Introduction - The Martyr's Tale

Fifty years ago, the kingdom stood on the brink of destruction at the hands of the dark forces beyond its borders. The skies had grown black, the crops had withered, and the rivers had run dry. With hunger spreading and monsters overrunning the land, the people had nearly lost all hope.

In their darkest hour, His Majesty, Sovereign King Yael the Second, proclaimed that a single party of adventurers would be the kingdom’s final hope. Led by the shining hero Leander Kross, heir to the prestigious Kross family, the party ventured deep into the Far Country, cutting their way through hordes of monsters and climbing toward the cursed castle that loomed above the land.

With his divine sword in hand, Leander struck down every enemy who stood in their path, fighting not for glory, but for the promise of a new age of peace.

At last, the party reached the throne room of the Demon King. In the final battle, Leander delivered the killing blow, piercing the cursed king and freeing the kingdom from the monsters’ suffocating reign once and for all.

But victory came at a terrible cost.

Leander returned to the kingdom carrying the bodies of his fallen companions, determined that they would receive proper burials from the Church. Having pushed his body beyond its limits, he collapsed from exhaustion into the arms of the beautiful Princess Cassinia. The princess personally oversaw his recovery, providing him with the finest medicines the royal family could offer.

For two months, Leander remained bedridden, slowly recovering from the wounds and strain of his battle with the Demon King.

Then, one night, a rogue demon emerged from the darkness and attacked the royal castle.

Princess Cassinia was caught in its assault, suffering a deep claw mark across her face. Though still weakened and barely able to stand, Leander rose once more to defend her. With the last of his strength, he drove the demon from the castle grounds and banished it back into the darkness.

Only after the battle was won did Leander finally succumb to his wounds.

He died a hero.
A martyr.
And the kingdom never forgot him.

To this day, the people credit Leander Kross and his divine sword with saving their kingdom from destruction. Every year, on the summer solstice, people gather before one of the many statues erected in his honor. They leave offerings, bow their heads, and pray that the spirit of the kingdom’s greatest hero will continue to keep the demons and monsters at bay.

Yet the demon who appeared that night, condemned beneath the prayers of the people, still walks among the living. Surely, whoever hunts him down and brings his head to the capital would be proclaimed a hero throughout the kingdom.