[Paldea] Empire’s Foundation

The Paldean Empire [パルデア帝国] was a sovereign nation founded two thousand years prior the events of Scarlet and Violet. While its history remains largely unspoken, its influence left a mark in the world of yore, and its traces are still vivid in modern Paldea. The Empire’s life spanned over a millennium, leaving behind ruins of a flourishing society, and betraying the iniquities of its reigning dynasty. Indeed, for an altisonant title like “emperor” [皇帝], the whole region must’ve bowed under a single banner, maybe even beyond. And a conquest is rarely devoid of bloodsheds.

Phoenix Soldiers

The background of the Empire’s foundation is never explored in the games, but we can imagine one of the many tribes inhabiting the region during the late Bronze Age eventually managed to gain a certain weight in the geopolitical chessboard. Reasons for an absolute monarchy to emerge may be the most diverse, but a nation is not built in a single day. On one hand, migrations from Galar may have sped up the spread of cultural and technological advancements still unknown to the natives. On the other, with the improvement of agriculture and farming techniques in the span of the last ten millennia, human population reasonably started to experience a boost in numbers. First, small collections of houses became villages; then, villages grew into cities. More mouths to feed require more food to grow, which in turn needs more land to cultivate. And when territories of two distinct communities start to claim legitimacy over the same field, conflicts start to arise. How to handle the conundrum? Just arm some men and impose your will! How to make sure the warriors get along? A leader is required. The Paldean Empire may have started as many others: a small town with its own institutions and traditions, slowly expanding its borders as it fought with other local entities. But contrary to all the others, it ultimately emerged victorious, and part of the reason may reside in its citizens.

Roaming around most of Paldea, Charcadet are small Fire Type Pokémon with a body reminiscent of an armored soldier. According to the Pokédex, these creatures are born from charcoal came to life, coherently with their category of Fire Child Pokémon — even its original name カルボウ [Carbou] is a portmanteau of the Spanish “carbón” [charcoal] and the Japanese 坊 [bō, “child”]. Possessing a “fiery fighting spirit”, it’s heavily implied these were, at least to some extent, ashes of warriors of the past that came back from the dead through supernatural means. Indeed, while they are way too physical to be classified as legitimate Ghost Type, they don’t fail to learn moves linked to the occult — from Astonish and Night Shade to the more indirect Will-O-Whisp. The rest of their learnset is instead tied to incineration, Ember and Incinerate re-evoking the burning of their bodies as Clear Smog rise to the sky.

Burnt charcoal came to life and became a Pokémon. Possessing a fiery fighting spirit, Charcadet will battle even tough opponents.

Unless they were burned in battle, the implication would be deceased soldiers of a past era were honored with ritual cremation, their ashes re-shaped in a new blazing body through some sort of spell. Charcadet born through this way seem to retain the same warring disposition of their human counterparts, something also apparently transmitted to an eventual offspring. And while the infantilism is likely a connotation arose from their rebirth rather than an indication of their state at death, the same can’t be said for their sex. Men and women in equal ratio filled the ranks of the ancient army, revealing a culture extremely centered around the art of war. No matter who you were, at some point in your life you had to grab a weapon and jump on the battlefield. It doesn’t come as a shock the same people managed to conquer the whole region.

Through the branched evolutions Armarouge and Ceruledge, we can have a glimpse to the warriors’ original set of armors. The Pokémon shapes its form while wielding an Auspicious Armor [イワイノヨロイ, Blessed Armor] or a Malicious Armor [ノロイノヨロイ, Cursed Armor] respectively. This isn’t necessarily illustrative of how the suits looked at the dawn of the Empire, odds are these are enhanced items from a later point in the nation’s long history — and since they are version exclusive items, we can suggest a point of divergence between the two continuities that made the militia prefer a design over the other. Saving that for a later article, we can at least infer the two were, at some point, representative of soldiers of the Paldean Empire. Not only both are described to wear an “old set”, the former Pokédex entry also confirms it once belonged to a “distinguished warrior”. We don’t have indication of other cultures leaving a so vivid scorch in Paldea’s history, and promotional material linking Ceruledge to Empire’s architecture is just remarking the obvious.

Armarouge evolved through the use of a set of armor that belonged to a distinguished warrior. This Pokémon is incredibly loyal.

An old set of armor steeped in grudges caused this Pokémon’s evolution. Ceruledge cuts its enemies to pieces without mercy.

If Charcadet truly are lost wills of the Empire, then we can look at their general distribution to investigate the nation’s war records. First thing that comes to notice is their striking absence from the North Province, while they are almost ubiquitous in other areas. As you wouldn’t want to move all of your assets in the fringes leaving your capital completely uncovered, we can be sure the monarchy had its center somewhere south. Interestingly, Charcadet’s fixed encounters are present both in the West Province (Area One) and in South Province (Area Three) to the opposite edge. It’s as if the borders were more tightly guarded by the army, with the lost souls standing still as a reminiscence of their former duty. With the population being scarcer in South Province — Area One and Two having small gaps, the former right in front of the current capital’s main gates — we can reasonably deduce the Empire’s founding settlement was located roughly where Mesagoza stands now. Indeed, we know the city existed already when the reign met its end, and we can imagine the new institutions simply inherited the metropolis’ centrality from its glorious past.

With a name like テーブルシティ [Table City], it was truly a stage for all other proverbial ingredients. Even from the perspective of creative inspiration, Mesagoza is by far the most important settlement of the region: located roughly where the cities of Madrid and Toledo are in real Spain, it borrows numerous elements from Barcelona, Lisbon, and many other locations from both Spain and Portugal. According to Nemona, the city was a major trading hub since long time ago — and this despite its position in the inland. In other words, Mesagoza bore enough centrality in the region’s commerce network that even foreigners were willing to cross hills and rivers to pay a visit. The presence of the royal residence here would be a reasonable incentive.

“This is Mesagoza! The biggest city in Paldea! It’s been a big trade hub since a long time ago.”

“Mesagoza is like a full table — it’s got the school, it’s got culture, it’s got everything!”

While most of its architectonic features are traceable to the late Middle Ages or later, we can still see some signs of the ancient settlement. Most structures are either in common brick or in a yellowish tuff-like material, yet some of the city’s foundations — including the flight of stairs leading to the upper western quarter — are in a less refined cobblestone. These were undeniably reworked in recent times, as they all present modern, low fissures either for water draining or subterranean air conditioning; however, the more unpolished design does point out to an older origin for these installments. The city is organized vertically in two levels, the houses above resting on analogous stone foundations: almost as if they built above a pre-existing urban nucleus. Bordering the eastern district, a giant terrace in the same style curves unnaturally. Overall, it gives the impression outer walls from an early period of the city’s urban history may have been repurposed as basis for upper walkways as the town grew bigger — even during the Empire’s own lifespan if the same bedrock above is of any indication.

More generally, Mesagoza is in the perfect spot for a flourishing country to set its first stone. Located in the northern border of South Province, a river flows sideways surrounding the city from three sides, the fourth facing towards the Great Crater’s slope. Not only the stream provided water supplies and simplified irrigation, but also effectively isolated the capital: any invasion’s attempt had to deal with the natural barriers shielding the center, be it the river’s currents or the inaccessible mountain up north. Obviously, bridges had to be built to make communication with the mainland easier. In the present, three fortified constructions link Mesagoza to the province’s Area One, Two, and Three. While these are clearly more recent facilities going by the more refined architecture, they may have been rebuilt after the fall of more ancient iterations. The land seems to be elongated in the portion where the bridges’ foundations stand, something especially visible in the one leading south, as result of early terraforming. Moreover, the design is reminiscent of the Puente de Alcántara, a bridge in Toledo crossing the Tagus river: while it went under renovation in the XVIII century incorporating Baroque features, it was originally built by the Romans as they established the nearby settlement — something that could be easily be mirrored in the Pokémon World by original Empire facilities being substituted by later urban redevelopment. Fittingly, we can loot the TM Substitute near the gates of the western bridge.

If the original tribe that set in Mesagoza was the first to colonize the shores or if it extinguished a population of natives is hard to determine, but with the town’s formal establishment and the fortification of its borders, an age of military campaigns was about to open. The belligerent society that took its roots in the south soon felt threatened by exterior powers: if they were so eager to die on the battlefield, wouldn’t others feel the same? Who’s to guarantee they wouldn’t try to attack via river, even with the odds against them? The only way to secure peace, was war. And war it was.

Building a Nation

Modern Paldea is divided in four main sections. Despite localization referring to those as “provinces”, the original text never gives an exact nomenclature: it simply reiterates their position compared to the four cardinal points. Nonetheless, the further subdivision in numbered “areas” is kept consistent across the languages, so we can at least affirm the nature of the so-called-provinces as administrative units. We can’t be sure if the exact layout was finalized only in modern times, but a large territory like the Empire does require to be fractured in smaller entities to facilitate their government. The numbering system is generally coherent with the imperial’s campaigns, so it’s possible it had its origins far back then.

The South Province was obviously the first to be taken in Mezagosa’s territories. Area One [南１番エリア] is directly connected to the capital via the southern bridge, and going by the absence of Charcadet in the section up to Los Platos, it seems part of the region was always under the Empire’s domain. Maybe the first cultivated fields extended beyond the river, with the small town possibly originating as a farming settlement — there is a fixed encounter with a Fidough down the line. Be as it may, details have been lost to time: no evident signs of ancient human activity can be seen around the village, and the road connecting it to Mesagoza continues past a wooden bridge and directly connects to Poco Path and Cabo Poco, including a side trail to the lighthouse, meaning it was only beaten in more recent times. To the current date, the original road network became unrecognizable.

The area isn’t much complex. As the starting point of our adventure, this is mostly a hilly environment covered in meadows, habited by swarms of Fletchling and Hoppip, droves of Lechonk, and nests of Tarontula. TMs distribution is rather simple, spanning from a great variety of useful moves in early-game — the numerous Swift littered through the area are emblematic, along with a Substitute near the player’s house. Some are simply indicative of the local fauna and flora: a field of grass will hide a Grassy Knot; we find Pollen Puff in a circle of yellow flowers; a small pond inhabited by Flamigo will be accompanied by an Air Slash; a fixed Pawmi is ready to learn the Metal Claw it was hiding; flocks of Flying Pokémon leave behind a Tailwind; many Struggle Bug hint to the endemic spider population; behind a secluded wood, Stored Power nods to the land’s fertility. Others are simply meta-jokes from the developers: on the cliff headed towards the Mesagoza river, a Taunt will invite us to jump in the waters below, something we won’t be able to do until later in the game. An interesting case is that of Endure right next to a fixed encounter with a lonely Ralts, a Pokémon often associated with urban environments. Located near a minor river flowing horizontally, it may evoke the image of a Pokémon still mourning the deaths of its fallen comrades: if there was a spot the future Empire wanted to secure, that was a secondary source of water to further improve the irrigation system. Other tribes evidently had the same idea, but no endure was enough to resist an army trained since birth — the same TM is also found slightly to the north.

Following the course of the second river, it came the subjugation of the eastern section. Four major ponds currently embellish the area, although we can’t be sure the same were present two thousand years ago. This lake environment is found at sea level, delimited by the rocky slopes of an upper plateau — a landslide is visualized through a Rock Blast at its feet, while a smaller inner relief holds a Protect shielding from wind’s blows. The zone is also particularly tied to Psychic Type energy, as testified by Calm Mind and Psybeam: the reason is to search in its ancient past. South to the lakes lies ruins of a fallen settlement, the architecture consistently used in association with those of the Empire. While residential districts didn’t survive the test of time, we can explore the remnants of two distinct buildings — their resilience speaks of their importance to the constructors. To the east, four columns suggest a modest religious facility, with a small building to the right likely serving as the temple’s storage judging by the large broken chest inside. To the west, a large rectangular structure also houses an old barrel — it could’ve been the palace of a noble presiding the place, or some kind of administrative center.

More we can infer on this “Site S1” looking at its inhabitants. Gastly infest the old town, the Acid Spray to the east may hint to their former presence in a more extensive area — homes of common citizens had to exist somewhere after all. Obviously, these are the souls of former humans once living here, something the franchise long established as a recurring motif. More interestingly, the ruins are also littered with Drowzee. The site seems to have a long history of conflict with the Hypnosis Pokémon. Inside the western building we can loot an Awakening, the upper class evidently knowing well the value of the remedy against the tapir’s sleeping powers. You can imagine the villagers’ mind getting dizzy as the Pokémon attacked, and seeking aid at the temple as result — we can find a HP Up above the columns, as a reinvigorating blessing from the sky. But how did things end up like this? Did Drowzee just decided to target a random settlement among the others? Environmental storytelling reveals a much shadier story.

Inside the small storage beside the temple, the broken chest reveals to contain a Confuse Ray, a move evocative of occult practices, and one among Hypno’s learnset. In other words, the problem sprouted from the inside: the hypnotic creatures were likely introduced by the local caste of priests, and even if they knew well the principles behind their mystic abilities, they made sure to hide the information from the public. The population was massively mind controlled through the use of Pokémon: at best, commoners would seek divine guidance and revere their perceived saviors; at worst, they could get rid of inconvenient opposition. It’s ultimately unknown if Site S1 was established by natives or directly by the Empire, but we can be sure it eventually came under its banner. In the first case, the plot may have been schemed in collaboration with the monarchy to overthrown a previous elite. The fact similar scenarios occurred in other settings, however, leans more into the idea the emperor felt the need to preventively quell the riots that would have surely arisen from its despotic policies: he will need assets for his future explorations, so who’s better than dissidents devoid of free will?

Moving to a different path of the Empire’s expansion, Area Two [南２番エリア] was targeted following the main river’s course to the west, where it splits in two outlining a large fertile region in between. At first you have a small mountainous area with all kinds of cliffs and indentations, the usual Protect repairing from weather at a dead end, a Bulk Up inviting you to climb a relief, while a Low Kick on a cliff’s edge evidences another rockfall. The general topography may have been shaped by the local population of Diglett, a Drill Run testifying their work right next to an Agility, a move they can also learn naturally. Even the modern road just bypasses this wilder region to head straight to the cultivated fields. Here, the land is so prosperous that the so-called Great Olive Orchard [オリーブ大農園, Big Olive Plantation] earned its place among the Ten Sights of Paldea.

Plantations of olives existed since ancient times in Paldea, the Pokédex affirms early coexistence between humans and Dolliv. In parallel with Romans establishing some of the first large olives’ cultivations in Spain, the Empire had its own farm-town to the west, assuring vast supplies of vegetable fat. It was surely an improvement compared to the initial fields to the south, and strengthened the concept of human and Pokémon cooperation. Before migrating elsewhere, Dolliv share their fruits with others among maturation — something also reflected in Arboliva’s compassionate nature. Groups of Smoliv are still growing in the plantation to these days, to the content of swarms of Starly and Fletchling nearby. The area seems to be ideal for farming to a point the Olive Pokémon naturally developed the power to attack through its energy via the peculiar move Terrain Pulse, the final stage even managing to release it at once and make the terrain blossoms with the exclusive ability Seed Sower. No wonder we can loot Stored Power right in the middle of a field. The only noticeable exception is the northern section, devoid of cultivations, the Mud-Slap in its center confirming a more unsavory environment. Today, a Rock Tera Diglett helps with ploughing, having evidently absorbed all sorts of minerals from the ground to the gain of learning Rock Tomb. Fixed encounters with Combee and Vespiquen also confirm the presence of hives in the farm, adding honey to the list of goods here produced. These appear to be somewhat integrated within the town’s life, opposed to the colony in the wildlands directly above. Exploration of this zone may have been attempted by ancient people; at some point we came across the river’s borders depressing into a sandier outline from both sides, as if a bridge once connected the areas, but the wildlife evidently made unreasonable the attempt to venture further in. Following the same trail, we end up in a dead end with a Venoshock resting on a slope, warning us of the area’s dangers.

Dolliv shares its tasty, fresh-scented oil with others. This species has coexisted with humans since times long gone.

It basks in the sun to its heart’s content until the fruits on its head ripen. After that, Dolliv departs from human settlements and goes on a journey.

This calm Pokémon is very compassionate. It will share its delicious, nutrient-rich oil with weakened Pokémon.

As for the actual settlement, we likely had two major centers in the area. On the western edge we have the town of Cortondo [セルクルタウン, Cercle Town], the name a play of the French “cercle” [circle] as a reference to its olive shape, but also directly from セルクル [serukuru, “round mold”]: it is the place where the food gets shaped. Despite the modern architecture of its house, the whole layout follows stone walls of a clearly earlier date, and much different from those of the similarly modest Los Platos. At least, enough time passed from the place’s foundation for unique traditions to have developed and strengthened with the years — namely the Olive Harvest Festival we recreate through our Gym Trial. As the Academy’s tome “Festivals of Paldea” puts, the act of rolling olive-shaped balls into a goal is said to bring a good harvest — be the score be a good one, that is; certainly a belief that would find fertile soil to grow in a rural village of yore.

“This is Cortondo. It’s a nice round-sounding name, isn’t it? Like a lovely olive!”

The Paldean town of Cortondo, widely known for its olive production, is also home to the peculiar Olive Harvest Festival. Participants try to usher in a plentiful olive harvest by rolling large balls that resemble olives into a goal. It’s said that the more olive balls are rolled to the goal, the more abundant next year’s crop will be. All comers, including tourists, are welcome to join the Olive Roll — so, reader, do give it a try yourself if you’re in town for the festival!

As we’ve seen, the road network is likely to have changed since the times of the Empire, and the street going from Cortondo to the cultivations and then to the western bridge may have looked different in the past. A secondary road, however, splits from the main one to head south. Here a natural ramp leads to a prairie below — the Grassy Terrain on the way remarking the obvious. The path goes north to ultimately reach the bridge’s bottom, but the different elevation makes it impossible to cross. Taking also in account its worsened state, wild vegetation having partially covered the northern section, it’s possible this road once led to the original bridge, effectively linking Mesagoza to Cortondo. As for the rest of the grassland, there’s nothing worth to notice besides a Flying Tera Meowth between an Air Cutter, a Fake Tears, and a Disarming Voice. The specimen includes Aerial Ace among its moves, while it also managed to master Fury Swipes ahead of time. The implication would be the Pokémon is crying for help while nervously waving its claws, but why? Maybe it’s due to the two Pikachu stationed here: the cat got wings, at the cost of being zapped by mice!

Sitting on the plateau east to the fields, we find other ruins from the Empire. The elevated position of this “Site S2” hints to its role of a district-town for the ruling class, watching the fruits of “their” work from above while commoners lived in the humbler Cortondo — ironically, they will be the one to ultimately disappear as their nation fell. Gastly seemingly infest the relics, with most of the houses likely built on the river’s shores to the east: going by the same reasoning of Site S1, we can also find Acid Spray here. This time, however, we don’t see temples’ remains. Only two major buildings are still recognizable, big storages going by the broken barrels inside — one even on two floors judging by the flight of stairs. Indeed, it would make sense for a farming settlement to double down the space for supplies. Many healing items are littered directly in the ruins — a Revive is inside one of the storerooms, a Hyper Potion is right outside the other; many others are lootable in the open space around. The idea the place conveys is obviously that of a prosperous city with all sorts of delicacies. But all that glitters is not gold. On the southern edge of the former urban area, we find another small elevation where we can loot Thief — the place evidently tied to criminals on the run, if not directly a prison. And even here we find Drowzee roaming around, the Night Shade in the ruins again hinting to the plot. One more time we see the emperor taking particular care in keeping dissent at bay, and mind control was definitely easier than social reintegration.

Site S2 is also where we first meet some other inhabitants of the former Empire. Tinkatink are small Fairy/Steel Pokémon that are often found near ruin sites, and their belligerent look made them perfect assets for the Empire’s army. The hammer they wield is made of iron chunks scrapped together by their own artisan’s skills, but it’s not rare for steel-eater Pokémon to steal them. Cooperation with humans came as a natural consequence: people would’ve provided Tinkatink the raw material for their weapons, and they would’ve offered their military support in return. After all, the nation was always fond of metallurgy judging by their soldiers’ armors — not a surprise for a country of warriors. Interestingly, a specimen can be found in Site S2 as a fixed encounter, stationed as a guard to the crumbling walls. Area Two doesn’t seem to have been taken by force, the presence of Charcadet is particularly scarce. If the city was involved in later conflicts during the decline period, more supplies would’ve been deployed like we see elsewhere. In other words, this was a full-fledged watchdog to the storage buildings. The Pokémon militia had to be ready in case of external attack, but also assured internal stability.

It swings its handmade hammer around to protect itself, but the hammer is often stolen by Pokémon that eat metal.

This Pokémon pounds iron scraps together to make a hammer. It will remake the hammer again and again until it’s satisfied with the result.

The ruins are also home to a population of Maschiff. The Rascal Pokémon emerged as a fourth breed of domesticated dogs after Growlithe, Rockruff, and Fidough, presumably during the times of the Paldean Empire. Their stronger jaws and fangs make them exceptional scarecrows for the many birds roaming around the fields, and we can in fact catch two of them guarding the opposite sides of the olive’s plantations — a third one just stands in the muddy area, revealing a playful disposition behind the tough guy mask. Maybe the idea of keeping Pokémon as simple “pets” rather than creatures to gain mutual benefits started to form with Maschiff, in an agricultural society less stressed with the constant fight for survival.

Its well-developed jaw and fangs are strong enough to crunch through boulders, and its thick fat makes for an excellent defense.

The southern conquest then proceeded on the eastern wing. Area Three [南３番エリア] is a rocky environment littered with narrow paths meandering through the mountains, far more hostile than the cultivated land to the west. A second Mud-Slap on the northern slope presages a frail terrain, a fair warning judging by the Rock Slide right below. While no Diglett can currently be found in the area, their presence in the past may have contributed to the labyrinthic layout if the Agility on a grass patch in the central south represents again a clue. The whole section is currently dry, but this doesn’t necessarily mean hot; Ice Fangs rests on the top of a large elevation, mirrored by an Icy Wind more to the side of Artazon. The latter is more specifically found inside a big depression, allowing air to circulate down after descending through the basin’s walls. Given the warmer temperatures of the eastern sea, this cold wind likely originates exclusively from the canyon’s peculiar outline — the same that allows echo to reverberate if one screams from above, where we can coherently loot Hyper Voice. Indeed, the area is loosely based on Tabernas Desert, characterized by a cold desert climate. TMs distribution more broadly hints to the place’s inhospitality: an Amnesia is left in memorial of all the explorers that lost their way on the mountain; we can only retrieve Acrobatics staying true to its name, climbing our way up with our Legendary Pokémon; the whole region is also a targeted by thunderstorms, judging by both Thunder and Electric Terrain we can find at different coordinates — Shinx did made it their habitat. Only a solitary Hariyama and two Talonflame, presumably flew there from Area Zero, managed to set in the upper section. Finally, a Staraptor took over the southern plateau; this is particularly odd since no member of its family line can be found in the area nor in its immediate surrounding. Then, it must be an outcast that found in the southern mountains a new home to make its nest in isolation — the Substitute near the specimen does allude to the Pokémon being out of place. Factoring all this, there must’ve been an incentive for the warrior tribe to take over these wastelands, and foreign menace may be the answer.

Fixed encounters with Growlithe establish their presence in the area, a small pack still patrolling the main road connecting Mesagoza to Artazon, while a single specimen is now hidden in a small alcove just before the Great Crater. Since the Empire seems to have preferred other dog breeds, we can infer the primitive communities originating north-east eventually set in this harsh environment not too dissimilar from their homeland. Actually, it is possible the place was more appealing back when they first set foot here. Nacli are currently scattered all over the region, but stationary encounters are exclusive to the southern Area Three. This strongly suggests a salt deposit to be nearby, but how so if the climate is so arid and the region so far from the sea? Traces of an ancient torrent can be found in the Water Pulse just east Mesagoza’s river, once presumably bifurcating in two. This supposed effluent would have likely headed slightly north, bordering with the patch of grass next to which we can find Bullet Seed — a good indicator this specific section was once more flourishing. Then it would have changed its course to flow in a small natural enclave. With no apparent way out on the surface, a lake must’ve existed here in the past, and erosion from its sole water supply must’ve slowly brought dissolved minerals, increasing the pond’s salinity. To these days we see no evident remains of this system, but a Water Tera Jigglypuff has occupied the former lake, evidently sensing the lingering humidity while acquiring itself the ability to shoot a Water Pulse. The wanna-be singer has evidently found the perfect spot for its Round, and it shows particularly eager to perform as it was learnt before the usual level.

The fact a beaten road was established where the stream should’ve passed narrows down its disappearance to well before the Empire took over. And so, the only possible witness to the land’s old look are the clans from the early Bronze Age. The dry may have showed its first signs even before they arrived, but the place was sustainable for cultivation up north and farming of Skiddo. When the new home turned against them, they simply had to adapt.

Barbarians from the mountains represented a concrete threat to Mesagoza’s borders, and the problem had to be dealt with sooner or later. Moreover, more territory always brings more resources to exploit, even solely by slaves. The bet would reveal to be a winning one: not only salt deposit, but also metals and precious gems could be mined in the rocky outskirts, conveyed through Metal Claw and Power Gem respectively. Action wasn’t late to come. Two Charcadet still guard the opposite sides of the section in the capital’s proximity, distanced enough from the visible road to suggest the former position of military camps. The Overheat on the plateau up one of the soldiers’ resting places indicates a battle occurred nearby: it was fire against fire, but experience on the battlefield rested just on one side. The Flash Cannon down the imperials’ line of defense highlights the nations supremacy. From a military standpoint, it would only make sense to strike with a quick and preemptive blow, aimed to rapidly disperse the enemy troops and occupy their outpost. From what we can infer, the region may have even be taken overnight. But not in its entirety.

Looking at the main street crossing the area, we can see traces of now unused secondary paths. Proceeding west to east, the first is a small road heading downwards to a secluded niche. As nothing of relevance stands here today, we can only imagine what once laid; maybe a small village, maybe a minor shrine for pilgrimage. All we can infer is the trail was eventually left abandoned, meaning whatever was there either ceased to exist or simply lost relevance. More interesting is the crossroad to the east. Three more roads split from the main one; the southern leads to a symmetrical scenario to what described above: path stops at an isolated alcove, even with the same plaza-like enlargement at the end. Considering the two instances are lined-up and connected via the same mountainous passage, the locations may have even been linked to each other by a now vanished route. The second deviation seemingly splits again to head further east or reach the northern border respectively. Despite it appears to have been a large beaten street, this is mostly unrecognizable in modern times. The eastern path evidently fell in disuse in favor of the main one, and it may have not even been established by the Empire in the first place; the northern reaches a dead end with only a Snarl to comfort us — maybe a nod to the local population of Murkrow. In other words, these were either leftovers of early cultures or failed attempts to build an urban network. Finally, the third deviation to the crossroad leads to the area’s watchtower.

The presence of this giant crossroad is suspicious. Why would all the major streets converge here, far from the inhabited centers? Moreover, what purpose does a watchtower serve so deep in the in the hinterland? The location lines up with a Reflect up north, and while this may simply be alluding to the mountain wall it faces towards to, it could also be evocative of a border. With the locals subdued, Mesagoza just didn’t have any reason to rush the conquest and immediately push forward, especially if this meant to close the gap between them and more threatening political entities further east. It was to secure this border that the lookout post was necessary. Move just a bit inward from the supposed margin, and we find the remains of another town at the frontier.

This “Site S3” follows a similar scheme to the other two. A large storage building with many chests inside is the only recognizable structure, small trees even growing on the former floor. The Nest Ball inside may be a nod to a weaker local fauna, but also suggest the village was consider a minor center full of undesirable people — “nest” in this connotation has been used multiple times through the franchise, with the item occasionally lootable in evil organization’s hideouts. In this case, the inhabitants were likely considered on a bad light by the conquerors, meaning the settlement predated the invasion. Indeed, we can find another Confuse Ray by the ruins’ side, and Drowzee equally litter the area. This may even be where they were firstly employed, well before the expansionistic dreams of the imperial line.

Slightly north-east to Site S3 we can find another troop of Charcadet. Why camping here among all places? To keep the population at bay. Following the mountainous path east we reach the small plateau with Power Gem, and the invaders were surely interested in mining resources in their new territory; gems just happened to lie at walking distance from an inhabited center. It was a perfect set-up, but why worry to work when you can just mind control the locals and make them do the job for you? If some rogue civilian dared to oppose, the flame warriors would take care of them in no time. At least one unfortunate soul managed indeed to free themselves from the enchantment, and tried to escape to the route up north — but the Scary Face testifying the event betrays pursuers eventually reached them, and they ended their flight in fear.

Meanwhile the imperials’ population in Site S3 slowly took over the natives. The architecture was evidently renovated at some point, and if a temple was ever present it had to be placed east to the storage, where a Full Heal still evokes the old blessings. Tinkatink patrol the area, confirming its militarization, as you would expect from a frontier town dangerously close to no man’s land. But even in this unlucky corner there was a bit of light: the building hides a Poké Doll inside. No matter the era, children simply love to play.

Area Four [南４番エリア] is naturally connected to Area Two through a natural bridge, and maybe another existed to the west where we can now see a sandy depression continuing towards the river. The region is mostly wildlands, and we see no signs of intense human activity before the Empire. If there ever were tribes scattered here, they posited no major concern, and were easily assimilated into the kingdom. So, it makes sense the area was only secured after dealing with the eastern threat, with numeration following accordingly. An Encore by the bridge’s side invites us to yet another exploration.

The landscape is predominantly a grassy prairie with occasional hills and higher relieves. We find the usual Protect down a mountain enclosure, with Rock Tomb and Body Press equally attesting frails where an isolated Primeape tempers its body in solitude. Fauna is generally mild and poorly aggressive. A Grass Tera Leafeon made itself one with the natural environment, dashing through the blades of grass with an Aerial Ace before looking at the sky for a Wish and prepare to rest with a Yawn — while this may be the result of breeding with endemic Lechonk, it has more likely to be taken as an individual peculiarity, as it’s a recurrent move among other special evolutions of Eevee. A Chansey in the south watches over a small lake. Even Scyther seem to have lost their temper, if the Normal Tera specimen near the natural bridge is of any indication. The most you can worry are the local birds, but the fixed Rufflet is hardly intimidating — it could be, learning the Brave Bird not too far from its nest. The top predators here are undeniably Houndour, and we can even meet the alpha Houndoom just near a Pachirisu to the west, likely a cornered pray.

Primeape, Leafeon, and Chansey are not endemic to the area, although their lines live in nearby regions. Indeed, the tranquility of the setting seems to have gathered here a great number of outcasts. A Salazzle occupied the area around the southern river’s source, likely descended from Area Zero or migrated from the near Area Six. Toxins aren’t entirely foreign to the place, as both Toxel and Shroodle can be commonly found here, and one must have poisoned the cliffs where we can loot Toxic Spikes. Moving a bit south the venomous lizard, we can find another outsider: a Hawlucha stationed on the hills. This specimen likely descended from Area Zero too, but why is that a Psychic Terrain on the lake’s shores nearby? Maybe a hint to a battle over territory: despite the Type disadvantage, the Wrestling Pokémon must’ve defeated the Grumpig which is now stranding to the west — even this is yet another immigrant, maybe casted away from Spoink populations to the east.

In the central-eastern section of the area we stumble across some ruins. “Site S4” is a single, monumental building constructed on two floors. We see traces of a now destroyed colonnade crumbling in the inside. Since there are no barrels or chests, this was either a major religious facility or an aristocratic mansion. Indeed, there are no Drowzee nearby, and while Tinkatink still assure the place’s safety, this is only reasonable both for a noble family and for high priests concerned of attacks from political enemies or heathens. Maschiff seemingly remained around the house, so this did serve at least in part as a residence, and the general quietness and isolation of the setting does suggest it was a wealthy facility — we do loot a Luxury Ball inside. In fact, with the Empire traditions based so much on funerary rituals, it’s definitely possible both temporal and spiritual power were administrated here.

If so, the local priests were stationed here as proxy to the central government. With the nation’s borders expanding more and more at each passing day, a larger administrative apparatus had to emerge by this point, and smaller lords were sent to the frontier to assure even more pacific transitions didn’t end up in tragedy. On the other hand, this allowed whoever was in charge to act more freely, unseen by the monarch’s judgment. And with no one watching the watchmen, the priests eventually drifted themselves from doctrine. On the second floor we can loot a Trick Room. This is odd by itself: why develop a move subverting reality with psychic powers? Moreover, the ruins are located west to a field adorned with a small lake — the same where Rufflet is currently stationed. It’s surely a lovely scenery, and maybe this is where the actual colony to administrate once resided, but heading in the center reveals a Night Shade. There was undeniably some shady plot going on at some point here. Maybe the landlords were caught by the beauty of forbidden rituals and started to experiment on the population minds until unraveling the technique to bind reality; maybe the “trick” was more openly spoken, and the conspiracy stemmed from within the town as a whole to overthrow the central government. Regardless, nothing of relevance ever came out of the plot, either quelled by the king or simply running in the background while more crucial events unfolded. Now, Site S4 simply lies in ruin, infested by Gastly.

Another watchtower lies more to the west, and combined with that in Area Two and a third one at close distance we can infer this border was particularly secluded. Further conquest was evidently stopped, betraying the implication Area Six was inhabited by people considered better left untouched, at least for the time being — a herd of Gogoat was domesticated independently here, confirming a native presence. For this reason, military effort was diverted east, assuring the last unclaimed territories before pushing foreign borders. Area Five [南５番エリア] is divided in two sections. The first is a green landscape to the south, divided by mountains from Area One. Today a wooden bridge connects it to Area Three, and maybe an older structure allowed transit to the imperials. Indeed, the western range makes passage between the areas impractical, and we can reasonably suggest the expansion began from the north — an Imprison on the western border reinforces the implication. Moreover, the occidental section is filled with all sorts of cliffs and narrow paths, making it a suitable habitat to the local Dunsparce at best, with strong winds swirling on the central relief highlighted by an Air Cutter. Nonetheless, the area is still fairly hospitable. Herds of Stantler cross the prairie while Pachirisu climb trees to gather fruits, and the spring-like climate is testified by Deerling’s mane. Heavy rain is not uncommon: proceeding south, we can loot Water Pulse on an isle in the middle of a pond, just before Rain Dance and Thunder Fang lined up in a straight row. The series of small lakes culminates in a modest marsh inhabited by Flamigo, likely a nod to real-life lagoons in Murcia also involved in flamingos’ migration patterns. The bog is obviously unsanitary, and we don’t need to retrieve the Mud Shot inside to take notice of the terrain’s condition. Filth proliferating in stagnant water naturally brings insects and other arthropods to feast, and the Bug Tera Flamigo inhabiting the place may have just become a little too acquainted with the crawling bugs. Other than Quick Guard, presumably from the time Hawlucha migrated to the south, it even naturally learnt U-turn: you are what you eat, after all.

On the opposite side of the road both geographically and thematically there is the Secluded Beach [ひそやかビーチ, Quiet Beach]. Like the original name suggests, this is a calm and silent corner of the region more than an inaccessible one — perfect to temper body and mind in meditation accompanied only by the waterfall’s downpour, like the Bulk Up at its side hints. Its pleasant aura earned the shores a place among the Ten Sights of Paldea, although you may have to watch out from the Sandstorm hailing when the wind starts to rise. If it wasn’t used by the Empire as a small port, it surely caught modern tourists’ attention, eager to challenge the waves and reach the small island in the South Paldean Sea where Surf currently rests.

Finally, we have two curious fixed encounters. A single Eevee walks down the field while not being an endemic species. The Pokémon is common in other areas, particularly the southern Area Two, which may indicate this particular specimen to be an offshoot of populations brought there by humans infiltrating in the region. If so, at least a small settlement had to exist there at some point, but we see no evident ruins. If there were, none survived the test of time, but we can conjecture they were located to the very south. West to Secluded Beach there’s a small lake immersed in nature, a Rock Tera Houndstone guarding its shores. This is again an odd encounter, as the Ghost is not native to the area. However, we’ll notice this family line is particularly associated to some Empire’s facilities, and this solitary individual could’ve reasonably followed the conquerors at some point in time. And the emphasis on the rock aspect betrays its thematic significance: as a grave taken flesh, the hound likely arose in a former cemetery, and now watches over the waters once faced towards the graveyard. Other than the fitting Stomping Tantrum, the Pokémon also has two peculiar moves among its roster: one is Shadow Sneak, which in the absence of Hisuian Zorua to inherit it from must’ve been acquired in the centuries spent to creeping into people’s shadows as they approached the grave. The other is Ally Switch, an attack Houndstone is not normally able to learn in any way; if this specimen had a “side change” [サイドチェンジ] in the time it carried out its task, it must’ve been out of grief of being abandoned by those who raised it when it was alive. Maybe it didn’t grasp the concept of a civilization eventually falling apart, but it was bitter enough to scare away any unfortunate visitor ever since.

The second section is a rocky environment in continuity with Area Three, and connected to the first via another natural bridge. Indeed, the convoluted trails similarly result in a cold climate, as seen with the Ice Tera Shinx found in an enclosed pond just near a Calm Mind — mental fortitude is necessary to survive such harsh conditions, and other than Ice Fang the lion cub was even able to master Spark and Thunderwave ahead of level. Regardless, a small pride of Litleo joins the local Luxio as the apex predators, possibly setting the stage for territorial disputes. Another Swift serves as your typical versatile move, while a dead end rewards us with Fake Tears — fitting for a path leading nowhere and yet hiding a treasure. If barbarian survivors ended up taking refuge here, they were equally driven out by imperial forces. The range on the north serves as a natural barrier, as signified by the Iron Defense up ahead, but at the same time it can turn the gulch in a deadly trap. From the bridge we can see traces of a now ruined path in beaten land, splitting in two midways. One route leads to the East Province, meaning it was finalized only in later periods; the other goes straight north until joining the mountains. And an alcove on the latter’s side hides a Take Down. More properly a とっしん [charge], the Empire used the environment to its advantage and rapidly strike to secure this last stretch of land. At this point, the barbarians could’ve only flight to the eastern plateau. This evidently turned out to be the right move, as a watchtower was erected to guard the highlands — meaning they were left alone for a while.

A Rest lies in the lookout post’s surroundings, which is rather appropriate when the southern campaigns were coming to an end. The only other land that may have been brought under the new rule in this timeframe is the westernmost section of Area Four, which is effectively an extension of the great orchard, and further stretches until Area Six’s watchtower. Misty Terrain and Mud Shot are both moves to be expected in cultivated fields, and the fixed Riolu could’ve easily come from the landscape below. A solitary Arcanine also watches the plantation, coherently framing this expansion to after the Growlithe to the east were assimilated in the victors’ assets. The future Empire made its way to secure a large portion of southern Paldea, strong of its ferocious and merciful warriors. But why stop there? They never lost, and had no intention to start.

March to the East

The exact chronology of the following campaigns is more difficult to infer, even going by environmental subtext alone. Both the eastern and the western areas are tightly secluded by lookout towers in the hinterlands, implying foreign entities outside the borders. Tracing the source of the two occidental rivers may have also played a role in further expansion. All things considered, it’s possible both the East and the West Province were taken over in parallel, with different divisions of the army advancing on two sides. That said, the reason we’ll go over the former first is merely convenience.

Beyond the cliffs bordering the southern Area Three, lies a large grassy field currently numbered as Area One [東１番エリア]. Coherently with the southern borders, another watchtower lies at the river’s mouth, likely built at a time imperials had access to the northern section. In other words, the area which currently houses Artazon was presumably able to retain independence for a while. This population is also unlikely to be one and the same with the barbarians on the southern plateau. If the Empire was able to subdue the mountain tribes so easily during the previous conquest, it wouldn’t make sense for them to arrest their march in absence of a more serious threat. Indeed, there are no Growlithe in Area One, while the population reappears in the eastern Area Two: as if the primitives found themselves isolated in two separated communities after a new party took over the center. If so, it’s reasonable for the Empire to avoid direct conflict right off the bat, slowly surrounding the enemy by claiming neighboring lands instead.

The regions that could be taken under imperial banner show little to none human presence, either wastelands from the beginning or home to very minor local communities. At best the imperials set a small camp in the western gulch where a Rest currently lies. TMs like Bullet Seed and Giga Drain indicate the general environment, but endemic Gulpin and Shroodle leave room for occasional toxins to infect the hills — we see this in the Venoshock on the southern borders and Poison Tail in the center. Yet the landscape is typically salubrious, the Salandit evidently migrated from eastern Area Two lost its venom in favor of a Dragon Tera Type. Maybe it feasted on the Applin nestling in the fruits growing on trees in the depression we find it, and eventually absorbed part of their energy; the Pokémon was able to learn Dragon Claw from this, and to succeed it may have tried to set the whole woods on fire with an Incinerate it should normally master at higher level. When the plan didn’t work for the better, it resorted to a shadier Nasty Plot and hit with a rapid Fake Out, a technique the species can’t usually use even by artificial means. The X-Scissor nearby may similarly evoke the image of cutting branches to reach the Grass/Dragon reptiles weak against it. Other TMs are more on the nose. On the north, a basin results from a stream flowing down a waterfall where the homonymous move is left. Moving a bit on the east and a tunnel leads to a small grotto with Dark Pulse inside. Fly and Air Slash reference local birds like Corvisquire and a lonely Fletchinder — likely flew here from southern Area Three, a Substitute nearby similarly to the Staraptor in south Area Three. Some of the Electric Types of northern sections possibly came down more recently when the islands were connected by bridge, from Pikachu and Pawmo to Wattrel and Tadbulb — a Charge Beam lies on a central cliff, while Play Rough serves as a more versatile option on the side.

Then we must factor in the mountainous margins, both from south and west. Bordering the latter we find Dig as a typical tunnel stand-in, while the Fling below evokes the usual image of a rockslide. Proceeding to the trail adjacent the Great Crater we similarly find a Rock Blast inside a small crater structure, and Iron Defense more up north suggests metal deposits. This natural seclusion leads to chill winds coming down the valley, as signified by Snowscape and Ice Beam in the open field — in this case the area facing towards the sea may contribute to the waters’ slightly colder temperatures allowing some Veluza to drift in the East Paldean Sea. This didn’t stop draconic force to settle in the land, as we’ve seen with the peculiar Salandit and the Applin nests; but that’s not all. Crossing the river to the northernmost section we can loot a Dragon Claw. Turning back to the waterfall and we find the place where Reshiram used to visit. Regardless of when the Legendary Pokémon had time to move to distant Paldea, Snacksworth still managed a fateful encounter during his youthful days, fond of the hard work in the city below.

Speaking of Reshiram…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. See, I saw Reshiram with my own eyes, out near a town that I’d passed through in Paldea. It was a town where a lot of hardworking folk live — the type that get their hands dirty. I’d climbed up to a nice height to look out upon all their hard work, carved into the landscape. I was just remarking to myself what a fine show of effort it was, when I seemed to feel a presence behind me. And when I turned — bam! There was Reshiram, right at my shoulder! I figure it must like good ol’-fashioned hard work, too.

East to the river there is Area Two [東２番エリア], mainly composed of two major islands. The north one is connected to the mainland only through Levincia’s artificial foundations, a large sand depression indicating it may have once been connected to Area Three. The southern presents wooden bridges linked to Area One and to the other section, and traces of older passages can be seen both north and south — latter towards the trail leading to the isolated watchtower — and are now sunken in sand. This, along with the Charcadet population, suggests the Empire’s presence over the region. The only Growlithe here is a Ground Tera Type who lost its affinity to flames as it left the more arid regions Area Two is sandwiched between, the Dig it can use playing on the fact dog can dig holes in the attempt to cool down their body temperature — Covet similarly implies the Pokémon is earning for something, if this isn’t a breed mixed with Lechonk.

The other island presents a less fertile terrain in the eastern tip where we can loot Mud Shot, then transitioning in a more flourishing prairie with some occasional trees, among them a Magical Leaf. To the west grazes a large herd of Paldean Tauros, the Combat Breed more common than the version-exclusive Blaze and Aqua. The nod to the Spanish corrida is obvious, but bullfighting itself doesn’t seem to factor much in the region’s culture and setting — indeed, the variants are still addressed as “Wild Bull”, making it improbable for the breeds to have been artificially selected. Finally, a small third island to the north houses a consortium of Crabrawler led by a single Crabominable, a Drain Punch also by the side. Judging by the two small depressions underwater, the isle was likely also connected to the mainland once.

Crossing the sunken trail linking the two islands would have led to a small settlement on the northern shores. Remains of “Site E2” include two buildings serving as storages, as testifies by the chests still inside. The smaller one currently holds a Hyper Potion as the usual stand-in for medical implements. The larger features a ramp of stairs and broken columns, pointing to this facility being used to stock priests or nobles’ goods. Six clay vases can also be noticed in the ruins, firstly highlighting the nation’s acquaintance with pottery. Regardless, the whole complex is likely to have been built after conquering a previous community.

Other than Gastly, both Tinkatink and their evolution Tinkatuff guard Site E2, meaning it was at some point highly-militarized. Moreover, a small plateau lies west to the ruins, a fitting spot for the actual residential town to rest. Here we can see traces of an old incursion. A Flash Cannon lies on the highlands faced towards the river, suggesting imperials crossed the torrent from the newly-conquered Area One in the attempt to siege the natives. Proceeding east we come across a U-Turn, revealing the army was eventually forced to retreat. This is particularly relevant, as it marks the first recorded defeat of the expanding Empire. Maybe the people inhabiting the region were equally fond of the battlefield and the offenders simply met their match. Maybe the soldiers were starting to grow tired of the endless campaign. Or maybe the foreign nation towering in Area One sent help as indirect counterattack to the kingdom threatening its borders. May even be a combination of all three. Be it as it may, the Empire experienced loss for the first time, but this didn’t mean giving up on its ambitions. If fight wasn’t the answer, then they had to make their way through other means.

These Pokémon make their homes in piles of scrap metal. They test the strength of each other’s hammers by smashing them together.

Ghost Pokémon infesting ruin sites isn’t unusual, but isn’t it weird Gastly are the only souls of dead humans consistently manifesting through locations tied to the Empire? It’s not like other options are lacking, so there must be at least a thematic reason. Acquaintance with poison may be a factor. The temple-storage hides Toxic Spikes among its chests, alluding to those in charge setting a venomous trap. Where would have this technique been employed, if not against those they failed to best in combat? Having secured part of Area One, the Empire had easy access to the river they already crossed in the failed strike. Infecting the waters would’ve been the perfect strategy to weaken the natives to a point they wouldn’t be able to repel a second invasion. Mareanie and Qwilfish living in the torrent would have even left a doubt: was it the enemies’ fault, or fauna simply made the water non-potable? Regardless, the scheme was successful. Another town joined the ranks.

Finally, Site E2 features a population of Mimikyu — almost a unicum among the Empire’s ruins. This may point to the Disguise Pokémon to be a leftover of the conquered culture, which would suggest the original town was established after people from the north, where the spooky creatures live, migrated down south. Employing shoggoths on the battlefield may be as well part of the reason they were able to defeat the imperials at their own game. Show the beast under the cloth, and even the bravest warrior will flinch in fear. Nonetheless, Mimikyu ultimately adapted to the new ruins, betraying their collaboration with the natives was merely of convenience. At best, they were ignored by the new occupiers, occasionally snatching fabrics to cover their monstrous appearance. At worst, they represented another valuable asset for the army.

Looking at the eastern coast we come across the city of Levincia [ハッコウシティ, Hakkō City]. It is more unclear when the settlement was established, as the metropolis’ current layout is highly industrialized, and no pre-existing architecture can be observed in modern days. Still, having secluded the area it would at least be reasonable for a more primitive hamlet to have once been settled on these shores, where marine breeze blew as indicated by the Tail Wind faced towards the waters. The game directly mentions the ambiguity of its original name, “hakkō” can either be written as 発行 [publication], 発酵 [fermentation], or 発光 [luminescence]. Even ascribing the first to coincidence, the other two are consistent with Paldea’s naming pattern and the city’s general design. And despite localization best efforts to render it, the Million Volt Skyline is associated to the luminescence aspect rather than the leaven one. Levincia was the “city of fermentation” before its urban renewal, meaning it likely was an economic center even during its early days. Indeed, in-game dialogues mention it started as a small port town that shipped minerals to other places, so we can imagine the role it played in marine trading in the Paldea of old.

“Where did the name Levincia come from? Is it from that old word “levin”? Or “leviathan”? Or maybe, ’cause the city has all these soaring buildings in its Million Volt Skyline, could it be from “leaven”? Like, you know, rising bread?”

“Levincia started out as a port town that shipped ore from the mines to various other places. It’s hard to believe that humble port went on to become the high-flying business hub it is today!”

Nearby we can also loot Surf, although it is unclear if the archipelago in the East Paldean Sea was ever explored by the Empire. No Charcadet lives here, so we can at least exclude a military occupation, yet Smoliv and Dolliv may point out to early human plantations. Whatever the case, even TMs here seem to be more prizes for our attentive exploration rather than narratively significant. The small isle stores both Giga Impact and Hyper Beam, two moves usually relegated to expensive markets. The bigger one presents three trees at which bases are stored Grass Pledge, Fire Pledge, and Water Pledge for our first partner to learn.

As for the northernmost section, it’s unlikely it was under imperials’ borders by this point, both due to the lack of the artificial bedrock of modern Levincia and because of a watchtower in Area Three further limiting the initial expansion. It is also debatable if the region’s ties with the Electric Type came before or after the city’s modernization. The southern section is inhabited by a group of Tadbulb as well as by a swarm of Wattrel near the beach, a Light Screen further stretching the motif. In the bull’s herd, an Electric Tera Tauros stands among the others — it even learnt Wild Charge, to the cost of having to Rest more than usual. Not too far, an isolated Pachirisu was likely brought more recently, considering how far it is from other wild population. In short, it is possible the fauna rapidly adapted to the flashy environment of Levincia, but also that the town integrated certain peculiarities in its own urbanistic design.

The environment of Area Three [東３番エリア] has already been described as a dry land in our previous article. Along the hot climate, its other peculiarity is its cave system. Numerous tunnels slither through the map resulting into a labyrinthic layout. TMs distribution implies the terrain to have been broken down in order for the caves to be opened. Take Down is found at the bottom of a mining pit. Body Press towers over a small mountain with debris crumbled below. A Low Sweep is just near Rock Tomb, as if some pebbles were kicked down the slope. Brick Break is just above a cave entrance. On the east, Rock Slide is accompanied by Drill Run. But if all this can be attributed to human activities — undoubtedly present in the area — or even the fixed spawns of Makuhita and Hariyama, the main perpetrator is likely to find elsewhere. As shown by the Iron Defense down the depression near the Pokémon Center, the land is rich in metal. The perfect habitat for a colony of Orthworm.

This Pokémon lives in arid deserts. It maintains its metal body by consuming iron from the soil.

The Earthworm Pokémon is described as living in arid environments, just like the Area Three in which we find a copious amount of. These creatures feast on the iron present in the soil, and as such devour it in large quantity as also highlighted by the Crunch inside one of the caves. Their exclusive Ability is Earth Eater after all. And so, the intricate tunnels littering the area are probably Orthworm’s doing, originally at least. Some Pokémon even adapted to these conditions, as seen with the Dark Tera Pyroar inside a lightless grotto: it was both able to learnt Fire Spin to light up the darkness, and Snarl barking in the shadows — probably training on Hyper Voice first, which it was able to develop earlier than usual. Regardless, its eyes grew eventually grew tired as it acquired the ability to Yawn, maybe due to the environment, maybe due to contact with Dunsparce.

Naturally, this didn’t prevent humans to eventually join the party. Loosely based on Monegros Desert, modern containers can be occasionally found through the map as proof of modern mining operations, up until a construction site to the north. But while a road currently departs from Levincia and crosses the whole area east-to-west, traces of an older network in the inland confirm early human presence.

The tribes firstly domesticating Growlithe may as well have left the place to the Empire as soon as the desert was at the army’s reach. A land full of resources buried deep underground surely was appealing, and indeed Charcadet currently march through the area. Contrary to their southern cousins, however, natives seem to have put up a fight. A watchtower stands in the center, meaning there was interest to seclude an inner border; then, the area was split between invaders and invaded once a stalemate was eventually reached, the former likely occupying the west based on their other territories. As a matter of fact, no ruins can be found in Area Three, but the lookout outpost would be meaningless without a settlement nearby. While there are fixed encounters with Bramblin, the evolution is absent and it would hardly be responsible for burying the remains. Where were the conquerors stationed, then?

The city of Zapapico [ピケタウン, Piquer Town] shares similarities with the Spanish Cuenca, both geographically and architectonically. But while the real-life counterpart was only settled in the medieval age, in the Pokémon World its origins seem to be even more ancient: it is here that we can acquire the Auspicious and Malicious Armors to evolve Charcadet, affirming a connection with the Empire. Factor in the lack of alternatives, and it’s clear the town dates back to Paldea’s early history. As Snacksworth notices, folks here are “hardworking”, fitting for a mining settlement. And extracting resources was always part of its core identity, as even the name derives from “piquer” [to “prick”, in the sense piercing the surface of food] in an obvious allusion to the pickaxes employed by the workers.

“The name Zapapico comes from a word for a pickaxe. Fitting for a town of mostly miners, no?”

Cut content gives a clearer glimpse on the everyday life of these people. While no interiors can be explored in the final products, map data for houses in Zapapico shows the centrality of mining in the town’s culture. Pickaxes and shovels hang on the circular walls, in which a large hole opens leading to an underground tunnel. The people here are so absorbed in their work they quite literally brough it home. Contextualizing all this from a historical perspective, Zapapico was likely the settlement Levincia got its resource from, leaning more in the ancient origin of the latter. Ores and minerals were extracted by the workaholics and then brought to the port town, to be then traded to nations overseas.

If so, it is possible the northernmost section of Area Two was also taken by the Empire somewhen after the establishment of this system. In its absence, trading between the two towns required heading south from Zapapico, crossing a first river to Area One, then a second river to the east up to Area Two. From there merchants could’ve stopped at Site E2 replenishing their clay supplies, and finally reach Levincia. If this route was ever taken, all trails have been lost to time, while the beaten road connecting the two from the north is still visible and used to these days. It at least shows the intention to explore the area not just for treasure hunting, but also strengthening the relation between an overgrowing number of points of interest.

The modern containers littered in Area Three show the mining operations currently run through the entire landscape — you may wonder if pollution is starting to become a factor looking at the Varoom occupying the caves and the Poison Tail in the only explorable patch of grass remained. Beaten trails now in disuse seemingly testify some of the sites dates back to early periods of urban development. If so, humans had at some point to take the endemic fauna in account. Orthworm by themselves could represent a threat, or at best competitors to take at bay. And if they feast on valuable metals, Sableye are interested in even more precious jewels. To this add the desertic climate naturally attracted both Dragon and Psychic Types fitting to the harsh conditions. Caves became suitable dens for Gabite, Gible, and Deino, while Dreepy floats by the riverside; a Dragon Tail is also located west to the small pond inhabited by the Lingering Pokémon. On the other hand, mental fortitude helped populations of Gothita to settle in — presumably brought at a later time from the only other known stocks to the south, if not directly from abroad. Psychic Terrain and Psybeam are lootable in the south, while Amnesia lies past the northern river just beside a Psychic Tera Espeon which naturally learnt Calm Mind. With the Pokémon also being not native to the area — major wild specimens live to the west — it’s even easier to frame Zapapico as one of the major trading crossroads of the Empire. For example, the road to Levincia could have slowly facilitated the infiltration Electric Types in the area. Magnemite, Pawmo, Wattrel, Tadbulb, and even Voltorb from the Medali’s province all occupied Area Three in one way or another, with Charge Beam on a mountain’s corner reiterating the implication.

Finally, these explorations led to the small forest up north. We can be sure Tagtree Thicket [しるしの木立ち, Mark Thicket] was actively occupied by imperial troops by the presence of both Charcadet and a net of beaten roads now in disuse, although this may be more out of precaution from dangerous Pokémon than to strike against feral tribes living in the woods. Its animal inhabitants were at least peculiar enough to sparkle the men’s interest, as they were the signature trunks. Tagtree Thicket is inspired by the real-world Bosque de Oma, a “painted forest” in northern Spain dyed by Agustin Ibarrola between 1982 and 1985. Similar painted trees can be observed in the Paldean counterpart, although the patterns were not the work of a human.

“The colorful markings on these trees were painted by a Pokémon called Grafaiai. That Pokémon is a real artist. Just like me!”

The thicket rests in a large valley between the mountain ranges of Area Three and Glaseado, divided in two by the same river flowing across the former. The rocky borders are accompanied by some expected moves like Avalanche, Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Air Cutter, with a Reversal also inviting us to turn back once reached the map’s edge. The depression has allowed nature to thrive as water collected in small ponds, something highlighted by the Rain Dance up north. Not only colored tree, but plant Pokémon like Sunflora and Fomantis all grow in the woods along with a Grass Knot, populations of Dolliv also hinting to attempted cultivation by the Empire — which evidently failed judging by the place current wilderness. The abundance in flora naturally attracted fauna, insects above all others. Venomoth and Pineco can be found as random encounters, while a fixed Combee implies the bees’ stronger presence in the area — possibly making a new source of honey for the provinces far from south. With Spidops also joining the roster of arthropods, it’s not weird we find Leech Life hidden in the trees. Static spawns of Greedent and Bellibolt are also worth noticing, the latter the only evolved form of the endemic Tadbulb here, maybe a leader of sorts. The small forest is so attuned with the natural world even the Legendary Pokémon Virizion is used to visit.

“Speaking of Virizion…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. I tell you no lies: I simply came across Virizion resting among the trees one day while I was on one of my adventures around Paldea! And what trees they were! All done up in these mysterious patterns like I’ve never seen. We stayed there a good while, me and Virizion, gazing at one another twixt those fanciful trees. But that ol’ Virizion, it didn’t run off. Just gave me this curious look, you know? So I sat there and told it about my adventures, and it listened with a kindly air the whole time.”

Tagtree Thicket is also home to Mimikyu, suggesting the original tribe which set Site E2 may have come from the area or at least explored it while migrating down south. The shadows casted by the trees is the perfect locale for the little monstrosities to lurk unbothered, far from men’s eyes. Indeed, their presence here seems to be particularly rooted, as we come across many moves ready for them to learn. A Shadow Claw timidly sneaks Virizion’s resting place. Past the river, Misty Terrain lies on the edge of a minor cliff. Phantom Force rests on the opposite side, again far from the livelier heart of the forest.

But the thicket’s most iconic habitant is obviously Grafaiai. The toxic lemur secretes a colored saliva, the pigment changing based on its diet. And as a way to mark its territory, it is the one responsible for the odd marks on the forest’s trees. Truly a natural-born artist.

The color of the poisonous saliva depends on what the Pokémon eats. Grafaiai covers its fingers in its saliva and draws patterns on trees in forests.

Each Grafaiai paints its own individual pattern, and it will paint that same pattern over and over again throughout its life.

A troop of Grafaiai can be spotted in the southern region of the woods, Toxic Spikes just in the middle. Their saliva is poisonous, so toxins starting to infect the area is to be expected. Vegetation, however, doesn’t seem to be affected. We can even see some specimens directly interacting with the trunks while working on their painting, so the plants are either indifferent to or benefitting from the process. As confirmed by the official website, the pigments lure insects for the Grafaiai to feast on, contemporaneously keeping the tree safe. One Bug Tera specimen is found more to the north, isolated from the major pack. Maybe it grew gluttonous, and assimilated some traits of its preys? Sure is it was able to learn X-Scissor from them, which this particularly whimsical individual managed to improve with its own venom to mimic Toxic Cross, a move it isn’t normally able to use by any means. Its artistic disposition is also highlighted by the use of Copycat, which in the absence of Eevee or Lucario in the woods must’ve been developed out its own talent. No wonder it got so experimental with bugs too.

Clash of Powers

Whether the western campaigns preceded, succeeded, or overlapped with the eastern conquest, the Empire found itself in dealing with foes like no before. Judging by the watchtower in the inland of Area One [西１番エリア], the new nation had to share the land with someone else — meaning the current roads diverging from Cortondo are posthumous. These natives are unlikely to be the same stationed in the southern Area Six, as we see no stocks of Gogoat grazing in the west. Then, they are presumably offshoots of the Asado Desert civilization flourished in the Bronze Age. If so, the Empire was moving steps against a giant of history. With the implied contact with the reign of Calyrex, these folks may have adopted much of Galar early culture, including its political system. It may have been a battle between so-called Empires, maybe the nomenclature even adopted from the enemies. Obviously, there was only space for one.

The attack started from the upper section of the southern Area Two. The land bridge once connecting the area to the fields below provided the springboard to set up an invasion. But rather than following the river to investigate its source, the imperials were soon driven to the west. A Trick Room rests on a small cliff faced towards Cortondo, maybe indicative of a small camp rapidly established to caught enemies by surprise. From there, the mountainous path was hard to cross — Acrobatics again plays on its name, and Snowscape stresses the cold temperatures of the peaks. Proceeding towards the crater then was simply the best course of action to not dive too deep in foreign territory. A Mud-Slap on the road suggests the troops had still to march on frail terrain, yet they managed to made their way up to a minor lowland. Here they may have struck their first winning blow. Sit next to a rocky hill damaged by Heavy Slam — be it naturally or due to battle is anyone’s guess — the depression is now home to a Dark Tera Tinkatuff. The Pokémon normally guards imperial towns and facilities, but here no ruins remained intact. Maybe this specimen failed its duty, but if so why remain to watch over a field of grass? More likely, the “dark” aspect indicates it to be the offender: it is emblematic its use of Thief. Possibly, a village of the western nation once stood here, only to be ravaged by the invaders and used as a new temporary outpost for the campaign. The Hammer Pokémon was evidently left behind to assure no retaliation occurred from survivors, and either it or its descendant still fulfill the old duty.

From there the army likely occupied the north at least up to the river, even if the exact events are foggier to lay out as most TMs are thematically linked to the Team Star base. Still, a Flamethrower rests at the end of a long corridor in parallel to the Psybeam past an analogous trail to the south. It’s almost as if two opposing forces were driven back to the wall in similar instances, the former obviously the Empire’s Charcadet. Fauna in Area One lacks relevant Psychic Types, yet we also loot Psychic Fangs and Psychic Terrain just looking at this specific area of interest, and a Psychic Tera Rockruff capable of using Zen Headbutt can be encountered past the river. If so, it’s possible these are hints to the region’s former inhabitants. With Asado Desert sharing a cultural background with Galar, it’s not a stretch to postulate the High King’s psychic abilities were also carried over as folklore, many attempting to replicate them. When the Empire started its advance, the flames of their soldiers may have been bested by the mentalists, but the same couldn’t be said for the shadows emerging from their cinders. If there was one thing a nation of psychists would fear, it was an army of dead souls. And so, the ancient culture was ultimately forced to retire to the western end.

Marking the border dividing the two nations, the area’s watchtower was built with a settlement at its foot. This “Site W1” is made up of multiple houses whose stone walls partially remain still to these days. The great number of these one-floor facilities implies this to be a full-fledged town, but no evident storage or temple can be identified. Why the need to strengthen the construction to a point of preserving a residential district for so long? Because of its position. As the lookout tower alone suggests, this was a military outpost settled to keep in check the border, both facilitating diplomatic talks and take rapid notice of eventual reprisal. The place’s function is exemplified by the X Defense we can loot inside one of the houses.

Tinkatuff join the usual Gastly infesting the ruins, again pointing to the place’s militarization. In any case, the town seems to have lived its life in tranquility at least for a while. Two Ethers and one PP Up are among the crumbling buildings as your typical stand-in for wealthy items, while the Dusk Ball in the center may be a reflection of the outpost’s more obscure practices. Heading north from Site W1 we come across a minor cliff, a rock hiding the move Hex. More literally “Evil Eye” [たたりめ] as a reference to the cursed glares of worldwide folklore, this attack may have been investigated by the imperial soldiers as another measure to counterattack the western nation Psychic Types, maybe even putting the basis to the later development of Malicious Armors. Regardless of details, the border was kept secured for a long time, as it was the precarious balance between the two kingdoms.

As for the rest of the area, further advancement was feasible only in part. On the supposed border we can also retrieve Leech Life pointing to the endemic Nymble, and Charge Beam reflective of the many Tadbulb, Wattrel, and Pawmo inhabiting the valley. Moreover, not all fauna was so easy to deal with. Looking east to the modern Team Star camp, we can climb a cliff and stumble upon a U-Turn right on top. If someone ever tried the same, they evidently turned around as soon as they could, and the reason is the highland is home to the Legendary Pokémon Terrakion — despite Snacksworth suggesting it may have found itself at a loose end, the fact we can also catch it here means the visits are recurrent.

Speaking of Terrakion…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. It was just a regular day, and I was out doing a bit of my beloved rock-climbing, as I’m wont to. I’d made it up quite high. When I turned around for a breath, I could just make out Cortondo in the distance, off to the south. I was simply standing there, admiring that view… when next thing I knew, Terrakion had plonked down for a sit right beside me! Perhaps it was simply at loose ends? It sat with me for a time, and we ate some snacks together.

The northern section past the river may have been easier to seclude. While we can loot both Dig and Dragon Dance, these seem moves associated more to the westernmost part of the area, full of grottos inhabited by Diglett and Gible. Maybe analogous caves were present here too, only to be filled in by later human terraforming. Final stretch of the territory is a rather simple grass field spaced out by rocks, a Bullet Seed at the very northern tip. And on the side, another major settlement was established. The city of Cascarrafa [カラフシティ Carafe City] is originally named after “carafe”, glass containers used for serving liquids. This is particularly fitting considering the Portuguese-styled town is crossed by the river originating in Glaseado and diverging southwest to the crater, splitting in two as its multileveled layout creates small waterfalls — no shock a Water Pulse is on the top. It is possible the city existed prior the conquest, as Psyshock and Trick can also be looted inside as well as a Misty Terrain on the entrance — certainly moves hardly suitable for the brawny warriors of the Empire. But be it through a Smart Strike from the soldiers or through more peaceful collaboration between the two parties — Helping Hand is in front of a house’s door — Cascarrafa surely had to be engulfed in the new borders sooner or later.

“Oh, Cascarrafa, city of waterrr… ♪ Carafes are vessels for water, etceteraaa!”

The city is organized on multiple levels currently connected via elevators, although this wasn’t always the case. As it’s built on natural cliffs, the layers were more of a necessity than a deliberate design choice. Indeed, Cyclizar were used to reach the top quarters in the times before modern urbanization, also confirming the town’s antiqueness. If anything, remnants of Bronze Age customs may have been passed down until they were assimilated in the Empire, putting the basis for Cyclizar being used as mean of transport even in modern Paldea.

“I heard that before they installed elevators here, you had to ride Cyclizar up and down these cliffs to reach different tiers! Sounds rough.”

Asado Desert to the west was put in a similarly harsh spot as Area One during the conquest. This was again an area occupied by the same pre-existing culture to the near south, and we’ve already discussed the implication of it once being more flourishing than it appears today. Taking inspiration from the Portuguese Cresmina Dune, the place is currently an arid desert bathed by a scorching sun. Fire Fang, Fire Spin, and Heat Wave are all TMs we can easily expect from such a place. Not surprisingly, a herd of Donphan can be observed in the dunes’ heart, as well as a fixed Cacturne adapted to the dry environment. Occasional relieves are found in a wasted state, often disconnected by the sands; the upper section is filled with TMs beside the rocky biome testing their crumbling, from Brick Break to Body Slam and Earth Power — a Drill Run joins looking west to the imaginary border. Static encounters with Sandaconda may just feast on the residual gravel. The same mountainous habitat to the south also stores Night Shade and Taunt, while Snarl is found at the dead end enclosed within a gulch and Crunch lies at the top of a cliff. As no Dark or Ghost Types are found in the biome, we can assume this is a similar situation to the other residential districts in other areas, with the population eventually turned spectral while lowest castes of the society were driven to the fringes until death caught off. Of course this needs a proper ruinous site to exist somewhere, and fortunately we do find one on the imperials’ side of the border — only, not in the best of shapes.

The area’s watchtower currently lies in ruin, engulfed by the sand where the former oasis was once located. We have to walk up north to stumble across the remnants of “Site A”, equally if not more submerged. From the little we can see, this was a large religious facility with a long columned nave, maybe divided in the middle by a wall. Two other buildings by the side may have served as either storages or priests’ residences, and the noticeable flight of stairs confirms there were two floors at least. It was, in other words, a fairly rich settlement established in an area probably less desertic in the times of its foundation. The items lootable inside are rather generic, but Ultra Ball, Rare Candy, and three Ethers are all coherent with the overarching vibe of a well-adjusted society.

Of course, the location implies relations with the culture west, at least during a first period of settling. Other than Gastly, Tinkatuff guard the ruins along with a single Tinkatink still patrolling the main building, indicative of the population’s concerns for eventual reprisal. Similarly, Spikes can be found next to a column faced to the mountain’s slope, meaning they were ready to settle traps just in case the foreign army attempted a strike. Still, Stonjourner also roam freely in the sandy ghost town. Maybe the runic golems simply occupied the site as it was lost to history, but the Hammer Pokémon seem unbothered by their presence — which would be implausible if they are remnants of an enemy nation. More probably, these were either traded west-to-east, or assimilated in the Empire at a later time of expansion.

Less can be said of Area Two [西２番エリア], the position of neighboring watchtowers suggesting the vast majority of the western section to still be under foreign influence by the time of the first campaigns. In fact, the whole area may have been conquered at a later time if not for the numeration, which at best makes Colonnade Hollow a viable option to pass under new banner. Indeed, we find a Rest at the wonder’s base as to testify a small camp or temporary outpost, while the easternmost section is a green zone with the recurrent Bullet Seed among the grass. Here we can also find Zen Headbutt, maybe another nod to the region’s former inhabitants in the lack of actual Psychic Types in the biome.

Different matter is Area Three [西３番エリア]. Expanding to the east of Cascarrafa there’s another large field of grass, punctuated by occasional hills. Past the junction with Area One, a small relief houses a Giga Drain. On the opposite side we can go down a slope and met a single Lilligant occupying the valley. Interestingly, the zone is far from any other Petilil population, the closest on the shores below Asado Desert. This single specimen migrated close to the Great Crater, just as the ones in Hisui climbed Mt. Coronet as they assumed their regional semblance. Indeed, A Low Kick rests just beside the Flowering Pokémon, a move it can learn only in the Hisuian Form. But whether this invader was in the process of adapting in a more suitable variant, its journey was likely stopped by the local Scyther — a small lake to the east has its path blocked by X-Scissor. Proceeding north we follow the course of a river accompanied by Water Pulse, and soon we came across a Fairy Tera Altaria succeeded by Charm. The fluffy dragon naturally lives in the area, and population even expanded in the northern lake, but the fairytale aura radiating from this particular specimen may point to it being descended from the mysterious Area Zero where they also made their nests — other than Play Rough, it also learnt Dragon Rush, implying contact with Gabite, Zweilous, or Drakloak all abundant in the crater. If not, it has to be seen in continuity with the Misty Terrain in the near Cascarrafa, the move resulting from meeting isolated Gible in caves.

It is unclear if the area was inhabited by the occidental nation before the Empire’s invasion, but that being the case it surely was a province on the fringes with little to none importance, as no evident sign of their presence can be seen today. The new occupation may have been just part of the peace talks. Just east to the aforementioned river we can observe some ruins, although it’s unlikely this “Site W3” ever constituted a whole settlement. The remains are modest, maybe even a single building now crumbled. Indeed, the absence of Gastly points to a lack of an actual residential district. Nonetheless, fauna can be revelatory to its former purpose.

First of all, packs of Maschiff are led by wild Mabosstiff, probably descendants of domesticated breeds in the ruins. Contrary to those in Site S2, no evident farming camps can be seen nearby, so these were likely pets accompanying the houseowners. After all, the Boss Pokémon love play with children despite their grumpy appearance, while also serving as loyal and reliable watchdogs. In short, this was plausibly a mansion of some wealthy family, maybe even landlords administrating the area far from the central government.

Mabosstiff loves playing with children. Though usually gentle, it takes on an intimidating look when protecting its family.

The Pokémon at least seem to have been treated as family. Not only they continued to live in the ruins well past the owners’ disappearance, but their souls even persisted after death longing for long-lost human affection. Greavard are spirits of dead dogs that passed away without ever interacting with humans, and while Ryme demonstrates exceptions can occur, the general rule seems to apply to these wild stocks. Successive generations of Maschiff past the mansion’s destruction must have lost contact with human populations, something that didn’t occur in analogous sites closer to modern towns, resulting in the candle whisps to emerge out of sentiments of grief and regret.

It is said that a dog Pokémon that died in the wild without ever interacting with a human was reborn as this Pokémon.

But if the owners had in high regard their personal pets, the same isn’t granted for those outside their little circle. For instance, the place is tightly guarded by Tinkatuff, implying their intention to secure the house despite its position in the inland. Were they hiding something? Inside the walls a single item can be retrieved to these days, more precisely a Dawn Stone. This “awakening stone” [めざめいし] goes thematically in pair with other suspicious guests: Hypno. This is the first time we see the evolved Hypnosis Pokémon being employed by imperials. Maybe, at this point of his military campaign, the emperor was starting to envision more clearly his plan of mass mind control, outsourcing the actual practice to vassals on the fringes. The location at least would be fitting, considering its proximity to Area Zero where future expeditions will occur. But if so, from where did the brainwashed arrived? Obvious candidate would be the town right to the east.

The city of Medali [チャンプルタウン Chanpuru Town] borrows its name from “chanpurū” [チャンプルー], an Okinawan stir-dry dish doubling in meaning as slang for “jumble”. The idea would be the place to be a cultural melting pot, something we can see in the diverse architecture of the yellow-roofed district compared to the more modern-styled buildings on the opposite side. Indeed, in-game dialogues make the implication explicit.

“This is Medali! Kind of sounds like “medley,” right? A fitting name for a town with such a mix of people and things!”

If the settlement was established early in history, this peculiarity may have roots in the local conflict. Having set the land as a common ground between the Empire and the western nation, Medali may have been an attempt to reconcile both cultures after the accords. We do find Reflect before the city’s gym as a possible nod to the latter’s heritage, and the near Baton Pass likewise evokes the image of passing the metaphorical torch. Located north to the old-fashioned district is a stone facility much reminiscent of the Roman Theatre in the real-world counterpart of Mérida, stated to be the stage of plays and concerts in an age long past. This establishes the city’s foundation as early in the timeline, and the Greco-Roman architectures up to the classical columns may even hint to an influence from Sinnoh’s first civilization past their exodus, albeit possibly in a more indirect way through prior assimilation from other people meeting in the figurative chanpurū. The stage’s entrance is now closed by more modern iron bars, but once upon a time the actors would pass past the gate adorned by columns in order to get on stage. Two high-relieves on the sides depict male and female Oinkologne along with some floral motifs; maybe this hints to both genders being allowed to perform, but the Pokémon may have also become significant due to its natural perfume it could’ve been used as part of the players’ makeup.

“Long ago, the space at the bottom of these stairs was a stage for plays and concerts.”

Oinkologne is proud of its fine, glossy skin. It emits a concentrated scent from the tip of its tail.

Overall, Medali strikes as a multiethnic center brimming with cultural vibrance. People from all over the Empire and even beyond would pay a visit to assist to the local spectacles, and this was incidentally the perfect set-up for deception. Who would mind the occasional disappearance of one or two travelers from who-knows-where? That’s only to be expected from a long trip in the world of yore; bandits or feral animals were all viable justifications for men never returning home, all while Site W3 filled its ranks with mindless servants ready to be thrown down the pit. Truly an intricate tragedy!

In line with its cosmopolitan identity, Medali also serves as a nucleus for the neighboring road network. One street links the city to Area Two along with a wooden bridge, once likely diverging to the ruins. Another one diverts towards the Great Crater where its observatory was later built, maybe originally used as an access point by imperials expeditions. Two more paths lead north, and as many bridges allow to travers the same river that flows down in Cascarrafa. This of course implies the rest of the area to also fall under the Empire’s banner, and it goes without saying as it’s mostly wilderness. The woods between the two roads are habited by numerous static Toedscool, a Tandemous joining near the shores. Beside the family of mice, we can also retrieve Agility ready for them to learn, as well as Pollen Puff indicative of the general flora. Slight to the east a Rock Tera Breloom has assimilated a bit of the mountainous environment of the small plateau on which we can find a Snowscape. This is probably a specimen in solitary training, other than Rock Tomb it even mastered Bullet Seed and Spore naturally. More outstanding is the solitary Steenee in the same forest, far from its natural habitat and maybe part of an old plantation to draw its antiperspirants used by Medali’s nobility. Finally, the area past the river to the north is home to a fixed Staravia, having built its nest in the valley at the foot of Glaseado. A Body Slam on the slope again signifies a frail terrain, while the Ice Beam on a small island attests the cold waters flowing from the glacier above.

Steenee spreads a sweet scent that makes others feel invigorated. This same scent is popular for antiperspirants.

On a side note, fauna in Area Three occasionally overlaps with the east, especially Glaseado and Zapapico’s surroundings. Fixed encounters with Pawmo and Voltorb likely crossed all the way from the eastern Area Three, a Thunder Fang and an Eerie Impulse testifying their passage. A solitary Ursaring on the ruins’ outskirts was casted away from the populations up the mountain. Two Cetoddle equally came down the slope at the border with the green section of the mount. Indeed, a fifth rode diverts from Medali heading towards the Terra Whale Pokémon. Here, the entrance of a cave opens.

Wintry Finale

Having claimed both East and West, the young Empire now towered over a large portion of Paldea. The numerous military campaigns had proved the soldiers’ might on the battlefield, but also reasonably drained them of the initial drive. The warriors weren’t mindless simpletons, at least those in the chains of command, and they were able to wisely judge when risks were higher than rewards. The watchtowers testify the will to not push the troops past their physical limit and settle instead for peace, even if only momentarily. In this context, the nation’s expansion up north seems to have been less of an invasion and more of an exploration of uncharted lands. No Charcadet can be seen in North Province, implying the actual army to have had little to none business in claiming such territories. If so, the regions were either unoccupied to begin with or joined the new regime willingly. The reason for this umpteenth advancement may have even been more practical than merely expansionistic. With so much land to administrate, it arose the problem of communication between distant settlements. The South was well connected with both East and West, but what about relations between the last two? What if a landlord in Medali had to quickly notify a colleague in Zapapico? They would have to pass through the central government in Mesagoza, with the risk of the information being delivered as already outdated. The solution, then, was to facilitate more direct talks.

Connecting the oriental and the occidental provinces, the Dalizapa Passage [プルピケ山道 Purupiquer Mountain Road] is a large labyrinthine tunnel spanning over the lower section of Glaseado Mountain. With the name being an obvious portmanteau of the areas’ most prominent cities, the underpass was likely excavated to allow quick communication between the two — incidentally causing occasional migration of the fauna. The Drill Run inside speaks by itself on the work, and judging by the Power Gem and Metal Claw in nearby caves it seems the area wasn’t short of precious mineral and metals to mine. Above ground it unfolds a green mountainous trail instead, with the common Bullet Seed indicating growing vegetation and the ever-present rockslides signified by a Body Slam at the tip of a ledge.

From Medali’s side we soon come across another solitary Ursaring outside, this time having acquired a Flying Tera Type as it symbolically reaches for the sky on Paldea’s highest peak — and it less symbolically strikes with Aerial Ace. The Pokémon had to resort to all sorts of techniques to survive in this harsh landscape, from approaching with Charm a stronger opponent to Body Slam the weak; we can even see traces of breeding with Primeape in its ancestral line, as it managed to master Cross Chop. In the surrounding cliffs we also find another pair of Psybeam and Flamethrower, one last strand of the city’s duality. This time, however, both Psychic and Fire moves are easier to contextualize. The native sounders of Grumpig living in the rocky environment help to frame the Trick and the Zen Headbutt in the middle section, as well as another Psybeam on the side of Zapapico. On the other hand, this part of Glaseado is the only one not covered in snow, making the general global warming also attested in the north even more apparent. Pyroar and Flareon are common encounters, and even a single Torkoal adapted to the warmer climate likely coming from the arid mines on the east. Flame Spin and Will-O-Whisp are also lootable in the central section. The higher temperatures even allowed some Ground Type Pokémon to proliferate in an otherwise unfitting niche, as we see with the fixed herd of Phanpy and Donphan normally native to the west, as well as with the Mudbray and Mudsdale on the opposite border.

This isn’t to say, however, the whole area doesn’t feel any influence from the glacier above. Along with the Donkey Pokémon, many static Cetoddle descended towards Zapapico as much as they did near Medali. Avalanches occasionally come down with the discontent of the ecosystem below, as highlighted by the homonymous move. Moreover, cold seems to take the high ground the deeper we venture in the tunnel. Heading north from the middle of the passage we can enter a small grotto home to an Ice Tera Lucario. This solitary combatant trained in isolation until becoming one with the chill, mastering both Ice Punch and Bullet Punch as a counter — lack of near Hitmonchan excludes this being an egg move. And judging by the fixed Houndstone just outside it appears any attempt to expunge its den resulted in the offender’s remains to be buried in defeat — given the proximity to Power Gem, it’s possible further excavation in that direction were forcibly stopped by the canine warrior. The Aura Pokémon influence in the area is undeniably vivid, and not only due to Aura Sphere and Low Sweep not too distant from the cave — the latter paired with the Fake Tears of some pitiful foe pathetically begging for mercy. A Medicham climbed all the way down Area Zero, evidently settling in having found a worthy rival — on a side note, the endemic Magneton likewise followed a similar path from the Great Crater, also leaving an Electro Ball behind. Even the local Sneasel have been charmed by the lone wolf, one Fighting Tera specimen having incorporated martial arts in its hunts — including Brick Break and Ice Shard, a true warrior of the cold like its idol.

Finally, Dalizapa Passage’s innermost layout is a chamber where air swirled and condensed to a point it became a suitable environment for the Legendary Pokémon Kyurem — glossing over how Snacksworth was actually able to meet it while it was supposed to rest in distant Unova.

Speaking of Kyurem…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. See, I was up climbing the snowy mountains when a terrible storm blew in, and I had no choice really but to hunker down in a cave underground. Don’t even rightly know if I should call that place a cave. It was all soaring heights and wide passages — befuddling as any labyrinth too. I was having a grand time exploring its many nooks and crannies when this sheet of ice near me suddenly up and moved! I rubbed my eyes, not believing what I was seeing, once I realized — it was no ice sheet! It was Kyurem, right there in front of me! Who would believe it, right?

The only notable landmark in the area is a large ruinous building standing above the mountain halfway through the passage. This “Site D” is peculiar in more than one way. For instance, it is an isolated structure erected on three floors, the tallest among all analogous ruins. Without a doubt the opulence betrays this wasn’t a mere checkpoint for travelers, especially if most of the itinerary proceeded underground. If anything, the location makes it less accessible to commonfolk. And yet this wasn’t home of a single noble family mostly isolated from the outside world like Site W3, as numerous Haunter infest it to these days. Lack of chests and barrels also excludes this was a storage, the Full Restore and the three Exp. Candy S inside at best indicative of wealth, along with the two clay pots on the first floor likely used for personal stocking. No columns make a religious purpose unplausible. The guarding Tinkatuff also show the intention to tightly secure the place, and Spikes were ready to the hill up north. With so much precautions taken for a place so remote on the frontier, raising an eyebrow would be the bare minimum.

In all likelihood, Site D was the heart of the Empire’s most obscure operations. The building is home to the familiar Hypno, with the same implication of mass brainwashing. Heading north we indeed find a Confuse Ray, and midway from the ruins we stumble across a Scary Face. The image evoked is similar to Site S3, a fugitive must’ve tried a desperate run only to be caught by the fearful pursuers. This scenario would also suggest the human specimens here to be prisoners of some sorts, a striking divergence from the subtler methods of Medali. Far from judging eyes, those running the facility could work undisturbed on criminals and nobodies exiled on the snowy fringes, outcasts no one would’ve cared if they perished in the most gruesome way possible — no wonder ghosts lingered in the area well past the “researchers” disappearance. To this we have to add the owners’ interest in the occult. Whether if the Hypnosis Pokémon power over the mind served as a catalyst or just as another piece of the puzzle, Site D shares a deep history with the world of spirits. First sign of this is the presence of Mimikyu among the ruins, likely brought from Tagtree Thicket for study purposes and much more directly than those at Site E2. Then, we have Spectrier. As Snacksworth notices, the spectral steed uses to rest inside the building, suggesting a certain familiarity with the place. After the fall of the Empire of Calyrex, records of the imperial horse are scarce. Is it possible it was at some point brought to Paldea, in the light of the new diplomatic relations with the Galar-influenced western nation? If the emperor really managed to get his hands on Spectrier, the Legendary Pokémon surely didn’t find a man worth the title. Nonetheless, it was the most valuable asset to deepen their understanding on the soul, and it was surely treated with the highest of regards if it still finds the place comfortable to sleep at. Maybe it was kept ignorant of the research’s true colors, maybe it simply fell into a more feral state in the absence of its master. Now, only the steed would know.

Speaking of Spectrier…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. I was off hiking among Paldea’s peaks for a bit of fun, mountain climbing being a bit of a hobby. I was taking my sweet time meandering up some mountain paths dotted sparsely with trees. I came upon this old ruin on the path, covered in vines, and I thought to myself, “Now, doesn’t that seem as good a place as any to take a rest?” I’d no sooner drawn close for a look than this black shadow of a Pokémon appeared! Spectrier’d been sleeping inside! It popped its long face out and scared the spirit outta me!

As for the trail’s end towards Zapapico, environmental storytelling mainly focuses on common Pokémon. Two little highlands hold Dragon Tail and Dragon Pulse maybe referencing the wild Axew nearby. Similarly, Lokix can be linked to the X-Scissor behind a tree, while Acrobatics can again be reached climbing with our Legendary Pokémon. The Draining Kiss in close proximity may be harder to frame, but it may point out to the influence of Site D extending as far as the far cliff — as Tinkatuff, Hypno, Mimikyu, and Spectrier are all capable of learning the move. More interesting is the road to the Pokémon Center. Following the traces of a now disrupted beaten path, we first come across Endure before finally reaching a Poison Tail. Similarly to the cave with Lucario, another fixed Houndstone marks a small graveyard. Maybe in the past a similar boss resided in the landscape, possibly a Salazzle if we go by the final TM, until it was driven away and the medical center was built.

The rest of the North Province saw a general arrest of the campaigns, which is particularly interesting considering the lack of deployed troops. Casseroya Lake remained largely unexplored, with three watchtowers enveloping the southern shore. The lookout post to the west is soon succeeded by a U-Turn, exemplifying the will to not proceed forward. If this was due to human hostilities, Charcadet would’ve probably been observable. Instead, it is more likely the Empire simply decided to settle down due to lack of knowledge on what lied beyond the lake, and because of the dangerous creatures lurking in its waters. Indeed, in modern times a Sliggoo has reached the proximity of the central watchtower, and a Psyshock may as well point to recurrent Slowbro’s incursions. If a strike to took over the land was ever attempted, it surely was from the eastern outpost: Swords Dance signifies a battlefield, but even then the warriors’ blades must’ve been repelled by the flock of Staravia and Staraptor patrolling the skies, Kilowattrel also joining their ranks going by the Wild Charge at the site. At that point, carrying over the obstinacy would’ve been simply detrimental.

And so, the three watchtowers were erected to keep the beasts of the lake in check, a small settlement with them. “Site C1” doesn’t shine for originality. Composed of one major storage building and some smaller auxiliaries, we can discover a Max Ether and a Hyper Potion among the ruins; nothing too outstanding, as you may expect from a minor center in the fringes far north. A Taunt in the near outskirts is coherent with the general role of the town — to show the teeth with no real intent to bite. Even the pool of wild encounters is lacking, with no ghosts infesting the site we can only infer the place was abandoned before its eventual destruction. Only Mabosstiff and Maschiff still remain among the broken walls, Greavard arising from their dead. The news is the evolution joins the roster.

The Pokédex describes Houndstone as a Pokémon reborn after being lovingly mourned, although this is probably circumstantial. The specimens arisen from particular cemeteries can easily match the criteria, born from souls of Pokémon fell in battle and given a proper burial. But the vast majority may be constituted by evolved Greavard, usually falling on the other side as souls which never knew affection. Even admitting some Ghost Dog manifested when the settlement was still fine and well, the ones we find in the wild are more likely to be stray hounds that bathed in solitude for far too long.

A lovingly mourned Pokémon was reborn as Houndstone. It doesn’t like anyone touching the protuberance atop its head.

Incidentally, it would be suspicious for a stronghold town to lack guards in any capacity. If the site was in fact abandoned at some point of its history, we can infer the military to have followed along. And while we do not find them in the wild, it’s even possible Tinkaton were once stationed here — the Pokédex image does show the final stage among stone walls on a grassy field analogous to the Casseroya’s ruins. The evolved Hammer Pokémon would be perfect to employ at a tightly guarded frontier, and the excavation of Dalizapa Passage refilled the Empire with mineral resources: the perfect chance to arm the belligerent fairies with 200 pounds of metal hammer to crush your enemies with style.

The hammer tops 220 pounds, yet it gets swung around easily by Tinkaton as it steals whatever it pleases and carries its plunder back home.

As for the actual Glaseado Mountain, the location of Casseroya’s eastern watchtower and another one to the mountain’s orient would be senseless if all the area was occupied overnight. More reasonably, the southern section was slowly charted until blizzards and dangerous animals made further exploration impracticable. Just looking at the territory of interest, a family of Beartic and Cubchoo lives among the wood of Snover south Grusha’s Gym, not too distant from a herd of Sawsbuck in their winter mane. More importantly, the mountain is crawling with souls of the dead. Reckless adventurers perishing in the snow is not an uncommon trope, and we can indeed meet numerous Haunter, Drifbilm and even a single Froslass waiting for us in the dark, a Shadow Claw completing the picture. Given the nearby Thief, it’s even possible bandits on the run joined the victims of the cold — but society’s castaways need a society in the first place.

Located in the southernmost frozen slope, “Site G1” is an all-in-all extension to the ruins in Dalizapa Passage. As its warmer counterpart, this facility also houses populations of Hypno and Haunter — carrying the same ominous implications. Tinkatuff equally watch over the building, and Mimikyu brought from the other establishment also betrays the occult research to having been carried out over here. This was, in other words, a secondary branch run by the same landlords of Site D — while the two Full Restores still point out to a rich economy, the only edifice we see remains of is much more modest than the three-floor palace in Dalizapa. One may even wonder what sorts of degeneracies were seeing the light of day here, if the scholars felt the need to move even further away from civilization — ultimately, their results will be only seen much later in timeline.

Final note on the site, Snacksworth notices how the other royal steed also uses to sleep among its walls. Glastrier seems to have been brought in Paldea during the time of the Empire much like its spectral counterpart, and while it couldn’t be used as a sample for study, it still was a sacred beast worth investigating on — for sure the minor facility on the snowy mountain better fit the ice horse. It should be also noted the two Legendary Pokémon are version exclusives, so it’s possible the residents managed to get their hands on Spectrier only in the continuities following Violet, while in Scarlet they had to settle for a specimen less relevant for the ongoing research.

Speaking of Glastrier…I do recall this one particular encounter when I was a younger feller. I was off hiking among Paldea’s peaks for a bit of fun, mountain climbing being a bit of a hobby. I was trekking up and up those snowy hillsides, and I figured I must have been nearly to the summit when I came across some ruins. Perhaps they’d been a house once? The walls still looked sound enough that I thought I could take shelter and have myself a little rest. I’d no sooner drawn close for a look than this Pokémon appeared, white as the driven snow! Glastrier’d been sleeping inside! When it popped its long face out, the fright nearly froze my heart!

As for the northern area of the mountain, the placement of the eastern watchtower tells us it was partially explored by the time it got built. From Site G1 we can follow a trail evidenced by a Bulk Up and a Fly before Paldea’s Highest Peak, the former signifying a more literal “buildup” [ビルドアップ] to the former’s take-off to the mountain’s top. As we approach to the tower and the snow gives way to rock, we stumble across the familiar rockslides and cave-ins, Rock Blast and Dig the expected rewards. But move just a bit north and a U-Turn marks the end of imperials’ advancement. Maybe the Ice Pokémon above were too much of a hassle to take care of. Maybe weather conditions were too harsh to keep moving forward. Regardless, setting foot in those unexplored lands simply wasn’t worth the effort, especially when the glacier also extends in longitude. Stationary Beartic and Froslass can also be met in the area surrounding Glaseado’s only modern city, to which we have to add occasional incursions of Lokix from the rocky biome testified by Bug Buzz and Leech Life. And despite the unfavorable condition, a large settlement was still established in this no-man’s-land.

The city of Montenevera [フリッジタウン Fridge Town] is explicative in its original name. It is a town immersed in the cold snow of Glaseado Mountain, living a peaceful and quite existence far from the chaotic metropolis of Paldea — or that you could say before it became a center for music enthusiasts. It is hard to pinpoint the exact timeframe of its foundation, although the stone elements in its stairs seem to hold a certain degree of antiqueness. The city borrows some of its architectonical features from the real-world Ezcaray, a municipality which saw human presence since ancient times and whose location roughly matches the Paldean counterpart if compared to the map of Spain. It may as well take some elements from near the village of Trasmoz, historically rooted in witchcraft. The connection between Montenevera and occult arts seems at least to date prior the nomination of Ryme as a Ghost Type Gym Leader, as we can see with the massive presence of fixed Greavard all around the settlement. Maybe the residents grew interested of the mysterious spirits infesting the mountain, and they ultimately unraveled the mechanism to link one’s soul to the material plane — it would be odd for a graveyard of lost dogs so gigantic to exist so close to an inhabited center, considering they are supposed to arose in the lack of human affection. If the town was around the time of the Empire, it may even have contributed to the research of Sites D and G1.

Last but not least, Area One [北１番エリア] was also brought under the imperials’ banner, as evidenced by the presence of a complex of watchtowers to Paldea’s very eastern border. Given the absence of Charcadet, the original tribes partially inhabiting this landscape during the Bronze Age either left by the kingdom’s arrival or simply accepted the new masters — some Arcanine exists on the border with Area Two, but the single Flamethrower down the road can be more plausibly attributed to the local Flareon. Be it as it may, the area of interest is mainly a field of grass at the foot of a small rocky biome to the south, if we exclude the northern section connecting to Glaseado which may have been conquered later. In the modern area the whole place has been left to nature, and if a road network ever existed, we see no evident remains. Vegetation has taken over, TMs distribution makes it remarkably obvious by a row of Seed Bomb, Energy Ball, Solar Beam, and Pollen Puff. A Braviary flies freely to the south while we can loot a Brave Bird under a tree to the east. A Riolu explores the mountain where a boulder has evidently fallen off as evidenced by a Fling. Lokix’s passage can be once again tracked by Leech Life. And at the region’s border we can meet a courageous Pawmo ready to venture abroad — curiously, it has a Calm Mind by one side, a Poison Jab by the other. If the moves aren’t just there by chance to indicate the endemic Grumping or Indeedee, and Haunter or Salazzle respectively, perhaps the electric mouse it’s deeply pondering its thought before facing unknown adversities, ready to avoid any ill intent from whatever lies ahead. Or it got lost while searching for food.

If human presence is lacking in the present, it was undeniably a thing in the past. “Site N1” is a really small ruin originally built on the slope of the mountainous environment. This was a single one-floor building whose entrance was adorned by columns, hinting to its former religious purpose. A little shrine on the extreme outskirts of the Empire then, today housing only a Carbos and a Full Heal along families of Haunter and Houndstone without owners. The site itself was probably once accompanied by a modest village, we can see the ghosts having occupied a larger area to the south where we can also find Venoshock and Shadow Claw. An Acid Spray is, instead, present in a lake up north.

These waters share the same draconic affinity of the adjacent North Paldean Sea, as we see with the Hurricane under a tree grown on its shores and with the Dragon Dance to the short distance, let alone the wild Fraxure and Drakloak. It’s not by chance it became the operative base of a trio of Dragon Tamer sisters! The place undeniably saw imperial’s presence too, as not one but three watchtowers of different elevations were erected by the lake’s side and on islands in its center. This clearly shows the nation’s concern to secure this point, and it’s easy to imagine why. The overgrowing Empire had for the first time a window on the world outside its tiny peninsula, and had now to face challenges never seen before. Maybe this fear which started to chew on the emperors’ mind is why Area Two was temporarily left to the barbaric tribes also still overlooking part of the West Province, judging by the other outposts’ layout: what winning this other patch of land would have brought, other than more exposure to those who lived outside? No, it was better to wait and think this through.

And with that, the curtain comes down on the first period of great conquests of the Paldean Empire. A monarchy destined to rule on the region for over a millennium made itself from the ashes of its very warriors, from a small community in the south to an influential culture dominating above all others. Or that must’ve been the desire of the man in charge. Yet, hegemony over the region was but a distant dream, let alone the world in its entirely. People to the south where now sandwiched between the Empire and the Galar-influenced country to the west, and it was a matter of time before alliances and betrayals would take form between the three. Barbarians on the east managed to retain independence partially due to happenstance, partially with the collaboration of those settling over Artazon. And uncharted lands extended to the very north, all while the rest of the continent was starting to get aware of the new player on the geopolitical board. To manage all these different problematics required rethinking the very foundation of the war carried over until that moment. Could it be, that the entrance of Hell that lied in Paldea’s center hold a forbidden answer?