etrayalogs | JUNE MINGLE.

JUNE MINGLE.

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: Late June into Early July
WHERE: On Etraya
WHAT: A mingle log!
NOTES\WARNINGS: N/A, please note any needed warnings in threads.

⏵ arrival ⏴
Maybe your arrival goes as anticipated. Characters awaken in the pristine, new hospital, greeted by Aurora and potentially getting a rundown of what's happening depending on their approach to being dropped somewhere new. The door to their room opens, and new arrivals are left free to explore their new environment.

Or perhaps you started in space. Perhaps you were stuck on a space station, trying to escape a black hole for who knows how long. Time isn't consistent there, not like it's meant to be.

And then you're here. Maybe you stepped foot into an odd hallway, which broke off into an escape pod which promptly disappeared entirely and ended up docking on the Southeast part of the city. Perhaps you had been walking through the hallways when suddenly you felt a pull. A tugging sensation in your gut, moments before the floor dropped away and the air was stolen from your lungs. It almost, almost feels like dying - like drowning but without the water. Stars flash before your eyes, and a warm sensation begins spreading from that tug. Right when it feels like it's beginning to get too hot, you're suddenly too cold.

And standing in front of Corrine's Cafe, drenched in fluid that's a little too gooey (don't put it in your mouth, Connor) to be considered water. Maybe don't think about that too hard.

A few companion bots swarm the area before long, bringing towels and apologies for newcomers. This isn't how you're meant to arrive, but at least they got you off that ship! They'll hand over an earpiece, but rather than earpieces that are not yet programmed with names, the companion bots have taken it upon themselves to give names out to the newcomers. Some may be closer to an average name, like "Jimmy Smith", or "Arthur Pendragon" (that's normal, right?), or they may be something a little more nonsensical, like "CHEESE IS DELICIOUS".

If they make their way to the hospital, Aurora will give something closer to her normal spiel. Those who don't may want to ask some of their newfound friends because there's no explanation given by the bots working the cafe or those who have come to help. Maybe the others who have been here longer will have a better explanation.

⏵ friendship bracelets ⏴
On July 1st, Aurora sends out a message to everyone through their ear pieces:

Hello, Citizens of Etraya.

I am glad that you enjoyed your coffee break. Given the success of this previous endeavor, I have opted to try another experiment. This mission is optional, you are not required to complete it. However, the successful completion of this mission may aid in assisting me in assigning similar missions in the future. I would recommend, if you enjoy the task, to make an attempt.

My companion bots will be handing out ten beads to each participant along with a piece of string. You will each receive one red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, pink, silver, and black bead. The goal of this mission will be to assemble a bracelet that is one color, by exchanging beads between participants. You may choose what finished color you would like to aim for. Given the limited quantity of beads, you will want to ensure you are choosing a color that has not already been widely chosen.

I would like to see twenty completed bracelets. Once completed, you may return them to any companion bot. I have set up the Diner to accommodate this, but you may participate from anywhere on Etraya.

If I receive at least twenty bracelets, I will provide two of those who complete theirs the opportunity to assist me in choosing not the next mission, but the one after that.

Thank you,
Aurora

As stated in Aurora's announcement, the Diner has been set up with numerous "friendship" themed party banners. There are cookies and cakes out on the tables, although they may not be to everyone's tastes: some of the flavors are a little outrageous, while others are more generic. Just don't expect that cookie that looks like it has pickles in it instead of chocolate chips to be anything but a pickle cookie. Because it is one.

⏵ nova city ⏴ The Southeast of Etraya had been relatively empty; Wolf Cove has overtaken the southernmost bit of land with its own little environmental set up: instead of the green grass featured in the rest of Etraya, it's covered in snow. But Wolf Cove isn't the only new addition: Nova City has overtaken a large portion of two massive islands. Numerous skyscrapers stand tall enough that their rooftops almost hit the atmospheric bubble Etraya has surrounded itself in.

The buildings themselves, however, are empty. There is no furniture, no signs of life, no dust, even. These facilities were not put here to use the insides of the buildings, but for the sake of having buildings.

But like with all new additions to Etraya, new buildings also mean an array of new creatures. Birds of all shapes and sizes flock to the empty city, enjoying standing on top of street lamps, stray cats wander through alleyways, rodents of all shapes have begun appearing and making themselves comfortable. But those aren't the issue.

It's the massive snakes that take up almost entire alleyways as they make their way between buildings, attempting to devour any creature small enough to fit into their mouths that happen to come across them. The green dragon that has built a nest on one of the taller buildings, and has a habit of swatting at anyone who comes near her - or worse yet, when she's particularly in a foul mood, breathes fire on them.

Aurora has asked for those capable, to try and handle at least the snakes. They're fine while they're in the city, but there is no guarantee they will stay there. The dragon at least seems content staying right where she is.

⏵ NOTES ⏴

To report a completed bracelet, please reply to the bracelet turn-in comment. Given the fifth mission is scheduled in September, we will continue to accept submissions for this through the beginning of August, at which point we will randomly select two characters.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply to our mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ His expression doesn't change, though it shifts, like one chewing on an unappetising dish they're not really sure what to make of. This is that dish. ]

...we have humans. They're just--humans, [ he offers, as if it would mean anything other than how odd the situation is, where apparently humans are just...the common element. ] They can do the same as everyone else, so-- it's weird, how many people come from worlds like that.

[ Having an archdevil friend might be weird, but it's about as weird as that human race majority that's present here, for a half-orc. ]

I can see how that'd be strange.

[Imagine if he'd gone to that other dimension, and a whole group of people just...didn't exist?]

Off-putting, even. Maybe there's some sort of bias to how they choose the dimensions to pull from...there's no reason at all humans ought to be the most represented, if it were purely random.

[He hasn't been around long, so that's based more on his perceptions from looking around than any real demographics. But it seems to at least skew very heavily human.]

[ He does nod to that. Awkward at least about the situation, but not sound sad about it. ]

The people I've talked to don't understand the reasoning behind a lot of what's going on. I mean-- you heard about the missions before?

I heard a bit about them, yes. They sound...arbitrary.

[He's heard anything from "there was a weird doll" to "actual Saw traps".]

It could be team, seeing how we spread information, work with other people. [ ...but even saying that, his expression unchanged: ]

But, yeah, I don't get how it works for the larger picture, for our-- our universes.

[ Even thinking about it in terms of teamwork is flimsy. ]

When I heard about that originally, I assumed she'd be doing more to pit us against each other. Theoretically, we are all in competition, aren't we?

[He doesn't sound very serious about it, though. Otto's not inclined to play into something like that, even if that were what they wanted.]

Don't get me wrong - I certainly prefer teamwork.

[ Hm. Gorgug considers it. ]

It could be both. [ He's thinking through it-- ] Seeing what people do, I mean-- if people start keeping things or don't share everything with each other, then, if you're judging universes on a couple of people from them... maybe you want to mould them a certain way. Make them extra paranoid about the messages they get sent are right, or seeing if people will work together to get a spaceship out of trouble...

[ He feels the beads in his pocket. ] Even exchanging beads tells a lot about the people. How we are as a group, and individually.

If you're using people to decide what universes get to stay, you, you probably want people who think a certain way. Who doesn't see everyone as competition, but can, like, make hard choices.

That could certainly be.

[Otto nods thoughtfully.]

I hate the whole idea of it. Judging worthiness like that.

Yeah. It sucks, whatever they're doing. [ Plain and simple, really. ]

Either they don't know what they're doing, or the reason they pick who they do... I know me and my friends don't make sense. Or why there's four of us and some people don't think there's anyone else from their same world.

There's got to be some reason for that that isn't straightforward.

I'm not a good choice, either. I think they may have been aiming for someone else, and I was just standing nearby.

[Really, he thinks somebody mistook "Spider-Man" for "guy with eight limbs". But explaining all of that is just too much effort. He says it like a joke, anyway, even if there's some bitterness to it.]

[ Hm. He looks at Otto's...added features. ]

I bet it's 'cause of your cool limbs. [ A beat. ] And the dimension hopping.

Ha! Yes, probably so. [One way or another.] I have also considered that I was just easy to grab, traveling between universes like I was.

[Though Peter - his Peter - was doing the exact same thing at the exact same time, so the question of them being confused still remains.]

[ You know, about that happenin... ]

Do you know how that happened in the first place? [ From a furrowed brow, to total interest: ] --Was it a machine?

[ Please say it was a machine. ]

A wizard did it. Both times.

[Sorry! Otto too is less than thrilled by this fact, as much as he can no longer deny it!]

Magic wasn't even real, in my dimension.

[ It's not like he minds wizards, especially when artificing involves machine, but Gorgug still looks visibly disappointed by that.

It feels more attainable when you stick it in an object. ]

That was the guy who was your villain?

[ You know. He's now 'villain guy'. ]

It was an accident, apparently.

[Villain...? That's funny, when you think about it. Otto is not fond of Strange, but you can't deny that he was right. The cost of helping them was probably not worth it.

If it were only Otto, he'd say it wasn't worth it at all. But, then, there's the others to think of.]

But it's difficult for me to be entirely upset. An old friend of mine was caught up in it too. He...died, years ago, but of course time travel's practically incidental if you can transport people across dimensions. I don't know if he was from my exact timeline, or what the consequences might be, but he would have been sent back before his own death. He'll probably survive this time.

Oh-- yeah, that's good. I would like that if it happened to me. A chance's a chance.

[ Dying? Not that good. And if there isn't a lot of magic in their world, fucking with time travel is a good way of working it out. ]

You're gonna be okay though? Maybe you should remember what you were doing before everything happened. Make sure you weren't walking near traffic or something.

[Otto chuckles.]

Oh, no, I'm well aware I could die. Things already weren't looking good by the time I left.

[no explanation of why that's funny]

[ Well now, you can't say that in front of a teen and not expect to get-- ]

Was something happening?

[ Like, it could be an illness, but?? ]

[sure, but we can just call it:]

Nuclear incident. I think something was about to explode. Or perhaps implode.

...Ohhhhhhhhhhh...

[ Well, hm. That's got Gorgug wincing, and he's looking at Otto. ]

Sorry. That-- a lot about what was going on around you sucked, huh.

[ Woof. Nuclear power might not be much of a thing in his world, but exploding or imploding is, and so he can understand the implications of that. It's hardly an implication. ]

Well - the way I look at it, maybe it could be something of a second chance. It was all happening very quickly before, and I don't know if I could have handled it then...I suppose I know that I didn't, in one timeline. But now, I've at least got plenty of time to come up with a plan.

[Will he? Otto still rather doubts it. He has greater doubts about whether he should - it sounds like he was the only casualty, after all, so the stakes aren't...exactly high.

But this is a much nicer way to put things. Otto doesn't need to dump any of that nonsense on some teenager.]

[ Oh, that's smart. ]

You can go back with a shield. [ Not only that-! ] And if magic took you away the first time, then-- that means magic could work to keep you safe. Even just for a blast.

Do you know enough to estimate the power of the blast?

[ For research, Otto. ]

It would simplify things, if I can take anything back with me.

[Tools, maybe some protection? There's a wide range of things he can probably get here. Magic, even - the kid's right, it's clearly capable of reaching into his universe even if it doesn't exist there, so it would probably work.]

I do. Without any sort of counter-measures being taken, it's going to wipe out the city. I could collapse the whole thing and drown the reaction in the river, but I wouldn't survive that. I think it must be what happened in the original timeline.

[Peter probably hadn't had a choice. Otto had been too stubborn and foolish, and Spider-Man did what he had to do. Fair enough; Otto doesn't blame him for it. It's what he'd planned to do himself, before he ended up here instead.]

[ A city is a very big radius, huh. ]

I can't think of something to stop that right now. [ Unsurprising, for a seventeen year old. ] But that doesn't mean you couldn't do something. I mean--I think it's worth finding out.

[ Because maybe they shouldn't be getting hopes up, but is it worth completely dismissing? It's not every day you get a chance to stop a city from getting wiped out! ...not that Gorgug has been there for that, but he would be for stopping such an event. ]

It's similar to what was happening on the spaceship.

[ A ship stuck in a moment before a disaster... they just need the right tools. ]

JUNE MINGLE.

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cw: suicidal ideation

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cw: suicidal ideation

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