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 Too bad most of their cosmetics are fifty years out of date and the closests they’ve raided either had another resident’s clothes or moth-eaten dust-covered rags.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.

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01. fashionize(user);

[ If it's not one thing, it's another. Really, with all the maintenance that needs done around here, it's a wonder Qubit gets any actual work in. This time, though, he came prepared - he's put together a little clicker that'll force any robot he points it at to shut down and go into maintenance mode!

... Anchor bots only, of course. And it only works on about 70% of them. And sometimes it takes a few tries. But it's got about double the range of his powers, and it's already saved him a few (literal) headaches, so. Work in progress, but a good start.

So yeah, ironically, the only thing that can make him visit the spa is work. He's hanging out on a couch in the lobby, attempting to hack together a working hotfix on his tablet, while one of the bots sits idle on the floor in front of him. Buuut given that he's grumpy and chronically sleep-deprived, the other bots keep coming up to bug him. A couple more of them are shut down nearby, and presently a third approaches - this one with a comb and scissors in hand. Qubit glares icily at it, his eyes glowing blue. ]

One inch closer and you're going on sewer duty.

02. while ( !truck.isEmpty() ) { Truck.loot("all"); }

[ Since this Whole Foods appears to be a relatively permanent addition - and there keep being zombies in it, somehow - it bears keeping an eye on. He certainly didn't expect a couple of semis to show up and restock the place, but once they're there, he can hardly just ignore them, can he?

He's not going alone, though. Whether he ran into you by chance or messaged you specifically, you're welcome to come with, provided you've got some kind of applicable skills (eg. combat, anti-zombie magic, etc). He will insist that you wear radiation gear, though. That's just common sense.

The five-minute walk is pretty uneventful, though they'll have to give the place a little bit wider of a berth now that the zombies have left the building. The America truck is an easier target, so that'll come first. As he double-checks the laser rifle he brought, he can't resist a little light quipping. ]

You know, I think I've spent more time shopping at Whole Foods here than I ever have on Earth.

03. rand();

[ Always open to Wildcards as well! ]

Edited 2019-09-27 00:44 (UTC)

[Qubit might want to give the place a wide berth, but Carlisle, who is staring at the ground with all the focus in the world, would be much happier if they just went inside. He was surprised when Qubit called him out here a second time, given what happened the first time around; he's more surprised he agreed to come, but he has had a few weeks to settle into Anchor and sort out who -- and what, maybe -- he is. It's a work in progress, and one he won't get anywhere with if he continues to hide. That worked so well for him in his last year of life, didn't it?

He grumbles, fidgeting with a wrinkle in his radiation suit. He has yet to realize there are a couple of zombies loitering nearby, idling a few feet behind him.]

I assume this was a popular establishment in your world.

[ Qubit waves his hand slightly - ehh, so-so. ]

Sort of. They cater to a niche - health-conscious urbanites with plenty of disposable income. Personally, I don't think the ambiguous health benefits are worth the "Whole Paycheck" [ complete with air quotes ], but that's just me.

[ He spots the idling zombies behind Carlisle and points them out. ] Have you got those?

[Just as he's mulling over what kind of health benefits an establishment that serves "organic produce" could possibly provide, Qubit gives him something else to worry about. He glances over his shoulder at the two undeads -- their glassy eyes stare blankly ahead, their bodies barely moved by the wind and the sand.]

I suppose I do. [Not that he meant to 'ensnare' them, as he's taken to calling it.] You might wish to work swiftly, in case more notice we're here. What is it, exactly, that we're looking for?

[ Are we at the truck already? I'm gonna say we're right next to the truck. Qubit pats the side of it - which makes slightly more noise than he was expecting, so he holds his hand down to dampen it, glancing around just in case. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to have attracted any new friends. ]

... You're looking at it. This is one of the lorries I told you about. They're what's used to restock stores like this, so we're likely to find more supplies inside. [ He takes a moment to eye the giant American flag printed on the side. ] Odd choice of trailer, though.

[Carlisle eyes the truck, uncertain of what -- if any -- supplies it could possibly contain that would make it worth risking a trek through the irradiated wasteland to the undead-infested store, but he assumes Qubit knows something about it that he doesn't. He's more familiar with the Whole Foods itself, after all.]

Hideous. [His sneer is practically palpable, even through his rad suit.] Birds do not cry like that. And if we open this thing and there are birds in there, I'm going home.

Edited 2019-09-27 03:07 (UTC)

[ uh carlisle some of us need food to survive okay ]

Hm. Well, no ventilation, so if there are, they'd be dead by now.

[ Wait, would that make it better or worse? Way worse? Let's change the subject. ]

I doubt it, though. The flag and eagle are just national symbols. American companies will plaster them onto practically anything.

[Better, unless the birds then rise as undead birds. No, Carlisle does not want to think about that any longer than he has to.

At least the explanation of what the flag and bird are for make sense. More than "we put a crying bird on the side of our trailer for aesthetic purposes." He moves a little closer, the posse behind him -- three strong now -- staying back.]

Right. Next question: how do we get in there?

[ Counterpoint: Zombieagles. Just think how useful they'd be! You could use them as aerial scouts, or chasing off geese from a safe distance... Sigh, maybe someday. ]

Simple. You just - [ Qubit goes to unlatch the door, and discovers a complication in the form of a big, heavy-duty padlock. He sighs, irritated. ]

Of course it's locked. Say, you don't happen to have some bolt cutters handy, do you?

[ Rhetorical question, he knows the answer's no. Well, shit, what now? ... Without warning, he starts off toward the cab, walking with purpose. There's got to be something he can use in there. ]

[Qubit may hear Carlisle murmur What are bolt cutters? to himself as he heads for the cab. He eyes the lock for a second himself, considering if he could construct a glyph to melt it, before deciding it's best he stay focused on maintaining his control over the group of undead following him around.

He beelines for the other side of the cab, pulling himself up the side by the handles until he can peer into the window. There's a skeleton in there, his hands both still on the wheel.]

What a terrifying contraption. People willingly get into these things?

[ Qubit climbs up his side the same way, so that they're briefly talking through the broken windows on opposite sides of the cab. ]

Oh, this is nothing. Wait until you hear about amusement parks.

[ He reaches through the passenger-side window to manually pop the lock, opens the door, and climbs in, checking under the seats and in the console. ]

There's probably a tool chest in here somewhere. Or, if we're lucky, we might even find the keys. [ He checks the ignition as he says that; sadly, they're not there. ]

[Carlisle gets the distinct feeling he wouldn't find an 'amusement park' to be very amusing, if Qubit's tone says anything about them. He watches his companion climb right in as if it's no worry at all, checking all around the skeleton for... well, whatever it is he's looking for.

Tool chest or keys. Got it. Carlisle doesn't open the door, but takes to looking himself, his glowing eyes turning over the entire cabin. Did the finger of that skeleton twitch just now? Surely not.]

I have been considering how we will transport the goods within back to Anchor, assuming we can get inside.

[ Not finding anything in the front, Qubit crawls through to the back of the cab, where it's got a small, uncomfortable bed and stuff. He notices nothing whatsoever from the skeleton. ]

Well, depending on how much is usable, we should be able to bring one of the ground vehicles out and load it up. That's what I wound up doing last time. [ Y'know, offscreen. He checks under the bed, and finds - ] Ah! Here we are.

[ It's a black plastic toolbox, medium-sized. He flips it open and starts looking through, muttering to himself. ] Hm. Socket wrench, pliers, reflectors... All automotive. Guess I should've expected that. [ And he closes it up. He'll take it back to Anchor anyway, of course - one can never have too many sockets. ]

Qubit | Irredeemable | already ingame

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