memestertrucks | JANUARY TDM

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((OOC: Hello, and welcome to our first TDM! This month, Reserves will open on the 10th and Applications will open on the 25th! We hope you enjoy the game launch!))

After tumbling through shadow you find yourself in a shrouded, ruined garage. It’s full of shattered windows and broken mechanical equipment; watch out for shards on the floor, in between the strange symbols scrawled into the ground. Outside the daylight is fading; night is rolling in, and there’s just a few dying lights flickering on and off. It’s going to be hard to see in here and avoid bumping into things and people, if you don’t get outside soon.

Beyond the rundown garage is an overgrown gas station surrounded by thick, wetland forest. Starlight is streaming through the trees, along with light from a broken moon. The one thing that isn’t overgrown with plants is a large Convoy of vehicles, parked right underneath the station canopy.

01: START UP

The Convoy looks like a cross between a semi truck and a train; there’s no one at the front, but there’s still power humming through the entire Convoy. It’s also the most hospitable thing in sight. Why not make yourself at home a little? You just have to chase that eerie, empty feeling since there’s no one else present.

Alternately, there are the cars scattered around the Convoy; all of them in better shape than the gas station. And some of them looking and feeling almost like they might belong to you. That feeling is only increased, when you see there’s a key to the car nearby. Perhaps the key is already in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on your person, ever since you woke up in that garage. Either way, you have the keys to the vehicle now.

…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.

02: RUIN EXPLORATION

The ruined gas station and garage are the only man-made structures around, and have seen better days. The store still holds packaged food, and tepid drinks of all sorts. The garage has old mechanical equipment for working on cars, along with that strange summoning circle.

There's also a giant tree bursting through the gas station roof. And clinging to its branches, half melted into the surface, are metallic bodies. Graffiti is spray painted onto the tree, reading ‘avoid the Husks.’

Those who ignore the warning and get closer hear a faint hum coming off those bodies. It’s almost like whispers, though it’s impossible to make out any clear words. Some Husks are clutching supplies in metal fists. For a few unlucky new arrivals, those Husks might even be holding the keys to their vehicles.

Making direct contact with the Husks intensifies the hum, and the whispers begin to form into pained cries, and give the impression of something rummaging through their thoughts; trying to pry out things that hurt Drifters, and reflecting those hurtful things on the bodies of the Husks for anyone to see.

03: MONSTER ATTACK

The night grows darker, and the shadows grow deeper. And from those shadows comes the glint of something moving across the Husks, rippling over the metal… And breaking it apart in a flurry of too sharp claws and teeth. That’s when the radio chooses to come on in another mess of static.

Be careful- Keep your fear and rage in check- Calls the monsters- We need the shield up-

The warning comes too late as monsters arrive. Some human-like but with razor teeth mouths that stretch from face to groin; others resembling alligators with bloated proportions and jaws that spit lightning; and still others where the vegetation has come to life, sporting thorn covered appendages.

The Pisaca monsters act as shock troopers, wearing the Convoy down with venomous bites and debilitating howls, before the heavy and brutish alligators bull in, using their bulk and electric attacks to obliterate what’s left. The capparwires scurry in the periphery, taking cheap shots with thorny vines and sparking electricity where they can. It’s a task to keep the monsters at bay until the generator fires up. Especially when one last enemy makes an appearance…

03-A: MIRRORMIC

There's as a metallic shiver along one of the remaining Husks, and a strange ringing whisper in the ears. The next moment, the Husk breaks open in a gleaming pool of quicksilver. That quicksilver catches reflections, and molds itself into a darker copy of a Drifter.

The mirror monster whispers faults and secrets at the reflected Drifter, and anyone close by. It tries to goad Drifters into an attack. And when struck, the mirror monster plays its second trick; whatever damage it takes is reflected back onto the Drifter as a transformation. An injury to the arm transforms the Drifter's arm, and so on.

It's possible to banish this monster through direct lights shone on it from a car, flashlight, or magic… But such action needs to be swift, before the Mirrormic completely changes its Drifter.

03-B: BOMBADGY BOMBARDMENT

Before, during and even a little after the monster attack, there’s an extra presence scurrying around the vehicles, snuffling and barking when startled. A band of chunky, raccoon-esque monsters known as the bombadgy are raiding anything that looks like it could be food storage… And this includes vehicles!

The bombadgy’s claws are deft and sharp with tearing through windows and door seams. These creatures are a touch skittish and won’t attack unless provoked. They also can expel a flammable gas… And this means they can explode if sufficiently spooked or stressed. This also means that they can be treated as living bombs, and be lobbed at other threats if needed.

04: WIND DOWN

During the monster attack, there’s changes gripping the Convoy, and especially the people in it. It might feel like your control is getting worn away by the second… At least until something in the trucks starts to whirr to life. It’s a soft enough noise, little more than a hum as something blooms out of the engines. It fast turns into a shield that envelops the Convoy in a shimmering, glowing dome.

And while it might not be enough to reverse those changes, it can at least stop them from growing any worse. Give you a moment of breathing space to adjust to everything that’s happened, and give you some measure of clarity and control. There’s time to breathe and mend now. Take stock of one’s injuries and changes.

But there’s a few strange surprises still waiting, it seems. Because the corpses of the monsters begin to disintegrate, like they are bleeding out motes of sickly light. Light that you quickly absorb; it has the side effect of lessening pain, even mending wounds… Though it might make you feel a bit off. Maybe a little more excitable, maybe a little more irritable, or maybe expressing a certain odd psychological quirk. Still, that sudden surge should pass in about an hour or so; just need to keep it together until then. Perhaps with a little company.

05: CAMP

A screen in the Convoy flickers to life. The image isn't visible through a snowfield of static. Same with the audio:
“Still… Alive? Good. Connection- Can’t hear you. Can't talk. Convoy will- take you closer to Nirvana.”

After that, the connection is dropped, leaving a collection of text:
I’m sorry. I have no answers for you. But you’re still alive. You’re not as broken as the rest of the world. When the sun rises, this Convoy and all the cars around it will start moving North towards Nirvana. If you want answers, and to stay as close to human as you can… I suggest you stay with the Convoy. Good luck.

A last alert flashes across the screen: “TESTING LOCAL NETWORK CONNECTION.” And then… Music starts to play on the speakers. Mellow guitar and brass music that’s at odds with all the weird that’s happened recently, but perhaps just the thing to relax to.

MICRO ENCOUNTERS:

PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.

Race Track: There’s a race track that winds around the gas station! It’s a bit threadbare in places and little more than a mossy and muddy trail. But it’s still a race track that weaves under and over trees, and seems like a good place to test new wheels.

Gone Fishing: The gas station area eventually turns into the start of a swamp; that explains where the alligators came from. It may be possible to do a little bit of fishing, though the fish are just as weird as everything else. Still edible though. Swimming in the swamp is not advised. The alligator monsters and fish tend to bite back.

Spray Paint Messages: The paint on the trees and gas station is starting to fade and wash out, but can still be legible; most of it contains messages warning about the end of the world, prayers to the heavens for mercy, and dire warnings about husks and something called “moon warps.”

NAVIGATION || RESERVES || APPLICATIONS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01 - Start up
[Blacking out and waking up in a new location was getting concerningly frequent. There'd been her first trip to the TV world, when she'd been grabbed by the shadow hands in Yomotsu Hirasaka and now...this.

At least she didn't appear to be alone this time. She could see others in vary states of consciousness slumped around the room. Slowly, carefully and trying not to draw attention to the movement she checked the inside of her coat. Giving herself a small nod when she confirmed her firearm was still on her person.

Odd of their captors to leave their belongings. It raised more questions.

Then she noticed something new in her pockets. Something very fuzzy feeling.

She frowned, pulling out.... a large, pink pompom that dwarfed the key attached to it.]

Rise... [Then the key beeped, causing another weaker beep from outside. And a groan from Naoto as she shook her head.]

02 - Exploring
[For a few minutes later, Naoto could be found outside. Half looking around absent, half searching for the vehicle she had the keys to. Occasionally pausing and pressing a button to set off a beep. Her head tilting to try and pinpoint the noise.

Only to pause when she came across- Well, Naoto wasn't too sure at first. She had to squint at the tangle of metal and plant life.

Another beep, and then a faint light that was almost masked by leaves.

Normally, Naoto might have stepped forward and tried to remove the vines. Instead she just took a breath, looking up at the warning graffiti, the strange metallic....lumps scattered around the lot.]

What- [She winced at her own voice. It sounded so loud out here. But...] What do you suppose they mean by husk?

[The word itself implied something discarded, something that had contained something else.]

03 monsters - pre-shields
[Nightfall was rapidly approaching and she still had no answers. All she had were the clothes on her back, a scooter that was supposedly her's and a basket of supplies.

No phone signal. No maps. No one seemed to know where they were. Nirvana? A term that kept coming up, but that was so abstract. It hardly helped.

Naoto was sat on the steps of one of the carriages, it wasn't as though she could sleep outdoors. The cool air helped her think. Her eyes closing as she tried to muddle through everything. Only to snap open at footsteps.

She didn't comment on whoever approached, merely stared.

Then her nose wrinkled.]

...Can you smell something? Um... [A moment to realise how that sounded. Then she shifted, tugging at the brim of her hat she shifted to stand. Her speech quickening.] Like leaking gas? I'm going to go look.

misc - test drive
[If Naoto was going to be relying on this scooter to travel, then she was making sure it was safe. Unlike some, she actually appeared to have some idea of how engineers worked. Going through the tools in the garage silently and picking them out, looking through tires, clicking her tongue.

Periodically, she'd stop and try to start the scooter. And -

Well it started, at least. It was more than some of the things here.

With that, she slowly pushed it off towards the small track. It was only going about five miles an hour, but it was going.]

Wildcard
If there's anything else you want to try then just let me know! I want to do something with monster transformations and fighting but it might be better to have some plotting first for that.

I'll be going with a moth fairy for Noot's TDM monster, so cw:bugs for anything transformy.

[It took Akechi a moment to respond, taken aback by who had just questioned him. Certainly younger than she ought to be, but he would know the original Detective Prince any day, especially given his role as her would-be "successor."

But the youthful appearance, coupled with the lack of recognition were clues in and of themselves, and Akechi's initial shock died after a few seconds. His gaze returned to the tree and to those lifeless, metallic things, and he folded his arms.]

Husks of what once was, I suppose. At a glance, metallic corpses, but the warning and that strange humming seem to suggest something deeper at play...

[Deeper, but far from pleasant. It'd be interesting to see what Shirogane thought of his initial observations.]

[Naoto hadn't reacted to him any differently than any of the other strangers here. She'd looked at his face, his clothes, making mental notes of anything interesting. Logos, company names, little things that could indicate an occupation.

Never knew what might be useful.

'Corpses' was an interesting way to put it. And at first glance they could be mistaken for such, with how they were positioned, some seeming to be reaching out. What looked like blurry hands.

She...didn't like it, pursing her lips as she thought on it. A gut feeling didn't mean much on it's own.]

I feel as though the name is inaccurate. A husk in the normal sense of the word wouldn't be able to move. These seem...deliberate. And some would be hard to place.

[Namely the ones shimmering in the trees.]

Not to mention, a corpse doesn't typically hum, nor do they warrant a warning.

[So he nodded. Her logic was, unsurprisingly, sound. Though, their positions... Why the tree? And if they were so dangerous, how'd that warning get there at all?]

It's curious. This land is so lifeless, and someone had to leave this warning, yet the fact remains that they're no longer here. Either dead, or perhaps they fled. Either way, it wouldn't surprise me if the sounds they make is meant to lure in curious observers...

That, combined with the warning, has undoubtedly left some torn between safety and pursuing answers firsthand.

No, they don't. [Hiss maybe. Depending on the conditions and if gases had built up. But these didn't exactly look like corpses mid-decay. They looked like metal statues that had been positioned and then melted.

Her lips thinned.]

They do appear to be bait. Given the nature of our arrival here and how these 'Husks' seem to have items we'd need. [It just seemed so coincidental. A part of her thought it impractical for the husks to be hung up how some of them were. But who was to say they were as heavy as they appeared?

Didn't some bugs mimic leaves to a horrifyingly realistic degree?]

I suppose the bigger question is 'why'?

[It almost sounded like the plot of a novel.]

I believe 'why' sums up the entirety of our situation.

[He gazed over his shoulder, back toward the garage whence they both most certainly came.]

I'm no stranger to the supernatural and the strange, but to be whisked away to a dystopian hellscape, left to fend for ourselves with little but a dingy garage and a ruined gas station to sift through...

[And the 'Husks' in the trees, though, obviously they were a much riskier gamble.]

It gives the impression that we've been transplanted into a dystopian novel, or perhaps a survival horror video game.

[Even without the same level of familiarity with video games as others in his age group, it was easy enough to pick up on things through osmosis. Advertisements and other promotional materials, conversations overheard at school...]

Though, frankly, I'd rather approach it like a mystery to solve, and all of this as a curious clue.

That's true. [And got him a click of her tongue. Then she made a noise that was a combination of sigh and a mirthless laugh.]

A group of apparent strangers, in an isolated location with no contact to the general world? It's a rather common cliche.

[Despite being so common, it was rather hard to pull off in reality at this scale though. A remote mansion? Doable, though the resources needed would likely leave a trail. A open space like this was a lot harder to control- Though she was getting ahead of herself.]

Hopefully, our captors don't expect us to fulfill those cliches...

[With that, she slowly and carefully took a few steps forward. Moving closer to one of the more isolated Husks. She still kept her distance, but she wanted a closer to look. See if there was any movement or if she could identify the material.

Not touching it though! Even with gloves, she wasn't going to risk it.]

Would you be familiar with anything like this?

My first impulse was that I'd been dragged into another Palace—that is, the manifestation of a person's distorted desires on a real, tangible place. I'd say that it should be impossible, but we already encountered a Palace after the Metaverse had allegedly dissolved.

[This likely all sounded so absurd, and Akechi snorted wryly at the prospect.]

But the Metaverse is a parallel, cognitive world that is activated via an app that no longer resides on my phone, and this world feels much too grounded despite its ruinous state.

[It was a good job she was looking at the Husk and not him. Because for a moment she's stunned. That sure is a lot and it sounded absurd.

But the last time someone had told her something absurd, it'd been real so...

After a few seconds, silently contemplating existence, life, the world. She shrugged at the Husk.]

I was thinking more along the lines of insects that mimic plant life to hide and lure in prey. [Dryily.] Along with seeing creatures that like to cover themselves in clods of dirt.

And that these Husks could be something along the same lines...

So a more down to earth familiarity.

[Heh, of course. Still, he nods along, the explanation more than satisfactory.]

But yes, I see the comparison. In fact, there's also the alluring glow of the female angler fish to consider, with the keys in the Husks' grasp as the shining light meant to draw us in.

Naoto Shirogane / Persona 4 / Monster-fairy(testing)

02

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Tiny Detective, meet Depressed Detective. 01.

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3!

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Exploring

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