Pokemon Setting Info

The Sunburst Islands

Once a protectorate of the Hoenn region, the Sunburst Islands declared independence at the beginning of the year. When they were part of Hoenn the islands were known as a premium vacation location, a luxury trip for the wealthy and famous to explore.

The islands are made up of five main islands, with countless smaller minor islands scattered around them. The people of the islands are in the midst of a bit of a cultural crisis, a clash between old and new ways of thinking. The islands themselves are ancient, with a native population that dates back as far as records can go. These natives were considered some of the first pokemon trainers, in a crude sense, though their methods would most sync up with the style of pokemon rangers in the modern day. Statues and paintings depict the natives forming close bonds with the local pokemon and living in harmony with them.

Due to this history, pokemon training has become almost a sacred act to the native population, with many tribes believing a child isn't 'complete' until it's formed a bond with a pokemon, and that the pokemon that first bonds with them is an omen of their growth. Because of this most native families with children keep at least one pet pokemon with positive traits to them, such as a Growlithe for loyalty or a Heracross for its fighting ability. Still there are pokemon with troubling connotations, ghost types especially hold a strange blended place between honored for their ties to the other realm and feared for their association with death or malice in many beliefs. Those with a bond to ghost, dark, or poison types often find themselves looked at with a blend of nervousness and expectations for great things, for better or worse.

Despite this reverence, pokemon battling is seen as a great art in most tribes. A great pokemon battler could find themselves looked to as a leader, and more importantly, a person who can not only command a pokemon in battle, but also master their own combat abilities is often viewed with honor and awe. Most tribes are lead by someone who has displayed power in both pokemon battle and personal combat.

On the other side, many natives have happily embraced the modern age, with two of the five islands dominated by grand metropolises that rival even Kalos. Many in these areas still hold on to their native roots, but have grown to adapt to a globalized world. It's a difficult balance for many, trying to maintain a spiritual connection to the past while wanting success in the modern world, and while some face some rather daunting personal introspection, most have adapted well to the world. It's not uncommon to see CEOs and investors holding small prayers to ancient gods of luck before a big merger, or doctors invoking healing spirits before a difficult operation. Along with that, totems and tattoos remain popular in the cities, with many high end brands expanding to display 'tribal luxury', totems made of exotic and rare materials, tattoos that blend the ancient meanings with modern art, even ritual outfits made of luxury materials are common to see.

Naturally this has lead to conflict between devotees of the old ways and scions of the new, and it's not uncommon to see tribal leaders protest new 'tribal luxury' boutiques, or rising young businessmen hiding their more mystical family members to appear more 'cosmopolitan' for their bosses. Still, thankfully, this debate has remained peaceful and low-key, most sides agreeing that while they disagree, nothing is solved by causing harm to the other side.

This peace, and the general safety of the isles as a whole, can be partially attributed to the Sunburst Islands' leaders. The Pokemon League of the isles, known as the Council of Wisdom now, has moved into a leadership position over the entire nation rather than just the pokemon trainers. They were a major component in brokering a peaceful liberation of the isles from Hoenn, preventing a bloody civil war from erupting with their guidance.

The Council is made up of four trainers, as is tradition, two from the 'modern islands' and two from the 'traditional islands'.

Maliko T'ai, the champion of the mystic world. He is one of the greatest shaman the isles have produced, said to have been able to speak to the dead when he was just a small child. Now an elderly man, he still moves with the passion of youth, and his control of mystical pokemon is without peer.

Davis Rholi, the champion of technology. His father was one of the major voices in modernizing aspects of the island, and he honors that legacy by constantly striving to find the best and newest ways to improve the islands. While many love him for his youth and charisma, some have expressed fears that he has lost the respect his father had for the islands' roots. He's often kept in check by Maliko's wisdom and age.

Shayah Kulupai, the champion of life. She comes from a long line of healers and medicine men. In the ancient days they were credited with saving their tribe from a foul plague that threatened to decimate them. She's famous for her vow of pacifism, and despite this oath to never use her pokemon for combat she has risen in power to her current position.

Javi Kulupai, the champion of war. Shayah's twin brother. While she was drawn to pokemon of life and healing as a young girl, it's said that some of the most dangerous pokemon of his tribe's territory were drawn to Javi. While his sister sticks to the ancient ways of healing, Javi has embraced modern combat whole heatedly. He often gives demonstrations of new technology that can be used for defense of the island (many built by Davis). Needless to say, it's only the tempering of his sister that kept him from ruining the peaceful transition into independence.

Finally, the league is run by its champion. While officially the champion has very few powers, what it does have is great. The champion has the duty of breaking ties in the votes, which, in case it's not obvious, means she often has the final say in the conflict between the past and the future on the island. Perhaps she was destined for such a role, though.

League champion Pashmi Mo'ko'telo was born of two worlds. Her father came from one of the great cities of the islands and found himself falling in love with a tribal medicine woman. She was raised to honor both aspects of her bloodline, and to respect the importance of balance over the domination of one side. She's a young woman, but wears her mantle of power well. If any one best exemplifies the hopes of the majority of the islands' people, it's Pashmi.

The League system of the islands works the same as in any other region. At least eight badges must be obtained to access the final gauntlet. Though, the methods of gym creation on the islands are unique. Because of their history, most islands' gyms don't have a focus on just one type of pokemon, and instead are built around one aspect of the island's lifestyle. For example, one of the more famous gym leaders of the region is Laurella Kokono, the heiress to a major farm in one of the greater islands. Her gym is focused around maintaining that farm life, most importantly the family's famous pedigree of rapidash breeding, rather than any one type of pokemon.

The five main islands  are formed in a horse shoe formation in the sea, with multiple smaller islands dotted around them like tiny jewels in the dark blue waters.

The most famous island is Victory Isle, formerly Lokulu Island, the second largest and most developed island. Not only is it home to the central government of the island, it's also home to the greatest the island has to offer in luxury and vacation destinations. Most of the large island mass has been completely dominated by the massive city of Victory City. It, along with the island, was named in honor of the islands' independence. Outside the city walls lush jungle still thrives, and still is home to three tribes of natives, though they have expressed fear that Victory City will one day swallow them up.

Second to Victory Isle is Firebrand Island, the island that league member Davis once called home. Unlike Victory Island much of Firebrand Island is dominated by desert and volcano regions. It was once considered uninhabitable, but advances made by Davis' father allowed massive expansion to occur in short periods of time. Irrigation and hydration systems crated a grid linking the few oasis spots of the island to form a large enough foundation for a 'proper' city. Oasis City, the jewel of the desert, grew seemingly overnight. Using volcanic heat as power it was able to undergo a boom that lead to it becoming the hub of scientific advancement in the island. The rest of the island is controlled by primarily nomadic tribes. The tribes, unlike many other places, welcomed the new city. While it did disrupt things for a bit, the scientific advancements of the city allowed them to barter for much needed supplies much easier, allowing their own populations to boom as well.

Beyond the 'civilization' of the first two island lies Thukata Island, a great rainforest island that is said to be the oldest of the islands. Massive trees and such only support this claim further. The island is almost entirely covered by the rainforest, broken up only by streams and rivers that lead to either massive lakes or to the oceans proper. Within this island many pokemon and tribes of natives can be found, and it's considered to be the greatest hub of 'the old ways' in the islands. There is even a 'tribal council' formed from representatives of the island's tribes that welcome emissaries from outside tribes to voice concerns, and offer aid as best they can.

In a harsh contrast to Thukata Island's massive land mass lies the mostly sunken, swampy, island of Gurkuruku Island. Legend says once the island was even larger than Thukata, but due to an ancient disaster most of it sunk into the sea. Now most of the island is either totally under water or dominated by swamplands, save for only a few outcroppings of high and dry land. The people of Gurkuruku Island are simple, but hardy people. Their years of living in hostile environments and making homes where most would consider lost have made them strong, but stubborn as a people. The primary civilization in the island is The City Of Shifting Rivers, a large city build on wooden stilts in the heart of the island's largest swampland. The people of the city are some of the greatest fishers the island can produce, and even the metropolitan areas often send requests to them for rare and exotic seafood.

Finally, the most mysterious island, Nukkak Island. This 'island' really can't be called a proper island, in truth it's more a giant glacier that seemed to appear of of nothing in the ancient days. The people of Nukkak are an isolated bunch, their island not traveled to much due to a lack of vacation destinations for outsiders. The few who have traveled there were mainly thrill seekers or archaeologists. They reported grand cities made of ice and snow, and a strange people that didn't seem to be part of the Sunburst Isles' core culture, but rather claimed to be descendants of a splinter group who left the isles to see the world, and encountered the legendary bird Articuno, who made them their glacial home for some great service they did that was never spoken of. Since then Articuno has been worshiped as a divine being on Nukkak Island. While mostly left to their own ways, in recent months league member Maliko has expressed great interest in the island, claiming the spirits have spoken to him of an ancient and powerful secret deep in the ice.