Fusan

The beating heart of what passes for administration among the Wood Elves, Fusan is the physical centre of their society. Housing the majority of warriors and priests, it is the largest settlement in the forest, providing the bulk of their cultural guidance as well. The city cascades down a hillside, built surrounding a wide waterfall where the river Tasen breaks into a series of tiny rivulets. These cut through the pathways of the city, forded by small bridges and corralled into pools or canals before rejoining one another in a single large riverbed below. Many temples dot the city, from simple shrines to much larger structures. Each is dedicated to some forest animal or spirit, a fragment of the two divinities in the woods. The largest is dedicated to Fusan, the patron of the city. No ruler truly governs Fusan, though the monks of Fusan come close, their word considered the deity's own commands.

Politics

Fusan is, at its heart, a city of individuals. Anarchy reigns supreme over the entire Kochi forest, with each Elf free to choose their own path. Fusan is no different, and each part of it moves separately and yet perfectly together. Neighbourhoods work together to make ends meet, coordinating amongst themselves their goals and objectives. All of these then help each other, and onwards and upwards until the entire city is linked in a spirit of cooperation. It is an ideal that is bound together only by the strict dogmatic devotion of the Wood Elves. Fuchi's monks act as spiritual guides for the process, helping to encourage and develop things as their god desires. Without a true head of state, or any sort of singular leader, it is difficult to classify Fusan's political status and relations. It coordinates with Onume to a certain degree, the two cities holding the brunt of Wood Elf civilization between them. And yet the two realms are far from cohesive, each broken down, ultimately, into individuals and their own desires.

The majority of those within Fusan are dedicated to Fuchi, the male half of the Wood Elf pantheon. His followers revere each a different fragment of his being, aspiring to emulate that in their own lives. Many follow the path of soldiery, dedicating themselves to martial perfection. As such, Fusan is home to a significant amount of Elf warriors, and acts as a nexus for military decisions within the forest. It is from here that raids are launched against the Dwarves, and many soldiers patrol from the city to keep their instincts and skills sharp. This, combined with other aspects of Fuchi, makes Fusan the city more concerned with the external affairs of the Wood Elves, its inhabitants much more aware of their neighbours than those in Onume.

Groups

Sheisho

Fuchi is somewhat complicated, broken down into the master of several domains. Each of these is worshipped individually, with his followers devoting themselves to mastering one particular aspect or another. One of the most common among his monks is the pursuit of martial perfection. These monks are called Sheisho, forming the professional core of the Wood Elf soldiers. Each spends decades and centuries to reach the pinnacle of their craft, never tiring in their quest to equal Fuchi himself. This makes the Sheisho into some of the best warriors in the world, unparalleled in terms of technique and dedication. As a bloc, they tend to remain in their monasteries around Fusan and throughout the Kochi, though some individuals find the desire to travel across the realm and even beyond, putting their skills to the test.

Landmarks

Shrine of Fuchi

The crowning jewel of Fusan, the shrine to Fuchi is a sprawling monastery complex. Situated at the top of the hill Fusan tumbles down, it dominates the city with several large pagodas. The main shrine is a large open building, housing a statue and offering chamber to the deity, while the rest remains an open floor for meditation. Surrounding the shrine itself are several various outbuildings and gardens, linked by rock pathways. Several large flagstone courtyards act as training grounds for the Sheisho, while other smaller shrines dot the area worshipping Fuchi's individual aspects. The waters of the Tasen are brought through a fountain, used in purification rituals by the monks. The building is quite spectacular, and remarkably serene.

Personalities

Fumio, Sheisho of Fuchi

Fuchi, the male god of the Wood Elves, has many aspects. One of these is a great warrior, fighting with poise and perfect technique. As such, one of the ways to worship the deity is to devote yourself entirely to warfare and battle. These priests who follow this path have a place of honour among Fusan, and the rest of the Kochi, seen as the realms protectors and avatars of their god himself. Fumio is perhaps one of the greatest examples of this dedication, having excelled as a swordsman for nearly two centuries. His last great venture was a century ago against the Dwarves in the mountains, where he led an Elf army to victory. Since then he has remained in Fuchi, dedicated to guarding the city and his beloved woods. Fumio is relatively slight for an Elf, standing shorter than most and of skinny build. Nonetheless, his agility is unmatched, allowing him to move with lightning speed with a blade. He has long black hair tied tightly in a knot at the back of his head. Stoic to a fault, he is nearly emotionless, pouring all of his passions into his craft.

Akina

Another way the monks of Fuchi aspire to be more like their god is to be as reliant and self-sufficient as possible. For some, this means ranging far beyond the city to carve a living out of the very depths of the forest. For others, it means denying one’s self the company of others, living a life of imposed isolation and silence. These devotees see in their hermitage an utter unification with nature, crossing the boundaries of the mortal plane to connect their spirits with those of the woods and creatures around them. Some of these seers reside in Fusan, living in the Shrine of Fuchi in complete silence. Often going days between food and water, these monks are stoic reminders of Fuchi’s tenets, inspiring others with their own devotions and sacrifice. Akina is the most well-known of these monks, having not spoken a word in two centuries. He lives on a small rock in a garden at the edge of the shrine, having gathered some followers who sit with him and follow his example. The group is typically in silent meditation, each attempting to connect with Fuchi’s spirit and ascend beyond the mortal plane. It is said that Akina has not had to eat or drink in years, his body is so in tune with nature. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but it is true that he has not left his rock perch in some time.