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

[hypnagothic]

And what would you describe as "good"?

[shoplifter]

[Ah.

Now that the question has been posed to her, a frown and soft realization is provided:]

… I am not sure if I can answer.

We weren’t allowed to read books, so I don’t know if I can tell what is good.

[hypnagothic]

Some would say it would be something that appeals to them. Others would say that it conveys some morale to share or convey. Still others, the emotions it evokes from within. The construction of the story itself. What is "good" is determined by the individual.

[ he finally glances up to her face, only his eyes looking up from under his brows. ]

Do you wish to read this story to determine for yourself, child?

[shoplifter]

I would.

[Whether she hates it or not, it would be nice to have that, wouldn't it? The freedom of an opinion. And even better, the potential of something that appeals to her; she has ever rarely gotten to have that satisfaction. She glances back from the book to him, and though her expression is stoic, her interest is evident.]

What do you look for?

In a book.

[hypnagothic]

[ with very little but elegant motions, he closes the book and sets it on the table in a way that slides it a few inches towards her. all this without looking away, his eyes steady on hers, even as she glances between him and the book. ]

I seek stories, not books.

[shoplifter]

[She runs a careful hand across the book, before picking it up. Perhaps the act of sniffing the top of it like a little creature isn't socially common practice, but she's too interested in the agedness that presents in the scent.]

What kinds of story?

[Probing for knowledge, right here. Trying to collect. Not knowledge about him, particularly, but of the world around here. It's so new and foreign, and even knowing the breadth of possibilities in stories would be — nice.]

[hypnagothic]

[ if it's a social faux pas of some sort, he doesn't react to it at all, not even lifting his eyebrows. he replies evenly as if it were normal. ]

All stories.

[shoplifter]

[All stories, huh?]

I only know my own.

[Which isn't... nothing, one supposes. But after some consideration, she does seem to remember another story — and does so with some small glimmer of fondness.]

And a movie. It was called Shane. Do you know it?

[hypnagothic]

[ he tilts his head ever so slightly. ]

I may. Will you tell me of it?

[shoplifter]

It is an old Hollywood movie. From a long time ago.

[That is what she knows from Charles, anyway.]

A 'gunslinger' moves to a town to settle down. He wants to stop fighting and help on a farm... try to live peacefully. But there are bad men who are trying to take the land from the family he works for by force, so he has to fight them. Stop them from hurting people he has started caring about.

[It was very enthralling to her, at the time.

But now that she thinks about it, it's sad. Sad that someone has to turn to violence again to protect the things they love. And then, to simply walk away from it all after, because of that. There are no more guns in the valley. Something about it feels too real.]

[hypnagothic]

[ he listens, patient and engaged as she tells it. ]

What happened to them? The gunslinger, the family, the bad men?

[shoplifter]

Shane kills the men who try to force them out of the valley.

... He didn't want to have to, but he did it, and it saved the family. Their son, he begged him to stay. [She considers the ending more somberly.] But Shane didn't think he could. He thought it was too late for him, that... he couldn't change what he was. What he's done.

"There's no living with a killing."

[So... then what does that mean for her?]

[hypnagothic]

[ he gives a slow nod. ]

And did you find it to be a good story?

[shoplifter]

... Yes.

A good story. A sad story.

They can be the same thing, yes?

[hypnagothic]

[ another solemn nod. ]

They can, yes. Did you find it compelling?

[shoplifter]

I think so.

It gave me a lot to think about.

[She taps her fingers on the book. There's a little dried blood on her knuckle.]

Do they do that to you, too? Make you think about things.

[hypnagothic]

In a way, they do. Stories provide the basis of my work as well as its outcome.

[shoplifter]

[Oh, that is interesting. She's never really thought of what 'work' entails.

The only time it has ever been mentioned was by scientists — they always talked of my work this and my work that. She's been referred to as someone's work. It occurs to her she's never thought of it outside of those walls before.]

What is your work?

[hypnagothic]

[ in the same even and serious tone he's used with her this whole time: ]

Dreams.

[shoplifter]

[And she takes it entirely seriously. As she thinks one should.

After all, dreams are a part of life, even for someone like her.]

I have those. They are almost always nightmares, though.

Are those part of your work?

[hypnagothic]

They are indeed. Each have their purpose for a dreamer.

[shoplifter]

[Her expression bunches up with dissatisfaction.]

What is the purpose of nightmares? To make people cranky?

[hypnagothic]

No. A nightmare's purpose is to reveal a dreamer's fears that they may face them.

[shoplifter]

[It's not an ideal answer. Not for her, anyway.

But then again, she is used to not having ideal circumstances. You just adapt.]

Do you have them, too?

[hypnagothic]

No. I do not sleep. I may rest, but it is not in the same manner as mortals.