The Merge Universe

Have a setting you like or a home brew you want to share? Do it here.
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betterwatchit
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by betterwatchit »

I agree. These details make it look like a world that people actually live in.
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

Yep. I might put something up on the care and feeding of Pokemon and other considerations. I mean, in real life, having an Onix or god forbid a Wailmer might be cool, how are you going to take care of it properly? Throwing it into a box isn't going to cut it, because in most of the world, that's not even a possibility yet. In Amy's case, she went with small and relatively easy to take care of vs, the bigger and more intimidating looking pokemon. With her lifestyle and resources in mind, it was a calculated decision on her part.

Not to mention pure water types are not going to be very popular unless you live near a body of water that can support them. Ghost types have their own particular feeding needs which might not be acceptable to normal society (or legal in the case of Litwick and its evolutions). Unless you can find a work around to satisfy their nutritional needs without harming people etc...

Hell, This is Litwick's and it's evolutions sample dex entries (There's no way this would be a legal pokemon to have in the real world)

Litwick Dex entries
Litwick shines a light that absorbs the life energy of people and Pokémon, which becomes the fuel that it burns.
While shining a light and pretending to be a guide, it leeches off the life force of any who follow it.

Lampent Dex Entries
This ominous Pokémon is feared. Through cities it wanders, searching for the spirits of the fallen.
It arrives near the moment of death and steals spirit from the body.
The spirits it absorbs fuel its baleful fire. It hangs around hospitals waiting for people to pass on.

Chandelure Dex Entries
It absorbs a spirit, which it then burns. By waving the flames on its arms, it puts its foes into a hypnotic trance.
Being consumed in Chandelure's flame burns up the spirit, leaving the body behind.
The spirits burned up in its ominous flame lose their way and wander this world forever.
Last edited by kirinke on Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
Neo-Paladin
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Yeah, Lampents unfortunately also tend to hang around homes for the elderly. In any case, if one is discovered, it's usually eliminated without prejudice or, if not possible, at least caught. After all, these things eat souls.
Possessing one of those is, of course, illegal. Harming a soul, by the way, in most countries falls under aggravated assault whereas actually destroying a soul is tried like murder, although with animacide, expect no parole and, in almost all cases, the longest period of incarceration available in your respective legal system.

in general, signs of hauntings or the presence of supernatural entities are to be reported by the staff immediately. In most institutions, failure to do so right after encountering them can get your butt fired.

Most staff rooms in hospitals etc. have a poster put up showing a humanoid shape and a giant claw descending upon it from behind, all above a simple line of text:
IT IS NEVER JUST THE WIND
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

Exactly. You could easily run a horror-themed encounter with pokemon. Some of those critters easily match a Caller in Darkness in terms of sheer fear factor.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
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betterwatchit
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by betterwatchit »

When Griffin was just starting out, ghost-hunting teams often convinced him to join them. Being able to see ghosts unaided and banish them with a swing of a sword certainly helped, and Britain has no shortage of haunted places.

Griffin had no problem charging private facilities for getting rid of ghosts (it was bad for business if a dead patient started haunting Harley Street, known in Britain for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery). He gave at least a quarter of his fee to a random charity afterwards for such actions, as his gifts were never really his to exploit.

However, he NEVER ONCE charged a penny for helping any National Health Service facilities. The amount of times the NHS helped him when he was growing up, it wouldn't make sense for him to charge them.

The one time he was truly spooked by what he saw was when he joined a team to ensure that the Imperial War Museum in London was cleared of ghosts. There are four factors that made it very spooky…

1: The building and the public park surrounding it are what remains of the Bethlem Royal Hospital. The original Bedlam.
2: The museum contains items from every armed conflict in which Britain, the old Empire and the modern Commonwealth have been involved since 1914.
3: The museum also contains the first permanent Holocaust exhibition in Britain.
4: Since M-Day, several new rooms appeared underground.

Every member of the team, which included Griffin, a halfling cleric of Pharasma, a psychic and a Force-user, worked together to banish the spirits that were found in the building. He was surprised that only two ghosts of Bedlam were found. The rest would have been forced to move on when the two main wings were demolished. Most of the spirits the team found were those who died in wartime. Griffin thanked them for their service to their country as he helped banish them.
Last edited by betterwatchit on Tue May 02, 2023 10:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Neo-Paladin
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Speaking of Holocaust exhibitions: Auschwitz and several other former camps/memorial sites had to be closed to the public until the spirits there could be laid to rest.
They're still not done. Most priests and occult specialists who work there burn out after a couple of weeks at most, coming back with severe PTSD and a fierce, burning hatred for all fascists.
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

I can see that. Amy's none to fond of Fascists herself after the trip to that bunker. To put it mildly. Anyone who deals with spirits would develop an unrelenting hatred of Fascists after experiencing something like that. The main reason why she has Alma is that Dark Types are super-effective against ghosts and psychic types. Considering that she does delve into dungeons and underground places on occasion, it was a wise choice. She just wishes that she had a fire type for dealing with corporeal undead and ghosts who can possess items.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
Neo-Paladin
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Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 8:48 am

Re: The Merge Universe

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Around the 31st of October, memorials are usually evacuated because, especially in areas with a violent past, spirits are known to lash out wildly.
Being in a place like Dachau or Auschwitz on Halloween is tantamount to suicide. A very messy and torturous suicide.
Visiting graveyards is also strongly advised against.

Halloween in general has changed tremendously in the last 5 years. It's much more somber, with a lot fewer parties and few, if any, kids going trick-or-treating. The reason for this is as simple as it is terrifying: It is utterly impossible keeping everyone safe during that time. While some demons and undead do consider Halloween a time of rest, many don't, feeling in fact invigorated by the swell in occult energies.
Pagans do celebrate Samhain as they have done before and malicious creatures of darkness appear to be repelled by sincere celebrations.
This has also led to a resurgence in popularity of the traditional Dia de los Muertos even among non-Hispanic communities.

Within the last two years, more people have found an alternate date for the Halloween festivities - June 22nd, the date of Gravity Falls' Summerween. Since that day has no special occult significance, it's much safer.
Last edited by Neo-Paladin on Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

I know it's not exactly been touched upon, but what sort of authority would Amy have as a dex holder? It's rather along the lines of being a US Marshal in the old west sense in my eyes, but as it concerns non-humans and "monsters". In that community, she'd be seen more as an arbiter, somebody who figures out and settles problems as peacefully as possible, but if she needs to, she can "lay the law down" so to speak.

How she interacted with the Nosferatu and the dwarf/cyborg dude is a classic example of what she does. She also deals with problem monsters like ghost pokemon and when she can't take care of it herself, alerts higher authorities so they can get people in who can. Dex holders are not a slayers by any means of the word. Most reasonable "monsters" and non-humans view dex holders in a far more positive light than that, because they're often the ones who helps them out. They're usually the only ones who can and will help them out. Especially when you're out of the main cities and settlements.

Mebbe somebody else can put it in better words than I can?
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
Neo-Paladin
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by Neo-Paladin »

I don't think dex holders have any real authority outside the Pokemon-collecting community. It's quite reasonable to assume that law enforcement would ask a dex holder for help, but mostly in a consulting manner.
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

Mm.. I did put it as a benefit, so it's in her character sheet. It's why I asked.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
Neo-Paladin
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by Neo-Paladin »

Well, the authorities would most likely share some info with you and treat you as a valuable expert than just a civilian, so there's that. But legally, a dex holder has no special status.
kirinke
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Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

Ah. So what about in the monster/non-human community?
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
kirinke
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 2:28 pm

Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

So when she's talking about killing something, she is referring to problem pokemon like ghost pokemon who won't move on. I also suspect she has a lot of good will with the cops and law enforcement in general, because of the fact that she does willingly help them and provide potent back up with her own talents and critters when they need it.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
kirinke
Posts: 4322
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 2:28 pm

Re: The Merge Universe

Post by kirinke »

Okay, this is what I put in Amy's notes on Dex holders:
Dex holders are considered valuable civilian experts on pokemon to law enforcement and generally work closely with the police and first responders on matters related to the monsters and act as back-up when needed. Though they have no real legal authority, there is still a great deal of good will between the two and the police/law enforcement are likely to give them information if they need it, as long as it doesn't jeopardize whatever they're working on.
Kirinke's Compendium of Wondrous Creatures
Kirinke's Conversions (D&D Items to M&M3E Rules)

Battle Init
Viv: 24
Ren:22
Peekaboo: 20
Deutschritter: 19
Amy: 15
Angrboda: 15
Adeleth: 14
Thugs: 12
Lilly: 7
Alma: 5
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