Post by Sarai Smythe on Aug 15, 2011 7:07:29 GMT 11
Location: Pontoon Island, a small island roughly a mile (1.6 km) across by a mile and a half (2.4 km) wide.
Description: Originally a simple pumice raft (a large mass of floating volcanic rock created by an oceanic volcano that rises to the surface of the ocean, then sinks as the gas within is replaced with seawater), the mass of rock that would later become Pontoon Island drifted close enough to a stable shore that, rather than sinking back beneath the waves, it stuck in a relatively shallow area, and rested adjacent to an island for a few years. Collecting various bits of wildlife and, thanks to the nearby volcanoes, a considerable amount of volcanic ash, which mixed with some erosion to create rich soil, it soon took on the same sorts of life as the island it was stuck on.
Presently, a young woman by the name of Sarai Smythe arrived there, accompanied by a small retinue of abandoned, formerly abused, and runaway pokemon. Although it took her some time and exploration to understand the nature of the pumice raft, once she did, several interesting ideas took hold. Explaining her thoughts to the pokemon with her (and the local pokemon using the island as their home) and using their better understanding of their various elements, the entire group managed to launch the island, and at the same time start activities that, if continued, could potentially keep the island afloat for as long as enough pokemon resided there.
Since that time, Sarai has used the island as her home, floating about the sea sometimes at the whim of the ocean currents, but also with some control thanks to a pod of friendly wailord. Because of its nature as a floating island, particularly as a -moving- floating island, Pontoon Island cannot be reached without either a: Sarai's direct aid, b: Surf (and its requisite badge), or c: Fly (and its requisite badge).
Sarai also sends the pokemon she's training here when she doesn't have them with her, using the large hut Homesweet as not only her house, but a central place for her pokemon training, breeding, and swapping purposes. Pokemon Sarai has been training can be easily identified by the fact that each wears their pokeball on a sort of a necklace, allowing them to trigger the ball if they feel it is needed- and showing that they cannot be caught.
Literally speaking, the only thing on the island which Sarai actually owns is her hut, Homesweet, and the contents of it- but her rapport with the pod of Wailord that guide and accompany the island grants her a large measure of control over the island's location when it doesn't conflict with the other inhabitants, and she did help to set up the island to become what it is now.
Areas:
Final Notes: As mentioned before, a hefty portion of the pokemon living on or beneath Pontoon Island were abandoned or abused, or outlived their trainers- though this third group is relatively small. As such, they tend to be leery of humans, and poaching is not feared but abhorred by the island's inhabitants, who will quickly drive off poachers with various elemental powers and techniques. Those who persist or use potentially deadly methods will be responded to with deadly force.
Sarai herself does not own any of the pokemon that do not bear a pokeball- she has befriended some of them, and others have been convinced to tolerate her for the sake of the island and their refuge, but she holds no sway beyond friendship over any of them, and thus cannot command, coach, or otherwise direct them in battle at all- they do as they feel best.
Description: Originally a simple pumice raft (a large mass of floating volcanic rock created by an oceanic volcano that rises to the surface of the ocean, then sinks as the gas within is replaced with seawater), the mass of rock that would later become Pontoon Island drifted close enough to a stable shore that, rather than sinking back beneath the waves, it stuck in a relatively shallow area, and rested adjacent to an island for a few years. Collecting various bits of wildlife and, thanks to the nearby volcanoes, a considerable amount of volcanic ash, which mixed with some erosion to create rich soil, it soon took on the same sorts of life as the island it was stuck on.
Presently, a young woman by the name of Sarai Smythe arrived there, accompanied by a small retinue of abandoned, formerly abused, and runaway pokemon. Although it took her some time and exploration to understand the nature of the pumice raft, once she did, several interesting ideas took hold. Explaining her thoughts to the pokemon with her (and the local pokemon using the island as their home) and using their better understanding of their various elements, the entire group managed to launch the island, and at the same time start activities that, if continued, could potentially keep the island afloat for as long as enough pokemon resided there.
Since that time, Sarai has used the island as her home, floating about the sea sometimes at the whim of the ocean currents, but also with some control thanks to a pod of friendly wailord. Because of its nature as a floating island, particularly as a -moving- floating island, Pontoon Island cannot be reached without either a: Sarai's direct aid, b: Surf (and its requisite badge), or c: Fly (and its requisite badge).
Sarai also sends the pokemon she's training here when she doesn't have them with her, using the large hut Homesweet as not only her house, but a central place for her pokemon training, breeding, and swapping purposes. Pokemon Sarai has been training can be easily identified by the fact that each wears their pokeball on a sort of a necklace, allowing them to trigger the ball if they feel it is needed- and showing that they cannot be caught.
Literally speaking, the only thing on the island which Sarai actually owns is her hut, Homesweet, and the contents of it- but her rapport with the pod of Wailord that guide and accompany the island grants her a large measure of control over the island's location when it doesn't conflict with the other inhabitants, and she did help to set up the island to become what it is now.
Areas:
- Sandy Shore:
The only traditionally landable coastline on Pontoon Island, the Sandy Shore is a pokemon-crafted beach area, full of sand. It is also the only area in which trainers are permitted to catch pokemon, and then only pokemon that are in the water, or that directly challenge the trainer. Breaking this rule is a good way to get dogpiled by a large number and variety of the locals. At one end of the beach sits a lone honey tree, its branches a bit droopy from the weather here being slightly too humid for it.
Pokemon Found Here (Beach): Shellos (Common), Krabby (Uncommon 1/3), Tropius (Rare 1/8), Any Non-restricted (Rare, randomly determined 1/12)
Pokemon Found Here (Surf):Krabby (Common), Shellos (Common), Staryu (Uncommon 1/4), Mantyke (Rare 1/10)
Pokemon Found Here (Fishing): Krabby (Common), Shellos (Common), Carvanha (Uncommon 1/4), Staryu (Uncommon 1/4), Qwilfish (Rare 1/10), Mantyke (Rare 1/10)
Pokemon Found Here (Honey Tree): Butterfree (Common), Dustox (Common), Nincada (Uncommon 1/5), Yanma (Rare 1/10) - Open Jungle:
The jungle here is rife with pokemon- many of them abandoned, formerly abused, or having once lost their trainers. Thanks to the steady humidity of the area, the jungle here grows constantly, and provides plenty of shelter- and plenty of moisture. Pokemon that prefer arid climates will probably be uncomfortable here. Every so often, Sarai might be found here, spending some time with some of the pokemon she's befriended. Berries can be grown most anywhere in the jungle, but any aspiring planters had best place a large number, as there is literally no way to keep passing pokemon from feeding as they will for more than a few hours at a time. In fact a number of berries can be found growing wild in the jungle, thanks in no small part to the herd of six or seven Tropius that wander it constantly. - Homesweet:
This double-hut took a long time for Sarai to get right- and she had to learn a fair bit about carpentry and engineering in the process of making it, though her understanding is entirely experiential and probably wouldn't apply to anything outside of making jungle huts. The hut has two main rooms, one in either building, and an attached outhouse that is not built on stilts as the rest of the home is. The room that can be reached directly from the wooden stairs leading up to the home is her main living space- the central figure of the second building is a machine most familiar to those who have been into the back areas of pokemon centers, labs, and storage facilities- although the device has obviously seen better days. It is with this machine that Sarai is able to send pokemon she has captured to and from Pontoon Island. Usually, at least two of the pokemon Sarai has trained are in this room at any given time, waiting for a pokeball to arrive- so that its occupant can be brought to the ground outside, released, and given the necklace to carry its pokeball with it. These pokemon also are responsible for calling any other teammates who Sarai requests be sent to her, and preparing them to head out with the trainer. Anyone other than Sarai approaching the machine is warded off by any means necessary unless accompanied by the indigo-haired woman herself. If she is on the island, Sarai is most often here, resting or spending time with the pokemon she trains. - Jungle Falls:
Towards one end of the island, where the ground rises steadily at first but later in large steps formed of various small cliffs, this waterfall is found. Appearing to come from the top of the island's volcano (?!?), the water that flows here is warm, but clean and clear, and provides the lone river through the jungle that grants access to fresh water to all the island's inhabitants when the frequent rain does not suffice. It takes some climbing, but this is the only route through which humans can access the volcano without aid from pokemon or machines. The volcano itself is not much farther than the falls, and provides a (usually) drier and sandier area than most of the rest of the island, which is where pokemon that prefer deserts and other dry climates usually congregate. - Volcano Interior:
The volcano at one end of the island is not really what it seems- although it is shaped as a true volcano (thanks to a curiosity of the creation of the original pumice raft), it never spews magma or smoke- although sometimes something can be seen rising from its cauldron. The rock within the main shaft of the volcano is perpetually warm- but there is a curious shaping to the hole leading into the core of the island. Roughly even with the ground level of the general island, the shaft splits- one branch runs directly up, then diverts off to one side, the far end of it opening with damp rock and a lot of condensing steam from deeper into the island, to create the very top of the Jungle Falls, which are borderline impossible to reach, being on a sheer cliff face. The other branch heads downwards a bit, then jags up and heads for the top of the volcano, creating the false cauldron above. Because of this structure, water vapor from below collects and drains into the Jungle Falls constantly, and creates a small lake high on the side of the 'volcano'. - Pumice Cistern:
Deep within the core of the island is a very large, hollow area. This is probably the warmest place on the island except when it drifts into tropical areas, and even then, it's an even match with the 'volcano' overhead. This is also where the most important part of the island's function happens- the colonies of Slugma and Magcargo that live here, accompanied by a smaller number of Magmar, a small herd of Numel and Camerupt, a small family of Heatmor and a lone, reclusive Emboar (who is pretty much never seen) by virtue of their fiery natures and body heat continually evaporate the steady trickle of seawater that drains into the center of the island from the surrounding ocean. In point of fact, the Pumice Cistern is actually almost entirely below the waterline, and the fiery pokemon here are sharply aware of this- if they melt away rock without forming new rock, fail to evaporate enough water, or allow too much sea salt to aggregate here, the entire island will sink, and most of the pokemon living here will simply die, even with the Wailord to help evacuate- and the fire-types in the Cistern will be the first to go. This is also the source of the income that allows Sarai to supply the island's inhabitants with various luxuries such as small caches of evolutionary items and stones, medicines for sick pokemon, her own luxuries, and some small measure of protection- by harvesting the sea salt with the aid of some of the more friendly pokemon, Sarai is then able to have it transported off the island by Wailord, and sell it for cash. - Deep Waters:
While this is actually simply the open ocean around Pontoon Island, there are a number of things always noteworthy, wherever the island may roam to. To begin with, there is a pod of Wailord that accompanies the island everywhere- not only are the pod as a whole on good terms with Sarai, but the island itself provides them with much- the craggy underside of the pumice raft grants excellent hiding places for young Wailmer calves, the warmth of the island grants some relief from the usually frigid ocean waters, and the general organic detritus of the island as a whole attracts many tiny copeopods and other not-quite-pokemon for the Wailord and Wailmer to feed on. There are, of course, other aquatic pokemon that linger around the island, either because of an attachment to it, or because of its convenience. Many Staryu and Starmie live on the underside of the island, several small schools of Carvanha and a few Sharpedo, there are Shellos and Gastrodon all over the portions of the island that are submerged but upwards-facing, and there is a growing colony of Corsola that help to keep the island afloat from below.
Final Notes: As mentioned before, a hefty portion of the pokemon living on or beneath Pontoon Island were abandoned or abused, or outlived their trainers- though this third group is relatively small. As such, they tend to be leery of humans, and poaching is not feared but abhorred by the island's inhabitants, who will quickly drive off poachers with various elemental powers and techniques. Those who persist or use potentially deadly methods will be responded to with deadly force.
Sarai herself does not own any of the pokemon that do not bear a pokeball- she has befriended some of them, and others have been convinced to tolerate her for the sake of the island and their refuge, but she holds no sway beyond friendship over any of them, and thus cannot command, coach, or otherwise direct them in battle at all- they do as they feel best.