Place of the Suns
A massive tomb complex built deep into the narrow canyons surrounding Makhikten, the Place of the Suns has been the traditional final resting place for each of Ekhmenet’s rulers ever since Sun Emperor Makhiktesh founded the empire early in the Fourth Cycle. The carved façades marking the tombs of each dynasty are the most elaborate stone carvings in the world, with each successive dynasty attempting to outdo their predecessors in elegance and complexity. Meanwhile, the oldest of the tombs and their ancient façades, while plain in comparison or barely visible at all to the layman’s eye, are said to predate even the beginning of the empire, well into the Third Cycle.
Purpose / Function
During each Sun Emperor’s reign, it is tradition for them to order construction on their own tomb in the Place of the Suns, placed next to their predecessors in their own dynasty to, according to tradition, join their ancestors in the Beyond and to add to their family legacy. Several branches have been created, each carved to show the façades and tombs of each new dynasty (and a few carved to lead to particularly arrogant Sun Emperors that wished to stand alone).
Alterations
There have been a few tombs throughout the centuries that have been defaced, occasionally beyond all recognition. This practice was most recently common during the Years of Strife between 341 and 426 4C.
Architecture
There are a number of different architectural styles that are imitated/used in the stone façades of the different tombs, but there are a few elements that remain mostly consistent throughout most of them. Namely: pillars, sloped “roofs,” and ornaments. Meanwhile the interiors often vary, but all have at least one central chamber where the tomb’s body is preserved in an elaborate sarcophagus. Some tombs have multiple such burial chambers, usually when the Sun Emperor in question desired to be buried with family or when said family members of high rank chose to join their own tombs with the Sun Emperor’s. Some tombs have treasuries, some memorial rooms with their achievements remembered in stone, and some even have elaborate entrance halls.
Tourism
The Place of the Suns is a source of cultural pride for the Ekhmeni people, often being considered as a massive record of the nation’s long history. As such, it is extremely common for most, if not all, Ekhmeni to visit the complex at least once in their lives or more. The larger, more elaborate tombs are some of the most common attractions, although the tomb said to belong to Sun Emperor Makhiktesh himself is nearly as popular. The elaborate façades are also extremely popular tourist attractions for well-to-do foreigners, particularly Torithians with a penchant for history. Some locals have taken advantage of the foreign tourist’s excitement for souvenirs and have started up businesses in carving miniature replicas of the most iconic façades. However, other locals aren’t all that fond of all the foreigners—they sometimes don’t have the most favorable reputation about how they treat the tombs and how they speak of the dead resting within.
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