Tower of Helios

Jutting upward from the rooftop of the Temple of Apollon, at the highest point of the Acropolis of Thebai, a rickety wooden structure stretches toward the sky. These days, it is used mainly by the family of Tieresias for their varied arts.
The structure has several levels:

Lower Level

Living Quarters

This space consists of a small receiving room for guests, such as there might be, a hearth room for preparing food, and two small bedrooms: one for Tieresias, and one for the three daughters.

Second Level

The Library of Historis

Historis is an odd maiden who spends much of her time making her own reed papyrus, mixing her own ink, cutting her own quills, and writing out stories in a careful handwritten script that she has made up herself. The result is a growing collection of scrolls that are complete gibberish to anyone but Historis herself.

The Reptile House

Daphne is a curator of snakes and reptiles. In theory, these all reside in a single room. In practice, individual snakes sometimes range throughout the tower, into the temple below, and out into the rest of the city.

Third Level

Manto's Observatory

Manto spends much of her time on this level, where she can be of assistance to her parent as needed. Although the vantage point provides a commanding view of the city, she prefers watching the birds, and several of them have been coaxed into becoming regular visitors. Rusted cages attest to a time when messenger doves were housed in this level for the use of prior kings.

Fourth Level

Meditation Hermitage

The seer Tieresias spends much of their time in meditation on the highest level of the tower. Although rarely if ever consulted by King Oidipous or Queen Jokaste, they require a secluded spot to prevent inundation from others who would know the future. A consult with Tieresias requires access to Apollon's temple and a steep climb up a structure so high and rickety that most supplicants opt instead to travel onward to the Oracle at Delphi.

Helios's Shrine

In ages past, those seeking the favor of Sun-Titan Helios would make a pilgrimage to a small shrine that was tended by the priesthood of Apollon, built around an everlasting ember said to be a tiny piece that's broken off of Helios's flaming chariot. The shrine has fallen into disuse, due to its inaccessibility. Shunted to the side of the hermitage, it is all but forgotten by the priesthood below.

Rooftop

Rooftop Watchfire

A mechanism can raise and lower the central section of the roof, allowing a large watchfire to be set. Such a fire can be seen at night for dozens of miles in all directions. In times of war, this signal has been used or order attacks, coordinate defense, and for a variety of other purposes. A watchman stationed in the hermitage level below can tend the flame while, being shielded from its light, remaining able to see potential reply fires in the distance.

History

Built at least two centuries ago.

Type

Tower, Mage