etrayalogs | DECEMBER MINGLE

Entry tags:

DECEMBER MINGLE

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⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That might be useful for here," Kirk muses. "Easier to get a lay of the land that way."

He's thinking of the potential practical applications. He always wants plans upon plans ready. One can never be too prepared.

"For sure!"

She agrees since they generally know the layout of a city than she ever could. It is why she never worries about getting lost. Hopefully, the rats here will be reasonable.

"Anyway, Kirk!" She smiles wider and tugs on his hand. "Ready to go outside?"

Kimie's comfort in dragging a stranger around still boggles Kirk he'll play along for now. It's easy for him to say no once he feels like he's had enough.

"Might as well," He replies.

He had been wandering around the hospital for a while and nothing useful has come up.

"Great!"

Kimie gives him a little tug before heading toward the entrance she saw earlier. Tipping her head up, she comes to a conclusion and she doesn't let go of his hand as they walk.

"Kirk, we've only just met, but," She wonders how to bring this up to a stranger, "I dunno. It's just a silly thought, so don't worry about it! I don't even know if I can put it into words yet since it's more like a feeling?"

Babbling, she tries to explain herself as they walk down the hallways to the exit.

"I guess I just worry. Maybe I've become a worrywart?" A slight pause. "That is... I'm sure you're not okay with all of this going on, but you've been so calm that it makes me worry more about you. That's what I mean."

Kirk patiently listens as Kimie leads him to the exit. It's a strange position to suddenly be in.

Outside of his vigilante work, he rarely interacts with people who aren't fellow his Justice League members or his (now former) best friends. He's gotten very used to keeping a poker face. When he was human, he tended to feel socially awkward and would retreat to his scientific pursuits. After his vampiric transformation, the social awkwardness hardened into stoicism. A necessary defense to keep himself from being a mindless beast who just kills anyone he comes across. He interacts with people infrequently enough that no one has pointed out his mannerisms unless they already knew him. Until now that is.

"I'm fine," Kirk calmly replies. "It's more helpful to be calm than not when you're in a serious situation."

Like being kidnapped.

"That's true."

She's been kidnapped a few times already and it's best to remain calm rather than lose one's head. But at the same time, it's good to belt out something so that it doesn't all feel couped up in her chest.

"But Kirk," Kimie tightens her hold on his hand. "You don't need to quiet your heart to keep a cool head."

A few steps and they're out of the hospital - she lets go of his hand and throws her arms open. Taking a deep breath, she tips her head back to yell, "I'm Kimie Arashiyama! And I'm amazing! There may only be so much I can do! But I'm going to do it!" A beat and louder, "JUST WATCH ME!"

Breathing heavily, she smiles wide and points to him. "Your turn!"

The funny thing about Kimie's comment on keeping a cool head is that Kirk's skin is literally cold to the touch. But that's a piece of information he doesn't think is necessary to share for now.

He looks at her with a mildly bemused expression.

"I'm fine for now. Maybe another time," He says, though he doesn't plan to actually take her suggestion. Then after a beat, he continues.

"Thank you anyway."

Though she's more exuberant than what he's used, he sees she's trying to be well-meaning. He'll give her that much credit at least.

"Oh, but--"

Kimie accepts the thanks that she's been given but continues to give Kirk a worried look. Maybe it seems like she's underestimating him? If Hikaru Gero was here, he'd also be able to keep his calm; he'd figure out what the next step would need to be and what step was needed after that, and so on. But he's also human.

She knows the man in her mind isn't as perfect as she thinks, but she believes in him so much. That's why, she doesn't want to let him down, either.

"--I did something embarrassing, so you can do something embarrassing without worry." A small smile. "So you can blame it on me, if you like?"

Kirk hadn't given much thought to how off-putting his stoicism is to other people. It's partially because he doesn't need to interact with too many people these days and partially because he usually doesn't care. This was awkward.

"It's nothing like that," Kirk says, trying to reassure her. "I'm just not one for yelling. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Okay." She nods, feeling a little more reassured.

"Next time, or um, when you feel like yelling and don't feel up to doing it! Just call me and I'll come yell with you, okay, Kirk?"

"Fine," Kirk says. He doesn't know if he'll ever take up her offer but just like her suddenly taking his hand and leading him outside, he won't say no for now. It's silly but not worth fighting.

"Maybe when I'm having a bad enough day."

"Great." She beams up at him. "Well, not great, but great."

Cupping her hand around her mouth, she stage whispers to him. "But also, you can yell when you're having a good day." Pausing, she smiles big and wide at him. "I hope you can do that one day, too! 'Cause that means, you're winning, I think!"

"Winning?" Kirk asks, not sure what Kimie means. If the answer is "winning at life" then there's a deep sense of irony given just how he needs to live.

"Yeah, winning."

Kimie isn't quite where she wants to be, but she's one step further than she was. She can yell loudly about how great she is and hope one day that it'll be true. But she isn't sad because she has so many people she cares about and they care about her. Since she loves so much, she takes one more step to be a little better than the person she was yesterday.

"Doing a little better than before!" A beat. "I don't think you're sad, Kirk. I don't know you enough to say something like that, anyway. But, to yell loudly, in good days and bad, I think means that you're winning against whatever day it is."

It's a hopeful message and maybe one Kirk needs at times. Over a decade of being a vampire and he still has his days when things seem grimmer than usual.

"Like a release valve I suppose," Kirk says. He knows he's more inclined to bottle things up than just shout them out. It tends to feel like the safer option.

"You got it!" She rapidly pats his shoulder and back as she's happy that he follows her line of logic.

Kirk is still skeptical about the idea but it’s not important enough to get into a debate for now. There are other matters to focus on.

“Do you remember how you wound up here?” He asks.

"Nope. I wonder..."

Her eyes roll up before she walks a little further away from the hospital entrance. Tilting her head back, she breathes in deep before letting out a high-pitched cry. It's more like a greeting than anything else - but either way, a rat makes its appearance shortly after.

However, it pauses as soon as it sees Kirk and doesn't seem to want to get any closer.

"I thought about asking some questions, too, but um, it seems a little nervous." She stares at the rat in question. "It's prideful enough to show up but I guess it's nervous 'cause you're so cool."

Uh-oh. Though Kirk isn’t familiar with Kimie’s abilities, he wonders if the rat is smelling his non-human connection. Machines tend to not register him as human anymore. It would be natural if animals can smell and sense his status as well.

“‘Cool?’” Kirk asks with mild curiosity. He wonders if it’s more like intimidated by a potential predator. He’s had rats before in his early days as a vampire when he had no resources or help.

"Yeah, but also don't worry. They get nervous around most people anyway."

Taking a few steps closer to the rat, she gets down on her knees and lowers herself so that she's at eye level with the rodent. With a faint smile, she offers a few squeaks in greeting. The rat keeps its distance but squeaks in return. Flicking its tail and ears, it tilts its head up in a way that almost looks dignified.

Kimie pinches her chin before sitting up and digging one of the baked goods out of her pockets. Rolling it over to the rat, she continues to squeak and the rodent takes a bite before squeaking for a long time. A shared nod before the rat takes the muffin and runs.

Sitting up, she twists around to look at Kirk. "He said he also appeared here without knowing how. Isn't that crazy?"

Edited 2024-12-25 19:25 (UTC)

That manages to get Kirk’s expression to change, even with his goggles on. He raises an eyebrow in surprise. Was Etraya just a dead area before any of them arrived here then?

“Someone’s going through a lot of trouble to do even that,” Kirk says. “Perhaps even the plants were transported.”

"Maybe? I can't talk to plants." She slowly gets to her feet and brushes the dirt off her knees.

"I thought they might know something we don't, but he's also been confused." Glancing where the rat ran off, her expression drops a little. "At least, they have a whole community so they don't feel so alone and afraid, but I imagine... most of the animals probably feel a little off if they're the same as he is."

“It’s not hard to imagine. They’ve had to adapt,” Kirk says, also watching the rat run off. “It’s strange though. Perhaps this was a dead area before any of us were here.”

"Yeah. At least, they're doing okay." She gives a small nod, worried about the little rats in the area. Hopefully, she'll be able to make friends with them. While they may not be able to tell her much, she can at least keep in contact to know what's up.

"A dead area? What do you mean?"

“Why go through the trouble to even pull in small animals?” Kirk explains. “We have abilities that might somehow help our worlds but it’s hard to imagine the same for less sentient beings. If not even rodents are native here, then what is? Or did this multiverse hub used to be just a vacuum of empty space?”

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