jigokulogs | March 2022 Mini Event

March 2022 Mini Event

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The Night Parade is fast-approaching and each faction will be busy with their own preparations.

1. SHUTEN CLAN

The Celestial Phoenix Casino, a fairly popular casino in the Shuten territory, is overdue on its protection money. This money is sorely needed for parade preparations. Unfortunately, the casino has decided it doesn't need to pay up because they've hired some new unaffiliated muscle. Neither the manager nor their new muscle are the type to listen to reason, so be prepared to exert some intimidation and force to convince these new bodyguards to take their business elsewhere.

The brute squad working for the Celestial Phoenix seems to be made up of several different youkai. Some of them are more human looking than others, but you'll notice no Oni. Even independent Oni wouldn't dare turn against the Shuten Clan. Even lacking in Oni, these thugs are armed to the teeth, swinging several deadly weapons and even a few firearms. This could get rough, so be prepared for the worst. Take the gangsters protecting the Celestial Phoenix out or convince them it’s not worth it.

Once inside, you'll discover that the owner, in a panic, has locked himself inside the casino's value with the protection money owed. This might take some doing to get open...

2. SUTOKU ALLIANCE

The Kappa want to be left alone and the Daitengu has asked Sutoku Alliance members to assure their wishes are respected. Members are tasked with convincing people to stay away from the Kappa's riverside facilities by whatever means necessary. Of course, you may want to take a look for yourself to see what they’re being so secretive about. That’s not recommended, if you don’t want to get into trouble.

It’s not just strangers who are nosy, though. Retinues from both the Shuten and Tamamo clans are making an appearance and asking why the inspections are taking so long. Why are the Kappa dragging their feet? The Alliance prefers to avoid direct violence, so it's up to you to talk to these clan captains in a way that convinces them to leave the Kappa alone.

If you're curious enough to dive deeper into the Kappa's business, however, even your Alliance membership isn't going to keep you safe. The Kappa themselves seem to disappear from sight the further into the sewers you go, as if invisible. Preventing yourself from being spotted by a security camera or a patrolling Kappa is almost impossible. Cover your faces, stick to the shadows, and you might just notice that... they’re building something down there.

Something for the Parade? Who knows? But it’s definitely not decorations or a float...

3. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA

The parade route for the Night Parade needs to be "cleaned up". The Department is tasked with getting the low level street gangs and squatters to clear out. The homeless population will resist and may not be so easily persuaded to give up their spots. Your best bet is to offer them food, booze, or shelter for the night. The street gangs will assuredly fight back. Use your strength or your wits to get the job done.

The gangs will not typically be that tough, most don’t want to step up to the Department's goon squad too heavily lest they wind up in a cell for the rest of their lives. Still, some might be hopped up on encouraging substances and try to escalate. Don’t worry, though. You have the authority of the Enma on your side! Don’t think they will get away with waving a weapon in your face.

The homeless, though, lack strength or weapons. They are more fueled by desperation to keep their spots. Winter hasn't been kind to them, after all, and they don’t have much respect for the Enma's authority. Their belligerent behavior is loud, and often violent despite their absence of means to properly defend themselves. At worst, they’ll probably try to use biological warfare. Don’t ask what's in those bottles...

4. TAMAMO CLAN

Parade costumes need to be designed, crafted, modeled, and then likely mended knowing the rough and tumble yokai. The textile shops and tailors of the area need Tamamo Clan members to help them out. Costumes vary from extremely ornate to extremely sexy. These costumes need to merge form and function, for the Tamamo clan parade marchers that means they need to be able to sell their specific wares while wearing them. (wink wonk)

None of the costumes are floor ready and the shop bosses urge you that these cannot be seen by the public until they are ready. This won’t stop some peeping toms and tammies from trying to scope out the goods. Most of the voyeurs are spying for perverted reasons, but some are from shops outside of Tamamo’s influence trying to copy the designs for themselves. Either way, Tamamo Clan members aren't expected to be just pretty faces. So rough’em up.

5. TASTE TEST (ALL FACTIONS)

For those less interested in their faction's work, the restaurants in the Tamamo territory also need help finalizing their menu offerings for the Night Parade. Taste testers and creative cooks wanted! These aren’t just any dishes though and may have some interesting effects. One may be so spicy that everything burns, your face turns red, and you need to cool yourself off. Or maybe your dish is so good that you need to take a nap – it doesn't matter where you are, you'll just fall asleep right on the spot. Another possibility is a dish that gives you unstoppable energy – literally. It will make you want to get up and go and never stop moving. If you stop moving, it may cause a bigger problem.

Welcome to the mini event!

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If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What're you talkin' about?

(No, Ryouma is definitely right. There sure is an accent bleeding through. Still not particularly heavy but enough to be much more noticeable than before.

He holds up his half eaten cup!!)

Thought it was takoyaki but it isn't bad. (In fact, it's good! But even if his mood is improving, don't expect him to completely lighten up. He's still himself, after all.) You gonna get some?

Just a little Tosa once in a while.

[ judging by the look on his face, this pleases him immensely. ]

I'm gonna get some, [ yep, he just playfully mimicked hizen's tone just then. ] ... since you're recommending it.

[ not that hizen said that, but he sure is going to take it however he likes. ]

... .... ...

(Why does he feel like he's being mocked.

His mood is good but why does he feel like he lowkey wants to throttle this guy...)

'Course. (Of course. Still prickly, but no bite.) I'm from Tosa, too.

(Even if his name comes from the Hizen domain, his time was spent in Tosa.)

Mhm. (He nods. It's good. He's helping himself to more right now, even. He's not going to let any of it go to waste.) I'm not sharing.

(Ryouma can get his own. Nothing gets between Hizen and his own food.)

Not to worry, I wouldn't ask you to.

[ ryouma places his own order like he was meaning to anyway because he doesn't want to share either. it smells really good and even if he doesn't technically need to eat, cravings are cravings. do they all cause the same magical effects? guess he'll find out shortly. ]

Is takoyaki what you really like then?

[ is this his attempt at asking hizen what his favourite food is? maaaybe. ]

Food's food.

(He isn't picky. He is a bottomless pit. He is always hungry. He'll eat anything. Does he have a favorite food? Hmmm.)

Well, sure it is. But everyone has things they like more and things they like less, even if you end up eating it all anyway.

[ ryouma has had his privilege checked enough times in the past ~~usually by izō~~ to be well aware that not everyone has been as lucky as him when it comes to being choosy about some things. but still, everyone has preferences! ]

(And he's about to get his privilege checked again!! But thanks to the castella, Hizen is at least not snappy and yelling at him about it. It's more like he's presenting a plain fact. The sky is blue, sake is delicious, hunger is the best flavor for all foods. Despite being an old family sword, he really does seem to take after Izo a lot more,)

Everything's good when you're hungry.

(Monching on another castella piece,)

Not everyone gets to eat hotpot and sweets whenever they want.

(~~But he still knows things about the family~~.)

[ he lets out the same little sigh he gives izō when he decides to just quietly accept something because it doesn't seem like izō is going to budge. they really are alike, including knowing just the thing to say to knock him off of whatever roll he thinks he's on. the fact that someone is just now handing him sweets probably is not helping.

not that he will be discouraged that easily. no, he has another idea. ]

Maybe not, which is a shame. But if you ever want to eat hotpot and sweets some time, you only have to say so. My treat!

[ he looks really happy about these baby castella too. given that it's too soon for any effects, it's just because they're very good. ]

...

(A glance at Ryouma as if he's seriously considering it. Normally, he never would! He'd gladly throw the invitation right back at him and reject it. The castella really has dulled his usual edge and when he isn't focused on finding things to criticize...

He considers Ryouma and then chances a look at that dormant sword at Ryouma's side. In the time it takes him to finish another piece, he muses,)

Hmph. (It's not really a laugh-- it stop just short of being one.) You're all alike.

(Every version of Ryouma and probably every version of Mutsunokami too.)

Really?

[ ryouma asks this around another bite of food because when he's relaxed and curious he tends to fall on some of his worse tendencies. like his poor manners. ~~like a child.~~ ]

You mean me and—... another me? But we're still a little different too, right? [ he points a finger at his face. ] You didn't recognise me.

...

(He refuses to elaborate. Really, he's pushing it already with what he's said but he just feels... a little chattier. A little more open. A little friendlier. It's weird. He'll scream at the river later or something when the effects wear off.)

You dress different. (There's no familiar kimono with the family crest. He's missing those signature boots. The Ryouma he knew never wore western clothes.) Talk different too.

(Usually, that is. He's obviously caught the true accent now.)

Still act annoying.

Ah, I get it...

[ ryouma is happy with whatever he can get. actually, right now he's just sort of happy and the food tastes especially good and it's hard to be at all concerned with a shift like that, especially since he's usually carrying oryou's absence around with him like a weight around his neck. ]

At least I've still got the part that counts, huh?

[ it's a dumb little joke but there's also more than a grain of truth to him saying so. it's easy to doubt yourself in a place like this. ]

But the rest is intentional. Ah—... sort of? Weapons, clothing, that usually only changes with major alterations to the Servant itself but around here, you know how hard it is to find anything.

[ which is say his clothing is usually not something to worry about since it's bound to his soul and all and now he has to shop. rip. ]

(The part that counts...

A glance in his direction. )

... A servant.

(Ryouma had mentioned that before. Something about being a servant being able to take on different forms. Servants being heroic spirits and needing to hide their identities. Ah, this reminds him of their previous conversation to be honest and he shifts just slightly, reaching for that last piece of castella in his cup because food is comfort. Food is good.

Now that he thinks about it, Izo had told him he had to be careful with his name, too. He doesn't consider himself to be a smart spirit. He doesn't like to think more than he has to. He'd much rather hack and slash his way through until he got the answers he wanted versus asking questions and trying to figure things out.

But being a servant... implies there's a master, right? And if he's a spirit... is there another world like theirs but instead of touken danshi, they use heroic spirits? If he was brighter, he would probably think of the possibilities this meant for the government. Instead... he just thinks about their masters having a another chance at "life."

Hm.)

Right now... it's like you're human?

(Too? Again?)

Hm? For the most part, that's right! Normally, I can do everything a human can do and some things humans can't, but it's a little different around here. Keeps things exciting, anyway.

[ he doesn't even skip a beat. sure, he can be optimistic but whenever he gets to talking about what he is or what he's lost, he has a tendency to make himself feel worse. it's good castella! it's sweet and nice and he hardly feels anxious like he ordinarily might, what with having to pick and choose his words — less because of hizen since he knows and more for the fact that they're out in public. instead, he feels so relaxed that hizen could probably ask him anything and he'd have an answer for it, which may or may not be a good thing right now. ]

There are a lot of magical rules about this and that and stuff I could probably tell you even if I don't really understand it myself...

[ knowledge granted to him like the holy grail gives out useful knowledge during a grail war — intended to make his job easier, but he's no more learned or intelligent than he ever was otherwise, so all he can do is rehash it in a way that doesn't sound like complete nonsense. ]

Taste works just fine though!

[ keeping it simple. ]

(He literally cannot understand how someone can be so... optimistic? No, that's a lie. It feels very much like him to just take things in stride. One doesn't become a revolutionary if they aren't ready and willing to adapt, he supposes.

There are a lot of questions Hizen could ask right now. Ryouma is... dead, right? And he's really Ryouma? Why would someone summon him? Does he have a master? But asking those questions really just invites Ryouma to ask those questions in turn and..

He looks down at his cup, completely empty of castella.)

Aren't you worried? (He doesn't know what Ryouma can usually do but...) You're weak.

(Strength is everything. If you don't have strength, you can't do anything. If you're weak, no one even cares if you die.)

[ whatever it is that's in the castella is effective but can't cancel out the thoughts that pop into his head. rider may be an especially weak heroic spirit, but he's better than nothing. ]

Well, you aren't wrong. A Servant without a Noble Phantasm isn't much of anything at all.

[ which he realises after he's said it probably means nothing to hizen at all. he takes another few seconds to munch on the food a little more and tries to string his thoughts together into something that makes sense. ]

It's hard to explain what a Noble Phantasm is since it can be a lot of things, but mostly it's something no one else possesses that's so unique that seeing it in action probably reveals their True Name. With a few exceptions. Mages in my world summon Servants because their power is drawn from humanity's imagination! They're powerful because they're worshipped by humanity as legends. Which I think is pretty amazing, don't you think?

[ notably, unlike the other times, he speaks as if he's intentionally excluding himself from the description — because he is. he was no one when he died, which is perhaps why the world ultimately chose him to make a pact with. in ryouma's mind, he's nothing like the others, even if he used to talk about the things heroes ought to do. ]

Oda Nobunaga said the same thing to me once and she wasn't wrong either. I'm only a third-rate Heroic Spirit, but it's the job I have to do until they find someone better, I suppose.

("We take the shape of the heart bestowed on us. Sometimes that heart is shaped from facts. Sometimes it is tied to anecdotes. And sometimes it is modeled around false rumors. The emotions poured into us objects are our source of life. Stories make us stronger."

A quiet inn in Tosa. A man pours everyone a drink. He's only human but when he speaks, every spirit listens. Even Hizen, standing to the side can't help but be taken in by those words again. He speaks of his dreams that haven't come true yet but they all know the story he's telling. Every beat matches what Hizen remembers though from his recollection, it was a different man who cried out for that exact same dream in his final moments.

Everyone in the room is silent, completely captured. For a moment, they believe the dream will come true not because they already know how the story will unfold but simply because that man had told them it would be so.

And this guy calls himself third-rate? He keeps himself down? If Hizen was himself, he'd yell. He'd snap at Ryouma right now. Instead, his eyes shoot right for the sword at Ryouma's side. This is supposed to be that guy's master? He looks back at Ryouma, confused. )

What the hell are you talking about? (A hundred things well up inside him. There's so much he could say and his mouth hangs open for a half second before he quickly shuts it, biting it all down. No, even like this... even like this he has to think about his own mission. His own secrets. He can't just tell this guy everything.) Knock it off.

You're-- (A hero. The samurai that pushed a nation into a new era. The pride of Tosa.) Are you trying to be humble or something?

I said you were weak not sorry.

(He's terrible at encouraging people.)

[ ryouma sits up a little at hizen's words. if anything, he thought hizen might be happier to not hear him speak highly of things. it's not like that's the reason he's said what he's said — it's just the truth. ryouma eats another bite of castella because he can pretend the sweetness helps. maybe it does, a little, since he would probably be a lot worse off trying to talk about this if not for the lightness in his head that seems to dull it all, at the very least. ]

I wonder that myself sometimes. If I had to say so, everything's different from how it used to be...

[ he folds his hands on the counter in front of him and it looks like a very neat and orderly sort of gesture, but then he's practised these little things because no one would have ever called him neat or orderly once. he really has buried a lot over time, hasn't he? we are rider, he'd say because together they were one. it always comes back to oryou. she's the only reason he can even wonder if it's possible to live in any other way again, or else he would have lost himself completely a long time ago.

he doesn't even know if hizen wants to hear this, but now that he's gotten ryouma talking it's difficult not to at least explain and he's not sure why. maybe because hizen reminds him so much of izō but without all the personal complications..? if he was ever going to explain this to anyone else, it probably would have been him anyway. in either case, ryouma honestly isn't sure if he'd prefer understanding or judgement. ]

The day I died, I made a contract with the World to become a Servant. I thought "I can save a lot of people like this all the time! I can use that power and create a world where everyone can live happily!" But in reality, it didn't turn out that way at all. Reality is always crueler than hopes and dreams, isn't it?

[ he looks up again and smiles, but in that way where it never quite reaches his eyes. ]

I think I've been taught that lesson a few times now, but I never seem to learn it, so maybe that's the proof that I am still who I say I am?

(Oh thank god Ryouma is dead. Hizen was beginning to wonder if maybe this was a version of Ryouma that hadn't lived to the end and just didn't know anything. The somberness doesn't make sense to him. It doesn't fit with the stories he's heard. Maybe that guy would know better than him considering how much closer he was to him but the part of this story that he'd inherited through Izo doesn't match this serious mood at all.

(That guy stands tall in the face of darkness, immune to the weight of history bearing down on them. In all of the chaos, he sees a clear path and in this desperate, abandoned world, he hopefully believes in everyone still. "It's all a shame but he accomplished plenty. The country he desired is already coming into view. That dream will come true.")

He takes that paper cup in his hand

and throws it at Ryouma.)

I don't know who the hell you are... if that guy was here, he'd probably know.

(Because he'd been with Ryouma longer than him. He'd been with him until the very end. He'd inherited Ryouma's entire story and all of the memories about him. His eyes keep going to that sword Ryouma carries as if expecting him to manifest and say all of the right things again but nothing happens.

Fuck everything.)

I don't get this servant stuff. (He's not smart. There are things he can kind of understand by relating it to his own experience but he's sure there's more to it than that.) I dunno if that makes you better than before or not... but even as a human...

(He clenches his fists and tenses. He should hate admitting this. It's not something he ever wants to admit out loud. But in his mind, he knows it to be fact and in his heart, he still feels that sense of... pride? Is that it? Not just as a spirit from Tosa but as someone fighting for the future of Japan.)

All of your dreams come true.

(And as soon as he says that, he feels uncomfortable. He looks away. He looks everywhere except at Ryouma and)

(Balls one hand into a fist and punches him. In the shoulder or something. Hard. He yells.)

Gaaah! Stupid! Idiot! (He punches him again.) You're killing my mood!

(HE'S TRYING TO BE IN A GOOD MOOD. HELLO? )

[ ryouma doesn't try to move out of the way or anything, so he just stares at hizen after the paper cup bounces off his head and falls to the ground. he's... not sure how he's supposed to take that? he opens his mouth and then closes it again as he changes his mind a few times and there are no mixed feelings here, he's just straight-up confused. that's also why he sees hizen looking at his sword and doesn't connect the dots (again) right away. ]

That guy...? Oh, you mean—...

[ he's thought about the sort of person that guy might be a few times since he's known hizen is someone who exists, so would he really have the answers? if the sword he carries right now were to suddenly become like hizen, what would that person think? it's hizen speaking up again that shakes him out of those thoughts and he peers at him curiously to see if he was going to add anything else.

... and as a matter of fact, he does. only it's a punch to the shoulder. when will he learn to anticipate further violence? judging by his track record with the people he goes out of his way to surround himself with... never? ryouma holds his hands up as a sign of surrender after the second hit, but he just laughs and puts on his best pleading face. ]

Sorry, sorry! But, I have to ask—... you really believe that?

[ he ducks down a little and holds his hands up again because he anticipates it this time because he's already been struck twice. ]

That probably sounds stupid, doesn't it? From my perspective, I've never really... stopped? I thought that's what I've been doing, trying to finish what I started.

[ so imagine his surprise. he knows what people call him — hero of the restoration — but it's like someone's pinned a badge to his chest. he knows it's there but he doesn't really feel it. it's not as if he's experienced time in a linear fashion or anything, so if what hizen says is true he has a lot to think about and no idea where to start.

... so he decides he might as well start with what's right in front of him, and so ryouma gets a fresh toothpick and spears one of the castella still in his cup, offering it out to hizen. ]

To make it up to you. I'll get you another order for all the trouble if you want.

That's 'cause it never fucking ends, ya idiot!

(HE PUNCHES AGAIN and misses this time which just pisses him off more.)

A whole country where even in a hundred years, everyone gets to be free like they wanna be! And another hundred and another hundred 'cause that's the future ya made! Everything keeps going!

(He's losing it. It feels dizzy. Holy fuck its like his whole spirit has left this mortal body and gone up into the atmosphere. He wishes the ground would just swallow him up right now.)

I'm not out here busting my ass for Tosa or Satsuma or any of those places! I'm out here working for Japan--

(AND HE SNATCHES THAT CASTELLA PIECE AND SHOVES IT IN HIS MOUTH ANGRILY.)

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2/3 im a liar

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