MINGLE ∞ LOG — June 2025

[thediadem]

Mingle ∞ Log

No Lifeguard on Duty

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Jump ⇅ :: Intro — Prompts — NPC Interaction

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.

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Travel — Map — Setting

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.

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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.

Questions? Ask here

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Comments

[exarched]

"That I cannot answer with any real confidence," G'raha admits. That the pirates he knows are those who turned over that full life of crime to build a more esoteric society is very interesting to G'raha, but he feels that the joys of the free and lawless ocean may be more what this young man prefers. So he keeps that particular potential disappointment to himself. Instead, he offers,

"But there are a number of different factions ever at odds with one another."

Over...mostly silly thing these days, it seams. He has heard much about the erstwhile son of House Durendaire and his woes.

"It would stand to reason that it would be abandoned, but might not it be repurposed as well?" In G'raha's experience there are few things that are wholly lost to time. Potentially to the conscious mind, but never entirely. "Mayhap it is merely in use by a new brand of pirates sworn to secrecy."

[godjr]

"They always do end up being at odds, don't they?" He doesn't mean pirates, he means everyone. People of all species and backgrounds. It seems to be the most consistent truth. Jack finds it interesting because his birth father would blame it all on humans, but he knows that it's true of everyone, and now he has proof that's true across worlds. Maybe in a way that can be comforting. Something everyone has in common.

"But I know pirates in legend in particular were. Wars with the navy but with each other too. For more gold." Jack could get a lot of gold if he wanted to but he wouldn't understand the reason behind it. Trust Jack to absorb more information about pirates than he does about most useful things.

He smiles at that idea. "I would like that. Maybe that's what we should say happened." Jack is fine with making up a possible fantasy and calling it truth. Or maybe when he goes home, if he manages to survive his fate, he can go look for himself. The fact he never explored is one of the things he regrets, but death is in the cards. "I am Jack."

[exarched]

G'raha takes him literally, but he finds himself agreeing nonetheless and nods. Pirates--or otherwise--do often find themselves at odds. Whether it be treasure, territory, or the basic needs of life, the struggle to define oneself and your right to exist is never over.

Or, you know, gold. Gold and riches in general is a simple enough desire.

"I have oft found that the tales of true adventurers and heroes are more compelling than those writ purely for entertainment." But he is also incredibly biased, being a historian and friend of probably the greatest hero of them all.

G'raha extends his hand towards the other man.

"'Tis a pleasure, Jack, our esteemed pirate historian. I am G'raha Tia." It is always nice to meet someone with such a friendly disposition. "You have been meeting Thomas' questions with ease."

[godjr]

"There aren't as many true ones where I'm from than fiction. The world isn't really made for as much noble adventure." The world he knows is gritty and morally gray and there are as many tragic stories as there are thrilling ones. He does love history and learning about it, but he gets more out of the fantasy movies and television he loves so deeply. Jack has spent hours surrounding himself in fantasy of grand adventures and noble heroes as a sort of blueprint for himself to follow, to try to be like the people he idolizes.

Jack typically waves as a greeting but he politely takes G'raha's hand and carefully shakes it. He doesn't currently know where his strength level is at the moment so he doesn't want to accidentally break any bones. Because of that he has a very gentle grip, but that suits his similar expression.

"Pirate historian! I like that. I always thought if I had a real education, I would like history class." Jack's education was its own thing and none of it took place within a classroom. He thinks he'd probably like all the classes. Jack genuinely loves to learn, just a lot of it is on his own.

"I like talking to Thomas. I'm not used to having so many questions at me."

[exarched]

What a curious thing to hear from a man who seemingly looks at the world around him with bright-eyed wonder. Or enthusiasm, at the very least. But G'raha cannot rightfully say such a statement is untrue--adventures are oft as marvelous as they are terrifying, and as eager as G'raha is to impart on them (especially with a certain someone), it is never without risk.

Pleasant, but wise. That is how G'raha sees this statement from Jack. G'raha shakes his hand back for a few beats before releasing it.

"Are you not?" Another nugget of information. G'raha glances from Thomas to Jack. "Well, you appear to be quite skilled at answering them. Might I ask you a few more of mine own?"

[godjr]

"No, I don't talk to a lot of people, usually. I've led a very sheltered life." Which is part of why Jack greets the world with bright-eyed wonder. It's from someone who hasn't had a lot of experience. He isn't mad about that, he was kept close to his family to protect him and the world from him, but it does mean he lacks a lot of social awareness and comfort. The fact he is so honest speaks to that, as someone who never learned how to lie successfully.

He thought that Thomas was asking them because he had to, he was programmed to, and that was fine. But for G'raha to seem interested in asking them of him for genuine interest, that's exciting. And it makes him a little shy, but he smiles, blue eyes fixed on the cat man. His attention is very forward. "Of course, you can ask me anything!"

[exarched]

Sheltered? Mayhap that would explain his friendliness if life has yet to teach him there is need to be more cautious, but G'raha wouldn't draw such conclusions so soon after meeting someone.

"Well, I would say you have the spirit of adventure." Wanting to see what it would be like for pirates and whatnot. G'raha would not exactly call it naive, as he thinks that admiration of novelty is important. Life is never guaranteed and it is best to enjoy it.

Still, G'raha is glad that it isn't just Thomas' creativity that has Jack's attention. "I would like to learn more about you and your world. What is the name of your star, if I may start with that? And how exactly would you describe it in a broad sense?"

[godjr]

Jack's learned that it's the world that needs to be cautious of him. The most danger he is in is being manipulated by the wrong people, and he really should be better about not trusting everyone he meets. It's a work in progress. But he thinks of himself as the threat ultimately, which is part of why he's been kept away from others. It's not a lack of interest. He's very interested in people and in engaging with everyone that he can.

"I would like to go on adventures." Maybe if he survives going back he'll be able to. It's a nice dream. Unlikely, but it's okay for him to have some hopes. As long as he's pragmatic about it. "Driving a motorcycle and coming to the city has been an adventure." So far he's gone farther and done more by himself than ever.

"The star ... you don't mean the sun?" That's the only star he knows. "If you mean the planet, it's called Earth. It's medium sized, it's not the largest in its galaxy. It is mostly made of ocean and the people on it have separated into various continents and countries within them." Jack's never thought about big picture Earth facts so he's thinking through what's interesting about it.

"It was made by the Almighty God, he calls himself Chuck, he's not a very good person, but his planets are beautiful. He created all life in his universe. I would have thought this universe was one of this, they're all supposed to be, but I'm thinking there probably are many that aren't his, and someone else made them."

[exarched]

G'raha will always encourage hope, whether it be for the masses or for oneself. Hanging onto hope is what lead him on the path he walks to this day and while the road may have been treacherous at times, it has been worth it. Every step.

"Indeed, especially if you are unused to such things." It seems many people have been from what he has gathered, though his own experience with creations like 'motorcycles' is limited. Would it be that the machines in this place ran on magic instead...he would be set!

Unfortunately G'raha has no frame of reference for just how amusing the name 'Chuck' would be for a god, but calling a singular one 'Almighty' is interesting. And it is easy enough for him to attribute that, yes, a god in Jack's particular region could indeed be responsible for such things. And if this 'Chuck' is not a very kind or thoughtful god, he could also see how they might claim all existence as their own.

"The myriad of creation stories even amongst cultures on the same star do lead to some speculation. Though I like to believe each has a bit of the truth wrapped inside." Mayhaps not to the extent they would imagine, but seeing how the world of the Ancients has translated to the Twelve in and of itself has been eye-opening. "The description of your planet does seem to mirror mine own. I don't suppose you have heard of Etheirys before?"

[godjr]

"Chuck would have reasons to say that everything in existence is his. I thought maybe he sent me here as punishment, but now I don't know, I think maybe this is out of his control." Jack might not have the word for narcissist but that's definitely what his grandfather is, so he would love to take credit for everything that ever existed, whether or not he did it.

Jack hasn't decided if he likes or hates that this could be something else's power. With Chuck, at least he knows why he would do this, to make him less of a threat. But it means he still has so much power over Jack. But the unknown of this place, it's intimidating too. Jack does think it's best if he goes back and fulfills his purpose, but he does get to drive a motorcycle and meet interesting new people. If he's stuck, he's going to like it more than most people.

"No, but it's a pretty name." He is so curious about other planets / stars. "What is Etheirys like? I see that you have other species there too." He waves a hand at G'raha; he's a cat man. He's not a human.