Pokemon: Champions of the Forgotten (Game of 'Thropes)

[KujiUn]

"Dammit." Russ recalled GUT, switching him out for PLANT. "Alright, come on, let's go get 'em! You gonna try ta catch up first, Miranda?"

[weirdsound]

Miranda nods, and speaks softly with fear in her voice as she readies a Pokeball. "Yeah... I'll try and catch it. Just keep your eyes open okay. I have... very good... reason to believe that this sand is caused by that thing's evolved form, a Pokemon called Tyranitar. It looks... it looks like like a mini version of one of those city wrecking movie monsters from a low budget Kanto film. If it is here, we are... likely going to die. Our best hope would be to hit it hard with fighting moves, and I'm guessing that is your department."

With that, she lets the Pokeball fly.

Spoiler: Mechanical Stuff

Show

Miranda: 72/92 HP
Alfina: 24/44 HP

(1d100+5)[8] POKEBALL, GO!
(1d20+5)[20] Wis Check, try and spot Tyranitar. (If I can do that on the same turn I throw a Pokeball)

[IrnBruAddict]

As the ball clamps shut on the foe, it looks like there are no more enemies, or at least none in sight anyway. Luckily the raging sand seems to die down somewhat, and the sand was no longer cutting into the skin.

Spoiler

Show

1200 xp and a Pupitar, lvl 25, stoic, male, shed skin ability with the TMs Dig and Rock Polish.
Yes, I know it's under-leveled, it's supposed to be :P

[weirdsound]

Miranda blinks in mild shock. "That was unexpected. I thought we were gonners for sure. Lets get back to town quickly. We could still be in trouble if that thing has any family around."

The researcher turns around and gestures for Russ to follow.

Spoiler: Question

Show

Would Miranda know that there is something off about the Pupitar's level, or is off level evolution not terribly uncommon in this setting?

[IrnBruAddict]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

It's unusual, but not unheard of, to find under-leveled pokemon, but it's probably least likely to occur in something like a pseudo-legend. She'd need to actually examine it for any more information.

[KujiUn]

"Uh, right! Let's get back!" Russ takes out RAT to ride quickly back to the town.

[IrnBruAddict]

Thankfully, after beating down the Pupitar and it's lackeys, nothing in the desert was willing to challenge Russ and Miranda. They make their way back to the tow unmolested. A trip to the Pokemon centre to heal up, and a quick shower at the wrestling centre (separately, of course) and the duo were refreshed and ready to rock.

[weirdsound]

(Sorry. Have been traveling. didn't have consitance access to both a web and a keyboard. I should be in one place until Sunday now)

Miranda brushes some sand and dust from her clothes. "I need... to examine the Pokemon I just caught. Something... was off about that whole mess back there. If you still want to visit that battle hall... you can call me... in a few hours."

With that, Miranda writes her room number down so that Russ can call her, and retires to her room for some work.

...

After sending out most of her other Pokemon for protection, Miranda releases her new Pupitar and proceeds to give it a through physical to the best of her ability, and the best of ability of the equipment she had on hand. Its level was somewhat low for a second stage pseudo-legend, and the researcher was curious as to what else may be odd about her newest catch...

Spoiler: Int Check to Check Out Pupitar

Show

(1d20+7)[25]

[KujiUn]

Russ really did want to go to the battle hall, though. But right now, that's enough of that! "Alright, then! I'll train for my next match!" And so he does!

[IrnBruAddict]

Miranda

After looking at the Pupitar, it looks like it had a smooth rock stuck underneath one of it's spikes, which would explain the Sandstorm earlier, but not the evolution. Looking a little harder, Miranda notes an injection point, and a small tag. It looks like a catch and release, likely part of some science experiment or study. It was likely it had a chip planted under it's skin to track the creature or something, but there were too many injection points for just that.

Russ

And train Russ does. He wrestles against a bunch of his own pokemon, and does pretty good too, beating MAN and HEAD, before losing to HAWK who knocks Russ out with a headbutt clash and leaves the prodigy wrestler dizzy for the next half hour. Vaun gives Russ a few tips, saying he's doing good, but to not just stay in the middle of the ring, and to move about more and use the ring and corners more often. In a straight out slug fest, there are guys bigger than Russ, but not many have both his strength AND his speed.

[KujiUn]

Rus still had his headache, but he nodded and tried to remember what Vaun said. "Alright. Thanks." He then took a stretch break and sat down for a while, clearing his head and resting before he came up for more practice.

[weirdsound]

Miranda stares at her new capture, and wonders aloud, "Now what could have happened to you buddy?"

Miranda was't exactly the paranoid sort, but she wasn't exactly comfortable holding a Pokemon with a tracking chip either. She decides to get to the bottom of the situation, and resolves to deposit the Pokemon in the PC and request a change of hotel rooms should she be unable to.

The first step in the investigation is simple enough; an Internet Search of local news articles and academic journals to see if any simple explanation could be found. While she is at it, she also checks to see if Pupitar's evolutionary line should even occur in the wild in this part of the world.

Spoiler: INT Roll for Online Research

Show

(1d20+7)[14]

Next, she gets up, recalls all her Pokemon not presently involved with the Dream Machine, returns to the Pokemon Center, and approaches the nurse at the front desk. "Umm... Excuse me. I was here just a little while ago to recover from a wild battle. I... Um... Caught a Pupitar. You guys patched it up. Um... Thanks for that."

She takes a deep breath, and tries to focus on her business as opposed to the fact that she was having a conversation with a stranger. "Anyway... I took it back home, and gave it a quick physical. I... I'm not medic or anything, but I have several PHDs in Pokemon related fields, and this Pokemon is under-leveled for its evolutionary stage... so I got curious. I... I found a tag and some injection points. I was wondering if you guys have an RFID reader so we can see if it has any chips broadcasting under its stony flesh so... so I can get to the bottom of this."

[IrnBruAddict]

Russ

As Russ climbs in the ring, he feels someone grab and stop him. It was Catarina, looking more pissed off than usual.

'Seems that guy you pissed off, the one Christian was hunting for, has taken up a job with Promethius. The bastard went and switched fighters on me, so he's your next opponent. You'll be fighting in The Under, and if you're not careful, you and your pokemon will get hurt worse than a simple fainting.'

Spoiler

Show

If Russ won't go out and do something, I'll just chuck plot at you :P

Miranda

Miranda's research doesn't turn up much. It seems there are rare Larvitar families in Orre, but almost all recorded sightings were on Mount Battle, not in the middle of a desert. Other than that, there didn't seem to be much. Wild Pseudo-legends were still hard to study and track after all.

The nurse check with one of her superiors. 'Umm, yes, it seems we do have an RFID reader, just incase we pick up a pokemon as part of a migration study, we can send the data back to whoever is doing the research, and then release the pokemon back into the wild. Would you like me to check your Pupitar for you, to see if it's registered?'

[weirdsound]

Miranda nods, "Yes, that would be... ideal. As desirable as this Pokemon is, I would not like to detract from scientific progress by keeping it if I shouldn't."

The researcher slides the Pokeball over, and waits in anticipation. She doubted that the Pokemon belonged to a study, she could have figured that out online without much difficulty, but the Pokemon almost definitely had some sort of chip in it; One that might reveal something of use when scanned.

[KujiUn]

"Oh man I gotta train even more then!" Russ started rushing to the weights before remembering something. "Oh, right, I gotta heal up my Pokemon first! See you guys later!" He then rushed out of the gym, heading to the Pokemon center, waiting in line before spotting Miranda. "Hey, Miranda!" Russ yelled, waving his hand. "Whatcha doing here? You train too?"

[weirdsound]

Miranda turns around startled, before recognizing Russ. "Oh... Um... No. I wasn't training. I should... Train my Pokemon that is... But I had... more pressing matters to attend to."

"I noticed several injection points on the body of the Pokemon I captured today. It is likely that this Pokemon has been owned by a human before, and that person may have put a chip under its skin. If I find out who the former owner is, it would be wrong not to at least offer it back, and if not, I'm hoping these people can remove what, if anything, we find under its skin." She gives Russ a shrug, her voice and speech almost normal as she talks of medicine, technology, and Pokemon, "I hope I can keep it. This is a very powerful species of Pokemon."

[KujiUn]

"Huh, really? Well, I hope you can keep it too, then!" Russ thought for a little while. "So, what you're saying is... it might belong to someone before you, and they might want it back?"

[IrnBruAddict]

The nurse soon returns with Miranda's pokeball.

"Excuse me miss, I ran a check. And while there was indeed a chip in the pokemon, it was not registered to any scientific or preservation groups. Any group who would have a reason to place one of these chips in a pokemon would always leave an easy way to tell who they are and how to contact them, and this has a masked signal. As far as I can tell, it might have been placed by poachers, trying to track it back to it's habitat or something. I've removed the chip, and you should be good to keep the pokemon." She hands Miranda the pokeball back, as well as a small plastic tube, inside which was a tracking chip covered in a dark ichor. "Here is the chip. I would appreciate if you could get to Rangers to look into it, see if they can track down who was using it."

She then collects Russ's team, and quickly heals everyone up for him too.

[weirdsound]

"Is there a Ranger Station... here... in town I mean?" Miranda asks, "I'm not terribly sure I'm comfortable keeping it on my person for long if there could be a poacher monitering its location."

The researcher then turns to Russ, "I guess the person it belonged to before me isn't the sort of person... that I'd want... to have a Pokemon like this anyway. They were... not lying when they warned me Orre was a shifty sort of place."

She then smiles, "Anyhow, would you like... to go to that place and try some battles then? I wish to see this Pokemon's potential in battle."

[KujiUn]

"What? Come on! We gotta get to the Ranger station first, and I know exactly where it is!" Russ picks up his team and starts to exit the Pokecenter. "I'll take you to it!"

[weirdsound]

Miranda offers a dejected nod. "Fair enough. Lets... go talk to the rangers."

If there was anything more uncomfortable than a conversation, it was a police interview.

[IrnBruAddict]

When Miranda is led to the Ranger station, she is approached by what seems to be a Nurse Joy, except in a Ranger uniform. It seems she knows Russ, as she headed straight over when she seen him enter.

'Yo Russ!' says Captain Joy. 'How are things with the wrestling? Christian isn't in at the moment, sorry, but is there anything I can help you with today? Who's your friend?'

[KujiUn]

"Hey, Joy!" If Miranda was hiding or something, she'd get immediately pulled to the front. "This is Miranda! She's a doc working for the gym now! But she needs you help finding what something belongs to. Ain't that right?" He then grinned, waiting for Miranda to speak up in more detail.

[weirdsound]

Miranda produces the chip, somewhat nervously, and states her case. "Russ and I... Went out for a walk... to search the desert for... things of archeological significance, and wound up battling some Pokemon. I managed to catch a Pupitar, and found upon closer inspection an injection site implying a tracking chip... They tried to read the chip at the Pokemon Center... but it had a masked signal. The staff there suspect it was placed by a poacher... or some other practitioner of illegal activity."

She does her best to smile, as she offer's the chip in question to Joy. "I was advised to bring it here for further investigation... or disposal... I don't think I want to be carrying around a beacon for poachers on my person..."

[IrnBruAddict]

Joy looks at the chip. 'I think I heard about these. I'll have one of my men look into this, but I'll need until tomorrow before we can check. No way am I plugging in an unknown signal transmitter into the central data systems for the Orrean Rangers. Last time Wilks done that, the system was hacked for a week by some "TrololoLord". Pop by tomorrow and we'll see what we can find out about this little guy.'

She sidles up to Miranda. 'So, just a "walk" in the desert was it? Were old ruins the only thing you wanted Russ here to dig into?' She gives Miranda a playful nudge with her elbow.

[weirdsound]

Miranda blinks, and two and two are put together in her mind. "You... you... want me to come back tomorrow? I shouldn't care what it is, unless... you plan on... asking for help following up. Staffing issues?"

Joy's more... personal... implications, however, fly completely over Miranda's head, which perhaps makes her answer a bit more funny. "Umm... no... ermm... I wouldn't let him dig anything up. He could damage the artifact in question without proper training. He was just... along... to watch my back."

[IrnBruAddict]

Joy looks at Miranda. 'Oh, you want this a no paperwork job? Hush hush, that kinda thing?' She places the chip on the table, then brings down a coffee mug on it. 'I never seen you, you never seen me.'

She looks Miranda up and down. 'I'm sure you could get plenty of guys to "watch your back". Although if you like to train them up first, I can see why you picked someone like Russ first.'

[KujiUn]

Russ raises the mug the chip. "Whoa, there! You just can't ignore that! That might be important!"

[weirdsound]

(For the record, Miranda has dumped the heck out of CHA... I can't imagine her giving off a strong 'dude magnet' vibe)

Miranda shakes her head. "Relax Russ. The chip... it is tougher than you would think... And ranger... It remains to be see if Russ can be trained."

She then turns to the door. "Unless we have more business here, I think it is time to go and check out that battle hall place. My Pokemon... need some more practice..."

[IrnBruAddict]

(Yeah, don't worry, she's just a tease and is mainly doing this to try and embarrass Russ, the dude who is eternally to thick to be embarrassed)

Joy pokes Russ in the head as he looks under the mug. 'Go on, she's getting away tiger. I'll look into it and tell you if it's a big deal. Otherwise, let her forget abut it and just have fun with her new catch.'

The dynamic duo make their way about town, looking for the battle hall. It turns out the Battle Hall of Gateon was a warehouse in the old part of town, away from the touristy parts. It looked to be shut, with a large padlock on the door and no lights on within. Outside, sunbathing on a lounge chair in the middle of the street, was an older man in a floral shirt with messy hair and glasses. A name-badge on his shirt seemed to indicate he was in charge of the place

'Hey kids. Want to join an old man for a drink?' He reaches into a cooler and pulls out some beers. Peeking inside, Miranda also spots dozens upon dozens of pokeballs in the ice next to the alcohol.