"Noble is the soul who plants a seed for a tree that will one day give shade to people they may never meet.” – D. Elton Trueblood The Premise Times of Darkened Skies (ToDS for short) is a Tabletop re-imagining of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky that seeks to achieve what Super Mystery Dungeon failed to – create an all-encompassing, immersive, lore-rich and internally consistent conclusion to the narrative elements present within each of the games of the PMD universe. This is why ToDS is not simply following the narrative beats of Explorers , but expands upon them in to various extents by adapting and incorporating characters and story elements from the other games into its narrative framework, re-working and deepening those that are surface-level or simply failed to resonate, and adding pieces that were completely or partially absent from the puzzle. The goal is to give this uniquely beautiful world’s story the respect and dedication it deserves, uncensored and unhindered by the limitations of any industry influence and the usual PEGI 7 rating of these games – regardless whether you are entirely new to it, or know it in-and-out with your heart. The Setting ToDS takes place in a universe parallel to both our own and those of the various in-franchise universes. This world is filled with fantastical, anthropomorphic lifeforms known as Pokémon, who have achieved a level of sapience and sentience that is, in most ways, equal to our own. Pokémon, like humans, are capable of civilization’s merits – art, culture, law, music, writing; just to name a few. However, in likewise many ways, theirs differs greatly from human achievements due to the inherent, naturalistic diversity that exists within Pokémon, which manifest themselves as follows: The broadly average level of technology and sophistication is that of 15 th century Renaissance Venice. However, both the floor and ceiling of these vary greatly due to the (from our perspective) supernatural aspects of this universe. Combining elements of animism, naturepunk and science-fantasy, these idiosyncrasies are, among others, as such: Pokémon, due to their physiology, have little use for complex tools and similar utensils. Therefore various skills, such as blacksmithing and other forms of manufacturing, have never materialized within their zeitgeist, relying mostly on what their bodies are capable of and what nature provides. On the other hand, elemental powers render their level of advancement far above their age, particularly when it comes to utilization of various energies and preservation of food and materials. Likewise, innate telepathic and restorative powers vastly simplify long-distance communication and the knowledge required for Pokémon to apply themselves in the medical and science-adjacent fields. Lastly, the various forms of magic-adjacent phenomena that exist in the universe (such as ley-lines) allow for the overcoming of various limitations that even modern and futuristic technology have difficulties in reliably compensating for. Overall, the world is one that is unlikely to ever transcend into, or beyond, the Industrial Age as we know it, but may achieve similar advancements by utilizing inherent and external elements. The Backstory You are amnesiacs drift ashore – wounded, spent and impecunious – with naught to you but your name, skills and a sense of deep comradery with your fellow lost ones. Harrowed by vivid night terrors, you awaken to face a world unknown to you, filled with strangers, wonders, and a single, kindredly lost soul who was in the right place at the right time to lend you a helping hand.
