[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

And upon leaving the corridor, it becomes clear why that light is there, as Kogeki and Kee suddenly find themselves outside, in the middle of a raging, howling blizzard, barely able to see or hear.

(Psst wrong person)

*present*
"So, just two of us huh?" Karen is readying Magneton and Nidorina for the upcoming battle. "I'm ready when you are Kee, let's go topple a snowman."
--
o_O? Well that's unexpected. "Don't mind if we do come in." Karen is the first to practically bolt into the cabin. She don't wanna spend any more time in this blizzard than necessary.

Hehehehehe, nice wording, and nice boldness behind these words.

He obviously hates being caught in a blizzard, but presses forward anyway, counting on Yurei's protection via Safeguard to prevent him himself from being frozen solid. Ah, and upon that voice adressing them two, he was just about to ask whether she feels any hostility from that.....person, but she stormed off before he even took the breath to speak up. Very well, then, nice cozy fire, yes please, gimme!! That should do smol Vulpix in the Egg good too.

[Dragonstrike]

Karen and Kee find the cabin is very warm and cozy, filled with many homely and practical decorations alike.  A fire roars in the fireplace, and an old man (who appears to be at least 70) wearing a heavy sweater, hunched over and using a cane to support himself, closes the door.  It gets a lot quieter as soon as the door is closed.

The old man turns and points to some seats arranged around the fireplace.  "Well, make yourselves at home.  I'm sure you're cold, and possibly rather tired as well.  I'll get the stove going and something warm to put in your tummies made.  We can chat over some stew and hot cocoa."

The old man wanders into a separate room which is likely the kitchen.  An Abra is dozing in a corner near the fireplace.

It'll probably take the old man a little time to prepare the warm food and drink, so what do the adventurers do in the meantime?

[Lord Windos]

Before Randolph makes it to the stairs, he runs into Kogeki in the branching hallways.  "Ran!  The way forward is clear now.  You doing okay?  We need to continue the investigation."

Initially, the bristly blacksmith was a bit surprised by the one-armed ninja doubling back to meet him, figuring that they'd had long since moved on to explore the rest of the floor. That quickly faded and was replaced with a certain measure of disgruntled annoyance when they revealed Kee/Karen managed to somehow successfully negotiate with the Snover, requested he'd come join the rest of the group. 

"Yeah, I'm fine - wait, those sappy fool's plan actually worked? *Beat* ......Gottverdammt. Now I'll hear no END of them Murkrowing about their BEYOND fortunate success, especially from that smug git. Durch Zunder und Funken ist mein Glück so schlecht, dass es sich in ein gutes verwandelt ... wenn ich es nicht auch will! Grrrraaah!"
Translation: By tinder and spark, my luck is so bad it ends up turning round to being good.....when I don't want it too! Grah !
Yeah, Ran wasn't a happy explorer about that. Which is quite petty of him, but hey, that's just the way he can get when he's mad with someone.

Because of that, he had the strongest urge to bluntly reject Kogeki's entreaty and just march his arse back to the stairs out of pure stubborn insistence of sticking to his guns, but after forcing aside his feelings and thinking it over for a few seconds he *Sighed*, hung his head, and nodded. In spite of his own grievances/reservations, he was willing to put them aside in order to continue doing his job, even if he really really didn't want to. 

"Fine. I'll be coming. Want to check out that room room beyond the closed door in the Stage Room first, though. Ended up finding something nice behind the first set of doors we first passed, and I also don't want to leave no stone unturned here if I can help it. *Mumbles* That, and I'm not so inclined to be facing Kee right now, that infuriating fop, *Grumble Grumble*"

This means he'll probably lag behind Karen/Kee, but that's fine with him. The longer the time before he reunites with them, the better in his eyes. Brigid and Catherine are the Pokemon he has out with him currently too, btw.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

It'll probably take the old man a little time to prepare the warm food and drink, so what do the adventurers do in the meantime?

The sound when a the door clicks and tunes out a snowstorm is the best sound ever, right now Kee can't imagine anything more melodic. Apart from maybe that sound accompanied by the cozy crackling of a fire.

This....place? may be a completely strange and foreign one, but actually the colorful musician's rather quickly, almost immediately feeling at home for the simple reason that it's reminding strongly on coming home after a snow winter day, not before the sun sets and just in time for dinner with grandparents. Feels like being 10+ years younger all of a sudden, aww!~ That the winter in Konikoni weren't actual winter because of lacking snow and freezing tempratures, he can gladly overlook just because.

Well, the first thing he'll do is take that now-too-warm red cloak of, then take a seat by the fire himself as quietly as possible to not accidently startle or awake that Abra, and at last summon Octavia + drawing the Vulpix Egg from his stuff. Now he's just stitting there with both in his lap, the faeeveelution purring softly and the kitsune within her Egg hopefully appreciating the change of climate as well. Yurei meanwhile has eyes that old man curiously, nonverbally asked Kee for permission, and then flew to said old man in the kitchen due to personal and sentimental reasons. This is heaven on earth for Kee - it's heavily surreal and very weird for such a nice place being located HERE, but it still is.

He gazes around: Uh, is there any sign of said Abomasnow here in the room?? (o.o)? He half expects one due to what the Snover told, half not because this species hates fire.

"Hey, Karen...." he also speaks up to her, "D'you, by chance, have ANY idea or guess where we ended up actually? I failed both History and Geography classes, but maybe you haven't."

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Initially, the bristly blacksmith was a bit surprised by the one-armed ninja doubling back to meet him, figuring that they'd had long since moved on to explore the rest of the floor. That quickly faded and was replaced with a certain measure of disgruntled annoyance when they revealed Kee/Karen managed to somehow successfully negotiate with the Snover, requested he'd come join the rest of the group. 

"Yeah, I'm fine - wait, those sappy fool's plan actually worked? *Beat* ......Gottverdammt. Now I'll hear no END of them Murkrowing about their BEYOND fortunate success, especially from that smug git. Durch Zunder und Funken ist mein Glück so schlecht, dass es sich in ein gutes verwandelt ... wenn ich es nicht auch will! Grrrraaah!"
Translation: By tinder and spark, my luck is so bad it ends up turning round to being good.....when I don't want it too! Grah !
Yeah, Ran wasn't a happy explorer about that. Which is quite petty of him, but hey, that's just the way he can get when he's mad with someone.

Because of that, he had the strongest urge to bluntly reject Kogeki's entreaty and just march his arse back to the stairs out of pure stubborn insistence of sticking to his guns, but after forcing aside his feelings and thinking it over for a few seconds he *Sighed*, hung his head, and nodded. In spite of his own grievances/reservations, he was willing to put them aside in order to continue doing his job, even if he really really didn't want to. 

"Fine. I'll be coming. Want to check out that room room beyond the closed door in the Stage Room first, though. Ended up finding something nice behind the first set of doors we first passed, and I also don't want to leave no stone unturned here if I can help it. *Mumbles* That, and I'm not so inclined to be facing Kee right now, that infuriating fop, *Grumble Grumble*"

This means he'll probably lag behind Karen/Kee, but that's fine with him. The longer the time before he reunites with them, the better in his eyes. Brigid and Catherine are the Pokemon he has out with him currently too, btw.

The Snover are actually lingering around that door when Randolph and Kogeki get there.  They eye Randolph warily, but they stand back when they see he's with Kogeki.

[Dragonstrike]

He gazes around: Uh, is there any sign of said Abomasnow here in the room?? (o.o)? He half expects one due to what the Snover told, half not because this species hates fire.

There are no signs of any indoor Abomasnow.  It'd probably be a lot colder if one was around.

[Mikaruge108]

Spoiler

"Hey, Karen...." he also speaks up to her, "D'you, by chance, have ANY idea or guess where we ended up actually? I failed both History and Geography classes, but maybe you haven't."

"Your guess is as good as mine, I've only been in Sinnoh for around 6 months, and that was mostly spent in the southern part." Karen then readdresses the question to the old man; "So, we still in Sinnoh? Or somewhere else?"

[Lord Windos]

The Snover are actually lingering around that door when Randolph and Kogeki get there.  They eye Randolph warily, but they stand back when they see he's with Kogeki.

He returns their wary looks with his own trademark stern/no-nonsense/unfriendly glare, boldly displaying he feels the same way they do about him: not trusting or liking them in the slightest. If he had it his way, they'd all be well and Fainted by now, but no, Kee and Karen had to be bloody fools and give peace the chance it didn't even warrant consideration for. Bah....

Since they're in the way of the door (and OOC you're not exactly being the most subtle about getting him reunited with the group ASAP), he just turns away from the massing of mobile christmas trees and heads towards the orange light/howling winds path everyone else went through, with him and his partners keeping an eye on the Snover just in case they tried pulling anything. He's sick of that whole fiasco, and just wants to be done with it....

Presumably, Ran ends up in front of the old man's cabin outside of what Ran would probably immediately recognizes as the goddamn Sinjoh Ruins, which causes him to do a double take and stare at it slack jawed.

"....What in Heatran's name - how. Just HOW in bloody, almost literal helhiem did our expedition through the Temple lead us to, to.....! "

He quickly takes a deep breath and lets it out, forcibly calming himself down and shaking his head in angry dismissal.

".....Well, this proves it, then: that mystery or something else with supernatural mojo is screwing around with Snowpoint Temple big time. Gottverdammt..... *Sighs* Nothing else to do, but continue down the rabbit hole, and further into this winter wonderland...."

With that said, Ran takes a few photos/notes on this area (for solid proof to give Rowan later), before he heads up to the cabin and knocks on the door, and awaits to be let in, grouching ever so slightly bitterly while he stays huddled next to Brigid for warmth and comfort.

[Dragonstrike]

"Your guess is as good as mine, I've only been in Sinnoh for around 6 months, and that was mostly spent in the southern part." Karen then readdresses the question to the old man; "So, we still in Sinnoh? Or somewhere else?"

The old man wanders back into the room, pushing a cart with 4 bowls of stew and 5 cups of hot chocolate.  He leaves it in front of the chairs, grabs one of the cups of hot chocolate, and sits down.

"Aaaaahhhh, that feels so much better than standing.  Help yourselves.  Two of those bowls and cups are for your friends when they arrive."

He chuckles when Karen asks if they're in Sinnoh.  "Oh no, I'm afraid we aren't in Sinnoh, my dear.  Ohhohoho."

Now that Karen looks around and smells the food, though...some of it seems familiar. As in, it's the same style of food and decor found in Johto.  But it's not entirely the same, and Karen can't quite put her finger on why...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Ah, there they are now.  Excuse me for a moment."

The old man gets up, walks to the door, and opens it.  The noise caused by the howling snowstorm (which completely drowned out Randolph's exclamation and speculation) returns, but the old man can be heard clearly above the din somehow.  "Come in, come in.  I've been expecting you.  Make yourselves at home.  There's some warm stew and hot chocolate by the fire for you."

When Kogeki and Randolph have entered the building, the door is shut once more, and the snowstorm is left outside once again (and Abra is still somehow sleeping through it all).  The group's host then makes his way back to his seat and sips on his hot cocoa, waiting for the inevitable questions.

Kogeki quietly takes a seat and some of the provided refreshments.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

The old man wanders back into the room, pushing a cart with 4 bowls of stew and 5 cups of hot chocolate.  He leaves it in front of the chairs, grabs one of the cups of hot chocolate, and sits down.

"Aaaaahhhh, that feels so much better than standing.  Help yourselves.  Two of those bowls and cups are for your friends when they arrive."

He chuckles when Karen asks if they're in Sinnoh.  "Oh no, I'm afraid we aren't in Sinnoh, my dear.  Ohhohoho."

Now that Karen looks around and smells the food, though...some of it seems familiar. As in, it's the same style of food and decor found in Johto.  But it's not entirely the same, and Karen can't quite put her finger on why...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

"Ah, there they are now.  Excuse me for a moment."

The old man gets up, walks to the door, and opens it.  The noise caused by the howling snowstorm (which completely drowned out Randolph's exclamation and speculation) returns, but the old man can be heard clearly above the din somehow.  "Come in, come in.  I've been expecting you.  Make yourselves at home.  There's some warm stew and hot chocolate by the fire for you."

When Kogeki and Randolph have entered the building, the door is shut once more, and the snowstorm is left outside once again (and Abra is still somehow sleeping through it all).  The group's host then makes his way back to his seat and sips on his hot cocoa, waiting for the inevitable questions.

Kogeki quietly takes a seat and some of the provided refreshments.

The elder's comment briefly earns them a suspicous raised eyebrow from the wee little man, but in the end he just *Sighs* and accepts it as 'more Mystery Tauros shit' and nods back to them.

"Very well. Thank ya for your hospitality, sir."

He enters and takes a seat at the table, picking up the provided cup of cocoa and nearly downing half of it in one go, sighing with mixed relief and pleasure as the tasty liquid's warmth flooded his body. Ah.....that sure hit the spot!

Then, the bristly blacksmith sharply turns his head at Kee/Karen, and bluntly says this to them, his stare flat and unamused, and his lips thinner than a penny.

"Don't want either of ya talking to me now, so keep your comments to yourselves and zip it. "

Yeap, he's still ticked off at the two of them. Oh Ran....

After taking the time to warm up and enjoy the stew/cocoa the elder provided him, the dwarven craftsman turns to face them and crosses his arms, his expression sternly inquisitive.

"Alright, let's Cut to the chase here: who are ya, how did you know we'd end up here, why we are here, and do you know anything about bleeding insanity is plaguing the Temple for it to warp us all the way to this section of the frozen north? Oh, what can be done to fix this whole sordid mess, if ya happen to know."