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

EGGS

[simpcard]

[ Gosh, an egg.

She's no Bird User so she isn't quite sure that she's going to be up to snuff for taking care of an egg, but she'll do her best. It's been entrusted to her, anyway, so that means that it should be cared for with love and affection, right? Right.

So, she holds it close in both hands - careful to not have it be too tight - and try to have it feel secure and warm. Is that right? She has no idea!

But it seems like she's not the only one that's unsure of this whole situation. ]

Nope. I don't know anything about it! [ She says that with a bit too much confidence. ] I don't even know if what I'm doing is right!

[lastonetodie]

If you did not receive any instructions... [ He rotates the egg helplessly, as if it will suddenly reveal secrets or a manual. He has no protocols for this!! He's not an agricultural machine! ]

Then...perhaps we must cooperate? [ Zero times zero is still zero, bud ]

[simpcard]

That makes perfect sense!

[ What a great way to bond and help little eggies hatch. ]

I'm Kimie, by the way. Kimie Arashiyama! Hamster User so I know nothing about eggs!

[lastonetodie]

[ He inclines his head in a nod. ] I am the Custodian.

...A hamster is...an eggless creature? [ He feels like he's asking many more questions than he's supposed to - he's the one who's supposed to know things - but so much of this is alien to him... ]

[simpcard]

Custodian of what?

[ She blinks as she looks around the area and points to the place that they are: "Here?" ]

Yes, they're eggless. Well, I mean, they don't come in this kind of eggs, anyway. But there are eggs involved but those are in the body. [ A beat. ] The hamster body.

[lastonetodie]

[ He shakes his head in return. ] I am the caretaker of N'Erud, the home of the Drzyr.

[ He recites this as if it's rote, and, well...it pretty much is. Not that he's had anyone to really say it to before. It's a strange feeling.

The Custodian is certainly getting A Picture of what hamsters are, but since he doesn't know what a hamster is he isn't going to dispute it. She is, after all, a Hamster Expert. ]

To be clear...for hamsters...the eggs are internal, but they do not exist outside the physical body?

[simpcard]

Wow. That sounds super important.

[ Her eyes shine with excitement. She thinks that means that to her, he's an alien, but then she's an alien to him, right? Resting her index finger in the middle of her forehead, she feels like that isn't right - or rather it's a rude thing to think? Hm. ]

So, how should I refer to you? [ Just "the Custodian?" ] You can call me "Kimie." [ She feels like she said that before but doesn't mind saying it, again, since wow! ]

Yes! They have eggs internally. And then they grow internally. And born that way... instead of having the egg crack open. But it's about the same process. [ No. ]

[lastonetodie]

It was. [ There is no pride, just a factual statement. ]

[ He expects that this surprise is how other life would react to him if they saw him, so it's reasonable enough to call him an alien. He is certainly not a human. ]

My creators called me the Custodian. They were....a practical people when it came to naming their creations.

[ He simply nods, accepting Kimie's name. ]

They sound like interesting creatures. [ JUST ACCEPTING ALL THIS ] Since you are a 'Hamster User'...is it that you supervise their creation?

[simpcard]

... neat. [ Quietly added. ]

Oh. I see. [ Her eyes roll up as she wonders if that's really okay to call him that - shouldn't he have his own name? But if he's happy with that, isn't she putting her own values on him? That's no good. ] Okay, Mister Custodian.

I don't supervise their creation. I just know how to talk to them. [ Spoken like, yeah, that's what it is. ] So, they're willing to be my friends and help me with what I need to do.