jigokulogs | September 2022 Mingle!

September 2022 Mingle!

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The influx of fresh Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party for them. So some recreational activities are in order. All Lost Souls will receive a message from their respective faction leaders with orders to go have some fun.

Shuten - WEENIES ON PARADE

Shuten Clan newbies will be summoned to the Arena, which has been set up with a very different kind of fight than usual. The members of the Shuten Clan do nothing by half-measures. Partying, drinking, and eating are all encouraged to excess. This time they're inviting new recruits to test their mettle in various eating contests. You'll need nerves of steel and a stomach of iron to succeed. Hot dogs, marshmallows, pizza, lobster rolls, breakfast cereals, rice, and more are all on offer.

See how much you can eat and try not to get sick! Competitive eating is a messy, disgusting affair, regardless of the emergency buckets stationed strategically throughout the building.

If you're feeling especially ballsy, you can take on the biggest onis and other youkai by teaming up with your fellow Shutens. They're all confident enough to take that bet.

Glory, prize money, and antacids to the winners. Shame to the losers – they'll be run through town in weenie costumes.

Better eat up 🙂

Tamamo - ALL NIGHT LONG

The newest Tamamo recruits are summoned to a local gymnasium. Strangely, rather than sports equipment laid out on the court, there are a number of light futons, blankets, and pillows. Everyone will be sorted into one of two yukata patterns – one purple and one blue – and sent to their respective sides of the court to lie down in bed and pull up the covers.

It is then that the referee will explain the rules of competitive pillow fighting. When the whistle blows, jump up and grab one of the authorized pillows at the center of the court. It's a game much like dodgeball, but the goal is to hit the opposing team's king with a pillow from your half of the court. Team members use blankets and sometimes their bodies to protect their king.

There will be a few rounds, and you can rotate who is king at your discretion. Protect them with your life! Or whatever. Star players will receive a bonus and a coupon to one of the best Tamamo spas.

When the competitive stuff is done, the sleepover proper will begin. There will be liquor, sodas, and light snacks for everyone while movies are projected onto a screen late into the morning. The movies range from classic dramas and romances to outrageous yokai comedies.

Sutoku - GROSSERY GANG

The Alliance has found themselves in the possession of an entire truckload's worth of reject children's toys. Ever the opportunist, the Daitengu has assigned the project of inventorying and trashing the particularly offensive ones to the new guys.

Of course, you're expected to play with a few of them as well. Maybe one of them is decently fun, and they could sell the rest, you know? Many of these toys are gross out bathroom humor in nature, and spit water randomly at anyone who loses their round. The Daitengu has thoughtfully provided a selection of alcohol to make this game a little more adult friendly. Toys that lack the appropriate spitting mechanism can still be played over shots, really, go nuts.

While you 'work', there will be plenty of motivating music piped into the warehouse. The sound quality is not great, but they tried?

Everyone who sorts through a decent amount of toys will get a little extra pay, although who is really paying that much attention to who's doing what here?

Credit where it's due: We turned kids toys into drinking games

Enma - BREAKING THE ICE

Welcome to the Department of the Enma. New Lost Soul recruits will be summoned to a large conference room in Kaigo no Bou, which has been outfitted with a variety of buffet table offerings and tables which seat between 5 - 6 people comfortably. You are invited to fill your plates at your discretion, the craft services people are used to feeding bottomless yokai stomachs and the food will not run out.

Clipboards with a variety of icebreaker questions have been provided at each table. The pens have assuredly been firmly affixed to the clipboard. Please return them together.

Every 30 minutes Captain Shiki will blow her whistle to signal that you are to migrate to another table with fresh companions. You are, indeed, being forced to get to know your coworkers, lucky you. This isn't tedious at all.

Pick a few of the questions below to answer, and get chatting. Or Captain Shiki may come over to stare at you with intense disapproval. You can't get away with just zoning out to that sweet smooth jazz playing overhead!

1. If you had a time machine that would work only once, what point in the future or in history would you visit? 2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? 3. If your house was burning down, what three objects would you try and save? 4. If you could talk to any one person now dead or alive, who would it be and why? 5. If you HAD to give up one of your senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, tasting) which would it be and why? 6. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? 7. Do you have a pet? If not, what sort of pet would you like? 8. Name a gift you will never forget? 9. Name one thing you really like about yourself. 10. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer? 11. Who's your favorite cartoon character, and why? 12. Does your name have a special meaning and/or were you named after someone special? 13. What is the hardest thing you have ever done? 14. If you are at a friend's or relative's house for dinner and you find a dead insect in your salad, what would you do? 15. What was the best thing that happened to you this past week? 16. If you had this week over again, what would you do differently? 17. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about 'God'? 18. What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? 19. If you could change one problem in the world today, what would you like to change? 20. What book, movie or video have you seen/read recently you would recommend? Why?

All Factions - THE GIFT OF SONG

Did you all enjoy having some of your wishes granted? Well, so did a flock of those annoying magpie! They asked for the gift of music. These feathered nuisances, however, have fallen in love with an old school metal band. That is all they will be singing for the foreseeable future! Different members of the flock have taken up different instrumentals and vocals for the track, spread out across electrical wires and rooftops, singing their favorite rockin' tune to the skies!

Lost Souls have been asked to please catch them and get them to knock it off, they are truly annoying everyone, across all factions.

Should you catch these musical magpies, and not one of the other clans, they will tell you their sorry tale! They love this band, but the group broke up years ago. All the magpie want is for their favorite old dudes to be reunited to jam with them, one more time!

The old dudes are out there in the city, but who knows why they broke up and if they can even be convinced out of retirement. Good luck, if you succeed your boss will give you a favorable bonus, which would be a great boon to a newbie just getting settled.

In the meantime:

Shabadabadia
Shabadabadia
Babababa
Babababa
Babababa

Welcome to the IC mingle!

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-WEENIES ON PARADE-

-ONE SHALL STAND, ONI SHALL FALL-
[This is not what Darin was expecting when he was told to come to the arena for a competition. But with all of the amazing, exotic food, it comes to Darin's attention that he hadn't had much to eat since he arrived. Famished, he runs around to any stalls and smaller competitions as he can. He has no idea what half of this food is, but he tries it with gusto, often leading to messy conversations as he talks with his mouth stuffed with strange combinations of food. Maybe you'll see him cramming rolling up pizza with various sushi and taking enormous bites. Is he even tasting any of it?]

[He's managed to win a few of the qualifying rounds...but then he sees that you can take on one of the oni as a team. Sadly, you're the closest one to him when he realizes this. Impossible looking chili dog in hand, he nudges you with a free arm.]

Hey. Hey, come on. You wanna team up and see if we can put one of these big guys in their place? This food is delicious! It should be a cake walk!

...Maybe we'll have to eat cake to beat him! See? Our victory practically writes itself!

-WEENIE DOWN-
[Oh gods why did he do this. Why did he think any of this was a good idea? Why did they serve such wildly different, incompatible foods at the same place?! This was such poor planning! There was a whole new kind of turf war going on in Darin's belly and his clan was absolutely not winning.]

[He'd been bested. Likely because he was over-zealous (read: too stupid) to pace himself and limit himself to one competition or type of cuisine. But Darin always honors a loss, so he's dressed in that weenie costume. Problem is...he's sprawled out on his back making ungodly groaning sounds, unable to move. Or unwilling to move. It's not immediately clear.]

Gods this was such a bad idea. Hey...hey, what do you think happens when you die in Hell? Do you just go to Double Hell? Gods I don't ever want to see another marshmallow fluff corn dog again...

[Do you help him? Or just leave him there to groan pitiably.]

-GIFT OF SONG-

[Darin has spent the better part of his life in a forge, so this kind of racket hardly phases him. But he can easily see how it wouldn't appeal to most. Maybe it's because he's hardly bothered by the music that he's able to catch one of the magpies simply by convincing it he wants to get 'front row' to the show!]

[Though, after hearing the magpies tale, he's so moved that he lets the little guy perch on his shoulder. Who is he to stop him from jamming with his friends one last time! The least he could do is help him out! So, Darin's been asking around, having the magpie sing a few bars as reference to help track down his good pals. There's literally no way to do this covertly, so you can either help him...or try and stop him as a member of a rival faction.]

Hey, hey! Okay, random question, but we're looking for some old friends of this little guy. They sing the same style so can you tell me if you know of anyone who sings anything like this? Hit it, little guy!

[The magpie on Darin's shoulder belts out its portion of the song...much to everyone's (except Darin's) chagrin.]

Edited 2022-09-14 06:42 (UTC)

[ Ryoko has a feeling that even if she weren't spectacularly prone to headaches, this racket would have set her off anyway. She's been doing her best to drown out the noise with a pair of cheap earbuds and some music of her own but all she's really managed so far is adding to the din. This place really is hell.

So if she looks spectacularly unimpressed by the magpie's dulcet tones, it's not you, Darin. It's... okay, well, it is you. It's just everything else, too. ]

Please don't make him do that again. [ She looks so, so tired. ] Aren't they all making enough noise as it is?

[Oh hey, it's this girl again. The one who always looked cranky.]

Oh, sorry about that. I think he's just excited that he might be able to find the guys that played this song again.

You haven't noticed anyone kinda grooving along with the music, have you? I figure if there's someone out there that likes the song, then maybe they know something about the band.

[ And she's still cranky!! At least we can enjoy some consistency in that regard.

She gives a little huff, somewhere between irritation and a bitter laugh. ]

Just a few of the oni. I suppose they might have harder heads than the rest of us if they can stand all that noise.

[ Still, though, that's a good point. Ryoko furrows her brow thoughtfully. ]

Do you really think it might get them to quiet down if we do what they want?

Worth a shot, right? Look at it this way...wouldn't you want one last chance to do something with people you cared about?

[Darin reaches up to his shoulder and brushes his fingers under the magpie's beak.]

Besides, I'd say the denizens of Hell are the people who need help the most. You know?

[ ... has she really run into one of those heart of gold shonen hero types? There's no way this guy is for real. For a moment, Ryoko stares him down with an expression that makes it very clear she's waiting for him to say 'sike' and when he doesn't, she lets out a sigh. ]

... It's worth a try. If it gets them to stop singing.

[ She realizes, perhaps belatedly, that teaming up with someone from another faction over something like this might not be a good idea so her gaze suddenly sharpens as she looks him over. ]

I didn't see you at the orientation. What clan have you been assigned to?

[He pats the air reassuringly. Or at least, he attempts to reassure her.]

Easy...I'm with Shuten but that faction crap doesn't mean anything to me. I don't even care about a reward or whatever. If it helps you out, you take it.

I just...look, I like to help animals. That's all.

[Animals never judged him. Ryoko might notice him getting a little standoffish when it comes to his reasons; he's definitely not telling the whole story.]

Okay?

[ That's... transparent nonsense, huh? She could probably call him out on that but really, she doesn't care. Ryoko sighs once more (third time's the charm!) and sets her hands on her hips. ]

Fine. But I won't let you forget that you surrendered the reward if you change your mind down the line.

[ Not that Ryoko vs Darin would come out in her favor in any regard, but it's good to let him know she means business. ]

Do you have anything in the way of leads? Or are we running completely blind?

I'm not gonna change my mind, okay? What, do you want it in writing or something?? Geez...haven't you ever met someone with a soft spot for animals?

[He huffs and crosses his arms indignantly for a moment. Having his intentions questioned isn't exactly old hat for Darin, but it's still a bit of a short fuse.]

No leads yet, I only just managed to catch the little guy. My plan was to go around and keep an eye out for anyone who looked like they might recognize the song. It's pretty unique, after all.

[He's literally talking about going around and searching for glints of recognition in people's eyes. Either he's got super sharp intuition or he's an idiot. Or, miraculously, both.]

But I'm open to suggestions...er... Actually, I never caught your name.

Ryoko Shinonome. [ Said in a slightly too hurried voice that implies the introduction is more out of obligation than anything. ] I'm a new arrival.

[ She's guessing this guy is too, if only because he kind of has that energy. If he turns out to be a ranked clan member with those brains, she's going to lose her goddamn mind. ]

Have you tried checking any stores or venues specifically for music? If they were a band, it stands to reason that they might still be interested in performing their own solo music. Or at least that the sort of people who go to those places might recognize the song.

Hey...yeah! That's a good point! Just because the band broke up doesn't mean they gave up on music! You never forget a craft you love! Great idea, Ryoko!

There's gotta be a place in town where people like this kinda music...let's see what we can find!

[In case she can't tell, he's not gonna take 'no' for an answer here, as he's waiting for her to accompany him.]

So, hey...what faction are you with anyway?

[ She's been volunteered against her will, huh... well, if she's getting reward money out of this then she'll put up with it. And having a big beefy guy around to ward off any potential danger probably won't hurt – sure, she probably won't get into trouble just trying to track down music shops, but who knows what sort of nonsense they'll stumble into down here. She's starting to get the strong impression that Jigoku-cho is all chaos, all the time. ]

I'm part of the Tamamo clan. But don't misunderstand– [ she continues just hastily enough that she's transparently trying to head off any clashing at the pass. ] I'm not interested in any of the faction conflicts. Really, I don't care either way who comes out on top. I just want to pay my way and go back home as quickly as I can.

Oh good, glad to see other people don't really care about this faction crap. But uh...you really think they're just gonna give you what you want?

What's waiting for you at home?

[ She gives a little scoff. ]

We'll see. If I work hard enough, then maybe. Or maybe they'll decide I'm too useful to send back home. That's always a risk, but what other choice do I have at this point?

[ Really, if she has to decide between making a bad deal and doing nothing at all... then it isn't even a choice to begin with.

She shoots Darin a look. ]

What about do? Do you think you'll get what you want?

[ notice how she smoothly side-stepped the question of home... very sus. ]

Hrm...I guess it's better than just sitting around doing nothing. You're definitely right about that...

[He can't argue. Even if he believes the contract is crap, what can he do at the moment? At least if he plays ball he can get a better sense for this place.]

Hah! Me? Honestly, I know my wish won't be granted, so really...it's a moot point. I'm probably better off here than anywhere else.

You're really that sure?

[ Ryoko shoots him a sidelong look that's sharp but not exactly unfriendly. It's a little probing, like he's said something unexpected and she has to zoom in suddenly to examine him. Just a bit. ]

Why work so hard if you won't get anything from it?

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September 2022 Mingle!

Darin Altway | Original Character | Shuten

gift of song

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