[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Sounds right, I can't remember exactly what I said for the claw's roll. Spira is also an expert chef and can advise.

(4)(3)(3)(4)(5)(2) (5)(4)(3)(4)(2)(5) (2) Yum, that's why Clawitzer claw is a delicacy!!

You get in a good's night rest and recharge your Encounter Slots and any daily abilities. It wouldn't really be accurate to say today is Day 70, but Day 69B begins. Any events like Clawitzer's shedding, which are supposed to occur on Day 70, will not occur until you return to the present. (mostly this is just for ease of bookkeeping).

Lilith gazes at the changed stars, and turns her gaze toward the Skull Ruins questioningly. She nods, confirming to herself that something is still there. Gallade seems to agree.

Thanks to the dinner, clean consciences, and a good night's rest, gain 1 Will Point.

You're eating breakfast in the morning rain, mostly huddled under the porch-tarp-roof thing of the tent, when you feel it! Another lurch! Even Spira feels it, for the first time, and is WRENCHED from his own time along with the group!

When your stomachs settle, you find yourself in a warm midsummer's night. There are tons of stars overhead, and a full moon (Ditto will be in Herolune form). You're on a road that's much wider than the Route 13 of your time. It's in perfect condition, and it has a low wall along both edges, studded with brightly colored statues of rare Pokemon. Each has a gem somehow worked into it - maybe an eye, or claw, or whatever.

Spira notices something interesting when he recovers from his shock - within each statue lurks a little Ghost Pokemon, either a Misdreavus or a Yamask.
Shiva can sense a curse laid on the gems, a very very uneasy feeling. But she can't see the ghosts.

All around the road, just past the low wall, are campers. It looks like a vast caravan has split up, because most of the camps include a wagon marked with a giant eye.



Nathan recognizes this immediately as one of Sarimanok's symbols.

The camps are often canvas tarps stretched from wagon to posts, providing a cozy shelter for cots or for campfires. People sit around these fires. The mounts who pull the wagons also sit around the fires, when they can fit. They're all huge Pokemon - an Oversized Tauros, an extinct Bastidiodon, a Donphan, a half-submerged Onix, a small fleet of Serperior, two Golurk, a quadrupedal Beartic, Camerupt, Mamoswine, Mudsdale, Venusaur, Aggron, Avalugg. Such variety! All are equipped with saddle and a big warhorn as well as a standard bearing the purple eye.


The humans pet their mounts and seem to be swapping stories in an accent so thick you can barely make out what they say. Yet, it's still recognizable as Common. Some of these accents are pitched oddly, either very high or very low, or almost a guttural growling. Quite a large variety there, too. They're dressed much more oddly than you - some have breastplates and/or helms, the rest wear tunics and armbands.

Sitting among the humans, as if equals, are a whole lot of Conkeldurr. For every two humans, there's a Conkeldurr. They rest their colossal frames on concrete pillars, or put their feet up on them to reach the fire. These Conkeldurr may listen attentively to stories, or a lot of them are stargazing with serene expressions on their eyes. Some watch the fires or perform minor tasks like bringing firewood. You can tell most of these Conkeldurr are deep in thought; Shiva especially sees a wisdom there she may not have expected.

About one in ten camps have left a space for battling! Humans spar with humans, humans spar with Conkeldurr, or humans partake in a Pokemon battle! The winner gets little discs of pure gold from the loser. Those of you who are alert can see the trainers use exclusively Apricorns, fitted with oversized holographic crystals where the button ought to be. Oh, and the Conkeldurr don't have Pokeballs assigned to them.

It's a lot to take in! Everything is as grandiose as can be imagined, even though this is clearly a transient society.


Encounters will be up to you. You can engage the campers however you see fit, or you can slide off into the mountains (west) or fields (east) in hopes of a random Pokemon encounter that may be different from the present. Searching for items or berries is possible, please tell me what location you search.

The unlimited Encounters are Natu, Zubat, Murkrow, Hoothoot, Spinarak, Rattata, Oddish, Venonat, Kricketot (very loud and beautiful), Farfetch'd (sleeping), Spearow (sleeping), Combee, Pidove, Woobat, Sandshrew, Tyrogue, Pineco, Timburr (which are very intelligent and gather curiously outside the circles of firelight), Trapinch, Slowpoke, Bonsly, Geodude, Shuckle, Aron, Dwebble! Quite a list of scavengers and hangers on, plus some reclusive wild Pokemon.

Oh yeah, and one for Terra's wishlist: There are several Diggersby being used in the Pokemon battles or just wandering around camp.

Heart try to recover from the suddenly teleportation time travel. "Man, I will never acostumed to these time lurchs or time travels. Urgh." Heart than try to stand up, only to fall in his kneels. "Damn." Heart then look around him. "Uhh guys? What, in Giratina Distortation Plane sake, we are?!" Heart almost almost enter in panic in such alien place. "Nats, you the history expert here. How much time we have travel?!"

[Iron]

Do you ever go outside during the night, maybe during the full moon or a clear sky full of stars, and feel really energized and awake? That's how you guys feel now after sleeping 8 hours and practically waking up to starlight (with a good breakfast).

The Absol like being in the darkness too, though they are a little wary of all these fighting types.

[Dragonstrike]

Flashback!  (because I was waiting on confirmation on the Thief thing from Iron before I posted this :/ )

Nathan doesn't mind if Spira sleeps in the tent.  It's certainly a lot better than sleeping outside, in his opinion.  Spira's Ghosts do still make Nathan a little bit nervous, but...they're not from the Skull Ruins, so it's probably okay...probably...

Nathan does send a message to Bill with the PTC, trading Grid for Shinx.  The return trade is sending back Charmeleon for Ditto in exchange.  Spira's seen four of Nathan's pokemon now, so he's only got two spots in his pokemon party that he's free to mess around with without alerting Spira that something weird's going on...

Now that they're in a situation where it's safer to sit down for awhile a write a longer message to Bill in the relative privacy of the tent, that's exactly what Nathan does.  (note: this was before dinner)

Ended up saving a couple significant people from a massive, rampaging Rhyhorn.  Seems that Celebi intended for that to happen.  Spira...definitely seems to be a good guy.  His Ghosts don't seem all that bad so far, thankfully.  That lack of historical significance isn't worrying, ultimately.  Gallade and Calam both decided to trust him fairly quickly, and that's good enough for me.

Haven't felt any more lurches so far.  Don't know when we'll be returning to our own time.  Or how, for that matter...I kinda have this gut feeling that we will eventually, though.  Just hoping we end up returning before we have to do anything that might require us to show our trainer cards for proof of registration.

How are things on your end?  Did that Pokemon Breeder that was also there ask any questions about where we went?

Once that message is sent to Bill, Nathan lets Shinx out of his Pokeball to socialize with him while he waits for a response from Bill (if any) attached to Ditto on the way back.


"...well, we're certainly having a crazy day.  Ya missed all the action, believe it or not.  Faced a pack of wild Electabuzz and an absolutely massive Rhyhorn, and now we're 92 years in the past.  Yeesh...on the plus side, though...I got a great opportunity to get you a sweet gift when it was all said and done.  Yup, something just for you...just because.  I think you'll like it."

Nathan pulls out the ElectrIzer and puts it in front of Shinx to see how he reacts to the gift.

"Oh, and one more thing: think you might like to learn how to use...Thief?  I have a TM for it.  And it'd help a little bit with expanding your coverage options."  Nathan pulls out the TM to show Shinx.


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

Back to the...past?

Nathan immediately covers his mouth to cover up a gasp of surprise when he sees when they've ended up during the middle of breakfast.  (Nathan also thinks to himself, 'Why did it have to interrupt breakfast again?  Urgh...')

Uh.  Oh.

All these eyes everywhere...they're one of Sarimanok's...

...

Oh dear.

Nathan wastes no time in trying to catch the probably shocked Spira's attention.  "...Spira...Spira.  Spiiiiira.  Heeellloooo?  Spira.  Yoohoo.  Need to talk to ya real quick.  Explain what in Giratina's name is going on.  You with me?"  (@Mikaruge108)

And when Heart starts to panic a little and turns to him for advice/knowledge, Nathan is also quick to respond to that.  "Heart.  Just.  Calm.  Down.  Please.  Just for a moment.  Panicking isn't going to do us any good.  Give me one second to explain things to Spira first." (@Spiritmon)

[Iron]

"Don't worry I'm taking care of Cliff. "


Most Shinx have a predilection for Dark type moves, and this one is no exception!

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Flashback!  (because I was waiting on confirmation on the Thief thing from Iron before I posted this :/ )

Nathan doesn't mind if Spira sleeps in the tent.  It's certainly a lot better than sleeping outside, in his opinion.  Spira's Ghosts do still make Nathan a little bit nervous, but...they're not from the Skull Ruins, so it's probably okay...probably...

Nathan does send a message to Bill with the PTC, trading Grid for Shinx.  The return trade is sending back Charmeleon for Ditto in exchange.  Spira's seen four of Nathan's pokemon now, so he's only got two spots in his pokemon party that he's free to mess around with without alerting Spira that something weird's going on...

Now that they're in a situation where it's safer to sit down for awhile a write a longer message to Bill in the relative privacy of the tent, that's exactly what Nathan does.  (note: this was before dinner)

Ended up saving a couple significant people from a massive, rampaging Rhyhorn.  Seems that Celebi intended for that to happen.  Spira...definitely seems to be a good guy.  His Ghosts don't seem all that bad so far, thankfully.  That lack of historical significance isn't worrying, ultimately.  Gallade and Calam both decided to trust him fairly quickly, and that's good enough for me.

Haven't felt any more lurches so far.  Don't know when we'll be returning to our own time.  Or how, for that matter...I kinda have this gut feeling that we will eventually, though.  Just hoping we end up returning before we have to do anything that might require us to show our trainer cards for proof of registration.

How are things on your end?  Did that Pokemon Breeder that was also there ask any questions about where we went?

Once that message is sent to Bill, Nathan lets Shinx out of his Pokeball to socialize with him while he waits for a response from Bill (if any) attached to Ditto on the way back.


"...well, we're certainly having a crazy day.  Ya missed all the action, believe it or not.  Faced a pack of wild Electabuzz and an absolutely massive Rhyhorn, and now we're 92 years in the past.  Yeesh...on the plus side, though...I got a great opportunity to get you a sweet gift when it was all said and done.  Yup, something just for you...just because.  I think you'll like it."

Nathan pulls out the ElectrIzer and puts it in front of Shinx to see how he reacts to the gift.

"Oh, and one more thing: think you might like to learn how to use...Thief?  I have a TM for it.  And it'd help a little bit with expanding your coverage options."  Nathan pulls out the TM to show Shinx.


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

Back to the...past?

Nathan immediately covers his mouth to cover up a gasp of surprise when he sees when they've ended up during the middle of breakfast.  (Nathan also thinks to himself, 'Why did it have to interrupt breakfast again?  Urgh...')

Uh.  Oh.

All these eyes everywhere...they're one of Sarimanok's...

...

Oh dear.

Nathan wastes no time in trying to catch the probably shocked Spira's attention.  "...Spira...Spira.  Spiiiiira.  Heeellloooo?  Spira.  Yoohoo.  Need to talk to ya real quick.  Explain what in Giratina's name is going on.  You with me?"  (@Mikaruge108)

And when Heart starts to panic a little and turns to him for advice/knowledge, Nathan is also quick to respond to that.  "Heart.  Just.  Calm.  Down.  Please.  Just for a moment.  Panicking isn't going to do us any good.  Give me one second to explain things to Spira first." (@Spiritmon)

"CALM DOWN!? We freaking how much years in the past with freaking illuminati eyes around, with freaking metal people, and many freaking oversized pokemon! And you are freaking asking me to calm down?!" Heart aproach the most close statue and hit his head there. Both in pure frustration and nervous. "Arceus damn it Celebi! And Arceus damn it you too Dialga!" Heart say some muffled cursed words too. Not enough to call the attention of the metal guards or anyone around him. He hit his head a couple of times. Until his forehead was red.

[Dragonstrike]

"CALM DOWN!? We freaking how much years in the past with freaking illuminati eyes around, with freaking metal people, and many freaking oversized pokemon! And you are freaking asking me to calm down?!" Heart aproach the most close statue and hit his head there. Both in pure frustration and nervous. "Arceus damn it Celebi! And Arceus damn it you too Dialga!" Heart say some muffled cursed words too. Not enough to call the attention of the metal guards or anyone around him. He hit his head a couple of times. Until his forehead was red.

Gallade moves to get between Heart and the statue immediately (trying to ignore the icy shudders that travel down his back as he does.  He does not like those statues very much...they're giving him the creeps...not that his outer emotions will show that at all).  He puts both hands on Heart's shoulders to steady the collector, and looks him straight in the eyes.

If there's any one character in this situation who will not panic no matter what happens, it's Gallade.

He's here, and he'll be a constant, stalwart, stoic presence that can be relied on.  Surely there's something calming about that, right?

[Dragonstrike]

Most Shinx have a predilection for Dark type moves, and this one is no exception!

Cool.  Means that Nathan is going to teach Thief to Shinx.  And I assume the electric lion cub likes the ElectrIZer as well?

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

(...)

You're eating breakfast in the morning rain, mostly huddled under the porch-tarp-roof thing of the tent, when you feel it! Another lurch! Even Spira feels it, for the first time, and is WRENCHED from his own time along with the group!

When your stomachs settle, you find yourself in a warm midsummer's night. There are tons of stars overhead, and a full moon (Ditto will be in Herolune form). You're on a road that's much wider than the Route 13 of your time. It's in perfect condition, and it has a low wall along both edges, studded with brightly colored statues of rare Pokemon. Each has a gem somehow worked into it - maybe an eye, or claw, or whatever.

(...)

The camps are often canvas tarps stretched from wagon to posts, providing a cozy shelter for cots or for campfires. People sit around these fires. The mounts who pull the wagons also sit around the fires, when they can fit. They're all huge Pokemon - an Oversized Tauros, an extinct Bastidiodon, a Donphan, a half-submerged Onix, a small fleet of Serperior, two Golurk, a quadrupedal Beartic, Camerupt, Mamoswine, Mudsdale, Venusaur, Aggron, Avalugg. Such variety! All are equipped with saddle and a big warhorn as well as a standard bearing the purple eye.

(...)

It's a lot to take in! Everything is as grandiose as can be imagined, even though this is clearly a transient society.


Encounters will be up to you. You can engage the campers however you see fit, or you can slide off into the mountains (west) or fields (east) in hopes of a random Pokemon encounter that may be different from the present. Searching for items or berries is possible, please tell me what location you search.

(...)

Oh yeah, and one for Terra's wishlist: There are several Diggersby being used in the Pokemon battles or just wandering around camp.

Unlike the last big LURCH!, Terra hardly reacted to it, save for pausing mid bite, blinking at the sudden change in lighting and looking Noctowlishly at his surrounding/the activity in it......before he resumed devouring his meal without missing another beat. Given his uncomplicated and often stoic/unflappable nature, heartiness, and the fact its happened to him twice before, sudden and random trips through time no longer affect him nearly as much as a typical person. So long as whatever/whenever location he and the group are transported to are not too weird and/or perilous/has perilous stuff going down in it, he'll just calmly, smoothly accept things, adapt the best he can, and proceed with as much care possible for now on. Remarkably steadfast of him - almost to a fault or the point of mimicking the Ability, really. 

The tribal, esoteric, and gypsy like enclave and all the purple eyes were admitably a bit uncanny even for the simple monk, but as he gazed around at the 'ancient' people, their mighty, colossal mounts, at the Wise monkish Pokemon that seemed to be treated as equals to the human, and passively observed their stories and fights, the more......comfortable he felt. Very nearly peaceful and content, even. Like returning home to Dewford, basking in the glow of a good training session or battle, or the well earning the praise and admiration of his audience during Contest.

'This place.....time......it feels.....good. Nice. Even with the creepy eyes and statues. Strange......but......not bad? Hm.....'

To say his overall reaction is the polar opposite's of Heart's would be a rather apt way to put it.

Speaking of which, he nearly threw aside his breakfast and rushed over to becalm the collector down once they worked themselves into a near frenzy, but Gallade beat him to the Bullet Punch, causing him to settle down himself. Still, he keep an worried eye on them, and had this to say before he resumed his meal: "Don't panic, Heart. Panic always bad, never good thing to do. We are in....different time and with.....elder people, but not in danger. We are still together too. Can handle anything as a group. So be calm. Please?"

Regardless of the outcome of the pun lover's mild breakdown, Terra finishes his breakfasts, puts away the dishes for later cleaning, and moves to stand, which most likely catches everyone attention due to them being in various states of duress/stun.

"Going to look around camp. Try to find anything interesting or useful. Maybe talk to people, or get into a battle. *Shrugs* Don't know yet. Call if you need me. Will be listening, and come......quickly. *Beat* ....Will also be careful too, so do not worry. Okay? *Nods* Okay."

With that said, the rugged wanderer takes temporary leave of the group and paces right into the gathering, looking unbothered and in his element. Eventually, he spotted one of those brown, stout looking bunny rabbits while strolling about, which immediately brought to his mind the cute and deceptively powerful Azumaril line, and Azu of course. Curiosity sufficiently piqued, he decided to approach one of them and , noticing several of its kind battling, decided upon a rather direct course of action.

"You. Battle my Hariyama. If I win, you become my Pokemon, and I will make you stronger. You win, I will give you lots of food and a Sitrus Berry. Will heal your wounds after battle regardless. He will not use Super Effective Moves to make battle fair too. Deal?"

Order: Accept the Time Lurch like a champ, finish his breakfast while trying to consul Heart, before he goes into camp and challenges a Diggersby to honorable combat to the Faint! If Shiranui wins, they become his Pokemon without protest, but if they win they get lots of food and a rare Sitrus Berry! There wounds will also be treated not matter what. Hopefully they'll bite for the offer, as Terra doesn't have much in the way of traditional Pokemon Diplomacy or other options to persaude it!

[Iron]

Gotcha! Kecleon was caught!

Stats

In 1925, when you catch a 7th Pokemon, the excess is not transported back to the PC! You kind of expand your party by doing so, because you can only trade 1 for 1.

[Iron]

Most Shinx have a predilection for Dark type moves, and this one is no exception!

Cool.  Means that Nathan is going to teach Thief to Shinx.  And I assume the electric lion cub likes the ElectrIZer as well?

Yes, the appropriate type is very drawn to the Izer items compared to a Magnet/etc.