jikan_rpg | August | Event: City Without Honor and Humanity

City Without Honor and Humanity↲ OOC Plotting

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Perhaps due to the bad publicity earned from last year's kidnapping incident, the four powerful Yakuza families of Osaka haven't sought to familiarize themselves with the Refugee population -- until now, at least. As part of this year's Banka Matsuri, celebrating the end of the summer season, the Refugees have been invited to a special celebration in downtown Osaka, featuring unique events, an exclusive night market, and more!

But as is the case more often than not here in Nippon, not everything will be running as smoothly as hoped. For all that Osaka is a popular tourist destination, the streets aren't always as safe one one might expect.

Late Summer Festival

As the heart and soul of Osaka, the bulk of the celebrations will be taking place in Dotonbori, in which many residents of Osaka will attend. The involvement of the Dotonbori Family is not one seen as a downside, as the family has expanded into far less criminal enterprises over the years. Although city affairs are tightly interwoven with those of the yakuza, under the watchful eyes of the Dotonbori family, the city has remained peaceful for many years!

Or rather, certain parts of it, at least.

Stuck With You Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori
Out of all the attractions available at the Banka Matsuri, one of the most popular is a night market, offering sweets and treats from premier shops all over Osaka, along with a variety of stalls selling various goods and merchandise. As part of their campaign to improve relations with the Refugee population, all Refugees will be given coupons for one sample at every food stall, and up to ¥5000 worth of souvenirs.

Among the various trinkets and accessories, one shop is selling what they bill as "an experience" -- and yet this experience seems to be an ordinary toy. Perhaps even one people may recognize, though here it's being marketed as a bona fide set of Yakuza fingercuffs. Naturally, it seems to be rather popular among children.

But to adults who are curious enough to play around with it, they'll discover it's not as easy as it seems. Once two people are attached, they'll find they're completely incapable of separating, even once they learn the trick. That's because these fingercuffs are enchanted (as per usual, honestly) and will only allow the pair to separate after they work together to accomplish specific conditions for release.

These conditions vary, and the practical joker who sold it to them will suggest they cycle through all of them. From sharing a heartfelt secret, to a kiss on the cheek, a hearty slap on the bum, or even something more intimate.

Of course, once freed, those wishing to complain to the seller will be told that the release conditions only require that with the pair secretly wanted to do together. So no complaining if it made you smooch your "totally platonic" bro just to be freed.

Masked Menace Shinsaibashi, Osaka
What summer festival wouldn't be complete without goofy masks to wear on one's head while idling about eating snacks and playing games? One stall is even offering one free mask to any Refugee able to teach them a new word in their native language (sorry Japanese speakers).

There are all sorts of masks available, but among the most popular are a number of enchanted masks that produce special effects when worn. These range from illusions of animal ears and tails, to actual physical transformations. Although advertised as merely cosmetic, due to Kizuna influencing the spell on the masks, additional effects will manifest for Refugees.

The Kitsune mask has a powerful aphrodisiac effect, making the wearer flirtatious and playful.
The Inu and Bakeneko masks cause the wearer to engage in dog-like and cat-like behavior respectively, instilling in them a strong desire to be called a good doggy/kitty.
The Tengu mask causes the wearer to seek out unusual kinks, including those they may have never even heard of before.
The Blue Oni and Red Oni masks will cause the wearer to feel unusually submissive or dominant respectively.

But really, the most interesting masks they have are the Refugee masks. Any Refugee who has made a name for themself in one way or another will be available in mask form, though you may need to squint to see the resemblance in some cases. Thankfully, these ones don't seem to be enchanted in any way, but they may seem a bit creepy to some.

Secular Sacrilege

For those looking for a quieter or more sophisticated experience, look no further than Tennoji, where the entire district is celebrating the summer festival season. Unlike the other three districts of Osaka, there is no Tennoji family. Rather, the name comes from Shitennoji Temple, the first Buddhist temple constructed in Nippon, dedicated to the Four Heavenly Guardians who once protected Nippon known as the Shintenno. As city planners chose to integrate the city into the temple over the years, the entire district gives the impression of being on holy ground, despite the citizen's gradual shift to a more secular lifestyle.

Although the temple grounds themselves are officially managed by a certain Buddhist sect, the day to day business of the district as a whole is handled by a group who style themselves as followers of the Shitenno. In reality, they operate more like a faction of the Yakuza who just so happen to wear ceremonial garb instead of business suits.

Don't Pay the Shintenno Man Tennoji, Osaka
Tennoji is a strange neighborhood compared to others. Every building is designed to look like part of a vast complex of temples and shrines, with a large gate surrounding much of the district. And while all the streets are public and officially city property, the Followers of Shitenno believe the entire district falls under their jurisdiction.

As such, Refugees may find themselves being stopped by "monks" requesting that they make a financial offering to the shrine, or even insisting that they owe an entry fee for visiting Tennoji at all. While many locals seem to brush this off as nothing more than a petty annoyance reminiscent of a certain modern equivalent, others may find themselves being followed, berated, or even assaulted and robbed if no one else happens to be around.

Individuals aren't the only ones they target. Businesses owned by Humans living in the West or Hanyo seem to be targeted disproportionately, with the "monks" demanding unpaid fees and fines for indeterminate services. One such shop, owned by an elderly Hanyo and Human couple, sees their shop vandalized after refusing to pay, the culprits kicking over shelves and breaking a window before fleeing the scene.

Sure, this may be a different city with a different culture, but surely that doesn't mean they should be allowed to get away with this, right?

Snippy Clips Tennoji, Osaka
But those looking for something a bit more open-minded may find themselves drawn to a performance art installation called Snip Piece. Located inside what was probably once a small shrine, one volunteer is asked to sit upon a small platform and allow passerbys to use a pair of scissors to cut off a piece of their clothing, bit by bit, until they're left bare. The artist, Yono Oko, invites those struggling with insecurity to participate, as she believes the experience to be an empowering one.

Of course, that's probably because the scissors are enchanted with a spell that increases confidence and boldness for all participants. Those doing the snipping may find themselves cutting larger and more revealing chunks of clothing away with each snip, while those being undressed will feel more excited the further they are exposed. An exhibition of exhibitionism, essentially. Is this really appropriate for this venue?

But for those not interested in participating with strangers, a second exhibit is also available, in which a pair takes turns slowly cutting the clothing off of one another. Unlike the former, this exhibit is solely for the ones participating, taking place in a private room. What they choose to do afterward is up to them, as this too is part of Yono Oko's artistic vision.

And if they're willing to perform in front of a camera to save the "performance" for posterity, all the better!

Sketchy Business

But of all the festivities happening throughout Osaka, none are as lavish as those happening in the Naniwa District. Home to the fabulously wealthy Naniwa Family, nowhere is the disparity between the very wealthy and the very poor more evident than here. Although seemingly just as popular as the Dotonbori Family, in truth, the Naniwa are among the most corrupt, working alongside smaller gangs to maintain total control of Osaka's underworld.

And just outside the flashy theme park-like atmosphere of Shinsekai lies the center of said underworld: Nishinari Slums. Although much less of a tourist destination when compared to Yokohama's Port Market, shops selling just about anything can be found on every corner, alongside small music venues, bars, and shops of a less than savory nature.

Anyone who happens to get off on the wrong station during the Banka Matsuri may find themselves embroiled in a conflict that just seems be an ordinary day in downtown Osaka.

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in Osaka Nishinari Slums, Naniwa
During the day, Nishinari gives off the impression of being quiet and unassuming. But come the night, people flock to the streets, pushing wares and flooding into bars to relieve some tension from their busy work weeks.

All it takes is one spark to set off a chain of events. A shopkeeper gets into an argument with a customer who is trying to cheat them out of the bill they owe. Things get heated, and it isn't long until the customer attempts to run, prompting the shopkeeper to give chase. Others rush in to help with the ambush, and in the ensuing chaos, an enchanted stovetop is knocked over and forgotten. Within minutes, an entire street corner is up in flames.

Due to the enchanted nature of the fire, not even water created using Mizu magic is enough to quell the flames. As bystanders look for a way to help evacuate nearby buildings, the flames reach a nearby fireworks stall -- and that's when everything goes to hell.

Colorful lights and explosions veer off in every direction, some reaching quite far from the source. As a result, no one actually knows what's happening, and assumptions of a firefight are made by a number of Naniwa grunts working the streets. Swords drawn and spells abound, the streets quickly turn into a warzone as innocent folks do their best to escape the fire and explosions.

The entire incident takes place over a mere hour, at which point the fire is put out and the Naniwa Family's Private Samurai Guard arrive to take control of the situation. The wounded are healed, repairs are made, and by dawn -- it's as if nothing ever happened.

Just another day in Nishinari, it seems.

Alternative Reality Nishinari Slums, Naniwa
But not every incident that happens here is quite so flashy. Following reports of a time-stopping pickpocket in Kyoto, rumors have run abound that the culprit could in fact be the man with the clawed hand, who was responsible for the kidnappings last year. In the end, the man was never found, as all evidence of his very existence seemed to disappear. And with the upcoming film adaption of that incident, it's something that's been on the minds of a number of Refugees who experienced it first hand.

One such person can be found in Nishinari: a Refugee named Oscar Lee, who seems to be running some sort of political campaign. Standing atop a podium and talking into a microphone, he's joined by mostly natives as he speaks out to a large crowd of Refugees near the train station.

"It's all lies! The man with the clawed hand never existed! It was us! We are a poison to this world, brought here under false pretenses, given the power of gods to alter reality as we see fit! A power and responsibility we never asked for!"

"Do you know the true form of Kizuna? Do you know the power we hold? Look, you there, watching me! I'll prove it! And before your very eyes, the fictional kidnapper will strike again! Watch, as I--"

In the blink of an eye, the man disappears. And so too do many people in the crowd watching, blinking out of existence much in the same way they did last year in Shinjuku. Panic immediately ensues, as the crowd scatters to avoid the supposed invisible threat.

But where did they go? Well... everywhere, it seems. Those unfortunate enough to get whisked away will find they have been teleported randomly somewhere in Nippon. Some might end up on an unfamiliar street in the lowers districts of Nara, others in the middle of the Southern Wilds of Wakayama, and the truly unfortunate will find themselves in the underground catacombs of Shitaya's Jigoku in Tokyo.

But regardless of where they end up, they'll find stacks of stolen items laying haphazardly nearby, scattered about as if they suddenly appeared in the same spot that they did. Perhaps even something that was stolen from them earlier in the month might be among the pile!

Was it not a person doing it after all? Was it all just the manifestation of Kizuna rewriting reality the way someone believed it should be? Or did Oscar Lee use his own Kizuna powers to make it look that way?

Regardless, one thing's for sure: it's probably going to be long walk back home.

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

• Characters are welcome to simply cut through the fingercuffs to be freed from one another, but where's the fun in that?

• Character who choose to fight the Followers of Shitenno to defend a person or business will not get arrested (unless they kill someone), but will be treated poorly by them whenever they visit Tennoji.

• Water-based magic cannot be used to put out the fire, but characters skilled in using Hi or any other fire-manipulating magic can subdue the flames to put them out or keep them from spreading.

• Characters can be teleported anywhere in the game, including inside of other people's homes, though it must be an area that could feasibly go unchecked for a few weeks to account for the lost items, such as under a bed or in a storage closet.

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August | Event: City Without Honor and Humanity

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