[ACTION | Caverns Expedition Log]

[antiseptic]

Log Deputy: Rei antiseptic and Charles makeitquick
Participating Characters: Jade Curtiss, Imogen Moreno, Flynn, Chris Ramirez, Ezreal, Melaka Fray, William Flemming, Varun "Banzu" Elmas, Eren Jaeger, Armin Arlert, Elhaym van Houten (Elly), Ondorus Univir, Lux Crownguard...possibly more! Feel free to gatecrash the party at any time.
Plot Description: A group of intrepid explorers set out in search of an iron mine. Things probably don't go as expected.
Warnings/Notes: Possible violence?

QUICK LINKS: Pre-exploration mingling | Travel | Arrival at Caverns | Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3

Overview:
At 6AM, the group will be meeting at the city gates, where there'll be some time for mingling and last minute emergencies before they set off.

The group will travel east through the Verdant Forest for around half a day before reaching the Caverns. It will be freezing with a few flurries of snowfall. Try not to get lost! Or disturb hibernating Pokemon, for that matter.

At the Caverns, Jade will split everyone up into three groups. Group 1 will consist of Elly, Eren, Armin, Ondorus, Chris. Group 2 will be Jade, Melaka, Banzu, Flynn. Group 3 is Imogen, Ezreal, Flemming, and Lux. These groups aren't fixed, and characters are free to protest and try move around! Ideally, each group will end up with at least 4 members just for safety's sake.

Aaand after that, the exploration begins! At first there'll be nothing but caves and tunnels, but it shouldn't take very long for that to change...


Misc notes: Feel free to go wild with thread-jacking! The mods recommend not strictly enforcing a post order since things will probably stall that way. Also, if anyone wants a random wild Pokemon bonding encounter going in the mountains during any of this, just respond to the Map post as usual!

If you need to ask any questions, the quickest way to get in touch with me will be through PMs.

Comments

[indy_wannabe]

Ezreal and Spark nod at each other and dodge out of the way of the ice, launching a wave of electricity in both directions, not targeting the Pokemon but trying to make it unwise to move into the area. Meanwhile, Prickly and Scout, lay out some Confusion and Hypnosis, again not necessarily targeting everyone but trying to make a "no move zone".

"STOP!"

[ladyofluminosity]

Lux and Camille would follow suit, each locking a small group down with snares and a well-placed Thunder Wave attack. Raising her tail, the rocks around Onix began to float, quickly launching themselves at either group and stopping just short, acting as a barrier between the two.

[outtahere]

[Well, it was worth a shot.

'Kay. Thanks anyway.

He goes to break the link, not seeing any reason to keep holding the Pokémon up from whatever it was doing.]

[bravenewmods]

[Hey. Hey man. Dude. Bro.

Did you try these rock salts?

They're WILD.]

[outtahere]

[Well that certainly wasn't anything that Banzu was expecting to "hear". His finger hovers over the disconnect switch and he continues to walk in silence for a few seconds while he debates whether or not to respond. He finally settles on being reasonably polite and moves his finger away from the switch.

I haven't. Humans can't eat rocks.]

[bravenewmods]

[Awww that's a shaaaaame dude. Real shame.

Banzu may notice it's a bit wobbly as it moves]

[outtahere]

[He notices the wobbliness.

Doesn't look like it'd be that good.]

[bravenewmods]

[It's amaaaaaazing.

So uh. Dude.

Why are you all.

Pink and purple?]

[outtahere]

[Banzu successfully obtains two samples and keeps one out of view of the others for a moment before pulling out a notebook and some basic field testing equipment. He compares the results with what he'd previously written down and shakes his head.]

Doesn't look like this is iron ore. Ain't like it would've been enough even if it was.

[He starts putting everything back in his pack, including the samples.]

[outtahere]

[Yeah. Can't be good.]

[bravenewmods]

[Carbink is going to stagger into Banzu and pass out. Congratulations you bonded with a Carbink?

It's level 15, you may decide the rest of the attributes]

[outtahere]

...

[It would be easy to just leave it here until it woke up and keep moving. No skin off his nose if something happened to it.

...

What the hell. Maybe he can get it to owe him a favor or something. Or maybe some researcher will owe him - he's never seen one of these Pokémon before, so maybe it's one that no one else has either. He can always give it the boot later.

He transports it to the habitat, the sound causing the rest of his traveling companions to look over their shoulders at its source.]

Don't ask.

[for_realsies]

Imogen, finally able to see again, sticks close to the Onix for the moment. "Hey, I know we've just met and all, but can you ask the other ones from the caves to hold back, I'll try talking to the icey ones over there. Something pushed them from their home. Something bad. Oh, and tell them to definitely not attack the bear that needs to come out and help me."

She really hopes Lux's new friend will do this part of Imogen's negotiations. Imogen walks towards the icey ones, just shy of the barriers Lux and Ez have set up, waving Coldwave out of hiding at the edges of the battlefield, "Help me talk to these guys, okay?" The Cubchoo wanders over to Imogen rather quickly. She doesn't know any of the ice types personally but has seen them all around the high peaks. "Guys, I know it's bad at home, but you don't need to attack the locals. What is it you really need right now, and maybe we can work something out?"

[antiseptic]

Do you have any idea what it could be?

NPC

[antiseptic]

The sudden emergence of so many strange abilities throw the Pokemon into chaos. The attacks grind to a halt, with many Pokemon freezing in place and looking around in confusion, some of them glaring and growling at the group. Those capable of reading Pokemon thoughts will know that they are wondering if the humans are a greater threat, and a few are prepared to attack.

Thankfully, Imogen's words are enough to placate some of the ice Pokemon, at least for the moment. One Snorunt explains, clearly afraid, Big storm! Ice and snow everywhere. Too cold. Can't see anything.

The cavern Pokemon, however, are getting restless, their anger and resentment an almost palpable presence in the air.

[outtahere]

No. Only copied down info 'bout ores, so it could be something someone knows about already but I ain't heard of. Got a sample for the labs though, so someone can test it there and figure out what it is.

[He closes up his pack and stands, strapping it on his back again.]

[indy_wannabe]

Hey, c'mon guys, I know it's bad but we can work this out. There's plenty of cave to go around, no need to be fighting over it!

[ladyofluminosity]

Onix will do as she's directed, relaying the message to the other rock types fighting there. They did not need to fight, the ice types here were scared, terrified because they had been driven away from their home. There was more than enough room for both groups to be able to coexist for the time being.

NPC

[antiseptic]

The rock types are more wary, unsure of what to make of the Onix who is keeping them in place with that floating barrier of rock. One Roggenrola hops a step forward. If Roggenrola could show emotion, this one would be clearly furious.

Intruders! They attacked us first!

[for_realsies]

"And they are really sorry about that, right?" Imogen is keeping her attention on the ice types as she talks. Hoping they can explain their actions in a way that won't lead to fighting and a cave in. As right now, from a point of view of personal safety, being in between two warring wild groups was never a smart plan.

Trying to keep objective so neither side sees them as a potential threat is a fun tightrope to be on...

[makeitquick]

This thing feels warm to me.

[ One of the red shiny stones she's picked up and has in hand. Maybe she's just imagining it though ]

NPC

[antiseptic]

We were scared, one of the Swinub confirms, quiet and apologetic.

But not all the mountain Pokemon share its sentiments. A few growl in protest. We need shelter! We have to stay in the caverns.

That is enough to aggravate the rock types again. Those able to hear Pokemon might find themselves overwhelmed by a cacophony of voices, but one thing is clear - the rock types think of this particular cave as theirs and theirs alone, and will not tolerate the ice types living here, especially when they're the one to launch the first attacks.

Unless the group acts soon, things may take a turn for the ugly as both sides grow increasingly aggressive.

[antiseptic]

We'll bring the stones to the labs for testing as well. There seem to be several types.

[They seem to glow in different colours, and the one he's picked up is teal and not particularly warm.]

For now, let's focus on finding the mine. Since there doesn't appear to be anything else we can do here, we ought to take one of the tunnels here and continue our journey.

[myfedorarocks]

He might not be able to hear what the pokemon are thinking without the use of a warp band, but he can tell that this situation is getting bad. The engineer might have a lot of affection for ice types, but it didn't seem wise to appear to pick sides at the moment. Instead, he watched warily, looking to Ezreal. "We need to be prepared to exit in a hurry."

[outtahere]

Yeah, finding iron's prolly more important. If these turn out to be good for anything someone can always come back for 'em.