Stalkers RPG Main Action and Team Status [SEASON 4]

[Scytherwolf]

I'll interview Zephie the scrafty, and maybe we can have a friendly battle?

[HorusMyDude]

Think I'll get myself a drink at Greg the Torracat's bar, see what he's up to. See, a bar is where folk congregate, especially at this time o' night.

Action:Interview Greg the Torracat

[Suicune's Fire]

Think I'll get myself a drink at Greg the Torracat's bar, see what he's up to. See, a bar is where folk congregate, especially at this time o' night.

Action:Interview Greg the Torracat

Interview Rapport: NEUTRAL, MODEST
+Modesty: Bug < Fire

You find Greg exactly where you anticipated: in the tavern he owns between the bazaar and the guilds. You note that most of the pokémon you see around the bazaar this time of night are heading to or from Greg's Grog, or the guilds. It is a very obviously bustling hub as you enter, and you wander around a little as you try to spot Greg. It takes a while before he steps out from a back room and behind the bar, where he interacts with a few patrons sitting on the stools at the bar. You lock onto him and move in, having to squeeze between the mostly smaller forms of the other pokémon.

"Woah, you are a sight for sore eyes," he says, eyes narrowed with interest and a look of curiosity painted on his face. He looks at the different features of your figure, nodding slowly. "You got some dope muscles, dude."

You are taken slightly aback by his affability, but enjoy the compliment all the same. You thank him, somewhat chuffed, and mention to him that his inn is very lively. He gives a quiet chuckle mixed with a purr.

"Oh, it has its charms." His tail runs along the bottles of alcohol on his shelf as he walks a few paces and then rounds the bar. He leaps up onto a stool beside you, sitting and wrapping his tail around his legs. "Might I ask what brings someone such as yourself here?"

You begin explaining to him about your mission, although you leave out the part about you and your companions being Emissaries. Greg seems very interested, his gaze locked firmly on you, and when you finish, he leans over the bar and speaks with the only other staff member you see: a krokorok. The ground type gives an affirmative grunt accompanied by a smirk and soon returns with two drinks. Greg watches as she sets them on the bar, drawing one of the glasses in for himself and gesturing at the other for you. You accept it and take a drink.

"Fascinating. So, then, I suppose you're after some kind of...testimony from me? Strange things I've seen around here...anyone I suspect." He pauses, noting your look of apprehension, and he chuckles. "People talk, my friend. I hear it all." He laps up some of the drink in his glass - which more closely resembles a bowl - and then looks back at you. "There is no doubt in my mind that my inn hides some secrets. Sometimes I hear strange things or see blurred shadows at night, and I can tell you that I've heard about the things people have been finding in this town since the Stalkers arrived. Please feel free to search the place; I have nothing to hide." He gives you a sly smile. "I know there's weird stuff going on at Yellowback Lake--some kind of strange carving cropped up there recently. And, if you don't want a spook and a half, I would suggest keeping away from the ruined old shacks near the crater--oh, and the crater. You'd be asking for trouble going there."

You and Greg seem to keep up a good conversation for quite a time, but it quickly shifts from talk about Stalkers and business to friendly chatting. You wrap up the evening a while later, asking if he has anything further for your investigation. He says he does not have anything further, but will keep an eye out. You thank him for his time and down your most recent drink, returning to the clubhouse with a bit of sway in your step.


Old Lace the Buzzwole (L: Bug/Fighting)

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

[Suicune's Fire]

I'll interview Zephie the scrafty, and maybe we can have a friendly battle?

Interview Rapport: POSITIVE, INTIMIDATING
+1 Shared evolution stage
+Intimidation Flying > Fighting

It takes a bit of asking around to find that Zephie is at the guild training grounds this evening. When you finally arrive, you come upon a scrafty beating a training dummy over and over, a tight band holding up the baggy skin around her waist. She continues relentlessly assaulting the dummy, and even when she spots you from the corner of her eye, she doesn't stop. You wait about a minute, noting that there is hardly anyone else around at this time of night, before you tentatively approach and ask her if you can speak with her.

"Why?" she grunts flatly, continuing to punch the dummy.

You explain your mission between the punches and kicks, and eventually she stops, breathing heavily. She wipes the sweat from her brow with a hand that's missing two fingers and turns to you, listening as you wrap up your explanation. You can tell by the look on her face that she is not in a good mood, and you hope that she will accept your invitation for a battle. When it looks like she isn't being too receptive to your request to talk, you shift the conversation to a proposal of a battle. Her eyes widen slightly and, although she's very clearly been training for the last few hours, she gives a few nods.

As the two of you prepare for battle, you can't help but wonder if she is trying to distract herself from something. The two of you take your stances in the middle of the training grounds, and she growls at you before counting down, then launching herself at you.

FRIENDLY BATTLE!

Carly, Large, Bug/Flying type. 12 HP, 20% dodge rate, 1d6 attack die. 95 Speed.
Zephie, Medium, Dark/Fighting type. 10 HP, 30% dodge rate, 1d4 attack die. 58 Speed.

Carly goes first!

Fight!

Carly rolls 31%, hit! 2 points of damage, doubled = 4.
Zephie: 6HP remaining.

Zephie rolls 7%, miss!

Carly rolls 48%, hit! 2 points of damage, doubled = 4.
Zephie: 2HP remaining.

Zephie rolls 1%, miss!

Carly rolls 94%, hit! 6 points of damage, doubled = 12.
Zephie: 0HP remaining.

CARLY WINS!

QUEST UPDATED: A Contest of Strength

Your scrafty opponent is drilled into the ground with your final strike, and as she falls, you almost feel a bit bad. As you eye her on the ground, you wonder how to help her up, knowing you have won the fight. One of the few other pokémon around rushes up to her and feeds her a drink, which immediately causes her to splutter and regain consciousness. The pokémon continues to feed her until she says she has had enough, and gets to her feet.

Her eyes are dark as she glares at you, then starts coming toward you. You know you can win another fight, considering you came out of that one unscathed, but at the same time, you feel slightly worried. When she is standing right before you, she holds your eye contact, then abruptly extends an arm at you, her orange hand open to a handshake. You hesitate, then bring one of your legs forward and shake her hand.

"You won fair and square," she says. "Outmatched the hell out of me." A flicker of a smile tugs at her lip and she speaks with a trace of admiration. However, her expression quickly becomes serious as she turns and reaches for something in a pack that clearly belongs to her. She pulls out a small pouch and comes back over to you, offering it out. "It's yours. I know about Bixas' thing."

Added $100 SP$ to the Team Inventory.

"What do you wanna know?" she murmurs. You gather that she has a lot of respect for Bixas, as engaging in conversation with strangers seems like not a normal thing for her.

You ask her if she has seen anyone suspicious around, referencing the Stalkers. Her whole body seems to tighten as you do so, and she turns away for a moment.

"I...don't know," she admits, almost forcing out the words. "I don't know, and it kills me that I don't. I hate them with every fibre of my being. I would kill them all if I knew who they were, believe me." She turns to you, darkness in her eyes. "They've murdered my friends. Hell, they'll probably do it again tonight, and I can't do jack shit about it. It's absolutely infuriating that I'm so helpless!" she yells, flinging another punch at the dummy beside her. It looks like she's holding back tears, then manages to banish them successfully before readdressing you. "Just...kill them for me. Every last one. If you wanna know where to start, I would say that the disturbing mural at Murky Pond was done by those pieces of filth. Maybe one of them is hiding behind it."

Zephie again wipes sweat off her brow and heads over to her pack, slinging it over one of her shoulders. She gives you a nod and tells you that should you need her again, she will be drinking at the Swollen Blister Tavern. You watch her go, glad that you were able to so easily defeat her in battle, but somewhat confronted by the effects that the Stalkers have on the citizens of the town.

Clutching the pouch, you fly back to the clubhouse.


Carly the Yanmega (L: Bug/Flying)

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