Druk Yul - Shangri La

[Maelstrom Vortex]

 

Druk Yul announced to the world that the project at Everest was complete. The utopian city of Shangri-La was revealed.It was announced the city would soon be the new capitol of Druk Yul. In addition to that Aerostat Industries announced that it had been chosen as chief public transportation provider in the Everest region. Their solar, diesel, and battery powered civilian aerostats, the Cloud Carrier Mk XI would begin immediate service from the air-docks at the city to surrounding airfields.

 

Aerostat Industries has announced that it is looking to secure docking ports at airfields around the world to provide global air travel service via Aerostat and also plans to introduce mobile air cruise and hotel lines in the near future. The airships designs all incorporate an emergency ejection system of civilian compartments with parachutes and built in water flotation devices for the entire compartment in the event of catastrophic failure of the air flotation rigging/helium drums. They have been tested at altitudes up to 60,000 feet and are considered six sigma standard fail-safes for safe evacuation of all on-board crew, cargo, and passengers.

 

It was also disclosed that the architecture and modeling of the upper city was actually done with the aid of a contracted Tikal architectural firm.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

OOC: Takes place just after the meeting with the Japanese Empress.

 

After hearing a lot about it Mei wanted to visit the city and see how Maelstrom's "project" turned out. Sterling would want to go there with her and although she wasn't sure at first she eventually agreed to let him come with her since there didn't seem to be any important meeting with foreign leaders she needed to go to at the time. "Fine you can come Sterling. Was planning on eventually visiting the temple as well while we are there and you can see your family."

 

"Thanks. Been meaning to go visit them for a while now and this is the perfect time to go do that with you. What about Lee and Jesse though? Should we wait for them to get back from their missions?"

 

"They can both take care of themselves out there. Lee said that they were wrapping things up in the war against Russia and that they were negotiating peace. Meanwhile I haven't heard much of anything from Jesse in Alvonia but I am sure he is fine and is finishing up his mission as well. You can let your father know we are coming for a visit and that I am interested to see how his Shangri-La city turned out."

 

"OK I will do that. Hopefully we can leave first thing in the morning."

Edited July 27, 2014 by jesbro

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Maelstrom informed Sterling by email that he was currently out of town acting as a peace broker between Russia and the United Amur Republic, but that he should be back in town once the negotiations are over. He regretted his inability to be there to greet them, but Koudoa would be anxious to see him and Mei and to show them around the city. Truth was, Maelstrom was not fortunate enough to be in town for the big reveal by the mayor. Such was the pains of being one of the heads of a theocratic monarchy. He had sent word to the monks ahead of their arrival to prepare their rooms.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The city was bustling and was rapidly becoming a hub of commerce and tourism. The gorgeous mountain retreats and their spas drew visitors from around the region. The restaurants served a wide variety of local tastes from either side of the mountains.. serving Chinese, Tibetan, and Indian cuisines. Aerostat Industries had begun docking more than simple public transit buses at their depots.. instead.. much larger "cloud hotels and cruise liners" had begun to make an appearance. Staffing usually around 20 and able to support up to 100 guests, they boasted the "smoothest and most serene rest you will ever encounter.. and views of the stars and the skies incomparable anywhere on the ground."

 

The emergency services for retrieval from Mount Everest for lost miners and injured or lost skiers had been made much more robust.. making the activities safer without removing the skill and risk required. The local government had embraced base jumpers and a community of thrill seekers began to develop in the region. Shangri-La was getting a reputation for being a place to get the highest of all highs without leaving the planet.. by either mountain.. or aerostat.

[jesbro]

Mei and Sterling would be alone in their room for a while and although she really liked him she almost wasn't sure she was ready for a romantic relationship with him. "I love you Sterling a lot but... I am not sure I am ready for a romantic relationship. The last person I was in love with was Jesse's father Brian and I left him because I did not want to put him or the rest of his family in danger. I don't want to leave you either but the bad people who keep following me are more dangerous than anything you or anyone else have ever faced. They wont ever stop until me and my family are dead and I believe that although Jesse said the terrorist Chin was responsible for the nuclear attack on China I believe he was only a small part of those who are truely after me. That attack was only a small fraction of what they are capable of and they will kill you if we stay together."

 

"Do not worry about me Mei." Sterling would say in response. "I love you and I promise I will never let anything bad ever happen to you. If they do come for you than I will defend you to my dying breath!"

 

"I know Sterling. And that is what I am afraid of."

Edited July 28, 2014 by jesbro

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Not long after their conversation there would be a dull hum. They would hear cheering outside. If Sterling and Mei went outside.. they would see the 2n'd fleet docking at the Aerostat Docks to refuel on the way south towards India/Bangledesh and there were people celebrating in the streets as no on here had seen the Air Fleet before and it was magnificent in its formation in the failing light of dusk.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

Mei would approach Jesse while they were still in Shangri-La after the hearing and his crowning as Emperor. She would try to say she was sorry for what happened. "Look Jesse I am sorry but..."

 

"NOT ONE WORD." He would say immediately. "After what happened you are lucky the didn't decide to really punish you severly. You are also lucky we all understood why you said it that way but you especially should know why you are not supposed to be quite that direct and threatening. What's done is done and although it is a little sooner than planned I am now the Emperor of Shanghai. Honestly I think you should remain here in Shangri-La for the time being with Sterling. Perhaps a lot of meditation at the temple and other stuff like that will help you calm down a lot while I am trying to put a peaceful end to this war with Russia."

 

"Yes I believe you are right. Maybe a month or two here will help get me back into that calm state of mind."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Maelstrom would literally appear out of the thinnest air on the planet. "Don't be so hard on your mother. Being a head of state in this world is perhaps one of the most difficult thing any individual can do. The powers that control it are petty, beholden to picking at the detail of every word. Including myself. It is a land of confusion. It is how we keep each other in check. The key is trying to be as... clear.. and purposeful as possible in your expression. Demolishing a culture becomes a euphemism for genocide so easily. And worse, the same powers who are against you will rapidly turn those words into a blade that will shred you and all you care for into a million pieces." He sighed, "It's a bit stressful."

"I just got back from my review of the 1st Fleet. She is beautiful in the light of the setting sun when she is not fighting.. and terrifyingly beautiful at night.. when she is and the Thel lasers are lighting the sky like a light show at a rock concert." Maelstrom was in his dragon form for once, relaxed and among his people, feeling free and safe to express his true identity as the Dreamer and not expressing the more sinister side of his darkest nightmares which he only allowed his enemy to see. "I can't help but wonder how it would look to have a close up view of the Aurora Borealis from the top deck." His appearance was somewhat disturbing however. He looked like a ghost, half-transparent.

Before Jesse could reply and about as mysteriously as he had come; Maelstrom vanished into the same thin air. He went to the temple.. where he would meditate among the 5 elements in the company of his beloved. He sent for a Northern Shaolin Style master at a nearby Dojo. It was time to begin his training, because he had something new in mind. Yet another burst of inspiration that may forever shape the very nature of existence on this world.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

Mei would continue to spend the next few weeks with Sterling and his family in Shangri-La and the temple. While she was there she would try to learn a lot more about their culture and the planet that they came from. She also wondered about the baby inside of her and how he would be once he was born. Would it be like Sterling and his people, would it be like hers, or would it be something else entirely? They would have to wait and find out when it was born and she could feel that the time was coming very soon.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Dragonisia had been a beautiful world, twice the atmospheric density of earth, slightly greater gravity. The mix made flying a little less difficult as lift was easier to generate, however, it also was more difficult to gain momentum or to move forewad due to the higher friction. The key elements of life and respiration were also slightly more abundant in the atmosphere, making it easier to sustain higher metabolisms and larger sizes. It orbited a star slightly smaller than the sun, probably a good thing because with any more additional heat input the world would have turned into a natural green house.

Most of the world was moist and swampy, storms were frequent and great. It was a difficult world for life to evolve on, but overcoming its challenges made that life heartier. The Dragonisians had multiple hearts.. and the hearts were in their necks under dense scale. They numbered 7 in total. They had very high blood pressures which helped to fuel a very fast burning metabolism that helped to fuel their flight and motion. Natural carbon fibers reinforced a bird-like.. honeycombed skeletal structure further reducing their weight and lending to their ability to fly and endure punishment in challenging flight conditions.

Many Dragonisians found the conditions at everest challenging. More challenging than most other life on earth. Many of them had customized breathing apparati that helped them beath in the thin mountain air. If they were without it too long, many passed out. This world wasn't altogether friendly to their biology. They were finding flight difficult, and adaptation was an extraordinary challenge.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The FIrst and Second fleet would return home.. given the fall of Australia.. there was no longer anyone to have talks with. The Trafalgar would come with htem. In Shangri La, there would be a parade.. honoring the heroes of the Siberian War. People lined the streets watching as the verdict was read at the Tribunal of the Russian Officers responsible for the war. There was a mix of emotions. Some thought the government too lenient.. others.. to harsh.. it all depended on your personal view of what was "Just". But most were content. The core of the Emperor's inner circle of generals were convicted and exiled. At least someone would pay for the lives of those killed in a war they didn't want.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Demobilization...

With Russia now joining SEATO and regional threats diminished, Druk Yul scaled back to defcon 3 posture putting most of its troops in reserve except for where continuing integration and protectorate operations.

[jesbro]

Mei was not happy about that whole situation where Maelstrom almost wiped out all the natives on the Cocos islands because he "didn't know they were there". She had accidentally threatened genocide once before and so she stripped herself of all her titles as her own punishment but so far nothing was done about Maelstrom's case except adding new rules to the SEATO treaty to make sure something like that doesn't happen again. "I'm serious Sterling! Your father went a few step even closer to wiping out a whole culture than I ever did and although I was stripped of all my political positions nothing has been done about what he did. Sure there are new steps to prevent something like that from happening again but I am not buying his BS lie about him not knowing they were there at all!"

 

"I don't know about that Mei. He claims his satellites did not see them..."

 

"Screw his fricken satellites! He knew there were there the whole time and it wasn't until we were about to send our own jets to stop him that he finally decided to stop the tests. Most of the leaders of the other nations might buy it but I won't. He knew those natives were there and if Jesse didn't threaten to intervene he would have launched those ARES missiles at the islands and wiped them all out!"   

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Maelstrom appeared briefly out of thin air said, "It was a ruse." Words lingered in the air with his smile as he slowly vanished again without giving a chance to respond, "I'm at the temple if you'd like to talk."

Edited August 10, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

It was time for Mei "Queen of the Dragons" to confront Maelstrom once again. As she got angrier she could feel the baby (dragon/human/whatever it was) inside of her ready to push out. She knew it was almost time and the baby might even come the next day but she needed to confront Maelstrom and she wasn't going to let that stop her. She wouldn't even wait for the monks to introduce her and let her in themselves this time. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. "I threaten to wipe out the Russians in order to protect my people if it came to it and I was stripped of all my Shanghai political titles. You on the other hand came much closer to actually wiping out an entire culture and although we make new rules to stop something like that from happening again you are not punished even in the slightest. I need answers and I need them now!"

[Maelstrom Vortex]

As she entered the temple, Mei would be greeted with a strange scene. The temple had been changed, seemingly dedicated to fire as cauldrons burned everywhere.. it was sweltering. There at the center next to a master of Northern Shaolin sat and meditated Maelstrom. Both had their legs crossed. Both were sitting half lotus with arms slightly out to each side of them and palms up towards the sky. In each of their four palms sat a small fire about the diameter of their palms. Maelstrom's eyes were also flaming like fire, but green.

 

He spoke, without his lips moving, rather the fires in his hands seemed to get larger and smaller vibrating the air, "I did nothing, and yet I do all. Such is my state and my state is I. My eyes watch the earth, seeking a needle in a sea. A magnet was required and I created one with a false crisis. The difference between you and I.. is I had never intended on going through with my plan. To kill 600 had never touched my heart. Mine was pure deception to gain insight, into several things. The cheese was dangled, the rats ran. First, my 36 eyes in space now watch the seas.. have noticed many navies on our vicinity and continue to gaze upon them.  Secondly, I know the nature of how many in the world now see me. How people judge you based on a seemingly irrational act helps you gauge their level of trust. I knew.. how the worl d in general would respond. What I needed to know.. is how the other individual dreamers saw me.. and now I know." His gaze had not wavered.. he had not even flinched, though he seemed on fire. His concentration remained unbroken.

 

"The time nears, you should calm down. In the meantime. Mei meet Master Ozai.., Master Ozai..  Former Emperess Mei. Master Ozai is teaching me to master fire."

Edited August 10, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

"I will calm down when I need to. Just because you make certain rules doesn't mean they do not apply to you as well. Whether it be 600 people or 600,000 you still threatened genocide just as I had even if we never really planned on carrying them out. I'm not sking for you to be punished because of it but it does show why I did not really trust you and why I still don't. With all of this fire it almost makes the temple seem a lot more "evil" than it used to be and it makes me wonder what your true intentions really are for all of us."

 

Just as she said that last part she felt like she was going to faint. Sterling would catch her as she began to fall backwards. "Sterling I think the baby is coming."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"Mei, what if it were water.. or air.. or earth.. or just empty. How would you feel then? One element is no more evil or sinister than the other. Part of a greater whole. Your lack of trust in me is irrelevant. I am what I am. You cannot change my trust in myself. I am Maelstrom for a reason. I thrive in Chaos, shaped within a framework of order. Geometry, symmetry, and yet turmoil. When you bargain with me, you bargain with a force of nature. Fortunately, I actually do care for everything around me. But sometimes.. I must test to see if people would intentionally disbelieve me in order to subvert me. You see, perception is not just shaped by its origin.. it is also projected. The observer is one of the most powerful forces in all of the universe.. and uniquely applies to social and diplomatic conversation. You see.. you chose how to observe me just now. And you chose to project upon me that I might be evil simply because of an inert element I have around me. Would the element really have mattered? The fire can burn. The air can dismember. The water can drown. The earth can crush. The Void can suffocate. But.. fire can amaze. Air lets you breathe. Water makes up most of what you are. The earth keeps you from falling into a well of gravity from which there is no escape for you and allows you a life.. and the void allows the earth to exist without the threat of all the others falling from the sky."

 

"i did not threaten genocide. I pretended I was going to nuke an island that I knew I was occupied.. but had no intentions of ever doing so.. to gauge a reaction. To see how the power of projection was being used against me. It's called a ruse."

 

As she stumbled, his concentration flickered and he looked to Sterling as the fires went out in his palms, "Go. Make me proud. Be a good father. You were born for this day."

Edited August 10, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

Jesse would make it there right on time for when the baby would be born. Mei would ask why he was nearly late and he would answer. "There is a situation going on in Macau right now and I needed to make sure we don't get stabbed in our backs with them taking over big areas of the Chinese mainland. If the Japanese really want to try anything stupid while I am here than they can go to hell because it wont stop me from witnessing the birth of my new brother or sister."

 

"Glad to see that becoming the Emperor has not changed you much." She would then scream as the doctors told her to keep pushing. She would of course scream at them that she was pushing and it would continue on like that until the baby finally came all the way out. However what had come out did not look like a normal human baby, in fact it wasn't even human at all. It was a pink dragon that had a really cute face and was just a bit bigger than average human babies.

 

Jesse would finally ask the big question. "So is it my brother or my sister?"

 

The main doctor would take the baby dragon into another room and less than a minute and announce that it was a girl. Jesse would then ask what Mei and Sterling planned to name her and Mei answered. "Adria, her name is Adria."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Despite the announcement of the birth of his grandchild.. the skies went dark over Shangri La. Maelstrom gave instructions to his staff he was not disturbed for at least a day.. and he went to his room. Koudoawaia understood his pain and just quietly comforted him as well as she could.

One of the worst storms in the history of Druk Yul hit Everest. To the point that the aerostat service had to be grounded and the fleets had to go to high altitude. The people had to stay inside as if under siege. It was a dark day; for another dreamer had died, one that helped the world to smile and laugh.. and in one of the worst ways possible. To say Maelstrom's mood was dour, would be understatement.

ooc: RIP Robin Williams.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[jesbro]

The next day Jesse would ask what Mei and Sterling planned to do. They could of course go back to Shanghai but Mei was actually born in the area that was now Shangri-La long ago so although it was a part of Druk Yul she still considered it her home town. "I was born here long ago Jesse. If you were to go underneith the ground of this area you would find the remains of an ancient dragon city that was built here long ago. Our empire used to span over all of Asia and even other parts of the world but soon after the humans turned against us and tried to wipe us out. The MHC are not to be underestimated Jesse, already they have destroyed many governments and soon they will try to do the same with Druk Yul and Shanghai unless..."

 

"Unless we stop them first. Sooner or later their leaders and those helping them will reveal themselves and when they do that is when we will strike. That is when we will end it once and for all!"

[Kevin Kingswell]

Clad in a plain white traveling robe that ran from her shoulders to her heels and with a similar plain white hood covering her head and face the Empress Carla Varos of the Russian Empire stood waiting patiently on the aerostat transport. In her right hand she held a white painted staff that was bare of decoration except for a single mid sized ruby gem built into the end. She kept her gaze focused downwards to help avoid drawing any attention to herself from the other travelers on the transport, she did not know what reaction she may get from them if they found out who she was and she didn't wish to find out either.

 

As the aerostat arrived at its destination coming to a halt with a slight bump Carla allowed her fellow passengers to disembark first before trailing after them taking her time with each step. Looking around she would inspect her surroundings, taking in and marveling at this almost other worldly location before continuing on with her journey. In truth she had traveled here on a false name, one of her many personal alias used for protection, and she didn't know where to go or even what she was hoping to achieve with this visit. All that she knew was that something had been different since the end of the recent conflict and she had been gripped with a sudden urge to personally travel alone among the nations she had recently been arrayed against.

 

Well she told herself, she had come here to explore and to find out what fate had in store for her so she might as well just walk about at random and see what came about. With this plan in mind she set off further into the city from the transport docks intending to see just exactly what her future held.      

[Maelstrom Vortex]

As she walked the streets Carla would see there had been a recent storm. Many people were repairing the shop faces, the fronts of homes from damage. Fortunately, it was almost all superficial as everything up here had practically been hewn from the stone face of the mountains. The air was thin, to the unaccustomed it may make them light headed, so not far from where she disembarked if she wanted to stop there was a market for rebreathers and small portable oxygen containers with comfort fitting nose plugs. Fortunately, inside the homes and structures, the citys ventillation systems kept the air flowing so that living in the mountains wasn't quite as harsh as walking up on them.

 

The mountains had been terraced.. the city had many levels and sub-levels.. places for aerostats to dock and move about carrying the people. Atop the terraces were small walk ways and bike paths a few smaller roads for minor pedestrian vehicles. There were hardly any automobiles to be seen. To those that didn't live there and see the same sights every day, the views could almost leave one awe-struck.

 

Despite all this, you had many of the standards in any city. Your fire department, your police station, your hospital, your schools. She could look down a terrace and watch school children playing on a playground. There were also public use ziplines between the terraces for the brave.. or in a hurry. The zip lines were carefully kept out of the aerostat lanes. There were also lifts between some of the more heavilly used terraces.

 

If she journeyed in the mountain through one of the public halls off the terraces, she would discover a city beneath the terraces outside that extended for only the Dreamer knew how many levels. An elevator went to at least 100 floors each ones with houses, markets, and amenities all its own. There was a fairly extensive map and directory at the opening to each public hall. To keep a sense of night and day in the halls, lighting changed in accordance to the outside time and light of the sun. At night there were a few dim lamps, but was not the same as the lighting during the day in which the entire roof lit up in a led display of the outside sky. At night the same display registered the stars instead.

 

The people of Shangri La seemed to perform a sort of steam-punkish victorian era style of fashion. They were proud of the unique way in which their city existed. They were also very kind to travelers. The merchants would plead with Carla to visit their stores as they passed, some of the diners offered samples of the local cousine. The city was alive, thriving, and a very relaxed place of many comforts. Though the floor was of granite there were stretches of carpeting and rugs in shops and homes that made one feel like they walked on air.

 

There were many.. many hotels as there was a huge tourism industry. The north face of the mountain had been left entirely untamed so that adventurers may try the same rugged ascent of old. It still drew climbers, base jumpers, and adventurers from the world over. At night, with only the hum of the aerostats moving about, the city was exceptionally quiet and tranqil. Clara would have her choice of interesting places to put her feet up if she had intended to stay for a time.

 

She would look one way.. and then back in front of her.. and abruptly there was someone there staring right at her in a monks robe. "Beautiful isn't it?" Maelstrom smiled. He was in the form of an older man as he was among the general population.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Kevin Kingswell]

Carla truly did enjoy the sights and sounds of this most wondrous city and she also enjoyed seeing and hearing from its people though when the merchants approached her she would bow her head out of what looked like respect but really was to hide her face from view. She spend at least a few hours just walking round seeing the sights and listening to the sounds and so focused was she on them that she didn't notice the old man till he spoke.

 

Quickly ducking her head to hide her face she hoped he didn't recognise her as she replied to his question. "Very. I have not seen any place like it. it is so unique and wonderful, almost as if I have stepped out of the real world and into an artist's dream" she said with a light chuckle at her choice of words.  

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"You have, it's mine. Welcome to Shangri-La. Might I offer you my services as a guide? Are you seeking anything or just wondering? I prefer wondering myself. So much to be found in the depths of such imaginings."

Edited August 12, 2014 by Maelstrom Vortex