Johto (joe-toe)
Geography
The Johto region, like its neighboring region, [Kanto], has a temperate climate. However, Johto's climate is a bit wetter than that of Kanto's.
Johto is notably more rural than the Kanto region, which leans more towards to the urban side. The region has an abundance of water to the west and south, with Cianwood City most likely being on a separate landmass. However, Johto is still dominated by land. The western parts of the region are mainly low-lying and forested and contain most of the region's population. Johto's ultra-modern Goldenrod City is found in the heart of the region, on the coast. It is the technological, industrial, and economic area of the Johto region. Due to its centralized position in the region, many smaller but important cities and towns connect to the city. There is one large mountain range encompassing almost the entire eastern half of the region, which separates Kanto and Johto and contains Mt. Silver. Blackthorn City is nestled deep between the mountains and is very unique because it is a city for Dragon Tamers.
History
1,500 years before modern times, the place now known as the Ruins of Alph was built in Johto, and the earliest known system for writing—the modern Latin alphabet—was developed. Although no one knows exactly who built the Ruins of Alph, research indicates that the people in question were an ancient civilization that wished to co-exist with the enigmatic Unown that bear great similarity to the alphabet letters. Not only did that tribe impart messages on the ruins' walls describing the Unown, but they also erected a Pokémon statue for an unknown reason.
At some point later, outsiders began to gather near the ruins. As the Unown were timid creatures, they rejected contact with anyone but the clan that protected them. To ensure the Unown's well being, the Ruins of Alph's inhabitants decided to leave the region, but not without devising complicated puzzles so that one day the Unown could be summoned again. As for the clan, their quest led them to a mountain far to the north, where they met another group of people who had hailed from the Spear Pillar. Together, the two groups built a temple in honor of Arceus, which incorporated elements from both the Ruins of Alph and the Spear Pillar; this collaboration probably has to do with the underlying relationship between Arceus and the Unown. The temple, too, has since been left in ruins and its lowest floor is now known as the Sinjoh Ruins; however, the ritual of honoring Legendary Pokémon through dance circulated back to Johto, specifically to Ecruteak City.
Approximately 700 years before modern times, the people of Ecruteak built two nine-tier towers with the hopes of fostering friendship and hope between Pokémon and humans. They were the Brass Tower in the west, which was said to awaken Pokémon, and the Bell Tower in the east, where Pokémon were said to rest. Both towers became the roost of powerful flying Pokémon: Lugia and Ho-Oh, respectively. It is unknown what made the residents revere Lugia and Ho-Oh, but a separate tale indicates that Lugia had previously had an encounter with the people of Johto when it stopped a war on the Whirl Islands, which were a single island at that time.
The burned Brass Tower
The towers stood strong for about 550 years, when a lightning bolt struck the Brass Tower. It was engulfed in flames that raged for three days. A sudden downpour finally put out the blaze, but it had already burnt to the ground. Three nameless Pokémon perished in the fire, but Ho-Oh descended from the sky and resurrected them. The revived Pokémon were made to embody three powers: the lightning that struck the tower, the fire that burned the tower, and the rain that put out the fire. When the Pokémon appeared, they struck terror in those who saw their rise. The three Pokémon, knowing their own power, fled, running like the wind off into Johto's grassland. Similarly, both Lugia and Ho-Oh flew away at the sight of the growing distance between people and Pokémon; while they never returned to Ecruteak, they yearned for a person to touch the hearts and souls of Pokémon once more.
Around these times other, smaller events occurred. 500 years before modern days, the Cianwood City Pharmacy, the world's oldest pharmacy, was built. Around 400 years ago, Azalea Town in Johto was struck by a long-term drought wave; after bringing the rain back once again by yawning, Slowpoke gained an honorable position in that town.
Tourism
Johto features some unique and scenic landmarks, whether they be natural or man-made. It prides itself towards mythology and tradition features, with most of the buildings, towers, caves, and locations holding a historical background. Some of the oldest places in Johto, even the Pokémon world, include the Ruins of Alph, Sprout Tower, Bell Tower, Burned Tower, and the Slowpoke Well.
The Ruins of Alph, located in central Johto, is the threshold to an ancient civilization that first contacted the Unown, and became the base of which the first system for writing was formed. The Ruins of Alph have said to have been around for at least 1500 year before modern times which makes it one of the first known structures built in the history of Pokémon. As of today, the ruins are being researched by scientists and are able to be visited as a tourist attraction by visitors.
The two towers of Ecruteak City which include the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower are oldest towers in the Pokémon world, dating back to 700 years ago. The two nine-tier towers were built to foster friendship and hope between Pokémon and people and the view from the top of the towers was said to be magnificent. The towers attracted many people to the city, until about 150 years ago, a lightning bolt struck the western tower, engulfing it in flames, burning the tower down. The towers are surrounded in mystery, and are said to be home to Legendary Pokémon, however, at this present point, only the ruins of the Burned Tower can be explored by Trainers, and the Bell Tower is off limits to most people.
Another famous historic location is the Sprout Tower, located in northern Violet City. The Sprout Tower is a tiered tower with multiple eaves, and much like the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower, it is constructed solely out of wood, creating a multi-story effect. Surrounding the tower is a beautiful lake in the center of Violet City, hosting several architectural bridges making its way across the water. Sprout Tower is dedicated to the gentle and peaceful nature of Bellsprout. The giant spine-like pillar located in the center of the tower acts as a support for the old tower structure, and it even protects the tall tower from sudden earthquakes. It is said that the main swaying pillar was, in fact, once a 100-foot-tall Bellsprout. Spout Tower is four stories tall. The ground floor is much like a visitors floor, where tourists come to see the unique style of which the tower was formed. There are three other upper levels, which are dedicated to Pokémon Training; monks who study diligently and train their gentle Bellsprout come to teach that all living beings coexist through cooperation.
Johto also features several different kinds of natural caves and mountains including Mt. Mortar, Mt. Silver, Dark Cave, Ice Path, Cliff Cave, and Union Cave. Mt. Mortar is a cave complex that travels through Johto's northernmost mountain range. It is known by Trainers to be a confusing maze-like area with an interior cave known as the Waterfall Cave. Mt. Mortar has three entrances and is huge inside, one of the largest of all caves in the Johto. It has four floors, and its high Pokémon-encounter rate makes getting lost very costly. It has Surfable waterways, Waterfalls, Strength puzzles, and multiple levels. Dark Cave travels through central Johto, and although the dark caves run beneath the surface of the region, the mountain range is large and a barrier between areas of the region. Mt. Silver, in the east, is also quite large and complex splitting the two regions of Kanto and Johto in half, housing many powerful Pokémon, and it is where the most skilled Trainers train their Pokémon. Another natural landmark in Johto is Ilex Forest located just west of Azalea Town. The forest's trees are so close together that all light is blocked out, and the forest seems to be in a perpetual night.
Some famous man-made landmarks include the Goldenrod Radio Tower, Battle Frontier, Pokéathlon Dome, and Safari Zone. The Goldenrod Radio Tower is a five-story tower located next to the Magnet Train station in downtown Goldenrod City. The radio tower broadcasts numerous programs daily, the most prominent of such being Professor Oak's Pokémon Talk and Buena's Password. For a short period time the tower fell victim to the clutches of Team Rocket, during which time none of the normal broadcasts were aired. The Battle Frontier, Pokéathlon Dome, and Safari Zone are all recently built attractions which provide entertainment and fun for tourists, allowing visitors to participate in activities and rides which require the help of Pokémon to complete.
Although the Johto region prides itself on the beach and some of its sea-side towns, the region has very few aquatic landmarks. The Lake of Rage is the region's most prominent water attraction, said to have been a smoking crater until it filled with rainwater. The lake is home to the world-famous red Gyarados. Because of this irritable Pokémon, the lake was marked a dangerous place to go, since the Gyarados started tipping over boats and scaring swimmers. Another famous water landmark is the Whirl Islands. Named after the dangerous whirlpools that surround them, the Whirl Islands are four islands between Olivine and Cianwood City that are connected by a maze-like cavernous structure under the water's surface. It is said that at the heart of the caves a Legendary Pokémon can be found.
Type
Region
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments