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.]

[radiantflame]

Torchic can produce flame. I'm sure there are others among us with similar skills. Anyone?

[anythingforyou]

[Camilla just kind of checks her bag a bit, producing a flashlight and tossing it over.]

I'm afraid this is all I have, but it should suffice. None of my darlings can produce any sort of light or flame...

[thunderwolf]

I have a couple more.

[Eustace produces some flashlights from his pack. Definitely not enough for everyone, but enough for the middle and back of the pack.]

[semistableman]

[Yep, they are both out with him!]

[hyruglyphics]

I have one as well.

[ A flashlight, that is. Once she figured out what this was!! She was proud to take one they're super cool.

So she's good? ]

[semistableman]

I've got one too.

[anythingforyou]

Thank you, Eustace.

[god bless the more prepared people for this shit--]

[eudaimonikos]

[Acceptable.]

Cat Janet, watch for anything moving around in the dark.

[anythingforyou]

Good. Stay close, dear; we don't know what lies up ahead.

[It's not meant to be chiding, or anything like that. More Camilla's overprotective streak speaking again.]

[azumods]

[Good to know.

You guys might want to keep an eye on your Pokémon. Not like they're going to be eaten or anything; it's just that they're going to start acting...a little differently, the closer you get to that cavern.]

[anythingforyou]

As long as we all stay close, we should be able to get through this cave with little problem.

[since we're all so prepped for this]

[semistableman]

[He'll notice right away; he's paranoid and hyper-aware. What kind of behavior are we talking about here?]

[hyruglyphics]

[ Different how? Zelda's got Lickitung in the ball but Miphanus the Beldum is floating behind her as usual. Such is the Beldum's lot in life. ]

[hyruglyphics]

[ But exploration! ... The fact that the lake seems to be ... not really a lake does have her worried? But she nods and smiles all the same. ]

Of course, Camilla.

[anythingforyou]

[...oh god, how...differently are we talking, here.

Camilla's got Arion out, but. Hopefully it's not something too terrible?]

[perfectselfie]

I've got one, and I think Kokoro's electricity can make light if we need more.

[takestheblame]

[Both Bito and Daigo are out. Kiryu is focused on walking forward, but if they're behaving too strangely he sure would notice]

[perfectselfie]

[What do we mean, differently? Aya has all of hers out just in case.]

[enjoymyatelier]

[...right, he's going to try and get a notebook out to see what's going on, because there might be some weird divine influences going on here for all he knows]

[azumods]

[Any Pokémon that are out with you will, in accordance with their general nature or personality, begin displaying a sense of fear or trepidation; it isn't overwhelming, they aren't straight-up terrified and unless they're particularly skittish they won't bolt, but they will start seeming visibly nervous or displeased with the idea of going in there and whatever's about to come as a result.]

[azumods]

[Well, it's something like...]

[azumods]

[Godspeed, Arion.]