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 hums. ]

Mixed feelings all around.

[ he glances at dream. ]

Would you like a seat?

[hypnagothic]

[ there's a moment of consideration before he moves to sit. he takes it quietly, moving with a smooth elegance that belies his lack of a heartbeat. ]

I thank you for the invitation.

[anewhope]

[ clark seems bemused. ]

Do you not get many invitations?

[hypnagothic]

Not typically, though that is usually by design as well as by function.

[anewhope]

All right.

And what about desire? Do you want to be invited?

[hypnagothic]

Perhaps not by the entity that sent out the notice to come here.

[anewhope]

Fair enough.

We're all out of our comfort zones, it seems.

[ this is the most he's really . . . spent time with people. ]

[hypnagothic]

Indeed. Though I believe this attempt is to aid those here in feeling more at ease.

[anewhope]

[ dryly. ]

Nothing says normalcy more than an American coffee shop, I suppose.

[hypnagothic]

No? You would know better than I.

[anewhope]

[ clark grimaces. ]

Maybe.

But I can't say I care much for it.

[hypnagothic]

And why is that?

[anewhope]

Because it makes assumptions.

[ they're not all american. clark is and is willing to acknowledge that. but as superman, he was often treated like an american power. and that made people uneasy. ]

We're all from different places. Different worlds. I'm not saying a coffee shop is bad, but are allowances made for other people too?

[hypnagothic]

I understand that the entity which brought us here had recently expanded the features of this place. Perhaps there are other allowances to come.

[anewhope]

[ he sighs. ]

One can hope.

[ but he still has misgivings. the way this place just pulls things together, giving people what they want. meanwhile, their purpose feels opaque. ]

[hypnagothic]

Is there some allowance that you yourself seek?

[ he glances at the placard in front of Clark, only his eyes moving to it before glancing back at him. ]

[anewhope]

[ allowance, huh? clark shakes his head. ]

No. I'm fine.

[ he's alive. he'll never see lois or his mother again. but he's alive.

so. he's fine. ]

[hypnagothic]

Are you.

[ it's not a question. ]

[anewhope]

[ okay. ]

I beg your pardon?

[hypnagothic]

I only wonder if you are attempting to satisfy my question with a placating answer or to convince yourself.

[anewhope]

[ wryly. ]

I can't do both?

[hypnagothic]

It would be efficient to do so.

[anewhope]

Well. I've always been efficient.

[hypnagothic]

By choice? Or by necessity?

[anewhope]

Sometimes it's the same.

Choice is the necessity.