Kyrael is a world in which Pokemon exist, but which didn't turn out quite as … shall we say, friendly … as the worlds depicted in video games, manga, and anime. It is the world Saladin DiAngelo comes from, and I feel like writing up things about it, so here they are in no particular order.

A wristop computer used by Operatives of the Defenders of Tranquility. Aside from having the standard functions of a watch, the Wristop also serves as a personal PC and Pokemon storage device, and can network with other systems through a satellite connection. The global networking doesn't work in areas of high magnetism, signal traffic, or deep underground, though.

A small pistol built for range over damage. It has a unique folding barrel design that makes it take longer to ready, but has incredibly good range. It is commonly loaded with status ammunition to ensure a successful takedown.

This deadly handgun is large and comes complete with an attachment point for the barrel cover - a sharp blade that can be used for a deadly slashing attack. A weapon of intimidation used by brutes and enforcers.

This little revolver packs a powerful punch – ideally balanced for range and power, it uses a reliable electronic firing mechanism to spin the barrel, fire the bullet, and rotate into position for the next shot. With optimum ammunition loads, the Starly can fire at ranges comparable to standard rifle ammunition.

This big pistol looks imposing, but is actually a single-shot pistol that is sized for flares (and shotgun ammunition, though using it as such is generally not considered safe or wise.) Using Rhyhorn Slug, it is capable of delivering a fatal shot at close range to nearly any unevolved Pokemon (or Trainer, for that matter.)

This double-barreled shotgun is used by frontiersmen and some sport hunters, and has a stylized Doduo carved into the handle near the breech. It is generally considered sufficient to deal with animals and unevolved Pokemon that might threaten or be considered as prey items, and may discourage larger wild Pokemon. A Dodrio model with three barrels in a triangular pattern also exists, although it is not commonly found or sold, and is designed so that the three barrels fire simultaneously.

This powerful sidearm is custom-made with tracings of powerful Gyarados flanking the barrel, mouths open as if to release its infamous Hyper Beam. The weapon has a charge-up delay, but inflicts massive damage when fired.

Uncannily modeled after the FN-P90, the Arbok-P90 has a stylized Arbok with fangs ready to bite on the handle, and fires a variety of high-powered rounds in semi-automatic and automatic fire modes. Commonly used by criminals and terrorists, and often loaded with status-condition-inflicting rounds for 'subduing' Pokemon more readily.

Standard loadout is the Arbok Fang, a round that causes damage and poisoning.

Known by Operatives as the Organization, the Defenders of Tranquility are a paramilitary organization of trainers and scientists who work to protect the peace. Membership is secret (or at least not explicitly discussed) to most non-members. Members of the Organization work to keep the efforts of various malignant groups from destroying civilization. They do not technically have full law enforcement powers, but are authorized to carry powerful Pokemon and weaponry for the purpose of engaging hostile threats.

Aura Power is a peculiar sort of energy that binds humans and Pokemon together. Supposedly there is a Light Aura and a Dark Aura, although this is somewhat subjective. Members of the Defenders of Tranquility are said to learn about Aura Power as part of the training regimen; certain other organizations also seek to unlock the secrets of Aura Power for their own use.

This electric motorcycle is powered by a compact engine with enough battery power for one long burst of speed, or more utilitarian driving over a large area. It is recharged through standard electric outlets, though trainers often use their Electric pokemon to recharge it on the fly. The PowerCycle appears to be a capsule with handlebars until triggered, where it expands into a full motorcycle. Advanced models have an improved suspension system to enable it to safely make long jumps and survive falls from a moderate distance.

This is a small portable glider that springs out of a compact capsule. While incapable of true flight in most cases, it is an invaluable, reusable conveyance for those who expect to spend large amounts of time traveling from great heights.

These emergency devices are designed as a simple belt that can be donned quickly (or even looped through the arms) and triggered to release a lightweight parachute to help slow one's descent. While not as safe as a professionally designed parachute, anyone who owns a flying Pokemon should at least keep a few of these handy for emergencies, as they are much easier to carry around in storage.

This compact carrying device can carry and organize a large quantity of supplies through its digital conversion capabilities. While its capacity is not quite unlimited, it is still useful for travellers and adventurers; a storage pack that weighs about twenty pounds can comfortably store nearly twenty tons of supplies, as long as each individual item can be converted into capsule-friendly format.

With the advent of capsule storage and digital transmission, people have been experimenting with the replication of items (or even Pokemon) by copying the stored data. Items stored in item capsules can be replicated via an Item Replicator, a device that takes an item into storage and then attempts to use its storage pattern to create multiple copies. However, these duplicated items tend to merely look identical. At best, duplicated items tend to be less effective or more prone to breakage; at worst, they cease to exist at bad moments, possibly damaging or destroying nearby objects or people in the process. As such, Item Replicators are seldom used legitimately outside of research laboratories, and the items created are seldom distributed outside of their laboratories.

While the best way to 'duplicate' Pokemon is through old-fashioned breeding, some Pokemon are sufficiently rare that people search for other options when trying to acquire multiples thereof. One possible solution that people have researched is Duplicated Pokemon - Pokemon whose Pokeballs have been duplicated via an Item Replicator or other digital replication scheme.

Pokemon duplicated in such a manner are also prone to unusual disruptions; their personality usually changes significantly (intelligence is often lowered, and mental problems rapidly develop), and their natural capabilities are often reduced. They are also prone to inevitable self-destruction as they destabilize, so it's wise not to get too attached…

Pokemon can be stored in a digital format through a combined use of the Pokemon capsule storage system and the capsule digitization storage system, which makes them particularly prone to modification and adjustment. The Porygon is one example of a Pokemon specifically created through electronic means, and theoretically, other versions may be possible. Porygon's evolutionary abilities, in turn, are the results of focused upgrades and modifications to its programming code which are implemented during transfer, so it would stand to reason that any Pokemon that could be digitized in pure format could likewise be modified (as opposed to merely specific types through documented evolutionary methods).

In practice, most research into Pokemon modification is performed on a biological level, with Porygon considered an interesting, but non-replicable, side development. The Reality Hackers are known to experiment with Pokemon modification, particularly on Duplicated Pokemon. These modifications are likely to cause or accelerate instability issues, similar to Duplication, but can occasionally perform near-impossible tasks - giving Pokemon abilities they might normally be incapable of learning, for example, or changing their innate type. Careful experimentation has also resulted in the discovery of some obscure evolutionary methods that previously were unheard of, such as being able to imbue an Onix with a steel coating by curing it in place through digitization.

A high-speed man-portable launch cannon designed to fire a Pokemon's storage ball at high velocity while triggering it in flight, allowing it to reach locations it otherwise would be unable to or deliver attacks against enemies currently out of normal combat reach.

This unsavory weapon is a modified version of the Pokecannon that releases a Pokemon from its ball permanently upon firing. While there are a few legitimate uses for this, most criminals use devices such as these as 'fire and forget' weapons of terror and destruction, releasing powerful Pokemon to go wild on a region, without the inhibitions normally associated with assignment to a Pokeball.

A guerilla group of computer-oriented criminals that focuses on attempting to disrupt the major systems of life in Kyrael. While they are most comfortable with computers, they are researching the powers of Aura in order to hack reality itself.

The Reality Hackers use Duplicated Pokemon as their weapons of choice for close combat – while not as effective as the real deal, and prone to disobedience and violence, they are useful as 'fire and forget' weaponry, particularly when released at a target. As such, a team of Reality Hackers on assignment usually carries a black-market Pokecannon to release duplicates trained with Explosion or other wide-area destructive powers to cover their escape.

The emblem of the Reality Hackers is a Porygon-Z emerging from a computer screen; many members of the Reality Hackers have at least one type of Porygon as a personal Pokemon, although this is not necessarily required to be a member.

Most members of the Reality Hackers are at least competent users of computer equipment and electronic devices, and many have at least some skill in repairing, rebuilding, or converting them from their originally assigned purpose.

This almost cult-like group is dedicated to becoming living gods over the world of Kyrael, by using the powers of the Dark Aura to supernaturally compel and dominate Pokemon … and people. Their methods are often brutal, and they are not above murder, torture, and other violent tactics to enforce their will on others.

As a result, the Thorns are almost always fairly physically imposing, as well as commanding Pokemon designed for maximum carnage. Geodude and its evolutions are a popular favorite, as their moveset (including Earthquake, Rollout, and Explosion) is geared around area effects and catastrophic damage. They also typically keep at least one flying-type handy for quick escapes from a dangerous situation (and because it makes an excellent second type for multi-Pokemon battles.)

The Thorns of Kyrael are a set of twisted vines wrapped around a symbol of the planet; many of the Thorns have grass-types, but there is no specific requirement, and even the suggestions above may be ignored by a Thorn with a powerful team.

The Thorns routinely breed Spearows and Geodudes for their members to use, but members are expected to round out the rest of their team through personally catching them to prove their dominance over other Pokemon.

This crazed militant group is focused on liberating Pokemon from their 'oppressive masters' at any cost. Unlike most groups, they refuse to use Pokemon in most circumstances, relying on conventional weaponry and force to get their goals across. However, they are very devoted to their cause, and see no problem with inflicting potentially deadly force on anyone who might 'enslave' a Pokemon, be they everyday citizen, small boy, elderly woman, or police or military officials. No Trainer is safe from their wrath.

Pokemon Liberation Squad members do occasionally make use of Captor Claws to capture Pokemon that belong to other Trainers (with the express intent of releasing them, immediately or at a more convenient date). However, they will almost never actively command Pokemon, or release them into circumstances that would prove dangerous or lethal, and typically will focus on protecting Pokemon as a priority.

The Pokemon Liberation Front emblem is a Pokeball being smashed with a hammer; while this is not their only method of 'freeing' Pokemon, they often leave smashed Pokeballs in the wake of their latest activities.

Pokemon Centers are advanced centers of technology that can completely heal and revive a Pokemon that has been injured, incapacitated, or defeated. Advanced techniques can restore life to dead - even fossilized - Pokemon, though this typically takes much longer.

In order to utilize a Pokemon Center, you must have a valid Pokemon Trainer's License. This license includes a digital copy of your vital statistics and information, and serves as a form of identification in most major metropolitan areas. Known members of criminal organizations are usually barred from these locations, and from using other services that are dependent on Pokemon Center systems, including the Kyrael World Network.

While most Pokemon only exist within computers while still in stored format, Pokemon can be released within a digital environment. Porygon is the most well-known example, but practically any species can be released in cyberspace by a digital trainer or by a defensive program designed to operate Pokemon.

While difficult to access by most people, there is a thriving cyberspace realm within Kyrael's complex series of computer networks, particularly among the Kyrael Skeleton, a series of systems that provides basic services to Trainers across Kyrael. These services include storage and digital transmission of Pokemon through the Pokemon Centers and Pokemon Trainer Assistant, allowing a Trainer to relocate their freshly caught Pokemon to a safe location.

The Pokemon Trainer Assistant is an electronic device with satellite connectivity that enables a Trainer to stay in contact practically anywhere they go. It has a number of functions and operations that make it useful when travelling:

The PTA has a full Pokedex so that would-be trainers can study known lore about Pokemon, and compare it to field data. While almost no Pokemon are truly unknown to Pokemon researchers, many are hard to find in the wilds, and are only readily available from breeding camps.

The Pokescope is a camera lens on the front of the PTA that can be used to scan a Pokemon or other target. The data it records can then be matched to existing PTA records, including Pokedex entries, criminal databases, etc., or stored for later use.

A powerful satellite uplink that allows a Trainer to transmit their newly caught Pokemon to the Kyrael Pokemon Storage Network. As a rule, Trainers are only licensed to carry six Pokemon with them at any given time, and must deposit others at a Pokemon Storage Network Terminal at the earliest available opportunity.

As Pokemon are common forms of weaponry in Kyrael, ownership and distribution of Pokemon is generally limited.

Most Pokemon Trainers have a Trainer's Card - a license that gives them certain rights and responsibilities under the Kyrael Pokemon Trainer's Convention. These rights include:

• The right to keep up to six active Pokemon (including eggs) on one's person. More is a violation of the Trainer's Convention without a special license; exceptions may be granted in instances where a Trainer has little alternative (such as being stuck in a cave where the Pokemon Trainer's Assistant doesn't function properly), but anything aside from an emergency situation is generally considered a violation.

• The right to travel freely through any non-restricted area of Kyrael without impediment, except where required for safety reasons.

• The duty to accept honorable challenges from other Pokemon Trainers, as long as you have Pokemon that are capable of fighting. Trainers traditionally wager on the outcome as well.

Pokemon tend to respect and obey Trainers of great personal skill and capability. Traditionally, Trainers seek to prove this ability by visiting Gyms throughout Kyrael to prove their mastery over the various types of Pokemon. Each Gym is themed around one of the types - defeating a gym typically proves your ability to defeat Pokemon of the listed type.

From a practical standpoint, however, gym badges are more impressive to other Trainers than to Pokemon themselves; a Pokemon typically develops a closer bond with its Trainer as they work together in combat.

Gyms also serve as a point where individuals train to best utilize a particular type, mastering their quirks and becoming familiar with their weaknesses through exposure to other Trainers seeking to conquer a gym. A gym usually has between two and eight students who are skilled enough to challenge visitors, but almost invariably only one Gym Master. Only a registered Gym Master can give out a Gym Badge.

Trainers who have mastered the Gyms and seek to perfect their art seek out the Dojos of Kyrael, located in unusual and out-of-the-way locations around the globe. Most of them require Pokemon with special abilities just to reach the place they are located in, and Trainers can easily spend a lifetime mastering the combat arts they teach. Some Trainers choose to settle in these out-of-the-way locations, training under the Sensei of the Dojo and perfecting their art against those who seek to challenge the Sensei in battle. A Dojo Badge is a mark of elite status amongst Trainers who know their secrets; wandering Trainers who have multiple Dojo Bands on their belts have proven their ability to handle a variety of environments and combat conditions.