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∎ ETRAYA MODS ∎ ([personal profile] etrayamods) wrote in [community profile] etrayalogs2024-09-27 01:18 pm

MISSION 005 PT 2 & ARRIVALS

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: September 27th-???
WHERE: Throughout Etraya
WHAT: New Arrivals! With a side of mission 005.
NOTES\WARNINGS: Horror elements, including fear-inducing landscapes, distorted environments, unseen predators, mental/emotional distress, potential body horror, corruption, possession, brainwashing, and compulsion.



⏵ disrupted arrival ⏴


Your arrival does not go as anticipated.

Aurora, the AI that keeps Etraya in order, had been overtaken by the Im'mari earlier in the month, her systems corrupted by its influence. While efforts have been made to save her from succumbing to it, much of the city is still in disrepair.

New arrivals will not awaken in pristine hospital rooms, but will instead awaken within the Dhaliwal-to-wall Bookstore. Cots are laid on the ground surrounded by books. Kneeling beside them is a woman - or rather, Aurora, with her new body that is vaguely similar to the makeup of those from Connor's world. Her features are strangely serene, with light hair framing her face. Those capable may recognize that she is machine, rather than flesh and blood. Beside her, a vital monitor thrums as it monitors the newcomers, checking them over for any abnormalities that may require her attention. Those who may have arrived injured will find their wounds well-tended to.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience." Her voice is steady, tinged with something almost apologetic. She offers a slight smile, looking over her charges. "We are in the midst of a mission that has... gotten out of hand. My name is Aurora. You have been chosen to protect your home world, and I am here to assist you in achieving that goal. The multiverse has begun to fall apart, and Echo will only be able to protect some of them. You are here to show them the importance of protecting your world."

She will remain to answer questions for those who respond to her politely in turn. For those who opt to be unkind, Aurora will simply shake her head in disappointment and pull herself up to her feet, moving to check on her next charge, if any remain. Otherwise, she has other matters to attend to.

Each newcomer is given an earpiece to connect them to the others residing on Etraya before they exit the bookstore.

Welcome to your new home.


⏵ into the fractured city ⏴


Once the initial shock of arrival wears off, they're left with the daunting reality that is Etraya: a collection of islands teetering on the edge of collapse, still reeling under the influence of the Im'mari. The streets outside are eerily quiet, but signs of life and activity are scattered throughout the city.

Aurora provides a moment to gather their bearings, but the weight of her words hangs in the air: there is no time for complacency here. Etraya may be fractured, but it is still home. For now.

Whispers of Im'mari's influence linger in the city, and numerous individuals who have been drafted have become infected by it. Faint shadows seem to move just beyond sight, strange echoes sound in the empty alleys of Nova City, the hospital appears to be temporarily taken over by something otherworldly, and while many within the city are beginning to figure out their next steps in taking care of what's happening, others are left reeling, consumed by the fears that haunt them.

It may be wise to scout out a few safe zones among the untouched areas of Etraya. Ramsey Farm seems to remain... mostly peaceful, outside of the havoc caused by Mena the goat. The catacombs under the city proper also seem to have escaped Im'mari's notice - for now. And while it may be covered in snow and cold, the Wolf Cove also seems to be relatively peaceful.

Outside of safe zones, others who have been present in the city for long may provide useful information, if one were to seek them out. There are strange objects imbued with dark magic hidden throughout Etraya by Gorgug and placed strategically to affect those who come into contact with them. Those who are perceptive enough may be able to find and neutralize these objects before they spread further terror.

With enough effort, perhaps things will return to normal.


⏵ whispered influence ⏴


The air in Etraya is charged with tension, thick with the weight of something ancient and malevolent. Whatever it is has already begun warping the landscape, but what lurks behind the shifting reality is far worse. Im'mari, a fragment of the cosmic horror that ravaged Moorecroft through the night, managed to follow those who returned to Etraya on their journey back home. Its insidious presence creeps through the city like a shadow that refuses to lift.

This isn't just a fight against fear. It's a slow devouring, a feeding on the darkness that lingers in every corner of your mind.

Im'mari is not a distant beast; its very essence has embedded itself into the heart of Etraya, infecting wolves, plants, and even a few of those who currently call Etraya home. Its influence spreads like a whisper in the night, quiet at first, almost imperceptible. But with each passing moment, with each shudder that goes through one's spine as they face their fears, it grows stronger. The more one struggles, the more it feeds.

Can you feel it? The weight of it pressing in?



⏵ through the veil ⏴


The whispers grow louder.

Perhaps you see it in your friends. A little shift in their tone, the way they hesitate before speaking. Or perhaps it's something deeper--subtle changes, things you'd never normally question. Maybe they seem more irritable or doubt themselves in a way that feels foreign. You wonder: is this just the strain of the mission? Or is it something darker?

"It's easier if you just give in."

And the more you listen, the more your world bends. You swear you hear something--a voice, someone calling out to you. Or was it just the wind? The scent of blood hangs in the air, though when you search, you can't find its source.

Suddenly you see it on the walls--a message, a memory from your past--something that grips you with a cold fear. It settles deep in your gut, but it's too late. The image lingers at the edges of your vision. Your mind is playing tricks on you, isn't it? Or is it something else? The longer you linger in the halls of the apartment complex, marketplace, or the hospital, the more the world twists around you. Objects shift in your peripheral vision - did that lamp just move? Did that thing lingering just at the edge of your peripheral vision just speak your name?

Im'mari is everywhere now, its influence seeping into the very walls. While Aurora has been freed from its web and continues to work to regain control of her city, Im'mari tightens its grip, refusing to give in. The stairs creep beneath your feet, the scent of rot clings to the food in the diner, and the hospital's medical rooms are empty... or are they? Was that a scalpel, or something else? Paranoia begins to creep in, the lines between reality and illusion blurring the longer Im'mari maintains control.

And grows bolder.

Words, sounds, and images warp the world around you. Faces appear in the shadows. Scents that shouldn't exist hang in the air, triggering memories you'd long since buried. Blood, ocean waves, familiar voices fading in and out. The longer you stay in these places, the more paranoia seeps in, eroding your defenses and wearing you down.

Many objects may seem harmless, but Gorgug's magic has imbued them with dark energy. As you pass them, the whispers begin. A stair creaks underfoot and suddenly you're back within a memory. A stone shifts, and you catch a glimpse of something that shouldn't be there. These objects are traps, set to trigger the worst within you.

Each time a memory comes to life, it seems to warp the world around you - the hallways stretch, the lights flicker out, and you're certain someone is following you. The paranoia builds, a creeping dread that won't leave. You have to find the source. Break the spell, or endure it continuing to spread.


⏵ cottage in the woods ⏴


As you travel deeper into the twisted forest, the air grows heavier, more oppressive. The scorpions that guard the way to the cottage scuttle through the trees, their pincers sharp as they block your path. Vanessa lingers there, her appearance changed, eyes glowing a fiery red. Black veins pulse beneath her skin with the same dark energy that courses through the Im'mari. Along with her are her guardians, ready to fight to defend her.

The closer you get to her, the more distorted the forest becomes. Light blinks in and out, disorienting you. You're not sure which way is forward, and the scorpions hiss from the shadows, attempting to lead you away. But you must keep going. Vanessa stands at the heart of it all - broken, feral, lashing out at anyone who dares to approach.

If you get too close, you'll hear the whispers.

"They see evil in you. You're no different."

If confronted, she may call upon her magic, using Verbis Diablo. But if you act fast, you can attempt to stop her before the words take hold.


⏵ NOTES ⏴


There is a header for new arrivals if they wish to talk with Aurora!

For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. Please keep an eye out for new comments, as we have many new characters and players arriving! All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

FULL NAVIGATION

mostdangerousbird: (203)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-09-29 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"That never happened. Or hasn't happened yet?" There has to be something more to this story. There has to. Or better yet, some way to make sure this story never becomes a reality. Tim shakes his head. "Why did I need to be rescued from the 3 dumbest criminals in Gotham? Was I sick?"
leastdramatic: (This should be fun)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-09-29 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nah," Jason replies. "It was that whole 'Tim Drake-Wayne doesn't know how to fight' cover you're always trying to do."

Which he doesn't entirely agree with but it did give him a funny incident to hang over Tim's head for the rest of their lives.

But with Tim not familiar with that particular incident, it gives Jason something to chew on.

"Do you remember faking being on crutches for about a year?"

It seems like they might need to establish which points in the timeline they're from.
Edited 2024-09-29 21:41 (UTC)
mostdangerousbird: (Default)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-09-29 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"I do a little less of that here," Tim says jovially, holding his thumb and index fingers a few inches apart. "With the whole 'champions of your world' approach and the amount of people who are completely upfront with who they are - and they lean to highly skilled with a few outliers - I don't want anyone to think I can't even throw a punch. And - yes, I used crutches for a year. There was an assassin taking out Gothamites with an incredibly narrow list of attributes."

Late teens, presenting male, black hair, blue eyes, physically fit, between 5'4" and 5'9", intelligent and affluent. Less than 1% of the population meets the hair and eye combination alone.
leastdramatic: (Giving a little help)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-09-29 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Heh. We got that much at least. You... Or a Tim back home did it too," Jason says. "And as flattered as I am that someone thinks I got talent and great skills, a champion of my world isn't what I got in mind. How much of our family business do people know here?"
mostdangerousbird: (152)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-09-29 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm not exactly thrilled at it either. I can think of at least 6 people that I'd rather have in our place, if that's really what's going on. No offense." When it comes to protecting innocents, Jason's as reliable as anyone. There's what, 2 billion kids on their Earth? There's no way he'd do anything to put them at risk.

But he's like Tim. There's only so much that they can do. Tim would feel better if their Earth had nobler representation. Superman, Wonder Woman...

"You'd have to do a full family survey to know who's been told what. I haven't told anyone, but the AI knows."
leastdramatic: (Quiet contemplating)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-09-29 10:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Jason nods. Given their circumstances, there might only be so much secret keeping any of them can do on this world.

"Why us? Pretty sure there's at least 1 or 2 lantern corps built better for this stuff than us."
mostdangerousbird: (079)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-09-30 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
“Geez, just go right for the tough questions, why don’t you?” He holds his hands out to either side, palms up. “Maybe they were busy. Maybe they were too much for the dome to contain. Maybe there’s too much yellow. I don’t know. Maybe Aurora wants baseline humans to judge Earth on, except Superman was here for a Gotham minute, but I could rationalize that away as he was here for Krypton, because he didn’t recognize a single Robin. Better us than 99% of the planet. We’re humanists and conditioned to crazy.”

Tim pauses. “Quick reality check: you’re not considering the seminary, are you?”
leastdramatic: (Umm...)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-09-30 12:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Well that took a turn. Jason stares at Tim. He's used to his younger brother's theorizing to but suddenly be asked if he was going to be a man of the cloth anytime soon was weird by any standards.

"No," he says. "Why?"
mostdangerousbird: (119)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-09-30 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"There was a Father Todd." He makes a vague gesture that's somehow meant to indicate that yes, Jason had been wearing liturgical garb. "I don't think I could handle that much placid today."
leastdramatic: (Welp)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-09-30 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Jason snorts.

"Yeah, no kidding. Pretty sure I'm as holy as any of you."

Which, in his mind, meant absolutely not.
mostdangerousbird: (204)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-10-02 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Tim blinks, initially going far too literal on hole-y and wondering if this was about to become a competition over who had had the most holes in them at some point. (Bruce would win.) Then he catches the obvious meaning, and he smirks. "Wholly annoying, maybe. I'm pretty sure I'd catch fire in a church at this point."
leastdramatic: (Raise your hand)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-10-03 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
Jason laughs.

"You and me both. Dick might have the best chance out of all of us but even then, he might be smoldering a bit."

As far as Jason was concerned, being some degree of a hellraiser came with being a Robin.
mostdangerousbird: (154)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-10-26 02:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"If you're going with a literal interpretation," Tim says with far too much good spirits for what comes next, "we're all gonna burn."

He shrugs. If there was an afterlife (there isn't) and if traditional Christianity was right (it's not), yeah. They're doomed. "When's the last time you turned the other cheek?"
leastdramatic: (Giving a little help)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-10-26 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Jason laughs. He’s not at all troubled by if any of them are going to Hell, if it even exists.

“Maybe when Steph wrongly accused me of taking her sandwich,” he says happily. “Her getting humbled afterwards helped.”
mostdangerousbird: (122)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-10-26 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
He doesn't remember Steph accusing Jason of stealing a sandwich, but anything's possible. Really, he wouldn't doubt that either of them were sandwich swipers, helping themselves to a "stray" sandwich. Stray, as in not actively in someone's mouth. "I don't remember that. Guessing I wasn't involved in whatever war you two were in until she found her sandwich."
leastdramatic: (Kind of)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-10-26 07:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Huh. Another difference between Jason’s Tim and the one before him. It’s a much smaller incident but still a difference nonetheless. Jason wonders what are the bigger deviations.

“Nah, she accused you too. Or I guess… my Tim. It was me, you, and Duke. Then Damian told us to keep it down while he was working. Turns he just put away Steph’s sandwich in the fridge for her.”
mostdangerousbird: (181)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-10-29 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
"I think you can just say Tim. I'll know who you mean, and I haven't met a Tim yet that I didn't understand why they did whatever." Or heard of a Tim, he's heard of what some of the others in the multiverse have done. Technically, he's only met 2 and he's not even sure they were different. "I'll let you know if you're way out in left field, but I wouldn't have stolen Steph's sandwich unless she left it by my keyboard when I was working and I wouldn't have noticed I ate it. Sound about right?"
leastdramatic: (Snort)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-10-29 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
Jason snorts at the thought.

"Spot-on. For all I know, he might've done that before hence Steph's suspicion," he says, amused.

"Who were the other Tims you met?"
mostdangerousbird: (023 but you know that she’s watching)

[personal profile] mostdangerousbird 2024-11-02 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"If you leave things within arm's reach when I'm at the computer, those things are now mine until I'm done working. That's the rule." He may get a little caught up in things, but there are much worse things.

(Much much worse).

"Oh, them? Unique characters, both of them. I think their names were Tim Drake and Tim Drake?"
leastdramatic: (Giving a little help)

[personal profile] leastdramatic 2024-11-02 11:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah, that's really distinct and easy to spot," Jason jokes. "Any differences?"