Stalkers RPG Main Action and Team Status [SEASON 5]

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.imgur.com/3v3vrxe.gif

Main Action and Team Status Thread

It’s all down to you now…

This thread will be used for submitting actions, checking the Exacta City map and Suspect List, the Exacta City Marketplace, and will contain links and references as to what things were completed and where things were found.


Current Cycle

Day 6: Day Cycle

Time Remaining:

CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2402638/day-6-day-cycle)

Submission Period Close: (Thursday, February 4, 2021 9:00:00 PM EST)



Emissaries

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$495 Sochas$
(Restores all Purity)
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 25/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Onyx Necklace] (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$655 Sochas$

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 34/34 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 26/26
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$460 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 29/30 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 30/30
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Paladin’s Reaperblade] (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<None>

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$3074 Sochas$
[Pure OMEN Sample]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
1x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
2x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
4x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Guardian Seed] – Grants +5 Health for one Cycle
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DA| Razorsteel Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken, returns damage dealt to attacker)
[|AW| Admiral’s Warblade] (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/485.png Sacred the Heatran (M: Fire/Steel)

Health: 30/30 | Sanity: 14/30 | Purity: 28/30
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: [|DA| Renegade’s Cloak] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Angelic Warfury] (50% trigger chance user’s attacks attempt to strike all opposing enemies in the same combat turn. If there is only a single target, it becomes a 50% trigger chance of striking the sole enemy twice.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$1058 Sochas$

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/663.png Flare the Talonflame (M: Fire/Flying)

Health: 30/30 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 30/30
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Technical | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 18/30 | Sanity: 25/30 | Purity: 26/26
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Commando Mesh Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Vulcanfire Armament] (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$196 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/001.png Mistee the Bulbasaur (S: Grass/Poison)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Surgical Scalpel] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$185 Sochas$
[“Influence!” Magazine] (Gives the user the Diplomacy Perk for the Cycle it’s used)
[“Handymon” Magazine] (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used)

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/560.png Soul the Scrafty (M: Dark/Fighting)

Health: 30/30 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 30/30
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$30 Sochas

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/571.png Midnight the Zoroark (M: Dark)

Health: 30/30 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 30/30
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Nightstealer Ring] (Health damage dealt becomes Health points restored)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$480 Sochas
[“Chansey’s Diagnosis” Magazine] (Gives the user the Medicine Perk for the Cycle it’s used)
2x [Medical Trauma Unit] (Fully restores Health, Sanity, and Purity OR serves as one use of the Medicine Perk)

NPC Mercenaries

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile (M: Dark/Ice)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 12/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic


Doom Tracker

Abyss has grown frustrated, angry, and restless. No one among the living truly knows how far their berserk and deranged campaign will go, but there is a looming dread in the air as the darkness and fear is felt in the souls of all.

The war between Utopia and the Abyss is fought here. Here within the shadows…

Active Dark Event 1: Kill Counter:
5/40

Active Dark Event 2: Mission Disclosure:
0%/100%


Stalkers Status:
0/6 Stalkers Eliminated

LABYRINTH
OBSCENE
ASTRALNOX
TWISTAGEN
HUSKPUPPET
EXCLUDE



Team Inventory
Wallet:
$2690 Sochas$

Equipment Items:

[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Military Dagger] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Shadowmarch Hastur Armament] (Adds 2d12+12 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to the Team Inventory.
[|AW| Shadowmarch Aylith Armament] (Adds 6d6+8 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack)
x4 [|AW| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
[|AW| Shadowmarch Gtuhanai Armament] (Adds 2d20+5 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack)
[|AW| Shadowmarch Quyagen Armament] (Adds 5d10+7 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack)
[|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Shadowmarch Azathoth Armament] (Adds 3d8+5 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following to turn to be used to reload after each attack)
[|AW| Military Machete] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Combat Axe] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
x3 [|DA| Shadowmarch Colossus Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
x2 [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
[|DA| Shadowmarch Special Forces Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
[|DA| Worn Military Plating] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 3 points each time Health damage is taken)
[|JW| Starburst Ring] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)
[|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken)

Consumable Items:

x5 [Violent Seed] (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered)
x2 [Sunfire Flares] (If held in your Pack, the next time your character tries to flee from a battle (along with any other characters in your party trying to Flee), one of these will be used and the Flee attempt will be successful.)
[Revealing Glass] (Can be used to see if there are any hidden traps in an area (as a Yes or No answer)
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)

Sin Purge – United Universe Relics

[Celestial Configuration SERENITY]
[Celestial Configuration DIVINITY]
[Celestial Configuration INFINITY]
2x [Blessed Firelight]
2x [Holy Conduit]
[Site Plan Holy Starmap: [s]Large Glass Globe AND Puresilver Globe Mount AND Celestial Essence]
[Large Glass Globe]
[Celestial Essence]
[Talisman of the Stars]

Sin Purge – Holy Divinefire Redeemer Armament

[Divinefire Crystal]
[Vault Y117 Key]
[Stainless Silver Framework]

Sin Purge – Dawnlight Reckoning Summoning Relics

[Utopia Channel Map]
2x [Whitefire Torch]
[Utopia Channel Coordinates]
[Starline Configuration]

Utopia Sin Purge Team Records

=Magus Journal Page= (https://i.imgur.com/NRSqVGI.png)
=Celestial Runic Page 2= (https://i.imgur.com/2dxqbf7.png)

Stalker Key Items
Labyrinth
[Left Hand of the Forgotten One]
[Right Hand of the Forgotten One]

Obscene
[Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre”: <<Instances of Corruption>> (https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png) / <<Glimpse of the Past>> (https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg)]
[Defiled Music Box: Missing Music Box Song Drum AND Missing Winding Shaft]

=Kammo Wall Jingle= (https://i.imgur.com/1uNqMo1.png)

Astralnox
[Damaged “Wall Vault” Circuit Board: <Repair>]
#[Head of Sacred the Heatran] Macabre Presence – (3 Sanity Damage)#
[Innocence of Lycellus the Eternatus]
#[Head of Scarlet the Weavile] Macabre Presence – (3 Sanity Damage)#
[Head of Nico the Alcremie]

Twistagen
[Punch Card Key]
[Deranged Codec: <Technical>]
#[Wrath Stone of the NECOMID] Mind-warp Presence – (5 Sanity Damage)#

=Twisted Wall Message= (https://i.imgur.com/ufdN5Ie.png)

Huskpuppet
=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 1= (https://i.imgur.com/NbZ8I5G.png)
=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 2= (https://i.imgur.com/HmlsVff.png)
=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 3= (https://i.imgur.com/WHp2zBj.png)
=Fragment 5= (https://i.imgur.com/778sGDP.png)
=Fragment 8= (https://i.imgur.com/95zx6XG.png)

Exclude
=Blotted Sudoku Part 2= (https://i.imgur.com/omevxSS.jpg)
=Blotted Sudoku Part 3= (https://i.imgur.com/SupTeZu.jpg)

Non-Stalker Side-Mission Key Items
[Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System]
[Unconfigured Exodus G115A System: <Technical> AND +Psychic Type+]

[Neo Emolga]

Exacta City Map

https://i.imgur.com/ttHmF8V.png

Exacta Refuge Area

The Exacta refugee area in the upper northwestern area of the city is the safest place to be right now, even though the living conditions leave something to be desired. Most of the surviving Pokémon have been living here for the last three years, trying to rebuild and reconnect with the outside world while salvaging their livelihoods.

There is 0% chance of encountering Ghouls, Chimeras, or dealing with OMEN affliction while searching and interviewing throughout the Exacta Refuge Area. Aurorawatch has done everything within their power to ensure this area is well protected.

(1) Emissary Hideout – The Abandoned Steel Mill – It’s your home away from home for now. These series of buildings used to be an industrial steel mill and foundry for manufacturing metallic building materials such as steel beams, pipes, ducts, and many other metallic components. They’ve been all but abandoned and forgotten about by the rest of the Exacta citizens, but perhaps you can make it become something that makes all the difference against the Stalkers. Here, there is a barracks, a supply area, and cooking area. Meanwhile, there’s some empty areas that might one day come in handy for other uses beyond providing the basics…

(1) Barracks, Storage, and Living Area
(1a) Foundry Basement ([Garage] - Houses 2 vehicles, which are automatically provided. Allows 2 Emissaries (1 per vehicle) to perform 2 Actions per day each) <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311858&viewfull=1#post311858)
(1b) Foundry Floors 1-2 (Empty Space) <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312363&viewfull=1#post312363)
(1c) Foundry Floors 3-4 ([Fitness and Recreation Center] - Increases the maximum Health, Sanity, and Purity stats of all Emissaries by 10 for as long as this Facility is active.) <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312453&viewfull=1#post312453)

(2) Silverlight Shopping Mall – As one of the few structures that survived the OMEN strike three years ago and still manages to stand firm and virtually undamaged from the ongoing earthquakes, this shopping mall has been repurposed into a refugee area as it has most of the food and retail necessities that the surviving Pokémon of Exacta need. Besides the mall itself, a parking deck exists in the back.
<EXTERIOR SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310708&viewfull=1#post310708)
[Vault Y117 Key] was found here.

(2a) Eastern Side <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310282&viewfull=1#post310282)

Stores "A Friend in Need Pharmacy" and "Stop and Shyft" were found here.

(2b) Western Side <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310283&viewfull=1#post310283)

Store "Exacta City Newsstand" was found here.
[Mysterious Celestial Starmap: <Seinaru>] was found here.
=Magus Journal Page= (https://i.imgur.com/NRSqVGI.png) was found here.

(3) Redstone Motel – This motel has been repurposed into an apartment building, and it’s very common for the surviving Pokémon to live here and work at the Silverlight Shopping Mall. Every room is taken and there hasn’t been any vacancies for months. Meanwhile, the hotel is in generally good condition despite the earthquakes, but the grounds haven’t been maintained and litter is a problem.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310398&viewfull=1#post310398)

TWISTAGEN: [Punch Card Key] was found here.

(4) Exacta Railway Station – The survivors of Exacta have been trying to get this railway station back online to see if there’s possibly some way they can reach the next town over, Nacrat. They haven’t heard anything from them since the OMEN strike and there’s still not enough power to activate the rail lines. For now, some Pokémon choose to live here to avoid the congestion of living at the mall or the motel.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310493&viewfull=1#post310493)

(5) Electrical Substation – A small electrical substation that is now the only thing keeping the lights on around the refugee areas after the Chano Gas Power Plant in what is now the Reach was destroyed in the OMEN strike.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310520&viewfull=1#post310520)

(6) Dret’s Brewery and Home[/U] – Here, Dret takes care of his Brewery business while the home that he shares with his wife Mika and Duante his son. Despite all that is going on, business is still good and his family his surviving. He considers himself lucky that his business and home have remained relatively intact, though the earthquakes have been the reason for losing inventory and having belongings crash to the floor.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313212&viewfull=1#post313212)

Store "Dret's Brewery" was found here.
[1st Half of the Talisman of the Stars] was found here.

(7) Corner Market and Everet’s Home – While the Corner Market store has been shut down ever since Everet retired, Everet still resides in his own home toward the back, though he hasn’t done a very good job maintaining either location and his caretaker, Tessa the Shiinotic, is presumed dead and lost to the Reach. Not too many Pokémon go to see Everet as he has lost a good portion of his memory over the years and isn’t the kindest Pokémon to talk to.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311753&viewfull=1#post311753)

(8) Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store – Owned by Lagrais the Rapidash, this shop selling all kinds of various and sometimes mysterious accessories is still in operation despite the current calamity that’s been going on for the last three years. While her inventory isn’t quite as extensive as it might have been in earlier days, she still makes enough selling what she has and has also functioned as a pawn shop, buying what some scavengers have found in the Reach.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311991&viewfull=1#post311991)

{Clothing Donation Bin: <Security>}

LABYRINTH: [Left Hand of the Forgotten One] was found here.]

(9) Tactical Outfitters – Maintained by Krax the Tyranitar, this armorer and survival store hasn’t seen better business than before and is one of the few rare places that still makes armor. Due to the variance in Pokémon shapes, sizes, and measurements, every full piece of armor has to be custom made and can’t be worn by any others. The store is also well-stocked as there are many venturing out into the Reach, be it to scavenge for supplies, search for lost friends and family, or to find information regarding the Stalkers. Despite Queen Nytalia’s decree of outlawing Exacta citizens from going into the Reach, many Pokémon still do anyway, but most aren’t foolish enough to go unprepared, so they come here first.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310468&viewfull=1#post310468)

Store "Tactical Outfitters" was found here.

(10) The Armament Bunker – This mid-sized retail plot used to be used to manufacture machine and vehicle parts, but ever since the OMEN strike, Canett the Krookodile decided to set up shop and use the equipment to create weapons instead, which has been far more of a lucrative business as of late. While Canett does have some basic weapons in inventory, such as bladed and blunt weapons, some of the more powerful and specialized weapons that fire explosives, need to be custom-designed.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310629&viewfull=1#post310629)

Store "The Armament Bunker" was found here.

(11) Medidyne Research Labs – Once a medical office building, this site has been readapted to research the OMEN affliction and try to find either a cure or a means to prevent OMEN infection. Some strides have been made in creating biologics and medical devices that help the body resist the affliction in advance and others purge minor OMEN affliction out of the body, but there is no vaccine that prevents it entirely. And unfortunately, there’s nothing available that reverses the effects that cause Pokémon to become Ghouls or Chimeras. The medicines they do have can be purchased by the survivors of Exacta, but they’re not cheap…
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310447&viewfull=1#post310447)

was found here.

(12) Daybreak School – Daybreak School used to only be used for teaching high school-age teenagers, but after the OMEN disaster, it’s been used to teach Pokémon children of all ages, as it’s the only standing school that’s within safe distance of the surviving Exacta community. Some of the building has been reserved as a living area, as many of the children here lost their houses and families and don’t have anywhere else to turn to, so they stay at the school for their own safety.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310459&viewfull=1#post310459)

LABYRINTH: [Left Hand of the Forgotten One] was found here.

(13) Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms – This super-sized grocery store used to be the hub for getting just about any kind of food any Pokémon could ever want, but recent times have forced it to covert a large portion of the store into indoor farming units. In addition, recent earthquakes have caused some damage to the building, but the overall structural integrity hasn’t been compromised.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310680&viewfull=1#post310680)

Store Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms was found here.

(14) Exacta Military Compound – What used to be the Riverside Luxury Hotel was completely converted into a palace for Queen Nytalia and Princess Samona, as well as provide living quarters and training areas for Aurorawatch, the military of Exacta. The entire compound from the exterior to the interior is extremely well-guarded and very secured. Only Pokémon that know their ways in Diplomacy will be able to talk their way into doing an investigation of the site grounds considering the emergency situation that has been ongoing ever since OMEN happened.
[COLOR="gray"][B]<EXTERIOR UNSEARCHED>

[b](14a) Eastern Side Palace <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310678&viewfull=1#post310678)

[Divinefire Crystal] was found here.
(14b) Western Side Aurorawatch Military Bunker <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311431&viewfull=1#post311431)

ASTRALNOX: [Damaged “Wall Vault” Circuit Board: <Repair>] was found here.

(15) Sunberry Hotel – This smaller but more luxurious vacation hotel was also converted into an apartment building, but only those that have a little more sochas to spend live here. Unlike the Redstone Motel, Sunberry is cleaner, nicer, and better kept. The only thing that ruins the whole experience is the view from the balconies. While there’s not much wrong with the sight of the Exacta River, the rest of the Southern Reach is what’s the big problem.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310454&viewfull=1#post310454)

TWISTAGEN: =Twisted Wall Message= (https://i.imgur.com/ufdN5Ie.png) was found here.
[Holy Conduit] was found here.

(16) Riverwinds Shopping Center – Trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy, these stores and shops still continue to operate while giving the surviving employees a place to work and earn sochas. Included in this shopping center are the Sweet Dreams Café, the Happy Holiday Gift Store, Prairie Bank, The Tool Rack, and the Soul Food Diner.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312017&viewfull=1#post312017)

[Holy Conduit] was found here.

Northern Reach

While not nearly as dangerous as the Southern Reach, Aurorawatch has not been as successful in clearing out the Ghoul and Chimera infestation as they have within the refuge area, although some headway has been made. Despite warnings, some Pokémon still choose to stay in this area, but usually only those that are ready to watch their own backs take the risk. In the meantime, many of the structures here have been damaged with the recent earthquakes, especially buildings alongside the river. Still, many of the large buildings here have been abandoned for the last three years, and there’s no telling what was left behind or what might have taken up residence…

Searching in this area bears some minor risk and chance of encountering stray and straggler Ghouls, and there is some small risk of encountering OMEN biological contamination as some of the affliction from the blast carried over the river and has not been properly contained or marked.

(17) North Heights Storage (ABANDONED) – This old brick structure used to be used for renting out farming equipment and machinery, but it was abandoned even years before the OMEN catastrophe. Much of it has fallen into disrepair and no one has yet to find anything useful for it.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311807&viewfull=1#post311807)

ASTRALNOX: {“Wall Vault” Safe: Missing Circuit Board AND <Technical> AND <8-Digit Passcode>}

(18) Graybench Industrial Warehouse – While this large structure bears some future promise in being useful in Exacta’s reconstruction, right now Aurorawatch uses it on a light basis for vehicle storage and emergency supplies, but with all the available space, it’s only being used at 10% capacity. But overall, the brick structure remains intact and has only taken a bit of damage from the earthquakes.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312709&viewfull=1#post312709)

EXCLUDE: [AG0143 Module] was found here.

(19) The Shaymin Café (ABANDONED) – Despite how this once-popular and colorful café used to be bustling with activity, the recent events and dangers from the effects of OMEN have caused it to be closed temporarily, but the owner, Rosemary, pledged to reopen once things in Exacta become safer. For now, it quietly rests, waiting for a safer and more optimistic day to start brewing everyone’s favorite drinks again.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310334&viewfull=1#post310334)

[Celestial Configuration DIVINITY] was found here.
HUSKPUPPET: =Huskpuppet Diary Entry 2= (https://i.imgur.com/HmlsVff.png) was found here.

(20) Exacta City Police Precinct (ABANDONED) – While the dark-tan brick building still stands in good condition, local police have moved slightly closer into the refuge area as currently there isn’t a way to get enough electrical power to give the building what it needs to properly function. However, with the ongoing efforts, there is some promise that the building will be back up in running within the year.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311800&viewfull=1#post311800)

ASTRALNOX: [Head of Sacred the Heatran] was found here.
{Reinforced Police Armory Locker: <Security>}

(21) Edjas Memorial Public Library (ABANDONED) – While mainly unscathed from the earthquakes (besides a few books falling all the shelves), this building is still being kept closed. Efforts to power this building have only been half-successful, as lighting tends to flicker and at times completely shut off. Until a new source of power can be found, the doors have been locked. Regardless, this library houses a vast quantity of books, video media, and recordings.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310592&viewfull=1#post310592)

OBSCENE: #[Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre”: <<Instances of Corruption>> (https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png) / <<Glimpse of the Past>> (https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg)] Abomination Infestation (10 Purity Damage, 10 Sanity Damage)# was found here.

(22) Kenja Apartment Building – This controversial apartment building is still home to a few Pokémon that absolutely refuse to move despite the lack of power and the dangers roaming around. While most of the Pokémon have moved out and have gone into the refuge area, there are a few that don’t want to give up their home to live at the shopping mall, which is about the only area that still has vacancies left. Instead, they keep generators running only when they need them.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313605&viewfull=1#post313605)

HUSKPUPPET: =Huskpuppet Diary Entry 1= (https://i.imgur.com/NbZ8I5G.png) was found here.
[Whitefire Torch] was found here.
Store "Apartment #114" was found here.

(23) The Becker Building (ABANDONED) – This small office building used to be used by small business, such as law offices, accounting firms, and consulting practices. Recent events have caused it to close temporarily. Meanwhile, the structure itself has taken a slight beating from the earthquakes and the grounds have become unkempt.
<UNSEARCHED>

(24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED) – This large furniture and lighting store remains mainly in good condition, although the grounds have become overgrown and filthy over the last three years its been shut down. At the same time, power still can’t be restored and generators aren’t enough to power the building. Not to mention during a time like this, most Pokémon aren’t too concerned about wanting a new bedframe.
<UNSEARCHED>

(25) NECC Chemical Plant (ABANDONED) – NECC (North Exacta Chemical Company) had been operating a chemical plant here for twenty-six years until the OMEN strike forced the staff to close its doors. At the moment, things are too unsafe and the plant needs power and running water to run, which they have neither at the moment. At the same time, the maintenance staff has not been able to inspect the plant since the earthquakes have happened, causing some to believe there may be a risk of chemical spills and vapor leaks.
<UNSEARCHED>

(26) Kindred Park (ABANDONED) – This mysterious small park is the subject of many urban legends, horror stories, and rumors, although a good number of them have gone unverified. No one has checked up on it since OMEN, mainly due to it not being as critical of a resource as some of the other buildings in the Reach.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310306&viewfull=1#post310306)

LABYRINTH: #{The Coiled Door: <Security>} Deranged Rose Thorns – GRASS (4 Health Damage, 4 Purity Damage)#

(27) Vinatech Sterilization Plant (ABANDONED) – Prior to OMEN, this plant was primarily used to sterilize medical equipment by radiation. While there would be some usefulness in having this building back in operation, Exacta needs more medical supplies upfront. The building appears to have some minor damage due to the earthquakes, but some slight renovation work would be all that it needs.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311238&viewfull=1#post311238)

EXCLUDE: {Damaged Sublevel Door: Replacement AG0143 Module AND +Electric Type+}

(28) Riverside Park – As another controversial location, prior to OMEN, Riverside Park was a relaxing, refreshing, and calming place to go for a walk, get some fresh air, and do outdoor activities. Though it has been adversely affected by OMEN and the trees haven’t had any color to them for the past three years, a few Pokémon have continued to go there just for some peace of mind and claim it’s safe despite Aurorawatch not having too much scrutiny over it. Pokémon insisting on visiting anyway are cautioned, and that going into the park is at their own risk. Warning notices of OMEN affliction are posted as well.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310875&viewfull=1#post310875)

LABYRINTH: {The Forgotten One Statue: Missing Left Hand AND Missing Right Hand}
{Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+}

was found here.

(29) MoonCrest Corporate Offices (ABANDONED) – MoonCrest, what used to be a leading competitor in manufacturing household cleaning supplies, had one of its corporate offices here. While slightly damaged from the earthquakes, generally the building is in good shape, but not too many scavengers have gone inside, assuming its just cubicle farms each floor. But what if they're wrong?
<UNSEARCHED>

(30) Hazelwood Fuel Corporate Office (ABANDONED) – Before OMEN, this used to be a typical office building for Hazelwood’s corporate operations. Now, it has become abandoned and the building itself is in bad shape from the earthquakes. While there isn’t significant structural damage, many windows are broken and some of the walls are badly cracked. No one has been inside for quite some time and right now, there’s not much worth in trying to get the building back up and running.
<UNSEARCHED>

(31) Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices (ABANDONED) – This building was used for many television and radio broadcasts, but it has taken significant damage from the earthquakes and there is a risk of the entire building collapsing. No one has been near it, although some of the Aurorawatch soldiers have expressed interest in sending a team to go in and recover whatever radio equipment they can to contact the outside world for help.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310583&viewfull=1#post310583)

were found here.
{Submerged Sublevel: [s]+Water+}

[Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>] was found here.
{Locked Equipment Supply Storage: <Security> OR +Fire Type+}

[Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>] was found here.
{5th Floor Equipment Hold: <Security> OR +Steel Type+}

[Unconfigured Exodus G115A System: <Technical> AND +Psychic Type+] was found here.

[U](32) Exacta Fire Department Building (ABANDONED) – Located near the center of town, this was the primary fire response hub for dealing with all fire-related emergency needs. No one has been inside for quite some time and while the building is still standing, it hasn’t been checked on recently. Aurorawatch is convinced there isn’t anything of value inside, although they haven’t sent scouts to investigate.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310588&viewfull=1#post310588)

TWISTAGEN: #{The Schism Chamber: Twisted Schism Keyhole} Agony Ichor – POISON (3 Sanity Damage)#

(33) Blue Brook Residential Buildings (ABANDONED) – Most Pokémon believe these small apartment buildings have been vacated since OMEN and for the last three years, they were convinced no one had been inside. Rumors have started to go around that someone or something has been going in and out of them. Aurorawatch hasn’t seen any need to go investigate and until they get proof that something is going on, they’re leaving the site alone for now.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310942&viewfull=1#post310942)

HUSKPUPPET: =Huskpuppet Diary Entry 3= (https://i.imgur.com/WHp2zBj.png) was found here.
LABYRINTH: {Burnt Trunk: Brunt Trunk Keyhole} was found here.

(34) Hymn of Rebirth Cathedral – As a controversial church, followers of Rebirth pray to Ho-oh as opposed to Arceus, as they believe the original god of Pokémon has become apathetic to their pleas. Despite warnings, Syrax the Espeon still stays here, although most Pokémon don’t question his ability to defend himself from the hellish abominations that OMEN has created. There are still a few church goers that insist on carrying out monthly mass services, and Syrax is more than happy to escort his parishioners to and from the cathedral. In the meantime, the building is virtually untouched by the earthquakes in a strange and mysterious way…
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310449&viewfull=1#post310449)
=Celestial Runic Page 2= (https://i.imgur.com/2dxqbf7.png) was found here.
was found here.

(34a) Hymn of Rebirth Cemetery <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312131&viewfull=1#post312131)

LABYRINTH: #{Grave of the Lonely Sobble: Glass Stone Sobble Eye AND Missing Glass Sobble Eye} Horrendous Isolation Aura – WATER (6 Sanity Damage)#

(35) Keepers™ Self-Storage Center – Prior to OMEN, Pokémon would use Keepers™ for moving or just to keep excess furniture and belongings they didn’t need for quite some time. Citizens have been warned that the site is not safe from Ghoul attacks and their safety is not guaranteed. Rumors have it that other activities have been happening in the area. Shady deals, black market exchanges, and even possible illegal drug dealing have been going on.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312000&viewfull=1#post312000)

[Whitefire Torch] was found here.
EXCLUDE: {Storage Unit #872: #872 Keyhole AND <Repair>}

(36) Auto Acolytes Vehicle Repair Center (ABANDONED) – While some Pokémon still use motor vehicles for scouting purposes, there hasn’t been much use of them at all after OMEN. The owner, Nacci, hasn’t been seen or heard from for quite some time, though there was confirmation she at least survived the initial strike. Some believe she found a way to leave town and decided to never look back…
<UNSEARCHED>

(37) Exacta City Enrictinite Power Plant – Getting this power plant back online has become the #1 goal on Aurorawatch’s list of things to do, but the plant itself is damaged and it’s not secure. Attempts were made to repair it and bring it back online, only to have workers get killed by Ghouls while those that were on guard weren’t watching. It also has been made clear that in order to get long-term use out of it, the source of the earthquakes needs to be stopped. Efforts are still being made to keep guard on the building and see if the situation has improved enough to initiate reactivation protocols.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311760&viewfull=1#post311760)

[Celestial Configuration INFINITY] was found here.

(38) Akiseth Construction (ABANDONED) – This company building used to be used for trucking and shipping of construction supplies and crews, but has been left behind due to OMEN. There are some signs that some Pokémon have already scavenged it for supplies, but other areas look like they haven’t been touched since the incident.
<UNSEARCHED>

(39) Newpoint Building (ABANDONED) – This large apartment building was home to many working class Pokémon, but no one has lived in there for a while. There is an old ghost story still surrounding it regarding “The Blood Letter” and that the every now and then, a new letter in blood would be found on the back wall of the building. The letter that appeared was the first letter in the name of the Exacta resident that would be the next to die. Some Pokémon, especially the teenagers, are given dares to sneak out in the middle of the night to leave the refuge area to see what letter is on the back wall. Rumor has it that it’s still changing and being updated to this day…
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313067&viewfull=1#post313067)

ASTRALNOX: #[Head of Scarlet the Weavile] Macabre Presence – (3 Sanity Damage)# was found here.

(40) Memorial Heart Hospital (ABANDONED) – This large city hospital has been under heavy discussion as of late due to the nature of it’s location. Unpowered, there isn’t too much usefulness to it, but there is valuable medical equipment and machines that can’t be disassembled to be moved to the refuge area. The building has also taken damage from the earthquakes and if the repair upkeep isn’t performed, the building may become too structurally damaged to recover. The other conflict is it lies in dangerous territory.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311731&viewfull=1#post311731)

ASTRALNOX: {Assembly of Heads Sacrificial Altar: Head Mount AND Head Mount AND Head Mount}

(41) Canopy Art Museum (ABANDONED) – Before OMEN, this art museum used to showcase displays of all kinds of art from oil-based paintings to carvings, statues, and other forms. Many of the earthquakes have damaged the structure and quite a few of the art pieces still inside have become ruined or even fully destroyed from the damage. Aurorawatch has absolutely no interest in this building and foresee it being torn down and replaced once things go back to normal.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310695&viewfull=1#post310695)

=Kammo Wall Jingle= (https://i.imgur.com/1uNqMo1.png) was found here.
OBSCENE: {The Unborn Child Egg: Abortion Deed}

(42) The Candle Mansion (ABANDONED) – Even before OMEN, this lone, gray, mysterious house had stories and rumors surrounding it. Many believe the mansion is cursed or haunted, as the last four families that lived in it have all died from the same mysterious cause. The Tashan Family, the Bismark Family, the Greyci Family, and the Mantale Family all died from brain aneurisms that doctors couldn’t explain the circumstances. For the last thirty years, it’s been abandoned with the Mantale Family’s belongings still inside, lying silent in the dark confines. Unruly children and teenagers often trespassed to explore the interior, but every one that did reported having strange, otherworldly nightmares unlike anything they’ve experienced before.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310830&viewfull=1#post310830)

[Celestial Essence] was found here.
OBSCENE: [Defiled Music Box: Missing Music Box Song Drum AND Missing Winding Shaft] was found here.

(43) Caxington University (ABANDONED) – Caxington, before OMEN, specialized in educating some of the most brilliant Pokémon in the city, focusing primarily on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. A number of Pokémon wish they could bring it back online, but there’s no hope of doing that until the Exacta City Enrictinite Power Plant (or some other major power source) comes back online. The main building has taken some minor earthquake damage, but it doesn’t look like it will be at risk of collapsing anytime soon.
<UNSEARCHED>

(44) Namasha Apartment Lofts (ABANDONED) – This once upper-class apartment building used to be a sign of prestige to live in. Now, it’s entirely vacant and devoid of inhabitants. Some Pokémon were able to get their belongings moved out. Many, however, did not. Aurorawatch estimates that because the building got a front-row seat at the OMEN strike site, OMEN biological contamination may be a threat. On top of that, the building is heavily structurally damaged. The next earthquake may bring the entire structure crashing to the ground…
<UNSEARCHED>

(45) Cedarwood Apartments (ABANDONED) – While not as high class as Namasha’s lofts, this apartment building is experiencing the same kind of problems. High OMEN contamination risk is one, but the damage from the earthquakes is so great that both of the south walls of the building have collapsed to the ground.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311637&viewfull=1#post311637)

OBSCENE: {Rusted Safe: Rust Remedy AND 3 Digit Safe Combination}

(46) Ashen Park (ABANDONED) – Talks of the infamous Ashen Park have reached towns even outside of Exacta. While the park does have some cases of murder, it has turned into place where Pokémon commit suicide for whatever reason, be it shame, depression, or terminal medical conditions. For decades, the park was avoided and almost no one ever visited it for recreational purposes. As a result, leisure trails, playgrounds, and park benches have all fallen into gloomy disrepair. Even walking by it causes some Pokémon to believe they can hear creepy whispers, often referring to “the papers.” The messages are enigmatic, and no one is sure if they’re in reference to the suicide notes found often drifting through the park or something else entirely…
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310539&viewfull=1#post310539)

{Elevated Cliff Ledge: +Flying Type+}

[Sun Key] was found here.
ASTRALNOX: {Dried Fountain: Offering of Blood}
EXCLUDE: {Ethereal Chamber: +Ghost Type+}

(47) The Greenlawn Manor (ABANDONED) – This used to be a high-end posh restaurant decades ago when times were better. Many Pokémon hosted large celebrations like weddings or campaign events at this location, but after the owner, Danrays the Arcanine, passed away from an unexpected heart attack, the business was shut down and never reopened. It also doesn’t help that the park next to the manor became such a morbid and infamous place and the fact the rear view was ruined by a prison being built on the once peaceful and tranquil island.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310576&viewfull=1#post310576)

[Large Glass Globe] was found here.

(48) The Cobal Estate (ABANDONED) – Cobal, a young and rich Simisage entrepreneur that bought this large piece of real estate, was confirmed dead by Aurorawatch scouts. Cause of death was reported that he was killed by Ghouls created, as a result of OMEN. The estate has been quiet ever since, though there has been an anonymous report that someone or something is still using the building.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310712&viewfull=1#post310712)

EXCLUDE: #{Chamber of the Divided Zero: Mark of Oblivion AND Mark of the Void AND Mark of Erasure} Black Expurgation Presence (10 Purity Damage)#

(49) Nashin Retail Store Row (ABANDONED) – Three retail stores used to be here: the Jubilation Florist store, the Morning Song Café, and a dental office owned by Dr. Ruskin. All three stores were vacated from OMEN and no one knows what became of the owners, but after three long years of gloomy silence, the only assumption the surviving Exacta citizens have is they didn’t make it. One thing that has been reported is someone has been making hashmarks on the front windows of the Jubilation Florist store. No one knows what for, who’s been doing it, or why and what they’re supposed to signify, but the number of hashes is now up to 27.
<UNSEARCHED>

(50) Oaktrail Retail Stores (ABANDONED) – Four stores used to be here: the Exacta Dairy, Samikrat Publishing, Kammin Electronics, and Apex Fitness. All of them have been abandoned due to OMEN, but some of the churchgoers have reported that they sometimes see the all lights in all four stores turn on for a few seconds, and then turn off again. What makes no sense about it is there is no power running through the store, and even one electrician investigated it after a mass, but couldn’t find anything to explain it.
<UNSEARCHED>

(51) Frasha’s Seafood Restaurant (ABANDONED) – Frasha’s, owned by Frasha the Vaporeon, used to be a welcoming sight while arriving in Exacta from the east. The restaurant was known for its fun, old-timey nautical décor and was known to be very kid-friendly with extensive children’s menus and birthday party arrangements. Five years ago, Frasha’s lost a major lawsuit from a customer who wrongfully claimed there was a rusty nail in her food when in fact it had been planted. The business had to close after declaring bankruptcy and Frasha left town years ago. Many residents were extremely upset, and no one has wanted to replace Frasha’s after having so many good memories there.
<UNSEARCHED>

(52) West Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED) – For those brazen or foolish enough to want to venture into the Southern Reach, this is really the only safe way to do it. The suspension-style bridge is still mostly intact and it’s estimated that the earthquakes haven’t affected it too badly. Aurorawatch still keeps watch on the bridge to make sure no Ghouls or Chimeras are trying to cross over into the refuge area. Those crossing to the other side are told they’re on their own.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313323&viewfull=1#post313323)

ASTRALNOX: [Head of Nico the Alcremie] was found here.

(53) East Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED) – Standing before the massive crater left by the OMEN strike, this bridge is in terrible condition and Aurorawatch is suspecting it may collapse into the river any day now. Aurorawatch, being unable to keep watch on it at all times to prevent Ghoul and Chimeras from getting into the Northern Reach, has rigged a number of booby traps all over it and has warned everyone not to try and use it, saying “if you’re mad enough to go into the Southern Reach, at least be smart enough to use the west bridge.”
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313603&viewfull=1#post313603)

HUSKPUPPET: =Fragment 8= (https://i.imgur.com/95zx6XG.png) was found here.
LABYRINTH: {The Blasted Door: <Security>}

(54) Exacta City Maximum Security Prison (ABANDONED) – Since the day the proposal for this prison came about, virtually no one in the city was happy about it. While surprisingly effective in keeping inmates from escaping, the prison was known for being brutal, punishing, and extremely unforgiving. Almost all criminal Pokémon sentenced to this prison were serving life sentences or were scheduled to be executed in the very near future. When OMEN struck, Nytalia had ordered for the execution of all the prisoners and the guards were ordered to immediately vacate the premises once the order was completed. The order was extremely controversial and while some respected Nytalia’s decision, not everyone did…
<EXTERIOR ISLAND UNSEARCHED>

(54a) Main Prison Structure <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312464&viewfull=1#post312464)

ASTRALNOX: [Innocence of Lycellus the Eternatus] was found here.
(54b) Guard Compound and Prisoner Entry Processing <UNSEARCHED>

Southern Reach

The Southern Reach is what used to be home to huge skyscrapers, bustling residential areas, and prosperous manufacturing facilities. Now, it has become undoubtedly the most dangerous area to investigate. Aurorawatch has warned all Pokémon in the refuge area not to venture into the Southern Reach, and unlike the Northern Reach, there is absolutely no chance anyone from Aurorawatch will go in to rescue you. You’re completely on your own. As soon as you cross the West Exacta River Bridge, you’re entering a whole new darker world.

Almost all sites in the Southern Reach are completely abandoned and the only ones visiting are usually scavengers or lost souls still clinging onto the hope of looking for lost loved ones even three years later. At the same time, threats of Ghoul and Chimera attacks are significantly higher as they’ve made this new, ravaged post-apocalyptic wasteland their home. OMEN contamination is also very high, and if visitors aren’t careful, they could be joining the ranks of the afflicted…

(55) The Alecte Condominiums – As one of the few very rare places inhabited within the Southern Reach, this is probably the safest and least damaged location in the area. Pokémon that feel Queen Nytalia has been handling the OMEN situation poorly (known to both sides as the “Knaves”), want nothing to do with Aurorawatch, and haven’t been receptive to living in the refuge area have taken up residence here. The building itself is kept in good condition, but is still within visibility of the Exacta Military Compound across the river. Nytalia isn’t too concerned about the situation and doesn’t expect it to escalate into a serious problem. Thankfully, tensions between Aurorawatch and the Knaves are only based on a “agree to disagree” basis and haven’t become violent, but neither side is going to come rushing to the aid of the other.
<UNSEARCHED>

(56) Whitestar Skyscraper – Whitestar is without a doubt the only skyscraper in Exacta that hasn’t taken serious damage and continues to remain unaffected by the earthquakes. Some of the “rebel” Pokémon known as the Knaves that have been residing in the Alecte Condominiums do their work in this large skyscraper that used to be used mainly for corporate offices. Now, indoor farms, metal and woodworking shops, a makeshift infirmary, and whatever else these defector Pokémon might need is being handled in this large building.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312513&viewfull=1#post312513)

Stores Desperados for Hire, Navin’s Constructing and Repair Depot, and Underground Medical were found here.

(57) The Darkwatch Building – With high visibility and lookout stations, this is all that stands between the Knave settlement and the horrors of the Reach. The building itself is used for making concrete, which the Knave Pokémon have been using for creating defenses and walls, but its main purpose is for standing as a defensive sentry tower.
<UNSEARCHED>

(58) Jadewater Apartment Complex and Park (ABANDONED) – This very large apartment complex used to be used by many middle class Pokémon, but it has been vacated due to OMEN contamination. Meanwhile, attacks from Ghoul Pokémon that still wander the streets are common and these buildings and the state that they’re in. While the West Building only has some minor damage, the East Building is in terrible shape with many collapsed floors.
<EXTERIOR GROUNDS AND JADEWATER PARK SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312363&viewfull=1#post312363)

{Vault Y117: Vault Y117 Key}

[Stainless Silver Framework] was found here.

[b](58a) West Jadewater Apartment Building <UNSEARCHED>
(58b) East Jadewater Apartment Building <UNSEARCHED>

(59) The Knave Strip – This small street of stores and retail spaces used to be known as the Scarlet Row and it used to consist of a machine and electronic repair shop, a doctor’s office, and a retirement home. Now, it’s been converted into a bar, a lounge, and a fitness/recreational center. Knaves need their sources of entertainment, too.
<UNSEARCHED>

(60) Tusco Park – For Knaves that need a breath of fresh air, Tusco park is relatively safe and relaxing, though Knaves that weren’t prepared and didn’t watch their back have still gotten attacked. In recent times, there have been claims of someone shouting incomprehensible words in the middle of the night, but they’re not sure who has been saying it and why.
<UNSEARCHED>

(61) Calusso Power Station – This building is how the Knaves are able to get their own source of power and not have to rely on Aurorawatch’s support. It’s very well-guarded and defended and the building is kept in good condition. The only thing the Knave Pokémon don’t quite understand is why the word “loathe” is on the back of the building, but most of them just pass it off as nothing.
<UNSEARCHED>

(62) Farvan Water Pump Station – There’s one main feature of the Knaves that has given them the edge over the Exacta Refuge Area. Running water. Where the refugee area has to rely on purified water from the river, water bottles, and makeshift water collection devices, the Knaves can get it straight from the tap, much to Aurorawatch’s frustration. The Knaves do whatever they can to keep the station in good condition, and thankfully it’s just shy of being out of serious earthquake damage range.
<UNSEARCHED>

(63) Dortan Storage Facility – This small warehouse is being used to store Knave supplies, such a fuel, medicine and medical equipment, food, ammunition, building supplies, and electronic equipment. Meanwhile, like the Darkwatch Building, this building is also used as a defense sentry tower to make sure nothing between the Knave settlement and the dangerous Southern Reach make their attack. However, there’s no guarantee of safety, and all Pokémon in this area are highly recommended to be careful regardless.
<UNSEARCHED>

(64) Bridgeheights Tower (ABANDONED) – This large skyscraper that once belonged to the now defunct Bridgeheights Insurance company is now vacant, damaged, and eerie. While the building itself isn’t safe by any standards, no one is expecting it to topple over unless someone set off a bomb and wanted it too. There have been a few Pokémon that have gone in to see what the story is, but there hasn’t been much news as to what they’ve actually found in there.
<UNSEARCHED>

(65) Kothmart (ABANDONED) – Kothmart used to have a very lucrative franchisee agreement in Exacta, but the OMEN strike did serious damage to the east side of the building. While the whole right side is badly damaged, the left side is still relatively intact. Most of the shelves have been picked clean with a few scraps of everyday things here, but occasionally some Pokémon find things of value buried in the rubble where no one thought to look before.
<UNSEARCHED>

(66) Greenyard Apartments Ruins (ABANDONED) – Not much remains intact for this lowly apartment building that used to be home for dozens of Pokémon. It’s a common place for scavengers to search, but it’s also a very common place for them to be attacked as well. Nonetheless a few have claimed they found things of value in the ruins. However, the remains of dead Pokémon are also common in these ruins as well…
<UNSEARCHED>

(67) Ruined Rexem Skyscraper (ABANDONED) – This skyscraper used to be used by dozens of business firms both small and large. Now, it’s a badly damaged, highly contaminated husk of its former self. Pokémon have found it difficult to even make it to the upper half of the building because the conditions of the stairwells have become terrible. Day by day, the condition worsens and no one would be surprised if one day it topples over and crashes to the ground.
<UNSEARCHED>

(68) Petro Now Gasoline and Convenience Store (ABANDONED) – This large food and fuel station used to be bustling with activity, but now it stands empty, vacant, and shaken up for recent quakes. Most of the gasoline has been syphoned out, but there are a few scraps of supplies and leftovers still remaining.
<UNSEARCHED>

(69) Westmarch Manufacturing Compound (ABANDONED) – Westmarch used to specialize in manufacturing automobiles and machine parts. Prior to OMEN, Westmarch was already falling on hard times and was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. Not surprisingly, the OMEN strike was more than enough to be the deathblow to this company. Most of the employees and factory workers never had the chance to escape.
<UNSEARCHED>

(70) Daluco Toy Store (ABANDONED) – Daluco used to be a wonderland for children to visit. Toys, games, and sporting goods in all kinds of styles used to be the biggest attraction about this store in the heart of Exacta City. Now, it’s a half-ravaged nightmare with the bodies of children and parents that never had the chance to escape when OMEN struck. Most scavengers don’t even bother looking inside, but they can attest that they can sometimes hear the sound of a child laughing before it becomes a deranged scream, as if some speaker is replaying the same horrific incident over and over again…
<UNSEARCHED>

(71) Erodos Elder Care (ABANDONED) – When OMEN hit, half the Pokémon living inside were killed or mutated instantly while the others spent the last few minutes of their lives in panic, unable to escape. The interior is something out of a horror show and the building itself is in shambles with collapsed floors and piles of rubble everywhere. The few Pokémon that have dared to enter often confess it wasn’t worth it at all.
<UNSEARCHED>

(72) Valsa Hotel Ruins (ABANDONED) – What used to be a seven-floor, four star hotel is now in piles of rubble and OMEN contaminated desolation. Piles of broken concrete, mishappen metal, and rubble are strewn throughout the area. A strange almost whimpering-like noise can be heard while walking through the area, but no one has attempted to find the source of it.
<UNSEARCHED>

(73) Whiteridge Central Station (ABANDONED) – Beneath Exact City lies a subway system that used to take passengers from place to place very quickly, and this used to be the hub where trains for all areas in town used to go to get to the heart of the city. Now, the main structure is in ruins and the subway tunnels are cold, quiet, and empty. It will likely be many long years before this station is removed to make way for a new one.
<UNSEARCHED>

(74) Luminous Shopping Center (ABANDONED) – This used to a large shopping mall with over sixty stores, a food court, and a movie theater. Now, it’s a twisted, chaotic mess of its former self with damage, destruction, and many dead bodies still left unburied. The earthquakes continue to rip it apart further and further, often sending pieces of it tumbling into the OMEN crater.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311516&viewfull=1#post311516)

OBSCENE: {Nursery Door Electronic Lock: <Technical> AND 2-Digit Nursery Door Code}

(75) Treadstone Community College (ABANDONED) – To university students that wanted school to be out, they got their wish. Forever. Treadstone was infamous for being a failure of a community college with unmotivated students and apathetic teachers. Things were already looking bleak for the institution’s future, but OMEN snuffed it out like a dying candle blasted by a hurricane. Most of the teachers and students didn’t survive the initial strike and less than a tenth managed to escape with their lives. Not even the scavengers want to venture inside to see what remains of the aftermath.
<UNSEARCHED>

(76) The OMEN Crater (ABANDONED) – Undoubtedly, this is the most dangerous, hazardous, and most macabre location in Exacta City. Like a hellish sinkhole of nightmares and destruction, three years ago, dozens of buildings and thousands of dead Pokémon bodies were blown to pieces from the OMEN strike and have been rolling and tumbling into this morbid quicksand-like pit of despair for the last three years. Jagged ruins, twisted metal in deranged formations, and tons upon tons of rubble lie everywhere for multiple city blocks, all churning into this macabre whirlpool of death. Meanwhile, shrieks and infernal howls of ghouls and chimeras are common, all eagerly waiting to feed upon the freshest dead.
<OMEN CRATER CENTER SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313328&viewfull=1#post313328)
{Highly Concentrated OMEN Deposit: Collection Area}
[Pure OMEN Sample]
ASTRALNOX: #{Oblivion Offering: Craving for Innocence AND Craving for Serenity} Unholy Nefarious Essence – (6 Sanity Damage and 6 Purity Damage)#

(76a) OMEN Crater Northwest, Ruined West Residential District <SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313602&viewfull=1#post313602)

HUSKPUPPET: =Fragment 5= (https://i.imgur.com/778sGDP.png) was found here.
(76b) OMEN Crater Northeast, Ruined East Residential District <UNSEARCHED>
(76c) OMEN Crater Southwest, Ruined Commercial District <UNSEARCHED>
(76d) OMEN Crater Southeast, Ruined Industrial District <UNSEARCHED>

(77) Jano Clinic and Urgent Care (ABANDONED) – Not much remains of this large clinic that was instantly ravaged when OMEN struck the city. A few brave scavengers have tried to see if any intact medical resources survived the strike and are buried in the rubble, but so far there either hasn’t been much luck or they’ve been searching the wrong spots.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312263&viewfull=1#post312263)

LABYRINTH: {Tight Rubble Pit: <Small Pokémon Size>}

(78) Tancel Bottling Plant (ABANDONED) – This factory used to create glass, plastic, and metallic containers for all sorts of purposes. What remains of it now doesn’t amount to much, however. Broken machinery, glass, rubble, and a few dead Pokémon that were only trying to living the day that OMEN struck down are all that’s left here. What is odd, however, is there have been reports that sometimes, one of the machines seems to randomly turn back on for a few seconds, sending a harsh clanging noise echoing throughout the empty, destroyed streets. But before anyone can get close to investigate the source, it shuts off again…
<UNSEARCHED>

(79) Feroz Distribution Center (ABANDONED) – Prior to OMEN, this large warehouse was used to distribute goods and supplies, mainly those that required to be refrigerated prior to shipping. While large portions of the building are severely damage, there are still areas that are intact. Some scavengers have shown interest in checking it out to see if anything valuable was left behind, but it’s very deep into extremely dangerous Reach territory and is guaranteed to have OMEN contamination.
<UNSEARCHED>

(80) Boyle Factory (ABANDONED) – This small factory was once used to manufacture paper and cardboard products, but was shut down and closed up after the company declared bankruptcy. Most of the paper supplies are still there as the filing had occurred before the remaining inventory could be liquidated. Because the factory had closed down prior to OMEN, no one was in the building when the blast went off, but the building itself took considerable damage. Even seasoned scavengers haven’t checked up on it, making many wonder what could be inside.
<UNSEARCHED>

{Ruined Manufacturing Floor Punch Card Reader: Punch Card Access}

(81) Ruined Vancedyke Warehouses (ABANDONED) – Vancedyke, a major shipping company that was in full operation prior to OMEN, used this group of warehouses to store all kinds of supplies and wares to be shipped overseas. The warehouses themselves are very badly damaged, but there are several shipping containers that appear to have survived the blast and haven’t been broken open by the Ghouls and Chimeras roaming the area. It’s anyone’s guess as to what can be inside, but most scavengers who have attempted to investigate never made it back alive. The burning curiosity remains…
<UNSEARCHED>

(82) Vancedyke Shipping Center (ABANDONED) – This shipping center used to be bustling with workers, freight ships, and all kinds activity. Now, while most of the building still stands, the interior is a complete catastrophe of broken shipping containers, destroyed machines, and piles and piles of goods that never made it to their destination. Many ships that were here either sank to the bottom of the river or were used to escape the devastation. Most scavenger Pokémon that try to target this location usually arrive via the river, although deranged and feral water Pokémon Ghouls and Chimeras are lurking in the water just waiting for someone to make that mistake.
<UNSEARCHED>

(82a) Vancedyke Shipyard and Receiving <UNSEARCHED>

(83) Exacta City Treatment and Desalination Plant (ABANDONED) – Before OMEN, this building was used to treat sewage to turn it back into clean water, as well as purify the river water and make useable and drinkable water out of it. Thankfully, OMEN contamination is low here and not too much damage has been caused to the building. Aurorawatch only wishes they could just pick it up and move it into the refuge area where they could bring it back online with relative safety.
<UNSEARCHED>

(84) J&T Trucking (ABANDONED) – Many of the industrial manufacturing plants relied on J&T to transport large shipments throughout the country, but most of this site has taken crippling damage and is heavily slathered with OMEN contamination. Many destroyed trucks and container vehicles are still parked here, never to move again.
<UNSEARCHED>

(85) South Valley Industrial Storage Units (ABANDONED) – As it was discovered, these small storage warehouses that were used for industrial purposes were never cleared out after the OMEN strike. At the same time, it’s been reported that the warehouses don’t seem to have taken too much damage from neither the OMEN blast or the earthquakes. The premise seems as though it would be ripe for scavenger exploration, but there have been reports that every Pokémon that has gone into here to explore and bring back something valuable never came back. Twice, on short wave radio, their companions reported hearing a strange, chiseling like metal sound before there was nothing but static.
<UNSEARCHED>

(86) The Foreman Building (ABANDONED) – This small old building has been long-abandoned well before even OMEN became an issue, though it has taken some blast mark damage as a result of the biological attack. No one has been able to perform a thorough investigation on the building, and the only rumor that persists about it is that it has strange locks that haven’t been easy to pick and can’t be broken.
<UNSEARCHED>

(87) Worker’s Barracks (ABANDONED) – Decades ago, these two structures used to serve as barracks for workers that lived on site for major, time critical projects and assignments that needed to be completed when time was of the essence. Recent times and innovations in transportation have made it unnecessary for workers to do this when they can simply commute by their own vehicles or mass transportation. However, the two old brick buildings were never taken down. No one has stayed around in the Southern Reach long enough to check them out due to there being more lucrative sites in the area. Some Pokémon don’t think there’s anything worthwhile, but there is a slight curiosity that makes some Pokémon wonder about these buildings…
<UNSEARCHED>

(88) The Headmaster Houses (ABANDONED) – In times before, owners of companies and factories used to live in these nearby houses. Times have changed and it’s been at least thirty years since anyone has lived in these vacant houses, but they’re still standing and no order has ever been made to tear them down. No one is really sure who owns the properties now. In fact, there’s seemingly no public records regarding what became of the owners that used to live here. The names on the front doors read Kenwiv, Alcoi, and Bensiri, but no one has any idea of what happened to them, where they moved to, or if they’re even still alive, whoever they are.
<SEARCHED> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312619&viewfull=1#post312619)

HUSKPUPPET: #{Undeath Vault of Reanimation: Missing Undeath Keystone} Infernal Deranged Essence (4 Sanity Damage, 2 Purity Damage)# was found here.

[Neo Emolga]

Suspect List

Aurorawatch, Exacta Refugee Area
1. [COM] Axken the Skuntank ♂ <Lycellus's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310316&viewfull=1#post310316)
2. (!) Internal Audit --COMPLETE!-- [PAL] Safen the Politoed ♀: <Diplomacy> OR *Sparring Battle Victory* (Open for Sparring)<Misty's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310313&viewfull=1#post310313)
3. Alamalia the Blissey ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
4. (!) Hello? Anyone Out There? [PAL] Crez the Whimsicott ♂ (Escort Teacher) <Noble's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310518&viewfull=1#post310518)
5. [PAL] Neshen the Drapion ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
6. [KGT] Bazlia the Lairon ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
7. [KGT] Deffer the Shelgon ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
8. [KGT] Ancho the Claydol (Genderless) <UNQUESTIONED>
9. [SQE] Terene the Nickit ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
[s]10. [SQE] Saadat the Dewott ♂ <Noble's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311354&viewfull=1#post311354) ***KILLED BY THE STALKERS*** (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311440&viewfull=1#post311440)

[Wrath Stone of the NECOMID] was received
11. Melka the Medicham ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
12. [SQE] Tecker the Pelipper ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
13. Fet the Abra ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
14. Rali the Treecko ♀ [i]<Noble's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310884&viewfull=1#post310884)
15. Queen Nytalia the Aurorus ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
16. Princess Samona the Amaura ♀ [i]<Nia's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310308&viewfull=1#post310308)

=Blotted Sudoku Part 3= (https://i.imgur.com/SupTeZu.jpg) was received.

Exacta Refugee Area
17. Dret the Mightyena ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
[s]18. Mika the Boltund ♀ ***KILLED BY THE STALKERS*** (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312019&viewfull=1#post312019)
19. Duante the Yamper ♂ <Misty's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=312139&viewfull=1#post312139)

[2nd Half of the Talisman of the Stars] was received.
20. Everet the Drednaw ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
21. Lagrais the Rapidash ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
22. Krax the Tyranitar ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
23. Canett the Krookodile ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
24. (!) Carry the Future Veria the Cinccino ♀ <Technical Perk> <Nico's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310290&viewfull=1#post310290)

Received [Celestial Configuration SERENITY]
25. Juvarie the Staravia ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
26. Xasha the Deino ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
27. Vemmi the Banette ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
28. Jakko the Litleo ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
29. Kio the Clobbopus ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
30. Umie the Petilil: <Diplomacy> OR $200 Sochas$ ♀ <Noble's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=311890&viewfull=1#post311890)
31. Taliea the Azumarill ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
32. Pashin the Fletchinder ♂ <Flare's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310327&viewfull=1#post310327)
33. Arandesh the Torkoal ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
34. Avril the Noivern ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
35. Kevaxin the Flygon ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
36. Kastel the Noibat ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
37. Aquinvi the Absol ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
38. Vio the Hatterene ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
39. Uraff the Piloswine ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
40. Namrai the Steenee ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
41. Frendsi the Cursola ♀ ***KILLED BY THE STALKERS*** (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310470&viewfull=1#post310470)
42. Esler the Malamar ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
43. Nykan the Pachirisu ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
44. Pesha the Shuckle ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
45. Shas the Chimchar ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
46. Drekka the Electrike ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
47. Seul the Brioonne ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
48. Kector the Hakamo-o ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
49. Falei the Misdreavus ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
50. Borsei the Celfairy ♀ ***KILLED BY THE STALKERS*** (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=313075&viewfull=1#post313075)
51. Alishia the Milotic ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>

Northern Reach
52. Syrax the Espeon ♂ (Clarivoyance Teacher) <Sacred's Interview> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310408&viewfull=1#post310408)

[Site Plan Holy Starmap: Large Glass Globe AND Puresilver Globe Mount AND Celestial Essence] was received.

Knaves, Southern Reach
53. Navin the Chatot ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
54. Daxu the Gengar ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
55. Kemmi the Deerling ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
56. Muro the Crabominable ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
57. Duvela the Volcarona ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
58. Jho the Honchkrow ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
59. Salio the Murkrow ♂ *COMPLIANT* <Nico's Diplomacy> (https://www.pokemoncrossroads.com/forum/showthread.php/26437-Stalkers-RPG-Main-Action-and-Team-Status-SEASON-5?p=310502&viewfull=1#post310502)

[Deranged Codec: <Technical>] was received.
60. Deslai the Golduck ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
61. Kelesi the Wartortle ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
62. Retta the Bellsprout ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
63. Fiveria the Musharna ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
64. Drent the Sawsbuck ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
65. Cobin the Ambipom ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
66. Ezalei the Bouffalant ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
67. Jagin the Floatzel ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
68. Racha the Skwovet ♀ <UNQUESTIONED>
69. (!) Dineni the Darmanitan ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>
70. Kash the Fennekin ♂ <UNQUESTIONED>

[Neo Emolga]

Exacta City Marketplaces

This is a directory of all the available stores and merchants that have been found and located in Exacta City. Note that only stores that have in-game value will be listed here (for background setting purposes, there are many other stores that sell goods and services but aren’t on this list due to their merchandise not having in-game value, like appliances).

Some stores are run by a civilian that’s on the suspect list. If this civilian is killed by the Stalkers (or from another source), it may close the store completely and those items will no longer be available for purchase. Stores that have had this occur will be crossed out, like this.


Exacta Refuge Area

(2) Silverlight Shopping Mall

Friend in Need Pharmacy
Run by Borsei the Clefairy ***KILLED BY THE STALKERS***

HEALING BERRIES

$[Sitrus Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

Stop and Shyft
Run by Danchi the Alolan Riachu

SHYFT STONES

$[White Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to NORMAL.)
$[Maroon Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FIGHTING.)
$[Lavender Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FLYING.)
$[Purple Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to POISON.)
$[Beige Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GROUND.)
$[Brown Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ROCK.)
$[Lime Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to BUG.)
$[Violet Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GHOST.)
$[Gray Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to STEEL.)
$[Orange Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FIRE.)
$[Blue Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to WATER.)
$[Green Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GRASS.)
$[Yellow Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ELECTRIC.)
$[Coral Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to PSYCHIC.)
$[Cyan Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ICE.)
$[Indigo Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to DRAGON.)
$[Black Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to DARK.)
$[Pink Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FAIRY.)

Exacta City Newsstand
Run by Dole the Vaporeon

MAGAZINES

$[“ROGUE” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Security Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Handymon” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Chansey’s Diagnosis” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Medicine Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Influence!” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Diplomacy Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Codecracker” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Technical Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[Runic Ancient Writings] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Seinaru Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)

(6) Dret’s Brewery

Dret’s Brewery
Run by Dret the Mightyena

DRINK MENU

$[Caffeine Delight] 200 Sochas$ (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
$[Strong Oran Cider] 100 Sochas$ (An alcoholic beverage that grants +1 to Interview Rapport, but inflicts 2 Sanity damage. Effect lasts one turn, can only use one per turn.)
$[The Vigor Monster] 150 Sochas$ (An empowering drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Health points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)
$[The Lucid Dreamer] 150 Sochas$ (An enigmatic drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Sanity points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)
$[The Wandering Star] 150 Sochas$ (A mysterious drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Purity points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)

(8) Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store

Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store
Run by Lagrais the Rapidash

VARIABLE ATTACK AMULETS

$[|JY| Opal Amulet] 50 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Topaz Amulet] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Diamond Amulet] 250 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls.)

SET ATTACK RINGS

$[|JY| Cross Ring] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Clover Ring] 125 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Starburst Ring] 200 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)

PROFICIENCY BANDS

$[|JY| Band of the Rogue] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Security Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Crafter] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Repair Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Cleric] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Medicine Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Diplomat] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Diplomacy Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Angels] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Seinaru Perk.)

UNIQUE TALISMANS

$[|JY| Talisman of Life] 500 Sochas$ (Grants immediate full revival if killed. Talisman of Life breaks if this occurs, one use only.)
$[|JY| Flashfire Talisman] 200 Sochas$ (Always strike first in combat regardless of speed.)

(9) Tactical Outfitters

Tactical Outfitters
Run by Krax the Tyranitar

STANDARD ARMOR

$[|DA| Riot Bracers] 100 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Armor Plates] 300 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Military-Grade Armor Plating] 600 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 3 points each time Health damage is taken)

CUSTOMIZED ARMOR

$[|DA| <SPECIES>-Customized Tactical Combat Armor] 900 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 5 points each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| <SPECIES>-Customized Commander Power Armor] 1800 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 7 points each time Health damage is taken)

(10) The Armament Bunker

The Armament Bunker
Run by Canett the Krookodile

STANDARD WEAPONS

$[|AW| Military Karambit] 50 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Razor Machete] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Ornamental Katana] 250 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Radanthril Blade] 400 Sochas$ (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Vindicator Armament] 600 Sochas$ (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| Combat Hatchet] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Tactical Warblade] 125 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Captain Sword] 200 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Windbreaker Blade] 325 Sochas$ (Adds 5 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Sunrazor Armament] 450 Sochas$ (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls)

CUSTOMIZED WEAPONS

$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Vulcan Armament] 750 Sochas$ (Adds 2d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Ragefire Armament] 900 Sochas$ (Adds 2d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Commander Weaponry] 650 Sochas$ (Adds 8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Battlestorm Armament] 900 Sochas$ (Adds 12 damage to successful attack rolls)

(13) Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms

Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms
Run by Pashin the Fletchinder

$[Sitrus Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

$[Violent Seed] 80 Sochas$ (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered.)
$[Shadow Seed] 120 Sochas$ - (Chance of encountering random enemies is 0% (event-based or storyline enemies may still appear). Lasts one cycle.)
$[Quicksilver Seed] 150 Sochas$ - (Adds 30% to your Evasion rate on top of your character’s base stat. Lasts one cycle.)

(16) Riverwinds Shopping Center

The Tool Rack
Run by Nykan the Pachirisu

TOOLS

$[|AW| Workshop Mallet] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Steel Crobar] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Steel Sledgehammer] 215 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| Woodcutter Axe] 30 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Brush Machete] 110 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Gas-powered Chainsaw] 180 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)

PROTECTIVE GEAR

$[|DA| Protective Workcloth] 80 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Heavy Duty Workgear] 240 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken)

MISC TOOLS

$[Sunfire Flares] 150 Sochas$ (If held in your Pack, the next time your character tries to flee from a battle (along with any other characters in your party trying to Flee), one of these will be used and the Flee attempt will be successful.)
$[Revealing Glass] 100 Sochas$ (Can be used to see if there are any hidden traps in an area (as a Yes or No answer))

Happy Holiday Gift Store
Run by Namrai the Steenee

JEWELRY AND TRINKETS

$[|JW|Angelic Heart Ring] 100 Sochas$ (Dying to the Stalkers or the followers of the Abyss does not raise the Doom Tracker)
$[|JW| Onyx Necklace] 200 Sochas$ (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%))
$[|JW| Friends Forever Dual Heart Necklaces: <XXX>] 350 Sochas$ (When equipping this, select a civilian from the list. As long as you wear this, that civilian will never be killed by the Stalkers.)

HOLIDAY GIFT AISLE
$[Holiday Greeting Card] 50 Sochas$ (To use, select a civilian on the list. You will get a return card that reveals their personality.)
$[Golden Memories Chocolate Box] 100 Sochas$ (A mysterious box of chocolates that takes you back to earlier times. Select a Pokémon form you were before to become that Pokémon again. Just don’t mind the mysterious “you’ll remember, they won’t…” whisper…
$[Neo Emolga Keychain] 500 Sochas$ (At a first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a keychain toy depicting Neo Emolga with his familiar crescent moon necklace and a button on his back that makes him say “cheers and good times!” But some attest that this is not just a toy and that it radiates a mysterious but comforting glow in dark places. But what does it mean?)

Soul Food Diner
Run by Seul the Brioonne

MENU

$[Caffeine Delight] 150 Sochas$ (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
$[Heartwarming Cocoa] 150 Sochas$ (The cocoa that can save your life! If you have this in your Pack and you take lethal Health damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Health remaining (similar to the move Endure)
$[Sweet Herbal Tea] 150 Sochas$ (A calming and revitalizing tea that helps preserve your mental state! If you take lethal Sanity damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Sanity remaining.)
$[The Monk’s Special] 150 Sochas$ (A sweet and blissful fruity beverage that just makes you feel good. If you have this in your Pack and you take lethal Purity damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Purity remaining.)

Sweet Dreams Café
Run by Falei the Misdreavus

MENU

$[Sleepy Time Dream Tea] 250 Sochas$ (Instructions seem simple. “Drink before going to bed at night.” But it ends there and nothing is mentioned afterwards…)
$[Magic Pie] 300 Sochas (Some say this pie will make you so happy that you’ll want to sing. Others say it’s so sugary that it makes them sick. There were claims one Pokémon flew to the stars riding on a comet and created their own world after eating it while another became frozen in time and now lives in an alternate dimension. There are a lot of stories surrounding Falei’s Magic Pie, but separating the fact from the fiction seems to be something no one ever thought to document and validate…)
$[Fairy Bread] 500 Sochas$ (A delectable dessert from a faraway land with strange rumors and an alluring aroma and aura. Some eat it and claim it’s a scam and doesn’t do anything at all while others claim it’s magical, can change destinies, grant powers unheard of, and can do things thought only possible in imagination. Some say the secret is to eat it away from prying eyes. Others say there’s no proof of the nonsense actually doing anything….)


Northern Reach

(22) Kenja Apartment Building

Apartment #114
Run by Kresh the Greedent

HYBRID WEAPONS

$[|AW| Razor’s Edge] 120 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 and +2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Thundercrasher Sword] 225 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 and +3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Shadowbreaker Blade] 340 Sochas$ (Adds 1d10 and +5 damage to successful attack rolls)


Southern Reach

(56) Whitestar Skyscraper

Desperados for Hire

SET DURATION CONTRACTS

$[2 Day/4 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 300 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 2 Days/4 Cycles)
$[3 Day/6 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 600 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 3 Days/6 Cycles)
$[4 Day/8 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 800 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 4 Days/8 Cycles)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS (APPLIES TO TIME-BASED CONTRACTS)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +$100 Sochas$ per contract
**Skilled Mercenary (has +2 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +$300 Sochas$ per contract
***Veteran Mercenary (has +5 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +$600 Sochas$ per contract

PERCENTAGE-BASED CONTRACTS

$[40% Income Indefinite Contract]$ *Standard* (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 40% of your Sochas earnings)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS (APPLIES TO PERCENTAGE-BASED CONTRACTS)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +10% of earnings demand per contract
**Skilled Mercenary (has +2 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +15% of earnings demand per contract
***Veteran Mercenary (has +5 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)*** +30% of earnings demand per contract

Navin’s Constructing and Repair Depot
Run by Navin the Chatot

STEEL MILL HIDEOUT UPGRADES
(Builds facilities at the Abandoned Steel Mill. An old facility can be replaced by a new one)

$[Upgrade (1) Barracks, Storage, and Living Area to [Advanced Level]] 250 Sochas$ (Rest restores all Health, Sanity, and Purity points.)
$[Build Indoor Greenhouse] 500 Sochas$ (creates and adds three random berries and/or seeds each day (beginning of Day cycle) to the Team Inventory. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Holy Altar] 500 Sochas$ (Needed for Sin Purge and other Utopia-based actions like imbuing weapons and purifying Abyssal Aspects (needs Utopia Angel found and recruited). Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Merchant Store] 500 Sochas$ (Allows Emissaries to sell unwanted items to Exacta City civilians for Sochas. Activates “Sell” as a new free action. State “Sell at 75% of value” for a guaranteed sell at 75% of the item(s) base value, or “Sell at 100% of value” for a chance of selling it to a customer for the full value, but has a 30% chance of not working and not finding a willing customer to buy it that cycle. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c))
$[Build Garage] 500 Sochas$ (Houses 2 vehicles, which are automatically provided. Allows 2 Emissaries (1 per vehicle) to perform 2 Actions per day each) Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c))
$[Build Fitness and Recreational Center] 500 Sochas$. Increases the maximum Health, Sanity, and Purity stats of all Emissaries by 10 for as long as this Facility is active. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Weapon, Armor, and Jewelcrafting Workshop] 500 Sochas$ (Allows Emissaries to create their own |AW| Attack Weapon, |DA| Defensive Armor, and |JW| Jewelry Equipment. One Emissary per Cycle can attempt to make a piece of equipment by stating what kind of Equipment piece it is and designing the stats to be whatever they’d like. Equipment with relatively low stats will have a higher chance of success rate than Equipment with many powerful stats. TIP: Use already existing Equipment pieces as a guide to get started!)

Underground Medical
Run by Kelesi the Wartortle

HEALING BERRIES

$[Sitrus Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

EMERGENCY MEDICAL DRONES

$[Emergency Trauma Care Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Health of all Emissaries no matter where they are)
$[Emergency Cognitive Remediation Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity of all Emissaries no matter where they are)
$[Emergency Spiritual Therapy Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity of all Emissaries no matter where they are)

[Neo Emolga]

Side Missions

Active Side Missions

24. (!) Carry the Future Veria the Cinccino

Synopsis:
Veria needs a pure OMEN sample from the very heart of the OMEN crater. Take the [OMEN Sample Collection Jar] to that location and use it to get a pure sample that Veria needs to strengthen her research.

Objective: Take the [OMEN Sample Collection Jar] with you when you Search (76) The OMEN Crater: OMEN Crater Center (ABANDONED). Collect the [Pure OMEN Sample] and bring it back to Veria for a reward and her gratitude.

Rewards:
$1500 Sochas$
Advanced Medical Technology

4. (!) Hello? Anyone Out There? [PAL] Crez the Whimsicott

Synopsis:
Crez needs someone to investigate the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices for any equipment or devices that might help Aurorawatch establish long-range communications with nearby towns to request help.

Objective:
Find working radio equipment that Crez can use and make a successful broadcast communication to contact anyone outside of Exacta City for help.

Rewards:
$3000 Sochas$, evenly split among all players.
[|AW| Aurorawatch Combat Vulcan] (Adds 1d10 +5 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DF| Aurorawatch Versatility Armor] (Reduces incoming Health Damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken)


(!) When It Rains, It Pours Queen Nytalia the Aurorus

Complete Paladin Crez’s “Hello? Anyone Out there?” side mission, as it has now reached a whole new level of criticality. Aurorawatch’s future, as well as the future of Exacta City, now depends on it.

Rewards:
All members of Aurorawatch become Compliant.
All Emissaries become Aurorawatch Knights and can recruit Aurorawatch Mercenaries free of change (you essentially become a squad leader and they’re your squad members).
Unlimited copies of [|AW| Aurorawatch Combat Vulcan] (Adds 1d10 +5 damage to successful attack rolls). You can simply state you’re equipping one at any time as if they always exist in the Team Inventory.
Unlimited copies of [|DF| Aurorawatch Versatility Armor] (Reduces incoming Health Damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken) You can simply state you’re equipping one at any time as if they always exist in the Team Inventory.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Clearwater Council sends reinforcements to Exacta City and annuls OMEN encounter chances in the Northern Reach. Encounters in the Southern Reach are reduced by half.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Exacta City Enrictine Power Plant comes back online and the path to Knave Territory gets secured. Tensions between Aurorawatch and the Knaves are resolved, traveling to Knave territory no longer bears risk of encounters.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Emissary Steel Mill becomes an Aurorawatch outpost base and can support two additional facilities. Navin the Chatot and his employees get contracted by Nytalia to build whatever you need at no expense to you.


Completed Side Missions

(!) Shed the Red Scarlet the Weavile
Synopsis:
Scarlet has good intentions of wanting to take the fight to the Stalkers themselves, but lately she hasn't found anyone reliable or strong enough to go with her. She's willing to help the Emissaries, but only if they can prove they're capable of handling themselves in a fight.

Objective:
Beat Scarlet in a Sparring Fight.

Rewards:
Scarlet joins the Emissary Alliance as a character and will help the players explore and take on the dangers of Exacta City.

2. (!) Internal Audit [PAL] Safin the Politoad

Synopsis:
Due to a purchase order error, Safin needs to get a hold of 3 Sitrus Berries, 3 Spelon Berries, and 3 Starf Berries to make up for the inventory error and to avoid having the issue escalated with the quartermaster. She's willing to give some money and some of the surplus [Violent Seeds] as a reward.

Objective: Bring 3 Sitrus Berries, 3 Spelon Berries, and 3 Starf Berries to Safin.

Rewards:
$500 Sochas$
x5 [b][Violent Seed] (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered.)

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 1: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE ("https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2242186/day-1-day-cycle)

(October 26, 2020, 12:00:00 am EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur

[Bulbasaur]

I wanna go to the mall. :o

Search (2a) Eastern Side

[EmeraldSky]

I'll take the west side of the mall, then, unless I am needed elsewhere.

[Lychee]

Nico fluffed his way out of the hideout.
"Alright! I'm not quite feeling up to talking to royalty yet, or an espeon. Let's start off by visiting (24.) Veria the Cinccino!" He announced to nobody in particular, and scuttled off to ask them about themselves, the city, recent deaths, OMEN, and any extra things they might need help with. Nico was ready to make a new friend!

[AD]

I am feeling extra risky, but for now, i have a hunch of a feeling in Kindred Park.

Search (26) Kindred Park

[Chibi Altaria]

Nia pushed her paws together nervously in thought as she looked over the map laid out in front of her.

I'm not very big, so I don't know how helpful I would be in a fight... For now I think I will stick to the Refuge and interview some of the residents until more information has been gathered.

Giving the list of residents another once-over she came across an Amaura, presumably the daughter of the Aurorus above her.

Princess Samona...is she royalty? Or is that simply a title? Nevertheless she sounds important, so I will start here. I may be able to gain a lot of insight from a Pokemon similar to myself.

Nia began to hastily scrawl a list of questions on the notepad that she always carried with her. About Samona's living quarters, the Aurorawatch and OMEN incident, the city, her mother and friends, places of interest, and if she had seen anything - or anyone - suspicious.

Interview 16. Princess Samona the Amaura.

[C0L0R3D]

1939 Let’s start with something simple.

I’m gonna interview 2, Safen the Politoed. Mostly about if he knows much about the Stalkers, but he also has a mission I want to check out.

[Shruikan]

So, time to start gathering info. According to the map the emmisaries had, the police station was abandoned, and some of the others had gone to check out the shopping district. So next was look around for someone who looks like they might be important. Glancing quickly at the suspect list, Lycellus settled on Axken. They seemed important, ("I mean, they're at the top of the list!") but also they were a poison type. Though he might not be as diplomatic as some of the others, Lycellus felt he could handle talking to another poison type well enough.

Lycellus slowly approached the skunktank, trying not to scare anybody along the way, then lowered his head down to the ground, trying to get closer to eye level, and giving what he though was a warm friendly smile, though to others it might have just appeared as though he was planning on eating them.

"Hey there! Sooo, hows it going? Besides the apocalypse scenario of course. What's the gossip around town? Anything notable going on in the city? Anyone acting more suspicous than usual maybe? Or any suspicious locations worth checking out? For that matter, are there any citizens who might be willing to help a brave mon venturing out into the danger zone? Arms and armour dealers perhaps, or maybe hired muscle?"

[Interview 1. Axken the Skuntank]

[Neo Emolga]

I wanna go to the mall. :o

Search (2a) Eastern Side

As soon as the dawn hits, you head out, immediately bearing south to see what the Silverlight Shopping Mall has in store. From the outside, you can see that this is one of the few buildings that has remained unaffected by what happened with OMEN three years ago, and there doesn’t seem to be any structural damage at all. Where this building and its surrounding grounds were once a casual retail place, it has now become paramount to Exacta City’s surviving commerce.

From what you can see, the citizens of Exacta City have had to turn this shopping mall into a miniature city all in its own. For many of them, this is where they both live and work now. Despite the heavy activity and many Pokémon going from place to place, it still seems clean for the most part, but like any other city, it still has its dirty places.

As you draw closer, no one suspects a thing about you being from another world entirely and as a Bulbasaur, you blend right in with the small crowds of locals. But before you enter into the inside, something catches your eye as you pass by a somewhat rusted drainage grate. Where it seems most Pokémon have passed this grate many times, you happen to notice something that looks like a piece of leather, tucked under a plastic bottle that looks like its been neglected there for years. Maybe it was thanks to your eyes keeping vigilant, but it seems you laid eyes on something that’s gone overlooked hundreds of times by the locals. Sure, you could be wrong and it may be nothing, but you decide to examine it anyway.

Curiously, you extend your vines into the grate, wrap them around the leathery object, and hoist it up and through the grate holes. It’s a bit wet, but you brush it off with your front foot and take a closer look.

It appears to be a wallet, but it looks like there is no way to tell who the original owner was and judging from the condition, it’s been here for a while and the owner likely gave up looking for it long ago. You open it up to see there’s definitely a fair amount of money inside. You wonder if this has been sitting here neglected even before the OMEN disaster, but for now, you decide to hold onto the money, having a firm feeling chances are good you’re going to need to use it soon enough.

$120 Sochas were added to the Mistee’s Pack.

You then head inside the mall itself, taking the eastern side as you imagine it’s going to take a while to get an assessment on just how many stores and vendors are here.

As you walk around and let your eyes glance in every direction, you see things have definitely changed since OMEN. Sure, some of the stores are definitely using assigned retail spaces that were intended to be used for commercial purposes since the mall was built, but now there are dozens of makeshift stands in many of the spaces in between, creating mini bazars here and there with individual peddlers.

Most of them don’t seem to sell things you think you’ll need, however. Paper goods, frames, textiles, furniture, and quite a few other stores seem to be around, but you figure you and your Emissary friends definitely need to save whatever money you can find for other causes like finding who and where these Stalkers are.

However, one moderately-sized store in particular seems to be selling some berries that might be worth buying for later. It seems to be a pharmacy, and looks clean, reliable, and dependable. While the owner, Borsei the Clefairy, is mostly selling medications and over the counter drugs for relieving pains, aches, and digestive issues, the curative berries might be worth stocking up on.

Friend in Need Pharmacy
Run by Borsei the Clefairy

HEALING BERRIES

$[Sitrus Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

Friend in Need Pharmacy has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces.

For now, you move on, deciding you’re just getting an assessment for now before deciding how you might want to spend your money. You move along, passing by a stoic Psyduck and a seemingly indifferent Sobble. From what you can see, while the Pokémon here are surviving, the situation is still bleak and it doesn’t look like anyone hasn’t forgotten what kind of life was left behind just three years ago…

Passing by a few more makeshift booths, tents, and mats, selling all manners of spices, shawls, produce, and many other wares, you then come across one of the retail spaces, being run by an Alolan Raichu. It’s a very unusual store named “Stop and Shyft”, selling stones you haven’t seen anywhere else. Upon closer examination, you see that they’re called Shyft Stones, and they come in a myriad of colors.

You then realize that they’re capable of changing a Pokémon’s typing, something you never thought existed anywhere in the universe. While not cheap, you think it’s worth noting that this store exists, as you never know when one of these Shyft Stones might be useful. After all, as a Bulbasaur, you can’t help but wonder what you might look and feel like after using one of these stones. To suddenly become Grass and Flying, or Fire and Poison. How would that change how you look?

Stop and Shyft
Run by Danchi the Alolan Riachu

SHYFT STONES

$[White Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to NORMAL.)
$[Maroon Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FIGHTING.)
$[Lavender Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FLYING.)
$[Purple Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to POISON.)
$ 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GROUND.)
$[Brown Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ROCK.)
$[Lime Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to BUG.)
$[Violet Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GHOST.)
$[Gray Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to STEEL.)
$[Orange Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FIRE.)
$[Blue Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to WATER.)
$[Green Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to GRASS.)
$[Yellow Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ELECTRIC.)
$[Coral Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to PSYCHIC.)
$[Cyan Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to ICE.)
$[Indigo Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to DRAGON.)
$[Black Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to DARK.)
$[Pink Shyft Stone] 300 Sochas$ (Permanently changes your (or one of your) current type(s) to FAIRY.)

Stop and Shyft has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces.

You continue searching, finding plenty of other places that look like they would happily take the 120 Sochas you just found a short while ago, but you decide to just keep looking. But after a few hours of exploring the eastern side of the mall, you feel a bit tired and feel you’ve tracked the only stores worth possibly returning to in the future.

For now, you head back to the steel mill at the north side of down to get a breather before deciding what you’re going to do tonight.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/001.png Mistee the Bulbasaur (S: Grass/Poison)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[b]$120 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

I'll take the west side of the mall, then, unless I am needed elsewhere.

You join up with Mistee, heading south to see what your nearest neighbors may be offering in terms of wares and supplies. You have a firm feeling that you’re going to most likely need some of these as you take on whatever darkness has fallen upon this shaken city.

As you walk upon the dusty, asphalt road, a solemn and hot breath of wind courses around you, blowing sand and dust as it weaves its way around your yellow fur and kicks your ears and thunderbolt tail around a bit. Despite this area of the city having most of city’s surviving population, something about the whole area around you seems so lonely. And it feels that way even more as you look up and see the ravaged skyline of the Southern Reach looming before you as a dark cloud hangs overhead.

Along the road, a few pieces of trash and refuse slide and roll along as you make your way to the western side of the mall. It seems as though in another time, another place, this was a more welcoming place to be, but now, it stands as a monument to survival. You hope maybe one day, hopefully soon, brighter days will return and it won’t have to be looked upon with such desperation.

All of a sudden, to your surprise, your foot makes contact with a metallic object, half-buried in the dust and sand. Curiously, you look at it and use your paw to grasp it firmly and wrestle it out of the ground. Upon emerging from its dusty confines, you blow away the dust and debris with a puff of air from your mouth, and upon closer inspection, it seems to be a switchblade knife, still in somewhat good condition. You unsheathe the blade and it comes out easily, still looking quite sharp. You feel this would definitely make for a good self-defense weapon if you were to ever get into trouble.

[|AW| Steel Switchbalde (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Lita’s Pack.

You continue on and then enter the mall itself, seeing that many Pokémon have used both every foot of available retail space and then some, setting up stalls, booths, and peddling tents all along the walls in between stores and often in the middle of the main connecting floors that see much more foot traffic.

Many of these small stores seem to be offering both locally grown and acquired goods while others are offering services. As you pass by a tired-looking Torchic and a dusty Herdier that lets out a long, hard sigh, you pass by a row of tents and booths cooking up meals and preparing soup for whoever has coins and is hungry for a fresh meal. The scents immediately catch your nose and it’s a spicy scent you’ve never smelled before, but it strikes your curiosity and you can’t help but wonder how some of these meals might taste. Unfortunately, you don’t have a single Socha on hand at the moment, but even so, you’re simply here to see what’s available.

Moving on, you pass by a small retail space called the Exacta City Newsstand, which appears to have been here for a while and looks like it never closed despite the nightmare that had befallen the city. Dole, an energetic Vaporeon, is still making a good living selling books, newspapers, and magazines. At a time like this, you figure it wouldn’t be uncommon for Pokémon here to want to get informed about what’s going on or just to pick up the latest bestseller book and get lost in a new story for a while to escape what’s transpired here.

What attracts you the most about the store are the magazines. They seem to be quick reads, full of print images and articles, but they give the latest on a whole variety of subjects and seem to be good for picking up a few good tips and tricks that might come in handy in the field.

Exacta City Newsstand
Run by Dole the Vaporeon

MAGAZINES

$[“ROGUE” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Security Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Handymon” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Chansey’s Diagnosis” Magazine] 150 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Medicine Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Influence!” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Diplomacy Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[“Codecracker” Magazine] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Technical Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)
$[Runic Ancient Writings] 100 Sochas$ (Gives the user the Seinaru Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)

Exacta City Newsstand has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces.

You continue searching throughout the mall and pass a few more peddler stands. As you get toward the tail end, it seems like a sizable portion of the mall has been used for utilities and necessities. Other parts are used for storage and have many cardboard boxes and a few wooden crates scattered about. As you approach this area, which seems a bit darker and far less populated, you can’t help but wander the seemingly dark and almost forgotten about hallways that were used by maintenance workers some time back.

Upon closer inspection, you get the feeling like this area was abandoned for a while, but only recently, some individual came by from the disturbances you see in the dust, which seem to cling to your own yellow fur as well. You follow these signs down into a room at the end of a short hallway, and then when you enter, there seems to be a small office filled with folders, records, and ledgers surrounding a wooden desk that hasn’t seen much use in the recent years. You look around and see most of them look like client information, contract records, and accounting. To the untrained eye, it looks like nothing much, but your senses tell you otherwise and lead you the edge of a metallic shelf that was recently used to hide something.

When you pinpoint the source, you find a strange, folded piece of unusual paper, and when you unfold it, it appears to be something you’d never find in an administrative office like this. It looks like a myriad of stars… galaxies… superclusters with coordinates beyond anything you could imagine. Tracing your paw upon it, you feel and realize… this isn’t your usual kind of space image and it’s not an ordinary piece of paper. It’s a map upon a sheet that seems to have almost magical like properties, but how it functions and what it means exactly is beyond what you can comprehend.

You decide to take it with you, having a distinct feeling this is a part of something much bigger than you were expecting.

[Mysterious Celestial Starmap: <Seinaru>] was added to the Team Inventory.

Besides it, you find another unusual piece of paper…

https://i.imgur.com/NRSqVGI.png

=Magus Journal Page= (https://i.imgur.com/NRSqVGI.png) was noted in the Team Records.

You’re not able to read it and it appears to be in some kind of mystical runic language, but it definitely looks and feels like something out of this world. You think it may be connected to this unusual starmap that you found, but right now, you don’t know for sure.

After making one last check around these dark and dusty halls, you feel a bit tired and are ready to head back to the mill. It’s been an interesting day, but it isn’t over yet.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[|AW| Steel Switchblade] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

[EmeraldSky]

Neo Emolga

Can we swap that switchblade to a steel bow, if we can?

[Neo Emolga]

Nico fluffed his way out of the hideout.
"Alright! I'm not quite feeling up to talking to royalty yet, or an espeon. Let's start off by visiting (24.) Veria the Cinccino!" He announced to nobody in particular, and scuttled off to ask them about themselves, the city, recent deaths, OMEN, and any extra things they might need help with. Nico was ready to make a new friend!

Interview Rapport: PERFECT!
**Same Species!**

After asking around where Veria the Cinccino is, you get a lead that she works at the Medidyne Research Labs, which was a former medical office building now readapted to create biologics, medical devices, and research ways to resolve and fight back against the OMEN affliction.

You find Veria working in one of the pristine and brightly-lit research laboratories, wearing a white lab coat while her fur is carefully tied back using bands to make sure it doesn’t unintentionally make contact with test article samples or accidentally knock any equipment over. You knock on the black metallic door, and she cheerfully replies “one minute” as she packs up a few vials and puts them into a refrigerator for storage.

She opens the door and is surprised to see you, but smiles nonetheless. She lifts up her transparent face shield and takes a breath of fresh air.

“Oh, hey there, a fellow Cinccino!” she beams happily. “And here I thought Altrez and I were the only ones around town!”

You introduce yourself as Nico, and wanted to know more about her, Exacta City, the recent deaths, OMEN, and anything else she might know or need help with.

“Ah, pleased to meet you, Nico!” Veria smiles. “Oh, I’m glad you came, we could use a lot of help around here. Me, I’m a senior staff scientist and I’ve got one of the most important jobs in this town. Trying to figure out how to fix things with this darn OMEN stuff! It’s been hard, especially when I’m limited in terms of test article samples. So far, I’ve made a little headway researching some antibiotics that repel and delay the OMEN effect, but full immunity just isn’t hasn’t been possible, and forget about reversing that grizzly ghoul and chimera transformations. On top of that, I feel we’re going to need that immunity if we ever want to rebuild what we lost in the Reach.”

Veria the Cinccino has been identified as possessing the Technical Perk.

You mention to her that you are in fact immune to the effects of OMEN, but she seems a bit skeptical at first. But, she’s willing to give you a chance.

“You sure?” Veria asks with a bit of surprise. “Okay, you better not be pulling a prank on me, because I’ll get you for that! But really, I hope you don’t mind if I verify that and validate it against a test article sample I happen to have. You know, having that would be really valuable for my research! But… hope you don’t mind Nico, I just need a bit of your blood to test it.”

You agree to volunteer to give that. Veria takes a small blood collection device, holds up your left paw, disinfects a small area on the side of your paw, and places the collection device on the side. You barely feel a pinprick as the device gathers a small blood sample.

“See, that was painless!” Veria smiles. “But really, thanks, I need to be sure about this.”

She takes the sample and then mixes it in with a few vials. She monitors the samples, mixes in an additional chemical additive, and waits for about two minutes. Her reaction goes from patiently watching to outright surprise.

“Oh my, you weren’t kidding!” she exclaims in excitement.

She rushes back to you, excitedly, almost like a young child on Christmas morning.

“You really are immune!” Veria cheers. “This is a really big breakthrough! This means it’s possible we might be able to create a vaccine and get all of us to be immune to this terrible affliction! But, there’s just one more thing I need, and it’s a big job.”

Veria takes a deep breath.

“I need an OMEN sample,” Veria tells you up front with a careful but hopeful optimistic smile. “And not just any sample. The ones I’ve been working with aren’t the purest form and they’re a bit diluted to varying degrees. What I really need is the purest, meanest OMEN sample possible. The big papa. And that’s got to come straight from the core itself. Yeah, you guessed it, the OMEN Crater.”

She then goes back into the lab, opens a cabinet, and comes back with what looks like a hybrid device that’s intended to be used for collection and sample containment. She puts it into your paw, and looks into your eyes with hope and determination.

“You have a gift, Nico, and it may just mean the difference between us rebuilding and us being stuck like this for the next few decades,” Veria sighs. “I know this is a really, REALLY big favor I’m asking for you, but if you could get me a pure OMEN sample from the center of the OMEN crater, it would completely validate all my OMEN research and provide worst case scenario testing, which we absolutely need for the perfect vaccine against this nightmare.”

[OMEN Sample Collection Jar] was added to Nico’s Pack.

SIDE MISSION STARTED: Carry the Future
Veria needs a pure OMEN sample from the very heart of the OMEN crater. Take the [OMEN Sample Collection Jar] to that location and use it to get a pure sample that Veria needs to strengthen her research.

Rewards:
$1500 Sochas$
Advanced Medical Technology

“But please, please, please, be super careful about this, Nico,” Veria pleas. “I hired a team of mercenaries to get it and they were pretty interested. Keld, a Litten, Porthan, a Silicobra, and Burash, a Zeilous. I promised them quite a bit of money if they did this and it’s been over a month.”

“Maybe your immunity will make the difference, but OMEN contamination isn’t the only mess that place is dealing with,” she explains further. “It’s super dangerous, there are ghouls and chimeras howling around all over the place just running wild. I would definitely gear up before heading in there. You might be lucky enough to slip past them and boy I hope you are. Just… be careful of that crater, too. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard it’s a terrible, horrible place.”

It seems like she’s about to wrap up, but then she remembers one more thing and decides to talk to you about it. It seems she really likes you and has warmed up to you. She goes back into the lab, pulls something out of her personal locker, and comes back with it to present it to you.

“Now, I mostly study biologics and things of that nature,” Veria explains. “Someone came across this strange, stone disc, and I looked it over and saw it’s got all kinds of weird runes on it. And look at this!”

She shows you the disc and you can see all kinds of swirling stars and galaxies within the disc itself. When you place your paw on it, a mysterious and otherworldly tingle courses through your gray and white fur, almost giving you a chill, but in a calming, peaceful way…

…Serenity…

Serenity? It almost sounds like a whisper, but you’re not sure if it was in your head, or something else…

“I’ve been holding onto it for research, but I’m so busy with trying to figure out OMEN,” Veria sighs. “Plus, I’ve just… given up on this crazy thing. I mean it’s cool, but I just don’t know what this mystical thingy is! It defies science!”

“I don’t think it does any good staying with me,” Veria confesses. “I think it would be best if you have it. Maybe you’ll be able to figure out what it’s doing here and what it’s for. I mean, you have a better chance of that than me just keeping it in my locker! But yeah, I need to keep going with trying to fix our OMEN problem.”

[Celestial Configuration SERENITY] was added to the Team Inventory.

“Well, I gotta get back to work,” Veria smiles. “Nico, it’s been an absolute pleasure to meet you! Please, be safe out there and feel free to come back anytime! It’s always good to have someone to chat to! Best of luck!”

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/573.png Nico the Cinccino (S: Normal)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Suicune's Fire]

So much to explore! So many pokemon to speak to! I'll stick with the easy one.

I would like to Interview 32. Pashin the Fletchinder.


https://i.imgur.com/WtKwynj.png
Good afternoon, fellow flying falcon-mon. I'm new in town and just trying to get a lay of the land. It appears that things around here can be kind of dangerous...

Would you mind giving me a verbal tour of Exacta as a whole, and a brief history? And...do you know anything about the Stalkers?

[Neo Emolga]

I am feeling extra risky, but for now, i have a hunch of a feeling in Kindred Park.

Search (26) Kindred Park

With the morning sun hung in the dusty, cloudy sky, you decide to head out and fly east, intending to see what lies within Kindred Park. As you fly over the Redstone Motel and the Exacta Railway Station, feeling the warm air surround you as the wind breezes through your colorful plumage, you get a better idea of what has been transpiring in Exacta City just from a literal bird’s eye view of the surrounding area.

As you beat your wings to ascend, the consideration comes to mind that the survivors here are just barely holding on, having to grow crops indoors in makeshift greenhouses while forced to work with only a small fraction of the city. At the same time, a question comes to you as well. Why hasn’t anyone from the outside investigated what transpired here? You believe there should be a reason for it, but the only moment, all you have are guesses.

When you arrive at the park itself, you easily notice that three years of no activity and maintenance has done a number on it. As you flap you wings and land between the trees in a small grassy patch, you see the overgrowth has gotten out of control. Grass has been allowed to grow unhindered and unchecked, but now patches of it are dead and browned. Weeds have also grown unrestrained and unmaintained, and they seem to like to tangle themselves in your talons as you walk around to investigate. Often you find yourself having to exert more force to lift your foot and uproot many of these pkesy, ensnaring weeds in the process.

From the looks of things, it definitely seems like no one has been here for quite some time. Park paths have been caked over with dust and dirt, the park benches have begun to splinter and have their paint peel, and some of the disturbances that happened when OMEN struck down are still exactly as they were left, just with a layer of dust and dirt from the passage of time and the seasons. You see a knocked-over trash bin still left on its side after all these months while a few personal belongings like bags and food containers were left behind.

Looking at it all, you can imagine the scene for a moment. OMEN, going off in the distance, and all the Pokémon here suddenly frantically running away in fear, not knowing what was going on or if they would even survive the next five minutes. Children, crying for their mothers, park goers, not sure what direction to run in, and screams in all directions. The remnants of the scene give you a clue as to what it might have all looked and sounded like, and you imagine it must have been like something monstrous ripped out of a nightmare.

While examining the discarded bags and personal belongings, you don’t find much of value remaining. Many of these items used to be food that spoiled many months ago or belongings that have become worthless as trash with the elements taking their toll on them. However, one pink purse in particular looks like it was never opened. You brace it down with your talon and pry it open with your beak to find there’s money inside, kept safe from the elements for these three long years. You take it with you, feeling you’re bound to find a use for it later.

$85 Sochas$ were added to Sacred’s Pack.

You carry your investigation away from the park gathering areas and head toward the lesser-known part of the park, keeping your wings tightly folded as the overgrowth is everywhere and the last thing you want is for all the unruly vegetation to snag and wrap itself all around you. You see a park storage and maintenance shed and decide to see if anything in there survived and might be useful to take with you.

You approach the door to the half-buried shed, but as you approach the door, something catches you off guard.

#Deranged Rose Thorns – GRASS (4 Health Damage, 4 Purity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 93 out of 100: Success!

Immediately you pull back just in time and step away before dozens of thorned vines attempt to whip at you, as if sentient with a deranged mind of their own wanting nothing more than to shed blood for whatever nefarious purpose. However, you are now well out of their range and once the vines realize this, they withdraw back into the overgrowth surrounding the door.

You decide to look it over from a safe distance and it looks bizarre. The door itself seems to have been repurposed and tampered with. Now, it looks like hundreds, if not thousands of coiled markings and carvings cover it. Your eyes almost feel lost just looking at it, as if trying to trace their ways through an impossible maze. You decide to take your gaze off of it, feeling for a moment that maybe this feeling of bewilderment was intentional.

#{The Coiled Door: <Security>} Deranged Rose Thorns – GRASS (4 Health Damage, 4 Purity Damage)# was noted in the Team Records.

From the looks of things, you’re going to need someone or something that would know how to break their way in by disengaging the lock, as force isn’t going to work here. The door seems very reinforced, so you figure even your mightiest Sacred Fire might not do much to break your way in. And even so, you know the risks of unleashing your full fury that way. Anything of value inside that may be flammable would never survive the attack if you were more forceful than you intended to be. Instead, someone with the right lock-picking tools and know-how would need to disable this lock.

Instead, you take note of the situation for now, also leaving a note and warning about the unruly and violent overgrowth that you’ve found here.

After feeling you’ve covered the whole park and have done a full assessment, you decide it’s time to fly back and prepare for tonight’s tasks at hand.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh (L: Fire/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$85 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Nia pushed her paws together nervously in thought as she looked over the map laid out in front of her.

I'm not very big, so I don't know how helpful I would be in a fight... For now I think I will stick to the Refuge and interview some of the residents until more information has been gathered.

Giving the list of residents another once-over she came across an Amaura, presumably the daughter of the Aurorus above her.

Princess Samona...is she royalty? Or is that simply a title? Nevertheless she sounds important, so I will start here. I may be able to gain a lot of insight from a Pokemon similar to myself.

Nia began to hastily scrawl a list of questions on the notepad that she always carried with her. About Samona's living quarters, the Aurorawatch and OMEN incident, the city, her mother and friends, places of interest, and if she had seen anything - or anyone - suspicious.

Interview 16. Princess Samona the Amaura.

Interview Rapport: VERY POSITIVE
+1 Shared Pokémon Evolution Stage
+1 Shared Type (Ice)

In the morning, you decide to head out and see what kind of information Princess Samona might have and what her feelings about the OMEN situation are. You figure as royalty, she likely has a frontline experience with the unrest that’s been the result of all these calamities. But it all comes down to her willingness to talk about it.

As you head south, the dusty ground feels soft against your paws and it embeds itself into your fur. Still, you press on, hoping to get some answers that might help you and the rest of the Emissary team.

Once you arrive at the Exacta Military Compound, you ask the civilians and Aurorawatch solders around and it seems this is now where Princess Samona and her mother, Queen Nytalia, are residing under the constant guard and protection of Aurorawatch. You find it difficult to talk your way in, and you soon find yourself just waiting patiently for any sign of Samona rather than meet her in the compound directly itself.

After waiting for a short while, you find her stepping out for some fresh air. You watch her heading toward the back toward a small cluster of wildflowers and plants she has been taking care of. Based from her composure and her behavior, she seems calm, gentle and polite. Despite being under vigilant scrutiny of the Aurorawatch guards, you seem to be able to approach her and introduce yourself.

“Oh, hello there,” Samona greets you politely. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

You introduce yourself to her, and politely ask about her day to day life, and what’s the living situation has been.

“It’s been hard,” Samona sighs. “I miss the lives we used to have. Things weren’t always like this and I keep thinking back to those days. I used to be able to go to the center of the city and I didn’t need so much protection all the time. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate having Aurorawatch keeping us protected, but sometimes it’s too much. The curfew at dusk is so constraining and the compound can be really boring at times.”

“We try to make the best of it,” Samona tells you. “I just wish I knew how much longer this would go on for so I could count down the days. In the meantime, I just try to get my mind off of it by tending to this little garden I have. It seems to grow pretty well despite the conditions. I guess… it gives me hope. It tells me life goes on, and it will.”

She takes a few seconds to gather her thoughts. It seems the subject of OMEN isn’t an easy one for her to handle, but she looks better getting it off her chest.

“I was only thirteen when OMEN happened,” Samona responds to you. “I still have nightmares about it. But I don’t know what’s worse. Those, or the dreams that trick me into thinking OMEN never happened and I wake up almost believing the reality of OMEN was the dream. Honestly, I wish I wouldn’t dream at all…”

You ask if she’s seen anyone or anything suspicious, and she nods a bit. It seems to be a tricky subject matter for her, and she takes a quick glance around to make sure no one is watching too closely. It seems she doesn’t even trust Aurorawatch with what she’s about to share with you.

“I do,” she tells you quietly. “I was taking a bit of a walk around the compound. You see, they don’t let me walk too far away and wander off, because there’s not too much that separates us from the Southern Reach and those Knaves that mum has grown distrustful of. But while I was walking nearby the Sunberry Hotel, I saw something… on the back wall. The letters were scratched and twisted and the words just didn’t make sense to me. And it just looked so… ugly. I always have to turn away when I see it from a distance and I wish someone would just paint over it already…”

“There’s… something else,” Samona whispers to you. “Please, don’t let anyone know about this. Mum and Aurorawatch would never let me go outside ever again if they knew I found this… thing. I don’t know what it means and it’s ugly as well. Just… look at it…”

She then shows you a soiled piece of paper, and just the look of it takes you back a bit…

https://i.imgur.com/SupTeZu.jpg

=Blotted Sudoku Part 3= (https://i.imgur.com/SupTeZu.jpg) has been noted in the Team Records.

“I swear, I don’t know what the numbers mean,” Samona tells you. “I tried adding them or decrypting them but I didn’t get anywhere. And these blots. This isn’t… normal black ink. I don’t think it’s ink at all, in fact. It looks and feels like it’s literally trying to suck the existence out of this… whatever this is.”

“I can’t keep holding onto it,” Samona sighs anxiously. “If they catch me with it, I know there’s going to be trouble. Maybe you can figure out what it means, but I’ve given up and it just makes me feel so uneasy.”

“I’m sorry for putting this on you, Nia,” Samona tells you apologetically. “Well, I should be heading back now. I hope we can stay friends, you seem like a very nice and gentle Pokémon. I don’t have too many friends to talk to in the compound. Please, be safe and I hope nothing happens to you…”

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

[Neo Emolga]

(I realized I forgot to put NPC gender indicators, I’ll fix that!)


1939 Let’s start with something simple.

I’m gonna interview 2, Safen the Politoed. Mostly about if he knows much about the Stalkers, but he also has a mission I want to check out.

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type (Water)

You head out of the Emissary base and go south toward the Military Compound. It’s a bit of a walk, but thankfully, the weather today is okay, though the wind and its constant barrage of dust and smoke tends to be a bit pesky.

As you make your way down, you can’t help but take glances at the ruined Southern Reach a few miles away from you. You can only wonder what kinds of horrors are lurking there, but for now, things seem quiet and safe in the refuge area. But every now and then, you hear a muffled howl or shriek in the far distance…

When you arrive at the compound, you find yourself unable to talk your way in. Security lockdown is very tight and without the proper clearance, you find yourself stuck at the door while two Aurorawatch guards, a grumpy Arcanine and a not-in-the-mood Mudsdale give you a look to just stay away from the door.

Instead, you decide to wait until Safen is on break and heads outside for a bit. When she does emerge, you approach the green and yellow frog Pokémon and introduce yourself to her.

“Well, there’s a new face,” Safen remarks as her fingers caress her blade. “Haven’t met you before.”

You introduce yourself and inquire about the Stalkers, trying to see if she knows anything about who these murderers are and what she might have uncovered.

“Yeah, those chumps,” Safen spits. “Thanks for reminding me about those maggots. I can’t say I’ve seen anything suspicious from Aurorawatch, but I haven’t been out in the field too much either. Always damn private security detail for Nytalia and Samona who can’t sit still for two minutes because she needs to tend to her flowers. Give me a god-forsaken break. There’s ghouls and all hell running around out there and we’ve got to have detail to cover her so she can grow tulips and lilies because we’ve got nothing better to do. This is the kind of thing that gets me thinking of new alcohol recipes.”

“We’ve gotten complaints about the Stalkers, yeah,” Safen nods. “Came across two bodies myself while filling in these security patrol reports. First, there was Jedun, a Spritzee. Whoever this clown was that killed her, first they dressed Jedun up like a peapod, murdered her, disemboweled her, and wrote a completely deranged poem about how she opened up and her ‘happy little peas’ went frolicking in a field to play hopscotch when said ‘peas’ were really her heart, liver, and kidneys. Who the hell does that? I’ve seen active duty combat that was less psychotic than that.”

“And the other,” Safen growls, looking disgusted again. “Deppon. That little Rowlet was so ripped apart that it took us a solid half hour to identify the body and make the connection. That’s how utterly gored he was. It’s like someone really hated his guts and thought he deserved to look like chili while his bones were used to make a psycho sculpture. I can’t tell which of these cases is more grotesque than the other, but damn, as if we didn’t have enough problems running around here with everything that OMEN has done. Now we’ve got these turbo-charged ass-maggots on parade.”

You ask Safin if there’s any way you can help out, not just with the Stalkers, but with whatever she might need done.

“Sure, you can go punch Crez in the face for me, that’d be great.” Safen tells you, obviously not on good terms with him. “But really, some bumbling moron here, which I’m pretty sure was Crez, put in a purchase order incorrectly, and as a result, I got extra orders of Violent Seeds when really we need berries. Yes, berries because we still have morons out there getting hurt over stupid things like wanting to finish off a ghoul to look cool rather than remember it’s only our job to keep them the hell away, not try to show off by killing them, especially if they’re running back into the Southern Reach. Thanks to Crez, or whoever the hell did this, Nashen, our quartermaster, is going to be absolutely pissed when the supply runs out and too much crap like that runs up the chain of command. Do me a solid, just get me some Sitrus, Spelon, and Starf berries and you can have some of these extra Violent Seeds. It’ll save me from having to explain the screw up and filling out the forms and paperwork. I’ll even throw some cash in to make it worth your time.”

SIDE MISSION STARTED: Internal Audit
Safen needs 3 Sitrus Berries, 3 Spelon Berries, and 3 Starf Berries to make up for a purchasing ordering blunder and to keep healing supplies in stock for Neshen the quartermaster. Bring her these berries to be rewarded.

Rewards:
$500 Sochas$
x5 [Violent Seed] (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered.)

“There’s something else,” Safen tells you, looking a bit irked. “Something I haven’t had for a while. You wanna know what that is? A real, honest to goodness sparring match. I used to duel Neshen, but she’s a bona fide ***** when it comes to fighting and loves to do cheap shots all the time. You’re new, so maybe a little match might be nice? I mean a real battle. Give me a good match and you know what, I’ll even throw in this Paladin’s Reaperblade. Truthfully, it’s not even mine, it belonged to Paladin Crul before some chimera bit into his head like an apple.”

2. Safen the Politoad as been identified as being Open for Sparring.

You think there may be a possibility of talking Safen into just giving the Reaperblade without a fight, but it might involve someone who can get through to her with words. You decide not to try it, as she might rescind her offer, but for now, you tell her you’ll think her over offer some more.

2. Safen the Politoad: <Diplomacy> OR *Sparring Battle Victory*

With that, you decide to head back to the steel mill and prepare for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

[Neo Emolga]

So, time to start gathering info. According to the map the emmisaries had, the police station was abandoned, and some of the others had gone to check out the shopping district. So next was look around for someone who looks like they might be important. Glancing quickly at the suspect list, Lycellus settled on Axken. They seemed important, ("I mean, they're at the top of the list!") but also they were a poison type. Though he might not be as diplomatic as some of the others, Lycellus felt he could handle talking to another poison type well enough.

Lycellus slowly approached the skunktank, trying not to scare anybody along the way, then lowered his head down to the ground, trying to get closer to eye level, and giving what he though was a warm friendly smile, though to others it might have just appeared as though he was planning on eating them.

"Hey there! Sooo, hows it going? Besides the apocalypse scenario of course. What's the gossip around town? Anything notable going on in the city? Anyone acting more suspicous than usual maybe? Or any suspicious locations worth checking out? For that matter, are there any citizens who might be willing to help a brave mon venturing out into the danger zone? Arms and armour dealers perhaps, or maybe hired muscle?"

[Interview 1. Axken the Skuntank]

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type (Poison)

After leaving the Emissary Base, which seems to be a relief as the steel mill wasn’t quite built for a Pokémon of your immense size, you fly your way down to speak with the very commander of Aurorawatch himself. The dusty, somewhat sandy air, even while high in the sky, does feel a bit irritating, especially to your eyes and lungs, but you eventually get used to it.

Once you arrive at the military compound, as with some of the other Emissaries, you find it’s a difficult feat to get to speak with the members of Aurorawatch due to the tight security and seemingly overbearing scrutiny, but persistence allows you to meet with Commander Axken once he steps outside to meet with the perimeter patrol and forward guard to get a full report.

As you lower your head to the ground to speak with the Skuntank, other members of Aurorawatch are cautious, especially upon looking at an immense Pokémon such as yourself that isn’t an everyday sight. However, Axken assures them to stand down and to be at ease with a lowering gesture with his front paw. They obey his command and he looks up at you, understanding that size doesn’t necessarily mean or insinuate a threat.

As you see him, Axken is one of the few Pokémon covered head to paw with greatly reinforced power armor. The silvery metallic plates surrounding his body glisten in the sunlight as he looks up at you. You introduce yourself as Lycellus.

“Greetings, Lycellus,” Axken tells you, reassuring you with a calm, noble voice. “What brings you to the Aurorawatch Compound?”

“Hey there!” you tell him. “Sooo, how’s it going? Besides the apocalypse scenario of course. What's the gossip around town?”

“For now, things could be better, but we’re remaining vigilant and optimistic,” Axken responds, giving you a direct response. “A few of my Paladins have grown doubtful as of late considering the situation with OMEN and these ‘Stalkers,’ but I remind them to look back upon all the things we have overcome and triumphed over before. This is why we train and strengthen ourselves. To prepare for days like these. As for me, I tend to not take stake in gossip. Pursuing leads is one thing, but I make sure the appropriate steps are made to validate any intel and information before acting upon news and rumors.”

“Anything notable going on in the city?” you ask Axken. “Anyone acting more suspicious than usual maybe?”

“We’ve been trying to stay informed as much as possible,” Axken replies. “But, as commander of Aurorawatch and as Nytalia’s orders, my main priority has been the safety and security of the refuge’s civilians. While some efforts have been made to secure the Northern Reach, the challenge there is making sure we don’t spread our forces too thin. But with limited manpower and such a large region of the city, we’ve had to prioritize only the most strategic locations with some varying degrees of success. The rest will need to wait.”

“The Stalkers, however, have been an ongoing new problem for us,” Axken reports to you as you requested more information. “We’ve had refuge members, both normal civilians and Aurorawatch officers and soldiers, brutally killed at the hands of these Stalkers. It has forced us to reevaluate and reassess our security measures, but even then, they have found ways to bypass our vigilance and strike in the darkness of the night hours. We’ve been making ongoing efforts to map out exactly how and why they’re able to do this, but it in part seems to be related to how they’ve become embedded within the local population, and there are no signs of who among us may be one of them. I’ve done what I can to make sure suspicions are suppressed until concrete evidence and a firm rationale for suspecting someone of being a Stalker can be established. The difficulty is we are unable to do a through investigation into this without forgoing our defense detail.”

You imagine it must be hard for Axken to keep so much under control, but it definitely looks like based on his composure and reassuring voice of reason, he’s able to get others to avoid slipping into panic and focus clearly on the objective without distractions. As you can see from his compatriots, they greatly trust him and value his direction and leadership.

“Or any suspicious locations worth checking out?” you ask.

“I’m glad you brought that up,” Axken replies, gesturing toward the Southern Reach. “We have reason to believe something keeps the Stalkers from being unaffected by OMEN contamination or even experience conflicts with the ghoul and chimera populations. But we haven’t been able to figure out why and how they’re able to do this, unless there’s something we haven’t found yet. The problem is, anyone that has this kind of trait leaves us unable to pursue them into the city ruins. We suspect these Stalkers may be using the city ruins, possibly creating outposts or taking harbor in places that we can’t reach without taking casualties and other heavy risks. And right now, we can’t afford to do that, so it has left us to pursue another strategy.”

“For that matter, are there any citizens who might be willing to help a brave mon venturing out into the danger zone?” You ask the commander. “Arms and armour dealers perhaps, or maybe hired muscle?”

“Krax the Tyranitar, owner of Tactical Outfitters, supplies a large portion of our military gear and armor,” Axken informs you. “Shortly after OMEN hit and we needed to restructure our society and economy, Krax and I came to an agreement that we needed to become entirely independent and self-sustaining, as we still have been unable to contact anyone outside of the city for assistance. But besides being an Aurorawatch supplier, Krax sells defensive and armor equipment to the general public as well. Meanwhile, Canett the Krookodile runs The Armament Bunker, manufacturing weapons for both Aurorawatch and for civilians who need self-defense measures. And there are others as well…”

One of the Paladins standing besides Krax whispers something to Axken, but Axken simply shakes his head and continues his course of discussion.

“The Knaves also have their own market,” Axken informs you. “We don’t have mercenaries here, as we need all able-bodied hands either working to defend the refuge or working to keep food growing, utilities running, and services up and running. The Knaves, however, have more of the ‘hired muscle’ you’re looking for. They’re the ones that are more out to scavenge the Reach despite its dangers. But for a price. Some of them will ask for money up front, while others want a cut of whatever you find.”

There was a moment of silence, but then Axken speaks up again.

“You might be wondering why Aurorawatch and the Knaves are in the situation we’re currently in,” Axken tells you, giving something to reflect on. “The Knaves disagree with Nytalia’s orders not to go into the Reach. Knaves feel everyone has the right to enter the Reach even if there are risks involved. They also haven’t forgiven nor forgotten Nytalia’s decision to execute the prisoners at the maximum security prison in the days following the OMEN calamity. I see both sides of the coin, and I’ve tried to advocate reuniting despite our differences. But there’s still work that needs to be done on that front before that can come to pass, also.”

“It’s been a pleasure speaking with you, Lycellus,” Axken says, wrapping up the conversation. “Whoever you decide to support, I hope it’s for the better for us all. Maybe, with some luck and perseverance, you’ll find something we haven’t yet. But however possible, let’s work together where we can. Young or old. Combat experienced or not. Brains or brawn. Everyone is capable of doing something that makes all the difference, and that includes all of us. No one Pokémon can ever hope to do this all alone.”

With that, he soon departs, heading back into the compound to perform his duties. Once his Aurorawatch entourage follows him, you decide to head back, having a lot more insight regarding what might be the next best choices to take.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

[Neo Emolga]

So much to explore! So many pokemon to speak to! I'll stick with the easy one.

I would like to Interview 32. Pashin the Fletchinder.


https://i.imgur.com/WtKwynj.png
Good afternoon, fellow flying falcon-mon. I'm new in town and just trying to get a lay of the land. It appears that things around here can be kind of dangerous...

Would you mind giving me a verbal tour of Exacta as a whole, and a brief history? And...do you know anything about the Stalkers?

Interview Rapport: PERFECT!
**Same Species line!**

You make your way out of the Emissary Base at the steel mill and you fly south, seeing if you can get any valuable information from some of the locals within the refuge area. The air itself feels dusty and a bit hot, but at least it’s not unbearable.

While flapping your wings and ascending high into the air, you get a better look and idea of the layout of the refuge area from above, as well as the Reach far into the distance. Despite the OMEN disaster happening three years ago, it doesn’t look like very much progress was made in terms of rebuilding what was lost, but you find it’s likely not the fault of the Exacta City civilians who are just trying to survive and can’t even perform repairs without the threats of ghouls and chimeras going after them. Not to mention even after three years, the contamination from OMEN is still strong, making you wonder if it’s like some biological mutagen radiation that no one has been able to figure out, yet. It almost baffles you, and now they’ve got Stalkers to deal with on top of everything else.

You can totally see why Emissaries were called in to help out around here…

With a few more flaps of your wings, you make it toward where other Pokémon residing in the refuge community are staying. You ask if anyone knows where Pashin is, and you’re able to get the answer relatively quickly from a friendly but very tired-looking Gothorita. Turns out Pashin works at and runs the Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms and this Gothorita shops there on a regular basis. But she also gives you a slight warning. Turns out Pashin tends to be a bit cranky and really doesn’t like the job he was assigned to…

You heed her advice and head east toward the large supermarket facility. As you look down upon the large and formerly white but now dirty and tan building, you can see it has taken some damage from the recent earthquakes, but still remains functional. Still, you glide your way down toward the entrance and land upon the dusty ground with your talons. After folding your wings, you head inside through the double steel sliding doors to see what help Pashin might be able to provide.

Once inside, you see the large supermarket has been adapted to not only sell food and store food, but to grow it as well as plenty of makeshift greenhouses and gardens have been set up and organized to provide the most ideal lighting and temperature conditions away from what’s going on outside.

You find Pashin the Fletchinder, tending to some of the crops with a large, steel watering can that he’s been carrying in his beak. He looks a bit irked and doesn’t seem to be enjoying the job at all, but he does seem to know what he’s doing. The peppers, onions, and other vegetables that have been growing in this particular garden area have been doing pretty well.

You introduce yourself, and when Pashin looks to you, it seems to lift his spirits a bit. Not to mention it gives him a moment to take a break.

“Good afternoon, fellow flying falcon-mon,” you greet him. “I'm new in town and just trying to get a lay of the land. It appears that things around here can be kind of dangerous...”

“Pft, yeah, welcome to Exacta,” Pashin remarks cynically, rolling his eyes in distain. “Home to billions of problems and then some. Before you, I present problem #438,391, ungodly boredom in the form of growing plants.”

“Would you mind giving me a verbal tour of Exacta as a whole, and a brief history?” You ask. “And...do you know anything about the Stalkers?”

“Exacta, yeah…” Pashin sighs, kicking aside his watering can. “Well, I can say that before OMEN, Exacta wasn’t too different from most other cities similar to… well, wherever you’re from. It was ruled by King Vamien and Queen Nytalia and they had a daughter, Samona, and a son, Hemon. Meanwhile, we’ve always had Aurorawatch, which serves as the kind of military and police force. Really nothing out of the ordinary, things were okay, I guess. There were on and off days, good years and bad years.”

“And then, yeah, three years ago,” Pashin grimaces for just a bit of a moment. “OMEN. Killed an estimated three hundred thousand Pokémon in total but honestly, no one knows what the real count is. The weird ass thing that no one understand is where the hell this thing came from and why someone would set it off here. Some say it’s a bomb from some country that hates us. Maybe Mecras and Evental. We didn’t get along from some nasty politics and trade regulations, but this wouldn’t have been something they typically do and there was no threat or forewarning. So I dunno. No one knows. No one saw or heard a bomb drop from the sky, so someone on the ground had to put it there and probably went full suicide with it. Well, it went off, killed a whole truckload of people, including King Vamien and Prince Hemon right while they were in the Southern Reach. And it killed some more after some of Pokémon their become freaks, and those freaks killed more people. And they’re still killing Pokémon even today.”

“Everything changed right after that,” Pashin shakes his head. “I lost my job and had to find work in this new ridiculous economy and society we’ve got going on now, only to get assigned to this place. I lost contact with family, I have no clue where my dad is, but frankly, he was always an ******* to me anyway, so screw it, I’ve been on my own, living in a tent in the parking lot of the mall and working here. Growing peppers and onions in a supermarket with a stupid name, because hell yeah, that’s what our species was intended to do, right? It’s retarded. What’s even dumber is technically they’ve said ‘I’m in charge’ of this joint, but I can’t make any major management decisions. I have a feeling this arrangement was only made because the owner of this place before, Hubacu, a Shiinotic, died from a drug overdose. Not surprised, that guy was always clinically depressed even before OMEN.”

He kicks the steel watering can a bit just to get some of the frustration out.

“So that’s where we are today,” Pashin growls a bit. “Right now, the refuge area, where we are, is always on the defensive from the ghouls and the chimeras. I don’t know what Aurorawatch plans to do besides sitting around, but so far, they haven’t had much luck in taking control of the Northern Reach and forget the southern part. And then you have the Knaves in the Southern Reach, just past the river. Let me tell you, Aurorawatch doesn’t like the Knaves, but thankfully they’re not trying to actively kill each other. I guess we’ve both realized the last thing both sides need is more enemies. But yeah, the Knaves feel Queen Nytalia is a pile of crap and I see why they feel that way, but I just don’t give a damn enough to get caught up in any of those politics.”

“Exacta City now is mainly abandoned,” Pashin explains. “Some of these places haven’t been looked into for years, while others get visitors just trying to see if there’s valuable stuff laying around. It’s against Nytalia’s orders to go plucking around out there, but it’s an order that’s virtually impossible to enforce. The Knaves don’t care, they head in there all the time and some of them have gotten damn rich from scavenging out there. Others, like me, head out sometimes with friends during the night to see what’s around.”

“Hey, on that note, I know a guy,” Pashin tells you, whispering a bit. “He has a secret store in the Kenja Apartment Building. Look for Apartment #114. His name is Kresh and he’s a Greedent that sells some pretty decent weapons and stuff. Mention my name, because I get a discount for new customer referrals. Not too many know about it, but if Aurorawatch were to find out, they’d shut him down and order him to come to the refuge area where instead of enjoying making weapons that he’s good at creating, they’d probably have him growing some more damn peppers and onions like I’m doing right now.”

“Stalkers… yeah, there’s weird crap going on with them,” Pashin tells you, “but I’ll admit, I don’t know too much. I’ve only heard the stories from others. Quite frankly, if anyone has figured anything out about them, it’s really the Knaves. The civilians here only stick this this area and Aurorawatch sometimes goes into the Northern Reach, but it’s really the Knaves who get out there and have probably seen all sorts of stuff. I think if you ask them, they’ll share something. Unlike Pokémon here, they actually have the balls to fight ghouls and not be so damn intimidated by them”

“Well, damn it, I’ve gotta get back to work,” Pashin sighs hard, kicking the watering can again. “At least my shift is over in two hours and I can close and go home for a while. Well, guess it was nice meeting you, Flare, but yeah, despite the store being in my name, I barely get a cut from the sales, so don’t feel bad if you don’t shop here. I wouldn’t hold it against you.”

You nod, having gained a better insight regarding the current situation and what transpired here before OMEN. As the sun begins to set outside, you decide to head back to the steel mill to prepare your plans for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/663.png Flare the Talonflame (M: Fire/Flying)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Technical | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

[Noblejanobii]

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Well I think I know where your first stop is going to be.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374926704115732/unknown.png You bet! I knew as soon as I saw it I had to stop there. I'm a big fan of Rosemary's work after all.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png I'd like to search the Shaymin Café please!

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Well I think I know where your first stop is going to be.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374926704115732/unknown.png You bet! I knew as soon as I saw it I had to stop there. I'm a big fan of Rosemary's work after all.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png I'd like to search the Shaymin Café please!

Certainly predicted this outcome, of course! https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/f/f2/Shuffle492.png/64px-Shuffle492.png

You make your way out of the steel mill Emissary Base and head out into the open air, feeling the solemn wind gust around you and powder the grass on your back with dust while the petals of your pink Gracidea flowers are caressed by the wind. If it weren’t for the tinge of heat, you think you might be feeling a chill from it all, especially considering the grave situation surrounding Exacta.

You trot through the dusty ground, heading eastward the Shaymin Café. Sadly, you’ve already heard the news that it’s been temporarily closed, but you figure Rosemary might appreciate someone checking up on the store to make sure nothing nefarious has befallen it.

After passing by the quiet and seemingly deathly still Exacta Railway Station, the Shaymin Café stands before you with its signature beige, brown, and forest green color motifs with Gracidea Flower decorations. Thankfully, you see that it doesn’t look like any harm has come to the building and none of the windows look like they’ve been broken from looters. On the other hand, the weedy vegetation surrounding the building has grown a lot and some of the walls look like they could use a good power wash. But you feel it wouldn’t take much cleanup and a bit of tidying up outside to make it look nice again. Still, as you look toward the Southern Reach and all its ruined buildings for just a brief moment, you quickly get reminded that it could have been much, much worse…

You start by searching around the exterior, finding that it seems to be mostly the grounds that have grown a bit unruly, but not too much refuse in terms of garbage and debris have rolled their way here. Still, something back by the large, green dumpster catches your eye, and you approach it to get a better look.

And then it hits you. You have a bit of a grimace as you sense the taint of the Stalkers. It seems to be a note of some kind, written on a piece of Floette stationary. However, the handwriting is creepy and the message itself appears to be a disturbing excerpt from some deranged diary…

https://i.imgur.com/HmlsVff.png

=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 2= (https://i.imgur.com/HmlsVff.png) was noted in the Team Records.

You’re not sure who or what exactly Rugo, Kray, and Enra are, but you have the feeling this Huskpuppet is likely one of the Stalkers. It just radiates with that kind of demonic signature. You decide to just stash it away for now, and after doing one last check around the exterior, you don’t find anything else that appears to be unusual.

You make your back toward the entrance, hoping the situation on the inside is at least okay. As you press your paw against the forest-green door, it softly swings open, ringing a tiny brass bell hung by the doorframe to signal a customer just arrived.

You step inside and as expected, you’re the only one here and it seems all is quiet for the moment. While the interior and its décor still seem to be in good shape and follow the same Gracidea Flower theme all along the walls, you see three years of time has created a thin layer of dust that leaves the air with a musky odor to it, almost like an old library.

Inside, you get an idea of what must have transpired the last time any customers were here. With a few chairs hastily pushed aside, abandoned cups and drinks that have long evaporated, and a few loose personal belongings cast aside and never retrieved after all these years, it tells you the story. As soon as OMEN utterly devastated the Southern Reach, there was panic and pandemonium as patrons abandoned their drinks and sought safety and shelter, having no idea what had just transpired.

You look around, feeling a bit disheartened that Rosemary and the others, along with all the patrons that were here, had to deal with that, but at least you’re certain they survived. For now, you tell yourself that’s what you’re here for. Here to make things right, save Exacta, get the Café and the rest of Exacta back up again, and ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

You search among the discarded and abandoned items, packs, and other containers among the lost shawls, cloaks, and other attire. Here and there, you find a few coins in purses and pockets, and by the time you’ve gone through everything, it ends up being a sizable amount of sochas that you feel are bound to come in handy.

$145 Sochas$ were added to Noble’s Pack.

After investigating all around the tables, you head behind the counter where the waiter staff and baristas would be stationed. Things still seem to be in order, but you look up toward the syrup dispenser and the refrigerator and grimace a bit, knowing everything leftover in those pumps and in the fridge have long expired by now. Meanwhile, all the bakery items have long gone stale. Despite your yearning for a fresh chai latté or a caramel macchiato right now, you wouldn’t want to taste what it would be like with ingredients that died a while ago.

Something else, however, triggers your senses and strikes you as usual. For a second, you get the notion that someone else has been in here recently, but it doesn’t look like they were here for long. But who? Instead, you keep a keen eye and look for the signs. Disturbances in the dust. Signs of someone moving things aside. It soon strikes you that someone was here to hide something. When you follow the trail it takes you a strange, stone disc, tucked safely between the register and the counter. You’re a bit baffled, knowing if it weren’t for your senses, there was no way this would be found.

You slide out the stone disc, and you find what looks like an endless, immense gathering of stars and galaxies within the disc itself, as if it was holding the entire universe within it. You hold it in your white paws, brushing over it, trying to peer into its seemingly infinite vastness…

…Divinity…

Divinity? It suddenly makes you do a double take when you hear the whisper in your ear. Whatever it was, you’re almost sure this disc, whatever it is and is used for, has to be from some realm beyond. You take it with you, quite confident that it’s important.

[Celestial Configuration DIVINITY] was added to the Team Inventory.

After searching through the remainder of the work area, you head to the back office, which thankfully doesn’t look like too much chaos had befallen it. You find the area where Rosemary keeps all the records in order, including accounting records, employee information, recipe books, and some very memorable pictures of good times from the past. Smiling patrons, a silly holiday-themed Shaymin Shortcake that Chicory had designed, the first Socha the Café had received on opening day, and many other fond memories from times past.

Looking at orderly wooden desk that Rosemary used to use for office needs, you smile for a bit, grab a piece of paper, and take one of the nearby pencils from a pencil holder.


Dear Rosemary,

It’s your friend, Noble! I came by today to check up on things, though I’m hoping by the time you read this, things are hopefully a lot better in Exacta, everyone’s back, and you’re ready to open the Café again to serve everyone’s favorite latté and teas! I know things may look a little dismal right now and there’s a bit of cleanup and restocking to do, but you can do it and I believe this is just a little hurdle everyone has to go through before things return to normal and we can enjoy all those good times together again. This is all temporary and we can all get through this with some perseverance, some help from our friends and a little determination.

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I know what it’s like, having to deal with day after day of trying to get through a pandemic that has changed so much about the way we do things now, how we interact and hang out with friends, and what we can do with our families. It hasn’t been easy and a lot of the things we used to enjoy were shut down, canceled, and we too were told to stay home and miss out on all the things we used to enjoy doing. But despite all that, we haven’t given up on each other and you shouldn’t either! We will see those times again, soon! We both have a great future to look forward to and we’ll both get there together! And when you finally are back up and running, I hope you always remember this every time you greet your customers with that special smile of yours. Once they see you and the Café are back, they’ll be back, too!

Be safe, but most of all, be happy and always be true to yourself.

Your Shaymin friend,
Noble

Once you finish and place the note where Rosemary will find it, you smile to yourself for just a brief moment and decide it’s time to go back home.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$145 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Night has fallen in Exacta City
Submit your Day 1: Night Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/kmdhct0.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE ("https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2248472/day-1-night-cycle)

(October 29, 2020, 5:00:00 am EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur

[C0L0R3D]

1943 Since exploring the mall has been sorted, I’ll go and search (3) Redstone Motel. Hopefully I’ll come out of there with a few extra Sochas!

[AD]

Okay, Neo. You wanted this. You can't fool me. I know your game, flying squirrel. We are just tiny birds in a flock of bigger birds, waiting for the biggest bird (me) to come swoop down and scare away the bad birds trying to invade our bird kingdom. I know you. We are not pawns in this web of suffering, Neo. We shall not die here, Neo. I know. I’ve died a thousand deaths, Neo, each time reinventing myself brighter, stronger, and purer than before. From the midst of destruction, I became the creator of myself. From the midst of darkness, I became my own source of light. I am that light, Neo. I WILL BURN BRIGHT, NEO! TAKE ME TO THAT PLACE. I WANT THAT BEAUTIFUL SCENARIO. THE PLAN IS SIMPLE, BOYS. THIS IS THE CONTENT. IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN, TEMPER US!


Okay, I promise i am not high lol
ANYWAY


Interview (52.) Syrax the Espeon.
LET'S MAKE THIS ESPEON'S EFFIN YEAR. even tho i kinda wanna investigate the place.

[Bulbasaur]

Let's search here: (11) Medidyne Research Labs

[Lychee]

After walking side-by-side with (more like in the shadow of) Ho-Oh, Nico quickly realized that their idea had probably been the wrong way around. There was no way that Syrax would ignore the giant firey bird god and talk facts with a Cincinno while Ho-Oh looked around!

He scurried along with his fellow emissary and instead resolved to search the church area (34.) Hymn of Rebirth Cathedral, while Syrax was distracted.

[EmeraldSky]

I will investigate the Redstone Motel. (prepares a shot...just in case)

[Lita's Arrow Count: (1 nocked, 29/30 in the quiver)]

[Chibi Altaria]

Nia furrowed her brows, a look of determination on her face.

I will take the lead that Samona gave me and search (15) Sunberry Hotel.

[Scytherwolf]

AAAAAAAAAAAH sorry I'm late! I'll search (12) Daybreak School. O:

[Neo Emolga]

1943 Since exploring the mall has been sorted, I’ll go and search (3) Redstone Motel. Hopefully I’ll come out of there with a few extra Sochas!


I will investigate the Redstone Motel. (prepares a shot...just in case)

[Lita's Arrow Count: (1 nocked, 29/30 in the quiver)]

As the sun began to set, Misty the Palpitoad and Lita the Pikachu decided to both head toward the Redstone Motel, only a very short walk away from the steel mill. With the sun sinking down, the temperature became slightly cooler, but still had that dusty feeling to it as some of the wind gusts were wafting around them. Not knowing what exactly might be lurking in the dark at these hours sent a chill through Lita’s yellow fur while Misty was keeping a watchful eye, making sure no shadows were moving about when they shouldn’t have been…

Meanwhile, the large gray-brick building itself was fairly large with hundred of rooms. With every room reported to be occupied, many of the Pokémon inside the rooms were turning on their lights as the night was beginning to creep overhead minute by minute, which aided a bit in illuminating some of the surrounding grounds, but only to an extent, leaving many areas around quickly shrouded in darkness with the diminishing sunlight.

“Probably won’t be long until it’s pitch-black around here,” Misty told Lita as they approached the large building. “Any idea on where we should start?”

“Let’s check around the exterior first while there’s still light out,” Lita replied, keeping her steel bow nocked and ready just in case.

Misty agreed and both of them did one walk around the exterior of the large building before it got too dark. First thing they noticed was the grounds weren’t too maintained. Pieces of trash and debris were common, and they weren’t sure if it was from some Pokémon just being negligent, or if this was old trash blown over from pre-OMEN days and just happened to blow their way here.

Despite being ready for anything to strike, nothing out of the ordinary was found around the outside. Thankfully, they were still within the safety of the refuge area, but around this area, one couldn’t be too careful, especially with some of the howls and sheiks occasionally echoing from beyond the refuge area…

Once they were confident the exterior was fine, they soon began to search the interior areas and hallways, which were now illuminated with electric lighting and had carpeted floors that looked like they hadn’t been cleaned for quite some time. However, that too, didn’t look entirely maintained as occasionally one of the bulbs had gone out and the shadows crept in where those occurrences took place.

Most of the numbered rooms inside were occupied and locked. There was one of them, Room 219, that looked like it had its door ajar, but appeared to be totally dark on the inside. Lita decided to lead the way inside, slowly pushing the door open and being ready for anything.

“Hello?” she asked, reaching for the light switch. “Anyone in here?”

There was no response, so Lita turned on the light and instantly the room was flushed in a dimly-lit glow. Only a single overhead lamp turned on, and it looked to be covered with dust and cobwebs.

Meanwhile, the room itself was in disarray. The bed was still unmade, personal belongings like shawls, bags, and papers were scattered around, and drawers that had garments hanging out were left hanging open.

“Kind of seems like someone left in a hurry,” Misty told Lita.

“It does,” Lita replied with a nod, looking around the room. “Did they know they were being targeted? And how long ago was it since they’ve been here?”

Lita looked around for answers, and she saw the signs. A blanket that was thrown on the floor was already caked with a layer of dust, and a two-gallon container of water on the wooden dresser was now bone-dry. Packages of food had expiration dates on the verge of coming up while fruit that was in the kitchenette had rotted away a long time ago.

“Seems like they’ve been gone for quite a while,” Lita told Misty, drawing a conclusion from the signs around the room.

“Eh, yeah, I was starting to think that, too,” Misty grimaced at the sight of the fruit.

Realizing the room’s previous occupant likely left in a hurry and was never going to return, they started looking for anything that might still be useful. At first, papers, writing supplies, cups, and other everyday items were what they found scattered about the room, but in an old leather backpack, they found a wallet with some money inside. They decided to split it evenly among the two of them.

The $60 Sochas$ have been divided between Misty and Lita (30 Each).

The next baggage container held more blankets and shawls, while the forest-green duffle bag held a metallic combat longbow that seemed to be only lightly used. Meanwhile, a whole bundle of arrows tied in a bunch were right under it.

“Seems fairly new,” Misty told Lita, looking over the weapon they just found. “I wonder why they left it.”

“From the looks of things,” Lita replied, looking around, “they were in a hurry and probably couldn’t afford to carry it. Well, I doubt they’re ever going to come back to get it, so it might be a good idea for us to take it with us.”

“Coin flip?” Misty asked, pulling out one of the newly acquired Sochas. “Call it!”

“Tails,” Lita declared just after Misty had flipped the coin into the air.

Loot Roll (1-100):
Misty rolls 6
Lita rolls 21

[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls) has been added to Lita’s Pack.

After the silvery coin landed on the dirty carpeted floor, Misty and Lita looked in closer to see the result and saw the side with the lily flowers was facing up while the side with the head of King Mavren the Drampa was face-down.

“All yours,” Misty smiled, handing Lita the bow. “Seems right anyway, I’d rather not get into a fight if you don’t mind.”

“Totally okay,” Lita replied with a smile, looking over her newly acquired weapon.

Once they had checked everything else in the room, they decided it was time to move on and there was nothing else for them to find in there.

Checking through the rest of the motel, they found most of the other rooms seemed to be locked, though every now and then Pokémon would be coming and going, making their ways up and down the halls. Misty and Lita had passed by a young Hitmontop talking calmly to an older-looking Sawk while a lone Toxel simply strutted completely by herself, silent and almost lost with a faraway look in her eyes.

When Lita and Misty got to the end of the hall, the last door at the end of the hall had opened all of sudden, and shortly after, a grayish-colored Eevee with a scarred right eye and his Bayleef companion with a notched leaf on his head had emerged and almost bumped into the duo.

“Woah there!” the shiny Eevee had exclaimed, backing up on his four paws with a look of surprise.

“Hey, you two don’t look familiar,” the Bayleef told Misty and Lita. “We haven’t met before, have we?”

“I don’t think so,” Lita replied, tilting her head as she couldn’t recall if she saw a shiny Eevee and Bayleef at the mall. “We haven’t been here very long either…”

The gray-colored Eevee nodded as his expression changed to a smirk.

“Well, nice to meet you, my name’s Lucky!” the Eevee introduced himself with a bow. “And this Bayleef guy here is Isaiah.” Lucky then turned to Isaiah. “Hey, Isaiah, be polite in front of the ladies and introduce yourself!”

“You kind of already did.” Isaiah shrugged.

Misty was a bit confused, but out of her eye, she saw that it looked like one of them had dropped what looked like a green-colored rectangular piece of metal with circular holes in it. She bent down to pick it up and looked at it curiously before looking to Lucky.

“Is this yours?” she asked, presenting the metal slate to Lucky.

“Why yes!” Lucky exclaimed before suddenly looking a bit sheepish. “I mean… well, actually… no. I found it the other day and I don’t know what it is.”

“Yeah, we were out exploring and we found it by-“ Isaiah began to explain before Lucky cut him off by nudging him.

“Ha ha, yeah, we uh…” Lucky hesitated, “found it in a place where… well, yeah, where you might find things like… whatever that thing is.”

Lita leaned over to take a closer look and it seemed to make sense early on.

“Looks like a punch card,” Lita stated. “Probably a sort of key to something.”

“Oh, so you do know what it is!” Lucky exclaimed. “That’s great!”

But both Misty and Lita looked at each other as Misty held the punch card key for closer examination. There was something wrong with it and both of them could sense it.

“One of the Stalkers handled this, didn’t they?” Lita concluded, feeling the dark aura surrounding it.

“Yeah, I was feeling that too,” Misty replied with a bit of a grimace.

“Wait, that thing belongs to one of THE STALKERS!?” Lucky exclaimed in fright. “How did you know… you know what, it’s all yours! Keep it, frame it, use it as a plate, hey, do whatever, as long as you don’t tell anyone where you got that!”

[Punch Card Key] was added to the Team Inventory.

Misty flipped the key card over, and upon looking at the card with even more scrutiny, it seemed like there was slight traces of blood along the edges and grooves. While most of it had been wiped away, there were still remnants.

“Were either of you…” Misty was about to ask as she looked up.

But both Lucky and Isaiah had mysteriously disappeared. She looked around to see where they might have run off to, but all she could conclude was they must have been in a hurry.

“We’d better go,” Lita told Misty, seeing as how it was getting late.

Misty nodded, though she had a feeling that maybe… perhaps this wouldn’t be the last time she saw the likes of Lucky and Isaiah… wherever they might show up next…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$30 Sochas

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$30 Sochas$
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

[EmeraldSky]

Neo Emolga

Just to clarify--did I get a quiver upgrade, or a whole other set of arrows with this new bow? For now, I'm assuming it''s an all new set of 30.

(I'm using Zelda's quiver upgrade system--a combination of Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker (increments of 10 on up to 100)

[Shruikan]

"Argh, this appears to be unsolvable. Huh, wait where did everyone go?" Looking away from his scribbled Sudoku wall, Lycellus foud himself nearly alone. With dawning horror, he realised that much more time had passed than he had thought. "I was supposed to be out helping everyone search tonight, but it's almost sunrise! Oh this is not good!"

Quickly running though the list of places he knew needed exploring, he remembered Axken had mentioned an armour supplier! That sounded good, the sooner the team got armour, the better their survival chances. That would be a suitable place to check, and might buy him time to make up for his egregious error in time management.


[Investigate (9) Tactical Outfitters]

[Neo Emolga]

Okay, Neo. You wanted this. You can't fool me. I know your game, flying squirrel. We are just tiny birds in a flock of bigger birds, waiting for the biggest bird (me) to come swoop down and scare away the bad birds trying to invade our bird kingdom. I know you. We are not pawns in this web of suffering, Neo. We shall not die here, Neo. I know. I’ve died a thousand deaths, Neo, each time reinventing myself brighter, stronger, and purer than before. From the midst of destruction, I became the creator of myself. From the midst of darkness, I became my own source of light. I am that light, Neo. I WILL BURN BRIGHT, NEO! TAKE ME TO THAT PLACE. I WANT THAT BEAUTIFUL SCENARIO. THE PLAN IS SIMPLE, BOYS. THIS IS THE CONTENT. IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN, TEMPER US!


Okay, I promise i am not high lol
ANYWAY


Interview (52.) Syrax the Espeon.
LET'S MAKE THIS ESPEON'S EFFIN YEAR. even tho i kinda wanna investigate the place.

Interview Rapport: Due to special circumstances, the GM is overriding his own Rapport system and saying EXALTED AND WORSHIPPED BECAUSE YOU ARE HIS GOD for this one.
Because reasons. I make the rules. You also get to enjoy the honor of knowing you made Stalkers RPG history by getting Rapport this high. Also, you get the Supersized Jumbo Family Fun Pack of Intel tonight!

Having learned that an Espeon named Syrax still leads monthly masses at a church dedicated to you might be a good avenue for insight, you head there for the evening, wondering just how much Syrax knows and what he might be able to do to help. As his deity, you’re quite sure everything he knows will become presented before you.

As the night falls, you fly east toward the Hymn of Rebirth Cathedral. Despite the night sky of the Northern Reach seeming gloomy, you illuminate it with your rainbow trail and aura. Every flap of your giant wings generates a bounty of color and illumination as you begin your decent toward the cathedral, which depicts you, Ho-oh, in many awe-inspiring ways from statues of you on the roof, depictions of you on the stained-glass windows, and with rainbows as a common theme upon the molding and trims surrounding the large ornate building. In all, it’s a very beautiful cathedral.

Upon landing before the cathedral’s main doors, you don’t need to go far to meet Syrax. In fact, the violet psychic cat Pokémon comes to you, opening the doors at the top of the stone steps. He stands before you in complete awe with his mouth wide open before kneeing to the stone ground, bowing his head.

“MY LORD AND MY LIEGE!” he cries out in passionate reverence, reciting scripture passage that he has obviously memorized and preached at plenty of masses. “For he will appear before you in your darkest time as a light, a guide out of the darkness for all to observe and behold!”

The timing of your arrival couldn’t have been more perfect and literal considering the night hours. Seems like you’re doing pretty well fulfilling prophecies tonight! You decide to go along with his expectations, portraying yourself as his deity immortal as the rainbow-colored aura and light emanates and flows around you.

“Indeed, it is I,” you tell him, knowing you really don’t need to introduce yourself before him as he already knows exactly who you are. “The guide that you seek in these days of darkness. Tell me, disciple, about the calamity that plagues these lands, this city of Exacta. For I hear the cry of Veramo in these troubled times as our brothers and sisters fight against a darkness they do not know and fight to comprehend. Word of the OMEN calamity, and now that of the Stalkers, agents of Abyss within the heart of the city itself.”

“There are six, my liege.” The Espeon tells you, looking upon you faithfully with reverence. “They walk among us as you said. These Enthrallers, these enemies of Utopia, have assimilated six of our own, though regrettably I do not yet know the exact hearts and minds they have overtaken.”

But you show your understanding toward Syrax, not condemning him for not knowing, but graciously thanking him for whatever knowledge he can share.

“Disciple, tell me for I have only just arrived,” you ask of him. “What are their names, and what are their atrocities?”

“The first of them is Labyrinth, my lord.” Syrax informs you. “Heart in light, but watching from the safety of the shadow, I have learned much about this Stalker. They have lured our brothers and sisters into bewilderment, lost within mazes of their own mind that only they can see, as if in another realm while their bodies wander in a trance within our own material plane. I myself have come across the victims only to find them braindead from the travesty of this sin.”

“The second among them is Obscene,” Syrax continues, reporting all that he knows about this Stalker. “The travesties of this Stalker run deep, embedding their dark acts of cruelty and malice in the form of deception that target the youngest and most vulnerable among us. Our children, our future. The dark perversion that this Stalker is capable of includes demonic children’s writings, songs, and imagery, flooded with the dark evil and sin that only Abyss is capable of. Their victims, our own brothers and sisters, killed by this Stalker, are then maliciously inserted into these dark creations.”

“Astralnox is the third among them,” Syrax tells you. “For many I have associated with, this is the Stalker they fear most. No information is secret from this abomination, as their vile specialty lies in knowing any and all about their victims, information that never could have come to light otherwise without wretched powers and influence at stake. With this knowledge, they destroy our brothers and sisters with their greatest fears and regrets. I have known several, once Pokémon of sane mind, lost to madness after finding themselves at the mercy of this Stalker, having seen their own worst nightmares personified before them.”

“The fourth among their dark ranks is Twistagen, a demonic Stalker of extreme, wanton barbarism,” Syrax informs you. “The bodies of their victims are twisted, misshapen, and ravaged beyond reclamation and almost beyond identity. Their foreboding words of darkness and evil are almost rendered incomprehensible like a deranged language of evil. Where there was once order, Twistagen leaves nothing but macabre anarchy in their wake.”

“Fifth among them is Huskpuppet, a most wicked lieutenant of evil,” he continues. “I myself, disciple of the Sacred Fire, have seen the deranged abominations that this Stalker is capable of. Our own brothers and sisters who have befallen the taint of this Stalker had their insides grotesquely dug out of them through their eyes and mouths, only to be refilled with an otherworldly impure and unholy material that reanimates them into their cohorts of chaos. Devoid of mind and soul, these wretched undead horrors live again to attack the innocent, and those among us they once loved while their defiled mastermind lurks and commands them from within the shadows.”

“And at last, the sixth among them,” Syrax states to you. “Exclude. For the longest time, I believed there were only five Stalkers, until I discerned this dark truth. Exclude does not leave victims behind, my liege. Exclude eradiates and obliterates their very existence in such a way that their victims aren’t killed, but plunged into a full erasure so severe that those among us no longer know them by name, by face, by family, or by memory. I had to search deep to find the source of this malice, and it came to me in the form of black ichor, and the devastation left behind is subtle, but beyond clarity once recognized. Empty picture frames, mysterious blank pages in the middle of diaries, vacant rooms in houses that the victims’ families suddenly cannot explain. Where there was once life and a living being, now only emptiness lies, a life so forgotten, but with remnants of emptiness as the proof of this demonic expurgation.”

Stalkers Status in the Team Records has been updated:

Stalkers Status:
0/6 Stalkers Eliminated

LABYRINTH
OBSCENE
ASTRALNOX
TWISTAGEN
HUSKPUPPET
EXCLUDE

“LOATHE,” You state, realizing the dark word that this group of Stalkers has associated themselves with.

“Yes, loathe,” Syrax confirms. “The word of hating, abhorring, and despising. I fear this legion of Abyss is one of their most elite, enraptured in the lust of this macabre word.”

“But you mustn’t fear, my disciple,” you remind him, reassuring him. “Within us lies hope, and hope will overcome hatred.”

Syrax nods, and bows before your wisdom.

“I have done extensive research into what may be a countermeasure,” Syrax informs you. “While I have some information, much of this time has been devoted to protecting our followers. What I have learned through my insight is that Utopia did deploy their angels here, but lately there has been no word of them, and I can only assume their mission was compromised. I don’t know the exact details, but one of the important pieces of information I discovered was that they were here, trying to find a way to combine their holy relics and artifacts with our technology.”

“Have you learned what that might be for?” you ask Syrax.

“Alas, I do not know…” Syrax sighs, ashamed to present disappointing news. “I have only pieces, including this.”

He presents to you what appears to look almost like an engineering drawing, only the writing and depictions almost look like Seinaru to you.

[Site Plan Holy Starmap: Large Glass Globe AND Puresilver Globe Mount AND Celestial Essence] has been added to the Team Inventory.

“This appears to be one of Utopia’s plans,” Syrax tells you, “I’ve done extensive research on it, and it appears to be a device that can reach and contact worlds throughout the universe. Its construction is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, but it follows the observations I made previously. It combines our technology with Utopia’s relics, and if successful, these creations can far surpass the possibilities that either realm alone were capable of.”

It sounds like a major undertaking, but the premise of it all almost excites you. This, if it can be put together, may just something extreme that Abyss will never see coming. But ultimately what it will be for and what the original objective of it still seems to be a mystery.

“My liege, I will do what I can to find the answers and understand what they were sent here to do.” Syrax pledges his loyalty to you. “I will continue their holy work to see that it comes to pass. As soon as I learn anything, I will inform you with haste.”

“And I will be with you, my disciple,” you assure him. “We aren’t alone. We have existed in other times, other places, beyond realms and realities that Abyss cannot comprehend. To them, we are enigmatic, we blend in, we disappear, and they only discover the truth when it is too late for them. Tell me, disciple, surely you have learned that of the Emissaries in your teachings?”

“Indeed I have, my liege,” Syrax tells you, looking curious. “But what of these brave warriors and scholars should I know?”

“They are among you now at this very moment,” you assure him. “And with your help, they will purge LOATHE and their ilk.”

He bows before you, and you have refreshed his soul and confidence.

“I must go and continue our work,” you tell him, preparing to head back to base. “There is still much that needs to be done.”

“Understood, my liege,” he bows. “I will speak with you again soon.”

As you turn and spread your rainbow wings, you nod to him and offer your assurance. And then in a majestic display of color, you flap your wings and fly off into the night sky, imagining that must have been a heck of a sight and experience for him to behold.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh (L: Fire/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$85 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Let's search here: (11) Medidyne Research Labs

As dusk looms over Exacta City, you decide to search the Medidyne Research Labs to see if there might be something useful that you and the rest of the Emissaries could get a hold of. As you walk your way down the road between the mall and the Redstone Motel, you see that it’s not far off from base and it doesn’t take too long to get there.

Along the way, however, there is an eerie wind that breezes around you and you feel it on your skin and around the bulb on your back. Even though you don’t know everything about Veramo’s natural environment, this kind of atmosphere doesn’t feel right at all. The way the clouds move around Veramo’s two moons seems rather fast and unnerving, shifting and transforming like smoke.

When you arrive at the large white building, you start first by searching around the perimeter, using the remaining minutes of daylight to see if there’s anything around the exterior. It seems the grounds are pretty well-maintained and there doesn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary. As you feel another gust of wind and the faint howl of a chimera far off in the distance, you decide to head inside to enjoy some shelter from whatever is lurking outside.

You make your way into the building through the double glass doors and look around you, first greeted by a large interior courtyard with a sitting area and a few plants in square stone pots. Meanwhile, all the doors to the offices are all along the walls and along hallways that branch out from this central courtyard area.

Most of the overhead lights are off for the night, save for a few dim lights that are mainly for security purposes. You decide to get started, knowing there’s quite a few offices to investigate here. As you walk along the stone-tiled floor, your footsteps echo throughout the halls, which make you sometimes feel something or someone is watching you or moving with you.

You search from office to office, finding that most of these orderly and very clean research areas have been repurposed to research everything about OMEN. It doesn’t surprise you as the need to come up with a cure or at least a preventative measure have become critical if the citizens of Exacta ever hope to be safe from infection and rebuild in the Reach, or at least before the OMEN contamination fully decays and there’s no more risk. For all anyone knows, that could take decades.

You find one office performing pre-clinical research on potential cures and preventative vaccines, but you can see from the toxicology and biocompatibility reports that it’s been a challenge that they don’t have a solution for, yet. Most of the chemical compound test article analysis has been iffy and the results have been along the lines of the potential cures being too weak and not doing enough or having too many severely negative side effects to justify administration to the general public. For now, the pre-clinical models haven’t had passing results, but they’re not giving up hope yet.

In another office, they’re analyzing the OMEN samples collected in jars, vials, and various petri dishes, but it seems most of them are diluted or diminished versions that were obtained along the outskirts of the crater. At the moment, it seems they’re all that the staff has to work with. However, while a cure may be effective against these less potent samples, would it be effective enough against the worst of the worst from the crater? You have a feeling it wouldn’t to some degree.

In one of the rooms, you find some outside non-OMEN research projects being done, but it looks like they have been inactivated and have been neglected for a while due to higher demands for OMEN remedies. Still, one of the specimens you find to be unusual is an orb that looks like it’s on fire, only the fire seems to be white. You analyze the glass cylinder canister the orb is in, and while the orb seems hot, you realize it doesn’t burn or injure you upon touching it. In fact, you’re able to grab the orb in your paws and while it still is enflamed, this particular fire is totally safe, and it even fills you with a feeling of tranquility and cleansing as it washes over your palms.

You’re convinced this is actually one of Utopia’s relics that was left behind, and was either found or sold to these scientists. Still, you decide to take it, knowing you’re more likely to find out what this relic is for. Leaving it here would likely mean no one finding anything about it for a long, long time, and Exacta can’t afford that kind of delay if there’s a higher intended purpose for this orb.

was added to the Team Inventory.

As you continue your search through the eastern wing of the building, the researchers here have been analyzing the bodies of ghouls and chimeras in the autopsy chambers. It’s your first time seeing them, and you can instantly tell they’re a pretty gruesome sight to behold. A ghoul of a Slowbro and a Mienfoo lie dead on operating tables while their innards are being analyzed for uncovering answers as to how the mutation from Pokémon to ghoul occurs. Meanwhile, the bodies themselves look gaunt, ugly, and show signs of leprosy. Though they are grizzly to behold, you imagine that in the field, they may not be as much of a threat as living Pokémon would be. This kind of pre-emptive decay would likely slow them down and weaken them.

Off to the side, you find a vast array of varying surgical tools, devices, and equipment that you can’t fathom what they’re used for. One of the scalpels in particular seems longer and very, very sharp. You decide if might not be a bad idea to take one of these extra ones to defend yourself if you were to ever be attacked. After all, they seemed to have been quite effective at dissecting these cadavers.

[|AW| Surgical Scalpel] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Mistee’s Pack.

In the next operating room, you find the dead body of a chimera laid out on the dissection table. You’re not sure how the staff managed to get their hands on one of these, but nonetheless, the sight of it, even though dead, is still very anxiety-inducing. It appears to be a fusion of a Chespin, Reuniclus, and a Mudsdale with the body of the Chespin as the main foundation while the added Reuniclus traits has given it an extra set of arms and the Mudsale traits has given it an extra set of rear legs, making the Chespin now look like a horrific kind of centaur.

You decide to leave, and though you feel a little queasy after you just saw, you can understand the research being performed. If the staff here can figure out more information regarding chimeras and ghouls regarding their biological mutations and the impact OMEN has had on them, it will make getting a cure much more obtainable and much more hopeful if they can do this level of root source research.

As it gets late and you finish searching the last room, you decided to head back to base. But for now, it seems you’re on the right track.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/001.png Mistee the Bulbasaur (S: Grass/Poison)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[b]$120 Sochas$
[|AW| Surgical Scalpel (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

After walking side-by-side with (more like in the shadow of) Ho-Oh, Nico quickly realized that their idea had probably been the wrong way around. There was no way that Syrax would ignore the giant firey bird god and talk facts with a Cincinno while Ho-Oh looked around!

He scurried along with his fellow emissary and instead resolved to search the church area (34.) Hymn of Rebirth Cathedral, while Syrax was distracted.

You decide to follow Sacred to the Hymn of Rebirth Cathedral, but thanks to his ability to fly, you ultimately get left behind while traveling on the ground though you have more fluff and floof which is far superior. Still, he’s not a hard to miss in the sky, so you just follow his trail.

While on the ground, you keep vigilant watch as you head into Northern Reach territory, but it seems like you’re able to avoid getting into trouble and running into any unexpected company. Still, with the street lights off, the buildings around you abandoned, and with some of them having taken earthquake damage, it’s not the most reassuring setting and feeling to be suddenly surrounded by, especially in the dark. Meanwhile, the unsettling wind blows around you, coursing through your gray and white fur. Thankfully, your fur keeps you soft and cozy while both your eyes and your large ears remain focused and alert for any possible dangers.

Eventually you arrive at the cathedral, and you decide to check around to see if maybe there’s something laying around that even Syrax doesn’t know about yet. You first search the area around the building, observing that the grounds, while a little bit unkempt with overgrowth, still seem to be in good shape for the most part. Meanwhile, it doesn’t look like the earthquakes have affected the cathedral itself, which is good. You can’t help but admire the colorful stained-glass windows and ornate columns and arches with their many carvings, and feel it would be a shame if any of this took damage after it looks like so much went into building it. Still, despite being an architectural masterpiece, you don’t see anything too unusual.

You then head inside, observing the stone floor, walls, and various sculptures and paintings depicting Ho-oh and scenes from the holy scriptures. You see what kind of artistic depictions exist for what they believe Utopia looks like, and whether it’s close or way off the field, they still look nice, colorful, and serene with their colorful cities in the clouds and majestic castles in the sky.

The main heart of the cathedral used for holding masses and sermons is enormous and opens up before you with many rows of wooden pews upon a tiled marble floor while towering pillars and arches reach up to a ceiling depicting even more artistic masterpieces. Meanwhile, at the front, a large stone altar with an artisan carving rests with two candles on both sides as a large scripture that looks very old rests upon it. It seems a common theme around the cathedral is fire, and many torches and candles are fully lit and look like they haven’t ever been extinguished. It fills the entire cathedral with a comforting, reassuring glow.

Toward the back of the church, you find what looks like a small library of older scriptures, teachings, and manuscripts on the bookshelves. Most of the books appear to be very old with pages that have yellowed over time and covers that have taken scratches and other forms of wear. There are also numerous scrolls and loose pages as well. Nothing really seems too out of the ordinary, although one solitary page on an old, wooden desk catches your attention. The paper itself seems almost otherworldly while the runic text seems familiar.

https://i.imgur.com/2dxqbf7.png

=Celestial Runic Page 2= (https://i.imgur.com/2dxqbf7.png) was noted in the Team Records.

You get excited as you’ve seen a page like this before with this same text, and you were able to translate it! You can only wonder what it says for now, but as you pick up the page, it has a faint aura of tranquility. You even notice at the runes surrounding the praying Pachirisu actually have an illuminating glow of their own that flows right off the page like a candle, definitely not something you’d see from an ordinary piece of paper.

You decide to keep looking for now, searching through the various supply rooms, storage rooms, and a private praying area that looks like it’s intended for the elderly or those with disabilities. Something in this carpeted and very clean room also catches your attention as it appears to be a small orb of white fire resting on a metal candle stick. This fiery orb also illuminates a portion of the room in a comforting, tranquil white glow. As you approach it, you can feel the orb’s warmth, but touching the orb itself doesn’t cause any burns at all.

You have a feeling you may need this for later. This orb definitely doesn’t feel of this world and it’s easy to guess it came from Utopia itself. You take it with you.

was added to the Team Inventory.

After searching through the rest of the cathedral, you feel you’ve managed to find all that you could. You almost feel like spending the rest of the night in here where it’s comforting and sheltered from the outside wind chill and nefarious-sounding howls outside, but you know you got to make it back to base before the night is over, or the others might get worried.

Thankfully, nothing befalls you on your way back, and you manage to get home safe and sound.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/573.png Nico the Cinccino (S: Normal)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[b][OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Neo Emolga]

Nia furrowed her brows, a look of determination on her face.

I will take the lead that Samona gave me and search (15) Sunberry Hotel.

As the dips further down beyond the horizon, you decide to head south through the Exacta Refuge Area and investigate the Sunberry Hotel by the river. The remaining daylight hours seem to be limited, so you decide to make as much resourceful use of the remaining sunlight you have left and trot a little faster down the road on your four paws.

Brief gusts of dusty wind blow through your white fur coat and lightly caress your coiled tails. As you look around you, there are a few other refugees carrying about their business, though it looks like not very many Pokémon at all stay up during the night hours. From what you can see, there isn’t much to Exacta City’s nightlife, or at least it definitely doesn’t happen outside.

When you arrive at the Hotel, you can see it’s quite a large, attractive, and luxurious building that is now fully occupied with citizens that have the sochas to afford it. You can definitely imagine it’s much safter and more comfortable to live here instead of the mall’s parking lot. Even the Redstone Motel pales in comparison to this lovely-looking pristine white building.

You decide to search around the exterior first, knowing once the sun goes down, finding anything in the darkness becomes a much bigger challenge. You first start by the front of the building, searching among the bushes and shrubs that have been well-maintained by the groundskeepers. Overall, you can tell they try to make this place as comfortable and as sightly as possible.

When you get to the back of the building, there’s a small courtyard and miniature park that has a few picnic benches and a small playground for child Pokémon, though it looks like it’s been quiet for a while. Though it has been well maintained, it’s not the park itself that’s the issue.

It’s the sight just across the river…

From here, you get a pretty grizzly and unforgettable view of the darkness and calamity that has befallen the Southern Reach. While the Knave locations are in relatively good order, if your eyes keep going, you see the buildings become further and further damaged before becoming complete ruins. And then your eyes look upon the crater itself, seemingly pulling and sucking the very ruins of the city into a macabre whirlpool-like sinkhole that you imagine must be absolutely full of dead bodies. You shiver a bit just from the sight of it, and the distant howling sounds are enough to bring the chills to anyone.

You continue searching the park, although you see something catch the corner of your eye. An old stone marker with three gray stones in an unnatural pyramid formation. It seems out of the ordinary, though it looks like no one else realized this and stopped to take a closer look.

You decide to investigate, and you move the stones aside. Below them, you find a cache in the form of a metallic ammunition box, buried into the ground. You unlatch the metallic lever, swing open the lid, and take a look inside.

You find an old, crumpled paper note on top, and when you unfold it, it reads:

Rugo,

I’m sorry, I’ve made a lot of mistakes. Trust me, you know how much I wish I could just go back to the start. But I can’t. I messed up bad and there’s no going back.

I’m leaving Exacta. For good this time.

I know what you’re thinking. The Rogues are going to kill me. Well, they can try. I’ll be long out of here by then, and if they want to try and follow me and hunt me down, that’s just fine. They can try, maybe for many years if they want to. Heck, they can spend the rest of their lives trying, in fact. But I’m leaving that life behind regardless of what the consequences are for defecting. Maybe one day you can, too.

Take my dagger and here’s the money I owe you. That should make us even.

Sincerely,
Ketros

You don’t know who either of these Pokémon are, but judging from how much dirt was on these rocks and how Ketros wrote this at a time they were still able to leave the city freely, you imagine this cache has been resting here unfound for quite a while and no one ever claim it. Meanwhile, Rugo, whoever that is, may not even be alive right now and likely never came by to find this cache.

You look further inside and you find the contents that Ketros left behind. Feeling as though Rugo will never come by to collect them considering it’s been years since this was left here, you decide to take out the contents and keep them yourself. Inside, you find a very sharp and intricately-crafted dagger with a crossed blade insignia on it, while a small black pouch of money rests next to it.

[|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls) has been added to Nia’s Pack.

$95 Sochas$ has been added to Nia’s Pack.

You decide to continue, looking for the wall message that Samona was referring to earlier.

For the most part, the back of the building is just as nice as the front of the building. The walls are very clean, the trees and shrubs are in good health, and the windows appear to be clean and clear. But on the dark side of the building toward the western edge, the area seems a bit forgotten and neglected, or at least that’s how it appears.

You try to find the message that Samona was referring to, and whilte at first, it’s not quite too obvious where it is, eventually, you find it hidden near one of the flowering bushes. You can see why it brought the young Amaura so much anxiety.

https://i.imgur.com/ufdN5Ie.png

=Twisted Wall Message= (https://i.imgur.com/ufdN5Ie.png) has been noted in the Team Records.

The words you see, written in a sickly, chaotic handwriting, reek with Stalker presence. Like an infection, it has even blackened the surrounding walls, defiling what was once white into a grotesque, grayish color. Meanwhile, the words themselves are deranged, looking like twisted, hellish gibberish.

You decide to keep searching, but as the sunlight quickly vanishes, you decide to head inside and check out the interior.

Inside, the main lobby and gathering area are beautiful, pristine, and comfortable, making it almost too easy to forget about the calamity happening outside and around town. In the center of the interior courtyard is a beautiful pool of water and the fountain in the center is even still running. Overall, you can see why this used to be a luxurious hotel and it definitely seems like a comforting way to escape.

Your attention is diverted by a white, glowing presence at the base of the pool, and upon taking a closer look, it seems like a small, metallic vessel in the shape of a cylinder was placed here, made to look like a part of the metallic carvings along the edge of the pool. When you remove it and pop it out, it glows in your paws and brings you a comforting feeling. It looks like it is made out of a whiteish-silvery metal that feels like it’s from another world entirely. White, glowing carvings are also upon it, and it seems to be a device that channels and stores holy divine energy.

You decide to take it with you, understanding that this was likely hidden here by Utopia, but now it’s been abandoned.

[Holy Conduit] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You then decide to investigate the rest of the hotel, checking through the main carpeted hallways and by whatever rooms you’re able to visit. However, from here on in, you don’t find anything suspicious or out the ordinary. Most of the Pokémon around have long gone to bed and as the night hours get later and later, you decide it’s time to head back and see what the others have found.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$95 Sochas$
[|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

AAAAAAAAAAAH sorry I'm late! I'll search (12) Daybreak School. O:

(No worries!)

With the sun dipping downward, you head out of the steel mill and immediately take flight, speeding your way south as your wings rapidly flicker and carry you through the air as if you’re floating. Thankfully, it’s a quick journey and it almost feels that it’s time to descend even though you just started your flight.

From above, the school seems calm, though there are several lights still on. Meanwhile, the building condition seems to be in good shape. A few paper bags are really the only debris you find around the exterior of the building while it seems the recent earthquakes haven’t done too much damage to the structural integrity. A few hairline cracks in the concrete steps are really the most amount of damage you find. Everything else just looks like normal building wear over time.

You search around the exterior first, quickly darting around swiftly through the air to get a full perspective of the perimeter. While a dusty wind blows around you, you observe that quite a few lights are still on, as you’ve realized children that are being educated here are also being boarded here. Despite the fact the building was never intended to be a boarding school, the citizens here have adapted the building well for it, and it’s safely nestled in the middle of the refuge area. Though you have the feeling that while the building is well-protected against ghouls and chimeras, the Stalkers may be a different story…

Around the back of the building away from the streets, you find what looks like a lost and discarded pocketed brown shawl. You check to see if anything was left in the pockets, and it seems like there’s plenty inside. You use one of your hands to reach into the pockets, and you find a decent handful of coins and a green, leaf-shaped Starf Berry as well.

$65 Sochas$ has been added to Carly’s Pack.

[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity) has been added to Carly’s Pack.

Just as the sun sinks below the horizon and shadows are cast all around the area, you decide to search within the building’s interior to see if there’s anything else to be discovered.

Inside, the building hallways and classrooms are kept in good condition. While the school was originally intended to be for high school aged adolescents, it’s now being used for children of all ages, and what used to be the gymnasium is now being used as a boarding area. It’s disheartening to see so many children have lost parents and have no where to go but here, but at least they’re safe for the most part and they managed to survive. You imagine there were many that didn’t considering what you saw of the Southern Reach…

Some of the classrooms have been readapted to suit younger children with finger paintings, educational materials to learn the alphabet, numbers, the days of the week, and colors while classrooms for older kids focus on instructional diagrams, reference materials, and chalkboards. You tend to notice as the intended grade and age go up, the amount of color and creativity in the educational materials decreases…

One classroom you come across seems to be intended to teach basic engineering, modeling, and architectural integrity concepts. From what you can see, it seems like the teachers are prioritizing education that will support rebuilding efforts in the years to come. Another classroom is used to teach students regarding electronics, utilities, and urban infrastructure. While it seems students at this level are allowed to go into any career field they choose, they’re definitely trying to gear them in a direction that stands to support the city’s future.

You find only one classroom is used for teaching art and creative works like music and literature, and it’s shared among all age and class levels. There are paintings, drawings, and sheet music featured on the walls while books and manuals on the subject matter fill the wooden bookshelves along the right side wall. Despite all the resources being here, it seems this one room doesn’t get too much attention given by what you find on the schedule by the wooden classroom door. Most grade levels only meet here once every two weeks and it’s only for an hour.

You search around the room and while most of the creative works like models, sculptures, and paintings seem like typical classroom creations, one stone carving of a hand suddenly raises a red flag for you. You find it among many other carvings, but something seems wrong with this one. While to the naked eye it just appears to be a stone carving of a Mr Mime’s left hand, as soon as you draw closer to it, you feel a Stalker presence surrounding it. It is definitely deceptive, as you have a feeling it’s been here for a while and none of the Pokémon that have been in this classroom have suspected a thing about it. You believe it’s likely that they thought some student created it during a typical class and now it’s on display for others to see like the rest of the creative works here.

You decide to take it with you, having a feeling this doesn’t belong here and it’s likely intended for some other not-so-nice purpose.

[Left Hand of the Forgotten One] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You then search the living quarters, seeing that most of the children living here have gone to bed and have settled in for the night. Most of them are sleeping on cushions, bedrolls, cots, or whatever else could be obtained to provide adequate bedding for all kinds of different Pokémon species.

Vemmi the Banette seems to be the only teacher that sleeps here as well, while the other teachers that are instructing here reside elsewhere. From what you can see in the shadows, Vemmi isn’t able to sleep very well, and even when she does, she talks a lot in her sleep, looking like she’s going through a lot of stress lately. Meanwhile, the rest of her room is very disorderly with personal belongings all over the place and papers, tools, and books scattered haphazardly. You decide to leave her alone.

After searching the last of the classrooms, you decide to head back to base. As you fly back into the night sky, there’s no trace of the sun anymore, but that dusty wind still seems to be persistent…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$65 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

[Neo Emolga]

"Argh, this appears to be unsolvable. Huh, wait where did everyone go?" Looking away from his scribbled Sudoku wall, Lycellus foud himself nearly alone. With dawning horror, he realised that much more time had passed than he had thought. "I was supposed to be out helping everyone search tonight, but it's almost sunrise! Oh this is not good!"

Quickly running though the list of places he knew needed exploring, he remembered Axken had mentioned an armour supplier! That sounded good, the sooner the team got armour, the better their survival chances. That would be a suitable place to check, and might buy him time to make up for his egregious error in time management.




With the sun already down, you decide to head south and investigate the small commercial row of stores on the opposite side of the Aurorawatch military compound. It ends up being a very quick journey and you don’t even ascend all the way up into the sky. Before you know it, it’s time to descend back down again as you’ve already arrived.

It soon becomes apparent the store is simply too small for your immense size, meaning you’ll have to check on the exterior only for now, but you’re able to peer in through the windows at least.

Checking the perimeter and surrounding grounds isn’t too difficult as there isn’t too much to look over. You notice that Krax must be pretty busy supplying not only Aurorawatch with protective armor, but also some of the scavengers and Knaves. Meanwhile, you imagine some civilians have been buying some just in case, as you figure it’s impossible that Aurorawatch is able to keep scrutiny on every ghoul and chimera out there. But overall, the building seems to be in good condition. It’s definitely an older brick building that has stood for many years and has seen several renovation jobs, but it’s surviving in a difficult time for the city.

You squeeze your way between the Tactical Outfitters store and The Armament Bunker, taking care not to damage anything in the process. When you get to the back of the building, you find a few empty wooden pallets, a black dumpster, and several wooden crates of various cube and rectangular-shaped sizes. You dig around to see if anything useful might have been discarded, and you find someone carelessly threw out an old, badly-stained brown cloth backpack that they didn’t realize still had money stashed in one of the side pockets. You take everything out and keep it for yourself.

$75 Sochas$ has been added to Lycellus’s Pack.

Meanwhile, it also seems someone threw away their old bronze armor plates in one of the rusty barrels as well. You take a look at it and while it has a few nicks and dents, it’s still in usable condition. You figure someone likely bought new armor here and just decided to throw away their old equipment. You decide to keep that as well.

[|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken) was added to Lycellus’s Pack.

The rest just seems to be pure junk, mainly consisting of bent nails, metal scraps, ripped leather straps, old papers, and the like. You search around the rest of the building, but you don’t find any more freebies.

Using the front store windows, you peer into the building, which has been closed for the night and Krax has gone home for the evening. You’re able to peer in just enough to be able to see some of the merchandise on display and some of the price tags. Some of the more basic armors aren’t too expensive, while some of the others that need to be custom-sized for a particular Pokémon species offer outstanding protection, but are very expensive.

Tactical Outfitters
Run by Krax the Tyranitar

[i]STANDARD ARMOR

$[|DA| Riot Bracers] 100 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Armor Plates] 300 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Military-Grade Armor Plating] 600 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 3 points each time Health damage is taken)

CUSTOMIZED ARMOR

$[|DA| <SPECIES>-Customized Tactical Combat Armor] 1500 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 5 points each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| <SPECIES>-Customized Commander Power Armor] 3000 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 7 points each time Health damage is taken)

Tactical Outfitters has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces.

You’re not able to check the interior of the building due to your size, but you don’t suspect anything out of the ordinary on the inside.

You decide to fly back to the Emissary base, letting the others know what you’ve managed to find here. On your way home, you feel the dusty wind carry on around you, but thankfully it’s at least quiet and gentle tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$75 Sochas$
[|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)

[Neo Emolga]

#41 Frendsi the Cursola has been murdered by the Stalkers.

Safen hated this detail, but when another murder was called in, she had to be there on the scene to figure out what happened and get the details from the investigation team. At the same time, the Sunberry Hotel was supposed to be one of the safest places in Exacta City, save for the military compound. Despite the military’s best efforts, they had failed. The refuge area was supposed to be safe for all survivors, but somehow, the Stalkers were still getting in and killing innocent Pokémon in secret.

This time, it had been Frendsi, found dead outside the Sunberry Hotel. While a few Aurorawatch soldiers were assessing the scene, Ancho the Claydol was analyzing the surrounding area in the back of the building, finding that Frendsi had been wandering around aimlessly along the dusty grounds and stone paths, as if lost in a place that should have been very familiar considering she lived here. Meanwhile, Frendsi’s ghostly white coral body was lying on its side with her eyes still open, but with a bewildered and hopeless look in them.

What was unusual was her walking paths were always in the form of straight lines with 45-degree turns, as if she was navigating down corridors that simply didn’t exist. Her paths didn’t go sporadic until the very end before she fell over and died.

“I take it this was from natural causes,” Safen the Politoed said cynically to Ancho as she looked at Frendsi’s body.

“No,” Ancho simply stated. “Precise cause of death was stroke brought on from fatal levels of stress that started mild before gradually escalating. The movement pattern suggests she was in a very deep trance.”

“Dumb sleepwalking from the sounds of it,” Safen grumbled, still believing it was from natural causes.

“No,” Melka the Medicham replied, politely correcting her as she focused her psychic powers on the deceased Cursola’s forehead. “Frendsi’s mental state was tampered with and she gradually became braindead before passing away. Her last memories appear to be in fragments, but what I’m piecing together is she was imagining herself trying to navigate through a maze of briar thorns and leeching vines. Eventually she gave up, ran into the wall, and just allowed them to devour her. These memory fragments correlate with her walking pattern in this dusty field.”

It was still hard for Safen to believe, as she felt this could have easily been just a freakish nightmare, much like a natural heart attack or a brain aneurism.

“There’s a rumor there’s a Stalker that’s known for this kind of modus operandi,” Melka stated, looking grim about the outcome. “I believe they call themselves ‘Labyrinth.’”

“Just a rumor,” Safen stated. “To me, this isn’t evidence of that and there isn’t anything here that says this was even a murder in the first place. Our vic here could have had a history of hallucinations or mental dementia and it finally caught up with her. No one knew her that well, did they? I sure didn’t.”

“She worked at the Prairie Bank,” Melka informed him. “Her boss Uraff might know something about that. Any medications she was taking or prior medical history.”

Safen nodded, but only for show. In truth, she had no intentions of asking Uraff anything. She wasn’t even convinced this was a murder to begin with, just a freak accident and likely a medical condition.

What she wanted was hard evidence, and until she had that, she wasn’t going to let this incident cause rumors about Stalkers and other hysteria. Until there was something that could prove it beyond all reasonable doubt, she was going to keep her doubts…

Doom Tracker:
1/40

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 2: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2259612/day-2-day-cycle)

(November 4, 2020, 4:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion

[EmeraldSky]

Neo Emolga

Today I plan to search the Railway Station, unless I'm needed elsewhere.

[Lychee]

"Alright... I didn't realize Salio lived so far away from our base, but here I go, out on a home visit."

Nico is going to interview (59) Salio the Murkrow, and use diplomacy to find out where he likes to go, who he hangs out with, maybe if hes seen any particularly horrible or particularly calming things lately.... and if hes sleeping with some item (can I have it?). If hes not going to give it up, at least Nico will try to get his home address to search later.

[Noblejanobii]

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png So where to next now that you slept the whole night?

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png Ahaha... whoops!

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png I was thinking I'd interview 4. Crez the Whimsicott. I'm a grass type so I think that'll help in the good will department.

https://i.imgur.com/bNz2vKm.png Oh and since I'm a fairy type that should help even more right?

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png ....

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png Oh right I have to stay behind. Okay well have fun.

https://i.imgur.com/hgJ7ivA.png I'll stab anyone that gets too close to the base!!! Ehehehe!!

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png (At this rate they'll think you're a Stalker)

[C0L0R3D]

1945 I feel bad for that Cursola, sure, but I know exactly what I’m gonna do! I’ll search (5) Electrical Substation, as I’m part Ground type! No loose electricity can harm this Palpitoad!

[AD]

I want to search that graveyard, but I am going to do it this Night Cycle instead. So, I will opt for the park. Also, I have quite a few hunches that i don't want to disclose atm, mostly because they are dangerous. I am preeeetty sure on 1 location, because of description of a few things...but, we shall see.


Search (46) Ashen Park

[Shruikan]

At the reccomendation of their fellows, Lycellus found themselves picking towards Greenlawn Manor. The previous owner had died in a simmilar way to the recent death, perhaps they were one of the stalkers first victims? Either way, the manor was in a more dangerous local, and being the only one with any form of armour, Lycellus felt that they were the most likely to survive if things go badly.


Equip [|DA| Bronze Guard]

[Search (47) The Greenlawn Manor]

[Neo Emolga]

Neo Emolga

Today I plan to search the Railway Station, unless I'm needed elsewhere.

As the morning comes, you decide to head out and go east to investigate the Railway Station. Thankfully, the wind isn’t as pesky as it was yesterday, but the dust still feels very dry underneath your yellow-furred feet. Without the wind, however, the air feels a little warmer and a bit more comfortable on your fur despite the dust.

When you arrive at the station, you can see there’s four train lines, but you can see from the dust and the dirt caked onto the metallic rails that none of these engines and freight cars have been used for a while as there isn’t enough power to get any of them to move and the electrical substation only generates enough power to keep some essential lighting and electrical power on in the refuge area. Unless they can get the power plant back online, these trains are going nowhere.

As you search around the exterior grounds and along the tracks, you look north and see the rail lines go as far as your eyes can see across a very long expanse of dusty wasteland plains and deserts. Supposedly, Nacrat is the next city down that’s closest to Exacta, but you can’t see any trace of anything that resembles civilization in the far off distance.

You decide it would be suicide to try and walk all that distance to Nacrat. Instead, you decide to continue searching, making your way past the train car storage buildings and tracks. Toward the end of the fourth rail line, something catches your eye in the far off distance.

You walk your way down there with your paws on your bow and with your senses on full alert. But as you approach, you see whoever or whatever this thing is… it’s already dead. And it’s been dead for quite some time. As you draw closer, you find the skeleton of a Purrloin, leaning against the tracks with their paw on their chest. Judging from the way the skeleton is positioned, it looked like they died bleeding out and weren’t able to make it back into the refuge area far enough for anyone to hear their cry for help. Instead, they passed away and now this forgotten area is their final resting place.

You find their belongings not too far away in a messenger bag. You decide to see what’s inside and you find some money and a composite bow that’s still in good condition. There’s a bit of dust on it, but you blow it off with a few good puffs and figure it’s good to go again. You take them with you.

$75 Sochas$ have been added to Lita’s Pack.

[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Lita’s Pack.

After searching the rest of the rail lines, you decide to investigate the buildings. Inside, the area is very dark, but some sunlight still comes in through the broken windows, creating a dim lighting that slightly illuminates the inside. You try to use your own electrical sparks to provide some additional supplemental illumination, but you just don’t see or find anything out of the ordinary.

These massive engines still seem to be in good condition despite not having been used for three years. But you feel that if things can take a turn for the better and the power could be restored to this place, it might offer some hope of reaching Nacrat as long as nothing happened to the rail lines along the way.

You search the train cars themselves, but it seems they’ve been emptied out a while ago. Overall, the area seems safe and you don’t find any Stalker presences. You decide to head back home and make your preparations for tonight.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$105 Sochas$
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Chibi Altaria]

Nia could never ignore anyone in need of help and the Aurorawatch required broadcasting equipment to contact other towns for support. This could be their best chance at survival. It was a dangerous area due to the earthquakes, but Nia was sure in her ability to navigate the terrain safely. She was rather light and fleet of foot.

Alright. The Vulpix tapped on the hilt of her knife and checked over her equipment. Everything is in order. Time to venture into the outer zones!

Search (31) Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices (ABANDONED).

[Neo Emolga]

"Alright... I didn't realize Salio lived so far away from our base, but here I go, out on a home visit."

Nico is going to interview (59) Salio the Murkrow, and use diplomacy to find out where he likes to go, who he hangs out with, maybe if hes seen any particularly horrible or particularly calming things lately.... and if hes sleeping with some item (can I have it?). If hes not going to give it up, at least Nico will try to get his home address to search later.

You decide to head over to Salio, living as one of the Knaves in the Southern Reach. You find out that the young Murkrow lives with grandfather, Jho, in the Alecte Condominiums. Despite the dangers lurking in the Southern Reach, you decide to prioritize meeting with Salio considering it was his name that was written on the wall of the Sunberry Hotel in that twisted and deranged graffiti.

At this point, you fear for the young child’s life knowing a Stalker has their sights set on them…

Despite having to cross into dangerous territory, meeting with Salio might reveal something critical. You decide to head out of the Emissary Base and go south, past all the buildings in the Refuge Area and take your first walk down the lonesome Western Bridge that even Aurorawatch refuse to cross. Before you, you see the ruins of the Southern Reach, with its gutted buildings and rubble strewn about like concrete and metallic entrails. You pass by the badly damaged Jadewater Apartment Complex, but you quickly make your way toward the Knave settlement, which definitely feels safer.

Thankfully, nothing nefarious caught sight of you on your way here.

As you walk into the Knave settlement, you find the Knaves aren’t quite the unruly and disrespectful “filthy rebels” some of the refuge civilians portray them as. They welcome you as you arrive and you can’t possibly understand why tensions exist between these two factions. Meanwhile, they’ve been keeping the Knave settlement in good condition and it’s under decent watch from the Knave Sentries by the Darkwatch Building. The streets are well-guarded and the citizens here are free to move and go about their business as they please, though you can detect the same kind of uncertainty and anxiety exists here, also.

You ask for Salio the Murkrow, and some of the helpful Knaves, a friendly Butterfree and a courteous Marshtomp, help you find him. Outside of the Alecte Condominiums, you find Salio by himself, sorting his collectable trading cards, looking like he’s trying to get his mind off of something. It doesn’t seem to be working, and he looks very anxious while always checking behind his shoulder. You notice the young black bird alone, which is disheartening as it looks like he’s quite lonely, but still afraid someone’s watching him. Carefully, you approach him.

“Hi Salio,” you greet him carefully as you introduce yourself. “My name’s Nico.”

“Nico…” the young Murkrow mutters, looking very anxious, shivering as he puts away his playing cards. “I… don’t want any trouble, Nico…”

“I know, we haven’t met before,” you speak to him peacefully as you sit down on the stone wall by his side, feeling his anxiety. “I’m not going to hurt you. I really have no reason to! Instead, I want to help you. I want to know what’s bothering you so I can help you make it go away.”

He goes silent for a few seconds. He shivers a bit, looks around, sighs, and turns to face you.

“The adults don’t believe me,” Salio tells you, looking downcast. “I’m scared. I… don’t know who you are either…”

“It’s okay to be scared,” You tell Nico, keeping a warm and reassuring smile. “There are things that make even heroes scared. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes being in places or in situations we’ve never been in before can make us feel uneasy, but we can always take small steps forward until we’re in a better place.”

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“Of course!” you smile. “Your worries don’t make you less of a Pokémon, and they certainly don’t put down all the great things you’ve done! But even so, you’re not bad at being happy. You need to be kind to yourself and remember that the kindness you’ve given to others is something you can be proud of. They remember those things about you!”

59. Salio the Murkrow has become Compliant.

“Thank you… Nico,” Salio looks up to you, feeling a little better. “You’re right, it’s… not me. Not my fault. But… I don’t want to keep this thing bottled up anymore. It hurts. It just… drains me. Every day. But I don’t want anyone else to suffer with it…”

You have a feeling “this thing” may be in reference to what the twisted wall graffiti was referring to. You feel the sooner Salio gets rid of whatever this thing is, the safer and happier he’ll be.

“Salio, what is it?” you ask him, wondering what’s wrong.

“I… I don’t…” he muttered, looking anxious again.

“Salio, please,” you assure with him a comforting smile. “Whatever it is, I can handle it. You don’t have to do this alone. No one said you had to be stuck with whatever is causing you this pain.”

Salio nods, but shivers. He goes to his small pouch of toys and items, and it looks like there’s something in his possession that he’s nervous to show you, but it seems you’ve been the only one that’s been willing to listen to him and hear him out. He pulls out a rolled piece of strange, thick, leathery paper, and puts it besides you and him. You can tell from the look on his face that this thing bothers the heck out of him and he tries to step away from it.

“I… please, take it,” Salio begs you. “I… keep looking at it, and it keeps frightening me! I don’t understand it, I don’t know why it exists. I’m always so confused by it. I tried, I really tried to figure it out so I could maybe get an answer.”

“Nico, please, let me handle it,” you smile. “I promise, we’ll figure it out.”

You reach for the leathery paper, and just as your paw lands on it, the presence hits you like a ton of bricks. It absolutely reeks with Stalker presence.

#Insanity Presence (5 Sanity Damage)# Trap 40% Evasion Test: 18 out of 100: Failed!

Curiously, you casually unfold and unravel the leathery paper and look upon what’s written upon it to see what exactly t̬͔͎͇͙̹̙̬̜̖̣͇͈̲̮͉̹h͍̙̦̟̲͓͚i̯̗̝̗̘̦͔̰̮͇͚̯͓̖̩͖̜̝s͙̥̝̰ ̠̫͈̹̗͎͉̙͎̫̺̤ͅ ͎͓̩̱̗̯̠͖̦̘̰̱̰͇̬ͅṭ̮̼̩̗͈̲e̱̲͍̪̞̗͍̩͇̼̗̙͚̺̰̪̼͔r̥͔̱͕̯̩ ̘̫̰͎r͍̪̪̠̘̯͚ͅi̻͇̫͙̠̘̳̘̮̝̬b̳͍͇͓̗l͖̹̱̻͖̯̩̣̮͕̜e̫͙̥̻͕̪ ̗͎͔͕̱̰̤̱͖ ͈̟̳͇̬̼͈̙t͈͖͚͉̞̮h̥͚̠̞̪̦̰̦̠̱̺̱ͅi͖͉͍̠̼̘̱͕̣̭̹͉̣̯̺̝̮ͅn̪ ̟͇͔͓̙͍̖̝̦̤g̙̼̖̤̭̫̺̫̬͈̦̻͍ ̹͚̣̟i̟̠̥̮̫͔̻s̠̰͇̫̤̞̗̠͙̗͙̗̫͖̞̪̣̝ͅ.̺̼̲̤̥̼̫̹̲̬̦̞̺͍͎̩̩ ͈

Nico suffers 5 points of damage to Sanity.

It’s not paper. It’s s̻̘̪̳͓ͤͨ̄̇͋k͇̤̥͍̗̖͑͂ͮ̌ͫ̔ͤ̌ḯ̩̳̲̙̀ͮ͒n̫̄̎. It’s the flayed s̱͖̞͔̻̘̥̟̓̔͑͂̿̚̚ͅk̗̮͑ͮ̆ͭͬ͒ͮͣͥì̥͍ͩn͇̙͈̣̿̽ of some Pokémon’s r̪̮̥̐͊̊̈́̋ͭ̄͑o͙̺̠͇̩̹̦̰͗ͪ̉̇͂̚t̞͙̰͛̍ͫ̏ͨṱ͉̫̩͔̬͊ͦͭi̅̎̀ ͇̫́ͮͩn̝͉̫͖͚͛͋̒̊̆g̭͕͉̠̑̽ͭͫ̍ͮ ̮̟̩̙̯̞̯̞̟ͬ̇ͮͥ̈ͥ carcass and what’s written upon it is a chaotic, d͚͖̮̈́ͮ͛̿͂͗ͅe̘͉̯̬͍̼̐̀̾̐̈́͒̊ͅr̮͔͇̝̪̃̂ͬà̭̦̩̫̱̣ͪͪ͗̃ͥͭͯ n͓̻͒̊̋̄g̪̊͌e̠͗d̲̰̄̋ͬͭ, and seemingly mindless swarm of letters and literal abominations with scrambled words that read like a twisted, demonic language of its very own that wouldn’t even make sense to the legions of Abyss.

You can’t even look at it for longer than half a minute before it just hooks into your brain and tries to tw͕̗͖͓̟̘ḭ̖̙̭̱̯s̟̲ṯ ̺͙i͉̣t̬̖̼ ͈a̳̻̰̪p̩̟̺͖̳ͅa͍̞r̘̲͓̙͚̜t. You quickly roll it back up again, almost struggling to maintain use of your cognitive functions as you fight to roll it back up again. Someone… else with analytical skills might be able to make sense of this monstrosity. It tries to drive you to look at it again, preying upon your will to make sense of it and figure out the deranged puzzle, but you let your wisdom, willpower, and determination shut down that dark temptation.

#[Deranged Codec: <Technical>] Insanity Presence – (5 Sanity Damage)# has been added to the Team Inventory.

“Are you okay!?” Salio exclaims, looking at you with horror as he just witnessed your repulsed reaction to the codec…

You wince, shaking your head a bit. After what this poor child’s been through, you decide he doesn’t deserve a lie. You refuse to tell him you’re fine, because after that whole nightmare, you don’t feel fine at all…

“We’ll… get to the bottom of this,” you assure him. “Hang tight, okay?”

“O-okay…” he mutters. “Please… be careful… Nico.”

You nod a bit, trying to reassure him with a smile. But it’s very hard… like a cripple trying to walk…

“Be safe… Salio,” you tell him, preparing to head back. “Okay? Remember… what I said.”

“S-sure, Nico…” Salio mutters, trying to assure you. “You too.”

As you wave him goodbye, you head back through the Southern Reach, once again looking upon the ruined skyscrapers and the massive crater that looks like it continues to voraciously consume them, as if a giant, hellish mouth.

But then you look back to Salio, still looking admirably upon you from a distance. With this codec out of his possession, he already looks a little better, even though you’ve now taken on the burden yourself. Every step you take, it seems to hiss at you, hissing in your ear… in your brain… look upon it and be r̤͓a̹͙̘p̤̤̼̝̘̝t͓̠̦u̗͚̬r̜̹̜̬̥͉̙e͎d. And it’s a mental battle to stop yourself from ripping it open again.

As you walk back toward the Emissary Base, you remind yourself again and again the whole way long… just why. Why you’re doing it for Salio and all the other survivors. You’re doing it…

… you’re doing it for them…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/573.png Nico the Cinccino (S: Normal)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Scytherwolf]

I'll head on over to (32) Exacta Fire Department Building to search.

[Bulbasaur]

Search (21) Edjas Memorial Public Library.

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png So where to next now that you slept the whole night?

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png Ahaha... whoops!

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png I was thinking I'd interview 4. Crez the Whimsicott. I'm a grass type so I think that'll help in the good will department.

https://i.imgur.com/bNz2vKm.png Oh and since I'm a fairy type that should help even more right?

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png ....

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png Oh right I have to stay behind. Okay well have fun.

https://i.imgur.com/hgJ7ivA.png I'll stab anyone that gets too close to the base!!! Ehehehe!!

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png (At this rate they'll think you're a Stalker)

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type

You head south toward the Exacta Military Compound, knowing that’s where you’re going to find Crez. Only thing is, from what you’ve heard from the others, getting into the compound itself is very tricky business and they don’t give everyone the grand tour of the place.

Thankfully, the dusty wind isn’t as much of a nuisance today as it was yesterday when you were searching the Shaymin Café. As you walk on all fours toward the compound, it definitely feels nicer with less dust and dirt getting all over your grassy back and stuffed in your Gracidea flowers.

When you get to the compound, you quickly find they were telling the truth. Aurorawatch keeps a close guard on the facility and only authorized Pokémon can enter, meaning the only chance you have at catching Crez is if and when he leaves the building. With a gruff and heavily armored Nidoking and a battle-seasoned Beartic standing guard at the front entrance, you figure a Shaymin asking politely is not going to be very effective today.

It takes some waiting around, but eventually you find your opportunity as the Whimsicott leaves the base for his turn at guard duty. You come to greet him and you find the very cotton puffy Pokémon actually has a very happy-go-lucky demeanor to him, which seems unusual for an Aurorawatch Paladin. You introduce yourself to him and he smiles when he sees you.

“Hey there, Noble!” he smiles to you. “Nice to meet ya! What’s happenin’?”

You explain you’re working with a team of Pokémon that are trying to get to the bottom of finding out what’s going on with the Stalkers and how to put an end to them. You then ask if he’s figured out anything from his side.

“Oh man, ya’ll doin’ us a big favor, Noble!” Crez sighed with happy relief. “Ya have no idea! Ya see, as much as us dudes and gals would like to get to the bottom of that, our hands are too full tryin’ to keep defense goin’ for the refuge. And yeah, if work gets at all light, which is crazy rare, focus is spent on tryin’ to secure the Northern Reach to get at that power plant. I can’t remember the last time I was bored!”

“See, nice thing about Commander Axken is he really appreciates volunteer efforts,” Crez informs you. “Heck, I do, too! We need more of that! I tell ya what, if ya want, I could sit down and train ya or any of ya volunteer buddies a thing or two about persuasion and gettin’ others to cooperate when ya need ‘em. If a civilian has a skill or proficiency we need that no one on the team has, hey, it’s not shameful to ask them to help. I can tell ya how to convince ‘em ya really need it and it helps ‘em as well. In the meantime, ya offer ‘em ya protection and it’s a win-win for ya both!”

4. Crez the Whimsicott has been recognized as a teacher of Escort!

You make a note of that, figuring Crez’s experience in civilian task management and leadership charisma might be very beneficial to look into…

“Hey, ya know, there’s another somethin’ I could use some help with,” Crez smiles a bit bashfully. “It would mean like everythin’ to Aurorawatch… no, all of Exacta City if we can pull this off! If ya’ll willin’ and able… we need some radio equipment. We have decent short-range radios we use all the time for patrol reports and ghoul or chimera sightin’. But that’s it. We need long-range communications! For the past three years, heck, we haven’t been able to contact a soul outside this city and anythin’ that we had that could reach outside the city either got busted or can’t get enough power now! They might be thinkin’ we’ve all become ghouls or we’re all just plain dead! But if we can set up communications, we can radio for help, supplies, and maybe even evacuate some of the children and elderly to a safer town.”

“I’m thinkin’ the Exacta Broadcastin’ Company Offices might just have somethin’ that can do that!” Crez tells you with a bit of excitement. “I mean, I’d go, but I’m needed here and I’ve already been filed for way too many special assignments. Like I said, helpers are golden around here!”

“But if you can check the place out and if we can hook up a workin’ communications system,” Crez’s eyes went bright and wide, “whoa, I’d definitely reward you handsomely for that! Hey, I’m talkin’ a good chunk of my team resource budget and some pretty decent Aurorawatch equipment.”

SIDE MISSION STARTED: Hello? Anyone Out there!?
Crez needs someone to investigate the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices for any equipment or devices that might help Aurorawatch establish long-range communications with nearby towns to request help.

Rewards:
$3000 Sochas$, evenly split among all players.
[|AW| Aurorawatch Combat Vulcan] (Adds 1d10 +5 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DF| Aurorawatch Versatility Armor] (Reduces incoming Health Damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken)

“Well, I gotta go,” Crez smiles and shrugs. “Noble, it’s been a pleasure to meet ya, and let me know if ya feelin’ up for that trainin’! It’s totally cool, we support our volunteer efforts! Catch ya later!”

He then heads off to his post after waving you goodbye. You feel you got a lot of good insight and a possible opportunity even though he didn’t know too much about the Stalkers specifically.

You decide to head back and make your preparations for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$145 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

1945 I feel bad for that Cursola, sure, but I know exactly what I’m gonna do! I’ll search (5) Electrical Substation, as I’m part Ground type! No loose electricity can harm this Palpitoad!

As the sun hangs in the sky, you decide to head southwest toward the electrical substation. The air feels a bit clearer, although the terrain is still quite dusty as you walk toward the only remaining power source that the refuge area still has.

After walking past the mall, you arrive at the station to see that it has a few Aurorawatch guards, notably a young Blaziken and an older-looking Raichu, but nothing too extreme. You figure it’s mainly to make sure nothing befalls the station and permanently puts the refuge area completely in the dark. Already it seems like Aurorawatch is struggling just to work with the little that they have available.

You decide to start by searching the exterior of the main building. As you look around the old, black-brick structure, you find the staff and workers here generally keep it in good condition, as they know what would happen if they allowed too much neglect to befall this place. Meanwhile, it seems secure and seems to be as far away as possible from the chaos that has befallen the Reach. A few dry desert plants and weeds are scattered here and there, but nothing at all threatening seems to be around this morning.

As you circle around the back of the building, you feel a slight sickly sensation. It gets worse as you approach an old pile of papers that looked like they were supposed to be picked up and thrown out, but never quite got there and seems to be a pile of junk that no one claimed responsibility for. You decide to sift through them to find what the source of this malice is, and then one of them stands out from all the others. As you feel it, there’s a dreadful Stalker presence surrounding it. When you flip it over, you see disturbing blot marks splattered all over a grid and a series of numbers…

https://i.imgur.com/omevxSS.jpg

=Blotted Sudoku Part 2= (https://i.imgur.com/omevxSS.jpg) was noted in the Team Records.

It looks very similar to the other one that was found. Meanwhile, the blots feel… otherworldly. It’s as if they’ve not only blacked out these areas on the paper, but utterly voided them out of existence. You decide to take the piece of paper with you, wondering what exactly is the story behind this thing.

After checking the exterior of the building, you decide to take a look inside. You make your way in through an old, slightly scratched metallic door in the back of the building, quietly slipping inside.

Once you enter the station, you find all kinds of massive machines generating electricity and making a lot of hammering and whirring noises. You’re not quite sure what the power source is, but it seems like it’s using some kind of gas being harvested deep from the ground in conjunction with using solar panels as a supplemental energy source when possible. As you can tell, while it’s sufficient to keep lights on, it was only meant to be used as a supplemental energy source in normal circumstances or as a primary source for emergencies. It wasn’t meant to be a primary source of power for the long turn.

The machines with their many large metallic mounts, parts, components, tubes, and wiring are way more than you can understand in terms of how exactly they work and what they all mean. Still, you decide you’re really only here to see if there’s anything you can find that might be helpful. You imagine someone from engineering already tried to think of ways to boost their electrical output to be helpful, but not to the extent of risking having the whole station shutdown from too much overuse.

You decide to search the utility staff area, which looks like it used to be used more often, but has seen a drastic reduction in usage over time. A lot of the lockers look like they have been sitting here quickly, coated in dust, for quite some time. Most of them are locked, but you do find one without a lock that has a few things inside. Inside is a utility uniform, some tools, a pouch with money inside, and some large utility supplies. Judging from all the dust, it looks like whoever this all belonged to hasn’t been here in years. You begin to get the feeling either they’re long gone and left while they still could, or they’re dead out there somewhere…

You decide to take whatever might be useful to you. The money does no good for anyone staying here, so you add that to your wallet, and the utility sledgehammer looks pretty strong with a firm steel head and a sturdy shaft. You may not need it for utility work, but if a ghoul were to come after you, the blunt force trauma this would induce would definitely be way more effective than just your bare hands.

$120 Sochas$ were added to Misty’s Pack.

[|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Misty’s Pack.

After searching out the rest of the interior, you don’t find anything else that seems to be usable. You decide to head back to base and plan out what you want to do tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas
[|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

I want to search that graveyard, but I am going to do it this Night Cycle instead. So, I will opt for the park. Also, I have quite a few hunches that i don't want to disclose atm, mostly because they are dangerous. I am preeeetty sure on 1 location, because of description of a few things...but, we shall see.


Search (46) Ashen Park

You decide to investigate Ashen Park to see if the rumors regarding its infamy are actually true or not. Some say it’s haunted by the many Pokémon that have used it as place to commit suicide while others also claim many murders have happened there.

You fly toward the east, enjoying the slightly more tolerable weather that isn’t trying to blow countless grains of sand and dust in your eyes. It feels a bit warmer today, but not too much so that if feels like a broiling summer day. If the scenery and situation surrounding Exacta wasn’t what it is, you might even say it’s a pretty nice day.

After soaring your way over the lonely Northern Reach, you eventually reach Ashen Park and you descend downward, quickly noticing just how sad and depressing it looks. The trees look sickly, the paths haven’t been touched in years, and the park benches and playgrounds that have been devoid of all Pokémon for a long time now. Where children used to play, there is nothing but silence and stillness. Swings with only the wind slightly nudging them back and forward in a lowly way while a slide that used to have young Pokémon lining up to climb up the ladder and go down has stood in the shade, vacant in the silence.

From what you can tell, some of the rumors were right. You do find two victims of suicide as you investigate the wooded and shrubbed areas around the park. You find the skeletal remains of a Lombre, still wearing a black, tattered shawl with a pocket. Curiously and feeling a bit remorseful, you check inside and it seems like there’s a note inside, written on an old piece of paper. You unfold it with your beak and read it.

I’ve given up.

I’m just tired of fighting everyone, everything every day. Fine, you’re all right, I’m not good enough. I’ve never been “good enough” for anything according to any of you. I told you how hard it was and you didn’t believe me. You called me stupid and lazy and all sorts of other names. You thought it was funny and that it didn’t hurt. But it does hurt. Day after day for years and years, yes, that hurts. But what do you care.

I bet none of you will miss me. Or, you know what, I bet you’re already blaming me for all the things that I’m not doing right now that you now need to do yourselves. Well, go ahead. I don’t even care anymore. You can blame everything on me now and you’ll get to see that’s not going to change anything now that I’m gone. You couldn’t even leave me in peace to rest when that’s all I wanted in return. Couldn’t even leave me with one weekend without nagging me again like you always do.

Well, goodbye.

~Beloni

You decide to put the note back and decide to leave his body alone in peace to continue searching. The deeper in you go, the more you start hearing unusual sounds. It starts as a subtle clicking sound that doesn’t seem natural to hear in a park, and yet there’s nothing and no one around that seems like it’s the source of that noise.

As you search around, you find a high, elevated cliff that has something that catches your eye as it slightly gleams in the sunlight. You look up and thankfully, it’s in an area you’re able to fly up to and retrieve.

{Elevated Cliff Ledge: +Flying Type+}

After spreading your massive rainbow wings to ascend, you find a golden key, tucked away and stashed within these short tufts of grass. From the looks of things, it seems like it was hidden here intentionally, but by who is a whole other question.

You take the key, fly back down, and look it over. It’s a very intricately designed key with a bright golden sun as the emblem on the base while the key prongs have a very fanciful motif and shape to them. It makes you wonder what kind of lock this key is for…

[Sun Key] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to continue your search, wondering what else is hiding around here.

Another crumpled piece of paper tumbles by your foot as it tries to scurry into a nearby bush, but you manage to stop it with your clawed foot. You uncrumple it and read its strange, spidery words.

“I used to think about all the places I visited for the last time. The stores I used to shop at before they closed. The school I went to as a child that I’ll never see again. And the old home I used to live at with my family before everyone moved on.

And then, all of a sudden, I missed everything.”

It doesn’t quite make sense why these papers are scattered around. You find another one which you unfold and it simply reads:

“When I was younger, I wanted to be older. To enjoy being on my own, and having the money to do whatever I want!

But when I became older, I lost that fascination and just wanted my childhood back. I felt like I wasted it all just dreaming for something that never made me happy anyway.”

You toss it aside, not sure who or what wrote these things and scattered them around the park. The thing you observe is they all have something in common, in that they’re all just downright depressing and melancholy. You decide it’s better to just not look at them, as it seems like they’re trying to encourage anyone and everyone to take their own life in this sad place.

You come across a discarded messenger bag that looks like it’s been here for years. You have a bad feeling about what might have become of the original owner, likely having tossed it away and did away with themselves. There’s no sign of the body anywhere, but you look inside and find a sizeable pile of money inside.

$160 Sochas$ have been added to Sacred’s Pack.

You hope you can use it in some form to help your mission make this a better place for everyone.

As you continue, you come to the heart of this park, but a lot of it feels like it’s in suspended animation and that nothing has moved for a very long time. Park benches are dusty and vacant, personal belongings like bags, shawls, and children’s toys have been left abandoned, and the only sounds you hear are the leaves in the sickly trees above.

In the center of it all lies a fountain, bone-dry and devoid of water. As you approach it, you feel something about it seems a little unusual, and you lean in to take a closer look to see if you can discern what exactly seems to be the source of this unusual…

…N̟̭͍͍͚̮͙͔͋ͨͯ̿̏ͮ́i̥͋̂ĝ͖̥̟̘̗͙̖̗͋ͥ̚h̹̬̘͇̯̬͍ͦͫt̉ͫ̿̇͌ ͉̯͈͎̘́ͥm͈̜̼͔̹͓̺̼ͭ̅ͩ̆̎̎͋ā̘̹͔ͤ̔̓ͅr̠̬ͪ̽̏͊͒ͦ͐eͨ̐ͣ ̬̆ͅ

#Deranged Electrical Discharge - ELECTRIC (5 Health Damage, 5 Sanity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 13 out of 100: Failed!

Sacred suffers 10 points of damage to Health and 10 points of damage to Sanity.
The #Deranged Electrical Discharge# has been broken.

You shriek in agony as jagged, murderous forks of thunder and lightning strike at you from all directions, paralyzing you in severe agony as your cry falls upon deaf ears. T͈̤h̜̫̙͕̱e͖͉̗̲̗̞̣̺ ͔̰͇̻h̬ọ̙̻̪̣r̗͎͉̯r̠͙̳̲̳o̤͈̮̘̜̱̜r͉̳̝̳͕̺͎̘ ͈̻̰̭̬̝̥̭͇a̟̖̩͕̯̹̯n̖͔̦̩̝d̩̟̣̦̰͙̘ͅ ̗͓͖̱p͉̜̭͈ͅa̞̠͓̦̱i̳̤̖̪̼̠ͅͅn̲̼̳̼̺͕̥ ̝̭͙͖͙o̥f̯̤͓͖͇̞ ͈̭̳͇̦i̗͈̹̤̘t͔̥̘ ̮͙̹̲a̫̮̗̩͎l͍̬̗͇͖l̜̭̰̰͇͔͓ feels so severe that you almost harbor the idea of just dying and giving up to escape it h̤̪̰̪̥ͅo̺̠̭͚̲̱͈w̖̟e̯̹͇̜v͇͇͎̖͉̪̮ͅe͕̜̤̱̰͎ͅr̫͇̠̯ ̘̬̘̙̖̜̗y̼̖o͙͇͈͓u͔͎͍͎̩ ̘̞̝̮c͇̤͚̫̣a͉͙̳̭̦n͍͍̜̤̦̞͕.

“Only once the vitals of the victim flow here once again will answers be given.”

“W-Who’s there!?” you exclaim, barely able to contain and ensure the severe physical and mental agony you’re in as forks of electricity still course through you.

But no one responded. No one came.

But you were certain you heard a whisper. And yet no one else is around. Where could it have come from, you wonder.

You then look down upon the fountain itself. There’s an old, dirty plaque before you. And it nearly makes you jump out of your skin.

{Dried Fountain: Offering of Blood} has been noted in the Team Records.


…

ONLY ONCE THE VITALS OF THE VICTIM FLOW HERE ONCE AGAIN WILL THE ANSWERS BE GIVEN.

…

The very words spoken in the whisper are now there before you as a plaque engraving. But… how? Why would anyone put such a macabre sign in this place? You check behind you again, but nothing.

But you realize what the request is for. Blood. And a lot of it, enough to make the fountain flow again. But why, and for what dark purpose?

You almost flee from it, really not wanting to deal with such a hideous thing right now. You continue looking, almost ready to just abandon the rest of the search until you come across a strange ditch that looks like it should lead to an underground hole, but it stops short. When you try to interact with it, it just stops you and you see the hole is protected by some shadowy, dark purple-colored portal.

{Ethereal Chamber: +Ghost Type+} has been noted in the Team Records.

The odd thing is… it seems like only those that are dead can pass into this place. It makes you wonder if it’s connected to the suicides. It can’t be a coincidence. You can only wonder what’s beyond that gate, but it isn’t for you to know right now.

You decide you’ve had way more than enough and it’s time to fly back home. It hurts to flap your wings now, but you fight the agony, still feeling the darkness going wild in your mind.

Your wounds, the mental agony… they feel so right and they hurt beyond anything you’ve felt before, but the stones… it’s like they were never there. But how can that be? You’re convinced it wasn’t just your imagination, but it’s like it knew what exactly would inflict the most pain and horrific agony upon you.

You fly furiously back toward Emissary Base. Ashen Park… there’s definitely something very, VERY wrong going on there…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh (L: Fire/Flying)

Health: 14/24 | Sanity: 10/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$245 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

At the reccomendation of their fellows, Lycellus found themselves picking towards Greenlawn Manor. The previous owner had died in a simmilar way to the recent death, perhaps they were one of the stalkers first victims? Either way, the manor was in a more dangerous local, and being the only one with any form of armour, Lycellus felt that they were the most likely to survive if things go badly.


Equip [|DA| Bronze Guard]

[Search (47) The Greenlawn Manor]

You decide to investigate the Greenlawn Manor on the far eastern side of the Northern Reach. From what you’ve heard, it’s been abandoned for decades, even long before OMEN became a problem, though you imagine that calamity has only made things worse. But even though it’s been vacant for a while, you’re hoping ghouls and chimeras haven’t decided to make it their new home.

Still, despite all that, as long as it still stands, you figure the fact it’s been abandoned in a time like this makes it possible someone saw potential in the fact it’s been forgotten about for so long, making it an ideal place to conceal things.

You head out, flying through the dusty skies as a slight dry heat can be felt in the air. Still, it has very little impact on your skeletal like body. Meanwhile, the bright sunlight up above may be a bit helpful in your search, especially considering the number of clouds obstructing it seem to be few in number, leaving a mostly blue and grayish open sky today.

Once you arrive at the manor, you find yourself unable to enter the building due to your large size, but you figure there’s enough windows to be able to gaze into most of the rooms and retrieve what you need. As you expected, the old manor building is in very bad shape with splintering wood frames, boarded-up windows, cracked and crumbling stone pillars, and many other signs of disarray. Meanwhile, roof tiles are broken, missing, and cracked while signs of the wood rotting are quite common and pieces of the building have collapsed upon itself. You figure this whole manor is beyond restoration and would likely need to be torn down and have something else built in its place to make any use of the land here.

The grounds are in bad shape as well with dead weeds scattered about in patches. What used to be area for outside receptions looks terrible as well. Weeds have wrapped around rusting metal chairs while stone pathways are barely visible from the overgrowth. What was probably once a beautiful flower garden is now overwhelmed with weeds and dust galore.

You begin to think searching this forsaken place might be for naught until you come across an old mid-sized metallic shed that looks like it has held up better than most of what’s around here. The door lock is thoroughly rusted, but thankfully, it has deteriorated so much so that it crumbles to the dusty ground with even just a light swat from your claw. You don’t even find yourself needing to pick it. You open the shed door and look inside, being too large to enter, but thankfully it’s small enough to peer into and reach into with your large claw.

Inside, it looks like an old storage area for a wide variety of various old and antique items. Due to the nature of the shed, most of these items were preserved fairly well, though you suspect you may just be the first Pokémon in many decades to be looking upon these lost artifacts and relics that must have belonged to Danrays the Arcanine’s personal collection way back when.

You find several family heirlooms, including an orange and black flag with a fancy-looking family crest, silverware, pottery, artwork, and many other similar items until you find an old but still very formidable warhammer that looks like it’s been passed down for many generations. The quality on this powerful weapon with its solid steel shaft and intricately-designed head with carefully placed engravings make it clear whoever made this put a lot of work and effort into making this not only as strong as possible, but so it would last many generations. The engravings signify members of the family that survived the harsh wars of long ago, making you suspect this was used in all of them.

You decide to take it with you knowing it will prove useful in the battles to come.

Lycellus has equipped the [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls).

You search through more of the remaining items, finding loose and forgotten coins in some of the old wooden furniture heirlooms. In total, it amounts to 120 Sochas, which you figure has a lot more practical worth for your cause as opposed to sitting here.

$120 Sochas$ has been added to Lycellus’s Pack.

After rummaging through the back, you come across one last item that might have some use to it. It appears to be a large glass globe that was likely used for a large, almost aquarium-like fountain that was disassembled. Thanks to the glass being a few inches thick, it’s survived the long passage of time with barely a few noticeable scratches.

You recall Syrax’s site plan for the Holy Starmap needing something of this nature, so you decide to take it with you, feeling this may be exactly what he’s looking for.

[Large Glass Globe] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You go through the rest of the items, which are mostly old antiques and furniture pieces. While you imagine quite a few of these may fetch a high price if they were to be appraised, it seems that might only be for another time when prosperity was still around and Pokémon were willing to spend great amounts of money on old treasures like these. But now, those who still have money are saving for the essentials and whatever survival and security they may bring.

You decide to head back to the manor itself, trying to investigate however you can through the boarded-up windows. However, it seems like most of the manor’s rooms have been stripped bare of anything of value while the elements have done a number on the building over time. You get a pretty good idea of what several decades of hot, dusty windstorms can do to an old building like this that never got any maintenance the whole time.

You mostly only find forgotten light fixtures and rooms with floors and walls falling apart and remnants of ceiling dangling down in creepy ways. Quite frankly, even if you were small enough in size to enter, you believe it wouldn’t be much to discover inside and it would be really nothing more than a haunted house tour.

Ultimately, you’ve decided there’s nothing else to find here except old traces of the past. You find out that while it’s true that no one has been inside this building for a very long time, you still managed to find several useful items in the shed even though it seems like the Stalkers were never here.

You then head back to base to drop off the glass globe and make preparations for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$195 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Nia could never ignore anyone in need of help and the Aurorawatch required broadcasting equipment to contact other towns for support. This could be their best chance at survival. It was a dangerous area due to the earthquakes, but Nia was sure in her ability to navigate the terrain safely. She was rather light and fleet of foot.

Alright. The Vulpix tapped on the hilt of her knife and checked over her equipment. Everything is in order. Time to venture into the outer zones!

Search (31) Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices (ABANDONED).

Wishing to help Crez make contact outside of Exacta City for the whole city’s sake, you decide to see what can be found at the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices. While you have been made aware the building is in terrible shape, instead of feeling dread about it possibly collapsing while you’re inside, you focus on getting there as soon as possible and that time is of the essence. You have a feeling that if the large office building really does fall apart, so will any hope of finding anything that will help Crez establish communications for help outside the city. It’s definitely not a task you can’t afford to put off for too long or that one and only chance may be crushed under tons of rubble.

You head southeast into the Northern Reach, walking alongside the continuously flowing river. Thankfully today, the wind isn’t nearly as bothersome, though it does make the air a bit too hot when you’d much rather prefer the cold against your snow-white fur. Still, you press on, hoping to recover something Crez might be able to use, especially since the reward he’s promised would also be incredibly helpful to you as well.

You draw closer to the building, and while you see it’s in rough shape, you feel there’s still time to investigate the exterior and interior, but you feel it would be a miracle if it survives the rest of the month. However, before you’re able to start, you hear harsh, moaning noises. You suddenly look to the river and almost in a strike of panic, you see a sickly, twisted and deranged Baltoy with cracks chipped pieces of his clay body. Meanwhile, a morose and rusting Dhelmise is but a short distance behind it.

“Stay back!” you shout at them as a warning.

But they can’t even comprehend what you’re saying. Instead, they simply move in to attack and devour you, completely lost of all rational thought or cognitive ability.

It leaves you with only one choice. You ready the Rogue’s Dagger in your mouth, ready to end their miserable suffering.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: War Games – Robert Slump (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11NBYm5pcQw)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix, Size: Small, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/ice.shtml, HP: 16, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+3, Speed: 65

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/343.png Encret the Ghoul Baltoy, Size: Small, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/ground.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/psychic.gif, HP: 12, Dodge Rate: 40%, 1d8, Speed: 55
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/781.png Eltrench the Ghoul Dhelmise, Size: Large, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/ghost.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/grass.gif, HP: 18, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 40

Attack Order:

#1 Nia the Alolan Vulpix
#2 Encret the Ghoul Baltoy
#3 Eltrench the Ghoul Dhelmise

Fight!

Immediately, you charge in on all fours, targeting the Baltoy first. Your frosty breath envelops the dagger and you swiftly try to drive the blade directly into the Baltoy’s head.

Nia strikes at Encret! Rolls 90! Hit for 5+3 = 8, SUPER-EFFECTIVE = 16!
Encret: -4HP

It furiously drives its way in, burrowing like a jackhammer through a pumpkin. Instantly, the Baltoy’s head shatters into frost-covered fragments that cover the dusty ground. And only a second later, what little life remained in its body quickly leaves it as the remains tumble into the dust.

Encret the Ghoul Baltoy has been defeated by Nia.

The sickly and deranged Dhelmise charges and swings at you, attempting to impale you with one of the rusted hooks of its anchor.

Eltrench swings at Nia! Rolls 28! Miss!
Nia: 16HP

However, you quickly leap out of the way and the anchor strikes at nothing but air. You quickly unleash a reprisal attack, reaching deep into your lungs and unleashing a furious and powerful Ice Beam attack at the sea creeper.

Nia unleashes Ice Beam at Eltrench! Rolls 95! Hit for 7+3=10, SUPER-EFFECTIVE =20!
Eltrench: -2HP

Unprepared for such a powerful assault, the Dhelmise takes the full power of the attack and violently convulses as it is ravaged and devastated by the powerful ice torrent before you charge in and strike it, breaking it apart into pieces.

Eltrench the Ghoul Dhelmise has been defeated by Nia.

All enemies defeated. Nia is victorious.

Loot Collected:

$51 Sochas
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)
[|AW| Military Dagger] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken) Auto-Equipped!

Loot collected has been added to Nia’s Pack.

You look up, feeling rather good about yourself after handling a fight like that and not even taking a scratch!

Making sure the coast is clear, you head back toward the building, first investigating the exterior, not only to search for clues, but to make sure you take the safest way up and the path that seems the least likely to crumble from underneath you.

You first search around the perimeter of the building, seeing that it’s taken a lot of damage from the southern side, but it’s not too late to search the interior. While it may not collapse while you search it, it’s definitely not the place you’d want to set up camp in for these reasons.

By the river, you notice the dead and broken body of a Pumpkaboo that looks like she must have been ambushed by ghouls and didn’t survive. Half of her body is eaten away while the other half just lies there to rot. You look her body over, and you see that she’s wearing a valuable bracer with a purple amethyst stone embedded in it.

While you aren’t crazy about looting the dead, there’s nothing you can do to save her. You’re just hoping you can use this to help avenge her death and save others from this same, terrible fate.

Nia has equipped the [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death).

Carrying on, you don’t find anything else outside, so you decide to start investigating the interior. As you approach the front entrance, you see both of the double glass entrance doors have shattered and even the broken glass fragments have long blown away by now. You head inside, seeing significant structural damage in the stone columns and the slate-tiled floor is badly broken. Meanwhile, broken furniture is thrown all over the place and some ceiling tiles have fallen out while others are hanging in pieces. Wires, rubble, debris, papers, and other fragments of the building are everywhere you step.

You try to investigate the lower sublevel, but upon finding the stairs that lead downward, you find the entire basement level has been flooded. It looks like it goes too far deep to consider swimming in there, but you feel maybe a water Pokémon wouldn’t have problems going through here.

{Submerged Sublevel: +Water+}

You decide to keep searching, using the stairs to head upward as the elevator car with its snapped cables and drastic shaft misalignment has become nothing but a dysfunctional deathtrap. The other floors seem to be a similar story. Broadcasting studios are massively damaged and several of them have collapsed onto the floors just below them. You carefully make your way around and watch every step carefully, making sure what you’re stepping on can support your weight.

Among the metallic cabinets, you find something peculiar. It’s unlike the other notebooks and manuals and it seems like someone else might have been here not too long ago. You pull out what feels like very otherworldly metallic slates made of an unknown, silver-white metal. When you look them over, it looks like a series of celestial configurations and familiar Utopian rune markings. They seem to be a kind of linkage and translation set that seems to be a method of syncing communications here with Utopia. It also seems to relate to what Utopia was trying to do with stabilizing a celestial portal here. You decide to take them with you, knowing you’re definitely going to need these.

have been added to the Team Inventory.

You continue heading around what remains of the fourth floor, finding a few still intact metallic supply storage lockers. You have a feeling there might be something still useful in these lockers, but they’re still locked shut. Someone who knows how to pick these locks might be able to get them open. But the way they stick out also might allow a fire Pokémon to safely melt the lock without damaging the contents.

{Locked Equipment Supply Storage: <Security> OR +Fire Type+}

You decide to head up one more level, and you find this is as high as you can go before the stairwell is blocked off with a massive pile of concrete rubble blocking the way up any further. On the fifth floor, you discover there’s one last equipment holding room, but you also find it to be locked. It seems as though a steel Pokémon might be able to force and dismantle this lock as well, but you just don’t have that capability.

{5th Floor Equipment Hold: <Security> OR +Steel Type+}

You sigh, unable to go through any further. You at least take note of these cabinets, as there’s a slight chance one of them might contain something Crez could use. For now, though, you decide you’ve gone as far as you could. Someone else is going to have to try and get into these places.

You head back down the stairs and decide to head out. The afternoon sun is starting to go down, so you decide to hurry back home and get ready for tonight. While you didn’t find any equipment for Crez, you still feel good about what you found and feel there still might be something useful locked up in there.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
[u]EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$146 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)
[|AW| Military Dagger] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

I'll head on over to (32) Exacta Fire Department Building to search.

With the sun high in the sky, you decide to head out of the steel mill and fly southeast, flickering your giant dragonfly wings to quickly dart through the air as if you were floating. The dusty wind and air barely fazes you as you cut through it and head straight to the main ECFD building just a few feet shy away from the Eastern Bridge.

When you arrive, you get a perfect, unobstructed glimpse of the massive OMEN crater that has devoured an enormous portion of the Southern Reach. You shudder a bit at the sight and it sends a slight chill through your carapace, but you decide not to worry about it for now.

You start by searching the exterior of the ECFD building, and you notice that this dark-gray stone building has taken a beating. Damage from the initial OMEN strike was never repaired and earthquakes have rattled it and caused a lot of structural damage. It gives you the feeling when it comes time to rebuild Exacta City, this is one of those buildings that is definitely going to have to come down as it’s beyond repairs at this point.

Along the outside perimeter, you find several deceased civilians that look like they’ve been lying dead here since the initial OMEN strike. The skeletal remains of a Loudred, a Morgrem, and a Hawlucha are all here, along with a few of their remaining pouches, packs, and other belongings. Most of them are highly damaged, but you find that in one of them, there were still some metallic Socha coins that have survived the elements. The paper bills, however, did not and nearly crumble to dust upon your attempt to carefully gather them.

$85 Sochas$ has been added to Carly’s Pack.

You don’t find anything else outside, so you decide to investigate the interior of the building, keeping alert at all times in case you hear any loud sounds that might signal this building’s final days of standing have come to an end.

The inside looks like most of what remained here was never vacated. Being this close to the OMEN crater, you can understand why. Tables and chairs are still here, though they’ve been knocked over and broken in come cases. Most of the windows have had their glass shattered while papers have been scattered about. Meanwhile, the two large garages are in bad condition with cracks in the concrete floor and piles of debris from the ceiling. From the looks of things, it seems one of the fire trucks is missing while the second is just sitting here, rotting away. You figure it’s going to take a major repair job to bring it back to life, and there’s no way to do that with all of the ghouls and chimeras running about.

The one last area you search seems to go down a flight of concrete steps to a basement level, but it seems to be locked with a door that looks… transmutated. Something immediately doesn’t feel right about it, as if it looks like this hasn’t even been here for all that long and someone tampered with the door for their own purposes. You try to look in closer…

#Agony Ichor – POSION (3 Sanity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 85 out of 100: Success!

Immediately, you dart back just as a noxious poison is ejected out of the twisted door and splatters all over the area you were standing in just milliseconds before. You quickly check yourself over to make sure no stray droplets landed on you, but you seem to be fine. You take a sigh of relief and decide not to move forward another inch with that kind of strange mechanism doing that.

From a closer inspection from a safe distance, it definitely feels like this is something the Stalkers had a hand in. The door looks decayed, jagged, and deranged with an ugly and twisted-looking keyhole that you can’t imagine ever being able to pick with conventional tools.

#{The Schism Chamber: Twisted Schism Keyhole} Agony Ichor – POISON (3 Sanity Damage)# has been noted in the Team Records.

You decide to turn around, not having the necessary key to go into that hole. After doing one last sweep around the interior, you don’t find anything else of value worth taking along.

You decide to head back and make your plans for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

[Neo Emolga]

Search (21) Edjas Memorial Public Library.

You decide to head out this morning to investigate the Edjas Memorial Public Library, which thankfully still seems to be in good condition and doesn’t look like anything related to OMEN and the earthquakes have affected it. But you still feel it’s worth checking out as there’s no telling who might have been in there when no one else was looking.

As the morning sunlight bathes the refuge area, you wake up and head outside to start your investigation. After walking down the road past the railway station, you see the large library come into view and the old beige and brown stone structure doesn’t seem to be in half-bad condition save for some dead overgrowth and some loose garbage. You search the exterior first, finding not much at first besides some refuse garbage and clusters of weeds, but around the back, you happen to find a dusty abandoned green backpack and black duffle bag that held some loose change. You gather up the coins and add them to your pack to save for a future purchase.

$65 Sochas$ has been added to Mistee’s Pack.

After clearing out the exterior, you then head inside, where you can see just from the entrance that the lights struggle to stay on, often not putting up a very good fight. Thankfully, there is still some dim light coming through some of the windows, but you imagine at night, the inside of this place must be entirely pitch-black, sometimes being illuminated by the flicking lights.

The interior of the library doesn’t seem that bad. Some books and reference materials are a bit scattered around and thrown about, but the majority of the interior’s bookshelves and sitting area furniture seems to be okay despite being dusty. It seems being close to the refuge area has kept it in good shape aside from some lighting problems, really only caused due to its lack of proximity to the power station. If it was just half a block closer, it likely wouldn’t have this problem and you even think some of the survivors might be using it. You figure it could have been a nice place for them to just get their minds off of things in a good story or research what they could in terms of farming, repair, building, and other skills that might aid in the survival of the refuge area.

You pass by a dusty gray magazine stand that still has a few issues from years go, back to the very day OMEN happened. You take a look through them and while most of them may not be helpful, such as magazines about beauty, sports, hobbies, and travel, you find an issue of “Influence!” and “Handymon” that look like they might have some good pointers, though they wouldn’t exactly get you to the point of feeling like a true professional after reading them.

You decide to take both of them with you.

[“Influence!” Magazine] (Gives the user the Diplomacy Perk for the Cycle it’s used) has been added to Mistee’s Pack.

[“Handymon” Magazine] (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used) has been added to Mistee’s Pack.

You then search through the many gray metal shelves of books covering all kinds of topics from fiction to non-fiction, but you can only take passing glances at the titles on the spines of the books with the time you have. There’s just no way to even read one book this morning, never mind the tens of thousands on these shelves. Meanwhile, a few books have fallen off the shelves, but nothing too chaotic.

The reference section and media materials seem to be okay as well, offering videos and audio materials on tape and data storage sticks. It seems they have quite a vast selection that you can’t help but spend a few minutes to flip through from classics to romance, horror, sci-fi, and many others, all with Pokémon as the main stars.

You then go into the children’s section of the library, where a large assortment of smaller and much more colorful books are available. Everything from short stories, poems, and books that encourage good morals and manners are easily found here. There are also educational books for children that teach counting, basic arithmetic, vocabulary, and the like. There are also smaller seating areas here, along with a colorful circular carpet mat that depicts a happy Eevee encircled by colorful letters and numbers.

You get to one shelf and something definitely feels strange, like a disruptive aura is coming from somewhere. You look across the shelf of books, probing them with your vines to see what’s going on. You detect something bizarre is hiding here, and you eventually find the source of it. One of the books has a Stalker’s presence, which you definitely know isn’t normal and isn’t something other Pokémon would be able to detect. You wrap your vine around it and hoist it down to get a better look at what exactly this thing is…

#Abomination Infestation (10 Sanity Damage, 10 Purity Damage)# Trap 40% Evasion Test: 86 out of 100: Success!

You quickly throw it aside, realizing it’s very, very deeply infected and corrupted. However, as you realize a Stalker has viciously tampered with it, you still feel inclined to see what’s going on with it to see if there’s some possibility of getting answers out of this terrible thing.

Carefully, you decide to delve into it, but from a very safe distance of at least ten feet, hoping that will be enough to keep you from succumbing to its malicious effects. And you use your vines to be able to do it, which definitely seems like the much safer option than looking at it up close. While you may not be able to get a close look at the intricate details, you can still see if you can discern at least some of what’s going on.

You flip it over to reveal the cover, and it doesn’t surprise you that this book has now been corrupted to be entitled “My Happy Massacre” and shows a repulsive scene of a young Pichu proudly standing beside a pile of bloody bodies that used to be young Pokémon. It’s hard to make out the details, but you decide not to take a closer look. You figure it’s bad enough even from ten feet away.

As you use your vine to flip to the first page, the story actually seems relatively normal in the beginning despite the filth all over the pages. It starts off with a young Pichu named Kibishi wanting to be the best Pokémon in the class at everything. But he can’t outsmart Vika the Teddiursa in math, isn’t faster than Druko the Snivy in running, and can’t build a tower of blocks as high as what Dimmie the Cyndaquil can build. He becomes very upset, angry, and jealous.

All along the way, the book is trying to teach the young reader some of the darkest, most vile words you can find, some of them even swears. Kibishi calls Druko a “muka”, which you realize is a very derogatory word in Veramo’s culture. Other words like “hate” and “holocaust” are emphasized, but ironically, special attention is given to the word “loathe” which you find can’t possibly be just a coincidence.

As you continue reading what you can from a distance, you see how the story progresses. An upset and jealous Kibishi meets with his carefree Pikachu friend, Fujun, who you quickly discover has the moral compass of a demon and looks like he’s had his eyes dug out by a shovel. Fujun’s solution to Kibishi’s overcoming his lack of prowess over his classmates is quickly revealed as Fujun helps Kibishi make demonic plots to brutally murder them like it’s nothing more than a childish prank and game. And Kibishi gets excited as that would leave him as the only capable contender remaining to be the best at everything…

It continuously gets more and more gruesome as you see Kibishi butcher Vika with a bladed weedwacker, decapitate Druko with monstrously large hedge clippers, and ram wooden blocks down Dimmie’s throat until she suffocates, followed by Kibishi ripping open Dimmie’s throat to get the bloody blocks back. It causes you to wince and use your vines to pull the deranged book away at times. You can only imagine what this looks like up close, but you have a feeling it would start directly eating away at your mind and soul if you did.

You get to the last page and shudder to think what might be the macabre grand finale of this psychotic sacrilege. Not surprisingly, it’s Kibishi and Fujun morbidly celebrating the Pichu’s gruesome and horrific victory over his massacred fellow students. And the victory meal just happens to be… Kibishi’s murdered classmates. Everything from their organs, blood, and flesh is served like a twisted, delectable feast for bloodthirsty monsters. Even from a safe distance, you feel quite queasy looking upon looking at Kibishi take a morbidly big bite out of Dimmie’s head…

https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png

You’re ready to just throw this monstrosity of children’s literature into a fire pit and incinerate it beyond reclamation, but then you suddenly feel a slight pinging sensation. Intuition suddenly reminds you this book wasn’t like this from the start. Something, almost like a vision, tells you a Stalker made it vile like this. It was really supposed to be something different…

You focus your mind beyond the inflicted corruption and realize it was originally supposed to be like this…
https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg

It suddenly occurs to you now. This whole story was supposed to be completely different. The Pichu’s name wasn’t even supposed to be Kibishi, it was supposed to be Happi. The real way the book was supposed to go was Happi would try again, but still fail at overcoming his classmates. But even in the face of failure, Happi was originally supposed to respect his classmates for what they were capable of. And he was even supposed to find out he was the best in the class at fixing broken toys and the fastest at figuring out puzzles as a way of showing everyone has their own special strengths and that in truth, no one can be the greatest at everything. And in the end, Happi and his Pikachu friend, Heiwa, were supposed to have a party for the whole class to celebrate everyone’s special talents.

You are convinced whatever Stalker handled this made a complete blasphemy of this book’s intended story and message. You feel there’s something linked to the amount of corruption this book underwent…

Find the number of differences between the corrupted final page of the book and the original version…

#[Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre”: <<Instances of Corruption>> (https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png) / <<Glimpse of the Past>> (https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg)] Abomination Infestation (10 Purity Damage, 10 Sanity Damage)# has been added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to stash the corrupted children’s book into a paper bag and you write “careful, deeply corrupted!” on it as a warning to anyone who isn’t aware of what’s inside.

After trying to purge those terrible sights out of your head, you head back to base, still feeling chills about what you just saw…

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/001.png Mistee the Bulbasaur (S: Grass/Poison)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Surgical Scalpel] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$185 Sochas$
[“Influence!” Magazine] (Gives the user the Diplomacy Perk for the Cycle it’s used)
[“Handymon” Magazine] (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used)

[Neo Emolga]

Night has fallen in Exacta City
Submit your Day 2: Night Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/kmdhct0.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2271561/day-2-night-cycle)

(November 11, 2020, 8:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion

[C0L0R3D]

1946 Hmm... that submerged sublevel seems interesting, but it’s night and I’m not too sure about going there at night, so I’ll go search (10) The Armament Bunker instead. Just a gut feeling.

[EmeraldSky]

Neo Emolga

I plan to check those locks in the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices.

[Shruikan]

Not sure 'bout my action yet, but I'm going to give my [|DA| Bronze Guard] to Lita before they set out if possible.

[EmeraldSky]

Shruikan

Thanks a lot! This will help a lot!

I equip it right away.

[Chibi Altaria]

Nia hadn't seen Nico in a while, but she was sure that her Cinccino friend would appreciate a gift before heading out for the night.

I'm going to equip the Military Dagger and give my Rogue's Dagger to Nico -- just in case he needs it! I have no use for two daggers unless dual wielding is a thing and then I want to keep it

[Neo Emolga]

1946 Hmm... that submerged sublevel seems interesting, but it’s night and I’m not too sure about going there at night, so I’ll go search (10) The Armament Bunker instead. Just a gut feeling.

Tonight, you decide to stay in safer territory within the refuge area. It’s a little cooler than it was this morning and with the wind having died down, the air is a little crisper.

You decide to investigate The Armament Bunker, known for being a dependable store for weapons and self-defense measures for both civilians, scavengers, and Aurorawatch soldiers alike. It’s closed for the evening, but you feel it would be a good idea to see if there’s anything there and maybe check the store inventory to see what might be available to buy at a later time.

You see that The Armament Bunker is a black building that used to be a machine shop, but now it’s used by Canett to make weapons. A lot of the building and floor layout has been repurposed for this use, and it’s actually been more profitable than when it was used to make machine and vehicle parts.

You start by searching the exterior, finding that the building is pretty dirty just from all the use and that it seems like Canett doesn’t care if she gets her claws dirty and the rest of the building follows suit. In a few old steel barrels back the back left side of the building, you find metallic scraps and pieces, as well as weapons that didn’t turn out as intended and are being thrown out. Most of them either broke in half, became too misshapen to be effective, or became bent during the forging process and Canett didn’t think it was worth the effort and materials to try and fix it.

You find one iron cudgel that looks like Canett decided to scrap it and not try to rework the metal. You can see that Canett was trying to experiment with the weapon and create something more like a mace to possibly turn into a new weapon line, but things didn’t work out. Still, you honestly feel this weapon as is, even though it’s a bit misshapen, would still do some pretty decent damage if it was used as a blunt attack weapon.

Despite being rejected by Canett, you decide to take the cudgel with you.

[|AW| Iron Cudgel] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Misty’s Pack.

When you circle around to the front of the building, you find a sly-looking Weavile, smoking what looks like some rolled-up cigarette joint. She closes her eyes with a sly smile and takes a puff, blowing a cloud of smoke into the night air. She then notices you coming around the corner, looking at you curiously, but then just smiles.

“Sup?” she asks, flicking her joint to shake off the ashes at the end. “You looking for somebody, hun?”

You explain you’re simply looking for evidence of the Stalkers, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much around here.

“Yeah, I bet,” she chuckles. “Stalker’s ain’t gonna hide anything here, hun. Canett would bash their head in so hard it would come out their ass. Hey, name’s Scarlet by the way. What’s yours, sugar?”

You introduce yourself as Misty, and she nods with a sly smile.

“That’s a nice name,” she replies, taking another puff from her joint. “Simple and sweet, light on the flair and not something I’d have trouble pronouncing. You’d be surprised how often I run into chumps with names that look like someone spat out a mouthful of alphabet soup.”

“So, you’re after the Stalkers, huh?” she asks with a smile, leaning back against the store building. “I was doing the same for a while, but I realized it was a job I couldn’t do alone despite how much I wanted to handle it all myself. And when I tried to find some reliable meatbags to help me, they only got themselves killed or ran off and I never saw them again. I’ve seen how these Stalker schmucks work, hun. They kill you at night when you don’t suspect it. Aurorawatch is handling this on the defensive and you just can’t do that. They’ll all be dead before the end of the month if this keeps up. We need to take the fight to them directly.”

She looks off into the distance for a moment, smiles in thought, and then looks back to you, taking another puff from her joint before she feels she’s done with it and flicks it away onto the dusty ground.

“I tell you what, hun, I ain’t getting any younger here and it’s a kill or be killed situation we’ve got on our hands,” Scarlet tells you as a proposition. “I’d be willing to help you with these Stalkers, but you’ve got to prove to me you’re not just some meatbag that’s going to end up as ghoul food or run away like a Buneary getting chased by Beedrill. But, I want to make sure I’m working with capable flesh here.”

She then looks at you with a devious smile.

“Show me what you’ve got in a fight,” she proposes. “Just a sparring match, we’re no good to each other if one of us ends up as a cripple from this. If you beat me in a fight, then I’m convinced I know I’m working with someone that’s got their head on straight and doesn’t need me to hold them by the hand. You game?”

SIDE MISSION STARTED: Shed The Red
Objective:

Rewards:
Scarlet joins the Emissary Alliance and will help the Emissaries by performing actions. Any items or money she finds will go to the main Team Inventory.

“Just let me know, hun,” she smiles. “I’ll be around.”

You then decide to investigate the interior of the building, sneaking in through a window. It seems the store has quite a selection of weapons in all forms, shapes, and sizes. There’s even custom options that include mortar cannons, though they’re not cheap.

(10) The Armament Bunker

The Armament Bunker
Run by Canett the Krookodile

STANDARD WEAPONS

$[|AW| Military Karambit] 50 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Razor Machete] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Ornamental Katana] 250 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Radanthril Blade] 400 Sochas$ (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Vindicator Armament] 600 Sochas$ (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| Combat Hatchet] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Tactical Warblade] 125 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Captain Sword] 200 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Windbreaker Blade] 325 Sochas$ (Adds 5 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Sunrazor Armament] 450 Sochas$ (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls)

CUSTOMIZED WEAPONS

$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Vulcan Armament] 800 Sochas$ (Adds 2d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Ragefire Armament] 1200 Sochas$ (Adds 2d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Commander Weaponry] 650 Sochas$ (Adds 8 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| <SPECIES>-Customized Battlestorm Armament] 1200 Sochas$ (Adds 12 damage to successful attack rolls)

The Armament Bunker has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces.

You don’t find anything else that seems out of place in the store itself, so you decide to head back to the emissary base at the steel mill.

Thankfully, the way home is peaceful and quiet. Though the streets are dark, you find your way back using the light of the two moons.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas
[|AW| Iron Cudgel] Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

Neo Emolga

I plan to check those locks in the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices.

(Trade completed, Bronze Guard equipped!)

You decide to head out tonight and use your lock-picking skills against the cabinets and lockers that Nia had found and reported back at the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices. As she mentioned earlier, the building is in bad shape and you prepare yourself for light stepping and careful navigation around rubble and weakened flooring.

On the way there, your walk through the refuge area and through the Northern Reach go undetected as you carefully and quietly sneak around the buildings and ruined vehicles in the roads. Nia had even mentioned her encounter with two ghouls just this morning and you know there are plenty more that are around, lurking within the shadows. But thankfully none of them find you on your way to the office building.

Even from a distance and even in the dark of night, you can see that Nia wasn’t kidding. This place is a wreck and its days of standing are definitely numbered, maybe even in the single digits. You decide not to waste another second, heading inside to find the locked cabinets that Nia talked about earlier.

Tracking down the location, you make your way up the cracked concrete stairway, side-stepping piles of rubble, trash, and debris while carefully making sure your small yellow feet don’t step on anything too light to withstand your weight. All around you, dust and rubble still falls in small pieces, easily signaling this building is crumbling little by little, day by day.

You quickly manage to find the first of the cabinets that Nia pointed out. You check the lock and it seems pretty simple. You lock in your tension wrench, and then use two hook picks to raise the three pins in the tumbler just enough to all be level. With a little turn and push, the cabinet’s lock disengages and you swing the doors open.

{Locked Equipment Supply Storage: <Security> OR +Fire Type+}

A lot of what’s inside seems to be wires, manuals, plugs, cords, and the like, but you find one large electronic broadcasting system equipment that’s called the Ensign NV904. It doesn’t look damaged and you try to power it on. With no electricity running through the walls, you try to use a bit of your own electric power to see if you can at least turn the machine on just long enough to see if its functional at all.

To your delight, you see the machine definitely is still operational and the screens and LED lights turn right on. The only problem is that while the system turns on, the data readouts look corrupted and the LCD screen displays nothing but scrambled gibberish. And it seems like there’s only static at the moment as well.

It feels as though there might be potential in this Ensign NV904 system, but someone with technical knowledge is going to need to fix the firmware and reprogram it. But if they can pull it off, it may work…

[Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You then decide to continue to the fifth floor, remembering there is an equipment hold that Nia mentioned earlier. Like Nia discovered, with the elevator ruined and the stairwell blocked off from the sixth floor due to tons of rubble, it seems like no one’s going to see beyond the sixth floor ever again.

Carefully dodging the cracks in the floor and the endless tripping hazards everywhere while in the dark, you find the metallic equipment hold cabinet that Nia mentioned. You take a closer look at its lock and it doesn’t seem too difficult either, despite it being a different kind of tumbler. You carefully place in your tension wrench, use a more delicate, scythe-shaped pick to carefully and patiently raise the pins in the tumbler, and with the precision of a surgeon, you disengage the lock with a gentle but effective push and turn.

{5th Floor Equipment Hold: <Security> OR +Steel Type+}

You swing the door open and it seems like a lot of the equipment here was never even used once. Most of the microphones, speakers, and lighting equipment is still in their original packaging. Meanwhile, there’s also a box for what seems to be an Exodus G115A System, and according to the box, it seems like this could also be another potential way to send out a broadcast.

You examine the large box and it seems like it’s been opened once before, but was never actually used and installed. You slide out the large, black electronic device out of the box and you seem all the parts and components are still wrapped securely in their original plastic bags and wrappings. However, you search all through the box and it seems like whoever opened this first took out the instructions and didn’t put them back…

You face up from looking down at the contents of the box to look all around you for some sign of where those instructions might have gone off to. However, with the rows of desks and recording studios smashed to pieces and huge chunks of the floor sunken into the floor below, those instructions could be anywhere in these piles of rubble, debris, and papers. It could take a lifetime to find them, and even if you did, they could be in shreds and pieces, or stained and smeared beyond legibility.

Instead, you shake your head at the idea, wisely deciding there’s no use in trying to look for them. But as the only possible alternative to get these to work, not only is someone going to need the technical expertise to configure this system, but you’re going to need a psychic Pokémon to be able to understand and map out the logistical layout of the schematics and circuit boards to make that possible and make up for the lack of step-by-step instructions.

You take it with you, sighing a bit as you realize these two pieces of equipment are going to need some work. And there’s no guarantee they’re going to be compatible with Crez’s equipment, but it’s definitely still worth a try considering if they do work, it could save countless lives if Aurorawatch can contact someone from outside the city to help. Support in getting food, supplies, weapons, fuel, medical equipment, and transport to a safer city would be critical to this city’s future survival and is definitely worth pursuing no matter what it might take.

has been added to the Team Inventory.

With that done, you decide to head out, taking extra care to watch your steps as you carefully carry both broadcasting equipment systems, making sure not to drop them or bang them against anything. What you carry in your small, furry yellow paws may just be the last hope Aurorawatch has at being able to call for help and one bad bump in the wrong spot may snuff that hope out like a candle flame dunked in water. While they’re heavy and obstruct your field of vision as you carry them, you manage to go down the full flight of stairs, feeling and probing the security of the footing with your toes before stepping forward as you carefully make sure you maintain your balance. Tripping hazards are everywhere in this building…

A wave of relief comes over you as you finally make it down the flight of stairs and walk your way out of the ruined building. You don’t look behind you as you carefully walk your way back to the Emissary Base, through the darkness of the Northern Reach before finally arriving back at the steel mill. Once inside, you carefully place both broadcasting systems on a steel workbench table and take a sigh of relief, tired but feeling good about what you’ve managed to salvage out of that building. There’s still work that needs to be done with these, but you’ve managed to find what might be some hope.

You decide to sleep off the rest of the night, having peace of mind now…

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
[u]EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$105 Sochas$
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Scytherwolf]

I'll search (51) Frasha’s Seafood Restaurant. O:~

[Lychee]

Nico had spent the afternoon contemplating his own existence and apparently only snorted awake after a few pokemon had already left the base!
He picked up the weapon left for him and tucked it gently into a tuft of fur, feeling grateful.

"Alright! Guess I'm off to have a chat with aurorawatch guards and hopefully be allowed to inspect the premises."
Nico headed off to talk his way into and then search (14a) Eastern Side Palace.

[Noblejanobii]

I'll search (13) Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms

[Chibi Altaria]

OOC: Aurorawatch may not be interested, but I sure am!

Nia readied her equipment to do some sightseeing. Search (41) Canopy Art Museum (ABANDONED)!

[Neo Emolga]

Nia hadn't seen Nico in a while, but she was sure that her Cinccino friend would appreciate a gift before heading out for the night.

I'm going to equip the Military Dagger and give my Rogue's Dagger to Nico -- just in case he needs it! I have no use for two daggers unless dual wielding is a thing and then I want to keep it

All set! And dual wielding seems like a cool idea, though I’d need to rework some rules and… it gets complicated. :P


I'll search (51) Frasha’s Seafood Restaurant. O:~

As the night falls, you decide to set your sights on Frasha’s Seafood Restaurant. From what you’ve heard, it used to be a very fun and friendly family restaurant before a phony lawsuit ruined it for everyone. Still, you can’t help but think maybe someone or something saw an opportunity in it being vacant for these many years. You decide to head out tonight and quickly dart your way through the sky, speeding swiftly through the night across the Northern Reach.

When you get to the far east side, you spot the abandoned restaurant and you descend downward to start your investigation. From the outside, you see that it must have been a nice family restaurant with all the colorful nautical décor, but before you get the chance to take a look around, you suddenly hear horrific moans behind you.

You quickly turn to your side and suddenly you see a hideous, decaying Accelgor and a horrific Dusclops, shambling their way toward you, voraciously desiring to feast upon your body. You’re not sure what alerted them to your presence, but you have a feeling they must have been very close by before you even landed…


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Pioneers of the Apocalypse – Cliff Lin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDfLUNnQJJ0)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega, Size: Large, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/bug.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/flying.gif, HP: 24, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 95, Battle Stance: Flee

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/617.png Vundaren the Ghoul Accelgor, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/bug.gif, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 145, Battle
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/356.png Hadashin the Ghoul Dusclops, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/ghost.gif, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 25, Battle

Attack Order:

#1 Vundaren the Ghoul Accelgor
#2 Carly the Yanmega
#3 Hadashin the Ghoul Dusclops

Fight!

You quickly decide you really don’t want to deal with this at all and it’s not worth it being outnumbered two to one. But before you get the chance to make a run for it, the Accelgor sweeps in and attempts to strike at you, attempting to bite into your carapace!

Vundaren strikes at Carly! Rolls 51! Miss!
Carly: 24HP

You quickly spin and dart away, flickering your wings furiously to dodge the ghoul’s jaws. The ninja-like Pokémon snaps savagely, but only bits into air as you deftly avoid the attack Immediately, you try to make as much distance as you can between you and these attacking ghouls.

Carly attempts to flee from the battle! Rolls 96! Successfully escapes!

It doesn’t take long for you to seize a quickly and easy opportunity to dash swifty back into the sky and fly furiously away into the shrouding night clouds. Without the ability to fly, there’s nothing the Accelgor and the Dusclops can do besides just watch you dart through the night sky.

Carly has successfully escaped from the confrontation.

Loot Collected:
<None>

You head back to the steel mill, counting your blessings that they didn’t get a scratch on you.

After making it back and catching your breath, you decide to call it a night, hoping tomorrow will be better.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

[TylerNinetales]

I'll search the exterior of the Silverlight Shopping Mall (2).

[James-Typhlosion]

I go with Midnight and check the the exterior of the Silverlight Shopping Mall (2).

[Shruikan]

Lycellus idly tapped the toothpick warhammer against their chin, while humming thoughtfully. Searching Greenlawn Manor had worked out well enough, so logically, the Estate next door should be a good place to look next. Plus it was abondoned, so if a wall were to cave in accidentally, it shouldn't be a problem. Unless the rumors of a squatter were true... So they'd just have to be extra careful when examining not to squash anyone.

Search (48) The Cobal Estate (ABANDONED)

[Neo Emolga]

Nico had spent the afternoon contemplating his own existence and apparently only snorted awake after a few pokemon had already left the base!
He picked up the weapon left for him and tucked it gently into a tuft of fur, feeling grateful.

"Alright! Guess I'm off to have a chat with aurorawatch guards and hopefully be allowed to inspect the premises."
Nico headed off to talk his way into and then search (14a) Eastern Side Palace.

You decide to head down to the Exacta Military Compound, setting your sights on the Eastern Side Palace where Queen Nytalia and Princess Samona likely spend most of their time safely protected by Aurorawatch. The area is under tight security, but you figure you have a clever way to talk your way in.

As you leave the steel mill tonight, you head south and appreciate the calmer winds and atmosphere tonight. It’s nice and quiet, though sometimes it feels as thought a little too quiet. Still, as you look around the refuge area you pass by, nightlife in Exacta doesn’t seem to be very active.

You arrive at the palace side of the compound, which looks regal enough, though you recall this actually used to be a luxury hotel and was converted into an improvised military compound. Well, you figure it’s at least in a safe location, though what became of the original palace seems to be a real question.

You see two guards on guard duty tonight. A young rookie Ursaring and a plucky Raticate seem to be watching the entrance. You decide to try talking to them and see if you can chat your way into checking the palace grounds out for any clues.

“Halt, what’s your business?” the Raticate asks you, looking at you suspiciously.

“Hail, squire,” you reply in a professional tone, having memorized what Aurorawatch’s rank emblems look like. “Reporting on behalf of Senor Staff Scientist Veria, here to conduct a medical toxicology and biocompatibility analysis on pathological OMEN exposure levels on the site grounds and surrounding interior atmosphere.”

“Medical… huh?” the Raticate asks, looking at you in confusion. “Wait, what was that last part?”

You then pull out the OMEN Sample Collection Jar, pretending Veria instructed you to use it here. Meanwhile, to the two guards, it’s a very complex scientific device gadget that they have no idea what it does or how it even works.

“Precisely KA-43 proximity exposure to OMEN gi-01AX mutagen and LV-G1I levels that may transmute carboxyl groups and ribonucleic acids,” you explain to both the Raticate and Ursaring, only to confuse them further. “I’m going to need a full topographical assessment of pH levels to assess for any endotoxins that may trigger a macromolecule transmutation in addition to-“

“Uh, okay, look, just don’t wander around too much, okay?” the Ratacate shrugs bashfully, looking like his brain is hurting. “We good?”

“Acknowledged,” you nod in confirmation, keeping a straight face.

He steps aside, looking a bit humiliated, and you walk in through the large metal doorway.

Inside, the palace is fairly nice, though it still feels more like a hotel than a traditional royal palace. The rooms and décor are kept nice and clean, though you can still feel it’s more geared toward functionality than trying to look ornate and fanciful. Considering the state the city is in, regal appearance isn’t the top priority here.

You carefully and quietly search around the lobby and the other rooms that still make the building feel more like a hotel. What used to be a fancy posh restaurant is now a royal dining hall while a former conference lounge is now the throne room. Quite a few other rooms underwent conversions, but you still feel more like you’re checking in for a vacation than here to speak with nobility.

In one of the gathering halls, you find what looks to be a very-thoroughly used Aurorawatch officer’s sword leaning on a white side wall. It seems like the room’s been empty for quite a while and no one has come back to claim this weapon, so you figure why not just take it along? It may be used but it definitely looks like it still has some fight left in it.

[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Nico’s Pack.

You then continue looking around to see if there’s anything else that might be worth looking into. Eventually you come across one of the supply areas used for storing equipment, armor, MREs, and other military supplies. One of the more unusual items you find looks to be some kind of glass-like vessel, and when you get closer to take a better look, it seems to be a kind of crystal with an active fire in it.

It definitely doesn’t appear to be from this world, and the comforting glow of the white flame resonates feelings of Utopia with you. You decide to take it with you, imagining Aurorawatch has no idea what this is or what to do with it while Syrax the Espeon likely knows way more about it and will actually be able to use it for what it was intended for…

[[Divinefire Crystal] was added to the Team Inventory.

After searching the remaining rooms, you decide to head out, although this time, rather than deal with the guards again, you use a one-way door that heads out the back of the building. You manage to sneak through the dark shadows just enough to where you’re able to head back out into the night streets and no one suspects a thing.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/573.png Nico the Cinccino (S: Normal)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

I'll search (13) Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms

You decide to head out tonight to see what the Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms has in store. Even though it’s closed and there’s no chance of you being able to buy any fruit to have as a midnight snack tonight, you still decide to see if there’s anything laying about that might shed light on things around town.

After walking your way downtown, you find that the silence and stillness in the air is a bit unnerving. You don’t even feel a single gust of wind blowing on your grassy back or across the petals of your Gracidea flowers. There are many shadows all surrounding you and you don’t know what may be lurking within them. However, thankfully, the supermarket is still within the safest zone in the city. But while you know ghouls and chimeras may not be the problem here, you already know it hasn’t deterred the Stalkers from doing their dirty work on these streets.

Once you arrive at the large white building, you’re astounded at how huge the building is. Most of it is in pretty good condition, though there are some worrisome cracks to be found on the northern side of the building. As you decide to search the exterior first, the sun starts to creep behind the horizon and the starts and two moons start to appear. Most of what you find are discarded boxes, metal cans, crates, and the like, though you find a discarded roll of socha coins that looks like it must have gotten misplaced and ended up in the trash when it should be in a register. You break open the roll of coins and add them to your Pack.

$60 Sochas$ were added to Noble’s Pack.

After searching around the outside, you decide to head inside just as the darkness of night covers the area. You sneak in through a small hole in the northern side of the building, likely caused by a little earthquake damage. It’s nothing severe, but it does give you just enough space to squeeze your grassy hedgehog body in.

The lighting inside is fairly dim and relies on security lighting only, but you’re still able to see most of what’s going on.

Inside, you immediately notice that the large supermarket has been separated into two main areas. The first half is the store portion where Pokémon are able to buy a wide variety of foods while the second half is entirely for growing produce and other crops that can withstand the indoors. While the grocery store portion looks pretty clean with the vinyl tiles, the “farm” area tends to be a lot dirtier with all the soil and planters being used and moved on a daily basis.

You start by searching over the “farm” area, where it seems like a lot of the crop stations are mechanically automated with timed watering mechanisms to take a lot of the hard hand-work out of the equation. Meanwhile, other equipment devices monitor the soil, air, and light quality and some devices serve as timing devices that indicate when the produce is due to be harvested. It seems like a lot of the guesswork was taken out as you look upon the many garden stations of peppers, fruits, berries, nuts, grains, and many other produce-bearing plants.

You then decide to investigate the grocery store portion of the building, which seems like it carries most of the main essentials and far less “junk” food like candies, snacks, desserts, and other items that wouldn’t provide much nutritional value to Pokémon. You can see that freed up a lot more store area for garden crop stations.

While most of these items for sale consist of regular food items that you already have access to, there are a few for sale like berries and seeds that have good utility uses. You take note of them in case you want to come back to buy some.

(13) Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms

Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms
Run by Pashin the Fletchinder

$[Sitrus Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 25 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

$[Violent Seed] 80 Sochas$ (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered.)
$[Shadow Seed] 120 Sochas$ - (Chance of encountering random enemies is 0% (event-based or storyline enemies may still appear). Lasts one cycle.)
$[Quicksilver Seed] 150 Sochas$ - (Adds 30% to your Evasion rate on top of your character’s base stat. Lasts one cycle.)

Store Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms has been noted in the Exacta City Marketplaces

After exploring the grocery store section, you head back to the loading and supply area, which seems like it used to be bustling with much more activity, but has become a bit more quiet as of late. Areas that used to see shipping vehicles coming and going haven’t been used for a while. There is a back office area that Pashin uses a bit, but most of it looks like it has become dusty with neglect. Meanwhile, you get the feeling Pashin isn’t too organized considering ledgers, accounting books, and other records are scattered all over the place and don’t look like they’ve been well-taken care of.

As you search around, you find what appears to be a pretty sizable box-cutter shiv that looks like its been sitting here for a while, unused simply because of the lack of box tape that needs to be cut. Still, you look it over and feel it wouldn’t be bad to keep it just in case you need a quick and easy self-defense measure.

Noble has equipped the [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

You make one last sweep around the loading dock, but you don’t find too much else besides neglected containers and empty storage cabinets. You decide to head back to base to get some good night’s sleep before preparing for tomorrow morning.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

OOC: Aurorawatch may not be interested, but I sure am!

Nia readied her equipment to do some sightseeing. Search (41) Canopy Art Museum (ABANDONED)!

You decide to head out tonight to see what’s the story with the Canopy Art Museum. While Aurorawatch doesn’t see any survivability utility in it, you still feel there might be something there that could be useful or shed some more light on what’s going on with the Stalkers.

You walk your way through the Northern Reach toward the eastern side, and eventually you find the square-shaped, dark-brown building. It seems the building is quite old and a lot of the fanciful architectural features like columns and molding trims have gotten worn down over time.

You start your search around the exterior, using the last bits of daylight you can before the night claims them into the shadows. Most of the alleyways seem to be empty, however. Meanwhile, you take note that the building has taken considerable damage, which is a shame considering you imagine it might have had historical status due to the age of the building. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to be at risk of collapsing, but you feel it’s likely some of this damage can’t be repaired without removing and replacing large portions of the old structure.

You don’t seem to find much outside besides old bits of trash, so you decide to head inside, using a flashlight to illuminate the dark recesses of the museum. The old halls are very vacant and open, and as you walk, every footstep echoes throughout the open areas, giving you that eerie feeling that someone is in here with you. Sometimes you stop to make sure that the footsteps that you’re hearing are only yours and not someone else’s…

As you browse through the galleries and displays, it’s a hard sight for any art lover. A lot of the paintings have fallen down onto the floor, statues have toppled over onto the marble tiled floor and have taken significant damage, and models have fallen off their mounts and crashed to the floor in pieces, all because of the earthquakes shaking and rattling everything in the museum. However, a few art pieces are still intact and have managed to stay on the walls or remain on their display mounts, some of which only just got a bit lopsided or skewed.

The artwork itself appears in many different mediums, include oil paintings and watercolors while others are stone or wood carvings. And the subject matter is all across the board from nature scenes, architecture, recreated scenes from history and famous battles, and other similar subject matters.

Another section of the museum is dedicated to archaeological finds of ancient pottery, tools, artifacts, and murals from long ago. Sadly, many of these have been damaged from the earthquakes as well. Often you find the floor bathed with broken fragments of these artifacts along with pieces of whatever glass display cases were holding them. You carefully watch your step as you navigate your way through the galleries, taking care that your white furred feet don’t press down hard on a jagged fragment of glass.

You find one display case that looks like it fell over and broke apart rather recently. One of the items you find that fell out appears to be a protective locket made out of a whitish metal that doesn’t look like anything you’ve ever seen before. It looks like it opened up, revealing an otherworldly ethereal essence in the form of a glowing white misty sphere that emits an illuminating smoke-like haze. You imagine whoever found this locket and sold it to the museum probably didn’t realize there was this ethereal presence inside, and now here you are, finding it thousands of years later.

You approach it and it radiates with a fiery passion of purity. You look over the locket and you wonder… did someone mistake this as a relic from ancient civilization when really it seems to be… from Utopia? It bears similar artisan qualities and features akin to some of the other Utopian relics you’ve seen recovered back at the emissary base.

You touch the fiery essence with your paw, and suddenly it absorbs into your very soul, and you quickly feel a refreshing and invigorating wave of empowerment flush over you.

Nia has equipped the [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made) Utopian Aspect.

You keep searching, though the feeling of equipping a Utopian Aspect is unlike anything you’ve felt and experienced before.

The modern art section of the museum seems to be a bit more intact with less destruction caused by the earthquakes. But as you enter, something feels wrong. Certain pieces are bathed in greasy dark-brown filth in ways that don’t seem like they were caused by the earthquakes, and they don’t seem at all like what the artist originally intended. Meanwhile, the smell is horrible and you’re quite certain you’ve never experienced a scent this ungodly.

You quickly get on your guard when you recognize the dark, tainted aura of the Stalkers. You approach one of the smaller rooms, and suddenly you see something twisted and entirely unnatural on the opposing stone wall…

https://i.imgur.com/1uNqMo1.png

=Kammo Wall Jingle= (https://i.imgur.com/1uNqMo1.png) has been noted in the Team Records.

It reads like a deranged nursery rhyme scribbled with graffiti while the wall has been soiled with some grotesque and foul-smelling ichor. You’re not sure who this “Kammo” is or what dark and macabre folklore this Banette might be from, but something about the name makes you feel uneasy…

Meanwhile, in the center of the room, there is only a single display on a stone pillar mount. It looks to be a pure white egg, devoid of any color or features that suggest what unborn baby Pokémon would be inside. And somehow it’s the only art piece in this entire gallery area that’s avoided being splattered with the foul-smelling filth. You look it over and it seems to have a hole on one side, and as you look down, you see there was a metal plaque here that was supposed to have a description of the piece with the artist’s name, but many of the letters have been violently dug out.

The only ones that remain spell out something very ominous:

AboRt tHE UNboRN ChiLD

{The Unborn Child Egg: Abortion Deed} has been noted in the Team Records.

All around it, there reeks a presence of the Stalkers. You’re not sure what exactly this dark abortion deed entails, but it seems like it has something to do with the hole. You get the idea that likely something vile needs to be driven into it to perform the “abortion”, but you don’t want to imagine what happens next after such a thing is done…

After getting out of there, you search throughout the remainder of the museum, but you don’t find anything else that significantly stands out besides more art pieces that either survived or were ruined from the earthquakes.

You decide to head back to base, still wondering and feeling uneasy about that egg…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military Dagger] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$146 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)

[Neo Emolga]

I'll search the exterior of the Silverlight Shopping Mall (2).


I go with Midnight and check the the exterior of the Silverlight Shopping Mall (2).

Tonight, Soul and Midnight decided to stay close to home and investigate the exterior of the Silverlight shopping mall. From a distance, they could see that most of the Pokémon that had been living here had been in makeshift housing typically in the parking deck just as some shelter, though there were tents and makeshift sheds scattered around the mall as well.

From what Soul and Midnight saw, most of these Pokémon lost almost all of their savings and were just barely getting by. Others simply lost their homes due to the OMEN crisis and had nothing else due to the remaining hotels having virtually no vacancies. At night, most of the Pokémon that were working at the mall had come out to reside here. Around the refuge camp, trashcan fires were common, tailgate cooking was a way of life, and simple cheap entertainment like card games and live music with inexpensive instruments were all around them as they looked around. As they walked through the camp, they saw an old Lopunny and a weary-eyed Sandslash chatting over a cup of tea while a young Charmeleon was stirring a soup kettle over a fire.

Quite a few Pokémon went to sleep as soon as the sun went down while others tried to enjoy some semblance of nightlife. From what could be seen in their eyes and behavior, they’ve got used to this living situation after three years of it. It was nothing fancy and they were certainly not the envy of the Pokémon residing in the hotels, but they were surviving and keeping sane by taking one day at a time. From the looks of things, the situation of many Pokémon living together in close proximity brought them closer together.

Soul and Midnight traveled to the western most area of the mall, typically the least-active and populated area. While the lights around the mall were turning off to close for the night and save the electricity. Soul had spotted a small metallic object near a few piles of discarded carboard boxes. When he went over to take a better look, he saw it was a lightly-scratched key with the letters and numbers “Y117” painted on the base.

“Curious,” Soul remarked, looking over the key before turning to Midnight. “Think we’ll ever find where this is supposed to go to?”

“No harm in taking it,” Midnight shrugged with a smile. “You never know.”

Soul nodded and promptly pocked it.

[Vault Y117 Key] has been added to the Team Inventory.

As they checked by the front of the building, there was a neglected pile of dirty clothing, blankets, and towels. Feeling it was worth searching anyway in just case, there was a coin pouch in one of the pocketed cloaks that still had a few sochas within it. After pouring out the coins, counting them, and dividing it evenly, they pocketed their shares and continued looking.

The $60 Sochas$ have been added to Soul’s and Midnight’s Packs (30 each).

They finished off the night search by investigating the rest of the building’s perimeter, but besides a few piles of discarded trash and a few other Pokémon tents and camps, they didn’t find anything suspicious that seems to be connected to the Stalkers.

After deciding they had enough, they headed back to the steel mill to sleep off the rest of the night.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/560.png Soul the Scrafty (M: Dark/Fighting)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$30 Sochas

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/571.png Midnight the Zoroark (M: Dark)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$30 Sochas

[Neo Emolga]

Lycellus idly tapped the toothpick warhammer against their chin, while humming thoughtfully. Searching Greenlawn Manor had worked out well enough, so logically, the Estate next door should be a good place to look next. Plus it was abondoned, so if a wall were to cave in accidentally, it shouldn't be a problem. Unless the rumors of a squatter were true... So they'd just have to be extra careful when examining not to squash anyone.

Search (48) The Cobal Estate (ABANDONED)

Tonight, you decide to fly east and head for the Cobal Estate, wondering what’s been going on there since Cobal was found dead there recently, killed by wandering ghouls that to this day continue to lurk around the Northern Reach. However, you have a feeling that like many others, he wasn’t expecting them and was likely ambushed.

By the time you reach the Cobal Estate, you see the sunlight disappear and night fall upon the area. You touch down and take a look around, making sure there aren’t any ghouls nearby. It seems as though despite your large size, they either haven’t noticed you or could have actually been intimidated enough to withdraw back into the shadows.

You start by searching the exterior first. From the looks of things, the large light-gray building doesn’t seem too bad and seems to be in relatively good condition. What you can safely assume is that Cobal refused to leave his estate after OMEN happened. It seems likely he didn’t want to take up residence in a hotel or definitely not in a hut in a shopping mall parking lot. However, his decision to remain here seemed to be what killed him.

And it doesn’t seem like it happened all too long ago. From what you can see, it seems like the estate has only been abandoned for about six months or so. Some renovation work was needed, but nothing too critical, and it seems like it was only because no one wanted to perform work on the house with the ghouls running about.

From the exterior, you don’t see anything truly out of the ordinary. Even the backyard has a nice view of the ocean shore and the trees block the unsightly mess of the OMEN crater. It almost makes you think… would you want to give up all this to live in a shabby tent in a mall parking lot for three years? You could see where it would be hard to say yes.

As you discover, your large size makes it impossible to enter the building itself. You instead look through the windows, and it seems like the interior rooms are very nicely furnished and look cozy, though with the sunlight gone, much of the rooms are flushed with shadows and darkness. From what you can see, the tables, lamps, chairs, and other furniture pieces look expensive and it seems Cobal enjoyed art and sculptures as well.

You search most of the rooms through the windows, but it doesn’t seem like anything is drastically out of order. All of Cobal’s belongings and furnishings are still there as if they’re just waiting for him to come home, but still, now they only sit there in silent dust and sleep in the shadows.

When you get toward the northern side of the house, you feel a bizarre sensation coming from the basement. You decide to see what’s going on, but from your angle, you can’t quite make out what’s the source of the grim presence. Wanting to find out more, you decide to open the window as much as you can, and you stick your head in to see what the source of this is…

#Black Expurgation Presence (10 Purity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 71 out of 100: Failed!

And you immediately wish you h̐̓̍ͬ̄̉a̭̱̞͉̟̩̽͐ḓ͇̫̜̊ͩ͒̏̉̽n͈͖̦͎̐͆ͨ͆̋̍’͔́ͭ̽̉t̆͛ͦ̾ͮ ̙̝̘̬̫ͅ…͈̦̥͓̺̦ͨ̀̒

Before your very eyes lies a terrifying portal to just pure n͉̝̦̘̘̯ot̠̪h͍̟̩i̺ng̰̝̼n͓̥͙̗̳͍e̠͖͖̭̞̜ș̤͙̺̦͈̯s̬̘̼̦̺ . While you’ve seen the color black plenty of times, this is b̹̣̮̹l̯a̠͓̻c̺̬̟̬k̯͙̬̭͉͔̦ne̖͇̬͓ss͈̺͖̬̮ͅ far beyond anything you’d seen, like a gaping void of consuming anti-matter.

The dark presence g̺̮͈̝͍͓ͯ̌ͥŭ̓͐̚s͎̖̺͉̜ͧͥ̓̾̿̀̅ͅͅḥ̹̮̱̩͙̳̂ͦ̓e̦̦̥͉̿ͫͧ̚ s̘ forth from it, and you immediately try to pull your head back. However, for a few seconds, your head gets stuck, leaving you h͖̟͊͆͒̐ͣ̅̆o̜̼̫̎͐̅̆̾w̘̻̎͆̏ͬͨl̠̱͖̅̍͌̚iͧ̃̄ͪ̍ñ͕̋ͩ̌ g̐͛ ̪ͫa͕͇ͣn͉̗̥̫̘̈́ͮ̀̓̈́̃̔d͕̃̈́ͯ̈́ͣͮͅ ̙̦̦̜͕̰̏s͖͓̒c̤̄͒̃̊ͬ̏r̩̘̞̜̤̳̬ͮ̎͗e̾͐̉ͩ̆ȁ̠̖͚̖̬̬̻͊ͥ͋m͑ ̗̼̪̺̤̈́̀͂i͎͖ṇ̻̯̬͖̞̽̓̍ḡ̮̜̗̭̭͚̯͑ͫ̓ͣ̊ as the devouring blackness washes over you, c͍̯͉̫͉ͅͅon̺͈̼͍s̼̫̝̺͔u͎m̮̗in̮͚g̫͓̫ ̲̲͍y̭̩͚͖o͔̺̳̲u̥̝͚̭͇ ͍̬͇̮f͍̪a͙̼̙̫cͅe̩̣̗ ̼̰͈̣ͅfi͓͕̰r͎̙̙͖̹̖͕s̭̫t̤.

Lycellus has taken 10 damage to Purity.

Never before… never ever h̹̭͇̩̖ạ͔͇̭̱̮v̟͙̱̳e̖̯͍͖̖̯̜ ̟yo̰̱̙̦u͉̥̲ ̦f̟̘͙̦͍̗el̟̗̺̳t͚̙̺̻̗ ͎s̰o̱͙͉̼͕͚ h͔̳͉̬͕o̰̰̖̗̠̼ͅl̠̫̩͉̲͎l͍͈̹̰͚͉ͅo̼̻̤̪̻̤w͙…̬̯̹̯͔̼

…so n̝̼on͙̪̭̯̺̜ͅ-͈̻͚̹̤͍̺ex͙̯͓̘͍̫̤i̺̰͉s̞ͅt͈̠̫͇e̬̯̱̱n̝t͍̘̩͖…̹̗͙̗͔ ̰͔

…so v̤̣̣a̦̤̫ni̘̭ṣh̼̘e̠d͖̮̜…̦

You violently thrash to break out of the ensnarement, ripping apart the window frame in the process to pull your head back. But all you see are the three marks in your ravaged visions, blacker beyond any blackness you’ve seen before…

Obl̺̹i͕̮̱͖̻͇͇v̜i̝̘̮o͎̩̟̬͇͖̞n̝͇̙…̮̖͔͓͉͙̫ ͓̬V͍̘̟͍̻oi͙̫͓͖d̼̹̠…͖̘̣̘̹̻ ̘͇̗̫͙͙E̱̺r͖̜͓͕a̭s̼u̩̫̫re̻̭̗͍͙…̭͖

For a dark moment, you’ve never felt so lost before, wondering if you’re living, or anything at all. And you even question if any of this is real or just a dream. Part of you wonders if you’re just a part of someone else’s fleeting dream, destined to vanish as soon as they wake up as if you were nothing in the first place… nothing all along…

Just who and what… really are you…?

#{Chamber of the Divided Zero: Mark of Oblivion AND Mark of the Void AND Mark of Erasure} Black Expurgation Presence (10 Purity Damage)# has been noted in the Team Records.

It takes you some hard effort to snap back to your senses, but once you do, you decide to flee from that dark place… for the sake of your very existence…

Though you might have trouble sleeping tonight with the strange, terrifying realizations swimming in your mind, you’re just happy to have escaped from that sudden, horrifying sight. But you imagine it’s going to be the subject of your nightmares for a while…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 6/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$195 Sochas$

[AgloMe Oen]

Oh Lychee, I’m sö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤ s̬͖̋̾̾̃̎̏ͫo̦̺̖͈̞͆̍r̺̥͍̼̐ͭ̌͐ͭr̻̭͎̫̳̘̣y͋͗! Guess what’s worsḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕ than Friday the 13th, 2020? Saturday the 14th, 2020! Wḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕ll, at least just for you anyway!

Nico the Cinccino has been up and ṣ̐l͎̣͉͆a̦͇̗̼̗̎͊͌̔̋ụ͓̯͒͐g̠̲̈̅̂̾ͧh͓͈̰̯͎̮̭̐ͬͩ͗t̑͋̈ͣ ͆e͆ͨ̔̈̄ṛ̠͕̪̾̈̂̐e͕̞̣͓͍̲͕̎ͩͩ̑̒̎d͍̯͙͕̠͖̒̏͛ͨͦ̋ by the Stalkers!!

OMG, yes, players like you can be targeted by the Stalkers! It’s so much more fuņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ this way, don’t you think? But hey, here you are taking one fö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤr the team and everyone else in town! Like a champ! You’re tonight’s Stalker v͕͛i̺̖̎̏ͅc̳͕̀̅͌t͍͛̉ͦͦ̐i̘̟̮͌͋̆ͮ̂̃̄ṃ̝ͫ̏̓̓͗ and thanks to you, no one else has to be!

It honestly seemed like everything was perfectly happy and finḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕ on your way back from the Aurorawatch Military Cö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤmpound! You were even able to see the steel mill in the distance as you happily skipped back to base with a bit of a skip in your step from a productive night of baffling two idiot guards that should be fired and from you getting to see the inside of the palace. Hey, only the rich and over-privileged get to see that!

You wereņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜’t even thinking about what was around you as you were heading back to base! Heck, you could have stepped in a big warm pile of Pika-doo and yö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤu wouldn’t have even ņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜oticed! You didn’t even stop to see how alone you were with no one watching!

Actually, you weren’t ȁ̗͈̫̂̊l̻̟̹̙̳o̤͕̓́ͭ̍ͭ̏n̟̬̔̋ͫ͗ͯ̈́̊e͍̪̞͚̠̪!̭̘͔̦̇̂

You werḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕ smiling oh so cutely and then…!

https://i.imgur.com/OMvX3T2.png

Nico came down with a s̗̞̘̬̀̄ͬ̇ḛ̹̙̱̺̥̲͐v̼͍̙̊͂ͩͣ̋̐̎e̠̼̟̹͖̅r̘̠͈͉̗̮̒ͯe̤͛ͤͪ ̫̭̖ case of deadņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ess!



It was a lovely mö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤrning! Aurorawatch was ḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕njoying the warm dusty air of Exacta, looking forward to investigating yet another crime scene! Word is they still haven’t gotteņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ used to this! And m͓̝͈͇ͅo̱̗͉̎ṇ̞̟̋s̮̥̺͖͉̩̩̄ͯ̅ͮ͒͗t̻͂r̘͎͕̰̗ͮo̓ͥ̎̉ù̎͊̏ ̮̘ͧs̳̬̥̣̲̱͉̎̎͋̽̋l͂̓̃͒y̙̟̍ͯ̅ͧ huge fuzzball himself, Crez the Whimsicö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤtt, investigating the dead body of yet another huge fuzzball. You, Nico! Now don’t you feel special? See, if you ever wanted attention, all you needed to do was d̻̗̞̰̲͚̠̔̉̇ͩ̓̿i̼̠̰̹̺͚͂́e̲̫̬͖̓ͧͮ!̗͔͕̪̮͓

While Crez was just arriving to get iņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ on the fun, Initiate Rali the Treecko and Squire Tḙ͇̰͍̺͇̃̐͛̕cker the Pelipper were already on the scene! Oh, and yö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤu were there too, Nico! You get to play the victim role! Don’t worry, all you need to do is just lay there, no script rehearsing necessary! E̲͓͇̼̜̭͚ͮạ̘̰̪̬͊͋͗̐ͮs̠͍ͦͫͅy̰̖͓̼͙̹̤͛̿ͧ͐̓͊̐ ͔͓͉̗̔̎͂ͧͯ͐̚p̲̭ͨeͭ͒̅̐ͪͩͯa͓̫͉͒͆̓ͮ̉s̪ͦͣ̇͒ͫ̋ͪy̽̓͂!͚̱́̓ ͙̙̬͕̭

“Whoa, this is bad…” Crez stated coldly, winning Understatement of the Year Award. “What happened to this poor Cinccino dude?”

“I think he’s dead,” Tecker replied, stating the obvious like a bubbling numbnut! “Well, I mean, I guess he can’t bḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘ alive if there’s a giant lumberjack axe in his skull.”

It was true. There really was a giant, shiny lumberjack axe nestled in your skull all cozy-like! Turns out your brain is nice, sö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤft, squishy, and warm. Like a cushy beanbag! You should see the look on your face, it’s all like ”guh, there’s a giant axe in my head, uhh… guḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘ss I’ll take a nap now! Zzzzz!” Who are you to go to bed before brushing your teeth!? Gross!

“Uh, yeah, we… found this…” Rali muttered nervously as she sheepishly passed a piece of paper to Crez. “I… uh… it’s probably from… O-Obscene…”

“Ho boy,” Crez sighed, unfolding the paper before reading it aloud!


[i]“Once upon a time under a starry sky. Skipped along Nico the Cinccino with a twinkle in his eye. Fuzzy and cuddly, so pleasantly bubbly, ö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤh what a night to die!

Happy hḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘ was, skipping back home, happy he was, but all alone! The loveable fluff, thought he was tough, didn’t feel a chill in his bö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤne! But then came Lumberjack Lee, a most jovial Lombre, he just couldn’t relax, grabbed his trusty axe, and by golly thought Nico was a tree!

Go get some lumber, Lee, you know you should! But what the axe hit sure wasn’t wood! Down on Nico’s head, and now Nico’s dead, but that’s how it goes iņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ the neighborhood!”

Crez just sighed and folded up the paper before pocketing it. Aww, I don’t think he liked it! Well, hopefully you did! Way mö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤre fun than just a newspaper obituary, don’t you think?

That’s all, folks, back to your regularly-schedulḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘d madness! Ciao!

Doom Trackḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘r:
2/40

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/573.png Nico the Cinccino (S: Normal)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

Inveņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜tory Losses

<None> (both the Roguḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘’s Dagger and the Worn Officer’s Blade rolled successful preservation rolls! Wow, you got lucky! Actually, I can’t really say that.)



Nico has been reincarņ̮̰̯͖̬̤̫͑͒ͫ͑͜ated as…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/143.png Nico the Snorlax (L: Normal)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

Oh yeah, that lö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤok is totally you, Nicö̲͎̪͔̜ͯ͑͋̈́̃ͦͤ! Get out thḛ̠̭́̈̋ͦ̀͗͋̾͘re and go mͯ͛ͨ̾̊ͩ͛u̱̞͎̳͕͚ͨ̀̓̌̒̈́ͅr̥̖̙ͅd̟ͥ̔̿̆̇̚e̬̠͇̝͈̊̓̄͂̆r͌͊ͭ ̫̯̦̻̟͚̪̾ a buffet!

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 3: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2282719/day-3-day-cycle)

(November 17, 2020, 12:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[Shruikan]

"Nico no!" ;_;

"Ahh, perhaps investigating the estate wasn't such a good idea. Now I must remove this clawing empty feeling in my soul..." After a bit of research Lycellus found that there is a berry that should help with that somehow, though why such a fruit would evolve only Arceus knew. "So, Berry shopping, then disarming the trapped books."

~~~

"Hello friend! I would like one of your most soul-clensing Starf berries please" Lycellus grinned their overly toothy smile at the Clefairy, though it seemed a little forced today.

[Buy and use a Starf Berry from Friend in Need Pharmacy at (2) Silverlight Shopping Mall]
[Use Security to attempt to remove the traps on Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre” and Deranged Codec]

[Lychee]

Nico put his spare weapon (the worn officers blade) into the team inventory, noticing that many other emissaries did not have weapons yet and feeling like he ought to share what he had, since he was so lucky not to lose it.

He snoozily wandered through the city, somehow still sustaining sanity damage from a past life ((OOC: Does our sanity reset to full just like health does when we die and get reborn?)).

He ambled his way accross to investigate 42) The Candle Mansion (ABANDONED). Ghosts didnt scare him! Plus, rich people might have lived here and left their money behind.

[C0L0R3D]

1947 W-What?! We could get killed by the Stalkers too?! That’s bad... but no time to dwell on that, let’s go see what that Submerged Sublevel is about.

[AD]

Well, I still want to search that Hraveyard, but it is best to do that at night, so i shall wait for the Night Cycle.

Investigate (28) Riverside Park

[Noblejanobii]

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png I can't believe they were able to take out one of our own...

https://i.imgur.com/uOQzuGJ.png We have to avenge Nico!

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/637119453380870193/unknown.png Agreed. But first let's continue to focus on our tasks.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Next on my list is to interview 14. [INI] Rali the Treecko. Maybe she'll be able to give us some insight into the Stalkers situation.

[Neo Emolga]

"Nico no!" ;_;

"Ahh, perhaps investigating the estate wasn't such a good idea. Now I must remove this clawing empty feeling in my soul..." After a bit of research Lycellus found that there is a berry that should help with that somehow, though why such a fruit would evolve only Arceus knew. "So, Berry shopping, then disarming the trapped books."

~~~

"Hello friend! I would like one of your most soul-clensing Starf berries please" Lycellus grinned their overly toothy smile at the Clefairy, though it seemed a little forced today.




As soon as the sun rises, you head out and make your first stop at the Friend in Need Pharmacy to buy and use a Starf Berry. From what you can see, you’re Borsei’s first customer of the day and you’re definitely not the one she was expecting. You’re the largest Pokémon at the mall by far!

“…Sure…” Borsei replies, giving you a Straf Berry in exchange for your 25 sochas. “You want a bag for that?”

Lycellus has spent 25 Sochas for a Straf Berry.

But you just decide to eat it right there and then, no bag necessary. The taste is quite mellow and sweet, but not overbearing. It fills you with a refreshing sense of optimism as it flushes out feelings of guilt and evil.

Lycellus has used the Straf Berry to recover 10 points of Purity.

You decide to then head back to base to address some of the corrupted items, specifically the Deranged Codec and the Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre.” When you find them in the storage area of the steel mill, you see they’ve been given warning labels. And it’s no surprise, you can sense they’re tainted with the dark, defiled aura of the Stalkers, although you can sense two distinct and different Stalker presences among these two items. Still, both of them are their own flavor of awful and demonic.

You first attempt to disarm the [Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre”: <<Instances of Corruption>> (https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png) / <<Glimpse of the Past>> (https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg)]. It’s not hard to see and feel that there is a deep and very thorough level of corruption going on in this book, but you carefully unwrap it and start your work on it.

You gently lift the book out of the wrapped bag and…

#Abomination Infestation (10 Purity Damage, 10 Sanity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 24 out of 100: Failed!

And the effect is h̞i͚̖d̺̺̟͜eo͟u҉̮̞͓̞̺̘̥s͏͎̹̪͇͕̠. Instantly, it is as if ethereal leaches and carrion worms leap from the book and b̝͕͓u͙̘̩̮̳̪r̦̣̼̭̲̼r̯͖̝o̺ͅw̤ ḭ̤̠ṋ̟̖̻ṭ̫͖͍̻̫ͅo͉̼͔̪ y̻̖̼̼o̗͈̞͖͚ụr̮̜̪̯̖̮͙ ̹b̥͉̞̺rai̜̪͓̙͓̳̱ṉ͚͍̙ ͓̦͇ͅa͙͎̪̖͉̭̘n̘d̮̖ ͍s̮͚o̱̝̫͓͇u͖l, causing your eyes to violently roll to the back of your head. Your vision even blurs and your temperature gets f̱̙͓̻ev͖̹̟̣ͅe͔͕̜͖r̬̝̻͇̙̫̪ḭ̰͎̥̞̮s̬̝̪̱̖h̭̰ as if you’re trying to wake up from a hideous nightmare, but an unholy sleep paralysis keeps you bound and locked into the a̦̗͈͚̮͖̟͉g̠̜̭͙̠͓̫͍͖͎͉͕͈͉̘̺o̫͇͎̳̹͈̳n̘̤̺̘͍̞̻͎̮͙̤̹ͅy̤ ̜̞̫͔̞̼ͅ.

Lycellus has taken 5 Purity Damage and 5 Sanity Damage.

You vomit profusely, barely able to hang onto control of your cognitive abilities. You realize the only way to seal off the trap embedded into this book is to r͍̮̼͉̳̤̤̫̻̟̦̪̙̖͖ͅị̖͉͈̪̯͓̬̰̫̘ͅp̹̣̯̝͚̻̠͕̦͖͚͉͔̜ͅ each page out, run them through a laminator machine, and use that to ensure there’s a protective barrier between whoever is touching it and the infested pages themselves.

Lycellus has taken 5 Purity Damage and 5 Sanity Damage.

It’s an aͬg̻̟̺̗̥̃ͦ̚ͅo̠̯͎͛̓̓̊̋n̬̭͙̊̉̿͗̑i͓̝̹ͮ̅z̯̣̃̒ͨ̑î̙̥̠ͩ̐ ng̓̉l͈͇̣y̖̬̣ slow but actually effective process. You find using a cloth to grab each page is slightly effective, but like a weak oven mitt, it only works for so long before it begins to burn again. But once completed, you put the laminated pages back together in order. Now, at least it’s only hideous to look at, but anyone with a relatively strong stomach can at least bear it without the mind-rendering effect.

The #Abomination Infestation# trap has been removed from the [Corrupted Children’s Book “My Happy Massacre”: <<Instances of Corruption>> (https://i.imgur.com/5xXnq3h.png) / <<Glimpse of the Past>> (https://i.imgur.com/sNoJwOM.jpg)]

After taking a bit of a breather, you then try your skills at the [Deranged Codec]. You find the carefully wrapped piece of skin used as parchment, and gently lift it out of it’s wrapping, thinking running it through the laminator as well might help remove the effect.

#Insantiy Presence (5 Sanity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 27 out of 100: Failed!

It doesn’t work at all, and instead results in a ǵ̙̝̆ͧ̇͑ͭr̻̗̫̺̬̾̇i͕̥̘͗ͯ̿̎̋̚ṃ̯͚̜̜̔̂̇ͣ ̾ͦ͊̊̌ͥg̼̖̲̝̰͐́̂n̼͓͙̂͒̂̓̉a̓͂̍ͧw̝͍͉̳̺͎̅̊ͣ̓i̪̗̙̳͈ͦͫ̿ͮ ̘̣ng͖͈̀̽ ̾ͭ͛̎͐̓a͆̀t̗̘̦ ͉̩̳̳̝̱̈̉y͚͈̺̱̪̓ō̱̠͚̯͉ͮ̈́ͯ̅̑̄u̝r̜̞̳̖͛ ̳̘̫͚̺̅͛̐͌ͪͦͪḿ̮̠̱̪̬̦ͯi̻͕̟̰̝͚͎ͪͫn̲̭ͤ̋̃̿d̫̬͚͇͉ͤ. For a moment, you undergo an almost v͍̲ͅi̭̗̰̣͙̘o̗͕͕͔̞̼̬le͈͚̠̜̘͖ͅnt ̹̘̤̥a͔͖͇͔̟̘̬n̘̥͉̮̱d͉̼͚͙ ̟̥̪͇ͅd̦̯͈̺̗e͇͉̗r͙͍̰̲̙a̘̠̰̩͚̣ͅn̟̱̫g̳e̞̤̱̱͙̼d ͍̥ͅs͈̮͇͇ͅͅẹi̮̱͍zu͚̰ͅr̼̗̣̗̩̦͎e̩͙̪, your head starts shaking v̳̻̗̥̰̼͈͈̯̟̤͓̭̼̿ͫ́ͨ̈ͥi̠̳̘͕̝̻̗̤̻̙͓̰̹͎͎͉̞͇̻ͣ̌̓̔͗oͥͫ̋ ͉̙̘͎̯̺̮͈̺̪̬̱̩̠̱̬́ͤͧͯ͗̀̈́̈ͥ͗͑̂̓ͭͯľ̹̠̊̉̑̅̍̊̃͌̌̐͒͌ͤ͊̓ ̮͚̣͚̣̩̙̦e͓̭̺̭͚̬̜̼̯̗̝͍ͫͧ̐̾̏́͒̆̐̍ͩ̀͌n͇͒̊̅̔ͣ̃͆͊ͮͥ͛ͫ̎͊ ͕̳͙̱̱̱̹̠̲̣̞̼̮̣̙ͅt̩͉̖̥̞͖͍̜̥͇͓͚̘̮̯̬̃ͬ̃̊̍ͥl͋̆͌ͫ̅ͫ͂́ͬ̊ ̜̼̣̟ͣ̿͂̓y̱͓̠̰͔̝̥̣͙̤̗͎̗͉͎̭̦͊ͬ̈͋͂̄ͭͥͪ̓̑͊ͫ as if some unhinged beastly creature was trapped inside your skull, thrashing to try and break out and escape.

Lycellus has taken 5 Sanity Damage.

You unconsciously mutter gibberish to yourself as you descend further into m̬̻͓̟͚a̺͓̰d̝̺̞ne̻s͍̝͇̺̻̭s̳͍. The few bits of your rational mind still remaining tell you to flush it in holy water, one of the few things Syrax left behind for you that you didn’t think you would need or would be effective.

It removes the taint embedded in the skin parchment, but still retains the nonsensical madness that doesn’t seem to make the slightest bit of sense to you. But at least now it’s just but a mere incoherent puzzle.

The #Insanity Presence – (5 Sanity Damage)# was removed from the [Deranged Codec: <Technical>

You honestly feel ill as your deranged mind feels almost detached from your body and wounded soul, but the job is done and now these two dark relics won’t bring any more harm to anyone else.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: [b]5/20 | Purity: 6/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
[u]EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$170 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Nico put his spare weapon (the worn officers blade) into the team inventory, noticing that many other emissaries did not have weapons yet and feeling like he ought to share what he had, since he was so lucky not to lose it.

He snoozily wandered through the city, somehow still sustaining sanity damage from a past life ((OOC: Does our sanity reset to full just like health does when we die and get reborn?)).

He ambled his way accross to investigate 42) The Candle Mansion (ABANDONED). Ghosts didnt scare him! Plus, rich people might have lived here and left their money behind.

https://i.postimg.cc/MGY5czrk/Emolga-My-Bad.png Oops.

Yep, I fixed that goof with the Sanity Stat. It does get reset and refilled once you die. This silly squirrel simply forgot. :P


You first decide to add your worn officer’s blade to the cabinet, feeling as if you’re already well-equipped with the Rogue’s Dagger already.

[|AW| Worn Officer’s Blade] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls) has been moved from Nico’s Pack to the Team Inventory

You take the long, eerie walk through the Northern Reach this morning, feeling as though the dusty, hot wind definitely picked up a bit today. At the same time, you notice not a soul seems to be around and it almost gives you the feeling as if you’re the only one still left alive in the world and every other living soul just vanished.

Distant howls and shrieks of ghouls and chimeras can be heard in the distance, but thankfully they don’t spot you at all. When you start to draw close to the Candle Mansion, you spot a crooked and gnarled-looking Aipom ghoul, but after hiding a bit and waiting, he runs off in the opposite direction and into the distance, having never sensed your presence. But you imagine from his physical condition, not all of his senses may be intact…

You then decide to make your way toward the mansion, first investigating the outside. From the looks of things, it definitely looks like a traditional haunted house. The condition is quite poor, virtually every window is broken, the wood is splintering, what used to be light gray paint is now falling off in flakes, the stones are covered with weeds and moss, and there’s hideous, foul-smelling black mold everywhere.

Besides weeds and broken rotting pieces of the mansion, you don’t find all too much out by the front of the building. Meanwhile, the sides of the mansion aren’t any better and it even looks like the house has been sinking into the ground over time.

By the back of the mansion, you catch sight of a strange, almost eerie and ghostly white light by the cracked stone fountain that looks like it hasn’t been turned on in eons. Where water was supposed to come out of a stone Seaking’s mouth, now it’s wrapped in vines and weeds and caked with dirt. Meanwhile, the white light seems to be at the base of the fountain, shining subtly like a little white firefly.

You scoop it up with your paws and it feels comforting and relaxing. It feels as if it’s like a small companion-like star that never stops giving off a gentle and reassuring glow.

[Celestial Essence] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You search some more in the back, but only find the ruins of a rotted and collapsed gazebo and a small rusty swing-set that had both swing seats fall off their rusted chains years ago.

Having thoroughly checked the outside, you then decide to brave the interior, wondering what’s been lurking in there all these years.

You waddle your way up the front stone stairs, though upon arriving on the rotting front porch, you quickly realize your immense girth and body mass quickly results in your foot ripping through the rotting wood underneath. You wrestle your foot out of the hole, and decide to take it very carefully, making sure every step you take in the house can support your weight.

You arrive at the front hall, and even with some faint daylight coming through the windows, the place looks hideous. Cobwebs are everywhere and that mysterious stinky black mold is everywhere in here as well, giving a lot of objects a creepy, fuzzy look to them.

You first go to the kitchen and the dining hall, and you quickly come to the conclusion that you’d need to be dying of starvation to want to eat anything in there with the harshly unsanitary conditions. The wood table is rotting to the point where mushrooms are growing out of it and the vast majority of chairs have had a leg or two snap from under them. Meanwhile, the old chandelier is tangled with cobwebs and dust. And it still reeks in there.

The kitchen is even worse than you expected. Fungus is growing between the black and white checkered tiles and they crack like peanut brittle under your heavy foot. Meanwhile, disgusting and creepy strands of mold and fungus hang down all of the walls and from the ceiling. The whole time, you hear an odd, metal squeaking sound and you have no idea where it’s coming from. Still, you don’t find very much after looking around. Plates, pans, and pots are smothered with grime and dust and some horrendous plant is growing out of the sink like a tentacle monster.

You make it to the den and it’s dark, dingy, and very moldy in there as well. It takes you a moment to identify what used to be a couch by a fireplace, now smothered with mold so thoroughly that it looks like some blob-like abomination. Meanwhile, the wood planks in the floor easily snap like deadwood twigs under your foot. Up above, more of the wood planks have been rotting and falling out of the ceiling.

You then head upstairs, thankful the stairs are made of marble and easily support your weight. But upon reaching the second floor, you now take special care to make sure each step you take won’t send you falling through the floor and back down into the level below.

Up here, plenty of paintings line the sheetrock walls, though they’re so covered with debris and mold that often it’s hard to tell what they’re depicting. A few of them have also fallen off the wall and now lay face-down on the floor. Oddly enough, while you’re on the second floor, you hear an unexplainable ringing in your ears. The cause and source of it seems to be completely unknown, but it’s annoying and it does make you wish whatever was causing it would just stop.

You check the first of the bedrooms, which is so overtaken with wretched black mold that you don’t even take a few steps in. You believe it used to be a child’s bedroom with what vaguely resembles a crib and a mobile hanging above it in the far-right corner, but that’s the only clue you get. Everything else just looks like mountain ranges and valleys of mold.

You decide not to visit the bathroom, either. One peek past the rotting door hanging off the hinges and it’s a jungle of nightmares in there with vines, ivy, and overgrown weeds, forming a misshapen and macabre web all around the bathtub, toilet, and sink. And for some reason, the smell is especially bad in there, making you quite glad you skipped breakfast, because you would have lost it otherwise…

Lastly, you find the master bedroom, which seems to be relatively tame compared to everything else, though it too has seen some of the infestation of mold. The main bed looks like its crumbling, but you search through the bed drawers to find some linens that look stained and greasy. However, under them is a black leather box. You pull it out and open it to find quite an immense amount of socha bills and coins inside.

$325 Sochas$ were added to Nico’s Pack.

It seems the bills and coins were protected with this box, but looking at the state of everything in this house, it probably won’t have been too long before mold covered and consumed this, too.

Lastly, on one of the nightstands, you find an old music box that looks like it hasn’t played music for quite a while. Though something seems a little off with it and it has a distinct but very faint Stalker trace to it. Still, you can’t imagine why even a Stalker would want to come into this place.

You find that the music box is missing the metallic drum with the series of bumps that’s supposed to determine what kind of song it would play. Meanwhile, there’s no winding shaft either, so it can’t be used until that’s been found as well.

It seems they were both removed intentionally, but why seems to be a mystery. Meanwhile, you wouldn’t think much of it and would leave it alone otherwise, but considering there’s a slight Stalker trace here, it might be worth looking into. You decide to take the music box with you, feeling if it stays here, it’ll probably just be devoured by the mold in due time like everything else in here has.

[Defiled Music Box: Missing Music Box Song Drum AND Missing Winding Shaft] was added to the Team Inventory.

You peek into the master bathroom, but not surprisingly, it looks like the ceiling and a large portion of the roof has collapsed into it and filled it with rubble and debris. Still, even with the immense damage, that hasn’t deterred enormous fungus colonies from swarming and smothering it. You don’t even want to try digging through all of that mess just to find out there was nothing in there anyway.

You decide you’ve had more than enough and just want to head out and make your way carefully out of the house. The stink and the ringing in your ears is vile and continuously gets worse the longer you stay and by now, it’s gotten to be almost unbearable. Once you reach the stairs, you head back down and thankfully the ringing stops, though you still never figured out what was causing that. Still, you aren’t concerned or curious enough to want to come back later to find out.

Once you step out of the mansion, the stench is finally behind you and you feel like you can breathe again. Though it never seemed that way before, the dusty air of Exacta City is nirvana compared to the smell inside that house. Meanwhile, the soft and lonely wind gusts blowing past you seem tranquil and pleasing compared to the infernal ear ringing you just endured.

Taking a long sigh of relief, you then make your way back to base to prepare for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/143.png Nico the Snorlax (L: Normal)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$325 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Chibi Altaria]

OOC: Poor Lyellus. That's some awful luck. :c

Nia paced about the steel mill, finally having made up her mind.

I think I will search (33) Blue Brook Residential Buildings (ABANDONED) to see if I can find anything - or anyone - of use.

[EmeraldSky]

I will learn to use Clairvoyance for today, and test it out on the punch card key.

[Neo Emolga]

1947 W-What?! We could get killed by the Stalkers too?! That’s bad... but no time to dwell on that, let’s go see what that Submerged Sublevel is about.

As the morning comes, you head out to the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices, having heard Aurorawatch has intentions of trying to radio anyone outside the city for help. You’ve also heard the building’s days are numbered, and with the clock ticking, the window of opportunity to find anything useful in that building is quickly passing. Once it falls, that’s it and anything that was still inside is forsaken.

You walk down the dusty roads toward the Northern Reach, realizing the wind seems to be a bit stronger today than it has been in the past. At times, it feels a bit like a minor sandstorm, but it doesn’t impede too much on you to keep pressing on.

After stepping into the Northern Reach, you keep careful watch around you, knowing Aurorawatch’s surveillance on this area is very limited. As you avoid the open roads and use whatever cover you can, it seems to work and you avoid detection. You spot a ghoul Mightyena and a ghoul Zigzagoon, sniffing and on the prowl for the meat of the living, but they never notice you behind the ruined cars and walls you use for cover. Eventually they wander off and you continue making your way to the office building.

Once you arrive at the Exacta Broadcasting Company Offices, you see for yourself how bad the situation is. Countless windows broken, webs and jagged forks of cracks, and piles of rubble and debris everywhere. Even as you look upon it, you can hear the distance echoes of rocks and rubble falling and clapping against other piles of debris. Meanwhile, the whole back of the building looks like it was eviscerated with its concrete and furniture innards spilling out like entrails.

You decide to make this quick. While you don’t consider yourself a stellar structural engineer, any common Pokémon even without the slightest bit of formal education can see this whole building is standing on the equivalent of splintered toothpicks when it comes to structural support.

You follow Nia’s report of the flood sublevel and you find exactly what she was talking about once you locate the stairwell just past the ruined elevators. As you look down the flight of stairs, there’s nothing but water and you imagine there must be at least twelve feet of depth to it, if not more.

After jumping right in, you swim down the stairwell, allowing your vision to become more adjusted to the darker depths.

{Submerged Sublevel: +Water Type+}

From what you can tell with the very limited illumination, this entire subfloor was meant to be for archive storage in addition to all the building’s utilities including heating, air conditioning, as well as water and power. However, everything you see is ruined thanks to the water. Boxes and boxes of video recordings, computer storage devices, and data disk have likely all been corrupted due to water damage. Meanwhile, some of the older equipment has likely been turned to deadweight now.

You find another room with some older broadcasting equipment. Most of it seems well beyond repair, but you do find one Namaxa broadcasting console system that despite being underwater for a while, may just be salvageable. However, there’s definitely water damage that needs to be repaired and beyond that, it would take someone with technical expertise to reconfigure it. It may be a long shot, but given there’s a possible chance it could become what Crez is looking for, you decide to take it with you and see if there’s a chance to restore it.

[Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You search some more in the lower basement level, but you don’t find anything else worth taking. It crosses your mind that you’re likely going to be the last Pokémon that ever sees these submerged rooms before all of this becomes crushed and buried under tons upon tons of building rubble once the building finally collapses. Still, despite that realization, you honestly feel everything else down here is already long gone anyway.

You decide to head back and return to the stairwell with the damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console. As you emerge from the waters, it’s dripping wet, but once it has dried off and all the damaged components and circuits are restored, maybe it can help. It’s definitely worth the shot.

You then head out of the building, walking your way past the building rubble heaps, broken glass, and other piles of debris. You feel a bit of a sprint in your step, as if the building is already collapsing right on top of you at this very moment, although you quickly rush out the broken front door and it seems you’re totally safe and nothing is falling apart quite yet. Still, you can’t help but wonder how many more days it’s going to be until it all comes crashing down…

As the sun begins its descent, you head back to the steel mill to make preparations for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas

[Neo Emolga]

Well, I still want to search that Hraveyard, but it is best to do that at night, so i shall wait for the Night Cycle.

Investigate (28) Riverside Park

You decide to use today to head to Riverside Park, curious to see if it’s even worse than Ashen Park. As you quickly notice upon walking out of the steel mill and stretch your wings and spread your tailfeathers, the dusty wind has picked up recently and it’s rather pesky as it gets in your eyes and you find it embedded into your colorful plumage. Still, it doesn’t stop you from taking flight and heading southeast, but it does make the trip less than enjoyable. Thankfully it’s a shorter flight and you get there much sooner.

Upon gliding down toward the open field, you finish your descent and land upon a small grassy field. From what you can see, it definitely doesn’t seem nearly as dismal and as creepy as Ashen Park, but it still isn’t perfectly cozy either. Still, despite the park not experiencing its best days in recent times, you can immediately tell that at least some Pokémon have been around here recently, though it definitely doesn’t see the kind of activity it used to.

You decide to start your search, but suddenly you find a hideous Gothorita ghoul emerge from a small patch of shrubs. Immediately you spot her and notice she looks like a warped and disintegrating apparition. She lunges toward you and you give her a deadly stare which she refuses to heed.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Diesel Punks – Cliff Lin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghLywj4EB30)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh, Size: Large, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/fire.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/flying.gif, HP: 14, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 90, Battle Stance: Heroic

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/575.png Enshina the Ghoul Gothorita, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/psychic.gif, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: M:30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 55

Attack Order:

#1 Sacred the Ho-oh
#2 Enshina the Ghoul Gothorita

Fight!

Immediately, you take flight, using your ability to fly as your combat edge against her. Flapping your wings furiously, you set your focus on your target, open your beak, and unleash a furious Sacred Fire attack, attempting to smother her with powerful flames.

Sacred strikes at Enshina! Rolls 40! Hit for 8!
Enshina: 7HP

She attempts to dodge, but utterly fails at it and is suddenly engulfed by the biting, consuming fire. Her shriek of pain is hideous, but as if powered by unholy adrenaline, she fights through the pain and targets you with a Psybeam attack, letting loose a glowing torrent of disruptive mental energy.

Enshina strikes at Sacred! Rolls 84! Hit for 4!
Sacred: 10HP

You realize that your ability to fly doesn’t stop Enshina at all and the Psybeam strikes you in the side. The kinetic force weaves its way through your nervous system and lashes as your mind giving you a painful migraine and temporary cognitive impairment before you manage to shake it off.

After circling around and spotting your target, you open your beak and unleash a blazing hot Fire Blast attack at her, leading the attack right in the spot where she’s heading.

Sacred strikes at Enshina! Rolls 48! Hit for 3!
Enshina: 4HP

She tries to correct her path before the attack explodes with fire and flames, but it still burns her slightly as she tumbles into it just a bit.

With flames still eating away at her, she tries to make a reprisal with a Psyshock attack, unleashing a disruptive psychic wave in your direction.

Enshina strikes at Sacred! Rolls 15! Miss!
Sacred: 10HP

You realize her pain and suffering is causing her to be unable to focus her attack, and you dodge it easily as the wave of disruptive kinetic force hits nothing but air and deteriorates in the sky.

You then fly directly above her, giving her nowhere to run. You then unleash a second Sacred Fire attack, sending down a massive torrent of cleansing fire upon her, dead center.

Sacred strikes at Enshina>! Rolls 77! Hit for 9!
Enshina: -5HP

The holy flames smother and ultimately devour her. All she can do is let loose one more hideous shriek of death before her body is incinerated.

Enshina was defeated in combat!

All enemies defeated. Sacred is victorious.

Loot Collected:
$92 Sochas$
Starf Berry
[|JW| Fire Angel Amulet] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken and reduces Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken.) Auto-Equipped!

With her out of the way, you go back to searching around the park.

From what you can see, it seems the trees have been looking a bit sickly for a while and haven’t been green since OMEN occurred. From what you can tell, many of the branches look diseased with some kind of fungus growing on them. Still, with the pleasant paths, open fields, picnic areas, and playgrounds, you feel like this park used to be quite a nice place to be in better, earlier times.

You find a dark green park storage container that looks like it was used for supplies and equipment away from the main gathering areas. It doesn’t look like it’s been looked at for a while, but you find the lock is easy to disengage and you open it up with your beak to see what’s inside.

There seems to be mostly landscaping supplies and equipment, but you notice there’s a small cardboard box that seems odd and different from the rest of the container’s contents, looking out of place compared to everything else. You open it up and it looks like there’s quite a bit of money inside. Since it doesn’t look like anyone’s ever going to come and pick this up, you decide to just take the money and go.

$180 Sochas$ has been added to Sacred’s Pack.

You continue your search around the southern area of the park and you find a place that looks like it’s been forgotten by the general public for a while. The path that leads to this area has faded into obscurity and it seems like the park workers here haven’t paid attention to it as weeds are growing a bit out of control and the park benches look old and forgotten with their paint chipping and wood planks starting to crack.

The thing that stands out the most is a medium-sized statue of a Mr Mime. The look on his face looks terrified and anxious, looking like he’s trying to put his hands on an invisible wall. The strange thing is… he’s missing his hands and there are only stumps at the ends of his arms. There is, however, a socket at the end of these stumps, leading you to believe the statue’s hands were once there, but now they’re gone.

{The Forgotten One Statue: Missing Left Hand AND Missing Right Hand} has been noted in the Team Records.

There is unsettling graffiti in black marker at the bottom of it, and it reads:

With no way to feel his way out, he can now be trapped here. Forever. And Forgotten.

You decide to keep looking, and then on the far outskirt area of the park, you find what looks to be a small, hidden alcove that looks like no one has been around for quite some time. However, as you approach, you see a jade-colored light barrier surrounding the small cave opening. It doesn’t look that old, which clues you in that someone recently discovered this secret hiding place and decided to make use of it.

The barrier blocking the entrance seems to be infused with a draconic aura, and you get the notion that a dragon-type Pokémon must have created this draconic protective barrier to safeguard something.

{Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+} has been noted in the Team Records.

You can only guess what this dragon Pokémon must be hiding. Unfortunately, with no way to deal with it right now, you decide to walk away from it but at least take note of it for later.

Having surveyed the rest of the park, you decide to fly back to base and start thinking about what you want to do tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh (L: Fire/Flying)

Health: 10/24 | Sanity: 10/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JW| Fire Angel Amulet] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken and reduces Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken.)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$357 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png I can't believe they were able to take out one of our own...

https://i.imgur.com/uOQzuGJ.png We have to avenge Nico!

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/637119453380870193/unknown.png Agreed. But first let's continue to focus on our tasks.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Next on my list is to interview 14. [INI] Rali the Treecko. Maybe she'll be able to give us some insight into the Stalkers situation.

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type (Grass)

As the morning sun is high in the sky, you head out and almost immediately have to recoil from the hot, dusty wind that’s active this morning. The whole time it’s blowing, you try to keep your head turned so it’s not immediately gusting into your face and eyes.

You head down to the Exacta Military Compound, seeing things aren’t all too active around town lately though you feel the weather may be responsible for that. Still, despite all that, you attempt to seek out Rali to see if there’s anything she might be able to give insight on.

Thankfully, you don’t have to wait outside the compound for too long. Rali, as an Aurorawatch Initiate, often is on guard duty and patrol as opposed to the higher-ranked officers. When you approach her by the dusty street and besides a white stone brick wall, she looks at you with a nervous stare in her eyes, though you have a feeling it may be because she’s never met you. You notice she’s wearing goggles to protect her eyes while a brown bandana is across her nose and mouth. With her dark brown shawl around her body, if it weren’t for her plump green tail, you might have trouble telling she was a Treecko.

“Uh, hey there,” Rali greets you sheepishly. “Can I… uh, help you with something?”

You introduce yourself and tell her you’re looking into what’s going on with the Stalkers and to see if she knows something about what’s going on. She nods a bit, slowly at first, but then with a bit more certainty.

“Yeah, Noble… it’s ugly,” she tells you, sitting down on the nearby stone wall as it’s going to be a while. “Aurorawatch knows they’re a problem. But the higher-ups… well, they don’t think it’s as big of a problem as other things going on. OMEN, Knaves, power, communication, and just keeping everything going. Resources are razor-thin.”

“But yeah, I hear you,” Rali tells you. “The Stalkers are a major problem. Some folks here say I’m nuts, but they’re going to kill us all! Sure, one by one and barely anyone notices, but over time, you know what that’s going to add up to!”

She looks around to make sure you’re the only one within earshot. And then she takes a deep breath.

“Listen, not too many Pokémon are helping us with the Stalkers, so right now, I just got to trust you,” Rali sighs. “Something’s… off. With Saadat. I know, it’s like… treason to talk about my squad leader this way, but the guy’s gone berserk lately. I mean before, he was acting all high and mighty and super serious. He yelled at me for even trying to celebrate his birthday with balloons and a cake! Who does that?”

“Okay, I get it, some Pokémon around here just say it is what it is,” Rali shrugs. “But it changed like… overnight with that guy. There’s a rumor that he was investigating some kind of rock that had a strange energy signature to it. He didn’t want to do it, but Neshen forced him to get to the bottom of it, and boy, she’s a real bi-…” she suddenly bites her tongue, “…uh… I mean to say she’s… well… not so nice.”

“I think that rock is screwing him up,” Rali tells you. “He just wants to get rid of it. I asked if I could take a look at it and yeah, there’s something seriously messed up about it. Like, it makes it so you can’t even think straight anymore.”

“I think you would be doing both of us a real favor if you talked to Saadat,” Rali sighs. “He can’t leave his post and he can’t commission anyone to do a private investigation for him. But if you came to him and took it off his hands, then he could fill out the outside contractor private investigation paperwork with your signature and Neshen would leave him alone about it. In earlier times, sure, there would have been a long validation process for the client involved, but no one’s doing that in these times. Besides, Neshen barely looks at the forms so as long as it’s on file in some way, so we should be fine. But please, it’s making him lose it. That’s the kind of thing that might get him or the rest of my squad killed if he can’t think straight. Those ghouls and chimeras aren’t going to give him a few seconds to get his thoughts together.”

As another gust of sandy, dusty wind blows by, Rali goes silent for a few moments. It seems you’re the first one she’s brought this up to…

“Yeah, one more thing…” she tells you, looking a bit worried.

She takes a deep breath, and then looks toward the northeast. She points toward an L-shaped building far into the Northern Reach.

“See that?” she asks you. “It’s the old police precinct we used to have before Aurorawatch had to take over law enforcement. We were on patrol there the other day to do a perimeter assessment of the power plant. Something… weird as hell is going on in there, though. I was looking through the window as we were passing by and there was some kind of… face staring back at me. I swear, from the looks of things, it looked like a decapitated head. That could easily be another one of the Stalker victims! It wasn’t my reflection, I was certain of that, it was deeper inside the building. Still, Saadat’s orders were firm, I couldn’t go in there to check it out myself or else we would be violating the mission directive and that’s a big no. But see, that’s the kind of stuff we should be looking into, no matter how weird it is. What we don’t suspect is going to be what kills us, I know it!”

“Well, I should be heading out,” Rali shrugs. “Nice to meet you, though, Noble. Thanks for looking into this, especially when we just can’t do it ourselves.”

She then gets back to her post and you decide to head back, taking note of what she told you.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

OOC: Poor Lyellus. That's some awful luck. :c

Nia paced about the steel mill, finally having made up her mind.

I think I will search (33) Blue Brook Residential Buildings (ABANDONED) to see if I can find anything - or anyone - of use.

When the morning arrives, you head out with the others and journey east toward the two large beige and gray residential structures that make up the Blue Brook buildings. You quickly notice the dusty and sandy windstorm today is the worst it’s been since the day you got here, forcing you to squint to minimize the amount of debris flying into your eyes. Meanwhile, it gusts into your snow-white fur and is quite pesky, but thankfully not damaging in any way besides just being annoying.

You weave your way down the roads throughout the Northern Reach, trying to keep a watchful eye for ghouls and chimeras the best way you can. It’s a bit hard with the sand and dust, but at the same time, the lack of visibility keeps you concealed from them, too.

After cutting across the barren field behind the Northpoint Furniture Store, you arrive at the two residential buildings. Unlike many buildings in Exacta City, these two seem to have taken no damage from the earthquakes and it seems the only thing that’s befallen them since OMEN happened are just dust and sand storms. Still, as you look around the exteriors of the buildings, it seems like for the most part, no one’s been here in quite a while, though you imagine with all the dust that’s going around just today, it’s probably no surprise any disturbances that were once here might have been swept or covered away.

You search around the outsides of the buildings first, at first only finding papers and debris being carried and tossed about in the wind. Several motor vehicles of varying sizes and models are still parked here as well, but it looks like they haven’t budged in years either.

By the black metal door of the beige-colored building, you notice one slightly burnt piece of paper that is caked over with some dust, and you can sense a dark, Stalker aura coming from it. You sit down for a moment while the dusty wind blows and howls around you, pick up the paper in your paws, and sweep the dust off to read it.

https://i.imgur.com/WHp2zBj.png

=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 3= (https://i.imgur.com/WHp2zBj.png) was noted in the Team Records.

You’ve seen this kind of old Floette-themed stationary before and the name Huskpuppet definitely connects with one of the Stalkers. The writing itself is disturbing and borderline incoherent, but it does make you wonder who or what Teeshay, Enco, and Mappa are.

Besides some ruined cardboard boxes and splintering wood pallets, you don’t find anything else that seems to be of value out here. You decide it’s about time you head inside the first of the apartment buildings and get out of the dust storm.

Inside, it’s considerably dark despite being daytime outside. The windows have caked over with dust and dirt and only a dim amount of sunlight shines in. You decide to strap on your headlamp and turn it on to take a look around.

You feel as though the rumors may be true, this place isn’t quite as abandoned as some townsfolk might think. There are signs that Pokémon were here recently as you see scuff marks in the layers of dust. But the real question is who is coming in here and for what reason?

You don’t see anything at first that gives you answers, so you start by searching whatever apartments you can, trying all the doorknobs that seem to function. Many are locked, a couple are jammed, one was missing a doorknob entirely, and others simply lead to rooms that are either in complete pandemonium where broken furniture and belongings are thrown about while others are vacant and empty. You don’t find too much lying about, though in one room you decide to grab a pair of goggles and a light gray and black zig-zag pattern shawl of your own to help shield you from the dust storm outside. It now makes sense why shawls seem to be so common around this town. They easily fit most Pokémon and these dust storms seem to be quite frequent.

Once you search the second floor, you find yet another apartment that looks like someone left it behind in a hurry and never returned this whole time. Judging from some of the photos that were left behind, the previous tenant was a Cramorant and they weren’t exactly tidy. It looks as though a brown jug of socha coins shattered and spilled across the floor. It seems the Cramorant tenant living here only picked up most of them and left the remainder in a hurry. You gather up all the remaining coins and add them to your own pack to save for later.

$50 Sochas$ were added to Nia’s Pack.

In the back of the same apartment, it also looks like the Cramorant was keeping survival gear supplies in a metal footlocker. They weren’t able to take everything and some survival supplies like fire lighters, MREs, a portable shelter, and an S.O.S. signal were left behind. While useful, you don’t see the need to carry these along, but you do find a weapon that was left behind in a steel security weapons case. When you pull it out and open it up, you see it’s some kind of hand-held or shoulder-mounted cannon armament with three trigger configurations. Meanwhile, there are plenty of spare cannon ball shots and black powder. You decide to take it, thinking this might be helpful in taking out some of these ghouls and chimeras lurking around.

[|AW| Vulcanfire Armament] (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Nia’s Pack.

You search the rest of the first building, but you don’t find anything else that seems to be of value. You then head back down a squeaky metal flight of stairs and head out the door to head toward the other building.

As you head outside, you notice the goggles and the shawl work quite well and you don’t need to squint anymore to look around. Once you head into the other building, the situation seems to be the same. A thin layer of dust remains on the floor but scuff marks imply others have been in here relatively recently. Still, you haven’t quite found the reason for that yet.

You find a lot more of the same in this second building. Most doors are locked, other lead to either apartments in disarray or ones that are completely vacant. The ones in disarray seem to tell the same story. Pokémon had to pack in a hurry and were told only to take the essentials and leave everything else behind.

In one of the apartments, you find it’s mostly empty save for a strange and unusual metal trunk that looks like it was in a fire. Black charred marks are all over it and some of the paint peeled and flaked off due to the heat. You try to open it, but it still looks like it’s locked tight and whatever lock this has wasn’t deterred or damaged by the flames. It then hits you that this trunk is a fireproof protective trunk and whatever is inside of it must have survived the whatever fire this was in.

You look at the keyhole and something strikes you as unusual. There are marks here that signify that when this trunk was in the fire, the key was still in the keyhole. However, now it’s been removed and the parts of the keyhole that were once shielded by the key’s presence are exposed and don’t show signs of being burnt. It strikes you as odd. Why remove the key now?

{Burnt Trunk: Brunt Trunk Keyhole} was noted in the Team Records.

You then realize that the key itself must be burnt like the rest of trunk. But you don’t see any sign of it anywhere. For now, you decide to leave the trunk alone, though you keep in mind that if you do find a burnt key, it would be worth trying to bring it back here to see if it can open this. You have a feeling that whatever is inside must be important enough to keep secure in one of these cases.

After searching the rest of the dusty building, you decide you’ve seen everything. It’s still a mystery as to who has been coming and going, but you think it’s safe to assume these may be the former tenants that now reside in the refuge area still making runs back here to recover essentials they left behind.

Having gathered quite a bit today, you decide to head back, feeling a lot more comfortable on the walk home now that you’ve found goggles and a shawl to wear for these kinds of situations.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military Dagger] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$196 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)
[|AW| Vulcanfire Armament] (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

I will learn to use Clairvoyance for today, and test it out on the punch card key.

You decide to seek out Syrax’s help and learn how to use Clairvoyance, taking the punch card key with you to see if he can help with finding out its purpose, or if he can help you discover it on your own. The walk to the cathedral is a bit of a challenge this morning with all of the dust and sand being blown everywhere, but you feel the trek through it all could be valuable and would be worth it.

After going to the cathedral, you find Syrax the Espeon meditating in the chapel, though it seems he’s already aware of your arrival and on top of that, exactly why you’re here. Still, he smiles and welcomes you in and you already feel it was a good move to reach out to him for advice and training.

“I’m glad you’ve come,” Syrax tells you with a reassuring smile that makes you feel you made a good choice. “While I have trained other psychic Pokémon before, you’re the first Pokémon I’ll be training that I hasn’t been a psychic themselves. But I’m confident we can do this together.”

You nod with a smile of confidence. Having this mysterious and quite useful power will surely come in handy.

Syrax shows you the ancient and runic texts that he used and studied to master this power, but he decides to give you the “express” version of the training, leaving out the origins, the lore, and the history behind the power and focusing purely on the essentials rather than their deeper, inmate meaning.

First, it’s required that you take the object you seek to discover its purpose and place it in your paws. The next step is to take a very comfortable, meditative stance. What’s required next of you is to completely clear your mind of all thoughts, wiping the slate clean. It seems easy at first, but then Syrax tells you the next step is challenging and requires astral projection. While the texts explain the purpose and basis for this in great detail, Syrax focuses the training not so much on the why and the history behind this practice, but mainly the way it’s done and how to do it yourself.

Once the training begins, he uses his telepathy to communicate to you rather than speak to you with words. You find it’s surprisingly more helpful this way as it allows you to focus more on the use of your mind rather than using your ears. By focusing this way, he gently guides you on how to temporarily sever the binding link between body and spirit. With your eyes shut, you follow his guidance, and allow your spirit to float outside of your mortal body. Where before you felt anchored in, now it’s as if you easily float and swim in the astral plane as if in light, breathable water.

But Syrax tells you not to open your eyes quite yet. Instead, you’re directed to go further and further, fearlessly making distance between yourself and your body. At first, you feel a bit anxious that you have gone so far away from your body that you feel you may have trouble finding your way back and will simply become a lost soul if you forever lose your way. Syrax senses this and assures you not to worry about that.

”Just keep going further…”

You then realize that Syrax needs you to go so far away from your body that you won’t be able to see it when you open your spiritual eyes. You realize that this is necessary, else the sudden shock of seeing your own body from outside often causes a sudden ping of anxiety and causes the spirit to be yanked right back into the body, forcing the whole process to have to restart.

You perform exactly as Syrax requests, heading high up into the sky while still keeping your spiritual eyes closed. Syrax informs you that as a beginner, it’s necessary to keep one’s eyes closed as the anxiety and fear of this unknown journey into the astral plane can be unnerving to the point where those attempting it just go back into their bodies to return to the safety of the known living world. But you place your trust in Syrax and go many thousands of feet high, past the roof of the cathedral and up into the cloudy skies above Exacta City.

”Now. Now you can open your eyes. But do it slowly…”

And slowly and carefully, you open your spiritual eyes in the astral plane. What you see is almost a bit shocking, but you focus your spiritual mind and accept this as normal. Before you, under you, is all of Exacta City. You see the refuge area, the Reach, and the OMEN crater, as if you were a bird Pokémon simply looking down upon the world from high above.

But the world of the astral plane is different, also. You see spiritual, ethereal mists and fog around you, and hear spiritual whispers in the winds around you. When you look up, the sky above is churning vortex of white, and for a moment, you see exactly what every good Pokémon soul sees upon death. A seemingly welcoming white light.

”Don’t look at that for too long. You’ll want to go toward it. And if you do and stray away too far, you won’t be able to return and your body here will go braindead.”

You heed his warning and focus back on the city below. It’s not nearly as captivating as the white light, but you know Syrax’s words are truthful.

”Now, look at what’s in your hands.”

You look down at your yellow Pikachu paws, which are now transparent. But what you also see is the punch card key.

”What you see is not the actual key itself, but it’s place in the universe. Its purpose, its making, its story, represented before you as this ethereal form. Even physical objects have a story starting from the very creation of the universe and the raw materials they began as. And it connects them to how they were made, who handled them, what they were made for, and what they’re connected to in the universe. There are so many connections to all things spanning over trillions of years, but it would take endless lifetimes to map all these connections even for just one physical object. Instead, focus on purpose at the very moment. Where does this device belong, and what was it used for? In the living plane, there are only questions and assumptions. In the astral plane, there is a connection to purpose at endless times, past, present, and future across endless dimensions and possible universes. Focus only on the present within this universe.”

Show me…

The astral insight then shows you, guides you, and pulls you toward Exacta City itself, but mainly one building in particular. At the very southern edge of the Southern Reach, you drift past the OMEN crater and are directed toward one dark and heavily damaged factory. You see from the sign by the front entrance that it’s the (80) Boyle Factory. As your spirit swims through the air and through the roof, you are guided toward the exact link to where this key card is used. On a badly damaged manufacturing floor, you see an old punch card reader, and its entry port matches the exact size and shape of the punch card key you’re holding.

Purpose. This is where and how the key is used…

And yet for this dark moment, this is all you can see. Even trying to look at other things in the factory reveals just dark, ethereal shadow.

{Ruined Manufacturing Floor Punch Card Reader: Punch Card Access} has been noted in the Team Records.

”Now then, allow yourself to come back to your body. It’s a simple form of recall focusing, reuniting your spirit with your body.”

You allow yourself to go back to your body, like returning home the same way a kite flying through the air is drawn back. Your body is still biologically alive, and is still your anchor with in the living world. You feel yourself being drawn toward it once again, rapidly moving and swimming through the city’s astral plane variation toward your body. When you see it, you see you’re still at rest, very deep in a trance-like meditation.

When you make contact, you suddenly wake up with a bit of a shock, realizing you need to breathe again.

Lita has learned the Clairvoyance ability!

For that moment, everything seems to have returned to normal, but having gone through that experience, it felt far more eye-opening than you could have ever imagined…

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$105 Sochas$
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

Night has fallen in Exacta City
Submit your Day 3: Night Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/kmdhct0.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2300600/day-3-night-cycle)

(November 26, 2020, 11:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[AD]

Investigate (34a) Hymn of Rebirth Cemetery

[Scytherwolf]

I guess I'll take a look at (27) Vinatech Sterilization Plant.

[Noblejanobii]

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png If what Rali said is true, then this information about Saadat is quite troubling.

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Maybe let's try to get his side of the story too. We've been deceived and given red herrings about stalkers before after all.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Good call. Okay I'll interview [SQE] Saadat the Dewott .

[C0L0R3D]

1951 I already got a plan for tonight. Let’s go challenge Scarlet the Weavile to a friendly spar!

[AgloMe Oen]

Investigate (34a) Hymn of Rebirth Cemetery

Suuure, okay! G͙̬͍͕̰̬͋́̇ͬr̯͉̩̼̗͛̍ͥ̉͑e͔͋ͬͤͤͬͦa͗t̆ͪ place to check o͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤut!

So tonight, in̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́stead of going to a party or going clubbing, you go flapping off to the cemetê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨry during this creepy night and no͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤ one even darê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd you to do it or is paying you. It’s dusty, it’s nasty, and it’s like someone’s spraying the contents of their vacuum cleaner right at yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤur face.

When you get there at the dark, scary, c͍ͬr̪̰͚̟͔̉͒ͫ͊̿͛ͅe̺͇̜̟̹͛̃̌̄̋̚ē͔̩̭̇̓ͬ̂͋ͅp͍̳ͥ̂̌y̆ͮ̆̊ ̅͆̐ ̺͔̬̪̻ͅg͕̖ͫ͌ͤͥ̀̄r̘͍̤͗̽a̩̖̳̩ͪ̉ͤͯ͋̔v̻͚͚ḙ̣̤̩̬̫̭̐̊͒͛̿y ̟̠͔̘̔̆̓a̫̭̝̝̜͎̋͗̌̋̓̋̆r̖͈̯̟̥͓ͫ̒̿̿d̲͇͔̋̅̾̇ at night because you think you’re cool stuff, you fly down and lan̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́d among all the hê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨadstones and graves. Some of them are readable, some of them are too old and no one will ever know whose remains are r̹̉̍ͦͪͤo͖̬̲̰̳̟ͮ̎͌t̙̯͓̹̟̆ͬ̎ͨ̾t̲͔͍͎͉i̟̬̹ͩ̂ͅn͖͇̯̞̪͔g̱ ̗̞ away here. Just as yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤu decide to take a gander about to see if anyonê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ left some nifty trinkets lying aroun̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́d… uh oh!

You hear a funky zombie moaning noisê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ and it looks like a certain Archeops thinks you’d make a great midn̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ight snack! Well, you’ve got no where to run so you decidê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ to try and roast his buttocks royally! Because why not? Vio͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤlence is always the answer to evê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨrything!


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been in̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́tercepted by OMEN Infectê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd and must defend yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤurself!

Battlê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ Track: Cliff Lin – Blood Money (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3d2N8SqUgk)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh, Size: Large, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/fire.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/flying.gif, HP: 10 (-2 all incoming damage), Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 90, Battle Stan̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ce: Heroic

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/567.png Ketros the Ghoul Archeops, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/rock.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/flying.gif, HP: 15 Dodge Rate: M:30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 110

Attack Order:

#1 Ketros the Gho͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤul Archeops
#2 Sacrê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd the Ho-oh

Fight!

Beforê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ you’re even able to spread yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤur win̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́gs and go flying right at this sucker, he laun̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ches a freakin̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́g Rock Slide of jagged, heavy rocks right in yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤur face!

Ketros strikes at Sacred! Rolls 90! Hit for 10 x 4 (Rock Supê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨr-effective VS Fire AND Flyin̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́g) = 40 – 2 (Damage resist from Fire Angel Amulet) = 38
Sacrê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd: -28HP

And they’re the last thing you see as they kn̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ock your lights o͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤut and squash your brain in̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́! But wow. -28HP, that’s like “okay, you completely explodê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd and there wasn’t enough left of you to make gravy” kin̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́d of damage!

Sacred was Ḵ͑̃̓̅͐͌͐I̫ͪͤ́ͭ̓ͬ̓L͚͗̀͛͐̒L̪̼̹͕̬̽̄̓ED̳̤͈͚ͫͭ̐ͮ̑̚̚ ͇͕ by the OMEN In̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́fected!

Normally I’d say “hê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨy, you should have healed up, kiddo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤ” but at 38 damage from a rock barrage of all thin̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́gs and with him slamming you with a maximum damage roll (yeah, luck was not o͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤn your agenda today!), splat you go! Nonê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ of that would have matterê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd when you got ŝͫͭ͋̾͑ͪpl̖͓̤̬̼̝̔̏ạ̹̮͖̖̽t̖̰̬̰̟̜̦ͦt͇͍̑ͯ̀͆ͅẹ̩̄̀̇̈́̀ ̦̲̪̝r͈̺̻͇̗͇̍ͤͬ̇ͭe̙̜ͫͣ̑ͩd̘͔̳̀͒̏͂́͒͑!̪͖̎ͩ̐ͩͮͪ̿ Hey, that rhymes so nicely!

With you dead, n̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ow that Archeops gê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨts to taste the rain̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́bow! As he feasts o͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤn your d͈͖͖̳e̥li̜̼̟̫̦g̭̩̪̦͚h̩͍̱̪̟tf͕͇̟͇̩ͅu̠͎̱̙l͉̻̼l̦̤͔̬y̟ ̠̙̻̲̭ ̱̹̪c̮͕̺̼͚o̦̭l͍͔͇̬͍͙o̺̦̳ṛ̬̲̙̰̤̣f͎̬̪̼͉ul̞͓̰ ̗̯̭͎̺c͕̭͉ͅo̹r͚p̞̯s̪̰̝e͖̣̱, he realizes you don’t taste like Skittles, but you get a 5/5 on Yelp anyway. And it’s appro͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤpriate becausê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ as a Ho-oh, you’re probably the closest-looking Pokémon to a turkey anyway. Happy Thanksgiving 2020! Pass the pumpkin pie when you get a chance? Oh yê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨah, that’s right, yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤu’re dead. I’ll get it myself. Psh, if you want somethin̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́g done right, gotta do it yourself, huh?

Oh, and guess what? Now Syrax, your dê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨvout follower and disciple who was so d̗̯̖̩̟͖͍i͖̞̝̞̠͙̹v̩̮ͅi̩̲̭̖ne͎͈̥l̫̜̝̫̱͚y̥͕͔̥ ̼̞̲̲͕e̼̼̦nl̖͓i̻̬̹̤̰̘g̳h̟̺̟͎͚̯̲te͓̟̤̦n̥̺e̙̯͇͙d to see you, gets to find his G͉̝͎͓̘͌̔̎̂͑O͔̻͎͙͂ͣ͒ͤD̰͚̜͖͓̙̺̰̀͐ͭ͑, lying dead just outside of a whole cathedral dedicatê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨd to you as a half-eaten̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ corpse in his own graveyard! Way to t̤͎͓͎̉ͦ̃͋̽r̳͙̹̯̹̖̟̅͛̅̒ā͍̦̮͖̼̏ͭ͗ȗ̲͉̤̫̉m̱̝̙̻͙͕͆̌̔̓ a̖͉͔̼͓̳̹̒ͨ́ͬ̾ṫ̠͎̋i̗̫̾̿ͫͧ̅ͥż͎̆̇e͔̱͉̟͔͚̞͎̍̿ that po͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤor Espeon for life! You couldn’t have found a more ironic way to go and die n̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ow, could you?

But hey, look at the bright sidê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨ of life! As least that Doom Tracker Kill Countê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨr doesn’t go up!

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/250.png Sacred the Ho-oh (L: Fire/Flying)

Health: 0/24 | Sanity: 10/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JW| Fire Angel Amulet] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken and reduces Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken.)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$357 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

Losses:

$178 Sochas$
[|JW| Fire Angel Amulet] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken and reduces Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken.)
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

Wow, you poor unfortun̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́ate soul! You lo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤst pretty much ê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨverything you could! Well, you still have the power of friendship an̬̯̮͙̲̣̩͚͕̫̤̹̠̤͗͗̐̄̉̂̆ͪ̿̊͊̋̾̅̄̈̈́̈́d that’s all yo͈̖̹̩̻̟̥̥͔̗͋́͆ͯ̀͗ͫ̈́͛̽̒ͤu need, right? Ha ha, yeah, right, having gê̱̹̳͍̻͕̝̣ͩ̂́ͩ̒̃ͨar’s better than that.

Ciao! I’m sure we’ll be doing this a̻͕̤͉̼̯̍ͮ̅̂ͫ̚g̤ͦͭ̈͌͌ͮͭa̮̟͇ͬͪ͗͑i̘̜̥̥͇̗͎̒͂̃̍̇n̂͛͊̇͋̾ ̥̪̔̆ soon enough!

[Neo Emolga]

Through the darkness, you hear a reassuring voice, a hope-instilling whisper that awakes you from the cold black of death.

It’s not over. We’re still strong, and we can still pull through together. Please, Emissary. Arise again, reborn anew.

You awaken, able to open your eyes once more, but now within a new body. You find yourself reborn as Heatran, now outside the steel mill in Exacta City once again. It will be a new day tomorrow, and a new chance to bring peace to this world.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/485.png Sacred the Heatran (M: Fire/Steel)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$178 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

I guess I'll take a look at (27) Vinatech Sterilization Plant.

As the night begins to wash over the city, you head out of the steel mill and quickly dart your way toward the Vinatech sterilization plant in the Northern Reach. Thankfully, the dust and sand winds are dying down tonight and aren’t nearly as harsh as they were this morning.

As expected, the Northern Reach is eerily quiet and seemingly devoid of life. Every building is devoid of light and from a distance are nothing more than jet-black rectangular shapes. Moans of OMEN ghouls are still apparent and echo through the dusty abandoned streets. You use the shadows and the readily available cover of buildings and abandoned vehicles to keep away from the hungering dead.

Eventually after a few minutes of darting, surveillance, and strategic maneuvers, you reach the sterilization plant, which you find is a long, narrow brown-brick building that has only taken a minor bit of damage since the OMEN strike and earthquakes happened. A few cracked bricks, the very occasional broken window, and other such minor disturbances are all that you find. Nothing a little repair work couldn’t fix.

You use the last hour of daylight remaining to dart around the exterior, trying to find anything that stands out as suspicious or useful. Still, in the dark shadows, you don’t find much besides some empty medical boxes made of metal and a few long-abandoned shipping crates. Any medical supplies that were remaining have long-expired and were ruined from the elements.

You decide to head through the two front metal doors and then you look around. Most of the plant sterilization equipment is still here, though it hasn’t been turned on in years and would likely need some maintenance work before it could be used again. From an initial evaluation, Vinatech had equipment to perform all kinds of necessary sterilization from gamma to x-ray to radiation and several others. The building seemed to have kept most of the equipment from deteriorating from the harsh sandstorms outside, but it does look like some Pokémon were here somewhat recently, likely out to look for anything salvageable.

Unfortunately, you don’t find too much to salvage on the first and second floor. Most of the equipment is for very specific sterilization purposes that you can’t think of a way for the Emissaries to use while other large equipment units look like someone opened them up to get at the circuitry and machine components inside to repurpose them. All the while, the building seems to be in okay shape despite a few salvager Pokémon going through it. The tiled floor is in tact and the walls only appear to have some dust and cobwebs around them.

You then decide to head down to the lower sublevel, only when you get to the large steel security door at the bottom of the stone steps, you quickly find it’s in bad shape.

You attempt to repair it, but you don’t get too far. The AG0143 Module is damaged beyond repair and that’s the only thing with the firmware needed to power and regulate the controls to this door. As much as you want to fix it, it needs to be completely replaced. The components are far too corroded and the breaks in the circuitry are so small and precise that they could never be repaired by hand.

Meanwhile, with no power left in the emergency reserve, you feel some electric Pokémon is going to need to put in enough juice to get this up and running again at least on emergency power. You’re pretty confident it can at least run on this limited capacity, but not forever. Still, as long as it’s long enough to get this security door opened one last time, that’s all you need.

{Damaged Sublevel Door: Replacement AG0143 Module AND +Electric Type+} has been noted in the Team Records.

For now, you don’t find anything else that seems to have any value to it. You decide to head back and you quickly fly your way through the night as your dark green carapace conceals you in the dark sky.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

[EmeraldSky]

Scytherwolf Neo Emolga

I can go repair that door for you...

[Chibi Altaria]

OOC: I'm going to equip the Vulcanfire Armament, place the Military Dagger in the Team Inventory and use Medicine on Lycellus. Phew.

Nia made sure all her equipment was ready to treat Lycellus. Because the Eternatus was so big, she prepared a few booster shots to go straight to its heart. That should do the trick. The Alolan Vulpix smiled as she tested a syringe totally not creepy.

[Lychee]

Nico was a different pokemon yesterday, so he highly doubted anyone would catch on to the fact he was going to talk his way into the Exacta Military compound again.
This time, the other side!

He quietly lumbered off to search (14b) Western Side Aurorawatch Military Bunker, passing a vaguely familiar Heatran on his way out.

[Shruikan]

Gak, I couldn't get online before the timer ended ;_;

If I can still get in my action a bit late, then I'll investigate the {Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+} at (28) Riverside Park.

[Neo Emolga]

Gak, I couldn't get online before the timer ended ;_;

If I can still get in my action a bit late, then I'll investigate the {Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+} at (28) Riverside Park.

It's totally fine, I know yesterday was Thanksgiving so no worries there, I'll definitely count this.

[Neo Emolga]

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png If what Rali said is true, then this information about Saadat is quite troubling.

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Maybe let's try to get his side of the story too. We've been deceived and given red herrings about stalkers before after all.

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Good call. Okay I'll interview [SQE] Saadat the Dewott .

Interview Rapport: NEUTRAL, INTIMIDATING
+Intimidation (Grass VS Water)

As the sun begins its descent, you head out of the steel mill Emissary base and make your way south toward the military compound. Thankfully tonight, the dusty winds have died down and you don’t find yourself needing to squint so much. Still, as you look around, it seems as though there are even fewer Pokémon walking about. Remembering what happened to Nico, you keep an eye on everything that’s around you, making sure the shadows stay exactly where they’re supposed to…

Once you arrive at the compound, you feel you might have gotten a bit lucky as Saadat is serving on patrol duty tonight and is already out and about, keeping a watchful eye on everything. He has some light metal armor plates on that bear the Aurorawatch symbol while wearing goggles on top of his head, not using them at the moment as the wind isn’t all that bothersome right now. Still, with the way he keeps watch on everything, it makes you wonder if he even sleeps…

When you find a good opportunity and it doesn’t look like he’s busy, you approach him and introduce yourself, mentioning that you’re here looking into the Stalkers and you mention Rali had something for you to investigate.

“She’s something else…” Saadat grumbles, looking away as his thoughts come to him. “She mentioned that you would be coming around. Quite frankly, I would never break protocol like this and trust a complete stranger, but the alternative is doing nothing and I already know nothing will come out of this otherwise.”

He looks like he doesn’t really approve of what he’s doing, but he decides to do it anyway.

“It’s… a stone,” Saadat tells you, showing you the odd red and black rock he’s holding. “Something about it just… look, I’m not a superstitious Pokémon, but this goes beyond science. I’ll just confess I don’t know how to research it, so I agreed to hand it off to you. This thing has only made my life more of a living hell, so if you really want it, you can take it.”

He then hands the stone to you and you hold out your paws to receive it. But when he places the dark red and black rock in your hands, suddenly you realize what the matter was…

#Mind-Warp Presence (5 Sanity Damage)# Trap 40% Evasion Test: 3 out of 100: Failed!

Noble has taken 5 points of damage to Sanity.

Your mind suddenly l͕͔ͅͅͅu̠̝̲̜͜r̮͙̝͜c̪̜͖̹̺̦h̩̤̤̳͈͘e̜͎̲͔̭̘s̫ in mental agony as your cognitive ability is scrambled and distorted. You mumble to yourself, v̗̟̟̺̔ͬ̿̓́̿ͅo̳͇̯͇̠̹m̖͎̒i̱̟̝̗̬̤͉ťͭ̄̇ͤ̽ͦi͓n͎̥̲ͨ̿ͮ̐̌ ̫̭̦g̩͙͍̭͚̘ͨͣͨ incoherent statements as your eyes roll back. It even makes you twitch, as if a deranged, mindless insect cerebral bore was d͎̖̤̙̺̗̙ͭ̇̍i̹̙̟̘̇̚g̹g̟͉͑ͤ̔̒î͖̟̅̀ͣ͋ͣ̇n͈͎̙̱̪̥͍͊̾ͤg̈́ ̜̯̜̰͆ͅ ̬̭͎̯̼͔̥i͐͌̉n̼̮̙̲̔t̐ͣȏ̞ͪ̌̌̉̇ ̺͓͚̳ͤ͆y̓o̥̟͕͎͕͍̔͋u̖̪͚̼r̙̞̬̖̺͓ ̘̦͉̼ͬ̔͐̆̔b͍̩͇̗ͤ͆͌ͩr̺̖͈̺ͣ͒̏ͦ̀̉ͥǎ̯͍̞̣i̹̺̜̒͊̃ṋͯ͌̏̃̐ ̖̪̼̰̹ͅ, ripping through your knowledge and mental abilities, leaving you helpless and paralyzed to do anything about it.

#[Wrath Stone of the NECOMID] Mind-warp Presence – (5 Sanity Damage)# has been added to the Team Inventory.

“Are you still there?” Saadat asks.

You barely pull off a nod…

“Look, just take it and go,” Saadat tells you quickly, looking impatient. “I need to get back to my post before I get chewed out. As far as the Stalkers go, your guess is as good as mine.”

And he’s gone before you’re able to get more information, but as least he gave you the stone even without the paperwork. Still, you begin to understand why he’s been acting this way…

You decide to head back to base with the dark stone, and you can just feel the grim, scrambled aura coming out of it. You’re quite certain this hideous stone doesn’t at all belong in this world and certainly didn’t come from here…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

1951 I already got a plan for tonight. Let’s go challenge Scarlet the Weavile to a friendly spar!

You decide you’re ready to take on Scarlet and accept her challenge. It feels like a good night for it, and you figure you could use her help since she definitely seems to be quite capable.

As you head into town, you ask around for Scarlet and an old Raichu tells you were to find her, hanging around the Armament Bunker like she usually does as she takes a smoke break. You follow his directions and you find the Weavile in question, just about to wrap up and head back to her apartment.

“Hey you!” Scarlet calls out to you, flicking her burnt cigarette away. “What you hangin’ around here for?”

“About that duel you wanted,” you tell her. “Bring it on.”

“Oh boy, sugar, I’ve been waitin’ a while for this,” Scarlet smirks with confidence. “At least help me enjoy this before I take you out!”

She then readies her claws as you give her a challenging glare.


SPARRING BATTLE!
You have challenged Scarlet the Weavile to a duel!

Battle Track: Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel – Battle with Critters (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU3z8o1vgAc)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad, Size: Medium, Type: , HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10+3, Speed: 69

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

Scarlet the Weavile

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/dark.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/ice.gif, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 125

Attack Order:

#1 Scarlet the Weavile
#2 Misty the Palpitoad

Fight!

Scarlet doesn’t even waste a breath before she lunges at you, racing toward you with breakneck speed. While you may not be as fast as her, you try your best to anticipate how she’ll strike and you quickly prepare to avoid the attack.

Scarlet strikes at Misty! Rolls 79! Hit for 3!
Misty: 17HP

Despite your best efforts, her claw still rakes into your side and it stings for but a moment. Still, it’s just a minor scratch and it’s not going to slow you down.

As she leaps into the air, you attempt to take a furious swing at her with your sledgehammer, anticipating where the head of the hammer will be when she lands. You throw your full might into it and make the best swing you can.

Misty strikes at Scarlet! Rolls 67! Hit for 4+3=7!
Scarlet: 13HP

It’s a very hard blow into her thigh and it does make her tumble for a moment.

“Ow!” She shouts, dusting herself off. “Okay, I’m gonna make you pay for that! You got lucky, but you’re about to see why that thing’s only going to slow you down!”

She dashes at you furiously and attempts a Night Slash attack on you, rushing and swiping as her claws are enveloped by a dark energy.

Scarlet strikes at Misty! Rolls 25! Miss!
Misty: 17HP

But she doesn’t expect you to use the metallic shaft of the hammer to block the attack. Instead, her claw strikes the shaft with no results and doesn’t connect with you. By the time she’s able to prepare another strike with her other claw, you step out of the way and are no longer within her reach.

“Ragh, you’re a feisty one!” Scarlet laughs. “Good, I don’t like dealin’ with chumps!”

She attempts to dash away, but you charge in furiously and attempt to hit her back with a ferocious reprisal.

Misty strikes at Scarlet! Rolls 24! Miss!
Scarlet: 13HP

But your swing goes wild and the hammer hits nothing but air. And Scarlet laughs, pointing her claw at you!

“See, I knew that was going to slow you down!” she taunts you. “Come on, stop tryin’ to hit me and hit me! But it ain’t too late to quit if you can’t!”

She then makes her next move, rushing forward and jumping into the air with gymnastic-like maneuvers, flipping and somersaulting into action, making her attack unpredictable. You brace yourself for anything, but then out of the blue, she strikes forward with her claw again.

Scarlet strikes at Misty! Rolls 43! Hit for 5!
Misty: 12HP

It hits hard and you recoil for the sudden laceration stings as her claw cuts into your abdomen. After grunting the pain off, you use her moment of confidence against her and make a reprisal attack sooner than she was thinking you would. You turn and swing before she’s able to dash around you…

Misty strikes at Scarlet! Rolls 43! Hit for 7+3=10!
Scarlet: 3HP

And it connects perfectly, hitting her hard in the chest and causing her to stumble and go rolling into the dusty ground. After the cloud of dust blows away, you can see she’s a bit hurt, but still not willing to give up.

“Oh boy, now I’m mad,” Scarlet snarls with a wicked grin. “I’m gonna make you eat that thing when I win, so I hope you came hungry!”

Again, she rushes in, using her same acrobatic like tactics since it seems to be working for her. It doesn’t give you too much insight as to what to prepare for, but you decide to take a defensive stance and attempt to use the shaft of the sledgehammer as a defense barrier.

Scarlet strikes at Misty! Rolls 85! Hit for 4!
Misty: 8HP

But it doesn’t work as Scarlet suddenly leaps into the air and strikes you in the back. It causes you to stumble forward, but you recover and avoid tumbling into the ground.

“Yeah, take it like a pro!” Scarlet laughs. “I am enjoyin’ this after all!”

She then rushes in to try the same thing again, but you recognize her attack pattern and now know how to prepare for it. Just when she’s about to make her strike, you throw a hard swing preemptively into the area where she’s about to land in behind you.

Misty strikes at Scarlet! Rolls 52! Hit for 8+3=11!
Scarlet: -8HP

And it absolutely pummels her hard in the process. She’s completely swept off her feet and lands first on her butt before she’s completely down on the ground. When the dust settles, she looks exhausted and is breathing heavily as dust and dirt is all over her.

Misty has defeated Scarlet the Weavile!

All enemies defeated. Misty is victorious.

Loot Collected:
<None>

“Owww, ow,” Scarlet moans, slowly getting up off the dusty ground. “Hot… damn, okay, you got me. Geez, you sure don’t fall for the same tricks twice.”

“Nope,” you smile in return.

“Okay, now that I know you guys are not the same kinds of pushover coward chumps I’ve had the displeasure of dealin’ with before, I’ll pitch in,” Scarlet tells you. “You’ve got guts and I like that. I like working with folks who have guts.”

Side Mission: Shed the Red COMPLETED!

“Just, let me have tonight to rest this off,” Scarlet smiles with a bit of embarrassment. “Man, you hit like you were trying to pulverize my unborn grandchildren. Well no matter, see you in the morning!”

She then heads off, limping a bit for a moment, but then eventually walking it off just fine. You’re curious to know what her exact motives art, but it seems like she’s got good intentions and will keep true to her word.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$150 Sochas

[Neo Emolga]

Scytherwolf Neo Emolga

I can go repair that door for you...

You decide to head out this evening after Carly mentioned there was a sublevel door that needed a jolt of electricity, something you could definitely provide. Thankfully, the dust and sand winds have died down and aren’t nearly as obstructive as they were this morning and early afternoon.

You take note that the streets are definitely a bit more deserted this evening, but it reminds you to watch your back at all times. What happened to Nico last night is still a very vivid memory and you shudder to think about it happening to you. Still, you do your best to minimize the noise you make and try not to venture out into the open when possible.

After walking into the Northern Reach, you keep an observant eye open, as now you know Aurorawatch’s gaze on this area not as vigilant, you’re on your own to avoid running into ghouls and chimeras. Still, you tread carefully, using abandoned vehicles, walls, and other obstructions to make sure the coast is clear before making your way forward.

You come across one abandoned passenger vehicle that has a black, hooded shawl still in fairly good condition. Though it’s a bit big for your size and was likely sized for a Pokémon double your height, it still fits around you and it helps conceal you even further, covering your yellow fur and making you almost as dark as a shadow. Thankfully, it seems to be effective as a two ghouls, a hideous Carracosta ghoul and a Furfrou ghoul that has lost almost all of its fur, pass by and never notice you.

Once you finally make it to the sterilization plant, you head down to the sublevel stairs and find the Damaged Sublevel Door that Carly had located earlier. Using a flashlight, you check it over and it looks like she was right. The AG0143 Module is definitely beyond repair. Meanwhile, it looks like emergency power must have run out a while ago, which doesn’t surprise you considering it’s been three years since the OMEN incident and it definitely looks like the building’s been unused for that entire time.

You investigate the electrical box’s wiring and you find two connecting wires that connect to the power unit. You decide to take the two connecting wires, place the ends on your red cheeks, and carefully discharge your electrical power into them, making sure not to overload it all at once. As your electricity now circulates throughout the system, it causes the emergency lighting to flicker back on and then consistently stay on. Still, you try to keep a steady pace of discharging, making sure it’s getting enough juice but not more than it can handle that could potentially damage the whole system.

It takes almost a half hour’s worth of generous electrical discharge, but after nearly exhausting all of your electricity, you’ve given the emergency power system at least enough juice to go on for an additional three weeks, which you imagine should be plenty of time to work with before it goes out again.

{Damaged Sublevel Door: Replacement AG0143 Module AND +Electric Type+}

You check the console display readout on the sublevel door and it looks like it’s on and power is running through it. However, you get a display readout of “WARNING: SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DETECTED, CONTACT MAINTENANCE ADMINISTRATOR.” Still, it’s nothing to be alarmed about as you know that error message is definitely because of the damaged AG0143 module. Once a replacement is found, you figure that should be enough to get things up and going with this door.

With that out of the way, you decide to head back to base, carefully heading back the same way you came, and making sure you watch the shadows behind your back on the way home.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$105 Sochas$
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

OOC: I'm going to equip the Vulcanfire Armament, place the Military Dagger in the Team Inventory and use Medicine on Lycellus. Phew.

Nia made sure all her equipment was ready to treat Lycellus. Because the Eternatus was so big, she prepared a few booster shots to go straight to its heart. That should do the trick. The Alolan Vulpix smiled as she tested a syringe totally not creepy.

After gearing up with the Vulcanfire Armament, you decide to put the Military Dagger into the equipment locker in case you want to grab it later or let someone else take it with them.

With that all set, you decide to get to work on Lycellus, seeing that while he’s physically healthy, his mental state has taken a horrendous beating and his spirit itself has been shackled by shadowy presences.

The booster shots seem to be quite effective and they get him to relax while you prepare a homebrewed cocktail of antidepressants and cognitive remedies to help clear his mind of the corruptive mental trauma he’s endured from that cursed children’s book and codec. With it, you mix in some of Syrax’s holy water to purify his soul, using your medicinal knowledge to help the regiment find the fastest and most effective way to his heart and cleanse it of the darkness surrounding it.

It’s almost an adventure in itself to climb on his back and arrive at the spot on his back that would serve as the best possible injection sight, but you make it and administer the medicinal cocktail you’ve created.

Within minutes, the reagents circulate through his body and fully restore his mental and spiritual state back to normal.

Lycellus’s Sanity and Purity stats have been fully restored!

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$170 Sochas$

He seems to be doing much better and it looks as though the horrors of those cursed items is now nothing more than a distant memory, like nothing more than a silly nightmare he had as a child that he barely even remembers.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Vulcanfire Armament] (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$196 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)

[Neo Emolga]

Nico was a different pokemon yesterday, so he highly doubted anyone would catch on to the fact he was going to talk his way into the Exacta Military compound again.
This time, the other side!

He quietly lumbered off to search (14b) Western Side Aurorawatch Military Bunker, passing a vaguely familiar Heatran on his way out.

You decide to head south to the Exacta Military Compound tonight, enjoying the fact that the wind and dust isn’t a nuisance like it was earlier today. For one thing, you figure no one will ever know you were the Cinccino that was there yesterday.

As you slowly walk down, you eventually arrive at the western side where Aurorawatch has their center of operations. Even at this hour, many Pokémon are standing guard and keeping a vigilant watch on things. However, it seems as though they’re mainly on the lookout for ghouls and chimeras, not necessarily normal-looking Pokémon, which does give you a bit of an advantage.

When you get to the large, metallic bunker door, you see a battle-hardened Furret with combat armor and holding some kind of hand-held cannon armament. She looks a bit tired, as if her face says she’d rather be out in the field hunting ghouls rather than just standing here doing nothing. Meanwhile, a younger Aurorawatch Jolteon is there sitting beside her, looking like he can’t wait until his shift is over. You lumber toward the Furret, who looks a bit more alert when you arrive.

“Sup,” she greets you. “Need something?”

“Yeah, uhh, I’m a little lost,” you tell her, shrugging a bit. “I’m looking for Paladin Crez regarding the Aurorawatch Reserve Officer Training Corps program, but they didn’t tell me where I needed to go.”

“Bloody hell, yeah, I’m not surprised,” the Furret sighs. “But really, you’re meeting him at this hour?”

“Yeah,” you shrug, looking away a bit. “He mentioned this was the only time slot he has available for a preliminary screening interview and I’m already running late. Have either of you seen him lately?”

“Nope, can’t say I have,” the Jolteon replies with a skeptical look on his face.

“Same, me neither,” the Furret adds. “He’s probably inside. If you ask around, someone might know where he is and can probably help you out.”

“Okay, thanks so much,” you reply to her.

She then lets you in and you start your investigation. From what you can see, while they tried to make this look and feel like a more authentic military compound with mess halls, bunkers, training areas, fitness rooms, and all the other facilities Aurorawatch’s soldiers would need, it still looks much more like the hotel it used to be. They haven’t changed the aesthetic very much and despite all the repurposing they’ve done, the building’s original purpose is definitely still very much apparent.

Thankfully, it doesn’t look like too many soldiers are moving about, which allows you to explore freely. While some activities are still going on tonight and you can still find occasional Aurorawatch soldiers going about their nightly business, most of the rooms and facilities are locked down for the evening. Still, even despite that, you don’t find too many things out of the ordinary.

You soon arrive at the quartermaster’s area, as well as the military supply holding and storage. A good portion of it seems to be under tight scrutiny to avoid theft. From what you can see, Aurorawatch’s main issue isn’t lack of weaponry or equipment. They definitely seem to be quite well-stocked as far as that goes. What they’re really lacking in is overall staff and manpower.

Around this area, you also find an equipment and resource salvaging center. Most of the desks and workbenches seem to be empty, though they’ve left a lot of scattered equipment around. Broken weapons, armor, and other technologies are also here, but you come across one circuit board that seems very suspicious.

From an outside glance, nothing seems wrong with it, looking like an average circuit board for a “Wall Vault” system. Some of the capacitors and transistors look like they’ve been burnt out and need to be replaced. Still, what stands out the most about it is the fact there’s a noticeable Stalker’s dark aura drifting from it. That definitely raises a red flag.

You’re not quite sure how this piece of equipment got here, but it’s likely that Aurorawatch might have found it out in the field and decided to recover it to see if it was worth salvaging, repairing, or repurposing depending on the kind of circuity it has. Still, they probably aren’t aware it has a connection to the Stalkers in some way, and they may end up scrapping it without realizing there’s something deeper going on.

You look over your shoulder to make sure no one’s watching, and you decide to take it. You figure better to take it and have another Emissary repair it rather than leave it here and later on discover Aurorawatch disposed of it, never realizing the truth…

[Damaged “Wall Vault” Circuit Board: <Repair>] has been added to the Team Inventory.

You continue to search throughout the rest of the compound, but you don’t find anything else that stands out as being suspicious. You decide to head back and as you head out the door, you see that the Furret and Jolteon are no longer there, likely having fulfilled their shift for the night. Instead, you pass by an Aurorawatch Unfezant that doesn’t say a word to you as you go out and leave.

Once you walk away from the compound, you head back up north toward the steel mill, making sure no one’s watching you tonight either. You definitely don’t want a repeat of what happened last night…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/143.png Nico the Snorlax (L: Normal)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$325 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Neo Emolga]

Gak, I couldn't get online before the timer ended ;_;

If I can still get in my action a bit late, then I'll investigate the {Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+} at (28) Riverside Park.

After hearing Scared found that Shrouded Draconic Alcove in Riverside Park, you decided to check it out for yourself to see what’s going on with it. Sacred noted that there was a small, hidden alcove that looked like it had been around for some time, though a dragon type Pokémon must have found it recently and decided to make it a hiding spot. While he wasn’t able to address it at the time, you know you definitely have the capability to, so you volunteer to look into it to see what exactly its hiding.

You head out of the steel mill Emissary base and fly your way southeast toward the park. You try to follow the directions Sacred gave, noting that is was around the far northern outskirt of the park. It’s quite easy to miss and when you do eventually find it, you see the jade-colored draconic barrier that’s blocking the entrance.

With a simple Dragonbreath attack, you unleash a torrent of biting, green-colored flames upon the barrier, which then melts into nothingness like ice on a burning hot plate.

{Shrouded Draconic Alcove: +Dragon Type+}

After the barrier vanishes, you realize it’s too small for your whole body to enter, so you crawl head-first into the alcove. Thankfully, it doesn’t go very deep at all and it looks like it was intended to hide one thing only.

At the very end of the small tunnel, you find a golden key with an intricately designed eight-pointed star on the base while the prongs at the end of the key have an ornate style to them. It instantly reminds you of the Sun Key that was found in Ashen Park and you definitely think there’s a connection between the two.

You’re not able to reach in and grab it with your claw, but you’re able to bite down on it and hold it in your mouth as you pull your body back out of the tunnel. Once you’re out, you place the key into your claw and stow it away for later.

[Star Key] was added to the Team Inventory.

With that errand taken care of, you then head back to base, flying through the night sky to get some rest before tomorrow morning arrives.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$170 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

10 Saadat the Dewott has been murdered by the Stalkers.

There was nothing preparing Aurorawatch for what they were about to find in the morning. But when Paladin Neshen the Drapion had been informed about it, she frankly wasn’t surprised.

“Hey, eh, Neshen,” Terene the Nickit had approached the Drapion.

“It’s Paladin Neshen, you scrub squire!” Neshen scolded the fox Pokémon. “What the hell is so important right now?”

“It’s Saadat,” Terene told her with a grimace. “They found his body this morning. Wasn’t a ghoul or a chimera either. Definitely a Stalker.”

To Neshen, Saadat was just another scrub squire just like Terene. She didn’t even care all that much about him. To her, he was a young, stuck-up try-hard that was probably trying to brown nose his way up through the ranks. To her, it was a joke, the kid was barely past puberty and here he was acting like he was hot stuff and ready to take on being the next commander. Neshen hated kids that thought they were child prodigies like that. Still, Neshen wasn’t in the mood for more superstitious excuses. The Stalkers were just these boogeymen to her and so far hadn’t killed anyone that was actually important to her. Still, that didn’t mean they might one day and she wanted to see exactly what lead them to this conclusion that an Aurorawatch Squire was killed by one of them.

“How the hell are you so sure it’s a Stalker?” Neshen questioned her. “We’ve had plenty of Squires killed by ghouls and chimeras before, so be sure of this because you’re wasting my time if it’s not.”

“Well,” Terene shrugged with a smile, “unless ghouls and chimeras suddenly started writing poems about whoever they killed, I’d say Obscene did this one again.”

“Remind me who this ‘Obscene’ is and why I should care,” Neshen spat back at her.

“Yeah, ‘Obscene,’ likes to kill Pokémon and then write kiddie stories and poems about how they died,” Terene replied a bit with a nervous smile. “Come see for yourself.”

Neshen had a lot to do today, but she decided to see exactly why Terene was talking about just so she would be in the know considering there was a good chance it would come up today if one of Aurorawatch’s own was murdered.

She was led to the outside and realized Saadat’s body was not found within the compound itself, but instead outside. Around the exterior of the building, they found the body of the Dewott… and the head about ten feet away from it, face-down it the dusty dirt. Initiate Rali the Treecko was there, still looking shocked about the whole thing while Ancho the Claydol was trying to assess cause of death and other forensics.

“Yeah, eh, like I said, Obscene wrote a story poem and left it by his headless body,” Terene chuckled nervously. “Eh heh, it goes like-“

“I don’t want to bloody hear it,” Neshen snapped. “What the hell made you think I want to hear a poem?”

“It’s cool, thought you might want it as, eh, evidence,” Terene tried to smile. “Yeah, you’re right, what was I thinking? Silly me.”

Terene decided not to pursue it any further, and it wasn’t long before Neshen had left, not even wanting an update or report regarding Saadat’s murder.

“How could she be so heartless?” Rali asked as she approached Terene the Nickit, surprised about how unconcerned Neshen was regarding Saadat’s death. “What if this happened to her!?”

“Yeah, don’t think anyone would miss her,” Terene shrugged. “Kinda makes me wonder if she’s one of them…”

Doom Tracker:
3/40

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 4: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2310570/day-4-day-cycle)

(December 2, 2020, 11:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee Ho-Oh Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[C0L0R3D]

Misty let out a harsh sigh, lightly dragging her feet across the floor. “Obscene again? Man, this one must be a hard worker.” She ponders, before having a quick brainstorm. “Hey, I know! For today, I’ll buy a copy of the Codebreaker Magazine from Exacta City Newsstand, and then assess this [Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>] so somebody with Repair can swoop right in after I’m done!

[Noblejanobii]

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png Man it's a good thing we spoke with that Dewott when we did.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png No kidding. I can't believe he's...

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Let's not dwell on it too much. We got what we needed from them. For now let's just tackle whatever is next on the list.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png Right yeah...

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Madder's not gonna like this one but I want to Use Seinaru on the Mysterious Celestial Starmap

https://i.imgur.com/uOQzuGJ.png Eth holy powers. Disgusting. If you need me I'll be anywhere but here with Miss Priestess.

[Scytherwolf]

Feel like doing some more exploring. I'll look around (74) Luminous Shopping Center

[Lychee]

Nico was confused and upset, but not deterred by the news of the death today. After all, it had happened to him too. He felt a bit guilty about being able to recover from it, while most pokemon couldn't.

He wandered to the marketplace to go buy a CodeCracker (technical) magazine for 100 sochas. He didn't really intend to read it during the day, but there certainly were some broken things piling up that needed fixing. If he had the time, he'd use that magazine with Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>... But he wasn't sure if he would be able to do both read AND explore.
Exploring took priority.

It was time to follow up on a lead that was gleaned during one of the few interviews. Nico headed to the (20) Exacta City Police Precinct (ABANDONED)

[Scarlet the Weavile]

https://i.postimg.cc/KjpFwHBg/Scarlet-Normal.png I think it's high time that I kick things off strong. Feeling adventurous today sugars? I sure am. I'll help out today by checking out the old (45) Cedarwood Apartments (ABANDONED). After that sparring match. Not even a rabid Arcanine would dare snap at this gal.

[Neo Emolga]

Misty let out a harsh sigh, lightly dragging her feet across the floor. “Obscene again? Man, this one must be a hard worker.” She ponders, before having a quick brainstorm. “Hey, I know! For today, I’ll buy a copy of the Codebreaker Magazine from Exacta City Newsstand, and then assess this [Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>] so somebody with Repair can swoop right in after I’m done!

After waking up, you head out during the early morning hours and make your way to the mall. It’s a bit quiet and there are a number of Pokémon still sleeping, but you find the Exact City Newsstand is already open and Dole the Vaporeon is selling his wares, including today’s paper. You tell him you would like this month’s copy of Codecraker and pay him the 100 sochas. He then hands over a copy of this month’s issue.

Misty has spent $100 Sochas for the [“Codecracker” Magazine]

With the magazine in hand, you then head back to the steel mill and pull out the [Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>]. By now, the water has dried, but the damage has already been done. Despite it being in bad shape, there’s still a chance it can work, so you spend the whole morning reading through Codecracker’s articles, picking up on a lot of the technical jargon and schematic mapping. The few articles they have about effective network mapping, systems configuration, and reprogramming are interesting reads, and you try to see if you can apply that same knowledge to the Namaxa Broadcasting Console.

Misty has used the [“Codecracker” Magazine]

Though some of it relates and corresponds, it’s not a substitute for an instruction manual, but it does get you by in terms of setting up the dials and antenna to the correct configuration to achieve an effective broadcast. Still, it would definitely help if the equipment was repaired, but at least you’re able to prepare it as far as it can go. Whatever you can’t configure here and now due to hardware damage, you’re at least able to take detailed notes in terms of what the next user needs to do in order to perform the full system setup and get the console back online once the essential components have been repaired.

[Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>]

Now it just needs the components themselves to be fixed and there might just be a chance this could contact the outside world…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$50 Sochas

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.imgur.com/ZFSWNeQ.png Man it's a good thing we spoke with that Dewott when we did.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/640374858986946580/unknown.png No kidding. I can't believe he's...

https://i.imgur.com/T8IHL6V.png Let's not dwell on it too much. We got what we needed from them. For now let's just tackle whatever is next on the list.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/509939533757022209/614833694716461069/unknown.png Right yeah...

https://serebii.net/supermysterydungeon/pokemon/492.png Madder's not gonna like this one but I want to Use Seinaru on the Mysterious Celestial Starmap

https://i.imgur.com/uOQzuGJ.png Eth holy powers. Disgusting. If you need me I'll be anywhere but here with Miss Priestess.

Paying no mind to Madder, you decide to use the morning to use Utopia’s holy magic on the Mysterious Celestial Starmap, relying on your innate divine insight and divination to unlock whatever answers this mysterious piece of paper has. As you gaze upon it and allow your white paws to be enveloped with holy, purifying light, it is as if you can explore and unravel the entirety of the universe just from this page.

And it almost instantly overwhelms you with just how endlessly expansive it all is. Still, using the spiritual power of Seinaru leads you to a different location, a dimension even beyond the stars. Once set, you trace your way toward where the divination leads you and it locks in upon a place where no living Pokémon has been before…

When you open your eyes, what you see upon the map is the very location of Utopia itself…

[Mysterious Celestial Starmap: <Seinaru> has become the

What you see before you on the Starmap now is the full, visual location of where Utopia connects to the rest of the universe.

Unable to contain your excitement, you quickly go into the storage cabinet and retrieve the metallic plates that make up the , realizing the connection between the two of them. You look over the otherworldly metallic slates and you match the celestial configurations with the Utopia rune markings.

You take very detailed notes and establish the link between the Utopia Channel Map and the Utopia Channel Coordinates in terms of distance, mapping, and direction. Once you finish, you almost can’t believe what you now hold in your white, Shaymin paws…

…it’s the exact roadmap and location of Utopia’s hidden location in the universe. If only you had a starship that could reach this very spot, you could visit Utopia, the afterlife paradise of all good Pokémon…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
[u]EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
[u]MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Feel like doing some more exploring. I'll look around (74) Luminous Shopping Center

Feeling particularly brave this morning, you decide to go where most Pokémon dread going: right into the Southern Reach. However, you know considering the way the Stalkers have been behaving, it’s only a matter of time that these dark places will need to be investigated. It seems the darker, more forgotten places in Exacta City have become ripe for Stalker infiltration…

You make a direct beeline toward the Luminous Shopping Center, flying over the West Exacta Bridge. However, you decide to begin your descent early, wisely assessing that it’s very possible some of these ghouls and chimeras may be able to fly also, or at least notice you in the sky. Instead of flying over the ruined structures, you decide to use the building ruins and other obstructions to hide and conceal yourself as you make your way to the large shopping center in the south. Meanwhile, you use your dragonfly wings to softly and quickly hover over the ground by just a few feet. It allows you to safely and quickly move and dart about, making very little noise and leaving no disturbances in the ground for you to be tracked with.

It seems you’ve chosen a wise and clever approach, as none of the ghouls spot you and you’re able to bypass the few that you find wandering in the ravaged streets. Once you arrive at the shopping center, you get a first-hand glimpse of just how devastated it is.

While it’s not the most ruined building in the Southern Reach, it has definitely sustained significant damage and even if the ghouls and chimeras suddenly stopped existing, it would be impossible to repair all the damage that has been done. You figure once Exacta City can begin recovery and rebuilding, this shopping center will still need to be completely torn down. It’s sustained too much structural damage to attempt repairing for future use…

You first decide to carefully and quietly investigate the exterior of the building, making sure you stay on high alert for any odd sounds or movements that might be from ghouls or chimeras. As you dart around the perimeter, you see this shopping mall had three entrances. Now, it has only one after tons of rubble crushed and buried the other two…

Around the outside by the southside of the building, you find something unusual, and it looks to be a battered briefcase on the passenger seat of a half-crushed motor vehicle. It looks as though the driver and the driver’s side of the vehicle were crushed by a massive, jagged concrete piece of the mall’s upper floor. The only way you’re even able to tell the driver’s Pokémon Shiftry species is by his warped and decayed leaf fan arm, the only thing sticking out from underneath the enormous slab of concrete…

You look at the battered briefcase and you decide to open it. It’s a little jammed at first, but after wrestling it open, you find it is full of contract papers, and a very sizable amount of cash. You decide to gather it all up and add it to your pack.

$310 Sochas$ were added to Carly’s Pack.

After searching around the rest of the outside, you don’t find much else besides a lot of skeletal remains, destroyed vehicles, rubble, and piles upon piles of debris and refuse…

You decide to head into the shopping center itself, and the interior is devastated. You first enter a large department store’s clothing section, mainly consisting of shawls, accessories, jewelry, and the like. However, a lot of it is ruined, ripped, and filthy. Glass display cases have been broken and jagged shards of glass lay everywhere around the cracked and broken tiled floor that used to be white, but is now sullied with blotches of filthy gray and brownish colors.

You head out of this ruined store and into the mall’s central connecting lobby, which also looks more like a warzone. You find broken glass everywhere, along with destroyed kiosks and ruined merchandise scattered around and in broken pieces. On top of all that, you find plenty of skeletal remains of shoppers that never made it out alive…

You search store after store, starting with an electronics store called FREEquency, but most of the merchandise in there is either completely ruined or it was poached by other scavengers that found their way here. Whatever remains in the form of music memory sticks, broken movie players, cracked televisions, and the like isn’t worth the trouble of gathering up to try and take with you.

You find several more accessory and clothing stores, only their situation is very similar. The only useful thing you find is a dark-gray shawl intended for flying Pokémon with slits and straps for wings. It fits fairly well, would repel some of the blowing dust and sand, and feels comfortable while providing some concealment away from the ghouls. Still, everything else looks like just ornamental accessories and jewelry.

After passing by a destroyed restaurant, another accessory store, a bookstore completely in disarray, a gift store almost completely crushed in rubble, and the food court that’s buried under piles of rubble, it doesn’t seem like too much remains in here. Still, you keep searching through the remainder of the mall and find what looks to be a childcare center sitting besides a tutoring services store and a hair and fur stylist.

At first, you don’t expect to find much in the childcare services office, but when you get to the back, you find there’s a locked door to the children’s nursery, a place for infant and toddlers to be watched over during the day while their Pokémon parents are at work. You take a look at the electronic lock and at first, it looks like there’s nothing wrong, but then you suddenly feel a Stalker’s aura slathered all over it.

Upon closer inspection of the door’s electronic lock, you can see the readout of the lock is totally scrambled and it looks like the firmware was corrupted. Still, you look around and it’s a mystery as to how the door lock is even getting power when barely anything else in the entire shopping center even works. Meanwhile, from what you can see pass the scrambled screen, it looks like there is a prompt for a 2-digit code. At first, you’re a bit surprised this lock has this basic code, but then you realize this is just a door to keep toddlers from sneaking out. Still, it looks like it’s programmed to force a manual physical key override if too many incorrect entries are put in. You figure it would be a bad idea to try using trial and error on this thing as there’s absolutely no indication of where this physical key is and who has it.

{Nursery Door Electronic Lock: <Technical> AND 2-Digit Nursery Door Code} has been noted in the Team Records.

You decide to head out and try looking through the rest of the stores, but you don’t find much. Whatever was left behind is in bad shape or you simply don’t need it and doesn’t hold anything of value for the Emissary cause. Meanwhile, other stores have been squashed under tons of rubble and you can barely get through the front entrance.

After feeling you’ve found all that you could, you decide to head out and dart your way back to the Emissary base. Thankfully, you make it back, safe and sound. Still, you shudder a bit and wonder just how many dead Pokémon are in that mall. You’re convinced you found over a hundred, and those are just the ones you were able to find in plain sight…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/469.png Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Repair | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$460 Sochas$
Starf Berry (Restores all Purity)

[Shruikan]

"Okay, not sure about where to go, so..." Lycellus covers their eyes with one claw, throws a dart at map pinned to the wall, then checks where it hit. "The hospital? I don't think that's been searched yet. Good as any I guess."

[Search the (40) Memorial Heart Hospital (ABANDONED)]

[EmeraldSky]

I will check the Corner Market and Everet's Home.

[Chibi Altaria]

Time to see what I can do about the power situation, Nia thought to herself as she left the steel mill for the day. Search (37) Exacta City Enrictinite Power Plant.

[AgloMe Oen]

Nico was confused and upset, but not deterred by the news of the death today. After all, it had happened to him too. He felt a bit guilty about being able to recover from it, while most pokemon couldn't.

He wandered to the marketplace to go buy a CodeCracker (technical) magazine for 100 sochas. He didn't really intend to read it during the day, but there certainly were some broken things piling up that needed fixing. If he had the time, he'd use that magazine with Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>... But he wasn't sure if he would be able to do both read AND explore.
Exploring took priority.

It was time to follow up on a lead that was gleaned during one of the few interviews. Nico headed to the (20) Exacta City Police Precinct (ABANDONED)

Somehow yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪu really got that urge to see that s͖̩̯̀̇ḙ̃̔̏̚v̠̥̣͓̣̐͂̔́ͨ̄ͥͅe͕̪̺̘̻ͧ͑̍r͕̳̈́ͮ͋͐ͦ̿̇e͚͎͊͑ ̮ḓ̳͖͍̭̘͍ ͦ̾ͮ̈́̀́h̗̝̓̔e̯̯͒ͬͭa̦ͣͪ̓d̻, but first, you waddle your en̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅormously obese self off to the mall like a lot of obe̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪse people do, but you’re here to buy magazines, not wolf down three dozen Mrs. Fields cookies and top that off with six boxes of Cinnabo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪns. I’m sure they’re all missing life before COVID-19, aren̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅ’t they? Now the̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪy’ve got someone from Uber Eats questioning their life choices and wondering just what the hell is up with the customer they’re delivering to!

You join up with Misty and also buy a Co̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪdecraker Magazine from Dole the Vapore̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪon, making Dole wonder if suddenly going full n̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅerd is the new in thing. He hands you a copy and shrugs, wondering if he should have ordered more of these. Still, he̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ’s more than happy to take your mo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪney!

Nico used $100 Sochas to purchase the [“Codecracker” Magazine]

You stuff it in your pack like it has a voracious appetite of its own̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅ and then decide to use the re̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪst of the morning to check out the Police Precinct, because Rali mentioned something about d͍͔̭̩̒̽̒̎͒ḛ̬͎͕͔ͫ͑͒̅͒c̥͖̫͍̓̿ͥ̓̈́́̇ầ̩̻̲p̭̺̭̫̼̼̎̎͗̿ i̞̙̮̺̞̍ͯ̈́͊ͮ͗ͫt̪̹̟͍̫̟ͮͧ̾ͦ͊͛ͅa̎̑ṱ̓e̪̮͉̗̖͙͊̎ͧd̹̬ͭͬ́͒ ̪ ̖̗̙͍̤͊ͧh͈͊̈͑ͨe̼̤̱̜͇̍͊ͪ͂͐ͅȁ̺̖̼̟͖̳̆ͬd̅s͖̣̮̃͗͊ͦ̐ ͎͇ and you’re so into those right now.

You then waddle̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ your way into the No̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪrthern Reach, getting really excited about heading there like it’s Disney World and you get a bit careless. You see, you’re a nice, big, easy to spot targe̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪt and these ghouls are starving. Just so happens on the way to the pre̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪcinct, they thought someone rang the bell for lunch and you were the main co̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪurse.

Turns o̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪut this Weedle̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ and Sudowoodo… yeah, they’re not here to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Dead Island – Damned Places (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEwmJ8s4Wow)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/143.png Nico the Snorlax, Size: Large, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/normal.gif, HP: 24, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12+3, Speed: 30, Battle Stance: Ferocious

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/013.png Vru the Ghoul Weedle, Size: Small, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/bug.gif / https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/poison.gif, HP: 12, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8, Speed: 50
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/185.png Luran the Ghoul Sudowoodo, Size: Medium, Type: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/type/rock.gif, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 30

Attack Order:

#1 Vru the Ghoul Weedle
#2 Nico the Snorlax (won coin flip)
#3 Luran the Ghoul Sudowoodo

It’s almost hilario̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪus how s̙̩̣̝̪̈̑ͫl̋ͪ̎̄ͮo͓͔̘̺̜ͩ̊̔͆̓w̻̭̺̭͓̩ͩͨ͐͐ everyone is. It’s like The Matrix but bulle̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪt time n̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅever turns off.

Fight!

You watch in horror as Vru just le̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪaps at you, hun̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅgered and crazy! It’s like he’s freaking rabid and smo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪked too much crack!

Vru strikes at Nico̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪ! Rolls 23! Hit for 5!
Nico: 19HP

You tried to dodge and forgo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪt you’re a Snorlax. Hitting you is as easy as getting fat. And he enjoys many delicious nibble̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪs out of you. Since trying to attack Luran when he̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ’s a freaking rock would be harder, you decide to murder Vru in̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅstead, because he’s much squishier! And uglie̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪr.

Nico strikes at Vru! Rolls 18! Miss!
Vru: 12HP

And you o̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪnly stab air. The air takes 11 damage̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ! While you whiff, Luran takes a swing at you!

Luran strikes at Nico! Rolls 22! Hit for 1!
Nico: 18HP

He hits, but he whacks yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪu like a drunk and you’re̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ so fat you barely even feel it. It’s almost a love tap! Meanwhile, his in̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅsane Weedle friend tries to jump at yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪur belly and take a big bite out of it trying to get to the creamy center!

Vru strikes at Nico! Rolls 13! Miss!
Nico: 18HP

He’s probably drunk like Ho-oh’s wait… ho̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪly laughing rats, he’s changing his name again? AD’s guardian angel. He totally misse̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪs. For his idiocy, you try to stab him in̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅ the head and bisect it to see ho̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪw big of a brain he has!

Nico strikes at Vru! Rolls 38! Hit for 3 + 3 = 6!
Vru: 6HP

You only cut off his tail in̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅstead. I me̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪan really, just sit on him for crying out loud! That would be like 3,401 damage! Loo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪk, I get stabbing things is fun and I know from experience, but you’re getting eaten alive here!

Oh, and while you’re busy with that, Luran̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅ jumps onto your back and starts eating you up like a really genero̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪus snack!

Luran strikes at Nico! Rolls 72! Hit for 9!
Nico: 9HP

Wow, that’s gotta hurt! It feels very piñata like̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ and turn̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅs out your innards are just as tasty as candy to them! Yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪu try to shake him off to no avail, but then Vru goes after you! He absolutely refuses to let Luran ruin̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅ his diet all by himself!

Vru strikes at Nico! Rolls 56! Hit for 4!
Nico: 5HP

Uh oh, he thin̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅks you’re delicious, also! You watch in horror as chunks of yourse̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪlf are all over his face! Hey, Nico̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪ, buddy, you seem to be le̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪaking!

[Ferocious Stance Flee Triggered] Nico has fallen below 25% HP and is no̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪw attempting to Flee the battle!

Yeah, you decide it’s high time to get the h͚̣ͬ͂̄̋̋͌e̯͈̲͍ͭ̋̑l̯̖̹ḽ̗̬͍̬̠͚̆ͨͬ̔̑̚ out of here. Seve̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪred heads, as amazing as they are, are some̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪthing that can wait, right? Yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪu try to shake them off and run… or at least waddle away very fast!

Nico attempts to Flee the battle! Rolls 66! Couldn’t escape!
Nico: 5HP

…Uh, yeah, it’s no̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪt fast. You don’t eve̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪn get the chance to shake them off! Luran takes another big bite̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ out of your jugular vein an̰͎͖̲̯̯ͅd…

Luran strikes at Nico̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪ! Rolls 98! Hit for 8!
N͔̜̗͇̙i̝̭͎̮̹̜̖c̲̻̲̪͎o̠̣̹̳̝̗ͅ:̭͔̲͖̳̭ ̠͎-̖̝͓̘3̭̺͖̝̞̠͉H̩͙P

And it turns your ne̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪck into a total blood and guts foun̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐tain! You kinda feel cold and sleepy! Yeah, maybe a nice nap will do̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪ you well! It’s the othe̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪr thing Snorlax is really good at doin̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐g!

Except heh heh, this one’s a lot more pro̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪlonged. You tumble to the ground and it’s light out, good night, sleep tight.

Nico the Snorlax was killed by the OMEN Infected!

Losses:

$113 Sochas$
[|AW| Rogue’s Dagger] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
[“Codecracker] Magazine] (Gives the user the Technical Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)

Ok, re̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪally, don’t join AD’s “it’s fun to lo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪse everything club.” He’s totally NOT a good role model! Also, buying armor could have preven̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐ted this! See, Krax is paying me to film thin̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐gs like̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ this for more revenue! That’s gre̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪat marketin̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐g!

Well, these two sure didn’t go̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪ hungry tonight! Turns out they both utterly ruined their diets e̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪven before all the holiday fat everyon̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐e gets in their inevitable transition to lo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪok more like Santa Claus. The good n̞̤̞̪͓̪̉͐ews is the one who lost we̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪight out of all this… was yo̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪu!

Cheerio! I’m o̰̦̫̠͕ͦ͑ͪff to eat a gingerbread man cookie̦͙͓̱̼͒ͩ͌ͪ. Always fun to b͔̰̻̥̮̠͓̈̆͐̊ĩ̹̻̞͐̒ͯ͆͗͑t͖͔͔̰̥̹ͫ̎ͯͣ͗e̓ ̙͍̼̲͇̦ͩͮ̉ͯ͒̑t̳͉͚̫̪̳h̖͎͈̼̫̺͕̉̓e̤͇̫̳͋͑̍͐͛̏ ̺̗ͯ͐̃̉ͅh̩͇̹͓̳͎̒͛ͭ̿e̺̫̗ͦ͒͗̓̐a͕̫̼̫̠̠̞͌ͦ͗ͭd̘̳͇͎̤̹̑̑͊̇ ̯ṥͥ̚ ̜͗̾o̙̾ͮͯ͆͒f̖̼̱̯̹f̒̉͊̔̚ first, am I right?

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/143.png Nico the Snorlax (L: Normal)

Health: 0/24 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$113 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Neo Emolga]

Ripped from your mortal shell, your soul cuts the link from your body as the OMEN ghouls gather and devour it. But for a moment, you’re at peace, the pain has stopped, and you find yourself floating, quietly, and softly in the darkness. A whisper reaches out to you at that moment, and despite the loss, you are renewed with optimism.

We can still fight, Nico! We have come so far, we won’t give up now. You will find your inner strength and we can do this together! We haven’t lost until we give up and we’ll never give up!

You nod, feeling encouraged and eager to wake up and try again. And when you do, you find yourself reborn anew into a new body. It feels different now, but you feel ready for anything and determined to give it all another shot.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$113 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.postimg.cc/KjpFwHBg/Scarlet-Normal.png I think it's high time that I kick things off strong. Feeling adventurous today sugars? I sure am. I'll help out today by checking out the old (45) Cedarwood Apartments (ABANDONED). After that sparring match. Not even a rabid Arcanine would dare snap at this gal.

Finally finding a decent and capable crew of Pokémon to work with, you decide to see how you can help them out by heading into the Northern Reach and investigating the Cedarwood Apartments. While deep into the Northern Reach territory, you feel confident about your sneaking ability. And even so, confident in your ability to swipe a ghoul’s head off if you needed to.

It’s a little hotter today than usual, but the wind is cooperating for now. You make the long walk through the deserted Northern Reach to the crumbling Cedarwood Apartments building, which looks like it could collapse quite easily if another earthquake were to happen. Still, you figure if it sounds like the building is coming down, you could easily jump and bail out in time.

You start by searching the exterior, and you find an unlucky Shellos scavenger that looks like they were eaten alive and weren’t able to defend themselves enough from a horde of OMEN ghouls. Still, they left behind a very decent-looking machete. While you feel confident you don’t need it because you’ve got your own claws, you figure the Emissaries might be interested in it.

[|AW| Military Machete] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to the Team Inventory.

You take it along and get back to seeing if there’s any more goodies lying around.

The outside just seems to mostly have rubble and a lot of broken furniture, so you head inside and take care what you step on. There’s piles of rubble everywhere and a lot of the apartments are buried under heaps of broken concrete. From what you do find, there isn’t too much besides broken furniture, twisted metal, and dirty linens, but you do find one ripped-up mattress that looks like someone used it to hide some of their money. You’re not too surprised to see other scavengers never noticed this hidden stash, but you get plenty of satisfaction from knowing you found what they didn’t.

$255 Sochas$ were added to the Team Inventory.

You’re sure the Emissaries will make good use of that.

On one of the upper floors, you manage to locate a safe that looks to be very badly rusted over. From what you can see, a number of scavengers tried to break this open, but they couldn’t. They only got as far as scratching it and despite the rust, it’s still shut and quite securely locked. You decide to make note of this, figuring the Emissaries might want to look into get this open as it could be loaded with cash and other valuables. You figure attacking it isn’t going to work, it’s pretty strong and despite the rust, still very much intact. But you can discern that first, they’d need to do something about the rust. And then after looking at the safe, not only that, but they’re going to need the actual 3 digit safe combination to turn into the dial.

{Rusted Safe: Rust Remedy AND 3 Digit Safe Combination} was noted in the Team Records.

You search the rest of the surviving apartments, but they’re pretty much trashed and don’t have anything that’s worthwhile. Either scavengers already took all that was worth going after in this place or there’s not much worth to it.

You decide to head back to town, still satisfied with what you got out of this morning.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile (M: Dark/Ice)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic

[Neo Emolga]

"Okay, not sure about where to go, so..." Lycellus covers their eyes with one claw, throws a dart at map pinned to the wall, then checks where it hit. "The hospital? I don't think that's been searched yet. Good as any I guess."

[Search the (40) Memorial Heart Hospital (ABANDONED)]

This morning, you decide to head deep into the Northern Reach and investigate what might be at the hospital. Having heard Aurorawatch wishes there was some way to secure the building’s location, you decide to check it out for yourself to see if there’s something you can do, though right now, you’re not sure what that might be until you head over there.

There’s some dust wafting about in the air this morning, but it’s definitely not like anything it was the days before. You soar high into the air, looking upon the refuge area from above before crossing into the skies above the Northern Reach.

You soon spot the hospital from above, realizing it’s an n-shaped building with a grayish-tan color. As you descend, you notice the cracks that have already been forming thanks to the earthquakes. After softly landing, you start your investigation by first checking to make sure no ghouls are around, and it seems they’ve either not spotted you or your enormous size may have scared them away. Either way, they’re not in the area, giving you some liberty to look around.

You first start your search going around the exterior of the building, noticing that it’s taken some damage from the earthquakes, but the neglect hasn’t been kind to the building either. There’s dirt and dust caked into the outside walls, giving it an obvious look of neglect. What used to be containers for shrubs and places for small trees were overtaken by weeds, which are now all dead. Some of the windows are also cracked and a small percentage of them are broken, but most of them are intact though caked with a thin layer of dust.

You find the body of one scavenger, a Loudred, that went too far and ended up attracting a horde of OMEN infected. With the way her skeletal remains were sprawled out, it looks like she tried everything she could to fight back, only there were just too many of them and them feasted upon her until she died.

You find her backpack with supplies, which looks like it was trampled on, but most of the items inside survived. Of them, you find a Sitrus Berry and a fair amount of money, both of which you add to your pack.

[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health) was added to Lycellus’s Pack.

$210 Sochas$ were added to Lycellus’s Pack.

After checking around the outside, once again you realize you’re too big to enter the building, but you investigate each room from the outside, opening each window like you’re a human looking into the rooms of a dollhouse. Most of the rooms are hospital patient rooms with empty beds that haven’t been made since the day OMEN happened. Sadly, a few patient beds have the skeletal remains of a dead Pokémon in them, all victims of OMEN in a different indirect way as the nursing and medical staff had no choice but to flee or die, leaving their helpless patients behind…

You can see why Aurorawatch is interested in this building, as a lot of medical equipment is here, including MRI machines, radiation treatment, and surgical operating rooms are quite plentiful, a lot of which Aurorawatch doesn’t have at their military compound, which you know was only just a hotel a few years ago. Unfortunately, all of it is too fragile and heavy to move, and not without attracting hordes of infected…

A fair amount of medical supplies are here also, some of which are expired, but at a time like this, expired medicine and biologics are better than nothing at all. You imagine Aurorawatch would be interested in the conjunctive hemostats, wound closure sutures, and thrombin sealants as they have nothing like that within the compound to treat injuries. Meanwhile, a lot of the mechanical and energy-based surgical staplers still look like they could be used. Still, unfortunately you’re not able to get your claw in deep enough to recover them when you find them in the supply closets. Many of them are also very fragile and you’d rather not risk damaging them for someone who might need them later.

When you investigate the morgue from the outside, you sense a familiar taint, and it bears the resemblance of a Stalker. When you squeeze your head in to look, suddenly you realize some kind of unholy, sacrificial altar was built here, and it was being used to sacrifice the already dead Pokémon to some dark and unholy purpose.

Upon the altar, you see three grizzly, jagged spikes, all bloody and horrendous. The hideous presence of darkness and mind-corrupting essence wafting from it is almost too much to bear, and you try to pull out, but can’t…

You then notice a horrifying series of wretched, twisted and almost illegible words scratched into the bloody altar itself.

Do yOU knOW WhoSe heaDS ARe oN disPLAy heRE? ThE anSWer iS yoUR heAD. YOuR HeAD. AnD YoUR heAD. aLL yoUR HeADS. YoURRRR HHHHEEEEAAAAADDDDDSSSSSS.

#Infernal Essence (5 Sanity Damage and 5 Purity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 28 out of 100: Failed!

It’s grotesque enough to make you want to vomit, and like a dark, deathly mist of black smoke, it gushes from the hideous altar and swarms into your nostrils and your eyeballs to lay an infernal siege to your mind and your soul.

Lycellus has suffered 5 Points of damage to Sanity and 5 Points of damage to Purity

You wretch at the agony it puts you through, but you immediately find a solution. You realize it’s not the altar that’s causing it, but a dark and ungodly effigy of various Pokémon skulls and jagged metal stakes of damnation. You immediately destroy it with your dragonbreath and then cover it with a spare body bag, containing the ashes and the foul presence wafting from them.

The #Infernal Essence (5 Sanity Damage and 5 Purity Damage)# Trap was destroyed and removed through use of Lycellus’s Security.

{Assembly of Heads Sacrificial Altar: Head Mount AND Head Mount AND Head Mount} has been noted in the Team Records.

Finally, after some careful maneuvering, you pull your head out and still try to shake off the dark and infernal hissing in your brain, but it is persistent and still tries to enroot itself into your mind.

You decide to head back to base, just as you hear ghoul screaming in the distance. For now, you’ve found all that you can, and it’s time to go to prepare for tonight’s endeavors.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 11/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
$390 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

I will check the Corner Market and Everet's Home.

Deciding to stay close to base and within the refuge area, you head south past the mall and look upon the lot that is Everet the Drednaw’s home and the market he used to run before retiring. Thankfully, the weather is a bit more cooperative today and isn’t constantly blowing sand and dust at you. It definitely improves the visibility and your chances of finding things.

The corner market store that used to be where Everet ran his produce stand hasn’t been used for years, even long before OMEN happened. You also imagine the Freshtastic supermarket likely struck a hard nail in Everet’s business, also. From the outside, the small wooden market stand has been the victim of neglect for a while, and the wooden panels are rotting and falling off while years of dust and sand have accumulated even inside the market stand. Even the store sign has almost completely faded out, seemingly symbolic of the dead passion Everet used to have.

It looks as though Everet was using it as a storage shed for a while, but even then, the equipment inside for gardening and home repair have fallen into neglect and disarray as well. You take a look inside, being careful to watch your step as many of the wooden planks that make up the floor have broken or have jagged splinters sticking out of them. From what you can see, Everet didn’t take very good care of his tools, and many of them are thrown around haphazardly into piles that look like they haven’t been touched in years.

In the back room, you find a broken register with spilled socha coins everywhere, though it looks like it was thrown down in anger rather than something that happened by accident. You’re not sure what prompted this to happen, but considering Everet never bothered to clean up in here, it seems like he isn’t the least bit concerned about it.

You decide to collect all the coins and put them in your Pack, confident you’ll find a better way to spend them.

$120 Sochas were added to Lita’s Pack.

After going through the market stand one more time, you’re convinced there’s really nothing left in there that you think might be useful, and essentially none of these tools could even be repurposed as an effective weapon. Most of the equipment seems to be broken, rusted, and worn and it seems Everet stopped caring for them long ago.

In the main yard that appears to have become overgrown, you find a stray Starf Berry that looks like someone, possibly Everet or someone else, dropped it and didn’t care to pick it back up. You pick it up, brush off the dust and it seems to still be fresh. You figure it might be good to hold onto just in case in corrupting presences of the Stalkers cross paths with you again.

[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity) was added to Lita’s Pack.

After going around Everet’s home, you see how badly it has fallen into disrepair. It seems Tessa used to be his caretaker, but she’s been missing since OMEN and likely never made it out. As a result, Everet now only takes care of himself and it just letting his former market stand and house fall apart day by day.

You don’t find anything suspicious around the exterior of the house. A few stray tools and a half-buried metal watering can are really the only things you find. It seems as though years ago, there used to be a nice garden here, but it looks like it’s been nothing but weeds, decay, and neglect.

You realize Everet isn’t home, so you decide to go through his small house to see if there’s anything suspicious going on. Besides being disorganized and in dire need of some repair, cleaning, and upkeep, nothing really strikes you as usual. At first, you thought perhaps the death of his wife might have been the cause for Everet’s neglectful behavior, but you don’t find any family photos anywhere. For the most part, the walls in the house are bare, blank, and the furniture is very old-fashioned and covered with dust.

It also doesn’t look like Everet has too many hobbies. Instead, what you find his him obsessing about the news as newspapers are scattered everywhere. You shudder to think this may be all that Everet plans on doing for the rest of his days, but you know better to not to snoop into it.

After not finding any traces of the Stalkers or any Utopian relics, you decide to head back and begin preparations for tonight.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$225 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

Time to see what I can do about the power situation, Nia thought to herself as she left the steel mill for the day. Search (37) Exacta City Enrictinite Power Plant.

You decide to use this morning’s time to investigate the Enrictinite Power Plant, knowing bringing this plant back online and restoring power to all of Exacta city is one of Aurorawatch’s big priorities. You’re not sure if you’ll be able to help with that regard, but you decide it’s definitely worth it to see if there’s something you can find that was previously missed by the others.

Thankfully, the weather today is more cooperative and you find you don’t even need your new shawl and sandstorm goggles. As you venture out you remind yourself to be on the lookout, keeping a watchful eye over everything as you pass into the Northern Reach. The streets are still quiet and dusty as the days before, but thankfully, you have gotten better at making your way through them and picking out the best sources of cover. You manage to slip by one Nuzleaf ghoul that looks decayed and withered to the point where it’s a wonder they’re still alive to any degree at all.

Once you reach the circular-shaped power plant, you can tell it’s taken some damage from the earthquakes as there are cracks in the gray stone walls of the structure. Whether or not it means the building can’t be reused is a total guess, as you’re not even sure what Enrictinite is, but it sounds like it’s some kind of otherworldly metal that may only exist in Veramo and doing something to it generates electricity, though you’re not sure what its properties may be.

You start by searching the exterior, noticing that while there is some damage to the walls and windows, it looks like it could be serviceable. Though one big requirement is you feel like the earthquakes would need to be resolved immediately, as the next one or two might push it off the edge and it couldn’t possibly be saved for future use.

By the northern side, you come across a Gossifleur’s remains, and you could even they could have been killed yesterday for all you know. The body doesn’t look like it’s been here for long, although whatever ghouls were here to attack them did a brutal job ripping the yellow and red flowers on their body to ribbons.

You also find they were trying to reach for a Sitrus Berry, only it rolled away from them. You grimace to think… if only they had been a few feet closer, they might have been able to eat it and heal themselves enough to make an escape.

You decide to take the berry for yourself, hoping that while it wasn’t able to save this dead Gossifleur, it may be able to save your life if you need it in a pinch…

[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health) was added to Nia’s Pack.

You then decide to search the interior. Inside, the power plant isn’t in terrible shape, but it could definitely be better. The floor is dirty and stray bits of debris are about, and the walls seem pretty dirty with a few cracks here and there, but for the most part, it’s not critical damage. Whether or not Aurorawatch will be able to bring life back to this building is a total guess, though.

After passing by the initial entry foyer area, you then head into the rest of the complex where large vat-like containers are in a 4x3 arrangement and many pipes and wires are darting from one machine and fixture to another, creating an almost spaghetti-like entanglement of tubes and wires. Meanwhile, other large metal machines with all kinds of buttons, readouts, display screens, and levers are out and about. They don’t seem to be in bad shape, though you’re not sure if they’re good enough to support operations here again or if they’ll need to undergo maintenance work. From the looks of things, you can say they might, though unless the OMEN infected are dealt with and the earthquakes are stopped entirely, it seems doubtful a maintenance operation will be able to be performed safely.

Among the machines, you feel a somewhat familiar presence. It brings a bit of comfort, so you decide to track it down further and eventually you find what looks to be a stone disc, tucked away between two large console machines. You carefully slide it out with your paws, and when you flip it over, you see what seems to be a vast and seemingly endless ocean of stars and galaxies in the disc itself. You find it fascinating and alluring to look at, wondering if you are really looking upon an endless number of stars and planets, wondering if perhaps there is another whole world full of life out there among them. Or maybe there are many?

…Infinity…

You almost jump when you hear the calming whisper in your ear, but it gives you a calming assurance and you almost feel a cleansing feeling of tranquility come over you. It convinces you and makes you certain this disc is not of this world, but what exactly it’s for still remains a mystery. You decide to take it with you and guard it with your life.

[Celestial Configuration INFINITY] was added to the Team Inventory.

You continue searching the rest of the power plant, but don’t find any significant clues regarding if and how something can be done to bring it back online. From your best guess, it’s going to take several teams of repair and engineer specialists to do thorough and uninterrupted work to make it possible. But with things still being dangerous, you have a bad feeling that unless the OMEN infected are dealt with and the earthquakes stop for good, it doesn’t seem like power will be returning back to Exacta City through this power plant. Because of this, they’ll have to continue relying on the electrical substation in the refuge area, or they’ll have to build an entirely new power plant.

You then decide to head back for now, somewhat wishing there was better news you could give to Aurorawatch and that you found exactly what the issue was, but it seems it’s a lot more complicated than that.

After carefully and quietly making your way safety through the Northern Reach and back to the steel mill, you decide to make plans for tonight and what you plan on doing next.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/037-a.png Nia the Alolan Vulpix (S: Ice)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Vulcanfire Armament] (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Amethyst Bracer] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken, Revives player and breaks upon Death)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Soulfire Fury] (25% chance of dealing double damage each time a successful strike is made)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$196 Sochas$
Spelon Berry (Restores all Sanity)
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)

[Neo Emolga]

Night has fallen in Exacta City
Submit your Day 4: Night Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/kmdhct0.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2326701/day-4-night-cycle)

(December 11, 2020, 10:00:00 pm EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee AD Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[AD]

Investigate (20) Exacta City Police Precinct

[C0L0R3D]

Misty shuffled a bit in place, seemingly bothered by something.
“Nico’s really unlucky, huh.. dying twice already. At least the second time was a Ghoul instead of Obscene.”
She sighs, eyeing his new form, an Alcremie, before looking back to the map.
“As for tonight... I’ll go check out (17) North Heights Storage (ABANDONED). Might just be something there.”
She says, still proud for getting Scarlet on their side last night.
“Stay safe out there guys.”

[Lychee]

Nico found herself swirled into a conciousness yet again, going from a tasty meat meal for ghouls to more of a light bakery snack.
"I... I am not sure if saving the world as an emissary is really my calling..." She mumbled, counting the sochas left in her pocket.

She put any money she had onto the table that was the group inventory, and picked up a spare machete that was lying around.
"I'll just be down in the basement, checking out our base." She said tiredly, hefting the machete over her shoulder and heading down to (1a) Foundry Basement (Empty Space)

[Neo Emolga]

Investigate (20) Exacta City Police Precinct

As the sun begins to set, you decide to head out and explore the Exacta City Police Precinct. Following Rali’s lead, you decide to see what this head is about, something that Nico was going to do earlier, but didn’t quite make it. At the same time, you’re also thinking there may be a few valuable weapons or armor still lying around that might come in handy.

After leaving the steel mill, you head eastbound, keeping a watchful lookout as you cross into Northern Reach territory. Trying to make the best use of cover, you weave your way behind walls, abandoned vehicles, and piles of debris as you keep out of sight from the ghouls. Thankfully, you’re able to slip past their gazes despite being the Heatran that you are.

Once at the precinct, you start by investigating the exterior. The beige-colored building seems to be in relatively good shape, though dust and dirt has been thrown at it relentlessly by the wind storms for the past few years. The earthquakes have knocked a few things around, but it doesn’t seem like serious building damage has occurred. Still, around the building, you don’t find all too much besides a trash bin that’s been stuffed for years, two abandoned police vehicles, and collapsed cardboard boxes.

You decide to head inside through the double glass front doors that bear the police department’s insignia, though the glass could definitely use a wash and the insignia is barely legible. Still, the whole building definitely looks better than what some other structures just a few blocks away went through.

Once inside, you come across a vacant reception area where a receptionist’s desk and a few other desks have been abandoned. Unlike some other buildings, it doesn’t look like the commotion was too severe, though plenty of papers, writing utensils, and other office debris have been scattered about on the gray stone tiled floor. Surprisingly, some of the lights still work, but just barely. Many of them are extremely dim and a few of them flicker, creating seemingly moving, spidery-like shadows along the walls.

The officer desk area seems to be pretty similar in condition. It looks like no one’s been here for quite a while and a layer of dust has thoroughly coated everything including stacks of police reports, memos, correspondence and report letters, and the like. Occasionally, the lights on the ceiling flicker just a bit, but then go back to darkness. It makes you twitch a bit every now and then, making it feel like someone or something is in here with you…

You head over to the armory, which used to be behind two layers of barred steel doors, but those were undone rather recently. From the looks like things, quite a bit of it has been raided by scavengers. Still, you go through each of the weapon lockers, trying to see if anything usable is still around. Whoever was here last seemed to have been in a hurry, as you find cannon armament ammunition rounds scattered about on the floor. In one locker, you find what looks to be a fairly decent cloak armor, which you pull out and try on for yourself. It feels comfortable but also made of a rugged leather material, and might offer a little protection. You decide to keep it and continue looking.

[|DA| Renegade’s Cloak] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken) was equipped by Sacred.

You look through three more lockers all with nothing inside, but the fourth has something curious. At first it looks like just a normal black shawl was thrown in here, but you dig around a bit more and you find a black pouch that jingles a bit as you shake it, which immediately gets you thinking there’s money inside. You open it and you’re pleasantly surprised to see that you’re right, a bit amused how none of the scavengers that were previously here found this simply because of the shawl thrown on top of it.

You quickly take what’s there and add it to your own Pack.

$230 Sochas were added to Sacred’s Pack.

You don’t find too much of value in the other lockers, but then you get to a larger, heavily fortified security locker at the end of the row that looks to be about five feet tall by three feet wide, likely used to hold some of the more advanced weaponry and armor. It looks like quite a few Pokémon have tried to pick, force, and bash this particular locker to no end, but it has remained adamant in staying shut. Still, you can’t help but think maybe someone in the Emissary crew might want to take a swing at this to see if they can possibly crack it open.

{Reinforced Police Armory Locker: <Lockpick>} was noted in the Team Records.

Lastly, you decide to check the holding area, the place where Rali reported to have seen the severed head. You make sure you watch your back the entire way, hoping no ghouls might have slipped in while you weren’t looking or were residing here long before you came. Still, the holding and criminal processing area is rather dark and you can see why visibility was an issue for Rali. When you come to the room, you see the head she’s talking about hanging from a dusty ceiling fan by a bloody rope, only you’re facing it from the back. You walk in closer to get a better look at who must have been the decapitated victim here…

#Macabre Discovery (8 Sanity Damage)# Trap 30% Evasion Test: 79 out of 100: Successful!

It… can’t be.

As if on defensive impulse, you do a double take, quickly grab a nearby duffle bag that was used for a now-missing shoulder-mounted cannon armament, and rapidly pull it over the head as if trying to cover and trap a vicious blood-thirsty insect. And then with one quick tug, you free it from the bloody rope.

Because there’s something very, very wrong with this head.

It’s your own head…

…

#[Head of Sacred the Heatran] Macabre Presence – (3 Sanity Damage)# was added to the Team Inventory.

Dark temptation attempts to nip at you to look it over in full for dark curiosity and validity’s sake, but you know better. It reeks with Stalker presence and it wouldn’t surprise you to discover they’ve done something heinously wicked and disturbing like this. But really, without a doubt, you’re convinced the gray, steel skull-shaped head that you hold in that duffle bag is exactly your own without even questioning it enough to look it over, but you know to do so would just eat away at your mind beholding your own severed head in your grasp.

Despite the morbidity of it, you decide to take your head with you, feeling there’s some dark and wicked intention behind this and you’re going to get to the bottom of it. You decide to look around the rest of the police precinct for any last remaining items of value that might still be around, but most of it just seems to be everyday objects and things that don’t seem like the kind of thing you need to take along with you.

You decide to head back, instantly noticing the sun has long set by now and the night sky hangs above you. There’s an eerie feeling of quiet stillness as you head back to base, and it seems like not even the ghouls are around for some odd reason.

You just hope it’s a coincidence and not because of something else…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/485.png Sacred the Heatran (M: Fire/Steel)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: [|DA| Renegade’s Cloak] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$408 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Misty shuffled a bit in place, seemingly bothered by something.
“Nico’s really unlucky, huh.. dying twice already. At least the second time was a Ghoul instead of Obscene.”
She sighs, eyeing his new form, an Alcremie, before looking back to the map.
“As for tonight... I’ll go check out (17) North Heights Storage (ABANDONED). Might just be something there.”
She says, still proud for getting Scarlet on their side last night.
“Stay safe out there guys.”

You decide to head due east this evening, deciding to investigate the small North Heights Storage building to see if anything suspicious has been happening in there, lately. After walking past the north side of the Redstone Motel and across the dusty train tracks, eventually you find the small storage facility. From the outside, it looks to have been abandoned for quite a while. The old red bricks have been battered by dust and sand for years even before OMEN, but at least the building is still intact.

Around the outside, you find a few abandoned wheelbarrows, a broken-down fertilizer machine, and other farming and gardening tools that have become degraded due to being left out in the elements. However, underneath an old vehicle tire that looks like it doesn’t quite belong with the other pieces of equipment, you see something out of the ordinary. A bit of dusty ground seems to be displaced here, and when you dig a little, you find a dusty ammunition crate. You brush it off, undo the latch, and then wrestle to open it up.

On the top, you see a dirty, hand-written note. You unfold it and read it silently.

Jureg,

All yours. I threw in a bonus for the heck of a fine job you did making her death look like she got drunk and fell off herself. I got a kick out of that and it perfectly fits her dumb drunkard persona. She deserved it, one less dumb degenerate tramp infesting this world and I don’t have to worry about her crap ever again.

Now burn this note and let’s act like we never met.

~KT

You’re not sure what happened or even how long ago it was, but it definitely sounds extremely dark and nefarious and easily sounds like someone paid to hire a hitman. However, it looks like whoever this Jureg is, they never came by to find this reward cache. You toss the note aside and you notice there’s quite a few stacks of money bills tucked away in here.

You decide to collect it and keep it for yourself, thinking there’s bound to be a better way to make use of this blood money.

$600 Sochas$ were added to Misty’s Pack.

You don’t find anything else that seems out of place outside, so you decide to head into the storage area itself.

Inside, its dark, musty, dust is constantly floating in the air, and the air feels hot and stuffy. Meanwhile, there’s no lighting and there aren’t too many windows, so you pull out a flashlight and try your best to see if there’s anything among the piles of tools, wooden crates, and boxes that might be valuable.

Most of it seems to be very old industrial farming equipment that probably wouldn’t last five minutes if someone attempted to make use of it. Meanwhile, the cabinets aren’t any better. Cans, jugs, and pouches of pesticides and herbicides are here, though they’ve expired decides ago and most of them are dried up. The fuel canisters have also gone bad over time, though there’s quite a rancid stink coming from them.

In another pile are a few black plastic trash bags filled with filthy clothing and coverings. Many of them have dirty blotches from either oil, grease, or mud, and a lot of these are torn as well, leaving not much else besides dirty rags. However, you come across one filthy and dirty gown that seems to have something firm and hard in one of the pouches on the side. You dig around for it and manage to pull it out.

It looks to be an amulet with five overlapping triangles as the emblem. It seems to be very old, but still in good condition. Though there’s something about it that seems different. As you hold it in your hands, it seems to radiate with an unusual reassuring aura and it suddenly occurs to you that some kind of ethereal blessing was performed on this amulet, but it’s been forgotten and lost in this pile of dirty clothing for all these many years.

You decide to wear it around your neck, and almost immediately it feels as though you’ve become a bit more resilient against the forces of corruption and darkness…

[|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken) was equipped by Misty.

Toward the back of the storage area, you see something out of place, and it looks like a few boxes and trash bags were thrown aside. It seems as though someone else has been here not too long ago, and after checking around, you find an unusual Wall Vault safe was installed here not too long ago. Oddly enough, there’s even power going to it, all sourced from a single wire emerging from the back and going into the ground.

You take a look at the safe and it looks like the back was opened and some of the circuity was removed while the safe firmware itself was corrupted. In order to open this, you figure someone’s going to need to reconfigure the hardware, put the circuitry back in, and then on top of that, you’re going to need an 8-digit code to undo the lock.

{“Wall Vault” Safe: Missing Circuit Board AND <Technical> AND <8-Digit Passcode>} was noted in the Team Records.

The odd thing is that it looks like someone really wanted to make sure whatever is in here is kept locked and stashed away for good, and they only wanted to retrieve it if it was absolutely dire and necessary. But you wonder… why would someone lock something up like this so tight and not just destroy it? What stopped them from doing that?

You can only wonder about what kind of a thing could fit that description, but at the moment, you’ll have to set it aside for now as you just don’t have the means to address what this safe needs to be opened.

After having searched around one last time, you decide to head back and you arrive back at the steel mill just in time before the windstorms start to pick up again.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$650 Sochas

[Noblejanobii]

Let's interview 30. Umie the Petilil

[EmeraldSky]

I will check the Sapphire Oasis

[Shruikan]

Ok, still at a loss on where to go, so back to the random searching...

Search: (35) Keepers™ Self-Storage Center

[Neo Emolga]

Nico found herself swirled into a conciousness yet again, going from a tasty meat meal for ghouls to more of a light bakery snack.
"I... I am not sure if saving the world as an emissary is really my calling..." She mumbled, counting the sochas left in her pocket.

She put any money she had onto the table that was the group inventory, and picked up a spare machete that was lying around.
"I'll just be down in the basement, checking out our base." She said tiredly, hefting the machete over her shoulder and heading down to (1a) Foundry Basement (Empty Space)

A little anxious regarding what recently happened and unsure of where to go from here, you decide to add your money to the Emissary bank, saving it for later. Meanwhile, you take the Military Machete, feeling it should help improve things next time.

Nico has added $113 Sochas$ to the Team Inventory and has withdrawn the [|AW| Military Machete] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)

Deciding not to risk anything tonight, you decide to simply investigate the steel mill, wondering what might be in the basement. After all, it was abandoned for quite some time before you and the other Emissaries had arrived.

Heading down the concrete steps, you find this sublevel was mainly used as a storage and loading area that connects to the outside through a slope, and there were two stations for trucks to pull into and unload whatever they needed to deliver. Most of it has been emptied out save for a few neglected crates that don’t have anything inside.

You figure in time, you might be able to use this space for something, though you would need to find someone that would be able to build facilities. From what you’ve explored already, it doesn’t seem like someone who specializes in that resides in the refuge area, but the Knaves may have someone who could handle a task like that.

After searching the back corner area of the basement, you find something a little peculiar and that one of the metallic panels that make up the floor seem a little loose. You pull it aside and it looks like someone hid something here.

When you pull it out, it looks like a large steel military case with an unfamiliar triple overlapping crescent moon insignia. You’re not quite sure how it got here, but then the evidence you find makes it clear someone was using this area for smuggling military surplus. It doesn’t seem to be Aurorawatch’s brand of equipment either and you’re beginning to piece it together that before OMEN, someone was using this place to smuggle military weapons and gear on the side, though you imagine now those operations were shut down. But it looks like some of it still remains. The manifest describes it as being for a paramilitary faction called Shadowmarch. When you piece it all together, someone was stealing from Exacta City’s military and selling it to Shadowmarch. You even find evidence that suggests this very steel mill was used to create these Shadowmarch badges and insignias to rebrand the armor.

What became of Shadowmarch and if it’s even still in operation is a question, but the armor and equipment here is still perfectly usable, though it seems like only a few crates remain. You crack open the first of the crates and it looks like whoever was in charge of this operation was seriously well-financed and had a lot invested in it. Inside the first crate, it looks like a high-end battle armor with dark-gray reinforced plating. Curiously, you pull it out, strap it on, and buckle and lock it into place. It fits surprisingly well, is quite comfortable, and was made to fit Pokémon of multiple sizes, but it definitely makes you look like the most badass Alcremie that’s ever existed as if you’re no stranger to warzones. You have a feeling whatever Shadowmarch is, they might have been a heck of a threat to even Aurorawatch if they were equipped with gear like this.

Nico has equipped the [|DA| Shadowmarch Colossus Armor (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)

You also find the payment deposit in another box with a memo regarding the transaction, which seems like it was intended as an upfront cost to whatever contraband operation was going on here. It doesn’t seem like they’ll ever come by to collect, not like what they were doing was legal anyway, so you decide to take it for yourself.

$1000 Sochas$ were added to Nico’s Pack.

The other crates seem to have equipment like radios, headsets, MREs, and a series of data disks that you’re not sure if there’s anything even in Exacta City that can read what kind of data is on them. It might have been useful if you were planning on leading a revolution, but for now, you decide to leave them alone.

You decide to get some sleep tonight, feeling tomorrow will be a better day.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military Machete] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Colossus Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$1000 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]

[Scarlet the Weavile]

Well now, don't go forgetting about little old me. Scratch that. I'm not that old

I'll search the (16) Riverwinds Shopping Center

[Neo Emolga]

Let's interview 30. Umie the Petilil

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type (Grass)

You decide to pay Umie the Petilil a visit tonight to see if she knows something about the Stalkers. When you ask around to find her, you learn she’s a boarding student at Daybreak School, residing there because she’s only 12 years old and isn’t old enough to work. You shudder to think her parents are either dead or missing, but it’s the unfortunate reality of the situation.

You head over there quickly as the sun sets, dashing as fast as your white Shaymin paws can take you. You figure whoever is in charge of the school likely has a strict curfew on these kids and you don’t want to arrive only to find out she’s been sent to bed. Thankfully, you manage to get there just in time with a few minutes to spare. You find her in one of the classrooms, cleaning up at the end of the day and putting things back in order. As she’s one of the older children, she helps the teachers as a kind of assistant.

From what you observe at a distance, Umie is quite polite, holding doors for other Pokémon, cleaning up after herself, and putting things back where they belong, even when other students neglectfully left their things laying around. Gently, you approach the small, green sprout Pokémon and introduce yourself. You notice as you get closer that she keeps a small pink pouch by her side at all times.

“Good evening, Miss Noble,” Umie smiles and bows before you. “How are you?”

You mention you’re doing well. After a small friendly chat about how her day went and some of the things she learned about today, you gently and softly ask about any strange things around town she might have come across, and if she knows anything about the Stalkers.

“I haven’t seen any Stalkers, no,” Umie looks away, looking a bit ashamed. “I really don’t want to. They just seem so scary.”

“Have you might have overheard something strange from someone else?” you ask her, understanding why she would be reluctant to venture out too far considering the situation.

“Well, there’s… Jakko,” Umie tells you, nervously shuffling. “Jakko is so rude and likes to pick on the other kids. He also likes to scare them about the Stalkers, teasing them that… they’ll kill them in their sleep.” She shuffles a bit more with anxiety. “As much as I’d like to say he’s wrong and just trying to make them believe in boogeymen, he’s… well, he’s right, but being reminded of it is making the other kids really scared…”

“He also likes breaking rules and he dares the other kids to venture into the Northern Reach,” Umie tells you, trying to keep it quiet. “He warned not to tell anyone or he’ll beat them up. The other day, he stole Kio’s money and told Kio and Pesha that if they wanted to get it back, they had to go to the chemical plant and bring some proof that they were there. They went in and came out of there screaming. They haven’t been the same since and they keep having nightmares. I talked to Pesha since she was really sobbing and she told me there’s some kind of… nightmare monster in there. She told me it almost electrocuted her and tried to scream in her mind! She was afraid I wouldn’t believe her, but I do. I know her, she wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

“Miss Taliea found out about it and Kio and Pesha got in so much trouble,” Umie tells you with remorse. “They’re excluded from playtime for the rest of the month and now we’re not allowed to go outside without an adult. Jakko was laughing about it and he still didn’t give Kio’s money back.”

The whole time she’s talking, you notice she seems to have some kind of light glowing from her pouch. You politely ask about it, wondering if you think it might be Utopia-related.

“Oh this?” Umie asks, opening her pink pouch and showing you a glowing white cylinder made of a whiteish-silvery metal. “I’m not sure, but it seems so… pure, and holy. Look at these glowing white carvings!”

She’s more than happy to show you, and you can tell it’s definitely a relic from Utopia. The only issue is that she’s rather fond of it and it seems to bring her quite a bit of comfort. Asking her to part with it seems just as hard to ask a kid to give up their entire bag of Halloween candy after spending several hours filling up an entire pillowcase’s worth, but you try anyway, knowing it could be a crucial part of Utopia’s operations here.

“Do you mind if I could have it?” you aske Umie. “I think I might know what it’s for.”

“I’m… sorry, Miss Noble, I… please don’t make me give this up,” Umie tells you, looking very apologetic. “It’s one of the few things I have left. But… well, listen. I… want to help Kio with her…problem with Jakko. She never got her money back and she’s really upset about it. I want to make her happy again, more than anything, so… if you could give me 200 sochas for this, it would allow me to give that money to Kio that Jakko stole from her. It would make her really happy and I would be happy, too.”

You tell Umie you’ll think it over. True, giving her the sochas would definitely encourage her to hand it over, but you think there might be another way to talk Umie into giving up this Utopian relic, but you’re a bit at a loss for words right now.

{Umie the Petilil: <Diplomacy> OR $200 Sochas$}

Shortly after, you hear Taliea the Azumarill call the children to head off to sleep, and it seems Umie is very set on not keeping her waiting.

“Well, good night Miss Noble, I need to go,” Umie tells you with a warm smile. “It was great to meet you!”

“Good night and sleep well, Umie” you tell her.

After heading out of the classroom and walking your way out of the school building, you decide to head back to base and think about what you might intend on doing tomorrow.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

I will check the Sapphire Oasis

As the sun begins to set, you decide to head south and investigate the small Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store that faces the Exacta Military Compound. The temperature feels a bit more comfortable tonight and thankfully there isn’t any wind around to blow the dust and sand into the air.

When you arrive, you see the building itself seems to be in pretty good condition and thanks to it being right next to the compound, the only way it could possibly have even more protection is to be within the compound itself. Lagrais the Rapidash seems to make sure the store looks as inviting and as attractive as possible, though you imagine in times like these, it’s a challenge. Still, it looks like the grounds surrounding the building seem to be in pretty good shape and it appears she doesn’t even want weeds growing around. There’s a few nice plants growing by the front door and they seem to make the store feel welcoming as a nice “Sapphire Oasis” store sign hangs above.

In the back of the building, you find there’s a clothing donation bin, and it looks like it was mainly used for protective shawls and other protective garments that would help provide coverage from the dust storms. Upon a closer inspection, it looks like it’s been locked for a very long time and hasn’t been opened to collect the contents inside.

You take a look at the lock itself and it definitely seems like other types of locks you’ve seen before. You take out your set of picks, tension wrench, and get to work on it, positioning in the tumbler and using your hooked picks to raise the pins to just the right level. Once you use your hooked lockpick to align the pins, you turn and the lock disengages.

{Clothing Donation Bin: <Security>}

After opening the metal door, it looks like quite a few articles of clothing were put into here and were never collected as you figured whoever held the key to this container either lost it or something happened to them…

You sift through the articles of clothing, finding quite a few Pokémon donors unintentionally left things of value inside the pockets and pouches. You find plenty of loose change left in these pockets, which you collect and amass into a larger pile. After putting it all together, you find it results in a fairly sizable pile of money.

$270 Sochas$ were added to Lita’s Pack.

In one of the pockets of a rather elegant pink shawl that you’re honestly surprised someone was willing to give up, you find what looks like a mysterious but seemingly very mystical gold chain amulet with a center crystal that seems to glisten in a stark array of rainbow colors. At these night hours, you can only faintly see the colors, though you imagine it must look quite beautiful in daylight. You wonder if the original owner didn’t realize they left it here.

You decide to put it on, and you feel a sudden captivating presence that you can only describe as magic, suddenly making you feel like you can go anywhere, do anything, and change yourself. It almost seems like the power is stashed away inside, as if you can’t trigger it on your own, but it’s there…

Lita has equipped the [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them).

After searching some more through the bin, you find a few items put into there that weren’t clothing. You find a few children’s toys like a rubber ball and a worn plush Teddiursa along with an old tool set in a slightly rusty metal box. You do find one thing that causes a bit of alarm. It appears to be a stone hand, specific in shape and size to a Mr Mime’s. While most Pokémon would just dismiss it, you feel traces of Stalker presence coming from it, though it seems to be mild. Still, it reminds you of something you’ve seen before, so you decide to hold onto it until you discern what it’s used for.

[Right Hand of the Forgotten One] was added to the Team Inventory.

After you’re convinced you’ve managed to find all that you could in here, you decide to leave the metal door to the clothing bin fully open. You’re not sure who in town might be needy enough to use one of these articles, but you’ve made it clear this bin is now opened and whoever needs clothing can help themselves.

You then move onto investigating the store itself, which has closed down for the night after Lagrais left and headed into the upstairs apartment. Though it seems like Lagrais has taken quite a few precautions to make sure her inventory isn’t stolen, you sneak your way in through one of the windows and take a look around to see what she has for sale.

Checking the shelves, glass display cases, and store racks, you find she’s got quite a bit of inventory. Most of it seems to be ornamental and for decorative purposes only, which won’t really help too much in terms of dealing with the Stalkers, but quite a fair bit of these items have protective qualities and useful traits to them.

Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store
Run by Lagrais the Rapidash

VARIABLE ATTACK AMULETS

$[|JY| Opal Amulet] 50 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Topaz Amulet] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Diamond Amulet] 250 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls.)

SET ATTACK RINGS

$[|JY| Cross Ring] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Clover Ring] 125 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls.)
$[|JY| Starburst Ring] 200 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)

PROFICIENCY BANDS

$[|JY| Band of the Rogue] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Security Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Crafter] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Repair Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Cleric] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Medicine Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Diplomat] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Diplomacy Perk.)
$[|JY| Band of the Angels] 300 Sochas$ (Grants use of the Seinaru Perk.)

UNIQUE TALISMANS

$[|JY| Talisman of Life] 500 Sochas$ (Grants immediate full revival if killed. Talisman of Life breaks if this occurs, one use only.)
$[|JY| Flashfire Talisman] 200 Sochas$ (Always strike first in combat regardless of speed.)

After searching through the rest of the store, you don’t find anything that seems out of place or suspicious, so you decide to head back to the steel mill and use the rest of the evening to get some sleep.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$495 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[EmeraldSky]

Aw, 5 sochas short for A Talisman of Life...

[Neo Emolga]

Ok, still at a loss on where to go, so back to the random searching...

Search: (35) Keepers™ Self-Storage Center

As the sun begins to set in the distance, you decide to hurry toward the east, using the last remaining hours of daylight to help in your ability to search before resorting to artificial light sources. Thankfully, the evening seems to be calm weather-wise. After soaring into the skies from the steel mill, you have your sights set on the Keepers™ Self-Storage Center, intent to see if there’s something interesting to discover there.

After passing over Kindred Park, you descend upon the self-storage facility below, seeing all the various garage-like storage areas. From an immediate observation, a good number of these have been broken into and many of them are just filled with things that likely won’t provide much help, including furniture, boxes of clothing, crates of personal items, and the accumulation of stuff some Pokémon had for hobbies, including models, boxes of photographs, unfinished craft projects, and many others.

In one of the storage containers, you find the Pokémon that was using this before seemed to be a weapons enthusiast. It seems as though most of what was left behind is broken or was nothing but a cheap replica. However, among the piles of cheap weapons that would likely just break if you attempted to use them for actual fighting, you find one authentic one among the pile that scavengers must have missed and overlooked. Upon pulling it out among all the others, you find it’s a very finely-crafted military war sword that must have been one of the collector’s most prized possessions. It looks like it was in a glass display case before the case was broken after an earthquake caused it to shake and fall to the ground.

You decide to take the military war sword with you. Unlike the others, you have a strong feeling this weapon would be definitely more effective in actual combat.

[|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Lycellus’s Pack.

You search through several more storage units, and while many of them are just mostly junk or have objects like furniture, toys, and knick-knacks, you find a colorful children’s toy coin bank depicting a cartoonish elated Eevee named Eddie. Surprisingly, it’s filled with a sizable amount of money, though it looks like it’s been here for a very long time and whoever was using this unit never came back to collect what was inside.

You empty the Eddie Eevee coin bank out and decide it would be best to use this money for helping the Emissary cause.

$435 Sochas$ was added to Lycellus’s Pack.

You check through several more storage units to find either junk or they were completely empty and unused. There is one, however, that feels like it has a bit of Stalker presence. When you get to Storage Unit #872, you can feel a bit of that dark taint by the keyhole, and something seems wrong when you first look at it. The lock has been struck hard by some blunt object, and there’s even some blood splattered on it. You try to make an attempt to pick the lock, but unfortunately, it seems beyond your skill and you don’t quite have the right picks for this.

From what you can tell, you’re going to need that key, and on top of that, someone needs to repair the lock, because with that lock dislodged and skewed from the way it’s been hit, the door is likely still going to be jammed until that’s realigned the way it should be.

{Storage Unit #872: #872 Keyhole AND <Repair>}

After searching through another row of neglected or empty storage containers, you find one off to the side that seems a bit suspicious. While the unit seems normal at a first glance, you notice subtle differences. The original lock was removed and replaced with a customized one. And judging from the look of it, it doesn’t appear to be that old and looks like it was replaced at least after OMEN happened.

Upon looking at the lock, it looks like you would be able to pick it, though it ends up being very complicated. After placing your tension wrench, you find it’s quite a chore to pick this one and it seems like whoever used this lock really didn’t want anyone to get inside it. But after some very patient and surgical-like manipulation, you carefully align the ten pins to the right elevation and turn the lock so it disengages.

{Shady Storage Unit: <Security>}

You roll up the garage door and you come across something… interesting. Around are what seem to be forest-green military crates. You count six of them, two fairly large ones, two mid-sized crates, and two small ones. In a white, stencil-stylized text on the side of the crate, you can make out the word “Shadowmarch” with a lot number code just below it.

Cracking open the first crate, you find it was used for armor, and it looks like someone was using this storage unit for smuggling contraband military surplus. Meanwhile, it seems like it was being used even after the OMEN strike, which has you wondering what’s going on and why this operation was happening in the first place.

You pull out the first set of armor, which has an insignia of a triple overlapping crescent moon insignia, which seems to indicate the faction emblem associated with Shadowmarch. The armor looks completely brand new and never used before. It makes you wonder if Shadowmarch has any kind of relationship with Aurorawatch, though considering the nature of the smuggling, you imagine it’s likely that it isn’t very good.

Still, you decide to finally give this particular set of black, interlocking plates to good use. This configuration seems to be adaptable to your body size and frame, creating a protective mesh that allows for movement, but offers reliable protection against enemy assaults.

Lycellus has equipped the [|DA| Shadowmarch Commando Mesh Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)

Meanwhile, you find a second suit of armor, looking slightly different from the first, though it shares similar attributes like the black interlocking plates with the same Shadowmarch insignia. You decide to take this suit of armor along, also, just in case someone else needs it.

[|DA| Shadowmarch Special Forces Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects) was added to Lycellus’s Pack.

You then open the second large crate, and inside you find a rather large black metallic rocket-launcher like armament that looks like it has never been fired before. You realize besides it is one of the mid-sized crates and when you break it open, you see it’s full of rockets, likely the ammunition needed for this armament. Again, they’re all marked with the same triple moon Shadowmarch insignia…

[|DA| Shadowmarch Azathoth Armament] (Adds 3d8+8 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following to turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to Lycellus’s Pack.

Thankfully, the armament comes with a fairly large chamber hold to store the rockets, and with there being a whole crate of them, you’re quite sure there’s enough to last for a while. It seems like it was created as an experimental prototype weapon, though you have no idea where they could have performed such advanced weapons research and development. It definitely doesn’t look like it was done here in Exacta City…

In the second mid-sized crate, you find more Shadowmarch military gear, including radio headsets, navigation equipment, MREs, batteries, and other such supplies. While useful in a combat setting, you don’t think you’ll need these, but nonetheless, they seem highly-advanced and further support the conclusion that whoever Shadowmarch is, they’re extremely well-funded and heavily financed.

After clearing out the last of the storage units, you find one of the last few has something… unusual. From an initial standpoint, it looks like it was thoroughly raided and cleaned out by other scavengers, but you feel a faint, holy presence coming from it.

When you investigate it further, you find what appears to be an ever-burning white fire torch of holy flame that gives us a comforting, white holy glow. Meanwhile, even the torch base seems to be a rod of pure whitish metal that doesn’t seem like any kind of metal you’ve ever seen before.

You figure it was hidden here in haste, but no one thought to look into this further since then. You decide to take it with you, feeling it has to be something that Utopia had intentions to use.

[Whitefire Torch] was added to the Team Inventory.

After searching the last of the storage units, you decide to fly back to the Emissary base and get some rest before tomorrow morning.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 11/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Commando Mesh Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
$825 Sochas$
[|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DA| Shadowmarch Special Forces Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
[|DA| Shadowmarch Azathoth Armament] (Adds 3d8+5 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following to turn to be used to reload after each attack)

[Neo Emolga]

Well now, don't go forgetting about little old me. Scratch that. I'm not that old

I'll search the (16) Riverwinds Shopping Center

Rather than immediately rush to get to the shopping center to see what might be lying around, you wait until the sun has fully set and then head out, feeling a bit cozier going at night when the daylight is gone. You also think it might be easier to work with the shadows to not have anyone around town suspecting you’re up to no good. Besides, right now, even the money doesn’t matter all that much. It’s more about the thrills.

When you first arrive, you see all the lights have gone off and all the store owners have left and gone home. Perfect. You first start by searching around the exterior of the strip mall, seeing that this isn’t the most popular place for Aurorawatch to patrol during the night, which works perfectly for you as you were hoping they wouldn’t be lingering around anyway and asking questions. Quite truthfully, you’d rather deal with decapitating a ghoul than trying to talk your way out of dealing with Aurorawatch’s ilk.

The parking lot is mostly empty save for a few trash cans that are half-filled with junk and a few vehicles that look like they’ve been here for an eternity and likely don’t even run anymore. Curious thing is, you to decide to see if there’s maybe something inside one of these. It wouldn’t be the first time that you’ve realized there were decent pickings right here in the refuge area while all the other scavengers felt the only good bits worth hunting for were in the Reach.

The first passenger car you break into doesn’t have much, and you can tell the owner was a real slob as there’s wrappers, food crumbs, dirty napkins, and other junk laying all over the place as if they didn’t seem to mind driving this hunk of junk while sitting in their own personal landfill they created all by themselves. The home repair van seems a bit more promising, as while it’s dirty due to the nature of the work, you find a dusty transaction case with money inside, likely used to collect from clients after work was performed. You find quite a bit in there and it looks like it was never taken back to the company base after the work was performed and the transaction was completed. You figure that’s likely because OMEN happened before it could be done, but hey, no sense letting this just sit around! You gather it up and figure the Emissaries might like some of this.

$360 Sochas$ were added to the Team Inventory.

After checking around the buildings, you then check each of the individual stores, starting with The Tool Rack that Nykan the Pachirisu owns. You don’t know much at all about the electric squirrel or why he even owns a hardware store, but you shrug the thought of it off and decide to see what’s the story with this place.

Sneaking your way in through the roof almost seems too easy, and if you really wanted to, stealing a good chunk of the merchandise would be a breeze, but then you’d have no use for it. So rather than ruin the squirrel’s week, you just take a look around, though it does feel satisfying to know you could have pulled off a nefarious burglary if you really wanted to.

Sure, there’s plenty of tools, equipment, supplies, home repair stuff, and all that business, but you can’t help but get the feeling maybe there’s a more creative way of using these. Not you, of course, you’ve got all the claws you’ll ever need to slash a ghoul’s eyes out, but the Emissaries might be interested in some of these if they wanted some extra heads bashed in. So you take note of what’s around for sale just in case they want to help this silly squirrel’s hardware business.

The Tool Rack
Run by Nykan the Pachirisu

TOOLS

$[|AW| Workshop Mallet] 40 Sochas$ (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Steel Crobar] 150 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Steel Sledgehammer] 215 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 damage to successful attack rolls)

$[|AW| Woodcutter Axe] 30 Sochas$ (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Brush Machete] 110 Sochas$ (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Gas-powered Chainsaw] 180 Sochas$ (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)

PROTECTIVE GEAR

$[|DA| Protective Workcloth] 80 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
$[|DA| Heavy Duty Workgear] 240 Sochas$ (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken)

MISC TOOLS

$[Sunfire Flares] 150 Sochas$ (If held in your Pack, the next time your character tries to flee from a battle (along with any other characters in your party trying to Flee), one of these will be used and the Flee attempt will be successful.)
$[Revealing Glass] 100 Sochas$ (Can be used to see if there are any hidden traps in an unsearched area (as a Yes or No answer))

The rest seems to be just repair and building materials. You imagine these Emissaries likely aren’t interested in building houses when they have the steel mill to themselves, so you decide to head out and search the next store in this plaza.

The next store seems to be the Happy Holiday Gift Store, part of a commercial chain of stores known for selling overpriced knick-knacks, snowglobes, expensive greeting cards, and other silly stuff. Normally, you wouldn’t be caught dead going into a store like this, but you figure you why not look around to see if there’s anything interesting. Thankfully, it’s far easier to do this at night when there’s no one else around to see you there, and you don’t have employees asking you if they can help you find something.

You sneak in through the hatch in the roof and it almost seems too easy again. As you look around inside, you keep rolling your eyes at the fluffy décor, cheerful and colorful presentation of everything, and all the happy and jubilant merchandise you see on the shelves and display racks. Really, Namrai, there’s the end of the world happening across the street and you really think the first thing on everyone’s mind is going to be “ooh, chocolate truffles, grandma is going to really need those after running away from the ghouls!”

Happy Holiday Gift Store
Run by Namrai the Steenee

JEWELRY AND TRINKETS

$[|JW|Angelic Heart Ring] 100 Sochas$ (Dying to the Stalkers or the followers of the Abyss does not raise the Doom Tracker)
$[|JW| Onyx Necklace] 200 Sochas$ (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%))
$[|JW| Friends Forever Dual Heart Necklaces: <XXX>] 350 Sochas$ (When equipping this, select a civilian from the list (will replace the “XXX”). As long as you wear this, that civilian will never be killed by the Stalkers.)

HOLIDAY GIFT AISLE
$[Holiday Greeting Card] 50 Sochas$ (To use, select a civilian on the list. You will get a return card that reveals their personality.)
$[Golden Memories Chocolate Box] 100 Sochas$ (A mysterious box of chocolates that takes you back to earlier times. Select a Pokémon form you were before to become that Pokémon again. Just don’t mind the mysterious “you’ll remember, they won’t…” whisper…)
$[Neo Emolga Keychain] 500 Sochas$ (At a first glance, it appears to be nothing more than a keychain toy depicting Neo Emolga with his familiar crescent moon necklace and a button on his back that makes him say “cheers and good times!” But some attest that this is not just a toy and that it radiates a mysterious but comforting glow in dark places. But what does it mean?)

And moving on.

Third store is the Soul Food Diner, and though you’ve seen this place before, the name always seemed unsettling, as if it kind of implies eating souls. Still, you almost laugh when you discover Seul totally forgot to lock the front door. Well, it’s a diner, after all, it’s not like he’s got piles of gold bullion to steal here. Inside, it’s a typical no-frills diner with a few tables and chairs, tacky décor, and a beverage menu that tries to be cute with colorful pictures, but overdoes it to the point where if you rolled your eyes any more, you might need optical surgery.

Soul Food Diner
Run by Seul the Brioonne

MENU

$[Caffeine Delight] 150 Sochas$ (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
$[Heartwarming Cocoa] 150 Sochas$ (The cocoa that can save your life! If you have this in your Pack and you take lethal Health damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Health remaining (similar to the move Endure)
$[Sweet Herbal Tea] 150 Sochas$ (A calming and revitalizing tea that helps preserve your mental state! If you take lethal Sanity damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Sanity remaining.
$[The Monk’s Special] 150 Sochas$ (A sweet and blissful fruity beverage that just makes you feel good. If you have this in your Pack and you take lethal Purity damage, this will keep you alive at 1 Purity remaining.

You’re more into alcohol, so off you go.

Lastly, there’s the Sweet Dreams Café, which you’ve heard weird rumors about, but never actually stepped inside. Well, you figure now’s actually a pretty good time to do that as no one’s watching and you’d be a liar to admit you weren’t curious at a few points to see what exactly Falei has going on here. Better you do this while she and anyone else for that matter aren’t around. That way they’ll never know and never bring it up with you later.

Surprisingly, Falei actually locked the front door and the hatch in the roof, which you discover looks like it’s been locked for eons and was never used for anything anyway. But the back door, however, doesn’t exactly have the finest lock in the land. You’re able to disengage it with nothing but a coat hanger and that’s all she wrote.

You walk inside and take a look around, wondering just what the heck Falei was thinking with this strange lavender and violet color for the walls and this odd perfume-like smell wafting around. It’s not terrible, but you think this may be the only café in existence that does this kind of thing. Truthfully, it feels more like a spa than a café.

And the menu is just bizarre. The rumors were right, it’s more like you walked into some magical alchemist shop than a café. It almost seems like the kind of place you’d go with a bunch of reckless friends and dare each other to try things, though you imagine that would require getting pretty drunk and usually Pokémon only do that at night after this place has closed.

Sweet Dreams Café
Run by Falei the Misdreavus

MENU

$[Sleepy Time Dream Tea] 250 Sochas$ (Instructions seem simple. “Drink before going to bed at night.” But it ends there and nothing is mentioned afterwards…)
$[Magic Pie] 300 Sochas (Some say this pie will make you so happy that you’ll want to sing. Others say it’s so sugary that it makes them sick. There were claims one Pokémon flew to the stars riding on a comet and created their own world after eating it while another became frozen in time and now lives in an alternate dimension. There are a lot of stories surrounding Falei’s Magic Pie, but separating the fact from the fiction seems to be something no one ever thought to document and validate…)
$[Fairy Bread] 500 Sochas$ (A delectable dessert from a faraway land’s recipe with strange rumors and an alluring aroma and aura. Some eat it and claim it’s a scam and doesn’t do anything at all while others claim it’s magical, can change destinies, grant powers unheard of, and can do things thought only possible in imagination. Some say the secret is to eat it away from prying eyes. Others say there’s no proof of the nonsense actually doing anything….)

The prices on these almost seems appalling, but you really wonder what the deal is with this place. And it actually really makes you question just who the heck is Falei and where does this stuff come from? Part of you is almost tempted to try, while the other part of you is skeptical. Well, you figure the place is closed for now anyway, so it doesn’t matter.

In the dining area, you find what looks like a blue cloth pouch that must have belonged to one of the café’s patrons. You almost wonder if they ate or drank something that whisked them away to a faraway dream land, but who knows. You open it up and suddenly an otherworldly ethereal glow comes out of it. When you find the source of it, you see what looks like a white cylinder made of a whiteish-silvery metal with glowing runic carvings.

You have a distinct feeling the Emissaries would be interested in this considering all the other stuff they’ve been collecting.

[Holy Conduit] was added to the Team Inventory.

After that, you feel you’ve pretty much covered everything and decide to head back. You can’t help but feel curious about what the Emissaries might do with this new information you’d found for them.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile (M: Dark/Ice)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic

[Neo Emolga]

#18 Mika the Boltund has been murdered by the Stalkers.

Normally, Terene the Nickit was up for any kind of opportunity to get field experience. She had been an Aurorawatch Squire for too long, and was looking forward to that promotion she wanted to become a Knight, but more and more field experience was a must. So if there was an opportunity out there, she was ready to take it.

She wasn’t ready for this, however.

It was one thing when a civilian was killed and they had no family and often died alone. It was something horribly devastating when the victim was a mother with a husband and a child. Upon discovering the burnt and dehydrated body of Mika dumped just outside the front door of their home, besides her was Dret the Mightyena, angry and frustrated that he failed to protect his wife, and Duante the Yamper… Mika’s son, looking like his own soul was stripped out of him as all he could do was weep and cry.

Terene called for backup, and they had sent Safen the Politoed for support. It ended up not being one of Terene’s proudest moments after all. When he arrived at the scene, however, she too was a bit on the cautious side regarding Dret’s reaction, and even she had to be on her guard in case the Mightyena went berserk and lost control. All the while, Duante was whimpering in a way he had never done before, never ready to accept the fact his mother was gone, murdered and dead before him…

“What are you here for?” Dret growled, looking at the Aurorawatch soldiers out of the corner of his glaring eye. “If you’re going to tell me something, TELL ME RIGHT NOW!”

“We’re… here to investigate the murder of Mika,” Terene swallowed hard. “I’m… sorry for your loss.”

“And you should be,” Dret snarled at her. “Yes, you should be, BECAUSE YOU AURORAWATCH BASTARDS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US! WHAT THE DEVIL IS YOUR PURPOSE IF YOU FAIL AT THE ONLY THING YOU EXIST FOR!?”

“Just… calm down, okay?” Terene asked, backing away. “I know you’re hurting, but this shouting isn’t going to help.”

At the moment, Safen had given Dret a cold, hard glare. It was true that Dret could probably take down the Aurorawatch Squire rather easily, but against a Paladin like herself and all the training she had, it wasn’t going to turn out very well.

“I’ll tell you what, Dret,” Safen told the Mightyena, trying to defuse the situation. “You’re right, Aurorawatch is having a really hard time getting to the bottom of these Stalkers because we totally don’t have enough going on right now between OMEN, ghouls, and trying to get this city back to some kind of sensibility. Right, not at all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean!?” Dret shouted back at her.

“It means get it through your skull that our resources are thin and no one is safe,” Safen told Dret very directly. “That’s right, no one, not even you, your son, or Terene and myself here. If you want to cling onto hope that we’ll overcome this, that’s your prerogative, but the cold hard truth is things are getting worse. For all of us, not just you, not just Aurorawatch. If you have any brilliant suggestions on how to deal with this with the reality we’re facing, sure, I’m all ears, buck, but I need real objective answers, not wishful thinking. So whether you want to scream at me, my Squire, or at a god-forsaken wall, it doesn’t matter either way, because the ones who are really responsible don’t give a damn about you, your wife, or your son either.”

Dret was silent for a moment. He wasn’t expecting Safen to be so blunt in this moment of grieving, but the truth was Safren was a warrior and was no stranger to grizzly and grotesque forms of death in both combat and in dark situations like this. This was nothing new for her. She had seen Pokémon with their eyes ripped out, their heads missing, and in disgusting, bloody, meaty pieces strewn about like morbid confetti.

Dret wasn’t used to it the way she was, and he knew deep inside that this moment of devastation rendered him incapable of fighting. On top of that, what kind of father would he be if he tried to attack her, right when his son was gutted emotionally?

In the meantime, Safen decided to look over Mika’s body, observing that the mother Boltund looked like she had been cooked alive very slowly. And besides her seemed to be several pieces of paper, which Dret had overlooked before. Safen picked them up and it looked like one of them was a note.

It was from her killer.

I learned quite a bit about Mika over the past few days. I think we probably even could have been friends, though you know, it’s a little tricky to do that when she’s dead. Corpses aren’t too great for conversation, though they won’t ever disagree with you either!

Mika was the fun and friendly type. It’s always tough to see Pokémon like that go, especially when times kinda suck like they do now, but that’s how things are in good times and bad times. Things can be cool one day, and then just a total suck the next. And I imagine her husband Dret and that cute little Duante kid aren’t taking this well. Intact Exacta City families sure are tough to come by these days! The ones that are still around should count their blessings! Well, I guess this one can cross that of. Big ouch there.

Mika was a school teacher, which I’m sure isn’t going to have a nice effect on the kiddos either. I mean really, she seemed like the best teacher to have. Heck, if I had a kid, I’d want her to be my kid’s teacher. But again, that’s not how things go. Life can be a big suck sometimes.

Her last years weren’t much fun either. Mika was a thrill-seeker, loving travel, adventure, writing down her wonderful experiences in a journal to read later, all great memories and stuff. And then OMEN happened and she’s been cooped up here for years since then, unable to do all those things while trying to keep the family through all the junk in their lives. Though it kind of seems like the adventure came to her this time! I guess you can’t really complain then, and the whole family got in on it!

And with those experiences, yeah, two of the things Mika really hated were waiting and hot weather. Golly, that does make for a terrible combination. And it seemed like my hunch was right, she really didn’t like being locked in that blast chamber for five hours and be exposed to that kind of heat for that whole time. Must have been pretty boring and agonizing! Although if you’re in severe agony, can you really be bored, too? I dunno, I guess not. Ah well.

Oh, and I found one of EXCLUDE’s puzzles on her. Yeah, I get what EXCLUDE is trying to do and I get some kicks doing the same kind of thing myself, but this kind of thing isn’t my jam if you know what I mean. Sudoku, really? I’m not a numbers guy. And the void blots are just… eh, not classy. Depressing stuff, really. Me, I’d rather have some fun with this. You create something, you torture that something for a little while, and you remind it that things can suck sometimes but it’s funny for everyone else who can relate but doesn’t have to suffer in the “right here right now” kind of way. You know how it is.

Cheerio for now.
ASTRALNOX

“What is that you’re reading?” Dret asked Safren just after he had finished.

“You don’t want to know,” Safren replied coldly, crumpling up the paper. “Unless you really want to get pissed off.”

Shortly after, she had looked over the last sheet of paper, and she found the Sudoku fragment that ASTRALNOX was referring to. Where and how Mika came across this, she didn’t know, but she figured she would hold onto it for now. Chances were good this wouldn’t help Dret in any way either. There was something about it that was morbid and hollowing and Safren was pretty confident in her feelings that this would only bring Dret and Duante more misery and woe.

And it was one of the last things they needed at this dark time…

Doom Tracker:
4/40

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 5: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2347202/day-5-day-cycle)

(Monday, December 28, 2020 11:00:00 PM EST)

Giving everyone some extra time to make actions as I know Christmas is this week, so take your time and enjoy the holiday! I also need the extra time myself, so it’s all good.

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee AD Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[AD]

LET. US. TRY. THIS. AGAIN.

Now, that I checked to see if something will happen at night, LETS TRY THE DAY. Let's see what remains of this hollowed land.

Investigate (34a) Hymn of Rebirth Cemetery

[C0L0R3D]

Despite the nights murder, Misty was oddly calm about it, maybe even a bit ignorant. She was only focused on the Stalker at hand.

"Astralnox shed their first blood, huh. I mean, there was no blood, but you get the idea."

Her expression falls a bit after saying that, but it isn't much.

"Even though I have all the money I need to help out Safen, I have other plans for now. First, I'll buy a “Handymon” Magazine from Exacta City Newsstand, and store that for later. Then I'll go and check out 19. Duante the Yamper. Poor guy..."

It was clear Misty had plans to finalize fixing that console she dug out from the sublevel a few days ago tonight..

[TylerNinetales]

I'll go and the (77) Jano Clinic and Urgent Care a look see.

[Noblejanobii]

Let's interview 40. Namrai the Steenee

[Neo Emolga]

LET. US. TRY. THIS. AGAIN.

Now, that I checked to see if something will happen at night, LETS TRY THE DAY. Let's see what remains of this hollowed land.

Investigate (34a) Hymn of Rebirth Cemetery

Insistent on finding what dark secrets might be lurking and hidden at the graveyard, you decide to make your way back there, crawling on your four heavy legs as opposed to flying this time. Oddly enough, the air this morning feels hot and stale, and the wind is a bit sporadic as it gusts hard at some points but then completely stops at others. It makes you wonder if the land and the world itself is slowly going mad.

On your way there, you carefully navigate through the Northern Reach, keeping vigilant watch on the streets for any signs of ghouls. Using buildings, abandoned vehicles, and other obstructions seems to prove effective as none of the ghouls detect your presence. Slowly but surely, you make it to the cemetery and at long last, you begin your search.

As you assess the many rows of headstones, markers, and plaques of varying sizes and shapes, you see there’s a mix of both old and new graves here. Some graves have become faded and almost illegible at this point, while others are only a few months old, just before the situation with the Stalkers started to become one more problem on top of many existing tribulations.

You also find an area of the cemetery that seems like all of the Pokémon buried here have the same type of square slab headstone and the same day of death: the 28th day of the month of Arka. As you gaze upon the rows and rows of hundreds upon hundreds of similarly-shaped headstones, it suddenly hits you what Arka 28th was.

It was the day OMEN happened.

And as you look upon the myriad of headstones, it sends a grim chill through your spine. All of them were prepared hastily, as you are very well aware whoever sought to bury all these dead had to do it quickly as even today the danger of being here is still very present. And as you look upon them, some of them have names, but there are many others that have nothing, a testament that whoever came across the buried dead’s bodies could not discern who they were, but sought to give them a proper burial anyway, something that still has been denied of many of the dead in the Southern Reach.

It pains you to think how many graves would be here if every single dead body out there was accounted for and placed here. You begin to think it’s very likely there simply wouldn’t be nearly enough space even with this giant field…

Returning back to the main graveyard, you find some of the more recent headstones, ones that look like they’ve only be here for a short while and they’re likely those that were either killed by OMEN infected or by the Stalkers themselves.

And then, as if by some dark perversion, you come across a dark caricature of a grave…

#Horrendous Isolation Aura – WATER (6 Sanity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 78 out of 100: Failed!

But you don’t realize it until it’s too late. Upon looking up, all you see is a pair of h̥̮̮ͦ̎̿̃o̍̓̇ͣl͙͉l̓̍̎o̞̬̥̗̺͙͒w̗̳̦̟̿ͧͬ̋ eye sockets, and your gaze is suddenly e͈͚̘̳̤n͍̜̣̭͚s̰̦͉n̰̖a͇re͈̬͖̟̬ḍ͉ ͕̣b͇̹̪̯̳̝̳y͎̩͖͈ ͍̭̮͔͚̟an͇͕͚̱̞̗ ̲̝̭̫̫u̗̻̦̫̼̭̱nh̝̼̯̘͙̬ͅo̼͚̼͈̼̲l͍y̮̤ ̯̫̟̤̠e̻̰̭v͓̲ͅi͉̭̗l̲͕̬̪̥.

Like a deranged hallucination, your mind is suddenly plunged into d͎̳̦̺̽͌̏͂ͣ͆̂ē̤͖̺ͅs͖͍͈̟͐̌͑̈ͯp̰̥͙̭̊a̖̞̝͍̘̦͍͛ȋ̿͑͊̅̚ ̺̗̼̺̯r͇̱̯̥͌̑̈́ͩ̆̒. For a moment, the agony of drowning is all that you know, as if you’ve suddenly become trapped in the dark abyss of an endless sea that never ends in all directions. You try to swim, but you only sink further and further, and in your mind, it feels like a slow, inevitable, and hopeless death into an infinite b̦͖̫̹ͨͬ̒̒ͅl͚̿̑ͬ̈ͫâć̹̣͔̣̞̺̤̂͌k̻͍̣̘̯ͤ ̞̂͌a̤̦͇͈͈̩b̻͓͓͑̎̏̔̆̍ͫy̦̞̝s̰̥̝̩͔̮͓̓̊̂̓̄s̱̉̇ͭ where no one will ever find you as you sink alone into the silence.

Sacred has taken 12 damage to Sanity.

You suddenly awaken from the nightmare with a horrendous jolt, almost feeling like a terrible portion of your own mind was left behind to endlessly sink in the watery, breathless abyss of that horrific dream when your conscious left it. But as your own eyes look ahead, all you see are those same vacant hollow eyes, where it looks like some grim apparatus violently dug them out of some woefully unfortunate creature. Only then do you realize what they truly are: vacant, hollow eyes of a Sobble statue that’s part of a headstone.

And it’s absolutely filthy with Stalker presence…

#{Grave of the Lonely Sobble: Glass Stone Sobble Eye AND Missing Glass Sobble Eye} Horrendous Isolation Aura – WATER (6 Sanity Damage)# has been noted in the Team Records.

Telling yourself it’s only a statue doesn’t seem to help much. It doesn’t soothe the mental anguish and drowning madness of what you just endured.

You’re not sure if replacing the eyes might help, but you decide it’s worth pursuing. Something dark and nefarious is at work here and it would help to do something about it or at least figure out what’s going on here.

You decide to keep searching. You walk past several more rows of headstones, all of which seem to be more deceased Pokémon that perished after OMEN. But one of them strikes you as unusual. Unlike the mind-ravaging Sobble grave, this particular grave of white stone feels both hopeful and somber at the same time.

There is no name on the headstone, but instead a message:

“Tomb of the unknown angel.”

At first, you’re not quite sure what it means, but then it all makes sense. The Utopian relics that you and the other Emissaries have been finding. There were Utopian angels here at one point, very recently in fact, only their mission failed, and here lies one of them.

But there was something left behind. Something that even Syrax missed. But with all that has transpired, it’s not surprising that the Espeon overlooked it with all of the other things that have been on his mind lately. But where there was something once overlooked, you place your front right foot before the grave, and you pray. A warm, white light surrounds you as you reach out beyond the ethereal nether.

{Tomb of the Unknown Angel: <Seinaru>}

Let this be a sign that I am here. I am here, an Emissary among others to continue your work, to pursue the mission you could not complete. My name… is Sacred. If you can hear me, please respond…

At first, the prayer call is absorbed by the silence. But after a few passing seconds, you realize it didn’t go unheard. It simply had a long, long way to travel, and so did its response. But it only reaches you as the faintest and softest of whispers, but you are able to hear every word as it’s unlike all the perceives the senses. In the faint glimpse of a vision, you can perceive the ethereal visage of a Lycanroc.

Aidasha… is my name. I can fight no longer, but please… Sacred… carry onward where I cannot.

A sudden globe of white, soothing, tenacious light slowly rises from the grave, and it glows before you, filling you with a newfound determination. You hold out your front right foot, accepting Aisasha’s offering to you.

Sacred has equipped the [|UA| Angelic Warfury] (50% trigger chance user’s attacks attempt to strike all opposing enemies in the same combat turn. If there is only a single target, it becomes a 50% trigger chance of striking the sole enemy twice.)

After you absorb the aspect, you feel the angel’s warrior spirit flow within you. It is unlike anything you’ve felt before, but it leaves you feeling like you could strike down armies.

After taking a deep breath and coming to this new realization, you look back upon the white grave. Though the Pokémon of Exacta did not know who this was, you have come to the realization.

Using your power, you remove the words “Tomb of the Unknown Angel.” For a brief moment, the headstone is pure white. And then upon that stone, you engrave a new message so that all that come across this grave will finally know:


“Here lies Aidasha the Lycanroc, Warrior of Utopia.”

As you turn around to head back to base, you feel a sense of ease come across you and the surrounding area, a sense that despite all of the darkness that has befallen this land, it is as if a new candle has been lit and its light has joined the battle in pushing back the shadows.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/485.png Sacred the Heatran (M: Fire/Steel)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 8/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: [|DA| Renegade’s Cloak] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Angelic Warfury] (50% trigger chance user’s attacks attempt to strike all opposing enemies in the same combat turn. If there is only a single target, it becomes a 50% trigger chance of striking the sole enemy twice.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$408 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Despite the nights murder, Misty was oddly calm about it, maybe even a bit ignorant. She was only focused on the Stalker at hand.

"Astralnox shed their first blood, huh. I mean, there was no blood, but you get the idea."

Her expression falls a bit after saying that, but it isn't much.

"Even though I have all the money I need to help out Safen, I have other plans for now. First, I'll buy a “Handymon” Magazine from Exacta City Newsstand, and store that for later. Then I'll go and check out 19. Duante the Yamper. Poor guy..."

It was clear Misty had plans to finalize fixing that console she dug out from the sublevel a few days ago tonight..

As a new day begins, you head out and make your way toward the mall. As you step a few feet away from the steel mill, you feel the air and it seems stale and hot and you inhale and exhale. A few dusty winds blow past you and it’s rather unpleasant. You imagine not too many Pokémon besides ground and rock types would be all too thrilled out the weather today.

Once you enter the mall and head toward the newsstand, you place $100 Sochas$ and an issue of the Handymon magazine before Dole the Vaporeon, who is always happy to see a returning customer. He prints a receipt for you and puts the money in his register.

Misty has spent $100 Sochas$ to purchase the [“Handymon” Magazine]

You then decide to head toward Dret’s home just a bit further south. Normally, Duante would be going to school today, but given last night’s incident, you imagine he wouldn’t be going anywhere. As you approach the house, you realize Dret the Mightyena is hovering over his son, and it takes a bit to convince him you mean no harm…

Interview Rapport: NEUTRAL, MODEST
+MODEST (Water vs Electric)

“I would like to talk to your son for a bit,” you assure Dret. “I just have a few questions.”

“NOT ON YOUR LIFE!” Dret roars. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO US!? IF YOU TAKE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER, I’LL-!”

“Stop, dad,” the young Yamper sniffles. “I… it’s okay. She just wants to talk, that’s all.”

Dret goes silent, and looks you over before looking back to his son. The Mightyena gives you a bit of a distrustful, dirty look, and you can tell in the process he’s sizing you up, assessing what you would be capable of in a fight. Carefully, you lay your sledgehammer down and show him you’re now unarmed. It only assures him a bit, but it seems to be enough.

“I’ll be watching,” Dret warns you. “Don’t you even dare try anything or I will rip you to shreds!”

“Dad, please,” Duante pleads. “You can’t talk like that to everyone now because mom died. She just wants to help. But how can they help if you keep threating to kill them? Mom… mom wouldn’t want that… you she wouldn’t…”

The Mightyena goes silent, and you can see in his eyes that thoughts… endless thoughts are swimming in his head, some at dangerous paces and you feel those are the things triggering his nasty behavioral impulses. But the words of his son calm him down, at least enough for now. Carefully, you approach the young Yamper and sit down besides him. Normally, you can tell he’s usually a cheerful, happy young Pokémon, but today, it’s as if someone drove a knife through his soul and where there was once youthful cheer, there is only somber sadness.

“I’m sorry about my dad,” Duante whispers to you. “He’s not taking this well.”

“It’s okay,” you comfort him. “He’s in pain. We all are.”

Duante nods, and tries to smile for a moment of understanding and friendship, but he just can’t…

“What can I help you with?” Duante asks, trying for a brief moment to chat with you.

“My name’s Misty,” you introduce yourself to him. “I’m trying to find out who and what these Stalkers are so we can stop them. Stop them from hurting others.”

Duante looks a bit downcast, not sure how he can help with this, but he tries to think of something.

“I had a bad dream…” Duante tells you. “I dreamed… one of the Stalkers was at my school. They were chasing me, trying to kill me, but I couldn’t get a good look at their face. When I did, it was all… distorted. Looking at their face made me feel like I was forever lost, and it was so weird and creepy.”

“Dad said I have to go back to school soon, but I’m so afraid,” Duante shivers. “I feel like they’re watching me. I don’t even know if I can trust anyone there.”

A bit reluctant, he shows you something he found, and it looks like a slivery-white talisman with what looks to be billions of small glowing stars. However, it’s only the right half of it.

“I want you to have this,” Duante tells you. “It seems important, but I don’t want the Stalkers to catch me with it, because I think they’ll try to destroy it and kill me for having it. I’ve been trying to find the other half and I think it’s close by, but I just haven’t found it yet. With the way dad is now, I can’t look for it anymore and I need to lie low. I’m hoping you can look for me…”

[2nd Half of the Talisman of the Stars] has been added to the Team Inventory.

“Please take good care of it,” Duante pleads.

When you hold it, it fills you with a few rays of hope and comfort, but as Duante pointed out, the left half of it is missing. Though you can’t help but get the feeling like it’s near you, yearning to be joined again with the other half. You hope that sooner or later, you can figure it out.

“I just want to get some rest, now,” Duante tells you, looking a bit sad and tired. “Please, stop those Stalkers so no one else suffers like this. I still look around the house hoping mom will still be there. I miss her so much already…”

“Thanks for your help,” you tell him as you stand up. “We’ll do our best.”

As Duante heads back into the house, you decide to turn around and go back to base after picking your sledgehammer back up. It seems as though Dret has realized you were telling the truth and has gained a bit more trust for the Emissaries, but still, it seems like the death of his wife is always going to keep him on edge, possibly for the rest of his days…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$550 Sochas
[“Handymon” Magazine] (Gives the user the Repair Perk for the Cycle it’s used, one use only)

[EmeraldSky]

I equip the Combat Longbow and check the Riverwinds Shopping Center

[Neo Emolga]

I equip the Combat Longbow and check the Riverwinds Shopping Center

Hey, Riverwinds Shopping Center was searched already, I just realized I might have forgotten to save the update on the first page to mark it as searched.

[EmeraldSky]

Noel Emolga

Have any parts of our base been searched at all?

[Lychee]

Nico the... what am I now?
Nico the whipped cream has an existential crisis, but manages to crawl out of it after hearing a pep talk back at the base.

On her way out, she nudges EmeraldSky to empty the spare weapons from her backpack please~

First, it's time to shop.
3 citrus, 3 speleon, 3 starf berries (75 +75 +75 = 225 sochas) from Friend in Need Pharmacy, to deliver to Safin the Politoed for their quest. Hopefully the exchange doesnt take up a whole turn- if it looks like it will, Nico will put the berries into the team inventory and put off delivery until the night time where it will surely be a safer activity than exploring....

Next store to hit up is Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store!
Starburst ring- 200 sochas- time to slip that sucker onto a strawberry finger! Nico should be looking fairly well decked out now! No fear!
Well, some fear. But less fear!

Lastly, time to make this creamy delight into a coffee! Nico drops past the Soul Food Diner to pick up and ingest a Caffiene Delight for 150 Sochas.

((1000- 225 - 150 - 200 = 425 sochas left))
Time to WHIZZ PAST THE BASE ON A HIGH AND EMPTY NICOS WALLET WHEEEE~~
Plus, if that fruit delivery was successful, also dump that 500 and the violence berries into the team inventory.

First place to check is somewhere that is hopefully less dangerous-- and it will make sense why Nico could drop all the stuff off at the base! That's right- shes going down to (1b) Foundry Floors 1-2 (Empty Space) <UNSEARCHED> to have a stickybeak! Whatever she finds there, she'll dump in a pile in the emissary group inventory before heading out. Call it spring cleaning. In uh... winter? Summer? This place is too dry to tell.

Finally, it's time to gear up and take the Vault Y117 Key to the (58) Jadewater Apartment complex and Park.
LETS GET THIS BREAD
and not become toast...

[EmeraldSky]

Lychee

I'm working on getting the extras unloaded (as well as finding somewhere safe-ish we haven't looked yet)

So for now, I equip the Combat Longbow and check Foundry Floors 1-2--there has to be something in there we can use.

[Shruikan]

Ok, so first I'll unequip the Veteran's Warhammer and replace it with the Millitary War Sword. The I'll plonk everything else not equipped into the group bank/inventory.


As for my main action, well an abandoned prison sounds like the perfect place for a stalker to hide, so I'll seach the (54a) Main Prison Structure

[Neo Emolga]

I'll go and the (77) Jano Clinic and Urgent Care a look see.

As the morning sun rises, you head south, intending to see what you can discover in the Southern Reach. Upon leaving the Emissary steel mill, the first thing you notice is the stale air that seems hot and dry as it tastes dusty and rancid. Meanwhile, the wind can’t seem to make up its mind, almost making you wish it would decide to blow or not to blow rather than be erratic.

After crossing the Western Exacta Bridge, you head into the dead heart of Exacta City’s Southern Reach, seeing the destroyed and lost city ruins of a metropolis that used to be bustling with life and activity. Now, it’s literally a ghost town, devoid of the living, and home to only the dead and the undead. Keeping your wits about you, you use the shadows, the walls, and any available cover to make your way to the Jano Clinic.

On the way, you find the macabre remains of an Elekid, although it takes you a good thirty seconds to look the remains over before you’re at least half-certain that’s what it used to be. From what you can see, the ghouls weren’t interested in his personal belongings, only his flesh. Judging from the bloodstains, it looks like this Elekid only died about two or three days ago.

You look through his brown leather pack and you find a sizable amount of money inside. The rest of it seems to be personal survival belongings such as a lighter, towels, rations, and other similar belongings that you don’t feel you need, but you leave them in an easier to find spot in case another scavenger comes this way and needs additional resources.

$450 Sochas$ were added to Midnight’s Pack.

There isn’t much left of the body. It looks to be that his armor was ripped apart as the ghouls tore their way at him and you don’t see any sign of a weapon. You do find, however, that he had a ring on his severed, mostly consumed paw that you almost overlooked. It has a ghostly-silverish band with a dark black onyx inlaid into it. After rubbing the dirt and blood off, you slip it on your own finger, and it seems to fill you with an almost vampiric aura.

Midnight has equipped the [|JY| Nightstealer Ring] (Health damage dealt becomes Health points restored).

You continue your way to the Jano Clinic itself on the grizzly southern side of the OMEN crater. Upon arriving, you see the building looks almost leveled and it’s even difficult to tell it was a clinic in the first place. You imagine when OMEN struck, it’s impossible for anyone in this building at the time to have survived and you discover it’s difficult to even find anyone’s remains. But if anyone did survive, they would have been severely injured and wouldn’t be able to crawl away from the horrors that would soon swarm the area. Surviving would have been less merciful than just dying immediately…

You decide to explore the ruins anyway, digging through the rubble heaps that are scattered around. Among the debris, you find some medical equipment, but a lot of it is far too damaged to salvage in any way, and a lot of the medical and laboratory gear has been ruined by either damage or contamination. Even so, the shelf life on a lot of the chemicals and ointments has long expired. Anything that’s still intact in terms of vials, jars, and syringes is likely no good anymore anyway. The hemostatic agents and Pokémon thrombin have long expired and lost their sterility.

Among the devastation, you find the ruins of the waiting room. Among the twisted metal, piles of broken concrete, and splintered wood, you find a few of the old magazines that used to be provided to waiting patients and their family members. Among the pile, you find an old issue of Chansey’s Diagnosis, which has gotten a little dirty, but it’s still legible and usable. You decide to take it with you.

[“Chansey’s Diagnosis” Magazine] (Gives the user the Medicine Perk for the Cycle it’s used) was added to Midnight’s Pack.

As you keep looking, you find the trauma care rooms, or what’s left of them. You spend a good twenty minutes digging through the remains, taking care not to cut yourself on any broken glass or jagged metal in the process. There isn’t much left to be saved, but you do find several crushed metal cabinets that might have some potential. Of the three you find, the first just couldn’t be opened while the second had its vials, flasks, and chemicals either crushed, spilled, or they had expired. The last cabinet takes you a while to break open, and you find that because the door is so crushed inward, you end up needing to rip the door off to be able to access what’s inside.

When you look in, you see a lot of the medical equipment inside has been severely damaged. Medical devices on the top layer are completely crushed inward and will never work again, but items on the lower shelves appear to be in better shape. While the first two pieces of equipment are cracked and their fluids have long leaked out of them, two of the Trauma Packs appear to still be in working condition and could be used. While they would require an injection, they appear to be very high-grade medical equipment and very likely had a high cost associated with them. You decide to take them, feeling despite being a bit dated, they could heal someone’s life in a pinch.

2x [Medical Trauma Unit] (Fully restores Health, Sanity, and Purity OR serves as one use of the Medicine Perk) was added to Midnight’s Pack.

After making one last look around the clinic, you find there used to be a sublevel storage room, but rubble and large slabs of concrete have blocked off the stairwell downwards. It’s too tight for you to squeeze your way in, but you think a smaller Pokémon with a subtle frame might be able to get down there to see what the sub-level might have.

{Tight Rubble Pit: <Small Pokémon Size>} has been noted in the Team Records.

After gathering all that you could, you decide to head back, taking care to watch your back and keep an eye out for ghouls and other abominations. Thankfully, they never notice you and you manage to safely slip past them as you make your way back to the steel mill to begin your preparations for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/571.png Midnight the Zoroark (M: Dark)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Nightstealer Ring] (Health damage dealt becomes Health points restored)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$480 Sochas
[“Chansey’s Diagnosis” Magazine] (Gives the user the Medicine Perk for the Cycle it’s used)
2x [Medical Trauma Unit] (Fully restores Health, Sanity, and Purity OR serves as one use of the Medicine Perk)

[Neo Emolga]

Let's interview 40. Namrai the Steenee

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE
+1 Shared Type (Grass)

You decide to pay Namrai a visit to see what she might know about the Stalkers and if she’s seen anything strange lately. As you step out of the steel mill and begin your walk to the Happy Holiday Gift Store, you aren’t too fond of the weather conditions today. The dusty sands can’t make up their mind whether they want to gust or not today while the heat and the staleness of the air don’t go well together. You begin to wonder what would be worse for a Shaymin such as yourself. This… or snow.

After finding Namrai working at the Happy Holiday Gift Store, you see that she opens early and that this shop is her pride and joy as it seems she has a fondness for jewelry, trinkets, and other colorful knick-knacks and souvenirs. After walking in, you feel the store has a welcoming aura to it and it seems like a nice, refreshing escape from the anxiety of the refuge community and the OMEN-related calamities just outside. From what you can gather, this comfort away from the stress seems to be exactly the kind of feeling Namrai is trying to create with her store and hopefully entice her customers to buy some of these trinkets and make their own living arrangements feel just as relaxing and refreshing.

When you approach her, she happily welcomes you in as her first customer today. You introduce yourself to the Steenee and she tries to smile, though you can see from her eyes that it still looks like there’s some feeing of hurt going on deep inside of her, but she tries her hardest not to show it and assure you this is a nice and happy place to shop at.

“Hi Noble!” Steenee tries to smile. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Welcome and thanks for coming to my shop!”

You ask her about the Stalkers, wondering if she has learned anything about them from seeing others, or if she’s seen other unusual things going on around town. It looks like Namrai has seen a fair share of unusual things, especially being by the border edge of the Reach.

“Mmm, I have a number of stories,” Namrai tells you, looking a bit concerned. “Well, I don’t like to spread rumors about my customers, but there’s one in particular that I’ve got to mention. Esler is one of my regular customers,” she explains. “Yep, Esler the Malamar. He’s kind of creepy and he’s always coming by here to see what he can haggle for cheap. I’ve asked some of the other store owners around and he does this kind of thing to them, too, but he definitely comes by here more often.”

“Well, the other day, I noticed he was wearing this really strange armband on his left… tentacle thing,” Steenee grimaces a bit. “I saw it was a black onyx band with a gold-trim looking effect that kept forming figure-8s, which I guess was some sort of symbolism to infinity or something like that. I know he didn’t buy something odd and peculiar like that that here so I asked him about it, wondering where he got it and if he perhaps bought it from Lagrais’s Sapphire Oasis store. He felt I was being nosy and that I should ‘just shut up and do my job.’ What a grouch. Still, something about that band looked pretty odd and unsettling and it doesn’t look like any piece of jewelry I’ve ever seen before. Makes me wonder if he's a Stalker or that thing he’s wearing has something to do with them.”

“Meanwhile, ugh, there’s Shas,” Namrai sighs, looking a bit frustrated. “I can’t stand this Chimchar kid at all. He and some other kid, usually Jakko the Litleo, who is also a real pest, come by here every now and then and on the first day they showed up, I knew they might be trouble and likely weren’t going to buy anything. And I was right. Jakko distracts store owners and employees by making a scene or bothering the other customers, and when I try to deal with it, Shas goes and steals stuff while I’m not looking and runs out the door with it. It happened twice now and I’ve banned both of them from coming in here. Pressing charges and trying to work with Aurorawatch to deal with this is impossible, they’ve got their hands full with other stuff and small-fry theft like this is at the bottom of their list of concerns. Still, I’ve learned similar things have happened at other stores. Jakko has always been a nasty nuisance to pretty much everyone in town but Shas is really something else, making you think he’s a sad, innocent boy with plenty of ‘woe is me, my family’s dead’ sob stories but then he steals stuff, attacks other kids, and breaks things, so I don’t have sympathy for that kid anymore. Pokémon around here seem to assume all the Stalkers are adults but you know, those two kids are pretty rotten and evil and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them were actually one of them. If you were to talk to them, you’d see exactly what I mean.”

After a lot of ranting, she catches herself and looks a bit apologetic.

“Ah sorry, I didn’t mean to bombard you like that,” Namrai sighs. “But thanks for listening, Noble. Say, while we’re on the subject of odd and unusual stuff, I have something to show you. It doesn’t seem to be connected to the Stalkers, but it’s rather… strange. Comforting even.”

She shows you a folded piece of what looks to be runic parchment, which by itself seems to be unusual and it reminds you of some of the other Utopia relics that have been located. When she unfolds it, what you see appears as an arcane circle with many runes. After looking upon it, your knowledge of Seinaru comes in handy as you know exactly what this is for.

“Hey, this is a Starline circle,” you tell her with a bit of excitement as you explain all the features of it and point to them with your white paw. “You see these arcane circles and these rings? It’s sort of like a ritual schematic or like a diagram that explains how to create and maintain a celestial rift. It may look basic but there’s actually a whole detailed explanation regarding the instructions and process.”

Namrai just looks at you with shock, as if her jaw is about to drop.

“How did you…?” she asks, barely able to speak. “You… you know what, you’d better take it. I forget where I found it but I kept it because I thought it looked cool and didn’t have any other purpose, but that sounds like… something really important.”

She gladly hands you the piece of parchment, and you decide to take it with you, very certain this belonged to a Utopia angel. It even resonates with that same, comforting Utopia aura feeling to it.

[Starline Configuration] has been added to the Team Inventory (Sin Purge – Dawnlight Reckoning Summoning Relics)

“Oh, one last thing before you go,” Namrai tells you, pulling out a necklace from a display case. “I want to give you this. As a token of my thanks for just… coming on by, saying hello, and hearing me out. I appreciate that. I know you’re busy, but if you can, feel free to come by again and it’s okay if you don’t buy anything, but I hope maybe later something entices you. And if I learn about anything else going on, I’ll let you know.”

Noble has equipped the [|JY| Onyx Necklace] (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%)

“It looks great on you!” Namrai smiles as she sees you wearing it. “It’s quite pretty and I’ve heard things that it’s a good luck charm and keeps Pokémon out of trouble. Hopefully it works and does the same for you.”

“Well, take care and hope to see you again soon!” Namrai tells you as you head out the door.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Onyx Necklace] (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$205 Sochas$

[Scarlet the Weavile]

Leaving the best for the last? How sweet of you sugars. Maybe there's some kind of advantage of getting pretty high.

Search (56) Whitestar Skyscraper

[Neo Emolga]

Nico the... what am I now?
Nico the whipped cream has an existential crisis, but manages to crawl out of it after hearing a pep talk back at the base.

On her way out, she nudges EmeraldSky to empty the spare weapons from her backpack please~

First, it's time to shop.
3 citrus, 3 speleon, 3 starf berries (75 +75 +75 = 225 sochas) from Friend in Need Pharmacy, to deliver to Safin the Politoed for their quest. Hopefully the exchange doesnt take up a whole turn- if it looks like it will, Nico will put the berries into the team inventory and put off delivery until the night time where it will surely be a safer activity than exploring....

Next store to hit up is Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store!
Starburst ring- 200 sochas- time to slip that sucker onto a strawberry finger! Nico should be looking fairly well decked out now! No fear!
Well, some fear. But less fear!

Lastly, time to make this creamy delight into a coffee! Nico drops past the Soul Food Diner to pick up and ingest a Caffiene Delight for 150 Sochas.

((1000- 225 - 150 - 200 = 425 sochas left))
Time to WHIZZ PAST THE BASE ON A HIGH AND EMPTY NICOS WALLET WHEEEE~~
Plus, if that fruit delivery was successful, also dump that 500 and the violence berries into the team inventory.

First place to check is somewhere that is hopefully less dangerous-- and it will make sense why Nico could drop all the stuff off at the base! That's right- shes going down to (1b) Foundry Floors 1-2 (Empty Space) <UNSEARCHED> to have a stickybeak! Whatever she finds there, she'll dump in a pile in the emissary group inventory before heading out. Call it spring cleaning. In uh... winter? Summer? This place is too dry to tell.

Finally, it's time to gear up and take the Vault Y117 Key to the (58) Jadewater Apartment complex and Park.
LETS GET THIS BREAD
and not become toast...

(I love the way your write your posts, they always give me a good chuckle XD)

When the morning arrives, you head out early, knowing you have quite the list of items you’d like to buy from various stores around the refuge area. Quite frankly, the weather this morning is pretty awful, but you decide to rough through it even though the air is stale and the erratic wind is a bit annoying.

You first head to the Friend in Need Pharmacy at the mall, intending to buy the batch of berries that Safen needs. You quickly count the sochas you require for the purchase and place the small pile of coins and paper bills before Borsei, along with the berries that you intend to buy. Borsei the Clefairy checks to make sure it’s enough and then bags everything in a brown paper bag before giving you the receipt.

Nico has spent 225 Sochas to purchase 3 Sitrus Berries, 3 Spelon Berries, and 3 Starf Berries.

“Thanks, have a nice day!” Borsei tells you with a cheerful grin.

“You too!” you reply with a smile.

With the pouch of berries close at hand, you then head toward the Exacta Military Compound. Though a number of soldiers on patrol this morning aren’t too crazy about the weather and show it on their grimacing faces, duty calls and they acknowledge it. You soon approach the Raichu and Purugly guards by the door. They don’t seem to be enjoying the stale weather either, but they’re tolerating it for the time being only because it’s their turn for guard duty. Though the look on their faces definitely suggests they can’t wait until they’re off.

“State your business, please,” the Purugly guard asks you.

“Here to deliver a package for Paladin Safen,” you tell her with a smile. “I’ve got the berries she needs.”

“Hold on, I’ll radio her,” the Purugly tells you.

After contacting Safen the Politoed by radio, she gives you the okay to head on in, and you make your way toward the Aurorawatch Paladin’s living quarters after passing through many hallways and by patrols on their way toward physical training. You can tell from the look of things in her living quarters that she’s pretty busy, doesn’t have the time to clean up, and probably doesn’t care too much about it either.

After greeting her and laying the berries out on her personal workbench, she looks at you, looking like she was doubtful you would even bother, but she’s relieved you carried out the request.

“Nice to see someone carries out orders around here,” Safen replies to you, gladly taking the berries. “Thanks, this just saved my ass from having to explain to the quartermaster what pray tell happened. Your payment, as promised, plus a tip.”

SIDE MISSION COMPLETED: Internal Audit

$750 Sochas$ and x5 [Violent Seed] (Increases damage dealt by this Pokémon by +3 for each successful combat strike. Lasts one cycle, effect cannot be layered) have been added to the Team Inventory.

“I guess that’s it then,” Safen replies, looking like she’s about to head back to work. “I’ll let you know if something else comes up.”

“Yeah, about that Reaperblade, though,” you remind her. “The one that used to belong to Paladin Crul.”

“Ah yeah, almost forgot about that,” Safen replied, thinking it means a sparring match. “You up for that fight then? Let’s see what you’ve got, Alcremie!”

Personally, you’d rather not fight the Politoad after all, so you decide to go another route with her.

“I was told you were just getting rid of it,” you tell her, shrugging and looking completely disinterested in the idea of fighting her. “Look, it’s not like Paladin Crul is coming back for it anyway. Besides, truth is, judging from the situation and both of our tight schedules, I don’t think either of us have the time to be sparring anyway. And for what exactly? Bruising the hell out of each other doesn’t prove a damn thing and the ghouls would be laughing their asses off if they found out we were wasting time and energy bashing each other’s heads in like a bunch of imbecile feral morons fighting over scrap meat. So really, are you getting rid of the blade or not? Because if not, then I need to be on my way and I’m sure you do too.”

2. [PAL] Safen the Politoad: <Diplomacy> OR * Sparring Battle Victory*

“Fine, just take it,” Safen replies with a sigh, rolling her eyes and feeling embarrassed as she hands you the Paladin’s Reaperblade. “Yeah, you’re right, guess it was a dumb idea of mine to even ask, but it sounded better at the time. Well, like you said, I’ve got things to do.”

[|AW| Paladin’s Reaperblade] (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Nico’s Pack.

Knowing the part about you having a tight schedule was definitely no lie, you bid her farewell and head out before she reconsiders.

Next, you head over to the Sapphire Oasis Jewelry Store, quickly sliding your way across the street. Thankfully, with plenty of daylight hours left, you head inside and know exactly what to purchase. Heck, you’d probably just use self-checkout if it were a thing here.

“Hello there,” Lagrais the Rapidash greets you as you arrive, looking down on you from above as her fiery mane flickers sparks and embers about. “Are you just browsing or can I-“

“One of those Starburst Rings sounds good,” you tell her just seconds after stepping into the store. “Got the money right here.”

You then quickly lay out the 200 sochas needed for the ring while Lagrais removes one of the Starburst Rings from the display case and lays it out on the counter. While she gathers the money you’ve left on the table, you slip the Starburst Ring on your creamy finger and it looks rather nice, all the while it feels to be empowering you at the same time.

Nico has spent $200 Sochas$ for the [|JW| Starburst Ring] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)
Nico has equipped the [|JW| Starburst Ring] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)

Given your weaponry, armor, and empowerment, you feel ready to beat a Stalker to death with their own arm and make them choke on it with their last breath.

Next, you head over to the Soul Food Diner just a short distance away, sliding your way quickly to get on that while the day is still young. After stepping into the casual diner, you see there’s a few Pokémon there already and it isn’t long until you’re up at the front of the line to put in your drink order.

“One Caffeine Delight, please,” you smile, putting the $150 Sochas out for Seul the Brioonne.

Nico has spent $150 Sochas for the [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn).

“Coming right up,” he tells you, quickly getting to work mixing coffee and creamer.

Once the order is completed, he hands you the drink in a paper cup, and it’s fresh, soothing, and delicious with the first sip. It warms you up and refreshes you with a fresh, pick-me-up kind of energy that rekindles your enthusiasm and vigor.

Nico has used [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn).

After you finish your drink, you decide to slide your way back to the steel mill to see if there’s anything lurking at the first and second foundry floors. What you found in the basement perked your curiosity, so you’re wondering if anything else is there. Upon finding out this steel mill was being used to smuggle and create Shadowmarch components in secret, you imagine what you found earlier may not be the end of all there is to discover about this place.

When you arrive back at base, you begin your search on the area, trying to see and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. From the initial look of things, it seems normal. Most of the heavy equipment was taken down and moved out a while ago, though you can tell there used to be massive smelting pots and containers along with heavy machinery before everything was dismantled and broken down.

Some of the heavily-depreciated equipment still remains, however. Everything that didn’t have much life to it anyway still lingers around though you imagine it won’t ever be used for its original purpose ever again. Most of it seems like its past its time and wouldn’t be worth trying to fix up to bring it back online. Not to mention fresh steel, while potentially helpful, would be difficult to bring about with all of the equipment needing maintenance along with new manufacturing equipment to replace everything that was taken out. It would take a monumental effort and you wouldn’t see much return on that heavy investment.

At first, it doesn’t seem like there’s much here, though you imagine there’s enough room to repurpose the area into something else that might be more useful to the Emissary cause. You figure first someone is going to need to find someone capable of doing that.

You do find something unusual when you get to the back western wall. The area here looks like it wasn’t really used very much even during the time the mill was still operational, but you find a door that was painted over black. There’s no knob, the hinges were painted over, and it looks like it was forgotten about for a while.

Or was it?

You decide to try using a nearby pipe to break it open. True, it may have absolutely nothing but dust and cobwebs inside, but you decide to see if there’s more to this story. After using your creamy hands to slide the end of the bar into the hole cavity where a knob should have been, you brace the bar against the side of the opposing wall and try to exert a force of leverage against the door, pushing in and out with all your might to pry the door out to see what was hidden behind it.

With a few cracks, it works and the door’s hinges let out a few squeaks as you swing the door open.

Inside, you find two large dark-gray military crates, and you’re not too surprised it bears the mark of Shadowmarch’s three crescent moon insignia. After wrapping your creamy fingers around the top crate, you slide the heavy and a bit dusty crate out and drag it onto the floor.

After releasing the metal latches on the first crate, you grab the lid and throw it open, revealing the contents inside. What you see before you appears to be large, black rocket-launcher with a magazine-fed ammunition attachment. There also is a low-light scope and laser targeting attachment as well. It definitely looks pretty advanced for its time.

Besides it are numerous rockets, enough of a supply that would ensure you don’t run out anytime soon.

[|AW| Shadowmarch Hastur Armament] (Adds 2d12+12 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to the Team Inventory.

You realize there is a second armament underneath the first one. It seems they packed two to a case. It’s similar to the first one, but with some different variants. Judging from the description in the manual you find, it fires clusters of smaller rockets with each shot.

[|AW| Shadowmarch Aylith Armament] (Adds 6d6+8 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to add both of these to the Team Inventory, feeling you’d like to save these for later or for someone else who would like to use them.

You then slide out the second crate, undo the latches, and flip the lid open. What you find appears to be two prototype suits of armor, again, bearing the Shadowmarch triple moon emblem and bearing the familiar dark-gray color their other weapons and armor seem to have. They seem mysterious at first, and then you read their descriptions.

x2 [|AW| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken) have been added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to move them up to the Emissary armory, content with the armor you have already. After that, you decide to head out and use the last remaining hours of daylight to head to the Jadewater Apartment Complex and Park, taking the Vault Y117 Key with you.

Feeling braver than before, you head south and into the Southern Reach, although you keep in mind to be wise and not be looking for trouble when it’s not needed. Thankfully, the Jadewater Apartment Complex and Park is not too far away from the West Exacta Bridge, so the threads of the OMEN infected aren’t going to be too close by, although it’s not impossible for them to spot you while you’re here.

You do, however, find the body of one unlucky soul who looks like they got distracted and didn’t notice a ghoul ambush. Besides one of the bushes, you find the thoroughly devoured remains of a Garchomp, who looks like he gave the ghouls a lot of hell before he went down, as you find at least four other bodies of ghoul Pokémon including a decapitated Kubfu, a Grookey with his eye dug out thanks to the Garchomp’s claws, a Drampa that was cleaved in two, and lastly, a Scraggy that was impaled through the back of the head with a shovel, nearly breaking the head in half. Blood was dashed around everywhere, but in the end, it was too much for the Garchomp and it looks like there must have been at least a dozen other ghouls that overwhelmed and feasted down upon him until there was little left but bone.

Among the dead, you find a variety of items, as no one came to claim the spoils of battle besides you. In total, you collect a sizable pile of money, as well as a few other trinkets:

$612 Sochas$ were added to Nico’s Pack.

[|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.) was added to Nico’s Pack.

Within the lost and hidden areas of the park, you find your bearings taking you to a secluded place. Here, you find what appears to be the hollowed out area of a tree, one that seems like it has been forgotten for centuries, but still clings onto life. Here you find what appears to be a hidden, holy light, tucked away in the alcove of the tree. As it absorbs into your soft, creamy body, you realize that this light, while holy, is filled with an aspect of divine retribution.

Nico has equipped the [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)

You don’t feel so alone anymore, though you acknowledge your guardian watcher is in fact the rider of death himself. You don’t see him, but you can sense his presence. While unsettling a bit at first, you come to terms that he is your ally, watching as the shadow of darkness that your enemies will never see.

Finally, you seek out the vault, the original reason why you came. Thankfully, you manage to avoid the ghouls, seeing as their presence has intensified in this area. It takes you some time to find the vault, but eventually you locate the scratched metallic above-ground doors that lead downward into the earth below. You insert the key, turn to disengage the rather complex-looking lock, and swing open the door.

[Vault Key Y117] has been removed from the Team Inventory.

You slide your way down the stairs, realizing this was used for storing park ranger equipment and other supplies that might be needed, include search and rescue gear and survival stockpiles. While most of it seems like gear you probably won’t need to take with you, you do find some of it may be helpful for future encounters.

x2 [Sunfire Flares] (If held in your Pack, the next time your character tries to flee from a battle (along with any other characters in your party trying to Flee), one of these will be used and the Flee attempt will be successful.) were added to Nico’s Pack.
[Revealing Glass] (Can be used to see if there are any hidden traps in an area (as a Yes or No answer)) was added to Nico’s Pack.

Lastly, you come across the stainless silver framework that resonates with the holy aura of Utopia. From what you can see, it seems like they were using this hidden place as a storage area to hide this component. From what Syrax told you, it seems like it would be used for assembling the artillery unit designated to be used for the Holy Divinefire Redeemer Armament. You decide to pack it up and take it with you.

[Stainless Silver Framework] has been added to the Team Inventory (Sin Purge – Holy Divinefire Redeemer Armament).

Feeling a bit tired now, you decide to make your way back to the steel mill, satisfied that this morning and afternoon has been quite productive. You see the sun beginning to make its descent now, though you still have a little bit of time to prepare for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military Machete] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Colossus Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: [|JW| Starburst Ring] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$1037 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Paladin’s Reaperblade] (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
x2 [Sunfire Flares] (If held in your Pack, the next time your character tries to flee from a battle (along with any other characters in your party trying to Flee), one of these will be used and the Flee attempt will be successful.)
[Revealing Glass] (Can be used to see if there are any hidden traps in an area (as a Yes or No answer)

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.postimg.cc/0NfpZcsh/Emolga-Relieved.png

Ugh, I know I’ve been terribly slow (busy from so many other things), sorry about that…



Lychee

I'm working on getting the extras unloaded (as well as finding somewhere safe-ish we haven't looked yet)

So for now, I equip the Combat Longbow and check Foundry Floors 1-2--there has to be something in there we can use.

(Lychee already had Nico search that, but I’m going to have Lita search 1c, Foundry Floors 3-4 instead since that’s like almost the exact same thing.)

Lita has equipped the [|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls) and has moved the [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls) and [|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls) to the Team Inventory.

You decide the really stale and distasteful weather outside isn’t dealing with, especially with the sporadic dust and sandstorms and you know how much any Pikachu dislikes an annoying sandstorm. Instead, you decide to stay inside and investigate what might be hiding within the steel mill itself. As Nico searches the first two floors, you decide to investigate the other two above.

While these two levels mostly consist of old metallic catwalks and overseer stations to survey activities, you find there are still areas away from the main smelting areas that were for storage and equipment. From the initial looks of things in these large open storage areas, the only items that remain weren’t worth taking along and had long lost their utility due to years of use and depreciation or they were obsolete technology that had been upgraded and was only being kept aside as spares in case of an emergency. Judging from the looks of these old and rusty things, you honestly feel they probably should have been thrown in a trash bin long ago.

And yet, as you soon discover, it serves as the perfect place to hide something of much greater value…

You decide to leave no stone unturned as you know your Emissary peers have already come across highly advanced and powerful Shadowmarch weaponry and armor hidden in the walls and in forgotten areas of the steel mill, though what became of the faction itself, whether it still even exists, remains a mystery. But you have realized considering the gear, Aurorawatch would have been no match against Shadowmarch considering this heavily financed military gear.

While it is a lot of work, you closely investigate the metallic paneled floor, metal sheet walls, and you move aside storage racks and shelves to see if there’s anything lurking in these places. Upon moving two rusty racks of empty shelves out of the way, you find two metallic panels on the walls that bear a telltale sign. The nails aren’t as rusty and deteriorated as the nails used throughout the rest of the sheet walls. That gives you a signal they were recently replaced, and you have a distinct feeling you know why that is…

You grab a lowly rusty hammer from one of the other shelving units and get to work on removing these nails. After pulling out and discarding a good dozen of them, you’re able to wrap your yellow paws around the metal sheets and slide them aside. While initially you were expecting to see military crates again, instead, you discover a crawlspace door that looks like it was covered over during a remodeling of the building. At least initially…

Upon closer inspection of the door, you can tell this too, was recently used before it was covered over. You grab the old latch and pull the door outward, swinging it open to reveal another whole room inside. It’s a small room that looks like it used to be a storage crawlspace, and you find that initially the lighting no longer works. However, it’s just a matter of using a flashlight to replace the bulb and thankfully the power generated from electrical substation is enough to get some light throughout the room.

You soon discover this is one of the main areas that Shadowmarch was storing high-end military gear for smuggling. But as Nico also discovered, they never got around to getting back to it and either gave it up and abandoned it, or they simply haven’t gotten around to it, yet. You’re still hoping it’s not the later.

Upon the many crates of military gear, you find yet a single sealed envelope taped to one of the crates in front. While you can only imagine what the crates have, but you know from experience that sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact.

You break the envelope seal by sliding your small yellow paw under it and open the letter. After unfolding the single piece of paper inside, you read the note to yourself.

And suddenly everything makes perfect sense…

Shadowmarch Commanding Officer Evrik,

By your request, we’ve provided you and your regiment with the experimental prototype weaponry, armor, and gear as designed by ANKH Research and Development as part of the Shadowmarch Operation Blackstorm Distribution Phase: Stage 7. As you may have already been informed, many of these prototypes are considered contraband and are distinctively out of compliance with Decree 9, Section 4 as well as Decree 12, Section 3 of the International Clearwater Accord due to their combat capabilities that the Clearwater Council deems “wantonly violent” and “dishonorable” in their opening statements. If you or any member of your regiment is compromised upon discovery of this equipment prior to the Year 2934, Varon the 18th Advent Date, we will disavow any relationship with you and sever any network connection to ensure security to the Shadowmarch and ANKH network as declared by Operation Blackstorm.

We request that all use of this equipment be thoroughly documented for recording and research purposes. We also request that all storage of this equipment is done in secrecy and in concealed areas, only. Any unaffiliated personnel, whether governmental or civilian, discovering Shadowmarch correspondence or ordinance is to be terminated immediately along with any reproducible accounts or documentations that may have been created as a result.

Victory to the Midnight Regime.

Kurtva, Tyranitar, Shadowmarch Executive of Research and Development.

You have a very, very distinct feeling Aurorawatch would definitely want to know about this considering said “Advent Date” mentioned in the memo hasn’t occurred yet, but will be relatively soon and in less than a year considering what you’ve seen on the calendars. You’re not quite sure how they might be able to notify this “International Clearwater Council” as mentioned in the memo, but if they were to get the radios up and running and be able to provide this evidence, the justification rationale may prompt this Council to send additional support and reinforcement personnel to Aurorawatch, which is something they’ve been truly hoping for.

SIDE MISSION STARTED: When It Rains, It Pours

Due to some rather foreboding memos from the mystery faction known as Shadowmarch, you have a feeling someone in Aurorawatch should know about what’s been found behind the scenes of this highly financed and extremely well-equipped military.

Bring the memo to either Aurorawatch Commander Axken the Skuntank or Queen Nytalia the Aurorus. OPTIONAL: Show them a sample of discovered Shadowmarch equipment.

Rewards:
Unknown

You then start searching through the crates themselves, and it definitely looks like more of what Nico found earlier. You undo the metallic latches of the crate and throw open the lid, revealing another prototype dark-gray, bulky rocket launcher armament with an internal crate full of rocket ammunition.

[|AW| Shadowmarch Gtuhanai Armament] (Adds 2d20+5 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to add these to the already swelling Emissary armory, as you don’t think you’d be able to carry all of these in one trip…

Going through another crate, you find a second prototype armament, similar to the Gtuhanai one you found. It appears to be different in design, looking more rectangularly-shaped with a targeting unit and a large, underside magazine-fed system. As you can tell from the memo, ANKH wanted this to be tested first in a combat environment before potentially being committed to mass-production.

[|AW| Shadowmarch Quyagen Armament] (Adds 5d10+7 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack) has been added to the Team Inventory.

Even just by the look of this thing, you’re not surprised this kind of heavily-advanced gear is violating international peace-keeping accords. But, if news of this were to break out, you imagine a whole lot of other political things would go down. But for the time being, the Stalkers are definitely a big priority here, but you still feel justified use of even contraband weaponry against the hellish forces of Abyss still seems appropriate.

Box number three ends up being yet a third of these massive rocket-launchers. This one has a more tube-based shape and appearance with targeting sights and guidance lasers. You even find a control screen on the side that allows you to select guidance options and settings.

[|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.) has been added to the Team Inventory.

You’re just glad you won’t ever be on the receiving end of this thing…

You go through a fourth crate to find two more sets of the Colossus Armor that Nico had found. You add them to the Team Inventory for now, but feel inclined to wear one of these, especially for heading out into the Reach.

x2 [|DA| Shadowmarch Colossus Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects) has been added to the Team Inventory.

The fifth crate reveals two more sets of the Nightlock armor variant. These two, you feel you might want to strap on before things get bad out there.

x2 [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken) has been added to the Team Inventory.

The last of the crates seem to be many technological components, but you’re not sure what their purpose is. Besides that, there are more radios, utility items, and survival gear packs, but not things that you think the rest of the Emissaries would need.

You’re a bit tired after lugging all this heavy gear around and you decide to make plans to prepare for tonight.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$495 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

[Neo Emolga]

Ok, so first I'll unequip the Veteran's Warhammer and replace it with the Millitary War Sword. The I'll plonk everything else not equipped into the group bank/inventory.


As for my main action, well an abandoned prison sounds like the perfect place for a stalker to hide, so I'll seach the (54a) Main Prison Structure

Lycellus has equipped the [|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls) and has added [|AW| Veteran’s Warhammer] (Adds 4 damage to successful attack rolls), [|DA| Shadowmarch Special Forces Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects) and [|AW| Shadowmarch Azathoth Armament] (Adds 3d8+5 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following to turn to be used to reload after each attack) to the Team Inventory.

You decide to head east this morning toward the Main Prison Structure of the Exacta City Maximum Security Prison, which as you’ve heard, doesn’t have a lot of very nice stories about it. Meanwhile, your journey isn’t a very pleasant one as the dust and sandy winds and terrible air quality make your flight toward the prisoner island a particularly distasteful one. Thankfully, due to your speed, it’s over quickly and on top of that benefit, you don’t get spotted by any ghouls or chimeras as you use the dusty clouds to shroud yourself during the flight.

Once you arrive on the island, you can see it’s been vacated for a while, though there are still plenty of grim reminders about what went on in this beige-color stone brick structure meant to withstand the heaviest and most brutal of Pokémon violence. You imagine to hold captive Pokémon that can cause earthquakes, explosions, infernos, and all kinds of other havoc, you would need a very strong and formidable structure to hold in those kinds of ruffians and all of their murderous anger and destructive nature.

Despite OMEN’s effects, the building still looks quite strong and it doesn’t look like there’s a whole lot of places where a Pokémon could escape, even if they had wings or could dig holes. It appears there’s means to deal with any Pokémon trying to escape, including even sentry turrets designed to simply gun down any Pokémon attempting to escape through the air.

You start by investigating the outside, realizing there isn’t enough room for you to actually enter the building itself. But despite this you decide to explore at least what you can from the tiny slitted and barred windows, seeing various prison halls and cell blocks from the other side. They appear empty and completely devoid of Pokémon, though the bunk beds and other furniture still remain untouched all this time. Still, the inside of the building is very bland, gray, and downright depressing. You recall that all of the inmates were executed in the wake of OMEN, as the prison had to be shut down due to the dangers, but the prisoners simply couldn’t be allowed to leave due to their violent and often deadly convictions. It essentially left no good choice in the matter.

As you search each room from the windows, you can’t help but think of the question “just where were all the prisoners executed anyway?” And how? It makes you wonder how it would have been done as very likely if the prisoners knew what was going on, they would have all fought ferociously to prevent their inevitable deaths. It likely would have had to be done all at once with no indication as to what was being done.

And then, you find your answer. After looking at the outside, you see a closed garage-like door leading to a room. A very large, heavily fortified and reinforced room. And after opening that garage-like door and peering your head in, you’re greeted with one of the grimmest sights you’ve ever seen. Fragments of shrapnel and bloody pieces lay scattered and splattered everywhere.

You imagine hundreds of Pokémon prisoners, both large and small and of every type and in between, were ushered to this room with no knowledge of what was going down. And then, you imagine the doors were sealed tight, the guards walked away, and inside this massive room, hundreds, if not thousands of explosives went off at once, containing the vicious blasts, but absolutely obliterating every single last prisoner in this room in just a second.

The experience gets progressively worse as you suddenly experience visions and hallucinations of the horrific incident. You see it happen unfold before you, as if you were a prisoner there yourself at the time it happened, having no idea what this was gathering was for, but you were led to believe it was for either a roll call or as a different setting for prison yard recess.

And then, they close the doors. Second later, there’s unrest among the prisoners, but before any kind of confrontation breaks out, there’s just a loud roar. You maybe only see and hear a split second of one explosion and the gored remains of several Pokémon thrown in the air all around you before you’re c̤̠̮̞͇ͦ̽̂ͩ̇̄ͭo̰̻ͯ̉̈̍ͭ͆n̩̹͉̱̣̥͎̎̾͑̑ͯ̇s̭̿ͦ̐u̯̳͖̩̦ͦmͪ ̭͈̱̯̩̩̆͌ͫȅ͎͈͖̩̔̈́͐̈́d͚̹̫ ̼̈́̄͗̌ͫb̯̠͒̍ͪͤy̗̼͚͓̫̆̃͊̂̚ ̣̾i͙̱̦̞̝͙̋̀ͥ̾̃͊͒ẗ̪̦͇̑̔̆̎̑ ̖̜̼̖͙ͥ̿̓̔a̫̋ͫͣͥ̌̅͌s̰̠̩͕̘̭̔̆̔̃ͮ̽ ̓̓w̫̖̫͖̬ȇ͙̮͖̦̙̀̊͂̒̑l͕̼͛͑ͩl͙̖͑̋ͭ…

@Siphon Soul (6 Purity Damage)@

Lycellus has taken 6 damage to Purity.

You feel… h̞̱̫̣̖o̦̖̟l͎͖͚̬l͚̲o̭ẉ̫. Your eyes roll back into your head and are nearly swallowed by your skull. And you nearly choke, gasping for air as your spirit feels g̻͍̪ͣͪ͂̒ͦù͓͉̮̮̈ͫ̚t̰̺͍͕͚̠͊͒̓̋̽t͖̹ed̰̗̯̤͖̝̞̎͑̊ ̎͒͐̐ȁ̜̘̲̦͔̩̐͐̍ͣ̅̉ñ̥̝͚̤̝̠̜ͯ̒d͔̟ͯͅ ͔̩͙̺ͦ̽s̩̰̹͓͙̺u͕̥͎ͫ͑ͪ͌ͧ̑f͕̥͈f͍ͬ̃ȯ͚̠̣̟̬͍̦͒̚c̞͔͍a͂̆̓ ͍̙̼̃̈́̇̾t̝̭̅ͣȇ̯̜̔͊̈́̾͋̊d͉̘̱͖̬̘ͭ̋̾̋.

And yet, for your suffering, you’re given… a gift. You look down at your claws and you find a globe-like sphere containing… a piece of your spirit, taking the form of a white-colored, glowing mist. The very part of your own innocence, physically extracted from you and put into physical form. You try to break it open to claim it back, but there’s nothing you can do. You simply just hold a small piece of yourself, as if prepared to be used as some dark ritual offering…

[Innocence of Lycellus the Eternatus] has been added to the Team Inventory.

After this whole experience, you decide not to spend another second there, instantly retreating and heading back to base. As much as you want to forget what you just witnessed, there is no erasing the horrors and experience you just went through. You almost begin to consider never sleeping again just from the absolute raw and naked fear you have regarding what kinds of nightmares this incident will inspire.

Once you arrive back at the steel mill, you simply add the globe containing your innocence to the collection, quivering, quaking, no longer feeling anything like your normal self…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 24/24 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 5/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Commando Mesh Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
$825 Sochas$

[Neo Emolga]

Leaving the best for the last? How sweet of you sugars. Maybe there's some kind of advantage of getting pretty high.

Search (56) Whitestar Skyscraper

You head south after leaving your apartment at the Redstone Motel, wondering what you might be able to dig up for those Emissaries. You decide to head south, going for the Whitestar Skyscraper, knowing it’s one of the central hubs for the Knaves.

The whole way, the weather is just lousy on many levels. The air quality is stale, hot, and unpleasant while the wind is wild and indecisive with how it wants to behave. One minute, it seems to be coming from the west, but then it suddenly stops and then a minute later, it gusts hard right directly into your face.

You soon cross over the West Exacta Bridge and head toward the Southern Reach. While you keep a watch out for ghouls and anything else lurking around, you don’t see anything or anyone that raises any red flags.

By the East Jadewater Apartment Building, you find the mangled and half-devoured corpse of a Grapploct. You see he tried to fight off as many ghouls as he could, “killing” three of them before there just got to be too many for him to deal with.

It didn’t look like he was armed, but his armor kept him alive for at least a little while. He was also carrying a pack of supplies and money, and while you don’t really care for his personal belongings, you take the sochas, feeling the Emissaries might be able to make good use of that sometime. After taking the armor plating off, it’s a little bloody and beat up, but you figure it still works for the most part. Someone might be able to make use of it, so you take that along, too.

$550 Sochas$ were added to the Team Inventory.

[|DA| Worn Military Plating] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 3 points each time Health damage is taken) was added to the Team Inventory.

After crossing the border, you then head into Knave territory. Though you know the Knaves wouldn’t be too thrilled about Aurorawatch soldiers coming this way, they don’t have a problem with regular mercenaries and scavengers. Here, the Pokémon seem just as normal as the ones across the other side of the river, but they just don’t agree with following Aurorawatch’s orders and Queen Nytalia’s decrees.

You then head over to the Whitestar Skyscraper, which has been repurposed to become the main market hub and place of commerce for the Knaves. As you can easily see, this large light-gray office tower remains as the only skyscraper that hasn’t taken any damage at all in the wake of OMEN and remains in very good condition, offering plenty of safe space for vendors and peddlers to set up places to sell goods and services as well as barter.

You step inside and it seems to be a busy place during the day. You figure if only the Knaves and Aurorawatch could get along, they’d probably be doing much better against the OMEN infected, but their differences and disagreements are just too strong. One side would have to give up something to appease the other and it just seems like neither of them want to do that.

After passing by a few merchant booths selling food, containers, used electronics, and other similar goods, you come across the Desperados for Hire station where mercenaries and bounty hunters tend to gather and post their availability for hire contracts on a recruiting board. You decide to take note of it in case those Emissaries want to hire a few more hands to get more work done.

You track what kinds of contracts are available and what the rates are.

Desperados for Hire

SET DURATION CONTRACTS

$[2 Day/4 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 300 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 2 Days/4 Cycles)
$[3 Day/6 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 600 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 3 Days/6 Cycles)
$[4 Day/8 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 600 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 4 Days/8 Cycles)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS (APPLIES TO TIME-BASED CONTRACTS)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +$100 Sochas$ per contract
**Skilled Mercenary (has +2 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +$300 Sochas$ per contract
***Veteran Mercenary (has +5 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +$600 Sochas$ per contract

PERCENTAGE-BASED CONTRACTS

$[40% Income Indefinite Contract]$ *Standard* (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 40% of your Sochas earnings)

OPTIONAL ADDITIONS (APPLIES TO PERCENTAGE-BASED CONTRACTS)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +10% of earnings demand per contract
**Skilled Mercenary (has +2 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)** +15% of earnings demand per contract
***Veteran Mercenary (has +5 to Health, Sanity, and Purity)*** +30% of earnings demand per contract

After getting all that down on paper, you check out some of the other stores around by heading up the stairs to the other floors. Most of the tents and spaces don’t offer too much of what you think the Emissaries will need. Colorful shawls, blankets, and rugs probably wouldn’t do them any good and you don’t think they need extra culinary supplies or children’s toys.

The next floors up offer more places to eat and there’s even a space on the 7th and 8th floor that functions like a miniature inn and tavern. As nice as it is and even after stopping by for a drink, you don’t think the Emissaries would care too much for that.

On the 9th and 10th floors, you find more places for services, offering dentistry, home repair, medical needs, banking, and other similar functions. One place you come across is Navin’s Constructing and Repair Depot with a sizable staff specializing in building and interior designing.

You decide to act on behalf on the Emissaries, asking about what kinds of features they might be able to build at the steel mill. Navin the Chatot seems to know what you’re referring to and still agrees to service clients in the refuge area despite being aligned with the Knaves. It seems he doesn’t really know much at all about the Emissaries, but he’s willing to do the work for the price. You ask the Chatot what his prices and offerings were to include, and he gives you a list of possible options. You take note of which ones would be the most useful and what kinds of steel mill upgrades might be something they’d want to look into.

Navin’s Constructing and Repair Depot
Run by Navin the Chatot

STEEL MILL HIDEOUT UPGRADES
(Builds facilities at the Abandoned Steel Mill. An old facility can be replaced by a new one)

$[Upgrade (1) Barracks, Storage, and Living Area to [Advanced Level]] 250 Sochas$ (Rest restores all Health, Sanity, and Purity points.)
$[Build Indoor Greenhouse] 500 Sochas$ (creates and adds three random berries and/or seeds each day (beginning of Day cycle) to the Team Inventory. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Holy Altar] 500 Sochas$ (Needed for Sin Purge and other Utopia-based actions like imbuing weapons and purifying Abyssal Aspects (needs Utopia Angel found and recruited). Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Merchant Store] 500 Sochas$ (Allows Emissaries to sell unwanted items to Exacta City civilians for Sochas. Activates “Sell” as a new free action. State “Sell at 75% of value” for a guaranteed sell at 75% of the item(s) base value, or “Sell at 100% of value” for a chance of selling it to a customer for the full value, but has a 30% chance of not working and not finding a willing customer to buy it that cycle. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c))
$[Build Garage] 500 Sochas$ (Houses 2 vehicles, which are automatically provided. Allows 2 Emissaries (1 per vehicle) to perform 2 Actions per day each) Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c))
$[Build Fitness and Recreational Center] 500 Sochas$. Increases the maximum Health, Sanity, and Purity stats of all Emissaries by 10 for as long as this Facility is active. Uses a Facility Slot (1a, 1b, or 1c)
$[Build Weapon, Armor, and Jewelcrafting Workshop] 500 Sochas$ (Allows Emissaries to create their own |AW| Attack Weapon, |DA| Defensive Armor, and |JW| Jewelry Equipment. One Emissary per Cycle can attempt to make a piece of equipment by stating what kind of Equipment piece it is and designing the stats to be whatever they’d like. Equipment with relatively low stats will have a higher chance of success rate than Equipment with many powerful stats. TIP: Use already existing Equipment pieces as a guide to get started!)

You tell Navin you’ll get back to him regarding what the Emissaries plan on doing and that you’ll be in touch.

From there, you move onto the upper floors and you see that many of these places are offering skill training, proficiency-building, and also includes some areas for young children to be educated in reading, arithmetic, and science.

On the 28th floor, you find vendors selling a variety of consumable goods such as groceries, medical equipment, stationary, and the like. One store called Underground Medical is selling prescription medicine without the hassle of an action prescription, almost on a black market level. You’re pretty sure the Emissaries don’t need medications, but the berries for a dirt-cheap price might prove useful. Meanwhile, Kelesi is selling military-grade drones to deliver emergency healing and restoration regardless of location. You imagine she must have had to pull a lot of strings to get a hold of these, but nonetheless, laying down the sochas and not asking questions still gets your paws on these.

Underground Medical
Run by Kelesi the Wartortle

HEALING BERRIES

$[Sitrus Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)

EMERGENCY MEDICAL DRONES

$[Emergency Trauma Care Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Health of all Emissaries no matter where they are)
$[Emergency Cognitive Remediation Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity of all Emissaries no matter where they are)
$[Emergency Spiritual Therapy Drone] 150 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity of all Emissaries no matter where they are)

After that, the remainder of the stores and vendors you find all have their uses, but you don’t think the Emissaries would be all that interested in them. Most of the remining upper floors are empty spaces reserves for future vendors. Heck, from what you can see, just about anyone can suddenly decide to set up a store here on any floor they like. And you imagine the rent, if it’s anything at all, has to be pretty cheap.

You’re about to head back to the refuge area to pass along the goodies you’ve found when you’re approached by a Reuniclus. The green, blob-like Pokémon looks you over, curious at something he’s noticed.

“Say, coming out of Whitestar Skyscraper and not buying anything?” he asks. “Highly unusual. Oh, name’s Daz, rude of me to not introduce myself to you.”

“Just doing a little browsing and recon, hun,” you smile smugly at him. “Got all that I need right here.”

“Browsing and recon for whom?” this Daz asks you. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

You’re almost on the fence about this guy, and while he seems like a bit of a geek, you figure he’s probably not a bad guy. A little nosy and in your face, but not really someone you think might need to have their butt spanked or anything like that.

“A group of folks called Emissaries,” you tell him, thinking there’s probably nothing nefarious he could do with that information anyway. “You probably haven’t heard of them, though.”

“Actually, I have…” Daz informs you, looking a bit interested. “I’ve assessed that they’ve been busy trying to hunt Stalkers. My hypothesis is they’ll most likely get to the bottom of this predicament before anyone else can.”

“Yeah, like I said,” you casually smirk back at him. “Anyway, yeah, that’s what I’m up to. Lending them a hand because, well, I’m bored, looking for action, and you know, they could use the help.”

“I had my doubts at first,” Daz tells you, explaining his observations. “But after talking it over with you, I’ll do the same. It seems prudent that acquiescing to lend some assistance may just be advantageous to us all in the long run. I feel with my brains and your… well, whatever it is you have, we’ll be quite formidable. Though I’m quite dignified and certain my brains will be more helpful in this matter.”

You smirk at the sound of that, looking at Daz out of the corner of your eye.

“Prove it, hun,” you nearly laugh. “I’m already way ahead of you. You’ve got a lot to do before you can even be considered to be trying!”

“You’re clearly underestimating my abilities,” Daz scoffs. “That makes me obligated to prove you completely and utterly wrong!”

Daz the Reuniclus has joined as an NPC Mercenary.

You can honestly say you’re quite motivated to see this self-proclaimed brainiac try to keep up with you... and totally flounder at it.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile (M: Dark/Ice)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic

[Neo Emolga]

Night has fallen in Exacta City
Submit your Day 5: Night Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/kmdhct0.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2377324/day-5-night-cycle)

(Sunday, January 17, 2021 11:00:00 PM EST)

Giving peeps five days to submit actions!

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee AD Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[AD]

Investigate (88) The Headmaster Houses

[C0L0R3D]

Misty had taken a look at the day's findings and she was awestruck. Cheap berries and even instant healing and base upgrades?! Misty was normally calm, but this discovery had left her buzzing with shock. But through her excitement she knew that becoming mincemeat wasn't nice. So she decided to hunker down and get something done.
(Use Handymon magazine on [Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>])

[EmeraldSky]

I will bring the memo to Queen Nytalia the Aurorus, plus some of the Shadowmarch equipment I found.

[Lychee]

Nico was absolutely buzzed by the recent finds and grinned widely. It was time for some yee-flippin-haw explosion action.

She peeled away her current equipment and clamped on the biggest chunkiest gun she could find, the most metal looking armor, and the most badass of jewelry.

Put on:
[|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor]
[|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament]
[|JY| Armband of Retribution]

As the final piece clicked into place, she delicately placed an oreo cookie over one eye, just to add to the badassery with an eyepatch. She didnt need to aim that gun anyway, it had self aiming capacity.

Looking at her pack, she tossed out everything she no longer needed into the team inventory (machete, colossus armor, reaper blade, starburst ring, revealing glass) and grabbed an extra $500 sochas. Its upgrade time!

Hopefully the shops would still be open...
If not, it was going to be a very boring night and she would probably do something dull like search (18) Graybench Industrial Warehouse, and look longingly at the vehicles.

First, she zoomed her way accross to the Soul Food diner, buying two caffiene delights, takeaway-- it was going to be a long night! She kept one aside in some chunk of metal that functioned effectively like a thermos, hopefully.
(($150 x 2 = $300))

After that, a trip into another district for some cheaper berries- just in case.
She bought two of each:
$[Sitrus Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)
($15×6= $90)

Next, it was the exciting spending- upgrading their warehouse!! She very excitedly ordered two upgrades for the headquarters:
$[Build Garage] 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1a
$[Build Fitness and Recreational Center] 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1c

And rushed back home happily to see the transformation tale effect! There was certainly nothing in the description about these things taking any time, so she was ready to jump into one of the two automatically provided vehicles right away (please please be a hella chunky something with the roof sawn off~).
Right. It's time to go for a RIDE.

Each vehicle gives the driver two actions.
Each coffee gives the user two searches per action.
So... that's four searches.
She plonked a coffee cup into each cup holder and revved the engine. Tonight was going to be EPIC.

She was going to do doughnuts in that crater and nobody was gonna get in her damn way.
She took a sip of her first coffee.

(52) West Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)

(76) The OMEN Crater (ABANDONED)
((Collect a sample))

((Drink a coffee, eat any berries to get back up to max health))

(76a) OMEN Crater Northwest, Ruined West Residential District

(53) East Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)

In her mind, she was going to come flying over the boobytrapped bridge, explosions firing behind her as the vehicle clears a jump at sunrise.
Well.... we shall see how it all turns out.
Nico wasn't afraid to die.

[Shruikan]

(Haven't had time to catch up and read thorugh everything yet, so just gonna search a place at random.)

I'll buy and consume another Starf Berry from Friend in Need Pharmacy in Silverlight Shopping Mall to restore my Purity, then deposit everything in my inventory that's not equipped, including all my money.
After that's done, I'll search (24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED) (By ripping the roof off to see what's in there :P)

[Scarlet the Weavile]

https://i.postimg.cc/KjpFwHBg/Scarlet-Normal.png
Feel like checking out (39) Newpoint Building (ABANDONED) just because it sounds creepy and won’t have a nutcase trying to sell me “luxury” cosmetics or overpriced shampoo.

[Neo Emolga]

Investigate (88) The Headmaster Houses

Feeling brave and ambitious this evening, you decide to head south and go deep into the Southern Reach. It’s a long and difficult journey, especially in the heart of the night, but you decide you’ve made it this far and it hasn’t stopped you.

Outside, the air has become still and seemingly calm unlike this morning’s mixed soup of indecisive weather. But it’s almost eerie in terms of how quiet it is. Any sound made seems to echo louder, and as you make your way over the West Exacta Bridge, you hear the moans and howls of the ghouls with more clarity. It’s as if they feel even closer than ever before, and their dark voices echo and bounce throughout the ruins of the Southern Reach.

As you make your way through the shattered and ravaged streets near the OMEN crater, you deftly use the ruins, vehicle husks, and other piles of debris to conceal your position.

You safely arrive at the headmaster houses, which look like the years haven’t been kind to them. The first of the houses appears to be a large black mansion, and despite being close to the old industrial area of the Southern Reach, it appears it was still built to provide a life of luxury to whoever Kenwiv is or was, wherever they are now. From investigating the exterior, you can see the stone siding of the house has become cracked and filthy over the years, and it’s impossible to even see through the windows.

You decide to head your way in through the front door, and it looks and sounds like it’s been well over thirty years since anyone has opened it.

Inside, the front hall is an absolute mess of dust and cobwebs. You can tell it used to be fancy with marble stairs leading to the second floor, a once-fancy foyer chandelier now wrapped with cobwebs, and dusty still-life oil paintings of fruit baskets, nature scenes, and old farmstead buildings. All types of fanciful furniture and rich features are about the mansion, but they’ve all become victim of dusty, disgusting neglect. You earnestly believe this could definitely pass for a haunted house with no problem.

The other rooms share the same pattern of what rooms would look like with decades of neglect. The wood is splintering, the metal is rusting, the paint is peeling, and the fabrics have faded. It would need an enormous amount of restoration work to even just make it habitable.

Despite the eeriness of the Kenwiv Mansion, you don’t come across anything suspicious, at least in terms of long-neglected houses are concerned. It seems not even the Stalkers ever had their sights on this particular place, so you decide to move onto the Alcoi house.

The Alcoi house shares a similar pattern to the Kenwiv Mansion. Dust and cobwebs everywhere, along with a tendency for black mold to be speckled about not just on the outside, but also in places around the exterior.

One thing about the Alcoi House that seems disturbing and seemingly unnatural is whoever Alcoi was, they had a strange and bizarre obsession for baby Pokémon. At first, you thought they might have been old family photographs of their own children or possibly nieces or nephews, but as you came across more pictures, figurines, and slews of other depictions all over the walls and even as part of the carpeted rugs and painted ceilings, it instantly made you concerned on a number of levels.

The main floor didn’t appear to be quite so bad at first even though it appears Alcoi didn’t do too much entertaining, but the upstairs are manifest with depictions of children Pokémon, which obviously aren’t even Alcoi’s own. While searching, you find some money within the nightstand that stood besides the master bedroom king-sized bed. It’s not as dusty and old, but the coins and bills should definitely be considered legal tender despite having had no action in the economy for the past thirty years or so.

$650 Sochas$ have been added to Sacred’s Pack.

When you get around to checking the lower basement floors, things take a different turn and it’s not very nice. You start seeing modifications to the depictions of children, and your senses tell you this wasn’t even Alcoi’s work. The modifications like bloody X’s on the eyes and deranged cursive scrawl over the faces of the Pichus, Azurills, Cleffas, and so on look relatively fresh.

It becomes all too clear one of the Stalkers was recently here, and it makes the feeling of this house feel even worse, as if these hundreds, if not thousands of depictions of kids are all watching you.

It’s when you get to the cold, ugly, and dark metal door of the cellar do things get even worse…

#Infernal Deranged Essence (4 Sanity Damage, 2 Purity Damage)# Trap 20% Evasion Test: 30 out of 100: Failed!

And it’s as if it m͙̱̘̹ͤ̂ě͂ͧͧ͒̀l̽̔̇͒̇t́͊͐̑̈́ͬ͆s̫̲̼͍͉̝ before you.

You’re not sure if what you’re hearing is real anymore. At one point, it sounds like a d̽͂ͨ̽͗r̥̖͇͓ͮ͛̈́̊̔i͖̰̗̲̜͕̦l̝̆͒̎̑l̯̫͓̳̲̘̞͐, and then a child’s scream of death, and then it just sounds like the r̩̹͖͔̰o̤o̭̞̗̱m̜̬͎ͅ ̻̦̯̠͎͉is̯̠͖ f̺͕͚i̫͍̭͉ll̯i̝̝̩̙̤n̟̰̦̰͙g̳͖̠̘̺̳ ̠̣̺̭w͇it̫̖̲h̹͉̦̘̪̻̰ ̦̠͙̯̯̖ͅbl̤̭̭̳̩a̱͚c̤̘͙̹̖k͈ͅ,̻ͅ ͓̙̫̪̞̦̮o͍ͅi̙̮͖̙͙l̗͖̹y̳ ̝̖̱̲l̥͎̜̰i̮̝q̠̯̩̜͎̝u͙͔̭i͉͓̹d̺͉̥ before you suddenly feel like your body is lost in the void of a whole other planet while your soul is just wandering here, barely surviving like an insect in a prison that only has v̖̦̥̝̝͎̪̯̺͇̟͊̓̂́ͬ̋̄͆̾̊͑̒ͭͥ̐̐̚ͅo̦͈̦͇̠̒͋̽̊̒͑ͅm̔͛͊̿̂̇ ̻̗͈̮͈̻͊̈́̿̇̍͋͗̉̌̓̇̄ï̻̺̱͕̻̯̟̪̤̼͓͍̲̺ͭ̇̈͊ͫť̎ͣ̔̽̌ͩ͊̃͗ ̗͓̱̼̳̠͔͖̞̤̪͕̙̳̱̙͇ͯͥ̾ͫ as sustenance to survive.

You try to scream in madness, but it only comes out as a noise that sounds like a g̠̪͇̣̝̯͔̘ͯ͋ͦ̈́͆̍̚i̠̝̜̯̻̪̝̟̝̰͍͚̗͉͔͒̇ͧ͆̊͛ͥ̈́̑̒ͪͅͅg̉͂ͥ̄ ̖̰̣̰͍͉͉̺̩̠͆̀́̃̐g͓̣̬̞̤̖̖̭͎̦̺̯͍̰̰͕̔̓ͨͩͪͩͫͦl̻̝̞̣̠͗̔̓̄ ̘͔̗̟̪̫e̤͖͉͔̖͉̱̹̼̪̍ͫ̊͑, as if a floating mouth that stole your own voice is trying to talk back to you. You try to turn back only to see there’s a tunnel to nowhere now, but you decide perhaps it’s worth trying anyway. And though it looks like it’s only about three hundred feet, by the time you race toward the opening, it feels like thousands of years have passed and y͔̩͇̝̫̻o̮̭̯͇̠̻͍̻u̙͓̬̜͔̱͓͓ͅr̘͚͎͍̳̹͈̭ ̳̝͙m̝̖̻̦͎̙͓i̙͍͖̲n̟̲̞d͚̰͍̬ ̙̜̖h͍̻͈͇͍a͈̺s͎̙͇̫̖ ̻̺͔̥l̝̱̦͓o͚͇͕͓̟̘ͅͅn̪̥̱̙͎g̪̺̫͎̜ ͙͎̩̤r͍̙̮͓̟̥o̮͓͖t̙͇͈͙̪t͔̠̫e̱̹̳d͔̠͙ ̖͔̻̗͚̙̘͖o̭̜̪͖̙̤u̪ṯ͚̤̞̗̬͇͚̜ ̘̝̹b̩̫̥͖̪͓̰̪y̻͈͓̦̫̮̻̫ ̗͍̺͎̬n̖o̭̪w̟̬ͅ. And just as you feel you’re about to exit out of that tunnel of nightmares, your vision goes dark and you see only outlines, scribbles as if to insinuate you didn’t need eyes in the first place and it was just inane to ever have them. But the optimism of this madness tells you the deranged, crayon-like scribbles are there for you. Forever.

They tell you the scrawled obscurity and chaos is okay, and you go along with it before it just ends, and you’re left staring at that horrendous cellar door again…

Scared has taken 4 Damage to Sanity and 2 Damage to Purity.

With the few scraps of sanity you have left, you try to read the plaque on the door, and it just seems unnerving.

“Everyone can live forever. Because Mother wills it! If Mother wills it. Will Mother will it? Only if M-“

And the rest of it becomes deranged and horrendously grotesque scrawl.

Despite the cold darkness of the metallic cellar door, you find there’s no handle, no lock, only a circular indentation that seems to be a mount for a circular-shaped object. For the glimpse of a dark moment, you sense the feeling of undeath, but not like a feeling of divine resurrection. Instead, it feels twisted, unnatural, and absolutely horrific that’s more akin to coming back to life as a zombie rather than a raptured soul into paradise.

It seems the cumulation of this dreaded feeling of undeath has to manifest itself in the shape of this circular mount…

#{Undeath Vault of Reanimation: Missing Undeath Keystone} Infernal Deranged Essence (4 Sanity Damage, 2 Purity Damage)# was noted in the Team Records.

Unable to move on any further, you decide to turn around, head back out, and finally move onto the last and final house, the one that belonged to Bensiri.

You don’t find anything too out of place on the outside of the Bensiri house and it shares the same tendency as the other two headmaster houses. Moldy walls, dirty windows, weathered walls, and the like are definitely the norm around here.

Inside, the Bensiri house doesn’t seem too strange besides being a dustbin and a cobweb circus. From what you can see, Bensiri seemed to be into depictions of nature and natural scenery. It also seems like they used to own many potted plants, all of which have long met the reaper decades ago and essentially nothing but dead, cracked, and dusty pots of dirt are all that remains of what might have been a nice array of lively potted plants. It leads you to believe Bensiri could have very well been a grass-type Pokémon trying to recreate a piece of nature in their home despite now living in this industrial area of town as needed for their career.

Thankfully, at this point, you don’t find anything else in the house that links to the Stalkers. Because after what you ran into at the Alcoi house, you don’t think your head can take much more…

You then decide to head back home to the steel mill, and yet those twisted depictions of scrawls still persist in the corners of your eyes, making you question if perhaps the nightmare is still going on in a somewhat more limited capacity…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/485.png Sacred the Heatran (M: Fire/Steel)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 4/20 | Purity: 18/20
Battle Stance: Heroic
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: <Empty>
Defense Armor: [|DA| Renegade’s Cloak] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Angelic Warfury] (50% trigger chance user’s attacks attempt to strike all opposing enemies in the same combat turn. If there is only a single target, it becomes a 50% trigger chance of striking the sole enemy twice.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$1058 Sochas$

[Daz the Reuniclus]

I'm not too much when it comes to furniture, but I think someone should check the (24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED). Maybe we can find some use from something there. You think there might be some hardware too?

[Neo Emolga]

Misty had taken a look at the day's findings and she was awestruck. Cheap berries and even instant healing and base upgrades?! Misty was normally calm, but this discovery had left her buzzing with shock. But through her excitement she knew that becoming mincemeat wasn't nice. So she decided to hunker down and get something done.
(Use Handymon magazine on [Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>])

Deciding to take a break from venturing out in the eerie silence of the darkness, you decide to stay put and focus on repairing the Namaxa Broadcasting Console. As you take the electronic device off the shelf and put it on your workbench, you first take a few hours to read through the magazine, thoroughly reading through the issue’s articles to gain some insight on some tips and tricks with repair, especially with electronic circuitry. You can easily tell this is definitely a magazine written by experts for experts in the field, but you’re able to grasp most of it despite it being quite a few levels into the major leagues.

Misty has used the [“Handymon” Magazine].

After reading several articles, you gain an understanding about what to look for in the circuitry’s resistors and capacitors and how to understand the numbers and colored bands they’re using. It’s enough to identify which capacitors and components will need to be replaced and the best method of doing it.

With this insight, you also learn how to remove the damaged ones with your soldering iron and replace the with new components that have the same coding and markings to make sure the tolerance and voltage levels align with what the boards need to function correctly again. While it doesn’t make you a subject matter expert in the field of electronics, it helps you get by enough to at least grasp the differences between µF and pF.

[Damaged Namaxa Broadcasting Console: <Technical> AND <Repair>])

While you can’t say it’s exactly good as new, it’s definitely now in functioning condition and looks a lot more cleaned up and refurbished from how it looked previously. As you perform the diagnostic checks, the console now turns on and you can tell the functionality is in full working order, but it needs a technical expert to recalibrate the console’s software. But at least the water damage that was inflicted upon it was resolved and won’t be an issue moving forward.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Utility Sledgehammer] (Adds 3 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Gold Triad Amulet] (Reduces incoming Sanity damage by 2 points each time Sanity damage is taken and reduces incoming Purity damage by 2 points each time Purity damage is taken)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$550 Sochas

[Neo Emolga]

I will bring the memo to Queen Nytalia the Aurorus, plus some of the Shadowmarch equipment I found.

As the sun begins to set, you decide to head out as soon as you can and you grab the Shadowmarch memo with a few of the pieces of equipment that were found hidden at the steel mill. You decide taking along the Aylith Armament, the Gtuhanai Armament, and a set of the Colossus and Nightlock armor should be enough to provide evidence to validate the memo. It feels like quite a bit for a Pikachu like yourself to carry, but you imagine every piece you can present before the queen will demonstrate the urgency regarding this whole matter.

Once you’ve gathered essentially all that you can carry, you head south to the Exacta Military Compound, and you too, notice how oddly quiet it now seems compared to the strange, seemingly chaotic weather that was going on this morning. Nonetheless, you press forward and after a bit of a walk, you arrive before the compound, standing before two Aurorawatch guards on night watch at the gate. One of them is a gruff-looking Arcanine while the other is Leafeon who looks rather young and casual. When you arrive before them, the Leafeon addresses you first, looking curious.

“Name?” the Leafeon asks, tilting his head to one side. “What are you here for?”

“Lita,” you tell him. “I need to speak with Queen Nytalia. It’s very urgent.”

“It’s got to be pretty darn urgent to need to talk to her at this hour, you know,” the Leafeon tells you as the Arcanine is looking very skeptical now. “What is this about?”

“It’s about this,” you tell the Leafeon, handing the leafy fox Pokémon the memo. “They’ve been smuggling contraband military equipment throughout Exacta City, though it seems like the steel mill was a central storage area for it.”

At first, the Leafeon is a bit confused about what you’re referring to exactly, but then he reads the note. His eyes suddenly go wide halfway and after noticing his reaction, the Arcanine looks over his shoulder to read the note as well.

When he finishes, he looks up to you and he sees you have brought forward several pieces of this advanced equipment to confirm both the authenticity of the note and the foreboding threat it is talking about.

“This… this is bad,” the Arcanine remarks as he wears a grimace on his face.

“Okay, yeah…” the Leafeon tells you with the sound of anxiety in his voice, totally convinced you weren’t kidding. “Queen Nytalia should still be in the central hall. When you get there, tell her your name and that it’s a ‘AW Severity 1’ matter you need to talk to her about. She’ll immediately drop what she’s doing, but please… don’t tell anyone else where you’ve heard that, we save it for very high-profile concerns.”

“You go with her, Vake,” the Arcanine tells him. “I’ll keep watch out here and I’ll radio Fesan to fill in for you.”

Vake the Leafeon nods, and shortly after, he opens the door and you both head inside. As you can quickly tell, only essential staff like guards and medical personnel are still up and active at this hour, while most of the soldiers, scribes, engineers, and researchers have headed off to sleep.

Once you arrive at the central hall with Vake, he takes his front right paw and knocks on the two large wooden doors to the central hall, knocking three times in rapid succession for the first round, followed by a second round of three rapid knocks. Shortly after, the right door opens just a crack and you see an Aurorawatch Beautifly look at Vake, not looking all too thrilled about the Leafeon’s presence as you can clearly see the look of doubt in the Beautifly’s lowered eyelids.

“Vake, seriously?” the Beautifly asks, looking at the Leafeon as if he’s gone daft. “You do realize there’s an ambassador conference with Queen Nytalia going on right now, don’t you? Not the kind of thing you want to interrupt.”

“Yeah, Rakol, whatever they’re talking about can wait,” Vake tells the butterfly Pokémon. “We’ve got an AW Severity 1 issue on our hands. They might want to change the conversation to this on the double.”

“Unless the building’s on fire, I don’t think what you have there could possibly be that severe,” Rakol rolls his eyes. “What is it anyway?”

You present the Shadowmarch memo to him and he casually grabs it as if it’s nothing more harmful than a Valentine’s Day card. He then starts to read it over and as before, his expression changes, and not in an uplifting way. When he looked up from the note, he then sees you, carrying multiple pieces of highly-advanced Shadowmarch equipment to confirm the memo’s authenticity.

“Oh… god,” he mutters, looking like he took a hit to the stomach. “…That damn ‘night killers’ rumor was true…”

“Yeah, open the door so we can talk to her,” Vake insists.

The sudden change in response and attitude from Rakol quickly opening the door to allow you and Vake to pass in speaks for itself on how bad the situation looks.

You and Vake enter the central hall where quite a few Pokémon have gathered, looking a bit perplexed as to what the meaning of the sudden interruption. Despite the late hour, the fanciful hall is fully lit for this gathering, and you can see it appears to function as a sort of council gathering and throne room for Nytalia.

One of the ambassadors, a Sawk, was halfway through a sentence when he suddenly became aware of the commotion and stopped to take a look at what was going on, not looking at all pleased about being suddenly interrupted. Those who were listening then looked to you as well, all mostly fully-evolved and very experienced Pokémon in terms of tact and diplomacy.

Before them all is Queen Nytalia, who is a bit taken back about the sudden intrusion, but is willing to first learn what it was about before casting judgment.

“Your highness, we have an AW Severity 1 concern that needs to be addressed immediately,” Rakol tells the Aurorus.

“This better be really good,” the Sawk replied, not looking pleased about this.

“How’s confirming the night killers rumor and providing enough evidence it’s a million times worse than we thought?” Rakol countered the Sawk.

A sudden wave of murmurs and commotion soon grows among the crowd of Pokémon, but Nytalia stomps her left foot to order silence among the council.

“Please, let there be order in the council,” Nytalia demands.

“Show her the memo,” Rakol advises you as you and Vake approach the throne.

Once you approach Nytalia, you lay the Shadowmarch equipment down before her and you show her the memo that was addressed to Commanding Officer Evrik from Kurtva, head of Shadowmarch’s Research and Development. Nytalia looks at the note, and then reads aloud for the entire assembly to hear and witness.

“Shadowmarch Commanding Officer Evrik,” Nytalia begins. “By your request, we’ve provided you and your regiment with the experimental prototype weaponry, armor, and gear as designed by ANKH Research and Development as part of the Shadowmarch Operation Blackstorm Distribution Phase: Stage 7. As you may have already been informed, many of these prototypes are considered contraband and are distinctively out of compliance with Decree 9, Section 4 as well as Decree 12, Section 3 of the International Clearwater Accord due to their combat capabilities that the Clearwater Council deems “wantonly violent” and “dishonorable” in their opening statements.”

“Who the hell… ARE THEY TRYING TO START A WAR!?” the Sawk shouts. “AT A TIME LIKE THIS!?”

“If you or any member of your regiment is compromised upon discovery of this equipment prior to the Year 2934, Varon the 18th Advent Date,” Queen Nytalia continues, “we will disavow any relationship with you and sever any network connection to ensure security to the Shadowmarch and ANKH network as declared by Operation Blackstorm.”

“That’s only in seventy-three days, your highness…” a Clefable council member tells her, looking anxious at how soon that day is.

You see Nytalia nod in acknowledgement, and it looks like she too, has become anxious about this new, dark discovery.

“We request that all use of this equipment be thoroughly documented for recording and research purposes,” she continues reading the memo. “We also request that all storage of this equipment is done in secrecy and in concealed areas, only. Any unaffiliated personnel, whether governmental or civilian, discovering Shadowmarch correspondence or ordinance is to be terminated immediately along with any reproducible accounts or documentations that may have been created as a result. Victory to the Midnight Regime. Kurtva, Tyranitar, Shadowmarch Executive of Research and Development.”

“Is what that Pikachu brought…?”

“Yes,” you explain to the council. “My name is Lita and we found a large number of these weapons, armor sets, and military ordinance at the steel mill. All of these prototypes were hidden within the walls and flooring. The Keepers Self-Storage facility was also being used to store and smuggle this equipment. My friend Lycellus came across this as well. There may be other locations throughout the city that we haven’t found yet.”

Despite having not even seen the weaponry and armor in field use, yet, they can see with their own eyes the sheer amount of advanced engineering and technology in the equipment you’ve brought before them. To them, it’s as if you presented an alien supercomputer before NASA…

…and you can see from the looks of their anxious and worried eyes that being up against a paramilitary with equipment like this would be horrifying beyond anything they’ve experienced before…

“We’re still unable to contact anyone outside the city, aren’t we?” Nytalia asks the council and the Aurorawatch soldiers and officers. “We need to make contacting the Clearwater Council an absolute priority at all costs. This will be more than enough justification to merit receiving their aid and reinforcements in light of this crisis as they perform a thorough investigation. But in the meantime, they might even be able to help us get the power plant back online.”

“We could really use that kind of miracle right about now…” the Sawk ambassador remarks.

“Paladin Crez is still in the process of trying to get some of the broadcasting equipment operational to reach outside the city,” Rakol informs her. “Until that happens, we’re still in the dark, your majesty.”

“Lita, I’m afraid we need your help again,” Nytalia tells you. “Do whatever you can to help Paladin Crez get that broadcasting equipment online. We need that support more than ever. As for this Shadowmarch equipment, it’s best if you see what it’s capable of in the field against these OMEN infected. We need to learn everything we can about this ordinance if there’s a chance we may be up against it. Maybe there’s even a chance we can reverse-engineer it and make some of our own that’s within compliance of the International Clearwater Accord. Or at least find possible counter-measures in case of a Shadowmarch attack.”

SIDE MISSION UPDATED: When It Rains, It Pours.

Complete Paladin Crez’s “Hello? Anyone Out there?” side mission, as it has now reached a whole new level of criticality. Aurorawatch’s future, as well as the future of Exacta City, now depends on it.

Rewards:
All members of Aurorawatch become Compliant.
All Emissaries become Aurorawatch Knights and can recruit Aurorawatch Mercenaries free of change (you essentially become a squad leader and they’re your squad members).
Unlimited copies of [|AW| Aurorawatch Combat Vulcan] (Adds 1d10 +5 damage to successful attack rolls). You can simply state you’re equipping one at any time as if they always exist in the Team Inventory.
Unlimited copies of [|DF| Aurorawatch Versatility Armor] (Reduces incoming Health Damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken) You can simply state you’re equipping one at any time as if they always exist in the Team Inventory.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Clearwater Council sends reinforcements to Exacta City and annuls OMEN encounter chances in the Northern Reach. Encounters in the Southern Reach are reduced by half.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Exacta City Enrictine Power Plant comes back online and the path to Knave Territory gets secured. Tensions between Aurorawatch and the Knaves are resolved, traveling to Knave territory no longer bears risk of encounters.
2 days after Mission Completion - Effect Over Time: The Emissary Steel Mill becomes an Aurorawatch outpost base and can support two additional facilities. Navin the Chatot and his employees get contracted by Nytalia to build whatever you need at no expense to you.

You salute the queen, pledging that you’ll do what it takes to help Crez accomplish this critical mission objective…

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$495 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

Nico was absolutely buzzed by the recent finds and grinned widely. It was time for some yee-flippin-haw explosion action.

She peeled away her current equipment and clamped on the biggest chunkiest gun she could find, the most metal looking armor, and the most badass of jewelry.

Put on:
[|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor]
[|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament]
[|JY| Armband of Retribution]

As the final piece clicked into place, she delicately placed an oreo cookie over one eye, just to add to the badassery with an eyepatch. She didnt need to aim that gun anyway, it had self aiming capacity.

Looking at her pack, she tossed out everything she no longer needed into the team inventory (machete, colossus armor, reaper blade, starburst ring, revealing glass) and grabbed an extra $500 sochas. Its upgrade time!

Hopefully the shops would still be open...
If not, it was going to be a very boring night and she would probably do something dull like search (18) Graybench Industrial Warehouse, and look longingly at the vehicles.

Nico has changed Equipment (this Emolga is too lazy to list out each individual item exchange) and deposited $537 Sochas into the Team Inventory.

Congratulations. You re now the most badass Alcremie to have ever existed.

Unfortunately, despite your passion to break the sound barrier with caffeinated speed and insomnia, the stores are closed. But you decide to head out with your new gear and see what could potentially be lurking in Industrial Warehouse. And promptly explode their head.

The night air is surprisingly quiet and still. As you slide your way toward the warehouse and keep your creamy fingers wrapped around the Xalafu rocket launcher, it seems as though there aren’t any threats lurking here tonight. Either that… or they saw you with enough firepower to blow Giratina’s head off into the stratosphere and completely ran the hell out of there.

You first search around the exterior of the warehouse, noting that the large building has barely taken any damage at all despite the earthquakes. Unlike some other structures, this seems relatively safe and isn’t too far off from the refuge area to be a major area of concern.

You don’t find anything weird and uncanny on the outside of the warehouse, so you decide to head inside, still looking to see if there’s a random ghoul to practice on. Unfortunately, there’s not. Upon sliding your way into the large warehouse, you can easily see there’s a vast space of emptiness where you imagine at one time, it must have been filled with a large amount of either supplies or vehicles. For now, Aurorawatch stores some patrol vehicles here, though it doesn’t look like many of these see too much action and you can’t recall the last time you saw Aurorawatch driving around with anything. It seems they’re trying to preserve fuel and save them only for needed occasions.

There’s a small mechanic’s workbench by the side of the wall where most of the vehicles are stored. You decide to check it out, and it seems to be there mainly for very light work like oil changes, air filter replacements, detailing, buffing, and other light-duty tasks. You imagine severe combat damage likely would be too much, but then on the flip side, you don’t imagine ghouls imposing too much of a threat to these vehicles. It’s mainly their fleshy occupants that need to be concerned.

On the workbench, you find various tools, spare parts, and other similar supplies, but something sticks out. On the bench appears to be some kind of circuit board, which doesn’t look like it’s in need of repair. But as you approach it, you sense Stalker taint coming from it, and from what Syrax told you and taught you, you have a feeling you know which Stalker handled this last. It’s got Exclude’s hollow and melancholy taint to it…

EXCLUDE: [AG0143 Module] was added to the Team Inventory.

You decide to take this along, although you take care not to droop too much sticky cream from your fingers all over the more intricate components. You have a feeling it’s quite possible Exclude yanked this out of some machine or system to cover their tracks. Once you figure out what machine or contraption this belongs to, things will start to make sense and you’ll likely find something Exclude wanted to keep known only to themselves.

Shortly after, you then start searching some of the vehicles that were left unlocked for now. In one of them, it looks like a long-neglected satchel case was stuffed under the seats. Most of what’s in it is essentially nothing but junk, but you do find a sizeable wallet inside with some extra money.

$350 Sochas$ were added to Nico’s Pack.

Meanwhile, in the truck of a military SUV-like vehicle, you find some military gear and documents. Most of it looks to be shipment manifests, ammunition boxes, MREs, and things of that nature, but one blade left behind by what was probably a covert operative still remains here. You decide to take it with you, obviously not needing the MREs because as weird as it is to admit… you’re already made of food yourself.

[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Nico’s Pack.

Having searched through the whole warehouse, you decide to slide your way back home and see what tomorrow brings. Hopefully then those coffee shops will be open.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$850 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

(Haven't had time to catch up and read thorugh everything yet, so just gonna search a place at random.)

I'll buy and consume another Starf Berry from Friend in Need Pharmacy in Silverlight Shopping Mall to restore my Purity, then deposit everything in my inventory that's not equipped, including all my money.
After that's done, I'll search (24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED) (By ripping the roof off to see what's in there :P)

Feeling a bit unwell as though your spirit’s been defiled and corrupted, you head to the mall first, and though you’re too big to enter the mall itself, you request to have Borsei meet you outside to perform a curbside pick order. She fulfills it to your relief, though for one berry, she was hoping for a bit more of a transaction for the trouble. But nonetheless, you pay her the money and she hands it over to you.

Lycellus has spent $25 Sochas$ to purchase a Starf Berry.

As she heads back into the mall, you eat the berry, which is quite tiny for a Pokémon of your size, similar in scale to a human eating a pea. Nonetheless, even despite the size difference, it cleanses your ravaged soul, washing away the vile impurities and corruption.

Lycellus has used the Starf Berry and has restored his Purity.

With that done, you then head back to base to drop off some of the surplus you’ve been carrying, just in case something happens.

Lycellus has placed [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health) and $800 Sochas into the Team Inventory.

You then head eastbound to the Northpoint Furniture Store, hoping to find something that perhaps someone left behind. The night is still and silent, and while you believe it should be a relatively safe flight, it seems that isn’t quite the case tonight.

Initially, you believed the worst you might run into tonight would be a few pesky ghouls, but instead, your large size attracts the attention of something much worse.

A chimera. And a horrendous one at that.

You first hear it roar with a deranged and psychotically feral shriek, and you look to see where the horrendous noise originated from. And then you see it. An ungodly abomination that looked like it started as a Aurorus, but then its torso became a grotesque rendition of a Claydol, before sprouting a horrendous pair of Machoke arms while covering its body with a sickly, gray skin.

You roar in retaliation, ready to put this travesty of a creature out of its misery.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Resident Evil: Retribution (This Is War- Cliff Lin) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBrHY9-fcj0)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus
Type: Dragon/Poison, HP: 24, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12+1d10, Speed: 130, Battle Stance: Tactical

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/699.png Vixaka the Aurorus/Claydol/Machoke Chimera
Size: Large, Type: Rock/Ice, HP: 64, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 58

Attack Order:

#1: Lycellus
#2: Vixaka

Fight!

You quickly charge in, opening your maw and unleashing an horrendous torrent of biting, consuming draconic flames.

Lycellus strikes at Vixaka! Rolls 96! Hit for 19!
Vixaka: 45HP

And much to your satisfaction, it smothers the abomination chimera, driving it to unleash yet another fiendish howl that pierces the skies.

Driven berserk for revenge, it charges at you, attempting to launch a jagged wedge of ice at your body.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 63! Hit for 0! (Annulled: 3 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 24HP

The jagged wedge of ice breaks into nothing but fragments as it bounces off of your Shadowmarch mesh armor. After circling around in the air again to gain a better attack vantage point and position, you spit a burning orb of dragon fire at the chimera.

Lycellus strikes at Vixaka! Rolls 40! Hit for 5!
Vixaka: 40HP

The burning dragon orb hits it in one of its Machoke arms, setting it aflame and causing it to burn off as a steaming husk.

In its rage of anguish and fury, it attempts to barrage you with a savage Blizzard attack, trying to smother you with razor-sharp shards of ice.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 4! Miss!
Lycellus: 24HP

You deftly dodge the assault, attempting to quickly react and respond with another fast assault, attempting to bury your claws into its neck.

Lycellus strikes at Vixaka! Rolls 13! Miss!
Vixaka: 40HP

Unfortunately, your claws only dig into air as the chimera swings its neck out of the way. As you fly by, it tries to bite into you, as if to attempt to taste your flesh before the feast.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 94! Hit for 1! (5 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 23HP

However, despite a minor ping of pain, most of the damage gets absorbed by the armor. While the chimera is bewildered from the strength of your armor and the lack of effect from your attack, you let loose another breath of draconic flames, attempting to smother and consume it.

Lycellus strikes at Vixaka! Rolls 71! Hit for 10!
Vixaka: 30HP

The dragon fire burns its abdomen, and you can smell the grotesque burning of its mutated flesh. After a hideous nightmare scream that rocks the Northern Reach, it again launches another boulder of ice at you.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 60! Hit for 7! (11 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 16HP

The massive wedge of ice strikes you hard in the side, causing you to tumble and nearly be thrown out of the sky. In your anger, you unleash another furious orb of dragon fire, aiming for the creature’s head.

Lycellus strikes at Vixaka! Rolls 37! Hit for 11!
Vixaka: 19HP

The orb makes a furious impact and ignites the abomination’s head in dragon flames for but a few seconds, scarring its face for life. However, with the abomination’s adrenaline at an unholy level, it lunges at you and throws a furious and monstrous blizzard head-on in your direction.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 43! Hit for 8! (12 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 8HP

The assault of razor-sharp ice crystals feels like all hell as they lacerate your body and face. By now, you’re bleeding badly and it looks like things are getting progressively worse.

TACTICAL BATTLE STANCE: Lycellus has fallen below 50% Health and is attempting to Flee the battle.

You decide this battle really isn’t worth pursuing at this point, and decide to make a break for it before things get too ugly. The furniture store can wait another day and definitely isn’t worth dying for.

You try to make distance away from the abomination, attempting to fly away from it as much as possible.

Lycellus attempts to get away! Rolls 31! But couldn’t!
Lycellus: 8HP

However, as you soon realize, this chimera is incredibly fast now that it’s fully charged with ungodly adrenaline. It continues to give pursuit, and throw yet another hulking sledge of ice at you.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 65! Hit for 0! (Annulled: 1 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 8HP

While the attack hits, you don’t even feel the impact as the Shadowmarch mesh armor absorbs the impact. Meanwhile, you focus on trying to flee, hoping to break way from this monstrosity as much as possible.

Lycellus attempts to get away! Rolls 76! But couldn’t!
Lycellus: 8HP

Deranged and hellbent on destroying you, the chimera continues to chase you, leaping and climbing over buildings in a blood-drunk frenzy. With another howl, it spits a furious beam of ice at you as you attempt to break away.

Vixaka strikes at Lycellus! Rolls 50! Hit for 0! (Annulled: 4 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Lycellus: 8HP

The ice beam connects, but yet again, the armor takes the impact and saves you from harm. Attempting to flee yet again, you anticipate the route the chimera will have to take by looking at the ground layout below. Once you’ve found a very difficult route for it to transverse, you quickly dash to break away from it.

Lycellus attempts to get away! Rolls 95! Ran away successfully!
Lycellus: 8HP

It seems to work, and you create distance between it and you as you see its dark adrenaline has worn off and the crippling pain has struck it down, leaving it to shriek in disappointment as its unable to give chase.

Lycellus has fled the battle!

Loot Collected:
<None>

You leave the chimera behind, not sure if it will ever surface again, but for now, it’s no longer a threat and you safely make your way back to the steel mill. Your cuts, bruises, and lacerations are bad, but you know they could have been much worse.

You take a breath, knowing that while you weren’t able to stop that chimera abomination, at least you’ll live and be ready to fight another day.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/890.png Lycellus the Eternatus (L: Dragon/Poison)

Health: 8/24 | Sanity: 15/20 | Purity: 16/16
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Military War Sword] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Commando Mesh Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 4 points each time Health damage is taken, prevents Super-Effective damage effects)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<Empty>

[Neo Emolga]

https://i.postimg.cc/KjpFwHBg/Scarlet-Normal.png
Feel like checking out (39) Newpoint Building (ABANDONED) just because it sounds creepy and won’t have a nutcase trying to sell me “luxury” cosmetics or overpriced shampoo.

You head out tonight into the quiet, deadly darkness, feeling cozy in your element. You’ve heard some interesting rumors about the old, creepy Newpoint Building, but haven’t been able to get around to it in the past. Tonight’s the night you set that all aside and decide to check it out, heading east into the Northern Reach.

The ghouls don’t seem to be too active tonight, and though you hear the occasional moan or wail, you don’t actually see where the source of the ghastly noise is coming from. On the way to the Newpoint Building, you discover the dead body of a Lurantis ghoul with an axe buried deep into her head. You imagine the original owner never got to recover it, but you decide to rip it out and take it with you. It’s a little bloody, but definitely still in good condition. You feel it might be right at home in another ghoul’s head sometime.

[|AW| Combat Axe] (Adds 1d10 damage to successful attack rolls) has been added to the Team Armory.

Once you get to the large abandoned apartment building, you decide to start with investigating the exterior of the old, dirty brick building. No one’s been living here for a while, and you can honestly see why. It’s not the dirty environment of the building, but the building itself and everything around it is unsightly. To the west, there’s nothing but a vacant parking lot while every side of the building has nothing but walls to look at. It doesn’t even get an ocean view of anything.

Toward the side of the building, you find a few loose bricks in the wall, and you know for a fact someone manipulated these bricks. And as you suspect, someone hid a hidden cache here. You slide the brick out of the wall and inside you find a nice pouch of money. There’s some useless trinkets and jewelry here as well, but the money is definitely worthwhile.

$325 Sochas$ has been added to the Team Inventory.

With that done, you decide to see if this “Blood Letter” ghost story has any validity. You head to the back side of the building, the one that faces the parking lot, and you see if there’s anything unusual.

And that’s when you come across this.

https://i.imgur.com/tOgR8CH.jpg

It’s distinctly a bloody letter “B”.

From what you’ve heard about the urban legend, supposedly the letter in blood is the first letter in the name of the Exacta City resident that would be the next to die. Once they’ve died, The Blood Letter changes. Well, you’re happy it’s not an “S” so you feel a bit safer with that, but you try to think of as many Pokémon that you know of whose name starts with a B. None come to mind right away, so you decide to move on.

You head inside and the interior is actually not too bad, but there’s just dust and cobwebs everywhere. The walls are also really drab and have nothing but white paint that’s now peeling and yellowing. Most of the apartments are clearly empty and whoever the landlord was simply looked like they completely stopped caring as so many of the apartments were left unlocked. Well, either they got careless or they simply just died.

You almost get bored, opening every door trying to see if there’s anything even inside only to find nothing, nothing, over and over again. Every apartment is completely devoid of anything but an empty floor and empty walls. Meanwhile, none of the lights work either, so you end up having to rely on a lot of your night vision and moonlight coming from the broken windows to make out anything.

After opening a dozen or so more doors to empty apartments, you open the next one and it’s… odd. There’s nothing but a single chair in the middle of the room and it actually looks like there’s someone sitting in it with their back facing you as they seem to be staring out the broken, dirty window. Heck, the Pokémon in the chair even seems to be a fellow Weavile!

“Hey… hello?” You ask, slowly coming into the room.

…Silence.

You move in closer, having no idea who this other Weavile is. Or why they’re not answering back.

“Hey, wake up!” You shout.

…Silence.

Come on, they had to have heard that! You decide to see what’s the deal with this unresponsive Weavile by circling around the chair to see if this is just some kind of stupid joke or not. And then when you get a good look at them…

#Macabre Discovery – Decapitated Self (8 Sanity Damage)# Trap 30% Evasion Test: 9 out of 100: Failed!

It’s… you. And you’re d̖̩͕͔̪̠e͖̹̬̘Ḁ̹̞͘ͅD̮͙͙͘.

You feel a sick, grizzly lump in your throat, and then you see the head of this Weavile… your own decapitated head, suddenly roll off the neck of its Weavile body, onto the hardwood floor, and it rolls and rolls before it stops right at your foot, looking upward right at you. Smiling. L̪͇͎͚ḁ̵̸̤̬̠̜̖̮Ṷ̡̙̝̥͠͠G̰̼̹̱̼̠h̡̞͖̟͔̭̭̀I̴̠̻͢N̷̢̟̘͢ g̸҉̦̳͙̬̭̩̪͈́.

“Never go home, right, Scarlet!?” your own severed head laughs. “Never go home. N̷͚̮̙͠ͅE̸̱v͘͏͖̩̳̗͍̖̥͍E̖̙̖̯͠r̛̤̟̜̩ ̸̮̼̭̯̰̻͈̗̯͜͜G͙̺̣̤͈ơ̡̥̪̱̬̗̜̲͖ͅ ̜̪̭̣̺H͏̩͉͇͓o̘̲͓̭͇͞M̶̥̲͖̝Ȩ̛̦̫̝͇̫͎̟̱́,̷̺̕ ̷̪̬̣͎ͅŞ̴̜̫c͇̹̣͇̭̕͞A̡̱R҉̠͇̖͖̲̣l̴̤̰̮̖͇̜̳̕È̠͎̣Ţ͏͈̪ ̰̫̜̖ͅ!҉̳͓ͅ!̴͚̳̫̠͕̮̥!̼̥́ͅ”

N̼͇̺͇̼ͅe͉͔̪͈̣̰̒̂͌̾̐͆̆V̄e̱̙͋̈R̤̾ͬ͐̒̒̐ ̼̬͖̯͔̜N̦̟͖̪̪̠̮͗̓ͬ͌͗̎ẹ̗ͅͅV͉͗ͬ͂̓̑̿E͕r̮̼͎̔ͩͨ̄̋ͩ ̠͍͍̓̈́͛̽̅̓Ṋ̐e̅́̄̃̂͗V̥̞̱̳͆̂̎̚eͯ̏R̞̼̿ͬ͒̓̏ͮ̌ ̜̰̥̊ͤ̍̋ͩ̈N̼̜̘̣̥̱̘ͭ͗ͩ͆̑ê̱̬͉̮̠̍̄ͥv̩̻̫̼̩̠̉̋͋͋̽͑E͈̪̠̓ ̞̪̯R̰̲ͦ ̯͎͔̤ͩ̎N̗͕̬e͕̦̫̰̾V̝͉̟̫̯̗̓͂̾̿̆E̱̬͖r̰̰̜̙̤̉ͥ̇̄̍ ̹̬̜͈̝ͪͤͅN̈e̖͛͒ͯ͂ͥ͆͒V̘͓̣̼̥̉̆͛̌̅ͭ͌E͉̻̮̙͇̭̝̽ͥ̐R̭͙͒̀ͦ́ ̠ ̮̞̃ͨ͆̓͒N͔̣̫̜̗̱̭̈́͂ͫE͇̤̳v̼̇̍͌e͚̝͕̭̅R̔͊͊ͨ ͂̀́ͬ͋ͣN͍̦̒̔͌̆e̩̥̺̣̝ͪͯ͌͆̀V̦̞͖̱͉̫̳̽ͬ͆͂̂̄̏eͥ͗ͦ̎̑ͭ̚Ŕ̒ ͇̪ ̠̩̪̮̫͕̾̐ͧͫ͌̃ͅN̥̞ͣ̓ͤ̋̈́ë̼̣͎̖͈̟́̿̏̓͑VͬE͇̞͔̮̘̫̺͆̊ř̎̅̏ ̲̥ ̞̤̼ͬ̆̃̑͐N͍̗̥͈̭̜͕̏̆͌̽͂ͣ͗e̙̜̝̫̣̘V̰ͦ̈́ͩ́ḛ̞͎̺͇R̩̻̮̻̆̋ͅ ̠͔ ͎̥̫̺̈ͅŃ̜̺̲ë͙̖͎̱͇̤́̆͒̈͋̚v̮͉̖̈ͦͅE͑̆̔̓̒ͨ̾R͛ͩ̽̏̔̅ ͓͓̖ ̪̯̻̰̹̩̞̓ͧͪ͋Ǹ͈̙̫̞͈͍̅ͫͮ̂̚ͅe͍̭̭͙̱̯̎̅ͤͅV̭͉̞͈̳̠E͙̜̞̦̰͐ ̹r̳ͪͯ̓ͣ́ ̹̫̰̪̿́̒N͇͍̻͚̲̣͎̽e͙̦̙V̰̩̭̯͓͉͂̓̓͐̍Ẻ̦̗̳̜̓͗̓R̓ͬ̓͗ ͓̭ ̖̳̫̤͂͂ͬN̼͉̊̽̓̀E͓͔̜͇͛̐ͥ͊͌v̜̼̓e͙̮̮̻̽̒̈̒̾̐̚Ṛ̜̺̖̈́ͩ̇ͦ̌ ̠͖̞ ̘̲͖͉̝̯̰̔̎̓N͕̞͉͈̠̔̽ͮͥ̓e̱̳̪̯̠̼̼̍͗V͖͉̙͎̟̖͇̉ẽ͎̝̳̑͑̀ͬ̚ ̞R̀̃͛ ̥͔̬͔̯̥͙N̦͓̻̒̆ͯė̔̎̾ͯ̋ͫV͕̝͔̜ͩ̄̈E̘ͨ̓ͣ͛̓r̲ͪͮͮ͑͋ ̟͚͓̟͕͌͛ͧ̉̿ͯ̚N͖̰̪͚̹̰͋e̪͍̙̻͂͂V͚̥̱̤̈́͌ė͇ͮ͒̾̾́R̀ͤ͒ ͚͎ ̼̲͙̘̠̋̏ͣ̐̊ͤN̺̜̳ͯ͐͛͌͌e̙͇̺̠̜̯͓v̫̞̻̿̉͊̊̾̓̆E̬͕͎̿ͦ̂̽̂ͯ̚ ̝R͎͍͈̃ͤͣͯ̓̔ͫ ̟͙͉̠̓ͭ̔̾̐N̬̺̥̦̫̮ͪe̲͕͊͆̊̀ͣ͆͗V͎̱̔Ë͑̎r̖̫̥͎̙̃̄͊́͊ ͇ ͈̥̣͕̩̅̽͑͛̚N̹̘̬̉ḛV̱̟̼̬̹͖̩͌ͤ̆ͦE̞̱̰͖R͍̐̌͑̿ ̠͖ͨ̾͑͗ͨ̉͗N͍̱̈́̈͌ͣͧ͑E̞͚v̺ͧ̓͂̊ë̞̰́Ŕ̬̝͍͍̭ ̮̖̮̭͓̭ͫN̠̗̗̣̐ͮͬ̑̓e̠͍͉̠̻̮͊̾͌͐̈́Vͦ͊̑͐ͯè͎̞̝̻̞̭͒̋͊̑̓ͣR ̩̻ ̲̩̳̪̇̒N̖̬͕ͪ̐͌̿e͖̔̓̃̄͆V͍̣̭̞͍͓͆̆Eͭř̼͕̲͓̫̻̽ͫ͂ͬͯ ͎̥̻̝͚̿ͅN̩ͩͦͨ̿̃ͭe̳̳̮ͪͮͅV͍͕͎̟̘̫ͫẻ̮͈̥̹̜͉́̂̈́R͐ͪ̍͛ ͕͖̫̹ ͓̫̩̂Ne͑̾v̦̺̱ͯE̙̜̺͒̉ͩ̀͊Ṟ͍̤̭̼̫̥͐̉ ̓̇͗͒̒͋̚N͙͔̆͒̉̒̔͛e̥͖̣̦̮̗V̲̣̘̦̠͖̔̔̈́ͫͭ̽ͅE̞͋̓̇ͣͧ̿̈r̽̓ͫ ̯̟͖͒̌ ̬͍̥͖̥̩̎ͩͭ̔ͫṊ͓̻̭̤̜ͅe̞̬̪͚͐V̻͇̉̊ͫͧE̞͈̠̒͌̽ͯͥ͌Ṛ́̾ͦ͗̓͑ ͚̙̰ ̼̘̠̻̑N͖̬̪̘̠͉̱̽E̯̬̤̝̹̜̝͒̏̆ve͑̅ͭRͤ͂ ̭̭̼͚̹̫͂̄ͪ͛̌̅N̦̩͈͓̼e͇͉̥̞͙̞̗V̪̬̤̽ͫ͐ͨͦe̼̲͙͎̒̒ͩ̃R̯̻̬̐̐ ̞ ̰Ñ̘ͥ̐͐ẻͫͨ͒ͮ̎͑V̠̹̦̬̦̞̏͐̈́͛̅E̯̻̘͎͚̙̜͒͛ͣr̝͉̱̂́ ͩ̃̅͆̈́ͬ͊ͅṈ͒e̻̖͈̯̠ͅV̜̍̒̓͛̚ẻ̮̮͚̘͑ͪ̊̈̐̅R̩ͦͨ̊̆̀̇ ͕̫̺̱̣ͨ̌ͮ̉͑̂N̲̜̥͖̊̏̑e͓̗͇̺͛ͮͣ̽v͕͙̐ͮĖ͖ͫ̎R͍̼͕̤͔ͅ ̬͖͚̏̈͛̽͗ͧ̌N̒e̪͙͖̦͂ͅV͓̽̎̎͊̽̚E̯̣̘̞̮̜̐͌̋͆r̰͎̉̃̌̽̄ ͈ ̄͐͗ͬ̊̍͊N̘e̦̻̳͎͈̫͐́V̘̤̳̺͍͙E͕̞͎͑R̳͛ͥͤ̾̏̔ͯͅ ̪̩͓̉̒̚N̺ͫĒ̼̤̻͍̭͍̍ͦv̜̻̦̭͓̞͉ͧ͑̇ͧ͗̒e̯̒͛R̼̭͔̰̯ ̺͚̖͎̑N͍̬̓͛̈́̀̈ͣͨͅĕ̼̤̦̫̠̻̳͊̋̒͒͂͒V̜̫̫̲͙̼̈̒̏͌̉ͮḛ̉ͪͥͯ ͕̖̮͇͍̖R̮ͪ̈́̑ N͖͚̼̳ͥͩe̪̭͖͑ͨ̓V͉̲ͨE̥̗͍̙̻ͬ͐ͫ̒ͅr̜̞̿̐ͮͫ ̝̜͚͇̤͔͂͆̌͐͒ͥ̔Ň̩̩͉ͪͅë͉̫̰̭̩̑̎̓̍̚V͓̺̟̜̣̓̓̌̆ͧe̳̻̬͇͔ͩ ̭̙R̋ͯ̽̽ ͙N̤̘̜̳͙̯̓͆̐̐̓ͅe̺̜͔͖̳͌ͯͨ͑ͩv̌ͬ͋̀E̩̮ͮ̉͂ͨ̿̾͒R͌̒̿ͥ̑ ̞̞̥͇ ͚̱͇͕͙̒N͊͂͋͂ͣͨ̊e̫̗͊V͉͓̙͊ͦ̊E̼̱̿̒͊͋̽͒r̜̥̳̭̦̮̞̒ ͍̿ͫ́̽Ṅ͔̦̠̦̻ͬͯ̋͊̓e̜͈͙͉̯͒͗̿̽ͅV̱̖̳ͬͨ̊̀E̬̳̭͈͌͊R͗ͫ ̭͖͓̯ ̼͉̊̂ͮͪ̄͑N̰͕̗̦̥̖̑E̥̤v̞̗̪̤̥̾͊̋̌̊̇e̘̠͔̭̱͓ͫ̋R̻̞̰̲ͫ̽̿͋ͭ ̹̤̹ ̱̗̖̠̤̲̊ͅN̳̹̭̪̦ͩͪͪ̒͐͒ȅ̜͙͖̹͌͂͆V̪̮̣̻͈̟̖e̞̤̳͍̘̟ͪ͒̒͐R̊ ̫̣͓ͩͬ̃ ̱̦͌N͉̙͚͓̗̥ͬḙ̬̱̰̤̄V̙̖̜̮͔̊̔̽̚ͅĒ̘̣̰̜̾̈͗r̖̿̆ͮ̔ͮ͐ ͓ ̙̳̠̰̩̗͔́̅ͤN̳̦̥̠͐̋̍̓̚ȇ͍͙̖V̥͉͉̠̲ͬ͊̿e͚̱R͛̆͒͌̽ͩ͆ ̖͚͖̠̓ͥ͛̐̊̽ͅNͮ̉ͤ̐̂͋e̬͚̮͙̙̘͛ͣ̌v̿ͤE̹̰R̲̪̩̺̿̎ͧ̔ͧͬͅ ̤ ̦̤̠͇̺͍̃͌͌ͦ́̎̚ͅN̓ͧ̃͊̆̈́̌e̽ͭͥ̏̋͂V͎̀͌̓ͨ̓ͭḘ̯̿r̪̙͑̿͋̽͆ͦ ̬̯̟̰ ͖̆̿̐̿̃͑̍N͇̠̘̹̦̔̆̀ͮͫe͍̠͇͍͂ͅV̺̟̻̣̼̖̜ͤ͛̊ͦE̮̠̹͆̒ͬ̊͌͆͌R ̺̮͖̜͉ ̹̰͕̰̦̲̝Nͥ̄̎̃͂E͔̪̭̪͇͋̑ͭ̒v̝̬̍ͭ̋ȅ͉͎̙̲͔̰̟̈́ͬͬ̌R͉̐̃̽ͧͦͥ ̲͈͉̻ ̹̫ͦŃ̹̰͙̲̮̟̠̂̄̒̋e͙̰̩̦̟ͫ̀͋ͪ͋ͦ̌V̖ͭ̔ͯ͗̚e͙̻̿͛ͫ̿̊̈́ͅRͨ̋͋ ̭̙̤̰̯͓̫̔ ̬̞̽̒͗ͤ͌̄ͫN̰e͎̦̬̼V͙ͧͣẸ̅̌r̖͈͍̆ ̻̬̱̰̈́̓ͪŃ̬̲ͬ͒ͧͫͨȅ̐͌̚V͚̲̹̼̔͂ͩͅe̬̖̫̟̹ͮ̉R̳͎̖͋̋̎͒ ͕̯̲͍ N̰̘̓̄ͧe̊͒ͧ̚v̥̜̱̪̮̦͚E̝͍̫̟̙ͨR̬͇̼͋̇̄ͪͯ̆ͥ ̪͖̼̹͂ͥ̂̊̚N͖̜͈̬̻e̬̯̝͒ͨ̽̾̄ͅV̳̄ͤE̱̯͍r̫͙̩ ̝͎͉̳̩̘̥ͧ̓ͨ͂ͦ̍ͩN͖̱̙̅͌̊ͨ̉ͪͦe̗̠ͩ̍̈́͐V̳̩͇̜Eͤ̂̂̾͌̚Rͦ̓̋̔̓ ͅ ͓̠͂ͤͯ̽̈ͦͫN̗͖͇̝͚͋ͩ͗ͭ̀E̱̝ͩvͭ̑͋e̲̝̟̲͖̍̊ͅR̖ͨ͋ͬ

Scarlet has taken 3 Sanity Damage.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!!” You scream.

And it bounces. Everywhere. All the along the walls, echoing with the laughing head of madness that is your own, sounding like a deranged chorus of ț͇̠̜̝͉̭w̩̥͓i̫̤̫̯̙̟̿̿̆̓s̝̻̣͓̆͒ͩͤ̚t̳̗̟͖̰ͭ̓̑ͮe͚͔̳͈͊̑ ̣̪͈d̳̓̓̈́ ̫̝͖̮̗͂̂͒́ͬ̋i͚̻̖͉͔̳̤̒ͫ̈n̻c̲̱̞̗ͤ͊̓o̲͉͙h̹͌̇̾͑̚e͙͕̊̐ͮ̚ ̭̖̫r̃ͤ̐e̟̝̲͌͐̑ͪ̓ͧ̒n̳̥̝͕̟̹̋ͫ̍̍c͓ͥ̊ḛ̩͈̮̭̭̹̒̐. You twitch, shiver, and then suddenly in the doorway, you behold something horrifying.

It’s y͕̳͙̫̦͓ͅo̹̬̗̼͓̩̹u̹̭. Again, but this time you’re younger, still a Sneasel. B̩̮̺u̟̥͈̱͉̹̘Ț͎ ̱̲͇͙̗ͅs͖ͅṯ̻i͎͎̳͉̦̼̼̩L͔̻̭͖̫̦͍̜L̗͍̫ ̳̯͉G̝̦͈͚̳͚i̞̟̞̺̟͚̥̦̜D̻̻̘̙̜̯̭D͚̥͓̰͈̺̫Y̬̩͙̬̜̗̝ͅ ̰͉w̠̲̼̹̳̖͚̱i̮Ț̬̘͙H̙͇͇͎ͅ ̮̻͎͔̱̼b̩̩l͔͎o̲̬̻O̙̳̯͍̩͕͎͎D̞̬̻̝͖̹̦ ͕̥̥̳a̪͍̫̦̻͔͖̟l̯̪̟͖̩̗̤̯L̗̯̳ ̟̝̥̘̺̺͖O̯̦V̮͍̼̖̯e̹̘̞̠͇̺R̭̩̜̤̹ ̥̳̯̖̠ͅy͔̻͓͕̪o̠͉̝̳͈͍U̱͚̲̹.̭̦̥̣͈̪̫͓

“Do you wanna hear a joke, Scarlet?” your bloody, younger Sneasel self asks, smiling. “Do you? You wanna?”

“PISS OFF!!” you shout back at the apparition.

“…That wasn’t very nice, Scarlet,” she tells you, looking very disappointed. “I’m going to have to punish you, now. Clean your dirty thoughts. P̲̦̬̝͕̬̲U̸̵͚̲̗̤͜r̴̖̫͚̞̣G̵̶̸̗͍É̡͎͈̞ ̷̺̜́͠Y̷̛̪͍̤̮ͅo̸̡͎̫͙̠̘̞̣̟͞U̷̡҉̖̘̘R͇̭̯̟͠͝ ̡͇̬́F͝҉̛̤̣̺͍̩i̺̫͎̘͖͠L̸̨͍̤̫̮͎̺̲͡T̸͎̩̦̩͟H̡̩͔̘͇͓̲͇͖̘́ y̵̯̥̰̙̻͕̰̥ ̵̢̘͈̯̩̮̩̻̰͈͘Ṭ̟̜H̤͍͉̱̪͓̩͡ͅO̞̙̜u̠̟͇͉G̵̰̖͟H̨̛̭͍͍t̀͝͝ ̖͉̗̱̙S͔̤͎͓!̳̝̙̪͔̣͟͝!̸͇͈̩̮”

She suddenly leaps toward you, dematerializing into a horrid abomination ghost and she flies up and in through your nose, making a be̳͙̠͕ͅḛ̘̼̤͍͕ͅl͍͓̙̲in̼͓̜̟̗̰e̟͙̯̞̯ ͚̤̙fo͎̘̫̥̘r͓̜̼͔̱̦̩ y̦͕̠̯̤̬o̬̘̠̬̤̤ur͚̳̬̙̙̲̜ ͎̱̮̳̖̲br̪a̩͉̭̳̗̯in̪̰. And once she’s there, she immediately floods your mind, making you feel like you’ve been m̟͎͔̼͈̞̮u̻̯r̰̤͕̮͈͚͍d̤̞͉̟̪e̲͇̠͇̝̞̟r͓̬e͍̱͔ͅd̰͕̻ a̦̞͔̖̳̖ ͉̜̲̪̳̘t̳̮h̝̘͚̱o͎ṳ̳̲͓s̙a͓̫̭̖̦ṉ̫͚ͅd͈͍ ͚͍̰͚͖̤̗t͚̩̪͖i̮̥̼̼̮ͅm̱̟e̙̼͈̭̗͇ͅs͎̰̘ before the nightmare finally stops, leaving you almost feeling like suicide would be euphoric right about now…

Scarlet has taken 5 Sanity Damage.

They’re gone. Your ghost, the body of… yourself. All that remains is your head. Still smiling. Still looking up at you, as if a baby in need of nurturing after being abandoned by its mother.

You growl, taking this hideous thing off the floor with you, VERY sure it’s something stupid and ungodly that a Stalker cooked up. While you’d rather kick it and fling it off back to the Abyss where it belongs, you know this is part of something bigger and this reeks of something stupid Astralnox would do.

ASTRALNOX: #[Head of Scarlet the Weavile] Macabre Presence – (3 Sanity Damage)# has been added to the Team Inventory, Astralnox Stalker Key Items.

After that whole nightmare experience, you’re honestly not in the mood to deal with any more of it. You head back home to the mall and decide to get some sleep, wondering if you’ll even be able to get a wink after that whole miserable experience.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/461.png Scarlet the Weavile (M: Dark/Ice)

Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 12/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic

[AgloMe Oen]

I'm not too much when it comes to furniture, but I think someone should check the (24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED). Maybe we can find some use from something there. You think there might be some hardware too?

Hey, good to seͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖e you too, blobby!

So you decideͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ to head ȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬver to the Northpoint Furń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣiture Store, on your own, because Neo laughably forgot to check thiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣgs first like he always dȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬes, and it seems all is quieͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖t, dark, grim, and cozy like it usually is arouń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣd Exacta. Just kidding, it’s a hideȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬus hellholeͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖.

And you see it! Just up ahead, yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu find the Northpoint Furniture Store… and theͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖n someoń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣe sees you, too. Because you got stupid and careless and leͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖t both a ghoul ań̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣd a FREAKING CHIMERA spȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬt you. Brilliań̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣt, dȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬrky. I seeͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ you’re a dumb move kinda guy.

You look behiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣd you and see a freaking ghȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬul Rillaboom and a laughably groteͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖sque Meinshao chimera with a Meiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣshao bȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬody, Crobat wings, and flesh and skin that slightly resembleͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖s an ̲͓̖̳u̬n̪̦̰g̼̤̱̦̤ͅo̹̮̖͉̜̳̝d̟̤͓̼̰͇l͓̦̜y͔̼̬̥̲ ̪̥F̭̳̘̳̲̙r̖̩͓͙͉̮̪o̥̟a̠̺k̠͇͉̗i͍͕e̟͇. If he wasn’t so damn hungry, he’d probably want yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu to put him out of his miseͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ry, but ń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣah.

They go charging afteͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖r you like two kids ready tȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬ ram their teeth into a H̤͇̱̬̖̼̞̙a͓͕̖̯̭̞̦͔͖p͚͔̥p̝̘̣̳y̗̯ͅ ̼̻̹M̤͕ͅe͔a̦͓̝l̖̟̮͉̜̩!̲̠̭͔ I wonder what toy you haveͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ inside!?


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: SKOLD - Chaos (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMT0BPTLkHI)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/579.png Daz the Reuniclus, Size: Medium, Type: Psychic, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 30, Battle Stance: Heroic

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/812.png Uskon the Ghoul Rillaboom, Size: Large, Type: Grass, HP: 24, Dodge Rate: 20%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 85

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/620.png Krunxev the Meinshao/Crobat/Froakie Chimera, Size: Medium, Type: Fighting/Flying, HP: 50, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 105

Attack Order:

#1 Uskon the Ghoul Rillaboom
#2 Krunxev the Meinshao/Crobat/Froakie Chimera
#3 Daz the Reuniclus

Fight!

Uskon comes raging right after you, takiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣg advantage of the fact you’reͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ so blȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬody slow it’s like your askiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣg to have yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬur heͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ad punched in! He swings his massive fist in your face!

Uskon strikes at Daz! Rolls 90! Hit for 6!
Daz: 14HP

And boy does it hurt like a mother trucker! Yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu feel like half your heͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ad has goń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣe numb it hurts so much and then Krunxeͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖v tries to fly in and punch your head in from the ȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬther side!

Krunxev strikes at Daz! Rolls 61! Hit for 6!
Daz: 8HP

You feel like your brain just got c̠̪̣͔̦͈ru̟̼s̤̩h̥̠̱e̫̜͇ḍ͔̞͖͕ ̞̟̥i̠n͇̗͚͉̲ ͇̹y͇͕̥̤̗̺o̱u̮̞̗͍̱̤̠r͍ ̲̫ow̯ͅn̬̦͈͓̭͔ ͔̣̫͎f̗͉͎͚͈̣r͍̥e̬̝̱ͅa͔k̺i̜̳̥͚̦̥n͇̪͖̣̞͈g s̪̹̘̰͉k̤̞͔̻͓̤u͈̻̰̰̮l̰͎̖̺̣̩l͎̺̠̣̘̬͓. You almȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬst unleͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ash your psychic attack robȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬtically you’re iń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣ so much crazy pain right now.

Daz strikes at Krunxev! Rolls 82! Hit for 16! (8 x 2 – Psychic VS Fighting)
Krunxev: 34HP

Your psychic attack actually lands niceͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ly on Krunxev, warpiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣg his brain, causing him tȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬ moan. And theͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖n just at that mȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬment, Uskoń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣ takes a swing at you.

Uskon strikes at Daz! Rolls 26! Miss!
Daz: 8HP

You manageͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ to narrowly avȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬid it, and you laugh at his feeble attempt. And while you’re not lookiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣg, Krunxev attempts to cross chop you frȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬm beͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖hiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣd!

Krunxev strikes at Daz! Rolls 91! Hit for 10!
Daz: -2HP

You get throwń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣ to the ground and you feͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖el like you’re fading, but you rȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬll over and stay alive just long enough to see Uskon and Krunxev begin to EAT yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu. And they are soon joiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣed by lots of otheͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖r ghouls also interesteͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖d in eating yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu.

Turns out they didn’t find a tȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬy in their Happy Meal, but they defiń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣitely searcheͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖d thȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬroughly through eveͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ry nook and cranny!

DAZ THE REUNICLUS HAS BEEN S͈͉̙̥͔̻̞̘L͇͉̥̻ͅA̯̺̝̖̜̳U͉͍̮G͇̝͎̹͓H̯̹̱̼̱T̻̤̖̯E̫̝̙̟͉̻ ̗R̘͉͍E̺̭̙̪̣̹̼̩D̰ BY THE OMEN INFECTED!

I hear yȯ͇̝̭̯̘͚̺̓̆ͨͫ̓ͫͬu wereͨ̆̂̂̾ͩ̈́̚͏̷̡͓̖͈̖ not eveń̸̢͚̖̖̍̉̇ͧͣ all that tasty.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/579.png Daz the Reuniclus (M: Psychic)

Health: 0/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Heroic

[Neo Emolga]

#50 Borsei the Clefairy has been murdered by the Stalkers.

It was becoming almost routine to Aurorawatch.

“I… I really don’t think I know how to handle this!” Rali protested.

But it didn’t matter, she was assigned to investigate Borsei’s death by her superior officers. The odd and unsettling thing about it was that Borsei’s killer… had already done all the investigation work. Even detailing how they did it and why.

When the Treecko found the Clefairy’s body at the Friend in Need Pharmacy at the mall, there was a note besides her body, detailing everything.

So I did double duty. Wasn’t pretty, but that’s how things go sometimes.

If there was one big thing I discovered about Borsei, it was that she really didn’t like her job as a pharmacist. She had the skills and knew how to handle the role, but she hated it. Seemed like it was maybe her parents or someone she was close to that forced her to go into this kind of field. Those stories always suck to hear about.

Borsei wanted to be a painter instead. Live, breathe, and think creatively. Yeah, pharmacists don’t get that opportunity. Instead, they come with health lectures and bossy customers who think they know how to do the other person’s job. Borsei really hated those things too, but beyond that, she absolutely hated having to stay late and do overtime for whatever reason. She was the clock-watcher type that couldn’t wait until her shift was over, and then she’d run right when that minute hand struck the hour.

She also really didn’t care much about anything. It seemed like she had become so numb to the kind of mental agony the job was inflicting on her that she really didn’t put her heart into it anymore.

So I had to off her based on that.

I waited until closing time, and then I seized control of her body while her mind was just stuck in there. I forced her to stay late. Insanely late, like all night even though there were no customers. I forced her to do frivolous busywork instead, just to keep her stressed out and exhausted. And I knew she hated that, but I had her doing that well into the super early morning hours. The work was going nowhere and it wasn’t high priority at all. She could have waited until the morning to handle it. But nah, it was just the sense of having her entire night murdered at work, only to be fed the agony of knowing she’d have to do another workday just because it was time for her to be on the clock again. Four consecutive shifts! Well, she never actually did that fourth one.

I made her heart stop, but only after she had undergone that horrendous triple shift of work even though she really didn’t need to. I also had made her listen to a 24-hour health lecture podcast, and I knew she hates those. I actually think by the end of it all, she wanted to die. And I was like “hmm, yeah, ok!”

Ciao.
ASTRALNOX

Rali crumpled the note into a paper ball, really getting the shivers from it.

After reading that, it got her mind thinking what Astralnox would write about if they had killed her. And it was a very stressful thought…

Doom Tracker:
5/40

Due to Borsei’s death, the Friend in Need Pharmacy has been permanently shut down.

[Neo Emolga]

Morning has arrived in Exacta City
Submit your Day 6: Day Cycle Actions now!
https://i.imgur.com/rHoxuBi.gif
Time Remaining:
CLICK HERE (https://www.tickcounter.com/countdown/2402638/day-6-day-cycle)

(Thursday, February 4, 2021 9:00:00 PM EST)

EmeraldSky Noblejanobii Scytherwolf SlickSlack Lychee AD Suicune’s Fire Shruikan Chibi Altaria Bulbasaur James-Typhlosion TylerNinetales

[C0L0R3D]

Well, this was actually a bit scary to Misty. Was that Blood Letter thing true? Regardless, now they'd have to travel all the way to the Southern Reach just for Berries. But they were cheaper, so that's something. But for now, there's stuff to do!

First of all, she dumped everything she had on her into the Team Inventory before coming up with a plan and a half. (If it's fully restored) She would bring that Namaxa console to Crez to see if it would help. (If not), she'd grab some Shadowatch Nightlock Armor and that Paladin's Reaperblade before setting off to (70) Daluco Toy Store.

"I'm more then ready to be messed up by some *OOF*ing stuff Obscene dumped here, or beat the heck out of a ghoul. Wait, I don't want to do that..."

(If the console's fixed, give it to Crez.
If not, equip the said items and go to Daluco.
If I can do both, I'll do that.)

[EmeraldSky]

Since I don't think I can do anything else for the side mission...

I will check Dret’s Brewery and Home.

[Lychee]

Being only slightly let down that she actually managed to sleep last night, and almost entirely unbothered by the death of a random mercenary and Borsei, Nico was out at the break of dawn with a very similar plan in mind to the one she had last night.
Except... maybe with a little more backup. Maybe.

She checked her pockets, and finding 850, she added a few more from the team inventory to finish buying what she needed. 1000 Sochas more, to be exact. It WAS for the team, after all! She didn't feel guilty about not discussing it, since a lot of the emissaries were asleep or absent lately.


The shops would be open! Should be open! Are open!
OKAY TIME TO SPEND ALL THE MONEYS

First, it was time for a stopoff at the Soul Food diner, buying two caffiene delights, takeaway.
(($150 x 2 = $300))

The next stops were a little further away, but there was no other good choice for berries now that Borsei was dead anyway.
She bought three of each:
$[Sitrus Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)
(($15×9= $135))

A lot of the emissaries had been very quiet lately, and there were technical components still sitting around needing fixing.
It was time to hire a mechanic.
Hopefully the Whitestar Skyscraper would have a "Desperado" in need of cash. Weirdly, the price for 3 day contracts and 4 day contracts was the same. She put it down to a typo- Mercenaries weren't usually great at maths or reading. It didn't matter anyway, she only needed a 2 day.

$[2 Day/4 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 300 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 2 Days/4 Cycles)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +$100 Sochas$ per contract- TECHNICAL
($300 + $100 = $400)

She was hoping for a merc that was not chatty but was good with tools, possibly either a ghost or a psychic type- just in case emissaries turned up to do the Technical work instead she could take the merc out in the field and unlock some previously inaccessible areas. Apparently the only pokemon to be BOTH ghost and psychic were like, legendary or something, so they probably weren't hanging out in a dusty crumbling skyscraper looking for jobs. Although Hoopa might...
She shook her head. No, probably someone simple, like a Medicham or a Metang.
There were still three items in the team inventory requiring a technical outlook to fix, plus one technical needed at (17) Northern Heights Storage. She would ask the merc to go for the most important one first. Please repair the [Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>]. We need it for Aurorawatch business.
And no, you can't have any of my coffee. I know I have two. This second one is also for me.

Next, it was the exciting spending, FINALLY! Warehouse upgrades!!
She very excitedly ordered two upgrades for the headquarters from Navins Constructing, before he squawks.
Before he's over the hill. Before he starts pinin' for the fjords, as some might say.
Gotta get some doors nailed before he's dead as a doornail, m'dear.

$[Build Garage] 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1a
$[Build Fitness and Recreational Center] 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1c
($500x 2 = $1000)

So there we go, the shopping spree ends on a solid $1835 Sochas. Nice job. Should only have 15 left in her pockets, which is just fine to lose.

Hopefully she got a lift back home with the construction pokemon, just to speed things along a little bit. There was certainly nothing in the description about these things taking any time, but she did wonder how they could construct everything so quickly. She was SO ready to jump into one of the two automatically provided vehicles right away. You know that kind of jeep that you see bouncing around through jungles and sand dunes? Thats what she was hoping for. Nice big open top to fire missiles out of.
Wind in your... hair? Well, Wind whipping at your cream...
REVV REVV OK BABY LETS GO

Each vehicle gives the driver two actions.
Each coffee gives the user two searches per action.
Four location searches, incoming!

She plonked a coffee cup into each cup holder and revved the engine.
Better hope this vehicle doesn't break down!
She took a sip of her first coffee.

(52) West Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)
((then eat any berries necessary to get back to max health/sanity/purity))

(76) The OMEN Crater (ABANDONED)
((Collect a sample))
((Drink a coffee, eat any berries to get back up to max health/sanity/purity))

(76a) OMEN Crater Northwest, Ruined West Residential District
((You know the deal, snack until you feel well again... if any berries are left))

(53) East Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)

On one hand, she knew the final bridge was boobytrapped for a good reason.
On the other hand, she would blast anything in her way to smithereens- whether it be the ghouls and chimeras, or the traps designed to stop them. She felt pretty sure a stalker would absolutely love an abandoned, boobytrapped bridge. It would be the quickest way back with the sample, after all.
Nico was ready to riiiiiiiide~!

[Noblejanobii]

I’ll search (22) Kenja Apartment Building

[AD]

Investigate (57) The Darkwatch Building

[Scarlet the Weavile]

https://i.postimg.cc/kGgqjm6m/Scarlet-Frustrated.png Holy Hannah, okay, seriously, the severed head thing wasn't funny. Never want to go through a mind funk like that again.

Think I'll check out (44) Namasha Apartment Lofts. And if I see any more severed heads, I'm cashing out on that one, toots.

[Neo Emolga]

Well, this was actually a bit scary to Misty. Was that Blood Letter thing true? Regardless, now they'd have to travel all the way to the Southern Reach just for Berries. But they were cheaper, so that's something. But for now, there's stuff to do!

First of all, she dumped everything she had on her into the Team Inventory before coming up with a plan and a half. (If it's fully restored) She would bring that Namaxa console to Crez to see if it would help. (If not), she'd grab some Shadowatch Nightlock Armor and that Paladin's Reaperblade before setting off to (70) Daluco Toy Store.

"I'm more then ready to be messed up by some *OOF*ing stuff Obscene dumped here, or beat the heck out of a ghoul. Wait, I don't want to do that..."

(If the console's fixed, give it to Crez.
If not, equip the said items and go to Daluco.
If I can do both, I'll do that.)

(Don’t forget to change your Battle Stance if you don’t want it to be Flee anymore! Because as it current is, you’ll always be running away from every battle.)

Misty has changed Equipment and deposited $550 Sochas into the Team Inventory.

First, you decide to head off to see if the fully repaired Namaxa Console may be exactly what Crez is looking for. You take it with you, letting the Aurorawatch guards know you’re here to see Crez and that you might have some broadcasting equipment he can use to reach the other towns.

Knowing that mission is a high priority, the Raichu and Ampharos guards let you in and let you know where to find Crez.

When you finally meet with the Whimsicott, he looks excited and relieved. Immediately, he shows you where his communications relay is and on a wooden bench, you see all manners of gizmos and gadgets with gray and black wires weaving around and about like a spaghetti bowl.

[The Namaxa Broadcasting Console] was removed from the Team Inventory.

“Ho boy, here we go,” Crez tells you, trying to hook up the Namaxa Console to his other communications equipment. “Let’s hope this works!”

…

He turns it on, but there is only static.

A bit anxious, he tries different types of configurations, puts the wires in different places, tries other arrangements… but nothing works. He just winces, looking frustrated that you came so close, but the Namaxa system just isn’t compatible with the other equipment he has to be able to send the broadcast out.

“Ahhh… damn it…” Crez mutters, rolling his head back in frustration. “No dice, this is on a whole other communications platform that’s just not set to work with our Aurorawatch relays. Ugh, man, we were so close I could almost taste it!”

He turns to you, looking a bit regretful, but after sighing, he talks to you again.

“We’re… going to need to try another broadcasting system,” Crez admits, looking to you for help again. “Trust me, I tried everything I could think of with this one. It can’t work on its own and my relays need the right uplink system to make it reach far enough. Nothing we can do except try again with another system.”

Without any other real option, you decide to let him know you’ll see what you can do and you head out, aiming to go for Daluco Toy Store. You have a feeling Obscene’s dark handiwork is bound to be there, but first you need to make it to the site…

However, your trip through the Southern Reach doesn’t go unspotted for long. Despite your best efforts to try and keep hidden… a ghoul Noctowl spots you from the skies and shrikes an ungodly cry. It charges toward you… hungering for your flesh.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Locked and Loaded – Cliff Lin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWlWhj4DLko)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad, Size: Medium, Type: Water/Ground, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10+6, Speed: 69, Battle Stance: Flee

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/164.png Denkur the Ghoul Noctowl, Size: Medium, Type: Normal / Flying, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 70

Attack Order:

#1 Denkur the Ghoul Noctowl
#2 Misty the Palpitoad

[color=red]Fight!

BATTLE STANCE FLEE TRIGGERED: Misty will be attempting to Flee from the Battle!

Immediately, the zombie owl swoops down to attack you, keeping his sharp talons at the ready.

Denkur strikes at Misty! Rolls 94! Hit for 0! (Annuled: 1 Damage – 4 Armor Defense)
Misty: 20HP

However, your Shadowmarch armor proves quite effective as the ghoul Noctowl doesn’t even come close to piercing the heavy armor plating.

You immediately try to run your way back to base, really not wanting to deal with this.

Misty attempts to Flee the battle! Rolls 46! Couldn’t escape!
Misty: 20HP

However, the Noctowl insists on giving chase, flying in the air while easily pursuing you from the skies. He then swoops in for another assault, this time trying to drill in hard with his sharp beak.

Denkur strikes at Misty! Rolls 77! Hit for 1! (5 Damage – 4 Armor Defense)
Misty: 19HP

You feel it sting just a tiny bit, but most of the strike gets eaten by the armor, leaving the ghoulish owl frustrated. Meanwhile, you try yet again to get away from this bloodthirsty bird.

Misty attempts to Flee the battle! Rolls 14! Couldn’t escape!
Misty: 19HP

However, he’s persistent at hunting you from above and you’re not able to break free from his watch. Once again, he tries to divebomb at you and strike with his beak.

Denkur strikes at Misty! Rolls 38! Miss!
Misty: 19HP

However, he misses as you deftly dodge the attack, causing him to nearly fly out of control. You try to use that against him, tearing your way through a store window and using it to cover your escape.

Misty attempts to Flee the battle! Rolls 88! Successfully escaped!

The ghoul Noctowl loses sight of you in the process, and you manage to sneak under cover. After a few minutes, he gives up, realizing you can be nearly anywhere by now.

Misty has Fled the Battle!

You quickly make your way back to base, hoping next time he doesn’t show up again…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/536.png Misty the Palpitoad (M: Water/Ground)

Health: 19/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Medicine | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Paladin’s Reaperblade] (Adds 6 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: <Empty>
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
<None>

[Neo Emolga]

Since I don't think I can do anything else for the side mission...

I will check Dret’s Brewery and Home.

You decide to head south to investigate Dret’s Brewery. Today there’s a bit of a wind storm and you find it helps to take a shawl with you, but it isn’t too bad where it feels like the dust and sand is to the point of being intolerable.

Upon arriving, you see Dret has a pretty sizable piece of land to his name and it seems the brewery does pretty well for itself. You decide to search around the exterior grounds, and in the process, you come across an abandoned Spelon Berry that looks like its very close to ripening. You decide to pick it up, not sure if someone lost it, or there’s a berry bush nearby and this fell off of the branches, but either way, you decide to take it with you, just in case another one of these Stalkers tries to unleash another grizzly mind assault on you.

[Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity) has been added to Lita’s Pack.

You then approach the brewery itself, and it seems like it’s open for business and Dret is busy handling drink orders. You can tell from the look on the Mightyena’s face that he’s trying to keep busy and still provide for himself and his son, but you can see the pain in the eyes from the very recent loss of his wife, Mika.

While other Pokémon around you order drinks, you take a look at the drink menu itself to see what’s available.

(6) Dret’s Brewery

Dret’s Brewery
Run by Dret the Mightyena

DRINK MENU

$[Caffeine Delight] 200 Sochas$ (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
$[Strong Oran Cider] 100 Sochas$ (An alcoholic beverage that grants +1 to Interview Rapport, but inflicts 2 Sanity damage. Effect lasts one turn, can only use one per turn.)
$[The Vigor Monster] 150 Sochas$ (An empowering drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Health points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)
$[The Lucid Dreamer] 150 Sochas$ (An enigmatic drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Sanity points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)
$[The Wandering Star] 150 Sochas$ (A mysterious drink that adds a temporary +5 bonus Purity points over your maximum amount. These bonus points cannot be healed.)

Dret’s Brewery has been noted in the Team Records.

You decide maybe you’ll come back for something later. For now you check around the yard itself, and in the morning sun, you notice a slight glint of light shining in the dusty brown weed-like grass. You take a closer look at where the shine is coming from, and when you approach it, it seems to be the other half of the Talisman you got from Duante.

You pick it up and intend to see if it can be reunited with the other half.

[1st Half of the Talisman of the Stars] has been added to the Team Inventory.

After finding that, you decide to investigate Dret’s home. It’s a very somber situation inside. While Dret has been able to keep things in order and relatively clean for now, you can definitely see he hasn’t even come close to letting go of Mika. There are still pictures of her with the rest of the family, a place for her at the kitchen table, even her bed, personal belongings, and even pictures of her traveling adventures and her journal are all still there, ready and waiting as if she could be coming home any minute now…

You don’t find anything unusual or sense anything that feels like a Stalker’s taint while searching through Dret’s home, but nonetheless, while the Stalkers didn’t strike you in body, mind, or soul today… you couldn’t help but feel a sense of sorrow in your heart as you walked out of that house…

When you get back to the steel mill, you find the other half of the Talisman of the Stars, and even without adhesive or repair tools, the two halves reunite and once again, the Talisman is made whole once more.

The two halves of the Talisman have become [The Talisman of the Stars].

With that done, you decide to think over how you want to prepare for tonight.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/025.png Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 16/16 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 24/24
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Steel Bow] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Bronze Guard] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Prismatic Amulet] (Bypass all Pokémon type-related barriers and obstacles upon encountering them)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$495 Sochas$
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
[|AW| Combat Longbow] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|AW| Razor Composite Bow] (Adds 2 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

Nico was ready to riiiiiiiide~!


Nico Fury Road Caffeinated Combat Joyride of Madness and Mayhem

So I’ll be breaking this lovely and adorable heavy metal music joyride down into several posts, and here’s how that’s going to go:

POST 1 – NICO’S SHOPPING JAMBOREE ADVENTURE BECAUSE YOUR CASH DON’T MEAN A THING IF YOU DON’T SPEND IT YAY CAPITALISM
POST 2 – WHAT LIES UNDER WEST EXACTA RIVER BRIDGE OH YES LET’S FIND OUT WE’RE READY FOR ANYTHING BABY
POST 3 – NOTHING SCARES NICO OFF TO THE OMEN CRATER RIGHT NOW DANGER AHOY DON’T CARE IF THAT’S FINAL BOSS MUSIC WITH LATIN CHORUS I HEAR
POST 4 – COFFEE TIME AND LET’S CHECK OUT MORE OF THE CRATER BECAUSE YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE OR DO YOU NO NICO LIVES FOREVERRRRR
POST 5 – CAFFEINE EMPOWERS NICO AGAIN AND NOW LET’S CHECK OUT THE OTHER BRIDGE BECAUSE REASONS AND NICO COMBAT ALCREMIE WANTS TO SHOOT SOMETHING AND DOUBLE-TAP LIKE IT’S ZOMBIELAND

The following will also occur during this battle bonanza:

Recommended listening for combat sequences (yes, I can already say in advance there WILL be combat) will have music selections from the Mad Max: Fury Road soundtrack, a masterpiece in cinematography that the whole family can enjoy.
If Nico dies at any point, sadly, that ends the Bonanza. Aglome Oen is already taking a very fond curiosity to this. We have bets, I think you’ll live, so please live, I get to poke him in the belly with a fireplace poker while he dresses as a Torchic going “bok bok bok” if I win. But if you die and he wins… ehhhhh, just… please live, okay?
For the folks playing along at home, feel free to cheer Nico on like this is Ninja Warrior: Stalkers Edition.

https://i.imgur.com/OuiQg1H.png
(I TOLD YOU I WOULD)

Because Nico doesn’t ask if violence is the answer. Nico asks how much.

[Shruikan]

I'll take $25 out of the team inventoryto buy and use a Sitrus berry from Freshtastic Supermarket and Farms, then after I'm healed I'll once again attempt to rip the roof off search the (24) Northpoint Furniture Store (ABANDONED)

[Neo Emolga]

Being only slightly let down that she actually managed to sleep last night, and almost entirely unbothered by the death of a random mercenary and Borsei, Nico was out at the break of dawn with a very similar plan in mind to the one she had last night.
Except... maybe with a little more backup. Maybe.

She checked her pockets, and finding 850, she added a few more from the team inventory to finish buying what she needed. 1000 Sochas more, to be exact. It WAS for the team, after all! She didn't feel guilty about not discussing it, since a lot of the emissaries were asleep or absent lately.


The shops would be open! Should be open! Are open!
OKAY TIME TO SPEND ALL THE MONEYS

First, it was time for a stopoff at the Soul Food diner, buying two caffiene delights, takeaway.
(($150 x 2 = $300))

The next stops were a little further away, but there was no other good choice for berries now that Borsei was dead anyway.
She bought three of each:
$ 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Health)
$[Spelon Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Sanity)
$[Starf Berry] 15 Sochas$ (Restores all Purity)
(($15×9= $135))

A lot of the emissaries had been very quiet lately, and there were technical components still sitting around needing fixing.
It was time to hire a mechanic.
Hopefully the Whitestar Skyscraper would have a "Desperado" in need of cash. Weirdly, the price for 3 day contracts and 4 day contracts was the same. She put it down to a typo- Mercenaries weren't usually great at maths or reading. It didn't matter anyway, she only needed a 2 day.

$[2 Day/4 Cycle Mercenary Contract] 300 Sochas$ (Choose any Pokémon to have as a mercenary for 2 Days/4 Cycles)
**Mercenary has a Perk of your choosing** - +$100 Sochas$ per contract- TECHNICAL
($300 + $100 = $400)

She was hoping for a merc that was not chatty but was good with tools, possibly either a ghost or a psychic type- just in case emissaries turned up to do the Technical work instead she could take the merc out in the field and unlock some previously inaccessible areas. Apparently the only pokemon to be BOTH ghost and psychic were like, legendary or something, so they probably weren't hanging out in a dusty crumbling skyscraper looking for jobs. Although Hoopa might...
She shook her head. No, probably someone simple, like a Medicham or a Metang.
There were still three items in the team inventory requiring a technical outlook to fix, plus one technical needed at (17) Northern Heights Storage. She would ask the merc to go for the most important one first. Please repair the [Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>]. We need it for Aurorawatch business.
And no, you can't have any of my coffee. I know I have two. This second one is also for me.

Next, it was the exciting spending, FINALLY! Warehouse upgrades!!
She very excitedly ordered two upgrades for the headquarters from Navins Constructing, before he squawks.
Before he's over the hill. Before he starts pinin' for the fjords, as some might say.
Gotta get some doors nailed before he's dead as a doornail, m'dear.

$ 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1a
$ 500 Sochas$ -- built on 1c
($500x 2 = $1000)

So there we go, the shopping spree ends on a solid $1835 Sochas. Nice job. Should only have 15 left in her pockets, which is just fine to lose.

Hopefully she got a lift back home with the construction pokemon, just to speed things along a little bit. There was certainly nothing in the description about these things taking any time, but she did wonder how they could construct everything so quickly. She was SO ready to jump into one of the two automatically provided vehicles right away. You know that kind of jeep that you see bouncing around through jungles and sand dunes? Thats what she was hoping for. Nice big open top to fire missiles out of.
Wind in your... hair? Well, Wind whipping at your cream...
REVV REVV OK BABY LETS GO

POST 1 – NICO’S SHOPPING JAMBOREE ADVENTURE BECAUSE YOUR CASH DON’T MEAN A THING IF YOU DON’T SPEND IT YAY CAPITALISM
(Yeah, the price of the 4-Day contract is supposed to be $800, my bad). :P

First, you decide to grab some extra money from the Team Inventory.

Nico withdraws $1000 Sochas from the Team Inventory ($1850 Sochas$ in Nico’s Pack).

You then quickly make your way to the Soul Food Diner, ready to go warp speed. You quickly toss the money in front of Seul the Brioonee and grab your caffeine fix.

Nico purchases two Caffeine Delights for $300 Sochas$ ($1550 Sochas$ in Nico’s Pack).

Your next stop is to head into Knave territory and get those berries. It means heading off into the Southern Reach, but in your excitement, you forget this is OMEN infected territory. Out from the shadows of the Southern Reach ruins, two ghouls spot you, a grizzly and decaying Scyther and a morbidly-decayed Unfezant.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Mad Max: Fury Road – Storm is Coming (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXKmg-QCkAs)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie, Size: Small, Type: Fairy, HP: 16, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+4d8+10, Speed: 64, Battle Stance: Ferocious

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/123.png Elcret the Ghoul Scyther, Size: Medium, Type: Bug/Flying, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 105

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/521.png Oxdeta the Ghoul Unfezant, Size: Medium, Type: Normal/Flying, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 93

Attack Order:

#1 Elcret the Ghoul Scyther
#2 Oxdeta the Ghoul Unfezant
#3 Nico the Alcremie

Fight!

Elcret quickly flies toward you, swinging one of his massive blades, trying to take a swipe at your neck!

Elcret strikes at Nico! Rolls 60! Hit for 0! (Annulled: 3 damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Nico: 16HP

You attempt to dodge, but the blade strikes your armor instead of your neck. But not even a scratch is left.
Aspect of the Fourth Seal: 51 (Needs 75 or above)

Oxdeta swoops in for an attack, attempting to drill her beak into your creamy head…

Oxdeta strikes at Nico! Rolls 13! Miss!
Nico: 16HP

You manage to swiftly dodge the incoming strike and Oxdeta pecks at nothing but air. You then turn to take aim at Elcret, and your Xalafu Armament locks onto the enemy target. You then press the trigger with your creamy finger and a rocket blasts out of the armament, blazing toward the ghoul Scyther.

Nico strikes at Elcret! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 29!
Elcret: -9HP

Elcret the Ghoul Scyther was killed!

The Scyther explodes into a macabre shower of burnt and warped body parts. However, though one of your targets is done for, Oxdeta attempts to strike at you again, shrieking as she attempts to ram her razor-sharp beak into your head!

Oxdeta strikes at Nico! Rolls 6! Miss!
Nico: 16HP

You deftly dodge the incoming strike, loading in another rocket for the Xalafu Armament.

Nico must reload!

Oxdeta swoops in yet again for another assault!

Oxdeta strikes at Nico! Rolls 19! Miss!
Nico: 16HP

You then raise up the Xalafu Armament and lock into the ghoul Unfezant. The targeting mechanism beeps to confirm target lock and you press the trigger with your creamy finger. A second rocket blasts out, heading right for the ghoulish bird.

Nico strikes at Oxdeta! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 33!
Oxdeta: -13HP

The rocket makes a furious impact, blasting the ghoul Unfezant into bloody bits and pieces.

Oxdeta the Ghoul Unfezant was killed!

All enemies defeated. Nico is victorious.

Loot Collected:

[b]$532 Sochas
[|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)

It seems Shadowmarch armaments work pretty well!

You then head to the Underground Medical store in the Whitestar Skyscraper and put in your large volume order for 135 sochas.

Nico has spent $135 Sochas for:

3x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
3x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
3x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

You then pack up your order and then head off to Desperados for Hire and you ignore a certain Emolga’s typo, hiring:

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/308.png Caska the Medicham (Contract: 4 Cycles Remaining) (M: Psychic/Fighting) Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20 Dodge Rate: 30%, 1d10 Attack die, Perk: Technical

Nico has spent $400 Sochas to hire Caska the Medicham for a 2-day (plus Technical perk) contract.

Agreeing to your proposal, she looks into reprogramming [Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: <Technical>]. She mentions she finds it pretty easy as it’s an older system and uses a relatively basic coding.

[Corrupted Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System: [s]<Technical>] has become the [Ensign NV904 Broadcasting System].

You then head over to Navin’s Constructing and Repair Depot, and the Chatot greets you. You then mention you want him and his team to build the Garage and the Fitness and Recreational Center at the Steel Mill, handing over the $1000 sochas needed for the job. And you do it before he squawks, no less!

Nico has spent $500 Sochas to have the [Garage] built on (1a) Emissary Hideout – The Abandoned Steel Mill – Foundry Basement
Nico has spent $500 Sochas to have the [Fitness and Recreation Center] built on (1c) Emissary Hideout – The Abandoned Steel Mill – Foundry Floors 3-4

The Health, Sanity, and Purity stats of all Emissaries has increased by 10 (Maximum stat)

So far, off to a good start! You then head back to base and prepare to try out your new ride!

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/308.png Caska the Medicham (Contract: 4 Cycles Remaining) (M: Psychic/Fighting) Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20 Dodge Rate: 30%, 1d10 Attack die, Perk: Technical
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
[b]$547 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
[|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
3x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
3x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
3x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)

[Neo Emolga]

(52) West Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)
((then eat any berries necessary to get back to max health/sanity/purity))

POST 2 – WHAT LIES UNDER WEST EXACTA RIVER BRIDGE OH YES LET’S FIND OUT WE’RE READY FOR ANYTHING BABY

You decide to take the WAR RIG out for a drive, heading to the West Exacta Bridge. After parking the heavy battle-armored monster truck, you and Caska then step out and proceed to make your way down to the base of the bridge. There wasn’t much on the surface level, but you think there may be more to find on the base.

After climbing down the small hill toward the river, you find something unsettling. There’s a number of ghouls hiding and lurking here, and they were just waiting for someone like you to show up. A horrendous Quagsire and Butterfree ghoul break out of their ambush and head right for you.

And you and Caska look tasty to them… and it seems like they want to make Caska the main course while you are… well, you’re a dessert after all.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Mad Max Fury Road – Brothers in Arms (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCXkpZsBRg)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie, Size: Small, Type: Fairy, HP: 26, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+4d8+10, Speed: 64, Battle Stance: Ferocious

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/308.png Caska the Medicham, Size: Medium, Type: Psychic/Fighting, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 64

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/195.png Hengor the Ghoul Quagsire, Size: Medium, Type: Water/Ground, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 35

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/012.png Sindain the Ghoul Butterfree, Size: Medium, Type: Bug/Flying, HP: 15, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10, Speed: 70

Attack Order:

#1 Sindain the Ghoul Butterfree
#2 Nico the Alcremie
#3 Caska the Medicham
#4 Hengor the Ghoul Quagsire

Fight!

Immediately, Sindain swoops in and attempts to strike at Caska!

Sindain strikes at Caska! Rolls 34! Hit for 18! (9 x 2 Super-effective Flying Vs Fighting)
Caska: 2HP

Caska is critically wounded as the grizzly Butterfree crashes into her. You quickly raise up your Xalafu Armament and once the targeting mechanism locks on, you squeeze the trigger with your creamy finger and a rocket blasts out of the launcher, speeding furiously right toward the zombie butterfly.

Nico strikes at Sindain! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 37!
Sindain: -22HP

The Butterfree is blasted into pieces, leaving only bloody ashy bits remaining.

Sindain the Ghoul Butterfree was killed!

Struggling to fight, Caska charges toward Hengor, unleashing a furious psychic assault on his mind.

Caska strikes at Hengor! Rolls 56! Hit for 1!
Hengor: 14HP

The strike barely fazes Hengor, just as he swings his aqua tail at her.

Hengor strikes at Caska! Rolls 71! Hit for 2!
Caska: 0HP

The blow is just enough to snuff out the last remaining life in her, causing her body to crash to the ground.

Mercenary Caska the Medicham was killed by the OMEN Infected!

You quickly ram in another rocket into the Xalafu Armament.

Nico must reload!

Hengor charges after you, hoping to make a meal out of you as well! He unleashes an earthquake attack, sending massive tremors in your direction!

Hengor strikes at Nico! Rolls 86! Hit for 5! (9 Damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Nico: 21HP

Taking aim at the deranged Quagsire, you set your targeting reticle on his head, lock on, and then you squeeze the trigger.

Nico strikes at Hengor! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 28!
Hengor: -14HP

Hengor explodes into grotesque pieces, making it almost impossible to tell what he used to be.

Hengor the Ghoul Quagsire was killed!

All enemies defeated. Nico is victorious.

Loot Collected:
$579 Sochas
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

There isn’t much you can do for Caska save for closing her eyelids…

You decide to move on, searching the area by the river and by the main bridge support pillars. There’s mostly trash, rubble, and a few bones, but then you come across what looks like a beat-up drink cooler. It looks like it was tightly shut, but you decide to open it up and take a look at what’s inside.

#Macabre Discovery (8 Sanity Damage)# Trap 30% Evasion Test: 37 out of 100: Failed

…You. Y̞͍͎̠̮o̦̦̱̠̘̫̜͎U̦͖̗̫̭̖̗̹̖’̗̯͚̯R̗͙̬͓̼͎̺ͅe̪͚͕̝͇͚͔ ̗̙̫͙̪W̻̫̖̲̬̻̙̻h̬̗̯̠̬̮̰̰A̙̥͔̖̭͓T͍̫̲͇͚̝̟’͖͔͕̯̪̖̤̬s͚̞ ͖̠̫̘̤͕ ̪̼̹ͅI̲̬̱̺̺̩n̲͈͚S̥̬̠͙̘̲͓̟i͎̹ͅd͔͙̠͔̤̟̹̘̙E̝̳…̮͔̫

It’s… your own severed Alcremie head, and it r̰̳͉̹̿e̹̩̖̦ͅe̩̩̲̪̭̱̟ͧ̉͂̆͛̇ͣk̤s̩̹ͮͥ of Astralnox’s taint. And at first its lying face down, but then by some demonic power, it spins around, smiles, and its eyes go ẗ͙̖́̾ͦͪw͎͔̟ͬ͑̏̔i̲ͤ̐͐̊ͭṱ̭̰̭̪̈́ͮͦ́̽c̼h̬̻̭̪͖̼̳̄ͦͥy͂͆́ ̻͙̱͇͈͉̾.͔̰̝̇̋͐͊

“Hi NiCo!” your own severed head greets you before screaming in deranged hunger. “YoU’VE beEN b̼̞̘̂ͮ̋͆͒͆ͣu͍͙̭̤ͮ̎ͨ͊͐̾̋S̗̳̩̫̩̺̤̽̂ͣ̾͒͊͆Y̹̬͖̿ laTEly! LooKS liKE yoU’RE reALlY trYinG haRD tO gET A͓̯͙̤H̜͓͑̆̔ͣ̇̂̃e̲̩͖͚̤͈̰ͫ̅̃̈͆̇̈Ã̖̦͍͉̽̽̋ͭD̯̪̮̟ͣ̔͆̋ͫ ̱! HAHAHAHAHAHA GET IT!? A̟̘̜͓ͭ͑̃̉̀ͅ ̯̭̒ͭ́ͩ̈͆H̼͔̞̮̳̤E̺͚ͯ̃ͮA̫̯̯̼ͭ̅̔ͨ͆D̘̭̩͌ͤͯ!̲͇̝͓̺͗̒̂͌ͩͅ ?̲͋̎ͫ̾!̰̝̣̭̮͇̞?͎̺͎̺̙̣ͧ̂͑̈ͧͅ!͉͌?͈̰̾̋ Ṉ͎͆̽̔Ạ̥̤͔̳ͪ̆̍͛ͨ͐A͖͒͗͑̐ͪA̯̯̭̞̪̖̭͆͒ͫ̑̋A͇͈̳̎̒͊̋͂̽A̍ ̺̘̟̑ͤ̑̏͐̚A̬̻̰͈̰͓͎A̐ͯͪͨ̓̐H̠̤͕̒H̼̱͓͍͎ͪ͆͌̋Ĥ̻̠̱͇͎̖̋̽͊ ̼H͉͔̝͔̲̜H̒̏ͬ̈́̚H̪̟͇̆̅ͮ͗ͭǴ̤̰̙͈̬̮̲͊͆ͤ̌̚G̠͕͔̦̣̞̺G̬͎͍̱ ̱R͑ͦ͐͆̃ͭR̎R͚̙͈̬͂͑ͮ̿͛̆̿R͑R̝͔R̥͕͉̳͖̿ͅͅ!̖!̘̖̤̥̜̽̒ͩ!͖̄ ͓̰!̫̯̦̭͈͍͋́͋̇ͪͤ͗!̹̼͍̅̒͐”

“Drink piss and die!” you scream at it.

But then your mouth freezes open, and the severed Alcremie head opens its mouth and lets loose a horrendous, s̗̙̮̰̳a̟̋̉̎ͬ̽̊̄n̳̮̱͐ȉͦͮ͒̆ͯͬṭ̘̲͓̙̎͆ͩ́͊͐̄y̯̟̺̹̬ ͓̺-̹ͦr̤͙̣̥̣̙a̪̭̺̲̩͇̰͑̍̌̑ͣ̚va͎̠͓̐̅̊̐̈ͦͅg̮̳̍̿̂ĩ̭̲̃̈́̓͒̆ ̯͈͍̠ͅn̺͐̀̾ͪg̦̭̝͓͌ͭ̌ͫͯ̇ ͖̦͈̟̩̅̂̀͂̄̃̑ġ̠͎͚̱͓̟̜͂ͬ̓͆̈̾a͎̹̣̪͔̝̻͗͛̑̏̏ͨͥs̩̣͚ͯ̄͑̄ ̪̼̲̠ that you’re forced to inhale. It w͙̟̬͓͕̆̀ͅͅö͉̮̬̙͔̰ͧr͙̋̈̊̊ͣ̊m̝̙̯͆s̩̳ its way into your brain, causing you to sporadically twitch as it hijacks all your motor functions.

Your eyes roll back, feeling like your own head is going to try and swallow them to consume them as d̘͛͋̚a̻̬͔̙̼͇̪͗͒͒̄r͙̫̗̩̈́ͤ͐̉̀̒̋k̗̞͖̝̙̈̉̄ͫ ̖͔̱ͦs͎̰̩̤̒ͩͮͥ̃̅̍u̘͕̖͓͕̻̇̌̈́ͫs͓̐̆͆̓͐̔̆t͉̪͂̊e̬̘̥n̂̂̎̆ ͎̆ͦà̦̬͖͛̄̾ͪͥ̚n̘͐̋͋̽c̩͓͑̋̒͒̾ͣͅe͔̟͎̔͋. Sensing your mind is under heavy strain, your own Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor deploys an anti-traumatic stress disorder medication, originally intended for Shadowmarch soldiers to mentally fight off horrendous mental trauma upon detection of high levels of stress and mental anguish.

It suppresses some of the horrifying effect, but a great deal of it is still felt nonetheless…

Nico has suffered 4 damage to Sanity.
The Macabre Presence trap on the [Head of Nico the Alcremie] was destroyed by the Armband of Retribution.

When you finally snap out of the deranged and grizzly trance, you look down to see your own severed head is still there. It doesn’t seem… alive and sentient anymore, but nonetheless, it still looks unnerving to behold and almost looks like it could spring right back to life again.

ASTRALNOX: [Head of Nico the Alcremie] was added to the Team Inventory.

You’re not exactly thrilled to be taking along this thing instead of Caska, but you have a feeling its going to be needed for something grotesque. You don’t find anything else at the bridge site, so you decide to head back up to the WAR RIG and make your way back.

To flush out the agony, you quickly eat a Sitrus and a Spelon berry, restoring your Health and Sanity.

Nico has consumed a Sitrus berry and a Spelon Berry to restore Health and Sanity.

You then drive the WAR RIG into the Southern Reach, heading toward the Crater…

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/308.png Caska the Medicham (Contract: 4 Cycles Remaining) (M: Psychic/Fighting) Health: 20/20 | Sanity: 20/20 | Purity: 20/20 Dodge Rate: 30%, 1d10 Attack die, Perk: Technical KILLED IN ACTION
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$1126 Sochas$
[OMEN Sample Collection Jar]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
[|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
2x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
3x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

(76) The OMEN Crater (ABANDONED)
((Collect a sample))
((Drink a coffee, eat any berries to get back up to max health/sanity/purity))

POST 3 – NOTHING SCARES NICO OFF TO THE OMEN CRATER RIGHT NOW DANGER AHOY DON’T CARE IF THAT’S FINAL BOSS MUSIC WITH LATIN CHORUS I HEAR

You drive the WAR RIG to the grizzly, horrendous beating heart of the Southern Reach. Though the WAR RIG attracts plenty of ghoul attention on the way there, you simply run them over and their bodies are broken into bits as they go under the heavy treads of the armored monster truck.

Not even the rubble of the Southern Reach stops the WAR RIG as you use it to transverse over the piles of destroyed buildings, vehicles, bodies, twisted metal, and other post-apocalyptic destruction. The devastation here is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, but you feel you’re ready to take on anything.

Once you arrive, you find the heavy concentration of OMEN that Veria was talking about earlier, and it actually reeks with corrupting, mutagen filth. You take your collection jar and then use it to get the sample Veria needs to work with in terms of making the perfect vaccine.

{Highly Concentrated OMEN Deposit: Collection Area}

The [OMEN Sample Collection Jar] has become the [Pure OMEN Sample]

With this sample, Veria now has the most concentrated OMEN sample to work against. If she can create a vaccine cure that can deal with something this potent, then there’s nothing stopping the citizens of Exacta City from living in this area again once the abominations have been cleared out.

And then… speaking of abominations, you hear a horrendous scream. You look up to see it’s a chimera. And not just any chimera…

…you realize… it’s the Litten, Silicobra, and Zeilous that Veria had originally sent to do this job. Only now… they’ve melded together as the horrendous chimera that now stands before you. And it’s out for your tasty, sugary, creamy flesh…

It’s time for Nico to yet again do what she does best. Kill things!


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by OMEN Infected and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Mad Max: Fury Road – Claw Trucks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GdsJbqV7ps)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie, Size: Small, Type: Fairy, HP: 26, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+4d8+10, Speed: 64, Battle Stance: Ferocious

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/jwlz9iH.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/725.png Felsledge the Litten-Silicobra-Zweilous Chimera, Size: Small, Type: Fire/Ground, HP: 60, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d12, Speed: 70

Attack Order:

#1 Felsledge the Litten-Silicobra-Zweilous Chimera
#2 Nico the Alcremie

Fight!

Felsledge charges at you in a frenzy, attempting to roast you with a flamethrower breath!

Felsledge strikes at Nico! Rolls 21! Miss!
Nico: 26HP

You take aim at the horrendous chimera, lock-on, and then fire! The Xalafu Armament unleashes another rocket, heading right toward Felsledge!

Nico strikes at Felsledge! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 28!
Felsledge: 32HP

The rocket hits him powerfully, ripping off one of his grotesque Zweilous arms. However, unlike the ghouls you ran into earlier, he’s still very much alive…

Felsledge attempts to attack you again, vomiting out a macabre fire blast right in your direction!

Felsledge strikes at Nico! Rolls 49! Hit for 1! (5 damage – 4 Armor Resistance)
Nico: 25HP
Aspect of the Fourth Seal: 78 (Needs 75 or above)

You manage to dodge most of the fire while the Shadowmarch Nightlock armor protects you against most of the flames. You still feel the heat, but it isn’t nearly as painful as it could have been.

ASPECT OF THE FOURTH SEAL TRIGGERED:

And in that dark moment, a pale Rapidash charges forward, carrying a dark, enigmatic rider cloaked in black. You look upon them, not even sure if the rider is a Pokémon, but they carry a massive scythe, and they charge directly for Felsledge.

The grotesque chimera can only look upon DEATH before the scythe strikes down… and cleaves the chimera’s mutated heart into perfect halves, instantly killing it.

Felsledge was killed!

All enemies defeated. Nico is victorious.

Loot Collected:
$1156 Sochas
[Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Guardian Seed] (Grants +5 Health for one Cycle)
[|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|DA| Armor Plates] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken)

You take a deep breath. You did it. You survived.

You step forward to look into the OMEN Crater itself, the swirling vortex of rubble and destruction that so many bodies and so much as been sucked into. But even beyond this grim morbidity, something else strikes you, and you realize it’s darker than you thought.

#Unholy Nefarious Essence (6 Sanity Damage and 6 Purity Damage)# Trap 40% Evasion Test: 70 out of 100: Success!

The Abyss itself has taken refuge here. You take a step back, realizing this is a trap intended to suck out the mind essence and spirit of anyone that gazes into it.

ASTRALNOX: #{Oblivion Offering: Craving for Innocence AND Craving for Serenity} Unholy Nefarious Essence – (6 Sanity Damage and 6 Purity Damage)# has been noted in the Team Records.

This dark channel was created by Astralnox. You can smell the taint, and it demands a sick offering of Innocence and Serenity. You’re not sure what may result from tossing these things into this dark, grim void, but you can sense something lies deep inside that will only reveal itself once this is done.

For now, you decide to head back to the WAR RIG. The Northwest area of the Crater awaits. You eat a Sitrus Berry to heal yourself.

Nico has consumed a Sitrus Berry to restore Health!

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$2282 Sochas$
[Pure OMEN Sample]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
2x [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
1x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
2x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
4x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Guardian Seed] – Grants +5 Health for one Cycle
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

(76a) OMEN Crater Northwest, Ruined West Residential District
((You know the deal, snack until you feel well again... if any berries are left))

POST 4 – COFFEE TIME AND LET’S CHECK OUT MORE OF THE CRATER BECAUSE YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE OR DO YOU NO NICO LIVES FOREVERRRRR

You get back into the WAR RIG, guzzling some coffee because you’re now hard-wired on caffeine and dopamine. All around you is the ruins of despair of the Southern Reach, but you’re still feeling quite good, getting that itch like nothing can stop you.

You then arrive at the northwestern side of the OMEN crater, unconcerned about the noise that your huge behemoth of a monster truck has created. Here, the situation is not quite as bleak of the very core of the OMEN Crater, but it’s still quite miserable with the ruins of many factories and manufacturing centers tumbling into the grizzly pit.

After parking the WAR RIG in a parking spot you decided to invent yourself, you open the driver’s side door and slide out. And once your creamy bottom lands on the ash-covered ground of the crater, you hear a noise that sounds like sucking and static at the same time. While you were definitely expecting ghouls and possibly chimeras for company, no, something else is lurking here.

You turned around and see a hideous Nidorino. But unlike the ghouls and chimeras, this thing looks and smells like one of Huskpuppet’s creations. The eyes and mouth are vacant holes and the stench of the reanimation stuffing is definitely clear and repulsive. Meanwhile, the body twitches and convulses, shaking at times while making more gruesome static-noises.

As it shambles toward you, you get Xalafu armament ready.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by Abominations of Huskpuppet and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Junkie XL - All Guitar Flamethrower Guy Mad Max Fury Road OST Music Mix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhvPlzelj9I)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie, Size: Small, Type: Fairy, HP: 26, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+4d8+10, Speed: 64

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/vfNQZrs.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/033.png Kray the Nidorino, Abomination of Huskpuppet, Size: Medium, Type: Poison, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10 (Health and Purity Damage), Speed: 65, Battle Stance: <Stance>

Attack Order:

#1 Kray the Nidorino, Abomination of Huskpuppet
#2 Nico the Alcremie

Fight!

As an unhinged and grotesque abomination, Kray erratically lunges toward you, hellbent on savagery as he attempts to sink his poisonous jaws into your creamy flesh.

Kray strikes at Nico! Rolls 46! Miss!
Nico: 26HP

You deftly dodge out of the way and lock on target. Squeezing the trigger with your sugary, creamy finger, the Xalafu armament fires a blazing rocket toward the deranged Nidorido puppet.

Nico strikes at Kray! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit 30!
Kray: -10HP

The rocket explodes on impact and reduces the Nidorido’s body into twisted pieces.

Kray the Nidorino, Abomination of Huskpuppet was killed!

All enemies defeated. Nico is victorious.

Loot Collected:
$328 Sochas
[|DA| Razorsteel Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken, returns damage dealt to attacker)

Among the exploded giblets of Kray, you find what looks to be a fragment of sorts. It deeply resonates with Huskpuppet’s Stalker taint…

https://i.imgur.com/778sGDP.png

=Fragment 5= (https://i.imgur.com/778sGDP.png) was noted in the Team Records (Huskpuppet)

You decide to further investigate the ravaged ground of the OMEN crater. While there is barely anything left in tact in terms of buildings and structures, you search among the piles of rubble, often finding debris, destroyed furniture, twisted metal, and plenty of bones of Pokémon that died from the blast. It’s a rather morbid scene, but you carry onward regardless of the lonesome devastation around you.

Among the ruins that you dig through, you find what looks to be a blade intended for harsh military combat. You’re not sure if this might be something a high-ranking Aurorawatch member might have had, but nonetheless, it looks to be quite a hefty weapon, and still in relatively good condition. You decide to take it with you.

[|AW| Admiral’s Warblade] (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls) was added to Nico’s Pack.

You do a little bit more searching, but you don’t find too much else among the industrial building wreckages. You then decide to make your way back to the WAR RIG and carry on before the sun gets too low.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$2610 Sochas$
[Pure OMEN Sample]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [Caffeine Delight] (A special brew of caffeinated beverage that gives the one that ingests it enough energy to search two places the next turn.)
2x [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
1x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
2x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
4x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Guardian Seed] – Grants +5 Health for one Cycle
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DA| Razorsteel Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken, returns damage dealt to attacker)
[|AW| Admiral’s Warblade] (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

(53) East Exacta River Bridge (ABANDONED)

On one hand, she knew the final bridge was boobytrapped for a good reason.
On the other hand, she would blast anything in her way to smithereens- whether it be the ghouls and chimeras, or the traps designed to stop them. She felt pretty sure a stalker would absolutely love an abandoned, boobytrapped bridge. It would be the quickest way back with the sample, after all.

POST 5 – CAFFEINE EMPOWERS NICO AGAIN AND NOW LET’S CHECK OUT THE OTHER BRIDGE BECAUSE REASONS AND NICO COMBAT ALCREMIE WANTS TO SHOOT SOMETHING AND DOUBLE-TAP LIKE IT’S ZOMBIELAND

After sliding back into the driver’s seat of the WAR RIG, you drink up the rest of your second Caffeine Delight and drive your hulking dreadnaught machine of an armored monster truck toward the East Exacta Bridge. All kinds of crunching noises can be heard as you drive through the ruins and its anyone’s guess as to whether that’s rubble, ghouls, or bones. Likely a blend of everything like some apocalyptic granola mix.

You soon arrive at the eastern bridge, which looks horrendous and you’re not sure if your WAR RIG may be the cinderblock that breaks the Camerupt’s back if you were to try driving over it. For now, you decide to park the massive truck and slide on out to see what’s around.

And then you hear the noise AGAIN. The same blend of static and sucking noise and after turning around to see where the source of the noise is coming from, you see yet another one of Huskpuppet’s abominations. This time, it’s a Thwackey, missing their eyes and mouth and instead looking like a grotesque kind of totem pole.

It charges after you, and it’s yet another thing you’ll likely need to oblierate.


HOSTILE ATTACK!
You have been intercepted by Abominations of Huskpuppet and must defend yourself!

Battle Track: Mad Max: Fury Road – Spikey Cars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbvzHcJi1l8)

https://i.imgur.com/fDepiMQ.png
https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie, Size: Small, Type: Fairy, HP: 26, Dodge Rate: 40%, Attack Roll: 1d8+4d8+10, Speed: 64, Battle Stance: Ferocious

https://i.imgur.com/tJPXIEJ.png

https://i.imgur.com/vfNQZrs.png

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/811.png Ercho the Thwackey, Abomination of Huskpuppet, Size: Medium, Type: Grass, HP: 20, Dodge Rate: 30%, Attack Roll: 1d10 (Damage and Purity), Speed: 80

Attack Order:

#1 Ercho the Thwackey, Abomination of Huskpuppet
#2 Nico the Alcremie

Fight!

Like a ravenous berserk, Ercho shambles toward you, making a horrendous sucking and static sound. He then attempts to strike you with one of his sticks.

Ercho strikes at Nico! Rolls 21! Miss!
Nico: 26HP

You quickly lean right to dodge the incoming swing and then leap back. Once you land on the ground, you then raise up your Xalafu Armament, take aim, and then lock on target. You then squeeze the trigger and a rocket blasts out of the barrel, speeding toward Ercho.

Nico strikes at Ercho! Rolls [NOT NEEDED]! Hit for 27!
Ercho: -7HP

Ercho immediately explodes into a shower of Thwackey pieces!

Ercho the Thwackey, Abomination of Huskpuppet was killed!

All enemies defeated. Nico is victorious.

Loot Collected:
$464 Sochas

Among the pieces of the Thwackey’s body, you find a second fragment that also reeks of Huskpuppet’s Stalker taint.

https://i.imgur.com/95zx6XG.png

=Fragment 8= (https://i.imgur.com/95zx6XG.png) was added to the Team Records (Huskpuppet)

You take it with you, having a strong feeling this is connected with the other piece you just found.

You then begin to search the rest of the bridge site, finding there may be just enough structural integrity left in the bridge to allow you to drive the WAR RIG over it, although you definitely wouldn’t try pushing it more beyond that.

After sliding your way toward the river bank, you find that there’s mostly debris here, but within the bridge structure itself, there appears to be a locked storage door that looks like some kind of incendiary explosive was used on it. Thick, black blast marks are over what looks to be very sturdy metal doors that withstood even that attempt to force them open.

You take a closer look and it appears you’re going to need someone that can bypass the door lock. But in the meantime, you detect traces of yet another Stalker’s taint, this time being Labyrinth’s. You’re not quite sure what they probably hid here, but you have a feeling it’s very unlikely anything nice…

LABYRINTH: {The Blasted Door: <Security>} was noted in the Team Records.

As you notice the sun is now setting, you decide to climb back into the WAR RIG and drive your way home. Thankfully, it makes it across the bridge just fine, although you think it might have resulted in a few more cracks appearing.

Nonetheless, it’s been a productive day, although quite violent, but you feel okay with that.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-swsh/icon/869.png Nico the Alcremie (S: Fairy)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 30/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Ferocious
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Shadowmarch Xalafu Armament] (Adds 4d8+10 damage to successful attack rolls, requires following turn to be used to reload after each attack. Never misses the target.)
Defense Armor: [|DA| Shadowmarch Nightlock Armor] (Reduces incoming Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage by 4 points each time Health, Sanity, and/or Purity damage is taken)
Jewelry: [|JY| Armband of Retribution] (Attackers take one point of Health damage for each point of Health, Sanity, or Purity damage they inflict to the wearer. Destroys reoccurring traps and hazardous areas after triggered effect takes place.)
Utopian Aspect: [|UA| Aspect of the Fourth Seal] (25% chance of triggered effect taking place upon being struck by an attack during Hostile Attacks: Death arrives upon a pale Rapidash and instantly slays the attacker. All remaining opposing enemies lose their next turn.)
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$3074 Sochas$
[Pure OMEN Sample]
[|AW| Assassin’s Blade] (Adds 3d8 damage to successful attack rolls)
2x [|DA| Riot Bracers] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 1 point each time Health damage is taken)
[|AW| Razor Machete] (Adds 1d6 damage to successful attack rolls)
1x [Sitrus Berry] (Restores all Health)
2x [Spelon Berry] (Restores all Sanity)
4x [Starf Berry] (Restores all Purity)
[Guardian Seed] – Grants +5 Health for one Cycle
[|AW| Military Karambit] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
[|DA| Razorsteel Armor] (Reduces incoming Health damage by 2 points each time Health damage is taken, returns damage dealt to attacker)
[|AW| Admiral’s Warblade] (Adds 1d12 damage to successful attack rolls)

[Neo Emolga]

I’ll search (22) Kenja Apartment Building

With the sun high in the sky, you decide to head southeast and make your way to the Kenja Apartment Building, which lies just outside of the Exacta Refuge Area. While there are a few dusty clouds in the air and sky this morning, it isn’t as much of a hassle as it was on other days.

From what you’ve heard, Pokémon currently living here never wanted to give up their homes to live at the mall, which you can somewhat understand due to the cramped, congested, and unpleasant living situation that’s currently going on over there. Problem is, the tradeoff is being in somewhat dangerous territory, though you are still interested to see who might still be living here and if they can help in any way.

When you arrive at the dark brown brick three-story building, you can tell this building seems to be pretty old and was likely around during the city’s original founding. While the dusty and sandy weather has battered this building for many years, it still stands strong despite showing a little bit of wear from the elements. The windows look like they were recently replaced, but they still have a layer of dust and dirt caked onto them.

You search around the exterior of the building first, trotting along on your white Shaymin paws, looking in close and through every nook and cranny to see if there’s anything unusual. As you go around the back of the building, you see what looks like a strange piece of paper tucked away in here, and when you get close, you recognize that stench. It’s definitely Huskpuppet’s. You decide to unravel the page and try to get a better idea of what it’s about…

https://i.imgur.com/NbZ8I5G.png

=Huskpuppet Diary Entry 1= (https://i.imgur.com/NbZ8I5G.png) was noted in the Team Records. (Huskpuppet)

It starts off odd and then just goes completely berserk toward the end while the bottom of the page is completely blood-stained. And it doesn’t even look like the blood is all that old, either…

You decide to keep looking, but after going around the entire perimeter of the building and checking every spot that might potentially hide something, you don’t find anything new that seems to be worth noting. All that’s left is a few cardboard boxes and an empty metal barrel.

You then step inside through the back entrance and take a look around the old, rustic-style hallways. It’s still pretty quiet in this building, although every now and then, you hear wood-creaking noises of someone moving around up above. While it sounds eerie at first, you imagine it’s just one of the tenants still living here, but nonetheless, it still sounds a bit unsettling.

You check out whatever apartments are still unlocked, and while most of them are occupied, there are a few that were cleaned out a while ago before the Pokémon tenants left for good. Most of them are completely empty, but there are a few that left some things behind. In one particular apartment on the first floor, you find some old boxes of books, sewing supplies, binders, and other such things, but tucked among them looks like a well-crafted torch with celestial engravings. As you pick it up out of the box, it glows with a divine presence, and you get the feeling one of the Utopian angels likely decided to stash this here for safekeeping. You decide to take it with you, feeling like this particular torch is part of the summoning ritual that Syrax mentioned earlier.

[Whitefire Torch] has been added to the Team Inventory (Sin Purge Ritual – Dawnlight Reckoning Summoning)

After looking through some more apartments, you find another one in particular that looks like it’s been abandoned for a while, but many of the tenant’s original belongings are still here and it looks like they never had the chance to move any of it out. Part of you gets the feeling they might not even be among the living anymore…

You look among cabinets trying to find something that might be useful, and in one old armoire in the bedroom, you find a box of bills and socha coins. You decide to take them with you, feeling they might be helpful in the times ahead.

$450 Sochas were added to Noble’s Pack

It seems the rest of the apartments are still occupied. While most of them don’t really want any visitors, you find there is one apartment that is inhabited by a Greedent named Kresh, who runs a sort of off the grid weapon store here.

The selection isn’t too extensive, but they might be helpful if something ever happens to what currently exists in the Team Armory.

(22) Kenja Apartment Building

Apartment #114
Run by Kresh the Greedent

HYBRID WEAPONS

$[|AW| Razor’s Edge] 120 Sochas$ (Adds 1d6 and +2 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Thundercrasher Sword] 225 Sochas$ (Adds 1d8 and +3 damage to successful attack rolls)
$[|AW| Shadowbreaker Blade] 340 Sochas$ (Adds 1d10 and +5 damage to successful attack rolls)

Store “Apartment #114” was noted in the Team Records.

With the sun now beginning to sink further and further, you decide to trot your way back to the steel mill and start making plans for tonight.

https://www.serebii.net/pokedex-sm/icon/492.png Noble the Shaymin (S: Grass)

Health: 26/26 | Sanity: 25/30 | Purity: 34/34
Battle Stance: Tactical
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities:
EQUIPMENT:
Attack Weapon: [|AW| Razor-sharp Shiv] (Adds 1d4 damage to successful attack rolls)
Defense Armor: <Empty>
Jewelry: [|JY| Onyx Necklace] (Cuts the chances of running into random enemy encounters down by half (50%)
Utopian Aspect: <Empty>
MERCENARIES:
#1: <Empty>
#2: <Empty>
PACK:
$655 Sochas$