redmarsshit | redshift: tdm #4

redshift: tdm #4

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

▶ Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

▶ All TDM threads can be considered game canon, and current players are welcome to either top-level on the TDM so prospective players can tag them, or use the prompts for logs or network posts on the communities. All threads on the TDM can be used for Activity Check.

a. the red shit.

There are rumblings in the deepest, most overgrown part of the agricultural area, where until very recently there was a lingering pocket of red algae. The good news is, the red algae is gone! The bad news is, it all got eaten by a mutated bear-thing with giant antlers. The algae did a number on the poor thing, doping it up and confusing it to the point where everything is an enemy.

What’s worse? The algae has adapted, colonizing the creature’s entire body. The algae has mutated in the process, releasing a protective cloud of toxins that causes severe hallucinations, as well as some of the protective and euphoric qualities that the red algae originally possessed. Which means the mutated, antlered, bear-thing is accompanied by a small army of other creatures, from large to small, who are all very invested in its survival and also are being driven crazy by its presence.

Prepare yourselves for one hell of a hunt. These animals can pop up almost everywhere in the agricultural zones, and when they do show their paws it’s to go on a rampage.

b. fashionista.

It wouldn’t be Anchor if the bots weren’t fucking shit up.

This time, the spa bots have gone full stylist coach, chasing down residents and trying to do their hair, nails, makeup, or change their clothes. In some cases, they're literally sweeping people off their feet and carrying them to the hot springs, massage rooms, and spa areas to be pampered. Too bad most of their cosmetics are fifty years out of date and the closests they’ve raided either had another resident’s clothes or moth-eaten dust-covered rags.

Is that the jacket Idris Elba was wearing in the introductory video? It kinda looks like it.

But it’s not all bad! The bots actually give great massages and fantastic mani-pedis. They also have a small stash of fresh cosmetics and clean clothes that got left behind in the spas. They might not fit great, but they look pretty good!

If your character doesn’t practice proper self-care, well. They’d better watch out. These bots have a particular eye for the sad, the filthy, the tired, and they’re going to make sure you get some damn fine pampering.

c. whole foods: 2.0.

Remember that whole Whole Foods grocery store thing that happened? Well, the grocery store and the zombies are still there. Only now there are more zombies, and two giant supply trucks have shown up, one behind and one in front of the store.

The one at the rear of the store can be accessed fairly easily. It’s painted to look like a giant United States flag, with a dramatic crying eagle emblazoned across the back doors. Inside, there is beer. Lots and lots of beer, and a bunch of semiautomatic rifles. Also some skeletons. Seems like the guns and booze didn’t help them.

The one in front of the store is thickly surrounded, the creatures clawing at the plain white sides of the semi like there’s something precious inside.

If Anchorites can make it through, if they can fend off the monsters and keep from getting torn to pieces by a hoard of bloodthirsty beasts, they’ll find out what that precious truck contains.

It’s twinkies. A semi full of twinkies. We hope you’ve got a sweet tooth, Anchor.

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[ the red shit ]

[Lalli doesn't recognize the creature itself, but he knows the nature of it.

Regardless of where it came from, how it came to be like this, there's only one way to dispatch something like this: you kill it. Ideally a swift strike to the brain, as quickly as possible, resulting in instant death and less chance for it to slice you open first.

Perhaps it makes for an alarming picture, all 5'6" of a stick figure that he is facing off against a mutated, rampaging bear, armed with only a knife. But the measured calm with which he faces the thing belies his experience.

And yes, he intends to go in by himself.]

[ fashionista ]

[He has never seen a robot in his life, but he knows he doesn't like them. But with how much he looks like a shaggy, bedraggled baby bird, it's not surprising they seem to think he needs a makeover.

What the bizarre metal things want with him, he doesn't quite know, but he knows they keep poking and prodding at him and they aren't responding to his clear signals to tell them to stop. A few of them have him cornered, apparently attempting to paint his nails, and he doesn't know what to do but hunch up and hiss at them like a cat. Even shoving them away does nothing, and they're just closing in.

Please help him.]

[ whole foods the sequel ]

[Lalli is a sneaky fucker, so making it through actually isn't that difficult. Maybe you fought through with him, maybe he just managed to navigate around the monsters and dragged you along with. Whichever the case, you have now been presented with a reward of Twinkies.

Lalli has clearly never seen a Twinkie before in his life, and he's examining one with some apprehension. First he sniffs it, and then, apparently determining it smells at least like something edible, he licks it. Then he takes a bite.

It's clear from the face he makes that he isn't sure if he likes it or not. Thing is, he has a sweet tooth, but something about the processed nature of Twinkies doesn't sit well with him.

He eventually spits it out, looking like he's been betrayed. Well, in a way, he has. Sweet things aren't supposed to be gross.]

[Onni doesn't reach Lalli before he's already running at the thing.

And because he doesn't reach Lalli in time, there are so many things he doesn't have a chance to tell him before his cousin is jumping into battle against a massive mutated monster. He doesn't have a chance to tell him that they're too far from home to call on their gods, that they can only use the strength and ability of their luonto to do anything that their hands and bodies can't do on their own. He doesn't have a chance to explain the algae that had caused this after having run into it himself, to explain how it works, that he should cover his mouth and nose with a cloth or wear a mask to keep it out so it doesn't affect his mind.

There was no way to do any of those things, because he had arrived too late, and before that, he had lied, and Lalli can still barely look at him, let alone talk to him or listen to him.

It leaves him with no other option than to dig into his bag and pull on the mask Reynir had given him when they first arrived, his heart pounding and his chest rising and falling heavily as the adrenaline pulses through his system. Onni has never been brave, he's never been a fighter, he isn't fearless and resilient like his cousin is, but when he's pushed, when he has to, when his family is in danger, he doesn't let his fear stop him.

Tipping his wooden spear into his hand, he takes a deep breath, narrows his eyes, and charges forward, shouting.]

Lalli! That red will make your mind strange, even though you're Immune!

[It's the first thing he warns about because Lalli is used to being immune to this sort of mind- and body-twisting infection, might not think to avoid it. It seems more immediate and foreign. Lalli is intelligent enough to know how far they are from their gods and how that might affect his magic.]

[The most that Lalli acknowledges Onni's contribution is a curt nod before he moves to leap onto the monstrosity's shoulders. In the end it doesn't matter. The role of a scout has always been one of protection at risk to oneself. The first to engage, the first to respond. Many scouts less competent than Lalli, through no real fault of their own.

Lalli was simply better.

It was almost mundane how predictable the thing was, in the end. Lalli only needed to maneuver himself between its shoulder blades, find a stable place to brace himself, and then plunge his blade into its skull.

He's made cleaner, quicker kills. But it's still over in minutes. An end any scout could be proud of.

It's not pride Lalli is feeling as he cleans his knife; just satisfaction at a job properly carried out. And he has nothing to say to Onni as he wipes off the blood.]

[In the end, Lalli doesn't really need Onni's help.

Honestly, he should have expected that much. All he really manages is distracting the thing a little while Lalli hops onto its back as if it were nothing, all nimble grace, and jams his knife into the creature's skull with a sickening thunk. The thing collapses to the ground and Lalli scrambles off, settles down on the ground with a cloth and his knife, cleaning the blood off of it, paying no mind to Onni, as if he hadn't even heard him, despite the nod.]

Lalli. Cover your mouth and nose. Didn't you hear me?

[It comes out harsher than he means it to, because he's feeling hurt and helpless, and so, so tired of feeling helpless. He decides not to put away his spear, in case, and clenches his free hand into a fist so Lalli hopefully won't see that they're shaking, adrenaline still coursing through his system. Taking a few steps forward, he moves toward the creature, nudging at one of its antlers with a foot, and glancing behind it to see if there are any other affected creatures nearby.]

Edited 2019-09-23 06:02 (UTC)

[Lalli shoots Onni a glare that could be called petulant, but he does at least pull his collar up over his nose. His body language makes it clear he's only humoring his cousin, however, and doesn't think much of his nagging.

When you're used to not having to take certain precautions, like being careful of what you breathe in, it's difficult to instinctively follow them in situations where they're actually necessary. So Lalli doesn't think much of his lapse in judgment; after all, he's immune. Onni isn't, and should be worrying more about himself.

And of course, the effort is too little, too late.

It's not until he sheathes the knife and turns to walk back the way he came--in Onni's direction, but obviously angling to move right past him--that he catches movement out of the corner of his eye, and he freezes. He's not sure what it was, or where it could have gone--he's not seeing anything now--but it's enough to put him right back on his guard.

Whatever friction he and Onni have right now, it doesn't cut this deep. He throws out an arm between Onni and where he saw the movement, intending to shield him. It's pure instinct, born of training: better Lalli gets hurt here than Onni.]

[Just like he should've known Lalli didn't need his help in the fight, he should've known that Lalli would be oppositional about it. That he would glare at Onni and make only the most cursory effort to follow his advice, at least when he's angry at him. Even when they're getting along, after all, Lalli has a tendency to be impulsive and to either forget or not care that he can be hurt; it sends adrenaline flooding through Onni's system whenever Lalli goes into danger without thinking, and then there's friction, and he ends up having to order his cousin to do things, authoritarian because Lalli won't listen when he asks him to take care of himself.

It works this time, just like all the other times it has, and Lalli pulls his collar up over his mouth. But it's too late, Onni thinks, his heart sinking, and he puts his spear up, eyes on his cousin as he goes to walk past him and then abruptly stops. Instinctively, Onni's eyes follow Lalli's gaze, and he reaches back to rest his hand on his spear, eyes narrowing.

There's nothing there. He'd expected another of the animals, the ones in thrall to the creature Lalli had killed, but there's nothing.

When Lalli throws his arm out in front of Onni, it's a relief, not just to know Lalli will protect him if need be, but because Lalli is willing to. Shaking his head a little, Onni scans the area, looking out for any sign of movement, or of what Lalli might have seen.]

There's nothing there.

Don't you hear it?

[The skittering. The sound of too-many feet scraping against earth from a direction he can't identify. It's too bright for them to show themselves fully, and yet shadows flit at the edges of his vision as he looks, too fast to track.

There's nowhere here they could hide that quickly. Where are they? The skittering isn't coming from a consistent direction, which means they could come from anywhere. Which puts him at a major disadvantage in protecting his cousin.]

Get out of here.

[At least, if Onni leaves and they follow him, Lalli will know where they are. He's sure he can dispatch them in no time after that.]

[Brows furrowing as Lalli asks if he can hear it, Onni shakes his head. It isn't just the physical movements of creatures that he's listening for, but the voices of beasts and trolls, dark and vicious and compelling. But he doesn't hear those either, there are only the strange but mostly benign spirits of the trees and air and grass and animals here.]

Lalli, there's nothing there.

[For all that his voice is carefully calm, Onni can feel his heart beating harder, and his own eyes flick around them, following Lalli's gaze as he looks around for whatever is making the noise that he hears and Onni can't. Lalli is better in the field than he is, he knows, and generally he respects his cousin's senses a great deal. Even now, knowing that there's a good chance the algae or spores or whatever else coming off the beast Lalli had fought might be compromising Lalli's senses, the instinct to trust what Lalli is saying is strong, and so his pale eyes keep flicking around to wherever Lalli is looking and his heart keeps pounding with adrenaline.]

We should get you away from this thing. Come with me?

Edited 2019-09-26 05:39 (UTC)

No...

[It's not directed at Onni so much as to the universe at large. Lalli knows well enough to begin to figure out that something doesn't make sense. He can see and hear the movement, but he can't feel it--can't feel the wrongness that always comes from something twisted by the rash.

And Onni is a much stronger mage than he is, and if Onni thinks there's nothing there, then...

Lalli squeezes his eyes shut and covers his ears in a familiar motion, but this time it isn't because he's overwhelmed; something is lying to him, and it might well be his own senses. He has to shut out the distraction. It leaves him--leaves the both of them--vulnerable, but it lets him focus on his spiritual sense, lets him feel out around himself.

And he finds nothing. His face crumples in confusion, eyes still closed.]

I don't understand.

lalli hotakainen | stand still, stay silent

[red shit]

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fashionista!

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twinks & twinkies: the thread

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what year is it

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