APRIL MINGLE

[etrayamods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: April 25th - Early May
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, spring activities, and feathered friends!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ arrival ⏴ Welcome to Etraya! Arrival goes as expected - characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital. However, if they are arriving from Aphaia, it's a little different, though mostly through means and familiarity. They will still show up in the hospital of course, but how can vary. Either through Aurora offering a portal for escape, their own demise (however it might have happened), or even a simple blink of their eyes and they're in the hospital. They had been given the briefest explanation last time they were here, but at least Aurora can better answer their questions now. No time constraints nor rushing them off to a dying world, this time! In the hospital's lobby are several party tables set out with miscellaneous baked goods: croissants, cookies, breads, cake slices, as well as tea and coffee to accompany them - or hot chocolate, for those who are opposed to the other offerings. Outside the hospital, spring is sprung, it is warm and comfortable. Flowers have bloomed, and everything is in a sharp contrast to Aphaia—there is life within the bubble, and even the myriad wildlife seems to be basking in the glow of it all. Almost as if a celebration of that life itself. Bees are buzzing, birds are—warking? ⏵ Birds of a Feather ⏴ Etraya has always had its interesting assortment of critters, but there seems to be a particularly colorful array of birds wandering around. Those familiar would know they are named Chocobos, those less so familiar, well, these are some strange looking ostriches, or whatever large bipedal bird equivalent fits. While the birds all seem to be of the same species, there are certainly some variety in their features. Some with friendlier faces and others looking a bit more eagle-like. They are not particularly congregated in any one spot within Etraya, seeming to stick to groups, while others don't, yet even some are accompanied by newly hatched chicks. The observant might be quick to notice that their colors dictate some level of behavior, or even where their little groups mingle: Colors Behavior and habitat Yellow Can be found just about anywhere in Etraya, they don't necessarily stick to self-made groups, and typically are more likely to be friendly to people. However, if they are in the company of a newly hatched chick, they can become wary, though easily won over with some greens. Green These Chocobos are mostly found in grassy or woodsy areas, almost always in pairs, and sometimes found in the trees themselves. They are more wary than their yellow brethren, though if they see someone struggling or in danger, they are quick to offer assistance in what way they can. Doting like motherhens. Blue Most often found by bodies of water, these Chocobo seem content to keep to themselves. Three to a group, they are not so easy to approach without being noticed. Their skill and love of water is clear, however, and it's not unusual to find them flapping about or swimming. Though they may flee to the water if you spook them. Brown The most skiddish of the Chocobo, they can be found throughout Etraya, though further away from anything occupied by people. They stick to groups of four, though they have a clear leader who sports blue and green feathers, but seemingly is not of the other two types. Should they catch sight or sound of someone approaching they are like to run off, or they might attempt to defend themselves. Red There seems to be only one of these running around. Highly aggressive to anyone who dares to approach it. Best to avoid it. Very likely to hurl comet-like balls of fire your way. Untamable. The birds all favor these strange cabbage looking plants that can be found out and about in the wilds of Etraya. Some proving a little overeager in their voracity to eat the leafy greens. One should be careful, with those large beaks of theirs. ⏵ Gift Hunt ⏴ It isn't only the birds that have shown up out of nowhere. Small to medium sized boxes, wrapped as if they should be under a tree, and maybe not hidden in a tree, have also appeared. For whatever reason (possibly the same reason eggs were given out over winter) there seems to be gifts hidden all over Etraya! Some in more difficult to find locations (in trees, on top of a roof, on snake island), while others look as though whoever "hid" it gave up halfway through and simply dropped it on the ground and put a leaf over it. For those who need a little extra help, well, certainly your fellow Etrayans could lend a hand, however there are also perfectly capable birds about for those still left wanting. Certainly that blue chocobo could assist with crossing the river to obtain that perfectly balanced gift on a rock! Or what about that green chocobo roosting in a tree not too far from that gift stuck in the branches because it has entirely too many ribbons? With that said, there might also be some dangers in trying to take one of the myriad gifts from a chocobo's nest, especially if there's a chick presently sleeping next to it. Perhaps befriending them would be a good idea first, besides, isn't friendship with a big bird the truest gift of all? On the tag of each and every gift box says the same thing: To: You Love: 💋 Each gift has a random assortment within. Some contain candy, others contain alcohol, make-up...maybe even a pair of socks, very perfunctory gifts with very little thought or feeling put into them. However, there is at least one gift that is personally relevant to each character in Etraya. This item will be the equivalent of a 5 point AC reward, and does not have to be found by the person it is intended for. What better way to break the ice than to give someone their gift which you opened! ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Welcome to Etraya newcomers and happy spring to everyone! It appears that someone is trying to correct her previous mistake of handing out eggs during the winter holidays, and now there's a hunt for gifts accompanied by a bunch of lovely birds to help out! Some notes in regard to Chocobos: -Each color can be tamed except for the red one, he's a free spirit. Should someone wish to harm or attack this chocobo, let us mods know. There is only one of him, after all. -The others will just take various amounts of work to win over, however, but they are loving and cute companions for those who are willing to put in the effort! And who knows, maybe more colors could arise with time and patience... -Feel free to pull from all the designs of chocobos throughout the Final Fantasy series. If you fancy FFXII's, for example, there are some that look like that. Variety is the spice of life! Concerning the personal item, be sure to plot out and get permission when finding someone else's item. This is meant to encourage possible new CR and mingling, but the choice of the item should ultimately be within the hands of the player who is receiving it. If you are uncertain if your item is appropriate for the reward cost, feel free to ask here! For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[lastonetodie]

"Fascinating." He's not impolite enough to reach out and try to touch that light - he studies it for the brief moment it is there, leaning forward intently - but it reminds him very much of some of the feats that the Astropaths were capable of. It's a small spark of something resembling nostalgia that he didn't expect, and for that he is terribly grateful, in his own way.

"And it is a natural ability, that requires no device or chemical ingestion? What a tremendous phenomenon." Perhaps this is how his creators would have felt to find a new species much unlike them. It is such a new thing, and yet so similar to something old.

It's not a hostile question - merely curious. And it's only fair to ask; it seems that despite the companion robots here, there are still many who have never seen the likes of him.

"I am the Custodian, built by the Drzyr to be steward and caretaker for the world-ship N'Erud. A construct, what you would call an artificial being.

In turn, I ask: what are you? I have never seen your kind before, either."

[manifesthope]

Silver sees the posture of the other being shift as he leaned in to inspect the floating mug. He continued to levitate it so that he could get a good look, shifting it slowly back and forth to show he had control over its movements. He also didn't mind the questions either. A lot of people didn't know what to make of his powers sometimes.

"Yeah, I was born with them. I'm not sure how exactly. I guess maybe I'm just lucky! I kinda had to figure them out on my own growing up." The mug floated back into his hands and the glow faded from around it. It was clear he was just as fascinated by this 'Custodian' figure as the being was fascinated with him.

"Wow." The hedgehog murmured in quiet amazement as he took all this in. "You're an artificial construct? I had my suspicions but...." He grinned. "You are incredibly advanced and very lifelike! For a minute there I wondered if you were a human wearing cool looking armor!" He chuckled a bit. "Where I'm from, anything artificially constructed....mechanical beings an stuff...that I know of, is hostile. Created by an insane megalomaniac of a scientist." Okay, there was at least one robotic person he knew that was a good person and a friend of his.

"My name is Silver! I'm a Hedgehog."

[lastonetodie]

"I am not designed to be lifelike. Though it is a compliment to my creators that you think so." It is what the social layer was made for, after all. "It is regrettable to hear that technology was misused for such a purpose on your world. I have no weapons, so I will not be repeating such a feat, and I have no reason to enact violence against you."

(Silver's comment about assuming he was a human sets his thoughts whirring. Another form of convergent evolution, to be mistaken for human? He supposes long limbs and a bipedal body plan would be convenient for craft and technological advancement, though he is no expert in the study of evolution. That was never his interest...as much as he can be said, or permitted to have an interest in anything.

But he's getting distracted. He gets distracted more often lately, ever since Aphaia. Perhaps it was the nanomachines in his systems that had changed something?)

On the topic of Silver's powers, his thoughts divest once more. "You appear to have great control over your psychokinesis," the Custodian comments, his fingers tapping on his staff as he ponders this. Drzyr had rarely been so isolated; they prized generational consistency, on passing information from one to the next. "It speaks to the effectiveness of your self-learning. But if you would permit a further question...

...would you rather have had a teacher? Or do you consider what you have now learned to be sufficient?"

[manifesthope]

Silver tilted his head slightly as he observed the Custodian. "I guess you are the most 'lifelike' construct that I've met. Compared to what I've been exposed to on my world that is. A lot of the things that Dr. Eggman creates aren't designed to be humanoid like you. There's one creation that comes close. Her name is Belle and she's actually constructed of wood. She looks like a doll. She's a good friend of mine."

The reassurance that he was unarmed and had no intentions of causing him harm pulled a small smile on his features. He hadn't been too worried, but it was nice all the same.

At the Custodian's question, Silver waved a hand. "No no I don't mind questions! Ask away!" He took a few moments to consider an answer to his question. It was something he hadn't thought about much, really. "I learned a lot of what I have in...well I guess you could say a trial by fire. The timeline I came from wasn't a peaceful one. I had to do what I could to survive. As for a teacher? Well...yeah that might have saved some grief. But I don't have any regrets." He chuckled a little.

"But hey, I like to push myself. I won't mind if I ever meet someone with powers like mine that I could learn things from. There's always more things to learn! It would be dumb of me to think I knew everything." Silver had enough confidence in his abilities to almost appear arrogant sometimes, but it didn't come from malicious intent.

[lastonetodie]

"It sounds as if they are built more for function - presumably combat. In that case, they would have no need to be lifelike. It would be useless to them." It's a sensible design decision. Whoever this doctor is, clearly they know what they're doing.

"You are quite optimistic for someone who came from what sounds like hostile circumstances," the Custodian says, a faint note of surprise in his voice. He is weary, mostly. "From what you have said of your own world, it does not seem to be hospitable to you."

[manifesthope]

Silver nodded at the Custodian's observations about Dr. Eggman's robots. Despite having never been to his world, the other constructs words were pretty accurate. The observation about him pulled a small chuckle out of him and he shrugged a little.

"We have a saying. 'What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.'" He admitted. "And I'm super stubborn. Besides. I can't just lay down and do nothing. I have to help. My experiences drove me to try and do what I can to change it for the better so that no one had to live what I went through." This single mission focused drive was a boon but could also be a hindrance. Especially in peace time where there was no set objective to complete.