jigokulogs | September 2022 Mini Event

September 2022 Mini Event

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While an official announcement hasn't been made yet, it is all but guaranteed that each faction will be sending out forces into the Wasteland to confront Iron Bear for that 100 Billion Bounty. Meanwhile, though...

1. SHUTEN CLAN

Training Day

The street gangs in the area continue to be of note. Normally, this would be a cause for some concern among the Shuten Clan. However, they're good news this time around. The glory of the bounty has caused several of the old gangs to disband and swear up with the Shuten Clan, instead of being a thorn in Toraguma's side. With new recruits, that means it's training day again. Get the new guys into shape by showing them the ropes. Team up among yourselves and instruct these unruly street bros what it means to be a member of the Shuten Clan!

Training day is expected to be rough, but hopefully it's a nice change of pace to be the one barking orders. Initiation rituals can range from hardcore drinking contests, to tests of physical strength, all the way to old reliable: fighting it out. You have a long lead on how creative and demanding you want to be. It's your clan too, after all.

Tools of the Trade

The bounty has just boosted the Shuten Clan's numbers, it has also triggered an increase for demand in weapons and arms. The Shuten's are seeing increased profits in their smuggling business. Sellers are being met with both would-be bounty hunters, and average citizens who are feeling anxious about the state of the world. Currently, Shuten arms shipments are a target to both thieves and the police. They need your protection. Thieves are not necessarily unaffiliated, the other factions would like in on this profit margin.

The Shuten Clan is calling on their lost souls to help transport, protect, and sell weapons. They want you to get these arms into the hands of anyone with the cash. To make your sales, you may want to demonstrate the unique benefits of the different options available. Clients come from all factions, so be on your best behavior to impress, and don't get caught up in a stupid sting operation. The Clan is not interested in losing money bailing you out.

OOC note; Any character outside Shuten can post a top-level trying to obtain Shuten weapons, either purchasing or attempting to steal them. Enma characters can also post top-levels related to this prompt.

2. TAMAMO CLAN

Bottom's Up

The fervor surrounding the bounty and the Wasteland is stressful. The Tamamo Clan specializes in stress relief of all kinds, and they are offering up some new potions just for the occasion. Some of these shady products are little more than placebos, while others might have actual effects. No one can really tell which is which, they all taste the same (read: bad). They might make you feel relaxed, or they might make you even more stressed out. That stress might even end up radiating onto the people around you. Who knows what they'll do, really. It's a dicey option, but maybe the distraction is worth it.

As this is the Tamamo Clan we're talking about, some of these potions will be aphrodisiac in nature. Hey, it's a form of stress relief. Still, the quality and intensity of these potions varies greatly, you don't entirely know what kind of ride you're signing up for.

The big gaps in quality of these potions is due to their rushed creation. Like all the other factions, the Tamamo Clan has other priorities right now as they prepare to head out...

OOC note: This is another "anyone can post a top level related to this prompt" one. We do ask if you're leaning towards the aphro option to properly label your top levels with the appropriate warnings!

Ancient Arts

Even the relaxed Tamamo Clan is feeling the tension in the city. Tenkohime has ordered mandatory weapons drills with the magical weapons in the Clan's armory. She's preparing for war and wants everyone to be at their best. You need to know every tool at your disposal. There are seals, explosives, traps, and more; some stranger than others. Test them on each other and maybe the unsuspecting members of other factions... Just try not to actually kill each other.

Weapons drills will be conducted where lost souls are encouraged to experiment with how different seals will interact with different weapons and abilities. Those who opine that the Tamamo Clan is merely the clan of "fox bitches" will be in a for a rude awakening when all the smiling threats become reality. Tenkohime herself, along with the old fox Kinsei, will be supervising training. Hunter Anna, who works alongside Kinsei in the armory, is also available to share a wealth of knowledge and tips.

They are all watching you with high expectations.

3. SUTOKU ALLIANCE

Jigokucho's Got Talent Part 2

While the last-minute help with filling holes in various clubs bookings was appreciated, a more permanent solution for Moonday's unfortunate hiatus is needed, urgently. One can't just replace the most popular band in the city overnight! It's time to look for Jigokucho's next top performance act to begin in earnest. And that means auditions.

All factions are encouraged to stop by Konoha to audition, but all the acts are judged solely by Alliance swear-ins. Your fate will ultimately come down to whether Sutoku can even tolerate you in their clubs, though. Hope your reputation doesn't precede you. Will you become a hit, or will you get the gong? The only way to find out is to try!

OOC note: Again, this prompt is more or less open to everyone. Sutoku characters are the only ones who can play the part of talent judge.

Running with Wolves

The White Wolves have concerns about the physical fitness of the Sutoku Clan. If we're going to the Wasteland, you need to be able to survive out there! The solution? Exercise drills! Mandatory ones! Yes, this means all you chain-smokers out there. You must pass the White Wolves' extremely high standards. Hope you like push-ups. And sit-ups. And pull-ups. There will also be a lot of running, sprinting, leaping, and other field sports.

Every single Sutoku swear-in is expected to participate. Even if you're an officer. Especially if you're an officer. No excuses will be accepted. And, look: even the Daitengu is participating. They seem to be having fun. You can try to weasel out of it, but good luck. The White Wolves are always vigilant, and they have perfected the disappointed puppy dog face. It will rend your heart in two more effectively than any swipe from their giant swords.

If you are looking for an example of White Wolves' standards, look to your resident junior member: Megumi.

4. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA

Friendly Reminder!

Despite the Department's best efforts, the unaffiliated bounty hunters continue to be a problem. There are just too many jerks out there looking for a payday, and the Enma's Department just can't handle them all. They may be the arbiters of law and order in the city, but they can only be in so many places at once. The manpower just isn't there for a full crackdown. But, at some point, inspiration strikes:

A memo circulates among department members instructing them to create several Public Service Announcements to dissuade these miscreants. Come up with creative setting ideas, involve the other members of the Department, and maybe some other factions, too. The best PSAs will receive a small token of the Enma's appreciation: a one-of-a-kind commemorative mug. Show these bounty hunters that their behavior will not be tolerated!

Toys for Good Children

The bounty hunters rounded up thus far have provided the Department with something useful: all of their confiscated gear. Melee weapons, guns, survival tools of all shapes, and a large collection of swords. The big item on the menu is weapons and ammunition, a lot of it. So much so that the storage at Kaigo no Bou is starting to burst at the seams.

Their weapons and tools may prove useful to the Enma...Well, once everyone figures out just what this stuff does. Some of it is your standard weaponry, some of it defies explanation. Sort through the gear and find what's useful, and what isn't. Anything that isn't too dangerous can be sent right back out on the streets. Give it to some thugs as a gift, they'll be grateful and maybe cause problems for the more chaotic factions. It's not your problem once it leaves your hands. And if you happen to get something in return for your generous donation? No one saw a thing.

OOC note; Another prompt where mostly anyone can participate, at least in the "letting the weapons filter back into the streets" aspect. Have your character cut a deal with a Department member to get a cool weapon!

5. ALL FACTIONS - WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE

During the evening news, the anchorwoman is visibly sweating and looking increasingly panicked. She goes on in a trembling voice to say that they have been sent a message from... Iron Bear.

They play the tape...

"I'm disappointed in all of you. You've become fat off of the raven's labor, amassing ill-gotten wealth and resources. I will not stand idly by while what is rightfully mine is disgraced by tainted, swollen fingers. None of this is yours and I will be the one to reclaim it.

But know what is coming next will not be done by us.

When this city is in ashes, it is by my redeeming hand you will rise. Only I will be able to rebuild this world, and restore its glory.

They cannot save you.

We are the holy chosen of this realm, and we know who you are!"

When the tape has concluded, there is a sudden and impactful rumble in Shuten territory. One of their weapon storehouses, namely one that contains plenty of volatile materials, explodes violently. It scatters fire into the nearby streets. Shuten forces will need to rush in to help clear anyone out, but anyone nearby is expected to help. Most of the area is non-residential, so casualties should be minimal, if rescue efforts are quick. But that's just the start of it...

The Iron Bear's words ring true. The bomb couldn't have been planted by his followers, not completely unseen. Someone else planted that bomb. Worse, there are more bombs throughout the city that need to be defused. Time is ticking down quickly, and no one knows whom to trust.

The factions have already begun to sabotage each other. The Iron Bear delivered the first blow of this new war without lifting a finger. Things are looking rough...

Welcome to the mini event!

If you have any questions about event content, please ask them here!
FOR THE PURPOSES OF REWARDS, since all of these prompts tie into the main plot in some way, we will count all qualified threads in this post as 2 point threads!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. training day - shuten

[Alphen has felt a bit like a fish out of water for much of the time he's been here, but it's certainly not the first time he's felt like he doesn't quite fit. In that way, the mask might be a little symbolic: it's hard to fit in anywhere with an inexplicable hunk of iron covering half your face. But this kind of thing? Fighting, training? Sign him up, because this is what he lives for.

At first glance, his setup is fairly simple: wooden practice swords all ready to either run drills as a group, or face off one-on-one. But you'll notice nearby a pile of stones, all roughly flat and fist-sized, as well as a ball of twine.]

We're doing some weight training today. You can choose whether to tie them to your arms or your sword -- it's wooden, so you won't need to worry about damaging it. Let me know when you're ready, alright?

[Does he really expect you to strap rocks to your arms? Is this the reason for the practice swords? Doesn't he realize what an incredibly dumb idea this is? The answers are yes, yes, and unfortunately no, respectively.]

ii. tools of the trade - open

[He's no merchant, but this sort of weapon-handling (I know, i know) is also fairly up his alley. Alphen is happy to transport and protect weapons as well, of course --hey, a subquest is a subquest, and he's happy to help whatever NPC happens to need it-- but he's also fairly animated when it comes to sales pitches...for the swords at least, of which he has a decent selection at the moment.]

When it comes to swords, it really depends on your fighting style, I guess. A shortsword is good for speed, but if you're looking for something with a longer reach, you might want to try a longsword.

[He greets anyone looking at the weapons with a genial smile -- clearly, he's nerding out and happy to answer questions.]

iii. we know who you are - open

[A rumble, a minor tremor of the ground, and before Alphen can even think about how not right it all seems, a ball of flame is erupting into the sky. He springs into action immediately, as the explosion sends fire and debris raining down around anyone unfortunate enough to be in the area. He's uniquely equipped for this, and puts himself bodily between an unfortunate onlooker and the fire falling from the sky.]

Are you alright?

[For his part, if Alphen managed to get hit, he doesn't seem to notice.

He starts helping with recovery efforts as soon as they begin. Finding additional bombs isn't exactly in his wheelhouse, but he's here to assist -- when someone doesn't have him on muscle duty, he's getting people to safety and helping put out fires, among other tasks.]

iv. wildcard

[y'all know the drill, i'm open to any prompt and all wildcards. pm/discord (kribbit#6023)/posolutely if you wanna plot something else or want a different starter!]

Edited 2022-09-22 18:21 (UTC)

[ Full sized swords aren't really his thing, especially not the type that would require two hands to properly swing them. But he does have an eye for quality craftsmanship, looking for daggers. ]

What about knives and daggers? How's that supply?

Over here.

[The selection is smaller, but still usefully varied. There are a few different types of daggers and hunting knives: push daggers, stilettos, trench knives and butterfly knives...things like that.]

I don't usually give daggers much thought, but there really are a lot of different types, aren't there?

You did seem more like a sword guy.

[He'll be testing out each of these knives and the balance on them.]

I like how maneuverable a knife is. Don't have to worry about not having the space for them.

[Ahaha...guilty as charged.] That obvious, huh?

[Alphen picks up one of the daggers, something called a "trench knife" with finger holes along the side.]

You're right. If you're using a sword, you're not usually fighting close enough to worry about having that kind of maneuverability, but that can be a downside if you're in a tight space, too.

[He puts the knife down. He prefers swords, sure, but that's because he knows he's good with them, and that includes knowing about their drawbacks.]

You did start your pitch by naming a couple of them. It'd hard not to notice.

[In all actuality, because of the way Nero fights, he's rarely close enough to be worried about somebody hitting him in return.

He fiddles with a switchblade and considers its weight both sheathed and unsheathed.
The wastes seem like they'd be open spaces, but there could also be some tighter fits. Hard to say when everybody has such limited intel.]

Do you keep something shorter just in case?

[donnie lowers his arms slowly. he feels back along the edge of his soft shell, making sure the reinforced canvas is still covering it- no damage, it wasn't ripped off, but then he looks up and sees a man shaking off burning debris as he stands over him.]

Am I- Wait! [donnie leaps to his feet and grabs for the guy's arm just briefly to keep him from dashing off to help someone else.] You could have burns, wait a second!

[For just a second, when he feels the tug on his arm amidst all the chaos, his first instinct is to fight. It doesn't last, though, and when he turns to look at Donnie, it's with confusion more than anything else.]

Burns? [See, Shuten, this is why armor is a good idea.] I appreciate the concern, but don't worry about it. I can still fight.

[He sounds pretty serious about that, and indeed, while he looks a little singed, he doesn't seem like he's feeling any pain.]

[what the f] Cool?? [??? ?] Except I didn't ask if you could fight, I said you had burns. They could get infected if you don't clean and cover them.

[...She shouldn't be surprised. In a way, she's not. From relatively early on, she got the impression he was interested in various smithing things, weapons, armour, other equipment of the like. She can respect that, though it doesn't make his enthusiasm any less amusing. Kisara understands the basics of using a sword and enjoys watching others make use of them, though understands she doesn't quite have the discipline needed for it.

Better to leave swords to the professionals.]

I feel like you might be enjoying this a little too much.

[If such a thing is even possible.]

[Too much? Why whatever would make you think that.

If possible, his mood seems to brighten even more when he sees Kisara. It can hardly be helped -- there's a sense of solidarity, there, with them being the only two here from Dahna. Even with the strange time difference that seems to be affecting them, he can't help but consider her a friend.]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with enjoying your work.

[It's certainly different from the miserable work of their home, at least. He doesn't say that part aloud, but with Dahna being the way it is, he's grateful for the change of pace.]

You're right. There isn't.

[She thinks about what little she's learned about him since their initial meeting. Maybe it makes a little sense. Sword wielder. Enjoys being around them. Hardly any different when she gets excited about equipment upkeep. Or fishing, she supposes.]

You look like you're acclimating well. I'm glad. How are your sales going?

[Kisara contemplates lending a hand to help him out, but... She's pretty sure the only thing she's real good at selling is a one-way ticket to being bashed in by her shield. Maybe if nagging were a selling point. She's pretty sure she's an excellent nag.]

(like he's told alphen, he's not one for weapons. some he can use without any issue, but hand-to-hand combat has always been the love of his life. which, coming to think of it, doesn't really explain what he's doing here...

he just saw alphen and got curious. that's the extent of it.)

Huh. Make sense... How should I hold it, though?

[Hand-to-hand isn't exactly Alphen's strength --that's more Law's specialty than his-- but he's eager to grow his skills nonetheless. Sometimes the best way to learn is to get into a match you can't win, and he's not too proud to admit it...in fact, he looks kind of eager.]

Hold it? [Mikey are you trying to break someone's face] No, you tie them around your wrists or ankles. Like this. [He demonstrates by laying one of the rocks on his wrist and wrapping the twine around it.] See?

[Ah, yes, that's much less likely to cause a concussion. For sure.]

Edited 2022-09-28 17:24 (UTC)

[Sheliak didn't need fighting training but he was curious about the different fighting styles people brought from their worlds. Perhaps his expectations were too high and he glanced down at the flat stones and back at Alphen. His stoic expression broke as his eyes that seemed to ripple like water narrowed in confusion.]

You can't be serious.

[I'm sorry to tell you that in spite of his upbeat attitude about this, he's also quite serious, and it shows in the confidence of his stance.]

Sure am. Want to give it a try?

[ Well! Whatever he had been expecting, an explosion hasn't been it. Fortunately or unfortunately, G'raha isn't running away from the explosion. Rather, he has been running towards. Even if it is in a place where there are not a whole lot of people residing, the Miqo'te is aware of how devastating a spreading fire can be without containment. Surely he should be able to do something about it!

That's why he's not entirely careful as he rushes on ahead - his youthful recklessness coming to the forefront yet again like it has in so many situations. He doesn't see the debris until Alphen puts himself in the way. ]

Oh!

[ Instead someone else is taking a hit for him and that will not do at all. If only G'raha had his staff. ]

Never you mind about me. Are you quite all right?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

September 2022 Mini Event

alphen | tales of arise | shuten | ota

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