Pokémon Kingdoms [forum game] [sign-up & discussion]

Basic Info
This is a simple forum game where you take control of a noble family and try to steer your kingdom to greatness. There's no real way to win, or any right way to play. Will you try and conquer the world? Or will you try and preserve the balance between the kingdoms? How you play is up to you! Craft your own destiny and survive in a turbulent world of war, tragedy, and intrigue!

Diplomacy
Diplomacy and negotiations are completely free-form. You can do anything you want.

Families
You will control a royal family of talented Pokémon trainers, specialized in a certain type depending on their lineage. Families consist of characters with unique appearances, Pokémon, and personalities. The game will last over several generations as you further your own bloodline. Life is fragile and delicate, so be careful. It just takes one wrong move for a character to meet the gods.

When a character is born, you fill out this sheet giving out all the necessary information.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b] Their first name + dynasty
[b]Birthdate:[/b] Season, Year
[b]Parents:[/b] Mother and father
[b]Appearance:[/b] [url=]Link[/url]
[b]Pokémon:[/b] Nickname (species/typing), Gender
[b]Personality:[/b] (ten words or less)

For the sake of keeping track of your dynasty, you might want to start a tree on Family Echo.

Pokémon
In this universe, trainers only ever have one Pokémon throughout their entire lives. Among the royal families, it's tradition to put an egg in a child's cradle from the moment of birth. Once you're bonded to your Pokémon, they become your lifelong companion and your greatest friend.

Pokémon grow and evolve alongside their trainer, becoming stronger as they mature.

Ages 0-3 = egg form.
Ages 4-9 = first form.
Ages 10-15 = second form.
Ages 16+ = third form.

Seasons
There aren't any real turns or a posting order, and anyone can post at any time, as many times as they want. Once every other day or so, I'll update the map, and it'll be said that a season has passed. Characters will age, because no one can stop the inexorable march of time. <3

Older characters will die of natural causes. Starting at age 65, you'll have to start rolling once per year (100-sided dice).

1-89 = survival.
90-100 = death of old age.

Age doesn't just affect old-timers. It determines the strength of your Pokémon, and at what age your children can start marrying and having children of their own.

Every twenty years, there will be a special event.

Marriage & Children
Love and marriage, it's a part of any family life. The same is true here. As the scion of a noble family, it's your duty to carry on your family lineage! That means children, and that means a husband or wife. Any two children can be betrothed, and marriage can be consummated at age 16.

Of course, it's all political. You don't marry for love, silly, you marry for alliances! Arranging a marriage with another kingdom will deepen your political ties and bring two kingdoms together against external threats.

Once a year, any year, you can try for a baby. You accomplish this through a dice roll (10-sided dice).

1-8 = failure.
9-10 = score, pregnant!

Three seasons later, a new character is born! After successfully giving birth to a new character, you have to wait another full year before trying for another child. You can have as many children as you want, but you're discouraged from just spamming this dice roll—keep it reasonable.

Women become fertile at age 16 and stop being fertile after age 45.

Warfare
Warfare is conducted through dice rolls (using the 100-sided dice). Roll two dice. The first number rolled will be your kingdom's attack, the second will be your enemy's defense.

If the attacker's number is higher than the defender's number, the attacker wins the roll, and will gain a varying amount of territories depending on what their number was.

1 through 20 = 5 territories
21 through 40 = 10 territories
41 through 60 = 13 territories
61 through 80 = 16 territories
81 through 100 = 20 territories

If the defender's number is higher, the defender wins the roll, and the attacker gets zero territories. The defender always wins in the event of a tie.

Warfare is the only part of the game that requires turns. You cannot attack twice in a row under any circumstances. The provinces you're attacking must also be adjacent to you. Wars get their own special map updates to show progress.

Wars only end when a peace treaty is negotiated.

Modifiers
As this is a Pokémon-inspired game, it only makes sense that your kingdom's type has an impact on the battles!

Super effective = +/-20 to rolls
Not very effective = +/-20 to rolls
Immunity = +/-30 to rolls

Fortresses
Every kingdom has one fortress. This serves as their capitol, home base, and personal family palace. Fortresses can only be assaulted once they are fully surrounded, and attacking forces cannot take territory on the same turn.

Fortresses are marked as black dots on the map. Their center color denotes who is currently in control.

Capturing an enemy fortress does not automatically end the war, but does create many negative consequences for the affected kingdom (described below).

Assaulting a fortress works the same as attacking. Roll two dice, with modifiers depending on type.
Duels
Duels between two trainers can be initiated at any time. These can be useful in deciding conflicts without resorting to full out warfare, or just resolving personal matters. During peacetime, anyone can issue a challenge to another character to a duel, and this challenge can either be accepted or rejected. During wartime, one duel can be initiated by one party or another at any time, and this challenge cannot be rejected.

Duels use the same dice system as normal warfare, except battles are between two Pokémon. Pokémon have differing levels of HP depending on their age.

Ages 0-3 = unable to battle
Ages 4-9 = 50 HP
Ages 10-15 = 100 HP
Ages 16+ = 150 HP

What happens after the duel entirely depends on the circumstances, and the conditions of the battle. It might result in death or capture, or it might have political consequences, or the loser might just be spared.

Capturing an enemy fortress will automatically initiate a duel.

Turn order is usually decided by speed stats. If their speed stat is tied, the defending party gets to move first.

Relics
Every royal family possesses one holy relic, passed down from the age of the gods. The ancient legend is that the person who gathers all the relics together will unlock an ultimate mysterious power. These relics are powerful bargaining chips, and you should guard yours carefully.

Relics are stored in their home fortress. Losing your fortress means losing your relic.

Vassalage
Vassalage is when one kingdom becomes subservient to another. This can be voluntary, to gain protection, or it can be a result of conquest. Your family still has power in its own lands, but now serves another, more powerful king. Presuming they didn't completely destroy you.

Of course, at any time, you could break away and declare independence, but vassalage has its benefits. Keep that in mind when you're surrounded by enemies.

Economy & Trade
This is just simple math that adds some more depth to the diplomacy.

You start out with the number 10k. You can an additional 5k every year for every relic in your possession. This number goes up 5k for every trade route you have with a friendly neighbor. However, rival neighbors can impose sanctions on you, which will hurt your economy and subtract 5k every year. Trade routes can be destroyed through sanctions or war.

Gold can also be loaned out, given as a gift, or be demanded as part of war reparations. Losing your fortress will immediately bankrupt you.

If you run out of gold, all attacking rolls will count for 5 less territories than normal. Defending rolls will remain unaffected.

Unique Attributes
Every kingdom has its own special abilities that make them unique from their rivals.

Normal Kingdom:

Fire Kingdom:

Water Kingdom:

Electric Kingdom:

Grass Kingdom:

Ice Kingdom:

Fighting Kingdom:

Poison Kingdom:

Ground Kingdom:

Flying Kingdom:

Psychic Kingdom:

Bug Kingdom:

Rock Kingdom:

Ghost Kingdom:

Dragon Kingdom:

Dark Kingdom:

Steel Kingdom:

Fairy Kingdom:

Posting Format
Please add this little 'signature' to all your RP posts. It contains some basic information about your kingdom.

Code:

[b]Leader[/b]:
[b]Economy[/b]:
[b]Allies[/b]:
[b]Enemies[/b]:
[b]Trade Routes[/b]:
[b]Tree:[/b] [url=]Link[/url] (optional)

At some point, it might be prudent to present some of your characters with updated information. This might be while you're proposing a marriage, or about to enter a duel, or whatever. In that case, feel free to use this slim character sheet with all the basics.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b] [url=]Link[/url]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Spouse:[/b]
[b]Children:[/b]
[b]Pokémon:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]

Sign-Up
It's simple. Just claim your kingdom and create your family. You can make up to three characters in the sign-up stage. Your children should come out the normal way—by arranging a marriage in-game with another player.

Code:

[b]Name:[/b] Their first name + dynasty
[b]Birthdate:[/b] Season, Year (Age)
[b]Appearance:[/b] [url=]Link[/url]
[b]Pokémon:[/b] Nickname (species/typing), Gender
[b]Personality:[/b] (ten words or less)

Because this is the sign-up stage, you don't need to fill out the parents part of the form, hence why it's removed.

Name: Aurora - Water
Birthdate: spring, 18  (Age)
Appearance: 6'2" Long green hair and purple eyes.
(can't post image yet)
Pokémon: Emperor (Oshawott-Dewott-Samurott/water), Gender
Personality: Leaderlike , Family-oriented, braggy, adventurous, courageous, smart.

Name: Avia Fairy
Birthdate: Spring 32 (16)
Parents: Valencia and Markford
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Maw (Mawlie/Steel+Fairy), Male
Personality: Calm, intelligent, courageous, a good communicator, not sympathetic to those from other kingdoms, extremely loyal to her people

Name: Drake, Dragon
Birthdate: Summer, Age 15
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Gibbles (Gible/Ground-Dragon), Male
Personality: Witty, Sarcastic, Confident, Insensitive

Name: Tzila, Dark
Birthdate: Winter, 271 AG (19)
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Ryu (Hydreigon/Dark & Dragon), Male
Personality: Quiet, mysterious. Not one for words, but actions.

Name: Hideaki, Fire
Birthdate: Winter, 16
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Shinkou (Charizard, Fire/Flying), Female 
Personality: Stuck-up, hot-headed, pretty pretentious. Loser. Ebs' recycled love.

Name: Atsila - Ice
Birthdate: Summer, 17
Appearance: Curly, stark white hair and gold eyes
Pokémon: Puffball (Swinub/ Piloswine/ Mamoswine[Ice\Ground]), Female
Personality: Energetic, difficult to calm down, passionate, understanding and yet stubborn.