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. That was easy enough to convince him... and yes, unsurprisingly, Knives is not going to lift a finger to help look. He is, however, intrigued that this creature seems to know plenty about human technology, and follows him into the garage, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, observing. Might as well gather more information while he waits.]

What are you, exactly?

[Now he's done being polite, he's brusque and to the point.]

[Donnie tugs at a jack he finds wedged behind a stack of tires, pausing as he winces and shakes out his arms. Agh, this is going to be a pain.]

Apalone Spinifera. Spiny soft shell... mutant variant.

[He adds before giving another tug at the jack to free it from its spot. Then he looks at the tires, checking numbers before he nods to himself and starts to pull the topmost one from the stack.]

Hey can you at least take that back to the car if you're going to just stand there?

[Knives has never actually seen a living, breathing turtle, but he's at least read enough about Earth and seen pictures. And this... is not that. Even calling it a mutation is putting it mildly.]

Did humans create you? [He takes the jack, but he's not returning to the car just yet.]

No, but I was mutated with human DNA. Was created by a yōkai scientist.

[For a moment he looks like he'll fold under the weight of the tire, but save for another wince, he manages not to drop it, but he does set it on the ground so he can just roll it back rather than carry it.]

Give me that.

[Already bored by watching him struggle with the tire, a tentacle-like appendage made of blades appears from Knives' back, and he extends it and uses the blunt edge to and hook under the tire, lifting it effortlessly.]

And why were you created?

[Hurting arms or not, it doesn't keep Donnie from flailing a moment at the appearance of the weird appendage. He stares.]

Wh... O-oh, because said scientist got it into his head that he needed to create an unstoppable mutant army to protect his people from humans.

-what the heck is that.

A tool to protect my people from humans. Come.

[Donatello may be weak, but at least they're on the same page -- he assumes. Indifferent to the staring, he begins to walk back to the car, still carrying the tire aloft.]

[That's...unexpected? Then again, Donnie knows how humans can be when it comes to people being...different.

He blinks, but goes to grab a crowbar that he'd seen resting against the wall before he heads after the other. That door's not going to unstick itself anyway.]

...did they create you?

They created my people and enslaved them, but not me. As an Independent, I am their only hope of liberation. Anything that happens here is a momentary distraction to slow me down.

[Or so he assumes, though he still knows far too little about the situation for his liking. He pauses by the car, lowering the tire to the ground.]

[Donnie can't help for the face he makes. He's only recently dealt with an alien race trying to more or less enslave people forcibly so that experience is pretty fresh in his mind.]

Why do things always seem to turn out that way? That's terrible.

[Sighing, he steps over to set the crowbar down by the door before going to get the jack in place.]

I'm not sure what to make of this detour, but it doesn't look like there's an obvious way to get back. Especially not if we're being provided transportation like this.

If the talismans in the garage are anything to go by, they see us as little more than vessels to be filled. [Disgusted by the mere thought, he shoots a suspicious glare at the array of humans around the Convoy, swarming like locusts. If even one of them is in on this...]

...Playing along for now should at least lead us to the ones directly responsible.

[That suggestion makes Donnie shudder. Is that really why they're here? He hates not having enough information!

While he's the least empathetic of his brothers even Donnie can see the distrust there as the man looks around at the others that mill about. He's not even sure how much he can trust this guy either, really, but aside from being on the pushy side if he's been on the bad end of relations with humans, the guy can hardly be blamed, he supposes.

The turtle nods slowly. He's in agreement to some degree. They need more information, and if they can find out who's behind bringing them here and whatnot...]

That seems to be the best thing we can do at the moment, in any case. So you going to help me with this tire or what?

[He turns his attention back to the... turtle.] Are you incapable of doing it on your own?

[deadass would rather try to make Donnie look incompetent than admit he's never changed a tire in his life. why would a flawless being ever need to do that?]

[Donnie gives him a flat look.]

Normally I could handle everything but my arms haven't healed up completely from a fight with some feisty aliens so it's making things difficult.

Also this is your car selection. Just use the jack to level this thing up so we can get the tire off. I've moved it into position already.

[How tiresome. He crouches down, and ignoring the jack altogether, reaches down to lift up the car slightly with a single hand.]

Good enough for you?

[He doesn't seem to be under any strain at all, and so can hold it easily while he changes it.]

...

Oh now you're just showing off. Why did we even bother with the-

[Donnie breaks off with a sigh.]

If you can do that much why didn't you just fix the dumb thing yourself!

[He grumbles and steps closer to the tire. Aw, dangit, he forgot to look for other tools...

Sighing again, he holds his hand out. Glowing lines of magenta light trace out pieces, parts of some kind of mechanism until outer panels encompass and seal it off, a motorized lug wrench.

Hopefully Knives doesn't mistake it for a gun given its shape before Donnie can apply it to the lug nuts holding the tire in place.]

[Knives has killed humans for much less than talking to him like that, but in this case, he's more interested in whatever the turtle is creating, eyes fixated on the lines as they begin to form an object. Yet even if it were a gun, Knives doesn't look as if he's particularly threatened. If anything, he laughs, intrigued.]

If you can do that much, why waste time rummaging around in a garage?

[If Donnie wanted to make an actual weapon, it'd be a lot bigger. His brow twitches at Knives' words but he continues until he's able to get the tire off.]

Because there's nothing wrong with using actual tools that are available. Anyway, I wasn't entirely sure it would still work or not.

[He gets the replacement tire, hefting it into place with a grunt. Then it's time to replace the lugnuts, but at least that doesn't take long. He gives Knives a nod to set the car down again.]

That should do it for the tire.

Very good. I will see to it that your assistance is rewarded, turtle.

[He lowers the car, giving it an appraising look at he straightens to his feet, before turning his attention to Donnie.]

That creation power of yours -- how were you able to do it?

The name's Donatello, or more commonly, Donnie.

[He shrugs, picking up the crowbar to work at the car doors.]

It's a family thing. Our power just manifests in different ways and applying it as mystic-tech is just mine.

Donatello, then.

[Apparently he doesn't do informalities. Stepping back to let him work, the dagger-covered appendage he had wielded like an extra arm settles around his shoulders and melds back into his cloak.]

What is the upwards limit on what you're able to create?

[Ah, one of those types.

Donnie flicks a look out of the corner of his eye, watching that weird appendage settle as he shoves at the crowbar he's wedged into the door seam.]

Haven't really hit a limit yet. I can build up any equipment I can think of or understand the workings of. ...I guess the real problem is conjuring up something on the fly that I don't have a good image of in my head.

So you must visualise and create it piece by piece?

[Powerful in theory, flawed in practice when compared to a Plant, it seems. Particularly if he has a flawed mind like a human, capable of easily forgetting or misremembering things.]

What is the rest of your family capable of?

It helps. But that's just how I do it.

[In a fix he'd been able to conjure up an entire arsenal of firepower, so theoretically he could skip the part of building it entirely. But he'd be quite offended if it was implied he had a flawed mind excuse you he's a genius!!!!]

My little brother threw a building once.

[He gives another shove and the door creaks before finally giving.]

That's one.

Remarkable. Did he use his bare hands? A tool or power?

[He seems more interested in the topic of discussion at hand than the car, at this point, but he nonetheless tests the door now that it's unstuck, closing and opening it.]

MARCH TDM

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