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

speed_of_snark: (yeeeees)

Nightblooming

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-03 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
One moment Wrench is walking apart from the hurriedly assembled group of would-be rescuers, and the next there's a man beside him. Average height, with a swimmer's build, and the brightest, coldest blue eyes imaginable.

"Well, hello, tall, brooding, and handsome. You look like you might actually know what you're doing. Do you?"
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13358033)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-04 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
To say he's settling in nicely would be a gross over-estimation, but if there's one thing Wrench is used to, it's acclimating quickly to his surroundings. He's ditched the robes that seem to designate him as a newcomer -- or possibly an outsider -- to this strange world. The loose, thin fabrics splotched with oranges and teal are the closest he could find to his preferred ensemble of leather and denim. For as well as he's ever able to blend in while standing head and shoulders above what's average, he thinks at least he looks like he belongs.

Not least of what's strange is the watch around his wrist and its ominous, amber-orange glow. The color is certainly bothersome, but he glances at it now and scowls at the tight, precise little display of words that cross its screen.

I'm dressed like a piñata and covered in pollen, he signs, still half-convinced he won't be understood. That much hasn't proven true so far, but it remains further proof of how impossible this all is. What makes you think I have a clue what I'm doing?
speed_of_snark: (yeeeees)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-04 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul watches, then reads, then laughs.

"The way you were looking at the ground, actually. Reminded me of an old friend of mine. He's one of those people who thinks deer hunting and staying in a cabin with no electricity is appealing."

He gestures at the wilderness around them. "Some kid goes missing in a place where the locals are scared of the dark. It's like a horror movie, non?"
Edited 2021-07-04 17:36 (UTC)
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696540)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-04 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Prefer that to this, Wrench muses idly. The strangest of what's happening here shouldn't be the idle conversation. Still, it's been a lot of years since he's just spoken to someone. Neither of them is giving or receiving demands from the other -- not yet, at least. It would be almost pleasant, if not for how suspicious it all seems. The fish are okay, but everything else tastes like flowers.

He follows the man's hand, but finds himself glancing back at the watch to catch the words as they appear. It makes Wrench look impatient, a fact that isn't helped by the faint scowl etched over his face. I don't watch horror movies. You think they're right to be scared?
speed_of_snark: (possibly amused)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-04 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul groans. "Of course you do," he says. "God save me from men who think 'luxury' is a dirty word." Still, he's sticking beside Wrench anyway. "Have you had the booze, though? Floral is nice with booze."

He's been here, what, a few days? And he's already decided drinking is a great way to handle this new turn of events.

Jean-Paul smirks. "I don't watch them, I suppose I live them. But I feel either it's some sort of ridiculous Scooby-Doo situation with someone dressed up as a monster to abduct children, or there really is some sort of dangerous animal about, ouais."
wwrench: <lj user=proverbially> (pic#13651256)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-04 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Is this what 'luxury' is to you? Wrench smooths his hands down the front of the orange and teal tunic shirt he selected from the temple. He gives the man a sideways glance, like he can't quite believe anyone who would say as much could also be satisfied with their provisions. You drank what they gave you?

He seems less sure that's a good idea. Not until he finds out exactly what's brought them all here, and why. All that talk of redemption and second chances doesn't sit well for Wrench. He's half-convinced he might be in his own death throes right now, but if there's any rhyme or reason to what his mind's making up, he can't figure it out.

You live horror movies? Sounds a little dramatic to me. He's not about to admit he supposes he could say the same himself. What's a man of luxury know about horror?
speed_of_snark: (yeeeees)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-04 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"Non, I prefer penthouse suites with Egyptian cotton sheets and jacuzzies," he replies. Then he shrugs, somehow managing to look very French when he does. "I did, because I was thirsty. What can I say, I'm a risk taker."

He looks up at Wrench and smirks. "It does sound dramatic, doesn't it? Let's just say if we find a monster out here, it won't be the first one I've beaten up in my life. Where are you from, handsome? Earth, I believe."
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696595)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-04 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Could've guessed that by the fact you're out here, Wrench decides. Luxury and gruntwork hardly align in his experience, though. The kind of people who enjoy penthouse suites with Egyptian cotton do so on the efforts of people who are a little more like him.

Earth, yeah. Wrench gives the other man a look that says he expects he's being put on with a question like that. No one place. I travel a lot. The Upper Midwest, mostly.
speed_of_snark: (adjustment)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-05 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul wrinkles his nose. "The Midwest. Land of mayonnaise, non?" He turns his attention back out to the sweet-smelling darkness around them for a moment. "So tell me, which way do you think our wayward youth went? As much fun as I'm having talking to you, we do have a mission here."
wwrench: growling @ LJ (pic#13303988)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-05 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
Land of sweetcorn, hotdish, and dried whitefish, he clarifies with a shrug, but something in either the question or the ScryWatch translation strikes Wrench's curiosity. Where you from? Not sure if this thing is glitching or you aren't speaking English.

He's reluctant to pretend he has much to offer to this endeavor. Wrench is only along to learn as much about this place as he can. Maybe there's a part of him that wouldn't mind having some justification to swing the machete. At least it would be an outlet for his frustrations at the fact he can't understand a thing about this.

Mission? He nods slowly like the word itself might be telling of something. Well, his mother said flowers that open to a full moon, right? Everything here is too overgrown for the moon to reach it, so I guess we go further in.
speed_of_snark: (adjustment)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-05 05:25 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul smiles impishly. "Montreal," he says. "I am... oddly pleased it's leaving some words as they are."

Jean-Paul snaps his fingers. "Ah, smart AND pretty! I like it. Come along." He walks on, apparently perfectly confident despite the fact that he is not carrying any weapons.

"I'm Jean-Paul," he says, turning so Wrench can see his face. The watches may translate, but he feels it would be rude to just turn his back on the man while speaking.
wwrench: <lj user=proverbially> (pic#13651267)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-05 05:40 am (UTC)(link)
You're a French speaker? As if it's not strange enough already to find himself facing a near-limitless opportunity to communicate with others on the island, the idea that the man next to him might not even be speaking English is mind-boggling. Already this is, without a doubt, the longest conversation he's had with anyone since his former partner.

The other man seems almost as though nothing about this is out of the ordinary. Wrench is pretty certain he's never met anyone quite so confident. It's enough to make him double-take at the compliment, but he lets it go without comment. He's not even sure what to make of the idea of it, since it may very well be the first of those he's received in his life too.

Wrench, he offers. And then, Like the tool, in case the translator doesn't know what to make of that. A few paces further and he nudges Jean-Paul and points to the broken stem of an enormous flower and a clump of petals scattered haphazardly on the ground. Looks like we're on the right track.
speed_of_snark: (ohoho)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-05 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"I am, although I'm speaking English right now in case you can read lips. I suppose these little Apple watch wannabes could translate though, since it is with your signing. Isn't that convenient." He pauses, considering. "Hn. Everyone's going to know when I insult them now. I mean, more so that usual."

Jean-Paul doesn't appear to notice Wrench's reactions. When nudged he looks where Wrench is pointing and nods. "Indeed. Now we can only hope the kid is alive and relatively intact."

As they walk, Jean-Paul gradually becomes aware of a sound. He reaches over and puts a hand on Wrench's upper arm. "I hear someone singing," he whispers. "I cannot hear the words yet, but..." He thinks it may be Fais do-do, a lullaby.

He moves carefully ahead with Wrench at his side, carefully pushes floral bushes aside. The singing is loud enough now that the ScryWatch can pick it up and translate it to text. Finally, a slight clearing where tress line one side. Up one of these is a teenager, clinging to a thick branch and looking terrified.

Which makes sense since there are delicate pink insects below him... that happen to be six feet tall.

"Tabernak."
wwrench: <lj user=wwrench> (pic#13592041)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-12 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
Wrench could do without the added ambiance of the ScryWatch's translation services, he thinks. The lyrics that appear on its screen are ominous in their own right. It's a deceptively simple kind of rhyme that haunts him and leaves him imagining what awaits them in the clearing just beyond the thick overgrowth of bushes.

When his walking companion pushes them aside, he realizes how wrong every assumption has been. He almost can't comprehend what he's seeing. The iridescent mantises would be almost beautiful if he had the buffer of a television screen and the promise of a macro lens and a Planet Earth host.

He doesn't think twice about putting himself in front of Jean-Paul. Like some kind of instinct, Wrench shuffles to the front and withdraws a kukri blade from his waistband. He'd kill for a good throwing dagger instead, but the man seems more than ready to make do.
speed_of_snark: (speed of light)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-12 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul is so taken aback by Wrench's actions that he can only stand and stare for a moment, not at the mantises but at the big man himself.

He's protecting me, he realises with shock so big there isn't even room for amusement. He can't recall the last time someone did so, because he's used to working with people who assume he can look after himself. It's oddly touching.

There are four mantises, and they turn as one and look at the men as one. A delicate sound that is really more a vibration of air than an actual noise passes between them, and three break off and head towards Jean-Paul and Wrench, mandibles scissoring.

Not sure if Wrench will have time to read it, Jean-Paul says, "I'll be right back, handsome. Try not to die." He moves faster than should be possible, grabbing the teenager out of the tree and making off with him back to the village.
wwrench: growling @ LJ (pic#13303985)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-12 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
It's not likely to impress whatever forces stand in judgment of them that Wrench is so willing to sacrifice himself. Not when it's a gesture of pure subconscious. As many years as it's been since this kind of thing was asked of him, he's so conditioned to behave in this way that he doesn't need to know much more about his companion to stand willing to protect. It's simply what he's built for.

He couldn't realize just what it is that Jean-Paul is built for, though. Wrench barely has time to react to the other man tearing away from his side before the boy is rescued from the tree in a streak of activity that seems nothing short of impossible. It's enough to give him whiplash just trying to keep up with the motions. As Wrench tries to make sense of it, the three mantises creep closer. The way they move in unison is oddly haunting. With the moonlight reflecting off their translucent bodies, they might be easy to mistake for just another part of the flora of the forest if they weren't advancing so menacingly.

Wrench squares up against the leftmost mantis. It's several inches shorter than him, but that doesn't make the sight of it any less baffling. He swings the kukri for its thorax, letting the curved blade thrust inward just before he draws it in a slash straight across the insect's middle.
speed_of_snark: (zap)

cw: violence against bugs? is that a thing?

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-12 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul returns to the sound of the mantises screaming. It's a high, wavering sound that cuts through the front of his brain... and of course, Wrench is unaffected. A definite advantage, that.

One mantis writhes on the ground, clear insides spilled forth. Another rears up, apparently intent on biting Wrench's head off, and it's this one that Jean-Paul plows into at the speed of a bullet train. He zips up, letting the force of his passage and impact throw the mantis into a tree where it explodes spectacularly.
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696576)

cw: bug guts and death (sorry I missed it in my last tag!)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-12 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Wrench is plenty used to the way humans bleed, but he's never seen a person-sized insect split open before him. The carnage seems to enrage the others, but just as he's squaring up against the second, it's hit with a force that knocks it backward and up like the ripcord of a parachute jerking it suddenly opposite its intended direction. He doesn't wait to see where it lands, nor does he give the third of the creatures the time to determine a wiser course of action. Wrench drives at it with the blade, slashing one of its antennae.

The insect lets out a crackling scream as it reels backward, and he takes the opportunity to embed the machete into its exposed abdomen. Its thin legs seem to buckle under the weight of its body, and the mantis collapses to the ground next to the first. Wrench stares at the two strange and horrifying and beautiful bodies until the latter stops twitching and falls still.
speed_of_snark: (cautious optimism)

tbh not even sure if it's necessary

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-13 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul drops out of the sky, just an arm's length away from Wrench. He studies the big man speculatively, then nods.

"You're good," he says, eyebrows raised.
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696538)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-13 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
It's about the cleanest Wrench has ever been after eviscerating an enemy. He stares down at the bodies of the enormous insects, realizing to himself he's not sure what to do now. Usually he's so focused on the next step in the process. Haul off the bodies. Dispose of them somewhere they can't be found. But who gives a burial to a housefly? Should they be scavenging it for parts? Others have mentioned magic, but what can be done with the dead husk of an enormous insect?

Magic, he thinks again, just as the ScryWatch buzzes. He looks from the message back to the man who has joined him again, looking calm and satisfied. Are you asking, or telling? Wrench wonders. There's a smile in his eyes, but it doesn't part his lips.

What was all that? You can fly?
speed_of_snark: (actual smile)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-13 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
"Telling." Jean-Paul stands there with all his usual confidence (arrogance?) and smirks up at Wrench as he speaks.

"I can. Very, very quickly. Genetic quirk. I suspect one that does not exist where you're from." He looks over at the bug corpses, nose wrinkling slightly.

"They didn't try to speak to us. Makes you wonder if the singing was just them repeating something they had heard."
wwrench: <lj user=manual> (pic#13696531)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-27 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
No, Wrench notes with an air of incredulity. It lasts as long as his gaze stays fixed on the other man. Soon enough his attention is drifting to their surroundings. The closed buds of the sleepy flowers and the iridescent shimmer of the corpses of the human-sized insects reflecting in the moonlight. It seems almost laughable that flying should be an impossibility here. His shoulders don't quite soften, but something in his expression unpinches. Just in movies.

Repeating a lullaby? Why? You think they were trying to put him to sleep before they ate him?
speed_of_snark: (okaaaaaaaaay)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-27 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
"Well, here I am, handsome. A movie superhero in the flesh."

Jean-Paul shrugs lightly. "You know, now that you say it? Yes. I do think I believe that. And that's creepy as hell, non?"
wwrench: <lj user=roximonoxide> (Default)

[personal profile] wwrench 2021-07-27 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
What, like Superman? He almost laughs as he draws the squiggle of an S across the front of his chest with his fist. It's about the most earnest expression of amusement that Wrench has found cause for so far, but it's only further proof that he's not taking the conversation particularly seriously. I guess you look a little bit like him.

Wrench cleans the curved blade against the thick ground cover before positioning it at his side. Depends on how you'd prefer to die, I guess. What kind of insect eats a person? A mosquito would make sense, maybe. Drain his blood. But why those things?
speed_of_snark: (yeeeees)

[personal profile] speed_of_snark 2021-07-27 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
Jean-Paul smiles. It's a movie-star smile designed to dazzle paparazzi. "But better looking," he says.

He shakes his head slowly. "I mean, I believe mantises are carnivorous? And I suppose they're big enough to consider human beings prey." He looks Wrench in the eye, smirking slightly. "I plan to die fighting," he says. "...again. C'mon, I'll walk with you, wherever you're going."

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