March 2022 IC Mingle

[jigokumods]

MAIN NAVIGATION

1. WELCOMING COMMITTEE

cw: optional aphro in Tamamo Clan prompt

The influx of Lost Souls means the factions need to have a little welcoming party of sorts. The leaders of each faction each send a message to their new recruits, telling them to meet at their respective headquarters.

The Shuten Clan directs their new recruits to the Arena. There’s plenty of food and booze to go along with the exhibition matches from the toughest fighters they’ve got. Enjoy the view or get involved in an arena fight, if you’re feeling spicy. If bloodsport isn’t your cup of tea, there’s a number of gambling games to partake in, too – don’t worry, your money isn’t at stake here, unless you want it to be.

The Tamamo Clan recruits are sent to the brothel Mizukume. Hosts of all sorts are there to fill your every need. If you’re not one to be doted on, there’s also exotic dancers in every state of undress for you to look at. You may be tasked with being a host or a dancer yourself. If you’re not in the mood for that, there’s plenty of food from Tamamo-controlled restaurants to eat and seemingly endless drinks. The drinks may or may not have a little something extra in them, so check the labels carefully.

The Sutoku Alliance meets at the nightclub Konoha. It’s truly a celebration with an enormous amount of fast food from every joint in their district and an equal amount of cheap drinks. Sing your heart out with live band karaoke – don’t worry about them not knowing your song, they seem to have a depth of knowledge beyond this world. Once that settles down, there’s plenty of dancing to do or you can be a wallflower, whatever suits your mood.

The Department of the Enma meets at a meeting room on the top floor of Kaigo no Bou. The room is uncomfortably opulent and wouldn’t be out of place in a Heian imperial court. Fine silk tapestries cover the walls, richly lacquered wood is inlaid with gold, and it all feels like it was decorated by someone with more money than taste. There’s fine food and even finer drink available. Various multi-armed youkai play in a jazz band, playing their instruments in a much more complicated manner than strictly necessary. Stretch your legs and dance. Take a peek out the window for a bird’s eye view of the city. If the interior is too stuffy for you, escape to the roof for some fresh air – just be careful not to fall off.

2. PARTY TIME

CW: optional aphro

After everyone’s had their fill of food, drink, and entertainment: the party isn’t over. They’re told to make their way to Konoha with the instruction to show their faction’s pride. That’s a careful way to tell them to raise hell. Upon arrival, all recruits are provided with an advance on their pay by The Enma. Food is provided by the Shuten Clan, a variety of all sorts of meaty foods. Drinks are provided by the Tamamo Clan, but be wary because some may have that special Tamamo kick to them (read: aphro). It’s technically a neutral meeting place, but there’s almost certain to be a fight sooner or later. Entertain yourself, meet the other factions, and raise some Hell.

Welcome to the IC mingle!

• If you have any questions about the mingle content, please ask them here!
• If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.

Comments

[littleshield]

[ There's a pause, where Felix is really trying to comprehend what the other is saying to him right now because he doesn't think it makes any sense.

To him, if someone knows how to fight, then they can fight. Unless they're unconscious or otherwise rendered unable to move. ]

...What do you mean you can't?

[hadthenerve]

I mean...

[How can he explain this? He's completely aware how ridiculous this must sound.

Hmm... Would it sound less crazy if he mentioned questing for magical wizard courage with a scarecrow and a tin man?

Probably not...

He settles on a simple answer.]

Fighting is scary and I'm too much of a coward.

[littleshield]

Pathetic.

Almost all the worst has essentially come upon us, what with the fact that we have reached Hell, and yet you allow your fear to foolishly hinder you.

[ The male in front of him had lept into the middle of a fray (one that yes, was nothing like the one they see at the things here, but still) and still professed his cowardice. ]

[hadthenerve]

I won't argue with that.

[Caramia also thinks he's pretty pathetic right now. But the next point is one he can't just let stand.]

But is it really foolish? We're currently trapped in Hell, surrounded on all sides by every dangerous and frightening thing it has to offer. And they want to stick us right in the middle of their factional conflicts.

[He does not have high hopes for the current status quo...]

If you ask me that's a reason to be more scared, not less.

[littleshield]

Hmph. Yes, it is foolish.

[ Felix doesn't exactly look his way even as he places a hand on his hip, gesturing with one hand to the nonsense going on with the party, and even beyond that. ]

You can be as afraid as much as you want of that—after all, it's pointless to stop even a soldier from feeling such things even on the battlefield. But the moment you let that fear hold you back...it's over.

[ At least the reaction he receives from him upon saying what he had a moment ago is promising. Granted he's going about this harshly, and yet he sees no reason to hold himself back. Caramia is a fighter, and he clearly can talk back. It's not like he's a hopeless cause. ]

[hadthenerve]

[Felix isn't wrong. Caramia is a fighter. And he is capable of overcoming his fear, otherwise he would never have managed to help Dorothy against the Wicked Witch in the first place. But he's gotten so used to relying on the wizard's magically granted bravery that he cannot even imagine doing anything without it. So it absolutely holds him back.

Which means yeah, someone probably should be harsh with him. And I'm sorry Felix has to deal with his ridiculous issues]

Then... then I guess it's over.

[There's a little bit of frustration creeping into his tone.]

There's nothing I can do without my courage. I'm just... back to being useless.

[littleshield]

[ That is not what he's expecting at all. Honestly, he doesn't know Caramia at all, and he should just let it go because of his lack of connection to him. But all the same, Felix doesn't really know how to let things go.

Not to mention, he can't just let Caramia be thrown to the wolves. He seems like a genuinely nice person, and...he still has yet to return the favor. Money doesn't come easy in this place, and getting his wallet stolen for real would have set him back quite a bit. ]

You have to be joking.

[ Still, he pauses, frustration rising within him him. ]

You jumped into that fray and snatched up the wallet even when, in reality, those cats could've chosen you as the next target. If you are so intent on wallowing in your self-pity about being useless, then maybe you deserve to disappear into irrelevance.

But, we're in the same faction, so it makes sense that we should work together at least once. Pair up with me on a mission or task; whatever the difficulty, we'll get to the end of it. And you will see it through to the end unless you wish to drag everyone down around you.

Understand?

[hadthenerve]

But, um...

[He isn't joking but now he faces a dilemma. On the one hand, Caramia is pretty sure that unless he can get his courage back, disappearing into irrelevance is best he can hope for.

On the other hand, Felix is too scary a person to argue with and now he sounds angry. So while he doesn't entirely agree Caramia meekly nods.]

Y-yessir...