Test 1.

[azumods]

VALOR Your arrival at Lake Valor is met with no fanfare at all, nor are there any obstructions; it seems that Team Galactic has moved on from here, the area devoid of activity and strangely-dressed people for the time being. The area is also largely devoid of water. There's some, in the area that presumably was the lake once; however, it can hardly be called a proper lake now. There's a massive crater in the middle of the clearing that that now-unobstructed path through the woods takes you to; it's refilled some since whatever incident caused it, but the water is only about knee-high at the deepest and generally incapable of impeding you much if you should choose to wade into it. Whatever you choose to do, there's a massive, raised area in the middle of what's left of the lake, a rock formation of some sort; it's capable of being scaled with reasonably little difficulty. An opening is visible in the rock face, large and gaping, leading inwards and downwards into a cavern system of some sort. Your exploration starts now; time to see if there really is nothing worth reporting in the area.

Comments

[semistableman]

[If Bucky is surprised by the near-complete lack of water, he doesn't show it on his face.]

I guess we're going in.

[He's already walking towards the cave as he speaks.]

[eudaimonikos]

Seems totally safe and normal.

[But he’s coming.]

Anybody got a light?

[azumods]

[Hey, Bucky. Are your Pokémon out with you like they usually are?

Asking for a friend.]

purrloin-herding

[anythingforyou]

[Alright, once we are all assumedly helped up into the entrance of this horrible cavern, Camilla is going to whistle to get everyone's attention. Just to kind of make sure everyone's on the same page, here.]

That's everyone, I assume? [She'll take a quick headcount, smiling to herself.] Let's be off, then. And remember; stay close, and stay vigilant.

[Alright, let's start heading off into this mess. Likely lead by any flashlight people who wanna take the lead, we should have a decent idea of what we're dealing with, so what's going on up in here?]

[semistableman]

[Bucky's two Pokemon might not want to go in, but at least Flora doesn't seem too keen on leaving his side, so he'll join the other flashlight-havers up front.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ I mean, should Zelda be in the lead? Debatably not? But she sure is sort of keeping towards the front, Miphanus floating behind her with an eye of trying to keep heart as she said, wit ha flashlight in hand. ... She's way too curious, okay ]

[eudaimonikos]

[There's enough people he trusts taking the lead that Michael's gonna drop to the back of the group instead, Cat Janet at his side. Quietly, he instructs her to keep an eye on the darkness behind them.]

[azumods]

[The mouth of the cavern opens up into a large stone chamber, arcing up high above to follow the natural curves of the rock formation; the dark walls of the cave are glossy and slick with condensed moisture, the sheen visible to even those without a light source, seeing as there's still a good amount of light filtering in from the entrance leading outside. The cavern gets darker and darker the further away you go from the entrance, however, and the back wall isn't visible from where you're standing.

Your Pokémon still seem anxious, but it doesn't seem to be escalating, at least.

What now?]

[perfectselfie]

[Aya's going to be towards the middle of the pack, flashlight in hand. She's put Aoi the Marill back in her ball, but she has Kokoro on her shoulders and Ichigo's paw in her hand.]

Let's do this.

TEST.

[azumods]

[Congratulations, you've found a cavern full of Spiritomb. They're all too high-leveled for battling to have much effect on them, and what's probably noticeable is that they're acting differently than a lot of the wild Pokémon you've seen so far. They still seem a little blank, but they also seem incredibly defensive - like they have a specific goal in mind, perhaps, and right now that goal is not letting you move onward from this chamber.

So far, you've worked out that Sing will work to some extent, but it has a reasonably low success rate and won't take out all of them at once. Greeting them will get you...uh, this? Food is interesting to them, but results are mixed.

Your goal is to get into the next chamber. Good luck.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ Well uh. She'll just try to keep up the talking, see where that goes? They aren't being attacked yet, per se? ]

I... no, we apologize for startling you. Are you alright?

[ She's going to try as best as she can to address the one which came out of the rock that Michael threw or the one Rin picked up? But either way, she speaks with an even tone, seeing if she'll be allowed to take a step closer ]

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael doesn't know what Pressure or PP is, so he sees no reason not to just keep having his parrot sing at the nearest one. From a decent distance away. He's holding Quaver still, and he awkwardly just returns Cat Janet to her ball with a free hand.]

[niceoppai]

Oh man, oh man, oh man... uh... hello! Hello, rock ghosts. Uh... [She starts flipping through a field guide, looking for "weird rock things."] We come in peace! We're really sorry we woke you up. We're trying to help everyone feel things again. I mean, if... do you miss feeling things? Probably!

[perfectselfie]

[Singing works to some extent and it's something Aya knows she can do. While she's not a Pokemon, she can at least pick up the tune.

So that's what she's going to do. She clears her throat a couple of times and starts singing.]

[discutio]

[Okay. Okay, this is fine. He obviously can't see what we're dealing with, but you know...a cavern loaded with SOULS OF THE DAMNED is the kind of aura one picks up on. Not to mention all three of his Pokemon sure are feeling put off by the general state of affairs, by the sound of things]

Everyone stay calm. Let's not do anything rash we're liable to regret.

[Like throwing rocks, Michael.]

[anythingforyou]

[...Diplomacy checks with rocks are not exactly Camilla's strong suit, if that wasn't...obvious...but she does have a bit of a smaller pack on her, with some berries she had intended to keep to help Arion stay cooperative.

So, she's...going to add to Kayneth's little pile, there, trying to calm a bit.]

You're free to dig in...I've little idea if you lot eat such things, but consider this a sort of apology for awakening you...

[She's. Trying? She's trying.]

[semistableman]

[That is a lot of big, scary looking things. Poor Henrietta looks like she wants to fly off of Bucky's head, but stays put. Flora is still at his side unmoving.

But, you know, maybe this is still an animal? Just a very creepy looking one. Bucky's pretty good with animals.]

Hey there. Did all of us here scare you guys?

[He'll do talking, too.]

[heritrix]

[This is a really stupid thing to be doing, though it's slightly funnier if she imagines Mr. Class President in the corner balking and in a tizzy that someone like her would even attempt a Buddhist ritual.

The thing is though, royalties off magic fax machines aren't enough to live by, so Rin has to take odd jobs from time to time! One of those she's done for a few years is acting as a Shrine Maiden during the New Year's season, handing out talismans and the like. Talismans like for warding off evil spirits!

Thing is though, you usually need things like a deities name or the place they reside in for it to count. Symbols and stuff. She doesn't actually have a name asdfghj, so she just scribbles down "Guardian of Lake Valor" in kanji. If this is going to be anything more than a stupid test though, she'd need something more specific, so...

Weird time to be looking around for something like this, but she's trying to avoid the fighting and flashing her light on the walls. Are there any distinct markings here? Maybe like a mural, or ritualistic symbol?]

[takestheblame]

...hm...

[Well it's clear they won't get through by fighting. Maybe...]

Are we certain there aren't any other routes?

[He looks around, trying to find indications of holes or other tunnels that can lead forward]

[radiantflame]

[Morag is watching the interactions carefully, ready to throw herself in front of anyone should the need arise. But the Spiritomb don't seem like they want to attack- or at least, to make the first move.]

Could this be the work of Team Galactic...?

[enjoymyatelier]

[after observing the others for a bit, he thinks he has an idea...]

I’m much more interested in communicating with you all than fighting, so let’s work something out.

[He specifically focuses on the terrifying mass of souls closest to him, but maintains his current distance.]

Can you understand me? I assume so, but for confirmation... let’s work out a system where you blink primarily on the left side for “yes” and on the right for “no.” Is that agreeable?

[eudaimonikos]

[Having observed what other people are doing, Michael elects to form a small Berry pile in front of the Spiritomb that Quaver put to sleep (which is presumably also the one he threw across the room, oops). And then back off again, hopefully before it wakes up?]

[omissions]

[The moment that these strange Pokémon had sprung to life, Ari had been near frozen--not quite with fear, but with some sense of being uncomfortable. They remind him of the ghosts in his world, or even a little like Stan, considering the shape of the eyes.

Eventually, however, Ari carefully kneels down until he's practically sitting on the ground in front of them, rather than standing and towering over them as he attempts to speak with them.]

Um... hello. Do you have a name?

IMPROMPTU REQUEST, FELLOW PLAYERS

[takestheblame]

[Kiryu steps back to the entrance of the chamber. Better give the Spiritombs some space]

The deity is hurt, they're protecting their friend. It's not guaranteed, but we may help them -- as long as they know what we can do.

Someone explain to them potions and everything else that can be of help.

[Somehow, he doubts saying 'we're going to spray stuff and that's it' will be of much help, so he decides to leave this to others. They're the wordsmiths, not him!]

[semistableman]

Are those spray bottles really going to heal a god?

RESOLUTION.

[azumods]

[After some...creative problem-solving and a good amount of negotiating with a bunch of Pokémon composed entirely of the screaming souls of the damned, it seems that the Spiritombs are willing to let the group through to see the Lake Guardian residing in the inner chamber. It's taken some convincing, but it seems they'll allow you to pass, albeit not without keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings. They're still wary of all of you, after all, but at least they do seem to understand that you don't mean any harm and maybe - just maybe - you guys can help.

As they shift back into the inner cavern to allow everyone safe passage, it seems for now that the situation has been resolved; hopefully whatever awaits you in the next cavern resolves itself as peacefully...]


[FIRST TEST]

[C O M P L E T E]

[omissions]

[Oh... good, we're glad that we've been allowed passage. Before we go though, when Ari is back on his feet, there's a pause before he will bow his head in respect to the Pokemon here.]

Thank you, for giving us permission to go further inside.