Lesson 2: Creating Fantastic Pokeworlds

[LightningTopaz]

Class is now in session!

This month, we're going to talk about a certain kind of worldbuilding available to fanfiction writers--creating a fantasy-style world based on the Pokeworld itself. (or your preferred fandom)

While for the purposes of the lesson, I will be using the Pokeworld as an example, but most of what I am about to talk about can also apply to other fandoms.

Any way you slice it, worldbuilding for a story is no easy task. You have to consider:

--How Earth-like your world is (or if it is a parallel Earth)
--How far it diverges from Earth (if it is a parallel Earth)
--If magic is involved, and what role does it play
--Geography in the world
--History of the world and its various cultures

and that's only just for starters!

Fortunately, in fanfiction, you have another option--tweaking an existing world to suit an alternative setting. Since most of the nitty gritty of worldbuilding is done for you, all you have to worry about is designing/tweaking cultures.

So when you start out building a fantastic Pokeworld, ask yourself which cultures you want to base your world off of. Then do as much research as you can on those cultures. For instance, Yoso (the world of Magic of a Melody and The Traveler's Tales: A Minstrel's Journey) and Telasa (the world of The Crystals of Telasa) are based on a European style world. Kinmura (the world of The Journeys of the Red Star) is based more on ancient China and Japan, with a dash of India. However, it never hurts to dream up your own ideas, however crazy they are. (the idea of the teion, the giant tuba-like horn that conveys information and serves as special effects for the stage of Kinmura, was something I made up)

Have you ever built your own fantastic Pokeworld? If so, how did it go?

 

[Phoenix502]

I will come out and say that i have, but as for how it went, that's still unknown since the story arc hasn't been written yet.

I will tell that it takes place in Pokemon Battle Revolution's setting: Poketopia, and contrary to the game showing it's a giant battle oriented theme park, there's a great deal more detail that can be put in there. it's big enough to hold so many Colosseums, so I feel it's big enough to host its own Pokemon league... with a specific challenge route and many twists to what happens along the way, especially for my fanfic's main character and his party of Pokemon.

still working on formatting problems on the other site it's posted on, but it'll be posted here soon...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Fleshing out an existing setting is always a good option when building a world--using battle Revolution is actually a very clever idea--and, like you said, full of potential.

 

[CrystaI]

I did build a world, and I'm using that world currently in my story.

But just to say, my world-building method seems to be not aligning with this "starter-pack" that you proposed. Guess mine is bit more advance.

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But to tell the truth, building a world that does not based on our known "real" Earth is much more easier than that which based on our Earth. We don't even truly understand all the cultures, geographies, civilizations, or even humanity in our world, hence I think it is more difficult to build a world that use our Earth as building foundation.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Granted, when you build a world, you don't have to do it exactly like mine. That said, what I mentioned are all issues you should at least consider when building a world

 

[Tophat Dragoneye]

You could say I'm creating two worlds at once, both belonging to one fanfic. One takes place in the real world (our Earth) and the virtual world of an MMO. Basically, when you log into the MMO, you're placed into a Animus-like machine (See Assassin's Creed wiki to see what I mean) and your mind is placed into this virtual world.

I decided to make an entire new world (the virtual one) instead of using the familiar regions and places we know from the main games, so I can be more creative. I got ideas for some unique places in the virtual world I can't wait to write. As for the real world, most of the setting there takes place in an unnamed town/city in the US (might be a problem since I don't live in the US)

 

[LightningTopaz]

For those of you that have built (or are planning to build) a world, how did you go about it?

 

[Phoenix502]

since most of the location is fairly well designed (for my case, Poketopia), I usually just flesh it out based on what I have.

Neon Colosseum, for example, has the bright lights and the kind of look for an arcade, while the music has a bit of an upbeat sort of jazz tune (so it seems to me right off the bat, anyways). this essentially gives me the idea to make it one giant sort of entertainment place called "Fortune Casino", an arcade city that brimming with entertainment of all types. such entertainment besides the large arcade facilities for young trainers, include...*deep breath* casino facilities for cards and slots, a theater for movies, a private Pokemon battle arena for survival battles (and participants can bet on how long they can last), a Recently opened Pokemon Musical facility, some of the more higher class restaurants and hotels for those who can afford it, with finally the Neon Colosseum with the Fortune Battle rules the place is named after... *catches breath*

yesh, all that for just one of the nine colosseums in Pokemon Battle Revolution. I could go further, but then I might be seen as someone with a big ego...:sweatlol:

 

[LightningTopaz]

That looks very interesting--do you have the other eight built at all?

 

[Phoenix502]

most of them, only ones I haven't gotten to yet are the Sunset, Courtyard, and Stargazer Colosseums

 

[LightningTopaz]

My next question for all of you is--is there something you regret about your world? What would you have done differently?

 

[Kelleo]

Your first question: Sort of. I did create a region called the Dukane region that is meant to be based off of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the US, where I'm from and did name a few cities and gym leaders, but I haven't gotten farther than that. I do know that each city and town will be named for a metal since Pittsburgh was once known as the biggest producer of steel in the US (and as such, the Dukane region's champion will be a steel-type specialist and there will be plenty of steel type Pokemon available).

As for your second question, so far, I don't regret much, really. All I can think of is that I wish I had a little more reasoning behind the names that I've given some of the countries in Altarais, the continent and setting of my Fire Emblem fanfic. It's just that some names were pretty random. xP

 

[LightningTopaz]

Can you give us some examples of names in Altrais? Is/Was Dukane going to have a mix of real Pokemon, completely fakemon, or a little of both?

 

[Kelleo]

Can you give us some examples of names in Altrais? Is/Was Dukane going to have a mix of real Pokemon, completely fakemon, or a little of both?

It's Altarais with three A's. xP Anyway, sure.

Talgria
Cilae
Eraghoa
Astryn
Perais
Melora
Larame
Orenias
Secaini

The bolded names have actual reasoning behind them. The rest...pretty much don't.

As for Dukane, it was going to have a few old Pokemon, but not many. Most of the Pokedex is made of up my own Pokemon designs, even though I haven't done many yet.

 

[LightningTopaz]

What else can you tell us about either of your worlds?

 

[Kelleo]

If you've never played Fire Emblem, you probably wouldn't understand anything I told you about Altarais. But as for Dukane, I really haven't come up with anything else.

 

[LightningTopaz]

I have played Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and am familiar with the Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn story

 

[Kelleo]

Ah, well then, in that case...

Altarais is somewhat larger than Tellius (the continent in FE: Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn), and has 10 countries. Four are inhabited by beorc while the rest are laguz nations. The beorc nations are Talgria, Cilae, Astryn, and Melora. Talgria is the main protagonistic nation in my Fire Emblem fic and is mainly devoted to their agriculture. Many people there farm and many others are merchants and shopkeepers. They have a good military as well, though, and their strongest soldiers are their knights, both mounted and heavily armored. They are also allies with Cilae and are on good terms with Eraghoa, but have been at odds with Astryn for awhile.

Cilae is a less military oriented nation and is more known for their technology and science. The nation has also produced many healers and people devoted to theocracy as well. Their military is not the greatest, but their strongest warriors are their Pegasus knights, light infantry, and navy. They have the most advanced ships in the entire continent.

Astryn is the largest nation on the continent and was once known for its strong and defensible forts and excellent architecture. However, as of the events of my fic, it has become a poor country that was easy pickings for the Red Claw, a large organization of bandits and other soldiers that are allied with Melora. Their queen is very ill and on the brink of death, and the nobility is desperate to find a new ruler and someone to save them. They found evidence that there is a long-lost prince with some relation to the dying queen, but they have so far failed to find him. A war that occurred over two decades before the events of my fic is what caused Astryn to suffer the horrible fate it received. Before then, their military had every type of beorc soldier known, and their strongest soldiers were heavy infantry, such as heavy knights and halberdiers, as well as archers. They also have pretty strong magic users. Lastly, they are allies of Orenias.

Melora is the antagonistic nation of Altarais, though it was once a better place than it is now. They are devoted to their military and have the strongest soldiers known. They are best known for their powerful Dracoknights, which are the wyvern riders, and their many dark magic users. In fact, the entire country practically lives under darkness and their harsh laws warrant various methods of punishment. Even common people there are rarely forgiving when trouble starts. A person walking down the road is likely to witness someone fighting against someone else, though sometimes just for sport. Melora was not always like this, but they are now.

The laguz nations are Eraghoa, the Perais islands, the Secaini islands, Recathe, Orenias, and Larame. Eraghoa is home to the wolf laguz, who are the best hunters and trackers in the entire continent. Perais is home to the raven laguz, who are the fastest fliers and most reliable messengers. Secaini is home to the heron laguz, who also sometimes serve as flying messengers. Recathe is home to the hawk laguz, who serve as mercenaries as well as flying messengers. Orenias is home to the mighty dragon laguz, the strongest laguz warriors in the continent and friends to Astryn. However, they are at odds with Larame. Larame itself is home to the cat, tiger, and lion laguz and are allies with Eraghoa. Their tracking and hunting skills are also excellent, but naturally not quite as good as those of the wolf laguz. However, they are better at traveling on mountains and climbing.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Looks good--how do you explain what became of Ike at the end of Radiant Dawn?

 

[Kelleo]

Well, while his ending says he went on a journey to lands unknown and was never seen again, this really means that he was never seen in TELLIUS again, not never seen period. Because he was seen in the continent featured in FE: Awakening according to his descendant, Paris, as well as the lord character, Krom. So I made Altarais one of the lands Ike visits. Though, I had decided for him to settle there before Awakening was even announced... xP

Still, I've also come up with a way to make this work still. Later, Ike and his son choose to visit Awakening's continent, but Ike doesn't stay, his son does. And that's where Paris eventually comes in.