[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

The follower Geodude comes with Heart, getting Heart to toss rocks for Geodude to catch and eat or blast apart with Rock Throw.
A sweating Blackbelt trainer with a Machop drops from the lower rocky part of the Great Divide, comes over, and chats with Heart.

"Training, are you? Perhaps seeking enlightenment in the company of Pokemon?"

"Kinda. Not feeling in great mood today. You are a trainer too? And how do you know?" Inquisity Heart. People dropping from some it's not always a good signal.

"Machop and I have come from the ends of the world! Well, the end of the world to a Machop - the western side of the Great Divide."

"The Machop around here are very friendly and always willing to help. As they evolve, they become less friendly. It just goes to show that sometimes it's better to have a young Pokemon than a strong one."

"I felt a few trainers begin planning to climb the Divide. Machop insisted we come to offer our advice. There is a small tunnel off to the west that will get you halfway to Stair City. Then from there you'll have to climb by handhold and toehold. Be careful."



List of Pokemon resources stated so far:
-Azurill: Huge Power (80-200lbs depending on interpretation)
-Raphael: Scouting and ferrying
-Apsis: Worming ahead, strength
-Haneal: Magnitude (last resort)
-Calam: Has been here before
-Swiftfire: Surefooted
-Grid: Webs
-Rose: monkey

Valder can simply offer to use Ancient Power and I will auto the details.

[Spiritmon]

Hmm. Heart was quite suspicious about that guy. He hoped he would bring someone to help him to discover something. He try to find some clue if that is lying or telling the truth.

Mechanical: Perception to discover if that person is lying and not lure us to some trap or telling the truth.

[Iron]

Insight: (5)(5)
*rolls dice*

You see no evidence that this gentleman is lying. He seems not quite all there. Or perhaps there's a disconnect, as if he's not within his comfort zone.

[Dragonstrike]

Nathan sighs.  Right...Shiva wasn't exactly an outdoors person.  What part of Unova was she from, again? Probably not Icirrus City...or any of the coastal cities...he didn't really enjoy seeing her doubt herself, though...she'd traveled this far with them, after all...plus, Nathan isn't an outdoorsy type either, even if he does enjoy the occassional stroll through the woods.

"Look, you're just as capable of doing this as the rest of us, Shiva.  If you'd feel a bit better with some help, though, I can have Swiftfire help you keep your footing as long as the terrain isn't too steep.  Okay?"

[Spiritmon]

Heart still a bit suspicious about that guy but thank that blackbelt and decide to return to the camp with his friends.

"Perhaps there another way to go to Star City. Some blackbelt trainer say something like this: "There is a small tunnel off to the west that will get you halfway to Stair City. Then from there you'll have to climb by handhold and toehold." About something his Machop to give some advice. I am quite suspicious about that path but I decided to share this information. I don't believe in strangers, so I would to ask what you all think?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Shiva actually stops mid-movement and mid-pondering at that sigh and followed words from Nathan. If she wouldn't know that they came from Nathan, she might have not right away believed that... After yesterdays difficulties she wouldn't have ever imagined to hear encouragement from him! What has caused this? Is it something she said?

...Whatever reasons there were, she surely appreciated this. What a weird feeling. "You think so? Thanks... Don't know though, but I'll, eh, will take care not to get hurt... For you people, and for I certainly desire to see one of the tarns mentioned in Guidebook... I'd gladly take Swiftfire's help when it becomes useful, as long as she won't burn me when I touch her." Actually pointless to say, since she got the feeling that there is nothing to fear about that.

As for the unfamiliar blackbelt's info, she actually had nothing against asdvice from strangers as long as they don't seem suspicious - she didn't saw that Blackbelt herself though, so she couldn't agree neither disagree on Heart's distrust in him. "I'd have nothing that path and a stranger's advice, but climbing with bare hands - NOPE."

[Nylon]

List of Pokemon resources stated so far:
-Azurill: Huge Power (80-200lbs depending on interpretation)
-Raphael: Scouting and ferrying
-Apsis: Worming ahead, strength
-Haneal: Magnitude (last resort)
-Calam: Has been here before
-Swiftfire: Surefooted
-Grid: Webs
-Rose: monkey

Valder can simply offer to use Ancient Power and I will auto the details.

(I haven't been reading all the latest posts, so I don't know what this is. But, do I have acces to Ancient Power? Already? If I have I'll edit in an offer to everyone."

Valder awaited the group's decision as he played with Ghastly by throwing small pieces of Dry Food up in the air, and observing as Ghastly ate them into oblivion. He looked kindly at Ghastly, who was floating playfully around Valder. At least it looked that way to Valder. "Ghastly, do you think you'd be comfortable as a Haunter? I have some thoughts on how to get you there, but I want to know if you're comfortable with it". Valder stopped throwing Dry Food, (the pack's empty) and sat silently waiting for Ghastly's response.

 (@Iron, if Ghastly happily accepts, I'll go through with the evelution-via-xp-plan. If not, The fire nation will attack.mwuhahahahaa )

[Dragonstrike]

"She won't burn you.  If she did, she'd be in big trouble."

Nathan's response to Heart's suggestion is to bring out Calam.  "Calam, we're about to do a little mountain climbing to get to Stair City due to some recent circumstances.  There seems to be two choices currently.  One route is to try and tackle the ascent directly.  The other is a tunnel that will get us halfway there, but then we have to do a potentially harder climb the rest of the way.  Got any preferences or other suggestions?"

[Iron]

Calam nods in response to the tunnel. He doesn't seem to have his heart set on it, but perhaps he has been there before.

After a little training, Valder and Gastly try their hand at rock climbing. Just as Valder slips, a brilliant light surrounds Gastly!
He grows and sprouts hands, just in time to catch Valder. The contact only lasts a moment as the ethereal Pokemon has very very little mass - but it's long enough for Valder to find another foothold.

[Dragonstrike]

"In that case...here's a suggestion for you, Shiva.  As long as it's not too frequently needed, Kirlia and Helios could Teleport if the climb looks a little too steep in places."

If Calam thinks the tunnel is the better option, then Nathan has no reason to really complain about it.