The Battle for Caldera

[bravenewmods]

The time for action is at hand, and the players have been set in place. Those who choose to make an attempt at diplomacy head off at the appointed time to meet with Valeria, the clerk and representative of the general who leads the Gigas army. Those who wish to take more direct action against Gigas leave with General Ironbrand to put their plans into motion. In the meantime, the refugees continue to stream into Union, while supplies are gathered and flow the other way.

The outcome of this war may very well depend on the combined results of these four efforts…

((This log will be a catch-all for all four efforts of the attempt to save Caldera. There will be four different parts of this post: Diplomacy, Aggression, Refugees, and Supplies. The first two should be well established, but the Refugees portion will encompass bringing those in Caldera who require help to Union and giving them medical aid and care, while the Supplies portion will encompass people in Union setting up shelters and gathering resources to send back to Caldera, as well as other miscellaneous tasks that may be of help. Gathering resources may entail leaving Union to explore out in other areas. You all signed up for groups, so please try to maintain these groups when posting, particularly to the Diplomacy and Aggression sections. The other two may be more free-form.

Mods will be responding at least once every 24 hours to keep the logs moving.

EDIT 5/31: Please try to group up if possible! We'll generally try to wait for threads to have 2-3 people before we jump in. Threads with 3+ may attract the attention of something a little more... interesting.))

Comments

[incousinswithyou]

[because of their MISSION, obviously. And huh. Guess it did take offense to their swiping everything. Not that she's about to give any of it back or anything.]

And just who was your Master? [perfunctory smile.]

[bravenewmods]

[Too late! Lotad has bounced around a corner, but thank you mysterious laughter he thinks they are silly, too.

When Squid Girl and Melaka catch up, they will find Lotad waiting patiently in front of a small alleyway.]

[makeitquick]

[ Well, Melaka's fear here is that this is a trainer's pokémon. Stealing the water for the purpose of getting it to the Gigas lines or something. But then she realizes, it could be leading them into a trap. She frowns, and then taps her warp band, to summon up Lurks the Croagunk and Slugger the Donphan, and orders them back to where they started from, with the water reserve. Just in case.

So then she makes her way to follow the Lotad to the allwyway ]

[ingoodhans]

Correct. With Union's own unique technology, we're able to quickly send soldiers in and out of our "backwater city," to continue to support Caldera for the foreseeable future. Attacks like the one your men reported will continue, unless we can reach an agreement we're all satisfied with.

[ Two can play condescending, Valeria. Though Hans delivers his whole bit with a smile. ]

Now, we're all sensible people here. Why not hear us out, so we can put an end to this fighting? Agree to a treaty with Caldera, and Gigas will have not only a share of their resources but fewer casualties all around. You'd be saving lives.

[toxicrevenger]

[She'd considered feigning surprise, but then Hans spoke up and it's actually more satisfying to see some of Valeria's condescension turned back on her.]

Saving lives and avoiding a waste of precious time and resources. Our technology can't even be used by anyone who isn't a Unionite. Warp technology is interconnected with our Enlightened abilities.

[It's probably best to make sure that it's established early on that stealing the warp technology would be an exercise in futility for Gigas.]

So really, we can keep aiding the people of Caldera for quite some time. Ideally, we'd like to establish an arrangement that's agreeable to all parties. Caldera is prepared to part with a few of their iron deposits, provided that Gigas withdraws their military forces and recognizes them as an independent nation.

[meguriau]

Am I?

[ He isn't sure about that, and he's actually sounding concerned about it. ]

None of my Pokemon are over level 20.

Posting since it has been past the 24-hour mark.

[bravenewmods]

[ The trainer with the Mienshao was hit with the hypnosis and fell to the ground with the Mienshao falling asleep after due to the Sleep Powder. One of the soldiers, while not the owner of a Pokemon currently out, was not quick enough like the remainder of the soldiers and fell asleep. The others managed to use evasive actions so they weren't hit.

From those that managed to avoid taking a nap one of them sneered before telling the others to go into "Formation E" and to call for some reinforcements. A formation triangle was formed and, doing their best to ignore the Misty Terrain, closed in to attack directly. But not before telling the Golem to use Rollout at the group. ]

[crimson_pinnacle]

They'll just be happy to stretch their legs. Being at the habitat or training with me all the times gets boring.

[Ribbons huffs, sitting and scratching at it's chin. Red looks over to Kanji with a smile.]

Well hey, you need some help? sometimes you can develop problems, but they usually can be solved, and without you to make something of our findings, what good would they be?

[He turns back to Lucas and adjusts his hat.]

But we may need to get some findings first, don't let me hold you up!

[mightofdemacia]

[From his position, Garen clearly can't aid with the men actually manning the engine, but he has bigger things to worry about. Eckhard manages to avoid Earth Power thanks to it's intangibility, but Cable the Magneton takes the hit hard, stuttering and retorting by emitting Metal Sound and preparing Flash Cannon. Having to dismount roughly, Garen is also hurt by the shifting plates around them, and it will make it hard to keep the chase going, so he rises, dismissing Lorelei, and summoning in her place his other two Pokemon; Loring the Breloom, and Alexandria the Mawile.]

Use Taunt! Enough of this foolishness! Lock them into battle! Attack that canine Pokemon!

[She also obliges by using Sweet Scent. Loring moves immediately, opening with Mach Punch and following with Force Palm when it has an opportunity. Rhiannon the Rapidash starts locking the Stoutland as well with Fire Spin. Eckhard the Doublade flies into action by using Shadow Sneak to try and mitigate some of the Ponyta.]

[bravenewmods]

My master is the lord of this domain, the master of earth and the bringer of flame and destruction. He rules this land, and abides yet to mete out suitable punishment should the arrogance of humans again come to bear. I ask again, by what right do you so desecrate his shrine?

[rejected_trash]

Show that lump a real Rollout!

[A masked Donphan thuds into view, and following his strict training, uses Defense Curl and then Rollout, it should be quite the show when the two Pokemon crash into eachother.

Sync's Crobat flies up, firing Confuse Ray into their precious formation, as does a Ninetails from the ground, and they are joined by a Luxray...that doesn't know Confuse Ray, but instead Swagger. Of course Sync can only stay up so long on his wings, and vaults off his Talonflame to the ground so he can start preparing Razor Wind.]

[ourlegends]

[ Plus with this many nerds in the group, they wouldn't get lost! Duke and Dhaos seemed to know what they were doing, anyway.

Hilda really can't do anything but keep quiet, though, because she just. Doesn't have anything to contribute to this. Let the smart people do the talking, she'll just help where she can.

It's unusual for her to be so quiet, though, and Sam can definitely see it. For sure see it. He keeps nuzzling his friend. ]

[bnw_void_npcs]

[Valeria draws herself up to speak, her expression hard and indignant but several more men, all in nondescript clothing sidle up respectfully. The first one steps forward and whispers something to her, followed by the second, followed by the third, down the line. Her expression grows progressively more sour. She then clears her throat, her expression suddenly sunny.]

In light of these recent revelations and out of respect for the wishes of the City of Union, Gigas will withdraw. For the moment. We accept that your Enlightened and Warp technology are quite formidable, though why you choose to side with rebels we will not understand. We shall work to arrange a meeting at a later date to resolve these lingering issues. Good day.

[She turns with a huff and walks away, her scouts and her soldiers in lockstep behind her.]

[ladyofluminosity]

(OOC Note: Acting a bit on Spark's behalf to get this going.)

[Ruby and Patrick are brought off their footing by the Earth Power, the former managing out an Ember before falling over and Patrick... Well, Patrick takes it like a boss, as if he meant to stumble over, by trying to direct as much of his weight of impact into the front troops. He even uses Growth for extra added umph.

Doyle, seeing an opening for Spark, makes a gambit, and somewhat of a dickish one at that. Casting a glance back at his Venusaur partner, he waits until Spark is at the engine to revert back to Zoroark form, using U-Turn to swap with him and Patrick as he falls from the air. If anyone happens to be in the general vicinity, they'll have a hulking flower lizard landing on them and immediately thrashing about himself with Vine Whip. His intent is to both try to injure those around the siege engine, as well as, with one of his vines, help to hold the thing somewhat in place for the Rotom.

Now was Spark's chance!]

[myfedorarocks]

[It's probably wise that Flemming had continued to choose not to speak, but at the moment he can't help but feel somewhat smug. The warp bands were a unique technology, and the Enlightened were something that Gigas didn't have control over.

He keeps his hands clasped politely behind his back.]

[threemoms]

[ That sounds pretty bad. Impressive, yes, but scary.

Meting out punishments for the arrogance of humans? That line struck a chord with her, for some reason. But she didn't have time to worry about that.

She was sure to keep herself between this Pokémon and her Litwick. She spared a glance to Haruka and Michiru - what were they supposed to do now? It was only a glance, though, before she put her full attention back on this Pokémon, wary of any moves it might make. ]

[thefloorislava]

[Lea now has his hand clamped firmly over Sharky's snout to prevent any further disasters. Sharky mumbles something like an apology through Lea's hand. Lea himself holds his breath and wishes for a shadow to melt into, though the midday sun keeps that from being a possibility.

Robin begins to panic a bit, not used to this sort of pressure and scrutiny. Large illusions covering multiple targets were usually pulled off by an entire pack and not just one fox. As such, the illusion wavers a bit, like a mirage]

[threemoms]

[ Watching, there wasn't much for Hotaru to do, especially in the back. The best she could do was puff up, try to look menacing. She was an Absol, after all. Maybe a small one, but Absols were known to be fairly fearsome.

So against the enemies they were facing, she exerted her Pressure. It wasn't much, but it was all she could do. ]

[willbethebest]

As the soldiers aimed upwards, no less than five Wukongs descended from the trees. Three aimed to land on the shoulders of the soldiers and wrap their arms and legs around the poor humans' heads. One popped off to start detaching the ponytas from the wagons. The last landed nimbly on top of one soldier's head, from which he lashed out at two of his neighbors with a foot to the right and a fist to the left.

Which one the REAL Wukong was is an exercise left to the imagination, but the other four were simple clones that would vanish in a puff of smoke at any solid hit.

[stahlflugel]

Success! With the carts overturned, Napoleon can get to work feasting on their delicious insides. He wolfs down supplies greedily. Most of the bullets glance off, or embed themselves in his rock-hard scales. However, one of the rifle bullets catches him in a patch of unarmored skin, and he lets out a roar of pain as red blood blossoms over blue skin. Napoleon whirls, hoping to catch a few of the soldiers with his tail in the process, and grabs one of them by the rifle, destroying it with a powerful Crunch.

Eren blocks the onslaught with his wings, the only real solid steel on his body that he could use that way. Time for some Agility to move away from the targets slightly.

"COVER YOUR EARS!" he yells out in Pokémon to his companions. Then? A horrible screeching Metal Sound, like nails on so many chalkboards.

[meguriau]

[ Roxas was this close to wanting to teleport away to someplace that was hopefully safer. But even though he can get away from doing that after putting his Pokemon back in the Warp Band he wasn't going to do with to Lea.

So instead he follows what Lea does and also holds his breath hoping that Robin can hold up for just a bit longer. ]

[bravenewmods]

The sudden, ferocious onslaught scatters the soldiers, with several of them doubling over from poison or from the harsh sound Eren is emitting. Several of the Ponyta jerk away and start running with their riders, but three of the mounted soldiers manage to maintain their compusre and hurl Pokeballs into the air, which open to reveal a Kadabra, Houndoom and Haunter.

[bravenewmods]

[The Captain regards the illusory field with suspicion, before taking the butt of his rifle and swinging it down, as luck would have it right at Lea's face.]

[airguitarist]

"Heads up, these guys have got their own Pokémon out!" Nero shouted over the din in Pokémon once he'd gotten his fingers out of his ears and poked his head out from where he'd taken cover amongst the food and supplies.

He shamelessly stuffed his giant mouth with some of the meat as he shoved his way out of the cart, before looking down at the new Pokémon. He wasn't too tall as a Pokémon, but he had the advantage of looking tough and being on an elevated platform. "If you guys don't want 'em, I'm keeping them all to myself. But if you'd like to join in, I'm starting with that Houndoom."

Then he emphasized that statement by jumping down to the ground and kicking dirt in the overlarge dog's face with a Sand-Attack, then following up with a Sand Tomb. He had no plan whatsoever, but who the hell needed plans?

[fistfullofmagic]

[Dhaos absently hums in approval at Aster's suggestion. The boy's points are all logical, and it's certainly more sensible to attempt to find things closer to Union first to speed the process of getting necessary supplies to Caldera.]