#LongHaul1983

[cubration]

The Long Haul 1983 session 2 (english version)

day 3

start the engine

4dF -> [-1, 1, 0, 0] -> 0

The engine starts.

I turn the key and the engine starts immediately. It's time to start the day.

Hit the road

draws the ace of clubs

You come across your twin: a rig, same model, same year, but in much better condition. You can salvage parts, make repairs, etc. How do you picture the driver of this twin? Advance the Rig Stat.

RIG - [x] - [x] - [ ]

I'm still drinving along those endless roads.

Time goes by slowly.

I finally see another truck coming on the other side and when we come across each other I can see the other driver's face : a slighty older guy, broken nose, he looks resigned and stares into the void.

I feel the truck humming slightly at this point, as if sighing with relief...

5 of clubs

As you climb a steep, miles-long hill, the engine groans. You push it, and the needle of the temperature gauge rises. Make a Rig Roll. If your game is not over: You reach a scenic overlook and cut the engine to let it cool down. You have a few quiet minutes, and decide to write something short and special and precisely-worded; you’ll carry it to your destination. Play “Blink” by Hiroshi Yoshimura (track 13). Begin writing; stop when the song ends.

4dF -> [1, 1, -1, 1] -> **2

The engine screamed quite a bit during this climb.

I decide to give him a little break.

I stop on the ridge and take the opportunity to admire the frozen landscape.

Land as far as the eye can see, white, cold and silent...

No movement.

I let the events of the previous days slowly come to my mind.

The delivery, the ambush, the noise, the explosion, the escape...

The memories allow me to recover but at the same time they remind me that it is better not to hang around...

I get back into the truck and start driving again.

10 of diamonds

You are once again overwhelmed by your solitude. You fantasize about a passenger seated next to you as you drive. Describe the imagined conversation.

The road goes on, I swallow the miles, always alone, crossing few other vehicles in these frozen lands.

Suddenly the weight of loneliness crushes me.

I feel the familiar presence by my side, it has accompanied me in such trials before.

I know what you think... No need to look at me like that.

What other solution did I have ? How could I refuse him that ?

You know I had to do this...

Anyway, this is the last time, I've decided to stop.

As soon as we get there I'll stop this.

I continue the conversation, but after a while my heart is no longer in it. I give up, and drive in silence.

I turn the sound up a little.

Beckoned by neon lights, you find a stash of something helpful: maybe a field of fresh produce, some water purification tablets, or a first aid kit. Where did you find it? Why does it feel like a blessing? Advance the Body Stat.

BODY - [x] - [ ] - [ ]

I decide to continue on the road today, I would like to get out of this area.

The ice finally gives way to snow, a thin, slightly powdery layer.

It's been dark for a while when I finally come across a kind of rest area where I decide to stop.

I park and turn off the engine.

I go out for a while to stretch my legs.

A little further on I see a kind of hut or cabin.

I slowly get closer to it.

Inside is a small table, no one there.

I look a little more closely and see a cooler under the table.

I look around on the parking: no other vehicle.

All of this must have been forgotten.

I decide to open it: inside are some canned goods and a few bottles of beer.

check your progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - rain - wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

I take the opportunity to relax a bit after this long day.

I finally go to bed in the truck and wait for tomorrow.

make the call

I walk to the phone booth, insert some coins and pick up the receiver.

Gavin ? No answer, a silence punctuated by static.

I finally managed to leave this land of ice. I hope I can progress faster from now on.

Things went wrong there, you know, I won't make any more deliveries for you. I watch the reflection of my wounded face in the polished metal of the cabin.

I think I'd better go to bed, I've had a long drive today.

See you soon...

day 4

start the engine

4dF -> [-1, 1, 1, 1] -> 2

The engine starts immediately.

hit the road

8 of spades

Food has been especially hard to find today. What compromises have you made to keep yourself fed?

I don't come across any inhabited places today, so I prefer to save the provisions I have accumulated by rationing myself.

The road goes on.

J of diamonds

You remember a horrific nightmare about a Wound. It grows, shifts, pulses, and trans- forms. Describe the dream. Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [1, 0, 1, 0] -> 2

I've been driving for hours, I feel my body starting to go numb.

I know I'm in danger of falling asleep, but I don't want to waste time.

I feel my mind drifting away.

The cut on my nose, the result of a poorly executed jump and roll from the explosion pulses in my head. Je sens la douleur, sourde, revenir et envahir mon crâne.

I feel my skin tense, the cut spread, the pain overwhelms me, my nose breaks, blood gushes out and floods my face.

I was startled, having fallen asleep at the wheel for a short while.

I shake my head and continue on my way, my nose still hurts though.

2 of hearts

The next time you fail a Body Roll, you get a second chance and can reroll your dice. Save this card as a reminder; discard it when you reroll.

This episode shook me up but I'm still on the road though...

The snow swirls to the sides as I drive.

7 of hearts

Sleepless and exhausted, you find yourself staring at the fires along the horizon. You swear you see a shape, or maybe even a physical form, in the smoke. What do you see? Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [0, -1, 1, 0] -> 0

The road continues. In the distance the glow persists and wavers. A few plumes of smoke seem to escape. In the glow, dark traces seem to move and do not seem to correspond to what one would imagine in flames. What could it be ?

Exhausted I decide to stop.

I park the truck on the side.

check our progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - [x] rain - wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

Snow slowly turns into rain...

make the call

I head for the public phone.

Qavin ? Still nothing.

what could be going on in the south Gavin?

And here, where are the people? What are those flames in the distance?

What could you possibly have gotten me into? The silence on the other side of the phone weighs heavily on me. I decide to hang up.

day 5

start the engine

4dF -> [1, -1, 0, 1] -> 1

The engine starts immediately.

hit the road

5 of diamonds

As you drive, your mind drifts to a past moment of regret and shame directly connected to your Destination. What happened? Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [-1, 1, 1, 0] -> 1

The road continues unabated, a light rain crashes against the windscreen and my journey is punctuated by the sound of windscreen wipers.

I think about Gavin, about the time I embarrassed him.

He had asked me for a delivery and I had decided to take a detour.

In the end I was late for the appointment and the delivery was cancelled.

It was an important package for Gavin and it had caused him a lot of trouble.

K of hearts

You have a violent, face-to-face encounter with the Threat. Advance the Threat and describe the encounter. If the Threat has not overtaken you, make a Body Roll to determine the extent of your injuries.

Threat - [x] - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

4dF -> [0, -1, -1, -1] -> -3 (Failure)

reroll using the 2 of hearts

4dF -> [1, 0, 1, -1] -> 1

As I drive along, I see a headlight coming from across the road.

A motorbike is coming.

As it gets closer, I can see some kind of logo on the helmet: a kind of grinning skull.

I've seen this logo before; on the day of the delivery.

It is one of my pursuers.

How did he come the other way?

My heart is pounding, the bike passes me and continues on its way. I seem to see the driver looking at me with a grimace. He continues on his way.

I am so confused that I swerve, I regain control with difficulty, short of breath.

8 of hearts

(Used description from 8 of hearts for 8 of spades before, so I use description from 8 of spades this time)

You watch the distant fires along the horizon as they grow and shrink. What do you think started them?

The red glow is still there.

I can see it even through the rain that falls here.

What could it be due to?

9 of spades

You pull over to nap in a safe place. Describe it.

Exhaustion eventually got the better of me, so I decided to stop for the day, even if the driving day was shorter.

I park and decide to get some sleep.

check your progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - [x] rain - [x] wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

make the call

I wake up suddenly, not used to sleeping so much. I decide to call gavin.

Allo ?

I passed a bike today, I'm sure it was my pursuers. I was hoping to get away from them but things are not that easy.

I hope to be a little bit ahead of them.

The rain has stopped here. The wind is starting to pick up, I hope to avoid the storm. I'm a bit worried about the effect of all this wind on the flames.

Do you see those flames Gavin?

Why don't you ever answer?

I hang up and go back to bed, haggard.

[cubration]

The Long Haul 1983 session 2 (french version)

day 3

start the engine

4dF -> [-1, 1, 0, 0] -> 0

Le moteur démarre

je tourne la clé et le moteur démarre immédiatement.

Il est temps de démarrer la journée.

Hit the road

As de trèfle

You come across your twin: a rig, same model, same year, but in much better condition. You can salvage parts, make repairs, etc. How do you picture the driver of this twin? Advance the Rig Stat.

RIG - [x] - [x] - [ ]

je continue à conduire le long de ces routes interminables.

Le temps progresse lentement.

je vois finalement u nautre camion arriver dans l'autre sens et quand je le croise je peux voir le visage de l'autre chauffeyr : un type sensiblement plus vieux, nez cassé, les yeux dans le vide, il semble résigné.

Je sens le camion vrombir légèrement à ce moment, comme poussant un soupir d'aise.

5 de trèfle

As you climb a steep, miles-long hill, the engine groans. You push it, and the needle of the temperature gauge rises. Make a Rig Roll. If your game is not over: You reach a scenic overlook and cut the engine to let it cool down. You have a few quiet minutes, and decide to write something short and special and precisely-worded; you’ll carry it to your destination. Play “Blink” by Hiroshi Yoshimura (track 13). Begin writing; stop when the song ends.

4dF -> [1, 1, -1, 1] -> **2

Le moteur a pas mal hurlé pendant cette montée.

Je décide de lui accorder une petite pause.

Je stoppe sur la crète et j'en profite pour admirer le paysage gelé.

Une étendue à perte de vue, blanche, froide et silencieuse...

Aucun mouvement.

Je laisse les évènements des jours précédents remonter à la surface tout doucement.

La livraison, l'embuscade, le bruit, l'explosion, la fuite...

Les souvenirs me permettent de me remettre mais en même temps ils me rappellent qu'il ne vaut mieux pas trainer dans les environs...

Je remonte dans la cabine et reprend la route.

10 de carreaux

You are once again overwhelmed by your solitude. You fantasize about a passenger seated next to you as you drive. Describe the imagined conversation.

La route reprend, j'avale les kilomètres, toujours seul, ne croisant que peu d'autres véhicules dans ces terres gelées.

Soudain le poids de la solitude m'écrase.

Je sens la présence familière à mes côtés, elle m'a déjà accompagné dans ce genre d'épreuves auparavant.

Je sais ce que tu penses... Pas la peine de me regarder comme çà.

Quelle autre solution avais-je ? Comment aurais-je pu lui refuser ça ?

Tu sais bien que je devais le faire...

De toute façon c'est la dernière fois, j'ai décidé d'arrêter.

Dès que nous serons arrivés je raccrocherai.

Je poursuis la conversation, mais après quelques temps le cœur n'y est plus.

J'abandonne, et reprend la conduite en silence.

Je monte légèrement le son.

4 de pique

Beckoned by neon lights, you find a stash of something helpful: maybe a field of fresh produce, some water purification tablets, or a first aid kit. Where did you find it? Why does it feel like a blessing? Advance the Body Stat.

BODY - [x] - [ ] - [ ]

Je décide de poursuivre la route plus longtemps aujourd'hui, je voudrais sortir de cette zone.

La glace laisse finalement place à de la neige, une fine couche légèrement poudreuse..

Il fait noir depuis un bon moment quand je finis par tomber sur une espèce d'aire de repos où je décice de m'arrêter.

Je me gare et coupe le moteur.

Je sors quelques instants pour me dégourdir les jambes.

Un peu plus loin j'aperçois une espèce de guérite ou de cabane.

Je m'en approche doucement.

A l'intérieur une petite table, personne.

Je regarde un peu plus en détail et aperçois un glacière sous la table.

Je regarde autour sur le parking : aucun autre véhicule.

Tout cela doit avoir été oublié.

Je décide de l'ouvrir : à l'intérieur quelques conserves et quelques bouteilles de bière.

check your progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - rain - wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

J'en profite pour me détendre un peu après cette longue journée. Je vais finalement me coucher dans le camion en attendant la journée de demain.

make the call

Je me dirige vers la cabine, insère quelques pièces et décroche le combiné.

Gavin ? Pas de réponse, un silence ponctué de bruits de statique.

J'ai finalement réussi à quitter cette étendue de glace. J'espère pouvoir progresser plus vite désormais.

Les choses ont mal tourné là-bas tu sais, je ne ferai plus de livraisons pour toi. J'observe le reflet de mon visage blessé dans le métal poli de la cabine.

Je pense que je ferais mieux d'aller me coucher, j'ai conduit longtemps aujourd'hui.

A bientôt...

day 4

start the engine

4dF -> [-1, 1, 1, 1] -> 2

Le moteur démarre instantanément.

hit the road

8 de pique

Food has been especially hard to find today. What compromises have you made to keep yourself fed?

Je ne croise aucun lieu habité aujourd'hui, je préfère économiser les provisions que j'ai accumulées en me rationnant.

La route se poursuit.

valet de carreau

You remember a horrific nightmare about a Wound. It grows, shifts, pulses, and trans- forms. Describe the dream. Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [1, 0, 1, 0] -> 2

je roule depuis des heures, je sens mon corps qui commence à s'engourdir.

Je risque la somnolence je le sais, mais je ne veux pas perdre de temps.

Je sens mon esprit qui part à la dérive.

La coupure sur mon nez, résultat d'un saut puis d'une roulade mal exécutés suite à l'explosion pulse dans ma tête.

Je sens la douleur, sourde, revenir et envahir mon crâne.

Je sens ma peau se tendre, la coupure s'écarter, la douleur m'envahit, mon nez se brise, le sang coule à gros bouillons et inonde mon visage.

Je sursaute, je me suis assoupi au volant pendant un court instant.

Je secoue la tête et continue ma route, mon nez est toujours douloureux cependant.

2 de coeur

The next time you fail a Body Roll, you get a second chance and can reroll your dice. Save this card as a reminder; discard it when you reroll.

Cet épisode m'a ébranlé mais je continue la route cependant...

La neige tourbillonne sur les côtés alors que je roule.

7 de carreau

Sleepless and exhausted, you find yourself staring at the fires along the horizon. You swear you see a shape, or maybe even a physical form, in the smoke. What do you see? Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [0, -1, 1, 0] -> 0

La route se poursuit. Au loin le rougeoiement persiste et ondoie. Quelques panaches de fumée semblent s'en échapper. Dans le rougeoiement, des traces foncées semblent se mouvoir et ne semblent pas correspondre à ce qu'on pourrait imaginer dans des flammes. Qu'est-ce que ça peut bien être ?

Épuisé je décide de m'arrêter. Je gare la camion sur le côté.

check our progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - [x] rain - wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

la neige se mue lentemant en pluie...

make the call

Je me dirige vers le téléphone public.

Gavin ? Toujours rien

que peux-t-il bien se passer dans le sud Gavin ?

Et ici, où sont les gens ? Que sont ces flammes dans le lointain ?

Dans quoi as-tu pu bien m'embarquer ? Le silence de l'autre côté du téléphone me pèse énormément. Je décide de raccrocher.

day 5

start the engine

4dF -> [1, -1, 0, 1] -> 1

le moteur démarre instantanément.

hit the road

5 de carreau

As you drive, your mind drifts to a past moment of regret and shame directly connected to your Destination. What happened? Make a Mind Roll.

4dF -> [-1, 1, 1, 0] -> 1

La route se poursuit inlassablement, une légère pluie vient s'écraser contre le pare-brise et mon voyage est ponctué par le bruit des essuie-glace.

Je repense à Gavin, à la fois où je l'ai mis dans l'embarras.

Il m'avait demandé une livraison et j'avais décidé de faire un détour.

Finalement j'étais arrivé en retard au rendez-vous et la livraison avait été annulée.

C'était un paquet important pour lui et ça lui avait causé des ennuis.

roi de coeur

You have a violent, face-to-face encounter with the Threat. Advance the Threat and describe the encounter. If the Threat has not overtaken you, make a Body Roll to determine the extent of your injuries.

Threat - [x] - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

4dF -> [0, -1, -1, -1] -> -3 (Failure)

relance en utilisant le 2 de coeur

4dF -> [1, 0, 1, -1] -> 1

Alors que je roule, je vois un phare arriver en face.

Une moto arrive. Alors qu'elle se rapproche, je peux voir une espèce de logo sur le casque : une espèce de crâne grimaçant.

J'ai déjà vu ce logo; le jour de la livraison.

Il s'agit d'un de mes poursuivants.

Comment a-t-il fait pour arriver de l'autre sens ?

Mon cœur bat la chamade, la moto me croise et continue son chemin. Il me semble voir le conducteur me regarder en grimaçant. Il continue sa route.

Je suis tellement perturbé que je fais une embardée, je reprend le contrôle difficilement, le souffle court.

8 de coeur

(j'ai utilisé à tort la description du 8 de coeur pour le 8 de pique plus haut, donc j'utilise la description du 8 de pique cette fois)

You watch the distant fires along the horizon as they grow and shrink. What do you think started them?

Le rougeoiement lointain est toujours présent.

Je l'aperçoit même au travers de la pluie qui tombe ici.

A quoi peut-il bien être du ?

9 de pique

You pull over to nap in a safe place. Describe it.

L'épuisement finir par prendre le dessus, je décide d'arrêter pour aujourd'hui, même si la journée de conduite aura été plus courte.

Je me gare et décide de dormir un peu.

check your progress

Travel - [x] Ice - [x] snow - [x] rain - [x] wind - flood - fog - heat - dust

make the call

Je me réveille en sursaut, peu habitué à dormir autant.

Je décide d'aller appeler Gavin.

Allo ?

J'ai croisé une moto aujourd'hui, je suis sûr qu'il s'agit de mes poursuivants. J'espérais réussir à les semer mais les choses ne sont pas aussi faciles.

J'espère avoir encore un peu d'avance sur eux.

La pluie a cessé ici. Le vent commence à monter, j'espère éviter la tempête. je crains un peu l'effet de tout ce vent sur les flammes.

Vois-tu ces flammes Gavin ?

Pourquoi ne réponds-tu jamais ?

Je raccroche et retourne me coucher, hagard.

[cubration]

Long Haul 1983 - session 1

The game is called LongHaul1983 and can be found on itch.io :

There is playlist in the rules if you want :

Preparation

You’re in the cab of an aging semi-truck. It’s your rig. You’re an owner-operator. Doors are locked. Windows up. The air is stale. You catch yourself in the rearview. You see:

A bloody nose

Yesterday, you finished a run. You ate a full meal and slept on the familiar coil-spring mattress in the back of the cab. This morning, same routine as always. You were awake for a solid hour before you noticed.

You are utterly alone.

There’s still power. Hot water. Megastore aisles are still lit. Gas pumps are functional, so there’s fuel, too. But no people anywhere. Not one. You think to yourself:

This is just like that story.

You listen to the squeak of vinyl as you shift your weight in the driver’s seat. You’re thinking about how far you are from where you need to be. Where you might be needed. Where someone might be waiting for you.

Someone who owes you.

Someone who might appreciate a phone call at a time like this. You need to hit the road. No time to waste. But your thoughts are cloudy, and a song keeps rattling around in your head. You keep mumbling:

This may be the last time, Maybe my last time, I don’t know

You start the engine. It’s 1983, and you need to find a phone.

Travel :

[x] Ice

snow

rain

wind

flood

fog

heat

dust

Destination:

adventureCrafter : who is at the destination ?

Character: - Identity - SCIENTIST, PROFESSIONAL - Descriptor - HURT

Gavin Dennis, scientist, I need to reach him fast, he owes me, I went to make a delivery for him. Things turned bad, really bad. That is the last time I do this for him.

Threat - [ ] - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

Threat : some folks from the delivery place are chasing me

Dice pool : 4

BODY - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

MIND - [ ] - [ ] - [ ]

RIG - [x] - [ ] - [ ]

Advance first stat : Rig

first call

low quality sound coming through an old phone

Gavin ? It's me, I just finished the job, your cargo has been delivered...

Gavin, do you hear me ?

Things went bad over there, I'm telling you this is the last time I do this for you.

It's freezing in here, there's ice everywhere.

Why did you have to deliver here ?

I don't remember everything of what happened there... It went so fast.

I'll try to drive as much as I can, sticking to the highways.

Fortunately the truck is fine, unlike me...

I'm followed Gavin, I'm sure I'm followed

I'll be there I promise

Goodbye, I have to go now...

day 2

start the engine

4dF -> [0, -1, -1, 0] -> -2

Best 2 dices sum is 0, the engine starts.

I slide the key into the rig's ignition and try turn.

The engine starts after a few moments.

hit the road

Draws 3 of clubs

Intense weather conditions cause you to drift off the road. Describe your panic. Make a Rig Roll

4dF -> [-1, -1, 1, -1] -> **\-2**

2 boxes to fill on RIG : 1, -1 -> 0 -> Success

I'm driving in the icy morning, the road in front of me.

Some quiet music is playing on the radio.

I look at the trees in the forests on the sides, it's beautiful around here.

I bend a little on the side to try to reach to my coffee bottle. One second of inattention ad the truck slides on an icy part of the road.

The truck starts to go sideways, I quickly turn the wheel, trying not to turn too much and finally manage to come back on the road.

I'm feeling a cold sweat running on my spine...

My hands shaking, I look at myself in the mirror, tired, a cut on the nose, a black eye and I say to myself :

"This is really the last time"

draws 3 of hearts

You roll to a stop in front of a wounded animal and decide to remove it from the road- way. There is something ... off ... in its appearance. What do you notice? How does it lash out as you attempt to move it? Make a Body Roll.

4dF -> [1, 1, -1, -1] -> **0**

3 boxes on body : 1, 1, -1 -> 1 -> success

After a while, a dark form can be seen on top of the whiteness of the ice and snow.

I slowly stop to avoid a new loss of control, and get out of the truck. My breath is visible in the cold.

What seemed to be quite big in the distance, is actually the body of a dead dog.

It's really big though.

I pull its corpse on the side of the road, groaning under the effort.

I notice its eyes are still opened, and red, I mean fully red...

What a strange animal is this...

1 card(s) drawn from the deck card-pile to the hand card-pile.

The next time you fail a Mind Roll, you get a second chance and can reroll your dice. Save this card as a reminder; discard it when you reroll.

I keep on driving, listening to the radio, my mind wandering at the same time. Despite the events of the last few days and the pain in my head due to my injuries, It feels quite good.

check your progress

Some days are more fruitful than others. When you check your progress, start by checking the cards you’ve revealed. If you revealed at least one ♠Road♠ card, advance to the next location. You’re getting closer. (If you have not revealed a ♠Road♠ card, you’ll begin the next day in the same location.)

The day continues, driving along endless roads, covered in snow and ice, forests of pine trees on the sides. Some memories are still blurry, my head still hurts and I'm doing all my best to reach the south and Gavin.

make the call

After hours of driving, the sky is dark, I finally find a payphone and a place to spend the night.

I pull over on the side and stop the truck.

I walk to the phone and dial Gavin's number.

Please enter your message after the beep

beeeeep

- Gavin ? it's me, I drove all day long and I'm still in this icy zone. I wonder how long it will take me to get out of it.

- I nearly died this morning because of all this ice everywhere.

- I have not seen anyone on the road now that I think about it, weird.

- That's still better than seeing those who are following me though...

- I also came across a weird dead dog today. It was huge and had weird eyes, kinda creepy...

- Well, I think it's time for a short sleep, I want to get up early tomorrow and drive all day long.

- bye

I hang up the phone, pull up my collar, shiver and go inside my truck. I'll be back on the road tomorrow.