Forgotten City

The Forgotten Capital, also known as the Forgotten City and the City of the Ancients, is a ruined city in Final Fantasy VII. It is located on the arctic Northern Continent inside Corel Valley, beyond the Sleeping Forest, and far to the east of Icicle Inn.

The city was the primary capital of the ancient Cetra civilization, but after the Calamity from the Skies struck the Planet nearly wiping out the Cetra, the few survivors gradually assimilated into human culture and the city has been an abandoned ruin for a long time.

Many of the remaining houses still contain furniture and artifacts indicating the area appears just as it did when it was abandoned long ago. The city contains a machine, which allows one to communicate with the Planet, and an underground section with several crystal buildings surrounding an altar. The city's inhabitants incorporated nature into their buildings, many having roofs made up from conch shells and other organic materials.

The area's general layout invokes an aquatic motif; many of the buildings have a shell-like appearance and the ground resembles the sea floor. Within the 'upper city' there are several crystals that when touched give off a flash and cause the current main character to explain they heard something they didn't understand. Below the ground level is a hidden "castle" with medieval-style towers connected to the surface with a staircase made of light. This area holds a spring and an altar.

Final Fantasy VII
Cloud Strife and his party enter the Forgotten Capital in search of Aeris, the last of the Cetra line. She has left the party to summon Holy, through which she believes she can defeat the cataclysm of Meteor. The party finds the place eerily silent. They spend the night, but are awoken in the middle of the night by a strange sound.

As they investigate, they find a path down into the city's underground section where they find Aeris praying to summon Holy. Cloud comes forward and being controlled by Sephiroth, almost kills her. He breaks the control and steps away; but Sephiroth himself (or rather, a piece of Jenova made into Sephiroth's image under the latter's control) swoops down from the ceiling and kills Aeris.

Cloud, in a tearful rage, demands to know why Aeris had to be murdered. "Sephiroth" only laughs off his "clone's" emotion, and flies off, dropping a body piece that becomes Jenova∙LIFE for the party to fight. They defeat the creature and the party pay their last respects to Aeris and lay her body to rest and continue on their journey, badly shaken.

Bugenhagen comes with the party much later, after Meteor has been summoned. They come to find out just what Aeris was trying to do before Sephiroth cut her down. They need the Key to the Ancients to work the dormant machines inside the city.

The key is found at the Bottom of the Sea using the submarine. When the key is used, the scene of Aeris's death is replayed. At this point Bugenhagen realizes Holy has already been summoned and that Sephiroth is blocking it. He must be killed in order to save the Planet.

The party's planning is cut short when the Diamond Weapon begins its advance toward Midgar, the party racing to stop it.

On the Way to a Smile
Following Meteorfall, the remaining members of the player party return to the Forgotten City to pay their respects to Aerith. Following this the group parted ways to find their places in the world.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Two years later, Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo use the Forgotten Capital as their base, bringing Tseng and Elena there to torture them, and later the Geostigma-infected children. Cloud goes to rescue the children, but is defeated because of the effects of Geostigma.

Vincent arrives in time to save Cloud and Marlene from the three remnants. Kadaj's true motives of luring the children to the location is revealed when he infuses the city's lake with negative Lifestream which turns the children into his mindless pawns.

Locations
The Forgotten Capital is located to the East on Gaia's Northern continent. It is inside of Corel Valley, and backs onto the Corel Valley Cave.

Treasures

 * Magic Source
 * Aurora Armlet
 * Guard Source
 * Elixir
 * Enemy Skill Materia
 * Comet Materia
 * Viper Halberd

Giant Conch Shell

 * Boundfat x3
 * Boundfat x3 (Back attack)
 * Trickplay, Boundfat x2
 * Trickplay x2



Water Altar

 * Jenova∙LIFE (Boss)

Music
The theme that plays in Forgotten Capital in Final Fantasy VII is "Listen to the Cries of the Planet". During the Jenova∙LIFE battle and during the events preceding it and the events after the battle, "Aerith's Theme" plays.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
The Forgotten City appears in the FMS for "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII".

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call
The Forgotten City returns in the FMS for "Main Theme of Final Fantasy VII", and now appears as the BMS for "Aerith's Theme".

Development
The Forgotten Capital's concept art was the first scenery designed in Advent Children, drawn by art director Yusuke Naora. The artwork depicted Sephiroth standing over the pool where Aerith had been laid to rest, and was selected as a set for Aerith's appearance in the film.

Trivia

 * When the player first arrives at Forgotten Capital in Final Fantasy VII, they cannot continue onwards toward Icicle Inn because a party member will come out and stop Cloud, saying they need to find Aeris. Similar event was programmed to happen when attempting to leave the village, with a party member coming out to tell Cloud they are tired and that they should find somewhere to rest. This scene is never triggered in the final game due to a programming oversight, and the player can leave the village, and must discover that they are supposed to sleep in one of the houses by themselves. During night time Cloud cannot leave the village to the north, saying he must find Aeris, but the similar event upon leaving from the south entrance never triggers.