DREAMER SHARD LOCATION: in the possession of a young filly in a hidden village of orphan jinba can be found the shard of Hayame as a Harbinger, which seems to be the most shiny and valuable of her few belongings- so you'll either have to wheedle, bargain, or use force if you want it
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The only difference between this world and the medieval Japan from human history is the existence of jinba (centaurs). Man and jinba once lived in harmony, rarely meeting... until humans discovered war and were driven to harness the power of jinba, reducing them to tools and beasts. Towards the end of the 16th century, high demand for military forces has led to the creation of an economy centered on jinba flesh. In the frontier northeastern region of Japan, most wild jinba have been hunted to near extinction, and only one mountain village remains hidden (for now), while a large compound in "civilized" human territory serves as both a breeding stable and an outpost for jinba hunts.
WHAT TO DO IN THIS WORLD: (CW)
🐎 Breeding Stable Exhibition Day (Rituals): At the breeding stable, buyers and their representatives from all over the country are gathering to watch the jinba that will put up for sale at tomorrow's auction. Player characters will be treated as a regional lord or merchant and ushered around to view archery competitions, races, tug-of-war, the breaking of newly captured jinba, and other shows of strength that show off the prowess of the jinba produced by this outpost's expert trainers and stable master. Most of them are Armless, of course, but there are a few prized, hand-raised Armed jinba up for sale and inspection as well.
💰 Breeding Stable Exhibition Day (Banquet): Once the rituals come to an end, the stable master hosts a luxurious banquet, complete with various entertainments such as lute ballads and dances. The host and his grooms drift between buyers arranging deals and talking up the products, and occasionally those important enough to request it are led off to more private areas to inspect or "sample" certain merchandise before money comes into play the next day. Jinba can cost between one man's or an entire fief's annual income, depending on their quality and training, so it's a very important purchase!
🌳 Hidden Village (Welcome/Work): Those that go into the mountains may instead encounter a band of orphan jinba who are hiding in the deep forest, gathered there under the protection of a charismatic young leader. Player characters are treated as if they were jinba themselves and attempts to convince the young jinba that they are not will be treated with blank confusion, (or you can apparently choose to be centaur'd if you want?!). After being given the tour, they are welcomed into the village, and they can start pulling their weight by joining groups sent out to forage for food, farm, take care of the babies, cook, patrol the borders, or... just play with the kids. Adults will be treated with awe, traumatized attachment, or crying, as most of these children have lost their parents in violent ways and some barely remember what a grown jinba person looks like.
🍲 Hidden Village (Mealtime/Gruesome Discoveries): As night falls, the youngsters all gather around for a communal hot pot, sharing what little they have as equally as they can. Despite their dire circumstances, the older jinba try very hard to keep a positive attitude for the youngsters, and there is still laughter and warmth around the campfires. Weirdly... their leader is not present at the meal, and asking about him reveals he takes his dinner privately at his "house", a shack at the very edge of the village's territory. If you investigate, though... what's that sound? Is that a scream?
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🏯 BREEDING STABLE REFs: The compound is largely made of of wood, with high walls around the entire thing and only one large gate, which is near-constantly barred to prevent escapes. Most of the area is taken up by stables, training grounds, and corrals, with the stable master's manor and administrative offices on the eastern side. Though player characters are encouraged to stick with other buyers and to the public areas, it is possible to sneak away and explore more. The stables are divided into Armed and Armless wings: the Armed area is notably more open, like plain horse stalls each marked by a wooden name plaque, while the much larger Armless area is delineated by barriers and various restraints like bits, harnesses, and hobbles (01, 02). The breeding stall with mounting block and restraint ties is out back. There is also a section of the courtyard with stakes in the ground at varying heights that grooms will explain is used for flensing the arms from wild or disobedient jinba.
🐴 INTERACTING WITH STABLE JINBA: Attempting to interact with the stable jinba, particularly the Armless, will not get very far, as all seem to be quite well-trained and broken to human mastery. They will not speak unless spoken to, and then will only provide short, respectful (if not sometimes resentful) answers without making eye contact. It's almost Auction Day, they aren't about to mess things up for themselves getting in trouble. The grooms and stable master will discourage conversation, interrupting to point out how obedient the Armless are, how you needn't worry about anything like backtalk or disobedience. See?
🏹 JINBA HUNTS & THE ARMLESS: Spending time in the breeding stable will expose player characters to the concept of jinba hunts and how they are conducted, details of which can be seen here (CW): 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06. The stable master will shamelessly make clear his position on the Armless, explaining that is the simplest way to control the powerful creatures, break their spirit, and ensure they will not escape. Reference (CW): 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06.
🍖 CONSUMPTION OF FLESH: Investigating the mountain shack where the hidden village leader takes his meals will reveal that he is taking humans captured in their territory and using them as meat. He will be calm and candid in his attempt to explain his situation, and even offer a taste. It's what they deserve. He cannot help that he became a demon after what the humans did, but do not worry. He does not bring the other children into his grotesque habits, and wants only to protect them. He asks for your understanding and your silence. Examples of how this might go can be seen here (CW): 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07.
If you have any questions feel free to ask any time!
cw: JINBA includes depictions of slavery, amputation, sa, forced breeding, cannibalism, etc.
WORLD SHARD LOCATION: tucked away in the desk in the stable master's private rooms in the manor portion of the breeding stable compound
DREAMER SHARD LOCATION: in the possession of a young filly in a hidden village of orphan jinba can be found the shard of Hayame as a Harbinger, which seems to be the most shiny and valuable of her few belongings- so you'll either have to wheedle, bargain, or use force if you want it
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The only difference between this world and the medieval Japan from human history is the existence of jinba (centaurs). Man and jinba once lived in harmony, rarely meeting... until humans discovered war and were driven to harness the power of jinba, reducing them to tools and beasts. Towards the end of the 16th century, high demand for military forces has led to the creation of an economy centered on jinba flesh. In the frontier northeastern region of Japan, most wild jinba have been hunted to near extinction, and only one mountain village remains hidden (for now), while a large compound in "civilized" human territory serves as both a breeding stable and an outpost for jinba hunts.
WHAT TO DO IN THIS WORLD: (CW)
More Info—