Yawatcha (Heijin, 丙辰)

Known to the High Elves as Heijin (丙辰) under the Kanshi Chihyō coordinate system, and to its native inhabitants as the isles of the Yawatcha.   Heijin is a subtropical volcanic archipelago located in the southern seas of Erthas, bounded roughly by the coordinates -35° to -50° latitude and -45° to -18° longitude. It consists of two large islands—one twice the size of the other—and a collection of smaller chains stretching southward into warmer currents. The terrain is marked by high volcanic ridges, cloud forests, lava fields, and rocky coastlines that drop steeply into the sea.   The region is humid and storm-prone, with dense mists rising from hot springs and crater lakes. Rainfall nourishes thick canopies of tree ferns, pandanus, and strangler figs, beneath which the land’s Mesolithic inhabitants fish, forage, and travel by canoe.  

Lifeways and Peoples

  The archipelago is the homeland of the Yawatcha, a network of kin-groups who share ritual ties, linguistic roots, and maritime routes. Though there is no central authority or shared polity, the islanders recognize each other through systems of trade, name exchange, and inter-island festivals. Subsistence is based on fishing, shellfish gathering, fruit collection, and seasonal bird and boar hunts in the highlands.   Each island group speaks a branch of the Proto-Yawatcha language family (inspired by Proto-Washakan), with four daughter languages distributed across the major landmasses.  
  • Wiq̓aš: Spoken in the deep fjords and northern valleys of the largest island. Wiq̓aš communities are known for cliffside burial shrines, obsidian microliths, and smoke-dried fish suspended in high stone racks.
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  • Naq̓anukʷ: Found in the hot, forested lava plains and caldera rims of the interior. These groups live near hot springs, crafting intricate fire-warped wood masks and carrying out night dances under volcanic stars.
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  • Ḵayutł: Spoken on the smaller island, especially around coastal terraces. The Ḵayutł are skilled in open-ocean canoe carving and are famed for their ceremonial tattoos made with shark-tooth combs.
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  • Huʔwita: Found in the far southern islands, which are lower, wind-beaten, and drier. Huʔwita groups specialize in sea mammal hunting, collecting deep-sea shell species, and crafting stone blades from coral rock.
 

Geography and Features

  The islands of Heijin are geologically young and shaped by frequent seismic activity. Myths attribute eruptions and earthquakes to the shaking of a fire serpent beneath the earth.  
  • Mount G̱waxʷił: The dominant peak of the main island. Said to be the sleeping body of the fire serpent, whose breathing warms the island’s springs.
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  • Crater of Ten Songs: A central basin surrounded by echo walls. Songs performed here are believed to reach the ancestors on distant shores.
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  • Southwind Strait: The channel separating the southern islands. Known for its whirlpools and drift-spirits; crossing is a rite of passage for Huʔwita youth.
 

High Elven Contact

  The High Elves of Daitō charted the islands as Heijin (丙辰), meaning “Fire Dragon,” a coordinate label derived from both the volcanic activity and the archipelago’s alignment within the Kanshi Chihyō system. While the Elves have never settled in Heijin, they regard it as an important astronomical marker for celestial navigation.   Occasional exchanges of goods or language have occurred with coastal canoe parties, but the mist-shrouded interiors remain unmapped and mythologized in Elven travelogues.  

Language Family

  The Proto-Yawatcha language family of Heijin includes four living descendant languages:  
  • Wiq̓aš – Northern fjords and highland coasts
  • Naq̓anukʷ – Interior lava plains and calderas
  • Ḵayutł – Smaller island terraces and sea routes
  • Huʔwita – Southern islands and open sea hunters
 

Mythology

  Yawatcha myths tell of a great serpent that fell from the stars and curled into the land, forming the islands. Its breath made the mountains smoke, and its scales turned into obsidian and salt. Each people carries part of the serpent’s name and a duty to awaken or soothe it through ritual.   Wiq̓aš invoke the serpent in funeral rites. Naq̓anukʷ perform fire dances in imitation of its movements. Ḵayutł carve the beast into their ocean prows. Huʔwita follow its trail in the stars, navigating by myths as much as currents.
Type
Archipelago
Location under