Mingle ∞ Log
No Lifeguard on Duty
Summary
What's going on?
An
unexpected heat wave in mid-June, coupled with the cycling shutdown of all air conditioning units in motels across the Blocks, has made the summer unbearable. Meanwhile, the ever-eager
storm chaser,
Felix Bjurstrom, has uncovered a
fancy resort with a pool in a diffusion zone only 1 hour out from Panorama. Lucky, right? Well...kind of. It's got some quirks.
When is this happening?
June 10 - 30
What should I know?
- This area is one of many diffusion zones that appear throughout the planet.
- A storm chaser is someone dedicated to studying the cosmic phenomenon in the Diadem. Felix is a pioneer in his field.
- A winding highway filled with old empty barrels will take you to the zone.
- Characters can travel with a friend to save on gas! Parking's limited, so it might not be a bad idea.
- At any given time, there's max several dozen visitors. Most work long hours, some are traveling through the diffusion zones, and others prefer not to risk the drive or waste precious gas, so it won't draw a huge crowd (but there's still a crowd!).
- This is a mingle rather than an event. Plot-heavy elements will be minor. The game's first proper event will be posted in July!
What does my character know?
- Having lost his phone, Felix will spread the word using good old-fashioned printed posters that he's put up around Panorama. A young woman is seen helping him. They appear to be close. Some say that's his daughter.
- Though the timing is impossible to predict accurately, Felix believes that due to this zone's unusual proximity to an anchor point, it has a high chance of persisting for 2-3 weeks.
- Directions are printed on the posters, though characters are also free to stumble across the zone by accident.
∞ Links ∞
Introduction
The resort looks like your typical upscale vacation spot: a beautiful pool, lovely cabins, and plenty of pool chairs. The sky is
perpetually nighttime and there are
two moons. One moon is smaller than its sister and glows purple. The other looks like the Earth's moon. The weather is
pleasantly warm. In fact, conditions are almost
too perfect.
Other
fluxdrifts are here, too, and you might come across them, all of whom are taking advantage of the pool. They'll converse superficially with you and will come and go randomly. You'll want to keep a close eye on your belongings. Other than cooling off, this isn't a bad place to start making connections. Life in the Diadem is better when you've got allies if not friends.
Just outside the resort is a
spacious parking lot, designed for visitors. Nobody's following parking rules so put your car anywhere it fits. If you get blocked in, well, that's a problem for when you leave.
At the end of June, the diffusion zone will flicker and morph into an unremarkable overgrown park, long abandoned to the decades.
Prompts
As you wander around, you discover deactivated androids in many of the poolside huts. These androids cannot be mistaken for any organic species: their chassis is metal, and their heads are shiny. Circuits and wires are visible. But each is dressed distinctly human in a way that borders on disturbing. You spot lipstick drawn on some of the metal faces, as though they're playing dress up...or as if they don't realize they aren't human. One android is frozen in place with a diary clutched in its hands. Another has a hairbrush for its nonexistent hair.
Something seems to have destroyed them—perhaps a powerful EMP wave that knocked them all out. All except one.
The Bartender
The poolside bar is at the eastern end of the resort. There are plenty of seats. A few are occupied by deactivated androids. The bartender is also an android and appears to be the only functional one in this place. He speaks with a modulated voice and has a neutral accent. He exhibits the following behaviors if you sit at his bar:
- Icebreaker. Whether you're alone or with a companion, he'll try to get you all to be friends, asking random self-generated icebreaker questions. He'll be visibly disappointed if you don't play along.
- Bartending. While cheerful, he can't make the correct drink: it's always too strong, incredibly weak, added salt instead of sugar, messed up the ice. He's obviously doing his best, but it's just not working. The harder he tries, the worse he performs until it becomes a comedy of errors with stuff falling over, ice dumped in your lap, champagne corks flying, and any number of slapstick mishaps. You can help him out by mixing the drink yourself.
If you're nice to him, he'll introduce himself as Thomas Lustras. He's happy to
tell you about his son. Strange, you think, but who says androids can't have paternal instincts? Yet, when the android takes out his wallet to show you a photo of his son—named Edward Lustras—the picture is that of a
human child, roughly 5 years old, in the arms of his
human father.
The driver's license in the same wallet confirms that Thomas is (was?) a real person. The picture on the license matches the human male in the photo. A half-scorched business card states that Thomas was a consultant at Outer Rim Resettlements. Thomas believes he's on a company retreat and wistfully declares he's eager to return home to his son.
Maybe don't look too closely. After all, this place will soon disappear. And so will he.
The Grill
It's not a vacation without a grill! Not a grillable item is in sight, though, so you'll have to rely on what you can bring out of Panorama. Some of the visiting drifters will pitch in to share, unloading hotdogs (some synthetic, others authentic, and some far past expiry), burger patties (same) and buns, and "kebabs" made of blocky frozen vegetable squares. The squares vaguely resemble corn, mushrooms, and pineapple. The texture is passable, like a flavor-infused block of tofu.
Fire up the grill and take turns grilling. You'll also have to manage the propane. The grill's also prone to sputtering out, requiring regular minor repairs to get it back up and going. Any loose bolts or screws can be taken out of the dead androids to replace the rusty ones in the grill. You're unsure if you should feel uncomfortable doing that or what, but it is a solution.
Parking Woes
Like any crowded event, the parking lot can get chaotic, and the lawlessness of the diffusion zones doesn't help. While some are happy to help barbecue, others are more interested in picking fights over who got to the parking space first. It won't take much for a fistfight to break out, and a knife fight isn't out of the question, either, though nobody'll be killed (this time).
You can let the troublemakers beat each other, or you can try to intervene if somebody who doesn't deserve it is getting harassed. Just avoid causing too much of a scene. Breaking noses is acceptable; gutting someone head to toe is not. There are Enforcers visiting the zone, and if you interfere with their nice pool time, they won't hesitate to haul away everybody involved and make you sit in jail for a few days.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thediadem) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
diademlogs2025-06-08 10:11 am
the end ( of the month ).
So the ever changing Fringes means that she clocks the empty barrels only after the resort comes into view, and she finds herself climbing out of her car at the far edge of the parking lot when—
The horizon flickers. Then… disappears. ]
Oh. [ On an exhale. In its place is a park that has been left to its own devices far too long, lush and rough around the edges. She scans the area, from one end to the other, a frown crossing her features as she realizes that the resort is well and truly gone. At the end of her survey is another individual with a vehicle of their own, who presumably saw the same thing. Hello. At speaking volume— ] … I suppose we were warned of this.
no subject
manchildmisery. Lucina is parked a ways away, but can probablydefinitelyhear it. ]I’m so tired of sweating! [ The sigh is a whole body experience. A deeply sullen moment passes where he throws his beach(?? generous)towel back on his passenger seat and turns to stare at the park. The resigned nod. ] Seems about right. Just my luck.
[ He seems to accept his fate, giving a little wave. ]
I really was hoping for water. Or air-con. Or anywhere that might not have sneaky snakes hiding in the weeds?
no subject
So: Martin gets a small, apologetic smile. Lucina may not know what air-con is ( one day, she'll put two and two together and figure out that's what AC stands for ), but she gets the gist of it. He's got a giant towel that practically screams wanting a dip in water. And while she had every intention of scouting a different part of the Fringes today, that's ... sort of what this is, in a way. It's not the resort anymore, is it? ]
We could venture inside if you'd like. If nothing else, the shade should provide some relief from the sun. [ There's a tilt of her head towards the overgrown part. A beat, then— ] The snakes should not be harmful in this kind of climate. [ But if they are, she's got a sword. She'll figure it out. ]
no subject
He picks up on what she's suggesting and takes a moment, before rummaging back to grab his bag. It goes over the shoulder as he makes his way over. Seems like there'd been a walking path once. Now it's grown over with the rest, and there's… a lot? He can't quite tell. ]
Guess it's worth a little bit of look over. Wonder how far it stretches out?
[ Maybe it could be a worthwhile trip after all, and he's kind of enjoyed exploring the fringes. Oddly reminiscent of the past year before getting slapped into this reality, without the guilt, and he is curious. ]
Oh I'm not too worried. I just don't want to step on a little guy and have to pry it off my ankle. Besides... [ it's not a sigh. Maybe a resigned breath. ]
We were warned… [ the pleasantries are shared. I'm Martin blah blah blah. It's kind of cool if you don't consider how much a downgrade it is, etc. He motions to the path ]
If you don't mind being slowed down by me taking notes here and there I'd be happy to explore together.
no subject
So, when he offers— ]
I'm in no rush. [ Without hesitation. Genuinely, just like the rest of her. She reaches to pull a low-hanging branch out of their way, motioning for Martin go first. A brief glance inside shows that it's just an overgrown park, eerily silent as the rest of the Fringes.
She falls into step with him easily. ] Is there anything in particular you're looking to research? [ That's what people take notes for, right... That's what Laurent seemed to take notes for. Research. ]
no subject
…I mean he is, but damn. ]
Oh, well, I guess I just want to get a better idea of what’s going on with these… Do they shift and remain unchanged until the next cosmic hiccup slaps another thing down in its place? Are there ones that seem to have a rotation here?
[ He’s very animated in how he goes when in a proper ramble. This feels so similar to parts of the landscape he'd marched through, but so far, infinitely less menacing. For instance, there's proper birdsong when he stops long enough to breathe and just take in the path they're on. Another thought crosses his mind and he pauses to gently poke the bark of a nearby tree with his pencap. ]
Morbid, but what do you think happens if somone is inside one of these pockets when they flicker out?
[ That. That gets a quick jot in the notepad. Nope nope nope. ]
no subject
Besides — quiet confidence or otherwise, she immediately does a double take at his questions. Her eyes are a little wider. Huh. None of those things sure crossed her mind. It's probably a good thing they pause, because she would have stumbled on a tree root if they kept walking like this.
The bark, when poked, does absolutely nothing. The entirety of the park they've seen so far is unremarkable, especially in comparison to what had been here not more than a few minutes ago. If she hadn't seen it herself, she probably would not have believed that entire areas could just pop in and out of existence like this.
She frowns at a nearby tree. ] Now that you mention it... many were warning others not to stay in one of these for too long, especially once it started getting close to a fortnight. [ ... ]
Perhaps we'll find our answer once we're deeper inside. [ For better, or for worse. She's still committed to the adventure for now. ]
no subject
Oh yeah, that’s right. Something about it being closer to an anchor keeps them here longer –
[ He’s awkward, but he’s not the kind of guy to loom. Already, he’s scouting for a good walking stick, a clipped sound of victory when he finds one that he deems safe and worthy of their adventure. Could he be less golden retriever? He uses it to poke around in the grass, which is dismissed quickly enough. ]
I already miss Thomas. I had to help him make a few drinks, and he told me all about his son. He had…more skin in the photographs.
[ Spoken like a man who has his perception of normal twisted by happenstance. He cranes his head to look ahead, eager to see what else this sad little park holds. With his walking stick, he gives camp counselor vibes. He’d whistle a little tune, but he’s not completely at ease, not yet. ]
Have you been exploring the Fringes for long?
hey martin why were you expecting the tree to swallow you
Which is what makes it stranger. It's also probably what's keeping her from relaxing, the more she thinks about it. Not that she's ever been one to relax, but it's the principle of the matter. She's not as obvious about looking around as he is, but her gaze do dart to the foliage, then back on the path. Then to Martin, then back to the foliage, then—
If the horrors aren't going to be the end of her, the paranoia will do it. At least her hand's not reaching for her sword yet. That's something. ]
Not exactly — I've only just arrived a little over a month ago. [ Give or take — her head tilts the next time her eyes are back on Martin. Strangeness aside— ] Though it may be worth making a habit out of it. [ She's never been much of an investigator, but. Well. It's not like she has much else to do right now. Outside of trying to get out of debt. ]
Nothing at home could just ... appear and disappear like this. I don't think any of our sorcerers could manage such a feat.
don't yuck his yums
Ahem.
She’s not wrong to suspect the mundane. He’s just making sure that things stay mundane. He seems to make a note after she tells him about the general time she arrived, just for science. ] Mm. Right, that’s close enough to when John and I arrived. Did anything – [ He looks contrite, blowing out a breath and forging onward anyway. ] anything traumatic happen shortly before you woke up here?
[ LOOK AT HIM, DRAWING A SAD FACE IN THE DIRT PATH. lmao. But look, he’s not going to miss an opportunity when it presents itself. ]
That’s a bit personal. Don’t feel like you need to answer. [ The Martin awkward stammer is present but unaccounted for. I’m lazy. ] It does seem to be a common link between many here. [ He shrugs, and continues to walk and talk, sounding thoughtful. ] We had pockets, but not like this. This doesn’t seem to have any purpose?
[ The wind blows through the branches overhead, and he swears they sound offended, but it’s probably not a thing. ]
you're right, my bad
A beat. Eventually, she shakes her head. ]
... I can't say it did. [ If 'shortly' here means moments before. The rest of her life can probably be classified as traumatic in varying degrees, but the last few weeks had been peaceful for the first time since her childhood. No threat on her world, no dragon to slay. A bright future for her country she fought to protect.
There's a small shrug of her shoulders. Almost sheepishly— ] There was a tree root in my path, and I ... tripped. Next thing I knew, I awoke here with a broken arm. [ Not exactly her finest moment, but at least the arm's healed. Anyway, all of this circles back around to the reason that she frowned. Her single theory since arriving here, please clap. ]
Perhaps we're similar to these diffusion zones. That is to say — if things arrive here with no real purpose, then we could disappear without reason as well. [ Okay, so it's probably not the most comforting theory. ]
np it's just ~niche~
[ This might be a better way to understand how well the helper bots manage their healing practices. How much of John’s healing was science and how much of it was spooky Eldritch tomfoolery? ]
That’s just …so much less traumatic. I’m kinda envious. [ He is. He is actually deeply envious, but she’s gonna have to probe for that sweet, sweet ep200 lore dump.
Her theory makes him frown slightly. ] So much for the vacation… [ That’s not what bothers him. He doesn’t want to lose John again. ] It’s a possibility– everything is but I don’t know how well that would work out for us.
[ He sounds unsure, but shrugs it off. ] Or, we need to keep to the anchors. Or have an anchor. Did you arrive with anyone from home?
no subject
Er— it was the medbots, for the most part. [ As far as she can tell, she doesn't exactly heal faster than anyone else.
The next question though. Hm. ] And ... I believe I'm alone. [ There's a quiet resignation at that; it's neither good or bad, really. It just is. It's not the first time she's been in this position either so there's a small shrug to accompany it. ] At least, I have yet to see another familiar face.
How about yourself? Have you arrived with anyone?
forgive the cronch
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
wildcard-ish
Hair pinned up to keep it well away from the water, outfitted in an appropriate swimsuit, he'd waded into the shallows and... well. Time is short.
When Lucina rolls up, she'll find what looks like a disembodied torso just kind of standing there. In reality, he's buried up to the waist in earth that seems to have just re-formed around his body, while the rest of him is still soaking wet, with no pool in sight.
He will probably be struggling to get out of this situation in just a second but at the moment he's still staring into the middle distance and processing his grief. ]
i'm still so distraught on his behalf i need you to know this
She definitely doesn't expect to find a person.
And it shows, too — she ducks past a particular low branch, and visibly jumps at the sight of a man growing out of the ground. The reaction is violent enough that her first instinct is to reach immediately for the hilt of her sword, eyes widening as her body tenses, and ...
... Oh. No. That's just a person. Maybe? She hasn't let go of the Falchion yet, but her shoulders drop. Alarm turns to suspicion, then to concern. Is he... stuck? ] Er— are you alright?
don't be he deserves this
M-my apologies, Miss. I was in the pool and... Then I was not. [ He looks down at himself, then back up at her. ] Would you be so kind as to quickly end my life so that I might avoid a slow death of embarrassment or heat stroke?
[ Never let it be said that Adrian isn't dramatic. ]
incorrect he's never done anything wrong ever
Anyway — his ramping mortification aside, she still manages to look bewildered through his explanations. It's taking her a second to digest all of it ( he was in the resort... until the resort was gone, and in its place came where they are now; what does this mean? ). Then another one, for good measure.
Then she laughs, quiet but entirely helpless. It's not the position he's stuck in, to be clear. It's what he said. Death by embarrassment, asking her to raise her sword against him — apparently she finds all of this incredibly funny. Congratulations on being the first one to make her laugh Adrian, last time she was in a game it took her like 6 months.
Fortunately, she recovers quickly enough. The smile on her face still lingers, but— ] I will do no such thing. [ Her head turns as she begins to look for something to free him with. Surely there's something somewhere. ] Can you still move your lower body? If so, we may be able to pull you out.
doubt.png
He slowly lowers his hands against the ground and tries to leverage himself up. He can wiggle just a bit, it's as if the earth has simply re-appeared around him, forming a perfect cast. ]
Not very well. [ He says, with his -1 strength score. ] Perhaps if we can dig some of this out, I'll be able to move enough to get free? Oh - but could you kindly pass my shirt and gloves to me first?
[ He can't have her touching his skin by mistake. ]
no subject
Of course. A moment. [ The shirt and gloves aren't too far from him — she hands the former first, then the latter, eyes still wandering in the area as she tries to spot something to dig him out. When nothing immediately jumps out — and once he's dressed, since he seems to care for the propriety of it all — she toes at the dirt with her boots. ]
The ground is soft enough that we should be able to use our hands. I'll start behind you, if that's alright? [ Not that she's... really waiting for his permission to do so. She crouches behind him, starting to dig. ]
no subject
Yes, that would be for the best. I'm Adrian, by the way. Usually I manage to introduce myself before people are trying to dig me out of trouble, but you'll have to take my word for it. [ He starts at the front and sides, trying to get as much dirt away from his hips as he can. ]
I suppose you were hoping for a last dip in the pool as well, when you came out here? Do you usually go swimming with your sword in hand? [ Teasing, since she doesn't seem to mind. ]
no subject
I actually — ah — returned here too see what had become of it. [ Not quite for a swim, considering she's never relaxed a day in her life. And despite her excellent track record of clocking one joke, that's sort of where her streak ends; which means this is going to be taken perfectly seriously. ] I hadn't expected the entire resort to just ... disappear in the blink of an eye.
— Though I suppose mentioning this to you is rather redundant. [ Sorry, Adrian. She's going back to digging you out, now. ]
no subject
Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Lucina. [ She's carrying a sword, so he reasons that she's probably a knight. Something in her bearing makes him think that she's unlikely to be a mercenary.
He doesn't mind that the joke seems to have gone over her head. It reminds him of an old friend, in fact. ]
It was very unexpected. [ He agrees, with a sigh of resignation. He's getting dirt all over his shirt cuffs, but he tries not to think about that. ] I was told that there are usually warnings, but not always, if you are unfortunate enough. It's quite bizarre, isn't it? As if the whole thing was only an illusion, and yet it was all so real. I've seen a lot of strange things during my travels, but nothing like this. What of yourself?
no subject
She's never been a knight. A soldier, yes. A princess, once, for a country that she abandoned. There was a time in her life where it would have been more accurate to call her a mercenary. But at this point, the title of it all doesn't really matter — so she leaves it be. ]
Nothing to this scale, no. I'd wager not even the best sorcerers I know could craft an illusion of this scale, let alone a whole ... landscape. [ If they could, Robin would have used it in some unthinkable, brilliant way to gain the upper hand in battle. Alas.
She's quiet for another moment. ] I believe this should be enough. Could you moving your torso? [ Lucina stands to take a few steps back, just in case. ]
no subject
Adrian nods in agreement. He's only heard rumors of places like this, where the weave is so damaged that magic, and the land itself, behave in ways that are entirely unexpected. It's not particularly comforting that he's met no one who seems to have any familiarity with it all.
He's about to ask another question when she speaks again. Oh — he is. Adrian places his hands against the ground to attempt to leverage himself up, pushing as best he can with his legs as well. It's not a very dignified affair, but to his utter surprise, he does manage to move. (Nat 20 somehow??) Painstakingly, he hauls himself up, but there's little leverage to be found against the dry earth. ]
Lady Lucina, if I could prevail upon you once more... [ He holds out a hand, requesting her strength to help get him the rest of the way out. ]
no subject
Anyway she was going to look for a vine or branch or something for a little more leverage, coming around to his front to start her search, but it turns out he's most of the way there. She's almost as surprised as he is — less a commentary on his strength and more a commentary on the fact that he's literally stuck in the ground — blinking dumbly at the outstretched hand. ]
Oh. Yes, of course. [ She grabs his hand to pull him out, but he's done most of the work; the entire process probably isn't graceful, ending with him dragged across his front a little ( rip his shirt... ), but he's finally out of the ground.
She'll help him stand, too. ] I trust you're not harmed anywhere?
(no subject)
🎀