Text Play: Pokémon Xenoverse #26

Hello, and welcome back to the Eldiw region! This is number 26 in my Text Play of Pokémon Xenoverse! 

As usual, I wish to make a warning: I will be spoiling the heck out of this game.

As such, I highly recommend that you play the game for yourself before reading these Text Plays. You can download the game here. And with that out of the way, let's do this!

Last time, we started working on preparing a new Pokémon team to take on Caspar, the resident Gym Leader of Westar City. Caspar is also the sheriff of the town, and the warden of the local jail, El Purgatorio. Caspar is a Ghost-type specialist. He likes his Pokémon to be nice and spooky.

I did consider adding my X Sharpedo to the team, as it is part-Ghost. Thing is, Ghost is weak to itself, and I didn't want to take any chances. So, yeah. Sadly, I couldn't include it.

It's a shame. I really wanted to try out that X Sharpedo. See what it could do.

Ah, well. I also decided to add Murkrow to my team. During my grinding process, I found myself learning something interesting: the Rexquiem line is vulnerable to Ice and Grass. So, no letting Rexquiem get hit by Ice-type or Grass-type attacks.

As I said in the last entry, my grinding goals were to get my team up to levels 40-45, as Caspar's Pokémon were at levels 37-40. I continued on with the grinding. And grinding. And grinding. And grinding and grinding and grinding and grinding...

Right right, sorry. Once I was satisfied with my Pokémon's power levels, it was time to enter the Gym. Before going inside, I made sure we went to the shop in the Pokémon Center and got plenty of supplies. Battling all those Miltank got me lots of Moomoo Milk, which heals 100 HP a pop. But I still wanted to get lots of healing items and the like. Why? Well, once we enter this Gym, we cannot leave it until we make our way through it. 

So, now that we are all ready to go, let's conquer this gym!

Once we go inside, we meet a familiar face.

Hey, it's...that guy! 

He's the guy who always wishes us luck whenever we come to gyms. I believe we last saw him in entry #17, when we went to Nuphar's gym. He says he's a "ghost that is haunting us". It's a joke. Get it? because this gym specializes in Ghost-types.

He tells us that being inside this gym is like being inside a jail.  

...like inside a jail? 

...Like inside a jail?!

Dude, this is a jail! There are actual criminals in this place! These people aren't here because they accidentally forgot to return library books on time! And this is an actual gym! The Pokémon League in this region are clearly blitzed out of their minds!

Anyway, like in Nuphar's gym, we have to use our brains to get through this place and reach Caspar himself. The Ghost-wielding sheriff left a series of riddles that we have to solve to face him. We have to note every detail, especially what prisoners say to you and the colors of the gems that decorate the various rooms of the gym. I suggest keeping something you can use to write things down with you when going through this gym.

With that, let's explore a bit. The main room of the Gym isn't really much. Just a ladder and Caspar himself.

If you try and walk up to him, the screen goes black, and you end up down here.

The ladder in the main room takes you down here, too. And if you noticed something when we entered the gym, we got a costume change. We are now clad in the stereotypical black-and-white striped shirt of a prisoner. I guess that means we are a prisoner of the gym now.

In the upper-left corner of the hall, at the left-hand edge, there is a prisoner hanging out, and he gives us a set of directions.

2 steps forward, two to the right, five upwards, and finally three to the left. Hmm, it's clearly a route to walk, but where can we apply this?

Well, there is an open door right near him, so maybe it can be applied there. We go inside, and...

IT'S SO RED! MY EYES!

OH GEEZ, WHY IS THERE SO MUCH BRIGHT RED LIGHT?! 

Alright. Okay. I tried walking the way that priosner said, but it didn't seem to do anything. Maybe this applies to another room. He didn't say it would apply to this room, after all... 

There appear to be these...galleries when we first walk in. I can't describe exactly what these things are, but the one on the left contains some photographs. One is of a photograph of Sunflare Canyon, signed by a prisoner named Rod Aruka. Aruka was a native of Johto, an Azalea Town boy. He was obsessed with photography and owned a loyal Dark-type Pokémon. His own criminal career started when he went to Eldiw and witnessed a robbery at a place called Vega's Casino. He took a picture of the robbery, and it evidently did something to him. It convinced him that crime was the perfect subject for photos. Basically, he ended up becoming a criminal himself, photographing his own crimes. He was a cruel man, as he got a life sentence here. Couldn't have lasted that long, as he photographed his own crimes.

 In the middle is a second picture. It's of an item of great value Aruka had found in the past. It appears to be a stone. The photo also depicts a Pokemon next to it, and their colors match. 

There's also a third picture next to that one, also taken and signed by Aruka. He wrote a note on the back.

"You can think I'm a criminal if you want, but what I do is pure art. This room ain't a jail cell--it's a real gallery where you can admire my beloved photos. I got something to tell those who will be locked into this cell...the rock at the top right hides what you're looking for. - Rod Aruka." 

Yeah, it just occurred to me. We're in Aruka's cell. Man was a photographer. His cell is bathed in red light. Aruka turned his cell into a big old darkroom. Likely he earned the privilege for being well-behaved. 

Anyway, the next gallery, the one on the right side, also contains some photos. 

As shown in the screenshot, one is of a man named Charles Fire. He has a black and red Pokemon. There is writing on the back, but unlike the last two photos, it's unreadable.

The one next to it is burned, but unlike the last photo, we have some legible writing on the back. 

"That damn Gym Leader Bryce got me cornered with his Ice-type Pokémon."

Yeah, the game makers goofed up here. I think they meant Pryce. Pryce was an Ice-type specialist, the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town in Johto. There's also another photo, this one of his arrest. According to this photo, "Charles Fire" is a pseudonym. Whatever his real name was, he's from Unova. Little is known about the life of "Mr. Fire", except that he's a ruthless criminal. His victims all were given telltale scarring from a Fire Fang attack. 

And I think that's where we'll stop for today. I meant to go further than this, but grinding ate up all my time. Hopefully, we'll get through this gym next time! Wish me luck! Thaks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

Pokémon Legends: Z-A trailer, My Thoughts

Back in 2022, Game Freak released Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This game was set in the region of Hisui, which is based on Hokkaido. In the game, your character is knocked back in time to this region in the distant past, which will eventually become the Sinnoh region. 

Arceus introduced some new tweaks to the Pokémon formula. The player character can get attacked by wild Pokémon, for example. There were "Alpha" Pokémon (stronger versions of the regular critters). Arceus would be highly praised and has sold 6.5 million copies at launch and has sold nearly 15 million worldwide by March 2023.

And now, another game in the Legends series has been announced: Z-A. Let's look at the trailer!

Hey, we're gonna help rebuild a city! Woo-hoo!

The music sounds like it has a bit of stereotypical French music to me. Could this be set in Kalos? Would make sense as Kalos is based on France.

Co-existence between humans and Pokémon are a regular theme of the series. 

Oh, Pokémon's going Tron!

Wait, are those Flabebe? Those Pokémon debuted in...Pokémon X/Y...

Well, that is a way to finally get a Pokémon Z...

That's the symbol of Mega Evolution! We're getting Megas back!

I have been a fan of Arceus, so I am thrilled they're doing another game in this sub-series. And it's a return to Kalos, as well. I have heard the game will be set solely in Lumiose City. This does raise some questions. I do appreciate they're trying to make this different from Arceus, but where will we go catch Pokemon? Will be helping clear out the way to help redevelop the city? Also, in X/Y, it was established that at some point in the past, an "ultimate weapon" was used to end a war. Since the last Legends game was set in the past, maybe the same is true here. Are we helping rebuild Lumiose City after this war? a lot to think about. 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!

International Polar Bear Day

Happy International Polar Bear Day!

What is this day about, you may ask? Well, this day was organized by the non-profit known as Polar Bears International, for the purpose of raising awareness of the conservation status of said animal. It's done in February because it's the time of year in which mother polar bears and cubs are enjoying rest times in their dens. 

Polar bears are well, bears. They live in the Arctic, and are considered the largest of all bear species. Adult male polar bears can weigh between 660 and 1,760 pounds (300-800kg). Yeah, male polar bears are big old boys. 

Polar bears are carnivorous, mainly preying on various species of seals. In fact, they are the Arctic's resident apex predators. They also have been known to prey on young walruses (Adult walruses are very formidable opponents for polar bears because of their size and tusks), beluga whales and narwhals, reindeer, and even though they generally aren't made to eat plants, they have been known to chomp down on seaweed on occasion.

Polar bears are known to be great swimmers, reaching speeds of 3 MPH. In fact, they're considered marine mammals because of their dependence on the sea. They can run at up to speeds of 25 MPH. Polar bears are generally solitary animals, except when it comes to mothers with cubs and mating pairs. Female polar bears do hibernate during pregnancy, but otherwise polar bears are generally diurnal. This infographic also has more interesting facts about polar bears.

Sadly, polar bears are considered a vulnerable species. The biggest threat to them is loss of habitat due to climate change. Polar bears live on the arctic ice, and since global warming is causing reductions in the area and accelerating the melting of the ice. This has made it harder for polar bears to hunt their prey, and has forced them on land more, which has also caused conflicts with humans.

National Pistachio Day!

Happy Pistachio Day!

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the health benefits of eating pistachios. Pistachios are a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. It's believed that pistachios can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. They can help improve the body's ability to digest food, boost the immune system's ability to fight infection, and even help improve brain function. So enjoy a pistachio! It'll do you some good! 

Arion: Lord of Atlantis #11 (September 1983)

The fun thing about universes like the Marvel and the DCU (heck, the superhero genre in general) is that by nature, they can touch on a variety of genres. The Omega Men and Guardians of the Galaxy, science fiction. Two-Gun Kid and Jonah Hex, the Western. And one of those genres the superhero genre can touch is the sword-and-sorcery genre. 

The character we're going to look at here is a rather obscure one, which is a great fit for this blog: Ahri'ahn, aka Arion, Lord of Atlantis. A powerful and immortal sorcerer, Arion was an adventurer and protector of the ancient city in a time before it sunk beneath the waves. Created by Paul Kupperberg and Jan Duursema, Arion debuted in a back-up story in Warlord #55 (March 1982). Warlord's editor at the time, Laurie Sutton, needed a new back-up feature for the book. Kupperberg had a few ideas, and Sutton only had one requirement: the new feature be a sword-and-sorcery series. Kupperberg suggested it be about a young mage, and Sutton suggested it take place in Atlantis. Before the name "Arion" settled in, Kupperberg played with other ideas, notably "Orin", "Atlan", and "Tynan". Interestingly, those names would be used for characters linked to Arion and Aquaman. 

And speaking of Aquaman, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Arion would end up having his mythos linked with Aquaman's, Which made sense. After all, they were both tied to Atlantis. As DC's continuity has regularly undergone changes, he's been linked to various other characters, including Zatanna. 

The comic we're looking at here is an issue of his first solo series, which lasted for 35 issues, and then got a special to tie everything up. Let's look at Arion: Lord of Atlantis #11!

The cover is a Jan Duursema piece. It's really cool. It depicts Arion trying to fight some strange green monster. It looks like he's having a...bit of trouble with his magic.

"The Freedom of Rmoahal"
Writer: Doug Moench
Penciler: Jan Duursema
Inker: Tom Mandrake
Colorist: Bob LeRose
Letterer: Andy Kubert
Editor: Joe Kubert

The story begins with three of our heroes' allies, the shapeshifter Mara, the Native American-styled warrior Wyynde, and the Asian-styled swordswoman Lady Chien looking around at the City of the Golden Gate.

"Where did that big statue come from? What wasn't here yesterday..."

It seems that spring has arrived at the City, and Mara is all too happy to see it come. Wyynde is with her on that. Lady Chien's thoughts lie towards her beloved, the titular Arion. It turned out the City was under a shroud of ice. Arion managed to save it, but at the seeming cost of his magical power. As he goes to get some council from his deceased father Caculha, an earthquake hits the city.

Chien, Wyynde, and Mara head to the King's citadel. The king himself, a man named D'Tilluh, falls into a hole...only to find something incredible.

"Guys! There's a McDonald's down here! You want some milkshakes?!"

Arion is seemingly unaware of this. His father's spirit can't do anything for him. His power may return, but that's not certainly. And even if it does, he may no longer be as powerful as he once was. He'll have to look for the lost art of magic...and his greatest quest will be within himself. As Caculha's spirit dissipates, Arion is left in a melancholy mood. Mara comes by to tell him that part of the palace was destroyed, but King D'Tilluh has found something really cool. 

"We should make this into a museum and charge people to visit!"

There's a whole city underneath the City of the Golden Gate. Once upon a time, it was a glorious achievement, a sign of the heights a great civilization reached. Nowadays, it's a bunch of ruins. D'Tilluh, Mara, Wyynde, and Chien explore the ruins, and the king spots a chamber with some thick bent up bars. Likely to keep something important sealed up. Inside the chamber, they find...something. Something frozen in a big slab of ice.

"Wait, is that...Captain America."
"Naw, it's too ugly. And this is a DC comic."

D'Tilluh decides to just bring this ice slab up. Because why not? 

D'Tilluh is sure that nothing bad will happen from this. 

Once the frozen being is brought up, he has a woman named Kali examine it. Kali is an expert on Atlantis's ancient history, so D'Tilluh think she can shed some light on what this thing is. She looks at the figure in the slab and thinks it looks similar to a Rmoahal. 

The Rmoahal were the first intelligent beings to inhabit Atlantis. They managed to build an advanced and mighty civilization, until a previous ice age eons ago wiped them out. Evidently, they really did not like the cold. 

Cowards. Anyway, among the things they developed was a form of magic involving the mind. Unlike "modern" Atlanteans, every member of the Rmoahal could practice this magic, although some were more adept than others. In fact, some theorize this form of magic was more powerful than the more "modern" kind that Arion wielded. Arion points out even if it was true, they still all died out. By ice. Again, the Rmoahal never heard of warm coats and hats?

D'Tilluh wants to know if this frozen being is a Rmoahal. Kali believes it is, but it looks...different. Not quite like they were known to have appeared. Its appearance and the chains on it suggest that it was somehow mutated into a monstrosity.

That night, Arion tries to make some magic happen, but all he can pull off is minor sparks. As he continues trying, he thinks about Kali's words. He finds himself tempted to explore these ancient psychic magics the Rmoahal used to practice. He decides against it, as he has had his fill of failure for one night. The morning's coming. One can imagine he's tired, and hungry. 

The next day, Chien offers to teach him how to use a sword. Arion seems up for it.

"I will make sure not to cut off a finger. Again." 

Lady Chien notes that Arion seems to have a natural knack for the sword. Throughout the day, the ice around the creature melts away. That night, Arion tries again to tap into the psychic magics of the Rmoahal. He succeeds in levitating a crystal with his mind. And at that same moment, the creature awakens.

"YOU ALL MADE ME LATE FOR WORK!"

The enraged creature makes the guards kill each other with its psychic power. The mutated Rmoahal senses Arion, and it's made the monster...hungry. Hungry for those sweet sweet brainwaves. Mmmm...brainwaves... 

The creature makes its way to a tavern, but he's not in the mood for a drink. He demands to know where the taverngoers' masters are, the ones that made this Rmoahal what it is now. Wyynde and Mara make their way to the tavern to celebrate Arion's success in saving the city, even though Mara will have to drink water as she's too young for anything alcoholic. The two see the aftermath of the carnage the Rmoahal wracked, and Arion senses the horrors himself a little later. 

The next day, Arion and his crew realize the monster is free, and is roaming the streets. Chien and Wyynde go search for it, while Mara is told to head back to the citadel and stay there. Arion goes to the icy prison in the ruins of the Rmoahal city, and finds some hieroglyphs explaining this being's origins.

It turns out the being was a product of scientific experiments by the Rmoahal, with an intent to improve themselves. It somewhat worked.

"I WANT A DECENT PAIR OF PANTS!"

The being was much stronger and had more powerful psychic magics. However, it was turned into a sort of psychic vampire, needing to feed on the energies of the mind. He was subdued, but a lot of lives were lost in the process. The monster was locked in the prison that would eventually be found by D'Tilluh. Arion deduces that instead of likely being wiped out by the ancient Ice Age, the Rmoahal fled the city, leaving the critter behind in the process. 

The beast tracks down Arion, and the two engage in a psychic battle...which results in a bad loss for Arion. However, the mage manages to use his sword to cut down some stalactites. The falling ice sends the creature packing. The mutated Rmoahal senses another potential source of sustenance at the king's citadel: Mara.

Arion also realizes this and heads out to grab his other allies and scoot to the citadel. The monster finds the young blonde shapeshifter. Things is, she has trouble controlling this power. Much like Bruce Banner turning into the Hulk, she changes when she is stressed. And this thing has been giving her plenty of stress.

"Wait, are you some kind of were-kittycorn?!"

The creature is briefly left confused by not just Mara's transformation, but in this new form, she's not putting out the psychic energies he sensed. As the transformed Mara and the Rmoahal battle it out, Arion arrives. The Rmoahal demands that Arion feed him, but Arion implores him to try and control his need. The Rmoahal rants that his people couldn't control him, so how can he himself do it? The two have another psychic duel, Arion doing better this time. The monster still tries to feed on the sorcerer, so the man gives the Rmoahal the sword. 

"That's not my heart, stupid! That's my spleen!"

With that, it's over. The dying Rmoahal's last words are words of gratitude to Arion, for finally freeing it of its psychic hunger. Wyynde takes care of the injured Mara, while the Rmoahal's body is burned in a funeral pyre.

This was a fun little done-in-one story. Despite that, I do feel that this could have been a two or three-issue story thanks to the mutated Rmoahal stalking the city feeding on the psychic energies of people and tracking Arion. I did like seeing Arion learning how to use a sword. It's good to have some swordplay skills to back up the magic if it fails you. Considering his hanging around Lady Chien, I am surprised he never asked her to teach him some swordplay earlier. Not much else I can say about this comic. It's an enjoyable little one-shot story. 

This comic has not been collected in a trade paperback as far as I know, so you're going to have to look through your local comic shop's back issue bins and hope you find a copy. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!