Nippon, the Eastern-most kingdom of all world’s lands, a land steeped in mysticism and home to the illustrious samurai, warriors that were bound by a strict code of honour, martial prowess and vigilance over the weak. It was said that each samurai would wield a sword that embodied the soul of its owner. Each katana gave its owner great power, after he crafted it by hand himself; smelting the iron for a week, burning away all impurities, heating the iron and steel together, folding the steel and blessing the blade with magical infusions of clay and water. If it was all done too slowly, the cutting edge of the blade would be too soft to pierce the harsh hides of daemons and monsters while if the process was rushed, the blade could shatter in battle. The samurai would forge and reforge the blade again and again until the perfect balance of weight and precision could be found, the result of which could make the difference between slaying an invading Daemon of Tsien-Tsin and becoming its pawn.

However, despite traditional ways of old, the world was forcing Nippon to change. For the last 4 seasons straight, the crop harvests have failed repeatedly, with many crops afflicted by the taint of chaos corruption. To respond to this, the Nipponese government attempted to subsidise the farmers to produce more than was necessary, the goal of which being that there would be enough food to go around regardless of some crop rotations failing. However, no matter how many crops they produced, the number of corrupted crops seemed to increase even more in turn. The government realised their policy was failing but by then it was too late and they had run a massive deficit which after they tried printing more money, resulted in skyrocketing inflation. Eventually, High Elf merchants stepped in, offering to import food products into Nippon in return for exhorbetent prices which were made even worse by the ever-decreasing value of the Nipponese currency. But the Asur traders were well aware they could charge whatever they liked. After all, so long as they held the Isles of Tor Elithis and the Turtle Isles near Lustria, no other nations could possibly ship items into Nippon without encountering the High Elf navy. They weren’t blockading the Nipponese ports but frankly they didn’t need to when they controlled all neighbouring waters already.

However, not all would accept being exploited by the knife-ears and many samurai held the weak Nipponese government responsible for the national crisis they now faced. As the elves developed more and more influence over the falling Nipponese state, their markets became flooded not only by Elven food products but also by Asur fashion and their entertainment industry was soon taken over by Asur dramatists, painters, sculptors, writers of histories and masques. Chief among those who disapproved of the Elven takeover of his nation was Sanyo Kawasaki, a legendary samurai known for slaying a Herald of Tzeentch during a Chaos Invasion as well as fighting celestial lions known as Pixiu during several wars against the Cathayans on behalf of the Nipponese state, whose breaking point came when he saw his own impressionable daughter wearing a dress of Asur design in place of her traditional feminine kimonos. High Elf influence over this nation had gone too far he thought and so, Sanyo wrote to all the great warrior families of Nippon and together they formed a great revolt spanning 20,000 men against the weak Nipponese government. With the government already in debt, they couldn’t afford to start investing in their armies more than the base level they had already which meant they were likely to lose. And so, the government reached out to the Asur for help.

Over in the Phoenix Court of Ulthuan, Prince Dalroth, Prince Dannor and Loremaster Kerrinath took the interventionist side of the debate, arguing that it was crucial to maintain Elven trading supremacy with the State of Nippon and the growing nationalist rebellion could thwart that status quo. Prince Tyrion sat at the head of the Court for King Finubar had gone into seclusion in his tower following the attack on his life by the Slaaneshi champion Dechala, his physician claimed he was suffering from shock after the encounter but many speculated he may in fact be in mourning over his bodyguard Korhil who perished in the fight to save him. Tyrion heard the princes’ arguments but cast them aside, arguing it would leave Ulthuan less safe if they sent an army halfway around the world. However, Loremaster Kerrinath had an alternative suggestion. The court could take advantage of the Samurai’s code of honour, suggesting they challenge him to a 1v1 rite of combat, a duel which would dictate the outcome of the war. To reject this offer would bring great disrepute on the House of Kawasaki. But who would go? Eltharion was away on operations with Prince Teclis in Lustria, Prince Imrik of Caledor was a master rider but could easily be outmatched in single infantry combat, the loremasters would be at a significant disadvantage from not being allowed to use their magic and Caradryan and his Phoenix Guards were needed to protect the most sacred of sites on Ulthuan. Eventually, the court found that only one man could possibly represent them in this duel, the Crown Prince of Ulthuan himself, Prince Tyrion.

Tyrion was reluctant to go, partly because he hated leaving his homeland to intervene in the outside world and on a personal level, because he didn’t wish to leave his lover, Alarielle, the Everqueen of Avelorn. Ever since the assassination attempt on his life at the hands of Queen Hellebron’s chief assassin Shadowblade, Tyrion had grown closer to Alarielle, often having Alarielle stay in his own bedchambers whenever she visited Ulthuan, it’s not like Finubar wanted to see her any way. After spending many nights together, Alarielle revealed to Tyrion that she was pregnant with a future everqueen. The pregnancy had not been made public yet because of the awkward circumstances around the pregnancy but it was for this reason most of all that Tyrion did not want to leave Ulthuan at the moment. Sadly, without making the pregnancy public there was no way for him to reasonably turn down the Court decision and so he agreed to set sail to Nippon.

Almost two months passed until finally, Tyrion touched down in Nippon. When he left Ulthuan it was a sunny Spring time, yet with the way the seasons were reversed on the other side of the world, he found himself touching down in a snow-covered Nipponese winter. After a few days to adjust to the arrival, Tyrion mounted his steed Malhandir and rode out to the coastal clifftop where Kawasaki had agreed to meet him. When Tyrion arrived, a unit of Silver Helms and his squire Princess Eldyra at his back, he found Kawasaki sitting down enjoying a bowl of finely herb-infused rice and a cup of Nipponese tea. Around him were his armour hanging by rope from a tree, two katanas and two wooden sticks on a rack and 3 other samurai: Nissan who was acting as Kawasaki’s rice bearer, Fujima who poured Sanyo’s tea and Atachi who stood ready by the tree to arm his lord.

Tyrion approached the samurai as Sanyo stood up, wiped his beard clean and walked over to the tree where Atachi proceeded to bind his armour to his kimono. As Atachi armed his lord, Sanyo spoke to Tyrion in his best attempt at Elvish, still clad in a thick Eastern accent.

“I was 13 years old when I killed my first man. I remember the look in his eyes as the light drained from them. It was such a sudden change, such a thin line, between him living and dying. I felt ashamed. I had stolen from that man the most precious gift of all…life. But I felt something else too…pride. Because I had taken up arms against someone who sought to do ill against my family, and I realized what I had done was necessary. You see, I had replaced evil with death. I have killed several thousand more men and beasts since then and the world is better off for it.”

Tyrion replied “You’ve taken your last life.”

“No, you have lived your last day. Are you ready, elf?” Sanyo retorted.

– Angry React: Atachi handed Sanyo his swords and upon receiving a nod from Tyrion, the two began their duel. The samurai swung aggressively, while Tyrion moved with the speed of a legendary fighter. At one point, Sanyo and Tyrion came into a parry as Sunfang collided with Sanyo’s larger katana. As the two great-swords clashed, Kawasaki attempted to stab Tyrion in the chest with his shorter blade only for Tyrion to react by blocking the katana’s swipe with his exposed bracer with such force that Sanyo’s short sword snapped in two. Both men took to holding their main blade with two hands as they struggled against each other when Tyrion suddenly side-stepped the samurai, causing the samurai to deliver the force of his blow straight into the ground as Tyrion ducked behind him and thrust Sunfang into Kawasaki’s back, before igniting the blade to finish the samurai off once and for all.

– Sad React: Atachi handed Sanyo a wooden stick and brought one to Tyrion as well. “This is a bokken, a symbol of honour to our people. It is said that to beat someone armed only with the bokken, shows discipline of the highest order. If we are to fight for the soul of our nation, may we do it through the traditional means.” Tyrion took the wooden sword, as his Eldyra rode over to take and protect Sunfang, and the two proceeded to engage in melee. Tyrion swung with the bokken only for Sanyo to swing over his blow and be the first to strike, swinging at Tyrion’s armoured chest before swinging downwards to knock the wooden sword out of Tyrion’s hand. Sanyo turned around to walk away but Tryion stood back up. This angered Sanyo, for an honourable Nipponese warrior would concede dignity in defeat to a superior foe. By standing to fight, Tyrion was openly mocking the samurai’s honour. Their wooden blades collided once more, only for Sanyo to quickly strike Tyrion’s head before using the hilt of the blade to push Tyrion onto the ground by the throat. Tyrion plummeted into the snow, barely cushioned thanks to the rocks beneath. Sanyo held his bokken in Tyrion’s direction before knocking Tyrion’s blade a foot away from his hand. Sanyo proceeded to walk again as Tyrion laid on the ground bleeding from his nose and ears, probably suffering a concussion from the fall. Tyrion reached for the bokken on his hands and knees and stumbled to his feet once more. Sanyo charged into melee again, parrying his bokken to kick Tyrion’s armoured chest with his own armoured greaves before tripping Tyrion up with the bokken as Tyrion stumbled back. Tyrion pressed himself up again only to receive a sudden blow to his back from the samurai which forced him to the ground as his spine cracked a little. Tyrion held his bokken and flailed around with it aimlessly, only for Sanyo to deliver one final blow to his head, knocking Tyrion out as he took Tyrion’s bokken away. The dishonourable elf had been sufficiently punished.

– Laugh React: Atachi handed Sanyo a wooden stick and brought one to Tyrion as well. “This is a bokken, a symbol of honour to our people. It is said that to beat someone armed only with the bokken, shows discipline of the highest order. If we are to fight for the soul of our nation, may we do it through the traditional means.” Tyrion smirked at the primitive offering and ignited Sunfang, blasting the unprepared Samurai with a fire-bolt before Tyrion charged at him to toss the Nipponese warrior off of the cliff. The other samurais looked on in shock as Tyrion mounted Malhandir, ordering that they disarm their rebellion by nightfall or he would return with the full force of the Asur military.

– Wow React: Sensing that Tyrion will want to fight with his burning blade, Sanyo beckoned Atachi over with his two katanas. The samurai swung aggressively, while Tyrion ducked in and out of combat with sufficient speed to avoid his blows. The two continued to fight and Tyrion moved more and more onto the offensive when suddenly, Kawasaki pulled a trick by deliberately dropping his longer katana in order to grab Tyrion’s exposed arm and twist it behind his back. As Tyrion struggled to remove himself from the samurai’s grip, Kawasaki turned and cut through Tyrion’s sword-wielding wrist with his shorter katana before headbutting the elf onto the ground with the horns of his helmet. Tyrion had no time to recover as Kawasaki sheathed his shortsword and picked up his greater katana in one motion to swing downwards and slay the injured elf. Tyrion rolled to the right to avoid the swing and kicked Sanyo’s knees, thereby giving himself an opportunity to pick up sunfang with his left hand and rise to his feet. The two proceeded to clash once more, parrying their primary blades and narrowly missing each other’s vital organs until Sanyo managed to get a lucky swing in, piercing the armour and cutting through Tyrion’s ribs on his left side. Tyrion struggled to maintain his composure as he struggled in pain and suddenly found himself standing with a katana right by his throat. The samurai walked Tyrion over to the cliff, making sure Tyrion could not react without having his throat pierced. “You should take pride, elf. You have survived much longer than most.” Tyrion suddenly swiped at the blade with Sunfang, shattering the katana in one slash. Before Sanyo could withdraw his shorter katana, Tyrion kicked him to the ground and swung downwards with Sunfang only for Sanyo to catch Sunfang mid-blow and grasp it tightly with his left hand, which to bled and burnt simultaneously. Before Tyrion could react to this feat, Sanyo delivered a martial arts chopping motion to his throat, causing Tyrion to lose his grip as he struggled to breath such that Sanyo could pull Sunfang out of his hands and hurled it off the cliff. Sanyo removed his short-sword and twisted it into Tyrion’s rib injury, forcing Tyrion to his knees in agony, still clutching his throat with his hands. Sanyo removed the shortsword from Tyrion’s ribs and spoke “Don’t be afraid, elf. Death comes for us all in the end, even for a race like yours. We can only evade it so long. Consider this an honorable exit.” Sanyo shoved his short-sword straight through Tyrion’s heart. Finally, Sanyo Kawasaki muttered a prayer in his native tongue, blessing the elf on his journey to the afterlife, before proceeding to kick the dying elf off of the cliff-edge.

– Love React: Atachi handed Sanyo a wooden stick and brought one to Tyrion as well. “This is a bokken, a symbol of honour to our people. It is said that to beat someone armed only with the bokken, shows discipline of the highest order. If we are to fight for the soul of our nation, may we do it through the traditional means.” Tyrion bowed his head in respect and waved for Eldyra to come and protect his sword while he adjusted his grip to this finely crafted wooden blade. After gaining his bearings, the two engaged in melee. The two slashed at each other as Sanyo maligned that this mere elf could never beat him in an area of sword-play that Kawasaki had been honing his instincts in for decades. As the two parried their blows, occasional hits even causing minor splintering of the wood due to the force that was being put into it on both sides, Tyrion spoke “I’ve had a lot longer to study Eastern techniques than you, human.” as he suddenly leapt up and kneed the samurai in the face before wrapping his legs around Sanyo’s bokken-wielding arm on the way down, enabling him to disarm the samurai and tightly clench the samruai’s arm between his thighs, applying more and more pressure until Tyrion dislocated Sanyo’s elbow. Sanyo attempted to stand only for Tyrion to plant the bokken straight through Sanyo’s other arm, the splintering wood-filings piercing the wounds of old scars. With Kawasaki immobilised but still alive, Tyrion stood and addressed Sanyo’s retainers. “By the sacred rites of single combat, I have defeated this man. As such, you will disband your insurrectionist armies and this man shall be taken into custody to stand trial for treason under the watch of a Nipponese Court. If these instructions are not followed, you will have forsaken your honourable oaths and I shall return to kill you all.”