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

kyley_b: https://burquillos.tumblr.com/ (ugggh)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-28 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
Kyle sighs heavily. "...I formed Millennials Against Canada because I was all outraged over some Canadian comedians, but that wasn't REALLY why I kept it going, I was just super pissed people kept saying I was acting like my mother - which I was - and that a girl I liked was being warped by a fucking fat piece of shit, and I gave a speech to the president who used to be my third grade teacher and he bombed them."

Kyle scowls. "I've seen lots of the universe!"
quire: (daydreaming)

[personal profile] quire 2021-07-28 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey," he shoves Kyle at the shoulder in an amicable way. "We both started hate groups," he smiles. Weird thing to bond over but he can't ignore the interesting similarity there. "So how come I ended up with a fucking orange?" It's kind of hard to tell if Quentin's happy with his designation or not from one minute to the next.

Questions arising from their colour coding aside, he slumps in his seat again. "Anyway. Not for nothing but it sounds like whatever universe you were dragged here from it's kind of a volatile place. Maybe one of those low-probability dimensions."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-28 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Kyle looks for a split second like he might lash out, but at that smile he relaxes and looks a little chagrined. "We did, huh? Wow. Let's maybe not publicize that?"

Gently, he plucks Quentin's wrist from the water and studies it a second before letting go. "Well, I don't think the colour coding is entirely morality based. Maybe you're emotionally constipated or something."

He lets go. "I'll have to take your word for it. I've only seen one other dimension, pretty sure."
quire: (hero shot)

[personal profile] quire 2021-07-29 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
Quentin barks a laugh. "Don't be embarrassed of your own evolution, Kyle,." that he knows the man well enough to make such a statement is a bold assertion, but that is Quentin. Bold.

"Oh interesting," he says rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You think it's less of a scale and more of an algorithm huh? Nobody's come at me with that idea yet. What makes you suspect as much?"

"And this one! I'm pretty sure this is a different dimension. At least from mine."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (learning!)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-29 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
He snickers. There is absolutely no denying that Kyle has always been drawn to strong personalities, and Quentin - as rage inducing as he may be - is definitely that.

"Yeah, exactly." He leans forward just a little, because he just loves to explain his thoughts. "Okay, so here's why I'm thinking that: some of us have very similar home worlds, but others sure do not. I've met people with the same colour designation as me, but from a moral standpoint we're pretty far apart. Like, okay, an example: my friend Carter. He's like the nicest guy ever, like I'm pretty sure he'd help little old ladies across the street and shit. But he's got yellow. Why? Like unless he's secretly a serial killer, it seems weird to put him in the same category as someone who got a country bombed."

He holds up a finger. "BUT. He's clearly got some deep psychological shit happening. We've hung out and yeah, he totally does, I think stuff to do with his mom and how he grew up and shit. So, I'm thinking this whole thing is like... group therapy from hell meets self deterministic moral inventory."

He sits back again, smiling. "At least, that's my working theory for the moment. And yeah, okay, this one. And the evil twin dimension but I didn't GO there."
quire: (sly)

[personal profile] quire 2021-07-31 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
When Kyle lays out his theory Quentin listens. Actively listens. It's not something he's often pictured doing but when he's interested in something he's incapable of being anything less than attentive to it.

"That makes sense. It's logical enough evidence at least that whatever metric by which we're being measured isn't linear. I just want to know what they get out of it. Them. Whoever's running the show around here. Like what do the care about my self esteem and past transgressions unless there's something they intend on doing with me? They'd have a better time getting me to cooperate if they let me in on it."

He takes a longer look at Kyle when he smiles. He actually looks relaxed in that moment and Quentin has to wonder if he's figured out how to keep his anxious thoughts at bay or if this little chat has just distracted him from them. "Hey, look at you. Less boring by the minute. I have that effect on people," he smiles.
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-31 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Having someone listen, really listen, does wonders for Kyle's ego. He's spent much of his life shrieking about things and being ignored, so to have Quentin of all people look interested in what he's saying feels amazing.

"Well, as stupid as this is gonna sound, maybe what the boat dude claim is true: somehow we're being used as a metric for whether or not existence should continue as it should. While we might improve, it's not actually altruistic, it's like a shitty test for humanity. Like... okay."

He shifts and leans forward a little bit again, like a sunflower chasing the light of Quentin's attention. "When I was a kid, an alien gangster showed up wanting to hide a bunch of space money. And the intergalactic police showed up after that and were like, hey did you see this guy, and my best friend's dad convinced everyone to say no so they could all split the space money. But the whole thing was all a fake out - a way to see if humanity was ready to enter this galactic federation or whatever. And we fucking failed hardcore.

"This might be like that but slightly less stupid because space cash? For seriously? God, my friend's dad is so stupid."
quire: (say what)

[personal profile] quire 2021-07-31 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Did boat-dude say that? Hn. Maybe I should have asked him more things. I have a hard time listening to anyone over 30."

A slow smile crosses Quentin's face as he watched Kyle over the top rim of his glasses. Not only is it a good story, but the more he shuts up and lets Kyle ramble the more of these bizarre accounts start coming to the surface. It begins to paint a picture of a guy, and a universe, Quentin could really find entertaining. At least as much as his own.

"His name wasn't Cosair was it? Or Kubark? I went to school with Kubark he's kind of extra."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-31 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
"He didn't really answer much, just sort of monologued."

Kyle shakes his head. "Dunno, I missed pretty much all of it. My super best friend told me, because it was his dipshit dad who caused all the trouble in the first place. But none of the other aliens I've ever met were named either of those, either."
Edited 2021-07-31 06:26 (UTC)
quire: (glower)

[personal profile] quire 2021-07-31 03:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think that's why I tuned out."

"Oh well. probably not missing much. I've never met any aliens I'm crazy about. They're fine mostly. Just nothing to become a Scientologist over." He narrows his eyes at Kyle. "Why the fuck do you keep saying super best friend like that's something."
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (gah!)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-07-31 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Can't blame you."

Kyle nods. "Yeah, ditto." But then he flushes bright red. "Because it is? I've known him since I was four."
quire: (unimpressed)

[personal profile] quire 2021-08-01 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
"So you're just trying to qualify best friend for me? All right fine, but you keep saying it like it's a thing people say and I need you to know that it's not," he smirks.
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (gah!)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-08-01 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh." He stays bright red. "I mean. It IS. Just not where you're from, I guess."
quire: (sly)

[personal profile] quire 2021-08-01 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
"You're so weird. And so is the place you're from," he chuckles. "I'm into it."
Edited 2021-08-01 06:02 (UTC)
kyley_b: https://mcnuggyy.tumblr.com/ (hey)

[personal profile] kyley_b 2021-08-01 06:23 am (UTC)(link)
Kyle feels a sudden warmth flood his body. "Yeah? Cool." He smiles, almost shyly.

"You're weird, too. It's cool."