CW: Brief moment of tea sipping early on. Nothing egregious, but it may bother some listeners. Implied and audible violence caused by fighting or claws.

A quiet holiday reflection from the Himalaya Rift. This special broadcast features the original four shorts that first set our heroes on their journey — the early sparks of what Way of the Jaded Fist would become. Some characterizations and narrative details have shifted over the year, but the heart of these stories remains the spirit Desmond Childs always intended to carry forward.

Alongside the archival shorts, the cast shares insight, gratitude, and thoughts on how far the series has come. Thank you for walking this path with us. If the journey resonates, please follow, subscribe, and share the show — your support keeps the lanterns lit.

Merry Christmas, from the Rift.

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jadedfistdrama.wordpress.com for light novel chapters, lore posts, Osts, transcripts, and character analysis.

Some voices were implemented using text-to-speech, and real voice actors were financially compensated. We are dedicated to responsible and ethical use of A.I. as a tool, and not a weapon of theft. The show is a blend of talent and technology.

Before the peace of Harbortown, the Rift was bleeding.
Agent Daniel Rose of the New Republic—known as Rose on the Grave—faced an impossible war against ronin rebels and deserters consuming the land.
To end the bloodshed, he turned to Master Fong, the Vampire Butcher of the Rift, offering a soldier’s mercy: let one evil devour the others.

What began as compassion became a curse that hollowed him from within.
Name Beneath Mercy reveals the origins of Danny’s pact, the birth of his curse, and the moral ruin that would shape the man called the Jaded Fist.

In the present, Kai-Lung, Esmeralda, and Captain Marta struggle to define what kindness means after the war—when even mercy carries a ledger.

He called on a monster to restore order—and learned that mercy enforced is mercy lost.

Tone: mythic · tragic · wuxia noir
Themes: mercy as control · justice vs. compassion · the price of peace
Continuity: canonical interlude between Names That Burn, Part III and Names That Burn I/Season of Lanterns I

This episode contains mature themes including:

• Depictions of war violence and mass death

• Psychological manipulation, moral corruption, and existential dread

• Brief references to blood, sacrifice, and spiritual decay

Listener discretion is advised.
Intended for mature audiences (16+).

This episode of Way of the Jaded Fist combines real voice performances with AI-assisted voice synthesis (TTS) created using licensed and permissioned voice models.
TTS performances are used for supplemental roles, narration, and ambience, and are edited, directed, and mastered by the production team to maintain tone and authenticity.No voices are used without consent, and all characters remain the creative property of the show.

Credits

Written & Produced by Desmond Childs
Featuring Voices of Danny Rose, Master Fong, Kai-Lung, Esmeralda, Captain Marta
Sound Design & Mix by Reaper DAW
A Tales of the Rift Story from Way of the Jaded Fist

A whispered chapter from Danny Rose’s past rises to the surface—where mercy was a weapon, and the cost of using it still echoes across the Rift. Name Beneath Mercy is a quiet storm of an interlude, revealing the choices that shaped the man long before Harbortown ever knew his name.

Need to catch up on episodes:

jadedfistdrama.wordpress.com to listen to episodes, read lore posts, and following along with the light novel serial!