New Logora

Map of the New Logora Region

Links

Basic Info

Demonym: New Logoran
Total Pokédex Size: 220
Starter Pokémon: Acafia, Crocoal, Spraylet
Professor: Professor Taxus
Number of Settlements: 12
Capital: Rune City
Climate/Geography: Varies by island, but overall hot and tropical

Introduction

The diverse islands of the New Logora region house a wide variety of Pokémon and a fully-fledged and challenging Pokémon League. Alongside these traditional trainer attractions, the region also holds a great mystery: who were the ancient Tanoby people, and what happened thousands of years ago that caused them to disperse and fall from power? Perhaps only the Unown know the answer...

About New Logora

The southernmost region in Zencalia, the New Logoran archipelago is made up of six large islands and quite a few smaller ones. Each of the islands is vastly different, from the lush Kronea to the wild and stormy Tilnen, and offers a wide range of experiences and Pokémon to the traveling trainer. A full complement of Zencalian Confederation League (ZCL) gyms is available for trainers to challenge, and New Logora has a thriving Pokémon contest scene as well. Those looking for less traditional Pokémon attractions can attend a wide range of special events and tournaments, or even go for a dive and explore the bottom of a bay in the unique Submarine Safari.

New Logora is perhaps best known for its interesting history, however. As early as twenty-five hundred years ago the region, then a single landmass called Logora, was home to the enigmatic Tanoby people. The Tanoby were responsible for building the many shrines, temples and other structures found throughout the islands, relics that still attract the attention of archaeologists, historians, tourists and the generally curious. There is still much more to learn about the Tanoby, including why they built what they did, why their alphabet bears such a striking similarity to the Unown, and why most of them left Logora in what has been called the "Tanoby Exodus". It is believed that the Tanoby eventually made it out of Zencalia and settled, at least for a while, in Johto, Sinnoh and the Sevii Islands (and possibly a few other locations yet to be uncovered), leaving the puzzling ruins and artifacts that baffle researchers there today... but why? Some think the Exodus may have been due to the seismic events that ended up breaking Logora down into several smaller islands, but what little evidence exists suggests that the Exodus began several years prior to those disasters. Even the Tanoby's remaining descendants, many still present in New Logora, know very little about their ancestors' world...

The Story So Far

New Logora is fairly quiet as most regions go these days—there are no evil teams threatening to snatch Pokémon away, the world is not in danger, the biggest thing going on is the start of a busy new trainers' season and the preparations for gubernatorial elections. Everything is peaceful, or as peaceful as modern life ever gets, anyway, and no one can complain because things could certainly be worse...

...but, according to some of the Tanoby, they could also be better. Long ago Logora was home to legendary Pokémon whose very presence granted the region bounty, prosperity and power. The legendaries have long since been lost to time after the events that led up to the Exodus, but a small group of remaining Tanoby mystics who call themselves the Revivalists are looking to return them to their former glory. There have been so few clues over the centuries, so much time and effort and research that seems to have amounted to nothing, but at long, long last they believe they've found something—the first hints at what might just be the key to restoring the legendary Pokémon to their rightful places.

They say they could use some help... are you interested?

  1. Help Wanted
  2. An Inevitable Discovery (link pending)

The New Logoran Islands

There are quite a few islands that make up New Logora, supposedly the remnants of the former Logora landmass that broke apart in ancient times, but most of New Logora's inhabitants and traveling trainers congregate on the six largest islands in the archipelago.

Brol Island

Brol is the second-smallest of New Logora's populated islands. Life here is fairly quiet and moves along at a slow pace. Not much draws people here aside from the starter Pokémon distribution in Leddin Town or a brief sightseeing trip to Shrdlu Town's shrine.

Kronea Island

Seen from above, Kronea Island looks like a brilliant emerald against the blue of the ocean. The mild climate favors almost rampant plant growth, and much of the wildlife found here consists of Grass-type Pokémon. Kronea's inhabitants are careful not to encroach upon more of the unspoiled plains and forests than is necessary, taking special care to leave the mysterious Ambalchi Temple pristine.

Tilnen Island

Most people consider this large island a combination of two separate areas, Tilcho and Nendal, both of which are often cool and windy. Large flocks of Flying-types, fond of the stiff breezes rolling down from the mountains and in from the ocean, are a common sight in the skies over Tilcho; the ancient Acoatyl Tower in particular is a popular roost. The Fulgurok Mountains run the length of Tilnen, their peaks rising higher and higher as they go further south. When they reach Nendal they are often capped with gray storm clouds, bringing a great deal of rain, fog and even snow to the area. The near-constant inclement weather coming from the mountains prohibits most travelers from staying in the mountains long, but at least things become a bit more pleasant as they near Dia City.

Xybryle Island

Xybryle Island is split into two halves, both of which close like a pincer around the beautiful Xybryle Bay. Locals joke that there's more water in this part of the archipelago than there is land, and fishermen, sailors and fans of Water-type Pokémon in general are a common sight. The strange formations at the bottom of the bay are reputed to hold many secrets, and trainers with access to the right moves and equipment can explore them.

Krtuso Island

Krtuso Island is hot and dry, and not much grows there aside from particularly hardy plants. It is a literal hotbed of geothermal activity, especially in the badland area known as Jarovesu at its center. Mt. Etseln, Jarovesu's volcano, has been dormant for centuries, but it's still plenty warm enough for the tough, rugged Pokémon that call it home.

Adar Zilira

Adar Zilira is the smallest of New Logora's inhabited islands, but it is perhaps the most important as far as Pokémon trainers are concerned: it is the home of the Pokémon League, and it is where all roads to becoming the New Logoran Champion converge and end. The history books say that Adar Zilira was also an important place to the Tanoby, and the ruined city slowly crumbling away here has intrigued many a scholar or curious Tanoby descendant, but no significant discoveries have been made so far.

Locations in New Logora

Settlements

  • Leddin Town: New trainers flock here to receive their starters
  • Shrdlu Town: A sleepy town with a curious little shrine
  • Allogra City: A bustling little city with a normal-rank contest hall and Fairlie's Normal-type gym
  • Denath Village: A village on the edge of the plains, home to nature-lovers and, curiously, Asher's Fire-type gym
  • Szlazan City: A small but booming city whose Dark-type gym leader, Monica, is pushing to see grow even more
  • Baaresa Town: A tiny town nestled in the mountains where Invicunya herders watch their flocks in the snow and Angel trains her Ice-type Pokémon
  • Dia City: New Logora's second-largest city, boasting a huge department store, a master-rank contest hall and much, much more
  • Falantr City: The largest active Tanoby city, with both ancient attractions and modern ones like Beck's Water-type gym
  • Rune City: A busy bayside city with lots to see, from super-rank contests to Hercules's Bug-infested gym
  • Versorecto City: New Logora's biggest and most prosperous city, with a massive department store, the region's largest university, the DiCadria Enterprises head offices and a Steel-type gym lead by DiCE's president, Mia, and her son Nick
  • Etaoin City: A hot, dusty city that was a lot busier when its gym was still active; its only current draw is a strange Tanoby shrine and rumors of new battling activities in the works
  • Fractura City: A decent-sized city where coordinators participate in hyper-rank contests and trainers head for Casey's Psychic gym

Other Locations

  • Dingbat Cave: A deceptively simple cave with a silly name and serious secrets
  • Ambalchi Temple: An ancient relic overrun by lush greenery, many Grass-types and a few Unown
  • Acoatyl Tower: A mysterious, ancient tower rising above Szlazan; many Flying-types and Unown roost in its rafters
  • Fulgurok Mountains: The only easily navigable part of the Fulgurok mountain range, often beset by storms and crawling with Electric-types and Unown; most of New Logora's Ice-types are only found on its peaks
  • Fulgurok Caves: A series of caves that travel beneath the sea and emerge on a small island
  • Fulgurok Island: A small island off the coast of Nendal that is home to some big discoveries
  • Xybryle Bay: A sparkling bay full of many Water Pokémon and water-based attractions, including Pokémon-catching expeditions in the Submarine Safari
  • Submarine Safari: A diving safari game deep beneath the Xybryle Bay
  • Ton-Kura: A series of underwater caverns that, somehow, bear ancient Tanoby markings—all well-guarded by many deep-sea Water-types and several Unown
  • Jarovesu Badlands: A stark malpaís with an imposing volcano at its center, Tanoby carvings and ruins scattered about, Fire-types and Unown everywhere and reports of strange objects falling down from outer space
  • Alniraz Ruins: The ancient former capital city of the Tanoby civilization, now serving as the region's Victory Road
  • New Logora League Headquarters: The final destination for serious trainers hoping to challenge the Elite Four and take on the Champion

Routes

Phoenix's Notes

This entire region started with one simple thought I had several years ago: Unown is pointless.

Oh, sure, twenty-eight different variations of the same species is a nice gimmick. The fact that you can use them to spell words is kinda cool. The hints of an ancient civilization that had some relationship with them are cool, too.

But they don't do anything.

However interesting they may have looked the first time we saw them, I'm sure we can all agree that whatever novelty they had wore off pretty quickly. Unown is probably the worst Pokémon ever as far as usage goes—even Magikarp has more than one option at its disposal at high enough levels. Their history remains entirely unexplored. Who were the people who had this apparent relationship with them, and why did they make such a big deal out of something that, as far as you the player are concerned, is the epitome of useless? There is certainly no evidence of their alleged awesome powers in the games, after all, everything instead relegated to unexplained, isolated incidents in the animé. All they do is make static on the radio and take up space in your box that could otherwise be given to any number of more useful Pokémon, like Luvdisc or Delibird or Caterpie.

In the end, though, I suppose I'm grateful that they've largely ignored the excellent storyline potential the Unown provide. It gives me a chance to come up with my own ideas instead... and I'm never one to turn down some worldbuilding fun. ;)

The original story actually took place in Orre rather than in an entirely new region, more or less because I was desperate to come up with some explanation for why the Orrean natives seem to love bizarre non-names like Trudly, Duking and Zook. I noticed that the seven chambers in FRLG's Tanoby Ruins had similar unexplained (or so I thought at the time; whoops! Oh, well, the name's stuck, too late now) bizarre non-names, and so I proceeded to draw a completely arbitrary connection between the two. I don't remember all of the gory details now, but I ended up dropping the story and its legendary Pokémon for a while. When my interest in creating large-scale fakemon projects returned a few years later, though, I remembered my wonky little Orre-Unown story and thought it might be cool to clean it up a bit and incorporate it properly into one of my own regions instead of sticking it somewhere it really had no business being. (There might still be a few references to New Logora's humble Orrean beginnings somewhere in there by the time I'm finished, though. Those names still need an explanation.)

I'll probably never make this into any sort of game, but I do often like to think as though I am making one when I create regions. As such, I have been coming up with various ways to actually give people some sort of tangible, useful in-game rewards for messing around with the Unown. From things like minigames and simple "show me a Pokémon" quests to chances to get rare items or even other Pokémon to revitalizing an entire region, those pointless little letters will actually have some sort of relevance and benefits attached to them by the time I'm through with them. And, of course, the other fakemon, characters, places and things not directly related to the Unown plot are a lot of fun to work with, too.