Basilica of Saint Theros
The Basilica of Saint Theros is a great temple located in the heart of Meletis and dedicated to Akadi, The Wavemother. It is both a place of worship and a place of living for the Order of the Trident who maintain the temple. Years of additions and construction have turned the temple into a small compound of its own, with dormitories, a small library and even training grounds.
All these buildings are located away from the main street, behind the actual temple itself. The basilica reaches up over ten stories tall, dwarfing any other building within Meletis by a significant amount.
The Basilica is usually guarded by a handful of local city guards.
Architecture
There is a aqua blue dome situated at the top of the building, and it is adorned with a golden mural of Akadi and Saint Theros. The front of the temple sees a set stairs leading up to a series of pillars forming a soft barrier to the actual entrance itself. These pillars are near five stories tall, and about four feet thick. Painted blue, much like the dome, these pillars each have a trident carved into them.
The entrance consists of two massive metal doors, with intricately worked patterns of waves, the ocean, and ancient vessels. Pushing into the threshold of the basilica itself would lead them into the circular temple planted beneath the dome above. Reaching massive heights, the inside of the dome is painted to put the viewer underwater, in a beautiful reef of coral and brightly colored fish. Stained glass windows flank either side, showing the life and victories of Saint Theros, and his patron, Akadi, The Wavemother.
In the center of the circular room lies a pool of crystal clear blue water, roughly four feet deep. The pool interior is decorated with a mosaic of blues, greens, and yellows. At the center of the pool raised above the water lies the altar to Akadi.
Out the rear of the temple lies a courtyard, flanked by smaller pillars, but similar to the ones in front of the temple. In the center of the courtyard is another pool, and it is fed by aqueducts that flank the courtyard itself.
The sleeping quarters is a plain building, standing about three stories tall, and with two massive wooden doors. The building is covered in vines, and there are wooden shutters over the windows. The first floor consists of the cafeteria type room, a common room, a kitchen, and some smaller offices for temple officials. Attached to the dormitory is a small modest armory.
Across the courtyard lies both a more open air training grounds, where the sound of clanging metal and grunting acolytes can be heard. There are several training dummies set up, and a series of terraces for instructors to watch. Just behind this lies a modest circular building, and within this lies the library.