NewMorphFAQ
From Pca Central
Contents |
The 'Official' Unofficial Pokemorph FAQ
Preface
Everything here is a compilation of thoughts on the state of the PCA worldsetting in terms of its primary denizens, the pokemorphs, gathered from the actual members themselves. While this is much like the Character Guidelines in that it's meant to be a basic guide for players to work with, it's much less 'solid' in terms of requesting adherence. To directly quite Rikmach's original: "Don't take it for gospel, they are merely the assumptions I'm operating under in my stories until the community at large overrides me -- if you like the ideas, by all means, please use them!"
I (dh01) reserve the right to poke people about their added data if it's just too clashing or out-there to work with the whole. The goal will be inclusion, not exclusion, although compromises and liberties may have to be take to make it work. There's also the possibility for 'this or that' additions!
We All Live In A Pokemorph World
- Pokemorphs are the dominant species...
... but pokemon do still exist. Instead of existing as fighting monsters as per the normal setting, they roughly fill the spots in the Real World that animals normally would -- as pets, wild animals, things to be found in zoos and on the dinner plate (as they're the only source of meat and animal by-products in the setting). Pokemorphs are generally omnivorous (with some obvious exceptions) and have roughly the same range of what's edible as humans would. While some species may find eating their feral counterpart disturbing, others don't seem to mind at all.
The usual terms to describe pokemon as a whole are either 'primals' or 'ferals'.
Pokemorph Physiology
The Basics
Pokemorphs are, in basic terms, pokemon with varying degrees of humanoid characteristics. The origins of the pokemorph are both ICly and OOCly mysteries to allow for speculation, (intentionally interesting) discussions and other bits of interesting interaction without stating the One True Way.
Healing and Recovery
Evolution
Breeding
Moves and Abilities
Pokemorph Societies
Pokemorphs are, for the most part, not very different from Real People in how they live and conduct themselves. Outside of the obvious desires and oddities their forms and powers present, they generally have jobs, homes, hobbies, lives and all the delicious emotions and issues that comes with the territory.
Naturally, exceptions to the norm exist, and will be explained in some detail below.
Ghost Societies
Ghost Towers
Fittingly enough, places that have either been the source of massive casualties or horrific natural disasters tend to draw Ghost-types (and are usually referred to as 'Ghost Towns' in a fitting homage to the ghost towns of yore) into surprisingly neighborly -- if slightly morbid -- societies. However, towers and tower-like structures tend to hold the most meaning for Ghost-types.
The vast majority of pokemorph mausoleums are the ubiquitous Towers, aptly named Ghost Towers because of the propensity for Ghost-types to emerge there. This has led to the seemingly-inevitable cornering of the funeral services market by Ghosts, allowing them to not only offer a Tower's services for rather cheap and high-quality burials and memorials (jazz funerals, for instance!), but also to let the same Tower later act as a safe place for new Ghosts integrating into unlife as well as a familiar and comfortable haven for experienced ghosts to life, love and enjoy themselves amongst their own kind. It also can act as a refuge for non-Ghosts whose tolerance of being around Ghost-types may have made them into outcasts amongst family and friends.
Simple in design and usually built on the outskirts of a city, Towers are sometimes as 'deep' as they are tall -- many house both burial chambers and homes within the above-ground sections, but recent moves to respect the dead have generally led to Ghost-type living quarters existing separate from the burial vaults, either above or below. The outer gardens of said towers usually are ringed by ghost-specific shops and offices for those who handle the Tower's 'business', and almost always has a communal shrine for visitors to make offerings to the dearly departed. This area also acts as a place where ghost and normal pokemorphs can meet and mingle on the ghosts' 'home turf'.
The Origins of Ghosts
Ghost-types have one very unique 'benefit' for their type -- they either age at such a dramatically slow rate that they seem immortal, or simply cannot die from natural causes. They also lack the need to perform the basic physical functions that a living morph must do, such as eat, sleep and breathe. While they may enjoy a pizza with friends, make use of the medicinal benefits of a berry, hold a conversation, and even sire or bear children, these are all optional. They do have certain 'needs', but these vary by their species -- for instance, Misdreavus pokemorphs feed on fearful emanations.
While they are indeed capable of normal breeding, Ghost-types are usually formed at points where many dead bodies are located -- the process requires a surprising amount of 'base material', to put it mildly. Given time, the ambient energies within the area coalesce into something new and spooky. Those 'born' this way are the vast majority of Ghost-types in the world and tend to remember little, if anything, about the passed lives that formed them. There are, of course, exceptions:
- In rare instances, a pokemorph who dies may have held such strong emotions about the reasons for their death or because of what they would leave behind that they promptly 'return' as a Ghost-type. One of the working terms for such Ghosts is 'revenant', as they often retain some degree of their previous memories and personality. Their genesis can make their new lives difficult, as such Ghost-types are usually caught between two cultures.
- A couple of species deserve special mention:
- Froslass pokemorphs, while debatably still alive, have evolved in such a manner than their beings are strongly infused with Ghost-type energies.
- Shedinja are even more hotly debated when it comes to the status of their being alive or dead -- while they have a solid form, there's much speculation as to 'what lays within them. Furthermore, as they retain the memories of their 'past life' up until their separation from their Ninjask 'twin', this can cause added issues and turmoil depending on how well the Shedinja takes the change. Legally, they are a separate entity for major matters, but are otherwise considered to be the (effectively) same person as their Ninjask twin for small affairs.
- An extremely rare option available to elder ghosts of immense power is the ability to reproduce by literally shaping a new ghost-type from a part of their own body.
The Safari Zone
Paras Circles
Due to the ongoing debate about whether or not the spread of the tochukaso fungus from parent to newborn child is a barbaric holdover from their feral roots or a necessary part of their physiological development, many Paras and Parasect pokemorphs tend to remain in closely-knit communities, keeping to themselves. While no other species seems compatible to the parasitic mushroom's spores aside from what irritation and illness they may cause, these little towns within towns tend to be built to minimize the spores' spread.
Not all paras are part of these communities, and it's believed that some have even avoided infection at birth. The effects this has on their physical states and how far they can potentially progress as pokemorphs are the subject of intense study.
Religion
Shadows
Contributors
If you add info to the FAQ or add someone else's info, please throw 'em on the list and state what they added!
- Darkheart One - 2.0 sprucing-up of RikMach's work, along with a few minor extras.
- RikMach - The basis of the entire FAQ. May his psychic kittiness be praised.
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