etrayamods: (Default)
∎ ETRAYA MODS ∎ ([personal profile] etrayamods) wrote in [community profile] etrayalogs2026-02-27 09:52 am

FEBRUARY MINGLE.

❬ ARRIVAL ❭
Welcome to Etraya!

Arrival goes as expected- characters awaken on hospital beds and are offered an explanation of their situation: that they have arrived in the city of Etraya, and they are their world's only hope. They are welcome to wander the hospital if they would like to - the upper floors are mostly empty, full of pristine hallways and numerous rooms filled with supplies, cots, and things one would expect from a relatively average 21st-century hospital.

In the hospital's lobby are several tables absolutely packed with holiday baked goods and treats: sesame balls, almond cookies, black sesame mochi cakes, fa gao, and so on. To drink there are a several different teas: jasmine, oolong, pu-erh, green, black, and chrysanthemum. These are all poured and served by a companion bot who will gladly speak at length about each tea to those who ask, and maybe to those who didn't.

Outside of the hospital continues to carry a similar festive spirit. Snow still covers the ground, though not as heavily as it had before. The pathways are neatly maintained by the companion bots, any ice is also cleared for safety as well. However, there are decorations of red paper lanterns hanging overhead of the central hub, stretching between buildings, over the meticulous maintained pathways, some even tethered to trees. Other bright red decorations with splashes of gold add to the sense of celebration and beauty of the display.

Among them are knot pendants and lantern displays of stylized horses and eastern dragons. The lantern displays seem to accumulate more along a path out of the hub, as if encouraging curiosity of the new to follow it towards a specific location—the trolley station heading towards Purple Windy. The trolley itself is likewise decorated, its body a bright red while the trim is gold.

A bot will be waiting at the station, and it will encourage people to take the trolley to Purple Windy, for that is where the festivities are being held. This is where they might get better acquainted with their fellow Etrayans and complete the task that has been given to them all.

For everyone else, their invitation will arrive as a scroll dropped from the sky with instructions on how to attend the festivities.

❬ FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW ❭
Whether or not one takes the trolley, it is abundantly obvious where the festivities are as soon as one is in the area. From the trolley stop itself, however, there is a lantern decorated path towards the towering and isolating Ravenwit Walls which otherwise blocks ground access to the offshore fortress one might come to know as Stonhyrr. Yet, these imposing walls now bear myriad decorations, all of which are in a striking red and gold. Some in the image of dragons, others of horses, there's lines of lanterns and hanging scrolls wishing good fortune to all as well.

Before the walls is the festival area, cultivated and prepared for the five day celebration. The area is filled with colorful tents and stalls, most of which are in organized rows offering goods and curiosities to those interested. One can find things such as stylized dragon or horse masks, along with little costumes, stalls of a variety of foods and treats one might expect for the lantern festival! There are even tents set up for resting or sleeping, should one decide to stay the whole time.

Upon entering the fairgrounds, however, bots will encourage attendees to dress in red if they aren't already, offering red shirts of various styles with gold depictions of flowers, dragons, or horses upon them if one is lacking otherwise.

They will also be given five red envelopes with the instructions to give them to others over the span of the festival. Encouraging those who have been in Etraya longer to seek out those who are newly arrived or have been here for less time. Those who are new are free to give them to whomever. Each envelope received earns 1 point, to a total of 5. Should one get too many envelopes, they are free to hand off any extras to others to share in their good fortune.

Upon opening the envelope to see what's inside, one will find fake money. Though, oddly, the money does not seem to fit in with the festival. Some might discover fake French Francs in theirs, while others may find a strange plastic rectangle that is adorned with circuitry imagery, as if it's a mock of some future form of currency. Then there's felt dollars and quarters, which depict cartoonish people of no discernible likeness to anyone. Lastly coins sporting images of Baphomet may also be within the envelopes. The bots will have no explanation to give for these when asked.

❬ If Wishes Were Oranges ❭
Around the grounds are different activities to do, some have stations set up, others aren't quite so tethered. The companion bots are there to help and guide people along, though they seem to be winging it themselves. After all, this is all newly researched for them, and they're trying their best to apply what they learned about this celebration from other worlds.

Wishing tree- It is as if a giant banyan tree emerged from the ground overnight. Though on closer inspection, it seems to be a plastic one wheeled in expressly for this activity. Its branches reach up and out forty feet in either direction. Nearby are countless slips of paper, a giant spool of ribbon, and a crate of oranges. A bot will explain that the goal is to write your wish, tether it to an orange, and try to throw it as high up into the branches as possible. If you miss, it’s permitted to try again and again!

Lantern making- There are several craft tables with red and gold paper and pairs of craft scissors around the festival. Bots will happily guide Etrayans through the process of making a lantern to be let go on the night of the 3rd.

Lion & Dragon dances, stilts- While there are plenty of bots out performing, there are also loose and abandoned costumes and props that may be hijacked, if people wish to join in on being part of the entertainment.

Lantern riddles- Perplexingly, perhaps, there are riddles written up on suspended lanterns. Should a festival-goer get too close to one, a bot may challenge them to try to decipher it!

Horses, of course there's horses- Before now, there hadn't been a wild population of horses within Etraya, but now there is! The bots have taken it upon themselves to attempt to tame these wild horses. But what do bots really know about taming a horse? Some of the more gentle ones will allow you to ride, but they’re barely trained. Still, there is a path out to the water with another activity if walking with one’s own feet seems too burdensome. After all, there is still snow out and about.

Dragon boat racing- There are a couple dragon boats out here on the water with a buoyed race track. Get together and race, or hijack boats! It’s not the best weather for a swim, but good luck.


On the night of the 3rd, the bots will instruct everyone who has made their lanterns to release them together into the air. Making for a wonderful display of lights drifting across the expanse of the dark sky—a visual symbolism of letting go of one's past to welcome prosperity, hope, and good fortune.

Everyone will also be told that while they had originally planned to have a very beautiful fireworks display, they decided against it because it might spook the horses, so instead everyone can just close their eyes together and imagine it. Beautiful, isn't it?

Of course the bots aren't going to stop anyone from doing their own light show if they feel so inclined, but they will fret over the horses if it's too loud or dangerous!

On the morning of the 4th, the bots will begin to clean up the festival grounds, though they won't shoo anyone too terribly quickly or anything. Should anyone wish to assist in clean up, they'll be quite appreciative, but they won't expect any help either.

❬ MINGLE NOTES ❭
📌 — Welcome to Etraya and Happy Lunar New Year! Please enjoy the silly festivities of the mingle!

📌 — The 5 points one can earn through receiving the red envelopes count towards their monthly maximum. The idea behind this is that old Etrayans should give to newer people, while the newly arrived can give theirs to whoever in order to make connections and prosper.

📌 — The riddles can be whatever you want them to be, have fun with it, they can be as clever or as cringe as you want. The bots are trying their best, but sometimes their best is Popsicle stick jokes.

📌 — The wild horses are primarily mundane in the sense that the majority aren't super powered or magical, but there are a few among their number that are. These will be harder to tame, but not impossible to! Especially if someone is particularly skilled in taming horses. Feel free to get creative with the horses and how their coats look regardless of being magical or mundane, they come in many colors!

📌 — For all questions relating to this mingle, please refer to the mingle queries comment on this post. Other questions can be directed to the FAQ.
photosympathies: (xxiv.)

vash the stampede ( trigun.)

[personal profile] photosympathies 2026-02-27 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
oo1. from old to the new
( You know who fits in amongst the festival goers? A man wearing a striking red coat. He zips around the stalls with open wonder, eyes wide as he tries to take everything in all at once. At one point he has his hands full of the different rice balls, one squishy bounty held between particularly sharp teeth, though he'll offer up some of his own if he catches someone looking at him, mouth full as he tries to promise that they're good.

Or maybe he'll chase a new friend down with one of those envelopes. He doesn't necessarily understand the point, but he's smiling bright about it, shuffling them for the taker's pick.
)

oo2. if wishes were oranges
( He's listening attentively to the bots as they try and explain the nature of lantern making, nodding along with half a piece of paper accidentally glued to his coat sleeve. Vash already knows how, but the robots are just doing their job, and so he can't help it. Come join him.

Or find him later, shrieking as one of the lion dancers jumps over to him, grabbing at the nearest soul with a wail and a protect me. Yes, he has a gun attached to his hip, no he's not going to defend himself, don't be silly. He'll just climb over his new companion in an attempt to escape. He's very leggy.

Better yet, catch him begging a horse to let go of his jacket. Maybe he got too up close and personal. Maybe he looks like a tasty apple, who knows. He's making a lot of noise though, like a squeaky toy.
)

oo3. wildcard
( Hit me up with whatever your heart desires! Anyone I hit up on the tdm can feel free to tell me if they want a refresh but if not I'll keep everything canon! Also I'm at [plurk.com profile] qingya or sadgaydna on discord if you'd like to plot! ♥ )
fitshaced: (pic#12742284)

trevor belmont 🦇 netflixvania

[personal profile] fitshaced 2026-02-27 06:50 pm (UTC)(link)
🟥 from the old to the new
With a bit of red already on him, Trevor circumvents the bots foisting the color upon him. Or, at the very least, it isn't quite as much of a challenge to turn down the offered shirts when he can point to the red on his person. There is little to be done though about having red envelopes foisted upon him, and the instruction to hand them out to others. Trevor isn't quite certain he understands the point of it, but he doesn't bother to ask and simply pockets them with ambiguous intent to do as instructed.

He busies himself instead with the food, privately delighted that there doesn't appear to be any limit to how much he can take. Trevor circles back frequently for more as he wanders the fairgrounds, entirely unbothered by the notion that anyone might take notice how many times he's returned or how much he's managed to pack away. A free meal is a free meal, and it's even better that it appears that the majority of the food on offer can be eaten as he walks along.

But he does notice there's a pair of eyes on him at some point. He pauses mid-bite of his latest beef skewer to make eye contact before tearing it off. With a hand now free, Trevor reaches into his pocket to pull out the mildly crumpled red envelopes. He's chewing the bite, but not quickly enough to have it gone by the time he speaks and holds out the envelopes.

"'On one?"

🍊 if wishes were oranges
Trevor knocks a knuckle against the...well, he thinks it's the trunk, frowning immensely at it. As it turns out, when you are from the 15th century, plastic is a bit of a novelty in general, but especially when it takes the form of a tree. And especially one as odd and unusual looking to Trevor as a banyan tree. He could find someone to ask about it, but Trevor has taken it upon himself to engage in a bit more direct inspection. Pulling out a knife, he makes a little cut in the bark. He's not surprised to find it doesn't appear to cut away like bark should, but he still makes a little grunt and runs a finger over the little divot he's made.

Trevor continues his investigation of the tree much in this way right up until he yelps in more surprise than pain after a solid thunk to the top of his head. One would assume that the next step would be to turn around and look for the offender with poor aim, but while the orange that missed a branch rolls along the ground nearby to his feet, Trevor looks up instead. He glares at the branches, muttering to himself before gathering the orange and hucking it up high into the tree.

It appears the strange tree is to blame.

wildcard / ooc
Prose or brackets is fine by me. I will match your style. Feel free to riff on any of these or make something else up! If you need to check in with or run something by me first, you can reach me on plurk ([plurk.com profile] rebreather) or PM. Otherwise, honestly, go nuts.
rudelanguage: (pic#18263234)

knife 🗡️ an oc 🗡️

[personal profile] rudelanguage 2026-02-28 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
o1. copycat blues

It's so fucked up when they do this. This...party-festival-celebration shit. Like, yippee, we love having fun with our lab rats! and all, yeah, but it's also just...

There's just not enough people around to make this feel real. It's the closest Knife will ever get to being in a stage play, maybe, and they hate it. They watch these metal constructs pantomime people-things, but they don't bustle the way people would. The streets are too wide and eat up sound too fast for the scant few flesh-and-blood captives to fill it with any semblance of authenticity.

I'm not fucking crazy, am I? You're all feeling how wrong this all is, aren't you? And you're just...pretending? This is fine? To keep Echo off the scent? Right?

RIGHT?!


It's a bit too much to hope, but...but Soliton has spoken before of the way he would slip into masks of himself to feel like he belonged somewhere - that smiling could help him cheat his way into that make-believe for others. Knife could shift their skin to look the part, but feeling it is...

It's fucking hard, okay? Especially when the mind and body keep sending warning signals that keep them tense and braced for harm.

I can't keep this up forever. Three hundred days and I still--

Pending watches the other prisoners as he takes in the scale and scope of the festivities laid out. At a point, he fixes on someone nearby and, from a safe-feeling distance, mirrors some of their posture. Their idle gestures. Their expression - sometimes reaching up to feel his own face to get a sense of how it's sketched itself upon his scarred face.

He pushes two fingers against the corner of his mouth to force a smile. To cheat his way into that make-believe.

It probably looks fucking ghoulish, unfortunately.

o2. wallflower serenade

Being big and conspicuous takes a lot out of them, so Knife eventually gets small. In Antigone's little furry shape, they can creep between and through stalls with less scrutiny...except when she emerges with whatever goods she may have pilfered this time around, given that she's very fucking purple and teal.

Upon making inadvertant eye contact, she'll freeze, gawk, and then slowly hold up the item.

"What. You...you want this? Or what?"

Why else look? Besides the purple part. It's only noticeable because everything's fucking red anyway!

Paradoxically, when they're small, Knife feels driven to higher ground. It's likely any other high-spot loomers will become party to the little creature scrambling up who, just like being spied upon ground-level, freezes and gawks. This time, her arms are a bit busy hanging onto the edge of the surface to make an offering, so it's just a staring contest for now.

o3. freestyle beat
[just throw urself at me for whatever, u know i love a yes-and; i'll match style]
Edited 2026-02-28 03:03 (UTC)
numinousname: (pic#18314470)

tristan ✨ an oc

[personal profile] numinousname 2026-02-28 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
o1. daylight
It's been comforting to discover that kindness is in abundance in this alien place, for without it, they're not sure they'd be as steady on their feet as they are. The wonders are many, but they can't utterly throw them off balance if there's some assurance they won't be left to manage all these mysteries on their own.

That said...they hesitate at the offer of transport from one of the constructs, looking about for another who may meet their eyes and prompt them to gesture in inquiry.

"Is it wise to go, do you suppose?"

Wise or not, Tristan will eventually be there in the daytime hours, eyes big and unblinking at the colorful array. They are very mindful to keep themself out of the way of any passing foot traffic, hands folded behind their back as they keep at a slow amble, often peeking over their shoulder when others may overtake their pace, curious to see what other sorts of people dwell in this city. They hope they are as kind as those they've been lucky to find before.

To one who may wind up matching their pace, they offer: "Have you ever been anywhere like this before?"

o2. night
In the dark, Tristan's skin seems faintly lit from the inside; the light pulses in rhythm with their heartbeat, but if it hurts? It doesn't show. Honestly, they barely think of it anymore, given most of their skin is covered up and they seldom look to their face in reflections. The magically sensitive may find it peculiar to focus in on, but without that intent to discern it, it'd be barely noticeable.

Really, Tristan's more interested in the light not coming from them; they don't come from a place with much electricity, so the array is...alien, but in a beautiful way.

Whether they were coaxed into building a lantern or not, they don't refuse being offered one to light and release. They take it a bit literally, casting a spell that sets the paper itself aglow in a brilliance some deal brighter than the candle would; it does not bother them until it is released to float and they notice that it outshines the others.

That seems rude.

They dispel it, frowning thoughtfully, because a strange feeling has wriggled into their heart, and it's puzzling them; is it something to meditate on? Or stow away, with all the other unhappy feelings?
o3. anytime
[wildcard me i'm not scared 🫵]
her_own_rules: Oracle, Computer (Still Hard At Work)

Barbara Gordon | Batgirl & Oracle | DC Comics

[personal profile] her_own_rules 2026-02-28 03:36 am (UTC)(link)

OLD TO NEW
Barbara takes her time showing up to Day 1—an obvious enough statement in why, when she rolls in, under her own power, in her handleless wheelchair. It happens from time to time when she pushes herself too hard. She's not put out by it—or at least she doesn't appear to be anymore than she ever appears to be to the milling public of all-known, but half-met, faces. She accepts both the encouragement to pull on a red silk robe around her upper body and takes up those FIVE red envelopes. A glance inside, at the funny money, and she says—

"Are we really doing one of those ‘the real wealth was the friends we made along the way?'”


IF WISHES...
Barbara tested one of the oranges by lightly throwing it up and catching it as she considered the instructions and supplies for this newest craft. Calculating the weight in her hand carefully, even as something marched not quite politely up her spine. Specifically. Wishes weren't something she liked to think about. Except with exceeding raresness and swiftness. She'd wished too hard for the impossible. Then, been granted it by science. With caveats.

But that is not a thought for here.

"All right," she says mildly, shifting her attention to whoever has drifted close enough to hear. "Hypothetically speaking."

"One wish. No loopholes. No cosmic fine print." She arches a brow, half-smiling to the person closest. "What are you choosing?"


...WERE ORANGES
Barbara does hang back a bit when it comes to all the intramural sports—horse back riding, and duck boating, and the stilts are all out for the moment. There's strange combination in it all, between what she can and how she feels about having to hold back again; between what seems almost close to realistic at this Lunar New Year Celebration, before it skews as if someone read it in a book five worlds and language translations out. The curiosity toward how all of this adds up with the recent messages on the network, too.
Edited 2026-02-28 03:37 (UTC)
aershari: (I move)

Keyleth l The Legend of Vox Machina

[personal profile] aershari 2026-02-28 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
Arrival:

[She is sure she last recalls leaving with Vax, heading to continue her Aramente. So Keyleth is rather confused when she wakes up in hospital and all. Wonders about him, what the commotion outside is. She shifts, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and glancing around at the strange machines and all. It's evident this is some sort of medical facility, but it isn't like anything she has seen back home. She chats to Aurora a little, wondering and curious about the robot.]

W-what? Me? Oh, no. No, no, there's definitely some mistake. You don't want me to be responsible for this? I mean. Surely Grog and Pike or Vex, Vax would be better for this?

[This is fine? Just. Kinda inwardly panicking. Not that she hasn't been responsible for saving the Kingdom of Emon and such back home, but. Well. This was a whole other thing. Plus, she had her friends.]

From the Old to the New:

[Keyleth ends up wearing a new dress when she attends the festivities, glancing around curious and wondering what was going on exactly. Noting the red and gold themes, the horse and dragons.]

Horses and dragons?

[She is curious, though enjoying the emphasis on the animals. Keyleth blinks when she is given the envelopes, told to give them out to others. So she will, sheepishly approaching others to offer them one.]

I was told to give these out? So, um. Did you want one?

If Wishes were Oranges:

Hm. I wonder if it's cheating if I Wildshape into a bird to get mine up in the tree?

[Keyleth muses, more to herself but it is likely that others could easily overhear, as she ponders even before she has written anything, but has been told about the purpose and instructions of the lanterns and writing their wishes. It would probably be cheating, she figures. But still. She could do this so easily.]

Wildcard:

[ooc: come at me with something else? I'm open to whatever. I'm newer with Keyleth, but feel free to figure a diff starter or ask me via pm or Plurk @ caprican.]
trebuchim: (23077)

lune | clair obscur: expedition 33

[personal profile] trebuchim 2026-02-28 12:06 pm (UTC)(link)
- from the old to the new -
[ It doesn't take long for Lune's curiosity to get the better of her after receiving her invitation. These festivities that Etraya likes to pull are by and large nonsense — or nonsensical, at least — and yet... yet.

It's an opportunity to explore this part of Etraya, at least. The lantern-lit pathway that opens up to the fairgrounds, with its brightly colored tents and stalls; the cheeriness of it all feels a bit incongruous against the shadow of that imposing wall that exudes a gravitas not even the many decorations hung on it can dull. It reminds Lune a little of the constructs they'd seen on the Continent— massive and awe-inspiring, surprising. Again, there are depictions of horses, along with fierce, serpent-like creatures. Dragons? What's the significance?

Wandering the pathways criss-crossing the fairgrounds, she's content enough to sate her researcher's curiosity just by observing everything, stepping in to poke at this or that item offered in the stalls and tents, or maybe to grab one of the many snacks available — easy to run into people along the way, new and familiar faces alike.

The red envelopes make less sense. Of course she opens each one to see what's inside. As it turns out, currency. Fake ones, by the look and feel of the notes, each envelope boasting different ones. ]


Interesting. [ Her tone indicates she's not quite sure what to make of this. ]


- the wishing tree -
[ The giant, sprawling tree looks so majestic long before approach that the realization that it is artificial comes as a disappointment.

Lune weighs a lone orange in her palms, riveted by the bright, undiluted color of it; the diversity of things so freely available in Etraya is still something of a wonder even after several months spent in the city. She brings the orange up to her nose briefly, unable to resist inhaling the sweet-tart aroma of the citrus. The explanation of what they're supposed to do here draws a somewhat doubting expression onto her face, glancing at the ribbons and the slips of paper. ]


Throw them... up into the branches? To be left there? But the fruit will go bad. Birds will get to them. Sounds like a mess— not particularly respectful for the wishes, non?

[ If one believes in such things. ]


- night of the 3rd -
[ The lantern in her hands is beautiful, the tealight inside glowing through the delicate paper. She's normally not prone to sentimentality, but there's something about the thought of sending this fragile thing out into the sky to drift away, something she can't put into words. What is it that she's letting go? The weight of the past? She could probably use that. Or old hopes and dreams, maybe— those that crumbled away along with Lumière. She can't put her finger on it.

All she knows for certain is that inescapable wistfulness fills her as she lets go and the lantern rises, drifting away slowly. Clasping her hands together behind her back, Lune watches the lanterns float silently across the darkened skies with a solemn expression. ]



- wildcard -
[ anything else! happy to roll with any of the options around the fairgrounds. prose and brackets both a-okay. ]