voidtreckermods: (voidtrain)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] voidtreckerexpress2022-03-01 05:33 am

A New Platform [Intro Post March]


PLATFORM STOP: MONTH 17
(QUICKSAND)



BEFORE ARRIVAL

"Good morning Voidtreckers, it is day 1 of the month of Quicksand. Points have been updated on the system."

The voice of the Voidtrecker Express welcomes passengers at the same time as always, sometime after breakfast. With points updated, everyone can spend the morning shopping. Most people will be expecting the second announcement that comes a few hours later, as the colours of the void outside the windows blur more and more.

"Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. The weather is cold and damp. Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A lurch and a jolt, and the windows fill with the fog that means they are at a platform.

ON THE PLATFORM


1. THE ARRIVAL

At first, all your character can see is steam billowing around them as they come to their senses. But as their eyes adjust, they find themselves on a platform.
It is cold, a slush of ice and rain on the ground underneath their feet. It's not currently raining though. The platform is made of black cobbles, slippy under their feet, dark stone gates serving as barriers giving the impression of a severe and grim place.

They stand in clothes not their own, in a style they might not even recognise. They're carrying a rucksack on their person, and for a moment it seems to just be them, alone on this platform. Before the fog starts to subside, and they'll see they're one of eleven figures: all facing the tracks, and all dressed in cargo trousers and hoodies, the latter in one of four colours. Purple, red, blue or orange.

But then there's a roaring sound to get their attention, and out from the fog arrives a train. A sleek black, it it reads The Voidtrecker Express in gold lettering on the side. Every one of the doors hiss as they open automatically, and out pours a strange assortment of people, over a hundred at least. Some are human, some less so, with a majority wearing the same hoodie of four colours as they do, though some sport outfits in a variety of styles.

The train doors close behind them, and the vehicle is cloaked in the same fog that hides the world beyond the platform. A group of people head towards the gates of the platform, their expressions blank and unaffected by their surroundings. Ansem, Connor, Curufin, Elle Days, Freddy Fazbear, Margulis, Murderbot, Potato, Vexen, Will Stanton and Yota They disappear through the barriers, but no one else can - all people can do is wait until the train re-emerges, finishing whatever changes it's making.


2. BOARDING THE TRAIN

After a short time, perhaps ten minutes or so, the fog clears and the doors hiss open again. Everyone will feel a pull when they do, a need to board, and those from the train may encourage new arrivals to board. This feeling grows into one of apprehension and turns worse the longer they stay off-board.

For those that do board, they may find themselves in a few different carriages, but most likely the standard coach. A row of seats sit available, with a few tables between each. More likely than not, some cookies have been set out with jugs of drink, and cups available for pouring.

For those that don't, however, they're likely to attract attention if they're spotted. And if that fails... an unfortunate end will await them.


3. DEPARTURE

Do a little exploring, if you will. But people will have half an hour total from the train's arrival before a second horn sounds, encouraging any stragglers taking advantage of the fresh air to board. After five minutes from this, the doors slide shut. Veteran passengers know what will happen next, but they may wish to brief their new companions.

The train begins to rumble with activity, and the platform starts to disappear into a fog as the voidcraft moves. A female-coded artificial voice echoes throughout the train.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points, and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog-filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated. Entry into Voidspace in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

A shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding. As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady itself. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.

Welcome to the Void.


ON THE TRAIN


1. EXPLORING

With nowhere to go but through the train's carriages, this is a good time for newcomers to explore. For veterans, it's back to your everyday life aboard the Voidtrecker Express.

¤ New arrivals will notice a screen and console in every carriage sharing the same message, and a stack of leaflets in holders by them offering further information to the curious (see 'Publications'). There are lavatories available on each carriage on one end, with another console with a deposit box under it at the other. This is the train shop.

¤ It'll take some time for newbies to figure out the layout, even if there's only two directions to go in. Go one end, and you'll find the food stores and washing utilities. This month's key ingredient is pineapple, and you're sure to bump into others curious about what's in the stock.

¤ Go to the other end, and you'll find the sleeper cabins. Plaques sit on the wall by each door with the names of their occupants, and one of these will be yours - hopefully, they'll figure out that swiping their ticket against the doorpad will open it up to them. In most rooms, the occupied beds are obvious, leaving the spotless, empty spaces for the newcomers. Room is tight, but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and, the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches full of spare blankets and pillows.

¤ At the farthest end in this direction is the luggage carriage, where passengers who have bought items from the train shop will find their purchases. There are also medical kits for every one, each labelled with their full roster name. These are scattered around the luggage carriage in various suitcases and bags, but there's also a small fridge and kettle here with bottled water, for those who want a quiet drink.

For those of Purple team who go looking for their reward they will find simple boxes of cupcakes to share out. There's a cupcake for all of purple team, even the new arrivals, share in your new team's success!


2. ACTIVITIES

But of course, there's also everything in-between those two directions, and the people in them.

¤ Areas of note will be the training gym, where there's always regulars training to pass the time. There's a training board offering services, but maybe you'll find someone who catches your eye in here. Or even its gear?

¤ Is your character used to the appliances to be found in the kitchen? Depending on when your character wanders in, they may find someone testing out a recipe, preparing for lunch, or even dinner time.

¤ The library offers a quiet place, with a fair selection of books from fiction to non-fiction. Is your character interested in learning more about the void? Picking up an action or adventure book? Wow, there sure are a few magazines.

¤ There's also media to consume, from the games car, the cinema, to the arts carriage. Ever played a virtual reality game? Wanted to learn how to fly? Have you seen a screen of moving pictures? There's now documentaries to be found in the cinema's catalogues, from How To programming, Void-related topics, and sports.


3. REST AND SLEEP

¤ Time is difficult to track in the void, even with the few clocks around showing a 21 hour time. But the windows allowing a view of the kalediscope void will shift to a pitch black once the time reaches 12, and keep for the rest of the day.

¤ Breakfast, lunch, and dinner time is usually announced by whoever's cooking that day, and when. Sometimes it's decided by the team chores; other times, it's decided by who wants to be cooking.

¤ But sleep eventually comes to all, even if they don't want it to. When 21 hours have finally passed on the train, all passengers, whether they need sleep or not, will see black - only to start a new day in their cabin beds, with the sound of the train's automated voice greeting them with a 'Good morning' message.


NAVIGATION ~ GAMEPLAY ~ SETTING ~ CHARACTER INITIATIVES ~ QUESTIONS
10billionpercent: (I Sense A Plot)

Departure

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-03 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
It was the stumbling that caught Senku's attention, less because it was a problem and more because the kind of people on board tended to hide their injuries, him included. He approached.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He couldn't help but ask because that seemed like the primary concern at the moment.
inachinashop: (grr argh)

[personal profile] inachinashop 2022-03-03 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Great. Great. A voice, which means there's someone right here who he can't see, which makes all this worse and never mind that this one only happened because Bull decided to go out into the corridor because it sucks, everything sucks and he really wants to break something.

A low, angry noise comes out from behind the hoodie caught over his face, and it doesn't exactly make Bull come off like a cat with some half-escaped halloween costume over its head but the resemblance is there, somewhere.

"Not going to get any less dead," he bites out, because the question feels kind of stupid next to the too-big, too-much realisation that 'dead' is what this place has to mean, even if all of it is a lot weirder and dumber than he was expecting. He tugs at the hoodie again, managing to slide one arm a few more inches out. "Just need this damn... stupid..."

He struggles again, fruitlessly. It's got to be something near the horns, something's all tangled up somewhere. "...off me! Who the shit decided there had to be shirts in the shitting afterlife!"
10billionpercent: (Huh?)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-03 11:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"...Did you die?" Senku asked, because that seemed like an important distinction. "Beacuse this isn't the afterlife for me, or most people on board." He commented.

"Do you want some help with that?" He asked, and considered for a moment. "At a last resort, I could lend you a knife but I'm not sure what you'll do if you get cold then."
inachinashop: (grr)

[personal profile] inachinashop 2022-03-04 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
The struggling form under the hoodie goes still. A minute ago he might have been desperate for any information that might balance out the only thing he could think of that might actually explain anything. Right now, though, the idea that he might not be dead is just one more thing digging its claws into everything he knows and tearing up his carefully maintained mental categories. The world works like this and so if this happens then that means that, and in that way a person can move through the world knowing that they understand enough to know the right way to react. That's important. The world working the way it should work is important.

That first question's too much. Even the pause to think about it's letting other things creep in toward the edges of his mind, like self awareness, like that less familiar embarrassment, things that sit weirdly next to that first, too-much, unanswerable question.

Prioritise. The voice outside this dumbass shirt cocoon talked about a knife. No way Bull's arms are mobile enough right now to use a knife himself, but letting some random asshole use one that close to him--

Screw it. The Iron Bull grits his teeth and the tone of it comes through in his voice, a low, supposedly threatening tone that might have a little less 'supposedly' in it if he'd put any real thought into anything before staggering out into the corridor like this. To be fair, he hadn't had a whole lot of extra thought to spare at the time.

"Just cut me out," he growls, frustrated and overwhelmed and impatient, "and depending on how shitty your aim is I guess we'll find out whether I'm dead or not."

Dead guys don't have to worry about getting stabbed, right? Screw it. At least getting stabbed would be kind of familiar.
10billionpercent: (Avoiding Emotions)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-05 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
"You don't have to worry about my aim." Senku snorted a little bit. "I have very steady hands. Really helps with all the finicky mechanical things I do at home."

He produced a knife from his cargo pants, the handle is polished, solid looking wood and the blade itself is made of bone. It might feel a little cold against bare skin, but he started at the bottom and carefully began to slice through the fabric.

"Or medical for that reason, so even if I did slip, which I won't as long as you don't squirm too much, I could fix you up."

As long as Bull didn't squirm too much, he'd get his shirt open in no time.
inachinashop: (serious 2)

[personal profile] inachinashop 2022-03-05 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
Bull doesn't squirm. He stays very still, and the stupid fabric parts to reveal a grey, scarred face on top of the scarred chest. No eyepatch any more, the Bull thinks, the realisation sort of distant compared to everything else, and tries to decide if he cares that he doesn't have it. Hard to tell. The lumped up pit of an eye socket can make it hard to get people to relax around him when he doesn't keep it covered, and having something over it keeps crap from getting in, so he's probably going to care later. Right now most of what he cares about is that knife so close to him, so that first sight of his expression's going to be when he's grimacing, looking ready to snarl, and he tries to shift the look into something that looks a little more distant and less personal as he tilts his head, raising one arm and pulling to try and get free of the tangle, looser but still half-trapping him up there.

"Stupid," he mutters. "Stupid damn... shitting..." He stops with a huff and looks back at the guy with the knife, gaze flitting over him, trying to take everything in. "Same kind of clothes on you, too," he says, still muttering, half to himself. "What the crap is even..."

He stops, swallows. Takes a sharp, shaky little breath in through his nose. No point in finishing the question. There's only one thing here that can be happening, unless knife guy is right and it's actually something else, and he isn't going to think about it.
10billionpercent: (Satisfied)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-05 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
Senku twirled the knife in his hand and put it back into his lower pocket on his cargo pants. He wasn't wearing his hoodie, but still the orange polo at least.

"Yeah, we don't get our clothes when we get here. It's replaced based on what team you're assigned." He hummed. "But if you get a snack and head down to visit Spider, she'll make you something more familiar if you want."

"I only wear these clothes on platform days so people know what team I'm on. I've got much better stuff to wear the rest of the time."
inachinashop: (general 1)

[personal profile] inachinashop 2022-03-05 01:29 pm (UTC)(link)
"Teams," he mutters. He hasn't looked in the pack he got here wearing yet. Might have some shirts in that same weird style in it. He bets they're purple. Like some of the bedding was in there, he remembers. And some of the bedding was red. Orange, purple, red. Great. Be great if that actually meant something, but great. Fine. "I don't want to, um. Keep you," he says, hearing his awkward, polite tone and wondering at it, at being polite at a time like this. But the other guy's just acting like all this is normal, a normal conversation, so what else is he going to do? "I'm just gonna..."

He gestures vaguely and, he realises, meaninglessly, back down the corridor behind him, then reaches up to help himself free his other hand. Look around. He's going to look around. There has to be something here that's going to mean anything, or even just something he actually recognises. "Thanks for not, uh. Cutting the crap out of my face, or whatever."
10billionpercent: (I Sense A Plot)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-07 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
"You're not keeping me from anything. In between missions I get very bored on board this train." Senku responded.

"And it's no problem. If I cut you, I'd have to fix you and I try not to do things that I consider to be a waste of my time." Senku smirked a little bit.
inachinashop: (grr)

[personal profile] inachinashop 2022-03-07 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
The Bull grunts and eyes him, not looking very pleased. What a nice guy. It could be meant friendly, maybe, like a joke, but Bull's not really in the mood to take it that way, or to tease a stranger's words apart looking for some kind of secondary meaning that doesn't already seem to be there.

"Uh-huh," he grunts, tilts his head, shakes the huge, cut up hoodie off his other horn and tosses it to the side. "Lucky you, then, guess I'm in one piece. I'll see you around, huh? Going to go see if I can find anything in this damn place that makes any real sense."
10billionpercent: (Avoiding Emotions)

[personal profile] 10billionpercent 2022-03-07 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
A joke not landing was not a terrible deal and Senku wasn't the type to worry about someone who didn't want to talk to him. He had other things to consider on his mind.

"Sure, probably, train's not that big." Senku responded, holding up a hand in a bit of a wave as he continued down the hall opposite the way that Bull was moving.