etrayalogs | November Mingle

November Mingle

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: November 22nd - Early December
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, and an unexpected guest!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ arrival ⏴
Welcome to Etraya!

Arrival goes as expected - or it would, except it is not just Aurora that greets the newcomers as they arrive. Certainly they receive their earpiece so they can communicate with one another as those before them have, however there is what seems to be a woman waiting for them that is of a more flesh and blood persuasion as they leave the hospital. She carries an air about her that isn't quite like the newcomers themselves, but she is decidedly not one of the companion bots, nor Aurora.

She has bone-straight blonde hair reaching past her shoulders, with a straight-cut fringe hanging above her eyes. The black dress that ends just before her mid-thighs also has a rather revealing neckline, though the sleeves which cover her arms almost feel like a mockery of modesty considering the rest. She is also wearing black stockings and black pumps, and the red of her lipstick is striking against the extreme contrast in shades she otherwise holds.

As each newcomer independently files out of the hospital, she makes certain to garner their individual attention, either with a wave of her hand, a wiggle of her fingers, or directly calling them over. She is persistent, and with being so new, it is wise to heed her. Not that anyone can force one to, if they choose to walk away, nor does she seem interested in trying to, but she has her means for those proving stubborn.

However, those who aren't...

“Hey! I know you’re not just walking past me. I’ve got- you know, plot relevant, written all over me. I picked this dress out just for you, you know?’

“C’mere, listen up. Mama’s got a little bit of homework for you, but it’s gonna help you, too, okay? I need you to go find the hot goss, the piping hot tea on the street for me. Find out what everyone’s saying about the people we’re stuck with, okay? People are a lot more relaxed and honest when they talk about others, right? This is about efficiency.

Efficiency, honey.

Don’t worry, I’ll be in the trenches, too. But make sure you come find me again. I’ll be around here, okay? I know you’re as confused as I am. Well no. I’m much less confused than you are. But if you can tell me about the people here, I’ll tell you more about where you are and what this is about.”

For those who ignored her, or those not newly arrived, they will receive a message through their earpiece:

“Girl. Hey. Listen. I’m kind of in a pinch, okay? I need like… a little favor. But its a fun favor! I need you to get your girl some info. I need the word on the street, honey. I need the tea piping hot- I need you to go talk to your friends, enemies, frenemies, butt buddies, cousins, and have them tell you about anyone they know. I need straight facts and good gossip on everyone here. And then get back to me. Kisses.

And this isn’t something for nothing. If you bring me some good goss, you’ll get some good info in turn about your whole situation. Cause that’s what you’re missing most besides home, right? Context.”

⏵ spill the tea ⏴

Tatianna having now tasked everyone (new and old) with finding out more about their fellow inhabitants—if not for their sake, for her curiosity—and in exchange she will give them valuable information that may aid them with acclimating here, or something far more valuable depending on how hot the goss is! However, she will not just hand out her secrets so easily, and so she will need one piece of gossip about each inhabitant. So she expects everyone to get mingling and talking, she isn't a charity here!

To assist in this, the companion bots have set up cozy little wicker daybeds around the main hub of the city. All of which are suspiciously cozy and warm once you have sat down on them, but especially so with the accompanying aroma of the tea wafting from the kettle which rests on the center table, accompanied by sweetmeats. The tea itself also stays warm despite the cool autumn air, and so long as you stay within the daybeds, the biting chill won't reach you either.

However, the tea is not only perpetually the right temperature, but it seems to have a way of loosening one's tongue. Especially the more one imbibes it. Did you mean to share that secret that might not have been yours to begin with? Or that personal detail about your best friend that wasn't meant to be known by anyone but who they themselves have told? Probably not, but the cat is out of the bag now, isn't it? Well, hopefully word won't get around...after all, it isn't likely who you are talking is going to tell everyone else, right? Right?

Adding to the oddity of it all, the tea one drinks might not be the same tea that their companion is drinking, despite it pouring from the same kettle. What might be one person's earl grey, is another's pumpkin spice chai. Whatever it may be that pours out, it certainly seems to be to one's liking, or its closest approximation. There's probably some deeper meaning in that, some sort of symbolism one might surmise from the nature of sharing gossip and it being tainted by personal bias, but who cares about navel gazing about such a thing?

After all, this is meant to be an enjoyable endeavor! Getting to know your fellow inhabitant should feel as comfortable as catching up with an old friend. What better way than to do it by sharing tea you both will enjoy? ☕

⏵ close knit ⏴

As the tail end of November draws nearer, people will have already begun to see the first flakes of snow. It grows colder, and while there isn't quite a blizzard or a snow storm happening, the snow does not seem to let up with its descent. It doesn't quite get so cold that it is untenable, of course, but it would be advisable to bundle up! In fact, the companion bots seem to be on the case with assisting in just that!

Around the city people will find groups of companion bots busily knitting sweaters, scarves, gloves, hats, and so forth. In fact, the moment they see someone they clock as not quite bundled enough, they will insist on supplying them with whatever they deem as being without. Are you already wearing a scarf? Well, clearly you need two of them! How about the gloves? Couldn't hurt to have several pairs!

However, that isn't all that's available to people, after all there are cafes out and about where one might get a hot beverage to help fight off the cold, but for those less inclined for such establishments, the companion bots are here to serve! There is at least one companion bot per knitting group that seems to have hot cocoa on hand. If they see someone who is looking particularly cold (almost everyone is, the companion bots aren't particularly keen on the signs of successful temperature regulation), they will have a paper cup of hot cocoa imposed upon them that has their name on the side.

Or, sort of. It is at least a close approximation of their name, or maybe it is an alternate spelling? Really, who can blame the bots for getting confused, there are so many of you!

⏵ snow more games ⏴

The snow is here to stay, but that doesn't mean that it has to be a bad thing! With everyone well supplied in their winter garb, the companion bots have set up spots for fun activities! Perhaps the inhabitants would enjoy a fun snowball fight, or some sledding? Some of the waters have frozen over, so ice skating is always a possibility too. Though one might want to be careful if they are to venture past what the companion bots have marked as safe.

Some of the companion bots are trying their best at making a snowman, but all their efforts seem to come out rather...square. They're trying their best, but maybe they can learn by following the inhabitant's examples. There are others that will offer gold star stickers to those who seem to dominate in the snowball fights, but unfortunately the stickers don't stick too well with all the snow. Well, they tried!

People will still find bots out and about with nice warm beverages available to fight off the cold, too. That service will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. Similarly, if someone comes out who is a little too under-dressed for the weather, the bots might have to pick up those knitting needles again, so be sure to put on your winter clothes..!

⏵ NOTES ⏴

To report information to Tatianna, do so here! She will only give each person their rewarded information once she has a bit of information on each character in the game. Each bit of gossip does not require a thread to count though it should be IC knowledge gained through IC means. Try to check what gossip has been given to her already, because doubling up will not yield results! Good luck!

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⏴

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[ All this on its own would be quite a bit to put in, but Ivan has already talked to James. Has already been told about a hellscape of a town full of monsters that manifests a person's fears.

Has already been told that Maria is a "friend from home" and that she had a "thing" for him. At the time, Ivan had the thought that whatever was going on there was messy, but this? This is a new level of mess.

That's not the point here, though, and Ivan won't bring up what he knows unless it's terribly relevant. ]

Whatever you are, or were created to be, you look pretty real to me.

Thank you.

[she smiles at him. she doesn't feel real but he's being nice to her. if only she knew James had already talked about her. now that'd be even more of a mess.

she had made sure not to even mention James' name.]

I know that we are supposed to share our gossip but please don't tell this. If people knew...about me. I don't know if I could be treated like I have.

I won't tell, I promise.

[ The tea makes it easier to talk, yes, but he will probably just keep blurting out his own secrets instead of sharing Maria's. Her story isn't his to tell. ]

I think it's the tea, by the way. That's what's making us talk.

Well, damn.

[she sighs and pours the tea out onto the ground.] Makes sense. The tea comment she made.

How long do you think this stays in us? Am I going to go blabbing if I just bump into someone?

Yeah.

[ The pieces lined up a little too nicely and they were fools not to see it, but at the same time... it's kind of nice to have the whole reaper business out of the way now. ]

I don't really know. We could always give it a bit of time to see if it passes. If you don't mind the company, that is.

[for Maria, it's just awkward. she did not want anybody to know this. for anybody to know what she was. but Ivan hadn't judged her. hadn't reacted at all. that was nice even though she didn't plan on ever letting anybody else know.]

I wouldn't have sat with you if I didn't like your company. Besides, think of it this way, before you I only ever talked to one person. And I'll let you in on a secret, you're better at talking.

[ Hey now, Ivan would argue that James is a perfectly pleasant person to talk to, but then Ivan has the distinct advantage of not being created for James' punishment or whatever. That probably greases the wheels a bit. ]

Am I? I usually do most of my talking with dead people.

[it does wonders when your existence doesn't annoy and torture the other.]

I did die three times so maybe that's why it's so easy for us. [...] That tea's still making me open my mouth. [she sighs and taps her leg.] Last thing I need to be telling people. [she doesn't even know about the fourth time.]

[ Oh, hold on now. Ivan's gaze narrows then, like he's trying to look past her flesh and blood to find something else. Whatever it is doesn't seem to want to make itself apparent, though, so he averts his eyes a moment later. ]

Did the town keep bringing you back each time?

[her eyes look to his and then avert when he seems to be looking at her in some way she doesn't understand. she's silent for only a short moment and sighs.] Yes. The first time I was stabbed and well, the other times...[she grows agitated and starts tapping her foot.]

A death's a death. I died. I came back. I died again. I came back. I died again and...[she finds herself growing irritated and tries to take a deep breath. there's no reason to get so worked up when she isn't there anymore.]

When you said you were a grim reaper, it's why I thought "oh, maybe he's here for me" or something. Self-centered, huh?

[ He's really got to wonder just what sort of power this town has. It draws people to it, plays on their fears, creates life only to destroy it again and again. Whatever it is, he and Maria can't be from the same world, or Death might have some things to say about this hell town and its disregard for the cycle of life. ]

Considering what you've been through, I think that's a pretty reasonable conclusion to jump to.

[ He heaves a little sigh, and almost takes another sip of his tea out of habit before catching himself. He sets the teacup aside, gaze flicking back at her. ]

I can tell, you know. Just by looking, I can see how much time a person has left to live. But I can't do that with you, or many of the people here, in fact. We're in a place beyond the grasp of Death.

Perhaps that's a good thing. Gives you a chance to live on your own terms.

[that's why she just poured her tea out because she was absolutely going to take a sip without even thinking.

she looks back to him and wonders what he would see if they were in Silent Hill. she imagines he wouldn't see her.]

Maybe it'll be good for you too. Getting away from the job for a bit?

[ They'll never know if he could see her or not. They're not in Silent Hill. They're here, and here, he sees her. For whatever that might be worth. ]

Maybe.

[ He doesn't sound convinced, but thankfully(?) the tea decides to help him clarify. ]

It's less a job and more a sentence. Being here will only make it longer.

A sentence? Like community service?

[by now, she shouldn't ask questions but the tea makes her nosy as well it seems. not like she wouldn't have wondered. just would have had the good sense not to ask.]

Something like that.

[ Neither should he answer, but here he is doing it anyway. They've already shared a lot, what's a little more? ]

I got on Death's bad side some... six hundred years ago. This is my penance.

[...]

You look good for your age?

[that'll work.]

How much do you have to pay off if it's been that long?

Thanks.

[ Pfft. He wasn't fishing for a compliment or anything. ]

... A lot. Too much.

[she had no idea what else to say to being told this person in front of her was at least 600 years old. that's kind of a lot??]

So the plan for you is to get the hell out of here as fast as possible?

From what I understand, I don't have much of a choice about when I get out of here. Still, it makes it hard to appreciate a "vacation".

[ Truly spoken like a man who hasn't had a vacation in multiple centuries. ]

I mean, for me? It seems better here. Unsurprisingly [she laughs because of course this is better than the hell she came from.] But for how long? Not like we're on some beach in a tropical paradise or whatever. We've been put into such a shitty situation.

But who knows? Maybe they'll let you go for good behavior. You were such a model citizen so obviously your universe should live.

[ He can't help but huff out a small laugh, this one more derisive than full of any sort of joy. ]

If only it were that easy. No, I have a feeling we're in it for the long haul.

Others have said to enjoy ourselves but I don't know how we're even supposed to do that. Too much pressure.

[and she doesn't know how she would like to enjoy herself.]

Maybe if I got drunk or something...do you drink?

Only one way to find out.

[ His gaze ticks down to the teapot, brow furrowing with a thought he normally wouldn't give voice to. The tea makes it come out anyway. ]

I've been alive for a long time. But I don't remember how to live.

Well, let's start a partnership. I've never lived and you have forgotten how to. Let's figure this thing out together?

[really, Ivan had been the first to talk to her. he felt special to her. besides, who better to do this sort of thing with than a reaper? that would be her lot.]

[ There's probably something poetic about the way they've gravitated toward one another. Neither one of them knowing how to live but for very different reasons. Both of them wondering what being here means for them and their worlds.

He breathes out a small, amused huff, and offers her a (cold, sorry) hand. ]

Sounds like a deal to me.

(no subject)

heavensnight - 2024-12-11 00:29 (UTC) - Expand

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