July Lore Entry #1
Neon Bamboo Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
One of the first things you find on Next Island is also one of the most awe-inspiring things; the Neon Bamboo. This brilliant, blue fixture is found in many places around Next Island. But how does this beautiful example of botany work? What makes it tick? The answer may not surprise you if, like me, you have a background in biology. It’s simple. Neon Bamboo, like some organisms, produces a phosphorescence. Why this is was a mystery until very recently. Most organisms that produce such a glow require it for their survival. So, we asked ourselves, was it for some survival reason? After many years of searching for answers, it dawned on us. Neon Bamboo needs to be seen by a certain nocturnal animal that helps it spread. How the Neon Bamboo procreates is intriguing. It actually needs to be consumed, passed through this creature’s digestive tract, and excreted. After this happens, the bamboo sprouts everywhere the animal leaves droppings. While this nocturnal beast can see fine in the dark, the bamboo’s light makes it even more attractive to it.
What is this mysterious nocturnal beast that eats the Neon Bamboo? It’s a creature that has only ever been observed a few times; the Night Panda. What the heck is a Night Panda, you ask? This is a fair question. Only a handful of settlers have seen this elusive critter. Even at night, this herbivore is extremely tricky to find. That’s actually an understatement. It’s quite impossible. We don’t know much about it, suffice that people who have seen it describe it as a reverse Earth Panda, white where black is supposed to be and black where white is supposed to be. Seeing as how the Night Panda and the Neon Bamboo share such a symbiotic relationship, it is theorized that they are native to Next Island. There are a few on the fringe that believe neither the Night Panda nor the Neon Bamboo are indigenous to Next Island but were both brought over from Earth and genetically modified. I, for one, believe either possibility has validity.
Before you go looking for a Night Panda, you should know that they are very shy around people to the point where they fade into the forest… literally. They can cloak themselves. I’m not joking! They can also go months without food or water! Therefore, even if you could camp out at their food source at night, they will never appear to you. Perhaps if we were to find every specimen of Neon Bamboo and post a sentry at each one for several months straight, then perhaps we can see one and maybe even capture it for more study? Anyway, that is all I’ve got for the Neon Bamboo and it’s mysterious lore. If I get more information, you can expect a full report!
Fatty out!
Lore Entry #2
Boar(ing) Facts
Research by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
There is no animal on Next Island more ubiquitous than the Boar. They are so common, they come in several flavors (all of them tasting like bacon). On the lower tier of Boars, we have the Village Boar. These are weaker, but by far the most intelligent of the Boar Species. Village Boars have been known to collaborate with other creatures- like the Screecher- can solve complex problems, can recognize their own reflection in a mirror (I think the Mutant Boar we tested simply broke the mirror), and some scientists have even studied their grunts and snorts and have found that they follow the same kinds of patterns as speech.
The next most powerful Boar types are the Mountain and Mutant Boars. They are roughly the same in strength and intelligence, but the Mutant Boars only recently appeared on the scene. It’s not clear, but some hypothesize that the Mutant Boars are just modified Mountain Boars. We don’t know what scientist or scientists altered them or why, but we can only conclude that the experiments were a massive failure. Mutant Boars cannot be as strong as Mountain Boars, since their DNA is altered to the point of degradation, and therefore instability.
A little higher up than the strongest Mountain Boars are the Wild Boars. As their name suggests, the Wild Boar is quite unpredictable, the wild card. They are somewhere between the Mountain Boar and the Village Boar in intelligence. Some gourmands and foodies will swear up and down that the Wild Boar tastes the best of all the Boar breeds (with Mutant Boars being the worst tasting). For this reason, a Wild Boar Steak fetches a high price. It’s too bad our hunting weapons ruin the meat.
Finally, the mightiest Boar enters the arena, the Sand Boar. The Sand Boar is found in the most desolate and dangerous regions of Next Island, and they are hardy enough to survive even in those places. It is most likely their environment that caused them to become so fierce. When it comes to strength, the Sand Boar cannot be beaten, and their cunning is also frighteningly high! If you can take them down, however, there’s a good chance you can get an incision plate.
Of course, if you’ve read my reports on the Papoo and the Screecher, you know Boars are hated universally by the Papoo. They compete for the same resources, and as you might expect, Boars are pigs and eat everything they see, even Papoo (and fallen settlers).
That’s what I have for my report on Boars. I hope I didn’t Boar you… See what I did there? Ok, Fatty out!
Entry #3
Facts about The Magic Flower
Research by Fattues “Fatty” Thorsson
I’ve been scouring the entire planet for Magic Flowers in my hunt for knowledge. Frederick turned me onto this amazing Next Island Flora when he asked me to gather some of them. The hunt has been arduous. I procured a list of coordinates where they may be found growing, but most of the time I check those places, they have already been picked! The good news is that the time it takes for a new flower to grow is amazingly short!
I hypothesized before that the Magic Flower is actually a Blue Baobab sapling. We haven’t yet confirmed that. A full DNA analysis is being run as of the writing of this report, so we should know soon, but deadlines are deadlines and I had to get this out before that is likely to happen. However, I have faith that I will be proven correct! Only time, and a little bit of science, will tell.
Magic Flowers, named so because they were first discovered around the area of the magical Enchanted Village, are not magical, per se. However, they do have properties that make them considered magical. They resonate with a special frequency that allows people to enter the mysterious Magical Forest. 3 are required to create enough “noise” to open the way. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle, as G.I. Joe used to say. But I digress.
Magic Flowers make beautiful decorations in the home. They have another unique property that allows them to survive without water or nutrients. This is known as a “stasis state.” It is similar to how a tardigrade survives in its “tun state,” except the Magic Flower does not change shape or form, which makes it all the more amazing! This makes them extremely convenient house plants. While in this state, it is apparently impossible for them to grow any bigger or mature into their adult forms. Because of this and the fact that they are almost never left alone for long, we don’t know what their true adult form looks like, hence my theory. I am very excited to find out more about this mysterious plant! Keep your eye out for my next report in August!
Fatty out!
Entry #4
A Day in Ancient Greece Part 1 – It Begins
Short Story by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
As the sun climbed into it’s position in the sky, it warmed the hills and cliffs of Ancient Greece. Living things were glad to feel the loving embrace of its light. Birds took flight in living sheets, insects chirruped gaily, and a young woman was heading to the river to fill her vase with water. The grass was still wet with dew as she walked downhill from the already bustling city of Thebes. She breathed in the fragrant air and felt the wind on her face as she approached the river. On the other side of the river, a doe grazed reverently, content with her presence.
The young woman dipped her hands into the water and let the current flow into them. The water was cool and refreshing on her face and as it went down her parched throat, she felt glad to be alive. After rewarding herself, she lowered the vase, which was a little less than half her size, into the aqua pura. The full vase was very burdensome, but she bore it on herself cheerfully as she went back up the well-worn foot path back to Thebes and her home.
Her home was right down the street to the Thebes Market. People passed hither and thither, flitting from one task to another in their busy, yet simple lives. It had been a whole year since the last Cyclops raid. No problems from the brutal Myrinian Warriors either. Ever since the Atom Pylis (Portal People or those who came from the door) showed up, things have been fairly easy going. Calling themselves First Wavers, they brought magic from another world and were constantly hunting the beastly foes of Thebes. For what reason, the woman could not tell, but the upshot of this was the relative peace that settled in not long after.
She rounded the corner and set her vase full of water down. “Father, I’m home!” she called.
A strong voice answered her, it was masculine yet gentle. “Tera, my daughter. Did you bring the water?”
“Yes, father. I just set it outside the door.” She entered the house and closed the door behind her. She would get the water in a minute, but first she would rest inside the cool, terracotta home.
“Oh good,” he sighed coming out of a back room. “I’m parched.” He came up to her and the two embraced like a father and daughter are wont to do. “What would this old man do without his beloved girl?”
She beamed and let go of their grip with one another. “If it weren’t for me, you’d probably not even be able to find your head,” she joked.
“As long as it’s still attached,” he grunted as he walked over to the dining room table and sat down.
Tera giggled like a child. Just then, there was a knock at the door, which was alarmingly loud.
The man looked from his daughter to the door, “I’ll get that,” he said as calmly as he could muster. Tera was confused. Just a moment ago the atmosphere was light and full of levity, but now it was much heavier, and her father seemed worried.
The man answered the door and found two other people standing at the threshold. They were in strange garb and wrapped in other-worldly armor. Even their faces were covered with helmets that were smooth and had no openings, which looked strange to the people of Thebes. Many wondered aloud how they can see or even breath. But this was just the nature of the magic used by the Atom Pylis. The two strangers stared into Tera’s father’s eyes.
“Creon, Archon of Thebes?” the apparently male voice asked.
“Yes? I am Creon.”
“We have a situation that we need to brief you on,” the other Atom Pylis, a female judging by the voice, stated formally as if in military cadence.
Creon looked them up and down with slight skepticism. Tera stifled a cough.
“Very well. Would you like to come inside?” Creon asked the two strangers.
“I’m afraid that is not an option,” the male said officially. “We’ll meet you at the temple.”
“I understand,” Creon lied, “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
The strangers left and melted into the bustling crowd. Creon waited until they were gone, then grabbed his walking stick.
“I’ll be back, sweetie.”
The walk to the temple was usually a pleasant one. The air was warm yet brisk, as usual. The leaves of the trees danced in the slight breeze, as usual. But this wasn’t a usual stroll up to the temple. There was a feeling of dread for Creon that was hard to put his finger on. When he got to the temple, there were four Atom Pylis standing outside. They all looked similar, all wearing the same uniform armor with their glass visors covering all of their faces. Creon walked up to them and saluted out of respect.
“Creon, Archon of Thebes,” a low voice said from behind one of the visors.
“Don’t worry about being formal, gentlemen,” Creon said exasperatedly. “What is the emergency? You’re interrupting my day of rest.”
“Dire news,” The speaker appeared to be the one in charge. “I will get right to the point. There is a virus spreading through Thebes.”
Creon’s eyebrows raised.
“We have identified several cases and they are currently being treated. We think the virus originates from the First Wavers who came here through the teleporter from Next Island. The people here do not have immunity to it, though it would appear that it laid dormant inside us for decades.”
“What are the symptoms?” Creon asked, concern in his voice.
“It starts with a cough. Then the body develops lesions. Finally, the body’s organs start to shut down. Scientists are calling it Papoo Pox, as it seems the original settlers of Next Island might have contracted it from the indigenous Papoo populations.”
“How long does it take to die from this pox?” Creon continued to press for answers.
“The gestation is usually one week.”
“So, you’re saying that in seven days, we could have a lot of dead people on our hands?” Creon’s voice quavered slightly.
“It would appear so. We are quarantining Thebes.”
Creon massaged his temples, a sign that he usually exhibited when he was distraught. “What do you need from me? Surely there is something we can do?”
“That is the good news. There is something you can do.”
Creon was now waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Something that I can do?”
“If we were to do anything, we risk spreading the virus. You, on the other hand, appear to be immune and not currently a carrier.”
“Ok. What do I need to do?”
“Your mission is to find the cure. Our research suggests that only the blood of a God has the strength to give the people of Thebes immunity.”
“You’re joking,” Creon said incredulously.
“We’re dead serious,” the Atom Pylis man said earnestly. “And if we don’t act fast, a lot of people will be seriously dead.”
“And by ‘we’, you mean me.”
The uniformed man nodded solemnly.
“I’ll start immediately,” Creon said as he grabbed up his walking stick and started back to his home. When he got there, he entered and found Tera sprawled on the floor, her eyes barely open, coughing uncontrollably.
“Tera!” Creon shouted as he went to her and knelt beside her, lifting her head in his arms.
“Father? Is that you?” Tera said weakly between coughs.
“What is going on?” Creon asked, though deep down he knew the answer already.
Tera went into another fit of coughing in answer to his question.
“Never mind. Don’t speak. Your father is on it.” Creon carried her to her bed in the next room and rested her on top of the sheets. She felt like she was burning under her skin. This was a symptom the Atom Pylis did not speak of. Was the virus already evolving? “Your father is on it.”
Entry #5
A Day in Ancient Greece Part 2– A God’s Judgment
Short Story by Fatteus “Fatty” Thorsson
Creon poured through dusty volumes written about the Gods of Ancient Greece. He had studied them studiously since becoming the Archon of Thebes, but there was still a lot he did not know. He pondered how much his fellow First Wavers knew that he didn’t. He read entries on Hephaestus, Apollo, Hades, and others. Nothing seemed to jump out at him as a possible answer to this dire problem. In the next room, Tera was having another coughing attack. Creon sighed in despair. He would not let his daughter go the same way as her mother, who had died mysteriously several months before. Then no one could say what caused her to go ill. Now, Creon was putting the pieces together. It must have been the earliest case of Papoo Pox. Thinking of her symptoms, they did seem eerily similar.
Finally, he found the last entry, Zeus. There it was, in plain ink. Zeus is unique amongst the Gods, not only because he rules over them, but because he has a special property to his blood. A single drop is rumored to be able to cure any illness. Of course! Creon bumped his head on an open cupboard door and more books tumbled on top of him. He rubbed his aching cranium and then brushed himself off. His eyes devoured what they could from this entry about Zeus. The Lord of Gods does not suffer mortals. He smites anyone foolhardy enough to approach him. No one has ever gotten him to agree to help them without copious offerings, and even then, he has been known to be stingy and tricky. Creon shook his head. What would Zeus want in return for his blood? Creon realized he had nothing he could give. He had to think of a way to pull one over on the God.
Creon closed the tome, dust blowing from between the pages. He cleared his throat. In response, Tera went into another coughing fit in the next room. Creon went to her.
“Hon, I’m going to save you.” He said, gently caressing her forehead, which was hotter than a stove, it seemed. “Please stay alive.”
He hurled himself out the door, walking stick in hand, pack on his back. The door to his home slammed behind him. A storm seemed to be rolling in, the wind picking up. There were fewer people milling around. Perhaps they all had succumbed to the Papoo Pox. How could he have let this happen? Was it his fault, he thought? Had he brought the virus?
The journey to Zeus’ home on Mount Olympus was not a stroll in the park. It was fraught with danger. More than once, Creon had to duck behind a tree or bush or hill to avoid being seen by an Arges Cyclops Bloodrager or Warrior. Finally, he reached the foot of the mountain of the Gods, Olympus. Lightning writhed across the dark cloud canopy. Then a gale rushed by Creon and a booming voice punched his eardrums.
“You are trespassing on sacred ground, mortal! Turn back now, and I may spare your miserable life.”
Creon puffed up his chest and responded forcefully, but with respect for the Divine entity. “Your majesty, Zeus, king of all Gods, I merely request a little of your holy blood so that I can save the people of Thebes- and by extension all of Ancient Greece.”
The voice laughed, malice tinging every boom of resonance. “It is your fault they are sick, First Waver.” The last two words rang in Creon’s ears, dripping with contempt. “You brought the pox upon your friends and family. I’m sure you would find it commodious of me to solve your problem for you.”
The voice echoed in the maelstrom and eventually faded. It was then that Creon spoke. “I have nothing to offer your greatness, but-”
Zeus’ voice boomed again with mirth as it roared with laughter. “Of course, you don’t! Now, begone!”
Creon hung his head in defeat. He pivoted and headed over the next hill. Once there he balled his fists and clenched his teeth. He would not let his daughter die like her mother did. He wouldn’t let his beloved people suffer either. He would get Zeus’ blood one way or another, with or without his permission.
The sky darkened with night and the storm calmed. A soft, rumbling sound issued from somewhere atop the God’s mountain. He must be asleep, Creon thought. Even Gods had to rest from time to time, but there was no telling how long he would be out. His chance was fleeting and quickly evaporating. He climbed the side, alighting the mountain agonizingly slowly, but inexorably surely. Once he got to just below the summit, he found himself on an earthen balcony formed from the very rock of Olympus. At the center was a nimbus, crackling with light and electricity. At the center of the cloud was a massive man, muscles rippling, eyes closed, his beard and mustache blowing in and out with each snore. He was most unnaturally grey-skinned, which was slightly unnerving.
Creon couldn’t believe his fortune. He got his syringe and needle out of his pack and crept up on the dozing deity. He slowly stuck the needle into Zeus’ left arm. Zeus twitched slightly and grunted, then fell back into unconsciousness. Creon sighed with relief and drew back the plunger. The blood was bright blue, almost glowing and humming with power. He slowly and carefully placed the syringe in his pack and started to back away. As he did so, he unintentionally slipped on a flat stone and fell onto his backside, the wind getting knocked out of him… The syringe rolled across the stone floor.
Zeus grunted and then opened his eyes. He saw Creon and then the vial of what appeared to be his own blood. A wrath filled his eyes, which burned even brighter than they normally did.
“Mortal fool! You dare defy the edicts of the God of Gods!?”
Creon scrabbled around on the ground, grabbed the syringe before it rolled away, stuffed it back in his pack, strapped it on, then scrambled to his feet before dashing away from the enraged entity who was now spitting lightning all around himself. Creon barely managed to dive behind a large boulder before a massive explosion hit the side he was just on. The boulder shuddered violently, and Zeus roared.
“Idiot! Imbecile! Worm! Do you not think I can destroy you AND that puny rock you’re hiding behind?!”
Several more blasts and thunderclaps emitted from the other side of the boulder, and then the boulder shattered! Zeus huffed and puffed, looking all around him. The Human mortal was nowhere to be seen. Had he evaporated him with the last blast?
The truth was, Creon had cleverly used the thunderclaps to make his escape without being noticed. By the time the boulder was pulverized by Zeus’ power, he was already sliding and clamoring down the mountain.
Creon was drenched in sweat, drawing in painful breaths from his labors. He made it to the bottom of the mountain and quickly checked behind him. A new storm was brewing in the sky. Zeus was clearly antagonized. He didn’t have much time, so he made as much space between himself and the incensed God as possible.
Hours passed, but Creon ultimately made it back to Thebes in the early morning. He rushed up the temple steps and burst into the room where the lab was set up. He set the blood onto the table and looked at the other First Waver. “Please save my people.”
The scientist nodded gravely and took the sample. Five agonizing days passed before the serum was finished. Every day, Creon held his daughter’s dainty hand, which was limp and lifeless, but she breathed still, between coughing attacks. A few elders didn’t make it, but at last, the Serum was finished before too many others died. Creon knew he was being selfish, but he begged that Tera be the first one to receive the cure. The other First Wavers understood his fatherly instincts and agreed. Creon took the medicine to his dying daughter. His heart sank when he saw her laying in her bed, her skin tallow and stretched across her bones. She hadn’t been able to eat much more than broth since she had gotten sick. He gingerly stuck the needle into the vein on her right arm and let the life-giving liquid go into her frail body. Her flesh immediately brightened as the blood flow was restored. She had been on the very threshold of death and now she was apparently recovering. Creon cried openly.
“Oh, my daughter! I knew everything would be alright.” He wept into her bedding. “Everything is going to be alright.”
Ok! See you all next month!