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

[ John looks up from his threads when someone approaches, but thankfully it's just Carver, which is a relief. It's strange seeing Carver in something that isn't a dark color with full coverage, it feels wrong somehow, it's like seeing a tree without the bark. He takes note of the look on his face, but it's nothing he wouldn't expect in this situation. ]

It could be worse. We could be having to sing songs around the campfire.

Ew. Don't even joke.

[ Carver makes a face, shifting so he can watch their corners. That part, at least, is simple. And he doesn't like all the openings here, all the ways an enemy might approach unseen. Too much chaos in the area, too many people embracing idiocy. ]

What're you making?

[ John flashes the instruction card at Carver so he can see it more clearly. ]

A friendship bracelet. Not that I think anyone will actually wear it, so it's just going to a friendship strand. But if it turns out a disaster I'm tossing it and hoping my participation counts enough.

[ And if it doesn't... he hopes Harold won't be too off put by receiving it. John never gives him physical things and this is such a silly item. A friendship bracelet. ]

[ He doesn't crouch down for a closer look, but he glances at the booklet and then at the work John's doing. How the knots come together, piece by piece. Of all the things they've been forced into here, this one is - perhaps - marginally less hateful.

Carver puffs out a breath. ]

Show me?

[ The instruction card is turned around so John can follow it again, and hesitantly he loops one strand around the next, pulls it tight, and then does the same to the neighbor. ]

Something like this. I did Scouts so you'd think I could do some knots, but I feel like it's not coming together.

[ But it feels like Carver has maybe relaxed a fraction, and he's not making fun of John like some other friends would, so John has no reservations showing off his poor efforts. ]

[ Carver crosses his arms, eyes narrowed. ]

Of course you were a Boy Scout, [ he mutters, but he doesn't taunt John for it. Just watches the motion of John's hands, how the pieces slot together and become the whole piece by piece, moment by moment. ] I don't understand what we're supposed to get out of this.

Edited 2025-06-09 02:17 (UTC)

[ John lets the Boy Scout comment slide. It's just that his parents needed something to do with him, especially after his dad died. ]

So far I haven't seen much to "get out" of the missions. Aphaia might be the exception to that. Echo just seems to like testing our teamwork.

Anyone can work together when the stakes are low, [ Carver mutters. This is bullshit and he knows it, thinks the others know it too. No one else seems to be going crazy like him, though. ]

[ He's not wrong. He remembers Dazai talking about his theory that this is some form of entertainment for an invisible audience; they get given these tasks and run around for the amusement of others.

He doesn't think that's an idea he should dangle in front of Carver. ]

Some people were more suited to Aphaia, some are more suited to making friendship bracelets. I don't think it's the task so much as the effort.

I'm not suited to campfires and playing Twenty Questions, but here we fucking stand.

[ Mostly, he just sounds tired. ]

I liked it better when they were trying to kill us.

This feels like they wanted it to be an "easy" mission. Last one was Aphaia, before that was the train. Both were pretty big tests of skill, both mental and physical. There's a lot of young people here who probably benefit from having something "fun" to do.

[ It's a bit hazy but he can remember how Carver lit up when they were sparring, how alive he seemed; this is almost the polar opposite, there's no way Carver isn't having a terrible time.

And that's not to say that John... isn't having fun. Or at least, he's trying. He has to get used to this, it's his life now. These missions are all he has left. It's not just for doing well on this test, he needs to get something out of these things or there's really nothing left at all. ]

[ That makes sense, Carver supposes. Giving everyone a breather before tossing them into the shit again. Maybe that would comfort a civilian. Maybe it'd comfort someone who's not wound so goddamn tight.

It feels like a wound to him. Nothing he wants to keep.

He exhales. ]

I try not to think about the kids. They shouldn't be here.

I know. I keep meaning to ask Aurora about them, but I don't think there's anything she can do about it. I took a little girl canoeing who asked about the "fishies". Couldn't have been more than ten.

[ Fio was adorable. He wants nothing more than to see her have fun at summer camp, run around and have fun. Nothing like Aphaia, nothing like the train. Those weren't places for someone her age. This burden isn't something for someone her age. ]

[ Carver works his jaw and looks away. Kids get fucked up all the time, he knows. They die for nothing. That was true even before the world ended. John served, he did his time in the scrum. He knows.

Nobody needs to say it again. ]

These things happen.

[ These things do happen. ]

But they shouldn't.

[ But they shouldn't. And John will do everything in his power to protect these kids. Everything. Even if it means dying. Even if he died a final death, broke his promise to Harold and left him alone. He knows Harold would understand, this is something they see eye to eye on. This is their purpose. ]

[ Carver makes a bitter sound. ]

So what? We can't do shit about that.

MISSION 009

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