Lautan

From SCross

Country/City: Lautan (Ocean)

 History:

The city of Lautan began originally as the site where the Huge Materia was being transported to in the Shinra Sub. Located originally in Inner Junon throughout the last thousand years the exact location has been pulled further out to sea by the heavy currents which were caused by the traumatic events of Meteor and afterwards Holy.

The survivors of Holy who were trapped down within the reactor when it struck began shifting swiftly due to the presence of now leaking Mako in addition to Holy's affects. Many did not survive, but the few who did found themselves taking on various forms. From Sea Dwelling Animal Kin to the Mer and a number of different species and monsters were born during those troubled years. It is told that city began with only a handful of survivors and that in the early years they would go to land occasionally. The women to become heavy with child, the men to steal their brides and transport them beneath the waves where they would gift them with the ability to breath and live in their new prison homes. In fact there are many such stories of this occuring passed through the myth and legends of selkies and mermaids though reports are usually sketchy at best.

The land was recently 'discovered' when the movements of the WEAPON drove the residents from their home. Being caught in a pincer move between the WEAPON and the Empire the city has been abandoned, for now, and it's people split in threes. Some to the Empire, though that number is not great. Those who are more adapted to colder climates have headed north while the rest has headed south and are now being spotted around the Valente islands.

 Culture:

Because of the almost timeless feeling of the waters depths time has had little affect on the people. Their weapons and crafting skills are rudimentary, but they are a highly magical people... and those that do prefer weapons tend to favor harpoon like spears or the curved scimitars which occasionally sink with a ship here and there. However metal rusts in only a few short years, so the prefered weapon of choice is typically made out of bone harvested from the sea bound monsters that roam nearly freely. There has been very little contact with the surface over the years, thusly the religion of the All Father is unknown to the people and they instead worship the spirits, particularily the Water spirits though a healthy dose of fear and respect is also paid to the lightning spirits.

 Ecology:

The sea waters are rich with plant life and animal life. In Lautan the waters are temperate, often warming and cooling with the same seasons that rule the airbound world. There are those who work as farmers in this underwater world who tend the kelp, a main dietary facet, while others act as hunters and gatherers of the oceans bounty... although with the recent disappearance of Leviathan much of their natural bounty has grown scarce and hasn't yet replenished themselves. A sad fact which has also urged the oceanic peoples to move closer to land.

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