JANUARY TDM

[monstertruckers]

code

((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

Comments

Shadow the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog (Movies)

[airskate]

[ a. start up ] (heavy spoilers for 3rd movie)

[ Shadow does not approach the Convoy. He's not an idiot, after all, and he's already aware that he's not operating at full capacity. An attempt at Chaos control has already fizzled out into nothing. An attempt to harness Chaos energy and punch through a wall—not even a very thick one!—had left him with nothing except an aching hand. Even cautiously clicking his limiter rings on and off doesn't produce any change. He really overdid it—or so he assumes, with nothing else to go off of.

To him, it's easy to conclude that he's simply fallen back to earth after dealing with the Eclipse Cannon. There's the moon, still a ruin from where said cannon has sliced through it. And here's his surroundings, perfectly mundane despite the ruin. He just needs to figure out where exactly this ruin is.

So he gives the ramshackle collection of trailers a wide berth, literally skating around the perimeter as he eyes the vehicles around him. But before he can get too far one in particular catches his eye—a motorcycle. He slides to a stop, gaze fixed on the vehicle. Then he heads straight for it, snatching the nearest key up off the ground as he goes.

But of course it's not that easy. As he skirts around the shell of a car he realizes he's not the only person near the motorcycle. He scrambles to a stop, tense and wary. He doesn't say a word, simply glowers up at the newcomer. ]

[ b. ruin exploration ]

I wouldn't do that if I were you.

[ Shadow's tone is flat, unimpressed, and unconcerned despite his warning. He's perched on top of one of the gas station shelves, sorting through bags of old snack food and setting aside the ones still intact enough to risk eating. Not the most comfortable perch, but well away from the Husk that his fellow Drifter has drifted too close to. Even as he speaks, he tosses a bag of gummy bears into the 'keep' pile. ]

There's something wrong with those statues.

[ c. race track ]

[ The attack has come and gone, and the strange message from the radio has been heard. Much as Shadow is inclined to strike out on his own, he's no fool. In his current state he'd just get ripped apart out there. So he needs to stick close to the Convoy, which means parking himself and his new motorcycle not too far from the rest of the group.

The guitar music playing from the radio grabs his attention. He sits quietly, ears twitching and swiveling as he tries to place the song. In the end he isn't able to, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. His knowledge of music is limited; maybe this is still earth, somehow, and he's just lacking the context to place the song. But if he wants to find out... Shadow flicks his gaze to the person sitting nearest to him. After a long moment, he finally ventures: ]

Do you recognize this song?

(OOC: click here if you'd like to opt out of spoilers!)

A!! i could be writing my own toplevel but i'm bothering yours instead

[miniroth]

[There's a scattering of other people prowling around through the collection of vehicles, and not all of them are even human looking. Like the occasional giant robot.

Sephiroth is not a giant robot, and on first glance he can easily be mistaken for an ordinary teenager, on the small side, lean and clad in black nearly from head to toe. Ignore the sword that's probably ordinary too. What HE does not expect, wrench and screwdriver in hand to start pulling pieces off that same motorcycle that looked potentially useful, is to encounter a small black and red spiky monster.

Wearing shoes and gloves. Monsters don't generally wear shoes. Or carry keys.

Shadow is regarded steadily for a long moment through narrowed viper's eyes, the keys studied, then the hedgehog, then what the hedgehog is wearing again. The motorcycle looked like it might be a reasonable size for a hedgehog of about that height. No immediate attack from the hypothetical monster, which ... maybe it was domesticated? It didn't look particularly tame..

He knows what to do about hostile monsters. But non-hostile ones was .... harder. There's not a lot of protocol about that, and if this was someone's pet he really shouldn't just try to kill it.]

Are you friendly?

[How do you talk to pets again?]

always happy to have a tiny sephiroth in my inbox!!

[airskate]

[ Sephiroth studies Shadow, and Shadow studies Sephiroth in return. He notes the sword and the tools and the strange eyes, but also the lack of anything that could be called clear hostility. Shadow does mistake him for an ordinary teenager, if a somewhat odd one. He's weighing the pros and cons of speaking himself when Sephiroth finally breaks the silence. ]

... No.

[ No, he is not friendly, and he knows that about himself very well. He doesn't say it like it's a threat, however. Shadow might have extremely limited experience when it comes to socializing, but he perfectly understands what Sephiroth is actually asking him. ]

But I just came to look at the motorcycle. I'm not here to start a fight.

[ To his eyes Sephiroth is just a child, probably not any older than Maria was. Shadow's not going to start a fight with a child, even if he's the strangest and most heavily armed child Shadow's ever seen. ]

[miniroth]

[He hadn't been expecting a tiny monster, and he sure as hell wasn't expecting it to talk. 'He', if there was any crossover from how humans sound and how three foot tall spiky things sound, not 'it'.

Sephiroth's idea of 'friendly' definitely differs, as he's not immediately attacked after the reassurance to the negative, and he glances around briefly to see if more of these might suddenly appear. They don't.

Friendly, then. A monster that can be reasoned with might not be as much of a threat, and this one seems perfectly articulate.]

.... Nor I. [Though he would, if it became necessary and his idea of necessary was wildly variable.] I suppose I shouldn't strip it for parts then. Is it yours?

C! Also, I don't play Omega, but have a cute friendly bot. And a weretiger.

[constantvrunning]

[V's practicing managing sensory input from their new form - it's adaptable and alterable, despite being so different from what the Synth is used to that they wish they still had diagnostics available - which means there is a sizeable dark-furred cat (on all fours) perking up when Shadow asks his question.

Before V can respond, however, a small drone zooms over and parks itself between the two wayward Drifters.

M-Bot gives a series of chirps, making a show of looking Shadow over before backing off.]

"... Was that really necessary?"

[M-Bot gives an affirmative, and the Synth has an all-too-human-sounding sigh in response.]

"Apologies; today has been stressful. But no, I'm afraid I do not recognize the song."

[airskate]

[ The bot zooms over and Shadow tenses in response, glaring at the little drone while it hovers in front of him. Even once it backs down he frowns after it, irritated, and only breaks his gaze when V speaks. That, at least, doesn't seem to surprise him. Far be it from Shadow to be taken aback by the prospect of a talking animal, even if this one is much less bipedal than Shadow himself. ]

... Hm. Maybe the radio host wrote it.

[ Or maybe this person (cat?) doesn't know that much more about earth music than Shadow does. ]

[constantvrunning]

There was something about scanning local networks.

[As they speak, V gestures with a... paw, for M-Bot to lie down, which he does. The drone probably needs to recharge, but V can't say they feel the same.]

Perhaps someone who used to live in this area... left something playing?

[Strange as it is to imagine - who would live out here? Well, now, anyway.]

It is unlikely that whoever was speaking to us would be that same person, keeping that in mind.

A - From the same era of 2000s gamer energy...

[ecounfriendly]

[ Jak's car is up and running and he's satisfied with it, for now, but that doesn't mean he can't check out what else has joined up with this convoy. The lack of air vehicles is pretty weird, after getting used to jetting around Haven City jumping stolen zoomers through traffic.

He likes that bike he's seeing as he returns to his vehicle, though. It's lean like an air racer. Stepping toward it, though, it seems like Jak's not the only one with an eye on it.

Most people aren't used to little furry guys running around, but this is one of the many respects in which Jak is not most people. This is a weird day and he's gonna do his best to take it in stride.]

Relax, I'm already good. Just looking.

[ He twirls his key ring around a finger to demonstrate that he's not going to take the bike, and moves back to lean a hip on one of his car's huge tires. ]

Probably better I have something that can take more of a beating anyway.

[ Because he can't just be normal and say "that's a cool bike." ]

[airskate]

[ Shadow sure is getting a lot of understated reactions to his presence. He's not really sure what he's supposed to do when he's not being regarded with fear, uncertainty, or as a potential tool.

He definitely doesn't dislike it, however, and Jak's casual reaction and decision to not immediately try to pilfer Shadow's motorcycle lands him firmly in the 'tolerable' category. His car gets an appraising look from Shadow, who immediately classifies it as more tank than car and figures it must be pretty durable. Jak's remark about durability, however, has Shadow's expression shading towards confusion. ]

Are you a bad driver?

[ecounfriendly]

[ Jak makes a dismissive psshh noise. ]

No way. I just mean... have you seen the place?

[ He gestures with a little toss of his head. ]

From all the creepy warnings it sounds like we're in for a whole lot worse than just being lost.

B

[solitarysoul]

Its fine as long as you don't touch them.

[The boy with the rifle and the satchel replies, before looking for the speaker and pausing. There was some sort of animal over there, but that couldn't be right...could it? His own world did have a furry nonhuman species so it might not be too far fetched.]

U-unless you know something I don't?

[airskate]

[ It could, indeed, be correct. Shadow doesn't look very impressed with the boy's answer, and he temporarily abandons his snack hoarding entirely, but at least he doesn't look any angrier. ]

I know that some predators can hold still for hours before ambushing their prey.

[ He doesn't actually think the Husks are predators, mind, but he thinks the comparison is a good way to illustrate his point. They're a complete unknown, which is the issue. ]

[solitarysoul]

Its not alive. Its just...inert. Except it screams in your head the closer you get.

[It might be dangerous, but in his experience monsters didn't bother to wait before attacking so he's pretty sure its safe.]

B. I'm so sorry

[justiceobjects]

[It wasn't that Apollo wanted to go poking around in creepy old buildings, but he arrived with absolutely nothing on him but a pretty aged cell phone. The crowbar he found earlier was nice to have, but it wasn't food. Or water, or bandages. Scrounging around is one of the few useful things he could do in this situation, since he didn't know a thing about repairing the cars outside.

But those strange metal... sculptures? Apollo noticed that a few of them seemed to be clutching things, and after seeing a glint of a key he stepped in closer to try to get a better look. But who would stick their keys in the hand of an art project? That was a terrible place for safekeeping.

The comment makes him jump, and after turning to see who was talking to him, Apollo just... stares. It takes a moment for him to reply, since he's trying desperately to process what he's seeing.]

Yeah, uh, they're pretty creepy. ... Nice costume, by the way. Did you make that yourself?

[airskate]

[ ... Costume? Shadow's already cranky expression sours further. He's never gotten a reaction like that before, not even from the other Drifters. Naturally, he assumes that Apollo is being a jerk.

He drops the snack he was in the middle of examining (a bag of knockoff Cheetos) and stands up. ]

Did you come in here just to make stupid jokes?

[justiceobjects]

Uh, no?

[Apollo is a little taken aback by the hostility. He also can't help but notice that the 'costume' has really impressive articulation, but now didn't seem the time to comment on it. In fact, it was a little too good... but that's not something that he's willing to think about head-on right now. ]

I thought I'd help look for supplies. Sharp eyesight is pretty much the only thing I have going for me in a situation like this, so... here I am.

C.

[guidemyway]

[Ruby wasn't really paying attention to just who was around her. It had been a long night already and she was just trying to rest. However she immediately perks up when she gets a look at just who's speaking to her.

Her silver eyes go wide with delight.]

Oh my gosh. You look so cool. You're style is on point!

[And then after a sheepish second she adds in.]

Uh- No. Never heard it before. Do you?

[airskate]

[ Throughout his life Shadow has gotten a lot of different reactions to his appearance—surprise, alarm, interest, awe, fear, and even a few complete non-reactions since he showed up in this dismal place. But this? This is actually the first time anyone has taken one look at him and called him cool before anything else. ]

... Thank you?

[ At least once Shadow gets a good look at Ruby and her own red-and-black theming, her reaction makes more sense. Obviously she has some biases when it comes to color. ]

No. I've heard that type of instrument before, but not the song itself.

[guidemyway]

[Okay. This guy could take a compliment. That's a wonderful sign because Ruby was generally pretty awkward when it came to interactions with people. So she's calling this a win.]

You're welcome! Us edgy goths have to represent and stick together.

[Okay. Ruby was anything but edgy, but she says it with a lot of confidence. She takes a moment to listen to the song some more.]

Yeah. It sounds like something that would play where I'm from. But- Definitely not something I've heard before.

But there's been a lot of weird things around here tonight.

A

[yousawmysoul]

[Penny hasn't really been anywhere outside of Vale or Atlas before so while this place is very haunting, it's also a complete wonder to her all the same. Perhaps she should be a little more worried about waking up in a strange place but that hasn't really hit her yet.

There are people other people worried and frightened, and as the Protector of Mantle there was a lot that she could do to alleviate those worries.

It's why she's out scanning over all of the vehicles she's come across so far. As she stands back up she realizes Shadow not too far off, along with the keys in his hand, and the scowl on his face.

It takes her a second to connect the dots.]

Do not worry. I was merely scanning to confirm that the vehicle is in proper working order.

I did not realize you had already- What was the phrase- Oh yes, "Called dibs" on it.

[airskate]

[ Well, at least it seems like most other Drifters know how to be reasonable about claiming vehicles. Shadow looks mollified when Penny doesn't try to commandeer the bike for herself, though that doesn't really make him look any grumpy. ]

I didn't "call dibs". I just found the key.

[ But considering the bike, the key, and the hedgehog are all black with red accents, they're an undeniable match for one another.

But Shadow isn't actually here to quibble over who owns the motorcycle. Something else Penny says catches his attention. ]

You can tell if they work just by looking at them?

this is your fault so you have to read the establishing shot (B)

[thetatters]

[ John claws his way from the shadows with both hands. The horror of this registers slowly, as he begins to feel the damp against their knees. He lifts their head— what? no— and shifts their weight— no—

He calls and calls for Arthur. He curses the Crawling Chaos with every profanity he has in English, then in half-remembered tongues that warp his voice black and low. It never occurs to him that he might be overheard.

Out in the Convoy, a radio bursts to life: Be careful— Keep your fear and rage in check— But John does not notice. By then, he has already decided to leave the ritual space and raid the ruined store.

From Shadow's perspective, a scrawny twig of a man has crept into the building and approached the ominous Husks. He is bleary and breathless from crying, and constantly murmuring to himself in a low voice. There is a blotchy scar across one cheek, and he's particularly unlucky in sigil placement: the sign is stamped across one of his eyes.

When Shadow calls him out, he jumps with a snarled gasp. ]

Fuck! [ The voice does not suit the body: it's pitched too deep, eerily resonant. He eyes Shadow warily, and mutters another aside (—a strange creature, with large eyes and fur—) before he realizes he ought to reply. ]

I... Right. Yes. What are they?

anything to get a distressed lovecraft monster in my inbox

[airskate]

[ Most of the people Shadow has encountered thus far have seemed more-or-less put together. Uneasy? Sure. Disoriented? Absolutely. But John seems like he's a bit worse for the wear, given how he jumps at a simple statement and starts muttering to himself like that. Shadow frowns at how John elects to describe him (it doesn't really change his expression all that much). But he's received much worse reactions in the past, and John doesn't press the issue, so Shadow elects to respond to his actual question. ]

Husks, I think.

[ All the warnings about Husks are near the strange statues, and the name certainly matches the form, so it seems like a safe enough guess. ]

They'll mess with your head if you touch them.

b. ruin exploration

[bufudine]

[The strangely dressed person Shadow speaks to tilts his head in Shadow's direction in silent acknowledgement of his words. Serph isn't familiar at all with such a creature... but since he's speaking -- and more importantly, not attacking -- Serph doesn't really bat an eyelid.

However, he glances back at the husk before him... the husk that has a pair of keys -- he would guess they are to a vehicle based on the design -- clutched in its metallic fist. With how abandoned the place seems, being able to travel by transport seems like the most logical strategy to finding answers. Would the vehicle the keys are to work? Who knows, but he won't be able to find out without trying.

Certainly, the statues seem odd. Aside from their appearance and the warning plastered on the tree, he can hear a low humming emanating from them.]

Do you know what is wrong about them?

[Maybe this stranger knows more that he doesn't? But at the moment, he doesn't see something so vague as an ill-boding feeling and a non-descriptive warning as reasons to stop.]

[airskate]

[ Serph certainly is dressed a little strangely, but... well, Shadow has seen the clothing that the various Robotnik's wear, so he's got a pretty high tolerance for bizarre fashion choices. The important part is that Serph isn't inclined to ignore Shadow's advice or argue with him over it—a vast improvement over a few other people he's encountered. ]

Do you hear the humming when you get close?

[ Shadow can't hear it from all the way over here, but he knows it happens from both personal and second-hand experience. ]

It gets worse and worse the closer you get, and starts messing with your head if you touch them.