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

[dehallow]

You aren't mistaken there.

[ Why waste his time being feigning overt friendliness when they both know that it is only the pressure of circumstance that enables them to have a civil conversation? Van Zieks doesn't believe in niceties, he believes in getting his work done. ]

And nevertheless, I must now admit myself to be curious. In the name of good cooperation, please share with me your own thoughts on the matter.

[ Organized crime is a supervisory authority as well. It would be disingenuous to not admit as such. Any faction interested in maintaining power must back that power with an internal order. So as much as van Zieks may loathe what Soma has stood for in his 'past life', it is not irrelevant to consider. Especially in a town as this. ]

[trueorder]

[ Soma actually looks moderately surprised. He leans back a little before taking a second to center himself. Sipping a bit of the wine, he honestly thought they would just politely move on.

It seems van Zieks is willing to listen to the opinions and thoughts of those he wouldn't normally agree with; here he thought the pleasantries were just for the sake that they are all at a get together. ]

Unsurprising, I suppose, but I believe in order and not justice. The inconvenient truths that exist within the world could topple the society that I find myself. After all, the darkness is constantly swirling and waiting to devour any form of order in it.

It's waiting for weakness and waiting for blood in the water. For order in such chaos to exist, truths have to be destroyed. Justice has to be corrupted. This ensures that everything flows as it should rather than as it wants.

[ A slight pause. ] But in a way, this is good for your world. So long as we're all keeping things in balance, not too much of those shadows spill over and become your problem.

[dehallow]

[ Van Zieks listens carefully, though the way his brows furrow and his expression darkens even beyond its usual iciness do nothing to hide his disapproval. ]

There are more on our side who share your ethos than one might expect. The tantalizing temptation of 'order' - and of taking a shortcut to achieving it - enthralls not only those who live in the shadows.

[ He himself has been swept up in it before, unwillingly become a cog in the machine that keeps everything running smoothly even as any semblance of verity is crushed between the gears. ]

It's a slow-spreading cancer. One inconvenient truth disappears silently, but more inevitably follow in the cover-up - until the amount of lies threatens to rot the foundation of the entire system. Until unraveling just one of those threads puts the entire organization at risk.

So you will have to pardon me for every time I will refuse to compromise. It will keep things in balance, indeed - maybe even prevent the Department's house of cards from crashing at our feet.

[trueorder]

Well, I wouldn't have been able to bribe them if there weren't people on your side of the law that thought the same way I did.

[ Soma notes the ice building between them, and decides to toss out a light joke. He doesn't think that it will get him too far, but at least, he attempted to lighten the mood with his brand of dry humor.

But he does listen to what van Zieks says. The polite smile that he wears softens to something that looks a little more real. Rather than insult, his expression denotes a bit of respect. ]

I will pardon you. [ A sigh punctuates his sentence. ] It probably will surprise you to know that I would rather those of the law be people with unyielding morals. But it is what I like in those that are in the light.

[dehallow]

[ Van Zieks scoffs humorlessly, for reasons only tangentially related to the actual joke. He wishes it was just people being bribed. That would be so cut and dry to deal with. ]

And now we find ourselves cast in the same half-shadow regardless of all that.

[ If organized criminals wind up in the Department of the Enma, then there certainly are a large number of upstanding citizens that wound up with the more traditionally shady factions ruling parts of this town. As much as van Zieks dislikes it, the idea of a distinct underworld does not hold for Jigokucho and he knows better than to naively believe he could 'clean up' this town anytime soon.

There is only an attempt to slowly bring order to it, indeed. For that, his new ally might prove to be a valuable one even if it makes him taste bile to admit so. ]

Despite all else, I appreciate the bluntness of our exchange.

Knowing clearly where the other stands saves us much time and effort and makes me look forward to effective, even if perhaps not quite harmonious, cooperation.

[trueorder]

So, it would seem.

[ He gives a little shrug of his shoulders. ]

Yes, I do think that we'll be able to work with one another. [ Yet again, he lifts his half-drunk glass of wine; a quiet cheers to the agreement that they have stumbled upon. ]

And if I may be frank -- [ Soma takes a step closer, lowering his voice. ] -- should any task come to you that is a bit too ugly, please consider passing it onto me. [ Straightening his posture, he smiles. ] I merely think it would be distasteful to me if someone of your moral-standing were to do more than you must.

[ Because who is to say what they will be asked to do? Soma has ideas, but he has nothing concrete. He really would hate someone who could do good be tainted with unsavory business. A man like himself is already tainted in blood and shadows; so, there's no reason why he can't be a knife in the dark for the Enma and others like van Zieks. ]