shiranui shrine

[stresses]

welcome (歓迎) Curiosity has led you here. In the luscious greenery of the Earth District, you have found what appear to be stone steps, quite a distance from the marketplace section of the district; they don't quite seem to fit in. You make your way up these long, forboding steps — something has to be at the end, right? As you continue your climb, you will notice things along you way, such as a few red arches and white pieces of paper hooked on straw rope, which have been tied to various trees. Sooner or later, you find yourself at the top of the hill and end of the steps with another arch and two dog-like statues there to "guard" the entrance. It's a decent-sized stone courtyard with one huge building sticking out and a few smaller buildings separated from the rest. The air is quiet and peaceful due to the surroundings of nature along with a few people in robes, sweeping and attending the conditions of the shrine. Welcome to Shiranui Shrine. The climb must have exhausted you, so please stay for a while.

the shrine (堂) Shiranui Shrine is a bit different from the average business here in Zodion. It is a place where you can worship other gods, leave a prayer or two, and put a wish on an ema and leave it at the shrine in the hopes it will come true. Not only that, but because of the natural beauty of the Earth District, it can be a pretty calming area to relax, take a walk on the trail, or just spend time with friends. It may not exactly be a shrine that houses spirits, but it does provide a taste of Japanese culture, and who knows what else could happen here? Zodion is a mysterious world, after all... As described, at the top of the stone steps is the shrine area. The medium stone courtyard holds the current halls, but there is clearly enough open space for play and future halls. Off to the side is the start of another path, a simple nature trail that goes from one side of the shrine to the other with plenty of quiet scenery along the way. It is recommended that you do not leave the trail, even for a tempting shortcut. The caretakers of the shrine cannot be held responsible if you end up lost. When the sun goes down, the lights go up! What that means here is that the various paper lanterns hanging around the shrine will light up for a wonderful scenery of lights and amazement. It will last until closing, which makes it perfect for a night date here. The lanterns do go out when the shrine closes, so it would be best to leave before that happens unless you don't mind getting stuck in the dark with only the night sky to light your way home. Of course, there is nothing to stop guests from entering or leaving the grounds at night, though the halls will be locked until the shrine reopens in the morning. Originally started by Kazuki Shiranui (nuinui), it has since passed into the hands of Tsubasa Hanekawa (stresses). Halls: ∆ Main: The biggest hall on the shrine grounds, divided into three rooms. The first room entered from outside is the largest. Straight across from the entrance, against the back wall, is the shrine itself. It isn't particularly ornate due to the poor availability of the necessary items in Zodion, but it's certainly serviceable. A small incense burner fills the room with smoke and a calming aroma. The right wall is taken up by wooden plates on hooks. A table is stationed nearby where shrine visitors may write their wishes on these ema and then leave them in the shrine with the hope that they will come true. Wishes can be for anything, from good fortune to leaving Zodion, as long as the writer believes it can come true. On the left side of the hall are two doors, one leading to a small tea room where shrine caretakers and volunteers can take a break and relax; guests are welcome to enter the room when accompanying a shrine attendant. The other room is a changing area where volunteers can change into their uniforms before they begin their shift. One other notable thing in the hall is a wooden box near the entrance with a slot at the top, but a heavy lock on the front. It's a donation box, the proceeds of which are used for upkeep and improvement to the shrine. ∆ Housing: This modestly-sized hall is outfitted with the necessities and rooms of a living space. There are guest rooms for visitors and volunteers who would rather stay the night than make the journey back down the long stairway and home. With permission, anyone is free to stay as long as they wish. Guests are allowed to enter this hall if with a volunteer, but certain rooms may be locked, such as rooms other guests are using. More halls will be built in the future when the caretakers have the money and time. Requests for certain additions are possible if there is popular demand.

work (仕事) The current caretaker of Shiranui Shrine is Tsubasa Hanekawa. There are no official employees of the shrine. Instead, there are volunteer services available to help Tsubasa run and maintain the shrine. Though a paycheck is currently out of the question, here are some benefits to volunteering: ♥ Volunteers can work whatever time span they feel like, even as little as thirty minutes of work for a day or two, and Tsubasa would be grateful. ♥ Food, breaks, and even housing can be provided if necessary. ♥ It gives those prone to boredom something to do! ♥ All that walking around the shrine does give you a workout. Volunteer work is fairly simple — it's mostly cleaning, lighting and putting out the lanterns, and keeping the shrine in top condition. More volunteers will be needed when things could get busier during holidays or when parties are hosted at the shrine, but most of the time, only a handful will suffice. Volunteers are required to wear an uniform while working (red for girls, blue for boys). To volunteer.... (IC): Characters can contact Tsubasa to express interest in volunteer work or ask other questions either over the network or through her inbox (OOC): Please fill out the form found in the Other Information section.

other information (案内) Hours: 8:30 am - 9:30 pm (Lantern Period: 6:00pm - 9:30pm) Closing Days: None Admission: Free *hours and closing days may vary depending on the weather, holidays, and events going on in Zodion. Current Volunteers:    Tsubasa Hanekawa (stresses)    Eru Chitanda (incessant)    Minako Arisato (shotarcana)    Yukiko Amagi (fans) Volunteer Form: <b>Character Name/Username:</b> <b>How often is s/he willing to volunteer?:</b> (e.g., every other weekend, once a week, once a month) <b>Anything else?:</b> (accommodations needed, special skills, etc.) ♥ The shrine is available for plotting of all kinds; unless it's something major, like blowing up the hall, there's no need to ask permission. ♥ Feel free to leave a comment or contact me by PM with any questions!