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

Name: Kiyoko, Psychic
Birthdate: Winter, 15
Appearance: here ya go
Pokémon: Akiko (Espeon, Psychic), Female
Personality: Calm-minded, orderly, routined, strategist, manipulative

Name: Ryouta (Bug)
Birthdate: Spring, 284 AG (16)
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Ryuu (Yanmega, Bug/Flying), Male
Personality: Serious, focused, single-minded, ruthless, and a family person.

Name: Rei (Bug)
Birthdate: Summer, 286 AG (14)
Appearance: Link
Pokémon: Hiroki (Whirlipede, Bug/Poison), Male
Personality: Shy, reserved, somewhat cold, distrusting.

Notes: Not sure if anyone caught on, but you're allowed to make up to three characters in the same dynasty during the sign-up stage. My two are siblings.

Not sure if anyone else was considering joining, but here are the available kingdoms:
- Grass
- Ghost
- Normal
- Fighting
- Flying
- Rock
- Ground
- Steel
- Poison

If no one else joins, I'll figure out what to do with these random kingdoms so they're not just collecting dust and getting in the way.

This is gonna start up soon (either tomorrow or within the next few days), so this is everyone's last call for joining before the game begins.

I'm happy with how many signed up, but there's still a bunch of unclaimed kingdoms, so we need to figure out what we should do with these before the game starts. I have a few ideas, and I'd like your input.

a). Keep them as NPCs. NPC kingdoms will defend themselves, but won't wage wars of aggression or form alliances with other kingdoms, staying out of other people's affairs.

b). There's a crisis. For one reason or another, all the NPC kingdoms are crumbling. Players will be incentivized to take them over, essentially eliminating them from the game very early on. Diplomacy, military force, or political intrigue can be used to take them over, but it's also likely to cause friction between neighbors. They'd suffer some penalties to make them soft targets, but otherwise would act like the NPC kingdoms described above.

c). Coalesce them into an empire. Like so. This is an imperial state that's been on the rise for the past century and reached its zenith in the previous decade, but in recent years, has begun to decline from both internal and external pressures. Unlike a normal NPC kingdom, this empire has a will. It's very aggressive and will invade hostile players one by one. It'd have its own distinct royal family, and players would be able to interact with it like anyone else. You can become a vassal, tributary, or ally, or remain defiant. Declaring war on the empire would let you steal relics, liberate kingdoms, take the land for yourself, or whatever. The idea is that this empire wouldn't be a permanent fixture in the game, but would be an early challenge for players to tackle (or use as a tool for their own self-interest).

Name: Onkonet - Ice
Birthdate: Spring, 19
Appearance: Wavy grey hair with red eyes and sharp features, often wears a large, copper-colored fur coat.
Pokémon: Storhunden (Spheal/ Sealeo/ Wailrein [Ice/ Water]), Male
Personality: Serious and unyielding. Would do anything to protect his nation and its people

Brother of Atsila, and the current king of the Ice kingdom.