TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

[thediadem]

Test Drive ∞ May 2025

The First Collision

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Jump ⇅ :: Arrival — Panorama — Fringes — Invite Request

The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.

Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.

But first, you need to find a ride.

No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.

∞ Summary ∞

IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.

Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.

Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:

• Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
• Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
• Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
• Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
• Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.

TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.

TDM Questions? Here — Game Questions? FAQ

Setting — Taken — Reserves — Applications ::: ⇅ Top

Fluxdrift

Arrival & Introduction

Date: Throughout May

You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.

Then you open your eyes.

Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.

You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.

Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.

You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender

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Panorama

Explore & Settle In

Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers

After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.

You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.

The Pavilion: Free Samples

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Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.

Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.

As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.

Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.

The Blocks: Power Outage

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Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.

What do you do? You have three choices:

• Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
• Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
• Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall

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©

The Fringes

Quad 3: Lockdown

Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads

Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57

> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.

Whether you end up here on your own or you were following a tip on the Forum, the outcome is the same: you come to a stop in front of a 2-story office building that's flooded several inches deep. Emergency lights from a roadblock flicker through the stormy night. Stepping out of your car, you're soaked within seconds. When you check your phone, you don't have any bars. No calls in or out.

Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.

Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.

After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.

A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.

Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.

Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.

• To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
• The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
• With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
• If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.

Let's hope a friendly face comes along.

B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.

• The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
• Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
• You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
• Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.

Of course, you don't have to help anyone. You can leave the individual there, make a deal, or outright extort them. But remember, you're not the only person on these roads. You might want to play your cards carefully, even if altruism isn't your first instinct.

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Comments

adrian won't understand his pun but i died

[faithfall]

[ It likely doesn't help that Adrian's eyes reflect the light shined into them, like a cat, and he squints as his vision adjusts. The word 'vampire' clearly gets his attention, but he shakes his head quickly at the question and turns a pleading look on the stranger. He can understand the trepidation, and what this must look like.

Thankfully, the man relents for the moment, and Adrian mostly just holds the door and locks it again when they're through. He'd have been glad to help, but it's seemingly unneeded — the man is strong. A fighter of some kind, perhaps? Or a smith? He'd have to get a good look at his hands to know for sure.

The man is in front of him again before he can cross over to the bedside table to retrieve his gloves and other equipment. Adrian holds both hands up in a placating gesture, though he's careful to maintain the space between them. ]

I think so, yes, but I'd like to stabilize him all the same. I'm a healer. He collapsed at my door... head trauma, I suspect. [ He nods toward the next room, where the crashes have become louder. ] Are you able to move something in front of the door?

[ A pause. ] ...If you're familiar with vampires, then I understand your hesitance, but I'm no friend of Strahd or his foul kind. If you have some means of testing my assurance, I will submit to it, but I can give you only my word. I am Adrian Silverleaf, of Waterdeep.

[ He's half-braced for some demand of proof or payment. Even before this place, Barovia had taught him to expect that... but in another world, things might be different. This stranger might yet be a friend. ]

[positivelyroomy]

[ ooc: The true crime is Jonny and Alex conspiring against Martin by suggesting he’d be a Bard sans instrument – We both know that the main thing he casts Vicious Mockery on is himself…]

[ Spend years of your life in a spooky library with eldritch horrors, and you become a bit wary of strangers in the dark. Once the door is closed and locked, he keeps a wary eye on Adrian’s movements, namely, how it appears when Adrian speaks. Some tension drops from his shoulders when it doesn’t seem that the man fits the criteria Martin is familiar with.

For his part, the warlock doesn’t make himself a threatening presence; he just… is. But he makes a good point about barricading the door, nodding. ]

Maybe it's his room?

[ He looks at the unconscious man for a second, before choosing to go for the dresser. It looks sturdy, but comes free from the wall with a good tug. This is easy. This is fine. ]

Wait… [ He’s a bit pink from dragging furniture over ratty carpet, but that’s beside the point. Once it’s flush with the door, he twists to lean against it and catch his breath. ] Um. Are you human? [ He hurries on, ] Say that I believe the whole “not vampire” thing, which I think I do. [ He doesn’t quite have it in him to go ‘ho, are you fae?’, but that’s quite a name. He’s read a few fantasy romances in his day; he will not take questions or accusations! ]

Martin Blackwood… London? [ a beat. Maybe a tiny sigh. ] Sounds less elegant. Anyway – do you, er… need help?

[ He is, for better or worse, a little bit awkward socially. It isn’t until he’s been around someone for a bit that he relaxes enough not to have that knee-jerk desire to flounder spectacularly. Martin wipes his hands off on his pants and returns to where he’d laid the unconscious man out, giving Adrian another curious glance before settling on his knees off to the side of his shoulder. An extra set of hands -- isn't that just who he is in a nutshell? Yikes. ]

[faithfall]

[ ooc: MARTIN NO... It's true though damn. Also, sorry for the delay! Do you want boomies for your samples? I'm sorting out my tagging priorities around and bumping people who need samples to the top 🫡 ]

[ A bit of the tension bleeds out of Adrian as well. Perhaps he's too quick to trust even now, but he has little that would be worth taking, and the man has made no move to indicate that he might be interested in starting a fight unprompted.

Peace made for the moment, Adrian crosses to retrieve his traveling gloves and crouches to make a swift examination of his new patient while his new companion moves the dresser. When he finds no obvious wounds or other signs of intoxication, he holds a hand over the man's head, warm golden light pooling under his gloved palm.

He nods, too focused on his task to look up. ] That was my thought as well, though I suppose he may have only been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Poor soul.

[ Adrian sits back on his heels when he's done, rolling the dull ache out of his shoulders. He doesn't take offense at the question or the uncertainty behind it, though it isn't one he's always keen to answer. ] He'll be alright with a few hours rest, so long as he doesn't overdo it when he wakes. Thank you for doing so much of the heavy lifting, Mr. Blackwood. Please take your ease, if you wish — I've asked much of you already.

[ Aside from the bed, the room contains only a tiny rickety table with a couple of old chairs; Adrian barely wants to test them himself, so he can hardly blame Martin if he wants to remain where he is. He's content to remain on the floor, hands folded neatly in his lap. It seems the most non-threatening course of action while they're still making sense of each other. ] If you ask me, 'Waterdeep' is hardly an intriguing name for a city. 'London' sounds mysterious. Perhaps it's a matter of perspective? [ He inclines his head. ] But to answer your earlier question, no, I'm not human... Are you? You've not demanded payment for services rendered as yet. Is that not the way of things in London? Or will you be attempting to claim a piece of my immortal soul or turning me into a rodent or somesuch?

[ The last bit is very obviously a joke from the dry tone and the wry little grin Adrian favors him with. Still, there's something... different, about Martin. He hasn't any indication of what it might be, but perhaps it's nothing at all, and only that he's a human from a world that Adrian is unfamiliar with. ]

[positivelyroomy]

[ ooc: I love to see Adrian in my inbox, but only if you’ve have a bit of extra time. I’m at that “evening only” portion of my week for tagging and wouldn’t want someone in need with a more open schedule to boom to not get that. ]

[ It’s a bit odd that Martin is more comfortable with the idea of Eldritch horrors existing in his bed than magic, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t curious to see what it looks like. He feels rooted to his place next to the unconscious man, eyes widening at the flash of golden light cast over his temple. When no sign of him stirring, Martin finally glances up to see his fancy companion sitting back. The first thing he does, of course, is deny that it was a problem – ]

I figure I’d stay long enough to see if he wakes up throwing punches. [ He grins, a bit unsure. ] If that’s alright with you. [ The blond doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to move from his spot (while I'm committing myself to design his icons with that blond comment RIP). If it’s a matter of comfort well – he’s been through a lot worse than kneeling on a floor. It is a bit odd though, having a bit of small talk over the bulk of some unfortunate guy who happened to be in the hall at the wrong time.

Adrian goes on to compliment London and to admit the truth that Martin already suspected, with the eyes and magic… He seems a bit surprised to have the question returned. ] Yeah…um, n-no? [ It’s been something that he’s personally been trying to know for sure since he woke up in the med-tent. He certainly shouldn’t be alive, and yet, here he is. Here they are – and maybe it’s because he’s so used to John being spooky all the time that the vibes coming off of Adrian aren’t as worrying as they should be. Knowing that he’s gotten into his head, he offers an apologetic look. ] Sorry. Honestly, I think I am for the most part? [ Rather than offer his whole life story, he settles for rolling his eyes in good humor at the comment about payment. And rodents. ]

Depends on the rodent, but I do have a soft spot for guinea pigs. [ They’re cute. Martin likes cute things! He’s not ashamed. ]

You’re the one with the magic, not me. Should I be worried? [ It’s 92% jest. ]

[faithfall]

[ ooc: oh yeah don't worry the best I can do is like... once or twice a day :') this is me trying to catch up with my inbox rn. ]

[ It's entirely likely that they'll all be in for a rude awakening when the patient comes around, considering how unkind his en-sleepening was. That's something he was fairly accustomed to dealing with before, but at the moment he's more than glad to have someone else around to help him avoid any... accidents. Besides, it's safer in here than it is out there. There had been few people staying here when the blackout began, and he can only assume between the power and the noise that most others have already gone elsewhere.

Adrian smiles, nodding once. ] I certainly wouldn't mind the company.

[ Martin seems nice. Adrian would like to think that he is as he seems. It's a bit difficult to maintain any of his hard-won caution when, despite his strength, the man gives off all the threatening aura of an apple pie.

He is unusual, however. ]

You're not sure what you are..? [ Adrian rubs at his chin, brow furrowed, more puzzled than suspicious. There are some lineages where that might be the case — werewolves, or even plane-touched like Adrian himself, who might present a wide variety of traits or none at all. ] What makes you so uncertain?

[ He laughs, even if he isn't entirely sure of what a guinea pig is. ] Well I am still looking for work. Perhaps 'adorable house pet' is worth a shot?

[ Adrian inclines his head, even more puzzled now. ] Ah, is magic... not common in London? Or is it ordinarily used for evil purposes? Despite what I might look like now, you have nothing to fear from me unless you have ill intentions toward... [ Adrian wavers. He would have once said the innocent. ] Toward those with less power than yourself. Please do tell me if that's the case. If I make another poor choice of friends, I fear my companion will never let me hear the end of it.

[ It’s 93% jest. He doesn't think Martin is particularly evil, or that he would simply reveal it now if he was. ]

[positivelyroomy]

Good. I don’t think I’m ready to venture out quite yet. [ His relief could easily be explained away by the fact that there are looters and who knows what else that may be taking advantage of the dark – but he’s not necessarily worried about that. It’s the wide, unknown spaces and empty streets. The quiet.

Of course, John had to go wandering out in it – because why not? He needs a leash. ]

It’s not as if... [ There’s an abrupt pause, and he sighs (™). Starts over. ] I know that I am mostly human. [ Heavy emphasis, finger quotes and all, around mostly. ] I started working for spooky archive that was actually mildly... evil? [ Martin “Apple Pie Aura” Blackwood, gesticulates like he’s offering Adrian a choice between two different restaurants to eat at. ]

We’d get these ... reeeeally unpleasant statements that needed to be processed. John did the most, but I probably recorded the most after him. [ A very brief Ted Talk on the Magnus Institute ensues. Yes, he was in a custody battle between The Lonely and The Eye (with The Web sending him love letters because he is a Problematic Bitch). Didn't quite die, so he's the Zero Calories version of Peter Lukas. ]

Wha—t?! [ Completely dumbfounded. Flabbers. Ghasted. ] That’s very...pragmatic of you. John might be a bit confused, though. [ He’s not flustered at all. He’s very grateful for the completely unrelated follow-through. ]

Unless you consider the stuff tied to the fears magic? No. Like we can’t heal people with glowing light. [ Believe be, he’s jealous of that. ] Oh I don’t know... I guess I can sneak away to be quietly sad? [ Literally fading into the background like a depressed misty step ] They’re safe, I promise you.

Do you usually have bad taste in friends? [ He’s laughing with you, not at you. ]

[faithfall]

[ Adrian's expression softens with sympathy. He can't know what Martin is thinking, but he feels some hesitance about wandering himself. Being stranded in Barovia had been a lot to take in, but this place is in many ways far more disorienting and alien. It feels wrong in a way he can't quite put into words. Something beyond trying to adapt to a world that has long since left him behind.

He listens as Martin explains some of his situation, brows furrowed in thought, fingers curled just beneath his chin. An evil archive? That sounds like something that would be right at home in Barovia. His expression only grows more incredulous as the tale unfolds, and he begins to understand just how strange Martin's experience must have been. These Fears sound an awful lot like patrons of warlock pacts, though even Devils sound friendly and predictable by comparison. ]

You and your companion have been through quite a lot, Mr. Blackwood... Perhaps this place will be a nice vacation? [ A terrible joke, he knows, but what else is there to do in such a situation? And speaking of jokes... Adrian takes a moment to process Martin's flustered expression before he laughs, shoulders shaking with quiet amusement. He'll leave it at that, if only to be polite.

He understands better than Martin might know, how he might feel about the lack of magic. He hesitates a moment, then: ] I haven't always had magic. It was granted to me by my patron... patrons, I suppose. I don't think I understand your abilities well enough to assume we are similar beyond the superficial, but I can't think of anything to call it besides magic. Where I'm from, you and I would be thought of the same: we are warlocks. People don't much care for that.

[ He considers saying more, but he bites his lip for the moment. There are other patrons who might grant Martin power that's more to his liking, but Adrian knows that it's hardly the sort of thing one goes seeking when their bargain feels as if it was coerced... and what's more, there's a very real danger of one ending up in a worse position than where they began.

Adrian gives him a wry smile. ] I like to think it's the other way around. People are often very kind to me despite any misgivings... but I suppose it's true that I haven't quite got the trick of knowing when it isn't genuine. My companion, Lady Fern, worries herself over much... I'm sure your John is the same.

[positivelyroomy]

[ Yes, it was a joke, and Martin is smiling – but he seems to consider it for a moment. Gritty retro reality aside, there are perks. He shrugs. ] I can sleep here, so there’s that. Don’t think I’m being chased by things that are actively trying to kill me. Or him. [ It’s weird, how much emotion can be poured into such a small word. A clipped sound slips from his lips, and his brows furrow. ] Well. Yet. God – I've probably spoken it into reality. Erg. [ Lamentations aside, and conversation in mind he quickly adds: ] That’s not. Not what I can actually do, to be clear. If we’re discussing abilities.

[ It’s weird, thinking about the Fears as such, but Martin enjoys a good bit of investigation when he’s not in present danger. Something in his expression shifts, the inevitable shadow of doubt. ]

I don’t know. I’m not special. Important. [ Adrian, you’ve formerly been introduced to Martin’s abysmal self-esteem. It’s also why certain Patrons favor him. He doesn’t know him, not really, but Martin’s always been an okay enough study ] You seem alright enough. [ He ducks his head to hide the grin that came from such a glowing compliment. He's joking. ] John, though... fits that? The Eye was very generous. Then there was the whole demigod thing, but that is not important. [ Bitter and rushed, it is obviously important. ] Anyway.

I can vanish at will. It has its perks in awkward situations, but that’s it. Peter could cast people into The Lonely, but I think that's because his family actively worshipped it for generations? [ Who knows, if he goes wandering the Fringes enough, he might just get a power up. Or lose himself. WHO KNOWS??? Arguably, he might...not...be able to die. Not that he actively considers it a Thing. ] God, he was such an ass.

[ Oh, he might actually feel a pang of sympathy. ] I'm sorry, Adrian. Sometimes it's hard to trust the right people. [ Martin raises a brow, and some of the softness in his tone sharpens in irony ] My condolences to Lady Fern. [ Fern let Martin buy you a drink in commiseration. ] He keeps me busy enough. If something isn't actively trying to hurt him, he's quite keen to find a way.

[faithfall]

[ Adrian nods. He feels — conflicted, to say the least. On the one hand, their party is short two members in what would have been the most important task they've undergone yet. On the other hand, at least he knows that Fern is safe, and the mundane dangers of this world are well within her ability to handle them. But Ireena... It feels awful to disappoint her once again, after he final plea. He envies Martin, in perhaps a selfish way, to have only his John to worry for, and to know that they're together even here.

He shakes his head at Martin's fretting, clearing his own thoughts as well. ] If we are suddenly beset by... people who want to bend flesh into flowers or what have you, I'll know who to blame.

[ Adrian shifts, letting himself ease down off of his knees so that he can sit more comfortably on the ground, legs still folded under him. ]

Well, that makes two of us. [ What's self worth again? ] You don't need to be important to be a warlock, only useful to the thing that's granted you power — or, in the wrong place at the right time.

[ He curls his fingers under his chin again, pretending to think. ] Maybe that's the problem, then. You don't seem like an ass. Have you worked on that at all?

[ He shakes his head again, laughing quietly. ] It's quite alright. I would prefer to trust the wrong people than to ignore the right ones, and Lady Fern has her own compelling reasons for feeling quite the opposite. She is very kind, though, if you're lucky enough to find yourself worthy of her trust. I've never seen a more loyal heart than hers.

[ And he knows, at least to some degree, this is why their differences have become nearly unreconcilable. She cares too much, and he's undeserving of it. He wonders if John feels much the same about Martin. ] I'll have to introduce you when I can. The two of you would have much to commiserate over, I think. At the risk of making too bold an assumption about a man I haven't met, I suspect your John only wants to protect you. Wait— what was that about a demigod?

[positivelyroomy]

[ The enviable thing is that Adrian has people back home that would miss his place in their lives. Companion or aid, his being there improved their life. It couldn’t be emphasized enough how much the opposite was true for the both of them. If they were alive, they weren’t in their own personal hell. They could rebuild. Envy was strange like that.

He pulls a face – ] You know, I was a bit surprised a guy like Jared ended up with a garden as a domain? He was pruning – yeah, no. No, if that happens we’ll try to take care of it.

[ He does look like he’s giving Adrian’s answer serious thought. An eyebrow goes up. ] Is it too personal asking what is considered useful to Patrons back in your world? Does it make you weaker if you don't tic the boxes of servitude…? [ He considers for a moment, that feeling of unhappy acceptance of what had kept his experience after the change largely voyeuristic by comparison. ]

Back home, it was a matter of you feeding them, or they fed on you.

[ He tries to not snicker at Adrian’s act, intent to volley it back. Martin slowly nods in feigned consideration. ] Mm, possibly something I could work on in this strange new world. My passive aggressive villain arc… [ lmao he was such an asshole walking through the hellscape. ]

It all goes a bit wibbly wobbly when there's a lot on the line. Can't say I haven't trusted some that I shouldn't have, either. But if Lady Fern gets such a great stamp of approval, I wouldn't mind meeting her. Might bring John around if that's alright?

[ John does feel undeserving, but his default is to be so much more critical than he needs to be. And after what he'd had to do… well, it's a different hellscape. Their relationship is complicated.

Martin’s expression phases through several emotions: amusement, to fondness, to quiet, embarrassed horror. It is several, very tense seconds of wondering if he could gaslight girl boss Adrian into believing he'd misheard Martin trauma-dumping. He was so used to arguing with the girls and John on what to do. God he's dumb. ]

He temporarily might… have been one. John got it in his head that he could contain the Fears to our world. [ a self-deprecating grin is offered ] Had a bit of a row and here we are, but he's not that. Not anymore.

[ anywaaaay ]

Honestly you'd probably get along.

[ look at that recovery! ]

[faithfall]

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