[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Light, akin to Pokeball light, surrounds Swiftfire briefly...mixing with her flames as she rears joyfully. As Nathan speaks his freeform poem, he receives a taste of what Swiftfire imagines when she imagines running wild and free. Your ability to pick up each others' thoughts is permanently heightened.

Swiftfire gains +1 Happiness and +1 Loyalty. The negative effects of trading Swiftfire away are doubled. After this taste of adventure with you, Rapidash can no longer survive as a ranch Pokemon. She thinks of you as a heroic rider, not her captor or food-delivery system. When you ride, you move as one. A support/status move targeting Swiftfire will also have a reduced effect on Nathan, good or bad: usually about 3:1 dice. For example, if Rapidash somehow used Belly Drum, she would gain 3 Strength and Nathan would gain 1.

I definitely want to give Nathan 1 XP for the poem. It reminds me of a cowboy song somehow. Needs a harmonica for backup!

Swiftfire asks Nathan to mount up and take a happy lap around the plaza, enjoying the dramatic slow-motion effect sometimes triggered when she does a jump. She's also confused why her footsteps don't resound as normal.

And Nathan is more than happy to oblige Swiftfire.

"Yeah, this is a weird place, Swiftfire.  It's totally unlike any other place we have visited and probably will visit in the future...I'm not sure I would have made it here without you.  Of course, we had other help, too.  And there's another friend I'd like to bond a little more with..."

That one is Calam.

"...Calam...Kirlia and I want to say thank you.  There's a particular way we want to do it, though.  And...I hope it might be enough to bring us a little closer.  Would you please give us the honor of participating in a bonding ritual with you to express our thanks?  I can understand if you'd rather not since you're a rather free spirit, but...both Kirlia and I are happy to have you as a friend, and would love to get to know you a little better."

[Iron]

Calam definitely doesn't want to be bonded to Nathan with Apricorn Dust, but he does seem honored. And watching Dizzy, Juliet, and Kirlia play, under Nathan's watchful eye, it does make him happy. He always watches Dizzy's every move, seeming very invested in his young protege. Calam gains 1 Happiness from that.

[Iron]

10 dice, +2 Helping Hand, -2 since it's a specific question, 5 successes needed for full information. An even shot.

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

Introduction to The Art of War
"Whimsicott, the Ram Pokemon, represents April and Springtime. But it also represents war and warlords. None on Creshire was so great as Sarimanok. After his defeat, League propaganda sometimes symbolized the King and the Skull Ruins (his former palace) with a crumbling Whimsicott or a dead Charizard. Thus, his own Throne of Skulls became the symbol of his own defeat."

The four bright stars, as best you can figure, are points of interest related to the other visions. Ventus believes they represent some kind of goal or event within the Skull Ruins.

The Library contains many, many works on the Six and the Four: the Pokemon and Trainers who, alone, stormed Sarimanok's inner sanctum and led to his defeat. From these brave souls, the worldwide tradition began of carrying no more than six Pokemon and using no more than four moves in a single battles. A sort of homage. The symbology crops up in a lot of other places too, including the oath "By the Six and the Four!" Comes up in post-Sarimanok architecture, too.

Sarimanok, of course, never followed any such rule, and would gladly send wave after wave of Pokemon at his foes. Pokemon battles for sport were normally just 1-on-1 gladiator style battles.

[Spiritmon]

@Iron
Heart simple enjoy a moment alone when he go to the Time Capsule. He makes another changes to take a certain member of his team, Typhon. He release him and talk again. "Its safe for now my friend. How are you doing Typhon? Sorry for now acompany in your training lately my friend, that adventure cost me a lot of time. How about we get a special training? I got a good feeling now." Heart then go in the direction of Slowking with Typhon acompany then asks. "Good sir, would you inform me if there is a problem to make a quick training session with my pokemon Typhon? We have been not seeing each other for a long time, and I fear that might affect his training in energy field. Is there a place here in Aetheum like a training room or something like that to help him in his energy control?" He also takes Gustav and Viktor for train too.

[Iron]

@Iron
Heart simple enjoy a moment alone when he go to the Time Capsule. He makes another changes to take a certain member of his team, Typhon. He release him and talk again. "Its safe for now my friend. How are you doing Typhon? Sorry for now acompany in your training lately my friend, that adventure cost me a lot of time. How about we get a special training? I got a good feeling now." Heart then go in the direction of Slowking with Typhon acompany then asks. "Good sir, would you inform me if there is a problem to make a quick training session with my pokemon Typhon? We have been not seeing each other for a long time, and I fear that might affect his training in energy field. Is there a place here in Aetheum like a training room or something like that to help him in his energy control?"

The Slowking with the steel Shellder nods firmly and takes Typhon onto his shoulder. He hustles Heart to some distance away, safely behind a bookshelf with a translucent tapestry covering it. He motions to stay there.

Typhon and Slowking go over to the Healing Machine. Typhon looks extremely curious. Slowking's crown glows, and a panel unlocks on the Healing Machine. Slowking moves this aside, revealing a BLINDING white light, a crackling of fearsome energy, and the grinding of machines that had been shielded and quieted by the paneling. It's so blinding Heart can't see anything going on in that corner of the room, even dampened by the tapestry. He just sees Slowking's crown, reflecting the light and glowing with its own light, too. SO much energy in this innocuous, commonplace machine. 

The cover is replaced and the light vanishes. Typhon has a look of wonder. He stares at Slowking, who nods. There is a psychic transmission of knowledge.

Typhon unleashes his own wave of brilliant energy! Electricity he has created himself, using his Special, his Earthpower, and applied physics! It takes all of these things to produce any Pokemon attack. This is where a Squirtle's endless water comes from, a Charmeleon's flaming tail, an Eelektrik's electricity! 

When the electricity subsides, Typhon begins glowing. When the light fades, he's longer, toothier, and has fins!

Congratulations! Your Tynamo evolved into Eelektrik!

He also gains +1 Happiness and 2 XP. Gustav and Viktor gain 1XP.

[Dragonstrike]

Calam definitely doesn't want to be bonded to Nathan with Apricorn Dust, but he does seem honored. And watching Dizzy, Juliet, and Kirlia play, under Nathan's watchful eye, it does make him happy. He always watches Dizzy's every move, seeming very invested in his young protege. Calam gains 1 Happiness from that.

"That's fair.  I'll find a use for this dust later, then.  We still want to show our thanks, though."

"You've given us hope and purpose where we didn't think we'd find any.  You've helped save Kirlia's life, and many others.  We're very honored that you're joining us on this journey, and I don't think I'll ever have enough words for it.  Even if we eventually part ways for one reason or another, we'll always remember you fondly."

Nathan looks at Kirlia.  "I think Kirlia's roped Juliet into helping him with this.  The two of them have been planning a performance of some kind.  I'm quite excited to see what Kirlia's choreographed in his spare time.  He and I wanted to show our thanks to you and Swiftfire yesterday, but...well, I guess we got a little distracted.  Heh.  Anyways, shall we watch the show together?" Nathan sits next to Calam, ready to enjoy just spending some time with his most cherished friends...

Any ideas for descriptions of the dance, @Iron?

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

@Iron
Heart simple enjoy a moment alone when he go to the Time Capsule. He makes another changes to take a certain member of his team, Typhon. He release him and talk again. "Its safe for now my friend. How are you doing Typhon? Sorry for now acompany in your training lately my friend, that adventure cost me a lot of time. How about we get a special training? I got a good feeling now." Heart then go in the direction of Slowking with Typhon acompany then asks. "Good sir, would you inform me if there is a problem to make a quick training session with my pokemon Typhon? We have been not seeing each other for a long time, and I fear that might affect his training in energy field. Is there a place here in Aetheum like a training room or something like that to help him in his energy control?"

The Slowking with the steel Shellder nods firmly and takes Typhon onto his shoulder. He hustles Heart to some distance away, safely behind a bookshelf with a translucent tapestry covering it. He motions to stay there.

Typhon and Slowking go over to the Healing Machine. Typhon looks extremely curious. Slowking's crown glows, and a panel unlocks on the Healing Machine. Slowking moves this aside, revealing a BLINDING white light, a crackling of fearsome energy, and the grinding of machines that had been shielded and quieted by the paneling. It's so blinding Heart can't see anything going on in that corner of the room, even dampened by the tapestry. He just sees Slowking's crown, reflecting the light and glowing with its own light, too. SO much energy in this innocuous, commonplace machine. 

The cover is replaced and the light vanishes. Typhon has a look of wonder. He stares at Slowking, who nods. There is a psychic transmission of knowledge.

Typhon unleashes his own wave of brilliant energy! Electricity he has created himself, using his Special, his Earthpower, and applied physics! It takes all of these things to produce any Pokemon attack. This is where a Squirtle's endless water comes from, a Charmeleon's flaming tail, an Eelektrik's electricity! 

When the electricity subsides, Typhon begins glowing. When the light fades, he's longer, toothier, and has fins!

Congratulations! Your Tynamo evolved into Eelektrik!

He also gains +1 Happiness and 2 XP. Gustav and Viktor gain 1XP.

When the light fades, Heart little eel became a strong eletric pokemon. He just stare in awe and amaze for a few seconds. Then Heart begin to sob a bit and tears roll from his eyes. Not tears of sadness, but of pure joy and happiness! He hug Typhon on a strong and happy hug. "You did it! We did it! You have finally evolve Typhon! All the training and will we have put until now finally have pay off! Since the beggining of our journey, we have been training for such long time...and now you have finally reach the next level of your power! You control the power to create energy, not only control it. *Snif* *Sob* I-I so proud of you." More tears roll from his eyes. As a trainer he is proud of each pokemon on his team. 

Finally clean a few tears, Heart look to the Slowking. "Great Slowking, I can never be able to thank you for such generosity and kidness sir. Thank to you, my dear Typhon finally reach the next level of his power. You have my eternal gratitude. Thank you! Thank you!'' Heart then kneel in signal of respect like the old knights he is descended Viktor and Gustav follow the same gesture. "You have my eternal gratitude Slowking."

[Iron]

Calam definitely doesn't want to be bonded to Nathan with Apricorn Dust, but he does seem honored. And watching Dizzy, Juliet, and Kirlia play, under Nathan's watchful eye, it does make him happy. He always watches Dizzy's every move, seeming very invested in his young protege. Calam gains 1 Happiness from that.

"That's fair.  I'll find a use for this dust later, then.  We still want to show our thanks, though."

"You've given us hope and purpose where we didn't think we'd find any.  You've helped save Kirlia's life, and many others.  We're very honored that you're joining us on this journey, and I don't think I'll ever have enough words for it.  Even if we eventually part ways for one reason or another, we'll always remember you fondly."

Nathan looks at Kirlia.  "I think Kirlia's roped Juliet into helping him with this.  The two of them have been planning a performance of some kind.  I'm quite excited to see what Kirlia's choreographed in his spare time.  He and I wanted to show our thanks to you and Swiftfire yesterday, but...well, I guess we got a little distracted.  Heh.  Anyways, shall we watch the show together?"  Nathan sits next to Calam, ready to enjoy just spending some time with his most cherished friends...

Any ideas for descriptions of the dance, @Iron?

A key feature of the dance is the narrow avoidance of disaster. Kirlia will spin at greater and greater speed, and just when he's about to topple forward, Juliet pulls him to safety. Or Juliet struts too close to the edge of the stairs they're using as a stage, and Kirlia alerts him with a dance inspired by Future Sight. A climax of the show could involve the two Kirlia's, one behind the other, the front one carrying the Pearl. This represents the quadrupedal Calam, and together they stalk across the stage and leap cat-style from one place to another. If you've ever seen how they do Lion King on Broadway, it would be something like that.

[Dragonstrike]

A key feature of the dance is the narrow avoidance of disaster. Kirlia will spin at greater and greater speed, and just when he's about to topple forward, Juliet pulls him to safety. Or Juliet struts too close to the edge of the stairs they're using as a stage, and Kirlia alerts him with a dance inspired by Future Sight. A climax of the show could involve the two Kirlia's, one behind the other, the front one carrying the Pearl. This represents the quadrupedal Calam, and together they stalk across the stage and leap cat-style from one place to another. If you've ever seen how they do Lion King on Broadway, it would be something like that.

Nathan's definitely smiling after that.  "Absolutely spectacular, you two.  Thank you.  And thank you too, Calam.  To our continuing friendship.  May there be many more happy days to come."

-----------------------------------------

@Lord Windos

Ventus can later find Nathan doodling in his journal in the Library.  He's drawing a lot of rare, sometimes strange looking pokemon.  There's what looks to be a blue horse with a yellow mohawk and a fish tail, a rat with a paintbrush for a tail, a cute little bugbear, a little red bird, a spooky looking skeleton with a hook for a hand, a black sheep...he's referring to a book for descriptions an pictures while he draws his own. That blue horse-like pokemon definitely looks like some extra care has gone into drawing it. Kirlia and 'Kirlia' are chatting nearby.

Out of curiosity, does that book on imported pokemon say why Electruxo and Pahar were imported, @Iron?

[Iron]

Electruxo was brought over on ships to function as radar. He could be used to find treasure, shipwrecks, or dangerous geography.
Pahar was brought over by buccaneers. It would perch on their shoulders. Its feathers were also used to make hats.