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

[foretells]

Dumplings...

[ Look, she's French Lumerian; she isn't sure of all of the names. But she did catch that one. Sciel sort of...rattles her cup around to look for what she's hoarded away, reaching in to grab a cheese cube and pop it in her mouth. But she does end up finding one there at the bottom. ]

Ooh, here. These things?

[ She motions for him to open a hand for what she has. ]

They smell really good.

[littlemushroom]

Mhm, that one. They did smell good.

[[They do smell good. He really had wanted to try them, and with it right there under his nose, he found no reason to not go along with this. With his own little cup in one hand, he somewhat awkwardly held open his other hand. He's clearly very good at exchanges.]]

Would you like an egg?

[foretells]

Ooh, yeah, if you're willing to part with one. Thought those were interesting.

[ Possibly alarming, too, but hey... You can't know what's good if you don't experiment.

Sciel's careful with it all, minimizing touch to be polite. She scoots the dumpling out of her cup and into his palm, and sort of rattles her cup again to get a good look at what she has left. Not overmuch, but that's okay. She'll swing through again later and maybe someone will take a little pity on her. ]

Just want to make sure you've got enough. It's gonna be a rough journey if we're all starving, yeah?

[littlemushroom]

Mm!

[[Not realizing all these careful interactions were for his own benefit, An Zhe simply followed her lead. The dumpling was deposited safely into his waiting palm, and in exchange he offered her his own cup so she could choose which of the odd delights she wanted. The outstanding choices were a piece of cheese, the aforementioned egg, and... another egg! Wow!]]

That's true. It'd be tough. [[And looking out for that was very kind of her.]]

I don't need much, but thank you.

[foretells]

[ Oh, now this won't do. She's got more food than him, even by passing along the dumpling. Sciel hides her frown with another smile. She takes his cup gently and goes to shake the egg into her own cup but--

Oh, what's this? It looks like she's dumped two of her pieces into his instead! How silly and clumsy of her. Oh well! Guess she can't take it back. So she hands him back his cup. ]

Here you go. Though I think we ought to try another pass and see what else we can get before they close up. Not sure when we'll find much more after this, unless we keep circling for samples every day.

[ She's got to find some chroma. Or...whatever accounts for currency around here. It's so strange to feel like she should be seeking something normal when this whole situation is anything but. ]

[littlemushroom]

[[Oh. Oh no. Somehow the position of her cup had changed completely on accident and she was very unintentionally making a big goof! Oh no. Oh no?? How could this have happened. What could have possibly prevented this!

An Zhe did not know and was honestly a little baffled. Yet in his hands his cup returned, filled with more bounty than it had left them. There was a distinct moment where it looked like he was trying to figure out how he could correct this very obvious oversight.]]

Um... but... [[Please ma'am. Your cup! Why has the conversation already moved on! Here was some more obvious cup fiddling happening.]]

I wonder how many times we can get away with wandering through. But maybe they're used to multiple revisits?

[foretells]

[ Oh nooooo, it's almost like he has to accept it. Oh noooooo!

Sciel catches his eye as he starts to protest and she shakes her head. A finger goes to her lips and she nudges him just a bit with her shoulder. He's not going to turn this back on her. She's tough, she can go without a little bit of food. And if she gets hungry, she can always bully Verso or Gustave and get food from them instead. (She won't, but...) ]

It's possible. I mean, 'samples' implies they'll have more for people? We could probably go back tomorrow. But little things like this won't keep people fed. I'm guessing we'll need to do some work or create partnerships.

[ She knows how to farm and can help people grow things. But seeing the way the land is, she doesn't think that's going to work too well. Maybe they have an arena here for some fighting and bets... ]

[littlemushroom]

[[No... how terrible... He had meant it when he'd said he didn't need a lot. Sure, he hadn't found a nice patch of dirt he really trusted yet, but this place didn't seem as desolate as the Flatlands. Just... questionable. It was going to be questionable dirt. An Zhe wasn't sure what sort of questionable nutrients were in questionable dirt.

A mushroom was just going to have to be appreciative of kind gestures in the meantime. He mumbled a small 'thank you' when he was nudged.]]

Mhmm... I'm not looking forward to job hunting again.

[[His resume was as questionable as all the dirt.]]

Money is so difficult.

[foretells]

It really can be.

[ Lumiere has never had a surplus of workers, at least not when she's been alive. Too few people, too much work to do. That's why she'd been able to transfer so easily to being a teacher. And yet, this city just feels so crowded, she has a hard time feeling like there will be much they can do that won't be odd jobs here and there.

And are they just expected to...stay here? It just feels uncomfortable, and she isn't certain she wants to linger on the ramifications. ]

I'm sure there's something like a bulletin board somewhere. And worse comes to worse, I bet there's work to be had around here, helping out newcomers like us.

[littlemushroom]

[[The Northern Base wasn't much different. If people didn't make the cut for the specialized fields, all that was left was mercenary work and the black markets. All things he was Very Bad At, as a noodle.

An Zhe had stumbled into all his previous jobs entirely by luck, and he wondered if that luck would continue all the way here. If they had to be here.]]

Mmm, probably. It seems like people appearing isn't uncommon. [[He frowned a bit.]] Unfortunately.

[foretells]

That doesn't mean it's common for people to stay.

[ That's the part that settles uncomfortably in her stomach. On one hand, it could mean they've wandered back home, no harm and no foul. Sciel doesn't hold to that, though, even if her easy smile is meant to assuage any concern. People who disappear are likely not in good shape, and she doesn't like to pretend otherwise.

But for others, she can keep a hopeful face. ]

And if they're used to people showing up, it means it shouldn't be strange for us to be looking for jobs or wanting to help out. It skips the whole awkward bit where we try to tell people we blew in from a different world and everything's a bit odd.

[littlemushroom]

[[That doesn't mean it's common for people to stay.

It was a very hopeful sentiment. An Zhe wasn't sure if he were allowed to partake in that bit of hope, regardless of how true or not it could be. Knowing his presence had always meant to be temporary, it felt out of place to hope this one might be too so that he could return to those he left behind.

He fiddled with his cup.]]

That's true.

... I think chocolate covered eggs still count as a sign that it's all a bit odd though.

[foretells]

[ The comment takes her so off guard that Sciel can't help but laugh. It's a crystal clear sound, short, but genuine. She nudges him gently with her shoulder, just a little tap, as if she's afraid she might bowl him over if she causes too much of a ruckus. ]

Yeah, well. If it's the oddest thing we encounter, I'll be all too grateful.

[ The things she's seen on the continent were so much stranger than chocolate eggs. She'll take the harmless over something that could kill her. ]

At least they're pretty tasty. Shockingly.

[littlemushroom]

[[An Zhe didn't go nudging her back or anything because he'd break his shoulder, but he did let a tiny smile slip. He knew laughter was a good thing, and she had a nice one.]]

Mmmhmm! It's very surprising!

[[He'd just go ahead and pop one in his mouth! So weird, yet so satisfying. How did they do it. And where did... oh. An Zhe was midchew when he lifted a contemplative hand in front of his mouth, brows furrowing slightly.]]

... I don't think I want to know where they came from. I hope it's not giant bugs again...

[foretells]

[ Giant bugs... Oh. Hm. Yeah, she could've gone a bit longer in life without having to entertain that kind of thought. She rattles her own little cup around and pops a bit of cheese into her mouth. At least she knows where that's from.

...Maybe. ]

It might be best to not think about it. I'm sure there's other food we can get at some point that's less...ah...questionable.

[ Bread and cheese are normal things, right? And that's all one needs to live off of if you're French Lumerian, right...? ]

[littlemushroom]

[[Don't forget the butter, Sciel. Also a very normal, very French Lumerian thing probably. All very luxurious items to a fella that mostly ate potato soup.]]

Mmhmm. I am no longer thinking about it. [[Just put it right out of mind.]]

I did get to try something called ramen the other day. It was very delicious and noodley.