[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

You walk until you come to another underground lake. This one is frozen over, but strangely there are potholes in the ice, and the water can be seen beneath it.

As the group walks carefully across the rocky edge of the lake, another ancient trap springs into place. Stone slams down from above, separating one of you from the rest of the party. A crystalline form detaches itself from the stone wall - a great big Cryogonal! It is so old, having fractalized so many times, that its body is extra solid and the symmetry is very unusual. The icy chain in its mouth lashes out at whoever is separated, ensuring you cannot reunite. The only way past the wall is over the frozen, crackling lake.

Other Pokemon come wandering out curiously at all the noise. A Jynx is walking calmly on the ice, which buckles with every step. You spot a sight you've never seen before, poking its head up through the potholes - is that the brown rocky head of a Relicanth?
And some of that ice, moving, walking, is a rare Bergmite!

As usual, there are a few Swinub down here too.

Mt. Sentry Ice Biome Part 3

1. Name: Cryogonal
Challenge: Moderate
Cap: 1
Bid start: 1
Notes: Mandatory! One person has to take this encounter (unbeknownst to their character)


2. Name: Held Item
Cap: 1
Bid start: 1

3. Name: Jynx
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 1
Challenge: Pretty easy

4. Name: Relicanth?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 2
Challenge: Pretty easy, some terrain challenges

5. Name: Bergmite
Cap: 1
Bid start: 1
Challenge: Very easy, no XP.

"In the name of the boots of my ancerstor, why everytime we ambushed by every pokemon in that path?!" Then Heart look in the direction of Cryogonal and point to him. "You be ready to be melted away like a piece of ice Cryogonal because I gonna face you!" Since Rose and Abbandon its already in the field, both of them is forced to fight him right? "Rose! Abbandon! Lets takedown that Cryogonal and join quick with the others."

Mechanic: I choose encounter 1. Time to melt some foes.

[Dragonstrike]

"Reaching  Antheneun in a much more expedient manner would indeed be a great boon if we create shortcuts,  but their are two problem to doing that: we don't know whether or not these shortcuts will end up safer than the 'main path', and if we create these shortcuts, no doubt that those twisted Scimitars will utilize them as well. The question we have to ask ourselves is thus: do we create shortcuts despite these drawbacks, or do we simply continue as we stand and 'deal with the devil we know?' That said, I'll remain neutral on this choice, as I can't with full confidence decide which option is the better one.

Nathan does have one thing to point out concerning this: "Mt. Sentry's tunnels are changing all the time.  Any shortcuts we make might be gone within a few days, if not hours.  I don't think there's much to be concerned about unless the Scimitars decided to leave their post on the surface sooner rather than later.  It's a good point, but only if they arrive in time to take advantage of it."

2. Name: Held Item
Cap: 1
Bid start: 1

Well, walking alongside Swiftfire is bound to warm up at least a little of the ice.  That might reveal something cool if you're mindful of the fire's effect on everything around you, right?

[Iron]

Rose: (5) + 6 = 11
Cry-cry: (5) + 3 Dex + 1 Survival = 9
Abaddon: (1) +6 = 7

Cryogonal, having peeled off the wall and wrapped Heart in icy chains, immediately spins to face the Fire type!

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

You walk until you come to another underground lake. This one is frozen over, but strangely there are potholes in the ice, and the water can be seen beneath it.


Mt. Sentry Ice Biome Part 3


4. Name: Relicanth?
Cap: 1 (2)
Bid start: 2
Challenge: Pretty easy, some terrain challenges

While he didn't have the same weakness towards the cold as his companion Nathan does - 'Reshirim's bless his heart, he must be miserable right now with the artic chill nawing on us all.....- experiencing the climes of the frozen over underground lake did neither Ventus or his family any favors. He could began to feel his extremities and old scars began to numb and blister from the frigid air, though due to his omnipresent green tweed sweater and a lifetime of living through the cold winter in Unova, he was not all to perturbed or affected besides that and some additional minor discomfort.

Raphael and Lucifer, on the other hand, took an instant - and in Lucifer's case, deep - dislike to the Icey Biome of the subterrainain lake, both eyeing their surroundings with no small amount of distaste as their body was wracked with shivers. The former at least had the blessing of having Morning Sun to periodically warm themselves, but the later was just absolutely miserable as he sluggishly flapped his wings to stay aloft while his rues his Flying/Dragon making things MUCH more difficult for him, forcing him to hang around Rose and Swiftfire in order to keep himself from being Frozen! Despite their discomforts, though, the empath decided to keep both his fliers out alongside him, as he figured they'd have to get used to Ice cold sooner rather than later, and from his intial assessment of the lake this seemed to be a 'safe' enough place to build up their tolerance.

During his time scoping out the area for potential threats, he happened to spot a Relicath of all Pokémon surfacing at one of the many holes in the surfaces of the frozen lake. Confused and intrigued since he knew the species was typically only found in deep waters in more oceanic environs, he decided to go investigate this living relic of a fish, informing the others of his intentions first before going over their with Lucifer and Raphael!

Order: Time to see what's so special with this Relicath! May or may not catch it,  but I certainly don't want its inclusion here to remain a mystery!

[Iron]

As mentioned earlier, Relicanth is poking its head up from the water. It seems at least partly blind, and keeps opening and closing its mouth in your general direction. You'd say it's a curious fish, though it's hard to tell what it's trying to sense exactly. The Relicanth looks like any other picture of its species you've seen in textbooks.

After a short period of observation, it ducks back underwater; moments later, another hole cracks open in the ice and the rock-headed fish is protruding again.

Between you and the fish is 100' of cracked ice, too far for most ranged attacks. There are also a few sliding icebergs that occasionally move on their own with the force of a truck, grinding against their fellows.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

5. Name: Bergmite
Cap: 1
Bid start: 1
Challenge: Very easy, no XP.

Onward they all went then. Nothing caused the two Dark Types by Shiva's side to perk up, she was allowed to watch the tunnel wind down further and deeper, always forward and towards their hoped destination, as much as she wanted. There was actually nothing special about the icy walls, but somehow they were still beautiful - so clear and pure, she could see her own image being mirrored in a particular 'polished' part.

It was a peaceful and calm hike, enough time and possibility for Shiva to calm down again from the heroic battle alongside ghostly Captain and his men as well of the finding of a true and legendary HM.


Very intrigued she was as ANOTHER underground lake came into sight, there's one so deep down the earth? How could that be? ...Given the temperatures, it was no suprise to her that it was frozen all together except these pothholes scattered here and there. From the looks of it, these will reveal some of the water running beneath the icy surface, it must be an amazing feeling watch down whithout getting wet, least of all walking on a frozen lake! Another thing she has never experienced before in real due to growing up in a metropolis.

Just as she has recalled both Yena and Dizzy and informed the others of her desire to go and take a closer look at the lake, some noise that strangely reminded her on the stony walls that came down upon her wrong attempt on the stone puzzle in that one tunnel shortly before they started their quest: Immediately jerking her head around in instant shock, she realized that it was Heart who has vanished from eyesight, and these stone walls weren't there before. This only left one conclusion: He was trapped. Behind them. Fear for him made its way through her whole body, and she was almost frozen solid herself: Before she remembered from the depths of her mind that he already made it to get out of a trap from these blasted mischievous Nuzleaf, and these stone walls looked very sturdy. Sadly, she would only be able to do so much to help, but something told her that he can make it. He wasn't alone, he had his Pokemon with him.

Well then, that meant that she could resume what she desired for: Taking a careful walk on the icy lake, with her arms outstretched wide and taking one tiny step after the other, further and further away from the shoreline (not much, only 2 or 3 meters). The ice looked thick enough that'd it carry her. (I'm giving Shiva her 3rd point in Nature Speciality here for 12xp, she probably needs it if she doesn't want to be like Bambi on a frozen lake.)

Something from the corner of her eye caught her attention and caused her to stop: That one part of ice there, not that much away from her: It moved, and from the looks of it it was a POKEMON! Further watching confirmed to her that this was a Bergmite, only awailable far away in a cave in Kalos. Whoahw... Shiva wasn't afraid of it at all, but rather fascinated and very carefully and slowly croached down on the spot, still on the ice. She's only watching, and smiling lightly if the Bergmite returns her gaze. She knows the species is usually wary of humans since they rarely ever see one - how does it react to her only watching and not posing any harm, with no Pokemon beside her?

[Iron]

One of those icebergs detaches itself and ranges over to Shiva. ?????
It bumps Shiva curiously with its forward spike. ??????? It doesn't seem to know what manner of creature you are. ?? Yellow eyes light up and roam over you, seeing if maybe you are a Jynx? ?? ????

Then it repeats this treatment for your satchel or any other equipment you have out. ?? What are these? ??

Edit: You were thinking much the same thing as I was.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

As mentioned earlier, Relicanth is poking its head up from the water. It seems at least partly blind, and keeps opening and closing its mouth in your general direction. You'd say it's a curious fish, though it's hard to tell what it's trying to sense exactly. The Relicanth looks like any other picture of its species you've seen in textbooks.

After a short period of observation, it ducks back underwater; moments later, another hole cracks open in the ice and the rock-headed fish is protruding again.

Between you and the fish is 100' of cracked ice, too far for most ranged attacks. There are also a few sliding icebergs that occasionally move on their own with the force of a truck, grinding against their fellows.

Crossing the cracked ice to go greet/more closely observe the Relicath seemed like a disaster ready made to happen in Ventus' opinion, so instead doing that he instead called out to the relic of the fish: "Ho there, Relicath! My name is Ventus! Do you hear me? Would you mind coming over here so I may study you in greater detail? I promise you no harm, and will compensate you with delicious food!"

Order: Instead of going out to meet the hard scaled fishy, try to have them come to us instead! Worth a shot, yeah?

[Iron]

As the ice melts around Swiftfire's feet, one translucent white chunk remains unaffected. It's enough to catch Nathan's eye. Further experiments show even direct contact with flame won't melt this ice! Never!

[Iron]

Spoiler

As mentioned earlier, Relicanth is poking its head up from the water. It seems at least partly blind, and keeps opening and closing its mouth in your general direction. You'd say it's a curious fish, though it's hard to tell what it's trying to sense exactly. The Relicanth looks like any other picture of its species you've seen in textbooks.

After a short period of observation, it ducks back underwater; moments later, another hole cracks open in the ice and the rock-headed fish is protruding again.

Between you and the fish is 100' of cracked ice, too far for most ranged attacks. There are also a few sliding icebergs that occasionally move on their own with the force of a truck, grinding against their fellows.

Crossing the cracked ice to go greet/more closely observe the Relicath seemed like a disaster ready made to happen in Ventus' opinion, so instead doing that he instead called out to the relic of the fish: "Ho there, Relicath! My name is Ventus! Do you hear me? Would you mind coming over here so I may study you in greater detail? I promise you no harm, and will compensate you with delicious food!"

Order: Instead of going out to meet the hard scaled fishy, try to have them come to us instead! Worth a shot, yeah?

(4)(6)(6)(2)(4)(5)
If Ventus is telling the truth about his promise, the fish disappears again, only to resurface with a tinkle of ice at Ventus' feet.
Somehow, despite never having seen a human probably, Relicanth understands your words. (Ventus has experienced this on occasion before in his research, but it's still pretty amazing when it happens). 

That mouth is working overtime, leading you to believe it may be the fish's primary means of sensation. You can see it has no teeth at all. The lake is dark aside from the light of Swiftfire and other lights you have brought with you.

Where the ice breaks, you get a whiff of saltwater.