Grand Aid
As these are judge NPCs, some elements of the characters are left up to interpretation. Fill any blanks you'd like to in ways which fit your story (but be sure to respect the concrete information given here).
Gran has updates for round 5.
Team colour: picton blue (#33c4f1) ■
Name: Gran(dpa)
Pronouns: he / him
Species: Granbull
Form: N/a
Height: 1.4m
Team Accessory: Apron
Type: Fairy
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Quick Feet
When gaining a status condition, he's able to push himself to move thrice as fast.
Moveset:
Heal Bell [Normal] [Status]
A soft chime plays out and everyone nearby can have their ailments cured.Present [Normal] [Physical]
An item or food is imbued with power that can either heal or damage the target. He's able to control 98% of the outcome of the attacks.Play Rough [Fairy] [Physical]
A move that earned him a few scars back in the day. Gran wrestles down the opponent and wears them down.Earthquake [Ground] [Physical]
With a strike against the ground, he's able to split the earth and shatter rocks.
Personality: Gran is an old dog with a boisterous laugh and he's willing to share that positive energy with everyone around him. He loves seeking challenges and he'll take them head-on, such as with his experimental cooking. With every new dish he makes, he'll always make sure to taste-test it first before sharing the most delicious plate with everyone else. It can be hard to dissuade Gran once he sets his eyes on something and he's too stubborn to admit if he did anything wrong. It's rare for him to open his eyes, only when things are truly serious or you somehow got on his bad side.
Virtues:
Elderly wisdom - You learn a thing of two after living for so long and some patterns start to become familiar
Bonhomie - Gran has the vibe of a stranger singing around a campfire - a lax and good-natured friendliness
Resolute - He believes that you and him can absolutely reach any goal once it's been set
Flaws:
Getting on in years - He's not as spry as he used to be and his reflexes have diminished
Stubborn - He's doing what he decided, no ifs or buts!
Flippant - He can unintentionally not take other people's suggestions or intentions seriously, especially when it comes to emotional matters (i.e. you have plenty of time in the world, don't worry about it)
Backstory: Ever since he was a little pup, Gran always wanted to tackle things bigger than himself. To chase that dream, he joined the Rescue Team Federation as a solo member, where he could help Pokémon affected by disasters. Some years later, he met Dora, and after rescuing her, he let her join the team. More years have gone by and he learned that challenges can take other forms - so when Merriweather and Hoopa asked for his help with tournament, Gran gladly welcomed it. Now, his biggest project is creating the greatest and spiciest dish in the universe!
NPC Role: Gran is the main healer and in charge of catering. Any Berries or Seeds he can cook with can turn into a dish with boosted effect. He also has access to some of the same appliances Rotom can possess - specifically the freezer and oven - although they're standing on their last legs. Feel free to take inspiration from any Pokémon franchise material for Gran's ingredients and recipes, or add your own additional flair to it! Keep in mind: while he can use the Herba Mystica in his cooking for culinary and/or medicinal purposes, it cannot turn Pokémon into titans unless otherwise specified in a round prompt.
Name: Dora
Pronouns: she / her | they /them
Species: Ariados
Form: N/a
Length: 1.1m
Team Accessory: Nurse cap
Type: Bug | Poison
Nature: Bashful
Ability: Insomnia
Unable to feel drowsy and cannot forcibly be put to sleep
Moveset:
Sticky Web [Bug] [Status]
Dora weaves a web that can be used to organize the medical inventory or to trap unsuspecting targets. She also uses it to create casts.Protect [Normal] [Status]
She will hurl herself in front of an attack and manifest a shield to nullify it.Constrict [Normal] [Physical]
A very weak attack, they mainly use it for medicinal purposes, such as a tourniquet.Poison Jab [Poison] [Physical]
The target is stabbed with a limb coated in poison. They can also this as a last measure medicine, fighting poison with poison.
Personality: Dora is a quiet individual who anxiously freezes up whenever someone new talks to them. They share the passion of conquering challenges like Gran, although they prefer to plan things out rather than charge ahead. She has a very impressive memory, which helps with her anatomy studies and remembering what people like. Whenever someone has a bad day, they like to secretly slip a small treat right next to that person. There are times where she oversteps boundaries, claiming to know what's best for someone - although she will apologize when called out on it.
Virtues:
Biology expert - Knowledgable about Pokémon's anatomy, even man-made ones!
Workhorse - Dora always busies themselves with work and can multi-task with no sweat
Sympathetic - They're able to mutually understand other people's feelings and demonstrate affinity. For those closest to them, if they're able to anticipate an attack, she would take the hit for them
Flaws:
Bashful - Feels very shy and awkward in the presence of others, to the point where sometimes they can't make eye contact
Unintentionally creepy - Sometimes she just stares at someone... for a tad too long...
Fret - They can worry over the tiniest details
Backstory: Dora was once a young Spinarak living peacefully with her family in the forest. One day, her home was devastated by a landslide, which Gran then dug her out of. She was extremely grateful to him and even asked to join his team after witnessing his courageous act (and after watching Gran get lost in the forest for hours). Since then, she's learn to help injured Pokémon by studying their anatomy. When asked to join the tournament staff, it took some time for her to come around to the ideia.
NPC Role: Dora assists Gran when healing, takes care of the medical supplies and makes sure the contestants are in good condition. In cases of emergency, she can "heal" through unconventional methods.
Dynamic / Relationship: Gran and Dora love each other's companies and can be found amicably chatting when they're together. While he's the first taste-tester, he can ask for her opinion on a dish or ask for suggestions for ingredients. Gran also likes to prepare dishes ahead of time for Two-Ring Circus and Purrmageddon. Dora regularly consults him for his medical opinion and reminds him of the tasks needed to be done. She can be also be seen opening up cans for Espurr and Espurr and talk to them about supplies; quietly chatting to Merriweather or dodging out of Hoopa's sight.