"Somewhere out there lays the Temple to Erebus, we are the guardians of this ancient place... this heart of the soul of Pa'man, here was where man first met Esper, and here is where it will endure for eternity."
- High Priest ReinholdZavra is the shining jewel in the thick jungles, a bastion of civilization amidst the dense foliage filled with stalking predators and hostile Tribals. The city is arrayed around a thick stone tower atop which is a massive glowing crystal that lights the city throughout the night; warding away animals. It is said in times of dire peril the crystal has been used to attack enemies from afar, obliterating them in a ray of pure energy, though it has not been witnessed in a lifetime, and the few immortals that can be found hidden amongst society refuse to say one way or another.
Zavra's chief export is Crystals and expensive tropical woods, but also exists as a huge attraction for religious pilgrims, archaeologists, and summoners, it is long held that the original Temple to Erebus was located somewhere in or near Zavra, though it has long eluded those who seek it.
The city is known as the birthplace of the Inzbeth Homunculus, and where many of them hail from. It is also the original homeland of the Wayfarer peoples, who were exiled from it in millennia past.
22 Years Ago: The Occupation began its own exhaustive search for the Temple to Erebus.
9 Years Ago: The city suffered a night of terror where the crystal darkened and the Summoners were unable to get it lit until the following morning. Animal-life flooded into the city causing mayhem and leading to many deaths and injuries.
3 Years Ago: The Inzbeth Homunculi in the city began to display unusual behaviors, many of them were dumped into the forest after they murdered or injured their creators and owners.
Last Year: The Occupation claims to have found important relics that will lead them to discovering the Temple to Erebus, which has led to a gold rush of merchants and pilgrims flooding the city in recent years.
Zavrans are a religious people, steeped in the lore of their ancient home. Welcoming of pilgrims and outsiders, they rely on newcomers and the trade routes to sustain their city. Living in terror of the woods and under the ever present light of the Crystal, they are often nervous in abject darkness.
The City is led by the Quorum of Six, a council of ruling elder priests who represent various aspects of the Pantheon. They consider each vote a sacred act and in the rare cases where a tie cannot be settled through discussion, a subject is shelved for a period of one year before it may be voted on again. The Quorum is largely detached from the day-to-day affairs of the populace, dealing with more arcane matters of statecraft.
Violent crime is a relative unknown, and Zavrans dislike its use, preferring to mediate their way out of situations. Those who use violence are often subject to banishment to the wilds.
Zavra is the epicenter of faith and religion in Ananke, Priests, Summoners, and Esper Wardens hailing from the city often are schooled in expensive state-run academies to prepare them for their duties to the pantheon, and view those who stumble onto the path of faith as backwards bumpkins. Anyone who has not made a pilgrimage to Zavra is sometimes seen as not fully devoted, and perhaps someone who only goes through the motions of faith rather than being a true believer.