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Eternal Summer
✖ The Isle That Blooms
Ⅰ. ALWAYS BLOOMING, NEVER HARVEST
July flowers bring, well, August flowers.
Another month has come and gone, and you may have noticed things haven’t changed much. Everything is still beautiful. There are still no signs of babies or prepubescent children or young animals.
In fact, if you’re paying close enough attention, you may have noticed there are no fruits or grains or vegetables that have come from the constant riot of color and pollen. Only flowers, always flowers.
You still have access to the city’s temple and the baths. The High Temple’s doors are open to everyone.
Some of you may still be dealing with the unpleasant side effects of the Ancient’s now dead and gone Flower Oracle, but it should wind down before the end of the month. Or maybe you already faced your demons.
Hiding out in the Temples for the rest of the month is always an option, but be careful not to get too stagnant. It would be a shame if your ScryWatch stays stuck on the same color forever because you, too, decided to stop growing.
Ⅱ. FLOWER MARKET FESTIVAL
CW: Optional Alcohol/Drug Consumption.
You didn’t think the celebrations would be over just because the Flower Oracle came and went, did you? There’s always a new event, a new thing to do, a new way to make some benefit off the Travelers who pass in and out of the Isle looking to take something away from this place.
This month it’s the Flower Market!
During the days, stalls bloom beneath the elevated buildings and in the empty center where the Flower Oracle once stood. There are flowers, of course, in buckets, arrangements, wreaths, crowns, growing in tiny little pots, made into cakes, salsas, and snacks! Artists will find pigments, paints, inks, dyes, and papers. There are perfumes, lotions, oils, soaps, and more. Spices and herbs are abundant; you’ve certainly never seen saffron this cheap. If you haven’t gotten enough tie-dye from the temple, you’ll find beautiful batik clothing, purses, and even jewelry. Everything is bright, everything is for sale.
At night, the stalls are all folded away and instruments come out. Little stalls sell flowery alcoholic drinks and did you know or remember that cannabis is a flowering plant? The locals certainly remembered to make the edibles. Careful, though, drink or imbibe and you’ll find yourself talking about the things you need that you cannot buy. The things you are aching for.
And you won’t stop until someone acknowledges it.
Ⅲ. POISON GARDEN
CW: Poisons, narcotics, ect.
As you wander the now familiar village, you will notice a new pathway has opened at the edge of the village. It leads to an area with a high stone fence and a heavy gate. A skull and crossbones are painted on the gate in bright white paint, but there’s nothing actually stopping you from opening the gate and walking in.
Do you read the labels? How long does it take you to realize everything in the garden is toxic or poisonous? There are so many options from hemlock and oleander to aconitum and angel’s trumpet and beyond.
Welcome to a study on how not everything that's natural is good for you as you continue to wander the fractal paths. Of course, not everything that's poisonous has no purpose. By the opium poppies there’s a sign that tells you that you can choose to wander the deadly garden until it kills you or you can own up to a toxic habit or behavior that you need to deal with.
Ⅳ. FLOWERY FIELDS FOREVER
Maybe you need to get away from the fuss at the market or just want to stretch your legs, but it’s time to explore the flowering landscape around the village. The villagers have baskets waiting at each of the outbound trails with the request that you come back with the basket full in trade for the picnic lunch they provide.
Wander the rolling hills and you’ll find a surprising amount of wildlife for an island without offspring. There are hummingbirds the size of chihuahuas, tiny pollinating bats, nectar eating possums, giant stingless bees, and more butterflies than you can shake a stick at. All of them seem entirely unafraid of humans despite being wild animals. If you get bitten or pecked, it’s your own fault.
As you fill your basket, you’ll notice patterns in what blooms. All kinds of plants bloom outside of reason and season and traditional need because the land is trying to talk to you through flowers. What did you need to hear? The villagers can help you translate when you come back from your adventure.
Bonus: music to watch the flowers bloom to.
July flowers bring, well, August flowers.
Another month has come and gone, and you may have noticed things haven’t changed much. Everything is still beautiful. There are still no signs of babies or prepubescent children or young animals.
In fact, if you’re paying close enough attention, you may have noticed there are no fruits or grains or vegetables that have come from the constant riot of color and pollen. Only flowers, always flowers.
You still have access to the city’s temple and the baths. The High Temple’s doors are open to everyone.
Some of you may still be dealing with the unpleasant side effects of the Ancient’s now dead and gone Flower Oracle, but it should wind down before the end of the month. Or maybe you already faced your demons.
Hiding out in the Temples for the rest of the month is always an option, but be careful not to get too stagnant. It would be a shame if your ScryWatch stays stuck on the same color forever because you, too, decided to stop growing.
Ⅱ. FLOWER MARKET FESTIVAL
CW: Optional Alcohol/Drug Consumption.
You didn’t think the celebrations would be over just because the Flower Oracle came and went, did you? There’s always a new event, a new thing to do, a new way to make some benefit off the Travelers who pass in and out of the Isle looking to take something away from this place.
This month it’s the Flower Market!
During the days, stalls bloom beneath the elevated buildings and in the empty center where the Flower Oracle once stood. There are flowers, of course, in buckets, arrangements, wreaths, crowns, growing in tiny little pots, made into cakes, salsas, and snacks! Artists will find pigments, paints, inks, dyes, and papers. There are perfumes, lotions, oils, soaps, and more. Spices and herbs are abundant; you’ve certainly never seen saffron this cheap. If you haven’t gotten enough tie-dye from the temple, you’ll find beautiful batik clothing, purses, and even jewelry. Everything is bright, everything is for sale.At night, the stalls are all folded away and instruments come out. Little stalls sell flowery alcoholic drinks and did you know or remember that cannabis is a flowering plant? The locals certainly remembered to make the edibles. Careful, though, drink or imbibe and you’ll find yourself talking about the things you need that you cannot buy. The things you are aching for.
And you won’t stop until someone acknowledges it.
Notes:
1. If you want it and it’s made of flowers, it’s here. No drugs or alcohol during daylight hours.
2. The Temple gives a small amount of spending money daily. Save up and get fancy, or buy a little bit of everything.
3. There is a tiny group of unknown Travelers that show up for the market. They don’t seem to have access to the same network as PCs, but their watches flash green, blue, or purple. They seem to be avoiding PC Travelers and disappear into parts of the Temples that don’t seem to be open to our group yet whenever they get too close.
Ⅲ. POISON GARDEN
CW: Poisons, narcotics, ect.
As you wander the now familiar village, you will notice a new pathway has opened at the edge of the village. It leads to an area with a high stone fence and a heavy gate. A skull and crossbones are painted on the gate in bright white paint, but there’s nothing actually stopping you from opening the gate and walking in.
Do you read the labels? How long does it take you to realize everything in the garden is toxic or poisonous? There are so many options from hemlock and oleander to aconitum and angel’s trumpet and beyond.
Welcome to a study on how not everything that's natural is good for you as you continue to wander the fractal paths. Of course, not everything that's poisonous has no purpose. By the opium poppies there’s a sign that tells you that you can choose to wander the deadly garden until it kills you or you can own up to a toxic habit or behavior that you need to deal with.
Notes:
1. In theory, a character could wander forever without touching or consuming any of the poisons. For plot/fun reasons, feel free to make it a little more difficult. And remember, some of your characters can be poisoned to death.
2. Acknowledging bad habits or a need for change in an honest way is very likely to result in a shift in a ScryWatch color. Remember, the Ancient is looking for growth and improvement, not moral perfection.
3. Characters can collect poisonous or medicinal plants but will be at risk while doing so.
Ⅳ. FLOWERY FIELDS FOREVER
Maybe you need to get away from the fuss at the market or just want to stretch your legs, but it’s time to explore the flowering landscape around the village. The villagers have baskets waiting at each of the outbound trails with the request that you come back with the basket full in trade for the picnic lunch they provide.Wander the rolling hills and you’ll find a surprising amount of wildlife for an island without offspring. There are hummingbirds the size of chihuahuas, tiny pollinating bats, nectar eating possums, giant stingless bees, and more butterflies than you can shake a stick at. All of them seem entirely unafraid of humans despite being wild animals. If you get bitten or pecked, it’s your own fault.
As you fill your basket, you’ll notice patterns in what blooms. All kinds of plants bloom outside of reason and season and traditional need because the land is trying to talk to you through flowers. What did you need to hear? The villagers can help you translate when you come back from your adventure.
Notes:
1. The giant orchid mantises are still there! Thank Gideon and Harrow for negotiating a truce, so they probably won’t eat you. A mantis might even have a conversation with you if you ask nicely, (Quentin managed somehow,) and they have their own knowledge and worship of the Ancient.
2. Feel free to use any reference for plant/flower meaning. Here’s one to get started!
3. Don’t get too attached to any of the critters, they will stay here at the end of the month.
selina kyle, dc comics
TWO: the flower market festival
THREE: the poison garden
FOUR: wildcard it!
II
Clearly, Selina isn't truly paying attention to who she nabs for a compliment, because he is in no way her style. But he's more than happy to play along, because if the Catwoman notices you, then you damn well stop to notice the Catwoman.
"Oh DAHLING!!!," he gushes, "It is simply to die for. The accent color matches your eyes, and it is pretty much the perfect ratio of size to your body type. Not too garishly big, and not too mostly there to show off small. There's some real practicality there, you could hold quite a few...shall we say...souvenirs." He drops her an exaggerated wink as his eyes cut to some of the valuables that passerby have in all too snatchable places on their person.
He flaps a hand. "Why, you could say it's an absolute steal!!!"
i swear this isn't a firm shutdown rofl
she doesn't know him, though. he's one of the new additions to their ragtag little group they picked up somewhere along the way and she's had less of a chance to get a feel for the newbies. seems like she's about to get a crash course introduction, huh?
selina's expression drops almost instantly. ]
Ugh. [ first impression? not great. ] Forget I asked.
[ she'll just be taking her business in the opposite direction, if you don't mind... ]
Pfff He deserves it!
(Her player is a mod lady. I think the respect should be flowing from us to her.)
Well. Whatever. FINE. We can still grumble about being called a newbie. JEAN wouldn't call us a newbie!
(Low blow? Maybe? idek)
Anyways, Deadpool watches the lady of class move on. For a few moments, his expression is unreadable. Of course, you'd think most expressions would be unreadable through a mask, but he was a comic book character. Their mask eyes always did improbable things. Selina knew. She was boinking Batman. Those white sharp triangle eye slits had to turn into big old white circles when he was-
"WHOA! Let's keep it PG or something. No smut in our thread with the pu-"
Oh. Ahem. Right. Yes. That was about to get steamy. And you were about to get vulgar. Anyways. A slow grin starts to light up his features as she saunters away, and when she's sufficiently out of sight behind a few wandering bodies, he pulls her wallet out of a pocket and starts counting what he's scored. There was more than one way to be a master thief, and just because Deadpool's wasn't as classy as Selina's didn't mean it wasn't effective. Stimulate the local economy? How about stimulate Deadpool.
"Didn't we say no smut?"
Oh yes. Phrasing.
Also, this isn't godmoding or anything. It's highly likely the best thief in the entire DC universe will notice she's one wallet lighter in 3, 2...
poison garden
He eyes it warily, wondering if perhaps she's just pushing it the wrong way. After all-]
...are you drunk?
[Everything from Carcosa tells him it probably isn't that simple, but he'd like it to be. If he's stuck in here with her until some magical requirement is met... ugh.]
no subject
No! [ smack, smash, slam. ] You motherfucker, just-- [ bang, bong, pow. ] LET ME OUT OF HERE!!
[ she gives the gate one big shove, putting her whole body into it, and takes a step back with a heavy sigh. after all the trouble they'd found themselves in back on carcosa, she was really hoping to avoid whatever tricks this place had up its sleeve.
finally, some acknowledgement that she's not alone: ]
I am a grown-ass woman, I can be drunk if I want!
no subject
...I didn't say otherwise.
[Though how much use is a drunk going to be? He looks up at the gate, puts a hand on the handle, and-- pulling doesn't budge it either, as he suspected. It almost seems to resist him, more than something made of wood and metal ought to. He takes a step back and instead tries leaping up, but although the top of the high gate should be within his reach, something similarly prevents him from grabbing it. He doesn't look at Selina on landing, his jaw setting. Trapped.
What will it want in exchange for their escape?
He doesn't want to give it.]
Perhaps there's another exit.
Two: the flower market festival
So he blinks, taking a moment to realize she means the perfume, and then sniffs the offered arm. The scent is heavy with jasmine which causes him to squint one eye closed, turn his head and sneeze.]
Sorry. I...uh...maybe not that one.
no subject
the resulting reaction isn't quite as strong, but that is really strong. ]
Maybe not, no... Sorry about that. I hate when the sales people spray shit in your face, I probably should have asked first.
no subject
It's okay, just a sneeze. I'm not allergic or anything so you don't have to worry about me suddenly going into anaphylactic shock or something.
Do you like floral scents? If jasmine is too strong maybe something like honeysuckle would be better?
no subject
[ he shouldn't worry about offending her, she's the asshole here and she'd feel -- well, something -- if he'd been allergic. the market is bustling and everything is so bright and colorful, it's hard not to get caught up in all of it. ]
I like lots of things. You a flower person?
no subject
Not especially, I like more earthy tree scents like cedar or sweet almond bush. Or the smell of soil just after rainfall.
THREE:
Booker's crouching near some opioids, trying to decide how legit they are, when he hears someone making a bit of an entrance. His head pops up over bushy pile of plants, and he looks between Seline and the gate.
And he sighs.
"Well, fuck."
no subject
seriously, what is it about this guy and his ability to be present at literally the worst time? is that some kind of skill? bruce has that, a bit -- always showing up juuuust in time to turn an easy job into a big ol' bat-pain in the ass -- so like, that's totally a real thing. (drunk logic at it's finest, people. she's doing great.) would have been nice if she'd noticed him before the minor assault she unleashes upon the gate in all her drunken, toddler stubbornness.
she buries her face in her hands with a groan. ]
Oh, fuck me. You again.