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

[Akechi had come to investigate the garage for signs of summoning circles of new arrivals. So, consider his surprise when he finds both.

Perhaps his appearance wouldn't be entirely odd to a Reploid. Wings were a common enough trait among Mavericks, though his are coated in black feathers rather than metallic constructs. Even his face and his neck bear similar feathers, while crow-like talons protrude from the torn fingertips of his leather gloves.

Organic features, all of them.

Akechi takes a moment to take Zero in. He's far from the first robot Akechi has seen, between Optimus and Roger, but this is certainly the most human-looking thus far...

But no matter. He offers a nod, then moves over to investigate the notes.]

There was another group of us two months ago.

[As he looks over the notes, he touches his chin, and his eyes narrow.]

...Damn it. It would appear my suspicions were correct.

And what suspicions are those? [Reploids come in all shapes and sizes. Most of the unusual ones ended up as hunters. But others. Well. Odd to see a human looking changed.]

Was the circle there last time?

[He steps to the side and shifts the shorting out electric equipment away from Akechi. He’s flesh and blood. It will be a problem.]

It was, yes. But the suspicions have more to with patterns I've observed.

[And so he reads one of the notes aloud:]

"Better vessels from afar. Stronger souls..." I had already concluded that we were not the first to make the trip toward "Nirvana," as the recordings left for us on the Convoy and all other audio recordings were very old. This simply confirms that we were brought here as puppets, torn from our own realities to continue the cycle.

[The news sits between them in silence for a moment. He folds his arms over his chest. A feeling of unease bubbles up. He has been a vessel before. All he has to do is think of the fragments of memory from before his time as a hunter. Not the best news he has heard by far.]

So, those who came before left messages for those coming after. Sounds cyclical.

[But out of their own realities…] What happened to those groups?

[A pertinent question, to be sure, but Akechi's frown only deepens before he blows a small sigh.]

All signs point to them transforming into the monsters we've encountered throughout this voyage. Moreover, it would seem their souls remain trapped inside their beastly forms, regardless of how vicious they've become.

[It's still just a hypothesis, but one he's documented with care. An unpleasant one, but one that bears repeating.]

[Stronger souls. Better vessels.] And monsters some of us are already becoming?

[It didn’t take a genius to work that out.]

That has something to do with the sigils, doesn’t it?

[In a way, this is comfortable. Every reploid is aware that they might eventually give way to the Sigma Virus and become a violent Maverick. In the other, the way it always is…] Has there ever been another sentient robot here?

Yes, on both counts.

[The sigils do glow, after all, and absorb the energy from fallen foes, but moreover...

He peeks at another note. It reads: Imbue with moon sigils, Give blessings of moon, share her pain. Put the ritual right.

Far from encouraging, but no matter. There are more immediate questions to answer, so Akechi turns from the note and nods.]

I've encountered two thus far, though only one remained among us. He's far less humanoid than you, but equally as sapient. A bit more... spindly, I suppose, with beady eyes and a long face.

[But likely not a reploid. He visibly thinks it all over. He won’t lay a hand on people. That is not only the law but one didn’t retire reploids just because they might go mad. He drops his arms and nods.] Zero, a hunter.

Anyway, it sounds like this ‘ritual’ might be the source of everything. [He says it like he is working it out himself, aware the other person is ahead of him.] What other moon related things have been found so far?

Edited 2025-03-16 17:39 (UTC)

And I'm Akechi, a... former detective.

[Well, he's been putting his skills to use here, but that's a matter of semantics.

Regarding the ritual, he nods. It's a simple enough conclusion. With that said...]

The moon holds great power here. When shards fall, a "Moon Warp" transpires, bringing out monstrous traits in full force. There are also shrines that seem to honor the moon, while others seem to despise it.

[But it's all scraps, scattered pieces... A mystery to be solved.]

[He looks at the piece of paper in his hand. If this were at home he would assume Sigma virus. But this is-]

What happens during a moon warp? Are the changed people violent or something else?

[It would be so nice if they just spit out garbled words. He doubts it.]

Some were more violent and volatile than others. I retained my sense of self, but others behaved in more animalistic ways, overtaken by their instincts.

[He delivers his answer without faltering, his voice level and frank. There's little reason to sugarcoat it, in the end.]

Of course, when the Moon Warp concluded, everyone regained their senses.

What happens to the moon shards when the warp concludes? [Information first. Warnings second. It is possible he’ll react like he does to the Virus. But he isn’t going to count on that.]

Is the moon warp proximity based to the shards or?

The shards rain down and affect the nearby area. The Convoy database suggests that the Moon Warps are the reason behind a lot of the oddities in the ruins and environments, but the moon itself seems to fluctuate in how severely fractured it appears.

[So it's... somewhat inconclusive, and Akechi ultimately shrugs his shoulders.]

We're still learning, of course. Though we have some scraps of information, a lot remains unclear.

[He nods. A faint internal ping yields the results of an internal scan. No oddities. Hm.] That sounds like they generate a field. Or bring something with them from the moon.

…you mentioned temples. How do we know when we’re coming across one?

The ones we saw were simple shines off the side of the road, with offerings laid out. Removing or tampering with one of said offerings would brand you with a message, or perhaps a symbol.

[He places a hand over the sleeve of his left arm.]

Mine has mostly faded, but it also spoke of the moon's so-called "blessing."

Has anyone received that or, are our changes seen as a ‘blessing’. [He rubs his arm and drops his hand. Sigils. Markings. This part is alien to him.

He considers the situation.]

What happens if someone gives an offering to the shrines?

To some, perhaps, but I've noticed emblems carved into monster corpses and marking hostile robotic hounds. It's a symbol of a sword piercing the moon, suggesting that not all view the moon's "gifts" in a positive light.

[Still... hmm. It's a valid question, and Akechi taps his chin in thought.]

Admittedly, I never considered making an additional offering, but that may be something worth exploring in the future.

It’s not normally something I’d suggest. Anything that causes Maverick behavior is something to be wary of. But, I know someone might try it and better we all be prepared and keep each other safe.

[He thinks it over and sighs.] I guess we’ll see. We don’t have any tech to scan deeper. I’ll see about repairing anything that might help if I spot it.

If you're familiar with repairs, that may be for the best. The vast majority of vehicles are in poor condition, and we're all expected to travel alongside the convoy.

[Just a cursory glance, and he can see some odds and ends. Toolboxes, crowbars, and the like. It's not too dissimilar from the previous garage.]

I may see about collecting some of these scraps for later. Even if we lack proper means to chemically analyze and date them, it's worth keeping a record.

It is. Best to keep track of the clues. Has bits like this only been found at summoning sites?

[That circle was couldn’t have rebuilt it. The logical explanation might be he was rebuilt and taken before he woke up.] Nothing here looks too complex, I can take a look at the vehicles and see what I can do.

Last time, there weren't any notes near the circles. We only had our surroundings to go off of until the first message in the Convoy.

[Normally, he'd use his crowbar to loosen the notes, but metal may not be the wisest option here. Perhaps a broom?

He glances around, eyes scanning for anything long and less conductive.]

[He watches him for a moment. He takes a step back towards the ceiling fan.] I can get them all down without any trouble. The shock is nothing.

[Barely even a prickle by his standards. He tilts his head as the notes flutter above their heads.]

There's no sign someone has been here for a while. Right?

Very well. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[It'll certainly spare him the pain of an annoying shock.]

But, to answer your question, this place seems as barren as the previous garage. There, short ominous graffiti and an abandoned convenience store, there were no real signs of life.

[He walks to the fan and reaches up. His systems register the charge but ignore it. It would take a far stronger charge to disrupt him. The first note is collected and set on a nearby table.]

There has to have been some kind of life within the last decade or so. Paper doesn’t last that long and blood to be like this?

Unless something is preserving them.

Perhaps if the moon warps preserved them the way they've preserved the food, but that's merely a guess.

[Nonetheless, he moves over to the table to inspect the notes as they come.]

We're working with incomplete information and a lot of guesswork, but I imagine we'll find further clues as we travel.

Edited (typos kjhjk oops) 2025-03-23 17:23 (UTC)

Summoning Circle

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