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

[smilefornow]

[Arthur can't quite say he believes her. He doesn't know if he does.

But he does believe Sally believes it. Whatever the truth is, what she's going through is real. There's no doubt of that. She may be a very good actress, but this...this is different.

And despite what he's told himself, Arthur Hastings is not, in fact, a monster. As awkward as it is, as difficult as he finds emotional displays - he can't help it, he's an Englishman - he can't be a prick.

Not when Sally is literally crying against him. She's such a tiny thing, made even smaller in her raw feeling. His heart skitters in confusion and mild distress and some sort of sympathy. And there's a strange sort of awe, too, to think of Sally Boyle, fantastical mod gal on the go, weeping in his arms. It's eerily like some rather embarrassing daydreams he's had. A twinge of guilt quickly follows at even recognizing that.

Cautiously, hesitantly at first, his arms go around her. It's like holding a trembling bird, there's practically nothing to her. And Arthur is a tall man, long of limb. It's easy to envelop her. It begins to feel natural, as he closes the embrace.]

I'm...here for you.

[It's all he can think of to say. Platitudes would be practically an offense, and he's absolute shit at grief. He's quick to turn his into anger. That certainly wouldn't be helpful here.

So he just stands there, on the side of the road beside his bus, holding her and letting her cry.]

[fuckinabucket]

[ It doesn't feel like she's acting because this is an utter failure to keep her act together; all the filters between her true emotions and those she presents burned away by the truly inescapable bottom line that she does not know where her daughter is. She's a mess, a trainwreck of uncut emotion as a few more ringing sobs tumble out of her.

And he doesn't quite believe her-- she can tell by the way he speaks. But his arms feel so good closing and closed around her, and he's trying so hard to be kind. A kindness Sally had learned to lick off of knives because no one bothered to offer it on a spoon. For a second she feels viciously conflicted, torn between curling inward and punching him right in the fucking ribs. She won't, she knows that, but it doesn't stop her from hovering over the possibility.

On the one hand, how dare he not take her word for this? But on the other, she already understands the chemical fuckery that's happened to him-- to them both. And she doesn't doubt for a second her ability to convince him, when her wits have returned, that having a baby isn't nearly as impossible as he's thinking. Right Now just isn't the moment. Right now she'd just like to stop crying.

Also, if she did punch him in the ribs, it would probably ruin this not at all terrible hug. Wrestling down the impulse for violence leaves her feeling ferociously lonely and fucked up so instead, her arms latch around his ribs and her fingers make fists in the fabric of his shirt. A minute or so slinks away like this. But there's too little payout in this catharsis already, and Sally knows she can't cry this feeling out. Not in minutes, hours, or days. It doesn't take her very long to start working expertly at swallowing those sobs, but they jailbreak her control once or twice before she finally manages to speak up again. ]

M'sorry [ For thinking about punching him, but he doesn't know that, so she adds:] your shirt... it's wet

[ She peeks upwards and her eyes are pink and puffy; the silver-blue of her irises are especially bright, like polished sovereigns in the rain. ]

You think I'm mad and you still let me make a mess of you

[ An attempt at friendly teasing? Or maybe mocking him a bit is the consolation prize she gets for avoiding actual violence. It's probably both. ]

[smilefornow]

[Rather than put his foot in his mouth, as he surely would, Arthur stays silent as Sally cries it out. What else can he do? It's a miracle he has the emotional intelligence he does, it wasn't something routinely taught to little English boys in the 30s and 40s.

But he had had Percy. That had made a difference.

When she pulls away, he stands there awkwardly, relighting his neglected cigarette. He hadn't wanted to singe her hair, that would be just his awful luck.]

Ah, well, it's seen much worse. I was already a mess, no harm done.

[There may not be much that he can do, but there are some things. Practical things. He's very good with practical things.]

Er...it's probably not very safe for you to drive at the moment. Why don't we...hook up your motorbike to my bus, it's got one of those little knobbly bits with a cord for ferrying, and I'll get us to the city.

[Planning was good. He can handle planning, and it makes him feel better. A solid plan can make everything look a little bit better. Or make it easier to pretend, anyhow.]

I know we haven't got any money to stay anywhere, but really, this thing's like a little flat on wheels. An entirely unfurnished one, but...

[It's still better than staying outdoors. And he just assumes that now that they've found each other, and there's no time limit, she's going to stick with him. It's just the smart and safe thing to do.]

[fuckinabucket]

[ She supposes no one is going to hunt him down here for looking like someone cried on his shirt, but still. He didn't have to be decent. So few men actually make the attempt. She can't help but remember when she would climb that tree as a girl to cry, and somehow Arthur would always find her, and sit with her. Those memories are too old to be tweaked by Joy... and why would they be? Even though they were sad memories... they were actually some of her happiest, too. ]

You... want to drive us to the city? Together?

[ Does she want that? Does she want to go with him? He doesn't even believe her-- but he's so gentle and thoughtful and-- and it could mean time to explain, if she cared to. If she could get the words past the knot in her throat. God, she does want to, doesn't she? Just like she wanted to run away with him-- so many times before.

But is she still mad at him? Sally can't exactly say no to that either... why the fuck do her emotions have to be so damn complicated? Maybe-- maybe she shouldn't do this, let him help her, when she's so messed up. She already knows she's going to. ]

Your very practical, as always. I... hadn't thought much farther than figuring out how to drive

[ Christ is she ever tired of being alone. And if she had to pick a person to keep that loneliness away... wouldn't be be Arthur? How much had she chatted away to little Gwen about the man without even knowing if he still remembered her at all? ]

... I think I've slept in hatches that were actually smaller inside. At least one.

[ Is he actually offering to let her stay with him, beyond the ride to the city? The first thing she wonders is 'Why?' and there are honestly way too many, complicated answers to that question.

Arthur's assumptions runs the opposite of Sally's; she's not sure why he would want her around indefinitely. Doesn't he think she's bonkers? Doesn't she make things complicated? Doesn't he hate her just a little bit? She hates herself just a little bit, after all. ]

Are you... sure you won't get tired of me? You're not... tired of me already? I think there might be some boogers on your shirt.

[smilefornow]

I know I have a history of being an utter arse, but I'm not about to abandon you on the side of the road like this.

[That's the sort of thing he couldn't excuse to himself. Yes, Sally has a habit of making him inexplicably upset and frustrated. Yes, she always comes with complications.

But despite all of that, Arthur does care about her. Maybe this is all a pair of fucked up people like them can manage. This absurd dance of being drawn to each other and pushing one another away at the same time. It would make sense to him, nothing in his life can ever be simple and easy.]

Look...everything about this situation is unbelievable and insane. But we are not in Wellington. We aren't even on Earth anymore! And despite amazingly slim odds proving true already, we are very likely the only people on this planet from Wellington Wells. We should stick together. It's safest.

[And he really would feel like a monster, leaving her alone in this place. They don't know anything about it beyond the vaguest of outlines. There's a city! You need a car! Roads are dangerous and oh yes, there's spots where reality has fucked off on holiday!

Sally, for all the drama and difficulty she carries with her, is familiar. The only familiar thing in this whole world.

Though a thought occurs to him, as she hesitates and questions him. Oh dear, he may have had an inappropriate stray thought here and there, but he hopes she doesn't think he's being...er...dodgy. Or transactional!]

I'm not...there's nothing seedy in the suggestion. It just feels very stupid and pointless to leave the closest thing I have to a friend upset on the side of the road in a strange and dangerous place.

[fuckinabucket]

[ Sally just barely manages to bite back the snark, Oh, just just the last time, then? That does seem like the most efficient way to ruin the moment-- and she might have let herself do it anyway, but she's actually not sure exactly how to survive being completely alone like this. In this place, and with these feelings. Without Gwen.

Is she using him to avoid that inadequacy? Is she costing herself the chance to sink or swim by her own means? Luckily for Sally's sanity Arthur keeps talking, this time with sense and just a little wonder that doesn't arouse her temper so. ]

There you go... being too reasonable to be ignored

[ It isn't exactly a do over, because this time Gwen isn't fucking here-- but Sally couldn't actually manage to feel surprised if Arthur left her alone once again. But he doesn't, almost vehemently if she dares observe.

Transactional something she'd assume by default of anyone but Arthur. Helping each other on the last round of it had been somewhat quid pro quo, but it hadn't always been like that. Arthur is the only person (other than Gwen) who never wanted her to be who he wanted.

But if that really is what he thinks, then why did he leave her in the first place? Did it all come down to terrible timing? Sally's got too many questions, a headache, and a powerful bottomless dread lingering just beneath the surface of her fragile mood that she'd really rather not drop into again. She knows she will, eventually. Just not right now.

For a moment she says nothing and her eyes flit to Arthur's lit smoke. She takes it from him, but only guiding his hand downwards so she can steal a long masochistic drag, like she needs the burn to center in her body and in the moment. When she releases his wrist and stands back, there's a faint red imprint on the filter of smoke. She exhales with all the grace of a fire-breather, despite the insanely long tolerance break. ]

You're right [ she concedes, and takes some small pride in doing so. If only This Arthur could tell Past Arthur as much. ] Let's see about getting my ride hitched up, shall we?

[smilefornow]

Focusing on the reasonable keeps me from panicking.

[As they both know, a panicked Arthur says stupid things and makes stupid mistakes. Slightly more affordable on familiar home territory. Absolutely deadly here, or so he's gotten the impression.

But his shoulders drop in relief when she agrees. It is sensible. They can figure out what they're going to do from there. They'll have to do something. Get...jobs and things like that. And obviously there is more to discuss, Arthur hasn't forgotten anything Sally's said. They will need to explore that more. But that's for later.

One step at a time. Get to the city.

He makes no protest when she steals a drag of his cigarette, letting her pull his hand down to her level. He really doesn't know if they'll ever find their way back to what they'd had all those years ago. Maybe there's too much between them now, too many sour memories. But there's still something there...there has to be. Once upon a time it had felt like them against the world. Maybe...maybe they could find some shadow of that here.]

Righto! Shouldn't be that difficult...let's see what we have here.

[He's also thankful for something to do with himself. It really does seem very self explanatory. It's all simple engineering, the sort he understands. This is more his element.]

Lucky for us your bike is already right behind the bus. Er...hold this, please? And help yourself, of course.

[He sticks out the hand holding his half smoked cigarette, still looking thoughtfully at the towing hitch and line. It should be fine for a motorbike. He thinks it's intended for some sort of utility trailer.]

[fuckinabucket]

Well, hopefully we won't run out of reasonable things to do

[ It's not a terrible tactic at all, slotting logical tasks between herself and that sinking tar-pit blackness just beneath the surface. To a certain extent she's always done this, kept on a pretty poker face, but it had always been for Gwen, and because she's missing. Gone. Probably ceased to--

Okay, yes, hooking up her motorbike and minding the smoke. She can supervise, and she can manage. Most likely. She's so thankful for the easy tasks to latch her attention to. ]

That much I can do, yes. You might be on your own with the hook-up bit. I'm afraid I'm all thumbs with this kind of thing

[ She's telling the truth, but she isn't unaware it falls in line with her favored manipulation tactics, either: men do so like to feel useful. But that's not what she's trying to do! Arthur's skills just so happen to be useful, but friends do help each other, and he offered, so. Why can't she just like him. Why does she have to look so hard at her own ugliness to make sure it's not interfering.

Sally takes another, more reasonable drag of the smoke and pushes her thoughts into the ankle-deep chemical calm that flits across her brain. Christ, she could use something much stronger than this. ]

I think there's a... a knobby-bit? Where the side-car hooks to the side of the bike?

[ She's fantastic at feigning ignorance, but this is not that. She does hate genuinely sounding like an idiot but... Arthur never was as cruel as every other man she'd ever encountered. Like a bloody unicorn and she still managed to nick herself on the horn. ]

God, please don't tell anyone I'm secretly an idiot. What would my many, many admirers think?

[ It's more sarcastic and self-depreciating than truly arrogant. ]