The Zoroa

[Stygian]

Title

The Zoroan Hegemony

Capital: Valmora, Zavestra (#203)

 

The People - Zoroa/Zoroans:

 

The Culture:

The Zoroa hold a great deal of importance in the duality of order and chaos that pervades most of their cultural practices--represented keenly through the ritual use of fire and water.

To explain it in ways an outsider might understand, one merely need to look the forging of a blade:

Fire is the catalyst, imbuing the metal with energy and malleability. It dances and crackles, infusing the material with transformative power. And yet, fire alone is not sufficient. Water quenches the searing heat that has breathed life into the blade, providing it direction, form, and resilience. This same cycle can be spoken of in a hundred different ways--agriculture, cooking, the arts--underpinning the very fabric of existence.

 

Technology and Resources

Resources
 

Resource Name	TP Locations Owned	Used in a Technology?
Lyrisite	203-1, 203-3, Valmorra (203)	No
Wind Rock	212-1	No** (Counts-as Construction Stone)
Malachite	202-1	No
Ancient Artifacts	222-1	No
Giant Spiders	204-1, 204-2	No
Umbral Fir	221-2	No
Total Number of Trading Posts: 9

Special: Lyrisite. A pure, crystallized form of magic often found in fertile grounds after a harvest. It seems to have rejuvenating properties and helps to ward against disease and rot.

Required: Construction Stone

Starting Technology
Irrigation (+1 Stability)
Masonry (+1 vs Raids and Sacks)
Animal Husbandry (+1 to non-Mil exploration)
Tall Sails

 

New/Developed Technology
Tech Name	Purpose	Resources Required

Military Training

Military

Units Trained

2 Units of Veilstalker
2 Units of Infantry


2 Squadrons of the 1st Flotilla

Tactical Doctrines
Doctrine Name	Effect

 

Military Technology
Tech Name	Purpose	Resources Required

Religious Doctrine

Current Holy Sites: 203, 200	Total Number of Holy Sites: 2
Head of Faith: N/A
Holy Orders: N/A
Cultural Identity: N/A

[Stygian]

Current Ruler

Emissary Nyxara
Blue text means tentative gains/losses--depending on the round.
Diplomacy 5 | Military 7 | Industry 8 (+2) | Faith 6 | Intrigue 3
Favors Gained:
Favors Owed: MYR 2
Treasure Hoarded: 3 (+2 Passive/Round)

Specials Used:
Industry 5 - Raise a City (Valmora)
Military 5 - Recruit a Hero (Sylara)

The Catalysts (Important NPCs)

	Eshara The leader of a small envoy of "pilgrims" currently taking roost in #200. Working currently to create a tribute to Nashira (under the guise of the native goddess Yolym). (More of an internal note for myself)**
	Morvain The Star-Signed child of the Zoroa, a young boy who was rumored to be lost for a time after the Moonfall, recently returned.
	Veilstalker Sylara Mother of Morvain, the Star-Signed Child who was "lost" for a number of years in the calamity that befell the Observatory in #212. An even-tempered woman and retired member of Nyxara's Veilstalkers--an elite guard that specializes in skirmish warfare, scouting, and guerilla tactics. Due to the chaos and upheaval that has surrounded the Moonfall, violence on the shores of Taer Mojr, and the unexplained omens that have appeared as of late, Sylvara has taken up her spear once again in service of Zavestra.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chamber of Ancestors (Deceased and/or Retired NPCs)

Though many have lost their lives in the era of the Moonfall, those whose deeds would change the course of Zoroan history have not yet had their deeds inscribed within the Chamber... yet.

[Stygian]

Religion

The Vayuri (pantheon)

Nashira 
Monikers: "The Sybarite" (propaganda, aspect of Yolym)

Nashira holds a prominent position in the Vayuri, where she is closely associated with fire, the sun, and the harvest. Her presence is felt in all things, from the protective warmth of a hearth to the nurturing rays of a springtime sun, and even the destructive power of an indiscriminate wildfire. She is commonly depicted as a woman with flowing, fiery hair, adorned in golden finery and silks in the colors of summer.

But Nashira's influence goes beyond the natural elements of the world. She is an object lesson to the Zoroa people about the forces that define the world - not good and evil, but order and chaos. Her passions are strong, and she can be capricious and unpredictable. It is said that the other members of the Vayuri work to rein in her wilder tendencies, appealing to her whims in constructive and occasionally decadent ways. Many of the tales surrounding this quest to appease the sun goddess have given way to recent depictions of Nashira as a goddess who presides over fertility, as well.

- Currently being depicted as another aspect of the goddess Yolym.

Vesper 
Monikers: "The Luminary"

Vesper presides over the liminal spaces between day and night, life and death, and beginning and end. She is the goddess of change and transition, and is often invoked during rites of passage or major life events. It is said she has pale, luminescent skin, and hair that carries the hue of a twilight sky, wavering in the wind like waves from an endless ocean of stars.

Vodar
Monikers: "The Harbinger"

Where Vesper presides over transition by natural means, Vodar acts as a catalyst--portending upheaval, rebellion, destruction and rebirth.

Vodar is particularly strange among the Vayuri in that his appearance often changes--linked in some way to forces destined to bring about great change. At times, a battle-hardened general, a farm girl, a scholar--often, it does not make sense until the spark of rebellion has already been ignited. No matter the form he takes, there is an aura of restlessness and unease that emanates from Vodar. It clings to him like a shroud, a manifestation of the chaotic energies he embodies. In most legends, the eyes are the key to identifying the Harbinger, aglow with an inner fire akin to a seething inferno.

Aranya
Monikers: "The Architect"

[Stygian]

Capital Region -- Zavestra (#203)

Valmora

Nestled against the western slopes of the mountain known as "Lirath Marn", the great city of Valmora emerges as the jewel of Zoroan civilization.
 

Aqueducts and man-made canals flow throughout the city of Valmora, suffusing the city with life in a way that adheres closely with Zoroan faith and culture. Because of the importance placed on agriculture and fertile grounds, the city makes adequate use of vertical design--tending to keep from utilizing sprawling structures unless absolutely necessary. Hanging gardens are a common site throughout Valmora, decorating balconies and terraces, as well as larger courtyards interspersed throughout the landscape.

Valmora's layout is a testament to the Zoroan's appreciation for harmony and order. Streets are meticulously planned, weaving through the city in a pattern that can sometimes be confusing for first-time visitors. In fact, rumors maintain this is a purposeful distraction for both diplomats and invaders alike. More than one diplomat has been greeted for tardiness with but a slight mention of the affair--the better to put them on the back foot during talks for an affront graciously overlooked.

Elaborate archways and towering columns grace the city's entrances and thoroughfares, welcoming visitors with a wealth of Zoroan history--depicting mythological tales, celestial motifs, and symbols of order and harmony within their sculpted murals.

The Ard-Vahmana
Translating quite literally to "Hallowed Bridge", the ziggurat at the heart of Valmora is the key exception to the use of horizontal space within the city--and one of the tallest structures in Valmora, second only to the Seekers' observatory. It is here where the Zoroan people undergo many of the blessings, daily trappings, and final departures from this life.

The first tier houses various administrative and ceremonial chambers, where the Zoroa conduct their rituals and pay homage to the Vayuri. Birth rites, important transitions in life, prayer, and ultimately funerary rites are conducted in various parts of this floor.

The second and third tier is dedicated to honoring and communing with ancestors. Here, the genealogy of the Zoroa can be found, stretching back generations. In lieu of the cemeteries of other cultures, stone tablets hold the names and family lines of hundreds, if not thousands of Zoroans throughout history--delineated back to common ancestries and houses. Relics to the departed, particularly those whose lives were grand in some fashion, are often kept here--while household shrines are a more common and personal way to mourn the departed outside of these walls. The Chamber of Ancestors serves as a place of remembrance, ancestral worship, and spiritual connection to the lineage of the Zoroan people.

The fourth tier is a repository of sacred texts, ancient scrolls, and wisdom passed down through generations. Within this hall of sacred knowledge, Zoroan scholars and scribes diligently transcribe and preserve important teachings, rituals, and historical accounts. It is a place of study, reflection, and the dissemination of spiritual and cultural knowledge.

The uppermost tier is a place of communion with the heavens. It is where Zoroan priests and priestesses gather to observe celestial phenomena, study the movements of the stars, and seek guidance from the cosmic forces. The Celestial Terrace serves as a vantage point for celestial rituals, astrological observations, and celestial contemplation. It is in this highest tier that Emissary Nyxara presides over her daily business.

The Observatory
Nestled into the side of Lirath Marn, a newly constructed observatory stands tall--a joint venture of Zavestran craftsmen, Rikathi, and Myrkran ingenuity. The main body of the observatory is surrounded by several, smaller towers where the bulk of academia takes place. Marble staircases give rise to a number of libraries containing astronomical and astrological record, private alcoves for personal study, and forums for meetings of the mind where scholars discuss the great celestial dance and Ayr's place within it. The chambers are adorned with intricate celestial charts, ancient astrolabes, and a myriad of astronomical instruments, reflecting the Zoroan people's reverence for the mysteries of the heavens above.

The central observation tower is, by contrast, a place of quiet contemplation--the Seekers of the Sphere are given to restrict or allow access to this larger spire as they see fit. In the main annex, an obsidian sculpture depicts a Seeker guiding children to safety--Zoroan, Rikathi, Ana Kai, Omega, and Voile--with some artistic liberty given, but a respectful depiction nonetheless. An homage to those who lost their lives in the Moonfall, shepherding the Star-Signed before they were later found by the Sister's Embrace. While it is unknown if this is what occurred, it is the version of events the Zoroa choose to believe for lack of a better one.

The Omega Embassy
WIP

[Stygian]

Settled Region -- Cosnora (#202)

Where Zavestra butts against the western slopes of the Lirath Marn, its eastern summit rests in the newly settled city-state of Cosnora. The lands that surround Cosnora are prominently wetlands due to the frequent rains, tapering off into proper marshlands as one progresses further toward the coast.

In no small part, this, combined with pocketed tribes of human nomads that number far too sparsely to be called a true population, has been the key factor stalling Cosnora's initial growth. Much of the first few years has been spent staving off infections and disease, earning the trust of these sparse groups, and sending the brightest and most willing of Cosnora's inhabitants to the Zavestran observatory for tutoring--all to pave the way for a brighter future.

Early architecture has seemed to favor the use of yurts and thatched roofing to help keep out prominent rains, while canals and other drainage systems have been a slow, but steady process to make farming a more tenable prospect. Currently, the diet of the mixed Zoroan-human settlers has been one largely dependent on wild rice, select root vegetables such as taro, and various small game.

Resource: Malachite. While stores of Malachite have been found within the eastern reaches of the Lirath Marn, these deposits have been less common in the lowlands of Cosnora due to its humid environment and lack of copper-rich soil. Given ongoing research into the region, the mining of this semi-precious stone may not be long for this region as its chief export.

Region 204 -
Home to the Loralae

[Stygian]