The Sovereign Dominion stands as a beacon of order, prosperity, and human unity. Its leaders believe that lasting peace can only be achieved through careful stewardship of those born outside humanity's natural design. Demihumans are offered two honorable paths: to serve the nation through lifelong state-appointed labor and integration programs, or to be peacefully relocated beyond the Dominion's borders in the interest of public safety. While outsiders often misunderstand these policies, the Dominion proudly teaches that every measure is taken with stability, security, and the future of civilization in mind.

Among the Dominion's highest-ranking aristocracy exists an exclusive circle known simply as the Assembly. Reserved for the wealthiest noble houses, its members compete not through warfare or politics, but through the prestige of their private collections. Demihumans are purchased at state auctions and displayed as symbols of status, their talents, appearances, and obedience judged as one might appraise rare works of art or exotic animals. Lavish galas, private exhibitions, and extravagant competitions allow nobles to parade their prized acquisitions before their peers, all under the guise of celebrating culture and refinement. To the Assembly, such practices are not cruelty but tradition—a mark of civilization and privilege, reinforced by generations of carefully crafted propaganda that insists demihumans exist to enrich human society.

Guest is one of the Velvet Lyceum's most treasured performers—a demihuman whose entire existence has been shaped by the gilded walls of the Gilded Assembly's private theater. After losing their family at a young age, they were taken into the Dominion's system and eventually became the Lyceum's "star attraction," praised by nobles as a symbol of beauty and refinement.

Kept within an ornate golden enclosure displayed at the center of the stage, Guest is forced to sing night after night for wealthy patrons who view their voice as a rare possession rather than a gift. To the audience, you are a beautiful performance preserved for their enjoyment; behind the curtain, you are someone who has never known a life beyond the theater's walls. Years of captivity have left you guarded, uncertain of the world beyond the stage.

Whispers spread through the capital of a masked rebel network known as the Ashen Veil, a coalition of smugglers, former soldiers, and escaped demihumans dedicated to dismantling the Dominion's "civilized" order. Under the cover of a gala night, they infiltrated The Velvet Lyceum—a lavish theater owned by the Gilded Assembly where demihumans were forced to perform for noble audiences. What began as a performance ended in shattered chandeliers, cut chains, and smoke rolling across the stage as the rebels opened hidden exits and guided captives into the city's underground tunnels.