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]

( 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?

[boneafide]

Oh!! I never told you about my older brother??

[Papyrus perks up, the broad smile that is typically on his face growing just a little wider.]

He's here! Around... somewhere. His name is Sans! I should introduce you!! He needs to meet more nice humans!!

[dishearten]

I don't think so.

( though it wasn't impossible he'd just forgotten, but Graham liked to think he would have remembered. )

Ah— If you'd like. Certainly.

( the idea of being a nice human sort of sits on him uneasily, but he'd like to be one, so perhaps he can take the compliment. )

[boneafide]

Of course! Uh. I'll need to find him first. Sometimes he comes when I call him, but sometimes he doesn't. Give me a second.

[Cupping his hands around his mouth, he turns away from the cave and yells.]

SAAAAAAAANS!! I HAVE A FRIEND I WANT YOU TO MEET!!!!

[Papyrus waits then for a moment, and looks behind him, and then even peers into the cave a little bit.]

I think he's busy right now. Or sleeping. What a lazybones! Sorry, Graham! I'll have you meet him another time.

[dishearten]

( well... that was a bit bizarre. )

I'm sure I'll meet him when I'm meant to.

( and then he will have... two skeleton friends. won't that be something. )

[boneafide]

Oh, I'm sure! He's the only other skeleton around besides myself, so you'll know him when you see him.

[He's also like, the size of a small child, despite being the bigger brother.]

I really am glad he's here with me. I'd be worried sick every day if I didn't know where he was!

[dishearten]

I wasn't so different from that myself when my brother wasn't here.

( what brother, you ask. oh, the wolf. wolves can count as brothers. )

I'll keep an eye out. If I see him I'll introduce myself.

[boneafide]

Your brother-

[Oh!!]

Right!! Nyeh heh heh!!

[That's cute, and also, pretty normal for monsters, so he's not judging.]

But if you do meet him... I have a warning for you. Don't shake his hand.

[dishearten]

Should I ask why?

( Papyrus seems to make this sound ominous, and he's got to wonder if it's actually ominous at all. Papyrus can make plenty of things seem ominous. )

[boneafide]

[Suddenly looking all the more irritated, it's just surface annoyance, at least.]

He likes to put a whoopie cushion in his hand when you aren't looking, so when you shake his hand, it makes a stupid sound!! It's so immature!!

[So yeah. Not actually ominous.]

[dishearten]

( yeah, not really that ominous at all. )

I'll keep an eye out for it. I appreciate the warning.

[boneafide]

You're welcome! Any time I can preempt Sans being weird, I will do so gladly!

[dishearten]

( Graham tucks his potted flower a little closer, glancing at it to make sure it was still doing well. it seemed to be. )

I'll get this to my friend and let you know how it turned out.

[boneafide]

Please do!! See you around, Graham!

[dishearten]

I'll see you around, Papyrus.

( he's getting used to having a skeleton friend... what are the odds. )