Temple of the Gods

[Tek]

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::::::::: TEMPLE OF THE GODS :::::::::
::: Aztec/Mayan Theme Challenge :::

= Introduction =

In Mesoamerican mythologies, the form and signifigance of deity figures appear to be quite fluid. Deities can simultaneously be a single entity or multiple entities. Conflicting stories about deities - and existence in general - seem to be held true at the same time. The impression of modern researchers is that these peoples gave the same weight and truthfulness to both actual and fictitous histories.

Therefore, in this challenge you will simply choose your Pokémon based on the characteristics of certain principles found in the Aztec and Mayan folkores. Feel free to add more restrictions to your challenge, such as catching only one Pokémon for each principle, or going down the list in order from top to bottom (the list of principles is organized roughly by chronological/developmental order). List any additional rules you will be using at sign-up. No changing rules partway through!


= Rules =

- any Pokémon game may be used, including romhacks and spin-offs; be sure to note which game you're using in the sign-up
- the first principle, Origin, is represented by your starter(s)
- trade-ins and hack-ins are fine, as long as you make note of them at sign-up
- make creative use of the word "sacrifice" in your sign-up to show that you've read and agreed to the rules


= Principles =

]ORIGIN[
- original creation, genesis of manifest reality

]EARTH[
- clay, mountain, wood,  crocodile, monkey

]SKY[
- wind, rain, thunder, serpent, bird

]WATER[
- ocean, river, lake, vegetation, fungus, fish, frog

]FIRE[
- light, heat, ash, incense, serpent, modern age

]SUN[
- masculine, day, dragonfly, turtle, eagle

]MOON[
- feminine, night, crab, rabbit, deer

]XIBALBA[
- ice, bone, death, rebirth, bat, canine, soul, punishment

]JAGUAR[
- destruction, fang, feline, anger, bloodthirst, combat, knife, war

]LOVE[
- fertility, disease, purification, flower, butterfly, song, dance, art

]MAIZE[
- life, blood, mankind, sacrifice, harvest, writing, civilization

]VISION[
- time, smoke, mushroom, cactus, mirror, truth

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​

Lastly, I am (of course) signing up for the challenge. The game I'm using is White version.

No hacks or trade-ins for me; not because I oppose such but because I lack the neccessary hardware. I'll take my own suggestion and catch my team in order from Origin to Vision (I'll also be catching others to fill the dex, but they won't be used in battle or as HM buddies).

To make things more interesting, I'll use two additional rules: Pokémon that faint get boxed until a badge is earned or Victory Plateau is reached (excluding the Origin Pokémon), and I must weave a tale based on my Pokémon choices.

So that's that. I hope y'all enjoy the art and such; I chose the least gory depiction of human sacrifice I could find :]

 

[Tek]

i've begun already, and here's the first update. i chose oshawatt as my starter, named him Origin for convenience, and then i saved prior to entering Unova Route 1. now, let the tale begin.

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first chapter

Spoiler:

there used to be another world, before this one. but that world became selfish and ugly, so the Divine power wiped it away. or perhaps the power was just bored. a bit of both, i'd wager.

anyway, the Power wiped the old world away, leaving just one entity: a Docile-natured otter. otter floated in the featureless, misty, dimly-lit void of a new Creation. otter farted and it echoed for what seemed like endless ages... but maybe it was just a few seconds. time is even more relative than usual without external reference points.

you know, it's tricky to move around in the void. you have to imagine yourself moving and use your willpower to make it happen. not to mention you can't tell how fast or in what direction you're moving. such distinctions are meaningless without a reference point.

after a while, otter decided to go to sleep. otter wasn't tired, really; he hadn't experienced any sleepiness or hunger since the change. if this was because of some special property of the void, or because he'd only been there for thirty minutes, otter had no way of knowing. but nothing particularly interesting was happening, so he just closed his eyes and napped.

after some initial restlessness - it was difficult to get comfortable while floating unsupported - otter drifted into sleep. in his dream, he met an attractive-looking human female. she spoke to otter, saying "hi Oshawatt! i'm Keturah, your new Trainer. i hope we'll be good friends." otter, not sure what to say, simply smiled and nodded.

 

[Tek]

another small update: the first trainer battle. the pace of actual game progress increases significantly after this chapter.

second chapter

Spoiler:

otter looked around the room he found himself in. this dreamscape looked a lot like the old world, which only he, in the entire universe, could remember. there was a second girl, also attractive and clearly airheaded, and a boy. all three humans were about the same age. all had animal companions.

the boy had an odd-looking piglet. the girl had an odd-looking plant/snake companion. otter looked down at his own dream body. he had a scalchop attached to his chest, which he discovered that he could remove and reattach. odd.

looking up, otter noticed the humans - Trainers, apparently - talking about Pokémon battles. he inferred that the other two critters and himself were the 'Pokémon'. being Docile, he didn't mind too much as his Trainer commanded him to engage in combat with the snake creature (apparently called Snivy). it was more exciting than floating in the featureless void, and besides, this was just a dream.

"Oshawatt, use Tackle!", said Keturah in a determined voice. "Okay, here I go!", said otter. Well, that's what he tried to say, but it came out as "Osha, oshawaaaat". The battle went back and forth with Tackles and Tail Whips until the opposing Snivy could battle no more.

the boy stepped up and healed both otter and Snivy with an odd spray that had a faint chemical odor. then he sent his piglet Tepig forth to engage otter in battle. otter won this one, too, and the boy healed both of them up afterwards.

suddenly both Tepig and Snivy turned into a beam of light and got sucked up into red and white spheres that the other two people were holding. he turned to look at Keturah. she brandished a red and white ball at him. otter began to feel light, and light-headed. his vision rapidly faded to white, and he awoke with a start in the dim, misty, featureless void of the newly-created universe.

"Huh", he said, to no one and nothing.