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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
[That's not... entirely true. He has a method that he could probably use to simply cheat the machine if he really wanted to; but that would ruin the thrill of the chase.]
Maybe I can share some advice, instead?
[He taps at the glass with a point of his finger, indicating towards a plush shishi-lion that was knocked half-askew by one of Nero's many attempts.] See how fat that one is? Even if the claw picks it up, it would still be dragging along the bottom of the glass when it moves, right?
Don't you think that could be useful?
no subject
Okay, he got it. Move this fat little guy over to the key and maybe get it to get knocked into the prize section and he can finally get out of here and do something else.
Anything else.]
no subject
[Matoba watches with interest as Nero maneuvers the machine, and one could almost even say the way he was watching was studying. Ah, yes. Interesting. So that's how he chooses to do it..]
Are you new to the UFO catchers? [Matoba asks with interest, unwrapping a piece of candy that he plucked from out of his sleeve, and popping it into his mouth.] You aren't too bad, but your movements are unsure.
no subject
[He is, very slowly, getting the key towards the prize slot.]
Don't have these sorts of things back home.
[Machinery isn't really a thing in East Country.]
no subject
[Matoba watches as the little plush shishi topples over out of the claw's grasp again, but it was at least several inches closer to prize slot than it had been. Oh well; another 100 yen to go.]
You must have other forms of gambling and games of skill, hm? Carnivals and the like? [Because that's totally what this is; Matoba doesn't beat around the bush to pretend otherwise.]
no subject
He puts in another yen.]
Sure, dice and cards mostly.
no subject
[Matoba smiles slyly through the mirrored glass again; if Nero feels like he's being picked apart and studied, it's probably because he is.]
Very interesting... But that also tells me why you are so frustrated with this machine.
You see, crane games have no luck element. They are all designed in a very specific way, although some may have this or that flaw which influences them.
...You might say they are almost like living things, that way.
[His smile is distorted through the glass.]
no subject
Nero's not moving away (because now he feels obligated to get the key out), but he is thinking, "What a weird dude."]
You takin' stock of he newest arrivals like this?
[Looking for flaws to exploit?]
no subject
[He isn't wrong, anyway, so it's not like Matoba could be mad about it. Matoba watches as the key inches within reach of the prize box; it's almost there. Victory is within grasp.]
[How satisfying that will be.]
I also simply enjoy the arcade. These machines are my favorite, in particular.
...And, well, we do need that key to resolve all the mess that is being made in here... [Matoba glances back towards a change machine in the back, which is rapidly spewing coins at some poor employee, a lady spirit in a hannya mask, who is covering her head with her hands.]
no subject
It might take him one or two more tries to get the key.]
'cause of the skill aspect?
[He looks over at the spirit getting attacked by tokens and feels like... wow, he really gets sent out to do weird errands a lot.]
no subject
[He admits each part as shamelessly as the last. His thin smile rests on Nero now, since he seems to have gotten the hang of the machine. Victory seems imminent.]
And the cute plush... ...Are you going to want that, when you’ve finished with it? [He jabs a finger in the direction of the shishi, now toppling into the prize slot along with the key. Lights flash and a happy little jingle play from the machine to celebrate Nero’s win.]
I would have simply played to get the key myself, but you seemed so intent, I didn’t want to interrupt you. All that effort would have been wasted.
no subject
Nero can't quite stop himself from sighing.]
You want this plush or what?
[His prize was the key, and he's going to have to give that up to whoever lost it in the first place.]
no subject
[This man was very reluctant, Matoba thinks; reluctant, and yet there was a sense that he was not put off his guard by any of this. Perhaps it was that he was too accustomed to this sort of thing.]
If you don't mind, of course. [He has manners! If Nero would like to keep the cute little shishi-chan.... But Matoba holds his hands out to accept the soft little plush since he's being offered, and gives it a few little pats on the head.]
A job well done... The clerk will be happy to see the key has finally been retrieved. Ah, you may call me Matoba. Tell her that I directed you to give her the key, and she will take care of things with the unruly machine there.
What was your name?
no subject
While he wouldn't say it's comforting, he would say it's familiar.
The plush goes into Matoba's hands and he holds onto the key to give to the clerk in a few minutes.]
Thanks. It's Nero.
no subject
Too bad.
[He offers Nero another friendly smile. Somehow, it never reaches his eyes, even now that they are not separated by the glass.] Thank you for your help, Nero-san. Please do consider visiting our arcades in the future, once everything is cleaned up, hm? Perhaps we can find a game for you, that truly suits your taste.