken care of.

[He'll put in an order from some nice red wine to compliment the flavor of the meat.]

[ good thing they can't read minds, huh. not that shylock isn't perceptive on his own, but ofc he won't bring it up. ]

Th-thank you... I apologize for being such a mess right from the onset.

There's nothing to apologize for during your time with us.

[But maybe you'd feel better yelling at a grave? Have you considered putting your husband in jail so it wouldn't get to this point?]

Please, be as you are.

[ what if he died a peaceful death?? nero????? ]

I... I will.

[ he stops wiping at his tears and manages a small, bashful smile at nero that almost looks uncanny coming from shylock's face. ]

[The only way wizards die is violently! It's a reasonable suggestion! (it's not.)

He gives the widow a small smile.]

Let me know anything we could do for you here.

[ WHAT IF THE GUY WAS JUST A NORMAL ASS HUMAN THOUGH......... ]

Um, there is one thing.

[IN HELL???]

Please, let me know.

[ HUMANS CAN GO TO HELL, NERO, ]

Well...

[ oh god, this widow's acting shy all of a sudden-- ]

Is the chef available?

[ ... ]

[CAN HUMANS DIE TWICE UNLESS MURDERED? HELLO. THIS IS CLEARLY HIS FAULT FOR DYING.]

I'm afraid he's rather busy at the moment, but if you'd like to stay until closing...?

[ PEOPLE CAN DIE IF KILLED, OBVIOUSLY ]

That'd take too long. How about... you?

[ why is this widow chinhandsing now ]

[THEN IT'S HIS FAULT FOR HAVING PEOPLE WANT TO KILL HIM. PUZZLE SOLVED.]

Of course.

[For the moment, he takes the seat next to Shylock.]

[ shylock's eyes light up, oh hell yeah brother let's fucking go. ]

Well first of all, what is your name, young man?

[ This makes him feel some kind of something.

... ]

Oren. And your own?

Jessica. Nice to meet you, Mr. Oren.

[ it's a name he came up on the fly, but little does he know that it's the name of a certain character in a certain shakespearean work... ]

Did you... Did you have someone like that too? Someone whom you've lost.

[Nero should not be in charge of naming anything. Ever.]

Something like that. [He doesn't want to talk to Shylock about his ex, and he definitely doesn't want to talk to some random widower about his own past. But he knows he's a terrible liar.

It's something that's true enough.]

[ there's always something about nero, shylock muses. it's just like that one time at the central kingdom too, while they were fighting those witches -- no matter how much he tries downplaying his feelings, western wizards like him can tell somehow. ]

Did you want them back? I know I do. But... Ones who can't evade death aren't so lucky.

I haven't decided yet.

[He's always flip flopping between wanting Bradley back or throwing him into the ocean and never looking back.]

[ a nod. he truly is indecisive, is he... ]

I understand. [ fakes more soft sobbing ] It'd be hard to replace my husband, but... In time, I can find someone else.

In time, when you're ready to start looking again. But you should take all the time you need.

(no subject)

breweries - 2022-08-08 10:36 (UTC) - Expand

perfectdistance - 2022-08-08 23:38 (UTC) - Expand

breweries - 2022-08-10 10:03 (UTC) - Expand

perfectdistance - 2022-08-10 14:21 (UTC) - Expand