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

I do not know. I would need to take a survey in order to give an accurate answer. That requires tools I do not have. [ He's not even going to guess. He likes to have certainty where he can get it. ]

Being treated as a child does not serve your plans or ideals. That much I understand. But I do not believe survival in the wilderness would further them either.

[ Very carefully: ] Is there...a point to it?

I think you would be surprised. The intent would be to return to where we came.

[ Obviously! Just leave. Hit da bricks. Etc etc. ]

The point is to simply show the people in charge of us that if they wish to send others on a mission, they can choose to simply leave us alone for a month. To show them that this is an inappropriate use of their time, their resources, and our time and interest.

[ Silco could be in his underground lair right now, trying to convince ~~scarecrow~~ people to make shimmer. But NO! He's here instead. ]

That is true. [ He inclines his head in a short nod. The idea is considered. ]

Is it truly an inappropriate use? It could be said that while we inhabit this place, our purpose is to complete the tasks we are set. Perhaps it is not possible within the system's bounds to only send a select few people out of Etraya - it must be all or nothing.

[ It seems like a very ill thought out attempt at discipline and entertainment, but it is, at the very least, an Effort. ]

In which case, attempting to be sent back would also be a waste of time.

Oh yes, our tasks.

[ He sneers. ]

Making bracelets? Telling stories?

[ his eyes roll. Silco thinks that this is still insulting. ]

If they have the ability to bring us back to life, or transport us from other worlds, then they have the ability to leave us alone during a mission.

[ I mean... ]

If they aren't, then they should consider sending us back.

[ Imagine! Him returning alive!! ]

[ Still painting that rock. He's working on details now, making infinitesmally small adjustments to get it juuuuust right. ]

Perhaps Aurora simply wishes to encourage bonding, though I do not know why that would be needed.

I suppose that you are correct in that it is not an ideal situation, but...you really do not find this the slightest bit interesting? [ He's, for once, audibly puzzled. Comfortable enough to show his emotions, mostly because Silco is having so many of them that he thinks it will be fine if he Expresses His Own Opinion. ] It is at least an opportunity for new information.

[ He's learned about...french fries and friendship bracelets?? Pointless, yes, but it does please him in an abstract way. It's New Data. ]

New information.

[ He says, with a roll of his eyes. ]

Like what colors you pick when you color rocks? No thank you. I can find more useful information by watching people in the city itself.

[ Complain, complain, complain. He pulls a flask out from his vest, to take a drink.

Yeah. He's That Guy. ]

We're supposed to be doing something to save our worlds, yes? This is senseless. A waste of time.

I could be doing much more on my own elsewhere. They should learn not to waste our time.

[ Maybe he's just missing something. Talking to Silco is like continuously putting his hand in a furnace for no particular reason, and yet he still does it. ]

I do not discriminate. I suppose it could be said that anything could be a useful key, but it is still my responsibility to gather data.

[ For absent creators, yes. For his own sake, probably. He needs to have something to do or he'll go a little bit more off the rails than he already is. ]

If it was suddenly revealed to be important, would your opinion change? [ He tilts his head. ] Or would it remain a senseless task that you would be unhappy to do regardless?

Hm.

[ He eyes the activity. ]

I wouldn't do it. After all, if the information is to be gathered, it would be from the individuals performing the activity.

[ He points to the rock, slowly being painted. ]

What you are painting onto it, for example. Some may paint a person, a thing, a place. They may use decor from their worlds.

[ Hey, Silco can see it, even if he hates it, clearly. ]

I wouldn't be interested in providing that information to other people. Were it to be useful, of course.

[ He's continued idly painting as they talk. He glances down at it, mildly surprised Silco even mentioned it, and there's a sudden little sting of nostalgia and...something else.

Sha'Hala had been a steadfast companion in its own way, a reassurance, a promise of continuance. He's surprised he misses it. He's surprised that he can miss it... ]

So it is not worth it to you, to give away even that much of yourself.

[ He considers this. It's a new way of looking at the situation, certainly, though not an unfamiliar way. It's not what he would choose for himself, but... ]

Interesting. That is a perspective I had not really considered, though... [ He falters. A human might have taken a breath here before continuing. ] I do not believe I would adopt it as my own.

[ There's a slight trepidation to the words, as if the Custodian expects...something to happen upon saying them. What that might be is unclear. ]

MISSION 009

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