Strange Ghosts in Kolisa: Eek! The ghosts return!

[19:05] <~BigTentacruel> Previously on Strange Days in Kolisa, our intrepid heroes spoke to Lafayette, a strange man with the mysterious power to disappear when viewed directly. He came with a message from CURSE, but did anyone actually understand it? Well, regardless, the party initiated combat with the man after hearing some commotion upstairs, which turned out to be the arrival of a strange girl!
[19:05] <~BigTentacruel> Now, frustrated, tired, and fleeing at the orders and protection of Grainger Harcroft, our heroes venture into the tunnels on the far end of the monolithic frog into areas unknown. Somehow, you've become split from your new companion, though. What could have happened to her?!
[19:07] * Ein holds the unconscious anthony in his arms as Nina rests on Ein's shoulder. Kevin is walking in front of him, putting up the front of a brave protector, as Louise keeps an eye out from Ein's backpack behind them.
[19:09] <Ein> (I didn't jump the gun, did I?)
[19:09] * Victor is limping a little, but putting on a stoic front. He looks rather pale though, but could just be a trick of the low light. "Which way are we heading?"
[19:10] <Lianhua> "Hmm. If that man was the cause of our distress here (and he might have been) we are finished. If there's still something else we need to do to save Furrowvale, though..."
[19:10] <~BigTentacruel> (You're fine.)
[19:10] <~BigTentacruel> The sounds of combat behind you dim as you traverse the rock-worn tunnels. What were once rough-hewn walls resembling man-made structures are now giving way again to natural caverns. Ahead, you can hear the sounds of running water and a cool breeze brushes past your faces.
[19:11] <Victor> "I... I think we're getting close to an opening.." victor noted, feeling the breeze hit his face
[19:11] <Lianhua> "Oh! We must be getting-"
[19:12] <Victor> ((Does my internalized senses ability work in a cave system?))
[19:12] <~BigTentacruel> (Is that the "always know north thing?")
[19:12] <Victor> ((and know the time and weather
[19:13] <Ein> (it says "at any time")
[19:13] <Victor> ((wasn't sure if deep underground was special circumstances))
[19:14] <Ein> "Maybe we should see if it's a way out... We're not really in the best shape, and it's always good to have an escape route..."
[19:14] <~BigTentacruel> The tunnel opens up into a rather broad room covered in moss. The floor has been sloping upwards as you've gone forwards, so chances are this is some kind of natural rupture in the caverns. Dull orange sunlight floods in from above, and you can still see the grey of clouds as a few drops of rain sprinkle down. The area seems tranquil, a farcry from the paths before.
[19:14] <Lianhua> "It should be a way out - after all, air doesn't come from nowhere!"
[19:15] * DiceMaid-9001 (DiceMaid-9@sux-EADD5C74) has joined #kolisa
[19:16] * Victor lurches forward looking round. "I really hope we come out near town. we have to warn them as soon as possible."
[19:16] * Ein looks up. "well... I guess it's sort of a way out..."
[19:16] <Lianhua> "...The question is how we get out from here, I guess!" Lianhua doesn't seem that worried as she (and her balloon escorts) look for a way to climb up.
[19:16] <Victor> 1d20 percieve a way up
[19:16] <DiceMaid-9001> Victor, percieve a way up: 16 [1d20=16]
[19:18] <Lianhua> 1d20+3 PERCEIVING IS FOR LOSERS, TIME TO JUST CLIMB
[19:18] <DiceMaid-9001> Lianhua, PERCEIVING IS FOR LOSERS, TIME TO JUST CLIMB: 22 [1d20=19]
[19:18] <Lianhua> (...damn, it might have actually worked)
[19:18] <Ein> (holy shit...)
[19:18] <Ein> (and here i was gonna offer you my grapplin hook)
[19:19] <~BigTentacruel> Across the room from the lot of you is another tunnel, but this one appears to head back down. A few sounds echo up from its depths, though: croons and coos that remind you all of creatures you've before. Echoed by the caverns, though, the sounds are alien and distorted.
[19:20] * Ein sets anthony down, "kevin, look after him for a second." The clefairy gives a mock-salute. Ein then moves under Lianhua to try and catch her, just in case she falls.
[19:20] <~BigTentacruel> Lianhua, meanwhile, finds that the sides of this natural crevice are marked with a surprising number of pockets which she can place her hands and feet. Unfortuantely, the rupture appears to be in the middle of a broad ceiling that would require more strength than she possesses.
[19:20] <Victor> ((would a grappling hook compensate?))
[19:21] <Victor> ((for the strength I mean
[19:21] <Ein> (i don't think it'd help there)
[19:22] <Ein> (we're talking about a climb across a back-sloping surface)
[19:22] <Ein> (if i'm understanding this correctly
[19:22] <~BigTentacruel> Depending on its use, a grappling hook might enable you to climb up a ways, but it would have to have a place to hook on in the crevice as well as reach high enough to let you all up safely. The opening itself seems to head up for around forty or fifty feet before it reaches the open air.
[19:23] <Victor> "Do you still have that grappling hook, kid?" Victor asked ein, looking up at the crevas. "And how much rope do you have?"
[19:24] <Ein> (i've only got about 10 meters of rope, or roughly 35 feet)
[19:24] <Victor> "We also need a flying type pokemon. Whiskey might be able to get it up there."
[19:24] <Lianhua> "Hmm. So much for that!" Lianhua slides back down. "That was fun! I haven't been climbing in forever."
[19:25] <Victor> ((how high up is the crevas? approximately? I will roll to figure it out if need be.))
[19:26] * Ein sits down next to anthony. "not enough for that high up." He reaches into his pack, pulling out the hook and rope. "if you think you can figure something out though, go for it. I need a breather."
[19:26] <Lianhua> "We could just keep going - either forwards or backwards - if we can't get out here."
[19:27] <Victor> "Doesn't need to reach the floor. Just needs to reach the wall." victor replied, throwing out whiskey's ball. it popped open, the rufflet landing on the ground, bristling its feathers.
[19:28] <Lianhua> "Do you want Yin Hu to help?"
[19:29] <Ein> "it'd probably good for them to go together.  We shouldn't let anyone go alone at a time like this"
[19:29] <Victor> "Have him keep bringing the rope back to the wall. Whiskey's gonna make sure the hook is attached but we need some way of getting it back to the wall after someone climbs up."
[19:29] <~BigTentacruel> The moss beneath Ein is much softer than the grass in the room with the castlefrog was. The texture resembles downy feathers on a newborn Rufflet. Nina, nearby, wanders towards the tunnel on the far side of the room. It's clear that she hears something from down there as she yips down to them.
[19:29] * Victor held out his hand for the rope and grapple hook from Ein
[19:30] * Ein passes the rope and hook to victor. Then looks over at Nina, "what is it sis? do you recognize the voices?"
[19:31] <Lianhua> One of the balloons, the one with a head tuft that looked like the business end of an ink brush, turns back into a Zorua with a loud POP and a cloud of smoke. The Zorua then trots over to Whiskey, inspecting it closely.
[19:33] <Lianhua> "So, we'll have Whiskey and Yin Hu take the rope up, and then...?"
[19:33] <~BigTentacruel> Nina communicates that it sounds a lot like the Diggart you encountered before. They were supposed to be down here, right? Why haven't you seen them this whole time?
[19:34] <Victor> Victor ties a strong square knot in the hook, making sure there was the most ammount of slack in the rest of the rope he could afford. the rufflet gave the Zorua a cock-eyed look and then fluttered up onto Victor's shoulder. "Here, make sure this is hooked on something sturdy." Whiskey cooed and grabbed it, starting to fly up to the crevas.
[19:35] * Ein looks at victor, "Victor, let g-diggles out. I think some of his friends may be around."
[19:35] <Victor> Victor nodded, pulling the ball from his pocket and throwing it out near ein. the ghostly digglet popped out
[19:36] <Lianhua> "Actually, Piao Ju, if you'd help out Whiskey? He might need some, er, hands."
[19:37] <Lianhua> The Drifloon floats up after Whiskey.
[19:37] <~BigTentacruel> Whiskey can get up a about ten to fifteen feet, but then it's clear she's too small to get it any higher without wearing herself out. She warbles an apology as she lands next to Victor. In fact, even with Piao Ju, it doesn't seem like this is going to work. It's a heavy metal hook, after all.
[19:38] <Ein> "G-diggles... Do those sound like your friends?"  He points to staircase where the sounds are coming from.
[19:38] <Victor> ((guess it would be about a pound and a half.))
[19:38] <Lianhua> (would it work with all three of them)
[19:39] <Ein> (grappling hooks are for throwing, for the record...)
[19:39] <Lianhua> ((why are we even messing with this, anyway))
[19:39] <~BigTentacruel> (You've obviously never held one. They're like... 4 or 5 lbs depending on material)
[19:41] <Victor> ((brb))
[19:41] <~BigTentacruel> The Diggart, meanwhile, heads for the tunnel to the north end of the room where Nina is listening intently. Soon, you can all hear a small rumble, as a crew of more ghostly mole pokemon ride hesitantly to the edge. They're being led by a single ghostly Dugtrio, a hardy-looking pokemon who they clearly defer to.
[19:43] <Ein> "Nina, remember courtesy, this is their home..."  Ein shows his hands to the diggarts and bows his head, showing that he means no harm.
[19:44] * Lianhua turns her attention from matters of grappling hook to matters of ghost digletts.
[19:44] <Ein> (these are much more interesting matters)
[19:46] <~BigTentacruel> A chorus of "Diiig~" and "Diglett!" and "Lett diglett!" can be heard from the group behind the Dugtrio; there's around 15 or so of them total. A swift look from the leader shuts them up, however, and it turns to regard the lot of you carefully.
[19:47] * Lianhua plops down so that she's more eye level with them. :D
[19:48] <Victor> ((back, but I may need to step away soon))
[19:49] <Ein> "Nina... Let them know that we don't mean any harm, and that we're here to try and find out what's causing all the sinkholes and collapses."
[19:50] <~BigTentacruel> Before Nina can speak, a deep, droning voice echoes through the room, suddenly. It's as if it comes from the very stone itself, and the Dugtrio watches each of you with the same look an adult might give an impudent child. "What are you doing here?"
[19:53] <Victor> ((ok back again))
[19:53] <Victor> ((In english or poke-speak?))
[19:54] <Victor> ((wait never mind. stupid question))
[19:55] * Ein looks shocked at this new development, but tries to calm down, "w-well, like i was going to say... We're here to try and find out what's causing all of the collapses that've happened recently..."
[19:58] <Lianhua> "Right. We're trying to find a way to stop the sinkholes and make everyone happy! Cottonee and people and digletts and frogs!"
[19:58] <~BigTentacruel> One of the Dugwraith heads swivels to face Ein. Again the voice drones, "The collapse was my fault. My children and I uncovered an ancient pokemon here, and rather than risk them finding a way to the surface, we attacked it and its kind. I sent the younger ones above, but... as you can see, I failed in my mission."
[19:59] <Victor> "I'm not understanding any of this..." Victor commented, looking at whiskey. The rufflet cooed back and victor thoguht about it a moment. "Couldn't understand that either.... dunno what I was expecting."
[20:01] <~BigTentacruel> What's strange is that the voice doesn't seem to be coming directly coming from the Dugwraith itself, but its heads move when attention focuses on Ein. Also strange is that the voice is clearly human in origin, not a pokemon speaking a human language.
[20:01] <Lianhua> Spooooooky
[20:01] * Ein nods, "I guess that makes sense... But as things are, if any further collapses happen it could destroy the town above..." He still hadn't gotten up, as the ground was so comfortable.
[20:01] <Victor> ((human in origin and speaking pokespeak or human and speaking humanspeak?))
[20:01] <Ein> (speaking humanspeak)
[20:01] <Victor> ((ahh.))
[20:02] <Lianhua> "Right - is there a way to keep everything from collapsing further?"
[20:02] <Victor> "You must be him, right?" Victor addressed the voice. "The one that got trapped down here... gdiggles mentioned you."
[20:03] <Victor> (wow, forgot the name.... derp))
[20:04] <~BigTentacruel> "No one was supposed to come down here. We collapsed the entrance as a last resort," it continues. "But... there are holes appearing. This creature is older than anything else on Kolisa, and it carries with the weight of time itself." Another head swivels to face Victor. Now there is one pointed at each of you. "Yes. Wexford was my name. My children carry on my intentions now."
[20:05] <Victor> "because you can't... I'm assumming..." victor's face paled a bit more as he was realizing the implications of that, though he was trying to keep a stern face. His hand was shaking though and he shoved it into his pocket to hide it.
[20:05] <Lianhua> "The weight of time? I thought time flew."
[20:05] <Lianhua> "How heavy could it be?"
[20:06] <Ein> (OH YOU)
[20:06] <~BigTentacruel> The head facing Victor nods. "Two people came down here before you three. They took up residence in an aging ruin back down that tunnel, near a hole inadvertantly created by the ancient pokemon we found. They were also too powerful for us to do anything about. I don't know for what purpose."
[20:07] <Ein> "If they were the ones we ran into, then they were serious jerks..."
[20:07] <Lianhua> ((Chinese girl knows english exactly as well as it takes for her to be the funny one))
[20:07] <Lianhua> "Yeah, we chased them out!"
[20:08] <Victor> "Y-yeah, what he said..." Victor was almost wishing he was back with teh assholes. Atleast he could punch them... well sort of. Ghosts really weren't his forte.
[20:08] <Victor> *she
[20:08] <Lianhua> "So, if you could keep the rest of the city from collapsing, we could probably deal with the frogs...."
[20:10] <~BigTentacruel> "It won't be so simple, but it would be a start to eliminate the creatures below," Wexford's voice says. "With those creatures dead, there would be less weight on this area. The holes would seal on their own, I think."
[20:10] <Lianhua> "Hmm."
[20:10] <Lianhua> "Any alternative to killing them, though?"
[20:11] * Ein nods, "It's not something that I like to try to do... and what are the creatures below?"
[20:12] <Victor> "t-thats very good question. What are they?"
[20:13] <~BigTentacruel> One head looks gravely at Lianhua. "A pacifist? Hardly the attitude to have on Kolisa, girl. This is a wild, unforgiving country. People without strong wills to do what's necessary won't last long here." At the question, the eyebrows on each head furrow. "The frogs. A clutch of them have taken up residence just beyond here, and a larger one, an evolved creature, sits further back. They move slowly, but they should never have been woken up."
[20:14] <Lianhua> "I'm not a pacifist! I just don't like killing things unnecessarily."
[20:14] <Victor> "So we just have to put them back to bed, right?" Victor said, trying to get the wheels in his brain turning on strategies, hopefully to keep the ghosts off his mind.
[20:16] <~BigTentacruel> The Dugwraith merely grunts. "And have them wake again? This isn't killing for sport. This is survival."
[20:17] <Victor> "And I still avoid it where necessary, when I'm in the wild. Just cause there's an obvious way to do something doesn't mean its the best way." Victor shot back, still deep in thought.
[20:17] * Ein finally stands up, "So that's why this whole thing is going on... and that's why both sides think they're right..."
[20:20] <~BigTentacruel> "Both sides? I'm afraid I don't know much about what goes on outside these mines anymore... nor do I care. What matters now is that they do not cause any more of these ruptures into the past. Who knows what might come through?"
[20:21] <Victor> "... have you made any attempts at communication with this thing?" Victor suddenly asked. it was an obvious question, but one that needed asking either way. communication could give evidence to logic, and logic to reason, even negotiation or... control.
[20:23] <Lianhua> "Actually."
[20:23] <Victor> ((the big one he means))
[20:23] <Lianhua> "What do you mean, ruptures into the past? I was under the impression that the things just woke up."
[20:25] <Victor> "Time, Lianhua. If it happens now, but moves 4th dimensionally, it could have been happening for centuries."
[20:25] <~BigTentacruel> The Dugtrio faces seem surprised at the question. "Haven't you seen them? Like the one in the ruins behind you, a few have opened near these pokemon. The larger ones are too old to know anything but instinct, and that is why they must be put down. You cannot talk to those who will not listen."
[20:26] <Ein> (welp, guess i gotta go)
[20:27] <Ein> (family emergency)
[20:27] <Lianhua> "I wha?" Poor Lianhua looks very confused.
[20:27] <Victor> ((Wht happened?))
[20:27] <Ein> (my aunt collapsed)
[20:27] <~BigTentacruel> (D:)
[20:28] <Ein> (believe me, If I could, I'd stick around
[20:28] <~BigTentacruel> (No, that's understandable. We'll work it out.)
[20:29] <Lianhua> (D: go go go)
[20:29] <Ein> (bye)
[20:29] * Ein (Bauss@sux-F4050DE5.lightspeed.tukrga.sbcglobal.net) Quit (Quit: )
[20:29] <Victor> ((Should we break for now for dinner or something, or should we keep going?))
[20:30] <~BigTentacruel> (:/ Plan around the game, man.)
[20:31] <Victor> ((just putting it out there for conveience sake. I've already eaten, myself.))
[20:32] <~BigTentacruel> "It matters little. The solution is the same. If you came down here to solve the problem, then you must kill them," Wexford commands. "But you can rest for a time, at least. You are in no shape to fight."
[20:33] <Victor> "WE are creatures of logic though, and it is our responsibility to do what that entails before we write off something of instinct as something unworthy of our attempt at understanding." Victor replied, slumping down to rest. "I refuse to win that way unless I've expended all options. Its why I'm a ranger."
[20:38] <~BigTentacruel> "Do what you think is best. When you are rested, follow us down," he says, and with that, the Dugwraith and its kind all head back through the tunnel. Once again, the cavern is quiet and relaxing. Ein and his pokemon have already determined that resting here seems like a good idea and have fallen asleep.
[20:42] <Victor> Victor tried running throuhg a mental relaxation routine, slumping back into the mossy rock more to rest himself. He wasn't in great shape, he needed to recover what he could.
[20:42] <~BigTentacruel> Those who choose to rest can gain back 1/2 their maximum HP for trainers and pokemon alike.
[20:45] <Victor> ((bam done))
[20:45] <~BigTentacruel> (Lianhua? Did you die?)
[20:47] <Victor> ((lianhua?))
[20:48] <~BigTentacruel> (Well... if she doesn't come back, I GUESS it's okay to stop here. I'd like to run next week then, if that's the case.)
[20:48] <~BigTentacruel> (Because it'll be boss fight time and I'm leaving for New Mexico at the end of the month.)
[20:49] <Lianhua> (hi I'm here)
[20:49] <Victor> ((I had no idea the campaign would be so short a run. but yeah, if thats the case, I definitely want to see this to the end.))
[20:49] <Lianhua> (sorry got called away unexpectedly)
[20:49] <Victor> ((np))
[20:50] <Lianhua> (since we're heading into boss fight next week might be good to call it now, though, because Ein's gone)
[20:50] <~BigTentacruel> (Alright.)
[20:50] <~BigTentacruel> </session-turned-mini-due-to-family-emergency>