Oceane

A 2e edition version of Skulls and Shackles

A short tale from the sixth world, set in Denver

Nestled above a fjord and surrounded by hectares of pine forest and mountains in the westernmost area of the Land of Auroras, Matsugakure sits overlooking the brackish waters of an inlet river on one side and the vast ocean on the other. Sugar and red pine dominate the landscape, providing enough natural resources to make hardwood furniture and paper seals the major exports of the village. A sprinkling of juniper dots the surrounding pine forest—highly prized by merchants for the fine gin it creates. During summer, Matsugakure experiences a midnight sun for three straight weeks. And in winter the long nights are lit up by streaks of colorful auroras. Although far from the middle of the Land of Auroras, Matsugakure was established after taking over an ancient mountaintop fortress that historians claimed protected the coast from coastal raiders. While the times have changed, the isolation from the greater Shinobi World has led Matsugakure and the rest of the Land of Auroras a relative peaceful existence. But such a peace can never last long.

1954. America revels in optimism, consumerism, and conformism. In Los Angeles, the stars hide from the public eye the highs and lows of their lives of excess, while the film industry clings to the idea of still being in its Golden Age. For the local Kindred, nine years have passed since the birth of the Anarch Free States of California. Now, one's vampire freedom here only ends where another's begins, theoretically. Isaac Abrams has styled himself the Baron of Hollywood, and most Kindred would know better than to be seen anywhere near the house of one of his protégés. But someone didn't follow that rule. A star is dead, and Abrams wants to know why — and if this indicates some greater, even more sinister scheme that escaped his notice so far. Her name was Ginger Swan.

Sing, O Muse, of the four heroes and how they carved their names into the stars