Yellow Chakra – Belize or 1975 Earth (0, -1, 0)
Originally discovered by Matthew, Rambault and Tone. It seems that Tone, son of Florimel (Queen of Chaos, sister to Geran and Dieter) ended up as the protector. After Tone’s disappearance, Patrick, son of Bleys and Jasra, assumed control of the world and established ownership. Surprisingly, this too was recognized by Brand. Accessible railway link to Antilla.
Antilla Railway
The Antilla Railway link is west of the ‘Chicago’ city in the country of ‘United States’. It is between the Mississippi river and Chicago on the Great Lake. Ports and other rail, canal, and roads, link it into the world at ‘Matthewsburg’. It has a buffer around it so that it is not a direct access to the rest of the world. It is roughly between the old locations of Chicago, Illinois and Des Moines, Iowa. This remained above water when things flooded and land rose and subsided. It has five layers of barrier, and though it was situated to be near major river and lake plus surface railway, it is rather cut off. Extensive land around Matthewsburg was included for future expansion which is strongly controlled.
The original zone was about 10 miles by 30 miles, running north to south. This is also the axis of the rail tracks as they appear and disappear at the railway station.
Recently a new section of zone has been added to the east of the earlier zone, now more than doubling the strip. It is considered more of zone 4, and cut up into one square mile parcels, arranged in 6×6 mile grid, and two wide and five long. This new section is for embassies or large estates and has zoning restrictions on subdivision and population in general. 360 parcels. Township 5, section 31, has been turned into the Official Royal Palace and Residence of the Royal Family of Belize in the Zone. A LARGE sumptuous palace has been erected with carefully manicured grounds. Most of this is open to the public, including a museum, conservatory, and more.
Another strip two miles wide was added to the western margin, now making the Antillian Railway Zone 24 by 30 miles.
Family can travel into Belize through the Rail system. Zone 1 is similar to modern airport terminals, a secure zone. It has a few shops and services. Zone 2 is beyond, full of shops, services and like the outer areas of a modern airport terminal. Zone 3 is Matthewsburg. Zone 4 is the area around Matthewsburg. Zone 5 is the rest of the planet.
Zone 1 to 2 and 2 to 3, visitors have to walk through scanning arches. You will be stopped only if something trips a sensor. No C4 or thermite or the equivalent, no gort, etc. Tech works here as does magic and pattern, so do trumps in zone 1-4 though zone 1 bringing someone in won’t work.
Lightsabers will work (rumored Prince Ryan wanted one, Prince Patrick got him one and liked it so much he got himself one). Regular gunpowder works here. If you have mereasha or pink gunpowder and try to leave zone 1 you will set off the alarms. A small amount of kregora or blue crystal IF you are Family will not set off the alarms. Armed recognized Family are allowed through.
Going Zone 3 to 2, you have to walk an arch and roll your luggage and bags through a scanner. Going Zone 2 to 1, is like going through TSA. You will also need ID for 2 to 1 unless you’re recognized Family. The officials do know most of the high Royals (PC’s and some NPC’s) everywhere.
To get into Zone 5 you need one of the Royal Family. This includes Patrick, Florence Jean, Ruby, Rachel, or Ryan. You may apply through channels but it doesn’t mean you will get permission… (this means you, Phillip and Alexander, quit whining or you can be changing litterboxes).
Age of consent and age of marriage is 15 in Belize, although adulthood is limited at 18 and full at 21. Public office, 25 minimum. Drinking age is limited but allowed at 15 (look at British laws) and full at 18. You may vote at 18. Tobacco and other substances, 21. Small amounts of bud are legal to 21 and over or Family over 18 (including tobacco).
Matthewsburg
Very modern city, very ecogreen. Built from scratch with imported advanced technology. This shows a housing block with 1800 to 3100 square foot residences-condos. Plenty of greenspace and common areas, the units also provide space for growing crop and collecting solar power. On the roof are wind turbines to harvest power from nature.
There is a commercial zone and nestled with it and around it, are various light industry, recreation, entertainment, as well as residential areas. Nothing connects directly to the Railway in the strip that it appears and disappears, this city of three million was purpose built with buffering zones and checkpoints to bring goods in and out of the area.
The Antillan Railway Project occurred before Patrick closed down the rest of the system to clean out various issues. One cannot leave the Matthewsburg port city unless you are a resident of Belize. Or get escorted by Patrick or one of his family. If you are Family and are not The Twins or Wendell, you will find Patrick summoned and he’s pretty good about giving tours.
Matthewsburg is showing a technology level of about 2170 to 2200.
The local authorities are present. They tend to be lowkey unless something happens. Response time for police, EMT and fire are fairly quickly. Citizens aren’t afraid to call something in. Police do patrol but are not seriously obvious. Tossing fireballs or taking the wall out at a business will get response within five minutes if not sooner. Even if you are family they will ask about it, though some polite will happen because PC’s are royals after all. They can always call the King’s Office.
TOURISM
Because so many have read about the old outdated timeframe of technology and other before Belize was closed, there are many who come to see and tour the old place. To support this some of the buffer zone has been turned into clean and not schlocky theme parks and ‘living museums’ and resort zones.
Old Saigon
There is an independent city of about 150,000, with permanent residents descended of eastern Asian and Vietnamese citizens. It has been built to resemble Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) of the former South Vietnam of about 1973 or so. Cars and other technology that’s readily visible dates from that time.
The people dress in clothes of the time and totally ignore other technology flashed at them, don’t expect to use Pear-Pay to automatically zap for a latte at the coffee shop. They don’t have wifi or internet.
Everyone uses Hmong and most also understand ‘English’ (aka Thari) and old Terran French. (Vietnam had been part of the French colonies some time back and the language was widely used into the 21st century). Be warned, if you want to use a cab, get where you are going written down in Hmong and SHOW it to the driver. Else you will end up places you do not want to be.
They will deal BNA dollars, Belize Royals, or old USA dollars, or Amber Crowns. It is suggested you change your money to at least BNA dollars or Belize Royals before you arrive or at the Embassy for your home country.
Right, one of the many shops along the shopping mall along the main street of the Market District. Many unusual tropical foods are available as well as exotic goods. Most of it is duty free and can flow freely through the Matthewsburg zone.
Most all foods are organic, aka non modified and raised without chemicals or the like. They use both metric and imperial weights and measures, just make sure to specify when you start a transaction which one you prefer to deal in.
Also most packaging is metal, glass, or cardboard, very little plastic. Locals use reuseable bags, and they can be had cheaply or free with your shopping. Most things available are local brand, not imports unless you go to the free zone shopping areas closer to the heart of Matthewsburg. In Old Saigon, they sell local made produce and goods.
Left, the famous floating market along one of the city canals and waterways.
Old Saigon is cut through by a waterway and several canals.
Down at the waterfront there are ferries to carry one across where the bridges aren’t close by, and there are houseboats and the floating market.
Some excursion boats are for sightseeing and will head into this market area, where the vendors will paddle up along side the larger boat and sell all sorts of wares directly. Expect to make a day of it, being able to eat from water borne vendors, plus shop, and have your guide point out the various interesting architecture and temples along the water’s edge.
Boaty McBoatface tours, nice wide stable pontoon boats with railings and overhead canopies, with an onboard bar and magical cooling, are very popular for a six hour meander at very reasonable prices.
Right, the state of computing, circa 1973. Meet the Wang 2200. Used a cassette tape to do data backup, and was programmed in BASIC.
There are several museums and most have some interactive displays, including one on the technology of the era. Meet switchboard rotary dial phones, thermofax, mimeograph machines, and beauties such as this computer.
They also have some of the first of the handheld four function big boxy calculators. Slide rules are still in use.
Most museums do have an entrance fee but the cost is modest. Almost all have gift shops and they sell newly made versions of some of this old technology that will work in a lot of other places other than Amber City. Yes you can buy a working copy of PONG you can attach to an old Analog TV with the channel 3/4 switch and play it at home. They will also sell you a small black and white Analog TV that will work where moderate tech will work.
Tank City
Is also near Old Saigon, in a rather deserted desolate area. It comprises several ranges and varies from Udrive Tank School, to Take A Matthew and Rambault Afternoon, to Command A Tank. Plus all place do offer ‘take a tank ride’ for very reasonable.
Udrive they actually teach you how to drive a tank and you get to chart roads over some very real terrain. Your crew tries to keep you from flipping the tank over or blowing up the turret. You get some basic instruction then get to get in and learn to drive it across a range, and get to fire a few rounds.
Command-A-Tank means some instruction then you join a tank crew to either fire on targets or drive over terrain or both. This one does take most of the day.
Take A Matthew and Rambault Afternoon, you gets some instruction, a short stint in a simulator, then get to thread through a very realistic version of terrain and part of a city. Beer is provided and you get to run over things and blow stuff up. This one has limited slots and reservations are required.
You can also get a chopper ride and sightseeing tour. Either in a real Bell Huey or a smaller ‘MASH’ bubble type helicopter. These have somewhat limited slots and need reservations. Bell Huey can take six to eight, the bubbles hold only one passenger.
Reservations are usually not needed unless you want to fly over Old Saigon. Those need reservations well in advance and the rides are very popular.
One can have a very fun visit and vacation in the Matthewsburg zone of Belize, without having to leave the zone.
Angkor Wat
One of the most popular resorts is a re-creation of Angkor Wat. It is rumored it was well destroyed in an Ungoliant attack about the time the purported ‘golden’ Chakra stone was found. The world was infested with Ungoliant and they just poured into the area. In the resulting fight the original site got heavily damaged. Later after the waters rose, it did go under and is currently over thirty meters (100 feet) down. One may not dive on the sunken ruins, hence this very accurate replica was built.
This replica is above current flooding and just as charming as the original.
There are interpretive guide park rangers to explain what is known about the site and point out some of the most interesting parts, or you can self tour if you wish. There is a site fee for this. One may also stay nearby at a luxury tropical style resort.
Belize City (City Capitol), Belize
Located in the country called Belize, in the south at the mouth of a river, Patrick chose to build a city from the ground up to be the World Capitol. It is also a very modern city, and from there he deals with ruling the regional governments he left in place. As long as there is peace and things are going well, he has left things alone. You do not want to come to his attention. Population estimated to be two and a half million. Belize City is rumored to be running technologywise to a tech level of of the early 2400’s.
Angkor Wat Again
The original was the location of the golden/yellow Chakra stone, an imperial Topaz of several hundred carats. When it was found in the partial ruins of the real site, ungoliant showed up from everywhere and were a mess to deal with. Since there was no real treasures to be found, Patrick paid everyone that assisted him with that cleanup. He paid in the person’s choice of gold, mithril or gems.
What the Golden Chakra stone does exactly he hasn’t figured out yet. There was one little adventure where they had all eight stones and their guardians-keepers together, and they can be powerful together.
Patrick is not a strong magic user, preferring physical over magical, so it may take a while yet for him to find out exactly what the gem does. He apparently keeps it ‘at home’ somewhere on Belize but no one other than he knows where it is. He has taken it with him a few times, and once they had all eight stones and users together and the stones prove to be quite powerful when wielded together…
The site is currently in deep water and is not diveable and no one is allowed to attempt to salvage or do an archeological dive on the sunken site. It is said also the sharks are numerous and ferocious in that area.
The Cult of the Lynx
Firmly stamped out. Some others had followed Lynxists into the area, Patrick helped them finish. They were cleaned out, their churches put back to being used as churches, and all slices of Glen’s liver were confiscated and returned to him. They had been running a branch of the Quaddity to cover themselves (the Lynxists). Patrick kept a lot of the swag but turned around and paid everyone that helped him 3 billion in Amber Crowns, each. The people could get it in coin, ingots, mithril, or gems.
The Quaddity
Banned. Patrick will have nobody worshipping Family directly. At the mildest, they are exiled from Belize.
The Bear Cult
Banned. Including the Bear Dance. The ones known as the Bears are welcome, and any attempt to worship them, dance, or steal their napkins (etc) is met with harsh sentences (at the mildest they are exiled from Belize).
Belize at Present
Belize was closed down after the Chakra Stone was recovered, and apparently been moved to fast time. Technology was advanced quite a ways (imported). After Patrick and Florence started a family, it seems that their children have been spending most of their life in Belize, growing up.
The Great Event
The reason for the technology advances was a few meteor strikes (called The Great Event) and a total mucking up of the environment and ecosystems. The temperature rose on the planet and so did the water levels as the icecaps melted. It is said that the first wave of tsunamis, earthquakes, and nuclear winter killed off close to a quarter of the population, and another nearly half, from displacements. The world looks a lot different now, with the water levels so high. Belize remained above the rising ocean, as did Matthewsburg.