etrayalogs | OCTOBER MINGLE

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⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, [ he answers. ] I showed up covered in...something. I was on the ship, and then I wasn't.

[ He's doing a good job explaining, right? He totally thinks he's got this. Even if explaining anything about Etraya and how it functions is usually what ends up tripping up most conversations (because the why is a question that nobody can really answer). ]

( well his explanation was certainly confusing, but his efforts weren't dismissed. she appreciated being told about anything and everything-

after all, she truly felt like she had been plucked from her world and dropped here without a thought or any guidance as to what the history of this place was. little by little she was piecing the pieces together. )

I guess that answers things a little more clearly. Anything else I should know about?

( such as if this place had a tendency to torture them all unnecessarily...

although technically it already had with the food trucks. )

Edited 2024-11-21 17:38 (UTC)

Well... [ Since they are talking about missions... ] Your head gets messed with a lot with the missions. One mission people got obsessed over stuffed toys they got that made them get defensive over them, and our last mission-- I don't know if this was supposed to be it, but people were kept trapped in their fears until they got out.

So, I guess... you should watch out for yourself. Or, find people who can watch out for you. You don't wanna get stuck alone around here. [ He's shaking his head, looking at her as he says, ] It wasn't a good time... I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.

[ Ah- ] Even if you can-- [ He mimics the same shooting motion as she did, but at her, this time. But, in doing that: ] ...do you have a gun?

( his words did seem to get to her, bringing about a concerned expression. it seemed she had been pulled out of the 'frying pan' and straight into another. while she knew she could handle most things on her own [and she had been], this was difficult.

the only person she truly had here wasn't a friend, far from it. he had mentioned the thing about fears, but at the time she was so out of it she didn't quite grasp the severity of it.

but would she cling to this stranger for help? most likely not, but she appreciated him nonetheless. at least he was upfront. )

Watch out for me? Is that what you have? With your friends?

( she wasn't trying to sound harsh, but she was clearly starting to grow anxious. it wasn't until he so casually mimicked her and asked that question that she shook her head. )

No...I guess I should do another trick and see if they'll give me one. Am I seriously going to need one here?

[ His expression turns into something unsure, brows dipping in the middle, a frown that pushes close into one of his cheeks. Is that what you have? With your friends? He knows the answer, and there's a but, the sort of one that maybe he should be careful about how he explains.

Still, Heather mentioning doing a trick does make Gorgug slow his pace, in case she wants to turn back around? ]

It...couldn't hurt, [ he admits. ] We don't fight a lot, but a mission did have it, I think. But-- yeah, my friends look out for me. But they don't have to be your friends? The people who look out for you. I mean, I know that's a lot to find when you've showed up in a weird place like this.

[ Making friends out of thin air? Hard! It's hard even back home, in Gorgug's experience! ]

But people knowing you exist means... it's good if people can check up on you. I know that sounds weird, too...

[ Kind of trailing off after admitting that.... ]

( his manner of speaking can be a bit difficult to decipher but even heather could understand what he was getting at. she couldn't fault him after all, clearly it was working to his benefit and he wasn't being selfish about it [at least from what she could deduce]. she just never really had anyone beyond her father looking out for her.

unfortunately he wasn't here or of this world anymore. she truly did just have herself. so she stopped walking for a moment, taking in his words and simply offering a small smile to him if he looked back at her. )

I get what you're saying, and I appreciate the advice. I'll make sure to do that, and I know we don't know each other very well but...

I'll look out for you too. I guess I should turn back around and see if I can get that gun huh?

[ Oh-- he could look out for her, couldn't he? Even if Gorgug wasn't thinking about offering himself (well, he could have gotten there, but, you know), not wanting to be presumptuous.

But they're talking about guns now, and it's for that that Gorgug nods: getting a gun would be a good idea, if they'd hand her one. He turns on his feet and is about to take a step, except--he stops. ]

Do you want me to come with you? I don't mind, but...

[ Speaking of being presumptuous: is it odd to follow a girl you just met to go and get a gun? Does it look like you don't trust her to take care of herself? ]

Nah....

( she waved her hand a bit at him, as if to send him on his way. heather didn't think of herself as prideful but she didn't want to drag anyone into her own problems. especially since he hadn't really offered to look out for her-

so why would she ask him to come anyways? )

You go on, I'll handle this myself.

( still that didn't mean she didn't enjoy his company or appreciate the information he had shared. in fact, before she began to walk off, she spoke out to him once more. )

Thank you by the way, for telling me these things. I appreciate it.

[ He feels a little bad, but for no good reason; except for the fact he's the reason she's going backwards, and he wonders if someone can get more than one treat? The rules continue to elude him about this mysterious game he knows nothing about...

But he stands there, only looking somewhat flustered by his position in the way any naturally awkward soul might. Gorgug nods again anyway, and though he's not really sure if she'll bother to use it-- ]

My name's my username on the network, if you wanna know other stuff! [ O-oh! And let him give her a small wave! ] Good luck getting your treat!

OCTOBER MINGLE

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good place to start wrapping it up?

sure!