Croatas

The **Croatas** region is a region of the Pokémon world.

## Story

### Main Story

The story starts off with the player sitting the backseat of a car as they and their parents drive through Ropula Town. While the player's parents talk about being excited for the event they're about to go see, the player looks out the window and watches the beautiful scenery of the town they just moved to. The player's mom suggests that immersing themselves into the town's customs will help them better integrate into the town as they're still new to the area. The car finally stops in front of a huge arena and the player and their parents make their way in. After being seated, an old man walks in and takes center stage. He thanks everyone in attendance for coming to the Ropula Arena and hopes they have a great time watching some of the region's best trainer battle. A red-haired man in a ballet outfit and a woman in a yellow sweater enter the arena and the crowd erupts in cheers. The player's dad tells the player to get them some snacks from the concession stand before the battle starts and the player makes their way out of the arena. Upon reaching the exit, the player watches the old man from before walk out as well but notices a small Pokémon-looking creature dart out of the building as well, following the man. The player decides to skip the snacks and pursues the old man as well.

The player makes their way through the town and eventually sees the man walk into a big building. Seconds later, the small "Pokémon" runs in as well and a loud yell is heard coming from inside the building. The player rushes in and sees the old man cornered on one side of what appears to be a lab. The "Pokémon" turns around and it is revealed not to be a Pokémon, but in fact small child dressed in Pokémon clothes. The boy tells the player to mind their own business, sends out a Teddiursa and challenges the old man, who the boy calls Professor Douglas. The professor attempts to move past the boy and his Pokémon but is intimidated by a growl. He then asks the player for some help and points to some Pokéballs sitting on his desk. The player chooses one and challenges the boy to a battle. After knocking out the Teddiursa, the boy begins to cry and runs out of the lab. Professor Douglas thanks the player for helping him out, stating that what just occurred was quite out of the ordinary. The professor properly introduces himself as Professor Douglas, one of the region's most well-known Pokémon researchers. He finds out that the player is new to the region and gifts the player the Pokémon they used to battled as the proved to be quite skillful with handling Pokémon despite being a beginner.

The two go outside and find the player's parents, who tell the player that they missed the entire battle. They are shocked to learn of what happened and are even more shocked to learn that the player has their own Pokémon now. The player's dad suggests that the player start their Pokémon journey as a way to learn more about the region they now call home. The player's mom adds that she had always dreamed of seeing her child take on the Pokémon League and encourages the player as well. The professor is happy to see another trainer start their Pokémon journey and says that he'll get his aide to help the player out with their first few steps of being a trainer. He hands the player a note and tells them that once they're ready, to go to nearby Ropula Woods and give the note to his assistant named Millie who is off doing research. Professor Douglas wishes the player luck on their travels and heads off.

The player enters Ropula Woods which sit at the outskirts of town. Immediately as the player enters, Professor Douglas follow from behind, stating that he never showed the player the mechanics for battling and catching wild Pokémon. After demonstrating for the player, the professor hands the player a PokêDex and some Pokéballs and tells them that Millie will most likely be towards the exit of the forest. He then leaves once more.

After traversing through the woods and battling some young trainers, the player finally spots someone who appears to be examining some trees and taking notes. The person notices the player and warmly introduces herself as Millie. The player then hands over the professor's note which she proceeds to read and happily accepts the task given to her by the professor. Millie offers to guide the player to the next city and tells them to meet her in the cottage on Route 1. Millie leaves and the player is left to explore the rest of the woods.

The player leaves Ropula Woods and enters Route 1. After battling a few more trainers, the player approaches the water's edge where a cottage rests alongside a dock and a single boat. The player finds Millie inside who welcomes the players and asks if they're ready to set sail. The two then get on the boat and make their way through the route. Along the way, Millie informs the player that the next city, Zagreburg City, serves as the capital of the region and that many important decisions that affect everyone in the Croatas region take place there. She also reveals that Professor Douglas makes frequent trips to the city which is why he has a boat ready. The boat eventually reaches the shores of the upper half of the route and the two continue.

The player and Millie finally arrive in Zagreburg City. After docking, Millie shows the player around the immersive city and points out the Trainer's School. They eventually reach the Capital Building but are told they aren't allowed to go in as they don't have clearance and an important meeting is about to take place. As they leave, and old man bumps into the player. He apologizes and says that he was running late to something and was in a rush. He immediately gets up and runs towards the Capitol Building. Millie is speechless for a moment and explains to the player that the man was the President of the Croatas Region, President Josip.

Millie continues giving the player a tour and reveals some history behind the massive city. She explains that is was founded after the three historical kingdoms of the area united to form the Croatas Region and that the city was meant to serve as a neutral buffer zone between all three. In modern times it now functions as the capitol. The two finally two outside the Zagreburg City Gym. Millie tells the player that they can find the first Gym Leader inside and that their Pokêmon League journey can now officially begin. Before departing, Millie wishes the player luck and advices that if they don't feel ready to challenge the gym, then they can always go back to ROute 1 and train some more.

The player then enters the Gym and is able to challenge Sandy, the Ground-type Gym Leader. Once defeated, she commends the player for a well fought battle and hands over the Grain Badge. She tells the player that their next destination would most likely be challenge the gym in Poroport Town. If the player attempts to go west towards Route 19, they'd be stopped before the arrives at the Gates of Triumph as they lack the necessary badges. If they go north, the player will find the path to be blocked by barricades.

The player enters Route 2 after leaving Zagreburg City. As the player makes their way through the route, they eventually reach the ocean. Luckily, there are docks and what appears to be a ferry service that will allow the player to make their way to Poroport Town. The player is then able to travel on boat through the rest of the route until they reach the next town.

While on the boat, the player sits next to a young girl who is happy to introduce herself as Lana, who just like the player has also just started her Pokémon journey. Lana is very bubbly and explains that she's from Splitriva City, just north of Zagreburg City. After talking for a bit, she hopes that the two of them can have a battle sometime and as soon as the boat docks, she quickly jumps out and runs off.

The player arrives in Poroport Town after the boat docks at the Poroport Docks. They immediately notice a man pacing back and forth in front of a tall lighthouse. As the player approaches the man, they see an extremely worried expression on his face. The man takes notice of the player and immediately asks if he's seen his son Theodore. He describes his son as always wearing a Pokémon costume and running around with a Teddiursa. He explains that Theodore always likes to run off by himself, such as when he took off for a bit when they went to see an event in Ropula Town, but he's been gone for longer than usual and now the man is getting worried. The player reveals that they did encounter the boy back in Ropula but haven't seen him since. The man offers his apologies and introduces himself as Reggie, the Gym Leader of Poroport Town and the operator of the lighthouse.

Soon after, Lana appears and says that she was just at the Gym and noticed that the Gym Leader was not there. Reggie apologizes to Lana as well and explains the situation to her. He wishes he could go out looking for his son, but is unable to leave his post as lighthouse operator and Gym Leader for long periods of time. Lana volunteers for both the player and herself that they'll go look for Theodore and promises to bring him back safe and sound. This puts a smile of Reggie's face and he thanks them both. He lets them know that Theodore likes to run around and play with his Pokémon on Route 3 to the south. Lana tells the player that she'll meet the player there and runs off. Reggie meanwhile goes into the lighthouse.

The player meets Lana at the entrance to Route 3. She claims to have already asked people if they've Theodore make his way and some claim to have seen a boy matching his description run south. The player and Lana split up to search more ground. After battling a few trainers, the two eventually meet back up at what appears to be the entrance to a mine. A trainer tells them that he believes he saw a small boy run into the mine. Lana tells the player that they should go search inside while she stays back and wait in case Theodore finds his way out.

The player enters the Marble Mines in search of Theodore. As they make their way deeper into the cave, echoes can be heard of what appears to be Theodore and they get louder as the player approaches. The player eventually reaches a large open room where they see Theodore running around playing with his Teddiursa.

Theodore notices the player and immediately recognizes them as the same trainer he lost to back in Ropula Town. Theodore explains that he was just playing and lost track of time. Before the player can take Theodore back to the entrance, they are challenged to a rematch as Theodore didn't like the feeling of losing to the player previously. After being defeated, he is promptly brought back to the entrance where Lana awaits them both.

Lana happily introduces herself but is given a scowl by he is still upset after his second defeat by the player. Lana decides to call Reggie who is relieved that they found his son in one piece. Before Lana can tell him that they'll be back soon, both she and the player are shocked to see that Theodore has run off. Lana quickly hangs up the call with Reggie and tells the player that they need to go.

Theodore's outline can be seen in the distance as he moves through the rest of Route 3, towards the next city. Lana quickly runs towards him leaving the player alone to traverse the rest of the route by themselves.

As soon as the player arrives in Forcress City, Lana walks up to them and claims that she is not able to find Theodore anywhere. She's unsure if he could still be somewhere around town if he could have gone straight to the next route. Lana offers to go look around Route 4 while she tasks the player to keep searching around the city. If the player speaks to several people, they'll eventually reveal that they saw a young boy at the Castle Ruins. Once the player makes their way to the ruins, they'll find no sign of Theodore. If they speak to a security guard, he'll say that a child was causing a ruckus and that the Gym Leader of the city, Sage, came by and took the kid back to his Gym.

The player is then able to challenge the gym. At the very end, they'll find Sage standing next to Theodore. Theodore seems upset as the player steps forward. Sage greets the player and introduces himself. He then realizes that the player came looking for Theodore and reveals that he went ahead and notified Reggie already who is on his way to retrieve Theodore. While they wait, the player is able to challenge Sage and earn their second badge.

After the battle, Reggie arrives and thanks both the player and Sage for finding and taking care of his son. Reggie explains that since he became Gym Leader, he's become very busy and hasn't had much time to devote to Theodore. As a result, Theodore has developed the habit of acting out and running off. As Reggie is about to leave with a sad Theodore, Sage offers the idea of having the player travel with Theodore for a bit. He suggests taking him over to the aquarium in the next city. Reggie is really appreciative once the player agrees. He tells Theodore to behave and heads back out to Poroport Town. Sage tells the player to find one of his friends named Gil who can show them around the aquarium.

The player and Theodore make their way to Route 4 where they find Lana still searching. After noticing the player, Lana runs over and is filled in on what happened. Lana is glad to see that Theodore is safe and sound and is happy to join them on their adventure to the aquarium but is bummed as she wasn't able to challenge the gym. Immediately after, Sage appears to see the player and Theodore off and admits that he couldn't help but overhear their conversation. Sage is more than happy to accommodate a gym battle with Lana but an impatient Theodore blurts out that he doesn't want to wait. Sage tells the player that he can take THeodore to the Secret Meadow located south, just past Route 5, to entertain Theodore while he has his battle with Lana. Theodore agrees and Sage and Lana head back to the gym while the player doubles back to Route 5.

The player and Theodore take their stroll through Route 5. It's a fairly straightforward forested path lined by a few trainers. When challenged, Theodore insists that he battle as well so every battle in this route becomes a double battle with Theodore sending out his Teddiursa. The two eventually make their way through and as they reach the end of the route, Theodore becomes excited and runs off again, leaving the player to chase after him.

The player chases after Theodore only to find him happily frolicking in the Secret Meadow, playing with other trainers and Pokémon. The player is then able to play several games with Theodore, such as hide-and-seek, tag, ect.

During these activities, the player is given the chance to explore the area and talk to other people within the vicinity. While talking to these people the player learns about the history of the Forest Kingdom, one of the three kingdoms that now make up the region. They tell stories about how their last king once rode into battle on a wolf-like Pokémon and how this area used to be where the royal family would come to enjoy themselves without being bothered, hence being called the "Secret Meadow" as only they knew about it as the time. After completing these activities, Theodore becomes bored and asks to go back to Route 4. The two go on their way and backtrack past Route 5.

The player and Theodore return to the entrance of Route 4 to find Lana waiting around. Lana shows off her new gym badge from Sage and thanks the player for keeping Theodore occupied. THe three then board a ferry and make their way to Lopacoast City.

The trio eventually arrive in Lopacoast City. After the ferry docks in the harbor, Lana offers to take Theodore straight to the aquarium and gives the player a chance to explore the city. If the player goes directly to the Abyss Aquarium, they'll find Lana and Theodore waiting outside who tell the player that they're not being let in without tickets and due to the high demand, tickets need to be bought in advance. Lana reminds the player that Sage told them to find a man named Gil who could get them in. The player searches the city and if they enter the Marina Resort, they'll find a man with orange hair talking to the President Josip who the player last saw in Zagreburg. President Josip notices the player enter and remembers their brief encounter from before. He offers nad apology for accidentally bumping into them and explains that a busy man like hin needs to be everywhere in a hurry which is why he sometimes doesn't look where he's going. President Josip then introduces the man he was talking to as Gil, a marine biology as well as one of the Gym Leaders of the region. The player mentions that they have a request for Gil to which he assumes is a request for a gym battle. Gil politely declines as even though Lopacoast City is his hometown, his gym is actually located in another city. The player explains that they actually need tickets for the Aquarium and mentions that Sage sent them. Gil gladly helps the player out and tell them to meet him at the Aquarium. He then bids farewell to President Josip and leaves.

As the Abyss Aquarium, Gil is there waiting for the player alongside Lana and Theodore. He allows to let all three enter without a ticket and even offers them a private tour of the facility. Gil shows them numerous tanks and exhibits which shows a wide array of marine Pokémon. Eventually, they get to part of the tour which shows off the history of the region, namely the Sea kingdom. Gil explaisn that this kingdom comprised of most of the islands of the region and its people were mainly sea folk. At the end of the tour stands a giant statue of a slug-like Pokémon with an inscription that reads "The King's Loyal Partner." Once the tour is over, Theodore says that he's had a great day and thanks everyone but that he want to go home now. Lana volunteers to take him home, mentioning that she's itching for a gym battle with Reggie, and takes off with Theodore.

Gil asks the player what they plan to do now. After a silent pause, he suggests taking the scenic route by going up north towards Bastone Town instead of backtracking through Route 4 and Route 3. Gil even gives the player a prototype scuba suit which should help the player cross large bodies of water with ease. To give the player even more incentive, he asks the player to deliver a package to one of his research assistants who's staying in Bastone Town. Before leaving, he tells the player that hopefully they see each other soon and that he looks forward to their inevitable gym battle.

Using their newly acquired scuba suit, the player is now freely able to traverse large bodies of water. While on their way to Bastone Town, the player is forced to go through Route 6, battling several trainers along the way. An option area, Azure cave can be reached through this route. The rest of the route is straightforward.

The player is immediately given access to Azure Cave as soon as they obtain the scuba gear from Gil. This is a completely optional cave which involves traversing the watery paths through a network of caverns. The player is able to find several treasures and items as they make their way through. Once the player approaches the inner depths of the cave, they'll encounter a shadowy figure in the water which suddenly disappears.

The player eventually arrives in Bastone Town. After exploring the small town for a bit, the player finds a man in a lab coat at Wailord Lookout, looking through one of the binoculars towards the sea. The man notices the player approach and introduces himself as Graham, one of Gil's research assistants as well as Professor Douglas's grandson. The player promptly hands over the package to Graham who is very appreciative. Graham opens the package which contains a vial of what appear to be rocks. He explains to the player that these are known as Crown Fragments and are pieces of an ancient relic. He also tells the player that as a research assistant, he primarily focuses on uncovering the mysteries of the region's past and that these Crown Fragments will help greatly with his research.

As a token of appreciation for delivering the package, Graham offers to take the player to Cobalt Cape, located just north of Bastone Town. Graham explains that normally the cape is off limits to tourists, but he can have the player explore more of it due to his clearance. Graham tells the player to meet him by the entrance and heads off.

The player enters Route 7 where they immediately come across a big entrance to a cave. It becomes evident that the route spans the network of tunnels in the mountain. The tunnel splits several times, but the correct path towards Cobalt Cape is easily marked by signs throughout the tunnel. After battling a few trainers, the player eventually reaches an opening which is blocked off by barricades and security. The player notices Graham standing close by who happily greets the player. Graham tells the security guard that the player is with him and is then allowed to go through the opening.

The player goes through the tunnel's exit and steps onto a giant cliff overlooking the sea. Graham explains that this area used to be a popular cliff diving spot but after the remains of old relics were found, similar to the Crown Fragments, the cape was closed off for research purposes. The royal family used to visit this spot regularly as well.

Graham then notices the player's PokéDex and realizes that the player is helping the professor with his research. Graham reveals that his grandfather wouldn't accept him as his assistant due to family reasons, but his passion for uncovering mysteries led to him practically begging Gil for a chance. Graham lets the player know that he and his grandfather are on good terms now, but that they don't see each other a lot anymore. He tells the player to say hello to Professor Douglas for him and then leaves. As the player being to head back, they see a shadowy figure dart through the water.

The player and Graham head back to the tunnels and make their way through the connecting Route 8. Halfway through the route, Graham says his goodbyes as he needs to head north to Citanik City but urges the player to keep going west as they'll eventually reach Poroport Town where they can have their next gym battle with Reggie. The two go their separate ways and the player makes their way through the rest of the tunnel, eventually reaching an opening that leads outside.

The player exits the tunnel and, in the distance, sees the Royal Drawbridge which leads into Poroport Town. As the player gets closer, they see a group of people huddled together on the bridge with signs and megaphones. Among some of them are trainers adorned in Royal military gear. After talking to some spectators, it is revealed that these people are protesting and are not allowing the drawbridge to raise and let ships pass through. They’re also not allowing people to get in or out of Poroport Town until their demands are met.

It is then up to the player to disperse these protesters themselves as they challenge the player to battles. During these battles, it’s revealed that President Josip is attempting to pass a law which would disband the Royal Army of the region, to which these people are not too keen on. After defeating all the trainers on the bridge, which refer to themselves as “Royal Guards”, they all eventually disperse, letting people across the bridge and for the bridge itself to rise. The player is then able to enter Poroport Town.

After entering the town, the player is able to go straight to the gym. Inside, they find Lana and Theodore. Lana flashes her newly acquired gym badge and tells the player that she’s been waiting for the player. Theodore also thanks the player for showing him a fun time and that he can’t wait to see the player have their battle against his dad. The player is then able to challenge Poroport’s Gym Leader, Reggie. Reggie is incredibly thankful to the player for everything he and Lana did for his son, but that he won’t go easy on the player as a result. After a hard-fought win, the player receives their third badge.

Lana, Reggie, Theodore, and the player all step outside and are shocked to see President Josip and an unknown woman approach them. President Josip tells Reggie that he received word that people were protesting on the Royal Drawbridge, and he came to look for himself but by the time he got here, all the protesters were already gone. Reggie is surprised as he was unaware of the protesters. It then comes to everyone’s attention that the player was the one who dispersed them.

The unknown lady steps forward and commends the player on their strength and bravery. She introduces herself as Drakaina, the Croatas League Champion as well as the Commander of the Royal Army. She explains that President Josip and herself have been working together on creating a law that would make changes to the army. Unfortunately, that’s caused a bit of an uproar within the army itself. She apologizes to the President for her unruly soldiers and says that they’ll receive a stern talking to before heading off. President Josip thanks the player for their efforts before heading off as well.

After they both leave, Lana comments on how scary and intimidating Drakaina is and how strong of a trainer she is too. Reggie comments that she has an eye for strategy and has a cunning intellect, which is why he’s the Champion of the region. Lana then asks why that law is such a big deal with a lot of people. Reggie then goes into a long spiel explaining all the backstory involved. He reveals that when the three warring kingdoms united all those years ago, the Sea and Forest Kingdoms were quick to disband their armies, seeing as there was no more need for conflict. The Mountain Kingdom, however, wished to keep their army as they didn’t want to be left completely defenseless against enemy attack. In order to preserve peace between the three kingdoms, the people of the Sea and Forests allowed the Mountain army to stay intact if they vowed to serve and protect the whole region, thus being rebranded as the Royal Army. In time, the people of the Sea and the Forests integrated into the region while the people of the Mountains kept their own culture and customs. However, as time has gone on, people have begun to feel like the army is no longer necessary and have begun to make efforts to disband it, something that the people living in the mountainous areas of the region, and the army itself, have not agreed on. So that’s the situation that both President Josip and Drakaina find themselves in, making a compromise that will leave everyone happy.

Lana changes the subject and tells the player that she’s heading over to Citanik City next as that’s where the next gym is. Theodore comments that that’s where the creepy lady is, to which Reggie is quick to correct him, saying that Citanik’s Gym Leader, Hawthorne, is a respected professor in her own right, but she does have an eerie feeling around her. He and Theodore wish the player and Lana good luck as they send the two trainers off.

The player is then able to travel back through Route 8 where the path going north to Citanik City is now open. Nothing of note happens.

The player exits the tunnel from Route 8 and immediately arrives at Citanik City. If the player decides to head straight to the Gym, they’ll be told that the Gym Leader is currently not in and that she was last seen going to the Royal Library. When the player makes their way to the library, they’ll find that it is a very large building with a wide array of books. After looking, they’ll find Graham as well as Millie talking. The player overhears Millie telling Graham that Professor Douglas wishes he’d return his calls with Graham responding that he’s been very busy lately. They eventually notice the player and greet them. Graham states that he was in here doing additional research regarding the Crown Fragments when he saw Millie here as well and that they were just catching up. When the player asks about this city’s gym leader, Graham replies that the player just missed her. She headed off to Citanik Castle.

Before the player leaves, Millie offers to show the player around the Library. She asks if Graham wanted to tag along, but he declines. Millie and the player walk around the vast library. She shows the player several aisles dedicated to various subjects. They eventually end the tour in front of a large portrait of a king. To the player’s surprise, the king bears a strong resemblance to Graham. Millie reveals that Graham is the great-grandson of the last king of the Sea Kingdom. When asked what that makes Professor Douglas, Millie responds that he married the king’s daughter. She remarks that it’s weird thinking of them as the Royal Family, as they just seem like ordinary people. She does mention, however, that some people do revere them for whatever reason. After the tour, the player can leave the library and go to Citanik Castle to find Hawthorne.

The player heads on over to Citanik Castle. Before entering, a security guard warns the player that the lower levels of the castle are rumored to be haunted and that they can find several of the Gym’s trainers there. As the player makes their way down the castle, they encounter several trainers itching for a battle. While traversing the castle, the player hears several cries for help. Once they reach the lowest floor, the player finds a group of Royal Army guards locked behind the cells of a dungeon. They’re visibly shaken and claim that a ghost locked them in there. As the player attempts to unlock the cell, a blurry white figure appears behind the player and places their hand on the player’s shoulder. The figure is revealed to be Hawthorne, who tells the player to stop. She explains that she found these hooligans stealing stuff from the castle. She asks the group why they were stealing, but they stay quiet. Hawthorne turns to the player and says that maybe leaving them locked up for the night will make them more forthcoming with information and tells the player that they can find her at the gym, where they can challenge her to earn their fourth badge.

After their gym battle, Hawthorne receives word from the castle security that they were ordered to let the Royal Army guards go. Hawthorne is displeased and mentions to the player that she probably knows who made that order, but she still congratulates the player on their win and tells the player to head east towards Dubroville City. Before the player leaves, she warns the player to be careful as Dubroville sits on the historical border with the Mountain Kingdom and that a lot of Royal Army guards like to gather there and make a ruckus.

Using the scuba suit once more, the player can traverse through Route 9 which is composed completely of sea. There are several boats scattered throughout the route, some of which have trainers on board who challenge the player to battles if they get too close. There are also many dive spots which allow the player to dive deep underwater to collect treasure and other valuable items. Besides that, the rest of the route is rather straightforward until they reach the coasts of Dubroville City.

The player eventually arrives in Dubroville City.  As they make their way through the city, the player sees a checkpoint run by Royal Army guards in the northern part of the city. If the player attempts to go past, they are stopped and told that they can go through if they have prior approval, forcing the player to turn back. Talking to the inhabitants of the city reveals that the Royal Army have been a big nuisance to them. They state that the Royal Army is supposed to serve the whole region, but it feels like they have more loyalty to what used to be the Mountain Kingdom. Towards the northeast corner of the city is another checkpoint which leads to the Borderlands. A nearby NPC states that this area is supposed to belong to the city and is a historic battleground area, but that the Royal Army have forced their way in and have repurposed it as their training grounds. They also mention that a lot of people support the new bill being voted on that would disband the army. The player is freely able to leave the city and head south.

The player heads on over to Route 10 and are immediately stopped by Lana. She shows the player her newly acquired Gym badge and challenges the player to a battle. After being defeated, she tells the player that she was going to ask them if they’d like to accompany her through the upcoming Enchanted Forest. After agreeing to join her, Lana heads off towards the end of the route.

The player finds Lana at the entrance of the Enchanted Forest. She explains that she’s heard stories about people getting lost in the forest and admits that she was too scared to go through it alone. The two trainers then navigate through the forest together. If the player attempts to leave the forest through its southern exit, Lana will tell the player that the next Gym is towards the east.

As the player and Lana get closer to the forest’s exit, they see a silhouette of a four-legged creature run through the thick fog. This spooks Lana which sends her running out of the forest and onto the next route. The player then hears a howl afterwards.

The player rushes after Lana after she high-tails it out of the Enchanted Forest. The player makes their way through Route 11 and eventually finds Lana talking to someone towards the end of the route. Lana introduces the person as Trixie, the Gym Leader of Senhala Town. She explains that Trixie saw her running from the Enchanted Forest and helped calm her down. Trixie says that many trainers get lost while going through that forest, so Lana’s reaction was understandable and she’s glad she was able to help her out. Trixie mentions that she needs to go back to her Gym but can’t wait for their challenge.

Lana and the player arrive to Senhala Town together. Lana tells the player that she wants to train up a bit before she battles Trixie but urges the player to go straight to the Gym. She says that they can meet up at the Spring located on the edge of town after their battles. The player is able to immediately challenge Trixie and upon defeating her is awarded their fifth badge.

When the player goes over to the Spring, a thick fog envelops the immediate area. A shadowy figure then appears in the Spring and disappears as the player gets close. Afterwards, both Lana and Trixie walk up to the player, noticing how quick the fog came and went. Trixie reveals that there’s a legend that the King’s trusted Pokémon likes to drink from the Spring as it is rumored to have mystical properties. It summons a fog to keep it from being spotted. She is then shocked to hear from the player that they did see a figure through the fog, similar to the one back in the Enchanted Forest. Trixie then mentions that Gil would love to hear about another sighting and encourages the player to pay him a visit next as his Gym is located just south of here. When she says that they’ll need to double back through the Enchanted Forest, Lana freaks out and offers to tag along with the player again.

The player and Lana double back through Route 11 and the Enchanted Forest. Along the way, Lana mentions how much she’s learned about the region they call home since she started her journey. She reveals that the people back in her hometown of Splitriva are really sheltered. They really don’t venture south towards Zagreburg even though the two cities are close by. Lana wonders if the fact that Splitriva is in what used to be the Mountain Kingdom has anything to do with it.

The player and Lana eventually exit the Enchanted Forest. Lana thanks the player for sticking with her but says that she thinks she can take it from here. Before she goes though, she challenges the player to a battle. After being defeated, she and the player split up leaving the player to traverse Route 12 by themselves. The route itself, although long, is straight-forward. As the player goes deeper into the route, it becomes more densely forested with several lakes and waterfalls sprinkled throughout. Towards the end of the route are a few gates blocking off visitors from what appear to be a few of the bigger lakes.

The player arrives to Pleetviza City and is immediately able to challenge Gil at his gym. Gil is excited to see the player and remarks at how eager he’s been to battle them since their first encounter in Lopacoast. He does mention having just battled a young girl who came and went quickly after obtaining her badge, referring to Lana.

After the battle, Gil is left impressed by the player and offers to show them what he does for research and invites them back to his Lab. At the lab, Gil mentions that the water that comes from the mountains is some of the most mineral-rich in the whole region and that they all flow into several reservoirs close to the city, also known as the Lake District. Gil then goes on to say that unfortunately there have been recent plans to build a dam up north, nearby Naralto Town, which could severely affect the flow of water that this area of the region gets. That is why he’s been working closely with President Josip to figure something out.

One of Gil’s aides then interrupts, frantic about a scene occurring back north in Dubroville City. He says that it appears like a confrontation is occurring between the residents and the Royal Army. Gil apologizes to the player for having to cut their discussion short, but he needs to hurry to get to the city before a full out battle occurs. Gil then rushes out, leaving the player alone in the lab.

After learning of the conflict, the player follows Gil’s lead and heads towards Dubroville City as well. When they arrive, the city is in disarray as members of the Royal Army are seen battling citizens. When talking to other people, the player learns that most of the battling is occurring in the Borderlands, a piece of land towards the edge of the city. The player attempts to make their way through but is constantly confronted by members of the Royal Army and forced to battle. The player eventually arrives to watch Gil, Trixie, and Hawthorne attempting to break up the fighting but are overwhelmed as they are severely outnumbered by Royal Guards. Gil notices the player arriving and asks for back up, leading to several double battles between the player, Gym Leaders, and Royal Army.

Once they defeat a few of the Royal Guards, the fighting is immediately broken up by Drakaina who arrives on the back of her Tyrantrum. She demands to know what the meaning of this is and is told by the Royal Guards that they were just practicing drills when they were attacked by citizens. Other citizens come to the scene and defend themselves by saying that the Royal Army has continuously been provoking them, by setting up a gate leading towards Route 13 and doing training exercises on what is technically their land. After listening to both sides, Drakaina scolds her Royal Guards and apologizes to the people of Dubroville on behalf of the Army. She tells them to run off, but before she leaves, she thanks the Gym Leaders and the players for intervening. She confides in them that tensions have been running high amongst her ranks since the bill was proposed and they’ve decided to act out as a result, which would explain the protesting at the drawbridge and sneaking into Citanik Castle. She promises them all that this won’t happen again and heads off.

Gil and the other Gym Leaders thank the player for the assist and push him to get their final two badges. Gil tells the player that their next stop should be Naralto Town. The player is now able to pass through the previously blocked off gate to go onto Route 13.

The player heads through Route 13 which is littered with several members of the Royal Army. When spoken to they’ll sound upset over being forced to open the gate and the reprimanding they got from Drakaina. Many of them will describe her as ruthless but quite intelligent when it comes to strategy. The player marches on through the route until they come to a fork in the road. The Royal Army is blocking off the path to the left, forcing the player to go left which coincidentally leads into Naralto Town.

The player reaches Naralto Town and the first thing they notice is a man in construction attire standing by a makeshift tent. When approached the man reveals that he’s been contracted to build a dam next to the town. He explains that many of the townsfolk are for it and despite the outcry from the rest of the region he’s been given the go ahead to start. If spoken to, many of the residents talk about how great the dam will help the town and how it’s not fair that the rest of the region benefits from the special waters that originate from their land.

After exploring the town, the player can challenge the gym. They eventually make their way to Chord, the Gym Leader. Chord reveals that he’s heard a lot about the player. He normally prefers to stay out of all the politics in the region but is interested in measuring the abilities of the player. Before they commence the battle, Chord invites the player to a special spot in the town, located behind the gym. He explains that the rock formations help amplify noise and thus powers up all his Pokémon’s sound-based moves. He asks if the player is up for the extra challenge and the battle commences. After claiming victory, the player earns their seventh gym badge.

Chord bids the player farewell as he points in the direction of the eighth and final gym. He does warn that the gym leader is not one to be taken lightly.

The player heads back out towards Route 13. With the Royal Army mostly gone, the player is now able to go west onto Route 14. This route is straightforward except for the small number of Royal Guards still hanging around.

The player arrives on Rijekove City and immediately walks in on a heated conversation between Prof. Douglas and Graham with Millie standing off to the side. The Professor asks his grandson why he’s been avoiding all his calls, that he had to have Millie track him down so that he would have to come talk to him in person. Graham gives the excuse that he’s just been very busy with his research to which Prof Douglas dismisses as this all started shortly after he found out the truth about their family. Graham confesses and admits that it is partly the reason why but keeping the fact that their family is descended from the Royal Family of the region a secret from him is a big deal. Prof. Douglas tries to explain but their conversation is broken up when they notice the player approach. Graham tells his grandfather that he will be at the badlands doing more research on the Crown Fragments and heads off. The professor runs after him.

When the player approaches Millie, she’ll explain that there’s been a bit of drama between the two for some time now. She doesn’t know the full details but remarks that it’s sad seeing them argue as they used to be considerably close. The player can explore the rest of the city before heading off.

The player then heads north and eventually reaches the Hrvatska Badlands. The player finds Prof. Douglas towards the entrance who tells them that Graham refuses to talk to him but asks if the player can keep an eye on him. The professor thanks the player and heads back to the city.

If the player ventures deep enough into the badlands, they’ll find Graham at a dig site. Graham apologizes to the player for witnessing the argument he had with his grandfather. Graham goes more in depth into their relationship, stating that the professor raised him and the whole reason he became a researcher was because of him. Then when it came time to apprentice under him, the professor refused forcing Graham to seek out Gil instead. Through his research, he learned about the Crown Fragments and started digging deeper into it until he eventually found out that he himself was a descendant of the Royal Family. Graham says he’s not sure why the professor would keep that a secret, but that’s where they’re at in their relationship right now. Graham also mentions that he found someone who’s taken an interest in the Crown Fragments and has been helping him but doesn’t say who.

The player continues out of the Hrvatska Badlands and onto Route 15. Nothing of note happens besides the player being challenged to battles by members of the Royal Army. Most if not all of them speak very highly of Drakaina. Some reference a skilled knight who serves as her right-hand person.

The player eventually arrives in Ferropa City. After talking to several of the townspeople, the player can sense a feeling of tension as they learn that the region’s leaders are getting ready to sign the bill that would officially disband the royal army. If the player attempts to enter the city’s gym in order to obtain their final badge, they’ll be told that the gym leader is currently at the King’s Cathedral. When the player arrives, they’ll find it packed with citizens as well as members of the Royal Army. It appears as if a meeting is taking place and at the helm of it is a woman named Katarina who just so happens to be the Gym Leader. She tries to calm the people down who appear distressed at what the signing of the bill would mean for their city. Katarina expresses faith in Drakaina, confident that she’ll be able to sort everything out. After a while, the meeting eventually ends, and the player can finally approach Katarina to challenge her to a battle.

Katarina recognizes the player from all the stories she’s heard about them and accepts their challenge. She also apologizes for the commotion from before, stating that everyone has been on edge lately. She explains that the Royal Army is a source of pride for the people of the city, so the possibility of it being disbanded has everyone feeling very worried. She later leaves the cathedral, and the player is finally granted access to her gym. As the player progresses through the gym, they learn that Katarina and Drakaina grew up together. Both joined the Royal Army, in which Drakaina rose through the ranks to eventually become Commander while Katarina decided to hone her swordsmanship skills, becoming both a Gym Leader and Drakaina’s personal knight in the process. When the player reaches Katarina, the battle is interrupted as both she and the player are informed that the siege on Zagreburg has begun. Katarina apologizes to the player, stating that she wishes they didn’t hear that, but that urgent matters require their attention. She proceeds to walk off, leaving the player alone.

The player immediately receives a call from Gil, urging them to meet him at Poroport Town. When the player arrives, they’ll find Gil, Reggie, Sage, and Hawthorne in front of Reggie’s gym. They’ll immediately be informed that the bill was about to be signed inside the Capitol in Zagreburg City when hordes of units from the Royal Army appeared and began putting the city under siege. They’ve blockaded the city’s southern and eastern gates and made it impossible for anyone to fly in as well. Gil mentions all the incidents they’ve had with the Royal Army in the past, but he just assumed that everything had been taken care of by Drakaina. Either way, he insists that they need to find a way into the city.

Seemingly from out of nowhere, Lana pops up, mentioning that she might know a way in. She reveals that she would use the Catacombs located underneath the city to sneak around and that they could possibly use those to sneak in.

The group ventures over to Zagreburg’s east gate where they see the entrance completely blocked off along with numerous members of the Royal Army keeping watch. Lana says that the entrance to the Catacombs is off to the side, but that they’ll certainly be caught if they all try to go in. The Gym Leaders volunteer to distract the guards, leaving Lana and the player to infiltrate the city.

The player and Lana make their way into the dark underground tunnels located beneath the city. Lana mentions that she hasn’t stepped foot in there in years but has a vague recollection of where to go. After following Lana’s lead for a while, she eventually admits that she thinks they may have gotten lost, leaving the player to lead the way.

Along the way, Lana is still in disbelief that something like this could happen. Growing up in Splitriva City where the Royal Army had a huge presence, she can understand the resistance to the idea of having it disbanded. But she admits that sieging the city is a step too far and hopes to find the reason for all of it.

After spending a fair amount of time traversing the maze-like tunnels, the two reach an exit leading into the heart of the city.

Crawling their way out of the Catacombs, Lana and the player find the city absolutely swarming with Royal Guards.

Formations of Royal Guards are seen marching through the streets. Individual guards are standing in front of buildings and houses in an attempt to keep the citizens from retaliating. The player and Lana are eventually spotted and are forced to battle against the Royal Army as they make their way through the city. Along the way, the Royal Guards reveal how the siege had been carefully planned for a while now.

Lana and the player eventually reach a Pokémon Center where inside are several citizens being kept hostage. They fend off the Royal Guards keeping watch and manage to find Millie among the captives. She thanks both for helping her out and gives an explanation as to what happened to the city. She reveals that she had tagged along with Prof. Douglas as the bill was supposed to be signed that day. She split off from the professor in order to do some errands around the city when suddenly a swarm of Royal Guards charged in and proclaimed that the city was now under their control. To her understanding, the Professor is in the Capitol, and she assumes that Drakaina and President Josip are there as well. She begs the player to find him. Lana offers to help Millie and the citizens evacuate while the player heads to the Capitol.

The player then makes their way towards the Capitol, fending off hordes of Royal Guards along the way. Eventually reaching the building, the player forces themselves inside and finds President Josip and Drakaina having a heated discussion, with Prof. Douglas and other diplomats standing off to the side. President Josip begs Drakaina to have the army stand down and that they can find a reasonable way to settle everything. Drakaina claims that the time for negotiation is over. For a while now, she’s tried to handle the proposition of the bill as diplomatically as possible but after each of her proposals kept being shot down, she was forced to take drastic measures. Drakaina then declares the entire region as under the protection of the Royal Army with herself serving as the undisputed empress.

President Josip is quick to object to her declaration, stating that while she may have control of the Royal Army, she’ll never receive the support of the people of the region. Drakaina shuts him down, claiming that she’s found a way to circumvent that, but before she elaborates any further, she stops short as she notices the player approach. Drakaina tells President Josip that they’ll have to move their discussion elsewhere and she flees the building with the President. Professor Douglas thanks the player for their efforts but says that the situation is far from over. He tells the player that Drakaina most likely took President Josip back to her Palace in Splitriva City. He claims that the Palace is nearly impenetrable and that they’ll need to catch up to her before it’s too late.

As the player and the Professor begin to head out, they are stopped by none other than Graham. He states that he can’t let the two progress any further. Professor Douglas is shown to be very upset and confused, not knowing why his own grandson would choose to side with Drakaina. Graham responds that he’s tired of having been lied to his entire life about his heritage by the professor. He reveals that Drakaina was the one who filled him in that he was a descendant of the last kings of the region. He also says that she’s been the one helping him with his research about the Crown Fragments. And what he learned through his research and is probably the reason why Professor Douglas refused to help him, was that the Fragments fit together to form the Monarch’s Crown. The Crown worn by the historical rulers of the region gave the wearer complete control of the mysterious Legendary Pokémon. Graham states that Drakaina told him that if she helped him reassemble the Crown, she’d be capable of restoring the monarchy and naming him the King of the Croatas region.

Professor Douglas attempts to reason with his grandson, claiming that he’s being played by Drakaina and that she has no intention of passing on the power onto him. Graham pushes back, stating that he’s tired of being fed lies and challenges the player to a battle.

After losing, he says that his job was just to stall for time and manages to escape from the Capitol. When the player and professor step outside, they find the Royal Army retreating towards the north gate as they leave the city.

The professor is left distraught, and he and the players are soon joined by the Gym Leaders, including Sandy, and Lana. When they are filled in on what happened, Gil takes responsibility for Graham’s heel turn to which the professor interjects. He claims that it was his mistake for sheltering him from the truth all this time. He further explains that only blood relatives of the Royal Family can fully use the Monarch’s Crown. In order to keep the power of the Legendary Pokémon away from the wrong hands, it was decided to keep the lineage of any descendants of the Royal Family a secret. Professor Douglas then turns to the players and pleads to them to help Graham see the light as well as rescuing President Josip from Drakaina’s clutches.

The Gym Leaders appear worried that Drakaina was behind this plot all along, as considering she’s the region’s strongest trainer, taking her down is not going to be easy. Gil mentions that he will go to the Pokémon League and tells the Gym Leaders to help fortify both Zagreburg and Dubroville in case the Royal Army tries to attack again. When Lana asks what she and the player can do, they’re told to stay put until Gil comes back from the League.

After everyone disperses, Lana tells the player that she can’t sit by and do nothing while the whole region goes into chaos. She asks the player to come with her to her hometown of Splitriva. Before they leave the city, they’re stopped by the professor. He warns them of the danger they’re putting themselves in but asks that if they run into Graham to please talk some sense into him.

The player, along with Lana, continues in their pursuit of the Royal Army after their retreat from Zagreburg City. The route up north is crawling with Royal Guards and littered with stockades and watch towers, making traversal without being seen very difficult. After some battles, Lana eventually guides the player through a path allowing them to make it into Splitriva City undetected.

The player and Lana eventually make it inside the city. They immediately take refuge inside Lana’s home where the player is introduced to Lana’s parents. They learn that unlike most of the city’s residents, Lana’s parents don’t support the Royal Army and were the ones who encouraged Lana to leave for her Pokémon journey. They also inform the player and Lana that the whole city has gone into lockdown ever since Drakaina returned from Zabreburg and there’s been whispers that she and President Josip are held up in the Palace. Lana explains that they can’t just walk straight up to the front doors due to all the security. She does, however, think that they may be able to get in through a secret entrance in the Splitriva Waterfront.

The two eventually make their way to the Waterfront without being sighted by the Royal Guards. Upon arriving, they see that there is not much of a presence of Royal Guards. Thus, Lana is able to lead the player to an underground canal that should lead them directly to the Palace. Before they can enter, they’re finally spotted by a Royal Guard who is quick to alert their presence to the rest of the Army. Lana tells the player to proceed without her, as she’ll stall to give the player enough time to successfully infiltrate the Palace. The player continues without Lana and eventually arrives inside, but without a guide, needs to find their way around the Palace alone.

After wandering around for a while and battling any Royal Guards they encounter, the player finds what is known as the Royal Armory. Inside, they encounter Katarina once again who is shocked to see that the intruder she was told about is actually the player. She apologizes to the player for getting them caught up in all this “grown up business”. She explains that since childhood, both she and Drakaina were indoctrinated into the Royal Army and that their role of keeping peace throughout the region was something that really inspired the two of them. When the bill to disband the army was introduced, Drakaina knew that she had to do everything in her power to preserve the thing she loved so much. Katarina then asks the player if they intend to stop Drakaina and when the player says ‘yes’ she challenges them to their awaited battle.

When defeated, Katarina acknowledges the player’s strength, and in lieu of a Gym Badge, tells the player that Drakaina and Graham left the Palace in search of the Legendary Pokémon who’s said to rest on top of the Sienna Alps.

Once Katarina is defeated, the player chases Drakaina and Graham north, past Route 17 and onto the Sienna Alps. Along the way, the player is once again forced to battle any Royal Guards they come across. The entrance at the base of the mountains is blocked off by Guards, but after defeating them, they reveal that the legendary Pokémon resting at the summit of the mountain used to aid the people of the Mountain Kingdom during times of war.

Once the player moves past the guards, they begin their arduous climb towards the top. The mountain itself is free of members of the Royal Army, but the journey is still difficult due to the rugged terrain and strong Pokémon. Along the way, the player notices the silhouette of a creature flying through the sky, circling the peak. When the player reaches the summit, they find a crystal-clear spring alongside what appears to be a temple or shrine.  They also find Drakaina and Graham standing in front of the spring.

As the player moves closer, they are able to tell that Graham has something in his hands, the Monarch’s Crown. He puts it on his head, and it begins to glow a bright white. Noticing the player, he tells them that it is too late and that he is about to fulfill his birthright, what his ancestors always intended. He moves into the spring, submerging most of his body until the water begins to glow as well. Graham calls out to the sky and after a moment, a large two-headed bird Pokémon crashes down between the player and Graham. Graham introduces the creature as Falcorona, the legendary Pokémon. Drakaina stands to the side as she watches Graham challenge the player once more.

Graham battles the player again, this time using Falcorona on his team but still loses. After falling on his knees, unable to understand how he could lose despite having the power of the legendary Pokémon on his side, he is suddenly pushed into the spring with the Crown being snatched from his head. Drakaina is shown with the Monarch’s Crown placed on her head, still glowing. Falcorona screeches at Drakaina, but she manages to calm it down, leaving Graham and the player shocked at how she has control over it. Graham, upset at the betrayal, says that only people with royal lineage are capable of using the Crown to which Drakaina explains that it is only required to activate it. Once it is activated, it’s fair for anyone in its possession to use. Drakaina tells Graham that although he was useful in helping research and recover all the Crown Fragments, his role in her plans are now over. She emphasizes his loss to the player, stating that no true king would mishandle the power of the legendary Pokémon like he did.

Drakaina then reveals that her ultimate plan is for her Army to invade the rest of the region, using the power of Falcorona to help her do it. Seeing the reaction the rest of the region had towards the bill regarding disbanding the Royal Army, she’s aware that the people of Croatas will not willingly subject to her rule and thus she’ll have to do it by force. She then gets on Falcorona and flies away, leaving the player and a disheartened Graham alone, until Graham leaves without saying a word.