[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Rowan isn't exactly the type to let people off easy either.  "I am not a man to be trifled with, Mr. Schmidt.  Cool that burner of yours, or you will get no more answers from me.  If I knew more exactly about what was going on, then there wouldn't be any need for this cloak and dagger in the first place.  All that is known right now is what Kogeki has informed you about already, and whatever else you may have discovered in the meantime.  In addition, one of the terms that was settled on before the fourth member of this party was approved by the League was that their identity remain anonymous until they are able to properly join us, for the reasons I have already stated concerning public appearances.  My sincere apologies if that isn't enough information for you, Mr. Schmidt, but it is what it is.  If you have any constructive input of your own that might help shed some light on these matters at hand, I am all ears.  Otherwise, if you are going to continue to imply that I am not doing my job properly, then I will have to kindly ask you to keep any further questions and statements to yourself for the time being."

Rowan is not the type of person who stoops to using more vulgar terms to get his points across, and when he's actually trying to be, he can be downright Intimidating.  He doesn't need anything but that 'nice speak' most of the time.

Rowan's Intimidate: 12 D6
(6)(5)(5)(3)(3)(6)(6)(5)(6)(5)(3)(2) 8 successes!!!

That's more successes than Randolph's current Will Score, by the way.  Randolph may be a scary dude just because of his personality, but Rowan has decades more experience and finesse in this Specialty than Randolph does.  With the simplest of statements, Rowan can convey exactly how disappointed he is in an individual's choice of wording or action.  Even the Snowpoint Nurse Joy's Intimidation pales in comparison.

Randolph thinks it'd probably be a good idea to not test Rowan further.  How he responds to that thought is up to the player, of course...(but I reeeeaaalllly wouldn't recommend provoking Professor Rowan, for a variety of reasons)

Randolph eyebrows jumped straight up to his hairline as Rowan went full throttle on his small and scrawny arse in the most polite and well mannered way possible and torn him a new one, all without hardly wavering or really emphasizing that old and refined milquetoast tone of his. Damn impressive performance, right there.

The midget man blinked a few times at Old Fashion, tilted his head at them.....

....and just started to laugh.

"Hah hah hah hah hah! Well, what da you know, there's more to ya than a stiff upper lip and apologist's attitude after all! You've the same mind I have with this whole sodding mess, and you do give more than a damn about it, but you're just better at hiding it! Hah hah hah hah...!"

His laughter continued on for a good twenty seconds, before it finally petered out, him whipping some tears away as he regarded the old scholarly gentleman half-grinning look of newfound respect. Make no mistake, he hardly like the old coot anymore than before - not after that long wait and some choices of his he finds questionable at best - but he could tolerate and accept their lofty and overly formal behavior, now that he'd seen there was real metal in them. Rowan was taking this job just as seriously and gravely as he, but was just handling it in a whole other way, their style. Not the best approach, in his opinion (As fiery rage, indignation, and burning motivation were the best way to deal with pain in the arse problem, in his opinion), but as they say, to each their own.

"I ain't to be trifled with either, and you don't scare me any, but I gotcha. No more throwing a fit with ya with over this job. See no point in it now, heh. I got more questions for ya, but not this minute. Later, between us, and alone, if you don't mind Professor."

Ran says this all his usual gruff sounding voice, but within it anyone could easily hear his own version of 'well-mannered' and polite tones in it, as well as a certain hard-bitten respect only a long hard working man can give.

"As for me having anymore leads on this mystery, I may got one: Snowpoint Temple. These Murals have been popping all over the most sacred or ancient places 'round the region and world, and that cold, dusty old dungeon deeply connected to the local Lore of this area and perhaps even the entirety of Sinnoh, so if wacky and nasty stuff is brewing within Mt. Coronet, I'd bet good money that the Temple has been affected in some way. Might have nothing or just have another one of those foreboding Murals, but maybe. just maybe that place might have some more substantial clues or unknown intell lurking within. Got permission from Candice to enter there, so I plan on chasing it up tomorrow to see if I'm right or not, and taking anyone else who wants to tag along."

"So what do ya think, Professor? Good lead, or bad?"

Well, that was a complete 180 on the blacksmith's attitude. Perhaps not in the way Rowan intended with his stern and Intimidating lecture, but hey, at least they were longer chomping at the bit to give them a Scalding hot tongue lashing!

(Does that constitute as provoking? If it does, I don't care.....yet!)

[Dragonstrike]

"Hmmm...very well."  And that's all Rowan has to say about Randolph's private questioning for now.

As for Randolph's Insight on the pattern where the murals have all been found...well, Rowan's response is much lighter, all things considered (though there's obviously still that air of heaviness due to the topic it concerns, obviously)

"...hmmmm...yes, that trend does sound like it might be accurate, now that you mention it.  The final member of this expedition won't be arriving in Snowpoint until some time tomorrow, so that should afford plenty of time to explore the Snowpoint Temple for clues.  I'd say it's a lead that's worth following up on."

(OOC explanation: the final member of the expedition party can arrive at any time tomorrow.  If you guys want to get started on traveling towards Mt. Coronet before Day 2 is over or end Day 2 early to speed things along without spending more time on the Routes than necessary, then the NPC will show up when you guys have told me you're all ready to go.  Otherwise, they'll show up at the end of Day 2, much like Professor Rowan did today.)

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

"Hmmm...very well."  And that's all Rowan has to say about Randolph's private questioning for now.

As for Randolph's Insight on the pattern where the murals have all been found...well, Rowan's response is much lighter, all things considered (though there's obviously still that air of heaviness due to the topic it concerns, obviously)

"...hmmmm...yes, that trend does sound like it might be accurate, now that you mention it.  The final member of this expedition won't be arriving in Snowpoint until some time tomorrow, so that should afford plenty of time to explore the Snowpoint Temple for clues.  I'd say it's a lead that's worth following up on."

(OOC explanation: the final member of the expedition party can arrive at any time tomorrow.  If you guys want to get started on traveling towards Mt. Coronet before Day 2 is over or end Day 2 early to speed things along without spending more time on the Routes than necessary, then the NPC will show up when you guys have told me you're all ready to go.  Otherwise, they'll show up at the end of Day 2, much like Professor Rowan did today.)

"*Nods* Alright, I'll get started on it bright and early tomorrow. If you have any business in town around that time, I can handle it for ya too, if you want. Otherwise, the Temple will probably eat up most of my time, or me if I'm not too careful or screw up in there, so don't expect to hear much from me until I come out."

With that said, Ran falls silent, crossing his arms across his chest and letting everyone else continue asking questions without him interrupting them. He's talked out right now, and wants to see what his co-workers have to say/ask about this job of there's.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Original Post

"Today is the 6th of June.  Hard to believe with how frigid it is outside, I know, but that's just how it is this far north in Sinnoh."

Rowan shakes Kee's hand, then answers his main question in detail (sort of).  "Part of the negotiations I was doing earlier involved getting funds for supplementary supplies.  I got enough for 4 trainers, seeing as I originally recruited that many.  Seeing as the 4th person I just recruited is more than capable of obtaining their own supplies, though, I don't think he'll mind if I give his share to you, Kee.  It is only supplementary, however.  Be prepared to spend about two days on the Routes that lead to Mt. Coronet.  Scaling the mountain via the interior typically takes several days as well, as it is the largest landmark in the Sinnoh region.  Having many Potions and status healing items, particularly for Poison and Confusion, is generally recommended for long visits to cave interiors.  Having items that can defrost pokemon would also be advisable, given the large number of Ice types that live on and around the mountain.  That is just based on my own experiences climbing the mountain when it isn't out of whack, though, so be prepared for anything.  I don't know what exactly you all are going to find in there.  As such, though, having plenty of strong pokeballs would also be recommended.  If a foe is particularly tough but you've managed to weaken them, a well thrown pokeball can easily end the battle right then and there, as well as possibly reward you with a rare or powerful pokemon species."

When hearing that today's the 6th OF JUNE, Kee choked on his drink and almost fell from the chair. Boi, if it's that cold around this place at the beginning of summer, he's feeling highly lucky that he didn't end here in autumn or, worse, in the dead of the winter. Probably wouldn't have survived this without suffering frostbites all over.

Ohh, free cash for supplementary supplies/supplies themselves is nothing he'd deny ever, so that's bringing some cheer back to him and causes him to perfom yet another of these silly playful salutes to Prof.Rowan. "Understood, professor!~ Good advice, I think, will keep it in mind." "F.... freakin' Ice Types..." he quietly adds in a grumbling tone before he proceeds to absent-mindedly stroke and pet the shiny furball in his lap, earning more affectionate purring from her. 'Status healing items, huh? Well, with you by my side I could invest a good portion of the cash for these otherwise', he also thinks to himself.


With that, he leans back to quietly listen in to the further conversations as he's lacking any more questions for now. Kee's just 'being there', paying attention even if he looks like he doesn't and enjoys his drink.... Until Randolph voices his displeasure quite efficiently and bluntly towards the good professor that is, causing him to throw more and more interested and even admiring glances to Ran and Octavia turning away from the noise and negativities. That old midget's having way waaaay more guts than he looks like having, which's refreshing and somewhat pleasant to see! He doesn't deny that it's having potential to cause problems (like it quite did in front of his eyes just now), but that's a necessary side effect as fas as Kee's seeing it. He makes a mental note of not angering him unless being provoked by him himself.

Once Randolph's turning silent again, Kee quietly speaks up to him. (@Lord Windos ) In German, and in a sing-sang-/semi-admirering tone of voice . "Man, Ran, du bist ja fast genauso toxisch wie Miss toxischer-Arenaleiter selbst. ^0^ I like that!~ E.....Anyway, ya said you'll visit the local temple tomorrow mornin', right? *piercing stare* Mind if I do.....tag along with ya? It feels like a waste to not visit this temple now that I ended up in this town, seeing as it some sort of important, almost sacred place." He takes a last big sip from his drink, his last one for today (hopefully, or otherwise your hangover will be just as massive like the temple's wall), then continues to admit that "I never really saw the appeal of challenging Gym Leaders myself to earn a badge to be proud of for some reason, so being allowed to visit this place by joining someone who officially is allowed to is coming 'long very convenient."

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

[quote pid='64707' dateline='1561817581']

Once Randolph's turning silent again, Kee quietly speaks up to him. (@Lord Windos ) In German, and in a sing-sang-/semi-admirering tone of voice . "Man, Ran, du bist ja fast genauso toxisch wie Miss toxischer-Arenaleiter selbst. ^0^ I like that!~ E.....Anyway, ya said you'll visit the local temple tomorrow mornin', right? *piercing stare* Mind if I do.....tag along with ya? It feels like a waste to not visit this temple now that I ended up in this town, seeing as it some sort of important, almost sacred place." He takes a last big sip from his drink, his last one for today (hopefully, or otherwise your hangover will be just as massive like the temple's wall), then continues to admit that "I never really saw the appeal of challenging Gym Leaders myself to earn a badge to be proud of for some reason, so being allowed to visit this place by joining someone who officially is allowed to is coming 'long very convenient."

[/quote]

The 'tude musician remarks eared them Ran's attention, slightly panning his vision to them while also keeping an eye on Rowan as he listened. When they finished, he thought things over for a second, before closely his eyes briefly to let out a quiet, raspy chuckle, and inclined his head to them as he softly spoke.

"Nun, einige Metalle können genauso ätzend oder tödlich sein wie alle abscheulichen Chemikalien, die von einem giftigen Pokémon ausgespuckt werden.  Not many willing to handle it, or much less tolerate it like Old Fashion just demonstrated, but if ya can and enjoy it, then that's just fine by me. Yeah, you can come. Need all the help I can get investigating the Temple and beating back the menaces that infest the place like mold in aging cheese, so the more the merry. I'll try and watch your back shove ya onto it to keep the local wildlife from suffocating the life out of ya, but your safety is mostly up to you. If ya end up getting blindsides from doing something stupid or going off on your lonesome, that's all squarely on you. Got it?"
Translation: Well, some metals can be just as corrosive or deadly as any vile chemicals spitted out by a Poisonous Pokemon, so you best remember that for now on, lad.
"Heh, can't say I disagree with ya there. Mostly got into this 'Trainer business' - bah! - to see if it the bleeding, stupid, and single-minded Hoothooting hype surrounding it like Poison Gas was all that cracked up to be, and get the chance to explore my country before I get too old to do or enjoy doing it. I wasn't in it to become the Champ or for the 'fame and glory' of becoming 'the best', as going for either pipe dream is just misguided at best, hopelessly foolish at worst, or possibly direly devastating at even worse."

" *Shakes his head, and sighs* ....Wish more youngems choose to finish their education early and find work that they can do and like and can sustain them for years to come, rather than waste their youth on being a Trainer and throwing themselves head long first into the grinder, but that's children for ya. They dream too big, and don't know any better unless we teach them or they learn the hard truth themselves. *Sighs* And not very many are wanting to do the former and do right by them. *Shakes head* Bah, what a world we live in...."

His tone turns......disappointed and resigned by the end, as if the very opinions and beliefs he prattled on about dispirited him. Or rather, the fact that hardly anyone seemed to share them with him, and having to see the results of that himself almost everyday in the many facets of society.

[Dragonstrike]

Professor Rowan takes this opportunity to politely ask Karen (@Mikaruge108), "Do you have any questions I might be able to answer, young lady?"

[Mikaruge108]

*Flashback*
When Karen gets Jasmine's text she sends another text to Jasmine;

Spoiler

Yeah, his name's Kee, don't have any problems with this, but apparently, he has no interest in romance, oh well.

*Flashback End?*
--

Haha, that actually causes him to smile. "You're cute, I like you."

Well, Kee certainly knows how to sweet-talk, Karen blushes at that

kinda like this

---

Spoiler

Professor Rowan takes this opportunity to politely ask Karen (@Mika), "Do you have any questions I might be able to answer, young lady?"

Karen is sitting through the briefing, silently, sipping on her tea, she cringes a bit at when Ran lets the vulgarities fly, then when Rowan asks her that, she answers; "Uhm, a couple things, firstly; concerning the league representative, I understand if you can't tell us their name right now, but could you tell us more about them aside from their excellence in healing, and secondly, earlier, I had met Lucas (that ought to catch Ran and/or Kogeki's attention) and he didn't seem to know much about the goings-on; has he been left out of the loop?"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Towards Ran, Kee replies with a simple "Oh, I can take care of mah own quite decently, I think~" still in that singsang-voice. "Trouble and misery tends to find me more often by itself than me looking for it. Must see me as an easy target or have a liking on me, but I don't reciprocate this 'liking' trouble's fostering for me at all. At aaaaaaaallllllllllll." He emphasizes this way more than necessary just for the dramatic effect, underlines it by slumbing into his chair even more and everything. "Raaaaaaaaaaaan, don't think too much about those children and youngsters becomin' a Trainer 'n travelin' the lands for badges and things, if they want to do that, let 'em. *waving hand gesture* It's not like they're harming us by doing so or such; as long as they don't, I don't mind. Don't half-waste your thoughts 'n precious brain cells on things ya can't change."

Towards Karen though, he can't help but to chuckle, appearantly enjoying her reaction. "Oh c'mon, did that already make you blush so hard?~ *sly and charming smile* Looks good on you though. Calm down again, will ya?~ Or shall I get you 'nother tea?" Just because he's aromantic doesn't mean he can't be flirtatious appearantly. To a degree that is. Or a gentleman if he's in a good mood.

[Dragonstrike]

Karen is sitting through the briefing, silently, sipping on her tea, she cringes a bit at when Ran lets the vulgarities fly, then when Rowan asks her that, she answers; "Uhm, a couple things, firstly; concerning the league representative, I understand if you can't tell us their name right now, but could you tell us more about them aside from their excellence in healing, and secondly, earlier, I had met Lucas (that ought to catch Ran and/or Kogeki's attention) and he didn't seem to know much about the goings-on; has he been left out of the loop?"

(One thing I will clarify is that Lucas has not told Karen about his position in the League himself.  If you think Karen would have asked around about Lucas during her travels, then it's reasonable that Karen would have learned that Lucas is the current Champion through that method.  Otherwise, the question is still reasonable for Karen to ask even if she doesn't know that fact because due to earlier events, she knows Lucas and Rowan have at least some kind of working relationship.)

"The most that I can say right now is that they are a very competent Pokemon Trainer.  Healing is not the only thing their pokemon excel at.  As for Lucas, no, he has not been left out of the loop.  He has a rather vested interest in these events, though at this point in time, he has not deemed it necessary to share all the reasons why with the rest of the League."

[Dragonstrike]

If anyone has any more questions for Professor Rowan, feel free to ask them.  For now, I'm going to move on to the questions that the Professor has for everyone.

First off, he looks to Karen, Kogeki, and Kee (I find it so amusing that three out of the four characters here have names that start with K).  "Did any of you catch at least one of the Snover that attacked you?  I'd be interested in studying them.  I might be able to determine why they were more aggressive than a typical Snover more quickly if I had an individual from that group."

"Also, was that mural in the Cave of Knowledge exactly the same as the other ones that have been discovered so far?"

The remaining are addressed to everyone.

"Have you heard any rumors spreading around Snowpoint about what's going on?  And have you told anyone about what you've seen while you've been here?  I imagine the city will notice soon enough if they haven't yet, but I need to gauge the current situation and report back to the League on it."