Wasuremono no Chihou (The Forgotten Region)
(With thanks to JCFan for providing much information on this region. In fact, most of the entry on Saiten is directly from his texts, with only minor editing changes made... 8-])
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A strange and esoteric place, Wasuremono no Chihou was once Japan, a proud and prosperous nation. But they were staunch traditionalists, and one of the group of nations that refused to have anything at all to do with the emerging new Mana technology. This lack of foresight caused nothing much (only the collapse of the entire region's economy, previously based on the cutting edge of high-tech, which it no longer was.)
As the little group of islands regressed to the tried-and-tested social structure primitive feudalism, nobody worried much. What with the Empire on the verge of taking the world over, the plight of a little country with nothing much of value to offer wasn't really much. So they forgot about them.
Meanwhile, Japan had its whole long history to fall back on, so they did. Around 1000 years or so. They went back to the old society of rigid castes, of people who knew their place, of women as second-class citizens. It was like walking into a James Clavell novel.
Wasuremono no Chihou isn't a prosperous place, but its people get by. They don't have much; the terrain isn't exactly good for farming, which is their main source of income, but they persevere. They have spirit, if nothing else, and they have that spirit in abundance. You will find very few of the natives complaining about their lot. Those who do tend to get out very quickly, and spend a long time wandering the world in search of something slightly more adrenaline-pumping.
There's still plenty of things to raise the adrenaline here, though. Despite their simple outlook, the inhabitants of Wasuremono no Chihou are some of the finest fighters the world has to show, having perfected the art many, many years ago. Their earthy nature also makes for good Mana Mages. Whatever you come here for, the Forgotten Region has some... unique experiences to offer.
Cities and Towns
Saiten (Cap.)
Government: Well... we're not sure there is
one...
Ruler: Figurehead council
Population: 50,000
Military: None
Crime Rate: Low
Major Imports: Foodstuffs, machinery, gas etc.
Major Exports: Fireworks, liquor
A city of grand festivals... The residents believe almost every day is cause for a humongous celebration. This is the capital of Wasuremono no Chihou, the Forgotten Region. It's also home to the region's only magical facility. The professors at the Saiten Magical Institute don't take their jobs too seriously. They're too busy having a good time to worry about little things like research. Very seldom do they even bother showing up to work. No one minds, though. They normally use magic for spicing up festivals, not actually attacking anyone.
The capital, itself, has little to no defensive capabilities. The only thing that saves it during times of war is the abnormally high number of brothels, and the citizens' eagerness to wine and dine (and assassinate in their sleep) any opposing army that should happen their way. Despite this laxidazical approach to defense, their crime rates are practically nil... At least, no one reports the crimes. They're too busy to even notice a few lost trinkets. Vintage cars meander along the wide city streets at a snail's pace compared to most modern vehicles, and old bi-planes and "commandeered" infantry ships have been modified and used for transporting civilians over long distances.
Founded by protesters in World War II, the technology and viewpoints of the people in Saiten still have yet to make any evolutionary bounds. Sick of the war, and craving a little action, they took out loans, and even second and thrid mortgages on their homes on mainland Japan. With the money, they hired some independent contractors from the mainland and had them build what was, at that time, a state-of the-art metropolis built in the valley of a large mountain range. The leader of the 1,000+ group, Enkai Doubutsu, announced that, in commemoration of that day, they would have a festival lasting an entire year... It began on January 26th, and ends on January 25th of the following year. Exactly how they got enough money to have this celebration, and kept the war away from their shores, is still a mystery. But, it was definitely the party to end all parties...
It wasn't until 100 years later that they had another... Then, 50 years after that. The celebrations became even more frequent, and even less discriminating. It quickly became a mecca for every pimp, prostitute, and pervert in the entire region.
Saiten is currently in a huge state of disrepair. The buildings are falling apart, they've thrown the entire region into a debt so huge it would take every resident's paycheck for the next 1,000 years just to break even. But, still, the people party as if they hadn't a care in the world... And, after a certain incident at the magical institute involving a certain girlish purple-haired young man, they've instituted a "No workers," rule for the entire city, so it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon...
Saiten mainly imports items from the other cities and towns in the region, but they do manage to export a large number of fireworks and liquor each year.
The government is a democracy, ruled by 9 council members, elected every 5 years... They're roles are mainly as status symbols, though, as no one really cares what they say or do.