Cloud 9
Cloud 9 is a towering skyscraper district positioned as close to its parent octant, Zeus, as the Ward Walls will allow. Sky bridges span the distance between these skyscrapers, allowing their residents to travel from tower to tower without logistical hassle. Its confines scream of careful cultivation. Any and all plant life is neatly boxed and tended, from the smallest window planter boxes to the towering trees that intersperse the upper causeways. Not a single leaf falls to the ground that isn’t quickly swept away. Littering is punishable by fine, community service, or even jail time for repeat offenders. Cloud 9 is for the elite, after all. Every single one of its inhabitants is required to help maintain the cleanliness that proves one is worthy of that status.
Cultural Tenets
Cloud 9 operates on two opposed but balanced precepts - conspicuous consumption and noblesse oblige. No one likes a miserable miser. If you have the money to spend, you should be spending it (wisely, of course). Social status is just as dependent upon one's charity and generosity as on what one owns. The elite of Cloud 9 consider themselves patrons and champions of unsung causes. To their credit, some of this actually is rooted in altruism and not simply a desire to look good. That said, residents are fully expected to brag about those causes to boost their own social standing, which leaves plenty of room for people to bargain their ideals for power.Magical Culture
Niner magic tends to be rooted in the innate confidence and charisma of the caster. Those with the strongest ideals or force of personality tend to be the most powerful magic-users. Glamours, illusions, emotional heightening or dampening, and persuasive magics crop up most commonly here. Niner magic typically relies on spoken triggers and is either flashy, accompanied by sparkles and visual effects, or deeply subtle to avoid notice.Demographics
Primarily elves and humans in the higher strata, humans and orcs in the middle strata, and a blend of all ancestries in the lower strata.
Defences
Industry & Trade
Niners are consumers, not producers. That said, they uphold a strong tradition of patronage of the arts and sciences. One might say their primary export is funding. Any number of grants, charitable organizations, auction events, or donation drives can be traced back to Niner bank accounts.
Infrastructure
Cloud 9 is the single wealthiest borough in the entirety of Olympia. Even the lowest strata of the towers have working electricity, running water, and access to vending machines, public transport, and other amenities. Each tower supports its own robust suite of restaurants, arcades, gyms, theaters, etc. These commercial floors come in blocks - several floors of residential suites will be broken up by several floors of commercial space. Parks and greenery line the tower-spanning causeways, leaving plenty of room for leisure activities.
Guilds and Factions
The Camerata
The creme de la creme of Cloud 9. Only the most wealthy residents of the borough, with the most connections to bring to bear, are eligible for this elite social circle. Businesses have been rocketed to stardom or driven to utter ruin based on the opinion of even one of its esteemed members. Fashion trends across Olympia have lived and died on the backs of their wardrobes. There are even whispers that several politicians reside squarely in the Camerata's pocket, though all attempts to substantiate those rumors have been, thus far, thwarted. The Lamplighters
One of Cloud 9's largest non-profit organizations. The Lamplighters are responsible for organizing and processing applications for innumerable grants, donations, and charitable operations. They have a sterling reputation for honesty, transparency, and clean administrative efficiency. Private charity events are often planned by hired Lamplighters, both inside and outside the borough.
The creme de la creme of Cloud 9. Only the most wealthy residents of the borough, with the most connections to bring to bear, are eligible for this elite social circle. Businesses have been rocketed to stardom or driven to utter ruin based on the opinion of even one of its esteemed members. Fashion trends across Olympia have lived and died on the backs of their wardrobes. There are even whispers that several politicians reside squarely in the Camerata's pocket, though all attempts to substantiate those rumors have been, thus far, thwarted. The Lamplighters
One of Cloud 9's largest non-profit organizations. The Lamplighters are responsible for organizing and processing applications for innumerable grants, donations, and charitable operations. They have a sterling reputation for honesty, transparency, and clean administrative efficiency. Private charity events are often planned by hired Lamplighters, both inside and outside the borough.
History
In its earliest iterations, Cloud 9 was not much different from Paradise City. As more and more people emigrated to Olympia, the wealthiest among them drove skyward to escape the press of metahumanity, leaving a network of slums and poorly-maintained lower residences behind them. Cloud 9, however, had a benefit Paradise City did not: its proximity to the seat of Olympia's power. This convenience made it the go-to borough for government officials and anyone willing to spend money to stay close to them. Steady gentrification, tightening cleanliness initiatives, and an outright ban on busking or panhandling have driven all but the wealthiest out of Cloud 9 altogether and into neighboring boroughs, primarily Metropolis.
Points of interest
Cloudbank
The highest series of causeways in Cloud 9, connecting the penthouse levels of every tower. These causeways crisscross each other at multiple points, creating a network of interconnected pathways. Cloudbank operates partly like a boardwalk and partly like a public park. It maintains a festival-like atmosphere, with balloons and streamers celebrating everything from holidays to the turn of the season hung on every surface. Cloudbank is free of admission and open to all visitors, not just residents of Cloud 9 - though whether one can afford any of the food or merchandise sold by its businesses is a different story. Mons
The central and tallest tower of Cloud 9's entire superstructure. Mons is a golden giant that dominates the skyline of Olympia. It is the only tower whose penthouse is reserved for commercial businesses. Only the highest-end boutiques have storefronts in its crystal plazas, only the finest performers walk the floors of its stages, and only the most famous chefs take point in its restaurants. Rumor has it the entire space is owned by the Camerata - they are certainly sighted there most often.
The highest series of causeways in Cloud 9, connecting the penthouse levels of every tower. These causeways crisscross each other at multiple points, creating a network of interconnected pathways. Cloudbank operates partly like a boardwalk and partly like a public park. It maintains a festival-like atmosphere, with balloons and streamers celebrating everything from holidays to the turn of the season hung on every surface. Cloudbank is free of admission and open to all visitors, not just residents of Cloud 9 - though whether one can afford any of the food or merchandise sold by its businesses is a different story. Mons
The central and tallest tower of Cloud 9's entire superstructure. Mons is a golden giant that dominates the skyline of Olympia. It is the only tower whose penthouse is reserved for commercial businesses. Only the highest-end boutiques have storefronts in its crystal plazas, only the finest performers walk the floors of its stages, and only the most famous chefs take point in its restaurants. Rumor has it the entire space is owned by the Camerata - they are certainly sighted there most often.
Architecture
Much like its parent octant, Cloud 9 is a bastion of art deco in its upper reaches. Sleek, chromed minimalism is the name of the game in the middle and lower strata. The causeways and towers support and reinforce each other, turning the entire borough into a gravity-defying spiderweb of glittering steel and brass.
Population
Medium
Inhabitant Demonym
Niners, Nosers (derogatory)
Location under
Characters in Location