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

[boneafide]

O-Oh...

[So what's why she asked. Not only is this the type of magic he's least experienced in, but...]

I... While the Great Papyrus would love to teach you...! I don't... think I can. The only reason I can use magic is because I am magic. I'm made of it, as is every monster! It's just a part of me. I don't think I can teach a human how to do it. I know there are humans here who know magic, even though I don't know how they can use it, I know some humans are capable of it! But... unfortunately, this is not something I can help you with.

[strictdiscipline]

[To say that the news isn't disappointing would be a lie, and traces of it flicker across her face before she composes herself and pulls out a small smile.]

That's alright. [And, followed up by:] Thank you for explaining why.

[Not that she fully gets it, but the fact that he'd even bothered to instead of just flat-out rejecting her request earns him brownie points. Besides, there's no time to linger on the rejection when there are far more interesting things at hand.]

Are you really made of magic though?

[boneafide]

[And he cheers up a bit once he sees her smile back.]

What I can do, is ask the humans I know that know magic if they can teach you instead! I'll want to make sure it's okay first, before I tell you their names though, just in case! But don't worry, I won't forget!!

And yes, I am!

[strictdiscipline]

[Papyrus, you are way too good for this world. It's heartwarming and a little saddening at the same - she doesn't ever want to see his enthusiasm dampened or crushed in any way.]

Only if you'd like. I can find another way around it. [AKA just wander off into some secluded area and try not to accidentally set anything on fire.] It sounds like you've made many friends here though.

[boneafide]

[ Oh, if only she knew......................... ]

I do "like"! I think magic is a wonderful thing for humans and monsters to share!! And it's fun!

I like to think I have! Although maybe not all of them know we're friends yet, making friends on the surface is a lot easier than I thought it would be!

[strictdiscipline]

[Shhhhh don't ever tell her. Though here's another thing she didn't catch the first time around—]

—Surface? Did you live underground before this?

[boneafide]

Oh, uh-

[ Man, this is like the hundredth time he's given this away by accident... Not that he's keeping it a secret, but "you lived underground?" is usually followed up by "why?" which then leads to that big long story about how horrible humans were to monsters, and it never made anyone feel good. ]

Yes, I did! As did all monsters! Yep! ...Wowie, there sure were a lot of worms on this little guy!! Maybe I should take these jars out of here now, since they're all full!!

[strictdiscipline]

[Wow Papyrus that is like the worst cover-up of all time, did you even try. But the one thing Riza's good for - other than shooting people - is leaving well-enough alone when there's a touchy subject in the air that someone doesn't want to go over. His excuses are accepted, and the last worm gets picked off and dropped into the second (half-full) jar.]

Thank you for the help, Papyrus. Will you be able to carry all of those on your own?

[boneafide]

[ And Riza, much like everyone else who's met Papyrus, and then also seen him attempt to cover-up... goes along with it. His sigh of relief is entirely internal, and he continues to smile as if he said nothing odd at all. ]

Absolutely posalutely!

[He replies, picking up the jars and screwing the caps back onto them. He's got a backpack for carrying so much stuff, after all.]

It wasn't any trouble at all, really! Be careful further in there, okay?

[strictdiscipline]

[She gives him a little wave as he departs. Hayate too gives his own version of a farewell - a quick bark and tailwag.]

I will. Please be careful too!