Oni – Eldfall Chronicles

FACTION

The Oni are a race of horned, brutish demons that haunt the coldest and most desolate corners of the world—especially the mountainous northern reaches of the Empire. Deep within the ice-clad boreal mountains, the Oni sleep, petrified in stone, through the gentler seasons, only to stir as the winter solstice approaches. When the snows buries the land and the wind howl through frozen valleys, they descend upon the settlements of mortals—driven by instinct, wrath, and a ravenous desire to devour and destroy.

THE CLANS

Though often seen as scattered marauders, recent events suggest a more troubling evolution. In the jagged mountains near the severed peak of Mt. Byodo, witnesses report Oni clans acting with coordination—defiling shrines, staging organized raids, and even patrolling with purpose. Survivors speak of a name whispered in fear: Chiyohime, a Rasetsu of terrifying power, said to be preparing for a great convergence under the coming Blood Moon.

The Oni are rarely encountered alone. Their bloodstained trail is often haunted by wraiths, malformed spawn, and creatures born of curses or profane rituals. Wherever they go, they leave behind a signature of dread—fog, silence, and the scent of old blood. They do not merely kill. They desecrate, consume, and corrupt, turning sacred places into reflections of their own torment and hunger. What was once dismissed as legend now returns in force, and the land trembles beneath the resurgent weight of the Oni.

THE ONI

Though most Oni retreat into their hidden mountain caverns beyond the spring solstice, petrifying once more to weather the turning year, evolved forms such as Yaksha and Rasetsu have shown resistance to this affliction. It is unclear whether this is a mutation, an act of arcane interference, or something far older and darker. What is certain is that Oni are most powerful in winter, thriving in the frozen season where the warmth grows thin.