Meletis is the polis centred on learning, magic and community. It is an open and accepting society where philosophers and priests are held in as much regard as heroes and great warriors.
The polis includes all of the Meletian Penninsula and north and east to the edge of the Centaur Lands and the Nessian Wood.
COMMON KNOWLEDGE
Blurb
REGIONAL FEATURES
Altrisos City
A small seaside city on the west coast of the peninnsula noted for recently surviving a kraken attack thanks to the aid of Ephara. She is very much seen as a patron of the city and her face adorns many walls and many amphorae sculptures and fountains are dedicated to her.
Decatia Academy
An academy in the city for the elite wishing to become the best philosophers, thaumaturges and even military leaders.
Deyda Harbor
An independent trade port frequented by residents of both Akros and Meletis. The town is at the mouth of the Deyda River northwest of Meletis City.
Glossion
Coastal town noted for its library that was also saved by Ephara.
Griffon Coast
A stretch of flat sands at the foot of the tall cliffs leading up to the Mythos Mountains. Large, stone griffons watch silently over the sea, some say awaiting a threat from the deeps. When this day comes the griffons will awaken to defend the people of the land.
Guardian Way
A paved road through the central penninsula, often lined with farms and fields.
Krimnos
A sleepy coastal town surrounded by beautiful woodlands. Philosophers and others seeking a simple life make their way to this region in time.
Listes
A fortress and town built on the borderlands with the centaurs. The soldiers here are tasked with keeping land trade routes open and protecting travelling merchants, as well as keeping an eye on the Pheres centaurs. The population are united in their worship of Iroas.
Meletis City
Melitis is a beautiful city that displays the height of Therosian architecture and wonder.
A great sea wall protects the polis's port on the Bay of Meletis, while a lengthy channel cuts through the surrounding land to reach Meletis Harbor on the Siren Sea.
Mythos Mountains
A small, but steep range north of Deyda Harbor along the Griffon Coast where the cliffs form walls above the beaches. They contain the dormant remains of the volcano, The Shattered Aegis, said to have last errupted inland into the path of an invading minotaur force, saving the people of the nearby harbor (that became Deyda Harbor).
Natumbria
A town on the west coast with a lovely bay and beaches. The people here are renowned for their training of sea beasts and their positive relations with the tritons.
The Observatory
Grand structure with magical crystal roof allowing for an enhanced study of the sky and Nyx.
Oxus
A small, but wealthy trading village overlooking the Meletian Bay. Many merchants retire or holiday here in their expanssive villas. A lot of industries have started up here to cater to their wealthy patrons. The town is noted for the tomb of Kynaios and Tiro - the heroes of Meletis and many pilgrims, including reverent soldiers, make the journey to the tomb at least one in their lives.
The Prygnos
Meletis's repository of scholarly knowledge. The Pyrgnos is a glowing stone tower standing near the coast. It is formed from the collected learnings of the polis, recorded on carved stone tablets and glowing letters hovering in the air. At night, the Pyrgnos shines like a lighthouse where the sea wall meets the shore, gleaming on the waters of the Siren Sea. (Wizards of the Coast Mythic Odysseys of Theros).
Sitrium
A lot of this town is built upon raised stilts and wharves due to the changing tides here. The town is known for its shipyards and the realm's best shipwrights work here building both military and mercantile vessels.
Thesteia
Located centrally on the peninnsula, this farming community is famous for its markets and temple to Karametra.
PEOPLE
Humans are the most populous people of this city-state by a large margin, but it is not unusual to see Lagonnan centaurs throughout the north and many tritons in all coastal settlements including Meletis itself.
The people of Meletis pride themselves on being a centre of culture, learning and acceptance, so members of any of the Heritages from surrounding lands could be found visiting at different times. For example, cyclopeans and maeshar (and even the odd deva or teifling) from the east may be found visiting ports, and satyrs may wander in from the north, but they tend to find the people here boring.
Other, more warlike people, such as leonins and minotaurs are very rare in Meletis, but anyone that comes with peaceful intentions is welcome.
In fact, Meletians take pride in becoming patrons to people of other lands.
ADVENTURERS
FACTIONS
Below are many of the factions common to Meletis. If you are from Meletis, these are the most common Factions to put Specialty dice in.
To roll one randomly.
| Roll d6 | Faction Type |
|---|---|
| 1 | Army |
| 2 | Community |
| 3 | Magic School |
| 4 | Philosophical School |
| 5 | Religion |
| 6 | The Twelve / Ruling Council |
The Army
The miltary force of Meletis is known as The Reverent Army as part of the training involves religious devotion. Meletia has a strong navy as well and several cavalry, including flying, units.
Following Meletian society, most units of The Reverent Army also know some magic and it is often the type of magic used that distintuishes the legions. Metletian hoplites are a combination of cunning, faith and magic.
Individual Units include:
1. Ephara's Shield. Urban soldiers that form the city watch and are known for their force-based magic, especially the magical shields they generate seemingly at will.
2. Keepers of Pyrgnos. Guardians of not only the literal Pyrgnos, but also of knowledge in general. They are often found as guards of smaller libraries and several academies too.
3. Kindred of the Deep. A navy unit that works closely with many triton communities in keeping the seas around the Meletian Penninsula safe. They are well-trained in many hafted weapons including spears, bidents, tridents and harpoons.
4. Kraken's Claw. Another navy unit that specialise in fighting strange creatures from the deeps. Their use of magic manipulating darkness and aberrant powers makes them an oft-feared unit, but they are as dedicated to Meletis as any other unit.
5. Hands of Justice. This unit works directly for The Twelve. They act as a praetorian guard for the council and are sent on specialised missions by the council. They are expected to honor several of the main deities, especially Ephara, Heliod and Iroas. The are strong users of Talents and Powers from the Law and Anti-Magic Talent Trees.
6. Riders of Heliod. A cavalry unit devoted to Heliod that are trained to ride griffons and pegasai as well as horses. They are lethal with their lances and radiant magic.
7. The Skysworn. An elite griffon-riding unit dedicated mostly to Keranos, and thus known for their storm magic. Leaders of the legion in the past were often blue dragon riders.
8. Thassa's Spear. An army unit trained to fight on the shores and beneath the waves, protecting the ports and harbours of the polis. Over half of the unit are tritons and the rest are humans that use elemental water magic enabling them to also opperate in the water.
9. Other Local or Specialised Unit. Feel free to develope other units of hoplites for surrounding lands, serving other deities or serving a special service.
Community
See the Regional Features above for a community or region that you have formed a bond with. You might be a local hero that did a great deed or a villain banished from the community.
Magical Schools
The most established magic-users are referred to as thaumaturges or 'wonder-makers' and are revered throughout Meletis. In Meletian society, magic is viewed as one of the greatest art forms. Whilst there are many small schools and academies throughout the land and many more turos and apprentices, there is one elite academy in the capital.
1. Delkatia Academy. An eleite academy where the best mages seek to become thaumaturges over a decade-long curriculum. (See Mythic Odysseys of Theros p90 & 91).
2. Minor Magical School. Feel free to develop a more localised magic academy or small school in the community you are from.
Philosophical Schools
Philosophers are highly regarded in Meletis and form a privelleged class. The five main academies vie for prestige, but there are other minor schools throughout too.
1. Anapsian School. A hedonistic school based upon embracing the delights of life. Personal freedoms, but life lived in a benevolent manner, take precedence over tyranical laws. The founding philospher learnt a lot of their doctrine by spending much of their life among satyrs.
2. Elpidian School. Based on the optimistic school of positive thought established by the heroic oracle Elpidios. It is the dominant philosophy in Meletis at the moment and the leader of the Twelve, Perisophia, is head of the school. This school is very focussed on the good that magic brings to the lives of all citizens.
3. Formalist School. A school based on bringing peace and the eradication of war. Study aims to improve the moral fabric of society through the study of abstract theories and mathematics.
4. Nyklean School. There is a reason for everything: you must learn to embrace the good with the bad - well so goes the philosophy of this school. Classes here emphasise the importance of destiny and is therefore connected closely to the mysterious deity Klothys.
5. Uremedean School. A school for people intrested in civic pride and leadership. Teachings emphasise logical reasoning along with theories of rhetoric, ethics and virtues.
6. Minor schools. There are many other smaller schools of philosophy throughout Meletis and its holdings. Feel free to create one of your own.
Religions
Being a society very open to learning and diversity, you can find worshippers of all the deities somewhere, but there are still prominent gods that more of the population lean toward and whose temples you are more likely to find in civilised centres. Roll or choose one from below for your Faction Specialty.
1. Elphara. The most beloved in Meletis to the point she is often seen as the patron of the city. Many buildings are scultured with her face so that she can watch over the citizens. This is especially true in the city of Altrisos after Ephara saved it from a kraken.
2. Heliod. Being the divine light, many pay their respects to Heliod. Members of this church would consider it the dominant religion of the polis.
3. Iroas. Though he is practically the patron of Akros, most units of the Reverent Army at least pay some respect to Iroas. Anyone with a military background (or one that has run afoul of the law or soldiers) likely has some relationship with this deity. The main god worshipped in the fortress of Listes.
4. Karametra. This goddess is favoured amoung the small folk and farming communities right across the peninsula, including a large temple in Thesteia.
5. Keranos. Being a god of wisdom and insight, there are several philosophical teachings that incorporate Keranos's ways. Meletis hosts the Lightning Festival in the third month of the year, Astrapion, named after the festival.
6. Klothys. More than most places, this old goddess is revered in Meletis, especially by philosophers that speak of destiny, such as those of the Nyklean School.
7. Pharika. Meletians rely more on this goddesses' dominion over medicine and alchemy. Given there are many schools and academies, her experimental methods are often taught across the polis.
8. Puphoros. Of course every smithy is basically a shrine to this god, but being a force of creation, he is also an inspiration to philosphers and mages that embrace new ways of thinking.
9. Thassa. Most of Meletis's communities are coastal and many tritons dwell in those settlements, so there is a strong worship of Thassa right around the peninsula. She is seen as the one that protects the ports from kraken and other beasts from the deep.
10. Other God. Select one of the six deities not mentioned here to have a relationship with. This is likely a negative one, such as a run with a cult of one of the more sinister deities.
The Twelve (Ruling Council)
The ruling council of philosophers elected by popular vote. You might have a tie to the Council in general or to an individual member. Or you may instead have Faction dice with a smaller ruling council of one of the smaller settlements within the polis
Individual members of The Twelve include:
1. Perisophia. Leader of The Twelve. Renowned philosopher and orator and head of the Elpidian School.