MELETIS

People of Meletis
The people of Meletis take pride in their city’s grand architecture, especially the great temples to the gods. They value philosophy and other intellectual pursuits, especially the practice of magic. Meletis’s army is known for its discipline and its piety, and its navy is unparalleled. The city observes every one of the gods’ holy days in various ways, and most residents try to live as the gods demand.
Philosophers
Though they aren’t necessarily heroic, philosophers are highly valued in Meletis, which is renowned as the center of philosophical thought. They form a privileged class, often coming from wealthy families but also supported by stipends from the polis’s academies and their own students. Different philosophical schools hold political as well as intellectual power in the polis, with five schools of philosophy dominating Meletian discourse.

- Elpidians. Perisophia’s optimistic Elpidian school currently predominates Meletian thought and politics, carrying on the works of the heroic Epharan oracle Elpidios. The Elpidian school strives to put magic and philosophy to use in improving the lives of all Meletians. Elpidian mages embrace magic in all its forms.

- Formalists. Formalist philosophers believe in a realm populated by abstract entities such as numbers and theories. They focus their efforts on trying to improve the moral fabric of the polis, hoping to create the ideal society, where people live together in peace, and where war and crime disappear.

- Uremideans. This school emphasizes logical reasoning, rhetorical excellence, and theories of ethics and virtue. Uremideans are eminently practical governors who seek to balance ethical ideals and realistic necessities.

- Nykleans. Nyklean philosophers teach that reason or destiny underlies all of reality, so that everything that takes place must unfold just as it does. These philosophers train themselves to accept and endure whatever befalls them, enjoying good fortune but not grieving its loss.

Anapsians. Anapsian philosophy embraces the fine delights of life: the pleasures of love and friendship, fine food and drink, art and music. Anapsians have few strong opinions about governance, except that an ultimate good end should be kept front of mind in all decision.
Thaumaturges
Meletians view magic as one of the greatest art forms, and they call the most accomplished mages thaumaturges (“wonder workers”). Many Meletian mages are trained at the elite academy of the Dekatia, but countless smaller schools and private tutors teach the magical arts. These lessons in magic typically include a well-rounded education in the sciences and philosophy. Some thaumaturges find their magical studies aligning with popular Meletian philosophies and choose the schools of magic they focus on based on such teachings.
The mark of a true thaumaturge, though, is a gift or positive omen from the gods; even the most accomplished student of magic can’t earn the title without such a sign of divine approval. One mage might receive the gift of a spear from Heliod, another could receive a clockwork owl from Ephara, and still another might experience a wild, creative vision from Keranos. Nonhumans in Meletis
Meletis strives to be a beacon to all of Theros’s people. Well-intentioned members of any culture are welcome on Meletis’s streets, and the polis’s people work to earn the trust of their neighbors.
Of all the poleis, Meletis has the closest relationship with the tritons of the Siren Sea. Several communities of tritons consider the harbors of Meletis and secluded coastal sanctuaries their home. Many take part in work near and under the water that other peoples are ill-suited to, but increasingly tritons find work not related to the sea, with triton restaurants, chemists, and members of the Reverent Army being increasingly common.
Meletis maintains a fragile peace with centaurs of the Lagonna band, engaging in regular trade. It’s not uncommon for small groups of centaurs to set up shop in the polis market for short periods, though few spend more than a night or two in the city, most finding it claustrophobic at best.
Few leonin journey to Meletis, knowing little of the land beyond what their stories remember of Agnomakhos’s tyranny. Even an age after the archon’s rule, most leonin view Meletis as a cursed place. Those few who have traveled to the polis in recent years find it changed, with great potential for trade and cooperation, but no Meletian or leonin has yet initiated an official dialogue between the two peoples.
Most satyrs have little patience for Meletian philosophy, visiting largely out of curiosity or on elaborate larks. Minotaurs are rarely seen in Meletis, though those who visit with peaceful intentions are welcome.

Demographics

Meletis is home to a wide range of races, but the majority of its people are human. Given the Dekatia's reknown throughout Theros, folks of all races flock here to study and the students there show the widest variety of species.

Lower (including dock workers) - around 5500 people. Mostly human.

Mid - around 3500 people. Mostly human.

Upper - around 2300 people. Mostly human.

Merchants - around 700 people. Varied Therosian races, including Centaurs and Satyrs.

Philosophers (graduates of Dekatia) - around 400 people. Varied races, from Theros and beyond.

Students (currently studying at Dekatia) - around 600 people. Varied races, from Theros and beyond. Elves, gnomes, halflings etc are rare but can be found amongst those studying here.

Government

Governing Bodies The city is governed by the Council of The Twelve, with day to day running of the city left to those who work in the Sanctum of The Twelve. The most senior member of the council is recognized as its leader, responsible for bringing the assembly to order and moderating its debate. Currently, this position is held by the renowned philosopher and orator named Perisophia. The laws set out by the Twelve and general peace within the city are maintained by the Polis Guard, headed by the Lawmaster and Guard Captain.
Taxation Taxes are payed to The Sanctum by all people of the polis, with funds going to the upkeep of the city, payment of the Polis Guard and the funding of the Dekatia. Taxes are generally calculated based on the status and means of the person paying them - those living in the Lower town pay 10%, mid town 20% etc. Philosophers and students still studying within the Dekatia are excempt provided they give evidence of their work to the Council at regular intervals. Merchants and traders within the city, including those coming into port by ship, must pay fees determined by nature and quantity of the goods they sell.
Worship Worship of and study devoted to the Pantheon is widespread and encouraged within the Polis. Most gods can be found represented here and many have temples within the city. Only worship of Phenax is actively discouraged here, and worshippers of the trickster god can face heavy punishment if they are found out. The philosophers of Meletis do not regard Phenax as a true member of the Pantheon, but rather a usurper who tricked his way to a place among the gods.
Laws Disputes regarding property (intellectual or physical) are usually settled by the Lawmaster, but on occasion are deffered to the Council if the need is great enough. Petty squabbles can be settled by members of the Polis Guard. Death is rarely seen as a fitting punishment in Meletis and those caught breaking laws are more likely to be fined or exciled from the polis. Petty theivery or anitsocial behaviour may incur a few nights in the jails at the Polis Guard House, for example. Perjury and falsehood are also viewed as crimes in the Polis, particularly with regard to the works of Philosophers, and come with heavy penalties.

Defences

The Reverent Army The hoplites of Meletis practice battlefield tactics in an environment saturated with religious devotion. The military force of the polis is called the Reverent Army, and aims as much to exalt the glory of the pantheon as to defend Meletis. The soldiers are clever and resourceful, believing their piety leads the gods to smile upon them. More likely, though, their extensive training in battlefield tactics and magic gives them an edge over other soldiers, with most Meletian hoplites knowing at least a little magic.
Meletis Harbour is occasionally home to naval fleets from accross Theros who sometimes make port here to train alongside the Polis' Army.
The Reverent Army have a large holding here, even when some members of its ranks are elsewhere in Theros.
Large walls surround the city on both sides not met by the sea, but passage into the city is reasonably free and easy.

Industry & Trade

Rich fields and the bounty of the sea support most people throughout Meletis. The people have reputations for being accomplished weavers, skilled sailors, and cunning merchants. Books and literacy are also common throughout the land, and the work of scribes, cartographers, musicians, and storytellers is well regarded. The people of Meletis believe themselves to be the inheritors of a heroic tradition, and each person owes it to themselves and to society to strive for greatness.
Magical items, alchemical ingredients, spellbooks and historical writings are all produced within Meletis. Many excellent enchanters work within the Polis.
The lower classes of Meletis, those without arcane training, make their living serving those held in higher regard than themselves. Many also work in The Docks, helping with the loading and unloading of goods and cargo. Being a large city, there is also much call for general goods such as fine fabrics and alcohol to be imported or produced.

Infrastructure

The Polis has a large port, through which many merchants transport goods for trade either within the city or its surrounding lands.
The Underworks run beneath the city, serving as its sewer system.
The Polis is split into districts, known as Wards - The Docks, The Lower Town, The Merchant's District, Mid Town, The Scholars' Ward, The Philosophers' Ward and Upper Town.
The Reverent Army Grounds houses Meletis' standing army, and serves as training grounds for their soldiers.
The Tiro Arena stands on the edge of the city, and is big enough to house most of the Polis' people on days when fights are scheduled. Tests of strength in combat are held here to entertain the people of the Polis, which usually incorporate many magic/arcane elements to allow higher members of the Dekatia and Reverent Army to showcase their prowess in combat magic.
The temples of the city are varied and many gods of the pantheon are represented here. Those worshipped within the Polis include Thassa, Karametra, Kruphix, Iroas, Heliod and Ephera.
The Dekatia serves as the place of study for many within the Polis. It is an arcane university, where those with inate magical ability are invited to train and focus their talents. Study at the Dekatia is highly prized throughout Theros and people of all classes and creeds are selected to train there.
The Observatory is a tall viewing platform and a windowed structure offering a splendid view of the sky, renowned as a place to study Nyx, the home of the gods. Special crystals shaped by thaumaturges and blessed by the oracles of the gods enhance the view, making it easier for observers to see the workings of the gods among the stars and constellations. Priests, mages, and philosophers interpret what they see in the Observatory as signs and omens from the gods.
The Pyrgnos is a glowing stone tower standing near the coast. It is literally 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. Access to the knowledge contained here is theoretically free to all, but in recent years the Dekatia has become more eletist and has begun to limit access to only those from within their own ranks.

Assets

The main export of Meletis is knowledge, despite its large population of merchant folks. Tablets and tomes holding philosophical and arcane knowledge found around Theros have often originated from here. The training in the arcane and in the study of the Gods in Meletis is highly regarded as the best in Theros. History The archon Agnomakhos ruled the area that is now Meletis for centuries. Impressing those he conquered into his legions, Agnomakhos aggressively expanded his empire, spreading it as far as the forests to the east and the mountains to the north. Ultimately, though, the heroes Kynaios and Tiro overthrew the archon. From the empire’s ruins rose Meletis, a land that endeavors to reject cruelty and oppression throughout the world, and guards against hypocrisy within its own borders. For a time, Kynaios and Tiro ruled Meletis, striving to govern in accordance with the highest philosophical and ethical principles, which ultimately led them to relinquish their power and establish a philosopher-led republic. After the kings’ deaths, the council of scholars known as the Twelve took up rule of the polis, with the sage Elpidios serving as the senior member. The Polis is now ruled over by the Council of The Twelve, for which elections are held every four years. The most senior member of the council is recognized as its leader, responsible for bringing the assembly to order and moderating its debate. Currently, this position is held by the renowned philosopher and orator named Perisophia.

Tourism

Visitors to the Polis are often seeking one of two things - knowledge or trade. Merchants often pass through the city for brief periods, having made port here on their way to other Therosian lands. Those wishing to study arcana or the will of the gods will often make a pilgramige to the city in the hopes of visiting the Observatory or being initated into the Dekatia. Some folks from the surrounding areas will venture into Meletis on the days of great celebration, to watch a fight at the Tiro Arena or visit the grand temple of their god.

Architecture

Grander buildings within the Polis are constructed of pale sandstone, often guilded with gold leaf or daubed with great murals depicting the tales of Theros. The buildings within the lower town or the docks are smaller and less grand in their constuction, often built from wood or more rough hewn brick.

Geography

Meletis sits between sea on both the East and the West. Rising hills extend outward from the North and South, placing the Polis within their valley. The city has several rivers that run from the harbour on one side to the port on the other.

Meletis

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A map of the Meletian Polis inlcuding notable locations, stores and temples.