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.

---

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.

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]

"Well you succeed." Carter says and rubs at his shoulder, it was dumb of him to do that but he can't baby it forever.

"Yeah that was dumb. It's been healing up good though so that's something."

[helpdesk_hero]

No, but he has to baby it for a BIT!

"As your doctor, I'm telling you to give it a week before you try to put half of your entire body weight on it?"

It's just a suggestion man

[extrasensory_problems]

He smiles at David, his eyebrow going up. "Well I can't ignore a doctors orders now can I? I think they'd kick me out of nursing school if I did that."

"Any ideas on what I can do to help get the strength back up? I hate not being able to do my normal moves."

[helpdesk_hero]

"I don't know," David said with a shrug. "Sometimes it's really important for nurses to question. Because sometimes doctors don't notice things or write them down wrong. It's important to have a nurse that thinks for themself."

Still, he's glad the guy asked. He grins. "Dude, I'm going to set you up a whole physio routine. Promsie."

[extrasensory_problems]

"Oh totally," he says with a nod. "My mom was like that, she caught a lot of mistakes that the doctors made. I used to ask her why she didn't become a doctor because she sometimes seemed better at their jobs and she said it was because it would remove her from fully taking care of the patients. She liked to know them from beginning to end."

At the mention of having a physio routine he grins and reaches over to give David a one armed hug. "Yesssss! Thank you, you're the best."

[helpdesk_hero]

Well she sounded nice. But the past tense means David doesn't pry as much. He doesn't think Carter needs something sad right now.

"I know I am," David laughs, appreciating the hug. "I'll help you work through it until you have it down easily and don't need help."

[extrasensory_problems]

"That would be great," he says with a grin. "And if I can pay you back in any way for the help just let me know, you've already got an open invitation for free hugs at any time but I can also offer up foot massages or something."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Pay me back?" David said. Nah, he didn't think that was going to be a thing he asked for.

"Hugs I'll take, but you're not rubbing my feet, Carter. That would be weird."

[extrasensory_problems]

He shrugs, "Okay okay, no feet stuff. But you know what I mean, if you're going to be helping me out then I'd like to return the favor."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Being my friend is returning the favor," David promises, his voice gentle and fond.

He needs friends.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Awww." Carter smiles and wraps his arms around David, giving him a long full hug. "Okay done. I'm happy to be your friend."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Happy to be yours too," David answered with a laugh. "Just be careful with the PDAs or Jenn will think you're taken."

[extrasensory_problems]

He laughs and gives him a playful nudge, "Pffft like you'd date me anyways."

[helpdesk_hero]

"I make it a habit not to date straight men who are pining for women that could break me with their pinky finger," David answered, still smiling.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Fair enough." He says with smile and then sighs longingly, "Is it weird that the fact that she can break me with her pinky finger only makes her that more attractive to me? Kyle keeps teasing me about that, he says it means I have a weird fetish."

[helpdesk_hero]

Damn he's so fucking lost over Jenn and David smiles.

"No, there are plenty of people who are into her or others for that. Trust me, I know what people's kinks are."

[extrasensory_problems]

He blushes a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's not the only reason I'm into her, she's beautiful and could kick my ass in either form."

There's a pause and he raises an eyebrow, "Wait....what? You know what everyone's kinks are? Like....as in everyone here on the island?"

[helpdesk_hero]

"I know," David answered. "It's okay to have complicated feelings."

But at Carter's question, David held up a hand.

"The last world I was in, the one I told you about? It warped my powers. And I seem to have come here with that warping. Which means I need to touch people now. So if I touched everyone on this island, yes, I would know. But I haven't. I... I try not to use it."

Then he holds out his hand and a pair of sunglasses appear on them. Ones made out of what looks like golden light. Glasses made not unlike how Quire might make some. These he puts on his face.

"It gave me other things to compensate."

[extrasensory_problems]

"Those are neat, do they do anything?" Carter asks as he looks at the glasses with interest and then back up into David's face, a blush creeping across his face.

"Uh...but does that mean you know what my...uh you know are?" He's asking because basically all him and David have been doing this afternoon is touching, and hugging, and carrying one another.

"Or do you only know it when you want to?"

[helpdesk_hero]

"Nope. They're just a psychic projection. I can make other things that do stuff, but these don't."

Still, he understands the concern. And he offers the man a smile before tapping his forehead.

"You can look for yourself, see how good my mental shields are. I had to learn to do that, trained under a telepath from a world where they are known as Psys. He was very strong and basically had to take my training in hand so I could touch people. And when the psychometry happened, to keep my mind from basically imploding from overload," he explained. "But here's the thing, you're a real telepath. If I even began to let down my own barriers and let the power filter out, you'd feel it instantly and probably be able to slam up walls fast enough to give me a migraine."

He didn't want to talk about all the ways that Carter could overwhelm David's defenses and basically torture him that way. It wasn't polite to think a firned would do that.

[extrasensory_problems]

Carter looks slightly worried at the mention of having a brain overload but it sounds like whoever taught David did a good job, seeing how the other boy is calm and can touch him.

At the mention of being a real telepath though he snorts and shrugs, "I dunno about that. I think you give me a bit more credit than I deserve, I'm not good at my powers because I almost never use them."

[helpdesk_hero]

Yeah, Carter should have seen David's reactions to the freedom of his mind after Judd had finally gotten those mental shields strong enough to handle both of his gifts. David had shown up at a charity fundraiser after with more skin on display than he'd had for well over a year. The social media frenzy had been impressive.

"You don't have to be good at them to have instincts," David countered. "But, if you need a teacher, I suggest Quire."

Not that David couldn't teach it, he just couldn't show it, not really. He couldn't help Carter practice, or test his barriers.

"Or, you know, just see if you know enough about how to find and touch knowledge in another's mind and just pull out everything I know about telepathy from Emma Frost."

[extrasensory_problems]

Immediately Carter shakes his head, almost violently, at the idea of going to Quire to learn about his powers.

"Nope. No way, not him." And then once he realizes that sounds semi rude he sighs, "Quentin is cool but he seems so...urm...how do I put it? Blasé?"

[helpdesk_hero]

"I tend to categorize him as an asshole," David answered with a shrug.

Though David was no doubt soon about to ask Quentin for his own help.

[extrasensory_problems]

"Yeah he does give off an asshole vibe." He agrees, "He also seems too casual with his powers for my liking. I just don't think it would end well."

More to the point he doesn't Quire just walking through his brain and memories, finding out the real reason he doesn't like using his powers. That is going to stay private thank you very much.

"You two don't along at all hrm?"