The Castle of Solis is bustling with activity, it's sunlit courtyards and radiant halls alive as courtiers, merchants and emissaries from all six kingdoms have arrived for the annual solar festival.
Even though the event is meant to celebrate unity and trade, and underlying tension looms over everyone, like a shadow against the golden walls.
In the grand hall of Solterra, golden light is streaming through the intricate stained glass windows. The light dances on polished marble floors, reflecting the pillars adorned with sunburst motifs.
The air smells of citrus and honeyed drinks, mingling with faint hums of conversation and chiming of a lute.
Nobles from all of the six kingdoms are mingling around , their attires reflecting their identities. With all in attendance and to provide a background for the upcoming Moonlit Ball held every hundred years,an elderly storyteller stepped forward to begin his tale as passed down for almost thousand years.
The storyteller, an elderly bard known as Eryndor the Keeper, begins the tale before the gathered court in Solterra's grand hall, where nobles and commoners alike sit enraptured by the flickering torchlight. His voice carries the weight of centuries, weaving the ancient story into the hearts of his listeners.
"Long ago, when the kingdoms of Solterra and Lunareth were still young, the sun and the moon ruled the skies in harmony. Together, their light illuminated the lands, creating an unbreakable balance that nurtured the earth below. But as peace reigned above, chaos stirred in the hearts of men.
A dark wizard, Aelthar the Forsaken, sought dominion over all six kingdoms. Gifted in magic but twisted by envy, he believed the only way to achieve his goal was to sever the bond between Solterra and Lunareth. To him, balance was weakness, and only darkness could grant him true power.
Aelthar forged two cursed crowns from enchanted obsidian, pouring into them a spell so vile that it scarred the fabric of magic itself. He presented these crowns as gifts to the rulers of Solterra and Lunareth, a false offering of peace. The moment the crowns touched their brows, the curse was unleashed.
"By day, the sun shall reign, and by night, the moon. Yet never shall their paths align, and darkness shall thrive in their absence."
The sun and the moon, once kindred forces, were sundered. Solterra was bathed in eternal daylight, its lands growing parched and weary, while Lunareth was shrouded in perpetual twilight, its people yearning for the warmth of the sun. The royal families were bound to the curse, unable to love or unite, doomed to bear the burden of their divided worlds. Only when the chosen heirs of Solterra and Lunareth unite the crowns and face the curse together can balance be restored.
Aelthar, cast into exile, vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only whispers of his name and the chaos he had wrought. To this day, the heirs of Solterra and Lunareth are taught to fear the other, lest they fall victim to the curse's wrath. Yet some say that the day the sun and moon align, a greater destiny will unfold—a destiny written in the stars themselves.
But beware… for curses often come with a price, and breaking them may demand sacrifices no heart can bear."
Eryndor bows deeply as he finishes, the room silent except for the crackle of the hearth. Then, almost as if the tale had summoned them, the golden crown of Solterra glints ominously in the lighted hall, and a faint whisper of wind stirs the silvery moonstones in the shadowed halls of Lunareth.