Descent

[bravenewmods]

Iron Mines:
The trip to the eastern mountains is punctuated by the continuing aftershocks. After each one, it may be tempting to glance back at Union to see if any of the towers have fallen yet. The expedition parties move with incredible speed, knowing that the fate of their City hangs on the line.

When they reach the mountains, guided by the coordinates given of the 'strange radio signal', the parties will find that many of the normal entrances and routes have been blocked by cave-ins. In contrast, however, a gaping hole has opened up where none existed before. As this seems to be the easiest way to gain access, the parties slowly lower themselves in...

They will find themselves in the long-sought iron mines.

But there are so many twisting turns and tunnels, it will be impossible to stay together and make any sort of progress. Each group will have to take their own paths from here...

Old City:
Each of the twelve entrances down into the Old City take a different meandering route through the ruins. Though several are blocked off by this time, there are still many potential paths to take. The state of the Old City is poor, being underground as it is, and occasional soft rumblings are certain to cause unease. As the report states, however, there is enough of an interval between quakes that it should be possible to investigate safely.

It would be unwise to venture down alone, but it is impossible, too, for everyone to stay together if they wish to make headway.

Union:
The wild Pokémon continue to come out of the Old City, though the frequency has been somewhat lessened. Rubble lines the streets and though no towers have collapsed as of yet, some seem to be dangerously close and certainly nobody should be staying inside of them. As stated, the towers in Sector 3 are the worse off and construction crews work frantically to attempt to restabilize the foundations of these buildings.

The injured are innumerable, the number of casualties is as of yet unknown, and the chaos and panic is difficult to fend off.

There is a great deal of work to be done.

((Please post below with your groups - in the first comment, please note the members of your group, where you are, and whether or not you intend to keep a threading order. Regardless of threading order, mods will be responding at least once every 24 hours to keep the event moving. Groups should be three to four people in size.

At this time, all characters entering the iron mines will be able to choose to bond with a free extra Pokemon listed under 'Cavern' in the Map and Wild Pokemon post. Please respond there if you intend to make use of this. Characters who have already claimed a free Old City Pokemon may not do so.))

Comments

[reborn_love]

[Elly shakes her head at Jade, then she grimaces -- and ducks under one rock, backing up. Another lands near Vierge, who bolts back towards the wall. Elly lets ut a sodt grunt, then she looks up at the Carbink.]

We're just trying to get through! We won't hurt you!

[It's worth a shot. She's still considering; none of her abilities can break through the barrier in a timely fashion, though, she thinks.]

[antiseptic]

[Jade takes a step backward, just enough to avoid the rocks, surprised that the Pokemon could understand their human speech - or perhaps they're simply reacting to the sounds of their conversation.]

[He taps his chin thoughtfully, turning to Melaka as Elly tries to reassure the Pokemon. Keeping his voice low, he says:]

It's a valid strategy, assuming our goal is to get past the Pokemon.

[As it is, he wonders if the Carbink would have information for them. But he'll let Melaka think that over on her own.]

[makeitquick]

[ Being as how she was up front, she ended up being pummeled by some of the rocks. She put her arms up in a defense position and opted to just take it rather than dodge. Which does result in some cuts and bruises, but with her healing, they should heal enough anyway.

So when Elly steps up, she steps back. ... Oh ]

None of us can talk with 'em. Guess we we had any psychic interpreters.

[bravenewmods]

[The Carbink seem unconvinced by Elly's heartfelt pleas and seem content to toss rocks until they leave. The one continues to use Raspberry.]

[antiseptic]

No, but perhaps we can use the Warp Bands to communicate.

[reborn_love]

[Elly frowns at that, backing up more, before one of those rocks hits her.]

Ah... that's a good idea, sir! [She nods.] We may all want to try. Maybe one of us will appeal to them more.

[makeitquick]

[ Problem: One of the rocks hit her square in the fact. Blood trickles out of her lip, and she snarls a bit, but holds herself back from attacking the rock things. ... Her Phantump does not, and launches a Confuse Ray at the whole group as best it's able. Hopefully that won't cause a problem. ]

[myfedorarocks]

[Flemming jerks at the Phantump's move as a rock hits him, causing him to take a step back. Edwin himself is getting agitated, pawing at the ground.]

w-wait a second! Elly's got a good idea.

[bravenewmods]

[Phantump, of course, has managed to smack the one blowing raspberries with the Confuse Ray because karma works out that way. It wobbles around in place for a few moments as rocks go flying haphazardly around it; the other four Carbink cluster around it in concern and make more angry muffled noises through the Reflect.

Diplomacy doesn't seem to be a strong point here.]

[antiseptic]

[He seems unfazed by Phantump's sudden move, even if he's actually mildly annoyed. Still, the situation isn't entirely unsalvageable.]

If we intend to try, now would be an excellent time to do so.

[He's already readying his Warp Band, but at the same time also preparing to send out a psychic attack. Just in case.]

[reborn_love]

Let's try, then.

[Elly nods, then she holds her band out -- and waits a couple moments, to synch with the others. A blast of light fires out for the Carbink that's making a raspberry at them.]

[antiseptic]

[He acts a second after Elly does, aiming for a different Carbink, trying to communicate their goodwill and remorse for the actions of the Phantump.]

[bravenewmods]

[Elly will receive no particularly useful response from the Carbink aside from a headache, given that it's still in the throes of Phantump's poorly timed Confuse Ray.

Jade's attempt is marginally more successful, though what he'll pick up on is an intense amount of indignation and displeasure.

They don't belong here.

Besides, it's too dangerous for anything to go up ahead.]

[makeitquick]

[ Ugh. Mel has now recovered enough to set her nose back into place, and while she's got some blood to show for it, she can bonk Sneak on the back of the head before following their lead and shooting her own warp beam out. Even if she personally just wants to beat them all up and move on.

Which may or may not project over ]

[bravenewmods]

[The third Carbink seems slightly more hesitant. This one is not a leader; it only does as it is commanded. Its heart may be more easily swayed, but then, it also has little sway of its own over the others.

What do they even want?]

[antiseptic]

[Danger? What sort of danger? He'll also try to send soothing, placating emotions towards them as he asks.]

[bravenewmods]

[Jade will hear the distant echoes of a resounding cry that's suddenly cut off by a roar and a dull squelching noise. This memory is accompanied by a flare of anger from the Carbink he's communicating with.

That sort of danger.

Whatever they were doing here, they needed to leave.]

[reborn_love]

[Elly frowns at that, then she looks at Jade. She hesitates.]

Sir, the only way through this route might be forcing our way... I don't like that, but...

[Sometimes it's necessary.]

[antiseptic]

Perhaps so, but we may be running headlong into even greater danger. [Whatever it is that managed to completely crush a mountain Pokemon must be quite powerful. In which case, they'd have enough to deal with without a group of angry Carbink on their heels.] Let's try some more diplomacy first.

[He'll address the Carbink again: Perhaps we can help eliminate that danger. If you would just let us through...]

[makeitquick]

[ Okay, so this one is hesitant that she hooked up to. You know what, she taps a fist into her palm and.

Gonna convince the others to let us through? The implication being that they will get through anyway if it doesn't.

... Intimidation, basically ]

[bravenewmods]

[Jade's Carbink scoffs. As if they didn't know they were dangers in and of themselves. The mines had been peaceful until the day creatures like them had showed up. Then everything went to hell.

Melaka's Carbink looks frightened at this before it begins to glance around uncertainly. The Reflect would hold, right? Well, it only lasted a few turns but if they just kept layering them on each other there's no way they would get through. They might as well just try to find another route... It's not like this is the only way past...

Elly's Carbink will recover from its Confusion after this. .........Elly will receive the mental equivalent of a raspberry which mostly involves ha-ha! ha-ha! repeated over and over.

But the remaining two Carbink suddenly begin to squeak! ...And in the distance, the rumbling of the earth can be heard... Accompanied by a faint roar.

The lead Carbink suddenly stiffens and cries out a few orders. In the blink of an eye, the Carbinks scatter down a side passageway, leaving the exploration party stuck behind the Reflects awaiting whatever it was to come.

The roar grows louder and the rumbling gets stronger.

((Gonna try and speed things up a bit!))

[antiseptic]

[At least the Carbink are gone. First thing, though, they'll have to dismantle the Reflect in their way. It'll be a hindrance if there's a fight coming up.]

I'll send Duskull to see what's coming. The rest of us should focus on destroying this barrier.

[A quick command later and Duskull phases through the barrier, turning invisible as he does so, floating silently towards the source of the rumbling.]

[makeitquick]

[ Oh and she was just making progress. But if there's a barrier in her way, she is going to start to punch it, to break it open. Yes, a special attack might be better, but she's a fighting type... ]

[antiseptic]

[Although Jade is more proficient in special attacks, he isn't sure how to take apart the barrier using his powers. He's keen to try, but in the interests of saving time, he has Sandshrew help out by striking the barrier with rocks and fast, powerful slashes of its claws, while he summons his spear out of nowhere and repeatedly slams the butt of it against the Reflect.]

[reborn_love]

I can help, sir.

[That prompts a smile from Elly that is not exactly proud. But it's something close. She raises a hand -- and a few fireballs hurl from her hand and above it. Then, ice shards began flying after; a few bolts of lightning follow.]

[Spellcasting, GO.]