To Leave
Scattered around sparingly in the hellish landscapes of the moons Ies and Jiana, black arches made from perfectly cut stone stand within circles of the smoothest marble. Portals made in a time before history, surrounded by invisible monsters on fields of elemental storms. Seldom comes a time when the arches are safe to approach. Even rarer is the occasion of a portal opening. Only accepting one individual to pass through, great is the honor of being allowed to leave.
Many a Moonborn has gazed up to the sky only to see lands that are free from the hellish phenomenons of the moons. They see Earth, and long for a life without having to constantly fear for the well-being of themselves. Few are the civilizations that survive here for more than a decade, but among those that do, they know that there is a consistent and foolproof way to leave. Once per year, on new year's day, two portals on each of the moons will open. The elders know there is a pattern, a 16 year long cycle repeating over and over again. They know what portals will open, they know when they will open.
In knowing when and where, the oldest Moonborn civilization has made a ceremony out of leaving through the portal. They gather the young adults in their society, and each one of them is expected to present their plan on how to reach the black arches through the dangers that surround them. The elders select those with plans that are likely to work, and the rest of the people vote for one among them to be given the honor of leaving. One day before the lucky winner of the vote is set to leave, a small feast is held, and the winner is given one gift from every family in the settlement. The intention is for the gifts to be seen by the people of Earth, and so these gifts are often poems, portraits, trinkets, or anything that will tell some story about how the people here live.
In old ruins of societies long gone, among rubble and skeletal remains, stone tablets with faded engravings are found. A name and a year on each line, these are the lucky few who got to leave.
Many a Moonborn has gazed up to the sky only to see lands that are free from the hellish phenomenons of the moons. They see Earth, and long for a life without having to constantly fear for the well-being of themselves. Few are the civilizations that survive here for more than a decade, but among those that do, they know that there is a consistent and foolproof way to leave. Once per year, on new year's day, two portals on each of the moons will open. The elders know there is a pattern, a 16 year long cycle repeating over and over again. They know what portals will open, they know when they will open.
In knowing when and where, the oldest Moonborn civilization has made a ceremony out of leaving through the portal. They gather the young adults in their society, and each one of them is expected to present their plan on how to reach the black arches through the dangers that surround them. The elders select those with plans that are likely to work, and the rest of the people vote for one among them to be given the honor of leaving. One day before the lucky winner of the vote is set to leave, a small feast is held, and the winner is given one gift from every family in the settlement. The intention is for the gifts to be seen by the people of Earth, and so these gifts are often poems, portraits, trinkets, or anything that will tell some story about how the people here live.
In old ruins of societies long gone, among rubble and skeletal remains, stone tablets with faded engravings are found. A name and a year on each line, these are the lucky few who got to leave.
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