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

i forgot my blush.... here u go

[twinpeak]

We don't.

[ Dipper doesn't so much as miss a beat. He stops behind Hellboy, giving a cursory scan of the cavern wall in front of them. ]

I was thinking about a less direct approach. Sometimes, the less touching, the better.

[ He'd be more willing if they were simple earthworms, but these things? A bit more creepy looking, and also totally foreign. But the majority of the glowing worm clumps are far above Dipper's reach, as well, which is in part why he's contemplating an idea besides "grab them and shove them into a jar". ]

thank u

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy considers this with a soft exhale, lowering his hand to instead root around in his pockets. He's not really sure what he has in here, but probably nothing remotely resembling a hand net.

He does come up with a grenade, though, and makes a note of its presence before quietly slipping it back in his pocket. Hopefully Dipper didn't see that.]

I don't suppose you have something on you that'll let us not touch anything.

anytime ;o

[twinpeak]

[ Maybe he did see it!! But hey, a grenade is overkill for this situation, even Dipper would tell you that. So, instead: ]

Not quite, but I've got an idea.

[ Kneeling down, Dipper then places his backpack in front of him, taking out a jar and setting it aside. (Definitely the same one from their fairy hunting adventures.) ]

Y'see, when something's out of reach– [ Not that Hellboy would have that issue, but details. ] –instead of getting to it, you make it come to you.

[ Scooping up a rock from the ground with one hand and carrying the jar with the other, Dipper nods his head to the side. ]

Stand back for a sec. I got this.

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy doesn't comment, just steps back, hooves clacking on the cave floor, and lets Dipper do his thing. He's curious to see if this'll actually work -- it's kind of primitive. But he decides Dipper needs enough encouragement he can get, so he'll just wait and see.

If anything, he has confidence he's quick enough to grab Dipper out of the way if the worms fall on him and start eating his face or something.]

[twinpeak]

[ Once he's out of the way, Dipper squints thoughtfully between the ground and the worms up above, placing the jar into what appears to be a carefully calculated spot. ]

Right... there? [ A beat. ] ... No, that's not it. [ Dipper then steps back, does a series of measurements with his fingers while muttering, and scoots the jar aside once done. ]

—There! Now I just gotta...

[ Putting some distance between himself and the jar again, Dipper is as precise with throwing the rock as he has been with everything else; it hits the clump of worms in just the right way, and they all go falling right into the jar with a plop. Most of them, anyway—a few fall outside the jar, but no big loss. ]

Got it! [ He looks over his shoulder at Hellboy. ] Easy-peasy, right?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy's eyes widen slightly, his equivalent of raised eyebrows, when he sees Dipper's weird... eyeballing measurements are actually successful. He had to admit, he didn't really have a ton of confidence this would work out, but reminds himself how clever he himself was when he was around Dipper's age. (Physically. Not chronologically. He was already an adult when he was 12.)

Mouth curving up, Hellboy steps closer again, crouching down so he can pick up the jar of worms.] Nice job. I'm impressed.

[He tips the jar toward Dipper so he can get a better look.]

You think we need more?

[twinpeak]

[ Darn straight you're impressed there.

Dipper peeks into the jar of squirming worms, giving off a thoughtful hum. ]

Good question. S'better to have too much than too little in cases like this, though, wouldn't you think?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy tilts a stone finger in Dipper's direction, nodding.] That's a good point. I'd hate to have to come back in here if something happened to our, er... samples.

[Up close, the worms are less ethereal-creepy and more creepy-creepy. Hellboy hands the jar of writhing, glowing things down to Dipper, eying the rest of them still attached to the cave wall and ceiling.]

Go for it.