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.

Main Navigation ::: ⇅ Top

Comments

[tolight]

[ Regular maintenance... For as unfamiliar as it is, it's just equipment — like weapons or armor. The fact that it's just a matter of perspective makes sense, she figures, her head nodding along. It stands to reason then, she'll have to find someone who will teach her how to maintain her new car, once she arrives at the city. It gets slotted on her ( ever-growing ) list of things to look into with the rest.

Arlecchino finds the tire while she's in deep in thought; her voice seems to tug her back into the present though, and Lucina joins her at the back of her bug. ] How fortuitous. [ Genuinely. ] I suppose it would be poor business practice to leave those indebted to you stranded in the middle of nowhere... [ More to herself, than anything else. She's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, but at least she's not so naive as to think this was purely out of the kindness of Mr. Crook's heart. ]

Ah — my name is Lucina. [ No need for this 'young miss', as kind as it is. ] Thank you for your help, Miss..? [ There's the matter of getting the tire on the car, but at least that feels a little more manageable than not having a tire at all. ]

[decussate]

Knave.

[ That is what she goes by, so ubiquitously that it may as well be her real name. Yet at this time, suspicious-sounding titles serve no purpose, so she adds simply, ]

Or if you wish, you may call me Arlecchino.

[ She lifts the tire out, blinking stoically at its weight but otherwise showing no signs of difficulty as she sets it upright on the ground. She rolls it gently at Lucina, clearly expecting her to take charge of it.

In the next moment, a strange, nearly organic twist of black and crimson erupts from the ground and kicks up one corner of the car just enough to make it level. An impromptu tire jack. It may or may not leave a dent in the end, but let's not worry about that. ]

Now, as for what's next... What do you think, Lucina?

[ She doesn't intend for this to be complete charity, after all. Best that Lucina get involved and learn. Arlecchino isn't overly familiar with cars, so for all she knows, tires are at risk of popping once a week. ]

confession: i forgot i put her arm in a sling, thank you for the reminder...

[tolight]

[ A fighter through and through, there's a beat when her whole body tenses at the sound of something coming from the ground. A flinch of her sling towards a sword that she can't use. Her eyes darting towards the source of the sound to identify the intruders and—

Nothing, obviously, because all the sound amounts to is a couple of black-red tendrils that seem to be holding her car up for her to inspect closely. The tire nudges the side of her leg and she looks down at it, almost dumbly, the fight leaving her just as quickly as it arrived. ] Oh.

[ Huh. There's a curious glance towards Knave — Arlecchino? — with the question at the tip of her tongue, but she gets beat to the punch. Another look at the makeshift tire jack. If they're going to replace the thing that's damaged...

So Lucina crouches down, her good hand resting on the top of the tire to balance her weight as she gets level with the whole set up herself. She's been asked a question, and she's not going to shy away from the the opportunity to learn. Doing so would be discourteous to the offer and be stripping herself of her independence; and she can't have that.

She hums, thoughtful, as she leans forward to take a closer look at the tires. ] These ... bolts. Are these what are keeping the wheel in place? [ She's pointing at the little bits of metal jutting out from the center wheel. They sure look like they're doing something... ]

damn... sorry lucina's arm, you could have been free

[decussate]

[ A reaction is good. Best that sword isn't just for show — even if that's what it's been relegated to with one of Lucina's arms bound.

Arlecchino looks to the bolts in question. ]

Let's find out, shall we?

[ She extracts a lug wrench from a compartment behind the spare tire's former nest and sets it to the first bolt. It takes a bit of force to get it going, but soon Arlecchino is unbolting away. Despite her sophisticated manner of dress, she doesn't mind physical labor; she may even excel at it. It simply isn't something required of her, except in very specific circumstances. ]

In the meantime, I hope you'll satisfy my curiosity. What kind of life did you happen to lead before all this?

she's fine she deserves it

[tolight]

[ Now that there's a clear course of action (read: she has learned that tires can be replaced with new ones), she seems a little less lost. There's something to be said about having something to focus on, even if that's watching Arlecchino take the lugs off a tire; it's getting them somewhere, slowly but surely. The car she's received feels less like a contraption and more like a resource.

All this to say — she's shuffled out of the way to make sure there's enough room, but otherwise she's pretty quiet. Really taking the art of "how to replace a tire", at least until she's asked a question. ]

I was a ... soldier. [ Saddling someone she's just met for the first time with everything feels like a bit much, all of a sudden. It's no secret that there are people from all walks of life — and worlds — here. She's met someone who didn't know what a pegasus was, then saw plenty of others who seemed to know exactly what to do with a car. None of what she has done is a secret, it hasn't been for some time, but ...

It's a lot, is all. ] My country had been at war for many years against forces who wanted to destroy the world, and I wished to help. We emerged victorious a few weeks prior. [ It's not remorse or regret in her voice when she says that; no resentment in her circumstances pulling her away from victory. Just pride. ]

How about yourself?

[decussate]

[ Young soldiers aren't a foreign concept, especially not to The Knave, so she continues her work without overt reaction. The "forces who want to destroy the world" bit of it is more intriguing to her — a topic to return to in time. ]

Well then, congratulations on your victory.

[ It is a genuine sentiment; she can appreciate the satisfaction in a long job well done, regardless of what may come after. Still, it's a commendable mindset in one so young. ]

I might even say I've emerged from somewhat similar circumstances. A prophecy that long threatened to drown the land had just come to pass, but the concerted efforts of the people averted catastrophe. It was a marvelous manipulation of fate.

[ That too is a genuine sentiment. A shame that the finer details of that caper against fate may never be known to the wider world. It would make for a fine opera. ]

As for my part in everything, I was simply a diplomat. Fine words around a tea table, meetings with dignitaries... A less exciting part to play than most, I'm afraid.

[tolight]

[ 'A marvelous manipulation of fate' — that's what it was for her as well, wasn't it? The thought softens her expression, watching Arlecchino as she continues to work. It never occurred to her that she'd meet a kindred spirit in a place like this — granted, she wasn't really aware of the existence of entire worlds outside of her own up until earlier today, so it's not like she had a ton of time to think about it — but it's ... nice. They don't need to know every detail of their triumph to know that the sentiment is shared.

So— ]

My congratulations to you, as well. [ From one success story to another. Lucina's smiling, should they meet eyes, before it drops back down to the tire. ] I'm certain your efforts played no small part in your victory — there's nothing 'simple' about the work of a diplomat, at least from what I've seen.

[ She has vague memories of her father always looking more exhausted after returning from court, compared to a full day of training. Which probably speaks a little more to who Chrom was as a person more than anything else, but she's also taken after him in that regard. ]

[decussate]

[ Arlecchino doesn't look up from her wrenching, but Lucina's smile doesn't need to be seen to be felt. In truth, Lucina is completely correct. The Knave's work was not simple or straightforward, or even completely noble; that smile might disappear quickly if its owner knew what had to be done in pursuit of the truth.

The results were undeniable: Fontaine saved, and all her children with it. That is something to be congratulated about, and indeed something Arlecchino finds great satisfaction in. Yet it feels odd to have someone else smile so warmly to her about it. One of the benefits of anonymity, perhaps. Given her reputation, few outside her organization (and even within it) would find reason or courage to smile with sincerity at her. ]

Very astute of you. There is much preparation required for any one meeting with even a single dignitary. The gifts you bring, the clothes you wear, where you happen to sit, and even the small talk you make. All must be carefully planned, and the results carefully dissected.

[ She neatly arranges the removed lug nuts on the floor before giving the flat tire an experimental pull. Luckily, it comes off without any complications. She sets it aside before finally turning pointed eyes back to Lucina. ]

Does a simple soldier often deal with diplomats?

[tolight]

[ Looking at it like this, it really is just a very thick wheel — the edges of it rubber instead of wood, modular in a way that makes it easier to make minute repairs like this. It's a marvel she can appreciate, even if it's not to the level that Arlecchino seems to have an affinity for. Lucina's gaze follows as the tire's set aside before it snaps back up. ]

Ah. [ She's not looking to lie here, not exactly. If she were to be asked outright, she'd have no real issue with admitting her role in Grima's fall. But ... maybe the idea of calling herself the leader of anything sits strangely. Maybe it's something else, entirely; she's not sure, and it's not something she's interested in examining right now. ] My father often sat at court. [ As... the Exalt. But anyway. ] He never admitted it to us, but he looked as though the life had been drained out of him at the end of the day.

[ The smile's fonder now, if muted. All over the memory of a man who really only exists from her youth. There's a shrug of her shoulders. Candidly— ] By the time I was old enough to take his place, we were past the point of diplomacy. [ That's the truth. ]

[decussate]

[ Old enough to take her father's place in court, hm? A curious implication of some level of aristocracy or high service, as well as her father becoming indisposed. In the context of a drawn-out war, some guesses could be reasonably made as to why. ]

With your war now at a conclusion, one would hope that avenues of diplomacy are once again on the table. A role you'd wish to revisit, perhaps?

[ Even if the job sucked Lucina's father dry, apparently... ]

[tolight]

[ Oh. Huh. She blinks. A beat, then— ]

Perhaps. [ The thing is — she knows the Lucina that was born of the timeline they saved will take on that role. The life of diplomacy doesn't exist for her anymore, not with the choices she's made. It's any more of a price she's had to pay than everything else.

But still. ] I suppose an opportunity could arise while we're here. [ What a thought. There's a little frown on her face as she considers that possibility with the same gravity she'd consider everything else. It... doesn't look like she's enjoy it very much. ]

[decussate]

[ While they're "here," but not where Lucina came from... Arlecchino shakes her head lightly upon seeing Lucina's frown. ]

There's no need to force yourself. Children should learn from their parents, after all. If that role did not suit your father, then there's little shame in considering different options.

[ She holds a hand out mildly to the spare tire Lucina was left in charge of. Delivery, please. ]

[tolight]

[ She has no intentions to go back home, why would she even think about diplomacy back there. :)

It's the confidence behind Arlecchino's words that gives her pause more than anything else. Shame has never been a motivator for why she does anything — but that doesn't mean the rest of it means nothing. Logically, there is no reason for her to follow in Chrom's footsteps. Not anymore.

What a thought. ]

Ah. [ She rolls the tire over to Arlecchino once prompted to do so, keeping her free hand on it until it's been handed off properly. ] I was told he was always an effective communicator, he just ... preferred other things. [ Because Naga forbid anyone even think Chrom was bad at something. ]

[decussate]

[ She rolls the spare tire over to the car and slides it in place. ]

Indeed, the work someone is good at isn't always the same as what pleases them. I can give my children any amount of homework that they may complete to perfection, but very few of them would like to become scholars.

[ One by one, she replaces the bolts she'd set aside, twirling each one lightly with her fingers before finding the wrench again. ]

[tolight]

( overflow! )