Theros (plane)

Theros
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Meletis.jpg}}|250px]]
Information
First seen	Theros
Last seen	March of the Machine
Planeswalkers	Calix, Gideon Jura, Niko Aris, Xenagos
Rabiah Scale	5
Status	Recovering from New Phyrexia's invasion, pantheon decimated
Demonym	Theran

For other uses, see Theros (disambiguation).

Theros is a plane where the Theros block and other Theros sets take place. It is similar to Hellenic Greece. The name may be from the Ancient Greek word θέρος (théros), meaning summer. The name may also be a portmanteau of the words "the" and "heroes", considering the heavy emphasis on Heroes on the plane.

Description

Theros is a plane governed by the gods of Nyx, where heroes face monsters, the sea rages, people offer burnt offerings and adventures take place. It is defined by mankind's struggle against the primal forces of the world, and mankind's conflict with the many other sapient races that populate the world.

Theros has a unique metaphysical property: things believed and dreamed here eventually become true. The collective unconscious of millions of people has the literal power of creation, though the process unfolds over countless centuries. Thus the gods of Theros and their servants were believed, dreamed of, and narrated into existence, materializing, and becoming fully real as a result of mortal belief in their power.

Two closely related concepts loom large in the way mortals think about their place in the world: fate and destiny. Fate is that which you cannot change, it is spun out in a tapestry woven by a trio of semi-divine women, The Fates. Destiny is that which you’re meant to do. While fate is what happens when you don’t take responsibility for your life, destiny is what happens when you commit to growing, learning, and taking chances. Being “destined for greatness” only comes through active and conscious decisions. But fate is what happens when you let other people and external circumstances dictate your life. The strands of destiny are spun from the hair of the ancient god Klothys.

More than just for their deeds, heroes fill an important role among the inhabitants of Theros. Legendary heroes form a vast collection of archetypes (the Hunter, the General, the Philosopher, etc.) who embody the qualities to strive for and the potential of mortals to be more than mere drops in the raging river of fate.

History

The sealing of the titans

Thousands of years ago, before the current gods of Theros rose to power, the titans — horrific primal urges made flesh — roamed the mortal realm, sowing death and destruction in their wake. The mortals, powerless to defend themselves, turned to prayer in their hour of need. From this prayer, this concentrated devotion sprang forth the gods themselves.

The oldest of the current gods, often considered siblings and some sort of offshoot from the Titans, are Klothys and Kruphix. Perhaps the former arose from a sense of inevitability, and the latter of a sense of mystery. From them, the third generation of deities was born: sun-crowned Heliod, deep-dwelling Thassa, bleak-hearted Erebos, bronze-blooded Purphoros and keen-eyed Nylea. The other eight gods, the fourth generation, are sometimes thought to be their offspring.

Imbued with incredible power by the faith of mortals, the gods sealed the titans away in the Underworld. Klothys, the god of fate, volunteered to act as a jailer and sequestered herself in the Underworld for eternity. While Erebos rules this realm beyond death, it was Klothys who acted as an eternal seal, ensuring the Titans remained trapped.

The age of Trax

In ancient times, the archons of Trax held a massive empire, tyrannizing the world in the belief that they were imposing strict justice. The most notable of these Archon tyrants was Agnomakhos, who used the leonin as an army. Giants, demons, and medusas are said to have reigned kingdoms of their own in those days. Dragons, Kraken, and Hydras used to be even larger than they are in the present time.

Eventually, the Archon empire fell, being instead replaced by the poleis, and the remaining Archons now lash at these, slighting the "honor" they feel was stripped from them.

Birth of the poleis

The end of the age of Trax corresponds roughly with the rise of the fourth and latest generation of the gods. Ephara inspired and equipped the human heroes Kynaios and Tiro to overthrow Agnomakhos. They founded the polis Meletis, established its legal code, and defended it for decades. After the fall of the archons, humans and minotaurs waged a bloody war in the highlands. The poleis of Akros and Skophos were born from that bloodshed, inspired by the martial doctrines of Iroas and Mogis.

The age of heroes

The uncounted centuries since the fall of the archons have been marked by the exploits of great heroes, many of which have been recorded in epic works of epic prose and poetry. The tale of The Akroan War, is only nominally a history of the long siege of Akros, precipitated by the queen of Olantin abandoning her husband and going to live with the Akroan king. The Theriad tells the epic story of various unidentified adventurers who would each rise to become The Champion of the Sun God. The Callapheia recounts the adventures of Callaphe the Mariner.

The rise and fall of Xenagos

When the satyr planeswalker Xenagos returned to his birthplane, he found his old hedonistic lifestyle exceedingly dull and the gods to be a farce in which he was no longer willing to participate. His ambitions had evolved into a desire for outright godhood, to join or replace the pantheon of Theros, and so he began gathering his forces of eldritch, otherworldly monsters to attack the poleis of Meletis, Akros, and Setessa. These attacks became so severe that the gods themselves began to go blind, cut off from their oracles. This drove them into a panic which escalated as they blamed the others of their kind for the transgression. Only Nylea seemed to be aware of the threat he played, but with his otherworldly magic, none of the gods could truly stop him.

In circumstances largely under mystery, Xenagos managed to ascend to godhood. This occurred during a minotaur siege at Akros, battled off by armies led by Elspeth. The victory celebration was the final ingredient to Xenagos' divine ascension, and in the ensuing turmoil, the Sun god's champion was ironically scapegoated for this, resulting in her exile to the wilderness. Xenagos now held the position of the God of the revels, furthering the chaos and distrust of the established pantheon. Heliod was particularly offended by his ascension and sought to destroy the satyr, whom he referred to as "the usurper". He planned to punish all of mortal-kind for the actions of the new god.

Xenagos had accomplished what he had desired: obtaining a place in the pantheon. However, he could not sustain his godly form by himself; he gathered a large array of Nyxborn creatures, using them to keep his position. Capturing the Nyxborn caused Theros's sky to darken, as chaos spread across the plane. His time in Nyx would not be long though. Only a couple of days after his rise, the planeswalkers Elspeth Tirel and Ajani Goldmane arrived in Nyx to set Theros right again. After a difficult battle, Xenagos managed to knock Elspeth down, planning on taking her weapon, Godsend, to keep his position firm. However, Elspeth managed to throw the spear into Xenagos's chest, causing the arrowhead, which Nylea had shot into Xenagos before his ascension, to explode and shred his beating heart. Upon dying in Nyx, Xenagos could not manifest in the Underworld and is truly gone.

As Xenagos's remnants fell back to Theros, Elspeth offered her life in trade for her lover Daxos. Erebos accepted her sacrifice and declared to Heliod that Elspeth must be delivered to him. After reclaiming Godsend, Heliod fatally wounded his former champion and instructed Ajani to carry Elspeth back to the mortal realm and deliver her to Erebos.

War of the gods

Heliod contemplated the fragility of his immortality. He would not allow anyone to take his place in the pantheon — not even the other existing gods. To that end, he pulled the soul of the oracle Daxos and transformed him into his champion in the mortal realm. Now a demigod, Daxos was instructed to remove all trace of the other gods from the great city of Meletis. The other gods, refusing to stand for such an affront, called upon their champions from the Underworld; with this, the gods were at war. Their strife led to unintended consequences, one of which began the opening of rifts between the Underworld and the mortal realm. This allowed Erebos's monsters and the titans to pour forth and sow chaos. Also in the Underworld, Elspeth became empowered by Ashiok, who equipped her with a weapon created from her past traumas. She also managed to escape the Underworld and planned to assassinate Heliod. The god Klothys sent the nyxborn Calix to bring her back.

Elspeth claimed that the Shadowspear was the true Khrusor and that Heliod's spear was a fake. Due to the nature of belief on Theros, when mortals started to acknowledge Shadowspear as the true Khrusor, Heliod's spear weakened to the point of shattering when clashing against Elspeth's weapon. The God of the Sun was forced to yield and Erebos imprisoned him in the Underworld forever. By defeating his most hated enemy, Elspeth won the God of the Dead's eternal gratitude and permission to return to the world of the living. After meeting with Daxos one last time, Elspeth planeswalked away, with Calix, whose spark ignited in the meantime, following her.

Phyrexian invasion

New Phyrexia begins the invasion of Theros at Akros.

Led by a Phyrexian Ajani Goldmane, the first wave of the invasion targeted temples and other places of worship. Due to the nature of faith on Theros, compleating the gods' devotees meant that the gods themselves, influenced by their new Phyrexian worshippers, succumbed and became Phyrexians as well.

In the course of the invasion, most of the gods were compleated. The city of Meletis stood as the last bastion of resistance against an endless onslaught of Phyrexian armies. Hordes of Phyrexian monstrosities assailed the city from air, land, and sea, while Meletian defenders fought valiantly to drive them off. With the aid of Ephara, one of the few surviving Theros gods, sustained by the belief of those within the city walls, they managed to hold their own. Outside of Meletis, the omenpaths of Realmbreaker reached into the underworld, where they were met with Kroxa, whose voiding maw completely obliterated the invaders.

Once the tide had turned and New Capenna's angels led a counterinvasion of Theros, the compleated Heliod was distracted enough to be killed by Kaya Cassir. Though Ephara's survival, Heliod's death, and Erebos's compleation is confirmed, it is unclear which of the other Gods were compleated in the invasion. It is implied that Athreos may have survived, having given orders to Kunaros, and that all five of the mono-colored gods may have been compleated. Cymede, last seen ascending to Keranos's side in Nyx, was compleated, suggesting Keranos was also.

In the aftermath, word of Elspeth's ascension and victory reached Theros, with statues built in her honor in restored temples, suggesting a new god will be borne from this worship.

Locations

D&D Mythic Odysseys of Theros map

The realms

Theros is divided into three main realms:

• The normal, sunlit world of the living, also known as the mortal realm. The mainland of Theros is somewhere around 40,000 square miles, and the known world is only a small part of a much much larger continent, mostly unexplored. The known world is bounded to the west by the Siren Sea, and the east by the very vast Nistos Forest. This realm is the only one of the three that can be directly planeswalked into or out of.

• Nyx: A paranormal realm associated with dreams and the subconscious, a literal and proverbial night sky where the gods dwell. Nyx is so closely tied to the plane's deities that, whenever they manifest, where they should be shadowed they instead display the glorious starlight of the night sky. Dreams are seen as gifts from the gods, and so are enchantments, due to their connection with this realm; whenever mortals sleep, they are said to be "visiting Nyx". Tales of the gods can be seen played out in the constellations

• The Underworld: A subterranean realm beneath the "Rivers That Ring The World", where the dead eventually ends up and dwell. It is governed by the god Erebos, cast into the place by a frightened and paranoid Heliod after his birth. Although the Underworld is dark, it is ironically not connected to Nyx, as it lacks the night as much as it lacks the Sun. The dead in Theros dwell in Underworld regions based on the lives they lead; known regions are Phylias, a wretched and tedious realm of the uninspired; Ilysia, a protected realm, tranquil and vibrant; and Tizerus, outside the palace of Erebos.

The Rivers That Ring the World are five rivers that form a boundary between Theros and its Underworld. Together they are also known as the Tartyx.

Poleis

As a plane where mankind is carving out a place for civilization in the wild, Theros has three main cities, or "poleis" (singular polis), born from relevant areas of the now-defunct Archon empire, with fewer, smaller settlements here and there:

• Akros, the white- and red-aligned polis renowned for its warriors.
  • The Kolophon is a huge, many-tiered fortress and seat of Akroan power.
  • The Temple of Triumph at the heart of the walled city is the huge stadium that hosts Theros's greatest sporting event, the Iroan Games.
  • The Colossus of Akros, an enormous golem of bronze and iron, overlooks the path leading to the polis of Akros.
  • Deathbellow Canyon
  • The Deyda River. The river next to which Akros is built.
  • The Great River Road. A Road that runs along the Deyda out to sea.
  • The Katachton Mountains, which serve as a shield between Akros and the rest of Theros.
    • The Court of Orestes, which lies along the Khystonos River.
    • The Khystonos River, whose headwaters reside in the mountains.
    • Visible from Akros, Mount Velus is an energetically active volcano. The fiery mountain serves as nothing less than Purphoros's home in the mortal world. A red dragon called Thraxes makes his home in the halls of Purphoros's first residence, which the god abandoned to create a larger and more ornate home deeper in the volcano.
      • Purphoros's forge lies in the deepest part of Mount Velus, near a vast lava pool.
    • Mount Vesios, also known as the Little Sister, is a smaller volcano that resembles Mount Velus and erupts concurrently with Velus.
    • The Pool of Lyth, a great rock outcropping that looks vaguely like a satyr's face.
  • One-Eyed Pass. An Akroan pass that is known for its abundance of cyclopes, leading to the Ashlands.
  • Pharagax Bridge. A huge stone bridge that is the only gateway to the polis from the west.
  • Shrine Peak, a mountain shrine to Keranos.
  • The Titan's Stairs, stone "stairs" seemingly carved into the granite cliffs that protect Akros and haunted at all times by eerie, whistling winds, provide natural access to the polis.
  • Tynthal, a city with a coliseum located nearby.
• Meletis, the white- and blue-aligned polis of learning, magic, and progress.
  • The Dekatia Academy, the legendary academy at Meletis, is the most elite academy for philosophers and mages on Theros.
  • Meletis Harbor
  • The Observatory is a tall viewing platform and a windowed structure offering a splendid view of the sky, renowned as a place to study Nyx, the home of the gods.
  • The Pyrgnos, Meletis's repository of scholarly knowledge.
  • The Four Winds Plateau sits just inland of the mouth of Meletis Harbor, before one reaches the city itself.
  • The Guardian Way, flanked by grain fields.
  • Branches of the river Kheir splay out across the landscape, bringing fresh water and trade from distant villages.
  • The Meletian Holdings, the numerous settlements that are settled on the polis's lands.
    • Altrisos
    • The small coastal town of Glossion boasts a remarkable library that according to local legend was a gift from Ephara.
    • Krimnos, home of the famed philosopher Anapse.
    • Listes is a fortress marking the northeastern border of the polis.
    • Natumbria. The residents of Natumbria are famous for training sea animals as skillfully as Setessans train land and air animals.
    • Though they are regarded as Meletians, the people of Neolantin view themselves as citizens of Olantin.
    • Oxus is a quiet town with a notably wealthy population, consisting largely of merchants who have retired from trade with large fortunes at their disposal.
    • A small fishing village, Phaela is most noted as being the literal "end of the road" for travelers venturing south from Meletis.
    • The coastal town of Sitrium is known for the way many of its buildings are on stilts to accommodate the changing tides.
    • The village of Thesteia is little more than a crossroads, but it's notable for its temple to Karametra.
• Setessa, the white- and green-aligned polis containing an almost entirely female society.
  • The Abora Market is a giant, open-air market just inside the main eastern gate.
  • In the very center of the city is the Temple to Karametra, patron of Setessa.
  • The Amatrophon is a menagerie at the edge of the polis.
  • Setessa has a nexus honoring each of Nylea's seasons and the accompanying Karametran planting rituals:
    • The Spring Nexus is in a lush garden behind Karametra's temple.
    • The Summer Nexus is in an ancient olive grove west of the city proper, near the Bassara Tower.
    • The Autumn Nexus is in a golden-apple orchard along the Southern Ridge.
    • The Winter Nexus is at the far edge of Setessa in an old lion's den believed to predate the founding of Setessa.
  • There are four watchtowers in Setessa. Each is named for an animal, and each has a regiment of Setessan warriors attached to it:
    • Bassara Tower (fox) stands near the Summer Nexus and protects the Nistos Forest, watching for interlopers who enter without Nylea's permission.
    • Hyrax Tower (falcon) is a wooden tower that stands on the Southern Ridge near the Autumn Nexus.
    • Leina Tower (lion) is a limestone tower that stands near the Temple to Karametra at the heart of Setessa and houses the polis's protectors.
    • Ophis Tower (serpent) is hidden in a wild space near the temple to Karametra.
  • The Southern Ridge, a ridge along Setessa's southern border.
• The Miraculous Field outside Setessa is a farm that produces incredible fruits and grains that can heal illnesses, increase fertility, and stave off hunger for days.

Other poleis

• Obscure legends say that another major polis once existed, a coastal city that was known as Arixmethes, which Heliod smote with Khrusor and cast into the sea.
• The same tale is told about Olantin, whose inhabitants' hubris enraged the gods.
• This fate had previously befallen the city of Alephne, whose fall was prophesied by Medomai.
• Smaller poleis exist, either human or belonging to other races.
• Iretis, a small polis near Meletis, bordering the wilds. Destroyed by leonin thanks to Ashiok, destined to become the third city for the Returned of Phenax.
• Skophos, the minotaur polis in the far north, for centuries unknown to humans and remaining unexplored. It boasts grand temples to the god of slaughter.

Siren Sea

The Siren Sea is the wine-dark sea that borders Meletis and is home to the tritons.

• The Dakra Isles, or "Isles of Enchantment", is a host of small islands near the coast of Meletis. They are said to have been created when Thassa felt sorrow that Korinna, ancient queen of the tritons, had been killed by a human's harpoon. Thassa's tears fell onto the sea in the form of an archipelago of misty isles. The Dakra have rarely been settled by humans, as they harbor strange nymphs and fierce monsters, and are enchanted with the magic of the gods.
  • Arixmethes, thought to be an island but really a titanic kraken. Generations of unaware humans had constructed a city on Arixmethes, though when the kraken woke, the city was demolished and the residents were killed. Arixmethes has since returned to its slumber.
  • Cronemouth Cove, a tiny island with a gate to the Underworld. A coven of sea hags who share a sentient tongue guard the gate.
  • Ketaphos, a mysterious island that exists in Nyx during the night and the mortal realm during the day.
  • Skathos, the island that is home to the gorgon queen Hythonia.

Oreskos

Oreskos is the central domain of the leonin. It lies in a rocky river valley in a remote eastern region of Theros, beyond Akros but still bordering the Nessian Forest. It is ruled by Brimaz, the Leonin King.

• Mount Kure
• The Oreskos Road is a dirt road connecting Oreskos with the Nessian Forest, and is part of the road between Oreskos and the sea. It takes a day and a half to walk at a rapid pace.
• Sun's Mirror
• Tethmos is the primary leonin den, high in the mountains.

The Nessian Wilds

The vast wilderness of the Nessian Wood (also called the Nessian Forest or the Nessian Wilds) is considered Nylea's domain. Its trees are as old as the world, twining together to form an impenetrable canopy shielding the wood from Heliod's angry glare. Their roots stretch deep into the earth, and some say they drink from the Rivers That Ring the World, the waters of the Underworld. It is home to beasts, hydras, snakes, and centaur coursers. Nylea allows limited hunting in the Nessian Wood, but she has been known to kill those who poach without her permission. Setessa's Bassara regiment helps the god keep an eye out for such illicit hunters, as well as any intruders who might bring danger upon the polis.

• The Cypress Gates are a natural limestone formation at the point where the Oreskos Road enters the forest. They are located in a valley of the Sperche River between two mountain ranges.
• Pheres and Lagonna, the centaur lowland domains west of Setessa.
  • Kithara, a Centaur village burned down by Akroan soldiers.

The Chaparral

The chaparral is a dense growth of shrubs and small trees, bordering Setessa and the Nessian Wilds.

• Skola Vale, a verdant, highly enchanted valley dotted with copses of trees and occupied by satyrs.

Despair Lands

On a peninsula south of the Nessian Wood, the Despair Lands leeches life from the surrounding areas.

• The bleak mire of Hetos. More dangerous for mortals than undead, mostly thanks to the crimson cypress known as the Blood Tree, which attracts vicious beasts.
• The necropolis of Asphodel, housing Returned that only leave when bursts of emotion or old memories come to pass.
  • The Coliseum of the Aphonai

Nistos Forest

The uncharted forest east of Setessa, larger than the Nessian forest.

Phoberos Badlands

The badlands in the west of the Akroan realm. Occupied by marauding leonin, flesh-eating minotaurs, and firebreathing dragons. Encampments of Stratians are always stationed here on the border between the human realm and those beyond. They're relieved every month or so by a fresh cadre of troops. The borderland between Phoberos and Akros is long and rugged, and the Stratians are kept in wandering groups, patrolling the whole of the Akroan frontier.

• The Ashlands
• The Bothros
• Camp No Hope
• Crypts of the Lost
• Deathbellow Canyon
• Fort Sandmouth
• Odunos, a necropolis on the coast. Housing Returned who are driven by violence, towards themselves and the nearby living.
• Skophos
  • Lesser Peristyle
  • Mogis's Chalice

Oraniad Mountains

• Empty Eye
• The shrine of Nykthos is the gateway to and of Nyx. On this sacred ground in the Oraniad Mountains east of Oreskos, the worshipers can see their gods most clearly.
• Phoenix Stairs
• Winter's Heart

Temple of Mystery

At the end of the world, the sea drains off a sharp edge and forms an epic waterfall. At the top of the waterfall, there is a massive olive tree growing up out of the water. This tree is the shrine to Kruphix, the enigmatic god of horizons.

Uncertain locations

• The Hall of Heliod's Generosity
• The Lindus a river on the Southeastern edge of Theros.
• Mount Sulano

Religion

Theros's pantheon as of the ascension of Xenagos.

Gods

Major Gods

• Heliod, God of the Sun () (deceased)
• Thassa, God of the Sea ()
• Erebos, God of the Dead ()
• Purphoros, God of the Forge ()
• Nylea, God of the Hunt ().

Minor Gods

• Athreos, God of Passage ()
• Ephara, God of the Polis ()
• Iroas, God of Victory ()
• Karametra, God of Harvests ()
• Keranos, God of Storms ()
• Klothys, God of Destiny ()
• Kruphix, God of Horizons ()
• Mogis, God of Slaughter ()
• Pharika, God of Affliction ()
• Phenax, God of Deception ()

Cult Gods

• Cacophony, God of Cities. A newborn god which was quickly slain by Ephara.
• Xenagos, God of Revels (), the satyr planeswalker who ascended to godhood before being slain by Elspeth Tirel.
• An unknown God of Love, now forgotten.
• Marit Lage (non-canon)

Meletian Calendar

Although the method of marking years on Theros is unknown, Meletis has developed a calendar that has been at least partially adopted in the poleis of Akros and Setessa. The calendar is composed of 12 months, each beginning with the new moon, alternating between 30 and 29 days, and named after a festival celebrated during that month. Roughly every three years, an extra 30-day month is added to the end of the year, giving Theros a 364-day year on average, meaning its years may be the same length as on Earth.

Month	Length	Associated God	Observances
Lyokymion	30 days	Thassa	Feast of the Melting Swell: Marks the start of a new year by celebrating the bounty of the sea. Observed through the first week of the year.
Protokynion	29 days	Nylea	Festival of the First Hunt: Originally involved hunting, but is now a day of picnics, outdoor games, and frolicking to celebrate the full flowering of spring.
Astrapion	30 days	Keranos	Lightning Festival: Intricate sand paintings are created and washed away by the first storm of the summer. Celebrates the impermanence of knowledge and the power of change.
Polidrysion	29 days	Ephara	Celebration of the founding of Meletis: Celebrated within the city-state and among Ephara's followers.
Thriambion (Meletis) Iroagonion (Akros)	30 days	Iroas	Thriambion: Commemoration of the Meletian conquest of Natumbria. Celebrates the city-state's unification of the peninsula. Iroan Games: Series of athletic competitions.
Megasphagion	29 days	Mogis	Revel in Ruin: Domesticated version of Mogis's typical rites involving the sacrifice, cooking, and eating of cattle. Often devolves into a drunken and occasionally violent revel.
Chalcanapsion	30 days	Purphoros	The Kindling or Forge-Lighting: Worshipers keep a bonfire burning from sundown to sunrise, acknowledging that Purphoros warms the earth.
Necrologion	29 days	Athreos	Feast of the Necrologion: Pious souls silently spend the day reading ancient memoirs or writing messages for their descendants.
Therimakarion	30 days	Karametra	Blessing of the Beasts: Celebrates humans' partnership with domesticated animals. Work animals are given a day of rest, while strays found on this day are considered lucky.
Katabasion	29 days	Erebos	The Descent: Ceremony in which worshipers make a symbolic journey to the Underworld by entering a cave, offering prayers and sacrifices to Erebos in complete darkness, and slowly returning to the surface just before sunrise.
Cheimazion	30 days	Pharika	Day of Affliction: Pharika's winter festival. The sick and infirm sleep in the god's temples during the festival in hopes of receiving a miraculous cure, and the truly devout imbibe near-lethal doses of poison, trusting Pharika to oversee their recovery. Observed during the first week of the month.
Agrypnion	29 days	Kruphix	The Watching: Marks the end of winter and the close of the year.
Anagrypnion	30 days	Kruphix	Occurs once every three years.

The largest holiday aligned with Heliod was the summer solstice, celebrated with three days of ceremonious feasting, weddings, and oaths of loyalty. It is unclear which month this holiday would have occurred in — likely between Astrapion and Megasphagion — and whether this holiday is still celebrated after Heliod's death is unknown.

Meletian officials also designate two holidays during the year, making allowances for the overlap with certain centaur celebrations.

Lunar Observances

New Moon

The most sacred rituals to Phenax are performed at night under a new moon. Offerings of stolen goods, written lies, and loaded dice are thrown into crags or buried at crossroads and claimed by the god or his servants.

Crescent Moon

A waxing crescent, usually in the first week of each month, is a sacred time for followers of Pharika and is considered a favorable time to harvest medicinal plants.

Full Moon

Annually on the day of the first full moon after the autumnal equinox, leonin prides gather at Tethmos to celebrate, renew friendships, and select a new zibnyth, or Speaker, to reign for the following year.

During the week of each full moon, the usually isolationist polis of Setessa allows visitors to enter and participate in the Abora Market, a massive, open-air market within the city.

On the evening of each full moon, followers of Karametra host feasts in celebration of parenthood and community. New parents are given gifts and blessings, while young couples travel into the woods together.

Lunar Eclipse

The blood moon is seen to represent Mogis's eye and is considered the holiest occasion by his followers. It is generally celebrated by consuming meat, often raw, with intoxicants, and performing ritualistic scarification.

Economy

A Meletian coin.

Trade between Meletis and Akros is constant and productive. Caravans make the two-day journey between the poleis at least once a week, carrying fine Akroan metalwork and pottery to Meletis, and Meletian fabric, stonework, and fish northward. Both poleis mint coins of copper, silver, and gold, with equivalent value. Setessa trades with the other poleis as well, but less extensively. Its Abora Market, just inside the city gates, is open to outsiders only on certain days, and Setessan merchants prefer to barter goods rather than accept currency. Despite these restrictions, Setessan food, woodwork, and trained falcons are highly valued in the other poleis.

Aside from the other human poleis, Meletis and Setessa both trade with the centaurs of the Lagonna band. The centaurs don't work metal, so they trade woodwork, the produce of the plains, and woven blankets to the human poleis in exchange for weapons and armor.

Inhabitants

Sapient races

• Archons
• Centaurs
• Cyclopes
• Demons
• Eidolons
• Giants
• Gorgons
• Hags
• Harpies
• Humans
• Lamias
• Leonin
• Minotaurs
• Tritons
• Satyrs
• Sirens
• Sphinxes
• Zombies

Artificial

• Demigods
• Elk
• Golems
• Nymphs
• Sables

Other

• Badgers
• Basilisks
• Birds
• Boars
• Catoblepas
• Cats
• Cerberi
• Chimeras
• Cockatrices
• Crabs
• Dragons
• Elementals
• Elks
• Foxes
• Griffins
• Hippocamps
• Horrors
• Hydras
• Insects
• Leeches
• Lizards
• Krakens
• Manticores
• Nautilus
• Nightmares
• Octopuses
• Pegasi
• Phoenixes
• Scorpions
• Serpents
• Sheep
• Skeletons
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Starfish
• Treefolk
• Turtles
• Unicorns

Languages spoken

• The citizens of the three human poleis speak their dialects of the Common language.
• Leonin and minotaurs have their languages, and tritons speak the Aquan dialect of Primordial.
• Centaurs and satyrs speak distinct dialects of Sylvan.
• Giants and cyclopses share one language.
• Dragons and sphinxes have distinct languages rarely spoken among mortals.
• The gods themselves speak the unique language of Nyx, that few beyond mortal oracles can understand.

Planeswalkers

Native

• Calix
• Gideon Jura
• Niko Aris
• Xenagos

Visitors

• Ajani Goldmane
• Ashiok
• Chandra Nalaar
• Dack Fayden
• Elspeth Tirel
• Huatli
• Jace Beleren
• Karn
• Kaya Cassir
• Kiora
• Nissa Revane
• Ral Zarek (non-canon)
• Saheeli Rai
• Samut
• Tamiyo
• Teferi
• Tezzeret (non-canon)
• Vraska

In-game references

Represented in:

• Nyx

Associated cards:

• Invasion of Theros
• Soul of Theros
• Theros Charm

Referred to:

• Alabaster Host Sanctifier
• Amateur Auteur (Unstable, #3c)
• Dawnbringer Charioteers
• Eidolon of the Great Revel
• Extinguish All Hope (Commander Masters, #157)
• Furious Rise
• Gods Willing (Theros)
• Hall of Heliod's Generosity
• Harried Artisan
• Heliod, the Warped Eclipse
• Mana Confluence (Journey into Nyx)
• Mindwrack Harpy
• Mischief and Mayhem
• Nessian Boar
• Plea for Guidance
• Reckless Reveler
• Spear of Heliod
• Tranquil Cove (March of the Machine)
• Unravel the Aether
• Urn of Godfire

Trivia

Theros in ancient Greek mythology is the name of one of the Horae. Theros is the goddess who personifies the summer.

External links

• The Magic Creative Team (August 21, 2013). "Planeswalker's Guide to Theros, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• The Magic Creative Team (August 28, 2013). "Planeswalker's Guide to Theros, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• The Magic Creative Team (September 04, 2013). "Planeswalker's Guide to Theros, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• The Magic Creative Team (January 08, 2014). "Planeswalker's Guide to Born of the Gods". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• The Magic Creative Team (April 02, 2014). "Planeswalker's Guide to Journey into Nyx". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Wizards RPG Team (2020). D&D Mythic Odysseys of Theros. Wizards of the Coast.