Wuhtu
Lore
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You are each about to become one of the newest trainers in Wuhtu, another region of the Pokemon world, a la Kanto or Johto. Wuhtu operates quite a bit differently than its counterparts, though. For starters, there aren't just three starters (hah, get it?) but instead, the only "limitation" is that trainers will always start with a pokemon of one of the types associated with the gym in their hometown.
The primary reason for that is the way trainers receive starters--from none other than their local gym leader. When a prospective trainer shows potential, they are invited to battle* the leader one-on-one with their would-be-starter. (This is where you'll start!) Winning grants the kid the right to keep the pokemon, receive a pokedex, and be officially inducted into the Wuhtu Pokemon League.
*Starter Battle
The circumstances behind a trainer’s invitation to battle their local gym leader are always different, but the result is simple. The leader provides the challenger with a League-approved starter, and the two have a battle to determine whether or not the challenger keeps that pokemon and joins the League. Win, and you’re in. Lose, and you go home empty-handed. A challenger is allowed three cracks at the leader. Three strikes and you’re out for good. Technically this battle operates under normal League rules, but common sense dictates that the leader lets up a little bit, since the challenger is a complete rookie. The leader will do his/her best to at least give the challenger a chance to win, but it is always on the challenger to seize that opportunity. Winning this battle does not grant the challenger the gym’s badge. Leaders will, however, tend to give out a useful TM along with some sage advice before ushering the newly inducted League member out on their merry way. It is tradition for any trainer to wait until they are halfway done collecting Wuhtu’s badges before coming back to challenge their home gym for real.
Keen readers will notice the phrase "one of the types" above referring to gyms. There are still only 8 gyms in Wuhtu, but types are sensibly paired--or even tripled--up so that every single type is represented once.
Furthermore, gym leaders and the trainers who reside in their gym all have an incredible variety of Pokemon. Not in terms of types, obviously, but in terms of levels and species. Retired trainers will donate pokemon to their local gym, breeders will drop eggs off, even other gym leaders will occasionally happen to catch a pokemon and send it off to their friend at the type-appropriate gym. Functionally, this means that fights in gyms will always be level appropriate. It isn't the gyms you have to worry about...it's the routes.
Pokemon in the wild don't follow a nice, preset level structure in Wuhtu. There are all kinds of beasts on any given route, actually hiding in the grass or perched in trees. There will be Ratata nests from which the rats will endlessly swarm until the nest is closed (with diminishing XP, nice try). Cute little Shinxes will run off when hurt to get their Luxray parents (which will be much harder to catch, nice try again). On the plus side, defeating the alpha male of a Houndoom pack will make the rest respect you, trivializing the capture of one (and only one) Houndour. There will be fights where your only choices will be to run or die (escaping will be easier). Nature will run its course with or without you, and you will do well to remember that you are an intruder in these places.
The good news is that you can hire mercenaries to escort you through the more dangerous zones, should you be unable to trek it alone but able to afford their rates. You won't be gaining any XP or capturing any pokemon with them around, but you'll make it to the other side. In that vein, you may also find yourself in need of money at some point. If so, you can be one of those mercenaries and help other trainers! For a price.
All of this to say, I want you all to feel like you're actually people living in a world, not just trainers hopping from city to city to hit a gym and run along.
Geography
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Wuhtu is arranged in a roughly circular fashion. Dozens of routes connect the various cities to one another, and the species of Pokemon that take up residence on those routes tend to be a product of the cities around them. Also, the cities each serve a very real purpose outside of their gyms. Wrystone Nature Preserve houses the region's Safari Zone. Mirror Mountain Base Camp is a gathering ground for those seeking to summit the eponymous Mirror Mountain, which is also the only way to reach the sky-scraping Maelstrom City. Xylo Central is the bustling shopping center for all of Wuhtu. The gyms spring up from the cities, not the other way around.
Cities
* Elite Four info below
Port Tidings: At the southern tip of Wuhtu, Port Tidings serves as the entire region’s gateway to the world. It is a beautiful coastal city, perfect for a honeymoon or summer vacation. The beaches are splendid, though a few pokemon do make their homes in certain areas. Local establishments are frequented by captains and their crews, often with fantastic stories of faraway lands across the sea. Goldeens and Horseas swim to and fro, sometimes chased by fearsome Sharpedos. Wingulls fly overhead and Duckletts waddle along the shore. Every so often, one can even see a family of Laprases floating off in the distance. The local gym leader is Leia Reynaud, a widely respected Photographer. In her younger days, she traveled all around the world in search of the perfect picture. She claims that she found it in taking a snapshot of the sunset over Port Tidings’ harbor on a warm summer night. Now, she has settled down in perfect view of that sunset, riding off into it on the back of her swift Milotic whenever she gets the urge. She uses Water and Ice pokemon and loves nothing more than a good view.
Wrystone Nature Preserve: It’s a sad fact of life that sometimes, a species of pokemon dwindles dangerously low in number. When that happens, the species is rounded up and taken west to the Wrystone Nature Preserve, named after the philanthropist Del Wrystone who financed its growth. There, they can stave off extinction while also populating Wrystone’s Safari Zone. The opposite case is when a species proves to be too aggressive in the wild, threatening everything around them. Those species are quarantined in the separate, much more vicious Danger Zone. Most tourists who visit Wrystone are only allowed to enter the Safari Zone for their sightseeing desires. Trainers who demonstrate sufficient ability are granted permission to wander around the Danger Zone, potentially catching very rare and powerful predators. As a side note, trainers are allowed (and required to for the Danger Zone) to bring pokemon into these zones, unlike other regions. Wrystone’s gym is run by Halle Wrystone, one of Del’s descendants and an immensely accomplished Rider in her own right. Halle spends much of her free time riding around the Safari Zone on her fierce Arcanine, occasionally venturing into the Danger Zone to quell any potential uprisings. She uses Fire and Grass pokemon and relishes the rush of battle.
Mirror Mountain Base Camp: Wuhtu’s most immediately recognizable feature from far away is the Markrum Mountain range along the east and northeast parts of the region. The tallest of these mountains is Mirror Mountain, named for the ample steel pokemon which call its exterior home and reflect sunlight like a mirror. Hundreds of hikers and climbers attempt to summit Mirror Mountain every year, but only a few dozen have ever succeeded. Still, that doesn’t stop droves of would-be-heroes from congregating at the Base Camp in preparation for their climbs. Trainers who enter the Base Camp can find Rusty Sten watching dutifully over his gym. In his heyday, Rusty was one of the greatest climbers Mirror Mountain ever saw. He reached its peak twice, the second time with only his sturdy Gigalith accompanying him. Rusty uses Ground, Rock, and Steel pokemon and wants a challenging fight above all else.
Orum Town: Residents of Wuhtu, pokemon and people alike, face the inevitability of death just like everywhere else in the world. Orum Town contains the largest graveyard in the region, and people from all over Wuhtu will venture southwest to Orum to bury their dead if they can afford to do so. Many more will travel to Orum to pay their respects to fallen friends. A large monument in the center of town is inscribed with the names of every pokemon ever accidentally killed in a League sanctioned battle. It is rumored that this monument holds a sinister secret...but such talk is universally dismissed as crazy conspiracy theory nonsense. Orum’s gym leader is named Avu Sylum, an enigmatic Psychic and Wuhtu’s newest gym leader. A few years ago, Avu got off at Port Tidings, walked to Orum and took over the gym. All that is known of him is that he came from an unknown far-off land after surviving a deadly tournament of some sort. Now, he atones for the lives he took by watching over the dead with his hauntingly solemn Gengar at his side. In battle, Avu uses Psychic, Ghost, and Dark pokemon and is ever reluctant to go all out, lest he take another life.
Elrem Forest Clearing: The southwest section of Wuhtu consists primarily of the very, very dense Elrem Forest. Trees in this region can be well over 200 feet tall, covering almost the entire forest floor in eternal shade. This environment is perfect for critters of all kinds to take up residence, as any traveler will quickly notice. Swarms of Ledian fly by as Spinaraks try to capture their young Ledyba in their webs. Many Venonats and Nincadas creep across the ground. A lucky collector may stumble across a Shedinja slowly floating toward Orum. At the heart of Elrem Forest is a relatively small clearing which hermits and bug enthusiasts call home. Elrem Forest Clearing’s gym is led by Shea O’Riley, a jolly world-renowned Botanist. Shea, along with his hyper Kricketune, maintains the Clearing’s ample berry gardens, which serve as a food source for the local citizens and surrounding wildlife. Shea uses Bug and Poison pokemon and revels in the bounties of nature.
Xylo Central: In Wuhtu, all roads lead to Xylo, “The city that never blinks.” It is the cultural, economic, and physical center of the entire region. Anyone who sets foot in the city for the first time is instantly taken over by bright lights and blaring sounds. It is much bigger than the other cities, yet is still feels cramped from the sheer number of residents and tourists walking its streets. Skyscrapers are the norm and a sprawling underground subway system serves as transportation from one location to another. There are shows from sunup to sundown, and then more shows from sundown to sunup. All of the commerce and glamour result in the cost of living in Xylo being as sky-high as the buildings that dominate the cityscape. Xylo’s gym leader, Zayir Noir, was once the headliner at one of the biggest shows in town. The fantastic Juggler still occasionally does shows assisted by his flashy Jolteon, but for the most part has retired to the less style, more substance life of a gym leader. He uses Electric and Flying pokemon, and always battles with an intent to entertain.
Gateway Dojo: Deep in the frozen northwest of Wuhtu, a few dozen brave souls inhabit the Gateway Dojo. The entire town is inside one single, albeit quite large, building. The unforgiving tundra outside necessitated constant shelter, as even a trivial trip to the PokeMart would carry risk of frostbite if the city were actually outside. But the cold outside is in stark contrast with the hot-blooded residents of Gateway. The city takes its name from the huge Dojo that dwarfs the rest of the buildings. Inside, trainers and non-trainers alike exercise fiercely and constantly, training their bodies to withstand anything. They do this out of necessity, as trips to other parts of Wuhtu mean venturing through the frigid wasteland that surrounds Gateway. The entrance to Victory Road is also a short--though arduous--walk from Gateway Dojo’s front door. Trip Grayson, the Dojo’s leader, is a tough-as-nails Blackbelt who has honed his body to incredible levels of strength and endurance. He spends almost all his time training with his gutsy Ursaring to maintain his physical fitness. Trip uses Normal and Fighting pokemon in battle and favors close combat.
Maelstrom City: High atop Mirror Mountain lies the most remote locale in Wuhtu, Maelstrom City. It takes a very special person indeed to reach Maelstrom’s golden entryway. Around Wuhtu, “having one’s head in the clouds” has a different meaning: being powerful. Maelstrom’s residents literally touch the sky whenever they go outside, and the entire city is so high that weather is never a factor. It is a gorgeous place to live...if you can reach it. Some people in Wuhtu don’t even believe that Maelstrom City exists, convinced that it must be a myth. One can see the entranceway to Victory Road from the city’s western plateau, but hiking down the steep path to reach it is another thing entirely. Maelstrom’s gym also has quite the reputation. Officially, every gym in the Wuhtu League is equal. To those in the know, the running joke is that Maelstrom’s gym is “more equal” than its counterparts. Maelstrom’s leader Bryce Daggson commands a veritable armada of fearsome dragon pokemon led by his awe-inspiring Salamence. Bryce himself is a peerless Dragon Type Ace. Though a very gracious gentleman outside of battle, Bryce is absolutely relentless in the ring, pulling no punches and giving no quarter to challengers.
Victory Road: Just like the other regions, Wuhtu's Victory Road serves as a final test of a trainer's mettle after they have acquired all 8 badges. Though completing the gym circuit and reaching Victory Road's entrance is no simple feat, making it through to the other side is considerably harder yet. This dire cave houses the most powerful pokemon in the wild, and the trainers who frequent it are very dangerous foes as well. It is a grueling gauntlet designed to weed out the weak. Even trainers who breezed through the rest of Wuhtu often find themselves hitting the wall along Victory Road, forced to train for weeks, months, or even years before they are able to reach its exit. But the reward for coming out the other side is considerable, for the light at the end of this particular tunnel is the Elite Four!
Elite Four
Members of Wuhtu's Elite Four separate themselves from their gym leader brethren by focusing their teams on things beside types. They also forego their given names and adopt a new, thematic moniker upon donning the mantle of Elite Four status. It is said that Wrath, the current champion, has never lost a battle, sanctioned or otherwise. Per Wuhtu League rules, a challenger may battle the Elite Four members as many times as they choose, but they may only face Wrath once. Win, and they take over as Champion. Lose, and they can never battle for the title again.
Wither: Status effects don’t feel as powerful as attacks that simply hit hard. It takes a certain maturity to start to see how effective they are, and that is a huge lesson for any would-be-master. When Wither was given the honor of joining the Elite Four, he made it his mission to teach young trainers about how important statuses could be. He adopted the name “Wither” and filled his team with pokemon capable of inflicting crippling status effects. Expect a long, arduous war of attrition when facing Wither.
Hawk: Critical hits are flashy, and they are deadly. For some reason, trainers tend to think about them as “luck” or “chance” instead of doing everything they can to make them happen. Hawk hopes to change that belief. His goal is to demonstrate that “We make our own luck” through an insane amount of critical hits that defy all odds. His team consists of a strike force of pokemon united in their common goal of maximizing crit chance and and hitting hard. Expect a quick, painful flurry of criticals when facing Hawk.
Heart: There is no force in the world quite like it. It builds mountains and it tears them down. Trainers tend to forget about the power of love while poring over their type charts and move lists. The only female member of Wuhtu’s Elite Four, Heart would remind everyone of how important and dominant love can be with her beautiful temptresses and casanovas. Her team focuses on pulling their opponents into the clutches of infatuation so that they lose their will to fight. Expect a starry-eyed tug of war when facing Heart.
Storm: The weather comes, the weather goes. A lot of people, even trainers, consider themselves at the whim of whatever gods control the clouds. But Storm never believed such things. He demonstrates to all that the weather is just as malleable as putty in our hands by constantly manipulating it with a variety of methods and purposes. His team makes sure it always has the upper hand in battle by changing the environment itself. Expect an ongoing battle of wits when facing Storm.
Wrath: Power. Power equals power. While the rest of the Elite Four equate power to one thing or another, Wuhtu’s champion makes it even simpler. His pokemon hit hard and often. Wrath has held the title of champion for as long as anyone can remember, and he is considered the most powerful trainer in the entire region--by a wide margin. No one besides the Elite Four is allowed to watch a challenger’s battle with Wrath. All anyone else sees is a confident almost-master strut in and a broken never-master trudge out. As such, no one really knows what pokemon he has or how they are so powerful. But they are indeed powerful, as Wrath has never lost a battle, League sanctioned or otherwise. Furthermore, it is said that he has never even been forced to use his last pokemon, his ultimate trump card. “Wrath” isn’t just a name, the champion is the embodiment of the word and very idea. Expect to lose when facing Wrath.
Team Ostra
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Just like the other regions, Wuhtu contains a large, quasi-criminal organization working behind the scenes to accomplish some goal. This one, however, was unwittingly created by the Wuhtu League itself.
"Team Ostra," also known as "The Exiled," consists of trainers who find themselves on the outside of the League looking in. ("Ostra" is short for "ostracized.") They seek to overthrow the League.
The League has two natural barriers, at the beginning and at the end. A sad truth is that some young trainers simply cannot defeat their local gym leader within three tries. The leader won't be ruthless, but it is their League-mandated duty to provide a legitimate test. As such, they can't just take a dive so that a kid can join the League.
These unfortunate losers, deprived of status and starter, turn to the only other organization who can make their dream of becoming a powerful trainer come true: Team Ostra. Once initiated, they carry out missions of various disrepute. At the start, it doesn't seem that bad at all. But over time, as their loyalty to Team Ostra increases and their chances of doing anything else wane, they willingly do worse and worse things. Yet it always seems like they're doing the right thing to them. They are an endless natural resource for the upper echelons of Team Ostra to use and abuse.
The leadership of Team Ostra mainly consists of trainers who have lost to the champion at the very end of the League. Their dream, so very close to coming true, is irrevocably shattered once their last pokemon faints against Wrath. These powerful, disillusioned trainers are wooed by Team Ostra's leader to join the ranks as an officer, so that they may enact their vengeance on the League's final cruelty.
Team Ostra's leader is an outstandingly charismatic man known only as Grail. Not much is known about him, as his life before creating Team Ostra is shrouded in mystery. Was he one of the first trainers to fall to Wrath? Or was he an outsider who saw a chance to manipulate others for power? No one, not even his most trusted lieutenants, knows who he really is. Perhaps that no longer matters. Perhaps "Grail" is all he is now, the ruthless driven leader of Team Ostra.
Other Organizations
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Good as Gold Mercenary's Guild: Because the roads in Wuhtu are so dangerous, the business of travelers paying strong trainers to guide them to their destination naturally sprang up. At first, the process was absolute chaos, as without any rules to guide people, sellers kept undercutting each other's prices and buyers found themselves stuck with clueless or apathetic escorts. Mercenaries quickly became a dubious joke around Wuhtu. To change that, the best mercenaries from the region worked together to form a respectable organization with real rules and exclusive membership with an assurance of quality. Thus, the Good as Gold Mercenary's Guild was born. Now, prices for each route are clearly defined and a Mercenary's Guild ID is "good as gold." Trainers who seek membership must visit the Guild Headquarters at Mirror Mountain Base Camp and pass a series of tests to prove their abilities.
Wuhtu Ranger Corps: The people of Wuhtu enjoy the protection of a great regional Ranger Corps. Wuhtu's primary peacekeeping force oversees everything from law enforcement to disaster relief. There are outposts and academies at every major city throughout the region where thousands of eager recruits enroll each year. Though everyone is accepted into the program, considerably fewer make it through the process. Basic training tests the body, then advanced training tests the mind. Those who prove themselves able-bodied and dedicated enough are given their badge of Ranger status to wear with pride. Throughout Wuhtu, Rangers are anywhere from respected to revered. After years of successful service, Rangers can be promoted to various higher titles such as Detective and Commander. According to the Port Tidings Home Office, no Special Operations branch officially exists. Yet every so often, tales of incredible heroics will spread and then fade into the gray area between memory and myth.
Serenity Corporation: Run by genius Poke Ball Designer Kaylee Washburne, Serenity Co.'s mission statement is "To enrich the lives of Wuhtu's citizens through science and technology." The conglomerate has divisions in every field imaginable, all funded by Miss Washburne's private fortune. Serenity Co. employs hundreds of the brightest minds in all of Wuhtu, from Engineers to Scientists to Petrologists. They provide many different services for the people of Wuhtu at their daughter companies in the outer cities, but one must visit Serenity Tower in Xylo to receive the best products. It's easy enough to find, since it's the tallest building in town. There, world class Move Tutors can teach pokemon incredibly powerful moves, for the right price. Miss Washburn herself heads Serenity's Orange, Inc. and is the visionary behind the revolutionary Poke Balls they produce.
Orange, Inc. Poke Balls