( open ) fortune slips

[cranekin]

WHO: Anyone, everyone, you, and me
WHAT: New Year fortunes
WHERE: Whatever shrine we find ourselves at
WHEN: New Year
WARNINGS: N/A

(It's New Year in Neo Tokyo and as per tradition, many people will be visiting shrines to pray for good luck in the year to come. Another tradition is drawing fortunes. You normally have to pay a small fee to get one but it's worth it to get a preview of what the year has in store for you, right?

The shrine near LILITH's base is especially popular with members but there are plenty of other shrines around Neo Tokyo if you want to try your luck elsewhere.

(Please feel free to treat this as a mingle to share fortunes with your CR or snag a fortune for your own posts if you want.))

⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆｡ ﾟおみくじ ﾟ｡⋆

✧ Omikuji are fortune slips and are traditionally drawn at shrines, especially during the new year. Your first fortune is supposed to be special.
✧ RNG a number between 1-40 for your fortune or read through them and pick the one you want.

✧ Each fortune is divided in 3 parts:

⋆ Type of fortune (great, medium, small, regular, uncertain, curse)
⋆ A traditional poem or proverb that is meant to be meaningful
⋆ Three things of note. Traditionally, this would be a detailed breakdown of different areas (marriage, health, business, school, relationships, etc but for simplicity's sake, I just chose 4 key points to be vague about: two general things, a moment in time, and a time of day).

✧ The fortunes are meant to be open to interpretation (because ultimately, you determine your own future).
✧ A commonality for fortunes is that even good fortunes have a warning to not get overconfident/too comfortable and even the curses offer hope and ways to improve your fortune.
✧ Traditionally, if you are dissatisfied with your fortune, you can tie it on a pine tree's branch or a string to leave the fortune behind
✧ This is all meant to be something fun! Like horoscopes, you can decide how seriously you want to believe their fortunes if at all.

#001

大吉
(great fortune)

The spacious sky
Spans serene and clear
So blue above,
Oh, that our soul would
Grow to become so open.

Something Of Note

something lost, a journey, past, morning

#002

吉
(regular fortune)

Three times a day,
Ancient people reflected upon
Their own lives,
We ourselves yearn to learn
From the hearts of such people.

Something Of Note

health, relationship, past, afternoon

#003

吉
(regular fortune)

Other people's words
Sometimes good and sometimes bad
Need to be heeded;
If we listen carefully
We can benefit ourselves.

Something Of Note

relationship, a wish, present, evening

#004

吉
(regular fortune)

Unknown to others,
These thoughts within our hearts,
Both good and bad
Are known by deities
Of heaven and earth

Something Of Note

a wish, a dispute, present, evening

#005

吉
(regular fortune)

A single thread
When not taken properly
From the very end
becomes all tangled
And so hard to unravel

Something Of Note

a journey, a challenge, past, night

#006

小吉
(small fortune)

Before deities,
Even though they are unseen
We stand without shame
When these hearts of ours
Are filled with sincerity

Something Of Note

a wish, health, future, afternoon

#007

中吉
(medium fortune)

Managing to live
Without becoming concerned
With trivial things
Seems in terms of living long
To be the best medicine.

Something Of Note

something lost, a challenge, present, morning

#008

小吉
(small fortune)

No matter how heavy
A burden we may have to bear
We must be aware
That these hearts of ours
Should be full of ample strength

Something Of Note

relationship, health, future, night

#009

中吉
(medium fortune)

If left unpolished
The glow of precious stones
Will not luster forth;
Surely this is true
of these hearts of ours

Something Of Note

health, a wish, past, morning

#010

吉
(regular fortune)

In a world of storms,
Let there be no wavering
of our hearts;
remain as a pine tree
with roots sunk deep in stone

Something Of Note

wealth, a dispute, future, afternoon

#011

中吉
(medium fortune)

Much like bamboo
That just keeps growing
Upward joint after joint
We as people can become
Splendid in many ways

Something Of Note

knowledge, something lost, past, morning

#012

小吉
(small fortune)

Though overgrown
With a dense thicket
Of briers and brambles
A path needing to be tread upon is
One that must be followed

Something Of Note

a dispute, wealth, future, night

#013

吉
(regular fortune)

If just neglected
And never polished to a glow
Even precious jewels
Would remain resembling
Dull roof tiles made of clay

Something Of Note

a wish, knowledge, future, evening

#014

大吉
(great fortune)

Although some are slow
Still we will never fail
to reach our goal
if we hold within our hearts
Those thoughts of sincerity

Something Of Note

health, a challenge, future, evening

#015

凶
(curse)

Going to excess is
As wrong as falling short
So used carelessly,
Words can be the cause
Of causing great harm

Something Of Note

something lost, a journey, future, afternoon

#016

凶
(curse)

We are prone to fail
In our perseverence
Just when we need it
So let us always be aware
Of this flaw in our hearts

Something Of Note

relationship, something lost, past, morning

#017

小吉
(small fortune)

While still reflecting
The image of lofty mountains
Water in streams
Strives to seek humbler levels
As should these hearts of ours

Something Of Note

a challenge, knowledge, present, night

#018

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

Were we to neglect
The completion of a task
Because it was difficult
Nothing would be done at all
In this mortal world of ours

Something Of Note

a journey, something lost, future, night

#019

吉
(regular fortune)

In this world of ours
We shall always fall behind
If we do not move
When we could be advancing
and fail to progress at all

Something Of Note

a challenge. relationship, past, morning

#020

吉
(regular fortune)

Even a high peak
Seen soaring in the sky
So high above
Can be scaled if we desire
Since there is a path for climbing

Something Of Note

health, knowledge, present, evening

#021

大吉
(great fortune)

How amusing—
I wonder what is becoming of my heart
What a joy,
To be able to look at the flowers
And the moon at the same time

Something Of Note

a dispute, a journey, past, afternoon

#022

凶
(curse)

I tried to distance myself from it
But in the end
Trouble still found me

Something Of Note

wealth, a journey, present, night

#023

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

I've come so many times to this shrine
And yet
Why do I not receive a blessing
From the gods?

Something Of Note

knowledge, a journey, present, morning

#024

中吉
(medium fortune)

There was a time
When I thought the world was ending
But now I've been blessed with wealth
I can't be happier

Something Of Note

change, a wish, present, afternoon

#025

吉
(regular fortune)

Like the moon's reflection
In the water of my cupped hands
It vanished so soon.
What a fleeting world we live in
Where things are so easily gone

Something Of Note

knowledge, change, present, evening

#026

吉
(regular fortune)

Once in awhile
We should look each other in the eyes
Otherwise we might feel lost

Something Of Note

a journey, a dispute, present, night

#027

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

Just like I thought
No perfect moment lasts forever
I guess that's what made it
So perfectly beautiful

Something Of Note

a challenge, relationship, future, evening

#028

中吉
(medium fortune)

Like the crane
that lives for thousands of years
This abundant, joyful moment
Will last for a long time

Something Of Note

a dispute, change, past, night

#029

吉
(regular fortune)

A flower that never blooms
Will neither scatter nor wilt
But will merely keep on waiting
For tomorrow

Something Of Note

a journey, change, past, afternoon

#030

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

Time is like an arrow shot,
Everything should be done quickly.

Something Of Note

relationship, something lost, past, evening

#031

吉
(regular fortune)

Upon the pine trees
Clings snow:
From afar,
The season has led astray
The blossom, it does appear!

Something Of Note

something lost, change, present, morning

#032

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

That no one may know
Quietly, does he cry?
Until the autumn bush clover
Blooms flower
The stag’s bell stays silent.

Something Of Note

knowledge, a dispute, future, afternoon

#033

凶
(curse)

Their voices sing
And yet
Their flesh is empty—
O, how strange is
A cicada shell world!

Something Of Note

wealth, a wish, present, afternoon

#034

末吉
(uncertain fortune)

This world of dew
is a world of dew,
and yet, and yet.

Something Of Note

wealth, a challenge, present, night

#035

中吉
(medium fortune)

Were the ever-cycling blossoms
To be a model for this world,
For the long-gone
Past once more to
Return – that’s what I would want.

Something Of Note

health, a wish, future, night

#036

吉
(regular fortune)

O snail
Climb Mount Fuji,
But slowly, slowly!

Something Of Note

a challenge, relationship, past, evening

#037

小吉
(small fortune)

snowmelt—
on the banks of the torrent
small flowers

Something Of Note

something lost, relationship, future, afternoon

#038

小吉
(small fortune)

losing its name
a river
enters the sea

Something Of Note

a journey, change, past, morning

#039

大吉
(great fortune)

Snow falls and piles up on
bamboo leaves

It’s fun to dance for the gods
on a winter’s night

Something Of Note

a wish, a challenge, future, afternoon

#040

吉
(regular fortune)

The moon sparkles like new fallen snow
The plum blossoms resemble shining stars

Something Of Note

a dispute, a wish, future, morning

by killthecake

Comments

[likemybooks]

Me? Well...[He folds his arms. Nanami doesn't seem to believe him, and maybe he isn't selling his friends well. Sure, they're kind of...assholes, but they're his assholes.] I think I grew out of my title of "the new guy", but I'm the beloved beginner adventurer who can enchant just about anything for them. Maybe I'm not the best in a battle against ancient beings, but I carry all sorts of supplies that help them out in a pinch. Let me tell you about the time we went to hell, and my quick thinking saved our lives many times.

[He is exaggerating, but he thinks he proved himself useful to them.]

I could make doors from patches, I programmed an illusion that directed devils that were chasing us away, and I saved the life of Keyleth. I think I saved her life, like, three times so far? She's strong, but she tends to get into a lot of danger.

But, well, they accepted me into Vox Machina. If I had the crest and the necklace, I would give you proof, but...

[stresspoint]

Enchant... So you craft tools?

[ He can think of equivalent items, but maybe not in the exact same frame as Tary is thinking. ]

So then you can do that here?

[ That would explain why LILITH found him. Nanami is having a slightly difficult time parsing through the colorful descriptions like "the beloved adventurerer" and "the time we went to hell" to pick out the details he thinks might be more useful in understanding who this man is, but he thinks he gets the basic idea. His technique sounds useful, but he's clearly overselling it, which speaks more to his attitude than ability. If he's newer at whatever group he joined, he's clearly feeling that pressure. ]

You don't have to prove anything to me. If you are confident in what you can do, then doing that is enough. I'll settle for an introduction.

[ Now he knows everyone else's names it seems, except the man he's talking to. He's starting to think this man is avoiding talking about himself entirely. ]

[likemybooks]

[Finally! An introduction! Taryon smiles at the clear offer to talk about himself. He bows with one hand over his front and the other held to the side.]

Taryon Darrington, adventurer and aspiring author, at your service. You can say I'm an expert enchanter — I built my first automaton when I was a bright-eyed youth, and my inventions are used by leaders of Tal'Dorei. I could be glad to make you something if you so desire. Or I can give you a coin with a one-time-use spell, if you want an immediate taste of my abilities.

[He digs into his pocket and pulls out a hung of metal. It's a coin that he carved himself with the proper runes to hold his spells, decorated with a "T.D." on one side just in case people forgot who made it.]

Like this. You don't have artificers in your world, do you? No experts in magic and science? Then this all mist be very new to you.

[stresspoint]

[ Oh. Well, that's a turn. He wasn't sure Taryon even wanted to talk about himself, but once he asked, it seems like the man has a lot to say.

That is, as far as skills go. Nanami blinks a few times, just taking this sudden pace switch in. ]

I've never never of an artificer, but I suppose we have both magic and science in my world. At least, what most people would understand as magic.

[ He reaches out, and if Taryon doesn't stop him, Nanami lifts the coin for inspection, turning it in different ways between two fingers as he squints. ]

What is it enchanted with?

[ It feels like something, but not familiar like curse energy. Nanami hands the coin back politely, some of the edges of his serious expression smoothing out. ]

You build magic machines. That's a rare skill. But our employment doesn't provide much money. Affording items like that would be expensive.

[likemybooks]

[Taryon lets Nanami take the coin, even moving his hand to his hip while he observes his reaction. The metal, while hand-polished, does not possess the quality of a professionally minted coin, even when taking into account the customized engravings.]

That one allows you to jump further for a short amount of time. You can test it out on the way to the base. [It's a handy one to have on him; you never know when you're suddenly under attack and need to leap to safety.]

Well...yeah, that's a big problem here. I'm hoping that if we run into some artifacts or materials while fighting monsters, I can take some back to my lab. It doesn't have to be expensive, really. I built an alchemy jug out of a large metal water bottle. It's about having materials to work with.

So...say that you already have some armor, and you want me to do something to it, like make it resistant to the cold. I can do just that, with my own hands and tools.

Now, rebuilding Doty will require so much money, so I got the roombas as a close replacement. I can't enchant them to do much, but it's close enough that they can help me out.

[stresspoint]

I see.

[ He hesitates, still holding the coin, because he clearly doesn't know what to do about holding it. ]

Shouldn't you hold onto this since it's valuable? Or charge a good price to fund finding more materials... You want to build a robot? You should sell this and save up.

[ He rests the coin on his palm, cupping it like it's a baby bird. ]

I don't wear armor, but sometimes the implants are too straining. What would sunglasses cost? Being able to turn on blinders would be helpful.

[ Blocking the input is fine, but probably not something he can easily rely on. And Taryon seems perfectly capable, even if he's not sure how confident the man is in battle. ]

...Did you want physical training?

[likemybooks]

If you just want...blinders without the magic, I guess I could build something. Shouldn't be too hard. [Percy is the expert tinkerer, but Taryon is just as good. It'll make for an interesting project.] But we're partners, right? I shouldn't charge you for each spell.

Although...if I were lacking in morals and decency, I could get rich by selling all of my spells, and you'd have to pay me to use magic on you. But I won't. Because this is how my powers work. Keep it.

[He covers Nanami's hand with his own, and Taryon moves the other's fingers to close over the coin.]

Seriously. If you make sure I do not fall in battle, I will help you in return. But I won't say no to training. I could use some help with swordfighting.

[stresspoint]

If you can modify them to switch on and off according to need, that would be the most useful. The input from the implants is important, but I can't concentrate on all of it.

[ They say people can just get used to these things, but for someone who is older and less attuned to it, the adjustment is still hard. ]

If there is an enchantment that can mask the flow of energy, I would like to try that too. I don't mind paying. You should charge a fair price for the work that you do.

[ His answer is even and actually pretty flat, but when Taryon closes Nanami's hand over the coin, he's a little startled. There's a very slight twitch at the contact and Nanami almost starts saying something, but then falls quiet and just gives the man a long look after before changing his mind. ]

...You should still name a price. But if you aren't afraid of hard work, I can help you train.

[likemybooks]

That's electricity-based, isn't it? So if I'm looking for a way to dampen the flow, that would involve some electronics. [And Taryon never read about that. He'd have to learn how to build that on his own.] I could definitely try...but since the implant is inside of you, that'll be difficult.

[Masking energy would be easier. There are some stealth spells that can do something like that, though Taryon has never had enough arcane energy to warrant something like that.]

Alright, then. The coin is free, since it only has one spell on it. [He was born rich, he doesn't see the urgency to get paid just yet.] I'm willing to do whatever I can to be better at fighting.

[stresspoint]

[ He's honestly starting to be a little worried at how calm Taryon is. It's different for someone like Gojo, who is easily strong enough to dismiss anyone, but Taryon isn't the strongest sorcerer. He just seems naturally kind.

People like that get hurt. They become targets. Nanami shakes his head. ]

Not the electricity.

[ He lifts his left hand, still holding the coin in his right palm, and forces curse energy into his fist. ]

Something to dampen this. With everything else, it's just another thing to watch, and I'm not used to so much background noise. I don't need to stop it. I just need to make it less obvious.

[ He wants a break. Fighting is fine, but Nanami is just human. ]

I'll train you as part of the exchange.

[likemybooks]

Oh.

[So Nanami is a Wizard or a Warlock. One of those arcane casters who can manipulate the world around them to great effect. When Taryon thinks about the problem in that sense, he has some hazy vision of a plan.]

So...it's a matter of suppressing your powers when you're out with other people, like wearing gloves? I could do gloves, if I find a set that fit you. Oh, and it'll have to match your outfit, if you want to wear it in public.

[Now this is something he can do.]

It might take several weeks or a few months, if you want it to last forever. It would depend on how strong the anti-magic field should be. I assume it won't be entirely suppressed, but if you're really strong, I would need to concentrate a lot of energy into the enchantment.

[stresspoint]

It's more complicated than that.

[ He puts the coin into his pocket, reluctantly accepting that apparently it is his. He'll have to decide how he feels about that later, and probably raise the topic of payment again when Taryon has had more time to consider it. For the moment, he reaches out to the side and touches his hand against a wall, pushing the curse energy into it and leaving an energy signature there. ]

Everything has the ability to retain curse energy. Humans produce it. Seeing the traces created and left by people is a natural ability that is stronger in some people than others.

[ When he drops his arm, the energy in it stops flowing as strongly, but maybe drawing attention to it will help Taryon to notice it. ]

It's not something I can just stop seeing. If other people notice me, they'll be similar jujutsu sorcerers and that won't matter. My powers aren't that great. I just want to obstruct my own field of vision if I need to.

[likemybooks]

[Taryon leans towards the wall. With Nanami pointing it out, Taryon can detect a well of magic being poured into the surface. It's not obvious to him at first, but focusing on that area makes it visible.]

Do you see this energy everywhere? How distracting is it in a large city?

[He presses his hand on the spot that Nanami touched.]

Why is it a curse?

[stresspoint]

It's normal. Usually it's not distracting, but with everything else they have us learning, it's harder to focus.

[ It's not physical so much as an uncomfortable energy lingering in that spot. Anger. Despair. A creepy vibe that just seems to come from the energy left behind from his touch. ]

Curse energy comes from the negative emotions everyone feels. The resentment, the anger, the hatred that a person feels lingers and builds up where people gather. I can control mine... you could call it cursing someone by turning it into a conscious weapon. But these things happen in daily life. Illnesses. Accidents. They take form--maybe the monsters here are related and it's just a different evolutionary path. I don't know.

I just don't want to have to think about it so often.

[likemybooks]

Oh. It sounds like an empathy-based energy. [He can't say he's never worked with such magic, not if he wants Nanami to trust his artificer abilities, but that's going to make the enchantment challenging.] And its...every emotion? Can you ever get rid of it?

[He pulls his hand away. There's a creeping sensation in his arm, as if he just touched something repulsive. It reminds him of his childhood, after stepping out of a room his father was in and feeling rather sick with relief. Did the Darrington Estate have this much curse energy? Would pockets of Exandria have strong sources of this magic?]

So, misery is the source of your power. Or am I assuming incorrectly?

[stresspoint]

[ He shrugs at "empathy-based energy." Sure, that could be. He isn't experienced enough or smart enough to deep dive into a force that has always been part of humanity. As for getting rid of it... ]

If it becomes a problem, a sorcerer can use their curse energy to destroy a curse. Getting rid of the energy from people? No. It's not possible.

[ As far as he knows, it's just how things are. Feelings build up and leak out into the world. They crystalize or manifest or incubate. However people might explain that. Nanami just fights as a blunt object. He's not even as capable as some. But the last part does get a wry smile. ]

I guess you could put it that way. It could be considered a curse to have the honor of being aware and chosen to fight curses, so that would make being cursed part of my power.

[ A life of fighting, loss, and then his death. Misery does sound right. ]

[likemybooks]

It would be enough to turn someone into a pessimist.

[Taryon eyes the crowd in the shrine, all hopeful for the new year and unaware of this curse that permeates the entire location. Simply by existing and experiencing life, they turn the city into a well of negativity that powers Nanami yet creates problems for everyone else.]

At least you're helping get rid of it. [Maybe, just maybe, Taryon should help with making it easier to get rid of low-level curse energy. That could be as simple as boosting Nanami's existing powers.] But if you want to stop seeing it everywhere, I can do that, too. It's got to be annoying, when I think about it.

[stresspoint]

[He won't argue with that one. It's a cruel world, and jujutsu society uses and discards them to accomplish their own goals. To free humanity from curses, but also so that the ones in charge can remain in charge and gain more money and influence over each other. It's all about gain, and a sorcerer like him with no family history with it can't even start to play in that political field. He's as average as they come. Nanami follows Taryon's gaze to the crowd, watching people laugh and talk about their potential future plans and dreams. If anything, he seems content watching that. It's difficult, sure, but bittersweet.]

Good people deserve to live good lives. Just because it can't be erased doesn't mean that they should suffer.

[He wonders briefly about those words. Wanting to stop. It's still a lingering feeling, but a far weaker one than before. He feels better than he did before returning the first time.]

I won't stop, but I would like to rest. Suppressing it myself might interfere with my work later, so I'd rather keep my senses and use a tool that can make it easier without inhibiting my own abilities. I know I'm asking for something unusual. If it's too much of a problem, you can stick to normal sunglasses. That would still be enough.

[likemybooks]

Sunglasses just aren't dramatic enough. I could design them to look cool, but they need something extra. You know, to keep yourself safe, or to let you see through objects, just something to make them more than sunglasses.

[If he's not stopped, he will redesign the frames to be white gold and add a daylight spell for good measure.]

I'll look into that. Normally, we prevent others from casting magic, like if a wizard is being arrested. Maybe some sort of circlet? Would you say that using curse energy is a mental power?

[stresspoint]

As long as they're functional, that's the important part.

[ Well, he would prefer not to look completely ridiculous too, but he doesn't need the design to be that fancy. Extra spells just mean extra resources.

He looks at his hand. Is manipulating cursed energy a mental power? ]

I suppose in a way. It requires concentration and practice to fully control a technique. It's still connected to the energy that runs through a sorcerer's body, so it isn't completely dependent on our mental control. It's a combination. A fighting style that develops around our innate abilities. A sorcerer can learn to pull greater amounts of cursed energy into more complex techniques, just like you can learn to use a sword or hone your accuracy when aiming at a target.

[ And then it gets even crazier when the special techniques are involved, but he's not that strong. ]

[likemybooks]

It would mean the difference between a magic-suppressing spell that limits things along the lines of mindreading and dampening your entire body's ability to conduct power. [Warlocks versus Monks. It helps to think this in terms of powers Taryon is familiar with. Those that wield magic need to concentrate on their spells, while physical fighters are on an entirely different level.]

Either way, it sounds like it'll be expensive. I think sunglasses are going to have to do the job for now.

[stresspoint]

[ Nanami wonders if other humans could dampen their curse energy. It's a thought, isn't it? ]

As a sorcerer, I can control my own energy. I'm aware of it, while other people usually aren't. We learn to strengthen or suppress our energy as part of our techniques. Right now, my maximum ability to use my energy... It's around seventy-five percent.

[ He's definitely dropped it a bit more than usual even. ]

Sunglasses are fine. It will help me either way. I don't want to attract attention.

[likemybooks]

You got a face that's fantastic for sunglasses. It makes you look mysterious and cool. Some people - like me, for example - just don't feel as charming when we hide our eyes.

[But Nanami has a stoic personality that would fit sunglasses. It's now Taryon's job to find frames that will go well with his face structure.]

I'm sure with some time out here, I'll get a sense of your abilities. And you'll get a sense of mine. So, it's a mutually beneficial system. It'll be fun!

[stresspoint]

...thank you.

[ He's not sure if that was actually a compliment, but it seems like he should say that anyway. Isn't Tary really saying he should hide his face? Ah, well. Maybe he should. It's not like it affects his feelings that personally, but at the same time... why? ]

In the meantime, can I count on you to fulfill my request? Just tell me how much you want for them after you decide on the basic plan.

[likemybooks]

[Taryon, meanwhile, is inwardly patting himself on the back for the supposed compliment. Nanami is a good-looking man whose charm is enhanced with hiding his eyes away.]

Of course. I'll design some sunglasses withing the week, and you'll look amazing in battle.