[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

"Yeah...I'll hold on to her...I doubt we would be able to wake her anyways...like I said, she's collapsed from overexertion.  She got a little...TOO fired up during our battle, I think...she's going to need all the rest she can get to recover...and if carrying her gets to be too much, we can always put her on Swiftfire...though she's pretty tired too after we got chased across half the landscape by those Houndour..."

Ventus looked up from his comatose friend, before nodding to a Nathan and carefully handed her off to him. He made sure that his blood coated hands didn't touch the young trainer, mindful of just where exactly they have been. "The candle that burns brightest is always the first to be put out, Nate. Shiva has a terribly energetic spirit, and an utter fixation on her fancies and Pokémon, so it doesn't surprise me that she would over exert herself when she got her first battle high. She'll recover, but I just hope that nothing like this ever happens again, for everyone's sake," he said, looking especially weary as his words reminded him of someone all to dear to him. Sans.....

When Nathan mentioned those abominable mutts, the researcher could not help but huff at that remark. "So I'm not the only that have faced those mongruls this night. I killed one of the that tried to hunt us, but that just caused the rest of its pack to descend on us. Suffice to say...they will never make that mistake again," Ventus darkly said, his visage growing more severe at the thought of those dogs harming his friends. Perhaps he had been far too leinant with his punishment...

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan just remains silent as he holds Shiva closely and carefully. He's worried that whatever Ventus did to those dogs, it was whatever had been making Shiva's sleep restless...and horrified Kirlia...he's a little worried for his newly acquired Houndour too...meeting the one that had killed his friends would have to come later...

Nathan's just one big ball of worry, right now. All that resolve he'd had when he was focusing on his goal of finding Shiva? Melted away now that he's actually found her. He was even surprised at himself for being that focused before...now there was a new goal, though: get all of them out of here. And if that stopped the restless nights that had been plaguing Corsage for weeks, even better.

Grim determination and worry. A dangerous combination for Nathan. For both him and whatever stands in his way.

[Nylon]

Valder sends out Froakie. "Froakie, use Bubble to slow it down while you sit on my shoulder. Make sure you don't fall".

Valder wants to put distance between him and the animal by using bubble while he runs, he might inspect it later.

[Iron]

Oversized Houndour Round 1

Froakie: (5) +3 Dex + 3 Survival = 11
Houndour: (3) + 2 Dex + 4 survival = 9

Bubble
3 Dex + 1 Fight = 4 dice
(2)(2)(2)(4) - 1 success
Evade
2 Dex + 2 Fight + 1 evasion - 2 actions = 3 dice
(4)(3)(6)
Houndour slips out of visibility as the Bubble expands outward. Then he slips back in to fire an Extrasensory at Froakie. This does slow the Hound down, though, just a bit, because Valder can run onward while he hound is dodging.

Extrasensory
(4)(1) Hit
2 Str + 3 power + 1 STAB - 2 vit = 4 dice
(4)(1)(3)(3) Froakie takes 1 damage.
Flinch: (5)

Valder runs and runs, but Houndour makes up the ground.

Oversized Houndour Round 2

Bubble
(4)(2)(6)(2) 2 successes
Evade
(2)(2)(4) Bubble hits.
3 Str + 2 power + 1 STAB -2 vit = 4d6+1
(2)(5)(3)(3) Houndour takes 2 damage. 5/7hp.

The hound unleashes one last blast as Valder escapes him, striking the human this time, hoping to make him flinch.

Extrasensory
(1)(6)
(2)(1)(6)(1) Valder is unharmed.
Flinch: (3)

By this point, Valder has worked his way around to the back of the ridge. He's on top of the stone that holds the cave. He hears his companions on the far side, muttering to themselves!





Nathan and Ventus (and Shiva, technically) have advanced far enough that they can peer into the cave. They see four Houndour digging at the cave, enlarging it, making it more homey. They also see a new creature: a Houndoom, but with purple spikey armor all over its body, and a reaper scythe for a tail. Instead of an exposed brain, it has a third eye on its chest, the sign of the enlightened psychic. Its normal eyes are closed in meditation. Between its purple crystal horns, scenes of the bleak landscape play out in hologram form: humans in pajamas running from packs of Houndour, who do not bite but feed on fear and sport.

The enhanced Houndoom sighs in pleasure as its sixth sense picks up on these scenes. In its mouth, you see a small purple orb like a marble with red swirls in it.

You aren't sure if it has sensed you or not. Ventus thinks the guard Houndour might be acting a bit fake.

Kirlia alerts Nathan that an ally has arrived on the far/upper side of the cave.

Initiatives if you decide to fight:
Nathan: (1), (3)
Ventus: (4), (1)
Valder: (6), (6)
Mega-Houndoom: (2) + 3 Dex + 4 Survival
Houndoom guards: (3) +2 Dex + 4 survival

[Lord Windos]

Nathan and Ventus (and Shiva, technically) have advanced far enough that they can peer into the cave. They see four Houndour digging at the cave, enlarging it, making it more homey. They also see a new creature: a Houndoom, but with purple spikey armor all over its body, and a reaper scythe for a tail. Instead of an exposed brain, it has a third eye on its chest, the sign of the enlightened psychic. Its normal eyes are closed in meditation. Between its purple crystal horns, scenes of the bleak landscape play out in hologram form: humans in pajamas running from packs of Houndour, who do not bite but feed on fear and sport.

The enhanced Houndoom sighs in pleasure as its sixth sense picks up on these scenes. In its mouth, you see a small purple orb like a marble with red swirls in it.

You aren't sure if it has sensed you or not. Ventus thinks the guard Houndour might be acting a bit fake.

Kirlia alerts Nathan that an ally has arrived on the far/upper side of the cave.

Initiatives if you decide to fight:
Nathan: (1), (3)
Ventus: (4), (1)
Valder: (6), (6)
Mega-Houndoom: (2) + 3 Dex + 4 Survival
Houndoom guards: (3) +2 Dex + 4 survival

(Raphael and Apsis are still outside their balls, so should they not get an initiative as well?)

The holograms, the fearful humans running away in terror as the abominable hellhound close in on them, the sheer amount of fear and the almost overwhelming sense of pleasure he detects from these beasts....it nearly pushed him over the edge and caused him to attack almost immediately, but he restrained himself.

With a deft hand, he swiftly recalled Apsis to her ball, and summoned Ariel in her place. The living mass of coral only had to take one look at the fell gathering to know that something horrible was at play, making her scowl at the demons while her mouth began frothing! Raphael, who had been flying high over the group and ut of sight, was especiallydispleased by the Mega Beast, letting out a Growl before preparing to Assist Nathan's Pokemon!

"These demons, these beasts....I will so no mercy in felling each and everyone of there miserable lives! If this place is not hell, I'll send them their myself! " Ventus quietly said, seething in fury at these mongruls abominables actions, and look about ready to jump into the fray himself!

Order: Ariel will Launch a single Bubble attack at The Who,e group, before using Harden on herself (She is the Pokémon with the higher INI Roll). Raphael is going to use Growl on everything, before using After You on Nathan's Grid.. Battle begins now!p

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan nudges Ventus and looks up.  

Valder.

Good, they'd need all the help they could get.  He waves at the mercenary briefly, then refocuses on the situation in front of them.

"Ven, that's a Mega Houndoom.  These dogs...they seem to be preying on these dreams or something.  Treating humans like playthings, chasing them for sport around this nightmare.  They have psychic powers, but are still as fiery as their typical counterparts from Johto...they're also INCREDIBLY loyal.  We attack one, they'll ALL attack.  If we take out the pack leader and its guards, though...maybe that would put a stop to all this madness..."

He looks down at Shiva.

"We can't take Shiva in there though.  There's no telling what they might do to her...someone has to guard her..."

He has to pause and think for a few seconds...enough time for Ventus to give Ariel the order to use Bubble.  

That gives him an idea.  He brings Starmie out once again (Intiative base of 1, total 6), and also summons Grid (Initiative base of 3, total 8).

...there's a slightly awkward pause as Nathan notices Ventus has evolved Raphael again somehow...but it's brief.

"Ventus, I'll stay closer to the entrance with Shiva, keep her out of harm's way.  Support you from the back with Starmie and Grid.  Don't kill it though.  Not yet.  Let's just KO it first."

There's a bit of a seething anger in Nathan's voice as he comes up with this plan.  This Houndoom was going to regret dragging this town and his friends into this nightmare...he can feel the energy flowing through him and his pokemon again...(Canalize Increases to 2 for 6 EXP!)

"Starmie, use 2 Swifts on all of them.  Take them out quickly.  Grid, I want you to use 3 Electrowebs, but stay behind Starmie.  I don't want any of those Houndour standing by the time the first few seconds are over, and that Houndoom as close to fainting as possible."

Starmie
Swift: 3 Dexterity + 2 Fight + 2 Canalize - 2/3 Actions - 1 Pain = 4/3 D6 
Damage: 2 Power + 3 Strength = 5 D6 Base
Effect: Still hits with 1 Success if the total successes are 0, but can be evaded.  Hits all enemies.

Grid
Order: Use Starmie as cover from incoming attacks.
Electroweb: 3 Dexterity + 2 Fight + 2 Canalize - 1 Accuracy + 2 Compound Eyes -3/4/5 Actions = 5/4/3 D6
Damage: 3 Strength + 2 Power + 1 STAB = 6 D6 Base
Effect: Attacks all foes and lowers their Dexterity by 1.

[Lord Windos]

Ventus Looks briefly annoyed at Nathan diverting his attention from the battle ahead, but becomes even more so when he see that Valder has become trapped in this nightmare world as well! The researcher could only growl out : "By Reshirim, not ANOTHER one of our group members trapped in this place! What next, my long lost mother?!" before he focused on what a Nathan had to say.

"Hmpt, I already figured that out from my last encounter with these demonic beings, so that's why I'm sending out Ariel instead of keeping Apsis in. Her spread move Bubble will douse these beasts, and she can sustain herself longer in battle than any of my other Pokémon. Once the lower mongruls are cleared out, we are going to murder that horrendous Houndoom. I tolerate no demon scum, especially one that feast on the misfortune of other!" Ventus says, his face growing ever more wrathful as he contemplated what he was going to do with them....

...until his friend said not to kill them. The researcher could only turn his head in exasperation at the young trainer, a look of clear disbelief on his face. "By the gods Nathan, why would you ever suggest such a thing?! These are literal dream demons, feasting on this town's sleepless terror! Showing them ANY weakness will just have them use it against us! Safeguard Shiva is an idea I can agree too, but NOT what you said. When each of those beast goes down, I'm going to be their to drive my torch into their skulls. Don't try to to stop me."

Order: Ventus is going to kill every Houndour that faints, and will ignore a Nathan's plea for him to stop. He will only crises said action if Nathan physically restrains him , which is not such a good idea right...

[Dragonstrike]

"Hmpt, I already figured that out from my last encounter with these demonic beings, so that's why I'm sending out Ariel instead of keeping Apsis in. Her spread move Bubble will douse these beast, and she can sustain herself longer in battle than any of my other Pokémon. Once the lower mongruls are cleared out, we are going to murder that horrendous Houndoom. I tolerate no demon scum, especially one that feast on the misfortune of other!" Ventus says, his face growing ever more wrathful as he contemplated what he was going to do with them....

...until his friend said not to kill them. The researcher could only turn his head in exasperation at the young trainer, a look of clear disbelief on his face. "By the gods Nathan, why would you ever suggest such a thing?! These are literal dream demons, feasting on this town's sleepless terror! Showing them ANY weakness will just have them use it against us! Safeguard Shiva is an idea I can agree too, but NOT what you said. When each of those beast goes down, I'm going to be their to drive my torch into their skulls. Don't try to to stop me."

Order: Ventus is going to kill every Houndour that faints, and will ignore a Nathan's plea for him to stop. He will only crises said action if Nathan physically restrains him , which is not such a good idea right...

"Ventus, I said NOT YET, not 'don't do it.'  I want to get a look at that orb in its mouth first, and that'll be easier if I don't have to worry about you smashing it in your bloodthirsty rage.  And I would suggest not going in there until the Houndoom has been fainted."

He's still thinking logically despite his own anger.  From what Kirlia had told him of Ventus's emotions...there wasn't much point in trying to stop him right now...and if that stone was what he thought it was...it could be useful later.  MUCH later, but...he wasn't likely to have another chance at obtaining it if it was indeed a Mega Stone for this unique subspecies...

He was still angry at Ventus, but it was an anger he somewhat shared.  He wasn't going to let this dog take pleasure from toying with those people.  Those children.  Shiva.  He had no intentions to try and stop Ventus right now, only stave him off temporarily...that grim determination is all too apparent.

[Lord Windos]

"I'll leave to Mega Houndoom to do with as you wish, if you don't stop me from killing the rest of these vile monstrousities later. The less of these THINGS that exist, the better of everyone affected by them, but I can delay my actions if it means that I don't have to conflict with you over the ultimate fate of these dogs..." Ventus said, looking Nathan square in the eyes. He absolutely furious right now, but he's not totally without reason....just very uncompromising on his decided course of action.

[Dragonstrike]

"I'll leave to Mega Houndoom to do with as you wish, if you don't stop me from killing the rest of these vile monstrousities later. The less of these THINGS that exist, the better of everyone affected by them, but I can delay my actions if it means that I don't have to conflict with you over the ultimate fate of these dogs..." Ventus said, looking Nathan square in the eyes. He absolutely furious right now, but he's not totally without reason....just very uncompromising on his decided course of action.

Nathan stares right back, unfazed.  "Faint them first, talk about this later when they're not staring us down.  Those hounds are bound to have noticed us by now and picked up on our intentions..."

Kirlia's looking a little nervous and worried now...both because of Nathan and Ventus and because of the psychic dogs...he's standing next to Shiva protectively.