Ouen Map
This section may contain spoilers for all versions of the fic.
Hover your mouse over an area to see its name (if you have CSS enabled and your browser is decent, that is - if not, there's not much for you to do except solve that problem yourself). Note that all area descriptions apply to what things are like at the beginning of the fic - situations may change during the course of the story.
You can also click on a location to reveal some information about it in a box beside the map - note that this information may contain (very minor) spoilers. This technically works on all browsers I've tested it on (Internet Explorer 6 and 7 and recent versions of Firefox, Opera and Netscape, with additional thanks to Dybael for testing on Safari), but note that on Internet Explorer 6.0 you may need to move your mouse off the route after clicking it before the text appears, and in Opera and Safari it appears you need to hold your mouse button down while you read the text.
The Effect: a mysterious phenomenon of the northwest corner of Ouen that seems to slowly drain the energy of Pokémon within the area. The Effect weakens as one draws farther from the middle of the affected area and thus fades away as you draw farther from the midpoint. Nobody knows what causes this. To see map with roughly the area where no Pokémon are found due to the Effect marked, check this one. (It can also work to allow people with no CSS to see the map...)
- Sailance Sailance is a large city right in the heart of the mysterious area of the Effect, a phenomenon that has always made scientists tear their hair out: as Pokémon enter this area, they grow gradually weaker with every moment they are there, finally ending up completely powerless until they drift into unconsciousness that lasts until they leave the area. Stereotyped as the "haven for Poképhobes", Sailance is the one place in Ouen that Pokémon should not step anywhere near.
- Route 301 The road from Sailance to Cleanwater City. As it is mostly within the area of the Effect, wild Pokémon are few and far between (well, not really far between, since they're mostly concentrated into the area nearest to Cleanwater City), and thus trainers are a fairly uncommon sight.
- Cleanwater City Cleanwater City is a large, beautiful city filled with Pokémon trainers. It is next to the Lake of Purity and has one of the most famous Pokémon Gyms in Ouen. The reason for this is that the Gym leader uses cloned legendary Pokémon held in brainwashing Pokéballs of his own invention, Clone Balls. There are various conspiracy theories about exactly how he gets away with this, but the bizarre fact is that he does.
- Lake Road Lake Road is a short route which takes a traveler from Cleanwater City to the famous Lake of Purity.
- Lake of Purity The Lake of Purity is a famous lake visited every night by Suicune, who purifies it with a touch of its paw and supposedly did this originally to banish the dangerous Gyarados living in it. Puzzling as it is, Suicune appears to have murdered many trainers in previous years when they dared to attempt to watch its purification act.
- Route 302 Route 302 takes the traveller through scenic Rainbow Woods before arriving in Alumine.
- Alumine The cliffs near Alumine are said to be the largest Skarmory nesting grounds in the world, and the city has always been accordingly focused on the metal industry, including its official Gym, led by a man named Christopher who uses blinding light to put his opponents at a disadvantage. The city also sports an unofficial Gym led by a very strange man with an unhealthy obsession with Mew.
- Route 303 After leaving Alumine, one goes on along this route, which is again a bit of a hike.
- Route 304 A short route leading the way through narrow trails into Scorpion Valley.
- Route 305 A route that lies on the inside of the mountains surrounding Scorpion Valley, forcing a longer and more difficult walk than just going straight through the Black Desert below - but for a good reason.
- Scorpio City Scorpio City is located in the very tail barb of Scorpion Valley. The entire town is on a concrete floor, so as to prevent the dangerous Scorplack in the desert from digging themselves out of the sand in the middle of the city and wreaking havoc. Thanks to this, the Scorplack mostly leave the citizens alone, and the rare times one does get there, the Gym leader Mitch, who is an expert on venoms and antidotes, will generally be able to take care of it quickly thanks to his apparent ability to always know where he's needed.
- Route 306 First a steep walk upwards but then a nice downwards slope towards the small village of Merville.
- Merville Merville is a tiny village whose existence mostly serves the purpose of selling underwater equipment for trainers on their way to Aquarium City. Many of the inhabitants exhibit overexcitement at visitors during the low season.
- Route 307 Route 307 is the short diving route from the Merville harbour towards the underwater Aquarium City. It is more trouble than it looks from its length on a map - Sharpedo are everywhere looking for a cheap meal, and many other mysterious water creatures lurk there...
- Aquarium City Aquarium City is unique in that it is located entirely underwater and covered by a huge glass dome. The air inside is controlled carefully with just the right number of photosynthesizing plants compared to inhabitants and visitors. It has a Gym led by a graceful blue-haired woman named Marge who enjoys two-on-two battles and, of course, trains Water Pokémon.
- Route 308 The part-underwater route from Aquarium City up onto dry land. Again, the traveller will have to deal with wild Sharpedo on the way up, but then it is a boring walk along the grassy plains.
- Route 309 The route leading to the Ouen Safari. Like the safari itself, it is full of tall grass and crowded with wild Pokémon.
- Ouen Safari The Ouenian equivalent of the Safari Zones of Kanto and Hoenn, with an interesting twist: you can bring your Pokémon in to battle, as long as you swear to only fight Pokémon you intend to catch. It is one of the most popular tourist locations in Ouen.
- Route 310 The route from the Ouen Safari to Green Town. It is a flat, grassy area where wild Pokémon are especially common, giving Pokémon collectors a field day.
- Green Town Green Town is one of the biggest cities in Ouen, mostly thanks to the annual Pokémon Festival. It is during this celebration in late May that Ash Ketchum gives out starter Pokémon to young trainers; perhaps it is a slightly inconvenient location as the first Gym is way off in Cleanwater City, but there is only one Pokémon Festival after all. It also has a Pokémon Gym, but it is the fifth; the leader is a tomboy named Flora who trains Grass-types but otherwise hates all things flowery, hippie-like or girly, especially her name.
- Route 311 A short route of grassy plains reaching from Green Town to the mountain range, generally considered boring by those who have traveled it more than once.
- Ruxido A large, maze-like forest filled with various wild Pokémon. Better stick to the road!
- Route 312 As the traveller approaches the area of the Effect after exiting Ruxido, the route slowly turns into a barren wasteland.
- Stormy Town A strange town best known for having had a localized thunderstorm around it for the last twenty years or so. Most of the inhabitants gave up on living there in that depressing weather; right now the entire town is more or less run by its Electric-type Gym leader, Sparky, and his friend Nurse Joy.
- Route 313 The route between Stormy Town and Crater Town is an upward hike mostly characterized by the constant deafening thunderstorms. Pokémon are absent at the start of it, but begin to be seen as you climb higher upwards.
- Route 314 This short route connects Cleanwater City to Route 313 between Stormy Town and Crater town. It starts off with Mount Flash, which can be either traveled above ground or through Thunderclap Cave, a cave with fascinating rock formations that is home to many Electric Pokémon. After that it is a steep hike downwards into Golden Woods, although this part of the forest is mostly avoided by wild Pokémon, who there begin to feel the Effect.
- Crater Town A unique, secluded town actually built on the inside of the crater of Mount Fever, an inactive volcano. Of course volcanic experts are constantly on the lookout for any hints of regained activity. The Gym leader in town, Carl, trains Fire-types and is one of the most popular people in this small community.
- Route 315 The route from Crater Town to Acaria City leads gently downwards and is generally one of the more uneventful journeys that Ouenian trainers make between cities - a nice break before the last Gym they challenge.
- Route 316 Route 316 connects Route 315 (and thus Acaria City and Crater Town) to Scorpio City with a relatively short walk over some not-too-high mountains.
- Acaria City Containing the last Gym, Acaria City is large and a popular destination. The Gym is led by Diana, a young and famously beautiful trainer who ironically chooses to spend most of her time in a pitch-black Dark-type Gym lit only by the flickering flame of one candle.
- Route 317 Route 317 takes you on the way between Acaria City and Green Town. It is lush, grassy and beautiful, and often considered one of the prime locations in Ouen for nature lovers.
- Route 318 A long sea route stretching along for miles and miles before finally reaching the famed Champion Island.
- Route 319 A short route out of the sea and up to Champion Cave, the main destination for the toughest trainers, taking the traveler through the fascinating breeding grounds of some of the common starter Pokémon in the wild. Closest to the main route are Charmander, Squirtle and Chikorita.
- Champion Cave Entrance The Victory Road of Ouen, Champion Cave, is the final challenge for trainers who have gotten this far. Stuffed with powerful wild Pokémon and dark dead ends, only the strongest and bravest will ever get through. Before entering it, however, trainers get to rest at the Champion Cave Entrance Pokémon Center.
- Route 320 On through Champion Cave and finally out of it for more mountain climbing before reaching the League.
- Ouen League This is where the Pokémon League of Ouen takes place every year. Trainers stay in special camps up to and during the League, training their Pokémon and assembling strategies before it is determined who will be this year's Champion.