[HEADING=2]{ Battlegrounds }[/HEADING]
[HEADING=3]A Pokémon Role-Play[/HEADING]
Welcome, aspiring Pokémon Trainers, to the island region of Gensia. You have all travelled to this region from far-off lands, whether interested in seeing the sights, meeting new people, or following the rumours that people may have spread to your homelands.
Well, the rumours are true. The Pokémon of Gensia are different from the norm, despite being of the same species. And a large number of Pokémon make their homes here: all can be found in at least one other region. Your journey begins in the port city of Aquamar. From there, you will travel all across Gensia, taking on the Pokémon League Challenge, learning of the differences between here and your homes, and with luck, making new friends along the way.
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Author's Notes - Important, Please Read
- Welcome to Battlegrounds. I am your GM; [user]RBMidknight[/user], [user]Mr. Omega[/user] and [user]socialtangent[/user] are my secondary GMs.
- This is a Pokémon role-play, set in a new region, and with new rules. Instead of following the rules provided by the standard Pokémon games as of Generation V*, we will be using those of the Pokémon mod Blaze Black and Volt White. A large number of Pokémon, items and moves have been changed. As such, the relevant information will be provided to those who wish to join up.
- The Gensia region has eight new Gyms, a brand-new Elite Four, and a new team of villains. All of which will be introduced over the course of the story.
- Unlike in the Pokémon anime, Battlegrounds will include things like an active police force, death, violence and general unpleasantness. This isn't the perfect world you see in the anime. Actions may have consequences, be they short-term or long-term.
- As stated above, all the characters will begin in Aquamar City (a map is provided below).
*Note: At the time of publication, Black and White 2 have not yet been released in English versions. Any changes that B2/W2 may make will not have an impact on Battlegrounds.
The Gensia region is composed of a central mainland with a number of smaller islands. Its features include a large forest expanse, mountains to explore, and many routes to travel.
Technologically, however, Gensia shows considerable differences from other regions. Many of the cities are vast and expansive, and electrically powered cars, motorcycles and trucks (commonly dubbed 'electros'), in addition to maglev trains and interisland ferries, are a fast way to travel from place to place. This is not to say, however, that Gensia is not a Pokémon-friendly environment. Using electric power instead of other fuels preserves the natural environment, ensuring that Pokémon habitats are unharmed by human advancement. Trainers, looking to catch Pokémon and battle, will often walk from city to city or use other similar means of transport, such as skateboards or bicycles.
In addition, Gensia is home to pieces of technology that include jetpacks, computers with advanced interfaces, devices designed to interact with Poké Balls, and more.
[hr]
Map of the Gensia Region:
Image Linked for Convenience
Technologically, however, Gensia shows considerable differences from other regions. Many of the cities are vast and expansive, and electrically powered cars, motorcycles and trucks (commonly dubbed 'electros'), in addition to maglev trains and interisland ferries, are a fast way to travel from place to place. This is not to say, however, that Gensia is not a Pokémon-friendly environment. Using electric power instead of other fuels preserves the natural environment, ensuring that Pokémon habitats are unharmed by human advancement. Trainers, looking to catch Pokémon and battle, will often walk from city to city or use other similar means of transport, such as skateboards or bicycles.
In addition, Gensia is home to pieces of technology that include jetpacks, computers with advanced interfaces, devices designed to interact with Poké Balls, and more.
[hr]
Map of the Gensia Region:
Image Linked for Convenience
Name: This should be fairly obvious.
Age: All characters should be within the range of twelve and 21 years of age.
Sex: Male or Female.
Appearance: Describe your character's looks. Things such as height, weight, preferred choice of clothing, hairstyle and eye colour come to mind here. Please do not just post a picture for your character's appearance, for two reasons: first, I would like to see original characters and not just copies of others from anime and suchlike. Second, a picture does not give me enough information to work with. You may use a picture if you so desire, but it must be supplementary rather than the focus of the Appearance section.
Personality: Your character's attitude and demeanour. Character personalities are not entirely locked in and set in stone; they should allow room for development and expansion. Basically, a character's personality is the quirks and flaws that make them human, rather than a soulless vessel for the writer's thoughts.
Profession: What does your character do? Are they a Trainer? Co-ordinator? Breeder? Empath? A simple answer here should be enough to give the others an outline.
Talents: What can your character do? What makes them stand out? What special skills did they learn in their home region? Please keep your character's talents plausible. We don't want to see someone running around who can do absolutely everything and see in the dark to boot.
Starter Pokémon: Your Starter Pokémon will be at level 5. You may not have more than one Pokémon at the beginning of the role-play. Please list the moves the Pokémon has available here as well.
Inventory: Your character may carry a reasonable amount of reasonable possessions, which could range from clothing to items such as Poké Balls, Potions and Berries (region dependent in the case of the latter). I don't want anyone carrying ridiculous amounts of expensive stuff, though. Remember you are just starting out on your journey.
Notes about Inventory:
- All characters will be given a map of the region (the same as I linked earlier, in better detail) and a Gensia-edition Pokédex by the local Pokémon Professor before the journey begins in earnest. Gensia Pokédexes use the same Pokémon descriptions as seen in HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black and White.
- If your character has a starter Pokémon that requires a certain method of evolution (for example, an item that must be used to evolve it) your character may not start with easy access to that method, nor have it in their possession. There will be an opportunity to obtain the method or item, however.
- Your character may not have any Gensia technology in their inventory, as all characters are new arrivals in the region.
Hometown: Your character may be from any city or town in the five regions in the main series of games: you may not write a character from the Gensia region, since it is the one we are exploring. As a side note, both Black City and White Forest are present in Unova: the latter is accessible through the former.
Biography: Here you may delve into your character's past, their history. Where did they grow up? Were they exposed to Pokémon from an early age? What brought them to the Gensia region, from their home town?
Notes: Any information you feel is necessary to detail your character that does not apply to any of the above entries.
Age: All characters should be within the range of twelve and 21 years of age.
Sex: Male or Female.
Appearance: Describe your character's looks. Things such as height, weight, preferred choice of clothing, hairstyle and eye colour come to mind here. Please do not just post a picture for your character's appearance, for two reasons: first, I would like to see original characters and not just copies of others from anime and suchlike. Second, a picture does not give me enough information to work with. You may use a picture if you so desire, but it must be supplementary rather than the focus of the Appearance section.
Personality: Your character's attitude and demeanour. Character personalities are not entirely locked in and set in stone; they should allow room for development and expansion. Basically, a character's personality is the quirks and flaws that make them human, rather than a soulless vessel for the writer's thoughts.
Profession: What does your character do? Are they a Trainer? Co-ordinator? Breeder? Empath? A simple answer here should be enough to give the others an outline.
Talents: What can your character do? What makes them stand out? What special skills did they learn in their home region? Please keep your character's talents plausible. We don't want to see someone running around who can do absolutely everything and see in the dark to boot.
Starter Pokémon: Your Starter Pokémon will be at level 5. You may not have more than one Pokémon at the beginning of the role-play. Please list the moves the Pokémon has available here as well.
Inventory: Your character may carry a reasonable amount of reasonable possessions, which could range from clothing to items such as Poké Balls, Potions and Berries (region dependent in the case of the latter). I don't want anyone carrying ridiculous amounts of expensive stuff, though. Remember you are just starting out on your journey.
Notes about Inventory:
- All characters will be given a map of the region (the same as I linked earlier, in better detail) and a Gensia-edition Pokédex by the local Pokémon Professor before the journey begins in earnest. Gensia Pokédexes use the same Pokémon descriptions as seen in HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black and White.
- If your character has a starter Pokémon that requires a certain method of evolution (for example, an item that must be used to evolve it) your character may not start with easy access to that method, nor have it in their possession. There will be an opportunity to obtain the method or item, however.
- Your character may not have any Gensia technology in their inventory, as all characters are new arrivals in the region.
Hometown: Your character may be from any city or town in the five regions in the main series of games: you may not write a character from the Gensia region, since it is the one we are exploring. As a side note, both Black City and White Forest are present in Unova: the latter is accessible through the former.
Biography: Here you may delve into your character's past, their history. Where did they grow up? Were they exposed to Pokémon from an early age? What brought them to the Gensia region, from their home town?
Notes: Any information you feel is necessary to detail your character that does not apply to any of the above entries.
Starter Pokémon:
Your starter Pokémon must be the first in an evolutionary line, but may be from any main series region. You may select a Starter Pokémon given out by any of the Professors in the main series if you wish.
You may not select any of the following Pokémon as your starter:
- Pseudo-legendaries (Dratini, Larvitar, Bagon, Beldum, Gible or Deino)
- Legendary Pokémon
- Pokémon that cannot evolve
- Pokémon that have already evolved
- Eevee
- Riolu
- Fossil Pokémon (Kabuto, Omanyte, Cradily, Anorith, Shieldon, Cranidos, Archeops, Tirtouga, Aerodactyl)
- There are some possible starters that I will take issue with, such as Zorua, unless a reason I deem adequate is provided. If you think I may have an issue with your starter Pokémon, feel free to PM me asking about it.
If your starter Pokémon does not have any moves that it can use to beat an opponent in battle at level 5, you may state that it knows one move that it can learn by TM or by breeding at the beginning of the role-play. Your character should have the relevant TM in their inventory to back this up, unless you choose otherwise. If you choose to have it know a move by breeding, please back it up in your character's biography.
Since starters are at such a low level, they are not exempt from the rules of Blaze Black and Volt White despite being from other regions.
Catching Pokémon in the wild:
Wild Pokémon will be found all across the Gensia region, and Trainers are, of course, free to catch and train them. When the opportunity arises, I will post a list of all the Pokémon available in the area. The list will be split into two sub-lists: Common Catches and Rare Finds. Participants should ask me about catching a specific Pokémon from the Rare Finds list before posting that their character obtains the Pokémon of their choice.
Trainers may catch up to three Pokémon in each area, and may catch any number of Pokémon from either list. If the characters return to a route or other area after having passed through already, they may catch more Pokémon as long as the previous restrictions still apply.
When a Trainer has the maximum of six Pokémon with them, any Pokémon they catch after that will be sent to Gensia's Pokémon Storage System, which they may access from any Pokémon Center.
Trading Pokémon:
Over the course of the role-play, Trainers may have the opportunity to trade Pokémon with NPCs. If they choose to do so, however, they must provide me with what they wish to obtain, and what they will give up in return. Trainers may trade Pokémon with other player-characters any time they are in a city or town, provided the other Trainer agrees to it.
Pokémon Levels:
Over the course of the role-play, Pokémon will naturally increase in levels, learn new moves, and evolve. I would prefer not to directly use a level and experience system in the course of regular posting, so I will provide regular updates to Trainers' Pokémon at certain times. These updates will give Trainers full control over what moves their Pokémon learns and their eligibility to evolve into a different form, meaning Pokémon are free to evolve when the respective participant wants them to. Levels will be mentioned in these updates for convenience's sake, but will not be referred to directly in the role-play.
Other Notes:
- The only time we will ever encounter a shiny or legendary Pokémon is when said Pokémon will be relevant to the plot of the role-play. Yes, this means that your starter cannot be shiny.
- During or after evolution, Pokémon may be smaller or larger than the standard size listed in their Pokédex entries. This means that Trainers may use their Pokémon to fly or surf, as long as they specify that their Pokémon is of a different size and stick to it.
Your starter Pokémon must be the first in an evolutionary line, but may be from any main series region. You may select a Starter Pokémon given out by any of the Professors in the main series if you wish.
You may not select any of the following Pokémon as your starter:
- Pseudo-legendaries (Dratini, Larvitar, Bagon, Beldum, Gible or Deino)
- Legendary Pokémon
- Pokémon that cannot evolve
- Pokémon that have already evolved
- Eevee
- Riolu
- Fossil Pokémon (Kabuto, Omanyte, Cradily, Anorith, Shieldon, Cranidos, Archeops, Tirtouga, Aerodactyl)
- There are some possible starters that I will take issue with, such as Zorua, unless a reason I deem adequate is provided. If you think I may have an issue with your starter Pokémon, feel free to PM me asking about it.
If your starter Pokémon does not have any moves that it can use to beat an opponent in battle at level 5, you may state that it knows one move that it can learn by TM or by breeding at the beginning of the role-play. Your character should have the relevant TM in their inventory to back this up, unless you choose otherwise. If you choose to have it know a move by breeding, please back it up in your character's biography.
Since starters are at such a low level, they are not exempt from the rules of Blaze Black and Volt White despite being from other regions.
Catching Pokémon in the wild:
Wild Pokémon will be found all across the Gensia region, and Trainers are, of course, free to catch and train them. When the opportunity arises, I will post a list of all the Pokémon available in the area. The list will be split into two sub-lists: Common Catches and Rare Finds. Participants should ask me about catching a specific Pokémon from the Rare Finds list before posting that their character obtains the Pokémon of their choice.
Trainers may catch up to three Pokémon in each area, and may catch any number of Pokémon from either list. If the characters return to a route or other area after having passed through already, they may catch more Pokémon as long as the previous restrictions still apply.
When a Trainer has the maximum of six Pokémon with them, any Pokémon they catch after that will be sent to Gensia's Pokémon Storage System, which they may access from any Pokémon Center.
Trading Pokémon:
Over the course of the role-play, Trainers may have the opportunity to trade Pokémon with NPCs. If they choose to do so, however, they must provide me with what they wish to obtain, and what they will give up in return. Trainers may trade Pokémon with other player-characters any time they are in a city or town, provided the other Trainer agrees to it.
Pokémon Levels:
Over the course of the role-play, Pokémon will naturally increase in levels, learn new moves, and evolve. I would prefer not to directly use a level and experience system in the course of regular posting, so I will provide regular updates to Trainers' Pokémon at certain times. These updates will give Trainers full control over what moves their Pokémon learns and their eligibility to evolve into a different form, meaning Pokémon are free to evolve when the respective participant wants them to. Levels will be mentioned in these updates for convenience's sake, but will not be referred to directly in the role-play.
Other Notes:
- The only time we will ever encounter a shiny or legendary Pokémon is when said Pokémon will be relevant to the plot of the role-play. Yes, this means that your starter cannot be shiny.
- During or after evolution, Pokémon may be smaller or larger than the standard size listed in their Pokédex entries. This means that Trainers may use their Pokémon to fly or surf, as long as they specify that their Pokémon is of a different size and stick to it.
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1) All players should abide by the rules of the Escapist forums wherever possible.
2) I would like to see a considerable variety of characters in terms of ethnicity, sex (ideally, I would like to see an even amount of male and female characters), appearance, personality, hometown and starter Pokémon. Too many of the same kind of character becomes boring very quickly.
3) Anyone who submits a character must be willing to give their full commitment to the role-play. If you have to drop out, at the very least let everyone else know, so I can properly write you out of the story. No-one likes it when ten people join up for a role-play and only five are still actively posting a week later.
4) I expect everyone who submits a character sheet to have a high level of competency in regards to spelling, grammar and post length. Anyone - and I mean anyone - who writes a post with a length of one line or less, with little detail or action, will be placed on a warning system. After three warnings, you are dismissed from the RP and your character will be written out of the story. In addition, I request that all posts are written in third-person, past tense.
4a) If I deem your posts to be not up to my standards, I as GM reserve the right to ignore them and their poster until the problem is resolved.
4b) Godmodders and god-moders will be removed from the RP upon repeated instances of the offence.
5) To ensure clarity among writers, I request that all participants follow these formatting guidelines when writing posts:
- Italics ([ /i]) for inner thoughts, or for emphasis;
- Bold ([ /b]) if you want to use something that someone else said, or for emphasis;
- Please use plain black text for your posts, unless you wish to have a Pokémon say something, in which case choose a colour for that Pokémon that is readable (no yellows, super-bright colours or nigh-invisible text) and only use it for that Pokémon's speech;
- All posts and character sheets should be written in third person, past tense.
6) In order to facilitate effective communication among all participants, I recommend that everyone who is accepted into Battlegrounds downloads the instant messaging / conference-call program Skype if they do not have it already. I and many of my Escapist friends have found this program to be just as effective, if not more so, than an Escapist-based usergroup, plus it helps us to get to know each other better. I enjoy writing alongside people I know much more than working with people who are practically strangers. In addition, those who wish to receive information on the changes in Blaze Black and Volt White can receive the details far more efficiently than sending snippets via PM, as Skype allows for the transfer of files.
7) Romance is allowed between characters - I fully encourage romantic subplots - but if things do end up going too far, I think that it is best if mature content was taken to private messaging, should involved parties wish to pursue it. The Escapist tries to remain PG-13 at all times, if I remember correctly. Yes, even in the role-playing forum.
8) For the purpose of convenience, prices in Poké Marts and other vendors are measured in Pokémon Dollars (Pokédollars for short, or P$). All characters should start with roughly P$3000, less if they feel like it.
2) I would like to see a considerable variety of characters in terms of ethnicity, sex (ideally, I would like to see an even amount of male and female characters), appearance, personality, hometown and starter Pokémon. Too many of the same kind of character becomes boring very quickly.
3) Anyone who submits a character must be willing to give their full commitment to the role-play. If you have to drop out, at the very least let everyone else know, so I can properly write you out of the story. No-one likes it when ten people join up for a role-play and only five are still actively posting a week later.
4) I expect everyone who submits a character sheet to have a high level of competency in regards to spelling, grammar and post length. Anyone - and I mean anyone - who writes a post with a length of one line or less, with little detail or action, will be placed on a warning system. After three warnings, you are dismissed from the RP and your character will be written out of the story. In addition, I request that all posts are written in third-person, past tense.
4a) If I deem your posts to be not up to my standards, I as GM reserve the right to ignore them and their poster until the problem is resolved.
4b) Godmodders and god-moders will be removed from the RP upon repeated instances of the offence.
5) To ensure clarity among writers, I request that all participants follow these formatting guidelines when writing posts:
- Italics ([ /i]) for inner thoughts, or for emphasis;
- Bold ([ /b]) if you want to use something that someone else said, or for emphasis;
- Please use plain black text for your posts, unless you wish to have a Pokémon say something, in which case choose a colour for that Pokémon that is readable (no yellows, super-bright colours or nigh-invisible text) and only use it for that Pokémon's speech;
- All posts and character sheets should be written in third person, past tense.
6) In order to facilitate effective communication among all participants, I recommend that everyone who is accepted into Battlegrounds downloads the instant messaging / conference-call program Skype if they do not have it already. I and many of my Escapist friends have found this program to be just as effective, if not more so, than an Escapist-based usergroup, plus it helps us to get to know each other better. I enjoy writing alongside people I know much more than working with people who are practically strangers. In addition, those who wish to receive information on the changes in Blaze Black and Volt White can receive the details far more efficiently than sending snippets via PM, as Skype allows for the transfer of files.
7) Romance is allowed between characters - I fully encourage romantic subplots - but if things do end up going too far, I think that it is best if mature content was taken to private messaging, should involved parties wish to pursue it. The Escapist tries to remain PG-13 at all times, if I remember correctly. Yes, even in the role-playing forum.
8) For the purpose of convenience, prices in Poké Marts and other vendors are measured in Pokémon Dollars (Pokédollars for short, or P$). All characters should start with roughly P$3000, less if they feel like it.
I am looking to accept a reasonable number of characters: anywhere between eight and twelve (inclusive, of course) including my own character. If you have any questions, feel free to post them here, or send them to me via private message or on Skype.
[HEADING=2]Accepted Characters[/HEADING]
Name: Alix Lily Redfern
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Appearance: Standing at 5'6" tall, Alix is Caucasian, of a slim build, with short, light brown hair with blonde streaks and amber-coloured eyes. She has a preference for fairly stylish clothing, despite being a traveller at the present time: she often wears medium-length skirts, blouses, a slightly worn pair of sneakers and a somewhat thin jacket.
Completing her outfit is a large black and blue backpacker's pack, in which Alix carries her possessions, and a light brown satchel, commonly worn over her right shoulder, in which she holds the Poké Balls for her future team. She also wears an Xtransceiver on her wrist, a gift from her travelling brother.
Personality: Alix is a bright young individual, one who makes a point of being cheerful, outgoing and sometimes playful, especially around Pokémon. She is fairly open to talking to strangers or those with whom she travels, and likes to hear about what other people get up to. No stranger to battling, she will often challenge others or accept their own challenges. Due to her open nature, she doesn't quite get the nuances of formal occasions or understanding when people want to be left alone.
She is eager to learn from others, especially those who have been training Pokémon for longer than she has. The possible jobs she can see herself doing in the future include being a Pokémon Breeder, like her parents, or a Gym Leader. In the case of the latter, though, it's more of a (very) long-term goal than a short-term one. Alix believes she has a lot more to learn before even thinking about trying to become a Leader.
Alix is highly protective of Matthew, her Togepi; being small and recently hatched, she believes he needs a lot of care and attention from her.
Profession: Alix is starting out as a Pokémon Trainer.
Talents: Alix understands the concepts behind Pokémon breeding and Eggs, and knows how to raise a newly hatched Pokémon. She has also received the standard Pokémon education from high school, including Pokémon types, items, evolution and moves. She is a fairly talented dancer, both on her own and with a partner.
Starter Pokémon: Matthew (or Matti for short), a male Togepi. His moves are Growl, Charm, Extrasensory and Metronome.
Inventory: Alix carries the following in her pack:
- 11 Poké Balls
- 1 Premier Ball
- 6 Potions
- 3 each of Paralyse Heals and Awakenings
- 4 Antidotes
- A small case of food designed for baby Pokémon
- A map of the Hoenn region
- A traveller's water bottle
- A journal and stationery
- A week's worth of clothing and personal care items
- A sleeping bag in case she needs to sleep outside
In her wallet is P$2000 in cash for smaller purchases, and a card linked to a bank account containing P$2000. Alix also owns a music player, both for entertainment and for dancing.
Hometown: Lavaridge Town, Hoenn
Biography: The second child of a family of Pokémon Breeders in Lavaridge Town, Alix grew up with Pokémon from an early age. She often played with the younger Pokémon her parents were raising; her older brother, Karl, was already planning to become a Trainer by the time she was six years old. He left to go on adventures throughout Hoenn on his fifteenth birthday, when Alix was ten, though he called home every day to tell the family where he was and what he was doing. Sometimes he sent gift packages from other cities, little curios and pieces of the local culture.
Alix's parents, Eric and Rebecca, were hard-working Breeders who were often temporarily given Pokémon by Trainers who wanted to try their hand at raising a young Pokémon. The family's breeding business was sometimes called on by Trainers checking into Lavaridge to challenge the local Gym. As a result Alix met a lot of new people and Pokémon, who were sometimes not even from the Hoenn region. She quickly became curious about each new Trainer that walked in the door, introducing herself to them and asking about their adventures.
When Alix was fourteen she was introduced to the family business, and in addition to her high school education she learned the tricks of the Breeder's trade: how certain Pokémon could breed despite being of completely different species; how Pokémon could be specially bred to know moves that they normally didn't learn; and how Eggs took time to hatch depending on the Pokémon species involved. Once she had learned everything her parents could teach her, she took part in running the business on weekends and holidays when she didn't have classes.
High school quickly flew by, and four years later Alix had earned the privilege to run the family business by herself, fresh out of school. Karl was in the Unova region, challenging the last of the Gyms there after having earned all the Badges that Hoenn, Kanto and Johto could offer. He had sent Alix a Unova-made communications watch, or 'cross-transceiver,' as they called it there. Two days after his latest gift, a man and a woman walked in with two of the most gorgeous Pokémon Alix had ever seen. The Trainers called them Togekisses... and Alix knew she wanted one. Her parents had a few Pokémon of their own, but none like this.
The Trainers handed over the two beautiful Flying-type Pokémon, and asked Alix to let them know when they had produced an Egg. It took a few weeks of feeding the Togekisses and checking up on them, but eventually Alix found not one, but two Eggs nestled underneath the female. She immediately called up the owners to give them the news, and they hurried back into Lavaridge to see their Pokémon.
Imagine her surprise when they told her she could keep one of the Eggs for her own. They had only wanted one, a birthday present for their nephew. Having never had a Pokémon of her own before, Alix was amazed by their generosity. Upon reporting the development to her parents, they simply laughed and said that it was about time that she had her own Pokémon. This was the perfect opportunity to put all that she had learned to use. Her father Eric gave her a Poké Ball to catch the Pokémon that would hatch from the Egg.
However, it stubbornly refused to do so. Alix was a little disappointed as the years ticked by, but knew that Eggs somehow needed the presence of other Pokémon to develop and hatch. Since she didn't have any other Pokémon - she wanted the Egg to be her first - she figured it was going to take a while. Then just before her twentieth birthday, cracks appeared in the Egg's shell. Arms and legs popped through holes and the top of the shell simply fell off, revealing the head of a small cream-coloured Pokémon. Togepi.
Alix thought the little creature was adorable at first sight. She named him Matthew, affectionately referring to him as Matti, and soon found out the responsibilities of looking after the inquisitive little chap.
A month later Karl called the Redfern family again, this time from yet another region. This one was called Gensia, he said, and many people claimed that it was home to strange deviations from the Pokémon species they had seen before. Pokédexes confirmed that they were the same species, but they knew different moves, were of different types and some even had different methods of evolution. Karl also added that Gensia too was home to eight Gyms and a Pokémon League HQ, and that he intended to challenge them.
Naturally, the Gensia region piqued Alix's curiosity. How could a region be host to Pokémon that were different but the same? She wanted to find out. And if she was lucky, it would be a good starting point for learning firsthand about how to be a Trainer. So she asked her parents if she could go out on adventures of her own. They agreed to her request, giving her a small kit of Poké Balls and Potions and suchlike, and reminded her to call them as often as possible.
Taking Matti with her, Alix made the journey from Lavaridge to Mauville City, and from there to Slateport. There she bought passage on a ship to Gensia: specifically, the island's port city, called Aquamar. It was the city that welcomed all travellers from other regions.
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Appearance: Standing at 5'6" tall, Alix is Caucasian, of a slim build, with short, light brown hair with blonde streaks and amber-coloured eyes. She has a preference for fairly stylish clothing, despite being a traveller at the present time: she often wears medium-length skirts, blouses, a slightly worn pair of sneakers and a somewhat thin jacket.
Completing her outfit is a large black and blue backpacker's pack, in which Alix carries her possessions, and a light brown satchel, commonly worn over her right shoulder, in which she holds the Poké Balls for her future team. She also wears an Xtransceiver on her wrist, a gift from her travelling brother.
Personality: Alix is a bright young individual, one who makes a point of being cheerful, outgoing and sometimes playful, especially around Pokémon. She is fairly open to talking to strangers or those with whom she travels, and likes to hear about what other people get up to. No stranger to battling, she will often challenge others or accept their own challenges. Due to her open nature, she doesn't quite get the nuances of formal occasions or understanding when people want to be left alone.
She is eager to learn from others, especially those who have been training Pokémon for longer than she has. The possible jobs she can see herself doing in the future include being a Pokémon Breeder, like her parents, or a Gym Leader. In the case of the latter, though, it's more of a (very) long-term goal than a short-term one. Alix believes she has a lot more to learn before even thinking about trying to become a Leader.
Alix is highly protective of Matthew, her Togepi; being small and recently hatched, she believes he needs a lot of care and attention from her.
Profession: Alix is starting out as a Pokémon Trainer.
Talents: Alix understands the concepts behind Pokémon breeding and Eggs, and knows how to raise a newly hatched Pokémon. She has also received the standard Pokémon education from high school, including Pokémon types, items, evolution and moves. She is a fairly talented dancer, both on her own and with a partner.
Starter Pokémon: Matthew (or Matti for short), a male Togepi. His moves are Growl, Charm, Extrasensory and Metronome.
Inventory: Alix carries the following in her pack:
- 11 Poké Balls
- 1 Premier Ball
- 6 Potions
- 3 each of Paralyse Heals and Awakenings
- 4 Antidotes
- A small case of food designed for baby Pokémon
- A map of the Hoenn region
- A traveller's water bottle
- A journal and stationery
- A week's worth of clothing and personal care items
- A sleeping bag in case she needs to sleep outside
In her wallet is P$2000 in cash for smaller purchases, and a card linked to a bank account containing P$2000. Alix also owns a music player, both for entertainment and for dancing.
Hometown: Lavaridge Town, Hoenn
Biography: The second child of a family of Pokémon Breeders in Lavaridge Town, Alix grew up with Pokémon from an early age. She often played with the younger Pokémon her parents were raising; her older brother, Karl, was already planning to become a Trainer by the time she was six years old. He left to go on adventures throughout Hoenn on his fifteenth birthday, when Alix was ten, though he called home every day to tell the family where he was and what he was doing. Sometimes he sent gift packages from other cities, little curios and pieces of the local culture.
Alix's parents, Eric and Rebecca, were hard-working Breeders who were often temporarily given Pokémon by Trainers who wanted to try their hand at raising a young Pokémon. The family's breeding business was sometimes called on by Trainers checking into Lavaridge to challenge the local Gym. As a result Alix met a lot of new people and Pokémon, who were sometimes not even from the Hoenn region. She quickly became curious about each new Trainer that walked in the door, introducing herself to them and asking about their adventures.
When Alix was fourteen she was introduced to the family business, and in addition to her high school education she learned the tricks of the Breeder's trade: how certain Pokémon could breed despite being of completely different species; how Pokémon could be specially bred to know moves that they normally didn't learn; and how Eggs took time to hatch depending on the Pokémon species involved. Once she had learned everything her parents could teach her, she took part in running the business on weekends and holidays when she didn't have classes.
High school quickly flew by, and four years later Alix had earned the privilege to run the family business by herself, fresh out of school. Karl was in the Unova region, challenging the last of the Gyms there after having earned all the Badges that Hoenn, Kanto and Johto could offer. He had sent Alix a Unova-made communications watch, or 'cross-transceiver,' as they called it there. Two days after his latest gift, a man and a woman walked in with two of the most gorgeous Pokémon Alix had ever seen. The Trainers called them Togekisses... and Alix knew she wanted one. Her parents had a few Pokémon of their own, but none like this.
The Trainers handed over the two beautiful Flying-type Pokémon, and asked Alix to let them know when they had produced an Egg. It took a few weeks of feeding the Togekisses and checking up on them, but eventually Alix found not one, but two Eggs nestled underneath the female. She immediately called up the owners to give them the news, and they hurried back into Lavaridge to see their Pokémon.
Imagine her surprise when they told her she could keep one of the Eggs for her own. They had only wanted one, a birthday present for their nephew. Having never had a Pokémon of her own before, Alix was amazed by their generosity. Upon reporting the development to her parents, they simply laughed and said that it was about time that she had her own Pokémon. This was the perfect opportunity to put all that she had learned to use. Her father Eric gave her a Poké Ball to catch the Pokémon that would hatch from the Egg.
However, it stubbornly refused to do so. Alix was a little disappointed as the years ticked by, but knew that Eggs somehow needed the presence of other Pokémon to develop and hatch. Since she didn't have any other Pokémon - she wanted the Egg to be her first - she figured it was going to take a while. Then just before her twentieth birthday, cracks appeared in the Egg's shell. Arms and legs popped through holes and the top of the shell simply fell off, revealing the head of a small cream-coloured Pokémon. Togepi.
Alix thought the little creature was adorable at first sight. She named him Matthew, affectionately referring to him as Matti, and soon found out the responsibilities of looking after the inquisitive little chap.
A month later Karl called the Redfern family again, this time from yet another region. This one was called Gensia, he said, and many people claimed that it was home to strange deviations from the Pokémon species they had seen before. Pokédexes confirmed that they were the same species, but they knew different moves, were of different types and some even had different methods of evolution. Karl also added that Gensia too was home to eight Gyms and a Pokémon League HQ, and that he intended to challenge them.
Naturally, the Gensia region piqued Alix's curiosity. How could a region be host to Pokémon that were different but the same? She wanted to find out. And if she was lucky, it would be a good starting point for learning firsthand about how to be a Trainer. So she asked her parents if she could go out on adventures of her own. They agreed to her request, giving her a small kit of Poké Balls and Potions and suchlike, and reminded her to call them as often as possible.
Taking Matti with her, Alix made the journey from Lavaridge to Mauville City, and from there to Slateport. There she bought passage on a ship to Gensia: specifically, the island's port city, called Aquamar. It was the city that welcomed all travellers from other regions.
Name: Elias Lanford
Age: 19
Sex: Male
Appearance: Elias is of medium height and thin build. He stands at 5'8" and hovers around 145 lbs. He was born with light brown hair that has lightened over years of constant sun exposure. Elias' skin stays lightly tanned with a scattering of superficial scrapes and bruises on his arms and legs due to his climbing hobby. He wears or carries sunglasses with him at all times so his grey eyes are rarely seen. Though he shaves regularly Elias still ends up with trimmed scruff most days. He doesn't spend any time reading or caring about the latest fashions. He wears what is comfortable - shorts with multiple pockets and t-shirts with good sturdy shoes built to last through difficult weather and rough terrain. He wears carabiners hooked to at least two of his belt loops and a wristband made of cord. He also carries strips of cloth or an old t-shirt looped through his belt to help guard against sandstorms.
Personality: Elias likes to keep moving and is very curious by nature. He has a hard time sitting still and talking to people, but if they're willing to climb or hike with him he can hold a conversation that way. Elias has learned to act interested when visiting the art exhibits at the Studio but art - and artists - don't really interest him. He'd rather see live nature than pictures of nature. Elias enjoys rock and tree climbing and will carry his Sandile if it can't make the climb with him. Elias likes to try new things, whether it be a simple game of chance, sand-surfing, or eating raw fish. He likes to push himself to be better at the activities he enjoys, to climb a little bit farther every trip. A broken collarbone and sprained ankle taught him at a young age the importance of safety. Dune likes to lay out in the sun once Elias reaches his destination. Having the Pokémon along reminds Elias to take breaks and rest every once and a while.
Profession: Former café employee. Wanderer. Pokémon trainer.
Talents: Elias has a good sense of direction and can tell the time by the sun and stars. An odd trick he noticed in his teen years is that he can usually guess the current temperature within a few degrees. He's good at tying - and untying - knots and at identifying edible plants in desert enviroments. Dune is good at hiding and finding hidden objects in sand or loose dirt.
Starter Pokémon: "Dune" - Sandile (Lv 5) - Leer, Rage, Bite; Ability : Moxie
Inventory:
Carried/worn
[ul]
[li]Sunglasses (with strap)[/li]
[li]Multitool[/li]
[li]Lighter[/li]
[li]C-Gear[/li]
[li]Timer-ball (Dune's)[/li]
[/ul]
Backpack
[ul]
[li]3 Pokéballs[/li]
[li]2 Great Balls[/li]
[li]5 Potions[/li]
[li]3 Antidote, Parlyz Heal, Burn Heal[/li]
[li]2 Revive[/li]
[li]Goggles (link [http://www.oakley.com/images/catalog/generated/750x350/17/48f4e183beb2f.jpg])[/li]
[li]Climbing gloves[/li]
[li]Flashlight[/li]
[li]Thermos of water (full)[/li]
[li]Rope, Harness (Sandile)[/li]
[li]Emergency blanket[/li]
[li]Small first-aid kit (bandages and disinfectant)[/li]
[li]Three sets of clothes, personal items[/li]
[li]Map of Unova[/li]
[li]Pokémon Training : Basics[/li]
[li]Unova Gym Leaders[/li]
[/ul]
Misc
[ul]
[li]P$500 in cash (on hand)[/li]
[li]P$500 in a traveler's check (in Backpack)[/li]
[li]P$2000 in savings account (accessed via card)[/li]
[/ul]
Hometown: Castelia City, Unova
Biography: Elias was born and raised in Castelia City where his mother Ellen works as an assistant at Studio Castelia. Elias' biological father was a professional soccer player who Ellen met while retrieving some artwork in Nimbasa. When Elias was young he and his mother would travel to Nimbasa City to see his father play in the Big Stadium. If there was time after the game Tony would take them to the amusement park. Elias' parents never married - 'it wasn't in "Big Tony's" plans' is the phrase his mother liked to use. But Big Tony did send money to them after every winning game.
Elias received his first Pokémon, Sandile, as a birthday gift from his mother. He was seven, and confident that he wanted a sibling, even putting it above a shiny new bike on his wishlist. But Elias instantly bonded with his new friend and decided it was better than a little brother. At least for the time being. Elias was so excited by the Pokémon that he didn't notice that his father hadn't sent him a gift that year. With his new friend tagging along Elias began to explore Route 4 with some of his neighbor friends. The small trio of boys met some travelers, and trainers, and got to know the security guard at the route gate very well. Elias' mother tended to call the guard if she couldn't find Elias around the apartment complex.
At age ten Elias was sat down and carefully told that his father was no longer living in Nimbasa City. Tony had been traded to another team, in another region. Elias was saddened by the news, as he liked his weekend visits, but was promised that he'd be able to visit as soon as his father was settled in the new town. They never received Big Tony's new address.
Elias took a job at Café Sonata for his first 'real' summer job. He shuffled from cashier to busboy to waiter as the café needed. The steady though minimum wages he earned allowed Elias to save a decent amount of money for what he dubbed his eventual 'round the world' trip. His neighborhood friends were all busy planning for college and careers. Neither of which really interested Elias. He still wanted to go out and explore, as he'd been doing since childhood. His savings fund steadily grew. The first sizable dents came Elias purchased heavy duty goggles and better shoes. He saved most of the money he earned over several summers, only dipping into the account when he needed new equipment or supplies for school. With the constant stream of tourists visiting the city the café grew busier every year. After graduating high school Elias began working at the café full-time.
At nineteen Elias grew tired of living in the city. He much preferred exploring the desert roads and trails. But even those roads were getting crowded with tourists and biker gangs and one crazy archeologist who'd been living in the desert for months without finding anything substantial. Elias wanted somewhere new to explore. So he bought a ticket for the biggest boat in the city. He decided that he would keep traveling until he found someplace interesting to stop. His mother was now happily married to Gabriel Jackson - a low-level researcher at the Battle Company who loved his job and didn't care that he was on the first floor. Elias knew his mother was in good hands. Even so, Ellen didn't want her son to leave. It took several days for Elias' mother to accept his decision. During that time Gabriel made several shopping trips. He purchased a sturdy backpack and several items that he claimed would help Elias on his 'Pokémon journey'. Elias wasn't quite sure why his stepfather was excited by the idea but he accepted the items gladly. Among the gifts was a book on Pokémon Training Basics and a brand new set of shoes. Elias' mother bought him a C-Gear as a going-away present, programmed with their home number, the number for Gabriel's office, and several 'emergency numbers'.
Notes: After stopping in Icirrus to see what 'snow' was, Elias told the captain of the boat that he would pay P$50 to stay aboard until the farthest location on the ship's scheduled route. The destination Elias was given was Gensia.
Age: 19
Sex: Male
Appearance: Elias is of medium height and thin build. He stands at 5'8" and hovers around 145 lbs. He was born with light brown hair that has lightened over years of constant sun exposure. Elias' skin stays lightly tanned with a scattering of superficial scrapes and bruises on his arms and legs due to his climbing hobby. He wears or carries sunglasses with him at all times so his grey eyes are rarely seen. Though he shaves regularly Elias still ends up with trimmed scruff most days. He doesn't spend any time reading or caring about the latest fashions. He wears what is comfortable - shorts with multiple pockets and t-shirts with good sturdy shoes built to last through difficult weather and rough terrain. He wears carabiners hooked to at least two of his belt loops and a wristband made of cord. He also carries strips of cloth or an old t-shirt looped through his belt to help guard against sandstorms.
Personality: Elias likes to keep moving and is very curious by nature. He has a hard time sitting still and talking to people, but if they're willing to climb or hike with him he can hold a conversation that way. Elias has learned to act interested when visiting the art exhibits at the Studio but art - and artists - don't really interest him. He'd rather see live nature than pictures of nature. Elias enjoys rock and tree climbing and will carry his Sandile if it can't make the climb with him. Elias likes to try new things, whether it be a simple game of chance, sand-surfing, or eating raw fish. He likes to push himself to be better at the activities he enjoys, to climb a little bit farther every trip. A broken collarbone and sprained ankle taught him at a young age the importance of safety. Dune likes to lay out in the sun once Elias reaches his destination. Having the Pokémon along reminds Elias to take breaks and rest every once and a while.
Profession: Former café employee. Wanderer. Pokémon trainer.
Talents: Elias has a good sense of direction and can tell the time by the sun and stars. An odd trick he noticed in his teen years is that he can usually guess the current temperature within a few degrees. He's good at tying - and untying - knots and at identifying edible plants in desert enviroments. Dune is good at hiding and finding hidden objects in sand or loose dirt.
Starter Pokémon: "Dune" - Sandile (Lv 5) - Leer, Rage, Bite; Ability : Moxie
Inventory:
Carried/worn
[ul]
[li]Sunglasses (with strap)[/li]
[li]Multitool[/li]
[li]Lighter[/li]
[li]C-Gear[/li]
[li]Timer-ball (Dune's)[/li]
[/ul]
Backpack
[ul]
[li]3 Pokéballs[/li]
[li]2 Great Balls[/li]
[li]5 Potions[/li]
[li]3 Antidote, Parlyz Heal, Burn Heal[/li]
[li]2 Revive[/li]
[li]Goggles (link [http://www.oakley.com/images/catalog/generated/750x350/17/48f4e183beb2f.jpg])[/li]
[li]Climbing gloves[/li]
[li]Flashlight[/li]
[li]Thermos of water (full)[/li]
[li]Rope, Harness (Sandile)[/li]
[li]Emergency blanket[/li]
[li]Small first-aid kit (bandages and disinfectant)[/li]
[li]Three sets of clothes, personal items[/li]
[li]Map of Unova[/li]
[li]Pokémon Training : Basics[/li]
[li]Unova Gym Leaders[/li]
[/ul]
Misc
[ul]
[li]P$500 in cash (on hand)[/li]
[li]P$500 in a traveler's check (in Backpack)[/li]
[li]P$2000 in savings account (accessed via card)[/li]
[/ul]
Hometown: Castelia City, Unova
Biography: Elias was born and raised in Castelia City where his mother Ellen works as an assistant at Studio Castelia. Elias' biological father was a professional soccer player who Ellen met while retrieving some artwork in Nimbasa. When Elias was young he and his mother would travel to Nimbasa City to see his father play in the Big Stadium. If there was time after the game Tony would take them to the amusement park. Elias' parents never married - 'it wasn't in "Big Tony's" plans' is the phrase his mother liked to use. But Big Tony did send money to them after every winning game.
Elias received his first Pokémon, Sandile, as a birthday gift from his mother. He was seven, and confident that he wanted a sibling, even putting it above a shiny new bike on his wishlist. But Elias instantly bonded with his new friend and decided it was better than a little brother. At least for the time being. Elias was so excited by the Pokémon that he didn't notice that his father hadn't sent him a gift that year. With his new friend tagging along Elias began to explore Route 4 with some of his neighbor friends. The small trio of boys met some travelers, and trainers, and got to know the security guard at the route gate very well. Elias' mother tended to call the guard if she couldn't find Elias around the apartment complex.
At age ten Elias was sat down and carefully told that his father was no longer living in Nimbasa City. Tony had been traded to another team, in another region. Elias was saddened by the news, as he liked his weekend visits, but was promised that he'd be able to visit as soon as his father was settled in the new town. They never received Big Tony's new address.
Elias took a job at Café Sonata for his first 'real' summer job. He shuffled from cashier to busboy to waiter as the café needed. The steady though minimum wages he earned allowed Elias to save a decent amount of money for what he dubbed his eventual 'round the world' trip. His neighborhood friends were all busy planning for college and careers. Neither of which really interested Elias. He still wanted to go out and explore, as he'd been doing since childhood. His savings fund steadily grew. The first sizable dents came Elias purchased heavy duty goggles and better shoes. He saved most of the money he earned over several summers, only dipping into the account when he needed new equipment or supplies for school. With the constant stream of tourists visiting the city the café grew busier every year. After graduating high school Elias began working at the café full-time.
At nineteen Elias grew tired of living in the city. He much preferred exploring the desert roads and trails. But even those roads were getting crowded with tourists and biker gangs and one crazy archeologist who'd been living in the desert for months without finding anything substantial. Elias wanted somewhere new to explore. So he bought a ticket for the biggest boat in the city. He decided that he would keep traveling until he found someplace interesting to stop. His mother was now happily married to Gabriel Jackson - a low-level researcher at the Battle Company who loved his job and didn't care that he was on the first floor. Elias knew his mother was in good hands. Even so, Ellen didn't want her son to leave. It took several days for Elias' mother to accept his decision. During that time Gabriel made several shopping trips. He purchased a sturdy backpack and several items that he claimed would help Elias on his 'Pokémon journey'. Elias wasn't quite sure why his stepfather was excited by the idea but he accepted the items gladly. Among the gifts was a book on Pokémon Training Basics and a brand new set of shoes. Elias' mother bought him a C-Gear as a going-away present, programmed with their home number, the number for Gabriel's office, and several 'emergency numbers'.
Notes: After stopping in Icirrus to see what 'snow' was, Elias told the captain of the boat that he would pay P$50 to stay aboard until the farthest location on the ship's scheduled route. The destination Elias was given was Gensia.
Name: Russel Manov
Age: 21
Sex: Male
Appearance: Russel stands at about 6'02", but one could hardly tell since he is constantly slouching. He's thin, and his skin is pale, but his baggy clothes make him look a little bigger. He has long black hair that reaches past his shoulders and right above his eyes, and is horribly shaggy and messy. His overall build is pretty lanky; he's big, but it's more a matter of him being tall and his limbs being long than him being large.
He wears a black vest with pouches for Poké Balls on the left side, with only one at the moment, with a dark violet short-sleeved shirt and long grey pants. He has a beige backpack and two matching brown pouches at his hips.
Personality: In the wilderness, Russel tends to be quiet and stays back, just looking around and taking in the scenery. He's relaxed, and while he doesn't actively seek out interaction with others, he's more than willing to participate in any activity. In the city, Russel is like a tourist, always wanting to go see the most interesting sights as soon as possible. He has a particular interest in cafes and diners, trying to get any of the local cuisine to go so he can sample it later. Russel enjoys training his Pokémon, but only the Pokémon he shows interest in, which is limited in scope. He has a tendency to be interested in Poison type Pokémon. He enjoys battling, but sees it as more an activity than steps to Pokémon Mastery.
Profession: He doesn't like to be called a trainer, more like a drifter who just happens to be accompanied by Pokémon.
Talents: Russel can work wonders with berries and herbs. While he isn't a licensed Pokémon doctor, he can at least deal with status ailments and can deal with minor injuries. He can make some good, healthy (but not at all filling) meals to Pokémon, and they can be consumed by humans (they just take a little getting used to...).
Russel also can use certain herbs for more... recreational uses. And does so often. (He doesn't bring that lighter along for cooking fires...)
Starter Pokémon: Russel's first Pokémon was a level 5 Gulpin he gave the nickname "Munchie". It knew the egg move Smog in the wild.
Moves: -Pound -Smog
Ability: Liquid Ooze.
Inventory:
The bag carries
- a large variety of berries and herbs
- 5 Cherri
- 5 Rawst
- 5 Chesto
- 5 Pecha
- 5 Aspear
- 5 Persim
- 1 Energy Root
- 3 Energy Powder
- 3 Heal Powder
- some bottles and filters
- a single pot
the left pouch holds
- a lighter
- his money (P$2700)
- his Pokédex and 4 Pokéballs
- navigation gear (Pokénav)
the right pouch
- a collapsible fishing rod
- a knife (for preparing berries)
- a flashlight
Hometown: Fortree City, Hoenn
Biography: Russel originally lived in the Unova region with his parents and his brother. However, after a while, due to differences in where they wanted to go in life, Mr and Mrs Manov decided to divorce. Russel's older brother Sergei remained in Unova with his father, an accomplished breeder, while Russel moved back to his mother's hometown of Fortree in Hoenn. Russel's mother opened up a shop selling alternative medicines and offering therapeutic treatments to Pokémon.
Russel worked at the shop and as the years passed, he started tending to the shop and learned all about berries and herbs. One day, he got curious and tried some of the herbs himself. While most people would be revolted by the taste, he actually took a liking to the stuff. Despite the odd side effects.
Getting tired of how tight-fisted his mother was with money, he got the crazy idea to make his own meals and sell them to people as a get-rich-quick scheme. One day while out getting some berries to experiment with for some of his own "new health food" concoctions, he ran across a Gulpin helping himself to Russel's berries. Annoyed, he shooed the Gulpin away, but it followed him home. After feeding it a few spare berries, it left. But the next day as he went out again, it came back. It followed him when he went somewhere else, but left him alone after he fed it. This would continue for a few weeks.
However, one day, the Gulpin didn't leave. Russel kept it in his room, waiting for it to just leave one day, but it never did. It kept following him. But he came to realize he didn't mind. In fact, he had grown to like the little blob. It was nice having someone to talk to who could actually respond. So he went to the Poké Mart and picked up a couple Poké Balls to try and catch it. And catch it he did. Calling the little guy "Munchie", he decided to take him home for real this time.
A few years passed and the pair went all around the Hoenn region for jobs for the shop, getting to see all over. This gave Russel a craving to see the world. When he turned twenty, he had managed to save up enough money from working to get a ticket to the Gensia region. He planned to see the sites and try his hand at gym battles (he tried fighting Winona with bad results...)
Age: 21
Sex: Male
Appearance: Russel stands at about 6'02", but one could hardly tell since he is constantly slouching. He's thin, and his skin is pale, but his baggy clothes make him look a little bigger. He has long black hair that reaches past his shoulders and right above his eyes, and is horribly shaggy and messy. His overall build is pretty lanky; he's big, but it's more a matter of him being tall and his limbs being long than him being large.
He wears a black vest with pouches for Poké Balls on the left side, with only one at the moment, with a dark violet short-sleeved shirt and long grey pants. He has a beige backpack and two matching brown pouches at his hips.
Personality: In the wilderness, Russel tends to be quiet and stays back, just looking around and taking in the scenery. He's relaxed, and while he doesn't actively seek out interaction with others, he's more than willing to participate in any activity. In the city, Russel is like a tourist, always wanting to go see the most interesting sights as soon as possible. He has a particular interest in cafes and diners, trying to get any of the local cuisine to go so he can sample it later. Russel enjoys training his Pokémon, but only the Pokémon he shows interest in, which is limited in scope. He has a tendency to be interested in Poison type Pokémon. He enjoys battling, but sees it as more an activity than steps to Pokémon Mastery.
Profession: He doesn't like to be called a trainer, more like a drifter who just happens to be accompanied by Pokémon.
Talents: Russel can work wonders with berries and herbs. While he isn't a licensed Pokémon doctor, he can at least deal with status ailments and can deal with minor injuries. He can make some good, healthy (but not at all filling) meals to Pokémon, and they can be consumed by humans (they just take a little getting used to...).
Russel also can use certain herbs for more... recreational uses. And does so often. (He doesn't bring that lighter along for cooking fires...)
Starter Pokémon: Russel's first Pokémon was a level 5 Gulpin he gave the nickname "Munchie". It knew the egg move Smog in the wild.
Moves: -Pound -Smog
Ability: Liquid Ooze.
Inventory:
The bag carries
- a large variety of berries and herbs
- 5 Cherri
- 5 Rawst
- 5 Chesto
- 5 Pecha
- 5 Aspear
- 5 Persim
- 1 Energy Root
- 3 Energy Powder
- 3 Heal Powder
- some bottles and filters
- a single pot
the left pouch holds
- a lighter
- his money (P$2700)
- his Pokédex and 4 Pokéballs
- navigation gear (Pokénav)
the right pouch
- a collapsible fishing rod
- a knife (for preparing berries)
- a flashlight
Hometown: Fortree City, Hoenn
Biography: Russel originally lived in the Unova region with his parents and his brother. However, after a while, due to differences in where they wanted to go in life, Mr and Mrs Manov decided to divorce. Russel's older brother Sergei remained in Unova with his father, an accomplished breeder, while Russel moved back to his mother's hometown of Fortree in Hoenn. Russel's mother opened up a shop selling alternative medicines and offering therapeutic treatments to Pokémon.
Russel worked at the shop and as the years passed, he started tending to the shop and learned all about berries and herbs. One day, he got curious and tried some of the herbs himself. While most people would be revolted by the taste, he actually took a liking to the stuff. Despite the odd side effects.
Getting tired of how tight-fisted his mother was with money, he got the crazy idea to make his own meals and sell them to people as a get-rich-quick scheme. One day while out getting some berries to experiment with for some of his own "new health food" concoctions, he ran across a Gulpin helping himself to Russel's berries. Annoyed, he shooed the Gulpin away, but it followed him home. After feeding it a few spare berries, it left. But the next day as he went out again, it came back. It followed him when he went somewhere else, but left him alone after he fed it. This would continue for a few weeks.
However, one day, the Gulpin didn't leave. Russel kept it in his room, waiting for it to just leave one day, but it never did. It kept following him. But he came to realize he didn't mind. In fact, he had grown to like the little blob. It was nice having someone to talk to who could actually respond. So he went to the Poké Mart and picked up a couple Poké Balls to try and catch it. And catch it he did. Calling the little guy "Munchie", he decided to take him home for real this time.
A few years passed and the pair went all around the Hoenn region for jobs for the shop, getting to see all over. This gave Russel a craving to see the world. When he turned twenty, he had managed to save up enough money from working to get a ticket to the Gensia region. He planned to see the sites and try his hand at gym battles (he tried fighting Winona with bad results...)
