⏵ APHAIA ⏴
At the request of those inhabiting Etraya, Aurora has adjusted the mission schedule a little in order to send everyone into a world that is actively dying. Which means that, on the morning of March 14th, everyone will be directed to a glowing, purple portal situated just outside the hospital. Aurora will recommend that those with pets leave them behind; given the mission parameters of survive, she anticipates that it will not be a place for companion animals to accompany their owners to. She will not, however, force this: people are welcome to bring their companions if they'd like!
Once they have stepped through the portal, it will become clear that survival will not come easily. The sky overhead is fractured into a kaleidoscope of neon colors, artificial stars blinking in and out of existence among shards. Towering structures resembling stadiums and coliseums stretch endlessly into the horizon, their surfaces plastered with massive holographic advertisements displaying the face of past "champions" - many of whom appear to be long-since deceased.
From the moment they step through the portal, cameras whir to life around them, zooming in on their expressions while loudly announcing their names, their specialties, and what they are capable of. Applause echoes through unseen speakers when talents worth the excitement are announced: those with fighting capabilities, unique extraordinary powers, or odd talents seem to get the loudest reaction.
And once introductions are complete, a loud, booming voice cuts through the noise:
WELCOME, CONTESTANTS! ARE YOU PREPARED TO SEE WHO AMONG YOU IS THE SMARTEST, THE HOTTEST, THE STRONGEST, AND THE SHINIEST? ONLY THOSE AMONG YOU WHO ARE WORTHY WILL SURVIVE. KALI TYCHI!!
There is no introduction to the voice. No explanation.
Welcome to Aphaia.
⏵ SURVIVAL SPOTLIGHT ⏴
Aphaia is a dying world. Once vibrant, now it is little more than a stage - an arena where survival meets spectacle and death is a form of entertainment. Cameras are everywhere, their mechanical eyes dissecting every action, hesitation, every moment of weakness. To the residents of Aphaia, it's all a game. After all, they know they are living on borrowed time - why not make it fun?
Towering holograms flicker with advertisements for upcoming challenges, massive leaderboards shift constantly, tracking the contestants' popularity in real time. Every move is judged, and every breath is measured.
Participation is not mandatory, but refusal comes with some hefty consequences. Those who refuse to play fade into the background, their scores slowly dropping closer and closer to zero.
And when it does bottom out? They disappear. No body, no remains, just - erased entirely from existence.
Now, survival is not just about brute force (although there is some of that too!), but about entertainment. Contestants are not simply fighters, but performers earning the favor of other contestants.
Each contestant has a score, visible using the HUD of their earpiece. Scores range from 1-100, with 80+ reserved for crowd favorites. The moment scores hit zero, they disappear, presumed (and are) dead.
New contestants start with a randomized score, assigned the moment they step onto Aphaia's surface. From there, their survival depends on strategy, skill, and showmanship.
Nanotechnology laces the very air they breathe, embedding itself into their bodies. It monitors oxygen, tracks food intake, measures every potential need for everyone, including alien species whose needs differ. Supplies are scarce - meaning only those who keep their scores up receive rations, shelter, and medical aid. The lower one's score? The less they get.
And there are no second chances.
⏵ DISTRICTS ⏴
Aphaia is separated into four districts.
The Colosseum is where blood is currency. A high-tech battle arena where combatants are pitted against each other for entertainment, the Colosseum is always prepared for any battle one may wish to take part of. The floors shift, and the environment changes at the whim of the audience. It's built to support any challenge that requires physicality: the floors will break into massive labyrinths meant to confuse individuals, or the walls will raise to create rooms that are difficult to escape to test one's intellect. Within the Colosseum, contestants are invited to battle one another and others for glory. Are you a warrior? Built for combat? Do you have capabilities that shine through with physical action, rather than mental stimulation? This is the place for you.
A place of luxury, the Symposium is where alliances are forged - and broken. Here, the highest-rated contestants (those who rank Luminary or higher) are invited to partake in fine dining and lavish parties. Violence is not permitted within the walls of the Symposium; while this may provide the false illusion of safety, it is anything but. Whispered betrayals are passed between contestants within the walls of the Symposium, with deals struck to ensure that those who rank high enough to enjoy all the benefits it offers continue to be able to visit.
In the heart of Aphaia is the Agora. Pulsing with flashing billboards featuring the faces of many past and current contestants and live polls of the current scores of those who are still alive, the Agora is where contestants are invited to engage with the public to shape their own narrative.
In the streets, many contestants can be found putting on quirky performances, participating in challenges, or conducting interviews with other contestants. Charisma can be just as valuable as brute strength, and this is the place for those who rely on their ability to sweet-talk others to make sure their points remain high. This is where the facilities for the non-physical challenges resides, such as Echoes of the Past and Tychaios.
The Agora contains the housing district in which contestants reside. There are a few massive apartment towers stacked to the sky. The high-ranking live in luxury, enjoying rooms up to two bedrooms with plenty of space - the lower ranking individuals reside in smaller apartments, with significantly less amenities.
On the edges of Aphaia are the Backalleys, where rules are meant to be broken. A maze of shadowed corridors and hidden tunnels, there are multiple "convenient" corners where camera blind spots can be found. Here is where people come to converse between one another outside the eyes of the audience or to find temporary sanctuary from their lives being consistently narrated. However, it is also well-known that while they may be able to find areas where the cameras cannot reach, the Gamerunner is also aware of these blind spots.
⏵ RATED & REVIEWED ⏴
While the highest rated contestants get to go to The Symposium, those middling or in danger of falling off get invited to only the finest of trashy talk shows.
Anyone can see how this daily, midday TV show plays out. Stand in front of a television long enough and you’ll see reruns of bruised competitors hashing it out in front of an audience over failed plans, ruined alliances, and broken friendships. If you want to see the worst in others Kathiki Pidón is the show to watch.
Though one might wonder why anyone would ever go on this thing, it is a nearly universal guilty pleasure. There is a chance to raise one’s own rating without risking one’s life. But say the wrong things, and you may become more unpopular than ever. It is a desperate place to go- but they do always give a hot meal to anyone who agrees to come on. It might be your only chance to recuperate.
This is also a great opportunity to try to lower someone else’s ranking by airing out private grievances very publicly. Was the only reason you lost because you were tricked or betrayed? Is there a secret alliance you want people to know about? Or perhaps you need a platform to earn a little sympathy.
Kathiki will be more than happy to host you, donning his usual black and gold suit and holding his slim microphone for you to speak into.
For those who are a little shier, Kathiki has a private booth in the back of the studio where you can pour your heart out in front of a camera. This can have the same benefits, but it may be edited in very unfortunate ways before the public sees it.
⏵ NOTES ⏴
Please use our NPC Threads toplevel on this post for any NPC interactions you'd like! This includes Kathiki.
For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.
⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴
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etrayamods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etrayalogs2025-03-14 11:19 am
no subject
Who the hell is Robin?
no subject
( he's not all too far behind her, but perhaps she missed him. robin does blend well into his surroundings: he's on the smaller side, and most of his body is hidden beneath the cloak he has pulled up over his head. that extends down to his sneakers.
the eye roll may be a little less obvious, given the domino mask covering his eyes - but it's there. and robin takes a step forward, closer to her.
and offers out his arm, given the challenge they've been issued. )
Don't hold me back.
no subject
(Dealing with this particular kid will come with a whole different set of challenges than she's expecting.) ]
Back at you, half-pint.
[She says, lifting an arm so that the cuffs can be slapped on her, too.]
You gonna take the cape off? It's going to be a hazard.
no subject
( the cloak is part of his ensemble, thanks. damian likes it. enjoys it even more when people assume that blinding him with the fabric will render him useless, because the fabric has never been a hindrance. given they are going to be effectively tied together, however, he recognizes the disadvantages it may cause: he won't be able to move around as freely, and if being blinded is enough to throw her off balance, it could take them both down. there's a roll of his eyes, but he does raise a hand up to unclasp the cloak from his uniform, folding it in half before setting it down out of the way.
he'll come back for it later. when there isn't a cuff being put on his wrist. and once the cuff is locked into place, he turns his attention back to her - giving her a once over before asking, )
You're close to one hundred and twenty pounds, yes?
no subject
One-forty. Kinda small--
["Kind of". Shaw, you're like five feet tall.]
-- but muscle mass is heavy.
[She scans today's set-up as she talks, noting that all the climbing towers are at least twenty-five feet off the ground - too high for her to jump up to under any circumstances. Instead, they have two options: a single thick rope, and a trapeze. The rope is more straight forward, but difficult for two people to manage at once. The trapeze is set at ground-level, but if they swung it enough to gain some momentum, she thinks they'd stand a pretty good chance of getting it to the lowest of the currently-unreachable platform.
She looks over at Damien, raising an eyebrow.]
How are you with swings?
no subject
but it's times like these when he wishes he'd had his grapple gun still. his last hook had been used trying to save himself from going splat on the ground after taking a fall out of 'superman's' tower, until the idiot had recklessly followed him out of it. so, trapeze or rope it is.
the woman looks over to him, and damian throws a look right back at her. raises his brow. )
How are you? I'm a trained gymnast.
( it's over simplifying his capabilities, but it's not wrong. regardless, he starts towards the trapeze, expecting her to follow rather than be dragged behind him. )
no subject
(Bold thoughts from the woman who set her own tone for this interaction with Who the hell are you, Shaw. He's probably telling himself that a friendly but untrained adult is better than an antisocial Marine.) ]
Not my specialty, but I do okay. Coordinating moves with these dumbass handcuffs is gonna be the tricky part.
no subject
I can match your movements easily enough. ( if she's confident in her own ability, anyway. ) I'm used to adjusting to a partner. If you can make sure to choreograph your movements, I will follow suit.
( better to match her than to expect too much from her. )
no subject
[She says, and without further ado, she leaps up to grab hold of the trapeze bar. She lacks the flare of a gymnast for sure, but she at least has the strength and coordination of one; she won't be going for any fancy tricks, but she'll hold her own as they get a rhythm going, soaring closer and closer towards the platform with each swing.]