In 2015 I attempted to make a Fanfiction version of what was happening in the DnD Campaign, as otherwise there was no written record of it. If you'd like to read what little I had finished, find it below.

For the most part, the story of Story of Arceus was very much the same. Of course, the specifics of how everything played out differed from the original script quite a bit. 

I'll post only the outline for Phase 1, as at the time of writing, Phase 2 is not released yet.

Funnily enough, the original outline of the story was much closer to a traditional PMD Story, in structure and vibes. A lot of scenes sound like they could be from a PMD fame, like a trio of Chimecho controlling an illusion of a monster. Also in this version of the story, Xamao is absolutely just a cartoon villain.

Of course, once Dylan and I began RPing, the events began to play out much differently, though generally the structure followed this outline very closely, particularly in the dungeon order, which has barely changed since 2013.

One thing to note was that the dungeons were, across the board, much more...basic. Windscorch Mountain was a straight gauntlet of enemies from start to finish with sluggish homebrew mechanics. Then Tall Woods was just a maze and Rocky Hills had nothing going for it besides a brief section in which Team Steam and Nivanee fought enemies while riding a raft on a river in the caverns.

Shallow Marsh was just a open-area puzzle with a miniboss that was a Muk that talked like Shrek (no, seriously). River Delta was another, larger puzzle involving fighting Nidos, ending in a boss where Nidoqueen and Nidoking fought Team Steam with a huge army of Nidos.

Dovve Fo Uddjo's deep dimension was just another maze with weird floating platforms in a void. Yahneri Cavern was just a cave where Team Steam fought enemies and then a boss. Lightning Wastes was a large maze with enemies, Thunder Mesa was a puzzle maze with Thundurus simply hanging out at the top. And on and on, every dungeon had so little pizazz or wow factor, likely because I was so closely using PMD's dungeons as a blueprint.

A lot of characterizations were different, too. Janus was addicted to Max Elixirs...somehow. Loshjno was a soft and shy boy who had a crush on Lahnae, and Lahnae...was a horrid bully. Talking over Loshjno, messing things up, combative and argumentative, Lahnae's character was a trainwreck which was THANKFULLY fixed in future iterations.

The original Team Steam comprised of more members than Team Azure eventually had. These included:

Zaeron - The initial partner. A very normal PMD partner with little personality. He simply always had Jensen, the human MC's, back on everything. He was, without a doubt, the 'bro' that Jensen could always turn to.

Rikzyod - That's right! Rikzyod has been a part of SOA since iteration 1! And nothing changed about him, his characterization of loving agony and combat has remained consistent. Though he's better able to give a pep-talk in modern SOA, and provides something of a simple viewpoint for Avery.

Yahnna - A Helioptile met during Lightning Wastes. She was an X-Eye District-born foreman of the Treasure Guild. The moment she was beat by Team Steam she happily joined their team to avoid jail time. She was very honest and fun, becoming a close friend to Jensen. At this point, the 'Neverland' aspect of the guild was more pronounced, in which Jensen would get exhausted with the endless drama at the rather immature guildmembers. Yahnna provided something of a grounded viewpoint Jensen could escape to. She had her own problems, of course - she was a habitual drinker who was only sober when upset and a kleptomaniac with an ingrained terror she'd ruin all her relationships because of it.

Rannas - A Sandslash, also met at Lightning Wastes. He was Yahnna's best friend, and the Helioptile took Team Steam to him to help him get out of the Treasure Guild. He was a native to Qease, which at this point was an isolated village that all took a vow of silence in protest against the conflict between Arceans and Illaminians being based on accents. This left Rannas with atrophied vocal chords, rendering him a mute, something he resented his home village for. He was a gentle giant, artistically creative and very thoughtful, but was forced to have all his thoughts bottled up with strained avenues for getting any of his thoughts out.

Fevuni - A Lucario Team Steam encountered at Steeljag Bluff. She was the leader of the pickpocket gang and had a big sister attitude, taking it upon herself to be a coach to the other members of Team Steam. She had in her head a 'proper' way of doing everything and would absolutely push and demand others match her standard of operation, oftentimes clashing with Jensen's leadership. Later, it'd be revealed she was the one responsible for the incident that made Kipuuna a nervous wreck.

Petebonia (Aka Ol Pete) - A Maractus that Team Steam met while plundering Squirtle Lake. She helped guide Team Steam through the trials to enter the Damp Cave and had the personality of an insane gold rush era prospector. She had a background of being a Quayoffi writer whose book bombed and now she ran away from her passion to go treasure hunting, attempting to avoid failure and criticism, instead residing in comfortable obscurity.

Several sequences in the old Phase 1 were cut from the new SOA of today. This included going to Crumbling Shrine to get the Lightning Pearl, going to Jolt Mines, Steam Plains and Ice Peninsula to individually summon the birds, and even an extended sequence detailing the story of Old Salt Manikas meeting Rekinii and falling in love.

As the story went one and was refined as it went on, the conflict between Arceans and Illaminians took more and more center stage. The goals of the Thieves Guild (Aka the Brotherhood of Arceus and later just The Santurini Guild) became more nuanced and understandable. The morality of characters and actions became more grey. The lore began to flesh out and become more minutely detailed. A lot of ideas relating the themes of information suppression, propaganda and indoctrination were tested, changed or discarded. One funny example was when Jensen asked a question about death to Nivanee, to which she responded "What's death?" As though the concept of death had been kept a state secret. I quickly figured out this was dumb and cartoony and you can't build any kind of complex society nor religion without some concept of death.

Some of the more complex sequences were added after the outline above was written. The Sequence with Team Aquashock at Dovve Fo Uddjo was largely unchanged, and the story beats happening in the city itself have been almost one to one retained in the final SOA today. Even Jensen had a fist-fight with Kipuuna in the Inn of the Foresight, complete with Nivanee tying everyone to chairs.

Lightning Wastes was completely different, however. It involved trying to get Loshjno to confess to Lahnae whilst the Torchic was acting like a jerk to attempt to impress him. I remember Dylan absolutely hated Lahnae because of how she acted, and her and Loshjno getting together was met with...understandably lukewarm reception.

Yahneri Port was much more basic. Old Salt was met here, along with his Peacekeeper ship. The battle at Yahneri Cave only involved fighting a bunch of Thieves Guild members whilst Old Salt rode the Dinky Dinghy, firing cannon shots at enemies for extra damage. The fight with Team Fottupepbe positioned them as a kind of rival team. Team Steam fought Team Fottupepbe in the cave and...that was that. They return to Yahneri Port, find the Museum ransacked by Xamao but the High Captain had the real pearl all along.

Ember Summit was also basic. Team Fottupepbe raced Team Steam through shade valley in a dash for the pearl, ending in a fight that left Heynia and Argus captured and Diquarni all alone.

Thus, in Crumble Shrine, Jensen snuck by the members of Widjo Punefo (Janus's Team) and fought Diquarni in a one-on-one in which she detailed a tragic backstory (which is still canon, so no spoilers!)

In this version of the story, the whole guild occupied a slightly more antagonistic role, starting first as friends who then became enemies as Jensen's alliance changed. As the guild went on an expedition to summon the birds in Jolt Mines/Steam Plains/Ice Peninsula, Jensen, Zaeron, Nivanee and his subordinates began to conspire against the rest of the Guild to do what was right for Arcea. The birds themselves were sapient and kind, but the pearls induced a kind of hypnotism in them. In the end, Jensen went down to Squirtle Lake to learn of Xamao's location, then faced off against Xamao in a one on one at the top of Dragon's Peak, illuminated only by flashes of lightning in a storm.

Phase 2 was never formally completed. Dylan and I essentially rushed through what I had written of Phase 2, because it was the end of our college career - if we didn't finish the story then and there we never would.

It was still pretty emotional to finish the story, even if it was rushed in two sessions. The Story of Arceus RP had been a part of our lives for five straight years through all of college, starting our Freshman year. Finishing SOA felt like a milestone, a turning point in both of our lives.

I'm happy I get to share this new version of the story with all of ya'll, too. And hopefully, this time, Phase 2 can be properly written and this story completed once and for all.