Roaad Trip In Nowhere

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Location: Springfield, the Stay-Sis motel

You wake up in the small town of Springfield, at the "Stay-Sis Motel". Your memories of the last few weeks are fuzzy and confused. Each of you, for some reason, went traveling through the backwaters of the South-West United States. Your various vehicles have broken down, and communication out of Springfield have also broken down. The hotel owner tells you that communication problems are "Common"; radio reception is sporadic out here and the town only has one main phone line leading out of town, which often breaks and requires sometimes moths to fix. Business in Springfield is very slow, so he's perfectly willing to let you folks stay as long as it takes to arrange to pay your hotel bill..

Outside the hotel there's a restaurant called the "All Night Diner", a building that serves as a combination police station and post office, a general store called "Al's", a small church, and of course the gas station and mechanic garage called "Last Station", which the locals explain is called that because it's the last gas station for two hundred miles, if you go west. The locals seem to ignore you or not hear when you ask about anything east of the town, or even ask what state you're in.

The town is surrounded by several farms, taking advantage of the natural water spring that provides the town its drinking water and explains the town's name. Going through the town, you notice that all of the towns folk and local farmers look remarkably similar; heavily tanned skin, light brown hair, and brown eyes. If you had to pick a word to describe them, it would be "bland", none of them seem to have any memorable features and even when talking to each other they more often use job titles then names to refer to each other.

"Al's" is housed in a wooden building with a large front porch. There is a table and checker board, where the local town preacher can often be seen playing checkers with the town's mayor, and a rocking chair where "Pops", the oldest resident of the town, sits. Pops doesn't talk, and only starts rocking in the chair when he sees you approach. Going into the store, you find the store is mostly selling locally raised vegetables, a wide selection of canned food close to the expiration date, and a variety of small items in faded packaging. Everything in town has an age-faded appearance.

In front of the church is a large bulletin board, with sun-faded flyers announcing sales at Al's or enticing you to try the All Night Diner's blue plate special. The only new thing you've seen in town is a crisp sheet of white paper and the silver jack-knife pinning the paper to the board. "Want out? Meet me at Sweet Water" is scrawled on the paper in black marker. None of the locals seem to know who put it there or seems willing to even look at the paper.

The "Last Station" is run by a tall, thin man in greasy denim overalls, who seems to be the lone mechanic and store attendant. His name tag reads "Mortimer". He tells you that there's a limit of parts, but if you want he can get one or two of the vehicles working if your group is willing to let him use parts from your collected vehicles. He also is quick to tell you that you're welcome to stay in Springfield as long as you want and that traveling past Springfield is dangerous.

Every day you spend in Springfield seems much like the day before, and only the sight of the white, unfaded paper and glinting knife reminds you of a world outside of Springfield.

edited 17th Mar '18 8:59:47 PM by Nodrog

... Jeremy just knew there was something strange about everything going on... But the weird thing was, nothing in itself seemed strange when Jeremy thought about it directly. Well, except maybe the part about there being no gas station for the next 200 miles; two and a half hours at freeway speeds with no gas stations whatsoever? Weird.

Well, the rock climbing was probably a bust at this point, unfortunately, and Jeremy needed to get back on the civilized network before any of his friends would again think he got himself hurt out in the wilderness. So the most important thing was getting a working car and getting out of this little one stop town.

... But he still couldn't shake that feeling, especially while he was wearing his trusty trench coat that, uh... When had he gotten it? Didn't he always have it? It didn't seem strange to have it now, in fact... Somehow he knew that he should avoid taking it off as much as possible. He just had to think...

There would be some helpful things to have, and the car could wait just a little longer, right? Besides, it shouldn't take him long.

And so, Jeremy went to the general store.

He doubted that they would have any cameras for under thirty bucks, even disposable ones, but hey if they did, he would snatch that up. Next up on the priority was anything like a notebook and pen. After that, any good on-the-road games? Jeremy recalled once upon a time having a little chess board that used magnets in the base of the pieces so they would stay in position even if the board got jumbled around a bit, and the board itself folded into a box to hold the pieces inside while not in use. He just had to make sure to immediately buy each thing before going back to looking again, so it would be separate transactions; he didn't want to hit that thirty dollar limit after all.

Jeremy entered the small, general store. The only other person in the store was the cashier, a dumpy woman with light brown hair and brown eyes, like most of the towns people. She glanced up as Jeremy enters then turns back to staring at the dusty register. The noise of the air conditioner was loud enough to drown out any outside noise; oddly, however, the air in the store wasn't noticably cooler or even moving. Looking through the store, Jeremy soon found a cheep notebook and a pack of ink pens. The only travel game he saw was a magnetic chess set, perched up on a high shelf.

Magnetic Chess Game - You will need to risk one roll to acquire this item. If acquired, this item may be used once (and only once) when another character dies. You may use the chess set to challenge the Grim Reaper. The GM will make one more roll before resetting the roll table. If the roll succeeds, the dying character is revived. If the roll fails, the challenging character dies as well. May also be used to play chess.

edited 18th Mar '18 8:41:16 PM by Nodrog

No camera, but, Jeremy wasn't exactly expecting one, so it wasn't really that big of a disappointment. The notebook and pens he bought up as planned; something to record information on, that should come in handy. Maybe it would help him sort his thoughts better, too... Maybe.

Seeing the chess board was a slight surprise that made Jeremy raise an eyebrow. It didn't just seem similar to the one he remembered from his past, but exactly like the one he remembered. It just seemed... Actually, no, it didn't seem strange, for some reason; the fact that it didn't seem strange though, that did seem strange. "How much for the chess set?" Jeremy asked, reaching up for it.

edited 20th Mar '18 1:35:06 AM by FirockFinion

The cashier grunts out "A dollar" as Jeremy roll: √ Next roll: 2% chance of failure manages to retrieve the dusty, magnetic chess set without causing the shelves to collapse on him. She returned to ignoring the only customer in the store as Jeremy added up the cost of the three items as about five dollars.

At the Stay-Sis Inn

The Inn manager went to knock on the doors of the rented hotel rooms, to remind the people staying there that check out time is noon. If they want to stay past noon, another night will be charged to their tab. Oh, and the phone lines out of town are still out, but he's sure they'll be fixed almost any day now.

Silvia closed the door behind her after she was done talking to the Inn keeper. This extended leave was going to be hard to explain to her boss. And she probably shouldn't have tried to take the shortcut that her friend's aunt's cousin twice removed recommended. Well at least she acquired a fancy music box somehow. Maybe she could bribe her boss with it when she got home.

She went to the shower to find the small soaps and shampoos hotels always have, intending to stow them in her duffle bag. Maybe a housekeeper would restock them and she would, in a way, get back some of the money she was losing from being stuck here. Actually, where did they get the hotel soaps from? She hadn't seen any trucks lately, or hadn't seen any memorable trucks that had ads that make you thirsty for soda or hungry for bread at least. Silvia decided she would go to the post office, even if she couldn't find out about the soap maybe pretending to want stamps would tell her what state she was in.

And just to be sure this wasn't a local Springfield company supplying them, she picked up one of the shampoo bottles to show as an example. The name on the label was almost the same shade as the label itself so she had to put the bottle very close to her eye to see it.

edited 20th Mar '18 9:58:09 PM by Yam

On one side of the bottle is simply is a label printed "SHAMPOO" in block letters. Silvia turns the bottle around and stares closely at the lettering. The text seems to wiggle, as if the letters are trying to change in front of Silvia's gaze. still, she's able to gradually make out the words. There's a list o generic shampoo ingredients, then printed in very tiny letters: "Lemniscate Products, bottled in Uroborosville, ... ". The rest of the address is smeared, no matter how much Silvia stares she can't make out any further letters.

The soap wrapper looks similar, except this time the label is easier to read. According to the wrapper, this was also made by Lemniscate Products, but there is no sign of an address.

At the post office, Silvia finds a stamp vending machine and a counter, with a dusty sign on the desk. The sign has the words"OUT DELIVERING MAIL, BACK AT" printed above a drawing of a clock. Oddly, the hands that should be on the sign, marking the return time, are missing.

The post office has door that leads into the adjoining police department. The door opens and a man enters. He looks to be in his early thirties of late twenties, with the same hair and skin color as the other locals. He appears to be extremely fit, and is wearing a pair of mirrored sunglasses that hide his eyes. He turns his head, frowning suspiciously, his sunglasses returning Silvia's reflection to her.

"Post mistress is out. You're one of the strangers staying at the Stay-Sis Inn." he says. "What are you doing here?"

edited 21st Mar '18 2:10:27 AM by Nodrog

"Cool, thanks" Jeremy muttered as he went back to looking through the other items. This should be the last day I'm here. Might as well make the most of it Jeremy thought to himself, as glancing over the canned foods made him think of something. "Hey uh, I don't suppose you have any Swiss Army knives?" he asked the shop keeper, figuring a multiple use utility tool is the kind of thing that you might not think about often, but could be a metaphorical lifesaver in certain situations... And maybe even a literal one in dire circumstances.

The cashier grumbled and opens up a drawer of small items. She begins rummaging around. How many pulls are you willing to risk? None, she only finds a basic, knock-off swiss army knife (Knife blade, file, fish scaler) that will probably break the first time you try to use it for anything harder then cutting cheese. One successful pull, you get a decent knife with several other blades. Make and pass two pulls, and you get the top of the line multi tool, which can be used in place of any hand tool. When used as a tool for a mutlple pull challenge, reduces the challenge of an appropriate challenge by one pull. Can not be used to reduce the number of pulls to less then 1

edited 21st Mar '18 2:22:10 AM by Nodrog

Tito awakens in the motel. He hates this damn place. He hates the heat. He hates the staff. He hates the Podunk-ness of all of it.

He decided to head to the church, because maybe then he'd find something good-looking, like a good stained glass piece or something. He walked over there, trying to ignore the locals.

As Tito approaches the church, he sees Mortimer (the local car mechanic) standing by the front of the church bulletin board. Mortimer is wearing his usual greast over-all and a faded baseball cap that reads "Lemniscate Products", and is looking over the notices posted on the cork board. Mortimer nods to Tito, then points at the silver jacknife pinning a gleaming white sheat of paper to the board.

"Strange thing, using a knife as part of a message. Some people would think it's a threat." Mortimer comments.

If you want to take the knife out of the board, it will mean a pull. You can take the paper without removing the knife, but it will mean letting the paper tear.

Reading the note, he asks Mortimer, "What's 'Sweet Water'?"

Tito then tries to pull the knife out, with the paper.

Tito reaches up. Tito feels a brief shock as he touches the knife, like a static shock, but then he grips the cold metal knife and pulls it out. The knife blade is extremely sharp. The paper appears normal, except much brighter white then any of the other pieces of paper on the board.

At first, Mortimer doesn't seem to react, but then he turns to look at Tito. "Springfield is a safe place. You can stay here, forever, as long as you don't make waves. Sweet Water is... a ways away. If you can reach there, you'll have earned your answers."

Mortimer rubs his hands together. "Well, you can't leave without a vehicle. I better go see what I can do about that."

Ocaam's Switch Blade : Very sharp knife

The sales clerk digs out a cardboard box and sets it on the counter, then opens it to reveal a gleaming metal multi tool. She looks at it, then at the items Jeremy is carrying. "Twenty four, ninety-nine for the knife and all of that." she announces. "Do you want it or not?"

Swiss Army Knife of Many Things : Can be used as any tool able to be used in one hand. When used for a multi-pull task, reduces the number of pulls by one.

edited 22nd Mar '18 12:35:10 PM by Nodrog

Day 1, Springfield, Post Office

Silvia turns to face the man. Puts on her costumer service smile.

"Oh yes, Officer, international traveler actually. My sister's birthday is coming up and I thought that I'd send her some souvenirs. This shampoo bottle has some neat holograms going on. Can you tell me anything about Uroborosville?"

Tito stashes the knife in his pocket. Mortimer doesn't appear malicious. Though a snake hiding in grass is more dangerous than a snake in the open.

Tito decides to head to the general store, having found little interesting at the church.

Post Office

The deputy grunts, frowning at the bottle. "Uroborosville? It's two towns down, you have to go New Whirthersfield, then head southwest." He points with his thumb to the west. "Uroborosville is near a swamp, lot of snakes. Some folks say there's a voodoo woman living out in the swamp. Also a factory, where most of the people work. Not a decent farming community like Springfield."

The deputy hitches his belt, the gun very visible at one side, another pair of handcuffs hanging from his belt on the other side. "I hope you got enough real money to pay your hotel bill, we don't take no fur'in currency." He glares suspicously down at Silvia. "If you're looking for souvenirs, try at the Last Station, we don't have much in the way of tourist stuff."

This close Silvia can see his badge and a name tag reading 'S. Justice'.

General Store

Tito enters the general store. He sees another hotel occupant, the one he thinks is named Nick, talking with a cashier. Looking arround the store, he sees several shelves stocked with a mixture of canned foods, home-jarred produce, and a small supply of various sundry items.

edited 21st Mar '18 10:11:59 PM by Nodrog

Tito approaches the line, and awaits his turn to purchase a pack of cigarettes. While in line, he eavesdrops on what Nick is purchasing.

"Ah sweet, perfect" Jeremy said with a grin, putting some more money on the counter and taking hold of the knife. He flicked a few of the options open to check them out, before stowing it all away and pocketing it. So I have five bucks left? That's all I can think of, so maybe just some food to use up what's left Jeremy thought to himself, but then turned his head and noticed Tito coming up behind him. "Oh, hey there. You can go ahead; I'm finished for now, just going to browse the food" the amateur photographer mentioned, stepping aside with his items.

"... You're one of the other people staying at the hotel, aren't you?" Jeremy asked after a moment of thought.

General Store

The cashier drops the notebooks, pens, and travel chess game in a plastic bag, then pushes it across the counter. "Have a nice day" she says with an amazing lack of sincerity to Jeremy, then turns to look at Tito.

"Cigarettes are five dollars." she tells him, and slaps a pack of paper matches on the counter that advertises the Hungry Snake Bar in Uroborosville. "No smoking inside public buildings, state regulations."

In defiance to what she just said, the cashier fishes a cigarette and cheep lighter out of her purse and lights up. "Well? Pay for it or leave it, I don't have all day."

edited 22nd Mar '18 12:06:07 AM by Nodrog

“Uh yeah, sure, just a second.”

Tito turns to Nick. “Hey, look, man, lend me five dollars and I’ll help you out however you need man. Cool?”

Jeremy tilted his head a little, raising one eyebrow. "Only thing I need besides some food is to get a working car and get out of here. Preferably an RV; I can pay for gas, but paying for any more hotels is another thing" Jeremy said, curious as to what Tito had in mind- assuming the man was even genuine about helping Jeremy out at all.

There was a lot to unpack in that, and yet at the same time, Tito felt a kinship to the man. “Alright. I’ll help you get out of here. I want out too. Can I get five bucks for a pack of cigs?”

edited 22nd Mar '18 1:51:16 PM by TacoBadger

"Alright, sure. Just don't blow that smoke at me" Jeremy said with a slight smile, putting the last of the money from his wallet for the general store today on the counter. "We aren't the only ones staying at the hotel, right? I think there's at least one more; maybe they will be able to help with the car too" the amateur photographer added as he made his way to the door, but paused just before leaving.

"Hey by the way? I think your AC is broken" Jeremy mentioned to the cashier, then walked outside and headed for the diner.

Tito places the five dollars on the counter, and awaits his cigarettes. Assuming he receives them, he then goes out and follows Jeremy.

Day 1, Springfield, Post office

Curses, the factory was to the south? "Well, I was hoping for some stamps but I guess it doesn't matter. Post offices are a muskrat pelt a dozen. Thank you for your help Officer. Goodbye." She turns to exit the post office. It occurred to her that she had spent all her cash paying for the hotel. She should've, probably, spent it fixing her car. Unless it was vapour locked? It was probably vapour locked. If only she remembered what vapour lock was aside from something that made a car break down that you didn't need a mechanic for. She decides she needed go to her car to check it.