School of Pleasure

 
Welcome to Solaris, traveller! This is a slower-than-light science fantasy set in our own solar system.
About Solaris | Guide to Solaris | Prologue
The gardens of the School of Pleasure allow youth to flower. The students gather in groups under fruiting trees to discuss philosophy, and giggle when the juice of a freshly picked fruit runs down their hands. They dance with bells around their hips, learning how to move by the gentle chimes. At the School of Pleasure, they are taught about bodies, about how they change and how they can change. They're taught to speak without words, to lead and to follow, to take a stand and to surrender.   The School of Pleasure is an institution of learning from Venus. The aim of the School of Pleasure is to teach how to live a good life, rich in experience and enjoyment.

From Courts to Courtyards

The Schools were founded in the ariellic era. At the time beauty, leisure and philosophy was the sole domain of the wellborn. Only the most beautiful and talented of the peasantry were allowed to serve in high society, elevated by the patronage of an aristocrat. The courtesans and entertainers organized as the House of Muses. The muses gathered at public bath houses, and began to realize who it was they really had most in common with.   In these bath houses the aristocracy would never deign to visit, the House of Muses taught their arts to the public. They proved that a refined mind was a product of culture rather than birth. They unravelled the secrets and the allure of the aristocracy, and empowered the people to meet them as equals. The teachings of the muses spread throughout society and eventually contributed to the downfall of the aristocrats. They, too, were but human.

See Also

Venus
Locations Palace of Delights
Characters Titania · Sofi Casabella · Arielle
Society Humanoids ( Fei ) · Traditions ( Symbiosis · Universal New Years Eve ) · Monarchy of Venus ( Godqueen of Venus · Handmaiden ) · Organizations ( Venusian Consilium )
Type
Educational, School/Academy
Location
Notice: This article is a stub. It may be expanded later!


Cover image: Veils of Venus (Detail) by Annie Stein

Comments

Author's Notes

In our world the sexual education might be the more controversial aspect of this article. For reasons that I will never quite understand, both cultural and sexual education are seen as threats by some. I suppose it is the way that they are both liberatory. Good sexual education gives you tools to take care of yourself, and to plan your future. A good cultural education teaches you about the world you live in, about the stories we keep retelling, the motifs that surround us, and gives us tools to participate in creating culture.   I suppose this article reflects some of those beliefs. It was inspired by my own education, by soirées, a tiktok about how indian courtesans used bells to help guide their movements, but mostly the evolution of privacy (like how bathing used to be fairly public, and now it's fairly private) and the way a lot of the things formerly reserved for the rich are now open to the public.


Please Login in order to comment!
Jul 11, 2025 13:04 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

I love this so much

Emy x
Explore Etrea | Summer Camp 2025
Jul 19, 2025 11:49 by Annie Stein

Thank you, I'm very fond of it too!

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Solaris | Camp Chill | Summer Camp
Jul 20, 2025 00:03 by E. Christopher Clark

I love this. The juice of the freshly picked fruit and the giggle that goes along with it—that was just a gorgeous bit of description. So lovely and sensuous. I also love your author's note.

Jul 22, 2025 12:40 by Annie Stein

Thank you!

Creator of Solaris -— Come Explore!
Solaris | Camp Chill | Summer Camp