Banora Village was built to hide Emerald Weapon

[The Twilight Mexican]

... I'm not joking. I wish I was.

I've been reading through the Crisis Core Complete Guide scans that Shademp sent me recently, and I found these "gems" on this page:

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もとは神羅がウェポン隠蔽のために建設した村。住人も関係者がい。

Shin-Ra originally built the village to conceal the Weapon. They also staffed it with residents.
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審判の淵で確認できるウェポン。その発見により、採掘現場は閉鎖になった

The Weapon that can be observed in the Depths of Judgment. The mining site was closed due to this discovery.
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バノ―ラの歴史
かつてのバノ―ラは魔晄採掘現場の1つだったが、作業中に謎の巨大な物体（ウェポン）が発見されたことがきっかけで、現在の村が形成されることになった。当時の神羅は発見されたウェポンがどういった存在であるか解明できず、不安を抱いた同社は採掘現場を閉鎖し、部外者に秘密を知られないように社員だけで構成された村を興したのである。採掘現場の痕跡を完全に隠蔽してからは一般人も村に入れたものの、秘密裏にプロジェクト・Gの関係者を軟禁する場所としても利用していた。


History of Banora
Banora was once one of the mako mining sites, but the work here led to the discovery of a mysterious enormous object (a Weapon), and the current village was formed. Unable to explain at that time the Weapon they had discovered, Shin-Ra closed the mining site in fear and developed the village -- comprised of company employees -- to keep it a secret from outsiders. Though the village was placed there to completely conceal the vestiges of the mining site from the general public, it was also used as a location to keep the staff of Project G under something of house arrest.
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But, you know, despite this, Hojo thought the Weapons were just a legend until the Shin-Ra execs arrived at the Northern Crater right before Meteor was cast ("Weapon... Then it really does exist... I didn't believe in it").

I swear, the more I learn about the expanded history of VII's world, the more I wish they would just stop. This is a great example of "just because you can doesn't mean you should."

 

[Ite]

Pfft. Twelve years later and the laughs keep coming.

 

[Starling]

Did Ifalna say Weapon was supposed to be in the crater? Even if she didn't, that's where they all popped out in the OG.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

She didn't, but the implication (from what I gather) is supposed to be that the Banora Underground leads to the caverns beneath the northern continent.

Geographically speaking, the Mideel area (where Banora is located) is relatively close to the northern continent. If you're flying around the world in the Highwind, Mideel isn't far from there after all. That's why Mideel was so close to the Lifestream, and why Cloud popped out there after falling into the Lifestream.

 

[Starling]

Depends on if we're supposed to read the map as the crater being the north pole and Mideel being around the south with the map looping as just gameplay travel convenience or if Mideel and its landmass are inexplicably tropical despite apparently being right off the coast of the northern continent, which the Planet froze over trying to heal itself. Surely it'd be frozen too if Banora's caverns were anywhere near the crater's.

 

[Channy]

Somehow, this isn't surprising or shocking but all the more intriguing. I remember playing and coming across something that resembled Emerald's shoulders or face or something, and given Shinra's history with the Nibelheim coverup, it just adds another insidious layer to their cloak and dagger mystery.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Depends on if we're supposed to read the map as the crater being the north pole and Mideel being around the south with the map looping as just gameplay travel convenience or if Mideel and its landmass are inexplicably tropical despite apparently being right off the coast of the northern continent, which the Planet froze over trying to heal itself. Surely it'd be frozen too if Banora's caverns were anywhere near the crater's.

Possibly, but there is some greenery even on the northern continent. The area of effect only extends out about as far as the Ancients' city.

The question you raise about gameplay convenience and such is a good one, though. Red XIII does describe Mideel as being to the south. Though he also describes it as near the Lifestream, but that need not be related to the Northern Crater, I guess.

Oh well. Who knows.

 

[Starling]

I recall a past conversation explaining that ending up on either end of the world by passing the limits of the other edge of the world map requiring that the Planet be donut shaped. As a globe, Mideel should be on the opposite end of the world to the crater. The lifestream is inside the Planet, so it kinda just wells up wherever it's close to the surface the way lava flows where it can reach the surface.

 

[Shademp]

Spoiler

That's my reaction for now (gotta run off to work). I am happy to see that my scans led to some new revelation, even if that revelation does raise a few eyebrows. Thanks for the translations Tres.

 

[Jason Tandro]

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

No wonder they have so many problems. Their planet makes no sense.

 

[Lex]

ugh.

 

[Odysseus]

To be fair the way it's phrased makes it seem like Shinra had no idea what Emerald Weapon was at the time they discovered it, so this doesn't really contradict Hojo not believing in the Weapons.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

That's just another reason it's so dumb, though.

In Banora: "Giant monster asleep in materia -- I have no idea what this is."

At the crater: "Giant monster asleep in materia -- omg, it's all true!"

 

[Odysseus]

Assuming Banora was founded before Genesis was born (and as such, before Hojo killed Gast and stole the video of Infalna describing Weapon) Shinra probably had no idea about Weapon at the time; they had no reason to suspect Emerald Weapon of being anything more than a freaky giant monster.

 

[Strangelove]

there are scans and i wasn't informed?

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Assuming Banora was founded before Genesis was born (and as such, before Hojo killed Gast and stole the video of Infalna describing Weapon) Shinra probably had no idea about Weapon at the time; they had no reason to suspect Emerald Weapon of being anything more than a freaky giant monster.

That wouldn't explain the guy who does know what they're supposed to be not looking at those documents once he was in charge. Hojo took the time to analyze LOVELESS, but not to look through every available file in the science department?

there are scans and i wasn't informed?

I thought you had this book. My bad.

 

[Strangelove]

i was short on money when it came out and couldn't get it, then i went out of print i only had a few scans that mako provided long ago

 

[Odysseus]

That wouldn't explain the guy who does know what they're supposed to be not looking at those documents once he was in charge. Hojo took the time to analyze LOVELESS, but not to look through every available file in the science department?

They way the guide book has it, the weapon is only described as an "enormous object." Even if Hojo had seen the relevant document he still might not have immediately assumed that it was Weapon with such a vague description to go off of, he might have just not thought much of it.

Flimsy argument I know, but not totally unbelievable.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

It will have to do, I suppose.

The main point of dumb here, though, is making a Weapon the reason for that town's existence.

 

[Odysseus]

Yeah no arguing there. Especially since this make the THIRD town in the compilation that exists just to cover something up.

 

[Russell]

Yeah no arguing there. Especially since this make the THIRD town in the compilation that exists just to cover something up.

1. Banora
2. Nibelheim
3. ?

Sorry but what's the third one?

 

[Shademp]

1. Banora
2. Nibelheim
3. ?

Sorry but what's the third one?

If we told you then Shinra will assassinate us all and then build a new town on top of our graves.

 

[Odysseus]

Sorry, the third was Kalm as of Before Crisis. Personally I like to forget that particular retcon.

 

[Ryushikaze]

Look, ALL cities and towns on their planet exist to cover something up. The only question is who's doing the cover up and what.

Rocket Town was founded to hide the fact that Cid accidentally jumped to the moon as a baby. His dad Kain founded it.
Wutai was founded to cover up a particularly bad gardening project. That one got a bit out of hand.