etrayalogs | MISSION 004 (part 1)

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: July 19th-July 27th.
WHERE: Moorecroft Village
WHAT: Enjoy life in your new suburban neighborhood!
NOTES\WARNINGS: Potential death.

⏵ welcome home ⏴
Welcome to Moorecroft Village, where the sun casts a gentle glow through soft white clouds. Pavement paths wind around the village, adorned with wildflowers in every hue. Birds sing a soothing melody, while a few content cats lounge in sunspots or on benches along the streets. Cars hum by, ferrying residents to work, the store, or back home after a busy day.

It looks almost perfect. The ideal little village, occupied by individuals from all over. Orcs, elves, faeries, werewolves, vampires, and dhampirs coexist harmoniously, each contributing to their quaint little town. Despite their varied backgrounds, they appear to embrace this place as their own. They take their baby carriages out during the day for a stroll, chatting with friends and neighbors about current happenings, discussing their most recent mission (a ‘game’ of Whodunit, in which one of theirs, Theo, was tasked with killing one of their own each day and they all had to figure out who had killed them before they could come back to life) and the difficulties therein, new job assignments, weird things the teens in their houses are getting up to... generic, neighborly conversations.

The village is full of life. There are numerous facilities to wander and things to do! The library houses a vast collection of books spanning history from countless other worlds and whimsical children's tales. Teens gather at the ice skating rink, while the movie theater screens films spanning generations. An aquarium full of wonders: glowing rainbow fish, miniature great white sharks, a colorful octopus with patterns running over it that almost look like ivy, and numerous others.

In the daytime, everyone can explore clothing stores, indulge in gourmet cakes from the grocers, and partake in leisurely pursuits without financial concerns; just like on Etraya, money does not exist here.

⏵ help wanted ⏴
Moorecroft surpasses Etraya in its development, offering attractions and activities to engage its inhabitants throughout the day. But with these advancements come additional responsibilities. By day, at least one adult from every household is expected to fulfill their shifts at 'day jobs', lasting anywhere from four to eight hours. Meanwhile, the youth are expected to go to school, absorbing knowledge in various disciplines.

Each job duty requires different skillsets, but whether or not those required skillsets are matched to those who are expected to work them... well. They’ll have plenty of time for training, won’t they? Or perhaps they’ll get dropped right into their job and be expected to figure it out all on their own.

For the younger residents, education is structured into two main institutions: "Sandalwood Lower" for those twelve and under, and "Maplewood Upper" for older students. These schools offer a broad curriculum encompassing Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, Technology, Fine Arts, and a diverse array of Foreign Languages. Electives range widely, from specific sports to Survival Training, Creative Writing, Journalism, and Sociology.

At lunchtime, the school cafeteria presents an array of choices. Options range from standard fare like school pizza to other offerings such as vampire's blood, brains, and hearts—just in case an unexpected guest should drop in. After all, one never knows who might show up in Moorecroft.

⏵ honey do's ⏴
But life extends beyond work and school. A structured routine of what is expected of each household is kept on digital calendars, and installed on the wall in the kitchen of each house. These calendars update daily with smaller tasks, and weekly with larger ones, detailing what is expected of those residing within its walls.

Typical tasks include simple activities such as:

Take the child(ren) for a walk outdoors.
Visit the local park.
Bake a pie for the neighbors.
Tell your spouse(s) how important they are to you.
Share a secret.
Shop with your child(ren).
Mow the lawn.
Don’t forget to attend your child’s school’s PTA meeting!
Help with homework.
Take family photos.
Go on a date.

More complex tasks are found under weekly checklists, and may involve:

Host a neighborhood barbeque competition.
Volunteer at the hospital.
Teach your child a sport.
Start a soccer league.
Create a garage band.
Get a part time job.
Join a club.

Eos will check off each task as it is completed. At the bottom of each calendar, a tally records the completion of tasks, providing a visual measure of productivity and community involvement.

⏵ night watch ⏴
As the sun lowers over the horizon, everything shifts. Every long-term resident understands the consequences of curfew and the threats within. They retreat to their homes, urging those unfamiliar to them who may not understand the rules just yet that they, too, need to return indoors for the night.

Within the confines of their houses, life continues under a fragile veil of normalcy. A peek into some of the homes of long-term residents will find them playing board games with their family units, completing homework or work assignments they were unable to finish during the day, watching a few family-friendly shows on their couches, or enjoying a late dinner. Eventually, they’ll return to their beds and wait for the sound of their alarms.

In Moorecroft, no friendly companion bots roam the streets during the day. In their place, highly advanced robots emerge to enforce curfew once the time comes. They silently make their way through the streets, sweeping away anything that isn’t part of Eos’ design: trash left out on the street, bugs left by suspicious men wearing cowls that have ears on them, graffiti, new decor that Eos decides she doesn’t like. No winds shake the trees, there are no cars on the road, but noises can be heard coming from outside that don't sound... normal by any means. Croaks, whispers, scratches against doors and walls alike.

Those who defy curfew will be asked, once, to return to their homes. If they opt not to listen, they are met with force: physically restrained, subdued, and dragged back to their homes. If they decide to fight, the bots are not above killing them and dropping their limp bodies just inside the front door of their houses. They will revive after 48 hours but not without cost. Each return carries an absence—a missing memory, a lost skill, or a fragment of their very essence, stolen away in the process of their revival.

Even those who manage to evade capture will awaken in their beds with no recollection of their death or what they may have witnessed before dying. They will instead have a vague feeling that something horrifying happened.

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Daily and weekly tasks can be chosen by players! We won't be listing these out for each household, but relying on players to choose what's most fun for them to play with within their households.

As noted on Mission Plotting, we're open to one group successfully staying out past curfew, but would like to keep this to one thread.

We have a separate log for NPC interactions for this mission!

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, mod queries thread on the initial plotting post to assist us in keeping all mission-related information in one place. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.
⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Daisy's out for a walk with her baby, whose cooing happily in the stroller. She'd much rather be fighting monster than be a mother, but apparently domestic 'bliss' is the mission this time around. Except none of this has felt blissful to her.

Lost in her thoughts as she turns the corner to another street, it takes her a moment to realize that someone is laying on the ground in their yard. At first she thinks they're just getting some sun, until she sees their dog clearly concerned. Walking as quickly as she can over to them, she makes sure the locks are on the stroller's wheels before hurrying over to see...

Shadowheart.]

Hey. Are you okay?

[She asks, kneeling down next to her. Her eyes land on the blood, and Daisy does her best to hide her panic as she gives Shadowheart a once over, looking for the source.]

Edited 2024-07-24 22:21 (UTC)

[Shadowheart swipes her fingers over the wound on the back of her hand again, frowning down at it.

The purple light has faded, leaving behind a small but ugly blackened hole in the back of her hand. It's always been there, never properly healing, but it's been so long since it's flared up like this that she'd thought...

It takes a moment for the ringing in her head to quiet enough for her to process Daisy's question.]

It's just an old wound that's never quite healed.

[Because old wounds often glow purple.

She starts to pick herself up. Scratch backs off a little, whining in concern but recognizing that Daisy is helping.]

Thank you. [Said with a great deal of sincerity.] I'm alright, really.

Edited 2024-07-25 01:18 (UTC)

[Frowning at Shadowheart's dismissive response, Daisy offers Shadowheart her hand to help pull her back up to her feet.]

Something you got before you came here?

[Daisy asks, pushing her curiosity a little.]

There you go, asking questions again. Inquisitive as you are helpful, it seems.

[She raises an eyebrow, but accepts Daisy's help. For a moment, she feels unsteady, but the feeling passes as quickly as the pain, and she's able to find her feet again.]

It's nothing to do with this place, if you're worried about a hand-stabbing maniac running around. [She does mean that to be reassuring.] I got it long before I found myself Echo's unwilling guest.

[Daisy gives her an apologetic smile, but it won’t stop her from continuing to ask questions she finds relevant. She doesn’t let go of Shadowheart until she’s got her footing, and only then does she put her hands in the pockets of her jeans.]

That’s the least of my worries about this place. Actually, I’d take a hand stabbing maniac over—

[She looks around them with a sigh,]

White picket fences and PTA meetings.

[As if on cue, Daisy’s ‘baby’ starts whining in the stroller and she hesitantly leaves Shadowheart’s side to pick her up.]

I saw it glowing.

[There goes her ‘inquisitive’ side again as she comes back to her, holding her baby this time. She looks a lot like Daisy, and is old enough that she can be held at her hip without needing neck support.]

Your hand. What was that about?

And stubborn, too.

[She sort of half-wags a finger in Daisy's direction.]

It's magic, that's all.

[It's basically reflexive, to protect her secrets at all cost. She hasn't yet unlearned the fear of what will happen if anybody finds out. But even setting that fear aside, she's hesitant to discuss her past.]

I've told you a great deal about myself already. A girl's entitled to keep some secrets, don't you think?

[Daisy smiles knowingly when Shadowheart, rightfully, calls her out. She knows what its like to brush off concern from others. Like she said, Daisy I stubborn.]

Magic strong enough that you were on the ground when I found you.

[It’s Daisy’s attempt to gently pry. Only because she’s concerned of what else this could do to Shadowheart. A look of guilt crosses her features when she’s called out for doing just that, but she won’t apologize.]

We don’t have to get into it. I just want to make sure you’re okay. I’ve been through a lot, too.

[Is it hypocritical for Daisy not to give examples? Definitely.]

I'm alright. Truly.

[She finds that she does appreciate Daisy's concern. It's touching, that someone cares.

The fact that Daisy has 'been though a lot,' but has thus far managed to keep all of whatever 'a lot' entails secret, well. That does not go unnoticed.]

It hurts. Badly, yes, but the pain always passes quickly.

[Daisy doesn’t feel good about leaving Shadowheart alone, even if she says she’s alright.]

Where were you headed? Before this happened.

I was out here planting seeds. I... wanted to have a garden.

[She says it with the defensiveness of someone who knows she's not supposed to have that, but wants it anyway.]

[Daisy can’t keep the surprise off of her face, but there’s no judgement there.]

Oh.

[She doubts they will be here long enough for her flowers to sprout, much less bloom.]

Maybe you should take a break for a few minutes.

[She glances around at the yard. Maybe it was always foolish to think she could grow her own flowers. But that stubborn part of her that badly wants what she wants refuses to give up on it.]

I think I'll keep working. For a little while.

Okay.

[Daisy can be stubborn too, but even she knows when to back off.]

I'm just down the street, if you need anything.

MISSION 004 (part 1)

Welcome home

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