Atsi
The city-state of Atsi lies on the edge of the North Mekong Plain, one of the most oil-rich locations in the southern hemisphere. This vast petroleum supply has allowed Atsi to become the center of polymer production in the Mekong Dominion. Numerous advanced polymer and composite manufacturers have their head offices here, including Calliope Research, a large military contractor.
Atsi is also a major petroleum and natural gas refining site. While the city’s strong emission control regulations cut into corporate profits, the city’s proximity to the fuel reserves keeps the large fuel companies from moving to another location, like Loyang.
An unusual local tradition called body sculpting has evolved in Atsi. A new twist on the age-old body piercing trend, body sculpting involves cosmetic, semi-organic, polymer implants under the skin combined with tattoos and occasional dental work. Some Atsians use this technology to slightly enhance their looks. Some less restrained individuals have had their entire bodies sculpted into ideals of beauty. A few trend-setting individuals have raised geometric or floral patterns implanted under their entire skin.
However, it is in the hands of the young and antisocial that body sculpting reaches its true potential. Many Atsian adolescents have had their bodies altered in extremely unusual ways. The most common youth sculpting is the scleral tattoo, a circular design on the white of one or both eyes. The most extreme youth designs involve using hair and skin grafts along with polymer implants to produce completely inhuman appearances. It is not altogether unusual to see a “vampire” or “alien” while wandering the streets. An entire underground has evolved around body sculpting, with specialized night clubs and magazines.
All but the most extreme body sculpting is completely reversible. It should be noted, however, that the removal process is significantly more complex and expensive than the original sculpting.