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

●●● the blocks - power outage ;

[avo]

[ Matt has been holing up in one of the harder-to-rent rooms, with (usually) bright red neon signage streaming fluorescent light in through the windows at all hours of the day and night. A problem for most, sure, but nothing to a guy who can't technically see. It's reminiscent of his place back in Hell's Kitchen so it's almost nostalgic, even if the furniture here is run down and the sheets are questionable, and the door's just about as flimsy as a board of drywall. That said, the rent matches the level of hospitality offered.

And just like home, the sound of sirens and screams are not uncommon.

He's mostly minding his own business now, charting a way to gain some answers about this place when he hears the rush of a heavy tread of boots against the floor down the hall — just before it's followed by a scream. He's out the door in an instant, maybe a little too quick, too focused for a regular guy in shitty clothes completely caught unawares by the dangerous commotion, when he notices you have emerged from your room too. ]

Quick — find a place to hide.

[ — he says, as he directly makes his way towards the sound of said scream. ]

[ginghamed]

[ dorothy's found work helping out at the hospital, which has been more or less what she's used to even in an unfamiliar world (it helps that she's recently had to make do with more primitive materials). she's decided on the motel when it comes to lodging, figuring she's better off staying somewhere cheaper in hopes of paying off her debts faster.

part of her is still hoping she'll be out of here before then, but she's learned she can't count on that.

she's arriving back to the room she's been occupying when the lights flicker before going out entirely, leaving her and the rest of the motel's patrons in the dark. dorothy steps back from her door, trying to overhear discussion on what might have happened, when she hears heavy footsteps followed by a scream.

she's about to take off down the hall when the door beside hers flings open and a man steps out, who glances towards her before telling her to hide, taking off in the direction of the commotion ]

No way. [ her keys are shoved in her pocket as she takes off after him, catching up quickly. ]

[avo]

You know I'm running towards danger and not away from it, right?

[ Matt turns to face the woman just past his shoulder. Look, he just has to make sure.

Far be it from him to keep someone from their own death wish, Lord knows he's had his own streak with that, but he's going to have to make sure that he helps the victim up ahead and keeps this woman here out of harms way.

Still. Who knows what kind of state they're in?

There's another scream and a shuffle of feet caught up in a struggle as they turn the sharp corner to one of the rooms just on the other side. Matt doesn't hesitate to throw himself onto the assailant from behind, arms locking around him to pull him back from his victim: a slightly older woman with what looks like a sack of what must be valuable clutched in a death-grip in one hand. ]

[ginghamed]

Yeah, and what's your plan when you get to it?

[ it's not as if she has one, either, but still. even if she can't help fight she can at least help get whoever's in danger out of it and tend to whatever injuries they may have.

it's not long before they reach it, and since the man she's been trailing has the assailant handled for now, dorothy darts towards the woman, putting herself between her and the scuffle in front of her. ]

Did he hurt you?

[avo]

Easy. [ And for the first time, his mouth twitches into a small smile. ] I get the guy to leave the woman alone.

[ And he thinks that's the end of it. His focus goes to accomplishing his reckless quest, no thought spared for anything else. One might even think there's a part of him that enjoys this bit the most.

One might be right.

It's only after he's been struck at the knees and the two men go down in a tussle of fists and knees that Matt spares a glance for the woman's safety — and notes that the woman from earlier is here. Like, right here.

He should have been more surprised.

The older woman shakes her head, hands trembling and responds, I'm fine, just another day in the Blocks. He's got my ring though. My husband's ring.

And Matt, in the midst of absorbing a punch to the jaw, shouts: ]

Get her out of here!

[ginghamed]

[ the smirk is enough to prompt a raised eyebrow before she watches him throw himself at the assailant, though her attention's drawn back to the woman before long. she tells her she's fine and dorothy is somewhat skeptical as she looks her over, but it appears to be true aside from the shock of the attack.

the man who'd rushed into danger tells her to get the woman out of here, and she nods, mostly to herself, before taking one of the woman's hands and guiding her arm around her waist. ]

I'm gonna get it back. But we need to get you to safety, okay? Which one is your room?

[avo]

[ Another firm strike to the face, and Matt can feel cartilage and bone beneath his knuckles as the thug goes down in a crash of limbs, slamming into the wall. He shouts out in pain, but he still seems to be made of sterner stuff, tripping Matt to climb over him and lock him in while blood spurts everywhere. Something small and shiny slips out from a pocket, landing with a soft tink! to the floor not too far from where Matt is working to free himself from a blood-smeared head-lock.

The woman, shaken by the sudden sight of blood has to take a second or two before she looks back in Dorothy's direction and allows her to guide her away from the violence.

My room? Oh, yes. Yes, it's just there, just behind them., she says. I was just trying to get back home. ]

[ginghamed]

[ she'd been hoping to guide the woman back to her room, but that's not going to be possible with the scuffle in front of them, so she guides them down a bit to where hers is located. ]

Okay, I'm gonna take you to mine to wait things out. It looks like he's gonna need help.

[ they're moving quickly enough that it's not long before they reach it, and dorothy unlocks the door and makes sure the woman is safely inside (oh, thank you dear, make sure you stay safe, all right? it looks dangerous.) before running back down the hall to where the two men are struggling.

she lifts her hands, red and gold already materialized around her hands, and focuses her energy on the assailant, forcing him to let go and pinning him against the wall.

it's taking more effort than usual. she's not going to be able to hold him for long. ]

Get back!

[ it's shouted to the man who'd been helping as she walks closer, walking over to them as she keeps one hand focused on holding the attacker back. her hand's trembling and she draws in a breath, refocusing on keeping him pinned as she crouches to retrieve the woman's ring. ]

[magike]

( she'd been trying to read, having "found" a book during the day and using it to pass a little of the time that evening. it was difficult enough between the darkness and the sounds from other rooms and outside that frustrated her but she'd persevered.

until it got louder and it had her putting the book down with a frustrated sigh, pulling open the door.

she spots the man from the nearby room, frowning when he tells her to hide when he does the exact opposite )

Is there any reason you're not?

( it's at least asked in hushed tones. she also isn't hiding but she's not come more out either )

[avo]

[ Matt shakes his head, offering the clearest, iron-clad answer possible. ]

Doesn't matter.

[ Look. He's already assuming she'll do what he suggested because the majority of people he's dealt with while pulling reckless stunts like this one under a mask don't usually want to get involved. They're more than happy to head in the opposite direction, and that's exactly how he'd prefer it; that's kind of the point of this — allowing people to just live their lives.

He moves forward with a last: ]

Enjoy your evening, ma'am.

[ Mere moments later, she'll see him join the others down the hall. They're startled for the moment, sure, but are largely unsurprised by the appearance of what they think is another thug trying to compete for the winnings.

Matt delivers the first blow. It lands.

Through the open door, there's another scream but the victim (an old lady with her valuables clutched in one hand) has moved back into her apartment, and her assailant has followed. Matt clutches at the shoulders of the first guy and shoves him back through — hard.

His buddy however, still outside, takes the opportunity to get the upper-hand on Matt from behind while he's busily dealing with the first one. He picks up a plank of 2x4 and marches in, disappearing from view — just past the door frame. ]

[mogger]

Excuuuuuse me? Hide?

[ yuffie isn't as much of a dogooder as matt, but the sound of sirens has piqued her interest, and more importantly, she is!! offended!! that he would ever tell her to hide!! she follows after him, with her hands on her hips ]

Who do you think you're talking to? I'm the amazing ninja Yuffie Kisaragi, and I hide from nothing!

[ that's not actually true but she's all worked up now ]

[avo]

[ Genuinely — what?

This has Matt pausing, turning to get a feel for the loud presence. He can sense the adrenaline in her veins, the way she's ramped herself up as though she might pick something with him. But she is just a kid, and an exuberant one at that — so she gets a pass on blowing his cover. ]

A ninja, huh?

[ He's ... still a little doubtful about that. ]

Last I heard, ninjutsu stresses the art of stealth and keeping to the shadows.

[ She may as well have blasted a siren along the floor, alerting them to their position.

So much for the sneak attack. ]