monstertruckers: (Default)
monstertruckers ([personal profile] monstertruckers) wrote in [community profile] route666rp2026-02-06 03:50 pm

FEBRUARY EVENT




The route back down to the flat lands is easier, now that the storm has subsided. Through the trees and the rocks Nirvana lurks on the horizon, trying to beckon the Convoy on. But as the slope becomes less steep and the trees thin out, a new feature arrives to take their place.
















01: CRYSTALS


Tree and hand sized clusters of crystals grow up from the ground, and glow with myriad colors. Coming into contact with the crystals has a variety of effects; either prompting changes in the Drifters, or in the environment. Usually their color is a clue:
Purple: Summons lightning from the sky or arcing from crystal to flesh. Can also instill feelings of agitation and restlessness.
Red: Ignites fire in the air, shoots wildfire along the ground, or in the worst case sets flesh ablaze. It can also cause aggression, fury, and reckless action.
Green: Calls wind in either gusts or razor blades of air. It can also force feelings of claustrophobia if shut inside cars or the Convoy, and a need for open spaces.
Blue: Causes flooding or spikes of ice and frostbite. Drifters may feel their emotions growing cold and reserved.
White: Heal injuries or reverse a single transformation. Also the rarest color.
Black: Results in in a transformation and furthering of monster traits.

It is possible to harvest the crystals. But the process needs to be done with extreme care. Otherwise the crystals shatter into a surge of elemental power. Harvested crystals can be stored for power. Or for an emergency attack, as either a shattering explosion, or channeling magic through it for an elemental attack.
02: MONSTER SHIFT, FAE
The crystals often hide moon shards in their clusters… And these moon shards try to emit changes onto passing Drifters. With the crystals and foliage around, they also try to force a specific form to match the surroundings. Fae traits are the transformation of the month, and the following:
+Fairy Ring: Crystals and plants will form around Fae Drifters into a ring. Entering this ring will impart more Fae traits… Though also revitalize Drifters!
+Metal Repulsion: Contact with iron or even steel can hurt the Fae, from burn blisters to open wounds when making contact with the stuff.
+Flighty Demeanor: Whether resembling a fairy or rabbit, Fae become jumpy and prone to leaping and flying into the air at the first sign of trouble or scares.
+Flickering Presence: Gains the ability to become intangible and/or invisible. But control slips up when under stress, making fae shift in and out of states.
+Bespelled: Fae gain an affinity for crystals: pulling the visions they desire, or getting the perfect balance of elements from colored crystals.
+Rivalry: Fae gain a particular snappishness towards Cu Sith monsters, seeing them as rivals. The feeling is mutual from the Cu Sith, who will gladly target Fae.
+Rock Candy: Fae can also drain energy off of elemental crystals, and rather than use that for magic, use it for healing and sustenance instead.
03: VISIONS OF CRYSTAL
The crystals lining the passage can also reflect things back on Drifters… Both memories, and fears. And potential monster forms. At sundown the crystals seem particularly fond of reflecting different monster possibilities and how they might shape someone’s form.

At other times the crystals try to reflect things from a Drifter’s thoughts; memories of home, fears and regrets.

And sometimes on the fringes is a vision of a broken moon, bleeding tar and corruption. Along with a sudden swarm of emotions: urgency, desperation, regret and fear, but mingled with a sense of compassion and sorrow. And it all extends to a blinding expanse, like it’s a feeling for the entire world.

The visions exact a price, however; gaze at them too long and they start bleeding into the world, trying to become real. The network of crystals tries to reshape itself to vaguely reflect visions of home, or project the visions across multiple surfaces so it feels real. While the crystals cannot replicate living creatures from the visions, they try to make up for this short coming by making Drifters hallucinate those people or monsters onto other Drifters.
04: LIGHT RACE
Gradually the road splits off and forks, trailing over formations of rocks and crystal. On the fork roads is a bobbing globe of light and fire; a will-o-wisp that seems to be beckoning the vehicles of the Convoy, darting back and forth and whispering in a faint silvery voice audible through the vehicle speakers.

“Come follow. Come follow if you are quick, if you are sturdy. Come follow.”

Those who approach will find a path of road and crystal snaking through the wilds, and the wisp sinks into the ground to light a path. From there, it’s a race over precarious pathways slanted at odd angles or almost crumbling apart, trying to outrace the path of light that illuminates the race course. Fast cars have an advantage with being nimble and staying ahead, while Tough cars can handle the more rugged terrain of the race course, pushing and pulling other vehicles as needed or blazing the trail.

Those who reach the end of the race will find a cache of pure white crystals waiting for them as a prize, along with the fading laughter of the wisp.
05: MATERIA GUARDIAN
Sometimes, Drifters catch a glimpse of spider like legs moving through the crystals; they seem to flicker in number. Static electricity builds near the Convoy, jumping from crystal to metal; the contact is mildly painful, akin to a light zap. It finally builds to a thunderclap as a set of multilegged monsters lunge from the crystals. They view vehicles and Drifters as rivals and intruders, and focuses on those who are carrying crystals.

Claw Strike: The materia guardians favor sharp claws to puncture the Convoy and slice Drifters to ribbons. If they face stern resistance they try to climb the crystals to get out of melee range, and spit poison from their maws and tails.

Trine: After taking enough damage, the monsters again try to get distance, this time breaking apart crystals and infusing them with lightning magic. More sparks jump off the monsters as they grow more agitated, culminating in a massive electric storm attack.

Death Throes: The materia guardians spit both venom and lightning, trying to paralyze Drifters so they can be crushed in thrashing claws and bulk… But it’s a last desperate attack before the monster succumb to their injuries.
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.

Flowers: Glimmering flowers grow between the crystals, giving off a sweet and almost mesmerizing smell. If plucked, they can give off a calming scent.

Stream: The melted snow runs in a glimmering stream down the crystal path, crashing off of shards and forming sprays of rainbow. It’s mostly safe to drink, though may change a Drifter’s color for a day as a side effect.

Beware The Mushrooms: Ruby colored mushrooms also grow just off the path, with a slight gemlike sheen. They taste vaguely sweet when eaten… But also can force Fae traits onto the consumer.

Light Show: At night the crystals grow with an inner light and can project an aurora onto the sky; sleeping underneath it can prompt strange dreams about a field of crystals that once grew in a more orderly fashion, before multiplying out of control as the moon broke.

NAVIGATION










sugaronthecream: (pic#18150204)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-12 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Feels oddly homey. Never seen a crystal wasteland in my life, but it's oddly mischievous."

Something to do with the faerie presence and energies, undoubtedly. Something in his newly foxy blood seemed to fit right in.

"The messing with emotional states is quite tedious, though."
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18150225)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-12 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Faerie bullshit." He raised a claw and flexed it as he grinned a bit.

"But unlike some demons here, I use a different name, and I'd like to see one try and get the jump on me when I've got enough metal in me to choke a fucking fae queen."
sugaronthecream: (pic#17090608)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-12 01:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hoh! Better work on your wordplay, then, pal. You can't fall for something as simple as 'you're not to lay your hands on her' again."
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18302633)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 05:09 am (UTC)(link)
"God, you're not gonna let that go, are you?? It was perfectly reasonable for me to assume I wasn't going to hurt the little idiot!"
sugaronthecream: (pic#18140947)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 02:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"You thought so lowly of my craftiness! But I knew you would - you'd be too excited to finally get your claws on me," Alastor chuckled, fox-voice gekkering in amusement.

"You always grab a hold of people you're manipulating. Every single time! You can't help yourself - you did it to Charlie the very instant you entered the Hotel, you always grabbed my shoulders, so I knew it was only a matter of time and convincing you to drag Charlie back into your orbit before you'd fall for it."
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18322612)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
He folded his arms tight across his chest and scowled at him.

"It's- it's a means of connecting with the one you're speaking with! It's a friendly gesture! Are you telling me you seriously banked everything- fucking EVERYTHING- on one of my habits??"
sugaronthecream: (pic#17090494)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"The absolute certainty of your habits. Sure, I had to make sure you didn't forget about Charlie in the shuffle of things! But I knew that once she was there, you would inevitably do exactly what I needed."
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18002664)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
"Needed for what, though? In retrospect, you jumped right into my grasp. At the time I knew it felt too easy, but had too much going on to put that at the front of my mind."
sugaronthecream: (pic#17090915)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"I had a few things tying me up, Deals gathering dust for too long, problems I needed solving - and with the chest wound being a quite literal pain in my plans, I decided to take advantage of the timing!"
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18002650)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Meaning you needed me."
sugaronthecream: (pic#17090418)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 04:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"There wouldn't have been a plan without you!"
trust_us_with_your: (pic#17894125)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Fucking hypocrite. He looked out the window.

"...You know there was a time I would have helped you if you'd just asked, right?"

The frown softened, but bittered.

"I thought you had it all together, had everything at hand. If I knew you were wrapped up in Deals you couldn't Alastor your way out, I would have burned Hell down completely for you."
sugaronthecream: (pic#18150204)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 05:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hmmm... I suppose I know that now," Alastor hummed, resting his chin back down.

"I'd been willing to be patient - I had all of eternity, after all. But then you were intending to make power grabs and an opportunity unfolded before me."
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18086201)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"...I'm curious- what's next, then...? Surely you no longer need that hotel and the Morningstars."
sugaronthecream: (pic#17090922)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 07:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh? You don't see any potential value in the Morningstars' little drama?"
trust_us_with_your: (pic#18086196)

[personal profile] trust_us_with_your 2026-02-13 07:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Lucifer fumbled the Original Smokeshow and Charlie is struggling to cope. Their shit has been the topic of over 500 documentaries of varying degrees of support or slander. Who cares?"

He shrugged. "I also tried the whole 'taking the throne' thing and that went up in sparkles and Power of Friendship."

Vox paused. "Don't tell me YOU'RE taking a shot at Kingship."
sugaronthecream: (pic#18149721)

[personal profile] sugaronthecream 2026-02-13 07:25 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's far too much paperwork and busywork and peacekeeping for my tastes!"

Alastor chuckled. Not a fucking chance.

"But there is power to be had, favors to collect, opportunities..."