[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

(...)

Meanwhile, Randolph and Amethyst are investigating the area outside the cave for any sign of Froslass.  However, Amethyst's danger sense doesn't seem to be going off unless they get closer to the entrance to Mt. Coronet, and the Absol doesn't seem to be particularly worried about anything right now otherwise.  There are no tracks to follow, as Froslass is a Ghost pokemon that floats slightly above the ground, which doesn't help matters either.

What is a good sign is that the weaker wild pokemon finally seem to be coming out of their hiding places now that Froslass has disappeared and the unnatural blizzard has come to an end.  Life appears to be returning to normal on Routes 216 and 217 at long last.  Mostly.  Whatever's happening at Mt. Coronet will need to be resolved before the status quo is completely restored.  Most of the wild pokemon try to give the entrance to the mountain a wide berth.

Consequently, that means none of them want to approach the cave where the group is currently holed up, either.  No signs of Froslass, but no signs of immediate danger either, so yay?


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"Yup, I've got a light source!"  Karen summons her shiny Rapidash, and the horse's grey flames give off a dim light that helps illuminate the surrounding area slightly.  "...well, it's not as bright as I thought it would be, but it's better than nothing, I guess?"

Fortunately, it's enough light to see, so Kee and Karen are able to proceed deeper into Froslass's cave without tripping over rocks or slipping on icy patches of ground.

Deeper in the cave, Karen and Kee find a single room with just the one entrance.  The floor is dry, thankfully, and it certainly looks large enough to pitch a tent and set up camp and a warm fire.  In one corner of the room, there's also a pile of various items.  Maybe Froslass was collecting them?

- A TM for Rain Dance
- A TM for Sludge Bomb
- An Assault Vest
- A TM for Shadow Ball
- A TM for Dark Pulse
- A TM for Dazzling Gleam
- A TM for Energy Ball
- A TM for Sludge Wave

(With the exception of the Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb TMs, these are all wishlist items!  Two per player, please.)

Evolutionary Stones also line the walls of the chamber (at least one of every type!), sparkling along with the icicles hanging from the ceiling in the dim firelight cast by Karen's Rapidash.  It looks like there's also a section of wall that could be made out of Light Clay.  Getting these items out of the wall looks like it might require a little elbow grease, some time, and possibly some tools, though.  There probably wouldn't be enough time to mine all of them, but some could be excavated before the day is over if someone has the proper equipment to do so.

It's a surprisingly beautiful room.

Karen goes over to the pile of loot and picks out the Rain Dance and Sludge Bomb TMs.  "Oh wow!  TMs!  I didn't think we'd find any here!  And look at all these pretty evolution stones...I wonder if there are any Moon and Shiny Stones in here..."

Fortunately, it doesn't seem like there are any wild pokemon here.  It should be safe to camp here for the night, provided no wild pokemon wander in from outside.

Since Frosslass was indeed missing as Ran somewhat predicted they'd be, he'd be rather concerned and irate about that, shouting "DAMN IT ALL, I KNEW IT!" , followed by some general cursing and grumblings. Brigid herself would share her master's sentiments, stomping around in the snow and angrily letting off large puffs of smoke, steamed that the wretch Ghost that wounded her master had managed to somehow get away. One thing was for certain between the bristly blacksmith and coal muncher: if that Yuki-Onni dared show her face around the group again to pester or harm them, they'd be dealt with harshly.

As for the overall improved conditions of the Routes, that at least mellows him out a little, as he's happy the group is doing something about the mysterious disasters that are plaguing Sinnoh, even if they are only quick fixes at best. Step by step, they were getting closer to solving these unnatural events.....but it was quickly becoming apparent to him, that the amount of danger they face seemed to be growing large as they did so, which caused his mood to spoil again as he realized this. Splendid, just splendid.

Well, on the bright side, at least he and the group have an indicator to use in order to determine and help track down these weird events, right?

He'd gruffly inform everyone of the gist of his findings once they all, looking mildly displeased and giving Kee the stink eye the whole time that indicated he considered it was his fault for letting the gelid Ghost get or be spirited away, before he would break away from them (as much as he could) to be by himself for awhile. The man was tired of dealing with the others for various reasons, and just wanted to be left alone until he could muster the energy and goodwill to work together with everyone again. Contrary to what most would think, he didn't like fighting and arguing with others even when he felt the need to, and that's what he'd end up doing if he or anyone try to strike up a conversation with the mood he's in now, so it would be in the best interests of anyone to leave him to his own company for the time being.

***

Once Kee and Karen lead everyone to the Loot Room (and presumably tell everyone about it and its contents), Ran would waste little time in acquiring the Assault Vest and Dark Pulse, looking at them critically before putting them away with a nod.

" 'Bout time I get something nice for me partners, after all the Tauros shit I've been through. Doesn't make up for it at all, but it's better than finding more hell like we have been lately."

Then he'd turn his attention towards the Evo-Stone encrusted/embedded walls with a speculative, prospecting gleam in his eyes, before with a firm nod the midget man drops his big backpack on the ground, bent down to open and rummages around in it, before pulling out what appeared to be various pieces of Mining Equipment (a few pick-axes of varying sizes, a hammer and a few different types of chisel, netting to help catch debris/hold a wall together, a few medium sized boxes with wire grating of varying fineness, etc.) , looking at them at and then at the walls again, and nodding once more.

"Yeap, these should be the right tools for the job. *Rubs* Brigid, Puck, and Stymph could also help too, I think. Wall doesn't look too delicate, precular or hazardous, so Stymph could help speed things along with her Tailwind, Puck can Baton Pass me some buffs, and him and Brigid can help me dig and move the rumble. *Nods* Yeah....that would work."

At this point he'd remember the rest of the group's existence and look up at them, gauging their own expressions and interest in the treasures buried in the cave surrounding them with thin-lipped professional neutrality.

"....Alright, any of you want a Evolution Stone in particular, some Light Clay, or whatever I can manage to unearth from these walls? 'Cause as you can see, I'm well equipped and prepared to do some excavating, if need be. If you do want something, I'll get it for you, but you'll owe me later. Ain't doing charity work for any of ya, 'cause if I'm going to spend part the night carefully mining these walls and split my haul,  it has to be worth my while. If that doesn't suit your fancy, I got one other set of Digging Gear I bought just in case that I can lend out to one of you. Well?"

Lastly, as for the decision to camp out in the Loot Room, Ran's fine with it, setting up his own sleeping area near the entrance, getting Stymph to scatter Spikes all over the outside of the entrance once everyone was inside and settled down for the day/night, and then get her to act as a guard/sentry for him and the group as they rested. He'd then eat his last meal for the day and sleep, warding off any conversion or company prior to him getting the first line of defenses for the camp up. As stated earlier, the dwarven blacksmith was not in the mood for socialization with the rest of the group, so if anyone wants to speak with him it can wait another time unless it's urgent.