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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
however, despite how offensive his words may have been, mort appears to pay it absolutely no mind. with no metaphorical skin off his back, he simply puts a hand beneath his chin, lightly stroking it as if he was analyzing the possibility for the other man to have been claimed by some malevolent spirit or energy. perhaps, like the ore back in his own world, the water would be whispering secrets and promises of power to the man, but...
nothing seems to happen, and so mort temporarily loses interest in the possibility. it's only when he clears this up in his own mind that he deems the other man's words as worthy for a response. ] I think many fools would argue that every time and world needs humor. [ that's probably not what the man was asking for, and while mort is aware of that, well... it never hurt to be purposely contrary and difficult, no?
still, at this words: ] I wasn't aware you were sensitive enough to tell that much just from me standing, but I suppose... [ this seemed interesting enough, and maybe he could monitor the individual beside him a little closer.
with that said, mort seems to point arbitrarily. ] Around there. [ was that the answer to his earlier question? the world will never know.
i'm sorry, the bath is never getting cleaned. ]
no subject
Eh? Every time? [ he looks to one side, then the other. ] Isn't there only one time?
[ like, as in now o'clock? this guy doesn't seem to make a lick of sense, but it's not going to keep itto from his main goal, and if he has some idea of where the stopper is, then... ]
Nice. Okay, shouldn't take me more than a hot second.
[ despite the water being kind of lukewarm. and thick. also, not particularly fun or inviting to be in. as he walks over to where mort pointed: ]
Like, right here? [ he hums. ] Funny. Thought this would be more difficult. Oh well, another win for Arataki Itto an---
[ he is immediately hesitated as something grabs his ankle and yanks, causing him to fall into the water, completely submerged. ]
no subject
there are few times he's rendered completely silent by someone else, and... this definitely did it. mort half-wonders how people like him subsist outside of this very brief interaction. but, rather than mulling over a point he has zero intentions on elaborating on, he finds it far more fruitful to focus on the other matter at hand.
he's almost surprised by the way the man easily opts to listening to the direction of a complete stranger. though, to be fair, he supposed not many would find it advantageous to lie in a situation like this, but at the same time, this man seemed almost too trusting despite the strange nature of their exchange thus far.
regardless, it's in these thoughts that... the man suddenly disappears beneath the depths. considering how thick the liquid is, it's difficult to discern what was there. well, it would be fairly troublesome were this issue to be pushed onto him and another corpse to clean on top of this seemed... unappealing.
hence, he reaches to the waters edge, just enough to offer a bath scrub.
but, at least it gives itto something to potentially grab onto, especially as he dips it beneath the surface of the water. ] "Another win," was it? [ well, at least itto ups his comedy factor every time mort thinks. it's almost impressive how terrible this man's luck seems to be.
... was that also the effect of this water? ]
no subject
just like this, except he's grabbing onto mortelix's wrist. he's forgoing the scrub. the scrub will not be helpful right now. actually a 0/10 weapon, not even worth 1*. maybe later he'll find some use for it? however, as he clings onto what lifeline he's been offered, it's what also appears that might give the other man some pause: a ghostly yet skeletal hand, clinging to itto's wrist, seemingly trying to wrench his hand off of what could be his saving grace from this horrid situation.
the water is, at this moment, somehow deeper than it appears. an illusion? a trick of the light and shadows? or some kind of magic meant to force itto into believing he's actually in something leagues deep and not just a foot or two? either way, the apparition's attempt to keep itto down and out is not a a lie.
itto pushes his face to the surface of the water, straining against the forces that want to keep him from taking a final breath, as he brings up his other hand to grab onto the side of the bath. ]
Y-yeah! Huge win, big win! [ a cough, while he continues to try to get out. ] Okay so maybe it's not gonna be an easy one, but...!
[ finally, he gets that hand off his wrist through sheer force, allowing him to pull himself up halfway onto the bath's edge. taking deep lungfuls of air, the oni groans. ]
... they really want people to take a bath in here, huh?
no subject
hence, he sticks to his position, his feet further planting itself in place. the outline of the hands swirling beneath the surface of the water is all too palpable now; making clear and conspicuous ripples against the thick paste of of the blood-like liquid. the wavelets cast out from near itto's body meant it was still near him, attempting to drag him in; almost as if the arms themselves were terribly sick of lingering in those depths alone.
mort can't deny that it had been interesting, maybe, but he has no such desire for this man's drowning be blamed on him. though, as soon as he thinks it and reaches out to the man, he already seems to be pulling himself up.
but, considering all he's seen, mort does find that the other man's performance warranted some assistance. which is why he offers an arm at least to steady him. ] Considering the way you toppled in earlier, it could very well be that they desired your companionship. How fortunate. [ he's kidding, maybe. ]
Is it that they really want you to take a bath, or that they really do not. [ as far as he could analyze, it could very well be either. ]
Have you experienced anything like this before? [ it didn't seem like an attack someone launched, per say. it was almost as if those hands simply had a mind of their own. almost spectral or ghost-like. ]
no subject
Yeah, I... I don't know man, that's not the kind of friend I wanna make.
[ the kind that only grabs and squeezes but not in the tender and gentle way that someone should treat him with??? he might look like a big, scary oni but that doesn't mean he deserves to be throttled all the time! just some of the time. ]
First time I've ever had to deal with anything kinda like this. I think. If I did, then I guess I forgot.
[ now that he can pull himself back onto the ledge and not be in the water, he can just. lie there for a while. ]
Okay. Safer here for now. But that doesn't mean I can lie here forever. You got any ideas?
no subject
still, it seems this sudden companion of theirs had no intentions of dispersing entirely, which is evident in the way the way, the water bubbles at the surface, almost as if someone was directly below it— breathing and laying in wait. ]
Would you consider it characteristic of you to forget? [ because he would find it extremely difficult to forget something like this. granted, despite his longevity, he did have a fairly accurate memory. but, this statement is a clear judgement of itto more than it is for himself. ]
Rather than idea. [ a pause. ] Would you label yourself a good distraction? [ mort didn't particularly like the idea of dipping his toes in this water, but he presumes if it was just a matter of emptying the bath, he could permit that much involvement.
besides, he was curious to see what these hands were capable of. but, just as well, he was also, undeniably, curious about this man as well. why not kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes... ]
no subject
[ a somewhat shaky grin follows equally shaky words. he's not really convincing himself that this is the first or second time that he's been grabbed by spectral hands and treated like some kind of ragdoll? ]
Think I can be a great distraction. The best! Just need to catch my breath, is all.
[ rolling onto his back, itto stares up at the other guy. why didn't he notice what he looked like sooner? maybe it's because he's been distracted himself, so in a way, itto is his own best distraction. ]
Uh. Nice horns, by the way.
no subject
maybe, mort graciously offers a bit more, before continuing. ] I will have to see with my own eyes what the "best" produces. [ it's both equal parts a challenge, as well as genuine interest. he has a feeling he hasn't seen the full extent of this man's physical prowess, nor the hands, and the prospect of being able to have front row seats to both was a little exciting, even at the sacrifice of his own efforts.
regardless, the man did bring attention to another detail that was left unspoken and unexplored between the two of them. ] As a dragon, it's only natural. However, what of yours? [ the man before him didn't strike him as a dragon, after all, and while there were other manners of beings and creatures even amongst his own world, it's one he doesn't like to make presumptions on. especially, in a land akin to this one where there seemed to be infinitely more mysteries than his own. ]