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memestertrucks2025-05-15 04:31 pm
monstertruckers) wrote in memestertrucks2025-05-15 04:31 pm
Entry tags:
MAY TDM
Things are a little stranger than usual at the gas station and garage. Namely that gravity just isn't working as it should. Objects float, pieces of the floor float... Even unlucky new arrivals can also find themselves floating! It's going to be a challenge to get around without any scrapes or scratches... Though at least there's what looks like a hospital nearby? Granted, it's an upside down hospital, but it's better than nothing.
01: SUMMONING CIRCLE
Drifters come to with an odd floating sensation hooked into their stomachs, and instead of laying on the concrete find themselves drifting a foot or two above the floor. An unfortunate few may be stuck on the ceiling. Whether they crash down hard into the floor (and the various vials, daggers, and broken glass scattered about) or remain floating in the air is a coin toss.
Still, it might be best to lend a hand with pulling them back to the ground, and hoping gravity will work as normal in another breath or two.
Once they make their way out, they can see a gas station and garage located in the midst of strange, floating rocks… And an upside down hospital close by, for those who had a rougher landing.
Still, it might be best to lend a hand with pulling them back to the ground, and hoping gravity will work as normal in another breath or two.
Once they make their way out, they can see a gas station and garage located in the midst of strange, floating rocks… And an upside down hospital close by, for those who had a rougher landing.
02: START UP
New arrivals will have a similar experience to before; a Convoy waiting 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 the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the (sometimes floating) supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
And hopefully no one's vehicle has decided to float. But one can never be sure in a place like this.
…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 (sometimes floating) supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.
And hopefully no one's vehicle has decided to float. But one can never be sure in a place like this.
03: HUSKS AND HAUNTS
The inverted hospital seems to have trouble deciding the exact formation of its hallways, whether the new arrivals should be walking on the ceiling, floors, or walls. But one thing that is certain: this place isn’t entirely deserted. Warnings of “Beware the Husks” have been spray painted on the walls. Metallic bodies line those same halls, some of them broken open. A wet trail leads from the broken Husks to the rafters… Where several odd monsters wait to drop down. Some look like they’ve merged with the hospital equipment, while others look like they’ve been cobbled together from different body parts. And all of them look ready to turn the newcomers into a corpse, or part of a specimen collection.
Strange, malformed chimeric creatures that are Unknown stalk the hallways. Unknowns come in three different colors, red aligned with fire, green with poison, and purple with lightning.
Adding to that are the various screens flickering on, and diagnose new arrivals as infected. The screens declare the infection seems to be contained, but requires further study… And if the monsters aren't enough to worry about, there’s also the restraint systems trying to activate and tie the new arrivals down.
Strange, malformed chimeric creatures that are Unknown stalk the hallways. Unknowns come in three different colors, red aligned with fire, green with poison, and purple with lightning.
Adding to that are the various screens flickering on, and diagnose new arrivals as infected. The screens declare the infection seems to be contained, but requires further study… And if the monsters aren't enough to worry about, there’s also the restraint systems trying to activate and tie the new arrivals down.
04: TESTING (CW: Needles)
The deeper someone plunges into the hospital, the more the building reacts to them. More defenses are deployed, treating them as thieves or intruders. Traps and monsters alike wait for them, with syringes melded into the forms of attackers, or lining places where someone might step or reach for. The syringes make a quick bite on skin… But it’s only a few minutes later where the effects become clear. Something in those syringes is now in the blood and forcing monster transformations. There might be an antidote amongst the supplies… Or the newcomers might need to rely on each other, in order to stay anchored.
The needles can also force temporary Swarm traits, along with:
+Group Mind: compelled to link thoughts with other Drifters, to share emotions, memories, and achieve cohesion.
+An increasing reliance on telepathy/empathy/etc in place of speech.
+Increasing collectivist mindset. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few; this becomes more evident during high stress situations.
+Compelled to hunt and share their prey with others.
+Gravity Affinity: If possessing wings or the ability to wall climb, may freely hunt/traverse corrupted gravity areas.
The needles can also force temporary Swarm traits, along with:
+Group Mind: compelled to link thoughts with other Drifters, to share emotions, memories, and achieve cohesion.
+An increasing reliance on telepathy/empathy/etc in place of speech.
+Increasing collectivist mindset. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few; this becomes more evident during high stress situations.
+Compelled to hunt and share their prey with others.
+Gravity Affinity: If possessing wings or the ability to wall climb, may freely hunt/traverse corrupted gravity areas.
05: LONG WAY DOWN
A portion of the gas station breaks away with groan and a rumble. And it is slowly pulled up and up, taking a portion of new comers with it! They (and anyone watching) will need to act fast, as gravity starts to go weird the further they rise. They’ll need to find a way back down, taking any supplies from the now-floating garage that they can grab.
What’s more, they are drifting closer to the broken moon, and that seems to be having a strange effect on those stranded on the new floating ruin. They may start to feel their control fray, and their forms shift, the higher they rise.
In terms of getting back down, there’s a handful of tow lines in the ruin that might work as ropes. There’s also a few pieces of rock that are floating up more slowly, and could work as stairs back down… Or there’s just jumping and falling fifty feet and hoping for the best.
What’s more, they are drifting closer to the broken moon, and that seems to be having a strange effect on those stranded on the new floating ruin. They may start to feel their control fray, and their forms shift, the higher they rise.
In terms of getting back down, there’s a handful of tow lines in the ruin that might work as ropes. There’s also a few pieces of rock that are floating up more slowly, and could work as stairs back down… Or there’s just jumping and falling fifty feet and hoping for the best.
06: PSYCHIC ECHOES
There's one last quirk to this area; a few scattered bits of odd plantlife, and the odd dead brain monster. While these things aren't a threat on their own (beyond being unnerving) they still pack a psychic punch; mainly in the form of temporary psychic abilities.
It's possible that after coming in contact with either plants or corpses, newcomers will find themselves gifted with either empathy (projecting or receiving emotions) telepathy, OR the ability to share their dreams with others, and having their dreams influenced by others in turn. This effect fades in just a day or so, but is still capable of causing mishaps.
It's possible that after coming in contact with either plants or corpses, newcomers will find themselves gifted with either empathy (projecting or receiving emotions) telepathy, OR the ability to share their dreams with others, and having their dreams influenced by others in turn. This effect fades in just a day or so, but is still capable of causing mishaps.
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.
Broadcast: The garage contains a few burnt out monitors. But a handful of them are playing a message over and over again on loop, filled with static. It’s a recording of important looking people in lab coats advising people to remain indoors and avoiding all objects falling from the sky. Especially “moon shards.” They insist that they are working to contain and cure the infection, but the safest action is to remain inside.
Warped Air: As seen in Long Way Down, the air overhead has strange warped pockets in it. There seem to be slightly different shards hanging suspended in the air, looking more silvery than the surrounding rocks. Almost like it could have fallen from the broken moon overhead.
Medical supplies: Most of the medical supplies found in the hospital seem to consist of healing salves and potions, a handful of healing herbs, and a few antidotes for poison or sickness. As for reverting transformations… It’s advised that new comers be careful of taking any experimental medicine. It may revert a change. It may also leave them hallucinating nightmares and fears, and they’ll be wanting someone close by to help administer the drug.
06.
He had to get away from the others, for their sake as well as his own. While he can sense Buffy means well, he still mentally recoils from her as she draws nearer to him, sitting in a clear spot on the ground while he tries to re-bottle all the pain he’s been picking up.]
Hm?
Re: 06.
feel free to have her pick up on any of those thoughts btw!
So he jumps to his feet and backs away when Buffy finds him, ready to break into a run if he needs to. He hopes he won’t. She doesn’t seem threatening at all, but - the pain is worse. And he doesn’t want to hurt her, either.]
Sorry … [He shakes his head. It’s too much. But he can’t say something like that. He’s the leader, he has to be strong, he is strong, and there can never be too much for him to handle. People count on him. He can’t let them down.]
I’m fine.
[He’s not. Not at all. But good luck getting him to admit it outside of an unspoken mental connection.]
Re: feel free to have her pick up on any of those thoughts btw!
[She knows he's lying for some reason. It's a reason to think he needs a pep talk.] If you say so. [Maybe she is dreaming and this man is a manifestation of her own inner self.] You need to talk. It won't go away if you just keep saying you're fine.
no subject
I …
[You’re very kind to offer, he says, telepathically. Spoken words have become increasingly difficult to form. I don’t want to make anyone worry about me.
He slips both hands in his pockets, making a stronger effort to calm his mind. Maybe that meditation training will pay off here.
Are you all right? I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.]
no subject
[She wants to talk outside of her head, but she won't. She crosses her arms, unsure of herself.] I'm fine. No? I haven't been here yet. I'm just arriving. I wish I knew what was going on though.
no subject
It’s not that he’s refusing to speak aloud, per se - it’s just difficult. Her sigh feels like annoyance to his amplified senses, which is obviously less than ideal. He’ll try a little harder to communicate more verbally with her.
And just where are his manners.]
My name is Ren Amamiya, [he says, with some effort and a small bow of his head.] Nice to meet you.
[He wants to ask more about what she said, about her experience with being a leader, but it seems very sudden to be asking such things of someone he’s only just met. He’ll put a pin in that for now.]
It’s dangerous here. We should go back.
no subject
Buffy Summers. [She reaches her hand out for a shake, but she wonders if it'll be rejected. Not that she'd betoo bothered, not everyone is touchy feely.]
Go back where? [She looks around.]
no subject
Ren hesitates a moment before taking her hand to gently return the shake, but that has less to do with how the gesture isn't common in Japan and more to do with the memory of the last person who'd offered him a handshake abruptly shoving itself forward in his mind. Akechi, in the TV studio where they'd first met, nearly a year ago, the sound of broken chains ringing in his ears as the bond of the Justice arcana was born.
Akechi, who is ... well, saying it's complicated is a bit of an understatement. Ren can't stop himself from sending out an aching pulse of anxiety, uncertainty, fear, and regret.
Deep breath. Count to three. Remember the meditation training. Get it together! He shakes off the lingering unease and releases her hand.]
The Convoy. [He points in the direction where the others are stationed for the moment and waves for her to follow him.]
no subject
[She shakes his hand, trying not to probe his thoughts but the thought he has comes to her quickly. His hand tightens in her grip and it would hurt if not for her slayer strength, she eventually let's go when he does. Are you sure you're okay? You seem like you're having a really crappy day.]
[She follows where he's pointed, then nods.] Okay, so who is in this convoy?
no subject
He doesn’t want to burden her, but … she said she’s been a leader, right? And he really, really needs to talk to someone, like he’s been the open ear and open heart and open arms of support for so many others. Maybe she’ll understand. Maybe she’ll forgive him for asking so much of her.
I think I made a mistake, he says in his mind, because the words stick in his throat and refuse to go any farther. I was honest and I said too much and I’m afraid I’m going to lose him again.
The wash of feelings she’d felt before returns, stronger and more of everything. If the wave before was a trickle, the one now is the flood after the crumbling of a dam. Ren tries desperately to pull it all back. He knows it’s too much.]
Sorry, [he manages, a hoarse whisper as he shakes his head and inhales a shaky breath. Focus. He can do this. Answer the question about the Convoy.]
Lots of people, brought here by the ritual from all over. [He takes another steadying breath, listens to the cadence of their footsteps.] They’ve been changed. Everyone does.
no subject
She perks up. You're going to lose who? You can tell me. It's okay. she's soft with her approach, trying to come off as approachable and compassionate. She is those things, of course, but she doesn't want to seem like a gossip, which she has never been except the Los Angeles Highschool she went to once upon a time.
She can feel his feelings, a broken river bend that rushes and washes over her, reaching a boiling point. She swallows. What is this poor guy going through exactly?
It's okay. [She whispers back, unsure of how to go about things now. Though she'll have the answer in the next few seconds. She always does.]
What ritual? Could you explain it to me? [She smiles gently, she follows beside him, wondering why this place is so strange in the first place.] Everyone does what?
no subject
My friend. Rival? I don’t know what we are. It’s complicated. But I thought he died, back home. I thought I killed him. I couldn’t save him. But he’s here now, and I don’t think he’s going to speak to me again.
He hurt a lot of people. Some of my friends. He tried to kill me. But he’s been hurt a lot too. And he’s different now, he’s better. He’s important to me. But I don’t think it’s enough.
I want him to be happy, but I don’t know if I can be OK with it if what makes him happy is … not me.
Ren feels every inch the insecure, lovesick teenager he is at the moment, and he hates it. He’s Joker, leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves. He’s supposed to have his shit together. A strangled laugh dies quiet in his throat and he rakes fingers through his hair.]
Sorry, [he repeats, and gives her an apologetic ghost of a smile.]
We don’t know much about the ritual. Others might explain better. [He gestures in the direction of the Convoy. Her other question, however, is one he can answer.] Everyone changes into a monster.