∎ faq ∎

[etrayamods]

FAQ

Ask any questions about the game or how it operates below. Questions about specific events (missions, mingles or TDMs) should be posted to that event's questions thread.

OOC-RELATED TOPICS

What is Etraya's game premise?

etraya is a panfandom roleplay game set in one of several "bubble cities" situated within it's own separate universe.

Player characters are informed that they're here to prove that their universe is worthy of being saved, though how they are meant to accomplish this isn't clear. Missions may include combating with other bubble cities, fighting with each other, or bonding with one another. One thing is clear: you are your world's only hope, whether you like it or not.

The plot will focus on characters 'proving' themselves through various missions meant to test their courage, strength of will, capability for love, compassion, desire, and other traits meant to judge whether their universe should be one of the few that will survive. Events will be a mixture of slice-of-life, adventure, horror, mystery, and other elements.

What is the gameplay style for Etraya?

Missions occur every two months. In between, characters remain in the bubble city of Etraya, inhabited only by player characters and helpful robots. Missions purposefully rotate across a range of genres and styles, and we try to support player initiative as much as possible. If you see something you want to run with, more than likely, we'll give it the okay -- or at least try to work with you to incorporate it.

We are always open to mission suggestions. Etraya itself as a setting is also something we encourage players to build on and explore.

Meta plot is moved forward at a slow rate. We don't want characters to become frustrated or stagnant, so we will do plot movement and reveals as needed to prevent that, but Etraya is not a plot-heavy game. Our overall goal is to support character exploration first and foremost, and as a game without activity requirements, we try to keep a relaxed atmosphere.

What about mature content?

There are no age restrictions, but please use your best judgment if choosing to play a younger character, and use cuts and appropriate trigger warnings for mature content in either the body of a log or the header of respective comments.

Which and how many characters can I app?

Players can currently app up to 4 characters in total and 2 per application round.

Please note that players wanting to apply for more than 2 characters will need to show proof of activity through their time in game! If a reserve for a third or fourth character comes in for a current player, and we have not noticed much activity, we may reach out to check in.

Apping multiple characters from the same canon is handled on a case by case basis, and we encourage you to submit a question below before doing so.

Allowable Characters

• Canon characters
• Original characters (OCs)
• Malleable protagonists
• Canon AUs (alternate universe versions that specifically exist within canon)
• Canon OCs (with no relation or knowledge of the canon cast)
• Doubles with differing qualities (i.e. MCU Steve Rogers vs. comics 616 Steve Rogers)
• CRAUs (originally canon characters who have been played in a different game previously, and carry their game history forward)
• All canon source materials are allowed so long as the player handles both the content and any problems with the creators respectfully

Disallowed Characters

• Fan-made AUs, including aged-up versions of canon characters
• Canon characters that would need to rely strongly on headcanon to be playable as fully fleshed-out (please ask if you're uncertain whether this applies)
• Characters from canon-points that are less than one month old

Are there any cast caps? Player caps?

We have no hard rule regarding cast caps but will utilize them as the game grows if a specific cast becomes significantly larger than the rest. This includes caps on specific CRAUs.

Right now, we have a cap on Batfamily members of the DC universe.

What are mission NPCs?

Mission NPCs are a chance to let current and former players have short-run characters that play a role in a specific mission. Applications can be found here.

Once accepted, they can also be brought into the game with a full application during the associated mission, or at any app cycle thereafter.

Note that playing a mission NPC only temporarily places them on the taken list, and once the mission ends, other players can reserve and apply for that character. If you're playing a mission NPC and you wish to ensure you can bring them into the game, we encourage you to submit a full application during their associated mission!

Are there size limits for characters?

There are no size limits for characters. Everyone arrives as they were before coming to Etraya. However, we do ask potential players to consider Etraya as a setting is designed for human-sized characters with opposable thumbs, and to tell us about their plans when bringing in a character that differs widely from that standard.

My character is chronically ill or heavily injured. What happens?

The hospital has advanced equipment designed to assist with chronic illnesses or physical therapy, but the extent of which it can assist is up to player preference.

What about my character's canon powers?

As long as they're not world-breaking, characters can keep their abilities. Anything that would break reality, let them unmake planets, or cross into different universes is simply blocked off. Characters cannot escape the barrier around the city outside of missions. Teleportation within the bubble will work, but attempts to escape it will not.

Missions may require power caps depending on the specific mission. This will be noted on the plotting post, and the mission itself.

What are the activity requirements?

There is no comment count requirement for activity but instead a check-in comment. This is not intended as permission to character squat; we may contact you if we feel you've been in the game for several months without any meaningful activity.

However, we do use an AC bonus system. Characters receive points per comment count (available on the Activity page) and can receive bonuses and special items with these points.

What is the pacing like?

Etraya runs on a 1:1 schedule, with missions being posted every month, and TDMs going up every other month. On months when we do not have TDMs, there will be a mingle log. TDMs are considered game canon.

Generally, all mod posts will be up by 3PM PST on the day they're listed as going up on the Calendar page.

Can my character be canon updated?

Canon updates are possible! They're considered in-world "hiccups". One moment a character is there, the next - they blip out of existence only to blip back in with their new canon memories. There is no explanation Aurora can provide for this. She won't even notice. These are processed as the mod team has time; requests should have a response within a week of being posted. This may be delayed if there is a current mission running.

What if something's changed since my original application?

Please use the canon update post also to let the mods know when your character has changed in some significant way since your application. This could be additional supplementary material was released that you're choosing to include or not include in your portrayal, their abilities have developed significantly in-game, or you and your cast have mutually arrived at a decision to discard a particular element of canon.

Unless this update takes place and is approved, mods will assume characters are meant to be played to the version portrayed in their application. We usually defer to player preferences across a cast in how something should be handled, so we do expect players within a cast to discuss with one another and reach a consensus before any major deviations from what was apped occurs.

I have to drop my character. What happens to them in the game?

Aurora won't specify. Maybe Echo had deemed the character unsuitable, or perhaps they slipped through time and disappeared. Regardless, your character's network accounts will be removed, and the companion bots will gather their earpiece and miscellaneous belongings that weren't picked up by others.

Please note that if you app them again later, they will not retain or carry forward their unused activity reward points.

Can I drop my character with a custom scenario?

Sure thing! If there's a mission that allows permadeath or you see some IC reason for them to go off for a very long time, let us know! We're happy to work with players to create custom storylines that make sense for your character.

Can we post to the meme comm as players?

Yes, go right ahead! etrayamemes is open to posts from all players; no need to ask permission.

IC-RELATED TOPICS

What is Etraya?

Etraya is a planet with a "city bubble" established on it based in its own separate universe. There are several other similar planets following the same orbit as Etraya, that are visible with the naked eye just outside its orbit.

How did my character get here?

Echo chose characters to defend their universe's existence. While there may be more than one person from a universe, player characters are informed that the amount of individuals chosen has nothing to do with the planet's survival rate. Sometimes, Echo finds more than one soul they would like to put to the test.

Etraya is not the only bubble city governed by Echo for this purpose. Information on other known cities is available here.

What does my character arrive with?

Characters arrive with what was on their person before their arrival. Items that cannot fit within bags or pockets (or that are not physically strapped onto them, say for example, a sword) do not arrive with characters.

If they were in a car or on a motorcycle, these do not come with them. They do not arrive with any companion animals that may have been with them at the time, but these can be requested with activity points on the Activity page.

Who is Echo?

Who Echo is is not currently known. What is known about them is they were the one who created Etraya, pulled characters in, and brought Aurora to assist in settling in new arrivals as well as announce upcoming missions.

Who is Aurora?

Aurora is your friendly neighborhood AI! She is here to assist in settling in new arrivals, provide information for upcoming missions, and provide characters with what she can to make them comfortable.

She is easily accessible via the earpiece provided and is the first contact listed on the contact page. She does have her own inbox. Any unruly residents will find their messages left on read until they can behave themselves.

Where will my character be staying?

Characters can stay in the apartment building close to the hospital on the main island that characters wake up in. This information is not shared with characters upon arrival, at least not currently, but its existence is clear once characters exit the hospital.

Apartment doors have name plaques on them that can be edited. Keys are inside on the kitchen counter of unclaimed apartments.

They can also move in to any of the unclaimed residences on the Locations page. We will not be keeping track of where characters choose to live.

What is the city like?

Etraya began empty, a collection of green islands connected by bridges spanning a large space on an otherwise desolate planet.

As new citizens began arriving, more locations began being built to fill the empty spaces: facilities familiar to the eclectic mix of new arrivals. A few stores reside on the main island, and the companion bots are hard at work building new facilities - perhaps ones that are a little too familiar to some.

After all, the city expands as citizens arrive, building itself to suit their needs.

What is the native population like?

Etraya is populated only with player characters. Outside of player characters, Aurora is available to answer any questions but does not technically reside on planet. She's available to all of those who are pulled in to protect their worlds.

There are numerous companion bots roaming the city that will converse with player characters. They'll chat about how they are excited to be here to lend a hand, and they'll wish characters luck in saving their worlds.

Companion bots are not equipped to fight back against those who may try to harm them, and will let player characters tinker with them. They're made as one would expect from looking at them from the outside: nuts and bolts and software made to keep them running. Improvements and customizations are allowed, though the character may want to reach out to Aurora to discuss with her.

If citizens opt to pull them apart for nefarious purposes, their first offense will be met with a reminder from Aurora to please leave the companion bots alone. Second offenses will end in severe point reductions, and subsequent attempts should be brought to the Plotting page as this would effect the bots going forward.

What is the local fauna like?

A few wild animals roam around Etraya, all of which resemble creatures that could be found within the worlds of the characters who are on planet. Some resemble a unique mixture of them as well.

How does my character communicate with other characters?

Characters will find an earpiece on the table beside the cot when they first wake up in Etraya. Characters can access the local network and receive mission announcements through the earpiece. Player characters, Aurora, and Echo are the only ones with access to this network.

The default and easiest-to-access function is simply feeding audio through it for translation. The earpiece translates all known languages for player characters. If they remove the earpiece, they will no longer have access to the translation feature. Characters can work around the automatic translation by speaking or writing in another language off-network.

Characters who need additional support will also find transcript and screen-reader options available to them on their devices.

How do the earpieces work?

The earpiece is similar to bone conduction headsets. They do not go inside the ear canal but sit outside of it. This earpiece will fit the specific character regardless of how big, small, or differently shaped their ears are. If your character doesn't have ears, it will simply rest against the side of their head.

On the outside of the earpiece is a button that will expand the HUD interface for users. This HUD is fully customizable from color schemes (the default is a soft green) to where data is displayed. Characters can access a contact list built into the interface, which has Aurora listed as the top contact and every other registered user down below her. Characters can also access the forum created for Etraya inhabitants and a map of Etraya that matches what is available on the locations page.

Additional earpieces can be earned using Activity Points. These will cost ten points. Purchase of a new earpiece will also be required if an earpiece gets broken, or lost.

How can my character use the network?

The forum is where typical network posts are shared. Posts are displayed with the username first, followed by a thumbnail for video posts, a play button for audio posts, or the full content of a text post. When interacting within the forum, characters can ping other users by typing their username after the @ symbol. For example, @aurora would ping Aurora into a thread.

The network supports the following functions: public file-sharing servers, private communications for 1-on-1 or small group conversations, and real-time synchronous audio (like a phone call). Please note that there is not an anonymous function and you cannot disable comments on posts.

If your character is unfamiliar with futuristic technology, the companion bots are happy to give them lessons.

As of December 2025, there is now a static copy of Wikipedia available on the network for characters to reference. It is locked against editing, but allows comments and subsequent discussion threads. Feel free to make use of this in network posts or tags. Note that fourth-walling is not possible based on this copy of Wikipedia; Aurora has removed any personal information relevant to Etrayan residents.

As of January 2026, there is a public research database available for characters to share data and scientific materials.

How do characters show up on the network?

Setup of the network requires providing a username. The setup makes it clear it's meant for their name, but characters can set it up with whatever they choose. Usernames can be changed but past entries will appear with the username they were originally posted under.

Characters are welcome to set up their own inboxes, which can be accessed by selecting their name and moving to their inbox. There are no public photos of characters on the network, and no identifying information visible aside from their username.

If I add a location, what arrives within it?

This can depend on the location itself. If your character's childhood home arrives, all normal items one would expect to be within that house would be there. A museum would come with the artifacts inside of it. Places like the Fortress of Solitude, on the other hand, would not be as well-equipped.

All ordinary items, such as clothing and furniture, would be the same. Extraordinary items, such as an advanced computer or the city of Kandor, would not be. This would be the same for the Batcave, or Tony Stark's workshop: the technology won't be as advanced, and most of the gear inside (spare Iron Man suits, Batsuits, batarangs) would be reduced down to cosplay-level quality.

What happens if my character dies in game?

Echo has chosen these specific characters to judge their universe. Those who die will find themselves being brought back 48 hours after their initial death, life slowly breathing itself back into their bodies as they awaken where their corpse had been left.

They will also discover that something is missing. A memory, a piece of themselves, an ability… death doesn't come without consequences. Player character deaths should be reported here unless otherwise noted in a mission log.

PLAYER-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS

Applications

How old can samples be?
How much minimum screentime must a character have to be appable?
Are there restrictions to CRAU-gained powers?
How many reserves can be made at once?
Can two characters co-inhabiting a body be apped together?
Can samples outside of DWRP be used?
What level of detail is expected for the history section for OCs?

About Characters

AI characters without a body
Do ghosts stay as ghosts?
Can ghosts interact with the world?
Can my ghost get a physical body?
Character powers specific to their environment
Do items strapped to a character arrive with them?
What happens to connections between characters when both are not present in Etraya?
Are special dietary needs available?
Can my character receive medical prescriptions in Etraya?

About Etraya

What is the barrier made from?
What is the day/night cycle?
What is Etraya's moon cycle?
Are there calendars in Etraya?
Are the bones in the catacombs real?
What happens to character belongings when they drop?
Who do they ask for activity rewards?
Do characters experience an afterlife when they die?
What can be observed about characters after death?

Shops and Restrictions

How often do the shops restock?
Are books, movies, and music available?
Is vehicle fuel available?
Are comic books available?
What recreational drugs are available?
What are the consequences of cannibalism/harming others?
What happens if a character causes another to miss a mission? (cw: cannibalism mention)
Is underage drinking allowed?

Network, Tech, and Bots

What do the insides of companion bots look like?
What level of tech is available in Etraya?
Can network posts be ICly edited?
How well does sign language translate?
Will companion bots assist in running businesses?
Do AI companions count as pets or mission assistants?

NAVIGATION

♥

Comments

[cloversandcranes]

I HAVE QUESTIONS, OH GREAT CREATOR!

What about dead characters? Or ghosts? Are they resurrected for this game or can they still be in ghost form?

Also, what about characters with little screen time? Gene from Ghost Hunt is very important to the plot but isn't around much. I think there's enough for personality (other than headcanons) from descriptions from other characters, but I wanted to know before I decide on trying him or not.

[etrayamods]

Ghosts will remain ghosts, if that's how they exist within their canon. As for dead(non-ghosty) characters, they will be pulled in moments after their deaths and revived, or moments before and healed. As with deaths in game, something will be missing from them once they're revived.

As for characters with little screen time - we've done a little research and believe Gene should have enough to be appable. As long as characters are well-established, and applications do not need to rely on headcanons to fill out a personality section, we're good with accepting them.

[cloversandcranes]

THAT WAS FAST! UNDERSTOOD! THANKS!

Could I add another question for that? Can I have some creative liberties (aesthetics only) with his ghost form (only when feeling vengeful (which will be rare?)

[shabuir]

Hello there!

I was wondering, what happens to characters who arrive to Etraya with a serious, potentially terminal illness? Are they cured? Is the illness put in stasis (AKA, the character still experiences symptoms but without the risk of death)? Something else?

[etrayamods]

If there's canon precedent (ie, another ghost that does something similar) we're okay with this!

If there isn't, we could make this into an AC Reward so it's achievable.

[etrayamods]

We did add this to the FAQ but realize we forgot to add a quick link for it! Our apologies.

As for what happens - The hospital has advanced equipment designed to assist with chronic illnesses or physical therapy, but the extent of which it can assist is up to player preference.

Essentially - whatever is most fun for you to play with! They can discover medicine that puts it into remission, or they can treat it as they had been treating it back home. Or if you prefer symptomatic but without the risk of death, that is also an option.

[shabuir]

Awesome, thank you!

[draconisrose]

This sounds like a really fun game! I have a few questions regarding my OC. Sorry if he's confusing.

1. Rastaban is a magical being that feeds off the residual magical energy the world gives off. It doesn't directly affect the source of magic. Think of it as using the air someone breathed. It doesn't affect the person at all. The amount of magic he can scavenge determines how much magic he can use so what kind of levels can Rastaban find on Etraya, if any?

2. As an energy vampire, Rastaban can also steal the life energy from living beings. He will not use this ability with other characters without permission. If he tries to use this ability with the plants on Etraya would there be any side effects or consequences?

[equivo]

For characters from canons with multiversal travel, are they counted as representatives for their multiverses, the world/universe they were collected from, or their world/universe of origin?

[cloversandcranes]

There's been examples of the opposite (Monstrous evil spirit form turning back to human form after getting reunited with daughter). But I'm fine with it being an AC reward instead if that's better for you.

[etrayamods]

1. Rastaban will be able to pick up on very pure energy coming from the planet's center. From the city itself, only small amounts of it are accessible.

2. There will be no consequences or side effects of stealing energy from the plants. If Rastaban arrives in game, there will be numerous plants that bloom full of energy specifically to suit his dietary needs. Aurora will explain these plants' appearances during arrival.

[etrayamods]

A great question! One that it would surely be useful to have a clear answer to.

Unfortunately, characters won't get one. They'll just have to try their best/worst and hope it affects the universe they think they're representing.

[equivo]

Oh, fantastic answer, thank you very much!

[reddwyn]

How old does a comic canon need to be to app?

(G.O.D.S is like. five months I think)

[etrayamods]

Canons are applicable as long as they have been out for at least one month.

[reddwyn]

fingerguns, ty.

[shabuir]

Sorry, another question from me!

Could we get some more details on the earpiece/network device? Is it just the earpiece or is there an auxiliary device with a screen/keyboard? If there is no auxiliary device, how do characters view and interface with the network via text?

Thanks!

[myagic]

Sliiiding in here to verify if it's the same case for CRAU characters? (ie they won't know whether they're representing their "home" universe or their previous game one?)

[etrayamods]

Of course!

The earpiece is similar to bone conduction headsets, in the way they do not go inside the ear canal but sit outside of it. The earpiece mainly functions via audio fed through it - this is its default and easiest-to-access setting. However, on the outside of the earpiece is an easy-to-locate button that will expand the HUD interface for users. This HUD is fully customizable from color schemes (the default is a soft green) to where data is displayed. When characters first arrive, they'll be able to access the contact list, which has Aurora listed as the top contact and every other registered user down below her. Users are listed by the username they chose for themselves when first setting up their earpiece.

In addition to the contact list, characters have access to the forum created for Etraya inhabitants. This forum is where typical network posts will be available, displayed first by username, a thumbnail of the video (if it is a video post), a play button for audio, or the text of the post visible.

Using the text function of the earpiece can either be done via the HUD interface (a holographic keyboard populating in front of characters that is only visible to them, essentially), or it can be utilized with a voice-to-text function.

If a character requires more accessibility assistance, Aurora can provide further instructions.

[etrayamods]

This is the same for CRAU characters, yes.

[myagic]

Nice, thank you!

[quoththepoe]

Hello what would happen with a character who is an AI and not in an official body?

[etrayamods]

This depends on the AI themselves! If they're stored within a data center, their data center will arrive and be set up in the basement of the hospital. If they are stored in the cloud, they'll simply find themselves waking up within the hospital as all others do, having access to a couple of small drones to project themselves and use to see what is occurring around Etraya. These drones will be connected via their own wireless network and will be accessible only to the specific AI, as long as they do not experience outside interference.

For Poe himself, he is welcome to arrive with the Raven Hotel. He would not be limited to moving within the hotel, given the nature of the game. He will still have access to the drones, and will also have very limited access to the same software Aurora uses to project herself to others. This means he will have the capability of projecting himself into every main building within Etraya (as long as other player characters do not interfere with this) although he will not be able to control them the same as he does his hotel. He would also only be aware of what is occurring within those buildings if he is actively projecting himself within them, rather than being able to keep eyes on them passively. At this time, the 'main buildings' would be the hospital and the apartment building - as the game grows, these will be mod-controlled facilities, not locations added by players and new buildings created to mimic other characters' worlds.

We would be happy to run with alternatives if they're preferred, too! For example, Aurora could provide the AI with an android body to control, but they would be limited to just that body.

[quoththepoe]

Wonderful, that's food for thought, thank you mods!

[shabuir]

Thank you so much for the thorough answer!

In the case of a character like Boba Fett, who already has an HUD in his helmet, would he have any options for customizing the display so as to integrate it into his existing HUD? Is that something Aurora could help with?