[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

Valder goes inside the big marble building, Ventus panting at his heels. Theo is willing to let Ventus lean on him, especially for help going up the steps and pushing the door open.

The door shuts itself behind you - you can see a doorknob though, and you don't feel a trapped or claustrophobic sensation. Indeed, the Secret Library is vast and very well-lit.

The insides are marble, just like the steps and pillars. Your footsteps don't echo on the marble vestibule, and you hear no sounds except those of the person/Pokemon next to you. The ceiling is about a hundred feet high, vaulted, and swarming with all species of Unown. Wherever a group of them pauses, they fade out of existence and a marble deep relief carving appears, representing whatever they spelled out. After a short time, the carving fades and the Unown mix again.

Beyond the marble slab, a luxurious burgundy carpet spreads from one distant wall to another. As you walk it, it gradually changes color, though everywhere else appears the same attractive burgundy. Light of the appropriate color washes upward from the carpet, mixing with the white light emanating from the walls. The effect is a subtle tint to the air that is different everywhere you go. Ventus finds it easier to read the many titles when standing in a certain color (your choice).
He's heard of this, as it's an obscure psychological concept.

Spotting the carpet are white marble busts. Most are dressed luxuriously, but the only one Ventus might recognize is a bust of Sarimanok, near the end. They form two rows in line with the doorway. About sixty of them are beautifully carved, but all the busts beyond that are so crudely formed it cannot even be seen if they are male or female. There's only one carved bust beyond Sarimanok's.

The main feature of the room is a vast collection of shelves and multi-story chests of drawers. These are littered with texts in all formats: papyrus scrolls, parchment sheets stretched on frames and covered in cuneiform, stone tablets with simple runic or hieroglyphic language, iron tomes, carved ivory tusks, wax cylinders covered in grooves, modern microfilm or discs, and row upon row of leatherbound volumes. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to these collections. One half-opened drawer nearby contains both a stone obelisk and a CD labeled "Fossil Pokemon Clip Art."

Strangely, each shelf rises from a soundless pool of clear water, and has a waterfall or vertical brook trickling silently down one side.

Vigoroth are running all about, re-shelving and rearranging items. In some of the pools are Slowking, holding quills or chisels and creating new texts for the collection.

There are plenty of chairs, beanbags, thrones, recliners, standing desks, beds, cubbys, and hammocks. In fact, there are a large number of hammocks and thick hawsers running from wall to wall or floor to ceiling. The largest furniture in the room is a MASSIVE hammock attached to iron rings set into the largest chests. It's stuffed with books, and even more stuffed with the body of a MASSIVE Slaking. The Slaking is reading a book, but as you enter he tosses it aside and rolls lazily out of his hammock. Just before he hits the floor, he catches a thick rope with one arm and swings silently to the carpeted floor.

He tramps up to you, stretching and yawning and hastily swallowing a bit of apple. When he's right up in your face, he puts one finger to his rubbery lips and says "SHHH!"

[Iron]

"...wait...is the one speaking to us...is that...are you...Celebi?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz8TmUm8DZc

"Yes! That's me!" And, after a sudden shimmering, a little green Pokemon is sitting on the uppermost clenched finger of the Gauntlet. Power emanates from it, dwarfing the power of the Gauntlet.

"Maybe that answers your question about the distorted time field. I am Celebi, the Pokemon of Forests and of Time. Welcome to my Relic Plaza. Welcome to the Secret Library!"

"Be welcome here, but if you bring harm to my domain, beware!"

[Dragonstrike]

"Yes! That's me!" And, after a sudden shimmering, a little green Pokemon is sitting on the uppermost clenched finger of the Gauntlet. Power emanates from it, dwarfing the power of the Gauntlet.

"Maybe that answers your question about the distorted time field. I am Celebi, the Pokemon of Forests and of Time. Welcome to my Relic Plaza. Welcome to the Secret Library!"

"Be welcome here, but if you bring harm to my domain, beware!"

Nathan bows immediately.

"...*gasp*...it is such an honor to meet you..."

...he looks up at the green sprite, though still bowing out of respect for the Legendary.  (he'll straighten up if asked to, though)

"...can I...ask you a question?  Verbally.  Something's been...bothering me...maybe you can help..."

[Iron]

"No need to bow. Here and with you, I am a friendly Voice! While I linger, I will try to answer questions, though true knowledge is elsewhere in this domain."

[Dragonstrike]

"No need to bow. Here and with you, I am a friendly Voice! While I linger, I will try to answer questions, though true knowledge is elsewhere in this domain."

Yup, Nathan straightens, though he hardly looks relaxed since the upcoming topic is...sensitive.

"...yes, but...I'm not sure if...this particular topic is something I'd find in a book in the Library over there...I think your opinion might be more informative...it's to do with, well..."

Nathan sets his bag down and pulls out the unconscious Solosis.

"...this little guy.  It...reminds me a lot of...something else that happened.  In Orre.  You probably know what I'm talking about...pokemon that closed their hearts, lost all emotion...I've read that restoring them involved...well, a portion of your power via the Relic Stone there, one that brought back memories from when they...weren't emotionless beings..."

"...I'm not sure this is quite the same...but I think it's similar enough that I want to ask..."

"...is there anything you think you could do to help this Solosis?  And the others of its kind that are...well, headed towards or searching for this place even now...is it...possible to help them, restore their emotions and willpower with memories?  Or...do I need to ask Mesprit about this, see if there's something they can do?  It...hurts a little, seeing these pokemon like this...it makes me angry, thinking that somebody decided to...do this to them...take advantage of them so utterly...if there's a way to undo what they did..."

...

"...sorry...I guess one question turned into a few..."

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

[quote pid='46938' dateline='1528502682']
Valder goes inside the big marble building, Ventus panting at his heels. Theo is willing to let Ventus lean on him, especially for help going up the steps and pushing the door open.

The door shuts itself behind you - you can see a doorknob though, and you don't feel a trapped or claustrophobic sensation. Indeed, the Secret Library is vast and very well-lit.

The insides are marble, just like the steps and pillars. Your footsteps don't echo on the marble vestibule, and you hear no sounds except those of the person/Pokemon next to you. The ceiling is about a hundred feet high, vaulted, and swarming with all species of Unown. Wherever a group of them pauses, they fade out of existence and a marble deep relief carving appears, representing whatever they spelled out. After a short time, the carving fades and the Unown mix again.

Beyond the marble slab, a luxurious burgundy carpet spreads from one distant wall to another. As you walk it, it gradually changes color, though everywhere else appears the same attractive burgundy. Light of the appropriate color washes upward from the carpet, mixing with the white light emanating from the walls. The effect is a subtle tint to the air that is different everywhere you go. Ventus finds it easier to read the many titles when standing in a certain color (your choice).
He's heard of this, as it's an obscure psychological concept.

Spotting the carpet are white marble busts. Most are dressed luxuriously, but the only one Ventus might recognize is a bust of Sarimanok, near the end. They form two rows in line with the doorway. About sixty of them are beautifully carved, but all the busts beyond that are so crudely formed it cannot even be seen if they are male or female. There's only one carved bust beyond Sarimanok's.

The main feature of the room is a vast collection of shelves and multi-story chests of drawers. These are littered with texts in all formats: papyrus scrolls, parchment sheets stretched on frames and covered in cuneiform, stone tablets with simple runic or hieroglyphic language, iron tomes, carved ivory tusks, wax cylinders covered in grooves, modern microfilm or discs, and row upon row of leatherbound volumes. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to these collections. One half-opened drawer nearby contains both a stone obelisk and a CD labeled "Fossil Pokemon Clip Art."

Strangely, each shelf rises from a soundless pool of clear water, and has a waterfall or vertical brook trickling silently down one side.

Vigoroth are running all about, re-shelving and rearranging items. In some of the pools are Slowking, holding quills or chisels and creating new texts for the collection.

There are plenty of chairs, beanbags, thrones, recliners, standing desks, beds, cubbys, and hammocks. In fact, there are a large number of hammocks and thick hawsers running from wall to wall or floor to ceiling. The largest furniture in the room is a MASSIVE hammock attached to iron rings set into the largest chests. It's stuffed with books, and even more stuffed with the body of a MASSIVE Slaking. The Slaking is reading a book, but as you enter he tosses it aside and rolls lazily out of his hammock. Just before he hits the floor, he catches a thick rope with one arm and swings silently to the carpeted floor.

He tramps up to you, stretching and yawning and hastily swallowing a bit of apple. When he's right up in your face, he puts one finger to his rubbery lips and says "SHHH!"

[/quote]


The researcher gave a thankful smile to the black knight of a Pokémon for their assistance, as despite his immense amount of resolve, such a quality does not directly translate into physical endurance. 'Despite their species' normally intimidating reputation, it appears that Theo is an sweetheart. I must reward them for their aid later, among the other things they've done on the behalf of everyone else.....'

As for Ven's reaction to the Secret Library.......what Ventus expected was a dark, forboading, sinister place, hardly a spec of illumination inside of it and containing towering book selves filled with all kinds of forbidden/arcane knowledge, all in narrow rows that would seem like they were trying to squeeze the life out of all those dared to search for the long, lost, and buried truths.....

Instead, the sight presented to him caused him have to do a double take and left him blinking in pure and honest surprise. The Unown creating and disassembling messages on high....the technocolor carpet and lighting (he reads best in regular/plain white light)....the simply bizarre layout, design, inhabitants, and distritibution of the Library itself......and all the clashing and conflicting types of records + comfortable seating........it was all so baffling to Ven that it completely disarmed him of his former prejudices of this presigous place.

Didn't stop him from quickly getting a headache as his mind went into overdrive trying to comprehend/explain WHY the Secret Library was....was like THIS.

' Who-wha-why-how? Just.......HOW in Reshirim's name.....? '

Getting shushed by an massively Overgrown Slaking, however, took the cake, causing Ventus to just blankly stare at the great ape for a minute.....before he slowly nodded his head and quietly said: "Okay.......If I may ask......is smoking or incense allowed here? I feel like I need some right now.....I can do without if its not allowed...."

Afterwards, the researcher decides to simply explore the Library in silence with Valder, looking for any records he can understand/don't feel 'magical' that holds information about Dragon types and how to better raise/understand them, King Saminok and/or Ancient Cheshire's time period, Cheshire HMs (How they are made, locations of them, more in depth knowledge about them in general, etc..), warding off/dispelling the supernatural/magical, how to better/further understanding between Pokémon and mankind, and finally more about Antheneum/Secret Library itself and how to seal it off from outsiders. He'll do his best to assist Valder in searching for whatever book he wants too if they ask too, and after he's done with his own searching he'll find a nice hammock and simply sit there and read + rest while waiting on everyone to come in.

Right now.....he simply was too burnt and weirded out to get properly paranoid/huffy about Antheneum anymore, and simply was taking everything (for now) with an attitude of weary acceptance and a long eyed stare. Sorta good for him, and definitely good for everyone !

[Iron]

Celebi glows a little hot with rage. The Gauntlet trembles a bit in response.

"I would never appear to those who would commit such violations! And one day, perhaps, when the time is right, we shall confront them."

"Yes, Mesprit, could help them. As can I. As can I. Bring Solosis forward."

Celebi gestures and rises into the air. Its wings shimmer, the antennae twitch, and the Pokemon spins around. A little sprinkling of dust falls over Solosis, who is still unconscious. A troubled expression suddenly appears on its face, then relaxes into that of someone experiencing a happy dream.

"When Solosis wakes, most of its memories will return, aside from the horrible experiences that shattered the Pokemon's consciousness. So, too, its free will, just as you three humans have been blessed with superhuman will."

"If the Scimitars gain access to the Gauntlet, their ability to sow pain will be increased, for the Gauntlet gives power according to the stature of the pilgrim. They may even succeed in removing it from this place, if they come adequately prepared, and wielding it as a weapon. Please...do all you can to stop them, for me and my kind have not yet completed our observations. We cannot yet act."

"I can think of no way in which I can help the others of Solosis' kind, unless they are here with you now. The Relic Stone in normal spacetime is something of a one-way trip. The only ways to leave this realm are by failing the challenges of the Guardians, or through the Atheneum's power. The Librarian will know all about that. And soon, the Relic Stone will shift with the violent whims of Mt. Sentry, and you may not be able to find it again."

"One gift more I offer you, Solosis..." This last part is quiet, whispered toward Solosis' mind, barely audible to Nathan alone. "A device in the Atheneum, built by one from your time, is able to strip away the enslaving power of the Apricorn. Ask the Slowking with the Delta-Shellder crown for help with this device."

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Theo is more interested in the interior of the Library. He seems excited about something inside.



When Nathan and Heart touch the Gauntlet, they likewise gain 1 Will point and have all their exhaustion removed.

Nathan is sent back to a memory he didn't know he had, being pushed along in a stroller through what appears to be Celebi Park in Cress City. Everything, from the gravel crunching underfoot to the swaying of towering trees, combines to become a forest as quintessential as the oldest of primeval old-growth (Which would be Earthstar Forest, in Creshire).
He smells popcorn and other treats one might find in a city, and realizes that a forest as beloved and well-stewarded as this one is still a forest, still held sacred by the Pokemon of Creshire.

When Nathan embarks upon his out-of-body experience, he sees that the one pushing him in the stroller is a much younger Marco Warren, Nathan's mom at his side. And there's Uncle Oscar, with a thick mustache you don't think he has anymore, and brown hair down to his shoulders.

"Accept these gifts, Nathan. Pay them forward, even as you look backward."


Heart's journey is quite unique. He wanders through a mosaic of all the greatest forests he's explored all over the world, from the buggy rainforests of Tandor to the guarded Pinwheel Forest. To one side, the mossy trunks of Eterna Forest. Looming overhead, the massive trees of Petalburg Woods. There's a fresh clearing just like the one where you encountered your Phantump. And the patch of thick Tall Grass surrounded by dense trees, perhaps taken from your memories of Ilex Forest, that patch glows with the most power of all. Somewhere nearby, a shrine is hidden...

"Accept these gifts..." and here the voice calls you by the name you were born with. "You have been to so many places where I have traveled. As Heart, I hope you will spread your gifts far and wide.


This all takes place over a mere moment. You find yourself able to manipulate your visions, exploring whatever is nearby, and you feel it is real knowledge you gain. But the knowledge, it is of the past, not the present. For Shiva, only a month ago. For Nathan, a short lifetime ago. For Heart, many years at once, the strongest memories he's collected as he traveled the world collecting Pokemon.

Heart could feel the conection of all the places he have travel. The people and pokemon he have meet. The adventure he have. Everything all conect to this very moment. When he heard that voice, somehow he could felt it. He never heard that voice, but that feeling...only one person could have such magesty. Heart kneel, whatever the place that voice came from.

"Its you...my ancestor, Ark?" Ask the youngest ArcHeart alive. "...I failed to you, ancestor. We have failed to you. The ArcHearts long ago stop in follow the right path great ancestor...my family exist no more." Heart could feel the sadness and shame crawling on his back. "...When I lost my family, I have follow a dark path ancestor...so many people suffer because of me. I dont deserve to have your name my ancestor." Heart say to woman/man voice who is calling him. "That wander was more a self penitence for my sins, wandering around the world, trying to redeemed myself for what I done...I not wortly of such gifts." Them Heart talk again. "...Tell me, ancestor. You was the most devote of our family. The pure of the ArcHearts and the one of the greatest knight of the old. And the most devoted champion of Lord Arceus and Creation Trio together with all other Seven knights. How our family came to ruin so much...how can I, the most ruined ArcHeart, have hope in rebuild our family, to follow your path. Please...I need your guidance ancestor. For the friends I call now a family...and for the family I couldnt save. Enlight me."

Heart still with his head bow, expecting such kind of help from the woman who was the ancestor of all ArcHearts (since in the Heart story, Ark was a woman).

[Iron]

Slaking points to a sign that says "NO smoking unless you are on fire" above one of the waterfalls.

The big Pokemon's voice is surprisingly gentle, but firm.
"You may eat if you wash your hands before handling any books, or you may smoke outside on the Plaza at least a Fling away from the building. There are bowls of fruit and sealable canteens. The water in the waterfalls is drinkable and enchanted so as not to harm the books."

"I'm afraid we're a little disorganized right now. We started a move a few centuries ago and I simply haven't gotten around to sorting everything out yet. I keep finding interesting books that I simply must read, you know. But we store every text of practical use our Slowking can sense from the past or present or, on rare occasions, future. You are free to browse. If you want my help, I suppose you may each ask me one question and I'll try to find the time to bring you appropriate resources. Some books are waiting here for a particular person, and they are quite impatient, so do keep an eye out for those."

You're not sure if that last part was serious or not.

"Vigoroth," Slaking whispers, "fetch my notebook." The nearest Vigoroth complies. "I needed to look up a word, a new word from the world. Ah. Yes. 'Multimedia.' We are a Multimedia Atheneum. Let me show you some of our resources that someone from your time might appreciate."

Technical Manuals
If you spend some time with a Technical Manual, you may learn one point of non-Fight Specialty. One per customer.
Most realistically, this will be something from Knowledge like Lore or a Science, but you could also learn something like Perform or Allure. Even Earthpower.


Technical Machine Library
This is another shelf that is up to date and organized. Three uses per customer.
You may teach any move that has been a TM in any generation, but it has to be marked as a ? on their movelist in Pokerole. No exceptions. For Tandor pokes, it just has to be in their TM learned list.

Tome of Genealogy
This Slowking with a Kabuto for a crown can figure out where you're descended from (player's choice) and teach you to Awaken the Blood. It exercises the genetic abilities your ancestors practiced.
Noble: +1 Loyalty Dragon
Soldier: +1 Loyalty Ghost
Swamp Hoodoo: +1 Loyalty Psychic

Time Capsule
Guarded by a Slowking with a Steel-type Shellder.
This mostly allows access to your PC system in Creshire.

Relic Library
Each patron can check out one of these items indefinitely.
First you have to find the item you're looking for with Insight+Survival+Alert -3 (for mega stones) or -2 (held items).
-Aerodactylite
-Altarianite
-Alakazite
-Ampharosite
-Charizardite X or Y
-Lati@site
-Lucarionite
-Medichamite
-Metagrossite
-Slowbronite
-Steelixite
-Dragon Fang
-Hard Stone
-Magnet
-Mystic Water
-Spell Tag
-Twisted Spoon
-Thick Club
-Amulet Coin
-Expert Belt
-Life Orb
-Wide Lens

Healing Machine
You know what this does. It looks a little less colorfully decorated than the modern healing machines.

[Iron]

Spoiler

Theo is more interested in the interior of the Library. He seems excited about something inside.



When Nathan and Heart touch the Gauntlet, they likewise gain 1 Will point and have all their exhaustion removed.

Nathan is sent back to a memory he didn't know he had, being pushed along in a stroller through what appears to be Celebi Park in Cress City. Everything, from the gravel crunching underfoot to the swaying of towering trees, combines to become a forest as quintessential as the oldest of primeval old-growth (Which would be Earthstar Forest, in Creshire).
He smells popcorn and other treats one might find in a city, and realizes that a forest as beloved and well-stewarded as this one is still a forest, still held sacred by the Pokemon of Creshire.

When Nathan embarks upon his out-of-body experience, he sees that the one pushing him in the stroller is a much younger Marco Warren, Nathan's mom at his side. And there's Uncle Oscar, with a thick mustache you don't think he has anymore, and brown hair down to his shoulders.

"Accept these gifts, Nathan. Pay them forward, even as you look backward."


Heart's journey is quite unique. He wanders through a mosaic of all the greatest forests he's explored all over the world, from the buggy rainforests of Tandor to the guarded Pinwheel Forest. To one side, the mossy trunks of Eterna Forest. Looming overhead, the massive trees of Petalburg Woods. There's a fresh clearing just like the one where you encountered your Phantump. And the patch of thick Tall Grass surrounded by dense trees, perhaps taken from your memories of Ilex Forest, that patch glows with the most power of all. Somewhere nearby, a shrine is hidden...

"Accept these gifts..." and here the voice calls you by the name you were born with. "You have been to so many places where I have traveled. As Heart, I hope you will spread your gifts far and wide.


This all takes place over a mere moment. You find yourself able to manipulate your visions, exploring whatever is nearby, and you feel it is real knowledge you gain. But the knowledge, it is of the past, not the present. For Shiva, only a month ago. For Nathan, a short lifetime ago. For Heart, many years at once, the strongest memories he's collected as he traveled the world collecting Pokemon.

Heart could feel the conection of all the places he have travel. The people and pokemon he have meet. The adventure he have. Everything all conect to this very moment. When he heard that voice, somehow he could felt it. He never heard that voice, but that feeling...only one person could have such magesty. Heart kneel, whatever the place that voice came from.

"Its you...my ancestor, Ark?" Ask the youngest ArcHeart alive. "...I failed to you, ancestor. We have failed to you. The ArcHearts long ago stop in follow the right path great ancestor...my family exist no more." Heart could feel the sadness and shame crawling on his back. "...When I lost my family, I have follow a dark path ancestor...so many people suffer because of me. I dont deserve to have your name my ancestor." Heart say to woman/man voice who is calling him. "That wander was more a self penitence for my sins, wandering around the world, trying to redeemed myself for what I done...I not wortly of such gifts." Them Heart talk again. "...Tell me, ancestor. You was the most devote of our family. The pure of the ArcHearts and the one of the greatest knight of the old. And the most devoted champion of Lord Arceus and Creation Trio together with all other Seven knights. How our family came to ruin so much...how can I, the most ruined ArcHeart, have hope in rebuild our family, to follow your path. Please...I need your guidance ancestor. For the friends I call now a family...and for the family I couldnt save. Enlight me."

Heart still with his head bow, expecting such kind of help from the woman who was the ancestor of all ArcHearts (since in the Heart story, Ark was a woman).

In this metaphysical place, Heart can indeed establish a tenuous connection to his ancestor. 

"Have faith," she whispers.
"Excel in doing what's right." You feel her hand on your shoulder.
"Use the spirit of competition to your advantage." You hear the creak of her armor.
"Support nature; do not fight her." Her voice is like the wind.
"Most of all...find the Sword! Become a knight in your own time when arms and armor are no longer in fashion. End the experiment...save this ancient region."

Then she's gone.