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OVERVIEW ⟡ SETTING ⟡ POKEMON & ABILITIES ⟡ IC GAMEPLAY ⟡ OOC GAMEPLAY ⟡ APPLICATIONS
OVERVIEW
⟡ WHAT IS BOTTLECAP BAY?
BOTTLECAP BAY is a panfandom roleplay game where characters wake in a strange new world to find their bodies transformed into that of a Pokemon. Characters must struggle to adapt to their new bodies and the powers that come with them, face danger, join guilds, complete quests, explore the world, and uncover the story behind their arrival if they hope to ever return home. This game focuses on expanding on the depth of the Pokemon universe while delving deep into character motivations and development, taking inspiration from the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series to create an avenue for themes such as empathy, love, morality, death, and survival. Players can engage with the plot at their own pace, and game events will adapt based on player and character engagement with both the setting and underlying plot of the game.
⟡ WHAT THEMES WILL COME UP?
The game is intended to be a more adult framing of the Pokemon series, so the main genres you can expect from it are exploration, drama, and survival. Themes that are likely to arise from plots and events include empathy, love, morality, death, and survival. Body horror aspects can be explored at each player's desired level, and events will have a wide-range of genres depending on factors such as character actions, plot progression and time of year. Quests, though optional, are a large focus of the game, and will help players guide characters forward in paths of character development one way or another.
⟡ WHAT IF MY CHARACTER DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING?
Characters will not be forced to participate in quests, but they will be the main source of things like food and supplies, making it key to survival in a new land where resources may be limited. The lack of character help can mean a change in supplies for the city, and not pulling your own weight may get you banished. Ultimately, on an OOC level, if you feel that you would struggle to find reasons for your character to participate in the game setting and elements without being forced at every turn, then it may just mean that the game is not a good fit for either you or your character.
⟡ HOW DID THE CHARACTERS GET HERE?
TDMs will serve as arrival events for all new characters, and will vary from cycle to cycle to keep things new and refreshing! While some arrival aspects may be reused or repeated, each TDM will go into detail about how characters in their application cycle arrive, what they face, and the conditions they arrive in. Because of this, TDMs will be considered game canon.
Application acceptances are where the guilds will come into play. After the events of the TDM, characters will be approached, scouted, or otherwise encouraged into joining one of the guilds centered in Bottlecap Bay. These acceptance blurbs will also offer characters some sort of personalized hook in an attempt to help players better jump into the game.
No matter the personalization or method of your character's arrival, though, their last memories of home are eerily similar: a searing pain through their body, throbbing and stabbing like struck nerves, and a sudden loss of all of their senses. Unconsciousness follows, along with the faint whispering of something that can't quite be understood, and the next time they open their eyes, they're in an entirely new body and thrown right into the TDM. Welcome to the world of Pokemon.
⟡ IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT?
We ask that players be 18+ to join Bottlecap Bay due to the potential for darker elements and themes within the game.
SETTING
⟡ WHERE DOES THIS TAKE PLACE?
All characters will begin in the newly founded city of Bottlecap Bay. As the game progresses, this new port city will develop and grow, and the world around the characters and locals will open up to new exploration. Throughout this, Bottlecap Bay will act as your hub for resources, support, taking on quests, and so on!
⟡ IS THERE ANY TECHNOLOGY?
A little! There is a degree of what we would call modern technology, but many of the things that appear to be such are actually courtesy of Pokemon. Lights in the city are powered by Tadbulbs, with some areas using the Tadbulbs themselves as the watchtower-esque lights. The "network" is connected through the pearls produced by Clamperls, its communication pathways upkept through the hard work of a pair of Grumpig brothers. You can expect a few conveniences based on the equivalent of the 1900s or so, but in the style of it being made for Pokemon, by Pokemon.
⟡ WHAT'S THE POPULATION LIKE?
There are all sorts of Pokemon here in Bottlecap Bay! At the start of the game, the population of locals is close to 100-200 Pokemon. Most of the Pokemon are here for the same reason: displacement due to humans. Currently, there are no humans on this continent that have been found, but they certainly exist in the world, and many Pokemon don't have the fondest feelings for them. It's a mutual distrust.
They firmly believe, however, that the characters who have arrived as Pokemon are a message from some higher pokebeing, and that they might pave the path towards a more peaceful future. Though public opinion can shift due to actions by incoming characters, it begins as optimistic and hopeful. As the city grows, so will its population, and this population will remember what the characters do or don't do for them.
⟡ WHAT’S AVAILABLE TO CHARACTERS UPON ENTRY TO THE GAME?
The locations page will be something that changes and grows as the game progresses. There will be a section at the bottom of Bottlecap Bay's setting information that shows what the city is most in need of, and what the future goals are. There will also be other areas to explore, and as explored, they will be added to the locations page in more detail. Most locations will be landscapes, rather than any settlements, so expect to have to return to Bottlecap Bay for most things.
⟡ WHAT IF I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR A LOCATION?
If you believe the city could benefit from another type of building, feel free to bring it up on the mod contact page to be included as a suggestion in future events or other mod posts. It can certainly be added to the list of future projects. As for player run businesses, they are allowed and welcome, but due to the nature of the ever-growing city setting, will require mod approval. For this reason, we would like to limit player run businesses to those who have the support of at least three other players. There is a form on the locations page for these submissions.
POKEMON & ABILITIES
⟡ SO, CHARACTERS TURN INTO POKEMON? WHAT POKEMON DO THEY TURN INTO?
They sure do! We ask that the Pokemon chosen for characters to be transformed into is one that works for them in some manner. This can mean a number of things, so as to keep options open and fun to play with. You can pick something that matches their personality perfectly, or matches their abilities from home! You could also pick something that goes with a color scheme, but may not be the first thing anyone thinks of when viewing them, giving them a bit of a challenge. Essentially, as long as you have an idea in regards to character direction, whether that means expanding on it via development or just reflecting who they are, then it gets a pass!
Alongside the choice of Pokemon in the application, players are expected to write a little blurb about why the choice was made, and the direction in mind for the game. This is to further help guild decisions and arrival personalization! More information is on the application page regarding this. In the rare case that the chosen Pokemon does not feel like a good fit for the game or character in some way, or there are concerns about it, mods may request a revision for the Pokemon to be changed.
⟡ SO WHAT POKEMON CAN I CHOOSE FROM?
Nearly anything! Most legendary Pokemon, mythical Pokemon, and Ultra Beasts cannot be chosen at this time, but everything else, including evolved Pokemon and even shiny Pokemon, may be chosen. In the case of legendaries/mythicals/ultra beasts, certain special exceptions like Type: Null may be made, but please come to the mods first to discuss this before TDMing as a Pokemon of this type.
⟡ WHAT IF I HAVE NO IDEA? CAN MODS PICK FOR ME?
Players may list up to three Pokemon for mods to choose from if they are indecisive, but they must come up with those choices themselves. We also have a page set up here about Pokemon, their types, abilities, and some generalizations you might want to use for choosing.
⟡ DO THE GENDER RESTRICTIONS OF POKEMON APPLY HERE?
Not really! However, if you're going to want to have a female character become Hitmonlee or a male character become Tinkaton, please just add a little note in your application mentioning this, and explaining what you hope this will add in terms of character development or direction. We want to avoid anything that could be seen as harmful or uncomfortable towards any other players within the game, and thus would like to be sure that topics around this are handled with sensitivity. Ultimately, though, gender does not matter when it comes to choosing your Pokemon.
⟡ CAN CHARACTERS REGAIN THEIR HUMAN BODIES?
We will have planned, rare events that will allow characters to temporarily return to their human (or at least non-Pokemon) bodies! These events will be used as an occasional way for characters to learn more about one another, bond further, and give them hope that their real body is still waiting—and maybe some relief for those struggling extra hard.
⟡ MY CHARACTER IS A VOLTORB NOW! HOW DO THEY DO ANYTHING?
We don't put any restrictions on weird Pokemon choices, but you will have to come up with ways to think around how they might move, use items, solve problems, work, etc. The mods are definitely here to help, but if a Pokemon is on your list, any problems with its form will be assumed to be part of the appeal in playing them. A Voltorb can roll around, rather than walk, and you can certainly have it hop up and down like a bouncy ball as its "jump," for example! Get creative and go wild.
⟡ SO HOW DO THE POKEMON ABILITIES WORK?
As soon as characters wake up in their new bodies, they will be capable of new abilities. While we will not be strictly following any sort of rules about movesets, mods will be listing a few example moves upon acceptance explaining what the character will be capable of at their current "level." Again, this is not a literal level in the gameified sense, but just a way to refer to their abilities relative to their entrance to the game in a new body. Over time and through experience, characters will be able to learn more and handle more, and can do anything that their Pokemon can.
⟡ WHAT ABOUT THEIR CANON ABILITIES? DO THEY KEEP THEM?
While they do not keep their canon abilities, there are a number of ways players can choose to approach this. Suppose someone has the ability to shoot fire at home, and turns into a fire type Pokemon. They may be a strange natural at their fire type abilities, able to shoot ember and flamethrowers with ease from their mouth or paws or anywhere else. Alternatively, perhaps they knew fire abilities at home, but now they're stuck in a strange ice type Pokemon body. They may struggle harder than usual to acclimate to their ice type abilities, feel extra out of place, and face the struggles that come with that.
Pokemon moves can be used creatively to reflect canon powers from home, but if you feel that there is no Pokemon move that can truly match what your character can do, feel free to reach out to the mods for a discussion, and we can see what we can come up with.
⟡ CAN MY CHARACTER EVOLVE?
Yes! Evolution will be possible in game at a later date. A form will be filled out, and evidence of character growth or tension of some kind should be linked in order to qualify for evolution. More information to come later!
IC GAMEPLAY
⟡ WHAT IS THE EVENT SCHEDULE?
Major game events are scheduled every other month. For example: if the event months are March, May, July, etc., the TDM and application rounds will fall in between, in February, April, June, and so on. This schedule may change due to the impact or reactions of players on events, and is subject to player feedback. Please check the game calendar for the most current schedule!
⟡ CAN CHARACTERS AVOID THE EFFECTS OF AN EVENT?
While participation in every event isn't mandatory, events will serve as the major plot beats that will draw the game forward. Each event will have the potential to shape the environment and the trajectory of the game, meaning that sometimes effects will be unavoidable. However, for players with hard OOC limits on certain aspects, we will provide opt-out scenarios. Generally, there will always be other opportunities available to engage with the plot outside of events, such as quests, which will be detailed further below.
⟡ WHAT IF I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR AN EVENT?
While the main events will be more mod led and planned in advance, we gladly welcome player involvement making use of the setting and lore! Off-months work well for player ideas, so feel free to contact us with your suggestions to see if we can't work them in somewhere. We just ask that you please make sure that your suggestions mesh well with the tone and current events of the game.
⟡ WHAT ARE GUILDS?
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. Because of that, guilds are very important, and character involvement with the guild they join can change the direction of the game! You can read more on guilds, including which ones are available to join, on the guild page.
⟡ WHAT ARE QUESTS?
Quests are a monthly mechanic focused around guild involvement, and are a core component to Bottlecap Bay. Each month, new quests will be posted to the quest board, available for any Pokemon to pick up in designated teams and complete. Quests can range from exploring new regions and reporting back findings, rescuing other Pokemon, supply requests, or many other tasks handed out by the people of the city. Please read the questboard page for more information!
⟡ HOW DOES HOUSING WORK?
Characters will be provided with housing based on the guild they are invited to join. Each guild has its own style of housing, and along with it, its own levels of privacy or comfort based on guild ranking. This information will be linked in your acceptance notice. You are welcome to read more on the guild bases either on the guilds page or the locations page.
⟡ CAN I REQUEST NPC INTERACTION?
Where needed, mods will offer the ability to thread with an NPC to dispense information or drive plot points in certain TDMs or events. We don't currently accept requests for IC threads otherwise. However, if a character would like to interact with an NPC in a plot capacity, please each out on the mod contact page. A mod will reply with a short NPC blurb for you.
⟡ IS THERE A NETWORK?
Yes! As mentioned briefly in the technology question, characters are given pearls produced by Clamperls that are then set up to connect to the "network" via the Grumpig brothers and their psychic abilities. These are called Grumpearls.
When you sign up with a guild, you will receive your Grumpearl and be connected automatically. It works as a psychic communication, allowing you to beam your thoughts, images, or a live feed of what you see into the pearl and transmit it across to other pearls! Sometimes it can be tricky to get used to using someone else's psychic abilities, so misfires are pretty common.
Only fellow psychic Pokemon seem to be able to form truly private network connections, as the Grumpigs are relaying your messages and it is possible for other psychic Pokemon to learn how to intercept. (But inbox threads can be assumed to be private unless you don't want them to be - the Grumpigs aren't paying attention to the contents of all messages!)
⟡ ARE THERE ANY LANGUAGE OR COMMUNICATION BARRIERS?
No. All Pokemon, and characters who arrive as Pokemon, speak the same language of Pokemon. When humans come into the plot, there may be some language differences that will be approached and mentioned at that point in time.
⟡ IS THERE CURRENCY? CAN MY CHARACTER EARN MONEY?
Pokemon do not work in currency, but instead make use of trades, labor, and favors. For this reason, reputation is a huge thing; someone with a higher reputation in their guild may be trusted more by the locals, and given things like clothing, food, or other supplies at a cheaper rate of exchange due to the services they've already provided.
⟡ WHAT HAPPENS IF CHARACTERS DIE?
Death is permanent in Bottlecap Bay, but Pokemon have rather resilient bodies and can bounce back from extreme injuries fairly well. Near death experiences can occur, but in the case of an actual death, please contact the mods to determine how to handle it, but assume that your character will be dropped from the game and you will not be able to reapp them. Others may apply for a character that has previously died, but this will require special lore reasoning, so please feel free to contact mods before posting on a TDM if you'd like to apply for a character that has been previously killed off.
Fainting, however, is far more likely. When a Pokemon faints, it is up to their teammates or fellow Pokemon to get them somewhere to administer treatment. If an entire team wipes out on a quest, another team may receive an "emergency quest" to rescue them from danger. This can be threaded out or handwaved as extra CR opportunities.
⟡ IS SMUT ALLOWED?
As this is a game with adult themes and the interactions and bonding between characters may lead to intimacy or feelings, smut is allowed. However, there are some guidelines we'd like to keep in place regarding this.
Any smut posted on the community must be marked with proper warnings and labels, and the post locked to the community. We ask that hard kinks or other content that people may find objectionable in an open space, such as smut involving underage characters, siblings, or similar, be kept off of the communities entirely. If a thread would include these subjects, you are welcome to move it to your own journal's inbox, still the with proper warnings and labels.
We will not be moderating content that occurs in your own journals, so long as all player boundaries are communicated and respected. We will also not be creating any mechanics to facilitate smut or writing any prompts for smut in any TDM or event posts, but players are welcome to have their characters experience whatever themes they'd like to explore in their own journals. The main priority here is the ability for all players to be comfortable and enjoy themselves while also not making the environment difficult for others to play in.
If you have a concern regarding the handling of NSFW content in game, please contact the mods on the mod contact page.
OOC GAMEPLAY
⟡ IS THERE A GAME CAP?
At this time, there is no game cap. However, this may change in future rounds to account for mod workload and the ability to create a fun environment for all players.
⟡ CAN MY CHARACTER SWITCH POKEMON AFTER ACCEPTANCE?
We will not be allowing Pokemon species changes, so please think carefully when choosing your Pokemon.
⟡ DO I GET TO PICK WHICH GUILD MY CHARACTER JOINS?
Currently, the application allows one opt-out if you would like to rule out one of the three guilds for not seeming interesting enough for you to play in. However, the end decision will be mod based, and will be focused largely off the suitability section and response to the questionnaire. This will also be related to your personalized acceptance note!
⟡ CAN MY CHARACTER SWITCH GUILDS?
Swapping guilds is a very involved process that alters the trust and reputation rank of your character. The exception to this would be as new guilds potentially open themselves in the future. The latter would be considered a free-swap event, where characters may sign up to switch guilds with little to no repercussions. To swap a guild outside of one of these events, we are planning to have an activity reward centered around this. Until then, assume that your character will not be trusted enough to be welcomed into another guild at their current reputation level.
To put it simply: technically yes, but there is no current system in place for it outside of special events at this time and it would require your character to be in their guild for a while first, so stay tuned!
⟡ WHAT TIMEZONE IS THE GAME RUN ON?
The game's official timezone is EST.
⟡ WHAT IS THE TIME RATIO OF THE GAME?
The game operates with 1 IC day being equal to 1 OOC day, for a 1:1 calendar.
⟡ WHAT IF MY CHARACTER HAS SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SURVIVAL?
If you would like to keep these, despite the character having a new body, you are free to translate them into some type of Pokemon equivalent. However, considering it is an entirely new body, Pokemon may not have the same problems as other species, and you can also consider this need dropped.
⟡ WHAT IF MY CHARACTER HAS TWO PERSONALITIES/IS TWO PEOPLE IN ONE?
We'll take this on a case by case basis, but in general this is fine. You can look into Pokemon that have multiple bodies in one form, or just shove them into one body again.
⟡ CAN MY CHARACTER BRING THEIR PET OR SUMMON?
This will be evaluated on a case by case basis, but in general, no they won't be allowed. Exceptions may be given if the pet or summon has some higher importance or connection to the character, and/or if the player has a Pokemon form in mind that would account for the summon/pet as part of it.
⟡ WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS?
Each month, we require 5 comments from your character across no more than 2 threads. TDM and inbox threads do count for activity requirements. Top levels also count for one comment, but only once.
Examples of valid submissions:
⟡ One log thread with 5 comments.
⟡ One log thread with 3 comments, and one log thread with 3 comments.
⟡ One network thread with 4 comments, and one log thread with 2 comments.
⟡ One log toplevel with 2 comments in reply to one character and 3 comments in reply to a second character. Top level by itself, with no responses, does not count as a comment.
All comments must be made in the month of the activity check in order to count, and each thread may only be used for activity once even if it continues to be tagged after the month it was used for. A thread that was started in one month and has comments continuing into the next month (i.e. a thread started in February and continued into March) may use those March comments for March AC as long as the thread was not used for a prior AC.
AC closes on the last day of each month at 11:59 PM EST, but activity can be submitted anytime during the month prior to that.
⟡ ARE THERE ANY OTHER ACTIVITY CONSIDERATIONS?
Activity requirements may shift with the size and involvement of the game, as well as to account for any future caps or restrictions on applications. At this time, there are no additional considerations, but this may change in the future. Any changes will be thoroughly communicated in mod posts, plurks, and the AC entry itself if they occur.
⟡ WHAT IF I FORGET TO POST AC, OR DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF IT?
Bottlecap Bay does not have a strike system or post warning lists for AC. Characters who have not submitted AC by the deadline will be swept, even if they have sufficient activity otherwise. Players who have a character swept will be removed from the game and unable to apply again until one full app round has passed since their sweep, so please contact the mods ahead of time if you are unable to submit AC before the end of the month for any reason.
⟡ WHAT IF I'M TOO BUSY AND UNABLE TO RP?
Players may choose to take a hiatus at any time. However, a player is only allowed to hiatus once every quarter — three (3) months. Exemption from AC will be granted for the month the player is hiatused in regardless of length. Please post a check-in under your AC comment while hiatused, if you are able to do so before the end of the month. You can read more about the hiatus rules here.
On an IC level, characters that are on hiatus can either be on autopilot or kept in a hospital bed for care from quest-related injury or illness.
⟡ ARE THERE ANY REWARDS FOR EXTRA ACTIVITY?
There will be the unveiling of activity rewards in the near future! The details of this mechanic are still being smoothed out, so this will be in a future update.
⟡ WHAT HAPPENS TO DROPPED CHARACTERS?
They fall mysteriously ill and into a coma. Dropped characters are kept in an isolated ward of the hospital in Bottlecap Bay, and visiting is limited due to the unknown nature of the illness in question.
APPLICATIONS
⟡ WHAT CHARACTERS ARE APPABLE?
Canon characters, canon AU characters, and original characters from an original or open-world world setting such as MMOs or tabletop RPGs are allowed. Fanmade AUs, fandom OCs, and CRAUs may not be apped. Fictionalized versions of historical figures are allowed, but playing directly from history or biographical adaptations is not.
Canons do not have to be officially translated in order to be appable, but there must be some sort of English language translation available for reference. There are no restrictions on character ages, but keep in mind that suitability is evaluated as part of the application, and younger characters may be denied if they would not fit well with the game's setting.
Currently, doubles of characters are not allowed, including those coming from canon AUs. For canon variants and malleable protagonists we are only allowing one (1) per cast, so one Warrior of Light, one Inquisitor, etc.
⟡ ARE THERE CAST OR CHARACTER CAPS? HOW MANY CHARACTERS CAN I APP?
As of the first application round, there will be no cast caps in place. Afterwards, the cast list will be reviewed and a decision may be made in the future to implement a cast cap depending on the size of the game and its casts.
Players currently may have up to two (2) characters in game, but may only app one (1) character at a time.
⟡ ARE THERE RESERVES OR APP CHALLENGES?
Neither reserve or app challenges are accepted at this time, and multiple applications for the same non-reserved character will be evaluated on a first come, first served basis.
⟡ WHEN DO RESERVES AND APPS OPEN? WHEN ARE TEST DRIVES POSTED?
Please check the calendar page for the most up to date information on current application cycles, including TDM dates. As of March 10th, 2025, Bottlecap Bay is moving to permanently open reserves and applications. Reserves will last for one week, and applications will be collected and processed on a bi-monthly basis, as listed on the calendar page.
⟡ ARE PROXY RESERVES ALLOWED?
Yes, so long as the actual player confirms within 24 hours of the proxy posting.
⟡ ARE THERE ANY TIME RESTRICTIONS ON CANON RELEASES BEFORE THEY CAN BE APPED?
Two weeks is the preferred amount of time after a new canon release. Please make sure there are English language translations available for mods to reference if needed.
⟡ CAN I APP TWO CHARACTERS FROM THE SAME CANON?
Players may not apply for two characters from the same canon at this time.
⟡ CAN I APP A CHARACTER WHO DIED IN CANON?
Yes. You may choose to apply for characters who have died in canon before or after their point of death.
⟡ WHAT CAN MY CHARACTER BRING INTO THE GAME?
Characters will not be able to bring anything into the game, as they will be completely transformed. They will be provided with some items upon acceptance, and this will be notated in the acceptance notice.
⟡ CAN WE APP A CHARACTER WITH LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION?
The main thing we are looking for in an application is that it shows a consistent character, which is why we allow bullet points for background. The background section is also one of our last considerations, as far as the application goes, so if you feel confident you'd be able to answer the questionnaire thoroughly then we would consider the character viable.
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