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

Vax'ildan | CR: The Legend of Vox Machina | OTA (will match format)

[twin_blade]

Archery

As a member of the Monkey cabin, the campers are supposed to be minding the archery and sword demonstration areas. Neither of which are Vax'ildan's weapon of interest. In a very minor display of effort, he's at the archery range.

The half-elf is seated in a chair, which is tilted back onto two legs. His feet are propped onto the table that's set up for keeping track of things like points scored. It's an impressive display of balance that could end quickly if he's not careful.

Speaking of careful, is Vax even paying attention to what's going on? His eyes are closed. Is he... asleep? One might find out if they were to approach or call out to him.

Yes, he's taking his camp job very seriously.

Obstacle Course

This isn't so bad compared to the other activities. Vax does like to stretch his legs, and some physical activity feels good after sleeping a night in a cabin. When it's his turn, he dashes forward into the maze and starts to maneuver through the obstacles with ease. He's quite agile and scales the rock wall in seconds before dropping down the other side and landing without a sound.

It's all going quite well until one slight misstep sends him down into the net, which winds around him.

"Oh, fuck me." He tugs and turns, but that just seems to tangle him up even more. Eventually, he's twisted his leg in the netting and is left hanging upside down. Thank the gods his friends from home aren't here to see this. When he hears someone coming, he calls over, "Hey, a little help?"

Sneaking Out

Unfortunately, Vax isn't the best-behaved camper. Sure, he might not be the worst, but not reporting in for lights out or sneaking out of the Monkey cabin is just second nature to him. He is a rogue, after all. Slipping in and out of places unnoticed is a specialty of his.

Once he's out, he goes into the woods some nights or takes a walk by the lake. He patrols the perimeter of the campgrounds, looking for anything that might strike him as odd, and even ventures back into the city itself. There must be a reason they were told they can't return to the city, right? Perhaps there's a secret to be found?

He might be spotted in any of these places, but he always returns to his cabin before the sun comes up.

Wildcard

[ Open to other locations for encounters, such as meal time or even an awkward encounter at the shower house. Plot with me here. ]

Archery

[leastdramatic]

While Vax is being a very good camper and taking his job seriously, one of his fellow cabinmates arrives with newly repaired bows and arrows. Frankly, Jason can't blame Vax. Camp is only fun for certain types of people and can be a bore for others. He wonders if he should shake the man awake...

[twin_blade]

When Vax hears someone approaching with a handful of things, he does open one eye enough to spot someone from his own cabin working a lot harder than he is. His arms stretch over his head and he yawns.

"Next time, bring an umbrella with you." He's joking, but it would be nice to take his nap under some shade. "Did you fix all those?"

[leastdramatic]

"Yeah, wasn't too bad. Mostly just re-tightening the strings," Jason says as he sets down some of the new bows. "I'm guessing I haven't missed much?"

[twin_blade]

"Not really." Vax passes a glance over to the bows and can tell Jason did a good job with them. The way they're strung and the tightness of the string should allow them to hold for awhile. Unless someone really fucks up their shot, which is quite possible.

"You know how to shoot a bow?"

Sneaking out

[crimsonsphere]

Vax wasn't the only one who was disinclined to follow all the rules. Paine might have been convinced that Aurora was telling the truth about the situation, but she certainly wasn't convinced that s'mores and singsongs had anything to do with proving Spira was worth saving.

What had saved Spira sure as hell wasn't blind obedience. (Admittedly, it had at one point been helped by a singsong. But that was beside the point. Paine needed a better reason than a robot lady's weird ideas to do that.)

She wasn't too surprised to see that she wasn't the only one poking venturing past the edge of camp, back in the direction of the city. A little interested that it was Vax, the guy she'd helped defend civilians back aboard the Oppression Express. "Aren't you out after curfew?" she said wryly, fully aware that she was up to the same thing.

[twin_blade]

They had the same feelings about the situation. Vax felt that way about almost all of their missions. What did this prove about the worth of his world? Nothing, as far as he could see, and neither Echo nor Aurora would justify these missions.

And he's definitely not wearing that dumb camp uniform. No doubt, Paine wasn't about to wear a colorful tie-dyed t-shirt, either.

When he hears the familiar voice, he looks behind him and pauses. "Oh, hey. That makes two of us."

[crimsonsphere]

No tie-dye shirt for Paine, although she had conceded to the cargo shorts--they were good for carrying around photographic equipment, even if they were ridiculously baggy for her tastes.

"A real pair of miscreants," she said, one side of her mouth quirking up a little. "Hope the camp counselors don't catch us." She glanced back towards the city, still shining and brilliant despite its lights being low with its population out-of-town. "What brings you out here?"

[twin_blade]

Vax shrugs, since he can't really pinpont one specific reason. "Guess I don't like being told what time to go to bed." The people in his cabin are nice, and it's not the counsellors faults they're in charge. Vax hopes he's not giving his own counsellor too much of a hard time by sneaking out.

"And when someone says to stay in one place, I have to find out why." Is Aurora and Echo keeping something from them? Maybe. Maybe not.

Sneaking Out

[lordfuckleroy]

If there was anything that Henry took seriously, it was his duty as Camp Counselor. In D&D terms, he would have made an excellent paladin in that he found himself drawn to what was inherently right, his lawful good alignment was what did it to him any time.

He was sitting on the porch of the Koala cabin, reading underneath lamplight when he sees a shadow steal through the cabin circle, he cannot tell what it is-- just that the shadow was skirting alongside the cabins and attempting to keep out of embered firelight.

That caused him to close his book and set it aside where he was going to follow. Yes, he was over the Koala cabin, but he did have to look out for the safety of the other campers it was true; he took his duty very seriously and this was going to become a Vax problem quickly enough.

[twin_blade]

The shadow is definitely not a trick of the light. Something or someone is exiting the cabin area. It moves fast until it reaches the lakeside, where it slows enough to be identified as a person. Must be one of the campers because he doesn't look like any of the other counsellors Henry might have seen during the counsellor hangouts.

The cabin was a bit stuffy for Vax, so it's nice to get out and stretch his legs while his own counsellor is doing the responsible thing and patrolling the area. Vax isn't worried about running into trouble. He can handle it.

However, as perceptive as he is, he does get the sense he might have been followed, so he turns to look behind him.

10 stealth

[lordfuckleroy]

It is true, this Camper does not.

So Henry follows though arguably his pursuit is not the best- he is, after all, not a rogue and so stealth is not his strongest suit though he is a damn sight quieter than others that he knows (cough, Alex) and thus he trails after, he knows that there are a few campers who have performed fledgling parties that had been broken up by the counselors so the first thing is to make sure that is not happening.

After that, he really understands the need for privacy.

So yes, monitoring for party activity takes up his full senses-- when he sees the shadows glow a visage of pale, he tries to duck behind a tree as cover. However, as he is neither good nor bad at stealth but a lamentable middling, he ducks behind the tree but certainly with enough that Vax can absolutely see that someone is ducking behind a tree.

It's not as hidden as Henry might very well thing.

[twin_blade]

When he hears the sudden shuffle as Henry moves to conceal himself, Vax knows for certain he's been followed. The only question is, by who?

His eyes narrow a little, able to pick out what he thinks might be a form trying to blend in behind a tree.

"I can see you." He calls out. There's no point in Henry hiding. Maybe Vax should be the one dashing off to hide, but he's not some kid. He should be able to go where he damn well pleases.

Obstacle course

[shadowsincryo]

[He stops before the tricky part of the maze and studies the issue. A bitter chill fills the air as threads of pale blue form an ice walk way with indentations to keep anyone from slipping. Kaeya moves over it with ease.

He grabs the net and pulls, carefully.] Lean to your right. How’s the leg?

[The icy glows faintly, giving a bit of light to see by.]

[twin_blade]

[ Vax didn't expect someone to ascend an ice-stair or something similar to get to him. That seems like a handy spell. Kaeya walks up so casually, it makes Vax feel even more ridiculous about his situation.

Leaning isn't easy, but Vax tries to move a bit to the left. ]

I think I twisted my ankle, but other than that, it's fine, I guess. I can lend you my knife, if you want to try cutting me down.

[shadowsincryo]

Yeah, pass it to me. [The ropes are pretty tangled. It’s cut Vax free or spend a while unwinding and with a twisted ankle? The former is better.]

How bad did you twist it? [They won’t have an issue with needing to ice it. Silver linings. He checks where he can cut the net to get him free without dropping him too fast.]

[twin_blade]

[ Vax takes the dagger from his belt to hand it over, then grabs the ropes, expecting he might fall if he's not holding on once the ropes are loosened. ]

Nothing some ice won't fix.

[ And there seems to be plenty of that. ]

— wildcard

[ingestion]

After wrapping up her duties and counseling one (or two) people in desperate need of guidance, Heather packed up a bag used mainly for storing her Katana and filled up a plastic bag full of treats as promised. She had found things to become easier with each passing day in spite of Claudia’s arrival here. She decided she wasn’t going to go around telling too many people about the woman’s role in her life, how the cult she was in practically ruined everything Heather had but by the time she came around to Vax, by the softball field, she looked….more hardened. By time and trauma, but there was an air of maturity about her—

almost as if the weight of the world was truly on her now. In spite of that though, she kept a jovial composure, smiling once she saw her friend and even waving the bags around a bit.

“Hey Vax, come get a treat before we start training. I had to work hard to smuggle these out of my cabin.”, she said— though considering Sanji was in Maria’s crew and she visited the woman often, the place seemed to be full of treats randomly. Surely the man had no hand in that.

[twin_blade]

Vax has positioned his table, where people come to get help with their archery or sword work, under some shade. He spent some of the time napping, since he finds the whole 'camper chore' routine to be a waste of time, much like the rest of his time at camp, but they have no choice in the matter. Having a friend keep him company is a welcome sight.

When he spots Heather, Vax takes his boots off the table and plants them back on the ground. Rubbing the back of his neck, he yawns and then smiles, trying to look more alert than he is.

"Sounds great. What did you bring?" Just don't tell Sanji his hand-crafted treats were delivered to a man. That's probably not what he intended them for.

[ingestion]

It didn’t escape her that she had most likely caught her friend taking a long nap and while she certainly wasn’t above teasing him for it, truthfully she’d doze off here and there in the past. A certain cold winter day involving gossipy tea had certainly made her pass out around strangers many months ago.

So she won’t call him out on it, instead offering a soft smile as she simply placed a hand on her hip and held the bag up to his face.

“Rice treats. Ever had them before? They melt butter and marshmallows and mix in this cereal to make a sweet treat. Wanna try before we get to work?”

[twin_blade]

"Rice treats?" Judging from the puzzled expression, he has not tried them before. "Sure, I'll have one. But why are they called rice treats?" There's no rice in that list of ingredients.

Vax accepts the bag and places it on the table to open it and have a look at these misnamed snacks. "There's water in the cooler, if you want one." At least he has that while he's stuck sitting out here helping people with their bows and swords.

Archery (hope it's still okay to tag into!)

[pricklybloom]

Meanwhile, Amy is very serious as she's trying to figure out how to position the arrow on the bow. She knows the idea of it, but it's very clear that she's never done this before.

With a frown, she glances around for anyone who is supposed to be help. "Excuse me!" she calls. "I think I need a bit of help."

sure!

[twin_blade]

Vax opens his eyes and lurches forward in his seat. Oh, right, he's still at this damn camp, and he's supposed to be doing something.

The armor-wearing half-elf gets up from his table and walks over, shaking the cobwebs from his head as he wakes up.

"Yeah, what's the trouble?"

[pricklybloom]

"Well, I've never really done this before. I'm having a bit of trouble keeping the arrow positioned when I'm trying to draw the bowstring back." Which she demonstrates, nocking the arrow on the bow, but when she tries to pull back the string the arrow falls out of place.

[twin_blade]

Vax tilts his head slightly as he observes. "I see."

He takes a few steps to the rack where other bows and arrows are stocked, then carries one over with an arrow.

"You want to position your hand here." He demonstrates where to hold the bow. "Then, when you nock your arrow, you want to use the top of your hand as a guide to hold it at the right level, like this."