Shangrilantis

Shangrilantis is a unified kingdom established beneath the seclusive oceans of Earth and was formed by an alliance between the people of Atlantis and Shangri-La, as well as many other civilisations considered to be 'lost worlds'. It is highly tolerant with spiritual energies, as well as entities considered mythological, making its contents sacred.

## History

Before the formation of the kingdom, there existed the lands of Atlantis and Shangri-La, both rich in strong magical and spiritual history. However, the rest of Earth became more strife and mysticism was having to retreat to the deepest corners of the world. Along with the destruction of ancient artefacts and beliefs, as well as the hunt for antagonised mages, the lands had a drought of resources and both fell into decay, lost to the passing of time.

Many mystical beings, who would be now considered 'cryptids', wandered the depth of the earth as they continued to cling onto their ancient traditions. Many divisive tribes would form, hidden from the public eye at most. When the neoteric era of technology came, there was a spike in difficulty when it came to privacy, revealing the supernatural folk and placing them at risk.

Many were not willing to put up with the supernatural oppression and were desperate to bring out the message that their backgrounds were very much precious, the same that could be said for human life. Thus, a meet-up was called between the wandering Merrow nomads, lead by the military strategist Pytho, and the highly spiritual Shangri, a Devata who was willing to form an uplifting alliance with the mystics. Thus, Shangrilantis was formed beneath the surface.

As the kingdom developed over time, mystical folk of different shapes and sizes, who had also been shrouded in seclusion, found refuge within the kingdom grounds and began to use the region as a place for arcane serenity and perfection. It did not take long for them to join the ranks and seek out ancient artefacts that still remained across the world, as risky as it was.

However, even at the risk of encounter against the anti-mystic threats, battles with the Garjana, old foes of the Merrow, began to dwindle again. The kingdom is put in a state of danger by crimes committed by Gorgos, a commander of her long lost species with a corrupted army of mindless statues and ghouls, clinging onto a cruel ambition to conquer Shangrilantis. This would not lower the morale of the kingdom, for the defenders fought against the armies. The fallen foes would then be gifted life and benevolent freedom by Shangri, leading themselves to redemption and allying with the kingdom's folk. With the spiritual powerhouse by the people's side, Shangrilantis continued to fight, as long as the people were willing to triumph and progress in the development of a cultural utopia once again.

## Society

Shangrilantis is dominantly populated by Merrow, but ever since its uprising, many supernatural beings and practitioners of magic shunned by the public have become part of the kingdom's society as mass immigrants. Having built upon the kingdom with past remains, the Atlantean language was revived and became a popular language amongst the people, although outsider languages are also relevant. All religions were accepted, so long as were not radical enough to distort the morals of the kingdom.

Much of Shangrilantis is divided into several states spread across its territory, though the entire domain is ruled over a sovereign ruler alongside a royal court known as the Titan Apostles, made up of thirteen members alongside Maira, the reigning monarch. Each member possesses some sort of great knowledge in diplomacy, militarism, civil service and religion in some way.

## Culture

A typical Shangrilantean's strongest values are spirituality, preciousness and fortitude. Many relics of mystical qualities are gathered and archived within the sanctuaries that are hidden deep under the surface. The protection of artefacts can also be applied to its people, for most of the inhabitants are of dying species. Shangrilantis acts as a backbone for the lives of many Merrow and mystics and thus must be entrenched to the end.

The citizens follow healthy customs, as well as accept blessings from Shangri's spirit, to live a everlasting life and slowly age in appearance, as well as maintain physical perfection. This way of living has been derived from both Shangri-La scriptures and the texts written by Atlantean warriors. Contentment is a value taken very seriously by folk, as unity is what keeps the people of Shangrilantis together.

## Technology

Shangrilantis' architecture is commonly made up of rich stones and primarily orichalcum. Despite how the technological advancement of the kingdom is archaic for the most part, it is the harmony of science and the arcane arts that keeps the kingdom alight. This hybrid form of scientific tradition has been able to create technologies that can be considered revolutionary such as vehicles, telegraphs, robotics and even nanotechnology.

Regarding transportation, the core issue of the kingdom being underwater is resolved with the power of an Atlasphere. By crafting several pylons with energetic magical focus, an invisible spherical field is created to transform the properties of the region within Shangrilantis territory into an area in which all species can survive under, regardless of how they breathe, as well as being able to move through it as if it was upon the land of the earth. High-speed transport, powered by similar magical energies, are also handled in order to provide transference between deep sea and land.