[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

*rolls*

You don't overhear anything new, but by now you've started to make friends with some of the other workers, and it's clear that they would have been present when Almanac was constructing the drilling machine. If you have any questions about it you could ask them.

"So, what exactly Almanac was testing with that drill? They want to go to the core of the planet or something? Make a book called "Journey to center of the Earth" or whatever?" Heart joking to hide his curiosity about Almanac actions.

Nice.

"I don't rightly know fer certain, but they added a great big flashlight and a magnifying lens to it. And a spectrometer, what fer splittin' light into an array of separate colors to determine chemical composition. It looked like it could go about a hundred feet deep, but it'd only leave a tunnel about a foot wide."

(+1 XP to detective Heart)

[Dragonstrike]

Slowking nods. He looks a bit off-put at the thought of his own life.

Solomon towers over you. A normal Slowking is already human sized. As an overgrown Slowpoke, he carried his extra size in weight. Now it's in height. This Slowking is about the height of the tallest human you've ever met. It adds to his regal grandeur.

His crown is tinged with pink, and on occasion speckled with porous holes. That same Unown symbol is faintly faintly faintly etched into it as well.

"Well, it's all gonna be looking up from here, I'm sure.  Welcome to the team, Solomon."

'Huh...that crown's pretty interesting now that I look at it...I wonder...'

"Well, I think it's about time we got back to Stair City.  I've read that they've got a wonderful library around there somewhere...feel like flexing your new brainpower a little, Solomon? I've got a big ol' journal full of interesting history and legends you can look through when we get there, and I've got a little research of my own to do."

Nathan recalls Solomon so Kirlia can Teleport tthem back to Stair City once they're in range.

When they get there, Nathan will stop at the Center real quickly to get Starmie's Mystic Water and hand it to Solomon.  And then it's off to the library with them to do a little reading!  In particular, Nathan will be looking for information on the Lake Trio, magical feeling bodies of water in Creshire, and Slowking with crowns tinged pink, blue, or yellow.  Mentions of vines and a disaster of stone would also be interesting finds.

[Spiritmon]

"I don't rightly know fer certain, but they added a great big flashlight and a magnifying lens to it. And a spectrometer, what fer splittin' light into an array of separate colors to determine chemical composition. It looked like it could go about a hundred feet deep, but it'd only leave a tunnel about a foot wide."

(+1 XP to detective Heart)

(For now on call me Sherlock Heart. Or Heart Holmes)

"Wow. Interesting. Perhaps they trying to find minerals or something. I not much a scientist so I don't know. I noticed that vines don't come much closer to the walls of the city for some reason. The boss told me some story about a king and a chair made of Charizard bones or something but I couldn't understand too much. There is any reason at all?"

[Iron]

"I don't rightly know fer certain, but they added a great big flashlight and a magnifying lens to it. And a spectrometer, what fer splittin' light into an array of separate colors to determine chemical composition. It looked like it could go about a hundred feet deep, but it'd only leave a tunnel about a foot wide."

(+1 XP to detective Heart)

(For now on call me Sherlock Heart. Or Heart Holmes)

"Wow. Interesting. Perhaps they trying to find minerals or something. I not much a scientist so I don't know. I noticed that vines don't come much closer to the walls of the city for some reason. The boss told me some story about a king and a chair made of Charizard bones or something but I couldn't understand too much. There is any reason at all?"

"Everything wuz stronger in the old days."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Huh, what..? Eh... Shiva needed a moment to adapt to the situation of being spoken to when she was not excepting it.

Anyway, that compliment to her blue mouse was what broke the ice! The mentioning of Little Cup got Shiva curious as well. A bit of training for that tourney won't hurt, won't it...? ... ... ... Nope, it won't since a little aside from the Fountain she spotted Ventus seemingly occupied in having his Arbok battle against a cute Flareon. Aww.

"Uhm, thanks for the compliment! Azurill will surely enter the Cup." Yet she was just a little bit too shy to be confident about doing well in that Cup. "Curious how far I'll reach, as I own several unevolved Pokemon. One just hatched this morning!" Usually Shiva wouldn't say this, but maybe that Incubator that man carried encouraged that. Was he one those bulky yet friendly Poke Fans?

... given the Pokemon he sent out, he could be. "What a cute Vulpix you have, though! It looks happy and healthy... You tell me where you got it from when I defeat - not faint - it?" That Vulpix was also the currently biggest threat as Shiva would bring up two Grass Types. That only leaves one option, all-out attacking! Nighsahde gave her Master a slightly worried look again, but decided to trust in her since she also survived a battle against a blasted bird Pokemon. Now it'll be a fierly fox. Kyuu couldn't help but to stare at his treasured Apricorn while awaiting orders. "*cough* Okay then, we'll get going then...Nightshade, no casting sunlight for now! Instead, tackle that fox with your whole body, don't be afraid when you notice that his fur is warm. Though, nevertheless evade any Fire Type moves targeted on you, as we don't want to risk you having your small head burned up. Kyuu, as for you... show it your psyhic powers in a ful blast." ... "Sorry for that, it's not personal! I enjoy that Vulpix still..."



Orders for this Round: Nice Init Roll. Three Confusions on Vulpix from Kyuu, plus two Tackles from Nighshade are it!~ If a Fire Type move is targeted at her, use an action to evade that. Oh my, that fox surely gets nice STAB moves. Flame Burst, Fire Spin, Flamethrower...

Accuracy Confusion 1: 3 Dext + 2 Fight + 3 Channel - 3 Actions = 5 D6, Crit chance
Accuracy Confusion 2: 3 Dext + 2 Fight + 3 Channel - 4 Actions = 4 D6
Accuracy Confusion 3: 3 Dext + 2 Fight + 3 Channel - 5 Actions = 3 D6
Damage Roll: 2 Strenght + 2 Power of the move + 1 STAB = 5 D6
Additional notes: 1 CD to confuse Vulpix. Kyuu is immune to Confuse Ray thanks to her Hidden Ability.

Accuracy Tackle 1: 3 Dext + 2 Fight + 0 Brawl - 2 Actions = 3 D6
Accuracy Tackle 2: 3 Dext + 2 Fight + 0 Brawl - 2 Actions = 2 D6
Damage Roll: 2 Strenght + 2 Power of the move, No STAB = 4 D6

[Iron]

The library underneath the pavilion requires a short wait in a speedy elevator, then a casual walk or ride westward to the library itself, past just a few faculty offices and a single underground classroom. The lights of the underground corridor are dim, inset ones - so it's a surprise when you head through the library door into a very brightly lit room of decent size. It supposedly pales in comparison to the one in Botanville, but it's still one of the bigger libraries in Creshire. Cress City's is considered bigger but less useful. The League's library is large and of unknown size. 

A library science student helps you, bringing a big pile of books that might or might not help. She's very fast when assisted by her portable computer, moving stairways, and an electronic ladder. 

I'll start with the easy ones: You find no mention of unruly vines at all, nor the phrase "disaster of stone" or anything like that. There's a bit on Tangrowth being known to shepherd vines, which you already knew, and the author thinks Pokemon who learn Ancient Power are prone to odd behaviors like that. 

Every Slowking crown is a little bit different, based on where the Shellder is obtained. Sometimes, but certainly not always, the colors are affected by the prevailing elements of the area. A simple pond Shellder is likely to create a grayish blue crown. One of Dagny's predecessors worked with an engineering Slowking with a yellowish crown. That would point toward the Shellder being related to psychic (or poison or fairy) energy.
Corsola sheddings can also turn a Shellder pink even before evolution. 
You learn that a Shiny Shellder produces very unusual Slowkings, who act like clever dragons to amass a hoard of riches.


Creshire doesn't have all that many large bodies of water. 
There's the mountain tarns (definitely a bit special, supposedly blessed by Suicune). Vapor Falls is known to enhance meditation and psychic energy. 
Chicory Lake is by far the most significant. It's called the "Little Ocean" in the ancient tongue, and some have believed it to house a watery legendary, who manages to summon storms and tsunamis even though it's not the real ocean.
The little pond near Wineberry doesn't even get a mention unless you're looking at an actual atlas. 
You already know all about Murkrow Cove.
That wiggly bit on the bottom of the map is the Botanville Bays. They're actually pretty weird. Some are a mix of salt/fresh water (estuaries). Some change shape over time, quite quickly relative to other geographic features. And unusual Pokemon often appear there. Telperion's top scientists believe the Bays were formed by meteors. Radar shows an underground river originating there and crawling under much of the region.
Bromeliad Bay in the West is of interest. You find an entire book, "Conkeldurr's Conspiracies," about what the military is supposedly hiding there, just out of sight of the tourist beaches. Sarimanok used to use Dive here; that's actual historical fact. But we don't know if he was hiding secrets or just adventuring. It also houses Garlicburg, a forbidding island known for powerful "magic" herbs. 

There's actually a whole trilogy of books about the Lake Guardian Trio, who are all known to have been in Creshire at some point. However, Uxie was seen leaving Creshire the day the old King was overthrown. The Pokemon headed North, across the mountains and sea.
Mesprit helped the fledgling League for a short time, mostly with their justice system. Then it sort of grew weary of the constant flaws of mankind, who constantly demanded more from it without giving anything back. The newborn League found Mesprit in the Safari Zone, which existed even back then. One scroll describes Mesprit near the end as "sleepy and aloof," though "its projected spirit was at times bright and playful."
Azelf was once glimpsed over Lake Chicory, but fleeing East with some haste. Some say it was fleeing in fear, but others say as the Pokemon of Willpower, it was more likely hastening to solve a problem. The author calls this "unsettling."


King Sarimanok was thought to have some measure of control over the Lake Guardian Trio. They respected him very much, especially when he was young. They helped him with several works, including powerful items and technology. He would bring them all together before any major battle or great undertaking (he had several undertakings that were considered world-altering, of course). Strangely, no one ever saw Sarimanok use the Guardians in battle or these "great works", even though he was seen to use other legendaries.

Nowhere in this extensive trilogy does it mention a disturbed ancient power, mannikins, or a journey to the ends of the earth. Or any other phrases from the prophecy the Unown gave you. 

Your Slowking can read, and he does so with great apparent pleasure. The librarian won't let him have any valuable books, though, because his paws get them damp. He studies the atlas with great interest. He appears capable of reading even some of the oldest books in the Common Tongue, back when it was an archaic language full of "thee's" and "thou's".

[Iron]

"This little Vulpix was specially bred, by me! It knows all the best moves...I'm not as great at battle as I am at breeding, though."

Little 4x4 Round 1

Confusion
(2)(5)(5)(3)(1)
(6)(5)(3) Vulpix takes 2 dmg. 3/5hp -1 pain.
Chance: (4)
Vulpix is spun around by the psychic power.

Tackle
(1)(4)(5)
(3)(5) Vulpix takes 1 dmg 2/5hp -2 pain.

Sleep Powder on Kyuu
3 Dex + 1 Fight + 2 Canalize -3 acc = 3 dice
(4)(2)(2) Kyuu falls asleep! He looks up from the Apricorn to stare in wonder at the tinkling, falling dust... then his eyes close. In sleep, his ears curl up very tightly.

"Vulpix, a very very careful, very cute Flamethrower on Cherubi. Then another, if it can take it."
Flamethrower
3 Dex + 1 Fight +2 canalize -2 actions -2 pain = 2 dice
(6)(5) 2 successes.
Evasion: (3)(6)
2 Str + 3 power +1 stab -3 vit =3d6+1
(1)(6)(2) Cherubi takes 2 dmg 4/6hp. -1 pain.
Chance: (2)

Kyuu is asleep!
Cherubi used an Evade.

Flamethrower 2
(1)
The flames go way over Nightshade's head as the fox limps into position.

Insight: (1)(1)(1)

Little 4x4 Round 2

[Lord Windos]

Apsis rolls (6)
Flareon (1) + 4 Dex +0 Survival = 5

The difficulty obviously won't be coming from the turn order!

Upon summoning Apsis onto the field, his empathy rapidly picked up the sudden hesitance that the flaming fox had upon seeing her regal and forboading visage as she let out a low *Hiiiiiisssss* upon locking gazes with them. So, another Eevveelution for her to test her fortitude against, this one cloacked in Fire instead of Ice? Doesn't matter much to her, she'll still savage them all the same! Taking both Pokémon's feelings in account and analyzing the scene, Ventus quickly yet calmly began to order his snake, telling them: "Apsis, douse the Flareon in copious amounts of your venom, before moving in to contrain their movements and begin to tear into them with Bite attacks. Don't underestimate them, as I get the sense that this particular fox is an exemplar of its species..."

Order: Acid Spray on Flareon to lower its overall offensive firepower (heh!), then have them close the distance and use Wrap on them, spending a Willpoint to ensure that it lands no matter what, before finally beginning to lay into them with Bite. If Apsis suffer 4 Damage or more before her next attack, Ventus will use his Potion on them to keep their HP topped off for the fight. Let's see what your fire fox has in store, Iron!

Moves:

Acid Spray
Accuracy: DEX (2) + Fight (3) + Channel (3) - 3 Actions = 5D6 Dice
Damage: STR (3) + 2 + STAB = 6D6 Base Damage
Effect: - 2 STR on target, regardless if the move does damage

Wrap
Accuracy: DEX (2) + Fight (3) + Brawl (2) - 1 Accuracy - 4 Actions + 1 Will Point = 2D6 + 1 Dice
Damage: 4D6 Base Damage
Effect: Blocks target, chance to deal 2 typeless Damage to Flareon at the end of each Round
EDIT: Or would it be 4, due to the Necklace of Serenity's effect?

Bite
Accuracy: DEX (2) + Fight (3) + Brawl (2) - 5 Actions = 2D6 Dice
Damage: 5D6 Base Damage
Effect: *Flitch 5*, thanks to the Necklace of Serenity!

[Dragonstrike]

"Okay, maybe I'll have to waterproof my journal first before I let you physically handle it, Solomon...it'd be...rather difficult to replace if you damaged it...I'm sure you'll find the contents interesting, though."

- Well, the research confirmed a few of his suspicions.  The vines were an entirely new thing.  And from the sound of things...the Lake Trio have known they were coming for a loooonnnngggg time...they also used to respect Sarimanok...well, no surprise there.  Most Legendaries did before he fell from grace...weird that he never used the Lake Trio in battle or the things they supposedly helped him with creating, though...

- Nathan still highly doubted the design of Solomon's Shellder Crown was a coincidence, for obvious reasons, but it's interesting to see yellow crowns are sometimes associated with psychic energy, rather than pink or purple ones (and its especially weird to see that color associated with fairy and poison)...he did wonder how the others might react to seeing an Unown on the crown, though...they were bound to notice eventually, even if you could be looking right at it and still not see it...

- Uxie...left the region awhile ago, flying over the mountains and the ocean to the north, huh?  There must have been a reason for it other than Sarimanok's fall...and Azelf...flew over Chicory Lake in a rush, flying to the East...there's not a whole lot to the east of Chicory Lake, though...and if nobody's seen it since...either it left the region in its haste...or something went terribly wrong...

- And Mesprit...has probably been sleeping for a looonnnngggg time...but if its spirit was still bright and playful at times...maybe its current lack of spirit was just an effect of being sealed for so long...interesting that the League found it in the Safari Zone, though...

- Also interesting is that Mesprit grew weary of the selfish desires of humanity...that...sounds like a very good reason for it to add something related to that as a requirement for waking it up...

- In fact, thinking about it, the last known locations of each member of the trio lined up perfectly with Cynthia's published research on them, which Nathan has read over several times.  They were commonly known to form a triangle when together or apart.  Mesprit was the bottom left corner (The Safari Zone in Teazel Valley), Azelf the bottom right (Chicory Lake), and Uxie the top (Mt. Sentry/Molten).

- Regardless, it seems that pattern had been broken...only Arceus knew where Azelf and Uxie had gone, and Mesprit's on the complete opposite side of the region now...

Dang it...seems like he might have to turn to Mesprit for answers when it wakes up...a sharer of unselfish love...and Kirlia has to be the one who frees it...

...maybe...does he have to convince Kirlia to help Mesprit for its sake instead of his?

...that was going to be difficult, wasn't it?

Nathan notes all of this in his journal carefully (minus any specifics relating to Mesprit's current status, the prophecy, etc.).  And then he passes it over to Solomon (Nathan's still turning the pages himself though) for review and very carefully whispers so nobody else can hear (and that means Kirlia's excluded from this conversation too. He might find that a little odd, though...), "Alright, Solomon, I need a second opinion on this to make sure I haven't missed anything.  So you're up to date on what's happening, you see this prophecy here?  And this one here?"  Nathan points to the first message in the Creshire section of his journal and lets Solomon read it, then turns to the very last page of his journal and repeats the process, then flips back to the notes he'd taken during his research so Solomon can also read those.  "Mesprit is hidden at the location you evolved, sleeping (it's why your crown is so unique, just so you know).  When I arrived at its location, I was shown those two messages.  Currently, there's vines growing out of the Skull Ruins, threatening to cover the entire region under the guidance of the Tangrowth there.  In order to stop it, we need to wake Mesprit, but...Kirlia, my best friend, is the only one who can if I'm understanding the prophecy correctly.  And from what I'm reading, Mesprit isn't going to wake up if the intent is selfish...I was also wondering if the other members of the trio might also be hidden elsewhere in the region and was looking for clues that might point to potential locations, but...well, it seems Mesprit is the only one of the three that purposely hid itself away here...I haven't missed anything important in my analysis, have I?"

[Spiritmon]

"Ah, okay then." That wasn't the response Heart expect so he thinks it is better to leave by that and finish the job. He still wants to take a look around the city, and perhaps search for a neat Pokemon. He heard about Pokemon who live in the streets of the city, so may find something neat.