Long ago, before the Dark Feather Forest was cloaked in mist, a band of warrior-chickens guarded the mountain passes. They fought with discipline, but they were ordinary—until the day the sky itself burned.

A falling star struck deep in the bamboo thickets, its fire scattering embers across the land. The bravest warrior of the flock stepped into the crater and emerged with his head-feathers glowing like molten gold. This warrior became the First Crestbearer, and from him the Ember Crest Clan was born. The markings upon their heads were said to be the embers of the star itself, passed down through bloodline and oath.

Generations later, the Ember Crest Clan lives hidden in wooden halls beneath curved roofs, sworn to the Feather Oath: Never strike in anger. Never betray the flock. Never retreat from duty. Each dawn, they meditate in silence beneath the bamboo until their crests glow steady and calm. To outsiders, their golden markings are terrifying—flaring like fire in the fog, heralding swift and merciless strikes.

Their greatest battle came against the Iron Talon Raiders, a ruthless clan of hawks who sought to burn the Dark Feather Forest. The Ember Crest warriors moved like shadows through the smoke, their crests blazing like torches. Legends say that when their leader invoked the Inferno Finale, the golden blaze was so bright it lit the forest canopy like sunrise. The raiders fled, blinded and broken.

To this day, whispers spread among travelers: “If you see embers glowing in the mist, tread carefully. For the Ember Crest Clan watches, and their golden fire never dies.”