jigokulogs | 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

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"That's a long time, right?" It doesn't seem like much time to Azem, but for those that live such short lives, it has to have been a long time. Then again, they aren't entirely sure of just how short their lives might be in comparison.

They sip their drink with a soft hum, trying to think of a favorite place. In the end, "I'm not sure I can come up with a single location. I found many lovely vistas in my travels. Wonderful villages and towns full of interesting people. Oh! And this one village near a volcano, they had such delicious grapes."

They go quiet with a soft smile before continuing. "Though I think my favorite place was any that I could share with my friends."

Rhea'li listens, not surprised that Azem could not decide on a singular place. If he lived for so long and saw so many places, he would he decide? He hums in agreement, "Aye, 'tis a pleasure best shared, is it not?"

But all he can provide his friends are tales and the odd trinket, if they are not with him on such travels.

"As for time... a thousand years is many generations. The longest most races can expect to live is a century, though most die of other causes before." Rhea'li takes another drink of his soda. "Myself, I only expect to live for some twenty years more if I am lucky."

Adventuring is a dangerous business, and the rigours of time slows all mortal men.

"Those from other stars are as immortal as yourself, life unslowed by time."

"Indeed, though there was this hill with a large tree atop it overlooking a flower-filled meadow. It was probably my favorite place to hold a picnic."

For Azem, it is honestly less about the places they have visited and more about the people there or the people they have shared those locations with. Which likely makes sense when it's taken into account they were there for the people more so than the land.

"I see." Their lips turn down in a small frown. Despite what Emet-Selch had told them about the Sundering, it's different to hear about the world after from someone who has only known it. "I do hope you live a full life. However short it is."

The words are as much for him as they are for themself. After all, their own life was cut short or will be according to Emet-Selch.

"I suppose that makes sense. Venat Sundered our star, not others."

Rhea'li falls silent at the overt mention of Venat.

"My life must seem short to one with a lifespan like yours," he muses, thinking of the little dragonets who are far older than himself yet are still children by their measure. "But I am content."

Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?

He did not have the chance to answer her before they were interrupted. And circumstances meant it was the last quiet moment they had to talk freely. A promise fulfilled, thousands of years later.

"If I may ask, what compelled you to leave the Convocation?"

"It does," Azem admits. "But I think if you live a life that feels full that's all that matters in the end, right?"

They smile at him, though the smile is quickly replaced by a wide-eyed blink of surprise.

"You...you know about that?" They let out a soft breath and shake their head. "Ah, well, I left because I couldn't stand behind the Convocation's plan. I had hoped to find another way, the answer so that perhaps we wouldn't need to resort to such drastic measures. Alas..."

They trail off, frowning as they lift their drink to gulp down a bit.

Rhea'li's gaze grows distant, looking at the others gathered but not really seeing them. Azem's answer is exactly what he guessed happened and is what he imagines he would have done when faced with the same situation.

The weight of Azem's crystal in his pocket seems heavier, somehow.

"Sorry it didn't work out," he says quietly, fingers tracing the rim of his can of soda.

But now that Etheirys is already sundered, he can't sacrifice the world he knows for bringing back what was once lost either, if the rejoinings would even work as the Ascians desired.

"Have you encountered Emet-Selch here yet?" Rhea'li stares at his soda can like it holds all the secrets of the universe. "I talked to him and he misses you greatly."

Azem makes a soft sound in response. They are still in the process of formulating a new plan, though meeting those from the future Etheirys is making them question what it is they could possibly do. Preventing everything that is to come will prevent their future from existing.

"I have. He is the only reason I know what is to come." They smile hearing that he'd missed them. "I did get that impression, which is...comforting given how things were left between us."

Their attention turns once more to Rhea'li. "So how is it you know so much?"

September 2022 Mingle!

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Azem fought a volcano so we could have crystal shaped grapes

Azem fought for the best grapes

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