Kutchan (kut.ʧan)

"The world is full of sacred spaces. You have one within yourself. Seek out the place in the world that connects to your inner sacredness, and you will have found your home. Mine is here." - Tleghumak, senior member of the Yuralin Tabadhik and eldest resident of Kutchan

Kutchan is a small village on the western coast of Sazanami, about eleven miles north of Tamashii no Akari, one of the great lighthouses in the Ring of Light. While most people have never heard of it, it is a common place for monks of the Yuralin Tabadhik to visit during their apprenticeship, due to the presence of several respected elder members who live in the vicinity.

Demographics

The village has a surprisingly diverse population, given how small and remote it is. Three quarters of the population are humans of the Watali ethnicity. The remainder is primarily other humans from the ethnicities from elsewhere in the Northwestern Region, with Yanjin, Utari, and Rengo being the most common. There is also a small community of Kitsunejin who live near the village, and are associated with the shrine to Inakini, a deity who is both Kami and Kitsunekami. The total population of Kutchan is around one hundred and twenty people, when the monks that tend the local shrines are included.

Government

Kutchan is officially under the domain of the Tamashii no Akari, a grant from the Emperor to the sacred lighthouse so that the villagers can provide support to the priests and the Kami of the tower. Day to day decisions are managed by the village headman (known as the Klungnatak in Nikvhi, or the Muraishō in Yanjinese). The headman is chosen by the elders of the village, and confirmed by the priests of the Tamashii no Akari. He is responsible for gathering the tribute due to the lighthouse and delivering it, as well as adjucating any minor disputes and coordinating community wide projects. In cases of criminal offenses, the headman is responsible for detaining the accused for the judgement of the the lighthouse, and carrying out whatever punishment they decree.

Districts

Kutchan does not have much in the way of districts, given its small size. There is an open space in the center of the village where community gatherings are held, and where fishermen, farmers, and craftsmen from around the area will gather to trade their goods and services. In the outskirts of the village are a number of shrines to small and large gods, each with their own attendants. Several of these shrines line the road south to the Tamashii no Akari, and on certain holy days the whole village may make the pilgrimage to the lighthouse and back, spending time at each shrine in turn.

Type

Village

Location under

Sazanami

Geographic Details

Location: Sazanami, Northwestern Region
Latitude: 59.82 degrees North
Longitude: 69.45 degrees West

Routes

Land

Water

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