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

bookerlesigh: (booker happy)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-07-09 02:12 am (UTC)(link)

That tugs a bit of a smile out of him, and he gives a single nod.

"Need any help?" he asks, stepping in a little closer. He toes at some of the clothes near his feet, really only succeeding in messing the current pile of them up a little more, but she seems passionate enough about this that he doesn't want to meddle without knowing where and how to meddle.

"Two can grab more than one."

grayshulk: (pic#12883399)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-07-09 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure," Jennifer nods. She's never really minded working with a partner or in groups. Split the work, trust delegation, and make things easier on everyone She holds up a dress that is apparently far too large for her. "I need women's stuff about this size if you can find it. Stretchy is better, but there's not a lot of synthetic material here."
bookerlesigh: (considering)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-07-11 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)

And he's been recruited, which isn't as much of a put off as he usually finds it to be. He'd offered, after all, and he pushes aside the oddness of that as he looks between the dress that's entirely too large, and her.

There's a moment of internal debate: does he mention that it's atrociously oversized for her? Or maybe it's not for her. Booker hesitates for a moment before he decides that he's not interested in opening that can of worms, and instead picks up a pile and heads over. "Need to be a dress?"

grayshulk: (pic#12896309)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-07-12 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
"Doesn't need to be, no. But if you can find anything with a stretch to it, I'd appreciate it."

She's not about to get into the specifics without some prompting. It's pretty clear that everyone comes from different levels of weird universes, and she isn't about to push people into her sense of things if she doesn't have to.
bookerlesigh: (um)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-07-13 12:32 am (UTC)(link)

Stretch, got it - he glances at her again briefly, trying to discern if there's anything telling... but she looks normal enough. Like that was an indication of anything, around here.

"We'll get you sorted. Might be able to find a seamstress too, if need be." Force it into creation, instead of hunting. Considering the amount of clothes around here, it might be easier.

"So, where you from?"

grayshulk: (pic#12883356)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-07-14 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
At this point it would probably just be easier to explain, but first, clothing. She's got to maintain priorities here.

"I'm not bad with needle and thread, but sometimes there's just no saving things." Yeah, would probably be easier to explain.

"New York, but LA originally. You?"
bookerlesigh: (pensive)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-07-19 01:14 am (UTC)(link)

It'd probably be good to have a drink for that kind of story, anyway.

"Yeah." It's easy to agree with. Booker's burned countless clothes in shallow-dug holes that were too bloodstained to save.

It should be a simple question, but he shrugs, the well practiced answer not rolling off his tongue like it once would've. Maybe because he's tired, and maybe because it just doesn't seem as important, here. "Born in France. Was there a while, but I travel now, mostly. Been to LA. And New York. You like New York?"

grayshulk: (pic#12883337)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-07-19 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
Jennifer looks up again at him, curious about the travels, but not wanting to pry too much yet. "I like New York a lot. Tried moving back to LA and ended up back in NYC again. People have more space for weird things, you know?"
bookerlesigh: (um)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-07-30 02:49 am (UTC)(link)

Booker appreciates it - the best topic of conversation was always ones that had nothing to do with his true nature. Or anything remotely personal, really.

"New York's good for that. Sweden has some good places too. Ever been to Europe?"

grayshulk: (pic#12883337)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-07-31 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
"Fairly frequently, but never for long. I'm pretty sure I've never been to Sweden, though." It's hard to remember when traveling happened in superpowered vehicles as the world was possibly ending. "What am I missing out on?"
bookerlesigh: (Default)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-08-01 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)

"Just - space for weird things. Weird people." Not that he's calling her weird. "Some of it is shit, but there tend to be... more places to disappear to, than there are in North America."

grayshulk: (pic#12896301)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-08-03 09:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"I find that difficult to believe," she says, tone light and friendly. "But maybe I spent too much time driving a camper van with an alien."

She pauses, considering the piles. "Looks like we did good. Can I at least get you whatever equivalent they have to a beer as thanks?"
bookerlesigh: (booker happy)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-08-05 04:30 am (UTC)(link)

"Could find you a cave for that camper van, in Europe." He doesn't take her seriously, but he doesn't intend for her to take him seriously either, even though he does have a few caves off the beaten path that would swallow up a van.

The piles are done and Booker assumes he's been of a minimal level of help, but he never turns down a drink. "Sure. I know a bar, unless you have something else in mind?"

grayshulk: (pic#12883337)

[personal profile] grayshulk 2021-08-06 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
"I'll keep that in mind," she answers with a laugh. Caves are frequently quite useful when hiding big people or things.

"A bar works for me," she answers, gathering the clothing. "Give me a little bit to put the extra stuff away?"
bookerlesigh: (booker happy)

[personal profile] bookerlesigh 2021-08-08 10:11 pm (UTC)(link)

"Sure - I'll meet you out front."

It won't hurt to get something to eat while he's at it, and he salutes the cat in the corner who is still looking entirely too smug.