Naruka

Every morning, Naruka performs the solemn ‘Ritual of the Inner Flame’ on the highest bridge in The Great Panda City, their combat pole tracing elaborate patterns against the purple sky. They developed this complex mystical art to channel spiritual energy against the mountain’s biting cold. The grand irony, known to everyone but them, is that no one else in the city is affected by the cold at all. The locals watch Naruka’s dramatic, shivering performance with polite amusement. The prominent scar on their cheek wasn't earned in a duel with a demon, but from slipping on an icy step during a particularly intense chant. Still, their sunny disposition is so infectious that they are considered a local treasure.