Antarctic Termite

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

Good to see everyone's already getting going! I might not have much time to read and reply for a few days, so I'm not going to tie up Bromwell with an interaction just yet. Better to give him an early-morning job to do and a good excuse not to show up just yet, so he doesn't hold things up, just in case.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

The fog was thick and lazy over a green and sluggish river. The sun was rising but had yet to show its face, and the willows all were washed in blue-grey light. Every few seconds a dense clump of reeds would press the side of the barge as it squeezed along through the still and narrow waterway, and from their banks the unseen frogs called with a long, slow rar-r-r-r-r-r.

"Mornin', cousin."

The Nuzleaf sitting on his stack of faggots at the front of the barge blinked and turned his head back to his ferryman. "You know him?"

"No," said Bromwell, ducking under the bough of some drooping swamp-tree without thinking or breaking the rhythm of his slow, hard pushes with the bargepole. "But I'm sure we're blood kin. Big family."

The Nuzleaf nodded. He'd been more chatty at the start of the trip, but now he looked deflated, dozing off as the town ahead began to stir awake. "Oh, there's a bank," he murmured. "If you can help me through the sand, you could set me down here. It'll lighten the boat."

Bromwell shrugged and lifted the long pole out of the algae, shoved it in the reeds to brake. The handcart and its daily firewood left the boat on a pair of planks, the way it came. "Keen to be rid of me, are ya?"

Shaken head. "Well, not you. But there's always someone yelling when I make the trip this late." 'Crack of dawn' meant something very different for a night-worker. "From up in that mansion, I'm sure the whole town can hear it. Iunno, she just sets me off. Built right across from the pier, too."

Bromwell laughed, adjusted his cap. "Oh, I know her! She's the very reason I bring the morning sundries. Right shrew she is. Well- she's alright once everyone's awake and in order. Pip pip." The forester mumbled something and set off with his cargo, and Bromwell did the same.

There was a chance he'd miss the morning announcement- he sometimes did. He didn't mind. Getting up early like this gave him a chance to dodge the racket, and warm up his muscles while he was at it. Best of all, Sylveon couldn't spend too long telling him off- not if she didn't want to actually pay someone to bring the Guild's food upriver, of course.

I wonder, thought the Poliwrath, the yells of his superior already just about audible in the distance, if anything will happen today.

There was a distant klok of something ceramic hitting rock. It sounded like a 'yes'.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

Bromwell's sure to take the spunky Makuhita and the stiff Riolu under his wing sooner or later. The little tinkerer, well, he's sure to fit in somewhere too.

Now if only they can figure out why the squirrel keeps flinching all the time...

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

@Rune_Alchemist Just messing with ya, looking forward to the character.

People be jumpin' on the elite and ace positions. Good thing I have a beginner planned.

@Skwint

Fantastic, can't wait for more variety.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

A bellicose tadpole in a hat

Pokémon Species: Poliwrath, and don't you forget it.

Name: Bromwell. Just 'Poliwrath' is perfectly fine, though.

Desired Rank: Elite. I'm guessing that's the middle rank, right?

Hat: A nice newsboy cap. It's got a silk lining!

History: "History? Whaddya mean, 'history'? History belongs in a book. I'm a man of the moment, I am! Born to me mother and taught by me father. I ate cold scum and salt biscuit 'til I was big, and hard yakka 'til I was strong. No fancy rock in my family, not since me great-grandpa! He was the youngest of seven, see. No, we had what we had and what we had was enough. But my Ma's getting old now, and my Pa's long gone. I need to put away money so I can take care of her. And it's past time I found me a wife meself, too!"

Strengths & Weaknesses: Bromwell's a good strong fellow, a fine enough swimmer*, a well-travelled ferryman, and, of course, a formidable doorman. He'll work in any weather and walk off a fireball the very same day. The one thing he just doesn't believe in is special attacks.

Oh, he knows they work, all right, and he doesn't mind having a few on his side. He's just never seen the point. Hypnosis? Hydro pump? Why bother? Even ice punches are a little over his head, frankly. Oh, sure, he's still a swamp Pokemon, he can splash and dive just fine, but when it comes to water blasts, you shouldn't expect him to do much more than blow some bubbles. Really, the only exceptions are the moves that involve chucking clods of mud, because those are simple, and involve swinging his arms.

And what arms!

When it comes to wrestling, Bromwell is just capital. He's an expert in all kinds of throws, tosses, grapples and slaps. Bromwell considers the perfectly common punch and kick to be frightfully under-appreciated. But it's not just the basics with Bromwell! He's proud to have studied ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ from an old military Machoke, which he keeps on him in case of ghosts and spectres. Granted, he's never used ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ outside of a dojo before, so how well he'll be able to pull off ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ in combat is... open for debate. _{"It is NOT!"}

Greatest Fear: Overall, Bromwell's a pretty easy-going guy, and even he gets curious about what life is like on the other side, where beams and bolts are the norm. Rumour has it that he once let a Spoink scam him into trying to learn Psywave, spinning such lies as it being 'easy', 'like Seismic Toss with your brain', and 'worth every penny'.

Even quieter rumours have it that he paid most of his nest egg for the lesson. It might not be such a sin, but he dreads ever having to explain what he considers his most stupid hour. He'd spent so long saving that dosh for his mother and future wife- How could he hide the shame!? The only thing worse would be if he were ever called upon to actually try and use such a ridiculous move...

* "I said fine, not fast. Stop looking at me like that."

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

Alrighty

I'll get a CS up...soonish? Tomorrow at the latest. Still gotta figure out what pokemon I wanna play as.

@Rune_Alchemist

If you're having trouble, I've assembled a list of helpful suggestions!

very good and excellent pokemon

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Shadows of Irenia

Looking good. Here's my character.

A water-type with no water moves!

Pokémon Species: Poliwrath, and don't you forget it.

Name: Bromwell. Just 'Poliwrath' is perfectly fine, though.

Desired Rank: Elite. I'm guessing that's the middle rank, right?

Hat: A nice newsboy cap. It's got a silk lining!

History: "History? Whaddya mean, 'history'? History belongs in a book. I'm a man of the moment, I am! Born to me mother and taught by me father. I ate cold scum and salt biscuit 'til I was big, and hard yakka 'til I was strong. No fancy rock in my family, not since me great-grandpa! He was the youngest of seven, see. No, we had what we had and what we had was enough. But my Ma's getting old now, and my Pa's long gone. I need to put away money so I can take care of her. And it's past time I found me a wife meself, too!"

Strengths & Weaknesses: Bromwell's a good strong fellow, a fine enough swimmer*, a well-travelled ferryman, and, of course, a formidable doorman. He'll work in any weather and walk off a fireball the very same day. The one thing he just doesn't believe in is special attacks.

Oh, he knows they work, all right, and he doesn't mind having a few on his side. He's just never seen the point. Hypnosis? Hydro pump? Why bother? Even ice punches are a little over his head, frankly. Oh, sure, he's still a swamp Pokemon, he can splash and dive just fine, but when it comes to water blasts, you shouldn't expect him to do much more than blow some bubbles. Really, the only exceptions are the moves that involve chucking clods of mud, because those are simple, and involve swinging his arms.

And what arms!

When it comes to wrestling, Bromwell is just capital. He's an expert in all kinds of throws, tosses, grapples and slaps. Bromwell considers the perfectly common punch and kick to be frightfully under-appreciated. But it's not just the basics with Bromwell! He's proud to have studied ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ from an old military Machoke, which he keeps on him in case of ghosts and spectres. Granted, he's never used ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ outside of a dojo before, so how well he'll be able to pull off ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡɪɴ sᴛʀɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ sᴋᴜʟʟ ᴀxᴇ ᴄʜᴏᴘ in combat is... open for debate. _{"It is NOT!"}

Greatest Fear: Overall, Bromwell's a pretty easy-going guy, and even he gets curious about what life is like on the other side, where beams and bolts are the norm. Rumour has it that he once let a Spoink scam him into trying to learn Psywave, spinning such lies as it being 'easy', 'like Seismic Toss with your brain', and 'worth every penny'.

Even quieter rumours have it that he paid most of his nest egg for the lesson. It might not be such a sin, but he dreads ever having to explain what he considers his most stupid hour. He'd spent so long saving that dosh for his mother and future wife- How could he hide the shame!? The only thing worse would be if he were ever called upon to actually try and use such a ridiculous move...

* "I said fine, not fast. Stop looking at me like that."

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Indeed they would! No legendaries, of course, but otherwise, open choice!

@CleverUsername

Well, we all know what that means.

Time for the best Pokemon

Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk. VI

Welp. You convinced me! But I have a question.

Is Mamang a whale?

@Lauder

I mean, yes, Mamang is a whale. Since I've got this question a few times now I've updated the character sheet accordingly to reflect the fact that Mamang's very much a flesh-and-blood animal. Here's the final version:

Mamang

it is a FUCKING WHALE

_{theme song}

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Not committed but interested. It's been the better part of a decade since I've played one of these so I have some unused character concepts, and I find it a refreshingly straightforward concept to write for generally.