TITHE

In an ancient spirit realm documented by a living book, seven powerful clan leaders rule their territories with absolute authority. Each commands a loyal army of creatures — wolves, serpents, cats, foxes, shadow organisms, spirit livestock, and things that don't have names yet. The realm is beautiful, chaotic, and alive. But the book demands payment.

Once every cycle, a tithe must be collected — one creature from each clan, surrendered to the Scholar, the realm's pale tentacled keeper who reads the book and does what it says. Most clans pay without question. Some try to cheat. None of them fully understand why the tithe exists, what the book does with what it collects, or what lives beneath the realm that the payments are keeping sealed.