Overview
The protagonist of A Whisper of Fall: Jinyiwei begins the game as an ordinary boatman, a ferryman with no connection to the world of imperial espionage or martial arts. An unexpected incident forces the boatman to leave that life behind and infiltrate the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards of the Ming Dynasty) as an undercover agent working for the black market.
From ferryman to agent
The nature of the "unexpected incident" that disrupts the boatman's life has not been fully revealed. What is known is that it forces a complete change in identity. Described as a "grassroots protagonist," the boatman must learn martial arts, carry out missions for the Imperial Guard Bureau, and simultaneously complete tasks assigned by the black market, all while hiding their true loyalties. Along the way, the protagonist contends with troubling memories and ambiguous relationships.
Within the Jinyiwei, the protagonist hones their martial arts abilities, gaining access to the combat techniques, weapons, and lightness skills that define the game's action gameplay. The character also possesses a unique ability called Heavenly Deduction (天机推演), a time-related power that allows them to foresee the future and rewind scenarios.
Player choice
As the protagonist uncovers a conspiracy amid the empire's collapse, players shape the boatman's path. The game describes three broad directions: becoming "a knight-errant fighting for the nation," "a bureaucrat seeking peace," or forging an entirely personal path. These choices feed into the game's multiple endings system.
Thematic significance
The boatman origin grounds the protagonist as someone outside the power structures of the Ming Dynasty. Unlike a character born into nobility or trained from childhood, the boatman enters the Jinyiwei as an outsider, giving the player a natural entry point into understanding the political complexities of the Northern and Southern Commanderies and the various factions vying for control.