[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

The sleeping Kadabra newly freed from the web does not go into the Pokeball. Must still be too human.

"Yes. Somewhere in the tunnels, the Ruins layer, is the first artifact. We know not where. Below that is a layer with much water among the rubble. Swimming may be necessary if you can't fly, or diving to retrieve it if it happens to be underwater. Much of it is traversable on foot over the rubble. Something makes paths..."

[Iron]

The Ruin Maniac is named T E L E P O R T -> P E T E.

Toya is topped off in the first Heal Pulse.

Kadadbra drinks the drinks with glassy eyes.

[Dragonstrike]

The Ruin Maniac is named T E L E P O R T -> P E T E.

Kadadbra drinks the drinks with glassy eyes.

Pete, huh?  Nathan will definitely remember that.

...well, at least Marco's just 'out of it' right now.  It could be a lot worse.  Things can only get better from here, right?

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

The sleeping Kadabra newly freed from the web does not go into the Pokeball. Must still be too human.

Humm. Well then, this makes that Kadabra Shiva tested things with earlier the only one she'll take along, it's a randomly choosen one. Lucky fella.

Towards Cosh, Shiva given an approving and determined nod, all to express that she's feeling confident to get going. Yet the words 'Something makes paths' give her an ominous feeling. "That's good info. I've got Pokemon with me that can lift me psychically, carry me for a short period of time airborne and aid with swimming, so that shouldn't be a problem!"

[Iron]

As you're getting ready to break camp, the great telescope suddenly crackles and comes to life! It rotates upward and the roof of the Kadabra chamber slides aside in one panel, revealing a ceiling of one-way glass.

Fields of force are suddenly generated from the spinning ends of the telescope, creating shimmering lenses of pure energy. Nevertheless, planets and celestial bodies are now visible in the sky! The comet dominates, of course, with a light brighter than the moon.

As you (Shiva?) begin gazing, your eye to the eyepiece, the vision is suddenly obscured by a laughing ghostly face! It's a Gastly, at least at first. Then it elongates into a Haunter and finally the grin of a Gengar. Like a creature from a higher plane intersecting the third dimension, different bits of it are revealed at different times.

Heart waves the specialized anti-Gastly Cleanse Tag at it, and it backs off a bit. But not before it pulls an unnoticed lever amid the weeds, causing the floor to shift and tilt and drop you down into another chamber below!

You find yourself in a kingly chamber, unharmed. The stone walls are decorated with gold plating around the edges. Incredibly intricate designs have been carved onto the walls, Pokemon and men and tools, so intertwined that from a distance it looks like a smoothish, slightly stubbly black wall. Nooks hold statues, each surrounded by ghosts, barely held off by your Repels and Cleanse Tags.

Attracted by the noise, several subterranean Pokemon rush in. They are all faintly magical to the senses of Shiva and Heart, as if somewhat transformed by their time so close to the Kadabra Chambers, or the strange events which always occur here.

Due to your Repels and Cleanse Tags, I'm changing the mandatory nature of these Encounters. None are mandatory now, and I'll add some noncombat encounters for free! They could still have traps and things, but no mandatory fighting. Pokemon from the Skull Ruins can be valuable or interesting, though, so just decide how you want to spend your resources.

You're seeing a lot of Bugs, Ghosts, and burrowers.

Upper Chamber Ruins Encounters

1. Name: Ghosts* galore!
Cap: none
Challenge: high

2. Name: Cubone*, Crustle*, ?
Cap: 3
Challenge: Moderate

3. Name: Ratsy*
Cap: 1
Challenge: Quite easy
Notes: Ratsy is painting beautiful Pharaonic art on the walls. The kings and dragons seem to sparkle in the dim light.

4. Name: Noctowl Family*
Cap: 2
Challenge: Moderate

5. Name: Gigalith horde
Cap: 1
Challenge: Tough, a good XP grind.

6. Treasure with Pokemon
Cap: 1
Challenge: easy

7. Statues
Cap: 1
Challenge: easy

8. Trainer skeleton
Cap: 1
Challenge: easy

9. Collapsed tomb
Cap: 1
Challenge: easy

10. Mural from Sarimanok's era
Cap: 1 or none
Challenge: Easy
Unlimited: Sandslash, Sandshrew, Rattata, Raticate, Dwebble, Crustle, Geodude, Slowpoke

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Shiva does indeed practically STORM to that old crude telescope at a speed that easily matches Nathan's as it begins moving, summoning Lilith on the go if she doesn't summon herself already. She has never seen a telescope having an own life, can't miss a second of this phenomena, aaaaahhhhhhhh!!! >o<;

She gazes through it with lots of chipper curiosity, excited what she'll find and discover from this special and unique telescope now that it does have lenses - they're just not made of glass like the telescope she usually uses. "Lilith, isn't that....fascinating? Have you ever seen something cool like THAT...?" Though, eh - what has actually triggered the telescope becoming alive so suddenly, are there any hints Shiva can make out?


That skill, that talent, the details put into the carvings in the wall - she investigates them with awe and fascination, lets Whimiscott illuminate chosen pieces for her for better observing, she feels like this kingly chamber the Ghosts have dropped them is a massive source of inspiration for her own craftsmanship.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

As you're getting ready to break camp, the great telescope suddenly crackles and comes to life! It rotates upward and the roof of the Kadabra chamber slides aside in one panel, revealing a ceiling of one-way glass.

Fields of force are suddenly generated from the spinning ends of the telescope, creating shimmering lenses of pure energy. Nevertheless, planets and celestial bodies are now visible in the sky! The comet dominates, of course, with a light brighter than the moon.

As you (Shiva?) begin gazing, your eye to the eyepiece, the vision is suddenly obscured by a laughing ghostly face! It's a Gastly, at least at first. Then it elongates into a Haunter and finally the grin of a Gengar. Like a creature from a higher plane intersecting the third dimension, different bits of it are revealed at different times.

Heart waves the specialized anti-Gastly Cleanse Tag at it, and it backs off a bit. But not before it pulls an unnoticed lever amid the weeds, causing the floor to shift and tilt and drop you down into another chamber below!

You find yourself in a kingly chamber, unharmed. The stone walls are decorated with gold plating around the edges. Incredibly intricate designs have been carved onto the walls, Pokemon and men and tools, so intertwined that from a distance it looks like a smoothish, slightly stubbly black wall. Nooks hold statues, each surrounded by ghosts, barely held off by your Repels and Cleanse Tags.

Attracted by the noise, several subterranean Pokemon rush in. They are all faintly magical to the senses of Shiva and Heart, as if somewhat transformed by their time so close to the Kadabra Chambers, or the strange events which always occur here.

Due to your Repels and Cleanse Tags, I'm changing the mandatory nature of these Encounters. None are mandatory now, and I'll add some noncombat encounters for free! They could still have traps and things, but no mandatory fighting. Pokemon from the Skull Ruins can be valuable or interesting, though, so just decide how you want to spend your resources.

You're seeing a lot of Bugs, Ghosts, and burrowers.

Upper Chamber Ruins Encounters

(...)

5. Name: Gigalith horde
Cap: 1
Challenge: Tough, a good XP grind.

(...)

I presume this event interrupts any ongoing responses at that time, so Terra would jolt in surprise and sharply look up at where he heard the disturbance coming up with agitated alarm! Oh no, what sort of horrible trickery was the Kadabra Chambers going to inflict on the group?!

Just as he feared, that distorted Ghastly/Haunter/Gengar/Ghost Thing appeared to spook and claim everyone's immortal SOULS, causing his already impressive frown to deepen into a scowl as he started to advance forward to confront and drive the foul spirit off, motioning for Solomon, Angie, and Cosh to join him.......

......Before the floor opened up and sent everyone plummeting to the room bellow it, promptly the normally stoic man to yelp out "AH!!" as he fell like a Rock type until he impacted the ground like pancake with a loud *SMACK!* Ouch, that'll smart!

Fortunately, his immense fortitude prevented him from sustaining any injuries, so the only of his that really suffered was his dignity as he pulled himself up and dusted off his clothes, quickly glancing at the collective/their new surrounding to make sure they were okay too + there was no danger, and then spared a heated glare towards the direction that Ghost Thing was at. From what he could tell, nobody got hurt from the stunt they pulled, and none of the Pokemon in this area was eager to rush forward and capitalize on their vulnerability due to the Max Repel and Cleanse Tag, but could have, and that what's matters most to him. If that Ghost Thing ever showed its face to the group again, he was going to show it what a truly danger is like.....

Afterwards, the sagely monk quickly went around to help everyone else up/check up on them, starting with his partner Cosh ("You okay?" *Offers helping hand [No, not that one!]), then moving on to his group + Marco's collective, then the rest of the Scimitars. In particular, he focused his attention on Shiva and Marco/Luxray, as the former was his principle charge that was right there with that shapeshifting horror, and the later could be suffering more than a little stumble, what with the lighting feline being burdened with Nathan's dad.

Once everything and everyone was carefully inspected and deemed okay, only then did the steely brawler decide to calm down a bit and give the new area a second, more thorough and scrutinizing look over for anything interesting and/or threatening.....

....and spots what looks to be a LARGE gathering of jagged and mean looking group Rock Pokemon ambling off to the group's side, giving everyone foreboding stares as they watched them from a distance. A grim frown set in and his eyes narrowed as he stared back at them, before summoning Mikey and calling over Solomon/Cosh over and marching to them! He couldn't ignore such menacing titans, so he was going to Rock their world!

Orders: Terra's taking on the Gigalith, both to neutralize the threat they pose to the group and to train up Mikey/Solomon (The Wise King still holding his Lucky Egg)! Need to know how many of them their are, before I can start making orders, so let's cast a revealing light on those literal rock monsters!

[Iron]

Shiva does indeed practically STORM to that old crude telescope at a speed that easily matches Nathan's as it begins moving, summoning Lilith on the go if she doesn't summon herself already. She has never seen a telescope having an own life, can't miss a second of this phenomena, aaaaahhhhhhhh!!! >o<;

She gazes through it with lots of chipper curiosity, excited what she'll find and discover from this special and unique telescope now that it does have lenses - they're just not made of glass like the telescope she usually uses. "Lilith, isn't that....fascinating? Have you ever seen something cool like THAT...?" Though, eh - what has actually triggered the telescope becoming alive so suddenly, are there any hints Shiva can make out?


That skill, that talent, the details put into the carvings in the wall - she investigates them with awe and fascination, lets Whimiscott illuminate chosen pieces for her for better observing,  she feels like this kingly chamber the Ghosts have dropped them is a massive source of inspiration for her own craftsmanship.

Yes, actually - in the sky above it is prime star viewing time. You think this may have been one of the strange ancient machines mentioned by Elminster, built by the First Technical Society and preserved by Sarimanok. There could be hidden sensor crystals or mechanisms.

[Dragonstrike]

...when that ghostly face appears and appears to start mocking them, Nathan has a bad feeling that something unfortunate was about to happen to everyone currently present.

And oh, how right that gut feeling was...

...he was not expecting the floor to drop out from underneath all of them and turn into an incredibly steep ramp, though.

...even as they all tumble down the ramp, he just KNOWS that something unpleasant is waiting at the bottom of whatever hole they're ending up in...

------------------------------------------------------

Nathan doesn't land on his feet this time, unprepared as he was for the tumble everyone is now taking.

As he starts to get up and look for where everyone else is, the first person/pokemon he makes eye contact with is Gallade, obviously.

Emolga, had managed to regain his balance midair and glide down a little more gracefully alongside Angie.  The Sky Squirrel Pokemon lands close to Nathan and Gallade.

...but Nathan doesn't make eye contact with another member of the group after he sees Emolga land.

No, far from it.

...because that's when he notices he's landed right next to a human skeleton.

Startled, he quickly scrambles backwards towards Gallade, who calmly surveys the remains and the situations that everyone else have found themselves in...

Nathan can't help but stare at the skeleton in shock at first.  He hasn't even had a chance to admire any of the other beautiful architecture and artifacts in this hidden room.

You could say morbid curiosity is getting the better of him.

...and that he also got a dose of 'unpleasantness' that he definitely hadn't been expecting, either...

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

As you're getting ready to break camp, the great telescope suddenly crackles and comes to life! It rotates upward and the roof of the Kadabra chamber slides aside in one panel, revealing a ceiling of one-way glass.

Fields of force are suddenly generated from the spinning ends of the telescope, creating shimmering lenses of pure energy. Nevertheless, planets and celestial bodies are now visible in the sky! The comet dominates, of course, with a light brighter than the moon.

As you (Shiva?) begin gazing, your eye to the eyepiece, the vision is suddenly obscured by a laughing ghostly face! It's a Gastly, at least at first. Then it elongates into a Haunter and finally the grin of a Gengar. Like a creature from a higher plane intersecting the third dimension, different bits of it are revealed at different times.

Heart waves the specialized anti-Gastly Cleanse Tag at it, and it backs off a bit. But not before it pulls an unnoticed lever amid the weeds, causing the floor to shift and tilt and drop you down into another chamber below!

You find yourself in a kingly chamber, unharmed. The stone walls are decorated with gold plating around the edges. Incredibly intricate designs have been carved onto the walls, Pokemon and men and tools, so intertwined that from a distance it looks like a smoothish, slightly stubbly black wall. Nooks hold statues, each surrounded by ghosts, barely held off by your Repels and Cleanse Tags.

Attracted by the noise, several subterranean Pokemon rush in. They are all faintly magical to the senses of Shiva and Heart, as if somewhat transformed by their time so close to the Kadabra Chambers, or the strange events which always occur here.

Due to your Repels and Cleanse Tags, I'm changing the mandatory nature of these Encounters. None are mandatory now, and I'll add some noncombat encounters for free! They could still have traps and things, but no mandatory fighting. Pokemon from the Skull Ruins can be valuable or interesting, though, so just decide how you want to spend your resources.

You're seeing a lot of Bugs, Ghosts, and burrowers.

Upper Chamber Ruins Encounters

6. Treasure with Pokemon
Cap: 1
Challenge: easy

The only pain Heart felt was a pain in the back. After failing in the chamber below he do 2 things: To check if any of his things broke from the failing. And see if he is still with the Metal Tag.

Then see a treasure in some part of the room. Before he approach however, he takes a look if there is traps armed it, or if there a mechanic trap inside.