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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.
no subject
For the past year. You too?
[He was told there were others, from different years and different places with different circumstances. Actually meeting one is exciting, to say the least.]
no subject
[Kotone holds out her Evoker which looks like a gun only it's not real. ]
Have you ever seen this before?
[If Ren can tell what an Evoker is, then maybe they're more alike than she thought. ]
no subject
A gun … with a custom mod?
[That’s his best guess, based on his own experience with Iwai modifying model guns for the Phantom Thieves. He’s not alarmed by the fact she has what looks like a gun, at least.]
no subject
[ She just has to pull the trigger and Persona summoning becomes possible. ]
You're not using an Evoker to summon. How are you doing it?
no subject
Usually, I have a mask.
[His hand moves over his face, fingers placed where his domino mask used to sit in the Metaverse. There’s no mask now of course, just those black-frame glasses he doesn’t actually need. His vision’s fine; the glasses are a different kind of mask, one he can hide behind in the real world.
Ren shrugs and pushes his glasses up his nose.]
Can you show me?
[How she summons her Persona. He’s very curious now.]
no subject
[Kotone takes in a deep breath and closes her eyes. She points the Evoker to her head and carefully pulls the trigger. Fragments of blue light scatter before her and everything goes silent for a moment.]
Come, Orpheus!
[A mythological being appears in front of Ren. Orpheus has long orange hair and red eyes. She is carrying a giantic harp on her back. This is Kotone's Persona. It looks different from Arsene in may ways.]
no subject
Until he sees the Persona. Orpheus is about as different from Arsène as can be, but Ren recognizes her all the same. He knows this Orpheus, has carried her with him into battle, destroyed Shadows with her power.
A Persona of another story - that’s what the Compendium entry for her said. All the shock drains from Ren’s face, replaced with awe in equal measure.]
You’re the one?
no subject
From the sea of thy soul I cometh.... I am Orpheus, Master of Strings.
[Kotone can feel Orpheus power within her. It's vast like a deep ocean. Ren's astonishment is understandable.]
This is my Persona. Do you know her?
no subject
This might sound strange, but I can usually carry multiple Personas. In the past, Orpheus was one of them.
[Four variations of Orpheus, to be exact. Ren was extremely diligent about filling up his Compendium.]
Arsène was my first, though.
no subject
[Kotone remembers talking to Igor about her potential and what that could mean for her future. The strange man with a long nose would often appear in her dreams. A part of her is hoping that she doesn't sound completely ridiculous. ]
Persona's are a reflection of one's inner self. Arsène must be a lot like you.
no subject
Igor?
[She definitely doesn’t sound ridiculous to Ren, but he understands how explaining the Velvet Room would sound to anyone who hadn’t seen it. There’s a reason he never mentioned it to his friends until they all ended up there together. As for Arsène … he can’t deny what she says is true. After all, when they first met, he told Ren I am the rebel’s soul that resides within you. How much clearer could their connection be? Ren rubs a hand over the back of his head, still grinning bright as fireworks against the night sky.]
I guess so. He looks better in a hat, though.
[She’s a Wild Card too, just like him, and that resonates for Ren, somewhere deep in his soul. He can already feel a connection forming, a chain linked around his heart snapping in two.
He’s never met anyone else with his same powers. Akechi was similar but different, a Wild Card but unfulfilled, intentionally disadvantaged by the God of Control, held back from developing his potential. But if Ren and Akechi are two sides of the same coin, Kotone feels more like Ren looking in a mirror and finding a reflection of himself as he is, rather than who he could have been under different circumstances.
For all the ways he’s felt seen and understood by the Confidants he bonded with over the past year, Ren can’t help feeling like Kotone already can see and understand him better than any of them ever could.]
It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Ren Amamiya. Just Ren is fine, [he adds, and gives her the customary bow of greeting.]
no subject
[It's honestly relieving to hear that Ren's aware of Igor and has the ability to summon multiple Personas. That makes Kotone feel a little less alone. Everybody else either had one Persona or had difficulty controlling their own abilities. It wasn't too unusual to see a Persona go berserk. Kotone's witnessed firsthand how devastating that could be. Ren seems to have a good grip on his abilities. She's not worried about his power potentially going out of control. After all, he is just like her. ]
My name's Kotone Shiomi. You can call me Kotone! It's nice to meet you too, Ren-kun!
[Her smile perks up as she beams brightly, having found a new friend. There's something special about their encounter that she can't quite put into words. ]
Have you been to the Velvet Room? I was told it's a place that exists between dream, reality, mind, and matter.
no subject
[Well, Morgana knew Igor, but didn’t remember. And the Igor Ren initially met wasn’t the real one anyway. Still, it’s comforting to meet someone who is as well acquainted with the mysteries of the Velvet Room as he is. It definitely helps with feeling less alone.]
Mhm. [He nods.] Many times. The wardens were pretty demanding.
[Hmm, maybe that warrants further explanation. He adds:]
Caroline and Justine. Maybe you know them as Lavenza?
no subject
[ Wardens? This is Kotone's first time hearing about that. Her experiences in the Velvet Room were different from what Ren is describing. ]
The person assisting me in the Velvet Room was a young man named Theodore. He was very refined and polite. Have you met him, Ren-kun?
no subject
I haven’t. [He shakes his head.] But I’d like to hear more about him. Someplace quieter?
[He glances around the ruined walls surrounding them. No more monsters, but that’s likely to change at any time.]
My van’s outside. We can talk there?
no subject
[ The name Yaldabaoth would be unfamiliar to her too. Her experiences in the Velvet Room weren't that bad. Theodore rarely ever left the Velvet Room and usually stayed by Igor's side. Kotone waves her hands up and down while beaming upwards.]
Let's go!! I can't wait to see your van!!
[...And she replies with complete enthusiasm. Kotone will eagerly follow Ren to his van. ]
no subject
[But it works, and that’s the important thing. Kotone’s enthusiasm is much appreciated, and Ren waves her in the direction he came from, back toward the entrance.]
This way.
[He keeps a careful watch on their surroundings as they make their way to the door. He’d cleared out the monsters on his way in, but who’s to say if they’ve regrouped since then?]
no subject
[ She eagerly follows him to his van. Kotone's always happy to spend time with others. They've only just met, but she already considers Ren to be a good friend of hers. ]
I think we might be around the same age!! I'm seventeen.
[ Their meeting feels special somehow. There's no way it was just a coincidence. ]
no subject
That’s right, [he nods,] I’m seventeen too. Just finished my second year at Shujin Academy in Tokyo. I’m not from there originally, though.
[He sobers a bit. Might as well get this part over with.]
My parents sent me there to stay with a guardian for the year. I was on probation.