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memestertrucks2025-01-01 12:01 am
monstertruckers) wrote in memestertrucks2025-01-01 12:01 am
Entry tags:
JANUARY TDM
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
“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.”
C
Leo looks over from where he's leaned against a van, cleaning off his katana's blade as best he can. He'll need to find some proper stuff to take care of it at some point...
But that's future Leo's problem!
For now, he focuses on the clown, giving a grin.]
What's so wrong with a little adventure?
[He asks, as he though he wants to be here (he does not).]
no subject
[...so much so that it causes her to give him a hard squint.]--I don't think you're him.
Unless...? [...no, that was stupid, even for Caine. She straightens out, leaning in closer to give the teenage turtle a curious stare.] Have we met?
no subject
Uh... I don't think so. [Leo scratches his chin. She could be a yokai, but...] I think I'd remember a half-pint jester.
no subject
You're not him. Sorry, you reminded me of this... guy I know. [Definitely not a friend in that one.]
[There's a mental reset and she decides to go back to the original question. Which was...? Oh, right, adventures.] To answer your question I have to ask what you think are good about adventures. They're disruptive, obnoxious, dangerous, and throw you into situations you really don't want to be in.
Was anything about tonight fun to you??
no subject
Besides, he's supposed to be the fun one! And he doesn't know why that should stop just because he's definitely dead and in some kind of terrible purgatory.]
Well, I like fighting, so that part was pretty fun.
no subject
Well, I'm sorry but not all of us are capable combatants. [She folds her arms and pouts. If Leo was trying to make her feel better of what happened of tonight then he wasn't doing the best job of it.]
...though finding my car and getting away did have its moments...
no subject
But right, the cars...]
Yeah, the car thing is pretty sweet. [Leo frowns, glancing in the direction of his motorcycle.] But also kinda weird? Never heard of getting a free car before.
no subject
I mean we're clearly in some kind of weird post-apocalyptic hell hole, and we're supposed to ride out to... somewhere. Far from here, because you can better believe those nasty things are gong to be on us again in greater force than they were tonight, and there's no telling how long that power generator will last.
So, of course they're going to have us find a vehicle in this place to make it so we can get out of here. Otherwise the game would be over on day one.
[See? Sensible.]
no subject
[What she's saying definitely has some kind of twisted logic behind it, but that last part is really throwing Leo off.]
...Are you like... one of those weirdos who think we're all in a simulation?
[Then again, she does look like a video game character...]
no subject
I mean, what sort of ending point is 'Nirvana?' And where was the keys to your vehicle, exactly? Everything is set up like we were meant to find it, and of course we're going to end the day with some sort of vague objective!!
no subject
Weeeell... you are making some solid points, short stuff. [Leo rubs his chin.] Maybe if we make it to this Nirvana place, it'll all be game over and we'll get the high score.
no subject
Y-Yeah... yeah, you're right. All we have to do is make it to Nirvana and the game will be over.
But, gosh, this has been one of the most elaborate games I've been to. Usually we'd be over by now but... you know, I don't think I've ever been in a session that took more than a day to reach the objective?
...uh, don't worry about that. Just thinking aloud.
You... uh... you good? It sounds like you're a pretty good fighter, but no lasting, permanent injuries?
[She started to scan him from side to side, looking for any signs of combat damage on Leo's person.]
no subject
Uhhh, yeah! I think I'm good - that weird, glowy stuff seemed to patch me up.
[Which is mostly true: the bruises Leo had been previously sporting are all gone now, and he doesn't have any serious injuries. Though it's probably a little worrying that his skin is as pale as it is, and that the back of his shell has a crack in it...
But it's not like Pomni knows his baseline skin color anyway! Maybe this is normal!]
How about you? Nothing got you, right?
no subject
What about this back here? That doesn't hurt at all?
[The question actually cause her to yield a moment. Ah, was she okay?] ...sort of? I didn't get attacked or anything, but when I got back here there were these monsters that sort of... disappeared? I had a bunch of spectral light fly into me and I've been feeling kinda gross this whole time.
But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about!! [She exclaimed unconvinced.]
no subject
[He'd been hoping with all his other injuries healing that this would too, but no such luck, it seems.]
It doesn't really, and... another girl here offered to take care of it. [Which he doesn't love, but it's something.
Let's grab that subject change!]
Feeling gross? [He makes a face.] You aren't going to blow chunks or anything, are you?
[He takes a step back just in case.]
1/2
2/2 cw: vomit
no subject
Maybe it's a bit insensitive of him, but Leo's reaction is to quickly move out of the splash zone, his snout scrunching up in distaste. Vomit's vomit, although... it's probably pretty concerning that her vomit in particular looks like an oil slick...
He'll just... wait for her to be done.]
no subject
Eeeurgh... guess my stomach issues had to follow me too, huh...
[While she does seem to be done, a cursory glance would find that her feet are not quite as solid as they once were. What looks like barf where her feet should be seems to be blending into the liquid, making the division point between her body and vomit a bit of a tricky thing to determine.]
[Unfortunately, she hasn't seemed to notice that yet.]
no subject
Uuuuuuuuuuuh.]
Uh, so… [Leo grimaces, miming tugging at his collar even though he is not wearing clothes.] Is that… normal for you?
[He makes a tiny little point with his finger at her feet.]
no subject
[His attention draws her attention, and oh my GOD what the FUCK is that???] W-What? What's that? No-no I--! [She tries to jump out of it, drawing out a streak of gooey residue as she does.] No! Get off! Why isn't it getting off!?
[Worry quickly spreads to panic as jiggling off the stuff only seems to spread it out further. Soon, another, smaller pool of black oil-like goo is pooling below her feet.] WHAT THE
no subject
He unsheaths his katana and carefully pokes the black stuff with the blade. Just to see what happens.]
no subject
Get off... why aren't you getting off... I...
[Her attention turns to Leo, stabbing at the goo pile she made.]
...what are you doing...?
no subject
[It doesn't seem to, though. Does it only stick to living things? ...He doesn't really want to stick his toe in to find out.]