Sunshire
Sunshire is the secret civilisation of Sole-Wielders located in the desolate mountains of Osolarius. Ravi created it as a paradise and ‘safe haven’ for his sister, Eleanora, and their Sole-Wielder kind. It has stood since 3180 AE (Ancient Era). Despite it currently being 1987 CE (Current Era), Sunshireans still live like ancient era times, detached from the modern world of technology. The closest civilisation to ‘Sunshire’ is Selene Valley, which is approximately 50 miles away.
Description:
To crest the final ridge of the high mountain pass is to witness the impossible—a sight that defies the harsh, jagged reality of the peaks that cradle it. Nestled within a verdant, sheltered basin lies Sunshire, a commune that appears less like a settlement of earth and stone and more like a captured fragment of a forgotten, golden era. The village is a masterclass in deliberate, reverent geometry, organized in a perfect, sweeping circle that seems to pulse with the slow, rhythmic heartbeat of the sun itself.
At the epicenter of this sanctuary stands a massive, intricate sundial, its gnomon casting a sharp, elongated shadow across stone tiles that are polished smooth by generations of Sole Wielders. This central timepiece serves as both the literal and metaphorical heart of Sunshire, dictating the quiet, synchronized movements of its inhabitants.
Radiating outward from this central plaza are rows of uniform, pristine white cottages, their high-pitched roofs mirroring the sharp inclines of the surrounding mountains. Each structure is adorned with the Sunshire symbol—carved emblems of rising suns that gleam with warmth against the stark, pale stonework. These homes are not merely buildings; they are living extensions of the flora that surrounds them, draped in cascading vines and blossoms that soften the rigid architecture with a profusion of unruly, wild colour.
Looming over the entire commune from its elevated pedestal is the Aura Sun Temple, the architectural anchor of the valley. It is a structure of imposing majesty, constructed of gleaming white stone and trimmed in radiant gold that seems to catch and magnify every available ray of light. At its zenith rests a colossal, stylized sunburst, a crown of gilded rays that stands as a silent sentinel against the backdrop of desolate peaks. The temple serves as the commune’s spiritual lighthouse, casting a long, protective shadow over the cottages below.
The atmosphere within Sunshire is one of profound, almost heavy serenity. The residents, clad in flowing white robes, drift along the stone pathways with deliberate, measured grace. There is no urgency here, no chaotic clamor of the outside world. Everything in Sunshire is curated to honor the cycle of the day, creating a temporal cocoon in which the relentless, icy winds of the surrounding mountain range cannot breach the absolute, golden stillness of the life within.
- Written by TheVerdantHawk.
Customs:
Sunshire is ruled by its leader, Ravi Sengupta.
Names are given based on the sun, celestial, and nature themes. Ravi, Eleanora, Aurora, Borealis, Branch, Lake, River, etc.
Each member with sole-wielding abilities is ‘blessed’ by the sun with the ancient Sole-Wielder symbol marked on their body. Its position varies on the person. Ashley and Ravi have 2 tattoos due to their split-genders.
Pure Sole-Wielders have platinum hair and golden eyes like the sun. Ashley and Blake have natural ombre/’sun-kissed’ hair due to being half-blood.
Agriculture is achieved with photosynthesis Majique, so a lot of Sole-Wielders are farmers and gardeners. Hence Blake and Ashley being gardeners.
They use their light Majique to keep their homes lit up at night, collecting the sun’s energy on enchanted clay tablets like a solar panel.
They use their heat Majique to cook and keep their homes warm in the cold.
They operate on an ‘energy exchange’ system. Not money. If you want something, you need to give something. If you want food, you need to give some of your majique energy or do an act of service like cleaning a room or gardening or something.
Beer and wine are common drinks, like in many ancient civilizations.
Like the ancient Sumerians, clay was used a lot to keep records because fire doesn’t destroy it; it makes it stronger.
Time is kept with the large sundial sculpture at the town centre.
Calendars are kept with the lunar cycles, hence Sunday as the sun’s day and Monday as the moon’s day.
Water is gathered from the rivers and lakes in the surrounding mountains, and they have an aqueduct system that pumps fresh water into the village bathhouses and so on.
Sharing is caring philosophy.
In Sunshirean tradition, the woman’s surname is taken, rather than the man’s, so Ashley and Blake carry the name Sengupta/Solegatti, rather than Nikolai's surname, Sabatini.
You must greet Ravi with a spark of light to show your ‘respect’ for your leader.
Rules and taboos:
Never challenge or criticise Ravi.
Never talk to Eleanora without Ravi present.
Children must only be born under the fire signs within Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius in order to be granted the ‘golden gift’ of pure sole-wielding. Eleanora breaks this rule when she has Blake born under Taurus and Ashley born under Pisces.
A huge block-shield spell is cast around the gates of Sunshire, so no one can leave, and no one can enter. That is until Eleanora breaks it in 1961 when she meets Nikolai in the outside world, and again in 1986 when Ashley and Blake escape from Sunshire.
Fire is a forbidden taboo in Sunshire culture. It is said that Sole-Wielders are unable to wield fire, so they rub quartz crystals together to make fire for rituals.
Sunshireans must all wear their traditional garments to recognise their hierarchy.
You must smile and be kind to your fellow Sunshireans at all times. Do not bring down another’s energy with negativity.
Music MUST be played at the ‘Majique frequency’ 432 Hz and 528 Hz because it decreases heart rate and relaxes you.
Celebrations must not get too loud or chaotic.
No dark clothing.
No shoes inside anywhere, as it is deemed a social taboo and dirty, but also because when your feet are connected to the earth, you’re more in tune with Majique energy, and Ravi is able to read it more.
Killing another is a forbidden and punishable offence.
With every life you take to eat from the land, you must perform a ritual to bless it.
A Sunshirean is officially considered an adult when they are 20 years old.
Brothel bathhouses are common and are not illegal or immoral in this culture, but no one under 20 is allowed to enter them.
Troublemakers will be taken to the temple for adjustments with ‘Light therapy ’, which consists of being in a warm and light room, being tickled to release the happy spirits within you, and a mind-altering substance based on LSD. Not sure if I will keep it as mystical spirit water or do something different.
Spiritual beliefs.
Sunshireans believe the sun is a force of energy and an omnipotent spiritual being and creator of life, neither female nor male, and that a part of the sun’s energy lives within them.
Ravi deems themself special and like a living embodiment of the sun’s spirit, being the first Sole-Wielder, and also genderless like the sun.
As a child, Ashley believed if you wore shoes inside the house, something very bad would happen to you, like a curse, but it was actually just a social custom, and they took it too literally because AuDHD.
Windows must be on the east side of your home because the sun rises in the east. This is also a practical thing because the sun is their natural alarm clock.
You must have a Sunshire symbol in your home.
Relationships
All relationships must be approved by Ravi first. Eleanora rebelled against this with Nikolai.
Polyamory is the cultural norm. Ravi is Pansexual and sleeps around a lot with their followers, but for power and control, making them believe they love them, so they will do anything for them.
Monogamy is not common, and marriage doesn’t exist.
LGBTQ is widely accepted in Sunshire culture. Ravi is Non-Binary and pansexual, and they want everyone to love and be happy… for easier control.
Home life
Homes are made from brick, clay, and stone, created into triangular shapes.
Everything is communal and shared. Privacy is not a concept in Sunshire culture. No one has their own room or their own space. Homes simply have ‘The bedroom’ where everyone living in that home sleeps.
Homes will have 2-3 rooms. A kitchen, the bedroom, and a communal room.
All kinds of cat species are highly respected in the culture, due to their physical resemblance to them with their tufted hair, cat-eyes and mouths. Most Sole-Wielders own pet cats. Ravi loves lions.
You must invite all into your home just as the sun shines through your windows!
Sunshireans take great pride in their homes and gardens.
Lawns don’t exist because fuck lawns. It's all about who has the most whimsical garden!
School
Schools in Sunshire focus on reading, writing, astrology, astronomy, math, farming, and ‘sacred texts’, which is cult propaganda. Yes, there are pictures of Ravi posing smugly in every classroom as if to watch over them. They are told many fabrications about the world beyond the walls and are not told about other Sortileges, hence why they were so surprised by the mansion girls and their different types of Majique.
Ashley and Blake did not have any friends except for Borealis, who was the only one who bothered with them, but only because he wanted to use Ashley for their tasty baked goods, and they’re also kinda forced to be his friend because of his royal status.
Sunshireans attend school until they’re 16.
Ages 17-19 are the ‘soul-searching’ years. This period in their lives is for figuring out what they want to do in life and training at it before they become a fully mature adult at 20.
Work
Farming is the most common job for Sole-Wielders.
Eleanora made clothes for the family and traded garments for food and other necessities.
‘Light Plants’ are like solar farms. Sole-Wielders cast their energy onto enchanted clay tablets like solar panels, and it powers light into surrounding homes.
Ashley works as a baker, and they also gravitate to it because people are actually nice to them and appreciate something about them with their baking.
Blake works in the forest as something of a ranger, where his duties are to snuff out any negative energy in the woods, and clean up anything, as well as gather materials needed for people. He chose this job because it’s peaceful and quiet and he gets to be away from people.
Nikolai is a carpenter, but he comes from a world of power tools, so using ancient tools is challenging for him.
Borealis grows Majique weed and is a drug dealer basically.
Transport
Everything is on foot.
Chariots/carts.
Hygiene and sanitation.
Sunshireans are like the Indus Valley Civilisation in that they have drainage networks and a waste disposal system. Ceramic pipes channel wastewater from rooms directly into street networks.
There are bathhouses, and they have their own bathrooms in their homes.
Soaps and scented oils are used to keep clean and smell nice.
Heat Majique saunas are popular.
Cloth rags are used for periods and washed for reuse.
Since plastic doesn’t exist, most of their garbage would be compost, which would be disposed of in the gardens and farms.
“Night soil” is used as a fertilizer, as many old civilisations did this.
Entertainment
Borealis is the court jester of Sunshire. People laugh at him and his antics.
Music.
Animals.
Dancing.
Theather.
Board games.
Beer and wine.
Art - painting is common.
Pottery.
Crafts.
Getting high or drunk.
‘Soleography’ - They make a wooden box with a pinhole, casting light majique from the sun to cast photos onto a sheet of papyrus.
Fashion
Higher-ranking/Royal family Sole-Wielders dress in ivory cloaks, dyed along the trim with turmeric and marigolds to get oranges and yellows. Ashley and Blake wear these robes as they are Eleanora’s children.
Light-farmers and labourers wear simple ivory clothes with their arms exposed for moving around, as cloaks are impractical for labor work.
There is a gold mine under the city where they collect gold to make jewellery, and elites use it to craft their Majique staves. Gold is the most valuable mineral and is reserved for higher ranks. Ravi wears a lot of gold and has a gold staff. Gold is believed to be the mineral of the sun.
Eleanora is a jewellery maker and trades jewels for food.
Black clothing is not allowed and is simply not a thing. Besides, it wouldn’t be achievable anyway because they wouldn’t be able to create black dye with the natural resources of the land, and that is why Blake is so enchanted by Andreas and his dark clothing and loves wearing dark clothing now in the outside world.
Daily life:
Sunshireans rise with the sun as it shines through their window on the east of their home. They wake up surrounded by their family and any others living with them in various beds around the room.
They attend a bathhouse to bathe with water heated up with majique, or they have their own room in their homes where they bathe.
Eleanora makes breakfast. Ashley joins her and cooks/bakes with her and this is something they bond over.
Everyone gathers in the communal space in their home or all together at the temple around a large round table as they share a meal together and discuss their day ahead and what they aim to accomplish.
Ravi gives them all their blessing of light.
The adults go to work, and the children go to school.
Night life
Sunshireans gather together after a long day around a bonfire where they drink, dance, play music, and gaze at the stars for guidance.
They drink wine to unwind and also to lull them to sleep.
Sunshireans are weaker at night and vulnerable, so they don’t stay up late or venture far. They also rise early so they wouldn’t stay up late.
Night is for sleep and rest. Most are asleep before midnight.
Death
Sole-Wielders are immortal, so they cannot die of old age, sickness, or diseases, but they can also be killed if they drown in dark water/ice, so like a reverse vampire.
When someone dies, they are returned to the earth in a ritual akin to a funeral, but no one cries, because death is not viewed as sadness, but an order of life, and Sunshireans believe in reincarnation. They’re excited for when they return, and they sing and dance and eat.
The outside world
Sunshireans do not know of the outside world and are not aware of technology and other Sortileges. They are afraid of the outside world and believe they are safe and happy within the walls of Sunshire, so they are not curious to wander or leave, except for Eleanora and her family.
Nikolai is the outsider from the modern CE (current era) world. He is basically a modern man of the 1960s, whisked away into an ancient civilisation, almost as if he’s been sucked back through time 1000s of years ago.
Blake is curious about the outside world due to his father. He was always fascinated by his stories of the outside world beyond the walls of Sunshire, so he was not afraid of it. He knows what a telephone and a car is as described by Nikolai, but his brain cannot grasp it and how it works or what it actually looks like, only what he described.
What was mundane to Nikolai is so fascinating to his family who have only lived within the walls of Sunshire. What is mundane to them, is so fascinating to him though.
Nikolai gifted Blake the key to his abandoned home in Selene Valley, which he cherishes and wears on a chain, because he always hoped that one day he would go there and see the outside world… but be careful what you wish for; you might just get it.
Ashley is indoctrinated by Sunshire, though. This is their happy little bubble, and they are reluctant to leave. They are curious about the world outside the walls, but they’re scared and happy here… or so they think.