At the Heart of the Empire

By Brian Yoon Edited by Fred Wan Toshi Ranbo Isawa Ochiai had counted down the hours to this very moment, and yet she felt wholly unprepared for what she must do. The whispers of the Fire Dragon in her mind… Read More »

Shadows

By Shawn Carman Edited by Fred Wan The Fox Clan lands, two months ago Kitsune Ryukan stalked through the tiny village courtyard, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. His expressing was grim, and none dared approach him. Peasant and… Read More »

The Flowers, the Snow

by Nancy Sauer and Fred Wan Bayushi Saya looked around the room, enjoying the sight of power ebbing and flowing through the conversations around her. Last year’s Winter Court at Kyuden Otomo had been exceedingly lively, from all accounts, and… Read More »

Scenes from the Empire IV

By Shawn Carman Edited by Fred Wan The Crab provinces, year 1169, Month of the Rat Togashi Miyoko shuddered at the bitter winter wind and drew her cloak more tightly around her. Not for the first time, she considered using… Read More »

Honors Veil Previews

A Scene at Sea

By Rusty Priske Edited by Fred Wan Doji Tayoaki smoothed his pristine kimono and absent-mindedly removed a stray bit of fluff that did not exist. His painstaking attention to detail, to the point of deception as his attention was drawn… Read More »

A Tale of Bushido

By Brian Yoon Edited by Fred Wan Castle of the Swift Sword, Month of the Boar, 1169 The front door of the house flew open with a resounding crash that rang through the air. Ikoma Noda looked up from the… Read More »

Belonging

By Nancy Sauer Edited by Fred Wan Kuni Umibe sat back on his heels and suppressed a sigh. However hard it had been to clear the circle and inscribe the wards around it, he reminded himself sternly, it was trivial… Read More »

Duty & Honor

By Shawn Carman Development & Editing by Fred Wan Mirumoto Narumi had visited temples all across the Empire as part of her duties as an Emerald Magistrate. It was not specifically a duty, so to speak, but travel was often… Read More »

Scenes from the Empire II

By Nancy Sauer Edited by Fred Wan The City of the Lost, the Shadowlands; Month of the Rooster, Year 1169 Pokku eased around the corner, dropped to his hands and knees and scrambled rapidly across the ruined plaza. There was… Read More »