Poke-fanclub

[Reference sheets can be submitted at any time until the end of Round 1]
First round: Thu May 6th - Mon June 14th
Second Round: Thu June 17- Mon July 12th
Third Round: Thu July 15 - Mon Aug 9th
Fourth Round: Thu Aug 12th - Mon Sept 6th

Hey everyone!
Welcome new members!

What are your plans for this summer? Are you already filling the days with trips and obligations, or do you intend to take each day as it comes, and see what happens...? Either way, the Poke-fanclub has a project for you. Or rather, an adventure...

We're pleased to officially announce the PokeVenture!

The PokeVenture is a storytelling contest, similar to that of an original character tournament (OCT). There will be four rounds, each at least a month long where entrants will create a story (mainly in comic form, but entries may be written, or submitted as a series of illustrations, etc.) with the help of optional prompts from each round!

Unlike a tournament, there will be no eliminations, but winners will be determined on the amount of EVs earned along the way, given at each round based on storytelling, creativity and execution!

Everyone can win if they complete all four rounds. However, you will be disqualified if you do not hand in an entry for any round, so please manage your time wisely! You will still receive EVs for the entries you did complete, don't worry!

Submissions can be any length or medium, comic format,  written, or series of illustrations, so long as the story is clear. This does mean everything needs to be in English! Please make a note if English is not your primary language.

The first step on your journey is to fill out a reference sheet for your character, (see more info on qualified characters below, in the Characters and Backstories section!). You need your reference up before you can enter with your first Round entry-- that way other participants can meet your character on their journey!

Here's how it'll play out!

Round 1: Reference sheets and first round entries are due June 14th!
Mandatory Prompt: "Chapter 1: You arrive or show why your characters are at the Team Rocket Headquarters in Celadon City!"

Round 2: Participants will be paired up with one another! Optional but encouraged prompt! Deadline: July 12th.

Round 3: Participants will be paired up with a second time!  Optional but encouraged prompt! Deadline: Aug 9th.

Round 4: Take the last round to conclude your story, however you like! Deadline: Sept 6th

Further Round Prompts!  (If you would rather wait till the round that the prompt is announced, don't click the link!)
Table of Contents

Before you submit your first round entry, fill out an official PokeVenture Reference Sheet!


You are allowed a secondary support character, but they need a reference sheet too. If that character is a Trainer that is important to your Pokemon's story, this is the other sheet to fill out!


If you cannot draw, we now have a written reference sheet!


Make sure you submit your completed sheets to the PokeVenture gallery folder: poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/ga…
We also have a folder for PV-related fanart, gifts, or extras: poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/ga…

Pairing -- In rounds 2 and 3, you will be paired randomly with the characters of other members who have entered. In these rounds you must introduce and include each other's characters into your story, in any way you like! You will be judged on how well you utilize the characters' interactions! The pairings will be random, but you may request to be paired with someone specifically. (To do so, both of you need to send a note to the club stating that you want to be paired for Round 2 or Round 3 (you may choose two partners).)

Cameo -- You are welcome to cameo as few or as many PokeVenture characters as you want in your entries, so long as you do not lose focus of your own story. This is optional, not to be confused with Rounds 2 and 3 respectively, where you will be paired with another character that you must meet, although the circumstances of this are entirely up to you.

Evolution -- Evolution is allowed during the course of your story! However, this does mean filling out a whole new reference sheet before the end of that round, so please keep this in mind when planning ahead. ^^

  Entries must be from a Pokemon's point of view! This doesn't necessarily mean from the Pokemon's literal eye, but that your Pokemon must be the main character and focus rather than any human characters they may be attached to or encounter. You may have a Trainer along with your Pokemon, certainly, but your story must be following the Pokemon. (This also means that if you like, you can show Pokemon speaking to each other, as in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon!)

Trainers are optional; the focus should be on your Pokemon character and told from the Pokemon's point of view. To be fair, if you do use a trainer, we are limiting them to only that one Pokemon (think of your companion Pokemon in Heart Gold and Soul Silver).  If you really can't do without one other, please ask the staff.

  No canon characters are permitted.  This means that the character you enter with cannot be an official character from the games, anime, manga, etc.  This activity is to exercise your storytelling muscles, and a part of this is creating a character of your own!

  No legendary characters are permitted.  Since there is only one legendary, the same rules apply here as for canon characters, not to mention that a legendary Pokemon is far more powerful than others, which may give your character an unfair advantage.  Legendaries Include: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Mew, Suicune, Raikou, Entei, Luiga, Ho-oh, Celebi, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Latios, Latias, Deoxys, Jirachi, Dialga, Palkia, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Cresselia, Darkrai, Heatran, Regigigas, Giratina, Manaphy, Shaymin, and Arceus.

  Along the same lines, your character cannot have an extensive relationship with a canon character or legendary Pokemon.  This means that even if your character is a Phione, it cannot be more than an acquaintance with Manaphy, and even if your character is a Lucario, it cannot be great friends with Cynthia.  We can be more lenient with Pokemon Professors since so many trainers and Pokemon must meet them, but this idea of this rule is to keep things less complicated: if your character was raised by Cynthia, and you end up paired with a character that was also raised by Cynthia, it could be hard to explain if your characters have never met before!  On  the other hand, if your character is friends with a legendary, that may give them too much power at their disposal.  (This also means the character cannot have a spiritual connection with any of the Pokemon/characters.)

  No Fakemon, hybrid Pokemon, Pokemorphs, or any other radical deviation from official Pokemon designs are allowed.  Small changes/alternate colors are fine, though. ^^

Keep it PG! This event conforms with all the other club rules, including submissions must be appropriate for a typical PG audience. Dark is great! But gore and overtly suggestive content... is not. Keep the language down as best you can.

  You may have another, more minor character travel with your main character, but the main character must be the obvious focus.  If your Pokemon is trained, then their trainer counts as their minor character. Both characters need completed reference sheets before June 14.

  Make sure your Pokemon characters only have moves they can learn in the games!  They can be egg moves, TM moves or tutor moves (especially if your Pokemon was trained), but the Pokemon must really be able to learn it.

  We shouldn't need to say this, but we cannot allow plagiarism or stolen work, and submitting such work will result in disqualification.

Not sure about something, or need elaboration? Try the poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/bl…!

Entries must be submitted to the PV folder before the deadline! We apologize, but we cannot wait for any late entries, nor can we offer extensions.  If you are late with an entry, you can still submit it to the "PV-Related Art" folder, but you will not be matched with a partner in the next round, nor will your entry be judged. (In other words, you are disqualified from winning.)

  Entries can be submitted as a series of illustrations. However, this means more than one illustration per round! Since this is a storytelling contest, you will be judged on how well your story comes across and the chances are that a single picture will probably not be able to do that effectively. To receive full credit, we encourage that these illustrations be in color or detailed grayscale.

  Written and writing-focused entries must be written in paragraph form; scripts and screenplays are not allowed as they can be cranked out much faster and would give an unfair advantage against all other contestants.  Also, there is a 1,500 word minimum on all written entries (about three pages in 12pt font).  Microsoft Word has a built-in word counter, or you could simply use this: www.wordcounttool.com/ We will be checking, although being just a few words under will only dock you EVs, not disqualify you. We will also check spelling!

Comic/manga entries can be any length, but as with every medium, storytelling is the most important aspect. Please make sure it is clear what is going on, and that violence and swearing are kept to a PG minimum. You can upload comic pages in a "stack" or "tower", which is one vertical deviation, or upload pages separately and include links for "next" and "previous". Only submit the first page or cover for each round, please!

1-10 prize EVs will be awarded per round. (Info on prizes here: poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/bl… )

If you complete all 4 rounds, you earn an extra 20 EVs, making the top score 60 EVs. If more than one person earns 60 EVs then we'll have a judge poll to determine our ultimate storyteller! Prizes will be distributed through the Prize Corner, as well as features for the winners and possibly something special to be announced later...

  We will be scoring on a scale of 20, with equal weight given to Clarity/Prose, Creativity and Believability of Situation, Characterization, and a "lean" to award EVs for things not in the system. This means to get a perfect score, you will need to put in effort towards making your story as perfect as you can! We intend to post a sentence or two of critique when we announce the scores for each round, which will hopefully help everyone improve their craft.

We will have two panels of judges, one for art-based entries (including comics), and one for written-based entries. We'll announce the names of everyone before the end of Round 1, just be aware that we are all volunteers donating our time to keep this event fun for everyone. ^^ Also for clarity's sake, judges can submit entries, but cannot judge their own submissions (obviously) or entries using their character.

** The PokeVenture judges or PFC Administration cannot be held responsible if we cannot find your entries! **
We can't be expected to evaluate entries and refs that are not in the appropriate folder come judging time, or if you cannot find pages/parts of your entry due to the entry lacking 'next' buttons!  It is your responsibility to submit entries and refs to the appropriate folder and put links to other pages/part on your entries!  Thank you!

The Official PokeVenture FAQ!

Hopefully this answered any questions you might have, but feel free to send us a note if you have any concerns or if there is anything we left unanswered. And... have fun, good luck in Round 1! You may now begin!