Colapolis
At the bottom of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in this dark and cold place of extreme pressure a metropolis thrives—and has done so for hundreds of years. The city is called Colapolis after it’s ruler. It’s inhabited by the Magical Kin the Order refers to as Atlanteans.
The city is constructed with the same layout as many of the ruins of the Magna Graecia. The city is walled and surrounds an underwater cliff, where a large palace and temples has been constructed—separating the acropolis from the rest of the city by hight and a smaller inner wall. There is a straight road from the acropolis to the city gates, which widens into an open square—the agora—where markets and assemblies are held. Most striking to outsider is the complete lack of any light source or warmth in the city.
Outside the city are fields of kelp, though different domesticated shellfish and fish is the main diet of Colapolis’ inhabitants. The oyster farms along the city’s walls are also the source of the pearls its inhabitants use as currency with outsiders and among themselves. The shells are used as decorations for the various buildings and artifacts of the Atlanteans.
The city has a few temples, most are dedicated to Oceanus, though there are shrines to the Siren Parthenope and one to the hero Orion. There used to be temples dedicated to Neptune as well, though these has been destroyed and used as building materials in recent years.
The society of Colapolis is straight forward. Most of its citizens simply live there, practicing no trade nor craft. Each solstice or equinox they gather in the agora for a drawing of lots. The twenty chosen will work the farms and fields until the next lot drawing. This is not seen as an honour nor great burden. There are but a specialist class, the priest. These care for a shire and does so for life. They lead others in prayer and sometimes interpret omens, though form no magical tradition or mystery cult. There is but one ruler and decision maker in Colapolis, that is its ancient monarch Colapesce.
Colapesce makes no claim of being from Atlantis. He rejects such an origin for him and his people utterly. He was banished from the surface by a curse from his own sorcerer-mother. Though he’s not certain of the transection he committed—other than perhaps loving the ocean more than her. In her wrath, she turned him into the aquatic creature he is today. With white scales and fins. Eyes red from the biting salt. His skin has turned ghostly pale, from living at these sunless depths.
Colapesce was for many years alone. But he would meet the Parthenope. Her too cursed into a monstrous form. The pair had many children together, whom resembled their father more than mother. Though Parthenope suicide and transformation put an end to this relation. Colapesce led his children away from the island of the Sirens. Dove deeper and deeper. Until he found the spot of Colapolis. Constructing it took many years. But eventually he finally had a new home.
Colapesce slowly grew resentful of humans and their perceived impurity—especially magicians like Orpheus and his mother. Thus, he has formed Colapolis law to limit as much contact with the surface as possible. Even spreading doctrine about the taint of the surface and banishing anyone who receives it. Sadly, for Colapesce he's not a great politician. He has not understood that the extreme leisure and free time he enforced upon his children is the cause of their desire for an adventure which breaks the monotony of life in the polis. This drive has seen many
Atlanteans sneak away to the ports of Palermo, Messina, Naples and even Mallorca.
Colapolis has a magical aura of 3. Its inhabitants’ numbers somewhere around 50. Many are very old, though there is no real way to count days or even years in the polis—its inhabitants just must trust the priests’ count. The inhabitants speak a form of classic Greek, which has developed into its own dialect.
Currently Colapolis has another concern, not far from the city another underwater settlement has begun encroaching on their resources. Faerie Hippocamps claiming decent centaur named Vesuvius. Vesuvius too was smitten by Parthenope, though it was unrequited. Rejected, Vesuvius tried to turn to violence, but Jupiter intervened and sealed him under the volcano that now bears his name. Colapesce knows his people aren’t equipped to handle war. He would rather just avoid any conflict, though the kelp farms have already suffered raids. Some of Colapolis’ citizen are worried.
Story Seed: From the Deep
Character seeking out Atlantis might very well stumble upon the false lead of Colapolis. Other than that, an Atlantean might be encountered in virtually any harbour. Obviously, a visit would likely need seasons of preparation, so a Story Guide should endeavour to make it worthwhile. The Hippocamps offer a slight mystery, where are they getting their vitality from? Is someone orchestrating the war, and if so, to what end?