jigokulogs | August 2022 Event

August 2022 Event

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Toraguma and Tenkohime were not exaggerating when they said that Sai no Kawara was bound to attract extraordinarily deep pockets. The Celestials are already familiar to the Lost Souls, but among the crowds of customers are humans and yokai of wealth that can only be calculated in the billions, and even trillions. Powerful executives have come out to play, the sort of power brokers that almost exist beyond faction politics, the tier who makes the most money out of the city's dealings.

The event has an air of class that is far beyond what the average Lost Soul will have ever imagined…

1. GAMBLING PROBLEM (1 POINT)

The main event comes in the form of the games. This is where the Shuten Clan shines, as they offer up a plethora of gambling opportunities for the rich and powerful to partake in. There might be a Lost Soul or two at the tables, if they're feeling particularly lucky. Buy-in to a game isn't cheap, but if you're low on cash, you can substitute a handful of stellar Stardust to the pot.

Western games like Poker, Blackjack, and Roulette share space with Eastern standards like Cee-lo and Cho-han. Shuten Clan dealers have been training hard for this moment. They have learned to cheat on behalf of the House to scrape as much from these high rollers as they can. Those Shuten attendants who win big for the House will be duly compensated for their fine efforts.

If you're very clever, or very lucky, you might just be able to secure quite a payout for yourself as a player too. Just don't get caught pulling any funny business. The Shuten Clan bouncers have also been training quite thoroughly for this event. If you're not one of the fabulously wealthy tycoons, the bouncers have little incentive to play nice with you.

Should fighting break out, there is an arena onsite. Bets are flying there, too. Are you willing to wager your own pretty face?

2. PLEASURE PALACE (1 POINT)

Tenkohime wasn't exaggerating when she called her turf in the newly renovated underground a palace. The attendants at the Palace of Sai greet their wealthy clientele warmly, and they have a host of wondrous and rare delights to offer. As a rare treat, the Lost Souls are encouraged to indulge in this decadence. If the prices make you choke, remember that a little bit of Stardust will go a long way this season.

Food and drinks are of the highest quality. Delicacies from across Japan and the world abroad have been prepared, including many dishes not even of the Earth as you might know it. Particular favorites from the drinks menu are:
Side Cars that have been made with cognac from a 300,000 yen bottle.
Platinum Passions that have been made with L’esprit de Courvoisier; 800,000 yen per bottle.
Eightfold Blessing is a captivating and aromatic mix considered to be Tenkohime's very own specialty. It grants the vigor to fulfill any desire; 1,000,000 yen a glass.
The pricey and fabulous drinks are just an encouragement. The Tamamo's best trained consorts are ready to offer their private services, usually in pairs. They have some Tanabata wishes of their own, and want to make them come true through their talents and skills. Not every encounter is sexual, some consorts simply wish to spend time with their clients and make them feel like the most important person in the world today. With the big price tags on their hours, the customer might very well be.

In addition to expensive meals, sex, and company, the Tamamo Clan also offers theater and performances. They have contracted with the highest caliber performers in the city, even those on loan from other factions. Dancers, musicians, and entertainers of all varieties are waiting in the wings to put on a show.

3. GOSSIP (1 POINT)

One of the performances gracing the stage in the Palace of Sai may seem familiar! The band Moonday played at the food truck festival last month. As it turns out, the lead singer -- a wolf girl named Ringo-chan -- is the daughter of one of the wealthiest executives within the Alliance's network of finance kings; Kaberou. She's run away from her restrictive life to rough it with her band. Big money is riding on convincing her to come home. There's another rumor floating around that the pirates attacking the supply lines have been putting pressure on Kaberou. Is he securing buyers for these pirated goods?

Rumors are flying: the kind of rumors that can bring riches or ruin. The Daitengu has commanded their people to keep their ears open. Do they happen upon a juicy lead? Do they find a way to reconnect Kaberou with his estranged daughter? Do they discover more about the pirates? Do tell, do tell!

Even the staff of the Enma Department will find lips much looser than usual around them. When you're this rich, you think you're above the standards of the law. There's plenty of conversation that might be of interest to the Department. In particular, one name does keep coming up...

It comes up when discussing Kaberou's dealings with these pirates, and how much of a wrench his daughter's negligence to the life has been for his business. It's spoken of in hushed tones, even by the Celestials. It is an ominous name: "Iron Bear"

4. TANABATA (2 POINTS)

The grand opening of the underground is the centerpiece of an otherwise familiar Tanabata celebration. Using the accumulated Stardust, the Tamamo Clan's onmyouji have collaborated with Kappa engineers and the Shuten Clan's resident blacksmith to create a truly wonderful spectacle for the festival.

Despite Sai no Kawara existing underground, the overhead sky is full of brilliant stars on display. It is a one-to-one recreation of the cosmic tapestry of the Milky Way streaking through the sky like the astral river from the Tanabata legend.

The stars Vega and Altair, also known as Orihime and Hikoboshi, are highlighted in the tapestry. They take form and dance together above everyone, they encourage the feelings of love to fill the air. Romantic love, platonic love, familial love: it doesn't matter. This is the product of peace, hard work, and cooperation. This is the dream of the Daitengu and their lieutenants. Dance to the music. Drink your fill. This is a celebration of love, and there's so much love here, for everyone.

Attendees are encouraged to write their wishes on the colorful talismans distributed. Bamboo trees decorate the central square, waiting to be draped with wishes. Even if you are not familiar with Tanabata, it will be easy to pick up on the ritual. The magic in the air tonight is incredibly strong, these wishes might even come true.

5. "WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE" (2 POINTS)

Late into the evening, the Daitengu takes to the stage. They welcome everyone and hope that they have had a good night. Toraguma and Tenkohime flank them, and each says a few words to the crowd. Then, Sutoku lieutenant Sakamoto is called up to the stage for the moment of truth.

Toraguma, regretfully, announces that Sakamoto has made good on his promises. The holes in their supply lines have been uncovered found, the black market is becoming less of a bleed on their finances, and the road to finding out who -- or what -- is causing the disruption is becoming clearer. The great oni will always honor a promise kept, and reaches out his hand to shake Sakamoto's in a gesture of gratitude.

The timing, as usual, is a little dramatic.

A group of shadowy figures wearing rough-spun gear storm the stage. Several of them snatch Ringo-chan from where she is waiting to perform and drag her away. Another lunges at Sakamoto with a make-shift sword of crude metal. Just before the blade can cut Sakamoto, the would-be assassin is stopped by Toraguma. With their wrist snatched and broken, the assassin screams out:

"We come on behalf of the Iron Bear, and we know who you are!"

In his rage and fury, Toraguma breaks the assassin's neck, slamming him down to the stage. He dies within moments, while the rest of the attackers flee. They've kidnapped Ringo-chan.

Sai no Kawara is quickly flooded with armed and armored officers of the Enma Department. They instruct everyone to remain calm. No one panic. The Enma himself has arrived, and he is going to start questioning everyone about what just happened. Who is the Iron Bear? What in hell do they want? It's time for some answers.

Well… As far as parties in Jigoku-cho go… this one could have been worse, yeah?

Welcome to the August event!

Art in the final prompt by Yang Tuo
If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
Each prompt is labeled for it's value in terms of qualifying threads for Rewards.
If your character is in the Shuten Clan and cheating on behalf of the house, find out how well they pulled it off by posting here! Those that do well will get a special bonus from Toraguma.
If your character is trying any of the games of chance, find out how they paid out here!
If your character put on a performance at the Palace of Sai's stage, find out how the crowd reacted here! Regardless of clan affiliation, those that do well will be rewarded by Tenkohime!
For results on the gossip floating around the festival, post here!
For Department members, if your character is going to interrogate NPC festival goers, let us know here and we can post some more specific results!
TANABATA WISHES! POST THEM HERE!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[After only seeing the kidnappers go into the Wasteland - someplace he does not want to go, not dressed like this, he finds his way back to the main group and back through the barricades. He's a low level grunt Enma, but he is still there to work. Without the Beholding able to help him compel answers, Jon settles back to taking notes of the interrogations happening around. He flits from one Enma to another, trying to fit all the information he hears with the information he has already. He does find his way to an officer he has not met yet.]

Um. Sorry, don't mind me. I'm taking some notes, if that's all right.

Edited 2022-08-07 15:11 (UTC)

[ To say this has been a night would be a vast understatement. On a professional level, van Zieks is utterly dismayed that Enma security has yet again failed completely. On a personal level, this whole chaos is a welcome distracting from... other matters that took place earlier today. The adrenaline sobered him up considerably and only someone who knows him quite well would be able to tell he'd been drunk in the first place.

Still, he does seem momentarily puzzled by the fact that he hasn't worked with Jon before. It then melts away with the realization that this is a well-used notebook, thank the heavens. ]

Please, do go right ahead. There is always a lack of documentation. Truthfully, I do not find myself entirely convinced all of our officers even know how to write.

[ Ok, now that's just mean. ]

[Jon glances at him over the rim of his glasses, then back down to his notebook making some other notes on his own.]

Considering a large portion of them don't seem to know how to use a keyboard or phone, I'm inclined to give them a bit of leeway.

[It's as kind a read as Jon can give, given he didn't want to be saddled with a bunch of cops to begin with, let alone watch them all drinking on duty. But whatever.]

I'm not particularly skilled at interrogation in these situations, so I'll take notes if you don't mind.

[ Van Zieks frowned, clearly not convinced that argument works. When he came here, he himself did not know how to use phone or keyboard, but he could still write official documents!! Everyone else should just be following his example, really.

But this isn't the time to argue about the capabilities of their ragtag policing force. ]

That will be of good use on its own. Barok van Zieks, a pleasure. Have a copy of your notes delivered to my office once this is done with.

[ There still seems to be a bit of a scuffle in line about which youkai has to go be interrogated next, so... ]

Have you worked here for long?

[Well. That's an argument happening over there. Nothing he's concerning himself with too much. He taps the tip of his pen against the paper a few times before he realizes - shit I should probably redo these notes without my commentary in the margins. No one else needs to see those. Old habits die hard, it seems.]

A month, more or less. Jonathan Sims, the Archivist.

[ That explains why van Zieks never took note of him before, at least. ]

That is quite convenient. The amount of new records we have been keeping lately are in dire need of competent organization.

[ Lots of things are in need of competence, like, generally. ]

Is there a reason you introduce yourself as 'the' singular archivist rather than simply one of your trade?

MM. Well, that is something I've become a bit of an expert at.

[Ah but... That. He ducks his head down to inspect something on his notebook for a moment.]

Force of habit from the last few years. It was a title, as much as my occupation.

I assume that means your position was akin to being something like the court archivist for a royal family?

[ That sounds like nice credentials.

But something about the vague way in which it is stated as just 'a title' gives van Zieks enough pause to inquire further. ]

[He restraint he shows in not laughing. God, Elias would consider himself 'royalty' wouldn't he?

But no.]

An academic archivist for a research institute, actually. Just happens to be a well known one in our particular field.

[ That is... not as good as a royal degree, says Victorian era British monarchist, even if only in his heart of hearts.

But it's still quite something to earn a singular 'the' for your achievements, so at the least Jon knows how to rouse curiousity for his work. ]

That field being?

[He taps his pen to the notebook again. It's developing into its own sort of nervous tic now, one he needs to squash quickly.]

Initially, it was literature, mythologies, and the like. Before... this place, it had narrowed down its focus to the supernatural and esoteric.

[ That actually gets an expression that is... not quite a smile, but certainly a smirk of amusement. ]

How fortunate. Maybe you were a little less surprised than most of us, to find yourself living in the midst of demons.

Mostly only surprised that this was the version of the afterlife that was real. But as far as the youkai and demons are concerned, no. Not really that much of a surprise.

[There's some ruckus a few ten feet over, someone trying to go through the barricade to no avail.]

What about yourself?

[ Van Zieks frowns at the commotion and makes a hand gesture towards a nearby Enma officer to go check it out. One gets the impression he is pretty used to ordering people around. ]

I had not expected hell to be so... Japanese.

[ He does his best to make the word 'Japanese' not sound like a derogative. The success is moderate. ]

There are no confirmed supernatural occurrences in my world, but I was raised religious. I have never doubted the existence of hell as such.

Hm. Yes, I also did not expect it to be as Japanese.

[But he says it gently, with no negative feeling in it. Just a genuine curiosity for it.]

I'd always been a bit iffy on it myself, despite my guardian's attempts to raise me with the beliefs. Still. We're here now.

Well spoken.

[ What more than a laconic 'we're here now' is there to say? This may not be the hell from scripture, but it is certainly a hell and they cannot help living in it. ]

So let us endeavor to keep the demons in line and move to the next interview. I trust your pen is ready.

[He takes a deep breath, glad to be off of that subject. While he has no real issues with the origins of these myths and Hell, he gets the feeling Van Zieks does. And that is not a topic he wants to navigate at the moment.

But he nods at that.]

Of course. Onward, after you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

August 2022 Event

van zieks - interrogation notes

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