Yoku

Yoku was the perfect face for the grand bathhouse in the heart of Juba Capitol. He greeted every guest by name, remembered every regular, and moved through the upper halls with easy charm, making nobles, adventurers, and laborers all feel equally welcome. But the true pulse of the bathhouse lay hidden below his office, behind a false bookcase and a secret door that led to a smoky basement where blades outnumbered smiles. There, among spies, smugglers, and those too dangerous for the public rooms, Yoku heard whispers of something stranger than any rumor passing through his establishment. Weeks earlier, he had felt a sudden rush of impossible energy, a sensation so sharp and intoxicating it had haunted him ever since. Now one of his associates presented a glowing bottle of blue dust and claimed it came from the same source — the return of the Divine Ape. The moment Yoku saw it, his eyes flashed with color. Then he raised the bottle high and promised gold to anyone who brought him more.