jigokufever | AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

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AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

1. SHUTEN TERRITORY - Muscling In

art by tohdraws

In the aftermath of the curse crisis, the Shuten Clan forgave a bunch of protection payments in the region, and helped cover the costs for rebuilding. Unfortunately, some of the street gangs in the area are much less civically minded. They have used the Shuten's relaxed policies as an opportunity to turn their own screws on the local business owners. These unaffiliated youth gangs have been much rougher with the locals, and have been asking for even larger collection fees. This has pissed off the folks who are just trying to get their lives and businesses back on track!

Unfortunately, the opening of Sai no Kawara in the underground drew so much of the clan's focus and manpower, that the issues up top just slipped through the cracks. Until now! Toraguma is in a bad mood and is looking for people to take it out on: the youth gangs will do just fine.

Volunteers are being solicited to join the regular Shuten enforcers in driving these interlopers out of Shuten territory. The gangs are wise to the usual Shuten tactics, though, and they're prepared for a fight. They are also appealing to the influx of Lost Souls: they act as though they're the victims of the factions' power struggles! They propose that taking up arms against the Shuten Clan will win them favor with the other groups in the city. (It will look less good with the Shuten Clan, should you be assigned to them.)

Fight with the Shutens, or with the gangs. Either way, a fight is coming.

2. TAMAMO TERRITORY - Throat Goat (NSFW)

at by akai riot

This prompt is overtly sexual in nature. Please use the proper NSFW labelling in your top levels and threads.

While the Palace of Sai in the underground is doing well, that doesn't mean the other businesses in the Tamamo Clan's collection have been slacking. One of the least "classy" soaplands has decided they're going to hold a contest to drive up business for themselves! They are partnering with some of the other sex clubs in the area for the sleaziest of events.

The Hyottoko Cup is looking for volunteer participants! The competition is pretty straightforward: a ruler is drawn on the throat of each participant and an array of members is presented to swallow. Whichever contestant can take the guests deepest and longest will take home the "coveted" Hyottoko Cup! Ok, there's a little judge favoritism involved too, so put on a show.

The guests have likewise been pulled in as volunteers, with instructions that they don't have to make this easy on the participants. Guests are provided with special seals that they can use for the length of the competition to enhance their natural assets. For those lacking the equipment entirely, there's a seal for that too.

Have fun and play nice.

3. TAMAMO TERRITORY - Strike a Poise (GEN)

Other businesses looking to jump start this month's earnings are also getting in on the spirit of competition! Businesses less oriented towards sexual service have come together as a means to draw in the high dollar clients, and one local club has proposed something old school.

Sign up for the Poise Contest, where contestants are placed into more and more ridiculous geta while tasked with serving drinks to the guest. Spills are expected, and the guests are cheerfully kitted out with cheap club-branded ponchos to protect their clothes. (Marketing, am I right?) While spills are expected, the contestant will lose points for each of the spilled drinks. Try to keep your balance as you attend to increasingly absurd drink orders. The intensity of the traditional footwear will only make your job that much harder.

Do you have what it takes to pour a champagne fountain while wearing teetering tengu geta? Prove your balance and dexterity is the best and the take home prize is some sweet cash. For Lost Souls freshly in the city, the chance to win some extra money can't really be passed up, huh…

4. SUTOKU TERRITORY - Jigokucho's Got Talent

Ever since Moonday's beloved singer – Ringo-chan – was kidnapped at the Tanabata festival, the band has had to cancel all of their scheduled gigs. Unfortunately, they were a hugely popular act, booked solid in most of the Sutoku Alliance's various nightclubs. This has left a ton of empty spots that need to be filled quickly, before the crowds get upset and demand… refunds.

That's where you come in, Lost Souls! Desperate promoters and talent bookers are literally grabbing Lost Souls off the street and begging, pleading, with them to perform a set for the night. They just need to have something to fill the space Moonday would have otherwise occupied. At least give the crowd something to see!

Acts do not need to be of the musical variety. Any performing talent is accepted, no matter how esoteric or bizarre! If it can fill out a 15-30 minute set, the club owners will be happy and the customers will at least see something interesting; even if it's a bad kind of interesting. So get on stage and show this city what you've got!

( Help us fill our time slots, please! We're desperate! 😩)

5. DEPARTMENT OF THE ENMA - Sticky Paws II: Outta the Bag

The Enma Department is busy: they have a kidnapping to investigate, a primordial god to pin down, and the crisis of their ever-shifting public image to manage. However, crime never sleeps and is always there to add to the troubled Department's workload. Worse still, we thought this little crime spree was over six months ago! But here it is again, much to the Enma's chagrin.

Cat cafés are a popular tourist attraction all across Jigokucho. About six months ago, a gang of bakeneko infiltrated several of the cafés to rob customers occupied with kitty bliss. Wallets, jewelry, and anything else those sticky paws could snatch away were being picked in droves. The cat capers are afoot once more!

Are you a hapless victim of these furry thieves, or are you helping the Department of the Enma track down these cat burglars? Unfortunately, the bakeneko are exceptionally clever and are using a seal to disguise their secondary tails. This makes them look just about like any normal cat. Better make sure your lead is good, or you'll be chasing down an ordinary Felis Catus. Soft to pet, but not going to return your pilfered cash.

Of course, the café staff might be in on this caper too… It's never easy to tell who's getting a cut of the profits. Be careful who you trust out there.

6. ALL OVER - The 100 Billion Yen Man (PLOT RELEVANT)

The local TV news has been announcing that Kaberou Kannazaki – the legendary finance wolf and the father of kidnapping victim, Ringo-chan – will be making an announcement this week. People have flocked to television sets throughout the city; at the squares, around TVs in bars, electronic stores, each other's phones, and any other venue with a connection. The kidnapping has been a highly public ordeal and the talk of the town. Many of the locals were present at the festival and witnessed the crime. They want to hear what the word is!

The public doesn't have to wait long. Wolf-eared Kaberou sits at a press desk, surrounded by microphones, and dazzled with flashbulbs. He clears his throat and, as he begins to speak, he is direct and to the point; not unlike a wolf lunging for the throat.

"As of today, I am issuing a bounty on the man known as the Iron Bear, who has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of my daughter, Ringo Kannazaki. The payout to the party responsible for bringing me Iron Bear, dead or alive, is 100 Billion Yen. Individuals or groups, I don't care. Just bring my daughter back to me, and the money is yours."

Well! The Department of the Enma's hopes of an orderly investigation have been dashed, but this is certainly an opportunity for anyone brave enough – or, more accurately, stupid enough – to traverse the Wasteland. Maybe one of you out there will find the legendary Iron Bear and bring him to some form of justice.

Local businesses are quick to leap at this opportunity, too. They begin to aggressively push sponsorships at would-be bounty hunters. Weapons? Armor? Survival gear? All at discount prices! Each faction has their interest in collecting the massive bounty as well. They will all be putting a lot of pressure on recruits to get ready to head out to the Wastes.

If you just got here? Well, it would definitely be in your interest to start finding gear, and finding people willing to collect that bounty with you. It could mean a big step forward toward your eventual contract, after all.

Welcome to the test drive meme!

First of all, big thanks to our discord chat for the "Throat Goat" prompt idea. Stay golden, gang.
IF YOU'RE TOP-LEVELING A NEW CHARACTER, post it here!
Characters already in the game can top level as well.
Threads here can be considered game canon.
Characters can be recruited to do work for any faction until they're given their official assignment.
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 September 5th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Monts has to laugh a little at Nazuna's reaction to the equipment being shown off as well as her enthusiasm. She allows herself to be tugged in, giving the girl a friendly pat on the arm.]

Oh, that's nothing. There's way too many textures to consider too.

[Pointing out a very ribbed member that one youkai is contemplating using for the competition.]

Say what you want about the red light district; someone's going home satisfied.

Textures?

[ she follows the angle of monts' arm, eyes landing on one youkai in particular - and it's very easy to tell when she's processed what she's seeing, given the dumb and delighted guffaw that escapes her. ]

Holy shit! [ she is winded. she is wheezing. this is the best day of her life, possibly, and she's not even supposed to be alive to begin with. ] Do you think it vibrates? It's gotta have a massager setting, right? Right?!

Don't die on me of laughter now.

[But Monts chuckles with her; it's kind of hard not to lighten up not after she's been in some sort of mood so to heck with it. Just laugh at some dildos with a cute girl, there are worse ways to spend her time.]

You know, I wouldn't be surprised. If they're trying to bring in business to these particular clubs, they shouldn't be skimping out on anyone.

I've been here a while now, so I've seen my fair share of toys, but I gotta admit, they're bringing everything to the table it seems.

Sorry, sorry! I'll do my best, just-

[ that's about as far as she gets before she sees a semi-realistic silicone dildo shaped like a tentacle. she chokes mid-sentence, holding onto monts' shoulder tight as she tries to keep herself upright. ]

The- [ -breathe, nazuna, breathe between the laughs- ] suckers!

[ it's gonna take her a few seconds to get over that one. when she finally catches her breath, holding monts with one hand and her sides with another, she manages to squeak out: ]

Man... Hell rules. Kou-kun'd have a freaking heart attack if he were here right now, gwahaha!

[Monts' hand moves to pat the laughing girl on the back as she tries to contain herself.]

Slow and deep breaths! If you need a drink, let me know.

[As Nazuna gathers herself, Monts glances around to make sure there's no other errand to take care of so she can give her focus to the new Lost Soul.]

Jigokucho is always rather lively. As long as you have a few good friends here, you'll pull through.

[Speaking of]

Are you looking for someone named Kou? I haven't seen or heard of anyone with that name, but it doesn't hurt to look around.

We'd just have to find someone who's had a heart attack recently!

Hah? I'm good, I'm good! [ even if she's laughed to the point of practically winding herself. she takes a deep breath, exhaling vocally before trying to speak like a normal person. ] Though I'm not gonna say no to a beer if you know where to find one. Y'all have Asahi around here?

[ this lady seems to be a bit more experienced than her. she part of a welcoming committee or something? well... doesn't really matter to her, if she gets beer and help out of it. ]

Huh? I mean, I guess I'm looking, but... [ kou shouldn't be here, is the thing. not at the soapland, no, but he shouldn't be here in jigokucho in the first place. though as long as they're on the topic- ] No way, man. Kou-kun wouldn't even come in here to see what the fuss was about. That little shrimp doesn't even think he's old enough to drink yet.

[ nazuna finally lets go of monts, stretching with her arms above her head as she does. her coat rides up a bit, revealing... a toned tummy with no sign of a shirt above it. how scandalous! ]

Though I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. [ her arms drop back down; she looks to monts, as casual as ever. ] Japanese kid, an inch or two shorter than me? Shaggy black hair? Gets weird around blood? Shows off his neck way too much for someone his age?

[ okay, this is. getting oddly specific. ]

How oddly specific!

[And yeah she'll just say so, god monts

Monts makes a mental note to point the girl to some clothing stores around the territory, but it's rude to point out other people's outfits (unless it was the guy with the 80s horse girl shirt...)]

We have some Japanese people out and about, but I don't think I've seen a kid with that description. I'm sure I would have noticed a scandalously naked neck by now!

Oh, it's not just that he doesn't cover up right! Plenty of people go bare, you know? It's all the rage in Tokyo! [ she leans in again, using an almost conspiratorial stage whisper. ] Nah, this kid... He'll just roll down his collar and flash his neck, right in public! Like, bare is one thing, but stripping? That's way too much, right?! I thought he was some kind of exhibitionist or something!

[ well. she's either an idiot, somewhere outside of normal human standards, or both.

probably both. ]

Edited 2022-08-26 20:19 (UTC)

[If there's one thing she's good at from her time as a barista at a magic cafe and as a hostess here in Jigokucho, it's playing along just for kicks. Monts lets out a sigh scandalized by the very thought of... Neck.]

Wooooow. If he's already doing that at his age, I worry for his future!

Right?! That's what I'm saying! [ she laughs, raising one hand and waving it all off. ] But for real, for real. He's got a good enough head on his shoulders, you know? If he does show up, I'm sure he'll be fine.

[ she turns back to look directly at the artificial "members" once more. should she mention that this is her first time even seeing a dildo up close? nah. that's kind of lame, now that she thinks about it. screw that. ]

You work around here? [ just a guess, but not the worst one. ] Hope you're not stuck on shift while all the fun stuff goes down.

I'll keep an eye out for him though. This may be the red light district, but the majority of the denizens aren't going to mess with the underage.

[Maybe she'll tell Nazuna the story about how she terrorized some mean customers with a large dildo... someday...]

I do actually. Not at these soaplands though. I actually work at one of the hostess clubs, but today I'm just helping out and running errands.

A hostess, huh? Is that so, is that so... [ she takes a closer look at monts, eyeing her openly - from her head to her toes. after a moment, she nods in approval. ] Yeah, I can see it. A cute gal like you, nice and approachable... You're a real threat to public morals, aren'tcha, miss?

[ she doesn't say it like it's something to be offended by. far from it - she sounds genuinely impressed. just because she gets pissy at the vampires that pulls this kind of thing doesn't mean she can't acknowledge when a human's damn good at something, after all. ]

Do you think so?

[Monts is pleased, very pleased.]

I'm glad I give off that aura! I was a barista in my world before becoming a hostess here. Even though the money's good, I might switch back.

[It seems like introductions are a given now.]

Call me Monts by the way. I'm part of the Tamamo faction. What should I call you?

Monts, huh? [ a last name, maybe? or just a first name. hell if she knows how westerners do things, especially here in hell. ] Nazuna Nanakusa. Use whatever part of it you feel like, my guy.

[ a barista, huh... she's never actually had a handmade coffee before. maybe she should ask...

...nah, beer still sounds better. ]

Tamamo, huh? That's, uh... [ she just sort of. gestures. the wall of dildoes, the contestants lining up, the general vibe of the red light district. ] ...this kinda thing, right?

A pleasure to meet you Nazuna. I'm just glad you're already having a good time!

[but what about... coffee beer perhaps...

Monts nods in response to her question.]

Mm-hm! We're in charge of the majority of the pleasure district. It's not only the sex-work-related stuff mind you. There are a lot of fine restaurants and bars though it'll cost you a pretty penny to eat in some of those places.

[ coffee beer? don't teach her about that kind of thing, monts. you'll never get rid of her again. ]

A good time? Sheesh, how could I not? [ she crosses her arms, grinning wide even as her face flushes pink. ] This place... It's like the night given form! Just walking around makes you feel like it's two in the morning on a Tuesday!

It really does, doesn't it? Sometimes I wouldn't know what time it is unless I looked at my clock.

[Jigokucho does feel like a constant nightlife at times.]

I'm not sure if people hold BJ contests at 2 in the morning though. Even I'd prefer to be sleeping at that hour.

Eh, for real? If you ask me, there's no better time!

[ for the BJ contests or for being awake? doesn't look like she intends to elaborate. ]

Sheesh... I can't even remember the last time I was asleep by two. [ it's not exactly an exaggeration. ] If I ever need to be up before noon, I just stay away instead!

Huh. That's super night-owly of you.

[The contest is kind of underway and such, the crowd starts moving past them to watch the naughty and full display.]

Looks like it's getting started. I don't think I'm going to watch personally and I don't think we'll be needed to run any other errands.

[at heart, monts truly is an introvert]

Though it would be fun to know who won.

Hmm? Nah, just a vampire thing, 's all.

[ even if some idiots haven't been great about believing it - thanks, akira! - it's been a liberating feeling to just say it ever since she got in. no real reason to worry about secrecy and pacts when everyone's in hell already, right? ]

-ah, for real!? I almost missed it! I'll be back, I gotta see this!

[ she doesn't move to join the crowd just yet, though. she glances monts' way first, a note of hesitation in her voice. ]

Uh. Should I... you know, look for you once I'm out?

[Monts was just about to go, "Oh!" not out of surprise, but out of recognition and some fondness. They've had plenty of vampire customers at the Midnight Grind and it makes her think of those quiet night shifts where they would shuffle in and order their drink of choice.

There weren't many who were energetic like Nazuna though.

Speaking of, in reply, Monts smiles.]

If you want! I'll be chilling out at either a nearby cafe or at the bar, Hemlock. It's run by a Lost Soul, called Shylock.

[She hopes he's okay though. The last time she saw him, he wasn't doing too hot (no pun intended)]

Right, yeah. The Shy Hemlock, gotcha.

[ that's not... exactly it, nazuna. not that it's going to stop her from waving and ducking into the crowd, trying to get a closer look at the competition proper.

the last thing monts will hear from her retreating form is a called out: ]

Remember, you promised a beer!

[ did she??? ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

AUGUST 2022 TEST DRIVE

pe[a]nut gallery (nsfw mentions)

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I THINK... i'll wrap up here and throw nazuna monts' way again if i get accepted, if that's ok!!