[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

The Aerodactyl swings around a minaret on desiccated wings. This is quite similar to what might be resurrected from a fossil in the modern age, but by a civilization not so skilled in the process. It's clearly very ancient.

But what follows behind Aerodactyl could not be farther removed from the natural world. It's terrifying and wrong. A toothy skull is the first thing to wheel into view, followed by the rest of a draconic skeleton. Ghostly energy shines between the bones, especially in the eyes, and a Mega Stone is embedded in the skull. Between the wing bones, nothing but ethereal tatters. At the tip of its tail, a fire still burns, consuming no fuel.

The two monsters fly as a pair, roaring overhead as if in search of prey.

Nathan can't help but look on in both wonder and fear.  Such rare, dangerous, terrifying looking creatures...especially that Charizard...it's clearly different even from the mural Delta Charizard that he faced on the surface, though it looks just as vicious...

This is going to be a good opportunity to try out the Sword in a practical combat situation. Those predators are certainly going to notice him sooner or later.  And they definitely don't look friendly.

Nathan will send out Calam and Emolga for this one.

[Iron]

Calam: (6)
Emolga: (3)
Charizard: (3)
Aerodactyl: (2)

This Charizard looks decidedly more undead than a Delta Charizard from Torren, but the essence is quite similar. It's more skeletal and long, and you don't think it would be able to breed at all (in other words, it was not born like this).

[Iron]

Scizor Horde Round 1

Stone Edge 1
(4)(5)(6)(2)(3)(3) (5)(3) Crit!
(2)(5)(4)(6)(5)(1) The hovering Scizor are slammed into each other and into rising stone as the floor becomes a catastrophe of spikes and pillars.
They take 4 dmg, 7/11hp -1 pain.

The eldest Scizor points a claw at Mikey, and all five form a Swarm darting and hovering around him. Pixie manages to intercept one Scizor, who pretty much bounces off her exterior. Meanwhile, the hum and buzz and snipping noise around Mikey grows to a fever pitch until he's the center of a whirlwind of steel and wings and blades. Before anyone can react, Mikey is cut to shreds.

Fury Cutter 1-5A-D
(5)(5)(4)(6)(1)(2)
(6)(5)(3)(1)(2)
(2)(3)(1)(2) Miss
(3)(2)(2) Miss
(2)(1) Miss This guy's getting kicked outta the family.

(4)(2)(6)(1)(4)(3)
(5)(4)(5)(5)(3)
(5)(1)(1)(4)
(1)(4)(2)
(5)(2)

(3)(1)(5)(4)(3)(4)
(4)(4)(1)(6)(3)
(3)(4)(5)(3)
(6)(1)(6)
(2)(5)

(5)(6)(4)(2)(6)(3)
(1)(2)(1)(4)(2) Miss
(3)(3)(6)(6)
(5)(1)(6)
(5)(1)

16 hits.
(1)(2)(5)(2)(6)(5) (1)(2)(4)(5)(1)(3) (5)(4)(1)(5) Mikey takes 8 dmg 2/10hp
The fifth Scizor can't harm Pixie at all thanks to Intimidate. Mikey gives Pixie a high five, because she just saved his life probably.

Terra runs in as the Scizor slow down and come to a landing, viewing what damage they've done. They're very surprised to see Mikey upright. Terra gives Mikey a Sitrus Berry (5/10hp -2 pain) as Pixie growls defensively.

Growl 1
(5)(6)(1)(3)(4)(2) (6)(3)
-1 offense for Scizor

Thus healed, Mikey tears into the exhausted Scizor. He can punch one so hard it slams into the ground, sending up disturbed earth to strike the other Scizor.

Stone Edge 2
(4)(4)(2)(5)(2)
(5)(6)(3)(6) Scizor take 3 dmg 4/11hp -2 pain

Iron Defense 2
(1)(1)(6)(2)(6)(3) (4)
+2 Defense for Pixie

Stone Edge 3
(4)(4)(1)(2)
(6)(1)(6)(4) Scizor take 3 dmg 1/11hp -3 pain. They don't flee yet though.

Pixie joins in with Feint Attacks, which I'm not going to roll unless Mikey misses this next attack.

Stone Edge 4
(6)(6)(6)
(6)(6)(2)(3)
So one Scizor faints from Pixie's attack, but it's soon joined by its fellows in convenient Mikey-made tombs.

Leftovers, poison heal = 7/10hp.

The encounter was worth 18XP.

[Lord Windos]

(Bloody 'ell, I think I'm in love with Spread Stone Edge + now! Go Mikey!)

Welp, it was a close, razor sharp shave, but the mushroom of champions pulls of yet ANOTHER o u t s t a n d i n g victory, thanks in no small part to the tiny titanium Fairy and his steely brawler partners! He's SO pump about taking down the swarm of nasty ironclad insects that he inadvertidly sent ANOTHER Stone Edge 'wave' off behind him when he started bouncing up and down HARD, causing the very earth to tremble from his ethusiam! If you didn't know any better, you'd think he was using Earthquake! Pixie was right there alongside him, leaning happily on one of his springy limbs (after he settled down) and pumped a fist up for them, which they mimicked eagerly and caused to two to burst into laughter! Despite her being his practical mortal nemesis Type and match up wise and quite the sly little devil, she and Mikey were getting along splendidly as they commiserated their success on the battlefield together.

Terra, meanwhile, was still on edge from the now MASSIVE influence from THE EYE, and therefore was all business and no levity as he used his Pokedex to locate a Scizor that had Technician as it's Ability, before having Mikey come over and Paralyze it and threw a Steel Ball at it as many times as it took to catch the metallic mantis. He's heard many great things about this species of Bug/Steel from Ventus and done a bit of research himself on them/others that shared the same Type combo, so he wanted one right away to become one of his partners later or give it to his boss later for a big favor from him. Decisions decisions.....

After that, he'd continue on ahead and eventually reunite with the others, and find what lay at the end of the path strew with Pokemon ready to fight them on the drop of a Poke.

(Steel Balls have 4 Successes on Steel Type Pokemon and probably are even more resistant towards them breaking them on the chance of a Fail Roll, so Roll them dice however much you can Iron!)

[Dragonstrike]

Calam: (6)
Emolga: (3)
Charizard: (3)
Aerodactyl: (2)

This Charizard looks decidedly more undead than a Delta Charizard from Torren, but the essence is quite similar. It's more skeletal and long, and you don't think it would be able to breed at all (in other words, it was not born like this).

(Awwww man.  A small part of me was kinda hoping that this was gonna be a rare Torren mon, as Torren's Delta Charizard is rather skeletal as is, but oh well.)

Alright, time to wombo combo these wild pokemon and put that Sword to good use!

We'll be powering up Calam's attacks with it, so all of his Dark and Fairy moves will deal PD damage!

Calam

5 Night Slashes from Calam, targeting Charizard first, then Aerodactyl.

PD Night Slash 1-5 (holding back on Lethal damage)
Acc: 16* - 5/6/7/8/9 = 11/10/9/8/7
Dmg: 1 PD (+1 PD if SE.  Faints target immediately if they sustain 2 PD damage, kills if they sustain 3)
Eff: High crit, but does it even matter right now?


Emolga

If Charizard has more than 1 HP remaining, Emolga will follow up with a FLASH.  If Charizard has only 1 HP remaining, then he'll use Frost Breath instead.  Then Emolga will use Nuzzle on Aerodactyl, following up with Electro Balls if necessary.

FLASH 1 (if Charizard is not at 1 HP)
Acc: 15 - 5 = 10
Eff: -3 Acc

Frost Breath 1 (if Charizard has 1 HP)
Acc: 15 - 5 - 1 = 9
Dmg: 5 + 2 + 2 Crit = 9 base
Eff: Automatic crit

Nuzzle 2-5 (until Aerodactyl is Paralyzed.  After it is Paralyzed, use Electro Ball instead)
Acc: 15 - 6/7/8/9 = 9/8/7/6
Dmg: 1 + 5 + STAB + SE = 7 base + 1
Eff: Auto Paralyze

Electro Ball 3-5
Acc: 15 - 7/8/9 = 8/7/6
Dmg: 2 + 5 + STAB + SE = 8 base (before dex advantage) + 1
Eff: 1-4 more damage dice for every point of Dex Emolga has higher than his target

Let's end this as quickly as we can!

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

2x Hitmontop: (6)
Conkeldurr: (5)
2x Machamp: (5)
Quetzal: (4)
Doublade: (1)
Riolu: (1)

The Machamp are carrying blocks of indestructible castle material on long chains. The Conkeldurr is odd - it keeps one hand sunk into the wall of the minaret as if it were a hot knife in butter.

Riolu looks like a cute pup, but driven to do battle by the nature of the nearby Eye.

[Mikaruge108]

Spoiler

Stealth: (6)(6)(4)(3)(2)(4) (3)(1)(1)(6)(1) = 4 success

From so high up, Exeggutor commands a wide view of the surrounding area. He's so tall you might even mistake him for a minaret at first, with his neck bound in shiny golden petrified wood. And there's something odd about most of his heads - they glitter too, with silver sparkles and dull eyes.

Alert: (6)(4)(3)(1)(5)(5) (6)(5)(2)(3)(3)(5) (1)(6)

Exeggutor sees you coming and drops himself right on Toya, longways.

Power Whip
(3)(3)(3)(3)(5)(6) (4)(6)(2)(5)(5)(4) (3) Critical
6 Str + 5 power + 1 str + 2 crit  = 9d6
(2)(2)(1)(5)(5)(4) (1)(4)(4) Toya takes 4 dmg 8/12hp -1 pain

(Stealth attacks are just one single action outside the normal turn order. So they usually crit but you can't pull off multiple.)

Toya: (2)
Exeggutor: (2)

Shiny Alolan Exeggutor Round 1

Ice Punch 1
(4)(3)(1)(5)(5)(4) (2)(3)
Despite its size, the creature is quite pliable/fragile.
(1)(5)(5)(2) Exeggutor takes 4 dmg 34/38hp -1 pain
CD: (6) A very lucky freeze. And Exeggute doesn't have any supereffective moves, unlike almost every other mon in the universe.

Ice Punch 2
(1)(3)(1)(5)(1)(2) (5)(6)
(6)(6)(5) Exeggutor takes 5 dmg 29/38hp -1 pain

Ice Punch 3
(5)(4)(4)(1)(5)(4) (4)Critical
(5)(1)(4)(6)(5) Exeggutor takes 6 dmg 23/38hp

Fire Punch 4
(5)(5)(4)(4)(2)(2)
(1)(5)(1) No damage
CD: (5)

Fire Punch 5
(5)(6)(2)(4)(1)
(6)(6)(1) Exeggutor takes 2 dmg 21/38hp
CD: (4)

Strength: (4)(1)(4)(6)(6)(6) The rulebook doesn't say what Str score it's supposed to beat, but that's certainly enough. (Maybe you need 2 successes?)

(ooh... a shiny! And one that I actually have irl)

When Spira notices the sparkles coming from the Exeggutor, he immediately recognizes the fact that its shiny; "Oh...? A shiny? That changes things..." "Go! Hida! Toya, Ice Punch five times, Hida, Smash your shell and put everything you have into four Smogs! Both of you, ignore your pain!"
(Spending a Willpoint to ignore pain this round!)
Hida

Shell Smash
Accuracy: Dex(5*)+Fight(5)+Brawl(4)-Pain(1)-Actions(5)= 9D6
Notes: Def, S.Def -1; Strength, Special, Dexterity +1

Smog A/B/C/D
Accuracy: Dex(5*)+Fight(5)+Canalize(4)-Pain(1)-Penalty(3)-Actions(5)= 5/4/3/2D6 +1 Willpoint induced success
Damage: Strength(4)+1= 5D6 +SE(1)
Notes: Poison (4)

Toya
Ice Punch A/B/C/D/E
Accuracy: Dex(5*)+Fight(5)+Brawl(4)-Pain(1)-Actions(5)= 9/8/7/6/5D6
Damage: Strength(4)+3= 7D6 +SE(2)
Notes: Freeze(1)

Mechanics: If Toya falls to 6/12 HP a Potion Orchid will be used on him, If Hida falls to 5/10 HP, Potion Orchid will be used on him as well.
Other: If Exeggutor is fainted+Poisoned, every last Pokeball Spira has will be used to catch it!
Pokeball (1925)x3
Moon Ball x1
If it doesn't get caught, Spira will have Toya Ghost World it back to camp to get help with catching it.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

++ At some point Shiva takes the time to listen Heart out, it doesn't necessarily have to occur before he runs into the Fighting Horde and she goes to follow a believed Klefki. Anytime is fine, flashback/flashforward!~ ++


She patiently lets him vent, feeling a little flattered that he came to her to unburden his for heavy heart, yes she has been feeling that something's weighting the PUNisher down rather distinctively, and connected this and that thunderstorm of negative emotions he's radiating with the Ancient Sword. Said thunderstorm makes her keep a little distance to Heart because it's so strong, it's almost suffocating for someone as empathic as her.

(...) Heart then took a breath a begin to tell the whole thing. "Its...about Nathan. But I think its more serious this time. About this...Sword thing. Why he was the one to grab the sword? He never pass though the same ordeals that I have. Or see anyone he ever know die before his own very eyes like I was. Why he was the one to have the right in wield such sword? I deserve way more than him in wield it. He is not worth, and I deserve way more than him. I cant...simple accept him as Leader. He doesnt have what it takes to be Leader, or the weight of responsability like me had with the rebuild of my clan."

For some reason, Shiva's not suprised that it's about issues he's having with the young historian. She holds back a small sigh as at the moment she's actually not so up to talk about him, but woe her to refuse someone of the group wishing to speak with her about tricky stuff and personal issues. She discreetly makes sure that Nathan himself doesn't pick up on what Heart tells as that'd be plain mean AND she'd immediately stop Heart if he were to call Nathan names as that's REALLY not appreciated nor tolerated by her. He thankfully didn't, yay!

When she replies, she has a frowning expression and feels like having to ground Heart a little. "Heart, don't you think you, well.... are giving that Sword a little too much significance than needed? Like, none said that it will make you a leader. It may be assumed that it can do so, it may be an old and frequently-used symbol of leadership, it may be our key to actually harm Deoxys, but BY NO MEANS is becoming the wielder of this precious Artifact is equal or directly tied with becoming a leader. Someone wanting or striving to become one needs some characteristic traits and build up some authority towards others, just owning a very special ancient sword won't automatically crown you into the new leader. Do you understand...?" She pauses a little to let Heart progress this. "That's just...my view though... But you see, in the nearly three months we're adventuring now, did we ever need someone to lead us? ...No, we didn't. I actually prefer to think we're all equally important, none of us weighs more than the other. We all have done great things! And, look, did Nathan ASK you or us to see him as the Leader, does he act like he's thinking he's one now? ...No, he hasn't and he isn't, you're just assuming this it seems and are drawing the wrong conclusions."

She saying all of this to Heart may appear somewhat insensitive at first, but she feels she has to drop things directly to make him see what's wrong in his thinking.

"And... PLEASE don't start with who deserves one of these Artifacts more and who does less, that's leading into a bad direction that will encourage nothing but jealousy. Jealousy can be so toxic in a group.." For the next bit her voice fills with disappointment and slight anger even. "It's not the nicest thing of you to say that Nathan is not worth of the Swor, you know... Well, sure, he hasn't made the same experiences you made and the other way round, but wouldn't you agree that he's having some good reason to wield this Sword in particular as well? They differ from yours and yours differ from his, and that's okay. Heart, look, this region is his HOME. His whole family's here. Unlike we others he has no means to escape to someone close in another region nor has a safe haven where he can go if Chresire's turned into a wasteland by the threat from the Comet (at least not that Shiva knows or would guess of), so of course he wishes to do everything that's needed to protect his home and family that's in his might, and you should let him. You know, I imagine it rather heartbreaking, frustrating and stressful to know that doom's coming at your home and you can't do anything to prevent or fight it, and maybe his desire to give SO MUCH for a way to fight off that doom stems from those feelings. It feels...wrong to me to begrudge him for that."

That's a lot of defending-Nathan that Shiva is doing her, guess it means she hasn't given up on him at all.

"And despite everything that I done to him to the point of even sacrifice many items of mine, including my Everlink Armor and Miracle Rood, he refuses to help me find East Wind Sid. All of this, only make hate Nathan. And everytime I see Nathan wielding that sword around it, make my blood boiled with hatred, jealous and indignation. I was even willing to not help anymore his father in regain his humanity and leave him in his currently state.

At this point Shiva indeed can't hold back a frustrated sigh for Heart. ".... Hate is a strong emotion, Heart, a very strong one that can't be wipped away completely or easily. You SHOULDN'T hate him over THIS issue, that's just...not a right nor justified thing I think. Neither should you outright spite him by refusing to further help his father with your talent, that'd only to serve to hurt him massively and loose trust in you as he's forced to find other ways to cure his dad when he's SO close to being a human again. Would you really want that? No, please don't answer that."

"All of this make me say horrible things to him. About he not be worth of wield the sword that I deserved more in wield that Artefact. About the father thing. And even said to him that I hope loosing a friend was worth enough for him to wield a sword...and I feel bad to have said that things to him...but I cant simple...ignore everything that happened. He is my friend, and help me a lot in the past...but I cant help it but felt betrayed and used by him. He knows how much important get the sword was to me. And I even try to ignore this by helping him to get the sword, and I was expecting some sort of compensantion from him...But that sword was sharp enough to cut the strings of friendship we have between us."

"I know what I did was wrong...but I not in mood to beg Nathan to apologize me, because as much betrayed and hurt he feels, I also feels hurt and betrayed by him. Because he didnt say or did anything to prove that our friendship ever meant something to us. I feel ashamed, but I will not apologize me. If he is that worth of the Sword and thinks he is the Leader, he needs to prove to me that our friendship meant something. That our friendship is more important than a sword."

Towards these points, Shiva actually has the least to say, but she tries anyway to put some significance into her words. "Well, I can't change that you feel betrayed and used by what he did, nor can you, You acknowledge these feelings, that's a good first step into dealing with them accordingly: Please don't let these emotions overtake you, Heart. Well, not more than they already did, that is..." She sighs a little more, all this talk is stressing her a little appearantly.

"NONE forces you into apologizing if you don't want to, and it'd be wrong to say that you're sorry if you don't mean it. Maybe at a later point you'll feel a desire to do so... And NO sword on the entire planet, entire universe if you want, should be more important than friendship! Is it worth it loosing him as a friend of yours over it, Heart? Only you can decide that, but me feels it is not. If Nathan himself hasn't done anything to show how much your friendship means to him, maybe you should approach him with this concern of yours, and ask to talk about it, ask for his opinion and insight about it and that you'd like to know where you're standing in his view. That's much more efficient than leaving yourself in the dark, you just have to make that step by your own initiative."

"I was even willing to challenge him to a battle, for the right in wield the sword. Screw this bonding Artefact thing. He is not my Leader, and I not accept the fact that he is more worth in wield that sword than me."

Shiva still doesn't like that people tend to solve personal problems with a Pokemon Battle, as she's finding it wrong to get them involved when they're actually not; but that's just her and she opts to not speak that out here. "Well, challenging someone to a fight PER SE isn't something wrong, but what were you hoping to achieve with this fight? What would happen if you win, if he wins, if neither of you wins - did you think about that? And how Nathan respond anything to your challenge, if at all?"

At his last words of 'more worth', she points and taps the Shield she herself is carrying. " ...Come on, Heart, don't be riduculous, are you REALLY thinking that wielding one of the Artifacts raises your worthiness? Look, am I more worth than you just because of this pretty and ancient Shield? ...No. No I'm not, please don't tell me I am, I don't feel like I am even if it has fully bonded to me now. You shouldn't let some Artifacts dictate your selfworth and self-esteem."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

As Shiva passes a minaret with a door, she notices keys still sticking out of the lock. As she approaches to investigate, thinking it could be a rare Klefki, the keys disappear. You step through the door into a secondary cavern, somehow folded inside the slender minaret. And inside that cavern, still more towers, each with a Klefki sticking out of the door. They all begin glowing, charging an attack, at once. Before this happens, however, you notice the keyring was gold rather than silver, and shining with glittery scales.

Your sixth sense also noticing something odd. There's only one lifeform here.

It's very VERY likely the infuence of The Eye that makes Shiva ignore the danger of letting her curiosity guide her, but Reshiram may engulf her in his flames if she'd pass the opportunity to finding an exemplar of these rare and adorable keyring-fairies: She boldly follows the trail it is it leading her on, only comes to a halt when she has arrived in that......mirrored cavern??? There MUST be some trick to it, as such a cavern just can't fit into the inner of the minaret she has just entered. Oh you devious and clever lil' creature!~

There's barely time to react and respond though as MORE THAN ONE of these fairies are about to attack, and instinctively Shiva raises the Shield to protect herself from the initiate assaults (preventing damage, please tell me beforehand if Shiva feels like the Shield can't help here). She also got a Full Heal Orchid prepared shall they target her indirectly, and she's searching for a particular occupied Pokeball in her stuff already.

Once that first salve of attacks is done and absorbed by the Shield, Shiva raises her voice to adress Klefki directly, the ONLY one she believes to dwell here, whereever it may lurk now. "Was that already all you've got? Come on, crafty and sly fae, let us get it on for REAL, without any mirrored images or further tricks, just you against one of my own fairies!~ Let's make this a competition of who of us has more aces up their sleeve!!~"

This should at best lure Klefki to come out of hiding, and yes this is a request for a fight. Shiva would have tried to go the pacifistic route, but she can't resist the influence of The Eye THAT much.

[Iron]

Steel Ball: (3)(5)(4)(3) v (4)(5)(4)(1)
(6)(3)(5)(6) v (1)(2)(4)(2)

Gotcha! Scizor was caught!
0/0/3
+1 Dex Surprise
False Swipe, Metal Claw, Fury Cutter, Slash, Iron Defense, Night Slash, Iron Head, Steel Wing
Naturally, the eyes on its claws are Eyes.