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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[He takes an abrupt step towards Jayce, aggressively reaching up to grab the front of his shirt so that he can yank him down to his eye level.]

Don't even think about fucking around with the space-time continuum, bastard. As someone who's an expert in physics I guarantee you don't have the knowledge or skillset to do that and not screw it up.

[He's expecting that at this point; Accelerator's predictable like this. Jayce lets himself be tugged downward, but even a scolding like this doesn't seem like it's striking much fear in him. In fact, he's acting like this is just part of a normal conversation.]

Have you done it before?

[It's Mayuko's turn to give some applause. Journeys start with a single step and all. Maybe if they have another bout of archery, she can persuade one of the assistants to move a target closer. Landing shots on the target would be a boost to the confidence, encourage further effort.

Something for next time.]

I hear you. I got a few more shots left in me, then I think it will be time to chill.

[Noodle arms, she does have. But she's also wielded a mace for hours in her old camp's dungeon. Hid in shadows and corners, waited and swung at passing monsters, took them out and moved deeper, rinse repeat. Never too deeply, not all that often, but it happened. All for the sake of old books and her duty as a librarian. Even before that, she was trained young as a dancer herself. The ache of exertion is a familiar presence.

In some ways, it makes this business easier. The nervous energy, the instinct to shoot fast and dodge gets burned off. That focus on the target that Jason alludes to-- it seems possible.]

Are you running your station this afternoon, or letting the campers manage it?

[ Dion's driven a half-step back from the impact and has to resist the impulse to rub at his face. How long had it been since anyone had run into him like that? As a Dominant, the discomfort will be fleeting, but his face does scrunch in immediate response to the collision before the question seizes his focus. ]

I jumped.

[ He clarifies helpfully. ]

Pretty sure once you've jumped that high, it's just flying.

[Jayce does rub at his face, because he is just a meager human who isn't afraid to admit that hurt.]

Okay. I'm actually giving up now. I can't outrun a superhero.

[ She blinks a little, a bit surprised by that. And it was sweet that he was even showing concern about that at all.

Still... ]

Oh sure, when we're stuck in a dark room trying to find our way out, you don't wanna help me. But gathering firewood, that's the problem.

[ No she hasn't quite let that go, sorry, Shadow. ]

[ She can't help a small frown, her hands lowering a bit. ] Are you sure?

[ She isn't sure she's seen him eat, although part of that was just not seeing him around as much. But she still wanted to make sure he had something, and if he was anything like the Shadow from her world, he might not have had s'mores before. ]

That's very true! [ She giggles a little, straightening the deck before spreading them out in an arch with a practiced hand. ] It's nice to meet you, Popp! Have you been in this place long?

...I mean, not [ she gestures her hand around the camp ] this place exactly. But in Etraya.

With a nod, she holds the bow and arrow up and tries to do what he'd said, looking down the tip of it with a serious look of concentration. Then she releases the string, and the arrow flies for the target.

It hits a bit low, just barely hitting the edge of the circle, but it's still technically a hit. "Oh!" Amy said, surprised herself. Then she smiles with an excited little hop. "Wow, okay! I did it!"

[ With a bright smile, Amy nods, relieved that she seems to like it. ]

I did! I tried to make it really colorful, but the fun thing about making these is that you can make them however you'd like, depending on how you want them to look.

I can show you how to make them, if you want!

Do you think that'll happen? Look at this place. There's all different types. Probably some awful ones mixed in but it'd seem ridiculous to judge a telepath when there's all kinds of people.

[people are just dumb like that sometimes, Maria.]

I am always ready for it, anyway. If it doesn't happen, good, if it happens, I was right as always and good to shoot it down. Heard some bullshit from someone's brain and had to stop myself from making them nauseous everytime they thought about things that they enjoy. Didn't do it, but boy, I was very close.

[Maria listens, letting him talk. he's able to get his feelings out through his drum playing and talking about this. she can only guess what his mission did and she won't pry. he needs to be able to talk and Maria thinks this might just be therapy.

and she is not qualified for this but it's time to see what she can do.]

What do you think change is? How do you think you'd be different?

[she'll just let him talk. get it out.]

[ Gorgug winces, mouth tugging askew and letting the tusk on that side become more prominent for it. What is different? When one could say he's doing what he would be doing back home... ]

I'd be making progress in my schoolwork. I would know if I'm doing good or what I'm missing. It wouldn't feel so-- aimless.

[ He pauses, and he looks at Maria. ]

I don't even know if I'm doing a good job keeping my universe safe, or if any of that's real in the first place.

Yeah? And what is it you're thinking of?

[she might still be teasing. you can't say the song made you think of this type and leave it at that!]

[ Where would he be best? What feels comfortable? Gorgug looks down for a moment, and there's an answer there, although... ]

...Home. [ He looks back at Kaeya, pulling his mouth in what amounts to a grimace. Shrugging, helplessly. ] But I don't know if, I don't know that I feel that I want to be there? I do, but-- I don't know that it's...homesickness.

[ It's complicated. It's difficult. He misses home, but he can't even think about what he would do if he were home, or going back to all that. Maybe because he's never taken the time to do any of that.

...

maybe it is homesickness. ]

[ Maintain the area for twelve hours. Don't kill anyone. Carver rocks on his heels and then forces himself to stand up straight. To focus on a point just beyond Harold's shoulder, some distant horizon line. You don't make eye contact when you're called to account for your failures. You hold still and you take what you're due.

Carver doesn't answer right away, focused on trying to slow his breathing down. To act like less of a psychopath in front of witnesses. Distantly, he knows it's not going well. ]

Sure, [ he agrees, because he has to say something. He wishes it were his sister's dog because then she'd be there and she'd make this right.

Then, before he can think better of it: ]

Where's Leah?

I want an investor.

[ She's joking, and he knows that she's joking, but the idea of having an investor--is pretty cool, okay. Still, he's listening as Heather does go on. Looking at his sketch pad (or doodling pad, for now), before grabbing one of the images of a duck to sit on top of it.

He points to the duck's back, going up the neck. ]

So the gun is stored in the belly, and when we squish it, it goes up the throat. [ ...He's staring at the image of the duck... ] ...do ducks have a-- can you scruff a duck?

[ Isn't that what this sounds like? ]

...Yes. [He doesn't want to owe her anything. He returns to staring at the campfire.] Is that the only reason you're up here?

[There's a narrowing of his eyes at the calm reaction he's receiving. Is Jayce taking him seriously? He isn't sure and he doesn't like it, it's worrying. He does let go of his shirt, curling his fingers tighter in the fabric.]

No.

[Time is a scalar measurement, yes, but it exists in vector space and could therefore theoretically be manipulated using his ability somehow. To be honest, he has no clue if he could do it, but that isn't the point.]

There are a lot of theories and uncertainty around time travel. I won't potentially screw up my home out of a remote chance to improve things and a selfish desire to make my own life easier.

Wow! "Ah? You're the last person who can tell me that! Take your own advice, Seph!" Won't even let Popp Zoom him around the islands, for crying out loud, and that's his best utility spell!

Well, it's fun that he's putting the effort into thinking about trivial uses of power. He's come a long way! Even if it's... not something helpful. Popp sighs, feeling a little short of the mage standard.

"I don't have either of those. Ice might be close to water, but it's not the same in practice. At least I can dry clothes quickly, but that's a waste of power; the easy way leaves it all to the sun."

Look, he might like showing off, but he also likes taking the smart but lazy way to do things. He hangs his clothes up on the balcony frequently, unless it's raining. It should be noted that their apartment does have a washing machine, but nobody in it is going to start pushing buttons on a suspicious machine to see what it does. Well, not after the microwave incident they aren't.

"Hey, why don't you take a turn? Two truths and a lie."

This is a potential rockbomb field, but Sephiroth has come a long way! Maybe he won't say something horrific about his upbringing...?

Edited 2025-06-09 15:42 (UTC)

[ He doesn't know... but that doesn't matter, does it?! Gorgug takes the leg when it's offered, sniffing at it, blowing on it a few times, and looking back at Chu Wenshan. He won't judge him, right?

...

And Gorgug takes a large bite, completely invalidating his tiny puffs to dismiss the heat as he nom nom noms--just for a few chews, before swallowing it down. ]

Yeah, it's good. [ Good enough, good enough!! But now Gorgug's looking around as-- ] We should get sauce. Did you bring sauce?

[ For your barbecue? ]

[Thank you for not making her tell stories about the diplomatic portion of the mission, Carver; she appreciates your service. Leaning back and kicking her feet up on the adjacent log (what? no one's sitting there), she settles in to recount.]

Okay, first thing's first. You ever see a pillbug?

My best friend when I was in elementary school was a kid who couldn't talk.

[Is she joking? Serious? Either way, she's not elaborating.]

Boys can do anything girls can do, John. I believe in you.

[ Popp is also ~~Spider-Man~~ pointing and looking alarmed. It is not a play. ]

I'm not the copy! That's the copy! He's using a Morph spell!

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MISSION 009

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