Theron
"A WORLD LIES WITHIN"
Inscription on the Millennium Gate, northern entrance to Theron
Summary:
Theron is the oldest and largest city in all of Erden. Over 300,000 souls live within its gleaming walls, and it stands as a bastion of elven civilization: proof that the race of Mer still stands proud against the recent onslaught of Humanity.
The wonders of Theron are without compare. A thousand spires puncture its skyline, and islands held aloft by arcane might float amongst sprawling palaces. Even the poorest areas are clean and orderly, filled with whitewashed apartments of many-coloured roofs gleaming in the morning sun.
Theron is the capital of Cythera, one of the most important of the Nine Kingdoms. Compared to the rest of Lumeris, it is a cosmopolitan city where representatives of most cultures and races may be found.
Districts
The Rainbow City
To a bird, Theron would look like a kaleidoscope of colours, whole swathes of the city's rooftops tiled in riotous tones. Uniquely, the city divided into seven districts separated by caste, distinguished for all to see by the colour scheme. These make a bold statement, as the homes of the ruling elite literally display their status to all who pass by. The Four Old Districts of Theron (from most to least prestigious) are Azure, home of Theron's arcane ruling class, Oros, the home of Theron's dualistic priests of Kelemvor and Lathandar, Virdence, the home of Theron's Oroboritic order of druids, and Amaranth, the center for the elite of the city's craftsmen and merchants. Outside of the Four Old Districts, there is Kaleidon - a crowded expanse of working and middle class folk, and the Salt Bazaar - a meticulously ordered port district at the foot of the Acropolon. The Acropolon is the heart of Theron's government, and the home of the tallest artificial structure in the known world: the Argent Lyceum.
The Acropolon
The Acropolon is a hilltop citadel that houses four critical structures: the Argent Lyceum, the so-called Seelie Palace, the Isle of Dreams, and the Magisterium.
From many miles away, if one looks towards Theron, they will see a slender white spire gleaming in the rising sun. This is the Argent Lyceum, the largest library and tallest structure in the known world. It is a gleaming white tower that pierces the very clouds, its multitude of roofs capped in true silver. Within live the Magisters, powerful statesfolk learned in arcana and oratory. Guarded by a small army of arcanautons, the Magisters deliberate the future of Theron and Lumeris, consulting ancient scrolls for their wisdom.
Hovering above the tallest tower of the Argent Lyceum is the Isle of Dreams, an island suspended by the arcane might of the Magisterial Order. It is said that the King-Consort himself meditates among the garishly coloured grove of the Isle.
Azure
The oldest and most prestigious district of Theron is Azure; a concentric area of grand apartments, impossibly slender towers, and houses of learning and entertainment, all roofed in tiles of the deepest blue. Magic flows here like water, the very air a heady mixture of ozone and incense, the streets lit by floating crystalline lamps. Blue-robed magisters meander through the marble streets, flanked by arcane golems, overseeing all with an imperious eye. Lovers breathe in hallucinogens from hookahs atop gilded terraces, passing the days in a dream-like state.
Yet despite the luxuries contained within, Azure is also the heart of Theron's government. Atop the Acropolon, the Magisters debate policy and advise the King Consort on affairs of state, deciding how best to enact the will of the distant High Queen. They are aided in their decisions by the libraries of the Argent Lyceum, a vast repository of legal texts and arcana containing all the knowledge of the Eldar.
Viridence
Viridence is a place of old and new: a tangled network of tall, green-rooved apartments interspersed with truly ancient parkland, the gnarled boughs of trees growing into and around marble buildings. The center of Oroboritic worship in Theron, Viridence is full of druids, nature-lovers, fey, and halflings. The people here are free-spirited, marking their bodies with emerald clothing, their skin with tattoos, and their minds with vision-inducing herbs.
Dilapidated and abandoned a mere five centuries ago, Viridence has been revived by the founding of Theron's second institute of learning: The Viridian Academy, from where folk are trained according to the ancient ways of Oroboritic druids. The scholars of the Solirium and Argent Lyceum view this institute with derision, yet the Viridian academy continues to attract young academics.
Oros
Oros is the center of the faiths of Kelemvor and Lathandar, and Theron's military. Beneath its gold-clad roofs live a serious folk not as fond of the material pleasures so abundant in Theron. Its people spend their time meditating in gardens, marching in unison, and contemplating their faith in the Temple of the Golden Leaf and the Citadel of the Moon, two opposing structures on Pantheon Isle.
Amaranth
Amaranth, the smallest of the Four Old Districts, is an orderly grid of red-roofed apartments. From Amaranth, the smell of smoke and wood and the sound of striking hammers ring out, as does a chorus of bartering. Amaranth is the "crafting" district of Theron, from whence the fine jewelry, weapons, fabrics, and so on are crafted by highly skilled artisans. Only the most prestigious artisans and merchants are allowed here, and yet Amaranth is still looked down on by the snobbier Eldar as too "common".
Amaranthers have a strong, insular identity, wearing their trades proudly around their neck as amulets - an anvil, a needle, etc. Amaranthers look down on the people of Kaleidon and the other Four Old Districts as unskilled and soft, respectively, and fiercely protect their trades by forming closely knit guilds. They tend to wear vibrant red jackets and berets, emblems of their status.
Kaleidon (Ka-lay-dee-on)
Kaleidon refers to the vast expanse of apartment complexes, bazaars, and suburbs surrounding the Four Old Districts of Theron. Theron has no slums, but if it did, they would be in Kaleidon. The district is populated by over 200,000 young high elves, Valmer, halflings, foreigners, and even humans and orcs. In Kaleidon, the smells of foreign spices, exotic drugs, alcohol, woodsmoke, and the ozone-smell of magic blend to form an intoxicating mixture, the streets filled with peddlers selling all manner of exotic wares, and the taverns are full of revellers at all hours. Those high elves who live in Kaleidon tend to be managers, overseers, enforcers, and young migrants. Conversely, the bulk of the population is half-blooded or non-elven, and they make up the working class of Theron.
In Kaleidon, fears have risen in recent years of vampiric cells operating in the shadows, and many an alley-way is now considered unsafe to pass at night. A substantial minority of Eldar here openly support the Calabim, considering Sanguine the rightful goddess of the elves.
Guilds and Factions
The Magisters:
Theron, and all of Cythera, is theoretically ruled by the King-Consort, the theoretical husband of the High Queen and leader of the Seelie Court. In truth, the King-Consort has little power: he is a figurehead, elected by the most powerful statesmer in the city - the Magisters, who number around 1000. A cadre of 30 High Magisters advise the King-Consort himself, and each specializes in a particular domain, referred to as Ordos. There are High Magisters of Whispers, Lore, Exchange, Order, Arcana, and many others. As with the rest of Lumeric society, the Magisters spend much of their time in machinations of court. The High Magisters come from elsewhere, and are directly appointed by the High Queen. In this way, the High Queen ensures that Theron stays under her firm control. Most other kingdoms of Theron also have magisters; there are around 5,000 in total across the entire country, comprising the elite of Lumeric society. The Argent Lyceum:
The largest library in Theron is the Argent Lyceum, and it is exclusively available to those of rank Magister and above - the penalty for entering otherwise is death. The building itself is the tallest in the world, perhaps a 1000 feet high, held up by magic and materials of godly power. Within the Lyceum there are said to be a million texts, all the knowledge of the world, and it is jealously guarded by the Eldar.
Next to the pinnacle of the Lyceum is a floating island - the Isle of Rebirth. The Isle is shrouded in mystery. Some say it is a private garden for the High Queen and King-Consort, others say a tomb, while some even claim it to be the home of the gods themselves. The Temple of the Celestial Serpent:
The home of the Oroborites; a collection of overgrown towers, courtyards, and glades in Viridence.
Citadel of the Moon:
A fortified bastion of Kelemvor on Pantheon Isle.
Church of the Golden Leaf:
A sprawling cathedral full of golden glimmertrees; the home of the sect of Lathandar.
The Solirium:
A university dedicated to producing wizards, many of whom become leaders or Magisters.
The Viridian Academy: A university dedicated to producing scholars and druids.
Theron, and all of Cythera, is theoretically ruled by the King-Consort, the theoretical husband of the High Queen and leader of the Seelie Court. In truth, the King-Consort has little power: he is a figurehead, elected by the most powerful statesmer in the city - the Magisters, who number around 1000. A cadre of 30 High Magisters advise the King-Consort himself, and each specializes in a particular domain, referred to as Ordos. There are High Magisters of Whispers, Lore, Exchange, Order, Arcana, and many others. As with the rest of Lumeric society, the Magisters spend much of their time in machinations of court. The High Magisters come from elsewhere, and are directly appointed by the High Queen. In this way, the High Queen ensures that Theron stays under her firm control. Most other kingdoms of Theron also have magisters; there are around 5,000 in total across the entire country, comprising the elite of Lumeric society. The Argent Lyceum:
The largest library in Theron is the Argent Lyceum, and it is exclusively available to those of rank Magister and above - the penalty for entering otherwise is death. The building itself is the tallest in the world, perhaps a 1000 feet high, held up by magic and materials of godly power. Within the Lyceum there are said to be a million texts, all the knowledge of the world, and it is jealously guarded by the Eldar.
Next to the pinnacle of the Lyceum is a floating island - the Isle of Rebirth. The Isle is shrouded in mystery. Some say it is a private garden for the High Queen and King-Consort, others say a tomb, while some even claim it to be the home of the gods themselves. The Temple of the Celestial Serpent:
The home of the Oroborites; a collection of overgrown towers, courtyards, and glades in Viridence.
Citadel of the Moon:
A fortified bastion of Kelemvor on Pantheon Isle.
Church of the Golden Leaf:
A sprawling cathedral full of golden glimmertrees; the home of the sect of Lathandar.
The Solirium:
A university dedicated to producing wizards, many of whom become leaders or Magisters.
The Viridian Academy: A university dedicated to producing scholars and druids.
History:
Theron's history has been lost to time. Despite the thousands of tomes written on the city, what remains to read is vague, or focused very much on the present. Furthermore, all tomes on the city dating back to more than 1000 years ago are locked within the Argent Lyceum, never to be opened. Thus, the last 1000 years of Theron's history are well documented, even to the point of excruciating detail, the last 2000 years of its history are half-speculation, and anything beyond 2000 years is pure myth, despite clear evidence that Theron has existed for many millennia.
Aside from a single brief civil war 800 years ago, when King-Consort Maelorn attempted to overthrow the High Queen and unite the Courts, Theron has been remarkably peaceful. It is renowned as a place where scholars, traders, wizards, and the like can spend their days in an intoxicating culture of learning, wealth, and refinement.
Culture: Refinement and Revelry, by Magister Ellandros Starspinner A city as old and as large as Theron has too many customs to list. But hear well the following, for if you are in Theron, lest you be thought a boor. First and foremost, Theron is a class-conscious city. Do not wear colours above your station. Only a magister, or magisterial apprentice, may wear azure in any colour. Golden colours are reserved for those in the holy orders, while the deepest shades of red are reserved for those masters of craft. For all others, white, grey, or black tones are recommended, if you are to avoid making a fool of yourself. Secondly, always bow to your betters. Should you speak to a Magister, it is customary to bow, extending one knee forward, while sweeping your right arm outwards and placing your left hand on your heart. There are, of course, a hundred other proper forms of address to various ranks, but this is the most critical to know. Likewise, always nod to the halflings and Fey, for they are respectable children that deserve kind treatment. When sipping wine, you should drink until you are pleasantly intoxicated. Vomiting is acceptable, but do so in private, and sweeten your breath with rosewater or essence of mint afterwards. Not imbibing is a sign of disrespect. Always take the stem of a hookah in the left hand, and pass it to the left. Do not grip the hookah for too long, lest you "boggart" it. Do not smoketh the herb from a pipe when you can imbibe from a hookah. Finally, when a task could be accomplished either by magic or physical labour, always choose the path of magic. Doing so spares the user from unsightly exertion, and delights the folk around them.
Theron's history has been lost to time. Despite the thousands of tomes written on the city, what remains to read is vague, or focused very much on the present. Furthermore, all tomes on the city dating back to more than 1000 years ago are locked within the Argent Lyceum, never to be opened. Thus, the last 1000 years of Theron's history are well documented, even to the point of excruciating detail, the last 2000 years of its history are half-speculation, and anything beyond 2000 years is pure myth, despite clear evidence that Theron has existed for many millennia.
Aside from a single brief civil war 800 years ago, when King-Consort Maelorn attempted to overthrow the High Queen and unite the Courts, Theron has been remarkably peaceful. It is renowned as a place where scholars, traders, wizards, and the like can spend their days in an intoxicating culture of learning, wealth, and refinement.
Culture: Refinement and Revelry, by Magister Ellandros Starspinner A city as old and as large as Theron has too many customs to list. But hear well the following, for if you are in Theron, lest you be thought a boor. First and foremost, Theron is a class-conscious city. Do not wear colours above your station. Only a magister, or magisterial apprentice, may wear azure in any colour. Golden colours are reserved for those in the holy orders, while the deepest shades of red are reserved for those masters of craft. For all others, white, grey, or black tones are recommended, if you are to avoid making a fool of yourself. Secondly, always bow to your betters. Should you speak to a Magister, it is customary to bow, extending one knee forward, while sweeping your right arm outwards and placing your left hand on your heart. There are, of course, a hundred other proper forms of address to various ranks, but this is the most critical to know. Likewise, always nod to the halflings and Fey, for they are respectable children that deserve kind treatment. When sipping wine, you should drink until you are pleasantly intoxicated. Vomiting is acceptable, but do so in private, and sweeten your breath with rosewater or essence of mint afterwards. Not imbibing is a sign of disrespect. Always take the stem of a hookah in the left hand, and pass it to the left. Do not grip the hookah for too long, lest you "boggart" it. Do not smoketh the herb from a pipe when you can imbibe from a hookah. Finally, when a task could be accomplished either by magic or physical labour, always choose the path of magic. Doing so spares the user from unsightly exertion, and delights the folk around them.
Type
Metropolis
Population
300,000
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