[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

(...)

Terra, leading the way for the protection of the party, pokes his head through a hole dug by Angie. He reports back about a new room. It had collapsed like the others, but was carefully dug out. In fact, you see Yamask streaming by holding scoops of earth in their dead faces, continuing to excavate. Some also bear crystals or odd stones. All bear a mini key in each hand.


Fossil-bearing ores have been tastefully placed about the room. Some are on crude stone pedestals, really just sandstones piled up in little heaps. Some are stuck directly into the ground. Many have a rainbow of different mosses growing on them, or pebbles arranged around them in Egyptian designs similar to Ratsy's. There's also an Odd Keystone in a place of honor, with a nascent swirl of a young Spiritomb in it. Tended paths lead from one attraction to another.

For some reason, there are also a couple Slowpoke around. The gardener has gardened right around them without disturbing them. Perhaps they water the slow-growing moss.

Really, it seems you've stepped into what appears to be a fossil garden.

There are two Pokemon that stand out.
1. The Geodude who has often followed you around since Ginger Town, sneaking up on one of the fossils in an attempt to excavate it.
2. A fabulously ornate Cofagrigus, using its four hands to rearrange fossils and stones. It's being very selective and careful. The thing exudes power, and is constantly looking around furtively before making a change. Cofagrigus orders the Yamask around and commands the respect of the other, smaller Ghosts. In its shadow are several 2D Gengar, jostling for position. An array of stone Clefable statues might be their homes or hosts or something.

Beyond the Fossil Garden is a downward path, leading to a door carved with hieroglyphics and made of an unknown metal - maybe orichalcum according to Nathan. You can't really see the door well from here.

There are great heaps of earth like compost all over.

Spoiler

[quote pid='63603' dateline='1560101783']
Cosh: "We were told the ghosts had hidden it. They could certainly have placed it behind that door! We need to find a way through. It should also lead downward into other layers of the Ruins."
[/quote]

Initially, Terra had elected to remain silent after his report of the Ghost Fossil Muesuim up ahead, so as to let the the others get a look at it themselves and come up with any plans on how to proceed from there. He was far from an natural 'ideas guy' , so he'd thought leaving that to the collective would be for the best. Seeing that nobody was really doing any brainstorming though (Beyond Shiva's suggesting to just Fight the whole lot of Ghosts and ghouls, but was not exactly the most safe or creatively intensive idea), and only hearing Cosh/Nathan speak/mumble about the place/its contents, the sagely monk closed his eyes, shook his head and let out a small *sigh*, before he got everyone's attention to bring up his own idea.

"We can get past the Ghosts and door by Digging. Go back a little, then start Digging under and past them. Should not take long, or get caught if we Dig deep enough. Saves our Strength and trouble from them too. *Looks at everyone* Well?"