Q'ten Lo

Q'ten Lo (クテンロウ) is an isolationist country located in the East. This nation has strong Feudal Japanese aesthetics, heavily contrasting with the Medieval European motifs of the other nations.

History
Q'ten Lo is the ancestral home of the pacifier - a role which acts to see that Legendary and Vassal Weapon wielders do their jobs properly. If any hero goes rogue, the pacifier is to enact punishment and correct their path if possible. They are given special authority by the Status Magic System system which allows them to weaken Legendary and Vassal Weapon. However, there is only one active pacifier in a world at a time.

Like most countries, Q'ten Lo's history and purpose has been forgotten due to their isolation and interference from the enemies behind the waves. There is evidence of reincarnated individuals destroying historical documents while others like Makina directly acting to lead the country astray. The Water Dragon is attempting to restore the country's mission but for some unknown reason cannot act directly.

Background
Many years ago, the Heavenly Emperor of Q'ten Lo was dying of old age. As he was dying, nearly everyone within the royal family fought brutally in order to take the throne. Everyone within the head royal family was killed except for Raphtalia's father (who had ran away) and Ruftmila (who was an infant at the time). Ruft was designated to be Heavenly Emperor under control of the corrupt Makina.

Raphtalia's Father was actually a direct descendant of the Heavenly Emperor and in line for the throne. However, he had no interest in the brutal politics which was starting to build at the time. Instead, he married Raphtalia's Mother and left Q'ten Lo with Sadeena. Despite leaving Q'ten Lo, shadows followed them in case they wanted to claim the throne. When the Wave of Calamity hit Lurolona Village, they just watched as Raphtalia's mother and father were killed by the monsters.

The shadows never made a move until Raphtalia got a Miko outfit from Naofumi. This means in their culture that Raphtalia declares herself as the rightful Heavenly Emperor. Finally, they decide to attack Raphtalia and Lurolona Village. After they are defeated, Naofumi decides to head to Q'ten Lo to stop the attacks from the source.

Landscape
Q'ten Lo is an island only accessibly by water. The only way to get to Q'ten Lo is through Siltvelt.

One of the unique features of Q'ten Lo are the Sakura Lumina trees which looks like cherry blossom trees and act as a light and energy source for the people of Q'ten Lo. A side effect of these trees is that the surrounding monsters are more powerful and provide additional experience. However, these trees can only grow in Q'ten Lo.

Another feature seen throughout Q'ten Lo is the large amount of burial grounds which hold sealed monsters. According to Sadeena, one of Raphtalia's ancestors defeated these monster and interred their remains in the mound. These help power the barrier around Q'ten Lo.

Government
The Government of the Q'ten Lo is a mixture of an Absolute Patriarchy Monarchy and an oligarchy power structure with powerful nobles bidding to keep in the favour with the Monarchy for Power and influence. It also seems that their government before Raphtalia took control was very corrupt and inept, and many of the people dislike the current regime. Their ineptitude is easy to see, as they tried to kill and declare war against the Shield, Sword, and Bow Heroes, the people who defeated the Spirit Tortoise and the other-worlder who controlled the beast and stole its power. An action that could lead the nations of Melromarc, Siltvelt, Shieldfreeden, the countries that the Spirit Tortoise ravaged, the many other countries that believe in the Heroes and also the powerful nation in the world Faubrey, land of Heroes, into declaring war against them.

Religion
To the people of Q'ten Lo, government and religion are one and the same. Their leader, the Heavenly Emperor is their religious figure while the member of government are all considered priests. Many of the people do not believe in the Holy Heroes, as their legends do not exist in the country. They instead only believe in the bloodline of the Heavenly Emperor. Those who know of the weapons call them Holy Weapons "Spirit Implements."

In the ancient past, Q'ten Lo held an altar which could be used to listen to the weapon spirits. From there the Heavenly Emperor could learn if a hero had potential strayed from their path as hero.

Heavenly Emperor
The Heavenly Emperor of Q'ten Lo is the leader of the country. The title is passed down through the generations. Before the country became corrupted, the original role of the Heavenly Emperor is the be the "Pacifier of Spirit Implements," or to punish any hero who is trying to take over the world. To aid in their duties, they have access to powers and technology like the Sakura Stones of Destiny which are especially effective against heroes. The current Heavenly Emperor is Raphtalia.

Water Dragon
The Water Dragon who protects Q'ten Lo also plays an important part of the country's religion. The Water Dragon's goal to to ensure that Q'ten Lo follows it's original purpose - to be the world's pacifier. It protects Q'ten Lo through a barrier which keeps evil wielders of Legendary and Vassal Weapons out as well as possibly reincarnated individuals. The Water Dragon is given a miko priestess which acts as both an expert on traditions and ceremonies as well as an executioner who punish those who oppose Q'ten Lo. Both Sadeena and Shildina were Water Dragon Miko Priestesses.

Military
The country possesses a secret force similar to Melromarc's Shadows (ninjas), who are very talented in their hiding abilities. They are very "honor-bound" like old Imperial Japan and commit suicide rather than surrender, screaming "Glory to the Heavenly Emperor" as they explode. Shadows of Melromarc once told Naofumi that they had their origin from the east, possibly this nation.

Sakura Stones of Destiny
These stones can be used by the Heavenly Emperor or "Pacifier" of Q'ten Lo. They can be used to "silence" Legendary Weapons and can prevent Holy Heroes from entering Q'ten Lo. Legendary Weapons created from these stones are especially effective against other heroes.

International Relations
Maintaining an isolationist policy Q'ten Lo interacts with the outside world as little as possible.

Siltvelt
The one exception to Q'ten Lo's isolationism is Siltvelt, as they rely on the flow of supplies from the demi-human nation for their daily necessities. Even then Siltvelt needs a specialized magic lantern just to allow their merchant vessel to enter and exit the nation. Even then their increasingly extreme practices have led to them planning to cut ties to Siltvelt too. When Raphtalia became leader of Q'ten Lo, one of the first things she did was to rebuild relationships with Siltvelt and draft a treaty of friendship.

Lurolona Village
After Naofumi learned about the existence of the nation, he immediately came to despise its government. The realization that the people of Q'ten Lo had spies watching Raphtalia all her life, including watching her parents getting killed and her falling into slavery, and doing nothing to stop any of it caused him to begin dedicating resources to expunging them.

Likewise, Q'ten Lo sees the Shield Hero as nothing short of a threat to their nation. Due to what can only be described as a wild misunderstanding the Shadows of Q'ten Lo interpreted Naofumi making Raphtalia dress in a Miko's robes as her making a bid for the throne of their nation she have started launching repeated terrorist attacks against the village.

Q'ten Lo Castle
The Castle of Q'ten Lo is where the Heavenly Emperors reside. It is about 400 years old and has a labyrinth of hidden passages through and underneath the castle. In one of the secret passages is a stone chamber with an inscription only a Heavenly Emperor can read. This inscription describes several techniques as well as the role of the "Pacifier of Spirit Implements."