Description
Mer'thalass, the City of Coral, is known for its beautiful beaches and colorful cliffside houses. The Great Temple of Enir emerges as a gargantuan coral edifice from the Kynospont Lagoon. In the shadows of the twin canine Kolossoi, the great merchant families of the city trade in wine, oils, and colorful fabrics under a warm coastal sun. The people of Mer'thalass are expressive and talkative, seeking the connection so prized by Enir. While the city has historically had larger communities of cinderkin and fairies, the draw of its beauty and its role as a trade hub have made Mer'thalass a diverse melting pot of people.
The Great Temple
Mer'thalass is home to the Great Temple to Enir, deity of Love and Connection.
Demographics
The population of Mer'thalass is primarily Fairy and Cinderkin, however many different lineages flocked here due to its beauty and idyllic weather. The role of Mer'thalass as a thriving trade port in the heyday of Erden only served to further diversify the inhabitants that called the city home.
Weather and Landscape
Situated on the southern coast of Tellus, the port city of Mer'thalass experiences hot, dry summers and wet, mild winters. It is a subtropical region whose temperatures vary only moderately due to the influence of the sea. The land itself is rocky and hilly in the hinterland with grassy slopes eventually evening out toward the shore of the sea.
Aesthetic
Mer'thalass takes its inspiration and influence from the Classical world of the Aegean and the later merchant republic of Venice. The people of Mer'thalass typically wear clothing suitable for the dry summer climate or the wet, temperate winters that bless their homeland. Their attire consists of many colorful flowing fabrics on top of bright whites. These garments are usually linen, simple, draped, and loose-fitting.
Industry/Economy
Mer'thalass was a travel destination, merchant city, and port. Inland there were large olive and grape vineyards, making them a primary exporter of wines and oils before falling.
Government
Merchant guilds, which are most often composed of just large extended families, dominate local politics but in an unusual way. The city and its territory are technically a democracy with every adult citizen able to attend the Ekklesia (general assembly) and vote on its decisions. Day-to day matters are handled by the small council of "Philanthropoi" whose members are elected monthly. Any tied votes are decided by having the matter "go to the dogs" whereby one of the city's local hounds is set loose in the assembly to choose between the two sides. The high priest of Enir usually oversees this process to guarantee the canine elector is not unduly influenced by either side.
Every year, the people of Mer'thalass also hold a vote to exile the citizen believed to be the wealthiest and greediest for a period of 10 years. The vote is conducted by citizens writing down the name of their choice on a seashell and placing it in a ceramic cauldron as a secret ballot. As any attempt to bribe voters or hide riches is seen as admission of guilt, the leaders of the great merchant houses have taken instead to engage in what has been described by outsiders as "competitive charity". To ensure they are no longer the wealthiest or no longer considered greedy, these individuals will go to great lengths to outspend their rivals in charitable donations and contributions to public projects.
Primary mode of transportation
Transportation around Mer'thalass consisted of ships at sea and horseback and cart on land.
Is this Enclave Fallen?
Mer'thalass has recently fallen. For many years, Mer'thalass benefited from its rugged cliffside houses for protection and continued to be a major port after the Cataclysm. However, this connection proved to be its undoing when a mysterious shimmering ship sailed into its port carrying what refugees described as "a legion of wailing wraiths".
