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⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Viktor is not the only one out and about tonight. Kirk's mutation has made him nearly a nocturnal creature. So Kirk is wide awake as he walks around the camp grounds. Part of him still wants to just leave. This mission has been far less dangerous than the last two but it's been pushing his low tolerance for socializing.

He pauses when he catches a familiar scent and looks with his natural infrared vision.

Well, at least it's someone familiar. He heads towards, purposely making his steps audible as to not startle the fellow scientist]

Viktor?

[With the sun down, Kirk isn't wearing red goggles or red sunglasses this time]

[ 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?

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]

Mm. I understand what you mean. I am much the same. [ Too many people and Viktor was not a fan of it. He's not particularly enjoying it here, but he's making do. ]

Of a fashion. I may have helped myself to the particulars of the shed. I'm sure they won't be too hard on a dying man, hm? [ He says that, so amused as he looks back up at the stars. ]

[Kirk softly huffs. Perhaps it's kind of a grim joke to make but it's one Kirk understands]

A little nepotism helps. My cabin is supposed to make sure there are plenty of supplies in the shed.

Then I suppose you won't be too terribly put off if we use you as a scapegoat? [ An amused tone in his murmured reply as he looks back up towards the stars. ]

We are simply making sure it's in working order, yes? With such a delicate piece of equipment, one can never be too careful.

Precisely. And this is the optimal way to test it.

[He looks up at the stars before looking at Viktor again]

Do you mind if I join you? Seeing as this is one of my camp chores.

[An excuse. Truthfully, he'd rather have some more subdued company compared to the daytime activities]

I certainly don't mind the company, no.

[ Kirk would have known if he did. ]

The star formations are quite varied from what I have seen thus far. But I have been drawing them as I go. [ He will murmur as he hands Kirk his drawing pad. It's filled mostly with pictures of bugs and plants of all types. ]

[Kirk looks over Viktor's drawings. With his unusual vision, looking at the details under the night sky isn't an issue for him]

The formations aren't anything I recognized they've been fascinating.

[He gently flips a page]

You have quite the eye.

Mm. [ A small noise of acknowledgement as Viktor continues to watch the sky. ]

One has to have such a thing in our line of work, yes? Besides, it's one of the only things that doesn't seem to have failed me, and my mind, for now. [ Said in a joking tone. ]

[Kirk softly huffs in amusement]

True. We all use what we can for our work. How long have you studied biology?

[So far, some of the interests Kirk has heard from Viktor and Jayce lean more towards machinery, engineering, and magic. But given Viktor's situation, biology would make sense as well]

On and off for a few years. It wasn't my main subject of study, as you know. I found myself interested in its material to the point of making it into a hobby of mine.

[ More so here then back home now. Viktor hardly needs a reason to thoroughly research things, but having a reason often helps fuel his drive to master and learn it. ] Here only made it more prudent to start reading again.

[Kirk nods, understanding]

Biology branches into many other subjects, given how it's all about the building blocks of life. I was young when I became interested in it. After that, it didn't take long for me to dive into the chemical aspects.

Were you introduced to it in some way when you were younger? Your parents, perhaps? Or was it merely an interest that just came about naturally?

The latter. I grew up in a small town so it was easy enough to examine specimens in their natural habitats. I moved Gotham, a large city, when I was accepted into their university.

How did you become interested?

[ Viktor pauses as his eyes look away from the telescope and back towards Kirk. ] I had a...teacher of a sort when I was younger. He taught some invaluable things about biological processes and animals.

[ A frown as he thinks of Rio, of how they become one and the same, of her pained cries as he as a child stood there helpless to do anything about it. He will blink and return his gaze to the telescope. ]

I didn't care for his methods, so I left and never returned. It made me consider helping those in need and using science to do so.

[The look Viktor gives him and then his reply has Kirk thinking the mentorship perhaps didn't end on the best of terms. He keeps the thought to himself though and continues on]

It's what science should be doing. One of my professors gave my class one last piece of advice when we graduated with our PhDs. That we were the best our generation had to offer so we shouldn't squander our talents. "Be brazen, be bold. The world needs change." And that we were the few who could do it.

[ Viktor smiles, softly, as he huffs a laugh. ]

I had told Jayce the night we began working on hextech together that when you want to change the world, don't ask for permission. [ Said in a subdued and amused tone. ]

But your professor's words are also quite good.

[Kirk softly huffs and a corner of his lip twitches in amusement]

A theme for stubborn scientists like ourselves.

[He looks up at the stars]

For better or for worse.

One cannot hope to promote progress without being a bit stubborn toward adversity.

[ How else was one to ever accomplish anything if they folded immediately at the first signs of resistance? ]

[Kirk nods, understanding]

And even more so when you’re fighting a deadline.

[Kirk certainly wasn’t interested in asking for permission when he was a dying man trying to cure himself. He’s also had to quickly whip up antidotes to counter enhanced humans who were ready to be nearly godlike rulers]

Deadlines. [ Just have a scrunched up face at that. ] They are the second worst thing to work against outside of time.

[ He is not unfamiliar with the heavy weight of knowing that something is due and having to do it on his own. But he also knows that outside of that crushing weight, the idea that his time is slowly ticking away is all but overwhelming to fight against. ]

They're one in the same. Everything had some kind of deadline. It's when a timeline becomes suddenly and significantly shortened that it it feels... cruel.

[The snatching of hope and the unfairness of one's life suddenly cut short. It's grim to face]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

MISSION 009

Stargazing

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