Eien
Eien is the largest city on the island of Shima, and the largest Kitsunejin city in the world. The inhabitants claim that it is the oldest city in the Great Ring, with a history that extends beyond that of the world itself.
To outsiders, Eien does not seem much like a city at all. From a distance, only two structures extend above the trees - a pair of towers, one of white stone, and the other wood painted to resemble the night sky. The rest of the city is built into and below a carefully cultivated forest, standing on a series of hills overlooking a large natural harbor on the west coast of the island. A river winds between the hills and empties into the bay, and the harbor itself is busy with ships from all over the Ring.
Eien is a city of constant change. In its earliest days, it resembled any Kitsunejin village, with residences built into the hillsides and underground, with the aboveground areas dedicated to gardening and public spaces. As it grew in prominence as an international port, the city expanded. Buildings for visitors were built aboveground, while the majority of the Kitsunejin residents remained in their subterranean homes. Intricate paths were threaded through the ornamental gardens, and lanterns hung beneath the trees for those who struggle to see in dim light. The city also became a center for Kitsunejin culture. The grand archives were constructed, as was the Observatory, which is the second tallest building in the city. The most notable expansion was the creation of the Embassy quarter, a centuries long endeavor to be welcoming to all the people who might visit the city.
The embassy quarter is a mix of various styles and types of architecture, from across the Great Ring. The Kitsunejin have endeavored to represent each nation in the quarter, providing a place that should feel as much as possible like their own home. The most impressive structure in the quarter is the White Tower, constructed to approximate the cliff cities of the Aethry. It is the tallest structure in the city, and the lights from its top are often the first thing sailors spot when approaching Eien.
Walking through the city feels like walking in a garden. The trees and plants are all carefully cultivated and chosen for their beauty and utility. The paths are meticulously kept, but do not follow any particular pattern that outsiders can see, and the city gardeners may shift them with the season. Sometimes, they are laid out to spell whimsical messages in one script or another, depending on the mood of the gardeners that year.
The cherry grove is the center of public life in the city. It is here that the Kitsunejin meet to discuss current events, politics, and the news of the day. It is also here that contracts and business deals are initially negotiated (usually followed by trips to the docks to inspect the goods in question). Official visitors to the city are greeted here by the Mabui nu Sugata, the city's leader. She is chosen by the matriarchs of the city's long-standing families to administer and coordinate all city functions, and also serves as the city's representative in all negotiations. It is almost always a female Kitsunejin chosen for this position of responsibility, as the males are often considered too playful and frivolous for such a serious undertaking.
One of the major institutions of the city is the Gwāsa, which translates to "the Academy". It is the repository of Kitsunejin knowledge and learning. The Observatory is a project of the Gwāsa, and scholars from across the island will come to stargaze from its high tower with their peers. The primary function of the Gwāsa is the maintenance and upkeep of the Archives. They are a nine-lobed underground repository of all the history and knowledge the Kitsunejin possess. Visitors to the Archives have described it as a vast maze in three dimensions, and while the curators insist that there are nine distinct wings, the layout has proven incomprehensible to outsiders. Still, the Gwāsa retains records that have been lost elsewhere, and scholars from across the Great Ring will choose to travel to Eien to further their research. The Gwāsa is also associated with the Kokoro no Tomodachi, a lighthouse found on the islet of Hōyoku a few miles off the coast of Shima. The lighthouse is a part of the Ring of Light network of lighthouses. The keepers of the lighthouse are motivated by a religious belief in the importance of memory and knowledge as an aid to navigation and the well-being of travelers, and collect and disseminate information to that end.
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