Stalkers RPG Main Action and Team Status [SEASON 4]

[AgloMe Oen]

I'll search (48) Crater Centre (the main area). Hope there's no flippin' grenades this time around!

You know, you R̹̠̩͇͙̺̱͔ͥͫ͆E̬͇͉̼̯ͭ͗͋̅ͩ̂ͫͅA͖̞͍̫̥ͣ͌̍ͧ̔͒̌L̪̊͐̐̉̅̉͌ͯ͛ ͇̬̝̺̫̣͍L̜͔̮̥̐͌Y͉͎̯͎̠͚͚̖̼͊ͧ gotta stop j͖̰͓͙̖̲̰̦i͉̺̖̜̻n̹̫̘x͔̤̩̮̘̖̫ị̥͙̳̯̼n͎͈g͉̙̪͉̳̤͔ yourself like this. You did read the location description̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟ before you decided to check this place out, right? No? *Giggles* Okay then!

You head out into the dark night for some fun and games and hey, you know, no one's been searching the Crater yet. In fact no on̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟e in town's been talking about it. What gives! You flutter your way up there to see maybe there's buried treasure! Maybe everyone elsě̝̘͓̼̒ͯ̿ͥ̌̋̈ͬ̊ͥ͋͑̌̀̚͘ is scared, but nah, you're brave and courageous! Maybe crazy.

When you get thě̝̘͓̼̒ͯ̿ͥ̌̋̈ͬ̊ͥ͋͑̌̀̚͘re you find this whole place is like a toilet bowl. It looks like a mountain from the ground, but when you get over the edge, yo̵̡̘̥̯̬͙ͪ̑̇̊̈́ͬ͘u look down and it's just a pit of shrapnel, bits of junk, rocks everywhere, and other lovely busted things. Like someon̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟e never flushed. Kind of smells like it too!

You think the dead center of it might be the most in̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟teresting to check out, so you fly on in and you see something that looks like a grid that kind of sticks out as strange to you. Why, it's way too orderly and doesn't loo̵̡̘̥̯̬͙ͪ̑̇̊̈́ͬ͘k at all like the other busted metallic crap around here. You take a closer look at it and it actually seems to be a intact gate with a security console. "Well" yo̵̡̘̥̯̬͙ͪ̑̇̊̈́ͬ͘u think, "that's kin̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟da weird."

You find the console is unpowered and it's connected to a kinetic energy generator that all it needs is a little spark to get going. As for that console̴̟̻̺̮͇̠̲̺̹̬̤̠͌ͮ͑ͩ̑̔ͅͅ itself, well, it's unpowered at the momen̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟t and proves as much entertainment as a TV that can't turn o̵̡̘̥̯̬͙ͪ̑̇̊̈́ͬ͘n, but it looks like you're going to need some kind of authorization code thin̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟gy that... nah, you know what, you just need someone to muck around with it.

{Gate to the Underground: <Security>, +Electric Type+} has been noted in your silly Team Records. Not to worry, I'll send you my statement at the end of the month.

You walk around the en̶̯̭̤̱̪̱̜̟ͫͯ̆̽̽̇͊̾͗͊̆̂̎́̔̚͟͡trance gate, trying to see if there's so̵̡̘̥̯̬͙ͪ̑̇̊̈́ͬ͘mething like a discarded battery or thing that could generate a spark, but sudden̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟ly you step on something that feels like a pressure plate and has a really satisfying clicking sound!

And then you look down and f͕͈̰̻̙̯͔͔͎̜̫͗ͬͮͭ̒̂ͤ̍ͩ͛ͬ́r͉̰̥̲̖̺̻̤̬͎̫̓ͫ̇̌ͤ̍̄ͫ̈̓͒ͧ̆͐ ̳̗͕̞͇ȇ͍̱̳͚͓̹̭̤̼̺͕̋ͫ͑̅ͪ́͒̅͋̍̔͂ͤ͂ͤͯa̙̻̭͈̲͓̺̔̿̇͐ͣͮ͗̈ k̖̮̮̞̤͙̲̮̼͑̂̀͑̂̈ͩ̇͌͋͐ͦͪ ̯̖̬̪͙̣̫̻ͪͮ͆̃̑o̗̖̦̙̺͕̩̲̮̳̣͎̽̒̿ͬ̅ͩu̱͋̑̍́ͦ̈̔̎̃̐̆͌̓͑̚̚ ̤̣͖̦̞̟ẗ͈͕̞͎̲̳͈̭̻̹̦̺̬̜̪̋͋̀̇ͯ̾̈́̒ͧ̚!͕͖ͧͩ̒ͤ͐ͮ͑̆̐ͧ̍ͩ͐̐ ̩͙̲̼͚͈̖̫͉̤̲͖͉̝ Oh Carly, there's no gren̡͔̺̰͖̳͆ͨͣ̊͟ades here, but landmines... very much so!

#Landmin̶̯̭̤̱̪̱̜̟ͫͯ̆̽̽̇͊̾͗͊̆̂̎́̔̚͟͡e, 5DMG# Dodge Rate: 20% + 25% (Nimble) = 45%
Carly rolls 69% to dodge̴̟̻̺̮͇̠̲̺̹̬̤̠͌ͮ͑ͩ̑̔ͅͅ! Uh oh!

Carly realizes the danger of speaking too soon and takes 5 points of Health damage!

Oh wow, the explosion sends you f̜̥̫̰̻̻̬͙̥̻̞̒́̐ͯ̂̀ͣ͋̉͗l̹̪̖̥̲͍̝̈͋͛͗͂̿ͯ̈́ͥ͗ͣy͒̔̒̓͌ͪͨ̚ ͕͙̝̹̥ͪ͂̂̐͋ͣ̀ͫ͛ͦi̭̥͉̠̣̞͈͉̘͍̊̔̿ͮ̒ͦ̋͑ͪ̾͂̿̀̚n̉̅̂̆̃̿ͧ̑̄ ͕̫̥͍̪̠̩̳̺̿́̋ͧͮ̌̓̃g̠͕͖̺̫͓̞̠̟̓͂ͯ̓̈̈͐̆̏͆̐ͣ̍̌, makes your ears ring like six hours at a thrash metal concert, and the judges give it 8.9 out of 10. Great height, but the form wasn't so great on the landing. You kind of just landed on your ass right there and it just didn't look profe̴̟̻̺̮͇̠̲̺̹̬̤̠͌ͮ͑ͩ̑̔ͅͅssional! But since you're the only conten̶̯̭̤̱̪̱̜̟ͫͯ̆̽̽̇͊̾͗͊̆̂̎́̔̚͟͡der today, maybe you'll get the gold anyway.

Or maybe̴̟̻̺̮͇̠̲̺̹̬̤̠͌ͮ͑ͩ̑̔ͅͅ...

You find yourself bleeding, smoldering, and with little metallic bits in your exoskeleton! They're like glitter! Sharp, painful, brutal glitter. But they stick to you just like actual glitter!

But then, just as you get up off the ground and realize this whole freakin' crater is a MINEFIELD, you decide flying would be much safer. Exce̴̟̻̺̮͇̠̲̺̹̬̤̠͌ͮ͑ͩ̑̔ͅͅept... you're still on the ground, and in a new spot. A new spot that has... oh yeah. A̦͕̰̹̬̞̬̬̭̻̞̳̻ͤ̌ͦ̀̆̇ͭͫ͂̒̈ͩ̑̋̅̏̀̾ň̪̺̻̪̮̆ͩ̄̔͐ͪͨ̐ͩͩ̚ ̝̤̞͉̱̘̼͍õ̹̲͇̜̖̼͕͙͂̌͊ͩͬṭ͙̺͇̼͕̩̘ͧͦͭ͗̎ͅͅh͎ͤͨ͒ͣͣͦ̿͛̚ ͚̮̪͓͍͕̫̯͙̳̞̣̜̜̹͕e̤̻̹̰̘͙̫̹ͣͣͮͥͦͮͬr̳̬͓͉͙̬̟͐ͫ̓̐͌͒ͯ̆ͭ̚ ̳̮̹ landmine! Click goes the pressurȩ̱͎̼͈͕͙̙͔͉ͬ̍ͮͩ͗̌͜ peg again and it's onto your second course!

#Landmine, 5DMG# Dǫ̭͕̠̻͈̬͚͚̥̗̹͇̭̘͓̖͑ͭͣͩ̔̑̂͊ͩ̇̓̀͝ͅͅdge Rate: 20% + 25% (Nimble) = 45%
Carly rolls 60% to dodgȩ̱͎̼͈͕͙̙͔͉ͬ̍ͮͩ͗̌͜! I hope you're enjoying these by now!

Carly goes kaboom again and enjoys another succulent 5 points of Health damage!

Oh Susana, that ain't gonna grow back!

As the lovely boom goes off and sending you flying into the air again (your form was better this time, actually!), you realize why no one really likes to come arǫ̭͕̠̻͈̬͚͚̥̗̹͇̭̘͓̖͑ͭͣͩ̔̑̂͊ͩ̇̓̀͝ͅͅund here. They kind of want to keȩ̱͎̼͈͕͙̙͔͉ͬ̍ͮͩ͗̌͜p all their appendages in͎̮̖͈̣̠̹̪̗͉͓̱͇̐̈̈ͧͨ̉̋͂ͥ̈̇ͭ͋̿͐̊ͩ́͝ͅtact! Whoa. Better check your legs and wings to make sure they didn't get blown off right back there!

You feel like nearly dead right n͎̮̖͈̣̠̹̪̗͉͓̱͇̐̈̈ͧͨ̉̋͂ͥ̈̇ͭ͋̿͐̊ͩ́͝ͅow. I mean heck, that grenade was therapeutic in comparison to these! You're in pain, bleeding, oozing, cursing the fact Salvage Keep doesn't have a hǫ̭͕̠̻͈̬͚͚̥̗̹͇̭̘͓̖͑ͭͣͩ̔̑̂͊ͩ̇̓̀͝ͅͅspital where you can pick up a fun infection as part of your combo menu deal, and yeah.

You just barely manage to fly out of therȩ̱͎̼͈͕͙̙͔͉ͬ̍ͮͩ͗̌͜. Once you get to the outer rim of the crater, you have to land and crawl your way back home! Yeah, sorry Carly, Uber doesn't service this area. And neither does Lyft, so don't waste your time with that one!

Off to bed with you! But hey, it came clǫ̭͕̠̻͈̬͚͚̥̗̹͇̭̘͓̖͑ͭͣͩ̔̑̂͊ͩ̇̓̀͝ͅͅse there! Better to receive "Get well soon" cards rather than͎̮̖͈̣̠̹̪̗͉͓̱͇̐̈̈ͧͨ̉̋͂ͥ̈̇ͭ͋̿͐̊ͩ́͝ͅ "Sorry for your loss" ones!

Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

Health: 2/12 | Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 8/8
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Technical
Trait: Nimble

[Neo Emolga]

Let's go to (37a), and use your grass type on the rotting tree base, Mistee!

Heading out into the night, you make your way toward Cepillu's Treehouse. While the night air still feels a bit chilly in unusual ways, it at least isn't bad enough to the point where you feel you need to bundle up.

As you approach the graveyard, you still feel like there's a dark, otherworldly presence here, and it's still coming from that crypt. You can't help but look at it as you pass it by, but you pull your gaze away as you're focusing on the tree tonight and whatever strange object is being held down fast right at the rotting tree's base.

When you finally arrive at the tree's base, you can immediately feel the tree is incredibly sick, and in terms of health condition, it's barely alive and would be in hospice care if it were a person. You find the spot where Truly reported seeing the vines and ivy, and you track it down. It appears where this old tree is dying, new life is trying to grow, but it feels like the vegetation itself is going mad from the dark feeling this strange object is radiating.

As odd as it might sound to other Pokémon, you commune with the vegetation, assuring them that they no longer need to keep this strange, dark artifact contained, and that you're here to remove it, but they have to relinquish it to you. Understanding your intentions, they reply.

{Rotting Tree Base: +Grass-Type+}

The vines and ivy loosen their grip, and you're able to get a better look. You use your own vines to retrieve the object by wrapping and securing it before pulling it out. When you get a better look, it appears to be a paw that's been heavily scorched, but you're not sure if the fire is natural considering the strange but clearly Abyssal signature it gives.

[Scorched Paw 1/2] has been added to the Team Inventory.

With that task completed, you don't see anything else that seems to be out of the ordinary. But it's as if the vines and ivy are still communicating with you, thanking you for removing this burden...

You part ways and head back to base as the night hours roll on...

Mistee the Bulbasaur (M: Grass/Poison)

Health: 10/10 | Sanity: 7/8 | Purity: 10/10
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Technical
Trait: Charming

[Neo Emolga]

I'll eat a sanity berry and then head to (44c) Inn Rooms 6-9, Greg's Room and search as much of it as I can. All of it if possible.

You decide to consume one of the Spenlon Berries from the Team Inventory. After enjoying the taste of its sweet and succulent flavor, you feel as though it cleanses your mind and puts your memories at ease.

Arrow has regained 2 Points of Sanity.

Tonight, you head out to Greg's Grog toward the heart of town, and it seems the regular crowd as already scurried in to enjoy many alcoholic ciders and drinks, or find a place to spend the night as they're passing through either on guild business or traveling.

Once you arrive, you make your way past the tavern's patrons, several of which have had just too much to drink. You step around a Pachirisu sleeping blissfully in a puddle of fermented cider and a Raticate bar wench that keeps rolling her eyes, questioning her career choices in life.

You make your way up the wooden stairs to second floor, and then up again another flight to make it to the third. Here, the last four inn rooms can be found, but it seems like no one has booked them for tonight. Though you know what you're seeking is in Greg's room, you search the others to see if anything perhaps was left behind, but you don't find much besides empty drawers and beds. While the inn rooms seem cozy enough, you can still hear a lot of ruckus coming from downstairs. And this is two floors above, no less.

When you get to Greg's room, you find obviously the master of the house has the best room and has a luxury bed and very fine furniture. You can imagine in a town that survives on trying to salvage, what this Torracat owns is quite impressive considering his post-cataclysm belongings are of nice artisan quality. You see that Greg is not around, likely downstairs or out on personal business, but you know your time is limited and you don't want to be caught doing this.

You search around the floor, and you notice a slit in the floorboards that would have easily been missed had you not been informed there was something of value under them. When you move the slit, you find there is a metallic box under it, bolted to the support beam, but the metallic box looks to be locked. And because it's bolted, there's no way to take it out without use of heavy tools. And you know you don't have the time for that.

Working quickly, you assess the locking mechanism and bring out your picks and precision tools. It takes a bit of work to get the tumbler to cooperate, but eventually it gives in to your deft use of a tension wrench and picking tools.

{Metal Floor Safe: <Security>}

The lock disengages, and as soon as you flip the box open, you almost immediately behold the Utopian artifact that was reported to be here. However, it looks like it was heavily damaged. While it seems all the pieces are here, it is going to take some reassembly work to put it together to figure out what it says and what it all means.

=Sacred Blessing Shreds= were added to the Team Inventory.

After looking at the pieces of Utopian parchment, you find that Greg was making some attempts to reassemble it, but either wasn't getting too far or simply barely had the time to dedicate to it. However, from what you can tell, it seems like he was only trying to piece together for profit without trying to understand its purpose. You decide to take the pieces with you, figuring what you intend to use this for is far more important than doing it for cash.

You search through the rest of the lockbox, but all you find are Greg's wills, deeds, investment logbooks, and other similar documents. You close the box, lock it and remove any notion that someone was looking through this, and slide the floorboard back into place.

You then head out and make your way back to base, satisfied you figured out where Lita's vision was pointing you toward.

Arrow the Jolteon (M: Electric)

Health: 10/10 | Sanity: 6/8 | Purity: 8/10
Battle Stance: Flee
Perk: Security
Trait: Nimble

[Neo Emolga]

On a reccomendation from my companions, I shall search the local florists. I am in need of a reminder of the life that can bloom here in the forsaken world...


[Consume a Starf Berry from the team inventory, then search (9) Orolaph's Budding Florist]

Before you head out to join the others, you eat one of the five Starf Berries from the team stockpiles, and after swallowing it, you feel the remnants of the shadows clinging onto your soul begin to disintegrate, restoring your essence near-completion.

Yris has regained 2 Points of Purity.

You then head out into the night, directing your attention to the Orolaph's Budding Florist building, resting up in the northwestern reaches of town. Tucked in the corner of the commerical row, you find it closed for the night, but it makes it easier for you to assess the area around it.

You start with the exterior, finding the building itself to be quaint and humble. It seems Orolaph has placed a lot of faith into this business, but the challenge of trying to make it work isn't easy. As you make your way to the back, you find a small trash bin with some of the flowers that got too wilted before they were sold. Besides the bin, you find three berries, two of which have started rotting, but the third is a Spelon Berry that still seems to be in good quality. You decide to take it with you, figuring only leaving it here will cause it to rot in time.

[Spelon Berry] was added to Arrow's personal inventory.

You then move into the interior of the shop, where you reported hearing where the staff head was located. After sifting through the boxes and cabinets, you find the Utopian staff head, but when you behold it, you're taken back at how profound it is.

It appears to be a globe-shaped orb, but when you hold the holy relic in your massive claws, you swear it almost seems to contain and entire universe of its own, with a myriad of stars, nebulas, and other celestial formations. You begin to wonder if this is perhaps its own universe, possibly filled with billions, if not trillions of other worlds with their own life to them. Even if that's not necessarily the case and these formations are still mainly ornamentation, you can't help but marvel at the wonder of this relic.

[Staff Head] was added to the Team Inventory.

You make one last search around the building, but most of the cabinets only contain watering cans, potting soil, fertilizer, gardening tools, and similar pieces of equipment that seem like they've seen many years of use.

From what you can tell, a lot of humble love goes into this shop.

When you get back to base, you locate the shaft that was found some time ago, and you combine it with the head, reassembling the two together. Once place on the shaft, the staff seemingly reactivates from its dormant state, and you feel a rekindled holy energy surging through it.

[Staff Head] and [Staff Shaft] have been combined to form the [Starhail Staff].

Without a doubt, with the Starhail Staff reassembled, it feels like a very potent Utopian relic, surging with immense power. The head is now lit brightly, filling the room with a comforting, divine golden glow. It fills the room with so much radiance that nothing in the room casts a shadow...

Yris the Ultra Necrozma (L: Psychic/Dragon)

Health: 12/12| Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 7/8
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Medicine | Abilities: Rescue/Escape
Trait: Resourceful

[Neo Emolga]

I really didn't expect there to be an artifact at Greg's Grog, but apparently there is. The place seems to have multiple places to search, so i shall start by taking a look around the exterior of Greg's Grog (44).

You head out into the night to join the others that are searching the inn and tavern this evening. The night air is still a bit somewhat chill, but not severely so. But you still get the impression that it's a bit unnatural...

Outside, Greg's Grog is a pretty nice and it's well-maintained place despite it being in a place where the apocalypse struck many years ago. You know places like these are few and far between and most of them are either makeshift structures or have been ruins ever since those days of the cataclysm. But this tavern does well for itself and proves there is some hope in rebuilding what was once lost.

While outside, there are still some muffled sounds of chatter and noises that could be heard from the bar, it's not nearly as noisy as it is out here than it is in there. And while the Sway drug is contraband, drinking alcoholic cider isn't, so the patrons of this bar can lose themselves in their drinks.

Toward the side of the tavern, you don't find anything too out of the ordinary. Most of the patrons have their drinks inside, but every now and then you come across one or two having one outside. Tonight, it seems to be mainly a Machop and a Piplup having one just to get some semi-fresh air. But you can tell just from the way they're laughing over silly conversations that they're likely up to drink number five or six at this rate.

Toward the back, it seems pretty vacant save for some loading equipment and old wooden parcels. There's a slightly rusted brown dumpster that has a peculiar stink to it, and you're not sure if that's a blend of discarded food and cider or something else rotting away in there. You're hoping it's not a body, but you're not curious enough to check.

However, just as you get around it, you feel something odd. It's that familiar dark tingling feeling you get from other Stalker-related objects, and you try to trace down the source.

Toward one of the old, splintering crates, you see something strange just lying on the ground, nearly crushed between two of the crates. It almost looks like a slab of pink meat, but it resonates with a Stalker's presence. Upon reaching to touch it, you feel a slightyd̸͓̯̅̎ͯͩͩ͊͑͛͡͝ē̮͉̖̖͔ͭ̊͑͡r̵̼ͬͬ̀̎͂͆̑͊ą̅̇̈̏͟ ̸̺̟̯͇̯̭ͅn̵̢͎͉̠̹̹ͭ̉ͮg͈ͬͬ̊̈͑ͤ́ẹ̷̬͓͖̱̩̋̂̆̄̒̒ͥcͩ̈̆̄ͬͪ ̤͇̱̏́͠ą͙̥̟̭͚͆͌n̖̣̠͂f̦͈̌͐̇s͕̪̣͈̠ͭͩ͠

Adrian Aylian the Lucario has suffered 2 points of damage to Sanity.

You jerk and t̖͍̯̠͎ͥ̏͆̿̂̔ͬw̲̮̰̣̝̬̭̜ͯi̙̮͉̜̱͖̜̬̲ͩ̉͊̔͑ͪ̈t̗̳̍̾͗ͤ͑̐̓ ̟̳c͎̗̻̥͚̀̀ͬͪ͛͛͛ͥ̉h͙̣͖̺͎͕̻͐̚̚ͅ, as it waking up from a nightmare. One where you could not speak or scream, as if being in a world entirely alone with no one to hear or help you and you lost all sense of being able to articulate anything.

"No, no, no..." you mutter frantically just to hear your own voice.

But it was just a hallucination. Or was it? You aren't even sure, but something is seriously wrong with this thing. And when you look it over from all angles, you suddenly realize what this strange piece of flesh is when you look at the other side...

...it's someone's tongue... ripped out with a bloody tear where it should have been once attached...

Instead of touching it with your bare hands, you deice to use one of the discarded cardboard boxes to hold it and you use an old rag you find nearby to pick it up and place it in the box. And you make a warning note of what kind of daymares this thing is capable of.

[@Silenced Tongue@] 2S Damage has been added to the Team Inventory.

After searching the rest of the exterior, you don't find anything else besides a pass-out Electabuzz. You're not sure if the puddle he's lying in is alcohol or his own urine, but either way, you don't like the smell.

You then decide to head back home to base, finding a little more comfort in sobriety after tonight.

Adrian Aylian the Lucario (M: Fighting/Steel)

Health: 7/10 | Sanity: 5/8 | Purity: 6/10
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Diplomacy
Trait: Resourceful

[Neo Emolga]

Takin' Lilian's advice and explorin' that there Petrol Station.

You head out into the night and decide to set your sights on exploring the Pebble Petrol Station in the far southern reaches of Salvage Keep. Upon arriving, you see that this was one of the last sights of civilization for a long while. Beyond it, there seems to be nothing but many, many miles of barren ground and a very faded road shooting off into the far distance. Where it goes, you can only guess, but you'd never try taking that long road on foot...

From the outside, there hasn't been anything going on here for ages. There are a few rusted vehicles here that looked like they were intended to be serviced here, only they never left the garage and now this is their final resting place. Meanwhile, weeds and other low-maintenance vegetation have taken over. As for the gas station itself, it appears it's been many decades since any last vehicle came here for a refueling, back in a time when motor vehicles were still functional. Now, after the cataclysm, anyone would be very hard-pressed to find a fully functional vehicle consider fuel is incredibly scarce the fully functional parts are extremely rare. In addition, any drop of fuel that might have been left over was long siphoned out of these pumps ages ago.

The exterior doesn't seem to have anything of value, but toward the back left side of the building where two rusted trucks lay forgotten about, you find something seems out of place. One of the old, rusting vehicle hoods looks like it was placed over something else, and when you move it away, you find the entrance to a bunker. However, it's locked, and it seems pieces of it are missing. You see there's a slot for a key, but there's also a belt-fed lock mechanism that requires some kind of ring or bracelet-shaped object to power it. Oddly enough, it almost looks like whatever is used to power this belt-fed mechanism must cursed or corrupted, as the belt key has several unnatural burn marks in it that don't look like they were caused from fire or friction...

{Reinforced Bunker: <Repair>, Bunker Key Slot, Bracelet Slot} has been noted in the Team Records.

You decide to move the vehicle hood back, fairly certain this petrol station isn't as abandoned as you might think it is. But you don't want to make anyone aware you were here recently and their activities might be compromised because of it.

You head inside to search the rest of the petrol station, but all you really find are tools and pieces of equipment that are far too rusted and worn down to be worth retrieving. There also seem to be many tires crumbling to pieces here, corroded tubes and wires, dirty bottles of chemicals and oil that have expired ages ago, and other similar signs of junk that's no longer usable.

You decide to head back to base, wondering what exactly that bunker might be hiding...

Old Lace the Buzzwole (L: Bug/Fighting)

Health: 12/12 | Sanity: 4/8 | Purity: 6/8
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Diplomacy | Abilities: Escort/Protect, Rescue/Escape

[Neo Emolga]

IF nobody else searches 44c (Greg's Grog: Greg's Room), then I will. I'll blast down the door and claunch open the floorboard!

If it is being searched already, THEN I will go to the Crypt. Dracobolt's (character) should be able to talk the crypt key out of Cep, and then I'll be able to unlock it...

IF 44C is searched AND we do not have the Crypt key, I will instead Interview Dimfred the Slowbro, who has a mission for us.

(Since 44c was already searched and Dimfred was interviewed, I'm taking this as the action to unlock the Crypt)

At night, you head toward the graveyard with the Crypt Key clenched within your claw. After several days of the graveyard still not being purified despite all the costly efforts that were made, you want to get to the bottom of it and find out what really still lurks in that crypt and why it has this dark influence that retains its hold here. But you know for certain whatever it is... it was definitely well-hidden within the shadows of darkness.

After making your way past the headstones and plaques, you come to the crypt and use the key that was retrieved from Cephillu. As you were expecting, the old key slides into the keyhole, and with a turn, the lock disengaged with a heavy metallic clunking sound.

{Underground Crypt: Crypt Slot}

You open the crypt door, and in the darkness, you feel an unsettling, cold presence. Carefully, you make your way inside, using the little amount of dim light that is available to search just what might be causing so much infernal presence here.

Most of the crypt seems to be in order and the dead rest here undisturbed save for the dark presence surrounding the area, but there's something here that stands out obviously. In the back of the crypt, you find what looks to be a body, and upon closer inspection, it's a dead body that has been horribly incinerated. Using your technical skill, you do a further in-depth analysis regarding the cause of death and possible identity of the victim.

{Kangaskhan Body: <Medicine> / <Technical>}

It takes you some time to realize this is the body of a Kangaskahn, but the skeletal structure and what little that does remain points to that conclusion. And from your analysis, you can also conclude that this Kangaskahn victim suffered a lot of blunt force trauma. Fractured and broken bones, along with signs of pitting, point to the conclusive that this victim suffered from tumbling off of a cliff. Damage like this would only connect with the kind that would be suffered from slamming into rocks and jagged cliff edges.

But something seems horribly wrong here, however.

Within the body, you sense something was missed before the remains were placed here. Hidden deep in the chest of this burnt body, you sense there was something that was overlooked, using the charred innards of the victim as a hidden burial spot. Reaching inside with your claw, you dig through the burned remains, and you feel something... solid. And absolutely radiating with evil unlike anything you've sensed before. When you pull it out, you behold a very dark metallic and cylindrical vessel with multiple Abyssal seals and sigils all over it.

This object is clearly... not of this world, but you can sense that it seems to have an anchored effect on the plane around it.

[Gravemeld's Phylactery] has been obtained and added to the Team Inventory.

This, you are certain without a doubt, is the source of the darkness still creeping into the graveyard. You take it with you, not sure what it is for or how it is connected to Gravemeld, but you can sense Gravemeld was not expecting this to be found and taken.

You then leave the crypt, and head back to base... not sure what it means, but at the same time... suddenly you feel like you're not alone and that something now watches you, and the feeling is unsettling...

Truly the Clauncher (S: Water)

Health: 8/8| Sanity: 8/8 | Purity: 12/12
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Technical | Abilities: Escort/Protect
Trait: Charming

[Neo Emolga]

The dark surveillance has begun...

With the acquisition of Gravemeld's Phylactery, the Emissaries have fallen under the scrutiny of the Stalkers as this has marked a dire turning point within the hidden battle between Utopia and the Abyss. You are no longer safe at all, and where before you were able to move throughout Salvage Keep and remain relatively anonymous and undetected by the Stalkers, those days of safety have ended.

The Stalkers are now fully aware of your presence, and have become alerted of the Utopia-mandated Emissary mission to intercept the Abyss's operation at Salvage Keep.

Emissaries are now subject to become potential victims of Stalker murders.

Before, only the regular civilians of Salvage Keep were fully known and identified targets to be murdered systematically for the Abyss's dark intentions. Now, with the acquisition of the Phylactery, the Stalkers have their sights set upon the Emissaries as well, and now know enough about your presence to find you, track you, and murder you directly if the opportunity arises.

The Phylactery you now hold is working against you, and must be destroyed as soon as possible to avoid further mission compromise.

The Mission Disclosure tracker is now rising as this Abyssal anchor is now working against you as an indirect surveillance device while in your possession. For every intact Stalker Phylactery you hold, the Mission Disclosure will rise by 5% for each Day or Night Cycle it remains intact and undestroyed.

It has become imperative that you find the means to destroy these Abyssal devices as soon as possible, or the consequence will be dire.

The Emissaries are now being hunted.

Each time the Emissaries venture out of the Emissary base, there is now a chance of a Hostile Attack from one of the Stalker's cohorts. You will not be able to grasp the true nature of these hostile and mysterious strangers, but failure to defeat them in combat will have deadly and costly consequences.

The ENDGAME is now in effect.
Prepare yourselves...

@Bulbasaur @Noblejanobii @EmeraldSky @Scytherwolf @Morzone @HorusMyDude @Arrow-Jolteon @Lychee @sammy0295 @Truly @ARandomTool @LKWayvern @Dragon Master Mike @arnisd @Shruikan @ShadowBolt25

[Neo Emolga]

Ah damn timezone confused me >.<, should stop postponing these! If it still counts)

I'll take a look into some rooms Greg’s Grog (44b) Inn Rooms 1-5

Brass has avoided the followers of the Abyss...

You head out into the night and join the search party heading toward Greg's Grog. The bar crowd tonight is lively and active, although you can see there are a few that couldn't stay in the game when it came to their level of alcohol consumption.

You head to the second floor to check out the first five inn rooms available for rent, which seem to be the cheaper rooms that aren't quite as high quality as the ones up on the top level, but considering some of the other sights around town that you've seen, they're not bad. Not like the Rusty Shine units at least. Here, at least you don't feel like you might fall through the floor.

The first is currently being rented by a Zorua and Vulpix couple that look like they crashed and barely made it up the stairs after getting hammered on something strong. The Zorua never even bothered to get on his bed before passing out on the floor while the Vulpix has been drooling on her pillow all night long.

You head to the second room, which doesn't look like it's been rented out to anyone tonight. At least not yet, anyway. You search the vacant room thoroughly, finding every one of the drawers completely empty. However, upon a closer inspection, you find something odd about one of the wood planks in the walls. After realizing it isn't completely snug against the wall, you attempt to pull it back and discover it slides away, revealing a space behind it.

Inside, you find a dusty cloth bag that looks like it's been here stashed away here for many years. Besides it, you find a note that has yellowed with age, and when you unfold it, you read the faded and barely legible words:

"Congrats on completing your part of the job, Malos. Here's the payment, as promised."

You open the bag to find $300SP$ of splinters inside. You're a bit taken back, wondering just how long this sack of money has been sitting here, never claimed by this Malos character, whoever and wherever they are. Part of you wonders if they're even still alive considering the age of this bag.

Convinced Malos never did and never will come this way to claim this money, you take it and slide the wood plank back into place.

$300SP$ has been added to Brass's personal inventory.

You decide to go through the remaining three rooms, but all of them have been booked tonight. From what you can tell, these Pokémon are simply passing through, but needed a place to stay until tomorrow. But among them, you don't find anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, and you don't pick up on any strange Stalker signatures while here.

You decide to head back to base, still wondering about what became of Malos and why they never managed to collect their payment. Nonetheless, you figure there's a number of things you could use the money on...

Brass the Braixen (M: Fire)

Health: 10/10| Sanity: 6/8 | Purity: 10/10
Battle Stance: Fight
Perk: Repair
Trait: Resourceful

[Neo Emolga]

#48 Krenta the Haunter has been murdered by the Stalkers.

Location: (52) Slippery Park
Cause of Death: ???

There was a rumor that Krenta the Haunter was "killed" and the remains placed somewhere at Slippery Park. For unknown reasons, those that attempted to investigate the murder site were not able to make any confirmations.

No one is really sure what is going on...

Doom Tracker:
7/25

---

Murder Scene #7: Slippery Park <UNSEARCHED>

{Shrulop's Body: <Technical>}