This isn't entirely tied to that other thing I will be doing. I started this game while figuring out the kind of rules I would like to see in the other game I plan on recording for said other thing. Having started the game, though, I am bound and determined to see it through. Being my first ever Nuzlocke challenge and apparently holding myself to a far higher difficulty standard than most other such challenges, I figured I would write a relatively short summary report of the goings-on in the game. This is mostly for my own benefit, looking back on my first attempt and reliving the memories at some point another 10 years in the future when the full force of mid-life regret is bearing down on my psyche and the clock of passing ages begins to grow louder.

Because I never actually planned for this to be a "thing" on its own, I have no recording or screenshots of my progress. At least, not initially. I still won't record, but maybe I'll intersperse my impending walls of text with a couple screenshot updates in the future, but at least the first two chapters will just be my ramblings. Sorry about that.

Anyway, pulling from that other thing, this is the list of rules I eventually settled upon:

Anyway, I'm going to do this thing for myself, regardless of interest from other people, but if anyone is interested in following along with my folly, then I'll put in the additional effort

I've been having a weird Pokemon itch the past few weeks for some reason, such that my Youtube feed is full of the stuff, and I've begun digging for many of my old games and also looking into ones that I never played. Or knew about. It's been a weird and dangerous mix of both discovery and nostalgia as I look back on things I never saw before, mixed with the very familiar virtual stomping grounds of my limited personal childhood games library, a plurality of which happened to be various Pokemon games: Red, Yellow, Silver, Gold, Ruby, Leaf Green...and even Black or White (I don't remember which) that I picked up with my own adultish disposable income, back when it was in stores and I needed something to pass the time in airports and on plane rides across the continent.

Anyway, the point is that I'm going to jump back into the games, but because Pokemon is a Time-wasting Baby Game for Babies, I really wanted to do something that was a bit more of a challenge than just blasting through with my usual choice teams. Instead, I'm going to go do a N U Z L O C K E challenge, with many additional rules (if you're not familiar with a nuzlocke challenge, go ahead and click in that there link).

The rules are below, and I may tighten the noose at any time if I feel things are going too smoothly:

A Maiden's Voyage!






All through the morning, an irridescent eggplant-purple yacht with white accents cruised through the gentle waves of the open sea, its tall prow slicing and turning the ultramarine waters aside in its final glide towards the slowly rising land in the distance. As morning moved into afternoon, a single dark spike pierced the grey haze between the endless blues of sea and sky, prying the horizon apart as it spread wide its verdant arms in welcome. Vision was clear and perfect, not a cloud in the sky and only the faint haze of sea spray giving the incoming coast a dustier hue.

Captain Wright had been the designated pilot of The Good Ship Lollipop for the last two years now, and though this tall, lanky old woman in square glasses was only the captain of a personal ship she still dressed fully in the pants, suit and hat of any old cruise ship captain. With land in sight and their destination... approaching, she grabbed the radio mic from above her, flicked the switch to the ship's intercom and spoke in her smooth captainy voice, "Happy noontime, everyone, and I hope you had a pleasant cruise! We will be arriving at our destination in about ten minutes. If you look across the front of our ship, you will now see the southern coast of Arius as we approach the peaceful little port of Cyprus Town, on the island of South Arius. Enjoy the rest of your trip, and we will see you on land soon!"

Clicking off the mic, she switched the radio to broadcast once again, and called ahead to the shore.

The Federation
EPISODE I: VOYAGER
CHAPTER I

Magecastle Port
Septem 17, 1595

"It's probably going to be the most advanced ship in the fleet for now." says Admiral Patterson to the exuberant Captain, "She won't have the sort of armaments that the Enterprise or the Defiant do right now, but she's got a faster engine and tougher hull plating."

Captain Curzon Dax stopped for a moment, taking it all in. He was about to assume his first full command in the Federation Navy, and he intended to make the best of it.

"What's she called again?" Dax asked.

Patterson replied, "Voyager. F.S.S. Voyager. Registry number FN-VX-01."

Dax smiled. "Sure has the right name. By the time I'm done everyone'll forget about the Enterprise and Defiant."

"I'm sure they will, Curzon. But for right now, you still have take Voyager out for her shakedown cruise. That is scheduled for tomorrow, I do believe. I hope your crew is fully prepared." Patterson said.

"If they're not, we're in trouble already. How far are we going?" Dax asked.

The two officers walked into the Map Room of Voyager and went over to the center console that displayed the regional map and had the trace of Voyager's route. It was something simple: a departure from Magecastle, a quick hugging along the Citadel Peninsula, a resupply stop at Federation Base One, then a run south through the Arrenlander Sea, going around the south Detectatian Island, then churning back north to Magecastle.

"We figured that Voyager might spend a week to a week and a half tops on the open seas. Weather looks pretty good according to forecasts, and there doesn't appear to be any reports of hostile activity in the area along the route. Should be seamless," the Admiral said.

"Except that I'm sure the launching of Voyager will probably set off a few alarms in Adwest and Taeunas. Taeunas especially got interested in the maiden voyage of the Enterprise if I'm not too much mistaken." Captain Dax said.

"Of course they were. They helped us build the damn thing." Patterson said with a chuckle, "Besides we've already taken precautions in case something awry were to occur with one of our neighbors. If anything happens, we'll be ready."

"I appreciate that, Admiral." said Dax.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Siora

. . : : The Siora Awards 2019 : : . .


Greetings, and welcome to the Fifth Annual Siora Awards! It's Eternity's birthday right now, and I'm actually on time for once, how absolutely amazing is that! Five years is a long time, and most of us have known each other for much longer than that, so with apologies to those who want further ado, let's reflect upon all the fun times and get crackin' with these arbitrary nothings.


Oh boy! How do I participate in this Official^TM Activity?
All you have to do is copy everything within the spoilered code box below into a PM addressed directly to me, include your ONE vote for each category (which are explained below), and then submit the pm. After a Certain Amount Of Time^TM, all submitted "votes" will be tallied, and winners in each individual category declared - though we all know you'll win, you wonderful person you - to much celebration and fanfare.

Or just pop it in this thread, if you don't care if people know how you voted.

Everyone gets to vote for everything; there are no special people with special votes for certain categories. Furthermore, while it's fine to not vote for a category if you can't think of anything for it, only a maximum of one vote is allowed for each...though it would definitely be nice if you took some time (minutes, hours, days, weeks) to see if anything comes to mind.

Hey muh dudes, just notifying you that our terms of use has finally been released. Worry not, it is pretty standard for the Internet. I have not usurped your sovereign rights in any way. Pinky promise.

The Romulans
EPISODE I - THE NEW REPUBLIC
CHAPTER I

The City of Romulus
Fein 3rd, 1555 CE

As the sun rose over the ancient city of Romulus, a cool breeze settled upon the land. For this was the day that the long-awaited Romulan Republic would be proclaimed to the world.

For Tydarius, a man of forty-six years of age and had only recently overseen the local militia before being tapped to lead the new Republic, it was a test he had every intention of passing. Centuries had passed since the original founding of Romulus, but hardly ever before had the Romulans been widely known to the rest of the world. From behind the shadows, Romulus watched as the great empires of the world rose and fell, as colonies were established and soon became nations of their own, and as conflict spread and affected the entirety of Siora. Though there was temptation of the part of Romulan leaders of the past to enter the global arena, such temptations were never surrendered to, and Romulus remained largely hidden. Despite such a curtain, Romulus maintained trade with a number of nations, including the mighty Severyans to the north and the ancient Angirisians to the south. Tydarius knew that the greatest test facing the Republic now was the repatriation of the hundreds of thousands of Romulans and their descendants scattered across the world. Tydarius knew that the reason so many Romulans left was they felt they had no state, no country to call their own. With the establishment of the Republic, the new Proconsul hoped that the far-flung Romulans would return home and help build a stronger Romulus. Only then could the Republic successfully challenge the aggressive Remans and the shadowy Nerazim.

At about quarter-past nine in the morning a military aide entered the Audience Chamber, which Tydarius had temporarily made his seat of power while the still-in-design Plaza was under construction. Upon seeing the aide, Tydarius walked out of the chamber and made his way to the Senate Hall. There was gathered the elected representatives of the various districts of the city of Romulus, the smaller nearby towns and surrounding countrysides. Outside the Senate Hall was a gathered crowd who awaited what was being referred to as the "Inaugural Address" of the new Republic. Military personnel scrambled outside of the Hall, and a squadron of Warbirds flew overheard. The flag of the new Republic proudly flapped in the wind above the Senate Hall and in various spots across the city. The old Government Triangle was adorned in green and gold, and the sights and sounds of a modernizing city were echoing in the background behind the gathered crowd.

After what felt like an eternity for some in the crowd, bells began ringing out in the Triangle and across the city. Nine o'clock had arrived. A procession of Senators, judges and other government officials began emanating from the Senate Hall. A few moments later, the Proconsul of the Republic emerged to face the crowd. He bowed to the crowd before raising a hand into the air, saluting the crowd with the famed Romulan greeting. Thousands of hands went into the air with the same salute, others began clapping, others cheering. This went on for a few minutes before a man dressed in fancy garb and carrying some large stick, began banging in on the marble steps of the Hall. He yelled out, "Here, here you all noble Romulans! And hear the Proconsul!" He then turned to Tydarius, who acknowledged the man and then turned to face the crowd. He let out a silent sigh, clasped his hands behind his back and began his speech...

"Fellow Romulans, I come to you in the wake of recent events to issue a call to reason. Let no Romulan deny the perils of our time. While we battled one another, divided by the petty strife of our common history, the tide of a greater series of events is turning against us, threatening to destroy all that we have accomplished. It is time for us as Romulans and as individuals to set aside our longstanding feuds... and unite. The tides of an new world order are upon us and we must seek refuge upon higher ground lest we be swept away by the flood. The old Romulus is no more. Whatever semblance of unity and protection is a phantom, a memory. With our enemies near us and uncertain nations left unchecked, who will you turn to for protection?

The ever-changing form of the world around us built by our fellow man is self-evident. We have seen our brethren abroad, their homes and communities persecuted and devastated by the calculated blows of reactionary forces. We have seen first-hand our friends and loved ones consumed by nightmarish hatred created and stirred upon by those who seek to do their fellow man harm. Unprecedented and though unimaginable they may be, these ARE the signs of our times. The time has come, my fellow Romulans, to rally to a new banner. In unity lies strength; already many of the wayward factions of our nation have joined us. Out of the many we shall forge an indivisible whole, capitulating only the seat of power you see before you. And for as long as I am allowed by your voice from this seat, I shall watch over you.

From this day forward, let no Romulan make war on any other Romulan. Let no Romulan agency conspire against this new beginning and let no individual consort with alien powers, and to all the enemies of Romulus, seek not to bar our way, for we shall win through, NO MATTER THE COST."

As soon as the last word left Tydarius's lips, a roar emerged from the crowd. There was no denying it anymore. The Romulan Republic had arrived.

Some hours later, as festivities across the city continued to transpire, Tydarius sat alone back in the Audience Chamber with a glass of wine. Proud of what he saw outside, Tydarius smiled to himself. He was about to build a nation.

Blacaria has FORCED me to accept his RESIGNATION as ADMINISTRATOR against my DIVINE and ABSOLUTE will.

Also, my ASSISTANTS have INFORMED me that APPARENTLY Flo is GONE. SO I FIRED HIM TOO.

Hello everyone,

Recently one of our members, going by Lom had been removed from this server. Some of you have come to us asking for details pertaining to this decision. While our general policy is to keep our decision-making within our discussions, we decided that this circumstance warrants an explanation.

Lomarre has had a long and sorted history with many of us on the team. His rhetoric and insults have gone beyond simple disagreement with the Moderation Team into a far more personal level. From racist tirades about deportation, to the past incident with his anti-Semitic utilization of goyim, to his repeated attempts to post the n-word past the swear ban set up by the bot, he has thoroughly worn down his goodwill within the team. Those that would try to provide any sort of cover for his behavior could no longer do so, especially as he fails to apologize and grow from these incidents. Some of our members have outright blocked him on Discord to avoid seeing his posts.

This last part represents a problem. We can not do our jobs if we have to block someone to avoid their comments, and we do not feel it is acceptable to simply let members do as they wish. Therefore, we decided to apply our previous decision to ban Lomarre. After further discussion, we have decided that this will last for a month and will end on October 26, 2019.

We will try to answer your questions to the best of our ability. Thank you very much for your understanding.