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

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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.

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?"

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."

"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'm... not sure what I'm made of, right now. It's not plastic, though."

The Radiant Era had brought about better manufacturing processes in its time - much of that Era had been lost, but the kinds of material available for creating life had retained some level of sophistication.

"Metals might come closer." Even though they don't look robotic.

And then, much as they were loath to mention it, there was the matter of the fur - not significant now, but it had at the least replaced their substitute for hair.

"Okay, then no, bandages probably won't help... unless you have blood? Er, some kind of fluids, that need to be kept in your body?" Then bandages might help, at least enough to keep wounds closed so nothing seeps out that can't be replaced. He approaches a little closer, as if trying to get a better look.

"Coolant, yes." Which can more easily be synthesized, but some things V doesn't like talking about.

Knowing what Jack is looking for, they turn over both their arms, one by one; the burn marks are scattered, except for a circle around where an elbow would be in a human. "That's supposed to be there," they explain.

"Okay. So it is only these that are injuries?" Jack verifies, motioning to the burn marks. "Can you get infected? Because I do not think these are leaking, the-- the skin--" He has to call it something, anyway. "--does not look broken, I think. So you should not need bandages unless you are worried about the skin getting infected."

V slowly shakes their head. "I can't - haven't - contracted viruses humans can."

Though they're not keen on finding out if it is in fact possible here.

"I think I would prefer to be safer than sorry."

V could almost wish for nanites - but then, no, they would have to be more worried of catching something off of them, than off something organic. Still.

They offer up an arm. "Would you prefer to apply it? I could do it myself."

But somehow... it feels unfair to leave this person's offer entirely rejected.

"Whatever makes you more comfortable," Jack says graciously. "I do know first aid. I have done it many times before. But not everyone likes being touched by strangers, I know, and if you know how that is fine too."

With an appreciative nod, V reaches for the bandages instead.

They'll make to walk off a short distance to put them on, possibly to brace themselves against a car if they feel the need.

Still, something's bothering them about - well, all of this. Shouldn't they be able to heal themselves, to some degree? Maybe V will need to look in the convoy for equipment, but that still feels like its own gamble.

Distracted, they don't immediately notice when their sigil glows.

---

Back at the RV, V is out of sight but not out of hearing, as is rapidly revealed when they start screaming. It's a higher pitch than one would expect from hearing their voice, without being completely shrill.

And it's definitely a scream of pain.

Jack hands over enough to wrap V's arms, along with the antibiotic gel, then lets him do his thing, instead kind of humming to himself as he circles the camper, trying to get a feel for its actual size. If he's going to be driving it, and he thinks he might, he doesn't want to be banging it into things.

So he's still outside when V starts screaming. He gives a little yelp of his own, then darts off after him. "Are you all right? What happened!"

The person Jack finds is... not as easily recognizable, safe to say. This form is much taller and bulkier, for one, and furrier. On the bright side, while V is in no shape to notice, the burns are gone.

The screaming cuts off, enhanced hearing cutting through the pain enough to signal someone's here, and a strangely feline, monstrous face turns toward Jack.

They make a keening noise, stepping back in their confusion.

Jack skids to a stop, expression wary but not afraid. Either the big feline monster ate the nice young cyborg he'd been talking to, or the big feline monster is the nice young cyborg he'd been talking to. He'd lean towards is, because if there had been eating going on, probably the big feline monster would be spitting out robot parts.

"Um. Hi?" he offers, holding up both his hands peaceably.

The monstrous felinoid hisses, more than a few muscles twitch... but after that it is still.

Slowly, they hold up a paw in turn. The other goes to their throat - everything feels different, but at least relative anatomy hasn't changed - first to their sigil, then to the front.

V attempts to ask for help, but what comes out at the moment is more hissing.

"Okay," Jack says slowly. "Okay. I will not ask if you are all right. You are, um. Not all right. Can I come closer? I won't hurt you," he promises, his hands still up, though they keep moving, illustrating his words by gesturing in V's direction, then going back into the "surrender/I come in peace" pose.

V tries to answer, this hiss this time managing to sound a bit more like a sigh.

Tilting their head forwards, they drop both paws, though both still have claws out and look awfully sharp. It's going to take some time to get their head around this...

The next few moments feel like an age, trying to find some kind of inner balance - and maybe reverse all of this.

The next noise they make is more of a growl - not angry, but the ability for speech is still clearly shot. They nod, because part of them does prefer to be alone-

But part of them also really does not.

Jack eases a step closer, then another, then holds up both hands again, though this time like he might reach them out to V. "It's all right. Whatever this is, I'm sure it's only temporary." Transformations always are, for him. And that sounded-- and currently, looks-- a whole lot like his own. "You're still you. Right? You aren't attacking me, so I'm going to guess you are still you."

V keeps their paws firmly on the ground - they feel so unwieldy, like most of this body does, and trying to wave them might end poorly for Jack - but they come closer to meeting Jack's gaze than before.

Again they try to speak, that hissing sigh, causing their ears to go flat.

Which briefly surprises them, because they can feel their ears are both doing that and are in an entirely new position. The resulting expression can come across as comical.

Jack smiles-- but not with teeth, he knows what teeth look like to someone who is sort of like an animal. He doesn't know if V is any different mentally, but it's always better to be safe. "Yes, ears do funny things sometimes when they get more mobile like that, don't they. Here, I am going to put my hand on your shoulder. Okay? If you don't like it, you can move away again."

And he does attempt to do just that, slowly and carefully, ready to pull back but not looking, sounding, or even smelling like he's afraid. Just cautious.

V's not sure what Jack is trying to do, exactly - if Jack does anything other than just touch them, they'll do quite a sight more than just flinch - but they're in-control enough at the moment to let it happen.

Their next sound is more of a whine than a hiss, and more of a question than a whine.

Half of it is to see what the new form feels like and how it reacts to being touched, and half in an attempt to comfort them. Jack lays his hand carefully and lightly on V's shoulder, giving it a kind of slow, gentle pet after a moment. "There. There, you're okay. It will pass." He hopes it will. He assumes it will, because generally sudden transformations like that do in his experience. And, to make sure, "This doesn't hurt you? Me touching you?"

Second-to-second, V finds theirself backing down from all-alert.

There's a closed-mouth noise in the negatory, an "Nnnnn," that's as close to a word as they've managed yet.

Touch, at least, isn't painful. And as Jack continues to not make sudden movements, there's less potential for it to be overwhelming, a cumulative trend.

There has to be some way to reverse this, V thinks. Had- was it their sigil that did this? Another reason for them to strongly dislike it.

V tilts their head, one enormous paw raising again to the side of their neck - Jack will have to crane his neck to spot that circle on their skin, but it glows even now.

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JANUARY TDM

IV - Tagging as promised!

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Transformation Time!

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