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

[knightowl]

Escape Attempt #1 (closed to bubblegumheart)

[ It's been been over 60 years since anyone has been able to legally impose a curfew on Bruce Wayne. It did not work then, when he was hyped up on teenage rebellion and a burning desire for vengeance. And it is most certainly not going to work now, when he is a real, legal, adult man who is not obligated to follow the rules of anyone. Especially of a camp he had no desire to be at in the first place.

Getting out of the cabin is easy. He just opens the door, steps out with Ace, and shuts it behind him. There's not even a proper attempt to conceal his leaving, since Bruce doesn't think he has to sneak anywhere. He tightens his grip on his cane, makes sure the dog is with him and begins walking toward the exit. It shouldn't be too hard to catch up with him. ]

Escape Attempt #2 (closed to venatoris)

[ Bruce gets a little farther the second time he tries. The cabin is far out of sight and he keeps his pace steady so he doesn't have to slow down or stop until he's cleared the camp and is well on his way back to his apartment. Despite this, he's not terribly difficult to spot in the dark. Mostly because he's still not bothering to conceal himself. Except when he passes by the great campfire. He sticks closer to the shadows to avoid being caught in the light. But if you're paying attention, it's not terribly difficult to spot the old man lumbering through the darkness toward the camp's edge. ]

Escape Attempt #3 (closed to brat)

[ Attempt 3 is thwarted when he reaches for his cane and finds it missing from its usual resting place. The suspect list is short. There's not many people who could steal it without at the very least alerting the dog. He imagines its Damian and hopes he's not gone very far while he limps his out out of the cabin into the darkness. ]

I know you're out here. Give me my cane.

Old New Friends (closed to godsandbats)

[ Just because he's not trying to escape anymore doesn't mean Bruce is keen on staying put in the cabin. He's restless at night because of the odd hours he keeps. So while everyone else sleeps or pretends to, he's out again. He and Ace haven't strayed far from the cabin when they spot movement at nearly the same time. Ace does not ease and as the figure moves closer, he begins to growl, a deep low rumble. Which means whatever is approaching them is a threat. He's not calling off the dog until he can see just who is skulking in the shadows (besides him). So they might as well come on out. ]

Old New Friends

[godsandbats]

[Kirk was skulking in the shadows and thinking about escaping again when Ace senses him. The elderly man has also clearly noticed and isn't going to shrug off the dog's reaction as nothing. So Kirk slowly steps out with his hands up. Despite his already unusual physical appearance, he's trying to show he's not threatening anyone]

Smart dog.

[knightowl]

[ He didn't make it to this age without being just a wee bit paranoid. He watches Kirk emerge with his hands up. It doesn't take him long to recognize the man from Aphaia. Not that they'd met personally, just that Bruce had been paying attention when that unfortunate bit of news about him got spilled to the rest of the world. Lucky for Kirk, Bruce isn't afraid of vampires. ]

Ace, enough.

[ Ace relents, but doesn't stray from Bruce or take his dark eyes off Kirk. ]

You're out late, Dr. Langstrom.

[godsandbats]

[Kirk is surprised by the recognition. His name is out in public at this point thanks to the Aphaia mission but getting addressed as doctor is very rare, even in his world]

So are you. The dog wanted a walk?

[He doesn't recognize Bruce so Kirk isn't sure yet how forward he should be. Damian also recognized some iteration of him but they're clearly not on friendly terms]

[knightowl]

[ Bruce is watching him closely to see how he'll react to being called Doctor. It's an assumption on Bruce's part. He knew a Kirk Langstrom once who had in fact been a doctor. Kirk is clearly not that man, but it made Bruce wonder how similar they actually were. ]

And so did I. Are you going somewhere in particular?

[godsandbats]

[The way the elderly man watches Kirk gives Kirk the sense that Bruce knows how to read people very well. He keeps his expression and body language neutral for now. He's curious what else Bruce knows about him or his world's version of Kirk Langstrom]

Nowhere specific. More of an exploratory endeavor. What about you?

[knightowl]

I couldn't sleep. [ not a lie. ] I heard something scratching at the window. Nothing was there, of course. But thought I would see if a quick stroll would help get me back to sleep.

[ He adjusts his cane as he prepares to keep going. ]

You're welcome to join us.

[godsandbats]

[Again, Kirk is surprised. Curiosity about Bruce and what he knows is enough for Kirk to delay his escape plan for now. Once again, he reminds himself this is technically not the worst mission he's been in so far]

Are you sure Ace won't mind?

[The dane seems to have made himself quite clear how friendly he is]

[knightowl]

[ Bruce glances at the dog who is still very much watching Kirk. ]

He won't bite.

[ He'll mind, but as long as Kirk remains not a threat, it should be fine. ]

[godsandbats]

Alright. I don't either.

[He suspects Bruce already knows about his vampire status at least]

[brat]

( he knows how to be quiet. damian has managed to sneak up on talia al ghul, when he's really put effort into it. his father, especially when he's this old, isn't all too difficult. but damian doesn't move too far away; he stays close by, cane in hand, and snorts when bruce points out that damian has, in fact, stolen from him.

still keeping to the shadows, he answers quietly, )

You need to stay. The more you push, the more limitations will be placed onto us.

[knightowl]

[ To say that Bruce hadn't really cared if the AI did not like him leaving is an understatement. If there were to be additional restrictions on his already limited mobility? So be it. He'd considered that the others might have been affected too, although that was brief and dismissed.

Of course the computer would be capricious enough to punish them all for Bruce. ]

I won't be getting very far without my cane, regardless. Return it.

[brat]

If you had taken better care of your body, you wouldn't need it.

( it's not necessarily true, but it's the statement damian is running with for now regardless. he steps out of the shadows, wearing the idiotic tye-dye shirt but also still donning his domino mask, cane in hand.

because this is normal behavior. )

Take it from me, if you want it so badly.

[knightowl]

[ The only way Bruce could have 'taken better care of his body' was if he'd stopped being Batman. That was never an option. Not until he had absolutely no other choice.

It's clear how deeply Bruce's rebellion runs; he's refused the camp uniform, opting instead for his colorful black on black on grey.

His frown deepens. ]

I'm not going to chase you.

[brat]

No? Then I suppose it's my cane now.

( he won't keep it. not really. damian isn't going anywhere until he does return it, but - the threat is there regardless. even if it's just meant more to irritate his father than anything else. )

[knightowl]

If you needed me to stay, you should have spoken to me.

[ Talking to him instead of just acting. Isn't that kettle meet pot behavior? It's honestly a coin toss if Bruce would have been receptive in the first place. The old man is a stubborn piece of work. ]

[brat]

Because that's an effective way to get through to you.

( he's still holding the cane hostage - even twirls it around a little before resting it on top of his shoulders. )

Yes, of course. I'll remember that for next time. We should simply talk through our problems, because you're so good at listening.

[knightowl]

[ He's not wrong; Bruce knows he isn't. ]

I'm not going anywhere.

[ There. Damian wins. ]

[brat]

No? Then swear it to me.

( he's not above threats. and any version of his father should know better than to hand out false promises. not necessarily that they wouldn't, but they would know when breaking their word would be worth the loss of their reputation. and this? isn't even close.

it's not as if damian needs to return the cane. this man may be batman, but he's in no physical condition to be chasing down robin. )

[bubblegumheart]

[One of Chrissy's favorite things about spending time with a group of people is seeing which ones are most likely to cause trouble. Sometimes it's fun to guess, because people almost always have a way of surprising you. But out of all of her assigned campers, she probably never would have pegged this stern-looking older gentleman as the one to just walk out without fanfare or comment.

Which means that, of course, she's going to follow him. Because she's curious. At first, she's content to trail along behind him. It's only after she realizes that he's heading for the exit that she feels the need to try to catch up with him to intervene.]

Hey, wait! Where are you going?

[knightowl]

[ Stopping to rest, gives Chrissy the opportunity to catch up with him. He never really bothered to introduce himself to his cabinmates. It simply had not been a priority. Especially not when he did not intend to stay here in this place made for children, of which he is not.

He glances up when Chrissy catches up and it only takes him a minute to get up and get back to walking. The exit's close enough to see, even in the dark. ]

Back to my apartment. I'm not staying here.

[bubblegumheart]

[He hadn't introduced himself at all, but Chrissy has seen the list- and she's managed to meet everyone else assigned to her cabin- so it's not hard to work out who this is, just based on that.]

Are you sure you don't want to stay and give it a chance, Mr. Wayne?

[On the other hand, he's not really the usual demographic for this sort of thing.]

[knightowl]

[ Bruce isn't going to question how this girl knew his name - there was a list after all. She doesn't sound like a potential threat. Ace isn't acting aggressive at any rate. ]

Yes.

[ simple as that. ]

If the AI asks where I've gone, tell it where it can find me.

I'm sorry Bruce. The only threat she poses is to your patience. lol

[bubblegumheart]

[She's seen the list, and made a point of memorizing the names of everyone assigned to each of the cabins because that information is useful to have. Chrissy's also generally inclined to defer to the nearest adult as a result of the way she was raised. Unfortunately, this is the nearest adult, and he doesn't appear to want to go along with what they're supposed to be doing at all.

What a conundrum!]

Maybe your dog would like to stay for a while.

[She doesn't know a lot about this man, but she's going to assume that he'd want the best for his dog. And maybe the best thing isn't hanging around an odd version of summer camp, but it feels like a safe bet to guess that a dog of that size would probably like to have room to run around.]

Is he friendly?

he doesn't have any lmao

[knightowl]

[ What a conundrum indeed! His apartment is small, most of the space taken up by his makeshift Batcave and Ace is used to having the manor and its spacious grounds to roam around in. Bruce hasn't let him out of his sight since he arrived in Etraya. He doesn't trust this place not to do something horrible to him.

Chrissy isn't wrong to think he might enjoy having some space to roam around. ]

Not really.

[ Ace isn't aggressive, but he's alert and watching Chrissy carefully. ]

But he won't bite as long as you're not a threat.