[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Nylon]

Valder walks past the Gauntlet and continues further in (if possible). He's looking for books and anything og value, but mostly books.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Original Post

(...)

The same couldn't be said for one particuluar person however – the simple look of Ventus struggling heavily to keep himself together was enough to SCARE Shiva to the core and initiate a shiver of immense worry through her whole body as she was almost paralyzed in the spot from simply looking over to him. Still, he had a Klefki by his side, so he succeeded.... But what was it then that caused him to be so... It wasn't hard to guess that he wasn't really enjoying/was fearful about this courtyard of the Secret Library and all the arcane and illogical things in here (much contrary to her), but this couldn't be the cause... Can it?

In the split of a second it seems she was right by his side, kneeing on the hard stone floor and a tad bit insecure of how to approach him best, as she has barely, if never, seen him THAT troubled and exhausted. From the look of it he didn't seem to be injured though, so after having touched his shoulder lightly she placed her arm around his back. He expression she met him with was dripping with concern and underlined with fear. „Ven...“, spoke up, „What's wrong, and what has happened that exhausted you so much? Given that Klefki with you you made it, but...to what prize? Please, dear, tell me. It'll be fine, just don't succumb... Can you get up? Come, give me your hand... Ah, Lilith, can you aid me as well, please? Take his arm and help me getting him back onto his feet....“

(...)

Ventus grunted as he noticed his girlfriend blink over to him and kneel by his side while he struggled getting to his feet, twisting his head over to offer her a wane, tired, smile as she asked of his current 'plight' "I'm.......fine..........just........a.......tad.......bit.........knackered..........from..........my.............Trail. I...........just........fought.........my.........Darmanitan........instead........of.........answering..........its....riddles...............and......it........was..........a............complete......brute.......that....required.........more.......effort.......to......subdue......than.....I........though. Please.......don't.........worry........too........much...........my......dear..."

His kindly understatement lost impact given how weary he sounded and the large amount of effort it was taking in forcing himself into working order, but Shiva's compassion and help greatly helped bolster his flagging spirits, enough that he didn't feel like he was going to pass out at any given moment. Ah, how young love strengths......

When she and Lilith offered to help him up, a small part of him wanted to refuse out of sheer principle and another because he didn't want to seem weak to her, but the vast majority of the empath's being ignored those aspects as he smile gratefully and let them stand him out and support him until he could do so under his own power. "......Thank...you...Shiva....Lilith. I...think....I.....will....be....fine....now, and...I....could....have.....recovered...to.....that....point...on...my....own, but your....aid....expedited...that.....process.....magnificently. Again....Thank....you...."

The researcher muttered this out between panting for breath as he slowly re-stabilized himself, offering the fortune teller and his fae fancy a radiant smile that was dimmed by his tiredness, but somehow no less spectacular for it. It was times like these with his girlfriend he could just forget how much of a mess his life has become, though such dour thoughts always lingered in the back of his mind to pop back in unannounced....

Oh. He fought it.... Fought it.... Wait, FOUGHT a GUARDIAN of Atheneum?! And he said it so casually, 'just fought it! Oh boy...

Instantly, this earned him a frightened gasp from his so-called fae fancy following with her throwing her other arm around his chest to tightly hug his side, her cheek practically pressed against his shoulder, using Nuzzle against the green tweed. "Oh, Ven....." she said in an almost fearful tone of voice, "...You've indeed got into a battle against a Zen mode-Darmanitan, even being a direct Guardian of Atheneum? No wonder you're so......exhausted, thought you'd know of how powerful and dangerous they can be as they're also guarding the remains of Relic Castle in the desert of our homeregion... Brutal force is their style, but unleashing mighty psychic power when triggered. Oh, Ven.... Still you made it as you've got a Klefki... Well done. Humm...~"

Shiva refused to let go of him at first as he asked her to not worry for him too much, how could she NOT worry for him when he was doing so bad and just had a stressful battle?, but she very slowly did so as it became clear that he won't break down anymore the moment she and Lilith aren't supporting him anymore. She placed a hand softly on his shoulder again in the means of comfort, gifting him a soft smile for his thanks. "Calm down. It's fine. You've made it, after all... Smoke some lavender incense as you sometimes do to gather yourself again, if it helps you. Leave the last riddle to me..." A last part, and she boldly approached the last statue as already happenend.

(...) The currently insane acting mystical lass glance on him would only give her the sight of a VERY frightened, wary, and threatened Ventus, Apsis Pokeball gripped tightly in one hand and the big piece of twisted rebar in the other. Their was no acceptance or kindness in the man's eye, but instead great trepidation and a harsh, unforgiving willing to defend himself against her no matter the cost. It was like he was staring at a complete stranger, and a most unwelcome one at that.

That trepidation in her love's returned glance...
That will to defend himself...
That absent warmth and love in his gaze...

...it HIT her much. It grounded her to some degree: Enough to cause her to question what has actually happened. She hasn't gone mad, she was just...following The Gauntlet's call... Formerly she was already interested in it, and now it ASKED her to be touched. What could... be WRONG about that, she wondered? 

She wanted to become heartened.
'To knowledge!'

"Uh Shiva? Are you okay my friend? Should I be worry now or later?"

She looked fine. Nothing of her mental urge to follow the Gauntlet's call and to touch it to become 'heartened' showed on her outside, everything was...fine. "I'm okay, Heart!" She told him with a sly smile. "Did you too hear and felt this gauntlet here calling? ....I did... And I followed... It asked to place a hand onto it. Weird, huh....? I'd like to oblige it however... And you?"

[Dragonstrike]

Valder walks past the Gauntlet and continues further in (if possible). He's looking for books and anything og value, but mostly books.

???

"...uh...Valder...what the heck are you doing???"

Nathan's quite confused right now.  Shiva's seemingly waiting for everyone else to approach (and yet also seemingly ignoring Nathan's reaction...), Valder seems to be doing his own thing and acting as if nothing is wrong, Nathan is still trying to decide what to do himself (hence part of the reason I'm waiting on the reactions of Kirlia, Calam, and Solomon), Heart seems to be just as worried about Shiva as he is...

...

...this has really gotten a lot more complex than it should be, in my opinion...

[Nylon]

Valder looks at Nathan and says, "I'm looking for a book, want to help me?"
 Valder realises he has a problem since he won't be able to find the book he wants without someone who can read...

[Dragonstrike]

Valder looks at Nathan and says, "I'm looking for a book, want to help me?"
 Valder realises he has a problem since he won't be able to find the book he wants without someone who can read...

...and that's the other reason that Nathan was wondering why the heck Valder was wandering towards the Library (or at least the reason I was wondering. I can't remember if this is just OOC knowledge or not atm)

"...yeah, just...give me a minute...there's some stuff I want to look for as well...after...this..."

[Iron]

"I am Earthpower given form. I am your treatment of your neighbor and your brother. I rule the skies, the sea, and the earth, and they rule me as well. I am a champion of Nature, and I change as She changes; thus, my power is unmatched. Who am I?"

"...that's the riddle I received.  Ya know, I'm quite curious to hear if you guys know the answer, and also what riddles the other four statues posed."

Nathan's walked past the threshold of the barrier before he says this, and before going forward any more, Nathan has three pokemon that he looks for reactions from now that Atheneum and the Gauntlet are accessible: Kirlia, Calam, and Solomon.

Calam senses no disaster. It's actually very very weird to see him so relaxed. He plops down on the warm marble steps like a dog and just sprawls out, waiting for something to happen. Even when Shiva races toward the Gauntlet. 

Kirlia is still a little grim, because he knows the Scimitars are looking for this place. It's not the same grimness he gets when he's overwhelmed by destiny, though. And you can tell he is sensing a lot of power, since he's more sensitive to power than you are, and even you can feel it. He's most interested in the disintegrating shack.

Solomon, on the other hand, is a kid in a candy store. Everything here is lore to interest him. He wants to investigate the Gauntlet, the ATHENEUM, the shack, the mosaics, the pillars...if Nathan doesn't make a move soon, he's going to overcome his paralysis and go shooting off in one direction or another.

(Btw, the Klefki are just hanging out with you guys, but they won't leave the steps.)

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Calam senses no disaster. It's actually very very weird to see him so relaxed. He plops down on the warm marble steps like a dog and just sprawls out, waiting for something to happen. Even when Shiva races toward the Gauntlet. 

Kirlia is still a little grim, because he knows the Scimitars are looking for this place. It's not the same grimness he gets when he's overwhelmed by destiny, though. And you can tell he is sensing a lot of power, since he's more sensitive to power than you are, and even you can feel it. He's most interested in the disintegrating shack.

Solomon, on the other hand, is a kid in a candy store. Everything here is lore to interest him. He wants to investigate the Gauntlet, the ATHENEUM, the shack, the mosaics, the pillars...if Nathan doesn't make a move soon, he's going to overcome his paralysis and go shooting off in one direction or another.

Well, in that case...

...Nathan will approach the Gauntlet too.

They came all this way after all.  Might as well see what the big fuss is all about.

...but Shiva's still making Nathan rather nervous for several reasons.  He's all but ignoring Ventus at this point so long as the orange haired man doesn't cause any trouble.  Besides, if anything bad was about to happen, Calam would probably be staring long and hard at Ventus...or the entrance, if the Scimitars were about to arrive...

"...come on, Kirlia, Solomon.  We'll check some of the surroundings out in a moment.  Let's check out the Gauntlet first."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

When Nathan approaches the Gauntlet she has been WAITING at so long, Shiva only greets him with a slight (not crazy) smile, seemingly saying 'Welcome in its presence!', before turning to the Gauntlet again.

"Is everyone ready then? I'll count down to 3 again and then we TOUCH it! Come on, Lilith!~

"1.....
2......

Spoiler

.......*super-dramatic and exaggerated 3*"

[Dragonstrike]

When Nathan approaches the Gauntlet she has been WAITING at so long, Shiva only greets him with a slight (not crazy) smile, seemingly saying 'Welcome in its presence!', before turning to the Gauntlet again.

"Is everyone ready then? I'll count down to 3 again and then we TOUCH it! Come on, Lilith!~

"1.....
2......

Spoiler

.......*super-dramatic 3*"

Nathan can't bring himself to smile back at this point in time, unfortunately.  Shiva's making him a little too nervous and worried at the moment.

Still, none of that is related to the Gauntlet itself.  There's curiosity there instead.  Wonder.  And maybe just a little fear of the unknown.

This is a historic moment, plain and simple.  The only question that remains is how it will be remembered...

[Iron]

Yep, Shiva's shouts don't make it past the steps. The marble absorbs sound.

As soon as she places her hand on the Gauntlet, a tingle runs through her. A huge smile splits Gothitelle's face as she also touches it. Gothitelle gains 1 Loyalty.

Shiva feels uplifted. She smells freshly broken earth, and pine needles, and decomposing leaves. She hears birdsong. Her mind instantly travels back in time to the huge cottonwood tree in the swamp where she once napped - she can picture every second of that day, as if she were there. She finds she can even pan the scene around in her mind, exploring hollow stumps and discovering hidden animals she never got to see on that actual day.

All these experiences take but a moment. A warbling cry resounds from the pillar and a wave of power washes through you. Your mind feels more open and free than you've ever felt before, and it's a great feeling. Like a forest with no underbrush, going on for miles, endless and endlessly varied.

Shiva gains 1 Will point and feels fully rested (all exhaustion removed).
There will be other effects which she won't discover until later (remind me when the Library is like half-explored.)

A cheerful, wide voice speaks in her mind. "Accept this gift. If the others wish to approach, they will be welcomed. Manifesting myself is wearying, but I shall make the attempt when everyone who wishes to gather at this Relic Stone has done so."

Nathan, Valder, and Heart can hear that a voice is speaking, but it sounds muffled (possibly by the silencing marble of the Atheneum).

Ventus doesn't hear it. He sees everyone's heads jerk up involuntarily/in surprise and look toward the Gauntlet, but he cannot sense why that might have occurred. He still senses only the same powers as when the forcefield first came down.


Valder doesn't quite make it through the door before this happens, though he finds that his immense strength is enough to open it alone.