etrayalogs | MISSION 009

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MISSION 009

⏵ 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⏴

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"Might as well make it interesting. You're on." He probably shouldn't bet, since he doesn't usually use a bow, but maybe it'll come back to him. Vax is also used to wagers with his own sibling and his friends back home.

"Take your shot." He's interested to see just how well Jason does.

( okay, fine. that's a reasonable excuse for being where they're not supposed to be. intentional idiocy is unforgivable, but never having learned to read can't be wholly blamed on the person themselves. robin clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, but - rather than look like he's on the verge of starting a fight, he just. crosses his arms over his chest. looks more annoyed than anything else. )

What is your name?

He waves his hands emphatically, which is a contrast to the almost feral way his double crouches ready to run. (Well, Izuku never denied he too takes part in a little feralness...)

"Stealing my body is not minding your own business! What were you even doing out after hours anyway?"

He's less apprehensive now. Himiko could copy people's Quirks, but there is no hint of One For All here. Even its Danger Sense is quiet. This person really does just want to get away. Izuku should be more upset about his likeness running around, but he's more concerned with keeping others safe.

Popp comes from a somewhat brighter world - albeit one that's under active threat of destruction by demons. Also, he's significantly younger than Barnabas and hasn't had all the wide-eyed naivety knocked out of him.

"Like I said, I don't study it." Through a mouthful of marshmallow. "I could probably pull off Five Finger Death Flares if I had to, but there's got to be a reason nobody on my side does stuff like that."

He holds out his palm to the fire and splays out his fingers in a casting gesture - he wouldn't really feel good about himself if he went around yelling about Death Flares, but he does think about it sometimes! It's a really strong spell and he thinks about the theory a lot.

"The strongest human Sage - the Grand Sorcerer - he can only cast two spells at once, and that's still amazingly hard. I'd be getting pretty full of myself if I thought I had a cheap shortcut to five."

His face takes on a sort of mixed wistful but broody quality - he's got some complicated thoughts about the Grand Sorcerer and his current state of health. It's a very strong case for magic taking a toll on someone's body but also not something Popp wants to think too deeply about, because ol' Matoriv put himself in an extremely bad state defending a stupid kid and the stupid kid here doesn't particularly want to start crying on a stranger's shoulder about it.

...Again.

One not assigned here, I guess. [they rub the back of their neck, pinching at the skin briefly before deciding to get up, giving the Big Animal a wide berth...and also the kid, too, while slinking as slinkingly a tall frame can slunk.] Sorry.

[no fucking rest for the weary; is it going to be like this in every little house-thing? maybe they ought to just fuckin' pick a tree to climb.]

I'm not stealing your body, they think irritably. I'm stealing your likeness. You're still in your body, dingus-idiot!

"Trying to leave," they reply, indignant. "So do you mind? The longer you hold me up, the longer there's two of you."

[ Viktor is one of the many other people who is not impressed with this whole camping business, but he's made an effort to at least pretend and keep himself busy otherwise.

Studying the local flora and fauna was one such way he's managed to curb his boredom. So it's no surprise that Silco will run into Viktor by the lake hunched over as he is a book is by his side with a half-formed sketch and notes liberally scribbled around it. He smells the cigar smoke and has no choice to look up from his studies a soft cough passing his lips as he does so. Oh. Hm. His eyes scanned the other's form with some incredulousness in them. ]

This is quite the surprise. [ Silce is quite literally the last person he would think who would stay here of their own free will. ]

She. [He corrects as he tends to her feathers. The soothing process of helping a friendly beast eases a lot of tension. This is what he was trained to do.] No, she isn't going to attack right now because she sees you as being part of my flock.

I'm 'safe' and thus anyone with me is seen as safe for now. If you decide to be an asshole to her, she'll change that thought. [What Pending does will either keep that feeling or make it go away. He leans closer to his bird friend.] Lean your head down, please. There's a good girl.

[His tone is different, gentle and softer. Frida responds to it, leaning her head down as he resumes tending to her.] They're different from horses, but everyone has to earn their respect and love all the same.

[ Viktor can't say he's minding it, the lack of danger and psychological exploitation that Aphaia had on them all in some form or another. But the socializing is something he was never terribly good at. Alone with one-on-one interactions suited him just fine, but a crowd? Terribly inconvenient and something he actively avoids like the plague.

But he's more or less taken to playing along with this whole thing, opting to spend his nights out looking at the stars to chart them mostly. The familiar voice pulls him away for a second, a small smile touching his lips as he nods. ] Kirk? Couldn't sleep?

Sorry, sorry, my bad! Didn't mean to insult your personhood. First time meeting a mammoth.

( for a moment, robin looks like he's just going to let them walk away. may as well, considering they aren't in the correct location regardless, and he imagines it'll be more trouble than it's worth to lend a hand.

unfortunately for the both of them, he chooses to handle this differently this time. )

If you can't read, how do you know your name isn't assigned here? You may as well allow me to assist you.

Something like that. I prefer the quiet.

[He nods at the telescope]

Today's camp activity is astronomy?

[It seems much more enjoyable than all the forced socialization so far]

"You got it," Jason smirks before positioning himself.

Though not an expert-level archer, the way Jason breathes, draws his bow, and eyes the target suggests he's not a novice either.

Jason fires. The arrow strikes the target's second most centered ring.

"Your turn."

[ Duties are duties, no matter how inglorious they may be.

And while Dion was not invited, he follows Shadow just the same. The fellow can outspeed him, Dion is well aware, but his destination is known. ]

Not a real outdoorsy guy, huh?

[ Doreen quirks a grin at him. The counselor has seemed a little out-of-sorts since they were assigned cabins, he probably just needs to be brought out of his shell a bit! ]

I did a lot of backyard camping as a kid, but it's different when you're hangin' out with squirrels instead of people. They have a hard time cooking s'mores, for one thing.

[ She's already started roasting some marshmallows, and offers the stick to Crane. Want some? ]

Sure, he didn't study them, but typically people had an idea why something was forbidden! People tend to know why things are criminalized. Though, this does not surprise Barnabas, Popp is clearly knowledgeable in some ways, while lacking in others. Youth is a viable explanation, though this could also just be Popp.

Who's to say?

That their strongest would be so limited though does make Barnabas wonder about these spells, and their purported potency. If this Grand Sorcerer was so limited in his casting, then it makes the forbidden magic all the more curious. That one such spell had death in the name does grant possibilities for its outlawing, however.

He cannot help but wonder if his magic would be considered forbidden in its entirely by Popp's world, not that it would matter to him. The laws of men mean nothing to Barnabas.

"I see..." Barnabas says softly, his eyes flicking to the dancing flames before them. He supposes he will not get further answers of worth from Popp with his limited knowledge, and so it calls for them to return to this little activity of theirs.

"Well, in lieu of further insight into the matter of these forbidden spells, I shall fulfill my end of this activity. My twinned truths and singular falsehood: in my youth I united a warring continent under me thus forging my kingdom, I am human, and I have not known defeat in singular combat since I was but a boy."

The human thing is an arguable lie, but it's certainly what Barnabas is counting as one. As far as he's concerned, a Dominant is not a human, but others might argue against his view. Fortunately, those people are not present for this conversation, and Barnabas would not listen to them anyway!

Having made another descent, Dion shakes his head to dislodge stray leaves from his wheat-blond hair, oblivious to Midoriya's approach until he speaks. He stills then, something in his posture shifting to render him that much straighter, for it seems he is observed.

"It requires particular training," he explains, turning to regard the camper properly. Dion's musculature speaks of a soldier's life, yet it clearly favors his legs. "But there is no magic to it, contrary to what some may speculate."

Back home, that is. In his world, a dragoon's capacity to turn a jump into some minor feat of flight is the subject of hot debate at times. He supposes in Etraya he is the only example, so none may have cause to wonder nor care to do so. The capabilities of those present here are so varied, it surprises him that one should take interest, when he thinks about it. "If you are willing to train, then I will help you."

I'm sorry, have you met me?!

[ she sounds equally disbelieving! How is this not awesome! ]

Dude, your clothes are gonna get all messed up from this outdoorsy stuff, you can't go hiking or anything in that. Want me to show you how to tie-dye?

[ she has gone full Kristen Applebees and has turned her tie-dye tshirt into a sporty croptop. ]

[ After a short pause: ]

...Oh, okay.

[ She's a curious girl, who would ask more questions when possible. It doesn't sound like he knows much else though. How some things work remains a mystery. The Cage was a bit like that... and she would accept its strangeness with stride. Even her own existence can be confusing and she doesn't know if she fully understands it.

Her eyes follow his gaze towards the night sky, wondering what's on his mind. Troubling thoughts, probably. Or maybe he's curious about what's beyond the sky. It's interesting to think about. Only until she arrived in Etraya did she learn of "outer space", despite having awareness of the moon, sun, and stars. While they aren't on Earth, there's similarities. Like Etraya having its own moon and sun.

In awkward silence, Fio continues standing next to the tree, in debate whether she should watch him from the ground.

Stepping away, she moves to a different tree right next to his. With a hop, she grabs onto the lowest tree branch, dangling and wriggling her legs. She falls back to the ground with a thud. After a tumble, she pops right back up. Again, she jumps at the branch. Her physical strength is lacking, but she'll stubbornly go at it until she can finally pull herself up... ]

[Dion is not the only one up at the crack of dawn, for Barnabas is similarly up and ready for the day and his duties. First of which being the rising of the flags, of course. However, this duty does not require much in ways of his attention. Naturally Dion's antics pull his gaze towards him, and he observes as he rounds the tree before scaling it with that signature leap the dragoons of Sanbreque are well known for.

It looks ridiculous.

Still, even if Barnabas were a man susceptible to humor, he would not laugh at the sight. The skill and finese is something to appreciate, even if done by a rival. Only the petty cannot see skill when it lays bare before them.

However, by the time Dion has finished collecting his various acorns and pinecones, Barnabas has long since finished raising the flag and likewise made his way to the base of the tree, standing just out of sight for when Dion makes his descent.

And as the young dragoon inspects his bounty, he speaks:]

From striking down enemy soldiers to the collecting of acorns, Aurora would make fools of us all.

[Barnabas is, of course, dressed in the supplied camper shorts and his black with a splash of blue tie-dye shirt. He's the first to rise of his cabin, typically, and as such he's a little free to do whatever until the next required task or activity. Naturally that means Dion has to deal with him until then.]

[He could have sped off, but he's choosing to walk. He's allowing Dion to follow. What is happening down at the lake might be of interest for Dion to know anyway, being a "counselor". And he can keep an eye on him this way, so there's no issue with this arrangement, right?

As they near the lake, one could probably see something light reflecting on the water. Merely showing the moon's reflection. Besides that, the water was calm, nothing that appears out of the ordinary in the area. But Shadow continues down to the water's edge anyway, looking ahead.]

Yes. But consider your reputation.

[It could be considered an extra curricular activity!]

The people who bother you believe they hold power over you. But there are only two sources of power in this place. That computer [Aurora] and your own mind. If you can mask your opinions behind a gentle veneer, people are more willing to believe you.

[He would have continued to ignore her, if it were for the sudden thud he heard. His ear twitch to the sound. A tree creaking and the leaves shaking as she tries to get onto it again. He sighs, turning his head to watch her.]

Do you really have to get into a tree? [If anything, his plan to stay in a tree is proving effective. She struggles just to climb up and get onto a lower branch that's more accessible to her.]

They're potatoes... [ whoops, hang on, Doreen sometimes has to remind herself that she's dealing with an entire multiverse, and some things she might take for granted as normal may not apply! ] ... I mean, sliced up root vegetables fried in oil and covered in salt. They're a snack food! They're usually served with burgers, and they go well with ketchup.

[ ... hold up, does this guy have a mouth? ]

... But more to the point, you're rockin' those bracelets!

[ The sound of that particular voice doesn't fail to stiffen Dion's posture with a mechanical immediacy. His shoulders square and he stands all the straighter, though one would be pressed to accuse him of slouching. Odin may be no enemy here, he may mean no harm, but that old, adversarial tension is all but set into his bones.

Yet it doesn't find its echo in his expression when he turns to regard Odin. Only calm is to be found there, if not the slightest edge of wry humor about the corners of his mouth. Beings as formidable as they, meant for war, relegated to raising flags and collecting pinecones. ]

Perhaps she means to humble us, or has a particular sense of humor.

[ He muses, pausing a moment to shake leaves from his wheat-blond hair. They shiver loose and drift to the dirt on which they stand. ]

You've more experience with her missions than I.

[ It's as much an acknowledgement of seniority as Dion sees fit to yield. Odin and Ramuh have been here longer than him. He knows not precisely how long, and he'd had his theory as to why, but Joshua's fleeting presence and his words had called that into question.

Regardless of how they come to be here, the reality of it remains. ]

Edited 2025-05-28 04:52 (UTC)

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MISSION 009

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02

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II. Farming Mats

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