Stalkers RPG Main Action and Team Status [SEASON 4]

[Neo Emolga]

Since the last guild wasn't so bad and I'm still in the neighborhood, let's Search (22) Mercenary Guild.

When the sun rises, you decide to head to the Mercenary Guild at the northern reaches of town. Upon arriving, you look over the dark, slate-gray building made up of thick, heavy stones and notice there definitely aren't too many windows. It's easy to see what goes on inside this rather large and heavy building isn't something that wants to be openly made to the public.

You find yourself almost needing to sneak inside, as the only entrance is a small, metallic double set of doors that's watched by a Houndoom security guard at all times. Where most Pokémon who attempt to enter get questioned about their business being here, you slip by the security detail as they're distracted talking to a visiting Floatzel.

Inside, you see what the Mercenary Guild is made up of. Bodyguards, assassins, saboteurs, and many other types of mercs for hire come here looking for work regardless of how bloody or dangerous it might be. And as you suspected, not a whole lot of what gets talked about in this building ever reaches the outside. If you feel if the Stalkers weren't so good at concealing themselves among the living, these guys might have taken them out of the picture by now if someone paid high enough.

Their clients seem to be no different. Powerful and rich Pokémon walk through these halls, hiring goons to do their dirty work, giving themselves protection with more bodyguards, or simply hiring an assassin to take out one of their enemies to make it look like an accident or suicide. You feel as though while you're here, simply having the splinters would allow you to realign the wheels of fate depending on who stood in your way and how much you were willing to pay to see them gone. But as you discover, the prices for these services doesn't come cheap, and the harder and more influential a target is, the higher the price is for the service.

While navigating the stone hallways, you come across a heavy gate in the far back reaches of the guild halls. You find yourself alone now, with no one venturing down this far at all. As you face forward once again, you find this area looks like it had been neglected and abandoned long ago to the point where no one had bothered to check it for a long time. However, on a close inspection, it looks like someone did tamper with it recently. Disturbances in the dust make it clear someone has come this way...

When you get closer however, you start to feel different. Colder, hollow, suddenly it feels like the very air around you gets deeper and heavier, and every step you take seems to mysteriously d̛̩̙͍a̵͉ͅr͓̤̳̘͕̤͠ke̠ń̗͚̱͇̹͉ the lighting, further and f͓͖ú͙̦̘̭̬ͅr҉̫t͜h̸e͓̳r͕̙...

Madder the Mimikyu has taken 1 point of Purity damage.

When you finally arrive at the gate, there is a dark totem before you, and you have a feeling not a whole lot of the mercs have even seen this. On the d͏̼a͇̺̙͈͓̬̖ṟ͓͍̟̙͜k, jagged totem itself, you see an empty circular groove, and there seems to be a numerical keypad just under it.

{Heavy Gate Totem: Metal Disc Slot, ENTER DIFFERENCE CODE} has been noted in the Team Records.

You feel a dark presence, still trying to e̛̺̣̣̦̩̯̼n̴̫̲r̥̳̺̼̗a͔͈̞̳̬p̙t͓̤̩̬̲̟̻́u̥͕̹r̼͇̤̰͔̹̬͘e ̞͕̜̟͔̰̙͝ you within this living nightmare. As you realize you don't have what you need to get through this gate, you try to get away from it, and it becomes a st̸̹͙͙̘̫͇͖r̗̲̗̦͞ư̝͔͔̼ͅg̠͍̤͟g̤͕̰̮ͅļ͖̬̻̖e̹̱̱ as it tries to pull you back in like a vacuum.

Madder the Mimikyu has taken 1 point of Purity damage.

Fighting hard against the effect, you eventually break out of its range and make a sprint to get away, and you find yourself back in the empty corridor again. Once you feel you're now a safe distance away, you look back toward the gate again, and it seems deceptively innocent again, like nothing was wrong and it was simply just a hallucination you experienced.

It makes you wonder if the reason why no one is around these halls... is because those that ventured through them never came back out...

You decide to get out and head back to base, still feeling like you've seen that metal disc before...

Madder the Mimikyu (S: Ghost/Fairy)

Health: 8/8 | Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 10/12
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Seinaru | Abilities: Investigate
Trait: Stealthy

[arnisd]

I'll go repair the computer in 24a, gotta put my fedora on and get right in there!

[Arrow-Jolteon]

I changed my mind, Ignore the last post. I'll just eat a couple of Spelon Berries and head over to (25) Merchant's Guild and work on the {Fastened Shadowy Door: <Security>}

[LKWayvern]

When Arrow's done, I'll be checking out the Merchant's guild in case we need to hit it up with Seinaru.

[Neo Emolga]

I will search the scene of the crime first, then use Clairvoyance on the holy infuser

Heading to Valley Wellness Centre, you only just recently hear about the murder of Shrulop the Vikavolt, but you feel you need to do your own assessment, as you know no one else besides the Emissaries have been trying to investigate these on your own.

Upon discovering the badly-eviscerated body of Schrulop, you recognize this kind of murder signature. Yet again, Gravemeld has killed another victim. You can't imagine where Shrulop's exoskeleton might be now, but in the process of ripping off all of his outer plating, very little save for innards remain.

After identifying the cause of death and the Stalker responsible, you decide to head back to Emissary base and take the Holy Infuser out of the cabinet and place it in your paws and you sit upon your bed, closing your eyes. As it rests in your hands, you feel a holy and blessed power charging through this divine relic.

As you gather your insight regarding this relic, you discern that it's almost like a divine battery, fully charged with immense power. You discover that this arcane device contains more power and holy energy, far surpassing the capabilities of any modern electrical generator by miles.

As you find out, this Holy Infuser is complete, and is fully functional on its own, requiring only a device to power with its holy energy. But as you focus, it tries to direct you to something else. You allow it to guide you, take you, and allow your spirit to step outside your body to spirit walk through the skies.

You feel yourself being guided through the daylight skies, and it takes you to Shila's Educations. But, even as you drift and float through the institution's grounds, you realize it's not a place you're being directed to... it's another Pokémon... and you see her, carrying about her daily teaching duties, grading papers, preparing lesson plans for the day...

Willow... Willow the Miltank...

She has something of vital importance, connected with this relic of Utopia. You see a faint glimpse of shining light coming from a pouch she carries on her side. Inside, you see a piece of metal, a sudden radiance of reassurance before the vision fades, and you are pulled back into your resting body.

You open your eyes and breathe deeply...

Lita the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 8/8 | Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 12/12
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Security | Abilities: Clairvoyance
Trait: Nimble

[Truly]

Spoiler:

Truly the Clauncher (S: Water)
Health: 8/8| Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 12/12
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Technical | Abilities: Escort/Protect
Trait: Charming

First -- and I don't know if I've already done this, but I'll dump my personal inventory and wallet into the group's items & funds. There's not much there, but... even less reason for me to keep it to myself, right?

Then, I'll go with Lita to the Wellness Centre. I'll take a look at the cadaver... if Lita's investigation doesn't cover that already.

Finally, I'll catch up with Brass at the Scholar's Guild. If the Fennekin can get the crunchy bits in working order, I can probably crack it for us.

[Use Technical at (24a) Study Halls]

When I realize Mistee and I are headed the same direction, I make small talk. Then I realize we're headed to do the same job. Whoops! We part ways at the door to the Scholar's Guild, and I veer off to pick over (37a) Cepillu's Treehouse.

IF I can use Escort AND search an area with their help, THEN I'll Escort Kaskin the Croagunk to come along with me, in case there's a trapped Pokemon that needs Medicine.

[Neo Emolga]

try to do the following in 1 action - use diplomacy on Yasha to get her to describe how to do the sin purge ritual then head over to interview 36. (!) Willow the Miltank

otherwise use diplomacy on Yasha to get her to describe how to do the sin purge ritual

Interview Rapport: NEUTRAL

You head to Sacred Temple to seek out Yasha the Absol. While there's a chill in the air and there are times you feel an almost unnaturally icy sting in the air from it all, you still carry on, heading toward the ancient but beautiful building that still stands strong even in the wake of the cataclysmic disasters that have befallen Yaru.

Upon entering the temple, you find Yasha, muttering to herself in prayer. Her eyes are closed, her head is bent down. It almost seems strange to see a Pokémon normally associated with disaster to be a harbinger of hope, but nonetheless, you feel that perhaps stereotypes have no place here.

"Yasha..." you speak out to her. "We need to talk. You know something that we need to know too."

She opens her eyes, and listens to you speak.

"But what makes you different?" Yasha asks. "I see before me but yet another Pikachu."

For but just a moment, you fall silent, but you don't let that deter you.

"But... that's not who I really am," you confess to her. "I'm an Emissary. Sent here because... we were told Yaru is in trouble. That Utopia and the Abyss are fighting a hidden war among the living, but it continues to escalate. So much so that humans like myself, despite being disconnected from this war, have been called here help as some of us have been called before. And we are here, trying to do whatever we can, despite some of us having faced horrors unlike anything we've ever faced before..."

46. Yasha the Absol has become Compliant.

Upon your sheer conviction of honesty, she feels ready to trust you in a way that goes even beyond what one would trust in their own family.

"I have known about this for quite some time..." Yasha tells you, knowing your words are true. "At first, I thought all was lost. That we were helpless against the Enthrallers that have infiltrated into our homes. Turning friends against one other, and using the hopes and dreams of Pokémon as a weakness, lying to them before possessing them."

She walks toward you, eyes affixed on yours, and she looks at you like she can read your soul. Her footsteps fall soft, however, and you feel no need to be alarmed.

"We need each other," Yasha explains. "Come, I have to show you something. Follow me."

She leads the way to the yard in the back of the Sacred Temple. As you draw closer, you feel an almost otherworldly presence. You recalled one of the other Emissaries mentioning this, but at the time, the observations weren't conclusive.

"Yaru wasn't always like this," Yasha explains. "It wasn't always a world of ruins, of refuse, of ash and shadow. Over a hundred years ago, there was a golden age of peace, prosperity, of hope and virtue. On this very spot, it is said that the a holy monk, Eldtrin the Arcanine, was visited by an Angel of Utopia, Sankala the Sylveon, and was given the order to build a holy temple upon this very plot of land. This very spot right here is where the meeting took place. Where Sankala blessed the very ground with her presence."

"While even one of the stained glass windows of the temple depict this meeting," Yasha further exclaims, "faith has been dying upon Yaru. Many have stopped believing Utopia is watching over us, and a good share of them don't even believe it exists and never once did. And I have tried to get them to believe once again, taking them to this very spot. But they've closed themselves off, refusing to believe anything of its existence until they see evidence."

"How can we ask them for help?" you ask her, wondering if she knows the answer.

"You need to show them," Yasha tells you. "Seinaru is their life, their magic, their language, their culture. If you mark this spot with that light, the old link that had gone quiet for all these years will sound once again..."

The {Unused Sacred Ground: ???} at (36) Sacred Temple has been turned into {Sacred Ground: <Seinaru>}

Unfortunately, you find you don't possess this power personally, but you know some of the others that do.

"One among you needs to do this," Yasha instructs you. "In the darkness we live in, we need to ask them for help..."

She then looks off to the side, and sighs.

"I also need something else," Yasha requests. "I have been watching from the shadows, and I know you've encountered Orin. Orin the Vivillon. While some of what he says is true, he is still a Stalker, and thus guilty. And he has something we need to put Salvage Keep's last chance of hope into action. I can sense the aura of Utopia radiating even beyond his Stalker's signature taint. Part of him doesn't want to part with whatever it is and I have a feeling that is his Enthraller's doing, but from my watching him, and he no doubt has something that belongs to Utopia."

"I need you to fight him for whatever he has," Yasha tells you. "Not even words will pry whatever he has from his hands. He keeps it very securely protected and camouflaged upon his body, and unless you knew he had it, you wouldn't have been able to find it. Fight him, weaken him, but don't kill him. We cannot risk doing that at the current moment. But when he is out cold and unaware, make sure he's unconscious as you search his body thoroughly. And whatever he has that carries Utopia's mark, bring it to me. Once I have been given time to evaluate it, I'll be able to tell you more. At the current moment, I have but only theories, but no solid connections. If we are to do this, if we are to save Yaru and all the Pokémon that still live here, we need the truth, and we need the real answers."

You nod, and are now aware of what might be the first few steps toward this critical process...

DracoBolt the Pikachu (S: Electric)

Health: 8/8 | Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 12/12
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities: Forge
Trait: Resourceful

[HorusMyDude]

Time to take a good ol' look at that book.

....

Er... Well, I ain't the best reader on Pokearth. I think I'll get the Lombre to do it.

Action: Escort Remnashi the Lombre, get him to read that vile book.

[Scytherwolf]

Gonna go search the Rubbish Tip at area 53, in spite of the nasty stank. BRING IT ON.

[Lychee]

Lillian woke up early, but stayed in the clubhouse, avoiding the crime scene where the most recent pokemon was killed. Valley Wellness centre, right? It didnt seem so well today. Gravemeld was killing a lot of pokemon.
It gave her the chills.
She couldnt look at the body. She couldn't think about it.
Lillian stayed in bed for a while, trying to warm up.

While sitting in the clubhouse trying to help coordinate actions for the day, she hears Dracobolts report about Orin STILL hiding something from them. She growls, swiping the enigma berry she got from Yssilee last night and biting into it. Right. Off to hunt down a bug, BEFORE the sun sets and epsilon is more likely to come out.

Wherever she finds him, Lillian will march up to him. They've never had good interactions in the past, but in this case maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it was easier to goad him into a fight. Lillian found herself looking forward to knocking him out.
"ORIN." She stomped a foot, demanding his attention.
"What are you up to? Something useless and pathetic today, again? Honestly, you dont make a good leader OR a good stalker! How are you somehow never helpful to the team you're on? - Its hypothetical, dont answer. I'm not really here to hear you talk. I'm here to ask you to a "friendly" batlle... But we both know you don't have any friends."
She drops down a bag of $500SP.
"How much will I find on your unconscious body, old bug? Surely the towns founder has a stash of splinters for betting?" She waits breifly for a response, but charges on either way.

"Did you know we had to vote about whether to actually keep you alive?... They decided you should live. But.."
Lillian takes a battle stance.
The obsidian dagger glinted like her eyes.
"I voted to kill you."

------------------

After the battle, (assuming Lillian both survives and wins) she will put $300SP into the team account, and take her little bunny self to the market with her winnings. She'll buy another adrenalin orb, using it in order to approach Willow, the Miltank. Lillian will ask her about her quest, ask about the utopian item she has, and challenge her to a friendly 'display battle' to show the kids at school how it's done, (putting up $150SP in a wager). If Willow is willing to hand over the utopian item upon losing, that's great too!