[Game Thread] Lord Windos’ PokeRole Adventure 2: The Wild Lands

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Regarding Iron Leave's possible aid: after a bit of convincing and explanation the evergreen guardian is willing to help out and restrain her natural outpouring of verdentivity, ready to assist with a Helping Hand while the blades on her body extended out and started emitting a ominous glow. Notably she doesn't create her signature Terrain in the midst of all this, but a closer look at her feet would she a few tuffs of grass and a few small flowers sprouting around them. Easily cleaned up, such things could be, but it does show that even deliberately throttling her power she can't help leak out a bit of it.... 

You also note that Juniper seems to brighten visibly in the presence of the Verdant Sword, seeming to try to flourish despite the horrific toxic condition they're in. Leaves herself is distinctly not moved by this, only looking to her Master for a moment for further input before readying herself to aid your operation.

With Seddi's Mons ready - Velzuna is a bit concerned yet excited about doing 'doctor work' with his Sharp Blades! - Fortuna ready to help direct and guide the efforts alongside you, Persephone singing a tune of Good Luck to ward away to worst outcomes (and to cheer herself up after an embarrassing night, omph), and Hecate on Stand By for healing, you take a deep, long breath, closing your eyes for a moment to center yourself, before letting it out. You bring out one of your Full Restores, applying it to Juniper to fully eliminate all her Lethal Damage, before you begin:

Operation: Heal 'n Gut!
Total Roll: Base 13D6 + 1 Dice; with ILs help, it's 15D6 now! Fortuna's Super Luck will reduce the severity of all but the worst outcomes of the Roll, as well as granting additional Fortune at a great Roll. Persaphone's Lucky Chant will Negate (1)s and prevent the truly fantastical and Strange from happening the best it can! 

Now, let's see what -

(2)(6)(5)(6)(5) (6)(4)(4)(2)(4) (5)(3)(4)(1)(1)

...
...Okay then! I guess Dragonstrike's hotstreak is rubbing off you now, dios mios.

That's 10 Successes; combined with Fortuna's Super Luck, you have not only Succeeded  in the Operation, you utterly aced it . You fall into a zen-like state of utter focus and precision, expertly using Velzuna to open up the patient and extract every last bit of that nasty, abhorrent Sludge that inhabited poor Juniper. At several points you even use the Sharp Fishie as a scapel directly, picking them up and using them like it was no big deal (much to their initial confusion) !

Working in perfect tandem with your Coven, perfectly orchestrating the rest of the assistants, you managed to perform a minor miracle: not only have you manage to completely cure them of All their Status Ailments, you also completely restored their HP, fixed several long standing issues you so happened to uncover, and even bolstered their Vitality with Iron Leave's and Hecate's supreme Special prowess! By the end of it Juniper the Liligant is good as new, if not better, Sleeping quietly on the operating table, finally at long last at peace.

Lastly, a most Strange but Fortunate occurrence happened: you're not quite sure how, but the combination of all that Healing and your near supernatural Skill resulted in all the sludge you extracted to congeal and Transform into Black Sludge! Enough for you and Seddi to have one Unit each. Score?

Black Sludge's Effect: In this Campaign, this Item has different Effects, based on the Type of Pokemon that Holds it -

Poison and Gooey/Sticky Mons: Works like a Better Leftovers, healing Base 2 HP at the end of each Round, as well as accelerating Will Point acquisition. Outside of Battle it'll eventually fully restore a Mon's HP after 1 Encounter of no Battles, or eliminate 2 Lethal Damage per Encounter of no combat that will also prevent LD from getting worse.
Fairy and Grass Types: They take 1 Lethal Damage per Action, but the Chance Effects of their Moves are Guaranteed and them + their Status Moves gain Extra Effectiveness; in particular, Status Ailments get nasty. Their Fairy/Grass STABs also become Lethal by default, though can't be made Extra Lethal.
Steel, Rock, Ground, and Ghost Types: - 2 Def and Sp.Def, but gain an Immunity to Chance Effects and all but Dire/Death Toxic Poison; they also gain basic Poison Touch as a second Ability
Dragons: Gain a Resistance to Fairy and a Immunity to Grass Types in exchange for weaknesses against Psychics and Ground types, in addition to Badly Poisoning them; in the case of Gooey Goodra, they don't get Poisoned and instead gain an Immunity to the Status.
Fire and Electric: Can blow it up as a ranged, one time 'Move' that acts like a Self Destruct that doesn't instantly Faint the user; can 'prime' it to detonate 1 Action later, and can also initiate a Grapple that can force said Item inside something they really don't like to all but guarantee Death on most targets and horribleness on anything that survives.
Everything Else (+ Fire and Electric Types): Anti-Leftovers, dealing Base 2 HP damage at the end of each Round and reducing the effectiveness of all Healing in General; can eventually inflict Super Badly Poison on Fainted Pokemon and reduces their Will by 1 in the process, but any Mon captured this way will absolutely HATE you in all but the most niche and weird of cases.

Can be further refined into Pitch Black Sludge, if one knows has the know-how of how to achieve it, or used as a ingredient in the most wicked and vilest of Alchemic creations, almost guaranteed to be a considered a warcrime by all but the most disreputable or insane sorts. 

Juniper's Trainer is, needless to say, grateful for what you've done, being brought to tears at the (to him) miraculous twist of Fate for his precious plant Partner. He even hug you two, if allowed! He can't pay you back for the Full Restore or the GREAT service you rendered - the Monster in question extorted him of almost everything he hand to be allowed to escape further harm - but promise he owes you two BIG TIME. If asked about said Monster, he shares details that, if cross referenced with what Akamu sent about his most Recent Encounter, sounds an awful lot like the Head Goon he ended up chasing off...

With that, the 3rd Encounter for both Oz and Seddi is Concluded; due to external factors, so is Oz's Forth Encounter. They'll proceed to the nearest Center to rest, claiming they're Exhausted and emotionally taxed after such a Topsy Turvy day, and want to prepare themselves for the coming times ahead that no doubt will provid more of the same turmoil until all the crisis are put to rest themselves.

Spoiler

Oz was nervous at first, but after taking a sigh she looks at Seddi and his Pokemon, seeing his determination in save that Pokemon life. She could even glimpse behind Iron Leaves metalic eyes one thing she see the first time she meet her: Power and precision. Even in metal form, she can feel its power, a power who could might compare or be close to a Legend. It makes Oz nervous or maybe terrified, but at the same time...excited with the possibility to see its power in action.

She then look at each of her sisters: Calm and wise Fortuna, positive and energetic Persephone and mighty Hecate. All of them close to her and they nod at her, showing her determination. Oz take a deep breath, and aplying the Full Restore, she eliminate most of Juniper worse wounds, and then begin the operation.

Flashback

For a slight second, Oz get...nostalgic, getting back in time, to the time when she begun her studies in medicine. First in her family house. And then when she decided to go a college of medicine, trying to get a degree in medicine to be a doctor. She could almost hear her mother and father in her ear, saying it was a waste of time, and she should study the traditions of the family. Carry their name...But her grandfather and grandmother was the only ones who support her dream. She still remember...Fortuna was originally her granny Murkrow, and Persephone was captured thanks to her granfather, who has a affinity to ghost-types. Even if their grandparents is not close to her right now, she feel...connect to them, thanks to her sisters. Almost as if they are here.

I wonder if they are still alive and well after so long...Would they be proud of me?

Oz shake her head. It was not time for distractions. She have a life to save.

"Velzuna. Here. Here. Here. And here. We must be careful to not cut important veins to not lethal hurt Juniper."

Obviously, Oz have gloves, a mask, a hat to not let hair fall in the body of Juniper, and clothes of operation. She was in deeply concentration. Since I not sure how much in-game has pass, but operations like takes a few hours (like, 4 or more hours) I leave you at how much at pass. From time to time, Persephone get close to Oz with a piece of cloth to clean Oz forehead. 

After a long time, Oz, Seddi and everyone finally end the operation. Oz did found the Black Sludge. She was very fearful of the material, but she decided to keep safe in her bag.

Oz ask to inform Doctor Peace about the success of the operation and tell him Juniper situation is not only healed, but she is much better. "Doctor, Juniper is now safe. Thanks to Seddi, I was also able to identify other health problems, and heal her. She is problably even better than before. But...Seddi, his Pokemons and my own Pokemon companions help me. So the honor is to them. As a healer, the opportunity to save lives, is itself a reward."

When the man hug her, Oz was just happy. "No need to thank me. Our companions help in the operation of Juniper. She even better than before the operation. Just be careful to not encounter that Garbodor again. Lets exchange numbers, so if you or your companion get caugh again with that Garbodor, you can give me a call and I will try to help the best I can. However, go first to professionals of course. I just a medic in training, not a official professional. But if is nothing serious you can give me a call to."

Oz then turned in Seddi direction. "Seddi, thank you. Trully. This operation would be possible without your help. You are a hero." Oz then bown in respect toward the cowboy. "I will never be able to thank you enough for helping me save Juniper life. You show me that I still able to save lives. This hands can still save people."

Oz strech her arms. "I dont know about you Seddi, but after such long day, I really could use some resting. I pretty much beat up. Unless of course you want me to check on you? You said you was looking for me for medical checkup? How can I help you? Is the least I can do for your help."

"You heard her, Veluza.  Just follow her instructions.  Clean cuts, not jagged.  Leaves, standby to assist."

shink! shink! shink!

Despite literally being a fish out of water, Veluza proves to be an expert at cutting.  Only the very tips of the fishy's razor sharp bone structure are needed.  He is definitely caught slightly off guard initially when Oz literally grabs him to make even more precise cuts though.  It's a wonder that Oz doesn't cut herself trying to use Veluza as a makeshift scalpel!  Maybe she partially has Leaves to thank for that, as the Verdant Sword subtly nudges Oz away from minor but dangerous slip-ups.  Or maybe the inherent luckiness of her pokemon is to thank for Oz not losing her grip on slick fish scales and flesh that could fall off at any moment if Veluza were to move to quickly.

Leaves's Quash is the final step, helping Oz to literally squeeze much of the muck out of the incisions.  Messy, but it gets the job done.  And well enough that they end up with 2 units of condensed Black Sludge as well?  That's certainly...something.  Makes the cleanup easy at least.

Seddi, who'd been watching silently the whole time as Oz concentrated, finally lets out that breath he'd been holding.  "Job well done.  Let's get this mess cleaned up and go give this Lilligant's trainer the good news."

Seddi would be fine with the stranger hugging him.  He was clearly very worried about his pokemon.

Oz trying to deflect the praise primarily onto him just gets an audible chuckle and a smile from him as he puts a hand on Oz's shoulder.  "Oz, it wouldn't have been possible without you.  All I did was lend you a few tools that I thought might be helpful for solvin' the problem at hand.  If that makes me a hero, then that makes you a superhero for doin' a job that few others would even be willing or able to.  Speaking of problems, though...sir, how'd your Lilligant end up like that?  I'd be curious to hear the story behind that particular mess.  Not every day you see a Grass type literally stuffed with Sludge."

Seddi takes a few notes, then frowns as he compares it to some other ones he'd taken earlier.  He's clearly in an 'all business's mindset now.

"...darnit.  I'm really gonna need to call this in.  Seems a group of troublemakers is getting a tad bit too uppity in all this chaos.  I'll keep an eye out for the varmint, though I can't promise that the authorities or I are gonna be able to make finding this troublemaker a priority.  I'd say mass kidnappings and lootings on a city-wide scale are likely a higher priority target on most days, but I'll see what I can do.  Definitely contact the authorities if you run into that group causing trouble again.  I'd say to contact me as well, but I'm not a cop.  I'm just helpin' them out as a favor right now.  If you tell Oz though, she can send word to me.  No promises I'll be able to divert any attention to it though."

Oz turning her attention fully on him (once they finish with Lilligant's trainer and updating the authorities about the incident) prompts him to wipe a bit of blood away from his nose again as he gestures for her to follow him to an out of the way spot.  "Yeah, had a bit of a bad encounter with a magic circle in the Center when I was investigatin'.  Gave me a nasty nosebleed and a killer headache.  Still feelin' a little lightheaded, if I'm bein' honest.  I can bandage external wounds just fine, but I think this is probably a bit beyond my expertise.  If you're up for it, I could use a quick checkup."

As for the cowboy himself...

(1)(6)(3)

...He later discovers that Iron Leaves managed to get Super Badly Poisoned for her 'absorptive' aid; she takes 1 Lethal Damage by the time you are able to treat her with a Full Heal or better, or 3 Lethal Damage if you rush to a Center to save on the cash. Her Terrain wouldn't work to counteract the LD, due to it's ramp up being too slow and how obvious said Verdant Terrain would be to the entire city ('Garden of Eden popping up in the middle of urban sprawl!' would sure make a big head line!), and the Center is only able to treat the Poisoning due not having the time or resources to do more now (unless you be wanting to flex your Authority...)

All's well that ends well...? Well, at least nothing got worse.

Seddi would absolutely use a Full Heal to cure that Poison.  He asked her to stick her neck out for a stranger, so it's time to pay up before the problem gets worse.  As for treating the Lethal damage, he could simply have Leaves use Strength Sap on one of his other pokemon (besides Goodra, who's immune to it) to rapidly repair the tiny bit of damage.  If he has time to use a Full Heal on her discreetly, they should have time to use a single potent healing move as well!  He's not expecting to need to use Leaves tonight, so it's easy to justify using the healing to fix the issue quickly and painlessly.

Before calling it a day he would send a quick follow up message to Seddi:

I seem to have caught a pokemon that has no data. There's only gibberish on my pokedex screen. Probably something worth investigating tomorrow while we have a professor around. It may not be a paradox but its a very interesting case for sure.

Seddi's phone buzzing a few more times distracts him a little.  Did something else come up?

Okay, Vernon returning an egg to some wild Dewgong parents.  Seddi can't help but smile at that.  Those are some weird looking Dewgong though...must be regional variants.

Akamu's latest message is even more intriguing though, prompting a response.

A pokemon with no data?  That sounds strange even for Sutalör.  Care to discuss it over a drink tonight?  An acquaintance of mine is gonna show me a favorite hangout of his and said I could bring along some company.  Might invite some of the others too if they aren't too tired.

And as indicated, Seddi will message Vernon and Darren with an invite to join them at the Afterlife bar!

This is also around when Seddi would be sending those messages to Bernhard and updating Professor Sada both on what happened with the investigation and the need to delay tonight's meeting due to Bernhard and Oz being too exhausted by the day's events to make it.

Next stop: Afterlife with Dodger, Vernon, Darren, and Akamu! (Provided nobody is hungover first thing in the morning, it could be done as a flashback maybe)