MISSION 004 (part 1)

[etrayamods]

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⏴

Comments

[utinam]

[Nuvia listens intently to Krouse’s reply, her eyes searching his face for any hint of judgment or dismissal. His weary acknowledgment resonates with her, adding another layer to her understanding of the complexity of his emotions.

She fidgets with the edge of her sleeve, taking a deep breath before speaking. Her voice is soft, yet steady, betraying the inner turmoil she feels.]

I understand. It’s not always about being right or wrong. Sometimes, it’s about how we cope with the weight of it all. I just... I needed someone to hear me, even if it’s just to share the burden.

[She glances at him with a touch of sadness mixed with relief, her expression reflecting a fragile hope that he might understand her plight without needing to offer solutions or judgments.

In this moment, she feels a small sense of comfort in the shared vulnerability, though it remains tinged with the uncertainty of whether her confession has made any difference.]

Thank you for listening. That’s more than I expected. I just hope... [She'll grow quiet, trying to find the right words.] I just hope this conversation didn't turn you off from wanting to be my friend.

[Because as far as she is concerned, she now considers him one especially after everything he's learned about her.]

[equivo]

[ He's not going to laugh. She'd think the joke was on her, and there's not much Krouse wants less than that coming out of this conversation. He does smile, quick and sharp and bright, like a stray bolt of light glinting off polished armour. ]

Not at all.

[ She shouldn't want to be his friend any more than anyone else should, but telling her that would be like laughing. She wouldn't get it. Lately, he's been working on not making everything about himself. It'd be a shame to fuck that up when it counts. ]

You've got baggage. Who doesn't? [ He shrugs, light and loose. ] I'm really not seeing what's supposed to be so horrible about you, to be honest.

[utinam]

"Baggage?"

[What does that mean? She was so very close to asking him about it until he continued to talk about her. It was enough to make her smile warmly because she wasn't used to being told anything he was currently telling her.]

I think people are just scared of the unknown while living in an unpredictable setting like war. They're scared I'll be just like my nevu relatives who want to trap them.

[After all, the only humans with special abilities were part of Humanity's Hand, while everyone else was a normal person without them. Nuvia had powers due to her nevu genetics more than anything else. Her human mother wasn't exactly a fighter.]

I understand why they think the way they do. War makes everyone cautious, and the fear of the unknown is powerful. But it still hurts whenever they reject me so heavily.

[Nuvia's voice softened, her eyes reflecting a mixture of acceptance and lingering pain. She had come to terms with the reasons behind their fear, but the rejection still stung deeply.]

[equivo]

[ The shape of Nuvia's story is starting to click into place enough for Krouse to grasp the outline. Someone - her missing mother? - raised her inside a protective circle of care, and then the world ripped her out of it. They might not have been able to keep her from understanding everything terrible about existing, but they kept enough of it off of her that she didn't make it a part of herself.

He's not sure that's done her any favours. Soft people get hurt. She's learned that lesson. She'll keep learning it, if he knows anything about how the world works.

Just not from him. ]

Which isn't on you.

[ He taps ash off his cigarette, smiling like he hasn't entertained any of these thoughts. ]

It's more baggage. The things people carry around with them. They're carrying around the war, you're carrying around what happened to you. You can understand it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt when they pick it up and hit you with it.

[utinam]

[Nuvia’s story, as Krouse surmised, was indeed shaped by the loss and upheaval that had shattered her previously sheltered life. For nearly 90 years, she had lived a simple existence with her mother, safe within a protective circle of care. Then, the world outside intruded, taking her mother away and forcing Nuvia to leave behind the security she once knew in search of her mother. Instead, she found herself caught in the turbulence of a conflicted world.

Throughout her journey, Nuvia had always had someone looking out for her—whether it was her AI Father, her mentor, or her friends. They acted as guardians of her innocence, trying to shield her from the harsh realities that lay beyond their reach. Yet, the consequences of war were inescapable, leaving their mark on her and contributing to an inferiority complex that often shadowed her steps.

Even so, Nuvia found it within herself to excuse the way others treated her.]

Fear and war have a pervasive impact on everyone. If war weren't such a dominating force, maybe humanity in my world would treat each other differently. I’m not the only one suffering or being ignored.

[Nuvia thought that perhaps the strife and conflict had distorted perspectives, leading to harsh judgments and misunderstandings. The nevu, too, were driven by their own fears and motivations, and she wasn’t sure if that would ever change.]

[equivo]

[ His eyes flit away from her for a moment as he takes a deep drag off his cigarette, eyelashes shading down as he examines a crack in the sidewalk a few feet to her left. He wonders if it's a real crack, or something put in to add to the set dressing. ]

It's good to have a sense of perspective.

[ He supposes it is. She's still more forgiving than he would be, but he can't say that his approach would work for her. He can't say it even seems to work for him. ]

But hey. We're not suffering today, are we?

[ By the time he meets her eyes again, his smile is easy. He tucks his free hand into a pocket and takes a half-step back, rocking on his heel. ]

I don't think I got around to asking you what your plans for the rest of your day are.

[utinam]

[Nuvia will nod in agreement, understanding the importance of having perspective in any situation rather than letting her own suffering cloud her judgment. When he mentions not suffering today, she’ll smile and thank him sincerely for helping her out. He really did save her from enduring another humiliating day.

To express her gratitude, Nuvia will position herself with her legs slightly apart, standing up straight, clasping her hands together, and bowing low.]

May you find victory through perseverance and endurance.

[At his follow-up question, Nuvia will pause to think for a moment before admitting.]

I want to go to the ice skating rink to play before having some ice cream too. Didn't you say earlier you wanted to see a movie, or was that just part of the conversation?

[equivo]

[ The bow catches him offguard. He blinks down at the back of her head when she dips, cigarette frozen halfway to his mouth. He'd given her one, but that'd been different. This one is sincere.

He bobs his head back at her when she straightens up, a faint prickle of heat on the back of his neck. There's that phrase again, confirming that it's a saying and not an off the cuff improvisation. ]

That's my plan, yeah.

[ Victory, a movie, maybe both. Both would be a pleasant change.

Better to think about the immediate present than the brush of coincidence down his spine. Plenty of people ice skate. That's why there's a rink for it. ]

You're not worried about getting too cold? With twice the ice?

[ That's not even wordplay. It's nothing. He's on a real winning streak. ]

[utinam]

[Nuvia smiled warmly and chuckles at his attempt at a joke.]

I actually prefer the cold over the summer heat any day. The chill is quite comforting to me, and it doesn’t bother me at all. If anything, I find it invigorating. Double the cold just means I can stay outside a little longer and tend to my garden.

[She paused for a moment, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.]

Gardening is one of my favorite activities. It’s part of my weekly routine, but I don’t mind at all. It’s a source of peace. The process of nurturing plants and watching them grow brings me a sense of tranquility that I really cherish. I’d do it regardless of whether it’s a task or not.

[equivo]

[ She's easy to please. He decides that he likes that about her. God knows it beats the alternative. ]

I've never been much for gardening, myself. But I can see the appeal. It's a little like putting down roots yourself, isn't it?

[ That's an improvement. He takes another drag on his cigarette as a reward, sinking his weight back into one heel to cant slightly off-balance. ]

Do you have a favourite plant? Or is that a stupid question?

[utinam]

[Nuvia nodded her head with a soft smile.]

I do enjoy gardening because it feels like you're decorating a little of yourself on the planet. [Her eyes gleaming with warmth.] The flowers absorb energy just like they absorb water and light from the sun. I think that's one of the many reasons I feel more at home in this new world. It's a bit like I'm putting down roots of my own instead of feeling homesick for my old world or Etraya.

[When he asked about her favorite plant, Nuvia shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips.]

No, that's not a stupid question at all! I like marigolds and aster flowers the most! They're so bright and full of life. They remind me to stay cheerful and strong, no matter where I am.

[equivo]

[ He knows what a marigold looks like, but the specifics of an aster elude him. Something to look up later. There have to be books about gardening in the library. Maybe even books about flower meaning, an idea that occurs to him with a tiny flush of nerves.

He just likes collecting trivia. That's all.

And he likes trivia about people almost as much as trivia about unexpected facts. Marigolds and asters and gardening to convince herself she's settled down somewhere, all things to tuck away in the growing trove of Nuvia facts he's acquiring. ]

It looks like it's working.

[ She might be soaking up some of the sunlight herself, a solar powered ball of optimism bouncing her way through all of this bullshit. ]

Maybe you can show me some time? Give me the full botanical tour.

[ He wouldn't hate it. ]

[utinam]

[Nuvia's eyes lit up at the thought of sharing her garden with Krouse. She was excited by the idea of giving him a tour, especially since it would mean a lot to her.]

I'd love to show you my garden sometime! I’m working on getting it just the way I envision it, but once it's ready, I’d be happy to give you the full tour. Even though it’s not technically mine, it’s been a great practice for me. I’m planning to create a new garden over in Etraya once I find a safe spot for it.

[She paused, thinking about the practical side of things.] Do you know of any places where I could find gardening supplies and seeds? If not, I might need to figure something out on my own. It would be great to have a few reliable sources before I get started.

[Nuvia’s smile widened as she added.] It’s always nice to have someone interested in the little things, like gardens and flowers. It makes it all feel more special when you show off your hard work to someone.

[equivo]

[ Even though he wasn't expecting her to tell him to get lost, the openness of her welcome gets to him a little more than it should. He's not used to anyone thinking his attention is special. ]

You could try the hardware store? I think most of them have a gardening section.

[ He's been meaning to browse the store himself. He can keep an eye out to confirm it. Learn the names of a couple of tools, ask the clerk a few questions, just to say he's done his homework. ]

And I should probably let you go for real, so you can get on that. I want to see the top tier version of the project, so [ he raises his eyebrows a fraction, friendly, invested ] I can't take up your whole day on the sidewalk.

But I'm glad I bumped into you. Not every day you get to trade delinquency for a garden tour, right?

[utinam]

[At the mention of the hardware store, Nuvia’s expression brightens with curiosity.]

A hardware store? I’ve never been to one, but it sounds like they might have what I need for the garden.

[She was intrigued by the new possibility. Her mind races with the thought of all the tools and supplies she might find there. His comment about wanting to see the top tier version of her project adds a mix of pressure and motivation, making her look up at him with a hint of worry quickly replaced by determination.]

I’ll definitely give it my best shot. Thanks for the tip about the store!

[Nuvia chuckles at his remark about trading delinquency for a garden tour.]

Who knew being a delinquent could be so productive? Maybe I should have started sooner. It’s great to make new friends this way. Thanks for helping me get out of class today; I really appreciate the break.

[Feeling refreshed and ready to tackle her gardening project with newfound enthusiasm.]

Goodbye, and take care! Maybe I'll see you around after I conquer the hardware store!