EVENT ★ MAT GATHERING

[futurologists]

The investigations in the sungazing log have lead to a number of discoveries, including trace amounts of solar radiation and seemingly temporary lights in the sky that match no known star charts currently in Chantes. On the 15th, Rick will announce via the verdict over the network: the sun isn’t gone. un: 82736775 Those of you who actually did your job instead of screwing off (and breaking my shit! Yes, I know all about it), congrats. We've made headway on our dumbass situation. The sun isn't gone (obviously). There are radiation levels suggesting that it's still there somewhere, but it's weirdly faint. Concerning item number one. Concerning item number two: there are lights in the sky but they're not native stars. They're red in the west in the morning, and in the east in the evening. This suggests a solar cycle that we just can't observe (with a western sunrise apparently). There are no moons visible; supposedly there should be two. Go figure. The most interesting observations came from the storm, during which the "star" readings went off the charts, dawg. All lit up like Christmas and shit. Hypothesis: the darkness is not because homeboy made anything "vanish with magic," but because he stuck a big "blanket" between the planet and the sky. The "stars" are likely just holes in his dumb bullshit. So let's get this solution rolling so we can get off this godforsaken rock. This is where you losers come in. I need things . . . The mystery of the disappearing sun might be clear, but that doesn’t mean the problem’s solved. Now’s the hard part: creating something that will dispel the darkness. Fortunately, with the right ingredients, science might be able to win the daylight back. All recruits will be encouraged to help with some good, old-fashioned teamwork and fetch quests. SCAVENGER HUNT The list is as follows: Iron ore. Collecting it seems easy enough, but a dangerous serpentine creature capable of breathing electricity known as a Behir lairs nearby. If hungry, it will ambush characters and will not stop unless it succeeds or is slain. Following the rich iron supply, characters will also find a series of winding underground caves and caverns. Inside are items such as glowing cave mushrooms that are likely radioactive. Blue mushrooms maintain their coloring due to a rare solute in the cave water, helpful for optimizing fuel. Green mushrooms are useless and if you collect them you should feel bad. Bat guano. Bats indigenous to the caves also seem to be affected by the contaminated cave water, however -- they’re enormous, blood-sucking, and have developed a mild venom. While one bite won’t kill anyone, the bats have numbers, ultrasonic screeches, and bad tempers. Plutonic rocks. The source of the odd cave life, an ancient scattering of some massive meteorite resides deep inside the cave. They’ve got rich veins and chunks of crystal, the bigger the better. (We’d tell you what these space oddities are for, but we think it’d blow your minds.) Cave Minnows. The fish inside the cave lakes are easy to spot since they’re bioluminescent, but only the small, quick ones metabolize the correct oils for this project. The large ones will simply try to drag you into a death roll the -- surprisingly deep -- waters. Glowworms. See those lights hanging overhead? They’re not bulbs, but bundles of strange, glowing cave worms. Reaching and handling them might be tricky, and keep careful watch of them. They’ll burrow into anything, including your packs, your collected materials, or worst of all, you. Rock salt. Delicious! Potassium nitrate. This one is easier to find in Chantes itself: an old woman in town has a giant jar of it that she uses for pickling. Recruits may attempt to wile her out of a cup, or steal from the elderly. Wildcard. If you don't mind volatile reactions, go ahead and science on your own. Or see anything else that might be useful? Grab it and go. As a side-mission for the cave items, it seems the 15th is also the only day of the year that the night-blooming cereus plants are open around the cavern entrances. These flowers must be handled very delicately or they’ll wither and die, and local insects of all shapes, sizes, and aggressiveness will be drawn to them, so collectors beware. These flowers will have no bearing on the sun solution, but the goblin church will ask outgoing adventurers to bring some back with them. These items may come into play in February depending on IC actions, but otherwise they make for some pretty decorations! And finally, a big thanks to ricksybusiness for submitting their player plot and working with us. You go, Rick Sanchez.

Comments

[dishearten]

You could talk to flowers, back home? Did they talk back?

( that's okay. Graham seems to have decided he just needs to give it a shot. getting one out of the ground will give him a good estimate on how carefully to dig up the next one. )

[boneafide]

Just one talked back! His name was Flowery.

[ It was actually Flowey. Flowey the Flower. Yeah. Also this means Papyrus also talked to flowers that just didn't talk back.

So since Graham is figuring how to get one out, Papyrus decides to watch him, looking around briefly for his wolf friend. ]

He was a good friend.

[dishearten]

We had magical flowers back home, but never talking ones.

( it's not doubt, though; he's sure there are incredible feats in worlds he's never been to. as for his own friend, the wolf is not too far away, sitting in the relative shade of a nearby thicket. he's tired of being inside the cave, it seems. )

[boneafide]

That's a little sad. Flowers are our friends, after all.

[ Except Flowey wasn't... really a good friend. ]

Maybe I should have brought us a wagon or something, so we could carry a lot of these at once without disrupting the roots...

What did yours do?

[dishearten]

That's all right. I think I just need the one.

( he's not sure Sieglind would really want a whole wagon full of flowers... though he's told the goblins have requested them, too.

he works carefully as he thinks about the answer. )

There was a magical poppy that could be used to make a knock-out powder. Snowbells, those were more pretty than anything else... and we had magical beans that could grow stalks as high as the heavens.

( it's the most he's talked about his fantastical history in a long time, even if it's just nonsense about flowers. it's hard to imagine a skeleton being particularly judgmental, though. )

[boneafide]

Oh, huh! Magical beans... wish we had those Underground! You know, in case you needed to be really high up. It wouldn't have actually helped us leave, or anything.

[ Papyrus replies, fiddling with the ends of his new cape, given to him for Christmas. ]

There was another kind of flower. It didn't talk on it's own, or move like Flowery did, but it could repeat back anything you said to it. They were called Echo Flowers. You could say anything at all, and it would repeat it back! Also there was a kind of grass that could be turned into ice cream? But I don't think that's magic, I think that's just a weird grass.

What other kind of magical stuff is in your world?

[ Since yeah, this is the first time Graham's talked about magic really! Of course he'd be interested. ]

[dishearten]

You were trapped?

( Graham pauses in his work at that, glancing up at the skeleton. that seems to be something that registers, though it's not something he might admit to. he's been trapped longer than he's been alive... being free is still something he's trying to get used to.

he forces himself back to work as he considers an answer. )

More magical things than I could list, really. Magical creatures were always my favorite. Like unicorns, have you ever heard of those? They have magical horns and sense the innocence in a person's heart.

[boneafide]

Oh, uh.

[ It's kind of awkward talking about this now. It didn't used to be, but ever since he brought it up to Rin, it made him realize that maybe humans didn't like talking about that one time humans decided to slaughter hundreds if not thousands of monsters and then lock them all Underground for a thousand years. ]

Well, I'm not! Anymore!! Nyeh heh heh!!

Anyway!! I've never heard of a ... unicorn before. Maybe because they aren't a monster? I only know about monsters!

[ LOOK AT THIS VERY OBVIOUS SUBJECT CHANGE NOW!! ]

[dishearten]

( if anyone would understand it, depressingly enough, it'd likely be him. Graham has watched all of his family slaughtered because they were seen as animals, and yes, monsters. he's a unique human in what he's experienced.

still he understands avoiding touchy subjects from his past. he won't push for anything Papyrus doesn't want to tell. )

I suppose you could call them a monster. Depends on how you definite it.

[boneafide]

Any being that's made all of magic, and not water! Like humans are. So I guess... if unicorns were all magic, besides just their horn, then they'd be a monster too?? I've just never seen one before.

[ Maybe they just weren't in the Underground at all. But also maybe Papyrus wasn't pure of heart enough to see them???

No, that couldn't possibly be it. ]

[dishearten]

They're more than just magic, I think.

( he's never been particularly close to a unicorn himself, but he was fairly certain they were much like a regular horse, only with magical properties. )

Sometimes I wonder if there are any here, but I've yet to see any.

[boneafide]

Then I wouldn't have seen one! Only 100% magic monsters were underground. You know, like lions, hamsters, dogs, and fire!

[...you could ask, but is it worth it? ]

I haven't seen any yet either, but if I do, I'll let you know!

[dishearten]

You know, I've never met a magical dog.

( he kinda wants to, though. he would love the puppy patrol, too bad he can't meet them. )

Can you hand me the pot?

[boneafide]

Oh, yes!

[Papyrus stands back up, picking up the nearby pot.]

Do you want me to hold it for you?

[dishearten]

As long as you don't drop it.

( he's teasing? maybe? sometimes it's hard to tell with Graham. )

[boneafide]

Drop it?

[ Papyrus replies, letting go of the pot-

But then catching it, before it falls more than an inch or two. See look, he can tease too!! ]

Nyeh heh heh!!

[dishearten]

( Graham even laughs at that, shaking his head. touche, papyrus. touche. )

What if it'd broken? Then where would we be?

( still, he lifts the plant carefully and tries to settle it in the pot without disrupting the roots too much. then he cants his head to the side to admire his work. )

Looks rather nice, I think?

( he's not sure if the flower is good for anything other than aesthetics, but hey, if it is, Sieglind might know. )

[boneafide]

Without a pot, most likely!!

[ Thank you, papyrus, good job. ]

I think it looks very pretty. I hope whoever you're getting this for really appreciates it!

[dishearten]

( look, it's hard to make a heartless guy laugh. and Papyrus has done it twice in the same conversation. it is a pretty good job. )

I doubt she'll care about the aesthetics, but it does look nice. Thank you for the help. You're a lot more graceful than my friend.

( there's a huff from the woods, as if the wolf heard the slight and is at least moderately offended. )

[boneafide]

[ Pish posh. HE'S technically heartless too!!!! And he laughs all the time!! It's about effort!! In fact, he laughs himself at the wolf getting offended. ]

It's not his fault he's all paws.

[dishearten]

( show him your happy heartless ways, friend, he finds it a real bummer! )

No, suppose it isn't. You've got a point there.

1/3

[boneafide]

I know. I think you really ought to throw him a bone, now and then!

[boneafide]

[...]

3/3

[boneafide]

I've been hanging out with my brother too much. Pretend you didn't hear that.

[dishearten]

I'll do what I can.

( a pause. )

I didn't know you had a brother? Is he here?