DECEMBER MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: December 21st - Early January
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: Newcomers, a surprise gift from Tatianna, and a visitor!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ arrival ⏴ Welcome to Etraya! Arrival goes as expected - characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital. The lobby is filled to the brim with tables of freshly baked goods. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" banners are taped to the walls, and several other typical birthday decorations can be found in this area. A few of the baked goods tables are lined with massive cakes covered in unlit candles, just waiting for someone to grab a lighter and sing off-key. Is it anyone's birthday? Who knows! The companion bots seem to believe it's every new arrival's birthday and will greet them as such - with friendly waves and cheers as they make their way to the lobby. A coat rack is situated by the doors leading out of the hospital, covered in warm clothing that fits the new arrivals just right - whether it's to their preferred style or not is something else entirely. Some of them appear normal enough. Others? Well. They can't all be perfect, now can they? Outside the windows, the grass is covered in a couple of inches of loosely packed snow. We hope you enjoy your stay. ⏵ an unexpected gift ⏴ Out by the hospital stands a tall, decorated tree covered in candles and golden pinecones with a handsome, red velveteen tree skirt. In front of it are a few oversized wrapped gifts for show- and atop one of those sits a familiar woman. Or unfamiliar, if this is your first time. It's Tatianna in a slutty Santa outfit with a big ol’ burlap sack. “Hey, I got something for you,” she says, digging into the bag and rummaging for a moment. She produces a painted egg and holds it aloft. “It’s your Winter Solstice Egg! This is the egg holiday, right? Wait, shit. I’m mixing them up, aren’t I? ...Well. It’s a little late to change it. Here you go!” How one treats their egg is fully up to themselves. They can choose to ignore it entirely, or destroy it and leave the yolk and innards to rot on the ground. They can hand it over to someone else or care for it as if it were something precious. No one will prevent them from doing whatever they please with it! ⏵ naughty or nice ⏴However, how they treat the egg will define how the egg treats them in return. Those who keep the egg and tend to it will get the benefit of being able to watch it hatch seven days after they are handed the egg. Eggs that are treated with attention and love may yield a loyal companion, or a weapon of choice that always returns to its owner, while neglected eggs may yield a curious, cursed trinket or an animal who treats its new owner very much the same way its owner had treated it before it was born. Please submit an egg request below for what items you would like your character's eggs to hatch into! Please note that these cannot be things that would be applicable in the game. Those whose eggs are destroyed or forgotten will simply get the gift of... nothing! ⏵ free your spirit ⏴ With the winter chill gripping the air, a mysterious figure makes their presence known in Etraya - a towering, horned creature dragging a massive sack behind them. 𝓐 𝖍𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝖇𝖚𝖎𝖑𝖙 𝖔𝖓 𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖍𝖆𝖘 𝖆 𝖜𝖊𝖆𝓴 𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓. Regardless of a character's strengths or weaknesses, they will find that when Krampus raises his massive sack over their head, they are powerless to stop him from catching them. Those capable of great magical feats or other supernatural abilities will sense something... otherworldly about Krampus, but will not be able to place the source of that sensation. Once within Krampus' sack, they are welcome to fight, but escape is impossible. It will feel as if Krampus is dragging them over every rock possible, dragging the sack in through the rivers to the point it soaks through and drenches them - potentially almost drowning them. When the sack opens, they will find themselves in an impossibly dark space. Around them are others who have also been captured and dragged here by Krampus, trapped in small cages hanging from a massive, wiry tree. Krampus will return often, banging clawed hands and birch rods on the walls of the cages and knocking them into one another. 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖋𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖘𝖘𝖘𝖘𝖘. The whisper resonates through the darkened area, regardless of Krampus' presence. Confess your secrets, and be freed. Otherwise? You'd better hope someone figures out where Krampus has set up base; those who refuse to confess may find themselves stuck here forever. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Krampus' base is under Etraya! Deep within the catacombs, he has set up multiple cages to capture those who inhabit Etraya to punish them for their naughty habits. Fighting him is possible! Defeating him by means of combat is not, however, possible. Think of it like fighting a god: Krampus creates the rules in the space around him, including who can use what ability. 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

[leastdramatic]

You work in that darkness long enough and it would be easy to lose your humanity to it.

[And for a while Jason thought he did. It was a struggle to come back to his family and try to redeem himself]

[clavesregni]

[It feels like a lifetime of shuffling quietly around the tree and then waiting, frozen in place, for the creature to depart. There are long moments that she fears she's going to die, killed by a monster in a dark pit and her parents will never know her fate and she'll never see Vi again. But finally it leaves, and the only sounds are the creak of metal as the cages sway from the branches.

Caitlyn takes what feels like her first breath in minutes.]

I think it's gone, [she whispers.] We should leave before it returns. [As though Sevika hadn't been urging them to do that exact thing before the creature showed up.]

[ascarylady]

You and me both.

[ Arriving here without a weapon left her feeling twitchy. She'd have to find at least a knife soon, if not a gun or better. It is peaceful here, so there's that, but she can't trust it.

But this is about the end of how conversational Sevika is feeling. She'll give Maria a nod. ]

But I'll see you when you do. [ Maybe. ] I'm heading out.

[ There's an egg to build a heater for, after all, so she turns to head off. See you around, Maria. ]

[levelshift]

[Accelerator isn't bothered by the tone, most of the time he sounds overly aggressive. It's fine, and he focuses on this additional information. Immediately his mind is buzzing with possible toxic chemicals that could've caused such an injury. Carcinogenics? Chemicals used in herbicides or paint solvents? Whatever it was, it had to have been really fucking bad.

He's probably going to be thinking on this for a while.

Anyways, he clarifies what he means.]

I mean did you pick a fight because you wanted to accomplish something, or did someone pick a fight with you for the same reason? Or was it all just bad luck?

[Because goddamn, if this was the result of some random mugging or whatever that's really bad luck.]

where did my brain go for three weeks

[unaliveyourself]

Did they, now.

[That's new information; Dazai had been under the impression this man had not stepped out of line until betraying his God. Perhaps under different circumstances, he'd dig into that more, yet it feels like his ears are ringing. He can't focus right, because he knows -- he knows where this is going. His thoughts have already turned in that direction, not that it's ever far from the surface.

But it's becoming too close for comfort, and he doesn't like it. Next thing he knows, Castiel will tell him that this doomed battle he is throwing himself into with the full expectation he won't live to see its aftermath is the result of a situation his God manipulated and engineered for him to engage in specifically, for the greater good of Heaven.]

Know this isn't said to be condescending, but you may well be underestimating yourself. I knew a man who was the lowest ranked in his entire organization, yet he was skilled enough that he could've laid waste to the vast majority of his superiors, if he had ever been driven to such a thing.

[ascarylady]

Wow, really? I would have never thought of that.

[ Sheeee had already said they should gooooo, okay, right. Look. Annoying little girls refusing to listen to her is a regular part of Sevika's life. She'll deal. She'll also swat Caitlyn's arm out of the way and step away from the tree to scan the darkness around them.

A darker spot on the wall, she needs to find— ]

There.

[ Being a born and raised Zaunite helps a lot when navigating ominously dark spaces, although she will get her lighter out again and flick it on to offer them the smallest amount of light. ]

I see a tunnel entrance.

[clavesregni]

[Caitlyn jerks her arm back when Sevika smacks it. It's a blow to her pride more than a physical harm, but she holds it protectively against her chest for a moment nonetheless.

And, in another blow to her pride, Sevika seems comfortable navigating the area while Caitlyn feels nearly blind. As soon as the tunnel is pointed out to her, she strides towards it, determined to appear both confident and competent.]

Let's go.

[ascarylady]

[ Really, Caitlyn shouldn't try to measure herself against Sevika. With how many years she has on her, the gap in experience may as well be a canyon, and if she knew she was bruising the enforcer's pride, she'd surely laugh and call her a moody brat. Which, frankly? As far as Sevika is concerned, she is, right there alongside Vi and Jinx.

She does lead the way, though, even if Caitlyn may hate that. A few steps ahead, the tiny flame of her gaudy golden lighter casts the bare minimum of illumination but at least makes it easy to follow her. There is a tunnel there and at the mouth of it, she pauses, checking it before daring to step in. ]

Seems stable enough.

wherever mine went probably :sob:

[messenger]

"Could have".

[ perhaps it's only an affectation of their separation here, but it sounds like he's talking about someone who no longer exists in the present. castiel's tone of voice is appropriately solemn. he can imagine how it must feel to know someone in the way that dazai seems to know this individual, someone who could have laid waste to the vast majority of his superiors who somehow, still, didn't make it. he thinks of balthazar and anna, his garrison, all those he lost he shouldn't have. it won't be the same, of course, but death for an angel is absolute.

he should be more afraid than he is. ]

Should I go first? Maybe I can open your cage from the outside.

[zauneyete]

[ The very near silent scoff escapes, and Silco's lips do this thing where it's almost a smile, an overconfident smirk, but it never quite makes it. Like his thin lips almost, almost lift, before it just vanishes back into the dour look he always had.

That eye stares at Accelerator. ]

Pick a fight?

[ His shoulders shake. ] Yes, I suppose we did. And then, when all was said and done, and we were all licking our wounds afterward, I was the one that paid the price. [ They all did, really, but. well. Silco certainly saw it as himself, given... ]

Someone I was close to decided to take their anger out on me over the result. [ he reached up and tapped his finger against the scar underneath. ] He tried to kill me, but like with most things, he was ineffective at best.

[ Silco... may not uh have the best opinion of vander rn ]

[zauneyete]

[ Now, Silco has a choice here.

He can go on with his philosophy about this kind of thing, or he can keep his mouth shut.

Silco, however, has never been the type to keep his mouth shut. ]

And what, become the monster necessary to survive?

[ Ruh roh... ]

Sometimes, that's what's required. By your environment, by the people around you, it doesn't matter who. What matters is survival.

[unaliveyourself]

[...Ah. That was a slip. There's no point denying it, yet he doesn't immediately confirm, either. Perhaps because Castiel goes and distracts him by offering to speak first, and try to see if he can avoid Dazai having to speak at all.

The worst of it is that he doesn't even suspect Castiel of ulterior motives. Anyone else, he would. He'd weigh the costs and benefits of potentially owing someone a debt like that. Dazai would wager a significant amount that if he brought such a thing up to Castiel, he'd probably be confused. He's too straightforward and earnest ... just like Odasaku. He hates this. It feels like being mocked, having that precious person's memory turned into a cosmic joke at his expense.

Dazai has killed many people in his life, but he's never felt very much about it. Sheer unbridled rage and hatred, like so many other emotions, were too distant to reach, a mirage through a clouded mirror. And yet, in the depths of the emptiness in his heart, they've been steadily taking root as if weeds in an untended garden. He wants to tear Echo apart with his bare hands, make them suffer as extensively as possible without granting the mercy of death.]

You needn't feel obligated. [It's answered at length.] I've thought about seeing whether we could outlast this. The new mission has to be soon.

[leastdramatic]

Sure. When your days involve shit like a cardboard box for a mattress, dumpster diving for clothes, or the only meal of the day you had is a half-rotten sandwich, you gotta do what you gotta do because clearly you don't have a choice.

[Jason's tone is genuine. He'll never forget those dark days of his childhood]

And the people who prey on that suffering deserve payback. But the question is, where's the boundary? Of course you should go after the drug dealers, the human traffickers and kingpins but how far do you take it during that journey? What's considered taking it too far and what's "just business?"

[For Jason, these are hard questions he's thought about for a long time and sometimes, he still struggles what are the right answers]

[levelshift]

[Despite their only source of light being his cell phone's flashlight, Accelerator catches that near-smile. He has to wonder if that's a question he should have asked. Regardless of how it happened, he supposes the answer is personal (it can't not be, with an eye that fucked up)....

Of course, no one's forcing this guy is answer. He could tell him to just screw off. Accelerator wouldn't complain, it's not like any of this is his business. He's only curious.

He listens, staring back silently.]

.......

[No real specifics. He doesn't ask for them, because he's getting more than enough.

Woof.

A lot of people have tried to kill Accelerator in his short life. A lot. He had stopped counting a long, long time ago. But it was always people who hated him - either assassins from some foreign organization, fellow espers looking to gain clout, more than one of his old researchers who were really pissed off. Never anyone he was close to. He considers this for a few moments, glancing away to recheck their route through the catacombs, and reaching up to fiddle with his choker to make sure he's got enough battery left.]

So you get to wear his betrayal on your face for the rest of your life? That's fucked up.

[messenger]

Aren't you human?

[ aside from that strange power, he was under the impression dazai had to eat and sleep like the rest of them. castiel could in theory outlast anyone, but under the guise of those same rules, he shouldn't have been caught in the first place. that he remains in his cage, incapable of removing himself or even slipping free from his vessel, provides a fair amount of information as to the seriousness of the situation. and the information says that the normal rules of engagement don't apply.

they're on the creature's "home turf". they're playing by its rules.

castiel cocks his head like a bird. it's quiet now. ]

[unaliveyourself]

Of course I am.

[For all he might sometimes speak of humans or humanity as though it's something removed from himself, often feeling as though he barely qualifies as a human being, he's not in denial about any biological facts, here.]

And a human can survive for roughly three days without water. It'd be an interesting gamble, wouldn't it? To see if the mission is announced before I can die of dehydration? At the three-day mark, I could even test what happens if I call Aurora on the network for help.

[messenger]

[ he is curious what aurora would do if they asked her for help. this isn't, officially, a mission. is she forbidden for helping them even in situations like this, where it seems that dangers have come to nest here only by happenstance? ]

You're accustomed to the idea.

[ of dying, he means. he turns in dazai's direction. ]

[unaliveyourself]

[He could brush it off. He could say he was kidding right here, and let the matter drop. People don't usually take him seriously, when he says these things. Or they get nervous, and change the subject. He's not often called upon to elaborate or explain himself.]

Castiel-san, if someone were to describe an indeterminate period of suffering with no guarantees of respite for any duration or frequency, what would you think they were talking about? Isn't "torture" the first word that comes to mind?

[messenger]

[ in the dark, castiel blinks. ]

Ah, I suppose...

[ so the association you're making, is... ]

[unaliveyourself]

[Of course it doesn't click. He shouldn't be surprised. Castiel is, after all, so much like Odasaku.]

But then, isn't that also a way one could describe a human life?

[messenger]

[ castiel takes a deep breath.

honestly, it's almost funny. ]

That's the same argument I used.

[unaliveyourself]

To God, when you rebelled, you mean?

[That is funny, honestly. Irony sure is a hell of a thing.]

[messenger]

To Dean.

[ it feels like such a long time ago now, but it's only been a year. to an angel, that's practically nothing at all. ]

"In paradise, all is forgiven."

cw very explicit death idealization/romanticization

[unaliveyourself]

[Oh. He understands, now, he thinks.]

You know, when we first met, on the network, I resented you. Your existence represented the worst possible fate I could imagine, after all. Persisting on indefinitely, without hope of an ending.

[He shakes his head, softly.]

I don't need to be forgiven, Castiel-san. Truthfully, I don't regret very much in my life. Less than I probably should. I simply want to turn out the light, pull up the covers, and sleep. I have been waiting for it for a very, very long time.

ditto

[messenger]

[ for a very, very long time, he had no opinion on the matter at all.

but now, he does. and now that he does, he feels... pain. guilt, anger, confusion. once this is all over, and they save their worlds or don't, what point will there be to his continued existence?

he can't envision a future. ]

I understand, Dazai.