etrayalogs | Mission 013 Log

Mission 013 Log

Mission Summary

Genre: Survival / Exploration / Spooky

Premise: Mesa is a wild, lawless land of megafauna, from feathered dinosaurs to redwoods soaring stories high. Etrayans must document what remains of a world on its way out and then get out alive, surviving in the wilderness for two weeks while fighting off a hostile environment. Most importantly of all: beware the dark.

Tone: Dark and philosophical. Is this a world worth saving?

Objectives: Take samples and record for posterity what happened on Mesa. Demonstrate appreciation of what is lost and the capacity to preserve it.

❬ all that men presume ❭

While Mesa is full of life even now, with large creatures roaming the continents and making themselves comfortable, there are traces indicating that at one point this wilderness was constructed. The Citadel, a galaxy-spanning empire, had wanted to collect creatures from the numerous inhabited planets they could reach, and selected Mesa as the location for their conservatory given its lack of sentient residents. Once a carefully maintained vacation destination for Citadel elite, landscapes were meticulously groomed and animal husbandry was rigorously planned to create fascinating creatures across generations.

A good idea, in theory. Perhaps even in practice, given that whilst the rest of this galaxy has collapsed and died, this particular planet is still standing, along with all the creatures that had been transplanted onto it to call it their home.

Now abandoned by the Citadel, Mesa returns slowly to its original state: a deserted planet much like Etraya was before Aurora and Borealis's cities had been developed on it. Which is why Aurora has sent the Etrayans abroad: gather data on those who still live amongst Mesa's population, so that these creatures will not be forgotten as their predecessors have been.

Aurora's portal brings characters to a bare base camp, previously visited by a spare few of her bots in order to outfit it with just enough to allow them to survive. Simply called the Lux, their base camp takes the form of a massive spire with a built-in high-powered lamp at the peak, which bathes the entire outside of the building in light at all times. Some rooms hidden within the facility provide darkened spots to allow Etrayans to rest safely.

Aurora had told them that they must make sure to not be out in the dark -- hopefully the spire's eternal light as well as how carefully the entire outside of the structure is lit up offers them enough of a reminder to listen.

Possible Hooks
• Taking stock of your assigned team that you've just met, sharing supplies, and getting ready to leave on your assignment.
• Building up the base to serve as a safe respite for the time on Mesa.
• Returning to camp between assignments for a breather or because you've spent a little too long out in the dark.

❬ a conservatory left behind ❭

Mesa's ecosystems are dominated by megafauna: creatures of immense size and stature, often with lengthy lifespans and narrow biome niches. Most are locked to their environments, adapted precisely to the area they reside in, with little chance of surviving outside of their specific ecosystem. A swamp titan would not survive the cold tundra that the ice leopards call home, and the ice leopards cannot survive in the ashy, hot environment that let horned beetles thrive. Smaller animals may exist amongst them, but they are significantly less common. Many rely on the larger creatures for survival: feeding off of the parasites that attach themselves to their massive bodies, or nesting within their fur.

Much of the wildlife exhibits ancient evolutionary traits, behaviors and patters long-since established with no signs of further development. They no longer evolve with time and generations but instead have settled into their place on their planet.

The megafauna are not the only living beings on Mesa. Scattered across the planet are traces of civilization: abandoned ranger stations, research laboratories, and observation outposts. While these locations appear as if the technology within them was at one time advanced, it has now become nonfunctional, left to rot without maintenance over the generations.

Yet some of these structures still contain life, the descendants of the humanoid beings that established Mesa long ago. One may consider trying to extend a hand out toward them to offer what assistance they can give - but none of them will be friendly.

Long abandoned by those who had once brought them here, these people have become opportunistic predators, fiercely defending what facilities they were able to keep partially functional. The darkness that plagues the Etrayans also appears to plague them, and without light, the same ill fate would be their demise.

They do not travel far, choosing to maintain their own livestock and supplies to ensure they are never far from the light. After all, they know the greatest threat on Mesa is not the wildlife, but the dark.

Possible Hooks
• Encounter various wildlife while out on assignment, and perhaps run into another team.
• Build an observation blind shelter with your teammates and hole up there for a few days, hoping to document your species of interest.
• Discover and explore an abandoned structure.
• Come under threat from the residents... or try to reach out to them.

❬ hatchlings ❭

The chelonians, one of the species in one of Mesa's warmer climates, has struggled to maintain their numbers over their centuries on the planet due to their inability to change their ways.

Hatchlings are born several kilometers away from the beach shores, burrowed deep into soil to protect them from predators that may seek out their eggs during high tide. These creatures are massive, large shells encasing a significant portion of their bodies with only their heads and limbs visible from under it.

These creatures are rare and difficult to spot on Mesa: they breed slowly, live for centuries, and their offspring very rarely make it passed their first few hours of life. They often hatch in the dark of the night, making them extremely susceptible to predators that lurk in the dark, waiting for prey too small and too fragile to protect themselves. Large winged beasts swoop down from the skies, picking up the newborn chelonians to enjoy a fresh meal.

Without them, their ecosystem begins to collapse: kelp beds and forests fail, and entire food chains unravel.

Etrayans with interest could assign themselves a simple, unofficial mission to find the burrows and protect the younglings as they manage to break through their shells, then help them into the ocean so that their kind may survive to see the sun again. They must set up light sources and wait beside the burrows to make sure these massive creatures not only escape their eggs but do not become lost on their journey to the water. Following them to the water is critical, as their eyesight, even with a light source, is quite poor -- and they have a tendency to lose their way.

No one's asked them to do this -- the whole planet is slated for destruction, so maybe this entire venture is pointless -- but maybe this is something worth doing anyway.

Possible Hooks
• Idealistic types see the chelonian hatchlings struggling to make it to a beach and step in to help. Considering how large they are, this might be a struggle for them, too.
• Cynical types question what the point is.

❬ night falls ❭

Mesa's darkness is not merely the conventional absence of direct light.

The planet itself has no moon, and when darkness comes, it is absolute.

Remaining in the darkness has several consequences, and the effects accumulate over time, progressing along a spectrum rather than in tidy stages. This only seems to effect those from Etraya and the humanoids living within their bases, not the animals brought to reside on planet. Remaining within light sources suppresses the effects, but the moment the planet's rotation angles them away from this galaxy's star, any Etrayans caught outside of the light will find themselves succumbing to the effects.

Characters were warned not to stay out in the dark, but they were not told why they should not.

If any of them prefer not to find out and remain at base during one unfortunate night, they'll find out why anyway: the power cuts. The surrounding terrain, once held at bay by artificial light at the Lux, is swallowed whole. The air feels heavier and the atmosphere itself feels weighted.

Blithe apathy sinks in. The ability to listen to reason slowly leaves those left in the darkness. If they do not find a light source quickly, they will be able to feel the physical effects of the darkness set into their skin, potentially ending with permanent changes.

Those remaining on base may work together in order to bring the power back on, utilizing any personal abilities in addition to fixing the damaged circuits in order to bring everything back online. But they had better react quickly -- the longer the darkness remains, the worse the effects become, and maybe someone who was once trying to help is now trying to hurt...

Possible Hooks
• Help restore power after it cuts at the Lux.
• Underestimate the darkness effects, assume your light source is enough, and slowly fall prey to the pleasant apathy. You'll need rescue.
• Stumble onto another party's camp and need their help to be coaxed back to sanity.

❬ MISSION NOTES ❭

📌 — Please make sure to use the major events comment thread specifically to announce character actions that have a significant impact on the mission outcome or other characters.

📌 — For all questions relating to this mission, please refer to the mission queries comment on the plotting post. Other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

🔵FULL NAVIGATION🔵

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( crossing his arms there, he lets out a big ol' HUFF. that says it all, doesn't it? )

Fine. But Batman likes to do whatever he wants even when on a team. How am I supposed to keep an eye on the team if he keeps wanting to do whatever? Gosh.

[Yeah, that's not surprising. How indeed. Clark speeds up so he's matching Jon's pace, flying beside him.]

Has your super hearing come in yet? If you learn what his heartbeat sounds like, you can find him wherever he is. It comes in handy surprisingly often.

( he's on his side a little when he looks over to his dad there, arms still crossed in front of his chest. )

Dad. He's Batman. He can probably trick his heartbeat if he really tried.

[Can he? Clark has no idea. It does...seem like he would if he could, from what he's gotten to know about Batman so far.]

Maybe, but you could almost certainly find him a couple times before he realized how you were doing it and took steps.

( well, he’s not entirely wrong there. just that batman is more or less always prepared for anything, but. catching him off guard is not impossible. also, the thought is kind of funny to think about catching batman of all people off guard. gosh. even if it’s for his own good!

he puts himself upright as he flies and stretches his arms out beside him. )

Yeah. I mean, it’s really to keep an eye on him and even if—

( he’s cut off then as he’s suddenly knocked from the sky by a giant beast ramming into him. a particular beast he’d been keeping away from the hatchings that CLEARLY remembers him and seems to have a bone to pick with this half-kryptonian. )

[Oh, what the — he hears the rush of motion just before it happens, but Clark was facing away from the creature and it gets the drop on them. Still, that shouldn't be an excuse, considering the reaction times he's capable of. Geez, he's being a bad dad.]

Hey!

[He's caught in indecision for a moment, but decides on darting after Jon, making sure he's all right. His son is a tough kid, but best to double check.]

You okay?

( he manages to catch himself mid-air and rubs at his side when he does because ow. that sort of hurt a little?? geez! )

Ugh, yeah. What the heck! That was really rude!

( he’s shouting that at the beast circling above them, looking as though it intends to dive back down towards them. )

It must be because I was fighting him and his friends off from hurting those babies. Which I don’t regret, thanks!

( ok that last part was definitely shouted to the beast. hmpf! )

[Clark is relieved, but turns to glare at the beast. That was rude.]

It's probably mad because you spoiled its meal. But it can find another one.

[Predator and prey, the cycle of life, he gets it. But he doesn't regret helping, either.]

Maybe we can — heads up!

[The beast is in fact diving towards them, but it won't be so lucky this time, now that they're on alert.]

( heck yeah they are!

the moment his dad warns him, jon's zipping out of the way with a bit of a stumble there in the air. ok, so! he's maybe not SUPER AMAZING at flying yet, but!! he's got the hang of it and all. just. you know. big finally predator trying to swat at them all rudely and yeah. but it's fine because they've totally got this. )

You still mad at me, huh? Well then come on. I'll give you something to be mad about!

( to which jon zips his way towards the beast and lands down on the crown of their head with a heavy thump. )

[Oh, that's — almost exactly what Clark would do, actually. The creature itself reminds him a little of the kaiju he'd fought in Metropolis that last week before coming here. Minus the flame-breath, probably. Hopefully.]

It looks like it has a tough hide! We'll probably need to go for the weak points to drive it off!

[If they can find them. He zooms in closer, looking for an opportune spot.]

( like father, like son!

hearing his father's suggestion, he stands up straight and nods once. )

On it!

( and he takes off running down the beast's neck and along its body, ignoring the way it screeches and thrashes about some in an attempt to shake him off. red sneakers tap quick and heavy against its back and it's only when he reaches near the tailbone that he's finally shaken off and with a wooooaaaahhhhh he slips off, but not before catching hold onto one of its toes, dangling there as he holds on tight. )

[Clark doesn't love going into battle — even if it's not a particularly serious battle, considering they could just fly away faster than the creature if they absolutely had to — but Jon's tough, he's go his powers, and it's good for childhood development to trust them to do things on their own. Right?

Not that Jon's really on his own. While Jon has the beast distracted, Clark swoops around and a little underneath it. A quick scan with x-ray vision reveals what is probably the solar plexus, or something close enough to it, and that's where he aims his punch.

It wheezes, hard, and tries to curl protectively against the sudden pain. This may or may not make it easier for Jon to hang on to the toe.]

( seeing his dad in action never grows old for him and he finds himself staring in wonder at the man as he sends a flying punch into the creature. the beast recoils — gives jon an out — and he lets go of the toe he’d been holding onto so tightly and lets himself drop, catching himself in the air a little ways down.

his cape flows around him and he brushes some of his hair out of his face before he’s flying his way over to his dad and eyes the creature that seems to be pulling back from them. )

You think we’re good?

[Jon might not be trying for it, but the swoosh of his cape and the way he's pushing his hair back before flying over is pretty superhero cool, and it makes Clark smile when he catches it out of the corner of his eye. Now might not be the time to focus on aesthetics, but Jon might enjoy hearing it as a little pick-me-up later.]

I think so. Let's see if it'll be content to lick its wounds and not head after us for more revenge.

[Maybe it'll think better of it if it has the capacity for that, since a first try at revenge hadn't worked out so well.]

( he drifts there alongside his father — keeps an eye on the beast to see what it decides and, ultimately, it seems to choose to take its leave. for now?? who knows. either way, jon sticks his tongue out at the thing as it flies off before he's shaking his head and looking back to his dad. )

Geez. He's lucky all he got was a knuckle sandwich. I'm pretty sure there's others here who'd turn him into luggage or something.

Probably.

[No, definitely. He could probably exactly name some of them, too.]

Better to let him go off as long as he's not threatening anyone, though.

Yeah. But if he tries it again, he better watch out for me.

( because it'll be on like donkey kong! )

And me. I think we work pretty well as a team, don't you?

[It wasn't the biggest fight ever, but he is Proud.]

( at that, he beams at his father. truly a little sunburst in half-kryptonian form. ~~a shame he’ll end up going through years of torture at the hands of ultraman and be robbed of his childhood but that’s a future jon problem.~~ )

Heck yeah! With Superman and Superboy around, predators better beware and baby hatchlings can rest easy!

[~~Not if he and Lois win the custody battle.~~]

Oh, for sure. All day, every day.

[This gets a hair ruffle.]

I'm proud of you, Jon.

Edited 2026-02-06 01:40 (UTC)

( the hair ruffle gets him to smile even brighter than he already had been, if such a thing were even possible, and he flies his way around to hop on his father’s back. piggyback ride time! small arms wrapping around his father’s neck, he leans in to press his cheek to clark’s with a soft chuckle before he’s looking ahead again. )

I’m glad you’re here, dad. I don’t know if I could do anything here without you.

[He adjusts a little to make sure Jon gets the most comfortable piggyback ride possible and cranes his neck a little, smiling back at him.]

I think you could. I believe in you.

[His heart is warm even as it cracks a little. Sometimes it feels like he hasn't just stepped in for his alternate-reality self, Jon's birth father; it almost feels like he's taken something from him, become the role model for Jon that this other Clark spent years being, deserves to still be. But what can he do? A dad is a dad, and he loves Jon regardless.]

But I'm glad you don't have to find out.

I'd like to never, thanks.

( and at that, he squeezes his arms around his father's neck a little tighter, but. being kryptonian and all, he knows he can handle it. hopefully nothing ever separates them or he ends up losing his father here. while he might not be the one he's known since birth, he's still been here for him since his arrival etraya... after they'd sorted out their whole family tree and all, but. he doesn't hold it against him. he never did. just hoped that maybe he could be enough for this man. this hero of his. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mission 013 Log

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject