Lotus-Eater

Lotus-Eater
Odysseus saves his men from the flighty-minded Lotus-Eaters...
Information
Alternate Names/Spellings	Lotophage, (pl) Lotophagi, (pl) Lotophagoi, Lotophagos, Lotophagus, Lotus
Origins
Alignment	Neutral
Element
Species	Humanoid
Appearance	Somnolent Humanoid

Origins

The Lotus-Eater is a creature with origins in Greek mythology, legend and folklore. It is one of a race of people with origins on an unnamed island near North Africa (possibly near Djerba). Naturally, it is from a land highly populated by the honey-sweet Lotus.

The Lotus-Eaters they make their one and only appearance in Greek mythology, within the poet Homer's famous epic poem, The Odyssey (the sequel to The Iliad).

In the tale, a few of the hero Odysseus' men meet the Lotus-Eaters, on their way home from the Trojan War. The Lotus-Eaters beguile the men into joining their lotus-addicted society, with temptations of carefree life and an endless supply of delicious food.

When Odysseus finally discovers the fate of his men, he immediately goes to retrieve them; though, the undertaking is only partly successful.

Appearance

Odysseus' men watch the Lotus-Eaters with intrigue...

Most Lotus-Eaters appear superficially normal; they grow to about average human height; they don't have glowing eyes, strange-colored skin, pointed ears, sharp claws, tails, wings or anything of that sort.

Though to a keen eye, they show obvious signs. They have distant eyes, like someone watching a dream, and their movements are lazy and slow, like a person moving underwater. In addition, long term Lotus-Eaters will often look very thin (even frail) and intoxicated.

Natural-born Lotus-Eaters also have a higher chance of being born with white hair, pale skin and/or gray eyes (while some converted Lotus-Eaters slowly progress to looking this way). And when they elect to wear clothes, Lotus-Eaters tend to dress in loose tunics.

Behavior

"Give in to the lure of the Lotus..."

Lotus-Eaters spend the majority of their time half-asleep in a dazed, euphoric state of Lotus-induced intoxication; they are often far too busy exploring dreamscapes, living out fantasies and discussing pseudo-philosophy to bother with the real world.

Because of this, the Lotus-Eaters are notoriously lazy and hedonistic, treating anyone they see with nothing more than a dreamy apathy; this fact is only worsened by the fact that the Lotus feeds them, and makes them smell delightful, which nearly removes their need to move, or even to bathe.

Even if they should go without Lotus long enough to regain some semblance of mental normalcy, they tend to be fairly flighty-minded and somewhat easily distracted.

"Alright, who's hungry for some more?"

They only move or put forth any real effort when they are forced, such as if they want to go out for more Lotus, or in the event they run out of Lotus in their immediate area. Being deprived of the flower allows them to sober up, and their addiction to it compels them to hastily relocate, to find new Lotus groves to feed off of.

Though, admittedly, even in times when the Lotus flower is plentiful, the dreamy mindset of the Lotus-Eaters leads them to fairly nomadic tendencies.

Abilities

As a result of their addiction, all Lotus-Eaters create the mental equivalent of white noise, wherever they go. Normal people who are around them for a prolonged period may become disoriented and confused, their minds and memories fogged over. Even telepathic beings, dream walkers and many other psychics will often be unable to properly function around Lotus-Eaters.

The psychic mind-fogging effect is worsened by smelling a Lotus-Eater's breath, smelling their rather fragrant body odor or kissing them (Lotus-Eaters and precious few others are immune to these effects).

In addition, Lotus-Eaters dream more vividly and with more conscious control than others, even perhaps to the points of sharing dreams; traveling into the dreams of others; performing Lucid Dreaming, or even receiving dreams of the past, present or future.

Eventually, Lotus can even slow aging if taken regularly.

"Why...would we leave here...when YOU...could come and join...US?"