[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

[ladyofluminosity]

[Lux stops, looking around. Why was the ground suddenly moving, and what was that scraping sound? She moves her portable light around, trying to see if she can find the source.

No, nowhere around here. It must have been further up, on the path they were taking.

Camille was not one to wait, however, already starting to slink toward the sound.]

What is tha--Camille, wait!

[Without thinking, she charges after the Dratini.]

[indy_wannabe]

Damn it! Stop you two! Don't split off from the group!

[bravenewmods]

[Camille will find that the rumbling intensifies the further she goes. At a certain point, it is obvious that the rumbling sound is coming from beyond the left side of the tunnel wall.

...It grows louder as she listens.

Clearly the intelligent thing to do is to wait for whatever it is to emerge from the wall.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[Lux hears his warnings, and pauses for a few seconds, then keeps running. She knows her Pokémon better than anyone, and that Camille can't leave well enough alone.

Camille will, in fact, stop at the wall, putting one ear-fin up to it to listen before backing up and calling to her partner. She found something!]

[indy_wannabe]

Careful now. Something's up.

[Ezreal is speaking in a low voice, trying not to draw attention]

[myfedorarocks]

[He twists around, staring at Ezreal for a moment. When he speaks, his voice is just as low.]

Come on, we can't let them go off on their own.

[bravenewmods]

[The warning is probably not totally necessary as an enormous chunk of the tunnel wall collapses at that point and a large head emerges.

....A wild Onix has appeared!

It seems as surprised as the humans probably are! Something in its tunnel routes that isn't a Pokemon? There is a brief awkward moment of silence as it stares.

...

Then comes a great shrug as it casually leans forward and opens its mouth to try and swallow Camille in one gulp. It wasn't going to say no to a nice garnish to its lunch.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[Lux stares up. And up. And up. Oh Savior, what was that, it was huge!

Neither one quite expected it to take a chomp at Camille, and the Dratini quickly scrambles away, jumping for her partner. She manages to catch her, slowly backing away. Try not to seem scared, it could probably feel her fear through the ground. That was a thing, right?]

Sorry we... we didn't mean to... disturb you...

[Maybe if she was nice it wouldn't eat all of them? For once, Camille was totally silent, hiding her head under Lux's lowered hood.]

[indy_wannabe]

[Oh boy...]

Back away slowly...

[myfedorarocks]

[He doesn't need to be told twice. He starts to back away slowly, Edwin also giving the Onix a wide berth.

When he speaks, it's very, very quiet.]

Anyone here good with Rock types?

[bravenewmods]

[The Onix eyes the group of humans. There is the vague sense that it is wondering if three of these creatures stacked up inside its gut would fit - about 15 feet of food total maybe it would be alright.

...No too much extra protein in its diet think of the indigestion

......Maybe just one human.

Onix smoothly emerges from the wall and a deep rumbling noise emerges from its mouth as it advances. It doesn't seem to be upset about being disturbed more than it is interested in the novelty.

The humongous head swings down and snorts a cloud of dust into Lux's face.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[Camille just about faints, her little Dratini life flashing in front of her eyes.

Lux... somehow holds her ground, sliding back a little, closing her eyes tightly, trying not to tremble. She takes a breath, slowly opening them again, swallowing hard, mustering up as much confidence as she can.]

We are only passing through. Looking for iron... We do not mean you any harm...

[She defaults back to her flowery speech patterns, because oh goodness she's gonna get eaten by a giant rock thing. Maybe if the others could get away in time...]

[indy_wannabe]

[While this is happening, Ez signals to Flemming to go around as he starts to edge to the side. If it attacks, they will flank it while it's focused on Lux and take it down before it has a chance to do any harm.]

[myfedorarocks]

[He follows orders, praying that Edwin is going to hold his ground. As strong as the little guy is, he's a pebble compared to the Onix. There's no way either of them could take on such a large creature.

Fortunately, his partner is silent as Flemming moves, hoping this would end without Lux or anyone else getting killed.]

[bravenewmods]

[Onix's eyes flicker to the other humans as they begin to move before its attention returns to Lux and the Dratini. It seems supremely unconcerned about what the humans are doing, having lived its entire life as the primary predator of the mountains.

It seems to be considering something. Its tail casually flicks to one side as it thinks, smashing into the wall and creating more rumbling that reverberates up and down the tunnel wall.

If Ezreal and Flemming aren't knocked off their feet, though, and as they move around to its side, they may notice something interesting about this particular Onix. Halfway up, there is a large, steel spike driven between the rocks that comprise its body.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[Lux winces deeply, suddenly very much aware that they were underground with a creature that could very easily bring the roof down on them.

Seeing Ezreal and Flemming start to flank the Onix, she hold up her hand to stop them. She wasn't entirely sure it even wanted to attack.]

...Have you seen humans before? Things like us?

[She uses her free arm to point to herself.]

You probably haven't, have you?

[indy_wannabe]

Hey Lux, we may need you for this. This Onix has a steel spike in it, you've got medical training, if you can calm it down and remove it we might be able to get it to back down.

[myfedorarocks]

I wonder how it came to have such a thing stuck in it.

It couldn't have been deliberate, could it?

[bravenewmods]

[Nope. Totally hasn't. It's unfortunate that their Kindred Soul is otherwise occupied at the moment as it will be difficult to communicate fully in the absence.

But the Onix certainly seems to understand what they're saying - it stiffens up the moment Ezreal speaks and rapidly whirls about, thrusting its head towards the man in a belligerent motion. There is to be no touching of steel spikes. None.

Conveniently this means its hindquarters are now closer to Lux.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[It was hurt? The sudden shift in behavior only further solidified it and, quickly riffling through the medical pack and plunking a few things out, she took a deep breath and began to climb.

Any thoughts of fear were far from her mind at this point; she was far too focused on helping this Onix. Scaling up its back, sitting herself on one of the stony mid-sections and wrapping her legs around it for extra support, she chose to use one of the potions first to help ease the pain.]

Hold still, I promise I won't hurt you! This will be all over in a minute!

[Bracing on, she grabs the spike, pulling with all her might.]

[indy_wannabe]

[Ezreal meanwhile is going to prepare to teleport and pray that the Onix doesn't decide to turn him into paste right on the spot]

[bravenewmods]

[Teleportation is probably an excellent idea as its jaws snap around the area where Ezreal formerly was. It feels something on its back - gross impertinence! Onix bucks and writhes to try and throw Lux off, but lacking limbs, there isn't too much it can do. Maybe they practiced bullriding in all of that noble training since it sure would come in handy about now.

Onix's anger aside, Lux will find that pulling straight up works -- for a few inches. Then... a snag! There's a kink in the spike and the injury is old. She'll have to angle it out the right way... and quickly.

Onix makes a mental note to eat any humans it sees in the future instead of being curious about that.]

[ladyofluminosity]

[Completely ignorant to what is going on below her, she lurches forward, holding on tight as it bucks.]

J-just a little more!

[Letting go with one hand, she gathers light around it and throws it at a hanging stalactite, the orb illuminating it. Using her new makeshift lamp to see, she investigates the wound further. It was in deep, and at an odd angle. Holding onto it with two hands, she very carefully adjusts it and pulls carefully on it.

Hopefully Ezreal and Flemming can avoid being Onix food while she gets this thing out.]

[indy_wannabe]

We don't have much more!

[Ezreal is going to launch a psychic blast at the Onix, not super strong but enough to hopefully get its attention.]

[bravenewmods]

[The Onix seems on the verge of causing a cave-in now with how much it's thrashing about. Even if it doesn't manage to chow down on either Ezreal and Flemming, they are probably in sore danger of being bashed by an immensely heavy flailing Onix tail.

Ezreal is right; there isn't much....

time.

And like a switch has been flipped, the Onix suddenly stops moving entirely. The spike sits in Lux's hand - a foot long, bent in various places, and dulled from the years.]