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GUILDS
⋆✩ guilds ✩⋆
WHAT GUILDS ARE THERE?
Guilds are organizations of Pokemon dedicated to helping with the growth and safety of Bottlecap Bay and its residents. Because there is no strict leadership among the Pokemon of Bottlecap Bay, who have come together by circumstance, guilds were created as a fair way for every Pokemon to have their say in the development of the city and the direction of their growth as a whole. Not every Pokemon in the city is part of a guild, but every character who joins the game will be expected to join one, as this will be the key path to recovering their bodies.
While characters may try to join a guild of their choice, ultimately, it comes down to the Guild Leader. This means that the application will allow you to opt-out of one guild that seems the least interesting for your character, but the choice itself will come down to mod decision. There are currently three different possibilities for guilds, shown below.
CHERI BERRIES ⟡ RANGERS
LEADER
A Ribombee who appears soft and fuzzy, but holds a fiery temper, has blatant favoritism, and might just be a little shady.
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A Ribombee who, at first glance, appears kind and gentle, especially towards those he cares about. He listens attentively not just to his own guildmates, but to all Pokemon within the city, and has been known to lend a metaphorical ear to Pokemon even from separate guilds in their times of need. Should you cross him, however, you’ll quickly discover his short temper. Ribombee can snap when pushed too far, and whispers of his secret, fiery anger are enough to scare most Pokemon off from even trying to cross him. His unpredictability makes him hard to read, and his allies sometimes worry about his emotional volatility. Those who have seen this angry side of him know exactly when his smiles are just a little bit too sharp.
Ribombee has a strong belief in sacrifice for the greater good, which often means that he’s willing to put the needs of the many above the needs of the few. This philosophy drives him to make difficult decisions, such as sending Pokemon on dangerous missions or prioritizing larger tasks over individual needs. His guild, while generous and supportive, often finds itself struggling because Ribombee is too focused on the bigger picture to pay attention to the smaller details. His sense of duty also leads him to overlook certain guild advancements in favor of helping everyone. Because of this, his guild has consistently been lower in the rankings, leading to frustration from within.
As a leader, Ribombee is well respected in the community due to his guild's ability to pull through for the public at large, despite their low rankings. However, within the guild, his leadership can be a bit messy. Beneath his facade of equality and kindness, he plays favorites with the members of his own guild, leading to some being showered in far more attention, praise and resources. Those close to Ribombee or within the guild itself can often tell who his favorites are, but calling him out on his favoritism feels near impossible, as he's quick to deflect, and many others often rush to his defense. His favorites are those who fall in line and do as they're told, and who align with his values of helping the city as a whole rather than his own guild. In other words, those who don't point out how hypocritical it is that he wants all of the praise and attention for being such a kind and generous guild leader while leaving his members to go without.
VALUES
⟡ City growth > guild growth
⟡ Needs of the many > needs of the few
⟡ Be willing to not stand in the spotlight
⟡ Supportive, gentle, hardworking, even at the expense of your own wellbeing
⟡ Blindly follow and trust leadership, and don't dig further
⟡ "Winning doesn't matter, as long as you help!"
BASE
The Canopy, acting as a barrier between the city and the wilderness in the South East.
⟡ Tree houses, layered incredibly high into the ancient trees
⟡ Some platforms don't have rooftops and rely on the natural leaf coverage
⟡ Rope bridges connect many of the layered structures
⟡ Berries grow between some of the structures, but it's frowned upon to eat directly from the branches without adding to the food stock within the city
⟡ Great view of the city and wilderness alike
⟡ Poor insulation
⟡ Susceptible to poor weather
⟡ Often has parts of structures within the guild in need of repairs
RESPONSIBILITIES
Outside of quests, members of this guild frequently help with the following:
⟡ Scouting for danger, reporting danger
⟡ Ecosystem/nature protection and monitoring
⟡ First line of defense for the city against inland threats
⟡ Collecting berries, twigs, and other resources from the tops of trees
ORAN BERRIES ⟡ DEFENDERS
LEADER
A Mightyena known for her raw power and ferocity, but who actually holds the softest heart in Bottlecap Bay.
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This Mightyena commands respect through her sheer physical strength, and her ability to meet any threats head on with her raw power. She doesn't shy away from getting her paws dirty, and is often the first Pokemon to jump into any sort of physical confrontation, leading by example and tackling things head on. Her manners of speech match this brute force mentality, leading to an intimidating aura that has strangers nervous to approach her— but don't be afraid! Behind this tough exterior lies a surprisingly compassionate and gentle soul who is especially receptive to those in need. Those familiar with her will be the first to tell you that as real as her bite is, she's got the control and character to be gentler than a Chansey, too.
Mightyena places high value on inner strength, bravery, and both emotional and moral resilience. While she greatly admires Pokemon who show their power and can hold their own in battle, she is not the type to turn away anyone from her guild, let alone those who don't have fighting as their first strength. Strength comes in many forms, after all, and Mightyena can see and appreciate all of them. Integrity and honor are extremely valued to her, and in the end, she's a Pokemon who will open her doors to anyone who needs a place to call their own. She's very sympathetic towards any misunderstood Pokemon, underdogs, and those who have been turned away or scorned by others. Because of this, her guild has a reputation for housing many "rejects," and is often the go-to for those who can't find their own place in the other two guilds currently available.
Despite being the highest quality leader that Bottlecap Bay has to offer, the truth is also that Mightyena has some notable weaknesses when it comes to her approach in handling situations. She often jumps into situations without much forethought, relying on her instincts alone to push forward. Because of this impulsive nature of hers, she clashes quite a lot with the other guild leaders and their more strategic way of thinking. There are a handful of times when her quick decisions can feel like a sort of chaos, but her heart is always in the right place, and to her, action is always better than inaction. Even if it means a few more bruises in the process, her heart and her instincts seem to always lead her to end up just fine in the end. The other guild leaders, however, stress that this may not always be the case, and eventually her "luck" may run out. When she costs someone their life due to her rash decisions, will compassion and kindness and the intention and desire to do right be enough?
VALUES
⟡ Everyone is accepted, no matter what
⟡ Morals, integrity, honor, strength of all types
⟡ Why think through it when you can fight?
⟡ Action is always better than inaction, so rush in!
⟡ Even the toughest warriors need care and encouragement
⟡ Friends and family above all else
BASE
The Spire, situated along the steep and rocky cliffs on the North section of the bay.
⟡ Built into the rock cliffs themselves, with only one large structure above at the top of the cliffs
⟡ Cave system type of structures, with tunnels leading between various pods
⟡ Branches out into deeper mines beneath the city itself for resources
⟡ Ramped tunnels connect different levels, and no windows
⟡ Almost pyramid like structure in that the highest levels spread out the least
⟡ Often at the mercy of the ocean, and the harsh waves of storms can cause problems with getting in or out
⟡ Only visibility on the surface structure, none within
⟡ A little more cramped, as expansion takes time to assure there are no collapses
RESPONSIBILITIES
Outside of quests, members of this guild frequently help with the following:
⟡ On call as reinforcements in most battle situations
⟡ Managing and creating defenses for the city itself, and help build expansions
⟡ Resource gathering, such as stones and gems
⟡ In charge of combat training and guiding even those from other guilds into learning their abilities
LUM BERRIES ⟡ SCHOLARS
LEADER
An infuriatingly snobby Polteageist who most only wish wasn't as smart as they think they are.
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This Polteageist is an intellectual, and will not hesitate to inform anyone and everyone just how much better they are. They tend to criticize others liberally, taking great pride in their own knowledge and lording it above nearly everyone else in Bottlecap Bay. They have an obnoxiously high opinion of themselves, and an insultingly low opinion of anyone outside their own guild, but the worst part is that they are incredibly useful when it comes to strategies, analysis, and all things requiring thought. In other words, unfortunately... they're not wrong.
Polteageist is an extremely resourceful Pokemon, but this isn't always shown in the most admirable of ways. For example, they tend to delegate work to others whenever possible rather than do it themselves. After all, they'll insist, they're the brains, not the brawn. Why should they have to do anything if they can tell someone else to do it? They believe themselves, and by extension their whole guild, to be the intellectual backbone of Bottlecap Bay. This comes with a very intense sort of loyalty towards his own guild members that can't be found anywhere else. Polteageist will defend their own members to the death, and expects the same loyalty in return. They will go to great lengths to get any crimes, misdeeds, or other failings forgiven and forgotten, and will even sabotage other guilds in order to do so. Join their guild, and you will have the most solid of all allies... If you can get in, that is.
Their guild membership is only open to the smartest of the smart! Intelligent, analytically minded, strategic, and never ones to rush into things. In order to become one of the elite, they expect one or all of these things, along with both respect and obedience. But for those who get in, Polteageist is fiercely protective, and will do anything to ensure that his members have the resources, knowledge and influence needed to thrive. To many, their leadership seems cold and self-serving, but the truth is that their devotion to their own guild is unshakable, and exactly what many Pokemon need to feel secure in their new surroundings. It's undeniable, too, that Polteageist is the go-to when it comes to strategy, and every plan they manage to come up with leads them to victory. However, for as much as they hate rushing into decisions, the truth of the matter is that one doesn't always have time to plan ahead— what happens then?
VALUES
⟡ The Lum Berries guild above all else, have each other's backs
⟡ Never rush into decisions, always think ahead
⟡ Take what is rightfully yours no matter the cost
⟡ Knowledge is wealth
⟡ The end justifies the means
⟡ It's generosity that others are blessed with your knowledge, so there's no need to be excessively nice otherwise
BASE
The Archives, in the heart of the city itself.
⟡ Actual structures and buildings, not interconnected
⟡ Roads connect the buildings, but housing here gets privacy
⟡ The main building is large and grand, with records of Pokemon history drawn as murals on stone tablets
⟡ Has absolutely no resources other than what's provided to them
⟡ No view of the city or wilderness
⟡ Strong construction and no issues on safety or comfort
⟡ Feels a little like a college campus with its layout
⟡ Is very close to the main quest board, making it easy for members to access new quests
RESPONSIBILITIES
Outside of quests, members of this guild frequently help with the following:
⟡ Recording events, creating tablets, organizing knowledge
⟡ Planning and mapping out city expansions
⟡ Deciding on the targets of exploration quests, knowing where to go next
⟡ Oversees the pokeclinic and healthcare within the city
GUILD RANKINGS
There are two types of rankings for guilds in Bottlecap Bay. First are Guild Rankings, which total the points of all guild members and place the guilds in rankings between each other. More productive guilds (top ranking) are allowed first pick at resources such as food, as they have shown to be more productive, and are given more weight when it comes to decisions for the city as a whole. This effects plot direction.
Second are Member Rankings. These are points awarded to individual members within the guild itself, and so each guild has its own member rankings. Completed quests award characters with points that are tallied up and shown guild wide, rewarding them with more benefits within the guild itself, such as higher quality sleeping arrangements, more access to treats or other resources, etc. These are purely IC and meant to be used for fun as a mechanic for CR, thread starter ideas, and character struggles, and are not meant to reflect any sort of favoritism between the mods and players in any way. Higher ranking characters will not be awarded more plot hooks or any extra opportunities that other characters would not also be able to receive.
Both rankings go out monthly, and will be posted to the network, with the option for characters to ICly comment on it either via Grumpearl or physical notes on the ranking board itself.
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