MISSION 005 (part 1)

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: September 13th-September 27th
WHERE: Throughout Etraya
WHAT: Mission Log!
NOTES\WARNINGS: Horror elements, including fear-inducing landscapes, distorted environments, unseen predators, mental/emotional distress, potential body horror, corruption, possession, brainwashing, and compulsion.

⏵ reality bends ⏴ A strange anomaly has overtaken Etraya. The skies, once familiar, now shift unpredictably, cycling through hues of unnatural colors as an eerie hum fills the air. Tension crackles beneath the surface, leaving an unsettling heaviness across the land. Aurora’s mission announcement offers little clarity—more cryptic than comforting—and she remains unavailable for further explanation. Reality begins to warp, twisting Etraya into a surreal, haunting reflection of its former self. The hospital deteriorates into a decaying structure, its halls haunted by phantom patients, endless corridors leading to nowhere. Rooms morph into massive white padded cells where characters may find themselves imprisoned, alone with spectral figures who whisper of treatments yet to come. Some of these apparitions seek the attention of those roaming the hospital, warning them of a dire fate: failure in this mission means not just the death of their worlds, but their souls becoming trapped in this fractured reality, far from home, forever. The forest transforms into a dark and twisted labyrinth. The trees close in, their branches twisting unnaturally as unseen predators howl from the shadows. Narrow pathways wind through the maze, and while some may navigate unscathed, others will be violently pulled into the depths by horrors lurking just out of sight. Within this twisted forest, a small cottage appears, its walls echoing eerie whispers: "little scorpion," "selfish bitch," and "by the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes." The rivers, usually calm, have become a dangerous, volatile force. Their waters churn violently, and inky black tendrils rise from the depths, lashing out at anyone who strays too close. These dark appendages drag their victims beneath the surface, where those who resist must battle their way to freedom. But those who surrender will be drawn into an otherworldly dome beneath the water, surrounded by strange fish, far from where they should be. Inside, they will find an eerie stillness, but their earpieces still allow contact with the world above. A large mirror dominates the dome, offering an uncertain way back. ⏵ shadowy haunts ⏴ Those inside the zones come face to face with an echo of fear - a personalized manifestation of what scares them most. It could be an oppressive figure from their past, or something more abstract, such as the feeling of failure, or isolation. These echoes are relentless, feeding off their weaknesses and digging into what makes them most vulnerable. The Im'mari hungers, and preying on characters' weaknesses appears to be its chosen way of feeding itself. While characters may become stuck in their nightmares by themselves, some of these nightmares are shared between companions. Characters may become trapped within their friends' fears, or strangers'. However, the emotional distress felt by the individual the nightmare belongs to will affect everyone within the nightmare. An emotional prison built to torment those whom it belongs to, these echoes of fears may test the bond between companions, forcing them to face truths they may have rather avoided touching on. Earpieces will still be functional and may prove to be crucial in assisting characters when it comes to escaping their nightmares. ⏵ contamination ⏴ Im'mari may be weaker than before, but it is slowly regaining power, and the creature’s influence is spreading. It infects the wolves, the plants, and even the very essence of Vanessa Ives (and in addition, Aelwyn Abernant), feeding off the deep-seated fears of those around it. Im'mari thrives in the shadows of fear and darkness, growing stronger with every moment of doubt, pain, and despair. Its presence lingers beyond the edges of awareness, whispering to its victims, urging them to succumb. Through Vanessa and those she has infected, Im'mari extends its reach, turning once-familiar faces into agents of fear, pushing their companions to the brink. For those who fall under its sway, the transformation is slow, at first nearly undetectable. Perhaps a friend acts off, says something out of character, or expresses sudden, unprovoked anger. But as Im'mari’s power grows, so does the darkness in its agents, until they are no longer themselves—twisted into something monstrous, compelled to spread fear and destruction. Welcome to your nightmares. We hope you have a pleasant stay. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. We will be utilizing this post throughout the mission - including when we process the next round of applications, so please keep an eye out for new comments! All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[100more]

"Off and on. Hundreds of years ago, there wasn't a lot of options. If you weren't lucky enough to get apprenticed somewhere, you either labored or soldiered. Or turned to highway robbery. I did a bit of that, too." There's an amused twinkle in his eye.

He sits back with a little sigh. "Then there was the Great War. I fought in the first, not the second. For that one, I had settled down with someone. Didn't want to leave her, but she became a casualty, anyway. There was a lot of those." Casualties, he means.

[abit_ofboth]

“Now highway robbery I can see.” Loki smiles weakly. He’s teasing, of course, but he likes the idea of Hob having a bit of a darker side. It makes him feel a bit better about his own past, even if only briefly. “I bet you charmed gold out of all the young men and women.”

The odd feeling inside him grows a bit when Hob speaks of loss. Whatever is wrong with him seems to enjoy the pain of others and that scares Loki. It’s too much like what he was like before. But he swallows down his worry and leans into his own pain instead, concentrating on how he doesn’t enjoy hearing about Hob’s loss. “I am sorry you lost someone. That is never easy.”

[100more]

There are plenty of things Hob regrets. Some darken him to this day, but with an immortal life, he has the time to make up for it. To become better. The idea of charming gold off of travelers like some fantasy Robin Hood makes Hob laugh.

"I was not quite so refined about it, I'm afraid. Mostly a lot of threatening while running with some unsavory folk. You would not have liked them. This was before I endeavored to become more than a dirty, run-of-the-mill peasant." Different times. A lifetime ago.

As for loss, Hob nods slightly in thanks. "It is never easy, but it is always inevitable when you're immortal among mortals."

[abit_ofboth]

There is a lot Loki can learn from Hob. He’s only just started to understand that he can try and make up for all he’s done. And had been doing that until he’d been unceremoniously kidnapped to this place. Though he can’t hate it too much since he’s gotten to know Hob at least.

“I cannot picture you threatening.” It’s not meant as an insult, only that Hob has been nothing but wonderful. Even agreed to stay after Loki practically made a pass at him. Not everyone is so forgiving. “I cannot imagine you ever being run-of-the-mill either though.”

Loki nods and looks away. He feels the pain of his own losses thrum in his chest as if it’s sucking at all his energy. “I cannot imagine. It is why I never understood when my brother fell in love with a mortal. She would be so easily taken from him…”

[100more]

Hob chuckles softly. Maybe he wasn't the most threatening bandit, but those are still days he would take back if he could. He would say he's changed in many ways since his 'youth', but in other ways, he's very much the same.

"I didn't get attached to anyone for a long time. For the first couple hundred years I was.. well, I thought, great, I'll just eat, drink, and fuck to my heart's content." He blushes just admitting it. "But.. it wasn't fulfilling. I realized that loving someone was worth more than anything, even the cost of losing them."

[abit_ofboth]

Loki can’t speak to Hob’s youth, though when he gets home, he might just take a look at the beginning of his timeline just to see. He can already picture him being dashing and suave as he steals from some rich people, or something to that effect. And at least it will help Loki pass the lonely days/weeks/years that are what is to come for him.

“I admit I can see the attractiveness in that thought process.” He speaks softly and looks away from Hob again, just missing the blush on Hob’s face. He sometimes wishes he could be like that again just so the loneliness he feels almost constantly wouldn’t feel quite so desperate. A feeling that has been growing in him more and more lately, even as he enjoys being with people again. “And you found that to be true? I only recently truly allowed myself to get close with anyone and losing them has been… difficult.”

[100more]

Loki might be amused to see Hob as he was hundreds of years ago. He was quite a lively fellow back then. Even if he engaged in banditry, he wasn't really a bad person, but he was a man of limited means until he received an opportunity to better himself.

At the question, Hob nods, resting his arm over the back of the couch beside Loki. "I'm not saying it's the same for everyone, but yeah. For me, it's been worth it, and I've lost a lot of people. It was never easy, and I've never stopped missing them, but to me, it's worth it."

[abit_ofboth]

Amused would be right. Loki might have been redeemed (at least somewhat) of his own past misdeeds, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't still do the same if he were ever to find himself in a similar situation. He just wouldn't actually attempt to harm anyone anymore.

Without really thinking about it, Loki slouches slightly and leans his head back against the couch, bringing himself much closer to Hob's arm and hand. "Does it at least get easier?" He doesn't mean it to, but it's likely pretty clear that he's no stranger to loss himself.

[100more]

Hob watches him, unable to help but admire Loki's handsome face when he tilts his chin back to rest his head. He has the most perfectly sculpted jaw Hob has ever seen. And those cheekbones? It's like his face was made to catch the light. He should not be thinking such things during a conversation like this.

"Every time you lose someone, it hurts all over again, so I wouldn't say it gets easier. It hurts a lot at first, but after a while, there are more good days than bad days. Sometimes, you still miss them, though. That never goes away."

[abit_ofboth]

Loki can feel Hob’s gaze on him, but he doesn’t outwardly acknowledge it. He doesn’t really know what to do with it. He knows he likes Hob more than anyone else he’s met here, he knows he feels better in his presence and wants to spend more time with him.

But considering their topic of conversation, is any of it a good idea? No probably not, but Loki would be lying if he said he didn’t want to say screw it and spend all his time with Hob.

“I can’t imagine not missing them.” Loki rolls his head along the back of the couch to look directly at Hob. He smiles, it’s a bit melancholic, but real. He can’t imagine not missing Hob, when the time comes.

[100more]

Hob can't tell Loki what the right thing to do is. It's different for everyone, as is grief. He just knows that, personally, the pain is worth the joy.

"I still miss them. Often." Sure, he can distract himself with things like his work or even meet someone new, but that doesn't replace his lost loves. It just adds another person to the list for him to miss in the future. The same goes for friendships, too.

"I think it'll be a shame if we return home one day and don't remember this place. I'd hate to forget you."

[abit_ofboth]

Losing people is still quite new for Loki. As much as he always considered himself a bit of a lone wolf, he’d always thought he would run into people again. It had certainly seemed like he would never rid himself of Thor, and by the time he realized exactly what was happening with the TVA and how he might never see home again (especially after discovering Ragnarok) he had been too busy with everything going on to really be able to stop and consider what all that really meant.

Now though, he has all the time in the world. All he can think about is how much he misses Mobius and Sylvie. How his whole family is dead or lost to him. The realization has hit him in a rush and it hurts so much more now than it did even when he first made up his mind to ascend his throne.

Meeting Hob has exacerbated that in some ways, and yet he feels drawn to him. And if there is one thing that Loki knows about himself, it’s that he’s weak when it comes to things (or apparently people) he wants.

“I cannot imagine forgetting you. I do not think it is something even this place could take from me.” Even if he’s sure in his darkest hours he might wish to forget everyone and everything. Hob has been a shining light for him in this place and he knows he’s right. The memory of the people he cares about just might keep him warm when he’s alone on his throne again.