WEEK 2

[akudamods]

Saturday passes uneventfully save a little rain. It's on Sunday that you get a little notification of probation for new areas: Neo-Nipponbashi and Chuo. It'd be possible to investigate, to check out some anime, or to worship the defunct Shinkansen. But maybe it's hard to get excited about any of that when Friday’s events suggest that you have simply been provided some additional photogenic places to commit murder. Are you going to bother either overseer after their participation in some mockery of justice? Troll the internet? Get a bat out of Hyper Zone and just take out your frustration on everything?

Those of you who entered the pods will experience fewer “painful bursts of color” as your body is unaffected below the knees, though the same amount of “slight teleportation” glitches. Those of you who abstained from the pods will continue to experience all of the above as well as electric shock sensations occasionally when touching metal objects.

INTERNET | SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

((Internet investigations of any kind go here, and for all IRL areas, please use "investigate" in the subject line of your top-level comment, or link the thread to a moderator!))

Comments

[akudamods]

[Bingo! It turns out there's a room here specifically for the restoration!

Does he want to make a beeline for it, or take a walk through the history section?]

[hunterandhunted]

[Not quite a beeline, he's letting his gaze wander in hopes of finding any telling information. If there isn't any in the history section, however, he will make his way to the restoration section!]

[akudamods]

[To clarify, the restoration room is part of the historical section! There are just several rooms within that section.

So, since he's starting from the beginning, Zenos will find himself in Historical Room 1. This room features all sorts of stuff that seems like it plausibly came from pre-Tokugawa Japan, like pottery. According to the sign on the wall, this exhibit is... The forgotten era of princes and princesses. The legendary ninjas and shinobi. And more.

This is definitely far enough in the past that it may not have much relevance to their current situation, but hey... Zenos is from Garlemald, so it will at least add some context to his new life in Japan.]

[hunterandhunted]

[Oh wonderful. Well then, Zenos will most likely take a look at the individual rooms of the historical section before the restoration room.

In reference to room 1, he's curious about whatever the "and more" means. Though he is from Garlemald, FFXIV actually has Basically Tokugawa Japan in the form of the Doman empire!]

[akudamods]

[The "and more" refers to more common things from this era, like cultivation tools or lacquers, or maybe the aforementioned pottery!

Ready to move on to Historical Room 2?]

[hunterandhunted]

[>Go to room 2.

What's the first thing that stands out?]

[akudamods]

[While the previous room was a mish-mash of any and all PRE-Tokugawa era items the museum has, this room has the type of displays you'd expect for the actual Tokugawa shogunate - though nothing is explicitly labeled as such. There are plaques about the unification and industrialization of Kansai, and diagrams of "Kansai Station before it was a station!" It was a regular castle, one he would likely recognize as soon as he went to Chuo today.]

[hunterandhunted]

[A castle turned station is interesting enough. Is there anything else on the plaque? Any information about the shifting of power in Kansai?

If not, he's going to move onto the next exhibit.]

[akudamods]

[Nooot really. Maybe it hadn't happened yet.

Historical 3 is full of... honestly, a pretty random selection, making the details of this part of history seem a bit murky.

A terrible Takuri buggy car, probably Meiji era but unlabeled.

A little squat TV, likely Taisho era, but unlabeled.

Unlabeled Showa Era rotary phone.

Unlabeled Heisei era, a combustion engine.

Unlabeled Reiwa era, photos documenting medical advances like cosmetic surgeries and technological advances like robotics.

Each of these eras have a lot more things in their section, such as popular clothes of the time. But as for discussion of what was happening? Very, very little. This room is practically begging you to just pass through it.

The sign over the door leading to the fourth historical room is labeled Hicho Era - Kansai and Kanto.

[hunterandhunted]

[Yeah, Zenos is just going to continue to room 4. Unlike boring room 3, that sounds like it might have something of interest in terms of their stay here.]

[akudamods]

[This is actually more of a narrow hallway than a room. It's lit dimly, decorated with a solemn atmosphere, and a series of photos.

Kansai and Kanto were great states.

The first set of photos show Kansai and Kanto in the past - beautiful photos that show thriving cities.

The respective governors and councils each wanted the best for their citizens.

In these photos, Representatives from Kansai and Kanto are shown shaking hands - Kansai's representative is the same Governor that leads Kansai today. Kanto's representatives are a Husband and Wife, both seasoned ambassadors. With them is their 16 year old Daughter, who is holding a gift. The faces are tense behind each of their smiles. However, in the final photo, the Governor looks pleased. It is said that among Kanto's council, the Husband and Wife were fondly regarded for their exceptional generosity.

Regardless, the conflict eventually worsened. Unable to reach a true agreement, a war broke out between Kansai and Kanto.

[These photos show robots battling. They look just like the bigger police robots from the propaganda video.]

The war ended when Kanto released their newly-developed bomb: Annihilation Weapons, which reduced Kansai to ashes. Even the soil was contaminated.

[Photos of the destruction, including the total absence of all plant life. Fun!]

That's when Kanto lent a hand...

[The room leading into the Naniwa Era looks like it's positively glowing from this dark room, as though walking through the gate into heaven.

Brace yourself, Zenos.]

[hunterandhunted]

[Zenos makes note of everything, but doesn't linger too long. He's eager to move into the next room after this story of death and rebirth...]

[akudamods]

[When your eyes refocus in the bright light, what fills your gaze is a white line across the entire back wall of the room. Its shimmering open doors are more like portals to all the wonders that the world could offer.]

The Shinkansen brought food and technology into Kansai, as well as the wonderful art and culture of Kanto. The once-famous Koshien stadium was lost along with the rest of Nishinomiya, so they provided the concert dome in Chiyozaki to heal everyone’s spirits. Then, when the accursed Akudama began to plague the city, Kanto provided the means to suppress them and restored the peace and order. Gratitude to Kanto was so immense, a religion was formed, and their belief caused the Shinkansen to be reborn with a living soul as it served as the medium between Kansai and their new gods.

[To the left and right at the front of the room, naturally peripheral vision will more great things like the greatest recent singers and scientists... who were so much more empowered by Kanto's tunes and technology. From here, you can get back to the core of the museum.]

[hunterandhunted]

[Is that it?

Naturally, the atheistic garlean is NOT buying this poor end to the tale. It seems that if he wants more information about the previous Akudama and Executioners, he will have to venture on back to the HQ...]