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2024-05-03 - Clan Battlegrounds - Completed
The Wayfarers meet Zapdos, the Roaming Cyclone, at the Escarpa battlegrounds after his challenge at the orchards. Time to figure out what this guy's problem is.
Logged by: Phoenixsong
Characters: Steven, Leaf, Koa, Astrid, Ghaspius, Aige
Tags: Finale, Plot, Combat, Roaming Cyclone, Saints, Zapdos
Word count: 11.6k
* The team is able to defeat Zapdos, and he acknowledges their strength.* He says that he's curious about offworlders (in general) because of the strength that they've been granted. Past offworlders claiming to have been summoned to fix problems always go on about their lofty ideals, but condemn others who enforce what they want using violence—even though these offworlders always end up resorting to violence to overcome the ones they oppose. He insists that if you have the strength to enforce what you want, even just to do whatever you want, you should revel in it rather than be a hypocrite about it.* According to Zapdos, he has no interest in using his power as a Saint to answer to other people. "Weak people" will just take advantage of "strong people" who claim to help them and eventually overthrow or discard them. If someone has a problem with him (or with anything), why don't they just take vengeance themselves? He wouldn't hold it against them.* The party argues that Zapdos can't assume all offworlders are the same, and he can't assume that all "weak people" will treat people the same way, either, but he doesn't give the impression he cares/notices much about the specifics.* The Roaming Cyclone is not the successor of the Stormbringer's relic (the Stormbringer being the previous electric/Kantonian zapdos Saint); there was another Galarian zapdos Roaming Cyclone before this one (etc., etc.), and he claims that his predecessor thought much the same way he does.* He knew the Stormbringer before his death and claims that the Stormbringer was well-respected. He got annoyed when he thought Koa claimed to know what the Stormbringer was like/how he would have behaved. Something about recalling the Stormbringer seems to be painful for him, but he doesn't elaborate on what or why.* Zapdos remains unrepentant for damaging the fields, but isn't especially interested in continuing now that he's had the battle he wanted. For now, he's fine just having talked to the Wayfarers and accepting that they might not be *exactly* the same as other offworlders before them.* When asked whether it'll be possible to find him again, he says "When lightning crosses over the Silver Ravine, you will find me there".
- Phoenixsong