OOC Heaven

All over the world, reports of ayakashi attacks are going down in frequency.

• The rainy season is in full swing on the Near Shore, so pack an umbrella or two if you venture out!
  
  At the base of Mt. Fuji are the Five Fuji Lakes, and of these lakes Lake Kawaguchi is the most accessible to tourists. This time of year, they host the Fuji Kawaguicko Herb Festival to showcase the 70,000 lavender flowers in bloom on the lakeshore. The festival is known for its lavender flavored soft serve ice cream and special events hosted throughout the season.
  
  Just because it’s rainy doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do! Museums are always open, rain or shine, and there are plenty of interesting ones around on the Near Shore. From the Yebisu Bear Museum in Shibuya to the Edo-Tokyo Museum near Asakusa, there’s a museum for just about everything.
  
  

After reviewing all of her findings in the matter of Sabimei vs Sotero and Votelli, Amaterasu will make an announcement on June 15th (OOC July 1st)

• The nature of the crystal and dolls needs more research, so there will be a group descending on the library in the wake of her announcement.
  
• While the research is being finished (during the next OOC month leading up to the Endgame log), those with magical inclinations are welcome to join Amaterasu's spellcasters, or allude to it going on as they go about their other business.
  
• As chaos in heaven dwindles, so too does the chaos in the Near Shore. Many of the old gods have had less prayers to answer and less ayakashi to fend off, so they are spending more of their time around the Far Shore than otherwise, recently.
  
• The reports of missing items will be resolved with the library event.

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Here you can see the weather starting on June 1.

One more mystery solved.

• Meet the Library Spirit that's caused everyone to struggle finding the book they want all this time and (possibly) appease him so he won't keep intervening anymore.


• With the Spirit placated, if you'd like to help the Crystal Research being done by Amaterasu's spellcasters, you can do so!


• Help or hinder the librarians as they try to sort out which books and other bound volumes actually belong to the library and which ones were taken by mistake the last few weeks.


• Treasure Hunt! A book date, but platonic. Help someone else find a book that they want and vice-versa, or give each other carte blanche to find anything at all that your friend (?) might like, then give it to them and see how you do!


• Calligraphy Practice! Sometimes there's too many people in one section. If you're hating the overcrowded feeling, maybe sit down with someone else to practice Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji, or give someone else advice who's working to improve


• IC Date: June 15th 2017

• If your character still wants a gift basket from Orihime, they are still welcome to request one throughout July and early August

With the new overhaul to how Prayers and Missions will be set up going forward, we're adding in a bonus option for all future Monthly Announcements. Incorporate the prompts or problems from the Happenings sections of the Announcement post for that month into any Prayer or Mission and receive an additional 10% bonus on your follower and experience rewards when you turn it in! Don't worry if you don't get it finished in the same month - as long as it is started within the month holding the Announcement Happenings you're using, you'll still get the bonus credit.

It's starting to feel more like Summer than Spring.

• Golden Week has come and gone, with the first term not ending until July 20th, so this is the start of a long stretch for Japan's students. It's so early in the term, in fact, that when some students are struggling with new concepts, there are plenty of ayakashi around to feed on that anxious energy! Clearing the air could help many students get off on the right foot for the school year.


• Seasonal foods are widely available now! From asari clams to the tai fish of taiyaki fame, there's plenty of fresh seafood and sweets to savor this season.


• The Blue Pond of Biei, Hokkaido is best enjoyed in the month of May. Last year, it was temporarily closed in August due to damage and raised water levels from Typhoon Mindulle. With snows completed receded, this is the first time for many tourists to fully enjoy the deep cobalt color of the Blue Pond since the Typhoon damage was repaired. With so many tourists coming by and so many photos being taken, plenty of ayakashi are milling about, making would-be photographers more frustrated by the heavy crowds.

May is sweeping through the Far Shore and bringing with it warmer weather and vibrant splashes of color to many of the Temples.

• The fields and hills of the Far Shore are covered with tiny blue flowers as far as the eye can see, looking almost like a pale blanket has been cast over the landscape. They carry with them only a light floral scent but anyone who wanders through them will find themselves in a strangely contemplative state as if the flowers themselves are encouraging a little self-reflection, or providing the perfect atmosphere to get lost in a rarely-indulged daydream. Be careful not to wander too far or too long, though, lest you forget what purpose brought you out to traverse through these flowers to begin with...


• There is a lingering sense of both anticipation and anxiety lurking throughout the Far Shore, as the traitor still remains at large. Whispers overheard from the white-robed shinki or confided to trusted sources reaffirm that the Heavens are being searched for this person, as it's believed someone from the Far Shore is involved. A few hushed concerns can be heard wondering if that will be used, but the subject is always quickly changed afterward.


• The announcement in the change of Training Temples each month has certainly offered one distraction among the shinki and gods of the Far Shore and speculation seems to be running rampant everywhere. Who will be chosen to host, who has a Temple better suited for it, and even if (from the more skeptical of the older gods and shinki) the new gods can pull off such a task successfully? There's been such a range of gossip and debate that several betting pools have started up, with wagers passing hands and challenges placed. While some try to be subtle about it, it's not hard for others to pick up on what's happening. Will you put a stop to it or start making a few wagers of your own?


• Almost unnoticed in the background of all this hustle and bustle, there have been a few reports of things going missing in various Temples. Nothing big and nothing important, just small everyday items that have might also been misplaced, but it does seem to be happening with more frequency and a few people are taking notice. Is this just a case of people being forgetful or is there something else afoot? People are starting to mention it, and it seems most of the missing items are all things like books, papers, pamphlets, and other bound volumes... Coincidence?

• Creeping Moss ayakashi are appearing at the Shibazakura festivals all over the country, hiding low to the ground underneath the much more colorful Pink Moss flowers. Getting a bit of holy water on them might take out a branching vine of the ayakashi, but how do you get the whole thing without ruining the flowers?


• Leaping Mantis ayakashi are lying in wait along the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Since it's May, the giant Snow-Ice Wall is still intact, and they hide behind it until they can leap out at unsuspecting mortals. These Mantis can come in all shapes and sizes, from regular insect to just barely small enough to hide behind the Yuki-no-Otani at its deepest of 20 meters (65.6 ft).

Here you can see the weather starting on May 1.

Inspired by two suggestions from our players!

• All over Japan, the gods have been receiving prayers to control the deer and boar populations. However, some of the deer are sacred, particularly around Kasuga Shrine in Nara. New gods and shinki can partake in the hunting, or socialize in other ways, such as Archery and Falconry.


• As the Heavenly Host is spreading out across Japan, they will be looking for the last vestiges of cultist activity. This will not be NPC combat; it's background spywork for the June finale, which the new shinki and gods can help with if they choose.


• The start of the hunt - which includes a bento lunch - is scheduled to take place in Votelli's Forest, where the old gods expect to meet her face to face. (Sotero will also be present.) This is an opportunity for meeting them, in particular for those who haven't had the chance so far. By the end of the event, the Heavens will have made a decision about how to handle Votelli and Sotero, ascertaining their motives based on what they were told via the meeting with Suijin.


• IC Date: May 15
• If you have any questions, feel free to reply to the comment marked 'Event' on this post.
• To participate in the event, you will just need to comment to the event log after it goes up on May 1 at 7PM EST.

• Last month on May 2, Suijin held an exchange of information about various metaplot aspects related to the Cultists. Notably, characters insisted that Votelli and Sotero were not acting of their own volition when they attacked the Heavens.
• On May 8, new arrivals were brought to the Meeting Hall for orientation and training. We introduced the prospect of other Temples hosting the training next month and received enough interest to move forward with this direction.

If your characters have been up to anything this month that other characters may have noticed -- parties, ayakashi attacks, violent rampages through the Far Shore -- leave a comment on this post to let your fellow players know what's going on!

• Over the next several days, we will be updating pages as outlined in our SOTG Response. We have already been working on the content, but we can't fix all of the links in all of the pages until those new pages are actually posted. Our goal is to have this fully completed by the time of the event.


• To keep up to date on what we're changing, follow the Game Updates thread below. New comments will be posted as we go along. Once everything's done, we'll post a final update going over those same details, but only if the final form is different compared to what we announced previously in the SOTG Response.

• Due to the number of sweeping changes that the mods are implementing, as outlined in the SOTG Response, we will only require a check-in for May AC.


• We hope this helps players adjust to the new systems


• We also hope this gives everyone a chance to prepare however they'd like, IC and OOC, for the Finale of the Cultist Arc on June 1.


• Next up will be a fun filler arc in July and August, to give players and mods both a break. Going forward, we hope to achieve the balance that was reflected in the results of our poll.

• This month's update is now available. This update covers March's tag counts, March's Bonuses, and April's bonuses.


• From now on, at the start of the month when the previous month's tag counts are tallied, the sheet will only have Tag Counts; it will be empty of Event Bonuses, Prayer Bonuses, and Regain Costs. This is because now, those will be granted live throughout the month on the most recently created sheet. Now, when the list mods respond to Prayer comments, Regain purchases, and Event Bonus comments, you can see that reflected right away, and even spend newly gained points on Regains.


• As a one-time catch-up, we've already tallied April's tag counts up to April 26th, so you'll get access to those points immediately on May 1 regardless of mod availability to finish the April tally.

1. One for players who have a clear idea of how they want to fulfill the prayer or mission, but just needs other players/characters involved.
   
2. One for players who know they want to fulfill a prayer/mission, but needs help brainstorming ideas for how to fulfill them. Anyone - including moderators - could answer these requests, with no expectations that the same people answering might be involved in the final prayer/mission thread.

1. Removed the extra delay in simple communication between List Mods and NPC Mods while retaining their separate channels to isolate discussion
   
2. Removed an entire Main Mod task of making new private plurks each month just to coordinate mod efforts

thefarshore

thenearshore

LINK HERE!

There will be 10 exp / 100 followers awarded for High Walls or Booby Trap threads with at least 10 comments, then another 25 exp / 250 followers for a conclusion in that thread which successfully demonstrates breaching the compound, avoiding or defeating whichever impediments are being tackled.

There will be 20 exp / 200 followers awarded for First Fight threads with at least 15 comments.

There will be 30 exp / 300 followers awarded for Second Fight threads with at least 15 comments.

Spring has sprung, the flowers are blooming and the end of the school year is here.

• Graduation is a happy time, but it can be bittersweet as friends go their separate ways. Partings seem especially bitter at a Tokyo high school afflicted by ayakashi who are provoking fights between formerly good friends! Someone should help clear out the pesky ayakashi and make sure everyone leaves on good terms.


• Spring is the season of fresh greens, sakura desserts, and sweet strawberries! A new TV show called "Taste of the Earth" is holding competitions for the best food made from seasonal, local ingredients, and ambitious chefs from all over are aiming for first prize. Earn a little part-time cash helping them refine their recipes, hunting down rare ingredients (are you sure that's the right mushroom?) or just washing dishes -- and maybe you'll get to take home some of the leftovers for free!


• The Sakurajima volcano in Kyushu, after a brief period of quiet, is resuming its title as one of the most active volcanoes in the world with an explosive eruption March 25th.

Late March is a quieter time in the Heavens, as many gods begin spending more time on the Near Shore with the advent of festival season and to help bring good luck to farm, sea and forest.

• Unfortunately, after a brief period of blossom, the cherry season in the Heavens seems to have ended early; although other flowering trees are fine, the cherry blossoms have all fallen, and the remaining flower buds are withered. Instead of blossoms, the trees are simply putting out green leaves. At least no one's going to get drunk on the scent of the flowers any more this year....


• The usual white-robed shinki patrols are almost completely absent, except for the guards around the Meeting Hall and at Amaterasu's temple. They seem to be busy elsewhere. In their absence, troublesome wild spirits are more likely to wander into populated areas. Ghostly fireflies that lure travelers astray, wild boar and bears raiding kitchens and gardens for their dinner, mischievous tanuki, monstrous catfish in the rivers: even in the Heavens, gods and shinki will have to be careful.


• An abandoned temple on the northern edge of the Western District has been taken over by the world's biggest beehive, and some of the older child shinki are challenging each other to sneak in as a test of courage. Will you dare the Beehive of Doom? Or will you put on a bee suit and turn exterminator before this problem spreads?

• Beckoning ayakashi are appearing at dangerous intersections, luring distracted pedestrians out into the road at exactly the wrong times. They're big, slow ayakashi, and easy to beat in a fight: the trick is to make sure no one gets hurt before they're defeated.


• Butterfly ayakashi are fluttering around scenic spots and homing in on negative emotions. Once they land on someone, they'll settle in and start to drain away all of their best memories, wings growing bigger and more garishly colored as they leave their victim dwelling on only the worst of times.

Here you can see the weather starting on March 1.

• The Sensou-ji temple in Asakusa is holding their yearly festival to commemorate the appearance of Kannon in that location that inspired the temple's founder. Unfortunately, Kannnon's still missing after being reincarnated as a new arrival -- and disappearing -- months ago. The Heavens are concerned about the event going to plan, so they've asked new gods and shinki to stop by the festival and keep a keen eye out, since, unfortunately, Heaven's forces are busy. (And, of course, they can enjoy the festival, too!)
• IC Date: March 18
• If you have any questions, feel free to reply to the comment marked 'Event' on this post.
• To participate in the event, you will just need to comment to the event log after it goes up on January 1 at 7PM EST.

• Last month on March 3, a Doll's Festival party was disrupted by the appearance of mysterious dolls.
• On March 8, new arrivals were brought to the Meeting Hall for orientation and training.

If your characters have been up to anything this month that other characters may have noticed -- parties, ayakashi attacks, violent rampages through the Far Shore -- leave a comment on this post to let your fellow players know what's going on!

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=CEILING(ROUNDUP(AVERAGE(vlookup($B66,'August 2018'!$B$2:$K$187,4,false),vlookup($B66,'October 2018'!$B$2:$K$187,4,false),E66*2)*0.3,0),5)

It's February! The cold and gray weather still lingers, but brightly colored chocolate displays are popping up in every store from exclusive to convenience to counteract the chill.

• Feb 3 is Setsubun, marking (despite the weather) the official beginning of spring. Bean-throwing rituals to cast evil spirits out and welcome happiness in are a part of the Setsubun tradition, and all of those freshly evicted spirits are wandering the streets in annoyance, looking for a new place to settle in.


• The approach of Valentine's Day means a sudden influx of prayers from young women looking for divine guidance for their romantic troubles. Do they dare make homemade chocolates for the cute boy in homeroom? How can they make sure that their crush realizes that this isn't just obligation chocolate? Please, God, let this batch look good!


• A high-class department store in Ginza is holding a huge sale, and people are going wild for it! Fights are even breaking out over the best deals or the last available items. The poor sales staff can't keep up with this mayhem, and it's supposed to last for an entire week. They need help keeping the peace... and if you just wanted to snag some amazing designer deals, it's bound to be easier for an invisible shopper!

It might be spring according to the lunar calendar, but it's still chilly and sometimes even snowy in the Heavens. The camellias continue to bloom, and the frosty tracery on windows lingers.

• The koi seem to have been annoyed by the volcanic eruption. Although they're back in their usual haunts among the rivers and canals of the Far Shore, they're in a terrible mood, and prone to spit well-aimed pebbles at unsuspecting passersby or declaim ominous or insulting haiku. It's probably best just to ignore them, if you can.


• Wherever ash from the volcanic explosion lingers, despite the cold, beautiful new flowers are sprouting. Creeping purple and white wildflowers, spikes of red blooms, big golden cup-shaped poppies and more; none of them are quite familiar, but they're all very pretty.


• The number of crows in the Heavens seems to have increased markedly. Maybe they were chased out of their mountain homes? Regardless, flocks of them can be seen lingering in trees, lining up on fences, or hopping around looking for small animals or fallen chestnuts. Those who offer them food or treat them well might find that the crows begin bringing them small gifts in return: coins, broken jewelry, or other little treasures. Those who throw things or shout may find that they've made many very clever enemies with wings.

• Oni ayakashi are stomping through the streets, glaring and shaking their horns at everyone as they look for a new place to stay. Wherever they settle in, bad luck and bad tempers will flare.


• Sparrow ayakashi are fluttering from place to place, nesting under the eaves of homes and twittering endlessly about the bad intentions of those around them. Those who listen to the sparrows too much will find themselves spreading malicious gossip, too, and believing the worst of everyone they meet.

Here you can see the weather starting on February 1.

• A strange sleepiness is spreading through the Heavens. People who fall asleep are hard to wake up, and the people who touch them find themselves settling down for a nap too... and, while they sleep, gods and shinki alike will find themselves wandering into other characters' dreams. The world of dreams can be terrifying, but it can also be seductive. To escape, they will have to help each other realize that their dreams are only dreams, before they find themselves sleeping forever.
• IC Date: January 30 & 31
• If you have any questions, feel free to reply to the comment marked 'Event' on this post.
• To participate in the event, you will just need to comment to the event log after it goes up on October 1 at 7PM EST.

• Last month on January 14 - 16, a volcanic eruption in the Western District threatened the Heavens, and led to the discovery of another child god who seems to have a grudge against the Heavenly order.
• On January 22, new arrivals were brought to the Meeting Hall for orientation and training, as well as asked to help clean up debris from the volcano.

A few badly-behaved shinki drew attention to themselves this month: Joscelin Fitzthomas went on a rampage through the Central District and injured several white-robed Heavenly shinki, and Sha Gojyo tried to punch his way into Amaterasu's temple for a talk.

If your characters have been up to anything this month that other characters may have noticed -- parties, ayakashi attacks, violent rampages through the Far Shore -- leave a comment on this post to let your fellow players know what's going on!

tinwateringcan