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

[matermali]

[ At least he hasn't begun screaming about her being the Devil's whore, or called her Mother. She isn't sure which would be more insulting. After her encounters with Astarion, she is well aware that he may be a vampire from an entirely different world, and thus he may know nothing of her beyond whatever he can sense.

But she gives no immediate answer, letting the silence hang once more until they are even further from the café and nearer to the apartment complex. Instead, she has an inquiry of her own. ]

Who do you serve?

[ Vanessa hopes she doesn't have to torture it out of this one. These creatures can be stubborn. ]

[neverleave]

[For a moment he just stares at her blankly, like he doesn't even get where such a question came from.]

No one.

[He scowls, looking downright offended. Serve? Like hell.]

[matermali]

[ That gives her pause enough to actually halt her steps, and she looks to him out of the corner of her eye without entirely turning her head. It isn't impossible for her to be fooled, but it is exceedingly difficult to trick her without strong magic (or knowing her weakness), and she can't sense any lies.

But his claim makes little sense in the world as she sees it. ]

You have no master? Someone must have made you what you are.

[ The distaste is palpable in her words. ]

[neverleave]

[His scowls deepens. So she can tell he's a vampire. It's hardly the first time someone clocked him from a glance, but he's usually able to tell what they are in turn, and on one's ever asked him if he serves anyone.]

It doesn't work like that where I'm from. [He's read enough vampire fiction to know the concept of sires, so he's not surprised it exists somewhere.] Obviously I'm not like this by choice, but they don't have power over me.

[Tohru's dead for good, and only had power over him when Natsuno was still alive. When he loved him enough to let himself die.]

[matermali]

[ Nothing is obvious, aside from him being a vampire. Every time new variables are added, her frustration grows. So once more she must encounter a vampire, and once more he’s useless in helping her discover the name of the one she seeks.

After a moment, she’ll resume her walk, keeping her steps slow and measured. ]

The other vampires I have known all serve a master. They are unable to help themselves, so powerful is the compulsion. Some can walk in the day, but rarely with such ease.

You are more than shadow. You know the light that casts it. How?

[neverleave]

[Unable to help themselves. It reminds him how Tohru spoke of the hunger. It would be so much easier for the Kirishiki family if they could compel the people they turned instead of threatening them into obedience.]

You noticed that, too?

[He doesn't bother to mention that he's not a typical vampire even in his world. No need to invite further questions from someone who can read what he is like an open book.]

This isn't my first interdimensional kidnapping. The last place had a lot of magic user. I had an accident going through a mage's stuff.

[More like injected himself with liquid sun magic after his best friend robbed a mage and tried to use it on herself, but whatever. Natsuno isn't going to put Clarke in this weird woman's path.]

My turn to ask a question. How can you tell what I am? You're human, but there's something - [He frowns.] I don't know.

[matermali]

[ Were he to attempt to go through her belongings, he would be met with an entirely different sort of 'accident'. At least, he should. Three are still many unknown variables in this new land, and wherever he comes from.

Vanessa considers how best to answer him without giving too much away. There is no easy answer. No single word or sentence she can attribute as to why. ]

I was born with this curse. Rarely, it can be a gift. I have always been able to sense what may be considered...other, whether or not I sought it out. I see what most are unable to.

[ Not a helpful answer, really. It entirely understates the truth of what he likely senses in her. It isn't as though she is a mere witch. ]

Vampires as you understand them, do you know where your elders come from? Where they were first born? [ She tilts her head with another sideways glance. ] Do the names Amun-Ra or Amunet mean anything to you?

[neverleave]

[A "curse" can mean almost anything, but that'll have to do for now.]

Ra is the Egyptian sun god, right? [He knows the name as random trivia. It doesn't hold any special meaning.] I've no idea how the first vampires were created. If I had to guess, it was probably a mutated blood disease, but I don't really care about where they came from.