[i]"History is a fascinating field of study, is it not?  In a time where our ancestors seem they could not have been more different than we are, we instead find that we have far more in common than we ever thought possible." --Alakazam[/i]

In the world of Pokemon, life has long been a peaceful existence.  While most towns remain scattered across wide distances, Pokemon have generally been friendly toward one another, and even those who live out in the wilds tended to be unfriendly at the worst.  What few criminals made their wicked mark on the world found few to aid in their endeavors, and most were swiftly caught and imprisoned.  Alas, as is the case in so many stories, the peace was not meant to last.

[b]The Shattering.[/b]  An event of unknown origin that to this day defies our efforts to expose its true nature.  All at once, the skies above our humble world appeared to shatter, a dark veil overtaking the sun's light and blocking out the moon and stars.  When at last it faded away, everyone felt an unusual sense that something had changed... and it did not take long to discover what.

Darkness.  The terrible shroud that had blackened the world had vanished, but in its wake, the darkness within the hearts of Pokemon everywhere began to stir.  Suddenly, "wild" Pokemon became far more aggressive, battling with one another to stake their claims of territory and dominance.  Criminals were being broken out of prison, and many fled the safety of their villages to engage in heinous acts.  It was a dark time indeed.  And yet, in the deepest darkness does light shine the brightest.

Brave and heroic souls began to join their strengths, slowly but surely fighting back the newly wicked Pokemon that now spread throughout the world.  They fought valiantly, driving the darkness out of their homes and steadily regaining the safety of their homes and villages.  The chaos within the wilds began to fade, though it remains a dangerous realm even to this day.  When the worst of the fighting was over, those who were determined to see peace reign on united together once more, this time to discuss a more permanent solution.  Thus were the Guilds established.

Guilds were nothing less than the beacons that kept their homes and neighbors safe, training others in the ways of exploration and rescue.  Their mission was two-fold: to protect others and to seek the truth.  The Shattering had irrevocably changed the world, yet even now, little is known of it.  Thus have the Guilds begun their efforts to restore peace to their broken world.  The time has come for new heroes - heroes such as you - to answer the call.

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And there you have it!  A grand adventure just waiting to occur.  But such an adventure needs heroes, and that means YOU!  ...Potentially!

The Shattering is the main focus of the story, as it's a very recent event where we're starting off - it happened just five years ago!  Thus, while most villages and "civilized" areas have been made safe, danger still lurks just outside the gates...  There will be combat!

As explained before, I want to set this up as a tabletop style of roleplay where I will be acting as the DM.  I'm thinking a group of four to five would be a good start, and once we get in our groove, more can join in.  After all, Guilds always attract recruits!  The players are free to form teams with one another or even risk going solo if they so choose!  Battles will be balanced according to where they are, just like the games, though I may throw in a "local big bad" to shake things up.  Imagine battling a few Weedles only to find a swarm of angry Beedrill just over the next hill!  There will be danger and excitement, so expect things to go awry and to have to think on your feet at times.  Ultimately, it's about the adventure!

Those interested in joining should post a character sheet here in the OOC section, which I will then approve or suggest edits to.  Though this is filed under Advanced RP, I hope rather than discouraging newer roleplayers, this will [i]encourage[/i] those who want to really dive into their characters and story telling!  With that said, here's a few things to know before getting started:

[hider=The Rules!]
1. The DM has the final say!  My task in this is to give you all a world that you can explore, cause actions to have consequences, and ultimately make sure everyone is having a fun time!  To that end, I will be directing the story in ways that occasionally challenge or even outright oppose your characters.  This is meant to be done to enhance the overall story!  That said, I recognize I am not perfect, so private discussion and questions are always welcome.  Even so, DM has the final say.

2. No mature content.  This is a Pokemon world, and therefore the content we write should remain true to that.  T-rated at most.

3. No god-modding!  During this roleplay, the players will largely dictate how their characters handle combat.  I don't want to bog things down with rolling dice every time (unless the players prefer that method!), so combat will mostly be free-form.  That said, no one is perfect, and even the NPCs have battles they might not win.  Besides, scars make you look 20% cooler, science suggests!

4. Have fun!  Seriously, after all is said and done, I want this to be fun for everyone involved.  If you aren't enjoying yourself, please say something!  If we can't enjoy our own story, who will?
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[hider=Character Sheet Template]
Note that this template is not required!  It's simply something to help you get an idea of who you want to be in this roleplay.

Pokemon: (No legendaries.  Pseudo-legendaries can be discussed!)
Nickname: (This isn't required, but if you want one, by all means!)

Image: (Strike a pose!)

Guild Rank: (Bronze, Silver, or Gold.  Depending on your starting rank, you'll have bigger and more dangerous responsibilities!)

Personality:

Background:

Three Strengths: (Things you're good at!)

Three Weaknesses: (Things you're not so good at!)

Greatest Fear: (Don't worry, I [i]definitely[/i] won't use this against you at some point.  Hee hee hee~)

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[hider=The World]
I'll be populating this later - before we start, don't worry - with the various locations that can be visited and explored!
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