Tea Country

When people in other countries speak at length about "Tea Country" it is often a safe assumption that they are speaking in particular about Kurosawa City as it is indisputably the beating heart of the country's bustling industry and strong trade economy. Built at the very southern tip of the country into a natural bay area, Kurosawa City, this city is densely populated surrounded by an idyllic countryside on three sides and the bay along the western aspect. In the distant horizon a mountain-range can be seen. Most of the area beyond Kurosawa's walls is farmland with sparsely populated small towns and winding dirt roads which contrasts with Kurosawa's narrow, cobblestone streets and neatly lined up rows of houses. The city is quite modern, money appears to be a source of power here. The streets are flanked with vendors, even in the residential areas, selling their wares but once night comes these streets are empty.

All of Kurosawa's government is consolidated into a single building known as the Kotodama Keep. Outsiders are not permitted inside, only the Council of Tea, the Countess and her advisers are allowed inside. The bottom floor has a small waiting area where one could submit a requisition, but even in this small waiting space people are shooed away after submitting their query or request. What goes on in the upper levels is a mystery that the administration is unwilling to share.

Sometimes referred to as "Old Kurosawa" or "Old Town", the Shipyards primarily dominate the western half of the city even though their docks extend over the entirety of the city which faces the natural bay that Kurosawa was built on. The Shipyards are perhaps the one part of the city that never rests. During the day career dockworkers and indentured workmen alike can be seen loading and off-loading various boxes and shipments which are being transferred in the ports. While work on unloading shipment can continue into the night hours for crews which are slower at their work than others, it is typically the taverns and brothels which are most busy during the wee hours. Sadly the Shipyards are also home to one of the saddest aspects of the city; the homeless and the jobless. Pitiable men and women who for one reason or another have lost their occupation and any fortune they might have had, these "dock bums" as they're referred to are often a source of cheap but unreliable labor for ship captains too poor or too foolish to hire one of the more well-established Labor Houses.

The massive stadium is large enough to hold five-thousand spectators and for the World Martial Arts Tournament every seat is filled and some have resorted to standing. This amphitheater is accented with four massive statues that stare down at the combatants in The Hisashī Zenshōsen Arena. Made of massive grey stone bricks, this structure is intended to endure the powerful abilities of those who wish to demonstrate their battle prowess. It is said that these statues represent the founders of Tea Country, but the Duchess claims otherwise stating that these figures are representatives of old powers that are no longer apparent. Rumor has it that the Otokage bears an eerie resemblance to one of the figures.

Located in Northern Tea Country, a majority of the northern portion of this country is either rough, rugged terrain that some farmers have turned into great pastures or rolling hills that have been cleared to make way for farmland. The population in this region is sparse but for the most part life is peaceful here, not due to the absence of 'bad people' but rather the relative proximity to a hidden village (Sound). The 'shinobi' of Sound protect the villagers of these agrarian communities for a price, but their presence is also a source of unease for some. Rumored to be demons and monsters, many of these villagers are superstitious and fearful.