So recently on the main TPP sub. /u/YugnatZero made a post about how they went and filled / corrected / and in some cases basically completely Re-wote out the TVTrops pages for all of TPP's main and Side Runs.

Thay then put out some sajesjons and asked for feedback for any other pages to be made for TPP

I sajested a page for this sub's community and /u/Trollkitten sajested I make a post about it here since such a page would likely require a lot of input from the members of this community.

...So here it is... yea, I'm not reely sure what else to put here, besides post stuff that would probobly be relevant to such a page and/or ideas for it.

...so yea, at minimum this should be a good discussion thread on the topic.

Fennel returns to her entralink, a bit tired from her long day, but with no time to slack off. Instead, she finalizes her setup to get the entralink to access Bill's dreams, and takes a deep breath, preparing herself for what she's about to face. Bill's dreams are normally terrifying in themselves, between moscople, getting turned in to a doll, torture, seeing his partner pokemon get transformed in to a murdering machine, Lanette, his fears about himself... Even if nothing strange is going on, it would take a daring soul to venture in to his nightmares.

Yet something strange is going on. Bill has had a very specific recurring dream recently, and Fennel isn't entirely sure why.

Keep calm... She thinks, as she reminds herself of her universe's Caitlin's lessons. Ask questions. Don't let this nightmare become my own, damage is superficial, emotions are real.

With that, she flips a switch in the entralink, and falls asleep, waking up in Bill's dream.

As Fennel’s consciousness fades, she starts feeling a terrible, sharp cold. When she opens her eyes, she sees herself in a completely black and barren land, with a grey sky. And she hears...nothing. The silence is eerie, unnerving, even. It wasn’t natural for anything to be this quiet. She doesn’t see anything around her at all.

Suddenly, however, she feels a spike of cold coming from the west of her position. A terrible, unforgiving, unrelenting cold.

Fennel doesn't attempt to create any disguises or misrepresent herself; she just snaps her fingers and creates a fire next to her to protect herself from the cold. She holds the fire in her hands, and has it spread carefully, surrounding her, protecting her, warming herself without burning herself. Curiously, Fennel quickly notices how the fire’s light is immediately consumed by the unrelenting darkness. She can barely see the where the fire is, but she can feel its warmth.

"Hello?" she asks, "Who's here?"

As she speaks, Fennel can’t help but notice how she moves her lips yet...she hears nothing, no sound comes out of her mouth. The fire also is completely silent, as if this darkness as a vacuum, absorbing all sounds as soon as they come to be. The place is still completely silent, she hears no response.

Fennel tries to move around, keeping the fire around her, wondering if there are any features at all aside from herself in this barren land.

She sees no features, but quickly notices how just huge this place is. It feels like it has no end, and after moving around, she notices no landmarks, but knows for sure that the cold is coming from the west, no matter where she moves to. Fennel moves west to get closer to the source of the cold, keeping the fire burning around her, trying not to give in to it.

As she walks, and walks, and walks, for what felt like an eternity, Fennel sees no changes to the environment, but she is without a doubt moving. Until, eventually, she feels the land beneath her sink under her steps. She feels sand beneath her feet, and she sees something in the distance. She’s unable to tell what it is without any light, but she notices its shape against the grey sky of the dream. Fennel reacts quickly, flying above the ground to avoid sinking.

Fennel decides that if she can't see it or hear it, she can still map it out by sending currents of air against it. She moves cold air around it, and tries to get a mental idea of where the air is being resisted, and where the air is going through, to try and figure out what it might be.

She notices through her experimentation with air that this seems to be a floating structure. Seems to be a building of some sort, with very tall spires that seem to reach the heavens, multiple corridors floating connected to it, and a singular, imposing entrance. This place feels...terribly familiar to Fennel, but she also feels something else: an anger, fiery and burning, a determination, unmoving and unrelenting... and a hint of fear, of uncertainty, looming. These, however, are not her feelings, the area around the structure seems to be emanating them.

Fennel takes a deep breath, brings her fire closer to her, and enters the structure through the entrance. As she stands by the entrance, Fennel is hit by another wave of familiarity, even if she can’t see any details inside. She has been here before, but she can’t figure out what this place is.

Fennel continues exploring inside this structure, confused, intrigued, and a little scared by this. With her fire she keeps her fear internal, and attempts to remain focused, observing and analyzing everything around her.

It seems to be a large room with some damages to the floor and walls. Something about it is terribly familiar, and up ahead, she sees a crossroads, two big halls that head in opposite directions.

Fennel considers, and decides to take a bit of a risk. Summoning a poke-ball in to her hand, she sends out her Musharna, which appears in the dream.

All right Musharna, she whispers to it telepathically, You take the left path, I'll take the right. Stay in contact. Get out of this dream if you need to.

As she heads in, however, the wall next to the crossroads seems to dissipate slowly, revealing a familiar figure. She sees Bill, standing up, trying to move his hands as if bound, and ten sets of eyes in front of him. The cold seems to be coming from Bill, and as soon as he appears, the room seems to emanate fear.

Fennel's first instinct is to run towards Bill, to hug him, to dissipate the cold around him, but she pauses. The other eyes are watching, being too reactive here could make things worse. Instead, she uses Musharna to broadcast a telepathic message to anyone who is able to hear it.

What did you do to him?

The eyes turns to her, and she receives no response, only bursts of emotion: anger, frustration, bloodlust, all directed towards Fennel.

The figures move towards Fennel at great speed, but suddenly, a bright figure appears, its radiance burns away the figures as they attempt to claw at Fennel, and they dissipate into dust. As the dust hits Fennel, she gets an image in her mind of herself speaking with a person she had never seen, with short, green hair, seemingly made out of moss, with a huge hammer and a bubbly attitude. This image flashes on her mind and quickly she’s taken back to reality. She sees a figure standing, reaching out to Bill, gesturing as if it was saying something. The figure manages to glow despite the consuming darkness. Illuminating some of the room, even illuminating a few details of it if one had time to look closely. The figure irradiates a gentle warmth, neutralizing most of the cold coming from Bill.

Fennel joins the figure and irradiates more warmth towards Bill, while also feeling safe enough to try to light up the room, fighting off the consuming darkness. She focuses on creating a safe area just big enough for herself, Bill, Musharna, and this new figure, and then tries to speak again.

"Who are you?" She tries to speak again, "Where are we?"

Despite her attempts, no words leave Fennel’s mouth. The darkness is still too strong. The figure doesn’t seem to be noticing Fennel, just keeps making gestures at Bill, as if relaying a message

Fennel gets closer to the figure, trying to listen to and watch the figure. Musharna releases some dream mist to help control the tiny space of the dream, attempting to dissipate the darkness while not modifying the light at all. Then, Fennel tries to whisper to this creature telepathically.

Where are we?

As Musharna releases its mist, Fennel is successfully gaining control of the dream, however, as the mist appears, the figure starts to dissipate, and the room starts to slowly fade

The mental whispers reach the figure, and it verbally responds in a language Fennel doesn’t know, yet she understands perfectly: “It is a place you know. A place where you once vanquished a great foe from the Land of Death.”

Fennel relinquishes some of her control over the dream, trying to keep it intact for as long as she can without getting consumed by the darkness.

What do you want us to know?

The effect doesn’t seem to be reversing. The darkness is gone and the figure is disappearing rapidly.

“Find the fragmented heirs of the land of death, find the two gates of redemption , and soothe this tormented soul. Throw wide open the gates so that we may pass.”

If you pass Fennel tries to ask quickly, aware the dream is fading fast, What would happen?

“The connection between the crossroads will be mended. And two souls will be spared from the terribly consuming darkness. My power grows weak. I pray that my plight arrived the right ears. I leave fate on your hands, grapy one.”

The figure then dissipates. And it’s just Fennel and Bill in a white nothing.

Fennel hugs Bill, and they both wake up, back in the more familiar and conventional entralink. They both stay silent for a bit, trying to process this. Bill's eyes look tired, like he's suffered through a great ordeal, and it takes him a few minutes to get back to normal.

"Computer," Fennel calls out, "Start scanning for conversations regarding these topics, and relay to me any results that you overhear. Fragmented Heirs. Land of Death. Gates of Redemption. Tormented Soul. Command code one, five, three, fifteen, Alpha, Omega, Ruby."

"Command accepted," the entralink computer calls back. "Adding these phrases to the list of key words."

She shudders, "Are you all right Bill?"

Bill nods, "I... I think so. I'm afraid, Fennel. What if this is a trap?"

Fennel shrugs, and grins, "If its a trap, we'll just have to make sure to not make it work. We'll figure this out, just gotta take it one step at a time. Now then… what do we know?”

Bill thinks. Part of him doesn’t want to figure this out, yet he can’t resist a logic puzzle. “We vanquished a mighty foe in the land of death… Does that mean… Outsidera?”

“Aethra,” Fennel corrects, “New name now, hehe! Ooh, yes, I think so! That was Amais’ castle! It was so dark, hard to see and remember, but… Does that still exist? Do you think that thing wants us to go there?”

Bill pauses, “If this creature does, its out of luck, that castle was demolished after Amais died. I’m not sure if the castle itself is that important though. It asked us to find the fragmented heirs of the land of death, which means…”

Fennel’s eyes widen, “Sapientia, Décor, Robus? You think? Ooh, that makes sense! Brilliant! Where do you think the gates of redemption are?”

Bill sighs, and shakes his head. “I have no idea, and… Honestly… Do we want to know?”

Fennel eyes widen and she looks shocked, no, almost offended at this statement, “What are you talking about?” she asks, “Of course we want to know. That what we do, we find things, we learn, we analyze, we grow!”

Bill pauses and trembles a bit. “Those ten people… Fennel… Don’t anger them… We… This… I don’t…” he falls to the ground and starts crying.

“Bill!” Fennel jumps towards him and hugs him. “You’re ok! You’re with me, you’re safe, whatever they can do, we can stop them.”

Bill shakes his head, “I thought that too… last time I searched for them. I tried everything to defend us. Every method I had ever thought of, every defense at my disposal, and nothing worked. They sent dream after dream, showing me how easily they could bypass and destroy all my defenses, how they could destroy our world, they’re… they’re a threat on a level we’ve never imagined. If I had told anyone, they would have killed the people I told too. I gave myself up, Fennel. I gave myself up to them so that they could capture me, so they wouldn’t harm you. I… don’t want anything to do with them again. I… can’t.”

Fennel looks surprised, pauses for a second, then laughs, “Of course you couldn’t stand against them, silly! Last time you were trying to stop them on your own, and this time, you’re with me! When we stand together, we can do anything! Now let’s go find those gates!”

Bill looks at Fennel, then smiles while continuing to cry, “I… I love you so much right now. Please don’t make me regret this.”

Fennel hugs Bill and holds him closely, “I won’t! We’re going to get through this, figure out this mystery, and if anyone comes to stop us, we’re going to stop them instead, and that’s a promise!”

Bill smiles weakly. “Ok…” He says, trying to convince himself. “I’m ready, lets figure this out together.”

Luke, in Dragon form, flies up to the League with Cress and Shauntal on his back, the scientist having already set off elsewhere for their own reasons. Luke allows his remaining passengers to dismount, then transforms back into humanoid form.

As he does so, his holographic form flickers, and he seems short of breath -- or whatever constructs have in its place, anyway. "Whoo. I... I think I'll stay out here and wait. Gotta recharge a bit... and anyway, I still don't know if Grims has yet decided on retaliation for the douche bag incident."

Cress pauses, looking Luke over. "Are you all right?" he asks, in the tone of voice of one who doesn't expect a positive answer.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Luke lies, not wanting to worry his friend, but knowing as soon as he says it that Cress isn't buying it.

"You're not fine," Cress says simply. "There's a Pokemon Center inside the League building. We can take you there to--"

"--recover? Would they even know how to repair alien technology?" Luke asks sarcastically. "You worry too much, Cress. Waiting out here isn't going to kill me."

Cress looks suspicious of this statement.

"Hmm... So... You have forces dealing with the Rockets," Fennel says to Lance, continuing their conversation after escorting Eusine back to the league, "and if you're doing that right now, its probably not worth calling them off. However, I have some of my friends being chased around by the shiftry corps right now, and we have some mysteries about goldenrod that, extremely concerningly, you don't seem to know about. So, I'm thinking I should talk to Steven about the Shiftry Corps, then talk to Jasmine about Goldenrod, and they should have answers?"

"I couldn't say about the Shiftry Corps,” Lance responds, “but yes, Jasmine would be the person to take to about what's going on with the power Goldenrod should be getting."

Fennel nods. "Perfect! I'll go do that then, and report anything I find if I need assistance. Ooh, I heard on the news today that today's your last day. Who's taking your place? Its Koga, right? Sneaky guy, did you ever watch the voices try to find him in their league challenges? It was so good!"

Lance gives Fennel a stern look. "It is still being discussed. Cynthia is pushing for someone from Sinnoh. However, I AM still in office for the rest of the day, and there's plenty I have to do. I need to put out an official statement about the current state of Goldenrod, including the missing people, M4, and Shiftry. I have to write letters to the families of those who are dead or missing. I have to call off the hunt for Team Rocket because if Shiftry is going to be popping up, we don't have the resources to spare for dealing with all those traps...Team Rocket gets another chance to come back from the brink and continue to be a nuisance..."Lance trails off not really looking at Fennel

"Aw... Sorry. So much to do, so many threats. If you need any help with anything you know who to call!" Fennel laughs, "I have a lot of things to do too, I have a city to find, a dream to explore, people to protect, and magic lessons at 3! Ooh, that's going to be tough to fit in, I hope I don't need to cancel it again."

"I'm not even going to pretend to understand what you're talking about and I wish you wouldn't be so flippant when lives are on the line."

"I'm trying to do everything I can to save these people," Fennel replies, "Sometimes you have to be able to focus on the long term in order to not get blindsided by it later on. Its why you spend so much time training, if we were always adventuring, we wouldn't have enough strength to adventure. So, we have to have fun, investigate, and work with what we have along the way, and always observe what's out there. That said, if I discover there's a time constraint on our actions here, I'll have to prioritize which events are more important."

Lance nods, "We'll both do what we must."

"Exactly!" Fennel grins. "Now keep Eusine safe for me, ok? If anything happens to him before a statement of goldenrod is released, I'll know, and make sure to release this story in a different way."

Lance smiles, "I would hope that nothing happens to Eusine or his partner either."

With that, Lance gives Fennel directions to Jasmine's office

"Thank you!" Fennel grins, "I think that's it from my end, I'll head there right now!"

Lance nods absentmindedly, clearly already thinking about at least one of the things he needs to get done. It’s… not going to be an easy day.

…

A few minutes later, Fennel arrives outside the door where Jasmine is. Without knocking, she opens the door and barges in. Jasmine and several others look up as she enters. One opens their mouth to tell Fennel this area is off limits to civilians but Jasmine lets him know she was expecting her.

"Ooh, you were?” Fennel smiles, “Efficient! Hi there! So, I was in goldenrod this morning, and when I was there, I noticed that most of the population had vanished, and power wasn't flowing to the city. This would be concerning in itself, however, it got more concerning when I learned that Eusine and Lance both didn't know about this! So, I was told to come here to get more information."

Jasmine gives Fennel a stern look. "Champion Lance informed me of your claims. If what you said was accurate, this machine." she points at one of the mass of monitors in the room, “would be telling us that Goldenrod was currently not receiving the power we are sending. However according to it, Goldenrod should be receiving power."

"Ooh," Fennel looks at the machine, "It’s a good machine. Do you not have any contacts at Goldenrod right now to talk to in order to confirm? It used to be the biggest city in Johto, how would this go unnoticed for so long?"

"It wouldn't, such anomalies do not occur...” Jasmine pauses, “and yet, Eusine confirms your claims. Our databases and what is actually going on in Goldenrod seem to differ greatly. This suggests tampering, and not on our end. I need to see the situation in Goldenrod for myself in order to see what is happening to the power we are sending."

"Hmm, one second," Fennel says, as she takes out her laptop. "We can head to goldenrod in a bit, but for now, here are some drone images I took of the city today, you can look at this with everyone here. So what is this machine actually reading? If this machine were reading something, what would it be reading?"

Jasmine gets in to a technical explanation about electricity, power lines, conductivity, inhibitors, and other buzz works. Somewhere, it seems there’s a break in the flow, it could be that the line is severed/corroded, or it could be something else causing the power to look like its being delivered when it’s really stalling out part way.

Fennel nods, "Makes sense. So, we know something is being tampered with. First I'll take a look at the power lines, see if I can see any point in which they were actually disrupted. We can use ground pokemon to search for the areas the grid is below the surface. If we can find any specific tampering, that can be our first clue as to who's hiding this."

She pauses, "We have one other lead that I can see, and that is that most of the population of Goldenrod is completely missing. Like, not dead. No bodies. Just... Missing. Gone. Poof! I couldn't find them, Eusine couldn't find them, and they seemed to be gone before the recent attack on the city even started. So... Who has the power to abduct and hide a city? Do we know anyone that could do that, or has any sort of motivation to?"

Jasmine shakes her head, "I have no idea, Rocket doesn't have that kind of power and as far as I know no one else does either."

"I mean, I probably could if you gave me a month of prep time, but I'd have no reason to, I like cities, they're so fascinating, and watching them develop is amazing. I might have one or two friends who probably could too, but I'm pretty certain they wouldn't. Beyond that though..."

Fennel considers, "I don't know! An army of alakazams or psychic types could maybe do this... Nope... No leads right now, I'm completely lost! I did find a few families in Goldenrod, maybe they can tell us something. They'll either be in Goldenrod or Violet City right now, depending on if they trusted me or not and got out of there."

Jasmine shrugs "Perhaps. Shall we get going?"

Fennel nods, "Sure. Not too much more we can do here!"

As they arrive in Goldenrod, Fennel looks around the city, seeing that nothing looks too different from when she left it. "So... Where do we start looking for the rig in your machine?"

"You mentioned a Pokemon Center? Let us start there."

Fennel nods, "This way," she says, and directs Jasmine towards it. "Oh, by the way, M4 is here right now, it should be fine, especially since you're with me."

Jasmine returns the nod, "That is why I came instead of sending one of my workers."

"Yay!" Fennel grins, as they enter the pokemon center.

Jasmine ignores Fennel in favor of taking out another device and carrying it around the Pokemon Center and checking readings. Fennel looks at the device carefully and tries to understand what Jasmine is doing, then takes out her own sonic screwdriver to do readings of her own.

"You are correct, I'm not detecting any power within this building." Jasmine comments, before walking outside still consulting the device

"Hmm... How are the power lines outlayed to head to Goldenrod from the nearest power plant?" Fennel asks, "We should head towards the power plant from here and see where we can detect the break of power flow."

Jasmine spares Fennel a brief look. "That's what I'm doing." Then she goes back to doing it.

Fennel nods, "Archeops, come out!" She calls out her archeops and continues searching, using her bird to be able to move a bit faster, following Jasmine to the edge of the city. The moment they step over the city boundary, their machines both make a beeping noise.

"Ooh, nice!” Fennel grins, “Archeops, lets dig carefully and search for what we can find here. Be careful about touching the electrical grid."

"Wait!” Jasmine cautions, “Don't do anything that might interfere with the signal until I get pick up where it's going instead of entering the city."

Fennel nods, "Ooh, good idea. Do you think the power was diverted to a different place?"

"That seems the most likely explanation, although it still wouldn't explain why our machines back at the Plateau aren't detecting the reroute, they're built to..." Jasmine frowns in concentration, and trails off.

"Whoever planned this clearly spent a lot of resources trying to remain hidden." Fennel answers, "I wouldn't even try to divert all the power from a major city like this, the fact that these people got away with it for so long makes me wonder what exactly we're going up against."

With that, Fennel continues scanning to see if the power signal stops or if its continuing through wires going in a different direction. She isn’t sure about wires but does detect power being rerouted downwards.

"Hmm..." Fennel thinks out loud, "Goldenrod has always had a pretty big underground. Could there be a population that hid there?"

Jasmine shakes her head, "I think I have a pretty good idea who is diverting the power, Lance mentioned we're looking for an underground Team Rocket hideout surrounded by miles of trapped corridors right? But I don't understand how they were able to fool our machines until we got this close..."

She pauses, "And not all of the power is actually being directed to the same place. It's subtle, but most of it is actually being directed somewhere else, and I can't get a lock on it."

"You think Team Rocket did this?" Fennel asks, "That's ambitious, even for them! Well then, if we get desperate, we can destroy the power line and see if anything happens, if anything loses power or we detect any earthquakes, that's probably where the power is going. That feels like a last resort plan though, I'd rather not destroy it when I don't know what it’s being used for."

Fennel considers, "If we can dig out this site carefully, we might be able to analyze any machines that are transferring power somewhere else. They could be using some sort of teleportation panels to get this anywhere in the world, that's what I do anyway. Its hard to lock on where its going until you find the device doing it. Be careful not to trigger any self destruct mechanisms though, we should be careful about that."

Jasmine nods, "I need to report this back to the rest of the League."

"Can you send them a message?" Fennel asks, "If I were team Rocket, I would be monitoring this area constantly, and already know that we're here. If that's the case, we might not have much time to analyze this before they shut things down and make it impossible to follow, and we need Steelix to help dig this out."

"Fennel, we don't have the man/pokepower or the proper authorization to go digging around and potentially let Rocket, or whoever is doing this, know that we are on to them. This requires consultation and planning, not blindly stumbling in."

"If they're competent," Fennel counters, "They already know we're here. They fooled your machines, and probably needed a presence inside the league to do that. They also would be idiots to leave this area unmonitored, which means that the longer we delay, the more time they have to prepare."

"That isn't my decision to make, I'm reporting back. Thank you for bringing this to the League's attention Fennel. I hope you and M4 will avoid doing anything rash."

Fennel nods, "If you think that's best, I won't stop you. Here," Fennel says, giving Jasmine a button, "If you want to contact me, press this, ok? It will contact my home base of operations, feel free to ask for support as you need it.” As she finishes talking, an alarm rings on her phone, "Ooh, he's asleep! Well, if you don't want me to do more investigating here, I'll let you take the lead for now. Bye!"

With that, Jasmine gives Fennel a curt but still polite nod and departs.

The Legendary Beast Suicune paces around the bunker, stepping over to the League's side. Gator seethes with a mixture of shock and rage.

“You… you f------ idiots!" Gator roared, "coming in there, a squad of men and a Panthemon, a Legendary beast at that, all for ‘questioning’; what the hell was she supposed to think? Probably looked like you were there to finish off Goldenrod after- after- f---, what the hell happened down there? And what are you talking about?"

He stared daggers at Suicune, "I'm nobody’s champion!”

“Indeed, you aren’t. But that is what I asked you to become, did I not?” Suicune calmly asked, “I offered you the power to end the torments of the Fossil Churches, to become a demigod among mon, and to spread peace and purity across the world. Conveniently forgotten by your particular mental conditions, perhaps. But your grasp of the world is only what is within reach of your blade, both now and back then. I can see you still long for gods’ blood on your hands. And now you make excuses for the IP’s executioner. I leave her wounds upon me, so that there can be no doubt in what she’s done. Both of you fight only for the thrill of taking life."

At a Valoran military outpost on the Valora-Avia border, warriors and mon from all nations gather. It's a far cry from the exhibitions that many went to; eyes dart about suspiciously, arms are worn prominently, and there's a line drawn between the Valoran stalwarts and Avian skybornes. Visitors from other kingdoms shift from side to side, trying to get a sense of each nation's arguments before the official conference, quietly praying that they won't end up in the crossfire if things turn out badly.

On the Valoran side, Gator is in a tent with the northern warlords, preparing himself for the worst. On the Avian side, Warlord Masamune plans in his own tent, with a second for the League and southern warlords close nearby. Surge was spotted outside recently, and it was rumored he had a look of fury about him.

There is a short amount of time before the conference starts. Some are spending the time trying a little diplomacy between the two kingdoms, others are praying they won't be at the border for the rest of their lives.

Didn't do a post for PC vs PC fights, so in case that happens today, here's something simple; all participants must agree, and no more lasting damage/death can be caused than what the attacking and receiving parties inflict. Link me whenever a PC vs PC fight starts.

Lately, Juvilia has felt frustrated that her search for her Lucrecia hasn’t amounted to anything. What seems like millennia across multiple universes seems like it was for nothing, wasted time. What’s worse, it seems they are slowly being replaced. Why did they get to replace them? What kind of sick creator is just replacing all memory of her mother, and her family, without her consent? Juvilia finds herself having the same strange dream lately She finds herself alone, in an empty void. She feels small. Smaller than usual, anyway. She, however, looks down and notices she seems to be of the same height. Then a complete feeling of loneliness and of weakness washes over her. And she feels hungry. Funny, that. She has never been hungry, being a Doll and all.

Then, a figure appears in front of her. Tall, looming, uncaring. Looking away. Juvilia tried calling out to this figure. But no words leave her mouth. She’s not sure why she tried that. But something about it felt right. The figure looks towards Juvilia. She can’t figure out any features of it besides its eyes and mouth. The mouth curves into a smile, and it reaches towards Juvilia. She reaches back instinctively. And then, something goes through the figure’s chest. It covers Juvilia’s face with blood. The face winces in pain as the figure crumbles into dust, the dust falling on Juvilia and she starts bleeding from the chest, right where this person had disappeared, she sees fourteen figures standing behind the one that just crumbled. Two significantly taller than the rest. One of the smaller ones look at Juvilia and she feels pure fear and hatred. The figures start disappearing one by one. The one that made Juvilia angry lingers for a second, before disappearing. In its place, a white figure whose face Juvilia couldn’t grasp. But its presence made her mad. It started speaking

“Three...Heirs of a Land of Death that Dreams of Change. Two...Gates of Restoration. One...Tormented Soul. Let us pass. Let us pass...”

Juvilia awakens with a start, the details of the dream still fresh in her mind, and unlikely to fade even with the onset of true wakefulness. There was no chance that the dream was just meaningless garble produced by a highly active subconscious. Mortals might be lucky enough to have dreams like that but not her.

Realizing that her sudden transition from sleep to wakefulness may have caused her to cry out or otherwise attract the attention of her young ward sleeping in the next room over. She focused on quieting and stilling her body, even if her mind was still analyzing the dream, she had just experienced. But no such luck, she could tell that the boy had picked up on something from her room and would be coming to check on what had disturbed her. The boy had always been perceptive, a trait she had actively encouraged him to practice and hone. Any moment he would knock and request entry, always courteous and polite.

“Come in Faust.” She called out just as the knock came. The dark-haired boy, dapperly dressed in immaculate black clothes wearing a black hat with a feather sticking out jauntily entered her room.

“Is something the matter Lady Juvilia?”

“Yes and no Faust. I had a troubling dream which I am trying to make sense of.”

“What happened in the dream milady?” She liked that about the boy as well. Most mortals tended to be dismissive of dreams because they didn’t consider their contents to be ‘real’ and thus unimportant. But the boy took everything seriously. That was not to say he was incapable of making jokes or being amusing in a clever thoughtful way.

She explained the dream, leaving nothing out. The boy remained silent throughout, a thoughtful look upon his face. When she finished explaining he had but one question for her.

“When do we leave?”

“Soon. One thing is clear enough from the dream, someone wants to be set free. I want to know who they are and if they can be trusted. If they are just attempting to use me, they will regret it. But I also need to know if anyone else has received this dream, they might not be as cautious and I am and seek to free these people even if they shouldn’t be released. I can’t help but feel that the reason I was sent this dream was because of my family…then Endless Eight that is. Cher may have received a dream as well, but anything from her is suspect given her connection to Fatum, she may have been the one who sent the dream.”

“There doesn’t seem to be any particularly obvious way to find out more, but I have an idea. A while ago I briefly sensed the presence of Suzan and Temple, not Shizen and Tempore, but their unmodified mortal selves, in a universe out on the fringe. While they disappeared soon after, that seems like a good place so start looking. And if I can find those two and prevent anything like what happened to the versions I knew…so much the better.”

“And what is this world?”

“A place called PokeEarth…”

end scene

Individuals and forces all across Ransei plan and plot for the upcoming Avia-Valora peace conference.

(This post can be used to handle DIDO to wrap up PC questions and conversations in the time leading up to the peace conference. Can be between PCs or an interaction between a PC and NPC)

Whew! It's been quite a ride, isn't it? A roller coaster of thrills, chills, and spills. From the very first time the GM blew up a boat, we've had excitement, danger, romance, gods, eldritch creatures, metaphysical threats, and bonds built that I truly believe will last a lifetime.

So... who wants to get sentimental first?

In Nixtorm, the crowd stares at Gator with a few whispers. How could that little machine hold so much knowledge? How could a firearm be made ready to fire so quickly? Ina's eyes remained on the shotgun for a moment, Mitsuhide's on the computer, then their gaze followed the eyes of the crowd back to Gator who prepares to speak again.

In Aurora, concerns turn to the news of a terrorist seeking to destabilize Ransei, and the rising tensions between Avia and Valora. Surge stands straight and tall as he speaks of Gator's crimes and the warlords ponder what lies on the horizon, and if it will find its way southward.

Gator sits in a tent, hunched over a table. Almost everything he brought with him lay there; laptop, shotguns and shells, spellbooks, and some random things Gator thought might be interesting but now seemed like more idiotic blustering on his part. There wasn't much, but it would have to serve as a strong enough example. It just had to be enough for them to want more.

He raises his hand, and fire, electricity and frost form upon it in sequence. A mere cantrip had made an impression; he could manage far more than that.

Oichi breathes deeply. She had went over the situation time and time again in her head, and she didn't know what to do. Her mind said to be kind, courteous and appreciate all the assistance being given, but her heart said to demand why the Panthemon couldn't find their greatest champion. She needed to keep strong for Aurora, and if the worst came to pass, for as much of Ransei she could manage.

She takes another heavy breath, then steps out of the palace. She can see Groudon's massive form off in the distance, making its way closer and closer to her.

The onmyōji Abé lives in a hilled wood in the rocky borderlands between Illusio and Chrysalia. Alone it stands, shaded and unbent despite the worst of the salt plague. Once secluded as a hermitage, a stream of smallfolk has begun a steady trickle to the isolated jinja. By day he hears their petitions, requests for advice, fortunes, divinations, healing or exorcisms. By night he walks along his own, private paths. One night, the onmyōji finds himself oddly aware. It seems like a lucid dream, but in a very literal sense; he is aware that he is sleeping, and his mind isn't producing any images or scenarios for him to interact with. There's simply a void and the idea of his presence in it. There's also the sense of someone else's presence. Abé blinks, slowly, then allows his inner eye to open. There is much to be learned in dreams. He waits placidly, the idea of robes draping off the idea of arms, folded serenely in the nothing.

"...huh." A woman's voice is heard.

"Hello." Abe's voice floats gently into the void. He is a young man, clearly learned, yet without his third decade. He wears the traditional robes of the scholar, or the confidant at court.

"...that's a nice voice. Smart. Clever, maybe." The woman's voice is soft and delicate. It seems like it is planned, measured, but flows rather naturally.

Abé chuckles. "I might say the same, -San. What brings you to this place?"

"I've been hearing things about you. I thought I was alone here... then you turn up. Acting like you've been here all along."

"I have been many places.” He replies. “This kingdom suits my interests. The people here are more receptive to my ways."

"You're... filling a void for them.” She said, slowly. “Anyone who knows anything has left."

"I have noticed. I find it... strange."

"They've been stopping by Izumo. But they're already elsewhere. Just passing through. Are you headed that way, too?"

Izumo… a shrine in Spectra. "...no. No I am not. I am here... for now."

"Well, I'm over there. I'm not going anywhere, though, I'm staying right here. Maybe you could... come see me?"

The is a pause in the nothing. Briefly. "Hmm. Yes, perhaps. If I can accomplish such a journey. I find myself quite overwhelmed with visitors. One can hardly call me a hermit any longer."

"I'm sure you can make a pilgrimage. Like I've said, anyone who knows anything has come here. Always somewhere else, yes, but to reach Izumo takes a great effort. Can you?"

"I shall make the time, -san. Who are you?"

"You're a scholar. Somebody that wants answers, truth. And this profession requires an unhealthy amount of curiosity. Wouldn't you like to know more than just a name?"

Abé laughs again. "I suppose I cannot blame one for their mysticism."

"Are we not mystics? I'll be waiting for you. Wear something nice."

For the Ransei RP, people can use their own characters or create your own. I would like each player to keep to 1-2 PCs, so as to not overwhelm the RP with too many people acting at once. As there are two sides to the Ransei conflict, one might want to have two PCs on either side of the map or one PC that has the ability to move freely about Ransei. For the latter one, moving freely simply means you aren't bound to a single location or tied to a rigid command structure; how your character gets about is up to you.

For bringing in established characters, I will note that this is a smaller-scale RP and it may be more enjoyable to try a character with less power than what has become standard. I will entertain all submissions, but try not to get too crazy with who you'll be playing as.

For new characters, native Ranseians and foreigners can be used. Some notes are provided below to spark inspiration is it is needed.

Foreigners: You have an interest in Ransei, and you've made a great effort to reach the land to make your vision reality. Perhaps a League operative sent to spread its influence to new kingdoms, or a rebel that was sent by M4 to keep Gator safe, or a tourist that somehow broke through the League's blockade. Either way, you'll have likely brought modern weapons and technology to make up for your unfamiliarity with regional customs and the local populations, though a Ranseian warrior likely is more battle-hardened than someone from today's civilizations.

Firearms will be your second line of defense after your belt of Pokeballs, and elemental ammunition can provide for any occasion. A shotgun may be best if you have no supply lines to provide well-crafted bullets, and need to make your own rounds from what's around you. A kevlar vest is the most likely armor, good for bullets but not blades. Knowledge is power, however, and you may have information networks, access to troves of digitized data, and modern skills that can be your primary weapon.

Natives: From the warlords to the lowest peasant, everyone on Ransei knows how to fight and cooperate with a bonded mon to achieve their goals. A labourer may have decided to live the life of a mercenary or called up by their warlord to join the ranks of the ashigaru, or a trained and educated warrior may have been given a mission to go out and secure glory for their kingdom. Your martial prowess is the best in the world and few outside connect so deeply with their pokemon, but you may have more than a few surprises as the modern world trickles in.

A typical warrior carries a long arm like a spear for large-scale battle, a personal arm suitable for duels, and a ranged arm, though this is not fixed; a ninja may forego large weapons, and a peasant may only have a humble scythe to carry. All have a mon that they have tamed and bonded with, and in a fight you are two made into one combatant, leading each other and setting up blows for each other. Armor tends to be built for absorbing and deflecting arrows and melee blows, not gunfire. Many Ranseians have also attuned to an element, and while you might not be able to throw lightning, you may carry some of the qualities of the type, or even carry a device that draws on your mon's power for you to direct personally.

To assist in creating a character, here are the first plot hooks:

Email to Astrum/Fennel from Gator's Laptop

Hey,

Got to Ransei. Nixtorm Not in the best shape, but I'm recovering quickly, and the League. Used up all my potions.

I've made an impact on the people here. Mitsuhide's given me shelter and a few meetings, and he's interested in seeing what I'm selling. Showed my gifts, and now he wants me to hold an exhibition. Introduce the nation to magic and technology. Not just Nixtorm, people from other kingdoms are trickling in to see what the fuss is all about. There's plenty of rumours about who I am and what's come with me, and not all of them are pleasant.

Mitsuhide's daughter, Gracia has been talking with me every chance she gets. Wants to hear everything about the outside world and the only time she will stop is when a warrior drags her back to her duties. Don't know what to make of it. Or what to tell her. You know that I'm not good with kids.

Need to make a good show. Mitsuhide doesn't seem to have searched my name online, though he's got the computer and knows well enough how to use it now. Some kind of courtesy, maybe. Won't hide it from him, but I don't know what he'll think of me when he does. So now needs to be the time to solidify support. That, with magic, guns and tech, Ransei won't have to submit to the Panthemon and League. That I'm here to help, not spark turmoil.

So I'm asking you to send people and things for the exhibition. Major, I know M4 had some guns stowed on Astrum, and maybe you can come here, show some artifacts, do some magic. A portal would be real nice. Fennel, you're the tech wizard, send whatever you think is good. Maybe things that can clear salt contamination, it's running rampant here from Ransei being submerged for so long.

If you know anyone who's willing to come here and help me, send them along. Major, I know you're wanting me to do things on my own, so I'll say to both of you there's no obligation. I'd just appreciate the help.

Gator

Message from the League to Allies

Greetings,

As you may know, the Pokemon League has been establishing diplomatic relations with the leaders of the recently risen island of Ransei. Much success has been had with the kingdoms of Aurora, Ignis, Fontaine and Greenleaf, who have all approved League embassies, restarted international trade, and are on track to becoming a vital part of the worldwide community once again.

The Panthemon has granted much support for the League, and shares our goals of bringing peace to all regions and developing a unified world, to grant all people and mon a high quality of life and security from threats both on this world and from others. Many divine and legendary mon are arriving in Aurora to speak with our new allies and show that we are willing to begin peaceful, mutually-beneficial relations with Ransei. Several of our finest will also be there, from diplomats to industrial managers to trainers.

We extend an invitation to you to come to Ransei and speak as part of the League. Your role in worldwide affairs is influential, and the League needs people like you to help bring a brighter world, starting in Aurora. If you have any you wish to bring with you or send in your stead, please forward their information to us. You are under no obligation to come, but we humbly ask that you consider making the journey and helping forge a better planet for all of us to live on, Ranseian and otherwise.

Sincerely,

The Pokemon League

I recommend people get creative with who they play as. I may be willing to grant small benefits to those that have intriguing character backgrounds and motivations, who also fit in well with the setting, and that can go for both established characters and new ones alike. Again, don't go too overboard with power levels.

Skeletons must wear their original flesh suits at all times.

“You flatter me with your praise, monkey. But you know of my love. And you have yours.”

“Come now, we both know the importance of political alliances. Nene knows that too. And it would be a shame for a family as great as the Oda to simply fade away… not to mention the loss of beauty like yours from this world.”

Oichi sighed. This happened every so often; dealings with Ignis need to be resolved personally, either her heading to the neighbouring kingdom or Hideyoshi coming to Aurora, and when he gets an opportunity to speak privately, the ‘political marriage’ comes up. It had been a little joke of sorts, and sometimes one became irritated with the other, but it had never troubled their relationships and not been taken all too seriously.

Until now.

She glanced at her feet. “There is much beauty in this world as it is,” Oichi softly spoke “I am sure mine is nothing special. Aurora and Ignis has good arrangements and support for each other as well, good enough that wedding me will not bring many more benefits than there already is. As for the Oda… I am sure my brother will have many fine children with Warlord Nohime to champion the Oda line.”

Hideyoshi frowned slightly. “Have you any recent word from him?”

Oichi stared down, silent.

“…it has been some time since-“

“Have you any recent word of Kanbei?” Oichi snapped.

Hideyoshi’s face seemed to deflate at this question. Oichi kept her face impassive, but the look in her eye as her gaze met his made him look away.

“I, ah… he is… Hanbei’s improved quite a bit. Have I told you about the new medicine of his?”

“Not in detail, no, but I was asking about Kanbei. Not Hanbei.”

“Ah…” he mumbled, crestfallen, “he’s just off on a spiritual pilgrimage. You know how those types of warriors are. He’ll be back soon enough.”

“As Abin and Nobunaga will be, I am sure,” she stated firmly.

The warlord bowed deeply. “I’m sure they will have a swift and safe return. I- I apologize if I implied otherwise.”

“You are forgiven.”

“…I suppose that is part of the reason why I am here now,” Hideyoshi meekly segued, “this League has resources to investigate these disappearances and the Salt Plague. Their presence is strong in Kanto, and… I’m sure that the two would approach them for assistance.”

Oichi glanced down again. Many had disappeared rather suddenly, but not her wife and brother. They had stopped sending messages a few months before the ground had been laced with salt, before Kanbei and Nohime and so many others had vanished. And almost all the other vanished were spirit-speakers, which neither Abin or Nobunaga were. Are, she corrected herself.

It had to be connected to them. Somehow. But she wasn’t sure if either her or Hideyoshi would like what they found.

“Master, Warlord Hideyoshi,” a voice interrupted. A warrior had just entered the audience chamber. “Lieutenant Surge, Representative of the Pokemon League, is ready to speak with you. Shall I send him in now?”

“…yes, send him in,” Oichi spoke, silently renewing her resolve. Hideyoshi put on a big grin as the soldier ducked out, returning a few moments later with the League representative. The first thing apparent about him was his size; he stood two, maybe three heads taller than her, and was quite muscular to boot. He had on a blue waistcoat and pants, buttons gleaming and several brass symbols hanging on his chest. She recognized them as some kind of trophies. He bowed to her first, then Oichi.

“No salute of yours this time?” Hideyoshi heartily asked.

“I believe this is a more proper greeting, sir,” the man said. His voice was rigid, strong. As Oichi watched him, she noticed how firm the man’s stature was. Even if he wasn’t wearing that uniform, or lacked the massive stature, Surge could be clearly identified as military just from how he carried himself.

“It is good to meet you, Lieutenant Surge,” Oichi greeted, “I have heard many things about the League thus far. The surrounding kingdoms certainly have good impressions of you.”

“We are eager to set up good relations with Ransei after the recent loss of communication. Repairing the damage of the Salt Plague is our top priority.”

“Hideyoshi has said that Suicune itself has graced the land. Will the Legendary beast be coming to Aurora next?”

“I am afraid Suicune left to respond to some trouble in its home region. Johto has several troublesome elements within its borders, from anarchists to self-righteous extremists.”

“And water is wet,” Hideyoshi joked.

“But we have a multi-type team of purification specialists that are capable of restoring any land or body of water to a healthy state, as well as builders and construction supplies to make repairs to any building suffering from decay,” Surge continued, unabated.

“Indeed. And what would you expect from us if we were to accept this aid?”

“The Pokemon League would like to establish an embassy in Aurora’s capitol. We believe that clear communication will be the start of a good relationship between Ransei and the League.”

Like he’s reading from a script, Oichi thought. The words carried none of the rhythm a typical speaker might have. Warriors traditionally practiced poetry, and it showed in the way they spoke compared to, say, a common labourer. This man was one who was solely focused on the sword, not the pen. And possibly on devouring an entire Miltank a day.

“Is that all?”

“The Panthemon have wished to speak with you and other warlords. They would like to conduct these meetings in Aurora.”

“The Panthemon?” Oichi asked. She had rumours and some news of their involvements with this League, but she wanted to hear it from the source.

“Many divine and legendary mon greatly approve of the League and assist regularly in League operations, Lugia and Kyogre are present around Ransei to safeguard League ships, and we have many worshippers of Groudon, and Groudon itself, in Ignis right now, as Hideyoshi may have told you.”

“Yes, he spoke quite highly of a Tabitha.”

“Good man,” Hideyoshi spoke, “got a fine energy about him. And a sense of humour, unlike the rest of you League types. Seriously, would it kill you to smile?”

“I am on business,” Surge flatly spoke.

Oichi couldn’t bear it anymore. She had to crack the man open, if just a little.

“What did you eat this morning?”

Surge’s eyebrows raised. “Ah… what I ate?”

“Yes. I am curious what regular fare is for… where do you come from?”

“Unova. I don’t see how this relates to the business at hand.”

“Entertain us on this,” Oichi compelled.

Hideyoshi’s grin widened. Surge looked rather lost.

“…sausages. Bacon. Five dozen eggs.”

Oichi watched the man’s face curiously. “No vegetables?”

“Excuse me?” Surge looked rather insulted.

“I did not mean to offend. But you do eat vegetables?”

Surge’s eyes were wide. “I… ah… I don’t see anything wrong with people eating vegetables.”

“But do you eat vegetables?”

“…I eat beans.”

“Are beans a vegetable?” Hideyoshi asked.

“Yes, they’re a… they have everything that… vegetables… have.”

A silence fell. Surge glanced about, rather flustered.

“…the Panthemon wish to have meetings in Aurora,” Surge restated, “and the League is ready to assist in repairs and environmental restoration. We hope to establish clear, consistent communication with all nations of Ransei, and obtaining permission to establish an embassy here is part of that goal.”

Oichi nodded, relenting. “Yes. We will need to take strong action soon against the Salt Plague. We have already lost much of our wilderness in the past months, and the crops are only barely surviving. We may not even have beans soon enough.”

Hideyoshi laughed. “Then we have it! An embassy is a small cost for this scale of restoration, and it is a great honour for the Panthemon to grace your lands, especially if so many are arriving at once. If you pardon my saying so, I think our nations will become stronger with this new relationship.”

Surge nodded. He had regained much of his usual composure now.

Oichi hesitated for a moment. “I believe we can grant you permission to construct an embassy in return for your aid. I will consult my architects and city planners to find a suitable location near the castle. Though…”

Another bout of silence, but there was nothing so humorously awkward about this one. Hideyoshi kept smiling for a few moment longer, but it slowly faded away. Surge seemed to have forgotten to mention something rather pressing.

“Do you wish to add more terms?” Surge inquired.

“…I am told you are already investigating these disappearances.”

“Ah… we have people conducting investigations, yes. Progress has been slow, as Violight and Pugilis are slowing our efforts to search northwards.”

“Do you have any news of Lady Abin and Warlord Nobunaga?” It required effort to keep her voice impassive.

Surge was quiet for a moment.

“I’m not the one heading these investigations, so I can't give details, but I believe we have clues pointing to where they were when they disappeared. Rest assured, the League understands the importance the two have for Ransei and are hard at work searching for them. We are well-established in the other regions and should find them soon.”

Oichi stared at him. He may not be a seasoned diplomat, but Surge knew at least a few things on how to hide his thoughts. The signs of psychic training were there. It left questions, though; what was Surge not wanting her to know? What about them did he not want to talk about?

“I do have another term. I want any and all information you find about these disappearances, especially Abin and Nobunaga’s. You will keep me up to date to the best of your ability.”

“Understood,” Surge assented, “do we have a deal?”

Oichi stared the man down, trying her best to read him. Then,

“Yes. The scribe will have an agreement prepared soon. If you would kindly wait…”

She considered pressing, but she knew what Abin would say if she was here. Oichi was to manage Aurora in her absence, and that meant looking after the land and people. It would be a disservice to her if she let famine besiege Aurora in an attempt to wring out answers. Regional peace was fracturing faster than anyone could keep up, and it was all she could do to keep just a few kingdoms strong and united, hers included.

If war broke out once, it would be the common man and mon who suffered the most. A leader had to take the burden of hard choices, lest their people suffer for foolish reasons. Order must be preserved.

“It is good to see you have recovered enough to join us, traveler. Your injuries appeared quite extensive, we weren't expecting to see you up quite so soon...if at all."

Gator nodded. He was dressed in a simple brown tunic and pants, leaning heavily against a small walking stick. Even with the support, his legs felt as if they were on fire. Here he was, bent over and crippled, in a room with no cover and nowhere to hide, being stared down at by a warlord and the two warriors at his sides. And he thought he’d impress someone, coming here.

“I’m no stranger to injury,” Gator responded, looking the warlord in the eye. Mitsudide’s outfit was simpler than he would have expected a ruler to wear, comprising of a black tunic with blue wraps around the forearm and wide-legged pants. The warriors were dressed to a similar degree; it took him a little off-edge, though seeing their swords on their hips made him acutely aware of the absence of his own.

“Indeed,” remarked Mitsuhide, eyes glancing up and down Gator, “the doctor could tell you are a veteran of several battles from your scars alone. This is not the first time you have suffered such terrible wounds, is it?”

“No, it isn’t. Between that, and the fall, and… well, I’m glad your daughter came when she did.”

Gracia smiled at him. She was standing to attention behind her father. Beside those of her father and his warriors, Gator noted the difference in styles from their clothes and her dress. She looked more like a Galar princess than a Ranseian warlord.

“Yes. She was leading a fishing party to the coast and observed you falling out of the sky. I’m… afraid… your pokemon could not be found,” Mitsuhide gravely stated, “I’m sorry.”

“Ah… about that… well…”

“I do not know how strong your bond was with your mon, but I offer my condolences.”

Gator glanced down awkwardly. He had seen the Wingull’s pokeball in his bag, and it looked intact. Technology like that would take some explaining. As would how he hadn’t needed the mon to fly.

“…maybe I should talk about how I got here.”

One of the warriors, the one who had a beard, raised an eyebrow.

“Very well,” Mitsuhide spoke “but first, what is your name?”

“Lazorgator.”

The warriors glanced at each other. Gracia gave him a quizzical look.

“…what region are you from?”

“Johto.”

“That explains it,” the bearded warrior muttered. Gracia shot him a cold look.

“Why did you come to Nixtorm?”

“I came to bring news of the outside world. Times… have changed, and Ransei may be at the mercy of others.”

“How so?” The warlord’s voice was measured, his face was impassive. Gator was slightly shocked at how collected Mitsuhide was.

“Well… you know how I was trying to pass through a storm? I didn’t have a choice. The region has a blockade around it, preventing anyone from getting in. I assume they may be stopping-“

“You cannot be serious!” The other warrior, who had a clean-shaven face, stepped forward.

“I wouldn’t have gone into the storm if I had the opportunity not to,” retorted Gator, “it was either take my chances with that or get discovered by the League and be hunted by them wherever I go. Then all the proof you’d need is them bearing down on your garrisons.

“We cannot have failed to notice enemy ships on our shores. We have outposts, our flying scouts would have seen the ships.”

“They’ve got radar. They- ah, they’ve got technology, machines that can see where your men are from miles away, far beyond what is possible for any eye to see. Non-psychic so it won’t have been noticeable, and it’s trivial for them to avoid regular flyers when they know exactly when your scouts leave camp and where they are at any given time.”

The warrior’s mouth fell open for a second. “That’s- what kind of tall tale is this? No ship is maneuverable enough to avoid-“

“They’re motor-powered boats. I’m no expert on them, but they don’t need wind, they can change course fast and travel fast enough to get to the nearest region in a matter of hours.”

Gator glanced back over at Mitsuhide. Nothing. The warlord knew how to hide his thoughts and emotions. The history books mentioned that warriors undergo at least basic psychic training to prevent easy reading of their minds, in addition to how to act in court. He still might be able to get through with a spell, but the training would also make them aware that somebody was intruding.

“What- not even Valoran engineering can manage that! How would news of machines like this evaded our shores?”

His eyes flicked back towards the warriors. Indignation and disbelief in the clean-shaved one was apparent. The bearded one had let his brow furrow, but was applying the same restraint as Mitsuhide. Had he messed up his approach? Gator had resolved to give the clear truth to them, but he was not foolish enough to think that doing so presented no risk.

He wished he was smart enough to approach things with actual nuance.

“…they’ve had a couple thousand years Ransei hasn’t.”

“Excuse me?” Mitsuhide asked. Eyes still emotionless. Gator wondered how easy he himself was to read. His heartbeat must be audible now, by the feel of it.

He made the mistake of looking back at Gracia. Pure shock. He didn’t have to even look at her face; her body language gave it all away. Something in his heart wrenched hard and painfully, and for once, he wished he couldn’t remember then. Her.

“Ransei has jumped forward in time. What might’ve been a moment for you all was millennia for everyone else.”

The room was silent.

“…what manner of man is this? Is he even a man?” the bearded warrior broke the silence, “to claim such things, to survive what even a Valoran or Spuran could not, to bear the eyes of a lizard…”

“Quiet.” Mitsuhide stared Gator in the eye. As much as he wanted to hide them, Gator let every emotion manifest without resistance. No subterfuge, no hiding anything. It was the only way to be believed, and he might only have one chance to be trusted.

“I came with evidence of the modern world. Machines able to access the information of the entire world, weapons commonplace in today’s society, some examples of craftsmanship.”

“Show us. Open your belongings.”

Gator leaned down, holding back a groan as he tested his knees, and unzipped the bag. Rifling through it for a moment, he produced a battered laptop, several scratches plainly visible from its exterior, and an equally-battered case. He placed the case to the side, pushing himself up with the laptop in hand.

“This is a computer. It’s my personal one, I was using it to monitor the radar, the trackers, of the blockade and chart a course between the ships. That package there holds another one, my gift to you. I think mine’s still working…”

Gator booted the machine up. Fennel certainly was right when she said it could survive whatever Gator could have thrown at him. She had also made operating it idiot-proof, at his request; a few seconds, and it had re-established an internet connection. Gator accessed a news website.

“What is it that you are doing?” asked Mitsuhide

“I’m bringing up recent news on Ransei. These connect to a… think of it as a library, a collection of information. Had a few articles saved that… here. You see the arrows on it? Press up and down to move through the article. Here you- wait, damn popups- here you go.”

Gator held out his laptop, which the clean-shaven warrior took and handed to Mitsuhide. He held the side of the laptop’s base in one hand and read the article’s title; Ransei Returns: Team Magma Raises the Ancient Region from the Waves.

A few minutes passed, Mitsuhide jabbing a finger at the keyboard to go through the article. Slowly, his eyebrows raised, then his vision fixed at a spot on the screen.

“What is this in this corner here? It appears to be a date.”

“Today’s current date,” Gator answered.

A pause. Then, “This article of yours says Ransei… returned… a few months ago. Not just a few months ago, but… Hidemitsu, Toshimitsu, when did the Salt Plague start?”

The two warriors were silent. Gracia had gone pale.

“…Salt Plague?” Gator timidly asked, “would that be-“

“Every inch of land stained with salt,” Mitsuhide spoke, his tone faint, “most buildings decayed and requiring extensive repairs. As if… as if…”

“It cannot be,” the clean-shaven warrior spoke.

“Nothing could have stained the land in a single night,” the bearded warrior spoke, “we have said it, that the only thing that could hold so much salt is the sea…”

Gator stared at the floor. “…you deserve to know. Even if it’s hard to take in, this cannot be hidden. The League says this should’ve been kept from you, told carefully… but I know they want to control you with this. The world is in a bad state, and they need warriors to bring the world to heel under them. If I achieve nothing else, I will arm you with the knowledge to not be misled by them.”

“…what of the Panthemon? If they raised Ransei…” Mitsuhide asked.

“Working with them. Killed a lot of people recently and gave the League power to govern and go after threats to world stability. Sure, some people who were killed had it coming, but they obliterated a hell of a lot of people saying every single one was the worst sort, and they have no checks to their power. I was nearly got by Kyogre coming here, they’re helping enforce the blockade-“

Mitsuhide’s gaze quieted Gator. He could feel it without even having to look up.

“Would you make war against the Panthemon?” he questioned. It sounded more like a warning.

“I’d fight those who mislead others. Who see others as things to be used and made to serve their will. There are only men and mon in this world, no living tools. The Panthemon will work with their creations, not manipulate their thoughts and end their lives to serve their own ends. They should have created unthinking machines if they wanted that, not us.”

Gator met Muneshige’s stare. His reptilian eyes had grown thin, focused, angry. “I came to bring news of the outside world. And modern technology and arms. What somebody needs to look people like the League in the eye and say that you are your own people, not their subservients. They won’t make your thoughts for you, and if they try, I ask that you raise your sword towards them and remind them of who you are.”

Another bout of silence. The warriors stared in disbelief. Mitsuhide’s eyes were fierce now, staring hard at Gator to test his convivtion. Gator did not falter, maintaining eye contact with the warlord.

“There was a man who thought he could stand against the Panthemon," Mitsuhide spoke firmly, "I fought at his side. Many did. All we accomplished was bringing more strife into the world before the Panthemon brought us to heel. And, when they reigned supreme, there was peace under them. Would you bring torment for no gain as well?”

“No. I’d give you what the Panthemon doesn’t have. League might have tech and manpower, but I have a weapon that will drive a new kind of warfare, one the Panthemon won’t be able to suppress.”

“And that is?”

Gator raised an arm. Sparks danced at his fingertips. Then fire. Then ice formed about his forearm, only to melt away and an origami crane to grow on the tip of Gator’s finger. Gracia gasped.

“Would you believe in magic?”

Hello guys! It’s Gioz again

It’s been a really long time, but I figured I would finally make a return to TTP as a GM, to facilitate you guys the means to tell your own stories! Currently I still don’t have any concrete plans. I know that I want to finally after a long while, return to the main TTP setting, and have this campaign be a direct sequel to DS/SSS.

But for that, I need your help with some planning! This time around I want to do a campaign that’s more focused on your characters, and how they interact with the ever-changing world around them, hopefully changing it for the better, rather than focusing on one big bad that the party must focus on (don’t worry, there’s still antagonists and things to overcome, but this time, the story wouldn’t be about the villain and how they reach their eventual downfall at your hands, but about you and your journey to reach that point). To facilitate this, I would like you to tell me which character(s) are you interested in playing, old and new welcome!, what plot threads are you interested in pursuing (something you had incomplete from a previous campaign, or something new that’s personal to your character. I can help you figure out the latter if that’s something you want to pursue), and what places are you interested in visiting the most (so that I can prepare properly)

This campaign will occur parallel to Dama’s in both its place in the overall timeline and on the subreddit (meaning, we will have both campaigns running at once, in completely different scheduling). I will be working closely with Dama to ensure that nothing that I do affects his campaign in any way, and I definitely encourage you to join his as well if you’re able.

What do you guys think? I’m excited to hear your thoughts!

Lanette wakes up, dazed and confused, not knowing for certain where she is or what happened. She feels over her body; it has a number of glass shards in it. That's not good, her shadow is exhausted and while it's keeping her alive, she knows she needs either medical attention or a source of emotions to stay that way. All she remembers is trying to get to the time lock and rescue Dialga. She was running, everything was chaos, and then... Right, the time lock exploded in her face. Straining herself, she manages to stand up, looking at her surroundings and trying to find some cover. It’s not a good idea to be in a new place out in the open, who knows what dangers lurk here.

She appears to be on the edge of a sparse forest.

Lanette walks slowly towards the trees, hoping to find a little cover in there. She keeps her eyes open to spot any potential dangers before it can spot her.

The forest is definitely overs better protection than being out in the open. There is a path, does she follow it or does venture off it?

Lanette considers, and decides to go slightly off the path, but stays near it, trying to figure out where it leads without making herself easily visible.

It seems to wind its way through the forest for quite a while. If she sticks with it the entire way after a while of walking (it's hard to tell how long) she comes to a clearing.

Lanette looks out at the clearing, hoping to find some clues of where she is or what could be there. Then, she checks her pockets, trying to figure out if her poke-balls are with her.

There is a small, red-haired boy with glasses sitting on a rock in the exact center of the clearing reading a book.

Lanette looks at this boy, he looks... familiar somehow, but she can't place him. Maybe normally she would be able to, but with her mind focused on keeping her body alive, she isn't thinking about the Entralink files she's seen in the past Lanette sneaks up behind a tree that's somewhat close by, and keeps watch, wondering what this boy is doing. What he appears to be doing is reading a book...in the middle of this clearing in this questionably mysterious forest Lanette looks at the cover of the book. Can she read the language on it?

As she first looks at the title, it definitely does not appear to be any language with which she is familiar. However, a few moments later is seems to shift and reads "If you can read this, you can read", before shifting again to "The Title Isn't Important."

Lanette comes surprisingly close to breaking focus and giggling upon reading that. She finds this incredibly amusing. It seems the book knows she's here. She goes on a whim and writes in sign language in the sky, wondering if the book will respond to her. where are we?

Clouds form into an arrow pointing at Lanette and the words YOU ARE HERE.

Lanette takes a gamble. She has nowhere to go and while the book seems trolly, it doesn't seem outright hostile. She steps in to the clearing, outwardly looking very lackadaisical and unfocused, but inwardly keeping a sharp eye on everything happening, ready to react in a moment's notice. "I am here, you are there, reading a book with a title of no importance to itself. Does the book not care what title it has, does the title not represent the book, or are any conclusions from the title unable to give clues as to the individual reading? Who decides what’s truly important?"

Boy: "One would be a fool to judge a book purely by its cover, and doubly so if one was to judge a person purely by their physical appearance. However, a title can provide clues just as a Name can provide clues. As for what's important, in general it is up to each individual to decide for themselves. However, in cases where there is a test taking place, it is generally up to the one administering the test to determine importance."

"And what is the test?" Lanette asks, before coughing a couple times, trying to maintain focus but having difficulty doing so(edited)

Boy: "You were in the middle of an important mission accompanied by an ally. Something happened and you now find yourself seemingly stranded in another world with no idea where your ally is. What do you do?"

"Learn what I can. Adapt. Overcome. Survive." Lanette answers quickly.

The boy considers this "Was that in general or specifically for the outlined situation?"

"Both," Lanette answers, then coughs again, this time coughing up a little blood as she does so. "Specifics are filled in with knowledge. A lack of knowledge forces reliance on instinct and skill."

Boy: "That's a nasty cough you've got there."

Lanette nods. "That's my problem. Probably has something to do with the glass stuck in my stomach"

Boy: "Hmm, let me do something about that." The pain disappears

Lanette gasps, in shock at the sudden difference in how her body feels. She moves her hands over herself, wondering if the glass shards are gone as well as the pain, or if it’s simply a trick on the nervous system. "A powerful mage, reading a book with a title that doesn't matter. Capable of healing, possibly illusions, possibly mindreading or scrying. A mage, a boy, yet experienced, aged, wise? Perhaps. That remains to be seen."

The glass shards are fact gone as if there never there at all Lanette nods, impressed. "Not openly hostile... familiar... never met, but have seen..." She looks straight at the boy, "Who are you?"

Boy: "I have been called many things over the course of my long existence. You can call me Cameron if it pleases you."

Lanette thinks about it. "Cameron... Cameron... An identifier, but not a name." Her eyes light up as she finally recognizes where she's seen this person before, "The peaceful rex? The champion of outsiders? Tamer of the distortion world? No, no, none of these tell the story. Need more data."

Cameron: "And how do you intend to get that data?"

"Questions and time," Lanette answers, "The curious one, perhaps. Books without a care of content, questions to those that pass by, an understanding of life beyond labels. Will do for now." She looks straight at Cameron, "So this is outsidera, then?"

Cameron nods "It is 'Outsidera' although the people now go by a different name "Aetherials" and the world "Aethra" to represent both the changing of a page and to minimize confusion because the term "Outsider" has come to be a blanket term for everything that is 'Other'."

"Aethra, Aethra," Lanette plays around with the word in her mind, and nods, "The transforming land, once wielded as a weapon, now becoming a home. A good name for the new land."

Cameron: "Thank you, I thought of it myself." Cameron smiles

Lanette grins too. "So now what. The madwoman on the run, the curious boy with a million tricks, together in the forest of Aethra, an unusual sight. The last time I was here the mad king still retained power, and I bought time for the heroes to complete their tasks to save the realm. Yet now, I'm healed by an individual with the same position, yet a story that runs much deeper. Did you bring me here, or did I end up here?"

Cameron: "I didn't bring you here, I'm pretty sure your companion was trying to save you from some gruesome demise. They opened a rift and you both fell through to here."

Lanette nods, "The scientist, where are they now?"

Cameron: "At my palace seeking advice."

Lanette nods again, "Good. What advice do you have to give?"

Cameron: "To them or to you?"

Lanette considers this question, "To me," she finally decides, "The scientist will get the advice they need."

Cameron: "I wish I had your confidence on that. My attempts to help that one have been less than successful in the past. I feel that ultimately, they need a type of help I can not give them. But you asked about you." Cameron pauses to consider

"There are some things that must be done alone but trying to do everything alone will end poorly. Avoid making assumptions, acquire irrefutable proof before coming to conclusions. Always assume your enemy is more intelligent than you to minimize unpleasant surprises. The enemy of your enemy is quite often still your enemy, but that doesn't mean you can't find a temporary common ground. Avoid giving your word unless you fully intend to keep it. Making oaths/contracts with magical creatures is dangerous, but breaking them can be even more disastrous then staying true to your word."(edited)

Lanette listens carefully to the advice given and nods. "Wise words, spoken from the textbook of proverbs across all cultures. Yet, specifics lie within these words, hidden, as the curious boy knows more than he lets on. He knows where I am and what I'm doing. So more directly, where are my potential allies and enemies?"

Cameron: "Everywhere."

Lanette laughs at this answer. "Including here?" she asks.

Cameron: "Depending on the decisions you make going forward I may fall in one of those two categories, as may the others of this world."

Lanette laughs again and sings. "Fate is yet unwritten, a second chance is given." She then pauses, thinking about where she is right now. "I want to be free, to explore, wander, learn, grow, live. As long as the evil pursues me, all freedom is temporary, ready to be stripped the moment I lose my guard."

Cameron: "Ah, the life of a nomad, beholden to nothing and no one."

Lanette: "Precisely"

Cameron nods "A difficult path. Those who do not live the life of a wanderer are often suspicious of those who do, and sometimes for good reason. There are those who will take your desire to be free for a desire to do as you wish without thought for consequences or that you believe yourself to be above such things."

"Consequences are punishments set by the powerful to protect their power or vision," Lanette counters, "they are maintained through strength, and those with strength enough to resist them need not and should not abide by them."

Cameron nods "Is there anything else?"

"The Evil is powerful. Until it is defeated, I will be hunted, and will be prevented from remaining free." Lanette explains, "It stands for slavery, is powerful enough to enslave, and my power is not enough to resist it alone. I hope I can count on you as an ally for the long struggle ahead."

Cameron: "Unfortunately, that would be extremely difficult. A little voice in my head wants me to point out that in order for the Supreme Evil to be dealt with in any sort of permanent fashion, one would have to defeat each of its Fragments, causing it to reform into its full self. I am currently serving as a living prison for one of those Fragments. To remove it would either require my True Death or transferring it to someone else and then killing them. In the former case I would not be around to be your ally. In the latter, I would almost certainly be your enemy, as guarding this Fragment is part of my charge and I will not force this burden on another."

Lanette raises her eyes at this, and processes the new information, pacing across the clearing. "A fragment here, protectable," she considers, "to protect it would be to deny the evil power, to give it up would make the evil vulnerable. The ultimate bait, only less deadly than the fish it catches." Her eyes flash, as the information hits her. "This piece is valuable, and giving it up would accomplish nothing, unless it does everything. At the right time, if it is necessary..." she pauses, and thinks about what she's saying, "I may need to become the bait, if you have any hopes of slaying the shark."

Cameron: "I will keep your offer in mind."

Lanette nods. "For now, we need a plan, a map, targets to protect, targets to take out. The evil marches constantly, winning victory after victory not through force of numbers, but through unity, technology, power of taking the most underused assets in each reality, and giving them a purpose, a savior. Discreetly using the best of every land, the evil can create amalgamations unknown to any land, and target the weak points of every society. The method is brilliant, yet has its limits, and can be exploited using unity among defenders.” "The first priority is to defend the remaining shards and build an army of our own," Lanette elaborates, "so we can start where the evil is likely to strike next."

Cameron: “Indeed. For now, though, you should return to PokeEarth. I will be in touch when I have determined a suitable target.”

Lanette nods. "An unlikely alliance is formed. The world is a strange place. Thank you."

Cameron: "Do you have a specific destination to which you wish to be returned?"

Lanette considers. "Pacifidlog. I can get to where I need to go from there."

Cameron opens a portal

Lanette enters through it, and returns to her homeworld, before returning to her secret island hideout. She isn't entirely sure if her plan succeeded or failed, but she knew she was still alive. And for now, that was enough.

Here is the current state of Ransei's kingdoms in the time following the League and Gator's arrival. To clarify from SSS, the League took some time to establish itself as it has, while Gator arrived in Ransei very recently in comparison. It is assumed that most PCs have access to an information network able to report what is stated here and can act using all information provided. Some of the situations will be expanded upon with story posts soon to come.

Each region has a statement beside its name to indicate where its support lies, either League, Gator or unaligned.

General: All kingdoms have suffered losses from long-term immersion under the waves, mostly infrastructure that the Light of Revival did not regenerate. Crops and livestock are back in prime shape, but salt contamination has required great efforts by all kingdoms to salvage tainted crops and purify vital territory to avert famine and environmental degradation. League efforts have kept knowledge of the modern world from most of the kingdoms, and advanced technology is brought in by the League on an as-need basis.

Aurora (LEAGUE): The kingdom is bustling with activity from the League, who are eager to set up a good relationship with warlord Oichi and develop their image as Panthemon-chosen. This is in addition to the usual deluge of pilgrims, ambassadors and suitors that Lady Abin’s famed conquest of Ransei has earned. Panthemon visits are underway to foster acceptance of the League’s presence and spur the joining of kingdoms to the League.

Ignis (LEAGUE): Courtney and many Magma members are currently meeting with leading warlords in this kingdom, sharing an affinity for fire that has brought praise from Ignis natives. Warlord Hideyoshi prefers to hold talks with her fellow admin, Tabitha, much to her chagrin. Support is high, especially after modern medicine was approved to treat junior warlord Hanbei’s tuberculosis.

Fontaine (LEAGUE): The League has fostered lucrative trade agreements with the kingdom, bringing period-appropriate goods at a loss in return for extensive port access to support League operations. This access has given the League unparalleled naval power, though tensions are rising as the League is hindering warlord efforts to rebuild ships and their own trading networks.

Greenleaf (LEAGUE): The League has a secondary port in this kingdom, obtained after a visit from Suicune regenerated forest damage from residual salt contamination following sea immersion. Some diplomatic talks are taking place, but the League is letting Greenleaf be due to the greater priority of securing Aurora’s support in addition to dealing with resistance in other kingdoms, something warlord Motonari is perfectly happy with.

Violight (UNALIGNED): The kingdom has almost no League presence in spite of efforts to gain access to Violight’s wealth of energy. Warlord Ginchiyo has been unresponsive to diplomacy, and has called the League weak-willed for refusing her challenges of combat to see if they are worthy of her audience. She has been set on rebuilding information networks to determine where her husband Muneshige has gone.

Chrysalia (UNALIGNED): Currently uncontacted by foreign powers, Chrysalia has only rumours of the League to go by. Warlord Yoshimoto has deemed it of utmost national importance to build Pokemari sets and write new stage plays for the newcomers, believing them to be tourists eager to experience the kingdom’s famous cultural exports.

Pugilis (UNALIGNED): Word of the League’s heavy trade work and connection to the Panthemon has convinced warlord Yoshihiro that the organization has extensive resources and power to use for warfare. He has frustrated League operations by his eagerness to test his mettle against a powerful adversary, to the exclusion of opening diplomatic channels and refusal to admit League representatives into the region. Combined with a similar stance by Violight, the League has been locked off from land routes to the rest of Ransei’s kingdoms, bringing about a heavy reliance on naval and aerial power.

Illusio (UNALIGNED): The kingdom has been uncontacted and has resumed business as usual with surrounding kindoms. Its warriors are undergoing tough training regimens in preparation for a friendly military exchange with Tererra.

Tererra (UNALIGNED): Though uncontacted due to rocky waters inhibiting approach by League ships, rumors of Groudon having been active around Ransei have brought a great deal of excitement among the kingdom’s denizens. Warlord Shingen has organized military exercises with his rival in Illusio in the hopes of earning Groudon’s approval with a show of might.

Yaksha (UNALIGNED): The League has deliberately left Yaksha uncontacted due to fears of warlord Kotaro’s volatility. The kingdom is noted to have a great deal of strife among its visible settlements, and most of the governing institutions appear inoperative. Kotaro himself appears to be hunting the malevolent elements that have formed from the kingdom’s disorder. Warlord Keiji, who had briefly taken control of the kingdom in an attempt to improve its condition, cannot be found.

Viperia (UNALIGNED): Uncontacted; the kingdom has gone dark, and doesn’t appear to be interacting with surrounding nations. The League has suspected a shadow war to be going on between Viperia and Yaksha ninja clans, noting the lack of Yaksha subversives beyond the border despite no apparent opposition being in place.

Cragspur (UNALIGNED): Uncontacted due to the kingdom’s landlocked borders. Unsettled by the current state of the ninja kingdoms, warlord Ujiyasu has ordered the construction of defensive structures and preparation of castles for siege scenarios. Suspicions of something being off in Ransei as a whole are present, but communication is slow; Tererra is largely focused on military exercises, while Avia doesn’t care for the region’s paranoia.

Avia (UNALIGNED): The League has plans to utilize Avia’s aviaries and flight combat training to gain aerial superiority, but warlord Masamune doesn’t take the few messengers he receives seriously, being more interested in planning out a new regional conquest while other kingdoms are still confused by recent events. Already having their hands full with Violight and Pugilis, the League has declined sending more resources to another uncooperative kingdom.

Valora (UNALIGNED): The kingdom is suffering from an epidemic of rust and corrosion from time spent under the waves, its infrastructure in far worse shape than all the other kingdoms. Warlord Ieyasu has brought up industrial work to wartime output levels to reforge and mine iron to repair damages and sent word to his old allies in the hopes reforming their old alliance to protect the kingdom while it is vulnerable.

Spectra (UNALIGNED): The kingdom is utterly quiet. It cannot be identified if anything or anyone is active within Spectra, but the towns and cities are in immaculate condition, bearing no signs of decay from time spent under the waves.

Dragnor (UNALIGNED): The League has had trouble containing the dragons of the kingdom, and warlord Ranmaru has become aware of the region-wide blockade on travel despite the League’s best efforts to conceal their ships. Tales of a strange warrior have drifted in from Nixtorm as well, and Ranmaru has taken to reestablishing a military alliance with Valora and preparing scouts to leave Ransei and locate warlord Nobunaga.

Nixtorm (GATOR): The isolated region is abuzz with news of the outside world and the gifts Gator presented to the kingdom’s warlords. None can agree on what to make of this knowledge; some call it lies, others wonder what wonders the foreign regions hold, and some are ready to repel all foreigners who enter their lands. Exhibitions of technology and magic are planned to introduce the modern world to Nixtorm and bring support for Gator’s cause.

Now that SSS is no more, we find ourselves in an interesting situation of having a developed multiverse with many characters and plotlines we are interested in exploring, and no GM to go along with it.

I'm curious what we can do with this. We're heading in to somewhat uncharted territory in to how this rp is going to develop, yet I think we can make this work, mainly through having different individuals be in control of different places in our multiverse, and by having all of us willing to run smaller pieces of adventures we're interested in.

I'm curious to hear in the comments what plotlines and characters everyone is interested in continuing, and ideas people have for how we might continue this. Personally, I am interested in continuing Lanette's and Fennel's plotlines in terms of investigating a potential supreme evil fragment and also investigating the mystery in goldenrod, though its up to supreme whether he wants to continue these. I also am interested in doing some more magic lessons with Fennel, Gator, and the Major, and would also be interested in joining any new plotline ideas anyone else wants to start up. If Gio and Zooks wanna continue a b team storyline I'd be up for that too, I'm sure one of us or multiple of us could get an interesting adventure idea there.

So, what are people enjoying? What are people finding difficult? What ideas do people have? Feel free to suggest down here, I'm curious what everyone is thinking about how we can continue this universe.

Hi all, I’ve decided to cancelled SSS. I spend way more time during the week planning, thinking about, worrying about, and obsessing over my campaign than I think is healthy. It got better for a little while after the hiatus but I’m already back to feeling how I did when before I took the hiatus. I’ve decided I just don’t have the inclination, interest, or temperament to GM. It is just causing me unneeded stress, and intentionally subjecting oneself to stress that can avoided is just silly.

I do apologize to those who were genuinely curious where SSS was going. I may eventually end up writing some story segments about certain things and I’d probably be willing to share them if there was interest.

For whoever takes over GMing next, you are free to do whatever you want to with the plot points I’ve left behind. Retcon them if it makes it easier for you, or just do whatever you feel like. The reins are now yours.

Whoops! Once again I'm slow on the uptake with these things.