Temple of the Tempestuous Sea

The Temple of the Tempestuous Sea is perhaps the most striking architectural feature within the entire city of Atria. The cathedral appears to have been grown from one of the many coral reefs that dot the coast of Salantis. The columns, buttresses, and naves of the temple appear as if they were perhaps sculpted by the hand of Yarris Himself. The sanctum is tiled with abalone and the altar is adorned with hundreds of pearls and gilded with the green gold only seen in Salantis. According to Salantian folklore the Temple of the Tempestuous Sea was erected, or grown if you will, by the victorious humans after the Elorii Gods were cast down and their followers driven from the area. The cathedral has seen continuous use since the time of the First Imperium, and the natives claim it is the largest temple of Yarris known to man. The temple is open to the ocean and the floors are constantly covered by the ebbing tides of the sea. During low tide one must wade through ankle deep water to offer prayers to the Sea Lord, but during high tide worshippers must often wade through water that is waist deep top

House of Song and Shadow

The House of Song and Shadow is a three story marble structure fronted by the many arches typically seen in Coryani architecture and is surrounded by opulent fountains. The lowest floor of the opera house contains wooden benches for the plebeians who attend the various cultural events of the city. The second floor contains individual velvet adorned chairs for the patricians of Atria. However, the third level contains the private boxes reserved for the patrician imperialis with the largest box reserved for the provincial governor of Salantis and his entourage. The only illuminations within the opera house are the many candles that adorn the walls but still only emit a dim light. The opera house, besides holding the various and famous operas written by Savonnan composers, also hosts the various danzas that the cultured Salantians hold dear to their hearts. It is here that formal, but yet energetic, dances that express Salantian passion find an audience. There are rumors that deep within the bowels of the opera house dwells a hidden shrine to the dark god Cadic. top

The Retiarium

The Retiarium is the largest gladiatorial arena in the province of Salantis, able to hold up to thirty thousand wildly cheering citizens who revel in the sights of heroism, skill, and bloody slaughter held each season. The Retiarium is made from the sandstone common to the cliffs and bluffs of the Salantis coast and is adorned with many arches bearing the holy symbol of Yarris. The arena is shaped elliptically so that opponents must make their stand in the center of the coliseum where their fate can be viewed by all. Beneath the wooden floor of the arena is a man-made basin that collects the overflow from the Vena Yarris and can be used to stage naumachiae and underwater gladiatorial combat. The Retiarium is the birthplace of the gladiatorial style known as Retiarius and was developed by many generations of Salantians who, with a long history of fishing, were skilled in the use of the trident and net. This style of combat shows its true grace when the gladiator is pitted against the immense congrejo, a giant monstrous crab native to Salantis. top

The Shrine to the Placid Ocean

This mostly underwater shrine and cenotaph off the coast of Atria is constructed from a greenish soapstone and white coral and lies atop a shoal near the entrance to the harbor. The structure lays submerged beneath the waves, except during low tide, in which the statue of Yarris atop the cenotaph is partially exposed above the surface. The cenotaph serves as a memorial to all the sailors and fishermen who have lost their lives to the Black Hand of the Tempest. All ships leaving Atria’s harbor stop near the shoal and offer a libation of their finest wine as an offering to Yarris in hopes of a calm sea for their journey. top