polymods: (Default)
polymods ([personal profile] polymods) wrote in [community profile] polylogs2021-07-02 03:00 pm

Something in the air...

POLYMYTHOS: THE ISLE THAT BLOOMS

The Isle That Blooms


Ⅰ. ARRIVAL
You can read all about your character's arrival in the game lore.
This is the first isle you can smell before you see it rising on the island. It starts with the faint hint of growing things that blossoms into a floral scent that teases you with the combination of familiarity and the unknown. The next breeze seems to carry you closer even as it coats everything in a delicate wash of golden pollen that only the Ferryman seems to be able to avoid.

Do you like your lips to taste the gritty sweetness? Or are you already starting to sniffle? Either way, the island starts as a smudge then turns into a riot of color as it reveals itself.

The Isle that Blooms lives up to its name as flowers vie in a silent war of roots and strangling vines to cover every viable surface with sprays of color and vibrant pulsing life. There are signs of human life in the form of a village built on stilts and full of little anachronisms like a glowing neon sign that hint that the island sees a large number of Travelers come through this place.

And who wouldn’t be drawn to the abundant flora, brightly painted houses, and lively locals?

Everyone seems to be glowing with health as the locals gather near the dock to welcome the latest set of tourists. They come with arms full of flower wreaths and friendly smiles, clearly in control of their faculties and interested in trade. Their clothing is as bright as the paintings on their buildings, as the flowers that surround them, and perfect for the warmth of the day.

Do you notice, though, the absence of any babies or prepubescent children? Or that while there are old people, no one shows signs of the infirmities that come with age? It might be easy to miss, especially as the Isle starts to affect you, too.

The ache in your back from that terrible fall, the craving for that next drink, the trauma that’s too close to the surface, all the petty hurts the build up in a lifetime start to fade as you, too, start to bloom.

Notes:
1. NO GUNS are allowed on this island. The Ferryman will keep them safe for you.

2. These residents of the island are normal humans. Killing them is possible and may affect the color of your Scrywatch.

3. Any type of flower could exist on the island, blooming somewhere, regardless of its real world requirements. Rare ones are difficult to find and magical ones need a check in with the mods.

4. There is nothing preadolescent of any animal species on the entire island, including insects.

5. The island’s ability leaves people as the healthiest, most energetic version of their current selves. Examples: A blind person in otherwise good mental and emotional health would notice minimal changes. A person with a disorder would find themselves having a string of good days. A 50 year old probably hasn’t felt this good since their thirties.



Ⅱ. THE TEMPLE
Orchids in shades of yellow and pink so bright they glow have been trained to grow along the walkways and bridges of the elevated village to guide Travelers to this island’s Temple. The building stands alone at the edge of the Village, extending out in the ocean of flowers that fill most of the isle.


The temple is made of simple stout wood that has been carved and painted in patterns ornate and lovely in a way that speaks of hundreds of hours of creation and maintenance. The same orchids that guided you here gild building and act as camouflage the sleeping porches ring the outside. They are kept private and safe from insects by fine netting, and you will find the bedding soft and fine.

This Temple’s Guardians are a pair of lazing cats with strange spots and scaly wings that regard you with affectionate disinterest as you explore the facilities. There are toilets and sinks, but no baths or showers. The pantries are stocked with edible flowers and fresh fish and the space and tools to cook. If you are brave enough, the Guardians will probably give you practical advice on how to use those supplies. There are new clothes and sandals better suited to the heat, and even practical machetes.

Notes:
1. The Main Temple is still open to those who are brand new to PM.

2. There are paints and carving tools if you want to add to the temple decorations. (Maybe mention it during the Oracle Event if you do.)

3. All fabric items are ridiculously bright and vaguely tie dyed.

4. The marker orchids have a distinctly strong smell of vanilla with a hint of lime.



Ⅲ. THE LOTUS BATHS
CW: fantasy setting drugs.
There’s only so long a person can stand to be covered in pollen, and when you ask the locals, they grin. Oh, you want a bath? There’s a path back to the ground and through the tall flowers to a natural spring. Make sure to head out early, they warn.

It’s always better to be in the village before nightfall, and you are clearly going to take a while.

As you walk the winding path to the baths, the everpresent flowers seem to thin out and even disappear as ground warms and rock rises from rich soil. You can smell the mineral richness of the bright blue pools that form waterfalls over a series of rising ledges. There is life, though, even here, in the form of delicate lily pads that float in rafts around vivid lotus flowers.

If you test the water, you’ll find it’s warm enough to melt the knots out of muscles and make it easy to understand why the few bathers seem to be so languid and relaxed. If you sink all the way in, well, not only will you manage to get clean, but you might find yourself mellowing out even more. So mellow you’ll hardly notice when the pleasant hallucinations start.

You’ll find yourself drawn into visions of your most private joys and of the pleasures you keep to yourself. Maybe it’s a matter of shame or maybe it’s because they’re too precious. There’s one small problem, though. If someone else gets in the same pool, not only will they start to share the same vision, but you’ll start to see theirs too.

Will the fantasies become a nightmare or will you manage to navigate them together? Will you ever be able to look at each other the same way again?
Notes:
1. The hallucinations will end when you leave the water, but only once you and your bathing partner are both out.

2. The flowers are magical and will affect everyone, even robots or super powered people.



Ⅳ. NIGHTBLOOMING
CW: abduction, violence.
You are warned to stay in the elevated village at night. The flower fields are safe enough during the day, but things happen at night. It’s hard to imagine during the day when stingless bees that glitter in jewel colors bumble along and hummingbirds the size of chihuahuas feed from the abundant flowers while squeaking their strong opinions at each other.

But as the moon rises, and most of the flowers close, there’s rustling sounds that make it clear that there are big things moving through that growth. Things that make the hair rise up on the back of a person’s neck. It would take a big prize to make it worth finding out what makes those sounds. A big prize or a reason to face your fears.

There’s a scream in the night. You can ignore it, of course. Not everyone is meant to run towards the scream. It might not even change the color of your ScryWatch.

But if you go to the source of the sound you’ll find a mother weeping openly while other locals gather around to comfort her. It seems her teenager decided that the best way to woo their lover was with glowing flowers that only open under a full moon. The teen has been gone for hours, and the grim expressions on the people around you say his chances aren’t good.

You have a choice to make. Will you go into the dark to face the unknown dangers? Will you offer some other form of comfort? Or will you go back to hide in the safety of the Temple?

Notes:
1. The danger in the flowers consists of six foot tall nocturnal orchid mantises who have the teen pinned in a tree. They are currently singing a human language lullaby to the kid to get them to go to sleep and fall out of the tree.

2. The mantises have a hive mind and will retreat if one of their number is killed, but can also be talked to and negotiated with. They will be willing to trade a regular supply of fish for no longer hunting people.



Ⅴ. SPECIAL EVENT: THE FLOWER ORACLE
In the center of the village, there is a giant flower bud that is bigger than a man is tall. The villagers tell you that you are lucky. You will be here when the Flower Oracle blooms. You will have a chance to speak directly to the Ancient One through the Oracle, and She even answers. All it takes is a little sacrifice.

Notes:
1. During the week of July 12-18, there will be a special event post where characters can choose to interact with the Flower Oracle for a chance to be rewarded, get an answer, get silence, or get punished by the Ancient.

2. Any starter posted during this window will be honored, specifics to come.

3. This event is optional!

Bonus: music to watch the flowers bloom to.


Network · Logs · OOC · Memes · Plurk

helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-08 06:14 pm (UTC)(link)
"Wow, you were never up on gossip in high school. Thank goodness," David laughs.

Yes, there were people that accused him of it. Mister Know-It-All and Do-It-All. Mister Don't-Talk-About-Plans. Mister all sorts of things.

"Are you shocked?"
speed_of_snark: (reading)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-08 08:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"No offense, but I did have better things to do than listen in on you kids," he says dryly.

"I am, ouais. You generally just seem sort of quiet."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-08 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"Did you?" David asks, smirking. What exactly were those things, Jean-Paul? Tell him.

The quiet comment has him laughing though.

"You know some people see quiet as arrogant, right?"
speed_of_snark: (reading)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-09 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"Mmhmm. I was still running a business at the same time, you know. Unlike Worthington, I like to know what's going on with it."

Jean-Paul lifts his eyebrows. "Well. Some people do, ouais. But I have found usually that only applies if when you speak you act a bit-- oh, alright, I'm seeing it now."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne / Prodigy - From Marvel Comics (Bad Plan But Not Arguing (Concern))

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-09 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, it was impressive that Jean-Paul was running the business. Or was it Kyle doing most of the work by now? Had the other man gotten a promotion when JP had come into command of X-Factor? David had never asked.

"Wow, Jean-Paul, it sounds like you literally just walked right into 'oh right you ARE arrogant'."
speed_of_snark: (homo superior)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-09 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"I did!" He smirks mightily. "Well, what of it? Arrogance is only arrogance if it isn't backed up by action, non? And thus far you've proven yourself very capable and intelligent. So perhaps you're not arrogant so much as confident."

Yeah, that must be what he tells himself daily.

"Besides, who cares what others think? They're generally undeserving of your time."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-09 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Only the arrogant would think that Arrogance wasn't something that exists for itself. But he was glad that someone was willing to term it confidence instead. Any other term was a nice choice.

"If people are generally undeserving of my time, that would mean that I'm spending most of my time alone. I don't do alone in a reasonable fashion, Jean-Paul."
speed_of_snark: (reading)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-09 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul's arrogance is so complete that it isn't even an insult, just a fact.

"You don't?" Genuinely curious. "Is that how we wind up with body farms? You not getting enough attention?"
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne / Prodigy - From Marvel Comics (Thinky Thoughts Time (Concerned))

cw: discussions of bodily decomposition

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-09 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
There is, in a way, a power to that. To be so arrogant that it inures you to the insult.

Oh. Dear. God.

"You know, I did genuinely want that for science, okay? No one HAS studied Krakoa's ecology in that manner, or even if the new bodies the Five make even break down normally. Not to mention we have no real clue how mutations that affect the body's form itself affects it."

Yep, still defensive months later. No ulterior motives to the body farm at all. Seriously.

"Besides, I doubt anyone's letting me start it again after the zombies."

Was David subtly trying to feel out just when</I. Jean-Paul was from? Yep.
speed_of_snark: (look up)

cw: discussions of bodily decomposition

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-09 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"I believe you, David." Which he does - he just also knows you can have more than one reason for doing something. People are complicated like that.

Jean-Paul wrinkles his nose. "Alright, point. Although it's yours, you can still use it. Nobody at home would stop you." Because yes, the Boneyard is home.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

Re: cw: discussions of bodily decomposition

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-09 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Well he's not wrong, people are VERY complicated. Here's David, a bonafide genius with SEVERAL psychology degrees and he still doesn't fully understand people. Especially ninjas. He hates ninjas.

"Thanks," David agreed, and he smiled.

The Boneyard didn't feel as home to him, but that was complicated.

"But that's a matter for another time I guess."

So, post Morrigan, David decided. Shit.
Edited 2021-07-09 21:37 (UTC)
speed_of_snark: (look up)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-11 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
To be fair to David, ninjas sure seem to get into an awful lot of stupid trouble.

Shit indeed. The exact moment of their being taken was possibly only minutes apart. Jean-Paul, having no reason to think otherwise, just assumes that in spite of all the alternate reality shenanigans David is up to date on everything.

"Ouais, we can worry about it when we get home. Because we ARE getting home." He'll fight every Temple guardian if he thinks he has to. Which of course won't do anything good, but he doesn't really understand that yet.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-11 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
They really do and they never listened to him. So he was glad they had suffered for that.

Going home. David... can't help how he looks a little conflicted about that.

"Going home means a lot of drama."
speed_of_snark: (look up)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-11 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
"David," Jean-Paul said, sounding a little exasperated. "When in your life as a mutant have you had a drama-free experience? Because I can't think of many, and I'm twice your age."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-11 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
David sighed, fingers coming up to massage his brow.

"I couldn't even get Tommy out of the Boneyard without drama, so yes, you're not wrong. I just... I just have been through too much lately. I wante something to put me at peace."

And something told him that this place wasn't going to achieve it.
speed_of_snark: (bit softer)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-11 05:26 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul falls quiet for a moment. "Let's find a nice place to sit," he says. The atmosphere of the island is quite relaxing, and it occurs to him David might need to absorb that.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-11 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
Oh he needs it badly. The soothing air was already helping with other things. So many traumas, and it makes him feel better, to just even think about sitting.

"That works for me. Guess we've got no choice but for it to be amid flowers.
speed_of_snark: (bit softer)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-11 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"Thank fuck we're not allergic," Jean-Paul chuckles.

It's not difficult to find a place - there are benches set along the raised platforms of the village offering stunning views of the land below. Flowers roll over hills in all directions, with the ocean/sky off in the distance.

Sitting feels good. As he gets older, it feels better and better, which is a little disconcerting sometimes. "It is pretty."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-11 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh thank god it's not on the ground. David smiles and moves to the bench when they near it, immediately sitting and taking a deep breath. It really was soothing here.

So he smiles off at the flowers and nods in agreement.

"I'm still glad home isn't quite like this."
speed_of_snark: (massage)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-11 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"As am I," Jean-Paul agrees. "It's a bit cloying. I prefer Krakoa's balance. I never feel like I'm stuck in the Savage Land or some crap."

He stretches his legs out, flexing and relaxing his feet. "Also Krakoa has masseuses. I haven't seen those here."
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-11 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hard to feel suck when the people you love and adore are there, right?" David answered.

Wait, Krakoa has masseuses? Wow, David feels like he's missed those.

He sighs and leans back more on the bench. He doesn't want to be sitting here, but hte warmth is so soothing.

"Of course you'd find a way to get a massage."
speed_of_snark: (massage)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-12 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
"True. Also: no dinosaurs."

Jean-Paul looks slyly over at David and smirks. "I always find a way to get what I want, David," he tells him.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-12 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
Well, there's that. David has to smile. Yes, there are no dinos.

"You're not wrong," David smiles, closing his eyes. And right now, he could go for a hug. If only.
speed_of_snark: (reading)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-12 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
If Jean-Paul were a little more emotionally sensitive, he might realise how badly the young man next to him could use a little comfort. Unfortunately (for both of them, really) he isn't. He just sits where he is, enjoying the scent and sounds of the island. He doesn't want to be here, but it's hard to work up any anger over it.
helpdesk_hero: David Alleyne  / Prodigy - From Young Avengers (Default)

perhaps wrap up?

[personal profile] helpdesk_hero 2021-07-12 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"Peaceful," David observed, staring out over the flowers.

"Now if only there were less pollen."

A light joke for a day that suddenly felt lighter.

100%

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