You are Noel Tiberius di Hazaran, a warrior-queen born with the blood of royalty and monsters. Over the last few days you’ve been preparing your kingdom’s western border defenses for an attack you believe to be inevitable, from an enemy hailing from the mainland that has gained dominance in the large nation of Sakia to the north. Indications are that their intent is to cross the shared border between Hazaran and the nation to your west, Tarsus.

Normally that would be borderline suicidal, as Tarsus has reinforced its border defenses since your expansion into what was once its inner highlands a few years ago. But it could very well be that exact antipathy the enemy is counting on, to maneuver its forces along the Tarsan side of the border and create a corridor through which they could move troops and supplies overland or by river down to the southern coastline. From there, they probably hope to establish a permanent blockade around the few small ports on that coastline that Hazaran now possesses.

At two points, west of the Hazari cities of Rosemarkie and Merced, you have helped to arrange for the local Tarsan defenses to dovetail their response to the invaders with Hazaran’s. With the mainlanders bogged down by shellfire, their mobility reduced by static defenses, and their supply lines overextended and poorly protected, Hazari light cavalry and mortars are to tear those supply lines apart, stranding forward mainland units as they run out of supplies.

“It’s been a while since we just went out to hunt down yōma,” you muse with a weary sigh. “You know, that thing we trained to do. About a hundred years ago.”

You’ve come home to Blackthorn keep, hereditary seat of your father’s clan, now a stronghold for silver-eyed warriors gathered from across your island home. Many of your fellow warriors are here - former single-digit warriors, half and fully-awakened beings, double-digit rank-and-file, offensive and defensive types, one-time rookies, and even a few ‘failed hybrids’ among the last class of trainees ever forced through the doors of the Organization’s training halls.

Serana glances up from a book, from in front of one of the fireplaces. [True.]

“I almost miss it, in a strange sort of way,” Laura admits. “We’ve been doing so much training, courier work, and spy work lately.”

[When was the last time we actually hunted?] Serana asks with a look of genuine curiosity.

“I think Claire got one two weeks ago?” Laura offers.

>Find Claire and talk to her about where she even found a yōma - those are really rare these days.
>There may still be yōma prowling outside Hazaran’s current borders. You may need to go looking.
>Check in with the spies - Carlotta, Vera, and Gina. Maybe they’ve heard rumors from the north.
>Other?