etrayalogs | JANUARY MINGLE

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⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( she wasn't quite sure when the last time she heard someone here actually laugh and be genuinely happy. perhaps it was at the party she threw last month, but that happiness came from herself thanks to fabian.

what was happening now was enough to make her forget where she was and the things that had happened. it truly felt that she was in her own world now, putting on a show for an amused crowd. it was a warm and comforting sensation to say the least. )

You know I found out something terrible about this place a while back-

( as she said that, she put the rope down and turned to fully face peter, putting a pause to her performance for now. )

There's no actual 'currency' used around here. I tried betting on some races a while ago, and was stuck without much to do. I guess I could always resort to bartering for goods in exchange...

[ Peter's brows lift at that, thoughtful in a way he hasn't been capable of being since his fresh arrival to this place. He's been so fucking out of it, like the world's most haunted television set blipping between channels but none of them are actually working, his mind a persistent buzz of static. But now he has something to concentrate on, think about, and he's learned by now that this place isn't The City. It gives him something to compare, even if he's still pretty dazed by all of this. ]

It was like that in the last place I was before here. No money. We all just kinda... took stuff.

[ Whatever was real at all, that is. Half the time stuff just seemed fake. ]

Are there a lot of goods and stuff around here? Food? [ He has to wonder. It'd be nice if he could get some real food.... (and other things. God he is in desperate need of some marijuana.) ] I'd kill for some Cheetos.

( this place was already disorienting enough having to be pulled from home and brought here, forced to prove home was worthy of being saved. having to do that in a different world then be brought here instead sounded like a nightmare. if she knew what he had gone through, she would certainly try and do more to help him.

for now this was the best she could do given her limited resources and abilities. she didn't have magical skills like some of the others here, and being a teen herself...

well she was trying. but now came the realization of what he was saying. )

Well there's the Kwik trip with some snacks and other stuff like cigarettes. I can take you there if you want?

( she held her hand out towards mr. cheese as the critter ran up her arm. )

But you said 'last place'? What does that mean?

Oh— really? That'd be dope, yeah.

[ Hearing there's a Kwik Trip makes him feel a lot better already. Oh the beautiful familiarly of a convenience store.... Not that he means to cut her and Mr. Cheese's performance short, but he does appreciate it, shoving his hands a little deeper into his hoodie pockets, shoulders loosening some more of their tension. ]

I uh... was brought to some other world, I guess you could say? Before this one. A bunch of us were. It was some kind of.... fake place, like a simulation. Experiments and shit going on. We just called it "The City".

[ He lifts one hand out of a pocket so he can make air quotes, before returning it. ]

How long've you been in this place?

( as long as heather can actually help someone in the same manner she's been helped, it's no trouble. her goal was to come back anyways and see if anyone else needed some cheering up. so while peter spoke, she gathered up her items, putting mr. cheese securely into her shirt as the rodent hanged out in front among the ruffles of her rather fashionable shirt. )

Seriously?

( for the first time in a while, heather was genuinely surprised to hear that. it shouldn't shock her too much when she thought about it, but the idea that a person could be taken from home, sent to another world, then another, then who knew where was terrifying. it made her genuinely be concerned for peter-

so much that she forgot she hadn't quite introduced herself properly to him yet. the time would come but first- )

That...that almost sounds like this place if I'm being honest. Only here they want you to prove your world's worth saving or some shit. I've been here since October and I'm not even sure what actions would prove it worth saving aside from participating in their stupid events and missions.

[ Prove his world's worth saving. Someone else mentioned something a lot like that, when he was shuffling through with all the other newbies. It's a concept Peter hadn't put too much thought in, still too out of sorts and trying to not lose himself to sheer panic for those initial moments, but now...

He eyes the other girl, listening to her words carefully. There's a weird pit in his stomach, some feeling of dread that he's certainly not unused to, but this is a new manifestation of it. Events... missions... tests. What exactly is that going to involve? What if he fails them?

....And would it even matter if he did? His world's still there, but everything that mattered to him.. isn't, anymore. His family are gone. He's not even sure he's still alive. He's nothing.

The boy's quiet for a few moments, casting a slow and careful look around, almost like he's nervous of any passerby, but there's no one right now. ]

What world are you from? Is it like... Earth, or something else?

( for all the tension and fear that seemed to build up from their conversation, it was only when he asked her a question like that, that heather found herself staring at him with the most confused expression she could imagine.

he was human, she was human- certainly not like her friend gorgug and his rag-tag group of misfits. surely she didn't look that far off did she? but to ease his curiosity, she would answer him.

not without teasing him a bit though. )

Dude...

( 'dude', she nearly said again, elongating every vowel in that word. )

I'm from Earth, we drive cars, talk on our flip-phones, go to the mall to shop, all the 'normal' human stuff.

( with the exception of one mystical town that seemed to draw in those needing to settle away their psychological burdens- or in heather's case, dragged in to perform yet another ritual to birth the order's god. )

[ The girl's confused reaction has him looking uncertainly back for a few moments — he has no idea if he might offend people from Other Earths or planets or things like that — but then her reply actually has him breathing a sigh of relief, and he can't help giving an almost self-deprecatory little laugh. As though he knew his own question was stupid. ]

Look, that's actually a huge relief to hear. There were people from all kinds of worlds, in that City place. Even like... alternate Earths? God, this is all fucking crazy...

[ She said "flip phones" though, which definitely suggests she might predate him a little, but Peter's not worried about that at all, just concentrating on his relief to meet any fellow Earth Teens. ]

I'm from Utah, [ he adds awkwardly and a little lamely. It's a pretty lame place to be from... ]

JANUARY MINGLE

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peter hit up gorgug for the dank

oh HELL yeah gorgug's got the goods

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