Once two warring nations, Ventus and Pluvia, Maris Tranquillitas was forged after both nations were pushed to the brink by the end of their final battle. Their peoples horrified by the atrocities committed during the war, the two nations joined hands in a historic peace treaty, one which set aside centuries of blood feuds in the name of the pursuit of peace. Now, befitting its constituent nations’ history of intellectual pursuits, Maris Tranquillitas is at the forefront of Tempestian scientific and arcane study, hosting the Tranquillitan Magic Tower as well as the world’s leading scientific universities. Academic pursuits are an essential part of the culture of Maris Tranquillitas, to the extent that entering a non-academic field such as the arts is seen as throwing your life away; it’s better to dedicate yourself to the pursuit of knowledge that may one day better the world. Due to their nation’s history, Maris Tranquillitas is a largely pacifistic nation; the study of offensive magic and technology is performed largely to have a better understanding of protection against it, and many technologies that were abused during the Ventus-Pluvian wars, such as summoned creatures and cloning, are heavily monitored within its borders. In fact, most Tranquillitan companies hesitate to do business in any venture that could be tied to war, and the nation is one of the most ardent supporters of the Tempestian Union. A notable exception is Shimano Bioengineering, a Tranquillitan business that has joined hands with the Empire to form Smith-Shimano Corpro.