Luminous Rights Management

There was once a large tribe of people within the vast forests of uncivilized Europe, living entirely by night and worshiping the moon as their source of sustenance. Their skins were sensitive enough to burn easily in strong sunlight, but the gentle glow of moonlight was safe enough for them. They made various lunar-related advances, the most significant of which were unique plants which photosynthesized off of moonlight alone. Due to their behavior, they mostly went unnoticed by other nearby groups and lived in peace.

One night a glowing specter descended upon their tribe, rendering the surrounding terrain bright as day as it spoke. “The sun has proclaimed that you have slighted it, giving credit of its hard work to sustain life over to the moon instead. As punishment for this crime, I will use the authority of the stars to curse you and your descendants. When the moon appears in full in the sky, bathing yourself in its light will render you into a lowly beast incapable of higher thought. Do not take the sun for granted ever again.” Then it vanished, leaving the tribe to stand in shock as the moonlight began their first transformation into werewolves.

-

Further to the south and east, in a different time with a different people, a terrible tyrant ruled a country with greed and cruelty. Many toiled and died by his decrees, and he had spent years without seeing the glow of sunlight. He preferred the lavishness of a torch-lit castle, and lived glamorously at the expense of his subjects.

One day this man was visited by his own blinding entity. “You dare shun the light which gives life to all, which provides the energy to sustain your own life. You show no respect to the sun, while hundreds of thousands within your lands suffer and beg to it for any form of mercy. As you do not support the original creator of light, you will not be a party to its process. You will not age, but will be wracked by great pain should you not consume the blood of other humans. The light of the sun will turn your flesh to dust, and you will be mentally unable to bring yourself to cross flowing water, thus making this moated castle your prison. You will not be able to prevent the world from acknowledging you as a monster, and your only escape will be to acknowledge that the sun is the very reason you were able to live in the first place, submitting yourself to die by its radiance.”

Dracula’s attempt at remaining composed after this proclamation was in vain, as the glowing being vanished before he could respond. He could already feel his intestines twisting themselves out of desire for blood …

-

There are worse crimes to commit against the sun, who is jealous of those who steal its light without respect to it, but no living person knows what they are. The only proof that such acts have been made are the victims of the retribution. Vague humanoid figures of black mist, only visible in heavy shade. They have been committed to true undeath, disconnected from the light-driven cycle of light, and thus unable to end their current existence. Whether they feel sorrow, torment or anything at all is unclear, as the loss of being living has made them unable to interact with us.

Never claim the light as your own, and always credit the sun when you make use of it.

(Originally written 2/21/2016)