JANUARY MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: January 17th - January 23rd
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers and some new construction!
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. 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. Looks like someone was trying to improve on last month's designs. Outside the windows, the grass is covered in a couple of inches of loosely packed snow. We hope you enjoy your stay. ⏵ passion for fashion ⏴ As the newcomers find themselves leaving the hospital as per their usual arrival, they will find that not too far from it is a small boutique. Newly added, just as they have been, though they lack the context to know this. Companion bots will encourage them to go in and meet the particularly unique bot inside, dressed to the nines in line with the fashion the boutique itself is offering. While small, it's clearly been decorated to emphasize the loose era and taste of the particular fashion it's advertising. The building itself is also petite, and made to feel more personal rather than a commercial experience. It has a single dressing room, and outside of it has an area with mirrors where one might take in their lovely visage from nearly all angles. There is a little waiting area with seating in the front, for those who are not being molded through Theobold's vision, or simply waiting for whoever is. The tastes and aforementioned era of this little establishment is decidedly Victorian, with a bold splash of neon trimming, cog-like adornments, and other accessories that brighten up the otherwise neutral fabrics typically used in the style of dress. Theobold, as he has named himself and will not let anyone forget, has taken to a three-piece suit, a deep emerald in color, with a black vest, and matching black gloves. He will take it upon himself to judge each person's attire (which he will unabashedly hate), then restyle them into something more along his tastes (even if it takes him a while, he will find something you don't ruin). There are, of course, many different combinations to pick from, all hearkening to a very loud style of dress that seems as much neon as it is punk or steam. One might even name it steampunk with a splash of neon. Neon Steampunk? Something like that. An interesting combination to say the least, Theobold insists as much. This is, of course, not simply limited to newcomers, though they will likely be exposed to this boutique more quickly than the others. Any who come near the general area of the hospital (thus the boutique) will find themselves being encouraged by the other bots to come inside, and they will likewise be judged and restyled to Theobold's tastes—which are as bright as they are bold. He really doesn't take no for an answer, though he can't truly stop anyone from leaving any more than a pushy grandmother fussing over her grandchild's clothes might. He has obviously discovered his passion, why not indulge him? ⏵ trending or treading ⏴ After enjoying the privilege of being restyled by Theobold, he will also insist that you take the outfit for a spin around the city! See what people say, take note of how many looks you catch, how many eyes are on you. He wants to hear about it as well, clearly to validate his own artistry, and who can blame him? Does not every artist strive to hear a little bit of praise for their hard work? Do they not yearn for recognition from the public? Theobold may be a bot, but he is also an artist honing his craft! His boutique is not above critique, though he hopes the critique isn't too harsh... Should one indulge him, telling about what others thought, he will gladly gift the outfit to the wearer. A humble act of his endless generosity! Or if they fancy another outfit of their own taste from his boutique, then that will suffice as well. Even if it breaks his heart that you don't like the outfit. No, no. It's fine, really. It's perfectly okay. Everyone has their tastes, and yours just happens to stab him in his mechanical heart. He'll get over it. In time. Probably. ⏵ leaving tracks ⏴ Companion bots have taken to building train tracks, as well as what appears to be a train station, in the South Eastern island of Etraya. The area is, for the most part, blocked off from Etrayans. After all, it is a construction zone, and the companion bots are ever vigilant with safety. At least they try to be. However, if people wish to lend their aid in the construction, well, they won't necessarily stop them. However they will assure them that they are not in need of assistance, and might intermittently remind those especially helpful Etrayans of that fact. Those who wish to simply watch the construction may do so, but nothing especially interesting is going on beyond the mystery of what this these tracks and the station might be for. Besides a train, of course. After all, since when has there been any mention of a train? Asking the companion bots about it will yield little results. They won't be able to give any further details besides the obvious: when this is done, it will be for a train. It seems even they might not know the full extent of what this entails, or maybe they cannot say. Regardless the reason of their lack of explanation, it seems patience might be the key to the answer. ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Some may notice that in the area Gorgug's friend had gone exploring outside of the environmental bubble, there is a message written on a massive piece of fabric, which is tied to two large rebar poles. The message is in an alien language, but the earpiece will automatically translate it: DID YOU THINK YOU WERE THE ONLY ONES? On the bottom of the fabric are four vertical lines. Every Friday, a vertical line becomes crossed through with a horizontal one. 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

[badfengshui]

A curse?

[ Henry frowns at the idea. ]

Why? Did I do something to someone? [ A beat. ] Sorry, you wouldn't know the answer to that, would you? [ Bad question. ]

I guess I must have... made someone furious...

[hexcope]

Mages aren't exactly known to all be benevolent. Sometimes it's just to exert power, not necessarily anything you did wrong. Do you remember seeing any sort of strange symbols? My world calls them runes. They usually are indicative of magic being used.

[badfengshui]

But why?

[ If a person has the means to alter reality, wouldn't that be enough? ]

... yeah?

[hexcope]

That's beyond me. I'm not a mage.

[But it's at Henry's confirmation that Jayce's eyes light up.]

Wait, really? I thought this was just a theory—

[A game theory.]

—but you're sure? Do you remember what they look like? Could you draw them from memory?

[badfengshui]

Mm.

[ He makes a small noise; he supposes there's no way to know. However, he would like it to have been his fault in some way. While not the best, it's better than thinking he is randomly targeted. At least, if he had done some wrong, he could say he had a hand in what is presently happening. ]

... a theory. [ Henry doesn't quite slump his shoulders. ] I think? [ Does he remember? Kind of? He wanders around his apartment to find a piece of paper and two pens: black and red. ] It kind of looked like ... something like this... [ And he draws what he crudely remembers and shows it to Jayce. ]

[hexcope]

[Jayce holds up the "art" and ... squints, frowning. He turns it 90 degrees left, and then fully upside down.]

You can't remember the symbols with... any more detail?

[Not everyone has an eidetic memory, Jayce.]

It's... kind of something. Maybe. Mages do make use of circles with symbols and runes around the circle and usually something happens at the center of that circle, but without more detail on the runes themselves, I can't tell you more.

[badfengshui]

I remember there was an eye on top between the two circles.

[ He points to the top of the circle and the crude drawing of an eye. ]

I'm sorry... I saw it constantly but I don't really remember what it looked like.

[ Rather the symbols didn't really make that much sense to him so he didn't pay that much attention. If he knew it would be important, he might have tried to remember it better. ]

You're not a mage, but you'd be able to decipher to runes?

[hexcope]

Would you remember them if you saw them again? Recognize them via familiarity?

[He hands back the paper because that's about all he can gleam from it.]

Need to know how to read runes in order to use them. I can't use magic on my own, like a mage could, but I make devices that use runic patterns to channel magic. It's really just a language, like any other.

[badfengshui]

Maybe?

[ He holds his hands out weakly, uncertain if he would or wouldn't. Rolling his eyes up, he tries to think of what he remembers them looking like - as far as he was concerned, they were squiggles that made little sense to him. He tried to prioritize only what would help him leave - and he didn't think those odd runes would help in that matter. ]

They're really dangerous, though... I don't know... maybe it's better if I forgot them.

[hexcope]

All knowledge has worth, even if that worth is self-defense. If something like that happened again, wouldn't it be useful to know what they said so we could preemptively form a work-around?

[badfengshui]

Guess so.

[ His words are affirmative but his tone continues to sound unsure. Like he is simply agreeing because he doesn't want to disagree. ]

[hexcope]

If you do ever remember them, let me know. Who knows? Maybe it's the key to some of the questions we have about this place.

[badfengshui]

Some questions here? How?

[ He doesn't like that implication. ]

[hexcope]

How do you think we were brought here? It has to be magic. And the sooner we can learn the language of the magic used here, the sooner we can utilize it ourselves. If the runes you recall— [or more specifically, can't recall— ] share similarities to the ones I know, then it would broaden our ability to form certain magical reactions. Who knows? Maybe if we figure out enough of how this works, we can figure out how to bring specific people here, or even the reverse— figure out how to send people home ourselves.

[badfengshui]

I see.

[ If he's honest, all of that is quite frightening to think about. Thankfully for Henry, he's the kind of person who doesn't show much expression on his face. Regardless of the situation, he isn't good at showing his feelings. His voice is slow; his words are jumbled; he can only do what he can do.

He thinks it would be better to leave frightening things alone, but Jayce doesn't seem to think the way that he does. Isn't it better to just run away if that's an option? It doesn't seem like that's a question that he should ask. ]

I don't know if I'll ever remember... but I'll mention it if I do recall something...

[hexcope]

[And because Henry's bad at emoting much at all, Jayce takes his offer at face value since it's essentially no different than when Henry's being honest.]

I'd appreciate it!