MISSION 009

[etrayamods]

⏵ CAMP ETRAYA ⏴ On May 16th, Aurora and the companion bots direct those not heading off to Solmara to make their way to Camp Etraya. Nestled away from everything else in a large clearing full of wildflowers and redwoods, Camp Etraya is a nostalgic summer camp experience put together just for it's residents! Cabins are assigned, scary stories are told around campfires, gossiping happens among friends on the trails surrounding the cabins - and don't be surprised when something goes awry. After all, this is still Etraya. While the rest of Etraya is still accessible and will not be blocked off, characters are discouraged from venturing far from camp for too long: Aurora will specify that they are on a mission, and that missions do require participation, but she has intentionally left them the freedom to wander. Not sleeping in their assigned cabins, not participating in events, and staying away from Camp Etraya will end with her having to take more extensive security measures, so please be on your best behavior! The last thing she wants to do is start enforcing boundaries, but she will if she has to. Camp is set up much like your generic summer camp! Each cabin is named, housing is assigned to characters as they arrive, there are camp counselors, and rotating daily tasks and chores. There are also multiple activities that characters are expected to participate in, and each activity is worth points that goes toward their camp graduation score. This score will be visible on their earpiece, and follows the A-F grading system. We are not be monitoring this, and are leaving character scores up to players. We do, however, ask that you please report your characters' camp grade HERE for rewards and demerits to be handed out after the mission itself. Cabin assignments can be found here, which also has their roles, and chores assigned to that cabin. Those who are participating in Solmara have received an assigned cabin, too, but their absence toward the beginning will not harm the cabin's ability to compete given how spread out their assignments are. ⏵ WELCOME TO CAMP ⏴ Camp life is meant to instill a sense of belonging, connection with nature, encouragement towards the creative, all on top of a firm foundation of responsibility. Upon arriving, campers will be escorted towards a table of white t-shirts and countless buckets of dye! Each Etrayan will be invited to make three Tie-Dyed shirts- as well as required to wear one as part of their summer uniform. Camp counselors must wear 80s basketball shorts or cut-off jeans. Campers may wear cargo shorts or a skort. For those with physical limitations to what they can wear, accommodations will be provided. Here, bonding is the camp runners' priority. They will be pushed into various ice-breaker activities, such as trust falls, two truths and a lie, and Never have I Ever. As the sun goes down, there will be weenies roasting over the bonfire, followed by s’mores and a sing-a-long! With the stars well-visible, it’s off to bed with campers. Each day after will start much the same: with the ringing of the bell and raising of the flag (Aurora, while unfamiliar with flag designs but an understanding of the concept, has chosen a rainbow flag for the camp. Rainbows make people happy, right?), followed by a meal at the Great Hall, morning assembly, activities with counselors, chores, free time, and then an evening winding down by the great fire. An hour after sun down, campers will be escorted back to their cabins for curfew. Camp Counselors are expected to keep track of their campers, and ensure they're all within their cabins for bedtime. This is part of their grade, too! Curfew lifts an hour before the first bell. ⏵ CAMP ACTIVITIES ⏴ As with most summer camps, Camp Etraya offers a wide variety of activities to participate in. While some of these activities may be mandatory, others are optional. We'll be leaving this up to individual player discretion: perhaps Viktor is mandated to report to arts and crafts, whilst it's optional for Silco to show. Silco, on the other hand, may be mandated to report to the archery contest. Characters are encouraged to participate in a minimum of one camp activity per day. Below is a non-exhaustive list of camp activities. Three-Legged Race - You and a partner are tied together at your ankles, and you must race others to the finish line. Those with abilities that would give them an advantage will find that the rope that ties them together hinders those abilities from functioning. Archery - This can be more traditional, magical, or include moving targets! If you're particularly unlucky, your target may even shoot back. Softball - What instills a sense of camaraderie better than a bit of team sports? Games will be held on Wednesdays, the field is otherwise available for practice. Dodge Ball - Standing diametrically opposed to Softball is dodge ball, the bully’s sport. This is a great opportunity to claim dominance or be sent to the Nurse’s Office. Obstacle Course - You are directed into a large maze with multiple obstacles for them to overcome, such as rock climbing walls, ramps, tires, and nets. Capture the Flag - Small teams are put together in order to take the flag from a particular bot, whose entire goal is to avoid being caught. Canoe Race - Canoes are placed into the rivers just off of the camp, and characters must race to the finish line. Chocobo Riding - Learn how to care for and ride these magnificent birds! Newbies will be taken around the corral, whereas more experienced riders can take the trail around the lake. Arts and Crafts - Make friendship bracelets, bead lizards, paint rocks, learn origami! Or perhaps you're tasked with putting together an enchanted necklace. Don't know how to do enchantments? Now is as good of a time as any to learn. Campfire stories - Share scary stories amongst yourselves around the campfire late into the night. If you're particularly unlucky, you may just hear the thing you were just warning others about.. ⏵ NIGHT TIME ⏴ Once campers have been put to bed, the counselors can still stay up. Unwind with hidden beers and the strumming of a guitar. Don’t get too comfortable, though, since without supervision, no one is keeping the campers in bed. After dark, should campers evade their counselors, they can go exploring in the dark. Eerie lights glimmer from the lake. There’s rumors of a headless spectre walking from the archery field to the edge of the forest. Should you behave, you still might hear a scratching at your bunk house window. And on the very last night of camp, there will be a talent show. Show off your hidden talent and bask in the excitement of wowing your fellow campers! ⏵ NOTES ⏴ Welcome to Camp Etraya! Please enjoy the s'mores and campfire songs. :) Camp will last approximately two weeks, going from May 16th to May 30th. For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the plotting post. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ. ⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Comments

[bubblegumheart]

You should consider bottling some of that luck for the rest of us.

[It's a joke. Mostly.]

[copsormasks]

[Jason huffs out a laugh, looking down for a moment before he raises his eyes to Chrissy.] Yeah, it'll be like Coke. It'll be everywhere in little bottles.

[bubblegumheart]

[Dumb joke or not, she's just glad to be able to make him laugh.]

I do love Coke.

[copsormasks]

See? Everyone important wins.

[twin_blade]

"How convenient things like that would be missing. The locals didn't seem very helpful, either." But given the state they had to live in, they had other problems to deal with.

"I'll bet you did pretty well in those fights, though." He's seen her in action aboard the train.

[twin_blade]

Do you mean on a mission? Not since I've been here.

[ Every location has been new with their own twists or challenges. ]

Sometimes we do the same sort of thing, like try to locate an object, but the place has always been different.

[cantilevers]

[The corner of his lips tugged up in a smile in the dim light at her commenting about him twisting her arm. He supposed that it was true that he had, requesting more than once that she stay in the apartment with him. Their relationship wasn't that simple friends with benefits they had first tried to be, and there was definitely no going back to that.

He knew they were navigating this as best they could, both of them carrying their own wounds into it. It would take time to understand what each other needed and wanted in this, and yeah, he knew he should pop the question. He couldn't bring himself to because that opened the door to something truly serious and committed, and he believed it wasn't fair of him to lock her in like that. She was a free spirit after all and he... still needed to sort himself out.

He watched her where she nuzzled his arm, humming in agreement.] I know you will. I do feel safe with you. [He knew that she would probably verbally savage someone if they took a swing at him, physical or otherwise. The idea did amuse him.] Ha, yeah, always your baby girl, huh? There is a lot left to do, but... you know, straighten my spine and set my shoulders and it will get done.

[He leaned in to kiss her forehead.] Maybe I should call you Pupa, hmm?

[thelightshines]

He seems too casual explaining about the more rough and tumble life of camping. It also sounds like he's had plenty of camping experience, by the number of examples he used. When camping is survival to them...like someone else he's spoken with here. Looking around as the other hedgehog gestures that this was all luxury to him, he frowns.

"...Are things, not good for you back home?" Having his own fair share of struggles and only just starting to experience what it's like outside of his base, he can recognize when someone might have had a difficult time.

[bubblegumheart]

I think you're right.

[tocastashadow]

Had I a glass of wine, I'd raise it to our mutual desire to prevent our conditions affecting the rest of this place.

[She glances around.]

Perhaps I should have brought a bottle. There doesn't seem to be anything out here justifying the curfew we've been set.

[fortitudosalutis]

Yeah.

[ That's the long and short of it. Carver puffs out a breath. ]

Embrace the suck, right? That was the one Marine saying I didn't hate.

[fortitudosalutis]

I'd drink to that. Maybe another time.

[ He glances around at the trees, eyes narrowed. He's certain that there's something out here, waiting to pounce on them. Unfortunately, he's found no sign of it yet. That hasn't helped his paranoia any. ]

Maybe it's nothing. Maybe they're waiting. Hard to say.

[nobraincell]

[Hmmm....he points at someone else's origami on the next table over.]

That cat-looking one looks cute.

[Surely he can manage another one of equal or greater difficulty than the frog!]

[nobraincell]

That's a good idea. Boulder-punching lessons. I wonder if they'd allow that as an activity.

[He gets the feeling not everyone would be into it...]

[lastonetodie]

[ He's continued idly painting as they talk. He glances down at it, mildly surprised Silco even mentioned it, and there's a sudden little sting of nostalgia and...something else.

Sha'Hala had been a steadfast companion in its own way, a reassurance, a promise of continuance. He's surprised he misses it. He's surprised that he can miss it... ]

So it is not worth it to you, to give away even that much of yourself.

[ He considers this. It's a new way of looking at the situation, certainly, though not an unfamiliar way. It's not what he would choose for himself, but... ]

Interesting. That is a perspective I had not really considered, though... [ He falters. A human might have taken a breath here before continuing. ] I do not believe I would adopt it as my own.

[ There's a slight trepidation to the words, as if the Custodian expects...something to happen upon saying them. What that might be is unclear. ]

[tinflower]

[ Ohhh, talking taaaalking (that does not involve threats of violence! or biting, which is also violence). Gorgug nods his head, as if it makes sense, but also not like he's sheepish for his assumption. Some people would bite, okay! ]

Okay, I won't. I think I'm better at punching things than biting them. [ He makes a jab motion, not very precise.

...and then pauses, realising what he said, and-- ] --I don't bite people either.

[ Technically.

Not like that. ]

[tinflower]

[ His expression still looks like his brain needs to catch up as Heather gives in, but when she follows it up with the question she does, You are actually going to make these, aren't you?, he might take it a way that she doesn't mean to imply.

He said he would, right? And he can't let Heather down, can he? ]

--I will, [ he promises, nodding his head. ] I'll include everything, so-- they're the best ducks. You'll see them around the boat. They're gonna be cool. They're gonna be our ducks.

[ If he lets Heather down he might die. ]

[fireboost]

I believe she is.

[ Blaze certainly hasn't run into anyone younger yet. ]

I first met her on Aphaia. At least, it seems that people are looking after her.

[ Judging by that familiar cloak she'd worn on her shoulders that time. ]

[tinflower]

[ Today, or another day. Gorgug gives it one last look, and then decides to fold it up in his hands. ] Okay, I'll save it.

[ Either for later, or as Mayuko said--after some important event. He holds it in his lap with it turned into a square shape. ]

Have you run anything before? I know you said you worked in a library, but, is that the same? You had a lot of ideas about what you would do. [ And, after all: ] I haven't thought about any of that.

[ Granted, he hasn't been at the camp as long as Mayuko has, but would his mind have gone into how he would run it? Probably not. ]

[shoplifter]

[Laura is focused. Mayuko might as well be teaching her a new fighting technique, for how serious she takes this moment. A quiet 'oh!' is given in response to the cracker being snapped in two, then quietly takes her own and breaks it in two.]

And we put the marshmallow in the fire.

[leastdramatic]

I guess that's something. Hopefully someone from her world at least.

[Assuming her world has at least a few decent adults around]

[limiterrings]

No one will blame you if they die as they appear to be a dime a dozen of them.

[ so they're good to use towards their goals. ]

no its ok dont worry im also in the same boat... ive been so busy .... shadow's bday did this to us

[limiterrings]

Do you feel as though you made progress?

[ he looks to her, it's a very important question because how does she feel on the matter? no one makes progress without seeing the fruits of their labor in some way, and the only progress that seems to be made is getting through the day.

...but does it count? is it helping them get home? ]

I feel nothing, see nothing.

oop week old tag

[hexcope]

Only a hundred years back and things changed so much.

[It’s fascinating to think about, how much progress must have come out of such a small span of time.]

I plan on it, but admittedly, history’s a weak point of mine. I don’t really find it that interesting. Maybe if it’s just about technological developments, I’ll be able to stay awake enough.

[Cheeky grin. A little thrill at being able to tell a “teacher” that he thinks certain subjects are boring. This is what makes for a Jayce Talis Bad Behavior moment.]

[nobraincell]

He pulls it back! With the same sort of energy you might put into reeling in a fish! And then inspects his marshmallow.

There's a tiny flame on the tip already.

"Is this a vegetable? It burns more easily than I thought."