Eternal Summer

[polymods]

✖ 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.

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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.

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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.

The garden is beautiful, but surprisingly formal after the chaotic abundance of the rest of the Isle. The paths are wide and there’s space between the plants. Each one is meticulously labeled with a stake in the ground.

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.

Bonus: music to watch the flowers bloom to.

Network · Logs · OOC · Memes · Plurk

Comments

[extrasensory_problems]

"Good." He says and gives David a little squeeze, letting a comfortable silence wash over them. He's happy to have found another friend, especially one that seems to enjoy and appreciate a good solid hug. Kyle is fast becoming his best friend but to say he's resistant to hugs is an understatement.

"Do you sing?" Carter asks after a few moments of just quietly looking up at the sky.

[helpdesk_hero]

Kyle was probably too stubborn for his own good.

"Sing?" he asked, then shook his head. "Picking up other people's skills doesn't guarantee that my body can perform the act. So no, I don't sing."

[extrasensory_problems]

"Aw shame." Carter muses thoughtfully, "You've got a really nice speaking voice. Me and Kyle were talking about how you should do books on tape or something which made me wonder if you sang because that would be great sounding."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Everyone always says books on tape," David laughed, shaking his head. It drove the lingering tears away. "Glad to know my friends talk about the wonders of my voice. Back home, one of my best friends Trevor makes the same suggestion about reading things. He makes me do it over breakfast in the mornings."

[extrasensory_problems]

"Trevor is a genius." Carter states, smiling at the mental image of David reading things like the news or fiction out loud at the breakfast table.

[helpdesk_hero]

"He is," David agreed, his voice so soft over that statement that there was undoubtedly weight to the statement.

[extrasensory_problems]

He can hear the weight of that statement so he gives David another little squeeze to let him know that it's okay, and goes back to the topic of singing.

"If you ever want to learn how to sing I can try and teach you." He offers, "I'm not like a fancy opera singer but I know some stuff."

[helpdesk_hero]

How could he even explain the singing thing?

"You ever hear a recording of your voice played back to you?"

[extrasensory_problems]

"Of course, I've recorded a few original songs to make sure they sounded as good in my head as they do out loud."

[helpdesk_hero]

"You're one of those people who doesn't find it sounds weird, aren't you?" David laughs. Which makes the argument weird.

[extrasensory_problems]

Carter thinks about it for a moment and then shrugs, "It was a bit weird at first. I can remember playing it back and being like 'is my voice really that husky when I sing?' But after a bit I got used to it."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Imagine never being able to get past that point. Never getting used to it. That's what I deal with."

Because he knew what things should sound like, and it was always wrong when he did it. Downside of his powers.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Ahhhh, okay got it." Carter says, finally understanding. He can sympathize, knowing how frustrating it is when he plays a note and it just sounds a bit off and he can't seem to find the reason behind it.

"Well there go my plans on starting a Travelers band."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Just because I can't sing doesn't mean I don't have musical skill," David corrected him, letting his eyes drift close as he reveled in the peace of the place. "I can play any instrument people I had met before could play."

[extrasensory_problems]

Carter grins and gives David another squeeze, "Well then the band is back on! I mean....if we can find instruments. I wish I had found a guitar on the last island but no luck."

[helpdesk_hero]

"If you can find it, I'll probably play it. I have faith in you doing it," David answered, smiling to himself.

He would give Carter all the time he needed.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Is it dumb to say that I miss the feeling of holding a guitar?" He asks after another quiet moment.

[helpdesk_hero]

"No," David answered, eyes still closed. "Because it's something you care about, right?"

[extrasensory_problems]

"Yeah, it was like the one thing in my life that felt stable and always good. Even if I played till my fingers were raw and my shoulders ached it always made me feel good."

[helpdesk_hero]

"So it's not silly or dumb to say," David answered. "It's something so central to you and how you feel about hte world that it makes sense."

[extrasensory_problems]

Carter smiles, "Thanks. I mean, you're right. It's just some of my friends back home would tease me about sounding...so...poetic about it?"

[helpdesk_hero]

"Then they don't really deserve your poetry about it," David shrugged. It seemed that simple to him. "You sound, well, a bit like Sam Guthrie's younger brother Joshua. He went by Jay, and he loved music."

Loved. Well, he supposes Jay loves it again. Not that he sees his friend much anymore.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Guthrie...wait, you mean Paige's family right?" He asks, "I remember Paige. She would always come ask romance advice of my mom when we were at Xavier's."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Yeah, her brothers," David answered with a smile. It was nice to find the connection points between them. "Did you know there was a point in time where Paige was dating Toad of all people?"

Hard to believe, right?

[extrasensory_problems]

Carter breaks into laughter, "Are you serious? She was dating Worthington when I was at Xavier's, did she realize that rich playboys aren't all that interesting and go for the exact opposite or something?"