City of the lost

Sometimes, after a wish is granted, the person who asked for it fails to get what he needed from it.
We try to prevent this with a carefully designed admission system and by providing counsel to those who can't tell a want from a need and the people who come here thinking that they can undone their mistakes with no effort. Despite our best efforts, though, once in a while someone hesitates in the worst possible moment, or they aren't as strong as they thought; that kind of things can only be tested by doing them, and there is only one opportunity for them.
There is a limit to what the company can know about a potential client life and loss, because they don't do any trials that are excessively cruel; I've been arguing about that with the granter for a while, because I really think that is better be more strict and spare that people from loosing what they love for a second time. Either way, the rules are what they are, and once in a while people gets a wish that leads them to what they want instead of what they need.
When those things happen, the client ends up as bad as they were when they come to us, maybe even worst. Some are unable to go back to their lives in a way that is safe for both themselves and people around them. When that happens we try to give them a place in the company, but not everyone can—or would—become an employee. Even then, they may understand the risks of coming home. Others simply don't want to come back. In that case, they are welcomed to stay in our world, and encouraged to live in this city, where they will be safe from ill-intended ghosts and sometimes even from themselves.
More often than not, they carry the Shards of what they lost and, even if they don't, their sorrow and anger may attract or trigger the apparition of , which are allowed to stay in the city as long as they are peaceful.
Because of their mental states, the lost are not always good neighbors. To prevent them from falling into chaos and violence, there is a very strict law and teams designed to see that it's followed. Technically those teams are under the city's authorities, but the b-oss keeps an eye on them just in case.

Demographics

As far as we know, around 46% of the inhabitants of the city are ghosts and they have developed the means to communicate with their human neighbors, but not always with other ghosts.
Almost two thirds of the human inhabitants are women, most of them over their forties when they arrived. The human population in general is quite old, less than the 10% was younger than twenty when they choose to live in the city, and not a single one of them was born in our world.

Government

The council, formed by some eldest and specialist in medicine, education and social sciences, are in charge of keep the law updated and see that the right enforcers are enabled. They also negotiate with the granter and let him know of any needs in the city that may require his attention.
They are also responsible for organizing or authorizing most public events and entertainment activities.

Districts

The swamp

This side of the river is always flooded. Only very particular plants grow in in the area, most of them better for wood and to provide a home for small little creatures that could be a good dinner.
Maybe is more difficult to find food here, and the buildings need to be several meters over the surface or capable to float and remain steady when the river... gets angry. Some of the inhabitants of this zone enjoy this conditions and like to fish with their bare hands under the roots of some trees or to work the wood and the floating leaves; others only live here because that way they don't need to worry about being invaded by something that should be deeper in the forest.

The bank

They are at the other side of the river, closer to the restricted and unexplored areas of the forest, and they cultivate their crops, raise animals and fish occasionally. Their houses are more traditional and strong built, with plenty of fences and security measures.
The inhabitants that choose to live here are more capable to get rid of uninvited creatures, but they are also the kind of people that prefers to stay inside and enjoy the view from their pretty balconies.
The main deck for the rafts is in this part of the city.

Founded by

Some of the first lost, with the granter's help

Founding Date

a few years after the company's time loop establishment.

Alternative Name(s)

Swamp
The city

Type

City

Population

146

Inhabitant Demonym

Lost
Ghost people

Location under

The forest

Included Locations

• The City's terminal

Related Professions

• Constable

Tourism

Sometimes people visit the city to see the handmade buildings, or because the city is the only safe place to see the river and maybe even swim, but what outsiders have to see to believe, is the idea of ghosts coexisting with human beings.
Of course they are always surprised to find out that the former are more full of life than the latter, but I know you won't have trouble understanding that a ghost can be a happy living being with dreams and hope, while the lost are lost precisely because of their lack of hope and happiness. Dangerous and angry manifestations don't live in this town, neither do lively human beings.

Points of interest

The floating houses and the "mushroom buildings" are one of the few buildings in this world that had been built with effort by processing wood and minerals, instead of being a direct manifestation triggered naturally or magically induced by the granter. Of course, all materials come from manifestations, but crafting is reserved for small things and art.

Defences

There is a living wall (mostly thorny bushes) that separates the bank district from the wilderness, yet is unclear if it grew on its own, or if the worry of people in the area triggered the transformation of some protective shards.

Besides that, each building, park or field is protected in different ways, according to what needs to be protected and the most common threats. There are special fences to keep at bay certain kinds of creatures, but in many cases there is constant vigilance, even if is only technological surveillance. Everyone has some tools or weapons to discourage feral visitors and some even have ways to dissipate ghosts.