Phenike

Nexus of the Aspros

An island polis of the “near” Aspros, most like to Tyre by way of Canaan. Much like the far larger Krypteia westward in the Pyrmar, Phenike is a major trade hub in its area, the intersection of trade routes from multiple poleis and pharaonates. As a smaller polis with so much travel, immigration and emigration going through its port, its culture is more of a melting pot without the dominating "core influence" that a huge polis like Krypteia has. It has been defined by trade and the movement of goods and people since the very days it was first founded. However, its people are also known for being unusually well educated and well read, even among the working class, especially lately due to the queen's efforts to drive education of her populace. 
Phenike is famed across both the Ithean and Khefiri worlds as the primary source of the “imperial purple” dye that shares the polis’s name, much sought by temples and nobles. The murex processing for this takes up an entire long beach overlooked by the polis, watched over by several guard towers including one in the bay. It is also the primary vector of dates, walnuts, and lemons to the known world, and is well regarded for the quality of its honey; baklava originated in Phenike, and spread from here across the region.
Phenike ostensibly commands the east end of the Keranos strait, and its navy patrols the local waters with their distinctive gold and violet striped sails. In practice, however, both the polis and its navy are small by comparison to the major players of the region, and as such it relies on the protection of its major trading partners to fend off both pirates and the dominion of any one of its “partners.” Many poleis would love to have control of the city for its resources and enviable location, so the chief responsibility of the ruler is playing allies and rivals against each other to prevent that from coming to pass. 

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Pheniketh PCs

• Proficiencies: You gain one bonus language, one bonus game or kitchen proficiency, one bonus kitchen or tool proficiency, and one bonus tool or game proficiency. One of these proficiencies can be replaced with another language. 
• Cultured: You pick Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, and add half your proficiency bonus (rounded up) to all skill and ability checks with that stat, but not to saving throws or spell attacks. 
• Stronger Together: As a swift action when you and an ally are adjacent to each other, or are both adjacent to the same opponent, hazard, or work surface, you can give both yourself and your ally Bardic Inspiration until the end of your next turn as a bard of your level. After you do so, you can't use this ability until after a long rest, or after a short rest if you are a bard. 

Type

City