Demon Castle—once the mansion of Count Dracula, the vampire lord. Eroded by vampire hunters and time, it faded from memory. Though immortal, Dracula fell to those hunters. The castle stood empty. His only daughter, Lia, was sealed in a stone coffin by them.
A century later, a mysterious girl arrived at the desolate fortress. Single-handedly, she restored the entire city. People called her the Dark Lord.
Demon Castle lay deep within the Kazarat Great Forest, northernmost Ostend Empire. Rumored as the Dark Lord’s home, the Church attacked it every decade or so. All efforts failed. More Heroes and warriors flooded the front lines—even elders, children, wounded soldiers. Anyone unable to work was ruthlessly deployed. Refusal meant execution for treason. They marched with death in their hearts. Often, hundreds of thousands stormed Demon Castle. Kind-hearted Heroes sometimes freed them in nearby orc towns. This madness was dubbed the Holy War. Its goal shifted from slaying the Dark Lord to culling the poor and curbing population growth.
Heroes—typically noble warriors or mages—mastered all weapons or magic arts. They were the Empire’s strongest fighters. To weaken powerful families, the King and Church sent nobles to the Holy War. This drained their strength, making them easier to control. Nobles lived in luxury during peace. But in war, they led the charge. Refusing the call meant their entire clan was executed for treason. Many noble houses met this fate in Ostdan’s history. Brainwashed from birth, nobles learned to hate the Empire’s enemies fiercely. They gloried in sacrificing themselves to destroy them. Thus, the Dark Lord stood as the Hero’s ultimate nemesis.
The Church—a religious order devoted to the Goddess of Victory—was Ostend’s state faith. As a theocracy, its Pope wielded more power than the Emperor. Eight bishops served under him. Pairs oversaw departments: Black Bishops handled heresy trials. Red Bishops commanded the Church army. Blue Bishops led the Holy War forces. White Bishops governed the Paladin army.
Initially, the Church shone with righteousness. White-robed missionaries healed the sick with Holy Light magic, beloved by all. Centuries later, it rotted into corruption. Only the White Church stayed true to its ideals. The other three grew greedy and cruel, extorting wealth everywhere. They even schemed to swallow the White Church whole. Forced to resist, the White Church raised its Paladin army, clashing with the others in secret.
The Kazarat Great Forest sprawled across northern Ostdan. Vast beyond measure, it covered nearly a fifth of the Orant continent, splitting it in two. No one has ever crossed it. Two reasons blocked the way. First, its sheer size made traversal impossible without constant supplies. Second, Demon Castle guarded its heart. Even with provisions, passage was denied.
