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

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 ]

[azumods]

[The Spiritomb remain silent, their soul orbs flashing off and on repeatedly. It doesn't look like it's in any set pattern and it's difficult to tell if they understand what you're saying.]

[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.]

[azumods]

[You're welcome to keep trying, you'll even manage to put one of them to sleep! It won't be out for very long, but wow, look at that. It's definitely sleeping.]

[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!

[azumods]

[The soul orbs are still blinking. Do they understand what you're saying or are they just doing that? Who knows.]

[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.]

[azumods]

[For the most part the Spiritomb do not seem to know what to do with this. Pokémon singing? Sure. People singing? Uhh. Their soul orbs are still blinking on and off, but for the most part they don't really react.

...One of them might be wiggling a bit. It's not exactly dancing, but it seems like it might actually enjoy this a little? Maybe? As much as it's capable of?]

[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.]

[hyruglyphics]

- Would you like me to describe them visually, Ignis?

[ Quietly, she asks this while she's doing her other thing here. Or well, before she goes into it all fully? ]

[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.]

[azumods]

[The Spiritomb do look interested in the berries, but none of them are moving. Some of them are keeping their eyes on the party while others are looking at the berries... longingly? Either way, none of them are making a move.]

[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.]

[azumods]

[Like with the others, the talking doesn't seem to be getting much in the way of results. The Spiritomb continue flashing their soul orbs, though there doesn't seem to be any sort of set pattern to it.]

[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?]

[azumods]

[There are not! No distinctive markings anywhere in the cave, no matter where you shine your flashlight. Sorry, Rin.]

[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]

[azumods]

[Unfortunately, it seems like there's only one way in, and one other way out - in other words, this is it.]

[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?

[azumods]

[The lights continue blinking as usual for a moment before they all abruptly stop blinking. After a moment, the lights on the left side blink.

Yes.]

[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?

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

[So after Kiryu makes his request, Sena timidly creeps into the chambers, Monta and Vee at his heels. Monta's carrying a Potion spray bottle, and Sena himself seems nervous.]

Uh, erm...we've just got a super quick question for you guys, if you would?

[Sena would know about super-quick.

Anyways, Monta shakes the bottle at them, gesturing at it, its chittering something along the lines of do you know what this stuff is?]