etrayalogs | FEBRUARY MINGLE

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: February 14th - March
WHERE: Etraya
WHAT: The arrival of newcomers, a mini mission, and some new city features!
NOTES\WARNINGS:

⏵ 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 party tables set out with miscellaneous baked goods: croissants, cookies, breads, cake slices, as well as tea and coffee to accompany them - or hot chocolate, for those who are opposed to the other offerings.

Outside the hospital, the last remnants of snow are melting in the sunlight as the weather begins to warm up. It's still chilly enough one might want to put on a coat, but not so cold a jacket is necessary for wandering around without freezing off one's fingers.

We hope you enjoy your stay.

⏵ heroes return ⏴

As the Quantum Rail train glides to a halt, returning passengers step out onto familiar ground - the train station, right where they had initially begun their mission. When exiting the station, their earpieces vibrate, indicating the automatic download of a detailed map which highlights key locations, transit paths, and notable landmarks. As Aurora promised, she had been working on a few renovations around Etraya! A sleek trolley system now winds through Etraya, following clearly marked pathways through the city bubble to make travel across the city smoother. However, the trolley only moves one way, eternally following the loop Aurora has set it on. And because of this, it takes six hours to complete it's loop all the way around. Don't miss your stop!

Pets and animals have been returned to their usual preferred areas, some awaiting the arrival of their owners, and others keeping to themselves in the forested areas throughout Etraya.

Beyond the small upgrades, things seem relatively unchanged - until one familiar sign catches the eye. One marked by four vertical lines, methodically crossed out one by one: the final slash has now been drawn through. The tally is complete. What it indicates has yet to be made clear, but it has to mean something, right? No one would go through the effort of making an ominous-sounding sign without following through.

⏵ love in the air ⏴

This Valentines Day, Aurora and the companion bots have opted to try something a little different: they have scattered mystery valentines across the city. Hidden within mailboxes, tucked into cafe menus, slipped under doors, on the outside of high windows for those wall-crawlers to spot. There are countless of these little slips of papers, strewn throughout the city. And within each valentine, is a challenge or gesture to complete. Please feel free to make these up yourselves as long as they fit in with the theme!

Some examples include:

Deliver a flower to a stranger.
Write a heartfelt poem for someone.
Share a box of chocolates!
Confess your feelings for another.
Play matchmaker for two people - this can be platonic, or romantic!
Gift a friend with a stuffed animal.
Give five different people a genuine compliment.

While not mandatory, completing five tasks will earn an individual an additional ten points to use towards anything they would like!

Each little Valentine is signed "Your Secret Admirer. ♡", and some of them may even be addressed to specific individuals. Don't be surprised, Eddie, if you see one or two that are specifically addressed to you lurking around your collection of chicken friends!

And while most of these are harmless, some of the valentines cards come with effects for those who come into contact with the paper. Perhaps they thought it was a piece of garbage, or were just kicking it out of the way rather than intending on taking part. It doesn't matter! They get to join in on the fun, too.

Heart Eyes - your pupils literally turn into hearts for a few hours, making it hard to focus on anything other than things (or people) you find attractive.
Love-Struck Stammer - You can only speak in poetic compliments or romantic declarations, regardless of whom you're speaking to.
Chocolate Bliss - Everything feels good. Simple. Easy. As if there's nothing in the world to concern yourself with. You feel happy, without any concerns or worry.
Rose-Tinted Vision - everything looks soft and romantic, as if you're in a romance novel. You know the ones.
Magnetic Attraction - regardless of what you had been doing, you suddenly find yourself unable to leave the side of the person closest to you. Had you been eating chocolates while walking down the street? Well, have fun getting stuck to the guy who'd been out for a jog!
Serenade Syndrome - you find it impossible to resist the urge to sing your words, turning all conversations into love ballads.
Heartstrings - A thread appears, connecting you to someone close by who you share many similarities too. Perhaps you had never met this person before, but the threads tied around your pinky fingers that refuse to let go until you allow yourself to open up to them clearly means you should be a little more familiar with them.

Love is in the air—or maybe just a bit of well-intended chaos! 💕

⏵ NOTES ⏴

Welcome back from the mission, and welcome to Etraya for our newcomers! We've tried to keep this log simple for an easy introduction, as well as some downtime for our mission-goers who worked hard to solve the Quantum Rail mystery.

There is something else going on, but. . . well, no one seems to know what! The computer that had been on the lower floor of the hospital is now missing, and Aurora may seem a little flustered as she flits around Etraya, in search of something.

For all questions relating to this log, please refer to the mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

⏵FULL NAVIGATION⏴

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Then you should know I think it every time I see you. I think to myself "Wow, that Harold Finch. What a great guy he is. Very helpful and wonderful." [she smirks.] Every time, Harold. Every time. [she'll never stop telling him these things. he has to hear it, she thinks. he should know how much he's appreciated.

she frowns at the pause he gave.]

You're making me feel like she's a little more than somewhat?

[ Harold narrows his eyes at Maria in exasperation, lips pursing. Hearing all this praise does actually make him uncomfortable, like he's mildly itchy and he's trying not to give into the urge. The urge being to go hide somewhere and change his name again.

He's just going to ignore that and instead talk about Shaw. He's not going to disclose her personal business so he keeps his description vague, and finds that leaves him struggling with how to actually describe her without getting too personal. ]

She's extremely professional, [ Harold allows, because for all her griping, in comparison to Dillinger the difference in demeanor is laughably stark. ] But she isn't usually looking to make friends. Social niceties are not her strong suit.

[the way he looks at her is as if he's a small animal unhappy about the situation he's been put in and might run off. she's keeping it to one compliment a conversation. though she does still think he should be told it. when he does something nice, she's going to tell him he did a good thing.

So if I really need help, she'll help me but don't expect her to be my new best friend, is what I'm gathering? Well. I'm used to that.

[people actually holding real conversations with her was truly a first.]

[ He does want to be a good person and do good, obviously -- that drives a considerable amount of Harold's waking thoughts -- but he vastly prefers to do it holed up alone with ideally no recognition whatsoever.

Maria's summary feels slightly incorrect somehow in its assessment of Shaw. He realizes the inaccuracy after a moment of consideration. ]

She'll help you in almost any circumstance, dire or not, but she won't be very comforting about it, [ he clarifies, sounding tolerantly amused of a grumpy teammate. ] Saying you're used to that concerns me, Ms. Maria. [ Every thing she says about herself sounds awful. ]

[maybe Harold should start figuring out how to do these things anonymously. until then, Maria was going to keep having him acknowledged for what he did. to a healthy degree anyway. no need to upset him but she was a big proponent for sharing your feelings with the ones you cared about and Harold, being so good and helpful, had become that for her. a dear friend despite the few conversations they'd had.]

Is it that concerning? [she had not thought it was but well, oops.] I just never had many chances for real conversation is all. And the chances I did have, I don't think they wanted me to talk to them. I just needed to dance for them. It is what it is. It helps me handle people like this Ms. Shaw.

[ Harold would love to do things anonymously, which is what he normally does at home for the most part. If he does associate his face or name to something, it's one of his many fake names, and he generally disappears back into the city once the deed is done.

Being in Etraya in such a small population has been a real adjustment for him and John, one that still unnerves him. Typically, his repeating social circle is extremely small -- countable on one hand small. Here, it's strategically sound to make friends, so he is... making friends. And getting to know more about Maria in the process. Her explanation honestly sounds dismal. Harold has a limited social circle by choice, not because he has no chance to expand it. ]

I hope you're finding things are different here, [ he says with a small worried frown. ] Believe me, there's plenty of chances for conversation.

Different is an understatement. [it had taken her a bit to really learn that yes, people looked at her. and saw her. and talked to her. they saw her as a person because she was a person here.

Harold might be frowning but she is smiling, brushing past any chances for what had gone on. she steals another chocolate with a smile.] Thanks for always taking moments to talk to me, Harold.

FEBRUARY MINGLE

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