[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

"Who was this old man who labors at the Ends of the Earth? Should an embassy be sent to him for more information, now that we seem to have bought plenty of time?"

"I found several interesting things within the Skull Ruins. If you would like to sally forth into the Ruins, there is much to be learned and explored. Including...lots of dust and iron shavings and the remnants of a massive drill."

"...he's a bit more than a sage, Heart...the old man is, from what I can gather, a physical representation of an aspect of nature.  In this case, the earth and soil.  It's not difficult for him to grant a pokemon the Ground type in a fashion similar to Forest's Curse and Trick-or-Treat, and he has...ties to that Golem which Mesprit's message seems to refer to as the 'Disaster of Stone'.  He doesn't often let visitors into his End of the Earth.  Even we had to fight off a couple of his Ground types before we were allowed entry to his cave, which was located towards the top of a fang shaped peak at the most western edge of the Divide.  There were...a few things he said to us."

" First off, from the way he talked about things, Mesprit's definitely needed to fight that Golem, which seems to be related to one of Sarimanok's schemes based on the crown wearing Claydol you've seen.  I don't know what the crafty, long-dead king was planning, but I don't like it, whatever it is...but Mesprit might know, and definitely knows how to stop it...but the only way to wake Mesprit is...well, Kirlia has to become that 'sharer of unselfish love'...the Ends of the Earth were entirely unrelated to achieving that goal, so Mesprit still slumbers in its cavern..."

"Second...there was one condition he listed before he would fully commit his aid.  He asked everyone sans Ventus to spread the word that the Earthpower is alive and well, to respect the earth and soil, etcetera.  Basically, respect and protect nature so that its magic isn't lost to humanity's constructions and desires."

"...and third, he said this when we left: 'Don't come back.'  I'm sure as much as he enjoyed our company, he doesn't want unwanted visitors.  Probably best to leave him to his own devices unless we absolutely need to visit him again.  Which we shouldn't, since the only reason the vines are weakened is because he basically cut off his involvement in the situation.  No energy and fertility in the soil around the ruins means the plant life can't grow nearly as quickly and endlessly.  The number of Tangrowth should be drastically reduced as well."

...

"...he also asked if anyone had been digging in the ruins.  I don't know for certain if they were the cause, but Almanac had been claiming to be doing research in the Skull Ruins the day the vines started growing.  They'd blocked off the entirety of the entrance to Stair City via Route 4 with their base camp.  And the old man firmly stated that the only reason this golem would have woken up is because someone had dug too deep in the ruins...if that drill was theirs..."

Nathan has to resist the urge to squeeze Forthright tighter in anger. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Kirlia, however, clearly has some tightly balled fists, more than making up for Nathan's restraint.