Diamond City Adventures

Diamond City is a society teetering on the brink of disaster -- but at least they're having fun doing it.    It was seventy-five years ago when the world suddenly ended. At least, it ended for Diamond City and its coastal island. They lost all contact to the outside world, and the city was overrun with shadowy creatures. A mysterious company named Numeral 5 emerged from the shadows to protect the people. Their leader and founder, Jinzo Yagiri, led a small team into battle against the shadows, which they called "husks." Still, the hoards were unceasing. In the face of this insurmountable enemy, the residents of Diamond City did the only thing they could...they went higher to avoid the flood.   The city grew, layer upon layer, reaching toward the sky above, as the lower levels were slowly consumed by darkness. The realm beneath them was quickly dubbed "The Underworld" or "The Undercity" as many believed hell was quite literally rising up to meet them. Areas consumed by the dark miasma became otherworldly and warped, and those who were lost inside, often never returned. Some returned... changed.   Over time, structure emerged from chaos. The higher the people moved, the slower the darkness moved to reach them. Numeral 5 trained new heroes to replace the injured and missing. Nobody is quite sure when the term "Divers" first gained traction, but the "Diver's Almanac" codified the term as referring to those who fought the husks and braved the Undercity to salvage materials. The harrowed people of Diamond City, who had braved disaster and abandonment, needed something to latch onto. When the Almanac was released, and people had access to the names and deeds of the people who protected them, the city quickly adopted them as heroes. Divers became celebrities, what remained of the corporations from before the fall seized the opportunity, and commerce returned to the city. The Divers were outfitted with sleeker and more flashy gear, to look the part of heroes. The teams that took ownership of these cosmetics became brands that sponsored more and more divers, and gradually started selling merchandise, and clothing to civilians.   Now, Diamond City thrives, in its own way. It stands 7 layers tall, each more modern and comfortable than the last. Citizens want for nothing, save peace of mind and purpose. Many become Divers, others dedicate their lives to building the next level of the city. A technological innovation 30 years after the fall created the four "Dive Gates" which have been holding back the flood of darkness for many years. Husks sometimes leak through the cracks and Divers still patrol the lowest surviving level of the city for stragglers. Divers make expeditions through the Dive Gates into the Undercity to find materials, both for mundane items and for the strange glowing ore that powers Numeral 5's life-preserving technology. Nine brands stand above all others, with Numeral 5 providing the base technology. Each brand is unique, having its own focuses and preferences in the kind of divers they sponsor.   It's not easy being a Diver. Not only must you learn to battle and survive the twists and turns of the underworld, but you must also gain and maintain sponsorships, often through public events, ads, and speaking engagements. Some divers achieve Brand Ambassador status and stop fighting altogether, becoming more a face of the brand than the hero they begun as. Divers also often partake in exhibition matches against each other for the entertainment of the people. These Gladiatorial matches are scarcely deadly, and often for show, but they can impact the web of culture in Diamond City, sending ripples that can lead to sponsorships and fame or to the death of a diver's career.    But hey, no pressure divers, and thank you for your service.   Diamond City Daydream copyright 2019 Christopher Rothove