Welcome to The Mysterious Island Interactive Bird Adopts! This story is centered around an expedition to an island filled with colorful versions of recognizable bird species. Your choices will determine if and how you catch a bird. While I will be making up the story as you go along, much of the interactions between you and the environment will be randomly generated. As such, I cannot guarantee what bird(s) you will receive or if you even will receive one. I am working off of a map and will keep track of your location, so if I say you are on a certain space that is not randomized with everything else.

This will be an option-based game. Please make sure you only decide an option that is presented to you.

I am not offering non-interactive adopts, as there is no participation price, only the price of items you purchase for the interaction.

Here’s an example of one bird’s lineart so you can get an idea of the style. A similar style carries through for each species.

The sun rises with an orangish glow, dying the clouds with a crimson hue. The last few stars remain, slowly being washed out by the overwhelming brightness of our planet's own star. Outside your window the leaves of two cottonwood trees twist in the slight breeze. A single rabbit chews on the stem of a dandelion. Besides this, there is no motion. Pushing aside the blinds, you stretch your arms above your head and yawn, blinking into the morning sunlight. It takes a few minutes for your eyes to adjust from the semi-dark of your curtained room to the full glare of the Eastern sunrise. You tuck your knees in, cozy, debating whether or not to peel off the blankets and actually have a functional day. You rub your eyes. The weather is beautiful, you think, maybe I'll wake up if I go outside.

You run a comb briefly through your hair, toss on a jacket, and step outside to the squeak of your front door. A small, yellow bird whizzes past, and instantly your mind identifies it as a goldfinch. Its bright, familiar yellow cheers you. The bird had been gone all winter, and this is the first you've seen of its kind this spring. Of course, such a distinct bird could be recognized by anyone, but would anyone else remember the details of their migration route? Can the man across the street remember how many eggs a pair would lay each year? Whether or not they mate for life? Or course, you do. You are a world famous ornithologist, or bird scientist. It's your job to know these things. You're also supposed to be able to rise at dawn to study the creatures in the early morning, when they're most active, but today you're just not feeling it.

You stumble into your local coffee shop, pulling out your phone to begin studying yesterday's field notes while you wait in line. You make your order brief, selecting your favorite item, and go to sit down in your usual chair. On your way past the picture window facing towards the ever-brighter sunshine, something across the street catches your eye.

The usual newspaper stand is in its place as always, but the number of people standing around it? Highly unusual. "Ooh, someone had a pool party last night" you mumble, noting what boring nonsense usually is featured on the cover of your local paper. You go back to your work. A few minutes later, though, you can't help but notice that the crowd is still there. Sighing, you know your curiosity is getting the better of you. Pocketing your phone, tossing your trash on the way out, you listen to the ding of the little bell over the door and head outside.

If ever you needed something to give you a jolt of adrenaline for your job, today is the day. And this is just what you needed! Something more than your usual observations, far more, and definitely exciting. Noticing only the largest part of the front page, you flip to the continued story in the middle of the newspaper. Glancing at the phone number at the bottom of the page, you whip out your phone. International scientists want a volunteer to study and collect exotic, likely unrecognizable species of birds on a lone island, with a high potential for fame and glory? Who are you to say no? And who better for the job than yourself?

The bus rocks back and forth, knocking your head against the window. You wake up as it slows, turning into the parking lot of a large commercial building. You thank the driver as you exit, noticing that you were the only remaining passenger. You sniff the air, a sea breeze filling your nostrils. Before you reach the door of the building, a lady with sleek black hair steps forward from within and reaches for your hand. You shake it, and she leads you around the back with a smile and a wave, but no spoken word.

"I'm very sorry that I can't properly introduce myself," the lady says with a heavy accent, "but the winds are bringing in another storm much sooner than expected. You will need to get in that boat.." here she gestured to a little wooden thing that looked not much bigger than a raft, ".. and to the island as fast as possible. But first, you must select your supplies." You glance at the pile of junk she gestures to, immediately noticing a price tag stuck on each of the items.

"I have to pay?" you ask, skepticism growing. She shrugs, tossing a beat up military backpack into your arms.

"Fame and glory," is all that she responds.

There is room in your boat for 10 total items, besides the canned food and water filters already packed. This includes baits, resources, and manuals. There is room in your backpack for 5 items. If you have more items in your boat, you can return once space is cleared from your backpack to grab new items.

Baits

Five bait types can be purchased before your journey. You can fit up to three of one Bait type in a container, which will take up 1 space in your boat or backpack. Bait will be used up even if a bird is not captured- the rest of the island life is hungry too! You may occasionally receive bait during your expedition, but the chances are not high.

• Fish (attracts eagles,flamingoes, and gulls) 3 mush

• Seed (attracts finch 1, finch 3, and parrots) 3 mush

• Rabbit (attracts eagles, barn owls, and vultures [edit: add hawks]) 3 mush

• Nectar (attracts hummingbirds, finch 1, and finch 2) 3 mush

• Worms (attracts gulls, robins, and pigeons) 3 mush

Resources

Resources must also be purchased before your journey. However, there is a chance you may find any of these resources while in the middle of your expedition. If you do, you will be able to use them as long as you have room in your backpack.

• Machete (allows you to enter areas with dense plant life, which contain more birds) 5 mush

• Decoder ring (allows you to read the inscriptions found in the cave) 5 mush

• Binoculars (allows you to see what bird species are possibly capturable in the area. Expensive item as it can be used as many times as wanted.[findings will be sent to you via PM so they are not revealed to all participants.]) 100 mush

• Falconry equipment (can be used with hawks, (add eagles,) or owls. If you have captured a hawk (eagle) or owl, you can send them out using this equipment. They will return at the end of your expedition, having a chance to bring back a finch, pigeon, or robin without the use of any bait.) 5 mush

• Cage (increases chances of catching a bird) 5 mush

• Drone (allows you to send money to the mainland in order to purchase more bait while on the island. Can make one trip there and back, is only strong enough to carry one Bait container [up to three baits of the same kind.] You will have to pay for the bait.) 10 mush.

• Boat lantern (allows you to see the exact location of your boat. You will know which shore you came in on, but this will allow you to know which area of shore it is on to save you time in returning.) 1 mush.

• Purple vine (increases chance of attracting a purple bird. Best used when there’s already a chance of a purple bird.) 3 mush

• Blue blossom (increases chance of attracting a blue bird. Best used when there’s already a chance of a blue bird. Two uses available.) 3 mush.

• Brown bark (increases chance of attracting a naturally colored bird. Best used when there’s already a chance of a natural bird. Two uses available.) 3 mush

• Red roots ( increases the chance of attracting a red bird. Best used when there’s already a chance of a red bird.Two uses available.) 3 mush

• Green fronds (increases the chance of attracting a green bird. Best used when there’s already a chance of a green bird. Two uses available.) 3 mush

(Any plant item can be used to determine the main color for a bird found in the cave)

Manuals

Manuals are purchased before your journey or may occasionally be discovered on the island to be used if you have room.

• Map (reveals location of one biome, which may help you guess which species live there. Also revealed through PMs. It will say "there is type biome number of steps direction from you." ) 2 mush

• Previous adventurer's notes (reveals something about the island. Could be the approximate location of the cave, one of the biome locations, or a trick to find bait on the island, etc. Revealed through PMs.) 5 mush

• Hunter's guide (teaches you to build a bird calling whistle, which can be used to increase the chances of catching a bird. The whistle can be tried once before it becomes known to the birds that it's fake.) 2 mush

"One last thing!" the lady shouts to you as you push off from shore with the oars in the boat. You turn your head to meet her gaze. "All the birds there are believed to be exotic in that.. they rely heavily on camouflage." You tilt your head, wondering why this is such a big deal. "..camouflage with all the local plants."

Green birds? You wonder in your head.

"Not just green plant life. The flowers too. There's purple, red, blue, orange flowers… ever seen a purple barn owl?"

You blink in disbelief.

"And the cave, if you can find it, is where they say the most exotic ones of all are. Spotted with bright colors. Glittering. Some that glow…"

You realize a current is carrying you away as her voice fades into the distance. Could any of this be true?

A sudden knot squeezes your stomach remembering what you've already learned about the island.

"Wait!" you scream at her retreating figure, "if the currents and weather only line up so rarely, how will I get back??"

You can barely hear her voice as it fades, but you're fairly certain she said, "Way.. out.. hard, way back.. in.. easy!"

You hope she's telling the truth.

Once captured, a bird will follow you on your journey and may become part of your interactions. You do not need any special equipment to convince it to stay. You may leave the island at any point, and thus end your adventure, as long as you can reach your boat. At this point your collected birds will be sent to you. You may refill your backpack with whatever you have in your boat as long as you return to it and have room in your backpack. If you have no more available interactions, you will be said to have returned to the mainland and the story will be finished the rest of the way.

Spots open: 2/5

Please fill out the following form to enter:

Pack Name:

Items to purchase (up to 15 between boat and backpack):

Total price:

Items to place in boat:

Items to place in backpack:

Please select a continent you would like to travel to the island from. This will be part of determining where you start:

Begins after payment!

The raft rocks gently on the sea, calm at the moment as promised. You can see the island in the distance, assuming you’re still on course to the right one. The boat is moving on its own, no need for the oars, so you decide to look through your inventory. You pull out a book you purchased labeled “adventure notes.” This will be good to read before you reach the island.

The contents of the small book have been revealed to you.

You begin to look over the map you have packed. You will look at the map any time you move a space.

The map’s knowledge has been revealed to you.

Backpack: 5/5 (1 container rabbit bait [3/3], 1 container nectar bait [2 /3], map, falconry equipment, binoculars)

Boat: 7/10 (boat lantern, drone, cage, machete, decoder ring, hunter’s guide, previous adventurer’s notes)

You find yourself on a sandy beach.

Choose one of the following actions:

Use item: Rabbit bait, nectar bait, binoculars are currently usable. You may use one item unless it must be used with another item, such as the cage must be used with bait. The hunter’s guide is also usable, but there is currently no room in your backpack to keep the whistle. It will remain in the boat in exchange for the hunter’s guide being removed.

Move: West, east, south are open. You may move in one of these directions.

Return to boat following lantern: You are already by your boat.

Exchange items from boat to backpack or vice versa: You may switch items between your backpack and the boat.

Discard items: You may discard any item. It will no longer be usable. Adventurer’s notes are depleted. You can discard this item to free up room without losing anything useful.