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Sweet as a story, bitter as an ending.
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Most Recent Posts
Rextelian listened to the questions with the steady patience of a seasoned commander. The crimson-haired kitsune at his side mirrored his stillness, her posture and expression held in quiet discipline. When the last voice fell silent, he drew a single breath and spoke, his tone firm and practiced.
“As I said, the goal here is not retaking Nan-Li. We have the manpower to do that, and always have. It would change nothing. We would simply lose it again.”
He let his gaze pass slowly across the room before continuing.
“What matters is identifying and eliminating the wight that rides the horse. The other wights show no sign of independent thought. This one does. It has appeared repeatedly, and all evidence suggests it is directing the rest.”
His attention shifted briefly to Youko, unfazed by her energy.
“The rider is armored. Both mount and master. Fire remains one of the few elements that consistently affects the wights, so we assume it will be effective here as well.”
When the smaller beastkin spoke, Rextelian’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in suspicion but focus.
“We do not know the relic’s full function. What we do know is that it is an ancient Yamamoto heirloom, older than the clan itself, and possibly brought from a distant land.”
“Where the rider appears, blizzards follow. The storms resemble those associated with the Hime-sama. Our theory is that the relic conceals the rider’s presence or movement.”
“The fact that it is used deliberately suggests intelligence. That trait has not been observed in the lesser wights.”
He paused, letting that settle.
“That is the extent of what we know.”
When Emily spoke, his expression softened only a fraction.
“We do not know the source, nor the origin. Storms precede them, and the dead rise within that cover.”
“We are withholding nothing. There is simply little to give.”
He inclined his head once in acknowledgment.
“Supplies will be issued where possible. Cold-weather cloaks, oil, fire charges, and tools. Armor will be assigned by necessity, not rank. Food remains scarce.”
His reply to Varius was direct.
“If the land itself is corrupted, Nan Gau cannot cleanse it.”
“Your task is not salvation. It is seek and destroy.”
After a brief pause, he continued.
“Nan-Li lies roughly an hour north. We move at dusk and avoid unnecessary engagement.”
“If the rider appears, all attacks focus on it.”
He turned slightly toward the kitsune beside him.
“Preparations.”
She inclined her head once.
“I have matters to attend to before departure,” Rextelian added.
“We regroup at the gates before dusk.”
He offered a short bow, echoed by the kitsune, then turned and left the hall.
Outside the keep, Nan Gau endured.
Stone walls enclosed tightly packed homes and storehouses, their roofs bowed under layers of snow. Smoke drifted thinly from chimneys. Merchants moved with quiet purpose. Soldiers rested against the stone, eyes hollow but alert. The city lived, though strain hung heavy in the air.
Beyond the gates, frozen fields stretched toward wind-scoured roads. Far to the north, clouds gathered unnaturally low, dark and swollen, pressing against the mountains like a held breath.
Not long after Rextelian’s departure, the gates opened again.
There was no horn and no alarm. Only the steady grind of iron and wood as a smaller group was admitted.
They entered without haste. Snow clung to cloaks and boots, shaken loose with each step onto the stone. Their movements were measured, unhurried, as if the road behind them had been long but expected.
At their head walked a man with white hair worn loose down his back, stirred gently by the cold wind. One eye was gold, catching what little light filtered through the clouds. The other was a clear, glacial blue. His gaze took in the walls, the guards, and the city beyond with calm attention.
Those nearest the gate straightened without instruction. Conversation faded. No command was spoken, yet attention gathered all the same.
He stopped just inside the gate and inclined his head, respectful but unbowed.
“My name is Hiruq,” he said evenly.
“I come as a representative of the Kurogami clan, alongside our ally the Koyake clan, and those who travel with us.”
He gestured briefly to the figures behind him, then lifted his gaze toward the inner keep.
“We are here to speak with the Hime-sama of the Yamamoto clan.”
Welcome to the Roleplayers Guild!
I know you said you're hyper fixated on your own thing, but if you ever change your mind, Ive got a group that roleplays together in a medieval fantasy world. And we use a system similar to table top RPGs.
We're always open and around just shoot me a message.
But I wish you luck with sticking through with your project! Happy roleplaying!
I know you said you're hyper fixated on your own thing, but if you ever change your mind, Ive got a group that roleplays together in a medieval fantasy world. And we use a system similar to table top RPGs.
We're always open and around just shoot me a message.
But I wish you luck with sticking through with your project! Happy roleplaying!
Welcome to Roleplayers Guild! Hope you find something that suits your fancy
Narrators Involved
Moon Berry S Grade Narrator Standing
Summary of the Roleplay
The group finishes their trial in the mists, and face their own personal mountains. Only to have the trial hijacked by a strange ominous presence. Once free from the trial, the group finds that the village of Nan Pass is being attacked by a slaver that is holding a talisman with a seven pointed star. Summoning undead to fight along side the hired fighters trying to take beastkin in as slaves. And kill those that they can't.
Yukan Kota, Moo all help defeat the enemies along side the warriors of Mabaroshi-Mura. That are a group of beast shapeshifters.
Once things were settled the group was introduced to the hidden village in the mist. "Mabaroshi-Mura" A Village in the Nan Pass area. Specifically near/in a forest that seems to emit a large amount of mist. The village is built up along the mountain side and ridges, some buildings on stilts.
It is decided the Kurogami clan of the Mabaroshi-Mura will ally with the Koyake Shogunate. And should Discuss alliances with the Yamamoto clan
Criminal Acts Perpetrated
None
Lore to Establish
Mabaroshi-mura is a hidden wolfkin village located beyond the mist forest along the mountainside of Nan Pass in the Republic of Kuridan. The settlement is perpetually cold, mist-laden, and often snow-covered, featuring traditional Edo-period architecture with tiered construction—some buildings raised on stilts over steep slopes, others anchored into mountain ridges. Large stone wolf statues stand throughout the village as ancient markers and spiritual guardians. For generations, the Kurogami clan has protected both Mabaroshi-mura and Nan Pass Village, serving as wardens of the pass. For the past fifty years, the clan has been led by Tsukiko, an elderly wolfkin and the mate of the previous chief, gifted with postcognition. Now preparing to relinquish leadership, Tsukiko enforces strict traditions, requiring worthiness rather than bloodline alone. All warriors of Mabaroshi-mura must undergo a Trial within the mist forest, where they confront their inner “beast.” Those who succeed gain the ability to shapeshift into larger, more primal forms, a manifestation of the self they faced during the Trial.
Nation of origin associated with the lore.
Along with that, inside the misty forest seems to be a strange white tree, that is responsible for maintaining the trial of the Kurogami clan. It seems there is a spirit living within, or perhaps many. There is a strange connection to one of the very few ley lines that run along the edge of the Republic.
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5644298
[/img]i.imgur.com/ciQJxeh.png[/img]
PICTURES/References for the lore
Partial Participants
Seven Rounds
MaverickSix: Lenara: 1
Full-Time Participants
Seven Rounds
TheTimePiece: Yukan: 3 Posts (did not enter until half way through the RP. But maintained posting when he was in)
Pkken: Kota: 5 posts
Tau: Yume: 6 Posts
Hecotoro: Moo: 6
Characters with Point Boosters
None
Assets/Titles Roleplayed For
Yukans Koyake Clan Asset upgrade from D - C. Represented his clan and fought in their name to secure an alliance with the Kurogami Wolf clan.
Characters with [Wanted]
none
Criminal Titles
none
Special Skills or Assets(downtime activities)
List characters possessing: N/A
Buddy skills.
Masterwork skills.
Complex assets.
downtime activities.
Transactions Performed
None
Character Sheet Oddities
None that I'm aware of
Aftermath
The hidden Village of Mabaroshi-Mura is coming out of the mist to take a stand along the Koyake clan. To secure territory and fight against the slavers pushing at the eastern border.
Narrator Bonuses
Additional Notes
Moon Berry S Grade Narrator Standing
Summary of the Roleplay
The group finishes their trial in the mists, and face their own personal mountains. Only to have the trial hijacked by a strange ominous presence. Once free from the trial, the group finds that the village of Nan Pass is being attacked by a slaver that is holding a talisman with a seven pointed star. Summoning undead to fight along side the hired fighters trying to take beastkin in as slaves. And kill those that they can't.
Yukan Kota, Moo all help defeat the enemies along side the warriors of Mabaroshi-Mura. That are a group of beast shapeshifters.
Once things were settled the group was introduced to the hidden village in the mist. "Mabaroshi-Mura" A Village in the Nan Pass area. Specifically near/in a forest that seems to emit a large amount of mist. The village is built up along the mountain side and ridges, some buildings on stilts.
It is decided the Kurogami clan of the Mabaroshi-Mura will ally with the Koyake Shogunate. And should Discuss alliances with the Yamamoto clan
Criminal Acts Perpetrated
None
Lore to Establish
Mabaroshi-mura is a hidden wolfkin village located beyond the mist forest along the mountainside of Nan Pass in the Republic of Kuridan. The settlement is perpetually cold, mist-laden, and often snow-covered, featuring traditional Edo-period architecture with tiered construction—some buildings raised on stilts over steep slopes, others anchored into mountain ridges. Large stone wolf statues stand throughout the village as ancient markers and spiritual guardians. For generations, the Kurogami clan has protected both Mabaroshi-mura and Nan Pass Village, serving as wardens of the pass. For the past fifty years, the clan has been led by Tsukiko, an elderly wolfkin and the mate of the previous chief, gifted with postcognition. Now preparing to relinquish leadership, Tsukiko enforces strict traditions, requiring worthiness rather than bloodline alone. All warriors of Mabaroshi-mura must undergo a Trial within the mist forest, where they confront their inner “beast.” Those who succeed gain the ability to shapeshift into larger, more primal forms, a manifestation of the self they faced during the Trial.
Nation of origin associated with the lore.
Along with that, inside the misty forest seems to be a strange white tree, that is responsible for maintaining the trial of the Kurogami clan. It seems there is a spirit living within, or perhaps many. There is a strange connection to one of the very few ley lines that run along the edge of the Republic.
roleplayerguild.com/posts/5644298
[/img]i.imgur.com/ciQJxeh.png[/img]
PICTURES/References for the lore
Partial Participants
Seven Rounds
MaverickSix: Lenara: 1
Full-Time Participants
Seven Rounds
TheTimePiece: Yukan: 3 Posts (did not enter until half way through the RP. But maintained posting when he was in)
Pkken: Kota: 5 posts
Tau: Yume: 6 Posts
Hecotoro: Moo: 6
Characters with Point Boosters
None
Assets/Titles Roleplayed For
Yukans Koyake Clan Asset upgrade from D - C. Represented his clan and fought in their name to secure an alliance with the Kurogami Wolf clan.
Characters with [Wanted]
none
Criminal Titles
none
Special Skills or Assets(downtime activities)
List characters possessing: N/A
Buddy skills.
Masterwork skills.
Complex assets.
downtime activities.
Transactions Performed
None
Character Sheet Oddities
None that I'm aware of
Aftermath
The hidden Village of Mabaroshi-Mura is coming out of the mist to take a stand along the Koyake clan. To secure territory and fight against the slavers pushing at the eastern border.
Narrator Bonuses
Additional Notes
Welcome to roleplayers Guild. Hope you and your friend enjoy it here. If y'all are ever looking for a group/or an original setting to rp together in I've got a group that's always open.
Happy roleplaying
Happy roleplaying
>~> uuuh well welcome to Roleplayers Guild. You uh, be safe with that 18+ stuff. Hope you find something that suits your fancy.
The flame-blessed yari drove forward with righteous intent, steel and fire unified in purpose, and the world itself seemed to lean into the motion. The ring of cleansing flame expanded once more from his position. It was controlled and disciplined, devastating without being wild. It washed over the shambling undead in a searing arc.
Those caught within it did not rise again.
Bone cracked and blackened. Necrotic threads shrieked as they burned away, snapping like overdrawn strings. Blue-glowing eyes guttered out across the street one after another as the dead collapsed into ash and brittle fragments that the snow quickly swallowed.
At the center of it all, Julia screamed.
The spear struck true.
It pierced through her chest just beneath the collarbone, fire erupting outward as it passed through her. The force hurled her backward against the stone steps of the headman’s home, the impact echoing like a hammer on a bell. Her chant shattered mid-syllable, words dissolving into a wet, choking gasp.
For a heartbeat, she hung there, pinned by flame and will.
Her violet eyes widened, not in fear, but in realization.
“No,” she rasped, blood bubbling at her lips. “You don’t understand…”
Suddenly the talisman in her hand was glowing. The seven-pointed star burned white-hot as the thorns writhed, sinking into her palm, her wrist, her arm. Dark light coiled like a living thing, racing up her veins. Julia’s scream twisted, breaking into something raw and animal as the talisman drank deep.
Her body began to collapse inward on itself. It was as if she were being sucked into the coin.
Shadow peeled from her flesh like wet ink, drawn screaming into the coin. Her limbs shriveled. Her voice cut off in a final strangled gasp. Then she was gone.
Gone so completely that even ash did not remain.
The coin dropped to the stone steps with a sharp, hollow clink.
And with it, everything stopped.
Across Nan Pass, the undead froze mid-motion.
Blue light flickered, sputtered, and died.
Bodies collapsed all at once, crumbling into harmless piles of bone and blackened snow as the necromantic threads snapped free and vanished into nothing. The oppressive pressure that had hung over the village lifted like a suffocating fog finally blown away by the wind.
Silence rushed in.
Then cheers.
Not loud at first. Disbelieving. Fragile. Then louder, swelling as villagers realized they were still alive. That the dead stayed down. That the nightmare had ended.
The great beasts slowed their charge and then stilled.
From among them, the massive white wolf lifted its head and let out a final echoing howl. It was not a cry of war, but of victory. Snow drifted from rooftops as the sound rolled through the pass.
The wolf’s form shimmered and folded inward.
Hiruq stood where it had been.
Tall and broad-shouldered, one blue eye and one gold, both sharp and alert as he surveyed the village. He approached Yukan with measured steps, then bowed deeply, fist to chest and head lowered in respect.
“You have our thanks,” he said simply. “Nan Pass stands because you stood.”
Nearby, Tsukiko approached the fallen coin.
She reached for it.
The moment her fingers brushed the metal, she hissed sharply and recoiled. The talisman struck the stone again as she dropped it, shaking her hand as though burned. Her ears flattened, lips curling back in a snarl born of instinct.
“No,” she growled. “That thing is wrong. Deeply wrong.”
She stared at it from a safe distance, eyes narrowed.
“It is bound to something vast. Ancient. Hungry. I cannot see its end, but I can feel its pull.”
Hiruq watched Tsukiko as she carefully wrapped the coin in a cloth. Then he turned to look at the villagers and beasts as they slowly righted themselves and began to rebuild.
“Kota and I will set things straight here,” he said. “We will join you later in Mabaroshi-mura. You should go to speak with the Koyake representative.”
Tsukiko nodded once, tucking the coin away and pulling out her long-stemmed pipe. She glanced around at Yukan, Yume, Moo, and Lenara.
“Very well. Let us move on. Into the mists.”
“We have much to discuss…”
The path into the forest did not open so much as allow passage.
Mist curled and thinned just enough to reveal narrow stone steps cut into the mountainside, lanterns glowing softly with foxfire light. The air changed as they climbed, cooler and cleaner, heavy with old magic and pine resin.
Mabaroshi-mura revealed itself slowly.
Buildings rose along the slope like quiet sentinels, some perched on stilts driven into sheer rock, others nestled into the mountain’s natural shelves. Wooden walkways connected them in elegant arcs, prayer ribbons fluttering from railings. Paper lanterns glowed behind shoji screens, casting warm gold light that pushed back the ever-present mist.
Great stone wolf statues watched over the village, ancient and weather-worn, eyes carved deep and knowing. Some sat at shrines. Others guarded bridges or overlooked the valley below.
This was not a village that hid in fear.
It hid in patience.
Within the great hall, heat and food awaited. Steaming bowls, grilled meat, rice, and tea were set before them. Wounds were treated with practiced hands. Fatigue eased.
When all were settled, Tsukiko stood.
“The Kurogami Clan will fight beside the Koyake,” she said, her gaze settling on Yukan.
“Against slavers. Against those who hunt our people. This much is decided.”
She paused.
“But alliances do not move mountains alone.”
Her eyes shifted northward toward unseen peaks.
“If we are to break the chains reaching into these lands, you will need the Yamamoto Clan of Nan Gau.”
“And their princess.”
“Once you have rested and been fed, you should head that way. Hiruq will join you.”
Those caught within it did not rise again.
Bone cracked and blackened. Necrotic threads shrieked as they burned away, snapping like overdrawn strings. Blue-glowing eyes guttered out across the street one after another as the dead collapsed into ash and brittle fragments that the snow quickly swallowed.
At the center of it all, Julia screamed.
The spear struck true.
It pierced through her chest just beneath the collarbone, fire erupting outward as it passed through her. The force hurled her backward against the stone steps of the headman’s home, the impact echoing like a hammer on a bell. Her chant shattered mid-syllable, words dissolving into a wet, choking gasp.
For a heartbeat, she hung there, pinned by flame and will.
Her violet eyes widened, not in fear, but in realization.
“No,” she rasped, blood bubbling at her lips. “You don’t understand…”
Suddenly the talisman in her hand was glowing. The seven-pointed star burned white-hot as the thorns writhed, sinking into her palm, her wrist, her arm. Dark light coiled like a living thing, racing up her veins. Julia’s scream twisted, breaking into something raw and animal as the talisman drank deep.
Her body began to collapse inward on itself. It was as if she were being sucked into the coin.
Shadow peeled from her flesh like wet ink, drawn screaming into the coin. Her limbs shriveled. Her voice cut off in a final strangled gasp. Then she was gone.
Gone so completely that even ash did not remain.
The coin dropped to the stone steps with a sharp, hollow clink.
And with it, everything stopped.
Across Nan Pass, the undead froze mid-motion.
Blue light flickered, sputtered, and died.
Bodies collapsed all at once, crumbling into harmless piles of bone and blackened snow as the necromantic threads snapped free and vanished into nothing. The oppressive pressure that had hung over the village lifted like a suffocating fog finally blown away by the wind.
Silence rushed in.
Then cheers.
Not loud at first. Disbelieving. Fragile. Then louder, swelling as villagers realized they were still alive. That the dead stayed down. That the nightmare had ended.
The great beasts slowed their charge and then stilled.
From among them, the massive white wolf lifted its head and let out a final echoing howl. It was not a cry of war, but of victory. Snow drifted from rooftops as the sound rolled through the pass.
The wolf’s form shimmered and folded inward.
Hiruq stood where it had been.
Tall and broad-shouldered, one blue eye and one gold, both sharp and alert as he surveyed the village. He approached Yukan with measured steps, then bowed deeply, fist to chest and head lowered in respect.
“You have our thanks,” he said simply. “Nan Pass stands because you stood.”
Nearby, Tsukiko approached the fallen coin.
She reached for it.
The moment her fingers brushed the metal, she hissed sharply and recoiled. The talisman struck the stone again as she dropped it, shaking her hand as though burned. Her ears flattened, lips curling back in a snarl born of instinct.
“No,” she growled. “That thing is wrong. Deeply wrong.”
She stared at it from a safe distance, eyes narrowed.
“It is bound to something vast. Ancient. Hungry. I cannot see its end, but I can feel its pull.”
Hiruq watched Tsukiko as she carefully wrapped the coin in a cloth. Then he turned to look at the villagers and beasts as they slowly righted themselves and began to rebuild.
“Kota and I will set things straight here,” he said. “We will join you later in Mabaroshi-mura. You should go to speak with the Koyake representative.”
Tsukiko nodded once, tucking the coin away and pulling out her long-stemmed pipe. She glanced around at Yukan, Yume, Moo, and Lenara.
“Very well. Let us move on. Into the mists.”
“We have much to discuss…”
The path into the forest did not open so much as allow passage.
Mist curled and thinned just enough to reveal narrow stone steps cut into the mountainside, lanterns glowing softly with foxfire light. The air changed as they climbed, cooler and cleaner, heavy with old magic and pine resin.
Mabaroshi-mura revealed itself slowly.
Buildings rose along the slope like quiet sentinels, some perched on stilts driven into sheer rock, others nestled into the mountain’s natural shelves. Wooden walkways connected them in elegant arcs, prayer ribbons fluttering from railings. Paper lanterns glowed behind shoji screens, casting warm gold light that pushed back the ever-present mist.
Great stone wolf statues watched over the village, ancient and weather-worn, eyes carved deep and knowing. Some sat at shrines. Others guarded bridges or overlooked the valley below.
This was not a village that hid in fear.
It hid in patience.
Within the great hall, heat and food awaited. Steaming bowls, grilled meat, rice, and tea were set before them. Wounds were treated with practiced hands. Fatigue eased.
When all were settled, Tsukiko stood.
“The Kurogami Clan will fight beside the Koyake,” she said, her gaze settling on Yukan.
“Against slavers. Against those who hunt our people. This much is decided.”
She paused.
“But alliances do not move mountains alone.”
Her eyes shifted northward toward unseen peaks.
“If we are to break the chains reaching into these lands, you will need the Yamamoto Clan of Nan Gau.”
“And their princess.”
“Once you have rested and been fed, you should head that way. Hiruq will join you.”
Hey there! Welcome to Roleplayers Guild!
Im a fan of character development and watching a story slowly unfold my self.
If you like groups, and you enjoy anime at all, I've got a group that's always open. We use a system of "pts" for character growth. You get more as you roleplay.
It's a medieval fantasy original setting. With a common theme of characters being transmigrated from another world some how.
If you're interested shoot me a message! Hope you find what you're looking for!
Happy roleplaying!
Im a fan of character development and watching a story slowly unfold my self.
If you like groups, and you enjoy anime at all, I've got a group that's always open. We use a system of "pts" for character growth. You get more as you roleplay.
It's a medieval fantasy original setting. With a common theme of characters being transmigrated from another world some how.
If you're interested shoot me a message! Hope you find what you're looking for!
Happy roleplaying!
The large bearkin grumbled and looked down at Varius, answering with a sharp, dismissive grunt.
“Harumph.”
“Of course there are civilians,” Ryota rumbled. “Nan Gau’s become a proper castle town over the last few years. The Yamamoto clan sent Hime-sama herself to bring order and protection. With her song, she’s kept these walls safe.”
His words carried confidence right up until the end.
His ears twitched. Brown eyes flicked instinctively toward the battlements beyond the stone. His voice lowered, uncertainty creeping in despite himself.
“…Say. Speakin’ of which. You’d usually hear her song by now.”
He frowned, shook his head hard enough to rattle the armor at his shoulders, and jabbed a clawed finger toward the exit.
“Never mind that. We need to get up to the walls and take stock.”
Ryota led the group from the meeting hall, up a flight of worn stone steps and through a narrow corridor that opened onto the outer walkways. Cold air rushed in at once, sharp and biting. Stone paths curved along the interior of the wall, slick with frost.
Several beastkin had already gathered at the edge, craning for a look beyond the gates. Ears were flat, tails stiff, murmurs carried away by the wind.
“What’s all this?!” Ryota snarled. “Don’t you all have battle positions to be jumpin’ into?!”
A few flinched and scattered immediately. Others lingered, annoyance flashing across tired faces.
One of them straightened.
A rabbitkin with long chestnut hair and tall, upright ears pushed off the parapet where he’d been leaning, eyes still fixed on the swirling wall of snow beyond the gates.
“Oi. That scout of yours has been up there for twelve hours straight,” Usagiashi said flatly. “You might want to keep better track of your men, Nakamura. Could’ve saved us all this false panic.”
Ryota blinked, momentarily thrown off. With all that fur, it was hard to tell, but there was a trace of embarrassment in the way his shoulders stiffened.
“False panic?” he growled. “What are you ramblin’ on about, Usagiashi?”
The rabbitkin only shook his head and turned away, raising his voice toward the gatehouse.
“What’re you waitin’ for? Open the gates. Commander Rextelian’s back from his mission.”
The reaction was immediate.
Beastkin snapped into formation with practiced ease, lining up shoulder to shoulder despite their hollow cheeks and drawn expressions. It was not impressive, no polished banners or gleaming ranks, but it was disciplined.
The gates creaked open just wide enough for a single-file column.
And through they came.
At their head walked a figure with two curled horns rising from platinum blond hair. His cool blue eyes swept across the gathered soldiers as he passed, and one by one they stiffened beneath his gaze. The beastkin behind him wore the same look, vacant and cold, drained of anything resembling triumph.
These were not soldiers returning victorious.
Once the gates shut behind them and the wind was cut off, the column formed up quickly.
Ryota glanced back at the adventurers, then straightened as the horned man approached.
“Nakamura,” Commander Rextelian said evenly. “We need to discuss your choice of sentries. And your scheduling.”
“Aye, sir…” Ryota muttered.
The commander’s gaze lingered just long enough to press the weight of his displeasure home before sliding to the adventurers. He assessed them one by one in silence.
“These are the adventurers the Guild sent?”
“Aye, sir.”
“You briefed them on Nan-Li?”
“…No, sir.”
Silence stretched.
Commander Rextelian held his stare on Ryota for a long, uncomfortable moment before finally turning back to the group.
“What have they been briefed on, Yoriki?”
“They know there’s a horde gatherin’ in the north,” Ryota said, recovering some confidence. “And that they’re intelligent.”
The commander nodded once, then sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and waved a hand.
“As you were.”
The soldiers immediately dispersed, resuming their duties as if nothing had happened.
Rextelian turned fully to the adventurers.
“You’ve been hired as extra muscle for a mission we can’t afford to fail,” he said. “If you couldn’t tell already, our people are starving. A hamlet near here was destroyed a few months ago by the undead. It was our primary source of food.”
He motioned for them to follow, continuing as he walked. A red-haired kitsune kept pace beside him, her sharp eyes daring anyone to stare too long.
“I’d like to say you were hired to help us reclaim it. Nan-Li is nearly sacred land. There’s a hot spring beneath it. It keeps the soil fertile year-round. Without it, farming in these mountains is near impossible.”
His jaw tightened. The kitsune mirrored the expression.
“But even if we retake it, it can be taken again.”
They were led back into the meeting room. Rextelian stopped at the center, voice steady and absolute.
“Perhaps, if this mission succeeds, that won’t be a problem anymore.”
He looked up, eyes sweeping the room.
“Tonight, we have a specific target. Among the undead, there is one that stands apart. It rides a horse. Wherever it appears, the dead rise. Fallen friends. Family. Anyone who dies near it.”
He let the words settle.
“This rider carries a dagger. Iceknife, as it’s been called.”
His gaze hardened.
“It’s a relic. Very old. Very dear to the Yamamoto clan. And they do not want it known that it’s currently in the hands of an undead monster.”
The implication was clear.
“We move toward Nan-Li near dusk. That’s where the last storms were sighted, north as Nakamura told you. Until then, there’s a little food in the mess hall.”
A pause.
“Don’t expect seconds.”
He straightened.
“Are there any further questions?”
“Harumph.”
“Of course there are civilians,” Ryota rumbled. “Nan Gau’s become a proper castle town over the last few years. The Yamamoto clan sent Hime-sama herself to bring order and protection. With her song, she’s kept these walls safe.”
His words carried confidence right up until the end.
His ears twitched. Brown eyes flicked instinctively toward the battlements beyond the stone. His voice lowered, uncertainty creeping in despite himself.
“…Say. Speakin’ of which. You’d usually hear her song by now.”
He frowned, shook his head hard enough to rattle the armor at his shoulders, and jabbed a clawed finger toward the exit.
“Never mind that. We need to get up to the walls and take stock.”
Ryota led the group from the meeting hall, up a flight of worn stone steps and through a narrow corridor that opened onto the outer walkways. Cold air rushed in at once, sharp and biting. Stone paths curved along the interior of the wall, slick with frost.
Several beastkin had already gathered at the edge, craning for a look beyond the gates. Ears were flat, tails stiff, murmurs carried away by the wind.
“What’s all this?!” Ryota snarled. “Don’t you all have battle positions to be jumpin’ into?!”
A few flinched and scattered immediately. Others lingered, annoyance flashing across tired faces.
One of them straightened.
A rabbitkin with long chestnut hair and tall, upright ears pushed off the parapet where he’d been leaning, eyes still fixed on the swirling wall of snow beyond the gates.
“Oi. That scout of yours has been up there for twelve hours straight,” Usagiashi said flatly. “You might want to keep better track of your men, Nakamura. Could’ve saved us all this false panic.”
Ryota blinked, momentarily thrown off. With all that fur, it was hard to tell, but there was a trace of embarrassment in the way his shoulders stiffened.
“False panic?” he growled. “What are you ramblin’ on about, Usagiashi?”
The rabbitkin only shook his head and turned away, raising his voice toward the gatehouse.
“What’re you waitin’ for? Open the gates. Commander Rextelian’s back from his mission.”
The reaction was immediate.
Beastkin snapped into formation with practiced ease, lining up shoulder to shoulder despite their hollow cheeks and drawn expressions. It was not impressive, no polished banners or gleaming ranks, but it was disciplined.
The gates creaked open just wide enough for a single-file column.
And through they came.
At their head walked a figure with two curled horns rising from platinum blond hair. His cool blue eyes swept across the gathered soldiers as he passed, and one by one they stiffened beneath his gaze. The beastkin behind him wore the same look, vacant and cold, drained of anything resembling triumph.
These were not soldiers returning victorious.
Once the gates shut behind them and the wind was cut off, the column formed up quickly.
Ryota glanced back at the adventurers, then straightened as the horned man approached.
“Nakamura,” Commander Rextelian said evenly. “We need to discuss your choice of sentries. And your scheduling.”
“Aye, sir…” Ryota muttered.
The commander’s gaze lingered just long enough to press the weight of his displeasure home before sliding to the adventurers. He assessed them one by one in silence.
“These are the adventurers the Guild sent?”
“Aye, sir.”
“You briefed them on Nan-Li?”
“…No, sir.”
Silence stretched.
Commander Rextelian held his stare on Ryota for a long, uncomfortable moment before finally turning back to the group.
“What have they been briefed on, Yoriki?”
“They know there’s a horde gatherin’ in the north,” Ryota said, recovering some confidence. “And that they’re intelligent.”
The commander nodded once, then sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and waved a hand.
“As you were.”
The soldiers immediately dispersed, resuming their duties as if nothing had happened.
Rextelian turned fully to the adventurers.
“You’ve been hired as extra muscle for a mission we can’t afford to fail,” he said. “If you couldn’t tell already, our people are starving. A hamlet near here was destroyed a few months ago by the undead. It was our primary source of food.”
He motioned for them to follow, continuing as he walked. A red-haired kitsune kept pace beside him, her sharp eyes daring anyone to stare too long.
“I’d like to say you were hired to help us reclaim it. Nan-Li is nearly sacred land. There’s a hot spring beneath it. It keeps the soil fertile year-round. Without it, farming in these mountains is near impossible.”
His jaw tightened. The kitsune mirrored the expression.
“But even if we retake it, it can be taken again.”
They were led back into the meeting room. Rextelian stopped at the center, voice steady and absolute.
“Perhaps, if this mission succeeds, that won’t be a problem anymore.”
He looked up, eyes sweeping the room.
“Tonight, we have a specific target. Among the undead, there is one that stands apart. It rides a horse. Wherever it appears, the dead rise. Fallen friends. Family. Anyone who dies near it.”
He let the words settle.
“This rider carries a dagger. Iceknife, as it’s been called.”
His gaze hardened.
“It’s a relic. Very old. Very dear to the Yamamoto clan. And they do not want it known that it’s currently in the hands of an undead monster.”
The implication was clear.
“We move toward Nan-Li near dusk. That’s where the last storms were sighted, north as Nakamura told you. Until then, there’s a little food in the mess hall.”
A pause.
“Don’t expect seconds.”
He straightened.
“Are there any further questions?”
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