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jigokufever2022-06-24 11:00 am
jigokumods) wrote in jigokufever2022-06-24 11:00 am
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June 2022 Test Drive
MAIN NAVIGATION
1. CLEAN UP
The curse has broken, finally banishing the oppressive air around the city and the many sightless eyes of the accursed haniwa. Life will have to return to normal now but first there is lingering clean-up that must be attended to:SHUTEN CLAN
The Shuten Clan is out in force to rebuild damaged storefronts. Eager oni appear in their festival happi, singing oni working tunes. You can pick up the words easily enough, join in and help out. The mood starts bright, but after a number of unlucky accidents there is less singing and more grumbling. The cursed energy left behind has made all of you much more prone to workplace accidents but the storefronts need to be scrubbed, broken glass needs sweeping, new furniture needs construction. There are any number of thumbs smashed by hammers, hands cut on saws, heads hit with falling debris or that board of wood you didn’t see someone carrying towards you. It’s a cursed day to be out on the job.
Rewards will come in the form of free drinks for a week from specific bars and a generous amount of chips for the casinos. If you aren’t of age to drink or gamble? Well… they’ll look the other way this time. Have fun.
It should be noted that the uniform -- a happi, a hachimaki, and fundoshi -- is required. The Shuten Clan is very traditional, after all.TAMAMO CLAN
The bathhouses in Tamamo clan territory remain full of bloodied water. They need to be drained and scrubbed to make them new again. However, reaching the drains is a tricky business. You can’t simply reach in to pull out the plug, you will have to wade into the water to twist it free. Easy enough, right?
Unfortunately, residual curse energy has made this a very dangerous task. Phantasmal hands will reach out and try to drag you under as you get too close to the drain. The phantasms can be distracted, so you’ll need some teamwork to succeed. Your reward is a significant amount of free bath coupons. Some of the advertised baths even have “special” properties. Take the chance to relax, you probably need it.
Those that are rejuvenated in the newly purified baths will find themselves with seemingly limitless vigor. That vigor may sometimes manifest in the form of desperately needing to fuck the first thing willing to do so. Which might turn out somewhat embarrassing...SUTOKU CLAN
The residual cursed energy in the Sutoku Alliance territory has congregated in their many arcades. The prizes in the UFO catcher machines seem off and they keep shifting around. If you happen to win a prize, the prize slot snaps shut on your hand with amazing force: the machine out for blood. To clear the curse, the prizes need to be removed from the machines and purified with the help of a local shrine maiden. Unfortunately, the key ring to open the machines has been stolen by some of the unruly prizes. You will need to use your UFO catcher skills to fish it back out.
Try not to lose any fingers.
Other machines are shooting tokens out of their coin slots at astonishingly painful speeds. A strange phenomenon, as even the machines that take swipe cards are doing it. Where are those tokens even coming from? You will have to get the machines open and give them a deep cleaning to get all the residual blood off the coins and mechanisms. You need the same keys that are stuck inside the UFO catcher…. Better hope you can fish out the one you need.
For your troubles, you will be given unlimited free plays for a month. Perfect for winning a totally-not-cursed prize for your sweetie.ENMA DEPARTMENT
It’s the Department of the Enma’s turn to go begging for good will. They are considered to be mostly responsible for the way the cursed haniwa were handled in the first place. Enma souls should get out on the streets and see what the people need: Food, clean water, housing repairs and maintenance, as well as exorcisms. They’re all high on people’s priority lists and most people want it done pronto. Try not to get snappy with the angry people, the department’s reputation is on the line.
The Enma is slated to give a press conference at some point. It's up to the rest of the Department to assure that there will be reception to his words. They are likely to be of grave importance to the rest of the city.
A hard day’s work is its own reward, but you’ll also get a day pass to a theme park on the edge of the city – in the name of community outreach, of course.
2. GHOST SHARKS
The very streets themselves are treacherous with residual curses. The isonades may have been intimidated out of town for the moment but the anger of their ancestors lingers in the bloody puddles that still glisten in the streets. Come too close to these puddles and spectral sharks will lunge from beneath the surface: Blood for blood! Lives for lives!
While spectral in nature, the teeth on these sharks can still do real harm to anyone they lash out at. They don’t seem to take damage in kind, but will pop and disperse for a moment when struck. The ghostly sharks are being populated by a magic totem that has been partially buried in the dirt of a local park. Destroy it and the sharks will disappear.
Unfortunately, a pack of snotty local children have taken a shine to this magic totem. They are not keen to let you take it from them, nor break it. It’s theirs. It’s special. If you’re feeling brutish or cruel, you can fight the children or deceive them, but your boss would probably suggest you try to bargain with them for appearance’s sake. They’re entirely unreasonable though, as children can be, and it will be quite a chore to get them to agree to your terms.
3. CURSED CORNERS
There are certain corners and alleyways which are simply predisposed to gather cursed energy. These areas are still haunted enough to affect the reality around you. You may experience hallucinations or visions of lost loved ones, past regrets, personal failings. These visions are played out in the area for all to see. You will remain frozen in place until your moment is done, or someone brave comes to pull you out.
Now that the worst of it is over, some of the more morbid and voyeuristic members of the public may be lurking around these haunted areas, waiting to see what horrors will be unveiled. They have out their phones and their cameras to record the show.
The cruelest of the spectators provide commentary to their social media followings as they observe. Anything for that monetization!
The biggest of the streams is a kerakera onna who goes by her channel name: Lipsticki. She leans in over the rooftops to cackle loudly at people’s misfortunes and give petty, scathing commentary about their misdeeds and failings.
4. THE ENMA SPEAKS (PLOT RELEVANT)
Outside the hospital where the Enma was being treated, there is a huge press gathering. The judge arbiter has been deemed fit enough to release. Hungry for word, journalists from every publication swarm the area. Most press-outlets in the city are controlled by the Sutoku Alliance, who have a vested interested in interrogating the Enma.
A number of other onlookers have tacked on as well, including Lost Souls both old and new. Lost Souls may even find themselves ordered to attend the statement by their faction.
It is assumed that the Enma must have something of grave importance to say, after all.
The Enma approaches the podium. He is dressed in his usual suit, his crown, and his stern expression; it puts a hush over the crowd through its tremendous pressure alone. No questions have been asked, yet, but a statement has been prepared. He clears his throat:
"The cause of the curse, the enemy of Jigokucho, is... Haniyasu. The Department's focus will be shifting to determining our next action in regards to this entity. That is all."
Just like, the Enma's secretary and a retinue of armored shinigami move to flank the Enma and guide them to a waiting limo down the steps. The press yells their questions over one another, but are pushed back. The Enma doesn't even seem to perceive them, simply focusing on getting into the car.
Unfortunately, if you're a representative for one of the factions -- especially the Department of the Enma -- that makes you fair game to hound for questioning too. Do you stand your ground or try to run away?
[[banner art by s-tokimura]]
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no subject
[ He'd already seen a few corners and places, still plagued with little pockets of nightmare- Tama wanted to help, but after his pathetic showing in June, he was sort of wary. Which, again, brought him to this. Somewhere he wouldn't have imagined, two months ago. ] Those of the Shuten clan are traditionalists, but not...spiritualists. Things like that are usually the turf of their main rivals in the Tamamo, so they have a particular aversion to it. [ Dryly; ] Also they're all heart. Not a lot of...hindsight.
no subject
Traditionalists, but not spiritualists. Talk of honor and valor and organization and the Proper Ways, hm... [Familiar in one way, comforting in another, but Beat can see how such structure could also be smothering to another person. A shout of another Shuten oni tripping over a loose floorboard coalesces into a loud crash, which makes Beat wince from the sudden noise.] ... are there any other patterns that, ah, need disruption?
no subject
[ An entire apartment building had burned down- it was certainly something like that which had motivated Shuten to build new housing, in retrospect. ] All four groups are doing whatever they can to help, I think. There's grudges to be disarmed and energies to be cleared out all over Hell, but I'm not sure what they expect non-exorcists to do. I guess- [ He gestures vaguely. ] -Shuten has the right idea with trying to build through it, even if they really need to get a cleaner in here if they want to make real progress...
no subject
That seems bad. [For a moment, Beat is really glad he's got his mask on, because his facial expression would betray his feelings on the situation. What the fuck. How did this place survive such an event??] I suppose I can call it a small blessing to only have been consigned to Hell after such an incident...
[He sighs and wipes his wrist against the headband strapped over his facial armor.] If what you say is true, then it feels more like putting a bandage over a gaping wound. Without somebody more experienced in exorcism, whatever malice has soaked into the ground here is just going to, what's the word. Fester? And in that case, no amount of oni or their conscripts could hold back those floodgates...
no subject
It's pretty bad. [ Nearly perfectly mimicked cadence, because he understands this more than he realizes. ] It's...complicated with Shuten, I guess. The 'all heart' wasn't just a dig...they want to do right very badly, but they lack specialists in this sort of thing. [ Tama heaves a sigh big enough to raise his shoulders up. ] I'm supposed to have some potential for exorcist things, so I guess I was hoping for divine inspiration or something, if I tried to help long enough. I don't think it's happening.
[ Which means he's going to have to study. Absolutely disgusting. ]
no subject
Are the different factions so fractured that the possibility of cooperation is completely out of their minds? [The bullheadedness and traditionalism of Shuten versus what little he knows of Tamamo, Sutoku, and the Enma Department definitely seem at odds, but surely they can put aside their differences for the sake of actually having a city to reconstruct, right?
Right?]
no subject
A month ago, Shuten and Tamamo were both having open fighting in the streets, vying for territory and blood. The big four do come together to take care of the citizens of Jigoku, they do care about helping lost souls in their own ways, and they're sincere in intent...but that only means they sincerely believe that their way is correct. [ He sighs, making a gesture almost like he's dismissing the air. ] Everyone has been working together thus far, but I can only stand here in Shuten territory as a Sutoku because nobody has started anything since the blood rain.
no subject
He pinches at the nosebridge of his mask in an outward show of his distaste; sure, he may be dismayed, but his knightly code runs deeper than his emotions.] If this is the case, then I would not want to keep you here longer than needs be. It wouldn't do to have a fight break out in the midst of renovations. Once work is done here, would you be willing to show me some of the city? [Especially once he has the rest of his armor back on, he'd love to go exploring. It's just that, uh, he got kinda pressganged into physical labor from the capo.]
no subject
Once you're pledged, they'll give you a cellphone- a, uh. A little technology gadget that lets you look up information and communicate with others at the push of a button. When you get one, I'm on there under 'Tamamori', but my name's just Tama. [ He wags a finger, less lecturing and more like he's excited. ] Make sure you pay special attention to aquainting yourself with the cellphone! They're vital tools for living in Hell, and are amazingly useful! Just, uh... [ His arm droops. ] ...if EMBER ends up on your phone, make sure you read all the fine print. A friend made that application, and it's a little complicated to explain.
no subject
Beat's shoulders sink as he lets out a held-back breath.] I am sorry, this has all been... overwhelming. A tempo far faster than I can keep up with. [With little warning, he falls to his knees, places his hands on the ground, and lands in dogeza before Tama.] This humble knight thanks you for your assistance!
no subject
[ even if he tried to explain this to minakami he'd just look at him with that sad sighing face. maybe he's gonna keep this to himself for the time being. ] Just, um, be careful of the bad energies, and if you're truly lost, then head for that building- [ Tama points up, past the city skyline and towards a monolithic black building that can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the city. ] -that's where new souls get processed. They can help you out more than I can. [ Hopefully. He doesn't exactly trust the Enma period, but... ]