FEBRUARY EVENT LOG

[monstertruckers]

code

The Convoy begins a slow path through the forest, and a long road winding between the trees. The vegetation hangs thick overhead, with a perpetual state of dim light hanging over the surroundings. Sunlight and moonlight both have a hard time piercing the gloom. And alongside that is a sense of danger looming in the shadows.

01: DEPARTURE/MINGLE

Dawn arrives after a long and demanding night. As wane sunlight leaks through the forest, the forcefield flickers out. In its place, the Convoy hums to life. Engines thrum, breakfast appears in the dining car, and the speakers crackle with a pre-recorded, automated voice.

“The Convoy will depart in three hours. Please ready yourself for the trip. Secure your belongings, prepare your vehicle, remain as human as possible. End destination… Nirvana. Repeat, the Convoy will depart in three hours.”

The recording drones on a loop, before fading out in a crackle of static. Before departure there’s a few matters to attend to, some more pressing than others:
+Breakfast consists of bland porridge. Some might want better food, and with a decently stocked kitchen, one can make better.
+The showers have lost any hot water. Surely there’s some way to fix the heater or provide some hot water? Or otherwise grumble through a cold shower.
+There’s plant growth where the Husks have been felled. Flowering vines grow over the Convoy, and need to be pruned for departure. The foliage has an odd effect if directly touched, instilling wanderlust and curiosity. The affected feel compelled to wander… Or be curious about others!

02: HAUNTED GROVE

The trees grow into a tangle just a few paces off the road. They almost envelop the buildings, absorbing the structures until only the roofs are visible. The branches become more twisted, and almost arm-like when reaching out to you.

Vines hang like nooses from the trees. And a closer look shows moss ridden Husks draped in the branches. Still, those who ignore those ominous signs can find supplies growing and hanging from the branches; repair materials, and unnerving types of food like canned ham and frozen pizza.

And then… There’s the effect from staying in the shade of the trees for too long. There’s a lethargy that clings to you, even as it eases the changes wracking your body. Resting underneath the grove can heal a Drifter of one change, and leave them feeling soothed… But all of this is by design. The grove WANTS you to stay there and become a part of it, so that it can ensnare you with vines or absorb you into trees. It can restore Drifters, but if they stay there for too long they’re going to need some rescuing.

03: WRECK

There’s a collection of abandoned cars in the forest clearings. Some cars are better preserved than others, some even containing cargo, weapons, and ammo, with a possibility to scavenge equipment off them…

…If not for the traps, set around the wreckage in the form of steel jaw bear traps and snares. All of them are coated in something that leaves the vision blurry and sets hearts into overdrive. If exposed to too much of it, there’s suddenly a reason for that near panic; hallucinations of fears can easily flare up.

There’s also things prowling the wreckage on four metallic canine legs, with gleaming chrome teeth and red headlights for eyes. The guidance computers on nearby vehicles flash an alert as they draw close; identifying them as chromehounds, though these have seen better days. Dented, damaged, but still fierce enough. And still ready to pounce on anyone caught in the traps or drugged with fear toxin.

While the chromehounds can be dispatched, the fear toxin will have to run its course. Closer examination of the hounds and traps shows an insignia of a sword piercing the moon.

03-A: MONSTER NEST

Hostile beasts lurk in the woods. Many are cautious, nocturnal creatures that prefer to emerge at night, and hunt any Drifter who has strayed outside the reach of the Convoy forcefield.

A massive monster nest dwells in a crumbling, abandoned overpass in the middle of the forest. The Convoy does its best to give the area a wide berth, but it’s entirely possible Drifters might still stumble across it: particularly if some of the more annoying creatures like Great Jagras steal food and take it back to the den.

Many of the beasts make their dens in abandoned vehicles littering the overpass: Jagras and Slicemargl take up the better spots, while noxicaps and scavengers linger on the fringes. But the most territorial are the mutant bears, occupying the darker parts of the underpass.

04: SHRINE

The moon glows balefully overhead some nights. An eerie light glows across the sky, like a burning aurora that exacerbates any symptoms the Drifters have picked up this month. Sometimes the trees help to muffle this maddening light. But not always.

There is however a remedy that blocks out the light; dotted near the road or just off the forest paths are shrines carved from stone and wood. The aurora dims near these shrines, and offers breathing room. Small offerings dot the alters, and some are even medicines that can alleviate hallucinations, wanderlust, and the like.

But there’s a price for taking these offerings; the various candles dotting the shrines ignite, flames reaching for the intruder, and burn either a monster change, or a message into their skin. It’s equal odds which one a Drifter receives. The message fades in the span of the month, but offers cryptic words regarding the world, and can be logged in the Convoy database.

05: STASIS WARNING

Pockets of something… Wrong lurk on the road, or just off the path. Many of them are lined with Husks twisted into horrified expressions. Others are little more than a faint distortion and ripple in the air. But once a Drifter wanders into the pockets, the effects become all too clear.

The pockets are alarmingly still when stepped inside. This stillness tries to seep into anyone in the pocket, making them stiffen, their thoughts go sluggish and almost halt… But the Sigils on their skin dispel this before it can completely overtake a Drifter. Sigils disperse the field with explosive results; bursts of fire or electricity, surges of plant grown, rock explosions all burst as the field is dispelled.

The one warning for these pockets are strange symbols and the words ‘STASIS’ inscribed on rocks, trees, and signs around these pockets, warning about them. A couple crisscross the roads needed to take out of the forest. It seems that a Tough vehicle could easily wade in and survive the explosions of magic, while a Fast vehicle would be capable of outracing any trouble… While those on foot will need to hope for the best, or for fast healing.

06: RADIO HOUR

After several days of travel, and around nightfall the Convoy approaches a resting point ringed in Husks. It resembles a log cabin, with some unnerving traits; first, the trees near the cabin become more rigid and geometric, almost like pylons. Second is the large radio tower growing out of the cabin itself. Once the Convoy is in range, the radios, phones, and screens all crackle to life. Screens display a broadcasting logo, followed by an emergency signal drone. Astute Drifters can check the dates that pop up, and realize that this is an old recording.

“Attention, this is an emergency broadcast. Seek shelter immediately. A moon warp is imminent. Repeat, a Moon Warp is imminent. Impact: falling moon shards will cause destruction and distortions. Prepare by seeking cover inside shields. Those caught outside will be twisted. Seek shelter immediately.”

Outside the Husks pulse, and the broken moon shimmers. Several bright spots in the sky grow brighter… And larger, as shards of moon fall. The Convoy comes to a wrenching halt. A warning siren echoes, before the Convoy deploys its shield. Those inside are safe from the worst of the Warp, able to hide out in the Convoy. Nothing like a good time to bond with whoever you’ve been shut in with, right?

07: MONSTER HOUR

Those outside the Convoy will be in for a rougher time. The glow from the falling moon shards has a way of piercing into the brain and forcing a full transformation for as long as the Moon Warp lasts.

During the Warp, there’s plenty of trouble for Drifters. The Husks glow before bursting into a pack of violent, wolf-esque gryphons called Nargacuga, and a host of other beasts. These monsters favor scaling trees for dive attacks, or hauling Drifters up into the branches. But with their focus on the Drifters, the Nargacuga are easy prey for the chromehounds nearby, which pounce in a tangle and clash.

By dawn, the Warp has worn off. The Nargacuga are dead, while the chromehounds have been smashed. Transformed Drifters have two options in the aftermath; either they've burned off so much energy fighting they revert into an exhausted state. They will likely be suffering from disorientation and require rest, healing, and anchoring from others. Alternately, Drifters run wild ahead of the Convoy as something draws them north; they will have a chance to revert next month, in the Messages prompt!

07-A: MONSTER BRAWL

One particularly large and ferocious Nargacuga leads the pack of monsters… And seems to have a particular hatred for technology. He attacks the radio tower, doing his best to knock it down, and then strikes at the Convoy only to be deflected by the shields. Once he’s deflected, he vents his rage on the Chromehounds.

The radio picks up something from the lead Nargacuga each time he bleeds, and a patchy broadcast happens, with different fragments heard by different people:
1. “Serenith has ordered. I obey. Obliterate every trace of Wardens, cull their human flock. Justice for the packs they murdered.”
2. “Keep bleeding them until the moon Breaks, just like she ordered.”
3. “They gave me a place and a pack, where I could hunt.”
4. “Be ruthless. The Steel Wardens aren’t different, with the children they cull.”
5. “Hate… Loss… Blood. Always more blood.”

In its death throes the Nargacuga obliterates any remaining Husks, littering the area with quicksilver pools. Drifters must be careful around these pools, as contact with them will cause all pre-assigned monster traits next month to linger without special treatment.

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.

Radio Trees: A strange line of geometric trees leading towards the radio tower cabin. The closer a Drifter gets, the more they can hear faint music and old broadcasts regarding moon phases.

Hunting Grounds: An area of burnt out husks that have already burst open. There’s a few monster carcasses scattering the area, along with broken weapons and bullet casings. A symbol has been carved into the monsters, or a moon pierced by a sword.

Forest Flowers: A clearing that lacks the grasping trees from before, and instead is taken up by crystalline flowers. They give off a pleasant fragrance, and help to relax characters. Can be crushed into a medicine to help cure long lasting fear toxin effects.

Falling Trees: Drifters are advised to be careful of falling trees obstructing the road, and which may need to be hacked through. Granted, what’s knocking over the trees is another question entirely!

Lakeside: streams and rivers thread the forest, occasionally creating marshy areas. These rivers eventually feed into a massive lake that borders the radio tower cabin. The water is cloudy, and the bottom of the lake covered with the remains of destroyed chrome hounds: they’ve clearly been torn apart by the nargacuga prowling the area.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[serialmurderbot]

[Oh, punishment gets its hackles up, all right.]

It branded you.

[It looks at the image on Akechi's arm, taking the words in - it's definitely not a logo, but that matters less to it than the sheer fact of the words being burned into his arm.

It doesn't know about supernatural phenomenon, but that's something it'll take note of.]

I'll pass it on. [Ugh. Can't just send a Feed ping, so it'll have to do it one by radio - but later.]

Whatever it is, should get those shields active. They're better than nothing.

[undyingcrow]

It did. Some form of magic, no doubt, but I suppose the information may prove useful.

[He gives SecUnit just enough time to read the message before pulling his sleeve back down. It makes his more avian attributes less apparent, even with the talons having torn through the fingertips of his gloves.]

But yes. Assuming the shields activate in a timely manner, we're better of returning to the Convoy.

[Even if the warning is old, the timing seems too deliberate to overlook...]

[serialmurderbot]

[It won't scoff about magic. And it doesn't! It's good at hiding its real opinions around humans... except for locking down its facial expression, which currently probably reads somewhere in the realm of annoyed-dismissive.

Helmets are great.]

Likelihood of additional aggressive fauna is high, whatever it is.

[It was already bad enough just traveling - everything seems to agitate the local wildlife, around here.]

[undyingcrow]

Fortunately, I'm rather accustomed to fighting monstrous foes. You could say it's where I excel.

[He peers back toward the convoy. Will they make it in time? That's debatable, but if they don't, he has Hereward to fall back on.]

[serialmurderbot]

[Rin stares in Akechi's direction - it's avoiding his face, but it's close enough for it to get at least a cursory inspection of him - and ask a genuine, if pointed, question. It's never been good at estimating human ages, but it's pretty sure...]

How old are you?

[undyingcrow]

Eighteen. I'll be nineteen in a few months.

[So... young. By Japanese standards, still a minor. In the west, just barely an adult.

Either way, he speaks with a strange amount of composure, like it's a simple matter of fact.]

[serialmurderbot]

[Young by Preservation standards too, but definitely working age, by Corporate standards. Definitely really fucking young to be casually and confidently talking about fighting, unless the measurement is by some non-standard planet cycles, but SecUnit doesn't think so.]

And that's a usual age to be fighting monsters regularly enough to excel at it.

[undyingcrow]

Oh, I never said it was usual. Nothing about my circumstances were normal.

[But he shrugs, blowing a small sigh.]

But for better or worse, it is what I'm accustomed to and where I thrive.

[serialmurderbot]

[SecUnit can feel its face doing... a lot of things it's really fucking glad to have the helmet to hide. Because that sounds like something it would say. But it's Murderbot, not some really young human. In its experience, human security is vastly unprepared for the circumstances they encounter. Unless they're humans like Tariq, recruited onto a Corporate death squad.

Hm. Estimate revision there. Mildly unlikely but not impossible. Still - there was a suggestion about returning to the Convoy.]

We should get back. If we're going to fight it's better with somewhere to retreat nearby.

[undyingcrow]

[Akechi nods, turning toward his motorcycle. His own helmet rests on the seat, ready for use.]

I agree. Not to mention, the shields will limit our enemies' range.

[Out here, there's no such certainty. The Convoy is the "home field."]

[serialmurderbot]

[The SecUnit turns to its own vehicle, readying to move - with one last glimpse back at the radio tower. It doesn't turn on the ATV before it considers something and glances towards Akechi's motorcycle to ask;]

What do you fight with?

[undyingcrow]

Firearms, swords... Though I find the most efficient means to fend off monsters is through the use of my Persona.

[Which undoubtedly sounds nonsensical without context...]

Think of it as a summoned, magical entity born from my soul. He's the one who created those large explosions during the first monster attack.

[It's been a while, and for all he knows, SecUnit never noticed, but there's something to be said about bright, explosive, and sweeping orbs of magical energy.]

[serialmurderbot]

[... Right, so weird holo. The number of times in the last few days SecUnit has been exposed to a number of people claiming magic abilities - and saying so of the transformations, for that matter.

It does glance Akechi's way, expression hidden behind the helmet's visor, and doesn't try to argue him out of whatever this weapon he has is, but it does note him down as definitely keep a fucking eye on in a fight.

And well - it did see those explosions. So even more worrying.]

Sure. Better get whatever you've got ready.

[undyingcrow]

I can summon fairly easily.

[He pats at the holstered gun on his belt.]

And everything else I need is right here.

[For now, he'll slide his own helmet on and check to ensure his luggage is still secure. Thankfully, the attache case is metal, making it more difficult to break into, but the assorted bags are another matter.

Thankfully, they're still intact.]

[serialmurderbot]

[Oh, good, he has a gun. (Not actually. But at this point it's begrudgingly accepted that if it's the only one armed and fighting it will be torn to shreds and the humans will die anyway.]

Great. [It's trying not to sound sarcastic.] Let's go.

[undyingcrow]

Agreed.

[After slipping his helmet on, Akechi climbs onto his bike. The rumble of the engine is a welcome sound after that broadcast, and yet his eyes wander to the sky.

How much time do they have?]

[serialmurderbot]

[Not enough.

They get so close - but SecUnit is still a few dozen meters out from the Convoy when the first moon shard comes crashing down. The shard isn't nearby, not relatively speaking - nothing that should cause it to swerve sharply, especially not more than three seconds after the impact, but it does, a sharp revving then idling of the ATV as it pulls to a halt, twisting towards the thing.]

[undyingcrow]

[Akechi's bike comes to a screeching halt the moment he sees that swerve, sirens blaring in his mind.

Then, before he can fully process what's going on, burning pain seizes his shoulders, and he cries out, tumbling off the motorcycle.

Something's very, very wrong here.]

[serialmurderbot]

[There's a sharp pain in between it's shoulder blades, the sensation like it's been shot - but it can't feel a bullet wound or an energy weapon burn. Just pain that it can't turn down, etching itself into the organic flesh there, then burning into the pain sensors. Which is fucking bad, but even worse when Akechi just pitches over.

It hears the cry and it's moving, bolting off the still-idling vehicle towards him, faltering once as the pain jolts higher, but pushing through it.]

Status. [It sounds too-calm for the situation when it speaks, but in its head there's a whole litany of fuck this going on.]

[undyingcrow]

Something's happening...

[Damn it. Damn it! He bends over, talons digging into his hair. Stabbing pains seize his skull just as two large, black wings burst from the back of his blazer.]

Fuck...

[Just what they need, more changes.]

[serialmurderbot]

[It is aiming to go down onto one knee, to try and get a reading on what's happening to Akechi despite the pain running through its own body, but it doesn't have the scan or security system to do that - biometric data doesn't even seem to fucking exist here, which is fucking useless.

But secondly, the problem makes itself much more immediate and obvious, by tearing through Akechi's clothes.]

What the fuck.

[Its not entirely processed the situation - which is to say it's reviewing the image of fucking wings in its own head, three-four-five more times, but it still reaches out to steady Akechi, the movement unintentionally jerky as the burning sensation starts to spread further down its limbs.]

[undyingcrow]

[Head... It's pounding. Two particular points, searing with pain. His jaw, too. Why's it throbbing?]

More changes... of course...

[Erratic laughter blows out of him, sharp, shrill, and strained. As a precaution, he pries off his helmet, tossing it aside.

Just in time, as two large, hooked horns burst from his skull, blood staining his hair.]

That... explains the warning...

[serialmurderbot]

[Like Akechi's words summon it, the sensation of burning crawls over the SecUnit, like the entire surface layer of skin is trying to burn itself off. It grits its jaw and braces its teeth as the pain sharpens in one arm, causing it to clench a fist - the same one where the sleeve is torn.

Easy (still hard but it knows how to prioritize in a crisis) to push down the raw what the fuck and grab for Akechi, only pausing for a half-second to stare behind its own helmet at the bloody protrusion of horns from his skull.]

Inside.

[Something's wrong with the echo of its voice. Something's wrong with its hand, which is mottling a strange grey (don't think about it don't think about it, the contamination can't work this fast and you need to be working, Murderbot, not a wrecked screaming lump on the ground.

Getting Akechi up is going to be hard, though, if he's not ready to move with it.]

transformation/body horror cw

[undyingcrow]

[Akechi makes no effort to push back when SecUnit grabs for him. He grunts, the aching of his jawline spreading all the way the tip of his nose. The front of his face subtly and painfully protrudes. Just a precursor, he's sure. The pain persists. Even his gums ache, as if something's growing beneath his teeth.

He trembles, trying to stand, but the pain is overwhelming.]

[serialmurderbot]

[It lifts him, straining against the unmoving weight in a way it's not used to - usually maneuvering a human into its arms would barely take a thought if its joints were damaged, but here it has to use leverage, as its limbs build the ache. Worse, something's wrong with one of its hands, the joints strangely refusing to move and the fingers failing to separate.

It falls back on emergency programming and instinct. It's not lost some of that brusque tone, but there's no snappishness to its voice now. There's something wrong with its voice, though - it's almost like feedback, fuzzing out with static and echoing like it's coming over a bad comm call.]

You just need to take a few more steps. This way.

[It's hardly listening to its own words, though - something is catching on its ears, and it twists to look behind them.

There's an echoing howl, coming from the distance. The... not-so-distant distance.]