Mission 013 Log

[etrayamods]

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🔵

Comments

[catscratching]

( That's Bruce's voice, but Selina recognizes immediately that something isn't right. Batman is always tired - someone like him who carries the world on his shoulders is always tired. But this is different. She's never heard him sound so small.

Worries weighs heavier on her shoulders, and she pauses where she is. Her attention follows where the flutter of his cape disappears, listening for the sound of his movement. The direction his voice is coming from. )

Bat. ( She says carefully, letting her hand move towards the switch on her backpack, dimming it a bit, closing the circle of light around her. A gesture meant to try and coax him closer if she can. She has to be patient here, she tells herself, try to get Bruce to come to her instead of closing in too suddenly. It'd be too easy to lose him out here. )

There are people back there. Your team, your family. ( Her voice is smooth, soothing, and she takes a cautious step forward. )

People who need you. They matter to each other. To you.

[theknightshift]

[ He hears the name and it feels like needles pressing in his ears. The word wends through him. He can hear it. But it means nothing. He doesn't understand and it means nothing. He sinks to the ground, tries to make himself small so the light doesn't see him.

The light dims and Bruce looks up, squints at her like he's seeing her for the first time and he thinks he knows her. But it doesn't matter if he does. Nothing matters here. He shakes his head and mutters something that sounds like no they don't.

No one cares.

Nothing matters. He pushes the cowl back and glares at her. ]

Stop lying to me.

[catscratching]

( Her head is tilted towards the sound of his voice, listening. Green eyes watching the spot in the darkness to try and get an idea of what condition he's in. Try and gauge what might be going on in his head. A seemingly impossible ask on a normal day, without all the darkness getting to him.

More sounds of movement, and she thinks she can make out part of his form now that her eyes are adjusting to the lower light. The cowl is coming off.

And then, she sighs. Stop lying to me. She isn't, but convincing a man as paranoid as he is that she isn't would be difficult any other time. If she's going to do this, she needs to say something that she thinks might get some kind of rise out of him. Not a violent one but something she can only hope will trigger the right thoughts.

It's barely a couple seconds after he speaks that she replies, matter of fact: )

If I were going to lie to you, I'd tell it was the boat.

[theknightshift]

[ In the light, Bruce doesn't say much. It burns, like something inside of him is on fire and if he opens his mouth, he will exhale thick plumes of black smoke. It feels like the apathy snaking through him is at war with his reason. He doesn't think like this.

He runs a hand through his hair, as if it would clear his mind. Clumps of hair come away between his fingers. He doesn't notice.

Instead he focuses on what she says. If she was going to lie, she'd say it was on the boat. He frowns. That's not right. That's not right at all. ]

You're wrong. [ He thinks. ] It was the street.

[catscratching]

( It's just enough like that she can see the way something comes out of his hair as he runs his hand through it. Worry spikes in her chest, and she reaches for the switch on her pack, lowering the light a bit further as she takes another couple of steps forward. She won't put them out entirely, but she doesn't want to blind him, either.

She bends neatly at the waist, leaning down towards him with a small, playful grin. )

You're right. It was the street. We finally agree.

( Further proof that something isn't right with him, but this is something she can work with. Baiting him is something she's always been apt at doing, and she's certain she can do it here. )

[theknightshift]

[ It's her smile. It always gets him.

Even in the dim glow of the light from her pack, Bruce sees the pull of her lips and how it reaches her eyes. The circumstances never matter- chasing her across Gotham's rooftops in the rain. Watching her slip into a gala with all of the grace of her namesake. Or here and now while he tries to hold on to the last shreds of his sanity. If Selina smiles, it's like a shot to the heart.

He doesn't smile back because he realizes the detail is wrong. He's gotten mixed up in the dark. ]

Not the street. It was the boat.

[ He corrects. More himself than her. ]

You were standing on the deck.

[catscratching]

( There it is - the argument she expected. It makes her smile widen just a bit, and she listens. Lets him correct her. And as he does, she slowly squats down. Her arms fold across the top of her knees as she watches him.

Her tone is lightly, playful as if she's recalling a pleasant memory. )

It was the street. ( Her head tilts, eyes watching him carefully. ) You were trying to save Holly. I got involved so you didn't make a fool of yourself.

( They both know the story, but she's trying to get him to talk. To ground himself as best he can. )

[theknightshift]

[ The memory is. Not of a boat. Or of a street. It's of a rainy night in Gotham. When he's alone with Alfred and pacing in one of the manor's many grand rooms. It's Selina in his home, with his mother's pearl between her fingers, smiling like she's figured out something vital. Like a cat that's caught the canary.

It's the chase that's never really ends and somewhere deep down, Bruce doesn't want it to.

He looks at Selina with clearer eyes. He can see her and she's always been a wonderful sight. ]

I wouldn't forget the first time I saw you without your mask. You were--[ Lovely. As always. But he doesn't say that. He just looks at her and then he looks away again. Off into the dark. ]

[catscratching]

( The memory for her isn't the boat or the street. It's being in her apartment, finding the Bat standing there. Masks coming off for the first time. Letting them finally see one another.

The smile she offers him now is no doubt familiar, the cat who ate the canary, when she sees those clearer eyes. Like he's seeing her for the first time all over again. )

I was? ( She wonders, trying to coax him into speaking further, finding his own thoughts through whatever fog the darkness might have brought. She'll say or do whatever it takes to get to him out here. Maybe that's obvious in the way she stretches her hand out towards him when he looks away. )

Bat. ( Gentle, hoping to lure his attention back. )

[theknightshift]

[ There are a million ways he could answer her. Most of them are safe and they are honest, so it's not like he would be lying. But, it keeps the distance so when she pulls away Bruce won't feel it so keenly.

The dark is robbing him of so much -- his hair and senses and the love he has for his family. The distance is safe, but not what he wants.

When she calls for him, he looks at her again. ]

You were beautiful. Like always.

[catscratching]

( It's a dangerous game they play when they talk. She thinks it would be easy to give into old habits, to press in close, to take comfort in his presence. But she's been mindful to pull away before either of them can give into it.

Here in the dark, though, when the darkness is taking so much from him, she tells herself she needs to lean into what they've been to one another. Touch on memories and emotions that have been constant enough to break through whatever haze is keeping him from coming back to them. )

Do you know what I thought of you? After I figured out who you were.

( Her hand stretches further, chances an attempt to touch the back of one of his hands. She'd see Bruce Wayne countless times before she knew who he really was. Had written him off as an easy mark and easier catch. But it had been something else entirely to see him again after she'd learned the truth. )

[theknightshift]

[ it's dangerous while Bruce isn't in full control of himself. The dark has seeped into some deep, vital part of him and pulled out something dangerous. Apathy. Caring about others is the core of Batman, part of the foundation of the mythos. Without it, what is he? A true monster lurking in the shadows.

But Selina cuts through it with all the precision of a cat burglar. She would always know how to reach him, even in the dark. Especially in the dark. And that's dangerous that she can still work her way that deeply under his skin. ]

What did you think?

[ It's dangerous, but that's okay. Bruce would embrace it. ]