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

[oblige]

[ What is M&M, he wonders... ]

Where I hail from, we've nothing like this. I may simply be unaccustomed to anything so sweet...and colorful.

[ Dion hasn't any idea whether the color affects the taste of these candies or simply denotes it, but it's true their foodstuffs don't tend to come in such vivid hues. Perhaps if enough berries were used in a dessert.

He won't fault the candies for his palate, and so he tries another. Scott has chosen to share something from his homeland; it's only right that he give it a sporting try. And this time— ]

Perhaps some form of berry, that one.

[laserguy]

You're used to everything be natural, huh?

[No artificial sweeteners at least. Everything is probably just found and added from natural stuff. They're probably a lot healthier because of that, but also, Skittles. And other junk food. Sometimes you just need to eat a whole bunch of crap after a bad day. Scott thinks it's essential at least.

Although hearing Dion's latest remark, Scott actually smiles a bit. Okay, improvement. Good, nice. He decides to reward himself by plopping a few pieces in his mouth, before chewing.]

But it sounds like we're getting somewhere. Pretty soon you'll find your favorite. [...] Great cultural exchange.

[He tried Skittles, he was introduced to Chocobos.]

[oblige]

[ Natural. This begs the question: is what he consuming not natural? What is it made of then? The mystery of the rainbow candies deepens by the moment, but he'll put his questions aside for later.

In the meantime, he shakes the bag and puts back the green candy he's first greeted with. The next time yields yellow, so he samples this color next. After a few moments of thoughtful chewing— ]

It reminds me of the first one.

[ He does wonder whether his unfamiliarity is influencing his experience, but there's nothing for it. ]

If the color denotes what it's meant to taste like... Would it be lemon, then?

[ Halberd man does know lemons. ]

[laserguy]

Yeah, something like that. You're understanding now.

[At last, a piece of food that's common for the two of them. Scott's definitely amused still, something teasing about him, although it doesn't venture into anything malicious.]

I mean, it should list the flavors on the back of the bag. Think of it as a guide. [...] Do you have any kind of candies where you're from?

[oblige]

[ Curious as to whether he would agree with such a guide, Dion turns the package over to see for himself. The question gives him pause, however. ]

Confections, yes, but not like these.

[ He lifts the bag slightly in indication, not that there is any need, only to spot something perplexing on the packaging. Dion's eyebrows pinch together, frowning as he processes something very deeply peculiar. ]

The purple ones are meant to taste like grapes?

[ What kind of grapes does Scott have in his world? ]

[laserguy]

Yeah, sort of. I mean it's grape flavored.

[Which does taste different from regular grapes, huh? How does he explain that? Well, Scott's going to go with 'not actually going to explain this' and continue on with a small shrug.]

Don't worry about it. It's part of the culture thing. Still making history here. [If he's going to be stuck in Etraya for who knows how long, he'll take these victories. Sure.]

I'm going to start looking for more of these boxes, but if I spot any more candies from my world, I'll give you a holler.

[oblige]

[ "Grape flavored". He'll have to keep this curious distinction in mind for the future.

For the present, he nods along with what Scott goes on to say. ]

Very well. I should resume my search as well.

[ Though the weight of his tone suggests that he doesn't mean gift boxes, he sweeps past this statement rather than lingering on it. ]

Thank you for sharing a piece of your world with me.

[ He offers the remainder of the bag back to Scott. Who could say whether he will find more of this particular candy in other boxes or not? ]

[laserguy]

Nah man, you have the rest.

[Scott waves his hand, not reaching at all to take the offered bag from Dion. He has his own and he's familiar with the candy, so it's far more interesting to have him keep it. More importantly, it's not his favorite candy in the world-- but sure, think of it as a souvenir of their time together or whatever, even though he would later tell him to throw the bag away if he hadn't already.]

Just pop one in your mouth as you continue your search. It's cool.

[oblige]

[ Dion considers this, but ultimately opts to fold the colorful bag and tuck it away. The way he travels, it would be best if he wasn't eating anything while doing so. He appreciates the gesture just the same, and perhaps if his search is successful in the end, he can share these with a friend. ]

I think I'll save them for now. Should I find him, he may wish to try them himself.

[ His search hadn't been for gifts, but he's been picking them up in the process. Who knows when it might hold meaning for another here, after all? ]

I hope your own search is fruitful.

[ Whether that was an intentional pun or not is left to Scott's imagination. ]