modblob: (Default)
Mods ([personal profile] modblob) wrote in [community profile] redmarsshit2020-01-20 09:11 pm
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test drive meme: january 2020

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. nuclear fallout boy.

There is a mid-90s strip mall forming outside of Anchor.

Which is to say that there is now a Hot Topic next to the Blockbuster, and a little canopied sidewalk connecting the two. The difference between them is that the Hot Topic has an airlock entry and is safe from the radiation outside.

It's also not decked out for any Earth holidays, but it is fully stocked. Just not stocked with things that an Earth-based shopper would recognize as their "typical" fare. There are band t-shirts, with extreme fonts and symbols, but said fonts are almost cuneiform and the symbols are references that no one who wasn't living on Mars-15 in 1994 will get. The joke t-shirts are much the same, with cartoon characters, visual puns, memes, and designs that are, well, out of this world. There are bizarre earrings in standing cases, body decorations that might not quite fit a human, temporary tattoos, and random junk that cool fifteen-year-olds would snap up if it existed on Mars. (Use your imaginations, Anchorites.)

One thing you won't find in this store is advanced technology that serves any actual purpose. Sure, there are thumb-sized fart machines and little wall-mounted projectors that can decorate ceilings with preprogrammed holographic scenery (mostly starscapes). But none of it is any more useful than the keychain of that fat hipster cat with butterfly wings and bug eyes hanging from one of the displays. The cash register, which is the most futuristic thing in the place, is smashed to bits. Gotta get those Mars credits somewhere else.


b. looking kinda familiar.

There are little creatures scuttling through Anchor again, though these ones... well, they really are creatures more than they can be called animals. They're little blue-gray blobs of tissue, growing as they roll around until they finally split in two, both pieces then going their own way. Even though they don't have legs, the little blobs are fast, and many of them have no interest in interacting with the people of Anchor, and disappear into the ether never to be seen again.

Some of them, however, will single people out and start following them. The longer that little blob follows, the closer it gets, the more it takes the shape of an animal that represents the follow-ee's innermost soul or personality. The part of themselves that they hide away. As it begins to take shape, the person it follows will start to hear a tiny voice, at first just muffled sounds that could be coming from anywhere, but as the creature's form clarifies, the mumbling turns into actual speech. Clumsy, at first, almost like babytalk, but soon the little creature following its chosen Anchorite will be able to speak with its chosen person in full sentences. No one else can hear the little creature talk - only the one it decided to follow.

Keep the little bugger (or big bugger, if your innermost soul is an elephant or something) around for a week, and it will settle into its chosen shape, bonding to you for as long as you're alive. It can speak, listen, and understand, but you're the only one who can hear its voice. If this whole animal companion stalker situation isn't up your alley, though, and you're not feeling the connection, the little critter will slouch off to its own blobby existence.


c. creatures from the black locked room.

There's been a lot of exploration happening in that flooded area that Joe warned you all about. A lot of rooms opened, a lot of rooms explored and/or destroyed (thanks, Jacob et al. srsly). It's a lot of noise in a somewhat confined space. And something in one of the rooms is stirring...and done with being locked away.

Midday on the 20th of the month, the sounds of metal shrieking as it is twisted out of shape burble up out of the flooded halls. Thumping, rumbling, and eerie hooting noises are all muffled by the water at first.

There's only one at first, sloshing up out of the water and looking perfectly dry. Well... it looks like nothing, actually. A deep blackness that can hypnotize if it's stared at for too long. Long, dark claws that shine with a silvery edge. The vicious teeth in its shapeless head glow a pale blue-green.

Then another comes to the top of the stairs, and another.

They're perplexed at first by the webbing Peter Parker left to block off the hall, but a few experimental pokes with a claw shows that the stuff gives under their talons with only a little bit of effort. The three creatures slice their way free and move as a pack through the lower levels of Anchor, prepared to mob whoever they come across and tear them to shreds.

There's a problem when it comes to straight-up fighting these things, though: when physically attacked, they simply bounce back, when pieces are hacked off with a blade, each piece becomes a new, identical monster. The only way to beat them is with energy and other alternate fighting styles - magic, lasers, energy projectiles, etc.

Some people might be lucky enough not to run into them. Good luck to the rest.


d. the network.

Need to get hold of someone, call for help, ask the city at large a question? Need to ask a friend to back you up to take out the toothy voids? Maybe you need to hold your sat phone up to whatever crazy thing you're seeing and send out a recording to double-check if your eyes are deceiving you and what you're looking at is real?

Whatever the reason, the network is going strong, so feel free to include a post to it in your top-levels.



0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-01-25 09:21 pm (UTC)(link)
The fox happily accepting being picked up. He doesn't bite, but he does lick Genji's arm.

Brian shakes his head. It is not his, please take it away from him.
arcadedragon: (Reset)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-01-25 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Nope. Not happening. Genji is getting closer, as are the dragons who are super curious about this wriggly furry thing.

"It's been following you, I think you do not have a choice." Weird how this place keeps thrusting animals onto people who don't want them. But Genji will do his part to make sure their people take good care of them.
0thingsonmymind: (Glowing)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-01-25 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Fox happily accepts scritches and settles into Genji's arms. Its human is talking (sort of) so maybe it can just take a nap.

Brian just shakes his head again. Words appear in the air before him.
itis not
i donot
want


He backs away from the man and his dragons, pointing at one of the latter.

what is
?
arcadedragon: (Ready)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-01-30 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
Oh. Well that's interesting.

"You know, everyone who I've come across that has an animal following them says that. And they are always wrong. You do not get a choice in the matter, it is yours now." He pets the fox's head while he debates the best way to approach making this guy take care of his fox.

"They are dragons."
0thingsonmymind: (Sitting)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-01-30 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
itis not

The foz nuzzles Genji's hand.

whatis
dra gon


He's heard of them before but he doesn't think he's seen any. Except maybe in the ocean.
arcadedragon: (Shadows)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-01 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
"It most certainly is. You'll have to learn how to take care of it." And Genji is fully willing to teach him. Don't you want to keep this ball of fluff around forever Brian?

"What's a dragon? It's... a dragon. They are winged ... lizards I suppose. Most fly."
0thingsonmymind: (Watching)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-01 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
He shakes his head again.

animal can take careof
self


He has issues remembering to eat, drink and sleep himself, after all.

i donot think therewere
dra gons
wherei come
from


He never saw any in Rosswood or the surrounding areas, at least.
arcadedragon: (Meditation)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-01 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"But it likes you." Which for Genji says everything that needs to be said. The animal has chosen this strange floaty word man, and that is who it will live with now. There's nothing left to discuss.

"There are not many where I come from, just mine and my brothers. These other two are from here - they were by the fountain several weeks ago and followed me home. So they are mine now."

Just like this fox. You're not getting out of this so easy Brian.
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-01 10:49 pm (UTC)(link)
He looks between Genji and the fox a few times before picking up the fox (it squeaks a bit in surprise) and handing it out to Genji.

youcan
have
arcadedragon: (Looking to the distance)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-05 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
Nope. That's not how it works Brian, nice try. He takes a step back.

"It is not mine. It likes you. Here, hold it like this." He scoops up one of the dragons to demonstrate how to cradle the fox for tummy rubs. Training time on how to be a good pet owner.
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-07 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
The fox wiggles unhappily and Brian puts him down. At least he leans over and puts it on the floor instead of just letting do. He shakes his head again, though. He's not taking care of this thing.
arcadedragon: (Hooded)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-08 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
"Why don't you want it?" he honestly doesn't get it. But he'd also adopt anything small and fluffy within a five mile radius if he could.

Brian was reminding him a little of Hanzo who thought anything impractical was frivolous and viewed it with disdain. Well Genji isn't about to give up. This fox will be coming home with you Brian.
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-09 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
idid not
ask for
donot want donot need
itis use less
not help ing

itcan be it se lf
doesnot need
me
arcadedragon: (Chibi)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-10 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
"Not everything you have must be necessary. Sometimes it is nice to have things that are simply for enjoyment. Life is fleeting, there is no reason to deprive yourself completely."

Poor little fox. "Unless you are thinking of becoming a monk and achieving enlightenment."
0thingsonmymind: (Glitches)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-10 10:57 pm (UTC)(link)
He considers for a few moments. The ark should have enlightmenment, right? It had answers and he's pretty sure thats the same thing.

yes
iam seek ing
en light en ment
arcadedragon: (Return)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-12 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh. I see." He takes that at face value, assuming Brian means in the religious sense like the monks had been.

"That is a difficult path to follow."
0thingsonmymind: (Operator)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-15 04:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Honestly its kind of on the same level of religion would be for him. He nods.
arcadedragon: (Shadows)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-19 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"What will you do when you find it?"

He'd always wondered what one actually did with enlightenment. Teach others? Bask in it? It was such an intangible ideal that even all his time spent in the monastery had only raised more questions.
0thingsonmymind: (Glitches)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-22 05:06 pm (UTC)(link)
iwill
know


He's never devoted any thought to that. It'd probably just be obvious when he finally finds the ark.
arcadedragon: (Hooded)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-24 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
"I do not think enlightenment means you will know everything. But it may make you more aware of the things you do not know." He's... kinda sure that's how it works. This is more in Zenyatta's realm of expertise then his.

"So then you cannot take this fox? Do you want me to bring it back to the agricultural level?"
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-02-24 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
He should have capitalized that 'know,' oh well.

He nods.

icannot
fox

idonot know whereit
ca me fro m
arcadedragon: (Defender)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-02-28 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
"I would assume the area with the trees. But it found you specifically to follow which means it was attracted to you personally. There is something about you that is calling to it." And now Genji has to take it away? He's not happy about this.
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-03-03 12:40 pm (UTC)(link)
iam not at tract ed to
it


Genji doesn't HAVE to take it away, but he'll contiune to ignore the fox until it eventually wanders off and re-blobifies.
arcadedragon: (Dragonblade)

[personal profile] arcadedragon 2020-03-05 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
"It doesn't know that. It's an animal. They do not think like people." Especially not like people who communicate in floaty letters.

He gives the little fox a few more skritches before turning to leave. "I wish you luck in your quest. May it bring you harmony."
0thingsonmymind: (Default)

[personal profile] 0thingsonmymind 2020-03-16 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
He does not think like people either.

He just nods and wanders off.