Iornia Info WIP

Working Beta of Iornia: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7n9YaBeNRMbTHdRQk1PdEhleFU/edit?usp=sharing

As for some basic info on the region, it's based a little on Ireland. Oftentimes, it's rainy, cloudy, or misty, and the temperatures are typically cool and mild. However, there is a very icy portion to the north. Keep in mind that you will be outside often in this campaign, and you should consider that you'll be in the wilderness for days at a time.

A bit more to keep in mind when creating your character: Your character is assumed to know all fluff-related things brought up in the Iornian Info paste, including that these Delta Pokemon exist, basic information on the towns and Leaders, who Albion is, and so forth, since it's all common knowledge. The Rangers Association regulates the safety of Iornian trainers, and have enacted a minimum age requirement of 16 for Pokemon trainers. You don't start with any Pokemon, but that doesn't mean you're required to be a 16-year-old newbie; maybe you lost your Pokemon, or weren't interested in training until Delta Pokemon cropped up. Maybe you had a -real- job, but got fired, and this is all you can do now. Your character can be from any of the towns or cities listed below; if you want more info on a considered hometown, just ask.


Town Info:

Beaufort City: An up-and-coming city most well-known for being home to the professor Beron Albion and his Pokemon laboratory. There's a beach on the south side, which attracts a small number of tourists during the summer months. The professor's lab is, of course, located here. It is known directly as Baile Institute, and has been around since the city was formed, about thirty years ago. There's a reason for this; Beaufort was built specifically to house the laboratory, and the rest of the city mostly sprang up afterward, due to tourism brought by the beach and the lab itself. Nowadays, there's a few more things to do here than just visit the lab.


BRRA; Beaufort Regional Rangers Association: One of the many sub-divisions of the Ranger's Guild, this one is positioned near Baile Institute so that starting Trainers who wish to enroll may report here easily. It also works in reverse; trainees from the Guild often go to Albion for their first Pokemon.


Bernal Station: Reminiscent of old-timey London, Bernal Station is the travel center of Iornia. Of course, there's a train station here, and indeed it's the hub station for the region, as well as the only form of public transport in the town. This station doubles as a Gym, led by Trayli, the head train engineer, and the one usually in the control stand. The Station attracts a fair number of traders and merchants, and it's not uncommon to see odd or rare items for sale here, as well as a Breeder or two.


Tyndall Lake Research and Development Facility: Headed by Gaol(Jah-ohle) Albion, son of Beron Albion, this is less a research facility and more a small town dedicated to research and investigation of all kinds. The main laboratory lies about a week and a half's travel from Beaufort, and houses renowned scientists and scholars from across the world. The Mossdeep Space Center and Cinnabar Lab have branches here, as does the now-reformed Team Galactic. The main topic of conversation here is, of course, the Delta Species, even more so than everywhere else. There is a Gym under the waters of the lake.

Tyndall Lake: An enormous freshwater lake that reaches down roughly 1300 meters at its deepest point. Research is being conducted here for a multitude of reasons. Some believe it may have a connection to the Delta Pokemon, but this isn't the only reason Gaol and others are studying it. The underwater lab makes it easy to observe and document the ecosystems and Pokemon contained within the lake, something that would otherwise be very difficult to do.


Callantown: Although not a very large city in its own right, Callantown attracts many tourists due to its unique, electrified look, Gym, and housing of one of the regional Game Corners. Most of the juice needed for the city's look and theme comes from a hydroelectric power station installed and maintained by Gym Leader Corentin, which is rather convenient due to the city itself being situated smack atop a large river.


Callantown Bay: The water here is supercharged with electricity, which leads to some interesting phenomena, to say the least. It isn't dangerous; in fact, experts claim the waters actually energize the cells and aid in fitness training and muscle treatments. The Callantown Gym is located near here, rather than in the city itself.


Boole University: The most expansive academy of higher learning in all of Iornia, even larger than Bellston University. The entire city is more or less one giant campus. The Iornian National Library can be found here. In addition, assistant librarian and rookie student teacher, Rowurke, is the Leader of a newly-constructed Gym. This new Gym has led to a higher enrollment rate in the university and extra customers for local shops, so everyone involved couldn't be happier about it.


Connough Valley: Chock full of Elementalists of all kinds, Mentors, Channelers, and the like, this city has an intricate connection to all things Pokemon. Some theorize that Delta Pokemon originate from here, and truth be told, the type-shifted Pokemon wouldn't be out of place among all the oddities that call the area home. Intelligent(read: able to communicate) Pokemon are treated as citizens here, and most of the residents can speak with them even without telepathy, due to having lived around them for so long. The Leader's position is passed down through the descendants of an ancient Iornian saint.


Waterbound Resort: Exactly what you'd think. Basically a relaxation city set fully on the water, albeit not far from land. A few areas of interest: Floatzel's Waterbound Theme Park, Waterbound Zoo, Waterbound Aquarium, a few hotels, Trainer Tower, Waterbound Game Corner, even the Waterbound Gym; if it's for entertainment, you can find it here. The temperature here is artificially warmed by Pokemon and technology alike, and it's the balmiest part of the region, reaching a nice 27 degrees. Miren's the leader here, and she doesn't hide anything about her challenge: it involves collecting eight red Luvdisc on a swinging pirate ship ride! It's difficult to hang on, and even tougher to battle on!


Reyfad Village: Legends tell of a group of extremely powerful Pokemon which lurk deep inside of a cave near the town, and how the Gym Leaders, Sumera and Ionain, always stand guard to prevent people from entering the cave. They won't let in anyone that they don't respect. As for the village itself, it developed from a famous archeological dig site, and even today researchers are still unearthing new finds. The most famous discovery in recent times was the uncovering of what appeared to be one of the very first fully-developed Pokemon Teams of Iornia.


Bellston: Home to the largest in-city university in Iornia, and named for the uniquely-toned ringing of the academy bells. The academy naturally offers Pokemon-related classes, and in fact university's founder, current Dean, and head of the entire national school board, Levon O' Ciardha, is the Leader of a Gym said to be located around the campus... Bellston is the oldest known city in Iornia, and its name was only recently(well, 30 years ago) changed. For reference, the old name was Lucerntown, after its(and the Region's) original founder.


Thomson Mere: So named for the lake, or mere, that the original small town was formed near, Thomson Mere is now a large trade city, home to the HQs of most famous shop chains in Iornia. The Thomson Department Store is the largest shopping district in the entire Region, in addition! However, the main focus of the city is not shopping, but communications. It's the only city with out-of-region calling in Iornia, and you can directly contact nearly anyone in the region from the main electronics hub, which doubles as the Gym and triples as the mayor's office.


Stone Villa: A relaxation empire, the Stone Villa differs from the Waterbound Resort in that its specialty is tranquil luxury, not energetic recreation. An old-fashioned, yet large, city of spas, hot springs, and massage houses, Stone Villa is the ultimate in peaceful relaxation. Houseboat cruises are also offered on the nearby bay, and the Master Rank Contest Hall is located on these cruise boats. There are quite a few Breeders within the city, as young Pokemon love the laid-back atmosphere.


Other Areas of Interest:

Queen's Ring: So named because of the range's resemblance to a Nidoqueen's spines, the Queen's Ring is a bit of a natural anomaly. What was not long ago an active volcano is now a lush forest surrounding a crystal-clear lake. Even more strikingly odd are the species of Pokemon that inhabit the area. Sure, there are Water-types in the lake itself, but other, stranger Pokemon dwell in the forest and beach surrounding it. Even the Pokemon within the lake seem almost archaic. Tyndall Lake ran an expedition here, and they reported back with the information that the actual volcano is still around - it's just filled with water now, instead of magma. How this came to be is currently unknown.


Ynys Kinollon: An isle renowned for its vast quantity of Berries. The varieties present seem to change with each visit, no matter how short the intervals between them, and it's unknown how the fruits grow; no evidence of cultivation or farming has been found. The mysteries surrounding the little island don't end there, however. Those who visit are said to be blessed with good fortune, but the water-enshrouded enclave may hide a more sinister side. Reports of sounds reminiscent of grinding metal or shrieks have become all the more common lately, and most agree that they emanate seemingly from beneath the very earth itself.


Corraire(Core-eyer) Furths: A rather large mountain range that spans across the eastern half of Iornia, this place is home to many mountainous Pokemon. While there are no cities atop the mountains themselves, nomadic tribes and explorers can be found here and there.


Aulhenge: An odd indentation in the ground, surrounded by a forest and decorated with a circle of stone pillars shaped like swords, this place has been around for at least two hundred years. People are free to come and go as they please most of the time, but some claim to have experienced instances where they could not enter the area. Reports on just what caused the phenomenon are varied; a type of barrier that directly blocked access, disorientation that inevitably led to walking in circles around the henge, an eerie sense of dread so strong you cannot help but turn back, changes in temperature too great to withstand, an unexplained bout of narcolepsy, and others have all been recited.


Sidhe(Sheethe-uh) Plains: More an area of myth and fright than one of interest, this place is rumored to house a group of mischievous, if not downright evil, Pokemon hellbent on toying with and frightening any who step inside the boundaries of the plain. None can say the true forms of these Pokemon, as most adventurous enough to explore the area come out addled with fear and with no recollection of their tormentor's appearances, but a popular theory is that they are Ghost-types.


Tree of Éire: According to myth, this lone tree, situated across a marshy lake from a forest, is where all plant life on Iornia originated. However, Gaol visited the area a few years ago, and claims to've found nothing of interest.


Caer Roth: A lonely, frozen fortress untouched since ancient times - nobody knows how to get there in the first place, let alone get inside. Not even Gaol or the Reyfad leaders have been able to make it there. Granted, that may be because they've never tried.


People of Iornia:

Beron Albion
Age: 60
Occupation: Head of Albion Labs
The Regional Professor of Iornia, Albion is known for his work studying the Delta Pokemon, and before that, aiding in the foundation of Beaufort City as well as advancing the fields of Pokemon medicine and genetics. He invented the cures for many once-deadly Pokemon diseases. Nowadays, he heads his own laboratory, judges the Master Rank Contests of Beaufort, and visits his son at the Tyndall Lake facility.

Gym Leaders:

Rowurke O' Ciardha(Oh Keer-Ah)
Leader of: Boole University Gym
Official League Order Number: 1
Age: 22
Occupation: Student Teacher at Boole University, Assistant at the Iornian National Library
The newest addition to the Leaders, Rowurke is considered to be the weakest, added in mostly to fill a spot on his grandfather's recommendation. He's first in the Official League Order, because it's figured that if you can't get past him, you're not cut out to be a serious Trainer in the first place. He's unsurprisingly sort of depressed about his status. Despite his ranking, he is still a Leader, and as such he outclasses most mundane Trainers. His grandfather, however, thinks him a prodigy, and often shows up for his tougher battles.

Trayli Kromer
Leader of: Bernal Station Gym
Official League Order Number: 2
Age: 25
Occupation: Train Engineer
A train enthusiant and operator, Trayli is second in the OLO. She drives the old-fashioned steam train that functions as the city's only public transport when she's not facing off against Gym Challengers...and sometimes even when she is! Though second in the Order, her steady yet powerful battle style is the best of its kind, and her ability to test Trainers' limits is exceptional.

Corentin Tollberht (Tohl-Bear)
Leader Of: Callantown Gym
Official League Order Number: 3
Age: 34
Occupation: CEO of the Foundation for Iornian Natural Energy Resources, AKA FINER
A haughty business tycoon, Corentin personally industrialized his hometown of Callantown, singlehandedly turning it into the tricked-out, electrified tourist destination it is today. In addition, he founded and currently heads FINER, a company dedicated to spreading renewable energy across Iornia and making the region cleaner. Despite his imperious attitude, he is selfless and dedicated when it comes to making Iornia a cleaner, more efficient region. Corentin's role in the League is important, but he has little time to devote to it, and he is thus ranked only third.

Miren Abaroa
Leader of: The Waterbound Resort And Gym
Official League Order Number: 4
Age: 20
Occupation: Head And Mascot of The Waterbound Resort; Pirate?
A short-haired girl who claims to be, and dresses as, a pirate(albeit one in a bikini), Miren is the over-enthusiastic host, mascot, designer, and manager of the entire Waterbound Resort, in addition to being the Leader of its Gym. Her eyelashed eyepatch is the official symbol of the resort, and is plastered all over the rides and merchandise. Copies of it are even sold as souvenirs. She's revered as a master of weaponry, most especially her classic pirate's cutlass(again, authentic copies sold in souvenir shops, get yours today!). Her Gym is said to be incredibly nerve-wracking by some, yet amazingly fun by others. Her Ranking is Fourth, a respectable number that reflects her impressive combat skill.

Ionain(Ee-oh-nann) and Sumera Connelly
Leaders of: Rayfad Village Gym
Age: 24/27
Official League Order Number: 5
Occupations: Co-Heads of the National Iornia Explorer's Institution
A married Leader couple who operate together, and lead exploration parties all over Iornia on their off days. Together they've scoured most of the tunnels throughout the region, even mapping many themselves. It's said that Trainers must pass a grueling test in order to even challenge them... In spite, or perhaps because of this, they are a powerful team, ranked 5th in the OLO. Trainers who defeat them, assuming they're following OLO, have beaten half of Iornia's Gyms, and tend to garner much attention from the higher-ups, as well as the general public of the region.

Gaol(Jah-ole) Albion
Leader of: Tyndall Lake Research Gym
Age: 33
Official League Order Number: 6
Occupation: Head of the Tyndall Lake Research Facility, as well as most of the research labs around Iornia
The son of Professor Beron Albion, Gaol is a very intelligent man of wide renown, famous for his many accomplishments in Pokemon and study, as well as being a huge fan of Delta Pokemon. Oh, and also his tendency to slack off and take multiple vacations a month. He claims these breaks are for research purposes, but he's been spotted goofing off at ice cream stands, on the beach, atop the Bernal train...everywhere, really. He visits his father a lot, and constantly talks about Delta Pokemon with him. Of course, they're all he talks about with near anyone. Despite his Rank of 6th, Gaol's Gym Challenge is considered one of the absolute toughest of the bunch. In fact, his superiors claim he could be higher on the ladder, if only he wasn't such a fuck-around.

Ailbe(Awl-vuh) Devlin
Leader of: Connough Valley Gym
Age: 29
Official League Order Number: 7
Occupation: Priestess
As descendants of an ancient saint still worshiped in Connough Valley and the surrounding areas today, Ailbe's family passes down the role of Gym Leader to its first-born children. She's the most powerful and influential person in the town, in all of presence, Pokemon battling ability, and personal strength. Her spiritual charisma is such that she is able to guide and bend the entire town to her will; it's a good thing she's a kind person. As head of the church of St. Ogmios, she teaches eloquence, wordplay, and the ways of coercing others to join the faith. Her skill as a Gym Leader is ranked 7th, rather high, and she displays this force in battle. Ailbe is stated to be the most intimidating Leader to face off against, despite her unassuming looks. She was known to dote heavily on her younger brother, though...

Dechtire (Deck-teer-ah) Fylan
Leader of: Aparson City Gym
Age: 37
Official League Order Number: 8
Occupation: Head of the Psychic Association of Iornia
Unmatched in her raw Psychic power, Dechtire has the ability to read minds, see the future, and even bend reality itself. She took over the position of the head of PAI, as well as Aparson City's Gym Leader, from her sister, who left the country unexpectedly some years ago. Dechtire has a lot to live up to in her sister's wake, but does an admirable job, capably handling both her responsibilities toward the Psychics of Iornia and her Gym duties. Despite all her efforts, she's not popular with the non-Psychic populace of Aparson, who view her as cold and unloving, a direct contrast to her upbeat and kind sister. She devotes a lot of her time to Gym matches, and due to her strengths as a Psychic and Trainer, she is ranked 8th in the Official League Order.

Levon O' Ciardha (Oh Keer-Ah)
Leader of:  Bellston Gym
Age: 65
Official League Order Number: 9
Occupation: Head Dean and President of the Iornian National Student Body
Grandfather of Rowurke, once a Gym Trainer at Levon's Gym, Levon was a huge inspiration to the boy, who attempts to follow in his footsteps as best he can. Levon was for many years considered the most powerful Gym Leader, but with the advent of Eoghan as the 9th, he lost that position, but still remains a very respected Pokemon Trainer and a true test of a Challenger's skill, wit, and intellect. If a Trainer makes it past Levon's Gym, with it being at least the seventh they've fought, they're eligible for Leadership status, regardless of whether or not they even challenge the other Leaders; that's just how influential the man is.

Eoghan (Oh-win) Caomhan
Leader of: Thomson Valley Gym
Age: 43
Official League Order Number: 10
Occupation: Head of The Gym Leaders' Association, Mayor of Thomson Valley
In an out-of-nowhere unpredictable political stunt to gather attention for the upcoming election, Mayor Eoghan of Thomson Valley tackled the Iornian League at age 42 as a bit of a joke, but did so unexpectedly well that he cemented his place as a Gym Leader. However, none of the current Leaders wanted to quit, so it was decided that Iornia would just have 9 Gyms. Eoghan managed to assume the role of the head of the Leader's association(which he also created, go figure), and insisted there be a 10th Gym, as 9 was just too "unpolished" a number. Despite his bad jokes and tendency to ramble on, he's well-loved by the people of Thomson Valley, and Iornia in general, and considered by most to the be the absolute best known Trainer in the region...since the Four Heavenly Kings are, in fact, unknown. He cycles out his team for different challengers, but all of his Pokemon are around the same strength, and he never holds back, considering it a shame to his reputation to "hand out" wins. After all, he IS number 10, and he feels he should damn well be challenged last.


Rangers:

Rory O' Byrne
In Charge Of: The Entire Association; BRRA
Age: 37
Main Responsibility: Being responsible for all the irresponsible Rangers; keeping the whole Region safe
The head honcho of the Rangers Association, Rory was the third-in-command until his half-brother and former leader's passing a few years back. He was promoted to head because the 2nd-in-command felt more comfortable as an advisor rather than a leader. He openly begrudges the duties and responsibilities of his position, but all know he secretly enjoys the power to help others that comes with it. He sees and cares for his fellow Rangers as if they were his children or siblings, but this also means he's quick to scold them in his typical playful way.

Tierney (Teer-nee) Hannigan
In Charge Of: Tyndall Lake; 2nd-in-Command of the Association
Age: 36
Main Responsibility: Making Sure Rory Does His Job; General Advisor
Long-time second-in-command of the Rangers Association, Tierney is dedicated to making sure the Association does the best job it can. He's strict about the rules, but he's not averse to bending or even changing them if the situation truly calls for it. He gets along well with Rory, but constantly has to remind him about the rules. Oddly, it's said that before the old head passed, it was nearly the opposite - Tierney was the one being forced to obey the law by the leader. Odd how times change, hm?

Tadgh (Taig; Tiger without the r) Hannigan
In Charge Of: N/A; Roaming
Age: 28
Main Responsibility: Nothing; brute force in times of duress/is always on call
Tierney's younger brother, and a legend from the Academy. Known as the White Wind, Tadgh was an exceptional student, consistently placing near the top of his class in tactics and combat prowess, specifically his speed. All the praise and power must have gone to his head, sadly, as a few years after he graduated, Tadgh had a falling out with his brother, and seems to have lost all interest in performing his Ranger duties outside of combat. Now a loose cannon, Tadgh is constantly under watch, but is still a Ranger; apparently, Rory and Tierney figure they can sort him out given some time. Also, he's a very powerful asset, especially if teamed with his old academy rival.

Harle McCarthy
In Charge Of: Tadgh, mostly
Age: 24
Main Responsibility: Keeping Tadgh in check
Rory's cousin, Harle was assigned the unfortunate task of keeping the Rangers' most rogue agent under control. She was chosen not for combat prowess, but for her soothing presence and kind, if clumsy, nature - much less likely to tick Tadgh off than other candidates. Her Pokemon are still no slouches, and she's an expert at raising them, so she's far from useless in tough situations. On top of that, she's intelligent and well-researched, having studied at the Ranger Academy since she was a child. She doesn't seem to believe that Tadgh is as bad as others make him out to be, but perhaps that's just wishful thinking...

Ultan O'Carroll
In Charge Of: Callantown
Age: 27
Main Responsibility: Protecting Callantown
Tadgh's rival during their school days, Ultan was put in charge of Callantown to fend off the frequent wild Pokemon attacks it suffers. Known more for his looks than combat ability, the gaggle of girls that typically surrounds him compounded with his laid-back nature lead many to think of him as nothing but a fop. However, this is far from the truth, as Ultan enjoys a good fight even more than Tadgh, and was assigned to such a high-combat area partially to control his lust for battle. He's got the scars to prove it, too. His little sister constantly worries over him due to his high-risk lifestyle.

Niall O' Connor
In Charge Of: Beaufort City
Age: 38
Main Responsibility: Training Of All Sorts
An imposing man who acts as instructor for new additions to the force as well as old hats. He's known for being harsh on his students, but it's all out of care for them! He believes that sending an untrained soldier into a dangerous situation is tantamount to attempted murder, and thus does his best to prepare Rangers for the toughest of battles. Niall emphasizes teamwork rather than run-and-gun solo escapades, though he himself doesn't always obey that suggestion...

D'Arcy McNab
In Charge Of: Boole University
Age: 34
Main Responsibility: Arresting ne'er-do-wells
A man more concerned with bringing criminals to justice than he is with strictly protecting the people, D'Arcy is a good fit for the academy, as he makes sure none would even attempt wrongdoing near it. Because of him, Boole University is quite the safe area. Personally, D'Arcy is helpful enough as long as you're not obstructing him in a pursuit, and all know to never get on the man's bad side.

Dubhlainn (Duve-lahn) Gallagher
In Charge Of: Bernal Station
Age: 22
Main Responsibility: Bodyguard to Rory's Daughter
A Ranger who always puts his life on the line for his job - literally; he's nearly perpetually spattered with blood, scrapes, and bruises... Known as the Black Blade, Dubhlainn is said to possess a terrifying strength despite his helpful demeanor. Dubhlainn has been touted as the most recent prodigy of the Ranger Association, compared to Rory and Tadgh in their school days, able to stand on par with some of the veteran soldiers even while he was still in the academy. Rumours persist that he had a similarly-strong rival during those days, but no one has ever been named.

More to come!