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

Jayce Talis | Arcane | OTA

[hexcope]

CAMP ETRAYA

[He’s not an “outdoorsy” kind of guy. One of his few trips out of Piltover wasn’t exactly camping either- the heat of the Shuriman desert made that impossible for someone unaccustomed to the climate, and it’s not like there’s even a nearby forest to pretend to camp at in Piltover. The closest one could get is if they slept overnight in one of the local city parks— highly frowned upon by the Enforcers.

Between that one trip to the desert and that one time when he was a child, the idea of not living in a building with running water was pretty foreign to him. But if this is the mission… then it’s the mission. That doesn’t mean he isn’t overpacking for this. Like, three cases of luggage level of overpacking. There’s sixteen sets of clothes, all his facial and haircare products along with all hygiene products, extra tools (just in case), several notepads and writing supplies along with multiple books he is “definitely going to read” (he won’t be).

As they arrive and he drops his backs to the ground- within seconds, he closes his eyes and shakes his head.]

I forgot bug spray.

JAGUAR CABIN

[Having to share a room with someone isn’t something he’s actually ever had to do, let alone with four other people. He’s now regretting not also bringing ear plugs because what if one of them snores? There’d be no way he could sleep here through that.

As Jayce is trying to slide all of his suitcases underneath the bed and make potential escape plans for sleeping in another quieter cabin if need be, he’s also taking a list at the “tasks” they have to accomplish while here. Compared to ‘survive’ and ‘find the king,’ these are easy.]

Run chess club? Capture the flag strategy?

[He snorts a laugh and raises an eyebrow at that one, given his last experience with capture the flag.]

Mood board— what’s a mood board? Design obstacle route, lead “fun fact of the day…” 

[Children’s games, essentially. He can do that. “Fun fact of the day” doesn’t seem too bad.]

FUN FACT OF THE DAY

[Overnight, there on some large notice board near the center of camp is a new chart, with each day squared off neatly calendar-style, and within each square is a similarly neatly written “Fun Fact.” They’re all science themed, and if you’ve caught a glimpse of who’s putting up those facts, it’d be pretty obvious why. At around 10AM every morning, Jayce arrives with pen in hand, and writes in a new fact of the day, as the chart he leaves behind looking like this:]



[As he stands back and looks at his work, he might turn to look over his shoulder if he notices he’s being watched.]

Pretty good ones, right?

WILDCARD

[IDK WE DO WHATEVER IM LITERALLY EIGHT YEARS LATE]

FUN FACT OF THE DAY

[godsandbats]

[At least one of them is making the best out of this mission. Kirk isn't too pleased by all the force socialization this mission wants them all to do.

But Kirk noticed Jayce putting up notes on the board and was curious enough to stop and watch]

All facts most people wouldn't know. This is part of your job?

[hexcope]

One of them. "Lead fun fact of the day." Easier than running Chess Club. I'm going to let Harold handle that one...

[Seems more like his type of thing than Jayce's.]

[godsandbats]

[Kirk looks again at the board through his red goggles]

Agreed, especially if you already come from a scholarly background.

[hexcope]

Well, hey, I also come from a scholarly background, I'm just not a professor.

[Which Harold will deny being, but Jayce knows teacher material when he sees one.]

What are your tasks?

[godsandbats]

Find recycled items for building materials, help out with conducting bottle rocket experiments, and do daily supply checks for the shed.

Nothing particularly exciting but I remember doing bottle rocket experiments when I was a kid.

[hexcope]

The ones with the foam, right? About chemical reactions between reactive materials? I did those too. I think I was... maybe six years old?

JAGUAR CABIN

[ornithologist]

[ Harold is standing nearby with a single packed suitcase, not moving, not doing anything with it. There's more beds than campers, so he's claimed an entire set of top and bottom bunk, standing protectively in front of it. He's still in a full three-piece suit, and it's perhaps the first time he and Jayce have met in person rather than over the network. In person, he has a heavy, uneven gait and a tight composure.

His suit is also, it should be said, artfully classy, tasteful rather than gaudy. He absolutely knows what a mood board is and is not explaining it.

He looks around in muted dismay. ] If I run chess club, do you think I can get a single cabin?

[hexcope]

If that gambit worked, I'd be trying it myself.

[Jayce rises to his feet, dusts off his hands and holds one out to shake. Maybe Harold's seen what he looks like, perhaps through one of the big screens in Aphaia when he competed against Accelerator, but it's even more impressive in person. Over six feet, extremely well-built, to the point his clothes mostly seem to cling to him, if it weren't for the fact he was wearing their newly required tie-dye t-shirts, and his was a little oversized. By appearance alone, he looks nothing like a nerd.]

Nice to finally meet you in person.

[ornithologist]

[ Harold is at least used to being overshadowed by muscled figures whether taller (John) or shorter (Shaw) than him. He accepts the handshake readily, with a poised kind of reserve that indicates he isn't altogether fond of personal contact but respects the pleasantry enough to engage in it. For his part, he's even more professorial in person. ]

You as well, Mr. Tallis. Though I don't think it was necessary to bring your entire personal inventory of possessions here with you.

[ He nods toward the plethora of luggage Jayce brought with him. It's a good redirection, as Harold would rather not get into how terminally shy he actually is, and how mortified he feels about having to change or sleep in a group setting. ]

[hexcope]

Never know what you might need. I don't like being unprepared. If I could have brought my whole forge here, I would have.

[Half a joke, but like... he really would have.]

It's pretty lucky we're bunking together actually. I have some notes on some research I wanted to go through with you. Once we're settled in, of course.

[But even though he said he planned on waiting, he slides out one of the suitcases, this one full of jackets and books specifically, and reveals a simple blue spiral-bound journal.]

A little messy, but I was hoping you'd have some thoughts on this. When you have a moment, I mean.

[He holds out the journal, keeping a steady amount of eye contact. He's used to the shyness than can accompany genius, but he also knows the worst thing he could do in a situation like that is to change how he behaves in response to it. If the introvert he's interacting with picks up that he's modified his behavior too much, it just makes everything that much more awkward.

If Harold takes the journal and opens it, it's...

code.

Handwritten lines of code. A lot of it's scratched out and replaced with new lines, or in some places, white-out being used to alter a single character. It varies from clearly what's initial starts to a simple counting program, to ways to organize a list of information, and etcetra. All very newbie work.]

[ornithologist]

[ Harold is shy in many aspects, but in regards to his intellect he's merely self-effacing. He doesn't like anyone idolizing him -- he isn't even fully comfortable with the word genius -- but he does truly love his field, and his immediate interest is evident as he sets his own luggage aside and takes the notebook.

Unwittingly, a slight smile crosses his lips as he flips it open. ] Goodness, it's been years since I saw code written on paper. Perhaps I should get you some COBOL coding sheets. [ It's nostalgic for him. Back in the very early days of computers, Harold had paper and punch cards himself. As a lover of physical media, occasionally he still sketches something half-formed onto paper before sitting down to work on it with a keyboard and screen.

He glances through the pages. ] Your handwriting is atrocious. [ It's absolutely all over the place. ] Would you like me to show you the basic text program available on your device? I recommend acquiring a peripheral keyboard -- it can sync wirelessly -- but there is eye motion controlled input as an option as well.

[ Harold doesn't want to be tech support to anyone, but he does love to encourage skill development. Perhaps he should make an IDE for a common beginner language like C or Java, given the amount of interest he's been getting in coding... ]

[hexcope]

I couldn't get any of the computers at STAR labs working, so...

[He made due with what he knew, which is handwritten notes.]

My handwriting is fine. [It's only a little bit hard to decipher in places, but he knows what it says!] -I could have been using my device this entire time?

[He could be doing this on the go? He'd never put it down, if that's the case. Harold out here, encouraging dangerous habits.]

Yes, absolutely! I mean, please. This is going to make everything so much easier. I should tell you about the other ideas I have for the advanced prosthetics I'm planning on- I know you've got artificial intelligence nailed down, but how much experience do you have with nanomachines?

[If it sounds like he's building up to a ramble, that would be a correct assessment.]

Fun Fact of the Day

[levelshift]

[Accelerator hasn't been back from Solmara for very long, but he's aware he needs to at least make a token attempt at camp activities in order to catch up and not fail this dumb mission. Not his favourite, he'd rather just curl up in bed until it's all done, but he's unfortunately too responsible to give up.

Wandering around the camp and looking for something easy he can do that doesn't require any physical activity, he'll come upon Jayce and his post-it note board. Stopping, he raises an eyebrow as he reads a few of them. Okay, this is dorky but infinitely better than capture the flag.]

Were you assigned to do this? [Or is this just something you're doing for fun, you big nerd?]

[hexcope]

Ace!

[He had been standing back and admiring his work when Accelerator approaches, and sorry buddy but he's going in for a hug before he stops himself and then coughs into his hand like he hadn't been very obvious in his attempted gesture.]

Everything go okay? Everyone alive?

[levelshift]

[Oh God.

Unfortunately for Jayce, Accelerator is on the ball and catches what he's doing, taking a small step backwards with a tense expression that doesn't leave his face, even after the guy stops himself. He's practically radiating feral cat energy right now.]

... Yeah. Alrys is dead, but I think that's a net benefit for everyone.

[hexcope]

I didn't make contact, calm down.

[Even as he says this, it doesn't wipe the smile off his face as he puts his hands on his hips. He only grows a moment more serious when Accelerator announces Alrys' death.]

Yeah, well... It needed to be done, didn't it?

[Maybe more of a flippant response from Jayce than Accelerator might have expected.]

[levelshift]

[Jayce gets a petulant scowl in return, as well as a surprised pause.

Yep, that's incredibly flippant given the subject. He'd fully expect it from someone like himself, but not Jayce.]

... It did. [He nods slowly.] That doesn't bother you?

[hexcope]

Alrys wasn't just a danger to the people of Solmara. Only a matter of time before she tried to invade here. The team did what they had to.

[Although a part of him hopes Caitlyn nor Accelerator were directly involved in whatever murder happened.]

fun facts!

[donfire]

[Ace had been going to the board to read the fact of the day every day at noon, and nodding along as if he knew what some of the things meant. Like number two, what's a square root?

But fact number eight leaves him stumped.

He's staring at his fingers really hard, trying to figure if, even he, has this layer of water on them. He licks them, and the saliva evaporates almost immediately. Humming, Ace goes back to staring at his fingertips.]

Is this even real?

[hexcope]

[Jayce is tacking on the newest fact as Ace stands nearby, reads it, and then... licks his fingers? Alright.]

Yes, it's real. It's not a tangible layer of water that helps you pick things up, but part of your skin barrier. Were you trying to... taste it?

[donfire]

Nope, trying to see if it evaporated with everything else!

[He shows his hand to the man and smiles.]

My body's too hot for liquid to stay on it for long, so it made me wonder if I really do have that layer too.

[hexcope]

As a superpower?

[That's how he's come to understand it.]

How does that work? Do you still sweat? You must be able to retain water within you, or you wouldn't look normal.

The heat must come out from your skin layer, which should mean you don't have that liquid layer... I wonder, does that mean you're less likely to conduct electricity than others?

[donfire]

Yeah! Something like that.

[Ace listens and wonders that last part too.]

Well, my body can turn into fire, and when it does, it's not in physical form anymore. I do sweat but only a little, it evaporates almost as fast as it appears.

And I haven't encountered someone with electricity based powers so I'm not entirely sure.

[hexcope]

Oh, I get it now.

[He's a mage! That all makes sense now. Only a mage could turn their body into fire.]

Actually, everyone conducts electricity, including you! It's a part of being alive. Our brains have small electrical impulses in them that generate thought, and those electrical impulses paired with the natural water in our bodies mean that we are all at least a little bit electric. But you're a strange one. I'm not sure how it would work with you...

[A hand on his chin as he looks Ace over.]