memestertrucks | MARCH TDM

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After tumbling through shadow you find yourself in a shrouded, ruined garage. It’s full of shattered windows and broken mechanical equipment, with all sorts of sharp edges to watch out for. Between that are strange symbols scrawled into the ground. Outside is cloudy weather and the beginnings of a storm flickering and rumbling.

Beyond the rundown garage is a rundown gas station surrounded by rolling, grassy hills. Close by is a Convoy of vehicles, either parked or driving up to station.

01: SUMMONING CIRCLE

This time the summoning circle and car garage is attached to retro diner, and an old wind turbine, barely still spinning and providing fading power. There’s also a broken radio playing a message about Nirvana and imploring people to head north. In fact, there’s a large amount of broken electric equipment in here and spitting sparks.

A fan circles overhead, stirring those sparks and creating a breeze. Trails of paper are attached to the fan, spinning lazily about. If Drifters choose, they can easily retrieve those paper talismans with little more than a slight static shock. While the paper is tattered and smeared with ink and blood, the following can be made out: “Broken in two […] Nothing to lose-“ “Moon mourns, call her down, ease her pain-“ “Need […] Better vessels from afar. Stronger souls-“ “Imbue with moon sigils, Give blessings of moon, share her pain. Put the ritual right.”

Hard to say what that all means, but it seems to have something to do with the summoning circle here. And there’s lingering power crackling through the building. The sort that makes the lights flash and flicker… And line up eerily with flashes of thunder on the horizon.

02: START UP 

New arrivals will have a similar experience to before; a Convoy waiting outside for them, and a collection of vehicles, one of which feels like it belongs to them. The key to the vehicle may already be in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on their person, ever since they woke up in that garage. Either way, Drifters 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 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.

03: STORM WARNING

There’s something odd in the sky; it shifts between a dark cloud, and a collection of birds. As the thing draws closer, it clearly becomes a mix of both. Car-sized, dark feathered birds and skeletal avians fly in a thundering flock, and turn the sky stormy in their wake. That alone is bad… But what’s worse is how the shiny chrome of the Convoy and vehicles draws the birds. As they dive towards the ground to snatch at the shiny metal, they pull the storm and bring a tornado with them. The Convoy does its best to anchor to the ground, but lighter vehicles and Drifters might not be so lucky.

The garage and diner takes it worst of all: the electric devices start spitting sparks and can even act as homing beacons for lightning strikes if a Drifter with electric abilities gets too close to them. Any remaining, intact windows shatter as the storm winds pick up, pelting Drifters with razor shards. And water starts pouring in, further shorting electric equipment and soaking anyone to the bone. There’s even a strange droning, siren like noise to warn about the storm and cut into one’s hearing. It’s difficult conditions for anyone caught up in the blow-out.

04: WEATHERING

Once the main force of the storm hits, the following happens:
Diversion: Those with Fast cars can drive away from the station and divert the birds. They’ll want a second Drifter to come along; either to snipe at the pursuing birds, or keep eyes on the terrain! Eventually the birds will tire or get culled enough that the storm disperses.
Updraft: There is the risk of getting swept up in the tornado winds. Damage, injuries… And a particular quirk this storm has. Drifters who spend more than a minute in the storm winds will find that they begin to take on traits from the Harpy monster. These traits increase in potency if the Drifter experiences hunger or violence. As the weather clears and days become calmer, the traits fade.
Downburst: If Drifters get slammed into the ground by the storm, or the dark birds flying about. They may also find themselves drenched with rain. Any injury they take mends quickly, but is replaced with scales, as the Drifters begin to resemble a Naga monster. These changes grow worse if they tell lies, but disperse with the storm.
BIRDS: The birds themselves are vicious: those afflicted with Naga traits are seen as prey, while Harpies are seen as rivals. The birds are deadly, but also clumsy if forced to the ground. The screens on the Convoy recommend crippling the wings before finishing the bird off on the ground.

04: MONSTER SHIFT, NAGA

This month, Drifters will have access to the serpentine Naga. On top of all Naga species traits being available, the following occurs:
+Cold Blooded: the rain and storms can potentially make Naga slow and sluggish, or inclined to sleep or seek out other heat sources to gain energy; this includes basking in body heat from others!
+Water Divert: With their water shaping, Naga can divert falling rain and even ground saturation to make the area or other Drifters more dry. They can also concentrate water into different areas, and can also change water into mist or ice.
+Blue shift: the scales of Naga become more vibrantly blue, or a strange mottled combination of blue and stormy gray, the more intense the rains become. These scale colors can also reflect their moods.
+Extra arms that are painful and disorienting to grow, and can result in coordination issues.
+Scale Pains: Pain and discomfort when scales grow in, as well as fangs or talons!
+Water glide: during floods from the rains, Naga find they can easily traverse deep water as though they were simply walking (or slithering) across it.
+Thermal vision, making it easy to track others in the middle of storms. Vision may also become disorienting, and eyes become slitted.

04: MONSTER SHIFT, HARPY

The storm will bring a second monster this month, in the form of Harpy. On top of all Harpy species traits being active, the following occurs:
+Storm Rider: high agility and capable of flying through the storm winds without hindrance. Even tornadoes can be mastered!
+Feather pains: itching, or full pain when growing feathers or wings. Talons may also be painful when growing from fingers or from feet.
+Wind Affinity: able to shape wind, including diverting the worst of the storm winds, or summon and focus wind into razors.
+Warbling Voice: words may waver and slip into something more songlike, or even a damaging sonic scream if emotions are heightened.
+Height Call: a need to get higher into the air, whether through perching on buildings or the convoy, or through flight. A sense of euphoria as they go higher.
+Nest Building: a compulsion to create a nest out of spare and soft objects, and feeling more safe inside that space.
+Heightened vision like a bird of prey, able to pick out details even at great distance. This may be disorienting at first, as vision becomes telescopic.

05: RAIN, SHINE, OR SALVAGE

Upon culling enough birds, the storm disperses. The monster avians dissolve as they drop into streams of energy, feeding into Drifter Sigils and providing limited healing. And handful remain intact when they hit the ground and can be harvested for meat, feathers, and possibly even talons.

There is one extra problem, in the form of falling debris. After being pulled up into the sky, wreckage (and possibly stray Drifters) are going to drop back down. It’s advised to look out for falling objects and people. It might be possible to salvage something in the form of scrap metal for any vehicle repairs, but such a task requires two.

06: STORM SHOT 

The storm can be dispersed in one of two ways. One is waiting the storm out. The second is a battered collection of machines melted into the roof of the garage and gas station. When touched they burn the hands of Drifters, but also fire a jolt of lightning into the storm. One shot lessens the effects of the storm, repeated shots completely disperses the weather.

In the aftermath of the storm, something different rains from the sky in the form of glowing, quicksilver feathers. These feathers can suppress one avian or serpentine trait for a month, and can also drain away any Naga or Harpy changes from the event completely.

Alternately, the feathers will allow Drifters to temporarily access flight for one day. Doing so completely robs the feather of its magic: only one effect can be chosen from a feather.

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.

Windy Days: Preceding the storm are gales of strong winds, enough to stagger Drifters or send them staggering into other people or other vehicles.

Diner Is Served: While the retro diner attached to the garage has only limited food stores, curiously there is a respectable amount of cooking equipment that can be plundered. Portable stoves, pots and pans, spoons, and the like are all available for the taking.

Fading Storm: In the aftermath of the storm, the garage and diner look like they’re on their last legs, barely held up by their shelving. Anyone who wants to try salvaging had better move fast and carefully, before the entire thing comes crashing down.

NAVIGATION || RESERVES || APPLICATIONS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well I wasn't sure how familiar you were with cars, so that at least helps," Donnie huffs.

"Anyway, I doubt the turn signals are going to be muy important around here but it'd be that lever on the left of the steering wheel. Headlights should be on the same lever, you just twist the end. Unless this thing's as ancient as it looks, in which case it will be a bit of experimentation."

The turtle tries not to lean too close even as he tries to have a better look at the setup. At least he knows his way around old cars.

"One foot for both brake and gas, I know, it seems counter-intuitive but it works better that way since you don't want to hit one too soon after the other. I highly suggest avoiding hitting both at once because it might just mess up the car."

"There's a lot of people in a lot of cars, you really ought to warn people when you're going to turn," Jolie says dubiously. "Unless I guess we're not turning much. Maybe the road is really straight?"

Look, she grew up along the Pacific Coast Highway. She's used to weird twisty roads.

She does listen to his instruction, though, and he manages to do it just right that she even absorbs it without getting annoyed at being told to do things. "Okay, one foot... that might be what I did wrong with the truck," she says, making a face. "We were charging down a hill covered in bushes, though, so it might not have really mattered a whole lot."

"Honestly? Your guess is as good as mine. I just got here and I'm still kind of boggling about...this whole situation."

But he's also grown up in New York where people just start to merge into lanes and things and everyone else just deals.

...also, he drives the equivalent of a big foot monster truck back home.

"Mmmmyeah, probably not. Especially if it was steep. Neither here nor there now but yeah, would not recommend. But otherwise, that is basically how it works. The other lever on this side is for the wipers. I have no idea what to expect of weather here so it's probably good to know either way."

Jolie leans forward a little to peer off in the direction of the looming storm. "I'm going to guess there's probably rain in our future. I mean, look at that." She points at the dark clouds on the horizon. "Unless it swings off another way."

Donnie looks out at the distant skies, frowning.

"...yeah, that doesn't look great." He doesn't mind the rain too much, but it does get annoying, and if they're expected to drive through it, he's not sure how well the terrain will hold up. This place is definitely emptier than what he's used to. Should they watch out for flash floods or something?

"Guess we should be prepared either way then. But...car-wise, that's all the important stuff. I'd say give it a go around here just to get a feel for it and see if there's anything else we missed that might be good to know."

Jolie bites her lip, a little nervous admittedly, but it's always better to do something than nothing, and she needs to learn how to drive it. So she does put her hand on the gearshift. "I guess... D for drive?" It doesn't move at first, until she figures out you have to push in the little button to make it leave Park.

And then suddenly they're rolling. "Oh, jeez, I didn't know it moved on its own like that!" She hurriedly gets both hands on the wheel again, and equally hurriedly turns it so she doesn't bump into another car not far ahead of her.

"Affirmative," Donnie says as he leans back against the seat. "Park, Reverse, Drive, Neutral, Low. You don't have to worry about the last two unless you just need the car to roll freely, which would be neutral, or if we have to go up any steep inclines, which would be where L would come in."

He at least doesn't freak out when she does as the car begins to move. "Oh yeah, probably best to keep your foot on the brake when you shift out of Park. For future reference. Don't panic, just ease your foot onto the pedal, whichever one you're intending to use at the time."

She tries the brake, and the car stops, a bit jerkily. She frowns at herself, mostly in concentration, then eases off and tries the gas, this time more carefully. "I hope I don't have to worry about reverse much, either," she admits. "That seems harder."

And now she's driving. Very slowly. It's a start! "My name's Jolie," she adds, because she's getting driving lessons from him, she ought to introduce herself.

"Well at least you probably won't have to worry about parallel parking around here. And traffic."

For all its creepiness, perhaps the one thing it has going for it is that there's space enough to learn how to drive without worrying about hitting anyone or rude people yelling at you. Teaching someone how to drive in the middle of this unknown madness is almost maddening to consider in itself for how normal it is otherwise. Donnie tries not to think about it too hard as they drive along. It's slow and potentially boring for someone who prefers top speeds but he'll deal.

"Reverse might be good to at least give it a shot while you have the time to. It comes in handy, and it's not too much harder." He pauses. "I'm Donnie. This is all super weird, right?"

"It is really, really weird," Jolie agrees, getting further away from other cars before she even considers giving reverse a try. "I've never met a turtle person before. I've met a really smart AI and an alien, sort of, but not a turtle person. So, sorry for staring at first. That was rude of me."

Donnie waves a hand dismissively.

"Nah, it's cool. I mean, yeah, it was rude, but you didn't scream, which is considerably worse. I'd like to think myself much better company than an alien. They weren't perchance pink and intending to overrun New York and by extent, the world, were they?"

Paranoid, who, him? Never!

"No, he looked like an orc from Lord of the Rings, and he was dead. Like mummified, dead." She never actually saw Hiskott, though she has guesses, and she's not going to talk about him anyway. "He might have wanted to take over New York before he got dead, but he was in California so it'd be a long trip."

She glances over at him. "You met pink aliens wanting to overrun New York?"

The thought of dealing with mummy-zombie looking aliens makes him pause as he weighs the pros and cons. Then again, if this alien was dead already then who was to say how gross he looked alive?

"Yeah, unfortunately. They were like...rectangular masses of flesh, basically walking brains with tentacle limbs. But they move scary fast and could spread this goo that just mutated everything it came into contact with, guh..."

Donnie shudders as he remembers the grossness that just seems to be associated with the Kraang.

"Oh that sounds gross and awful," Jolie agrees. "Orc wasn't like that. He looked sort of like a person, only with weird hands and a weird head and horns no his face." She sounds almost fond of the dead alien. It's not like he ever hurt her, being dead and all.

"Okay, I'm going to try reverse now." She's seen the adults in her family do it, and they always look back over her shoulder, which is awkward when she's short and the back of the chair is tall and also there's a giant turtle in the chair next to her who she'd rather not accidentally bonk while trying to twist in her seat.

She manages, though, and the car backs up, one jerky inch at a time. "How can you tell if there's something under the level of the back window?" she mutters, mostly to herself.

"It was the worst, especially when trying to figure out how to fly their spaceship," Donnie agrees, rubbing at his arms.

At least he's leaning back so the bonk-risk isn't too great.

"You can't, which is why you try to get as good a look of where you're intending to go. Sometimes you can get away with just using the rearview mirror."

He glances over his shoulder to make sure they're pretty clear.

"Okay, so for now just try to maintain a straight line."

"I'm trying," she says, a little more sharply, because that edges into telling her what to do, and even a year later, she's still stupidly touchy about that. The car continues to move very slowly backwards, and it does in fact veer a little to the right before she tries to correct. "This is a lot harder than Dad made this look," she mutters.

That has Donnie arching a brow at her. "Wow, it was just a suggestion. You know, as opposed to driving a circle in reverse or something? I could be real mean and suggest we try parallel parking instead."

He glances over to watch from the side-view mirror.

"It can be pretty tricky, especially since you're essentially having to turn the wheel the opposite way that you want to go."

She subsides a little at his clarification, but you're on thin ice, buster. (Sorry Donnie, she has trauma.) "If the rest of the country is like this road, I don't think parallel parking is going to be a problem. Ugh, I'm probably just going to have to practice a lot until I'm comfortable with this stuff." She finally stops and puts the car back into drive, turning slowly towards the convoy again to get back in place. "Thanks for, you know, helping out."

Sorry Jolie, Donnie is not the insightful one of his brothers.

"That's the best way to do it, really. Something tells me you'll have plenty of opportunity," he says as he looks forlornly out the window at the bleak distance and ever darkening horizon. It's probably better they be closer to the convoy anyway with that storm front looking like as does.

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Doesn't seem like anyone's much considered the prospect of people unfamiliar with or unable to operate vehicles around here."

"Yeah, probably," Jolie agrees, a bit grimly, looking out over the convoy and the cars scattered around it. There's probably a lot of driving in her future. "How long have you... been here?" She's afraid it's going to be ages and that's going to seal the dread in place that she's not going to go home any time soon. If ever.

The turtle shakes his head. "Just got here, same as you, I'm assuming," he admits. Teaching someone how to drive in some rundown, abandoned place in who-knows-where. It's only partially kept his vicious overthink from going into overdrive, a distraction to keep him from wondering how and if he'll ever get back to his family.

"Oh." She pauses, then adds, "I'm sorry. That you got dragged from New York to get dumped here, too. That sucks."

"Yeah..." That makes two of them. Donnie sighs. "Well, I guess if we want to figure out what all we're going to have to deal with, we have to go along with this circus." Caravan?

"If you have any car problems or whatever, you can let me know. I'm good with fixing things."

"Sure," Jolie says. Even if going with these people she knows nothing about for reasons not clearly explained is stupid, she knows that staying alone in a strange place is also stupid, and also she noticed there was no actual food in that diner. And she's clearly so far from home that staying where you are in order to be more easily found is not going to help anything.

She still sounds a little frustrated when she answers, though. "My uncle fixes cars, but he's never really shown me anything about it, so... I'll probably need the help." She frowns at the steering wheel, then at the convoy they're nearing. "Where's your car? I'll drop you off there."

"I can show you how to do basic stuff," Donnie offers. "Cars like these are easier to maintain in a way- a lot of the newer models have at least some amount of computer systems monitoring things so it gets tricky."

He pauses before admitting, "Haven't found one yet. You can just drop me off by the garage."

MARCH TDM

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