Gray Coats

Imperial agents in Empire of the Clouds.

[/B]The Mist Walkers of the Empire[/b] In the overcast dominion of Emperor Kijin Tono, where the sky is a perpetual blanket of haze, the Gray Coats serve as the Empire's ominous enforcers. Far more than mere functionaries, these magic-wielding agents are the Emperor's final word on tribute and obedience—dispatched only when standard tax collectors have failed or met with resistance.

[/b]Arrival in the Fog[/b] True to their moniker, the Gray Coats are inextricably linked to the gloom that shrouds the land. They do not merely travel through the mist; they seem to command it. A Gray Coat’s arrival is often heralded by an unnatural thickening of the fog, creating a "hemisphere of clear air" around them while the world outside vanishes into white. It is told that in one encounter deep within the Dulso forest, a Gray Coat was found sitting calmly in such a clearing, smoking a pipe—the gray smoke streaming upward to join and feed the oppressive clouds overhead, suggesting a magical tether between the agent and the very atmosphere of the Empire.

Their presence alone often is enough to clear a bustling tavern, sending patrons fleeing into the night. Unlike the brutal Dark Templars who serve as the Empire's soldiers, the Gray Coats operate through intimidation, magic, and cryptic intellect. They often speak in riddles and prophecies rather than direct orders, leaving their targets terrified and confused. It is told that one such agent haunted the minstrel Teernan, speaking in echoing riddles about "returning sight to the blind" and "climbing mountains," proving that their knowledge extends far beyond simple coin and ledgers.

To see a Gray Coat is to know that the Emperor’s patience has ended. They are the spectral hand of the state, capable of walking through the dense fogs of Nouchi to deliver items of power, extract overdue payments, or ensure the protection of the God-King is acknowledged and appreciated. Whether appearing in a seedy tavern in [Inuashi]] or vanishing into the mists of the western woods, they remain the mysterious, magic-wielding shadows of the Empire of the Clouds.