The Heart of the Forest

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

Who: Ceilto, Lux Crownguard, Yukiko Amagi, Eiji Hino, Estelle Bright, Sinbad, Haruka Tenou, Rise Kujikawa, Domri Rade, Right Suzuki
Where: The West Wildwoods Ruins
When: Two days after this announcement.
What: Adventure calls! The Seekers and friends respond.

The path to the ruins itself had already proven difficult. Stopping off at Refuge along the way for a chat with the natives, the intrepid explorers had delved deep into the underground passageways to seek their destination, the route above ground proving to be impassable due to the thick, gnarled trees and overgrown brambles. A few lanterns and liberal usage of Flash had helped guide their way, and eventually, several hours and a half-dozen stray Rock- and Ground-types later, they had finally emerged into an enormous cavern...

Ceilto increases the power of his Flash as he whistles.

"Look at that."

A hulking edifice of collapsed metal and rock stretches out before them... It appears to have once been a tower of some sort, though the upper layers are no longer visible.

"Alright, folks. Here's where we split. Lux and Estelle, you guys are the senior Seekers here, so I'm putting you in charge. Yukiko, Sinbad, you're with Lux. Rise, Eiji, Right, go with Estelle. Domri and Haruka, you're with me. There are entrances on three sides: Lux, take the center, Estelle, you go right."

Which, of course, leaves him with left. With a wave, Ceilto beckons his group forward.

"Anything happens, blow the whistle."

[Tags will come per the once every 24 hours rule! Also, please list your party when you respond.]

Comments

Lux, Yukiko, Sinbad

[bravenewmods]

[The center entrance leads into a large, open space that seems to be in relatively good condition. The many layers of the tower can be seen from here - some standing quite well, others with obvious gaps and holes in the center. The staircase leading up is directly before them, though there seem to be exits to each side as well.]

[frozenflame]

[Yukiko peers into the gloom, adjusting her glasses and swallowing once. Oh dear. That...was pretty intense. This whole thing was. But she'd signed up for this, and she wasn't going to run away now. She dropped to one knee and ran a hand along Cassandra's back, the Absol chirping nervously. She'd grown up down here...and she could tell something crazy and weird was probably going to happen. That was just how these things went...]

So, which way do we go Lux?

[ooc: Yukiko has with her: Absol, Venusaur, Chansey, Machoke, and the legendary outlaw Snor-Lord.]

[conquerorofwaves]

[Sinbad follows after, his tail swaying lazily behind him as he examines the area around them trying to get a feel for their surroundings as Focalor lands on his shoulders, puffing up his chest to look fierce as his other pokemon gathered close]

Stairs seem straight forward, but that's not always the right way - I'm fine wherever you choose.

(ooc: Sinbad has with him: Growlithe, Dragonair, Rufflet, and Eevee)

[ladyofluminosity]

The obvious answer isn't always the right one. Still, it's a good place to start.

[ Ruby the Ninetales and Priscila the Mismagius hovering close by, the former adding a bit more light to their surroundings. ]

Help mark the trail as we go, on the right side. It will help us find our way back, if we get lost or separated. Shall we, then?

[ Lux and company move toward the staircase, waiting for the others to follow. ]

[[OOC: Dragonite, Venusaur, Scizor, Mismagius and Ninetales]]

[conquerorofwaves]

Of course. Also a good way to see if we're dealing with any kind of mischief.

[He's generally good at finding his way, but he realizes others aren't, so it wouldn't hurt]

Furfur, you're on marking duty, got it?

Roger Dodger!

[bravenewmods]

[As they begin to make their way up the stairs, they may, perhaps, take a moment to marvel at their surroundings. There's an eerie sort of beauty about this tower: high above, cracks in the ceiling allow golden light to seep through, pooling in certain spots and illuminating crumbling piles of rock or fallen beams, arranged in an almost artistic manner. Vines and brambles have crept their way down as well, twining down the walls and staircases. Here and there, they blossom with surprisingly lovely golden flowers, delicate and fragile in their dangerous environs.

Their footsteps echo dully as they progress. It is a place forgotten by time... Simultaneously a relic of the past and a promise of what might lie in their future.

...Alright, moment's over.

In more practical matters, the second floor appears to be relatively sturdy. There is a decaying sign nearby with script that only a scholar of the ancient language might be able to decipher accompanied by odd symbols. Three interlocking ovals point right. A black silhouette of a man with an X points left. Yellow script on a black background, all in capital letters, is accompanied by the numeral 5.

In the meantime, there are three openings on this floor if they choose to pick one at random: one left, one right, one all the way on the other side. They can also continue upwards if they wish.]

[frozenflame]

[Practical matters indeed. Yukiko and Cassandra both look down each path and frown. The letters she can't read, she's no old-language scholar, but that doesn't stop her from flicking on a small fire-light and setting one wisp to drift down each hallway, and another to each sign to illuminate them.]

Huh. I...can either of you read the Old Language? Because I can't, and this is probably pretty important.

[conquerorofwaves]

[He shook his head]

Tried to learn a bit, but never found a good method - but these pictograms...

[Sinbad frowns slightly as he examines them as the Rufflet squawks a little]

And X and man? I think it means Do not go that way... but I have no idea what the ovals are - some kind of flower?

[bravenewmods]

[The sign does not change terribly much upon further illumination. The hallways are long and sturdy, both ending in closed doors.]

Estelle, Rise, Eiji, Right?

[bravenewmods]

[The right portion emerges into a narrow hallway that seems to snake behind the main entrance area. A sad-looking, broken down door faces them with a sign with a large red X. Obviously meant for 'do not enter'.]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[That had certainly been a trip. It was nice to get to the cavern and he spends a few moments staring up at what used to be a tower before he quickly heads off with his group. Upon reaching the door, he frowns, getting a better look.]

Certainly not ominous or anything.

[lunchleader]

[Quite the trip indeed. It's Right's first time into the area of Refuge, and he's just seeing it as another adventure. He's even with some of the same people he was with the last time he explored some ruins. Considering that they walked away with some nifty knowledge and hardly any injuries, Right considers that to be a good thing.]

Nah, not really. Let's see what's behind it, huh?

[His humming Cherubi nods in agreement from her perch on his shoulder. The rest of his Pokemon, however, don't look so sure about that. In fact, his Lucario's looking at Right like "Are you sure that's a good idea?" It's not that they don't trust Right's leadership...they just know him very well by now.]

((OOC: Right has his Cherubi, Lucario, Herdier, Roggenrola, and Oddish.))

[celebrity_commentator]

[Rise nods, standing in the middle of the group behind her glowing Starmie.]

Let me take a look behind there with my abilities first. I don't want to get ambushed by Geodude number forty-seven thousand.

[She closes her eyes and reaches out with her senses, trying to get a feel for what Pokémon or other hostiles might be through the broken-down door.]

((Team: Espeon, Starmie, Blissey, Gardevoir, Altaria))

[brandnewshoes]

[OOC: Estelle's team is Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise. AW YEAH.]

Yeah, I'm all for not getting bitten by the big bad door.

[...]

Metaphorically bitten.

[bravenewmods]

[Psychic scanning initiated.

Rise will sense nothing whatsoever alive behind that door. ...Nothing dead and still moving, either. It seems that their situation is quiet for the moment.]

[underwearfortomorrow]

[Eiji will wait patiently for whatever it is Rise picks up.]

Good news?

[Eiji's team is Talonflame, Glaceon, Pumpkaboo, Aerodactyl, Mamoswine.]

[lunchleader]

[Right's also waiting...though not as patiently, if the rocking back and forth is any indication.]

So...can we open it yet?

Ceilto, Domri, Haruka

[bravenewmods]

[The final group finds themselves on a path heading even further downwards, into what must once have been the basement of this tower. It becomes cold and damp extremely quickly, and Ceilto takes the lead with his light.]

Thought I'd take you two since you're both new to this.

See anything suspicious, ask me before touching it. These old places are usually haunted and the ghosts love to set traps all over the place.

[actsmagnificent]

[ Haruka has ruins-diving experience, but admitting as much would blow her cover. Instead she naturally gravitates to the back of the group, keeping an eye on both her surroundings (what little of them are visible) and her companions. Her Rotom buzzes at her side, while her Reuniclus floats behind all of them, silent. ] Must get lonely.

[ She checks the walls as they pass, looking for markings - and the ceiling as soon as the light illuminates it. They can't be too cautious when they're underground. ]

[radeonthecity]

[Team is Zigzagoon, Spinarak, Scyther, Growlithe, and Charmeleon, all of which are currently summoned.

Domri has his own light source hanging around his neck, and is generally keeping an eye out for anything interesting or noteworthy as he walks in the middle of the group. His Zigzagoon is certainly very excited to be here, but the others seem kind of neutral about it.]

There are always other Pokémon to talk to, so it can't get too lonely.

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

You'd think they'd run out of things to say after a while.

'Drain any souls today?'

'Nope, you?'

'Nah. Kinda dry for the last 25 years. Think we should move somewhere else?'

'But what if they come tomorrow? What if?'

[He pauses.]

Actually, if they had that conversation yesterday, things are probably working out for them. ...Not that we intend to cooperate.

[Ceilto glances back briefly at Team Small Mammals and Bugs.]

Watch the footing. It's steep here.

[Haruka will find that the walls and ceiling are too degraded to have sustained any sort of markings other than water damage and gouges.]

...Hm.

Come to think of it, it's a bit weird. ...If this tower is already underground, doesn't that mean... it collapsed into its own basement?

[actsmagnificent]

Then what's that make this? [ It's still open. They can still walk in it. That is suspicious.

She watches her footing as requested. Her Rotom, however, wanders ahead. Going slow is boring! ]

[radeonthecity]

Why does it matter? The important thing is to find interesting stuff in here!

[Domri doesn't watch his footing and instead drags the butt of his spear against the floor to slow his sudden descent, having to move fast enough that he ends up darting past Ceilto before he can manage to stop, but avoiding an embarrassing tumble.]

[bnw_wighty_npcs]

Domri!

[Ceilto snaps as the boy darts past, his voice a mixture of concern and irritation. He grabs at his... bare shoulders and mostly misses, since he was expecting a shirt.

Good thing he recovered on his own.]

Don't do that. More important than finding interesting stuff is being able to walk out the door with all your limbs still attached.

[Their voices are echoing more disconcertingly loudly as they descend.]

...Secret basement beneath the basement? Or maybe they just dug such a huge basement that it collapsed in on itself when it was abandoned.

Does seem... older than the rest of it.

[The path here is rock, with no sign of the metal of the tower above. Up ahead, Rotom will find that their descent eventually ends after another half-dozen spirals around. A small door bars the way, only about 5' in height.]

[actsmagnificent]

Rrrrrr. [ Rotom is dismayed to find its path blocked, choosing to whirr around the door in confused circles rather than report back to Haruka. Who doesn't like all the noise the group is making, though she is glad to see Ceilto - and by extension the Seekers - do know what they're doing. ] Ssh.

[ She mentally calls her Rotom back and sends Reuniclus to the fore. He knows a lot of defensive moves which might be useful if the door's booby-trapped.

....and he's also small. Which is good, because Haruka is not fitting comfortably through said door anytime soon. ] Keep to the sides.