The Spyder in the Cathedral

Hi folks,

I think josepharaoh99 is right that it's time we have a clear and detailed plot outline for us to work off. We can tweak it later, but we need something.

I have revisited the plot that I briefly sketched out in December, and I've incorporated a whole bunch of ideas that other people have had:

• Leo's Spyder organisation and the virus that they're complicit in, and using the virus as an excuse to seize tuxemon in a power grab, and open source code/DNA being necessary to identify and cure the virus
• rsg167's idea of fusion (and shivering, although I assigned it to the virus, not fusion)
• jobashi's "Cathedral and the Bazaar" split, tuxemon being "released" into the public domain, etc.
• ShadowApex's preference for the Bazaar being a physical place (sort of - it's an organisation that meets in physical places, which was a suggestion that came from Leo - as did at some points having to hunt around to find the Bazaar because they're semi-legal)
• ShadowApex's preference for the Cathedral to subtly display its force: in fact, most of the Cathedral's employees are benign, and they don't always follow their bosses' orders
• josepharaoh99's idea of being assisted in finding your first tuxemon, and then being bedevilled by people who insist on enforcing restrictions (your rivals)
• josepharaoh99's idea, elaborated on by tamashihoshi, of some tuxemon being owned by the Pillar and liberated by defeating them.

The plot tries to learn from the plot of Pokemon Red, but it takes a few short-cuts - so the game should be shorter than Red. (Once we've done one game, we can always do more!)

So far, I've ignored the whole question of whether the world of tuxemon is totally digital, or somewhat digital, or anything like that. If we did introduce that as a plot element, I suggest it be introduced and developed in similar ways and at similar times to how the fossil side-plot is in Red.

---

Let me know what you folks think. I'm happy to explain my thinking, or to adjust things if people have other ideas. There's also room to add in other houses and secret places and so on, if people have ideas that wouldn't fit in to the plot.

Plot elements

Loose Egyptian theme

The designs of outfits, buildings and the landscape are loosely based on Ancient Egypt.

The Cathedral

The monolithic company, or set of companies, that runs everything. It's not evil, and its employees are rightly proud of what thye accomplish, but it is misguided and authoritarian.

The Protagonist frequently runs into petty bureaucracy, anti-customer secrecy or the commercialisation of services.

Cathedral Stores

These combine:

• Shops
• Healing (for a price)
• Locked Tuxemon services, like leveling up and applying TMs/HMs

Pillars

Each of the seven pillars is a different business, responsible for a different set of tuxemon, which it sells (in locked form).

Names

The seven businesses that make up the Cathedral:

• Omnichannel: Media, publishing and broadcasting
• Nimrod Armaments: Policing, security, armaments and military
• Greenwash: Genetic engineering, chemistry, etc.
• DE Rail: Public and private transportation
• ?
• ?
• ?

The challenge

The Pillars' staff and managers offer prize money as a way of advertising the strength of the tuxemon that that particular Pillar sells.

They won't give that deal to people with unlocked tuxemon, but instead they agree to a bet: if you win, they unlock their Pillar-speciality tuxemon for everyone! (They're that confident of victory).

Each Pillar has roughly one three-stage, one two-stage and one oddball speciality tuxemon.

Team Bazaar

A loose organisation of hackers, pirates and lovers of liberty who collaborate on shared projects and try to establish a commons. They meet wherever they can, including:

• Campsites
• Libraries and museums
• University campuses
• Cafes
• Pirate radio stations on boats
• People's houses
• Abandoned mansions
• Marketplaces

They offer friendly duels, and free healing to those contributing to the Tuxepedia project.

Tuxepedia

A project by Team Bazaar to create a shared, free, open repository of knowledge on tuxemon.

Fusion

An experimental technology developed by the Cathedral, allowing you to combine two tuxemon in the same body. Spyder wants the tech for themselves, but they claim to be acting out of public concern.

Not available at the start of the game.

Spyder

A secret faction within the Cathedral that wants to "monetise the world". They secretly set up and now command the Enforcers.

Not known about at the beginning of the game.

Spyder Bite/The Virus

A virus that infects tuxemon. The virus can be cured if the tuxemon's DNA is available, but Locked tuxemon have inaccessible DNA.

Spyder sets upa quarantined hospital to "cure" the virus - but actually they plan to seize any unlocked tuxemon and use them as part of their power grab.

Locked tuxemon

Tuxemon bred, raised or distributed through the Cathedral's channels are "locked", which means their DNA is restricted using DNA Rights Management (DRM). For example, levelling can only occur at a Cathedral Store.

It's not illegal to own unlocked tuxemon, but the Cathedral does make it difficult to use them.

Also, now the Cathedral is designing its own tuxemon, which will only be available in licensed form.

Rivals

Your rivals are bratty, privileged kids who only see the benefits of the Cathedral. They're convinced of their rightness.

However, as they explore more - and as your unlocked tuxemon beat their locked ones - they mellow. They start using the Tuxepedia and complaining about the Cathedral. Then their tuxemon contract Spyder Bite, and they come to you for help.

In the final battle against the Spyder executives, your rivals fight alongside you.

Phone

Your phone doubles as the game's menu, so as you add apps your options expand.

Some apps only work where there's WiFi - i.e., cities and some towns, and on occasion other locations. The BANK APP and the TUXEMON STORAGE APP are two key apps that use WiFi.

Trainers

Unless otherwise specified, a TRAINER's tuxemon knows whichever are the four most recent moves it gained access to.

Where a Pillar has a speciality TM, all eligible tuxemon in the Pillar know the move from that TM.

A trainer gives money equal to: $7.5 * the level of their highest tuxemon + $5 * the level of their second highest tuxemon + $2.50 * the levels of all their other tuxemon put together.

Named trainers, like your RIVALS, PILLAR LEADERS, etc., give that amount * 10.

Types of place

Towns and cities

These have no trainer or random encounters. They have WiFi, so you can swap out your tuxemon and bank your cash.

Buildings

These have trainers but no random encounters.

Dungeons and Tunnels

These have trainers and random encounters. Includes tunnels, haunted towers, abandoned mansions, etc.

Forests and Routes

These have trainers. They have random encounters, but only in long grass.

The Game

Introduction

The opening sequence is a propaganda video from the CEO of the Cathedral. He explains (in a couple of sentences each):

1. What tuxemon are 2. What the Cathedral is 3. What the difference between locked and unlocked tuxemon is 4. What services Stores and Pillars offer

There is then a chance to set:

1. Your appearance (eight or so options, including a variety of genders and ethnicities) 2. Your name 3. The game's difficulty

Paper Town

Exits: Water Route 1 to the south (currently inaccessible; all water routes require a SURFBOARD); Route 1 to the north (intercepted by the Storekeeper if you try to leave before you have your starter), Train Station (currently closed for track repairs)

Features: Your rivals' house; your house; TXMN Daycare (under renovations); the Store (has bins out the back)

The Store: When you come here, either because you tried to leave by Route 1, or because you enter freely, the Shopkeeper takes you to the front. Your two Rivals are there as well, by rows and rows of tuxeballs.

Your two Rivals pick one each (you don't see which), and then you are invited to choose. However, before you can the Shopkeeper checks for your Cathedral Gold Subscription.

Oh, you don't have one? So sorry, these are a Gold Subscription exclusive.

As you go to leave, the Shop Assistant pulls you aside and explains that the reason the Shopkeeper's giving away tuxemon is that there's new stock coming in tomorrow - and if he doesn't get rid of the tuxemon, he'll just chuck them out.

"So go home and sleep, and by tomorrow I bet the leftover tuxemon are in the bins at the back of the shop!"

After you rest at home, when you go to the back of the shop there's bins and the Shop Assistant from earlier. He offers your choice of tuxemon from the five starters (all level 5).

• (Bear Cub)
• Lambert
• (Fire Iguana)
• (Water Kingfisher)
• Rockitten

After you choose one, your two Rivals come up behind you. One has the tuxemon resistant to your starter's type, and the other the tuxemon super effective against your starter's type (both at level 5).

They say you shouldn't steal, even out of the bins, and challenge you to a battle - "Our licensed tuxemon will beat your bin dregs any day!" (A 2-vs-2 battle, if possible).

Whoever wins, your Rivals say they're not going to report you to the authorities "this time", then leave.

The Shop Assistant says he's going to give the rest of the thrown-out tuxemon to other kids who can't afford their own.

If you return another time, there's a POTION in the trash.

Home: Mum is an inventor, so the house is cluttered with devices and machines. You can rest here.

She gives you a POTION.

Rivals' Home: Before you get your starter, the Rivals are playing outside, blocking your access. The Rivals' dad is inside. If you already have your starter, the Rivals are gone. He says that they've "run off to try their luck at the first Pillar in Leather City".

"Oh, don't you know about the Pillars? Each one sells the tuxemon that it specialises in raising and training. They're so confident in the strength of their tuxemon that if you beat them you win a prize!"

Tuxemon Daycare: Closed for renovations at the moment.

Later, it acts as a daycare centre, slowly leveling up the tuxemon that you assign it. (And breeding, if we have that option).

Route 1

Five or so patches of long grass.

Grass encounters: Cardiling (50%, levels 2-4); Aardorn (50%, levels 2-4)

Cotton Town

Exits: Route 1 to the south; Route 2 to the north; train station (under repairs)

Upon arrival, you are intercepted by a KNAVE who admires your starter and asks to see your receipt for it. "Just kidding! I see it's unlocked, unlicensed and unofficial. I have a project for you - meet me in the basement of the CAFE".

Cafe: The first time you try to enter, you are intercepted by your MUM who gives you a NU PHONE (a play on "GNU" and "new") she invented. "This way you can tell me how your adventures go! And look, it has the MAP APP installed already so you'll never be lost. It also has the BANK APP installed, so whenever you're in a city it will add any cash you picked up to your bank account! That way you won't lose it if you lose a fight to a TRAINER".

The first time you enter the CAFE basement, there is a meeting of TEAM BAZAAR, a group of likeminded DRIFTERS, KNAVES, ROGUES and PIRATES who share information, tuxemon, healing, resources, etc., and meet wherever they can.

The KNAVE from earlier gives a presentation on TUXEPEDIA, a website where people can collaborate to compile information on tuxemon, but says sadly that not many people have contributed so far.

He explains that if you have a PHONE, you can install the TUXEPEDIA APP and contribute. Next time you check your phone, it's on there.

Other times, anyone working on TUXEPEDIA gets free healing. There are also a signup sheet for friendly battles - you can choose from most trainers whom you've fought in the area, and the battle occurs immediately. (They level up with you).

Omnichannel (Pillar 7): A giant skyscraper, but it's closed for "renovations". First encounter with ENFORCERS if you enter the foyer, they intercept you and tell you to "butt out of it".

Store: The first time you enter, they are promoting Tuxeballs. They offer to teach you how to use them, and are offering a sampler pack of five.

Selling: TUXEBALL ($200), POTION ($100), CURE POISON ($100), CURE PARALYSIS ($200)

Route 2

Exits: Cotton Town (south); City Park (north)

The first time you step on to Route 2, your RIVALS appear and challenge you to a battle. They have their two STARTERS (level 6) and a level 3 CARDILING.

Trade: One of the people on this route will trade your DOLLFIN for his DJINNBO.

Grass encounters: Cardiling (35%, levels 2-5); Aardorn (35%, levels 3-5); Vamporm (30%, levels 3-5)

City Park

A branching map with dead ends and multiple paths, including several patches of grass, some of which must be past through to get to Leather City.

Exits: Route 2 (south); Leather City (north)

Grass encounters: (Sumolarvae) (25%, levels 3-5), Vamporm (25%, levels 3-5), (Sumococoon) (20%, levels 4-6), Dracune (20%, levels 4-6), Memnomnom (10%, levels 3-5)

Trainers: CATGIRL 1 (level 6 Memnomnom, level 7 Dandicub)

CATGIRL 2 (level 7 Dandicub, level 7 Memnomnom, level 7 Dandicub)

CATGIRL 3 (level 9 Dandicub)

Scattered items: TUXEBALL, TUXEBALL, POISON CURE, POTION, POTION

Leather City

Exits: Train station (under repairs); City Park (south); Route 3 (north)

Pillar: Shaft, the mining company.

[TRAINER] Shammer, Rhincus (both level 12)

[PILLAR BOSS] Magmaturtle (level 11); Grintot (level 15)

When the Pillar Boss is defeated, they give you the speciality TM and agree to unlock all Grintot and Magmaturtle.

Speciality TM: ? Speciality Tuxemon: Grintot ($400), Magmaturtle ($600)

Store: Sells TUXEBALLS, POTIONS and all CURE * items.

Cafe: Standard - free healing, friendly battles.

Route 3

Exits: Leather City (south); Abandoned Laboratory (north)

Upon entering, your MUM intercepts you and gives you a SKATEBOARD that lets you move twice as fast.

Trainers: FISHERMAN (6 x level 4 Nudiflot) - if you win, he gives you a ROD and complains about only catching Nudiflot in this area "but I've heard the fishing's good out near FLOWER CITY".

CATGIRL 4

CATGIRL 5

CATGIRL 6

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

Grass encounters: Cardiling (40%, levels 6-8); Toucanary (40%, levels 6-8), Foofle (20%, levels 5-9)

Fishing encounters: Nudiflot (100%, level 4)

Abandoned Laboratory

Exits: Route 3 (south); Route 4 (north)

Three floors.

Random encounters throughout: Bumbulous (5%, level 8); Eyenemy (55%, levels 6-10); Dandicub (15%, level 9); Shammer (25%, levels 7-9) - all are infected with SPYDER BITE, which means they "Shiver" instead of using a technique 1/4 of the time. When you go to the second floor, the levels (or level ranges) increase by 1, and by 2 when you go to the third floor.

Trainers: Second floor: NURSE 1

NURSE 2

DOCTOR 1

DOCTOR 2

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

[TRAINER]

Dialogue with the NURSES and DOCTORS reveals that they had to quickly abandon the lab for unspecified reasons, but they have snuck in to find some of their stuff. They despair at how wild tuxemon have wandered in, and "been infected by ... well, I shouldn't say".

Third floor: ENFORCER

ENFORCER

ENFORCER

ENFORCER

ENFORCER

The ENFORCERS also hint that something's happened, and they talk about "quarantine" and "centralised checking of DNA" and "the virus".

Scattered items: POTION x2; two TMs; BOOSTER TECH x2; several others

Booster Tech: When given to a tuxemon, it evolves (if it evolves via Booster Tech). When given to Botbot, it evolves into the secondary form of your choice, but continues to hold the Booster Tech. When the Booster Tech is taken off it, it de-evolves. (So you can vary which evolution route it takes).

Route 4

Exits: Abandoned Laboratory (south); Flower City (north)

Scattered items: A TM, a better TUXEBALL

Fishing encounters: Nudiflot (level 5, 50%), Axylightl (level 10, 25%), Dollfin (level 10, 25%)

Grass encounters: Hoarse (levels 6-12, 12%), Rhincus (levels 6-12, 13%), Aardorn (levels 8-12, 45%), Toucanary (levels 8-12, 30%)

Flower City

When you first enter, you are intercepted by your MUM, who says that the DAYCARE CENTRE in PAPER TOWN has reopened - but you can't get back there until the train stations reopen.

Exits: Route 4 (south); Side Route A (west); route 5 (through the back of the BROKEN-INTO HOUSE); train station (closed for repairs)

Pillar: Nimrod Armaments

[TRAINER] Dollfin, (Sharkfin)(both level 16)

[TRAINER] Wolffsky (level 19)

[PILLAR BOSS] Boxorox (level 18); Hydrone(level 22)

When the Pillar Boss is defeated, they give you the speciality TM and agree to unlock all Hydrone and Boxorox.

Speciality TM: ? Speciality Tuxemon: Boxorox($800), Hydrone ($1,000)

Store: TUXEBALL, CURE *, one other

Trade: A TRAINER is offering their ABESNAKI for your (AXYLOTL'S EVOLUTION).

Broken-Into House: A distressed scientist is standing here. He was developing a cure for the VIRUS you first saw at the ABANDONED LABORATORY, but then "some armed bandits" broke in to his home and took it. He says they called themselves "SPYDER".

Through the back of the house is one of the SPYDER AGENTS. She lets slip that she has some knowledge of your character that only an ENFORCER would have.

SPYDER AGENT Two tuxemon, and gives you a TM if you defeat her

Side Route A

Exits: Flower City (east)

Trainers: RIVALS

[FIFTEEN OTHER TRAINERS]

Grass encounters: (Sumolarva) (25%, levels 8-10), (Sumococoon) (15%, levels 9-11), (Wooden Donkey) (25%, levels 12-14), Cardiling (20%, levels 12-13), Anoleaf (15%, levels 8-12)

Scattered items: Two TMs; several others

Abandoned Mansion: At the end of Side Route A, there's a mansion that TEAM BAZAAR is using (there's no TEAM BAZAAR presence in FLOWER CITY, so if the TRAINERS in this route wear you out, you'll have to pay for healing in FLOWER CITY from the PILLAR).

Complete a puzzle to win the trust of one of the TRAINERS here, who gives you a DOJO PASS.

They also install the RENAME TUXEMON APP on your phone, which does what you'd expect.

Route 5

Exits: Flower City (through the BROKEN-INTO HOUSE); Wood Town (north)

Trainers: Several

Grass encounters: (Sumolarva) (25%, levels 8-10), (Sumococoon) (15%, levels 9-11), (Wooden Donkey) (25%, levels 12-14), Cardiling (20%, levels 12-13), Memnomnom (15%, levels 8-12)

Wood Town

When you arrive, you are intercepted by a person handing out fliers announcing that the train stations have been reopened - but only between here and PAPER TOWN - the line is still being worked on further noth.

Exits: Train station, Route 5 (south), ?

Train stations: Use these to get to any CITY or TOWN you've visited so far.

Store: ???

Trades: Someone will trade your TOUCANARY for their GHOSTEETH

Pillar: ???

Cafe: TEAM BAZAAR is represented here as well. They install the CONTACTS APP on your PHONE, which keeps track of everyone you've met, for (a) fame checking, (b) rematches and (c) remembering who and where people with trades, challenges, offers, competitions, move tutoring, etc, were.

Dojo of the Five Elements

This is mostly a chance to battle lots of trainers, but it also teaches you the details of tuxemon battling - with diagrams of the different stats, how the types work, when to swap out moves, etc.

Players can ignore it, of course, but this is meant to give them a much deeper grounding than many people get playing PKMN - even if they play through the games many times.

Scattered items: Several

Trainers: 15-20

RIVALS

Route 6

Trainers: Several

Grass encounters: Eyenemy (25%, levels 12-15), Shammer (20%, levels 12-15), Toucanary (levels 13-18, 30%), Cataspike (25%, levels 9-13)

Rest House: Just before entering the TUNNEL.

Tunnel

Or some other dungeon.

Many trainers. Some new tuxemon.

Candy Town

When you first arrive, an ENFORCER says that your tuxemon are infected with a VIRUS and he has to confiscate them. He leaves you at the CAFE, where you can pick up six more of your tuxemon - but they'll be your B-team!

Hospital: This is where thousands of tuxemon are being kept, in "quarantine". An automatic detector at the door identifies tuxemon and won't let anyone in with them. (So you can't enter at all).

Store: ???

Cafe: For TEAM BAZAAR. They also install the RETAME TUXEMON APP on your phone, which lets you change your tuxemons' moves to any that they're entitled to know.

Route 7

When you first enter, your MUM intercepts you and gives you an XP SHARE (or equivalent).

Trainers Many

Grass encounters: Cardiling (35%, levels 18-20), Memnomnom (25%, levels 18-20), Eyenemy (20%, levels 18-20), Foxfire (20%, levels 18-20)

Protesters: Route 7 leads to Wool City and Bronze City, but ENFORCERS are blocking the path to Bronze City and WORKERS and SCIENTISTS are blocking the path to Wool City. The WORKERS will let you through; the ENFORCERS will not.

Dialogue with the WORKERS and SCIENTISTS explains that in the middle of a fire drill, GREENWASH (a PILLAR) management locked all staff out of GREENWASH HQ.

The striking workers think it's because GREENWASH staff had invented TUXEMON FUSION, and were going to release a paper on it.

Now they're worried that ENFORCERS have been called in to kill all the FUSIONS and shut down the program.

They'd love for you to enter, but because the front entrance is locked, you'll have to sneak through the back - where tuxemon experiments are running wild!

Wool City

Store: ?

Cafe: For TEAM BAZAAR.

Other: ?

Greenwash HQ (Pillar, forest)

Must make your way through the greenhouses first, where experimental tuxemon are loose: Experiments include: Slichen, Ziggurat, Uneye

This is a multi-level forest with trainers and random encounters, and a healing location.

When you fight the big boss, the CEO of GREENWASH, she drops the FUSION REPORT. You upload it to TUXEPEDIA. Now any tuxemon with a 'PEDIA entry (i.e. any that you've captured) can be fused.

When you leave, the strike diffuses, because "We've gathered all the remaining lab tuxemon and either released them into the wild or taken them as pets. There's nothing that the ENFORCERS can do!"

Hospital

Now you can return to the HOSPITAL. Just fuse your tuxemon as you pass through the detector, and the machine won't detect them - because they're not any known breed!

This is a multi-level building, with many ENFORCERS and SPYDER AGENTS - the first direct proof of their collaboration, a healing location, scattered items and puzzles.

They drop hints about their true plan: when the VIRUS is cured, they will confiscate any unlocked tuxemon for being "unsafe", and use them to further their plans for world domination!

As you go along, you also recover your confiscated tuxemon. For each one, you can choose to place it in your team or store it. They have the VIRUS though.

You also find a trapped scientist, who says that the VIRUS is cureable - but only with access to the DNA. In other words, only unlocked tuxemon are cureable! He cures all yours.

Later

• A gym where you fight a number of trainers, and then the master, who fights you with SAMPSACK and SAMPSAGE and then lets you choose one
• Four legendary tuxemon, based on the animals of the four cardinal directions
• A terrifying and very powerful tuxemon that was created using the FUSION technology - but it stuck, so it rampaged and then hid
• A showdown in the final pillar, OMNICHANNEL, (equivalent to the INDIGO LEAGUE of PKMN) where it's revealled that the SPYDER is run by the bosses of the CATHEDRAL. You fight a number of two-on-two battles, with your RIVALS teaming up with you to back you up!
• Reward for "completing" TUXEPEDIA

Tuxemon used so far

Tuxemon fall into a few categories:

Starters

Unlocked

• (Bear Cub)
• Lambert
• (Fire Iguana)
• Rockitten
• (Water Kingfisher)

Available in the wild

Unlocked

In grass

• Cardiling
• Aardorn
• Vamporm + evos
• (Sumolarvae) + evos
• Memnomnom
• Toucanary
• Foofle
• Hoarse
• (Wooden Donkey)
• Rhincus
• Anoleaf
• Cataspike
• Foxfire

In dungeons/labs/underground

• Bumbuluous
• Eyenemy
• Dandilion
• Shammer
• Slichen
• Ziggurat
• Uneye

Water

• Nudiflot
• Axylightl
• Dollfin

Available in trades/gifts

Unlocked

• Djinnbo (for Dollfin)
• Abesnaki (for (Axylightl Evolution))
• Ghosteeth (for Toucanary)
• Sampsage or Sampsack (prize)

Available from Pillars

Locked, unless that Pillar is defeated

• Magmaturtle
• Grintot
• Boxorox
• Hydrone

Legendaries

Unlocked

• None yet

Battled, but not catchable (yet)

• Wolffsky