The Land of Roaring Thunder and Crushing Waves, The Island of Arashi. (Patreon)

Under the Crushing Waves.

As the war rages on the island of Arashi between the various daimyo, all vying for dominance as the old order crumbles, the Kensei-in Shogunate is on its last legs. War prisoners are shipped north to the Island of Iturup, where they are forced to mine the rare mineral known as Moonshards. The mine is controlled by the Toraoka clan, one of the many sides in the war for dominance of Arashi, the prisoners are supervised by the Kozumi clan, a lesser clan loyal to the Daimyo of the Toraoka. Loyalties shift and alliances are formed and broken frequently, but the Toraoka have remained stalwart in their opposition to the Kensei-in remnants and their rivals the Kumagai clan.

Among the many captured by the Toraoka is Kuzu (Ren Tanaka), once a distinguished ashigaru within the ranks of the Kensei-in Shogunate, he was captured during the defeat of the Shogunate forces at the Battle of the Kurokawa. Now forced to mine for his sworn enemies, the material used in creating profane Soul Killing Weapons.

Crushing Wave

Hiro Kensei-in, last son of the late Shogun, stood against the traitorous Samurai of the Hishou Clan, the battle raged on, as he fought them to a standstill. Death only taking via a thousand cuts.

Black River

The Battle of Kurokawa ended with the total decimation of the Shogunate forces; they held the line, rallied by their great general Hiro Kensei-in. It was the deception orchestrated by the Hishou Clan that led to the bloody end.

Roaring Thunder 

As the old order crumbles, ambitious daimyo make their moves for total domination of the Land of Roaring Thunder and Crushing Waves. 

Under the waves

Kuzu and his fellow prisoners broke free from the chains of the Kozumi clan, the revolt must be put down, for the disgrace to honor of not just the Kozumi, but the Toraoka would be grave. The waves will be colored red with the blood of prisoners and wardens alike.

The White Devil of Iturup

The Kozumi clan is a minor group in the vast lands of Arashi, with little to show for in terms of claims to greatness, with the fall of the old order, the Kozumi side with the Toraoka clan, for protection and the chance of gaining favor with the powerful daimyo of the Toraoka. Yumiko distinguished herself during the opening battles against the Shogunate, she was rewarded by the Toraoka with the island of Iturup, the only stipulation was the continuous extraction of the rare Moonshard mineral.

Yumiko Kozumi 

Eldest of the Kozumi siblings and the one in charge of the island of Iturup. She oversees the management of the prison mine. She is known by the prisoners as the White Devil due to the color of her Kōra Yoroi, a beautiful white, yet she is feared for her cruelty. Partaking in the hunting of prisoners that she has set free, only for her to practice her marksmanship with or cutting them down from her pale horse. 

Riki Kozumi 

Youngest of the Kozumi siblings, Riki alongside his older brother Ken are the main wardens of the Iturup prison. Riki is restless and openly resentful of their stationing on the island. For there is no greater glory to be earned guarding wretched and defeated men. Riki often argues with his sister, wanting to be sent back to the mainland of Arashi to fight in the war.

Ken Kozumi 

The middle brother of the Kozumi siblings, unlike his siblings, Ken is neither cruel to the prisoners or resentful for his station in life. He is a warden, he does his job, he doesn't complain and he doesn't ask questions. 

Ren Tanaka "Kuzu"

Once a renowned ashigaru within the army of the Kensei-in Shogunate, despite his lack of a Kōra Yoroi he was able to best and kill several samurai during the opening battles of the civil war. He fought to the bitter end during the battle of Kurokawa, by the end he collapsed in the river of blood that had surrounded him. Taken by the Toraoka as a prisoner and sent to mine in Iturup, despite it all a flicker of resistance still lingers within him.

Bō

A Umi-bito local to the island of Iturup, he alongside his kin had been hired by the Kozumi to patrol the waters around the island for anyone trying to escape. The Umi-bito are fish like humanoids, who originally inhabited the lands of roaring thunder and crushing waves, before being driven out by the arriving Arashi Clans