Mykonos General Info
The lush island Antarra is home to the trade city of Mykonos. Antarra has a temperate climate because of the warm tradewinds and favorable ocean currents. The island is a patchwork of mountains, forests, farmlands, orchards and vineyards. Ruins of the Ancient Adepts’ keeps and temples are scattered around the island.
Once upon a time, mighty Adepts with godlike powers ruled Mykonos. For unknown reasons, they withdrew from this plane leaving behind mysterious ruins that still reveal objects of power from time to time as well as kill the unwary. The Adepts left behind other legacies as well. They created the Weres and Ysnians. The Great Library of Mykonos is built on the ruins of an Adept keep. And Mykonos still uses the roads of the Ancient Adepts.
Antarra is a fertile land full of groves of trees, mostly olive and citrus fruits, vineyards and fields of grain and vegetables. Herds of goats and sheep provide most of the Mykonians meat and dairy products with chickens for poultry and eggs. The forests provide wild game like hare and boar and nuts to supplement people’s diet. Beekeepers provide the Mykonians with honey and beeswax.
Most farmers use donkeys, oxen or even llamas as draft animals. The llamas and sheep provide wool for the beautiful weavings Mykonians create. Horses are a bit rarer; they tend to be possessed by the wealthy. Some cattle are kept but these are mostly for sacrifices.
Seafood is also widely eaten. Everything from fish in every form imaginable, crustaceans of all sorts and even seaweed are consumed. A few highly skilled chefs have made fish and seaweed rolls into an artform.
Noble houses rule Mykonos. There are 6 major noble families. Catriona d’Valrhone is the current Princess. Duchess Therese d’Chesu, Duke Claudio d’Marelli, Duke Khalid d’Shatana, Duke Corwin d’Kestari and Duke Dimitri d’Rhadzu are the other heads of the noble families. These notables along with the heads of the Mage Academy, temples and the Mykonian bank comprise the City council. The Admiral of the Navy and the Commander of the City Guard also have seats but only vote in matters of defense. Heirs and seconds in command are also expected to attend and vote in cases where the Head is absent. Since the Noble houses control the majority of the wealth, they in effect control Mykonos although the Council makes decisions about things like public works.
The wealthy have trading fleets that work hard to fulfill the Mykonians desires for new things; they trade pearls, metalwork, weavings, wines and ancient Adept artifacts for exotics like spices. While barter is common, Mykonos has a gold standard economy.
As a wealthy city, Mykonos has a constant flux of people from all over, eager for the famed delights held within the city walls. There is the Circus Maximus where horse and chariot races take place. The Coliseum where the wealthy underwrite gladiatorial displays. Several amphitheaters where plays, musicals and dances are performed. There are also boat races of all sorts. As well as several religious holidays and feasts.
More sensual entertainments are also offered in the public baths, gambling houses and festhalls. The bathhouses are a sybaritic delight, offering soaking pools, saunas, massage, aromatherapy as well as perfumers and makeup/hair stylists. The festhalls and gambling houses offer companionship of all types as well as sumptuous buffets and the chance to try the odds. Escorts of all sorts are also available.
Beautiful temples also grace Mykonos. These architectural glories are often full of people singing praises and making sacrifices to the gods. During religious holidays, the streets are full of celebrants dancing and singing.
The main gods of Mykonos are Meran, the god of water and weather, Alvero the Just, Arimon, ruler of the dead, Fortunata, Lady Luck, Chala, goddess of warfare, Galan, god of healers, Tuath, god of wisdom, Sunya, goddess of fertility and farming, Bubastis, goddess of animals, Mestra, goddess of vengeance and pain. Priests are expected to contribute to daily life. For example, the priests of Alvero often serve as the city’s mediators and judges.
As a trade center, the city is full of inns and taverns, which serve the locals as well as travelers. The lower classes use them as a place to socialize;while the upper classes usually fete each other in their homes. Mykonos is also full of shops of all descriptions. If you can imagine it, chances are you can purchase it for the right price.
All sorts of housing can be found from crowded tenements in the slums to lush villas with lavish gardens. Most of the wealthy’s homes have private baths with running water. The less fortunate make do with the public wells and fountains.
As cosmopolitans, Mykonians tend to have quite liberal worldviews; even jaded. All sorts of sexuality between consenting adults are accepted. Marriage is often an economic merger so many people have lovers. Some even set up households with multiple significant others (polyamorous). The heads of the noble families often take a Companion as well as an official consort. Companions are people who are strenuously trained from childhood to be the consummate lover/companion; learning artistic skills as well as erotic ones.
All children are offered a basic education with gifted children being given advanced training while the others are apprenticed to a trade. Children of the wealthy are usually privately tutored.