Shika Nozomi

Raised beyond the edge of civilization, Shika Nozomi is the guardian of the Verdant Maw — a primeval jungle feared by mapmakers and monarchs alike. Where others see wilderness, she sees patterns. The rustle of leaves, the shift in shadows, the breath of the wind — they all speak to her, and she listens.

Though she walks barefoot on the forest floor, Shika is no stranger to conflict. Years ago, a corrupted expedition entered her jungle, armed with fire and greed. She watched their path of ruin for seven days before answering with silence and arrows. Not one of them escaped. Since then, whispered tales of the “Tiger Girl of the Green Dagger” have traveled far beyond the canopy. Some claim she’s a spirit. Others say she commands beasts. All agree on one thing — the forest obeys her.

She hunts without sound, strikes without hesitation, and protects the wild with a sacred conviction. Her companion, a tiger known only as Yoru, walks at her side like a phantom, bound to her by a vow spoken not in words but in shared survival.