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

[ Was there anything unusual? It's hard to think back but she does her best. ]

No, I don't think so, it just was suddenly dark.

[ Sandry is gathering herself the more she's in the light. The darkness around them is all encompassing, she's never been in the night without a moon. It truly is just pure darkness and the thought is terrifying, but she has her light, and this man has one too. Belatedly she realizes what it is. ]

Oh, you have one of my bracelets.

["Suddenly dark" isn't great. If there was no sign at all ahead of time, that makes it less likely to be a result of equipment slowly going bad. Is it paranoid to wonder if it's some kind of attack? Are the denizens of this planet even intelligent enough for that? But before he can dwell on that — ]

Oh right, that was you on the earpieces, wasn't it? A friend of mine got these for me and my family. I owe you some thanks along with her — they've come in really handy so far.

[ It's a bit warming to hear that it's been handy; there's a little warmth that stirs in her heart, fighting back against the weight of the dark. ]

I'm glad it's been useful.

[ Seeing the bracelet stirs her out of her initial fear, lets her mind start spinning again. It's not that she's not afraid anymore, the dark is still too dark, but she's no longer in a panic. ]

If I can get back to my tools I can spin more light from my crystal.

[ She holds out the glowing crystal in her hand, brighter than a bedside lamp and shining steadily. ]

[Very useful. More than Clark realized would be necessary, after hearing what had happened to Kirk out in the darkness.]

Are your tools somewhere around here? I could escort you to them safely.

[He might be better at that than figuring out what's gone wrong with the lights. It's not like he's an electrician.]

[ She won't be alone? She won't be alone. That's a relief. ]

They're in one of the inner rooms. I put a mattress roll down in a room and put my tools there too. It's in a corridor on the east side.

Let's go, then.

[Clark pushes himself to his feet and offers her a hand up — the one with the glowing bracelet wrapped around it.]

I won't let anything happen to you on the way.

[ Sandry accepts the hand and rises to her feet. ]

Thank you.

[ She means it.

In the darkness it's disorienting, but after a bit she figures out where they are and leads the way to her room, guided by the light of her crystal. Once at her room, she opens the door. Inside, as mentioned, is a bag with her garments, a bed roll, a large basket with combed wool, a spinning wheel, a small loom, and one squat stool. The room is small, there's not much extra room, so her crystal illuminates the whole thing, casting shadows from the objects. She takes a deep breath and does her best to be brave. ]

It will be a little while until I can make enough yarn to weave and I'm sure there are other people that need help.

[ But in truth, having company would make the darkness less frightening. ]

[Clark can see better in the dark, but Sandry knows the way; she can get them where they're going, and he can make sure they arrive safe. It's a pretty good team-up.]

I don't mind hanging out while you work if it makes you feel better and lets you focus. I can hear through the walls if any real emergencies happen.

[Also see through the walls but that seems like gilding the lily.]

[ It's a relief when he offers to stay, and Sandry would ask about being able to hear through walls (incredible!) but the darkness is pressing and she needs to do something about that, so she just gives a nod. ]

Thank you. What can I call you?

[ She wants to know who is helping her, if only so she can thank him later. ]

Where I'm from, a lot of people call me Superman.

[He's in full costume, S-shield on the front, but the superhero codename thing might mean nothing to her. Not all worlds have people like him and the Justice Gang, he's learned. And that's fine.]

But you can call me Clark.

[ Suddenly her conversation with Batgirl comes to mind. The names are similar in style, as is the outfit. ]

Are you a superhero?

[ Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes. ]

I am.

[Yep, definitely the costume gave it away.]

I think we've all got it in us to be heroes. But I have some abilities most people don't, back where I come from, so I use them to help when I can.

[ Sandry visibly relaxes when he says yes, and then straightens up resolutely after he talks about being a hero. He's right. She can be a hero too: she can weave light. It's pointless to be just a girl scared of the dark, she's not so weak! ]

Thank you for watching over me while I work. I'll begin now.

[ She sets the glowing crystal on the floor nearby, letting it cast long shadows against the walls, and pulls a rolag out of a basket before sitting down at her spinning wheel. Sandry closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths, falling into her magic with the ease of practice. And then she begins to spin. The thread winding onto the spindle glows with the same intensity as the crystal light on the floor, adjusting the shadows in the room. She spins and spins, concentrating fully on her task. ]

It's my pleasure.

[Genuinely, he means it. Clark watches her work with great interest; he can do a lot of unusual things, but magic is well beyond his capabilities. It does seem like there's some particular method to it, a skill that she learned, not just...waving her fingers and adding an abracadabra.

He stays quiet until she finishes or says something herself, not wanting to break her concentration.]

[ It takes about an hour before the rolag is used up but at the end Sandry has a spindle of glowing thread. She's so focused she almost doesn't notice when she's out of fibers, but catches herself before she reaches for the empty space. Sitting back, she looks at the work she's done, but her mind is already moving ahead towards what to do with the thread. She pulls the spindle off the wheel and moves the chair over to the loom. ]

I'm going to make a streamer out of this, but spaced like a net. I can get more length out of it that way. It'll probably take me another hour. I'm sorry I don't have a second chair for you, I wasn't expecting guests.

[ The last part is said a bit ruefully. She really does wish she had another chair right now. ]

[Clark's got a lot of patience. And hour doesn't seem like such a long time, especially when he's watching something as interesting as this. He doesn't understand how it's done, but he doesn't have to to know it's kind of amazing.]

It's okay. I don't get stiff or anything. I can be pretty comfortable wherever I am, actually.

[That's mostly because of the invulnerability, but partly because of the farm kind upbringing. He's rested in some weird, weird places.]

[ Sandry appreciates the kind assurance, though she thinks he's just being nice. But since she doesn't have a chair the only thing she's left with is gracefully accepting his words. Besides, she has work to do rather than go back and forth about the niceties of having somewhere to sit.

With practice and ease she strings up the loom and as she goes she builds a pattern in her mind and magic for how she wants to do her weaving. With that set she sinks into her magic once again. She could do this part without magic but using it speeds up the process; she does most of her weaving without magic, but as Lark taught her early on, sometimes it's fine to cheat.

It takes a little under an hour to finish, though Sandry herself isn't aware of how much time as passed when she's working in her magic like that. But as a result there's a three yard long streamer of glowing thread. The weave is very loose as she explained, but it glows steadily and fills the room with light. Work accomplished, Sandry sits back and takes it in. ]

This is just one, but I can make more of these. I won't be able to light the base up in one day, but I'll keep working at it.

[It certainly looks impressive. Not that Clark knows much about this sort of thing, so maybe his assessment doesn't mean much? But he's pretty sure it is.]

Hopefully they get the lights on sooner than that, but I can't imagine these won't be useful anyway. How did you learn to do this?

[ How she learned is a very old story, it's her very first magic. But with the dark so pressing and close it doesn't feel like she can talk about it now. Knowing that there's pitch black just outside this door reminds her too much of being locked in the cell and braiding the last bit of light into her thread. No, instead she'll talk about Lark. ]

Lark taught me. She taught me everything. I only knew how to embroider but she taught me all about thread and my magic.

[ But despite her fear, Sandry's voice is only filled with love when talking about Lark. She loves Lark, her second mother. ]

She sounds like a special person.

[Friend, family, mentor? Tough to say with minimal context clues. But he doesn't doubt his conclusion at all; he can hear it in Sandry's voice.]

She's very special. All my family is wonderful. My siblings made me this glowing crystal, so even though they're not here they're still with me. I'm lucky to have them.

[ That thought is a reassurance. Yes, they're all separated, even back home, but they're all one, all together. Nothing will separate their love for one another. ]

[That makes him smile.]

I feel that way, too. That my family is with me, even the ones who aren't.

[Ma and Pa. He'll always carry part of them.]

[ It's nice to have someone who feels the same way. Clark seems kind to her, which is heroic in its own way; being able to hold onto kindness isn't always easy.

Sandry looks at the glowing streamer and gathers it up before holding it out to him. ]

I can't do very much with this on my own, but could you take this to help people who are in the dark and lost? There might be places that have candles or fires where people can gather.

Yes, I can do that.

[He takes it, gladly, holding it like it's something precious. (Well, it is.)]

Thank you for your help. I'm sure it'll be very appreciated.

[ It feels like she's the one who was helped. ]

Thank you for finding me and staying with me. I couldn't have done this without your reassurance.

[ It's true, she would have fallen to pieces without someone there with her. Had fallen to pieces before he found her and gave her comfort. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mission 013 Log

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