FLYING SWORD SCHOOL

Category: Martial arts school (and small village surrounding the school)
Owner: Finnegan Yang
Location: Fortree City
Description:
Flying Sword School is two things. Firstly, it's the name of a martial arts school that specialises in swordplay. Secondly, it's a small satellite village on the edge of Fortree City, to which the School gives its name. Flying Sword School sits on the border of the City, right where the tall grass of Hoenn's wilds begins thickening into Fortree's signature dense growth. Unlike Fortree City itself, one can see the sky big and clear from here.

Front and centre, one sees the village's anchor location: the School's main hall and a huge stone quadrangle. This is where most students spend their time and where the locals gather for important activities. The more advanced a student gets - and the closer they get to their teachers - the further inwards they go into the hall.

Flying Sword School is run by the Yangs, the chief family of the village. Consequently, the Yangs often refer to themselves, the school and the village interchangeably as "the clan". Its current headmaster, bearing the title Master Flying Sword - and thus also village patriarch - is Finnegan Yang .

Relevant Links: Lore and aesthetics thread

Abomason Snow Cones

Category: snow cone stand
Owner: operated by a singular NPC who had the shock of their lives when Lars bought the entire stand for the duration of the Hoenn ☆ Tournament some time ago and decided to keep the business afloat; owned by Laurence Anderson
Location: Slateport Beach
Description: A simple, nondescript stand that trundles around Slateport Beach selling snow cones—and ever since he’d acquired it, legitimate AQUA initiative merch featuring the saltiest Head Ranger alive!

(Just ask the stand owner for the merchandise category, pay for your purchase, and the delivery would be made as soon as possible. Word on the beach is that the ‘nendoroid’ is the most popular piece, because of the accompanying Articuno mini-figurine)
Lore: For the duration of said tournament, there was no other way to spin it—Lars needed a way to keep himself (and the patron deity who shares his headspace) calm throughout the hottest months of the year.

At that time, the Hoenn ☆ Tournament was happening, he happened to chance by this singular stand selling snow cones, and at the time (for an undisclosed sum) he’d bought the entire stand’s stock of snow cones for that day.

The stand owner wasn’t exactly expecting him to seek the stand out for each and every day that the event was running and buy out their entire stock every single day until the end of summer, therefore saving their business (and making said stand well-known in the process).

Due to this, he had struck a deal with the owner of the stand—that he’d purchase the snow cone stand, however the original owner would keep most of the profit—Lars is the main (and only) investor.

MAUVILLE RACING GROUNDS

Category: Sports Venue & Riding/Racing Academy
Owner: Josh Devlin
Location: Mauville City
Description: A sprawling facility located just outside Mauville City limits, its office building is located on the very northernmost street in the city proper, on the west side of town. While it receives public funding by virtue of also being Mauville City Gym, Josh has also registered it as an independent business to maintain its identity in the event he must step down as Gym Leader.

In addition to taking Gym challenges, Josh offers classes for people who want to learn to ride their Pokémon. He has a plethora of advice for riders of all skill levels: beginners, intermediates, experts, and even masters can learn from him. He also has courses for those looking to get into Pokémon racing, which focus more on drawing the maximum speed from a Pokémon, pacing a Pokémon for a race, and so forth. There is no better place in Hoenn to learn controlling a Pokémon mount, so saddle up, hold on, and don't yell! And remember: With great speed comes great responsibility.

The office is three stories tall; the bottom story is a lobby and waiting area for challengers and classes awaiting Josh to arrive. The middle story is a traditional gym (not a Pokémon one) that features a small cafeteria and lounge for trainers, students, and faculty to relax, though food is not served there. The third story features Josh's personal office, where he does much of the bookwork Gym Leaders are required to personally complete to maintain their Gyms. The Gym's interior decor features predominant electric yellows, sky blues, and storm purples and grays, with many artists' depictions of the legendary Pokémon Raikou scattered about its walls. The basement is the facility's data center, and access is restricted to the Gym Leader himself and his tech staff. The entire facility's interior seems to be a giant love letter to Raikou.

The back of the facility, surrounded by a tall fence to prevent all but the most adept Pokémon from jumping over it, is enormous and sprawling. It is divided into seven Sectors.

Main Sector: This Sector features all of Josh's battle facilities, as well as the SPLIT OVAL, the most basic race course on the entire grounds. A set of bleachers facing a scoreboard gives those who purchase season passes a place to view the Gym Leader's battles. The main battle court is a wide-open grass field that is three times the standard size of a typical battle court, giving Pokémon plenty of room to run, but little room to hide. Surrounding it is an ovaloid race course with a similarly-shaped channel on the outside for water Pokémon to use. While it is not used for Josh's Gym Challenges, it is regularly used by beginning students.

Sector 1: Located in the southeast corner of the grounds, this Sector is a sprawling grassland with a few hills, several of the facility's easiest Overland courses are here, though there is one noteworthy exception.

SPOILER: Click to show

Twist Road
Description: The easiest course Josh uses for his Gym Challenge, it only features one turn with a bend greater than 90 degrees, and has a mostly wide road for extra forgiveness. Though a bridge spans the river crossing for the first lap, it is retracted for the second and third laps, necessitating uses of QUICK ATTACK from slower Pokémon. The Aerial course has a mandatory inversion on the home stretch, making racers briefly fly upside down.
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial

Surface Slide
Description: One of the tougher 2-star Overland courses, this features a tricky jump not far from the starting line to a narrow landing zone, some semi-blind curves, and two long left-turns that can be difficult to hold.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland

Screw Mound
Description: Shaped more like a banana than a screw, this course has mostly long, gentle curves, with exception of two hairpin turns on its north and south ends. They both feature very wide lanes, giving racers plenty of room to make slower turns if need be.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial

Spiral
Description: The second most difficult land course on the Racing Grounds and the longest as well, its 3-lap record is nearly eight minutes. Spiral tests every skill imaginable: jumps, long turns, blind turns, sharp angles, difficult terrain... you name it, it's probably there. It is not a course for the faint of heart, reserved for challengers with many, many Badges.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★
Race types: Overland

Sector 2: Located in the east-central section of the grounds, this Sector is where most of the facility's Aquatic courses are, with a nearby river feeding the channels comprising the courses. Some parts of the courses even run through the river itself.

SPOILER: Click to show

Multiplex
Description: The location of the pilot race for Hoenn's Silph Cup, this course has a little of everything: jumps, 180-degree turns, rough terrain, and even a minefield of EGG BOMBS to avoid on the backstretch. Channels run along the entire outside of the Overland course to serve as the Aquatic course. The Aerial version of the course requires Pokémon to fly sideways for extended periods of time.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aquatic, Aerial

Switchback
Description: This river course has a long straightaway to get Pokémon up to speed, but the rough waves and the winding curves on its second half will keep even the most well-handling water Pokémon on top of their game. A ramp near the end allows for a high-risk, high-reward shortcut to be taken.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aquatic

Ordeal
Description: A replica of the most treacherous course at Fortree Gym, this course is full of altitude changes, angled dives, wicked switchbacks, and inversions that challenge even seasoned racers. It is the second most difficult Aerial course at the facility. There is also an Aquatic adaptation.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Aquatic, Aerial

Loop Cross
Description: A mostly straight course for speedy flying Pokémon, the first half of the course features a long, spiraling turn, two mandatory loop-de-loops, and a lengthy inversion.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aerial

Sector 3: Located in the northeast section of the grounds, this Sector is filled with mountainous and rugged terrain. Featuring at times odd terrain and elevation changes, many of Josh's Aerial-only courses are located back there. Sector 3 is also the location of the Gym's Operations Center, a building for stage managers and power operators.

SPOILER: Click to show

Dragon Slope
Description: The most difficult aerial course at the facility, its claim to fame is the sheer altitude differences it boasts, its titular obstacle spanning from the mountain's highest peak to its lowest valley. It is not uncommon for especially fast Pokémon to break the sound barrier with boost-powered dives here.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Aerial

Multi Jump
Description: This rectangular mountain course features four 90-degree turns and eight jumps, many of which can be used to attempt to cut corners.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Overland

Dangerous Steps
Description: While the blind curves of the tunneled section of this mountain course can be dangerous, this course's true peril comes from the rapid series of stepping leaps on the backstretch. Too much speed, and a Pokémon can sail over the next step and off the course entirely. While large safety nets are strung near the steps to catch Pokémon that fall, being eliminated from the race can sting more than the pain of an accident.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland

Lateral Shift
Description: The most unique course at the Racing Grounds, this design features lanes that open and close, requiring racers to shift back and forth as appropriate. Failure to do so will cause Pokémon to run or fly off the track and cause eliminations.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial

Sector 4: Located in the northwest section of the grounds, this Sector is located in the foothills of Sector 3, and features often hilly, but not mountainous, terrain. Many of the more difficult Overland courses are located here.

SPOILER: Click to show

Wave Panic
Description: This course takes full advantage of the hilly nature of Sector 4's terrain. Not a single flat spot exists on this course outside of the home stretch, making Pokémon constantly battle uneven ground.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Overland

Aero Dive
Description: This simple course, long but full of light turns and small jumps, is a favorite of incredibly speedy Pokémon due to an enormous leap on the backstretch. Pokémon take several seconds to reach the bottom from the top, and come out of it well above their normal top speeds. Maintaining control can be quite a challenge!
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial

Undulation
Description: Recently rerated in difficulty after Josh Dragomir 's Gym Challenge, this course's mogul-like sections of terrain are extremely unpredictable to Pokémon. With daring jumps to cut corners also possible, no lead is safe here.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland

Serial Gaps
Description: One of the most feared Overland courses on the facility, this course's nearly constantly changing elevation and frequent jumps require intense concentration to navigate. There is even a short tunnel section with a small minefield of EGG BOMBS to dodge. One false move can lead to an early exit from the race.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Overland

Sector 5: Located in the west-central section of the grounds, this Sector is home to the more challenging Aquatic courses, though there are Aerial ones, as well. This Sector features a myriad of wet environments, and the Overland courses her can be quite slick as a result.

SPOILER: Click to show

Drift Highway
Description: One of the easiest two-star courses on the property, it is often booked for practice because it is perfect for Pokémon to practice drifting turns. It would be a one-star course if it weren't for an out-of-place, narrow chicane that gives many racers fits and has ruined many a time trial.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aquatic, Aerial

Intersection
Description: One lap on this triangle-shaped course feels like two, an enormous, undulating tube cutting through the backstretch. This tube must be flown around in a slalom pattern when racers arrive at the second half of the course.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Aerial

Double Branches
Description: This meandering river course has several forks that mirror one another, giving racers preference whether they handle left or right turns better. It is the longest Aquatic course on the properly, its three-lap record well over five minutes long.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Aquatic

Snake Waterway
Description: By far the most difficult aquatic course on the Racing Grounds, it is narrow and features mostly winding, nonstop turns. No two curves are the same, and even the few straightaways there are on the backstretch have their waters churned like a wave pool.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★
Race types: Aquatic

Sector 6: Located in the southwest section of the grounds, this Sector consists primarily of dry, wasteland-type terrain, and features some of the most difficult courses on the facility.

SPOILER: Click to show

Corkscrew
Description: This course is similar to Screw Mound in that it is defined by two hairpin turns, but this one has the added difficulty of a mandatory inversion in its straightaway halfway through the course, as well as a narrow backstretch that makes passing challenging.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aerial

Quick Turn
Description: By far the shortest course in terms of pure distance, its incredibly tight and rapid turns make it a favorite of Pokémon with wonderful grip.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland

Thunder Road
Description: Josh's favorite course on the property, this course features many wide, right angle turns in the shape of lightning bolts. He often reserves this course for days when thunderstorms are passing through the area, and loves bringing electric Pokémon here.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Overland

Slim-Line Slits
Description: The most difficult race course in all of Hoenn. This track frequently splits into two halves so narrow that rubbing walls and terrain is almost an inevitability. There are also lane shifts much like in the Lateral Shift course, where running off the track and being disqualified is a real threat. Even surviving three laps around this course without being eliminated from the race is an accomplishment.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★ (flashing)
Race types: Overland

Relevant Links: Mauville City Gym - Currently hiring! If you are interested in a position, please DM me on Discord!

ZOOASIS MEDICAL SPECIALISTS

Category: Pokemon Clinic
Owner: Aubre McKenna-Settentrione, NPC
Location: Slateport (close to Mauville)
Description: Aubre and her fellow doctors have banded together to create a clinic that provides more long-term care. They also serve as a refuge for orphaned and damaged Pokemon. The clinic hosts speakers on the adjoining property and sometimes offers free Pokemon care classes. Its most impressive feature is the oasis out back where many wild Pokemon are released to recuperate. Aubre specializes in flying and water-type Pokemon. Dog and fire-type Pokemon are not allowed. Many of the staff are independent Pokemon.

ADEBAYO HOLDINGS

Category: Multinational Consumer Goods Company [+ New Tech Wing]
Owner: Ozni Adebayo
Location: Rustboro
Description: After years of bad blood with Hoenn, Oz has reopened the local branch. The building took over a large skyscraper. It's changed a lot since its current owner took over. The culture is much more akin to a technology company these days. Civilians are allowed to eat at the food court. There are robots abound and plenty of interesting start-ups under the roof. He's currently trying to develop a Pokemon translator. A recent logo change swapped out their boring old mascot for a more hip, new-school Furret. The basement is home to a maker's lab, though you'll catch him messing with stuff sometimes.
Relevant Links: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/30110/right-hand-wo-man-rivals

SOKOLOV INVESTIGATIONS

Category: Detective Agency
Owner: Nikita Sokolov
Location: Slateport City
Description: Owned by a famous detective (think Sherlock Holmes), Sokolov Investigations is a common stop on celebrity tours. Inside, you won't find papers but a space full of metal, bright glass, and the latest in technology. A covered whiteboard serves as the space for its namesake's notes. What cases he takes on seems to vary day to day. While once known for being susceptible to tears, he is much harder than old stories imply. While he charges a lot for annoying clients, he will sometimes offer services on a pro-bono basis.
Relevant Links: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/30632/apple-private-eye

KASUMI’S EATERY

Category: Restaurant
Owner: shinobu fujimori
Location: Lilycove
Description: Looking for a good place to feel at home? With Kasumi’s cozy atmosphere one can close their eyes and almost imagine they’re at home. From another region and feel homesick? Well Kasumi’s is the place for you. Known for selling cuisine from other regions to cater to everyone of course they’ll also serve local cuisine for the locals.
Relevant Links: pkmn-hoenn.boards.net/thread/34839/kasumi-eatery

Iron Lady Forge

Category: Bladesmithing and blacksmithing shop

Owner: Aurelie Lefevre

Location: Lilycove City

Description: Located several blocks from the famous Lilycove City department store, the Iron Lady Forge offers high-quality, hand-forged bladed goods for everyday use, as well as custom orders for specialized pieces. In the shop, customers can buy fixed-blade knives, folding knives, kitchen tools (ranging from knives and cleavers to utensils, pots and pans, and tongs), scissors, gardening implements, axes, hatchets, and other hardware crafted from stainless and high-carbon steel. The shop also provides knife-sharpening services, as well as knife handles and sheaths.

All goods on sale are strictly intended to be used as tools, not weapons, though for the right customer (specifically, current Rocket members), Aurelie is more than willing to take secret commissions for more unique, challenging, and dangerous creations that truly test her metalsmithing skills and creativity.

Relevant Links: Full details can be found in the Iron Lady Forge business page.

CROWNSHEAD STAG

Category: Restaurant
Owner: NPC (But open to claim if anyone wants it!)
Location: Sootopolis
Description: A hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves authentic Galarian food! I've mentioned it in passing a few times IC of Temp picking up food from there. it's small and homey with that kind of cluttered and chipped feel you only get with family run places. The food is more home cooking style rather than fancy; so it's cheap and filling while still being delicious! I don't have much in mind for it otherwise so feel free to expand on any lore for it!

If you choose to claim this place as your own or make a character fill for it, you don't have to tell me! I just request they are a Galar native!
Relevant Links: I imagine it has this kind of vibe inside!

BOTHWELL APOTHECARY

Category: A 'pharmacy' specializing in hand-crafted and special-ordered poisons, venom, and toxins... as well as soaps, fragrances, knick-knacks, and a rotating assortment of baked goods. (OOCly, Cyg will eventually be running Viktor League of legends' her body-modding hub out of it, too.)
Owner: ana fell
Location: Downtown Sootpolis (so atm serving Rockets and low-key/unaffiliated Leaguers only)
Description: Description!
Relevant Links: Wanted link above, how it started

PRIMARINA STUDIO DESIGNS

category: fashion company / boutique
owner: mila alexopoulos
location: mauville city
description: PRIMARINA is well-known in hoenn for providing first class service to members of the elite — should someone want a new item to add to their collection, or an entire new wardrobe, this is the place to be. of course, provided you have the cash. for decades, the fashion boutique have been where designers send their top-quality clothing to be worn by hoenn's elite class — whether it to be display the fashion season's current lineup, a new splash of color to one's wardrobe, or a complete do-over. the stylists who work there are experienced, polite and most importantly, equipped with a keen eye for fashion. it was previously owned by MADAME DUPONT who passed away in the wake of METENO 99943. investors were surprised to find the deed in the hands of one mila alexopoulos . how will the boutique fare under new ownership? only time will tell.

Relic Red

Category: Clothing Store
Owner: Mirabella Fontaine
Location: Mauville City
Description: This Clothing store only currently open to public. It combines the trendiest fashion known through out the region with the zest and elegant that could only found in Kalos region. There something for everyone gangster or noble. If not please don't despair Relic Red take customs commissions for a light free of course . Please enjoy yourself at Relic Red. As our motto goes "Paint the town Red!"
Relevant Links: TBA will add link to want Ad Soon