As the protagonist continues through the game, they obviously need to face some Gym Leaders, so here are the first four!
Gyms work a little differently in Atles; instead of there being a set order for them, you have an option which of two Gyms to do first between the Tech and Art Districts, which will have ramifications that I have not yet made up depending on how you do the gyms in what order. Anyway, here are the Gym Leaders and the cities in which their Gyms are located!
Designs for Cassandra and Meridian were made by @tamawu, a very good friend and a very good artist!
Tech District Gym Leaders:
Wayne: The Fairy-Type Trainer
Wayne always had an affinity for children, in the sense that he enjoyed the sheer happiness they got out of the simplest of joys. As such, he opened up a Toy Store in Zobe City, and with the help of his Pokemon, he creates custom-made toys from scratch to sell to families. To certain children who find joy in Pokemon Battles, he is also the first Gym Leader in the Tech District, so if asked, he is more than willing to battle and give to those worthy the Toy Badge. While he does see how Pokemon can be used for entertainment, he finds it less cruel to just use toys as a substitute, so if it came down to it, he would support Team Progress over Team Scene.
~”I’m always available to lend a hand to children! Come now, I’ll help you become better Trainers!”
In Zobe City, people are free to start up whatever small business they wish to have without the fear of too much competition. There aren’t big chains, greedy monopolies or CEOs that want to overtake whatever they want, just a bunch of locally-owned shops that allow their owners and employees to make a decent living. The ambiance is very calm and serene, as the sounds of industry happen far, far away from here.
Meridian: The Ghost-Type Trainer
In Meridian’s hey day, he was a big time company owner that dominated the HM/TM business. His company was predicted to never die out and he believed it, taking every risky business proposition offered to him in order to further his own profits. Trinity City, his hometown and locale of his business, was a thriving jewel thanks to his company, but once the Ride Pokemon business came along and proved more convenient, his profits crashed and his business went bankrupt. He fell into a deep depression, as the city that he cared for so deeply went into ruin without the backbone of his company, so he decided to pass the time with something else: Pokemon Training. His specialty in Ghost Types made him a fearsome foe, so he decided to open a Gym in the abandoned store he used to own and offer the Abandoned Badge to those who defeat him. He believes deeply in Team Progress, as he believes they’re his only chance at finding that shine in Trinity City that he once saw.
~”I’ve lost so much... Do you really think that I can lose to you, too?”
Trinity City used to be a bustling metropolis, full of life and energy that was fueled by big business. Its residents lived luxurious lives, its businesses were huge and money seemed to be never-ending in supply. Its backbone was the HM/TM Business, which was strong and seemingly unbreakable... until the Ride Pokemon business came along and decided to settle in a different city. Trinity City’s business slowed, then nearly stopped, causing the shining jewel to lose most of its luster. Many of the businesses were abandoned, and most of its residents moved to find better opportunities. Trinity City is now little more than a ghost town.
Arts District Gym Leaders:
Cassandra: The Ice-Type Trainer
When it comes to making Art, nobody’s cooler than Cassandra, in more ways than one! Each day, she makes a trek towards Renelen Mountain to gather ice with her Pokemon, then using them as models, she carves entire life-sized sculptures out of the giant ice blocks. Her art gathered her enough recognition to open a sculpture gallery, where the prestigious come to observe and sometimes even buy what she makes. For those looking for a fight with the legendary Cassandra, he also happens to be the Gym Leader in Sunty City, where she combines her strength with her powerful Ice Types Pokemon to fight for the honor of having the Sculpture Badge. Even though her Pokemon are used to gather the Ice, she feels that enslaving them in workshops are wrong, so she would much rather see Team Scene rise into power than Team Progress.
~”Come one kid, I don’t bite! My Pokemon will very much bite, though.”
Sunty City was named a bit ironically, considering that it’s one of the coldest cities in Atles. Artists flock here, thinking that the harsher conditions will give them more inspiration for whatever medium they wish to partake in. From the center of town, the buildings were designed in such a way that you can see the Sun setting perfectly over the Twin Mountains, so you would likely see many painters in City Center at that time.
Marquee: The Steel-Type Trainer
At age 16, Marquee got her first job in the Tech District, caring for Steel-type Pokemon in a factory. It was a fairly simple job; she mended their wounds, made sure they were still motivated to work, just generally standard medical work. However, she began to realize that certain Pokemon were drawn to the music that she played on her breaks, and some were even able to recreate it. It was at that moment that she realized that Steel-type Pokemon didn’t just have to be relegated to workers, but some of them instead wanted to make music! She gathered some of the Pokemon that wanted to join her and fled to Moore City to open up her own Dance Club, where she and her Pokemon perform original musical pieces for a consistently huge audience. That’s not to say she’s not powerful; she and her Pokemon also offer Gym Battles in her club, and if you beat her, you win her custom made Rave Badge. Marquee’s dream is to see Pokemon chase their own personal dreams, not just be relegated to being used for whatever they seem they could be used for, and she thinks that Team Scene will allow people to realize this dream.
~”My Pokemon and I are moving to the same beat! Let’s see if you can follow along!”
Moore City is the place to go if you want to become a musician. All types of music are accepted there, and theatres hold weekly open mic nights for rising stars. Even the Pokemon that live there find a song, and you can hear Pokemon gleefully singing and screeching and calling out to each other everywhere you go. Every musically-gifted person’s dream is to live in Moore City, because those who want to make it live in Moore City.
Learn More about the Atles Region here!