[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

When they arrive back at camp, the first thing Nathan does is let all his pokemon out of their pokeballs.  "Everyone, I'd like you to meet our newest friend, Grid.  Kirlia and Porygon are already acquainted with him from when we met him earlier.  I'd like you four to take some time to introduce yourselves to him.  Relax, have a little fun, whatever you like.  Just don't get into any trouble.  If there is trouble, Kirlia will notify me immediately.  I'm going to be talking with Ven for a bit, so you've got plenty of time to just hang out.  You all have been doing an excellent job lately.  Have some well deserved rest.  Oh, and if you're wondering where Porygon is, I had to send him to the PC to make room for Grid.  He needed the rest anyways.  We'll regroup with Porygon when we reach Corsage."

All that said and done, Nathan leaves his pokemon to their own devices to just relax and have a little fun under Kirlia's watchful eye, and goes inside the newly set up tent to talk with Ven about the Skull Ruins.

Nathan pulls out his journal once again, pen in hand, and takes some notes concerning his observations of the pot, statue, and the writing.  After he's done with that, he puts the pen down and begins explaining the history of the Skull Ruins.  

More reused music! Ominous tune, go! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2lACcKfJw0

"Alright, let's just start with a brief refresher on the Age of Kings.  As I said before, it's the time when Creshire was ruled by kings chosen by the legendaries themselves.  Sarimanok was the Last King.  He supposedly abused his power and ended the golden age Creshire had been in for hundreds of years, and constructed a throne made of Charizard skulls to rule from during that period.  That was hundreds of years ago.  If that pot is as old as it looks, it dates either from the very end of or just after Sarimanok's reign.  The text is equally curious for a particular reason...

"You see, The Skull Ruins are what's left of the castle the kings ruled from.  The First League left it in quite a state after their siege on it, and time has not treated it any better.  The Skull Ruins are home to a whole host of different Ghost type pokemon, and the upper levels are filled with the graves of Sarimanok's servants and various innocents who were caught in the crossfire.  It's a terrifying place for multiple reasons.  And that's just the ground floor.

"Everyone has heard of the legendary Throne of Skulls.  It's a historian's dream to discover an object of such historical significance.  It's not on the ground floor though, if it exists at all.  All that's left there is graves and the ruins of what was once a magnificent throne room with a very normal throne made of wood, stone, and valuable metals and gems that have long since been looted.  No thrones made of Charizard skulls to speak of.

"It's been discovered recently that there's basement floors, though, beneath all the barrow downs that can be found alongside the individual graves. Maybe they're even all directly connected by those underground tunnels, and it's all just one massive grave as opposed to many small ones.  How many floors there are is unknown, but there are a few brave souls who dare adventure down there to look for the mythical Throne of Skulls.

"Few ever return from that trip.  And when they do, they can't seem to recall anything that happened down there.  Or have gone completely insane from what can only be assumed to be sheer horror.

"If that pot's plaque is talking about the Skull Ruins...my best guess is that the throne, or at least the path leading to it, is on the bottom fourth floor.  And based on that fortune you got at the festival earlier and the vision Kirlia showed me...that's worrying.  If someone finally found it, and if they have enough strength to call on and/or subdue legendaries....Creshire might have a problem.  Riled up Ghosts are rare, but if they are riled up, something is typically really wrong..."

There's an ominous ring to that last part...