[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Machoke ignores Nathan's offered hand and pulls itself up. It very rudely reaches for his backpack and starts trying to open it.

"Hey, no!  That's my stuff!  Private stuff!  Fragile stuff!  Stop that!  You're going to break something if you just manhandle my bag like that!"

Nathan tries to squirm away, out of Machoke's reach.  Ralts issues a warning Growl!  No damaging attacks...yet.

Growl!
Accuracy: 5 + 3 + 2 - 1 Exhaustion = 9 D6
Effect: -1 Strength!
Note: Intended as a warning.  If Machoke continues, Ralts will do more than just lower the Superpower Pokemon's Strength...

[Iron]

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

-1 Str for Machoke

Machoke Leers back.

3 Dex + 4 Fight + 1 Intimidate
(5)(1)(3)(4)(1)(4)(4)(6)

-1 Defense for Nathan, Heart, Ralts, Patrat, and Calam.

Machoke stretches his lips wide open with two fingers. With the other hand, he points into his gaping mouth, then at the backpack.

[Spiritmon]

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

-1 Str for Machoke

Machoke Leers back.

3 Dex + 4 Fight + 1 Intimidate
(5)(1)(3)(4)(1)(4)(4)(6)

-1 Defense for Nathan, Heart, Ralts, Patrat, and Calam.

Machoke stretches his lips wide open with two fingers. With the other hand, he points into his gaping mouth, then at the backpack.

Spoiler

(6)(2)(3)(2)(1)(4)(2)(1)(3)(5) 

-1 Str for Machoke

Machoke Leers back.

3 Dex + 4 Fight + 1 Intimidate
(5)(1)(3)(4)(1)(4)(4)(6)

-1 Defense for Nathan, Heart, Ralts, Patrat, and Calam.

Machoke stretches his lips wide open with two fingers. With the other hand, he points into his gaping mouth, then at the backpack.

Heart decided to help Nathan too. Since normal have disavantage against Fighting types Heart decided to bring a ghost! "Ideas Nathan?"

[Dragonstrike]

Machoke stretches his lips wide open with two fingers. With the other hand, he points into his gaping mouth, then at the backpack.

"Hungry?  Alright, alright...Heart, you have any food on you that we can spare?" (@Spiritmon)

[Spiritmon]

Heart check his backpack and release a few food for the hungry machok: Fruits, chocolate, bread, cheese, nuts, etc (just check the notes @Iron to see the list of food) and offer to Machok.

[Iron]

Machoke takes every morsel he's offered! Into a bundle on his belt it goes. He gestures for more! He holds out his frying pan and gestures for you to fill it up.

[Dragonstrike]

Machoke takes every morsel he's offered! Into a bundle on his belt it goes. He gestures for more! He holds out his frying pan and gestures for you to fill it up.

Well, that probably explains why this Machoke is...larger than most members of the species.

"Don't cause us any trouble, and we'll fill the frying pan.  But no more than that.  We need that supplies too since we've got a long trip ahead of us."

[Spiritmon]

"That's right. You already have enough supplies with you. Leave us in peace Machok."

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Should other group member had difficulty copping with the change in environment, however, the researcher would not hesistate to lend a helping hand, a sympathetic smile, and open ear to their plights. If they were going to find Anthenum, they would do so by aiding each other in whatever way they could, after all!
(IE: If any character has a reason to not cope well with being stuck underground for prolonged periods of time, either Ventus will come and help, or they can come and ask him for help/advice!)

(Shiva might come to you at some point about this, as she's indeed not used to being in such a cavy surrounding without day, night or weather for more than a day. One day in such an environment has honed her senses, but more than one day might and likely will take a toll on her due to the lack of sunlight. You haven't stated whether Ventus agreed with keeping hold of the viale with the goo and loaning it to her once being back in Cress City, Windos! Is he fine with it?)

(Okie Dokie Lokie! As for the vial o' goo, he gives it to Shiva immediately after verifying its not going to kill anyone, as she's the one that asked for a the sample in the first place!)

Durant keeps eating sweeties, endlessly, as long as you continue to provide them. It seems pretty content to do exactly that.

*Flashback!*

Ventus couldn't help but smile at such simplistic blissful consumption exhibited by the Overgrown Durant, as it meant they all had managed to get them familiar enough with them all to the point such activity was all too easy/safe feeling for it. "Quite the appetite you have, I see!" the researcher said to it, catching its attention as he gestured towards the pile of food being offered to it, then at the everyone else. "Well, if you join my team, not only will you be provided with ample and delicious nourishiment, but also all the protection and support we have to offer and the chance for you to grow even more immensely powerfully. You should we know that 'safety lies in numbers' as a Durant, and that the free meals I and the rest have to offer saves you the effort and threat of foraging alone, so why not join us my friend?"

As the empath was saying this, Raphael (who was sitting right beside their father) was giving the ironclad insect a pleading/Charming look towards it, lending its own natural charisma in persuading it to join with their father. Hey, if you don't once succeed, try try again, and they'll keep at it until they both are friends (and possibly siblings!) at long last!

Order: Try to use the offer of easy food and ready/willing protection as a means to convince it to join their party, with Raphael trying to boost the odds of with a Charming/pleading look. If that fails, Ven will have to try something else, as he wants the insect to at least stick around for awhile!

[Iron]

Machoke shrugs as you fill the frying pan in addition to what fit in his belt earlier. One handed, he descends the stairs again. After he's gone, you hear an enormous stone grinding noise in the direction you'll have to travel tomorrow.