The legend of the Fountain of Youth refuses to die, as old age and death fail to leave our mind. Wouldn't it be amazing if it existed? And if it was out there, wouldn't you want to find it? Deep inside, you know you would.
But some legends contain a warning: The Fountain is not for everyone. Maybe you shouldn't attempt to fool your fate...
1. The Fountain of Rebirth
The basin of this fountain is carved out of the stone belly of a pregnant woman.
When you drink from it, you die. But then your immortal soul immediately enters an unborn child and you are reborn again.
2. The Fountain of Your Youth
This fountain shows an image of a father weeping surrounded by children, his tears flow into the basin you are about to drink from.
Summons any and all children you might have produced to your exact location.
3. The Necromancer's Youth
A fountain built out of the flesh and bones of 100 children.
Heeldrix the Vile uses it to renew his failing flesh every 20 years.
4. Cliff-side Fountain
A fountain carved into the side of an ocean-facing cliff. For it to work you need to be there right when a wake hits and cling on long enough to drink from it.
This one actually works, but is incredibly hard to find.
5. The Fountain of Yout
A rickety shack contains this mystery fountain guarded by Old Yout of the next town over. He will let you see if for a copper.
6. The Fountain of You
A mirrored basin. You look in and see a giant reflection of yourself, but there is no water. You feel inspired.
7. The Full Fountain of Youth
Your typical fountain of youth blessed by the gods, you need to drink ALL of the water from it after a heavy rainstorm for it to work.
8. The Full Fountain of Youth #2
Your typical fountain of youth blessed by the gods, you have to EAT it. Yes, all of it. And yes, it is made of stone.
9. The Fountain of Lost Youth
This royal fountain inhabits the halls of the King of Seeduul. His first-born song died young, and now everyone who drinks from the fountain gains his appearance, if only in illusion.
10. The Fountain of Baby Fat
A fountain surrounded by carving of chubby children.
You drink it and over the course of an hour gain back all the baby fat you though you had lost for good. If you weren't chubby, your weight is adjusted back to what it was once.
11. The Cure
A simple stone basin in the middle of town. Every Monday morning the adults drink from it for reasons unknown to outsiders and younger children.
It is the ultimate hangover cure. More importantly, it grants the immune system of a child... can get over most diseases and stay up late at night, if you don't mind the acne.
12. The Fountain of Mental Youth
This lopsided plaster contraption barely passes for a fountain.
When you drink from it, your mind is reverted to that of yourself at age four.
13. Fountain of Truth
Look at yourself through the merciless eyes of your childhood self. Did you become what you wanted? Do you have what you dream of? Most people end up with a depression.
14. Fountain only for Youth
Finely carved smiling faces of children and young people adorn this fountain with a strong flow.
It can be only used by the youth, to make them a bit younger. Sorry grandpa.
15. Fountain of Ages
A delicate fountain with many, many levels (over a hundred) and a beautiful, complicated design.
It will shift the drinker's age depending from where the water is taken from. One could end up as a baby or a corpse.... choose wisely.
16. The Real Fountain of Youth
A chocolate fountain, without any special powers. Because children love chocolate.
17. The Phoenix Fountain
It is dominated by an exquisite statue depicting the mythical phoenix.
Drinking from it will allow the statue of the Phoenix to be reborn. Watch for the flames.
18. The Fountain of Bathing
A deep fountain cut into living rock. The pictures show old people going towards it and young people from it,
You have to submerge yourself completely in it. Other application (like drinking) will renew only parts of your body, which may be very damaging to your health.
19. The Fountain of Home
This fountain seems little visited, a gentle wind plays with the trees that stand around it.
It will transport you to where you lived, when you were young.
20. The Fountain of Becoming Young
It would look nice, were it not for the obscene words written all over it.
When drinking, nothing seems to happen. But the drinker is actually becoming younger now, at a quite fast rate. He needs to wait a few months close to the fountain and drink regularly, or the effect will reverse.
21. The Destroyed Fountain
You come upon a place with the ruins of a fountain, there is no water.
But that is no problem, all you have to do is imagine the fountain and drink from it in your mind... the power is still there.
22. The Destroyed Fountain #2
You come upon a place with the ruins of a fountain, there is no water.
It is too late.
23. The Fountain of Feeding Youth
A simple fountain that constantly bubbles forth milk from an unknown source.
The milk is granted many nutrients essential to a growing body by the magic stone is comes from.
24. The Fountain of Cheese
Similar to the above fountain, but the milk has ceased flowing and is now a sharp-tasting white cheese.
25. The Fountain of Youthful Energy
A bright and shiny steel fountain that spews carbonated liquid high into the air.
Grants you the ability to stay awake for 8-hours straight (regardless of previous napping time) while experiencing severe twitching. Followed by a debilitating crash where you sleep for 12-hours.
26. The Fountain of Life
Completely submerging a dead body in this fountain will temporarily bring the person back to life, but only for a long as they are fully submerged.
27. The Fountain of Mid-Life Crisis
Any man who drinks from this fountain will experience the most cliche and extreme mid-life crisis ever.
They will immediately go buy the fastest, shiniest vehicle (or horse) they can, then cruise around and try to pick up young women. It has a corresponding effect on females.
28. The Fountain of Given Youth
A simple, but finely crafted stonework, the central piece resembles a sundial.
The effect works only during a special constellation of the moon, once every few years. The moonlight falls in a beam through the whole sundial and the whole water surface begins to glow. Then, the drinker will be able to wish for someone else's youth to return.
29. The Item of Youth
Spinning cogwheels are painted all around this perfectly preserved fountain, in some impossible continuous system.
The water of this fountain can be used to wash away old age from any item, it has no effect on anything alive. For most items this means any damage may be restored; but missing pieces will result in a smaller restored item, or no repair at all. Applying too much water may result in too much restoration, like falling apart into the components it was made of.
30. The Maddening Fountain of Youth
A grotesque behemoth of horrid green stone vomits forth black filth into massive malformed hands below that then spills onto the ground; turning the nearby earth into a landscape of disturbingly mutant vegetation.
Anyone who dares catch even a brief scent of the black filth will be driven to madness as the cries of every abruptly ended youth life invade their soft mortal mind and rend their sanity asunder.
"Pieh and manfred hope you have gained some enlightenment as to just how hard it is to find a proper Fountain of Youth, and will think twice before your next attempt. Each of these has been tested by countless minions so that we may know their exact effects. Please note: No Piehs or manfreds of any importance were harmed during the making of this submission.
And, please, add some more."
31-Young Forevermore
Drink from this fountain and you will never age physically again. Sadly, the fountain makes your body younger until it is only five years old.
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? Responses (19)
Updated: This was a lot of fun to write, and I think it is done. So, out with ye! Much thanks must go to manfred for fueling the fire. Enjoy!
I thought these where very clever, #7 & 8 had me laughing. Good job!
Bwah hah hah. When I first read the title, I didn't think you could pull off 30 interesting fountains of youth. When I saw the silly tag, I still doubted. You managed to pull off both interesting and silly. I'm thoroughly impressed, sir.
Ok, you got me. Gotta try some of these!
These are great. Like Dozus when I read the title I thought, "now the lists of 30 have jumped the shark". But you managed to pull together 30 interesting entries many with varying definition of youth, and some with real depth ;)
26 is a wonderful idea, that I hope use
and for the record children have terrible immune systems.
Funny ones, silly ones,ones that really work, you have them all. 5/5
A nicely done 30. Spare, but effective!
I thought 30 Cheeses was un-toppable for strange subjects for a 30, but Pieh, you have taken the lead. An enjoyable read sir, and kudos to you for this excellent 30.
Good un', a few of these had me laughing. 26 is a good idea that can be used and I hope to do so.
Many of these are rather interesting. I like it.
Umm, I don't think your comment belongs in the scroll matey.
(Fixed, though if there was a vote it is lost. You might want to change that. ;) )
You should add the 30 Freetext to this.
What Scras said, and #26 is awesome. Made me giggle. Also, what cheka said. This needs attachment to Other 30's and the freetext. Good show, gentlemen.
Easy to do, sir. :)
#12 was the one that made me laugh.
#26 still rocks to me. What a maddening fountain :) There is enough material here for a slew of adventures.
Amusing, with some good description details. My favorite was the destroyed fountain.
Commented on for the Commenting Challenge
HoH and a bump