jigokufever | June 2022 Test Drive

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]]

Welcome to the test drive meme!

Threads here can be considered game canon.
Characters can be recruited to do work for any faction until they're given their official assignment.
New characters can link their toplevels here!
If you have any questions about the TDM content, please ask them here! You can find information on the story so far here!
If you have questions about the game itself, please check out the premise, FAQ, and rules pages.
Reserves are open until July 5th
NEWBIE TOP LEVELS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He could have said that to literally any other member of the Shinsengumi, probably, and been comparatively fine. Not totally fine, but comparatively. Sannan is, most unfortunately, absolutely the wrong person to be sniping about Okita to.

But this is a Sannan well past that time in life, and that sense of desperation and loss. That sense of failure. He's come out of his experiences more cunning and razor-sharp than ever. So, turning to this abomination of a being, he merely... smiles. His eyes squint closed pleasantly behind his glasses, and he's thankful that his own affiliation isn't given away entirely, despite it being heavily implied by this being his hallucination.]

All of them, or just this one?

[Objective one: know where he stands.]

[ Izō has little respect nor fear of the Shinsengumi. It makes sense -- they were on the opposite sides of the same conflict and Izō's pride is in his skills as a swordsman. He had a less than friendly rivalry with Okita back in Chaldea, something he hasn't thought about since his time in Hakagemachi. ]

All of 'em. This one ain't special...Jus' more pathetic.

[ Something tells him Sannan is one of them, too. Why else would he be seeing this? Izō can't say for sure, of course, but that feeling is there. ]

[And Sannan could not possibly care less who he is or what he has pride in. Sannan's pride had long since ceased to be in his identity as a member of the Shinsengumi, but so too had it long since ceased to be pride in his altered state of being. He's been in survival mode, trying to protect the few things he had left, for too long.

That said... Okita was his closest companion at one point, and not being able to save him with the Water of Life was a point of shame.]

I see. Did you know many of them?

[Objective two: Find out if this guy is supposed to know who he is, too.]

[ It's not like Izō hides his identity here like he would under normal circumstances, but he's not about to give himself away entirely to someone that might use that against him. ]

Enough of 'em. [ It's intentionally vague. He knew quite a few of the members, Yamanami among them. ] Ain't none of 'em worth shit.

[Just. Smiling.]

I'm afraid that was quite the common opinion for some time. I don't think you're exceptional for thinking that, necessarily.

[Wrong, but not exceptional.]

In fact, you're less impressive than them by far, if this is your first approach to someone you don't know and have never met.

[Objective three: See how hard it is to get a reaction.]

[ Bad choice. Izō has several things leading to a larger chip on his shoulder than usual: an inferiority complex, a shitty tengu possessing him that makes him worse, his swords, and rank within his clan.

There is no de-escalation from here. He rests his hand on the hilt of his katana, a click sounding out as he pushes it past the catch. ]

Ya wanna say that again? We can see who's th' more impressive one real quick.

[Oh, that was easy. Nice. Good to know for when he's more... himself, as it were.]

You're awfully quick to start a fight with an unarmed, harmless bystander. What would your faction think? You don't even know who I am. And in front of all these people...

[He's died twice now. He doesn't fear it, and he's never feared the sword, to be sure.]

Consider your options, please. I've done nothing but state that you were less than welcoming.

I'm considerin' my options...

[ Unfortunately, Sannan hit on a point. Izō can't risk losing face with his faction right now; he disappeared for a couple weeks after getting shot with absolutely no contact. His standing is on shaky ground. He'd been granted some of his power back, but he'd also been hit hard enough to knock him to the ground before that.

He lets his katana fall back into place, but he doesn't take his hand off the hilt. ]

This ain't real, ya know. Yer wastin' yer time feelin' sorry for a hallucination.

[Sannan bows his head for a moment.]

You're mistaken. I don't feel sorry for it. I know it isn't real, shocking though it may be.

[He raises his head again and one again smiles, absolutely unshakably.]

It merely took me by surprise. As did your strong opinions on the subject. I have my own strong opinions on the Shinsengumi.

Do ya now? [ He snorts. ] Ain't like mine, I take it.

[ Didn't take a genius to be able to tell that. ]

Still, better if ya get th' fuck outta here before it gets any worse.

[ He actually sounds serious about that. If there's one thing he doesn't fuck around with, it's the power of the cursed energy -- not after what he went through recently and not after what he went through in Hakagemachi. ]

Who indeed knows...

[You didn't really ask, you don't really get an answer. And he'd be a little cagey perhaps anyway. Oops. He highly suspects that the man doesn't care, though.]

I'll take that advice to heart.

[Because ultimately, he knows it's fake, but it's still unpleasant and a memory of failure he doesn't need to deal with right now.

He turns away and begins to depart.]

June 2022 Test Drive

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject