Menaphos

Menaphos
Released		26 April 2005 (Update)
Members		Yes
Location		Kharidian Desert
League region		Desert✓
Inhabitants		Humans (Menaphites)
Teleports		None
Music		City of the Dead
Map
Advanced data
Type		settlement

Menaphos is a city located in the far south of the Kharidian Desert and the Menaphite capital.^[1] It is ruled by Pharaoh Kemesis, who is currently a thrall of Amascut. It is not yet accessible due to the inhabitants' fear of the plague in neighbouring Sophanem. Little is known about the city except that it consists of four districts: the Imperial district, the Merchants' district, the Port district, and the Workers' district. Its chief gatekeeper and head guard is Coenus, a brutal and ruthless man.

Unlike its neighbour, the solemn City of the Dead, where deceased Menaphites are laid to rest, Menaphos is known as a grand city of culture and wealth. It is known to contain a Grand Library whose scholars travel afar to gather knowledge. Moreover, in ancient times, its philosophers were able to figure out that the planet Gielinor is a sphere, for they thought it to be the most perfect shape. Additionally, they used evidence provided by sailing ships to back up this claim, which was later proven correct.^[2]

• The Camulet can teleport a player to the quarry north-west of Menaphos.
• The Pharaoh's sceptre can teleport you directly inside the Pyramid Plunder minigame in Sophanem.
• The Rug Merchant in Pollnivneach has a travel option to Menaphos, right in front of the north gate.

Little is known about the history of Menaphos. Although today it is at peace with the other city states of the Kharidian Desert, the city used to be at war with Al Kharid, which only recently ended.^[3] Despite the end of the war, Menaphos and Al Kharid remain rivals, with Spymaster Osman claiming to have "no small part" in the lockdown of Menaphos.^[4][5] In fact, he claims he would be 'lynched on sight' should he be caught inside Sophanem or Menaphos.^[6]

The city closed its gates when the plagues began spreading in the neighbouring city of Sophanem, allowing nobody in or out.^[7] Although the plagues were later proved to be limited and non-contagious, Menaphos still remains inaccessible, with Coenus and his men even going as far as to attack the High Priest of Sophanem and his delegation, who approached the gates to parlay. The city is heavily guarded on all sides and cannot be entered by conventional means. A subterranean passage from Sophanem exists, but it is infested with the dangerous Sect of Scabaras and a large chasm separates the Menaphite from the Sophanite side.

The sudden quarantine left many Sophanites trapped in Menaphos, even as Sophanem itself lifted its own quarantine. One of Osman's agents, Maisa, made a deal with an adventurer in the service of Sophanem that she would inform the Sophanites they could go back home safely in return for the adventurer's summoning Osman to come to her in person in order to help her get out of the city. Despite the dangers, this plan succeeded: Maisa helped the Sophanites get out of Sophanem and the city established trade with Al Kharid as part of Osman's plans to instil hostilities between the twin cities.

The quarantine has led to a significant reduction of Menaphos's interaction with the rest of the world. For example, the librarian Aristarchus is sojourning in Pollnivneach, unable to return, and Shiratti, curator of Nardah's Temple of Elidinis, has long awaited the arrival of a new priestess from Menaphos to lead the temple.^[8] However, after recent events, the plagues upon Sophanem have ended. The Pharaoh, still under the control of Amascut, announced that preparations have begun to re-open the city.

• The heavily barricaded bridge over the River Elid connecting the two cities, guarded by Coenus and his men.
• An underground passage from Sophanem Dungeon, inaccessible due to a wide chasm.
• A preview of Menaphos and surrounding areas seen on the Trailblazer League map.

• Up until 23 July 2025, Menaphos was the last area on the mainland to contain a black square of the unknown. Menaphos was fully revealed during the March 2025 Sailing Alpha, and released into the game with the Varlamore: The Final Dawn's release as well as the rest of the Varlamore continent, but remains inaccessable.