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]

Krampus isn't real... usually. And yeah. Maybe that's the idea.

[Again, Jason taps on a bar]

But we're also in Etraya and there might be another explanation.

[zauneyete]

[ It's the "usually" that he takes issue with. ]

And do you have any ideas as to what they are? Or are we left to guess until we lose our voices?

[ He doesn't like that either, actually. ]

[leastdramatic]

Did you get that whole spiel from Aurora about saving worlds?

[Not that Jason's been really believing it]

[zauneyete]

Of course I did. I'm not a fool.

[ A roll of his eyes. In the dim light, it's obvious. ]

I also know better than to believe the first thing I hear.

[leastdramatic]

Pretty sure most of us don’t believe her.

But anyway, the point being is that this might be one of those missions or activities where bonds are made and somehow it helps with the multiverse saving.

[Though Jason’s skeptical tone suggest it’s not about saving anything]

[zauneyete]

[ A scoff. ]

Bonds.

They want us to rely on one another, is what you are saying.

[ Why does that sound like a curse? ]

[leastdramatic]

Unfortunately, yeah.

[With how much of an introvert Jason can be at times and Silco making a less-than-great first impression, Jason is just as excited at the idea as Silco is]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco is thinking of the people he arrived with, and his face — even in the shadows — contorted into something distinctly unpleasant. ]

They may as well ask us all to hold hands, and sing a little song, instead of putting us through all of this, then.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason scoffs]

Yeah, pretty much. Whoever’s really in charge has a messed-up sense of humor.

[zauneyete]

[ Silco's bark of laughter was both out of character, and shocking in the dark. It is quick, and violent, before it's smothered back down to general distaste. ]

And not their goal at all, or else they would have chosen more wisely.

[ what does that mean? ]

[leastdramatic]

[Interesting phrasing… Jason mentally notes that]

Yeah, that’s the other thing. It’s hard to see any rhyme or reason in why certain people wind up here.

[zauneyete]

Hm. Other worlds have as... disparate of a mess of individuals?

[ Look. Silco knows it won't take long. If someone doesn't say something, he'll be shocked. He's banking on it.trying to destroy worlds, instead of saving them.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason shrugs]

Not my area of expertise but there hasn't been an obvious pattern with people I've talked to here.

[zauneyete]

Interesting.

[ He says.

It's thoughtful, the way he says it. ]

I suppose that's one avenue to look at.

If we get out of here.

[ Another kick. ]

[leastdramatic]

[Snorts]

Yeah, no kidding. I'm sure some people have done some note comparing but that's not the focus right now.

[Jason gives the bars another frustrated kick]

[zauneyete]

I would rather work on that, than...

[ A kick. ]

Perish to some creature I haven't even had the displeasure of meeting.

[leastdramatic]

The feeling’s mutual.

[Jason sighs. God, he really doesn’t want to have to do some ridiculous bonding exercise with someone he doesn’t know]

What’s your name anyway?

[zauneyete]

[ Well good, neither does Silco!! Hell, he doesn't want to do one with people he knows!! ]

Silco.

[ Punctuated by another kick. ]

Yours?

[leastdramatic]

Jason.

[Tap tap. Nope, still no hollow bars to bust through]

[zauneyete]

Well then, Jason.

[ Kick kick.

He ran a hand through his hair. ]

What are we to do about this, do you think? Accept our fate?

[ Kick kick. ]

Are you going to try to meet its demands?

[leastdramatic]

[Jason huffs]

Unless you got other suggestions or got a bomb stashed on you somewhere, then yeah. I think this is our only option.

[zauneyete]

[ Where was Jinx when he needed her. ]

I'm afraid I'm fresh out.

So go ahead, let's see how this works.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason runs a hand through his hair, trying to think of something to confess. Even on a good day, he's not prone to telling certain things to his loved ones, much less a stranger]

My dad taught me how to steal car parts before I was 10. I got pretty good at it quickly.

[There. Maybe it's personal enough but not too personal]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco eyed the cage warily. Like he's expecting it to do something.

After a moment, a scoff, so he tries to lead him along a little bit. ]

Like every other child in the undercity these days.

[ A shrug of his shoulders. ] That's a survival skill, not something to be ashamed of.

[leastdramatic]

Tell that anyone who wasn't born in Crime Alley.

[At least for all his abrasiveness so far, Silco's not judging that. Jason can't say the same for some of Gotham's upper class. Jason then shrugs]

I got no regrets on that. Had to do what I had to do.