All manner of luxury transportation parked by the port: carriages drawn by genetic lifeforms, ornate to the extreme, studded with gold and jewels. Each carriage was more extravagant than the last, as though the guests were each trying to outshine the other.

There were all sorts of lifeforms being used as mounts, but they were uniformly at least superior-grade.

Guests dressed in traditional eastern and western attire came pouring out, businessmen and politicians all, each influential in their own right. Essentially everyone rich and famous was present, including the nouveau riche of the west.

After the king of the...