[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

When Ventus has vented his anger, and Apsis has sated her stomach, the group continues on up the ridge. Here and there the ridge is pitted with little caves or dens, built under overhangs or burnt tree roots. There are beds of dry leaves or dark fur in some of them - apparently even these strange Houndour sleep.

There is evidence that they have quite a society going on this ridge, from the organizational geometry of their dens. Occasionally he spots a human footprint (bare) with his Survival, but he sees no other sign of humans, living or dead. Nor does he see any sign of anything the Houndour eat, until he comes to a different kind of charred land. This one has been crudely churned up, black soil exposed beneath black ash. Four mature mushrooms grow here, along with many smaller ones. Ventus' knowledge of medicine tells him, were he in familiar territory, these mushrooms might be of the Purple Coral variety, which heals 1 lethal damage but puts a Pokemon asleep for twenty or thirty minutes. Here, he cannot be 100% positive of their ID, though. But as far as he can tell, they're the same - same smell, same traits, same gills.

That bright red light is growing brighter. Ventus must be getting close. He even thinks it moves at one point. Tiny pinprick purple gleams have appeared in its general vicinity.

[Lord Windos]

By his mother's lessons and his own keen knowledge of medicinal items (His university education was QUITE thorough, he made sure of that!), Ventus was able to identify a patch of Purple Coral Mushrooms he came across, and he was quite perplexed by his discovery.

'I...what in Zekrom's thunderous name are these doing here? A hellish landscape is NOT the natural growing range of this variety, if I'm not mistaken, so why....? Perhaps the demons here cultivate the for their own nefarious uses, but regardless here these fungus are still here, ripe for the picking. Despite my reservations, I'd be a fool not to avail mysel of this opportunity, so I'll take as many mature specimens as I can. When you are stranded in hostile territory, one rarely can be stingy,' Ventus though, before digging into his bag and pulling out a large plastic bag and some gloves to harvest the mushroom.

He's more or less sure of their nature, but he could always force feed one of the demonic dogs here to completely verify their identity...

Orders: Pick all mature Purple Coral Mushrooms, and carefully seal up their bag and put them away. After that is done ( With Raphael and Apsis ready to Air Slash and Bite anything that tries to molest them), Ventura will continue onwards towards the red light!

[Nylon]

Valder finished his work and went to the center looking for the others. He couldn't find them and instead went to his room. (are there enough rooms for every trainer visiting a center? I've always been bothered by that.) He sent out Ghastly, who seemed... restless?
 "What, Ghastly? Do you know something I don't? Are you trying to tell me something?"

 Letting Ghastly lead him, Valder entered the dream-like world.

'what is this..?'

[Iron]

Valder wakes up in a land of obsidian stone and cindered grass.

Before he knows what is happening, he feels himself running! Running from something...but from what?

Looking behind him, he sees a giant wolf or dog, all black except for glowing purple here and there, including a pulsating purple brain!

This thing is much larger than a typical Houndour, and covered in scars. It stays on his heels, and growls when he looks back. Valder keeps running and running...eventually, Gastly appears at his side, some sort of ichorous purple substance dripping from its mouth. Valder has seen this once or twice, when Gastly had the chance to eat a dream. Gastly looks a bit ill at what it has done.

This snaps him back to himself, and though his feet want to keep running, he finds he can control himself a bit better.

[Dragonstrike]

A Develishly Clever Obstacle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztQdeoFHOYQ

Swiftfire backs up nervously.  First a strange land, and now she's being attacked by strange dogs?  

Nathan has to take a few seconds to recover from that flash of light.  They weren't going to be able to outrun them all, it seemed...but he liked these odds a LOT better than facing every Houndour at the same time.  He tries to soothe his horse while he thinks of a plan...

"Give me a few seconds, girl.  Don't let them intimidate you too much.  I'll have some backup for you soon, I just need you to cover me while I get it out.  Try to evade both incoming attacks in the meanwhile.  Show me that evasion practice has been paying off."  (Spending 12 EXP to level Evasion to 2 from 0!)

Nathan will summon Starmie when the first opportunity arises.  He's going to make sure these Houndour aren't going to be impeding his progress any longer...

Evasion: 3 Dexterity + 2 Fight + 2 Evasion - 2/3 Actions = 5/4 D6

[Iron]

Houndour Chase Round 1

Smokescreen
(3)(3)(6)(2)(6)
Evade
(2)(5)(5)(6)(2) The attack misses!

Extrasensory
(2)(4)(2)(5)(2)
Evade
(2)(3)(1)(6) Nope
2 Str + 3 power + 1 STAB -3 Vit = 3 dice
(4)(3)(2) Swiftfire takes 1 damage.
Flinch: (4)

Starmie pops out!

Houndour Chase Round 2

[Dragonstrike]

Wait...

Exrasensory?!

These things are part psychic type?!

Well, that explains the purple light...hmmm...

"Starmie, use Hydro Pump on the one that looks stronger.  Let's see if they respect strength...Swiftfire, continue evading for now.  These dogs have piqued my interest..."

Evasion: Same as before.
Hydro Pump: 3 Dexterity + 2 Fight + 1 Canalize - 2 accuracy = 4 D6
Damage: 5 Power + 3 Strength + 1 STAB + 1 Mystic Water + 1 SE = 10 D6 Base + 1 Damage

(Maybe Nathan could either scare off the weaker one or convince it to join him if he obliterates the strong looking Houndour?)

[Iron]

Houndour Chase Round 2

Smokescreen on Starmie
(2)(2)(6)(2)(3) hit
-1 Starmie accuracy

Extrasensory on Horse
(3)(4)(6)(1)(3) - 2 successes
(4)(3)(6)(6)(4) - 4 successes
Swiftfire nimbly dodges the bolt of purple light.

Hydro Pump
(4)(2)(5) Starmie blasts Houndour right through the smokescreen, perhaps using a touch of newfound psychic power to locate the beast.
This Houndour has 3 vitality. 7d6+1
(4)(3)(4)(5)(6)(3)(4) Houndour takes 6 damage and faints.

Swiftfire starts to settle down as her trainer takes care of things.

The surviving Houndour still looks pretty hostile. They are loyal Pokemon. This one is now standing over his friend, preparing a psychic assault.

Houndour Chase Round 3

[Dragonstrike]

"Tsk tsk tsk. Guess that was hopeful...Swiftfire, evade again, then Tackle if it's still standing. Starmie, Bubble Beam. Let's take it down and get out of here before more show up. There'll probably be another chance later. We need to keep moving."

Bubble Beam: Hydro Pump's accuracy + 2
Damage: 3 power + 3 Strength + 1 STAB + 1 Mystic Water + 1 SE = 8 D6 base + 1 damage.
Evade: 5 D6
Tackle: 3 D6
Damage: 5 D6 base.

[Iron]

Houndour Chase Round 3

Starmie's Initiative roll was also (2) btw

Beat Up
(6)(3)(3)(3)(3)
2 Str + 2 power +1 SE -3 vit = 1d6+1
(6) Starmie takes 2 damage.

Bubble Beam
(4)(6)(2)(2) Hit
7d6+1
(2)(1)(4)(5)(6)(6)(5) Houndour Faints.

Starmie, Nathan, and Swiftfire gain 3XP.

Is Nathan still trying to reach the ridge?