AUGUST 2025 EVENT LOG

[bayhelpers]

⋆✩ THE FIRST TRUE EXPEDITION ✩⋆

The Guildleader’s announcement comes off the excitement of yet another round of mysterious new arrivals floundering their way into society. It comes not long after a fresh round of beach parties and campfires, announced simply by notices posted to the Quest Board concerning a vital announcement to be made at the Archive’s steps. Within the first week of the month, that announcement has been made.

It’s time to expand their borders. It’s time to break through the unknown.

It’s time, the Guilds agree, for an Expedition.

i. LET THE EXPEDITION BEGIN

PACK YOUR BAGS

Preparing for the Expedition is no simple task. After the announcement has been made, all three Guilds prepare personal sign-ups for the matter, extending invitations to Pokemon they feel will do particularly well. An expedition, each Leader explains, is not at all the same as any typical quest. It is an effort comparable to the very exodus that formed what Bottlecap Bay is today. It’s a collective of Pokemon all headed for one singular goal, supporting each other in the effort.

Pokemon are encouraged to invest in sacks and satchels in some cases, while others are simply handed worn packs for their own use. Lists of necessary supplies are passed around, ranging from simple foods like apples and chestnuts all the way to rare and valuable goods that could make or break any team lost in the woods. Seeds that explode when chewed upon, or even revive a Pokemon from unconsciousness are carefully divided among Expeditioners, and as the day fast approaches the nervousness becomes a tangible thing upon the air. Heavy, like a storm. Static, akin to electricity from a yet unseen lightning bolt.

Yet skies are clear - and they remain clear when the day comes for the trek as well.

WE’RE TAKING A ROAD TRIP

⟡ The Expedition begins ICly on the 1st of August - Players are free to handwave characters seeing notices leading up to this day beginning from the 25th of July.

⟡ When it comes to being allowed on the Expedition, even new Pokemon are invited to join! The Guild Leaders are anticipating they’ll have hidden strengths and unusual insights in dealing with the unexpected, compared to native Pokemon - what with the experiences they have coming from very different worlds.

⟡ All Pokemon on the Expedition will at minimum be equipped with some form of sack for personal belongings. While larger Pokemon will also be tasked with carrying extra loads intended for tents and shelters, smaller ones will be asked to tow rations (or other supplies that are easily split) for their immediate party.

⟡ Many stores in the town are eager to do their part to support Expeditioners! While this doesn’t mean any special discounts, it does mean that items and goods they exchange might be a little more personalized. It seems a Pokemon’s favorite snack just happens to have been set aside, while the last satchel available is in their favorite color. How fortuitous!

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

While all three are in agreement, it is only one Guild Leader who spearheads the charge. The Oran Berries of the Spire are left with a trusted deputy to handle any immediate matters as the Expedition Team sets off for the woods in early August, and where most teams are a mere two to four Pokemon strong it isn’t inaccurate to compare this one to an army. As a mass, these Pokemon move forward with their packs filled with supplies. Stone, lumber, and straw for larger sorts. Food and tools for others. And still more with nothing but the most vital necessities, first aid, and so on.

The three sections of forest that are known to Bottlecap Bay all border the sandy shore of the Bay’s lower crescent, with the ‘North’ in particular creeping along the Canopy. Through probing of the Forest’s boundaries and environs, thanks in large part to all of the explorations and quests of the past months, the Guilds have determined that the Forest eventually starts funneling together, the far end of each section growing narrower and narrower as the entire Forest is compressed between impassable terrain. This also means that whatever’s at the other end, any entrance to the Forest should exit in roughly the same place.

The Expedition intends to travel just through the North section - at this point they’ve had plenty of experience dealing with the primary hazard of spores! However, as the team carries on, they start to encounter discordant patches resembling the Middle and South in alternating moments of time. Some begin to voice concerns and questions - the Forest was never so strange before, even when the fog was at its thickest. Is this trip really worth it? How are they possibly going to make it through to the other side? The Forest seemed unending even when they were starting to get used to the conditions in each section individually!

As worries mount, Mightyena calls out encouragement, and hopeful whispers spread from the front of the Expedition. One of the Pokemon near Mightyena has a hunch, and says so in a shy voice. A feeling that just ahead, there might be something that isn’t just woods. Thanks to everyone’s efforts in recruitment, many wild Pokemon have agreed to assist over the last number of days - and the ones from the furthest corners of the Forest concur. The end is near, and this has been the forest’s final test. They just have to push on.

They can do that much, right?

ARE WE THERE YET?

⟡ While the threat levels over all within the forest have dropped down somewhat, navigation during the Expedition becomes even harder than it was before. The trip at minimum takes a full day - but notably, Pokemon who stray from the group quickly find themselves back in the pack, or back in Bottlecap depending on their intentions.

⟡ The Expedition only stops a few times during this trip, each time for a shared meal. There is always at least one Pokemon with their eyes directly ahead so that they don’t lose the path, and others in the group make certain to keep their fellows in sight at all times.

⟡ While they don’t ultimately set up tents in the woods, it’s clear from speaking with Mightyena that it was considered a possibility; in fact, finding a place for the Outpost within just a single day should have been impossible! She seems certain that at least one Pokemon move or ability was involved in this.

ii. BOTTLECAP OUTPOST, NAME TBD

CAMPING WITH EXTRA STEPS

After little more than a day of trekking, the journey comes to an end. The Expedition’s goal was to find a place suitable enough to create another settlement. To find a place beyond the woods that could be considered safe. A place that could eventually become another home.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Pokemon of the forest, they have managed just that.

The valley is a beautiful carpet of swaying grass, gently sloping hills, and tiny babbling brooks. Wildflowers sprout in colorful clumps or large swathes, and the air smells sweet and fresh; a breeze ruffles gently through Pokemon fur and feathers, chasing clouds through the sky. Scattered rocks and boulders make for perfect spots to lie down and sunbathe. One larger stream meanders through the center, its water clear enough to see straight through to the rocky bottom - at least except for the spots where rocks jut out above the surface, generating sprays of drops and foam. It's kind of hard to believe that this was just beyond the fog and gnarled undergrowth of the forest!

At the other end of the valley, the hills begin to grow steeper, and trees fill in again - in fact, it almost looks denser than the forest on the way back to the Bay, if that's even possible. Over near that end Mightyena is organizing expeditions, marking off three general directions to start exploring. It might be tempting to sneak out for a peek ahead of time, but Mightyena insists it's not safe to go solo and without supplies.

Off in the distance, beyond the dense woods, the hills stretch into an extensive mountain range. Dark clouds hang above many of them, caught on the peaks.

Closer to the center of the valley, on one side of the stream where the ground is flattest, the Outpost's boundaries are being marked out. It's time to start building!

NO REALLY DON’T GO IN THERE

⟡ Pokemon who haven’t been approved for Exploration Quests will be swiftly caught and carried back to the Outpost base. Done enough times, and they may even be sent back to Bottlecap Bay!

⟡ Curiously, Pokemon who return from their expeditions will note that even if they encounter mountains, none of the visible mountains match what they saw - no matter what direction teams explore in, the regions and sights are entirely incongruous with what can be seen from the valley.

⟡ Those remaining at the Outpost will have plenty of work to do. Regular travel routes must be established, as well as the placement of temporary shelters. Pokemon will be spending many days out here, which means lots of hunting and gathering work to be done as well. Players are invited to come up with their own unique tasks; a village has many requirements.

THE HEART OF DEVELOPMENT

So here’s the bad news: even with the wide number and variety of Pokemon present, and all the strange abilities and skills at everyone’s disposal, building an Outpost… just isn’t something that happens in a day. Everyone’s going to be here for a while! And there’s simply too much work for anyone to get away with slacking.

Any Expedition members who aren’t being sent out on an official exploration are going to have their paws, wings, and other assorted limbs full of construction tasks. Even those sent out on explorations will be expected to join in as soon as they’re back - assuming they’ve avoided injury, of course. And whenever Pokemon collapse for a well-earned rest… it’s going to have to be under tarps and temporary shelters. (At least it’s probably not much worse than what everyone’s already used to, for everyone but the Lum Berries?)

Still, the relief of making it through the Forest and the loveliness of the environs has the mood of the Expedition high! The overall feeling is like that of a barn raising, with cheers ringing out whenever a new building is framed, and again whenever it’s officially designated complete. Some massive fire pits are very nearly the first thing to get put together, and every sundown there’s bonfires for the Expedition members to congregate around and relax with their supper.

It won’t be long before the Outpost is complete, and this will all be worth it!

NEW PLACES

⟡ While the core of the Outpost won’t be finished until the final week of the month, other unique matters will slowly make themselves known as the 24th of August approaches. In particular, a uniquely shaped building with its own Questboard will finish its construction alongside a storehouse, a clinic, and a dwelling house.

⟡ The latter three buildings are quite basic; the Storehouse is used to maintain and preserve stock of all manner of necessary materials including food, and even has the beginnings of facilities meant to process these. There is talk of possibly creating a water wheel to help with this. The Clinic in turn is a far smaller version of its Bottlecap counterpart, meant for emergency treatment of Pokemon who cannot be brought directly to town.

⟡ By August 24th, Pokemon will be able to experience the finished Dwelling house on their own. While it’s constructed in the style of many of Bottlecap Bay’s buildings, it seems to follow the spirit of the Oran and Cheri guild’s dormitory systems. Pokemon share rooms with four simple beds, and the entire building makes use of a communal stove.

⟡ The final building is the most important; it’s a Post Office. The Quest Board outside of it is meant to host requests relevant to the regions too distant from Bottlecap to reasonably respond to, but for now something else is posted there. ICly posted on August 24th, these notices call for a vote on names for the Outpost and neighboring regions. Further details, and an IC Suggestion Poll, can be found Here.

✩ OOC NOTES.

⟡ CWS: Typical Pokemon violence - otherwise this is a fairly tame event!

⟡ As promised on the monthly plotting post, we are happy to announce that Activity Rewards are now available! You can find more information here.

⟡ While all Heavy Quests will ICly have completed by August 24th, sign-ups for these quests will remain open all month.

⟡ For those who participated in Heavy Quests this month, don't forget to submit your quest completion forms before the 30th!

⟡ Have any questions related to the event? Ask them here! If your question is more general for the game, please make sure to direct it to the FAQ page instead. Thank you, and happy threading!

FULL NAVIGATION

Comments

[outbounds]

Two things, actually! They are, well.

[ Maybe he'll— a little self-consciously— just pull them out of his satchel and set them on one of the beds to serve as explanation, rather than try to explain himself via words. They're rough-hewn and incomplete, but polished to a smooth finish with what was obviously a lot of care.

One is a little wooden figurine clearly cut and painstakingly carved to resemble a Sneasel, but longer, lankier, with bigger claws and a more prominent feather. It might or might not be the best depiction of the Lady Ingo's talked so much about, given that Emmet only has a description and the one brief memory to go off of (and it is not exactly the best memory to reference for several reasons)... but he's mentioned her and the Sneaslet kittens he's taken care of and reared a lot, and moreover he talks about them in a way that makes it verrrry clear he's fond of and misses them.

Maybe Emmet should have tried for some of his team instead. Ingo's mentioned them, too, but... Emmet would feel bad singling out any of them in particular without including the rest, and he had sort of a different idea for the second piece. Something that Ingo would've been likely to recognize via his— friendship? with Laventon would have been his first idea, and then just as quickly discarded. A model of a classic Galarian steam-powered, Carkol-fueled locomotive— right out. Too intricate, too much detailing, small, finicky bits and pieces for him to be able to describe well to a better carver than him, and he'd only just frustrate himself with the inaccuracies of his own limited capability. What he said to Shoka months ago still stands; his dexterity like this is not what it was.

But the simple, classic design of the train used on the Anville and Green lines, though. The oldest ones still running in Unova. That, at least, he can manage... even if it's not as likely to be recognized. Probably. But still ...

Emmet fidgets a little and looks anywhere but at Ingo, aware of the lack of finish. It's probably why he hastens to say, a little haltingly: ]

I talked with some of the weavers who came with us to the Outpost. Said we could use berries to mix the right dyes and paints. Have them here.

Would have tried to finish it all myself, but ... I thought. You might like to do it? Yourself?

[ Ingo knows the colors that Sneasler is supposed to be better than Emmet anyway. ]

[offtracks]

Oh! Ah - goodness, thank you!

[ Ingo is obviously surprised! These are real gifts, not just a good treat to eat together. He picks up the Sneasler figurine, carefully examining it between both paws. It's a decent likeness from someone who has never seen a Sneasler before. Ingo didn't know that Emmet had any interest in carving at all.

Is there some sort of occasion he doesn't know of? Should he have gotten Emmet something? ]

Did you make these yourself?

[outbounds]

Got a few pointers from some of the Pokemon in town. But mostly yes?

[ The initial failed attempts were, hm, not great, let's just say. Working with his claws takes some doing, it turns out? ]

[offtracks]

Well, thank you very much! I am glad that you have picked up a new hobby!

[ Ingo could have given him pointers. Is this some kind of occasion he's missing? Should he ask...? ]

[outbounds]

It is not... well. Sort of new? Kind of a side-grade. Hobbies, working with hands, not new. The carving is.

[ Has he come up with any better way to lead into it yet? All signs point to no.

Well, nothing for it, really. ]

Anyway. You're welcome. Technically it is late though. Missed it by some weeks. Sorry. But even so...

Happy Birthday, Ingo.

[offtracks]

Oh.

[ A moment of processing. ]

Oh! That - when was that? [ Ingo's also not quite sure how this relates to gifts, but that's secondary to the fact that it never really occurred to him to ask when they were born? ]

[outbounds]

13th of the month. Ignoring any time differences from our previous stations to here. Figured it'd just be easier to go by this station's calendar.

Which means we were actually out on that mission on the day of.

[offtracks]

That makes sense...

[ He has no idea how to account for their previous time differences! Did he end up in Hisui on the same day of the year that he left? It seems unlikely that it would be so neat...well! That's not terribly important! ]

Ah! We were! Well...happy birthday, belatedly? [ ...no, he should just ask. ] Do Unovans give gifts for those?

[outbounds]

Hm? Usually. Doesn't have to be big or fancy or anything. Doesn't have to be a thing, either. Experiences, nice outings, a good meal— those all count too.

[ Which, huh. ]

They do not in Hisui?

[ The modern (western) birthday tradition is so pervasively commercialized it's hard to imagine it not at least being known of far and wide, but that's, well, modern. Ah, industrialization. ]

[offtracks]

When children reach certain milestones, perhaps, but not after one is grown!

[ Ingo's knowledge on the former is admittedly a little hazy. Even if nobody knew how old he was, he was obviously an adult. The only child he's grown close enough with to be involved in any sort of potential celebration is Akari, and - well, again, the amnesia.

But what's done in Hisui is not most important! This is Emmet's tradition! ]

I should get you something as well!

[outbounds]

It is a bigger deal for children. Yup. Birthday parties are a thing.

[ Generally speaking, anyway! ]

Doesn't have to be a big deal, though? You do not have to do anything. You did not know, so.

[offtracks]

But you made me something!

[ Whether or not he should have known before is sort of moot! ]

[outbounds]

And I am telling you it is okay for it not to be a thing! So do not worry about it!

[offtracks]

But it is already a thing! It is your thing!

[ A Unovan thing! Maybe even a family one? Ingo's sure, if he asked, that Emmet would celebrate any Hisuian holidays he wanted! ]

[outbounds]

... If you want to do something. Then you can. But I sprung this on you suddenly. It can be a surprise back.

[offtracks]

Very well!

[ That gives him time! Which he will need! What is a good gift! ]

[outbounds]

[ He will not be getting the answers to that question from Emmet, who settles himself down onto one of the other beds now that he's handed over what he needs to. ]

So ... what do you think? About finishing them, I mean. Know you said you don't have hands anymore. So that makes carving harder. But what about paints?

[offtracks]

[ Ingo turns them over in his paws again, considering. Painting involves less dexterity than carving, certainly, and no one is likely to be hurt by accident. Still... ]

I think that would be fun! But I would like to practice on something else first! I have never really done any painting even when I had hands, and I would like for this to look good!

[outbounds]

There will probably be at least some of that as construction on the outpost continues. Right?

[ Surely not all of the buildings will be left as plain stone or log color. ]

Could use that as a chance to practice.

[offtracks]

Ah, that is an excellent idea!

[ It obviously hadn't occurred to Ingo! Clan members will decorate their tents, of course, but that involves dyes more than paints. ]

How long do you suppose we will stay here at the outpost? Perhaps we could go back and forth, as I do with Jubilife.

[outbounds]

I had been meaning to ask Mightyena what the long term plans for the outpost are, actually.

[ Like, for now it is obviously going to be a small settlement with just the necessities first— but after a while? As they get to exploring the region more, will the guilds relocate to or establish a secondary headquarters here? That sort of thing. ]

The trip here ... doesn't actually take that long. Right? Wonder how easy it is to make all the time, though, if we are not traveling in so large a group.

[offtracks]

It ought to be easy! But, with the forest the way it is...

[ It's a lot better now, of course! But they'd still had to keep constant watch on the path. Easy enough with a large group, but just one or two Pokemon on their own? ]

We should set up regular caravans, like the merchants! Nothing so large, of course, but escorting travelers back and forth is well within our ordinary mission requirements! I used to do it often!

[outbounds]

Said something about the forest's final test on the way here. Do you think we passed?

[ Maaaaaybe it'll be easier, going forward...?

Still, regardless, Emmet nods along. ]

Scheduled, regular trips. Should be easy to manage. Might be easier to tell if something goes wrong or if someone needs help too if they do not arrive on schedule, even with time in the forest being the way it is.

[offtracks]

It did not seem like much of a test...so, perhaps?

[ Ingo has definitely had much worse missions out here though! He's quite sure everyone he knows has! ]

Yes, that sounds quite sensible! I always thought we ought to have something like that...

[ But Hisui is vast and they didn't really have the framework for something like that. Not to mention, "guiding travelers" is less a traditional Warden duty and more something Ingo just...sort of decided he should be doing. ]

[outbounds]

[ Emmet can't help it; his smile quirks, going a little lopsided for a moment before he breaks and just starts laughing a bit, quietly. Even with no infrastructure to support it, no real forms of public transit in sight, let alone anything resembling a train or subway... ]

Follow the rules. Safe driving. Follow the schedule. Everybody smile.

[ you can take the subway boss out of the subway, apparently, But, ]