This is a fabulously wonderful Pokémon adventure between PaperCranes and myself! ❤️
Karringo is a mid-sized mountain town, located to the far South East of the region. Foliage is abundant here, with residents insisting on keeping the area lush. It isn't uncommon to see jasmine vines creeping along walkways, trees leaning over the sidewalks, and a serene stream that makes it's way through the town cheerfully from a spring located just along the outskirts. Following the stream outside the town, it turns into a river that courses into dense jungle forest.
The renowned Professor Jacaranda resides here, taking it upon himself to host proper beginning ceremonies for the young adults that wish to start their pokemon journeys. While anyone can receive a first pokemon from anywhere, the exciting formal tradition of a proper send-off is exciting to many. As such, many young adults choose to begin their journeys around Karringo.
Craggy and rocky, houses are peppered all over the face of this mountain. Roads are smooth for the most part, but many opt to use bikes just as much as cars around this area. Be warned, the slopes and hills look beautiful, but are a threat to even the most seasoned athlete's lungs.
A seasoned pilot, Jacaranda treats the lucky trainers to a helicopter ride up the mountain, to a sacred clearing near a waterfall where the pokemon are gathered to choose their human partners. Few know of this area; huge trees, tropical foliage, and an unwavering sense of serenity bathe the atmopshere. Trainers are not to speak once they step foot out of the helicopter, an after arriving to the clearing, they are to stay in one place silently until a pokemon has accepted it's pokeball. Items, food, any external influence to mar the pokemon's judgement is not permitted. When their pokemon has chosen, the duo can then step out of the clearing to allow others to make their decisions without rush. Should a trainer decide to utter even a single word, their ceremony will not truly be recognized. It is said those who disrespect the ritual are doomed to failure.
The longest ceremony has taken 18 hours to complete, with the shortest being finished in 45 minutes.
Should their pokemon not choose them, there is no shame. Destiny is a fickle matter. They may try as many times as it takes to be chosen.
✩ Head north and you will find yourself heading towards jungle and wilderness.
✩ Head South East towards Route 1, a laborious yet scenic route through theDarratree Rainforest, to leave Karringo. While there are roads taken by cars and other transportation methods to reach Karringo, there are always traditional exploration paths meant to be traveled on foot and taken by trainers. This is also where the first Trial is!
✩ Head straight South and after a full day's trek or so, you will find yourself at the baseof the mountain, where forest slowly errodes into beach, and the ocean can be seen for miles. A scenic, less troublesome route here that meets with road is another option to get to the next town. Some opt to take this path instead of taking the Trial through Darratree.
With a staggering 5,000 to 6,000 plant species, Darratree is one of the most species diverse rainforests in the pokemon world. Large pitcher plants, brightly colored fungi, and flowers in every color of the rainbow are abundant here, yet shrouded by the massively tall trees that cast the rainforest floor in shadow. Luckily, rope bridges, ladders, pulleys and platforms are abundant here, for both researchers and trainers to use as they explore the area, including the canopy which easily rests around 100 feet above ground. Trainers be warned, beautiful as the canopy is, a fall can result in more than a nasty injury.
✩Trial 01✩
Lore whispers of the appointed guardian of the rainforest, a person hidden by his threatening mask, who issues the trials to new trainers. Every year is a different trial; however... He does have a fondness for taking items and having trainers work to get them back.
✩ Head north as the crow flies and you will only be heading up the mountain. Why did you come south if you were just going to head back up north again?
✩ After completing the trial, keep heading South East towards Route 1!
✩ Head straight South and after a full day's trek or so, you will find yourself at the base of the mountain, where forest slowly erodes into beach, and the ocean can be seen for miles in the East. A scenic, less troublesome route here that meets with road is another option to get to the next town. Some opt to take this path instead of taking the Trial through Darratree.
✩ Westward will take you to another footpath, where trainers can explore the mountain, but there are no more formal paths to other cities or towns.
Heading South East from Karringo, heading down the mountain, one would find themselves on the sandy beaches of the ocean. A regular ferry service here can take the trainers to a small port city, more of a rest-stop for weary sailors or trainers who have traveled a long way, it is a uniquely distinguishable place in appearance and attractions. What can only be described as a city with a unique system of large cogs and gears which power inventions such as escalators, moving roads, Victorian architecture combined with chrome and bronze accents to create a place that could only be considered-- steampunk. A steam-engine trolley makes its rounds about the city, while few with some extra cash can take the hot air-balloons for grand jaunts over the ocean.
Perhaps one of the largest attractions is a historical piece-- a pirate-esque dirigible that was said to be able to travel through water and air. Tightly docked to Bela Bela with iron chains shackled onto steel posts, it has now become a home for many wild pokemon-- and, as some locals will adamantly claim-- ghosts. The creaky groans and general dangerous nature of ship make it off limits to any and everyone unless they have permission to explore. Apparently there's a treasure guarded by spirits on this ship...?
✩ Head North and you will find yourself heading towards the mainland, whence you came!
✩ Heading even further South, will guide you towards the ocean. If you have powerful water pokemon, you may across the next island or even mainland-- but that would take days of traveling. There are small rest stops on the way, but flying's the best way to reach the destinations over the ocean. Or boat.
✩ Head straight West and after a full day's trek or so, you will find yourself at Bavala.
✩Head East and you will find yourself traversing the ocean for a very long time.