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 Too bad most of their cosmetics are fifty years out of date and the closests they’ve raided either had another resident’s clothes or moth-eaten dust-covered rags.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

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Any mod questions can be dropped here!

Well that portal definitely didn't go where expected. Granted he hadn't entered it willingly and more been thrown through it, but usually enemy teleporters just.. didn't work. Instead this one tossed him into some broken down version of the Horizon Lunar Colony. He'd sliced the helpful welcome robots to pieces, ignored Idris Elba completely and set off to find a portal out of this place.

B. Fashionista
Ever on edge he's managed to maim or get away from all the weird Omnics trying to convince him to go somewhere. But his luck doesn't hold out forever. He'll struggle and yell at them in Japanese but he is getting carried off for a cyborg ninja makeover that consists of him trying to escape like a feral cat that's been locked inside.

He'll eventually get away but not before he's been shoved into a hoodie and track pants or what the bots here consider to be Tokyo street wear, which honestly looks a little ridiculous over his armor. But he's wearing it because it gets the robots to leave him alone.

C. Whole Foods 2.0
Finding the exit to this place doesn't seem to have gotten him any closer to finding a way back where he was, as all there is out here is nothingness and sand. Oh and a Whole Foods.

Sure. Why not. Why wouldn't there be a grocery store in the midst of an ocean of red sand. The zombies are no problem, though they are a bit alarming, especially so many of them. But it's easy enough for him to dash in and then double jump out with the pockets of his new sweater filled with twinkies.

One sugar rush ninja coming up soon.

[ 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.]

fashionista

Oh, Elleru likes this. Actually, she loves this. She had to fight with a couple of the machines to keep them from sticking their little hands in her face, but she's managed to corral two of them in particular into a corner near one of the baths, walling them from escape with a few chairs that serve as a fence. And why those two? Because they have the hair brushes, and if there is anything this tall lady with fluffy, purple hair loves, it's getting her hair brushed. What better way to treat herself than to have some helpful robots do it for her?

Draping herself across one of the chairs, she lets her hair hang where the machines can give it a good grooming, wondering if it's possible to take them with her. Maybe she could keep one as a pet. That's what they are, right? Mechanical pets and servants for the uprights? She'll ask later. For now, she's enjoying that rigorous brushing, so much so that she doesn't even look who has joined her in her little private preening session. She just calls to them, pleased for the company, her voice airy.

"Come, come! See what little marvels these are!"

whole foods 2.0

The sight of more uprights had drawn Elleru's attention, as had the truck -- they all seemed to be clamoring for whatever was inside, so assuming it was something good or interesting, she'd bee-lined for the store, hoping to ask what was going on. Though the smell of rotting flesh had nearly overwhelmed her, she'd assumed it must be something within the vehicle. It couldn't be the people, after all.

No, it was the people. It was definitely the people, who could hardly be defined as "people" by that point.

In good news, the truck doesn't have nearly so many zombies lingering around it anymore. In bad news, a number of them have crowded around a large creature around the side of the store, one trying to stave them off, but being quickly overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. The fact she's got several deep scratches and cuts down her back and legs doesn't help, the blood matting her fur and drawing even more her way. She lets out a loud, rattling squawk as she lashes out at one with her claws, only for another to try to take a bite out of her tail. It's only a matter of time before one of them manages to sink their teeth into her.

That, or she succeeds in scaring them off, but given they're mindless zombies that know nothing but hunger, intimidation is as unlikely as her survival.

Edited 2019-09-23 06:14 (UTC)

[ Ami's first impressions post! ]

> Advertise. (network; ota)

[ Sometime in the last few days of September, a wild network post appears: ]

hi everyone!
i just wanted to let you all know
the meet and greet party previously discussed in this space
will be held tomorrow afternoon!

it will take place in the vr room lobby
and of course everyone is invited
some refreshments and games will be provided
but if you would like a little extra challenge
please feel free to bring something to share!

attendance is mandatory!
(lol just kidding)
seriously though i do hope to see all of you there ;)

[ She'll also post handwritten signs to that effect in the mess hall and several of the staircases. Just in case! ]

> Fondly regard the red shit. (for Kieran)

[ With that sweet party coming up, Ami wants to make sure one of her favorite Anchorites is planning to be there! She hasn't really ventured into the Agricultural Zone since the whole fungus thing, and to an extent she's still a bit nervous about going in by herself - but the fungus is gone now, and Kieran's told her roughly how to get to the ranch (at some point, offscreen), and it's not that far in, and there's a few people living around there now, so it's not like she'll be completely alone. She should be fine, right?

She actually does make it to the ranch in one piece. (It's getting out that'll be the hard part.) And spotting Kieran out with the horses, she waves and scampers over. ]

Kieran! Hey, Kieran!

> Get a makeover. (ota)

[ She couldn't escape them forever. Eventually, Ami got swept up by the spa robots and carted off for some R&R, whether she likes it or not!

But... surprisingly, it's not actually that bad? She hadn't even known most of these services were available. Who's she to turn down a free manicure? They're not great conversationalists, though, so she'll be striking up chats with other people in the same situation. ]

A. [ If the other person's struggling, she'll lead with - ]
Hey, it's okay! They're not trying to hurt us!

B. [ If they're calmer (or have just given up), she'll kinda nod toward their nails or outfit or highlights or whatever they got done - ]
I'm... guessing they didn't let you pick the color, huh?

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)

( A. Arrival )

[ Let's see... Which is really preferable in this situation: being stranded on a planet with limited supplies and absolutely no news about the war's end or being stranded on a space station with only a handful of survivors and no way back. Orbiting a seemingly dead planet. Choices. Honestly why can't there ever be an Option C like being stranded in a five star resort?

Nice things can never happen, can they? Garrus would blame Shepard for that but he has no idea if the Commander is dead or alive.

Pushing that particular thought aside for the time being, the Turian listens to the video, snatches up one of those communication devices, and goes through the decontamination process without so much as a complaint. Afterwards, however, he finds a location to start pulling apart his rifle to make sure that nothing's damaged.

Priorities. ]

( B. Red Shift )

[ Does Garrus Vakarian have any intention of getting too close to that mammal with horns? Nope. He will if he has to, but from the looks of it the thing is being protected. Thus his plan is to do what he does best: find a spot that he can defend that has a good vantage point. With the way that the colony is structured that's surprisingly easy.

Besides! It looks as though others will be getting up close and personal. Good thing Garrus is there to lend a hand. Someone might find that a smaller beastie getting too close to their person is shot down before they can even register the creature's presence. ]

Got you covered.

( C. Whole Foods )

[ The store itself is kind of lost on Garrus. He has been to Earth exactly one time and that hadn't been in the best of circumstances. The wonderful imagery of the crying eagle? Also lost on him. Though he does know for a fact that he should at least check out the vehicles parked around the store. Garrus opts to circle around towards the back. ]

In the end I can't tell what is creepier. The dead being reanimated by a collective AI or the reanimated dead that have no higher intelligence behind it.

[ It's actually pretty easy for Garrus to clear a path to that truck. Zombies actually move pretty slow. He's almost disappointed. ]

Alright, important question. Does settin' this algae on fire make things better or worse?

[ This was the problem with agreeing to help -- generally, a lack of complete details. Riotous greenery didn't feel as alien to Majima as it used to, but he still didn't like how weirdly dark it was when the plant life closed in, how thick the air seemed.

Something poured from his hand: a kind of liquid light that congealed into the form of a slender animal. A... glowing housecat? It yawned silently before padding ahead a little ways, casting extra light up into the gloom. ]

[ Hmm. Crying eagles aside, there was nothing wrong with this beauty of a rifle, which Majima picked up with care from its formerly final resting place across the lap of a camo-covered skeleton.

A cursory inspection revealed that it'd work just fine, which was probably good considering the thumping and moaning from the front of the store. ]

Sounds like someone's havin' a good time. Find anythin' you like?

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QUESTIONS

Genji Shimada | Overwatch

lalli hotakainen | stand still, stay silent