OCTOBER MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: October 25th - Early November
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, and some holiday fun!
NOTES\WARNINGS: Supernatural elements, temporary physical alterations, mild horror and jump scares, spooky scary skeleton robots, mild suggestion of compulsion or loss of control, mild body horror.

⏵ arrival ⏴ Welcome to Etraya! Everything is fine now. 😊 Arrival goes expected - or it does for the most part. Aurora greets newcomers in the hospital as they awaken, offers a brief explanation and gives them their earpiece so they can communicate with one another. Around the hospital and outside of it, Companion Bots are hard at work decorating the city for Halloween—complete with festive touches like pumpkins, cobwebs, and glowing ghost decorations. The atmosphere is fun, light-hearted, and maybe just a little spooky. 🎃👻 Some carry buckets of candy, and offer those they come across a trick or treat. Except both options are, in fact, treats. 🍬 Tricks are treats specifically wrapped in a green wrapper that very clearly declares that they are tricks. Treats are wrapped in orange, and labeled with treat! Companion bots will recommend that those who do want to take a trick take them when they're beside their friends. There won't be any permanent effects from these, nor will they be terrible tricks - just fun ones! All effects last roughly 24 hours. Giggle Drops cause uncontrollable giggling that bubbles up randomly, even during serious conversations. Beasty Bites cause characters to grow small fangs, and they will begin craving red foods - apples, cherries, etc. Bat Gummies cause small, bat-like shadows to follow characters around wherever they wander. These shadows are harmless, and super cute. Pumpkin Puff is a cotton-candy-like treat, that causes their voices to change dramatically. Either becoming significantly deeper or perhaps very high-pitched, as if they've recently inhaled helium. Floating Fudge gives characters the ability to float in the air! Just a few feet off the ground, but it's still fun. Right? ⏵ getting spooky! ⏴ Etraya is embracing the season - and maybe even going a little overboard. Around the hospital, a few small pop-up shops are manned by festively dressed companion bots. They offer samples to everyone - although sampling isn't really necessary. After all, everything here is free! Candy Shops: Perfect for stocking up on sweets and treats for the upcoming trick-or-treating event. These will not stock the tricks the companion bots offer around Etraya, but instead only carry harmless sweets. They do take custom requests, too, and are happy to create the treats others want! Costume Shops: Find the perfect costume for Halloween! But beware... rumor has it, if you wear a costume, you might become whatever you dressed up as for a few hours. Those who put on vampire costumes may find themselves suddenly craving blood and growing fangs - those with werewolf costumes may find themselves feeling a little wolfish. These effects may last a few hours, up to a few days. ⏵ masquerade ⏴ In the spirit of mystery, Etraya will be hosting a Masquerade Ball outside the hospital through the nights of October 26th and 27th. Dance anonymously with other attendees and make new friends under the cover of your disguise. Everyone receives a single rose they can exchange with someone else throughout the evening. At the stroke of midnight, the roses will reveal the true identities of your masked dance partners. 🌹 ⏵ all hallow's eve ⏴ On October 31st, multiple companion bots set up shop along one of the walkways through the larger island towards the center. With chairs and small booths set up, they offer candies out to trick-or-treaters who wander around through the first part of the night. Some of them will request trick-or-treaters to do a trick for them, to earn a bigger treat! They may ask characters to dance, sing, or show a talent unique to them. Can your character bend themselves into a pretzel? They want to see it, and will offer them a nice bracelet in exchange! Can they whistle super loud? Maybe they'll get a nice piece of kevlar armor after showing off. This can be anything within reason - bike parts, small weaponry, armor pieces, toys, canvases for painting. Please request these items HERE. Not everything is as light-hearted as it seems, however. Aurora issues a warning to the citizens of Etraya: Do not stay outside after midnight. Strange happenings have been reported, and those who disobey may start seeing visions of past loved ones. The visions are compelling—guiding people away from the safety of the buildings and into the mysterious mist surrounding the outskirts. But be careful, these spirits may not be as friendly as they seem. If you come into contact with these ghosts, you’ll feel a chilling cold, leading to hypothermia-like symptoms. The longer you’re exposed, the worse it gets. Treatment? You’ll need to be warmed up quickly. ⏵ skellys! ⏴ The Companion Bots wanted to join in on the fun, so they painted themselves with glow-in-the-dark paint to look like skeletons. But in the dead of night, for those already suffering from the chilling touch of the ghosts, seeing glowing skeletons approach from the darkness might not be the most comforting sight. 🤖💀 Stay safe, warm up, and enjoy the festivities! ⏵ NOTES ⏴ For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

John Reese | Person of Interest

[aimsforknees]

|| Masquerade

[ John has been to many parties over the course of his career. Parties are a great place to get close to a mark, to be in the right place without being out of place. So who is he to turn down a chance at a party?

John arrives at the party with Harold, and though they don't stay together for very long John makes passes nearby every now and then, at random intervals so it doesn't become a pattern. He's not an amateur. But what he's really here for is to see everyone else who shows up. He and Finch can trade notes on what information they dig up later.

The drink he's holding as he wanders around is just a prop, he pretends to take a sip every now and then but nothing has proven that any food or beverage here is truly safe, so it's just for show. It looks suspicous to be at a party and not party, so. A drink. No food, though he supposes he could slight of hand a small bite of something if he really had to.

But there's no point to being here if he's not going to make some moves, so make a move he shall. John spots someone who looks like they're in need of a conversation partner and slides over smoothly in his tuxedo and rather plain black mask. ]

Hi, how's your evening going?


|| Trick or Treat

[ If there's a trick to this (haha) then John hasn't found one yet. The hard part is deciding what his trick will be. Tailing someone down the streets of New York or picking a lock aren't exactly easy to showcase in this scenario.

In the end he settles on field stripping his gun and reassembling it with his eyes closed. He has, in fact, done this before. As part of his training they made him learn with his eyes closed and then for good measure tested him in a dark room. John goes through the steps without hesitation or fumbling; he knows where all the parts are at all times, how they fit together.

After the show is over he puts the gun back inside his suit jacket, out of sight once again, and requests a pair of walkie-talkies. What he gets handed is not what he expected and there's just a look of disbelief as he stares at the blue and pink radios with cat ears and whiskers. It's maybe a comical sight in conjunction with his trick. ]


|| Wildcard

[ If you have an idea for something else hmu in pm! Open to prose or brackets. If you're looking for Harold and John together you can find that here, or message me if you want something else with them. ]

masquerade

[unaliveyourself]

[The last party Dazai went to had a very different atmosphere. It had genuinely been a celebration --successfully saving the life of the Armed Detective Agency's president without massive bloodshed and destruction, maintaining the peace and order of Yokohama with no actual losses. This, on the other hand, is a farce at best, but Dazai is very good at playing the role of the oblivious fool, someone all too happy to avail himself of food and drink and carelessly enjoy himself, as though there is nothing troubling about their current circumstances at all.

But like John, he is here to observe others moreso than participate, which means he notices how the man has been carrying around a single cup for quite some time, how he never touches any of the food. This one, he ought to pay attention to, though whether he will be an ally or a threat remains to be seen. But Dazai doesn't approach him directly; it's easier to pretend as though he hasn't noticed anything, at least at first. He positions himself somewhere within John's line of sight and settles down with a plate of snacks, presenting himself as someone perhaps a bit out of his depth with all this; a little tired, a little overwhelmed.

His own mask is silly and stylized, ornate and yet ultimately useless at actually hiding his identity.]

It's certainly been a festive evening. We even got to perform our own tricks! But I do wonder, do you think our behavior here is subject to judgment by Echo as well, or are we sincerely meant to relax and enjoy ourselves?

[aimsforknees]

[ John is— not expecting to be quizzed on such a philosophical topic right off the bat. He's thrown, just for a moment, though he covers it by shifting his body and what's visible of his face into a stance that seems thoughtful. Certainly John is looking for this kind of information as well, but this isn't how he would have played his cards.

He settles on playing innocent, it suits him in this moment. ]

It's a party, isn't it? Why not enjoy it?

[unaliveyourself]

[It's not a card Dazai would've played with an ordinary partygoer, at least not off the bat. But John is someone who doesn't trust this party, and his reaction only confirms Dazai's decision to play it. If he'd kept conversation casual and light, he gets the sense they would've simply danced around each other the whole time until one or the other made their move. Dazai presses his advantage:]

Why not, indeed? That's the million-dollar question here, after all. If you were looking to test the character and values of a person, would you find it more effective to do so while that person was aware they're being judged, second and third-guessing every one of their choices, or while their guard is down, with a layer of anonymity to further obscure their actions, thin as it might be?

[He's still smiling, though, with no change in his tone. As though they are really just chatting, after all.]

[aimsforknees]

[ John has a suspicion that he's been made, but he's not about to fold so quickly. He got a very thoughtful insight just now, after all. ]

You think this is a test, too? [ He gives a small chuckle and uses one arm to indicate the room around them. ] It's Halloween, it's a masquerade ball.

Trick or Treat

[godkaru]

[Hikaru still hasn't quite figured out the festivities yet, but she can at least tell it's a fun kind of thing. And while she doesn't have much reference for what John is disassembling and reassembling, she at least recognizes it for what it is.

She's ready to keep walking when she sees the walkie talkies he got. And instead she approaches him, eyes wide with awe and excitement.]

Those are so cute! Did you just get them for what you were doing?

[aimsforknees]

[ John isn't exactly surprised he's gathered some attention, being so deft with a gun is flashy to some extent and it's certainly good to scope out the abilities of anyone here, but— she's talking about the walkie-talkies. She seems focused on the walkie-talkies. Because they're— well, John has to admit there's probably some appeal for her apparent age group. He's just, y'know, a 6'2" ex-CIA assassin/spy. After a stunned moment he replies. ]

If you show them a trick you can request something.

[godkaru]

Really?

[She finally looks from the walkie-talkies to the man's face. Ex-CIA or not, she doesn't seem to care. She just sees a guy holding the cutest pair of tech devices she's ever seen.]

I don't know what I'd even ask for. Do you normally use those?

[aimsforknees]

[ Does he normally walk around with pastel blue and pink cat shaped walkie-talkies? No. But she's just a kid, he doesn't have to be mean about it. ]

Not these ones, no. I've used radios like them before, but usually they're more... black. And square.

[ He thinks back to the military grade radios he got to use in the Joey Durban number. He wishes he'd gotten those instead. ]

masquerade

[tocastashadow]

[Shadowheart is three things: perceptive, not very good at socializing, and appreciative of a muscular physique. Is it any surprise, therefore, that she ends up lingering on the outskirts of the party, watching a solidly-built, rather tall fellow who, curiously, is only pretending to sip from his drink?

Not the first person she's met here who's paranoid about the food.

Her rather daringly-cut gown is made of some sort of silken silver-white fabric, and the white wolf mask she wears is doing nothing – given that she's probably the only person in Etraya who has both long white hair and pointed ears – to hide her identity. The rose she received is tucked behind one ear.

She's surprised to see the object of her curiosity coming towards her.]

Better, now that I have someone to talk to.

[She takes a sip of her wine before nodding towards the glass in his hand.]

Not much for drinking, are you?

[aimsforknees]

[ The thing about a masquerade in this small of a group is that there's not much to hide. Right now he's unknown in his new-ness, but he sincerely doubts there are other 6'2" ex-CIA assassins here that will hide his identity once he's better known. Certainly his new partner's appearance is striking enough that he's pretty sure he'd be able to spot her in the future— or at least assuming she doesn't have a twin. Always possible, he shouldn't make assumptions.

Despite being called out (why are people here so observant?) John just gives a smile. ]

Not really, but this is a party, so I felt like I should take something anyways. How is it?

[tocastashadow]

Not bad. And I say that as someone with a discerning palate.

[Her 'discerning palate' is based almost entirely on bottles of unknown vintage found in various abandoned cellars and random crates dumped in roadside ditches. If she's ever tasted the finer stuff, she can't remember it.

She raises an eyebrow – not that it's visible behind the mask – as she thinks back to Carver and his insistence that the food here is dangerous.]

And there isn't any poison or ground glass in it, if that's what you're worried about.

[aimsforknees]

[ Well, maybe he's missing out. John wishes he was drinking, but truly only because it would mean he felt comfortable enough to drink. He remembers Kara telling him to get used to letting loose on the job, to be comfortable enough to drink under pressure. This is different than that. ]

On my second day here I saw a girl eat at a food truck and develop a compulsion to eat dirt. So, no, I'm not worried about poison or ground glass, but thanks for the heads up.

Trick or Treat

[levelshift]

[Accelerator, despite being one of the youngest kids here, has been making a point of not engaging in anything remotely Halloween-related. His teenage brain has labeled it dumb, and even on a good day he tends to be a huge killjoy, so it isn't all that surprising. He isn't about to fault other people for taking part in that crap, though. If they want to, that's their prerogative and has nothing to do with his own decisions.

In spite of being a total moodkiller, however, he's actually stopping to watch this trick being done. Having been walking by, the gun catches his attention. There isn't a whole lot a person can do with one of those that'd work as a trick, so he's surprised to see this guy going with an option that doesn't involve shooting it.

And holy shit, he knows his firearm. Accelerator wanders on over after the walkie talkies are given.

(And also thinking the radios are things Last Order would be over the moon for. He tries to bury that thought immediately.)]

You're really fucking good at that.

[Most people wouldn't be able to disassemble and reassemble a gun that fast, even with their eyes open. He's impressed!]

[aimsforknees]

[ John is aware he's being watched as he accepts the walkie-talkies, and isn't surprised when he's approached. It's the kind of trick that might gain attention and he's discovering that people here are obnoxiously observant. Maybe that's to be expected, why pull unremarkable people to test? But he doesn't have any excuse but to tell at least a little of the truth now. ]

I've had a lot of practice. I should know my gun.

[ And that's the thing, it is his gun. He has to know it, has to trust it. He's not exactly sentimental about it, but. ]

[levelshift]

[Sorry John, there isn't a ton to do around here, so it's normal for people to slide into obnoxiously observant behaviour. In Accelerator's case, it's both a combination of his own boredom and the awareness that he needs to be better at paying attention to his surroundings. He's observant when he wants to be, but normally he's just lazy.

(And lazy gets you killed around here, so.)]

Some people would call that overkill.

[Honestly though, it's probably wise to have that much familiarity with a weapon.]

Are you a cop or some shit? Or just really into guns?

masquerade - to keep up the pattern

[balanced]

[ in need of a conversation partner would absolutely be an accurate way to describe 6's presence in any sort of event. it is, unfortunately, not a descriptor he would choose for himself, however. he would hardly be in this position at all, but 37... she had been excited to witness this "ball", and 6 had understood it to be a good opportunity for her, if not himself. now she's disappeared somewhere to find it, and 6 has been left to his people watching.

well, for a while he was. his gaze turns to meet that of the man who's spoken to him, and for a moment, he hesitates.

ultimately, what he offers is a small nod. ]

It is going well. And yours?

[ the wine glass in his hand is slightly watered down, but maybe it would be better if it weren't. ]

[aimsforknees]

[ Considering how many people he's gotten to talk to tonight, John would say his evening is going well. It's not that he's a social person— he is in fact extremely unsociable— but getting to know people, even anonymously, works towards his goals of understanding where things stand in Etraya.

John puts on a smile. ]

It's also going well, I'm having a good time. Have you been to a masquerade ball before? It's my first time.

[balanced]

It is mine as well, though...

[ he pauses, seeming to think it over.

6 does not put on a smile, but rather than the dignified aura that he might give off in his home, he likely looks a little bit more... at a loss, or out of his element here. he's not a dancer — not in apeiron, and not here. it seems to leave him little else to do alone but drink, and he's far from as enthusiastic about wine as his late friend had been. ]

I find myself unsure of what to do.

masquerade

[equivo]

[ The young man - he has to be young, with the loose set of his shoulders barely veiling visible self-consciousness in a way that hasn't quite hardened into the truly brittle shell it becomes for people who age into discomfort with parties - John approaches is positioned with a table at his back and a clear line of sight on two avenues of egress, a peripheral bead on a third. The drink in his hand is also conspicuously level with where it would have been when poured, and his dark eyes flit over the party in patterns that read as scans to anyone paying attention.

He's good enough at this that it doesn't call attention to itself, but not good enough at it to go unnoticed if someone actually looks for certain signs. He never had to develop the skill of pretending to be truly at ease. There's value to being able to feign being relaxed while not actually looking like a vulnerable target in a particular set of situations. ]

Fantastic.

[ Lies the teenager in the red mask concealing all of his face but his eyes. He's slightly underdressed in black shoes, black pants, a black button down, and vivid red vest, a look that's more 'school formal' than 'masquerade' aside from the facewear. ]

Who doesn't love a costume party? [ He shrugs. ] You can act like an idiot with plausible deniability.

[aimsforknees]

[ John recognizes that voice; this is the problem with trying to have a "masquerade" party in a small community. He doesn't actually gain anything from playing anonymous with Krouse and he thinks it'll be more fun to tease the kid. ]

Are you going to act like an idiot, Krouse? I won't tell on you.

[equivo]

[ Krouse laughs, a quiet, papery sound. He tilts his head and his glass in opposite directions, affecting a slight shrug. ]

According to some reliable sources, I don't need the excuse of a mask to act like an idiot.

[ But it helps. Even when you're not actually anonymous. ]

Appreciate it, though. [ He shifts back to his watchful stance, attention flickering over the party before it snaps back to John. ] So. You're settling in.

[ He's only met John the once, but it was memorable. He didn't catch it until John said his name, though, which feels sloppy on his part. ]

Any ideas on how this is measuring our merits as universal saviours? Because I'm at a loss.

masquerade

[bookofpowers]

(parties are not his scene, either. he's attended for theft, for surveillance, for any other reason than what a party is supposed to be for. like in all of them, he's not as he would elsewhere. it's a smile that decorates the part of his face that is not concealed by his mask, a higher pitched voice, extroversion... the person he chose to be in etraya until the mask he's wearing from arrival drops.

he notices the companion the man arrives with, and well. harold did interest him initially, so he might as well see what the stranger has to offer. hopefully, he's less vague than the old one.)

Pretty okay. How about yours?

[aimsforknees]

[ A party goer that's enjoying the party. Well, he supposes that's what parties are for. ]

Good, it's nice to have a chance to relax and unwind. I like your mask.

[ It's small talk, but it is a very unique mask. And John isn't about to jump in guns blazing. Real conversations take time to work up to. ]

[bookofpowers]

Thanks. Since I wasn't dressing up with much gusto, the least I could do was pick an interesting mask.

(although relax and unwind tends to be in places much different than this own. he's on a mission, after all, getting to know the people surrounding him.)

And you are?