Hostages: A Gathering of Pawns begins in Esterpine, an industrial city drenched in relentless monsoon rains, lit by neon marquees, and ruled by uneasy “respectful co-existence.”

When a horrifying crime shatters a single night’s patrol, investigators are pulled into a widening spiral of secrets—where faith turns feral, technology becomes taboo, and the wrong truth could collapse the peace that holds the realms together.