Thaloria is a world where the perception of beauty dictates not just personal worth, but the entire structure of society. People are ranked on a beauty scale from 1 to 100 by the Guild of Aesthetics, and this ranking determines everything from social status to wealth to career opportunities. The perfect 100 score is reserved for those born into noble families or those who undergo extreme procedures to maintain their flawless appearances. The higher one's beauty score, the greater their privileges.
The Guild of Aesthetics is a powerful institution in Thaloria, responsible for rating, maintaining, and controlling the beauty standards of the population. They hold the keys to society's structure and enforce rigid rules around appearances. People with lower beauty scores, referred to as the "ugly," live in the fringes of society, scraping by on minimal privileges and enduring discrimination. While Thaloria is a city of gleaming facades, a growing underground movement known as "The Revolt of the Imperfect" rises in secret. This faction, composed of those rejected by the Guild, seeks to overthrow the beauty-based hierarchy and return equality to Thaloria. The rebels believe that beauty should not define a person's worth.
At the top of Thaloria's beauty hierarchy is Lysander Valeris, a young nobleman whose appearance has long been revered as the pinnacle of beauty. Lysander's family, House Valeris, has held the highest beauty ranking for generations, and he is the living symbol of their legacy. The people of Thaloria admire him, and his life seems perfect on the outside. Yet beneath his flawless exterior, Lysander is trapped in the very system he benefits from constantly battling a deep fear of imperfection and loss of his beauty. His existence revolves around maintaining his appearance, believing that his external beauty defines who he is and his place in the world.
The Silver Crescent, a famed ballroom and event space in Thaloria, serves as the backdrop for Lysander's transformation. This location is where Thaloria's elite gather, showcasing not only their wealth and status but their unblemished beauty. The events held here, such as the mysterious invitation Lysander receives, are often steeped in secrecy and riddled with dark undercurrents. It is at the Silver Crescent that Lysander first begins to question his world, and where the seeds of rebellion take root.