MAY MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: May 17th-31st
WHERE: On Etraya
WHAT: A mingle log!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ a hero's return ⏴ As champions exit the Labyrinth, they’ll find that their environment has gone through some fairly drastic changes. Where there used to be larger bodies of water is now thinner rivers going through land; the amount of bridges connecting landmasses has decreased, given what had been individual islands are now much more connected. In addition, Etraya is significantly more green; flowers bloom, birds chirp cheerfully, and there are numerous additional species of insects, mammals, and aquatic creatures throughout the lands. Baby foxes roam through forested areas, bees pollinate the flowers to spread them more thoroughly around the inhabited areas, and it feels brighter. Or perhaps that’s just in comparison to how the Labyrinth had been. There are more areas to explore, new facilities, animals, and Etraya feels significantly more settled than it had before. Aurora’s promise of renovations had been true. And if one looks up, they may notice a city bubble visible on the closest planet that hadn't been visible before. ⏵ coffee break ⏴ After hearing Clarke’s suggestion, Aurora sets up a new cafe close to the apartment complex, and sends out notices to individuals with mandatory coffee hour times listed for them to come to Corrine's Cafe and make a few friends. While the note does state that it is mandatory, there will be no follow-up from Aurora nor the companion bots to ensure those who receive notes do show. Given this is Aurora trying to take suggestions in mind and see how successful they are among the citizens of Etraya, however, following directives may not be a terrible idea. It's up like a modern-day, smaller cafe. One walks in through the front door, and is greeted by a companion bot behind the counter who offers a wave of their hand and a friendly “Welcome! Let me know when you’re ready to order”. The menu offers lattes, mochas, espresso, black coffee, several different kinds of teas, and a few drinks that are a little odd to find in a cafe; ale, canned sodas and coffees, numerous bottles of wine, but only pinot noir. Soft music plays in the background, impossible to place but it sounds as if it may be based on tracks that were popular in the early 90s. Tables and booths are set up to seat two to four, with packets of sugar and small containers of creamer set out towards the middle. There are charging stations set up at every table, which may seem strange considering phones and laptops aren’t widely available, but Aurora’s doing her best. There are also a few bookshelves full of the classics, a few historical fiction, and several written by H.P. Lovecraft. Each seat has a placard in front of it, with a name, and a ‘fun fact’. One might say “Hello! My name is Joe, and I like to paint!” Another may say “Hi, I’m Jill! My sister died tragically in front of me and I’ve never gotten over it.” ⏵ new horizons ⏴ Several of the new bridges found in Etraya now have signs posted just outside of them, and on those signs is a QR code that the earpiece’s HUD can scan. Scanning this with the HUD will bring up a scavenger hunt, listing several items and circling areas where they can be found. Some of these objects will be obvious: find Corrine at Corrine’s Cafe - the companion bot who runs the counter, find a delicious meal at Bangsan Market, break into S.T.A.R Labs, or find room 87 at Point Blanc Academy. Some will be less obvious, like locating a bat, becoming friends with an archer, find a pink shirt, open bagged milk without making a mess, or get a drink at the mutant-friendly pub. Please feel free to make up your own items to find around Etraya! ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Welcome to our mid-month mingle! Please feel free to use this to explore Etraya, put up wildcard prompts (you don't need to use the above!), or use the open prompts to assist in jumpstarting cr. This mingle covers the period from May 17th to May 31st. Our next mission (and next mod log) will not go up until June 7th. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[anewhope]

[ clark's sheepish grin turns into a sheepish laugh. ]

I just . . . jumped really high.

[agoddessonce]

[ That's a very charming laugh, and a surprisingly harmless origin story! Her smile warms a little. ]

And then you couldn't get back down?

[anewhope]

[ he smiles. ]

I think I just didn't want to.

[ it was like the world exploded before him. what always seemed too big to handle suddenly felt smaller. like he could truly be a part of it. ]

[agoddessonce]

I understand. When I first started flying... I thought the sky was my true home. So I never wanted to be on the ground for longer than I absolutely had to be.

[ She looks around, all the open space that tempted her to stay here, then down at the lab and all the other things that were spread out before them. ]

[anewhope]

[ he nods slowly. ]

Sometimes I just like to stay up there.

[agoddessonce]

But there are no people up here. [ No duties, no responsibilities... She glances over at him, then corrects herself. ] Well, not usually. Despite all the powered beings in this place, I've found regular fliers to be rare.

[anewhope]

But there are more.

[ which is vastly more than what clark has encountered. what must it be like, to share a tangible connection with other people? ]

[agoddessonce]

I think so. None that I've personally spoken to like this, however. [ Sustained, idle conversation, this high in the sky... Other people typically asked to go down at some point. ]

Does it bother you? Having to share for the first time? [ - said with a teasing lilt to her voice; it's not meant to offend him! ]

[anewhope]

[ he shakes his head. ]

I think the sky's big enough for both of us.

[agoddessonce]

I'm glad. I always like meeting someone who appreciates a good flight.

[ She lifts up a little higher, considers him thoughtfully. ]

What else do you do? I doubt flight is the only thing you are capable of. [ He mentioned taking down a monster, he had his cape, and he had a very particular build... ]

[anewhope]

[ clark hesitates because he's not used to talking about his powers. a part of him still wants to hold back. ]

Well . . . I'm fast and strong. Invulnerable.

[agoddessonce]

[ She nods like she expected that sort of answer. Then, in the interest of transparency, she offers: ] I am not invulnerable. But my flight is based on the winds lifting me up rather than sheer force of will. I have control over the weather.

[anewhope]

The weather?

That's incredible!

[ what a unique powerset! very cool. ]

[agoddessonce]

[ She chuckles. ]

That's quite the reaction from someone invulnerable who can fly.

I can go quite fast, but something tells me you would still be faster.

[anewhope]

[ he smiles softly. ]

Maybe. It's possible.

[agoddessonce]

[ She's not going to challenge him to a race. That would be silly when she doesn't know how fast he can go! But, hmm. ]

... Are you familiar with that one inflatable castle? [ (There is only one inflatable castle. That she's aware of.) She points in the general direction of where it must be; if she remembers right, it's on the other side of the archipelago from where they are right now. ]

[anewhope]

Yes?

[ he can see it clearly, even from this distance. ]

What of it?

[agoddessonce]

Fly with me. From here, to there. [ She summons a gust of wind, carrying her forward a little. ]

Ready?

[anewhope]

[ he blinks. ]

As a race?

[ he's never done that before. ]

[agoddessonce]

Well, there wouldn't be a prize.

[ She looks at him curiously. Like she suspects it may be a deal-breaker? ]

[anewhope]

[ clark weighs on this for a long moment, chewing the inside of his mouth. then he nods, resolved. ]

All right. I'm ready.

[agoddessonce]

[ He's so unsure, that for a moment she thinks he'll beg off.

But he doesn't, and her smile widens. ]

Alright, on three? [ She counts for them, summoning a gust of wind as she does, then - on three, she's off like a shot on the tailwind she'd gathered...!! ]

[anewhope]

[ she is fast. for a moment, he just wants to admire that. it's a level of speed he hasn't seen anyone truly achieve before. his respect is real.

but.

he's fast too. practically a blur to the eyes of others. he shoots past with incredible speed. ]

[agoddessonce]

[ He's faster, which is about what she expected. The surprise is in just how much faster he is, and he startles a laugh out of her.

She puts on a sudden burst pf speed - not enough to fully catch up, but fast enough to mimic a jet at mach 3. There should be a roar of displaced air like a plane hurtling past, if anyone were below to hear them. This far out, there probably isn't anyone.

Still, she'll get to the castle in record time, with all that noise, well after he probably made it. ]

I said you would be fast, didn't I?

[ She sounds pleased, though. It's a wonderful discovery!! ]

[anewhope]

[ clark ducks his head with a laugh, a little embarrassed. ]

I don't usually go that fast.