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

[twinpeak]

Everything.

[ Because, to him, it's a much more general term that's applicable to many things, and so he continues on as such. ]

You're talking to a guy who sees them all the time! ... Back home, anyway. [ Back in Gravity Falls, anyway. ] I'm practically a paranormal expert at this point.

[ ... Okay, not really, but he's gotta make himself sound impressive somehow. ]

#notallmonsters

[aspearation]

[ This whole different worlds this is difficult for her to process. The worst part is trying to figure out if it really is out of the question that he might be from the same world, or a similar one, but from a different time.

She has to stop for a second, before she starts up stuffing her own small sack with mushrooms, to maximize the yield. ]

If you think monsters are anything like those things out there, then you're wrong.

undyne please

[twinpeak]

What?

[ Dipper's caught off guard by her statement, but after a moment, breaks into a small grin and lets out a light chuckle. ]

... Wait, are you trying to say there's a standard for being a monster?

[aspearation]

Of course there is!

[ She cinches the sack, standing; from up there, he looks a lot shorter than she thought he was. ]

There's a standard for being human, isn't there?

[twinpeak]

Well, typically someone's a human because they're... born a human being. Pretty distinct species there.

[ On the flipside, she's... taller than he was expecting. A little intimidating, even. She's definitely got a no-nonsense sort of demeanor, or maybe he's just unlucky. ]

But a monster can be almost anything, right?

[aspearation]

No monsters can't almost be anything. They can't be a rock, or a tree, or a coat hanger.

[ Despite her impassioned ranting, she gestures him along beside her, as she starts making her way for the cave's exit. She walks quietly for a moment, before going on at a more reasonable volume. ]

The most important thing to a monster is its Soul. Not that anybody really knows what it is, but they say it's made of love, hope, and compassion, and of all the monsters I know, I think it's true! Humans don't need those things though, and neither do those beasts.

[twinpeak]

[ Oh my god, don't be obtuse!!!! Dipper zips up his bag and slips it back over his shoulders, pushing himself up to his feet and falling into a step alongside Undyne.

But not without a crease in his brow once she begins explaining. Love? Compassion? For real? This is... one of the most ironic conversations he's had in a while. ]

We definitely have very conflicting definitions of what a monster is supposed to be.

[aspearation]

Oh, I guess the human knows what a monster is better than the actual monster does! Alright, smarty pants, you tell me what a monster is supposed to be! And don't just say anything!

[ This is... definitely new and uncharted territory for her, and she doesn't know how to react. She's never actually had someone question what a monster is. ]

[twinpeak]

—Hey, that's not what I said!

[ ... Well, it kind of was. Oh, jeez. ]

It's—I mean... You're just the first monster that's told me this, ever! Of course I think it's a little weird!

[aspearation]

Did you ever try asking another monster?

[ Stopping short, a spear manifests in her hand, and she holds it out to stop him. In the dim glow, there's a decently-sized crevice; she'd crossed it earlier when she came in this way, but didn't expect to have a short-legged human in tow when she came back. ]

Wait. Uh... can you jump??

[ It's an honest, albeit unsure question. ]

[twinpeak]

[ Will this debate ever get anywhere? Probably not. The question remains unanswered, but mostly because they've reached a ledge with a deep drop; Dipper pauses when there's a spear halting him.

He peers down, then looks back up at her. ]

... I'd say the manotaurs trained me to do this, buuut it's kinda been a while since then.

[ Also, backpack. ]

[aspearation]

[ With a shrug, Undyne tosses her spear over to the other side, partly to free up a hand and partly to light the other edge to make sure she can gauge the jump properly.

Without warning, she unceremoniously scoops Dipper up and in a leap, scales the width of the chasm, landing more-or-less gracefully on the other side and setting him down.

Reclaiming her spear, she gives him a look over to make sure he survived the trip. Probably, right? ]

Next time you want to know something about monsters, you come ask me, okay? Sans and Papyrus too, they're good monsters!

[ With that settled (?) she nods off down the cavern. ]

Now come on, let's get outta here.