Yakilu
Yakilu is a quiet village surrounding a natural spring in the foothills of the Ziguy Mountains. The large pond is ringed with reeds, date palms, apricot trees, and small fields of millet. Away from the ring of agriculture is a ring of houses, two layers deep in some places. The houses are made of mud bricks with wooden supports, and sheets of cloth hang in the doorways in place of doors.
The village has a quiet life. They identify as Uymillian, though because they live farther from the coast, they have strong influence by the Ikii - the various nomadic peoples of the deep desert. Once a week, some residents make a trip to Purasiy or La'aygu, the nearest large towns, to trade their fruits and millet for fish, cloth, metal items, etc.
The pride of Yakilu is the Shrine of Entu on the northwest side of town. Partially buried underground, it survived the Fourth Reckoning and only the above ground structure had to be rebuilt. It is much cooler in the lower shrine, which houses a small statue of Entu, an altar for animal sacrifices, and a brazier for use by the local soothsayer.
Once every six years, the shrine and the village become extremely important as the final stop in the cross-country tour of The Ascension to Rekeh. Yakilu is the nearest settlement to The Ascending Ground, and the company arrives in the village the night before the winter solstice. In the morning, the shrine is where the final preparations are made before heading out to the Ascending Ground.
Yakilu residents serve as the caretakers of the Ascending Ground and are the ones who build and maintain the tombs.
