APRIL EVENT LOG

[monstertruckers]

code

The grassland gives way to rougher terrain, green fading to cracked red earth with scraggly sharp-edged plants dotting the landscape. With no trees, the sky overhead feels massive, and almost oppressive with how the sun and moon shine down. It’s entirely at odds with the biting wind that often whips across the flatlands. The ground occasionally breaks open into crevasses or rolls along in arid hills, but it remains stark thorn brush for as far as the eye can see… Save for one strange, ominous tower on the horizon.

01:TOWER OF TRANSFORMATION

The tower looks like a giant fang, trying to bite the sky. A strange pressure emits from it and rests on the skin. Drifters can get closer to the tower, but the terrain is covered with puncturing spikes and sharp thorn brush. It will take a TOUGH vehicle to get close without getting cut. Anyone who bleeds within sight of the tower discovers their cuts are transformed; a monster’s form waits under their skin, and transforms them one injury at a time.

It takes several days to get close to the tower via Convoy, with how the road snakes and winds towards it. Drifters won’t be able to reach it without offroad vehicles until April 15th. Getting close to the tower reveals that it is formed out of a strange metal much like the Husks… And that numerous creatures have been melded into the tower’s surface. A strange red ichor seeps out from these forms. Coming into contact with it heals wounds and can revert one transformation.

Drifters can take some of the fluid with them, if they have means to carry it… But only one extra dose; any more makes the fluid unstable and neutralizes the effect entirely.

01-A: TWISTED MONSTERS

The land here is still littered with Husks, ready to break open to fight… But these monsters are more twisted than usual, and seem to be composed of multiple organisms. Prowling cat-centaur esque brutes called panthera protectors, ungainly catoblepas, reptile energy draining bloodhound dogs, and flying lion-bird anzu are all ready to attack with tooth and claw, to make Drifters all the more like them.

Given the influence of the tower, Drifters can feel their forms twisting, the more wounds they take, and the more the moon begins to form into something almost whole. By April 15th the wounds and moon are almost impossible to resist without either vials or message mementos. And those wounds are determined to drag a change out of Drifters. (Of note, Drifters who took on Harpy or Naga traits last month will find those changes can come back to them unnervingly easily, and blend with other creature changes to become a true chimera.)

These changes grow worse until the moon glow and shards reach their absolute peak on April 20th. At this point Twisted Land occurs.

02: ROAD ATTACK

A week into the thorn brush, chaos starts at sunset. The first warning is a metallic howl echoing down from the hills, followed by a rumble that could almost be thunder… If not for the fact that the sunset stained sky is completely clear. A swarm of metal sweeps over the hills, heading straight at the Convoy.

Running at the lead are more of those canine robots. The Convoy database again identifies them as ‘chromehounds’ and these are clearly in better repair; their fangs and claws are all razor sharp, and they are swiftly closing the distance. Close behind the hounds is a scattered assortment of scrap metal vehicles. The creatures driving aren’t quite human but also aren’t quite monsters; instead they are mechanical forms with just a few remnants of flesh on them. Robot riders and raiders, determined to harry the Convoy.

The goal of the raiders is to crash their vehicles into the Convoy, to slow or halt them. Drifters will need to either fight at a distance… Or hope that their monster side is tough enough for close and bloody combat!

02-A: ATTACK AND AFTERMATH

The attack patterns of the raiders depends on who they are targeting and how transformed the Drifters are. More monstrous Drifters earn full fury, and the vehicles blare with static and a patchy message: “…Purge… Corruption… By steel.” The raiders are determined to kill monsters, even at the cost of their own lives.

By contrast, less transformed Drifters may be overlooked, or only looked at suspicion. But if examined long enough, the raiders will eventually conclude less changed Drifters as still corrupt and attack them, especially if they are associated with the more monstrous!

Afterwards, mechanical salvage can be found to bolster the Convoy vehicles. The machines display a moon stabbed by a sword. It is the same as the symbols on the trap cars from February. Several raiders also carry odd talismans that resemble a rosary formed of tiny computer screens. Many of the screens are broken, but a few carry flickering text: “Your charge: To hunt the Warped. To purify the broken land, purge all sickness that twists us. Only then can Nirvana be opened, and the world reborn without corruption.”

03: OASIS

Just off the road are scattered oases, shining like blue gems in a red wasteland. The waters run surprisingly deep, with monstrous statues submerged in the depths. These statues resemble all 13 types of monsters, some of them even coloring the water depths into shades of green, purple, and red.

The oasis waters can’t fix or restore physical transformations. But it can cure any heat exhaustion with just a few sips, and restore lost strength. Red water can heal wounds, green restores magic fatigue, and purple can stabilize mental exhaustion and strain.

The statues also create a strange resonance on Drifters’ Sigil marks, particularly when Drifters submerge in the water. The statue resonance can’t completely revert transformations but they CAN spread out the transformation between two Drifters and lessen the potency.

04: MONSTER SHIFT, CHIMERA

Peculiar flowers bloom along some of the thorn brush. Drifters who bleed from the thorns will find that their cuts turn into Traits belonging to either Chimera or Unicorns. Chimeras typically appear from red flowered plants, and become increasingly tougher as they gain more traits. The following is also available:
+Tower focus: if growing extra eyes or heads, vision becomes disorienting. Focusing on the tower will help sharpen vision and provide clarity.
+Thermal flight on new wings, as the hot air coming off the ground helps them soar.
+Territorial hunter vs other fully shifted monsters/enemies.
+Blood taste/frenzy: becomes more savage as blood is shed, whether that is their own or others. If it is their own or an enemy, more aggressive; if it is an ally, more protective.
+An increasingly carnivorous and voracious appetite. Plus a craving for raw meat, and a drive to go hunt it personally; the fresher, the better.
+Tough hide. As 3 or more Chimera traits become active, the skin becomes increasingly tougher and harder for cuts and new transformations to occur.
+A sudden roar that cuts into words, easy for conversations to turn into a shouting match.

04: MONSTER SHIFT, UNICORN

As with Chimera, getting cut and bled by flower bearing thorns will impart unicorn traits on Drifters. This typically comes from thorn plants with white flowers. Unicorns have a knack for stabilizing the more violent changes… And perhaps even stopping transformations from bleeding. The following is also available:
+Horn Resonance, a ringing in the horn or forehead the closer one gets to the tower. Can result in either disorientation, or a boost in healing.
+Shift Healing: At the cost of taking on another unicorn/current monster trait, may heal another Drifter of one active trait. This can only be used once per character.
+An increasingly vegetarian diet, including the flowers off various thorn bushes.
+Increased pain or disorientation in the forehead as horn grows in. May also experience pain in feet (hooves) or back (wings or tail) though healing magic can alleviate pain.
+A compulsion to heal the injured or protect those who can. Similarly, a compulsion to protect the virtuous and aid them.
+Fight or Flight response: more likely to bolt at the sign of trouble with increased speed. If fleeing is not possible (or others are in danger) ready to fight to the death in desperate frenzy.
+Urge to run and be outdoors, gains an almost euphoric sensation when running at full speed.

05: TWISTED LAND

Finally the Convoy draws close to the tower and the moon glows balefully overhead, signaling an imminent Moon Warp. Shards of the tower fall away, exposing something encased in the surface. A chimera monster is pierced and pinned to the tower by swords. Elemental blood streams down, glowing in reaction to the Drifters, and causing the blades to glow in turn.

If Drifters make contact with the swords, they explode in a hail of shards, causing more wounds and damaging the tower. The shed blood twists the landscape. Deserts, forests, and swamps all shift together. With them come the hazards of those environments; quicksand, falling trees or strangling vines, terrible draining heat, all blending and switching without pattern. Such twisting weakens the tower. Further fragments break off and turn into monsters, aggressive and ready to fight. The Convoy braces against the twisting, but warning screens say that the shields are low on power. The shields occasionally waver, letting in the Moon Warp and monsters.

With the damage Drifters inflict in their battles, the environment twisting, and the sword shards, the tower crumbles away. It emits a burst of energy that disperses the land twisting, and ends the bloodshed transformations.

06: SALVE

In the aftermath of the warp, the tower has cracked and broken. A column of wavering light takes its place, reaching thin tendrils up towards the moon.

The red ichor leaks out of the tower in rivers, and any Husk it comes in contact with breaks open without transforming into a monster, instead releasing another glowing shard that travels upwards. Drifters can still harness this ichor to undo one change, though the limits still apply. Submerging in the ichor does not undo more than one change… Though it will stain Drifters with red.

The ichor can also heal wounds, and repair those quite thoroughly, acting as a good salve to mend Drifters from past battles.

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.

Twisted Creatures: Local fauna (flying rabbits, jackalopes, gorgons wandering in from the grasslands, etc) gets caught in the thorn bushes and begins bleeding, and turning into a monster. The process is slow and painful, giving Drifters enough time to get away from the scrub brush and the monster if they wish; or enough time to try and dispatch the creature.

Thorn brush: Clumps of thorn brush line the road. A time or two they even grow over the road and need to be hacked through, in order for the Convoy to proceed. The brush is almost like razor wire, with how sharp the thorns are, and how ready they are to slice up skin.

Watering Hole: Rarely, one can find a small oasis in the bleached land. Unfortunately, many of the twisted creatures want a drink from this place as well; it’s a task to grab water and avoid getting on their bad side.

NAVIGATION

Comments

[faceguy]

Donnie really left him alone.

Leo curls up on the roof, trying not to panic. Donnie said he would be back, and Leo just has to do what he’s told for once in his life and wait.

It’s not easy. He doesn’t know when Donnie will be back. He doesn’t know if the barrier will hold. He doesn’t know if Donnie - or any of his new friends - need him.

He wants to be running. He wants to protect.

On his back, more pieces of his shell crack and splinter and fall away.

[purplexing]

It feels so wrong leaving Leo, especially when he's wounded, when he needs to be protected. It's so hard not to look back, but Donnie knows if he does, he won't be able to do what he needs to do. He doesn't really need to look back when his brother's panicked face is so fresh in his mind.

Fighting instinct to fly higher is another thing, but at least knowing that it would risk going past the shields again makes it easier to resist. Donnie glides alongside the rest of the Convoy train, cutting between vehicles until he reaches the Turtle Tank.

"I hope these still work..." he murmurs to himself as he gathers a few of the vials of red water he'd collected. Maybe he should have just brought Leo back here. Maybe they could just drive back to that oasis, but he's not even sure how far they'd gone since, and the threats that had come up in between had been difficult enough to handle when they weren't injured.

Shaking his head, Donnie gets back out of the vehicle, taking off again. It's like he's always had wings, always been able to fly without something manufactured. A gust of air pushes him farther, things he wonders about but somehow manages not to think too hard on, not when his brother's hurting, not when he needs him.

He sees Leo, not liking how miserable he looks, nor how small he's made himself. Leo's always been a presence that could fill rooms, stadiums. This isn't like his brother at all.

When he finally alights back on the roof of the truck, Donnie drops down beside him, eyes widening at the broken shell pieces there. Oh no, nonono please don't do this... He's not sure who or what he's pleading to, but he moves to pull Leo close again.

"Leo, Leo I'm here, you're okay, please say you're okay...!"

[faceguy]

Leo's mind is buzzing darkly until he feels hands on him. It's only by some miracle that his brother's claws don't send him into a panic, and he manages to realize who is touching him before he lashes out.

He blinks, looking up, and tries to get his wits about him. He's not alone anymore, Donnie came back, it's okay, he's...

"Yeah." He swallows hard, and tries to shake some life (hah!) back into himself. "Yeah, I'm okay."

He's not, not really, he hurts and he's scared and he still wants to run and he doesn't know why Donnie left him. But Donnie wants him to be okay, so he'll say he is.

"Just tired." Well, it's not exactly a lie.

[purplexing]

Sagging in relief, Donnie pulls him into a hug, as though he could hold his brother together himself so he won't fall apart any further. He's determined to never lose him again, not to some alien's clutches, not to this twisted world...!

Leo hardly looks okay, but Donnie doesn't call him out on it, not when they're both exhausted, not when his brother is hurting. He pulls out one of the bottles, but it's a bit of a juggle to open it while trying to support Leo. The cap goes bouncing off the edge of the truck, making him hiss exasperatedly, but it's fine, he's got the thing open, so he offers the red water to Leo.

"...from the oasis. I'm not sure if it loses its potency once it's taken from the source, but I hope it can do something."

[faceguy]

The hug helps. Just being in physical contact with someone else helps. Reminds him that he's still here, and solid. That he's... that he will be okay.

He takes the water a little shakily, eying the red color. But he remembers this, and he remembers it working before, so he trusts it.

He holds the bottle over his leg, wincing and how weird and ragged the wound looks. He pours a bit on it, then watches as the flesh there glistens a moment before knitting itself back together. He releases a sigh as the pain leeches away, finally getting relief.

"That... feels better," he announces, holding the bottle back out for Donnie to take. He's fine, now he can walk. That's all he needs.

[purplexing]

Donnie doesn't realize he's holding a breath as he watches Leo use the water, not until he's breathing out a sigh when those terrible gashes begin to mend.

He looks at the bottle before pushing it back towards Leo. "Drink it," he says. His brother needs it more than he does. Drinking some water probably wouldn't hurt him either, given how much he'd been running.

[faceguy]

Leo almost argues, but in the end he sighs and nods, bringing the bottle back to his lips and taking a drink. Not a very big drink, but at least some goes down.

It feels good, going down his throat. More of his smaller cuts and scrapes mend themselves as the water makes its way down. The cracks and holes in his shell stay right where they are, though.

"Here," he says when he's done, holding it over again. "You should drink, too."

[purplexing]

Being not much in the mood to argue, Donnie's glad when Leo does drink. Not nearly enough, but it's still something. His eyes flick towards Leo's back, brow knitting in dismay as nothing seems to have helped his brother's shell. Unconsciously his arms tighten around him a little more, loosening only a touch when the bottle's offered back to him.

He looks about to object himself, but he takes it to take a few gulps. Leo had healed the worst of his injuries, but it still feels better having a drink.

[faceguy]

Leo looks satisfied that he took it, settling down a little more. For a long moment he just stays sagged in Donnie's arms, not sure what to do now that they aren't actively fighting monsters.

He's so tired. He still wants to run, and now that his leg is better maybe he could; but going out where the threats are doesn't feel any more appealing.

Leo doesn't normally run away, but right now he wants nothing else.

"...Think we should move to the Turtle Tank?" he finally asks.

Not to the convoy. He wants something familiar.

[purplexing]

At least Donnie doesn't make a fuss about his personal space being invaded. He knows where Leo is, and if he's right here, then he can protect him. But they can't stay here forever, and it's hard not feeling anxious when he can see the barrier flickering above them, both a sign of safety and a threat that keeps him from taking flight.

He shakes his head. Where would he even go, if he flies off now? He's not abandoning his brother. But staying up here isn't great. In the distance he can see more of those swords shattering, that tower and the creature it holds still some undecipherable puzzle to him. It bothers him, not knowing what's expected of them, what's even happened there. All he knows is that over there is more danger, more monsters and things that cause pain.

"....yeah."

Donnie had already been considering it when Leo asks, and he doesn't feel guilty about agreeing so readily. Let someone else be the hero for a change. Or...whatever it is. He doesn't know. All he knows is that he needs them both to be safe.

"Can you move?" he asks, stowing the bottle away as he prepares to get up and help Leo to his feet.

[faceguy]

"Y... yeah, I can move."

Leo finally disentangles himself from Donnie, slowly getting his feet under him. His wounds don't hurt anymore, but he still feels weird and off balance. But he thinks he can get up without falling right back over, at least.

"Help me get up, and I'll open a portal."

[purplexing]

With a nod, Donnie stands once Leo at least keeps his balance. He reaches out to help haul him to his feet, ready to slip an arm under his for that extra support. He hadn't liked how Leo still looked like a strong breeze could topple him.

"Ready when you are."

[faceguy]

Leo tries not to take the support, but he’s still too wobbly not to - like a newborn foal (hah!). He ends up leaning on Donnie while he pulls out his sword.

The tank is familiar, so the portal is easy.

He steps through with Donnie, then angles to collapse into one of the seats.

“…Feels weird to hide in here,” he finally says, his hand going to his fringe of hair and rubbing it between his fingers.

[purplexing]

Donnie breathes a sigh once they're within a familiar space, even if something at the back of his mind starts gnawing at him, a need for somewhere open, somewhere higher...

He's too tired to give into it, moving to flop into another seat, wings fanned out loosely so they don't get mashed against it.

"Yeah. But it feels better." Not a complete lie, not when he doesn't know what all is happening out there with that tower, but with the way it had exploded shards, he trusts that even if any of them somehow got this far, the Tank would hold up.

[faceguy]

"...Yeah."

Leo can't help but wonder if he's messing up by doing this. Shouldn't he be getting back out there with his newfound healing powers? He could help them. He could protect them. It's what Raph wanted him to do.

It's probably only the thought of leaving Donnie here alone, or forcing Donnie to go back out there, that keeps Leo in his seat. Well, that, and this weird skittishness towards fighting that he hasn't ever really felt before.

"It's..." Hold on, let him think. "...A hairy situation out there."

[purplexing]

He'd clearly not been expecting to be assaulted by puns, the groan that tries to assert its proper place as a response half choked by a cough that might have tried to be a laugh. Covering his eyes with an arm, Donnie unfortunately can't scrape up anything to follow up.

He wouldn't be able to deny that a part of him thinks he should be out there too. At least he knows most of the people he's met seem to be familiar with holding their own in a fight. But it's weird leaving it up to someone else, as much as he's tired of feeling like they're expected to do things. But then there's so much that he doesn't understand, and it's kind of scary to admit he's not even sure he knows what's going on with his own mind. Here behind the shields, wavering as they are, it seems easier to resist whatever tugs at him, those stray thoughts he wouldn't normally have, a little more muffled.

"...are we expected to do something?" He sighs, letting his arm drop as he stares up at the ceiling, frustrated. "We've only been traveling because a program has been directing us this way. Where's the instructions? What's our goal, aside from getting to this Nirvana place??"

[faceguy]

He heard that almost laugh! After everything today, it feels like an accomplishment.

But at the questions, he deflates. He doesn't have any answers for Donnie. He doesn't know any more.

Before Donnie arrived here too, he'd been pretty aimless. Following the convoy was natural, because it seemed like what he'd been brought here to do, so why not do it? It's not like he had anywhere else to be.

But now Donnie is here, and suddenly Leo has responsibilities again. It's just too bad he has no idea how to fulfill them.

He pulls a leg up onto the seat with him, curling around it.

"...If Raph was here," he says softly, small, "he'd want us to be heroes. Whatever that means in this place."

[purplexing]

This time the laugh is forced and bitter.

"To who? The only ones that seem to be in trouble are us. What all do we even know about where we're supposed to go? Is it going to fix anything?"

Donnie sounds frustrated, but then of course he is. He needs answers and there's just not enough. Nothing makes sense and that just makes it even harder to deal with for someone who styles himself as a problem-solver. Just trying to keep his brother safe is hard enough with actual monsters, but there are other things, intangible things that he doesn't know how to fight off or keep back with a firewall. He sinks further into his seat.

[faceguy]

Oh no, this isn't good. The last thing Leo wants is for Donnie to lose hope. To feel like it's all worthless.

And the thing is... the thing is, Leo agrees. There's a part of him that is so tired of fighting, of always getting back up when he gets knocked down. Who looks at the holes in his shell and remembers what put them there, and is gripped by fear. Who just wants to say, haven't I given enough?

But if he gives into that, he's afraid that all will be left is despair. And maybe, if it was just him, that would be okay. But he can't let Donnie go there. He has to keep his brother hopeful that he'll see their family again. He has to believe it.

So, even though he's still exhausted, and there are still chips falling from his shell, he gets to his feet.

"The people in the convoy," he says, spreading his hands. "None of us know where we're going, or if it will lead to a way back. But so many of them are looking into it. And there's people who will help us. Jayce and Ruby bandaged my shell, and Jack offered to make me clothes... There's people who make food and gather supplies, and who fight with us."

He holds his hand out to Donnie.

"I know it feels like we're alone. But we're not. I think, if we take care of them, they'll take care of us."

[purplexing]

"......"

His legs pulled up towards his chest, Donnie looks out the windshield at the bleak landscape. He doesn't look over at Leo even though he hears him moving.

The names are all familiar to him. He's met quite a few people since he'd gotten here, a lot of them who have probably been here just as long as Leo. Donnie wouldn't be able to turn his back on anyone no matter how mentally and emotionally exhausted he is. He squeezes his eyes shut, stiffling something that sounds much too close to a sob to to his own ears. Slowly he lifts his head, looking at Leo finally.

"...I know..."

He's so tired of everything.

"I know."

But he won't give up. He can't give up.

It still takes some effort, but he's trying. He won't give up, for Leo. Slowly, he reaches a hand out to take his brother's hand.

[faceguy]

Leo doesn't feel too much better when Donnie reaches for his hand; the exhaustion is still evident in the set of his shoulders. But at least he's trying. That's all Leo can possibly ask.

He smiles, grim as the mood is, and squeezes Donnie's hand.

"We can stay here for now, though," he promises. "I think we did enough for today."

Especially because, with his mind running wild, the way it had out there, Leo's not sure how effective he would be. If he's just going to be a hindrance, it's better to wait this one out... probably.

[purplexing]

Donnie squeezes back. They've taken on the Shredder and gooey alien brains. It's like they'd said back then, and it should still hold true, maybe more than ever, even now. They're stronger together, because they're not alone. And as that really starts to sink in, it lifts some of weight off his shoulders. Not all of it, but...it's still something.

But he doesn't disagree on that part either. And acknowledging that they're not the only ones here fighting to find a way through this, it feels a little better. They're not abandoning anyone. But they have other people they can rely on, and maybe...

Maybe they don't have to be expected to fight all the battles.

"...you could stay in the Tank anytime..." he says quietly. "If you wanted." It's safer than on a motorcycle. And less lonely.

[faceguy]

Leo's eye ridges quirk up at that. He's been staying in the bunks since Donnie got here because... well, honestly, because he thought Donnie would want to keep the tank his own space. It's not like they ever shared a room back home. Probably because they'd kill each other before the first night was over...

But things are so different from when they were last home together, at least for Leo. Even without this place, with everything else that's happened.

Leo was never opposed to sticking close. And he's definitely not now.

"Okay," he says easily.

But then he glances around the tank's interior and huffs. "But we'll have to do something about the sleeping situation in here. I know you'll crash in any chair you were working in, but I like having an actual bed, thanks."

[purplexing]

Donnie had always been used to having his own space, it's true. But the Turtle Tank had always been meant for all of them. Having it all to himself has just been too strange. He manages to mostly internalize his sigh of relief, a ghost of a smile almost making itself known upon his face when Leo replies.

The snort is easier to release, everything else falling into place thereafter.

"Well, if you find an actual bed, you are welcome to put one in," he says, waving a hand. He's not even going to deny the whole crashing in any chair thing, not when he's been more or less sleeping curled up in Raph's seat.

[faceguy]

That is not at all an encouraging answer!

"I'll steal the mattress from my bunk," he decides. He'll have to go back anyway to get his snacks and other trinkets. And the picture, of course; it's the most important thing he owns here.