[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

You get a challenge from a trainer named Joey, a middle-aged man from Johto who is here from the festival. He has a Rattata that he claims will be a great challenge for Michael.

"Don't scoff. My Rattata is stronger than a lot of fully evolved Pokemon. We have a lifetime of experience together. When Shroomish evolves, he'll be great against Normal types, but for now it's a fair fight!"

Initiatives
Ventus: (6) + 1 Dex + 3 Survival = a perfect 10
Joey: (2) + 3 Dex + 0 Survival = 5

[Lord Windos]

"Well all things considering, since my Shroomish knows only recovery moves, I say the fight a bit skewed more towards my favor. Still, the winner has not been decided yet, so let the battle commence!" Ventus said, looking a he didn't have a care in the world. Michael, who was still sitting on his master shoulder at the time, leaped straight off and to the ground and landed safely on the ground.

Marching over to the battle arena, he gave the Rattata the most determined stare he could muster, before rushing straight at it to knock it down! Given the slight deviousness he feeling, Ventus can tell it will follow it up with an Absorb. 'Michael is a dirty fighter, eh? Well, this will certainly be good practice for him to hone those skills, at least!'

Order: Have Shroomish use Knocked Down on the target until falls prone. While its trying to get up, its next non consecutive move will be Absorb. Repeat this pattern until the Ratatta is KO'd, withdrawned, or Shroomish somehow sustains -2 pain penalization.

Moves:

Knock Down
Accuracy Roll: Pool 3
STR (1) + Fight (2) + Brawl (0)
Damage: STR + 0
Effect: Knock target prone; has to spend an action to get up.

Absorb
Accuracy Roll: Pool 3
DEX (1) + Fight (2) + Channel (0)
Damage: STR (1) + 1 + STAB (1)
Effect: Restore 1/2 of Damage dealt to HP (Min: 1 HP)

[Iron]

Nathan is gonna try the carnival games.


Strength: (3)(3)
Nathan swings the hammer but the indicator doesn't move much. Nathan blames a stiff breeze that comes up at the wrong moment.
Dex: (4)(4)(4)
Nathan makes it all the way across the tight rope! The next challenge is to ride it on a bike, which Nathan fails to do.
"Hey! Our first winner all day! Here's 453 Pokedollars, plus the real prize - a CarnyCoin! You can turn that in over there at that booth, but if you're going to challenge Zamboni, better do that first!!"

Vitality: (5)(3) - 151$
Insight: (3)(4) - 151$.

A good haul!

[Iron]

Joey Round 1

Knockdown
(1)(6)(1) No luck at that. Michael fail to knock over a target so low to the ground already. Michael will try again next turn.


"Rattata, start things off with your signature move! Hyper Fang! We have to get ahead of Shroomish's Absorb."

Hyper Fang
Accuracy: 3 Dex + 2 Fight +1 Brawl
(4)(3)(2)(4)(4)(5) The bite is just shy of a critical hit.
Dmg: 2 Str + 3 power +1 stab -2 vit = 4 dice
(2)(3)(3)(6) Shroomish takes 1 damage

Joey Round 2

Knockdown
(2)(5)(5) Hit!
(4) Rattata takes 1 damage.

Shroomish pops up right under the rat's belly, and flips him onto his back just next to Shroomish.

"You're still in this, Rattata! Those stumpy legs are no match for your nimbleness. He's still within reach!"

Hyper Fang
Accuracy: 3 Dex + 2 Fight +1 Brawl, -1 from prone
(4)(1)(5)(1)(1) Just one success.
Dmg: 2 Str + 3 power +1 stab -2 vit = 4 dice
(2)(4)(1)(6) Shroomish takes 2 damage, now at -2 pain. But he plans to make up the damage, right?

Joey Round 3

[Lord Windos]

"Michael, return to my side. While you can use Absorb to repair the damage inflicted upon you, I think its best we go with the safe bet of using a Potion," Ventus said, his kind but authoritative tone ringing out through out the area. Reluctantly, the Shroomish quickly hobbles away from the burly rat and to his master's side. Swiftly taking out a Potion from his satchel, he sprays down the worst of Michael's wounds, fully restoring his health!

"Michael, it appear that this Rattata is a bit....overpowering, so don't do any more fancy maneuvers and just keep using Absorb on it. Try to finish this battle quickly, or you may be sporting more brushes by the time its over," he said to his Shroomish, before sending it back out into the fray. Fury burning in its eye for being humiliated by the rodent, he charges back in to drain its life force away!

Orders: Ventus is going to use a Potion on Michael while Rattata is prone. Since this thing is packing a very nasty surprise in the form of Hyper fang, Michael is just going keep using Absorb on it for now on. No point in risking a Knock Down if it means I'm getting hit for THAT much...

[Iron]

Joey Round 3

Absorb
Acc: (4)(2)(1) hit
(3)(4) Rattata takes a second point of damage, now at -1 pain.

"Give him a Tail Whip so your bites land harder!"

Tail Whip
Acc: 3 dex, -1 pain, -1 still on the ground
(5)
Shroomish's defense goes down by 1

Joey Round 4

"Strike him....NOW!"

Quick Attack
Acc: 4 dice
(5)(5)(5)(3)
Dmg: 2 str + 2 power +1 Stab -1 vit
(2)(2)(4)(2) Shroomish takes 1 damage, his first after being healed.

Absorb
(5)(2)(3)
(6)(2) Rattata takes a 3rd damage, so he's at -3. Shroomish is back up to full.

Joey Round 5

"We can't let this draw out, Rattata. Give it everything you got in a Quick Attack, and try to keep Shroomish off guard!!"

Quick Attack
(2)(4)
(3)(1)(1)(6) Nothing. Shroomish is too full of power now to be harmed by the weakened Rodent.

Absorb
(6)(1)(2)
(4)(1)

Rattata is nearly KO'd by this final attack. Joey pulls Rattata out of the fight and gives it a cracker to munch on.


"Here you are then! $200! Not a bad battle. It was close for a bit there! Thanks for the match! I'm going to take Rattata to the Center now. If I see you again, I'll call you for a rematch!"

Shroomish gains 4Xp and Ventus gains 2.

[Lord Windos]

"Indeed it was; you Rattata must represent the zenith of the species given how well you trained it! Good match, and I look forward to battling you once more!" Ventus said to Joey, shaking the man's hand in good sportsman ship. While he though Michael would be in dire straights for a second there, he was able to turn the tables rather handly on that viscous opponent. Said Shroomish was basking in the glory of its victory, strutting back to its master in pride of its accomplishment.

Chuckling a bit at his mushroom's antic, he bent down and rubbed Michael's head, conveying just how proud he is of his accomplishment. "You fought your first trainer battle, and you won with stellar results. Great job, my brother! Still, I wouldn't get a swollen head, as they is always something out there that could beat you. Then again, if that was the case, you'd train to overcome them, eh?" Ventus said to the him, lightly chastising him for his egotism while praising him at the same time. 'Can't let him get too big of a head, or he might start doing reckless things. Like challenging Skarmorys for sport, oh my!'

Through the many trails he faced, and the battles that he endured, the researcher felt ever so slightly stronger for them (Gain +1 in STR!). Sharing Michael's confidence, Ventus decided to try all the other skill based games he heard about while exploring the fair. Afterwards, he decides to pay the fortune teller a visit. Maybe a wiseman's words will help him plan his next course of actions?

Order: Do the rest of the Skill Based games I haven't tried then, then head over to that Fortune Teller you described earlier. I'm curious to see what he's capable of...

[Iron]

Ventus plays some games!

Strength: (5)(3) The indicator slides up to the 151$ mark!
Dex: (6) Luck pays off and Ventus manages to stumble to the halfway point. It gets harder from there, but the carny gives him $151.
Vitality: (4)(2) That's also $151.
No CarnyCoins though.

The fortune telling booth is lined with black velvet. The woman on duty there wears black streaks of kohl all over her face and hands, and her nails are long and purple, painted with stars.

"I have many ways to tell the future, Traveller. Which one suits your needs?"

Palm reading: Gives you the gist of your love life and life span. The fortune teller explains that such readings can be thrown off course by the tides of fate. $400.
Tarot reading: Her deck includes three magic cards by the legendary Keni Morgusi. The rest are of her own design. The teller explains that while the cards are always correct, the interpretations of mortals can be off sometimes. You may not even realize it has come true. $600.
Crystal ball reading: Includes actual visions of the future, described to you by the teller. $800.
Gothorita star reading: Includes a session with the teller's Gothorita, where she can read your involvement in important events. Guaranteed accurate. $4000.
Gothitelle star reading: Includes intimate details of your life, including your lifespan. Guaranteed accurate. $20,000.

[Lord Windos]

"Ah, so you do, wise woman. I usually distrust magic, but I have never been lead astray by a fortune teller. If I had more money on hand, I would of love to had a meeting with your Gothorita and Gothitelle, but alas I am rather poor Pokémon Researcher. All I can do is humbly ask for a Crystal Ball reading, madam. I need all the knowledge I can to care for my friends." Handing over the required $800, he patiently waited for the vision from the future.

[Iron]

"I see...a pitched battle, where you are struck but unharmed. I see rugged hands, working clay. I see an island shift and move. I see a Granbull! I see a large water Pokemon, a blue one, and you cannot get by. I see the death of Pokemon, at your hands...it hurts to see. I see an empire, ruled by man but now ruled by Pokemon!! And is that, the Skull Ruins? Yes, I believe so, but not a part I have been on...the ghosts are riled up. I see...I see...I see the Eye!!! HER HORRID GAZE! IT FILLS YOUR PAST, YOUR PRESENT, YOUR FUTURE! It looms over all Creshire like the sky itself! Aieeeeeeeee!"

She shrieks and drops the ball. It chips but does not shatter, and she swoons and leans heavily on the counter. Her eyes have glazed purple.

Elsewhere, Ralts reacts to a disturbing emotion. He feels what Ventus and the Fortune Teller feel: Foreboding.