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Trails of Tera Steel (Kiseki-inspired Pokemon Academy Quest)

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I am looking at the last background option and think: is this the evild history teacher lady from the S/V? Is this our lead to icey cat and the funny fish? Gottavpick that one, we have to do it to them, unleash the calamity. Someone lese can be the protag of the anime, we will be sympathetic sidekick of the villain. :V
 
[X] The Quartz Part Of The Previous Plan Plan
-[X] Fede
-[X] The Academic Pipeline

I know there is a combo with the orfanage, but I find it interesting that mystic side of the background. Also that even though the background was not the best we got an scholarship, been able to interact more easily with Pokemon would help so there could be synergy with that. I think I am aiming for someone who has put herself deep in her studies and now she will be have to socialice more in this new environment.
This also maximizes the points we have.

Well I guess I'll do an approval voting as well.
[X] Plan: A Moonlit World
[X] Plan: Heavy Lies The Crown
[X] Plan: Political Powderkeg
 
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[X] Plan: Sympathetic Villain
-[X] Levincia
-[X] Stranger of Paradise

Who needs to be a good guy when you can be a sympathetic sidekick to a villain?
 
[X] Plan Redheaded Barbarian
-[X] Andosin Highlands
-[X] It Takes a Village

This gives us the option for a Dragon, more Skill and Prowess and makes Knowledge worse but allows for catch up.

I feel like this is a Red-headed Millium with a dragon and a background like Gaius.
 
Ferb_Ancos said:
I don't know who the villains in this setting are, but seeing the description of Stranger of Paradise makes me think that sympathy is not something present in that relationship.
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Oh, it will not be our boss who will offer sympathy, it will be the plucky hero and their crew rescuing us from their clutches.
 
[X] Plan: Heavy Lies The Crown
-[X] Cascarrafa
-[X] Noblesse Oblige

Maximizing our capabilities with charm and battling skills, making resources not a problem for us, ensuring a top quality pokemon like a Speed Boost Blaziken, (Unnerfed) Protean Greninja, or Literally Any Larvitar, and providing the most direct route to large amounts of influence.

Dominate them all socially, silence them with our battling skill, and we will attain our freedom. Whether that's by word and games of intrigue, or simply being so strong that no amount of soft influence can ever restrain us.

The downsides of Noblesse Oblige are heavy, yes, but they can be ameliorated and entirely discarded once we simply get good enough, and the upsides of being stupidly rich, having the needs of our team taken care of, and simply being included in any inevitable conspiracies will be taken as a matter of course, are apparent and plentiful.

Plus the Asado Desert intrigues me, combined with its stat boost I think it's worth it

Heavy Lies The Crown, but we will overcome its weight.
 
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Ah, Psyduck did it, he did the thing in the title.

Hm, yep, still can't sleep, let's look at budget and combos

4 Chargen Points to work with

Cortondo: no synergies, has a meaningful drawback, is accidentally the character I play in a ToCS-based tabletop. Whoops. Nah.
Cabo Poco: standard choice, no drawbacks, max charisma. Possibly accidentally even more Estelle than my character plan already was.
Artazon (-1): kinda feels weird given that we went for min KNOW previously.
Levincia (-2): Interesting, and home to Best Girl gym leader. de-minimizes our Know some but in a more flavorful way than Artazon, plus that looks like a handy trait)
Zapapico (+1): Broke and minmaxed, probably a good combo with that shady background or the orphanage.
Cascarrafa (-2): No downsides, synergy with Noblesse Oblige
Fede (-2): Cool flavor, we've got the Power of the Heart, I'm not voting for it because it's coincidentally similar to the character in Gym Leader Quest and I like variety in the random shit I follow.
Porto Marinada: Another synergy with Noblesse Oblige, this one putting us right in the thick of a subplot
Medali (-1): It's free money
Andosin Highlands (-3): Cool as shit barbarian, has "main plot" plastered all over it, probably the best type options. Having absolutely bottomed out KNOW comes with a neat compensation
Alfornada: Do we want to max CHRM y/n
Montenevera: PROW boost without being poor, home to Best Boy gym leader
Los Platos: More plot hooks and not a lot else.

Middle Class (-1): The default. We can afford this and Andosin if we want depressingly normal barbarian parents
Village (+1): Numerically there's no reason to take this and it's financial hard mode. Still seems really endearing. It feels meant to be taken with Zapapico, could be really interesting with Andosin too even if the "mechanical" synergy isn't there.
Noble (-2): Seems fun, can afford with any of the non-banned hometowns. Could definitely be interesting to see, but Noblesse Oblige feels like a more interesting way to interface with this social class, haha.
Contender (-2): A scrappy up and comer who still has some support. Cannot afford with Andosin Highlands, real focus on the Pokemon Battling here
Academic (-1): Like Artazon, I'm just skipping this one based on the character we've already established
Noblesse Oblige (-3): Interesting. Very interesting. Built in soap opera drama plot, lots of benefits, we're gonna have to kill our dad. Well okay it's Pokémon and Trails even if we do it's not gonna stick. Cost rules out Levincia in addition to the other bans.
Stranger of Paradise (+1): Do you want to play N, y/n. Really interesting and different option. Combines with anything with a cost less than 2.

So I'm feeling Village+Andosin (weird outsider), You'll Make It Far+Levincia (normal, if high-pressure, trainer), Noblesse Oblige+Porto Marinada (a fish deeply out of water and playing a very dangerous game she never asked for), or SoP plus...man, what even do we do for the hometown there.

Seeing as two of these options have come up already I'm just gonna throw out a third and see if anyone else is interested. Decent odds I'll change my vote to Redheaded Barbarian, but...

[X] Plan: Political Powderkeg
-[X] Porto Marinada
-[X] Noblesse Oblige

We're a bastard orphan in the town most hard-pressed by the imperial side of the equation suddenly dragged into the life of one of the empire's nobles without warning or consent, given a life of luxury at the cost of absolutely absurd demands from our supervillain parent. We've seen both sides of the ugliness of imperialism and will need to navigate very carefully to not wind up far worse than we started...

Yeah I wrote all this out and I'm still thinking of Redheaded Barbarian so we can have some cute pseudosiblings and a Bagon. idk I just want to know if anyone else is interested.
 
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Glossary of Terms
  • Informational
    • Glossary of Terms

    This is going to be where I put terms that Mariana knows/should know. Will update depending on new information or knowledge

    A dedicated facility for Pokemon Battling. Typically located in settlements. they serve as a way for trainers to battle safely within the confines of an urban environment. Typically has a handful of League Psychic-types dedicated to barriers on duty at all times. Open from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
    According to Ms. Gregoria, is a device that the Academy is planning to provide to students starting this Academic School Year. Has a Pokedex, Phone and Terastalization functionality. Makes use of something called the Combat Link System. As per Ostia, it has a Pokemon inside it.
    Proof of a person being a Trainer. Two primary ways of becoming a Trainer. Registration with the Pokemon League and Enrollment into Mesagoza Academy.
    Your parents and Jenkins have explained this to you over the years: when a Pokemon in the wild is old enough, and powerful enough, they become part of the world. Their environment moulds to their desires, and the Pokemon comes to rule over the territory they now consider theirs and theirs alone. Like this, age stops---Pokemon that ought to live for twenty years last for centuries, unchanged near their prime.

    At the heart of their Domain, the Pokemon is much more powerful. But they can never leave, else they lose their power and timelesness, and so they draw in Pokemon to keep them company. Warping the world around them in a very literal way. Freezing tundra where there should be idyllic routes and forest path. Sun-scorched deserts in thriving Farmlands. In that regard, some Pokemon have no choice but to migrate and new Pokemon come to thrive in their place.

    Yet Domains can change. When their holders die or disappear, or when they fall to emerging new Domains or human contamination. Most Domains in Paldea are barely two centuries old. Only a handful are as old as the very beginnings of the region. Before the Great Collapse, before the First Empire, before the oldest and most ancient ruins in the world. Those who stretch to the very bowels of time.
    You saw one of these once a year or so back. You were with Jenkins and Doremi who was teaching you some new things about wild Pokemon. You really can't remember that lesson all that well anymore. What happened after was a lot more important. And haunting. While you were on your way back you noticed that there was smoke and fire coming from that Mine the Paldeans set up a while back. It only cropped up recently.

    Dad said it was an illegal mine and a company had set it up. That they should complain to the fort who'll do something about. Mom scoffed saying that she doubted the Paldeans would do anything. Not until it was too late. You remember a dark look on her as she said that. They'll be sorted out eventually she said verbatim. You never understood what she meant until that day.

    When you pointed it out to him he looked contemplative. I suppose it'll be best for you to learn he said, gesturing for Doremi to head to a cliff overlooking the mine. He warned me to keep quiet, don't go close no matter and if it gets too much to stop looking. When we landed and dismounted, he gave me a pair of binoculars he kept on a satchel with him.

    There you saw.

    You saw Zangoose and Servipers, bitter enemies working together to destroy mining machinery. Groups of Mankey throwing exploding Pineco and Geodudes at the windows of one of the two still standing buildings in the Mine. A flock of Swellows and Fearows flying around said building carrying Bug and Grass Pokemon who were firing attacks at a pair of Trainers on the roof who were trying to fight them off. You saw... Digletts and Arons carrying out the crushed corpses of miners from the caves that dotted the quarry the mine was built on. You saw a group a group of Lairon bring down the other building by collapsing the foundations. You heard screams. A trainer in the collapsing building jumped out the window and flew away on his Braviary. Ignored by the Pokemon who continued their attack on the Mine.


    You---hear an unfamiliar squack behind you. You turn around and saw a Fearow on the ground, wings folded on its sides, just looking at you. Gramps turns to the bird assuring them that you're just watching. That neither him nor you would interfere. You were frozen in fear. Squacking one last time the Fearow flew away to join its flock. You were shaking when Gramps asked you if you've seen enough. You nodded and gave him the binoculars. The trip was quiet on the way back. Gramps said they were called Wild Hunts.

    When Wild Pokemon put aside all of their differences to attack a place. According to him most of them are caused by and play out similar to what happened below. Wild Pokemon could tolerate the little human encroachments, tiny , barely even noticeable in the large scale. But stuff like mining complexes in the middle of the wild, mass bulldozing of habitats, massive oil rigs and such. Those cause Wild Hunts. Sometimes the humans win and the mine or oil rig or whatever stays. Sometimes the Pokemon win and the place is abandoned and forgotten by whoever set them up. And the people working them... well... y'know.

    You stay silent the entire day.
    The refinement of Tera Crystals into Orbal Energy in the aftermath of the Great War a scant four decades ago would revolutionize technology and industry across the entire world. The refinement process was pioneered Professor Heather Babbage and resulted in a power source that was cleaner, more powerful and more efficient than any that came before it. Powering everything from Heating, Lighting, Electronics, Automobiles and Aircraft. Orbal Energy eventually established a new technological paradigm with Paldea, the number one exporter of Tera Crystals, and Galar, the foremost refiner of Orbal Energy at its center.
    Short for International Police. Founded by the victorious powers in the aftermath of the Great War with the express purpose of tracking down and bringing Cipher and Orrean war criminals to justice. Today its remit expanded to include the combatting of international terrorist and criminal organizations like Team Rocket, the Aqua and Magma Sects, the Galactic Organization and most recently Dim Sun. Was involved with the takeover and investigation of Aether Paradise and Macro Cosmos.
    In the aftermath of the Great War, various Ranger associations, unions and guilds came together to coordinate a response to the global crisis left in the wake of the conflict. Today, the WRA leads and organizes Ranger missions and task forces to handle crises and hotspots across the world. Prioritizing the welfare of humans and Pokemon over regional boundaries and political considerations. This has led them to regularly come into loggerheads with states like the Indigo League, the Reorganized Ransei State, the Unovan Republics and most recently the Paldean Empire.
    "Shadow Pokemon are fucking terrifying, don't know how those Cipher fuckers made em and I don't wanna know. Things are relentless and vicious, their guts could be sprawled out onto the dirt and missing two limbs and they'd still try to crawl towards you and bite your face off. The boys claimed their mindless but I know better, they fuckin love targetting humans. Prolly why Cipher likes siccing them on civvies. Saving grace is they're kinda stupid, brains too addled on whatever shit Cipher did too them to think straight. Still fuckin hit hard though."
    • Lance Corporal Jenkin Jochi (3rd Andosin Mobile Cavalry Division) on Shadow Pokemon
     
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  • Informational
    • [X] Plan: A Moonlit World
    -[X] Fede
    -[X] You'll Make It Far Kid

    A girl from a peculiar and isolated village burdened with hidden knowledge, sent by powerful forces with high expections.

    Emma Millstein with knives come on down?

    Approval voting since I've kinda fallen out of the running:
    [X] Plan Redheaded Barbarian
     
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    [X] Plan: Started at the bottom
    -[X] Levincia
    -[X] You'll Make It Far Kid


    If Mariana wasn't literally a street urchin, she might as well be. Coming from the poorest districts of the sprawling city of Levincia, school was just a holding pen to keep kids from bothering the actually important people in the city until the League let them work in the factories. One Mariana and her friends easily escaped, and they took to petty crime instead to keep busy and amused, often with the help of nearby urban pokemon. That is, until Mariana tried to pickpocket the wrong trainer who looked like a easy mark, and they saw the bond we could make with Pokemon instead...

    Gets us a Rare Electric, Ghost, Dark or Steel type, all good types. We have resources, expectations, and a bone to pick with the current political system. All the potential we need for fun plots.
     
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    [X] Plan Friends in unexpected places
    - [X] Cabo Poco
    - [X] You'll Make It Far Kid
    Let's be best friends/rivals with Nemona by being an up and coming trainer from her home town.
    Though I'll also throw an approval vote at
    [X] Plan Redheaded Barbarian
     
    WrandmWaffles said:
    This gives us the option for a Dragon, more Skill and Prowess and makes Knowledge worse but allows for catch up.
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    A bit of a shame that that 2x known xp only lasts until reaching 8 known. That's why I think the academic pipeline is a bit better because the extra 10% xp is permanent (I know is not much but is a bit better for the lasting factor)
     
    Another draw for picking Cascarrafa (and thus my plan since Noblesse Oblige has the best synergy with it) is that it's close to the Asado Desert, the only place in Paldea outside of Area Zero where you can find a paradox pokemon, the Quaking Earth Titan, Great Tusk or Iron Treads. Even if we can't capture the Titan for our own ends, finding it will almost certainly be the beginning step to researching and finding more.

    I can think of loads of purposes we can use for pokemon of near legendary strength. Sure, will we be able to even approach one of them right now without being pasted? Not at all, but at least with picking Cascarrafa we'll always have that knowledge that the desert is weird, and thus the possibility of investigating.

    Assuming paradox pokemon are a thing here, or that they're similar to canon pokemon, this is a fusion setting after all. Although we at least know something is up, even if we're not sure what.
     
    Noblesse Oblige plot beats suck though. We're going to deal with arrogant nobility in any case, this is Trails-inspired, but I've rather not have them controlling our entire life from the start of the quest and their suffocating expectations have to be met right from the start. It's more fun to come at them as a outsider, from a position they have no power over and the mindset to surpass them.

    Especially why starting in Levincia is good is that it means we can start with antimonarchist/Republican mindsets easier and be more involved in those kind of plotlines.

    Powerful pokemon will come in time with all starts. The real question is what background we have, and what typing we prefer.
     
    Plot beats and their potential suckage are a matter of opinion and author skill, but I see your point. It's all about preference and all that, because I personally love the potential plot beats of Noblesse Oblige.

    Speaking of type of pokemon, I already like all out offensives, so fire pokemon sounds great to me, and that's another draw for Cascarrafa for me. Not that ground or water types can't crush the competition with their offences, its just that there's something about setting everything on fire that draws me in.

    Not that I'm against any of the other plans mind, I'll support any plan that'll make us a better fighter, give me the intrigue I want, or lean towards the mystical side of pokemon. So basically any plan has my support.
     
    [X] Plan Redheaded Barbarian
    [X] Plan: Political Powderkeg
    [X] Plan: A Moonlit World

    These look the most fun.
     
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    [X] Plan: Started at the bottom
    [X] Plan Redheaded Barbarian
    [X] Plan: Sympathetic Villain

    Putting some approval votes on other plans I like.
     
    nothingtoseehere said:
    Noblesse Oblige plot beats suck though. We're going to deal with arrogant nobility in any case, this is Trails-inspired, but I've rather not have them controlling our entire life from the start of the quest and their suffocating expectations have to be met right from the start. It's more fun to come at them as a outsider, from a position they have no power over and the mindset to surpass them.

    Especially why starting in Levincia is good is that it means we can start with antimonarchist/Republican mindsets easier and be more involved in those kind of plotlines.

    Powerful pokemon will come in time with all starts. The real question is what background we have, and what typing we prefer.
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    I proffered a Noblesse Oblige plan (also next to the Asado Desert) because I felt the intrigue and getting out from under the thumb of Duke Dipshit would make for a fun story in and of itself. Especially since there's synergy in Porto Marinada to make us still an outsider to the system with potential anti-imperial (if not republican) connections if we pursue them.

    That said @ArvisPresley can we approval vote here or no? People just started doing it without it being specified and I know that some QMs default to it and some don't.
     
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