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

Gambling Problem

[Sheliak had suffered through the awful gambling training and he had hoped that was the end of it. Unfortunately his stubborn pride backfired and got him a job as a dealer tonight. Sheliak hid his frustrations behind a practiced radiant smile. It was hardly the first time he had to push aside his personal complaints for the good of his family, or in this case his clan.

Sheliak wore his suit, like any respectful Shuten should instead of complaining about it, and his long blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail, which made the new watery shimmer in his eyes even more obvious. Sheliak had considered various ways to try to hide his eyes but in the end, he couldn’t throw away his pride as a water mage and he abandoned the idea.

Sheliak was a charming dealer but his gentle encouragements were laced with poison. He subtly nudged anyone on a winning streak to make more foolish mistakes and he offered fake sympathy to those who were down on their luck so they stayed longer. It was a perfect strategy that did not need cheating. Although he had to admit some strategic cheating at the right time didn’t hurt and he reluctantly threw in some sleight of hand at crucial moments. His partner in crime was a small dragon made of water that circled around him. That slight movement you saw is just him maintaining his magic trick. He kept the fact that he could easily manipulate it just with his mind to himself. After all, the most important skill for a noble is to only show people what you want them to see.]

Arena

[After a frustrating night in the casino, Sheliak just wanted to slip away and find a nice quiet body of water to dive into. Somewhere on the way he got distracted and ended up in the makeshift arena instead. Despite his reservations about his magic, Sheliak was eager to show off his water magic. Ever since he arrived here, he had been constantly insulted and underestimated. Not anymore. He only had a small amount of his magic but that was all he needed.

The space around him rippled like a mirage before it formed into a spout of water that danced around him as he entered the ring. Sheliak was an agile fighter who seemed to flawlessly manipulated the water around him to enhance his attacks or defense, whichever the fight required. When he was feeling extra confident the water formed into more elaborate shapes, like a rose for a shield or a taunting serpent ready to strike. He was Sheliak Saarela, chosen water mage of the Nameless Goddess and he was tired of hiding.]

Tanabata

[Sheliak was not familiar with the Tanabata legend but that didn’t make the cosmic river of stars any less magical. He grew up with stories of the hidden sky only the gods could see. His name come from one of the celestial constellations, Lyra. Even after a year of seeing the truth behind the mysticism, the earthly stars hadn’t lost that sense of wonder for him. Maybe it was more bittersweet now. The magic in the air fed off Sheliak’s loneliness as he scanned the starry tapestry for the stars of his friends. He missed then, even him. Sheliak’s look of wonder shattered with a small twitch of irritation when he found Altair being highlighted. He turned away from the stars with a quiet mutter.]

I’m sure you would love the attention.

[With the sharpness in his quiet tone it was hard to tell if he was being kind or insulting.]

Wildcard

[Feel free to create your own starter or plot with me if you want something different. You can hit me up on plurk

Nicholaj, Discord@Nicholaj#7374, or pm, whichever is easier for you.]

(There's magic in the air and it's hard to not feel a little whimsical tonight. Where as some look up to the sky for a glimpse of what they desire, Hizen makes a point to keep his eyes in front of him. He resists the ureg to look up because what if he sees something? Wouldn't that mean he wants it? It's best to want nothing at all.

He's minding his own business, holding a sheet of paper that had been thrust into his hands for wish-making when he hears Sheliak,)

Did you say something?

(He wasn't paying attention.)

[There was a subtle tenseness to Sheliak's posture when Hizen addressed him.]

It's nothing.

[The magic in the air pulled at Sheliak's loneliness and he closed his eyes with a quiet sigh as the truth was reluctantly dragged out of him.]

The stars reminded me of someone.

[Who he certainly did not miss. The magic here was just playing tricks on him again and Sheliak's eyes narrowed slightly as he fought the urge to glare up at Altair's star. There was a watery shimmer in his eyes that wasn't there the first time he and Hizen met and his gaze wandered to the paper in Hizen's hands.]

Are you going to make a wish?

[He needed a distraction but he was also curious.]

...

(Ah, so he did say something but it wasn't for anyone else to hear or even notice. Hizen can understand that. At least he really hadn't heard what was said but now he wishes he'd never said anything at all.)

... Yeah?

(He doesn't look up. If he does, he feels like he'll see something, too. Instead, he looks down at the sheet of paper in his hands and then away,)

I guess. ("I guess.") Don't really believe in this stuff but everyone else is doing it so...

[Sheliak appreciated that Hizen didn't pry and he found himself relaxing a little.]

Wishes can be tempting.

[A shadow crossed over Sheliak's face for a second. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tempted himself but he had the opposite problem. He believed in magic too much and the last time he made a wish it became so twisted that it was painful looking back on it now. Sheliak closed his eyes with a quiet sigh. Well this distraction backfired royally. He wasn't sure which was worse, thinking about Altair or magic.]

[Kazuma is having a bit of a weird night, and it's put him in a bit of a weird mood. He's both ticked off and a little bit pleased with himself, running off the fumes of good booze and the kind of headache that comes with processing a lot of activity in a short period of time. He's feeling a little bit like a live, sparking wire.

He's wandered back into Shuten territory, to the gambling den, perhaps against his better judgment. Technically, he is still meant to be working; he likes to think the walkabout has cooled his head a little bit, put him in something of a composed mood. He's on his way to take over one of the tables when he encounters This Asshole.

He doesn't even remember, exactly, what Sheliak says--only that it's something so unbearably arrogant and out-of-touch that he can't help but snort derisively as soon as the words are out of the man's mouth.

Unfortunately, he chooses to do this when he is well within earshot.]

[Sheliak had just finished his frustrating evening at the tables and he was enjoying a well earned drink when this peasant decided to ruin his night. Despite his magic the drink was already starting to affect him and he wasn't quite sure what he said to offend him, not that it mattered. There was a quiet thud as he set his drink down with a bit more force then he needed to and he responded with a short condescending chuckle.]

Find something amusing?

[There was a watery shimmer in Sheliak's blue eyes when he turned to face the fool who dared challenge him.]

[Kazuma groans behind his teeth, because he actually wasn't interested in getting into a confrontation about this, but he's also not about to back down from someone else insisting on it. He simply has no choice but to respond. (That's his excuse.)]

Nothing. [His tone is flinty.] I just thought I heard the words of someone who only knows how to live by exploiting those too powerless to protect themselves.

[That's probably unfair. He doesn't even know this guy. Backing down is for other people, though.]

Was I wrong?

[If Kazuma didn't want to get into a confrontation then perhaps he should have kept his mouth shut.

Sheliak's watery eyes twitched at his accusation. Kazuma's unfamiliar voice blended with an infuriatingly familiar voice and for a second he thought he saw a flash of purple in Kazuma's eyes. He had this argument far too many times and he locked his conflicted feelings about his life as a noble behind a cold glare.]

I wouldn't expect a commoner like you to understand.

[You have no idea how much he sacrificed for the powerless you suspect he exploited. Sheliak's magic resonated with his thoughts and the air around him shimmered like a mirage.]

[Imagine Kazuma Asogi knowing when to shut the fuck up. Couldn't be him.]

A commoner. Spoken like a true relic of an outdated system, whose only merits come from the arbitrary circumstances of his birth. Yes, I suppose I am a "commoner" by your standards.

[And proud to be, is the implication in his tone. Kazuma decides then and there that his initial impression of Sheliak is totally correct and thus he's justified in being a dick about this.]

Is that a problem?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

August 2022 Event

Sheliak Saarela | Original | Shuten | OTA

tanabata

no subject

no subject

sorry I'm late

faito wildcard

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no subject

sorry I'm late

np as u can see i'm late too lol