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Something in the air...

✖ 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.

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[Sephiroth glances back at the other man and answers quietly:]

Yes. Do you not have insects where you come from?

[His implication being that the natural range of insects includes ones that are six feet tall. These are prettier than ones he's seen, but otherwise not especially remarkable.]

...their singing seems to be taking some time to affect him, so I imagine we'll withstand it. Do you have any magic?

[Thor scoffs, though he doesn't look like a model of confidence.] What? Yes, of course. I mean, not on Asgard. We don't have any insects there, but we have fire demons and frost giants and such who invade sometimes. Those are sort of pesky, like insects. [Definitely the same.]

I used to have a hammer that allowed me to be the God of Thunder (and Lightning), but my stupid sister destroyed it, so now I'm just .. Thor. I do have all the rest that comes with being a god, though, if that's what you mean.

[Well, Sephiroth isn't specifically familiar with fire demons or frost giants, but he'd consider certain dragons pesky so they can go with that word choice. However--]

Asgard? [That draws his attention momentarily away from the bugs.] You're of Loki's world?

Oh! You've met my brother! [Thor says this with equal parts pleasure and sympathy, a bit louder than he intended. His next words are back to being a low hush.] I'm Thor, as I said. Loki is my younger brother.

I hope he hasn't caused you too much trouble in the time you've known him.

[Sephiroth throws a quick glance in the direction of the insects at his exclamation, but they don't seem to have noticed.

So this is Loki's brother? A "god" with family.]

...Sephiroth.

And no. I've heard his title, but we... get on, I suppose.

Nice to meet you. [Thor smiles brightly, attention now completely focused on the once-stranger. His brows lift with something like mild surprise.] Between you and I, I am glad that he has managed to make friends here. .. I'm assuming you are his friend.

Let me guess: he didn't tell you he had a brother?

Edited 2021-07-07 02:05 (UTC)

His ally, perhaps. [Even that feels like a bit of a stretch to him, but Sephiroth isn't... great with making friends, or acknowledging friends as friends. Not that Thor could know that about him, but he does seem very reserved?]

He didn't. But we've spoken little of homes.

[...if Asgard no longer exists, he wonders if Loki thought his brother was dead. A happy reunion? What would that be like?]

[Thor gives a short nod, studying the man's features for a silent second.] He could use those. He hasn't had many in his life, as he'd tell you.

[There's a subtle shift in Thor's expression, though he is careful to keep it guarded. In truth, it is a bit devastating to think that Thor could mean so little that Loki would fail to mention him. Not that he's entirely surprised, but it still pains him to remember.]

So about these monsters: have you seen anything like them before? I would normally fly in using my hammer and zap everything with lightning, but since I can't do that, we'll have to come up with a different plan.

Well, now he has his brother. [That's an ally, surely. Preferable to someone you've only known two months and who doesn't even have any of his damn magic.

Yes, better to focus on the task at hand. They're wasting time talking.]

They look something like kimara bugs-- those don't sing, but they can inflict a temporary paralysis. They attack with the forelegs, but if you close in, they aren't strong. I expect these aren't any more formidable, since they haven't killed the boy yet.

He does, and if you are his ally, I'm sure you will hear his complaints about my being here. [There's no malice in his tone; it's simply matter-of-fact. It's not as though they've had an easy, breezy relationship.

He glances back towards the insects, listening to Sephiroth's explanation. He tightens and loosens his fists a few times before nodding.]

Punch them as hard as possible. Right. Ready when you are, Sephiroth.

[Complaints? He knows little of family, siblings even less. Maybe he'll learn something.

..."punch them hard" is a bit simplistic, but when you're strong enough, the plan doesn't need to be complicated. He probably doesn't need to worry about a so-called god getting killed by bugs. Sephiroth readies the machete in his hand and nods to Thor.]

Let's go.

[And he darts out into the open. He's fast--faster than a human should be--and definitely catches the first mantis by surprise. The singing cuts off into alarm as he hacks through part of a foreleg.]

Oh, you have a machete! [Thor states, feeling left out.] All right, fists will have to be enough.

[He follows after Sephiroth, moving past the first and onto the second, landing a forceful punch to what he thinks is the face. It bursts an eyeball, causing goop to go flying. Thor takes a moment to wipe some of it off before making contact again, this time to one of his weirdly bent arms.]

[It's not Sephiroth's fault if he didn't pick one up at the temple. Priorities, man.

Though the machete's range is... limited. It takes more doing to dodge in close past those long spiny arms and take a strike at the actual body.

He did forget how messy insect murder can be when you can't just zap them all. Auditorily, it isn't great either. The bugs are screaming, though whether from pain or outrage, it's unclear. He doesn't speak bug.]

This! [Punch] Is! [Punch] So! [Punch] Gross! [Punch]

[As he goes to move onto the third, the remaining insects begin to scramble, scurrying away, all covered with the guts of their fallen comrades. Thor himself is taking the opportunity to wipe some more of the sticky slime from his body, though it's viscous enough that it mostly clings like film.

He groans before turning towards Sephiroth.]

I don't think they'll be back, but we should still try to get him out of the tree as quickly as possible in case they do the stupid thing and try again.

Edited 2021-07-07 16:23 (UTC)

[Sephiroth resists the urge to give chase; there's not so much fun in engaging a retreating enemy, and... ugh, he definitely has bug guts in his hair. He gives his blade a quick jerk in an attempt to get the worst of it off, and pushes his bangs out of his face.

Oh, right. The boy in the tree. Well, as long as they're here...]

I suppose we should.

[He gives Thor a quick look of appraisal. He tends to intimidate civilians, especially after they've seen him fight, but Thor is looking particularly disgusting right now. He'll... make the attempt. He approaches the tree, and the boy does seem conscious, so hopefully he can just climb down on his own.]

...come down. We'll escort you back.

[Thor almost thinks to look for a leaf to try to scrape some of the guck currently coating his body, but the importance of rescuing the young boy takes precedence. He decides to hang back just a bit so as not to frighten the teen, who cautiously begins to descend.]

Don't mind my appearance. I promise that I don't normally look like this. I usually look like a normal person who's not completely covered in the innards of strange, alien creatures. [He hesitates, tilting his head.] Actually, that's not entirely true. But don't be frightened either way. We're here to help you get home to your mother.

[He looks to Sephiroth with an encouraging nod of his head.]

[Sephiroth returns the look mildly; he's not sure what the nod is about, but he had a feeling Thor would be better at... well, warmth. He doesn't add anything, just shifts his attention to scan the trees for any other sign of movement, watching the boy out of the corner of his eye as he makes his way down. Once he reaches the ground, Sephiroth turns back.]

Let's go. Stay close in case we should encounter any others.

[...they won't be able to return as quickly as they came out here, will they? The boy wouldn't be able to keep up. A little unfortunate; he really wants to wash his hair.]

[Thor is mindful to stay near the others while also giving some room as he is unsure of whether or not the bug guts have an odor to them. If they do, he hopes that neither of them think that it's him; that'd be embarrassing.

He's always keeping an eye on the boy, but he turns his attention to Sephiroth with a tiny smile.]

You are a formidable fighter, like you'd been raised to do it. It takes a certain skill to be good with a bladed weapon.

[The distance is good. Sephiroth likes distance.

The compliment is not so well-received. Raised to do it... Thor probably doesn't realize how accurate that is, but Sephiroth's expression remains stony. Possibly stonier.]

...I have had years of training. Not long to a god, I imagine.

Oh, that's all right. I'm used to the shorter lifespans of mortals, though I've known and worked with many who had great longevity as far as humans go. [Thor shakes his head, unaffected.] But it doesn't matter how long it seems to me; it seems your years of training, however many they were, produced a fierce and imposing fighter.

I, myself, was raised to be the same. I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. [There's an equal mix of pride and remorse in his statement; he can't say much because he's known no other life, but he has, on occasion, wondered about what that other life could've been, had he been given the chance.]

[That last statement earns him a cautious look of appraisal. Surely a god ought to have a choice? Or was he beholden to one even more powerful?]

And yet you say you were the god of thunder, not war.

Yes, I had a hammer, Mjolnir, that gave me that power and therefore my title. [Thor exhales a sigh, glancing over at the boy before looking ahead again.]

1,500 years is a long time to make stupid decision. I tried not to wage war, but I wasn't always successful, especially in my younger years. I was arrogant and entitled because of how I was raised, destined to be King of Asgard. But one banishment to Earth without my hammer and without my powers gave me an attitude adjustment, as my father knew it would.

[This is probably a weird conversation for the teen to be listening in on, but a surreal night for him in general. Also they can probably just talk entirely over his head.]

...I see. [That's a lot of sharing. Sephiroth glances behind them, in the direction of the bug carnage now out of sight. Clearly he hasn't chosen to stop fighting.]

Then you would consider yourself a different sort of fighter now?

[Thor considers that question for a few moments as they walk, his ears suddenly aware of the sound of their feet in the grass.]

Yes. I'd like to think I'm more selective about when and whom. Most of the wars I've had to wage have been ones wrought on me first or on my friends or on Midgard. Earth, that is. Most recently, I was trying to get back to Asgard in order to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of my home, at the hands of my stupid sister. [Thor's face brightens slightly.] My brother told me that we were successful and managed to save it, so at least I have that going for me.

But here I am, talking and talking about myself. You don't exactly seem like you want to share a whole lot about yourself, which I can respect, but .. I don't want to sound like I'm monopolizing the conversation, either. So .. if you want to share things, I'm all ears. I'm sure he doesn't mind. [He gestures towards the boy who seems mostly dazed from the night's events.] .. Yeah, I'm sure he's fine.

[...oh. Well, this is some new information that is both useful and objectively tragic. That people can be brought here from the same world... but from different points in time?

Whatever the intent behind the lie--kindness or self-deception--it isn't Sephiroth's place to reveal it. So he says nothing of it.]

I don't mind it. [Thor monopolizing the conversation, that is.]

Though I will say that I am not from Earth, like most other humans here. If you've spent time there... [He shrugs.] It is foreign to me.

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