Timeless circle

A mystical, magic village with a mind of its own. Protects and keeps everyone within its bounds. Wants you to stay here forever. Can make you live forever. Has bonds with all residents of the village. Can make bonds with any visitor it sees as worthy, which nudge them to stay in its realm. If they stay for too long, they can never leave

Mike is the "ambassador" of sorts to the village and everything surrounding it. He is kind, gentle, open and understanding. He visits every newcomer as soon as he can to have a chat with them about the place and tell them about its special properties. He's open about the scarier traits of the place and makes sure to mention it to visitors soon after meeting them. Above all else, he wants people to make an informed decision another whether they'll stay or leave, even if it means mentioning the stranger bits. He knows everything about the magic here and always tells the visitors about the scarier, mystical properties, although he doesn't mention them directly, using words like "the atmosphere" or "something in the air" instead of magic. Makes great pancakes. Actually 140 years old.

Origins of the place are unknown, but everyone agrees that the village has existed first as a Native American settlement before Europeans came and Americapox killed half the population, the other half mixing with the settlers.

The people that live here for long enough gradually begin to develop a bond with the village. At first it starts as a pleasant feeling of belonging, but the longer a person stays there, the more they become bound to the place. The earth around them makes them feel better both physically and mentally, slowing down their aging process, and conversely they feel drained the more they stay outside of it. Memories of past life become murkier as the town inhabitants start seeming more and more interesting and attractive. The feeling of disconnect from life before joining the village grows, like you were an entirely different person back then. The bond recedes if a person stays away from the place for long enough, eventually leaving behind only memories of a place that is always eager to see them again.

People who stay there for a really long time literally can't leave the town without aging rapidly into dust, which is why the community tries to be mostly self-reliant. However, they also never age inside the village. These kinds of residents are the most involved in the community and they often know a lot about everyone in there

The magic of the village is maintained by taking time out of things from the outside, whether it be people's memories or the worn-down state of things. In the past the village sustained itself by stealing memories from kids that would spend time in a summer camp nearby, recently they instead do it by restoring artworks and fixing broken appliances, both sustaining the magic and earning good income for it. Few people can do the job, and most that can't don't even know about that part of their hometown.

Despite there technically being a mayor, the state is almost a figurehead as all public services from fire safety to infrastructure maintenance are done by volunteer groups. Wages are average for the region, but no one really thinks about them, since, if someone really wants something but can't afford it, the people will pitch in to gift it to them. Conversely, if someone got a lot of money from outside the village, it's expected that they will use that money to either share it with others or to improve the village somehow.

One of the few things the government does is determine rent and housing prices based on whether the village needs more people there or if they have enough. Based on what needs the town has, there can be incentives for people with certain expertise or background. Recently the magic users started wishing to do something else for the village than taking time out of things, so they have lowered the prices for regions with a strong magic presence.

This place is VERY queer-friendly and diverse, with many people there being minority folk looking for an accepting community when coming here or homeless gay youth desperate for a place to stay.