Hachi

Hachi is essentially an up-jumped fishing village. The city hosts a massive market for local fishermen, providing practically every bounty the sea can offer up, drawing sellers and buyers from across the east coast. Despite this, much of the money that flows through the city is off trade with the eastern continent, a distant land far across the sea. Being the closest port in Oderen to the far east makes it a natural gateway for these traders, attracting merchants of all races to come and do business in the city. This makes the ruling clan, the Kikuri, influential in the east, allowing them to dominate the smaller lords along their coast. The populace here is more diverse than most Sea Elf cities, rejecting the segregation that others are known for and allowing foreigners to roam its lands freely. As such, Hachi is perhaps the only gateway for those interested in travelling across the Kodno at large.

Politics

Hachi is easily the largest city on the east coast of the Kodno. It is ruled by the Kikuri clan, who have made most of their wealth off of trade with the eastern continent and those races found there. The clan has grown spectacularly throughout its history, from poor rural lords to influential across the region, competing with the more populous and wealthy western clans for the title of Emperor. They are an ambitious group, who tolerates little dissent from their vassals along the coast. Their unique place as a gateway for trade with the east has allowed them to forge diplomatic bonds there as well, sending envoys and ensuring that they are the only Elves received. As such, the Kikuri clan presents themselves as fighting a struggle to free their land from oppression, seeking to curry alliances and other support for their bid. This has been somewhat successful in these foreign courts, having invited cadres of exotic mercenaries to assist in the struggle for dominance. Nonetheless, the Ashi mountains present the biggest obstacle to Kikuri hegemony, blocking them from direct assaults on the western cities, and limiting their political exertions.

Groups

Uminchu

Hachi was traditionally a fishing village, known for the vast reserves of seafood teeming in its waters. Despite its modern wealth and growth, its roots remain firmly entrenched in this history. Perhaps the best example of this past are the Uminchu, traditional divers found along the coast near Hachi. They dive for the bounties of whatever the sea provides, usually urchin or mollusks for food. Some are known to collect abalone or pearls to offer at shrines or sell, being somewhat commonly found in the markets of Hachi. Uminchu are almost entirely female, and often dive in little more than a white loincloth, the colour said to ward away sharks. They are known by a unique whistle they make as they break the surface, a feature of their breathing technique that allows them to stay submerged for so long.

Landmarks

Fish Market

The Fish Market in hachi is perhaps the largest in the world. Its name is misleading, for it actually encompasses all trade within the city. Having grown from originally just fishmongers hawking their wares, it now includes every merchant that tries to do business in the city. Stalls can be found selling exotic and completely unique items, brought over from the east before making their way further west. Traders come from all directions to meet in the city, making the market a very desirable destination for any merchant or customer to find themselves in. The Market is located by the docks, spreading like a carpet in all directions. Unintelligible languages are yelled from all corners of the market, with races of unknown origin wandering its pathways and back alleys.

Personalities

Kikuri Aito, Clan Patriarch of the Kikuri Clan

The Kikuri clan descends from the remnants of a greater clan that once held the entire eastern region as well. It was destroyed during the dynasty of the last Emperors, having grown large enough to challenge the throne in the west. Broken into smaller clans, they competed among each other for dominance and territory. When the last Emperor fell, the Kikuri were one of these smaller clans, holding Hachi as their primary holding. Through a series of successive wars and political machinations, they would grow and swell, eventually reclaiming the power that had once belonged to their ancestors. Now, they once again challenge for the seat of Emperor, although this time against much smaller opponents. Eastern soldiers and mercenaries swell their ranks, massing in Hachi to ready and support the Kikuri’s moves against their rivals. Aito is the current patriarch of the clan, ruling from his castle near Hachi. An extraordinarily ambitious man, he devotes himself entirely to the political aspect of his rule, neglecting growing his own realm in favour of meeting foreign dignitaries and scheming with his advisors. He is a balding man, with a very short ponytail at the back of his skull. He is of average height, and has surprisingly pale skin. He considers himself a great warrior, but is much more skilled at politics than any sort of physical exertion.

Ran, Merchant

Merchants of all sorts swarm Hachi, eager to get some piece of the goods flowing through the city. Many are from the east, eager to get their hands on goods the Elves procure from elsewhere in Oderen. Among the merchants, there is competition, both for customers and for dominance over the market itself. Perhaps the most successful of these is Ran, an Elf woman who is perhaps the best connected in the city. Through her shrewd mind for business, she has accumulated quite the wealth, controlling many merchants and stalls within the city. With this growth has come ever more opportunities, allowing her to purchase practically an entire fleet of ships to conduct her business for her. All of this works to make her extremely influential among the merchants and lower classes of the city, providing her with wealth and the ability to leverage it. She is short for an elf, though very broad. Her face is stern, with blocky features unusual in an elf. She wears very fine clothes, and takes appearances very seriously.