See full list on mythology.net. Two explorers set off to southwest China in search of the elusive Shangri-La. Taking a cue from links between the book Lost Horizon, and Joseph Rock's travel. 'Shangri-La-Di-Da' is the twelfth episode of Legend of the Three Caballeros. It premiered on June 9, 2018. Daisy's patience with Donald has run out, so Xandra books them for a vacation in Shangri-La to help solve all their problems. The Yeti resort staff have orders to not let Donald leave until his temper has been dealt with once and for all, leaving him unable to help the other Caballeros. Shangri-la definition is - a remote beautiful imaginary place where life approaches perfection: utopia.
Throughout the world, there have been tales of magical, mystical cities, places ofenchantment and wonder and adventure that have been lost to time. In the world of FengShui, no such place is more famous than the lost city of Shangri-La. Legends and folklorepaint Shangri-La as a city of ancient mysteries and forgotten wisdom. No one knows exactlyhow Shangri-La came to be, or what secrets lie within its walls, but one thing everyoneagrees on is that Shangri-La is exceptionally difficult, if not impossible to find.Although most stories place it somewhere within the region of Tibet or Nepal, no one knowsexactly where it is. There are rumors and stories of explorers who managed to find thecity, but these cannot be confirmed. Only those who failed to find the city have come backto tell the tale.
Shangri-La does, in fact, exist, and it is indeed a city of magic and wonders. However,the reason it is so hard to find is because it never stays in one place for very long.Shangri-La is peculiar and unique in that it phases in and out of time in what is only asemi-predictable cycle at best. An inhabitant of Shangri-La could go to bed in the year820 and wake up in the year 1820 the next day, or virtually any other year for thatmatter. Unlike the portals of the Netherworld, Shangri-La is not limited in its movementsto the open junctures, but rather can appear at almost any time in history. Nor does itphase in any set pattern either, but instead moves from year to year, backwards andforwards in time without any discernible meaning. What's more, the city tends tophase fairly frequently and erratically, sometimes staying in one place for a few months,in others for only a day. Finally, Shangri-La shifts not only from time to time, but inand out of the Netherworld as well.
Despite the seemingly random nature of the city, there are a few rules that govern itsexistence. For one thing, the limits of its movements are set between whatever theearliest and latest open junctures currently are. What's more, Shangri-La seems tofavor time periods where magic is strong. Thus, it appears in the Netherworld and in theyears prior to the Renaissance much more often than it does anywhere else. When Shangri-Ladoes shift, it always does so at night, never during the daytime. Also, no matter whatyear Shangri-La appears in, its location is always the same, a very remote areasomewhere in the Himalayas. When it appears in the Netherworld, it appears in a similarlyremote area, which is why it is largely undiscovered and unheard of even there. Finally,as in the Netherworld, time in Shangri-La always moves forward in a linear fashion. Mondayalways follows Sunday no matter what the year is, and its inhabitants always agenormally as time passes. Of course, because Shangri-la moves about so much, the flow oftime may seem radically different to those outside the city. There are tales withinShangri-La of natives outside the city walls, by chance or by choice, when it phases out.When they next see the city again, dozens of years have passed for them, while only weeksor days have gone by for those living in the city. In contrast, there are similar tales ofsuch people returning to the city after only a short absence, only to find that theirfriends and family have all aged many years since they last left.
Shangri-La itself is indeed the place of wonders that the legends make it out to be.For one thing, within the city walls are three major feng shui sites (each one providingdouble the attunement bonus of a normal site) and close to ten times as many minor fengshui sites. As a result, the inhabitants live in a sort of pocket reality that isinsulated from the modifiers of their current juncture. Shangri-La always has a +3 sorcerymodifier, and the presence of so many feng shui sites means that the average citizen has aShaping skill of 6-12. Shangri-La itself is made up of a combination of shaped andnormally created buildings and items, and what is truly astonishing is that all of theshaped items maintain their integrity outside of the Netherworld, so long as they are keptwithin the city walls. Finally, Shangri-La is blessed with wells that never run dry, andplants that bear fruit every day. In fact, most of the food comes from small orchards,vineyards, and gardens scattered throughout the city. Needless to say, were this not thecase, the people of Shangri-La could not survive.
Shangri-La itself is a small, walled city with less than 10,000 inhabitants. The cityitself is loosely ruled by the high priests of the temple, although the day to day affairsof the city are handled by a council comprised of the most influential citizens in thecity. Despite this, every adult in the city, other than slaves, beggars, and criminals,has a say in how the city is run, and council meetings are often boisterous affairs. Byand large, the priesthood concerns itself with the spiritual welfare of the people, aswell as tracking the constant movements of the city itself. Through a very complex methodinvolving astrology and divination, the priests claim to be able to determine the yearwherever the city is located, and how long it will remain there (though these predictionsare not always 100% accurate). The priests also act as doctors and healers for the city,combining herbalism, prayer, and magic to tend to the sick and injured. They also handlefunerary rites for the dead (who are always cremated). The remainder of the city is madeup of the usual mix of artisans, civil servants, laborers, and the like. Responsibilitybegins early, with children expected to contribute to the welfare of their family by theage of 6. The social structure is very stratified, with sons almost always following inthe footsteps of their fathers, and daughters always joining the families of theirhusbands in arranged marriages (also handled by the priesthood). The only way to break outof this cycle is to join the priesthood or to become a warrior-monk.
The warrior-monks are a special branch of the clergy committed to the maintenance oforder within the city and to its defense as well. When a boy reaches the age of 6 hisparents may apply to have him join the priesthood. He will be carefully questioned andtested by the priests, and if he is deemed suitable he will be inducted into either thepriesthood or the brotherhood of warrior-monks, depending on his aptitude. Needless tosay, few are selected for either order. The warrior-monks are different from the priestsin that that their training is as much martial as it is spiritual. The first six yearsafter a boy is inducted is spent learning basic physical and spiritual techniques, alongwith a lot of menial work. This period is concluded with a test, and if the novice isworthy then he will spend the next six years in intense training, learning to tap into andutilize his chi as part of becoming a warrior. Finally, on his eighteenth birthday theinitiate will be tested again, and if he is successful he will be inducted into the orderas a full warrior-monk and given his first tattoo. These tattoos are magical in nature,providing the monk with supernatural powers and abilities. The tattoos are earned as thewarrior-monk advances spiritually, and are given based on the nature of the recipienthimself as determined by the priesthood.
Naturally, all of the factions would love to get hold of Shangri-La for themselves(except for the Dragons, who don't work that way, and the Jammers, who would like toblow it up). Needless to say, a city that can phase in and out of the Netherworld andthroughout time would be a tremendous asset to anyone who controlled it. So far, none ofthe groups have been able to locate it, much less control it, and what little they knowcomes from stories of those who claim to have visited or lived there. Shangri-La has goneundiscovered for so long partially because of its remote location and partiallybecause it never stays in one time for very long, but also because the priesthood haveemployed and maintain a number of spells designed to hide the city from detection.Although Shangri-La welcomes visitors, they also know that the survival of their citydepends upon it remaining largely a mystery.
Character Types
Warrior-Monk
- Attributes
- Bod 5,Chi 0 (Mag 6),Mnd 5,Ref 5.
- Add 6 points to your primary attributes.No more than 5 points can be spent on any single attribute.
- Skills
- Martial Arts +9 (=14)
- Sorcery +8 (=13)
- Info/Philosophy and Theology (of Shangri-la) +3 (8)
- Add 4 skill bonuses.
- Schticks
- 5 Tattoo schticks.
- Weapons
- None
- Wealth Level
- Poor.
The warrior-monks of Shangri-La are responsible for the security anddefense of the city of Shangri-La.Although they are part of the priesthood, much of their training is inthe martial arts, and they utilize magical tattoos which give themspecial powers as well.The warrior-monks are ascetics, who are expected to live lives ofcelibacy and poverty.They keep their heads shaved, and wear only the simplest of clothing.Although they can use weapons, most eschew them in favor of unarmedcombat.
Using Tattooed Warrior-Monks as Player Characters
While most warrior-monks will only be encountered within the walls of Shangri-La, theymay theoretically be found anywhere. On a monk's 24th birthday, he isgiven the option of leaving the city to explore the outside world, so that he may bringback news of what is happening elsewhere. This allows players totake on the role of a wandering warrior-monk. Furthermore, although the warrior-monks arenot supposed to interfere in the conflicts of outsiders they meet on their travels, theyare taught to uphold the tenets of righteousness and to oppose evil when they encounterit. Thus, although a warrior-monk's loyalty is always to Shangri-La, he may find himselfworking with others toward a greater good. One thing no warrior-monk will ever do isreveal the location of Shangri-la to outsiders. They may, however, provide clues totrusted friends. The monks hold that those who are truly worthy of finding the city willfind it when they look.
Leaving Shangri-La is not an easy decision, for the nature ofthe city is such that when the monk returns, he may find many decades have past. That is,if he finds it again at all. Monks who wish to return to the city invariably travel to theNetherworld, and from there make the long trek to the place where the city will appearwhen it returns. When they reach that spot, they simply wait for the city to return.The monks believe that when it is their time to return, they will know when to make thejourney. However, this is not always the case, and sometimes returning monks are forced toabandon their vigil and return to try again at a later date.
Tattoo Magic
Tattoo magic involves the use of magical tattoos which provide their bearer with accessto different supernatural powers. Each tattoo the character has is represented by a'tattoo schtick.' Multiple schticks can be spent on some powers, which representmore complex and detailed tattoos.
Characters with magical tattoos activate their powers much in the way a Martial Artistactivates Fu powers, except that they expend Magic points instead of Fu points. Like Fupoints, magic points used to activate tattoo powers refresh at the beginning of eachsequence. The character does not have to perform any special ritual to activate histattoos; he must simply will them to activate and they do. Most tattoo powers activateinstantly, and the duration of their effect is given with each individual description.Multiple schticks in one tattoo usually increase the cost by a like amount. When the costof tattoo says '1 cumulative,' that means that for every schtick the characterhas spent on this tattoo, 1 magic point must be spent when activating that tattoo. Thus, acharacter with three schticks in Dragonfire would have to spend 3 magic points every timethey used the power of the tattoo.
Activating a tattoo requires a Sorcery task check, though success is usually automaticbarring any unusual circumstances or a botched roll. Using the schticks in combat usuallyrequires a Martial Arts task check, as most of the schticks enhance thecharacter'scombat capabilities, and are not attacks in and of themselves. However, characters who usetattoo magic in combat suffer (or benefit from) juncture modifers just as a sorcerer orsupernatural creature would.
Learning new schticks 5 + X experience points per schtick, where X equals the number oftattoo schticks the character will have after they acquire the new one. Players may notbuy any one schtick more than five times, where multiple purchases of the schtick areallowed.
Tattoos
Dragon Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative.
This tattoo allows the character to breathe fire. Treat this as the fire effect of theSorcery Blast Schtick. Damage, however, is always based on the character's regularMagic rating +2, not his current rating. Attacks with this schtick are made using theSorcery skill. Each schtick spent on this power above the first adds an additional +2 tothe damage dealt.
Stone Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative Play dragon spin online.
This tattoo temporarily hardens the character's skin, making her more resistant todamage. Each schtick spent on this power provides one point of Toughness which lasts forthe duration of the sequence.
Wind Tattoo
Cost: 1
Each schtick spent on this power allows the character to add their Move score again whenleaping horizontally or vertically. Thus, a character with one schtick in this power couldleap up to twice their Move rating, with two schticks they could leap up to three timestheir rating, and so on.
Hare Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative Zodiac casino test.
Each schtick spent on this power allows the character to add their Move score again whenrunning. Thus a character with one schtick in this power could run at a rate equal totwice their Move rating, and so on. Once activated, this power remains active for theremainder of the sequence.
Cobra Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative
This tattoo temporarily increases the character's reaction time. This tattoo must beactivated when the character is rolling for initiative. For each schtick spent on thispower the character gains a +1 bonus to initiative for that sequence.
Hummingbird Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative
This tattoo temporarily increases the speed of a character's action. When thecharacter activates this tattoo, the shot cost of her current action is reduced by one foreach schtick spent on this power. For example, a character who uses this action whilemaking a martial arts attack would reduce the duration of that action from three to twoshots. No action can be reduced down to less than one shot (i.e., you can't performtwo actions on the same shot with this power). This tattoo must be activated as the actionbeing reduced is initiated.
Owl Tattoo
Cost: 1
This tattoo allows the character to see normally even in complete darkness. This effectlasts for the duration of the sequence.
Carp Tattoo
Cost: 1
This tattoo allows the character to breath normally underwater. This effect lasts for theduration of the sequence.
Lion Tatoo
Cost: 2
This tattoo allows the character to make a tremendous roar once per sequence thatdisorients all those in a radius in meters equal to the character's Sorcery skilllevel. When you use this power make a Sorcery task check with your victim's CON asthe difficulty. Success means that your victim suffers −2 impairment for a number of shotsequal to the outcome. You must test individually for each character, including allies whoare in the area of effect.
Gorilla Tattoo
Cost: 3
This tattoo gives the character a surge of strength, adding +4 to the damage of any oneMartial Arts attack you make. This tattoo must be activated before the character makes hisMartial Arts attack roll.
Elephant Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative
The character's strength is increased by +1 for each schtick they have purchased inthis tattoo for the duration of the sequence.
Tempest Tatoo
Cost: 3
This tattoo allows the character to exhale a great torrent of wind once per sequence,knocking aside those in front of him up to a distance in meters equal to his Sorcery skillrating. When you use this power make a Sorcery Skill Task Check with youropponent'sSTR as the difficulty. Success means the character is knocked backwards a number of metersequal to the Outcome, and then must spend half that many shots (rounded down) getting backup again.
Bane against …
Cost: 2
This character inflicts +4 damage when making Martial Arts attacks against any one type ofcreature specified by the tattoo for the duration of the sequence. You may not spend morethan two schticks on this power during character creation. Possible subjects include:demons, transformed animals, and the undead.
Ward against …
Cost: 2
This tattoo affords the character temporary immunity against one source of damage for theduration of the sequence in which it is activated. Use the Damage Immunities listed in theCreature Power section of the rules. The exceptions listed apply here as well. You may notspend more than two schticks on this power during character creation.
Ward against Sorcery
Cost: 2
When activated, this tattoo increases the character's resistance to magic for theduration of the sequence. All spells directed at him or which include him in their area ofeffect have their difficulty increased by +2.
Would Closing Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative.
This tattoo allows the character to rapidly close up wounds and heal injuriesinstantaneously. For each schtick spent on this power, the character may instantly removeup to 3 points of damage on himself. However, healing in this manner requires a tremendousamount of energy. Thus, magic points spent on this schtick recover at the rate of 1 pointper hour, instead of all at the end of the sequence.
Fast Healing Tattoo
Cost: 1 per sequence cumulative.
This tattoo magically speeds up the body's healing abilities, causing the characterto automatically recover 2 points of damage per schtick spent on this power at the end ofeach sequence. The points must be spent at the beginning of each sequence in order tomaintain this power.
Shangri-la Grand Lake Resort
Mountain Tattoo
Cost: 1 cumulative.
This tattoo suffuses the character with magical fortitude, allowing him to keep fightinglong after he should have died. Each schtick spent on this power gives the character a +3bonus when making death checks. Magic points are spent automatically when the characterhas to make the check, and if the character has already spent his points for that sequencethen the tattoo will not activate.
Chameleon Tattoo
Cost: 1 per schtick
This tattoo changes the color of the character's skin, allowing him to blend in withhis surroundings to the point where he virtually invisible. Each schtick spent on thispower adds +2 to the character's Intrusion skill for the duration of the sequencewhen he is hiding or attempting to move without being seen. The character may expendpoints automatically at the start of each sequence to maintain the tattoo's effects.Of course, the effectiveness of this tattoo has a lot to do with the character'ssurroundings — it won't help much in a bare, well lit room. No more than threeschticks can be spent on this tattoo.
Sigil of Fate Reversed
Cost: 5
This powerful tattoo dramatically alters the flow of chi around the character, changingbad luck into good fortune. The player may use the power of this tattoo to reverse any oneaction roll — that is, make the negative die positive andthe positive die negative —after the roll has been made. The character does not activate this tattoo; it takes effectwhen it is needed (as dictated by the player).
Sigil of Destiny Altered
Cost: 4
This powerful tattoo warps the probability lines around the character, slightly changingthe outcome of one small action, and thus the character's destiny itself. The playermay use the power of this tattoo to re-roll any one action he has just made. The resultsof the second roll must be kept — this tattoo cannot be used a second time on the sameaction. Like the previous tattoo, the character does not activate this tattoo; it takeseffect when it is needed (as dictated by the player).
Mark of Good Fortune
Cost: 2
This powerful tattoo acts as a focal point for positive chi, drawing good luck toward thecharacter. The player may use the power of this tattoo to gain an extra Fortune point foreach schtick spent on this power. These points may only be used to addto action rolls —they do not actually raise the character's Fortune score — and they must be spentimmediately. The character may gain a Fortune point as many times during a sequence as hehas schticks in this tattoo, but he must pay for each one seperately. Furthermore, thistattoo places a tremendous strain on the chi of the warrior. Each time this tattoo isused, the character will regain one less magic point at the start of the next sequence(this is a one time penalty for each use, not a cumulative or continuous loss). Pointslost this way are restored at the rate of one per hour. Like the previous tattoo, thecharacter does not activate this tattoo; it takes effect when it is needed (as dictated bythe player).
Mark of the Berserker
Cost: 5
When the bearer of this tattoo summons its power he becomes gripped by a ferociousbattle rage which makes him into a virtually unstoppable killing machine. While under theeffects of this tattoo, the character's STR and SPD scores are raised by 2, hebecomes immune to the effects of the Influence schtick (except Illusions), Death Checksare made as if the character's CON were doubled, and he suffers no penalties forimpairment. The effects of this tattoo last for the duration of the battle, and can onlybe activated during combat. Although the character can distinguish friend from foe, hewill have a hard time restraining himself in combat from attacking allies ornon-combatants if they get in his way (a WIL roll would be required, with the difficultyset by the GM). Once the battle ends the tattoo's effects wear off, at which pointthe character's SPD and CON drop by 2 (below the character's normal scores) fora number of hours equal to the number of sequences the character spent in the berserkstate. Any impairment suffered takes effect, and if the character suffered 35 wound pointsor more in the battle they must immediately make a death check treating their CON werehalved (rounding up). No other tattoos may be used while this Tattoo is in effect exceptfor Sigil of Fate Reversed, Sigil of Destiny Altered, Mark of Good Fortune, MountainTattoo, and any Banes and Wards.
The world of Far Cry 4 is not just about violence and armed conflict. Besides the main storyline, there are many side quests for the player (as Ajay) to explore, in which one gets to immerse in the culture of South Asia. Among them, I was fascinated with the 'Journey of Kalinag' that takes the player to the mythical land of Shangri-La.
Background
Shangri-La is the name of a mythical place in the novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton, published in 1933. In Hilton's fictional work, Shangri-La is described as a Himalayan utopian society where there exists a permanent happiness and people live an unusually long life. This literary form of paradise on earth originates from the real mythological kingdom of Shambhala in Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The name Shangri-La was pretty much fabricated by the author but however, it, later on, became the dominant name when referring to such utopian kingdom sought by both Western and Eastern explorers somewhere in the Himalayas.
In Far Cry 4, Shangri-La was a 'real' legend. Inside the fictional country of Kyrat, there exists another fictitious mythology based on Kyrati culture. That is the legend of Shangri-La.
The side quest involves the protagonist, Ajay Ghale, to collect all 5 'thangka' (a kind of painting on cotton in Tibetan Buddhism, usually demonstrating a Buddhism-related concept). Each thangka is scattered all over Kyrat. Every time Ajay locates and picks up one, he enters a trance, a state of half-consciousness in which he is Kalinag, the legendary warrior from the ancient time who, according to Kyrati legend, successfully finds Shangri-La, defeats the evil forces occupying there and returns as a victor. Slots plus no deposit.
According to his self-narration, Kalinag was sent by his king, who rules the ancient kingdom of Kyrat to find Shangri-La. After jumping from a high peak in the Himalayas to his death (I presume that is how you get to the mythical land), Kalinag finally reaches Shangri-La but only to realize he is not the first one to do so. There has been an ongoing battle between the demonic forces who tries to take this land for themselves, the protector of Shangri-La and other seekers like Kalinag, trying to defend the land.
The Kalinag's ally is a white armored tiger, the sacred protector of Shangri-La which has the ability to resurrect itself after being killed. Later on, Kalinag recruits an elephant that also has the same ability. In general, these animals are immortal.
The demonic force, led by Rakshasa (a demonic being in both Hindu mythology and Buddhism) tries to take Shangri-La for themselves. They are brutal and merciless. As Kalinag reaches Shangri-La, all he can see are the devastating destruction of Buddha statues and the brutal murders of sacred animals of Shangri-La. Interestingly, Rakshasa appears to be similar to Garuda, another mythical bird-like creature in Hindu mythology.
The side quest ends when Kalinag eventually defeats Rakshasa, liberating Shangri-La from the demonic force. He then, instead of staying in the paradise, decides to return to the real world as he believes that Shangri-La is inside him, and inside all of us.
Personal Reflection Jungle jim game.
As I mentioned, everything in this side quest is fabricated by mixing Hinduism and Buddhism. Nevertheless, I am fascinated by how the game studio manages to visualize a breath-taking view of a hellish Shangri-La.
Legend Of Shambhala
The landscape of Shangri-La has painted a pure, deep red color while the sky is portrayed with a faint yellow glow. That is the dominant color theme of Shangri-La, distinctively different than that of the 'real' world of Kyrat. While Kyrat is featured with a realistic combination of colors to demonstrate its realism, in Shangri-La, the simple use of red-ish tone in the background is quite intricate. To me, this component indicates that the moment when Ajay enters the trance and starts his journey to Shangri-La, he enters a different world of mythology that no longer exists in the same universe with Kyrat. What should be emphasized here is that in that fictional country of Kyrat, there exists another world of Shangri-La that presents a deeper level of thought. This local legend of Shangri-La results in the establishment of the culture of Kyrat. Shangri-La thus explains how and why people and culture of Kyrat turn out to look like in 'real' world. The use of such significant difference in color theme serves the impression of two discrete worlds.
Language is also a contributing factor to in-game realism. During the side quest in Shangri-La, Kalinag appears to speak Hindi, not English! This minor detail is what I usually find it disappointment in many popular movies, games or TV series. Just because the developers (or directs) could not afford foreign actors, they should not force everyone to speak fluent English in their product. To me, the characters, if of non-English speaking background, they should at least speak with an accent or preferably speak in their mother tongue in addition to the support of English subtitles. That is the case of this Shangri-La side quest in Far Cry 4. With the help of English subtitles, Kalinag speaks a kind of Hindi that I know it is not of modern-day India. The language is Hindi, but it sounds…antique. The developer's effort of finding the right voice talent for the character Kalinag, then expand it into an 'ancient form' of spoken Hindi is astonishing.
Philosophy of Shangri-La
There have been many explorers setting out to find the mythical land of Shangri-La or more properly addressed as Shambhala. Shambhala is described in many historical texts of Tibetan Buddhism. Other religious books dated back to the year of 159 B.C also described the kingdom of Shambhala and how it played a part in cultural and religious influence to ancient India and China. The earliest record of Western exploration for searching for this land only showed up in the 1920s. However, just like the lost city of Atlantis, no one was able to confirm the existence of this paradise on earth. With great curiosity, some of us still believe that somewhere out there, hidden by endless layers of snow of the Himalayas, the gateway to Shambhala waits to be discovered.
Nonetheless, does Shambhala actually exist? I mean, is it physically located somewhere in Tibet? While Hollywood has been exploiting this for many sci-fi movie plots, the Shangri-La of Far Cry 4 has a different approach. In the beginning of the side quest, Kalinag slowly approaches a very high peak of the Himalayan snowy region and he then makes the jump, saying that he finally finds the path to Shangri-La. The ground collapses and Kalinag find himself in an underwater passage in which he tries to swim to the surface. When almost drowned, Kalinag makes it to the surface, only to find out he reaches the mythical Shangri-La at last.
This detail makes me think about the path to Shangri-La. Does that mean Shangri-La never physically exists but we can only reach there by death? One may just refer Shangri-La to heaven in other religious concepts. In Far Cry 4, Shangri-La is no heaven. It is sacred, yes, but I feel this Shangri-La is of a separate universe. More clues are revealed along the journey of Kalinag. While battling the occupying demons in Shangri-La, Kalinag perceives a sense of dedication to this land. He binds himself to the duty to serve Shangri-La. He lets everything of the 'real world' go, including his identity and the loyalty to his former king (who sent him on a quest to find Shangri-La in the beginning). Now, Kalinag only focuses on fighting for Shangri-La. Nevertheless, in the end, after defeating Rakshasa, Kalinag decides to return to the 'real world' because he understands he actually does not leave Shangri-La. Shangri-La is within him and within everyone. That is when Kalinag finishes his narration and asks the painter (who is the creator of the 5 thangkas I mentioned above) if the story is enough for him to paint the thangka. This detail is important as it indicates the whole thing, from the beginning, is just Kalinag re-telling his journey AFTER he returns to the real world. That may imply everything about Shangri-La is just in his head or it is just a metaphorical story for next generations. However, the side quest ends there without further explanation.
The unique philosophical aspect of Far Cry 4's Shangri-La does not end there. The demonic forces, the battles and the bloodshed at Shangri-La are things that also fascinate me. Ubisoft Toronto, the studio that develops this part of Far Cry 4, calls this concept 'Sacred Under Attack'. Shangri-La is assumed to immune to suffering, yet, what the player, or Kalinag, discovers when arrived is the scenes of chaos and massacre all over the place. Such is the antithesis of the paradise, meaning that Shangri-La is hell. This concept really impresses me when playing through this part. As Kalinag, I see the destruction that the demonic forces have wrought upon the land. The majestic temples and enormous Buddha statues are devastated and stained with the blood of the majestic animals of Shangri-La. Their disemboweled organs are displayed on the hands of Buddha statues, making it look like a sick offering of some sort. All of these are described as 'Sacred Under Attack'. The concept creates a sense of urgency as when experiencing this impression, one tends to feel the urge to quickly liberate Shangri-La before it is dirtied by the unholy forces. It is somehow disturbing and satisfying at the same time, is it not? Having something sacred and sanctified messed up by the most wicked and filthy forces of all.
Time is also a philosophical aspect in Shangri-La. Before Kalinag, there are many other seekers, the ones that also attempt to find this mythical place and seek its enlightenment. They also encounter the hellish beings, try to protect Shangri-La but are unsuccessful. They are brutally killed. However, as Kalinag finds their bodies, they appear to be frozen in time. It seems that at the very moment when they are killed, time stops running for their bodies. Everything just stands still. Kalinag shares his empathy to the dead, knowing that they dedicate a great effort to locate Shangri-La, only to be killed by the monsters here.
On the other hand, Kalinag wonders if this is also a form of immortality that the seekers have been seeking. There is no more meaning for their existence, even for their spiritual one. I find it interesting. Given that one you have to sacrifice your life in order to get to Shangri-La, then what does it mean to die (again) in Shangri-La and get frozen in time? Where does your soul go from there? And is Kalinag right when saying this may relate to immortality?I find this concept of 'frozen in time equal immortality' relatable. Many Buddhist books always refer to Nirvana, the ultimate state of enlightenment where there only exists a complete emptiness in oneself. There is no sorrow, no suffering, no material and sexual desire. Such is permanent happiness. My mother, who raised me a Buddhist, used to refer to this as a dimension where you are out of the Samsara, the endless circle of repeated birth (reincarnation). You are not reborn and you are not dead. You are not a man or a woman because you no longer have any desire to reproduce. You have the unbounded knowledge of the universe. Now, when I rethink about it, I wonder if the immortality that we all aim for getting us out of the flow of time if there is even one.
In Far Cry 4's Shangri-La, perhaps Kalinag is right. The murdered seekers are the highest state of enlightenment in which their existence, suffering and individual desire no longer matter.
Shangri-la Colombo
Watch the walkthrough of the whole Shangri-La mission:
