[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

You get guilty looks from BOTH PorygonZ and Rotom. Doesn't seem like they were altering it on purpose, with the express intention of improving it, but the accumulation of small changes over time has led to a better Pokedex.

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

"If they keys are Legendary Pokemon, it becomes less a race with the Scimitars and more a clash of principles. The Legendaries who lived through Sarimanok's time, and served him, may have entirely different conceptions of morality than you do. I don't know if their perceptions will more closely match the prevailing societal morals of today, or the ruthless utilitarianism of the Scimitar organization."

"As for the Eye's influence, I'm not sure there's any way to know what to predict. I can say with confidence that Sarimanok seldom committed acts of pointless cruelty. He always had a reason for the tools he collected, even at the end."

At first, it seems like Nathan might be a little disappointed in both of them.

"Well, it would have been nice if you two had been a little more careful with your 'improvements', even if they were accidental.  I thought my dex might have been hacked by the Scimitars or something with how much it was glitching.  However..."

Then his frown turns upside down and becomes a sly smile.

"...what you have done is actually rather interesting.  Dagny is impressed.  Neither of you are in trouble, all right?  In fact, I'm actually kinda curious to see what you could do if you're actually trying to improve the software on purpose.  There's certainly a lot of features that could use some fine tuning if they're going to do what they're supposed to, and the whole thing could definitely run a lot more smoothly than it is currently  Let's make a backup just in case first before we break something, though."

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

"They might be Legendaries, or they might not be the original trio at all.  I don't know yet.  I do know a few Legendaries that might be able to answer some questions if they're so willing, though, and I think most of the ones I've met will likely be opposed to the Scimitars.  I am expecting Sarimanok had some specific replacements in mind that could be involved in this, likely from his own long lived pokemon."

"And whatever the Last King had in mind when he left behind the Eye, I'm not sure if what will happen will be entirely what he originally intended.  The Prophecy of Stone came to pass even though he actively tried to prevent it at first, after all...there's still a lot we don't know about the Last King..."

[Iron]

"Some kind of great spiritual experience, I see..." Shiva mumbles more to herself than to Howl. She's really enjoying this, finding it rather lovely and inspiring, and gently cuddles Whimsi in her arms more instinctively. "At that rate and with the dear Pokemon helping so eagerly, Elanor should be back at its natural beauty soon enough, I'll be... hehe, looking forward to this!~"

Concerning Annie Wake: "Oh, I stumbled across this name when I was reading and researching something!" That's no lie but Shiva abstains from becoming more detailed, knowing that the citizans of Elanor are somewhat 'sensitive' about the topic of Shaymin. "How lovely that she's been SUCH an effective environmentalist! C-can you point me towards her grave, Howl? Is it fine for me to visit it to pay respect and tribute myself...?"

Shiva already feels that Annie Wake makes a decent role model.

"She's buried in the older part of the graveyard, which is about half a kilometer behind my gym."


When you find her grave, you see it is grown thick with the little yellow flowers.

[Iron]

"That's for sure, Nathan. And we learn more about what we don't know every year. Why, three months ago it would have been unthinkable that anyone might possess the Artifacts."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Shiva thanks Howl eagerly and honestly for the hint, then quickly makes her way to the grave.


Upon arrival she slows down her steps and eventually kneels down before the grave, Whimsicott still held close in her arms and Primal Espeon having sat down by her side. It doesn't need Shiva any words to let her two Pokemon know to stay silent and say a prayer to Annie Wake, and so the three silently pay their tribute to the enthusiastic environmentalist together.

Eventually, after full two minutes, Shiva shuffles extremely careful through the thick mat of tiny yellow flowers to not damage a single blossom... Is there something beneath them? And, uhm, does something happen if Shiva places her own Gracidea having 5/6 petals alongside a once ordered plushie of Landform-Shaymin among these cute yellow flowers?

[Iron]

Placing the Gracidea doesn't do anything in its own right, BUT investigating the yellow flowers does. You find a single protruding red tree root, diving in and out of the earth, defining a line away from Howl's gym. You manage to follow it quite a ways, until it leads to a thin tree of a kind that's rare to this region, called the Arrowbark. Its leaves occasionally release their hold on the canopy and float for as much as ten or twenty minutes before finally reaching the grass.

At the base of this tree are the tattered remnants of a few more Gracidea flowers.

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Oh... Well, then Shiva picks up the Shaymin Plushie again and puts her behind her ear before following the curious red tree root with eager and interest, being overly curious where it might lead her! Whimsi and Primal Espeon follow.

A gasp escapes the sensitive fae-enthusiast as she reaches the end and stares up that rare Arrowbark! She has never seen one of those in real.... But has she read about it, does she by chance know anything more about this species besides it being rare in Chresire? She was able to identify various plants through her journey and has gathered a good knowledge of plant lore, so maybe...? (Previously you rolled for that, but now?)

Either way, Shiva catches herself being semi-hypnotized by the fall/flight of a leaf whenever if floats down from the canopy to the grass, Whimsi even pursues and tries to catch it while Shiva carefully gathers these tattered remnants of a few more Gracidea flowers with utmost care. Then she all carefully...touches the bark, and asks Primal Espeon to do the same. Does either of their senses awake? Do they sense anything notable? ...What's with these tattered Gracidea, do they look fresh or more like they've been lying here for a while already?

[Dragonstrike]

"That's for sure, Nathan. And we learn more about what we don't know every year. Why, three months ago it would have been unthinkable that anyone might possess the Artifacts."

"And we only learn if we're willing to do so.  To move back to our earlier topic, that's a big part of the reason why I'd like to revive the Genesect fossil.  Provided that's fine with the League, of course.  I'm willing to take responsibility for the Legendary as well since I'm pushing for its resurrection so we can learn more about the species, and I'm confident that it can be trained to aid us."

And we're back to the big question: do we revive the fossil?  Nathan and Terra seem to both be pushing for it, so...

[Iron]

Oh... Well, then Shiva picks up the Shaymin Plushie again and puts her behind her ear before following the curious red tree root with eager and interest, being overly curious where it might lead her! Whimsi and Primal Espeon follow.

A gasp escapes the sensitive fae-enthusiast as she reaches the end and stares up that rare Arrowbark! She has never seen one of those in real.... But has she read about it, does she by chance know anything more about this species besides it being rare in Chresire? She was able to identify various plants through her journey and has gathered a good knowledge of plant lore, so maybe...? (Previously you rolled for that, but now?)

Either way, Shiva catches herself being semi-hypnotized by the fall/flight of a leaf whenever if floats down from the canopy to the grass, Whimsi even pursues and tries to catch it while Shiva carefully gathers these tattered remnants of a few more Gracidea flowers with utmost care. Then she all carefully...touches the bark, and asks Primal Espeon to do the same. Does either of their senses awake? Do they sense anything notable? ...What's with these tattered Gracidea, do they look fresh or more like they've been lying here for a while already?

You know that all parts of the tree are very buoyant. Fisherman used to use the bark as a float for their lines. Some semi-aquatic Pokemon will even breathe through it, using the bark as a filter or a store of a little more oxygen. The sap is naturally a little fizzy and sweet. Shavings from the tree make good fletching for arrows. No medicinal uses, though it shows up in fairy tales a lot because it's such an odd plant.

Actually I think a Whimsicott would love this tree a lot, because they are based on the same general principle. 

The Gracidea are still alive, but like many of the delicate flowers of Elanor, they've taken a beating lately.

[Iron]

The League won't have an issue with you guys having a Genesect. A Legendary choosing to accompany someone is usually considered something of a sacred choice. They might decide you're responsible for its behavior, though, depending on the situation.

[Lord Windos]

"That's for sure, Nathan. And we learn more about what we don't know every year. Why, three months ago it would have been unthinkable that anyone might possess the Artifacts."

"And we only learn if we're willing to do so.  To move back to our earlier topic, that's a big part of the reason why I'd like to revive the Genesect fossil.  Provided that's fine with the League, of course.  I'm willing to take responsibility for the Legendary as well since I'm pushing for its resurrection so we can learn more about the species, and I'm confident that it can be trained to aid us."

And we're back to the big question: do we revive the fossil?  Nathan and Terra seem to both be pushing for it, so...

I already posted Terra's proposal to make the Legendary Bug alive again, so he has little reason to object or add much more to his friend's own desire to revive the Genesect from its stony coffin other than to smile and nod to them. Ventus ( when he gets the details later, or ASAP if Nathan texts him soon enough) would more or less agree to Revive Genesect, with the only provisions being it remain unmodified as possible before/during the process used to Revive it, it remains under his friend's custody or its own (should it choose to be free from humans), and that he'd be kept updated about it indefinitely. The eccentric researcher has more or less 'passed the torch' on all things relating to Genesects to Nathan, so their decisions on those matters have his auto approval unless their utterly inhumane or exploitative ones (which shouldn't be an issue EVER, hopefully) .

Another big question need be asked: HOW do we Revive the Genesect Fossil? Does Nathan and Dagny let Terra and his lab 'do it's magic' to Revive it, or is there some other method that either hero and/or Gym Leader knows and would prefer?