Introduction

Welcome, traveler, to Sacred Pilgrimage: Questlines and the World of Saran — a lovingly assembled collection of tales, quests, and lore from the fictional RPG Sacred Pilgrimage.

In this game, you play as the ever-reliable Chosen Hero, a poor soul yanked from Earth to save the fantasy world of Saran from a very grumpy Demon King. You can choose your hero’s gender and pick from several human backgrounds — Midlander, Easterner, Uttaran, and a few others with suspiciously similar hairstyles. Sadly, non-human races are off-limits (unless you’re brave enough to use third-party mods that may or may not break your game). Lore reasons, of course.

Before you ask — no, those human races don’t come with stat bonuses or different abilities. The developers decided to keep things “balanced” (and probably to avoid the ‘Wait, are we stereotyping?’ meetings).

What you’ll find in these pages are narrative retellings of the game’s questlines, written from the first-person perspective of the Chosen Hero. It’s meant to capture the spirit of the game — the triumphs, the tragedies, and the occasional “fetch ten sacred mushrooms” moments that somehow determine the fate of the world.

To enrich your journey, this book also includes a compendium of lore — a treasure trove of entries on the people, places, and peculiarities of Saran. Think of it as a field guide, minus the loading screens.

Whether you’re a gamer, a fantasy reader, or someone who just enjoys poking fun at the tropes that make RPGs both ridiculous and wonderful, this book invites you to grab your metaphorical sword, stock up on potions, and embark on your own sacred pilgrimage — through the stories, the myths, and the glorious magic of Saran.

Questlines Covered in This Book
This book collects and adapts several major questlines from the fictitious RPG Sacred Pilgrimage, presenting them as narrative summaries and lore explorations for readers and fans of worldbuilding alike. Each questline offers a glimpse into a different region, faction, or mystery within the world of Saran, ranging from political dramas and magical disasters to guild intrigues and ancient conspiracies.

Below is an overview of the story arcs included in this volume:

The Order of Ashbinders (Dragon Slayers). The central storyline following the ancient order tasked with binding dragon souls beneath Saran — and what happens when those seals begin to break.

Rheinsted City Arc (Riverlight). A lighter, early-game narrative set in the riverside city of Rheinsted, where political favors and personal letters can shape a hero’s future.

Adventurers’ Guild of Zarath — Valeria Branch. A look into guild life, showing how even “side quests” can become personal stories of rivalry, growth, and ambition.

Shadows Beneath the Moon (Werewolves Arc). A darker, morally complex questline exploring cursed bloodlines, loyalty, and what it means to be human.

The Labyrinthine Tower (Arcane Academy). The classic “magic academy” arc reimagined — part mystery, part survival tale — where every experiment risks tearing reality apart.

The Aurassian Enigma (Ancient Technology). A deep-dive into the ruins of a lost civilization and the rediscovery of machines that might have once rivaled the gods.

Echoes Beneath the Tower (Arcane Academy + Ancient Technology). A crossover storyline that connects forbidden research from both arcs, leading to one of the game’s most haunting conclusions.

The Veiled Concord: Silent Graves of Eltareth (Assassins’ Guild). An exploration of secrecy, faith, and power within the hidden order of professional killers.

Ashes of the Veiled Market (Thieves’ Guild). A morally grey narrative about rebellion, survival, and what happens when an underground market becomes the stage for revolution.

The Gilded Veins of Fortune (Merchants’ Guild). A story of commerce and corruption — where trade routes are battlegrounds, and gold may be deadlier than any blade.

The Crimson Dawn (Vampire Hunters). A gothic-inspired arc centered on an order of zealots who fight vampires — and question whether they’ve become monsters themselves.

Saran Mythic Chronicle
In the world of Saran, lush and bountiful, there dwelt a race known as the Geneus — beings more beautiful than men, standing nine feet tall, radiant with magic and wisdom. They built a civilization unlike any before it, and the God of Saran bestowed upon them prophecy and divine guidance, declaring them the rulers of all creation.

At the heart of their splendor rose Jana, the Grand Temple, within which stood a divine gate that allowed the Geneus to ascend briefly into heaven and commune with the divine.

But then came Heidan, a human summoned from another realm — a young man of pure heart and steadfast faith. God taught him sacred knowledge and commanded him to share this wisdom with the Geneus, his hosts. Through divination, God decreed that the Geneus must bow before Heidan as a sign of reverence for the chosen emissary of heaven.

Yet pride clouded their hearts. The Geneus refused, arguing that they were greater than this fragile mortal. Their defiance angered the God, who in turn forbade them from entering Jana ever again, stripping them of divine favor. Their pride fell with their glory.

In time, more humans arrived in Saran. The beasts that once served the Geneus evolved into Beastkins, sentient and strong. Together, humans and Beastkins forged their own kingdoms, rivaling the Geneus’ former greatness. Feeling forsaken and overshadowed, the Geneus turned to cunning and sorcery to reclaim their supremacy.

When Heidan grew old, he sought a successor among his two sons. God’s prophecy declared that the next leader would be the husband of Mina, the most beautiful maiden among the humans.

Reave, Heidan’s eldest, was ambitious and envious, enamored by Mina’s beauty and by the promise of leadership. Tasan, his younger brother, was gentle and wise, caring little for power.

Mina’s heart, however, belonged to Tasan. Disliking Reave’s arrogance, she proposed that each brother present a gift, and she would choose her husband accordingly.

Tasan, a skilled hunter and fisherman, prepared a grand feast from his own hands — game, fish, and fruit of the land — and shared it freely with all. Reave, too proud to labor, extorted tributes from the farmers and artisans and offered them as his own.

When Mina chose Tasan, the people rejoiced — all but Reave.

News of this reached Marrat, the leader of the Geneus, who whispered treacherous counsel to Reave. He bade him lure Tasan to the sea under the guise of learning the art of fishing, and there to end his brother’s life.

Blinded by jealousy, Reave obeyed. On the eve of the wedding, Tasan was led to the shore, where Reave struck him down. His body was cast into the tide. From his blood rose the vile creatures that feasted upon it — bats, leeches, lampreys, mosquitoes, and ticks — the first of the vampires, the cursed servants of the fallen Geneus. In their dark temples, they would later drink sacrificial blood in mockery of Tasan’s sanctity, calling it the Blood of the Martyr.

Humanity was shaken. Strife broke out among them, and the Geneus rejoiced, fanning the flames of war. But despite their losses, the humans and Beastkins endured, while the Geneus’ hatred deepened.

Fearing the rise of mankind, the Geneus waged brutal hunts, slaughtering villages and enslaving survivors. The world of Saran was drenched in sorrow.

In this age of despair arose a savior — Illia (or Elia, Ali, as ancient tongues differ), whose name and even gender are lost to time. Illia gathered the remnants of humankind and led them to the Sacred Cave of Peera — a place whose true location scholars still debate, some claiming it never existed outside of parable.

As hunger and thirst tormented the survivors, Illia struck the earth with a staff after hearing a divine prophecy. A spring burst forth, granting them life. Then, by another vision, Illia led them to a land of peace and light — Valla, the Promised Sanctuary.

There they built a Grand Temple to honor God and prayed for deliverance from the Geneus’ wrath.

Their prayers were answered — but not as they expected.

Countless Jana Gates appeared before the Geneus, gleaming as in ancient days. Believing themselves forgiven, they entered with joy, expecting to ascend once more to heaven.

But the gates did not lead upward — they cast the Geneus down, scattering them across cruel and desolate worlds. Their beauty withered, their wisdom decayed, and their immortal grace was consumed by hatred.

Thus, were born the Demons, the Akuma — descendants of pride, forever hungering for vengeance upon Saran. Though the Geneus themselves perished long ago, their curses, their descendants, and their servants — the vampires and demon worshippers — still linger, bound by hatred of the world that replaced them.

And so, the name Saran-Jana remains: A remembrance of paradise lost, and a warning to all who defy the divine.

Compendium of the Known World — Lands Beyond the Auris

By Magister-Archivist Thelon Agrappil of the Imperial Academy, Zarathil City, Anno Victoriae 1012.

Benoa Continent — The Heart of Civilization

“Where mankind first mastered both quill and sword, and where order triumphed over chaos.”

The Benoa Continent stands as the largest and most populous landmass of the Known World — cradle of human dominion and home to the world’s two greatest empires: Zarath and Xin Long. Its lands stretch from the frozen north to the tropical south, its geography as vast as its history.

The Zarath Empire, jewel of the central plains, anchors Benoa’s west and north. To the east lies the Xin Long Empire, a realm of scholars and soldiers, ancient in lineage and tradition. The Golden River (Kwo Ning) flows between them, a lifeline of trade and diplomacy — and occasionally, of conflict.

To the far south stretch the dunes of Gurn, home to wandering desert tribes who follow the stars more faithfully than any crown. Beyond the eastern horizon lie the Lands of the Savages, little known and less mapped — a frontier of myth and speculation.

From the Spine of the World Mountains to the Southern Zarath Ocean, Benoa’s every league tells the story of humanity’s rise — and of the enduring tension between faith, power, and progress.

Ardellon Continent — The Fractured West

“A land of ambition and upheaval, where old rivalries sleep lightly beneath new flags.”

To the west of Benoa, beyond the Valerian Strait, lies Ardellon — a continent where the races of Saran mingle, coexist, and often collide.

Its fertile plains and temperate highlands once gave rise to proud kingdoms: the Macche’ Republic, the Cainette Republic, the Khazari Kingdom, and the Carnari Kingdom among them. Yet history has left Ardellon scarred by division. Here, the First and Second Demon Wars burned fiercest, and here too the tension between human and non-human races simmers without cease.

The White Ridge Mountains dominate the continent’s heart, their slopes still haunted by the echoes of the dwarven halls and the embers of the Macchian Revolution. Despite its turmoil, Ardellon remains a land of invention and defiance — a mirror to Benoa’s order, reflecting both its virtues and its failings.

Valeria — The Northern Marches of Fire and Glory

“Where empires are tempered and heroes forged in ash and ice.”

The Valeria Region forms the rugged northwestern frontier of Benoa — a land of volcanoes, battlefields, and enduring legend. Once an independent kingdom, Valeria fell under the Zarath Empire’s dominion in the 9th century Anno Victoriae, becoming its northern province and bulwark against western incursions.

The Jerrath Mountains, running from the southern heartlands to the northern coasts, divide Valeria into fertile lowlands and fiery highlands. The region’s active volcanoes are both bane and blessing — a source of destruction and divine symbolism alike.

Bounded by the Northern Sea, the Valerian Strait, and the Golden River, Valeria is often called The Land of the Braves — a title both romantic and grim. Its people bear the empire’s banner with pride, for they know their homeland stands ever at the edge of the storm.

Renge Continent — The Shrouded South

“Ancient, untamed, and older than all our empires — a land that remembers when gods still walked.”

Far to the south of Ardellon and west of Benoa lies Renge, the mysterious southern continent. Warm winds and crimson dust carry whispers of forgotten kingdoms and ancient rites. Though distant and seldom visited, Renge’s influence upon the Known World is older than most scholars dare to admit.

Renge is a continent of extremes — dense equatorial jungles, endless savannahs, and sun-scorched deserts that stretch into myth. Along its coasts stand the remnants of lost civilizations whose stone monoliths predate recorded history. Some claim they were built by the First Peoples, others by exiled Geneus who fled the wrath of heaven.

Today, Renge is home to countless tribes, kingdoms, and city-states, bound by intricate customs and deep reverence for ancestral spirits. Trade with Benoa and Ardellon is limited but valuable — Renge’s lands are rich in gold, rare herbs, and minerals prized by alchemists and mages alike.

To the scholars of Zarath, Renge remains both a fascination and a frustration: a continent too vast to fully chart, too ancient to dismiss, and too proud to bow to imperial doctrine. Many expeditions have vanished into its jungles, returning only in legend — or not at all.

As the southern winds rise and the world’s balance shifts once more, Renge may yet awaken from its long silence, reminding the empires of Saran that history does not belong to the north alone.