MISSION 005 PT 2 & ARRIVALS

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[ghostlord]

The urge to cut through all of these images with his fan is strong! Why can't he show Zishu something nice? Something that will make the man like him better? But this is the truth and at least now Zishu knows little Zhen Yan hadn't forgotten him.

"A-Xu?" he breathes at the laughter, startled. Yet how can he do anything but smile back? Zishu is gorgeous and Wen Kexing can't help being wrapped around his finger.

"...are you disgusted?" he asks as they begin to move, his gaze sweeping over the hallway, looking for traps. He stops Zishu before a thin - almost invisible - string of metal and he slices through it with a wave of his hand.

[fated_dance]

They'll cut through it all, together. Zishu doesn't need to see something nice to have decided to keep his junior beside him as long as he can. And to keep him safe.

The answering smile settles it, as if he'd needed such a thing. "Lao Wen," he answers quietly, reassuring as much as he can with just that answering call.

His heart aches, because he'd done this to himself. Because he'd lost hope, because he'd believed himself alone and deserved to die horribly.

'Are you disgusted?' He hears the question but doesn't immediately answer. It's more important to keep moving now, but perhaps he's still distracted - enough that it takes his precious junior to find the trap and tug him out of the way before destroying it. He huffs, both at the damned trap, and at the question.

"You're being ridiculous," he chides. "What right do I have to be disgusted with anything you have done to stay alive? To return to me?"

[ghostlord]

The memories around them are all dark and complicated. Zhen Yan is drinking the Water of Lethe nearby, the pain of his parents' deaths fading to nothing. Then he is adopting a tiny, toddler-aged Gu Xiang, naming her, unknowingly, after his mother. He carries the little girl on his back through the violent halls of the Ghost Valley, teaching her how to be quick and silent. She can never show her fear.

Wen Kexing stares at Gu Xiang as she toddles before them, her pudgy cheeks red as she tries not to cry. He is called back to the present by his A-Xu and he smiles. There is nothing he can do about the past.

The trap is something one his ghosts constructed, he is sure, and after destroying it, he dusts off his hands.

"Mm?" he blinks at the chiding, his own cheeks turning red, "A-Xu has the right to feel anyway he wants. I won't stop him or judge him."

[fated_dance]

Zishu watches each memory, committing them to his own memory. Each one is a piece of his Lao Wen, and precious for it. Darkness aside, he's glad to know them. And there is the light that is Gu Xiang and her pudgy cheeks.

Kexing's flush has him grin again and he reaches to tug on the other's hand, to get them moving again.

"I'll never judge you again," he promises earnestly. "You won't face this world alone, and when we return home, I'll stay with you for as long as I have left." It's the least he can do now.

[ghostlord]

Slowly, Zhen Yan grows into the man Zishu now knows. He earns his place in the Ghost Valley through tremendous violence, skinning the previous Ghost Lord to make his point. His white robes are covered in blood and in a blink, he is wearing red robes and standing above his ghosts as they tell him of their victories and their mistakes.

But beside these images of ferocity, there is always Gu Xiang and a small group of ghosts who have obviously built a family of sorts. Kexing protects them like a wild animal and when he is tired, they are the ones he keeps around him.

Of course none of them can return what he lost.

But A-Xu is different. Kexing smiles wider at the promise and he shakes his head, moving quicker.

"I know about the nails. Wu Xi will help you and then we will have the rest of our lives to do as we wish."

[fated_dance]

None of it disgusts him. Every single act had been to survive. Zishu can't fault him for that. He doesn't let go of his ghost's hand now as they move through the halls of memory. Reminding Kexing that he's not alone now.

And he makes note of the faces that the other man keeps close.

His steps almost falter when Kexing tells him he knows about the nails. And about his connection with Wu Xi. His eyes close, briefly, before reopening to keep an eye on their progress. "Did he teach you what needs to be done to get rid of them?" Maybe...maybe they can do something about them here?

[ghostlord]

Unlike the other ghosts, that small group of (almost) friendly ghosts have genuine smiles. The expressions reach their eyes and yet they too have their own sad stories; stories that resonated with their new lord and that is why he cherishes them above the others. It's interesting too, to note, that they are all women.

Wen Kexing does not like seeing women treated poorly and clearly the women who serve him are not there because they are forced. They fuss over him like sisters or mothers and he teases them when the mood strikes him.

But his smile never reaches his eyes. Not back then, anyway. It does now.

"It's alright." he notices the falter and pulls Zishu closer, wrapping a strong arm around his waist, "I know what he intends to do and..." he feels a flutter of nerves, "We can try? I just need a few things..."

Things that will make it easier on poor Zishu.