Genso Suikogaiden Volume 1: Swordsman of Harmonia (2000)

This is the first volume of the side-story to Konami's RPG series Suikoden. You play as Nash, a special agent of the Holy Kingdom of Harmonia's Southern Fringe Security Force. He was sent to the City States of Jowston with a mission: the Security Force has been informed that one of the 27 True Runes has appeared in Jowston. He has to verify the rumor and to bring back as much information as possible. On the way, Nash meets a mysterious woman named Sierra and soon gets involved in a large conflict featuring characters and events from the first and second Suikoden games. Unlike the "mainstream" Suikoden games, this is not a RPG, but a "digital novel". You read text and watch background images, at some points making a decision and leading the story to different paths.

Storyline

The game begins mid-journey with Nash Latkje, a Harmonian agent searching for information on True Runes, escorting Sierra Mikain to Muse. As of the beginning of the game, they are about two days distance away from the city itself. Though unhappy with Sierra's self-centred behaviour and disliking having any company at all, believing the work of a spy to be lonely and alone by nature, Nash has little choice but to take Sierra as Sierra is Nash's only lead as to the nature/presence of True Runes, Nash's assignment from the Harmonian Southern Frontier Defense Force. Along the way, Nash and Sierra meet a Kobold family. The Kobold children fight over a wooden figurine, and it falls in front of Sierra. Sierra demands that Nash throw it back quickly; he does so. The Kobold family thanks the two and drive away.