Glorantha: Henziyuno, a Vormaini Village

My proto-map of Henziyuno's surrounds. 1 hex = 5km

Henziyuno is a historic and sacred site where the hero Inzuyima defeated the Eater of Men, a tentacled horror that infested the bay and demanded tribute. There he found his bride, Atanna, the sea bride. As such, the place has been inhabited since the Gods Time, and each year, when the Hero Quest of the Marriage of Atanna is performed, the seas are calm, the fishing and seaweed harvests are good, and the raiding ships return safely.

Henziyuno is a small and prosperous town, a mere days travel from Tengainzya, one of the main ports of Vormain and a centre of power for the Hairu clan. However, as it sits on the hub of a peninsula there is little road traffic, other than those who trade for the towns' craftspeople's famed goods, and the coastal patrols. Most ships will port at Tengainzya unless they have specific business in Henziyuno, with the exception of the Burning Wave, a small group of raiders that operate out of the town.

The Town

Situated in the Three-Step Lagoon, the town sits nestled in low wooded hills, and straddles the Heron River. The coastal road winds through the city and heads north around the peninsula, to Amishi and Miharu, further north. A low wooden wall surrounds the town, and a southern gate and northern gate are closed at bight to all but those who hold travel passes. Overseeing the city is the Monastery of the Circling Way, a small religious community, who also watch the seas for arrivals and foreigners as part of their sacred duty

Population

About 800 people live in Henziyuno proper, about 450 adults and 250 cildren. Most are peasants but there are three main warrior caste families - the Heici, the Broken Sandal, and the Golden Mask. Around 300 are farmers and fishermen who live inside the town walls for safety, around 70 are craftsmen. There are perhaps 50 warriors total, including those from the samurai families, itinerant pirates and garrisons from the Hairu. 

Henziyuno is primarily a fishing village and as such most of it's industry is related to the sea. Customs men charge tariffs on pirated goods, fishermen ply the waves, divers retrieve treasures, shellfish and seaweed from the depths. Most crafters work on sails, nets and boats, although a small amount of pottery and bronze goods are made locally. The clan trades fro all other things it cannot provide locally - cloth, dyes, medicines, wines and ales, horses, and metals. There is a weekly market in the town where surrounding farmers come and sell their crafts and wares. 

Staying in the Town

For outsiders there are a few options. The Circling Way monastery will provide accommodation for a small gratuity, although it is out of the city, and the fare is meagre and the surroundings austere. Within the town, those with contacts or clan relations, or even better, a letter of introduction from a person of influence, might be invited to stay at one of the three samurai clans houses. These are walled compounds where horses can be stabled. Lastly, there are two small inns for travelers, although neither has a stable - horses must be kept in a separate stable.

Government

Strictly speaking, Henziyuno is a protectorate of the Hairu clan, and administers it in the Emperor's name. A headman is appointed every three years, and practically, unless there are issues of health or a petition to the Hairu clan protesting the appointment, this is a position for life. The current headman is Magistrate Chusedui of the Broken Sandal clan. He is in early middle age, and is well respected by people in the town, although some see him as too deferential to the distant clan lords over local matters. Chusedui enforces the law through his Chief Inspector, Imada, and his three enforcers. mostly they detect infringements to the law and bring cases before Chusedui to judge. Their jurisdiction is limited to the town and the farms beyond and they are not equipped or entitled to take on, for example, bandits on the fringes of the civilized lands.

The peasants elect a headman every year. This year it is Red Ken, the dyer.

The other side of the government is the local boss, Henekuo the Blue, a small time underworld figure who runs a gambling house and keeps crime and smuggling to a minimum. an uneasy truce between the law and lawbreakers exists that acts as a vital safety valve for the usually tightly controlled townspeople to gamble, drink, smuggle and fornicate outside of the controlling eye of the magistrate. Henekuo runs one of the towns two inns, and an associated gambling house. 

Places of Interest

The Blue Man Inn

A small inn with four rooms, this unassuming place also has a back area, where gambling and prostitution take place. The place is run by Henekuo the Blue, but the front man is Ghen, who works hard to keep the place well run.

The Customs House

On the waterfront, Ora the Customsman inspects each boat for goods and imposes a tariff according to his ancient scroll of imports. Books or religious material, or items that might impart knowledge of the world outside of Vormain are impounded as dangerous. Foreign cults are regarded as a deadly danger to sacred lands. 

The Circling Way

A mystic monastery dedicated to 'Moving Jenjuism', this place is dedicated to mystic insights, and martial arts practice. It sponsors an annual tournament and the winner is awarded the red shirt of Gunnui. The current head is Abbot Osodero, a female martial arts instructor and master of unarmed combat.

Broken Sandal Clan Compound

A large walled mansion, this place also acts as the local seat of government. Messages arrive here, orders are carried out, and official records are kept here. But this is also the ancestral home of the Broken Sandals, an ancient warrior caste clan. Although the magistrate executes the will of the Emperor, the Broken Sandal is ruled by the matriarchal Innaga-Hue who manages the clan wealth and was instrumental in gaining the position of magistrate for her nephew Chusedui. The head of the family guards is Gengo Twelve-Swords, who famously died in a skirmish with crow-men but was returned from the lands of the dead with a dozen swords gifted to him by his ancestors.

Three-Step Lagoon

This serene lagoon is the mouth of the Heron river, and forms a deep and calm port for the ships who ply the coast. A long sandbar protects the lagoon, and local officials measure depths every year to ensure the bay is deep enough for the ships. The lagoon teems with life - shellfish, crustaceans, and flatfish, and the lagoon is full of fishermen and men with nets and scoops during the warmer months. The 'Three Steps' refers to three extremely deep parts of the lagoon where Inzayuma stepped forth to defeat the Eater of Men.

Oshino Wood

About an hours walk from the village inland is a tangled skein of woods and brambles known as Oshino wood, after the ancient kami that resides there. Fox hsunchen and wild spirits are known to reside there - not necessarily evil, but scornful and careless with human life.