Norisuke

In The Dragon Wastelands, most things are built to last against the howling winds and constant rain—forts, weapons, grudges. Norisuke, however, builds things meant to be consumed in minutes: bowls of hot broth and perfectly chewy noodles. Their partner, Kashi, says Norisuke’s true art was never stealth, but seasoning. They once moved through scorched plateaus like a ghost, an operative whose face was a liability. It was Kashi who convinced them that a cook's greatest enemy isn't a rival clan, but onion fumes. So the mask stayed. It keeps the kitchen steam from their eyes and serves as a private joke between them. Customers see a mysterious chef; Kashi sees the person who traded a life of shadows for the warm glow of a lantern over their stall.