[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Original Post

Yena does smell Pokemon. Multiple corporeal Pokemon, and ghosts.

Shiva can only feel the oppressive corruption of the Barrow Downs. It's everywhere.

Do ghosts have a particular scent?? Or are these Ghost-Type'd Pokemon? ?????????

Shiva's pretty much disliking this oppressive feeling, this gloom and this creepy weariness dwelling everywhere. It surpresses her sixth sense and makes cold shivers run down her spine despite she isn't even cold. Here's a nicely paranormal theme to reflect that and for this Encounter.

Humm. She picks up a random rock from the ground, fixates her gaze at this darkness - and then turns her head to face and adress Arachnautilus. "How about it, bold enough to face some creepy Pokemon that made their home within these pillars alongside me? Come on, if you're really that competent, show me some of that strength of yours!~" She smirks to display that SHE is. No time for fear of weakness down this place!! >o<

If Arachna's answer is positive, Shiva will throw that rock into the darkness, believing that this will trigger a fight. STILL she keeps herself away from the heavy blackness - the simple fact that Pokemon lurk there doesn't explain this phenomena, but maybe as soon as it's revealed which Pokemon she has stumbled over she'll know more.

There is just a snarling noise. Nothing comes out. 

Seems you will have to brave the darkness.

It appears that whatever lurks there, either can't or doesn't want to leave this pitchblack darkness, but regardless how much Shiva STARES or GLARES into it, nothing happens. Ugh.

"Very well", she more sighs than says and rumages in her pocket until drawing another by now worn Pokeball, "We've already angered whatever lurks there, it already caught my attention, so... WE WILL GO IN." She takes a deep deeeeep breath to gather all her courage, then turns towards her Scim Partner. "Arachna, you're coming too? Come on, me, Whimsi and my winged wolf here are itching to find out why this darkness is as dark as the center of a black hole.
...Or are you afraid~~? (*> ω >)" 

Whimsicott lets herself down on Yena's fluffy back (in between the wings), Shiva lets the butterwolfly take the lead. "Alright.... Ready? I'll count down and then we'll dive in...! 1.....2......
..............3!!!"


---------------
Mechanics:
I probably can't use Flash before the unknown darkness-dweller attack, can I? Fighting in pitchblack darkness doesn't sound very comfy or accurate, I'd like to try avoiding that.

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Heart and Atlas approach the statue kindly, Atlas looking impressed at what it could someday become...maybe. If anyone had any idea how.

But as you pass between the legs, the statue's face stirs! A shadow pulls itself forth from gaps in the giant armor. The eyes flash and dim, but a light streams from descending parts of its body. One hand reaches down right in front of you and freezes like that, separating you and Gendry.

A shadowy ball comes rolling down like a hedgehog, uncurling into a spiky body with a huge leering grin! It's a gigantic Gengar, which begins stepping in and out of the shadows. The statue freezes and its eyes no longer flash.

Heart ignite the flames of his hands, trying to create some sort of light source to not make to much shadows around him. "Be careful Gendry. Gengars usual absorb heat and life energy from its preys though their shadows. Get close to me, and dont let that Gengar get close to your shadow! My flames light might protect you. Maybe."

Heart then fixed their gaze towards the Gigantic Gengar. "We did not come here to cause any troubles to you Gengar. We are travelers, trying to save the Region from the Calamity who is approaching from the skies. Something who is a threat to the entire region. And even the residents ghosts of the Skull Ruins. We were also trying to find a clue about how to evolve my Golett in Golurk." Heart points to Atlas. "We come here in peace, and we dont want to fight against you."

Heart is also interested in have this Gengar in his team, but I do feel it might be impossible. Gengars is infamous because of their Naughy and erratic nature. Despite that Heart want to avoid conflict. If this Gengar join or not in Heart party, its not a great problem. Since according to Pokemon Moon pokedex, Gengars apparently wishes for Traveling companions, since it was human once. But its warped to the point of take human lifes. Lets see how things will go.

[Lord Windos]

"Something else. I am more than human, Terra, and I'm not called an Earth Scimitar for nothing."

That remark earns the Admin Archmage two raised eyebrows and an appraising look, before he nodded back to them.

"Ah. So you are the same as me. How? Or....why?"

He pauses for a moment after asking those question, before tenatively raising another one.

".....Can you teach me about the Earth Scimitars? Know some things about your group, but....do not have complete picture, or your.......own Knowledge and perspective on them."

Distrusting and wary of his partner and their allegiances or not, there's no denying that Terra was and still is quite curious and interested in the Scimitars. Partially because he wanted to be better prepared against them (as they posed a very real threat to his friend and the public in general), but also in part because their ideology and tech was fascinating, and because at the heart of them the wizards' goals were noble and well meaning. If they were only more moral, less ruthlessly unscrumpulous, and channeled their zealotry to better means to realize their ends, then the Scimitars' efforts could have very well been a benefit to all and them lauded as heroes, instead of turning themselves nefarious, reviled, shadowy, and thoroughly morally myopic cabol of boogie tech mages. If only, if only....

Spoiler

[quote pid='62294' dateline='1557956237']


"Duskull" creeps forward, though her stats are those of a small fox!

She hasn't gone but a few steps when a 5' square of earth becomes sharp obsidian knives, stabbing upward out of the ground!

Knives
(2)(1)(5)(6)(6)(6) (2)(2)(1)(6)(6)(4) = 6 successes
Evasion: 5* Dex + 5 Survival  = 10
(4)(4)(4)(1)(2)(1) (5)(1)(1)(5) = 3 successes

Oinari cries in pain as her feet are perforated.

12 dmg -6 vitality = 6d6
(1)(4)(2)(1)(3)(5) She takes just 1 dmg, and her movement speed and initiative are slowed. She quickly leaps back to Terra, whimpering at the small wound.
[/quote]

Terra immediately reaches into his pocket and brings out some bandages, before picking up his floofy fox and patching up her small wound the best he could and patting her head consolingly. 

"There there, Oinari. You are not hurt too bad. Taken more Damage from fight with Tanuki too, so you should be fine. Be strong, and endure. Okay?"

If she'd gotten any more lacerated by those archaic/haunted spike traps he'd have used a Potion instead, but seeing as she didn't his current treatment would do. He couldn't afford to spend big Healing Items on injuries that minor in the Skull Ruins, so his dark dear would just have to learn to tough it out.

He then gazed back to the patch of ground that his trickster kitsune got slightly skewered on, pondering it and the implications thereof while absentmindingly petting Tomoe. So that and the general area here is trapped, huh? But to what extent, though? Hm......

After a few more seconds of thinking, the rugged wanderer picks up a few big rocks off the ground, and hurls one over the confirmed trapped area, one onto it, and then several others over the bloodied space. Might as well see how much of the place was trapped, and/or if it was trapped in any other ways, before he does anymore thinking about how to handle it all.

[Iron]

Spoiler

The roll can be any time in the Encounter.

(6)(5)(6)(6) Dang, 4 more spirits! That makes 7/16 already.

When Spira kicks the stone, he hears manic cackling emanate from the circle. The air flashes dark alternating with blood red light.

Words appear in flames in the center of the circle. NOW.

The stones creak ominously, shifting on ancient roots.

YOU'VE.

The ground shakes, and great splits appear in the earth. Spirits stream forth, some absorbed by Luna, others vanishing into the stone. The stones darken until they become the color of blood.

DONE.

The flames creep closer, shifting one final time.

IT.

From each of the 8 stones comes a Ghost Pokemon, riding on a broomstick and wearing a big pointy hat. It's a coven of Mismagius, and they seem gleefully happy to be disturbed!

Fight time!
"Go Toya!" Spira then addresses Elya, "Don't just stand there; you help as well!"

"I'm ready. Scimitars are always ready. I'm waiting for you, a slow Trainer, to send out a Pokemon. Or must I handle these, er... by myself..."

Mismagius Group 1: (6) + 4 Dex + 5 Survival
Mismagius Group 2: (2) + 9 = 11
Elya: (3) + 4 Dex + 4 Survival = 11
Toya: (2) + 8 = 10

[Iron]

Kelda: "I'm not sure what happened to him. I think he may have earned his Gauntlet and had to move on. He was expected to work for the Almanac side of things someday."

I'll give you the lore, too. 13d6, + Lucky Chant.

(4)(3)(6)(6)(4)(3) (6)(2)(3)(4)(2)(1) (6) Ka-ching! With just a little help from Kelda, you slide most of the puzzle into place. It looks to be a Mega Charizard X. However, you're struggling to get the last bit into place... since the puzzle pieces keep rearranging themselves at the last second!

[Iron]

Arachnautilus: "Me? Afraid of DARKNESS and blackness and gothicness? Not on your silly life." She plunges in at your side.

Using Flash just bounces right off the darkness, but it does create a brighter area out here.


Once through the archway, you and Yena and Arachnautilus immediately feel pain at your ankles! Each of you take 1 damage and begin to bleed. A Flash from Whimsicott only illuminates the area for a single Action, revealing a bunch of rodent Pokemon darting forward to attack your feet! You see Raticate, Alolan Raticate, and some evil-eyed Watchog and Linoone. There are also Pokemon you don't recognize, including a jet-black rodent with a jagged tail, and a somewhat lazier, bulky rodent with a paintbrush for a tail. Arachnautilus picks up a Flash where Whimsicott left off, with a spark from her gauntlet. It, too, is subsumed in darkness.

[Iron]

This Gengar is huge and covered in such massive poison spikes that it's hard to imagine it ever was human (Or Clefable?). It simply moves in for the kill! Already, you feel it connect to your overlapping shadows and begin to drain life from you and Gendry. Lights on the Golurk statue, shaped like the symbol on Golett's chest, blink on and off to ensure there are always enough shadows for Gengar.

[Dragonstrike]

Kelda: "I'm not sure what happened to him. I think he may have earned his Gauntlet and had to move on. He was expected to work for the Almanac side of things someday."

I'll give you the lore, too. 13d6, + Lucky Chant.

(4)(3)(6)(6)(4)(3) (6)(2)(3)(4)(2)(1) (6) Ka-ching! With just a little help from Kelda, you slide most of the puzzle into place. It looks to be a Mega Charizard X. However, you're struggling to get the last bit into place... since the puzzle pieces keep rearranging themselves at the last second!

Nathan's only response to what Kelda thinks happened to that Scimitar apprentice is, "Hmmm...I see."

Oh, so that's the game we're going to play, are we?

"Calam, use Future Sight, please.  If something's purposely messing with the puzzle to keep us from solving it, I want to know.  And I want them to know that this tomfoolery is not appreciated."

[Iron]

"The power of the Gauntlets lets us tap into magical energies representing any type or species of Pokemon that exists or has ever existed. The strongest of our order can borrow abilities at will from any Pokemon in the multiverse. As for me, I simply adore the power of earth and steel, and cast many spells enhancing my stolidity and bulk."

"The Earth Scimitars don't believe we have any duty to control Creshire at a political level. What power we have, is just the power in the Gauntlets. The Water Scimitars want to use magic to summon the powers of Sarimanok in addition to the powers of the Artifacts. They think bringing up those dark, forbidden powers will give them control over the League and the residents here. To that end, they carry lots of Psychic types and weather-controlling Water types."



Cosh, with a spark from his gauntlet, helps by flinging a few larger rocks than Terra could lift into the trapped area. Some more traps go off, sending up gouts of flame, ancient spears, or spikes of animated earth. Others don't go off when Terra throws pebbles, but do go off upon receiving giant boulders (weighing as much as a human or large Pokemon).

[Iron]

Kelda: "I'm not sure what happened to him. I think he may have earned his Gauntlet and had to move on. He was expected to work for the Almanac side of things someday."

I'll give you the lore, too. 13d6, + Lucky Chant.

(4)(3)(6)(6)(4)(3) (6)(2)(3)(4)(2)(1) (6) Ka-ching! With just a little help from Kelda, you slide most of the puzzle into place. It looks to be a Mega Charizard X. However, you're struggling to get the last bit into place... since the puzzle pieces keep rearranging themselves at the last second!

Nathan's only response to what Kelda thinks happened to that Scimitar apprentice is, "Hmmm...I see."

Oh, so that's the game we're going to play, are we?

"Calam, use Future Sight, please.  If something's purposely messing with the puzzle to keep us from solving it, I want to know.  And I want them to know that this tomfoolery is not appreciated."

Future Sight
(5)(2)(6)(6)(5)(6) (4)(3)(3)(2) It'll be a critical one. Calam looks ready to fight once he uses Future Sight.

Lore: (6)(1)(4)(4)(4)(5) (6)(3)(5)(1)(4)(4) (1) Even better this time. You slot those last pieces into place while Kelda and Calam hold the rest where you'd put them already. There is a click and a surge of Earthpower and, much like the Mew mural, the puzzle comes to life! Charizard swells and leaps forth from the brown puzzle, and you see his flames are more black than blue. 

Behind him, a passage is revealed among the boulders and debris, as he leaps to the air and prepares to breathe black fiery doom on you both.