etrayalogs | 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

[Jason hands her an arrow]

Now see if you can notch it. Aim at a target. You don’t have to fire yet if you’re not comfortable yet.

[As Jason demonstrates with his bow and arrow, he thinks about Roy and wonders how he would’ve taught. Roy would probably love all this]

Edited 2025-05-25 15:55 (UTC)

Just straight at the target...

[She brings the arrow up. His patient advice is very good. She ought to be following it. But for someone usually so deliberate, she starts to feel antsy.

She draws back and releases, trying to shake that feeling. The arrow flies straight, but only makes it 3/4th the way to the target.]

Ooh, that's... that's something, I guess?

Not bad at all. This is your first time so it’s normal if your first shots are clumsy. You’re not used to using those muscles in those ways yet.

[To demonstrate for Mayuko, Jason slowly notches an arrow and aims]

Breathe slowly and through the nose. Focus only on the target and tune out everything else.

[A pause and then Jason fires. His arrow strikes almost in the center of the target]

[Mayuko held her own breath at Jason lined up the shot and fired. She should not have been surprised by his accuracy, but it's one thing to hypothesize and another to see the proof in person.]

Nice shot! I can tell this isn't your first time at the range--when did you pick it up?

[Ah yes, the oldest distraction in the book-- keep 'em talking so you can get out of the assignment.]

[In this case, Jason has no problems with being a distraction. He hasn't been the biggest fan of this mission]

My best friend's an expert archer. It's not my first weapon of choice but I picked up some stuff from hanging with him.

Best friend? Not one of the ones I've seen before?

[It gives Mayuko the start of a warm fuzzy feeling, hearing Jason bring up a friend. Granted, it can be painful recalling someone who isn't here, in one of these places. Wanting to see them while hoping desperately they never show. But there is a sort of joy in being able to acquaint someone with them, if only through description.]

How long have you known him?

Technically since I was about 13. Roy was my older brother's friend first but we got closer after I got older. The two you saw in that memory were Bizarro and Artemis.

[Roy is his best friend but Jason would also consider all of the Outlaw members his closest friends]

Of course, Artemis is also a great shot at archery.

The way she was talking swords as well, no doubt she's a well-rounded fighter....

[Time to try another shot. She turns her attention to the target. If this were a question of simply meditating on the bulls-eye, that wouldn't be a problem. On the other hand, she can remember riding the intense flow of the track when she was younger, everything heightened and faded all at once. This practice session was starting to hover in between those recollections: "Focus while moving" and "focus while unmoving".

Problem is, as soon as her body sets up for the shot, a third reminder rears its head. Laughter. Cold. She lines up and her leg, the one back from the target, twitches. Not enough to force a step or break her stance. Enough for her to notice, and with a huff, she resets.

Her shot is still a touch hasty, but scuds near the leg/base of the target.]

I know how large some groups can get, but that doesn't seem your style. So I'm glad you have each other.

I can be a team player under the right circumstances.

[Very specific circumstances but still. Better than nothing? He looks over at where Mayuko's arrow lands]

Not too bad for a novice. You're getting there.

[Mayuko gets it--her circle of friends back home was never very large.]

Thanks--I really felt that one. Oof... I guess we'll see after four more mornings if I can hit the broadside of a barn.

[Jason laughs. It's all in good fun]

I think we can at least you get to nick that broadside by by morning 3.

MISSION 009

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