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

marianna "monts" medina | original character

[nerine]

[OOC: Basic info here! DM if you'd like to thread something else.]

🌠 we've been on the run

[If Monts had any injuries on her person when she was found in the diffusion zone, they have all disappeared by the time she awakens in the medical tent, mildly remarking that she only feels sluggish but not necessarily hurt. She wouldn't know, really.

Now the owner of a new(?) Porsche, she is set upon the brave new world. She takes her time on the road, getting to know her new vehicle and driving at a steady speed. If you try to pass her or beep to make her go faster, Monts will simply call out with a sweet smile:]

Use your blinkers please! Muchos gracias!

[Why no, she will not speed up for you.

Karma, however, gets one over Monts by giving her a flat tire about half an hour away before she reaches the city. Must have been something she ran over, or the car was crappy to begin with. Still, after a minute or so, she's hardly put off. Instead, other drivers will see the young woman dragging her Porsche by the bumper behind her using an underhanded grip. As they pass by, she'll lift one hand to wave looking not at all bothered by the weight of her car in one hand.]

Hi there! Do you have a spare tire and a car jack? I don't want to drag this all the way to the city and then spend another hour looking for an auto mechanic.

🌠 looking out for number one

[Monts is keen to explore Panorama. While there are worries about her grandparents and the Midnight Grind, the anticipation of the new, if gritty, intrigues her. Trying new foods is always a must and after chatting with some of the vendors and finding out a temporary position was open as a cashier, Monts takes that as small victory. Other world or no, cash is always needed.

Still, a tiny celebration is in order. In the parking lot, Monts has set up an impromptu picnic on the hood of her car using the food samples including some free coffee. She'll gesture to whoever is nearby to join her.]

You just got here too right? C'mon over. I got too much to finish it all by myself. I can't promise the drink is good though.

[She takes a sip and wrinkles her nose.]

Ugh. This coffee's awful. I can totally make a better cup.

🌠 sinking, silent, set free

[She should have stayed back in the motel. The loneliness and boredom she felt being on her own drove her to answer Felix Bjurstrom's message and then follow a few others to the office building. As steps inside the building, the mark on the back of her neck stirs.

The buzzing and click of the lock catches her attention and she'll see someone trapped inside. Urgency floods through her usually dull senses and she runs to the window, knocking on it with her fist to get the attention of whoever's stuck inside.]

Hey!! Can you hear me?

[OOC: for this prompt, you can help her save a generic NPC or your character can be the one being saved!]

number one

[brandingproblem]

[It looks a little silly. But maybe a little silly is what people need. It's not lost on him, necessarily, but others might appreciate it more.

Food, though, is definitely appreciated.] That all the free stuff? [He shakes his head a little, bemused.] If they have so much, you'd think they'd keep it all together and then sell it instead.

[But what does he know. It's not like the staff cares so long as they get paid. He makes a motion to the cup.] I've had some pretty shit coffee in my time; I still prefer it to no coffee at all. [he's not an addict your face is an addict shut up]

[nerine]

Yup! Still, we could do better. I hope there's more groceries in stock next week cause that might mean better free samples.

[At that last statement, she lets out a laugh.]

I'm a barista so I'm the opposite; I'd rather do without than whatever this is.

[Still, waste not, want not. She chugs the whole thing down in one gulp and scrunches up her nose.]

Listen. If I have the supplies, I'm going to make sure better coffee is made around these parts.

[brandingproblem]

I'm sure if there are supplies for a half decent coffee, there's gotta be a Starbucks or some mom and pop cafe that's hiring. Don't those places have a pretty high turnover? [From stress of angry morning white-collars or from being staffed full of teenagers and college kids on break, or whatever.]

[nerine]

Yeah, that's what I've heard.

[Monts, holds out a cup of not-so-good coffee as an offering to the other man.]

But I liked the cafe I worked at. It's only been a year and now that I'm here, I won't know if that would have changed.

[brandingproblem]

[Not-so-good is still something, and something's usually better than nothing. He takes it with a little raise of the cup in silent thanks after, then plucks up a couple of the freebies on display to munch on.

Better than nothing.]

Guess we're all starting from scratch here. But those are still good skills. Transferable. Food industry skills, people person, retail type, cashiering. It's not glamorous, but apparently people are looking.

[nerine]

[Monts takes another sip of her coffee, looking thoughtful.]

Personally, I never aimed for glamorous.

[She just wanted to feel grounded and not like she was aimlessly drifting.]

What about you? What are your transferrable skills? If you don't mind me saying... [She looks him up and down and gestures with her hand.]

Bodyguard?

[brandingproblem]

[It's an assessment that gets a grin out of him, sharp and quick before it settles back to terribly mild-mannered.]

Also not as glamorous as people think. [It's only kind of a lie. He's done bodyguard jobs back when he was an agent. Always called it babysitting duty, and Coulson hated it every time he did. He'll slide into the sort of lie easy as anything, because what would the truth even look like at this point? 'Ex-superhero minus the super', maybe, or 'retired secret agent' if he wants to sound implausible, and both are better than 'vigilante cleaning up the streets of organized crime', which just sounds cringe.] How'd you guess?

flat tire

[longtooth]

[ If Fern was smart, she would simply focus on the white lines painted into the road and ride her motorcycle and keep riding until she reached Panorama. And honestly, in most cases she does consider herself decently street-smart.

She only stopped for Verso because they almost crashed and he drove into a ditch. She only stopped for Adrian (and Sunday) because it was Adrian.

Now, though...

Let's just say it's hard to miss the fact that such a petite girl is literally dragging her entire vehicle behind her. It's a sight to behold, and while Fern's seen feats of strength before, this is truly something else. She doesn't know how much these cars weigh, but given that they're all metal, it must be quite a load.

So she does slow to a stop, only for the girl to offer her a cheerful greeting. The only reason she has any idea what she's talking about is that she was present for Sunday and Adrian handling their own flat tire. ]

... These vehicles they sold us are hardly in the best shape, are they? [ No surprise that they've been swindled to some degree. She heaves out a sigh and shakes her head. ] I don't have any of those things [ no space on a relatively small motorcycle ], but I could try to help you wave someone else down.

[nerine]

[Oh, my! Monts squints her eyes to make sure she's registering Fern's appearance correctly and once she is sure her sight is working, she internally shrugs; truly, she was not the strangest being she's ever seen. There have been furrier customers that passed through the Midnight Grind.

She replies to her, chipper as ever.]

Yeah, these are totally busted. I wonder if these were cars that also randomly dropped here. I think that would explain it.

[At Fern's suggestion she nods and then carefully drags the car to the side of the road.]

If you don't mind, I'd sure like the company. Kind of a bad idea for a girl to be solo on roads like these.

[longtooth]

[ That's an interesting idea — that the vehicles they've been sold arrived here much the same way as them. Fern lets out a derisive snort. ]

If that's the case, then they definitely took advantage by selling them to us.

[ As if having "Crook" in the name hadn't been enough of a clue. Still, it's not like any of them had been given much choice. She's run into quite a few others who also bought one of these things for lack of a better option.

This girl included.

When the offer for help is accepted, Fern nods and carefully rides forward and then to the side to park her bike on the strip of road that isn't actually road. There's a line that distinguishes it, so they'll just have to hope that anyone who's driving past is paying attention. ]

Hmm. [ The comment is a fair one, even if Fern doesn't entirely relate. She looks the stranger up and down. ] With strength like that, I doubt you would be in much trouble.