Burning of Salem

In the year 2042 the city of Salem, Massachusetts began to burn. The flames were supernatural in nature and did not cause destruction to the town or the surrounding areas, but they also cannot be extinguished. They do produce heat making the buildings unlivable. The flames exist only on buildings that were built prior to 1692. It is presumed to be a testimony on the witch trials 350 years earlier. No one has ever been able to determine how the fires started or how they continue to burn. No one has ever claimed responsibility for the fires.
As these things are want to do, they have attracted a whole new tourist business in town. People have been seen toasting marshmallows and other items in the flames though the park rangers patrol to stop such activities. They have also become the subject of many research projects across the world. Some study the magic itself to attempt to determine its nature. Others research the ability to produce heat without consuming the raw materials. The leading theories at the moment seem to revolve around the idea that the fires are the result of the energy buildup during the trials. They believe that the negative energy accumulated with no outlet until magic returned to the world in enough quantity. They believe that once that energy is consumed the fires will extinguish. Another theory is that the flames are a reflection of the grief
It is unfortunate that a place with so much unfavorable history is once again in the limelight. There are those who feel that it is a deserved punishment, of course. There are also those who feel that it is an unfair and necessary vilification of a town already vilified for its past. No matter how you stand on that issue, it has weighed heavily on those who inhabit the town and as a result it has become a place that mostly focuses on the tourist business.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane