Downtime Log - Intro

[locomodo]

Log 01 Downtime Intro
Maybe you were walking to class, or riding into battle, or at your father's funeral, or gazing into the abyss as you brush your teeth and think about your waning youth. Maybe you're from 1000 years ago, or the far-flung future. But it doesn't matter how different you are, because all passengers will wake up sprawled on the same floor of the same car...


The Perfectly Average Everyday Normal Train Car

As characters stir from their slumber, they'll notice their new(?) phones vibrating in their pockets. An unread message is waiting for them...

FROM: clownductor one

Welcome to the Existential Express, car #83045029342000001.

[CHARACTER NAME] is currently engaged in Tutorial Mode.

Objectives:
> Read the Existential Express (E2) brochure.
> Access the user directory and send a message.
> Ask one of the other passengers to be your friend.
> Find the exit door.

By completing car objectives, passengers may proceed through the exit and onto the next car.

Thank you for riding with the Existential Express. Please enjoy your journey into the great unknown.

>>>>SUBJECT: New Passengers
How is that? I attempted to make it sound welcoming.

The message, strangely, cuts off there. The brochure goes over all the basic 'what is a train' questions people may have, but nothing else.

However, characters may find that the exit door is locked until they complete the objectives, so it's icebreaker time! On the bright side, it seems this is a dining car, so there's a few nice plates of treats and a bar that magically serves beverages when people make orders. The exit door will be locked until the objectives are complete! (Please see OOC notes below for more details.)

In any case, when they unlock the door and move on through the exit, there is a walkway to the next car. Please watch your step, and check out the FAQ for more details on trying to leave the train!

Immediately proceeding the intro car is...


The Land of Corginia Car

As characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…

> Lend a helping paw.



Because this historical city is occupied with... dogs! Mostly corgis. They are smart, verbal, and very good boys and girls. The dogs are happy to play with anyone, and will also help passengers get to anywhere they want to go. The car itself is basically Rome, with low doorways and ceilings.

And because corgis do have short legs and zero thumbs, they will sometimes need and ask for assistance. For example, you and a partner may need to help the corgis cross a river, give them belly rubs, or reach a ball on a high shelf. They are easily distracted, squirmy little babies and will make life very difficult, but they're just so darn cute!


The Museum Car

(tw: body horror)

As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…

> Complete yourself.



As passengers enter this car, they'll find themselves feeling notably lighter. This might be because they're suddenly missing a leg, or perhaps an arm, or their eyes, or tongue. Whatever it may be, a part of them has been taken away. There's no pain, or danger to their lives from the missing part, it simply isn't there.

It's been whisked away and hidden somewhere in the musty old museum that they've found themselves in. Luckily, it's currently closed, so there's nothing stopping them from raiding everything in sight! The displays span all manner of topics, from history to biology to space. Passengers might even find displays on familiar historical events or persons from their home worlds as they search—the collection is seemingly endless! Just watch out, because sometimes objects (and body parts) will come to life and lunge through the glass at anyone who walks a little too close.

NOTE: Characters can snipe items from the display cases in the museum! However, they'll discover the items are actually toy replicas made of flimsy plastic. They're completely non-functional and will break if handled too roughly.


The Birth of the Wind Car

As the characters enter the car, their phones will notify them of a new objective…

> Collect all the korogu seeds.



The world that lies ahead of the passengers is vast and lush; a spectacle of nature that spans snow-capped mountains, dense forests, deserts, and lakes. Aside from unusually large and extremely territorial fauna (1, 2, 3), the car appears devoid of any signs of civilization, and passengers might think themselves completely alone…

… Until they hear the tinkling of a bell, and a cheery, "yahaha!" in the distance. Upon closer inspection, the car is in fact populated by small, wooden creatures known as korogus (here). They hide at the tops of trees and mountains, on lone islands in large lakes, and under rocks. Once a passenger stumbles across their hiding place—whether knowingly or otherwise—they'll appear in a puff of magic holding a golden korogu seed. Simply finding them isn't enough for them to hand over the precious item however, and they'll require passengers to offer up one truth in exchange for a seed. And don't bother lying, they'll give you a solid bonk on the head and disappear if you do!


Numbers

Numbers! Everyone starts with one that glows on their bodies — as a fun thread mechanic, we suggest they're somewhere visible, but it's up to you!



Because while this is not IC knowledge yet, numbers are determined by how troubled your character is. This may be based on their past actions and crimes, but also alienating habits, regrets, personality flaws, trauma, etc — a higher number does not necessarily mean they're a bad person, but it may signify a difficult time in their life, or substantial personal issues.

Numbers change as characters work through their issues... which we'll cover next time! However, for this log, please note that numbers will remain static. They may flicker or warp occasionally, but don't worry about them going up or down for the intro! As a bonus, numbers can glow in any color you would like.


OOC Notes

Car Order: While the cars are linear and in the order shown, characters can freely move between these four cars for the next three weeks — players may assume 1:1 IC:OOC time ratio.

Locks: Passengers may follow other characters out of cars after they've been unlocked — so in general, players can assume optional cars on downtime months are unlocked if they don't want to play in them. Likewise, if your character ICly would not participate in a car but you still want to play with those prompts, you can assume they're locked in and must complete objectives. Feel free to pick and choose what you'd like to play from any downtime log!

Update: We will also have a small update in the coming weeks — the setting won't change, but there will be a few more (optional!) aspects to play with later.

Feel free to direct questions to our Discord help channel. Welcome to Locomo, and have fun!

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Comments

i!

[overruns]

[ While Dimitri is probably not a great Friendship Candidate by whatever weird metric Satoru is using, at least he's around to be arbitrarily draped on. The set of his shoulders goes stiff upon contact though, not aggressive, but plainly unused to someone deciding to so casually drop into his personal space, like he might punch him in surprise. But he reins in the reflex. His expression is trained into something similarly polite, if a little distant for it.

Sufficed to say, it is not the greeting of a friend. Could be worse, though. ]

...If only it were that easy.

[ Said with an exasperated sort of humor. ]

I'm not certain the train will be appeased unless we make a genuine effort.

[mugen]

[Whoa, this is the first time all day that someone hasn't dramatically shaken him off! Sure, Dimitri went a little stiff and maybe it looked a little dicey for half a second, but this is a lot better than the actual punch that Satoru took to his Infinty ten minutes ago.

He's curious! Who allows strangers to hug their shoulders without some kind of exaggerated attempt to get away? Who accepts invasion of space with polite restraint? The kind of person he wants to get to know, that's who!]

You think?

[Unfortunately, since Dimitri is allowing this, he's now officially stuck with Satoru, who absolutely will continue to milk this situation by keeping his arm draped over his shoulders. Indefinitely. Congratulations on your new annoying accessory.]

I bet there're loopholes.

[Not that Satoru much of a loophole guy himself. You don't need loopholes in life when you can annihilate most obstacles in your way. He'd prefer to stick it to the higher-up(s) that run this place by irritating them to death and then annihilating them too, instead of outwitting his way through their objectives.]

[overruns]

[ Yay for him. Though Satoru's standards of company are very low. Dimitri finds himself a dull subject, frankly, if perhaps a tolerant one: he is definitely waiting to see if Satoru will just un-drape himself, still stiff-shouldered but not shy, raising a brow. ]

Are you the sort that looks for loopholes before a solution?

[ He wouldn't do everything as directed, depending on what their tasks are, but it's not like the objectives here are particularly nefarious. Read some pages. Talk to somebody. Become their friend. They could barely be called chores.

They're aligned on this much: Dimitri's more likely to take the straightest path forward, and blow past whatever's in the way. ]

Though I cannot blame anyone for wanting to be contrary, considering the circumstances.

[ Maybe people are just avoiding the objectives because they feel like captives. ]

[mugen]

[Don't be so hard on yourself, Dimitri! Satoru's standards are high, thank you very much...if changeable, depending on what he's looking to learn. Right now, though, his attention is on Dimitri and Dimitri alone. Lucky!

Hence: he exhales a loud, considering hum, as though mulling over Dimitri's question very deeply. Then Dimitri gets a very simple:]

Nah.

[As Satoru looks over at him, his face a little too close, since he's still got that arm around him.]

I'm not the kind of guy who needs loopholes.

[Being contrary, though — he's got that in the bag. Malicious compliance all the way!]

What about you? Are you feeling [have a dramatic pause] contrary?

[overruns]

[ ...What an odd man. ]

Not that I am my own best judge of character, but no.

[ He's not a deliberately difficult person? He causes many problems just incidentally, but that's a different conversation altogether. Right now, he thinks he's being pretty agreeable, what with having put up with shenanigans from a total stranger for this long, though he sort of... wedges a hand between their faces and pries for some space. If actions could be matter-of-fact, then this one is. ]

I am willing to be your friend, aren't I?

[ ... ]

Sorry, I mean—would you like to be? Friends.

[ There is a note of awkwardness behind his genteel nature, because he doesn't want to foist friendship on someone just for the sake of a task. Feels a bit cheat-y, a touch unfair to Satoru. ]

[mugen]

[Between being given the hand (literally!) and Dimitri's awkward yet polite way of backtracking on his initial point (which was actually a pretty good one!), Satoru decides that maybe he doesn't want to be his accessory after all. He enjoys hassling people to the point of getting a reaction out of them, but this isn't really a reaction so much as it is...kind of sad.

Satoru forced friendship on him first! And rudely, too. He isn't exactly deserving of this consideration.]

You are willing to be my friend.

[Voice now tempered, Satoru finally unhooks his arm from Dimitri's shoulders, choosing instead to stick his hands in his pockets and look at him from a more respectable distance. For all that he is a menace to train society, Satoru does have a method to his madness, and learning about his fellow passengers happens to be one of his motivations. He also knows how to scale back when necessary and have a more reasonable conversation — he is a teacher by profession, even if he lacks the more refined habits of highly effective teachers.]

And that's totally weird. Why didn't you shove me away? Or ask me to stop?

[overruns]

[ who knew you can just be so sad that people have to be nice to you! too bad that doesn't work in canon.

Dimitri shrugs him off, easing slightly now that he has his personal bubble back. ]

If you had discomfited me, I would have.

[ He sounds genuine about that—Dimitri is polite, yielding to minor discomforts without complaint, but he's been an authority figure for too long to be a total doormat. It's more that Satoru, while a... nuisance... has not caused any genuine harm.

Which is why the line of questioning puzzles him slightly. ]

Perhaps you were trying to test my patience? Maybe you were attempting to goad me, and see if I was a threat?

But what if those were your sincere efforts to befriend me? I would not rebuff them.

[ He doesn't know what to make of this man yet, a person who seems part provocateur and yet now a rather sensible observer. But that is the point, isn't it? They're all strangers. They're all learning. Of all the things on this train that he can show a little patience to, it's his fellow passengers, freshly arrived as they are. ]

[mugen]

[Tilting his head, Satoru makes a humming noise, as if considering Dimitri in a new light. Despite his seemingly excessive tolerance for annoying people who invade his personal space, Dimitri has a good (and perceptive) point about Satoru's potential motives. He isn't far off from the truth behind Satoru imposing himself on his fellow passengers, after all.

Then again his willingness to accept Satoru regardless is still a little weird. Satoru doesn't have a whole lot of people around him who endure his brand of friendship without complaint, considering he is extremely irritating at times. Most people prefer to be rid of him, or at least eye roll at him frequently enough to risk eyestrain.

So maybe there's potential here...

He decides out loud:]

Okay. We can be friends.

[He wasn't sincere before, but he (kind of!) is now. Him and Dimitri, bffs for life from this moment forward.]

I got some things I need to do [aka dangerous "friends" he needs to hunt down] but look me up sometime. Satoru Gojo. I'm a good guy to know if you end up in a pinch.

[Text him sometime, Dimitri! Or don't, and he'll text you anyway...]