jikan_rpg | March | Event: What Lurks Beyond

What Lurks Beyond↲ OOC Plotting

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As the month carries on, more and more strange things begin to happen around Tokyo. The number of ayakashi roaming the streets rises sharply. An entire block of Little Edo is rendered blind and mute as the frog-ayakashi Ano invades family homes. A kaoseki is somehow found to be embedded in the Nihonbashi bridge itself, resulting in a near-catastrophic outbreak of severe facial paralysis for all who walk across it. And reports of house pets disappearing continue to increase, as hungry nekomata patrol the streets at night. Somehow, only Yoshiwara and it's new blend of incense seems to be spared. And yet even still, the worst is yet to come.

On the morning of the 20th, an erratic radio broadcast can be heard on every channel in Tokyo and other neighboring cities -- including from every magi-comm device held by refugees and citizens alike, as if something were forcing a message through.

"Tokyo, calling Tokyo, do you read!? Can anyone hear me!? This is ------ calling from ------ at the skytowers in Chubu! It's coming from ------ you must tell your emperor! You lot can't handle this on your own!"

A loud noise follows, and the signal goes silent.

Pollen Nation

As the people stir out from their homes looking for ways to address the situation, they notice an odd fog in the air. A distinct red color, it carries with it a powerful floral scent similar to the curious incense that Yoshiwara started using earlier this month. But this isn't incense: it's pollen. And the effects it carries with it are much worse than the watered down incense form.

All around the city, citizens find themselves completely overwhelmed with emotion. Some scream and cry in terror at whatever unknown threat the radio broadcast promised. Others react in anger, waving their arms uselessly at the clouds of pollen as if to brush it away. But overall, the picture is the same: the city is all too quickly falling into madness.

And yet only the refugees seem unaffected...

Flee or Fight? Nanjikan Research Lab, Tokyo
All refugees are immediately called to gather at the NRL for their own safety, should they miss one of the many trains evacuating towards Yokohama. Once there, they'll find that only a few of the scientists seem unaffected -- the others, apparently, locked in various offices and closets around the lab. Just ignore the frantic banging in the background (and also the frantic banging, probably, it's an emotion, too).

It seems they were quickly able to deduce that Kizuna is making them immune to the curse carried by the pollen, and the remaining scientists are the ones who first experimented with Kizuna by making bonds with one another. It's not just any pollen, after all. It's the pollen of a jubokko tree, the life-draining ayakashi. Ordinarily, these trees are very rare, often cut down once they're found due to the nature of their pollen. The tree feeds on spilled blood, and the pollen is designed to drive those who smell it into such madness that they grow violent, attacking anyone and everyone around them. Its effects on humans at a distance are unclear, but apparently it does more than just make them violent, given how the people of Tokyo are reacting.

It seems the refugees have a choice to make. Will they stay here in the safety of the NRL? Or will they take matters into their own hands, and seek out the source of that distress signal in the neighboring region of Chubu? Whatever they choose, the scientists will support them -- with Goro himself offering kizuna-powered weapons to anyone who volunteers to go. However, these ones are definitely still proto-types, and will only function as ordinary weapons after two weeks. What will you choose?

An Unexpected Ally City Limits, Tokyo
It seems it won't be an easy trip. The trains aren't running in any direction towards Chubu, and going on foot seems like a poor choice. Particularly because it's now obvious why the city has been crawling with ayakashi: all along the outskirts of the city, ayakashi of all shapes and sizes can be seen fleeing from the strange pollen. While it causes madness in ordinary creatures, in ayakashi, it seems to very irritating.

But those in Tokyo weren't the only ones who heard the distress signal. From towards Hakone, a large airship is making its way over, with a white emblem that might just be familiar to those who witnessed the rogue ninjas stealing from passengers on the Kanagawa cable car. Revealing themselves to be known as the Tsuiraku Clan of Chubu, they offer their assistance in seeking out the distress signal in order to save Tokyo from the pollen. Considering they spend their days balanced over boiling water and sulfur vents, naturally they all have proper gasmasks with them at all times, making them immune to it. And hey -- if the people of Tokyo can't go on vacation, who are they going to steal from??

But their criminal history aside, it seems the refugees don't have the luxury of choice. They need to get to Chubu as fast as possible, and an airship is the fastest way. But alas, not even flying is a safe choice right now. At some point mid-flight, the ship suddenly shakes with a loud crash, as an emergency landing alarm fills the halls. Something struck the ship, leaving what will appear to be a large scorch mark on one side of it... but what was it? Alas, there's no time to investigate. Better hold on to the person next to you, because it's going to be a bumpy landing.

Rumble in the Jungle

The ship manages to land more or less safely on the edge of a lake northwest of Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately, there are no Yokai among the Tsuiraku, meaning all injuries will have to be taken care of the old fashioned way, unless there's a healer among them. For the others, now begins the hard part. Judging by the trail led by the bright red pollen as seen from overhead, the jubokko must be located somewhere at the foot of Mt. Fuji. But to get there, they'll have to navigate through Jukai, the sea of trees.

One of the most densely packed forests in Kanto, Jukai is known both for its unusual plantlife and unusual lack of wildlife, due in part to the ayakashi who call the forest home. Compasses don't work, and due to just how far they are from the city, magi-comms won't work either. As safe as it would be in numbers, they need to make sure they actually find the trees. Which means splitting up, and hoping they cross paths again.

Vegan Bondage Jukai, Chubu
As the groups split up to search for the jubokko grove, most accompanied by at least one Tsuiraku ninja, they'll begin encountering stranger and stranger things. Passing through one part of the forest, they'll find that the whole area is eerily quiet, the thick groves of trees making it hard for any sound to travel very far. But one area is practically deafening in its silence. With strange creeping vines coating the landscape with a carpet of leafy greens, the Tsuiraku ninja informs them that they're silence vines, a plant that needs absolute silence to grow. And if they want to pass through quickly, they'll need to stay completely silent as they walk.

Or at least, that's what the lucky ones will hear. For those who wander in without recognizing the vines first, making any sound will trigger the plant's defense mechanism. As the leaves absorb any sound they hear, the vines quickly move towards the source of it, smothering the one causing the sound in the hopes of silencing it. It'll take nearly a full hour of silence to be freed, meaning those prone to bickering will understand why this is frequently known as the get-along vine.

But silence vines aren't the only aggressive plant to be found in the forest. Should someone smell an oddly sweet scent and decide to follow it, they might just find themselves wrapped up in a nuruname bloom (nsfw). These plants require warm conditions for their seeds to propagate, often seeking out living creatures to carry the seeds for them. Unlike a traditional flower, the nuruname's blossoms possess a long and slimy appendage used for injecting the seeds, of which no two nuruname blooms are said to be the same shape. Likewise, the seeds come in a wide variety of sizes; only the female variety is capable of injecting seeds, while the males produce additional slime. It's not uncommon for one to be cornered by both.

While the scent alone is usually enough to entice one to get close enough, the slime they produce makes for a powerful aphrodisiac. And unlike the silence vines, nuruname blooms are loath to release their incubators, and have been known to keep victims entangled for days on end. Those captured might just need someone to cut them free if they hope to continue their mission.

Mushroom Road Jukai, Chubu
In another area of the forest, the landscape grows more alien, with large amounts of fungi having overtaken many of the trees there, resulting in large mushrooms towering over twenty feet tall. They're called mario mushrooms, named for the long tendrils hanging down like strings on a marionette, and most creatures tend to avoid contact with them. But even so, this area is far from safe. Simply bumping into one of these mushrooms will make them release their spores, causing those who breathe them in to begin hallucinating. But not just any hallucinations.

The purple mushrooms cause one to hallucinate their greatest fear, clouding their senses to make its sudden appearance seem both plausible and real. The green mushrooms cause hallucinations of lost friends and loved ones, appearing to them just as they were in life, or moments before their deaths. The red mushrooms, however, have an aphrodisiac effect, causing them to hallucinate someone they're sexually attracted to, compelling them to have sex. While it's far more likely they'll see their companion transform, it's not unheard of for someone affected by this mushroom to just start humping a random tree. The effects will leave once an afflicted person moves away from the mushrooms and towards fresher air.

An Unexpected Cameo

For those who make it out of the forest, they'll finally find the source of the distress signal. At the base of Mt. Fuji stands a small group of Tengu Yokai, rarely ever seen this close to the ground. They're visibly alarmed at the sight of the refugees -- it seems they were expecting back-up from the Western Kingdom of Yokai, and didn't think humans could handle it this close to the trees. But they certainly won't turn down the help.

"For you to have made it this far, Tokyo may yet be saved after all. Come, we shall take you to the forest! You may stand a better chance than us, whose senses become clouded by the ayakashi's curse."

Anyone still lost in the forest will be rescued by a Tengu, but will also miss out on the final confrontation as a result.

The Bloody Forest Mt. Fuji, Chubu
The situation is worse than they could have possible imagined. Hundreds and hundreds of trees, defined by the blood-red markings on their trunks, are spewing more and more pollen into the air. At this close of range, not even kizuna will protect them. The refugees will feel themselves overcome by whatever emotion they feel strongest, as the ayakashi works to turn them against one another.

But there's a way around this. The stronger the bond, the more easily they can fight off the jubokko's curse. In order to keep their wits about them, they'll have to hold hands with someone they've bonded with, and hope their combined kizuna is enough to fight off the curse. Otherwise, they'll fall into the same madness as the people of Tokyo did, too overwhelmed by their own emotions to be of much help.

There are multiple ways of dealing with the trees. The simplest involves driving a metal spike through the large red patch on the front of the tree. Once deep enough, the tree will start to bleed, before turning to stone and then crumbling. Another involves simply cutting it down along the same red patch, causing a similar effect. Burning them is also very effective, though the pollen is rather flammable, and the trees may explode if superheated.

But one question still remains: how did this happen so suddenly? Jubokko trees need to blood to survive. Where did these trees get the blood necessary to grow in such high numbers?

When the grove is nearly half destroyed, they'll get their answer, as a large rumbling sound comes from the other side of Mt. Fuji...

Go Go Godzilla! Mt. Fuji, Chubu
In the distance, an impossibly tall creature can be seen lumbering towards the refugees. Standing hundreds of feet tall, every step it takes causes the ground to rumble. And with a loud roar, it rears back -- and fires an energy beam of the exact same type that destroyed their airship, aiming right for them. Mercifully, the beam only manages to hit some of the trees, igniting them instantly. But they may not be so lucky a second time.

As the Tengu is quick to inform them -- the creature is an ancient ayakashi named Gojira, the god of destruction. Despite its name, it's lived peacefully around Mt. Fuji since time immemorial, and is highly revered by the people of Chubu. But with just a glance, it's clear something horrible has happened -- as the god has been severely injured, one arm bent oddly, with bloody wounds along the side of its head. Somehow, Gojira itself is the source of the blood that allowed the jubokko to grow at such an alarming rate.

But the refugees now have a decision to make.

Will they ignore Gojira, avoiding it's long-range attacks, and focus on destroying the trees? While it's the fastest way to act, who knows what damage Gojira will cause amidst its rampage.

Will they attack Gojira, risking killing it while it's so heavily injured? Despite its title as a God of Destruction, the Tsuiraku will be vehemently against this.

Or will they try to help Gojira, finding a way the pull its arm back into place in the hopes of calming it down? They'll have to delay destroying the trees, and it may not even work to calm it down.

The final prompt of this log will go up on March 18th with the outcome depending on how characters choose to act! Please have your votes in as early as possible!

FINALE: An Ancient Blessing Mt. Fuji, Chubu
Despite the looming threat of the trees, the refugees overwhelming decide to try and aid the ailing god. Gojira won't make it easy for them; with the trees still spewing pollen, it continues to rampage, wary of the refugees attempting to restrain it. But with a concentrated effort to reset the dislocated arm, and a little help from a Tengu in providing the necessary healing magic -- Gojira suddenly calms down.

Or at least... it does for a few minutes. Because once it has been healed, it stomps over towards the trees and begins to aggressively crush them beneath its feet. And while this is certainly a more effective way of dealing with the trees, there were still refugees trying to take care of them as well, and they won't be getting out of this without any injuries. While no one is killed, Goro is among the wounded, breaking his leg after failing to clear a fallen tree trunk while fleeing. But he'll be in good spirits, insisting that all rumors about him allegedly crying for his mama were lies and slander.

But once the trees are destroyed, something curious happens -- a voice speaks inside the minds of all refugees present.

"Children of Gaia.
Peace has returned to these lands.
Accept my blessing."

The mighty ayakashi tilts its face towards the heavens and fires one last beam of energy. But this one is different, arching up and then downward like a water spout, before sending a shining wave of light over the land, causing a strange, warm sensation in the chest of every refugee. And yet, while the Tengu praise everyone present and proclaim just how rare it is to receive the blessing of a god-- neither they nor the Tsuiraku ninja will know what they're talking about should they mention a voice, insisting that Gojira was not considered capable of speech.

As the refugees gather to treat the wounded, a small fleet of airships arrives, manned by crews entirely composed of Kitsune Yokai. The wounded will be tended to first, while everyone else gets a leisurely first-class flight back to Tokyo, where a hero's welcome awaits them, as reports of their heroism quickly spreads throughout the city.

But before the Yokai depart, some may happen to overhear something odd from the Kitsune working on the airship. "That's strange," they'll hear them whispering to one another, "Refugees from another world? But they have the same aura as Hanyo..."

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's March event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• Due to the plotty nature of this event, it is slightly future-dated, and ICly will take place on March 20-21st. Characters will have to camp in the forest overnight, as the confrontation with the jubokko and Gojira will occur on the 21st. Camping supplies can be assumed to have been brought by the Tsuiraku ninjas.

• Regardless of the outcome of the final prompt, the pollen will have completely cleared from Tokyo by the 22nd, with the city left shaken, but in one piece.

• If you would like to opt out of this event: Yokohama will remain unaffected by the pollen due to it's close proximity to the ocean keeping the air clear. The radio broadcast occurred very early, and was brief enough that it could have been missed. And those who just want to play with the ayakashi are free to say they've invaded both cities regardless, and can be encountered anywhere.

• The effect of Gojira's blessing will become apparent in the coming month!

• Because they didn't attack Gojira, player characters now have the option of traveling to Chubu to hike around Mt. Fuji safely. Please see the setting page for more information.

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March | Event: What Lurks Beyond

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