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

Jack Russell | Werewolf by Night

[wereperrito]

I. Start-up and Ruin Exploration

"Oh, this is not good," Jack mutters to himself in Spanish as he picks himself up from the garage floor and has a good look around. Shadowy portals to strange ruined places are never a good thing. Also, they make it harder for Ted to find him, because who knows how far they've dropped him from home?

He dusts himself off and starts looking for some sign of where he is, of maybe a pay phone, or even another portal to step through to get back to the alleyway he'd been catching a breather in before falling through here.

He winds up staring at the husks for while in baffled anxiety, making absolutely no attempt at touching them because he is not stupid, and the spray paint. "Moon warps?" he reads aloud, and peers up through the patchy clouds to try and find said moon. He doesn't like the sound of that. He already has his own issues with the moon, he doesn't need more.


II. Monster Attack

The warning gives Jack at least enough time to look around and spot the monsters before one of them gets close enough to take a swing. He makes a sound embarrassingly like a "meep" and drops into a roll that takes him out of range again.

He bolts for the Convoy and the cars. At the very least, a car will be shelter: at best, it will be a means of escape. He finds himself washed up against a massive rusty RV, one which he's pretty sure the key he grabbed on his way out is a match for, trying to fend off an alligator thing with his foot, because what else is he going to use?

"Nice lizard, good lizard, I promise I am not at all tasty!" he tries, to no avail. Somebody come help him out, here? He's not a fighter and these things don't want to listen to reason!


III. Monster Attack - 3B

When the first raccoon dog explodes and singes his sleeves and the insides of his nose-- ow!-- Jack quickly gets the idea to use them as weapons. He can't fight, won't fight even if he could, but he has no qualms against throwing things.

Catch him darting by and grabbing a bombadgy to hurl at the nearest knot of monsters. He pumps his fist in victory when the poor thing blows up and sends the plant-things flying in all directly, clearly on fire. It's a little weird to feel exhilarated by blowing things up, he's never really been one for explosions or for killing things when in his normal human form, but considering they're clearly trying to kill them, he's not going to worry too much about it.


IV. Wind Down

Jack patches himself up, what little patching up is required when most of what he did was run away or throw living bombs at things, and sets about doing the same for anyone else he comes across. "I know first aid," he says, holding up a stale and rusty looking kit he found in the RV which at least has some useful bits left.

He also takes the chance now to scavenge whatever's left in the gas station and garage, avoiding the husks like the plague but collecting as much as he can fit in his arms, pockets, and the pillowcase he found in the RV. He doesn't hoard it-- well, not most of it-- instead he goes around to the other cars and the Convoy to pass out bottles of water or room-temperature iced tea, expired packages of chips or pretzels, and very stale cookies. "It's food, even if it's not great," he offers.

IV - Tagging as promised!

[constantvrunning]

V has not been having a good time of it, to put things lightly. There's burn marks - or something that can pass for them - all over their arms and legs both - there are also seam marks on the lower parts of both legs, hastily hidden by some recently-acquired cloth.

At their heel is a little drone, head practically on a swivel for any more bombadgies or other beasts that could possibly harm his person, making little beep noises every few seconds. A safety proximity alert, for V's comfort as much as its own. But M-Bot isn't hostile, and won't make any moves just because Jack is there.

The dark provides enough cover that Jack might need a few moments to see who's actually staring up at his RV. They're not touching it - not without knowing for sure who has the keys - but there's a calculating look on their face, trying to figure out how much is intact from just a glance and what little of their normal Synth scanning functions are still innate.

[wereperrito]

Jack is sitting on the floor in front of the passenger's side seat, feet dangling down, eating his own stale chips for dinner. He stops at the sight of V and his burns in the light of the shield and the various cars' headlights. His sense of smell hasn't quite come back yet after the intense singing scent of the bombadgay that blew up too close, but he bets he could smell the burned flesh if it had.

So he hops down, holding up both hands, empty. The first aid kit is behind him, between the seats. "You're hurt. Can I help you?"

[constantvrunning]

V appreciates the gesture; apart from a wry look crossing their face, they remain calm.

"I'm- not human. Normally I repair myself, but for that I need tools..."

Which they didn't arrive with.

"And I am not sure what else about me has changed, due to how we were all brought here. I don't know what options will work."

Still, as they take in what Jake looks like, they let their shoulders relax a touch.

"I admit, though, it wouldn't hurt to check."

[wereperrito]

"Oh, er." Okay. Jack regroups after a moment. "If your parts are flesh, the same process should apply as to a human, though I might not use the antibiotic. I don't know what it would do to a non-human. Or a whatever you are."

A pause. They'd mentioned tools. He asks, "Is it plastic flesh of some kind? I guess a bandage won't so much for that."

I

[solitarysoul]

The husks are baffling so Levi hasn't paid much attention to the graffiti until Jack reads it. "Moon warps?"

Was the moon involved with this? Did Rher somehow scoop him up and throw him here?

[wereperrito]

"That is what the paint says," Jack agrees. "I don't know what it means. If it means anything at all. Maybe it is the name of a gang out here?" He does not sound hopeful about that. He has too many hang-ups about the moon, himself, to really believe it.

[solitarysoul]

"Hn." Levi takes a look. "Beware the...yeah, I guess it could be a gang. If it is they haven't been through here in awhile, though."

[wereperrito]

"Or no one has been here to warn against them in a long time," Jack agrees heavily. "Are you from the shadow portal thing too? Or have you been here longer?" The place has the scent about it of not being inhabited in a long time, with only the myriad of scents from all these sudden arrivals laying on top of the dust and emptiness, but he could certainly be wrong.

II

[shouldhaveknown]

"HEY!!"

The shout rings crisp and sharp, challenging the alligator creature just in time to prompt it to turn around and get a face full of oil. Romani's white doctor's attire is about as roughened up and singed looking as the redhead himself, but he pays it no heed as he waves his canister at the monster as if he's about to pour at it again, only to change tactics at the last possible moment and swing the metal object with both hands at the tip of its muzzle instead.

"Pick a fight with somebody who can fight, won't you?!"

He's just the head of Chaldea's Medical Department (and thus absolutely no fighter himself), but that doesn't mean that he's going to just watch while somebody's getting mauled!

[wereperrito]

Neither of them are going to come out of this well. Jack knows another normal non-combatant when he sees one. Just because he doesn't partake doesn't mean he hasn't seen plenty of other warriors before.

He gives the alligator monster a shove while it's distracted, knocking it off balance, and yells to his erstwhile defender, "This way!" while taking off for he other side of the RV, which will hopefully have a door he can open so they can get inside and hopefully close the door in the monsters' face.

[shouldhaveknown]

Oh good, the other person isn't going to just run off and let him deal with that monster alone. While that'd be the smartest thing to do, Romani can't help but feel grateful that he won't be on his own here. Not taking his eyes off the alligator, he flashes Jack a brief smile.

"Thanks! I was about to try to set it on fire, but I fear that trick only works in movies." He hops over the monster's tail and follows Jack as fast as he can, obviously more concerned at the danger they're currently in than over the fact that said danger is coming from a bunch of monsters that just showed up out of nowhere.

"Do you have anything sturdy in there? I don't think that thing's door will be enough on its own."

[wereperrito]

"No, but I do have the keys!" Jack slams the camper's side door behind them, then throws himself into the front seat, scrambling to get the keys into the ignition. With luck, he can just drive the thing away from the alligator thing. "Sit down and hold onto something," he advises over his shoulder.

IV

[thetatters]

The man blinks at Jack, then at the bag of pretzels, in total incomprehension. There's a wary, baffled hunch to his shoulders, as though waiting for the catch.

And everything in his appearance backs that up. He's skinny in the way of serious malnutrition, skin gone thin and pale over bone. Scarring covers one side of his face, and his sigil is stamped across the other eye. Perhaps to keep it hidden, he has wrapped a moth-eaten length of curtain over his head and neck as a makeshift cowl: the effect is pretty sad.

He'd been muttering to himself when Jack approached, and now he doesn't seem to know what's expected. The silence hangs long. Then John clears his throat and reaches out, still hesitant, to take the pretzels.

"Uh. Thank you."

[wereperrito]

Jack is going to be very polite and not ask who the poor guy was talking to. He might just have been talking to himself about how awful this whole situation is, after all. He just holds out the pretzels, with as reassuring a smile as his charmingly crooked teeth can muster, until John takes them. "You are welcome. Are you all right? Were you hurt in the fight? I know first aid too."

a monster imprinting on jack in two tags flat....

[thetatters]

At this, John's expression opens to something breathless and tender. Something very like awe.

It has been a long time since anyone offered him kindness. And back then, he'd been bound to an unconscious body: he could not speak his thanks aloud. It's... a bit overwhelming.

"No, I... I am unharmed." The more he says, the more apparent it becomes: there is something wrong about his voice. It's pitched uncannily deep and resonant, distorted as though heard from the bottom of a well. The effect would be creepier if he weren't plainly floundering for something useful to say, holding his bag of pretzels like a lifeline. "But I appreciate your generosity."

Human socialization! He's doing great. He's so convincingly normal right now.

II. Monster Attack

[bufudine]

Fortunately before an alligator can take a bite out of Jack, its jaws are encased in ice. Surprised at the sudden turn of events, the alligator flails in confusion, the knife-like claws coming dangerously close before suddenly they're retreating.

Or so it seams.

Unfortunately, it seems that Jack may have traded one monster for another; a tall demon has grabbed the alligator by the tail and is dragging it away from Jack, giving him ample opportunity to escape if he so chooses.

[wereperrito]

Jack is not afraid of monsters. After all, he is one. Sometimes, anyway. And this one does seem to be rescuing him. So he ducks to one side, fumbling for the the camper door, ready to open it and dive inside if he needs to but not quite going there yet.

"Thank you!" he calls instead. If the demon person talks back, then he'll know they're a friendly and not just looking for their next meal.

[bufudine]

While Serph can talk, he's certainly not the type to. Especially when he's in the process of thrashing the alligator. Unfortunately, the alligator is still larger than him even with the greater height afforded to him by the demon form, so going toe to toe with using strength isn't in his best interests. Fortunately, he also always has a weapon with him. So when the alligator breaks the ice encasing it, he unsheathes the blade in his arm and plunges it down the creatures throat before its powerful jaws can crush him.

It lets out an unearthly screech before going silent, its great mass slumping over.

He pulls his bloodied arm out and retracts the blade before stalking over to where Jack is. As he reverts to his human form, glowing blue lines spread over the demon as his shape shifts and shrinks to a strangely dressed man of average height. The glowing lines retract into the mark on his face, pulsing before fading to their usual black. Strangely, he's not as bloodied as one would expect after how up close and personal he'd gotten and by outward appearance, the transformation doesn't seem particularly painful; it is fluid, as practiced as putting on a different set of clothing.

Serph's voice is calm and even as he asks, "Are you alright?"

III. b.

[firstsoldier]

Honestly Sephiroth hadn't been interested in bothering the raccoon creatures at all; he had nothing they were interested in, they weren't bothering him, and there are much more obvious threats to be dealing with. Patiently working his way through the other monsters means he didn't really notice what happens with the raccoon dogs get agitated up until one explodes, obliterating the knot of monsters he'd intended to cut down just a moment ago, splattering him with bits of various form of monster, singed and unsinged.

It smells absolutely disgusting.

Slowly one gloved hand rises to wipe miscellaneous parts off his face, expression utterly neutral. There's more monsters but they're far enough away where it's not an IMMEDIATE problem, and what is ... is wearing way more blood and guts than he rather liked. So much for striking an impressive figure. "Living bombs that don't look like bombs. Wonderful."

[wereperrito]

"I know, it is very weird!" Jack agrees fervently. He feels a little bad about the blood and guts, and even approaches, now that the coast is semi-clear, as if he's definitely planning to come help wipe Sephiroth's face off or something. "Are you all right? I tried to aim for somewhere not-you-ish but my aim is not very good yet. They are very unweildy bombs. And also explosions are hard to keep contained."

[firstsoldier]

"..It's fine. I've dealt with worse." And yet though it doesn't show in his expression, there's some air to the man that suggests he is in fact thoroughly disgusted. Sure, gore and its side effects were a regular part of his job, and it wasn't even the first time this week he's been coated in blood, but at least usually he's quick enough to avoid any viscera.

Delicately he shakes a hand, sending a bit of grossness flying. "Perhaps it would be best to resort to.. more typical explosives than monsters?"

Jack.. does not look like he's exactly armed with a lot of grenades here, or that he was really much of a combatant at all. "..Disregard that, would you like an escort somewhere safer?" The convoy perhaps, somewhere inside the doors instead of out in the open where monsters roam.

III

[humeansfox]

Hu is likewise not eager to fight, but when she watches Jack throw the bombadgy it looks not only safer to do but possibly fun. "Oh! That's a good idea!"

so so sorry for the delay!

[wereperrito]

"Just be careful they don't bite you when you try to pick them up!" he advises, but with a grin. It's a little bit nice to be able to help a bit, for once, even if it's more violent than he prefers to be normally.

[humeansfox]

"Oh, yes, of course. I wouldn't want to be thrown around either!" She eyes one of the badgery bombs and darts to quickly grab it by its tail before tossing it at a nearby group of monsters. It barely has times to react before exploding.

"...quite odd a creature would explode like that, though."