Zenchou City - Culture

Japanese. The fashion sense, nature of mundanes & celebrations of the period are all exactly that. Muddled by nationalism and the convictions of working quietly & efficiently to 'break bread' and make it to the next paycheck. The presence of spiritualists has exacerbated the sentiments of these normally quiet folk to a dangerous extent, pushing them to move (if they can) or riot at the loss of jobs. It isn't uncommon to be refused service or even be treated like a foreigner in some of the worst cases; if you are one on top of being a spiritualist, it's even more so.

Despite that spiritualists themselves have begun to foster somewhat more of a welcoming environment. Barring the ones that prey upon the weak & powerless, most spiritualists bear the goal of continuing to live a mostly normal life, against all odds - between the arrival of other parties and rejection received by their fellows. With the power of potential and the gifts they all bear, they have a strong sense of hope that those around them lack. Even with waning friends & family who usually come to ostracize them or silently judge them while smiling with expressions of faux-encouragement, spiritualists can "transmute" these negatives & cons into positives by ignoring the instincts that tell them that many around them - even their own, want them to fail. All with the end goal of reaching that promotion under a boss with a better affinity than oneself, or finally be free.

There is still a very important disposition held by locals of this city: those who are too upfront about what they're doing or wish to do are to be evaded. Be it a serial liar or an honest man simply trying to live his life, members of Zenchou society above all else covet mystery & seeming innocuity; at the same time, they favor the opportunity to build bonds and discover who 'deserves' to be more than a stranger.


It is easy to thrive as a relative introvert among this city's common populace so long as you can showcase what you are capable of, who you know & where you want to go... and can convey that without too many words or open action - those who bear interest in those actions tend to show themselves. People who do not opt to 'conceal' these qualities until in the presence of something more than a stranger are seen as off by locals, for trying to verbalize their difference rather than show it. It is possible to still encounter like-minded people who prefer directness, but it is tough to discern who fits that without taking opportunities, and seeing who presents themselves after.

Spiritualists are not privy to only the disputes and problems that their fellows. With their power, potential & options come those beyond the Kyushu region and across the rest of the world. Some seek to dominate Zenchou as a whole under their heel, and some may want to live among their 'kindred', while others simply want to 'clean up' the issues like with Zenchou's government. They tend to all be your outliers, being people who do not necessarily notice or acknowledge the 'distance' that people aspire to establish or maintain. The same can be said for other emerging people in the past few decades:

Adepts, who fervently seek the 'secrets' of the phenomenon are Spiritualists in ways left ambiguous. These individuals are curious of the spiritualized world but tend to have their own motives varying from faction to faction.
Soulborns, who act of their own accord in the desire to mend the 'bigger picture', or contribute more harm to it. They are aware of the happenings separate from spiritual-adept in the world.
Devils, who upheave any sense of order & balance simply because they lack understanding of it all. A plague since the beginning.

To be declared or noticed as one of these is to be dubbed a stranger among anyone other than oneself & one's peers from one's race. Barring Devils (who do not understand the concept), the goal that these individuals have in Zenchou is anonymity beyond being spiritual-adepts. This becomes less of a 'necessity' or desire as one grows in strength - but starting out, the prerogative had is to simply be perceived as nothing more than another Spiritualist to all others aside from their own. Putting yourself on the map not only gives attention - it can give you attention from the wrong parties depending on what you're doing.

All walks of life can be here because spiritual adepts are drawn to Zenchou. Foreigners and those with foreign traits tend to be peered at awkwardly though, especially by the mundane. Generally speaking, though the displays of this are subtle and damning to one's life -- you may be denied service or 'covertly' paid less or offered fewer opportunities. You'll never encounter a scenario where you are blatantly discriminated against verbally or physically, because the only ones that can do that to you are in the same boat. Anyone born in Zenchou is usually going to be part Japanese.