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

[ That, that actually gets Shigeru's attention. Luckily, he's not exactly a deep sleeper, but hearing his name and with that panicked tone...Shigeru does actually open his eyes, which glow golden for a second or two as he gasps. Because his tentacles sure are...doing things without his permission?? He will turn over to spot Jayce and just fumble a little out of his bottom bunk, hitting his head in the process. ] Oh my god?!

[ Hjjsd! Stupid tentacles!! The eyes will all turn to Shigeru before he lets out a controlled breath, and they free themselves from around Jayce's ankles. They'll disappear in short order, and Shigeru will hurry over to Jayce with an awkward, worried look. Gloved hands held up as he gives Jayce a few once-overs. ] I-I'm so sorry, Jayce! Are-are you okay?

[The tentacles rescind once Shigeru wakes up and calls them off, but that leaves more questions than it answers. At least now he can move his ankles and re-balance himself.]

Fine, I'm fine...

[He's not hurt, just confused.]

They're a part of you?

Oh! Uh. [ Cue Shigeru internally keysmashing. He was not prepared for this conversation!! ] Y-Yes...?

[ He looks so embarrassed and a little ashamed. ] Sorry. They're...they're weird, I know. I can't control them very well yet either. I-I guess when I sleep, they're more like a...security measure or something? M-Maybe they just manifested because I'm worried about stuff?! I-I don't know.

[ Well, he was stabbed through the heart before arriving here, so it's only natural for his body to be on high alert. But that's a trauma he's not going to get into!! ] It won't...happen again.

[ Can't happen if he doesn't sleep! ]

[The ways that "magic" manifests in so many people here is no longer a novelty to Jayce, but it is astounding that there's so much variation to it. What purpose could semi-sentient tentacles serve? Defensive, obviously, but also... useful for handling things? That's pretty useful too.]

Hey, it's okay. No one was hurt. I was only startled.

[It was a little freaky, sure, but this guy seems like a nervous wreck, and that's probably not helping his inability to control them.]

It sounds like it could happen again when you go to sleep, if they're showing up because you're worried. Is it something you could talk to someone about?

[ Shigeru's nerves are certainly not helping with his inability to control them, no. As one slowly makes itself known again, Shigeru has to almost comically shove the stupid thing back into the floorboards that are shrouded in darkness. ]

Talk to someone...n-no! [ A slight wince because that came out a bit too rough. ] I don't-I don't want to bother anyone with stuff like that.

[ You can fit so much trauma in this bad boy! ] I could just...not sleep? [ Shigeru??? ]

Maybe I could sleep outside if I have to? [ Shigeru...stop. ]

Not sleeping is not an option long-term. You see this?

[He points to his eye, specifically, the dark circle underneath it.]

Years of not sleeping well. Permanent. Don't let this happen.

[Jayce sighs and puts his hands on his hips.]

And sleeping outside is going to get you in trouble with the counselors. As long as you don't think they'll attack anyone at night, and we warn the others in our cabin that this could happen, you'll be fine. It's just... tentacles.

Edited 2025-06-08 14:45 (UTC)

I-I guess. I don't really think I need to-to sleep, though?

[ Shigeru, what the hell does that mean?! But he does not explain it and merely frowns because those are some eye bags on this poor guy. ] So you're not sleeping either, then? Are you okay?

[ Shigeru, please, but he does look worried. ]

Yeah, I'm fine. [Brushes off the concern, as he follows up with:] If you don't need to sleep, then why were you?

I-I guess it's just a force of habit? I haven't...really gotten used to the fact that I don't need to anymore.

[ Just fiddling with his gloves as he says that. He will give Jayce a sheepish smile before shrugging. ]

So this... [A little gesture to where the tentacles were last seen,] ...is a new development for you.

[What an odd thing to experience then, suddenly become so wildly different. It took him years to navigate his own growth spurt as a teenager, but at least he didn't have to worry about shadow tentacles that operate without intention.

Maybe despite what he should be doing, Jayce takes half a step closer.]

And you can just hide them anywhere?

[ Jayce, buddy, you don't even know the half of it!!! Shigeru sighs as his shoulders sag even more.

But Jayce stepping closer makes Shigeru twitch, and he replies in kind by moving backwards just a little. ]

Um! W-Well...yes it-it's very new. I. [ Hm, he'll just give a very short version of his disastrous life right now. No sense in telling a complete stranger that he's turned into an eldritch god and has two gods fused into his soul!! ] I-I came into some new powers back home, and I didn't really realize how hard they would be to control! Most of the time, they're just not there?? But I can just conjure them up from dark places, like my shadow or other people's shadows. It's more like my powers are the ability to manipulate darkness and stuff.

-Sorry.

[Jayce stops himself. He always finds himself moving closer when he's interested in something, but Shigeru's obvious discomfort has him taking his own step back again.]

Would you feel better if we kept the lights on when we slept? Less places for shadows to manifest.

MISSION 009

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