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

Laura's Lil' Birthday Top Level

[shoplifter]

[Laura isn't very good at this whole birthday thing, but she's doing her best. She'd employed the help of people who know how to bake cakes — or at least she hopes they know how to bake cakes — and even added one of her favorite toy figures on it for flourish. The camping area has a small table with the components needed to create fabled 's'mores' — marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate. All delicious on their own, mind, but Peter Parker has decided to offer a temporary demonstration so that people don't ruin their first time making one of these mysterious creations.

Outside of the campfire that continues to burn as the day goes on, there's a long table where Laura's carefully made sandwiches are protected under small nets — you cannot really fight off flies with adamantium claws, anyway. She wasn't sure if sandwiches were a birthday food, but it was the only thing she really knows how to make.

... And that's it! Nothing is particularly luxurious or complex about the small party she'd set up, mostly because she had no idea how to create one. But she'd like to think she's done a good job, yes?

(Then why does she feel so nervous, like everyone will see she's the worst party maker in all of the worlds combined?)

... A little anxious, she starts gobbling up some of the sandwiches to curb the worry.]

[OOC: Just a quickie, nothing too fancy! Laura's small birthday is open to everyone at camp and takes place on the 23rd of May, at 3:00 pm. Feel free to just have your character drop by, or even just a quick comment on if they were leaving a gift. No stress here. :) Peter Parker will be giving a smores demonstration at this campfire party as well below this comment.]

Peter Parker's S'mores Demonstration*

[keepitgoing]

[*which just so happens to correlate to a little girl's birthday.]

Welcome everyone to the mandatory smores demonstration.

I'm Peter Parker, resident counselor for the Narwhals and professional s'mores maker. Uhhh. Not that I camped a lot as a kid. We mostly did this kind of thing in our apartment, using the stove. But it's still the same idea. Nature is just a plus. Hey, did you know it stands for 'some mores'? Like, 'can I have some more'? The girl scouts totally make the best campfire snacks. One time Tony Stark bought out the entire batch of their cookies from a local elementary school and gave me, like, thirty boxes--

[Oh. Rambling. He stares back at what is likely a baffled audience before proceeding:]

See, all you gotta do is stick the marshmallow on a stick — like so! Once it's nice and golden, you put the chocolate on the graham cracker, then the marshmallow gets squished between like this.

[EASY PEASY. Nobody could get this wrong.]

Any questions?

[ascendingstar]

[Lumine isn't baffled, per say. At the story, yes. But at the demonstration? No. She's absolutely delighted at the demonstration of the dessert, intently watching as Peter made the confection.

Okay, that was surprisingly easy. Not too much cooking; it seemed like s'mores were more in the presentation or how the marshmallow was cooked.

The only way to do it was to try, right?]

So there's no other preparation?

[keepitgoing]

... I guess you could always keep stacking them until they make a monster-sized s'more.

[Is that what you mean? He's gonna immediately think that's what you mean.]

But then they're a lot more unruly, so I'd exercise some caution.

I'm sorry...

[definecat]

[Peter might find himself a little surprised by the huge eyes Sleeper is giving him, but they totally have to play it up.]

Please, sir, may I have s'mores?

[Their attempt at a British accent is probably not going to pass muster, but they thought it a literary joke worth the reference.]

Re: I'm sorry...

[keepitgoing]

[... Oh, those are cute huge eyes.

(Cute for a weird cat-shaped goo-monster.)

He makes an equally bad British accent, as he holds a bag of marshmallows out.]

It wouldn't be very s'more-t of me to keep them to myself, my good man!

GIFTS

[fourthwalled]

[Wade comes by for cake and to drop off some gifts for the birthday girl. Inside a wrapped box is a collection of craft slap bracelets and a backpack that it looks like he's crafted together too. Someone is a crafting GOD! Happy Birthday you cute feral little girl!]

[shoplifter]

[Wade, she is going to wear the hell out of these things.

... And this, of course, earns him a quick but very earnest hug before she moves to start trying on the slap bracelets.]

OTA

[twin_blade]

[ A kid deserves a good birthday party and gifts, so maybe it's a good thing that Vax has been sneaking out to the city at nights. It gave him a chance to bring something back. He isn't sure if she'll like it or not, but it falls within some of the criteria Laura listed. He thought about finding a horse plushie, but it almost felt too on the nose, and when he saw the chubby raven, well, a champion of ravens couldn't leave it behind.

When Vax comes to the party, the gift is placed on the table with the others so it may observe the festivities. A perfectly good party, in Vax's opinion. And then? He'll just... lurk somewhere, but he won't object to conversation. ]

[shoplifter]

[Laura will find Vax after the basic festivities have passed, and immediately holds up the chubby raven that he'd brought her in front of her.]

Did you bring this?

[There's a bit of a twinkle in her eye, and though her expression is subdued, she is totally teeming with excitement at the very thought that this was now something she owned.]

[twin_blade]

[ Something about a young girl holding a bird so chubby it requires both arms is just too adorable. Vax hopes that she likes it. He thinks she might. ]

I did.

[ She said she likes stuffed, soft things. It's not a horse, but it's still kind of cute. Not that he's an expert on stuffies. ]

[decodex]

( when eddie drops by, he's got two chickens suspended in the air by venom's tendrils, which he sets on the table. bonnie and clyde would be very upset had they missed laura's birthday. venom's made them little birthday hats out of construction paper, and they are here to party.

eddie is also wearing a construction paper birthday hat, which he'd be much more indignant about had this not been a party for an actual child. )

Hey, this looks great, Laura.

( please don't look so worried, birthday girl!! the chickens immediately flock [haha] to her, recognizing a friend when they see one. )

[shoplifter]

[Laura immediately makes a beeline for the chickens, sitting down and immediately picking them up into her lap. Judging by how easily she does it, it definitely implies she just shows up to the farm and sits with chickens often.]

Thank you. I don't know how birthdays work, but I think it's how it should be.

[A pause.]

These are birthday hats, yes? They are very well made.

[A WIN FOR VENOM]

Piñata Time

[levindicated]

[Cid comes around with a paper mache of a fat, crudely shaped horse with a rope tethered from the top of it. And a baseball bat borrowed from the softball field. He sets it on the table in front of her.]

[She seems upset or worried, maybe this will take the edge off.]

Fancy a little game?

[shoplifter]

[Laura stares. And stares. And stares a bit more.

Then, she furrows her brow in confusion.]

What kind of game is it?

[A Mexican child who was never allowed to partake in beating up a piñata is a complete and utter tragedy.]

[welcome_summer]

[Mayuko probably tagged along/will tag along with Maria to give make-up tips-- at the party she gifts some lip glosses/balms: mostly fruity ones, at least one serious one with a good SPF and at least one tinted one so Laura can ~practice~. She also gifts a small silver pin shaped like lily flowers. A little bit of grown-up jewelry! (Thank you Easter giftboxes!)

She is happy to stay and talk--one of her lovely Armadillos is watching her station for her this afternoon, most likely.]

[shoplifter]

[Laura has been trying to be very polite, so she's making the rounds to those who are still here and holding up the gifts provided to her. Mayuko is no exception, and as Laura approaches she holds the small silver pin very carefully.]

You are Mayuko, sí?

Thank you for the gift.

[It's definitely gonna go on her jean jacket.]

[sabigoe]

[ Shuffling over to the gift table, Fio sets down a handmade card, put together from the materials in the arts and craft corner and some bright yellow wildflowers, which she gathered a while back. She's finally putting some of her pressed flowers to use. In the center of the card is an origami horse, which she learned to make during the past few days in camp. There's a bit of noticeable dried glue smeared on the edges, from tiny fingers. It seems she's forgotten to at least write happy birthday and note that it's from her. At a glance, however, it should be obvious that Fio is the gift giver anyway... it's a bit crudely made, but she put her best effort into it.

After dropping off the gift, she scampers away to eagerly grab some sandwiches and cakes. This small party is luxurious in her eyes, especially since she grew up poor without having any "real" birthday parties. She can be found sitting, enjoying the food until they're ready to clean up. ]

[shoplifter]

[Laura, of course, absolutely loves the card. It's nice to get cards from friends — real, genuine offers of kindness in printed words. Happy Birthday! with names scribbled near it, or in Fio's case, a cute little horse earnestly folded for her sake. She'll have to keep these all very safe in a box; if anyone tries to ruin them, she'd stab them.

Non-fatally, but still.

As Fio settles down with her sandwiches, Laura wanders over.]

Did you fold this yourself?

[eatsnutsandkicksbutts]

Happy birthday, Laura!

[ True to her word, Doreen has shown up with about a dozen be-hatted squirrels perched on her shoulders and head. The gang's all here, and they're ready to party! (And when the inevitable 'happy birthday' song is sung, twelve squirrels will chirp along with it in chorus!) ]

Here, I made you this.

[ It's a bracelet with beads that spell out 'U R COOL!' laced onto it! ]

[shoplifter]

[Laura wanders over, having apparently been gifted with a number of party hats -- all of which are strapped to her head, because she thought it was kind of funny. She's surprisingly a little shy at the singing; it's not something she's used to, the idea of being sung at. But it's... nice. In that kind of embarrassing way.]

Thank you, Doreen and squirrel friends. As she holds out her hand to take the bracelet, she smiles softly.] You are very 'cool', too. For coming to the party.

Gifts

[pricklybloom]

[ While Amy had volunteered to help with making a cake, that didn't really feel like enough for someone's birthday. She wanted to give a gift as well, though not knowing Laura that well made it a bit difficult to decide what to give her. And limited by the craft supplies at the camp, she had to get creative.

Amy had made several friendship bracelets, but that still didn't feel like enough. So in the end she decided to give Laura one of the bracelets as well as a flower suncatcher with colorful flowers and things she had picked up on various nature walks. She could only hope that Laura would like it. ]

[shoplifter]

[Laura absolutely loves all of her gifts, Amy, fear not. As she studies the flower suncatcher — with her bracelets already on her wrists, of course — she offers the slightest smile. Pleased!]

You made this?

[She'd really like to make some, too. They're pretty.]

Wildcard post-birthday post-Solmara

[levelshift]

[It doesn't take Accelerator very long to get settled back into Etraya after returning from the mission in Solmara. As annoying as the camp is, at least they have running water. And showers. And no sand. Or creatures trying to kill them!

Once he's gotten unpacked and cleaned up he heads out, wandering around the camp to build an internal map and hunt down one small clone. He'll avoid the areas that have more physical activity going on (the lake, the fields for capture the flag and softball), poking his head into the other cabins and the Great Hall until he finds her.

When he does he gives her a casual wave, holding a small box in his free hand.]

Yo.

[shoplifter]

[Oh...!

Caught her in the middle of returning from an impromptu nature hike.

It's good to clear your mind like that, you know. She had been worriedly waiting for the Solmara crew to return, but especially Accelerator. After all, he is her roomie. They have to stick together. So at the sight of him, she moves toward him and wraps both her arms around him tightly, giving a strong squeeze.]

You are back!

[And alive. Alive is good.]