[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

(I feel before Ven can do anything with Lucifer on the safe, Azu has her try, since I went off to the workbench where it stands right away, while Ven took his time to take photos and read through the binders? However, any help is appreciated on opening the safe!~)

(Alright, she gets first shot, but if the safe and its contents break....well, that is that, I suppose)

[Iron]

Mechanics:
Alright, if there is any recording inside that player, Iron,  play it out for me, please! I doubt Cottonee could Infiltrate the safe, so that idea is scarpped. However, maybe this is a point where Azu's Huge Power could be helpful? As for that glass jar with wires, microchips and putty - that'll likely catch her interest that soon as well since she's close-by. Anything else needed to be known about it, like, is it removable or plugged to anything, what happens if Shiva touches it, does that putty inside give a natural or rather anorganic looking?

Inside the CD player, there's no CD. However, there's a TM - Toxic! Remember that these are single use, but do not cost any XP. Toxic can be learned by almost any Pokemon.

Azu can easily pick up that safe, but proves not strong enough to break it open. Maybe if it were tossed from high enough, but it looks like a very sturdy safe.

This task of cracking the safe is right up Lucifer's alley, but it will take him a long time because he's never done it before.

The mason jar can be unplugged from the rest of the apparatus. The rest of the apparatus is simply plugged into the wall outlet. It would take four hands to move the entire apparatus at once.

The putty looks a lot like Playdough and it's a fake purplish-pink color. Definitely not natural.

Nothing happens when you touch the apparatus or the mason jar. The putty looks chemical, so you aren't sure you should touch that without careful consideration.

[Iron]

The knife is just a knife. As a box knife, it's even less good for combat than a kitchen knife, but it would work fine on an unsuspecting enemy. When the blade gets dull, it can be swapped out for one of the spares in the handle.

The dictionary is just a dictionary. It does contain Pokemon terms.

The binders are much thicker than my summary text might imply, so perhaps some of that reaction stuff will happen as a flashback when all the info has been shared. Up to the party.

Lucifer will eventually get that safe open, perhaps taking as long as it takes to read the binders just for this one task.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

... That disk inside the player was no ordinary CD. It had that typical shimmer and the upon touching it, the surface had that typical character...just like a... no. NoNoNoNo... It also had that typical faint purple coloring. Wasn't very hard for Shiva to guess what move it likely contains - still need to check that at some point - and her reaction was disgust, mixed up with some amount of fear. Nevertheless, she remembered what Tramp once told about TMs and HMs - that was enough for her to pocket the TM in the end. What to do with it, well, there is plenty of time to mull about that later, when they're out of the foe's territory.

Turned out Azu was not strong enough to crack the safe open, though. "Hey, be careful with that, Azu... We cannot know what is inside and I'd like to have it in one piece. However, thank you lots for your efforts, dear one! You'll be rewarded for that later. For now, come back." She withdrew Azurill, leaving only Kyuu close to her. She strusted that if danger arises, he would alert his Master in some way. Well, hopefully that won't be necessary...

Just in that moment, when she staring at that...jar with the unusual content in an unhealthy colour, Ventus came and expressed his thought about trying to open the safe with his Noibat! How fortunate, and she gave him a slight smile before stepping aside to let him have his try on the safe.

"The help's greatly appreciated, if there's a safe in a lab, it either contains something very worthy or dangerous, in the rarest cases there's nothing inside. However, before you concentrate on that, could you help me to unplug that...weird mass of wires and microchips from the wall, please? I fear I cannot do that alone, and you are simply higher than me and can reach further." ... "As for why I'd like to have it, I think I'll take this weird device and this jar with...this weird stuff inside all with me, Professor Mallorn and the League might be very interested in it. If you have some sort of plastic bag to put over the jar to prevent spoiing this purple-pinkish stuff all over my things, I'd greatly appreciate that. It looks quite unusual and anorganic, somewhat unhealthy, don't you think? I better NOT touch it in any way."


-------------
Mechanics:
Obtaining that masion jar + matching apparatus! Watching and awaiting now whether Lucifer and owner have more luck on the safe than I had.

[Lord Windos]

"The help's greatly appreciated, if there's a safe in a lab, it either contains something very worthy or dangerous, in the rarest cases there's nothing inside. However, before you concentrate on that, could you help me to unplug that...weird mass of wires and microchips from the wall, please? I fear I cannot do that alone, and you are simply higher than me and can reach further." ... "As for why I'd like to have it, I think I'll take this weird device and this jar with...this weird stuff inside all with me, Professor Mallorn and the League might be very interested in it. If you have some sort of plastic bag to put over the jar to prevent spoiing this purple-pinkish stuff all over my things, I'd greatly appreciate that. It looks quite unusual and anorganic, somewhat unhealthy, don't you think? I better NOT touch it in any way."

Ventus paused his actions with the safe for a moment, telling Lucifer to 'Wait here for a moment', before turning to his dear friend and giving her a firm nod. "Of course, Shiva. That mass of wires and electronics looks like a convulated tangled mess waiting to catch fire, so having another pair of hands to unhook and package it away for Mallorn to study later would be the expedient course of action. That, and I'm always willing to assist you in any matter, my friend! As for plastic bags, I do have a few on my person to keep snacks or samples in, so I can easily provide you one. I also have plastic gloves, just in case that substance somehow comes into contanct with your hands. As the saying goes 'Better safe than sorry!'"

After this is done, the researcher goes back to cracking the safe, teaching his little devil to listen to the soft *Clicks* and *Clanks* of the tumblers as he spins the safe's dial round and round, furitively trying to unlock it and bare its contents to the world....

Order: Help Shiva get everything connected to the Castaclay Unpluged, give he plastic gloves + bag to handle the jar , then go back to safe cracking with Lucifer! Ventus is a regular everyman, eh?

[Iron]

Ventus fiddles with the safe dial while Noibat listens intently. It takes many tries, but you two work out the combination (12-19-15).

Inside is a multifaceted, colorful object that can only be the Neverstone. Also a Pearl worth $1000.

Shiva successfully packs away the putty and surrounding apparatus.

[Lord Windos]

Ventus eyebrows shot up at seeing the Neverstone in the safe, not expecting to find Mallorn's lost/stolen property so easily in a locked safe of all places. 'I expected much more of a fuss and vexsome quest to retrieve this de-evolution item for the good doctor, but I am not one to look down on favorable circumstances, unless they have benefit my enemies instead of me. The Pearl is also a nice find as well, as that's more profit for me and the rest of the party. Hmm...time to relock this safe, and get out of here, before some blasted techno-arcane scholar walks in on us rummaging through their research material,' he thought, putting both of the items from the safe in a hidden place in his satchel, before turning and addressing the rest of the group.

"Well, since we have thoroughly scoured this area for clues and useful items, let us make haste to the next leg of our base raid: exploring the other hallway, and ascertaining what is to be found going that way. I hope we do not face too much resistence down that path, but given how guard bare and alarm high this one was, that possibility is unlikely. Prepare and expect for the worse, and be ready to do what it takes to survive. Also, before I forget , I found Mallorn's stolen Neverstone in this safe, so that is one less thing for us to worry about in the future. Now, let's get going, my friends...."

Order: Time to double back and go down the noisey pathway, which is likely where you have been stashing all the traps and poison scorpeins at, Iron. Bring it on, but try not to kill us unless we deserve it!

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan's done with taking his notes by this point.  Yeesh, there was a lot of information in those binders...noting down just the important stuff took awhile...he puts the binders back in their places on the shelf.  "I've taken somewhat detailed notes on what was in those binders.  We can discuss it later when we're not in immediate danger.  Importantly, there's apparently more info on Genesect in the Library, though unless that's the Wineberry Library, I doubt we have time to investigate that.  We should get out of here ASAP.  We have everything we came here for."  Very matter of fact tone.  Kirlia still looks rather concerned.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Shiva thankfully accepted the plastic bag and gloves, carefully baged the jar with the unusual substance inside and packed it and the matching apparature away into bagpack. It wasn't heavier that the egg in incubator (which currently is on Bill's PC anyway) at all, so it won't be ehindering in any way.

Turned out the safe contained what strongly looked like the elusive Neverstone... Neat. Or actually, awesome finding! Before Ven could pack it and the Pearl away, Shiva aked to take a look at the stone by herself, and held it up to the ceiling light for a better view. Indeed, now she understood what Professor Mallorn mentioned by it consisting of shards from all knows evolutionary stones, yet they blended in perfectly and created one smooth and glittering object... What was it doing down here? How did the Scimitars got their hands on it, and what are their intentions? Copying and selling it for profit? Maybe. However, didn't Professor Mallorn mentioned The Almanac in connection with the stone, suspecting them to be the thieves? Oh my... She handed it back him then. "Take good care of it, Ven. I know you will."

Picking up her Espurr and the stove she placed away, she made haste to follow up with the others, Nathan had finished his notetaking by now. No time now to ask what informations the binders contained, though. Nevermind.

Before the left, however: "Before you lock the room again, Ven, wait a moment. I already expressed my thoughts concerning destroying the electricity in thir roo- laboratory, and you agreed on this. This way, the Scimitars would have to dela with the non-functioning light here first, before cottoning on that we or practically anyone was here, and even less will the right away notice what we took from their lab. The light can always malfunction and the connection may be bad, so it's not TOO alerting or suspicious, and will give us some desired time. So, I would call out Minun, and order her to send a Thunder Wave into one of the outlets in the wall to mess with the electronic, before you can close and lock the door. Is that okay with you too, Nathan and Valder, what are your thoughts/ideas?"

"Also, if we stumble over a library down here as you mention, Nathan, I think we should indeed investigate it if the circumstances allow. We could need any information we can get down here, especially on Genesect, and we have the chance to get it first-handed."

Her tone wasn't at all matter of fact, but rather serious and calm, but not worried. Not yet, that is.

[Lord Windos]

"Hmm....I'm not sure if Thunder Wave would be strong enough to short the entirety of the circuitry or electronics in the lab, so you and Minun might have to do a sweep of the room and individually fry all the equipment and power outlets in the laboratory. As I have mentioned, I agree with the course of action, as if we destroy or hinder our enemy's capacity to operate in anyway, as only undermines their efforts ('whatever that may be.'), and strengthen our own ('Their complete destruction.'). I also am interested in raiding their Library, if its in the base of theirs, as it could hold vital information not only of Genesect, but of their operations and various nefarious project, but priority one is exploring the base and investigating these vile Scimitars, and cripple the place if at all possible. The longer we remain here, the great chance we will be discovered and a resistence will be mounted, making escaping her free or alive quite difficult, so let's focus on our main objective and hope we stumble across the place on our search..." Ventus said, crossing his arms as he thought over the Library, sabotaging those abominable archmages, and doing all sorts of unpleasant things to them as he too awaited Nathan's and Valder's (If he decided to speak) response. He had already voiced his opinion on the matter, but he knew that if anything was going to accomplish in the short and long run, it has to be as a team...